Chapter Text
A cacophony of noises and hypnotically chaotic flashes of colors filled Viktor's head, all senses blurring together as he spun around, feeling everything, yet nothing at all. Senses are a mere concept, definitions with flat words. At some point during their embrace, as the rune was destroyed, they lost hold of each other while forces ripped them apart and pieced them back together in chaotic waves. He didn't know where Jayce was; he tried grabbing or thinking about grabbing anything to ground him in this swirling dance of chaos. It felt like years to blink away the kaleidoscope of shapes and colors as he gasped for days to breathe, feeling air rush into his lungs again. A thick choking layer of ozone and burning metal lined Viktor's nose and mouth as he continued to breathe, coughing a few times; his body was a live wire of static as Viktor was regaining consciousness.
Countless memories, sounds, smells, and sights, flicking by like pages of a book being skimmed through and then closed before any of the words or pictures could spark recollection; his vision slowly cleared as he inhaled deeply to control his rapid breathing. Viktor felt like his eyes were dipped in oil, shapes swirling together with a tinge of iridescence. He blinked several times, trying to clear them as his ears rang. A roar of noise entered his ears, the clock ticking quickly, returning to its steady rhythm, the soft sound of rain pouring outside, and his soft, panicked breathing filled the room. Viktor was lying on a black couch in what appeared to be a living room on his left side, trying to focus on a dark wooden coffee table littered with papers with mathematical scribbles and diagrams, a few books, and an empty glass, all left in mid-action of use.
A confusing black mirror-like screen sat on a black stand beyond the coffee table, more books filling the cubbies, devices with wires connecting somewhere, and a few knick-knacks. A standing lamp illuminated the room with a warm glow. His brain was spitting out names of things that were foreign yet not. It was all overwhelming. A thick electrical taste trapped in the back of his throat, remnants of the Arcane lingering in him as he regained his senses. He swallowed, trying to get the taste out of his mouth. Viktor sat up slowly, his muscles stiff and sore, the world tilting on cresting waves, causing him to groan as a sharp pain cracked through his head. He brought a hand to his temple and gasped as he could feel the soft texture of his skin and hair. Faint swirls of magical flesh slowly disappeared from his arms, leaving no sign of the dark purples and golds. Zips of purple light traveled through his veins as the last magic left his body like embers from a crackling fire. A lump of emotion formed in his throat as he examined his arms free of the intricate weaving of the Hexcore. He could feel his shirt's soft touch, the couch cushion's woven fabric, and the soft light green rug his bare feet rested on. It almost felt rapturous to feel things so mundane. Viktor softly touched his arms, enjoying the smooth skin that covered his body.
He wasn't dead; Viktor determined this as he could feel his heart pounding in his chest. He took another deep breath, enjoying the lack of crunching and resistance that used to plague his lungs. He felt a soft throb in his right leg, but it seemed in better health as he rubbed his right thigh over his black pajama bottoms, feeling a layer of muscle. He reached to touch his chest; he felt the lack of the brace that held him up; he just felt the soft, plump skin of his stomach, ribs covered in a healthy layer of fat and muscle. He reached over his shoulder, searching for the screws that lined his back but felt nothing. Overwhelmed with emotion, Viktor felt tears forming in his eyes at the realization that he was not in the final stages of his illness. Viktor noticed a cane resting next to him at the edge of the couch; its golden accents glinted in the low light, reminding him of the House Talis colors, which snapped worry into his being.
Where was Jayce?
Viktor thought franticly as he looked around. Fear bubbled up through his chest, and his breathing became frantic as he stood up, only to fall back on the couch as the world tilted violently. Viktor groaned, closing his eyes to stop the room from spinning, and froze. Noises from somewhere inside the apartment were getting closer. He listened intently, trying to determine the sounds through his heartbeat pounding in his ears. Careful footsteps approached the living room, causing Viktor to open his eyes.
"Jayce?" Viktor choked out, emotion closing his throat as he gazed at the man and stood up again, swaying slightly. Jayce was leaning heavily against the doorframe, staring at Viktor with a drunken look, eyes trying to focus. Jayce took a shaky breath, staring at Viktor. He rushed up to Viktor before the other man could say anything, engulfing him in a tight hug. Viktor let out a small squeak, grabbed the taller man, and buried his face into his shoulder as a soft sob escaped him.
"Viktor! It's you. Gods, it's you," Jayce exclaimed softly, his voice cracking with emotion. He'd missed his voice so much, afraid that he was lost as the arcane consumed them both. It had only been seconds as they were thrown around in that state, but it felt like centuries since Viktor heard this man. He grabbed onto him hard, afraid Jayce might be ripped away, enjoying the warmth radiating through him; he nuzzled into Jayce's shoulder, shutting his eyes and breathing him in. He had just gotten out of the shower, his skin still slightly damp and smelling soft lavender soap.
