Victor x Reader

AU, This doesn't take place in the manor

"Will I see you again?" (y/n) murmured as Victor let go of her hand. He smiled sadly, and nodded, handing her an envelope, before running off to complete his work. She walked back to the carriage that was to take her home.

Dear (y/n),

These past few weeks I've gotten to spend with you were better than I could've asked for. I'm glad I got to meet you, and though I dearly hope to see you again, I know that it might not be possible. You're probably on your way home now, meaning you'll be far from me. I miss you already. At the very bottom of this letter, I've provided you with my address, in the hopes that you might send me a letter or two from time to time.

Thank you for the time we spent together, may we meet again,

Victor

(y/n) smiled longingly to herself, flashing through the memories of the five weeks in between the time they met and the time they had to part. Not wanting to waste any time in her response, she began to write a letter back to him. It wasn't like she had anything better to do on her long way back home.

Dear Victor,

I miss you. You sound as if I wouldn't write to you everyday, if I were given the chance. I'm glad for the time we spent together, and would be delighted to see you again; it is unfortunate that we must be so far apart. Of course, as the saying goes, absence makes the heart grow fonder. I eagerly await your next letter. I wish to know how you are and how that little dog is doing.

Sincerely, (y/n)

She signed her name and set the completed letter aside. The time it took for her to finish didn't account for half of her ride home. She sighed in boredom, and began to drift off into a light sleep to pass the time. Her dream wasn't a dream, but a memory. A memory pulled from the not so distant past.

The first day she arrived. Clueless as to where to go, anxious to be alone, and without direction, if it weren't for Victor, (y/n) would've never made it anywhere. He was kind enough to lead her to the inn she would be staying at while visiting her hospitalized mother, and even more kind to keep in contact with her whenever she needed help. After a few days passed, they met again. (y/n) offered to take him to lunch, as gratitude for helping her, he accepted. From that moment on, they only got closer. Her memories blurred together as she crossed the line between resting and deep sleep. Her last coherent thought was of the way he comforted her at her mother's grave, just four weeks into knowing her. A light, pink dust settled across her face as she fell into a dreamless, deep sleep.

She awoke when the carriage stopped, and stepped back into her home. Though she was gone for over a month, everything still seemed nice and orderly. She was glad she remembered to clean before she left, meaning minimal dust everywhere. She was in the process of walking to her room to fall back asleep when she remembered Victor's letter. Not wanting to stay up any later, she told herself she would walk and have it mailed tomorrow, and she went back to bed. Another recent memory enveloped her.

She was walking with Victor. The air was fresh. A bright blue, cloudless expanse of sky above them. It was the perfect day, until it wasn't. A scream, and a flash of light, and suddenly the fresh air was replaced by suffocating smoke, and the blue sky became black with ash. Of course they couldn't stand by and watch. The two rushed to make sure everyone was out, until a small yip sounded from underneath nearby rubble. Rushing to rescue the animal, Victor risked everything. The reward, an unnamed, homeless puppy that became loyal to him. After confirming the both of them were alright, (y/n) took to cleaning them up. Her hand rubbing a soft, warm cloth against his cheek to clear it of the soot while she did the same with the yellow dog. (y/n) smiled in her sleep at the memory.

In the morning, as she said she would, she walked down to the center of the town and dropped her letter. She greeted the people she knew along the way. Not interested in conversation, she said hello, or quickly waved, and evaded any questions of her small trip miles away. When she reached her house once again, she did everything she could to busy herself to distract her from the days awaiting Victor's next letter. She read, cleaned, cooked, and fixed up her garden, and by that time, it was late. She wasn't tired yet, but she was bored, that was until she heard a knock at the door.

"It's nine at night? What do you want?" She sarcastically greeted her friend, who was bouncing in anticipation at her door.

"You said you would tell me about your trip as soon as you got back! I haven't heard from you all day!" Vera responded, walking in as the other shut the door behind her. As (y/n)'s best friend, it was Vera's job to get every piece of information from her about her trip, because she knew there was more that happened than what she let on.

"In your first letter back to me, the second day you were there," She added the last part as if to remind her of what exact letter she was talking about, (y/n) just smiled and sighed and told her to continue, "You said that someone helped you out! What were they like?"

"Vera, you need more friends." She joked, earning eyes filled with fake tears from the other girl.

"That's so mean." But Vera keeps pushing for some kind of information.

"He did help me though, then he let me repay him with lunch." She answered softly, again remembering him in all of his marvelousness. "Victor, we really connected, I already miss him." Vera gasped while taking note of the look on her face. She realized how special he was to her, and she was determined to get more, but she didn't have to be so set, for (y/n) told her everything willingly. They talked for hours, not realizing how early it was until one of them yawned.

"Why don't we sleep, I'll walk you home in the morning." Sleeping at each other's wasn't uncommon for the friends, and when they woke in the morning, they weren't expecting a letter on her doorstep.

"How did this get here so fast? I mean I know it's only the next town over, but still?" (y/n) questioned, while opening the letter and shielding it from Vera. As her eyes skimmed over the paper, her grin widened.

