I'm not allowed to like beautiful and dainty? I have to have a favorite that's wretched like a Carrion Crawler or a Vrock?
[sticking his tongue out at him. teasing, teasing. turning his hand when one lands on it to examine it, bringing it up close. ]
Metamorphosis. When the caterpillar begins to change, it isn't wrapping itself in leaves or silk, it is dedicating the entirety of its body to the transmutation. Its skin becomes armor and its insides turn to liquid, and nothing of the original remains. If you've ever broken open a chrysalis, you won't find a creature halfway between worm and butterfly, you will find its most vital self, liquid and reshaping entirely into something new and beautiful and winged.
[This is why neither of them are fucking barfing flowers left and right.
He wanders over to stand by Lucien so he can look at the butterflies from the Butterfly Whisperer. For a moment, he looks a little pensively lost in thought as he listens, sort of troubled, but then he glances at the butterfly with more focus.]
You're really selling the hopeful butterfly transformation here. [He's kidding.] That would be nice, huh?
Get fat, turn into universal soup, then come out in a cute new body.
What do I know, Giant Centipedes probably have the same, just with a lot more goop involved.
[ slinging an arm around his shoulders, and then because he's been unleashed on the affection juice, he leans over to kiss him on the temple. ]
Well, I believe I've thrown my chance for it into the literal garbage. [ A JOKE. AGAIN. sort of. ] But you know we'll do whatever we need to for you, yes? Whatever you want. We'll fix it. Whether it's a bomb or your body.
[He looks surprised as Lucien's movements startle the butterflies up into the air around them. He hadn't realized how many had fluttered over for Lucien's hot colorful bod.]
Don't say that... We're going to do the same for you, you know.
[He leans into Lucien's side.]
We're going to do what we can for both of us. [Glancing at him.] Would you be angry with me if I asked you to let us go to Sidon's world together. Me and you. It sounds really beautiful. You know, aside from the occasional cataclysmic event.
Unless... you were going somewhere else with your big "we don't have to go back" knowledge.
[ and "we" is more than fine with him too. it's not the traveling part of this that he's disliked. in fact it's been one of the best parts of this whole thing, to see the new places, move around, he likes that a lot. it sounds nice and the idea he gets to have something nice is really freaking him out. ]
If I do not return, I will be leaving them for dead. Or worse.
[His expression softens. He turns toward Lucien without knocking Lucien's arm away and reaches up to brush his fingers on Lucien's cheek.]
Who knows, we all may end up in the primordial soup anyway, the way it's looking. But... if we survive all of this, then... You decide for us. Whatever you choose.
[Lucien seems like the one with more stakes. They've already made Hextech, so... Jayce will be fine. Other than Jayce, Viktor has no ties to Runeterra other than a regret of not returning to help Zaun.]
Immense danger? I don't know. I'll try to keep it to perilous and under, yeah?
[ he is the one who asked for this. if he's going to combine the goth and the clown the exact halfway point is pirate and viktor will have to live with that. because apparently he is committing to living with it. sometimes you meet a guy and just decide to mutually fucking insane.
he sighs out after a moment though, pulling his mouth to one side. ]
I don't want to go back, but I don't think I can leave Cree there.
[STOP, NOT THE PIRATE VENN DIAGRAM CONVERGENCE. He'll just have to live with that.
He brushes the fringe out of the way again even if it's just gonna fall back. He's gonna have to brush Lucien's stupid hair to keep him from not knowing how to be a person.]
Then go back for Cree. Your life is yours, you know. If you want to go back, that's what you want to do.
[He sort of covers a small cough with his fist. Right.]
...I'd be worried, of course. After what all you've said.
[Well, their turn for FLOWERS apparently. Lucien might not be repressed for gays with him, but he is repressed in the nice little squishy Grinch heart of his.
He's realizing the flowers must be sentiments then... He brushes the backs of his fingers on Lucien's cheek.]
It's alright, Lucien. We'll see. If we can pull her from there then... we'll do that. We'll get her out. [Frowning.] We won't feed her to them...
[Atta boy. He takes Lucien's hand and lowers them both together, scattering more butterflies which had returned, then he leans in and presses a kiss to Lucien's forehead.
He's not sure if there will be any way, and he's not sure what Lucien would do if they found that out. Hell, he's not sure they won't all end up dead anyway. But it's fine for now.]