"I-it seems that way. I don't know where we are—"Viktor stammered but was interrupted by Jayce pulling him back from his chest and cupping his face with his warm hands. His soft, hazel eyes scanned him. His hands moved to his shoulders as Jayce took the other in.
"It doesn't matter. All that matters is that we're together. We can figure that out later." Viktor nodded as Jayce grabbed a strand of Viktor's hair and smiled softly. He twirled it, looking at the brown and light blonde mix.
"Your hair's longer here, huh? It looks nice with the lighter colors," Viktor scoffed, trying to hide a smile, shaking his head and taking notice of Jayce; he was wearing a simple black tank and some pants that almost matched Viktor's. It seems they, or this world's version of them, were both getting ready for bed before all of this. Jayce's hair was a bit longer but shaved on the sides, and his face was free of the opalized markings on his forehead. Viktor could have sworn for a split second that he could see them, but with a blink, they disappeared. His face was clean-shaven, to Viktor's dismay; he quite liked the beard Jayce had grown when he last saw him. He looked carefree, stress not littering his face or eyes. Jayce looked Viktor up and down quickly, a look of excitement beaming from him and a huge smile on his face. "You have skin! I mean, you look like before…" He shook his head at the thought before continuing, "A-and you don't have your back brace! I don't feel it when I held you…" Jayce's cheeks reddened, clearing his throat as he continued to ramble on excitedly, "Oh! Let me get your cane. We've been standing for a bit." He looked around the room frantically, noticing it next to the couch.
"Jayce, I'm fi-"Viktor began but was interrupted by a small scream that scared both men, making them jump apart. Viktor stumbled a little as he stepped on his bad leg but recovered, wincing. Jayce looked around, putting his body before Viktor to protect him, gripping the can with two hands. They both looked down and noticed a primarily white calico cat with three legs looking at them with its tail straight up. Viktor gave a breathy laugh as Jayce sat on the couch, trying to calm himself from the fright. He rubbed a hand over his face, cursing under his breath as he held Viktor's cane against his leg.
"Well, it looks like we aren't completely alone here. Hi there, Zlato," Viktor cooed and slowly bent down to offer his hand to the cat; it immediately ran up to him with familiarity, bonking its head into his hand and purring loudly. Rio. A name popped into his mind as he sat on the couch, the cat rubbing against his legs. Viktor noticed a medium-sized cat tree near the large window; the blinds opened slightly so Rio could look outside. Streetlights stood outside, illuminating the empty street as rain poured. Dark maroon curtains draped on either side of the window.
"We have a cat…" Jayce mumbled as he petted the cat and said soft compliments to her. She happily hobbled between the two men, trilling little meows as she received pets.
"We have a cat," Viktor confirmed. "Her name is Rio, by the way."
"Hm, I'm glad I can confirm that with someone else." Jayce smiled, watching Rio plop on the ground near his foot and roll on her back. "And we live together. In this apartment with a three-legged cat."
"Are you insinuating something, Jayce?" Viktor teased, bumping his shoulder lightly into Jayce's. He could see Jayce flustered and trying to think of the right words to continue.
"I mean, I don't know. Maybe? These memories are absolute hell to decipher, " Jayce looked at Viktor and grabbed his hand before continuing, "I know for certain that we both live here together and have been for a bit."
Viktor could not deny that and hummed in agreement. There was a bond between them that was more than he realized; there was a deep love and warmth in his chest when he looked at Jayce. The house felt lived in, with plants, floating shelves full of items of importance to the men, and a bookshelf with a white metal frame and light-colored wooden shelves tucked into the corner bursting with books, journals, papers, a few potting plants draping down on the top, and various medals and awards tucked onto free areas. Viktor spotted his little boat from childhood sitting on the top of the bookshelf. It was a small apartment, but it was warm and perfect with the two men.
"Your stuff is in the bedroom, by the way. I was so happy to see signs of you when I came through." Viktor returned his attention to Jayce, who exhaled a short laugh towards himself. "I nearly broke down after seeing some of your notes on the desk. But, um…I heard noises here, so I'm…well, here," He continued softly with a shrug, running his thumb over Viktor's hand. The rain picked up outside as it pebbled against the window, and a soft roll of thunder could be heard in the distance. Viktor looked at the bookshelf, thinking. They've been given a second chance to fix their mistakes, or perhaps the Arcane spat them into an entirely new world to break their destructive cycle. His mind started to create possible hypotheses for what had happened to them, causing a slight twinge of pain in his temple. Viktor sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, and gently grabbed his cane from Jayce.
