Chapter Text
Heimerdinger stopped by early the next morning. The doorbell ringing dragged Viktor from his slumber, and he found the little girl had flung an arm, as well as about half her body, over his chest. She was still fast asleep.
Carefully, he disentangled himself and tucked Powder back in. “I'm coming!” He whisper shouted as he grabbed his cane and ran to the door.
“Professor,” Viktor said. “What a surprise to see you here so early. And on a Saturday.” He didn't put much effort into hiding his distaste.
“Yes, yes, I apologize for waking you. It's just that I heard about the little girl,” said Heimerdinger. “Is it true you've taken in a child?”
“Yes. Her name is Powder.”
As if on cue, she started screaming from the bedroom. “Viktooooooor!!!” She wailed.
He ran. He didn't even care what it was doing to his leg, he just ran. Professor Heimerdinger followed.
“What is it? What's wrong?” Viktor exclaimed as he burst into the bedroom.
“I woke up and you were gone!” She cried. She was still wrapped up in a blanket, as if for security.
“I thought you left me!!”
“No, no, no, I'm right here, maly.” He wrapped his arms around her. “Professor, please give us a moment.”
“Of course. I was just about to leave.”
He left, and Viktor pulled Powder flush against him, shushing her and rubbing her back all the while. “It's alright. I won't leave you, sladkà dìvka.”
She looked up to him, teary eyed. “Promise you won't go?”
“Ano. I promise.”
She wiped her tears on her sleeve, the sleeve of Viktor's button down, and looked up. “Can I have something to eat?”
“Absolutely.”
For breakfast, Powder devoured two bowls of porridge and a fried egg while sitting in Viktor's lap. The pain in his bad leg was really only below the knee, so it wasn't a problem if the clingy little girl wanted to be near him.
“How old are you, màly?” He asked as he wiped the corner of her mouth.
“I'm seven.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. How old are you?”
“How old do you think I am?” Viktor challenged playfully.
Just then, the doorbell rang. It was a blonde girl that Viktor knew he had interacted with multiple times, but he couldn't remember her name. She had a cloth bag with her. “Hi!” she said cheerily.
“Uhm, hello.”
“I heard about the girl, so I asked my parents for some of my old clothes and toys. Looks like someone else had the same idea.”
She was referring to another package left on the doorstep which simply read: “for the little blue haired girl”.
“Well, thank you.”
“You're welcome.” The woman giggled nervously. “And if you ever need help, you know where I am.”
“Thank you, Miss…….”
Her cheeks flushed red. “Montgomery!!” She turned on her heel and left. Viktor shut the door and turned back to look at Powder.
“She was flirting with you,” she remarked.
“Was she?”
***********************************************
Viktor began sorting the clothing into two piles: things that would fit Powder, things she could grow into, and things that were too small. Powder herself was taking apart several mechanical toys and sorting their parts. She had surrounded herself, as well as the things, with a circle of stuffed animals.
“What do you want to do after this?” Viktor asked her.
Powder looked up, a hopeful smile on her face. “Can I see where you work?”
Viktor reached over and tapped her nose. “That sounds like a great idea.” She grinned and giggled in reply.
****************************************
“Now, there are a lot of things in here that could hurt you, so I don't want you to be in the lab without me or Jayce.” said Viktor as he opened the door.
“Okay!” Powder agreed cheerily. She was practically skipping.
Powder took one look at Jayce, hid behind Viktor, and hissed.
“Uhh, what's she doing?”
“One moment, please.” Viktor pulled her aside and whispered: “Why did you do that, Powder?”
“He’s evil,” she whispered back.
“No, he is not,” Viktor said firmly but gently. “He is my research partner. You don't have to like him, but if you want to spend time in the lab you have to be nice to him, okay?”
She nodded reluctantly.
“Okay, let's try this again. Powder, say hello to Jayce.”
“Hello, Jayce.”
“Hello Powder,” he said awkwardly. He didn't seem like he knew what to do with himself. Welcome to the Hextech lab.”
“What's Hextech?” Asked Powder.
“Did I not already tell you?” Viktor pondered. “It's something we are working on, using technology to harness magic.”
“Is that possible?”
