[ Viktor, you are way too smart.. Especially when it comes to Chizuru. You're way too much onto her, because she truly believes that she could actually get away with this around most other people.
The upside is that apparently Chizuru is at least used enough to spices - call it a side effect of the men you're living with sometimes insisting on taking over cooking only to dump way too much into any given dish because they have absolutely zero idea about how cooking is supposed to work - that she doesn't wince as she drinks it.
A real trooper.
Which gives her the ability to focus on what matters more here. No - not the question Viktor asks her about her wanting to discuss it. Please. Like Chizuru is going to dump her trouble onto someone else.
No, instead the thing that draws her attention is obviously what he's saying about himself, making her eyes grow wide with surprise. ]
Drama? [ Chizuru's fussiness senses are activating. ] Did something bad happen between you and these people..?
[he's learned the ways. like how chizuru focuses on his troubles rather than turn to her own. he considers pushing but decides to let it be for the moment. another chizuru manner, he doesn't think she'll be comfortable if she's distracted by someone else's problems.
impressive lack of wince too. she escapes being given a different drink for now.]
Eh, one of them. [kind of an understatement, really.] Though we never met before now. It is... eye opening, to be forced to confront the reality of a situation that you were only able to see in stark black and white before.
[a long pause and he sighs] I'm trying not to be spiteful, I suppose. It does not come particularly easy. Frankly I envy your ability to see good in people.
[ There's a tiny moment where Chizuru silently takes in what Viktor is saying, even after the other is done talking. She sips from her tea, just to have an excuse to be quiet and mull on it, but then she speaks up once more. ]
I.. don't really think I have any special ability.. I think I'm just doing the same thing everyone else does. [ Of course Chizuru would say that, immediately deflecting a compliment being thrown her way - but in this case it's mostly because she doesn't want Viktor to think he's inferior to her in any way. ]
Maybe it's more that I don't have any reason to be spiteful against anyone here, because everyone is so kind to me..
[ .. another slight pause, but then she adds, looking over at Viktor: ] But in your case.. um, I don't know much about the situation, so I could be wrong.. but if you're feeling that way, then I'm sure something happened to make you feel it. You've never been spiteful towards me, after all.
It takes a certain kind of bravery to put that sort of trust in people. [is viktor's answer to that.] Not everyone is capable of it.
[he suspects chizuru will continue to deflect, so he leaves it at that for now. he supposes she has a point about her own spite, and hell if he isn't glad she has no reason for it. then again he thinks she's likely more forgiving than most, but the trench has always been surprisingly generous.
he sits back, considering her words as she did his.] Something did happen. [he wonders if he should tell chizuru the truth. the whole truth. some of the truth. he's probably dead. a war is likely coming. hextech weaponry. centuries of boiling tensions coming to a head.
he sighs, lifts his cup.] Have you ever been truly wronged by someone in your own world?
[viktor has uh. opinions. of what he remembers of her father. but he'll keep that to himself. there's a point to this question, after all.]
[ Thanks, Viktor, for cutting off the compliments and then moving on to something else. It may just be the only way possible to get Chizuru to actually accept one of those rather than downplaying it as some inherent quality everyone has..
Especially when his question gives her so much to think about. For a moment she thinks about Viktor being truly wronged by someone - because that's where this has to be leading somehow, right? - and that thought kind of.. hurts. Viktor has been so nice to her, so of course she wants nothing but the best for him..
But then her thought instead moves towards the actual question. Her own experience. Chizuru stops sipping the tea for a moment, instead leaving the cup sitting between both of her hands, warming them up as she thinks. ]
Maybe.. you should definite 'truly wronged.'
[ Is Chizuru hesitant about aiming any sort of blame at people?