"I think we should get some sleep, Jayce. There's too much to process tonight, and I need one of us not sane when we figure out all this," he grunted as he stood up, Jayce following him with a hand in the middle of his back to steady him. Viktor didn't protest, loving the caring touches he had grown accustomed to all those years working with the other. "Plus, I want to feel what it's like to sleep in a bed again." He gave a small smile to Jayce, who nodded with a somber look. Rio jumped excitedly and began trotting towards the bedroom, periodically looking back at the two.
"The bed looks rather nice. Wouldn't mind sleeping off this…spontaneous existence? I'm not sure what the hell to call this." Jayce shook his head in confusion, letting out a breathy laugh, and flashed a smile. Viktor couldn't help but smile back. He loved Jayce's smile, and the small gap in his teeth gave him an adorable and boyish charm. He never tried to look perfect for Piltover, and Viktor found that endearing.
Viktor gripped the handle of his cane, sighing through his nose. "Your guess is as good as mine. We'll have time tomorrow to try and work through these new memories. I'm just thankful we ended up together." He leaned slightly into Jayce's hand on the small of his back. He felt Jayce slightly rubbing his hand in a comforting motion.
"I am, too. I told you; we're in this together, whatever this is. Even if we didn't wake up together, I'd raise hell trying to find you in this new world." Jayce hugged Viktor closer to his side, wrapping a hand around his waist and pressing a soft kiss against his temple. Viktor tensed, gritting his teeth at the sudden act and the sharp pain that shot through his right side. Of course, Jayce would also touch him on the shoulders and back or even have his fingers brushed against his leg or back when working on his braces, but never his lips against his skin; Jayce noticed and pulled away in shock, Viktor instantly missing his touch.
"I'm sorry! It, uh, was on instinct. I'm so sorry, Viktor. Shit, I didn't mean to…" He rambled, running a hand through his hair with a sad puppy dog look, trying to formulate an excuse. Viktor frowned and grabbed Jayce by the chin, stopping his panicked babbling. Viktor's slender fingers gently turn Jayce's face so he can look at him.
"Jayce," Viktor spoke softly, running his thumb under Jayce's bottom lip, savoring the slight tremor from him. Viktor saw Jayce's breath catch in his throat, his pupils dilating, waiting for Viktor to make a move. Eyes darting between Viktor's eyes and lips.
"It is all right. I…was just shocked," Viktor furrowed his brows, trying to formulate the right words, "It is okay. You have nothing to apologize for." Jayce exhaled and nodded, grabbing Viktor's hand from his chin and squeezing it. It was odd; they both are closer and more physical in this new world, but some part of Viktor's mind is still back in the original Piltover, where they would only have lingering stares or touches. Grabbing Jayce like he just did would have terrified him. "Plus, it seems we are disappointing our lovely roommate and interrupting bedtime." Viktor chuckled and looked over at the doorway. Rio sat looking at them, slowly blinking at Viktor and tapping the tip of her fluffy tail on the ground. Jayce scoffed and went to turn off the lamp next to the TV stand, thankful that he could finally put a word to that object. Viktor could see the gears turning in Jayce's head as he made mental notes about all the new things, locking them away for later. They slowly went to the bedroom where Jayce woke up, a lamp on the nightstand illuminating the room; Rio happily meowed as she walked towards her bed.
She had a cute little bed shaped like a flat pumpkin in their room in one corner near a desk littered with books, papers, and other random trinkets, and she happily started kneading in the center. Streetlights dully streamed into the room from the small gap in the blinds where the window was left open for Rio to look outside past another set of maroon curtains. Viktor could see another bookshelf in this room: two nightstands on either side of their large bed, a room leading to a bathroom, and another leading to a walk-in closet. There was another smaller cat tree in this room for Rio to climb on and scratch that sat near the window. Various pictures and paintings were hanging on the walls; a medium-sized indoor tree stood in the corner of the room, placed in a geometrically designed orange and yellow pot.
Viktor placed his cane against the wall near his nightstand and sat down on the bed, wincing and letting a small, pained moan slip through his lips. Jayce immediately rushed to him, taking a soft hand on his back.
"Viktor! Are you hurt? What's wrong?" Jayce asked, looking over Viktor's body carefully and concernedly. Viktor waved a hand at Jayce, annoyed that he was overreacting. He had pain all the time before he was fused with the Hexcore. He didn't think anything of it.
"Jayce, I'm fine. Really, there's no need to- "
"At least let me look where it hurts. Satisfy my anxiety so I'm not thinking about it, V?" Jayce pleaded. He was giving Viktor a look he knew all too well, those sad, pouty eyes when he was trying to get him to do something. Viktor looked away with a slight blush, knowing damn well he'd cave if he looked anymore. He huffed, annoyed. Viktor didn't have the energy to fight with this man tonight.
"If it will get us to bed faster, go ahead." Viktor sighed, motioning towards his right side. Jayce beamed, slowly getting down on his right knee and gently rolling the right side of Viktor's shirt. The skin around that area was indeed tender to the tough, but it surely could not be that bad. Maybe before they entered this universe, his other half bumped against a table or slept wrong.
