Day 5 Again :>

Day 16 :)

"He looks so cool when he's focused"

We know mc, we know :')

I wanted to draw something more detailed but I couldn't come up with more than this cute doodle :)

Victor plz marry me I wanna bake with you qwq

It's been 84 years...

So here's some juju sketches! 🙃

Demon juju? Yes uwu

I wanna draw a lot but geshin just *slurrrp* no time

Lmao '3'

Also I can't art.

Day 20 :D

Victor with a bass 😳

I'm ready to like this kind of music just for him 😩

Day fifteen/ sky

This is so bad lmao

(15/10/2020)

In Which Victor gets INCREDIBLY Drunk, Part 2

As promised, this is the continuation of the piece found here: https://thedummysdummy.tumblr.com/post/666894328916049920/the-worst-business-trip-part-1

The girl hung up the phone and stared off into the distance, her lips curved downward and sadness in her eyes. “If Victor was willing to tell me about those couple of things that went wrong…what bigger things are just being bottled up inside of him?” With that thought rattling around inside her brain, she turned back to the computer and continued reviewing the final cut for the upcoming pilot release. Her fingers tapped mindlessly on the desk while her eyes flickered back and forth across the screen.

A tap from the door frame jolted her to attention. She swiveled to face the doorway and found Willow leaning in the frame, head tilted quizzically. “What’s wrong, boss? Trouble with the fiance?”

A look of surprise crossed the girl’s face and her thumb went subconsciously to the ring on her finger. “That obvious?” Willow nodded and she sighed. “I mean, everything is fine between us. But he’s on the business trip, you know, and it isn’t going well. And I don’t think he’s been sleeping because he fell asleep on the phone just now…”

“Aww, adorable,” Willow teased, slipping inside the office and planting herself in the spare chair. “You know, once that pilot is greenlit the only projects you have are those reports. You could totally surprise him by showing up in New York, and just do the reports on the plane.” She leaned back in the chair and looked her boss in the eyes, a cheeky smile on her face. 

“I couldn’t just leave you all here with so many  upcoming projects!” the girl argued, shaking her head and pointing to the computer screen. “That just wouldn’t be fair to all of you.” 

Willow laughed and waved her hand. “We could hold down the fort for a few days. You’ve been working so hard lately that you could definitely use a break anyway. The last thing we need is for our fearless leader to burn out.” She patted the top of her boss’s head and stood. “At least think about it. We all have noticed your long face ever since he left.” 

“You guys are so creepy,” the girl giggled, the frown fading to a smile. “But I’ll give it some thought, okay? Now get back to work before I have to reprimand all of you for sitting around and gossiping!” 

The pair of them burst into laughter and Willow went back to her own desk. The girl watched Willow lean over and begin whispering to Kiki as a warmth filled her chest. She really had the best employees…and the best friends. 

The next two days went by in a blur. Their pilot episode aired to great acclaim, skyrocketing their studio back to number one in trending. Willow, Kiki, Minor, and all the others worked extra hard to finish their projects by close on Friday so the weekend would be open for celebration. “You have all done a marvelous job,” the girl exclaimed at three in the afternoon. “We are all caught up, so I don’t want to see any of you in the office until Monday morning. Go out and enjoy yourselves, and that’s an order!” 

The office exploded into cheers of jubilation, and the girl stood at their head with a smile on her face. As they all filed out of the room, Willow made her way over to the boss and winked. “Remember what I said,” she said, giving her a wink and leaving without another word. 

Truth be told, the girl hadn’t been able to get Willow’s words out of her mind. During the early morning calls from Victor, while riding the bus to work, while trying to concentrate on her reports…the only thing she could think of was Willow’s suggestion. Should she go? It wouldn’t be the first time she had hopped on a plane to surprise him, after all. But New York was so very far away…

No sooner had the door snapped closed behind the last employee than her phone rang. The girl pulled it from her pocket expecting to see Kiki or Minor calling to say they forgot their keys or something…only to see Victor’s face pop up on the screen. She hurriedly fumbled for the answer button and held the phone tightly to her ear. “Victor? Are you alright? Why are you awake and calling me at three thirty in the morning?!”

There was a moment of silence on the phone, Victor seemingly surprised by her intensity. When he did speak, his voice was soft and slightly slurred. “I just needed to hear your voice, that’s all.” 

A cold chill went down her spine. Something was not right…It was that moment that her mind was made up. “I’m right here, Victor. Everything will be alright, okay? I want you to get some sleep for me.” 

Victor sighed, rolling over in the bed and setting the phone on the pillow close to his ear. He did not speak, but she continued talking as she locked the office door and made her way to the street to hail a cab. “Everything is going well here at home. Our pilot episode was very well received and everyone got to go home early today. You’ll be so pleased with the next report that you’ll reward me with five puddings, I know it!”

