WHAT: Viktor's secrets about his health catch up to him (also known as 'Caitlyn and Viktor Have A Bad Lunch') WHERE: At a little bistro in the city, then to a hospital WHEN: This afternoon WARNINGS: Mentions of terminal illness, coughing up blood STATUS: Complete
Mid-way through lunch and Viktor had found he was enjoying himself. It was a rare treat to eat lunch somewhere that wasn’t a cramped desk in a laboratory, and an even rarer treat to do so with a friend. Caitlyn Kirammam had been someone he had known tangentially through Jayce; his impression of her back in Piltover was of a friendly, somewhat gawky girl that had grown up into a sharp-eyed, independent woman. Viktor’s history with Enforcers was mixed. He’d no good opinion of them when he’d lived in the undercity, and they tended to view him with suspicion in Piltover, as if he was seconds away from filching something from a jewelry counter. But he’d never felt judged by Caitlyn, as her curiosity had always been reserved for their latest projects the times she had visited the lab in search of Jayce.
He’d always been polite to her, but distant, so wrapped up in work as he had been in recent years. It was a mistake he wanted to make up for now, now that he had so little time left, now that he was in an unfamiliar place trying to determine his future, now that the hexcore was in another dimension and unable to kill anyone else. And so when Caitlyn had asked him to lunch, shortly after signing up for one of the defense squads, Viktor had agreed. Why not?
“These squads, they protect citizens from mm…things that come from the woods,” he was saying now, delicately scooping pieces of fruit onto his spoon, his hands and augmentation concealed beneath gloves. “What sort of things? I’ve heard people say ‘monsters’, but… well, that could be anything.” People came from the woods, after all. “Do they mean animals from other dimensions?”
Vallo was… kind of lovely, if she were to be honest. Surely there was political strife somewhere that she couldn’t see (didn’t all places?), but she was in awe with the diversity and the advancements. Magic played a large part of it too and perhaps this was the kind of existence Jayce had been striving for all these years - magic and science interwoven together to benefit society in a way that was seamless. It was a treat to witness.
But, regardless of these perks and odd limbo of peace she’d found herself in (from her understanding it never lasts with things occurring intermittently), Caitlyn needed something to do. She needed tasks and a purpose that wasn’t just watching Vi stuff her face with all kinds of foods she’d been trying for the first time. The Defense Teams were comparable to her role as an Enforcer in regards to at least protecting. She looked forward to the action.
Even if this action was bound to be beyond her level of expertise. Lucky her, she was a quick learner.
“I suppose they really just are animals for another dimension,” Caitlyn mused, not having considered that point of view before but she found herself agreeing more or less. Viktor was always pleasant to converse with. It wasn’t something she did with him often (he and Jayce were always so busy), though she often appreciated his thoughts in those rare opportunities. “But I think that’s mostly it - other creatures from different worlds. They probably look monstrous enough to earn the monster title. I did some research and it’s a wide range of that, and sometimes a person with magic and ill intent stirs trouble.”
Lunch today was at a little bistro kept warm by fire, the ambiance rustic and quiet. In front of her was a soup and sandwich combo, and her drink was a hot tea with the bag still steeped in the mug. Caitlyn picked it up to sip from. “In those instances I’d imagine I would let those more experienced with that take reign. I don’t even have a weapon of my own yet.”
He nodded, dabbing at his mouth with the paper napkin as his mind whirled with possibility at the thought of strange and unfamiliar beings. Viktor was still suspicious about Vallo - at least a little - but he had to admit that the government here was lightyears ahead of Piltover and the undercity. Perhaps it really would look out for its own. What was the point of hoping for better, if you couldn’t recognize better when you were suddenly living in it? ”
“I’m sure they will provide you with something adequate.” He knew, from somewhere, that Caitlyn was a shockingly good shot. A thought occurred to him. “Has Vi yet determined her course?” Viktor had no idea what Vi did for a living back home. Probably nothing legal, not that he judged. He probably would have enjoyed knowing that it was her that had broken into Jayce’s lab all those years ago, and set him on his course.
Caitlyn knew there were options in Vallo when it came to weaponry. It was a matter of seeking them out, making connections and finding the perfect fit to her hands - she needed to seriously add that to her list of tasks. It felt odd, getting cozy here as if this was long-term but considering the situation and the supposed patterns of this place it very well could be.