"Fucking hell, Viktor. Are you okay? How the hell did you get this?" A hitch in Jayce's voice made Viktor look, shocked to see a large bruise on his side that continued under his pants. How did he get that? It was dark with speckles of purple in the center; the edges looked to be healing, turning a muddy greenish-yellow. Tiny tendrils of broken blood vessels snaked from the bruise outwards like lighting. His brain was drawing blanks as he tried to recall memories that were maybe his. His memories were still scattered in nonsensical blurbs. Viktor does bruise easily anyway, but this was excessive.
He furrowed his brows. "I'm not sure. Maybe before we—"He trailed off as Jayce lightly touched the injury. Jayce's warmth felt good on the bruise, and Viktor relaxed his shoulders slightly. Jayce's face was hard to read; a wave of emotions flashed through him before he spoke, his voice strained.
"I didn't cause this, did I?" Viktor opened his mouth but closed it, not knowing what to say. He looked at Jayce, unsure if he should reach out and touch him to comfort him. Viktor knew Jayce was upset with himself by the way his jaw clenched and the lack of eye contact.
"No. Of course not." Viktor softly said, shaking his head and causing some of his hair to fall in his face.
"V, don't lie to me, please." Jayce snapped, looking up at the other man. Anger tinged his eyes, causing Viktor to flinch slightly. Regret washed over Jayce as he cursed under his breath. He wined in frustration and pressed his forehead on Viktor's thigh.
"Jayce, I am not lying," Viktor responded, trying to keep his voice leveled and calm. He knows Jayce would never hurt him out of malice; flashes of the events inside his commune rebutted his thoughts, reminding him of Jayce pointing his hammer to fire at him. It needed to happen. Jayce didn't want to. Viktor shook the thought out of his head and looked down at the man in his lap, his other arm gripping the back of his left calf.
"Jayce, look at me," Viktor calmly said, watching the other man flinch at the noise and struggling to steady his breathing. His eyes were closed tightly, his face contorted in anguish. A lot was going through his partner's head, and Viktor wanted to reassure him.
Viktor gently touched Jayce's bicep on the arm, still touching his hurt side. Jayce snapped out of his self-wallowing train of thought and pulled his head up to look at the hand that touched him. He looked up at Viktor reluctantly, his eyes distant, but he was there. "You know I would not lie to you," Viktor whispered, watching Jayce's face softening as he nodded to himself. He took his hand off Viktor's side and fixed his shirt.
"Okay, maybe we'll figure this out tomorrow." Jayce got up slowly. "Let me get you something for the pain, okay?" Jayce started walking towards the bathroom to look for some pain medicine, but Viktor grabbed his wrist.
"No, it's fine, Jayce. I believe I already took some. I should be fine." Viktor shrugged at the confused look on his partner's face. "Eh, floating memory or something. Explains the cup on the table in there." He tilted his head towards the living room. Jayce nodded and walked up to Viktor, petting Viktor's hair softly, tucking a few strands behind his ear. It looked like he wanted to say something but stopped, giving Viktor a soft smile before making his way to the other side of the bed. Viktor slowly stood up to pull the covers back, sighing as he got under the covers and slowly rolled on his left side. He missed this so much, closing his eyes and savoring the soft feeling of the sheets and mattress against his left side. He wrapped the dark blue duvet around himself, giddy at something simple and inhaling deeply. His body's last bits of tension dissolved as he snuggled more into his pillow. Viktor heard the click of the lamp turning off and felt the bed dip as Jayce made himself comfortable. The sound of rustling fabric and the soft creaks of the bed's springs filled the room. Jayce sighed deeply.
"Gods, I might not ever leave this bed, Jayce," Viktor mumbled, feeling an immense wave of fatigue hit him. His body hurt, but the soft mattress supported his joints.
"I may have to join you. This feels amazing," Jayce huffed as he wrapped some of the blankets around his shoulders, careful not to rip too much away from Viktor, who was currently a lump of blue.
Viktor hummed and drifted asleep, listening to the rain slowly tapping against the roof and the occasional thunder shaking the walls. It was silent for a few minutes, Viktor slowly letting his brain shut off and slip to sleep, his hearing becoming muffled. The tendrils of sleep jerked away from him as Jayce wrapped his arm around Viktor, pulling the other into his chest. Jayce's face nuzzled into Viktor's shoulder, eliciting his frustrated groan. He couldn't deny he loved the sudden warmth radiating into his back, and a strong arm wrapped around his stomach, avoiding his injury. A soft whimper from behind dissolved any frustration in Viktor.
