Chapter Text
When Jayce came to, he was warm and mostly comfortable albeit a little stiff.
He opened his eyes. Daylight was streaming through the windows and he was lying on a couch. It took a moment for his memories to catch up, but once they did he shot up quickly in a panic.
Where was Vik—oh.
Viktor was in his kitchen having turned around when he heard the rustling around.
They silently stared at each other.
Viktor was still there.
Relieved, Jayce wiped a hand down his face. “I fell asleep?” Jayce asked. He honestly couldn’t recall when it happened.
“Yes, it was so rude of you.” It was playful sarcasm, but Jayce still felt compelled to apologise.
“Sorry.”
Viktor shook his head. “Don’t apologise. You needed it.”
“How long was I out for?”
“Over fourteen hours.”
“Really?” Jayce sat up properly, massing the blankets into the corner of the couch. “What were you doing this whole time?”
Viktor shrugged. “Not much. You were dead asleep so I worked on some paperwork and went to bed shortly after and when I woke up you were still asleep so I was just cleaning up a bit.”
Viktor made it sound calmer than he was. He neglected to mention that he sat on the low table trying and failing to sort through some funding paperwork he had been putting off. When Viktor did finally decide to retire for the night, he was so stressed that he left the door to his bedroom wide open so he could still see Jayce adjacently on the couch.
He too panicked when he first woke up from a luckily dreamless sleep, but calmed down when he saw that Jayce was still there, sleeping soundly. The night before had been real and not some elaborate hallucination. He quietly got ready for the day, showering, dressing and getting his brace back on his leg. Jayce slept through all his rustling about so he decided to attempt to clean up his kitchen when he heard Jayce wake up.
Viktor chose not to speak about how he hated how much anxiety he had about it. Jayce reappearing back into his life sparked such a sense of separation anxiety that threw Viktor off balance. Despite knowing that such feelings of panic would fade with time, he still felt like he needed to keep it to himself.
So it was nice in a way to know that Jayce was feeling the same, at least it was easy to assume that by the way he was trying to spot him after waking. But Viktor wasn’t ever going to confess to that.
“I would offer you my shower, but I really don’t have any fresh spare clothes that you would be able to fit into without ripping. So we’ll go shopping later. So you’ll be able to have time to have a bath tonight.” Viktor stepped away for a second and tossed him a face cloth; Jayce caught it despite not really processing what Viktor was saying. “I’m not saying you smell, but you should try and freshen up in the meanwhile. And I’m assuming you haven’t eaten properly yet since being here, I heard your stomach gurgling in your sleep. There’s a nice sandwich place just down the street, it’s nice and quiet during this time of the morning so now is a good time to go and get something to eat.”
Jayce blinked. “Wait, we’re going out? Now?”
Viktor stared at him as if the answer should’ve been obvious. “Of course, well, as soon as you’re ready to. I want to show you around. This isn’t the same Piltover you knew. A lot is different. And besides I do have some things I need to attend to at my lab today and I wouldn’t mind getting a fresh set of eyes on it. That is unless you’d rather stay back here and rest.”
“No! No, I’ll join you.” Jayce saw his brace lying back on the table and he began to fit it back onto his leg.
Viktor approached Jayce and watched as how he fastened it up. In the corner of his eye, Jayce saw Viktor suddenly had a small smile on his face, amused about something.
“What is it?”
“It’s silly. I just realised that it just looks like we match.”
Jayce glanced between them. It really did look like they matched. Viktor had a brace on his right leg and Jayce had one on his left like two halves of a matching set; two halves of one whole. Jayce smiled too, standing up.
“How does it feel now with the replacement cogs and adjustment dial?” Viktor asked.
Jayce tested out the mobility, swinging his leg back and forth, the adjustment dial smoothly matched his movements. “It’s a lot better.”
“I haven’t had the chance to ask you about it,” Viktor said.
“About the brace?”
“About all of it.”
It was only then that Jayce realised that in the madness of things that he and Viktor had never talked about what happened to his leg. And well, Viktor had noticed it when they saw each other again but their interactions during those times weren’t exactly regular conversations. Jayce chose to rectify that quickly though.
