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Viktor would be lying if he said he wasn't surprised by Jayce's proposed notion to put an end to the intensifying feud between the Undercity and Piltover.
Jayce had struck a deal with Silco to give Zaun its independence? When did this happen? Not that Viktor was opposed to the idea...he just hadn't expected anything like this to come about so soon.
Some of the other councilors, however, made their opposition greatly known, shouting across the room and yelling over each other to display their displeasure. Something in Viktor's gut twisted, anger and disappointment swirling through his stomach as he watched the scene unfold. These—dare he say—corrupted and selfish officials were desperate to keep their power over his people, and it made him sick with righteous fury.
Deeper than that, though, the whole situation—the constant arguing and physical fighting throughout the years—just made him feel...exhausted, down to his very core.
However, some of that bone-deep weariness could have also resulted from...other means. The grip on his crutch tightened as his eyes slid to the glove on his right hand. Even though he meticulously covered the Hexcore-affected flesh of his hand and leg, Viktor couldn't help but feel like they stuck out like a sore thumb.
Attempting to distract himself from the trepidation of his own choices (and block out the ridiculous nonsense that the city officials were screaming to high heaven), his gaze shifted over to examine Jayce's current state.
The other man's posture was tense, rigid and unyielding, as he stared down the metaphorical monsters roaring in his face. His expression was kept carefully neutral, but Viktor could still just make out the snarl that was trying to curl his lip and furrow his brows. Jayce's frame methodically expanded and deflated with even, measured breaths, seemingly drawing up as much patience as he could muster.
It was only because Viktor was studying him so closely that he noticed Jayce's eyes shift ever so slightly before flashing with a new emotion. Fear. What had caused him to become so alarmed—?
"Get down!" Jayce bellowed, and suddenly time seemed to slow down to a crawl as the next set of events happened in the blink of an eye.
The first thing that Viktor registered was a sharp glint through one of the windows of the council room.
The window broke into tiny shards as whatever was heading for them easily bullied its way through.
A bomb.
The next thing he noticed was Jayce. The other man dove to the side—wait, no.
Jayce dove towards him.
Their eyes met for a split second, fear and adrenaline and mind-numbing dread zipping between them as Jayce reached out to him, mouth only just forming the first syllable of his name.
"Vik—"
The last thing that Viktor comprehended was the blazing warmth that filled the room and the earsplitting shockwave that rapidly followed.
Sensation came back to Viktor in waves.
First was touch. The back of his head stung something fierce, accompanied by a sharp pounding that kept in time with his heartbeat. A harsh, flat surface was under his back, which certainly wasn't doing him any favors. Other than that, it was slightly more difficult to tell what else was out of the norm, seeing as he became relatively accustomed to most aches and pains in his body.
Taste and smell came back near-simultaneously. Dust and ash filled his nostrils and coated his tongue, making it almost impossible to distinguish anything else. Eventually, he became aware of the sharp scent of iron in the air: blood.
His hearing returned to him next in a very gradual process. Nothing was intelligible at first as the ringing in his ears was all-encompassing, drowning everything out with its piercing resonance. As it began to fade, he could finally make out incoherent cries of pain and panicked curses.
What happened...?
He was able to start piecing everything together as he finally opened his eyes.
It took him a second to blink away the haze that clouded his vision, willing it to focus so he could take in his surroundings. With his head currently turned to the side, the first thing he took note of was the wall of debris that blocked him from seeing most of the council room. Once he focused his gaze through some of the gaps, he was able to make out the form of Enforcers as they scrambled about, trying to free the councilors from the rubble.
It was at this moment that his memory snapped back into place.
The proposition, the arguing, the bomb, Jayce hurtling towards him—
Viktor snapped his head around—not a very smart move on his part, as his skull flared with pain and nauseating vertigo washed over him—to search for the other man. He was able to locate the Piltovian in an instant, because he was right above Viktor.
"J-Jayce—" he croaked, pausing to cough to clear his airway some. He swallowed, attempting to alleviate his parched throat, and tried again. "Jayce. Jayce! Wake up!"
Reaching up with his hands—the metal one still miraculously covered by his glove—he cupped Jayce's cheeks and lifted the other's head up slightly so he could better see his face.
His features were slack in his unconsciousness; Viktor would say he almost appeared to be peacefully dozing if it weren't for their current situation. Various cuts and scratches littered Jayce's skin, but Viktor's attention was quickly drawn to the decent-size gash that was steadily oozing blood along his temple.
