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Chapter Text

Jayce is feeling antsy. 

He's currently in the forge, trying his best to flatten a piece of metal even further than it already has and it's not yielding. He grows frustrated at the sight, taking it off from the slab of metal and sticking it back in the fire. After, he pumps the forge, alighting it with new air and making it burn hotter. He sweats from the heat, the burn settling nicely in his lungs, the smoke coursing through his veins. But it's fleeting, a small burst of relief in a dam of building emotions. Jayce tries to relax, pulling out the metal once more and hammering into it to get it to flatten. 

It doesn't work. 

At this, Jayce strikes the piece of metal hard, hitting it on a weird angle and causing it to fly off in front of him, hitting one of the pipes that thankfully only bends instead of bursting. Had it burst, the gas inside it would have taken down the whole forge, as well as that side of the academy, and him along with it. 

Jayce sighs, cooling down the forge and closing it down. He looks for the piece of metal he had flinged across the room and finds it already cooled, lying underneath a table. It seemed that his frustrated hit had struck whatever wasn't yielding in the metal, because it now seemed perfectly even and perfectly flat. 

Still, it was at the cost of the forge having to be closed whilst he put up a cautionary sign. He'd have to call up the construction team to fix the pipe before he tries using the forge again, and even though he could fix it himself, he knows he doesn't really have time for that. 

His rut is coming soon. 

It's like clockwork, every 6 months, every July and December, yada yada. He thinks of that sentence every time he realises his rut is near, despite the fact that he rarely ever tracks it. Before, he used to track it using his calendar, writing down the week where he'll be gone (truthfully, he didn't need a week, but it was always good to rest after a rut or a heat), and making sure to plan things around it. Now, he just knows he has two tell-tale signs. 

The first being the feeling of frustration, being antsy and irritated at the smallest of things. 

He tried turning the key to lock the door, but it wouldn't turn. He jiggles it, pulls the door handle, tries lifting the door slightly, even opens and closes the door a few times, but still, nothing works. 

“Have you tried turning the key the other way?” Viktor asks, shuffling closer towards him.

Jayce sighs. He turns the key the other way. The door locks. 

Jayce looks behind himself to Viktor, and takes a sharp breath. He's always thought Viktor is pretty, but now he can't help but think of how beautiful Viktor looks, dressed in Talis house colours, walking around with the cane he made, and with a scarf around his neck, so thick it covers half his face and leaves his golden eyes striking at everything they touch, including Jayce. He's awestruck, the feeling of want and need and stupidity hitting him all at once and he has to look away from Viktor's piercing gaze before he does something he regrets- 

“Do you… have the last piece we needed?” Viktor asks nonchalantly, as if he's not aware of the effect his voice has on Jayce. Of which he isn't. 

Jayce's second symptom is his increased need for Viktor. 

He's always loved taking care of Viktor, despite the fact that Viktor rarely allows him to do that, but right before his rut, he needs to touch Viktor, to feed him and protect him and cover him in everything that's his so that everyone else knows to not go near him. Jayce has been fighting off these needs for two years now, and every time his rut comes around and Viktor shuffles closer to him, he swears he will fold in literal seconds.

He doesn't. 

“What?” He asks, completely forgetting what Viktor had said. 

“The last metal piece for our prototype? You said you were forging it, weren't you? Or what did you go there to do?” Viktor leans near the wall now, his hand resting easily on his cane. 

Jayce looks to hand the bag that has at least three pieces, of which two of them were only nearly perfect, and finds that he neither has the pieces in his hands nor the bag in his arms. Or his own personal bag. He groans, turning around and inserting the key into the door. He turns it, but it doesn't budge. 

“Have you tried-” 

“I was about to, Viktor!” He huffs impatiently, turning the key to the other side and hearing the click of the lock. He pushes open the door, running in to grab the two bags then running out the door again. He closes the door, reaching for the key before realising he walked in with the key, left it on the desk to grab the bags, and walked out without the key. 

“Viktor, do me a favour.” He asks, putting his head on the door. 

“Yes, Jayce. What do you need?” Viktor walks over to him, standing beside him on the wall. 

“Inside the forge is a hammer, grab it and slam it on my head.” 

Viktor chuckles, pushing Jayce out of the way and opening the door. He grabs the key, sauntering out as he jingles and twirls the key in his hand, closing the door and locking it in one swift motion. He throws a smug smile towards Jayce, who huffs at it but keeps the look locked up in the back of his brain. Viktor motions for them to start walking back, and Jayce falls in step with him. 

“I'm guessing your rut is starting, then?” Viktor breaks the silence first, humming softly when Jayce doesn't respond immediately. 

“How ever could you tell, dearest Viktor?” Jayce rolls his eyes, the sarcasm dropping off each syllable as he turns the corner. Viktor snickers, closing his mouth with his hand as he speeds up. Jayce watches him for a second before following closely behind. 

When they get to the lab, both Jayce and Viktor head straight to their calendar. 

“Looks like it's in two days.” Viktor says, marking off the current day with a pen. Usually they do that at the end of the day. 

“Yup.” Jayce sighs, trying his best not to breathe in the smell of Viktor. 

Jayce is a Prime Alpha, and Viktor is a Prime Omega. The two didn't realise they were Primes until three months in, when Jayce witnessed Viktor order an alpha to stop touching him in a bar and the alpha could not do anything but obey. The look of shock on the poor alpha was practically mirrored on Jayce's own face. Including how they were both incredibly turned on by it. 

Jayce has never seen Viktor do it again, but ever since it piqued his curiosity he's been, well, interested, in it. 

Obsessed. He's obsessed. 

Not that he'll ever tell Viktor, he'd rather die, resurrect to dig his own grave, then die a second time than tell Viktor that he's attracted to him and wants to mate him and make him all his- 

“Anyway, I think this piece here is perfect for our prototype.” Viktor is examining the last piece Jayce had made and his chest swells with pride. He suddenly feels that the forge having to be fixed was worth the praise that fell out of Viktor's mouth, and he all but beams at it. Viktor snorts when he sees it. 

“Alright, good job Jayce. If you smile any wider and shake with excitement from praise any longer you'll grow puppy ears and a tail.” 

Jayce thinks that maybe he should die and reincarnate as a dog, just so he is praised by Viktor for longer. 

“Although I'm not really a fan of dogs…” Viktor mumbles to himself, before whipping his head back to Jayce's sad face. 

“Jayce, I'm not saying that I'm not a fan of- why am I even trying to console you, you're not a dog!! Get your head in the game, we have barely 48 hours left of work with you here.” Viktor turns back to his work, but Jayce slowly goes back to his desk, picking at the blueprints in front of him and feeling antsy again. 

Viktor sighs, standing up with his cane and walking over to Jayce with a new set of blueprints. 

“Do you think you could merge these two designs together? I specifically want the first design but with some aspects of the second design as modification.” He eyes Jayce, watching as he slowly brings himself back to the table from his chair. 

Jayce nods, taking the blueprint from his hands slowly, each action needing to be thought about intensely so he doesn't go insane from the scent of Viktor being so close to him. 

His restraint all but almost snaps when Viktor puts a hand in his hair, petting his head slightly. 

“Thank you, Jayce. I appreciate your presence.” With that, he walks back to his own desk, sitting down carefully and preparing to start putting the newly forged metal on their prototype machine. 

Jayce all but beams at the compliment, diving into his work, as if it would get him any closer to Viktor. 

--- 

As Jayce and Viktor close up for the night (well, early morning), Jayce somehow convinces Viktor to stop by an open-late diner. They sit down at the table to discuss what will happen in a couple of days. 

“I'll be gone from the 15th to the 22nd, come back the 23rd for a meeting with Heimer and Mel, and then retreat for Christmas until the 27th.” Viktor only hums as Jayce talks, pulling out a notebook to write in the notes. 

“That's not good. My heat will start on the 20th so I'll be gone for a week too. By the 27th I should be back. We'll be gone for almost a month. A month of no work.” Viktor sighs, removing his glasses and setting them down on the table. 

“Vik… this is the third year we've done this. We'll be fine. We need the time off anyways.” Jayce smiles as a waitress comes up to take their orders. He orders a ham, cheese and tomato sandwich and watches as Viktor winces at the sound of the tomatoes. He chuckles, ordering a ham and cheese sandwich instead, two teas for the both of them, and a cheesecake to share. 

“Yes but this time, the Distinguished Innovators Competition will be held in February!! That's too close!! Our prototype is still not done yet-” 

“We're more than half way done, Vik.” 

“-and!! We still need to actually test and prove our theory.” 

Jayce hums at this part, looking out to the window. He sees the first sign of snow falling softly, not enough to cover the road but enough to show that Christmas is already approaching. Normally he would be fine with this- snow always comes around the time he should be inside with many people around and his mother around, so he rarely even gets panic attacks anymore, but this time around they have places to be. Like the ocean. That contains the plants they need. For their prototype. 

He hopes it’s not enough to freeze it over. 

“The competition is at the end of February. By half of January, the snow will be completely gone and it'll be sunny again. We'll test and retest all the way until the competition comes along. That gives us one and a half months. We'll be fine.” Jayce smiles politely as the waitress drops off their food, picking up his tea and drinking it. 

It isn't lost on him what's happening to the two of them. During their first year, their cycles weren't even remotely close. Viktor, being a Prime Omega, only has four cycles a year. In the first year, his last cycle was in August. The following year it was in October. Now it's in December? 

They're syncing. 

This isn't necessarily a bad thing- when an alpha and omega spend this much time around each other, letting their pheromones sit and mix and marry, their bodies will start to react to the change too- usually that of the omegas. They start to sync cycles, as if the bodies are preparing for them to be mated when they finally fully sync. During this day and age, it's actually quite a blessing to sync with someone you work closely with- now you're both out on the same week and can come back and not waste time or effort alone. 

But of course, separately. 

Jayce decides to shake off the thoughts that start to slip into his mind. Of Viktor, in his room, with another alpha that isn't him, moaning under his breath for a knot that isn't his- 

“Jayce. Your pheromones.” Viktor hisses, looking at the waitress who had backed away slowly from Jayce. Jayce realised she was an alpha, and worse yet, he'd acted protective of Viktor despite her not even saying anything to him. 

He eases his pheromones, slipping apologies and comfort into it and she approaches them again. She drops off the cheesecake, and Jayce apologises. She shakes her head, laughing it off. 

“I understand how hard it is when you're with your mate outside. You just want to protect them, you know?” She winks at him and Jayce blushes hard. 

“He's not my mate.” Viktor deadpans, taking a bite out of the second half of his sandwich. 

“Oh- wait, what? But you two are always together…” 

“Yes, but we're not mates.” He repeats, drinking his tea slowly. Jayce knows that it's not truly hot enough to have Viktor sipping it that carefully. 

“But- your scents are all mixed in- and just now, your cycles are-” 

“Are what?” Viktor challenges now, setting the cup down. 

Jayce chuckles, holding Viktor's hand softly. 

“I'm sorry miss. We're lab partners, we do practically everything together because we're always working. That's why we're here at 2am instead of in our own comfy homes.” He winks at her and she relaxes. 

“Workaholics indeed. You two are always here at ungodly hours.” She responds, smiling back at him. 

“Yes, well, one of us, won't name who, refuses to leave the lab unless I bribe him with the tea from here. He loves it.” 

Viktor rolls his eyes, but doesn't let go of Jayce's hand. The waitress chuckles. 

“I'll get you another serving then, on the house!” She walks off, starting to prepare two more cups of tea. 

“I don't like her tea.” Viktor shrugs, taking back his hand and taking another long sip. 

“About as much as you don't like dogs?” Jayce asks, amusement lacing his words. 

“Exactly.” Viktor says back, gulping down the rest of the tea before the waitress came back with another serving. 

After they had their late dinner, they walked back to their apartments. Jayce walked past his, deciding to walk Viktor to his own apartment first before going back home. Viktor only raises an eyebrow at the decision, but doesn't say anything else. They part at the front of his apartment building, and Jayce jogs down to his own. 

--- 

Jayce groggily walks back into the lab a little after 8am, two coffees in hand and his bag slung lazily over his shoulders. He felt too antsy and anxious to sleep, and when he did finally sleep, it was only for an hour before his alarm rang and he bolted out of his apartment. Viktor chuckles at Jayce drudging in, waiting for him to drop the coffee by his table. 

“Pre-rut treating you well?” He pokes fun at Jayce, who, at this point could not register jokes, and simply sits back down at his chair and stares into the air. 

Don't think about Viktor. Don't think about Viktor. Don't think about Viktor. Don't- 

Viktor walks into his field of vision. 

Fuck. 

“Did you end up finishing the blueprint from yesterday?” 

“Fuck. No, I was almost done though. Let me get started on it now.” 

Viktor hums, nodding. 

“After that, you should go home. Prepare.” Viktor says decisively, and Jayce doesn't argue. 

After about five hours of working and redoing certain parts of the blueprint an incredibly numerous amount of times (four), Viktor is finally satisfied with the results. Jayce smiles, but it doesn't truly reach his eyes. He's tired, in a way that reaches deep into his bones and seeps into them lead. He knows that if he sleeps, whenever he wakes up next he'll have started his rut.

It's during his tired stage that he's also incredibly clingy, but he's still somewhat aware that him and Viktor aren't mates. So instead of hugging him and holding him close like his body is screaming for him to do, he simply makes sure to be inside his scent at all times, and when Viktor stands up and goes somewhere, he follows to do something close behind him. Viktor already knows this, and no longer minds it as much as he did the first time. 

Unfortunately, this meant that Jayce himself wouldn't go anywhere that Viktor wasn't. Which includes going home. 

“Jayce, today I really can't go with you and drop you off. I have to stay to finish this part. We don't have that much time.” Viktor looks back at the machine. 

He was currently working on the microscope, hoping to have it done before the end of the year. It would be powerful enough to see the activity going through their prototype with the cells from the ocean plants. It's too important to leave. 

“That's fine, Vik. I'll just stay here and keep working.” 

Viktor sighs, looking back at the unfinished microscope then back at Jayce. Jayce hopes he chooses him. 

“I really can't, I'm sorry…” Viktor chews on his lip, then stands up and walks to their closet. Jayce follows slowly, his mind sad that Viktor didn't choose him. 

He's not your mate. He's your work partner. He'll choose work before partner, always. 

Still, the sting leaves him agitated, that is, until Viktor comes out of the closet and wraps the same scarf he was wearing the other day around Jayce. 

“Take that with you. Will that help you feel better?” 

Jayce doesn't respond. He can't. Viktor's scent is all around him, encompassing him in a way it never had before. It's like he was smelling it straight from the scent gland, and it sends a signal up to his brain. He smells like freshly baked bread and honey, and it's divine as he inhales deeply. He nods to Viktor, then gets ready to leave. 

He looks behind him as Viktor continues to work. 

“Bye Vik, I'll see you in a week.” His voice comes out muffled by the scarf, but Viktor hears him perfectly. 

“I'll see you in a week, Jayce. Rest up and stay safe.” He looks up to Jayce and smiles softly. 

“I will, bye V.” 

Viktor snorts. 

“Bye J.” 

Jayce closes the door behind him. 

--- 

Jayce gets home quickly, the snow already having stopped before it actually frosts over Piltover. Despite this, he puts the heater on full blast, and starts preparing finalities for his rut. He had gone shopping a week before, having guessed his rut would be soon, and had snacks prepared and food cooked and packed in the freezer so he could easily reheat and eat. He started by rearranging the furniture a bit, moving the sofa so it wouldn't be in his way when walking to and from his room and the living room, moving his bed away from the window (for privacy, he reasons, but the truth is he doesn't want anyone to see him despite living on the fifth floor), pulling down blinders on windows he won't be opening or closing for the week, then texting his closest people that he'll be unavailable for the rest of the week. He sighs as he sits down on the sofa, turning the tv on to something mindless as food reheats in the microwave. 

If he were to be honest, he was feeling incredibly horny. But since his rut hasn't started yet, the fatigue that came with it overpowered his sexual needs, and just sitting on the couch almost had him blinking his eyes slowly and falling asleep. When he hears the microwave beeping, he peels himself off the sofa, dragging his feet towards the open plan kitchen and takes out the food. He eats it there. 

He's avoiding his room. 

Not usually for any reason, but this time, there is. 

Viktor's scarf. 

He left it on his bed, draping it casually there as if he wasn't also fighting the instinct to cover himself up in his scent for the longest time. He had walked out of the room after moving the bed and hadn't walked back in since. 

Eventually, he'll have to go back inside. He doesn't usually spend his rut with someone, which means he'll usually end up sleeping more than actually pouncing on his sexual needs, and to him that was more of a hell than anything else. Sleeping through it is one thing, trying to sleep through it is another when you have your dick rock hard and you keep thinking about the way a certain person says your name under his breath, the way his smile starts with the tiniest curls of his lips before growing wider, the way his fingers- 

Jayce breathes out loud, laughing to himself as he shook the thoughts out of his head. He cannot be having these thoughts again. He needs to let go of these feelings. Dangerous things could happen! What if he starts yearning so hard for Viktor that he creates a makeshift Viktor out of metal and humps his leg? He could put the scarf on him… Jayce laughs at even considering the idea. Still, he convinces himself that it's not worth it- what if his yearning for Viktor ends up destroying everything they've built together for the past 3 years?? 

He swallows a lump in his throat and sighs. He leaves his half eaten food on the kitchen counter, downs two glasses of water, and retreats to his room. He eyes the scarf, taking it into his hands before setting it aside on his desk. Its beautiful soft feel contrasts to the gray and white colour it has, and Jayce finds himself tracing the lazy pattern on it before shuffling into bed. He had removed almost all layers of blankets and left simply the sheets and duvet, but he knew eventually he'll throw the duvet away too. 

He sighs and tries not to think about Viktor. He closes his eyes. 

The next time he opens his eyes, they're thick and heavy. He tries moving around but his body is too sensitive, and he hisses at the sting. Not that it felt bad- it felt too good, as if he was being touched everywhere by someone, and he needed to get the stimulation off of him as much as possible. He stood up, wobbling to the kitchen and drinking three glasses of water. After that, he settles onto the couch, putting on some show as he tries not to pay attention to his bottom area. He somehow falls asleep again, and the next time he wakes up, he's already on his second day. 

When he finally wakes up for the fourth time, he decides he needs to eat, shower, and exercise a bit. He can't do all of that, however, with a raging hard on, so he goes to his room and locks the door (why, he has no idea, no one else would come into his apartment anyway). He stumbles on to his bed and removes his clothes, settling down comfortably on the mattress. 

He breathes in, then reaches down to his cock. He's so hard it hurts to touch, hissing away at the way it burns in his hand, but he knows if he wants to clear his head he needs to clear this first. He gives a few strokes, and soon finds a rhythm. He tries to think of anything that could make him orgasm quicker, and soon, a scenario begins to play in his head. 

He's in his room, an omega on top of him. The omega purrs happily, hands wandering around his body as he takes and takes. He leans down, taking Jayce's lips on his own and only parting to take small breaths and breathe out even smaller moans. Jayce's hands would be at his ass, putting two fingers in at once and moaning at how easily the hole gives in to them. He'd be wet, and Jayce would stretch him out so he could take all of him. 

Jayce starts pumping faster. Something's missing. 

He imagines flipping the omega so that he's on top of him (Jayce flips over too, holding himself up with his elbow), and kissing all over his body. The way his skinny frame would fit perfectly under his hands, the way he would react underneath Jayce's gaze, and he imagines he'd kiss the omega everywhere his moles are, starting from his chest, slowly licking and biting and leaving hickeys along his neck and shoulders. He imagines kissing two moles- one underneath his golden eyes and the other above his lips, hearing his gasps as Jayce finally lines himself up and pushes in, feeling him give way to his cock. 

Jayce moans out loud, this scenario is starting to become too real.

He imagines letting him get accumulated to his size, before brutally fucking into his tiny hole and leaving no room to breathe, going as hard and as fast as he wants, taking and taking and the omega giving and giving everything to him. He knows he'd moan loudly, knows he'd come undone by Jayce setting a fast pace, and he would be so satisfied that he'd turn his head to the side, baring his bare, unmarked neck for him, and suddenly, Jayce is filled with his scent as his teeth ache and he goes in for the bite. Viktor would moan loudly, the scent filling around Jayce and leaving him dizzy, and Jayce would orgasm at the same time as him, bonding him, forever tying himself to the one man that has ever mattered in his entire life. His partner. His mate. His. 

He finally stops when he feels his knot almost swelling, cum all over his hands as he breathes loudly. He can smell Viktor, and he realises suddenly that at some point in time, he had taken the scarf and dived right into it. It already had his sweat on it, and now bits of cum stuck to the ends of the scarf. Heavy feeling of guilt strikes him immediately, but he can't help but notice how that was the hardest he's ever come by himself. He cleans himself off, trying not to think of the fantasy of fucking Viktor, and gets ready to start a clean through. 

After he's exercised (a few quick stretches and pull ups in his spare room), and a long shower that came with another masturbation session in it, he finally walks into the kitchen to heat up his food and make some tea. His head feels much clearer, so he sets up his work and begins the blueprints for the base of their prototype. 

If all goes well, they should be able to genetically modify ocean plant cells to basically help regenerate other living organism cells. These plant cells had been found by Sky, and they had been one of the biggest discoveries the three of them could make. They reproduce underwater by eating away at the dead cells of any living matter around them, and then they go through a chemical and physical change to their bodies to basically replicate whatever cell that had just consumed. Since they are usually in small clumps and groups, that simply meant they could replicate themselves, and keep their colonies growing. 

But what if they could do that to other organisms? They could practically change lives with how this would help regenerate cells of the body, helping people with lack thereof specific cells they could need to function, or scarred muscle or tissue. 

Like Viktor's lungs. 

They had started planning it and then building their machine to test their hypothesis, and then present it at the Distinguished Innovators Competition so they could get funding to continue creating it and expanding it to fully functional. The competition was too important to miss. 

Despite this, Jayce was simply focused on Viktor. He worked for a few hours before he felt his body growing hot and tired. He sighed, knowing that nothing good comes out of trying to work when you're in the thick of a rut, and puts his blueprints away. At least he had worked away at a third of it now, and he was satisfied to be able to have gotten so far. He returns to his room, fresh sheets changed by him earlier, and slides into bed. He decides to sleep instead. 

When he wakes up in the early hours of his fourth day, his body is in pain. He has a terrible head splitting headache, his chest is tight and unable to let him breathe properly, and his stomach has a sharp pain every time he tries to hold in his breath. His movements hurt, and he's even harder than he was before. Again, he decides to go through with it, this time grabbing Viktor's scarf immediately and putting it on his neck. 

It doesn't take long, he reaches down and pushes through the pain of his cold hand on his burning dick and strokes himself slowly at first, but with the scent of Viktor filling the room he picks up speed. This time he doesn't think of anything, simply lets himself breathe in Viktor and pump himself faster. Eventually, he starts to knot, and he orgasms hard again, the cum spreading over Viktor's scarf and slowly going down. He sighs, but he already feels better than he did before, and he puts the scarf away, and goes back to sleep. 

He wakes up another four hours later feeling completely refreshed. He wonders if his rut has already finished, seeing as he already went through the worst of it just a couple of hours before. He washes his sheets and Viktor's scarf, finding himself saddened that it no longer smelled as much like him like it did before, and then starts doing his work. At around 9am he realises that it's already been five hours that he's up, and he hasn't even felt like his rut might come back. He's not due in for another three days for resting (well, technically one day, and then the weekend), but he decides to go in to the lab later in the afternoon if he's still feeling well. 

He finds that he is, his rut never comes back, and he packs up the blueprints he's been working on, takes a couple of scent patches in case he needs them, then walks out the door. 

He glances over his calendar, noting that it's the 19th, but he doesn't pay mind to it. 

When he enters the lab, he is met by a strong smell of bread and honey. He looks around for Viktor, holding his scarf in his hands, and finds him collapsed on the floor. 

“V- Vik? Are you alright??” 

Jayce practically bolts towards him, but stops just before he reaches him. The smell coming from Viktor is intense, rolling out in waves as he breathes heavily. Jayce cautiously walks towards him now, carefully turning him around and holding him upright.

“Vik, I think your heat has started.” He hears Viktor snort, followed by what would be a snarky quip, but he just mumbles the words instead and turns to look at Jayce. 

“...home…” Jayce nods, helping him up onto a chair. He packs up Viktor's things, slinging both bags over his shoulder and goes to Viktor's side.

“Vik, I'm gonna air you some of my pheromones, okay? They should make you a bit more lucid, but I'm not trying to hurt you, I promise.” 

Viktor nods, holding both of Jayce's arms and bracing himself. Jayce releases his pheromones, a strong sense of warning and an underlying sense of alert permeating through them, and Viktor suddenly awakens. He looks up at Jayce, fear in his eyes, before relaxing again. 

“I'm sorry Jayce. I shouldn't be due till tomorrow- I don't know what's happened, I-” 

“Shh it's alright V. You don't have to explain anything. For now, let's get you back home, okay?” Jayce wraps his arm around Viktor's waist and helps him off the chair. 

They both walk towards the elevator, finding someone else already inside, and crowd in next to each other. The alpha watches Viktor quizzically, before turning fully to him. 

“Viktor. Are you…” He starts to speak before shutting up completely. 

Jayce lets out his pheromones to warn him to quiet down, but he lets out too much of them as Viktor grabs onto his shirt in quiet fear. Jayce relaxes, holding onto him and turns around to the other alpha.

“I assure you that we're fine.” 

The other alpha nods immediately, backing down from Jayce and retreating his pheromones. He quickly presses a button to a closer level, then gets off in a hurry. Jayce finally fully relaxes, looking at Viktor as the door closes.

“Vik, I'm going to put scent patches on you. They'll wear off quickly since you're already in heat but they'll buy us time, okay?” He moves to get the patches out, looking at Viktor for permission to touch him before Viktor agrees. He puts four patches on, two on his neck and two on his wrist. But he can still smell the scent coming from him, and wonders if maybe the patches have expired. 

“There's… two more scent glands. Nearest bathroom.” Viktor mumbles, and Jayce understands. 

He drags them both to a bathroom that's usually secluded, inside to the disability accessible bathroom, and sits Viktor down on the toilet. 

“Alright, are they on your thighs?” He tries to keep a level head, but his scent is affecting him harder than it ever did. He starts to wonder if his rut truly had finished. 

Viktor shakes his head, looking down with a blush. 

“My hips… they're on my hips.” 

Jayce flushes harder this time. He's always putting his hands around Viktor's hips- why has Viktor never said anything? He tries not to think too hard on it, nodding silently before taking the patches and working on lifting Viktor's shirt. Eventually, they also work his pants down just enough for his hips to be exposed, and Jayce swears on all the heavens and earth that he's the world's strongest soldier. His hips are red, flushed and throbbing, easily pointing to where his scent glands are, and Jayce does everything in his mind to stop himself from licking them. He counts to a hundred. Then recites the speech Heimerdinger gave at the last ceremony that he wrote, thinking of nights when he'd walk into the bathroom to find his mother already there as a child, thinking of swimming in the cold dark murky water that was the ocean, anything to stop himself from biting them. 

His teeth hurt. 

He quickly stumbles into putting the scent patches on, putting the first one and hearing Viktor moan at the touch. His dick jumps at the sound, and he curses whatever god had put him to the test of his words. Maybe he wasn't that strong. He begs for forgiveness for assuming the title.

When he puts on the other one, Viktor grabs his hair, tightening it before pulling him up. He leans closer to Jayce, and Jayce fights to pull away from the temptation that was Viktor's lips inching closer and closer to him. He stands up, helping Viktor with his clothes, spraying some perfume in the room, before leaving the Academy. 

They walk down the street, Jayce's pheromones warning everyone to look away or walk the other direction that they're coming from. He thanks his parents for having made him a Prime. He doesn't know how he'd get other Alphas to back off otherwise. 

They reach his apartment and Jayce starts the ascend up the stairs, not wanting a repeat of the elevator situation. It's only two flights up, of which he carries Viktor in his arms. Viktor is compliant, rarely saying anything to disagree and simply letting Jayce lead the way. When they finally reach his apartment, Jayce reaches for Viktor's keys, opening the door, then closing it behind him.

He sets Viktor down on his couch. 

He's been in Viktor's apartment many times now, the distinct smell of sweet milk somehow overpowering Viktor's own scent. The small tv and two sofas connected to the open kitchen plan, with one bedroom off to the right and one bathroom in front of it. He looks towards Viktor, who had been staring at him the whole time. 

“Do you need anything else? Food? Water? Change of clothes? Have you prepared?” 

Viktor shakes his head, stopping slowly, then nodding his head. Jayce takes the yes as an answer for his last question, and goes towards Viktor, where both his bags were by his legs. 

“Ok then V, I'll get going. I don't want to stay too long here.” He lies, because every single cell in his body is screaming for him to stay and take and breed his omega. 

Viktor doesn't say anything, only watches Jayce bend over him slightly to reach his bag before grabbing his hair and pulling him into a kiss, even quicker than he did before in the bathroom. It's hot, uncoordinated and rushed, and Jayce finds he might melt into Viktor with how hot his body is running. He kisses back with as much fervour, guiding Viktor to lay down on the sofa without breaking apart. He roams his hands against Viktor, peeling off his clothes one by one as quickly as he could. When his fingers touch skin, he snaps back to reality. 

He cannot be doing this. 

Still, Viktor pulls him, grabbing his hand and putting it on his left tit and moaning loudly at the contact. Jayce almost loses it. He's back at Viktor's mouth, hands playing with Viktor's chest to hear the small breathy moans turn loud with each twist and turn. He loves it, licking into his mouth to taste his tongue and groaning against it. He opens Viktor's legs, letting himself, fully clothed, inside. Viktor still has his pants on, but Jayce decides it's probably safer this way. 

Viktor grinds into Jayce first. The friction causes the both of them to moan out loud, and suddenly neither of them can get enough. Jayce is grinding into him, the spark of flesh underneath his hands and the feeling of his dick against Viktor's separated by clothing getting to his head and clouding his judgement. He's close, he humps him faster, harder, groaning at every little noise that Viktor makes. Viktor grinds back, wrapping his good leg around Jayce for extra fiction, and the sudden free space and movement has Jayce on edge. Jayce puts his hand on Viktor's stomach, lowering slowly down to his waist, watching the way his hand covers the width of his body, and then silently pressing down against Viktor's scent glands. He yelps out, tears starting to prick at the corner of his eyes as he lets out breathy moans. Viktor then grinds harder into Jayce, begging him to do it again, and again, and again, and Jayce can now feel how wet Viktor is against him. 

He's still kissing him when Viktor breaks free of it, tilting his head and presenting his neck.

“Mark me… Jayce… make me yours… Alpha.”  

Jayce tries his hardest to resist the plea that falls out of Viktor's mouth, but as their peaks reach them both at the same time and pushes them over the edge, Jayce heads straight for Viktor's neck, biting down on the scent gland that no longer had a patch, and claiming Viktor. 

He doesn't realise what he's done for the first few seconds, licking off the blood from Viktor's neck, before the cold understanding washes over him. His head is clearer now, and he suddenly feels too afraid to even look at Viktor. So he does what any scared alpha would do- takes his bags, runs out the door, locks it, then bolts to his apartment. 

--- 

Chapter Text

Jayce and Viktor both sit down, one chair separating them, in front of their personal doctor. He had originally been a Talis doctor, but after Viktor collapsed once, he had ended up being assigned to Viktor too. He looked at them like two children who had done something naughty, sighing as he ran his hand through his hair, then took out the two files in front of them. He flips them dramatically, eyeing the way both of them were nervous and slightly rolling his eyes. 

“It seems the two of you have a bond.” He starts, watching their reactions. 

Both of them jump, shocked at the obvious words. 

“What?!” They both say at the same time, as if it's news to both of them. 

“Yes, well, Mr Talis ended up biting you right on your neck scent gland. Because of this, he has bonded you to him.” 

Viktor slumps back down to his chair, shooting Jayce a glare. 

“Because it's a one-way bite, the bond will only be temporary. If you were to bite him back, the bond will become permanent. A temporary bond is fragile, and heightens up emotions during the time period. It'll make the both of you anxious, antsy, clingy, and, moreover, obsessive,” he says, removing his glasses and looking at Viktor, “and possessive.” He then looks towards Jayce, coughing slightly as he continues.

“Try to stay as close to each other as possible to lower these unstable emotions, and soon enough the bite will fade and you'll return to normal.” 

“How long will that take?” Viktor asks, rubbing his neck where Jayce's bite is still too fresh. 

“About 6 to 12 weeks. Usually 6. Rarely 12. Depends on the situation.” 

“What situations are there?” Jayce this time decides to speak. 

“Well, for one, if one has feelings for the other, the bond tends to… well. Stay. A while.” 

Fuck. 

Jayce this time slumps down in his chair, letting the doctor continue. 

“During this time, your bodies will start to react to the bond not being completed. It will initiate a way for the two of you to complete the bond.” He continues, before Viktor interjects. 

“Initiate? Complete? You don't mean…” 

“Yes. The both of you will have a cycle that runs simultaneously, in about four weeks time.” 

They both groan at the sound of another cycle coming to them in only a month. That means another week at the beginning of February without working. Jayce looks at Viktor with worry. This was all his fault, he should never have bitten him. And yet, seeing the bite mark makes him feel… proud.

“This will be the most painful cycle yet, because it won't end even if you knot or get a knot. It will only end after seven days or after the bond is completed.” He picks up both files and gives it to them. 

“But I'll have you know, it'll be less painful if you do it… together.” 

“Together?!” Jayce and Viktor simultaneously say, shocked at what the doctor is proposing. 

If they do it together, the bite will surely be completed. Isn't that the opposite of what he's saying should happen? Jayce runs his hand down his face, trying to think of ways he could create a time machine. 

“Yes. Because the both of you already have a tethered bond, it'll be more painful to go through the cycle alone or with someone else.”

He reckons if he had a source of unlimited power, he probably could build a time machine. The math for it wouldn't be too hard, in fact, it'd be miles easier than whatever it is that the doctor is proposing- 

“I can give you both medicine before the cycle so you're able to stay lucid and control your actions. But it is recommended to do it together, especially for you Mr Viktor. After your last collapse, I'm afraid that you might collapse again from the intensity of this heat.” 

Viktor looks down deep in thought, before nodding, looking at the doctor without bothering to look at Jayce. 

“It'll end in seven days, definitively?” 

“Yes. Seven days is the longest it'll go. Four days if you're lucky.” 

“We'll take the pills.” 

--- 

Jayce and Viktor trudge back into the lab quietly, settling down into their respective seats. They don't say anything to each other. 

Jayce had ended up going back to Viktor's apartment after three days during his heat to see how he was going. He was so distraught with worry he barely slept a wink, but Viktor had seemed worse off. He practically cried at the sight of him, pulling Jayce into the apartment. 

Jayce had separated them (locked Viktor in his room) and spread his pheromones to calm him down. When he was finally calm, Viktor pulled out a bible of all the curse words he'd learned in his life and threw them all at Jayce. Jayce begged for forgiveness, but Viktor hadn't relented. At the end of their conversation (of Viktor yelling at Jayce and Jayce taking it quietly), he had told Jayce to meet with him first thing in the morning on Monday to go to the doctor together and see how to remove it. 

And now, they have been working together in complete silence for two hours. 

It's eating away at Jayce. He feels so guilty about the bite, everytime he looks at Viktor he feels his whole body practically shatter with despair. Viktor's body was practically releasing pheromones that screamed ‘if you touch me I will kill you’, so Jayce made sure to stay away from him. 

Their whole day went like this. 

And soon, Viktor would only work late into the nights and early morning, excusing himself for the rest of the day whilst Jayce worked. Jayce had tried apologising multiple times, but Viktor didn't want to hear it. So Jayce simply took it. 

But it was painful. Aside from the obvious avoidance, it was painful to be away from his omega for such long periods of time. Sometimes it felt like he was going to die, like his heart was being ripped out of his chest everytime he smelled him but couldn't see him, the panic drawing on his bones as he tries to find any sort of indication that Viktor was ever even there at all. 

He got pissed at everyone. He fired off commands the entire week. He yelled at Sky. Fuck, he was so emotional he couldn't even drink tea normally. He would go straight to the lab, hoping Viktor was there, and then throw himself into work, willing his tears to do anything but fall. 

When the weekend finally rolled around, he decided to stay and work. 

Viktor, it seemed, had decided to do the same. 

“Jayce.” He says, opening the door at around 12am. Jayce turns around, surprised to even hear his voice, thinking he might have been hallucinating. 

“What are you doing here, Jayce?” Viktor scowled, keeping his hand on the door. He didn't step in, but he didn't walk out like normal either. 

“I'm working. Decided to stay in for the weekend.” He says, short, clipped, trying his best to not piss him off even more. 

Viktor hums, shuffling his feet at the door. 

“Please stay.” Jayce says, the words coming out more as a plea than an ask. He wonders if he got on his hands and knees, Viktor would finally look at him. 

Viktor hums again, but decides to walk inside, leaving his bags on the wall and changing into his lab coat. He walks around to his desk, settling his crutches down and sitting at his chair. He hums again, looking over the blueprints and turning away from Jayce. 

“We should talk.” He says, back still turned. 

Jayce shoots up, eyes on him as if he'd just been gifted a ticket to heaven. 

Technically… 

Jayce nods, before realising that Viktor can't even see him. 

“Yeah, if you want to.” 

“Want to? You don't?” 

“No, no! I meant. As in, if you're ready. It's- it's up to you.”

“Right, first time you've considered that huh.” 

Jayce's eyes look down, guilt overriding him again. Viktor sighs, turning around. 

“Please don't turn guilty. The scent is so horrid to me, it practically prickles my skin.” 

Jayce shoots up, the sudden attention making him jumpy. And ecstatic. Viktor sighs again, and he figures it's because he's no longer feeling guilty. 

“Jayce, come here. Let's talk.” 

Jayce gets up, walking over to Viktor and sitting on the smaller stool beside him. They both look at the board rather than each other. The board has an equation they both have been trying to solve, a chemical compound that can help the cells acclimate to other organisms not of ocean flora and fauna. They had been communicating solely through that board alone, writing down ideas to try and solve the equation and trying what the other had said. Jayce didn't look at Viktor, afraid that if he does, Viktor will become so angry at him he'll leave again. 

“Vik, I'm-” 

“Don't apologise again.” Viktor cuts him off bluntly, sighing as he rolls the small gear in his hand. Jayce had gifted it to him when they had first decided to become partners. It had both their names on it, one on each side. 

“Did… do you… regret it?” He asks, his voice wavering a bit. 

“Of course I do Vik. You weren't in your right mind, we never discussed it, I was just supposed to take you home then go. I'm so- I didn't realise my rut was still going. I swear I'm not like the others.” 

The other Alphas. The ones that take any opportunity to claim and breed an omega. That give into their selfish desire whenever any omega is going through their heat, the ones that don't have any self control, no morals, no ethics. Just the motive to fuck, like an animal. 

But that's exactly what I'd done, isn't it? 

Jayce sighs as he heard Viktor hesitate. Something he had said didn't sit right with Viktor, his scent indicating that he wasn't pleased with his response. Viktor still stares at the board. 

“Jayce. I'm… sorry too. Truthfully, I was the one who ended up bringing you into me-” 

“What? No Vik you were going through your heat-”

“Yes but I'm a Prime Omega. I should be able to control my thoughts and actions more. I don't- I don't understand why I did that. I brought you in, though. I presented myself. I'm mad you did it, but it's partly my fault, so I don't want you to just take all the blame for it.” 

Viktor breathes in, deciding to spin in his chair to look at Jayce. Jayce holds his breath, finally being allowed to look into Viktor's eyes and realising just how much he missed them. His heart swells with joy with the attention Viktor is giving him, and he almost sighs from relief when he realises Viktor isn't too angry at him. Not enough for them to break apart forever. 

Viktor smiles softly. 

“And besides… I miss you more than I'm mad at you anyways.” 

Jayce stands up immediately, going to hug him but stopping himself short. He looks at Viktor for permission, and Viktor nods, opening his arms as they both close the distance. Jayce chooses to put his head on the other side of the bite mark, and Viktor nuzzles close to his chest. The feeling of being close to Viktor relieves him of any stress of the day, and he finds that he doesn't want to let go. 

Eventually he does, going back to his spot as he sniffles. 

“I'll make it up to you. I promise.” Jayce looks at the board in tears. He hadn't expected forgiveness, he still doesn't accept it, but he'll work hard to fix their relationship. 

“You can start by winning us the Distinguished Innovators Competition.” Viktor says, smiling back at Jayce as he reaches out and pats his head softly. 

Jayce nods, determination filling his heart, and stands up and grabs the chalk. If they can win the competition, Jayce is assured that at the very least, Viktor will stay by his side to finally start building their full sized machine, and be able to heal Viktor once and for all. 

--- 

It's been three hours and neither of them have yet to crack the equation. Viktor groans, hitting his head softly on the board. 

“I had taken your advice into account, but I don't think it's that specific organelle we need to focus on. The plants themselves are only found in ocean reefs, meaning that they can't survive in freshwater, much less on land. I'm thinking- if we can find a way to get them to survive on just oxygen-” Viktor starts, rambling off on his own. 

“-Then solving this equation would be easier, because then the cells would have something to interact with for land mammals. Still, I think we should take a look and see if the cell compound is similar to any other plants. I can't believe these plants don't have much research on them…” Jayce finishes for him, sitting down and waiting for Viktor to turn around. 

Viktor turns slowly, looking him straight into his eyes. 

“How do you always do that?” He asks, a small smile creeping onto his face. 

“Do what?” 

“Finish my sentences. Like you just- know what's in my brain?” He slowly walks towards him, touching Jayce's hair before being satisfied with it and sitting next to him. 

Jayce shrugs. It's always been something that he's good at only with Viktor. Sometimes he feels he's so synced with him, he doesn't even need to say anything for them to agree on something together. Had Viktor just noticed? Jayce smiles at the thought. 

“I suppose I just understand you more than you think.” 

Viktor smiles at that, nodding. 

“Maybe more than you think.” He responds, before standing up again and walking over to his desk. 

“I have already done some preliminary research on plants that could have the same biological structure as the ones we've found. If you want…” 

Jayce stands up, nodding as he joins him. He stands close by, looking over at the files that Viktor had typed up. 

By the time the weekend had finished, they had narrowed down to three plants that were similar to their own, had fully finished the microscope (of which Viktor didn't stop playing around with for hours), and had somehow gone back to their old routine. 

Jayce felt a sense of fulfillment as he walked back to his apartment. 

---

“Right. And if you'd be so kind Ms Young, we do need some seawater, not fresh, just to try around with.” Jayce walked in on Viktor talking to Sky, smiling at her softly before going straight to Viktor's side. He put his hand on Viktor's waist lightly, leaving it there. 

“Sorry I'm late. What's on the agenda today?” He asks, forcing a smile on his face. 

Sky seems to notice, looking between Jayce and Viktor and smiling to herself. She excuses herself, saying she has a meeting to get to, and leaves the two alone. Jayce's hand stays on Viktor's waist, even as he walks off to the board. 

“Soon enough we'll get started on the real thing.” Viktor says, distracted yet intent on getting work done. 

The two of them are inseparable. Jayce doesn't move too far from Viktor, and Viktor drags him everywhere. They work until late night, cracking jokes and enjoying each other's company until Jayce realises how late it is and starts packing up. 

“Ready to go?” He asks, already holding both their bags. 

Viktor is still staring at the equation, writing a line on the chalkboard before taking his cane and walking next to him. They fall into a steady pace with each other, stopping by the small restaurant once more to get tea to go, then walking back to their apartments. 

“Our cycle will be in 3 weeks. We need to start preparing. Your house, or mine?” Viktor says, taking a sip of the tea. 

Jayce almost chokes on his own tea. 

“Uh, mine? It's… bigger.” 

Truthfully, Jayce doesn't want to go through a cycle at Viktor's house. He knows he'll feel too guilty about what happened last time they were in a cycle and there. 

He grabs Viktor's arm and takes him towards the shore instead. They sit by the bench on top of the deck as they talk about their work. Eventually, the conversation slows, and they simply watch the moon glisten against the ocean. 

“I wanted to be a swimmer.” Viktor chuckles at his past wish. “I used to think once I got better, I'd go diving and swimming for as long as I like. I always loved the water. When I was floating in it I felt… weightless. Burdenless.” 

“You're not a burden, Viktor.” Jayce says immediately, moving closer to him.  “You may not be weightless, but that only reinforces that your weight has worth.” Jayce sighs into the words. 

Truthfully, he doesn't believe them. He read the quote in a book once, a title he has long forgotten, but the quote itself always stuck with him. Having weight is having worth. But Jayce has always wanted to soar, to fly high and to never come down to the crushing reality of life.

“As a kid, I would watch the moon a lot. I memorised the stars around it, drew it, and wanted to go up there when I was older.” He continues, smiling. Viktor looks up at him. 

“Why didn't you? You seem smart enough to find a way.” Viktor says, grabbing his cup with both hands. 

“My mother and I were stuck in a snowstorm. Outside. I couldn't do anything, I couldn't even warm her up. But someone saved us that day. He had created this invention that seemed to melt away the snow. He created a path for us and kept us warm too. I decided I wanted to do that. Instead of chasing stars, I wanted to chase people. Find and lead them back.” 

“You've always been devoted to helping others. I see it comes from your childhood.” Viktor muses, relaxing into his chair. Jayce chuckles, looking at Viktor. 

He's breathtaking. His face is bathed in moonlight, the pale skin glistening in it. His eyes seem to glow brighter, the pupils dilated slightly. He was sporting a small soft smile, looking down towards his tea. Jayce couldn't help but trail the lines around his face, the scrunch of his brows, the perfect placement of his moles. His breath hitched when Viktor turned to look at him. 

“I always had this thinking about Pilties and Alphas. My interactions with the two circles didn't exactly ever become positive. But I see now that not everyone is like that. You've shown me that.” Viktor says, holding his stare. 

“Even though I… bit you?” Jayce asks, unable to break the gaze. Viktor looks so beautiful right now. His lips are slightly parted, pink in colour and suddenly Jayce remembers kissing them and licking them and biting them- 

“Yes, well. There's always got to be something up with Alphas, no? Otherwise they become… eh, boring.” He chuckles, flexing his fingers. Jayce leans in slowly. 

“I don't think biting you makes me interesting. You have a very wicked sense of humour.” Jayce says, as he watches Viktor lean closer to him as well. Their breaths are so close, and they start to whisper each word. Jayce prays to be able to keep his eyes only on Viktor's, and Viktor keeps the same. 

“But you like me anyways, no?” 

At that, Jayce blushes and pulls away, sputtering and then dropping his tea. He pouts, watching it all drop into the ocean below them. Viktor laughs out loud, covering his eyes with his hand as he almost doubles over. 

“V… That's not- funny! Stop laughing!! My poor tea, I had like three sips!!” He tries to get Viktor to stop laughing, grabbing his hand from his face, but it only causes him to laugh even more. Eventually, Jayce gives in and laughs along with him. 

“Jayce, pick up the cup and put it in the bin please.” Jayce stands up with a huff, picking the cup and lid and turning around to the nearest bin. As he goes back, he watches Viktor lean against the rail of the deck. He's facing the ocean, and although Jayce can't see his face, he can imagine it in his head. 

Viktor was wearing a long brown coat that he had tied behind him on his back. His pants were tight on him, to make sure the brace stays smugly, and his hair had started to grow out. Jayce watches it flutter in the wind softly as he approaches him from behind, the urge to hug him almost enveloping every sense. Eventually, he fights against it, going to stand next to him. 

“I still want to swim one day.” Viktor says suddenly, looking at the ocean still. 

Jayce gives in to his need and puts a hand on Viktor's arm. He squeezes it, willing Viktor to look at him. 

“You will. I promise.” 

--- 

On the following Thursday, Jayce and Viktor go back to the ocean during the afternoon. 

Viktor fusses with the diving team, telling them about the different plants they wanted and how to safely remove them. The team seem to just shake their heads, reassuring them that it'll be fine, before they are off. 

“Jayce. They said it'll take a couple of hours before they come back up. We're not really needed here, are we?” 

Jayce smiles, shaking his head. 

“You catch on too quickly Vik.” 

“What are we really doing here?” 

Jayce guides Viktor by his back, stumbling right in front of the amusement park. 

“Please don't say-” 

“We're going to the amusement park!!” Jayce finishes, smiling enthusiastically. 

He sees Viktor's eyes physically twitch. 

“And why, pray tell, would I want to do anything like that?” 

Jayce smiles, grabbing Viktor's arm and leading him towards the ticket booth. 

“Because we have time to kill?” 

“You mean time to be continuing work?” 

“Nope! I meant time to have fun!” Jayce buys two unlimited tickets, walking in with Viktor as they watch all the rides. 

Viktor hums, looking at the rollercoaster that twists right above them and hearing the screams of people in it. He looks at Jayce worriedly, and Jayce senses it from his scent alone. 

“Don't worry, we won't go into that specific coaster.” 

“What do you mean, specific?” 

Jayce chuckles, leading Viktor to their first booth. It's a whack a mole booth, and Jayce gets three chances to get something. 

“Your reflexes aren't quick enough, and it's a scam anyways.” Viktor says, watching Jayce fail twice. 

Jayce huffs, preparing this time for his third try. The first mole appears and he whacks it immediately. The second one appears and he is even faster. As the game progresses, Viktor suddenly becomes interested. He's cheering on Jayce to get the highest score possible, and soon enough, Jayce reaches there with a yell. Him and Viktor hug for a brief second, before the booth person asks him what reward he wants. 

“I'll have the giant cat please.” Jayce says, and squeals when he finally receives it. 

“Jayce, we just got here. Where are you going to put that thing?” 

“Ah, so you're alluding to us staying for longer?” Jayce winks at Viktor, and he watches as Viktor pouts but nods softly. 

“Then I guess I better put this in a locker.” 

After finding a locker big enough to fit the giant cat, they walk around the amusement park once more. Jayce has to feed Viktor all the different treats before finishing the rest that he couldn't finish, doing slow rides at a time. 

He finally reaches a ride he wants to try with Viktor. 

“I'm not getting on a giant boat that swings back and forth, Jayce.” 

Jayce pulls him towards the line. 

“Listen, right at the peak moment, right before the boat swings back, I want you to close your eyes. Close your eyes and imagine being somewhere else, anywhere else. Don't think about the amusement park or anything. Then tell me where you imagined after.” Jayce says as they get boarded onto it. 

He sits them right at the end of the boat. Viktor eyes his cane that he leaves behind, grabbing onto the seat in front of him and nodding. 

“What, no seatbelts?” He asks chuckling, but after realising no one was coming towards them, he looked straight at Jayce. 

“Jayce! There's no seatbelts.” 

Jayce chuckles, holding his hand and trying to calm him down. The ride starts, and Viktor holds onto Jayce's hand tighter. It starts slowly, just a short rocking before it begins picking up pace, and soon the swings get higher and higher. He looks towards Viktor, who had his eyes closed the whole time, and he closes his eyes too. 

Soon, he does what he told Viktor to do. He imagines he's somewhere else, flying through the skies using magic, or science, drifting through the clouds with no aim. He's happier there, drowning in sunlight and warmth. He feels Viktor's grip tighten, and suddenly, Viktor is there with him too. 

No, the entire scene changes. He's not flying in the clouds, not anymore. He's standing atop a mountain side, somewhere secluded and surrounded by green grass and flowers, beautiful butterflies and moths, cool wind that blows on him gently. Somewhere that only he and Viktor would know. He would build a house there, for the two of them, and Viktor could garden and plant all his favourite flowers. There would be a lake nearby where they'd go swimming every day, and they'd paint and create small meaningless machines and toys for children. They'd wake up late into the morning and retire late into the evening. No expectations, no reality, just the two of them, tucked away in a corner of the world, floating endlessly for the rest of time. 

When the ride finishes, they both get off of it whilst holding hands. 