[ lucien's opinion on the surviving endgame problem is thus: if they all die horribly or suffer a fate worse than death, they won't have to be concerned anymore about anything. so might as well start planning. ]
I... just don't want to go back. I would hate... [He frowns, unsure, but the trickle of a cough tries to rise up.] I wouldn't like to never see them again, I mean.
[ don't just declare yourself special, lucien. he tilts his head at him, considering. he isn't sure whether he means home or the graveyard or both, but he gets it either way. ]
I don't believe it has to be a never. We know it must be possible. We're here, aren't we?
I meant... I'm with you because you're not people.
[Don't just declare yourself special.
He curls his fingers over Lucien's hand.]
Oh, the others? No... I want them back with us here. All of them. But... in general, too, yes. Everyone. I'd be a little sad going somewhere else, knowing I might not speak to them ever again.
[ letting him take the hand, turning it slightly so the red eye on the palm faces up. ]
Might be so. [ going somewhere - anywhere - will require sacrifice, won't it? but fresh starts often do. pulling the hand up to kiss the knuckles again. ] But it might not be. But we can't stay still forever, and we won't know until we get there. Sort of the problem with giving up the gift of future sight, hm? Things will be left behind, and we don't know what's coming. Have to live with that.
[Carefully, he tugs his hand away, but only so he can twine both arms around Lucien's neck and hug him. He rests his face in Lucien's hair right near the base of a horn.]
I'm glad I can see you again. [Not as boobed Owner, or 20(3) Questions, or Ratus.] I'll protect you from the Eyes.
[what's he gonna do cough on them]
I'm going to get rid of them somehow. Without you having to do something foolish. [...] ...I found the Hex Core in my locker.
[ people do keep saying that they will simply solve the eye problem which is pretty funny considering that it is an intentionally very difficult problem to solve. it followed across two deaths and three personalities. but lucien has a hard time not believing viktor when he says things with conviction. that is the entire Viktor Problem with him. lucien thinks this little bastard really can do anything if he wants to.
pulling his arms around his waist to tug him closer, because it is the best part of him being back. not as owner with boobs or a ghost that his arm goes through or rat-shaking him.
the mention of the hex core makes him stiffen for a moment though, not pulling out of the hug or moving, just. reacting a bit. it took him weeks of cajoling to finally throw the journal away, and now viktor's creepy haunted obsession object has returned too. ]
[He doesn't mind the startle. It's valid. When he opened the locker and saw it, he immediately shut it again.
He watches a butterfly sun itself on the outer curve of Lucien's horn, opening and closing its wings.]
I'm going to feed the Eyes to it.
[He says this with that same sort of casual conviction of being able to do anything. As if this act isn't as equally as dangerous as anything Lucien had planned already. He is just going to let the Core eat nine mages out of Lucien's mind and body.
Does that mean it would eat Molly, too? Molly instead. He will be the Nein's greatest enemy.]
[ i feel like this is more of a commitment for insane types than agreeing to move to any world together. hey can i feed your creepy haunted possessed brain to my creepy haunted orb and then we can watch them fight. it’ll be so fun please please please please please
anyway this is the most insane thing he’s ever heard and there is definitely a long moment where it seems pretty obvious he’s having a heated discussion in his head. molly (who would probably not be destroyed by this unless something is going VERY wrong because he’s less a creepy posession ghost and more just a part of lucien’s soul he’s gaslit himself into believing is soooo different and distinct) has OPINIONS. The opinion mainly being the is also the most insane thing he’s ever heard but as opposed to lucien, he is not turned on by it.
but yet, it intrigues. ]
We can’t tell anyone we’re doing that. They’ll try and stop us.
[The critique is fair. It is extremely fucking insane.
Of course Molly has opinions, thank you, Molly. Viktor allows this heated discussion to take place as needed without interruption. It's a lot to have your unstable boyfriend tell you that he is going to make you do something incredibly stupid to try saving you from nine powerful mages.
His arms loosen, and he leans back so he can look at Lucien's face.]
[She is going to skin them both alive if this doesn't work out the way it should. He reaches up to cup both sides of Lucien's face.]
The Core... isn't active right now, but... if... it becomes active again when this is over, I'm going to feed the Somnovem in you to it. It's... extremely dangerous to try. I don't know if it'll work, or if it'll... [Shaking his head.] I do know it needs... some kind of exchange for the transmutation. When I couldn't figure it out before, I went to my old mentor, and he said... maybe the problem was with my subject. That nature made us resistant to change, but we could... always change our nature. That's why I had to use Shimmer. To change myself for the exchange.
I think... the same will work with the Eyes. I'm confident it will take the Eyes as the exchange.