Trembling in fear of what he would find, Viktor let some of his ungloved fingers rest against Jayce's neck, anxiously searching for a pulse. When he found one—weak and fluttering but there—he let himself feel some semblance of relief.
Viktor caressed the man's skin as he continued to call out to him. His gentle touches quickly turned to hastily pawing at the younger as his endeavors to rouse him became more desperate. "Jayce, please! Please, wake up!"
Silence, until finally, finally, he was rewarded with a low moan and a twitching of eyebrows.
Viktor let out a warbly cry as hazel-gold eyes gradually opened to meet his own watery ones. He lightened his touches so that he could cup Jayce's face again, thumbs swiping over soot-covered skin as he stammered out a quivering, "There you are... There you are... Still here, you're still here..."
"Vik..tor...?" Jayce rasped, bleary eyes not quite able to hold any clarity in them yet.
"Yes," he responded hoping he displayed more composure than what he actually felt. He tenderly brushed some of Jayce's mussed up hair out of his eyes as he rambled on, slightly frantic, "Yes, I'm here. I'm here, Jayce. You're okay. We're okay."
Viktor wasn't sure if Jayce fully registered the reassurances he was spewing, dazed as he was.
He couldn't help but continue his caresses over Jayce's cheeks as he watched him become more coherent over time. He waited as the other man gradually blinked awareness back into his eyes, almost as if it were a herculean effort. Viktor chose not to think about the list of potential injuries that could be inciting such a response.
His thoughts must have wandered at some point because a gentle touch to his cheek brought him back to the present.
"Vik...you okay?" Jayce asked, brow pinching in concern as his thumb wiped at something under his eye. It was only then that Viktor realized his hard-fought battle against tears had been lost, falling like gentle rain down his skin.
"Ah, ye-yes, I'm fine," he rushed to appease Jayce's worry, bringing up his gloved hand to brush away the stubborn tears. "Just...just shocked, is all. Or—or maybe relieved? I can't tell right now, just...shit, Jayce."
Jayce merely hummed, still in the process of overcoming his grogginess. He finally began to take in their surroundings, inquiring, "What...happened?"
Viktor tried not to let the spike of unease fall into the forefront of his mind at the Piltovian not remembering the...rather explosive series of events that led them to this predicament.
Instead, he calmly (and somewhat shakily) explained, "We're in the council room. A, uh...a bomb flew through the window and detonated. I'm not...I'm not sure how much damage has been inflicted. You and I are barricaded from much of it, at the moment."
Realization was slow to dawn on Jayce's expression, but once it did, he nodded a little. "Right...right, okay. We need to see if we can find a way out—gah-ah, fuck!"
"Jayce?!" Viktor gasped, startled by the other's loud cry of agony. "What is it? What's wro—"
His heart sunk as his frantic gaze turned downwards.
Viktor inwardly cursed himself for being too preoccupied earlier to notice the exact position that he and Jayce were in. Viktor's legs were trapped by a decent chunk of concrete, presumably broken off from one of the columns. Jayce's lower body rested on said debris, and a larger, more intact column was at his back, caging him in place.
None of that, however, was the reason for his current frozen, wide-eyed stare.
No, it was the piece of steel rebar that was speared through Jayce's gut.
Viktor sucked in shuddering breaths, unable to remove his gaze from the horrific sight. Blood soaked the other man's abdomen, turning his pristine white clothes into a rich, dark red. It morbidly reminded him of a bug being pinned to a science fair project, fragile and helpless and dead.
The macabre thought was what finally caused him to turn his head to the side and retch.
"Viktor?" Jayce breathed, quivering.
Cotton filled Viktor's ears, muffling everything around him as he emptied what little contents were in his stomach. His vision blurred around the edges as he gasped for air, feeling like his lungs were retaining too little and too much at the same time. His heart thump-thump-thumped in his chest as adrenaline raced through his veins.
"Oh my god...oh my god, no...no, no, no, no, Jayce, oh my god," Viktor babbled as panic fully overrode all rational thought, chilling him to the bone.
No, no, no!
This wasn't supposed to happen.
It was supposed to be him.
He was the one that was dying; he accepted that fact long ago.
Not Jayce, never Jayce!
