The funny part was — this was the bare minimum for Xander. An Imperial nobleman wasn't going to walk to his destination whether he was in perfect health or otherwise. And he certainly wasn't going to ask his date to take a hike through the woods after such an impromptu invitation. He only thought to warn him now because he recalled that vision he had seen. Viktor... probably was not used to this like Xander was.
"Why not?" He asked earnestly as he turned to smile at him. "I am taking you out. I may as well make it comfortable and worthwhile. If we were to walk, our time would be wasted resting once we arrived."
The last decade of Viktor's life has thankfully been more fortunate than his childhood, and carriages are somewhat common in Piltover, so it's not as though he's never been in one or only sees them as a princess fantasy. But he's still agog at... All of it. All the planning, preparation, and thought Xander did to do something nice for him.
"This is... True, yes..." In Viktor's mind, the question that follows this explanation is naturally Why are you taking me out? but he doesn't voice that, because it seems impolite and likely to be taken the wrong way. Xander made these choices of his own accord, and Viktor trusts that he is a smart man who knows what he wants. So, if he wants this, Viktor isn't going to put up a fight. And, of course Viktor wants it too, so that helps.
"Okay. Well, thank you. Let us go, then." Another shy smile, and he links his free arm with Xander's basket-arm.
There was a moment where Xander, once again, wondered if he overstepped. The familiarity he felt with Viktor may have muddled his mind and he read the situation wrong and —
Oh. Nevermind. Their arms were linked now, and Xander felt his heart race with excitement. He took a breath and moved forward, the dryad serving as their chauffeur kindly opening the door for them. Xander shifted for Viktor to enter first, then followed after. Luckily, it was only one step up, so it wouldn't cause them too much grief.
"You do like wine, yes?" He asked as they settled onto the cushioned benches. He should have asked sooner.
While he knows carriages are not only for princesses, he can't help but feel a little bit like royalty as they board the carriage. He feels... Special. It's a strange and new feeling. He's nervous, but there's also a giddy excitement in his gut.
"I do," he confirms. "I don't drink much, but it is nice to indulge now and then." And don't let his size fool you-- he can hold his liquor.
Now that they're in the carriage, he decides that if Xander has been so bold as to plan an entire date, Viktor can be so bold as to sit close and lace their fingers together. But first, he removes his glove (wow, lewd).
"I cannot contain my curiosity- what sort of spot have you chosen? Or must it be a surprise?"
Rawdogging hand holding? What next? Longing glances across a crowded room? Disgusting.
He gently squeezed Viktor's hand. Soon enough, the carriage started moving, slow and carefully through the streets of Grey Ward and out toward the farmlands. "Out in the woods — not far enough in for any danger, but the flowers are blooming and the shade will be nice."
That's definitely in the queue. Viktor is very good at pining.
"That does sound lovely." He relaxes into his seat as his eyes gaze out the windows of the carriage. It's nice to be out of the workshop, seeing the city without needing to labour over walking.
"What... Made you want to do all this with me?" He hedges.
It was simultaneously an easy question to answer and an incredibly difficult one. Xander's cheeks warmed with a blush.
"A desire to be closer to you, somewhere outside of the workshop." Where they worked and socialized, yes, but they did not focus on personal lives as much. "If you would allow me to be so bold, I am quite fond of you already."
Viktor blushes again, and has his quick moment of flustered smiling, but then gathers the nerve to look his companion in the eye.
"I am fond of you too, Xander," he says warmly. "I am... Not used to receiving this kind of attention. I hope you do not interpret my shyness as unwillingness."
His metallic thumb rubs against Xander's. It doesn't produce its own body heat, but the heat of Xander's hand is seeping into it, slowly.
"I would like to know more about you." He wants to know absolutely everything about him, actually. "Will you mind if I ask you some questions about yourself at our picnic?" He asks this because he once upset Rolan by asking one too many personal questions, and he doesn't want his intense curiosity to scare anyone away.
"I will admit, I worried I overstepped a few times so far." He sounded amused, at least. More nervous than uncertain now. "I've never met another so eager to learn as I am. It's nice to meet a like mind that will not judge me for my sometimes wild suggestions to improve the world."
