Chapter Text
Viktor woke up with a start, his breath ragged and cold sweat clinging to his skin. The room was unfamiliar, the air thick with the smell of aged wood and faint traces of antiseptic. His body felt heavy, as if he’d been pulled from a depthless abyss.
He blinked, his vision blurry, his mind a chaotic swirl of memories. The ache of something ancient and vast burned through his thoughts – like embers of the arcane still alive inside him.
Throwing off the blanket, Viktor stumbled to his feet, his knees weak beneath him. He looked around and froze. A large, round window dominated one wall, overlooking the vast expanse of Zaun. Its familiar, tangled sprawl of pipes and walkways stretched out before him, both comforting and alien.
Turning slowly, he saw the space he stood in – a mezzanine, overlooking the main floor of what appeared to be a modest home. Recognition struck like a hammer. He knew this place. It was a house he’d visited long ago, as a child. It had belonged to a kind doctor, one of the rare few in Zaun who treated patients without demanding exorbitant fees. The doctor had died from the Grey before Viktor was even a teenager, the house abandoned when the fumes claimed it.
But then, memories that weren’t his own surged forward, disjointed and vivid. Flashes of this home in ruin, crumbling under the weight of time. Then, brighter scenes – sunlight spilling through freshly cleaned windows, the sounds of renovation, new life breathed into the decaying structure.
His head swam, the dissonance too much to bear. Viktor staggered toward the bathroom, clutching at the walls for support. When he reached the sink, he heaved, purging the nausea building in his stomach. He sank to the floor, his back against the cool tile, and stared blankly at the sunlight filtering through the small window.
Fragments of memory returned in broken pieces. He had been with Jayce – just with him – when the arcane consumed them. There had been a flash of blinding light, a sense of unraveling, and then… nothing. A void, endless and silent.
And now, he was here.
The sound of voices pulled him from his thoughts. A woman’s voice, lively and sharp, echoed from below, followed by the distinct creak of a door closing. Viktor pushed himself up, legs unsteady, and found a robe to drape over his thin frame.
He stepped out onto the mezzanine, peering down at the scene below.
In the kitchen, Powder – no, Jinx – was chattering excitedly, her gestures animated as she perched on the counter. Her words spilled out in a constant stream, her energy almost infectious.
Jayce stood nearby, his back turned, busying himself with making coffee. His movements were steady and deliberate, a calming contrast to Jinx’s exuberance.
For a moment, Viktor simply watched, his grip tightening on the railing. The surreal normalcy of the scene below felt like a cruel mockery of the chaos in his mind. These were people he knew, and yet… everything felt fractured.
He cleared his throat softly, drawing their attention.
Both Jayce and Jinx turned to look up at him. Jinx grinned widely, waving with exaggerated enthusiasm. “Hey, sleepyhead! Took you long enough!”
Jayce’s expression was more subdued, he smiled. “Good morning.” he said, his voice gentle. “You should be getting ready, have you forgotten?”
Viktor descended the stairs slowly, gripping the banister for balance. “I… I don’t understand.” He murmured, his voice hoarse. “I don’t know.”
Jayce set down the coffee pot and approached him, his movements cautious. “You look pale.”
Viktor stopped at the bottom of the stairs, his gaze flickering between Jayce and Jinx. The weight of the unknown pressed heavily on his chest.
“I don’t know what I am supposed to do.” He echoed, the words tasting foreign. “I was supposed to die.”
His memories – and his very sense of self – felt like threads slipping through his fingers.
Jayce's eyes went wide. “Viktor… Can you sit here with me?”
Viktor watched as Jayce’s hand reached for him and allowed him to grab his elbow and followed him towards a big stuffed red chair where he sat close to another window.
Viktor glanced out the window, the cityscape beyond almost mocking him with its familiarity. He swallowed hard and met Jayce’s eyes, searching for answers in the warmth he found there.
Jayce studied him for a moment. “You’re feverish.” He said softly. “We should see the doctor.”
Viktor shook his head. “What am I supposed to be ready for? What am I doing here at this hour?”
Jayce hesitated, then sat on the arm of the chair. “We have a council meeting at midday. Powder and I spoke with Heimerdinger earlier. We needed him to look at the hexgems before the meeting.”
In the kitchen, Powder now sat calmly at the counter, sketching in a notebook as she picked at her breakfast.
Jayce sighed. “Honestly, I’m tired of it all. Heimerdinger’s caution isn’t misplaced. Mel can push progress as much as she wants, but the hexgates are enough. We need to be careful.”
Viktor nodded, his hand unconsciously gripping his leg. “I understand.” He said quietly.
Jayce noticed the motion, frowning. “Is something wrong?”
“No.” Viktor replied. “Just sore.”
Jayce knelt, inspecting Viktor’s leg. “Maybe. But we’re seeing the doctor, regardless.”
He stood and brought Viktor coffee and a plate of food. Powder leaned toward Jayce, her voice low. “Is he okay?”
Jayce nodded, sipping his own coffee. Powder shrugged and returned to her notes.
The door swung open, a flash of pink hair flew in as Vi's voice boomed. “There you are, rat! When I think I won't have to have breakfast with Sevika and Silco alone, your bed is empty. Can you even stay a single day away from this house?”
Powder rolled her eyes. “If I had half of Viktor’s books and as good of a breakfast, I’d never leave my bedroom.”
“You’d still have to attend the academy,” Jayce said dryly.
Powder agreed quickly. “Of course.”
Vi grabbed her arm, tugging her toward the door. “We’re going topside. Now.”
“I just got back, I haven't even eaten.”
“Shut it, I am late.”
Powder sighed dramatically but followed, the two bickering lightly as they left.
Viktor watched them go, then turned to Jayce. “I feel like I’m missing the summary for a class I’m supposed to teach.”
Jayce chuckled, taking his mug and sitting on the arm of the chair again.
“You’re pushing yourself too far.” Jayce said softly. "Do you even know what time you went to sleep last night?"
Jayce pulled Viktor's hair back and checked the temperature with his hand again.
Jayce's hands were cold, but not as much as the ring in his finger. Viktor’s gaze fell to the ring on Jayce’s hand. Taking it in its placement.
“Are you… engaged?”
Jayce's eyes flickered for a moment and he looked at his ring then back at Viktor.
Jayce’s brow furrowed. “Is this a trap?”
Viktor shook his head. “No. Just a question.”
Jayce exhaled and reached toward Viktor’s neck, pulling a thin chain with a ring from beneath his robe.
“We’ll be engaged.” Jayce said with a faint smile. “When you stop finding excuses not to wear this.”