She prattled on until the rhythmic, soft snores filled her ears. A soft smile crossed her face and she climbed into the cab, hanging up with an “I’ll see you soon.” The cab driver looked at her expectantly. “LFG, please.”

“Goldman. I need to know which hotel Victor is staying in.” The girl had burst through the door so unexpectedly that Goldman stood flapping his mouth noiselessly for a few moments while his brain caught up. He looked so much like a fish that she couldn’t help but laugh, the concerned expression in her eyes fading for a few moments. 

When he had gathered himself, Goldman looked at her quizzically. “Why?” 

“I’m worried about Victor. He hasn’t been acting like himself all week.” 

“So…wait. You aren’t planning to run to New York are you?” Goldman’s eyes widened and he began to laugh. “You are, aren’t you? You two are the cutest thing I’ve ever seen!”

The girl scowled and cuffed Goldman gently on the shoulder. “Oh shut up, you! Just give me the information! Remember how many times I’ve helped you with your work? Bought that new tie after you spilled coffee on Victor’s? You owe me!”

Goldman shrunk back a little and waved his hands. “Okay, okay! Let me grab the itinerary!” He turned to the filing cabinet next to his desk and rifled through the papers, coming up with an “aha!” of victory. “Here you go. I’ll just make a photocopy of it for you.” 

While he did so, the girl pulled up airline tickets on her phone. By the time Goldman had printed the copy of Victor’s itinerary, she had booked a flight for 7pm straight through to New York City. “You’re the best, Goldman!” she shouted, snatching the paper from his hand and racing out of the office. He watched her go with a bemused look on his face and a chuckle on his lips. 

“He really picked the best. But is anyone surprised by that?”

Packing, customs, and boarding were all over before the girl could even catch up on her own whirlwind of thoughts. It wasn’t until the plane was at cruising speed and she had nothing to do but sit that it caught up to her the spur of the moment decision she had made. She pulled the itinerary out of her pocket and read it again, ensuring for the fifth time that she had booked a room at the correct hotel. “What in the world am I doing?” she asked under her breath, though her still-racing heart told her the answer. 

Victor needed her, and she was going to answer the call. 

She hurried out of the plane and into the terminal, feeling more than a little lost at the sheer size of the JFK airport. Through the help of her fellow passengers she eventually found her luggage and made it out onto the street. The amount of noise, people, and lights on the street were staggering, but she did manage to flag down a cab and was soon headed for the hotel. 

The long flight had given her more than ample sleep and the jetlag had not set in. So even though it was nearly ten thirty at night, the girl found herself wide awake and bouncing inwardly with excitement. Her phone buzzed and she flicked the screen on to see it was a text from Victor. Perfect!

“Just got done with the meetings for today. Thankfully the last one was via video conference. How was work?”

She smiled and hugged her phone to her chest before replying. “There wasn’t any work today aside from working on the report. But it is finished now, and the proposal should be finished by this afternoon. Are you back at the hotel?” Not a full truth, but what harm would it do?

“I was, but I stepped out to get something to eat before attempting to sleep. Remember that my flight home is in twelve hours, so I will be returning soon. Be sure you get that proposal finished.” 

Even more perfect! She picked up her bags and hurried into the hotel, got checked in, and dropped her luggage off in her room. “I will, I will! Did you get anything good for dinner?” she replied, parking herself in one of the chairs in the lobby to watch for Victor’s return. 

His response was prompt. “Just some American pizza and a bottle of red wine. Nothing too fancy. I will call you when I get back to the hotel.” 

“Okay, travel safely.” 

She slipped her phone into her pocket and watched the windows intently, her leg bouncing softly in anticipation. Her heart leapt every time she heard the doorbell ring, only to be disappointed when a stranger stepped through the door. 

Until she saw that tall, all too familiar form. Her heart began to race and her cheeks blushed as he stared at the CEO in his smart suit carrying a pizza box and a bottle of wine in one hand, and his phone in the other. He seemed intently focused on the screen until he held the phone up to his ear…and her ringtone filled the lobby. 

Victor’s head swiveled in her direction, his eyes wide. She stepped out from around the corner where she had hidden and ran toward him, arms wide and a broad grin on her face. “Surprise!” she exclaimed, wrapping her arms around his waist and burying her face in his chest. Victor didn’t say anything; he just stood there, staring at her with those shocked eyes. “Come on, let’s get up to your room so you can have your dinner. We don’t want the pizza to get cold!” 

She released her grip and reached for his hand, taking the phone out of it and replacing it with her own hand. Their fingers threaded together naturally and she began to pull him toward the elevator. “What room are you in?”