A brow raised; quizzical. "I do not mind at all. I was hoping I might do the same for you. And you do not have to wait for us to settle — if there is something pressing you wish to know now, I will answer."
"I'm just a little... Green," Viktor admits coyly. "I may need to take things slowly." Or maybe he won't. His brain sure did love to jump into tentacle fantasies on their second meeting, if that's any indication.
"I would never judge you for that!" Viktor says emphatically with a shake of his head. "Quite the opposite. Your desire to improve the world entices me." And it's similar to his own. That tireless, self-sacrificing, any-means-necessary ambition to help people.
"Of course, you may ask me anything you like in return," he offers. He doesn't talk about himself much, but it's mostly because no one asks, and he tends to yap about science or magic instead.
Hm. It's true- they are alone in this carriage. Might as well start now.
"Very well. You saw a glimpse of my childhood... It made me curious about yours." In other words, start from the beginning and tell him your whole life story. Go on, then.
"I had not intended to rush. It has been a long time since I attempted to court anyone." And he had no idea if this would even work? But at this point, what was the harm? Celene had been telling him for years to try and get out there again.
He shouldn't have been surprised by that question, and yet he still seemed to be when his eyes widened slightly. "A bit different than yours, if I had to fathom a guess. I was born in the Empire — a vast part of the world consisting primarily of humans. Coin and prestige are vital to survival, and I was lucky enough to be born into a noble family — the Riverwatchers. I have a younger sister, Petra, who became a Temple Knight. Ah..." he frowned. "They are an order who hunt down unsanctioned mages in the Empire. At any rate—" moving on from that! "I was blessed with access to the vast libraries of the realm, and I took to them in my youth. My fascination with the human body came from an older scripture, that I knew when seeing it was... partially outdated." He chuckled. "The old illustrator was still alive and displeased when I suggested he had labeled some things incorrectly. I was 12."
Despite having guessed a while ago that this is a date, the word court still flips Viktor's stomach. It sounds so formal, so official. Yet, warmth spreads through him at the notion. Even Rolan, despite his obvious intense interest in Viktor, had not tried to court him.
Viktor raises his eyebrows as Xander says he was born a noble. No wonder he thought nothing of ordering a carriage. And a sister who hunts mages... Wow. There are empires in Viktor's world, but where he lives is definitely not one. There is, however, stigma against magic where he lives.
He laughs a little, at the last part.
"A young prodigy," he says warmly, his tone half impressed and half me too.
"You must have attended a nice school." Being noble and all. "Did you fit in?"
Xander would not get into the religious aspects associated with the stigma against unsanctioned mages, and how much the Empire sucked with regards to the rights of anyone that was not noble born. That did not make for good date conversation.
"Well enough." He said with a shrug. "I made a few friends — but school was always a competition, and there were so few who desired to study medicine, that said competition was even more intense. I was too caught up in my books either way to do much... socializing beyond what was mandatory." But it seemed like it might have been better than what Viktor went through? At least from what he could parse in that vision. "I was young and spry, then. Shame we did not meet when we were younger."
Viktor nods, understanding about the tough competition, and also glad Xander was at least able to make some friends. Viktor was an outsider first for his disability, then for the fact that he was at a topside academy as someone from the Undercity. At a certain point, though, his isolation became purposeful.
At his final statement, Viktor raises his brows, frowning innocently at Xander, big-eyed.
"Why is that a shame? I like you as you are now." Xander understands what it means to be disabled, and that is more valuable to Viktor than, er- courting someone who is spry and strong.
"Perhaps we could have been friends in school, but I think it is more likely we'd both have holed up in separate nooks and ignored each other." He smiles wryly.
His gaze softened, tan cheeks tinged with a blush once more. "I had a lot more energy then. Perhaps I would not get so easily exhausted by late night sessions in the workshop." He chuckled softly. "But I am glad you like me as I am. That means a lot." And perhaps he shouldn't have sounded so surprised by the admission.
"Oh, most likely. I nearly suggested we visit the library when we first met, but I had thought we might do just that. It did not make for good conversation. Your schooling was... different than mine, I gathered? Socially, at least."
