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“It’s the perfect vacation spot. Cait said so.” Jayce’s words were plying. It helped that Viktor couldn’t get the image of him shirtless out of his head. He’d caught glimpses of Jayce at the forge when matters were urgent, smudged with charcoal and flushed from the heat, but swimsuit shirtless was a different matter altogether. The mood change was drastic. “C’mon, Vik. We can relax by the beach and drink margaritas. We can recreate the Jimmy Buffett song!”
He was silent for only a beat. “Clear the schedule, Talis,” Viktor said resolutely. He was going to enjoy day drinking with his buddy and nothing could stop him.
-
One thing could stop him: a hot car.
Viktor cranked the air conditioner in the janky minivan. It was already too hot in the car with his brace, and it rubbed his chest uncomfortably when he shifted. He was moist and sticky and miserable and Jayce was humming along to the top 10 pop hits. Viktor seethed in his seat, brow dripping with sweat. He turned the air conditioner up again.
He had clearly overestimated his heat tolerance because he was nearly irate from the warmth seeping into his back from the seat. Jayce was willfully ignorant, even though his thighs sounded like suction cups when he shifted to hit the brakes. Viktor saw the sheen on his chest from his open button-up, and he noted Jayce’s farmer’s tan. He poked the line with a thoughtful hum.
Dutifully, Jayce looked forward, a high blush on his cheeks, and flicked the radio volume up. Viktor was left alone to stare at him. His hands were 9 and 3, his back and shoulders straight. But his perfect posture wasn’t an adequate distraction from the wet heat accumulating between his skin and brace. He wanted to be at home in the unforgiving chill of the Institute.
Despite the heat, he almost nodded off, permitting the sun to scorch his skin in return for a modicum of rest, if not for the lurch of the van. The engine stalled for a moment on a back road to the house the Kiramman’s proffered to Jayce. When he casually mentioned their trip to Caitlyn, Mrs. Kiramman passed through to toss him the key in exchange for a promise to clean up after themselves.
And later that night, when they were both a little too tired to speak with their usual calculation, Jayce slurred, “It was mostly wishful thinking, being able to leave.”
Viktor nodded lethargically. “I felt like we were just waiting for something to keep us at the lab.” His head lolled onto his shoulder. “Why do we do that?”
Jayce scooted closer to lay his head on Viktor’s desk. “Maybe we’re secretly control freaks.”
Viktor shook his head. “We trusted each other, so that can’t be true.” He turned in his seat to lay next to Jayce. They looked at each other unabashedly for a few moments. Viktor pulled away, averting his gaze. Jayce cleared his throat.
“It’s probably because we’re scared to lose funding.”
“Yeah,” Viktor coughed. “Probably.”
-
Viktor was wrenched from his thoughts by the engine cutting off, the heat coming back full force. “It’s unbearably warm,” Viktor complained. Jayce sighed and grabbed the duffles. Viktor felt a clinging sense of embarrassment from Jayce’s reaction. He felt his face numb and grabbed his bag from Jayce. Anything to look less childish. He didn’t dwell too long on why he was acting like this.
The door swung open with a blast of frigid air. It chilled the sweat on their bodies. Viktor shivered through his thin t-shirt. Jayce slumped slightly in relief. It rubbed Viktor wrong for a moment. “I’m sorry about complaining earlier,” he mumbled. “You set up the trip and drove and I acted ungrateful. I didn’t mean to come off so…” he raised his shoulders to his ears. “Young. Childish.”
Jayce gazed at him with something unknowable in his eyes. “I can’t imagine it’s comfortable in this heat with your brace. I think you’re vindicated.” He shrugged. “I don’t think it’s childish to voice your feelings.”
It was already too much. Viktor promptly walked to the first door he saw. “I’ll take this room,” he said woodenly. It was a bathroom that connected to a master bedroom. “Fuck,” he whisper-cursed. Jayce was so unendingly understanding, and it was hot. He was burning up again. He moved to the bedroom and flopped on the cotton duvet and listened as Jayce moved upstairs.