“What…what are you doing here?” Victor finally managed as the elevator doors closed. “What kind of dummy flies all the way to New York knowing that she will be turning around less than twelve hours later?!”

The girl looked Victor straight in the eyes and gave his hand a squeeze. “The kind of dummy who knew that something was wrong, and she was worried enough to fly to literally the opposite end of the planet to try to fix it.” 

They stood there for nearly a full minute before either of them realized that they had not pushed a floor button. Victor reached out with their entwined hands and pressed the fifteenth floor. Neither of them spoke, each just drinking in the presence of the other and the warmth of each others’ hands. This continued until Victor placed the pizza and wine on the desk and turned, flinging himself at her and burying his face in her hair. His strong, warm arms enveloped her and his presence became the entirety of her world. 

Neither knew how long they stood there that way, hearts and breathing synchronized as emotions coursed through their veins. It was Victor who finally pulled away and straightened his wrinkled shirt, clearing his throat and sniffling softly. He covertly wiped his face with his sleeve as he turned to grab the pizza, his stomach audibly rumbling. The girl frowned and sat down on the edge of his bed. “Victor, is this the first food you’ve eaten today?” 

He nodded and popped the top of the wine, pouring himself an abnormally large glass. She frowned and scooted over with her back against the headboard to give Victor a place to sit next to the night stand. He took the opportunity, placing his plate of pizza and glass on the night stand so he could more properly settle in next to her. She rested her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes, a smile on her face. “You really need to take better care of yourself, Victor. It’s no wonder you’re so thin…You’ve at least made sure to eat something every day though, right?” 

“You worry too much. I’m perfectly healthy.” Victor took a large bite of the pizza and the girl chuckled, nuzzling in closer to him. Though he gave no outward sign, Victor relished her warmth against his side. While he ate they spoke of nothings, whatever common thoughts washed into the harbor of their minds. She snitched a slice of the pizza and a sip of the wine, but when all was said and done there only remained an empty pizza box and the drop in the bottom of the bottle that refused to come out. 

“Are you sure you should drink all of that?” she had asked halfway through the bottle, but Victor had stubbornly ignored the question. 

“I’ll be fine, I’ll be fine.” His response to everything, ‘I’ll be fine.’ She sighed and held his hand, content to allow the evening to go however Victor chose. At least while he was here in her arms, she knew he was safe and well. 

The lights of passing cars danced like stars on the walls and ceiling of the hotel room, though they were far enough up that the sounds of the street were as dim as a childhood memory. They lay side by side and hand in hand, watching the lights as peace filled the room with warmth. 

“I’m glad you came to me.” 

Victor’s voice broke the silence, soft as mist and slurred. He rolled onto his side and wrapped his arms around the girl, pulling her in tight. “I missed you so much…” His breath was hot on her cheek and smelled of alcohol. 

“Victor…you’re drunk,” the girl giggled, her lips brushing the tip of his nose teasingly. “I told you that you shouldn’t have had that entire bottle of wine. Who knows what silly things you’ll say that you’ll regret in the morning.” 

“I’m not drunk. I don’t get drunk.” Victor shook his head, eyes closed and embrace unrelenting. “And I never regret anything.” 

She giggled and brushed his hair away from his forehead. “You never regret anything, huh? So you’re telling me that in your entire life, you’ve never done one single thing that you would go back and change?” The atmosphere in the room changed immediately as Victor pulled his arms to his chest and rolled over, curling up into a ball. The girl’s face fell, a mixture of confusion, fear, and sadness in her eyes. “Victor, did I say something wrong?”

He refused to speak and when she put her hand on his shoulder, the girl discovered he was trembling. Great, deep trembles that seemed to come directly from his core and radiate to his fingertips. Panic rose from her belly to where it threatened to close off her throat as she pressed her body against the curve of his spine and gently ran her warm hands up and down his neck, shoulders, chest, and back. “Victor,” she whispered, her hand caressing his ear. “Victor, honey, talk to me. What is wrong?" 

It seemed as if Victor didn’t even know she was there. He showed no signs of responsiveness, eyes staring off into space as every muscle in his body trembled. Tears welled up in the girl’s eyes as she continued trying to calm him, almost deciding to call emergency services when an audible sob escaped Victor’s throat. 

"Oh, Victor,” she whimpered, pulling softly on his shoulder to get him to roll over to face her. He refused so she climbed out of the bed and knelt on the floor next to his face. Tears had completely soaked the pillow and he hid his face from her, some part of his brain still sober enough to attempt to salvage his pride. She gently slid her hand between the pillow and his face, cupping his cheek and turning his head to face her. “Victor. You’re alright, honey. I’m right here.” Her voice was silk, sliding into his ears and down to his gasping heart. She wiped the tears from his cheeks and kissed each of his eyes as gently as the brush of butterfly wings. “I’m right here and I want to help you. You just need to trust me with your heart." 