“Well, I had a broken leg and it didn’t heal right. The brace is to support more mobility and takes less pressure off the entire leg so I can walk around naturally without worrying about it as much. I can still walk without the brace, but not as well or fast and it hurts if I go without it for too long.”
“You made the brace yourself too then?” Viktor asked. “The overall design is really not bad.”
“Yeah,” Jayce smiled. “But I really can’t take credit for the design aspect.”
Viktor blinked. “Why’s that?”
“I based my designs off what I remembered about yours and I just customised it to what I needed. It was lucky for me that I remembered your old design blueprints when you made yours because I didn’t have many materials to work with on my first version of it.”
Viktor was taken aback. He remembered many years ago the day the doctors told him that he would need additional support beyond a cane. He was told his leg, more specifically his knee joint was getting weaker and it would need more stability if he were to continue walking comfortably without fatigue and pain. The doctors had suggested a wheelchair for getting around instead. Viktor immediately refused, loathing that there were no other options, but it wasn’t that the fact had surprised him. There were rarely many options for him when it came to his leg, even in Piltover where they had more resources.
That’s what led to him innovating and making a custom leg brace and his own crutch. Most of it he had done on his own. It wasn’t like it was some grand secret though, when Jayce asked what he was working on when they weren’t working on refining the Hextech gems, he had told the truth. Jayce had asked if he wanted help crafting it, but Viktor had refused the help. But many times during those days he remembered how Jayce would peek over at the blueprint of the final design, but it was nothing more than a few brief glances at a time.
Despite that, Jayce still remembered seeing the blueprint designs just in passing even after so many years, and he even made his own personal adjustments to it on top of it.
Admittedly Viktor was just left more impressed and flattered though it just came out as slight smile.
“My bathrooms to the right, we’ll go when you’re ready.”
Jayce had the best sandwiches of his life.
Maybe it was because he didn’t realise how hungry he was until that first bite, or maybe it was really just because the sandwiches were just that good, but either way Jayce enjoyed it all.
Viktor was right; it was a nice and quiet little spot. The people who ran it also seemed nice. Whilst they didn’t appear to know Viktor’s name but they did know his usual order and were surprised that he had company.
The two sat outside on some nearby public bench as they ate. The morning breeze was cool yet comfortable and the food was good.
“Did you want the rest of mine?” Viktor offered. “I’m full.”
Jayce frowned. Viktor wasn’t ever big on eating in the morning in the past and he still wasn’t from the sounds of it. However Viktor had barely taken two small bites out of the sandwich he was still holding. Jayce took the sandwich from his hand.
“I’ll wrap it and save it for later. It should last.” Jayce wrapped the sandwich back in the paper it came wrapped in. Viktor nodded obviously assuming that Jayce meant to keep it for himself. But Jayce had every intention to offer it again to Viktor later.
Viktor led the way to a nearby tailor. Jayce didn’t recognise the store. The front sign of the store had ‘Auntie’s’ written on it. A small bell jingled as they entered.
The lady behind the desk jumped up. “Welcome, good morning.”
The tailor was a short older woman with small spectacles, her hair was completely grey and her posture was slightly hunched. She was easily well into her seventies.
The woman locked eyes with Viktor first and she smiled. “It’s nice to see you again, young Viktor. Did you change your mind about my winter coat offer? It’s still ‘buy one and get one free’.”
“Not this time, Auntie. I was hoping you could help my friend here.”
“Friend?” She adjusted her glasses when turning her head to Jayce. “Why hello, aren’t you dashing! Look at those muscles!” Jayce was getting flustered and Viktor concealed a chuckle. “I don’t believe we’ve met yet. I would remember you if I did.”
“I’m Jayce—”
“Good to meet you, call me Auntie. Everyone does!” The tailor—Auntie—walked around with her measuring tape. “So what kind of clothes are you looking for today, Jayce? Shirts? Pants?”
“A whole new wardrobe actually,” Viktor said. “The whole works. Multiple shirts, pants, suits, coats, you name it.”
Jayce was just about to open his mouth to object to how expensive it was going to be, but Viktor knew and whispered to Jayce, “Don’t worry about it, I can afford it.”
“I can do that. I’m light on clients this time of the year. When do you need these new clothes?”
