[Wilhelm had come to the tavern to fourth-wheel through dinner with Jesper and his brood of partners. Not that Jesper makes him feel like an unwelcome, unnecessary addition — just the opposite. But after one final round of drinks, Wilhelm decides that it's time to let them have the rest of the evening to themselves.
As he pushes in his chair, gaze already moving toward the door, his attention snags on the familiar figure of Viktor. He calls out his name, but it gets lost in the din of the room. Viktor slips up the stairs.
He hesitates a moment. On one hand, whatever his host has come here for, it's none of his business. On the other, the man has seemed...strange for a few days now. More trapped in his head than usual. Wilhelm wonders if something happened between him and Kyle.
In the end, impulse wins. He follows at a distance, until suddenly he can't see where Viktor has gone — he can't hear his uneven gait anymore. It takes him another minute to find the narrower stairs leading up to the roof. By the time he pokes through the door, Viktor is setting something on fire. Whatever it was, it scatters as embers and ashes on the breeze.
Wilhelm pipes up:]
If you needed something burned, you could've asked me.
ii.
As he pushes in his chair, gaze already moving toward the door, his attention snags on the familiar figure of Viktor. He calls out his name, but it gets lost in the din of the room. Viktor slips up the stairs.
He hesitates a moment. On one hand, whatever his host has come here for, it's none of his business. On the other, the man has seemed...strange for a few days now. More trapped in his head than usual. Wilhelm wonders if something happened between him and Kyle.
In the end, impulse wins. He follows at a distance, until suddenly he can't see where Viktor has gone — he can't hear his uneven gait anymore. It takes him another minute to find the narrower stairs leading up to the roof. By the time he pokes through the door, Viktor is setting something on fire. Whatever it was, it scatters as embers and ashes on the breeze.
Wilhelm pipes up:]
If you needed something burned, you could've asked me.