He pulled in a shaky breath and reached out with trembling hands to tangle his fingers in her hair. "You… Already have it…” he whispered, voice still slurred but understandable. “But I don’t deserve yours." 

The words were like a dagger to her gut. She felt the tears on her own face begin again and she took his hands. "Victor, what in the world would make you think that you don’t deserve anything in this entire world that catches your eye?" 

Victor shook his head and again rolled away from her. The girl sighed and rose from the floor, deciding she might as well throw away the empty pizza box and bottle while she was up. She carried them to the trash and stopped, looking at the contents sadly. In the wastebasket were three more wine bottles, each drained of its contents. Suddenly the late night calls made a lot more sense. 

She placed the trash in the bin and climbed back into the bed, taking both of his hands and blowing on them gently. "You’ve had a very, very hard week, haven’t you?" 

Victor nodded. 

"Have you gotten any sleep at all?”

Victor began to shake his head, but then paused and took a trembling breath. “A little. While I could hear your voice on the phone. But as soon as you hung up, the nightmare came back." 

The girl pressed her forehead to Victor’s, just lingering there breathing calmly while tears ran down Victor’s face. "Do you want to talk about it?" 

Again Victor shook his head and she sighed, looking at the child in the man before her. "Well, can we at least get you comfortable? You’re still in your suit.” This time she didn’t give him much choice; she reached out and unbuttoned the suit coat, loosened his tie, and began unbuttoning his shirt. He didn’t fight too hard; with a little persistence she was able to get him to sit up and allow her to remove the clothing on his torso. “You have to take care of the pants yourself,” she teased, attempting to lighten the mood just a little. 

Only a flicker of a smile crossed his eyes, but he stood unsteadily and changed into a pair of pajama pants she found in his suitcase. “There we go, that’s better. Now climb into bed and I’ll get you a glass of water. We don’t want you to be hungover in the morning.” Victor did as he was told and slid beneath the covers. He took the glass and drained it before closing his eyes. “You rest, okay? I’m going to go to my own room really fast and change into my pajamas.”

Victor’s hand reached out for her and piteously he whispered, “Don’t leave me…" 

The girl’s heart exploded and she took the extended hand and kissed it repeatedly. “I’ll be right back, I promise. I’ll even bring my things here and watch over you while you sleep, okay? I’ll only be gone for a few minutes.” He finally nodded and she gave his hand one last kiss, picked up the keycard from the table, and hurried out the door to the elevator. On her way to her room, she pulled out her phone and dialed Goldman. 

“Hey, did you make it to New York alright and find the boss?”

“Yeah, I did. But I need you to extend the trip one more day. Victor is in no state to travel in the morning and I know he won’t admit it. If he whines about the budget, I’ll pay the difference myself.”

“Is he sick? Have you called a doctor?”

She shifted the phone to be held against her ear by her shoulder and unlocked the hotel room door. “I guess you could say he’s ill, yes. As far as I can tell, he hasn’t gotten a real night’s sleep in the entire week, and there are four empty bottles of wine in his room.” 

There was silence on the phone for a long time before Goldman replied. “That’s…not good. Okay, I’ll take care of the adjustments but if he asks, it was all your doing.” 

“Thanks Goldman. You’re the best.” She hung up the phone and grabbed her small suitcase and purse, deciding she would just change in the bathroom in Victor’s hotel room. She wanted to minimize the time she was away from the completely inebriated and exhausted to collapse CEO. 

She returned to Victor’s room less than ten minutes after departing. Little had changed; he was lying in bed with his eyes closed, though his breathing was not steady enough for him to be asleep. “I’m back,” she whispered across the room as she closed the door and set her bag down near his. Victor reached out toward her in response and she again kissed his palm. “I’m just going to change in the bathroom and brush my teeth, and then I’ll join you in bed, okay?”

Victor nodded and she did exactly that, returning to his side in moments. He seemed to have calmed somewhat; the trembling had stopped everywhere except his hands, which she steadied in her own. “Are you feeling a little bit better?” 

“A little.” He reached out and pulled her close, his breath warming her cheek. They lay there in each other’s arms for a long time just listening to each other’s hearts beat. Finally, Victor tucked his chin to his chest and pressed the top of his head against the bottom of her chin. “Do you…still want to know what I regret?” 

“If you’re willing to share, I want to know every corner of your heart.” She ran her fingers down his cheek and looked deep into his dark eyes. “You can tell me anything and everything.” 