“As soon as possible if that’s okay, the only clothes I have are the ones I’m wearing,” Jayce confessed.
“Oh? Why’s that?” Auntie asked.
“Well, that’s umm…” Jayce looked to Viktor for help, but the latter just shrugged and made an unsure face. “…complicated.” He finished.
Auntie laughed. “Don’t worry, young man, you’re allowed to have your secrets. I’m sure the reasons are good ones. My clients vary from Zaunite to some members from Piltover’s noble houses; I’ve just about heard it all. Now, come on, step forward. Let me get your measurements.”
Jayce did so, spreading out his limbs and that’s when she noticed that Jayce also had a brace on his leg.
“Ah, you have a brace like young Viktor. Do you prefer to have the brace under or over your pants?”
“Over.”
“Excellent. If you wanted it under I would just make measurements of your brace as well to make sure there was room. So if you ever change your mind let me know.” She began measuring Jayce’s body with a hum. “Just out of curiosity, have you ever flexed so hard that it ripped your sleeves in the process?”
“If I’m being honest I’ve never tried.”
Viktor sounded like he stifled a chuckle though it did sound like he choked on his own spit midway through and had to cough. Jayce didn’t think it was that funny, but also something just seemed off with that cough.
“Alright, I’m done, you can relax,” Auntie said. She didn’t take long with the measurements at all.
“Is there anything premade that we would be able to take right away?” Viktor asked.
Auntie hummed in thought. “It’s not every day I get someone with such a chiselled and muscular physique. So I don’t think I have anything exact but I should have three sets of pants and shirts that should match. I definitely have a handful of undergarments and nightwear that should fit too. But I must warn you that they’re all nothing fancy and may be a little snug.”
“We’ll take them too.”
“Perfect,” Auntie turned to Jayce. “Any colour preferences with the ones I make or will you give me free range?”
“I’m not picky, but I usually go for white for shirts and jackets.”
Viktor hummed. “I think having all darker colours suit you better.”
Jayce was surprised. “You really think so?”
“I think so too,” Auntie agreed. “I’ll keep it all in mind, don’t worry. I’ll start on some long sleeved shirts and pants first since the weather is getting cooler. I’ll make summer clothing last. Since you’re in dire need of it all, I would suggest that we break up pick up times for it. If I get a payment upfront I’m sure I’ll be able to squeeze in some customised shirts and pants every three days for a few visits. That way you shouldn’t run out of clothes in the meanwhile.”
“That would be perfect, thank you,” Jayce said.
“How much is the payment upfront, Auntie?” Viktor asked.
“20 Golden Gears.”
Jayce was shocked. That was extremely cheap for the amount of clothes they were ordering, but Jayce knew it was still expensive. Viktor however didn’t even blink twice and counted twenty golden gears on the desk for Auntie.
“You’re sure about this? It’s a lot of money.”
“Of course. If you truly feel guilty about it then we can call it an I.O.U for now.”
“Well, welcome to my lab.”
Viktor’s lab was indeed much smaller than their previous one. It still had room for a clutter of tools and equipment in one corner and a blackboard with chalk in the other. There was also a lone desk with stacks of papers, notebooks and a black rubber box. But most noticeably there was a litter of paper around that took up much of the floor.
Jayce placed down the bag of clothes and crouched down to see what was written on the papers.
“I was getting…frustrated yesterday,” Viktor explained.
It was then that Jayce realised that the papers all had different variations of chemical equation formulas. “Remind me again what your project is?”
“I’ve been in contact with some other young Zaunites about attempting to remove the fissure gases through consist and mostly natural filtration. They have finally been able to cultivate hybrid plants that can feed off the gases. But not many of them grow and the conversation rate is too low.”
“So you’re working on trying to continue to reengineer the biology of these plants?”
“Yes and no. While I’ve also been trying to work out how to help strengthen the hybrid flowers, that’s something the others are working on. My primary goal is to create a mechanical filter that matches and works like the hybrids so we can turn the tide on that conversation rate to feed off the gases for good.”
Jayce stood back on his feet in awe. “We couldn’t figure out natural or artificial air purifiers even with Hextech in our time, what’s different here that made it possible?”