His eyes snapped open when the door swung open. Jayce looked apologetic. “Uhm, sorry about this.” He looked sheepish and tugged at his collar. “The only other room is Cait’s, and the bed is too small. I guess they haven’t been here in a while.” He cracked a wobbly grin. “Looks like we’re rooming together, Vik.”
Viktor almost fainted. His guts reacted violently, churning painfully as Jayce stood awkwardly in the threshold. Like he was waiting for Viktor to say yes. As if Viktor would ever deny him this. “Hardly anything to be apologetic over. It’s not like we don’t share the couch every other day,” he said flippantly. He swept his arm in a flourish. “Welcome to my humble abode,” he said dramatically.
Jayce hammed it up, looking around in faux-wonder. “It’s so spacious,” he gasped. “You could fit at least two people in here!”
Viktor smirked. “Wait til you see the bathroom,” he bragged. “Two sinks.” He held up his fingers to demonstrate the sheer number of sinks.
Jayce’s face turned serious. “That’s borderline hedonistic, Vik. Do you really need two sinks?”
Viktor looked at him solemnly. “Of course not. That’s why you’re here.” He scooted down the bed, patting his previous seat. “Come feel this thread count.”
Jayce advanced cautiously. “I hope you’re prepared, Vik. I have expensive tastes,” he warned. “Anything below a 400 count gives me hives.”
The spell broke with their laughter. Viktor fell back into the pillows. He wiped at his eyes, his cheeks rosy. The bed dipped. He threw his arm around the pillows. Jayce was close. So close. Their knees were touching, just a small patch of skin. It felt electrified, like their atoms were trying to connect together.
Viktor kept his eye on their legs. “When are we going down to the beach?” Jayce moved minutely closer. Their kneecaps rubbed against each other.
“Whenever we want. We’re off for the next three days. And the Kiramman’s bought this part of the beach, so we’ll be alone. I mean, undisturbed.” Jayce coughed, facing away from Viktor.
Vaguely, it registered that Jayce said they’d be alone. He’d unpack Jayce’s expression later. More importantly- “Wait, the next three days?” Viktor sat up and their calves touched faintly. “You got us four days off?” A smile was creeping onto his face, unbidden. “How’d you convince Heimerdinger of that?”
Jayce’s hand rose to the back of his neck and he looked away. “I promised to give a lecture.”
Viktor’s smile dropped. “You’re giving a lecture about Hextech without me?”
Jayce’s hand moved to Viktor’s shoulder. “No, no. Heimerdinger wants me to give a lecture to his engineering students about my family’s business.” He fingered the fabric of Viktor’s shirt. “I thought that we deserved some time off. And, y’know, I wanted to spend that time with you.” He balled his hand and tapped Viktor’s shoulder with his knuckles. “‘Cause you’re my partner.”
Viktor knocked their knees together from where they were still connected. “Remember this when I make you put sunscreen on my back,” he cackled. “Partner.”
-
The sun was scalding his scalp. He felt the tingle and pushed onward towards the water. Jayce trailed behind with the umbrella. Viktor felt a little bad about saddling him with carrying the equipment. But Jayce’s muscles flexed when he adjusted the foldout chairs under his arm, so any guilt was overridden by his thirst.
Viktor reached for the chairs, and Jayce leaned down slightly. It affected him an unexpected amount. He swallowed thickly and looked away. Jayce pushed the umbrella into the sand, twisting it further in. His shoulders rolled sensually. Or maybe Viktor was just faint from the heat.
Jayce gestured at him. “Bring the chairs.” Viktor nodded dumbly, propping them up haphazardly in the sand. Jayce collapsed into his. His stomach flexed, and Viktor’s flipped. Jayce snapped up, spine taut. “I forgot the drinks.”
Viktor was already walking towards the door. “Sit tight. I didn’t intern with a chemist to make shit drinks.” Jayce said something along the lines of that makes no sense, Vik, but he was inside and chose to ignore him.