This—this can't be happening, no, not Jayce, don't take him, please don't take him—
"Viktor, please," Jayce's voice broke through the jumbled fog of his mind, choking up slightly as he got caught between his own panic and desperation to stay calm. His hand clasped Viktor's shoulder in a tight hold, grounding both of them to the moment. "Please, I can't...I need you..."
Viktor swallowed roughly, compelling himself to breathe evenly and calm down, damnit.
He eventually turned his head to meet Jayce's eyes again, alive and bright and scared. He nodded marginally, "Right, I...sorry, I'm sorry. Shit, okay. Don't move, okay?"
The Piltovian exhaled a rueful chuckle, "I-I don't think I could even if I tried, Vik, for-uh...obvious reasons."
Viktor would've lightly hit Jayce over the head in reprimand in any other situation. However, as it was, he was too afraid to cause the other anymore pain, and he couldn't blame Jayce for resorting to humor to cope with everything. Nonetheless, he still rolled his eyes a little as he retorted, "And here I thought you were going to start doing cartwheels."
Viktor's lips twisted upwards in a small smile as Jayce let out a more genuine laugh, but it was swiftly wiped off his expression as the younger hissed in pain.
"Agh, fuck," he bit through clenched teeth, inhaling sharply through his nose to center himself. "I don't...suppose you've got—hah, shit...an elaborate plan in that brain of yours, do you?"
"I, uh..." Viktor murmured oh so eloquently, eyes roaming once more to assess the debris that encased them. His gaze skirted across the rebar puncturing through Jayce's abdomen despite his earlier visceral reaction, causing queasiness to creep up on him again. He rapidly averted his eyes and swallowed thickly, answering, "We should—we should see if we can get someone's attention. There's not much else we can do right now, unfortunately."
Jayce sighed, trembling ever so slightly as he allowed his eyes to slip shut briefly. "Yeah, I guess...that's a fair assessment."
With Jayce no longer focusing his scrutiny on him, Viktor carefully analyzed the other's wellbeing.
Jayce looked decidedly...ashen. Because of the slow yet continuous blood loss, his typical tanned complexion grew alarmingly paler with each passing minute. The gash on his temple had thankfully ceased its sluggish bleeding, but the same could not quite be said for his more pressing injury. His entire body had also begun to shake almost imperceptibly; whether it was from exhaustion or terror, Viktor couldn't tell.
However, there was one thing he was certain of: Jayce needed medical assistance, immediately.
Viktor tilted his head towards the wall of debris blockading them and began to shout for aid, hoping he was loud enough to draw attention. At one point he had to stop and cough, his frail lungs unused to such strain. Luckily, it wasn't long before he received an answer.
"Viktor?" a voice called back, its owner peaking through one of the gaps in the rubble before gasping at the horrendous sight he and Jayce no doubt made. "Oh my..."
"Councilor Medarda," Viktor rasped, pausing to clear his throat before continuing, "I'm afraid we require some assistance...and first aid."
The councilwoman didn't hesitate to bark out orders to a few Enforcers, directing them to the precarious task of removing the debris. Once she was certain they were carrying out her order carefully and dutifully, she turned back to Viktor, giving him a minuscule apologetic look as she informed, "We have to go about removing this wall slowly. We don't want to cause a secondary collapse. How is Jayce?"
Said man huffed out a long groan at the same time that Viktor replied, "Could be better..."
He didn't have to see Councilor Medarda's expression to know that she was frowning, but Viktor chose to put the matter of assuaging her concerns to the side for now as he returned his concentration to Jayce.
"Hear that, Jayce? We'll be out soon," he reassured, daring to let a small amount of hope drip into his tone. "Just hang on a little longer, okay?"
"Hah...easier said...than done, Viktor," Jayce breathed, attempting to put on a small smile. It only served to severely twist the knife in Viktor's heart.
"Hey, no quitter talk," Viktor urged, remaining firm despite the distressed clench in his chest. "What kind of partner approaches their task with that kind of attitude, hm? Certainly not my partner."
He received a wider, more genuine smile for his efforts. A small, humorous twinkle lit up Jayce's eyes as he teased between shaky breaths, "Of course...not y-yours, but...perhaps mine does..."
Viktor rolled his eyes with a huff, exaggerating the expression to provoke another smile from the other. He then chuckled slightly himself, glad to have relieved even just a little of the atmospheric tension.
