Chapter Text
"So when are the kids gonna get here?" Jayce asks as he fishes out the many boxes of tea and hot coco hidden in his pantry.
"Soon." Viktor answers, putting away the last of his hidden knives. "They didn't exactly give me a time."
The two of them have been planning this for weeks. A sleepover for Ekko and Jinx, both of whom have been asking Viktor to see Piltover at night. They decided to host it in Jayce's apartment because it's bigger and has enough blankets for everyone, and Viktor brought the food.
"It should be before sunset though, right?" Jayce puts the boxes of hot coco powder and tea bags on the kitchen counter.
Viktor hums in affirmation, taking the box full of very sharp knives and reaching up to put them on top of the cabinets when Jayce's hands take it and put it up.
"Fuck you and your extra six inches." Viktor spins around and glares at Jayce, who's grinning like an idiot.
"I'm good today, thank you." He says before leaning down and giving Viktor a gentle kiss. "I like that much better."
Viktor's scowl melts into a smile as he laughs. "You'll never tire of those jokes, will you?"
"Will you get tired of trans jokes?"
"Point taken." Viktor wraps his arms around Jayce's neck. "May I have another?"
"Another what?" Jayce whispers, and slowly leans down. "Another one of these?"
They're kissing again. Viktor doesn't think he's ever going to tire of the endorphin rush that kissing Jayce gives him. His blood is on fire, and he can't help the giddy smile that widens across his lips.
"Should we come back later?"
Viktor jumps so hard he falls down, and he would be upset if it wasn't for Jayce and Jinx's laughter. Jayce holds out a hand, one that Viktor takes to help himself up. He turns to see Jinx and Ekko in the entryway, both with backpacks on.
"Hello you two." He mutters, rubbing all the parts of his bones that hurt from the fall. "How was the trip?"
"It was good, where's the best place to see the sunset?" Ekko asks, shifting the strap on the backpack.
“Hold on a second.” Viktor smiles as he moves out of the kitchen. “The sunset isn’t for another fifteen minutes, and I haven’t seen the two of you in months. At least give me a hug first.”
He almost falls backwards at the speed in which Ekko hugs him. Viktor lets his hand fall on top of Ekko’s hair, as it so often does.
“Why do you have to live up here? What’s wrong with living at The Last Drop?”
Jinx nods from behind him, hands twisting the strap of her backpack. “It feels like you abandoned us sometimes. I don’t understand . . .” She trails off, avoiding eye contact.’
A part of Viktor’s heart curls up in pain. He leads the two kids to the living room, giving them space to sit on the couch. “Ekko, Jinx, I want to start by saying that I will never, never abandon you. You’re family, I care very deeply about both of you. But when I first came here, I was looking for a way to better help Silco and his various projects. I always thought that helping him was my purpose in life, but that’s not true. In being here, I found something better than purpose.” He looks behind him, where Jayce is standing in the entryway. “I found a reason to thrive.”
“I don’t get it.” Jinx says, and Ekko nods in agreement.
Someone warm leans next to Viktor. “I think what he’s trying to say, in his very overcomplicated way, is that he lives up here not because he’s abandoning you or the family, or that he doesn’t like The Last Drop, but that he’s carved out a place for himself here, one that he doesn’t want to leave. At least, not now.” Jayce turns to look at Viktor. “Did I get that right?”
“Perfectly.” Viktor presses a kiss to Jayce’s cheek, and it turns into a smile when the sounds of childlike disgust come from Jinx and Ekko. “Get used to it, I’m in love.”
“Still gross.” Jinx sticks out her tongue. “You two are too mushy.”
“Yeah, stop being mushy!”
Viktor laughs at that, his chest fluttering and swelling like the crescendo to a song in the concerts that they invite all the high standing people to. Or, in Viktor’s case, only Jayce is invited and he tells Viktor to make a copy of his ticket so that they can both get in. Hmm, maybe he’s rubbing off on Jayce a little too much.
“Can we go see the sunset now? I don’t wanna be around you two if you’re gonna be kissy kissy.” Ekko asks, and Viktor pulls him into another hug.