"If anything, your exhaustion is permission and encouragement for me to rest, which I should do more of anyway." Xander is so sweet, he has the deep urge to kiss him on the cheek. He abstains, but does lean into his side a little, placing his free hand over top of their intertwined fingers.
"My schooling..." He looks out the window, thoughtful. "I never really had any friends. As a child, my disability alienated me from my peers. Once I was old enough, I snuck into the academy in the rich part of town, and pretended to be a student until the Dean noticed me and took me on as an apprentice. Then, I was alienated for being from the Undercity, not having a patron or a last name that held any weight. In fact, I have no last name at all. But," he shrugs. "As you said, some of it was simply me prioritizing my work over socializing. In the end, I met Jayce, and that was enough for me."
"I am more than happy to be the encouragement you need. We will get nothing accomplished if we're exhausted." Then they'd waste even more time sleeping. God forbid.
Xander leaned into him in turn, and if their hands weren't interlocked, he'd be tempted to wrap his arm around him. The slight bumpiness and the abundance of shade and foliage outside the window suggested they had made it into the more verdant path outside of town.
"That was bold of you." He said, his tone suggesting a genuine awe. "Many would not dare to impersonate a noble back home — and fewer would live if they were caught doing so." He almost made a joke about taking his last name. Too soon for that, even in jest. "Tell me about Jayce."
"I am always exhausted," Viktor admits very quietly. He has no idea how his body has held on this long. He should have been dead months ago, but his illness seems to be in stasis.
But he's been given the gift of more time, and for the moment he delights in Xander's hand in his, his warmth, and the green outside the windows.
"Well, how else would I accomplish anything meaningful? Unfortunately, it was not possible to do so in my circumstances in the Undercity, so I had to change them. Thankfully, Heimerdinger was impressed by my tenacity and did not punish me other than a scolding."
Viktor's brows raise slightly. "Did I not tell you about Jayce? Ah," he's thinking about Jayce every day, so it feels like he talks about him more than he probably does. "He is the research partner and friend with whom I invented Hextech."
"We met when I was the Dean's assistant and he was one of his students. Some troublemakers broke into Jayce's apartment, and in tampering with some of his gear, caused an explosion. The resulting investigation led to Jayce being put on trial for owning illegal and dangerous equipment. Magical study was forbidden at that time, and that's what he was doing. He was banned from the academy, and almost from the city entirely. But I was involved in the investigation, and I found his notes... His ideas about mixing science and magic together intrigued me. So much so that I went back to his apartment, late at night, and found him preparing to end his life. I told him I thought he was onto something, and I wanted to help him complete his research. Some questionable acts later and some asking forgiveness instead of permission, and... We invented the Hexgates. Teleporters that could instantly transport goods into and out of the city. With the boost in trade, the City Council decided it was in their best interest to support us. Conditionally, of course." Viktor rolls his eyes. All the politics really ruined it.
"You mentioned him briefly." But there had to be more. Something in Viktor's tone suggested it.
Xander listened intently. "That is... an amazing story." He sounded almost breathless, like he was so awed by the tenacity it stole the air from his lungs. "And you worked together for a long time after that, I hope?"
Viktor smiles faintly. Meeting each other was a very positive turn for both of them.
"Yes, of course. He is my best friend to this day. Our work faced many trials after that, and now it seems we won't accomplish what we wanted to before my death, but no matter our successes or failures, we had one another. He fretted over me often and worked hard to try to find a cure."
Jayce will likely be the only person at Viktor's deathbed, save perhaps Heimerdinger. But that's alright- that's all he needs.
Xander's grip on Viktor's hand tightened just a touch. As much as he wanted to insist that he would return and do all he wanted to with Jayce — that was not something he could promise or even truly know at all.
"Perhaps he will arrive here some day, and you might continue your experiments. He sounds like a very good friend to have."
The carriage began to slow, and a polite knock from their driver told them they had arrived at their destination. Xander looked down at their linked fingers and exhaled an amused little sigh.
"Seems we have arrived. Shall we continue this conversation outside, then?"
"I do hope so. I miss him, but I'm also grateful for the friends I have made here."