"I'm sorry, I just want to hold you, Viktor. Gods, I don't know. I just..." Jayce's voice trembled thick with emotion. Viktor's breath hitched as he felt tears forming in his eyes; he blinked them away and took in a shaky breath, rubbing Jayce's arm that encircled him to comfort him as he felt Jayce shaking slightly as a sob escaped him that shook them both. Emotions that Jayce must have been holding back all that time finally broke free the moment he realized he was safe as hot tears soaked the other man's shoulder. Viktor slowly rolled over, still in Jayce's embrace, and cupped his face, feeling hot tears rolling down his cheek. The dim lights from outside allowed Viktor to see the mixture of emotions plaguing his partner's face: fear, guilt, and sadness. Jayce tried to compose himself, choking out an emotionless laugh and a slight smile that didn't reach his eyes.
"S-sorry. I…I don't know. It all just sort of hit me… Let's sleep, okay? W-we can-" Jayce rambled, flinching slightly as Viktor rubbed his thumb on his tear-stained cheek. Jayce nuzzled into his hand, reminding the Zaunite of a scared dog abandoned by humans yet seeking their comfort. Viktor swallowed a lump in his throat, inhaling to steady himself.
"It's okay, Jayce. We're okay. I promise. We're safe," Viktor whispered, trying to soothe him as soft sobs wracked through the other man. Jayce took in a shaking breath and pressed their foreheads together. Viktor felt a pang of guilt that he was not reacting the same way Jayce did. He wanted to cry and scream like Jayce right now, to let out all his emotions, but he was still processing everything, slowly understanding feelings again from not having them for some time. Both were ceasing existence one moment and coming back the next with intact memories of everything that had happened to them before and new ones slowly unlocking. It was something humans could not physically process truly, death being the ultimate end for them that was shrouded in mystery, a true end to everything. Viktor remembers dying, the pain and fear that lasted seconds, but coming back, experiencing all that he did to the people of Piltover and Zaun. It was like watching yourself in a play half-asleep, sitting in the back row of an empty theater, passively watching the actors play out your life. It was only towards the end, when Jayce finally got through to him, that he could process everything, emotions cracking like live wires full of energy. He was thankful Jayce was there to ground him, glad not to experience it alone. Viktor decided to do the same. Jayce did not have that luxury of being an audience to his life corrupted by the Hexcore and the Arcane; he needed Viktor. He shifted his hand to the back of Jayce's head, running his fingers through the shaved parts, eliciting a soft sigh.
"I thought I hurt you again," Jayce's voice cracked and shook as more tears fell. "I-I was so scared, V." Before Viktor could reply, he felt the other's lips on theirs, a small gasp escaping from him. Viktor closed his eyes and moved his lips against Jayce's, deepening the kiss and feeling his warm hands on his waist pull him closer. Viktor cursed himself for not doing this sooner in their original universe. Jayce's lips felt amazing and better than he could imagine, warm yet slightly wet from his tears. Strong yet gentle hands molded by working in the forge, holding onto Viktor's lean frame with such care that it almost made him weep. Viktor shamefully would sometimes think what it would feel like to have Jayce's mouth on his, to have his partner's lips or tongue caressing his body, having those beautiful eyes of his look at him with love and want. It pains Viktor to know that this is how he finds out, with Jayce broken but still seeking out comfort from the man who left him and caused his partner pain. He pulled away, panting softly as Jayce soothingly rubbed his fingers along Viktor's spine, lingering on the spots where the bolts used to be that he'd constantly helped Viktor tighten were now soft tissue; a soft cry escaped Jayce's lips at this realization.
"You have nothing to apologize for, Jayce," Viktor murmured against the other's lips. Jayce sucked in a breath and nodded, wiping stray tears from Viktor's cheek with his thumb. Jayce shifted and placed his head into Viktor's chest, cuddling into the soft shirt as Viktor hugged him close, running a hand tenderly through Jayce's silky hair. They were silent, holding each other as Jayce's cries turned into small hiccups. Rio jumped on the bed and padded over towards Jayce with a concerned look, sniffing his ear and meowing, causing him to laugh, flinching away as her whiskers tickled against his skin. Viktor couldn't help but chuckle and reached out his fingers to give her some soft pets on her head.
"I'm okay now, Rio. It's okay," Jayce said sweetly, turning his head slightly towards her and reaching out to give her a reassuring pet. She soon plopped down next to Jayce, her back touching his legs, cleaned her chest, and shifted closer to him as Jayce got comfortable, ensuring she was touching him. With two forms of comforting touch, the remnants of Jayce's breakdown were slight sniffles as Viktor ran his fingers through his hair, gently undoing tiny knots. Rio rested her head on Jayce's leg like a pillow, making Viktor smile at the adorable scene.
