"Your hair is getting so long." I murmur, leaning against him and letting out a soft yawn.
I comb my fingers through the waves, smiling to myself as I tug gently on his locks, burying my face in his neck and breathing in the scent of fresh soap and herbs.
It's very soothing, and reminds me of the familiar comfort of my own home.
"Perhaps I should cut it short." He ponders, as he gently runs his fingers through my hair in turn. "Would that please you?"
"Not at all." I reach out to smooth his hair. "You look wonderful as you are. Leave it like this." I smile and nuzzle against his chest again.
He pouts, but he is hiding a smile. I can see it in his eyes.
I like Viktor's long hair. It makes me think of a unicorn. Even more now that his hair has become lustrous and more like spun moonlight.
It would be a terrible loss for this world to lose something so precious and beautiful.
His eyes sparkle happily when he notices I am gazing at him and he offers me his arm as we begin to stroll along the river. The bridge is lit up and looks gorgeous under the stars.
He raises a brow as I drag him away towards the outskirts of the school, tugging him by the hand and ignoring his splutters of confusion as we sneak by the dorms, heading towards the trees in the distance.
The cool air causes his cheeks to flush red.
A beautiful young man, out in the snow...
I turn around and place my hands on his shoulder, nudging him to sit down on the cold bench in the gazebo by the tree. Viktor is still grumbling and fussing, but allows me to manhandle him into a seated position.
"Wait here, I'll fetch it!"
His eyes widen, but he obediently settles, and I flash a pleased grin in his direction, darting off to find the hidden spot in which I'd left a blanket, a basket of goodies, and my gift to Viktor.
I pop over and grab all three things, and hurry back to my boyfriend.
I wrap the blanket around his shoulders and push the basket and box into his arms before settling myself and arranging my own blankets over me.
Viktor is entirely lost for words as I hold out the box.
I shake it at him, giving him a prompting look.
He carefully reaches out to take it, setting the basket of baked goods aside before pulling off the lid and opening the wrapping. Inside is an intricate hand-bound volume, embossed with gold, leather bindings.
His eyes widen as he looks back at me, curious, as he hesitates to touch the pages. I nudge the book with a finger.
"Open it." I tell him softly.
He nods, biting his lip as he looks through it, flipping through the pages with trembling hands, stopping to pause at a page filled with pressed flowers and mushrooms, their names written underneath their image, in my neatest cursive.
On the page opposite, there's a recipe for medicine, though it's written in code in an older script, in the tongue of his native country, a legacy of his mother's family.
I don't understand a word of it, but I know he does.
I had copied it over painstakingly with great care from the books I'd found in the academy library.
There are pictures of plants on those pages, too. Some rare plants I found preserved in the garden archives. I saw those flowers in the game.
They didn't have much explanation in the game other than that they were significant to Viktor.
That they were special.
Even if I don't know how they're special, I know he'll appreciate them.
Viktor is reading each of the entries, his lips moving silently as he translates each recipe into modern words, eyes shimmering as he reads on.
When he turns the final page, he draws in a sharp breath.
The back of the last page is decorated with dried red roses and yellow petals from my favorite lily flower.
Written on the inside, in bold ink, is the story of the goddess who fell in love with a man. Of the gods who could not bear their happiness, who became jealous and poisoned the man and how his love died trying to save him and returned him to life.
Their souls caught in an eternal cycle.
Two lovers, always drawn to one another, over and over.
His mother's words.
The same ones she spoke to her son so often.
The reason she chose his name, as she fervently hoped it might make him the man the goddess loved - and therefore, that he would survive his childhood.
I know this because Viktor told me. Not even the game or the extra material books gave this much information, but Viktor hat trusted me with it.
Making him this book in return was...the best thing I could think to do.
"I'm sorry, love." I smile gently at him. "This was meant to be your birthday present, but it took so long to finish..."
Viktor seems to finally snap out of his trance.
He jumps and looks back up at me, and hastily wipes away his tears as he meets my eyes, giving me a wavering smile. "Do not apologize...I..."
His eyes roam over the pages again, and he swallows. "It's incredible. It's perfect...you made me something so beautiful." His voice cracks a little, and he has to take a moment to compose himself.
"Thank you. This is the best present I have ever received in my life. Nothing can ever compare."
I scoot closer and he throws his arms around me, holding me close. I kiss him gently, and rest my hand on his cheek.
"There is nothing in the world you could possibly thank me for." I tell him honestly. "To be able to make you smile is more than thanks enough."
I wipe away his tears with my thumbs and his cheeks color under my touch, as he leans in and brushes his lips over my wrist tenderly.
His eyes glitter like starlight as he meets my eyes again. He clutches my hands to his cheeks and nods.
We settle down more comfortably, and Viktor places the book on top of his lap as he begins to pull out the pastries I've prepared from the basket, lining them up on a tray.
Viktor glances around us nervously as he studies the little cakes. "Where did you obtain all of these ingredients...?"
"Why, from the kitchen of course!" I exclaim happily. "The servants helped me - it was ever so much fun! I hope they'll continue to teach me how to bake until the day I die."
"Ophelia, the Academy is known for its excellent cooks." Viktor points out, looking mildly alarmed. For some reason?
"Yes!" I nod emphatically, flashing a toothy grin in his direction. "They're lovely people! Very nice!"
"Is this...healthy? This...are you...sure...this is...a normal amount of butter?"
"...nooooo...?"
"Oh my god."
"Viktooooor! They're good though! You agreed so in the first place!" I wave a pastry around wildly. Was he really worried because 'good' meant 'unhealthy'?! "Look, you're eating it right now, aren't you?"
He blushes, glancing to the side, but says nothing, and merely takes another bite of the pastry.
I beam and lean against him, cradling the tray on my knees so we can both reach it, and humming in delight. "They're so yummy! I think I'm going to spend every day there from now on!"
"You aren't serious, are you...? Please don't make your poor Viktor worry so."
Viktor sighs, running a hand over his face as he finishes his snack, brushing the crumbs off of his gloves and settling against the back of the bench with a wistful sigh.
"Hmm. Well. Perhaps not every day, since it wouldn't be fair to my darling to deprive him of my company."
"Wise decision. Your presence in my life is very important to me. I would be utterly devastated if I were to lose your attentions." He teases gently.
I pick up one of the slices of fruit I'd arranged, feeding it to him and licking the juices off my fingertips.
His eyes follow my movements, and I wonder for a moment what he's thinking before I realize his face has gone very red. He averts his eyes when I notice him looking, his gaze fixed firmly on the ground.
I have to take a moment to get over my mild shock at my boyfriend's cuteness, because no one prepared me for this and I feel like I might spontaneously combust from the absolute onslaught of emotions it unleashes in me.
It's impossible to resist him.
I press my lips to his, and he stiffens a little in surprise but recovers quickly, one hand sliding around my back to steady me as the other supports the back of my neck and I find myself draped across his lap.
"Viktor Schulte...I've caught you." I inform him smugly, grinning, and kiss his cheek.
Viktor hums in response, eyes narrowed into crescents. "What are you going to do with me, my sweet Ophelia? Are you going to let me go, or devour me?"
My breath catches in my throat. I think he meant to tease, but all I can think of is a dragon, clutching its most precious treasure to its bosom.
"Will you let me?" I ask softly, reaching out to stroke his cheek, my hand cradling the side of his face.
"Only if you also let yourself be eaten."
"A trade."
He inclines his head and leans down until his lips are so close I can feel his light breath ghosting across my skin as he speaks.
"Deal."