“What did you think of?” Jayce asks, and Viktor is quiet next to him. 

“Swimming. And flying. And- it was kind of terrifying though. But the adrenaline rush, the feeling of being in mid air with nothing holding me back-” Viktor sighs, grabbing Jayce's hand tighter. 

“I'm sorry for holding onto your hand.” He says, although he makes no indication to stop holding it. 

“That's fine. I don't mind Vik. I'm glad you got to experience that.” 

Viktor nods, humming happily. 

“I wouldn't mind doing it again. But not right now. Later…” Jayce nods, steering Viktor to an education spot that was tucked away in the amusement park. 

It was filled with all sorts of animals, from horses to cattle to even fish. Viktor scrunched his nose from the smell, but couldn't help but be fascinated by each one. Eventually, Jayce finds what he's looking for. 

“We're here.” He says, and Viktor looks at him quizzically. 

In front of them read ‘Flora and Fauna’, and Jayce pushes through the entrance. Inside was a cold room with multiple pipes with water constantly spraying down on different types of plants. Other animals, such as reptiles and smaller types of fish, were also on display. A tour was being guided, and eventually Jayce and Viktor joined it. Jayce paid no attention to it until he found what he was looking for. 

“Vik, look at this. Isn't this the exact same plant that we're looking for? But it's not submerged in ocean water-” Jayce starts, but is immediately cut off by someone. 

“Ah yes, one of the most beautiful Ocean Reef plants, the Reolina! These babies can't survive in freshwater nor above water, but we found a way to keep them alive!” One of the hosts, a lady who seems to be in her 30s speaks to them. 

“How? We've never seen one grow so healthily above water before.” Viktor asks, looking at the plants upfront. They were in a container, unlike other plants that were free to touch, but they still were not in ocean water. 

“The water we use is a special type of salt water- it keeps them multiplying! And it's safe to digest too! It just means though that we use a LOT of the water, haha! That's why we only have this batch on display! The others are in ocean water. You want to know more about them?” She asks, a spark in her eye almost ready to burst. 

Viktor was about to deny before Jayce nods. 

“Yes, my partner and I really love them when we go snorkelling. He's always telling me to find a way to bring them up here as if I have the magic to do it.” Jayce winks at him, and he sees the small scowl that forms on Viktor's lips. 

The woman practically squeals with delight. 

“I'm SO glad you asked ! Not many people actually know about this plant, I'm happy to see some people care! You see…” 

For the next thirty minutes, Jayce and Viktor pretend to be clueless about the plant and all the research they're doing on it, listening to what the woman had to say about it. In the end, no extra information was given, and she seemed to sense they were looking for more information. 

“You know, I'm not a resident here at Piltover, but I have a friend who is! I can send her some papers and maybe you can meet up to read them? I recently wrote them and they've just been published with new findings!” 

Jayce lights up, nodding enthusiastically. 

“Yes, that would be wonderful! Who will we contact?” 

“Oh she's such a sweet thing, she actually works in the Academy with two ‘crazed scientists’ is what she calls them. Her name is Sky Young, I'm meeting her later today! Who can I say she'll be meeting?” 

Jayce and Viktor stutter at the name, but Jayce quickly recovers. 

“Uhh Viktor. And Jayce Talis.” He gestured to themselves. She nods, writing down the names. 

“Viktor and Jayce Talis. Alright, I hope my research will help you out soon!” She waves them off as they walk away, and the moment they pass by the door out of her sight, they bolt down to the entrance of the education side. 

They go to sit down, breathing heavily from their mini jog, and look at each other in the eye before breaking out into wild laughter. 

“I can't believe-” Viktor starts before laughing again. 

“Sky calls us crazy scientists !!! Doesn't even use our names or anything, just ‘crazed scientists!’” Jayce follows, laughing between every few words. 

Viktor laughs harder, a tear rolling down his face. 

“Did you hear the way she said our names? Viktor and Jayce Talis. There was no pause between them. She must think we're married!” Viktor says, and they both break into another fit of laughter. 

“Let's get Sky something from here to apologise in advance.” Jayce this time decides to stand up, his shoulders still chuckling from the laughing fit. He extends his hand. Viktor takes it. 

He agrees, and they both go near a booth to win Sky a small plush. Eventually, they find a bunny plush, and with one more trip to the boat, they end the amusement park trip there. 

Jayce holds onto the giant cat as he turns the corner with Viktor and into Viktor's apartment. It's not too late into the night, so Viktor invites Jayce inside. Jayce shuffles in awkwardly, removing his shoes and looking at the sofa where he committed his mistake. 

Viktor sighs. 

“Jayce, what did I say about your scent?” He asks, guiding Jayce to sit on the second sofa instead. Jayce apologies softly, settling down the cat and moving to Viktor's legs. 

“What are you doing?” Viktor asks, but doesn't move away from him. Jayce takes it as a win. 

“Just- helping you remove your brace, if that's alright with you?” 

Viktor hums, and Jayce sucks in a breath as he starts with the first buckle. He created the brace a year ago, measured his leg himself and put it on him himself and yet still, he is nervous when touching Viktor. Eventually the brace gives way, and he pulls it off slowly, massaging the pressure points it was at and hearing Viktor hum appreciatively. 

“You're such a good Alpha, hm?” Viktor says, smirking slightly. 

Jayce gulps as he looks up at Viktor from his position, and he finds himself wishing that he could stay there for as long as he wanted to. He keeps his gaze on Viktor for a while before standing up slowly, backing away. 

“I'm sorry if I overstepped.” He gulps down the lump of guilt, trying to cover it up with apologies in his scent instead. 

“Jayce… you've taken my brace off before. I was just making a joke, I'm sorry.” 

They stare at each other quietly, and Jayce hates the rift he has created. He silently curses himself, looking away in shame as he wonders why the hell Viktor still keeps someone as horrible as him around. 

Oh right. The bond. 

His heart pangs with a sharp pain at the thought of it fading. All this extra attention Viktor is giving him now will be gone soon. Viktor is acting like this because of the bond, not because he wants to, and Jayce simply needs to come to terms with that fact. Besides, why would Viktor choose him anyways? After everything he's done to him? After- 

Jayce stops his thoughts as the overpowering scent of honey envelopes him, a strong sense of comfort and warmth easing into his veins, and he looks back up to Viktor standing almost next to him, a small smile on his face. 

“You're spiraling again. I called your name three times now.” Viktor puts a hand on Jayce's arm, before his leg buckles underneath him and he hisses. Jayce catches him swiftly, then carries him up and sets him on the couch fast enough that Viktor doesn't get the opportunity to refuse him. 

Viktor huffs, grabbing his cane and holding it. 

“You've been here before. Make sweet milk.” 

Jayce smiles at the demand, nodding as he heads towards the kitchen. Viktor puts on a show, and Jayce appreciates the silence being filled. He can't afford to be in his thoughts, not right now in Viktor's apartment. His guilt and wallowing will be left in his own home. 

Viktor looks back to him. 

“Jayce, tomorrow I will be out, and there's going to be maintenance happening in the lab, okay? Stay home and rest. Looks like a long weekend.” 

Jayce nods, finishing up making two cups of sweet milk and giving one of them to Viktor. Viktor takes it, taking a sip and humming happily. Jayce smiles, sitting next to Viktor by his legs, and watches the show. Viktor's hand goes to Jayce's head, and he slowly scratches soft circles into his hair quietly. Jayce doesn't stop him, relishing in the feeling of the casual touch, and for a moment he can pretend. Pretend they've both bonded, and this is just another night where they've gone on a date and are now ready for bed but it's still too early. He pretends that when he goes to sleep, he'll wake up to Viktor by his side, and his heart slightly jumps at the thought. 

He stays over at Viktor's for an hour more before he packs. 

“Here. It's still a bit chilly outside.” Viktor gives him his scarf again, and Jayce cringes at it. He loves it, but it has too many memories. Still, it now smells like Viktor again, so he takes it happily and wraps it around himself. 

“I'll get going then.” Jayce says, standing at the entrance. 

“What about your cat plush?” Viktor asks, looking behind him.

“That's yours Viktor. I won it for you.” 

“Jayce…” Viktor smiles softly. “It's got your scent all over it.” 

“So you don't forget me on the long weekend.” He says, smirking. 

“I doubt that could happen. But, thank you. The bond makes it difficult to be away from you, so that will suffice.” He says happily, looking shyly at Jayce. 

“I feel the same way. Thank you for the scarf, again.” 

They both laugh, standing awkwardly as neither want to leave. 

“Shoo Jayce. You'll get to your apartment late. Go now.” Viktor says, and Jayce nods as he walks out, waving goodbye. 

He stops a few steps down before going back to Viktor's apartment and knocking on the door. It's opened immediately. 

He hugs Viktor, breathing in his scent, taking him all in. He's a bit taller since the floor is elevated, but he doesn't mind it. 

“Bye, V.” He whispers it into his hair. 

Viktor returns the hug with just as much strength, somehow trying to pull Jayce into himself even more. He smiles softly, and his scent turns back to warm at the sound of the nickname. 

“Bye, J.” 

Jayce runs back to his apartment. 

---

Chapter Text

Jayce wakes up silently and alone. 

He stands up before any thoughts run to his head, quickly taking a shower and leaving behind any feelings. If he's going to wallow about them the whole day, he may as well do it when he's well cleaned and fed. He walks into his kitchen, making a small breakfast for himself and turning the small television on. He mindlessly eats his toast, forcing any sort of thoughts to be distinguished immediately from his mind. 

But the thoughts always come back stronger. 

He sighs as he stares up at the ceiling, tuning out the sound of the tv and closing his eyes. He tries to think of what his therapist used to say, how to calm down when he feels himself spiraling.

Five things he can touch. 

Five things he can smell.

Five things he can see. 

He finds he doesn't want to do any of it, doesn't want to feel better, and instead lets himself be taken away by the feeling of despair that settles heavy in his bones. 

Jayce thinks that, eventually, he could've courted Viktor. He would have researched on Zaun courting rituals, tried his best to follow them as he presents himself to Viktor. He would've maybe combined them with Piltover's courting rituals, surprised Viktor with his thoughtfulness, and that maybe there was a universe that Viktor would have found it endearing, would have indulged him in it even.

Maybe Viktor would allow himself to be courted by Jayce, and months down the line he would feel comfortable enough to even share his heat with him. And maybe even longer still before they exchange bites. He thinks about how happy he'd be, guilty that he'd probably be happier than Viktor in that moment, fully and wholly belonging to him. 

He sighs as his eyes start welling up with tears, and he squeezes his stomach to will himself not to cry. He's not the one who got marked by some animal; he had no right to cry. Even though Viktor had all but assured him that he had gotten over it and that it was now just a slight inconvenience, Jayce knew better. 

Being marked by someone without their consent is a violation of their body. Even if Piltover laws say otherwise, Jayce knows it well enough himself. 

Jayce shoots open his eyes as he finds he can't breathe. The memories start to flood in, static and blurry but the panic is still there. He's suddenly 15 again, inside the professor's house, trying his best to solve an equation he didn't get taught and wanting nothing but to leave his scrutinising stare.

Okay, maybe now I should listen to my therapist. 

He looks around himself quickly. 

Tv, sofa, table, cup, book. 

He closes his eyes, trying his best to sniff around him. But he's already crying, and his nose feels full, so he moves on to the next one he can think of. 

He touches the rug, soft and fluffy, then the sofa, fuzzy leather, the table, cold glass, his book, the edge of it slightly grazing his thumb. He touches something else, soft and unassuming, something he hadn't noticed, and he opens his eyes to see Viktor's scarf next to him. 

Oh gods, he thinks, feeling his stomach churn, I did that to him. 

He runs straight to the bathroom, vomiting out his breakfast and some more, crying out as he tries to stay still. The panic seeps into him, and he finds he can't stop shaking. He's exhausted, the fatigue wearing down his bones, but it does nothing to stop his stomach from heaving continuously for what felt like hours.

I did that to him. I did that to him. I did that to him. I did that to him.

Jayce doesn't calm down. He hiccups, the sound drawing him out of his trance and his sobs finally break through. He hugs his legs, finding himself in this exact same position multiple times for the same reason. He wishes he could be anywhere else, he wishes he could be anyone else, wishes he could be reborn in a world crueler than this so he doesn't have to deal with the heartache of hurting someone you love. 

And then it hits him; he's in love. It's no longer just a crush, no longer a dream he would have some nights, no longer the fleeting moments of happiness that would filter in whenever the sun hits the small crystals that sit on Viktor's desk right and shine through with rainbows of light. It was something fully fledged, a feeling of it being right, a terrifying, electrifying revelation and yet, something he had always known. As if he was simply returning home, only to find it cold and empty, desolate, alone. 

He broke it.

Viktor can’t know.

He cries again, gagging out the rest of his stomach contents before finally finding energy to simply crawl outside of his bathroom. When he does, he goes back to the living room, lying down on the soft rug and pushing the table out of the way. The tv is too loud, but he can't find the remote, so he simply lets it play. He takes Viktor's scarf, and despite his guilt and remorse and fear, he brings it up to his nose and finds himself slowly relaxing into it. His scent carried a sense of reassurance, and Jayce wondered when Viktor had even seeped that emotion into it, but he's more grateful to him now more than ever. He sighs quietly, holding it tighter onto him, and starts to close his eyes slowly. The sun comes through his windows, bathing him in warmth, and Jayce falls fast asleep before he gets the chance to look for a pillow. 

--- 

When Jayce wakes up again, it's to a knock on his door. The tv was still playing some show, but it was already dark outside. He stands up slowly, unsure whether or not he actually heard a knock or if he was just hallucinating it. Not hearing anything for a couple seconds, he sinks back onto his sofa. He reeks of vomit and tears, and he decides that eventually he'll have to shower. He stands up, taking Viktor's scarf with him when the front door suddenly unlocks. 

He watches as Viktor opens the door in a panic, before his eyes relax and close the door behind him. 

“Jayce. I've been knocking for the past five minutes. Are you alright? I was starting to worry.” He says, removing his shoes before slowly walking towards him. 

Jayce looks at him confused. Why would Viktor be there? Is he dreaming? But when Viktor gets closer to him, he can hear the distinct sound of the cane, the way his scent reaches him first before he does, and suddenly he feels sheepish. 

“...V?” He doesn't believe that he's actually standing there, but he puts his hand out and touches Viktor's collar. It's a sensation he wasn't truly expecting, so he draws it back immediately. 

“Jayce? You look… horrible. You smell like vomit. Are you- is everything- Jayce?” Viktor this time steps even closer to him, putting his hand on his forehead. 

Jayce leans into it, loving the way his hand is cold to the touch. He whimpers, and suddenly the guilt comes back to him in waves. He wants to cry, wants to beg Viktor for forgiveness that he knows he doesn't truly deserve, wants to scream at himself, wants to puke again and again until there's nothing left of his body and he can simply pass away. He suddenly believes passing away is too simple a punishment, too easy, and instead he internalises it, opting instead for some kind of pain, some kind of anger. 

He wants Viktor to be angry at him. He wants Viktor to yell and scream and throw him out, beat and berate him, sever their connection, leave, run, get away. But gods does he need Viktor. 

He needs Viktor like he needs air, like he needs water and food and his showers and morning jogs and bitter coffee on particularly cold days. He needs Viktor like he needs routine, like he needs to fix his bed in the morning, like he needs to remove his shoes when he walks inside his apartment, like he needs to greet everyone with a handshake first before a word in. It's simple, he needs Viktor, and he also needs Viktor to stab a knife in his heart. 

Viktor lets his hand drop as he calls out to Jayce. Jayce doesn't respond, doesn't hear him, truthfully, as he spirals deeper and deeper into darkness, wanting nothing more than to curl into him and also to cut his mouth out. He starts to feel tears dropping, and suddenly, Viktor's hands are on him. 

“Jayce! Please answer me!! I can't help you if I don't know what's wrong- what's going on? You're acting like you did when I first met-”

“Shower.” Jayce croaks out, voice hoarse from his earlier cry session. 

Viktor scrutinises him, and Jayce loves the feeling of Viktor being irritated by him. Still, Viktor nods, dropping his bags and walking Jayce to the bathroom. He looks around with his nose scrunched up. He sighs, settling down Jayce onto the edge of the bathtub as he looks around. 

“How much did you vomit?” 

“Not enough.” 

Viktor hums, rolling up his sleeves as he goes behind Jayce. He turns the water on, testing it first before walking out. Jayce watches him, breathing in and out slowly. He wants to piss Viktor off even more. He wants Viktor to be so mad at him he leaves voluntarily. When Viktor comes back, Jayce simply watches as he opens up a new soap and pour some into the tub. He puts it away, looking at Jayce. 

“Arms up.” 

Jayce puts his arms up, and Viktor removes the shirt on him. It's only when Jayce looks at it then does he realise it's got dried vomit on it. Had Viktor touched him knowing that? Viktor put the shirt in the laundry basket and turned around. 

“Remove your shorts and get in. I'll wash your hair.”

Viktor doesn't wait for an answer. When he comes back inside, Jayce is already in the tub, slowly staring into the bubbles. They cover him enough, and Viktor takes the soap once more. 

“Jayce, I'm going to touch your head. If it's too much sensation, move your head away immediately.” 

Jayce nods, and braces himself for Viktor to touch him. Viktor brings a small stool to sit on next to him, putting his cane aside as he scoops up some water and puts it in Jayce's hair. Jayce relaxes into his touch, and he finally feels himself unwinding. He can now smell Viktor's scent, concern and reassurance and something else laying underneath it that Jayce can't discern. He believes it to be hatred, and the thought itself calms him more. 

“What happened, Jayce?” Viktor starts, keeping his fingers calm as they draw in slow circles on his head. 

Jayce closes his eyes. 

“I. I'm- I don't know.” Jayce sighs. Lying is always easier for him.

“You smell angry. And guilty. Are you still guilty about what happened? But why then are you angry?” 

Jayce doesn't respond. It's too loaded, too personal, and he doesn't want to talk about it in a place he can't run from. He decides to keep lying, but there's no harm in finding an easy way out with some truth. 

“I'm angry at myself. I shouldn't have done that to you.” 

Jayce can't help the feeling of helplessness in his heart. In reality, he's angry at Viktor for not being angrier at him. But if Viktor takes the answer, then there's no point to press on. Viktor hums, going back to washing his hair and Jayce brings his knees up, hiding his face in them. Viktor doesn't stop washing his hair, simply works on the back of his head instead. 

Jayce doesn't understand. Why is Viktor still there, comforting him when he was the one who hurt him? 

Viktor slowly pulls Jayce’s head back, forcing him to face Viktor. He doesn’t open his eyes, afraid of the feelings that would appear on Viktor’s face, afraid that he may be doing more harm than intended. Viktor’s hands are suddenly on his face, his hands slippery from the soap. He massages Jayce’s temples as he washes his face, rubbing his jaw that seemed to have grown a small stubble. He massages Jayce’s eyebrows, then drops his hands down to Jayce’s cheeks, holding them softly in his hands as his thumbs move in a circular action, trying their best to not put soap in Jayce’s eyes. Jayce opens them, finding the golden ones staring straight at him, eyebrows furrowed, but the intensity they carried shocked Jayce to his core. He couldn’t help but stare back, his breath catching in his throat, and he looks down to Viktor’s lips, looking back up just as quickly, and sees Viktor’s eyes soften. 

Jayce sighs as Viktor scoops up more water and removes the soap from his face. He finds it easier to have a reason to close his eyes than to just close them. 

“Wash up, Jayce.” 

Viktor stands, walking out of the bathroom and closing the door. Jayce stays in the tub for a bit longer, before he starts to wash himself up again. When he finally comes back out, he smells a familiar scent coming from the kitchen. He walks in to find Viktor cooking, his face concentrated as he reads the paper, throwing in the last of his ingredients to the pot. Viktor turns around suddenly, and their eyes meet immediately. 

“I'm making a recipe I got from the grocer. I hope it's alright to use your kitchen.” 

Jayce nods, walking towards him. Written down is a recipe for chicken noodle soup, and Jayce eyes the pot already boiling. 

“It's just some soup, so hopefully it won't be long.” Viktor says, moving to stand near the island instead.

“It's chicken noodle soup.” 

“So?” 

“The chicken needs to cook for a few hours, then you add the rest of the ingredients, then it's gotta cook for another hour more.” Jayce looks to Viktor, whose eyes grew wide. 

“I… I wasn't aware it would take so long… I'm sorry.” 

Jayce chuckles, and shakes his head. 

“It's alright, I love chicken noodle soup…” Jayce looks at Viktor fidgeting, and slowly walks around him. 

“What are you doing here, Vik? I reckon it's not exactly to see me.” He chuckles again, but Viktor cuts him short. 

“It is.” 

“What?” 

“I came. To see you. Maybe it's the bond or whatever, but I'm missing you, a lot. And, it felt like… I don't know, like something was wrong and I needed to check up on you.” 

Jayce stares at him in shock. Can the bond actually do that? He makes a mental note to ask the doctor next time they see him. He eyes the pot, turning back to Viktor, then going to the stove and turning the heat to medium. 

“Want to go upstairs?” He asks, wanting to get out of his apartment. It reeks of his own scent, and he can't stand it. 

“Yes let's- wait, upstairs?” Viktor asks curiously, and Jayce chuckles. 

They take the elevator to the top floor, but they still need to climb one more flight of stairs to actually reach the roof. Once there, Jayce immediately goes into a smaller room, bringing out his telescope and setting it besides Viktor. He hears Viktor gasp softly, then a soft approving hum follows it, and he smiles to himself. 

“I like to watch the stars when everything is too much. It feels like I'm voyeuring, like I'm doing something wrong, but in reality I know they're not sentient.” Jayce tries to explain the feeling without sounding crazy, but he's had this conversation with someone else before who ended up suggesting he go to therapy. They didn't even know that he already did. 

“Hmm, I understand. Sometimes you just need an outlet to do bad so you can continue being good. Something that won't harm anyone around you or yourself.” Viktor sits on one of the lawn chairs situated, and Jayce perches himself next to him. 

He nods, looking through the telescope and then hinting to Viktor to take a look as well. Viktor leans slightly into it and looks through it, adjusting the lenses for himself.

“I know so many constellations by heart now. I'm constantly going over them, I always have since I was a…” Jayce trails off anxiously, memories of the times he called for help to the stars and they simply did nothing but watch him coming to haunt him. 

“Jayce?” Viktor asks, and he shuffles towards him softly. 

“When I was a kid, not much of a kid, honestly, but around 15 or so, I started having a private professor to teach me extra lessons two years above my current year level. I wanted to get into the Academy as early as possible.” Jayce rubs his hand as he starts recounting it. 

He doesn't understand why he's telling Viktor, but he gets the feeling that Viktor will understand. That he won't find him disgusting, he won't be angry at him, Viktor has to understand. 

“He was a great professor. An omega who had always wanted to be part of the Academy's faculty, but was stopped because of his secondary gender. Still, it didn't stop him from teaching. My mother had hired him after I begged to do extra classes, and for the first three weeks, it was going well…” Jayce hiccups, and Viktor immediately grabs his hand. 

“Jayce. You do not have to explain anything if you don't want to.” Viktor rubs his hand in the same soothing circles he did before. 

“Vik, I want to, but. Can, can I sit by your legs? I don't… want to be seen.” 

Viktor nods, scooting his legs over as Jayce sits on the floor instead. Viktor's hand immediately goes to Jayce's still damp hair, and Jayce is grateful for it. 

“He was… moody. But it got worse when I found out he hated Alphas. I mean, it's understandable. But… he seemed to take it out on me. It wasn't anything much at first- just harsher marking, aggressive tone and words. I had just started presenting, so the switch from him was confusing.” 

Jayce closes his eyes, trying his best to remember what stood out from him. 

“My first rut started whilst he was teaching me. He-” and Jayce breaks down now, sobbing hard as he tries to keep himself calm. He can still feel the hands on his neck, the anger rolling off of the professor's scent, and, most of all, the feeling of teeth. 

“He marked me.” 

Viktor hums, keeping his hand steady as he continues the slow circles. Jayce decides to try and follow that rhythm so he can breathe, feeling each and every limb he has, counting as slowly as he can, just to regain his composure. 

“It happened a few times. My mother thought that I had an omega I liked, so I kept it from her who it was. And he- just. Kept coming back. Despite hating me, marking me, even throwing a bottle at me once for accidentally releasing my pheromones, he always came back.” 

“Jayce. How long did this go on for?” Viktor's voice was steady, but the last word broke and Jayce realised that hearing this must be hard on him. 

“Until I got accepted into the Academy.” 

“But that was only four years ago…” 

Jayce brings his knees back up again, the tears spilling down his face not stopping. He wants the world to swallow him whole and make everyone forget. He wants to be held but he doesn't want to be touched. He needs Viktor to understand, but he doesn't want Viktor to leave. 

“I- I am so sorry for what I did. It's- it's traumatic. It changes you. I already knew that so I should have never-” 

“Jayce.” Viktor starts, but he sighs and decided to descend down to Jayce's level. Jayce winces at the movement, knowing that it couldn't be good for his back or leg, but he somehow got the feeling that if he were to voice it now, Viktor would be angry at him. 

“That was different. We are both consenting adults. I wanted it. I was somewhat in control of my actions, and I chose to do that, as did you. It might not have been discussed, but it is nowhere near what happened to you. You were a child. You weren't trying to mate with someone, you weren't in the thick of heat with that professor, you weren't even aware of how ruts work with your body. But he was. He knew, he understood, and he took advantage of you. That is in no way similar to what happened.” 

“V-Vik- but I- I was just like him.” Jayce sobs into his arms now, letting the words wash over him, the last dregs of his guilt and shame drowning him deeper into an ocean he could not swim back up from. 

“No, Jayce. I am not young, and you are not a professor. You didn't ask for it. You were just trying to get into the Academy.” 

Jayce holds on tightly to Viktor, his cries loud on top of the rooftop but slightly muted by Viktor's jumper. He was shaking, his whole body somehow feeling both relief and intense anger. He feels his tears dampen Viktor's jumper, and he pulls away slowly to stop it but Viktor holds onto him, clings onto him and pulls him in deeper. He's releasing his scent, the same undertone from earlier but he can't discern what it is. Still, he breathes it in, letting it settle in his lungs and spread through his blood, letting it control his breathing and his movements, and suddenly, they're both lying down on the floor, foreheads touching as they face each other. Jayce opens his eyes to find Viktor, teary eyed, already staring at him. He strokes Jayce's arm softly, leaning into his forehead even more as tears fall. 

“I do not feel any anger, nor resentment. I do not feel violated, nor in pain, nor afraid. You are still Jayce, the one whose heart is made of gold, the one who helps people and puts them first, the one who stays up all night with me to work on equations during the weekend instead of partying with other people. I only ever asked for that bite because I felt safe with you. I've never asked it from any other alpha I've spent my heats with. So no, it was not the same- and it will never be the same.” Viktor smiles softly as more tears spill, and Jayce holds in another sob. 

“But- but you were so angry when I visited-” 

“Yes, that's because the alpha I had started my heat with ran away. I wasn't angry that you had bitten me, although it was definitely a factor, I was angry that you left right after that. And I couldn't get another person to help with the heat because I needed your scent. Did you even listen to me when I was yelling at you?” Viktor chuckles, and Jayce looks away sheepishly. 

He sighs, looking up to the sky as he lays down on his back. Viktor does the same. 

“Do you feel better?” Viktor asks, and Jayce goes to hold his hand. Viktor squeezes tighter. 

“Yes. And I'm sorry for leaving. If it helps, I never slept all three days, I was so worried about you I puked and cried and called Caitlyn to ask what to do and she made me shower and check up on you.” 

Viktor hums, then chuckles softly. 

“Remind me to thank Miss Kiramman later.” 

Jayce grins, nodding his head. 

“The stars always watch me. Even when bad things are happening, they're always watching.” Jayce rambles on, fatigue growing from his crying session. 

“Is that why you watch them back? Are you hoping to find one having something bad happen- so you can repay them?” 

Jayce thinks about it for a moment, and shakes his head. 

“I watch them simply because I can.” 

He watches Viktor's smile grow. 

They stay up there for another half hour before making their descent back down to Jayce's apartment. After opening a couple of windows, the apartment is smelling cleaner than Viktor had arrived, and only the smell of the soup was left. 

“Can I scent in here?” Viktor asks, and Jayce is a bit shocked at the question. 

“I mean, yes but, why?” 

“Why? Are you going to send me back to my apartment at 4am?” Viktor chuckles softly, going to the sofa and settling down on them. 

Jayce hacks, and ends up coughing as he chokes on his spit. 

“It's- what?! There's no way it's that late?” He looks towards his clock on the wall, and he sees the time pointing to 4:38AM, and he sighs. He runs his hand through his hair. 

“No Vik, I'm not letting you leave, ever.” He jokes, winking at Viktor who grins.

“Oh no, whatever shall I do? A giant apartment with a big bed, a tub and a shower, a tv, a great cook, and good food. An omegas worst nightmare.” Jayce laughs loudly, and Viktor soon joins him.

“Is that all I am? A great cook? I deserve a better title, no?” He jokingly nudges Viktor, settling down next to him. 

“Hmm… a great apprentice?” 

“Apprentice?” Jayce raises his eyebrow. Viktor was the one who joined him. 

“A great magician?” 

“I feel like the titles keep downgrading rather than upgrading.” 

“A great sweet milk maker?”

“At least I know I'm great. The theme is there.” Jayce chuckles, closing his eyes as he lays down onto the sofa. 

“Yes, Jayce. You are great. Wonderful, perhaps. Excellent, perchance.” Viktor smiles wider, and Jayce shoots up.

“You can't just say ‘perchance’!!” And Viktor starts laughing again. 

“Jayce, I'm incredibly tired. I'll sleep here on the sofa, can you please help-”

“What? No no, you'll sleep on the bed. I'll sleep on the sofa.” Jayce stands up, ready to help Viktor up as well. 

“Jayce, your sofa is plenty spacious, I promise it won't hurt too much-” 

“You're sleeping on the bed.” Jayce states, and Viktor watches him for a long moment before huffing. He takes his cane, and walks towards the kitchen, turning off the soup and then walking towards the bedroom. Jayce follows behind him. 

Jayce helps Viktor out of both his braces, and gives Viktor one of his older shirts that no longer fits him. After that, he fusses over Viktor to make sure he's as comfortable as possible, letting him scent the pillows and blankets, before finally standing up from his kneeling position. 

“Please try to sleep in Vik. You need it, we have nothing to do but wait until maintenance is done. I'll know if you're awake and I'll put you back into bed.” He watches Viktor scowl for a few seconds before nodding, then covers his face with the blanket. Jayce chuckles.

“Goodnight V.” 

“Goodnight J.” 

Jayce closes the door, and walks over to his sofa with three blankets. He settles in for the night. 

---

Early in the afternoon is when Jayce and Viktor are both awoken by a knock on the door. Jayce is already annoyed by being woken up twice by someone knocking, but as he reaches closer to the door, a familiar alpha's scent permeates from underneath it. He opens the door quickly, throwing himself to hug the girl in front of him and dragging her inside. 

“Sprout! Gods, how have you been? Are you alright? Why are you here? Did something-” 

“Jayce. Can you stop your worrying for over two seconds? I can't explain anything if you keep talking.” Caitlyn crosses her arms, removing her shoes and then sitting on the island table top. 

Jayce rolls his eyes and keeps his mouth shut, waiting for Caitlyn to continue. 

“So, okay. I knew the lab had maintenance done, but I needed you for something yesterday. So I came over and knocked and yelled for you for probably hours before I ended up leaving. But then I got worried, so I went to Viktor's after that-” 

“You know where Viktor lives?” 

“Yes, but that's beside the point. Anyways I talked to him and told him I was worried since you weren't home so he said he'd look for you and then report back to me, but then he never came home nor did he come to find me so now I'm worried I maaaaaay have lost him?” Caitlyn closes her eyes, bracing herself for Jayce's reaction. 

“Well congratulations, you found him.” Viktor states, walking out of Jayce's bedroom slowly. 

Caitlyn gasps, putting her hand across her mouth and rushes over to Viktor. 

“Oh! IM so- I didn't mean to- wait, you two MATED?!” Caitlyn practically screams the last part, and Jayce and Viktor each share a look of horror before realising that they hadn't told anyone, and Viktor's shirt hung too low since it belongs to Jayce and his nape is wide open.

“No, Cait, we're not-” 

“Jaycebitme.” 

Jayce looks at Viktor, eyes wide with betrayal. He couldn’t have worded it better than that? 

“I’m sorry, the Kirammans terrify me. A lot happened, but yes, Jayce bit me.” Viktor says sheepishly, rubbing the bite mark and looking away from Jayce’s puppy eyes. 

Silence follows the three of them. Jayce and Viktor look at each other, then the floor, then both at Caitlyn to gauge her reaction. She seemed shocked, then walked over to Jayce.

“Are… you alright?” She asks, and Jayce can't help but smile. 

No one else knew about his past except Caitlyn. And now Viktor too. 

“Yes. I was struggling to cope with it. It was a mistake- The guilt kinda almost ate me up. But Viktor took care of me yesterday. Thank you for sending him my way.” Jayce reassures her with his scent, and she visibly relaxes, nodding her head. She then walks over to Viktor.

“Are you okay?” Viktor nods, and Caitlyn looks him up and down before nodding as well. 

“I can get him locked up if you want Viktor. It'll be easy, and fun.” 

Viktor chuckles, shaking his head as he looks straight at Jayce. 

“I'm afraid I don't like sleeping on cold hard cell floors Miss Kiramman.” 

“Well, why would you be in the cell?” She asks, looking back to Jayce, who had been smiling the whole time. She seems to try and make sure what jokes are okay for her to say, and what could trigger him into a panic attack.

“Well. I unfortunately need his big head and even bigger brain to help me with his life's work.” Jayce rolls his eyes at Viktor, looking away. 

“And I'd miss him too much I'm afraid.” 

Jayce smiles at the thought, before ushering Caitlyn to the sofa. He tells her that they're both going to wash up, and then can go wherever Caitlyn wants. She seems to light up at that, saying she had a whole shopping list to get done with and then starting up the food that was being cooked before.

After they've eaten, they head out to the markets, the first stop being a clothing store.

Jayce watches Viktor poke through some clothes in a daze, not listening to whatever Caitlyn was talking about. She had been going on about wanting to join the force but her mother refusing for the past hour, and Jayce had only just managed to tune her out. He feels grateful that Viktor not only understood him, but didn't judge him or push him away either. He also feels weirdly… territorial. 

“Jayce?” 

Viktor picks up a white blouse, one that has a ribbon at its base and a completely open back. He's looking at the front of the blouse, seeing the way it looks with the folded design and long puffy sleeves. He thinks for a moment, before draping it over his hand, along with other clothes. Jayce looks away, suddenly thinking of other pieces that would go well with the shirt. 

“Jayce? You're not even listening to me.” 

“What?” Jayce snaps back to Caitlyn, and a smile grows on his face. 

“I don't like that smile… we're about to do something that has nothing to do with my chores list, aren't we?” 

“Cait, I need your help dressing Viktor.” 

Jayce waits a couple seconds for Viktor to have moved away far enough that he won't see both Jayce and Caitlyn stand where he was. Jayce holds up another blouse, the same one Viktor had, and looks towards Caitlyn with a small smile. Caitlyn nods, saluting him before dragging him to the other side of the store. From there, they look through different pants, some tight and others flowing. He lands on pants exactly the same shade of white as the shirt, but they had a red flower design that flowed all the way from the top to the bottom. They were flowy, being tight only at the top, and had a similar pleated design as the shirt. 

“Should we get a jacket as well?” Caitlyn asks, holding a red jacket that reaches her toes. Jayce looks at it for a moment, but decides he'd rather see his back than see him draped in his colours. 

He looks around for a red belt, designed with gold trimmings around it, as well as soft shoulder pads that fit right on top, draping down to his own feet, the exact same shade of white. He grins, looking for Viktor and finding him in a jewellery section. He strolls over there nonchalantly, despite his heart being in his throat, and shoves the pieces of clothing in his face. Viktor looks up at him, surprise drawing on him before realising what was going on. 

“These are just pants and shoulder pads… what should I wear this with? Eager to see my chest again?” He says with a devious smile, and Jayce almost keels over with a heart attack. 

“No, no uh. The white blouse.” 

“Oh. Yes, this would work. You have quite the eye, Talis.” Viktor muses, taking the clothings then going over towards the changing room. 

Jayce sits outside the room, waiting impatiently for Viktor to finish changing. He looks around for Caitlyn, who was talking to an assistant about the clothes she needs. She seemed to be satisfied with the chat, waving at Jayce before moving on to something else. Jayce breathes out, looking around for something else. He spots a golden hair clip at the jewellery section, a beautiful red rose on top of it with golden leaves surrounding it. Jayce walks to pick it up, then turns around to Viktor looking away from him, but at the mirror instead. 

Jayce stops breathing. 

Viktor's back is bare, his brace being the only thing stopping him from fully revealing his back, and Jayce has to manually suck in air and release it just so he doesn't faint from the lack of oxygen. He sees an expanse of moles that lead down toward his back, the shirt being slightly see-through and showing Viktor's shoulders, the rest of the moles hidden by it, and Viktor tries his best to tie the ribbon behind it. He eyes Jayce from the mirror, and a small smile starts forming on his lips. 

“Jayce. Would you please help me with this? I can't tie the shirt behind me.” Viktor says, nodding for Jayce to come over. 

Jayce takes one step at a time, moving towards him before stopping right behind him. He tries to keep his breathing shallow, and he feels his face heat up from seeing Viktor's back up close. He reaches down to the ribbon, his fingers brushing Viktor's brace and his breath hitches. Still, he tries to tie it as quickly as possible, pulling it tightly and making it into a small bow. The bow drapes down with the ribbon, and Jayce stays where he is. 

“Does it look good?” Viktor asks, looking at the mirror as he slightly turns around from side to side. 

“Yeah. Yes. You look good.” Jayce breathes out, and he reaches out his hands and rests them on Viktor's hips.

Viktor hums, leaning closer towards him, and Jayce turns him around. Viktor puts his hands on Jayce's chest, surprised at the sudden 180, and he looks up to Jayce, shock written on his face. 

Jayce smiles apologetically, but he knows his scent is giving him away by the way that Viktor looks at him. 

“Jayce.” Viktor says, but stops whatever sentence he wanted to say. 

Jayce's hands moved from his hips and up, slipping inside the shirt from the back, and wandering slowly around his lower back area. He traces the brace, watching Viktor’s reaction to the slight push of weight underneath his fingers.

“Yes?” Jayce asks, and he stares back into Viktor's eyes, unable to look away, unwilling to look anywhere else. 

His hands roam further, bringing them up towards his middle back, squeezing slightly and hearing Viktor breathe out softly. Jayce realises what he's doing, dropping his hands slightly from the top area, and instead further goes inside, reaching all the way to the other side, on to Viktor's stomach. The move pulls Viktor right into him, locking him there, and Viktor looks away, resting his head on Jayce's shoulder. His scent is intoxicating now, wafting around Jayce and creating a cocoon of excited emotions. It buzzes around in the air, dancing around with Jayce’s own scent, and Jayce has to physically restrain a growl from rumbling out of his mouth. Jayce gulps, and starts raising his hands, higher and higher until- 

“Jayce? I'm almost done shopping. Does Viktor like the clothes?” Caitlyn says, looking away from him but near the both of them. 

Jayce breaks out of his trance, retreating his hands and holding Viktor at an arm's length. They both look at each other, a blush coming down on both their faces, and then look away. 

Viktor coughs slightly, going to take his cane from where he left it, and Jayce looks away as he gives Viktor privacy to change back to his usual clothes. 

“Yeah, uhm, I think Viktor likes it.” 

At the end, Viktor refuses to buy any of it, but Jayce still gets the hair pin for him. He also makes a mental note to get something similar tailored for him, and the three of them go about finishing the chore list. After, Caitlyn says her thanks and goodbye, and Jayce and Viktor retire to Jayce's apartment after making a quick stop at Viktor's for clothes.

Jayce watches Viktor settle down again into the larger sofa, chuckling as Viktor breathes out a sigh of relief. 

“Do you want to spend weekends here?” He asks suddenly, and sputters at his own question. 

“I mean- like- until the bond is. Well- gone. I think- I'll miss you too much? A-and I don't want to snap at someone again.” 

Viktor hums, looking at Jayce slowly. 

“I wouldn't mind it. And we'll be able to bring work back here too. Big space for just one person, no?” Viktor chuckles, sinking deeper into the sofa. He seems content, and Jayce realises it may be because his scent is all over it. 

“You're welcome to stay anytime you wish.” 

Viktor smiles wider and nods. Jayce feels his heart explode. 

—-

Chapter Text

“And so, you told her that you’re divers?”

Sky sits on the table in front of Jayce and Viktor. Jayce feels a strange sense of deja vu, facing the consequences of something that he had done. Viktor chuckles, but after a look from Sky, it turns more into a cough, covering his mouth and looking at Jayce to respond. Jayce smiles softly, trying his best to become smaller than he is, looking back at Sky with what he can conjure up as his best puppy eyes.

“We had no idea you two would know each other, I made the lie up on the spot so she could give us as much info she knows as possible without feeling threatened about her position.” Jayce said, although it was technically the truth, he knows it's not the real reason he had given that excuse.

So what if he was just having fun? He liked pretending that he and Viktor were close like that. And it's the closest they’ll ever be to each other anyways- pretending they belong to each other.

He eyes the place where his bite mark probably is, covered by Viktor’s shirt. He feels himself growing a blush, looking away and back to Sky, who was looking at him attentively. He jumps from the stare, but holds it, and she sighs. 

“Do you know how embarrassing that was for me? I had to pretend to not know you, but she still insisted on all of us meeting up for a discussion on Friday.” She says, rubbing the bridge of her nose where her glasses sit. 

Viktor hums, standing up from his position and taking the papers Sky was holding. 

“At the very least, we got recent research. Let’s see if it was worth the lie.” He says, taking the papers with him and going over to his desk. He looks at Jayce, and Jayce feels compelled to follow him. 

He stands up as well, going to sit next to Viktor, and Sky follows with her own chair. 

“I don’t have any meetings today, so I can help you out on this at least.” She says, taking some of the papers from Viktor as Jayce takes another file. 

The three of them spend a couple hours reading through the new research by Dr Alihops (Jayce finally learnt her name through the files), and eventually reconvene to discuss the findings. 

“So basically, the cells can replicate any type of tissue, even if it’s mammal tissue, but so far, they can only do so in salt water.” Jayce huffs out, finally setting down the files that the three had looked through.

They had been writing down new and interesting notes on the board, somehow filing away through two pieces of chalk just by writing down on it. Jayce felt satisfied at their newest conclusion, happy that a big hurdle of theirs had now been tackled by someone else. Although he could not connect with Sky as he does with Viktor, they were still able to bounce off ideas from each other, and he appreciated having a third brain helping them and working on such a big idea. Had it just been the two of them, it would’ve taken far longer than just a couple of hours, and Sky is incredibly imperceptible, somehow noticing mistakes that both Viktor and Jayce make that would normally have gone unnoticed until they are the cause of another problem. 

Sky looks up to Jayce, beaming. 

“I can tell from your scent that you’re happy I’m around. I appreciate you thinking I’m not wasting your time, although you definitely gave me a scare with Dr Alihops.” Sky says, giggling at Jayce’s mortified face after being caught releasing such personal pheromones. 

Viktor chuckles, nudging Jayce in his stomach before taking a file and opening up their chilled cabinet that held their plants.

”Sky, please know that both Viktor and I appreciate you being here. Oh! Also- we got you something to apologise-“ Jayce walks all the way to his bag, opening it and taking out the plush. Sky squeals, taking the bunny plush into her hands and twirling around once.

“How did you know bunnies are my favourite animals??” She asks, smiling widely.

Jayce looks towards Viktor, who still had his back turned and his nose in the files. He smiles softly, shaking his head.

“I didn't. Viktor insisted on the bunny.” He watches Sky go to Viktor, putting her hand on his arm and thanking him profusely. Viktor’s face is red, and he looks at Jayce for help, but Jayce simply folds his arms and watches Viktor get flustered at the warm thanks. 

Jayce thinks he can get used to this. 

Eventually, they end their work day well into the night, but not as late as usual out of consideration for Sky. It is only 11pm when the three of them walk out of the building, dropping off Sky first at her apartment before they walk to each others. Jayce walks Viktor to his apartment, all the way to his door before stopping outside. 

“Come in?” Viktor asks, a little blush spreading across his face. 

Jayce smiles, walking inside and removing his shoes. He goes straight into the kitchen, taking out the pot and milk. 

“Already making sweet milk? Wow, it’s like your second home here.” Viktor chuckles, settling into the nearest sofa. 

“More like a third home, I think.” Jayce says, blinking slowly as he puts in the sugar and honey and stirs in the milk. 

“What?”

“Well, you know… Obviously my first home is my apartment, then the second one is our lab. Third is yours.” He says, smiling softly. 

Viktor hums, looking deep in thought. 

“I agree.” He finally says, standing up and walking to Jayce. He stands across the table, watching him with an intense and unreadable gaze. Jayce gulps slightly, feeling his stare boring into his head.

“I find your apartment to be a third home too.” 

---

In the next three days, Jayce has started noticing things he wasn't even aware he was doing in the first place. For the first half, he realises how much he doesn’t like the idea of Viktor going anywhere without him. This included going into a different room, into a different building, even just in a separate area in the same building as him. 

Which is why, instead of smiling and laughing along with others at the current academy gala, he’s off in the middle of a boring conversation, sneaking stares at Viktor who was being paraded by quite a few people. 

Whenever Viktor and Jayce ever came to these Academy galas, of which it was rare of them, most people would flock to Jayce, leaving Viktor alone to himself, and Jayce would entertain them before he eventually goes back to Viktor’s side, dragging him to a few conversations before excusing both of them and then leaving the gala as quickly as possible. He huffs, unable to have a good excuse to leave his current conversation, downing his glass down and listening to whoever is talking next. The conversation turns interesting when the topic of the Distinguished Innovators Competition is brought back up. 

“I heard you and Mr Viktor are going to be joining the competition, is that so, Jayce?” A woman, maybe in her 40s, asked. He smiles at her, making sure his scent is warm and inviting, and nods his head softly. 

“Yes, Viktor and I have quite the spectacle to show at it. We hope to win 1st place.” He says, trying to keep their project as vague as possible. 

“Oh my, and whatever could it be? Last time you earned second place for your electro-magnetic gloves. I’ve already gotten myself a pair and they’ve made it so easy to just carry heavy things from one room to another.” A man, already late in his 60s says. He chuckles at Jayce, a sparkle in his eye. Jayce could already tell the game he was playing, wanting to know early so he could buy it off first. 

Jayce chuckles back, taking a champagne chute from one of the waiters passing by, and then taking a second of silence to build the suspension. 

“This project will be even bigger than the gloves, much bigger in fact. It’ll be useful for many areas of life, including geological as well as medical. Once we present it, I’m sure you’ll be impressed.” He says, watching their smiles drop slightly. He feels almost smug at that, loving it when he pulls their attention just to drop them off the road. “My partner- Viktor- is brilliant. He came up with the idea and we’ve been working on it for the past couple of months. Trust me when I say, it is worth the wait.” 

They all perk up, looking at each other and nodding. Just as he was about to excuse himself, the woman asks another question again. 

“And who, exactly, is Viktor’s mate? I could smell that he’s only been half-claimed.” She slightly whispers it, and Jayce feels his stomach drop. 

“Oh, he-“

“Can you believe the audacity he has? Someone from Piltover took enough pity on the Zaunite to claim him, only for him to deny claiming them back.” She continues, huffing as she looks at Viktor. 

“He should be grateful,” one of the other women who had simply been listening beforehand says,“why would anyone in their right mind even think about claiming him- oh! Mr Talis? Are you alright? Your scent…” She trails off, and Jayce has to start thinking positively to calm himself down. 

“I assure you that Viktor is more than just a ‘Zaunite’, he has helped create most of our current inventions, and he would be a brilliant mate. Whatever reason he had for not claiming his mate is completely none of your business.” He tries to keep his tone in check, but it comes out threatening at the end, and he sees them cower in fear. He feels proud though, that he’s defended his mate till they backed off, and instantly, he returns to the way he was before, his scent becoming warm. 

“Nevertheless, it hasn’t stopped our work from progressing, and eventually we should be set to go before the Distinguished Innovators Competition! I hope to see you all there, I’ll be looking for you.” He chuckles, holding the older woman’s hand and kissing it. She laughs, covering her mouth with her hand, and he excuses himself from them. 

He looks to where Viktor was standing before, finding that he’s now no longer there, and then sees him trailing out the door with someone holding his arm. How many drinks has Viktor had? They were heading out to the balcony, and he slowly trailed after them. He greets a few people before finally heading out, and sees Viktor leaning heavily on the rails of the balcony. The man he had come out with was nowhere to be seen, and Jayce feels his stomach churn. 

What had happened during the time he wasn’t there? He stays behind him, unable to walk towards him, keeping himself behind the curtains just slightly. 

Still, Viktor chuckles, and after downing the drink in his hand, blows out some air into the cold night. 

“Jayce.” And Jayce’s heart jumps from his throat. 

If Jayce could explain the way Viktor affected him, he would say Viktor is the electric current to whatever engine Jayce is currently running on. The way Viktor says his name is just slightly more endearing, his accent curling around the end of his name, the soft and light way it is carried out of his mouth in comparison to anyone else who says it. Jayce swallows his heart down, walking out from the curtain and standing beside Viktor, his hands clammy. 

Viktor had worn the outfit Jayce had gifted him. 

Somehow, immediately after shopping with Caitlyn, Jayce had gotten Viktor’s measurements, and given them to their seamstress, asking for the outfit with a few modifications without Viktor knowing. Now, it was cream, with a deep red accent. The pants are just as loose, pleated ends, but the belt is now a deep red fabric, pinned together with a Talis House symbol, one part of the belt being left to drape off, as well as the shoulder pads that were now a part of the shirt instead so they naturally sat on them. The pads were also cream, but they were lined with gold on the edges, trailing all the way down to his feet where they just slightly touched the ground, and inside had the same red, showing a glimpse of it whenever Viktor walked. The collar was now a standing collar, enough to hide the bite mark, yet it seemed to fit Viktor perfectly. 

The star of the show- the open back, was practically stealing all the eyes from everyone, and Jayce was both proud to know that Viktor was by his side, and also incredibly protective, wanting no one else to see his back. His zoning out is instantly snapped back when Viktor clicks his fingers in front of him. 

“Jayce? Have I just been talking to myself this whole time?” Viktor says, chuckling as he sees Jayce come back from his own mind.

”I’m sorry- what did you say?” He felt his own words slightly slurred, the world moving just slightly too fast, but it only served to make Viktor look even more beautiful, more ethereal in the moonlight. In the outfit Jayce had prepared for him. 

Viktor hadn’t made a fuss when he saw it, instead he smiled warmly and thanked Jayce for it. Although when he had finally worn it and showed up at a separate time than Jayce, he had asked why the outfit was different, and Jayce had to stumble through the explanation of him getting it done for him. Viktor had hummed, thanked him shortly, then left him immediately. Jayce had thought that Viktor had been mad at him for it. 

Now, though, Viktor plays with one of the drapes, flicking it in his hand and wrapping his hand around it. He smiles softly, his body facing Jayce but his face looking away.

”You seem slightly tipsy, no? Maybe… we should go.” Viktor says, holding Jayce’s arm. 

Jayce nods enthusiastically, of which he cringes about in his head, but Viktor laughs endearingly almost immediately and whatever thought Jayce had beforehand was lost. 

He follows Viktor through to the gala again, letting him take the lead as he says his hellos (and goodbyes) to people in passing, and eventually, they’re both out of the academy gates, tumbling slowly to Jayce’s apartment. Jayce keeps his arm around Viktor, and he sees him shiver slightly from the wind. Jayce has half a mind to give him his jacket, but the thought that his hand can cover Viktor’s back has been eating away at him the whole week, and so he decides to let his desire take over, just this once. 