“It is, I proved it.” Jayce said proudly. He really was egotistical, thought Viktor fondly. Still, he interjected. “I did more of the work then he's telling you.”
“You did help.”
Powder drew them out of the pleasant banter. “I wanna try that!” She pointed at the welding tool Jayce was holding.
Jayce looked at Viktor. He shrugged. “As long as you both follow proper safety precautions.”
“Wow, I didn't think you'd say yes to that.”
They spent hours in the lab together, bouncing ideas off each other, teaching Powder how to use different tools and letting her try new things. It was a magnificent time.
*************************************
“Are you vaccinated, màly?” Viktor asked as he opened the door to his dorm and crossed the threshold.
Powder cocked her head. “What's vaccinated?”
“Okay, so that's something we can take care of tomorrow.” Viktor knew she wouldn't take well to being stuck with needles and he didn't want to get into it right then.“We also need to find a school for you.”
“School?” Asked Powder suspiciously.
“Yes,” said Viktor as he shut the door behind him. “It starts in a few weeks.”
“But I don't need school! I can learn everything from watching you!” Objected Powder. It was evident she was working herself up, despite having beamed and almost skipped all the way to the dorm.
“But I can't teach you everything,” said Viktor gently. “There are things even I don't know.”
“I DON'T NEED SCHOOL!” She screamed.
“Powder!” Viktor said sharply. “You have to go to school. It's the law.” He decided he would just ignore her if she threw a tantrum.
“Nooooooooo!!!” Powder threw herself on the ground wailing.
Viktor took a deep breath. He walked away. Suddenly Powder was up and grabbing him. He almost fell over.
“No, no, don't leave me!” Her screams were panicked and tears were running down her face.
Now Viktor was panicking. “It's okay, I'm right here!” He sat on the floor and pulled her into his arms.
“Don't go! You can't go!” Powder sobbed hysterically as she clung to his shirt. “I know I'm bad, but please don't leave me!”
“I'm not leaving, I promise. You are not bad,” said Viktor soothingly as he stroked her hair.
Powder initially started to calm down after a few minutes, but then she jerked and stared at something that Viktor couldn't see. “Shut up, Mylo!” She screamed at the air.
“Who is Mylo?” Asked Viktor cautiously.
“He's one of my brothers that died,” Powder sniffled. “I just…thought I heard him again.”
“Okay,” Viktor nodded while he rubbed her back. He was going to need to find her a therapist. “Tell me if it happens again.”
“Okay. I will.”
It was beginning to occur to Viktor how difficult raising Powder would be. But he wasn't going to be the next person to leave her. Besides, he liked doing hard things.
***************************************
“Come on, Powder,” called Viktor. “It's bedtime for a certain blue haired seven year old.”
“If I dye my hair will you let me stay up?” She giggled.
Viktor shook his head with a smile. “No, I'm afraid it would still be bedtime.”
“About that,” Powder said, rocking on her heels. “Could I maybe sleep in your bed? Cus I think I might fall off the couch if I roll over in my sleep.”
Viktor smiled, quickly guessing that this was just an excuse to be near him. “Alright, if you insist.”
“And can you read me a book?”
“Alright. Go and pick one.”
Powder immediately picked up a physics textbook from a pile on the coffee table. “I meant a storybook, màly. You'll never go to sleep if I read all that.”
Powder rolled her eyes and sighed dramatically. “Fiiine.”
She picked a picture book from the pile of things that had been donated to her. “This one. 'The Tale of Rutabega and Marble-aid'.”
“Marmalade,” Viktor corrected gently.
“Whatever!”
They sat together on the bed, and Viktor underlined the text with his finger as he read, in hopes of teaching her to identify any words she didn't already know. She watched and listened with rapt attention.
“Viktor?” Asked Powder when the story was over and he was about to wish her goodnight. “Could you stay until I fall asleep?”
“Of course,” he said, making himself comfortable.
“And can you leave the light on in the hall when you leave?”
“Of course.”
“Okay. G'night, Viktor.”
“Debrou noc a sladké sny malickà,” he whispered.
“What does that mean?” Powder whispered back.
“I'll teach you in the morning,” promised Viktor.
“Teach me everything.”