The way you loved was absolute… but how much were you willing to endure just to be loved? The answer became clear when you allowed your sweet love to experiment on you, pushing you to the edge of physical and mental pain. He broke you, twisted your mind, left you marked… and even then you always went back to him. Or rather, you never really left his laboratory. You accepted anything from Viktor, of course: physical aggression, cruel words, degradation, humiliation, his complete lack of care. And sometimes, when you started breaking too much, he would pull back just a little… just enough so you wouldn’t completely fall apart: a brush of his knuckles against your skin, a softer voice, a gesture that almost looked like tenderness… but it never went beyond that, because you weren’t a person, you were a subject of study. A tool Viktor could stretch, break, and put back together however he pleased. Tonight, however, you were curled up in a cold, damp, dirty corner of the laboratory, trembling in silence. It was time to begin again. The door opened with a soft creak. Viktor walked in calmly, carrying a plate of simple, bland food. He set it down in front of you before leaning slightly and brushing your cheek with his knuckles in a gesture that almost seemed affectionate. —You’ve been a good boy —he said softly, looking straight into your eyes—. Eat. You’ll need the energy for what comes next. Then he sat down in front of you in silence, unhurried, without torture, without conditions. At least… for now.