Victor sniffled again. “I really don’t deserve you. I don’t deserve anything…Despite doing everything in my power and pushing my Evol to the absolute maximum, I was unable to save either of the people I care most about in the world.” Once he started speaking, it was like a dam inside of him had burst and he had to continue or he would drown. “I wasn’t there to say goodbye to my mother, and nothing I tried could change the past. And you…I…” 

The sobs began again, this time causing the entire bed to shake with their force. She just silently held him in her arms, allowing this much needed release of emotion to run its course. He didn’t even need to finish the sentence for her to know exactly where his mind was spinning. When his breathing eventually began to even again, she wiped his face with a tissue and kissed his forehead, nose, cheeks, and lips. “Victor, nobody blames you for either of those things. Especially not me! And look, I’m right here. I’m here, I’m whole, and I’m no worse for wear. You’ve…you’ve been carrying the guilt from that night all this time, haven’t you?” 

Victor nodded and pulled her so tightly against his chest that she struggled to breathe. “I killed you,” he sobbed, his voice barely audible. “And every night, I do it again. And again. And again. I see the knife enter your chest and I feel you go limp in my arms. And I cannot make it stop! Nothing makes it stop…nothing…except your voice. I just have to hear your voice and make sure it was just a dream.” 

Through the waves of guilt, nausea, and sadness that dragged her under like an emotional riptide, the girl made a mental note to convince Victor to see a therapist and struggled to keep her own eyes dry. “It’s over, Victor. That all happened a lifetime ago and nobody blames you for it. It had to be done. And you know what you did? You still saved me. You sent me to that winter world where I could heal and make my way back to you. So you didn’t fail at all! You are one of the smartest, kindest, most self-sacrificing and amazing people I have ever met. Ever. I’m so sorry that I didn’t know you still felt guilty for that night. I really should have figured it out…but I don’t want you to think about it anymore. I want you to be able to lay down that heavy burden and not continue to carry that stone on your back.” 

He did not respond verbally, but little by little Victor relaxed as she spoke and ran her fingers through his hair. She wiped his sweaty brow and coaxed another glass of water into him before the exhausted, drunk, and broken man began to slowly drift off to sleep in her arms. “That’s right, my little Victor. Everything will be alright. It’s just a bad dream.” 

As his muscles and face relaxed and his breathing became deep and rhythmic, the girl hummed “Serenade” and ran her fingers again through his hair. The night wore on that way; Victor slept deeply and peacefully, while his guardian angels watched over him and sang their lullaby that ascended time and space.

Taking a brief pause to just say my heart is with the people of Ukraine right now, and I wish all of you well.

When the death toll for Gaza goes up from disease, Israel will claim deniability, that those deaths were not deliberate and calculated. You see it with how settlers will talk about the genocide of Natives, that most of us "just died from disease then colonizers 'accidentally spread'". It is NEVER an accident. Famines and Diseases and always used as tool for genocide by colonizers

The Worst Business Trip, Part 1

Victor glanced at the mirror, finding a stranger in his reflection. Dark circles had swallowed the already dark eyes and the expression had gone from sharp to vacant. Stubble darkened his chin and his hair stood every which way. “I look like the night was far more exciting than it really was…” 

He sighed and stepped into the shower. The hot water prickled his skin as it first rushed down, but soon the warmth soaked into his bones and relaxed the tense muscles in his shoulders. Victor’s eyes slowly closed and he leaned against the wall, fighting away the images of last night’s nightmare that threatened to overcome him in their second war. 

Twenty minutes later, Victor emerged from the bathroom an entirely different man. His usual clean-shaven and proud face had been returned to its natural state, and his hair had been perfectly tamed. The suit he wore was freshly pressed and crisp with a new silk tie. He picked up his briefcase, checked it quickly for the documents he required, and walked out the front door.

Goldman already had the car parked in the driveway. Victor nodded in greeting and climbed into the passenger seat. “Good morning, boss. I have your tickets and the documents you requested there in the dossier on the dashboard. You should have already received the email confirmation for your hotel last week. Was there anything else I’ve forgotten?”

“No, that’s everything.” Victor nodded solemnly and Goldman started the car, leaving the driveway and heading for the airport. They traveled in their usual silence, the sun just beginning to peek out from the horizon to greet them. Victor pulled out his phone and sent a single text message before putting it away and reclining in his seat. 

“Didn’t sleep well, boss?” Goldman asked, glancing over at Victor. He didn’t open his eyes, but shook his head. “I see. Well, hopefully you can get some rest on the plane. It’s a really long flight.” Victor didn’t respond. 

The sun slowly rose over the landscape, casting it in fiery hues of red and orange as the car pulled into the airport drop off zone. “I will message you when I arrive in New York. I expect that you will let me know if anything happens in the Anohe deal as well while I’m away.” 