So she’d make the most of it, somehow.
“Mmm,” she hummed, licking her upper lip as she set the tea down. Vi was an… interesting subject of discussion. Obviously, they were close. They stuck to each other a lot. But there was also this pulsing ache there, subtle and consistent that she didn’t feel the need to address anytime soon. “Not yet. I think she’s interested in the defense teams but won’t commit to anything. Which is - fine, it is. Vi’s been through a lot. This place is her first real break from everything she’s endured.”
There wasn’t a rush. Caitlyn didn’t mind taking care of her in whatever capacity Vi allowed her to, anyway. She doubted it would last long. “What have you been working on lately? You have several options here, I’m sure.”
Viktor didn’t pry, regarding Vi. It was none of his business, and he liked her, besides. Vi didn’t play games. That was a good trait to have, in his books. It wasn’t as if he’d judge her any for her less-than-legal hobbies, or where she’d spent the last six years of her life.
At Caitlyn’s question, he looked away, uncertain. Caityln was right; he had options. Too many of them. “Well,” he began, “I’m very interested in the work of a woman who builds defense mechanisms. Her name is Brigitte Lindholm; she is the-” Something within his throat itched, suddenly, and he coughed, just a little. Not now, he ordered himself, and deliberately took a sip of water, not speaking until he was sure he was fine. It wasn’t smart, but he had been operating with the assumption that he’d have a few weeks here. Maybe a couple of months, if things went well. The doctors hadn’t given him a real number, just said that they were out of options and that he was running out of time. And now that he was without the hexcore, that was triply true.
“She oversees the Forge,” he continued, chest burning, but he had given whole demonstrations before running off to the coatroom to cough himself stupid. This was just a conversation, a conversation with a friend. “And the Enki coven - one of the magical groups? It has a very interesting venture about green energy.” He doubted he needed to explain why that appealed to him. “But I haven’t made real decisions yet.”
No doubt Viktor had opportunities here. His mind was brilliant - and she felt it almost a miracle that she was able to snag his attention for at least an hour for a quick lunch. All the diverse routes he could take were a good thing, though. Finding a purpose while being more or less stranded here was a good way to pass the time, or cope, or - well, both.
Caitlyn’s brows flared up a little at the coughing but she didn’t think too much of it. The weather outside was cold; it was the perfect climate for bugs to run havoc on the immune system. He seemed to recover fine anyway.
“A forge,” she repeated as she mulled that over. Perhaps she should hit up this Brigitte to see if she specialized in any weapons? Worth a shot down the road. That detail was tucked away for now. “I can picture that more than I can a - coven?? But that one seems more up your alley. It’s a shame we won’t be able to take any knowledge we gain here back home.” That bummed her out, personally. It was what it was though. “Who says you can’t dabble in both? I’m sure there’s no rush, and there’s plenty to learn on both sides regardless.”
Dabbling in both was exactly what he was considering doing. Learning the most from both sides - now that it was available to him - appealed. And he figured if he didn’t make it another week, well, he wouldn’t leave a vacuum to be filled.
Viktor began to reply with an enthusiastic discussion of the kind of structure that the coven inhabited - he had to agree with Caitlyn; the term “coven” was as strange as it was exciting - but another wave of racking coughs hit him at about the same time that he felt oddly lightheaded, and overly warm. It was as familiar a feeling as it was unpleasant - he’d felt this strange weight on his chest many times by now back home, and sometimes it came and went if he took an uphill path too quickly. Sometimes, however, it stayed, even when he was at rest and sitting down. Sometimes, it snaked down his throat and cut off air with a relentless grip.
He turned his head away and pressed a napkin to his mouth, trying to be polite about it - that was Viktor, politely dying (he thought to himself savagely), but when he couldn’t get a proper breath, he reached for the glass of water that had saved him minutes before. As his chest heaved, his fingers knocked the rim of the glass and sent it to the floor, shattering it with a loud chime of noise. He despaired at the accident, but only with a slight awareness of embarrassment, for the coughing was still coming and he could feel the world losing its color, its rightness, as he slipped from his chair, napkin in his hands splattered with blood.
So the coughing actually wasn’t normal. That was the first thought that came to Caitlyn’s mind, blue eyes startled wide as she spent the first two seconds in a state of what could only be shock. By the third second, she spurred into action.