A bit of margarita mix and crushed ice later, Viktor was slinking back to their seats. It was a little slow going, with the cooler at his hip and his cane sinking into the sand with each step. Jayce was still rubbing in sunscreen. He flicked his eyes up. Viktor did not think about how sultry the look in his eyes seemed. “Perfect timing. Can you get my back?”
Viktor hesitated. He busied himself for a moment by putting down the cooler. “Sure,” he eventually pushed out of his throat. Jayce squeezed out the sunscreen and presented his back. Viktor spent a long while lathering his hands vigorously with the sunscreen before biting the bullet. He slapped a bit onto Jayce. He didn’t sway at all, and Viktor needed to calm down before he did something stupid.
He breathed deeply. In and out. He started at the top of Jayce’s spine and fanned out his hands. He fingered the knobs of bone, pressed harshly against them. Jayce didn’t even make a sound. Viktor swiped quickly at the rest of his back, ending by massaging sunscreen into the small of his back. Viktor titled his head up and whispered, “All done.” He tapped Jayce’s side. “Do me next.”
Jayce bobbed his head up and down. “Do you, uhm, want help with your brace?” He was acting shy again.
“No, thank you. Just drink your margarita while I undo it.” The sound of ice shifting was loud in his ears. Viktor’s back was turned as he began on his brace. He felt slightly out of place with the feeling of eyes on him. He undid his brace as fast as possible. “Ready.” He cringed slightly at his word choice, but it was too late to say anything else so he snapped his jaw shut.
Jayce’s hands were delicate on his back. He didn’t prod as Viktor had. He expertly avoided rubbing into the metal implants. He took care to get the top of Viktor’s shoulders. It was unsettling, not being able to see Jayce’s face as he applied his ministrations. He couldn’t read this, and it was maddening.
“All done,” Jayce said in his ear. His breath tickled Viktor’s cheek.
“Thank you,” Viktor mumbled.
“Of course.” Jayce was still by his ear. It was too much, the proximity. Viktor didn’t want to read into it, but Jayce was close and his breath was warm. He remembered the margarita Jayce had guzzled. It wasn’t about him, he decided.
“Is the water cold?” Viktor asked in lieu of what he really wanted to ask: What is this?
“Nah. But if it’s too cold for you, I’ll warm you up.” Jayce wrapped his arms around Viktor’s shoulders. “I have spare heat. My mom used to say I rivaled the forge.” Viktor couldn’t wiggle out of his grip (though, his efforts snuggled him deeper into Jayce’s embrace). Jayce pushed him lightly forward. “Lead the way.” They walked like penguins towards the ocean. It wasn’t cold at all, but he faked the chatter in his teeth anyway. Jayce kept his arms around him dutifully.
Jayce eventually retracted his arms when they realized how hard it was to move in the water. But Jayce kept touching him under the guise of warmth. Viktor leaned on him to remain stable as the waves rocked against their legs.
They pointedly ignored the static between their skin when they touched. It was like a game; how risque could they get before they had to acknowledge the heat behind their gazes? Viktor didn’t know, but he was having fun testing that boundary, seeing how much it took to lure Jayce in. To his delight, it wasn’t a lot.
The sun drifted low in the sky, casting a golden hue over the sand. Viktor’s arm brushed conspicuously against Jayce’s abdomen. “We should head in. I’m tired and hungry.” Jayce palmed Viktor’s shoulder, leading them towards the house. As they walked, his hand traveled to Viktor’s side, then down to his waist. Up his spine, around the implants. He shivered, pressing back against Jayce’s hand. He looked surprised, looked at Viktor with awe in his eyes. They were mere feet from the door, and Viktor really was tired and hungry.
He clasped Jayce’s hand in his own and rushed them into the house. The air was crisp against their warmed skin. They looked at each other in silence. What was this thing that crackled in the air? “I want you to kiss me,” Viktor muttered.
Jayce wasted no time. He swooped down, calloused fingers tickling Viktor’s sides as he slipped their lips together. It was chapped and wet and so good because it was Jayce. “You’re perfect,” Viktor whispered. Jayce, tall and buff and handsome, ducked his head into Viktor’s neck. Viktor laughed and felt Jayce’s head against his sternum as the sound bubbled up. Jayce lingered on Viktor’s chest until Viktor tapped the back of his neck. “You’re still red,” he marveled.