Viktor nods. "Yes." He keeps a hold of Xander's hand as they exit the carriage so they can support each other. Once outside, he stretches his back a little and takes a deep breath of fresh forest air. Having grown up in a polluted place, Viktor is not one to take fresh air for granted, and he sighs contentedly.
Xander moved carefully — for both their sakes — stepping out of the carriage and onto the pale dirt that marked the trail through the woods. Something worn from wagon wheels as opposed to a proper road. With the basket hooked under his other arm and Viktor's hand in his own, he guided him away from the carriage with a nod to the driver, who looked ready to just sit and lounge with a book while they hobbled off.
There was a clearing not far off the road, shaded nicely from the sun but open enough to see the sky above the treetops. It was a pleasantly warm day, just a little windy, and the air smelled like wildflowers.
"I hope this spot is suitable." A blanket was already laid out thanks to that quest giver, and jars of paints lined one side. They could ignore those for now.
Viktor quietly thanks the driver before they head off. It's not a long walk, but long enough to feel like they're really in the woods. It's peaceful, beautiful. Viktor's shoulders relax, and he realizes all at once that he was stressing himself out with his project, and that he neglected to eat enough today.
"It's lovely, Xander," he says with a hint of adoration in his tone. For the scene or for Xander, who could say (both). He awkwardly moves to sit on the blanket and lifts his hands to take the basket from Xander and set it down. He then offers a hand to Xander for getting down on the ground.
"I just realized that I am quite hungry," he admits sheepishly.
He helped to ease him down, handed the basket off, and then took Viktor's hand so he could settle beside him on the blanket.
"When did you eat last?" He asked, worry creasing his brow. He knew too well how easy it was to lose oneself in a project and forget to eat for... a day or two. Listen.
He pulled the wine and glasses out first and set them aside so he could start arranging the food. A handful of finger sandwiches — cucumber and cream cheese, various cold cuts and cheese, and a vegetarian option because, oops, he realized he hadn't asked Viktor of any preferences — and a charcuterie board crafted at the winery that Astarion's crew had been kind enough to have prepped for him, full of various crackers, fruit, cheese, nuts and meats. "I hope you are not allergic to anything."
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"Why not?" He asked earnestly as he turned to smile at him. "I am taking you out. I may as well make it comfortable and worthwhile. If we were to walk, our time would be wasted resting once we arrived."
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"This is... True, yes..." In Viktor's mind, the question that follows this explanation is naturally Why are you taking me out? but he doesn't voice that, because it seems impolite and likely to be taken the wrong way. Xander made these choices of his own accord, and Viktor trusts that he is a smart man who knows what he wants. So, if he wants this, Viktor isn't going to put up a fight. And, of course Viktor wants it too, so that helps.
"Okay. Well, thank you. Let us go, then." Another shy smile, and he links his free arm with Xander's basket-arm.
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Oh. Nevermind. Their arms were linked now, and Xander felt his heart race with excitement. He took a breath and moved forward, the dryad serving as their chauffeur kindly opening the door for them. Xander shifted for Viktor to enter first, then followed after. Luckily, it was only one step up, so it wouldn't cause them too much grief.
"You do like wine, yes?" He asked as they settled onto the cushioned benches. He should have asked sooner.
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"I do," he confirms. "I don't drink much, but it is nice to indulge now and then." And don't let his size fool you-- he can hold his liquor.
Now that they're in the carriage, he decides that if Xander has been so bold as to plan an entire date, Viktor can be so bold as to sit close and lace their fingers together. But first, he removes his glove (wow, lewd).
"I cannot contain my curiosity- what sort of spot have you chosen? Or must it be a surprise?"
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He gently squeezed Viktor's hand. Soon enough, the carriage started moving, slow and carefully through the streets of Grey Ward and out toward the farmlands. "Out in the woods — not far enough in for any danger, but the flowers are blooming and the shade will be nice."
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"That does sound lovely." He relaxes into his seat as his eyes gaze out the windows of the carriage. It's nice to be out of the workshop, seeing the city without needing to labour over walking.
"What... Made you want to do all this with me?" He hedges.