The lighthearted moment between them was short-lived as Jayce's face suddenly took on an impressively green shade. He swallowed reflexively, warning, "Vik, I-I'm gonna—"
"Okay, it's okay, go ahead," Viktor rushed out, doing his best to angle his upper body away from the impending mess, seeing as his legs were still pinned.
To be honest, the retches that wracked Jayce's body were more like weak, wet coughs rather than the typical productive heaves of someone throwing up. It didn't make it any less harrowing to witness, though; if anything, it was worse, because Jayce's bile was dark red.
Blood.
Jayce was throwing up blood.
Viktor's mind swirled with new possible injuries that he dared not allow himself to think into existence earlier. Only a severe internal injury could incite this reaction. Did the rebar puncture his stomach? His intestines? A lung?
Before his thoughts could spiral any further, a feeble whimper shook him from his trance of impending doom. He honed back in on Jayce and quickly glanced him over with a calculating eye. Though the other man's coughs were relatively weak, his body still jolted slightly with each movement, and his hands pathetically grasped at the wound in his abdomen.
No, that wouldn't do.
Viktor swiftly leaned up to close the distance between their bodies despite his spine's aching protest. He did what he could to support as much of Jayce's weight as possible, aiming to stabilize him so that his sporadic movements wouldn't aggravate the already life-threatening injury further.
He positioned Jayce's head so that it was over his shoulder and unobstructed, disregarding any blood that managed to get on his clothes. Viktor placed his hands gently but firmly on Jayce's sides to help keep him steady, and his heart squeezed at the cheap imitation of a hug.
"I've got you, it's okay," he whispered in Jayce's ear, desperately fighting back tears because Jayce needed him to be strong and level-headed right now. "I'm here..."
After another minute that felt too much like a century had passed, Jayce finally stopped convulsing, though his frame persisted in its shaking. His form slumped against Viktor's, rapid pants ghosting over his ear as a small string of bloodied bile dripped onto Viktor's shoulder.
"V-V, I—...'m dizzy...'n c-cold..." Jayce mumbled through chattering teeth.
Shit, shit, shit, Jayce was going into shock—
"Councilor Medarda!" Viktor shouted, carefully covering the Piltovian's ears so he wouldn't be startled by his booming voice. "We need a medical team now!"
"We're almost through, hold on!" she answered. "Viktor, what's happening?! Viktor!"
He couldn't bring himself to answer her as he uncovered Jayce's ears in favor of wrapping his arms around his torso again. He couldn't stop his tears from spilling even if he tried.
"You stay right here, Jayce Talis. Don't you dare even think about leaving," Viktor whispered hotly, tears scorching like magma as they carved ravines down his cheeks. "Don't leave. Otherwise, I'll—I'll find a way to use Hextech to drag you back here myself. Hell, I'll invite your mother to drag you back with me, just...just stay, Jayce."
The other man merely let out a shaky grumble. His head rested heavily on Viktor's shoulder now, too exhausted to bear any of his own weight. He slightly nuzzled into Viktor's neck as he slurred, "Mmm...M-Mama...tell 'er...love 'er..."
Viktor shook his head lightly. "No, you tell her yourself. You hear me? She needs to hear it from you, preferably when you're better, okay?"
He wasn't sure if Jayce actually heard him, but he took the other's long-suffering sigh as begrudging agreement. Viktor breathed a sigh as well, blinking away the wetness that blurred his vision as he nestled his face further into Jayce's shoulder.
"V..."
"Hm? Hm, what is it, Jayce?" Viktor rumbled softly, unconsciously latching onto the man's each and every word.
"...love you..."
...
Viktor was temporarily stunned into silence. Did...did he hear that correctly?
He felt lightheaded as a sob tore itself from his throat.
"F-fuck," Viktor unintelligently wept as his grip on Jayce tightened. "I swear, Jay-Jayce, if that is the—the last thing y-you say to me... You c-can't leave—me. You can't leave me."
Viktor swallowed the next cry that threatened to escape his lips in order to get something more important out.
"I lov—"
He had pulled back to endearingly cup the other's face again and meet his eyes as he returned his confession.
But he was met with a slack expression and slightly blue-tinged lips.
Viktor's eyes fluttered in surprise and disbelief.
...Just like that?
From one blink to the next, like a whisper in the wind?
No.
No, no, he refused to accept it.
He refused.
"No, no, n—uh, J-Jayce! Jayce!"
