Viktor ended his work shift earlier than usual. Most of the time he would do his job until midnight, building and repairing gadgets. He would stay up even later at his home to study the school books his best friend would lend him. It's the reason why he has such dark eyebags.
Ica used to scold him for overworking himself, but she stopped after noticing how anxious he gets when he's not doing anything. He always needed to be occupied with something, doing nothing will drive him crazy.
Now he has something else to add to his priorities; he had put the competition at the top of his list, his work now second, his studies third.
They both bid the shop owner farewell, the man's curious look was the last thing they see as they close the door. Ica adjusted her mask, tilting her head to Viktor's exposed face. "You need to stop forgetting your mask."
"Eh. Not important." He was careful not to slip on the greasy stone path, his cane helping him keep his balance while Ica shuffles behind him.
"Not important," mocking him. "Wait until you inhale too much gas your lungs stop worki—" She yelps as her right leg slides forward, causing her to split. She used her hand to push herself up.
"What the fuck." She cries at her wet hand, grimacing at the thought of what kind of liquid was on the ground she just touched.
Viktor mentally facepalms, watching her wipe it on her cape. "Here." He offered his free hand, pulling it back when she attempted to hold it with the dirty hand. "The other one." She transferred her bag to give him her cleaner hand, intertwining their fingers as they continued walking, working together to keep each other from slipping.
They bought vegetables and meat on the way, Ica insisting they use her money like usual. She filled her bag so much that they had to carry it together until they reached Viktor's home.
They placed it down so Viktor could open the door, lifting it up again as they enter. The first thing that greeted them was the sight of his mother. She sat at their dinner table, a chisel on her hand as she carves another one of her delicate woodwork.
Looking over her shoulder at the sound of the door closing, she smiled as soon as she saw them. "You are home early. Hello, Ica." Her accented voice was soft and high-pitched, Ica imagined it would be how a pretty flower would sound like. The girl smiled back and nodded as a greeting. His mother's eyes following the bag that they placed on the table.
Viktor kissed her cheek. "Ica bought us food, for tonight." He paused, glancing at the bag. "Or for the week."
"Again?" Surprised, she opens the bag to see its contents. "Oh, you sweet girl." Viktor moved aside so his mother could reach his friend, cradling her face with motherly affection and giving her small kisses to which Ica responds with a fit of giggles. "I am forever grateful for you, my dear."
"You're always welcome, ma'am." Her heart grew warm from the older woman's actions. She liked visiting them for this very reason, Viktor's parents were like the parents she never had. They are always warm and welcoming, giving her compliments for everything she does, the exact opposite of what her real parents are like. They always listened to her and paid attention to whatever she says, catching her off guard when they remember the littlest bit of details about her. Sometimes she would wish that she was born in their family, she would have had a more comforting house to get home to, better parents that could treat her like a real daughter, and she could live together with Viktor. She would've been 10x happier of a person if only it was true.
"What's Vik home early for? Does he not have a job until midnight?" Viktor had already gone upstairs, probably to change his clothes. His mother's putting aside the vegetables and meat to store in their appropriate containers.
"He does. I just," she remembers what Viktor told her earlier. "Don't tell her, though. She will get too worried, then I would not be able to go to the uppercity."
"We just wanted more time to hang out, you know."
The woman raised her brow at her, hands mid-air as she paused what she was doing. Ica's eyes slightly widened, a sheepish smile on her face. Fuck, was it too obvious I was lying?
"T-To...to rest! I forced him, haha. You know how much he overworks himself." She waved her hand, trying to play it off with a series of nervous laugh.
"You...relax together?" At this point she felt scrutinized under the woman's squinted eyes. Ica rubs the back of her neck, confused at the mother's odd choice of word.
"Uh, yes. Yes! Like friends do, right?"
"Ica."
They both turned their heads to see Viktor staring at them from the top of the stairs. "What's taking you so long?"
"Ah. Yes. Right." She hesitantly grabbed a fruit from the table before she makes her way towards the stairs, walking back to get another one, then completely leaving the room.
"What were you talking about?" Viktor's mother could hear her son's faint voice before the sound of a closing door. She stood there, shaking her head with a look on her face. It was obvious to her that the girl had no idea what her words sounded like. Teenagers, she thinks. Wish I was still as innocent as them.
"I didn't tell her, don't worry." Ica jumped straight on his bed, rolling around to wrap his blanket around herself. Viktor hums, grabbing a notebook and a pen before sitting on the floor, leaning on the side of his bed.