Dear (y/n),

I've decided to name the dog Wick, after a candle. (There was a small smile drawn by Victor next to it.) I am doing well, though strange things have begun to happen after the fire. Everyone keeps giving me attention, I don't like it. I just want to have lunch alone with you again. You don't lie to me.

His letter continued on, describing the others and how being a postman helped him see true interactions with people. (y/n) didn't realize her friend reading over her shoulder until she finished the letter.

"He seems cute! You should take him while you can." Vera began to tease while eating a small fruit breakfast. (y/n) let a bark of laughter fill the room, then she quickly silenced herself over the ridiculous comments of her friend. But as Vera left, and she began to think about it more, she realized that she should do something about their undefined, long-distance relationship. She wrote him back. She laced her letter with sweet words that may have hinted at her blossoming feelings, what she didn't expect, days later, was his response.

Dearest (y/n),

Your words flatter me. We should meet again soon, I do desperately miss you. Your comfort, and your truth. To be honest, things are getting weird, like something is about to happen, but I'm sure the feeling is nothing to be afraid of. The days are normal, however. I am still a postman, and I still deliver letters, this won't change. How I wish I could deliver letters to you. To see the face you make when reading my words would mean so much to me in this world of lies.

Yours, Victor

Heat creeped to her face as she read his words. It seems as that her letter did its job, and that their relationship is to be more clearly defined soon. She formulated her response, trying to send as much love and well-wishes to the postman as she could, she didn't know what was happening, but she could tell he needed comfort. Their letters back and forth continued like this for a while. Comfort, longing, and love overflowed from each letter back and forth, knowing that the distance between them may never be closed. After months of alternating letters, (y/n) finally received the letter to scare her. The letter that made her truly realize what Victor was going through.

My Dearest, (y/n),

To answer you truthfully, I have not been well. I may be coming down with something, but I promise you I will be fine. Your letters, they are a light in a dark tunnel for me, guiding me through. I'm going to see you again. I don't think I can make it without seeing you again. I may not be able to write to you for long, but trust me when I say that I have had a wonderful time getting to know you, and getting to love you. I haven't forgotten what you look like; I haven't forgotten what you sound like, but every time I think back to when we met, I can't handle the longing I feel for you. Please, don't forget me.

I love you (y/n).

He didn't sign his name. (y/n) became overwhelmed with worry. Of course she loved him and would never forget him, but what is he going through that would have to make him clarify this. He sounded so desperate, like he was stuck. That's when his letters stopped. Everyday, she would send him something. A drawn-out love letter, a small note asking him about his day, a pressed flower with a slip of paper that read please, she sent anything she could to show him that she would never forget him, and that she'll always be waiting for him. He was unable to do the same, and she didn't know why. After months of this silence, years after meeting each other, she investigated. All she knew to do was to visit his town again, so she got up and left, unplanned and alone. After days, she arrived and everything seemed normal. A baby blue sky dotted with perfect white clouds blowing a light breeze greeted her as she stepped into the street and began her search. Her search didn't last long as she spotted a red postman's uniform shuffling down an alleyway. She didn't catch the conversation, but the voice matched Victor's. Sneakily, he looked left and right to make sure he wasn't spotted going into hiding, but she caught his actions. As he emerged, she could clearly see the dark bags under his eyes, and light, continuous streaks down his face, as if he had been cying for months non-stop.

"Victor?" She quietly stopped him by grabbing his arm, forcing him to look at her. His eyes became wide and he pulled her into his apartment, luckily not too far from where they were.

"W-what are you doing here?" Tears threatened to spill once again from his eyes. His voice was hoarse as though he hadn't spoken in a long time. To keep her from looking into his eyes, he pulled her into a hug. Though, it did nothing to prevent her from knowing of his tears as they were both sobbing. She opened her eyes after a moment of crying and saw all of her letters, along with some of his unsent ones scattered about his desk. He was being trapped, she didn't know by who, but he wasn't allowed to do what he wanted.

"Come with me, away from here." She offered, not wanting to see him confined any longer. He shook his head.

"I can't, you don't know what they would do to me, to you, I can't risk that." They moved from their hug, to staring each other down, sitting on his bed. She held on tightly to his hands.

"We could run away, whoever they are wouldn't be able to find us, for now, you could stay with me." They were scared; scared for each other, the future, and these people that wanted Victor so badly. She didn't realize the dog in her lap until he was begging for her attention as well.

"Hey, Wick!" His tail wagged harder at the mention of his name. "Tell Victor that I want to keep him safe, that he should treat himself better and break away from these terrible people." As little as the dog understood, he could tell it was a sensitive moment between the two. Wick put a paw on the two's intertwined hands and looked up at Victor, to repeat the words she told him to. He couldn't help it, Victor broke down again, hugging her tighter. He was alone without her, and couldn't bear to be cut off from her again. After a long moment of silence, apart from the few sniffles on his side, he spoke up.

"I want to go with you." He packed up as many things as possible, collected every letter he owned, and they left, without a plan but together. No longer were they alone. They would figure it out as they went, for now it was just them, and they wouldn't have it any other way.

Word Count: 2387