Work Text:
Viktor had a fever.
A low grade one, at least. Nothing to worry about. That’s what he kept telling himself as he tried to push through the fog in his mind. The temperature was rising in his body, but it didn’t matter. He had work to do.
The laboratory was quiet. Much too quiet for his tastes. It was just the gentle hum of machinery and a tick of the clock and Viktor’s increasingly erratic breath. His hands shook as he grabbed a wrench, but the damn thing felt like it weighed a ton. His vision swam for a moment – just for a moment – and he blinked it away. He could power through this.
He just had to focus. Viktor squinted at the blueprints in front of him, and something about them didn’t look quite right. The lines looked off. Maybe it was the fever messing with his eyes. Maybe it was just a bad idea to be standing at the moment.
Why was he standing there again?
Viktor’s head began to swim as he had the sudden and overwhelming urge to drop everything and lie down. Not on the floor, though. That would destroy his back. Jayce would also yell at him about how unhygienic it was. What did he know about hygiene? Jayce uses two-in-one shampoo. He doesn’t even wash his hands after pissing.
He shuffled towards the chair beside the workbench, thinking he’d just take a quick break. A little one. But the chair was simply too far, and by the time he reached it, his knees buckled under him, refusing to cooperate.
Viktor collapsed, falling to the floor with a soft thud.
Viktor stared up at the ceiling. He wasn’t quite fond of the off-white color.
Of course, the universe, in its infinite wisdom, decided that this was the perfect time for Jayce Talis to walk into the lab.
“Viktor?” Jayce’s voice was soft but with the hint of concern Viktor had always heard when words were directed at him.
“Not now, Jayce,” Viktor said, his voice coming out as a gravelly squeak. “I’m fine,” he made sure to add.
Jayce paused at the door, eyeing the scene with a furrowed brow. “You’re clearly not,” he pointed out. “What are you doing down there?”
“I was looking to peek underneath women’s skirts.”
“But... I thought you weren’t interested in–”
Viktor finally explained, “I was working, Jayce. Then the floor decided to say hello to me, and I collapsed.”
Jayce snorted a laugh at him. “You don’t have to be so dramatic, V. Just take a break.”
“I am fine,” he coughed.
“Yeah, I don’t think your definition of “fine” is up to par, buddy.” Then, Jayce got on his knees down beside him, gently lifting Viktor’s head onto his lap. “Let’s get you somewhere comfortable, okay?” Jayce said, much too caring.
Viktor was about to snap back a witty retort, something about how Jayce considers his thighs to be one such place, but his brain shut off for a moment, both the heat of his fever and Jayce’s body made the room spin.
“Overreacting...” Viktor groaned.
“Right, because collapsing is a regular thing to do on a Tuesday?”
“...But, it’s Monday, is it not?”
“You don’t even know what day it is.” Jayce slid his arms under Viktor with ease, lifting him off the floor like he had weighed nothing. Jayce’s body was strong, large, reliable. It felt as if Viktor could just melt under his touch. “You’re getting out of here.”
“Mm…” Viktor mumbled. “No. Too much to do.”
“And who’s going to finish all that work if you’re dead, huh?”
“Death is statistically unlikely from my level of fever,” Viktor replied, nuzzling against Jayce’s chest. He was oddly tired. “There’s a more likely chance I’d die from getting hit by a trolley.”
Jayce stared at him pointedly.
“...Though I do feel like death.”
Jayce laughed, ruffling his hair. “Exactly. So no arguments with me.”
“But…” Though the words died in his mouth.
And before he knew it, he was asleep.
When VIktor woke up, he was in his apartment, laying on his bed while Jayce knelt at his side. A glass of water was on the nightstand.
“You’re awake,” Jayce said, rubbing his eyes. He, too, must have fallen asleep, staying by VIktor’s side. He didn’t know if the blush creeping up his neck was out of infatuation or sickness. “You were out for a while.”
Viktor’s eyelids fluttered as he rubbed at his eyes. “What happened?”
“You passed out in my arms,” Jayce said matter-of-factly. “Then I had to drag you to your own apartment because you’re a stubborn idiot. An enforcer pulled me aside because he thought I was a kidnaper.”
Viktor winced. “...Sorry.”
“It’s fine, no one could convict the Man of Progress!” Jayce laughs at his own title. Viktor raises an eyebrow at the clear corruption within the city. “But, seriously, next time, maybe don’t work yourself to the bone while you’re feverish. I’d like to keep you around.”
Viktor, despite the muddled confusion in his head, could feel his heart warm at Jayce’s words. “Thank you,” he mumbled.
Jayce smiled, pressing a kiss against Viktor’s forehead. “Don’t mention it. If you’re really grateful, you’ll stay in bed. I’ll take care of everything.”
Viktor smiled weakly, his eyelids heavier by the second. Almost heavier than that blasted wrench. “You’re sure everything won’t explode the moment I take my eyes off them?”
“I’m positive. Now sleep, you’re much more important than any Hextech prototype.” Jayce laughed quietly, brushing a messy lock of Viktor’s hair back.
“I highly doubt that, Jayce.” But Viktor was much too tired to protest, too comfortable in Jayce’s prescense to care about the work anymore. He let his eyes close again, knowing that he didn’t have to worry about anything else right now. Because Jayce would take care of it all.
“Okay,” he whispered, voice barely audible as he drifted off again. “Thank you.”
Jayce smiled. “Anytime.”