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Exhilarated. That is how he felt. They did it. Moments ago they’d been floating mid air in a sea of blue. Of magic. Everything after that was all a blur. He couldn’t say exactly how the next events went down, he’d been aware of the counsel, and the ultimate plummet back to ground. Ironically that hadn’t even been enough to bring him back down to reality.
His senses soon enough came back to him, and he noted with a grimace the remains of his shattered cane. Well. A minor sacrifice in the scheme of things. He wasn’t too eager to try and get up just yet that fall hadn’t exactly been the most graceful.
Almost as if reading his thoughts, Jayce seemed to come to the same realization. “Oh- I’m sorry-“
“Don’t.” Viktor was quick to shut that one down, shaking his head and using the corner of the desk to pull himself back up. “Material items are replaceable. Besides, considering what we’ve pulled off I think it’s a rather minor consequence.” He smiles a little.
He tries to smile back but it’s obvious he hasn’t let it go. “Can I take you home?”
“Bold words for someone you’ve only recently met.”
Jayce’s face immediately starts to go pink at the assumption to his words. “I wasn’t- I didn’t mean-“
“I’m kidding.” He can’t help but grin a little. What he’s allowed a sense of humor. “But really that isn’t necessary-“
“Please? I feel like the least I could do is make sure you get home ok, I mean, without you ..” There were so many ways to end that sentence it was better left unspoken.
… this was going to take some getting used to. He was not used to being looked at the way Jayce was looking at him right now. For someone who’s made two suggestive comments in one evening somehow this was making him feel more. He turns to the door instead. “Well, if you insist.”
Jayce is almost immediately by his side. Which is another thing it seems he might have to get used to because the man almost immediately puts a hand on the back of his shoulder when he notices a stutter in his steps. Damn this was going to be an annoying couple of days. “That’s really not necessary-“ He couldn’t say it was the first time having to make due.
He looked a little concerned. And unsure. He didn’t know Viktor well enough to push anything on him but he couldn’t help but feel a sense of responsibility and want to help the other. “You sure? I wouldn’t mind being a stand in” he offers with a small chuckle.
“Really, unless I end up on the ground I will be fine.” He notices the look on Jayce’s face. “I’m kidding again” he makes sure to clarify.
Jayce lets out a small chuckle at that but nods. He takes his hand off the other as they start walking but he makes sure to go Viktor’s pace. He also is maybe slightly hovering just in case he does end up being needed.
It’s a little endearing he has to say. He’s not quite sure what to do with this feeling. Care and consideration is not exactly something he’s received in excess before. Really, offering to help him home is a pretty low bar but well for Piltover being so progressive sure doesn’t make it any more accessible for someone like him. It was hard enough being someone from the Undercity let alone figuring out how to function in a world not built for him, for a second time in his life at that. “I don’t live far. I do hope it’s not too out of the way for you.”
“Oh, no it’s fine. Besides it’s nice out tonight. It’s funny now it seems a little fitting considering, man I can’t believe we really just did that.” So Viktor wasn’t the only one still in a bit of residual shock. But to be fair it had been one hell of a day for him. Explosion, ruin of everything he’d been trying to accomplish, being found by Viktor, sneaking into Heimerdinger’s office, the machine working. He had a partner now. It was unbelievable how things seemed so bleak and then Viktor showed up like a savior.
Meanwhile Viktor was thinking about what Jayce could be thinking about. It wasn’t too hard to guess he was going through a similar thought process to himself just trying to process the previous events. But the man seemed to be getting lost in thought though.
He muttered out a curse at a slightly miscalculated step, indeed using Jayce’s arm to catch himself. If the man minded he didn’t comment on it. He simply waited for a moment to let Victor recalibrate his bearings and start walking again. Neither of them commented on the fact he did keep using Jayce’s arm as a support for the remainder of their walk.
Alas all good things must come to an end, and they reach his room. He stopped for a moment, now letting go of the other to retrieve his keys but he still lingered, looking at the other for a moment as he tried to think of what exactly to say. “Thank you.”
He smiles brightly back “Of course. Anytime, partner.”
That grin could rival the sun and at the moment Viktor would gladly go blind to see it more. “Have a good night than, partner.”
The next time they met was in the lab. Well, Viktor had already been there for who knows how long before Jayce did. “You’re here already?”