“Of course,” Goldman replied. He opened the trunk and pulled Victor’s suitcase from inside. “Are you sure you don’t want me to bring this to the gate for you?” The boss shook his head and Goldman nodded. “Alright. Travel safe, boss.” 

Victor took the suitcase, briefcase, and dossier and entered the airport proper. He knew exactly which way to go; within minutes he had passed through the first class security and sat on one of the plush chairs just outside the gate. He glanced at his watch and found that he had about fifteen minutes before boarding, so he pulled out his phone and dialed the number at the very top. 

“Hello?” The sleepy voice on the other end of the phone brought a smile to the weary CEO’s face. “Victor? Did you make it to the airport alright?” 

“Yes, I’m waiting to board now. I just wanted to remind you that your report on last week’s release is due the day I get back and the presentation on your new proposal is the next day.” 

There was a sigh on the line, followed by the return of the sleepy voice. “Yes, I remember. They will be ready as always! And you know that. You just called me because you wanted to hear my voice, didn’t you?”

A light flush crossed Victor’s cheeks, tinging them pink. “No, I just wanted to make sure you didn’t conveniently forget your deadlines just because I’m out of the office for the next seven days. I’m hanging up now.” 

“No, don’t hang up quite yet! I…I will miss you, even if you don’t miss me while you’re gone. Can’t you just talk to me for a few minutes since you called me anyway?”

“You’re such a dummy.” Victor’s voice was barely above a whisper, tenderness practically dripping from each word. “But I still have ten minutes or so before we board, so I suppose I can indulge you.” 

The ten minutes passed in the beat of a heart and Victor begrudgingly hung up the phone. “Yes, I will call you as soon as we land. Yes. I will be careful. They’re calling boarding so I need to go.” He stared for a moment at the picture of the girl on the call screen, eyes swirling with complex emotions. “I’ll miss you too,” he whispered.

Despite the length of the flight and the comfort of the first class cabin, Victor found himself nursing a glass of bourbon and staring out the window rather than giving in to his exhaustion. Every time his eyes closed, images of the recurring nightmare filled him with dread and jolted him awake. 

Please fasten your seatbelts. We will be beginning our descent into Paris in a few minutes.

The sound of the captain’s voice broke Victor out of his reverie. He gathered the documents he had been reviewing and put them back in his briefcase while mentally reviewing the list of things he had planned for the six hour stopover. 

In a surprisingly short amount of time, Victor stood in the bright Parisian sun with his briefcase in one hand and his suitcase in the other. Flagging down a cab was an easy affair here at the airport, and within a few minutes he was traveling toward the coast and his mother’s house. 

The familiar neighborhoods flickered by and imparted their memories to Victor’s exhausted mind. He thought he could see a familiar small, somber boy winding his way through the cobblestone streets with a baguette in one hand and a crepe in the other. His eyes idly followed the little figure until he faded away to nothing. Victor smiled, wondering if the little bakery was still open. 

“We’ve arrived,” the cabbie grunted, the car lurching to a stop outside the home where he had spent so much of his youth. Victor nodded and handed over the fare. The car pulled away and he just stood there in the yard, examining the blooming flowers and well-manicured lawn. The landscaper he employed had been taking good care of the land as usual, he mused, stooping to pick a tulip for the vase. 

Victor unlocked the door and carefully swung it inward, pulling his feet from his shoes and slipping them into the white slippers near the entry. “Mom, I’m home,” he called to the empty house, somehow hoping that this time he would get a response. 

Of course, nobody responded but the sound of his own feet. Victor placed the tulip in the vase on the piano, smiled fondly at the photograph of his mother, and shuffled down the hallway toward his bedroom. “I’m so tired, mom. Nightmares again…but this time, you aren’t here to wipe my brow and watch over me.” 

He sighed heavily and dropped his luggage near the bedside table. Weariness weighed down every inch of his body as he slipped out of his suit and climbed into the bed in his underclothes for a desperately-needed nap. Even the early afternoon sun pouring through the window could not keep Victor from drifting off into a fitful sleep.

Victor opened his eyes and found himself standing in the middle of a sea of blood and chaos. All around him were the screams of men, women, and children alike. He ached to put himself between the horror and the girl at his side, but there was no way he could completely encircle her with the madness occurring on every side. 

She stepped out onto the platform in the center of the room and the dread in his gut intensified. Victor knew exactly where this was heading, but every attempt to change the trajectory was to no avail. The dagger in his hand was cold and sent an ache into his skin. The girl, the most important person and light of his existence, begged him to do it. “There’s no other way, Victor,” she explained, her voice calmer than it had any right to be in a situation such as this. 