He raises his hand slightly, and slips one finger underneath the opening of Viktor’s open back. He hears Viktor draw a sharp breath, but he keeps walking, keeps pretending as if none of this is really happening. Viktor doesn’t say anything, keeping up with his pace, and Jayce decides to slip another finger. He keeps their meaningless conversation going, pretending to be clueless.

”…and Vik, those people were so gross, talking about our project as if it’s their next meal.” He slips another finger. “It was like they were thinking about some prey!! As if we would just hand it to them on a silver platter.” He slips his entire hand underneath it now, playing with the hem of the shirt before raising his hand softly. Viktor stops talking, and Jayce continues playing dumb. 

“Vik? Are you alright?” He asks, turning to Viktor and seeing how red his face is. 

“Jayce. Are you doing this on purpose?” Viktor asks, barely more than a whisper. 

“Doing what?” He questions him innocently, and he lowers his hands this time, inching closer and closer to his hip glands. 

Viktor coughs, waiting for Jayce to open the door to his apartment building before walking to the elevator. Jayce doesn’t let go of him, simply settles his hand on his hip, on top of his scent glands, and continues to talk about their work. 

“I suppose tomorrow we have to meet with Dr Alihops. Sky said she’ll be there to explain the situation, and then hopefully we can get some more help from her…” Jayce walks Viktor to his apartment, opening the door and finally leaving his back. He removes his shoes, sighing happily to finally be home, and looking back to Viktor. 

“Will you be staying?” 

Viktor’s face is completely red, sweat going down his forehead, as if he had just run a marathon. Jayce wonders if the bond simply heightens his emotions, or if the bond is completely responsible for it, but he swears the look in Viktor’s eyes are different from arousal or lust. He walks towards him slowly, waiting for Viktor to push him away, and he slightly pushes a few strands of his hair out of his hair. 

Viktor closes his eyes at the touch, then looks straight into Jayce’s eyes. 

“Yes, I… am not sure I’ll be able to go back to my apartment. I feel…” Viktor says, trying his best to think of a word. Jayce can see his brain working harder through his golden eyes, and waits with baited breath for his next words. 

“I feel… like I’m going to be sick.” He says, and suddenly, he pushes Jayce out of the way, trying his best to get to the bathroom as quickly as possible. Jayce follows him, worried for him, and he holds his hair as Viktor pukes into the toilet. 

Right then, at the toilet, after Viktor finished puking up all the alcohol he had taken tonight, he looks at Jayce, and Jayce looks straight back at him. They both break out into a fit of laughter, unable to stop laughing until Viktor pukes again, of which afterward Jayce gives him some water, heats up some soup for Viktor whilst also telling him off for drinking the whole night on an empty stomach, and tucking Viktor into his own bed, and then sleeping on the couch.

---

Sky looks down as Jayce and Viktor look away, Dr Alihops staring at them with an accusatory tone. 

Jayce believes he’s finally done with being looked at like this, because three times is now way too much. 

“So… you lied to me? You’ve never dived? You’re not even mates? You were trying to use my research to help with your own research and what- not even credit me?” She asks angrily, breathing out hot air. 

“What? No, no! We were obviously going to credit you, that’s why we’re here!” Jayce says, panic settling in at Dr Alihops alphan pheromones, leaking out anger with each word. If Dr Alihops makes this public, Piltover Academy will be forced to shut their work down. “We're trying to make a device that could help with the process of the cells reproducing and recreating damaged tissue in the body. If we could do that-” 

“You could cure people from life threatening diseases.” She finishes, looking between the both of them.

”Why?” She asks, looking at Jayce instead. 

“Why not? If we find a way to cure people, wouldn’t that benefit everyone in the world?” Jayce says back, looking away slowly. He gulps.

”Yes but, not everyone undertakes that type of research for no reason. I… I started researching Reolinas because they were my mates favourite plants. He would research them as much as possible, until he couldn’t… so I picked it up. Why are you researching this?” She looks back to Viktor, then at Jayce again. 

“My partner’s sick. A lung infection, he got it from breathing the air from Zaun’s trenches. That’s where he grew up. I… I don’t want to lose him. He’s my… everything. So when Sky told us of this plant… I took the opportunity. Viktor joined me, because we’ve done all our projects together.” Jayce looks at Viktor softly, trying his best to keep Viktor’s secret of his sickness away from unnecessary people whilst also trying to convince Dr Alihops of his intentions. He stares at Viktor though, determination filling his heart. 

“I won’t lose him.”

Dr Alihops breathes in, sighing as she nods slowly. 

“I… understand. I’m not specialised in biology matter, as you’ve seen in my papers I had multiple people help me write and practice it. If you want, I can give you the contact of someone else I know who specialises in biological engineering. He would help you better than I could but… I’m also alright with you asking for help from me. So long as you credit me.” She says, taking her drink and sipping it.

”Yes, of course. We always had every intention of crediting you. You helped us with a hurdle Jayce and I were stuck at. We’re forever grateful.” Viktor says, nodding and smiling at her. 

She smiles, taking another sip. 

“His name is Dr Corin Reveck. Tell me the truth- have you heard of him?” She asks them both, eyes slanting in suspicion. 

Jayce shakes his head, but Viktor nods.

”I knew him once, when I was younger. Before he became a doctor. I didn't realise he got his doctorate. Biological Engineering? Yes that… sounds like something he would study. I lost contact with him many years ago.” Viktor says, looking deep in thought.

”I can give you his contact. I’m sure he’d love to chat with an old friend. Anyways, I’ll do so later, maybe on Monday! For now!! Let’s get up and drink, no? I’m most certainly interested about you two. Sky has told me SO much and so little.” She says, and orders another round of drinks. 

Eventually Jayce and Viktor finally calm down with their drinks, feeling the thrill of the music in The Last Drop pull them to the dance floor. Jayce is first, going to the middle with Sky and dancing together. He looks to Viktor, beckoning him to join. 

Viktor smiles, shaking his head softly. Jayce dances a bit longer before the pull is irresistible. He looks back to Viktor, taking him in whilst the music continues. He had dressed loosely and casual this time, his hair swooped back in an attempt to calm it down (and was failing). His black button down shirt had the first two buttons open, revealing just his collarbones and the beginning of his chest. It enticed him, the image of him flush and naked underneath him making him turn red, and before he realised it, he started walking towards him.

He stood in front of both Viktor and Dr Alihops, watching the both of them chuckle quietly without noticing his presence. He exudes his pheromones, wrapping them around the two in a quiet plea, and they both turn to look at him.

”Join us.” Jayce says, somewhat out of breath.

They both look at each other, a small smile dancing on their lips, before nodding. Jayce helps Viktor stand, leaving his cane behind on the booth and thanking the lords that today was a good day for Viktor. He could be without it for a bit. Still, he held on tightly to Viktor’s waist, guiding him to the dance floor. He doesn’t let go as Viktor turns around him, smiling mischievously as he wraps an arm around Jayce’s neck. Jayce’s breath catches as Viktor slowly moves his body to the rhythm of the song, chuckling slightly as Jayce tries to keep pace with him.

Eventually, they both find a pace that they get used to, Viktor now facing away from Jayce, his eyes closed and content as he grinds against Jayce, a wide smile staying loosely on his face.

Jayce leans his face towards him, and Viktor bares his neck. He reaches Viktor’s ear, breathing into it and he feels the way Viktor shakes at the action. Then, he smells it; Viktor’s scent, honey and pastries and milk all somehow combining, wrapping around him, closing him off from the rest of the world. He breathes it in, letting his body move against Viktor’s, and he lets out his own scent, letting it float and mix, surrounding Viktor’s, surrounding Viktor from anyone else who could potentially smell his scent.

Truthfully, the bar has so many people dancing and drinking, laughing and letting their scents in the air that no one would really be able to tell apart Viktor’s scent from everyone else’s.

But Jayce can. That was all the justification he needed.

Viktor laughs out loud, tilting his head just slightly, letting his head face Jayce’s just enough that he’s whispering in his ear.

”You’re so protective, hm?” He says in a mocking manner, but Jayce can tell from his scent alone that there was not a single trace of mockery intended. 

“Don’t worry, I won’t get eaten by anyone-“ Viktor continues, his mouth dangerously close to Jayce’s ear, “unless, of course, you’re the one who’s going to devour me.” 

And Jayce is taken aback. His heart is pounding hard, and through his drunken mind a thought strikes him.

Is Viktor flirting with me?

But Viktor has always been one to tease Jayce, so he decides to test the parameters of this supposed flirting.

”I wouldn’t be opposed to tasting you…” Jayce says, exhaling loudly as he turns his head to meet Viktor’s eyes. “This time, though, I'll make sure you remember it all.”

Viktor turns his entire body again, grinding himself against Jayce, the rhythm of the song completely forgotten. His eyes glow brightly, his hands dropping from Jayce’s neck and instead resting on his waist. There’s a different look in Viktor’s eyes that Jayce can’t discern, but he pulls Jayce closer to him, and Jayce has no choice but to obey.

”And exactly who said I ever forgot?” He says, breath mingling with Jayce’s, a slow smirk forming on his lips. 

And Jayce- Jayce truly didn't hear what Viktor had said. Viktor was gripping him with such strength, still grinding into him, locking him in place with those eyes, and Jayce wants nothing more than to kiss him at that moment. 

“Wh- what?” He sputters out, and Viktor lets go slightly, laughing out loud as he lets his head tilt away from him. His entire body is shaking, and Jayce feels his face go red. 

“What’s so funny?” Sky says, eyeing the way Viktor keeps laughing, a playful smirk still plastered on his face.

”I think Viktor’s too drunk. I’ll take him home.” Jayce says, huffing quietly and tightening his hold on Viktor’s waist. He never let go of him the whole night, not even once.

Sky nods, saying goodbye to the both of them. She returns to Dr Alihops, walking towards the bar. Jayce gets Viktor’s cane, handing it to him and soon enough, they leave The Last Drop.

Outside, Viktor’s cheeks are now more flushed from the cold. Jayce decides to give him his jacket, watching as Viktor slowly thanks him, each movement and action over-calculated and too precise. They were both quiet, walking to Jayce’s apartment for the weekend, but Jayce’s hand eventually fell off Viktor’s waist half way through the walk. 

Viktor took Jayce’s hand in his.

---

On Sunday, Jayce wakes up to Viktor having flipped over the chalkboard of their notes to the other blank side. He had already started writing something on it, and Jayce groggily started remembering what happened. On Saturday, Viktor had slept in the bed (as Jayce always insisted on), and the entire day they had kept working on their project instead. Using Dr Alihops research made it much easier, and they progressed quite quickly. A plan had been formulated, both for the machine that they would show at the Distinguished Innovators Competition as well as the full machine.

They had to redo the machine blueprints as the equation to figure out how to use the cells without salt water would be far too time consuming, and they didn't have time. Jayce had proposed a solution; if the cells need salt water to reproduce and function, why not keep whatever it is also in seawater? A containment of some sorts, so that the cells can work in their natural environment. Viktor had agreed, and they had drafted a couple of rough blueprints for both a smaller and bigger version. 

Now though, the board had something else written on it.

”Cycle Preparations?” Jayce said, his voice still rough from sleep.

Viktor turns around, surprised that Jayce was even awake.

”Ah, good morning Jayce. Apologies, I just wanted to write down what we’ll need for our cycle. I usually do this for my heat… at my home.” He says, hesitant. 

Jayce nods, stretching out into the sun. He thanks his mother for getting him the giant sofa. It was practically a second bed. 

“Alright. So I guess I’ll add stuff I need to it?” Jayce tries to keep his voice calm, but deep inside he is nervous. He doesn’t usually spend his ruts with someone, and when he does, it’s always someone who he doesn’t know.

When he’s alone in his ruts, he simply gets tired and horny. When he’s with someone? Obsessive, one of his past rut partners once said, you were trying to protect me from something. I don’t even know what.

Ever since he met Viktor, though, he never had another rut partner. 

Viktor looks at him softly.

”We should talk about how this will go. It’ll be in a week now. Tomorrow we will go to the doctor to get the medicine, and after that we’ll be working.” Viktor says, letting his voice stay soft and light. Jayce winces, knowing why Viktor is being careful around him. 

“Can… we have breakfast first?” Jayce says, standing up from the sofa.

”Yes. Let’s.” Viktor agrees, going to the kitchen and Jayce follows him slowly.

Jayce makes them toast and coffee, talking about random things that come to mind whilst avoiding the conversation that is soon to follow. Viktor stands up with the plates, helping Jayce to wash and dry them. Jayce thinks he can get used to this feeling of normalcy, waking up in the same house and eating together and cleaning the dishes. He feels some small part of him mourn the life of what could've been. 

“Jayce, we can't delay the conversation any longer, as much as I do love to talk about the quantum theories of space with you.” Viktor says softly, a small chuckle following it. 

Truthfully, they know very little about the topic, and so they end up embellishing the details and making up very obviously wrong facts, all for the intention of trying to get the other to believe ridiculous things that do not exist. 

Jayce sighs, finally going to the chalkboard. Viktor had only written one thing as of that morning, the word “blankets” written in neat cursive. Jayce marvels at the handwriting, loving the way the writing curls around, almost similar to Jayce's but distinct in a way that shines through Viktor's own intellect. 

He thinks it's cute that they somewhat match. 

“Blankets? Are you going to make a nest?” Jayce asks, hoping that it's not an offensive question. 

Viktor blushes slightly, shuffling his feet and looking down. 

“Ah… yes, I hope that's alright? I usually make a nest when I'm in heat… it calms me down.” He says, taking a piece of chalk as he starts writing more. 

Jayce hums, trying not to think about how he might have to go inside Viktor's nest, or, the most probable future being that Viktor would come out of his nest for him. He frowns, knowing that truly, there's no way Viktor trusts him enough to go inside his nest. 

He watches Viktor write a couple more things, basic necessities like food, drinks, pillows, clothes. He also uses a special leg brace when in heat, as well as a much lighter back brace, and he takes medicine during it.

“Since I presented quite late,” Viktor starts, looking at Jayce who's deep in thought, “I take some medicine to help me with my heats. They can become… intense, if I don't have an alpha with me.” He chuckles at Jayce going red, walking towards Jayce and giving him the chalk. 

“Your turn.” 

Jayce takes the chalk and walks to the board. Right next to Viktor's name, he writes his own, underlining it, then starts writing his own needs. 

“I usually cook and then reheat food throughout the week. But looks like you're more of a sandwich person?” Jayce asks, afraid to look at Viktor's piercing gaze. 

“Ah, yes. I am not a fan of hot food during my heats. My body runs hot enough.” He says almost immediately. 

“I usually eat after my head clears.” Jayce turns to look at Viktor. “We… are affected differently by cycles, aren't we?” 

“Yes… it seems so.” Viktor says, looking back at him then nodding at the sofa. 

Once they both sit down, Jayce looks up to the ceiling. 

“Even with the medicine, I have an intense time. I need to go multiple times to be satisfied. I don't truly need a knot, just tiring me out is fine.” Viktor starts, trying to keep a calm voice. Jayce appreciates Viktor taking the reign.

“I've taken a few cycles with a partner. They've all said I'm… obsessive? But I don't lose myself too much, so I won't hurt you.” Jayce decides to contribute to the conversation after a long pause.

“Good, because I usually end up getting lost in it. I'll need your pheromones to keep me clear headed whilst we're…” Viktor trails off, his face turning red. 

“It's fine. We'll have medicine to keep us cool right? I'm sure that means we won't be troubled too much by it.” Jayce says, smiling. “I'll probably need you close, but if you're in your nest…” 

“Don't worry, I'm not too fussy about my nests. You forget I'm a Prime, hm? I'll invite you just fine.” Viktor coos at him, smirking slightly at Jayce's reddening face. 

“Well- alphas are only ever invited into a nest if they're trusted enough-” 

“I trust you.” Viktor says, his voice turning serious. Jayce looks back at him, eyes wide with shock. After all they’ve been through, he still can’t wrap his head around it. 

Viktor trusts him. 

The thought leaves him smiling widely, looking away and standing up. He yawns to try and hide his happiness, but it’s obvious his scent must’ve given him away with the way Viktor snorts behind him. Jayce chuckles nervously, letting his hand reach his head and scratching it lightly. His hair has started growing longer again. He looks back to Viktor, eyes still wide with pure happiness, and extends his hand.

“Let's go shopping?” 

Viktor nods, taking Jayce's hand and walking out of the apartment together. 

At the end of the day, they stop at Viktor’s apartment to drop him off, and Jayce is settled neatly at the bottom of the sofa that Viktor is perched at that Viktor brings the topic back up. 

“Is there anything you’re uncomfortable with? Anything you like?” He asks, keeping his hand steady on Jayce’s hair. 

Jayce is too lost in his own thoughts and the hand circling in his hair to hear the questions. He hums, looking up to Viktor slightly with confusion. 

“I meant… during our cycle.” Viktor continues, his voice slightly out of breath. 

“Oh.” Jayce responds just as quietly, hoping his voice doesn’t betray his trembling. 

Jayce knows that on top of being protective he can be… obsessed. During his ruts he tends to care for his partner more than himself. He doesn’t truly need to go many times, and he finds it to be something where he’s more in service to his partner than it being the other way around. 

“I… I guess not? I mean, I don’t think we would be in the right mind to… try stuff.” He responds, trying to stay as vague and professional as he can.

It makes Viktor chuckle, and Jayce feels the tension slip from his shoulders. He resumes his gentle playing with Jayce’s hair, and Jayce hopes that Viktor would be lucid enough to do the same whilst they’re in their cycle. 

“You don’t have to be worried about going multiple times… I actually end up more or less pleasing my partners more than myself. You’ll find yourself very satisfied with my service.” He says, smirking slightly and trying to keep the conversation light. 

“Oh? Do you have the reviews in writing?” Viktor shoots back, nudging his head over. 

“Perfectly 5 stars, by the way. Never had an unsatisfied customer.” Jayce follows Viktor's hand, watching his body repress a laugh.

“I think I’d have to try it first before giving my input. I’m afraid you might be biased.” Viktor removes his hand, putting it at his mouth and snickering softly. 

Jayce whines at the loss of contact. Swiftly, he situates himself inside of Viktor’s legs, letting his head rest on Viktor’s good leg and giving him his best puppy eyes from down below. 

“Don’t worry. If you’re not satisfied with the results, you can always come back for a refund.” He tries to make it sound as innocent as possible, as if he doesn’t see the way the position crawls a blush across Viktor’s cheeks. It hurts when he thinks that it’s only the bond that’s making him susceptible to such reactions. He also gets a little elated to be able to see this view in his lifetime. 

“And how does one get a refund on a cycle?” He huffs, the smile spreading across his face threatening to break out fully. 

“I will spend your next heat with you, of course. Full payback guarantee.” Jayce smirks, and Viktor laughs loudly, almost to tears. 

“The last time you spent my heat, you didn't even last 10 minutes before you ran.” He says between laughs, looking at Jayce through teary eyes. 

“Ok well, that was an exception. I don't normally run.” He says, feeling his face turn red. He feels himself tighten at the mention of Viktor's last heat. 

“Right, I'm sure you'll last 20 minutes next time.” Viktor chuckles, hitting Jayce's head softly, and he feigns pain from it. He sees Viktor roll his eyes, before telling him to follow him. 

Jayce walks directly behind Viktor as he follows him to his room. Viktor sets his cane down, bending down to a suitcase underneath his bed. 

“Let me.” Jayce says, quickly bending down before Viktor can fully do so, pulling out the suitcase with a smirk in Viktor's direction. Viktor huffs, rolling his eyes as he opens the suitcase. 

Inside are two braces, smaller and lighter than the ones Viktor wears. Jayce picks one up, eyeing it and realises the one he's holding is the back brace. It's lighter, made more with brown leather than metal, and the clasps are adjustable. It is also smaller, made to only support crucial points on his back rather than his entire back. It almost looks more like a corset than a brace. 

The other one is almost the same, the leg brace also made with leather, but it still is a full leg brace unlike the back brace. It has a swirling design that's fading on the leather straps, and the metal is somewhat rusting. 

“How old are these straps?” Jayce asks, looking them over carefully. 

“Eh… a couple years old… I bought them secondhand.” Viktor says, shrugging. 

“There's no way they offer actual support for you.” Jayce holds both of them in his hands, noting how light they are. 

“They don't, but they offer enough support… as long as I don't get into any uncomfortable positions whilst I'm in my heat… Well, that's why I wanted to ask if you were into… anything like that. I can't actually do anything because of the pain.” He says, looking away. 

Jayce is lost in thought. The reason they're made with leather is so they're lighter, but they're not perfectly refined, and without the metal supports they're practically useless. Not only that, but if they're even older than Viktor says, then all they really do is allow Viktor to feel comfortable in one position: simply lying on his back. 

Viktor will surely want to be able to walk up and about. Be able to sit up straight and eat and sleep curled up beside Jayce like he's seen him do before, and if anything happens, he'll need to be able to actually stand up and walk without straining himself. Suddenly, the idea pops in his head, and he sets down the braces back in the suitcase. 

“That's alright. I'll be careful, I promise.” He says, smiling widely at Viktor. Viktor gives him a small smile. 

“I know.” 

---

It's Thursday and Jayce has been in the forge almost every day. Along with building more parts for their prototype, he was almost done with building the new braces for Viktor. Instead of steel, he decided to take the idea of the leather for the straps that are adjustable, and making a structural support instead with magnesium, a much lighter metal than steel. He made sure every spot that the metal could possibly touch Viktor's skin had a leather base, and found a soft, furry inside to stick against the leather so that it doesn't dig into his skin. He's grateful for having Viktor's measurements from the last time he made him his braces, and he knows he'll finish by Friday. 

He huffs at how easy it is to use magnesium, but worries that it won't support him as well as the other braces. He's also nervous to tell Viktor, he hasn't exactly asked him if he could make the braces. But, well, he's already practically finished with them, so he sets to work on smaller, finer details. 

He looks at the leather, taking a small scalpel and drawing small stars on them, taking hours just to get the details correct. He smiles when he's done, almost forgetting the time, and he puts the braces on a rack, taking out the other pieces and going back to the lab. Viktor is still there, sealing something with his blowtorch, when Jayce sets the next couple of pieces next to him. He doesn't flinch, only giving a small hum of acknowledgement as his full concentration on the piece is unbroken. 

Truthfully, Jayce is used to this, but suddenly he wants Viktor's attention on him instead. He clears his throat once, twice, before whining at Viktor willingly ignoring him. Viktor keeps his concentration on the pieces, but this time he lets his scent out, enveloping around Jayce in what he can describe as a warm hug, a warm welcome for him only. 

Jayce breathes in, releasing his own scent as thanks for the warm welcome. This stops Viktor, watching him breathe it in and letting his blowtorch finally rest. 

“Jayce. Why have you been absent this whole week? Are you avoiding me?” He asks, hurt flashing his face before Jayce releases calming pheromones quickly. 

“I wasn't avoiding you, trust me.” Jayce says, trying immediately to calm the worries that are written on Viktor's face. “If you want, can I show you what I've been doing?” He chuckles, putting his hand up to his neck. Viktor nods quickly, removing his lab coat and goggles, taking his cane quickly and following behind Jayce. 

When they reach the forge, Jayce starts becoming nervous again. What if Viktor gets angry at him? He thinks he'll probably have to change his identity and move away if he has to sit through another of Viktor’s lectures. Despite it, Viktor lays a hand on Jayce's arm, encouraging him to open the door and lead the way. Jayce nods slightly, opening it and going to the rack. He takes both braces, hiding them behind himself and looking at Viktor. 

“Ok so before you get mad…” He starts, looking away and trying to laugh. 

“Jayce.” Viktor says seriously, his face completely neutral. 

“R-right. Uhm, well, it's not that I didn't trust you- I do! And it's not that I don't trust myself, I mean, I already know myself well, but, well, I couldn't stop thinking about it and-” 

“Jayce.” Viktor says again, this time more softly, as if comforting him. Jayce smells the honey scent again, making him relax into it slowly. 

“Your honey scent is so nice. It makes me feel at home.” He says, trying his best to stall from the obvious. 

Viktor raises a brow. “Honey?” He asks, seemingly taking the bait. He takes one step closer to Jayce. 

“A-ah yeah. Y'know? You smell like honey and pastries. It's sweet, I like it.” He says, staying still in his position and feeling his heart hammering out of his chest. It's still hot in the forge, and Jayce feels a sweat drop on the side of his face. 

“Hmm. You smell like firewood…” he says, slowly walking closer to Jayce, releasing his scent in waves, “snow and… lies!” Viktor quickly goes behind Jayce and snatches the braces he was holding before Jayce even registered it, blinking quickly before reacting to him and moving away. 

It's too late, Viktor holds both braces in his hands and his brows are furrowed in confusion. He eyes Jayce, then the braces, putting them down as if trying to figure out what they are, and in moments, Jayce watches the realization dawn on him. It starts with his brows slowly shooting up, his mouth slowly parting open and then his eyes become wider and wider. He leaves his cane beside him, using the table to support his weight, and then looks at the braces thoroughly. 

“It's…light.” He says, still looking at the braces. 

“Yeah I, uh, made them with leather and magnesium. Viktor, I know I should've asked you first before making them, I'm so sorry-” 

“Jayce. I can't thank you enough.” Viktor says, his eyes beginning to tear up. “My old ones, although they are quite light, are very painful to use. They have little to no support… Thank you so much.” He goes over to Jayce and hugs him tightly, burying his head in his chest, and Jayce hugs him back even tighter, feeling relief untangle him. 

“Oh gods, I'm so happy you like it. I thought I was gonna combust if you got mad at me.” Jayce practically yells it into Viktor's hair, which makes Viktor laugh through a broken sob. 

“You've already made me the other two braces and I've never felt more comfortable with them. Why wouldn't I love them?” He says, letting his hug linger on Jayce. Jayce keeps his eyes on him, awe filling his entire body. He feels as though he's the happiest man alive, with his mate in his arms, laughing and crying from joy. 

My mate? 

Jayce shakes the thought away, going to brush off hair from Viktor's face. 

“Ah well, I'm still afraid that I won't be able to impress you.” 

“You don't need to impress me, Jayce. I know you.” Viktor says, breaking eye contact and putting his head back on Jayce's shoulder. He sighs, rubbing his hair with his face and hugging him tighter. 

“Do you want to try it on?” 

Viktor wears both braces carefully, and walks around with his cane and without his cane to test it out. 

“It's not as supportive as my normal ones, but at the very least, I can change positions and move around without that much pain. It's super light, I can barely feel it. It's perfect, absolutely perfect Jayce.” 

He walks slowly towards Jayce, stumbling at first without his cane, across the room from where he was, before walking faster, and faster. 

“You can do it Vik.” Jayce says, holding out his arms for another hug. 

“Jayce- catch me-” 

“I got you!” Jayce yells it out, about to take a step towards him. 

“Don't- I'll come to you!” Viktor warns him, walking faster, almost running, yet he's still unsteady. 

Jayce stays where he is, watching the braces, watching Viktor's leg, watching Viktor as he practically jumps into his arms. They hug with laughter as Jayce twirls him around in his arms, putting little kisses into his hair with triumph. 

If Viktor noticed, he never said a word. 

---

Chapter Text

Jayce watches Viktor settle down on his sofa for the third time today. The sight has happened many times now, but Jayce still can’t get used to it. The way Viktor seems to let his inhibitions go, the way he seems to relax into the sofa, the very spot Jayce usually sits at, and thus, the most scented spot in the entire room, and it only slightly makes Jayce go insane. 

It’s the weekend right before their cycle, and Jayce can already feel his pre-rut hitting him. They had ended up going to the doctor the day before, having forgotten to do so on Monday as Jayce was busy with the braces. Their doctor was not pleased at the way they had both been late to the appointment by a couple of days, and yet, nevertheless, he had their medicine already ready to go, with the doses and prescription written down, as well as instructions on how to administer them. The first dose was through pills, but from then on, it would be a small injection to their stomachs, not more than 3 inches long, and given periodically every 12 hours with no fail. Jayce had decided, then, that he’d be the one to administer both their medications, despite never having handled a syringe before, but it was a tiny one, one that would barely hurt (as the doctor had reassured Jayce after seeing the frown on his face), and he was confident he’d be able to do so. 

Now though, with pre-rut hitting him at the same time as Viktor’s pre-heat, he realises he might black out and not even remember to administer it. Viktor smells so good it’s intoxicating. It's filling every single breath he takes, following him around everywhere he goes, and it sends a shiver of excitement at the sheer prospect of sharing a cycle together. When he woke up and Viktor was in the kitchen making them coffee, he had practically purred happily and loudly, which made Viktor roll his eyes and break out a smile, saying good morning before continuing his coffee making activity. Jayce had stood up then, eyes still groggy with sleep, and slipped right next to him, putting his arm lazily around his waist and whispering a slight “morning” back to him, muffled by Jayce's head resting on Viktor's shoulder.

He woke up fully when Viktor breathed out a laugh. 

Now, two hours in, and Viktor was stretching out on the sofa, looking around, before taking three of the pillows that Jayce had slept on, and wobbled back into the bedroom. Jayce gulped down his second cup of coffee, constantly watching Viktor go around the apartment, resting so often, taking some sort of fabric with him, then disappearing back into the bedroom. 

Viktor’s making a nest. 

Viktor hadn’t mentioned it, but Jayce is aware of the things slightly diminishing around him. Viktor had already brought his blankets, clothes, pillows, some stuffed teddy bears, and it had been so much that Jayce had been the one to carry it. Even then, Viktor requested so much of Jayce’s things till he simply started taking them himself. 

It’s good, for Viktor to add things that carried Jayce’s scent into the nest. It makes accepting Jayce inside easier for the omega, since he would be an addition that would only be added last. He still sighs, worried that something might be going wrong. 

Viktor comes back out with one of the pillows he had brought inside, putting it back where he found it with a scowl, his scent obviously sour, then going back into the room. 

Rejected. 

Jayce gulps, hoping that not everything was being rejected, blankets and clothes strewn across the floor as Viktor tries his best to incorporate his scent in. But he can see with the way that Viktor’s scent continues to sour every so often that his nest is not going according to plan. He straightens, deciding to go to the room after a couple more hours of watching Viktor struggle. He knocks, and feels strange for it, since it's his room and he technically can enter at any time. In any case, he waits for a response, and only when Viktor opens the door does he get to glimpse the nest before the door is abruptly closed. He was right. Almost all of Jayce's things are thrown on the floor, away from the nest. 

“Is everything alright?” Viktor asks, seeming a little out of breath.

“Uhh yeah, just checking on how you're going.” Jayce responds, feeling the tension in the air. He supposes it's because he's somehow done something, but he can't for the life of him guess what. 

Viktor hums, nodding slowly before walking away from the room. Jayce has noticed how his limp had been slightly getting better, being fed and forced to rest even on weekends proving to be a good strategy to get him healthier. Even if they still do work at Jayce's apartment. 

Jayce watches Viktor go to the door, putting his shoes on and signalling him to follow. They both leave the apartment to go to the supermarket, in complete silence, and it practically leaves Jayce's skin crawling. He knows now that he's done something wrong, and he wants so badly to apologise, but he has no idea what it was and how to start. So he simply follows Viktor around, getting him items that are too tall for his reach. They start out by getting a few things, some pre-made sandwiches, as well as bread, some cold meats and sauces, vegetables, a few things for Jayce to cook the next day, a couple more lunchboxes, a few black sheets, some laundry detergent, a few more pillows, and by the time they finish up, Jayce is carrying four heavy bags. Viktor chuckles at Jayce struggling with the sheets and pillows, and he calls for a carriage. 

Once they reach home, they simply drop off the things before Viktor announces that he's leaving and will be back in an hour. Jayce nods, trying not to let the ambiguity of Viktor's absence get the better of him, and looks around his apartment and starts getting to work. 

His apartment is his den, his safe space, and omega or not, he'll forever have the itch to make sure it's as accessible for him during his cycle as it can possibly be, logic be damned.

For Viktor now too. 

He moves the sofas again, trying his best to quell whatever frustrating itch that has now settled underneath his bones, moving them every so often so he can make a path for escape if he needs it and ease of access. He eventually moves even the tv so it still sits in the middle of the sofas, then moves the tables as well as the chalkboards. He realises how much he wants to keep only one window bare and not shut the curtains, the one that outlooks over to the city and has the view of the ocean and stars. He sighs, wanting to close it, but his skin practically burns at the thought. 

Jayce grumbles, pissed at his own alpha for being so picky and meticulous about it. He starts getting to work, cooking to distract himself, and he packs almost 20 lunch boxes of food. As he lets them cool down, two plates of food placed on the table and untouched, Viktor finally comes back in. 

“That was more than an hour.” Jayce says, watching Viktor freeze slightly. He came back in the same way he had come out, same clothes and no bags, just himself, and a scent Jayce can't place. He feels his heart stutter with panic. “Where have you gone?” 

“What? I can't leave for a bit before our cycle?” Viktor chuckles, but tenses once he looks at Jayce. 

“What if you'd gotten lost? Or stuck? How would I know if you're in trouble?” Jayce doesn't understand why he himself is acting this way, but he takes a slow step towards Viktor anyway, trying his best to encroach in his space without seeming intimidating.

“I'm not some helpless little omega, Jayce. I can take care of myself.” Viktor huffs out, removing his jacket and hanging it on the wall.

He knows that, gods, Jayce knows that better than anyone. But for some reason, the frustration in his mind practically roars at the sentence. 

“But you're-” my omega “under my care. I have to know otherwise I can't help.” Jayce gruffs out the last part of his sentence, his chest tightening in pain.

Viktor scrutinises him, looking him up and down, and standing up straighter. Defiance. He holds Jayce's stare, a stoic expression on his face, completely unreadable. 

“Please.” Jayce adds, and he sees Viktor deflate almost immediately, sighing and then running his fingers in his hair. 

“I… went to Zaun.” He spits it out. 

“You what?!” Jayce practically cries out, rushing towards him and searching him for any harm. 

“Calm down Jayce. Whenever I have trouble with my nest, I go back home to recalibrate myself. I just needed… that safety net again.” His lip quivers at the mention of his home, and immediately Jayce feels guilty at it. 

“You… you're having trouble with your nest? Is it… me?” He asks, and suddenly he realises that it's most definitely him, because who else or what else could it be? 

“I'm not sure, Jayce. But I doubt it's you, you haven't even been in it yet. But… bear with me, Jayce. It's my first time making a nest in someone else's home.” He reaches his hand up to Jayce's face, and Jayce leans into it and rests his cheek in his palm. Viktor smiles softly. 

“Maybe… we should do it at your apartment after all.” Jayce tries to squeeze out the pain from his chest for having failed his omega, but it only drops down into his stomach, making him recoil with the shame that threatens to leak out from his very pores.

“No, we've already prepared for it to be here. So we will continue. I wouldn't let a simple setback stop me from my goal, now would I? Hm?” Viktor slightly squeezes Jayce's cheek, and he breathes out at the action. He shakes his head, closing his eyes and drowning himself in his scent. 

“No, the Viktor I know would never.” 

“Well it's a good thing I'm still the same, no?” Viktor chuckles, and Jayce drops a small kiss into his palm, removing it from his cheek before finally looking into Viktor's eyes. 

Viktor was already staring straight at him, and got surprised at the sudden contact, looking away immediately. A slight blush forms on his cheeks, and he removes his hand from Jayce's face and walks towards the island. 

“Is this dinner for us?” 

“Yes, I just made it.” Jayce trails slowly behind him, taking a seat on the other side of the table. 

“You moved the furniture.” Viktor notes as he eats the spaghetti, and Jayce feels almost mortified at having changed the apartment without asking Viktor.

“I- I always change it, I'm so sorry I should've asked first-” 

“It's alright Jayce, it doesn't phase me.” Viktor says, releasing his scent in small waves, calming Jayce down. 

Jayce realises right then that only Viktor's scent is able to actually calm him down. Most usually, being a Prime meant he could reject scents, and he would normally reject most omegan scents for his own state of mind. He doesn't remember blocking Viktor's scent even once since they first met. He starts to think maybe it's fate.

“Viktor, I don't mean to pry but… what else can you do as a Prime Omega?” 

Viktor coughs, choking slightly on his food before eyeing a laughing Jayce with a scowl. 

“You can't just randomly ask that.” He mumbles, but he eats a couple more spoonfuls before setting his fork down, turning towards Jayce fully. 

“Well, for one, I can command Alphas, although you already know that.” Jayce nods, gulping down his drink for an excuse to look away from Viktor's piercing gaze. 

“I can also control my scent, control whose scent I can smell, you know, the normal Prime things.” He says as he circles some more spaghetti on his fork, but he doesn't eat it. 

“Also… I guess Prime Omegas are naturally more fertile? Although I'm not since I take so much medication.” He says, but smirks and looks at Jayce underneath his eyelashes, “But that doesn't mean you shouldn't try hard enough to put a baby in me, though.” 

Jayce coughs on his drink, a searing pain in his throat and nose as it comes out slowly from them, and his face goes red from the way Viktor is laughing. He's doubled over, holding his stomach as he wipes away tears.

“You have got to stop teasing me, Vik.” Jayce says, but the sentence went straight to his crotch, and he has a feeling he's gonna have a hard time sleeping tonight. 

“I'm sorry, the opportunity was right there.” Viktor says, eating the last of his food before picking up the plates. 

Jayce stands up with him, making small talk as they both clean up. After they're done, they both sit down on the sofa, close enough that Viktor lays his entire side against Jayce, dropping his head on Jayce's shoulder. 

“I'll make your sandwiches tomorrow?” Jayce asks, noticing how sleepy Viktor's become. 

“Yeah, that'll be good. I'll finish the nest tomorrow too. I think I know what to do.” Viktor yawns, snuggling up to Jayce.

“Aren't you going to sleep in the bedroom?” He asks, although he doesn't truly want Viktor to leave.

“No, I don't like it in there… it's wrong.” Viktor sleepily says, and Jayce grabs one of the closer blankets he'd been using, covering Viktor and himself. He intertwines his hand with Viktor's once he was sure that Viktor was asleep, pulling his legs over his own so that Viktor can lay himself on Jayce, and he falls asleep in that position with him. 

--- 

When Jayce wakes up, Viktor's gone. 

He stands up immediately, but his scent is already gone. He sniffs it, going into the bedroom but not finding him or the scent there. In fact, he doesn't find anything inside. Everything is gone, stripped, including the sheets, pillows, everything. 

Jayce feels his heart drop. 

He looks around, looking for any remnant of Viktor, and then goes around to the apartment. No Viktor. Not even his jacket or shoes are there anymore, and Jayce runs out of the apartment, going straight to Viktor's apartment. He brings out his spare key, his heart in his throat, and unlocks the door slowly. Inside, the apartment is bare. 

He lingers inside Viktor's apartment, calling for him softly as he went into the bathroom, then bedroom. The apartment barely had much furnishings, almost all of it was at his apartment, and now they're somewhere that Jayce doesn't know. Could Viktor just have left him, the apartment, everything? Jayce passes by the sofa where he bit Viktor, and his gut churns with anxiety. 

It's possible. After everything Jayce did, he wouldn't want to be near himself either, let alone spending a whole heat with him. Jayce wants to cry, wants to curl up in Viktor's scent and beg for forgiveness. He didn't realise the last time he held Viktor would be his last, and he tries quickly to calm himself down before he spirals even more. There has to be a reason, a worthy reason as to why Viktor is gone, and Viktor would tell it to him… once he found him.

He goes to the academy next, searching through all the empty labs, despite knowing he's not there, that he's scent is nowhere to be found, he eventually reaches their lab. 

“Viktor?” His voice is strained from calling his name, and the sweet smell of honey and pastries is still mixing in the air with his own scent, but it's obvious he hadn't been back since Friday. Jayce crumbles, groaning in pain as he feels his rut tumbling towards him, and the tears start falling freely. 

Why? Why did Viktor leave? Am I not good enough? Could he not invite me into his nest after all? Has he decided to take someone else? 

It starts raining outside, and Jayce watches it from their lab window, the sound of the rain hitting the window calming him down only slightly. He breathes in Viktor and tries to go back to the last couple of days, wondering where he had gone wrong. Maybe Viktor actually hated the braces, maybe he found it offensive, and was looking for a day to escape? 

Jayce sits down at his chair, watching the little droplets of rain on the window, trying his best to calm his racing mind. It barely works, leaving Jayce anxious and sick, making him want to throw up and then leave. Leave and never show his face again.

Jayce starts scratching his arms, his theories of why Viktor left him suddenly too much to bear. 

Maybe he really did hate even the simple thought of sharing a cycle with me after what happened last time. 

He suddenly smelt another scent permeating through the lab, a tangy, iron smell, and he looks down to his arms. He sighs, standing up slowly to their chemical sink, washing off the blood that dropped down slowly until the scratches no longer produced any more blood. He breathes in the cold damp air, relishing in the feeling of being uncomfortable, half wet and stinging with physical pain. He looks over lazily at the clock, noticing it's been almost four hours since he left his apartment, and he doesn't truly remember if he even locked the door. He sighs again, finally resigned and feeling oddly numb. He leaves the lab, walking slowly in the rain, and eventually returns back to his apartment an hour longer than what it normally took him. 

He hated everything. 

He hated the feeling of his feet in his shoes, wet from the rain. He hated the feeling of his shirt clinging onto his back like a second skin, hated the feeling of being right- that Viktor probably was disgusted by him, and that's why he had left in the dead of the night, leaving Jayce alone with so many emotions he couldn't even battle by himself. 

His rut was accelerating, it was barely 3PM, but he knew that the next time he fell asleep, it would've started. 

Which is probably now, he thinks, walking towards his kitchen before stopping dead in his tracks. 

Honey? 

He follows the scent, slowly going over to his bedroom before standing outside of it, eyes wide. Was he imagining the scent? But it's undeniable, it's so strong from his room. As if Viktor was in there, and not only that, but in pre-heat. 

He knocks once, twice, thrice, before he opened the door slowly. 

Viktor was curled up on his bed, the blankets and clothes and pillows and everything that had been gone somehow back. Jayce took a deep breath.

It was beautiful. 

Viktor had made a huge nest, each blanket and piece of clothing perfectly put into place, surrounding the entire bed, somehow steady despite it being on the edge of it, the colours all in a crescendo, starting from black and gray at the base to light yellows and white at the top, somehow mirroring each other with different objects. Jayce's eyes went to the floor, where a smaller nest was set up, mostly with Viktor's things, comfortable and protected, somehow more intimate than the one that had the mix of both his and Jayce's clothes. 

“Viktor?” He calls out, and Viktor stirs almost immediately. 

“Oh, Jayce. I was wondering when you'd come ba- are you alright? You're… wet?” Viktor wakes up fully, stretching softly like a cat before he takes his cane and walks slowly towards Jayce. When he touches Jayce's cheek, Jayce loses it. 

Tears start to fall again, and he doesn't even realise when he starts shaking. He hiccups, coughs, and realises that he needs to puke. He turns away, going to the bathroom to vomit out his nerves and the terror, crying even louder into his chest. Viktor is beside him in a moment, asking if he's okay, holding his hair and rubbing soothing circles into his back. Jayce takes off his shirt, his shorts, sick of being wet so much, and hugs Viktor, pulls him close as he inhales his scent. Viktor lets him, softly purring so Jayce can feel it as his head lays on his chest, and they sit there like that for five minutes before Jayce finally calms down enough to stand up. 

“I need to shower.” He tells Viktor, and Viktor nods his head slowly, going to the living room and bringing inside a chair. He sits down, looking at Jayce. 

“You're… in here?” He asks, unsure of what was happening. 

“Yes, I hope you don't mind. I just want to make sure you're… safe.” Viktor says, and his eyes flicker down before meeting Jayce's eyes again. Jayce realises that his arms are probably still red and stinging, and decides to nod before opening up the shower door. 

After he showers, he dries himself, taking a new pair of clothes that Viktor had brought for him at some point, and lets himself be guided by Viktor into the living room. They both sit down, and Viktor takes out the med aid kit. He doesn't question Jayce, simply cleans up the wound again, putting gel on it before he wraps it around with a bandage. After wrapping it lightly, he kisses it slightly, and Jayce feels his heart twinge as he watches Viktor. 

“You left.” Jayce starts, and takes back his hand from Viktor, who looks hurt at the action. Jayce considers giving him the entire arm, chopping it off and laying it on a silver platter for him. But Viktor had left. 

And came back. 

“Ah, yes. I told you in the morning that I was leaving. You responded, don't you remember?” Viktor says carefully, reaching out to Jayce's hands again, but hesitates and puts his hands back to his side. Jayce is bewildered at the action- Viktor isn't normally one to give touch, more likely to be one to be given, and even then, he usually rejects it from most people. 

Jayce doesn't remember anything after they both went to sleep the night before. 

He shakes his head. 

“You left. You took everything. I thought- is- is it my fault? It’s me, after all, isn’t it? You hate my scent. Gods, why did you even come back? You deserve someone bet-“

”Jayce, will you let me speak, please?” Viktor says, and Jayce nods quickly, putting his head into his hands. 

“I… You’re somewhat correct. I couldn’t make a nest with your scented items. I couldn’t find a spot for them, despite the fact that I had a perfect plan for where they’d go. Everything just felt so wrong.” Viktor starts, and Jayce peeks out from his hands and watches Viktor’s adam apple bob down quickly. 

“When I went home, I figured out why. Jayce, your scent… your clothes and your blankets and-“ Viktor almost breaks down, and Jayce finally looks up, putting a reassuring hand on his arm. He didn't want to release his scent if it caused Viktor such discomfort, so he opted for physical reassurance. 

“I’m sorry, Viktor. My scent isn’t compatible with yours, is it? I’m sorry, it’s all my fault. Please don't cry, it's okay, you're well within your right to leave.” Jayce says, although the thought of Viktor taking his things and actually leaving has him wanting to go into the ocean and drown himself out.

”No, no Jayce! It’s- it is not that. Jayce, your scented items had an overwhelming smell of… negative emotions in it.” Viktor says, looking back to Jayce with a small look that Jayce can’t decipher.

”Negative emotions?” He asks, and suddenly he’s lost in thought. 

“Yes. I’ve always thought they were fleeting emotions, sometimes when I was in your bed and I’d try to scent over them. Eventually, they were less and less, so I thought you just had a depressive episode but…” He trails off, looking away as he bites his lip.

Jayce looks at him to continue.

”But, when I was finally putting everything together, those emotions somehow got louder. Or rather, they were no longer as repressed.” Viktor breathes out and Jayce squeezes his hand. 

“Vik-”

“Stress, guilt, anger, sadness, depression, gods, anger, and… most of all… Death.” Viktor finishes, looking away. 

“The most prominent one. Death. Suicide. I couldn’t- I couldn’t even breathe. They were distant, yes, but… they were practically in everything, and they were spreading to even my scented items.” Viktor looks back at him and Jayce flinches. 

Oh. 

Oh. 

Of course. Jayce hadn’t even considered what bottling up his emotions and leaving them for his apartment would do to everything his scent touched. Of course they’d soak it in, keep the emotions but not the memory, something he couldn’t even wash away in his own washing machine that’s also filled with his scent. Jayce felt his world start to crumble. He was never going to be someone who could be anyone’s partner. No one would ever want him- not when he was always so negative no matter how much he tries not to be. Despite how much he felt happy, everything always dragged him down and ruined anything good life gave him. 

And now, he had ruined Viktor. Again.

He felt his tears pricking his eyes again. He began to stand, but Viktor took his hand and held him firmly where he was. 

“So I obviously did the only thing I could; I went to the local laundromat with a carriage and everything that had negative emotions and washed it all out there with what we bought yesterday. I brought everything back maybe two hours ago? And I finished my nest quickly too.” Viktor says, offering Jayce a smile. 

“You… washed my belongings?” Was it that easy? 

“…yes? I- Did I cross a line? I’m sorry- I just wanted your things in my nest, that’s why I washed them-“ 

“You… actually wanted my stuff there? Even with what you discovered?” Jayce lets the tears drop this time, disbelief evident in his voice. 

“Well, yes. I quite enjoy your scent. I was waiting for you to come back from wherever you had gone so you could rescent everything with… happier emotions?” Viktor chuckles nervously, fidgeting with his cane as he looks away shyly. 

Jayce sucks in a breath. Viktor hadn’t run away, he had found that there was something wrong that had to do with Jayce and with no hesitation, he went to fix it. Jayce moves his hand towards Viktor’s cheek, and the tears simply keep falling. 

“I’d love to scent everything you want me to, with whatever emotion you want me to. Can I kiss you?” 

Viktor’s smile drops slightly, before he smiles even wider, nodding silently, and Jayce leans in to kiss him. 

It was nothing short of perfection. He felt his frustration, the itch underneath his skin get cleared almost immediately, the soft feeling of Viktor’s lips leading the kiss, the way Viktor pulls him in as Jayce melts into nothing, into everything Viktor could want him to be. Viktor sighs into him softly as they break away shortly for a break, before resuming once again, this time just a bit more urgent, sparks of affection running down Jayce’s back as he leans more into it. He wants to taste Viktor, wants his mouth open and panting, wants to both pin him down and kiss him endlessly and also wants Viktor to control and take his last remaining air from his lungs with the kiss, to submit and to have him submit. Eventually, he breaks apart for air, and Viktor’s eyes slowly flitter open, his pupils dilated, panting softly, and his mouth breaks into a wide smile as he chuckles. 

“Now, please, come scent all your items. It’ll take a while.” Viktor says, standing up, slightly wobbly. 

Jayce nods, standing up with him, putting his hand around Viktor’s hips, following just slightly behind him as Viktor talks of the different emotions he wanted. 

Two hours later, and Jayce had finally finished individually scenting each of his items, seeping in whatever Viktor had asked for. He sits beside the nest, catching his breath, waiting for the next item to be passed by Viktor. He hears shuffling from the bed, and he looks up slightly only to be met by Viktor’s eyes looking down at him. 

“Come in?” He says, and Jayce’s chest swells with happiness. He candidly climbs into the comfortable nest, and purrs almost immediately at how it looked and felt. 

“It’s like I’m back in the lab.” He says almost immediately, letting himself be led into whatever position Viktor wanted him in. 

“What do you mean?” Viktor says, laying himself next to Jayce, before scowling and then laying his head on Jayce’s chest. Jayce smells the long waves of honey be pulled out of Viktor slowly, happiness causing him both to be drowsy and excited. Their cycles are most definitely starting tomorrow. 

“It feels like home. Like our home.” Jayce says, and he wonders if Viktor would take offense to it. Instead, Viktor smiles widely, planting a kiss on Jayce’s chest and nodding. 

“Good, that’s how I wanted it to be.” 

---

When Jayce woke up again, he could tell he still hasn't truly started his rut, but he was incredibly close. The thought practically flew away from his head the moment his brain gathered where he had just woken up. 

The nest. 

Their nest. 

Jayce's heart practically soared. He was practically getting drunk on the pheromones Viktor was letting out, clinging to Jayce with a strength stronger than steel, his head on Jayce's chest and his breathing soft and sometimes rumbling out. Jayce all but purred at the site, blushing intensely when he realised it and thanking the gods that Viktor was asleep and didn't hear it. 

He looked down to Viktor again, taking in his sleeping form. He had seen him sleeping before, but always from afar, never from this close. Viktor was holding onto Jayce's arm with a strength that could rival Spartans, his brows furrowed and his mouth in a frown. Despite this, he looked somewhat content, letting go of whatever it is that could possibly be troubling him, a small pink blush working it's way around Viktor's cheeks, slowly trailing down towards his chest. Jayce breathes him in, leaving a small kiss between Viktor's brows and watching them relax, his jaw unclench, and a small happy sigh escaping his mouth. 

Jayce practically whimpers at the sight of it. 