“Their names are Mylo and Claggor. I believe they died young in our timeline. But here they’re alive and well and they have such intelligent young minds. I wouldn’t have been able to get this far without them.” Viktor nudged Jayce to follow him over to the black board. “In theory I have the design of my air purifying device almost finished, but this is where I’m stuck.” Viktor pointed toward the bottom.
Jayce read through it. “It needs two power sources?”
“Yes. It will need artificial energy to initially start up and begin filtering, but as time goes on it will need to continue running. So the additional renewable source feeding off solar whilst is weaker than the initial artificial power it would continue the cycle of filtration.”
“So what’s the artificial energy you’re planning on using?”
Viktor pointed to the small rubber box of his desk. “That was what I was first working on. In short the design is influenced by our Hexgem, but without the magic and an extensive amount of energy beyond a normal battery. There was a lot of trial and error to create such a thing.” Viktor tapped to another side of the black board. “This is what the current version is based on.”
Jayce seemed to finally start catching on. “So you’re struggling now on how to design the device to be able to harness that energy to get it started and for it to be consistent?”
“Putting it simply, yes. What do you think of it?”
Jayce scanned through the design and the equations. The filters design was similar to the design as the Hextech crystal’s first activation device in terms of structure, but only similar in just that. While Jayce wouldn’t say he was an expert in the equations of biology and chemistry and trying to replicate it, he did realise something that could’ve been the problem.
“It’s the opposite of our first problem.”
“What do you mean?”
“Remember when we were first working on Hextech? Remember what you realised?”
“That the crystals were only going to stabilise at a high frequency so we had to crank it?”
“Yes. What you’re using is a blend of renewable power and artificial battery power sources for a single device, but despite there being more than one the levels of energy it would achieve would actually have an overall average lower grade of energy, unlike our original Hextech gemstones. So the oscillations involved for activation don’t need to be cranked up—”
“They instead need to be dampened to stabilise the device!” Viktor finished.
Viktor flipped the blackboard to the blank side and Jayce began to write it up onto the board.
And the two went to work just like that. In a way it was like picking up where they had left off, just being too innovative minds collaborating.
Hours passed in what felt like the blink of an eye.
The two only paused when there was a knock on the door. Jayce silently gasped as he recognised the face of the woman at the door.
It was Sky Young, alive.
“Sorry, I don’t mean to interrupt,” she said.
Viktor waved his hand. “Not at all, Sky, you’re always welcome. What did you need?”
“The professor wanted you to review these documents by the end of week explaining the current progress of the fissures project to the council. I think they just need your signature.” Sky was getting progressively more and more distracted by the obvious new addition to the lab that was staring at her.
Viktor noticed and stepped in. “Sky, this is Jayce. And Jayce, this is Sky Young, Professor Heimerdinger’s current assistant.”
“Huh? Oh, right. Right! Hi.”
Sky perked up excitedly. “Wait, Jayce? As in the Jayce?”
Jayce’s mind halted again. ‘The Jayce’? What did that mean?
Sky held out her hand. “It’s so nice to meet you!”
Jayce’s mind began to run once more and he shook her hand. “It’s nice to meet you too.”
Sky continued to smile and gawk at Jayce before shaking her head. “Sorry, it’s just…never mind. I suppose you’re here assisting Viktor out with the fissures project because you’re a scientist too, right? So I won’t stick around, I still have some other errands to run from the professor.” She passed the papers to Viktor, quietly grinning at him. “I’m sure I’ll be seeing you around, Jayce. I hope we’ll be able to get to know each other.”
“Me too. It was good seeing you, Sky.” And Jayce truly meant that.
Sky smiled one last time, giving Viktor a look that involved her raising her eyebrows before leaving when Viktor rolled his eyes and smiled back, shooing her with the hand holding the papers.
Jayce stood there stunned. Seeing Sky again while shocking wasn’t what shocked him the most. It was Viktor and Sky’s entire new dynamic.
“So…” Jayce began. “You and Sky seem close now.”
Viktor sighed and rolled his eyes. “We’re not involved in any capacity if that’s what you’re about to insinuate.”
Strangely enough Jayce hadn’t assumed that at all despite knowing that the Sky of their world had once had a crush on Viktor. It was obvious to seemingly everyone but Viktor before she passed. The Sky of their current universe however didn’t seem like she did or rather not anymore if she did.
