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Jayce opened his eyes.
He was lying face up in the grass in an open field. There was a sun shining brightly overhead. He rubbed his eyes, trying to look around. It was impossible to tell if he was in Runeterra or somewhere else entirely. He took a deep breath, and then his heart clenched as the memories came flooding back. “Viktor?” he gasped, rolling onto his side.
For a second he was full of fear and dread, but then—he saw him. Lying in the grass just a few feet away. “Viktor!” He crawled over, vaguely noticing that his body didn’t hurt anymore.
“Viktor?” He looked in his face, young again, his hair short like it used to be. They were both wearing their regular clothes—Jayce had noticed the transformation in the last moments before everything went black. But their clothes had been bleached completely white, as if all the color had been ripped from them. Tears stung Jayce’s eyes. “Viktor?” he begged, touching his hand gently to Viktor’s face.
Suddenly Viktor’s eyes opened. Their eyes locked together instantly. Viktor took in a big, shaky breath. “Jayce?”
Jayce broke, a smile cracking across his face, and tears streaming from his eyes. Keeping his one hand on Viktor’s cheek, he took the other and gently pulled it through Viktor’s hair. Viktor’s hand came up to grab onto his wrist, but not pull his hand away.
Time seemed suspended. Maybe it was. Was this even real? If it was a dream, he would do what he never had the courage to do before. It was time to cross the line.
“V…” The nickname made Viktor smile. Jayce leaned down slowly, and when Viktor didn’t turn away, he closed the gap and kissed him.
Viktor’s lips were warm. He was alive. They were alive. He could feel his tears falling on Viktor’s face, taste them mingling with the sweetness of his lips, feel Viktor’s fingers intertwine with his, and his other hand reached up to the skin exposed above Jayce’s hip. Goosebumps ran through him, and the only thing that broke the kiss was Jayce’s smile.
They opened their eyes in a haze, and Jayce laughed. With the weight of the world finally off his shoulders, felt weightless. Viktor reached up and rubbed the tears off Jayce’s face.
“I’m not sure how I feel about the beard…” Viktor said coyly. Jayce laughed even louder. He leaned down again to kiss his partner, making sure to press down deeply so the scruffy hair would press against Viktor’s clean-shaven face.
“I don’t know,” Jayce murmured, “I’m pretty sure the universe wants me to have this beard.”
Viktor snickered. Jayce rolled over onto his back, his head still making contact with Viktor’s, and took his hand in his, carefully lacing their fingers together.
“Jayce?” Viktor asked, rolling slightly to face him. “When you say ‘partner,’ what do you mean?”
Jayce smiled. They had used the word for so long, its meaning seemed to transcend the normal labels. More than friends, or teammates, or romantic partners. They were two beings who couldn’t exist without the other. Linked together forever.
“It means… I love you. I’ve always loved you. And I’ll never stop.”
“Ah,” Viktor looked down, but there was still a small smile on his lips.
“Just in case that wasn’t clear.” Jayce teased.
“Could you show me again?” Viktor said, looking up.
Jayce smiled, gently holding Viktor’s face in both hands, and looking into his brilliant brown eyes. He kissed him slow and sweet, letting out years of built-up tension.
“I’ll show you again and again,” Jayce whispered. “I’ll show you as long as you want me.”
“I want you,” Viktor whispered back, voice hitching. “I’ll always want you.”
Jayce smiled, scooping up Viktor until they were both entwined together. For the first time in a long time, the world felt right. Viktor nuzzled against Jayce’s neck.
“And I love you too. In case that wasn’t clear.”
Jayce chuckled. “I know.” He kissed him on the top of the head.
In the middle of the field, their love could finally bloom. For the first time, Jayce didn’t know where his path led, but he would gladly walk it forever with Viktor at his side.
---
Viktor opened his eyes.
There he was. The sun was lighting Jayce from behind like a halo. He locked onto his honey-hazel eyes. Was he real? He took a shaky breath to see if his lungs still worked. “Jayce?”
A smile cracked across Jayce’s face, and the tears that were shining in his eyes fell down his cheeks. Viktor noticed Jayce’s hand was on his cheek, and suddenly the other was in his hair. It felt so good. He couldn’t feel pain anymore, just Jayce’s gentle, warm touch. He didn’t want it to stop, so he lifted his hand, bringing it to Jayce’s wrist.
Time seemed suspended. Maybe it was. Was this even real?
“V…” Viktor’s heart fluttered at the little nickname only Jayce had called him. He couldn’t help but smile. It was really him. Jayce was leaning down slowly, their eyes still locked. In his eyes he could hear the question, is this okay? Please tell me it’s okay. Viktor didn’t turn away.
He kissed him. Viktor closed his eyes, succumbing to every feeling. Finally allowing himself to cross the line he never dared go with his partner. He could feel Jayce’s heat, feel his hot tears hit his face, Jayce’s fingers tangling in his hair. He intertwined his fingers with his, and reached up his other hand to caress his hip, pleasantly surprised to find bare skin.
He heard Jayce’s breath hitch and then break into a laugh, his smile finally breaking the long overdue kiss. Viktor looked up at his beautiful face. He looked so happy and carefree. He looked younger than he did before, but he still had that scruffy beard.
“I’m not sure how I feel about the beard…” Viktor said coyly, making Jayce laugh even louder. Luckily he leaned down to kiss him again.
“I don’t know,” Jayce murmured, “I’m pretty sure the universe wants me to have this beard.”
Viktor snickered, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. Jayce rolled over onto his back, his head still making contact with Viktor’s, and took his hand in his, carefully lacing their fingers together. It felt so right. But what would happen if this moment didn’t last forever?
“Jayce?” Viktor asked, rolling slightly to face him. “When you say ‘partner,’ what do you mean?”
Jayce smiled slightly, looking into the distance. Jayce had kept saying “I want my partner back.” But what did he really mean?
“It means… I love you. I’ve always loved you. And I’ll never stop.”
“Ah,” Viktor broke eye contact and looked down. Even after he almost destroyed everything, he still loved him? Could he really accept that?
“Just in case that wasn’t clear.” Jayce teased, bringing him back out of his head.
“Could you show me again?” Viktor said, looking up.
Jayce smiled, gently holding Viktor’s face in both hands, and looking deep into his eyes. He kissed him slow and sweet, but he could feel the passion. He could feel the love, the years of yearning.
“I’ll show you again and again,” Jayce whispered. “I’ll show you as long as you want me.”
“I want you,” Viktor whispered back, unhesitating, voice hitching. “I’ll always want you.”
Jayce smiled, scooping up Viktor until they were both entwined together. For the first time in a long time, the world felt right. Viktor nuzzled against Jayce’s neck, soaking in his warmth. If they were really being given a second (or third or fourth…) chance, he wasn’t going to waste another minute holding back his feelings. He might not deserve Jayce’s love, but he wasn’t going to reject it anymore.
“And I love you too. In case that wasn’t clear.”
Jayce chuckled. “I know.” He kissed him on the top of his head.
In the middle of the field, the walls around Viktor’s heart were finally coming down. For the first time, Viktor didn’t know where his path led, but he would gladly walk it forever with Jayce at his side.