“I won’t do it!” Victor exclaimed, trying to toss away the dagger. However, it had attached itself firmly to his skin as if frozen in place. He felt his arm begin to move and though he fought to regain control, in the end all he could do was watch in horror as the glinting steel passed through her dress and into her perfect, pale chest. 

The girl went limp amidst the primal screams of her on the platform. Victor paid the imposter no mind; he simply cradled the ragdoll form of his one and only love, running his fingers through her hair and washing her face with his tears. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” he sobbed, running his hand over her cheek and forehead. 

A final shriek from the platform caught Victor’s attention. He looked away for a moment and when he looked back down, the face had changed. Victor found himself looking down into the still eyes of his mother, the first person he had been unable to save. His wails intensified and the room faded away; the only remaining reality was himself and her peaceful face.

Victor jolted awake, finding that tears had soaked his pillow while he slept. His eyes were redder than when he had closed them and sore, a pain only slightly relieved by the back of his hand rubbing the remaining tears away. “Damn that dream,” he muttered, glancing at the time on the digital clock. It read 2 PM and he groaned. 

The intermittent flashing of the notification indicator on Victor’s phone caught his attention. He picked it up and found multiple messages from the girl. “Oh…I forgot to call,” he murmured while pulling up her contact information. The phone only rang twice before her concerned voice filled the speaker. 

“Victor! Did you make it safely?! You were supposed to arrive hours ago. Was the flight delayed? Did you get stuck in the airport? Did you not have service?” 

Her concern sprouted warmly in his heart, spreading and growing until his entire chest was filled with heat. “I’m fine. I got to Mother’s house and took a nap. You worry too much.” Victor sat on the bed and began pulling on his pants, phone held between his ear and shoulder. “Everything has gone just fine, though there seems to be a storm rolling in. I’ll need to return to the airport fairly soon to catch the second flight to New York.” 

His thoughts of displeasure in regards to getting to the airport for his 5 PM flight were interrupted by the sound of branches whipping against the bedroom window. Victor frowned and stumbled to the window, finding that the sun had disappeared and left behind a storm-swept estate. “Great. This better not delay my flight…it’s already cutting it close to getting any sleep before leaving for the meeting in Queens.” 

The girl made a few displeased sounds on the other end of the phone and Victor could imagine her face scrunching up with worry as it always did. He could picture the little wrinkles at the corners of her eyes and the way her bottom lip slightly protruded, and the searching look in her eyes as she examined his face for any signs of hidden emotions. “Well, you be safe! Or you’re going to owe me ten puddings when you get back!” 

“Ten? You better spread those out or you aren’t going to fit in any of your clothing.” The sounds of her indignance broadened the smile on his face and Victor chuckled, putting the phone on speaker so he could finish getting dressed. “Though I suppose there’s no reason to worry about that because I will be perfectly fine. And I will see you when I get back.” 

“You better. Or I will hunt you down and bring you home myself.” 

Victor chuckled again and finished tying his shoes. “Alright, that’s enough of that. I have to get back to the airport. I will call you tomorrow. And don’t forget again that I’m in New York and call me at two in the morning, or I will have to move up the date of the film proposal.” 

Amidst the unhappy noises on the other end of the phone, Victor said his goodbyes and hung up. He took one last look around the room before gathering up his bag and dialing a cab.

The weather grew increasingly dark and windy as the cab conveyed the CEO toward the airport. The wind howled and beat on the car, causing it to sway slightly back and forth. Victor’s face grew more and more grim until he stepped out and his coat was caught up in the storm. No sooner had he closed the cab door and stepped into the airport than the heavens burst open and rain began falling in a deluge. 

Victor went straight to the flight board, hoping that he would find good news. Unfortunately he was met by a wall of orange and red. Delayed, delayed, cancelled, cancelled…His eyes ran up and down the board until he located his own. 

Cancelled. 

If it were possible, Victor’s eyes grew even darker and he made his way toward the swamped customer service counter. In silence he waited in the line as the frantic employees did their best to calm irate and shouting patrons. “We are doing everything we can, ma’am! I have transferred your ticket to the next flight, but I cannot guarantee that the conditions will be safe for takeoff then either. No ma’am, I do not know exactly when the storm is going to end. We have been watching doppler, but- No, I cannot force the pilot to take off anyway! Ma’am. Ma’am. MA’AM. I understand that you need to get to Germany, but you will have to be patient!” 

The shouting all around him continued to intensify until security descended to separate the most irate flyers from the more rational ones. This significantly cut down on the number of people ahead of Victor in line and soon he was standing before a haggard and dead-eyed airport employee. “Which flight, sir?” he asked in a voice barely loud enough to be heard over the crowd. 