Is the bond supposed to have such a strong physical and mental hold like that? A simple action from Jayce instantly relaxed Viktor- this was something he had heard about from books on imprinting and soulmates, fairytales and make-believes with no real science to back it up. He scoffed, slightly offended at his mind for even entertaining the idea that they could scientifically be anything relating to soulmates when, currently, they weren't even emotionally mates, and his heart does a double leap at that certain and stinging fact. 

They were mates only in a physical, temporary bond. 

Viktor stirs slowly, his nose crinkling and fluttering his eyes open. 

“Jayce…” he says, voice thick with sleep, the accent so strong Jayce would barely have been able to decipher his name had he not heard it the same way before. 

Still, despite Viktor being half-asleep and not really trying to move into action, he could tell from the tone of his voice that something had wronged Viktor somehow. 

“Yes? Good morning…” Jayce tries, holding Viktor close to him, who in turns rubs his cheek on his chest, huffing out a small laugh.

“It would be a good morning if you weren't so… if your scent wasn't…” Jayce saw the way Viktor's brain tried to recall whatever word he was looking for, his brain lagging behind his mouth. Then it hit Jayce like a truck; his thoughts and feelings are heightened through his current pheromones. And he's in Viktor's nest. Of course, Viktor would be sensitive to any change in his scent. 

“Negative?” Jayce supplied, immediately oozing apologies in his scent as Viktor nodded slowly. He tries to add something lighter to his scent, rubbing Viktor's back softly as he sighs into it. 

Viktor says nothing, only staying on top of Jayce as they share in the oncoming day light that shines through the curtains. A half hour later, Jayce has to go to the bathroom, and the day dream is broken almost instantly. When he returns, Viktor is already up, looking through the nest, deep in thought. 

He chuckles, going over to Viktor and giving him a hug. Viktor leans into it, but still looks away. 

“I imagine our cycle is about to start. I honestly thought we would have started by now.” Viktor says, finally looking up to Jayce. 

“Me too, I was certain at this very moment I'd be a goner. Thank god too, we didn't take our medicine.” Jayce shuffles Viktor's hair, going over to the cabinet next to the bed and opening the second drawer.

The first drawer is all of Viktor's medication that he needs to take without fail, and the third drawer is filled with the medicine given from the doctor. With the new medicine, some of the ones that Viktor would normally be using would be removed, and Jayce is grateful for the extra time of lucidity they have to be able to sort through them all. 

After another half hour of sorting through the medicine, making sure that the ingredients don't overlap with the new medication, they finally trudge into the kitchen, Viktor with his toothbrush in after Jayce already brushed his, looking through the fridge. 

“Jayce, I think you made way too many sandwiches last night. Half of these will go bad before I eat them.” He takes out two of them, putting them on two plates before looking for their coffee pot. 

Jayce watches him make a quick breakfast, smiling at himself, knowing that if he even so much as offers to do it for him, Viktor would give him an eye roll and tsk at him. Not that it isn't a fun thing to see, especially as Jayce loves Viktor's little dramatics, but after the stunt he pulled in the bedroom, he wants to keep in Viktor's good books for now. 

“I got nervous, I'm sorry. I hope you like them.” He says, taking half of one of the offered sandwiches, taking a bite and scrunching his nose at the taste of toothpaste and food mixing together. 

Viktor laughs at Jayce's reaction, quickly going to the bathroom to leave his toothbrush before joining him with two cups of coffee. When they finish their breakfast, they sit at the sofa, turning the tv on but neither of them are really listening. Jayce knows that right now, he should be taking care of Viktor more, giving him massages and letting him rest as much as he can before the cycle starts. But apparently, something came to Viktor in a dream, and now they have one of their chalkboards with their papers on it facing them, both trying to see if Viktor was just straight crazy or if there is some merit to his idea. 

“This… could work, Vik. Connecting the tubes to the body to give it sufficient fluid to survive, a huge air bowl for breathing, and it would be just as easy to build a smaller mini version of it for plant use…” Jayce says, scribbling down the information Viktor has given him. 

Suddenly, a wave of sweet honey fills his nose, and he chokes out a breath as he tries to centre himself. He looks down towards where Viktor was sitting, and sees him smiling up widely and sweetly at him, so innocently as if he didn't just try to drown Jayce in his pheromones. Jayce realises that Viktor did not, in fact, try to do that, and that his pre-heat is coming onto him stronger now. 

“Do… maybe we should start resting now. I think the cycle is close.” He hums out, going towards Viktor, the urge to hold him almost unbearable.

Viktor nods, watching him carefully as Jayce slides beside him, stretching out his arms as he pulls Viktor closer into him. Viktor says nothing, offers no thoughts or feelings to the gesture, but he also doesn't push Jayce away, and Jayce relaxes into his permission. 

“Jayce… I'm sorry to bring this up right before our cycle but… will you be okay?” Viktor asks, remorse filling his eyes as he looks at Jayce. 

Jayce stiffens, his entire body going rigid only for a couple of seconds before relaxing slightly.

“Ah, yeah… don't worry about it. I'll be able to keep a cool head.” He nods, removing Viktor's hair from his face. 

Viktor nods back, looking away before seemingly making a decision, moving in to Jayce slowly and relaxing when Jayce leans in to him as well. 

Viktor is being patient. 

Eventually, they get tired of waiting on the couch, a weird sort of exhaustion pulling them and bringing them to the nest. Jayce waits for Viktor to get inside first and get comfortable, waiting for permission to enter from Viktor, who then scowls at him and tells him to get inside. Jayce lays down on the bed, looking out the window. Normally, during his ruts, he wouldn't be able to. 

“Is something bothering you?” Viktor asks suddenly, and Jayce wonders if Viktor is just super sensitive to scent changes only in his nest. 

“Vik, don't worry. Everything's perfect, just… worried about the cycle.” Jayce tries to reassure him, but he doubts it's working. 

“It will be fine. I trust you.” Viktor says, yawning half way through. “And besides, I want to see if your 5 star reviews holds any value.” 

Jayce chuckles, finally giving in to the urge from morning and kissing his head. Viktor gasps softly, but leans in to him for more, so Jayce gives him more, as much as he wants. 

He trails the kisses down to his forehead, kissing his eyes as Viktor huffs out a laugh, his mole underneath his eye then on top of his mouth, the corners of his smiling face, his cheeks, up back to kiss his temples before moving to his left ear, down again to leave soft kisses to his neck, but Viktor laughs when it happens. He looks up, puzzled, and Viktor brings his hand up to his neck. 

“I'm ticklish there. I rarely let anyone ever touch me on my neck.” Viktor says it in a sigh, settling deeper into Jayce's chest as Jayce tries his hardest best to not explode from that small bit of information. 

Jayce takes the two water bottles and gives one to Viktor, both downing their medication at the same time without breaking eye contact. At this point, they fully know now that they're going to start the cycle the moment they wake up next, and Jayce feels more sure and ready looking into Viktor's golden eyes. Viktor sighs, beckoning for Jayce to come closer to him, and they go back into the position they were in before. Jayce slightly plays with Viktor's hair, curling the end bits in his fingers to see if they remain curled, and then kissing Viktor's head once again.

He tries to fall asleep when Viktor's breathing evens out, but his heart is still racing, the freedom he's been given still fresh and new and available, and he doesn't sleep until almost an hour later when the sun hangs low at the sky and Jayce almost swears he sees the stars of twilight twinkling down just for him.

---

Chapter Text

“Pistanthrophobia.” 

Jayce reads out loud to the girl seated on the other chair, wanting to bring it up somehow without putting too much info into the conversation. 

Life is like an unexplored cavern. You're in the dark for the most part, stumbling through rocks and hills and dirt, holding onto the wall as a lifeline to hopefully guide you towards the exit. Clinging to the wrong wall means clinging to your demise, but how do you know which wall to take a hold of?

How do you know when to let go? 

“What?” Caitlyn asks, her voice coming out only a couple seconds after he had spoken. 

Jayce could never tell, truly, which wall others were holding onto. He liked to believe Caitlyn has always been on the right wall, head held up high as she scrutinised the dark, feet stumbling through each hill and valley and twist and turn but just as confident as the last. Jayce has known since he was younger that it didn't truly matter to him which wall he was holding; they all led down the same path. 

“Pistanthrophobia.” He says again, looking at the clock ticking. 

If life was a cavern, Jayce's must hold mountains and mountains of other, smaller and equally as demising caverns. He must be a whole system of other smaller systems, each turn leading down a new path that led back to where he came from, a maze of unfiltered, untethered vitriol of hatred and shame. If life was a cavern, Jayce was a bear. 

“I don't know what that means.” Caitlyn doesn't truly respond back, her head somewhere else, her hand on the wall moving again, her feet taking her to a bright exit. 

He sighs and shakes his head. 

If he's filled with mountains, then each one must have both a high and a low. A wave. A way to tell the difference between good and bad, pleasure and pain, submission and submission, control and control.

“Genophobia.” He says, and this time, Caitlyn looks back at him. Her eyes are wide, as if she suddenly understood what he was trying to say, as if she understood his past, as if she could make it all better, at the young age of barely 16 and he at the old age of barely 21. Her brows furrowed in confusion, her lips pursed and eyes focused. She looked as if she wanted to say something back, something dark and twisted that would confirm to Jayce that he really was what his professor had been telling him all this time; a broken machine. 

“G-E-N-O-P-H-O-B-I-A.” She finishes with a triumphant smile, and Jayce nods. She squeals, settling down to her work, and Jayce wonders how it was that she was able to handle a criminal case but somehow couldn't get such words right. 

Both of them knew that neither of those words were on her curriculum. 

---

Jayce wakes up to pure darkness. His heart is beating too fast, a deep, uncomfortable feeling settling in his lungs as he heaves air into them. He looks around, eyes adjusting to the darkness surrounding him and the omega in his arms. His face is twisted with pain, small, soft whimpers leaving his mouth as he wraps his arms around his abdomen, curling up beside Jayce. 

Jayce can feel his pain. Each wave throws him off course, off balance, as he tries to reason with himself. Keep calm, he tries, and truthfully, he wants to believe that he can, Viktor needs you. 

Before he does anything, he takes out the braces underneath the bed, putting them softly on the floor in case Viktor doesn’t want anything extra in his nest, and slowly, he lowers himself onto Viktor. He kisses his forehead, his nose, his cheeks until Viktor stirs and flicks his eyes open. 

“Jayce?” He says, voice strained from the pain. 

Jayce doesn’t say anything, finds that he quite literally can’t say anything even if he wanted to. His tongue is heavy in his mouth, his head pulling him in random directions, and an intense desire resides inside him. A desire to protect.

He slowly stands up, pulling Viktor’s legs towards him and then kneeling again. Taking the first leg brace, he slowly puts it on, feeling the curious and intense stare that Viktor has trained on him, but he shakes it off anyways as he finished the last latch. He looks to Viktor to see if it’s comfortable, and Viktor shakes his leg a bit, then leans on it a bit and nods. Next, he takes the other brace, making sure to scent it before putting it inside the nest, removing Viktor’s old brace and putting the new one on carefully. He wants to ask if it’s comfortable, if he needs anything, if the pain is too much to bear, but he instead simply looks up to Viktor again, waiting for confirmation. 

Viktor purrs happily, slowly raising one of his arms for Jayce to take, and Jayce finds himself following into them, resting lightly on his chest, listening to Viktor’s heartbeat. 

Truthfully, Jayce is terrified. 

He feels like something is wrong, like there’s danger just near the corner but he doesn’t know where, doesn’t know why, but he has to stay alert. He needs to be awake to protect his omega, awake enough to at least make sure no one tries to harm him. Viktor’s in danger, he can feel it. 

He pulls Viktor towards him, and he can't help but think of the stars watching him again. He can't help but think of Viktor trembling underneath him, of Viktor with tears in his eyes and his mouth begging him to stop, of Viktor and his heart shattering again and again as Jayce takes and takes and claims him until he's forced to be bonded eternally. As if no matter who Viktor meets and where he goes and where he runs off to, his bite will always stay and show to the rest of the world that he's been claimed and he can never- will never be loved by anyone again. Hot tears threaten to drop down Jayce's face. What a monster he's been created into.

Viktor purrs again, this time lying down with Jayce and patting his hair. Jayce feels another wave of pain through his head, yet, distantly, he feels detached. As if he’s currently in his head, watching through his eyes at what’s happening, trying to scream out to Viktor but being silenced by his own inactivity. 

Still, his body responds to the wave. It’s accompanied by Viktor’s sweet smell, wrapping around him lovingly, as if Viktor was calling him into his arms, and Jayce would be a fool to not obey. He pushes his thoughts out as much as he can, sighing into Viktor's embrace as he pulls away slowly. He goes back to kissing Viktor’s face, slipping his hands beneath his back and finally starting to explore it as much as possible. He pinches at his sides, drawing a gasp from Viktor as he slowly drags his nails across his back, then massages it slowly. Jayce is still kissing his face, littering everywhere with soft and small kisses when Viktor suddenly puts his hands on Jayce’s face, a scowl etched on his.

“Stop. No more.” He says, and then brings Jayce’s face closer to his. “This. I want this.” 

Jayce gives in, finally letting their lips meet in a soft, agonising kiss, something so small and perfect, languid in its movement yet a current of urgency ran through it, stringing along a few small gasps for Viktor. They pull apart, and Viktor pulls him back in for another kiss, this time hungrier, teeth clashing in their unfounded hurry, clothes slowly being shed until Viktor is wearing nothing. He whines at Jayce with too many clothes on, and as Jayce removes each piece of clothing he’s wearing, Viktor takes them and puts them somewhere in the nest, huffing out at Jayce’s compliance. Eventually, Jayce hovers above Viktor, watching over him silently as he squirms from the gaze. 

“Jayce…? You haven’t said anything yet…” Viktor looks away as he says it, but Jayce takes his chin in his hand and slowly brings it so he’s facing Jayce again. 

“My omega.” He says in a hoarse voice that doesn’t truly sound like his own, but it seems to be the only thing his brain is allowing him to say. 

Viktor’s eyes darken from the addressal, but he still chuckles softly before another wave of pain shoots through them both, and Viktor scrunches up in pain as it introduces a rough cough from him. Jayce gets up quickly, going to the kitchen to grab two water bottles and then come back just as quick, letting Viktor take a sip and calm him down as he sat up. 

“Jayce… it hurts. Can you…?” And Jayce kneels again before him, putting a pillow underneath himself as he takes Viktor’s request. 

Viktor puts the bottle down, gasping when Jayce opens his legs up and slots himself in between him and kisses his inner thigh. He leaves small love bites on them as he inches closer to Viktor’s aching member, but hesitates and looks up to Viktor before he touches him. 

Viktor nods, giving him permission with a hand across his face to hide the blush, and Jayce immediately gets to work. He licks up Viktor’s cock slowly, listening to any cues from Viktor’s mouth that could show he’s uncomfortable, but Viktor only raises his hips towards Jayce’s mouth, slightly nudging him along with it. He holds Jayce’s hair, pushing Jayce onto him and moaning loudly as Jayce takes him in completely, staying there before he pulls off. 

“J-Jayce…” Viktor moans out as Jayce sets a pace, watching him open his legs more and put them over his shoulders. Jayce shifts closer to Viktor, holding his thighs down as he bobs his head up and down, slowly taking him in before setting a fast pace. 

Viktor stutters at the new pace, head thrown up in bliss, and Jayce growls at the sight, making Viktor keen and grab his hair tighter. Jayce removes one of his hands from Viktor’s thighs, holding his dick before falling down to the tight hole beneath him. It’s wet, hot with slick and somehow leaking so much it starts to soil the sheets. He puts one finger in slowly, and Viktor raises his hips again, moaning softly at the feeling of his finger. His voice gets louder as Jayce fucks his hole with one finger, and as he puts another finger, Viktor cums loudly, Jayce drinking in his cum and only popping off when he’s sure there’s nothing left of him inside.

Viktor breathes heavily, his face covered by his hand, and Jayce removes his hand to see him better. He kisses the hand once, twice, then continues stretching Viktor out, feeling around for the spot that would undo Viktor, and he finds it almost immediately. Viktor’s extra sensitive, writhing out underneath him as he tries to both push Jayce away as well as take more of his fingers. Jayce stills Viktor’s body with his other hand, setting a brutal pace with his fingers before he inserts another one and Viktor finally moans out loud, unable to bite them down anymore. 

Jayce smiles, triumph filling his heart. 

He kisses Viktor’s cock, hard already, then neglects it completely, removing his fingers and hearing Viktor whine again. He dips down, pulling Viktor’s body towards him, and inserts a finger again, before he licks around the rim of Viktor’s hole and inserts his tongue immediately. He groans, the taste of Viktor’s juices practically making him buck up into the air, his own dick painfully hard and dripping. Still, he can’t rest until he’s sure Viktor is almost satisfied, and he digs his tongue deeper as Viktor’s moans fill the room. 

Jayce notices now just how impatient his omega is. 

Viktor rocks into his face, head thrown down into the sheets but hand still gripping Jayce’s hair intensely. Not only was he rocking onto his face, but he was also pulling Jayce incredibly closer to him, wanting more from him.

“Jayce, please- please, more! Fuck I can take it- just give more- more more more-“ Viktor breathes out, his eyes closed and chasing his own orgasm. 

Jayce breathes in the scent, and he bucks up into the air again. Viktor’s scent, although still honey and pastries, had practically fully changed. It was sweeter, as if he was standing straight in a sweet bakery store, a slight sea breeze underneath the torrent, and it absolutely makes him feel insane. He’s drowning in it, unable to breathe and yet there’s too much air in his lungs. He groans out again, and Viktor screams out a moan, slick covering Jayce’s tongue and chin, Viktor’s spend covering his stomach as he cums untouched. Viktor breathes out as Jayce removes his tongue, crawling back up to Viktor and hovering above him. Viktor looks up to him, pupils dilated, mouth opening and breathing heavily. He brings his hand up to Jayce’s nape, and pulls him towards his face, and Jayce lightly presses his lips on Viktor’s own, and then immediately ramps up the intensity of the kiss. 

Jayce wants to be soft. He wants to take care of Viktor in a way that shows him that he loves him. 

But he can’t; Viktor’s scent and moans and soft skin and the way his lips are already pink from him biting them drives Jayce crazy. He smashes his lips onto him again, slipping his tongue into Viktor’s mouth and stealing his breath, drinking up each 'ah- ah-' from Viktor’s mouth like a prayer, and he realises he never wants to let go. He wants to die like this, being given life from Viktor’s mouth and getting it taken away by Viktor’s body. 

Eventually Viktor breaks away, supposedly to breathe though Jayce can’t figure out why Viktor would want that, and he keeps his mouth busy as he kisses down his neck, over the bite mark, and he feels the need to bite again. He ignores it, giving it a soft kiss, before he bites his shoulder, leaving more bites along Viktor’s left shoulder, getting drunk in Viktor’s voice. 

God he can live here forever. 

If life is a cavern, then Viktor is the light at the end of it, the respite before death, the clean air and clear water at the end of a desert, and Jayce wants nothing more than to drown in it and never come back up for air.

He puts back three fingers inside Viktor and Viktor inhales loudly, exhaling after a couple of seconds as Jayce starts out once again on a brutal pace, and he shoots his hands up to hold onto Jayce’s neck as Jayce fucks into him. He eventually gets his arms around Jayce’s nape, head resting on his shoulder as Jayce puts in another finger and Viktor moans out loud again, rocking onto his fingers with as much vigor, trying to match the fast pace. 

Jayce kisses Viktor's shoulder, giving more hickeys and bites along it. Viktor keens again, a silent scream escaping him as he cums again, body beginning to tremble from the intensity of each wave. Viktor betrays Jayce- a thought he never realised could ever become a reality- as he starts licking over Jayce's scent gland, mouthing right on the spot where his mate mark would be, moaning in-between each lick as if he was drinking sweet nectar from the gods and trying to not drown in it. Each press of his tongue leaves Jayce undone, his patience being tested, the sweet moans and words and whimperings from Viktor doing nothing but to make Jayce want to take and make Jayce want to run away. 

He wants this so badly and he so badly wishes he was anywhere but here. He can't subjugate Viktor to what he has done before. And god knows he'll never allow for their bond to become permanent. So he separates Viktor's mouth from his nape, as painful and strenuous of a decision it was, his instincts practically screaming at him to just let the little omega sink his teeth in and be bonded with him forever, but he does it anyways, and the thrill of denying himself this venture is almost as good as the pleasure he knows he'd get if Viktor really did bite him. 

Viktor holds onto Jayce, whispering into his ear. “Jayce, please- give it to me now- I need it please Jayce, come inside me-" and Jayce wants nothing but to be good, nothing but to please and please and please. He knows Viktor wants more, but he also knows Viktor needs a lot, so he lays Viktor back down and retreats towards his neglected cock. Viktor hisses as Jayce’s hand takes it, giving shallow strokes as Viktor exhales. Jayce looks back up, the view of Viktor practically being a ticket to heaven. His eyes are crinkling, threatening to drop tears, lips trying desperately to clam down and keep quiet, but Jayce can’t have that. He needs to know Viktor is enjoying this as much as he is. He needs to know Viktor wants this just as much as he did. 

He breathes out slowly as he pulls off from Viktor’s cock, and then takes it in deep as he reaches his hand out and puts two fingers into Viktor's mouth. He sucks, and Viktor’s moans come out as incoherent sentences, words of praise falling from his mouth and gasps and hips twitching as he tries to buck up into Jayce’s mouth. Jayce stills him again, holding him down with another hand as he uses it to bring him closer to Viktor, needing his scent to be just where it is coming from. Through a heady gaze, Jayce makes out a small whimper from Viktor, one that sounds fundamentally different from the rest of the ones that fell from his mouth, and he looks back up to Viktor to see why the sound was so different. 

His eyes were crinkled shut, his face twisted painfully as Jayce tries repositioning him again, and again. Jayce looks around himself, deciding to take one of the pillows from Viktor’s nest, and putting it underneath his back, readjusting Viktor again and tightening one of the straps from the brace. He then goes back to the position he was in before, Viktor’s cock resting lightly on his face. 

“You really are a good alpha… I didn't even say anything… Jayce, you’ve barely- ah-“ Viktor persists in his sentence despite Jayce already taking him in again, swirling his tongue around the tip of his dick and then sucking down and drinking the slick as if it was his last lifeline, “- said- anything hah there, yes, you’re so good, so so so good please- Jayce, how are you feeling fuck fuck fuck please respond!” 

Jayce continues, his own thoughts beginning to leave him as Viktor’s words become words in a bible he intends to read every night. He wants to get on his knees again and worship Viktor properly, wants to taste him every night and bury himself deep, so deep that nothing and no one can separate them in any capacity, in any way that’s truly meaningful. Jayce needs Viktor in his arms and always in his arms and nowhere else. Viktor bucks up once, hand keeping Jayce where he is and Jayce doesn’t gag, lets his cock push past his barrier and Viktor moans at the ease of it, finally letting his release wash over him and pull out small waves of warm gasps into the air. Viktor breathes out, and as Jayce tries to reach back down to his warm slick and slip a finger in, Viktor holds his wrist, stopping Jayce from the action. 

“Alpha. Speak to me.” He says, and it unlocks something in Jayce. Suddenly, his words don’t stop. 

“I need you, Vik, I need you to tell me when it’s good and when it’s bad, I need you to tell me how you like it, I need you to tell me I’m good, I’m good I swear I- I can be good, I can protect, I can give you whatever you need, I’ll satisfy you so good I swear I’ll give you pups, I’ll breed you so well I swear I’ll always be anything you want me to be please tell me I’m good please please please-“

Viktor kisses him hard, fast, shutting him up effectively, and, as if scared that Jayce will continue talking again, he puts his hand over Jayce’s mouth, breathing out fast and heavy. 

“Ok ok so you’re doing well, that’s fine you don’t have to- haah- let your rut brain speak.” Viktor huffs, face growing impossibly redder, and Jayce wonders what exactly he had said to make Viktor think none of his words were from the deepest depth of the cavern he lives in. 

Viktor looks back up to him, then rolls his hips against Jayce slowly, and they both moan from the delicious friction of their dicks against each other, completely nude and just as needy. Jayce does it this time, locking eyes with Viktor and stopping almost immediately. Viktor’s scent had changed, and suddenly the mood felt darker, felt as if a warning was going through the air. 

“Enough, Jayce. Fuck me.” Viktor says, no, commands him, and Jayce lets out a low warning growl from his chest. 

His position as the alpha is being challenged. He holds Viktor's nape, growling louder this time, and slots himself in-between Viktor’s legs. Viktor holds his gaze, the challenge unwavering, and Jayce almost feels the pull to submit become even stronger than the challenge to dominate. He lines himself with Viktor’s slick-filled hole, and as he enters, he feels himself slowly start to submit. Despite stretching Viktor out, he was still so tight, clenching around Jayce every time he does small soft thrusts to stretch him out even more. Viktor’s moans are loud, unrestrained as he puts his arms around Jayce’s neck. He dropped the challenge at some point, having seemingly gotten what he wanted, and they both moan loudly as Jayce reaches halfway and stops. 

“Omega, omega, please relax. You’re too tight, I can barely move. Relax relax relax-“ Viktor covers Jayce’s hand with his mouth again, nodding quickly, trying his best to relax, but he is still clearly trying to adjust.

Jayce tries to shallowly thrust inside him again, getting small gasps and hiccups from Viktor, and decides to lower his head right up to the bite mark. 

“Do you trust me, Omega?” He asks, voice coming out restrained and scratchy. Viktor stills, but nods incessantly, and Jayce decides to take his revenge. 

He tongues the bite mark, and Viktor moans loudly, hands shooting up to Jayce's head and pushing him into his neck. Jayce licks it again, sucking on the mark, and eventually he feels Viktor relax into him, body going limp from the pleasure of the bite mark coursing through him, and Jayce only briefly wonders if doing this may make the bite last longer before he starts fully sucking onto it. He bottoms out inside Viktor, who in turn has a dry orgasm, head lulled back in continuous pleasure. 

Jayce stills, breath ragged from the intensity of holding back from just ramming into the omega, and removes his tongue forcefully from Viktor's neck. He kisses it once, then looks up to Viktor, watching every expression pass through him. He recognises when Viktor's little frown grows from immense pleasure to gradual frustration, and he slowly starts grounding his hips in when Viktor urges him to move. Viktor opens his eyes, immediately locking them on with Jayce, and his mouth opens wider, hot air being blown onto Jayce's own face. Jayce breathes it in, breathes in his scent and the way it rolls off Viktor in powerful, strong waves, and he wants nothing more than to give him exactly what he wants. 

“You're slowly losing control, Jayce.” Viktor states, looking him over, then closing his eyes again as Jayce grinds in him harder. 

Jayce isn't losing control; he knows what he's doing. He's simply giving Viktor what he asked for, the multiple times he had begged for earlier, and he could feel in his stomach that the next round would make Viktor finally be sated. Viktor looks at him in understanding, and nods his head silently. 

“Move, Alpha.” He practically whimpers it, and Jayce kisses him once more before slowly pulling out. 

He wants to start out as soft as possible, but as he's pulling out, Viktor is practically sucking him back in, holding onto him, and in moments he's already slamming back into him. Jayce can't think, nothing but the tight, wet hole and the sounds of Viktor's praise falling from his lips, and Jayce spears into him again and again, faster and harder than he'd like. Viktor doesn't mind, in fact, he's encouraging it, holding onto Jayce's back and leaving thin scratches from where he's desperately trying to hold onto Jayce, and the small tangy smell of blood only seems to spur Jayce on. 

He shifts slightly, angling Viktor so that his bad leg is over his shoulder and his better leg underneath Jayce, and slams back into him with a thrust so hard it makes the headboard hit the wall loudly. Viktor screams at the new angle, incoherent words trying to bubble out of him but eventually it's nothing but Jayce's own name as he spears into him, holding and intertwining their hands. Jayce guides his hand to Viktor's stomach, and puts it on top where he can see himself bulge inside of Viktor, and presses down each time he thrusts inside. Viktor suddenly comes again, pushing out so much more slick than before, but he keeps begging for more, begging for his alpha to go faster, deeper. Jayce stretches over and kisses him harshly, keeping the thrusts relentless and fast as he finds himself full of energy he didn't even know he had, and complies with Viktor's wish. He shifts just slightly so he's in deeper, feeling himself come closer and closer to his own orgasm. His knot is slowly starting to inflate, and Viktor locks his leg against Jayce, not letting him go. 

When Jayce finally comes, he doesn't stop. He keeps thrusting inside of Viktor despite his inflated knot, forcing it into Viktor each time with a little more effort, grunting and moaning at how the squeeze gets more and more painful and more and more delicious. Finally, he snaps his hips once, and then the knot is too big to pull out of Viktor without hurting him, and Viktor comes around him again, hole fluttering as it takes Jayce's come in waves and waves. Jayce breathes loudly, head finally starting to clear just slightly, and he looks over Viktor, checking to see if he's fine. 

Viktor seems to sense him and his distress, and he brings up a shaky hand to Jayce's face, petting his jaw softly and purring. It does the trick, and Jayce rearranges them so that they can lie down peacefully whilst Jayce is still inside him. For a while, they both stay that way, breathing in each other before Viktor finally sighs loudly as Jayce’s knot deflates.

”Jayce, are you a bit clear now?” He asks, voice scratchy and still trembling.

”Yeah. This is hitting me hard…” Jayce trails off, looking through the window again before wincing and looking back towards Viktor. “Hungry?”

”Clean me the fuck up before feeding me.” Viktor huffs out, and Jayce groans. “Oh Janna, I can feel you getting hard again.”

”You said ‘fuck’ which reminded me of fucking you.” Jayce groans out, nosing into Viktor’s scent gland.

”We literally just fucke- I mean, enjoyed intimacy like fifteen minutes ago.” Viktor chuckles again, before huffing out, “Jayce, you can remove your dick from my ass now.”

“Right, right, sorry.” Jayce pulls out slowly, and the movement causes them both to moan. “How are you feeling?” 

Viktor stays deep in thought, nodding softly at Jayce after a few moments before sitting up.

“Is there any use to even cleaning me out anyways? It's only the first day.” Viktor chuckles again at Jayce's face, and Jayce tries to school his expression so he isn't an open book. 

Viktor tries standing up to go to the kitchen, but Jayce stops him from moving. His skin is burning again, goosebumps somehow appearing all over his skin, and he can feel his face going red. He holds Viktor's arm tightly till he hears him hiss, of which he then lets Viktor lie back down and pepper him with kisses. He bites his ear slightly, hearing the slight shaky moan from Viktor, who taps his shoulder twice with a yawn creeping up on him.

“Jayce… I just want a sandwich. Can I-” 

“No. You can't leave. You can't leave.” Jayce interjects him, and his stomach tightens up uncomfortably at the thought of Viktor leaving their nest for any reason really. 

Still, he understands that Viktor's hungry, so he kisses Viktor's chest a bit more before standing up, going to the kitchen for water and sandwiches, and then comes back and sets them on the table. Viktor snorts, but thanks him anyways, taking the sandwich and taking a couple of bites. He finished his water and then sighs, looking at Jayce weirdly who was sitting down outside of the nest.

“Are you getting in?” Viktor asks in a soft voice, and Jayce nods to him before clearing the dishes and then slowly getting inside the nest. 

Viktor looks him over, starting from his legs and all the way up to his glutes, his chest, his shoulders, a lingering stare on Jayce's nape where his scent glands are, before landing on Jayce's face. Viktor sub-consciously purrs at him, apparently having his inner omega decide that the alpha is a good match for him, and Jayce feels his chest swell with pride at being a worthy candidate. Viktor yawns again afterwards, shuffling closer to Jayce as he turns his back towards him but settles in his arms. 

“Jayce.” He starts, voice sleepy. 

“Hm?” Jayce responds with a hum, feeling his mates drowsiness start to pull him in. 

“If you get up soon and… you need to release… it's fine if I'm asleep.” Viktor yawns again, grabbing Jayce's hand and squeezing softly. 

Jayce's breath catches, and he processes the information as well as he can.

“I can fuck you… in your sleep?” Jayce asks for confirmation, and he hears Viktor snort again. He mumbles a ‘yes’, kissing Jayce's hand before tugging it so Jayce holds onto him tighter. Jayce doesn't know if he would do it or take Viktor up on his offer, but he knows that he'll keep it rotating in the back of his mind.

--- 

They are both awoken to an alarm. He quickly shuts the alarm off to try and make sure his omega isn't alerted or scared by it, but Viktor only stretches and yawns as he wakes up. 

“Jayce… the medicine.” He says, pointing in the direction of the cabinet. 

Jayce gets out of the nest quickly, kneeling at the cabinet and pulls the two injections out. He opens up the first one, clearly marked with an ‘A’ for himself, and cycles it up for the first dose. He opens the cap, breathing in once before looking for a spot on his stomach and inserting the small needle, counting to ten as the doctor had told him as he slowly gave himself the dose. After, he removes the needle, a smaller one pops up after, and Jayce closes the cap and puts it back. Immediately, his brain starts to get less and less fogged, and he starts to get a better grasp of his surroundings. 

He then takes the other injection, looking at Viktor who had been watching him the whole time, and then crawling to him. Viktor sits up, exposing his stomach as he stretches out his hand for Jayce to give him the injection. Jayce refuses, letting him lay down again as he presses kisses onto Viktor's stomach. Viktor breathes out softly, and Jayce prepares the dose. He looks for a similar spot to where he put his own, then slowly injects Viktor, waiting the 10 seconds and then removing it, replacing the needle and putting it away. 

He kisses the spot where he put the needle through, and Viktor holds his hair and pulls on it. His aroused scent hits Jayce again, and he separates Viktor's legs as he slots himself in between them as if it was the only thing he was made to do. He tries to keep himself above water, the medicine making his brain not as foggy as he slowly looks up to where Viktor was already panting. Jayce could feel the excruciating cramps and pain that Viktor was going through, could feel them in his own stomach and spreading to his legs and arms and back. He wanted nothing more than to soothe it, to keep his omega happy and safe in their nest. Viktor peeks down at him, intertwining their hands together as he gives a slight nod. 

Jayce licks his lips before moving his head closer to Viktor's inner thigh. He kisses and licks the inner crease in his thigh, leaving small bites as he passes along the soft meat of the other leg before finally licking up the wet hole, sighing contently at the taste. Viktor lets out a soft shaky exhale, pushing his hips onto Jayce and meeting his tongue halfway through. He sighs softly as Jayce continues to tongue him, grinding against Jayce’s mouth until he was shaking from the exertion, whining at Jayce with a frustration that betrays his ideals. Jayce chuckles- because he can somehow manage that of all things- and holds down his impatient omega, keeping him in one spot as the onslaught of his mouth began. Viktor let his moans out, no longer trying to keep them low and inhibited, loving the feeling of both being in control and being merciless underneath Jayce. 

Jayce knows Viktor is close now- if not for the way his moans increase and his hips keep defying his grip- Viktor’s thighs are wrapping tightly around Jayce’s head, and he fights the bubbling feeling of wanting to spread his thighs back apart so he can take and take from Viktor. Distantly, he feels the tremor first before he watches Viktor close his eyes and tense up from the orgasm that rips through him- another silent one- and he continues his ministrations till Viktor pulls him up. Jayce immediately goes to Viktor’s lips, kissing him with as much fervour as he can, and he feels Viktor nip his bottom lip then his tongue, pulling him in- inviting him. Jayce feels like a man high on weed. He dives deeper, letting himself be led by Viktor’s impatient huffs and incessant grinding, wanting nothing more but to please. His hand reaches Viktor’s cock, slow strokes that cause Viktor to curse at every single pull as he tries to buck up into Jayce’s hand. Jayce holds him down with his body weight this time, opting instead to keep his hands on his waist before he finally leaves his beloved's lips. 

He trails soft kisses and harsh bite marks down that are both met with a sharp inhale, a breathy laugh and a long moan at each of Jayce’s strokes. Viktor is close, he just needs another push, something more to send him to the orbit that Jayce adores. He knows that he could just speed his hand up, could just stroke just that much harder, could enter a finger inside Viktor and make him cum instantly. But he doesn’t do that- another one of his desires replaying more in his head. He finally reaches Viktor’s stomach, more kisses as he goes to the side and looks for the spot. It’s easy to find- a soft part of the flesh that’s now red in colour, where the arousal and the sweet honey scent that drowns Jayce is coming from, and he latches his mouth on there with a harsh bite and a soothing suck. Viktor comes instantly, back arching as Jayce continues sucking onto the bite, knowing that for the following weeks after, Viktor will still smell of Jayce with just this one action. 

Still, Viktor nudges Jayce’s head into the direction of the other hip gland, and Jayce is the best at following commands- spoken or not. 

Another orgasm rips out of Viktor suddenly at Jayce attacking both his asshole with three fingers, his hip gland and his cock at once, and Viktor starts to become more pliant with each wave coaxed out of him. His eyes droop slowly, fingers no longer as tense, relaxed with the pleasure he’s receiving, but for Jayce, it’s not enough. Jayce climbs onto him, wrapping Viktor’s legs around him as he flips them over slowly, allowing Viktor to process the new position they’re in. He seems to piece in the puzzle quickly, and Jayce makes a reminder to thank the doctor for the medicine. At least they’re both aware of what’s happening to and around them. 

“Want me to do all the work, hm?” Viktor says as he gets comfortable, stroking Jayce’s dick once, twice, then lowers himself carefully on it till Jayce bottoms out. Jayce grunts out a moan at watching it disappear inside Viktor, a small bulge at Viktor’s stomach appearing. 

“No, you’ll never do any work when it comes to sex with me.” Jayce says as he grinds up inside Viktor, making Viktor throw his head back quickly. “Although, I do love when you praise and command me.” Jayce continues, because despite how bare and open he’s being with Viktor, it seems like it’s still not enough. 

Viktor laughs out loud, looking down at Jayce with a look in his eye that tells Jayce that this was not news to him. Jayce rolls his eyes as he sees a quip about to leave Viktor’s tongue, before he abruptly thrusts up into Viktor harshly, and the words are replaced instead by a loud moan from the both of them. Jayce laughs as Viktor flicks his head off with his fingers, pulling Viktor down towards him so Viktor could rest on his chest as he picks up the pace plowing into Viktor. 

It’s too fast, too heated, and Viktor scrambles for anything to hold onto. Jayce wraps his arms around Viktor’s own arms, forcing him to stay still in that one position as he takes Jayce in again and again and again. Viktor cums first, a loud scream that has his eyes rolling to the back, but Jayce can still go on. He continues pounding into Viktor, eyes locked onto the top of Viktor’s head as he tries to stay sane. Viktor’s scent is arousing him more than usual, and knowing that Viktor is far more clear-headed than he normally is means that Viktor is releasing his scent on purpose. Whatever it is he wants from Jayce, though, he’s getting it, because Viktor can’t seem to stop smiling, or begging Jayce to go faster despite only just coming back down from his orgasm peak. Jayce huffs, slipping out of bed slowly as he stands up, still holding Viktor, and continues fucking up into him. Viktor holds onto his neck for support, but Jayce holds his legs steady anyways, and before he realises it, his knot suddenly inflates; now far too big to pull it out. Jayce moans loudly as each wave threatens to pull him under, sitting down softly at the edge of the bed and holding Viktor tightly around him. Viktor wraps his legs around Jayce’s torso slowly, body trembling from each pleasure wave, and Jayce can feel how good Viktor feels from it. 

It’s slowly making Jayce dizzy. 

Still, he carefully manoeuvres them so they’re laying side by side, knot still locked inside and Viktor sighs, slight irritation bleeding out from his voice. 

“There’s no way my nest will survive your rough sex.” 

“You like it though.” Jayce mumbles out, kissing Viktor’s neck in apologies. Viktor chuckles out loud, but doesn’t deny it. 

---

Jayce wakes up again in the early hours of the morning. The slow ticking of their clock shows that it’s almost 5 AM, and the sky has already started to lighten. He looks over to Viktor, curled up into his arms, and his heart skips a beat. He kisses Viktor’s nose twice, who scrunches up both times and then switches to the other side, back facing Jayce as he falls back into a sound sleep. 

Jayce sighs, dropping kisses into Viktor’s hair and looking out the window. The start of the sun's rays were peeking out, the stars now fully faded as the minutes passed by. Viktor shifts in Jayce’s arms, leaning back into him as he slightly shivered, and Jayce draws him in even closer. At this, he could hear Viktor’s soft snoring and- what he realised was Viktor mumbling. 

The scent of arousal was getting thicker. 

“Jayce…” Viktor mumbled, unaware of the way his body grinded against him. Jayce breathed out, remembering the permission he was given by Viktor but wanting to hold out instead. He had at least that much patience, did he not? He wasn't some animal that would fuck his mate even asleep-

“J-Jayce… please…” Okay but, Viktor was practically begging for him, even if he was speaking to dream Jayce. 

And Jayce really, really likes obeying Viktor. 

He shifts slightly as he re-adjusts himself, licking near Viktor's gland as he coaxes out small gasps out of the smaller man. Viktor barely stirs, softly grinding back against Jayce in an unhurried motion. Jayce chuckles, massaging Viktor's back softly as his hand goes lower and lower. He slips in a finger easily, the amount of slick making for easy access. Viktor hums, grinding down against Jayce's finger as he moans out. 

Jayce stops, watching to make sure Viktor stays asleep. Viktor only grinds again against Jayce's finger, body still lax and asleep, and Jayce slightly feels his breath get released. He was finding it incredibly hot that he could do this to Viktor. That Viktor could trust him like this. 

His dick was practically throbbing, the random grinds not relieving any of the strain but only making him harder. Jayce does an experimental thrust, accidentally slipping his dick in-between the meat of Viktor's thighs, and stifling in a moan erupting from him. He stops again, watching to see if Viktor is finding anything comfortable, but finds that Viktor stopped grinding and has gone back to whatever dreamless sleep he was in before. 

The onslaught of aroused pheromones being released, however, were a different story. 

Jayce was used to Viktor's aroused pheromones, but realised only now that they carried a sense of pain through them, most likely from the cramps and painful waves that Viktor went through each time. With Viktor asleep, there is nothing else other than fucking horny. 

Jayce groaned quietly. He thrusts into his thighs again and closes his eyes shut. Slipping in another finger, he starts timing his soft thrusts with the finger thrusting, making sure to go slowly so as to not wake Viktor, licking his scent glands to keep him just as relaxed. Viktor purrs, causing a harsh thrust up from Jayce, and Jayce curses as he stills immediately. 

“... Jayce…?” Viktor slowly stirs, and Jayce licks the scent gland. He's starting to like doing that. 

Jayce hums, starting a slow steady rhythm and listening to Viktor's ‘ah, ah’s as he sleepily grinds back. Jayce kisses his neck, the back of his ear, his head, and realises that somehow Viktor has fallen back asleep. It excites him, a growl leaving his lips as he adds in another finger and Viktor gasps. Jayce decides on a more punishing pace, going as fast as he wants whilst thrusting against him. 

“Hmm… Jay- oh- haah- good morning-” Viktor wakes slowly, whimpering out at the thrusts. He rolls his head back, looking straight into Jayce's eyes, and Jayce somehow reads whatever is in his mind. 

He removes his fingers, replacing them instead with his aching cock as he slowly pushes in, stopping half way. He feels the entrance flap to his womb from this position, pushing against it softly as Viktor cries out. 

“Tr-trying to put a pup in me?” Viktor asks in between gasps, writhing in Jayce's hold, trying to move away and even closer. He chuckles as Jayce puts one of his hands underneath him, the other hand going over his body and pulling him closer to Jayce. 

Jayce grinds against the opening from inside his anus, his dick sometimes catching on and trying to get inside whilst also slipping off. Viktor softly cries out every time there's a slight intrusion, and Jayce decides from that noise alone that maybe he should put a pup in him. 

“Gonna breed you, Vik.” He breathes out, finally thrusting fully into Viktor and missing the flap. Viktor cries out at Jayce bottoming out, but Jayce pulls back and tries to push back into it. 

He fucks against it, keeping Viktor in one spot in his arms as one of his hands goes to pumping Viktor's cock. Each time he almost slips in, Viktor clenches around him even harder, his hands gripping the sheets till his knuckles turn white. Jayce can distinctly hear the headboard hitting against the wall, he's far too distracted with something else. 

“I'll- haah- give you my pups. I swear I'll- fuck fuck- our pups would be so good, Vik- They'll grow up big and-” Jayce almost pops in, causing Viktor to orgasm suddenly, asking for more almost immediately, “-strong. You'll be so good for them- such a perfect omega for my pups, fuck Vik, I'll pump you full- as many times until it takes- I swear I swear. I'll be so good for our pups-” Jayce locks his cock inside him as he grinds into Viktor, then pulls out.

Jayce looks out to his dick coming out of Viktor, practically being sucked in as his patience snaps. He changes his angle slightly, and thrusts back inside Viktor, going straight for the flap opening and bottoming in immediately. Viktor orgasms again, crying out as tears suddenly fall from his eyes. Jayce kisses the tears away, grinding inside Viktor where he trembles and gasps from the intrusion. Viktor holds Jayce's arms, biting down any time Jayce grinds deeper and digging his nails in from the way Jayce fills him. 

“How does it feel, Omega?” Jayce asks, because suddenly he needs to know. 

Viktor chuckles dryly, his mouth on Jayce's arm leaving a red angry bite mark. 

“Like you're about to prove my doctors wrong. Like you're actually going to give me a pup.” Viktor breathes out, grinding back softly against Jayce. 

Jayce breathes out, grunting in response as he pulls out and starts fucking into him again. Viktor screams at his hole being punished, going back to biting Jayce's arms on different spots as he's quickly thrusted into. Jayce shifts, laying Viktor on his stomach as he goes on top of him. He uses his arms to keep his weight off Viktor, letting Viktor continue biting his arms as he goes back to thrusting into him. 

New position meant Jayce could go directly into the spot, fucking into him harder as he feels his knot start to swell. 

“Please- Jayce, knot me, give me your pups I swear I'll- Jayce do not fucking pull out- Alpha!!” Viktor's eyes roll back as he feels Jayce's knot start to catch on his rim, and Jayce has half a mind to not lock them in whilst he's inside Viktor's cervix, thrusting one last time into his anus and knotting there. 

He feels a sense of disappointment from not knotting into Viktor where he can get pregnant, and he isn't sure if it's from Viktor or from himself. Still, Viktor cums once more with him, licking the small bites that were dripping blood, and Jayce kisses his back. He shifts them so they're lying on their sides again, wrapping his arms around him as more cum spurts inside Viktor. 

“Next time, just put a pup in me.” Viktor huffs out, chuckling at the way Jayce hides into his neck. 

“Don't worry, I'm saving the best for last.” 

---

Jayce has both washed up and washed Viktor, fed Viktor, and put him safely back into his nest. He watches Viktor settle into his nest after changing the sheets and blankets. It's Day 3 of their cycle, and Jayce is starting to feel not good about it. 

He keeps walking around the apartment, checking the windows and doors to make sure they're locked. He walks in and out of the bathroom, the kitchen and living room, checking into the bedroom to see how Viktor is going. 

Something is wrong. 

Jayce isn't quite sure what it is. His brain is still too fogged up, leading only with his base instincts to care for his precious omega in his den. He stands up to bring a glass of water back for Viktor, and Viktor refuses it. 

“Please.” Jayce asks, because the burning itch underneath his skin is threatening to break out and consume him whole. 

Viktor looks up to him, taking the glass and taking three sips. It doesn't ease Jayce's heart. 

“What is it?” Viktor asks after a beat of silence, putting the glass on the bedside table. 

“You're not safe.” Jayce says simply, walking around the nest twice before leaning back on the wall, nearest to the window. “I have to protect you.” 

“We're on the fifth floor, Jayce.” Viktor rolls his eyes, chuckling softly. Jayce keeps his eyes trained out the window. 

“It's already here.” Jayce finally accepts that whatever danger Viktor is in, it was here right from the beginning. Maybe even before that.

Viktor looks at him, his scent betraying his stilled expression. Jayce can smell it; the sadness and melancholy overrunning the scent that had happily settled in. 

“Don't worry, Omega. I'll protect you. I'll figure it out. I'll fix it.” Jayce promises, but he can't- for the life of him- figure out what exactly is wrong and, so, can't figure out how to protect Viktor. 

Viktor remains quiet, taking the glass back and downing the water. 

“It's okay, Jayce. It's not your fault.” Viktor tells him, standing from the nest and wrapping his arms around Jayce. “You don't have to feel the need to protect me. It's not your fault.” 

Jayce doesn't relax inside his embrace. He's aware, suddenly, of Viktor. He's too skinny, too frail, his leg is trembling, his eyes sunken. When Jayce turns around to hold onto Viktor, he picks him up, and notes how truly light he is.

Oh, he thinks, the gears clicking in his head despite missing any actual context or proof, but somehow he knew deep in his cavern that he just realised a known truth, he's dying.

Jayce sits inside the smaller nest on the floor- uninvited but Viktor doesn't protest- with Viktor in his arms, and kisses every single spot on Viktor's body both with his lips and his tears. 

Viktor says nothing the entire time, his own tears falling silently. 

--- 

Chapter Text

Petrichor. 

After the rare rainy days in Piltover, Jayce often found himself walking the cobbled paths, umbrella absent as if daring the clouds to cry again, inhaling every few seconds the nostalgic smell of rain. 

Once, when he indulged his mother about this habit, she had smiled softly and looked wistfully out the window. ‘Our village saw lots of rain, most of the year. Maybe your body remembers the smell, even after all those years.’ 

Jayce believes that, wholeheartedly, because his body remembers a lot of things. He rubs his wrists that were already stretched and red from his last tutoring lesson, and kept walking to find a spot where the smell is stronger; intense. When he told Caitlyn about it, she had said he's only smelling the rain reacting with the stone on the ground, activating some chemical that gives off that smell, usually on concrete. 

But Jayce knows that's not the smell he's referring to either. 

He finds himself in the clock tower, void and empty of everyone because of the awful weather. As he climbs the steps, the clouds decide to win the dare, rainwater pouring harder down on the pavement. The smell got stronger. Jayce doesn't remember much from the fourth step to the point at the very top, but he remembers standing in the middle of the room, sniffing in any direction to find that nostalgic smell he so desperately needed. 

He took a few steps in where he found it to be strongest, and his heart lurched at the scent. Rain, sea, mountains, soil. He continued taking more steps, tears finally overwhelming any part of his body. He was sore. The bite was fresh and painful. His wrists and ankles were red raw. The claw marks on his back, the pinched spots all over his arms- 

He took one more step, and suddenly, he was on the ledge. The smell was strong here, but not the strongest. If he leaned out, he could smell it even more. He watched the rain pour, starting to make his face and his front half of his body wet. He sighs, loudly, and vaguely he realises that there's both rain water and tears flooding his face. It doesn't matter, though, because what is the difference between a hill and a mountain if not one of them being heavier? 

What is the difference between a cave and a cavern if not one of them being bigger? 

What is the difference between an Alpha and an Omega if not one of them being stronger?

Jayce breathes out a shaky breath and finds his resolve. Vaguely, he hears the doors to the room he's at open. All he needs to do is take one more step to quell the desperate need, the insatiable anger, the indomitable shame, and finally, finally, he'll be free again. 

Jayce had never felt more alive.

---

Jayce wakes up panicked, a strange electric tingling going down his spine. It's dark, he can barely see anything, and he tries his best to move around to look for a light switch, his phone, anything that could illuminate his way when he finds that his body won't move. Well, it actually can't move. 

Viktor has situated himself on top of him, lazily licking up one of Jayce's nipples in an attempt to probably melt them with his tongue, small frustrated whimpers coming out of his mouth every so often. Jayce becomes aware, all too suddenly, of everything happening to his body. Viktor is holding onto Jayce's cock, grinding down onto it and trying to push it inside himself before it pops out, and Viktor whines loudly at the action. 

“Wake… Alpha wake…” He mumbles out softly, tears flowing down his cheeks as he lightly scratches Jayce's arm. 