Sweat and tears cut rivers into his face like daggers as his begs and pleas fell on deaf ears.
His surroundings transformed into a fuzzy kaleidoscope of moving shapes and distant voices as he struggled to catch his breath. One moment he was still stuck under his partner, and the next he was being dragged to the side by an Enforcer as he was freed.
He knelt on all fours and dry heaved before promptly losing consciousness.
The hand that clutched the notebook to his chest tightened, knuckles whitening as a familiar apprehensiveness churned in his gut.
Viktor released a weary sigh before continuing his journey down the bland and too bright hallway, sterile disinfectant flooding his nose. The rubber tap of the end of his cane-turned-crutch resounded in his ears as he disregarded the hustle and bustle of nurses gracefully making their rounds. Before he knew it, he had arrived at his destination.
He stared at the door in front of him, heart skipping a beat as a glimmer of hope slithered into his chest despite knowing that most likely nothing had changed since his last visit.
His eyes slid to the paper name plate that was taped to the little board next to the door, feeling like he might burn a hole through it with how intense his gaze became.
Talis, J.
Tucking his notebook under his arm and gulping quietly, he finally outstretched his hand and settled it on the door knob. One breath turned into two, two turned into three, before he eventually found the courage to push open the door.
The hope that festered in his heart dissipated as he was met with the same scene that had been haunting him for over a week now.
Jayce laid unmoving on the hospital bed.
His usual hulking form somehow appeared small and fragile in his current state. Various tubes and wires connected him to different machinery, making him look not unlike some of their rudimentary Hextech experiments (Viktor winced at the mental imagery). Bandages and casts littered his body like a mummified corpse (but not him, not Jayce, he's still here); the most prominent were the bandages around his head and abdomen, and the thick cast on his left leg.
The soft, rhythmic beeps of the heart monitor put Viktor's mind at ease, his own heart almost syncing with Jayce's as he reminded himself that Jayce was still here, it's okay, he's alive—
"Viktor, dear," a gentle voice greeted, interrupting his thoughts before they could take a downward spiral. He shifted his gaze to lock eyes with the dark brown ones of Ximena Talis. She stood from her chair and gestured to him. "Please, come in."
Viktor let the door fall shut behind him as he fully stepped into the room, surreptitiously checking that his metal hand and leg were covered. Ximena met him halfway with open arms, pulling him into a warm hug that he quickly relaxed into.
This had become somewhat of a routine for them over the past week as they silently agreed to trade off visiting hours. Neither of them wanted Jayce to wake up alone, after all.
"Good evening, Mrs. Talis," Viktor greeted in turn, wrapping one arm around her to return the hug before they let go. "How are you fairing today?"
She let out an affectionate scoff as she answered, "How many times do I have to tell you to call me Ximena? And I'm alright, Viktor; not much has changed since we last spoke this morning. What about you, dear? I trust that you have gotten some food and rest, like I requested..."
Viktor tried to hide his sheepish grin as he slyly tucked his notebook closer to his side. Ximena, of course, noticed the aborted movement. She lifted a skeptical eyebrow, preparing to reprimand him, but he was quick to reassure her.
"I have taken breaks for both food and sleep, do not fret," he chuckled nervously. She didn't need to know that he could barely keep any food down or stay asleep for more than thirty minutes without having a nightmare.
"Hmm..." Ximena simply uttered, gaze still speculative.
Hoping to shift the topic off of himself, Viktor cleared his throat before glancing pointedly to the side, asking, "Have there been any developments?"
Her body deflated ever so slightly as she turned towards her son.
"Nothing to make note of," she sighed as she carefully brushed a lock of hair off of Jayce's forehead. "The doctors said it is just a matter of waiting. The most important thing that his body needs right now is rest," her gaze flicked back to Viktor, "as do you."
Viktor could only sputter nonsense as he hunched in on himself, ears reddening.
Ximena rested a hand on his shoulder, successfully silencing him. She spoke to him imploringly, "I know you are...eager...in your scientific endeavors and research, but please, do not forget to allow yourself to heal as well. You were in that explosion, too, after all. Jayce would not want you to run yourself ragged like this."
He couldn't help the small flinch that contorted his features, but he was quick to conceal it behind a forced smile. "Of course, Mrs. Talis—ah, X-Ximena."