“Viktor,” she hissed out in alarm, catapulting herself off her own chair to meet him on the floor. Unfortunately she wasn’t fast enough to catch him before his body hit the floor - but she caught a glimpse of red on the napkin as she did her best to choke down the panic. Enforcers were trained to provide basic medical attention to keep someone stable until those actually qualified to assist arrived at the scene to take over. But Viktor spitting up blood - ?
Oh, this was serious.
The implications could be dwelled upon later. Training taught her that a recovery position was best - breathing seemed to be a struggle, and she carefully set Viktor on his side to ensure a clear airway. “I need someone to call for immediate medical attention - now!!” she called urgently, making eye contact with the other stunned patrons of the bistro. Luck didn’t have it where any of them were trained professionals but someone pulled their device out to make some contact.
“Viktor,” Caitlyn repeated, quiet and firm as she gently squeezed his arm to gauge consciousness. “Stay awake if you can. We have help coming, alright?”
The panic and bustle in the restaurant went completely past him, as if it was happening in another room, although Viktor knew logically that this was officially a Scene. He hated causing Scenes. He was no mouse; he’d stood up for himself when necessary back at the Academy, but Viktor by and large preferred to skate by unnoticed. It was easier to get things done when you weren’t being perceived, after all - it was why he’d never been jealous of Jayce being the man on the coffee mug.
And now he was the center of attention, and he was probably going to die on a friend’s watch, and that was going to be both embarrassing as well as traumatizing for everyone involved. Great.
His coughing wasn’t ceasing, so he did: he slid in and out of consciousness for the whole damn thing, and honestly, that was probably for the best. He heard Caitlyn’s voice throughout - always calming, even if he could tell tone-wise she was trying to keep it together, and then a sensation of being moved, and by the time he awoke in what must have been Vallo’s hospital wing, he was almost disappointed. He was alive. That was good - he still had a survival instinct, after all - but now he had to… deal with all of this.
And eventually do it all over again, he supposed.
Turning his head slightly in the dim room, he wasn’t surprised to see Caitlyn here. Was she awake? He couldn’t tell. And so he took a careful breath (being on oxygen, and all), and vocalized in an exhausted form of his usual soft voice: “Hell of a lunch break, yeah?”
The Kirammans kept it together - calm, collected, sharp. Caitlyn had been in plenty of alarming, uncomfortable situations (like getting caught in explosions, why was that a theme) and had pride in her efficiency. When the medics arrived she explained what she could, forced her nerves down (she wasn’t made of ice, this was her friend) and stayed cemented to his side. A familiar face in a strange and foreign world was one of the best things she could provide Viktor now through all this, and she remained a stubborn presence by his side despite her struggle to understand what was even happening here.
Excessive, violent coughing could cause the throat to be irritated and blood to come up. That was what the hopeful side of her wanted to chalk this up to but she wasn’t naive; there was a serious underlying issue that this stemmed from. Potentially fatal ones.
Viktor surfaced to consciousness not long after she fired a text to Vi explaining why she’d be delayed in coming back to their shared apartment. Caitlyn was awake, occupying a nearby seat as she observed the machinery he was hooked up to; the numbers on the screen, steadily spiking lines, the bag of saline slowly draining into a thin, clear tube.
This was a lot to take in.
And she had a lot of questions.
But despite it, Caitlyn offered him a soft but brief smile. “The most eventful one I’ve had,” she replied. “You gave me quite the scare there, Viktor. How are you feeling?”
He supposed he’d sound petulant if he answered “fine”, so he did the adult thing instead and took another breath, slowly let it out, and shifted his weight in the bed slightly. Viktor felt hollowed out and exhausted, although not as terrible as he had the night Jayce had found him on the lab floor. Viktor had heard that the medical advancements here in Vallo were extraordinary; here was proof of it.
“Not as bad as I expected,” he answered truthfully, wincing as he sat up. His throat felt like it had glass in it, but in a dull, remote sort of way - the painkillers here were something else. “Thank you for… getting me here.” And for being here when he awoke, although he wasn’t quite ready to bare himself that much yet. He suddenly missed Jayce with a solid violence. Caitlyn’s face was drawn; she looked tired, but it hadn’t killed the brightness to her eyes that belied her curiosity and worry. Jayce must not have had a chance to tell her.