Yes. Yes, of course, that's exactly why she's asking this question in the first place, rather than giving some more straightforward answer. ]
[that's a good question really. in a lot of ways he hasn't been delving too deeply into why his feelings about jinx are complicated. was he wronged? it was hardly personal vendetta, just a series of increasingly terrible events that culminated into what it did. he was never the target, even their work was never the true target, he can only assume piltover was and he... has come to accept his own frustrations with the place. he can safely, easily say piltover wronged him.
a beat and he tries,] Has anyone ever done something that hurt you and those you cared about, regardless of their intentions? Something that spits in the face of so much of what you believed and tried to achieve.
Someone you can safely say your life was made worse by, whether that was ever their goal or not. [close enough, he supposes. heavy but they're already traveling down this road so they may as well see it through to the end.]
[ It's a bit of a slow agreement, but it's an agreement all the same, the girl's head dipping into a faint nod at the same time as that verbal answer spills across her lips. ]
I suppose I could say I know a person like that. [ And that's putting it very, very mildly. Kazama showing up in this place is absolutely right there at the top of Chizuru's list of nightmares, and it's his face that immediately pops up in her head at the description Viktor gives here.
Her grip on the cup of tea she's holding grows a little bit tighter. ]
Are you saying there's a person here who's like that..? [ A pause, and then Chizuru can't help but add her immediate concern at that idea-- ] Someone who would hurt you..?
[it probably would have been a lot nicer if she could have honestly said no, and viktor looks over with a grim look to know that's not the case. he tucks that information away, just to be careful, and resists the urge to pester for more information.
at the very least he can say,] I don't know if she would hurt me again. I was never her target, I was... collateral, you could say. In truth? I rather like her, when I ignore everything around it. Which is impossible to do for long.
[a sigh] I haven't been sure what to do about it, I admit. She could be very dangerous, but is it right to potentially ruin what chance she has here on a what if? You've seen how this place can be when it's feeling righteous, or if it's waiting for someone to make a mistake.
[he likes sleepers a whole, just... yes, sometimes tempers get a bit much huh.]
[ Chizuru seems to mull the words over in her head, still holding her cup of tea. Maybe even taking a sip from it, though her facial expression is very much a face full of thought, accompanied by a tiny frown. ]
Honestly.. I'm not sure why you say you envy my ability to see the good in people, Viktor. I mean.. I'm listening to you right now, and you're doing the same.
[ That's the easier part to get out of the way. Didn't see that compliment coming, did you, Viktor. Chizuru always finds a way to turn compliments back onto people!! ]
It sounds to me like you want to give her a chance. [ After all, he sure is saying nicer things about whoever this person is than Chizuru feels she ever would about Kazama. ]
[viktor almost chuckles at that, sitting back with amusement stabbing at his expression. well, she had him there on all counts.] Ah... I suppose it would make me a hypocrite to argue that for the sake of arguing it.
[he'll never win this battle if he denies compliments back in an endless cycle between them. he must take this loss to win the war.
still it really is a good point, one he takes a moment to consider. about giving jinx a chance.] I suppose I do, beyond what is simply rational. It's daunting, I'll admit. I didn't survive this long taking risks like this with people.
Though I suppose taking risks with people here is exactly how I survived as long in the Trench as I have. [a shake of his head.]
[ It's not too surprising to hear Viktor talk about it this way. She knows he's far from emotionless, but it's true that the other does tend to look at things from a more logical point of view first and foremost - something Chizuru herself isn't quite as used to doing, being such an emotional person.
But she can try to go along with it. Maybe it'll help him figure it out better if she can get him to look at it from that point of view after all..? ]
Then.. [ Her voice trails off for a moment, having to think about it, but then she speaks on. ] What do you think is the worst thing that could happen?
[ That's viewing it logically, right? ]
And how big do you think the chance of that exact thing happening is..?
I suppose that the person in question hurts others that may have been able to prevent it if they were forewarned. [he settles on after a moment, tapping his fingers against his cup.]
As for the chance, it's hard to say. One who knows her far better than I has faith, but also a great deal of attachment. And the circumstances that led to the attack... they were far greater than any of us.