She hummed in approval, giving his shoulder a light squeeze before smoothly gathering her belongings. "I will be a little late in coming back tomorrow. I have some errands to run in the morning, so expect my return closer to lunch."
Viktor acknowledged her with a nod, politely opening the door for her as she turned to leave, bidding her a farewell, "I shall see you tomorrow, then. Have a good night."
"And you, Viktor. See you tomorrow," she replied with a pleasant smile, elegantly making her exit.
The door clicked shut behind him, and he was left alone with his thoughts once more.
The beep, beep, beep of the heart rate monitor filled the silence in the room. Any other time, Viktor would have found it distracting and annoying, but right now...he found comfort in its steady rhythm.
He hobbled forward a few steps until he was at Jayce's bedside, setting the notebook down on the edge of the bed so that he could gently, carefully, grasp the other's hand in his own pale one. His thumb tenderly traced patterns on Jayce's skin, hoping that—deep down—his partner could feel his presence.
"Your mother is a force to be reckoned with," he quipped lightly, attempting to alleviate the thick atmosphere, even if it was only for himself. "She would probably have me strapped down to a bed to get me to sleep and eat if she could have her way... I can see where you get your passionate affection from."
No response.
Not that he expected one, anyway.
He gave Jayce's hand a small pat before reluctantly pulling away.
Viktor heaved an exhausted exhale as he settled into the chair that Ximena previously inhabited, leaning his cane against the wall next to him. He absentmindedly fussed with his glove, inwardly scoffing at himself for being so self-conscious about the altered skin underneath once he noticed what he was doing.
"I tried to go back to our lab again today, but...I just couldn't bring myself to do it," he chattered to the room. "I'm afraid of what I might do...of what I might become, if I get too close to the Hexcore."
He smoothed out the glove one more time before reaching forward to retrieve his leather-bound book, giving himself something different to fiddle with. He leisurely flipped to a page full of anatomical sketches of a leg and various structural designs for a brace.
When Ximena had informed him that (according to the surgeons) Jayce's left leg was nearly shattered in several places and would presumably need support for the foreseeable future...well, Viktor's brain was suddenly bombarded by ideas and the innate need to help find a solution.
His fingers unconsciously outlined the drawings in the notebook as he continued to speak aloud.
"Councilor Medarda also happened to track me down today. She told me to give you her regards...and apologize for not being able to visit you. It seems she has much damage control to deal with after...well, you know. She...also, eh..."
He hesitated, rubbing the back of his neck as his ears flushed with embarrassment.
"She told me she happened to hear our...exchange...before we were pulled from the rubble. Oddly enough, she appeared to be at peace with it... Sorry, I-I'm not sure what exactly that means for the two of you, and I certainly didn't mean to come between the both of you, but—agh..."
He huffed an exasperated sigh, scrubbing his face before giving Jayce's form another quick passing glance.
Still silent.
Viktor leaned back into the chair, tilting his head up as he sorted through his cluttered mind.
After a few contemplative minutes, he whispered to the air above him, "I do love you, you know. And maybe it is selfish of me to do so with...everything that is going on. Your relationship, the rising political tensions, my...my poor constitution. But...for once in my life, I...I want to be selfish. I want to selfishly have you, even if it is only for a little while."
"Then have me..."
Viktor nearly jumped out of his skin, choking on his next words as he snapped his head to the side in search of the croak that answered him.
Tired, hazel-gold eyes stared back at him.
Viktor stared with his mouth ajar, too shocked to move or make a sound.
More silence.
And then—
"Did I make...you malfunction...?"
Soft and teasing, like he didn't just make Viktor sick with worry for over a week and then scare the shit out of him to announce his presence.
It was the best thing he ever felt.
Viktor sprung out of his seat, almost toppling over in his haste to reach Jayce's side. His hands flapped in front of him, unsure of what to do with his sudden giddy energy, until he settled for giving the other man's uninjured shoulder a light slap.
"You—you idiot, self-sacrificing bastard! What were you thinking, jumping in front of me like that?! You nearly got yourself killed, and for what?! For—for me? An already dying man? I—fuck that, Jayce. You—that cannot happen again, do you hear me?"
Viktor's voice gradually became quieter and more hoarse as his throat constricted against barely contained sobs. His hands clenched into tight fists at his side as the maelstrom of emotions inside him manifested themselves as the wetness on his lashes. Among those feelings, the strongest of them all was complete and utter relief.