“Where else would I be?” Viktor vaguely acknowledges him but is currently reading something so he doesn’t actually see when Jayce walks over to him
“Fair enough” He lets out a slight chuckle, maybe with a bit of nerves. “Well, that works out then I was going to give you something.”
He blinked a few times no longer reading what was on the paper in front of him. What was that? Surely he must have misheard that, no? He set the notes down and spun the chair in the direction of Jayce and immediately froze.
“I ah, had to do a bit of guessing for some measurements but it should be workable. Any adjustments wouldn’t be hard.”
“Jayce-“
“You deserve to have access to something that’ll help you. And well I come from a line of craftsman so it wasn’t exactly a difficult job to make it happen-“
“Jayce-“
“So thank you, really, here.”
He could tell by the look on Jayce’s face he meant every word of what he just said. And he was finding himself speechless as he took the piece from Jayce, running his fingers over the carvings ”You.. made this?”
He shrugs, scratching the back of his neck. “Ah- well- yes, I did. We made antigravity, making a cane was child’s play.” He smiles proudly
Viktor is still too caught up in the delicacy that went into making this. It wasn’t something just quickly patched together, no, this was crafted and carved, etches and all. His thumb ran over one spot, he noticed it was the Talis family crest. That brought an ache to his chest.
“If it doesn’t work I’ll make you another one. No charge, of course I-“
“Jayce,” this time he succeeds in cutting a word in, looking the man in the eyes. “Thank you. This is perfect.”
Jayce smiles “Really? Let me see how you walk with it if the length needs to be altered or-“
“I’m sure it’s just fine Jayce. Much better than my last one I can tell you that much” Ha that was an understatement. His cane had been built himself with what he could work with in the undercity. For the standards down there, it was pretty good if he’d say so himself. But was almost so beautiful he didn’t want to use it. “Are you sure you didn’t sneak through a window with a measuring tape?” he takes a testing lap around the room. It really was lovely, perfect height too, good grip on the handle, solid base of the stick. This was more than just ok
Jayce laughs a little, leaning back on the desk while he watches Viktor give the cane a go. “Great! I’m glad you like it! You’ve got similar proportions to someone I know I just made a few other modifications based on what I have seen of you.
If it wasn’t for the fact they’ve literally only known each other for says he’d have kissed him in this moment. Coming to stop in front of Jayce he just. He couldn’t put it into words how he was feeling. He was trying to not let that frustrate him into ruining the moment. “Thank you. Really. It’s .. it was very sweet of you.” He puts a hand on the side of the other’s face. Physical touch seemed to be a thing with Jayce so he was giving it a shot and hoping it came across in the way he meant he.
He wasn’t sure if this is what he expected but what got was Jayce leaning his head into his palm and put his own hand over Viktor's.
Shit. Shit now they were close. And Jayce was smiling at him like that again. Can someone have mercy on him for once please because he feels like he’s about to combust.
Luckily for him they were broken away from the moment by Heimerdinger coming into the room and immediately starting off on a lecture of some sort. Well, admiration would have to wait.
He really did never stop using that cane. Every day it was a reminder of why he was here. He wanted to help people. To fix all the messed-up shit of their cities. He wanted to help Jayce with his life’s passion. Their project as Jayce made sure to emphasis.
But the world is a cruel place. Bliss can only last for so long before the other shoe drops. And that was becoming increasingly more apparent after the first time he collapsed. He didn’t even realize what had happened he just came to with his head in the lap of a very concerned Jayce Talis who was telling someone to send for a doctor. “I’m fine Jayce-“
“Viktor, you fainted, you are not fine you-“
“It isn’t the first.” Rubs his nose between his eyes
“… what do you mean it’s not the first? How often does this happen?”
“Eh, usual amount” Viktor waved his hand vaguely and sat up, immediately putting a hand on his head. Ow.
“There is no such thing as a usual amount!” Somehow he sounded more distressed than Viktor. Why was he being so calm about this??
It was now that Viktor looked at Jayce for a few serious moments “… you don’t know?”
His head cocked to the side, brow furrowing. “Know what?”
He has to blink a few times. “You.. you do understand I am sick, yes?”
