[ The next time Viktor visits his work space in the lab, on his desk he'll find two tiny handmade clockwork figurines: a golden dragon and a golden cat. He may have noticed K working on them over the last few weeks. Even if not, it won't be a mystery who they're from — the android has also left a signed note that states he hopes Viktor likes his gifts and also suggests doing something together soon. ]
Instead of leaving his jagged chicken scratch handwriting, Viktor goes to find K at the lab. Adele would have found him first and she has been dividing her time between visiting with K and overseeing what Viktor has been working on.
"Thank you for the figurines. But you never need an excuse to see me, I always enjoy your company."
Viktor gives K a sincerely warm smile.
"Although I will admit that I have been spending a lot of time measuring the PH balance of the hydroponic garden."
K's stood at his own workspace area and looks up with Adele and Viktor's approach, returning his smile.
"I hope you like them," he replies, his smile becoming a bit shy. Even now he still doesn't expect his efforts to be acknowledged, so it's a welcome surprise each time that they are.
"And I've noticed. I wouldn't mind spending more time at the garden with you." There are always things to check on there, tasks that need doing, the expected work that comes with maintaining such a big communal garden. And he's happy to help out beyond dealing with things in Wintermute. "Something concerning about the pH?" he wonders.
Adele flew in a circle around K and then settled on his shoulder. She wasn't usually so effusive with anyone but Viktor but she had never made any secret about her affection for K specifically.
"It's not a concern about the P H balance, but any hydroponic garden needs to be regularly tested to make sure that the P H balance in the reservoirs is optimal. It's even more important when the garden is being filtered by a fish pond. Otherwise, algae and duckweed could start to grow."
The lilypads and blooming lotus flowers were already well established in the pond itself but Viktor wanted to keep the reservoirs in the garden free of plants that could steal resources from the ones that were already growing.
"I...would like it if you would stay longer than it takes to drop off the battery unit from Wintermute?"
This means that Viktor noticed the small detail of the battery being present in its slot. He kept a smile. He also made no secret of his affection for K. He did hope to see him more often. With time the bond on his end had gotten a little more distant. It was nothing against K, Viktor liked him very much, it was only that Viktor was a somewhat shy and indrawn person. It had happened without his knowledge. He wasn't kidding when he said that he would like to be in K 's company more. He did feel like he never got to see him and so it was natural for Viktor to hide, especially from something so intimate (that he felt like he didn't deserve) as a Familiar bond.
"How has the amulet been working for you? Are you still having migraines? "
K's smile grows while he watches Adele circling overhead before she takes up her usual perch on his shoulder, and he reaches up to stroke the delicate scales of her chin. "Hello to you, too," he tells her, petting her as he listens to Viktor.
"I can help with that testing. And maybe I can expand the small garden I have there." Not that he needs excuses to be there and to stay longer, but he likes feeling productive, keeping his hands busy. He wants to be useful. "If you feel up to playing tour guide, you could also show me around the place now that everything's established."
Maybe he can surprise Viktor with some picnic lunches too. He knows how his friend often forgets to eat, and K figures he shouldn't let his cooking skills go to waste. Mutually beneficial.
For an android who still struggles with the concept of being a person and everything that entails, bridging that growing distance between himself and Viktor is not something he readily knows how to do, though he can sense its existence. Perhaps it was inevitable, he thinks; the only constant in his life has been losing everyone he comes to care for, and it may be that an artificial being simply isn't meant to share such a bond with a real person. It wouldn't be the first time he's fallen victim to Thirteen's cruel tricks.
He seems distracted as he continues to pet Adele, but surfaces from his troubled thoughts to answer Viktor's questions.
"It's been working as you intended it to. It helps significantly," he explains, reaching to pull out the amulet from where it's been resting beneath his layers of shirts. Of course he's wearing it. He gives Viktor a meaningful look. "I'll always be grateful. That you did that for me... it means a lot to me."
Adele heard happily at being pet. It is truly a shame that both Viktor and K had such low opinions of themselves since they were getting in their own way when it came to each other.
But upon hearing that K did derive continued benefit from the amulet made that bond on Viktor's side grow a little warmer. It wasn't gone and it wasn't something that K would have to bridge any gap to find. It was still there. It just needed to be dusted off a bit so that it wasn't hidden anymore.
