Viktor Vektor x Reader

Forty-Four

A strange feeling of tightness stuck in your chest as you bend over Julie's sleeping face. She wasn't asleep, at least she didn't need much ever since her body had started to fight back against her awful decisions.

But she kept her eyes closed, even as you bend close enough to breathe a kiss to her forehead. Her skin felt cold to your touch as you placed a hand on her hair to caress it.

You wanted to comfort her, but secretly it was you who needed to be close to your sister in order to keep yourself together.

Your breath trembled.

"I'm sorry I couldn't do more for you.", your eyes filled with tears while they wandered up to the ceiling where all the hoses came from.

As per your request, Viktor had out Julie on life support. He stuck with his professional opinion, it wouldn't save her life, only extend it until the limit was reached.

But it would give her enough time to see you do what you had to. At least that was what you hoped for.

Just a few more hours would be enough.

Her eyes moved behind closed lids as you grabbed her hand to wrap your fingers around. You kissed her knuckles gently, trying to fight down a whimper.

This was a final goodbye.

You knew that and deep down you believed that Julie also knew.

Once you stepped through that door you wouldn't return to her.

So you allowed yourself all the moments your needed, loathed the stabbing pain that tortured your head. Your mind was corrupted by guilt. But you did not back down.

Not now.

Not after everything that you had sacrificed.

"Never forget that I love you, Julie.", you whispered, your lips pressed against her forehead. "And I will always love you. But this is no life. For no one. I won't make you keep living it."

A breath squeezed out from between her lips. Her fingers flinched and wrapped around yours.

For the very first time in ages you felt like she understood. It was unclear if she agreed, but she understood.

And that had to be enough for you.

"Goodbye.", you kissed her forehead one last time and pulled away.

A strange kind of cold clawed itself into the palm of your hand as Julie's fingers left your skin. It felt like a loss, even though you had lost her many years ago already.

This one felt serious.

As you were at the gate to Vik's clinic, you hesitated one last time and threw a glance back over your shoulder.

She looked calm in this moment, without pain or any worry on her face. It was probably thanks to the devilish amount of painkillers that she was on but still.

If she went like this you'd be satisfied.

With a shaky breath you closed your eyes. Hand clenched into fists.

You couldn't stop. Not now.

Your teeth clenched, eyes kept tightly shut, you pulled the hood of your jacket over your head and turned away to leave.

Your steps echoed from the naked walls as you made your way back to the surface. The back alley behind Misty's was as filthy as ever.

You stopped in the silver moonlight and looked around, hands shoved into your pockets. A chilly breeze caressed your cheeks and stroked through your hair.

You shivered, but because it was cold, really, but because you knew what you had to do next.

Lost in thoughts you pulled out a pack of cigarettes and lit one of them. The warmth of the glow licked your lips. With the first breath came the familiar feeling of scratchy smoke inside your lungs.

Your eyes lit up in a red light.

The sound of a call filled your ears. It rang a few times, barely more than a few seconds but long enough to make you reconsider your choices.

No one answered so you hung up instead and made your way out of the alley and down the street.

It smelled of dirt and burned oil, mixed with gasoline. Night City wasn't a nice place but the dark made it even more unbearable.

Almost immediately, you found yourself missing the comfort and warmth that Viktor's apartment had ordered. It almost felt like you ran away from home.

Again.

A sigh made your chest quiver.

With two fingers you grabbed the cigarette from the corner of your mouth and blew the smoke into the cloudy night sky.

Neon light hugged your face, brought out every tiny detail that had gathered over the years, deep eye bags, cracked lips and wrinkles that made it difficult to tell how old you actually were.

Your legs carried you down the road, along mega buildings and highway bridges until a small message popped up in front of your eyes all of a sudden.

Torn from your state of delusion, you looked up to read what appeared in small letters.

A threat.

Or was it a letter of insults instead?

Either way, nothing that pleased you to read.

"Hm.", you unimpressed, you took another deep breath and threw the rest of your cigarette to the ground to step on it.

Then you called Dexter again.

This time, he picked up rather quickly. Maybe it was due to his awful temper or the fact that he had lost all his power over you within the last hours.

"Well if it ain't the snake.", he growled, his teeth bared and poison dripping from his tongue.

"Dexter.", you made sure to not allow him any room for mockery or his usual tricks. "Heard you're in need of a champion."

Your foot kept on playing with the bud of the cigarette.

A low sound could be heard from his end of the line.

"The fuck you wanted?"

You shrugged.

"I am a champion. You need one. No?"

"YOU are nothin'! I made you and now you try and be smart with me?"

A sigh rolled of your lips. Finally you were able to realise why he was so bored with everyone and everything all the time.

He was just the same to you. Unnecessary drama.

"Listen up, you fat whale.", you silenced him with a gloomy look on your face. "That fight. I'll fight it for ya. But it will be my last. And after that we're done."

Suspicious, he raised one eyebrow.

"That's it?", he asked with a shrug.

"No. I know you owe me a shitload of money. You've stolen from me every fight. I want that sum back. Every single eddie."

"Or what?"

"Or I'll make sure your fat neck dangles from the Saka tower.", you hung up on him.