“No, it’s just nice to see that you’re friends,” Jayce said and quickly Viktor’s expression softened.
“She’s been a very good friend to me.” It’s more than I deserve especially since I got her killed in a different world and timeline went by unsaid.
“What was the whole ‘the Jayce’ thing about?” Jayce’s curiosity got the better on him.
Viktor turned away and placed the papers on his desk. “I spoke about you once or twice to her.”
“She didn’t seem surprised that I was alive.”
“I never told her I thought you were dead. She was always under the impression that you were just far away and I didn’t correct her.” Viktor shook off the memories before it could make his heart grow weary. “It’s a good thing I didn’t otherwise your appearance here would have been very confusing.”
Jayce hummed in agreement. “Should we take a break?”
Viktor nodded. “Did you want to get lunch?”
They got something else for lunch after Jayce first got Viktor to finish what was left of his sandwich.
The two continued to work until nightfall. The two got a few savoury and sweet pastries to bring back to Viktor’s and they ate together at the small table in Viktor’s kitchen. They spent the whole time discussing how they could tidy up the final equations to start creating a test device. The two already close in a single day.
After they ate, Jayce had a bath. Nothing had felt better as he sunk down into the warm water.
Considering the madness that was the past twenty-four hours, Jayce admittedly had a good day. The time he spent with Viktor he wanted to describe it as if it were ‘old times’, but in reality it wasn’t. Despite the time apart and how they both changed never had Jayce felt closer to Viktor and it had been so long since he last felt at peace like he did in that moment.
And all he and Viktor did was what they did best.
Viktor had once told him that in the pursuit of greatness they failed to do good. Just trying to focus on doing good and only that, well, it felt nice. Jayce was going to help Viktor achieve his goal and complete his fissure gases project and that was something he was certain of.
Jayce finished bathing and got dressed in some fresh clothes he stepped out of the bathroom to see Viktor sitting on the couch, murmuring under his breath as he flicked through the notes he and Jayce made earlier. Jayce couldn’t help but smile because all he had wanted was his partner back and there he was.
It was a very good day, Jayce decided. But perhaps he was speaking too soon.
Viktor was walking.
He kept putting one foot in front of the other until he realised he was using neither a crutch of a cane. His skin was glowing purple. His body was perfect—no…no, perfect wasn’t the right word. Something felt wrong.
Immense power surged through him, how intoxicating it felt almost made him sick. Everything was crumbling and bending around him. He was controlling life. Once it was a control that he desired, but now it was something he never wanted to experience again.
Memories flashed in his mind when he let go of the apparition of Sky; when he attempted to let go of what was left of his humanity before his great transformation.
Any and all people were becoming husks once more. The world around him was becoming devoid of colour and expression.
“I don’t want this anymore! Stop!” He yelled at himself, his voice echoing. But he couldn’t stop it.
Viktor heard footsteps coming from behind him. He spun around and froze at who stood before him.
“Jayce?”
‘Jayce’ frowned at Viktor as from the feet up his body began turning white and mechanical. His eyes turned empty.
What was he doing to him!?
“No! No! Stop! Jayce, no! I don’t want this!” Viktor tried to grab a hold of Jayce to reverse the process but nothing worked.
In the world he was truly alone.
Days were passing.
How could he do this again!?
Months were passing.
Why did he do it?
Why!?
WHY!?
“Viktor, it’s okay. You’re okay.”
“How is this okay!?” Viktor’s voice reverbed. “It was never okay!”
“Viktor, it’s just a dream.”
What?
A dream?
Viktor looked up. The ‘Jayce’ in front of him wasn’t speaking; he had completely turned into a thoughtless puppet. It wasn’t the ‘Jayce’ in front of him talking.
“Wake up. I’m right here.”
That seemed to be what Viktor needed to hear to push through it. There was no dart up or sharp intake of breath like he usually woke from such dreams, strangely he instead felt a sense of ease. Viktor’s eyes slowly opened and he saw Jayce pulling his hand away. Had Jayce been stroking his hair? Surely that was just his imagination.