He taps the end of the pen on the blank page, thinking to himself. "Got an idea what to build?"
"What? I thought you already had an idea." The pillow muffled her voice as she buries her face on it. Viktor's scent was strongest on his bed, it smells like everything earthy; wood, moss, dirt, herbs. In a good way, without doubt, it always comforted her.
He sighs. "I assumed you were conceptualising about it while I worked."
"No, I was taking a nap—"
"A nap. Yes, of course. Should have expected that."
"Hehe."
Comfortable silence fell upon them, the cogs on their brain working very hard to create an idea, one thinking deeply and one about to fall asleep.
It didn't take long for Viktor to start listing down any possible inventions; what he had built before and what he could build.
"What do you think is the most appropriate to present?"
Soft snores replied to him. He nodded to himself, crossing out unfitting ideas, ones that seemed boring or could potentially harm anyone. He ended up crossing out everything.
Dropping the notebook on his lap, he throws his head back on the bed, sighing loudly. He had been working on weaponries and uninteresting devices for too long that he couldn't imagine doing anything else. How am I supposed to help people like this?
Ica, waking up from her 20 minute nap, rolled to her side only to see her friend rubbing his forehead like it's about to explode. She sat up, her arms confined inside the blankets, then laid back down on her stomach, placing her chin on his shoulder to look at his notes. She thought for a moment.
"Filter." She mumbles right beside his ear.
"Filter?"
"Mm. Like separating chemicals from water so you can end up with a clean, consumable one." She paused to yawn, the air tickling Viktor's ear, sending shivers down his back.
"My mother talked about it during dinner once, said she would start making the blueprint as soon as she finishes her current work. Which isn't anytime soon."
He frowns. "You're suggesting I...steal your mom's idea?"
She winced, suddenly nervous that he would reject it knowing his disapproval of anything dishonest.
"That's not very original, is it."
Ica opened her mouth to take back what she said, but closed it again when she saw Viktor scribble it down. She grinned.
"Anything else? Just to be sure, in case we fail on this one."
She was suddenly hit by a memory out of nowhere. "How about another mechanical animal?"
"Another?"
"Remember the bunny toy you gave me before?"
"Oh, you still have it?" He raised his eyebrows, blinking at her from the side of his eyes.
She nods, smiling. Viktor's expression softened. "I was thinking we could build something like that, how about a bird? A flying one so it could entertain the audiences. Ah, no. That would take a lot of time considering it took you—"
He cut her off. "That sounds interesting. I suppose we could try." The sound of pencil scratching the paper filled the air. "We can start designing the filter now or..." He trailed off, watching Ica go back to her former position on the bed, whining. "I'm tired. I want to sleep more."
"You slept the whole day!"
"Hhhggff....mimimimimimimi."
He rolled his eyes, laughing at her comical attempt to sound like she's snoring. "Fine. Sweet dreams."
"Night."
Staring at her wrapped figure, he couldn't help but feel warm inside. Remembering how the children on his past never wanted to play with him because he couldn't climb rocks or swim with them, he thought he wouldn't have any friends for his whole life. Ica proved him wrong, though. She's a blessing, making his life a hundred times easier. He would've been fine being alone, sure, but he can't deny that having her as a friend made everyday more bearable for him. Everytime she makes him laugh he would think, what did I do to deserve her? She's sweet, very entertaining even in her sleep, he would always look forward to what kind of funny sleeping position she would be in when he turns back from his work, each time he wouldn't be disappointed.
She never left him ever since they met, she stayed with him and enjoys his company as much as he enjoys hers. Whenever he runs out of ideas she always manage to pull random ones out of nowhere. She is the mind and he's the builder. Gods, they work so well together.
Viktor had already filled 5 pages of his notebook with designs when exhaustion caught up to him. He yawned, leaning his weight on the bed as he stood up to stretch. He blinks at Ica's sleeping position, snickering at it. How is she so flexible. She reminds him of a cat.
He carefully lies down beside her, making sure not to wake her up—immediately changing his mind as he reaches for his blanket and snatches it from her. She woke up groaning, shifting to her side to face him and flipping him off with her finger before falling back to sleep.
How comforting.
The blanket was already warm as it hugged Viktor's whole body, soon lulling him to sleep.
-
long chapter⁉️⁉️⁉️
idk where the motivation came from
Ica sleeping