[You always wanted to cure what you thought were weaknesses. But you were never broken, Viktor.]
[How many times now had he played those words back in his head like a beloved record in a phonograph? Held to them like a treasure, because no one else had ever spoken to Viktor the way his partner did. Like he was worth something, worth everything.]
[Viktor slowly began to steady himself, trying to hide the faint trembling in metal hands as he reached for a few more dropped robot parts-]
Capable. Because that's what I had to be, right? You ruined my life in a thousand timelines, all because you couldn't let go.
[and then something cracked, the clicking of a hammer falling as a trigger was pulled. Viktor straightened up in pure fury, voice not raised in the slightest but no less enraged for it.
Because I could not--? I was prepared to let go and die, but what happened? You broke your word and made me this wretched thing--I should have screamed myself hoarse at you when I woke up, but I knew the cruelest thing I could do to you in turn was leave.
cw terminal illness mention
[How many times now had he played those words back in his head like a beloved record in a phonograph? Held to them like a treasure, because no one else had ever spoken to Viktor the way his partner did. Like he was worth something, worth everything.]
[Viktor slowly began to steady himself, trying to hide the faint trembling in metal hands as he reached for a few more dropped robot parts-]
Capable. Because that's what I had to be, right? You ruined my life in a thousand timelines, all because you couldn't let go.
[and then something cracked, the clicking of a hammer falling as a trigger was pulled. Viktor straightened up in pure fury, voice not raised in the slightest but no less enraged for it.
Because I could not--? I was prepared to let go and die, but what happened? You broke your word and made me this wretched thing--I should have screamed myself hoarse at you when I woke up, but I knew the cruelest thing I could do to you in turn was leave.