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"A desire to be closer to you, somewhere outside of the workshop." Where they worked and socialized, yes, but they did not focus on personal lives as much. "If you would allow me to be so bold, I am quite fond of you already."
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"I am fond of you too, Xander," he says warmly. "I am... Not used to receiving this kind of attention. I hope you do not interpret my shyness as unwillingness."
His metallic thumb rubs against Xander's. It doesn't produce its own body heat, but the heat of Xander's hand is seeping into it, slowly.
"I would like to know more about you." He wants to know absolutely everything about him, actually. "Will you mind if I ask you some questions about yourself at our picnic?" He asks this because he once upset Rolan by asking one too many personal questions, and he doesn't want his intense curiosity to scare anyone away.
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A brow raised; quizzical. "I do not mind at all. I was hoping I might do the same for you. And you do not have to wait for us to settle — if there is something pressing you wish to know now, I will answer."
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"I would never judge you for that!" Viktor says emphatically with a shake of his head. "Quite the opposite. Your desire to improve the world entices me." And it's similar to his own. That tireless, self-sacrificing, any-means-necessary ambition to help people.
"Of course, you may ask me anything you like in return," he offers. He doesn't talk about himself much, but it's mostly because no one asks, and he tends to yap about science or magic instead.
Hm. It's true- they are alone in this carriage. Might as well start now.
"Very well. You saw a glimpse of my childhood... It made me curious about yours." In other words, start from the beginning and tell him your whole life story. Go on, then.
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He shouldn't have been surprised by that question, and yet he still seemed to be when his eyes widened slightly. "A bit different than yours, if I had to fathom a guess. I was born in the Empire — a vast part of the world consisting primarily of humans. Coin and prestige are vital to survival, and I was lucky enough to be born into a noble family — the Riverwatchers. I have a younger sister, Petra, who became a Temple Knight. Ah..." he frowned. "They are an order who hunt down unsanctioned mages in the Empire. At any rate—" moving on from that! "I was blessed with access to the vast libraries of the realm, and I took to them in my youth. My fascination with the human body came from an older scripture, that I knew when seeing it was... partially outdated." He chuckled. "The old illustrator was still alive and displeased when I suggested he had labeled some things incorrectly. I was 12."
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Viktor raises his eyebrows as Xander says he was born a noble. No wonder he thought nothing of ordering a carriage. And a sister who hunts mages... Wow. There are empires in Viktor's world, but where he lives is definitely not one. There is, however, stigma against magic where he lives.
He laughs a little, at the last part.
"A young prodigy," he says warmly, his tone half impressed and half me too.
"You must have attended a nice school." Being noble and all. "Did you fit in?"
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"Well enough." He said with a shrug. "I made a few friends — but school was always a competition, and there were so few who desired to study medicine, that said competition was even more intense. I was too caught up in my books either way to do much... socializing beyond what was mandatory." But it seemed like it might have been better than what Viktor went through? At least from what he could parse in that vision. "I was young and spry, then. Shame we did not meet when we were younger."
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At his final statement, Viktor raises his brows, frowning innocently at Xander, big-eyed.
"Why is that a shame? I like you as you are now." Xander understands what it means to be disabled, and that is more valuable to Viktor than, er- courting someone who is spry and strong.
"Perhaps we could have been friends in school, but I think it is more likely we'd both have holed up in separate nooks and ignored each other." He smiles wryly.
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"Oh, most likely. I nearly suggested we visit the library when we first met, but I had thought we might do just that. It did not make for good conversation. Your schooling was... different than mine, I gathered? Socially, at least."
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"My schooling..." He looks out the window, thoughtful. "I never really had any friends. As a child, my disability alienated me from my peers. Once I was old enough, I snuck into the academy in the rich part of town, and pretended to be a student until the Dean noticed me and took me on as an apprentice. Then, I was alienated for being from the Undercity, not having a patron or a last name that held any weight. In fact, I have no last name at all. But," he shrugs. "As you said, some of it was simply me prioritizing my work over socializing. In the end, I met Jayce, and that was enough for me."
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Xander leaned into him in turn, and if their hands weren't interlocked, he'd be tempted to wrap his arm around him. The slight bumpiness and the abundance of shade and foliage outside the window suggested they had made it into the more verdant path outside of town.