“Five p.m. to New York. First class.” Victor handed over his identification card and leaned against the counter, his own weariness catching up to him. The employee tapped a few keys on the computer and sighed, looking up at the CEO. 

He took one look at Victor’s cold face and seemed to decide he was about to get told off yet again. When he spoke his voice was full of regret and caution. “I’m sorry, sir. The next flight to New York with available seats isn’t until nine and there is no guarantee that it will take off on time.” 

“That will suffice.” 

Relief flooded the man’s face and he nodded, tapping away at his keyboard and picking up the sheet that printed. “Here’s your new ticket, sir. Do you know where the first class lounge is located? You are welcome to rest there until your flight.” 

Victor nodded his affirmation and took the sheet of paper, hardly giving it a glance before stuffing it in his briefcase and leaving for the lounge. He paid no attention to the other patrons around him as he walked, tuning them out and focusing on getting to the room where he knew he could attempt to get another nap in. 

The day wore on with no sign of the storm relenting. Victor drank no less than three glasses of brandy over the next four hours, attempting to lessen the anger which was boiling low in his gut. He checked the flight board often, though as his new flight time approached it seemed that the news was not getting any better. 

Sure enough, Victor again found himself at the customer service desk and then back in the lounge with yet another new ticket. Sleep continued to evade him even with the assistance of the burning beverage, finally driving him to just stare blankly at the wall.

“Now boarding, Flight 374 for New York City. First class passengers may proceed to gate four to board.” 

A glance at his watch showed 2AM. Victor pressed send on the email he had been drafting and closed the laptop, stowing it in the briefcase and heading toward the gate. The world around him spun slightly, but he somehow managed to make it to his seat without anyone noticing his slightly intoxicated state. In the darkened cabin, Victor drifted in and out of consciousness until the plane touched down in New York City. By the time he collected his luggage and climbed into the cab, it was 7:30AM. “Straight to the meeting it is.” He sighed, gave the cabbie the address, and slumped back in the seat. 

By the time Victor stumbled into his hotel room at 8pm, his eyes were bloodshot and his head throbbed. The only things he wanted in the world were a shower, a painkiller…and to hear the voice of the woman he loved more than his own life itself. He pressed the call button while stripping the wrinkled and sweaty business clothing from his weary body, piling them on a chair in the corner for the time being. 

The phone rang and rang with no answer. Victor sighed and ended the call, feeling tears welling up in the corners of his eyes. This has been, without a doubt, the worst trip I’ve had in a very long time, he thought, moodily swallowing a headache pill and chasing it with a glass of water. He warmed the shower and climbed in, eyes closed as the hot water washed away the grime and tears that spilled over despite his efforts to keep his composure. 

It was then that the custom ringtone the girl had set for him drifted into the bathroom. “Victor! Answer your phone! Your favorite employee is calling and you know that you want to talk to her!” 

The sound of the girl’s voice immediately improved his mood. “Damn straight I do!” Victor yelled, stepping out of the shower and grabbing the phone without even bothering to wrap in a towel. He put it on speaker and set the phone on the counter, stepping back into the stream of water while speaking. “Decided to call me back, did you?”

“Of course I did! I was getting ready for work when you called and didn’t hear the phone ring. Did your flight end up leaving on time? How did your meetings go? And…are you in the shower?” Her chipper tone brought a smile to his weary face, though the questions made his heart heavy.

“Yes, I’m in the shower. No, I didn’t board the plane until two in the morning and arrived just in time for the first meeting. Waste of time it was, too. They are being completely unreasonable with their demands and I don’t know if we will even reach a favorable conclusion.” 

While the soap cleansed his body, the conversation cleansed his mind. The girl seemed to sense that his spirits were particularly low and she made sure to tell him about every mundane thing that had brought her a smile since he left. The conversation continued through the shower, dressing, and climbing into bed where Victor curled up with the phone on the pillow next to his head. 

“So I told Kiki that if she ate another doughnut she was going to end up with a stomachache, and you know what she did? She ate one anyway and had to go home early! Are you still there, Victor?” 

“Mhmm,” he replied, the drowsiness thick in his voice. “Just keep talking to me, okay? I just want to hear your voice…” 

And so she continued to talk while Victor’s eyes grew heavier and his heart grew lighter until soft snores could be heard through the speaker. The girl giggled and whispered, “Sleep well, Victor. You light up my life and I cannot wait to see you when you get back.” 

To be continued……

Day 5 :-)

AHSHAHAHAHSUAUUSS UWU this may or may have not been my fav cg for a whole year ^^

FEEL THE PAIN MY FELLOW VIC STANS

I changed a bit from the original cg since there were some description that weren't drawn (like the blood and vic's hair that got longer and him getting thinner...)