Jayce shoots up, carefully putting Viktor into his lap, legs on either side of him. Viktor sighs into the touch, haphazardly pressing open mouthed kisses to Jayce's face, clearly proud of himself for having woken up his alpha. He reaches his neck, and starts licking every spot in earnest, and it takes Jayce way too long to realise that Viktor was preparing to bite him, cleaning him off the accumulated sweat and dirt from the past night. 

Still, the licks are ticklish, and Jayce chuckles each time Viktor's tongue presses softly on his skin. Viktor whines at the chuckles, pulling back to look at Jayce before scowling and turning impossibly redder, hiding his face in the crook of Jayce's neck. His scent sours, admonishing Jayce for his laughter, and Jayce seeps apologies in his own scent as he peppers kisses into Viktor's hair. Viktor sighs, relaxed, before rolling his hips against Jayce once. 

“Vik, can you hear me?” Jayce asks, holding his hips firmly against him. Viktor responds with a whine and another roll of his hips, and Jayce pulls him back to look at him fully. 

“...’lpha?” Viktor manages, a dazed look on his face. 

In all honesty, Jayce realises that this time it's Viktor who's lost it. Although Jayce is now more clear headed, Viktor looks and feels completely fucked out. His pupils are so dilated, they leave only a thin golden circle in his eyes, his eyelids heavy with lust. He seems to be practically boneless, sitting uncomfortably that Jayce knows is sure to hurt whenever Viktor comes back to himself, and he shifts him so that he's more upright. Although his hands grab and pull and scratches at Jayce's skin, they leave no real mark, too soft and light and barely there to really do anything. Viktor looks like he’s floating, like he wasn't currently on this world plane and only his body stayed tethered to the ground and whatever connection he had to the Alpha in his grasp.

Jayce breathes in, the scent of arousal so thick it covers anything else, including his own scent. Jayce knows he could overpower it if he wanted to- needed to- but there was something else now running alongside Viktor's aroused scent. It wasn't pain like before; it was bright and vibrant, electric in a way that felt familiar to it running down his back earlier, but for some reason in his heart, he knew it wasn't a good sign. 

Before Jayce can fully concentrate on the scent to figure out what it could mean, Viktor rolls his hips again, whining at Jayce and nibbling his stubbly jaw. 

“... wouldn't… fit… Alpha, please.” Viktor practically begs, rolling his hips again and moaning softly at the contact. He stops suddenly, whimpering at the simmering feeling in his gut, and looks up at Jayce with his best puppy eyes. 

Jayce quickly understands, flipping them both over and retreating down to Viktor's hole. He licks it up first, putting his tongue in slowly before realising how loose Viktor is. He puts in two fingers this time, relishing in the way they practically glide in smoothly, a wet squelch the only indicator that there was even any bit of struggle at all. He pumps his fingers in him, turning them and pressing into the sweet spot he knows Viktor likes every so often, enjoying Viktor's “ah- ah- pleaseah-” as he tries to hang on to whatever thread of sanity he still had.

Distantly, he saw the time on his clock reading roughly 4AM, now on the fourth day of all seven days, and Jayce realises that they're probably going to go for the full seven day cycle. He sighs, and seemingly as if Viktor could read his mind, he brings his hands up to Jayce's neck, pulling him down towards him as he puts soft kisses all over his face. 

“...’s okay. Your… omega is here…” Viktor says between breaths and kisses, smiling ever so slightly as if it took more energy than he had, and Jayce takes it all in. 

“Mine?” Jayce asks, and he knows he's teasing him, but he can't help it. Viktor isn't one to be so needy, lost in his pleasure that he'll say anything for it to go further, and he proudly flashes a smile when Viktor nods his head vehemently. 

“Yours.” 

Jayce is certain Viktor won't remember any of this. He seems to have fallen into an Omega’s heat subspace, with little of his mental power still there. He doubts that Viktor can even remember his name, but with the way Viktor is rolling back into his fingers, chasing the high he knows is descending upon him, he realises he truly doesn't care if Viktor doesn't know him. He just wants Viktor to want him, to need him the same way he needs Viktor, and he'll give Viktor anything so long as he asks. 

But of course, there's always fun in teasing an easily irritable Viktor. 

Viktor climaxes, knees coming up to clamp together as he rocks up and then away from Jayce's fingers. He breathes, finally stilling and looking satisfied all for a total of 12 seconds before starting to rock onto Jayce's fingers again. Jayce chuckles, pulling off softly and hearing the long whine from the loss coming from Viktor's mouth and then inserting four fingers this time. 

It's a bit of a stretch, jumping from two to four, but he knows Viktor can take it; has taken even bigger. Viktor whimpers at the sudden change, stilling and trying to relax himself so the fingers can go deeper. Jayce intends to only stretch him out, but in a matter of minutes, Viktor is hurtling towards another orgasm, fingers digging into Jayce's shoulders, just enough to leave small marks. Viktor breathes in and out, eyes completely lidded, heavy blinks and tongue out to make breathing easier for him. Jayce takes out his fingers, putting them quickly into Viktor's awaiting tongue, and Viktor sucks them as hard as he can. 

Viktor smiles as he looks down, watching Jayce align with his entrance and moving up to nudge him in. Jayce backs away. 

“What's my name, little Omega?” Jayce asks, holding the base of his cock with one hand and pulling out of Viktor's mouth with his other. 

He looks up to find Viktor looking at him perplexed, eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

“Alpha?” He tries, nudging himself closer to Jayce's cock before he's stopped by both of Jayce's hands on his hips, encompassing almost his entire width, and they both moan when they realise it. 

“That's not it, my darling.” Jayce says, barely hanging on in favour of wanting to tease Viktor more. 

Viktor tenses, then mewls, clearly unhappy with the situation. He thinks hard, his eyes focused on Jayce's own as Jayce strokes his hips, pressing down on the scent glands and hearing Viktor moan out loud again. 

“Prime Alpha…” Viktor tries again, and Jayce tuts and shakes his head. 

“I'm your Alpha, Viktor, and you can't even remember my name?” Jayce asks with a chuckle, finally letting the teasing go as he brings his cock back to Viktor's entrance. 

“My Alpha?” Viktor says, bewildered in the thought, as if such a possibility could never happen. 

“Yes. Yours.” Jayce pushes in slowly, the heat of Viktor almost making him lose himself entirely. Viktor moans loudly at the stretch, eyes closed and head thrown back until Jayce finally bottoms out. 

The moment he does, Viktor snaps his eyes open, looking back at him with all the adoration and reverence in the world.

“Jayce.” He breathes out, and then rolls his hips experimentally against him. Jayce wonders, then, whether it was him telling Viktor that he was his alpha, or if it was him entering him that jogged Viktor's memory, but nevertheless, he practically almost jumped for joy that Viktor remembered his name. 

As Jayce set a pace, slow at first then fast and rough later on, Viktor alternated between ‘my Alpha’ and ‘Jayce’, sometimes obviously wanting to say both at the same time and his mouth instead spews out ‘my Jayce’. It burns Jayce all the same, the electric feeling now spreading towards his stomach as he feels the familiar pull of his knot starting. Viktor must have felt it too, climaxing almost immediately as Jayce gets just slightly bigger, and begging for more. 

Jayce continues his punishing thrusts, spearing into him with the energy of a mad man- and Jayce does feel a bit mad in the moment. He has everything he's ever wanted in his hands, and he so badly doesn't want any of it to slip away. Viktor hooks his hands around Jayce's neck, then bares his neck for him again. 

“My Jayce… please… bite me.” He begs, reminiscent of the first time it happened, and Jayce's fangs drop, his teeth hurting with want. 

He looks away, unable to bring himself to prolong their time already, and instead decides to distract Viktor. He slows down, shuffling a little and then pulling Viktor onto his thighs, back still on the bed. He rolls his hips softly, watching to see if the position is uncomfortable for Viktor, but sees no pain nor does he smell it. Satisfied, he angles himself differently and goes straight into the little flap to Viktor's cervix. He breaches it immediately, bottoming out harshly as Viktor screams from another orgasm that leaves him trembling. Jayce waits for Viktor to come down from the orgasm, softly rolling his hips every so often before pulling out once, and slamming back into it. 

Viktor shouts with every thrust into his cervix. Each time Jayce gets a little bigger, a little harder to push into the small flap with his knot coming soon, but he still spears into him with the same rough speed from before. He holds Viktor's hips, now kneeling with Viktor's legs around his waist, and fucks into his hole, slick and wet sounds being drowned out by both his moans and Viktor's yelling. 

Viktor seems to want to say something, his hands gripping one of Jayce's arms, but it happens before he could get a word in. Jayce's knot pops, and Viktor climaxes one more time with a loud scream, squirting out clear semen that spreads all over him, covering him and the bed as well as Jayce's hands. Jayce watches, enamoured, and his orgasm hits him harder than it did before, practically being squeezed out of every single drop of his own spend and almost collapsing on top of Viktor. 

Viktor sighs happily, Jayce's name on his lips like a prayer, and Jayce rearranges them so they're lying on their sides, knot still locking them together. It's only afterwards that Jayce realises he shot his load straight into Viktor's womb, and he only slightly worries about what that could end up meaning. Instead, he listens to the breathing of his omega in his arms, loud purring practically oozing out of Viktor, and Jayce falls asleep to the sound. 

---

Jayce wakes up to Viktor not being in their nest. He panics, blinking at the sun now high in the sky as he looks for Viktor. He spots him in the other nest, on the floor, and he slowly gets up to get to him. He stops in his tracks before he can even get close to him, though.

Viktor practically growls at him. 

Viktor wakes up, looking at Jayce up and down and shaking his head. Jayce swallows hard at the rejection, sitting on the floor, far enough away from Viktor that he can't even touch him. 

“Vik, baby, what's wrong?” He tries asking, but Viktor doesn't respond. He simply shakes his head, closing his eyes and looking away. 

The rejection this time burns away at his entire body, and he feels tears well up in his eyes. Sure, he had expected Viktor to reject him from his nest at the beginning, but now, five days in their cycle where he can feel Viktor's need for him, can smell the arousal and the slick gathering, and he's being rejected from touching him now? 

It was worse than he could handle. He felt his world starting to dissolve, the background fading as he kept his eyes on Viktor and only Viktor. 

I could force myself onto him if I wanted to. I'm the stronger one here.

Jayce practically lurches at the thought that pops in his head, something so vile and disgusting it leaves him running to the bathroom and emptying his stomach. 

When he returns after washing his mouth out, the scent of distressed omega hits him hard, causing him to tumble backwards. He slowly walks in, looking at Viktor who is currently looking at the bigger nest on the bed. Viktor turns back to him, and the distressed scent becomes heavier. Jayce walks over to him cautiously, kneeling softly just outside of his nest. 

“Wanted… clean nest. Didn't mean… to hurt my Jayce…” Viktor says, mumbling softly as he reaches out for Jayce, then withdraws his hand back. When Jayce reaches out instead, Viktor shakes his head slowly, and Jayce drops his hand. 

Jayce thinks it over, and realises what Viktor meant. The last time they had changed sheets and bedding and washed everything, Viktor was far more clear headed, able to be without his nest for long periods of time even during his heat. Now that he's in heat subspace, he constantly needs to be in a nest, a safe space, and the bigger nest was now too much for him. 

Ah, Jayce thinks, almost chuckling to himself, he's telling me to clean up my mess. 

Jayce gives Viktor a warm smile, standing up and walking out to the kitchen. He comes back with food, water and juice for Viktor, leaving it on the ground for Viktor to take into his own nest. Viktor looks at the food, back up to Jayce who was smiling encouragingly back at him, and the distressed scent starts to fade out. After Jayce is sure that Viktor has finally started eating, he gets to work. He takes all the bedding and everything in the nest into baskets, going to his laundry room to wash it out. He hesitates to wash in his own washing machine, but last time they had cleaned out the washing machine of his usual scent and it worked fine, so it should still be the same now. 

He makes 7 trips in total. He's glad he has a dryer as well, knowing the blankets would take far longer to dry without it. Every load of washing he brings back, Viktor scents it all individually. The mattress is covered in plastic, and Jayce changes the plastic with a new one, putting the older one in the bin. On the final trip, Jayce goes to sit on the bed to start rescenting everything before Viktor whines at him. He makes space for Jayce in the smaller nest, nodding at him to sit in the nest with him. 

Together, they scent the items, and Viktor slowly puts everything back into a new order, less organised and more built to last, with heavier things at the foot of the bed and lighter things at the top. He sighs happily as he settles back onto the bed, rolling around happily in the new and clean nest. He stops, looking at Jayce questioningly. 

“Uhh, Vik, do you want to take a shower with me?” Jayce scratches his head as he hopes the question gets through to him. 

Viktor looks at him, closes his eyes, then nods. He slowly climbs out of the nest, holding onto Jayce as they wobble both into the bathroom. Jayce prepares a bath, the extended shower head placed at his side. He undoes Viktor's buckles of his braces, smiles as Viktor sighs as he sinks into the almost scalding water. Viktor hums happily, closing his eyes and letting his head rest at the end of the bathtub. Jayce watches slowly, then slowly gets into the bathtub. The water soothes him, only now realising the toll that the cycle had on him. It's one of his hardest cycles for sure, and without time for him to workout his body, he's starting to feel pain and uncomfortable in his own skin. 

Viktor opens his eyes slowly, and Jayce notes how his pupils have gone back to normal. 

“Jayce, I feel like I got hit with a hammer. What's going on?” Viktor asks, rubbing his temple with his fingers. 

“You know how I had it hard at the beginning of our cycle?” Jayce responds, taking Viktor's leg and softly massaging it. Viktor nods at him, sighing at the touch. 

“I'm guessing that's happening to you now. Until now, you were completely in heat subspace.” Jayce kisses his shin, then slowly back to his foot. Viktor grunts, chuckling to himself. 

“That's never happened before.”

“What, someone kissing your leg?” Jayce doesn't stop the kisses despite how Viktor flinches with laughter at each kiss left. 

“No, you endearing fool. I meant going into heat subspace. Either this heat is far too intense or you're just a really good Alpha, kept me safe and satisfied.” 

“Must be the second one.” Jayce flashes him a smile that makes Viktor roll his eyes. 

“And definitely not the bite-induced mating cycle that needs medication to keep the both of us sane enough to not immediately mate and make pups, no?” Viktor says it all in one breath, and Jayce shakes his head. 

“Nah, I'm just that good.”

“A little egotistical, don't you think?” Viktor laughs again, and Jayce swears he'll give the world just to hear the laugh once more. 

“You must already know me and my ego reaches all the way to the stars.” He muses, feeling Viktor kick him slightly with his leg, and then huffs loudly. 

“I can only hope that I'm there next to you in those stars.” Viktor chuckles as Jayce tightens his hold on his leg for a couple seconds, then lightly tickles the back of his foot.

“Of course, the two brightest stars in the sky are us.” Jayce grabs a hold of Viktor's other leg, massaging it as well. Viktor hums appreciatively. 

“A little cheesy, no?” 

“You love me for it anyways.” Jayce says before he even registers the word he used. He doesn't get the chance to take it back; Viktor already retaliates by kicking his foot again. This time it slips from Jayce's hand and lands softly on Jayce's crotch.

“Oh Janna, Jayce are you hard right now?” Viktor asks incredulously, and Jayce shies away. 

“I'm in rut, Vik! I'm always hard.” He states, matter-of-factly, and Viktor scoffs. 

“Do you only ever think with your dick?” Viktor now moves slowly towards him, turning around and then sitting on his lap. 

“Only when I have a beautiful omega in front of me.” Jayce breathes out as Viktor strokes him, guiding his cock in between his own legs. 

Viktor laughs again, and Jayce gets impossibly harder. Viktor's laugh will be his undoing. 

“Viktor, I'm so sorry but can I…” Jayce asks as he licks the bite mark on Viktor's neck. 

“Why do you think I came to this side, Jayce?” Viktor retorts, rolling his eyes. “Besides, at least we haven't started actually showering.” 

Jayce bites his nape, causing a soft moan to slip from Viktor. He inserts two fingers inside, finding him already stretched out. 

“Vik, baby, did you…” Jayce looks at Viktor and sees his ears turn red. 

“Just put it inside me Jayce.” Viktor says, and Jayce realises that Viktor is just as hard as him. He chuckles, slowly standing up and guiding Viktor to the rails for him to use. 

His hole was already slicked and dripping, but Jayce still fingered him to bring out more slick. He rubbed his cock over him, coating it well, then slowly he inserted himself inside Viktor. They both moan at the stretch, and Jayce bottoms out after a few shallow thrusts. He stills, one hand holding Viktor's waist, the other one his chest, pulling and squeezing his nipple. Viktor trembles and gasps, slowly rocking back on Jayce, who remains perfectly frozen on the spot. 

“Jayce I swear to god if you do not move- ah! Yes-” Viktor's impatience comes back to him, and Jayce thrusts into him once as he watches the way Viktor holds himself. The position isn't the best, but Viktor hasn't said or indicated any pain yet. 

He loves Viktor's impatience. He loves when they're both sane and stable and having sex and they can both remember it in perfect detail. He loves the moles that expand on his back, the bites and bruises littered on his body that show his own claim back on Viktor, and he almost wishes he could bite Viktor again on his gland. He eyes it, red and sore, and licks it once, leaving Viktor moaning loudly. 

“Does- haah- licking that make it stay longer?” Viktor asks, still rocking back on Jayce's cock, meeting his thrusts in time. 

“I don't know… we'll ask the doc later.” Jayce says, switching out his hands so he can play with his other nipple. Viktor keens, making him arch his back as Jayce realises that there's a bruising red, angry bite on that nipple, making Viktor extra sensitive. 

Jayce almost feels guilty. 

Viktor moans loudly as he starts reaching his climax, and Jayce soon follows him, leaving his knot outside so they don't get locked together in the bathtub. Viktor whines at this, but eventually nods and hums appreciatively at him. 

“Alright… let's actually get clean.” Jayce says as he pulls out, watching his cum slowly trickle out of him. He leans forward and licks it, making Viktor gasp. 

Popping in one finger, he starts scooping out the cum that's been in there, licking out any that drips out on its own. He puts in another finger, then his other hand strokes Viktor again to completion, satisfied at having wrung out another orgasm from him. They drain the tab, then take the extended shower head and finally wash each other off. 

Jayce carries Viktor into the nest, laying him down softly in nothing but a towel, of which Viktor discards almost immediately, then grabs Jayce's hand and pulls him inside. 

“My mind is getting foggy… the medicine?” Viktor asks, yawning softly as he snuggles into Jayce. 

“Not for another hour.” Jayce kisses his head, loving the way Viktor practically fits into him, the way it looks like he was made for Viktor and Viktor alone. 

Viktor hums, and drifts off slowly, Jayce soon follows after. 

--- 

Viktor is crying. 

Jayce wakes up startled. Viktor's scent is overpowering, strong and burnt. He's sobbing, hugging a pillow and slowly humping it. Jayce pulls for him, but his eyes are closed, and Jayce realises he's asleep. He sobs out some more, clenching the pillow with his might, and Jayce redirects Viktor onto him. He latches on immediately, burrowing his face into Jayce's neck, wrapping himself against Jayce's body. He sobs even harder, rolling his hips then hissing, stilling himself. He wakes up slowly, eyes still full with tears.

“I don't want to have sex.” He sobs out, pleading with Jayce as if Jayce would be disappointed if he expressed so. “It hurts not to, but I don't want any more.” 

Jayce hushes him, reassuring him that it won't happen. Both of them are hard, but Viktor still sobs after grinding his hips once on Jayce. Jayce doesn't move to turn him around, doesn't touch him anywhere but his waist and back. He traces soft constellations on his back, purring softly as Viktor continues to cry into his chest. 

“Why can’t I bite you back?” He asks, mouth full with saliva from his hiccups. 

“We can't. We'd be bonded forever.” Jayce replies, and his heart lurches at the hard truth. When all of this is done, they'd be apart again. Viktor will find another partner, be happy with them, maybe even marry them and exchange bites. His story with Jayce will only be a temporary chapter in his life, something he can look back on and laugh and tell his friends later on in their years, when Jayce is no longer in the picture. Jayce feels his own tears well up. 

Viktor grinds down again, and sobs harder.

“Would that be so bad?” He practically begs this time, rubbing his hand on the spot where Jayce's gland is, where the bite mark would go if only Viktor were to bite him back. He wishes Viktor would be selfish, would be foolish enough to follow his omega instincts, to pretend to fight off Viktor and then let him sink his teeth in, let them be bonded forever and forced to be in love even though Jayce could've stopped it. Even though Jayce should've stopped it. 

Jayce does not respond to Viktor's question, his own tears falling softly. 

Viktor cums untouched. 

--- 

“Last dose.” Jayce says as he sits inside the nest, having already given himself the last of the medicine and preparing to give Viktor his as well. 

It was now the seventh day, and they had both since calmed down enough that they didn't need the doses. But Jayce was afraid of what could happen if they messed up their scheduled doses, and so insisted on him and Viktor still continuing with them. 

Viktor wasn't a fan.

“I can do it myself.” Viktor snaps at him, grabbing the injection himself from Jayce's grasp. 

Jayce sighs, watching as Viktor methodically injects himself, emptying the last of the vial and then pulling it off and throwing it away. Jayce goes to pick it up, putting it in the bin and going back to the nest. As he approaches, Viktor's scent changes, souring at him. Jayce stands still, watching him. 

“Vik.” He says, and it's a dance he's practiced the steps to already. 

For the past day, Viktor has been snappy, irritated and annoyed by Jayce's presence. If Viktor were any other omega, he probably wouldn't want Jayce near his nest at all. Seeing as he was a Prime though, it was easier for him to invite him back each time. 

It's just that, Viktor's omega instincts still reared themselves every time Jayce left the nest. Viktor looks back at him, analysing him fully before slowly nodding at him. Jayce walks back carefully to Viktor's side, and Viktor grabs his wrists, scenting him first then making Jayce scent him afterwards. When he sniffs Jayce's scent, a series of confusing emotions run on his face. Every time he does this, he looks like he wants to say something, but decides better of it. 

For the fifth time now, he finally asks the question. 

“Why do you smell familiar? Why do I smell like you?” 

Jayce had settled in the nest, careful not to give any touch that Viktor didn't want. Viktor kept his distance from Jayce, but requested that his arm be touching him at all times for Viktor to remember who it is that's next to him. He tries to think of an answer to Viktor's question, and vaguely remembers a few days ago when he lightly bit Viktor's hip glands and spread his scent there. He bites his lip, deciding on whether or not he should tell him, wondering if it'd piss him off even more or make him happy. 

Jayce has been failing at that; making his omega happy. Ever since they both came down and finally got clear heads, Viktor has been frequently unhappy with Jayce. It was starting to affect Jayce's mental health, but he had to keep it together, at least until after Viktor leaves. 

“You're quiet again. Answer me, fuck.” Viktor says, irritated, and moves away from Jayce's arm. 

“I bit your hip glands. Both of them. You'll smell like me for days to come.” Jayce retorts, and he hopes that Viktor gets mad at him. That Viktor is so angry he leaves immediately, and Jayce can finally wallow in the rejection inside his den, missing his omega that he drove away. 

Instantly, Viktor's acrid scent practically blinks away, left with a happy, aroused scent that practically jump-starts Jayce's nerve systems. Viktor slowly turns to him, unable to hide his happiness from his eyes, even as his mouth is pointedly turned downwards, a smile threatening to break out. 

“R-really?” He asks, a spark of hope in his voice, and Jayce realises almost instantly what has been going on. 

He suddenly takes Viktor against him, pushing him then onto the mattress and flipping him over. 

“This whole time you were mad at me… but you just wanted something from me, didn't you?” He says, putting three pillows underneath Viktor, one on his chest, two underneath his cock and slowly shifting him so he's in a presenting position. He watches for Viktor's signs of pain and doesn't find any, hums proudly as everything slots into place. 

“Growling at me, being pissed at me, making me ask for entrance into the nest each time. Not allowing me to touch you, you were just trying to piss me off…” Jayce practically growls the last few words, watching as slick pours out of Viktor without him even touching him. 

He finally decided to put two fingers inside him, and Viktor gasped, biting the pillow roughly. 

“No, you don't get to hide your moans from me. I've seen everything and more from you, you don't get to hide now.” Jayce breathes each word out, fucking him faster with his fingers. 

He knows that it's too fast to start off with, and he knows that he's being too rough. He also knows that this is exactly what Viktor wants. 

“Whole time all you wanted from me…” and Jayce bends down to his hip glands, inserting another finger to the ones pumping into Viktor, “was to make sure I left a mark, huh?” He says, then bites down again at the same spot that he had a couple nights before. 

Viktor keens, moaning loudly as Jayce continues fucking him with his fingers. Jayce growls at the sound, crooking his fingers so he finds that bundle of nerves that makes Viktor go insane, then sucks at the bite mark, making Viktor moan even louder. 

More slick is produced, and he feels Viktor rocking back onto his fingers, each thrust aimed at only his sweet spot. 

“You wanted everyone to know what we've done, huh? Wanted people to know I've laid my claim on you. Fuck, Vik, we have a meeting with some of our investors next week. If I bite these again you'll smell so much of me it'll be undeniable.” 

Jayce is trying very hard to hold on, but his cock is aching, and he needs Viktor to have come at least once before he enters him. Viktor is moaning loudly at each press of his fingers, each suck from Jayce's mouth, and soon Jayce detaches his mouth completely, looking at the work he's done and smiling proudly. He had left his teeth to sink in this time, drawing blood and inputting his own venom inside. It's not the same as a biting claim, but it's pretty similar. Viktor won't be able to think of anyone else but him. Viktor won't be able to smell like anyone else but Jayce. Even his own scent could at times be drowned out by it. Everyone would know, after taking one whiff at him, that he belongs to Jayce Talis. 

He looks at the other gland, pinching it with his fingers tightly, and Viktor cums, hips chasing friction and mouth loud and open. He watches Viktor stay still, then tense when Jayce's cock rests at his entrance. 

“Gonna claim you. Need everyone to know you're mine. Need everyone to know I'm yours. I'm yours.” Jayce says, and he enters into Viktor, the resistance now much stronger than during the cycle. 

He shallowly thrusts into him until he fully bottoms out, then gives Viktor his wrist. 

“Bite me. Leave your claim. I'm yours.” Jayce breathes out, and Viktor bites softly around the gland, licking the bruises and sucking older bruises back to life. 

Jayce slowly pulls out of him completely, then slams back in quickly, stealing the air away from Viktor's lungs. He does it again, setting it at his pace, changing his hips and the angle every time so he hits a different spot in each thrust. He slams back into him, then grinds inside, feeling Viktor's teeth nearing his scent gland on his wrist. He does it again, slowly fucking into him, leaving him breathless and wanting more. 

Suddenly, Jayce hears a high pitched whine from Viktor, then fangs dig deep into his wrist, pulling out blood and sending omega venom into his bloodstream. 

It is unlike anything he's ever felt before. 

Complete and pure euphoria, coursing through his veins, making him see red in lust. Viktor keeps his teeth inside, and Jayce wonders if this is how omega venom is actually supposed to feel when you want it in you, or if Viktor is just a special case. If he was made only to take Viktor's venom and reject everyone else's. 

He feels small, then big, floating and then swimming, his head rushing with the scent of Viktor, heady and arousing, the venom doing its part in spurring on the alpha to mate faster. Jayce listens. 

He thrusts into him faster, yelling out as Viktor finally unlatches his fangs and sucks and licks the bruised gland, sparks of electricity running down his back, making him faster and rougher still. Viktor shouts out, his own orgasm on the edge whilst Jayce chases after him.

Without warning, Jayce offers Viktor his other hand, then takes Viktor's hand in his own. He bends down, and with no words spoken with each other, they both sink their fangs into the wrist glands, immediately reaching their climax at the same time, pouring venom into each other's veins. They both stay like that even after Jayce's knot pops into Viktor, spurting cum inside him every so often, teeth still sunk into each other's wrist. Jayce pulls off first, licking and sucking into the gland, and Viktor follows soon after. 

As his knot finally goes down, Viktor faces towards him. 

“You didn't fully bite the other hip gland.”

“Are you simply asking for round 3?” Jayce chuckles, hand already moving towards the hip gland that was bruised, not bitten. 

“I'm demanding you finish the job.” Viktor says, voice as serious as his eyes. His scent betrays him. 

“Yes sir.” Jayce imitates the serious voice, of which Viktor lightly smacks Jayce on the forehead for. Jayce laughs, letting Viktor lie down as he goes for the other hip gland. 

--- 

Jayce and Viktor continued to fuck the rest of their cycle out. Since it was practically finished, they fucked everywhere but their nest; the bathroom, the wall of the hallway, the kitchen, the living room, over their chalkboards, on the couch, the floor many, many times. 

Jayce gasps loudly as he watches outside, now dark with the stars twinkling for him. He looks at the view, the sea of lights beckoning for him, and the actual sea beyond the buildings practically yearning for him instead. But he couldn't move from where he was, watching intently at the view before him.

Well, the view beneath him. 

Plastered onto the window, perky and bruised tits rubbing up and down at each thrust Jayce aimed into him, was Viktor, his precious omega who was practically singing him praises. 

“Fuck, Jayce- you're doing so, so good. People are gonna see hnggh ah there yes! Haah, people will know- how good you are- yes-” Viktor rolls his eyes as Jayce pushes him further into the window with his cock, slamming into him quickly as he holds his hips. 

Jayce was staring at the way his cock was disappearing into Viktor, enamoured both by his voice and the ease into Viktor with each thrust. He puts his leg up on to the window sill, changing his angle on Viktor, and spears into him again. Viktor screams from the new position, Jayce's fat head brushing past the flap inside of him as well as his sweet spot, making him cum almost instantly onto the window itself. 

Jayce doesn't stop, spearing into him as he feels his own orgasm chase him. He rocks Viktor's hips onto himself, moaning his name out loud as if worshipping him, and Jayce realises that it is worship; what else could this whole hearted devotion be if not love for his master? Love for his god? 

He pushes in one last time, knot inflating, not as big as when he's in rut, but still enough to slightly lock them together, and he still fucks into him with the extra space he has, stroking Viktor’s cock only twice before he's following behind him in his own blinding orgasm again. 

Viktor breathes loudly, letting Jayce carry him onto the couch and plopping both of them down. 

“Janna, I'm afraid you've ruined sex for me. Where else am I supposed to find cock this good?” Viktor says, yawning from the exertion. They had gone four rounds this time, and he was no longer keeping up as much as he did during the cycle. 

“I'm right here, you know.” Jayce huffs out, chest swelling with pride at knowing he's successfully fucked Viktor's brains out. “So what rating do you give me?” 

“I'm afraid you really weren't that good after all, now that I've had time to think about it.” Viktor says after a few moments. 

“Oh.” 

“Looks like I'll be claiming that refund then. My next heat is in about 2 and a half months.” Viktor says cheekily, and Jayce rolls his eyes. 

“You don't have to give me a bad score rating to get me to spend your heat with you.” Jayce says sternly, then, as if to prepare for the question again, he spurts some more of his spend inside Viktor. 

“How do you cum so much? Every time?” Viktor asks incredulously, holding his belly as he feels it filling him up. 

“Rating, V.” Jayce ignores Viktor's question, because the truth is, he's never actually done that with any other partner. It's never been this much each round with someone. He's not going to let Viktor know that, though. That's giving ammunition to the enemy. He'll be teased for the rest of his days.

“Hmm… 4.99 stars.” Viktor says, smiling as Jayce nuzzles sadly into his neck.

“4.99? Why? What happened to the 0.01?” Jayce pouts, looking at Viktor with his best puppy eyes. 

“Unfortunately the puppy alpha I have has an ego higher than the stars in the sky. If I give him full rating he'll never let it down, and I simply cannot let that happen.” 

“So you're giving me 4.99 stars because you're a hater.” 

“Precisely, pup.” Viktor triumphantly says, then gasps as Jayce unloads again inside of him. “Jayce!” He lightly slaps his thigh, and Jayce groans. 

“Sorry, sorry, it's the pup thing…” He leaves kisses as he apologises, and Viktor rolls his eyes at the effort. 

“We need a list of banned words and phrases. It's getting too long for me to remember.” 

Jayce laughs softly in Viktor's ear, holding him tight against his waist, pulling him even closer towards his chest. Even when Jayce finally deflates his knot, neither of them make a move to leave each other's presence, and stay there, on the couch, watching whatever documentary is playing as they slowly fall asleep. 

--- 

Jayce yawns as he wakes up, the bed free from the nest, but the strong scent of honey and bread still in his room. He sits up, stretching out his muscles as the morning light filters through his room. Viktor's arms are wrapped around his waist, his breathing soft and completely unbothered from Jayce's movement. Jayce shimmies back down, choosing instead to continue cuddling with Viktor than to go piss. He settles in near his face, watching him softly breathe in and out before deciding to follow his breathing, falling asleep again. 

The next time he wakes up, Viktor is gone, and he can hear something being cooked in the kitchen. He yawns again, deciding to freshen up before he joins Viktor. Viktor murmurs a greeting, too engrossed in cooking to fully turn back to him. Jayce walks up to him, as was his habit for the past week whenever Viktor was standing, and kisses his temple back, his own greeting lost in Viktor's face. Viktor stills, but relaxes into Jayce's touch. It's only as Jayce sits back down that he realises the line he crossed, and even more so, the lines he'll never be allowed to cross again.

That was his last time putting a kiss onto his face.

They eat slowly, a comfortable conversation flowing through them. Both of them clean up, deciding to spend some time resting and then going back to the doctor on Monday for check ups. Neither of them talk about the scented glands, nor how the week went for them. Jayce feels antsy- was he too much? Not enough? He wasn't sure anymore, wasn't sure what Viktor wanted from him. The lines were clear before in the past, but they were clear back then. Is he allowed to take more? Does Viktor want to pretend that nothing happened, that everything is fine as is? 

Jayce sighs into the couch, hearing Viktor shuffle about in the shower. If it is any consolation to him, at least Viktor decided on his own to stay the weekend. That must mean Viktor wants him around, at the very least to be in close proximity with him, no? He sighs again, closing his eyes and pinching the bridge between his eyes. 

His life is a cavern. In a cavern there are hills. Tall hills and short hills. Highs and lows. He just experienced the high, the climb up, the peak. He's going to experience the low next, everything coming crashing down before he has to pick himself back up again, and start the climb. 

Viktor sits next to him, wearing Jayce's shirt and his own shorts, and nothing else. He hums, then shifts closer to him. Jayce decides to slowly pull him in, and Viktor goes willingly. He rests his head on Jayce's chest, playing with the hem of Jayce's shirt and purring softly. Jayce puts his head on top of Viktor's, softly drawing circles in his back, eyes on the tv but not really listening. 

Maybe Jayce isn't on a hill right now. Maybe he's on a flat path towards home. 

---

Chapter Text

Jayce sits patiently in the doctor’s office, trying his best to keep still whilst he gets scrutinised by the doctor in silence. The both of them ended up booking their check-up appointment for Tuesday, and Jayce feels restless despite his calm demeanor. He’s far too aware of how much time has passed since the bite claim, and how time is simply slipping out of his hands when he’s desperately trying to hold on. 

It’s now week 7 of their temporary bond. 

There’s four weeks left before the Distinguished Innovators Competition, excluding their current week. 

They barely have enough time to create a full model like they wanted, so they agreed on making a miniature version that did what they wanted anyways. And now- Viktor was currently in another room, doing the last of his numerous checks after Jayce- the pregnancy tests. Three times, apparently, just to make sure. Jayce coughs and stretches out his collar. He feels too warm. 

The doctor chuckles at Jayce and leans back. Jayce looks at him wearily. 

“You treated Mr. Viktor especially well, Mr. Talis.” He starts, removing his glasses and wiping them. He has a sick grin plastered on his face, as if he was dying to know the details of their cycle that Jayce knows he’ll never give to him even if he was being held at gunpoint. Jayce knows that he’d tell the shooter to pull the trigger before giving his doctor any sort of satisfaction. 

“Yes, well, I’m sure I wasn't that much better than his past heat partners.” Jayce huffs, but can’t stop the blush from brushing his face. 

The doctor’s smile grows sickeningly wider. 

“Oh no, no, in fact, you were so much better than his past partners. He’s reporting to us to have basically no acute physical pain through his body that he normally has after his heats. You gave him his medication all on time, and even took care of him when your head went under. If I didn't know any better, I’d almost say that you’re in love with him, taking care of him the way a mated Alpha would for their Omega.” He says, watching Jayce’s reaction. 

Jayce doesn’t give him the satisfaction of a reaction. 

“That is simply the bare minimum, doctor.” Jayce retorts back, crossing his arms and challenging the alpha. 

The doctor huffs, then leans nearer to Jayce. His smile flashes back in an instant. 

“Viktor also reported that not only was your technique beyond exceptional, but that you also have an exceptionally large-”

“Doctor. Jayce, I’m back.” Viktor interrupts him, coughing out loud and shooting the doctor a death glare. The doctor chuckles, pulling back from Jayce but not without giving him a wink. Jayce feels his face grow hotter. 

Viktor goes to sit next to Jayce, a small smile gracing his face. 

“I’m not pregnant. Better luck next time, Jayce.” He pats Jayce’s back, and Jayce already knows his face must put tomatoes to shame. 

The doctor clears his throat, wiggling his brows for .2 seconds before turning serious in front of them. Jayce watches Viktor slightly roll his eyes at the doctor. 

“It’s good to see you both being cordial with each other now!” The doctor starts, and this time Viktor fully rolls his eyes. 

“Yes, strange what working with someone 24/7 and then spending a cycle together does to the bond between them.” Viktor’s sarcasm rolls off his tongue smoothly, and Jayce bites his cheek to keep from laughing. 

“I may remind you, the first time you two were in here about the bond, I almost thought I would have to call the enforcers to report a homicide that I had witnessed.” He chuckles as Viktor rolls his eyes again.“I’ll start off with the good news. I understand that the both of you lost control at some point during the cycle. My bad, completely forgot to tell you that was a common side effect of that cycle. Oops.” The doctor says, but the bastard’s face absolutely told them both that it was no mistake that he so conveniently forgot that after the long list of other side effects he gave them. 

Jayce scoffed. 

“The both of you will need to start going on a nutrition packed diet. You might not feel it, but your systems are practically drained. We’ll give you medicine for them as well, but certain foods will give you all the nutrients you lost.” He looks towards Viktor this time. “Viktor, contrary to your belief, it wasn't the new medicine that has dulled your chronic pain.” 

Viktor takes the files that the doctor gives him. He looks through them, eyebrows scrounging together. Jayce looks over his shoulder, and Viktor shares the files. 

“Look, Jayce. This is usually my chart when it comes to pain tolerance, as well as body flexibility. These are before the cycle, and these are after.” He explains, and Jayce nods as he listens. 

His charts were significantly lower than the before, and Jayce notes the red line that he assumes is what the norm should be: zero. It hits Jayce now just how much pain Viktor is usually in every day. But his charts are almost near normal, as if it’s just nothing but a small throb in his body.

“What could it be if not the medicine, Doctor?” Viktor asks, and Jayce looks to him for the answer as well. 

The doctor sighs, removing his glasses again and putting them on the table. He looks back at them in earnest, opens his mouth as if to ask a question, then thinks better against it. 

“I won’t even bother asking. Mr. Talis, you bit Mr. Viktor on his other glands, yes? I’m guessing the alpha venom has practically dulled your pain, or rather, your pain receptors. Usually, this would mean that a normal omega would feel euphoric depending on how much alpha venom was injected. But since you’re constantly in pain, it’s being replaced and you’re feeling a dull sort of feeling, yes?” The doctor finishes, taking his notepad and writing down his findings.

“Yes… although it did feel euphoric for the first few hours, afterwards it simply tampered into… Nothing. I felt nothing; not euphoric, not pain. Now it is just a dull ache, like an oncoming headache.” Viktor says as the doctor furiously writes down on his pad, nodding. “But we tried alpha venom before, and it didn't work. Why now?” 

The doctor smiles and nods again. 

“We certainly tried alpha venom-adjacent, however, none of it worked for a reason we couldn’t understand, and I believe the answer was obvious from the beginning. You’re a Prime Omega, maybe what you needed was Prime Alpha venom. It didn't matter that we upped the dosage of alpha venom you received, it must have something missing from Prime Alpha venom that activates for you.” The doctor says, then sighs, looking dejected.

”I’m sorry, this field doesn’t have as much research as it should. We’re learning from each and every new case that comes in. But at least you now have a continuous supply, no?” He wiggles his brows again as Jayce groans. 

Jayce tries to keep his scent down, but he can feel himself suddenly spiraling. Pieces of his life are starting to lock in place as he hears the doctor explain what might be happening. Throughout high school, he was taught exactly how alpha and omega venom felt like to each other, but he always thought people were exaggerating. After all, when his tutor would bite him, it didn't feel euphoric or life-altering, not the way that it did when Viktor bit him. 

His tutor was a strong omega, that is for sure, but he was only an omega. Had he been a prime omega, would it have affected him differently? Would he have liked it, looked forward to it and still hate himself afterwards? Would he feel less or more shame? Would it have helped to think that because his body liked it, he must’ve wanted it, instead of the gnawing and harrowing ache he has knowing he never wanted it, never craved it, could never even give it an excuse so he could move on with his life? 

Would it have been easier, had he wanted it like people want drugs, than dreaded it instead? 

He feels his hand get squeezed by Viktor, and he breathes in, trying to reel his scent back in. The doctor asks if he’s alright, and Jayce simply nods. The doctor glances at him once over, then looks to Viktor, who asks him to continue. 

“Well, in any case, I’m almost 100% certain that because of the newly acquired gland bites, this bond is going to reach a full 12 weeks. But I’m sure you can endure it, yes?” The doctor asks, standing up. He nears Jayce, putting his hand on his forehead and nodding, then opening the windows and putting a thermometer in his mouth. Viktor only nods along, squeezing Jayce’s hand tighter. 

“It’s also normal to… have strong emotions overtake you at any time,” the doctor says, taking the thermometer and nodding happily as he sets it aside, “so try your best to stay close, yes? You only have 5 weeks left of the cycle. Your emotions will be incredibly heightened around Week 9 and so forth. Make sure you’re not stressed at all the week before the bond is set to end.” He says sternly, then looks away from them, calling for the nurse with medication for them both. 

Jayce doesn’t tell the doctor that the Distinguished Innovators Competition is happening that very week. He swallows his nerves and squeezes Viktor’s hand back. 

“And here you are, your medication. Now, please, promise me you’ll take care of yourselves and take it easy from now on?” He asks, looking skeptically at the both of them. They nod their heads, looking at each other briefly then nodding again. The doctor sighs, feeling resigned. “Damned scientists…” He mutters under his breath as Jayce and Viktor walk out of his room holding hands. Viktor smiles. 

“At least he knows we won’t heed his warning.” Viktor says as they both walk out with their bag of supplements. Jayce looks through them and smiles. 

“He put in energy supplements. A lot of them. They’re not even part of the written itemised list we have. He’s two steps ahead.” Jayce waves the bottles of supplements in front of Viktor and they both laugh. 

“We must thank him for knowing us so well. I know that if all else fails, then at least Dr… wait, what’s his name?” Viktor asks, puzzled as he looks for the name on one of the pill bottles. 

“Viktor! It’s been a year and you still don’t know our doctor’s name?! You visit him regularly! I’ve even heard him drop the ‘Mr’ when you two talk. You both have inside jokes with each-”

“You don’t know his name either, do you?” Viktor deadpans, and Jayce looks away, ashamed. 

“He stopped introducing himself a long time ago and it never stuck in my head. I feel too scared to ask for it now.” He looks down as he acts dejected. 

“Shame, Jayce. Shame on you.” Viktor tuts, shaking his head as he closes his eyes and refuses to look at Jayce. 

“You don’t know it either!” Jayce tries, but Viktor keeps tutting him, shaming him endlessly. 

“It’s fine for me. I’m sick. Cough cough.” Viktor says, then goes back to tutting him.

“Saying ‘cough cough’ doesn’t automatically mean you’re excused! You should know his name by now.” Jayce drags his feet as they near their lab. 

Viktor fake coughs, and Jayce slightly knocks over Viktor’s head with the bag of pills, who in turn sputters out an overdramatic “ow!” Jayce laughs, walking away quickly as Viktor scowls at him. They both head into the academy. 

---

Jayce removes his goggles as he finishes up the soldering job. It’s Friday, around 11pm, and he’s finally finished welding together the lid of their containment cell. By Wednesday, Jayce and Viktor had finalised their blueprints; a containment cell that would keep sea water inside, then a smaller chamber that would hold whatever they wanted the plants to regenerate. Whatever is inside would be attached to the plants roots, pushing the cells through them and regenerating whatever is inside. The plants would be situated outside of the chamber, submerged in sea water, as if they’re simply under the ocean. 

Jayce looks at the blueprints and shivers. If this works, it means he would one day see a large sized version of it soon and, better yet (or worse yet), Viktor would be inside, getting his lungs healed, only one thick glass away from drowning. 

He sighs out loud, then triple checks the order of glass from Noxus to make sure it’s the right cut and thickness. He then checks the lid again, opening it slowly. It was a heavy door, even for how small it was, and Jayce thought about what would happen if the glass chamber inside cracked and Jayce was too busy trying to open the heavy door, and watches Viktor perish inside, seconds away from saving him. 

He also recognises that the door needs to be heavy, the entire cell needs to be tightly sealed with no air whatsoever coming from the lid. The conditions with which the plants needed to be in to start their regeneration process was dire; there needed to be little amounts of oxygen to pull from to kickstart the process, which in turn also releases carbon dioxide as a by-product. The process fully takes place with no lighting conditions, no nearby food material, and lastly, when it detects decay within its system, it sends out the cells to specific spots of the tissue it has detected and starts replicating whatever cells there that are actively dying until the plant deems it alive again. 

Jayce takes in a shaky breath. Everything about it is set to work, the plan straight forward, he even hired a professional photographer to take photos of the before and after of the organism for the Distinguished Innovators Competition; one of Viktor’s unfortunate plants that is being actively killed just for the experiment. Jayce stands up, walking to the receipt for the glass, then back to the lid, to the microscope that Viktor made, then back to his seat. He repeats the same cycle twice before Viktor sighs out loud and swivels his chair around and scoots in front of Jayce’s path. 

“You’re pacing.” Viktor deadpans, arms across each other as he raises an eyebrow slowly.

"I’m not pacing, I’m working.” Jayce retorts, and he hopes that Viktor doesn’t hear the tremor in his voice. Viktor raises both eyebrows, and Jayce knows he’s been caught.

"And what work have you done since an hour ago when you finished the tank lid and then 30 minutes ago when you kept fiddling and soldering god knows what on it? You’ve practically made a path on the floor, effectively Jayce sized.” Viktor doesn’t smile at Jayce, only tugs his mouth upwards as he sees Jayce’s shoulders slump in defeat. 

“I’ve… just been thinking.” He starts, going to his table and hearing Viktor follow his chair.

"Of?”

"The project. Tight turn around, you know?” He tries to avoid Viktor’s gaze, but either Viktor isn’t stupid or Jayce is much too obvious on his face, either way, Viktor figures there’s more and presses into him. 

“You opened your giant book of believable excuses and you chose that one?” Viktor says, resting his elbow on the desk. 

Jayce sighs, turning towards his desk so as to avoid Viktor’s scorching gaze. He’s burned by it anyways.

“What if it doesn’t work? What if it doesn’t do what it’s supposed to- what- just go back to the drawing boards, figure out something else in the span of god knows how long-“, and Viktor has a flash of pain on his face but it disappears before Jayce can fully register it, “I mean, gods, what if it does work, but they don’t approve of it? They want us to continue working on it before it could be used on humans for- what- a decade? Two? How am I-" supposed to go on living knowing that you’re somewhere I can’t reach- “supposed to just go up there and take what I’m given and—" Viktor shushes him with his finger pressed upon Jayce’s lips, and Jayce is taken aback by the action. 

He misses the way Viktor would shut him up before, when they were in their cycle. 

“We will be fine, Jayce. It will work. And even if it doesn’t, we have time. Yes, we can go back to the drawing boards, because, unless you don’t remember, we already have many ideas down already. Nothing will help if all you do is panic, hm?” Viktor says, removing his finger and letting his hand fall onto Jayce’s bicep. He squeezes it reassuringly as Jayce nods. 

“Yeah- yeah, okay. It’ll work, and if it doesn’t-“ Viktor cuts him off before Jayce can say anything else. 

“-Then we have time.” Viktor smiles so brightly after that, and it was almost enough to make Jayce forget that they don’t. Jayce tries to smile back. 

Viktor hums, then sighs as he stands up, motioning for his cane to Jayce, and Jayce runs to get it immediately. Despite the fact the effect of the bite is starting to wear off, Jayce notices how Viktor still uses the cane over the crutch, and he delights in how he was using the one Jayce had made for him. 

Truthfully, and secretly, Jayce was over the moon at all the things that Viktor used that practically screamed to anyone with eyes or ears that Viktor belonged to him. The crutch or cane, the house colours on Viktor’s academy and lab uniform, the two braces in both Jayce’s house colours and with his house emblems over it, and now, the numerous bites on his scent glands that ooze out Jayce’s scent instead of his own. Whatever alpha part of him he usually ignored when with past partners was absolutely reeling over all the attention. And so, thinking about it, his anxieties seemed to lessen, and his fatigue only grew. He knew Viktor wouldn’t leave the lab now, not for a good reason, and he, for the first time, was glad that he had an excellent reason. 

He clears his throat as Viktor stands, watching him walk past him as he starts his proposal. 

“So, uhm, Viktor. The Last Drop is hosting-“ But Viktor turns around quickly to him before he could finish his bargaining. 

“By Janna, yes, let’s get the hell out of here.” He says, smiling so vibrantly at Jayce that Jayce almost feels guilty for not bringing it up earlier. 

Jayce grins as they lock up the lab for the night, trudging next to each other and talking about their work. Eventually their chats start to dwindle away from work and more about why they’re going to The Last Drop.

"Remember Vi? Her little sister’s birthday was a couple days ago. They’re celebrating the party tonight and we were invited.” Jayce says casually, holding the bag that has Jinx’s presents inside; packs of glitter and powdered paint, hundreds of unopened balloons, some plain straws and spray paint. Jayce had been given the list by Caitlyn and only slightly suspects that he should stay as far away from Jinx as possible for the rest of the night. 

They reach The Last Drop and enter the bar, surprised at how absolutely packed it was. Jayce thought it’d be a private party with friends and family, and either Jinx is friends with everyone or he got the wrong memo. They both walked up to the bar, greeting Vander and waiting for Vi and Caitlyn. 

“And what do you have here for Jinx?” Vander asks, chuckling as he looks inside. His brows furrow immediately and Jayce immediately realises that his hunch had been right. “Alright, I’ll give this to Jinx at the end of the night… or maybe tomorrow… in fact, just say you completely forgot about the gifts and I’ll dispose of them quickly.” Vander chuckles again, and Jayce this time laughs with him. 

“I’m guessing she’s ready to paint everything colourful?” He asks as he takes the two drinks Vander finishes making and gives one to Viktor. 

“Ah well… she’s an explosive girl, that one. Don’t know what her mother did when she was pregnant with her but it must’ve altered her genes. By the way, the rest of the party is actually in the private room in the back. Just round the corner, you won’t miss it.” He winks, then goes back to talking with other customers. 

Jayce and Viktor try navigating through the busy bodies, but get ultimately stuck in the middle of people dancing. Jayce grabs Viktor’s wrist, using his body as a shield for people to part for, and he doesn’t even realise that his hand slipped until it rested in Viktor’s hand. They reach the door and sigh of relief after the short walk, and then nod at each other when they open it. Everyone looks at them and some people cheer as they walk towards their seats. 

“Jayce and Viktor are finally here.” Caitlyn says, slurring her words and Jayce approximates just how long she’s been there as well. 

