Chapter Text
The blue glow warmed his skin. It sunk into his body and jumbled his atoms like a massage chair. It was actually quite pleasant, like what he thought floating on a cloud was like when he was a child. Now he was an adult, so it was more along the lines of sleeping on an especially nice hotel bed. Then, just as quickly as it filled his vision, it faded. His body felt wrong, but, inexplicably, a puzzle piece slid together in his being, like he was destined to be here. This was troubling, mostly because Jayce didn’t believe in destiny. So, more likely, it was random chance, which scared him more than destiny.
Look, Jayce was in the business of trial and error. Hextech was half exact science and half throwing shit at the wall to see what stuck. His hexgate had stuck, thankfully, but there were obviously a few kinks. For one, his lab and gate were gone, replaced by a much larger room. Unrecognizable handwriting scrawled across a huge blackboard, and there were two desks. Jayce had never had a second desk, much less one that was relatively clean. He concluded that the Jayce of this universe, or whatever this was, probably had a partner. He hoped, for this Jayce’s sake, it wasn’t Viktor.
He took a tentative step from the spot he landed, just in case this was a really fucked up hallucination caused by fumes (unfortunately, this wouldn’t be the first time). Luckily, it wasn’t fumes. As fascinating as it was, there was a much bigger, much more pressing matter in his stomach: the gnawing fear he may have just messed with the space-time continuum. Normally, this would be fine, but Heimerdinger was as bitchy as ever, especially in the years since Viktor had made his grand speech about “the glorious evolution.” He was much more scrupulous about vetting Jayce’s projects and testing them himself (something something “should be able to be replicated by other scientists.” Jayce was not every other scientist, he was a goddamn genius thankyouverymuch).
So as his panic attack worked its way up from his stomach to his hands and heart, he waltzed around this new lab. It was nice, like someone had taken his wet dream and constructed it for him. But his concern was growing greater still. If this was some sort of parallel universe, which he’d pretty much accepted to be the truth at this point and because it’d be rad, that meant he and this Jayce had turned out very differently. The question that swirled around, unable to be grasped, was how.
Clearly, he was still a celebrated hero, if the multiple “Man of Progress'' mugs were anything to go by. Jayce stopped in front of the messier of the two desks, which most likely belonged to him. A red and gold journal, adorned with a hammer, sat closed on the desk, Deep depressions of lines from previous pages marked the current page. At the bottom, in a neat script, was the name Jayce Talis. Wow. Even through his years of self-aware general dickishness, he’d never signed his notes. The last name Talis didn’t ring a bell, either, so this Jayce was zero for two. Much to his chagrin, though, this Jayce had figured out the hexgate, and, judging by the date, much earlier, too.
He scoffed and flipped through the rest of the journal, before his eyes honed in on a few familiar designs: the Atlas gauntlets and the laser claw. The maw in his chest opened wider as tendrils of dread wrapped around his very soul. The gauntlets were familiar, of course, because he’d made them. The claw was familiar because it had been pointed at his face on numerous occasions. He’d been right about Jayce Talis having a partner. Unfortunately, he’d fallen into the same trap of trusting Viktor. Maybe he’d leave a note and save this Jayce some grief when Viktor ultimately betrays him and then tries to kill him for the next few decades.
He was in the middle of explaining the whole convoluted situation in an eloquent note when some reverberating thuds came from the hall. Oh, boy. The door opened, and there was Viktor. Jayce would’ve killed him, end the whole thing early for Talis so he could focus on his own inventions instead of psychoanalyzing Viktor as a job, except he didn’t look like his Viktor; his face was still skin, his arms still organic. His leg was in a brace, so that probably wasn’t augmented, either.
Viktor barely spared him a glance before collapsing in his chair. At least this part of their relationship wasn’t different. His Viktor couldn’t stand him, either. He was mentally cheering for this Jayce for seeing through him and setting the boundaries necessary for progress when Viktor opened his mouth. “Jayce, I thought you were in meetings all day. If you were going to be available, you could’ve told me.” He paused. “It gets stuffy in here when you’re alone, you know. Despite your achingly annoying self-sacrificing act, I do enjoy your company.”
Oh, that was different. His Viktor had never said anything even remotely close to admitting he wanted him around. The “achingly annoying” part was on point, though. Viktor swiveled in his chair. Jayce briefly noted that his crutch had the same colors as Talis’ journal. Viktor’s demeanor changed abruptly. “You are not Jayce Talis.”
“Guilty.” He smiled wickedly. “I am Jayce, though. At least, one of them. Which is a sentence I can say now.” He walked over to Viktor, stopping in front of him and extending his hand swiftly. “You must be Viktor.”
He took it slowly, and Jayce nearly crushed his hand. “Yes,” he answered, narrowing his eyes. “It’s interesting that someone who looks strikingly like Councilor Talis would find his way into our lab.”
He waved him off, picking up the half-written note and handing it to Viktor. “This should explain everything.”
Viktor, for his part, didn’t look very surprised. He just looked annoyed. “Let me see if I’ve got this right: You’re Jayce Giopara, the Jayce Talis of your universe. You were transported by your own hexgate that, instead of teleporting around your world, teleported you to a different universe entirely. And…” he looked over the last sentence. “Jayce should ‘totally kill Viktor while you have the chance because he turns slightly evil and it gets harder to deny your weird robot kink when you don’t stop wasting mental energy on roundabout ways to fight him.” Viktor’s eyebrows were raised, and Jayce nodded solemnly.
“I’m totally joking about the robot kink. But everything else is true.”
