"You seem to forget I'm an accomplished shapeshifter and mage in my own right." No deadlifting semis level strength required when magic is involved. It's heartening to have a glimmer of Viktor's old humour like that, and it has K smiling too. Though it fades into something more wistful at the reminder of something they can no longer do together. He continues brushing Viktor's hair, glad to have something occupying his hands right now.

"I liked imagining you were only mine," he admits. "Is that bad? Just a silly fantasy, anyway." And maybe not a very healthy one, even if it couldn't actually hurt anyone other than himself — there were certainly never any expectations involved. It's hardly the first time he's ever yearned for something impossible; not dying in his home universe whenever the Fox returns him to it is another prime example.