[it is good to flesh it out this way, makes the whole picture easier to examine. he offers chizuru a grateful smile quirking at one side of his mouth.]
[ That's Chizuru's very careful assessment - or perhaps it's sympathy, judging by the look in her eyes when she looks at Viktor. Chizuru hasn't had to deal with this sort of thing at all, the dangers of home brought to this place instead, but she can imagine that it's difficult to weigh those against everything else here, difficult to decide on how to deal with them.
Especially since Viktor is so responsible. She's glad he can even smile a little bit at all, given the circumstances.. ]
I'm sorry you have to deal with it all. I can imagine it's.. a really difficult decision to make. Thinking about what to do here..
[ Her voice trails off for a moment, but then she shakes her head, snapping herself back to reality. ]
But-- Viktor, if you need help with anything at all.. You know you can always ask me, right? I.. um, I know there's not much I can do, especially when it comes to things like these.. but whenever there's anything I can do to help at all, I don't mind doing it.
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The upside is that apparently Chizuru is at least used enough to spices - call it a side effect of the men you're living with sometimes insisting on taking over cooking only to dump way too much into any given dish because they have absolutely zero idea about how cooking is supposed to work - that she doesn't wince as she drinks it.
A real trooper.
Which gives her the ability to focus on what matters more here. No - not the question Viktor asks her about her wanting to discuss it. Please. Like Chizuru is going to dump her trouble onto someone else.
No, instead the thing that draws her attention is obviously what he's saying about himself, making her eyes grow wide with surprise. ]
Drama? [ Chizuru's fussiness senses are activating. ] Did something bad happen between you and these people..?
(HERE/NOT HERE)
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impressive lack of wince too. she escapes being given a different drink for now.]
Eh, one of them. [kind of an understatement, really.] Though we never met before now. It is... eye opening, to be forced to confront the reality of a situation that you were only able to see in stark black and white before.
[a long pause and he sighs] I'm trying not to be spiteful, I suppose. It does not come particularly easy. Frankly I envy your ability to see good in people.
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[ There's a tiny moment where Chizuru silently takes in what Viktor is saying, even after the other is done talking. She sips from her tea, just to have an excuse to be quiet and mull on it, but then she speaks up once more. ]
I.. don't really think I have any special ability.. I think I'm just doing the same thing everyone else does. [ Of course Chizuru would say that, immediately deflecting a compliment being thrown her way - but in this case it's mostly because she doesn't want Viktor to think he's inferior to her in any way. ]
Maybe it's more that I don't have any reason to be spiteful against anyone here, because everyone is so kind to me..
[ .. another slight pause, but then she adds, looking over at Viktor: ] But in your case.. um, I don't know much about the situation, so I could be wrong.. but if you're feeling that way, then I'm sure something happened to make you feel it. You've never been spiteful towards me, after all.
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[he suspects chizuru will continue to deflect, so he leaves it at that for now. he supposes she has a point about her own spite, and hell if he isn't glad she has no reason for it. then again he thinks she's likely more forgiving than most, but the trench has always been surprisingly generous.
he sits back, considering her words as she did his.] Something did happen. [he wonders if he should tell chizuru the truth. the whole truth. some of the truth. he's probably dead. a war is likely coming. hextech weaponry. centuries of boiling tensions coming to a head.
he sighs, lifts his cup.] Have you ever been truly wronged by someone in your own world?
[viktor has uh. opinions. of what he remembers of her father. but he'll keep that to himself. there's a point to this question, after all.]
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Especially when his question gives her so much to think about. For a moment she thinks about Viktor being truly wronged by someone - because that's where this has to be leading somehow, right? - and that thought kind of.. hurts. Viktor has been so nice to her, so of course she wants nothing but the best for him..
But then her thought instead moves towards the actual question. Her own experience. Chizuru stops sipping the tea for a moment, instead leaving the cup sitting between both of her hands, warming them up as she thinks. ]
Maybe.. you should definite 'truly wronged.'