Viktor tossed the note on the table, apparently electing to ignore the robot kink thing. “I will say, it’s not impossible. When we were making our gate, we were pressed for time. I noticed a margin of unknown quantities that we didn’t have the faculties to explore. It’s possible you only know the quantities that we didn’t look at.” Jayce nodded again, more solemnly than before. Viktor grabbed his cane and stood up. He stepped closer to Jayce, really deep in his personal space, as he studied his features. “You are fascinating, Giopara,” he announced. “You’re almost a carbon copy,” he said, then paused. “Except for the arrogance. It exudes off of you. My Jayce knows what modesty is.” Viktor chuckled at Jayce’s frown. “Don’t worry, though. You’re still cute.”
Jayce was not frowning because he didn’t like his personality; this had been a daily discussion with his Viktor, so it’s nothing new. A little heartbreaking that this new Viktor he’d never met before could tell he was an asshole? Maybe. But, no, he was frowning because he’d cracked the case; Jayce Talis was successful because of Viktor.
Jayce Giopara had been an arrogant asshole from birth, his mind rife with his own problems, those discernibly different from his peers. He assumed, as every solitary mind assumes, that a terrible personality is the tradeoff made for unrivaled intellect. Which, of course, is why he’d been thrust onto the only person smart enough to challenge his academics and worldview, someone who was not only not a complete dick, but someone who actually made him uncomfortable in his status quo. Someone who made him itch for more than what was in reach through science.
Viktor was never meant to last, at least, not for Jayce. No one was a permanent resident in his orbit. He assumed, when Viktor began talking about machines and humanity as a disease, he was meant to cast him off and learn from his mistakes. And it is only this moment, outside everything he knows, that it clicks.
The fundamental difference between them was that this Jayce knew when people were special.
“Jayce, are you okay?”
He was defeated. He flopped down on the floor with a huff. “You know, I have my own Viktor. You two are similar.”
He quirked a brow. “Your Viktor? I can’t imagine the pain that poor man has gone through.”
Despite himself, Jayce laughed. “He’s been through hell. I should go easier on him.”
“I agree. I can’t imagine the service that man put into your world just by mellowing you out.”
Jayce whistled low. “Damn. You really think I’m mellowed out? I don’t think I’ve had a proper conversation without making someone scream in anguish in years.”
Viktor cackled. “I get the sense you do that for your own entertainment and not through lack of people skills.” He tilted his head. “He must’ve taught you well, though. You’re not making me scream.”
Jayce was looking at Viktor, scrutinizing the sight of the face he hadn’t seen for ten years. “You’re gorgeous.”
Viktor shot him a look. “Maybe work on your listening skills in the future.”
“Can I kiss you?” Jayce was on his feet before Viktor answered, hands on the arms of his chair.
“It doesn’t look like you’re giving me much of a choice.”
Jayce backed away, just slightly. “Sorry, Vik. It’s been so long since I’ve seen you without the mask. I forget how handsome you are.”
Viktor covered his face and shrunk down in his chair. “I’m not your Viktor.” He peeked out between his fingers. “It’s probably not a good idea. You might give yourself hope, and so might I.”
“Or,” Jayce countered, “we could be two consenting adults who want to makeout. No strings attached.”
Viktor moved his hands away from his face, finally. “That’s… true.”
“So, how about it?” Jayce waggled his brows.
Viktor looked pained. “I’m going to regret this later.” He grabbed Jayce’s face and slotted their lips together. It was kind of magical, in the sense that everything in both universes had to line up together for this specific series of events to occur simultaneously. First, they had to kiss (which was totally worth it). Then, Jayce Talis had to open the door to the lab, see them, and screech, causing them to break apart. Back in Jayce Giopara’s universe, Viktor had to come into his lab at the exactly right moment to see the hexgate whirring softly. He had to look at the equations and figure out what went wrong and fix it, then click the button to bring Jayce home after he and the other Viktor had just separated from their kiss.
This left four people in two very awkward situations. Jayce Giopara was in a heap on the floor as the Machine Herald watched with veiled amusement, pointing the laser in his face again. Jayce Talis was staring at Viktor, wondering if he really just saw him making out with a guy who looked a suspicious amount like him, or if he needed more sleep (all the while questioning if that’s jealousy pooling in his stomach or secondhand embarrassment).
“Viktor!” Jayce yelped. The laser glowed with power. “Wait! I have something to say.” After a moment of deliberation, Viktor lowered the claw slowly
“If this is another apology, I don’t want to hear it. One sufficed.”
He pushed himself onto his elbows. “No. I wanted to ask if you’d like help in your lab sometime. Maybe your revolution could benefit from another mind.” He lowered his head. “And, yeah. I’m apologizing for being a dick and turning you in. I don’t want you to hate me anymore.”
Viktor tapped his foot. “Are you done wallowing in your own self-pity? I don’t hate you, Jayce. Hatred isn’t conducive to progress. But, if you want to make amends, you are far more useful in a lab than strung up somewhere dead.”
For the first time in a long time, Jayce was satisfied. “I can do that. But, I have to finish something first.” He got out a pen and paper, and started writing.
Epilogue - the second letter Jayce Giopara sent Jayce Talis
Talis:
There’s a lot to explain and not a lot of time, as my Viktor now has me shackled in his basement to work for him. It works out, though, because my robot kink is in full force and he likes to monologue menacingly at me. Anyways, I have a few words of advice: keep Viktor close and away from machines. He gets grabby hands around them. Do NOT let him start his glorious evolution or you will never know peace. You will, however, develop a robot kink. So, you know, pretty even trade off.
-Jayce
PS.
Viktor, here are the numbers in case you want to visit
7452
54.76
125