They gave their greetings to the people there; Ekko, Claggor and Mylo were the first to make space for them, but held space for someone else at the end of their seat. Viktor sat with them and Jayce next to Viktor. Caitlyn and Vi sat next to each other, across the table, and Silco and Sevika and another woman Jayce hasn't seen in a while were standing, nursing a drink as they chat quietly. Jayce looks towards Viktor and whispers quietly. 

“Vik, Councillor Mel Medarda is back.” 

Viktor whips his head so fast towards the direction Jayce was nudging that Jayce almost thought that his head would roll off his shoulders. Viktor looked back to him, eyes wide, a small flush on cheeks from the drink already gone and the two shots he took with Ekko, and nods vehemently. 

“Yes, Jayce. That is Councillor Mel Medarda.” He says loudly, although his face gives away that he had wanted to be quiet about it. 

Jayce panics at the volume, closing Viktor’s mouth with his hand then looking back to where the councillor was standing next to the other two. Mel Medarda was looking straight at them, a graceful smile accompanied by knowing eyes trained on them. She didn't look to be listening to whatever it was that Silco and Sevika were talking about, and Jayce couldn’t help but stare back, unable to look anywhere else. She smiles again, and Jayce this time breaks the gaze and looks back to Viktor, who was staring straight back at him. He furrows his brows, then looks back to Ekko and his gang, talking to them about some mechanics they were making. 

Jayce looks at the empty glasses and carries them, ready to take two more before he is the approached by someone from behind. The first thing he smelled was cinnamon, burnt and caramelised, and he took a deep breath in. An omega’s scent, for sure, and he turns around with two drinks in his hand and is face to face with Mel Medarda. She smiles, and nods her head. 

“Jayce.” She says, and walks in for a hug.

“Councillor Mel Medarda.” Jayce finishes, trying to fight off her new overpowering scent. She chuckles, and nods. 

“Scientist Jayce Talis. I’ve heard about your inventions.” She starts, and orders a drink for herself as well. 

“You have? To what do I owe the pleasure?” He asks, and suddenly he's taken back to when they first met, years ago, and clicked. Although they had been much closer before, after Mel moved back to Noxus for her mother's funeral, their relationship had become strained. He had only seen her twice since then, and even though she's right in front of him, he still missed her dearly.

“Yes, don’t get so nervous darling, we’re at a party are we not?” She smoothly rolls off the familiar nickname, and Jayce feels himself slowly lose the tension in his shoulders. 

She’s dazzling. She’s wearing a long, purple elegant dress that reaches her ankles, with two high slits from her hips to the bottom of the dress. She had high heels that made her reach just that much taller than Viktor (or maybe, she already was?), and her makeup was immaculate, brightened by gold in every sweet spot of her beautiful face, then spotted randomly in her hair. She chuckles again as Jayce takes her in.

“You're back, Mel. How have you been?” 

“I’m good. I had a lot to think about and a lot to do back home, but I'm back now. Fully. Jayce, I know we haven't talked in a while…”

“It's okay, Mel. I'm glad you're back. And yeah, I'm a scientist now. How did you hear about our inventions?” He says, and gulps down as Mel’s scent surrounds him. 

“I was quite interested in your submission for last year's Distinguished Innovators Competition. The magnetic powered gloves were truly genius- I got myself a pair too. I’m interested in what you have this year, and I’m sure funds will soon be rolling your way.” She sips her drink slowly, and Jayce has to put down both glasses with his nerves running. 

“Ah, thanks. The idea was mostly Viktor’s. But, to get funding, we’ll need investors, of which there are few and there are many projects.” He scratches his head and tries to calm down at Mel’s sharp gaze. 

“I’m sure you’ll attain some soon enough. You’ve always been brilliant. Do properly introduce me to your assistant in your lab next time.” She says as she starts to walk away. 

“Who? Sky?” Jayce asks, confused at how she could know her as well. 

Mel looks towards Viktor and nudges her head, face still smiling. 

“Ah, no, Viktor isn’t my assistant. He’s my partner. We’re equal in everything we do.” He tries to catch up to her, walking towards Silco and Sevika. He most definitely did not want to be in whatever political conversation the three were having. 

“Partner? My apologies then. I’ll come visit your lab next week- Wednesday? I hope you’ll show me something good. Who knows, you might have your first investor waiting already.” She winks, then looks back to Silco and Sevika, leaving Jayce fumbling alone. 

Jayce walks back to where Viktor was seated, heart in his throat. If he can secure funding from Mel, then it wouldn’t matter if they won or lost the competition. They’d be able to go through with their project anyway. 

“Jayce.”

He started thinking about what to show Mel, the prototype they’re currently making? By next Wednesday, the glass would already be there, and they would’ve started assembling their cell container. He wants to show her their current idea, and how it evolved. They have so much to catch up on-

“Jayce.”

They could also show her the other ideas and projects being worked on the side. For example, the gloves being taken a step further and attaching a laser on it. Or their study of magnets and how they could potentially change the way things travel. They already use their giant magnets in their lab as a way to pass each other items back and forth without having to stand up. Or even the crystals that seem to be able to conduct energy inside of them and expel it outwards with somehow even more energy-

“Jayce!” 

Jayce looks towards Viktor, who’s scent had soured by now, and he’s brought back to where he was. 

“Yes?” He asks, out of breath. He’s excited, of course he’s excited. A real, opportune chance to save Viktor just walked into his life in the form of one of his closest friends. They'll have so much to catch up on that's happened since she left. He wishes they could've had more time before Wednesday, just to hang out. His attention snaps back to Viktor, whose scent has soured again.

“The drinks?” Viktor asks, somehow getting even more annoyed. 

Jayce realises that he left the drinks on the table, getting up quickly to walk there and take the drinks. He happily walks back to Viktor, giving him his drink and sliding right next to him. 

“Someone’s happy.” Viktor says, the same annoyed tone still in his voice. 

“Yeah, I just met Mel and-”

“Mel?” Viktor says incredulously. 

“Yes, the councillor. Anyways, I met Mel and she said she could invest in us if we prove that we can create even better things than before. She even bought our gloves from last year!” Jayce is practically vibrating, and Viktor scoffs.

”She said she’d invest in us or in you?” He asks, and he takes one small sip of his drink. 

“Well- I mean, she thought you were my assistant but-”

“Assistant? Yeah, sounds about right for the cripple from Zaun, right?” Viktor rolls his eyes as he pushes Jayce away from him, trying to stand up. 

“What, no- we’re currently in Zaun, aren’t we? I’m sure she just got confused, since we do have an assistant, and she is from Zaun. Vik- Where are you going?” Jayce holds his wrist and Viktor snaps away from him. 

“I’m going outside for air. Don’t let me stop you from reaching the investor of your dreams.” Viktor takes his cane and huffs out, leaving him confused and staring back at him. 

He looks towards Mel, and sees her smiling back at him already. He smiles back, then takes off after Viktor. 

He finds Viktor already walking back home, his bag somehow sneaked from where he was seated, and drunkenly trying to stay on the path. 

“Viktor.” Jayce calls out to him, and takes his shoulders. 

“What? Not gonna go and entrance the Mel Medarda for a chance at money?” He says, looking away, and Jayce almost wants to shake him awake. 

“Vik, the reason why I was excited was because by securing Mel's investment, it doesn't matter what happens. We can always continue with our plan. There's no more what ifs, no back to the drawing board. We can save you, assuredly.” Jayce says, then gives in to his need to hug Viktor, pulling him in close and trying his best to sink his feelings into the hug. 

“I swear it's not for any other reason.” Although Jayce is unsure why he needs to explain why he's interested in Mel's own investment, he feels the need to justify it. “I'm staying by your side no matter what.” 

Viktor breaks the hug first, looking at Jayce for a couple of moments before hugging him again. 

“Do you regret it? Biting me?” He asks, quietly, as if the question wasn't meant for anyone else but himself. 

“Yes, of course.” Jayce replies, because he can only lie when asked this question. Maybe he did regret it once before, but he knows now, with Viktor in his arms, smelling like him, that he doesn't regret a single thing. 

“Let's go back, we haven't even met Jinx yet.” He guides Viktor back to the bar, then to the private room. They settle down again, but the mood has shifted. Something has gone amiss, and Jayce sifts through the past conversation to find what exactly has put a damper on Viktor's mood in his mind. 

Jinx comes bursting into the room, somewhat drunk, holding her birthday cake in her hand. They all stand around to sing her happy birthday, and she giggles all while she looks around the room. With strict precision, and movement of someone who is incredibly drunk, she blows out the candles, then throws up four heavy balloons into the air. There's spikes on the ceilings she placed there, and the balloons are popped and release the paint Jayce bought for her into the air. Vibrant blues and pinks, reds and oranges and greens. She covers her cake quickly, then laughs as everyone else gets painted with different colours, coughing their lungs out as they try to inhale oxygen. 

Jayce goes to cover Viktor almost immediately, pulling him into his chest and closing his face into it. He gets sprayed by mostly blues and reds, some pink resting on his shoulders that are wrapped around Viktor, and Viktor's entire backside is covered in pink. Jayce tries to speak to him, but the paint catches in his throat and causes him to start coughing roughly. He doesn't let him go to get out of the room like the others do, instead holds him tighter to shield him from the paint. 

He realises almost immediately that there is no one else left in the room except for them, in the middle of it all and trying to breathe correctly. Viktor only coughs slightly, but his heart beats fast against Jayce's chest. Jayce can feel it, and only squeezes him tighter. Eventually, the paint settles enough for Viktor to not have a coughing fit if he breathes it in, and they both walk out to the chaos outside the room. 

Apparently Jinx had prepared for the entire place to be paint bombed, but the contraption that was supposed to go off once she pushes the spikes (that were also buttons) in the ceiling with the original balloon paint somehow malfunctioned, leading to Vander kicking everyone in the bar out and having everyone carefully remove the bombs without it exploding. By the looks of everyone trying to remove the balloons, Ekko, Vi and Mylo had already fallen victim to them. Viktor laughs, fully, with tears in his eyes as Jayce watches in awe, before he hacks and starts coughing. At first, Jayce laughs along, until he starts noticing how long the coughing fit is continuing. 

He gets alarmed, and takes Viktor outside, but the coughing doesn't stop. Some paint had still gotten caught in his throat, and it wasn't until Jayce got some water for him did his coughing stop. Viktor looks drained, and they both excuse themselves to get home. 

Jayce is itching to ask whether or not Viktor is still staying over at his place, but Viktor leans heavily into Jayce and protests slightly when Jayce tries turning to Viktor's street. He keeps walking straight ahead, reaching his apartment building and opening the door for Viktor. He doesn't remember the walk up, only remembers Viktor finishing brushing his teeth with the spare toothbrush he has after his shower, taking his medicine and then climbing into his bed. Jayce wraps the blankets around him, then stands up, getting ready to sleep on the sofa. 

“Aren't you coming in?” Says the sweet siren voice coming from underneath his blankets, and Jayce almost spontaneously combusts from just the implication alone. 

“Would…” and Jayce gulps down his lust, “would you like me to?” He asks, staying in his spot as he turns around to look at Viktor, who has his head peaking out from the blankets now. 

“Do you not want to?” He asks, and Jayce's heart almost skips a beat. Of course he wants to, wants to climb in with him more than anything and hold him close. Wants to wrap his arms around that sinful waist and breathe in his air and scent him with his body. 

But is that what Viktor wants? If Jayce goes into bed with him, would he be able to keep his hands to himself? He breathes out and makes his decision. 

“Vik, I know you're tired so you can take the bed, okay? You don't have to share with me.” He physically looks down, then away, trying to make his legs move away from his omega who just asked if he'll stay. 

Viktor watches him walk all the way to the door before he speaks again. 

“Please stay.” It was so quiet, in fact, that Jayce almost missed it. 

Without a second to doubt his next decision, he closed the door and climbed into bed with him. He tries to stay mostly at his side, but Viktor practically climbs onto him almost immediately, wrapping one of his arms around Jayce's neck and the other tucked between him and Jayce. His leg wraps around Jayce's own, and he can't help but do the same back to Viktor. 

He slips one of his arms underneath him, pulling him close, then wraps his arm around his waist, draping it there. He puts his leg in between Viktor's, letting his bad leg rest on top of his, and sighs into the smell of Viktor's hair. His heart swells, and Viktor chuckles as if he could feel it. Jayce smiles back, and he couldn't shake the feeling that this is exactly where he's meant to be. 

Jayce falls asleep to soft breathing and an erratic heartbeat in Viktor's chest, and he finds that it's the best lullaby he's ever heard. 

--- 

Jayce wakes up to a rainy day, the smell of petrichor permeating through the apartment. The lights are off, it's dark and moody, and he tries to look around for his lamp light. As he moves, Viktor shifts beneath him, grumbling under his breath as he faces the other way. Jayce turns the light on, which somehow Viktor senses immediately, and he wakes up, alert. 

“Morning.” Jayce mumbles out, trying to be as quiet and small as possible. 

Viktor doesn't say anything back, only stares at him and mumbles something akin to a greeting before he reaches over and turns the light off. He's agitated, clearly, and goes back to the position he was in. Jayce sighs, getting out of bed and going to the bathroom. 

Since Friday night, Viktor has absolutely been unhappy. Well, unhappy is an understatement; more or less pissed off. Jayce doesn't understand why, but he does understand that every time he's close to Viktor, Viktor emits a sour scent, and he's scowling back at him. When Jayce tries to talk to him about it, he only shrugs and says he's imagining things. 

It's Sunday now, and Jayce is tired from the onslaught of angry omega pheromones. He'd left the day before early in the afternoon to get some pieces ready for Mel to be able to see them on Wednesday, as well as trying to work out whatever he's done wrong to Viktor. When he got back, Viktor's mood was even worse. Jayce decides to stay inside for the day, since it was raining today, and he thinks the distance only makes it worse. 

He finishes his shower and then goes to make breakfast. Viktor trudges in after he's started to make scrambled eggs. None of the lights are on, and Viktor makes no move to turn them on either. He sits on the stool, immediately dropping his head on the table with a soft groan. Jayce continues cooking, watching him from the corner of his eyes. Viktor doesn't move, not a single muscle, even his breathing is somewhat too slow. He wonders if Viktor's gone to sleep there, but then he moves and turns his head to the side, eyes scorching everything they touch, and Jayce quickly moves on to the bacon before he's burned by the same gaze. 

Viktor sets the table, sitting down in Jayce's living room and watching tv. He starts eating without Jayce, which only shows his irritation towards him. Jayce tries to hold it together, trying to show that Viktor's attitude isn't bothering him at all, and all but almost succeeds until Viktor flicks to the next channel on the tv. Jayce raises an eyebrow. 

“I was watching that.” He jokes, trying to lighten the heavy mood. 

“Well don't. It's boring as fuck.” Viktor retorts, switching to other channels. Something irks Jayce just enough, makes him want to fight against him. 

“You watched the series with me. Was it boring you then?” 

“Yes. Stop talking, I have a huge headache.” Viktor pauses, then turns slowly towards Jayce. “And chew quieter.” He moves his head slowly back to the tv, and Jayce feels something within him snap. 

“How am I supposed to chew quieter? Am I too loud for you?” He says, raising his voice slightly more than he should've. 

Viktor physically recoils, and Jayce almost folds at the reaction. He didn't mean to make it sound like he's yelling. 

“Yes, Jayce, you're too loud. You're always loud. That's your default settings!” Viktor whisper-shouts it, as if he's afraid something will break in the process. 

Something does break. 

“Oh, I'm sorry that I'm articulate with my voice? At least I don't mumble half my words so no one can hear me!” Jayce retorts, and he knows it's a stupid argument. It's a stupid conversation that's blowing up too much but he has a feeling that this goes deeper than volume, far deeper still than he cares to admit. 

“Everything I say that I want to be heard will be heard. I suppose you've never been trained on indoor voice vs outdoor voice, have you?” Viktor snaps back, and Jayce stands up quickly. 

“What is wrong with you?” He says it too quickly, too angrily, but he doesn't have time to think about it. “I've done nothing but to accommodate you here and all you've done is make me feel like shit for it! This whole weekend you've been pissed and angry, then gaslighting me to believe it's nothing?!” He huffs it out, and Viktor puts down his plate and stands up. 

“What is wrong with me? I'm not the one branding every single thing I touch then just leaving a toy behind the second a shinier toy comes around!” Viktor looks close to tears, but Jayce can't figure out if it's from anger or despair. He guesses it's both. 

“Wha- what?! What are you talking about Viktor?” He asks, and then Viktor is getting his cane and leaning far too heavily on it, limping far too much, and going towards the bedroom. He comes out with a bag. 

“Since you feel like I have to be grateful that you're accommodating me so graciously, I'll take my fucking leave then. I won't come over for the last remaining weekends, we can end this here.” Viktor starts, and goes for the door. Lightning strikes outside, and is immediately followed by thunder. 

“Viktor, you can't just leave. Look at the weath-” 

“Oh, I can't leave now?? After you complained that I'm taking up space and I should be happy about it? Don't forget, Jayce, that the reason I'm even here in the first place is because YOU bit me! It was never you accommodating me and more you receiving the consequences of your own actions!!” Viktor's voice starts breaking, and Jayce starts to retreat into himself. Thunder booms again, and Jayce wishes he could just cry this tension out. 

“Vik, I'm sor-” 

“No, don't apologise! Don't make me be the bad guy again. I'm leaving, and like I promised, I'm not coming back, so don't bother following.” Viktor starts for the door, but the rain is hitting harder. Jayce runs to him, holding his wrist. Viktor makes no move to remove his hand. 

“Please stay until the rain stops. At least until then?” He pleads, and he doesn't know how, or why, but he knows that something has shifted for the worse for them. His heart aches, he wants to know what's wrong, what happened, how to fix it. But he can't.

He's a broken machine and he can't fix anything. 

Viktor opens his closet door, rummaging around and then finding Jayce's umbrella. Jayce lets him go when he sees that Viktor has taken it out from its hanging position. 

“Your umbrella is in your house colours? How much more will you brand your things before you let them go?” Viktor says, then, almost sadly, he looks away and says to him, “How much more will you brand me till you let me go? Is it fun to string me along? Was this all planned from the beginning?” 

Jayce feels the knife in his heart twist. 

“What? Viktor that's not-” 

“Goodbye, Jayce.” 

Viktor closes the door quietly, the thunder booms at the same time, but Jayce doesn't hear either. His heart keeps shattering with each new raindrop, and Jayce falls to his knees. A new kind of pain settles in his lungs, being breathed in and out, then moves to his kidneys, his liver, his heart. It keeps expanding, spreading through each vein and leaves him physically in pain. His ears are hot, his breath laboured, and he wonders, briefly, if this was what it felt like to die. Being ripped out of life from your blood, left to nothing, torn to shreds, heart heavy and mind crazed. 

He wouldn't last without Viktor. 

He doesn't know how to. 

He runs out the door, umbrella be damned, and tries to follow him. He gets to the base of the apartment building, running to catch up to him. He can't find him anywhere, looking up and down the nearby streets. He catches the sight of a carriage turning down the street of Viktor's apartment, and he suddenly feels stupid for running out into the rain. Obviously Viktor would catch a ride. Obviously he wouldn't be walking angrily home in the pouring rain and thunder. 

Obviously Viktor doesn't need him.

Jayce sighs and sits on the bench. You can't smell petrichor whilst it's still raining, whilst you're in the rain. He looks up and lets himself cry. You can't smell petrichor but you can still yearn for it. You can still try to taste it. You can still try to find it. 

It's impossible to obtain it, improbable to taste it, definitely hidden beneath the layers of rain and lightning, but Jayce has always wanted it. 

And Jayce knows he'll never have it.

---

Chapter Text

Viktor trudges in the afternoon to the lab, loudly opening the door with a groan and settling on his stool with a huff. Jayce turns in his chair slowly, looking towards Viktor to assess the damage. Viktor had gone back to using his crutch, his clothes and hair unruly, heavy eye bags under his eyes, head on the table as if walking here was a task within itself. Jayce fidgeted, uncomfortable, unaware of how to help, how to talk to him after yesterday’s horrible confrontation. He greets him with a simple good afternoon, which Viktor grumbles back out, irritation and frustration in his voice and scent. Jayce decides it’s best to give him space. 

Jayce didn't heed his doctor’s warning enough; being away from Viktor was practically killing him. He had to physically make sure not to move towards him the whole day, incredibly aware of Viktor and his space. Viktor looked to not be in a position to be in the lab, leaning heavy on his crutch, chugging down coffee after coffee, soldering all the pieces as if he’s trying to finish it in one day. 

He mostly stayed to his own side, asking Jayce of a few things at some point during the day, but not saying anything else to him. If things weren’t so tense, Jayce would brush it off; this is how it normally is. They usually work side by side, in silence most often broken by Jayce with his thoughts and asking for help. Their coffee pot is usually working in overdrive whenever there’s a deadline near and Viktor can’t even bother making tea or sweet milk. So yes, if Jayce was to think about it, today is a normal day, with normal work to be done, treated as if nothing abnormal happened the day before.

And, well, it’s killing him. 

He wants to talk. He doesn’t even want to talk about what happened the day before, he just wants to hear Viktor’s voice. He wants to make sure he’s okay even though he knows he’s fretting over nothing; but he wants Viktor to tell him off as usual. He wants to pass by Viktor and rest his hand on his hips softly, unknowing of the scent glands there, unaware of the way he presses into them and the scent gets stronger- gods, did he accidentally Pavlov himself? 

Jayce can’t concentrate. He pulled out all their inventions and blueprints, future plans and current ones, putting them out for display for Mel. Jayce can’t concentrate. He gets back to the base of the containment cell, looking at all the pieces he still needs to forge later in the day, taking measurements with wrong numbers and redoing them an endless amount of times (four), and Jayce sighs as he looks at the final product. He can’t concentrate. 

Viktor is right there. 

There should be no reason, really, why he isn’t talking to him. After all, it’d be better to alleviate the tension now than let it grow. But he’s afraid he’ll snap, that he’ll make things worse rather than better, so he settles for silence. He settles for pretending as if everything’s fine, normal, the way it used to be. He’s still too scared to ask Viktor anything, too scared to talk to him, but he figures that it’ll be fine. They’ll slowly edge back into the routine, and everything will go back to the way it was. He just needs to wait it out. They can’t stay in this tension forever. It has to break at some point. 

Jayce stands, unable to handle the pressure, and announces that he’s going to the forge loudly, as if he wasn't talking to only Viktor who was in the room. Viktor gives an acknowledging hum, something he has come to appreciate and love throughout their partnership, but only leaves him bitter and lonely in the moment. He looks back one last time to Viktor, watching him play softly with the curled ends of his hair as he does when he’s fully concentrated on his work, the light painting him in rusty yellow and making him look straight out of an old photo, and he closes the door behind him hastily. 

He trudges towards the forge when he bumps into Mel. 

“Mel?” Jayce calls out to her, and smiles widely as she turns around, surprised to see him. 

“Jayce.” She says his name so reverently, and Jayce finds himself missing her again despite her being there. They share a quick hug, and start walking in the direction of the forge.

”What are you doing here? Planning on investing in some other scientist?” He chuckles at her, raising her eyebrows, shaking her head quickly. 

“No, I was just… reminiscing. About my life here back then. And thinking, too.” 

“About what?” He turns a corner hesitantly, wondering if Mel would even want to come to the forge with him, but Mel follows. It’s still a bit before he reaches it anyway, so he slows down to prolong the walk. 

“About you, and Caitlyn. About the stupid council and my mother. I’ve made decisions I’m not proud of, but some I know I would repeat twice if I got the option.” She looks distant as she talks, as if detached from the conversation. Jayce lets her continue talking. 

“You said to me that ‘I’ll never be a passenger’… That really resonated with me. It’s what drove me to go home, and I thank you forever for that.” She smiles back at him, and Jayce shakes his head. He brings her in for another hug, grateful everyone else in the hallway is gone. 

“Every decision you’ve made has always been yours. I simply nudged you into your truth. I’m glad you found yourself, Mel, but more than anything, I’m so happy to see you.” He says, letting her go and nodding her along to the forge. 

“As am I, Jayce. We have much to talk about. Are you going to the forge?” She asks, stopping right before the last turn.

“Ah, yes, is that okay? We can talk there, I’ll mostly just be checking up on some pieces and creating a few more for the project.” Jayce waits for her response, perking up when he sees her smile.

“Yes, I’d love to join you in your forge again. It’s been much too long. You think I can smelt some in there?” She asks, and Jayce laughs as he remembers how she’d smelt small tiny trinkets that she’d use as jewellery once then keep in her collection. 

“You’re always welcome to, Mel.” He leads her into the forge, letting her change into one of the protective gear as they get to chatting again. 

“Mel, I don’t mean to be invasive but… your scent is… different?” He asks, putting the leather apron on himself as he looks towards her coming out of the change room. She hasn’t changed much from the last time he saw her, she has a few new wrinkles that give her more life, and her easy smile still settles on her face beautifully, her brows frowning slightly in concentration.

”Oh, yes. I’m a Prime Omega now.” She says nonchalantly, as if that bit of information is useless to anyone who hears. 

“Wait- what?! How?? Is that even possible?” Jayce watches her slowly walk past him, and he notes her cinnamon scent really does smell burnt, caramelised. 

“Yes, it turns out that becoming a Prime isn’t unheard of, though rare. There used to only be Alphas, Omegas and Betas, no Primes at all. But as omegas started to become less and less, a biological change started to happen; anyone could become a ‘prime’ through forced breeding. Well, turns out, trauma can activate the exact same neurons that makes one a Prime.” She chuckles dryly, and Jayce lets out a comforting wave from himself. 

“Trauma? Mel, what happened?” He asks, and from then on, the two of them spend hours catching up. 

Jayce listens intently as Mel talks about her journey home, how her mother had faked her death to get her to come back, the battle she had to endure between her and her mother whilst she was in heat, hence the trauma, and then starting to pick up the pieces of her house back in Noxus by herself. After becoming a prime, though, it had been far easier to gain people’s respect, which is why she was able to come back to Piltover. She came back to ‘fix her mistakes’ as she puts it, and vows to Jayce that she will do everything she can to make sure Piltover and Zaun have an even footing. 

“Is that why you were talking to Silco and Sevika?” He asks, and sees her look away, flustered. He knows her face is most likely becoming far too warm in the forge, but he suspects it’s not from the heat. He gasps, dramatically, and looks at her, hands on his chest. 

“Silco?!?! Isn’t he, like, mated?? Mel, that’s scandalous.” He says loudly, and Mel slaps his back in an embarrassed huff. Jayce laughs it off, running forward to avoid getting hit any longer. 

Mel looks away, eyes averted. 

“It’s… Sevika- but- you can’t let anyone know and- Jayce, stop laughing!!” She says as she goes to hit his back again, but it only makes him laugh louder. She starts to giggle back, before she laughs along with him. When they finally quiet down, she looks at him, a little wearily.

”Jayce… are you… alright with this?” She asks, and Jayce has to blink twice before he understands what she meant.

”Of course, Mel. What we had back then was special, but that’s back then. What we have now is special too, and I’m glad we could stay best of friends.” He grins, and she smiles and hugs him, before separating from him quickly, being grossed out at the sweat. “Besides, I… have someone else in my heart too.” 

Mel raises an eyebrow, then smiles knowingly.

”You mean the boy you heroically shielded in your arms from the oh-so-scary powdered paint that you bought?” She pokes fun at him, and he starts to protest immediately. 

“It’s not like that- but I mean- look he wouldn’t be able to breathe, please Mel, stop giggling like a sixteen year old!” He huffs, then, and crosses his arms.

”I’m sorry, Jayce. It was quite the scene to look at though, you have to understand that Caitlyn and I will make fun of you for it for the rest of your life.” She continues smelting the small ring in her hands. 

“I’ve decided to resign from life, now.” He says, which earns him another smack and a round full of giggles. He’s so happy Mel’s back, and the tension has completely left his body.

”Listen, Mel. About Viktor…” He tells her about Viktor’s condition, packing up the forge now, and about the machine they’re making for him to use eventually in the future. Mel immediately goes into the logistics of it, promising to help them however way she can, including the investment. Jayce hugs her outside the forge, thankful for the help, before he’s interrupted by a loud voice. 

“So, this is where you’ve been for the past five hours?” Viktor starts, and Jayce startles back, away from Mel. 

“Viktor! You’re here?” He says, staying beside Mel despite his incessant need to go and sweep his omega off his feet. 

“Yes, I’ve been waiting for you, but you sure took your sweet time. I now understand you had…” and Viktor looks disdainfully at Mel, “company.” He huffs, keeping his gaze on her.

”Hello, Viktor. I'm not sure if you remember me-”

”I know who you are, Miss Medarda. What I don’t know, however, is what you’re doing here, with Jayce, in the forge, holding each other like that.” He says sharply, and Jayce almost feels himself snap at Viktor’s attitude.

”Vik, we were just catching up-“

”Oh I’m sure you were.” Viktor says, ignoring Jayce’s plea as he keeps his eyes trained on Mel. 

The three of them stare in intense silence, a battle of omega pheromones trying to dominate over each other. Viktor angrily sends out another wave at them both, but Mel doesn’t budge. 

“It seems I should go, Jayce.” She says, despite looking straight back at Viktor. 

“Mel-”

”It’s fine, Jayce, I promise. I’ll swing by on Wednesday as I said before. And what we’ve agreed on won’t change, that much I swear on it.” She turns to look at him now, patting his shoulder slightly, then starts walking away. 

“Goodbye Viktor.” She says, and walks away completely. Viktor waits until she’s out of earshot before he says his own goodbye back. 

“Jayce. Where are the pieces you said you’d forge?” He asks back, his mood turning even more sour at Jayce’s empty hands. 

“They’re inside- still cooling.” He hesitates, then, looking at Viktor’s scorching stare, “Would you like to see them inside?” 

Viktor nods solemnly, and Jayce unlocks the door. They both walk inside, the heat still lingering. He takes him to his workbench, though Jayce knows Viktor knows this place like the back of his mind. He pulls out the sturdy workbench that has all the pieces still cooling. Jayce puts the back of his hand near one of the pieces, testing to see if it’s still too hot to touch. After testing it out, he deems it cool enough, and hands it to Viktor to inspect.

Viktor takes it absentmindedly, eyes scanning the piece in his hand, then the ones on the workbench, then the entire forge around him.

”The forge is surprisingly clean.” He says, and Jayce scoffs lightly.

”Yeah, they clean it every Saturday night, and no one else bothers to use it other than me.” He looks at Viktor, trying to discern his mood before it hits him what Viktor’s looking for. 

“Viktor- Mel and I aren’t like that.” He says, and Viktor narrows his gaze at him. Jayce starts to panic, things said over the weekend, the mood, the tension bleeding out, everything clicking into place in his head. “I swear we’re not-“ 

“You do not have to explain anything, Jayce. I… You’re not mine, so you’re not entitled to explain who you spend time with, who you choose to be with.” Viktor says, his shoulders sagging even more. 

“No, Viktor, you don’t understand. She’s-”

“Jayce. It’s quite alright. And… I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have treated you that way, no matter the reason you had, you’re right. You were accommodating me, we didn't have to spend weekends at your place, it could’ve been mine, or both. My chronic pain was back, and stronger than normal, so I took it out on you-”

”Viktor, I understand but-” Jayce is trying to let him know the full truth, but Viktor already has his back turned. 

“I understand that it must be hard on you too. After all, I tempted you with a bite and now you’re forced to bond with me despite your heart belonging to someone else-”

”She’s being courted by Sevika!” Jayce blurts it out, unable to take whatever lies Viktor seemed to try to convince them both of. Viktor goes quiet, and turns around slowly. 

“What?” He asks, eyes wide with something akin to anticipation, or relief, or both. 

“Sevika is courting Mel. Y’know how we saw them together with Silco at Jinx’s party? That was Mel meeting the family. They are well into their courtship. Mel and I aren’t like that; Mel belongs to someone else, and I’ve long past moved on from that, before I met you.” He says, and then, quieter, “I’ve known Mel for a long time. She was and is one of my closest friends, so I hope you don’t get the wrong idea, not any more than you already have.” 

The two of them stay in silence, but he feels the way that Viktor’s bitter scent recedes until it is left to nothing. Just the pleasant, sweet smell of honey and bread, and Jayce physically relaxes.

Suddenly, Viktor’s scent takes a sharp turn, and Jayce assesses Viktor this time. His entire face is red, his scent heightened and frantic, his hands are trembling and- oh- Viktor is embarrassed. He walks over to the workbench, settling his crutch next to himself and then leaning on the bench, covering his face with both his hands. 

“Oh. Jayce I’m-“ But Viktor doesn’t continue, making a high, keening noise, then folds even more as he recedes within himself.

Jayce chuckles, walking towards him and removing his hands from his face. 

“There’s no need to be embarrassed. You just got the wrong idea, and I didn't help in rectifying it quickly, did I?” He keeps holding his hands, finding that he can’t let go even if he wanted to. The bond feels electrifying now that they’ve had over twenty-four hours with no contact. He wonders if Viktor feels the same. 

“No, I- I should’ve asked before I jumped to conclusions and-” Viktor starts to ramble, subconsciously leaning towards Jayce until he’s effectively hidden his face in Jayce’s chest. Jayce chuckles, putting his arms around Viktor and caging him in a long hug. They stay like that for a while longer before Viktor shifts and hisses in pain from his leg. Jayce eventually leads him back to the lab, where they both pack up for the night. 

“I will have to apologise to Miss Medarda. I was so rude to her, and you were busy trying to secure an investment from her. I’m sorry too, Jayce.” He says as they start their walk to their favourite restaurant. 

“Don’t be sorry to me, Mel’s already going to start investing in us soon. We just have to enter into the competition so she can do it officially. But the apology to Mel is probably a good idea.” Jayce says, and Viktor sits in their same booth, waving at the server. She smiles, taking some menus for them. 

“Already using your connections illegally, huh?” Viktor chuckles as the server sets down the menus.

”Nice to see you again, boys. And, oh my, congrats you two.” She winks at Jayce and Viktor blushes lightly. Jayce realises Viktor must still smell like him, even if the effects of the bite on Viktor’s body had worn off. 

”It’s not like that.” He says quickly, and she simply laughs. 

“Of course, that’s how it always is, hm?” She has a certain sparkle in her eyes. “We used to pray for days like these here in our little restaurant.” She says, and Jayce gets confused.

”Days like what?” He asks, and she waves her hand to dismiss his question.

”Anyways, what would you two like? It’s been a while since you’ve been down here at 2am as usual. Want to try something different? We have a new item we’re thinking of adding- something available from 10pm till closing.” She smiles and Jayce gets a sinking feel before nodding.

”What is it?” Viktor asks, and she shakes her head.

”It’s a new type of tea! It’s supposed to give you a large boost of endorphins and make you energetic for about an hour, then knocks you out cold. Good for those who can’t sleep.” She cheerily sells it, but Jayce has a feeling she’s leaving out something important. 

“What’s inside it?” He asks, and she hesitates before responding.

”It’s just red ginseng, with a few tiny additives. If you don’t like it, you don’t have to pay for it.” She winks at Viktor, and Viktor blushes slightly. 

“Well, it’s free. I guess we’ll both have that and our regular sandwiches.” Jayce says, then hands back the menu. Viktor furiously looks at him, which Jayce questions with a look, but Viktor just looks away. 

“A presumption that you won’t like the tea? That’s bold, but understandable. I’ll get started right away.” She says as she sashays away. 

“What have you gotten us into?” Viktor asks, looking out the window.

”Don’t worry, Vik. Let’s try new things for once.” Jayce picks up Viktor’s hand, and is delighted when Viktor doesn’t remove it. He has seriously missed touching him so much that he’s considering just sewing their bodies together.

”Do you even know what red ginseng does?” Viktor asks, and as Jayce shakes his head, he sighs. “We’re both in for a long night.” 

Eventually their food and tea comes, and as expected, it tasted far too bitter. Jayce didn't drink much of it, but Viktor dumped too much sugar into it with a vengeance, then drank the whole cup in a gulp. 

“Looks like one of ya liked it.” She says as she picks up the plates. 

“No, it tasted like shit, but I want to know if it does what it’s supposed to do.” Viktor shoots back, and she smiles back, chuckling at him. Their check didn't include the teas. 

As they walk back to their apartments, Jayce takes the turn to Viktor’s first. He goes up to his apartment before stopping at the doorway. Viktor walks in, looking back to Jayce.

”Viktor…” Jayce starts, scratching his arm roughly, “are… are we… okay?” He asks, and his whole worldview shifts as Viktor’s smile tumbles upon him. Despite the clearly drawn line now, despite being unable to touch him like he was able to before, he feels relief at still being able to bask in his smiles. 

“Yes, Jayce. We’re okay. Now go back before you’re kidnapped.” Viktor says, then whispers a quiet goodnight to him before closing the door. 

Jayce walks happily back to his apartment. 

---

Wednesday rolls around peacefully. Jayce has decided to finally keep to the drawn line; after all, it's only because of the bond that their relationship is in this odd stance. 

When Jayce thinks about it, Viktor's not one to usually jump to conclusions without concrete proof or evidence. In fact, when Viktor wants to find the answer to something, he starts by creating a hypothesis. He hypotheses the end result, then looks for variables and evidence to support his hypothesis. If there's enough proof, then he can concur that his hypothesis is correct. 

Jayce knows Viktor's thinking all too well; after all, it is the opposite of his own. Jayce doesn't usually start with a hypothesis, he gathers evidence and proof first, gathers all the material he can, and then makes an inference based on what the evidence has given him. 

For example; before the bond, Viktor was never susceptible to touch. Yes, Viktor allowed Jayce to touch him, but he never initiated any sort of touch unless absolutely necessary. Yet, after the bond, Viktor seemingly wants to be in Jayce's constant air bubble at all times, leaning into his chest, looping their hands together when he's thinking, brushing their shoulders and knees together when they're seated. 

Another example is Viktor rarely used to let Jayce help him. Although his lung disease has gotten worse, it hasn't progressed far enough that he needs someone's help. Jayce still wants to help anyway. Viktor declines it all the same. Except. Except now, Viktor takes it all in stride. He smiles sweetly when Jayce pulls the chair out for him. He says a small ‘thank you’ when Jayce makes him a coffee. He gestures for help whenever possible; for Jayce to grab his crutch, a book to be brought over, a new box full of chalk, for Jayce to simply be near him. 

And with all this evidence, Jayce can only infer one thing; the bond is simply the one controlling Viktor's actions. Jayce can only describe Viktor right now with one word; infatuated. And Jayce preens at it, puffs his chest out after Viktor compliments his coffee making standards (which are, if anything, mediocre), smiles stupidly whenever their bodies make contact. But Jayce is becoming all too aware that after collecting all this evidence, to complete his research, he still needs a hypothesis. 

Jayce sighs as he looks at the time on their clock. Mel will be there in half an hour, and Viktor has been working on his desk quietly, taking small sips of half cold tea, humming ever so quietly into this silent area, unaware of Jayce's total and devastating adoration. 

And Jayce wants this; wants his close friends to all be in one room, chatting away about god knows what. He wants Viktor happy and calculating some equation that Jayce would spend more than a day on, wants the peace and comfort of what they had before, the bickering between him, Viktor and Sky, the occasional visits from Caitlyn who would be waiting for Vi, the insurmountable pressure from the council that seems infinitely smaller whenever Viktor so much as looked at him with pure hope. 

Jayce misses the comfort of the old, is afraid of the uncertainty of the new. And so, Jayce doesn't draw a line in the sand, he digs a line out, pouring concrete, then laying bricks on top of bricks until the wall is high enough that it blocks the sun out. This way, he thinks, when the wall comes tumbling down, for which it will because concrete and sand and beach and bricks have never stood together for a long, long time, at least then it will not hurt so much. When the bricks come falling down, they'll create a block between him and the ocean. 

At least, then, he won't drown. 

He doesn't realise how much time passes with him staring at Viktor until he hears the knock on the door. His body reacts before he does, and he's out of his seat in seconds. He opens the door and immediately pulls in Mel for a hug, and she returns one as well. 

“Councillor Mel Medarda.” He jokes, and she smiles so wide her eyes become smaller and full of mirth. 

“Scientist Jayce Talis.” She says back, and they share a chuckle. 

She walks in as Jayce makes space for her, and he closes the door silently. He watches Viktor tense up, then stand sheepishly, eyeing the floor first before looking up to her. She walks straight over to him, unbothered by anything else, and looks him in the eyes. 

“Scientist Viktor.” She says, as if testing the waters. She doesn't move, keeping her short distance from Viktor. Viktor doesn't budge either. 

“Councillor Mel Medarda.” Viktor returns back, and Jayce wonders if Viktor even knew what the joke was. 

“Please, just call me Mel.” She returns, and Viktor looks down, nodding, submitting. She seemed to relax then, moving out of his space and smiling. “It seems Jayce must've told you vital information you weren't aware of before.” She looks back towards Jayce with a smirk on her face, and he can feel himself turning red. 

“I must apologise, Coun- Mel. I… was hasty, and jumped to conclusions, and even then I was in the wrong. The way I treated you was unacceptable, especially since we were such good acquaintances before. I hope this does not taint your view of me.” Viktor breathes it all out at once, and Jayce almost takes a step back. 

Viktor? And Mel? Friends? When? 

“You two knew each other before?” Jayce asks, the question pressing into his lungs far too much. Mel looks at him and chuckles, nodding slightly. 

“Yes, he was the dean's assistant, Jayce, don't you remember?” Mel chuckles again and Jayce suddenly has an epiphany. 

“Wait- the one you said was cute?!? That assistant???” Jayce practically shrieks it out, and Mel gasps before laughing out loud. Viktor turns red, fumbling with his crutch before sheepishly going back to sit down. 

“You say that as if he isn't cute.” Mel finally says after calming down. 

“That's not what I-” Jayce begins but Mel interrupts again. 

“And what did you mean?” 

“Mel, we have business to attend to.” 

“Ah, yes, professional business. Big jobs for big boys and girls, no?” She giggles it out as she says it, and Jayce can almost hear her saying it the first time, four years ago when they'd become friends after a while. 

Viktor clears his throat and gestures for Mel to come over to where he had wheelied. 

“We'll get started first with the gloves…” 

Like that, they spend the afternoon explaining to Mel their last inventions, the future ones, and their current one. Sky comes in half way, and is excited to be able to join them. Jayce finds himself to be the object of torment, with all three of them taking turns to tease and torment him. It's not his fault he's easily flustered, nor his fault that he easily blushes, and yes he might be a Prime Alpha, but all that is a fancy title for what the three of them would consider a cute puppy. 

At the beginning of the evening, Mel excuses herself. She gives all three of them a hug, delighted to be starting ‘business’ with them, as she had said it, and then leaves. 

With Mel gone, the remaining three continued to work well into the night. Jayce had been so focused on finishing up the containment cell that he didn't even notice the time. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Sky, who was holding out a blueprint for him and telling him directions on how it should all fit together, slowly start to slump forward. He drops the small latch he was holding quickly as he catches Sky just in time before she falls onto the desk full of glass. She doesn't stir, gone to sleep immediately, and Jayce chuckles. 

He looks over to Viktor, who was still doing parts of the wiring. His goggles were on and his back was turned, fully concentrated on the gauze and pieces in front of him. Jayce tries shaking Sky awake, which is successful for all of 3 seconds before she falls back asleep again. A quick glance at the time read 3:47AM. 

He's thankful for the couch. 

Jayce carries Sky easily, letting her rest on the couch as he takes a blanket and puts it over her. She snuggles deeper into it, as if trying to hide herself. Jayce releases protective pheromones over her, hoping it wouldn't offend her so much she wakes up, but she only loosens her shoulders and finally relaxes, letting sleep take her once more. Once he’s sure that she’s fully gone, he turns his attention back to Viktor. 

Jayce has drawn a line, but he can't remember whether the line has new boundaries or if it's the same as the last one. 

Should he stop Viktor and make him rest? And if he does, how should he do it? A simple touch on the shoulder- or is that too much? Will Viktor even appreciate it, does he even realise the time? 

Jayce sighs and lets it be. Viktor's a grown man; he knows when he needs to stop and rest. But he be damned if he lets Viktor continue working whilst he sleeps. So he goes back to his own work station, picks up the pieces and puts the blueprint on another chair so it's standing upright, and gets back to work. 

The three of them continue like this for days, only going back to their apartments twice to freshen up and get some sleep. As Sunday rolls back around, Jayce misses Viktor just a bit more. They never agreed to having Viktor come over to Jayce's again, so they're both in their apartments, getting ready to come back to the lab. 

Jayce knows it's better this way; if they start distancing now, it won't hurt as much for him as it would if they were close one day, then back to friends the next. No, not even friends, co-workers. Strangers. Jayce wonders what their dynamic will be like after the bond is over. He knows what Viktor looks like intimately, when Viktor is crying tears of pleasure, spilling words of praise, grasping Jayce's hair and pulling on it, legs locked despite knowing he'll be in pain for it later. How is Jayce supposed to face Viktor when all he wants to do is sink his fangs back into the soft skin, making him his again, starting over the bond process so that he can feel connected with him once more, if only for one second, if only for that second to last a lifetime? 

Like I've been doing, I suppose. 

It'll simply just be history between them. The first month it'll be slightly awkward, by the third month they'll be laughing about it, by the sixth month they'd have forgotten some details of it, only remembering jokes made from their encounter. Two years in and Jayce would've forgotten what Viktor sounds like when he climaxes. 

Time is merciful and merciless. 

Jayce looks in the bathroom mirror. He opens it to find his toothbrush so he can get the day started. 

Viktor's toothbrush is still there.

---

Jayce watches Viktor trod in late, leaning heavily on his crutch, face fixed in pain. He stands up almost immediately, hovering over him to get his bags out of the way. Viktor only says a short thank you, then walks to his desk, sitting down immediately and sighing softly. He starts massaging his leg, hisses just barely passing his lips before he groans loudly then bangs his head against the table. 

Jayce walks over to him after laying everything out. Viktor had gone to get them food, despite him clearly having a bad pain day. And even worse- it's cold outside, threatening to rain, maybe even thunderstorm. Jayce finds he hates the rain. 

“Vik, hey.” Jayce starts, unsure on how to ask this to him. 

“Out with it, Talis.” Viktor hisses out, but the bite isn't really there. Jayce isn't sure if it's because he's tired, in pain, or simply never meant for there to be a bite in his words in the first place. 

“Your pain meds-” Jayce tries but Viktor cuts him off immediately. 

“Are working as intended. They're fighting against the pain, and currently, are losing.” He mutters out the last part, head still on the table. Jayce watches Viktor flex his hands, stretching his fingers, squeezing them as he squeezes his eyes shut. The pain must be coming in waves. 

“I can help.” Jayce blurts it out, and his face starts to blush before he's even said anything else. 

“Ah yes, and what will you do? Encourage the meds to work a little faster? Maybe a little piltie lullaby will lull my pain to sleep.” Viktor chuckles dryly, then stops himself short before he shoots out another bout of his dry humour. 

His head comes back up fast, too fast, and Viktor has to hold the desk to steady himself. He's clearly at least somewhat disoriented. Jayce makes a checklist now that Viktor is looking at him. Pupils constricted, mouth dry, skin pale, disorientation, muscles flexing. Viktor can't work in this condition. Why did he even come in? 

Jayce might know why. 

“Do you mean…” Viktor trails off but Jayce knows exactly what he means. 

So far, the only thing that's ever stopped Viktor's pain completely has been Jayce, or rather, Jayce's venom. Jayce prays to whatever god out there for giving him such a wonderful opportunity. He also curses that same god for bringing upon this curse onto him. 

All Jayce has to do is bite Viktor. Anywhere but his neck glands, of course, but somewhere far past the line he's drawn. It'll be alright, it's medicinal. It's to help Viktor work; otherwise, he'll have to send Viktor home, and he's not sure how far the bond makes Viktor compliant, but he knows that Viktor would rather pass out in the lab than take a twenty minute nap at home in his bed. 

So Jayce nods, puts his hand out for Viktor's own, then holds it gently. 

“I will not do anything to you that you don't want me to. If anything, I'll give you a massage if a bite is too…” vulnerable. Intimate. Close to the line. 

Viktor nods as if he heard each word Jayce echoed in his head. 

“I- if you wouldn't mind it… I would appreciate your help, Jayce.” He says smiling softly, and Jayce has got to stop taking note of all the different smiles Viktor gives him, but this one is by far top ten. His hair is unruly and sticking to his forehead, his neck, some on his cheeks. The glow of the gloomy sky hits him from behind, painting him in light blues and whites, and their own lab lights create a fuzzy image around his entire being. Jayce is taken aback, blushing intensely before looking away. 

Viktor chuckles, bringing his other hand up to Jayce's face and guiding it back to him. 

“I'd like to make sure you're okay with it too, Jayce. Verbally.” Viktor does not let go of Jayce's jaw. 

“Yes. I'm more than okay with it-” okay that's even closer to the line “I'm happy so long as I can help you.” 

Viktor smiles, nodding his head and humming. For a split second, there's a flash of something in his eyes, a look that Jayce has seen before; in bed with him, eyes locked as their bodies lazily grind against each other, Viktor grabbing his nape and looking at him with that same hungry glint in his eye before pushing Jayce's head down towards him so he can kiss the life out of Jayce and claim it as his own. 

For a split second, Viktor's hand wavers, as if to move further from his jaw to his nape. 

For a split second, Jayce leans in. 

Then Viktor removes his hand and the spell is broken. Jayce brings up the other hand on his own, then lowers his face onto it. He noses at the scent gland there, realising happily that the scent blocker lotion he usually wears is non-existent (so he was hoping this would happen), and then looks up to Viktor as he drops his fangs. 

At the eye contact, Viktor's scent immediately turns sweeter, his arousal spiking. Jayce can feel it wrapping around him, churning his stomach, pushing his boundaries, pushing the line. He grips Viktor's arm just that much tighter, and Viktor's pupils dilate. Gods, Jayce hasn't even bitten him yet but he already looks fucked out. 

Jayce licks the scent gland, and Viktor hums sweetly, his hand trembling, but Jayce can tell it's from excitement. He presses his fangs directly on the gland, hearing Viktor's soft whimpers for just a second longer, then he breaks skin. 

Viktor moans, loudly, unabashedly, as if he was back in Jayce's bedroom, away from everyone and protected by his alpha. His other hand immediately grabs Jayce's hair, pushing his fangs deeper into him, body turning lax as the venom works its way through his system. 

Jayce releases him after a couple of seconds, licking the blood away as Viktor stares up to the ceiling, little pants and huffs escaping his mouth. Jayce wants to kiss him, wants to open him up again and stick two fingers in first- because that's exactly how Viktor likes it- and fuck him with them till he's demanding Jayce shove himself inside. He wants to take him, right then and there, on his own desk, make a mess of the important wiring and documents they spent the past few days working on because nothing right now is as important as hearing that moan again. 

Viktor looks back to him slowly, smiling sweetly, then leans forward into Jayce. Jayce freezes, moves away, then pretends to be getting something for Viktor. He can feel the rejection from Viktor's scent. 

Jayce knows it's for the best. 

Despite the rejection, they are able to get back to work as normal. Viktor still uses the crutch, but he does not lean as heavily anymore, not for the rest of the day at least. 

By the time night falls on them, they're both stuck with one problem. They have the container done, the glass casing is perfect, the doors and latches all seal. But for some reason, the first of the plants they had input the day before has died; no activity is showing. 

“It's missing something.” Viktor mutters out, and Jayce looks over their chalkboards, trying to find out if there's anything wrong with their calculations. 

“Something like what? The conditions are all there, why is it unable to work?” Jayce runs his hand through his hair, frustration bleeding into his voice. He hears the click of Viktor's crutch and turns around, expecting him close.

He is much closer than he expected. 

