Chapter Text
V shifted uncomfortably, hissing at a sharp pain in her side that made her go still. Was that.. yep, broken rib. She could barely move, couldn't remember how she'd even gotten hurt, but she was sure Jackie was telling the story at the Coyote already. Gaining notoriety he called it, she called it talkin' shit. V didn't hold it against her friend, he'd earned the right taking just as many hits pulling her out of fires she'd been the cause of. Still, it was embarrassing, even if he did paint her as some sort of indestructible badass when he told stories of their 'gigscapades'. Jackie had coined that term their second or third gig and it just stuck, she liked it.
She tried again to shift positions and heard a scuffle of footsteps approach. A warm palm cupped her cheek and then a lovely deep voice rolled over her like liquid silk.
"V? Are you in pain?" Viktor questioned her gently, his thumb brushing across her cheek. "This was a rough one, kid."
"Mmmm.. Viktor." V hummed and smiled. She nuzzled into his hand, so warm and tender. When his thumb grazed her lips she wrapped them around it and sucked the tip into her mouth. The taste of salt and antiseptic roused her senses, but her tongue traced the pad before she felt him pull his hand back. She huffed in disappointment at the chill that washed across her skin where his hand had been.
Viktor recoiled from her as if he'd been bitten. Retrieving his hand and clenching it at his side to try and forget the feeling of her warm lips wrapped around his thumb, the wet friction of her tongue against the sensitive pad. His cock twitched in his weathered jeans and he adjusted himself discreetly before she had a chance to catch him in such a state.
V's head lolled over to face him and her eyes fluttered open halfway. Just enough to see Viktor standing at the side of the operating chair, his thoughtful eyes looking down at her with concern. She didn't feel concerned though, she felt... floaty.
"Don't frown, Viky... I'll be ok." She giggled and moved slightly, trying to hide her grimace.
"Try to stay still, V. Let the stims work." Vik chided softly, but didn't stroke her cheek this time. She wished he did.
"I'll stay still for you..." V bit her lip and smiled weakly at him, then reached out to him and her hand came to rest on his arm. Her fingers slid up along his forearm to his bicep, an eyebrow raised as if pleasantly surprised by what she found as her hand explored and squeezed lightly.
Viktor sucked in a breath and held it, his eyelids falling heavy over his darkening blue eyes. He felt frozen under her touch, as if trying not to scare her off with any sudden movements. Hoping she'd stop and praying she wouldn't.
"Doctor Vector... so.. handsome..." She sighed dreamily and her hand moved up to stroke his chest his chest, purring appreciatively. Her hand traced down slowly, fingertips faltering over the ridges of his abs and her expression suddenly changed.
"Is this a dream?" Her voice sounded off, was she slurring? That's when she realized that Vik was now on the other side of the chair, and his voice sounded off too.
Her question had snapped him out of his indulgence and he straightened stiff, cursing himself for allowing that to go as far as it did. What kind of creep enjoys advances from a anesthetized patient? Fuck.
"No, V. It's anesthesia, just starting to wear off. Just rest." She felt so relaxed and giggly the thought vanished as he leaned over her. His broad chest momentarily blocked the bright light that hung suspended on a mechanical arm above her, and she gazed up at him in a dazzled haze, breathing in the warm scent of his cologne.
Vik smelled like copal and sandalwood, maybe a bit of clove or something sweet in there but she couldn't pin it. She assumed it was something Misty had concocted for him to cleanse his aura or soothe his nerves on his long days. He smelled damn good was all she knew, warm and comforting with a slight note of antiseptic or whiskey depending on the time of day. Familiar and intoxicating. Vik was like a drug to her.
"Mmmm... So dreamy..." V cooed as she watched him inject something into her IV line and everything faded to black.
Viktor sat in his chair watching her quietly. He wondered what the fuck that just was. She never expressed any interest in him before, not like that. Sure they spent a lot of time together over the last few months and had become close, and no one would deny V was a shameless flirt, but he wasn't equipped to react responsibly to what just happened.