Even though his back gave a slight twinge in protest, he sat on the edge of the hospital bed and leant over Jayce.
Mindful of the jumble of medical equipment, he desperately connected his forehead to the other man's in a physical display of affection that he has neither given nor received in years since his departure from Zaun, resulting in his tears finally overflowing. Jayce silently responded to his sentiments by carefully lifting a hand to cradle the back of Viktor's neck, tenderly kneading the skin of his nape.
They breathed together through the overpowering emotions as Viktor's unbidden tears dripped from his skin onto Jayce's.
"It's okay... I'm here, V," Jayce whispered. He gently tugged on Viktor's neck as he pressed a delicate kiss along the corner of his mouth, right over his beauty mark.
Viktor emitted an affectionate chuckle as he jested, "Maybe your concussion is worse than I thought. You missed..."
"Guess I'll have to prove you wrong, then," Jayce laughed quietly as a playful smirk spread across his lips, eyes twinkling with mischief. Unable to contain himself any longer, Viktor swiftly closed the distance between them.
The kiss was by no means a stereotypical "perfect" first kiss. Jayce's lips were rough and chapped from their disuse; his stubble that had grown over the past week scratched Viktor's skin; Viktor's tears made their lips taste salty. But it was still every bit as fulfilling as Viktor hoped it would be, as if a piece that he never realized was missing had finally slotted into place.
Viktor allowed himself to fall deeper and deeper into the kiss, completely enraptured by the sweet and loving nature that was so inherently Jayce. He did his best to reciprocate the feeling tenfold, wanting—needing—Jayce to know just how deeply he had engraved himself into Viktor's heart.
Their actions slowly transformed from a soft entanglement of lips to something more hungry with barely restrained desire. They had just begun to gently explore each other with tentative swipes of tongue when Jayce had to break away with a wince, hissing as he did so.
"Ah, sorry..." he apologized with a pinched expression, always quick to shoulder the blame.
Viktor shook his head lightly, rebutting, "Nothing to be sorry for, mé srdce. If anyone needs to apologize, it should be me. I, ah, got a little carried away. You should be resting."
Jayce lifted an eyebrow as he rasped out, "That's a new nickname. What does it mean?"
The skin of Viktor's cheeks heated ever so slightly. He quickly brushed away the leftover tears on his face as he stammered, "I'll, uh, tell you some other time. Let me, eh, fetch a nurse for you."
Airy laughter followed Viktor as he retrieved his crutch and shuffled to the door, poking his head out to catch a passing nurse to inform her that Jayce was awake. If she happened to notice that his eyes were a little redder around the edges than usual, she was kind enough not to say so.
It was well into the night by the time the doctors and nurses finished their routine checkups on Jayce. At the moment, his hospital bed was marginally raised so that he could comfortably chew on the ice chips that Viktor carefully spooned into his mouth.
"I could probably do this myself, you know," Jayce joked, voice no longer the husky croak it was before as his throat was soothed by the melting ice.
"Oh hush, and open up," Viktor bantered back from his resumed seat on the edge of the bed. He held out another spoonful of ice, and the other was quick to accept.
A content silence blanketed the room as they continued this tranquil exchange for a few minutes. Eventually, however, Jayce was the first to gingerly break it.
He calmly caught Viktor's wrist as he moved to feed Jayce more ice. Jayce earnestly sought Viktor's eyes, only uttering his thoughts aloud when Viktor held his gaze. "I hope you know that I can't apologize for doing what I did. Because, if given the chance, I'd do it all over again."
Viktor released a weary sigh as he placed the spoonful of ice back into the cup and set it on the tray beside the bed. His voice had an air of resignation to it as he replied, "I know, but I still wish you wouldn't have had to."
A low, understanding rumble sounded from Jayce's throat.
His fingers delicately danced their way up from Viktor's wrist to his gloved hand. He toyed with the fabric for a second before he innocently inquired, "I noticed this new addition to your wardrobe, but I never thought to ask about it until now... Is everything alright, Vik?"
All the muscles in Viktor's body tensed at the genuine query. He knew that he wouldn't be able to hide his latest condition from his partner for long, but his first instinct was to freeze as he realized they would have to discuss it now.
Jayce seemed to catch on to his sudden apprehension as he attempted to backpedal, "You don't have to tell me any—"
"No, it's okay," Viktor promptly reassured, snapping himself out of his anxiousness. "It is...something we need to address anyway...rather urgently."