“I assume it's because the ocean isn't fully explored. After all, there must be a reason why these plants only grow in our reefs, and not anywhere else such as Noxus, or Ionia. There must be a chemical compound missing. It might have something to do with the fish there.” Viktor hums as he writes on the board, right beside Jayce. Jayce can smell himself on his arm where the bite is still red. This will kill Jayce. 

“Then what do we do? Put fish in there?” Jayce nervously eyes their containment cell. There's no way fish would survive there. 

“No, no, but maybe there's a biological aspect of it missing that usually comes from the natural mammal inhabitants. It seems that our next problem can be solved by none other than…” Viktor taps the board loudly with the last bit of chalk, letting the pieces fall from his fingers. 

Jayce reads the name written on the board next to his own notes. 

“Dr. Corin Reveck.” 

---

Chapter Text

Jayce dresses up nicely, putting his clothes in his bag for the trip. Viktor had gotten in contact with Dr. Reveck, and planned for a short two day trip to the city he’s currently in, about six hours of travelling there by train. Since they have limited time, they decided to travel in the evening and then be able to make it there in the early morning so they can get a good start to the day. They spent the past two days packing everything, putting it in small boxes with foam around it to make sure they’ll be able to redo the experiment when they’re there. Jayce packed extra components in case anything happens on the ride over, and in total, they had about six boxes packed to the brim with equipment they’d need. 

He’s at his apartment, chucking out things that could rot easily in his fridge when he hears the knock on the door. He gathers up his courage, breathing heavily out. Viktor had told him he’d meet him at his apartment, the train closer to him than Viktor’s own apartment. They would catch a ride afterwards, together, and Jayce was trying his best to not think about the ride at all. Right now, though, he has a much bigger problem on his hands. 

With his decision to withhold from Viktor came the trials and tribulations of depriving himself of him. He’s absolutely losing his mind. In a way, he’s grateful Viktor isn’t the type of person to go out often, choosing instead to spend his time in the lab rather than going on dates, because Jayce is absolutely sure that he might actually combust with rage. He’s barely restraining himself from Viktor, keeping mostly to himself with every new wave of Viktor’s scent (that is still mingled in with his in a delicious way that makes his instinct scream at him to claim his omega again), and now, Viktor will be in his apartment again after two, long, extenuating weeks (less than, but he doesn’t care for the details). So, of course he’s nervous. Hell, he even cleaned the place, dusted the tops of cabinets, cleaned the windows till he could no longer see a reflection, mopped the floors, cleaned the rugs, cleaned his bedroom even though he knows there’s not a chance Viktor will be there ever again. 

Didn't stop him from putting the pillows in colour coordinated rows. 

He opens the door as quickly as he could, realising that he took too long just to compose himself and walk to the entrance, and is greeted by Viktor, a small, apologetic smile plastered on his face. Jayce threw the apology in the bin. Behind him was Mel, Sky, Caitlyn and Vi. They all come through the door, stumbling through it as Viktor shuffles sheepishly. 

“You told them?!” Jayce starts, whispering furiously at Viktor, but Viktor still keeps his smile on his face as he whispers again. 

“You are aware that I do not work well under peer pressure. Especially pressure from… friends. Miss Kiramman asked me why you seemed nervous the other day at dinner with her, and she practically made me vomit it out. And well…” Viktor gestures to the other four, who are going through Jayce’s fridge and cupboards, looking for something to drink from there. Viktor puts his hand on Jayce’s arm, and Jayce flinches back. He watches Viktor’s face fall. 

“I’m sorry, I thought it would be alright. I did not know they would come here with me. They also just showed up at my house.” Viktor says, looking down, and this time Jayce reaches out tentatively, his hand resting on his shoulder and giving him an easy smile. 

He turns his attention towards the women in his apartment before he listens to his gut and kisses Viktor silly. 

“Ladies. Why are you all here…?” He asks, and then immediately is barraged by a wave full of angry pheromones. He regrets asking the question. 

“You weren’t surely going to leave without telling us, Jayce?!”

”I’m your lab assistant! I think I should get a chance to say goodbye to the two of you!” 

“I knew Mel and Sky would be mad so I came along to laugh at your despair.” Caitlyn finishes off, before adding, “But I also can’t believe you were gonna go elope in secret!” Of which Vi laughs out loud, shaking Caitlyn excitedly.

Jayce and Viktor both cough at the same time, taking the time to recover from the joke. 

“We’re not eloping-” And Viktor, the bastard, interjects with a quiet, “We’re not?”

“No! Viktor, we’re not eloping! And anyways, the point of eloping is getting married in secret, so even if we were, we wouldn’t tell you!” Jayce huffs it out, then regrets it immediately. 

“Of course, it’s in a hypothetical scenario that I- no, someone would be eloping but- of course I’d tell you if we- I was getting married- oh my gods stop stop! No one is eloping anything!” Jayce wants to curl in on himself, sighing heavily as he feels years being shaved off his life from the conversation. 

The women all look at each other, then, with only an extra spare few seconds of silence, burst out into laughter. Caitlyn’s doubling down with it, holding her stomach and the table. Jayce breathes out and lets the tension go. 

“Well, Jayce, I think we all know you’d want to have a moderate wedding, no? One in House Talis colours, friends and family surrounding you, in a garden somewhere underneath a large tree.” Mel says, and Jayce groans at the childhood fantasy he had let slip to her once. 

“Aren’t you all here to say your goodbyes? Goodbye then. Out, everyone.” When none of them move, he sighs. “Or not. Viktor and I still have an hour before the train leaves. Help us catch a ride.” 

“Oh, no need Jayce.” Mel smiles, and Jayce smiles back. 

“Thanks Mel.”

“Mel, do continue on this vision that Jayce has about his wedding…” Viktor starts, and Jayce groans again as they delve into specifics. Most of it comes from speculation, but eventually, time passes and they head downstairs. 

Mel already has a carriage waiting for them all, and they ride it to the train station. Jayce sees the steam engine train, long and beautiful, already huffing and puffing out smoke. He’s in awe at the design, watching it from where they all stood. He looks back to Viktor, who’s currently being embraced in a tight hug by Mel. Jayce wonders if this is the bond letting Viktor want to be touched by others also- if Jayce’s claim has made Viktor softer. 

Somehow, the thought doesn’t taste sweet on his tongue. 

After doing their hugs (twice from Caitlyn), they enter their train, a private room booked for the long train ride ahead. The room is closest to the door, which is even closer to the bathroom there, all to make sure that Viktor doesn’t have to walk much during the trip. 

When they enter their room, they get confused at what they’re seeing. 

“You… did book the correct room, yes?” Viktor asks, staring at their problem in the eye. It’s a beautiful room- with ample leg space for walking around. There’s a huge window with curtains that shut out the sun, and a sofa and table on the other side, opposite to their current problem. The beds. Or, rather, the one, singular bed. 

“Yes, I came here to book it myself. I specified two beds!” Jayce walks inside to their bed, then notes the slight indentation in the middle of the bed. 

“Oh, it is two beds.” He says, and just then, a knock is on their door again. 

“I’m so sorry Mr and Mr Talis! The people who were supposed to clean and rearrange the room did not have enough time to rearrange it due to how late we were running! I’m aware you had wanted two separate beds- but if you’d like, we could always give you two small rooms for the both of you?” The train attendant said in almost one breath, looking apologetic for the mix up. Jayce sighs, two rooms would be far more ideal, he doesn’t know if he can handle sleeping with Viktor in bed again. 

“Yes, two rooms would be great. Where would they be, so we can start moving our things there?” Jayce says, and instantly, the scent from Viktor dips, just slightly, enough that if Jayce didn't know Viktor better, he would never have felt it. 

“Oh, of course! The first room is in room 513 and the second is room 712. Would that be okay?” She asks, and Jayce almost chokes.

Their current room is room 403. They’d have to carry all their luggage and boxes to the next carriage over, and then half of the other stuff to two carriages over. There’s no way Viktor would be comfortable with that. Nevermind Viktor, Jayce would go sick with worry if he’s that far from Viktor. There’s fifteen rooms per carriage. How will Jayce know if Viktor’s in trouble, if Viktor needs help? 

“Actually… I think we’ll stay here, thank you.” He looks over to Viktor who looks at him, eyes wide and body perking up. “That’s far too far for Viktor, and I’d like to stay close to him.” 

The attendant nods, then apologises once more before leaving. 

“We could’ve gotten separate rooms, you know. I’d just take the closer one.” Viktor says as he walks towards the sofa. He sits on it, seemingly trying to get comfortable, then hums happily. 

“Of course, that would be obvious. However, if something were to happen and I can't get to your side in 3 nanoseconds, I'm afraid I'd have to kill everyone in the train and then myself.” Jayce chuckles it out, and Viktor laughs at that. 

“Rather overdramatic, Jayce.” But Jayce can tell he's clearly happy. 

Jayce, however, is devastated. He thinks about being in one bed with Viktor again, able to hold him close, kissing his head and- 

“Jayce, the sofa is actually quite comfortable. I can sleep here if you’re uncomfortable with us-”

“No! You’re sleeping on the bed.” Jayce says, almost commands it. It’s the final say, and Viktor simply looks at him with a challenging look in his eyes. 

“With you?” He asks, voice strong. If it were anyone else, they might have thought Viktor was mad, angry even. But Jayce isn’t anyone else. Jayce is Viktor’s, and he’s able to tell exactly what it is he wants. Still, he hesitates, wondering if it’s even a good idea to be that close to him. 

With Viktor looking him straight in the eyes, he realises he’s playing a losing game. 

“Yes.” They do not talk about it after that.

The train soon departs, the busy city turning to rolling waves of green grass illuminated by the moon. Jayce and Viktor work in a comfortable silence, although their activities start to drift off from work. Jayce brings out his sketchbook, drawing Viktor, sitting on the floor, near the table, back leaning against the bed. Viktor is entranced in a magazine, apparently filling out the word puzzles in it. The ride is smooth, the ambience of the train almost blurring into the background. 

Viktor's voice occasionally breaks the steady comfortable silence. 

“Two words. 12 letters. Physics, electromagnetism, surf-” 

“Magnetic flux.” Jayce says, and Viktor is stunned momentarily before writing quickly. He hums in approval, moving on to the next few. He looks at Jayce again, and they make eye contact. It's obvious he's about to ask another one. 

“One word. Astrophysics. First stage stars go through when-” 

“Protostar. Or protostars. How many letters?” Jayce says, and something in Viktor's eyes darkens. His scent doesn't change, stays the same sweet, honeyed and overt now that they're in a carriage by themselves, easily overpowering Jayce's own scent simply because Jayce let him. 

“It is ‘protostar’. Jayce, we don't even study astrophysics.” Viktor says, impressed. 

“Yeah we do!” 

“Our bickering in astronomy and making shit up does NOT count as studying astrophysics.” 

“Uh… yeah it does.” Jayce huffs out, and Viktor chuckles. He puts the book down as food is delivered to them, setting space on the table. 

They continue to bicker about astronomy, eventually finishing their late dinner and deciding to retire to their bed. There was still a little over four hours before they reached their destination, and even then, another hour by carriage before they reached Dr. Reveck's lab. 

Jayce turns away to give Viktor the privacy of changing, as if he can't perfectly envision what he looks like naked. As if he never stripped the clothes off of him himself, every mole, every scar memorised from just a single glance. And he had more than a glance- he had seven, beautiful, traumatizing and equally dreamlike days and nights, and he would give anything to have it all again. 

Anything. He would even- 

“Jayce, I'm done.” Viktor says, and Jayce turns around to look at Viktor as if Viktor's showing off new clothes. Viktor's eyebrow goes up, an amused smile slowly cracking onto his face. He turns around, as if putting his clothes for display on his body, and Jayce claps as he “oohs” and “aahs” at him. They look at each other and break out into laughter. 

Jayce helps Viktor remove his back and leg brace, before turning around and starting to change. He peeks behind him and gets startled by Viktor unashamedly watching Jayce like a hawk. 

“Viktor!” Jayce hisses, and Viktor raises a brow in response. 

“What's wrong? I've already seen everything, have I not?” Viktor says back, amusement colouring his voice. 

“Yeah but this is different! I'm-” aware of just how you're staring at me.

“Oh you'll be fine. Please, continue.” Viktor responds, not moving from his position and continuing to watch Jayce. 

Jayce rolls his eyes, and he secretly is grateful that Viktor is taking this so lightly. He removes his clothes, slipping only into a pair of shorts on top of his underwear, then looks back at Viktor. He knows he's red all over, embarrassed at being watched, but gods does he love knowing that Viktor wants to watch. That Viktor, even if he doesn't reciprocate his feelings, at least appreciates his body in that way. 

They lock eyes, tension sparking around them. Then Viktor shivers, and quickly gets underneath the blankets. Jayce chuckles, making sure the door is locked, the window is locked, anything to make it feel somewhat safer in the carriage. He is still in the middle of the room, thinking about whether he should move the table a bit forwards so he can have space if he and Viktor need to get out of bed quickly and run. 

He whips his head back to Viktor after hearing him chuckle. 

“Something funny?” Jayce tries pouting at Viktor, but in all honesty, Viktor looks so cute with nothing but his head poking out of the blankets and a couple of fingers, chuckling away as if he's never had a worry in the world. 

It reminds him of when they were closest together. 

“Yeah, just you clearly sizing up this room. Nothing’s gonna happen; no surprise attack, no burglary, not even a lunatic running around. You're safe, Jayce.” Viktor giggles this time, and Jayce looks away, crossing his arms. 

“Yeah, well I don't feel safe. I don't feel like you're safe either. I need to-” And Jayce stops his sentence there. Right at the line. 

“Need to protect your omega? Need to make sure your omega feels safe?” Viktor finishes his sentence, and Jayce feels his whole body heat up. Viktor only ever referred to himself as Jayce's during their cycle and goddamnit if Jayce doesn't get it together and stop thinking of the cycle that finished weeks ago he might need to relocate to somewhere far, far away. 

“Jayce. Come here.” Viktor says, and Jayce follows slowly. He doesn't have a response to what Viktor said before, not when what he said was the full truth. 

He climbs into bed with him when Viktor gestures for it, opening the blankets for him. Viktor tucks him in, then pulls him close, letting him rest into his neck. He then releases his scent in a new wave, spreading comfort and safety in it, and immediately Jayce starts to calm down. Jayce wonders, briefly, if the only reason he's never felt safe anywhere he sleeps is because he didn't have Viktor's comforting scent there with him. But that'd mean that Viktor would've needed to scent him like this before, and he's never felt safe since he was a teenager. 

The ambience, the waves of Viktor's honeyed scent, the warmth and comfort from Viktor's arms, and Jayce is dozing off faster than he realises. He holds Viktor close to him, wrapping his arms around him, and feels himself relax and fall into sleep. 

--- 

Jayce wakes up to sniffles near his ear. His body goes rigid as he tries to adjust to where he was. The window showed him that they're still travelling, the ocean brightly reflecting the moon's light. He shifts, waking up slowly as he hears another hiccup. He snaps his head towards Viktor, who was now holding onto Jayce's arm tightly, face scrunched up in pain. Jayce takes a quick look at him, then shakes him awake. Viktor opens his eyes slowly, trying to prop himself up before hissing again and staying still. Jayce calls his name out twice, but Viktor doesn't move, only lets his eyes stay closed shut, trying to let the pain ebb away. After a while, he looks up to Jayce, smiling apologetically, remnants of tears still in his eyes. 

“I'm sorry for waking you, Jayce. Usually I'm able to handle my pain better but… the train jostles often and it's uncomfortable on this bed…” Viktor whispers it out, as if he's afraid to break the serene quietness that settled into the room. 

Jayce nods, looking out to the window again. They probably still have another two hours before they have to wake up and get ready to leave. 

“Can I bite you?” Jayce asks, and Viktor's eyes widen. 

“I- no it's alright you don't have to burden yourself with that again.” Viktor says, looking away sadly. 

“What? No Viktor, this isn't a burden. I want to help.” Jayce responds, but he knows there's something else running in Viktor's head. “What is it, Vik?” 

“The attendant… when she called me by your last name… you rejected the idea of us staying together until it was the only option. I mean, understandable you don't want people to make that assump-” 

“What are you talking about, Viktor?” Jayce's brows furrowed in confusion. He keeps trying to recall when the attendant had addressed Viktor. Had she called him Viktor Talis? No, she hadn't even called Jayce by his name. But she hadn't exactly spoken to Viktor either, so when- 

Oh. 

‘Mr and Mr Talis.’ 

Jayce feels like an idiot. He's so used to referring to Viktor as his in his own head that he didn't even think twice when someone else had said it. It felt so natural, like that was the only conclusion to be had from others when they saw the two of them together. Jayce frowned, suddenly aware of how his rejection to the room could've seemed to Viktor. He remembered the dip in his scent. 

Deep down, though, he was over the moon because, clearly, to everyone else, they were mated. 

“Viktor, I didn't even realise it, I'm sorry.” He tries, but then Viktor's scent sours even more, rejection stinging in the pain as well. He tries to shift, but holds himself with trembling hands. 

Jayce takes his arms, reaching over to his back and carrying Viktor into his own chest. He lets him rest on his lap, rubbing soothing circles at the small of his back, where lots of tension rested there. 

“The only reason I had said no before was because I wasn't sure if I would be able to keep my hands off you if we slept in the same bed again.” Jayce murmurs, and Viktor hums again. Viktor turns around, looking Jayce in the eyes, before his eyes flicker down to his lips then up again. 

“Would that be so bad?” Viktor asks, and the question recalls something back to Jayce that he tries to hold on to, a memory so close yet muddled and too far for his brain to catch up to.

 He stays silent, and Viktor moves in just inches closer. Jayce has to stop this, before it gets too far, before he crosses the line. He doesn't make any move to stop Viktor, though. He's sure that Viktor's simply working on his instincts, that the bond is forcing him through it. Maybe it was just as hard on Viktor as it was on Jayce, not touching him, not being in his space. Maybe Viktor only needed to reach the line himself for him to know that he doesn't want this- he can fight his instincts. 

Viktor presses his lips on Jayce, and Jayce remains still. They stay like that for a few seconds, before Viktor pulls back. Jayce looks at Viktor for any signs of realisation, shock, betrayal, even. He finds none. He finds Viktor, pupils normal, lips closed in a pursed expression, and scent absolutely burning at the rejection. His eyes are breaking- gods there's tears again and this time Jayce caused them and Viktor's looking away, trying to get off of Jayce. 

Jayce holds his arms, bringing his head back face to face with his other hand, then breathes out. 

“I want to help you with your pain. Will you let me?” Jayce asks, and Viktor looks away. 

“Sure, Jayce. Do what you want-” 

Jayce kisses him. Hard. Jayce kisses him like he's the air he needs to breathe, like he hasn't taken a breath in years now. He holds his head softly, guiding Viktor softly as he kisses him fiercely, and when Viktor finally catches up, finally registers what is going on, his own arms wrap around Jayce's neck. Viktor pulls Jayce's hair, and Jayce groans into the kiss. It's exactly the reaction Viktor wanted, and he turns the kiss sloppier with tongue, devouring anything and everything Jayce will offer him. 

And Jayce is offering it all. 

Jayce's hand lets go of Viktor's arms, slowly slipping inside the shirt he was wearing, exploring every inch of skin as if he's never even seen it before. He needs that skin next to his, needs to warm him up with his own delirious devotion, needs to let it stay pale and milky and smooth, put the moon to shame in the way it glows in the dark. Viktor's breath hitches, then he relaxes his body, sighing into the kiss and continuing his own ministrations. His hand keeps tugging, pulling at Jayce's hair, the other exploring his neck, then shoulders, down towards his chest. 

His hand lingers there, then softly, pinches Jayce's nipples, and Jayce practically crumbles. He moans, loud, then remembering he needs to be quiet, bites back the sound. Viktor smiles into it, kissing him back even harder, pulling the now hard nipples as Jayce continues his explorations on Viktor's back and stomach. Eventually, his hand reaches his pyjama shorts, silky and smooth to the touch, small and form fitting even for Viktor. Viktor's breathing hitches, and he finally pulls away from Jayce's lips, a small whine following the both of them at the separation. A small, thin line of spit connects them, glistening in the moon light before it breaks off again. Jayce groans at the sight, lunging back to Viktor's mouth and licks his lips, coaxing him to open up again. Viktor does, chuckling into the kiss and hearing Jayce whine again. 

Eventually, Viktor puts his hand on Jayce's chest and pushes back, trying to catch his breath. 

“Jayce…” and he truly does sound out of air, “Jayce, I'm sorry but, I'm in so much pain and-” 

“Right. Of course, here.” Jayce says, then takes his arm, kissing his wrist softly. Viktor gasps, pulls his arm again. 

“I- I mean… I can always take my medicine, but only once it's morning. For now… I can… relieve the pain in other ways.” Viktor looks briefly at Jayce before looking away. 

“How?” Jayce keeps his eyes burning at him, then the realisation hits him. “Oh. Right. Yeah, yeah I can- I can do that. Would- would both be bad?” He says nervously, and he knows he can't even hide his excitement. Viktor can probably feel it. 

“It just won't be necessary. I might run out of pain medication so… maybe then?” Viktor says, and Jayce nods. He looks down to Viktor's shorts, and feels himself let out a wave of arousal. Odd, that he could even tell that he let it out. 

“Can I…?” Jayce asks, as if he wasn't already given permission by Viktor already, but Viktor still nods, going to rest his face against Jayce's neck, hiding from him in embarrassment. 

Jayce chuckles softly, pulling his shorts down just slightly to let Viktor's cock out. Viktor breathes in harshly as Jayce wraps his hand around it, precum already leaking through. 

“Already hard just from kissing?” Jayce says as he chuckles, but he earns a small bite from Viktor instead. 

“I want you to know that I can feel you hard as well.” Viktor huffs it out, then nuzzles into where he just bit when Jayce starts stroking up and down. Jayce removes his hand, spits in his hand, then goes back to Viktor's cock, stroking it again. 

“Mind you, you were pulling on my nipples like they were a woman's tits.” 

“That’s because they are. And you liked it.” Viktor retorts, and Jayce doesn't have anything to say against that. 

The sound was obscene, Viktor's pants as Jayce works him up. Suddenly, Viktor stops Jayce's hands, then shifts so he's sitting on top of Jayce with one leg on either side. Jayce is grateful that Viktor's sore leg can stay cushioned beside him whilst the other hangs freely down the side of the bed. 

Viktor kisses his neck, leaves a small bite right underneath his clavicle, then pulls back. He stares at Jayce, morbid curiosity burning through his eyes as Jayce watches him back. Viktor's hands wander down, towards Jayce's shorts, then stops, questioning. Jayce nods, and Viktor scoots closer to him, so close that their chests could touch if he leaned far enough, and then tugs his shorts down just slightly. 

Jayce's cock springs up, free from its confines, and Jayce sighs out of relief. The gnawing, doubting feeling he had is sufficiently repressed when Viktor lines up their cocks together, taking one of Jayce's hands and letting him wrap around the both of them together. Viktor puts his face back into Jayce's neck, and moans softly as Jayce starts stroking the both of them. 

His hips jut out, slightly humping Jayce. The sounds are even worse now, both their soft moans overshadowing the squelching of their precum, heads draped to each other's neck as they fight to stay in place and fight for a faster rhythm.

Jayce's heart is about to give out. Viktor's scent is practically singing for him, the scent pressing down on him heavily as he tries to come up for air. Every single inhale makes him even more drunk, even more in love, and deep down he realises that he can't just lose him; even if Viktor doesn't want him. Even if Viktor is being taken by the bond, Jayce will do everything in his power to make sure Viktor stays his. 

After the bond is over. I'll do things right. 

He starts moving his hand faster. Viktor moans a little louder when Jayce's thumb brushes on his tip, and they're both panting loudly now. Jayce can't hold on any longer, but he forces himself. This was supposed to be for Viktor's own comfort, not his own. He speeds up, and Viktor pulls from his neck, locking eyes with Jayce. Jayce expects the kiss before Viktor does it. He expects another sloppy, haphazard kiss, soaking in his spit as if it's the holy grail, but he doesn't receive that. 

Viktor kisses him like he's kissing a god's feet. 

It's soft, reverent, distant yet wanting. He moves slowly despite Jayce's hand, doesn't move his hands from where they were, instead digging into Jayce's skin, leaving small nail marks. His hips move into Jayce's hand, the sweat dropping his forehead, everything, everything is screaming at Jayce that Viktor is close, ferociously close. Yet his kiss remains pure, agonizing in a detrimental way, and Jayce thinks it almost feels like a declaration before that thought is wiped from his head. 

They both come together, breathing each other's gasps and moans, lips touching but never fully pressing, eyes closed and chests tightly together. Jayce slows down after they both calm down, looking at his hand at the mess they made. Viktor sighs, slowly putting kisses along Jayce's nape. Jayce is spent, grabbing one of the few towels they were given and wiping themselves off. 

“Feeling better?” He asks once they were comfortably in bed again. Viktor cracks a smile. 

“Yes, doctor.” He says, then yawns, shifting slightly before looking back up to Jayce. “Aren't you going to sleep?” 

Jayce nods, putting his head back onto the pillow. Viktor throws half his body on him, slowly drifting off to sleep. Jayce tries to work with his feelings, how he suddenly wants to try for Viktor despite the fact that Viktor doesn't feel that way for him. Jayce sighs as he sees the sun start to come up. 

Hypothesis: If an Alpha bites and claims an Omega, then the Omega will have no choice but to fall for the Alpha, and after the claim has worn off, the Omega’s feelings will wear off too.

--- 

They arrive just after 5:30, immediately being found by their driver. Jayce is already unhappy. 

He thinks back to when he and the driver used to go to highschool, then to the Academy together. He was so happy when he'd heard that he got a placement somewhere else, hours away from Jayce, and it was the last time he had ever thought of that annoying man and his stupid, smug smile. 

The very same one that was looking at him in the carriage. 

“Jayce!” He says, and Jayce almost scoffs for the eighth time. “Do you remember when…” and he talks, a lot, for the entire hour ride. 

He looks at Viktor at some point, nervously chuckling, before reaching his hand out. 

“Hi! My name is Dmitri! Jayce and I used to be close friends since we were kids!” Dmitri shakes Viktor's hand firmly, and Jayce almost cuts his hand off. 

They were never close. Not in the slightest. 

Viktor humours him for the most part, Jayce using his excuse of not sleeping in the train as a reason why he's not being as chatty as usual. Although it's true, after Viktor went to sleep, he couldn't get a wink either. His mind was too preoccupied by the omega in his arms, and eventually got up to freshen up before him. 

They neared the motel they would be staying at. It's near the labs, and they simply dropped off their bags and showered before they went straight into the lab.

“Oh yeah, I may have mentioned I work under Dr. Reveck, right? Well, I'm at the academy and I'm like- I don't know- his underling. Anyways, yeah, just letting you know if you need help-” Dmitri starts, and Jayce groans internally. Of course Dmitri is going to stick around. And the way he kept walking too close to Viktor was already irking him.

It's only 7am, could this day possibly get any worse?

They open the lab room and find silence, looking around as Jayce and Dmitri set down the boxes of equipment. 

“Dr. Reveck? Jayce and Viktor are here.” Dmitri says, and from the corner of Jayce's eyes, he sees movement. It's unexpected, the doctor blending into his surroundings, and Jayce, because the world decided to hate him today, growls at the sight, as if the man was a threat. 

Dr. Reveck stops moving instantly, eyes on Jayce's form. He moves his hand slowly, removing what seems to be a patch on his arm, and releases his scent. A way to show Jayce that he's here, and he's not trying to harm anyone. 

Jayce is horrified. Mystified, even. Dmitri laughs loudly. 

“Gave you quite the scare, didn't he? Don't worry, I did the same thing when I first joined him.” Dmitri says, and somehow, that's even more embarrassing, knowing how similar he and Dmitri were. 

Even though Dmitri was just an Alpha. 

“Jayce Talis.” Dr. Reveck says, walking slowly to approach them both. Jayce eyed him, trying to keep his scent light after the rude greeting he had given him. 

Dr. Reveck was wearing his lab coat, a big thing that didn't seem to fit him, with a beige shirt underneath, buttoned up to the last button, brown pants kept up with a meticulous belt that held the Zaun symbol. What an auspicious way to not give a fuck about the current city you're living in. 

He walks up to him, and Jayce notes how his scent has a sweeter undertone. Omega, then. 

He recedes his scent, offering his hand and bowing slightly. 

“Apologies, Dr. Reveck. I didn't mean to-” 

“A Prime Alpha. Interesting.” Dr. Reveck says, before chuckling and taking his hand, shaking it softly. “It's quite alright, most alphas can't detect me, which makes me a threat to them.” 

Jayce sees Viktor roll his eyes from the corner of his eyes, then focused back on Dr. Reveck. He turns to the boxes they have. 

“I'm sorry for bringing so much. Viktor said we didn't need-” 

“Ah, Viktor.” Dr. Reveck turns from him, looking now to Viktor. They shake hands, amicably, and greet each other in their own language. Jayce tries not to let the interruption get to him. He just doesn't know the man, and the first thing he did was growl at him. He can take being ignored for a bit. 

After settling in, they explain their problem to the doctor and Dmitri. They pull out two chalkboards, writing everything they found, why it's not working, and even then, it still took over four hours. Dmitri had left to get food when Dr. Reveck decided that he now knows what the problem is. 

“Yes, you would be correct, Viktor. These plants don't just react from what's happening inside of them, but also what's happening in their environment. For you to jump start such a reaction, I believe you'd need to make them believe that ultimate danger has just passed, and then it can start rebuilding itself.” He says, standing up and looking through his textbooks. 

“Ultimate danger? What does that mean?” Jayce asks, watching Dr. Reveck carefully. 

Despite spending a couple hours with him, he just can't shake off the feeling of threat coming from him. Something about him doesn't sit right with Jayce, and he's starting to wonder if maybe he's just broken. Dr. Reveck has done nothing but be accommodating and kind (mostly) to the both of them.

“These plants grow in the reef, and so they most likely feed from whatever fish is around there. Maybe their droppings, or eggs. In any case, if they detect blood, or are critically injured and also detect blood, then they start to assess the damage done to itself.” Dr. Reveck holds up a textbook with a similar looking plant. 

“It's similar to something I've seen in my travels. So I'm thinking you need to add a biological component, specifically something that will connect it to whatever you're trying to heal.” Then, he stops, stills as if he's a statue, then turns to Viktor slowly. “I'm guessing what you're trying to heal is you?” 

Viktor nods, looking down.

“Oh, boy… fate has been cruel to you, too, it seems…” Dr. Reveck goes to Viktor, looking at him, then sighs. “Fine, I will help. I have a few ideas, but if all doesn't work, then we'll need my partner.” 

Jayce groans at the thought of Dmitri helping them with this as well. 

Eventually, they start testing. They start by assembling their containment cell, testing everything from the water to the plants to have a base to refer to. Then, they start adding different chemicals, starting with luminol, to each different plant, finding the differences in the way the chain reaction starts. 

Eventually, two hours later, Dmitri comes back, with the promised food. 

“V, we should take a break. We haven't eaten since last night.” Jayce says, looking at Viktor. He was currently watching the numbers for the CO2, each different cube that had some of the plants and different chemicals added reading different amounts. Their base- the original in the containment cell, had nothing added to it, left as their comparison. 

Viktor nodded, removing his goggles. Dr. Reveck walks over to him, and Jayce stands to go to Dmitri and let the two talk. He imagines the two of them have much to talk about whilst they let the experiments run. 

“Jayce! Hey, sorry. I was looking for Dr. Reveck’s partner. Found him, though. He'll be coming in a couple, he was right behind me…” Dmitri looks back, and Jayce smiles before hiding it when Dmitri looks back at him.

“Aw, I thought you were Dr. Reveck's lab partner?” Jayce is glad he won't be seeing his face again. 

“What? Oh, yes I am. I meant Dr. Reveck's partner- as in- husband. Don't worry Jayce, you won't miss me much! I'll be here for both days to help you both out!” Dmitri says, and Jayce internally screams. 

“Oh by the way, do you know if Viktor is…?” Dmitri asks, blushing, and Jayce almost strangles him with the bag of food he was holding. 

“Is what?” He feigns ignorance, taking all the bags from Dmitri’s hands and putting them on the table. 

“Well, he smells only half claimed. I'm guessing an accidental bond? I'd love to get to know him better if that's the case…” Dmitri says, and Jayce squeezes the table till his knuckles turn white. He doesn't bother turning to Dmitri when the door opens, at that moment he's sure he might flip the table over.

“Ah, yes, he is half claimed. Whether that means he's available or not, you'll have to ask him.” Jayce seethes out, trying to keep his rage beneath him. “And besides, I-” Jayce starts, a snarky quip on his tongue as he turns around, but the words die down on his tongue.

“Ah okay, then. I'll ask him later. Thanks Jayce. 

Jayce? 

Jayce, you good?” 

Jayce's heart speeds up, locked in the spot he was standing at. He was holding a fork, he heard the sound of it hitting the ground. He knows someone is calling his name. Something else, in the back of his mind, shatters. 

“Talis. I thought that name was familiar.” Says the man behind Dmitri, and Dmitri looks nervously between the two. The silence stretches. 

Run. 

Jayce's feet can't move. He feels like the ground is pulling him under, like there's multiple hands grabbing his legs, his torso, his arms. Everything is heavy. 

Run, Jayce. 

He keeps his eyes trained on him, trying his best to see if he was just having a nightmare, or if this was real life. He breathes, in, out, then starts counting. Ten fingers, ten toes, four limbs, two legs, two arms, one head. One brain.

One heart. 

“Jayce?” Viktor's voice cuts through the blaring white silence, and his eyes skip to Viktor's nervous eyes. His stomach drops, realising that he probably looks ridiculous in front of Viktor, and worse yet, no one else even knows. “Do you know him?” Viktor asks, and Jayce gulps. 

“Ah, yes. Of course. One of my most brilliant students I ever had the privilege of teaching.” The man says, and Jayce finds he finally has air in his lungs. 

“Mr. Tarol.” 

“In the flesh.” Mr. Tarol says. 

Jayce knows he's going to be sick. 

--- 

Jayce tries not to think about the time he and Dr. Tarol spent in his room, either with the extra lessons or the punishments that always followed. He didn't eat much, simply listened to everyone talking. Dr. Tarol and Dr. Reveck talk about how they met; the both of them leaving Piltover urgently and going to the same place for work. 

Jayce feels distant, away from himself. Eventually, they get back to working the labs, but he's of no use. All the knowledge he has of their project has left him, and he's suddenly tired beyond possible. He wants to go home. He wants to be in his bed and forget that he ever saw that man again. 

When they finally part ways for the night, Jayce collapses in the carriage over to their motel. Viktor looks at him, eyes flickering over him quietly. 

“Jayce. What is the matter? Half way through the day you suddenly went blank. Do you not like working with your old high school professor?” Viktor asks, and Jayce's eyes shoot to Viktor's own. Gods, Viktor knows, but he doesn't know who and Jayce can't do this now. He knows that if Viktor knew, he'd make them both leave. That they'd be on the next train home, no answers to their challenging question, only two weeks left before the competition. He shakes his head, hoping it looks as natural as possible. 

“I'm sorry, Viktor. I think I'm just really tired.” And it isn't technically a lie; he really is tired. He could also probably use some whiskey right now. Neat. 

“You know you can tell me anything, right Jayce?” Viktor whispers it now, and Jayce considers breaking the dam. 

But if they leave now, will they ever get a chance like this again? Will they be able to solve their challenge? Will they be able to save Viktor? 

Jayce nods, trying to seem confident that there isn't anything else bothering him. 

“Of course. I'm the same too, y'know. You can tell me anything too.” Jayce tries to smile, but he knows it doesn't quite reach his eyes. Viktor analyses him once more before he hums, looking away, not completely satisfied. His scent slightly turns bitter, and Jayce can feel it weigh heavy in his heart. 

“Jayce, Dmitri invited me out for drinks. Would you like to come?” Viktor says after some time passes, and Jayce whips his head back up so fast he almost hits the roof of the car. 

“Dmitri invited you for drinks… and you agreed?” Jayce asks, and Viktor cocks his head to the side, questioning. 

“Yes? Why wouldn't I?” He says, then Jayce almost coughs. 

“He's- you're aware he's interested in you, right?” Jayce asks, disbelief colouring his tone. 

“Yes. But I still would like a drink and neither of us know what's a good place to find somewhere to go. So I figured why not. I'll turn him down there.” Viktor says casually, looking out the window, then, as if to himself, he says, “besides, the two of you are so similar.” 

“What's that supposed to mean? I don't have ugly bushy eyebrows and an annoying voice like Dmitri does!” Jayce yells out, and Viktor laughs out loud. 

“Apologies. I did not mean to offend Dmitri.” He says, which sends Jayce into another raging bumble. Viktor laughs again, gripping his crutch tighter. 

Once they arrive at their motel, Jayce sets out for the bed. They have a single room, but this time, thankfully, two different beds. The room is just enough to have a small mini kitchen inside, a closet for clothes, two small beds and a huge window that lets light in. Viktor changes in the bathroom to something more casual, snorting when he sees Jayce in the same position he'd been laying in. 

“Jayce, are you coming or not?” Viktor asks, and Jayce makes a sound. 

In truth, he doesn't want to go out at all. He wants to stay in, cover his body with his blanket, his head with his pillow, protecting his neck, the most sensitive, precious, and abused spot on his entire being, and scream silently. He groans out, and Viktor simply hums at him. 

He hears a page tearing, and Viktor goes to the door quietly. 

“I've written the address on the paper, in case you've changed your mind and decided to become fun.” Viktor says with a dry chuckle, then leaves him alone. 

Jayce gets up thirty minutes later, grateful Viktor isn't here to see him in such a pitiful state. He sprays the scent blocker spray everywhere, trying to air out the room out of the panic attack he just had. His chest still feels too tight, tears freely falling. His legs are shaking, trembling, afraid. He keeps thinking that if he looks behind him, Dr. Tarol will be standing there. The moment he saw him, his neck became red hot, burning almost. The feeling of teeth on his gland, of hands around his neck, he chokes out another sob. He can't keep hyperventilating like this. He needs to calm down. That was almost five years ago. He just needs to let it all go. 

He breathes in and out, slowly, then spots the small fridge. He opens it, expecting it to be empty, but finds there's a single middle sized bottle of whiskey in there. There's a price tag on it, but Jayce doesn't care. He opens it, and it's nice and cool to the touch. 

He chugs it, drinking as much as he can, and then instantly coughs. He sees the mess he's made, sighing as he takes a cloth and cleans up after himself. He removes his shirt- it's too hot anyways- then pours himself a proper glass, with the ice from the small ice tray in the freezer. 

He starts sipping, trying to forget everything that has happened since the night before. Nothing has gone according to plan. He looks out into the darkness outside, then spots the paper on the table. It's been a little over an hour, how long is Viktor planning to stay out drinking with Dmitri? 

Oh. 

Oh gods.

Viktor is out there. Drinking. With fucking Dmitri. 

Jayce doesn't remember dressing up, but he grabs the paper and runs out. He catches a carriage, luckily, reading out the address to him. It takes only 6 minutes (he was counting in his head), and gets off, paying the man then heading straight for the bar. 

It's more or less a club. 

He sees the bright neon lights first before hearing the thundering music. Viktor could not possibly like something like this- he preferred when The Last Drop was far smoother, quieter music playing. The moment it got too loud, too crowded (like it was inside that club), he left immediately to a quieter spot. 

He looks through the window and he sees Viktor there, laughing with Dmitri. Dmitri puts his hand on Viktor's shoulder, and Viktor blushes slightly. 

Jayce breathes in. 

Viktor said he would reject him. Jayce needs to remember that. Viktor is going to reject him. He only agreed for the drinks. 

Dmitri leans in to say something close to Viktor's ear. 

Viktor looks out, momentarily, as if he could feel Jayce's gaze on him from the window, then looks back to Dmitri, his smile becoming wider. 

But they had locked eyes. He and Viktor's eyes had locked on. 

Jayce goes to the entrance of the club, walking inside to the busy bodies and the damp sweat, suddenly aware of how many people actually are in the club. Everyone's dancing, and someone grabs him and pulls him into a dance. Jayce stumbles away, but the whiskey did its job. He finished the whole bottle, after all. 

It took him a while, but eventually, he finds Dmitri. He walks over to him, grabbing his hand tightly, and Dmitri looks back at him angry before cowering before Jayce. 

Jayce is livid. 

What on earth did Viktor even see in such a lowlife, copycat of a man? He wasn't even one fifth of the man that he was!

“Dmitri. Where is Viktor.”

Dmitri cowers more, but he doesn't respond. He keeps quiet despite his fear, and Jayce grips his hand tighter. 

“What's it to you?” Dmitri, the little shithead, responds, and Jayce almost decides to break his bone. 

Instead, he raises him from his seat by his hand, and raises his hand up into the air. Dmitri has to be on his tip toes to reach as high as Jayce was pulling him, and Jayce realises then that he doesn't truly care if Dmitri was to actually lose his wrist forever. 

“I won't ask again.” 

And Jayce knows he's being irrational- for all Dmitri knows, Viktor could've simply went to order more drinks, or to the bathroom, or just outside to take a break from the noise. But right now, he's angry, he's pent up, restraint and control finally snapping, and he's ready to punch someone squarely in the face. 

And fortunately for him, Dmitri has always had a punchable face since they were both young. 

Dmitri struggles to keep standing on his toes, his face turning red, and then he's collapsing and giving up. 

“I- I don't know! He said everything was too much then left-” And then Jayce released his hand, stood aside just as quickly, and Dmitri falls face first. Jayce breathes out, hearing the gasps from people around him, and smiles. 

“Sorry about my friend, he's ah, a little drunk.” He says, and everyone around them laughs. They turn back to dancing and Jayce offers him a hand. 

Dmitri takes it, and Jayce lets him slip again. He looks away. He shouldn't be enjoying torturing him. Once Dmitri is on his feet again, he stumbles. Jayce bets he's probably too weak from defying his commands for that long for a regular alpha, and takes him outside, calling a carriage for him. 

“If you wanted Viktor so badly, you should've just let him bite you back.” Dmitri says as he sits inside, Jayce outside and waiting. “I know you used to call me a coward in school. But I think between the two of us, you're the only coward here.” Then he closes the door, and the carriage goes away quickly. 

Jayce is left staring at it, hands flexing at his sides. How dare Dmitri try to preach him? Does he think Jayce doesn't know?? Does he think Jayce doesn't realise the amount of mistakes he's made, the hesitation and- fuck- the cowardice that Jayce makes a bed with every night?? And it's enough, it's just enough for him to want to break. 

Instead, he turns around then goes back inside the bar. When he looks out through the window, he finds that the window is blackened out from the inside. No one can see from the inside to the outside, but people can definitely see the inside from outside. His heart breaks, even just slightly. 

He looks for anywhere that could be quieter, and finds a few rows of booths way back at the bar. He orders two drinks, then walks to the very last one with confidence, as if Viktor will be there, waiting for him. 

He slips into the booth, setting down his drink in front of him, and Viktor's drink right in front of Viktor. 

“Viktor.” Jayce says, eyes finally meeting Viktor's own wide, surprised eyes. 

“Jayce.” Viktor breathes out, and immediately, he smiles.

They both take their drinks, clinking their glasses together, eyes never leaving each other. Jayce isn't sure if he even blinked as they both took a sip of their drinks. Viktor hums appreciatively. 

“Jayce, I thought you weren't coming.” Viktor says, taking another sip, gaze unwavering.

“Yeah, well, I guess I decided to become more fun.” Jayce chuckles, and Viktor smiles softly at him. 

They both take another sip. 

“This is better than whatever Dmitri had ordered for me for the past hour.” Viktor says, and Jayce chuckles. 

“Of course, V. Only I know you best.” Jayce takes another sip and oh god, he needs to blink. Has he blinked at all since setting eyes on Viktor?

“Are you drunk?” Viktor asks, and Jayce smiles. 

“Nice bottle of whiskey in the fridge may or may not be gone.” Jayce grins wider as Viktor's eyes widen. 

“That costs a ton of money! These motels are always shirking people out for their money, don't you know?!” Viktor slightly kicks Jayce with his foot, and Jayce laughs, the air finally coming back into his lungs. 

“Let's buy a replacement. It's cheaper.” He says after laughing, and when he looks at Viktor, he's in awe. Viktor's got a slight pink blush to him, his eyes wide, lips parted slightly. He looks like he's watching magic right in front of him.  

How silly, Jayce thinks, as if he isn't made of magic himself.

Viktor nods, clearing his head, then looking away. 

“I thought you said you'd reject him.” Jayce starts, and Viktor looks at Jayce again. 

“What's it to you?” He asks, and Jayce wants to rip open his heart and hold it out for Viktor and scream that he can have his instead if Viktor wants just about anyone's heart. 

“Ah… it's just, you could do better. You can do better. He's… last option material?” Jayce chuckles, and Viktor suspiciously eyes him. 

“Jayce… where is Dmitri?” 

“I escorted him to a carriage and let him go home. He was, like, really drunk.” Jayce coughs out loud, and Viktor hums. 

“Must be a lightweight, then.” Viktor muses, and Jayce looks at him in confusion. From his memories, whenever he agreed, begrudgingly, to go out drinking with Dmitri and friends, usually he and Dmitri were the last two left drinking when everyone else was lost to their own worlds.

“What do you mean?” Jayce asks, and Viktor looks at him as if he's caught him in a lie.

“He only had one drink the entire time, and he barely finished half the glass.” Viktor says, and Jayce blinks back, trying not to look guilty. 

“Ah, yeah, lightweight hahah. Now that I think about it, he was a lightweight back then too.” Jayce tries to hide the lie behind a chuckle, and when he looks at Viktor, he finds himself to be scrutinised heavily. 

“You know… your ears turn red when you're lying, right?” Viktor says, and Jayce's hands shoot up to cover his ears. 

“No they don't?? Do they??” Jayce asks, and Viktor laughs. Jayce knows now that he's been caught, but Viktor doesn't question him on it at all. 

They stay drinking with each other for another hour more before they finally decide to head home. Jayce opens the door first, hoping his scent has gone away with the windows being open. Viktor either didn't notice it or didn't voice it out, but they both went to sleep in their separate beds. 

---

Jayce is in the lab, looking at all their experiments. Some of them worked, some of the plants died. He's watching them all when a familiar scent overtakes his head. He feels the hand before it actually makes contact, and Jayce goes rigid underneath him. 

“Jayce Talis… We did not get to talk much yesterday. How have you been?” Dr. Tarol asks, and Jayce looks around nervously. 

He's about to break. He feels like falling to his knees, as he did before for him. He looks over to Viktor, just a glimpse, and finds that Viktor is preoccupied with both Dmitri and Dr. Reveck. He's left alone. 

Jayce chuckles nervously, then rises. In a sick, twisted sense, Jayce realises, for once, that he is actually taller than his abuser. 

It didn't matter; he'd always feel sixteen and small underneath his gaze. 

“I've been good.” He answers, then turns back to check the readings of other plants he had already checked before. 

“Talis…” he starts, and the way he draws out the name, as if it's a thing he owns and not an actual family name, sends shivers down his spine. He grips his pen tighter, asking for mercy for anyone that listens. 

“I hope we don't have any bad blood between the two of us, hm? I did my best to make sure you got accepted into the academy.” Dr. Tarol whispers into his ears, and Jayce knows he's three more words away from being sick. “Did you really think you could get into the academy with your grades? Do you know what I had to do for one of the council members?” He whispers again, and Jayce stands up quickly, too fast, too stiff. 

He sees Viktor glance at him, but he is out of the door before anyone could even say anything to him. 

Once out the door, he ran. He had just wanted to go to the bathroom, freak out in there and then come back after a few minutes, maybe even vomit his breakfast into it and feel slightly better. Instead, his legs kept running, down winding paths, faster and faster, ignoring the looks he got from people as tears streamed down his face. His lungs burned, the scream he so badly wants to let out caught out in between breaths of laboured trauma. 

He tries- and god fucking knows he tries- to just take it one step at a time, to take one thought at a time, to just fucking breathe. 

He stops at a railing, or rather, he's stopped by a railing, inches away from falling over into the ocean. This ocean is different from his; it is not crystal clear blue, white waves of foam bathing the golden sands. It does not smell uniquely like the ocean, as if corals underneath had their own scent that wafted and reminded Jayce of being much, much younger, ice cream in one hand, dreams in the other. 

It's an ugly, murky green, perfectly still despite it being the shore. It does not move, or does not look like it moves, and it gets dark, very very quickly. As if it doesn't have a beach; as if it is sand, then falls off the face of runeterra, deep into the ocean one step in. Jayce watches it, and finds it has a different song; whilst his ocean sings for him to swim and let go of all inhibitions, this one screams at him to jump. To jump and let everything take over him, let the darkness cover his eyes and fill his lungs, let his sorrows and tears mix and become another part of its ecosystem, as if it was already expecting him. 

Jayce looks at the ocean, and two seconds later, vomits his breakfast into it. 

He comes back to the lab, smiling, bags of food in his hands. He apologises for leaving so abruptly, stating he had grown so hungry he had to run to get food. He promptly ignores Dr. Tarol’s looks, instead focusing on Viktor. They work through the afternoon, finding that their experiments do not yield the results they want. 

Dr. Reveck looks at his partner, then nods. Dr. Tarol stands, slipping out of the lab as Dr. Reveck clears his throat. 

“There is still… something we have yet to try. We did not want it to come to this, but I suppose this was always going to be the answer.” He looks at Viktor, a look that Jayce can't comprehend staying on his face. 

“We have been… experimenting lately with something we call… Perfluorocarbons.” Jayce looks at Viktor for an answer, but only sees an equally confused Viktor staring at Dr. Reveck. 

“It is a synthetic liquid that is primarily carbons and fluorine atoms. It-” Dr. Reveck starts, but Viktor finishes the sentence for him. 

“It acts like blood.” Viktor says. 

“Yes, it is highly soluble in gases like carbon dioxide and oxygen, so you can easily check the changes there. It also doesn't harm the human tissue, so adding it won't do anything to the object being healed. Of course, that's just a theory based on your own theory.” Dr. Reveck finishes, then Jayce hears the door open behind him.

Dr. Tarol goes towards the main containment cell, holding up the liquid in the small vial, then looking at the rest of them for confirmation. Viktor and Dr. Reveck nod, and then he's adding droplets into it. He puts the entire dropper's worth inside, then quickly closes it. Jayce goes to turn the machine on, churning energy into the water. The reaction is immediate, the chemical compounds changing, and they both stare in disbelief as they watch the broken inside parts of the plants being slowly remade. 

An hour passes in total, absolute silence, and they look at the plant once again after removing it from their dark box. They all stare at it, still broken, but now completely whole unlike how it was like before, torn and in pieces. In only an hour, it had healed itself with just one dropper's worth of the synthetic blood. 

“Of course, we added a bit of the DNA of the plants into the perfluorocarbons, but I'm sure that means you can heal pretty much anything- including humans.” Dr. Reveck smiles, the first, genuine smile of their entire time spent here.

Jayce looks befuddled. The cure. 

They've finally made a cure. 

---

Chapter Text

Jayce sets about packing the rest of their equipment, the night already having fallen on them a long time ago. A quick glance to the clock on the wall shows that it’s already 11:30PM. Viktor had just left to finish packing up back at their motel with Dmitri, so Jayce doesn’t have to carry all the boxes twice between the trips. They’ll both come back with Jayce’s bags as well to the lab, collect everything, then set out for the train. Their train this time will be at 2AM, the very last train for the night, and they’ll reach Piltover at roughly around 8AM.

The lab is quiet, too quiet. It sends shivers down Jayce’s back, though he knows that the silence is guaranteed; after all, this isn’t their lab back home. In their lab, something is always powered on, a soft electric current loud enough to be heard but quiet enough to be ignored, always settled in the back of their minds, making the silence in their lab less stifling, less threatening. He tries to shake off the feeling that he’s being watched, feeling the small hairs on his body stand alert. Everyone’s already gone home, the two older scientists having left hours before when they finished the last of their testings. He knows it’s just his mind, but he can’t help but look up every so often to check his surroundings whilst he’s packing. 

