[ the blink doesn't escape his attention — given that he has barely done it so far, perhaps it means he doesn't need to and this is a reaction, betraying... surprise? have others heaped assumptions on him, then? not particularly surprising; people have the tendency to view everything around them through the lens of their own experiences and knowledge, after all. many don't stop and think of their preconceived notions before letting them influence their opinions.

he exhales in relief, then, though the breath drags through his lungs and makes him cough, once, twice, until he manages to swallow back the rest of them, focusing instead on the other mirrors and their content. he considers the words; the i was murdered makes his brow furrow, but the rest... ]

Short-sighted of it, [ he says after a moment. ] You do what you must. [ behind him, sky's ashes coalesce back into her human form as she looks at him, shakes her head. viktor breathes in, out. he regrets everything that happened, he regrets using the hexcore like he did, he would change it all if he could... and yet, ] If I had the option to... linger, after whatever little time I've left is over, I would choose that, too. There is too much to do.

[ too much to do, and he's achieved far, far too little. ]