[ Is Chizuru hesitant about aiming any sort of blame at people?
Yes. Yes, of course, that's exactly why she's asking this question in the first place, rather than giving some more straightforward answer. ]
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a beat and he tries,] Has anyone ever done something that hurt you and those you cared about, regardless of their intentions? Something that spits in the face of so much of what you believed and tried to achieve.
Someone you can safely say your life was made worse by, whether that was ever their goal or not. [close enough, he supposes. heavy but they're already traveling down this road so they may as well see it through to the end.]
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[ It's a bit of a slow agreement, but it's an agreement all the same, the girl's head dipping into a faint nod at the same time as that verbal answer spills across her lips. ]
I suppose I could say I know a person like that. [ And that's putting it very, very mildly. Kazama showing up in this place is absolutely right there at the top of Chizuru's list of nightmares, and it's his face that immediately pops up in her head at the description Viktor gives here.
Her grip on the cup of tea she's holding grows a little bit tighter. ]
Are you saying there's a person here who's like that..? [ A pause, and then Chizuru can't help but add her immediate concern at that idea-- ] Someone who would hurt you..?
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at the very least he can say,] I don't know if she would hurt me again. I was never her target, I was... collateral, you could say. In truth? I rather like her, when I ignore everything around it. Which is impossible to do for long.
[a sigh] I haven't been sure what to do about it, I admit. She could be very dangerous, but is it right to potentially ruin what chance she has here on a what if? You've seen how this place can be when it's feeling righteous, or if it's waiting for someone to make a mistake.
[he likes sleepers a whole, just... yes, sometimes tempers get a bit much huh.]
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Honestly.. I'm not sure why you say you envy my ability to see the good in people, Viktor. I mean.. I'm listening to you right now, and you're doing the same.
[ That's the easier part to get out of the way. Didn't see that compliment coming, did you, Viktor. Chizuru always finds a way to turn compliments back onto people!! ]
It sounds to me like you want to give her a chance. [ After all, he sure is saying nicer things about whoever this person is than Chizuru feels she ever would about Kazama. ]
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[he'll never win this battle if he denies compliments back in an endless cycle between them. he must take this loss to win the war.
still it really is a good point, one he takes a moment to consider. about giving jinx a chance.] I suppose I do, beyond what is simply rational. It's daunting, I'll admit. I didn't survive this long taking risks like this with people.
Though I suppose taking risks with people here is exactly how I survived as long in the Trench as I have. [a shake of his head.]
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But she can try to go along with it. Maybe it'll help him figure it out better if she can get him to look at it from that point of view after all..? ]
Then.. [ Her voice trails off for a moment, having to think about it, but then she speaks on. ] What do you think is the worst thing that could happen?
[ That's viewing it logically, right? ]
And how big do you think the chance of that exact thing happening is..?
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As for the chance, it's hard to say. One who knows her far better than I has faith, but also a great deal of attachment. And the circumstances that led to the attack... they were far greater than any of us.
[it is good to flesh it out this way, makes the whole picture easier to examine. he offers chizuru a grateful smile quirking at one side of his mouth.]
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[ That's Chizuru's very careful assessment - or perhaps it's sympathy, judging by the look in her eyes when she looks at Viktor. Chizuru hasn't had to deal with this sort of thing at all, the dangers of home brought to this place instead, but she can imagine that it's difficult to weigh those against everything else here, difficult to decide on how to deal with them.
Especially since Viktor is so responsible. She's glad he can even smile a little bit at all, given the circumstances.. ]
I'm sorry you have to deal with it all. I can imagine it's.. a really difficult decision to make. Thinking about what to do here..
[ Her voice trails off for a moment, but then she shakes her head, snapping herself back to reality. ]
But-- Viktor, if you need help with anything at all.. You know you can always ask me, right? I.. um, I know there's not much I can do, especially when it comes to things like these.. but whenever there's anything I can do to help at all, I don't mind doing it.