"That was bold of you." He said, his tone suggesting a genuine awe. "Many would not dare to impersonate a noble back home — and fewer would live if they were caught doing so." He almost made a joke about taking his last name. Too soon for that, even in jest. "Tell me about Jayce."
cw suicide plan/attempt
But he's been given the gift of more time, and for the moment he delights in Xander's hand in his, his warmth, and the green outside the windows.
"Well, how else would I accomplish anything meaningful? Unfortunately, it was not possible to do so in my circumstances in the Undercity, so I had to change them. Thankfully, Heimerdinger was impressed by my tenacity and did not punish me other than a scolding."
Viktor's brows raise slightly. "Did I not tell you about Jayce? Ah," he's thinking about Jayce every day, so it feels like he talks about him more than he probably does. "He is the research partner and friend with whom I invented Hextech."
"We met when I was the Dean's assistant and he was one of his students. Some troublemakers broke into Jayce's apartment, and in tampering with some of his gear, caused an explosion. The resulting investigation led to Jayce being put on trial for owning illegal and dangerous equipment. Magical study was forbidden at that time, and that's what he was doing. He was banned from the academy, and almost from the city entirely. But I was involved in the investigation, and I found his notes... His ideas about mixing science and magic together intrigued me. So much so that I went back to his apartment, late at night, and found him preparing to end his life. I told him I thought he was onto something, and I wanted to help him complete his research. Some questionable acts later and some asking forgiveness instead of permission, and... We invented the Hexgates. Teleporters that could instantly transport goods into and out of the city. With the boost in trade, the City Council decided it was in their best interest to support us. Conditionally, of course." Viktor rolls his eyes. All the politics really ruined it.
Ah yes the palate cleanser i needed
Xander listened intently. "That is... an amazing story." He sounded almost breathless, like he was so awed by the tenacity it stole the air from his lungs. "And you worked together for a long time after that, I hope?"
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"Yes, of course. He is my best friend to this day. Our work faced many trials after that, and now it seems we won't accomplish what we wanted to before my death, but no matter our successes or failures, we had one another. He fretted over me often and worked hard to try to find a cure."
Jayce will likely be the only person at Viktor's deathbed, save perhaps Heimerdinger. But that's alright- that's all he needs.
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"Perhaps he will arrive here some day, and you might continue your experiments. He sounds like a very good friend to have."
The carriage began to slow, and a polite knock from their driver told them they had arrived at their destination. Xander looked down at their linked fingers and exhaled an amused little sigh.
"Seems we have arrived. Shall we continue this conversation outside, then?"
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Viktor nods. "Yes." He keeps a hold of Xander's hand as they exit the carriage so they can support each other. Once outside, he stretches his back a little and takes a deep breath of fresh forest air. Having grown up in a polluted place, Viktor is not one to take fresh air for granted, and he sighs contentedly.
"Lead the way," he murmurs.
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There was a clearing not far off the road, shaded nicely from the sun but open enough to see the sky above the treetops. It was a pleasantly warm day, just a little windy, and the air smelled like wildflowers.
"I hope this spot is suitable." A blanket was already laid out thanks to that quest giver, and jars of paints lined one side. They could ignore those for now.
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"It's lovely, Xander," he says with a hint of adoration in his tone. For the scene or for Xander, who could say (both). He awkwardly moves to sit on the blanket and lifts his hands to take the basket from Xander and set it down. He then offers a hand to Xander for getting down on the ground.
"I just realized that I am quite hungry," he admits sheepishly.
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"When did you eat last?" He asked, worry creasing his brow. He knew too well how easy it was to lose oneself in a project and forget to eat for... a day or two. Listen.
He pulled the wine and glasses out first and set them aside so he could start arranging the food. A handful of finger sandwiches — cucumber and cream cheese, various cold cuts and cheese, and a vegetarian option because, oops, he realized he hadn't asked Viktor of any preferences — and a charcuterie board crafted at the winery that Astarion's crew had been kind enough to have prepped for him, full of various crackers, fruit, cheese, nuts and meats. "I hope you are not allergic to anything."
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