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The first time it happens is exactly what you’d expect. Jayce turns in for the night and Viktor says he’s just a few minutes behind, he just needed to finish up a few things. Jayce rolled his eyes and playfully says “sure” before saying his goodnights and heading out. Viktor stays seated at his desk all night, so lost in thought that his mind starts to go fuzzy. He figures he just needs a quick nap, so he lays his head on a softcover book and drifts off for what he hopes to be just a few minutes so that he can clear the fuzziness and an oncoming headache.
He wakes up hours later to Jayce greeting him with a cup of coffee and a light tap on his shoulder. Sunlight streamed in from the large windows in their lab refracting off of the slight puddle of drool Viktor had created.
“I knew that you were dedicated to this but I didn’t realize how much.” Jayce smiled, bright like the sun, and suddenly he didn’t feel so bad anymore; save for the aching in his shoulders and lower back. “Next time I won’t be so lenient. I know this endeavor means a lot but your health and sleep are important, too.” Viktor sighs with a stretch, attempting to stretch the strain he had put on his body away.
The second time it happens Viktor is in deep, his notes scattered everywhere and several empty mugs littering the table as well. He knows he’s close to the answer, he can feel it. It was dark, he could see the moon shining dimly as the artificial lamp lights drowned his senses.
“Viktor please, you need some sleep. Some real sleep. Please?” Jayce stands by him, strong and unmoving. Viktor sighs, not wanting to get too heated with his partner.
“This time I am serious, Jayce. It’s right there. I’m not leaving until I crack it, and then yes, fine, I will go to sleep-- bed sleep.” Jayce gives him a sideways smile, uncertain yet knowing. After two years of working with the man he had figured that no matter how hard you budge he is sturdy and stubborn. Viktor didn’t dare to look at his partner. He knew that if he made even the slightest of eye contact he’d be done for; Jayce is a notorious pout-er.
“…Fine. But it’s supposed to get cold tonight, at the very least take my jacket so you’re not freezing to death here.” Jayce shucks his jacket off his shoulders and wraps it around Viktor’s slumped posture. Viktor lets out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding. “Goodnight. I know you probably won’t, but get some proper rest, please.” Jayce pats him one more time on the shoulder before exiting the room.
Viktor rolled his eyes with a dejected grunt. He didn’t mean to sound rude or ungrateful but he had to just take a minute to think… on it. But now the only thing he could think was Jayce, Jayce, Jayce. Why did he care so much? Why did he leave this heavy jacket of his behind? This… Warm, soft jacket… That smelled of Jayce’s cologne…? He grabbed it from his shoulders to hold it up to his face. He pressed the collar gently against the bridge of his nose and took a deep breath. A sweet, nostalgic masculine smell that perfectly conveyed the warmth that was his partner. He smiled softly as his mind wandered for the briefest moment. Viktor knew it was wrong. Jayce didn’t want him that way and he never would, he should stop with these pitiful fantasies of romance and more.
But, while Jayce was away… It didn’t hurt to enjoy this gift.
The jacket was made of a dense yet soft material, like a blanket. Jayce’s frame was much larger than his counterpart so the jacket swallowed him whole. He didn’t mind, at all, in fact. It was so warm and smelled so much of Jayce that it was almost intoxicating. His mind had been taken up with so much of this singular moment that all of his notes then looked like a jumbled, unorganized, mess. He couldn’t make sense of any of it, and the jacket wrapped around his shoulders was so warm it was hard to focus on anything but comfort.
Viktor cursed under his breath. He grabbed his cane and stood, now sliding his hands into the sleeves of the coat. The sleeves bunched between the cane and his arm, making a slightly uncomfortable cushion as he walked away from his notes with a frustrated huff. He walked out of the lab and down the hallway, trying to ease his mind of wandering thoughts as he made it to his room.
He figured he would at least try to sleep. Viktor threw the coat onto his empty bedside table. He changed quickly into something more comfortable, a too-large t-shirt paired with his boxers from the day. He finally slumped his body down onto the mattress, his eyes heavy. He laid his cane against the night stand and… He knew he was going to mentally scold himself in the morning, but he grabbed Jayce’s coat and threw it onto the bed, right next to his pillow.
