In Search Of Home - One-Shots

AU: Viktor Escapes

Viktor rolled his eyes, painfully moving his body so that he could get a better view of Pedro. "Well, to answer you, not that great. I think it has something to do with my guts being one hard sneeze away from expelling out of my body. Or maybe a hard cough. Wanna test it and see?"

The older man frowned at him, rather severely for what was an epic joke, Viktor thought. "Don't say shit like that, kid."

"Why?" Viktor said flatly. "Or else it'll come true? It'd be a better way out than bleeding out in the fuckin' sand."

"Kid!" Pedro snapped harshly. Viktor glared and managed to roll over so that his back was facing the man. He stared hard at the wall, wishing he was anywhere but here. "Come on, Viktor. Don't be like that."

"Leave him alone, Pedro," he heard Aiko say gently. "It's been a day."

It took the rest of the day for Viktor to not feel like a colossal sack of shit, and by that time, Lilac was handing out the food bowls. He sat up, painfully, just as she got to his cell. He watched her carefully as she entered his cell.

She said something - Viktor still didn't know many words beyond kora, norish, and Kohgrash, though he had eventually figured out the words for win and lose even if they were phrases spat by the ringmaster to his henchmen when ushering the humans out to the arena - and came closer to check on his bandages. Viktor let her - not like he had much of a choice - and tried not to flinch away from her sharp claws.

Lilac was the nicest of the aliens. It still didn't mean that she couldn't hold him in a vice grip that bruised something terrible after she let go. Viktor remained as cautious as he could around her.

"Prosh, Kohgrash," she cooed after she replaced the bandages on his stomach. Viktor had pinpricks of tears burning at the backs of his eyes due to the pain. Like always, she retreated an inch. Like always, she didn't let him edge past her to get out of this hellhole. And just like always, she attempted to pet his head.

"Get away!" he snapped with a swipe at her arm. His knuckles brushed against her wrist, but she was too quick for him to land a hit. Just like always.

Lilac looked at him with those eyes. The sad, miserable ones you had for abused dogs you could do nothing about. Sympathetic but apathetic all the same.

Viktor had learned a long time ago that Lilac could be just as cruel as the ringmaster.

When she finally left, leaving a bowl of slop in her wake, Viktor relaxed. He swallowed the food quickly, barely tasting it. He pushed the bowl toward the front of his cell - not that he had to shove it far, he thought bitterly - and curled up the best he could on his cheap heating pad.

It barely offered any warmth, but it was the best he got. His hoodie - torn to shreds as it was - could barely keep his warmth in.

He looked toward Pedro's cell cautiously. The other man wasn't one to hold a grudge, but Viktor always felt a bit bad when he snapped at him. It seemed he was doing that more and more lately. Everything just seemed so pointless. Why live another day when the next could be your last?

He guessed it didn't really help that he was stuck in this five by five cell.

Pedro was picking at his own food, eating with less voracity than him. The Hispanic man looked over his shoulder at him, no doubt feeling his gaze. Viktor smiled sheepishly, though it probably came out as more of a grimace.

The man smiled back at him, and Viktor knew all had been forgiven, even if the other was likely reluctant to let it go.

He was proven correct when, after everyone had fallen asleep, Pedro shoved his arm through the bars and smacked Viktor's knee with a whispered, "Wake up, kid."