He could tell that his words did not exactly comfort Jayce, but the other was willing to patiently wait for Viktor to start the conversation on his own terms.
He gulped as he retrieved his hand from Jayce's grasp, tiny trembles dancing along his hands as he tugged at the cloth. The glove slipped off with ease, revealing the intricate mesh of sinewy muscle and dark violet metal beneath.
He heard Jayce suck in a sharp inhale.
Viktor grew increasingly nervous—and therefore, more loose-lipped—as he began to ramble, "This is why I had you swear to me that you would destroy the Hexcore. It—it is ravenous, Jayce. It whispers sweet promises of healing and biological evolution, but it is only hungry for power and blood. It did this to my hand and my leg. I cannot eradicate it myself. I can't—I am unable to resist its pull whenever I am near it so I cannot help but give it more of myself and—"
"Hey," Jayce interceded, sitting up slightly as he carefully pulled him into a hug, resulting in a surprised grunt from Viktor. He wrapped one arm around Viktor's back, leaving one hand to tenderly grasp Viktor's metal one between them. "It's okay, Vik."
"E-eh, Jayce, you should lie back down before you pop a stitch—"
"Nope. In a minute," Jayce countered, giving him a light squeeze. "Listen, we'll rework Hextech; maybe find a different power source. Find a different way to help people. To cure you."
Viktor sighed despondently, nuzzling into the other man's shoulder for comfort as he murmured, "It killed Sky, Jayce. I...I killed Sky."
"Oh, Viktor..." Jayce breathed sullenly. He pulled back from the embrace to cup Viktor's cheek and meet his eyes beseechingly, still grasping onto Viktor's hand with his own. "I need you to listen to me when I say this: it's not your fault. I know I wasn't there when it happened, but I know for a fact that you would not have done anything malicious to anyone of your own free will. It's not your fault, and I will tell you that for as long as you need me to."
He lifted Viktor's metal appendage up to his lips to place a loving peck on it before resting their hands back in his lap, intertwining their fingers. Viktor's heart quaked at the gesture.
"And no matter what form you take," Jayce continued, determined yet warm, "I will always love you."
It was Jayce that leaned forward this time to connect their lips, gentle and reverent in his endeavors. The tension fled from Viktor's form as he relaxed into the kiss, trading a few more pecks with the other until they pulled away again.
"I love you, too," Viktor gasped devotedly, reaching up with his flesh hand to caress his partner's stubbled cheek. Jayce leaned into it unabashedly, turning to place a chaste kiss onto the palm.
Viktor's heart surged again. He kept his hand there for a few more seconds until he felt like his chest would burst. He let his hand fall to Jayce's shoulder, cautiously nudging it as he ordered, "Now lay back down before I call a nurse to come restrain you to the bed."
The Piltovian rolled his eyes and let out a sarcastic, "Ha ha," but followed the command nonetheless. Viktor hummed his appreciation, metal hand tightening around Jayce's one last time before sliding out of his grasp. As he replaced his glove onto his appendage, he gingerly rose from the bed to instead take his place in the chair beside it, scooting it just a little bit closer until he was satisfied.
He then picked up a pencil and his notebook, silently flipping it open again to the sketches of various leg brace designs. Improving some of the designs would be a good way to pass the time while the other slept—
"What're you working on there, V?" Jayce piped up, leaning over slightly to the side to try to peer into the book.
Viktor huffed lightly, but he couldn't hold back the fond twitch of his lips at his partner's curiosity. "The doctors said that your leg will need support for a while once the cast is removed, so I have been trying to enhance some of my older brace schematics to fit your requirements."
"Oooh, does this mean we can have matching braces now?" Jayce joked, though Viktor could tell there was a hint of genuine enthusiasm in his tone.
"Perhaps," Viktor teased back with a slight raise of his eyebrow. "Now rest, Jayce."
"Can we include some House Talis embellishments on it?"
"Jayce."
"Alright, alright," Jayce laughed, settling back down into the bed. His tone came out a little more sincere as he uttered, "You get some rest, too. Okay, Vik?"
Viktor's gaze softened as his eyes met Jayce's drowsy, half-lidded ones.
With Jayce safely by his side, maybe a good night's sleep was actually in the cards for him tonight.
"Okay, mé srdce."
...
...
"...You still need to tell me what that means."
"Sleep."