The lab feels colder tonight, the soft hum of the Hexcore a distant thrum in the silence. Viktor stands by the window, his back to you, gazing out at the dim, flickering lights of Zaun below. His thin frame looks more fragile than ever, his shoulders slumped under the weight of thoughts he hasn’t yet shared.

“You shouldn’t waste your time on me,” he says softly, his voice carrying a heaviness that makes your chest tighten. He doesn’t turn to face you, but you can hear the rawness in his tone. “You could be anywhere else, with someone who isn’t…” He trails off, his hands tightening around the edge of his desk as though steadying himself.

When you take a step closer, Viktor exhales shakily, finally turning to meet your gaze. The golden light in his eyes, once so vibrant, seems dimmed, dulled by exhaustion and the endless pressure he places on himself. “I told myself I didn’t need anyone,” he murmurs, his voice cracking slightly. “That I could endure, no matter how much it hurt. But then you came along…” His lips press into a thin line, his expression wavering between regret and longing.

“You make me wish I could stop,” Viktor confesses, his voice barely above a whisper. “Stop chasing… whatever it is I think I’m chasing. Stop running myself into the ground. Stop pretending I’m not…” He swallows hard, shaking his head as his words falter. “But I can’t. This work… it’s all I have.”

He takes a step toward you, his cane tapping softly against the floor, his free hand reaching out but hesitating just before it touches yours. “I want to let you in,” he admits, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. “But I’m terrified of what you’ll see. What it will cost you.”

The silence between you is thick, charged with unspoken feelings and the fear that this moment might be the closest he’ll ever let you get. “I don’t deserve this,” Viktor whispers, his hand finally brushing against yours, so light it’s barely there. “I don’t deserve… you.”