He felt a little ashamed at the way his breath hitched when she touched him, that it made his heart beat faster. It always did, whenever she'd hang on his shoulder, smile sweetly while she told him how nicely his shirt fit, or sneak up on him and plant a kiss on his cheek before leaving the clinic.
This felt different, almost felt as if he had taken advantage, indulged in a moment that she hadn't consented to him being a part of; like he had seen something he shouldn't have. Fuck, she wasn't even fully conscious. Part of him said don't read into it, let it go, things are much easier when he only has to worry about hiding his own feelings.
The other part of him... had hope.
He felt guilty that he'd put her back to sleep like that, and even more guilty that he was still hard, straining against his pants, the feel of her touch still lingering on his skin.
Viktor locked up and turned off the lights, bringing a blanket to cover her where she slept in the surgical chair. He gently brushed her hair away from her face and pulled the blanket up over her before heading into the back to sleep on the couch.
*******
V woke up mid morning, stretching where she laid in the chair and groaning at the sore stiffness of her muscles. The clinic was dimly lit, she guessed out of courtesy of her sleeping, and Viktor sat at his computer watching his boxing reruns at a quieter volume than normal.
"Mornin', kid." Vik turned upon hearing her wake and walked over to stand at her side, immediately beginning to run scans to give her an update on her healing. He avoided looking at her, refused to meet her eyes, it made her feel strange.
"Definitely not a good morning," V gave him a rueful smile and winced, "What happened?"
"The how you'll have to get from Jackie, the what was a shot through the hip and a couple broken ribs." Viktor's voice was gentle and carried a tinge of worry along with protective indignation. It made her want to look away from him, she always felt terrible that he worried about her, she didn't feel like she deserved his concern. Especially since she put herself in every situation that landed her in his chair.
"Fuck..." She looked up at him with her puppy dog eyes and a sweet smile, aiming to divert him from making her feel even more terrible by asking her to be careful again. "Does that mean you beat up Jackie for letting me get hurt?"
"I really wish you'd take things more seriously, V. Be careful, stop trying to get yourself killed." Vik scoffed and shook his head, looming over her as he unhooked her IV and removed the sensors monitoring her vitals from her chest. V felt her heart start to race at his sudden proximity, the harshness of his sweet voice and coldness of his usually tender touch.
A pang of guilt flipped her stomach, but she'd try to weasel her way out of being accountable for her own safety when she could. He knew the life she lived and that she didn't have much choice but to be in dangerous situations most of the time. Alas, she knew that didn't stop him from being one of the only people who cared enough about her to worry. V cared enough about him to try and divert his attention.
"C'mon, Viky... gotta promise next time you'll beat him up for me. But only if I'm conscious, cause that's something I'd like to see..." She tried to joke her way out of him being angry with her, "the two of you... shirts off, fists flying.. all for little ol me."
She failed, it was the first time. Usually he would let her charm him and he would endure her flirting; at least until a blush began to creep up to his cheeks, then he'd cave and she'd kiss his cheek and scamper back out into the city to get shot again.
This time, he huffed in frustration from across the room and gave her a disappointed look before returning his attention to his boxing match. First eye contact since she'd woken up and it felt... terrible. He almost looked hurt.
"Damnit...that's enough, V. You're well, for now. Go on, I've got patients coming in."
This time Viktor waved her away when she went to give him a hug and she walked up the steps towards Misty's shop feeling dejected. She wondered what had gotten into him. He'd chastised her when she laughed off injury before but this seemed like something more. Had she said something that upset him? Done something? Fuck, she wished she could remember what happened the night before. V headed towards her car in the lot under her building, she had to find Jack and ask him what the fuck happened to her last night.
Viktor rubbed his hands over his face in frustration as she left the clinic. He didn't want to push her away, but he couldn't handle her normal flirty antics today. What was he supposed to do? It didn't feel right to keep what happened a secret, but how could he explain that to her? For now, he would keep it to himself, and hope he wasn't digging himself into a deeper hole.