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He watches all of these butterflies flock to Lucien because Lucien is purple like a flower. It makes him laugh quietly.]
You like butterflies?
[He sounds surprised.]
They're very beautiful and dainty.
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[sticking his tongue out at him. teasing, teasing. turning his hand when one lands on it to examine it, bringing it up close. ]
Metamorphosis. When the caterpillar begins to change, it isn't wrapping itself in leaves or silk, it is dedicating the entirety of its body to the transmutation. Its skin becomes armor and its insides turn to liquid, and nothing of the original remains. If you've ever broken open a chrysalis, you won't find a creature halfway between worm and butterfly, you will find its most vital self, liquid and reshaping entirely into something new and beautiful and winged.
The universal soup, if you will.
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[This is why neither of them are fucking barfing flowers left and right.
He wanders over to stand by Lucien so he can look at the butterflies from the Butterfly Whisperer. For a moment, he looks a little pensively lost in thought as he listens, sort of troubled, but then he glances at the butterfly with more focus.]
You're really selling the hopeful butterfly transformation here. [He's kidding.] That would be nice, huh?
Get fat, turn into universal soup, then come out in a cute new body.
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[ slinging an arm around his shoulders, and then because he's been unleashed on the affection juice, he leans over to kiss him on the temple. ]
Well, I believe I've thrown my chance for it into the literal garbage. [ A JOKE. AGAIN. sort of. ] But you know we'll do whatever we need to for you, yes? Whatever you want. We'll fix it. Whether it's a bomb or your body.
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Don't say that... We're going to do the same for you, you know.
[He leans into Lucien's side.]
We're going to do what we can for both of us. [Glancing at him.] Would you be angry with me if I asked you to let us go to Sidon's world together. Me and you. It sounds really beautiful. You know, aside from the occasional cataclysmic event.
Unless... you were going somewhere else with your big "we don't have to go back" knowledge.
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I'm not angry. We have multiple invitations, really, Throné has practically held a knife to my throat as well. [ ... ] I-- we can go wherever you'd like.
[ and "we" is more than fine with him too. it's not the traveling part of this that he's disliked. in fact it's been one of the best parts of this whole thing, to see the new places, move around, he likes that a lot. it sounds nice and the idea he gets to have something nice is really freaking him out. ]
If I do not return, I will be leaving them for dead. Or worse.
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[His expression softens. He turns toward Lucien without knocking Lucien's arm away and reaches up to brush his fingers on Lucien's cheek.]
Who knows, we all may end up in the primordial soup anyway, the way it's looking. But... if we survive all of this, then... You decide for us. Whatever you choose.
[Lucien seems like the one with more stakes. They've already made Hextech, so... Jayce will be fine. Other than Jayce, Viktor has no ties to Runeterra other than a regret of not returning to help Zaun.]
I'll go wherever you go.
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[ lucien really doesn't have more stakes, he's just more dramatic about his problems. leaning into the hand and grinning at him a bit, head tilting. ]
You sure?
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You sound like a pirate. [Funny.] The last thing you need is a ship you've stolen that has a bunch of giant cannons on it.
[Gently pinches Lucien's cheek.]
...I'm sure. I mean, hopefully you aren't throwing me into immense danger, but... it doesn't matter as long as you're there.
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[ he is the one who asked for this. if he's going to combine the goth and the clown the exact halfway point is pirate and viktor will have to live with that. because apparently he is committing to living with it. sometimes you meet a guy and just decide to mutually fucking insane.
he sighs out after a moment though, pulling his mouth to one side. ]
I don't want to go back, but I don't think I can leave Cree there.
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He brushes the fringe out of the way again even if it's just gonna fall back. He's gonna have to brush Lucien's stupid hair to keep him from not knowing how to be a person.]
Then go back for Cree. Your life is yours, you know. If you want to go back, that's what you want to do.
[He sort of covers a small cough with his fist. Right.]
...I'd be worried, of course. After what all you've said.
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I don't want to go back. But maybe there's a way to get her out of there.
[ a stronger cough - a few bright blue petals, which he tries to hide quickly. ]
If I leave her, feed her to them, I don't know-- [ another cough. ] there has to be another way.
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He's realizing the flowers must be sentiments then... He brushes the backs of his fingers on Lucien's cheek.]
It's alright, Lucien. We'll see. If we can pull her from there then... we'll do that. We'll get her out. [Frowning.] We won't feed her to them...
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Okay. Alright.