Viktor sleepily looked up at the other. “…Jayce?”
“Yeah, it’s me.” Jayce hesitated for a moment. “You were yelling in your sleep.”
Viktor looked at his hands. They weren’t glowing or purple. Even in the moonlight he saw he had plain human hands. They were his hands, but also ones he had unknowingly taken. “I’m sorry,” Viktor whispered.
For Jayce it was hard to tell whether Viktor was apologising for waking him or for whatever happened in his dream or something else entirely.
Viktor tried to push himself into a sitting position, but the dream zapped a lot more energy out of him than he thought.
With a single glance and nod at Jayce, the latter ended up wordlessly helping Viktor to sit up; half cradling him in the process. But suddenly Viktor’s head was against his chest, his forehead pressed against Jayce’s shoulder. Jayce was thrown off guard because was Viktor really openly seeking comfort?
“Viktor?” But that’s when Jayce saw it, Viktor was grimacing in pain. “What’s wrong!?” He panicked.
“Its fine,” Viktor’s strained voice made it sound like he should’ve been saying the opposite. The all came out sounding like a rushed mess of words. “It’s just my leg started cramping all of a sudden. It happens sometimes, don’t worry, it will pass in a few minutes.”
Jayce had a vague memory of Viktor one mentioning that he got occasional leg cramping at night, but he didn’t realise how severe they were.
That wasn’t soon enough in Jayce’s opinion. He could see how Viktor was beginning to sweat from the pain. Jayce placed a hand over Viktor’s leg and he frowned. It felt like Viktor’s calf had something moving inside it as it forcibly contracted.
Jayce began rubbing and kneading at the cramps throughout Viktor’s leg. He did it the way he would do it for himself when it his leg would cramp back when he was within the alternate future within the Arcane. His leg cramps had never been as intense in comparison though.
Viktor didn’t object to it and that’s when Jayce knew how bad the pain was. If it were a lesser pain, Viktor would’ve been telling him to stop worrying and he’d just grit his teeth and bare it. But instead he was quiet. Jayce didn’t even want to imagine how painful it was. He wished he could’ve gotten something warm to press against Viktor’s leg to help ease the pain, but he wasn’t about to leave him alone in that state.
The cramps were stubborn but something that would’ve otherwise lasted over several minutes for Viktor was over in a minute as Jayce continued to massage it. Viktor’s grimace slowly shrunk away letting out a sigh in relief as the pain finally started to dissipate. Viktor’s head was still resting against Jayce and neither moved.
“You didn’t have to do that,” Viktor breathed out.
“Maybe, but I wanted to.”
Viktor half-heartedly hummed in response.
“Did you want to talk about it? Your dream, I mean.” Jayce asked the question not expecting to receive a proper answer. Viktor shocked him with a reply.
“I was making the same mistakes again,” he said. “My touch was destroying everything and everyone. I couldn’t stop it.”
“I’m sorry,” Jayce apologised.
“Why are you sorry?”
“I started you on that path in the first place so even now if it’s haunting you, that’s on me.”
“You know I don’t see it that way.”
“I know, but still, I’m sorry.”
It was only then that it seemed that Viktor realised that he was still being cradled and he was still pressing himself against Jayce. He pulled away. Jayce still sat on the bedside even after Viktor pulled away.
“It was just a dream,” Jayce reassured. “I know it’s easier said than done, but try not to let it get to you.”
“Right…” Viktor sighed. “I’m sorry for waking you.”
“It’s no trouble, Viktor, really.” Jayce said it nonchalantly, all without mentioning to Viktor how he had instantly shot up from his sleep hearing Viktor’s cries. He had tripped; half flying over the low table and despite the pain from the fall and his leg he continued to scramble to Viktor’s bedroom practically somersaulting in. Jayce instinctively had been expecting a fight but there was no assailant hurting Viktor, or at least not an assailant he could physically fight against.
“I’ll let you go back to sleep,” Jayce stood up from the bed and started to make his way toward the door. “You know where to find me if you need me.”
“Jayce?”
He paused at the door. “Yes?”
“…goodnight.”
Jayce softly smiled. “Goodnight.” The door softly clicked as Jayce shut the door behind him.
They both ended up staring back at the shut door after that.