“If anything… It is for comfort.” Viktor sighed, quietly and openly, attempting to dull the heartache. He pulled the blankets over his body as he pulled the jacket close to his face again taking another deep breath. Jayce, Jayce, Jayce. A brilliant smile full of love and eyes that shone like the stars in the night sky. A hearty laugh. A gentle and reassuring touch against his shoulder, lower back.
Viktor grimaced as he closed his eyes. He could have Jayce in his dreams, and nothing more. He could barely hold his eyes open but sleep was minimal, only able to think of how wonderful his partner’s jacket smelled and how comforting it was.
The third time it happened, Jayce had had enough. Viktor was mentally exhausted, unable to function as he normally did. He couldn’t speak full sentences, his desk covered in notes that were illegible, and he was struggling to keep his eyes open standing up. Jayce was genuinely concerned for his partner, especially when he dozed off mid-conversation. He held Viktor by the shoulders as he almost collapsed onto the floor.
“Awh, jeez. Viktor, c’mon.” Jayce led an almost asleep Viktor over to his chair, where he could sit him down while he thought of what to do. Viktor slumped over and hit his head, a dense thump as he passed out on top of his notes. Jayce let out a disappointed sigh. He wasn’t going to let Viktor sleep here another night, not when he would wake up tired and make a beeline for the coffee machine. Jayce just decided he’d carry him to his own room, lay him down, and just let him sleep without any wake up calls. He didn’t mind sleeping on his couch if it meant Viktor was going to be getting a full night’s rest.
He left all of Viktor’s belongings on the desk, just double checking to make sure that anything dangerous was unplugged. He turned back to his partner and hesitated. He knew he was doing this for Viktor’s benefit but it just felt a bit strange to be doing all this while Viktor was out cold. Jayce leaned in and gently shook Viktor’s shoulder. Viktor made a displeased sound, creeping his eyes open with a rough noise deep in his throat.
“Viktor, I'm gonna take you to a bed so you can sleep, alright?” Jayce spoke softly and gently, making sure his partner had understood. Viktor hummed softly and nodded his head, closing his eyes once more. He grabbed Viktor’s cane and hung it from his left arm as he stood behind Viktor, taking a quick deep breath.
Jayce carefully held his left arm out to support Viktor’s back as he leant him back and pulled him up into his arms, in a bridal carry. Viktor was surprisingly light, and it was almost as if his body was a perfect fit in Jayce’s arms. Viktor stirred only for a moment, crossing his arms across his abdomen as he made himself comfortable in Jayce’s arms. He looked down and smiled as all the tense stress that Viktor carried had been swept up and away as he dozed.
Jayce carefully walked his partner down the hallway, careful to step gently and swiftly as he made his way down the hallway to his room. Once there and in, he carried Viktor through the short path through his kitchen and into his bedroom. His room was quaint and well lived in. A queen sized bed that had been made up the morning prior sat in the middle of the room, the landing place.
He very carefully sat his partner down on the bed, maneuvering the blankets so he was tucked in nicely, removing his shoes before tucking him in fully. He stepped back, gently placing his partner’s cane onto the night stand, making sure it was in easy reach. He smiled, nodded, and turned to head out of the room to give Viktor time to--
“..ayce. Don’t- Don’t go, plea...” Viktor called out weakly, his eyes cracked open slightly as he made a weak reach for Jayce’s vest. Jayce turned back, to see a genuine upset look on Viktor’s half asleep face. “Please.” Viktor was fighting, hard, and Jayce took his hand gently in his own.
“You want me to stay?” Jayce smiled, making sure that this was what was being asked of him. Viktor made a small noise of approval along with a weak smile. Jayce knew that it may be wrong of him to do so, but he had never seen Viktor so weak and desperate for this kind of attention before. So he turned out the light in the hallway and moved to the other side of the bed before kicking off his own shoes and crawling in right beside his partner.
Viktor made another small noise before shifting his body over to lay in the crook of Jayce’s body. “…ank you…” He immediately settled in and fell truly asleep, his head laying gently against Jayce’s chest. Viktor looked truly at peace as he started to snore softly.
Jayce held his breath. Viktor looked so beautiful like this. Comfortable and happy. Something he’d almost never associated with his partner. Jayce knew there were some feelings in the back of his mind growing for Viktor, he just wasn’t sure on how to approach them. He appreciated him, the work he did to make hextech a reality, and his incredibly sharp wit. About two months back is when he started to admire… other aspects.