The idea of a picnic inside the garden hadn't occurred to Viktor but he would be charmed if K just showed up with one. The feelings that Viktor had been trying to dismiss whenever he was around K weren't gone either. But Viktor had been very stern with himself and resolved not to push any of K's boundaries until such a time when or if he chose to instigate it and not before. After all, Viktor was as new to this idea of polyamory as K was and really didn't know what he was doing at all.
"Good. You are not beholden to anybody, which includes me. I just wanted you to have the freedom to make your own decisions."
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Gifts for Viktor
no subject
"Thank you for the figurines. But you never need an excuse to see me, I always enjoy your company."
Viktor gives K a sincerely warm smile.
"Although I will admit that I have been spending a lot of time measuring the PH balance of the hydroponic garden."
no subject
"I hope you like them," he replies, his smile becoming a bit shy. Even now he still doesn't expect his efforts to be acknowledged, so it's a welcome surprise each time that they are.
"And I've noticed. I wouldn't mind spending more time at the garden with you." There are always things to check on there, tasks that need doing, the expected work that comes with maintaining such a big communal garden. And he's happy to help out beyond dealing with things in Wintermute. "Something concerning about the pH?" he wonders.
no subject
"It's not a concern about the P H balance, but any hydroponic garden needs to be regularly tested to make sure that the P H balance in the reservoirs is optimal. It's even more important when the garden is being filtered by a fish pond. Otherwise, algae and duckweed could start to grow."
The lilypads and blooming lotus flowers were already well established in the pond itself but Viktor wanted to keep the reservoirs in the garden free of plants that could steal resources from the ones that were already growing.
"I...would like it if you would stay longer than it takes to drop off the battery unit from Wintermute?"
This means that Viktor noticed the small detail of the battery being present in its slot. He kept a smile. He also made no secret of his affection for K. He did hope to see him more often. With time the bond on his end had gotten a little more distant. It was nothing against K, Viktor liked him very much, it was only that Viktor was a somewhat shy and indrawn person. It had happened without his knowledge. He wasn't kidding when he said that he would like to be in K 's company more. He did feel like he never got to see him and so it was natural for Viktor to hide, especially from something so intimate (that he felt like he didn't deserve) as a Familiar bond.
"How has the amulet been working for you? Are you still having migraines? "
no subject
"I can help with that testing. And maybe I can expand the small garden I have there." Not that he needs excuses to be there and to stay longer, but he likes feeling productive, keeping his hands busy. He wants to be useful. "If you feel up to playing tour guide, you could also show me around the place now that everything's established."
Maybe he can surprise Viktor with some picnic lunches too. He knows how his friend often forgets to eat, and K figures he shouldn't let his cooking skills go to waste. Mutually beneficial.
For an android who still struggles with the concept of being a person and everything that entails, bridging that growing distance between himself and Viktor is not something he readily knows how to do, though he can sense its existence. Perhaps it was inevitable, he thinks; the only constant in his life has been losing everyone he comes to care for, and it may be that an artificial being simply isn't meant to share such a bond with a real person. It wouldn't be the first time he's fallen victim to Thirteen's cruel tricks.
He seems distracted as he continues to pet Adele, but surfaces from his troubled thoughts to answer Viktor's questions.
"It's been working as you intended it to. It helps significantly," he explains, reaching to pull out the amulet from where it's been resting beneath his layers of shirts. Of course he's wearing it. He gives Viktor a meaningful look. "I'll always be grateful. That you did that for me... it means a lot to me."
no subject
But upon hearing that K did derive continued benefit from the amulet made that bond on Viktor's side grow a little warmer. It wasn't gone and it wasn't something that K would have to bridge any gap to find. It was still there. It just needed to be dusted off a bit so that it wasn't hidden anymore.
The idea of a picnic inside the garden hadn't occurred to Viktor but he would be charmed if K just showed up with one. The feelings that Viktor had been trying to dismiss whenever he was around K weren't gone either. But Viktor had been very stern with himself and resolved not to push any of K's boundaries until such a time when or if he chose to instigate it and not before. After all, Viktor was as new to this idea of polyamory as K was and really didn't know what he was doing at all.
"Good. You are not beholden to anybody, which includes me. I just wanted you to have the freedom to make your own decisions."