“Is there anything else bothering you?”
Ekko shakes his head.
“Good, let’s go. Also, I like what you’ve done with your hair, it suits you.”
“Thanks, Mylo did it!”
-
They ended up staying out on the roof of the complex far longer than intended, meaning that the kids were freezing by the time they decided it was time to go back.
“Why is it so much colder up topside than it is in Zaun?” Jinx whines, rubbing her bare arms.
“Maybe you’d not be so cold if you actually wore long sleeves.” Ekko mutters, and Viktor is glad he’s standing between the pair because the glare that Jinx gives Ekko is definitely one he taught her.
“Jinx, Piltover is subjected to open air. It’s usually colder up here than it is in Zaun.” He explains. “And while I don’t police your clothing choices, I do think I told you that it can get chilly at night when I said you two could come.”
Jayce unlocks and opens the door to the apartment. “Good thing I have hot chocolate then, huh.” He says, and the two children sprint towards Jayce and latch onto him like he’s their lifeforce.
“What kind of hot chocolate?!” Jinx demands.
“It has mountains on it-”
“YES!” The cheers of Ekko and Jinx reverberate throughout the room, and Viktor watches Jayce to make sure that the sudden noise didn’t trigger anything for him.
Jayce laughs and picks the two up (of course he can pick them up, he’s 6′10 and built like a hydraulic press), to march them into the kitchen for mandatory cocoa.
Viktor watches the trio disappear, and smiles. This is his ideal life, he realizes with the ferocity of a bullet ripping through his chest. Him and Jayce, living in someplace small where his family is able to visit him, and vice versa. Where he’s able to live topside, able to work on the thing he loves so dearly, but also able to see his siblings, see his family who have grown their roots in Zaun.
He loves Zaun, he does and he always will. Piltover has nothing on it, but Jayce can’t live in Zaun. He’s too soft and kind-hearted and giving for what Zaun is right now, and will continue to be for decades until they’re able to change. Until they’re given the freedom to change.
The sound of a whipped cream canister shakes Viktor from his thoughts, and he moves to the kitchen to see Ekko already has whipped cream on his nose. Not that it’s surprising with the large tower of it on his mug.
Jayce is handing Jinx her own mug heaped with whipped cream, and she sips at it with pure joy.
“You want some?” Jayce holds up the can of hot cocoa mix.
“I think I’m good.” Viktor looks at the kids, who are sipping at their hot cocoa and giggling at their whipped cream moustaches. “I think I’m good.”
-
It’s late into the night when they both pass out on the couch. Jayce lays one of his softer blankets on them as Viktor undoes his leg brace.
“They’re quite a pair, I’ll admit.” Jayce whispers as he sits next to Viktor. “It’s a good break from,” He waves his hands in the air, and Viktor sets his brace aside.
“Yeah, that’s true.” He looks at their sleeping forms, and smiles. “We should invite Mylo and Claggor next time, those two are very fun.”
“Mmm, if you say so love.” Jayce hums. “Ready to sleep?”
“I think so.” Viktor moves to get up, but Jayce swoops him into his arms before he can get anywhere. “Carrying me to bed? How romantic.”
“Is this too mushy for you?” Jayce teases, and Viktor holds in his laughter.
“I think I’ll live. You’re too handsome to let go.”
Jayce lights up scarlet, and a small giggle falls from Viktor’s lips. “You’re very cute when you blush.”
“And you’re very flirty when you’re tired.” Jayce mumbles before setting Viktor on the bed. “I’m getting you night clothes, you’re not sleeping in that if I can help it.”
“Can you help it?”
Jayce makes a harsh sound from the back of his throat. “Yes.”
Viktor smiles at Jayce. His face hurts from smiling so much this evening. He thinks he can get used to that. “Thank you, Jayce. For being kind.”
Jayce tilts his head slightly. “Why wouldn’t I be? Everyone deserves kindness.” With that, he turns back around on his quest to get Viktor suitable sleepwear.
With that, impossibly, Viktor falls more in love.