Work Text:
Jayce looked at Viktor and could not help but be a bit worried. This had been his own idea, of course. To take their vacation out here. Heimerdinger had gotten an old friend to lend out this little hut to them for two weeks. A hut, a good two miles out from the next bit of civilization. Privacy, just as Jayce had wanted it. He was just a little worried.
Viktor was slow as he followed him along the forest path. There was a thin cover of frost on the ground, though it had not yet snowed. Maybe it made his pain, worse though. Oh, Jayce knew this man, who often tried to hide his pain.
And maybe – probably – Viktor was able to guess his thoughts. “I am fine,” he promised. “I am just going to be a bit slow.”
“Should I…” Jayce started, only to be stopped by a gesture and a stare.
“For now you do not need to carry me.” Viktor was making his way along using his crutch to hold himself upright. “I feel crippled enough as it is.”
“You know you do not need to be… ashamed, right?”
“I am not ashamed,” Viktor said. “Just frustrated.” He gave a tired smile. “I could live with the pain, but at times I just… I want to run, Jayce. I want to run and jump and climb and… Well, that is nothing I will ever manage, is it?”
Jayce was quiet. Truth was, he was not sure what to answer to this. Because to him it did not matter. It really did not matter that they could not go hiking or running together. But he also did not want to tell Viktor how to feel about his own disability. “I… Well, I still am there for you. And, err, if you need me to carry you then…”
“Then I will ask, yes,” Viktor said. He tested the ground as it was frozen solid from the frost in the night before. While on the places the sun could reach it had thawed, places where the shadows kept the ground cool were harder – and it clearly took a bit for Viktor to find his balance.
“We can go back, if you like,” Jayce offered. “We could play another round of chess or… or something.”
Viktor chuckled, then he stopped and smiled at him. “Jayce, your concern is sweet. But I want to get to that viewpoint Heimerdinger talked about. Even if it takes me another hour.”
“I am sorry.” Jayce was not even sure what he was apologizing about. “I am just worried. Because…”
“Because I am frail?”
Jayce sighed. “Well, yes.”
“Look, Jayce. I am frail, but I managed to grow up in the undercity. I am harder to kill than I look to me.” With that he continued his way along the forest path.
Things were still just a bit miraculous, Jayce thought. That the two of them had ever met. Two people from so very different backgrounds. But it had always felt as if it had been meant to be. As if the two of them had been meant to be together. At least that was the feeling he had not been able to shake over that last year, as they had been finishing their work on the Hexgate. Maybe Caitlyn was right, though, and that was just some naïve romanticism talking. He might have read too many romantic novels over the years. (Though in that case, it very much was Caitlyn’s fault.)
Contrary to what Caitlyn said, though, Jayce was not totally oblivious. At least sometimes he was aware that people – especially woman – were looking at him with this hopeful gaze. It was just that… Well, even the most beautiful woman was just not… Viktor.
He was not even sure whether he was into men – or if he was into anyone for that matter. He just knew he was into Viktor. Him, specifically. Wasn’t it silly?
Viktor took another break, hanging onto his clutch as he did. He closed his eyes, breathing very slowly in and out. “The forest smells nice, doesn’t it?”
Jayce had to pause, had to take a deep breath as well. He had not even paid much attention to it so far. But yes. The forest smelled… interesting. There was this earthy scent, and also a faint hint of snow in the air. But there was also the scent of pine trees. No wonder, given that there were several just by the side of the past. “It does,” he agreed.
“It smells different from the city,” Viktor mused.
“Well, no surprise there. But yes, it does.” Jayce took another deep breath. “I like the silence more, though. And that there is nobody just coming up to talk to us. That is a nice… change of pace.”
Viktor grinned at this. “That’s true as well.” Inhaling once more, he continued his way ahead. Just slowly, but steadily, along that mossy forest path.
In the end it had taken them about an hour and a half to walk the mile to the view point, but as they finally reached the cliff – and that little wooden hut on top, that was not made to live in, but to take refuge from any ill weather – it was quite something. Suddenly a good part of the forest was lying beneath them, with the mountains showing in the distance. Given it was close to noon and the sun was high up, some of the trees below sparkled with the last bits of frost stuck to the needles.
Viktor was panting by now, but he smiled as he looked out onto the forest. “This is beautiful.”
Jayce smiled. “It is.”
For a moment they just stood there at the cliff, taking in the view. Then Viktor started to chuckle. “Yes, this was worth the way. Though, to be honest, I am going to need to sit down.” He looked over to that hut that also features two benches. “And when we are back down, I want to lie in front of the fireplace for the rest of the day.”
As they were standing still now, Jayce dared to go over to wrap his arms around the other man. “Lying in front of the fireplace sounds about right.” He knew he was probably grinning like an idiot once more. “We did come here to relax after all.” His heart gave a little jump, when Viktor leaned against him, leaned into the embrace.
“The city is going to have us back soon enough,” Viktor agreed. “Until then… We can at least enjoy this.”