He supposed that was fair. There had been a lot going on, in the end.
His fingers flexed under the sheet; Viktor could feel the lack of glove that had hidden the enhancement. They must have taken it off, perhaps, when they had initially assessed him. “What did they tell you?” he asked, with the sort of watercolor nonchalance one might ask about the chance of rain. “Anything?”
Viktor looked like hell. Caitlyn had to wince despite not being the one in pain, or stuck to all these things - moving in that bed looked wildly uncomfortable. “They told me a few things,” she referenced vaguely, and she knew it was time to have that conversation. There was this sinking weight in her stomach, this dread, as she recalled the words used in the conversation she had with the doctor that looked him over.
Damaged. Degenerative. Fatal, if untreated.
He must have known. Viktor didn’t seem the least bit surprised being here. How long had he been living with this? Who else knew?
“Most importantly - that you need treatment,” Caitlyn tacked on, straightening her posture in the seat and tucking stray strands of hair behind her ear. “Or else the damage to your lungs will be the end of you.” There was no sugarcoating this. His condition was serious. “When did you find out, Viktor? About - this?”
“I’m from the Lanes,” was Viktor’s answer, and while his voice remained gentle, there was a rebuff in it. Anyone who grew up in the corrosive filth dripping from overhead pipes had seen people weaken and fail, had known someone who had strengthened their decaying jaws with steel and wire, had stood over the grave of someone who had coughed themselves to death. Before the doctors had confirmed it, Viktor had known - how could he not have known, when he wasn’t yet thirty and hobbling like a man in the twilight of his life?
He hated the flare of hope in his chest at Caitlyn’s phrasing - treatment or it will be the end of you. So he had an “or” now. He wondered what it would cost - morally, emotionally, physically. He knew what the hexcore had demanded.
“I’ll- look into their recommended treatment,” he said softly. It was not quite a promise. Viktor wouldn’t trade his health for the life of anyone, nor negligence for survival. There was a point after what had happened with Sky where he had resigned himself to death; the concept of picking up his armor and going back into fighting against his demise felt exhausting. But he was an animal, at the heart of things. He wanted to survive.
“I assume their treatment is not hexcore-based,” he added, sneaking a glance at Caitlyn’s face as he deliberately pulled his mottled hand out from under the covers; he was too tired, and too rattled to hide it. “I tried some experiments at home. But they were… unsuitable.”
His initial response caught her off guard. It took a few seconds to get it - to really get it, the words sinking in so she could gain some semblance of understanding. Caitlyn would never fully get what it was like for him, or Vi. Sometimes her questions were naive (like when she asked Vi about her parents, god she felt awful) and perhaps this was an example because, yes, saying I’m from the Lanes would serve as an explanation enough for any terminal physical ailments.
Clean air and water were luxuries that existed above grounds, where the food was fresh and tossed aside if it presented a slight flaw that made it look unappetizing.
A hand scrubbed down her face, a deep breath taken and locked in to keep a sigh from coming out. “I’d imagine it would be a curious mix of magic and science,” she replied - right before Viktor revealed his hand.
If a pause of silence could be loud, this would be it. Caitlyn was silent, eyes rounded wide. Experiments. Viktor had experimented on himself, and the results were… “There was no other way?” she asked, and there was a harshness to her tone that was purely unintentional. It wasn’t meant to come out as accusatory as it sounded, but. “Jayce doesn’t know about this, does he? He would have never allowed it.”
“He doesn’t know the specifics.” Viktor wanted to defend himself, but he didn’t, meeting her expression. He deserved this reaction. Caitlyn didn’t even know about Sky, the main reason he hadn’t sought medical attention in the first place here in Vallo. He hadn’t meant to conceal her death, but there had been too much happening at home, and then he had been here alone, and he had thought maybe… just maybe…
But none of that was on Jayce, and so he repeated himself: “Jayce doesn’t know. We were both out of ideas, and I knew someone who was willing to help me with utilizing the hexcore. In the Undercity,” he added for emphasis, knowing full-well that Caitlyn could read between the lines there just fine on her own. He took a breath, hesitated, and here it was, the point where he needed to say something about Sky.
