Work Text:
Viktor felt the edge of nervousness trailing its fingers up his back. The deep, cold blues of winter quickly darkened the small clearing. The metal sewn into the sleeves of his overcoat were a comforting weight, their slight clink against each other soothing. A glass bead, one of three fastened on his headpiece, was cold against his skin when it knocked against his cheekbone.
His fingers tensed around the short candle in his free hand. Braided wick trimmed to perfection before it’ll be lit. Only a few more minutes... would Jayce be able to find him in the dark?
A low, oaky hum sounded through the clearing. The instrument ancient and well-loved. Viktor carefully balanced, securing his crutch close to his side to hold himself as he struck his match in time with the other gathered Zaunites. It was beautiful — a slow, growing glow as more candlewicks caught and chased away the cold blue with their red-orange warmth.
Glass beads and delicate metal chains caught the candlelights and glittered.
Viktor swallowed. The snow and grasses underneath it made his crutch’s foot less stable than he preferred. Each step he managed to pull himself forward with, his cohort of candle-bearers took three, searching for their snow maidens. The chill of the metal fitted against his skin made him half-wish he could have done the tradition sooner but just as quickly he rejected the thought. It wouldn’t have been Jayce if it had been sooner.
The warm, calloused hand slid up his wrist made Viktor gasp and snap his head up. He knew it was Jayce by the feeling of his skin.
Jayce glittered in the flickers of the candlelight, glass and gold delicately, meticulously, sewn into his overcoat catching each tiny movement. Droplets of finery collected in his hair and spilled down the back of his neck. He moved his hand to cover the back of Viktor’s, sharing the candle. Faces warming as they inched closer to each other.