Viktor’s dry humor that had Jayce laughing almost every time. On the rare occasion when the man did smile it was like the sun shining through on a cloudy day, a soft light resting on a curved lip. His eyes, sharp and critical, always lacking sleep but bright like gold. Viktor’s hair that was somehow always so soft and puffy, he just wanted to run his hands through it. It took him a while to openly accept it but… He had a crush on Viktor; and that was alright. He had the sneaking suspicion that Viktor felt the same.
Jayce smiled. He felt very comfortable with Viktor in his arms, and was happy that he was able to help him finally get some well deserved rest.
/
Jayce woke up to sunlight streaming across his eyes. He had slept peacefully through the night, Viktor still sound asleep at his side. He smiled then froze. He hadn’t thought of what was going to happen the morning after. Should he leave? Should he wake Viktor up?
He had no more time to think as Viktor stirred, burying his face into Jayce’s chest. “Turn those lights off…” He groaned, still unaware of his surroundings, pulling the blanket up over his shoulders.
“That’s the sun, Viktor. Can’t exactly do that.” Jayce smiled softly, laying a hesitant hand on Viktor’s back. Viktor groaned, nuzzling into Jayce’s front a few more times before creeping his eyes open. He smiled at the sight of Jayce’s beautiful face as it was framed in sunlight and--
“Oh gods. I ah… Ow.” He racked his brain attempting to remember what had happened the night prior. His face was crowded with a bright blush as he scrambled to remember anything. He winced at the soreness he felt in his head. “What happened?”
“You passed out in my arms. You were standing up and collapsed… And when I brought you over to the chair to sit you kinda… Flopped over.” Jayce kept an even tone, not wanting to startle Viktor any more. “Then asked if I could carry you back here. I was just going to lay you down in the bed and let you sleep alone, but…” Viktor couldn’t make eye contact with Jayce, he was so embarrassed. “Look at me.” Viktor sheepishly looked up to Jayce’s soft expression. “You asked me not to leave. A-And you were so happy when I laid down next to you, you cuddled close to me. Now we’re here.”
“I’m sorry. So sorry. I’m--”
“Do you think I’m upset?” Jayce’s hand settled in its usual place, Viktor’s shoulder. “Because I’m not, if that’s what you’re worried about. I want you to get rest, you deserve it. And I uh… Didn’t mind, having you here.” Jayce held a shy smile and a blush of his own as he could see the wheels turning in Viktor’s head.
Viktor took a deep breath to gather his thoughts before speaking. “Thank you, so much. I ah… Slept well. The best I have in a long time. If I… Asked to sleep here again…?”
“You are more than welcome here, especially if it means you’re going to take your health and sleep more seriously.” Jayce could feel the smiles growing on both their faces and they both laughed softly.
“I would like that a lot.” Viktor smiled. “You don’t mind if I ask if we lay here a bit longer? I am very comfortable and uh…” He looked up at Jayce’s bright smile. It was the first time that Jayce had honestly seen the man stutter. “I want to be here, alone… With you.” Jayce pulled Viktor in close as Viktor relaxed against his chest. “And, you know. Lay here. I think I’ve found my new favorite pillows.” Jayce let out a soft chuckle which Viktor felt coming from his core.
“Hey I do have one question?” Jayce sighed. “Where’s my jacket?”
/
It was late, Viktor knew it. As the sun set and the moon began to take its place, and as he could hear Jayce start to pack up his belongings. Viktor wasn’t too deep in, but he still wanted to stay and finish up.
“You already know what I’m going to say…” Jayce raised an eyebrow at his partner, who pulled the goggles from his eyes to the top of his head. Viktor turned his chair to look back with the same expression. “You need to sleep, love.” Jayce was testing him, he knew love would encourage him to get up and come with him. He stepped closer, leaning down to give his partner a soft, wet kiss. Viktor melted under his touch, leaning into their kiss and groaned softly as Jayce ran his fingers through his hair. Before it got too intense, Jayce pulled away to a gentle frown from his partner.
“If you want more where that came from…” Jayce pecked him once more on the lips. “Then you’ll come with me to bed.”
“You’re an evil mastermind. Absolutely diabolical.” Viktor sighed, removing the goggles from his head and grabbing his belongings. Jayce laughed as he helped Viktor stand and held his hand as they walked out of the lab together.