“Well I know about your leg if that’s what you mean, yeah, but that shouldn’t cause-“
Oh jeez. “Jayce, I have had a number of illnesses since I was young. Frankly the leg is the least of it, I-“ had they never talked about this before? Well shit guess they are now. “No one grows up where I did and leave without consequences. These are just the consequences of my birth I have to live with them but… don’t go getting your hopes up for me. I am sick. I will continue to get sick. I need you to understand that I have come to accept it and id advise you to as well. Just.. don’t get your hopes up that it might one day be fixed because it will not and I have made peace with that.” He needed more coffee for this conversation. ‘made peach with’ is a rather inadequate phrase here. He’d accepted the facts. That didn’t mean he was pleased about it. He’s just a realist
He couldn’t decipher the look on his friends face now. Worry? Concern? Sadness? He just hoped it wasn’t pity. He wouldn’t be able to take it if this man looked at him with pity in his eyes. “Right, where were we then?” Gets up and immediately leans back over the desk to look at the mechanics they’d been trying to arrange.
“You- you can’t just-“
“It’s my job, Jayce.”
“Yeah but you just passed out!”
“And now I am no longer passed out, hand me that screwdriver please?” He held out his hand and closed around it when he felt it at his palm but Jayce didn’t let go of it so he looked at the other.
“We’ll figure it out Vee. You and me, we’ll do it together
“It’s not like it’s anything new I have to deal with-“
“But you don’t have to anymore. Go through it alone, I mean. If… if it keeps getting bad I will always be by your side as much as I can.”
“When did we get married?”
“Viktor.” He’s slightly exacerbated
Viktor sighs a little. “I know you just want to help. Thank you, I do appreciate the care. … now can we get back to the work before a doctor tries to drag me off for an exam?”
And so time goes on. he was glad Jayce didn’t try to push the topic. He knew it was one he couldn’t avoid forever but he was sure going to try that was for sure. But it was harder to ignore the more his body started to give out on him. Soon enough he was struggling even with his cane. It felt pathetic. He hated this.
And then one day he came to the lab, and there, leaning against his desk it was there. Much larger than his cane bit very clearly of the same origin. It was made of the same materials, had the same carvings. The same insignia. He looked at Jayce who was writing down equations on the chalk board. “Jayce…”
He spun around to look at the other, first seeing him, and then looking at where he was looking, and then back to Viktor. He smiled and walked to wards him. “I ah. Thought it might be better than your cane to help get around with.” And this time he did have Viktor's measurements. He’d insisted on taking them ‘just in case for future reference’ of course.
For a moment all he could do was stare before carefully leaning the cane against the table and taking the much larger crutch, letting it slip under his arm like it was made for him. It was made for him. By Jayce, who he knew damn well was busy enough with their research for hextec and yet still took the time to make him an improved aid “Jayce, I- thank you, really” He hoped the look in his eyes got the message across
Jayce simply smiled and pulled him into a hug. “I meant it. When I said I will always be here for you. Even if you don’t need me, I’ll be there for if you do”
He let himself have the moment of pressing his face against Jayce’s shoulder. Suddenly it all felt overwhelming. The sentiment. The words. Jayce holding him like he was the most precious thing the world had to offer, gently stroking his back. It was too much. He pulled away just enough to look at Jayce, putting his hands on the sides of his face. He knew the other wouldn’t let him fall and he was right. In a moment of confidence he leaned forward and pressed their lips together for just a short kiss
It was short enough it had ended before Jayce could understand what was happening and he was not about to have that. He held his arms more securely around victor and pulled him back against him to give him a good proper kiss
This felt better than even the discovery of hextec. There was nothing that could compare to the way he felt right here right now. Right now he’d probably believe everything Jayce could have to say. If Jayce said he wanted the moon he would be halfway to building an aircraft before he could blink. “Thank you..” he muttered once again
“For the crutch or the kiss?” Jayce is grinning a little like an idiot. He couldn’t not be in this situation.
“Well, both.”
“I could keep kissing you?” Jayce offers, leaning in to do just that. The additional kissing did not last much longer before the end of the stick came down on Jayce’s foot. “Ow!”
Viktor had to snicker a little bit at that. “I love the kissing. But we are also in the lab and I would like to not fall behind just because you can’t keep your hands to yourself.”
“I give you a gift and you weaponize it against me. Rude.” Dramatic sigh. But alas leaves the embrace, mind you with a final quick kiss, and starts to get into what they had planned out for the day.