Viktor almost didn’t. Almost. Vallo looked like a shiny, beautiful opportunity to pretend that things were fine, to focus on a possible future where he could breathe without gasping. There was other research, there was such much potential. It could be his, with a lie. But no. “It killed my assistant. Sky Young. The hexcore. My research with the hexcore killed her, hours before the- Council meeting to vote for peace with the Undercity.” He didn’t bother saying that it had been an accident, that he had barred the doors to the lab and she had unlocked them. Caitlyn was clever, and knew him well enough to grasp the reason why he hadn’t been taking care of himself since arriving in Vallo.
Oh no. Another fine example of Caitlyn’s occasional bout of naivety was this: she didn’t think the story could get any worse, and yet.
They had caught up shortly after she and Vi made their debut on the network. It had been lovely getting together during these foreign holidays that emphasized closeness to loved ones, and being around people from home made the adjustment bearable. Stories had been exchanged but - clearly - Viktor had been withholding a lot.
Undoubtedly, he’d been hurting a lot too.
Eyes squinting shut, she pinched the bridge of her nose and tried to think. This was a bloody (no pun intended, this was too serious for puns) goddamn mess. Someone innocent had died. Viktor had undergone physical modifications of the hextech variety. Viktor was still dying regardless of it.
That sigh she’d been holding in finally exhaled. Caitlyn opened her eyes and studied him gravely. “I can help you,” she said. At the moment the most pressing thing was his well being; everything else was still being processed. “I can help you find the best treatment here, and - Vi and I are in the apartment complex so we are close in case of an emergency.”
They could check on him regularly. Help him run errands if he’s too weak to do it himself. Viktor was a good man, but tackling this by himself did him no favors. It had made him desperate, and the consequences had ended a life.
He regarded her for a long moment, and then exhaled. Nodded. His oxygen tubes moved with the duck of his chin as he tried not to let his brain go galloping off into the land of “what ifs”. Caitlyn wouldn’t have been his first choice of aid back home - she was an Enforcer, and some habits died hard - but he was suddenly glad for her here. He felt, with a sudden rush, that he could trust her. But he needed to prove that she in turn could trust him.
A knock sounded at the door, and someone in pink scrubs came in, a chart in their hands. Viktor glanced at them and back at Caitlyn, and said quickly in a low voice:
“If it arrives in Vallo, we must destroy it.” He didn’t clarify what “it” was, and didn’t have to.
“How are you feeling?” asked the nurse, eyeing one of the machines beside him.
“Better,” Viktor answered, eyes flicking to Caitlyn, and he gave her a nearly imperceptible nod: “Thank you.”
Very seldom was life black and white despite all the things she’d been trained to, well - enforce. Like law, which only counted against those who couldn’t afford to bribe their way out of a situation. There was a lot about the route Viktor chose she didn’t like, but to brand him as some horrible person unworthy of help or a second chance was something she was incapable of doing.
Besides - who's to say he wouldn’t face repercussions for his actions at home, whenever they went back or if they were the unlucky ones that were gifted with ‘memory dumps’ from events unfolding back in their home worlds. Caitlyn was sure the best direction to take this while they were here was forward.
And if it arrived, well. They would handle it.
A polite but forced smile was passed to the nurse (nothing against her, personally) before her eyes focused back on Viktor. She was beginning to lift herself from the chair. “I’m going to step out to talk to Vi on this - phone,” she said, the existence of this device still a fresh presence in her hands. “Will you be alright with me telling her about your condition?”
Viktor nodded. If he hadn’t felt like hammered shit, he would have shrugged. Vi had a straight-shooting way about her that made him think she wouldn’t treat him any differently, and Caitlyn had proven to be a good judge of character, besides. And if he was serious about seeking medical treatment, he’d need to get over his distaste for dwelling on it.
He returned his attention to the nurse, plastering a pained smile on his face, trying to get back into a lighter mode as she asked him a few questions about his medical history. Hilarious that his lighter mode involved focusing on the disease that was killing him, but such were the state of things these days.
Caitlyn was relieved for that. His friendship with Vi was literally beginning - she didn’t want to overstep if he wanted to keep this under wraps but this was a good sign. Viktor was willing to accept help. Not all was lost. She believed that.
Plus - he could maybe use a minute of privacy with the nurse here.
“I’ll be back,” she promised quietly before slipping out. Caitlyn was willing to stay however long if needed to. He might really have to tell her to get out at some point. She’d try not to hover too hard.