"Why didn't we get a cat for our lab?" Jayce broke the silence, mumbling into Viktor's chest. Viktor furrowed his eyes in confusion, trying to formulate a response. There were many reasons why that was a terrible idea: dangerous experiments, random explosions going off from both men's projects, and long hours of them being stuck in the lab living off coffee. With Jayce's scatterbrained tendencies, they would never get anything done if a living creature pranced around the lab.
"Jayce, sweetheart," Viktor started as the other man looked up with soft eyes. "I want you to think really hard with that lovely brain of yours on why that is a terrible idea." Jayce looked slightly defeated and softly groaned.
"You can't just humor me a little, V?" Jayce pleaded playfully, planting a small kiss in the center of Viktor's chest. "I think Rio might enjoy it. Run around somewhere new and charming investors with her adorable little face and fluffy tail."
"You are not taking my cat out of this building, or I will have you sleeping on the floor, " Viktor interrupted, his voice hardened yet playful. Jayce chuckled, sliding up to meet Viktor's lips with a chaste kiss.
"Understood. The cat stays in the house." Viktor hummed in agreement as Jayce slid back to snuggling into his chest. Rio made a little noise as she was jostled, and Jayce gave her a little apology as she got back comfortable.
"Thank you, V," Jayce mumbled into his chest, his warm breath dancing through the fabric. Viktor furrowed his brows and looked down at his partner.
"For what?"
"For letting me back in," Jayce whispered. Viktor's breath caught in his throat. His chest swelled with warmth and adoration for this man. Jayce heard Viktor's heart pounding, which was still odd. After everything, Jayce still was so forgiving towards others, towards him. Viktor took in a breath and settled into his pillow.
"Thank you for not leaving me," Viktor responded softly, feeling the timber of Jayce's hummed response vibrates through his chest. They lay there in comfortable silence, listening to each other's breathing and the gentle storm outside. Viktor woke up in the middle of the night when Jayce pulled into his chest, his back pressed against him. Rio had made her way up near the top of the bed, resting her head on Jayce's pillow, a paw stretched out, touching Viktor's arm. Viktor sighed through his nose and drifted back to sleep, holding Jayce close and savoring the familiar warmth; he listened to Jayce's calming breaths as the man slept, allowing the rise and fall of his chest and back, glad to have not lost his partner and best friend. They'd have enough to talk about once they were well-rested tomorrow morning.
Viktor slept heavily that night, barely emerging from a deep sleep when Jayce moved during the night to sleep on his stomach and an arm draped over Viktor's stomach. He sighed, not wanting to get up as soft morning light streamed through the room. He blinked the sleep from his eyes and looked over at Jayce; his face was turned towards him, his face peaceful as a deep sigh escaped his parted lips. It took some restraint from the Zaunite not to trace his fingers over the thick muscles, and he didn't want to wake up Jayce just yet. This man could sleep through a train running through a room, but he'd always wake up in a flash if it were Viktor's slight touch or voice. It was endearing in a way. Viktor looked at the clock on his nightstand, a simple black one with red digital numbers.
8:27 AM.
Viktor could not remember the last time he slept in this late or early since this was usually when most normal people got up to start their days. At this time, he'd usually be passed out in the lab, ending his long days of research, painfully hunched over his workstation or desk. He looked up at the ceiling as the black fan spun lazily, feeling his eyes closing. Maybe he could get a bit more sleep before they had to get to work. He tried to stifle a yawn.
The lab is closed. Don't you remember? Viktor's subconscious reminded him. It was strange having memories that belonged to him but were also not his own. His brain could not fully process this phenomenon, having it being an entirely abstract thing humans aren't yet meant to understand. He should probably not think too much about it. Just let this new life they were given settle in. Viktor sighed and closed his eyes, trying to shut his brain off and listening to the man beside him. A tiny questioning meow was heard; Rio jumped up on the bed, sensing that one of them was awake. She meowed again, looking at Viktor, almost telling him, "It's time to get up! Why are we still in bed?". He smiled softly and watched her make her way up the bed and onto Jayce's back, causing him to groan.
"Ugh, Wha-…Hello?" Jayce slurred awake, opening his eyes and raising his head a little. Rio tried to keep her balance with a look of annoyance, her mismatched ears darting back as her standing spot moved. His hair was messy, sticking up in places.
"Well, good morning to you too, Jayce." Viktor softly laughed, petting Rio on the head. Jayce mumbled a groggy 'good morning' and turned his attention to the furry beast on his back.
"Do you mind? I'm not a stepping stone!" Jayce scolded her lightly and turned over slowly so Rio could jump off him and to the floor with a soft thud. Jayce looked at Viktor and smiled lazily. "Hey, there." He caressed Viktor's cheek with the back of his hand.
"How are you feeling?" Viktor asked, studying the other man's face. Jayce nodded.