“I need a shower,” Jayce declared hurriedly. He rushed into the bathroom, and Viktor blinked after him. It was too early to shower together, he decided. He plopped onto the couch and checked over his brace, adjusting a few mechanisms as he waited Jayce out. He supposed he could’ve used Caitlyn’s bathroom upstairs, but the thought of the hassle of putting on his brace for the stairs just to take it off again was off-putting enough to keep him glued to his seat. He also wasn’t going to pretend he could cook just to keep himself busy. So, couch it was.
The bathroom door to the hallway remained closed, and instead, the connecting door opened and shut quickly. Viktor chuckled to himself and followed Jayce to the bedroom. He knocked lightly. “Can I come in?” Viktor questioned. Jayce grunted in response, and Viktor opened the door in a comically slow manner.
“Jeez, Vik. You’re mighty reluctant to see me, huh?”
Viktor carefully raised his eyes to see Jayce. He had a towel wrapped low on his hips. “Never, Talis. I just had to prepare myself.” Viktor licked his lips. “Any chance you can stay like that until I’m done showering?”
Jayce cackled. “Not this time.” He turned around. “I’m still reeling, to be honest.”
Viktor understood. “Next time, then.” He kissed Jayce’s neck.
“Yeah, next time.”
-
They were clean, the dishes were done, and they’d brushed their teeth. Viktor collapsed into the bed first, effectively pulling the whole duvet around his body. Jayce climbed in after, nervous. Viktor sat up, letting the sheets pool around his legs. “You’re not going to fight me for the sheets? This day is truly a special one.” Viktor flopped down and turned his back to Jayce. He gripped the sheets. “I’ll finally be warm.”
Jayce wrapped himself around the blanket-clad Viktor. He sputtered. “I only wrestled for the sheets as an excuse to touch you,” Jayce mumbled into Viktor’s neck. “But I can’t snuggle with the blanket on unless I want to sweat through it.” He cuddled closer. “Being outside the blanket should be okay, though. If you want to.” He pulled back slightly, waiting for Viktor to dissent.
Viktor flipped around, pulling Jayce’s arms back. “I want to see you,” Viktor admitted, biting his lip. “Can we stay like this?”
“Yeah.”
-
“When did you figure out you were in love with me?” Jayce teased. They were in the chairs on the beach, the morning sunrise warming their bones.
Viktor paused, thoughtfully. “I don’t think it was a single moment. Rather, it was a bunch of moments that built upon each other. It’s like, I knew I loved you intrinsically and all these moments just felt like reasons to continue loving you.” He looked over at Jayce. “I don’t know if that made sense.”
Jayce’s face was open and so lovely. “I fell in love with you the first time I saw you. You were so powerful and dignified, so sure of yourself. I hadn’t felt that security ever. It was easier to be confident around you because you’re so self-assured. I love how you make me better. Loving you is simple because you make it feel inevitable.”
Viktor’s face was pink. “So, how many years has it been since we met?”
Jayce thought hard. “Six or seven.”
Viktor slapped his forehead. “Almost a decade,” he said reverently. “We’ve wasted so much time.”
Jayce tilted his head. “I don’t think any time spent loving each other was wasted, even if we weren’t together.”
Viktor stuck out a hand. “You’re right.” He paused, mulling over his next words. “Jayce, I’m glad I fell in love with you. You’ve made it worth it.”
Jayce smiled widely, grabbing the outstretched hand. “Viktor, I’m glad you chose to love me back. I think I’d go crazy if I couldn't touch you ever again.”
“Feel free to touch,” Viktor said with a wink. “It’s been six years. You deserve some reprieve.”
Jayce melted. “You’re too good to me, Vik.”
His face mocked earnestness. “Don’t make me regret it, Talis.”
Jayce grabbed his chin and kissed him. “It’s a promise.”