[ relaxing, or at least, forcing himself to unwind from the tight coil of anxiety he'd curled into over that. ]
Then we'll go somewhere nice. With only the occasional Calamity.
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He's not sure if there will be any way, and he's not sure what Lucien would do if they found that out. Hell, he's not sure they won't all end up dead anyway. But it's fine for now.]
Then we'll go somewhere nice. Together.
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Had enough of people pestering you for a while?
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I am here with you, aren't I?
[He's joking.]
I... just don't want to go back. I would hate... [He frowns, unsure, but the trickle of a cough tries to rise up.] I wouldn't like to never see them again, I mean.
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[ don't just declare yourself special, lucien. he tilts his head at him, considering. he isn't sure whether he means home or the graveyard or both, but he gets it either way. ]
I don't believe it has to be a never. We know it must be possible. We're here, aren't we?
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[Don't just declare yourself special.
He curls his fingers over Lucien's hand.]
Oh, the others? No... I want them back with us here. All of them. But... in general, too, yes. Everyone. I'd be a little sad going somewhere else, knowing I might not speak to them ever again.
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Might be so. [ going somewhere - anywhere - will require sacrifice, won't it? but fresh starts often do. pulling the hand up to kiss the knuckles again. ] But it might not be. But we can't stay still forever, and we won't know until we get there. Sort of the problem with giving up the gift of future sight, hm? Things will be left behind, and we don't know what's coming. Have to live with that.
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[Carefully, he tugs his hand away, but only so he can twine both arms around Lucien's neck and hug him. He rests his face in Lucien's hair right near the base of a horn.]
I'm glad I can see you again. [Not as boobed Owner, or 20(3) Questions, or Ratus.] I'll protect you from the Eyes.
[what's he gonna do cough on them]
I'm going to get rid of them somehow. Without you having to do something foolish. [...] ...I found the Hex Core in my locker.
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pulling his arms around his waist to tug him closer, because it is the best part of him being back. not as owner with boobs or a ghost that his arm goes through or rat-shaking him.
the mention of the hex core makes him stiffen for a moment though, not pulling out of the hug or moving, just. reacting a bit. it took him weeks of cajoling to finally throw the journal away, and now viktor's creepy haunted obsession object has returned too. ]
What are you going to do with it?
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He watches a butterfly sun itself on the outer curve of Lucien's horn, opening and closing its wings.]
I'm going to feed the Eyes to it.
[He says this with that same sort of casual conviction of being able to do anything. As if this act isn't as equally as dangerous as anything Lucien had planned already. He is just going to let the Core eat nine mages out of Lucien's mind and body.
Does that mean it would eat Molly, too? Molly instead. He will be the Nein's greatest enemy.]
I guess that's still sort of foolish, huh?
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[ i feel like this is more of a commitment for insane types than agreeing to move to any world together. hey can i feed your creepy haunted possessed brain to my creepy haunted orb and then we can watch them fight. it’ll be so fun please please please please please
anyway this is the most insane thing he’s ever heard and there is definitely a long moment where it seems pretty obvious he’s having a heated discussion in his head. molly (who would probably not be destroyed by this unless something is going VERY wrong because he’s less a creepy posession ghost and more just a part of lucien’s soul he’s gaslit himself into believing is soooo different and distinct) has OPINIONS. The opinion mainly being the is also the most insane thing he’s ever heard but as opposed to lucien, he is not turned on by it.
but yet, it intrigues. ]
We can’t tell anyone we’re doing that. They’ll try and stop us.
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Of course Molly has opinions, thank you, Molly. Viktor allows this heated discussion to take place as needed without interruption. It's a lot to have your unstable boyfriend tell you that he is going to make you do something incredibly stupid to try saving you from nine powerful mages.
His arms loosen, and he leans back so he can look at Lucien's face.]
Especially Throné.
[She is going to skin them both alive if this doesn't work out the way it should. He reaches up to cup both sides of Lucien's face.]
The Core... isn't active right now, but... if... it becomes active again when this is over, I'm going to feed the Somnovem in you to it. It's... extremely dangerous to try. I don't know if it'll work, or if it'll... [Shaking his head.] I do know it needs... some kind of exchange for the transmutation. When I couldn't figure it out before, I went to my old mentor, and he said... maybe the problem was with my subject. That nature made us resistant to change, but we could... always change our nature. That's why I had to use Shimmer. To change myself for the exchange.
I think... the same will work with the Eyes. I'm confident it will take the Eyes as the exchange.
If you trust me.
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