"Better. There's still a lot to process, but I feel good. At least the room isn't moving." Viktor nodded and huffed in agreement. Jayce started to get up from the bed, rolling his shoulders and stretching, making a soft groan; Viktor couldn't help but trail his eyes hungrily to the exposed tan skin of Jayce's stomach flashing, a happy trail dipping under his pants. He looked away before Jayce could notice a slight blush creeping on his cheeks.
"I'll feed the beast and make us some coffee," Jayce said, kissing Viktor's forehead. Jayce got out of bed and slowly walked over to the doorway, Rio impatiently meowed in another room.
"Hmm, coffee sounds wonderful. I think I will take a shower." Viktor sighed and sat in bed. A shower sounded heavenly for Viktor's stiff joints.
"That sounds good, partner. Um, yell if you need anything, okay?" Jayce lingered in the doorway with a soft look, his hand on the doorframe. Viktor waved him off with an annoyed groan, reaching for his cane.
"Feed the beast, Jayce. Don't worry about me."
The shower felt heavenly on Viktor's skin as the hot water loosened the last bit of tension in his back. It was a walk-in shower, nicer than the one he had at his old place. There was a little folding seat, and a handrail fixed in the shower, which was no doubt for Viktor to make it a comfortable shower with independence. He was careful with washing around his right hip, making sure the water wasn't hitting that side directly. He used some body wash that smelled like rose and a matching shampoo, thankful there wasn't anything strongly scented for his first day being human again. At some point, Jayce knocked and walked in to brush his teeth, wrangling an excited Rio out of the bathroom soon after. After cleaning himself, he stood under the hot water to enjoy the sensation more before turning off the water.
He dried his body off and picked up a separate towel for his hair. As he dried his hair with a soft white towel, Viktor limped over to look at himself in the mirror. Viktor was not vain in any sense but curious about his appearance in this universe. His body wasn't showing signs of advanced sickness due to the Grey. He looked actually…normal. His eyes were the same golden honey color, heavy eye bags were missing, and there were no signs of the permanent red markings from his back brace that chaffed his skin. The only scars on his torso he could see were the two crescent-shaped marks on his chest that looked cleaner and more precise than his alternate version's. The medical professions here clearly had steadier hands and better tools. Viktor laughed to himself softly at that as he lightly traced over the faint pink lines. His eyes flickered to a large bruise on his right side that covered his hip and leg with a look of confusion. He touched it tentatively, looking through the mirror as he did, and flinched as a sharp wave of pain shot through his nerves. There was a small knot on his thigh, but nothing felt broken. A sudden crack of light filled Viktor's vision as a rush of memories filled in, leaving him hunched over the sink, gasping for breath.
There was an explosion in the lab. They were calibrating some machine with a…rune…crystal? There is too much noise filling his ears. The scene was utter chaos. Blue light strobed through its container window as the metal rings whirled. Jayce is yelling about something, calculations are not adding up, and energy levels are rising faster than usual. Viktor was…across the room from Jayce…no, that wasn't right…he was beside him, looking at the screen as this weird contraption of metal rings continued to spin wildly behind what seemed to be a substantial barrier, a cylindrical-like room made of thick concrete, steel, and several inches of glass.
"This must be another anomaly! We haven't seen it do this in three years! It's sending some frequency into the shards!" Jayce exclaimed, sounding both excited and terrified. Viktor was at a loss for words, watching the thing spinning and hearing the mechanical spinning of metal and energy cracking with each oscillation. "These readings are extraordinary!"
"How much energy is it producing?" Viktor shouted back. This was exciting. They may have proved their theory right about generating small wormholes for faster travel to show that these strange waves of energy spikes were something entirely new to science, but there was something wrong; Viktor could sense it. There was an odd crack of energy that Viktor could taste in the back of his throat. The several feet of concrete, steel, and glass should shield them from anything leaking out of that room. "Something's wrong." He stated in a hushed tone that Jayce picked up amidst the noise. There was just the slightest wobble of the metal rings as the glowing energy source glitched slightly to the right and left. Viktor's stomach dropped. "Jayce, we need to shut it off! The rings are unstable!" Jayce looked at the contraption, noticing the slight wobble, and quickly went to another computer to input something that would turn off the machine. Viktor ran as quickly as he could with his cane to an emergency switch that would evacuate the wing.
A flash of blue filled the room, and the energy knocked both men back as the core inside burst with a metallic ring. Viktor landed on his right side hard as he was tossed across the room. A blast of pure energy sliced through him, lighting every nerve ending for a split second. A spiderweb of crackling energy expanded out and seemed to stop mid-action as Viktor saw the core violating ping-ponging against the last remaining metal rings and crumping into itself in mere seconds as the sounds of high whistles, cracks, and rumbles of some unknown reaction came from the core as it collapsed in on itself—the sound hauntingly reminiscing inhuman screams. As the energy was pulled back in reverse, the force of gravity ripped Viktor a few inches towards it, and pieces of broken wall, books, papers, and other small equipment rushed towards the core, stopped by layers of concrete and ballistic glass. Viktor's cane was one of the objects that rammed into the concrete and clattered to the ground. The light and core were gone in the blink of an eye, leaving behind the rings to fall heavily to the ground with a teeth-shattering thud felt through the floor. Viktor couldn't hear anything from the ringing in his ears from the blast, coughing as the breath was knocked out of him. His body felt like it was buzzing with electricity. The heavy smell of ozone and something entirely metal filled the room. Bright flashes of light filled his brain as he barely processed people helping him up. Talking, footsteps, and alarms going off were muddled as he could only think about finding Jayce. He vaguely saw the shape of Jayce in a similar state, disoriented but alive. The next thing he remembers is getting home after they were checked over to leave the infirmary…The lab was closed for a few days…
Viktor gasped as he returned out of that memory, shaking. What happened? Was that us or…the other version of us? How did they have one of the crystals? A pounding headache was forming behind his eyes as he groaned. A soft knock at the door made him jump.
"V, are you okay?" Jayce's voice echoed and snapped back into a normal rhythm. Viktor shook his head, trying to steady himself. Tears welled in their eyes as the pain dulled behind his eyes.
"I-I'm fine, Jayce. I'll be out in a minute…" He said, hoping the shake in his voice wouldn't be heard. The room started spinning again as he gripped harder onto the vanity. He shut his eyes and took a few breaths as the sound of cracking energy and the whirl of the metal rings echoed in his head. He looked at the mirror briefly, seeing in horror as his vision started darkening at the edges, his face splitting and crackling with energy, and his hearing filled with the hum of the Arcane. A bedlam of whispers and screams filled his ears as he watched everything glitching around him. He must not have heard Jayce asking him something because the next thing he knew, Jayce was catching him before his legs gave out, strong arms holding his naked body up, careful not to grab his bruised side too hard.
"I got you. It's okay," Jayce whispered and held Viktor close to his chest, keeping Viktor steady on his good leg as he closed his eyes, gasping for breath and shaking. Viktor rested his head on Jayce's chest and waited for the spinning and his stomach to stop churning. He heard Jayce's comforting voice as he slowly tried to calm down. Viktor took in a shaky breath as everything quieted down in his mind.
"I'm fine." Viktor swallowed, blinking his eyes as the room was a bit more bearable to look at. "I just…had a memory? Vision? I don't know what it was, but there was something that happened. An explosion of a…gate we were creating." Viktor pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to formulate some words that made sense. Jayce was rubbing his back, listening. "I don't know; it was confusing; we were both in a lab with…something of the arcane. Trying to activate it like that first time we broke into Heimerdinger's lab…I don't know, Jayce." Viktor sighed and rested his head on Jayce's shoulder. "Something went wrong, and it disappeared after the explosion." He whispered, shaking his head and trying to understand all of this. Jayce was silent for a moment, thinking as he held Viktor. He could almost feel the concentration on Jayce's face as the man continued rubbing his back.
"Well," he sighed after a pause, "at least I know why I feel like hell and had that awful memory before bed last night." He nervously chuckled. Viktor scoffed and looked at Jayce's face.
"Why didn't you tell me about that?" Viktor mumbled, anger rising as he gripped Jayce's shirt. Jayce looked ashamed, shoulders dropping and avoiding eye contact like a scolded child.
"I didn't understand what it was, honestly, Viktor. I thought it was maybe some…flashback." He trailed off, not wanting to continue that last thought as his eyes went distant. Viktor began to speak but was interrupted.
"There are some of our journals in the bedroom, I think. Maybe reading those will spark some memories back of what happened." Jayce smiled, snapping back from wherever he went. Viktor nodded; he'd asked Jayce about last night some other time when he was ready. Maybe he has different pieces that can help. He doesn't want to push Jayce since this man is not the best with…negative emotions. For a split second before he turned around when he left him in that lab, he remembered the look Jayce had almost shattered him. Viktor shook the memory away and took in a breath as he pulled away a little, blushing immediately, remembering he was still naked.
"Um, Jayce? Can you, uh, let me get dressed?" Viktor stammered softly. Jayce took a second to come to his senses and turned bright red, his eyes widening. He looked away to avoid looking at Viktor, clearly embarrassed.
"Yeah! Sure! Shit, I'm sorry. Let me, um...I didn't look at you, V. I promise. I just…" He placed Viktor's hands awkwardly on the vanity, avoiding eye contact and turning around quickly.
"I-I'll get our coffee started." Jayce rushed as he promptly left the room and closed the door,
mumbling a few 'I'm sorry' every few seconds before Viktor could even get a word out. Viktor shook his head at his partner's graceless departure and began to get dressed. He truly is glad to have that man back.