He’s getting nervous. The lights have mostly been turned off, the only light coming from the moon and a single lamp next to Jayce. He tries to hum a song in his head, a lullaby his mother used to sing for him whenever he was scared, and suddenly noticed movement from the corner of his eye. He stiffens, looking to the spot he saw movement from, eyes narrowing in. His eyesight is sharper than most Alphas- so is his sense of smell- but with the way he didn't even sense Dr. Reveck at all, he’s beginning to doubt his own vision and nose.

There’s faint movement where he’s looking at, a shadowy figure, and Jayce is trying his best to see if it’s just shadows of a tree playing tricks on him in the dead of the night. Surely he’d have heard the door being opened if someone was inside? 

“Hello?” He calls out, but no one answers. He can’t smell anything despite his incessant sniffing, and his eyes still won’t see what exactly the shape of whatever it is in front of him, far into the corner. 

He realises, suddenly, that what he’s looking at is one of the metallic walls. Viktor had laughed at him before when Jayce called it a mirror- it was floor length long, clean and clear, and was promptly explained by Dr. Reveck that a silver metallic wall is safer in the lab than a mirror; after all, the chances of it breaking compared to a mirror are slim. He remembers how he had touched the metallic wall, the wall shifting underneath his hand with a warble, and chuckling along with Viktor. 

He sighs, relief flooding his mind. It’s probably his own shadow on the metallic wall, plus the weird way it reflected things that was playing a trick on him. He rubs his eyes, feeling the exhaustion sitting heavy in his heart. As much as he was delighted, ecstatic even, for the cure, the hardest part comes next. Not so much building a human-sized version of the containment cell, but rather, selling it to the council for it to be used on- well- humans. 

He looks at the metallic wall again, walking up to it. He looks at his reflection, the eyebags deep, his stubble already starting to grow. He wonders what it’d be like if he had a full beard and chuckles. He walks back to where he was packing, looking at the metallic wall once more. 

He stops, fear spiking as he looks at the shadow reflected on the mirror. The shadow behind him. 

He looks at his tools still on the table, the small hammer closest to his hands. His fingers near it, but he doesn’t get the chance to grab it. A hand quickly grabs him, covering his mouth and pulling him close to whoever’s body the hand belongs to. Jayce tries thrashing around, before he hears the voice. 

“Shh, Jayce. It’s me, hm?” Dr. Tarol says, a smirk laying in his tone. Despite his playful voice, he keeps his hand on Jayce’s mouth. “Don’t scream, alright? And don’t run, either. We never finished our talk earlier.” He drags Jayce down towards his level, then makes him sit on the chair, finally removing his hand from his mouth. 

Jayce takes a deep breath as he looks at Dr. Tarol. He was wearing all black, his old glasses sitting on his nose for the first time since they had come to the city, and a wicked grin sitting easily on his face. He couldn't smell him, not anymore. No wonder he had somehow sneaked behind him.

”What do you want from me?” Jayce asks, voice ragged. He was beyond terrified, his heart practically beating the fastest it ever has. He hadn’t forgotten what Dr. Tarol had said, had wanted it to be erased from his mind. 

“I’d like for you to repay the favor I gave you.” Dr. Tarol mindlessly picks up the hammer, looking it over. “If it weren’t for me, you’d be busy with your family forge, building boring equipment for those sump rats. I saved you, didn't I?” 

“You taught me extra lessons. That’s hardly a favour, we paid you for it.” Jayce retorts. He wants so badly to stand and punch him, but Dr. Tarol is still looking at him, still pinning him down with that gaze. He can’t move, he’s still too weak, too broken, too much of a coward. 

“You were never good enough, Jayce. No amount of extra lessons would’ve helped you pass those entrance exams.” 

Jayce breathes in. No, he had passed his entrance exams perfectly fine- in fact, he was surprised to learn he was in top 5 of the highest scores, although he never learned exactly which number he came in. He had been ecstatic about it, Mel and him going through the scholarship program given to the top 5 admittances, hell, he'd compete with Mel on the regular for top marks, until she became a young politician after a year. 

In short, Dr. Tarol was lying. Unless…

”I made a deal with one of the council members, you see, because I cared for you so deeply, my little alpha.” He sings out the last part, the same way he used to just before he put his hands around Jayce’s neck. Jayce’s hand immediately goes to cover it.

He’s bigger, he’s so much bigger than he was then. He could tackle Dr. Tarol to the ground. Why isn’t he moving? He doesn’t want to hear any more of this, doesn’t know if he can take it. 

“But it backfired on me. After all I did for you, suddenly I was the one paying the consequences? I left Piltover when they sent out a warrant for me.” He continues, and Jayce’s breath hitches. He remembers seeing the warrant when he had started his studies at the academy, remembers hyperventilating in the bathroom, remembers hearing the news that he was deemed missing and enforcers wouldn’t try to look outside of Piltover for him. 

So that’s why he’s here. He’s running from the enforcers. 

“What. Do you want from me?” Jayce asks again, trying to keep his voice level. But he knows his scent betrays him, knows it by the way Dr. Tarol’s smile grows wider. He puts his hand over Jayce’s head, and Jayce stills. Oh gods, he’s back in his room again. His vision is shifting, changing, everything is falling apart and falling together. He tries to move his head, to shake the hand off him, but everything feels too heavy to even move an inch. 

He’s breathing louder now. 

“You’ve become so popular with your inventions, Jayce. You always had such a brilliant mind, one that the academy could’ve rejected because of your careless mistakes.” Dr. Tarol tightens his hand in his hair, tugging it, and it feels nothing like the way Viktor does it. It feels like pain and terror and shame. He wants to crumble, wants to get on his feet and beg for forgiveness.

“When I left Piltover, I left some very important documents there. All I ask is that you send me an invitation to Piltover, under the name of my husband, of course. That’s all he’s really useful for.” 

“You married Dr. Reveck for his name?” 

“How else am I supposed to not bring suspicion up? I hate the name, obviously, he’s a sump rat, and I’m from Piltover. I’d never carry it, unless… I needed it.” 

Jayce tries to calm down enough to think. If he sent out an invitation to Alexier Tarol, he would get caught on the train station borders. And not only that, Jayce would now be implicated with him; he’d lose his standing and get expelled. After all, he and Dr. Tarol have history together. There’d be enough evidence to have him removed from Piltover altogether. 

If he sent the invitation to Alexier Reveck?

”Of course, you can always refuse. However, know that refusing has its consequences. You want the perfluorocarbon liquid, don’t you? To save your little omega?” Jayce breathes in sharply.

No. Not Viktor. Anything but Viktor.

“Then we’ll make a deal, no? Send me an invitation for a short, wonderful three day stay at the Talis Estate as a guest so I can collect the last of my research, and Dr. Reveck and I will gladly give the perfluorocarbon to you.” He finally lets go of Jayce’s hair, walking to stand behind him. He puts both hands on his shoulders, his thumbs grazing Jayce’s neck. He wants to scream, wants to cry out, god, it’s so hot and cold in this lab. 

“Does Dr. Reveck know about this?” He asks, voice trembling. He has to be strong, stronger than he ever has been. 

“What Dr. Reveck does or doesn’t know doesn’t affect you, Talis.” So that’s a no. 

“What did Dr. Reveck even see in you?” Jayce knows he’s buying time, trying to stall, but the inevitable will happen. Even if he’s counting on Viktor and Dmitri coming back, they only just recently left. They won’t be here for another hour. 

“Nothing, of course. We just so happened to both be trying to get away from Piltover. A marriage of convenience. After all, he carries my name now.” 

Oh, so that’s how it was. Suddenly Jayce doesn’t feel good about even having the perfluorocarbon in the first place. The two doctors have a dodgy past. Still, for Viktor…

”Answer me, Talis. Make a decision now.” 

Jayce thinks about it once more. He could say no, they could go back without the cure, they could find another way. After all, they know that perfluorocarbon exists, they could potentially re-invent it. But that could take years, just to make and get it approved. Then more years to use it in their containment cell, and not to forget human experimentation. And after all he’s struggled for these past two days, just to go home empty handed? He knows what he’s going to choose before he even accepts the answer. 

“I’ll do it.”

He chooses Viktor.

---

Jayce sits in the carriage quietly, now on their way to the train station. Dmitri and Viktor are talking animatedly about some invention, but Jayce can’t even concentrate. His brain is fried, his body exhausted even more. 

After Dr. Tarol shook his hand and left, he had panicked and quickly thrown up in their emergency sink. Then he had stood, suddenly hyper aware of everything happening around him. He doesn’t understand what happened next, but he doesn’t cry. He just goes back to packing. Dmitri and Viktor are more than half an hour late, but Jayce only notices because of the clock. Time, to him, hasn’t moved in the slightest. He can still feel Dr. Tarol’s hands on him, in his hair, on his shoulders, his thumbs grazing his neck. 

They reach the train station, carrying the equipment, along with a couple vials of the perfluorocarbon in a new box. Viktor goes up to him, hand resting on his arms.

”The perfluorocarbon has a sort of shine to it, doesn’t it?” Viktor holds up one of the vials in his hands, and Jayce looks at the odd liquid. 

“Yeah, in the moonlight it sort of… shimmers.” 

Viktor chuckles, handing the vial to Jayce. He holds it tightly, trying to discern its true worth. 

It’s worth reliving his worst experiences with Dr. Tarol.

It’s worth it if it’s for Viktor. 

They board the train together again, into a different room than they had before. This time, the two beds were separate. Viktor chuckles as he sits down, finally resting. He yawns, and Jayce follows the motion. He just needs to keep himself trained on Viktor. He goes to sit next to Viktor, resting his head on his neck, near the bite mark. 

Jayce’s scent is fading from it. 

It makes him want to cry. Gods he needs to cry. For some reason, he can’t bring himself to. No tears are falling. He feels a different kind of emptiness, as if he doesn’t have the energy to even cry anymore. To even move. 

Viktor chuckles again, hands shooting up to Jayce’s neck, resting lightly there. He softly pulls him down, and Jayce lays his head on top of Viktor’s chest, where his heart beats assuredly. He can’t help but sigh at the sound, joy flashing over his own heart. At least Viktor’s here, alive, and so long as they live, it doesn’t matter what he’ll do or say. He’d go down to the depths of death just to bring back Viktor from its clutches. 

He doesn’t realise when he falls asleep like that, listening to Viktor’s heart beat, but when he wakes up next, a shiver goes through him. He watches Viktor, who has also gone to sleep, and starts to remove his leg brace. Viktor shifts, murmuring in his sleep, and changes position to look away from Jayce. He smiles, looking at Viktor’s sleeping form before taking his own blanket from his bed and putting it on top of Viktor, tucking him in. Then, he takes his sketchbook, a pencil, and goes out of the room. 

He keeps walking till he reaches the back of the train, opening the door. There’s a small area on the side of the train where he can be outside, and he stays out there, watching the ocean. 

The last thing he needs to think about are his feelings for Viktor. He’s being blackmailed by his past tutor to smuggle him into Piltover, knowing he’s a wanted criminal, all so he can get the cure from him so he can cure Viktor. And who knows what kind of information the documents that Dr. Tarol wants possess? And, gods, he’ll be staying at the Talis Estate. He’ll need to be back home to make sure he doesn’t do anything to his mother. He’ll have to write up an official letter too, and somehow make sure that it doesn’t get caught and have enforcers knocking on his door. Gods, and what is he going to say to Viktor? 

No, he can’t say anything. Viktor can’t know. 

Viktor will only blame himself, and worse, will most likely stop the research and the inventions. Jayce knows, because if the roles were reversed, he’d do so much worse than that to avenge him. 

Does Jayce even want vengeance? He just wants all of this to be over. He wants to fast forward to three weeks later; the invitation and Dr. Tarol’s stay done, the competition over. 

The bond gone. 

Jayce sighs, looking up at the stars. He tries his best to cry- because that, he knows always makes him feel better, even if he ends up sleeping harder after crying. But tears still resist him. His heartbeat is still high, constantly under pressure, he’s sweating despite being outside with only a shirt on, restless despite standing in one spot. He’s anxious, alert, and afraid. 

Gods, he misses his mom. 

He hears the door open and then close, and moves to the side to let the other passenger pass. They didn't, and as Jayce looks to see the guest behind him, he almost breaks down then. 

Viktor was standing there, watching him silently, blanket draped over his shoulders, holding on to his crutch tightly. It’s clear it was a challenge to have walked all the way to the outside of the train, especially when his eyes are still heavy with sleep, but he looked determined somehow, as if his only mission was to look for Jayce and make sure he was okay. 

Jayce smiles bitterly. He’s doing this for him. He’s doing this for him. He’s doing this for the love of his goddamned life, Viktor. 

Viktor walks up to him, as if understanding the pain he’s going through, and hugs him from the side. He wraps his arms and blanket around Jayce, as if trying to shield him from the cold. But Jayce isn’t cold; he’s suffocated, drowning in whatever his future held for him, and he couldn’t even see the way out of his cavern. He’s sure he’s going to die at some point, you can’t go through life without taking a single breath.

It doesn’t stop him from returning the hug to Viktor, though. He welcomes it, let’s the warmth burn him, let’s Viktor’s touch ground him, let’s the cold pass through him as if he was a piece of paper, following wherever the wind would take him. That was fine, this was fine. It didn't matter if he even had to kill a council member. So long as he was by Viktor’s side, it would be enough. 

---

They slept in the same bed. 

---

Jayce rises first, packing up what little stuff they had brought from their bags. They eventually reach their lab after hailing a carriage, putting down their equipment back to where it was before. They set the containment cell and decide to look inside. 

And inside it was- the plant- dead. 

They stared in shock. It wasn't just dead; it had withered. Viktor hums, going to their board and started writing down the formula they had gotten. 

“We used the whole dropper on the plant to jumpstart the reaction, but maybe we don’t need that much at all.” He starts, and Jayce looks to where Viktor was now standing, chalk in hand. 

“You mean to say we need less? But would that affect the rate of the healing process?” Jayce asks, going to sit on a desk in front of the board.

”Hmm… yes, you’re right. It had healed perfectly in an hour with that much of the perfluorocarbo- ugh. What a mouthful. We should give it another name.” Viktor rambles on, and Jayce looks at the liquid sitting in small vials. 

“Let’s just call it Shimmer between the two of us.” He says, and Viktor smiles back. 

“Yes, Shimmer. The less shimmer is used, the slower the rate of healing will be done. I wonder if it affects the efficiency of it too? We’ll have to experiment more…” 

“We still have a week before testing. Let's try it then.” Jayce smiles, putting his hand on Viktor's shoulders. “Do what you must, I have to prepare.”

Viktor looks at him quizzically, the question written on his face. 

“For what?” 

“I'm meeting my mother. I have a letter to write.” He says, and then he leaves Viktor's side. 

He puts on his jacket, looking back to Viktor who's staring at him with an unreadable expression. In the morning light, he looks ethereal, otherworldly, and Jayce would love nothing more than to kneel for him and worship him at his feet. He waves, then slips out the room quietly. 

He doesn't bother to go back to his apartment to freshen up, he'll do that later tonight. He goes straight to his mother's house, nerves practically fried at the thought of having to write a letter for Dr. Tarol again. He knocks on the door, as if it isn't his own door, and then curses at himself. He's nervous, fuck, he's scared too. He waits, regardless, because he really wants to make sure she's even home before he even starts writing the letter. 

The door opens softly, and then his mother is pulling him into a hug, quick, and strong. 

“Pup… What's wrong? Come in, come in.” She says, and he doesn't even realise just how acrid his scent is. Has he been walking around like this? 

The hug is warm, comforting, welcome even. She releases her own pheromones and Jayce almost buckles at the knees. God, he's missed her scent. It calms him down- he used to go to her to be scented after Dr. Tarol left from the tutor sessions. Ximena’s been an anchor in his life, and he'd rather die than have him anywhere near her alone when he's around. Still, he holds her back shyly, putting his arms only around her waist a tiny bit, before she pulls him in for a deeper hug and he breaks, coughing out a sob and hugging her fully. He's well aware he's no longer sixteen, no longer as small as he was back then, that this hug strains her more than heals him. 

But he needs it. God, he needs it more than anything. 

She holds him for a couple minutes in front of the door, letting him cry it out in small, repressed hiccups, and Jayce doesn't feel better. In fact, he feels so much worse. He feels like he's bringing so much shame into his home, into his mother's life, shame she never needed to see or know about. 

So, of course she doesn't know. 

And, of course he'll never tell. 

“I just missed you, mama.” He says when she asks, and she takes that answer despite the both of them knowing it's a lie. 

Eventually, they move away from the door to the kitchen, Jayce following behind like a lost child. He almost scoffs at his patheticness, but then his mother turns around and smiles at him with that sad knowing look, and he almost tells her everything from just that look alone. 

He settles on one of the stools, putting his head on the cool ceramic, groaning out loud. 

“Mama… in a few days, we'll have a guest.” He starts, and it already tastes bitter in his mouth. “Do you remember Mr. Tarol?” 

He watches her keenly and almost freezes at her reaction. She's stiff, arms hunched, back turned. He couldn't see her face but he knows she most likely looks like a deer in headlights. 

“Ah… yes, your old tutor? Wasn't he on an arrest warrant?” She says and he mentally curses himself. 

“Ah, yeah, but he recently was able to appeal it. He wants to come back and grab some of his documents whilst he has a meeting with the councillors about his warrant, but he doesn't have a place to stay. So he'll be…” and Jayce has to breathe in just to say this out, “here.” 

“Why?” She asks, and Jayce decides to at least tell the truth instead of half lies. 

“He helped Viktor and I with our project, mama. We found a cure because of him and Dr. Reveck. I'm forever indebted to him.” Jayce tries to sell it, but he's not quite sure why. 

“Ok? Shouldn't credit on a paper be enough?” She crosses her arms, looking even more angry. Her scent, usually sweet carnations and tea, was now sour, a tinge of fear streaking through it. Jayce wonders why she would even be afraid of him. Maybe it's the prospect of being alone with him? 

“You won't be alone here, mama. I'll be staying home for the couple of nights he'll be here. It's barely a week. I swear.” 

She looks straight into his eyes, her face a torn expression. 

“For Viktor?” She asks, and he scoffs. 

“You're doing it for Viktor, and not for me?” 

She chuckles and goes to stand in front of him, grabbing his hands in hers, despite the size difference. He curls his hands inside so they can fit in hers. 

“By doing it for Viktor, I'd be doing it for you.” Then she winks, and walks away laughing as Jayce sputters a denial. Denying what, he's not sure, but he has an inkling as to what it might be. 

He ends up staying all night, writing and rewriting the letter. When he's satisfied, or rather, content with it, he puts the seal of Talis, enclosing it, and deciding to take it with him when he goes back to the lab the next day. 

---

“Jayce. Where have you been?” Viktor asks, a scowl on his face, but his scent stays perfectly still. Not mad, then. 

Jayce goes up to him, putting his hand on his shoulder and nodding to him as a greeting. 

“Just dropped by the post office, then got us breakfast. Sorry for being late.” He tries to remain casual about it, watching the four vials of the shimmer they had from the two scientists. They only had four. They'd need so much more if they're trying to do as many tests as possible, and even more if they're going to start testing on humans. 

“Hmm.” Viktor responds, then drops the argument as he goes back to his work. Odd, Viktor usually would prod him more as to why he's late. Jayce turns to his work station, figuring that he may just be working too hard on their experiments. 

Over the next three days, they work tirelessly at experimenting, not stopping even for a few hours since they're now far too late for breaks. They have barely more than a week left now, and it's important to the both of them that they stay as focused on these tests as possible. 

Which is why, it irks Jayce endlessly that Viktor isn't even there half the time.

Okay, maybe half the time is an over-exaggeration, but still! He's missing more often than not, and to make matters worse, Jayce has seen him walking down the street from the lab with a different guy every time. But that wasn't the problem- Viktor is flanking out. 

To be with other alphas. 

Which isn't the problem. 

They're running out of time, and Jayce really needs his partner here with him. And besides, he still hasn't said anything to Viktor yet, since Viktor is out there with apparently every man in Runeterra but Jayce. 

“Which isn't the fucking problem, Jayce.” He whispers to himself. 

“What is?” Sky responds, and Jayce jumps out of his skin. He'd forgotten that Sky was replacing Viktor with the experiments, again, and that she was practically right next to him. 

“You seem tense. Maybe take a brea-” 

“No! I have to finish these. I can't take a break, at all.” Jayce sighs, rubbing his eyes open. 

“You sound just like him.” Sky says, and Jayce rolls his eyes, already knowing who she's talking about. 

“Yeah well he does that for everything. Except, apparently, this.” Jayce checks the levels again. They've finally attuned each different plant and growth with how much droplets are needed, and they've been checking to make sure it's consistent all the way. 

“Oh, Jayce. I'm sure Viktor's busy doing his best for this to work as well.” Sky checks the other experiments as she responds to him, and Jayce feels his jaw start to hurt by how much he's been flexing it. 

“Yeah, well, he's certainly busy alright.” Jayce snaps back, then sighs. “Sorry, I didn't mean to-” 

“Who is?” Viktor responds, walking back into the lab as he fixes his lab coat. Jayce's head snaps back to him, then huffs. He stands up to go to him to show the board when he stops. 

“You smell like another alpha.” He says, and Viktor raises his eyebrow slowly, smiling at him. 

“Yes, Jayce, you're not the only alpha in the world to exist.” He chuckles, of which Sky chuckles along with him. Jayce snaps back to Sky, who stops laughing. 

“What? He's right, you're overly territorial sometimes.” She says, hands up in the air.

“I'm not territorial.” Jayce spits back, which earns a chuckle from Sky. 

“You yelled at that guy from one of the academy balls last year when he touched me.” Sky says, barely containing her laughter. 

“He was hitting on you! And you were clearly uncomfortable and disgusted by him and he wasn't taking any clues because he was drunk.” Jayce huffs back as he walks towards the experiments again. 

“Okay, but we had noticed him hitting on others and all you did was roll your eyes. But when he hit on me-” 

“I just realised that no one else was going to do anything! It was me or everyone gets harrassed!” Jayce starts yelling, an embarrassing shade of red starting to crawl up his neck. 

“Hmm, when I went up to the both of you, he looked at me for only 5 seconds and you grabbed his collar and almost hit him.” Viktor chuckles it out, grabbing a piece of chalk and writing down the results from experiments Jayce had done. Sky's laughter finally breaks out. 

“I had just told him to stop hitting on people and then he starts leering at you almost immediately! I got mad, okay? He wasn't listening to me! I hate being ignored!!” Jayce is yelling now, and his face is definitely red, and Sky's laughing so hard she has to hold the table. 

“Yes, Jayce, however, on his way out after your stunt he decided to flirt with one other person in front of you, and you did nothing but watch, and then he finally walked out after being pushed away.” Viktor giggles, and Jayce's small anger dissipates almost immediately. 

“I knew he wasn't going to be trouble for us anymore!” Jayce shrinks in himself, and Sky laughs again. 

“So, you admit you're territorial?” She says, and Jayce throws the paper he's holding in her direction. It floats useless in front of him and slides all the way down to underneath his desk, which makes Viktor and Sky laugh even louder. 

“It's okay to be territorial of your pack, Jayce.” Viktor says, putting his hand on Jayce's shoulder after he stands up with his fallen paper in hand. 

“You guys aren't my pack! I don't have a pack! No one has packs, that's a thing of the past!” He tries defending himself, but he admits to himself that if packs were still a thing, these two were most likely be in his pack indeed. 

“Jayce, when I left for Zaun for two days, you doused me in protective pheromones and walked me all the way to the bridge.” Sky says, and Jayce whips his head back to her. 

“Zaun isn't as safe as Piltover! Something could've happened to you!” 

“Sky is a beta. She's the safest person in Zaun.” Viktor counteracts, which makes Jayce scoff. 

“Sky is also too nice and too good. She'll get taken advantage of!” Jayce is trying to focus on the experiments, but he can feel the smile finally creeping on his face. 

“Mind you, I grew up in Zaun.” Sky chuckles it out, and Jayce suddenly realises he's the only one who grew up in Piltover. He scoffs, crossing over his arms. 

“Okay fine. What do you want me to say? I'm a territorial, typical alpha male who worries too much over his pack mates and why they smell like other alphas. Are you happy?” Jayce spits it out, but it only makes Viktor and Sky laugh even harder. 

“Wait, can you write it down on this paper first so I can show others that you actually said that?” Sky says, and Jayce rolls his eyes, looking away. 

“And make sure to sign it with your signature too!” Viktor chimes in, which makes Sky laugh. 

“Oh, please. That's a given.” She responds. 

Jayce sighs out. He feels a little lighter after the banter. Maybe everything will turn out fine. Maybe he won't even notice Dr. Tarol being there again, and Sky and Viktor will be his tethers to the real world. He knows it's unfair to them, but he decides that he simply won't tell them about it. Dr. Tarol doesn't need to be in the lab either, so they don't need to know. 

He goes over to Viktor to scent mark over him, which makes Viktor give him a knowing look. 

“I don't like unknown scents in the lab…” Jayce mutters out, but he knows he's blushing, and there's really no point of lying when he's just admitted everything else. 

Viktor sighs at being scented, then gets back to work. Jayce tries to put away the thoughts of Dr. Tarol. 

Eventually, it's 3AM, and Sky has long gone home. Jayce stands up, looking at all the results they got over the couple days. After finding the right frequency for the shimmer to be put in, they've had consistent results. No other plants have died since, and the plants also have healed and stayed healthy. Jayce is far too excited, the prospect of healing Viktor finally being in sight, and he looks over to where Viktor is still steadily working. 

He's wiring a round head bowl made of glass, connected to a metal slab on the bottom of it that has a small incision that will eventually be filled by something that can latch onto someone's neck and close it tightly. It looks slightly like what a deep sea diver would wear, but the glass is crystal clear, and there's a big hole at the back for oxygen. He sighs as he puts his goggles down, looking at the metal base. 

“Jayce. You're staring again.” He says without even looking back to him. 

Jayce stands up, walking over slowly to Viktor. Viktor still focuses on the metal slab, squinting at it as if it'll tell him it's problem and why it's not properly connecting to the base of the glass. Jayce stands behind him, watching how Viktor twirls his hair slightly when thinking, then removes it when picking up something else. 

His hair is growing longer, and Viktor is compensating for that by wearing his shirt a little looser. His neck, gods, his nape, is completely exposed, the bite mark fading but still evident, and three other moles that Jayce has kissed multiple times over are visible. He gets the urge to put his fingers on them and sink his finger in, as if trying to pop the moles out so he can take them for himself. 

He gets the urge to sink his teeth in too. 

He doesn't understand what's happening. At first, he wants to ask Viktor to leave together to their little diner then go home, but suddenly, he's acting upon his urges. He puts his finger on the mole farthest from the bite, watching Viktor stiffen at first then giggle. 

“I told you I'm ticklish on my neck, no? Are you taking revenge for earlier?” Viktor's voice is shaped by his amusement, but he doesn't move away.

Jayce puts another finger on the second mole, right at the centre of his neck. This is going to kill him. The urge to bite is there again, knowing that the middle of the neck is a sensitive spot for omegas. What happens if he puts his tongue there? He leans closer to Viktor's neck, and breathes in his scent. 

The scent of another alpha, familiar but too far away to recall, is still lingering on his skin. Jayce growls. 

“Jayce? Are you okay?” Viktor asks, putting down the metal base in his hands. He turns to look, but Jayce holds him by his neck, fingers digging into his collarbone as thumb presses down on the second mole. Viktor whimpers, and Jayce feels heady with delight. 

The last mole is right next to the bite mark. He somehow narrowly missed it by a small margin, and he thinks to himself that he's thankful for it; he would never forgive himself if something he left on Viktor's skin had removed one of his beauty spots. It's delirious, the amount of electricity coursing through him. He should lick it. Since when has he been such a licker, anyways? He wants to lick it regardless.

He slowly draws back, finding his mind again when he smells it once more, that foreign scent. 

He doesn't think about what he does next, growling again as he licks the mole next to his bite mark, digging in his thumb and fingers until they leave a mark on Viktor’s skin. He spreads his scent as heavily as possible, placating Viktor and making sure he stays where he is. 

But Viktor never rejects him. Never pushes him away. He moans, leaning into Jayce's mouth, head lulling to the side to give him more space. Jayce almost bites him again, almost claims him on that table, when Viktor cries out softly in pain, then tries to conceal it quickly. 

He pulls back, then pulls Viktor with him, letting him rest his back on him. It hits him, then, when he's no longer this close to Viktor's scent. He almost bit him, almost claimed him again. He didn't even realise what he was doing, like he was being controlled by some other animalistic being inside his body. 

Or, maybe, just him. 

He breathes out, trying to regain his mind. He can't lose his mind, not now, not when they're so close to the competition. Not when Dr. Tarol is coming over the next day. 

He doesn't want to go home, he doesn't want to open the estate doors and drag his feet and feel that heavy dread settle once again in his heart. He had just finally removed that feeling, having moved out soon after being accepted into the academy. The memories no longer resurfaced as much, Dr. Tarol's scent wasn't even there anymore. The estate was his mother's again, scent and memory, and now. 

Now it would belong to that man in his mind. 

“Jayce, I'm alright. Are you sure you're okay? You seem… tense.” Viktor says, standing up and turning around to him.

Jayce can't look him in his eyes. He'll cry, or maybe say everything he's hiding, or worse yet, he'll kiss Viktor and beg him to claim him back. Beg him to love him the way he does, unabashed devotion and total obsession. Maybe he'll kiss his feet clean and take any insults Viktor whirls at him if only for the chance of his teeth sinking into his skin. 

He needs to be claimed. By someone. By anyone else but Dr. Tarol. He needs hands on his body to overshadow the last ones, marks on his neck to reshape the wounds. Words whispered, lies or half truths even, that could possibly fix whatever inside that is broken. He needs Viktor like the body needs blood, like lungs need air, like the sky needs stars.

Jayce looks outside to the stars. It's a cloudy night. He can't see them. 

“I think we should go home.” Jayce finally says, and Viktor looks over at him quietly. 

“Jayce, I-” 

“Home.” 

Viktor doesn't say anything else as they pack up and leave. They don't pass by the diner. They don't pass by the pier. Jayce still walks Viktor to his apartment. Still waits until his light turns on from the outside, still waits a couple more minutes to make sure Viktor doesn't need anything. 

Then he turns around, and starts walking in the opposite direction of his apartment, to the estate.

--- 

Jayce wakes up early and starts his day. He brushes his teeth with his old toothbrush, wears his old pair of shoes, wears his academy uniform, then steps into the kitchen. Ximena's already there, cooking up breakfast as Jayce walks in, fixing his hair. She ushers him in, and eventually slaps his hand to stop it from fixing and refixing his hair. 

“Ma, my hair has a chronic illness of always straying away, I need to get this done or else-” 

“Or else what, hm?” She counters, then sets the plate of eggs, hash browns and sausage next to him. “Toast, my darling with a chronic hair illness?” She cheekily smiles, and he pouts jokingly as he nods. 

It feels oddly welcoming and incredibly familiar, as if he's going to high school again, eating breakfast and discussing his day with his mother. 

“I'm going to pick up Dr. Tarol in an hour. After that, we'll drop his bags here, then I'll drop him off at his- uh, at the council's office. Then I'll go to the lab to-” He says, with half his mouth full despite his mother's glare. She perks up when he says ‘lab’. 

“Viktor! How is my darling genius? Invite him over for dinner today, won't you? I haven't seen him in ages!” She excitedly goes over to him, giving him the big puppy eyes she always does when she wants something from him. 

Viktor can't come over, Dr. Tarol- 

“He can't, he needs as much rest as possible since we're doing our tests. He'll probably go home early again-” He starts, but she cuts him off. 

“And what exactly is early for the two of you? 1AM? Don't think I didn't catch you sneaking in at 4 in the morning!” She crosses her arms, and Jayce eats a sausage guiltily. 

“We-well, still, it's a long walk for Viktor-” 

“Then take a carriage!” 

“-And it'll be even longer for the distance for him to go back to his apartment-” 

“We have many rooms, Jayce, including yours.” 

“And we have a guest here anyways-” 

“The more the merrier!” She says, then as Jayce is about to rebut her argument, she claps her hands once, loudly. “I'm glad it's been decided, then.” 

She looks away as she begins preparing tea for them both, and Jayce sighs. Now he has to tell Viktor. Which is fine, he just needs to casually drop it in conversation whilst they work, so long as Viktor is actually there, of course. 

He's late already to the lab, so he decides to bring the breakfast his mother made (for Viktor specifically, apparently, and for no one else) on his way to picking up Dr. Tarol. This is the easiest way to bring the conversation up. He'll mention that he went to his mother's and that's why he has breakfast from her, Viktor will ask why, Jayce will say it's because Dr. Tarol will be staying for a while whilst he gets his documents sorted in Piltover and then leave, and then he'll say his mother invited him over for dinner today. 

Easy, right? 

Jayce walks in and no one is in the lab. His irritation has already bubbled up so much he could punch someone, and he was hoping to see either his precious omega hard at work or his sweet beta also hard at work, and there is no one in the lab. 

Fuck, maybe Jayce does think they're a pack. 

He stomps his feet till he reaches Viktor's desk, and notes that nothing is out of place. It's not that Viktor's gone, but that Viktor never came back to the lab at all. 

He's probably with another alpha. 

Which is fair, he thinks, as Jayce is a failure of an alpha. He can smile and laugh loudly and direct a crowd all he wants, but when it comes down to the makings of an actual alpha, he's below standard. He's weak, a coward, small in the face of his enemies and even smaller in the face of his loved ones. He'll lie and leave things out from people he cares about, wallow in his misery and shame in his apartment to the point where no omega can even nest in there, then wear a fake costume and pretend he's part of the elite. 

He looks at their mirror to the side, and he suddenly shivers. Ghost of a hand on his mouth touches his lips and he almost pukes. 

He's only staying for three days. He's leaving on Thursday, and Friday is the competition. It's cutting it close, sure, but he already signed the papers on the letter and it's all already prepared. 

He drops the breakfast and wills his little strength. He walks out of the lab, his safe space, his actual den, then leaves to the carriage. 

He gets to the train station and finds it's even busier than it usually is. He sighs out loud with relief, this usually means the people checking papers won't do a double take with how busy it is, and so long as the documents are in order, he'll be able to pass through without any trouble. He waits along the inside of the train station, watching people passing by. 

He sees people hugging their loved ones goodbye, tears sprouting on their faces, forced smiles and choked sobs escaping from their diaphragms. He sees kids running up to their parents, being carried happily in the air whilst the other parent reunites softly with the family. He sees friends, partners, families torn and brought together again, and he longs for it. He can almost imagine it's Viktor who's coming back after he travels, because that is something Viktor has always wanted to do, and their two kids run to him whilst Jayce watches. He imagines Viktor is laughing and healthy, air smooth in his lungs, strong enough to carry the two, and Jayce has to cough loudly twice to remove himself from that dream. 

A dream that will never become reality. 

He sees Dr. Tarol before Dr. Tarol sees him first. His heart still momentarily stops, his mind fighting for him to turn around and run, leave, but Dr. Tarol already knows where he lives, and god forbid he leaves that man with his mother alone. He watches him give the papers to the officer, who checks over it, then clicks his pen to the other officer on the side. Then, he looks over it once more then writes something down on the papers. He's let go. Jayce notices that Dmitri is behind him, happily carrying his own bags, and he rolls his eyes when their gaze locks for a second.

Dr. Tarol smiles brightly as he walks through, shades hiding his face, hair dyed white now, and Jayce watches it all happen in slow motion. 

He walks down towards him, arms ready to take his bags, when someone bumps into Dr. Tarol. His glasses fall first, then suddenly, almost half the people in the station start running, shouting over each other as they pin him down. 

A familiar scent, one that he had smelled on Viktor yesterday, wheezes past him, and the flurry of dark blue hair finally lets him connect the dots. But everything's happening too fast, too much, the noise is too jarring in his head. There's a ringing in his ears, and he's getting agitated again. What is Caitlyn doing here? How did she know? 

Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Dmitri try to escape, taking the bags as he slinks through the crowds, then makes eye contact with Jayce again. Time slows down again, but this time, as soon as Dmitri turns around to run for the door, Jayce is already on the move. He gets to him before he could even reach halfway to the doors, and tries turning him around. He's breathing heavily, eyes seeing red, hair on end. It feels like his heart is beating so fast it's going to beat out of his chest, as if it hasn't stopped beating this fast since he first saw Dmitri over a week ago. 

Dmitri fights back, kicking as Jayce tries to turn him around, and then punches him straight in the jaw. He sees white, the pain slightly disorienting, and then Jayce raises his own fist. 

“Stop.” Someone says, but Jayce can't hear anything. They're still shouting on the other side, still trying to get Dr. Tarol to stay still, and Jayce has punched Dmitri maybe four times now. He's not even counting. 

“Jayce, stop!” He can't hear the voice calling for him, he doesn't really feel like he's even there, tethered to the world. His eyesight is red, Dmitri is still fucking moving, the noise is still too fucking loud- can someone just shut them up, please?! 

“Jayce!” Viktor says, and he's holding Jayce's shoulder now, moments away from punching Dmitri again for the nth time. He looks up, and Viktor's expression is pained, his eyes drooping and his mouth downturned. 

He looks down to Dmitri, who's still slightly struggling against him, bloodied and scarred, and then he's suddenly aware of the people around them. Civilians. Oh. There were still people who were civilians, children and mothers and fathers and friends and cousins and gods they all saw.

“Thank you, Jayce Talis, for helping the enforcers catch the other half of the dangerous criminals that fled Piltover a while ago! Because of your help, the streets are safer.” Mel says, behind Viktor, and he vaguely realises that it was Mel's voice that had called out to him first. He hears people clapping, cheering on, before they start being ushered out by enforcers.

He nods, then enforcers flood him as they finally handcuff Dmitri and stand him up straight. Caitlyn rushes over, all the while barking commands to the other enforcers as they clean up the mess left. 

“Jayce, are you okay?” She asks, and he simply nods again. The three of them exchange looks, knowing looks, and then Mel clears her throat. 

“I'll make a public statement about this. Viktor, go back to the lab. You shouldn't be seen here anymore than you already have been. Caitlyn, take Jayce with you to the enforcers station, and get his wounds on his hands cleaned up. We will reconvene the day after tomorrow.” She says, then hugs Jayce tightly before leaving the two. 

Jayce looks at Viktor, but he reads his mind before he can even say anything. 

“I'm fine, Jayce. I had told Sky to wait outside with a carriage.” He says simply, and Jayce is still confused on what is actually going on. 

Caitlyn holds his hand, bloodied as it is, and leads him towards a place with a sink. She helps him wash the blood off, then guides him to a carriage with her. He waits in the carriage for a little over half an hour before Caitlyn comes back again, then heads over for the enforcers station. 

--- 

“Come and sit through here, Jayce.” Caitlyn says, then puts a glass of water in front of him. Jayce doesn't drink it. 

He had already been attended to, hands now covered in bandages. If he were to be honest right now, Jayce is currently not here. He's still stuck at the train station, hands red and sore, eyes barely able to see through what would've been tears if not for his anger alone. And, even more than that, he's buried underneath the shame. Underneath the knowledge that he had been caught doing something illegal and, worse yet, had proved himself dangerous in front of everyone. 

He'd proved, more to himself than anyone else, that he was right. That Dr. Tarol was right. He would never amount to anything, he would never be able to do anything because his careless mistakes would always define his life. And he had made mistakes after mistakes, countless times, with Viktor, with his life, with his mother, his friends, his studies… 

After his first apartment exploded due to his experimentations, Mel had to be the one to help clear his name. Now, when he exploded again, it was Mel who covered and saved him. Gods, where did they all even come from? 

He was shaking, damn, he knows he is. He feels cold, and stuffed, he feels hot still, like the sweat is pouring over his skin like rainwater and then cooling too slowly, leaving him breathless and aware of every droplet dripping down his skin. He's probably going to be put in jail for this, for inviting a dangerous man into Piltover with his letter that has his seal and his signature. 

And Cait’s no fool. Caitlyn, and only Caitlyn, knew exactly who it was that had tutored Jayce all those years ago. She knows he's implicit. She knows that it's over for him. 

She sighs, and reaches out her hand to Jayce. He flinches, eyes looking shamefully to the ground. Everything has happened so fast, he can barely even remember the carriage ride over. What was the colour of the seats? He had been so fixated on them beforehand. He tries to look as less guilty as possible, but his body isn't even cooperating. It's given up on him. He's given up. 

“Listen, Jayce, I think you're overthinking this. Before your head runs a mile a minute, can I clear a few things up? Look at me, Jayce.” She speaks softly to him, then takes his hand despite the initial flinch. He doesn't flinch this time, instead looking up into her eyes, and a tear rolls down his cheeks. 

Wonderful timing. Just what I needed to make myself not look guilty. 

What is he even going to tell her? That he knew? He knew he could get in trouble, could get removed from Piltover, and still signed the letter like a fucking idiot? 

“Jayce, please. Your attention on me. Hold both my hands and breathe.” Caitlyn's voice is higher now, as if she's starting to panic a little. He doesn't want that, doesn't want her to know that feeling when you're slowly losing control of a situation. So he follows her orders, holding both her hands and giving her whatever little attention he still currently has. 

God, she's so young. 

“Jayce. You are under my jurisdiction and I ordered you to write a letter to Tarol so that the enforcers and I can intercept him at the train station and finally catch him, isn't that right?” She says, nodding her head slowly. 

Jayce blanks out. 

He doesn't understand anything, but Caitlyn squeezes his hands and nods slowly again. 

“...yes.” He almost whispers it, hesitant at what's going on. 

“Right, and you helped us catch Dmitri, who had previously broken rules from the academy and instead of serving out his sentence, ran away to work with Tarol, earlier at the station, yes?” Caitlyn asks again, and Jayce feels like something similar to an idea is clicking in his head.

“Yes.” He responds, but he's trying to understand how Caitlyn even knows any of this. 

His brain is too fogged, body too heavy to even want to think of connecting everything together. 

“Good. That's all they need from you. Come to my office.” Caitlyn says as she stands up, then walks out the room. 

He vaguely realises it's an interrogation room, then watches as other enforcers in another room exit it as well. They clap their hands behind his back, congratulating him on catching a criminal ‘the enforcer way’, and Jayce almost pukes at the comment. Caitlyn glares at them, then gives them orders to start doing their jobs. 

He hovers at the door in Caitlyn's office, small still since she's not yet quite a high ranking, only a vice captain, but a massive feat for someone who's not even 22. 

“Take a seat, Jayce. You're no stranger here.” 

And he's not a stranger, not really, when he's come here from time to time to ask Caitlyn on the ethos of experimentation or when Caitlyn would ask for him from an enforcer and make him think something bad has happened but she only wants to talk about the girl she's been seeing who's giving her white hair faster than her mother. He sits down on his favourite chair, and he tries to make himself feel less like a stranger, not just in Caitlyn's office, but in his own skin too. 

“Jayce, there's a lot to talk about.” Caitlyn starts, then pulls out a file. 

“What's that?” Jayce asks, and it's the first sentence he feels like he's said out loud by himself since the morning when he had breakfast with his mother. It feels like that same morning was now lightyears away. 

“These are files we have on Alixier Tarol. Jayce, you… weren't the only one. The documents he wanted to get from his old abandoned place? They were diaries of children that he has-” and then Caitlyn takes a breath, stands up, sits down again as she breathes out, “that he has abused. It's- it's a cycle, all alpha kids, he ‘tutors’ them, then starts abusing them slowly until they get dependent on him, until his scent is all they’re trained to think of. After that, he uses their name and title to get what he wants- riches, houses, anything.” 

Jayce looks at the files. He doesn't feel himself blink. 

Caitlyn continues in his silence. 

“Alongside the diaries were all his entries of his other crimes, because he's apparently an idiot like that. Fuck, he even took pictures-” 

“What?!” Jayce is starting to panic. 

Pictures? He doesn't remember pictures. But then again, he often shut off whenever Dr. Tarol started touching him, he was too afraid to look, too afraid to run. He stands up suddenly, looks for Caitlyn's bin, then runs to puke inside. 

She stands up and quickly gets to his side, pulling his hair out of his face. She yells out for an enforcer to grab a bucket, and then makes the enforcer throw the entire bin away. Once Jayce is seated again, she takes his hand. 

“Jayce, the diary on you was the latest, and last one. It also seems to be… incomplete. I'm guessing he was going to use you more after you got accepted into the academy. But then one of the kids reported him to his father, and that father is the best friend of… Councillor Hoskel. After that, Councillor Hoskel sent out an arrest warrant for him, and he escaped.” Caitlyn shows Jayce the full timeline, but Jayce is simply looking at the words. 

He can't read. He can't even think. 

“My diary?” He asks. 

“All the diaries have been taken to be used as evidence against him in court-” 

“Cait, no, no, please. This can't get out, please.” He begs, and fuck if his mind isn't now just starting to catch up with everything. 

“Jayce… you could be up there, helping to make sure that he gets the sentence he deserves-” 

“Cait, no one else but you knows what he did to me. No one else, right?? Please tell me no one else saw. I can't- no, I can't do that, my mother can't know please Cait-” He gets on his knees and Cait stands up quickly, scowling as she pulls him up. 

“Okay, fine, fine, just please sit down. How are you feeling right now?” She asks as she sits on her desk, in front of him. 

“Like I'm ready to meet my father.” And he tries to chuckle and make it a joke but the words land heavy and he knows they're too true to laugh at. 

More things start clicking into place. 

“How did you guys know about Dr. Tarol coming here?” 

Caitlyn looks to the side, then sighs as she stands up again. 

“Look, I thought you might not want the book to be made public knowledge, so I ended up giving it to the only other person who knew about Dr. Tarol, and knew his identity.” She says, and looks at him once before looking away again. 

“Who?” Jayce asks, because as far as he's aware, only Cait, only she knew the identity of his abuser. 

“Viktor.” 

Jayce blanks out again. An indescribable pain hits his head hard, and he hears Caitlyn scream out for him. He blinks, suddenly aware that he's at a wall, and his head hurts, a lot. 

“Jayce, please! I think, this is a conversation you need to have with Vik-” 

“Did you tell him?!” Jayce holds her arms and gods, she's shaking, she shouldn't be afraid like this, she's just a girl. She's his little sister, his sunshine, his light when everything around him was dark. 

“I didn't! I swear! Talk to Viktor, please!” She doesn't try to get away from him, doesn't hit or scratch him, just lets him grab her arm tightly, then Jayce is letting go and pulling her in a hug. 

“I'm sorry, I'm so sorry Cait, I didn't mean to-” 

“It's okay, Jayce. Just… you need to talk to him, okay? It's better if the story comes from his side.” 

He nods, and feels relief at her spreading her scent, despite being an alpha, despite that making his skin get goosebumps. He relaxes into her hold, and finally lets some tears fall.

Ten minutes later, he's in a carriage called over by Caitlyn, and is heading towards the lab. 

--- 

Chapter Text

Jayce doesn't go to the lab. 

Instead he redirects himself to the private gardens in the academy. He goes there often when the weather is nice and he wants to reflect on his life. Often, he has something to eat, papers to complete of their recent experiments to send to the council, and sometimes a very unwilling Viktor who complains the whole way about walking to that specific garden and then not wanting to leave for hours after they've gotten there.

They've been so busy the last couple of months that they haven't gone there in a while. The flowers aren't in bloom anymore, but the trees and bushes are a lush green, still wet from the rain earlier. He doesn't know when it stopped raining, but he's grateful that the clouds look like they're about to run away. He mindlessly bought a bun from the cafeteria, a drink in his hand, and he sits at the fountain at the deepest part of the park. He sighs out, breathing in the smell of petrichor. 

Somehow, he spends an hour there, food untouched, his mind running a mile a minute. 

How does Viktor know? Did Caitlyn tell him after all? Did he connect the dots, the way that Jayce responded to Dr. Tarol a dead giveaway for anyone who knows? And what did Dmitri do anyways that would warrant him running away? 

He feels so left in the dark, but a singular question was still burning in his mind. 

Pictures. 

He flinches, as if someone has burned him, and breathes out loudly. It was brighter now, but the clouds were still persistent. He was aware of too much, unable to ignore things into the background. The shrill of the birds, the sound of trees rustling, the sound of footsteps getting closer to him and- 

Footsteps? 

He turns to where the sound is coming from, and his heart squeezes as Viktor comes into view, a bag over his shoulder, and a plastic bag with the emblem of their favourite fancy restaurant two streets away on it. Jayce wants to run, he doesn't want to face how Viktor knows, what else he knows. There's too much shame, too much guilt, too much cowardice that he still hasn't engaged in yet, and he wants to face Viktor's face when he's stronger. When he's healed, and he can tell him to his face the full truth of what happened to him. 

Viktor sits next to him, putting the bag of food in between them. He doesn't say anything, only opens the bag and rations the food. Noodles, beef, chilli on the side because he can't handle it but he knows Jayce can. He opens another box, honey chicken, the one that Jayce loves but can't eat too much of because it gets stuck in his teeth, then another box with fried vegetables.

Viktor looks straight at him, nods towards the food, then grabs his own plate and starts eating. Jayce follows suit, taking a bite from his food. His stomach rumbles, was he always hungry? It feels like it's been hours since breakfast. They both eat in silence, finishing up their food and drinks, then Viktor sighs and starts removing his leg brace. He sinks into the bench, resting himself on it. Jayce watches as Viktor closes his eyes as his head rests on top of the bench, head faced up. 

He doesn't understand what exactly is happening, but he's not going to stop Viktor from doing what he wants. So he watches instead, notes the way Viktor's chest slowly rises and lowers, the way his fingers sometimes twitch at his sides, his eyelids firmly shut, his mouth in a thin line. He has the urge to kiss him again, like he does every second of the day, but this time he feels too weak to fight it. He leans in closer, and Viktor opens his eyes abruptly. 

It takes Jayce by surprise, leaning away quickly, and Viktor smiles slowly. 

“How do you feel?” He asks, sitting up now, fingers finding his and intertwining them. 

“Full. I didn't realise I was hungry.” Jayce responds, and just talking to Viktor feels like a weight is lifted off his shoulders. 

“I lo- I… care about you, Jayce. And I'm sure you have questions, but I'll tell you everything, and then you can ask questions later, okay?” Viktor squeezes his hand, and Jayce already has a question. 

What was he about to say? 

Maybe he's overthinking it. 

He nods, squeezing Viktor's fingers in his and then tries to force a smile. Viktor's tired smile rests heavily on his face. They're both trying for each other. 

“I guess I already had my suspicions from the day we met Dr. Tarol. It sort of became more and more obvious when we were in the lab. Your scent became acidic for only a split second before you withdrew it all together, as if you were hiding.” Viktor breathes in, holding Jayce's hands tight. 

“The night we left, I accidentally forgot the vials of shimmer. I was supposed to take them with me, remember? So that it's in a safe space instead of with other equipment. Well, I actually… convinced Dmitri to turn around almost immediately.” Viktor's breath becomes unsteady, and he coughs, leaving Jayce's hands to cover his mouth. Jayce puts his hand on Viktor's back, rubbing it in small, soothing circles. Viktor returns to him a grateful smile. 

“I told him to wait in the carriage whilst I went back inside the lab. That's when I saw Dr. Tarol. I thought I'd ask him a couple questions about the shimmer, but he looked so… odd. Like he was sneaking in to his own lab? It felt wrong, so I followed him slowly.” He continues, and as Jayce slowly starts to click everything together, Viktor takes his hands again. 

“You heard us.” Jayce states. This time, he feels the food coming back up quickly. 

“Jayce, please know that what I heard doesn't change any-” 

“I didn't cheat! I swear- I passed those exams by myself and-” 

“Jayce. I know. You've proven yourself excellent and even more intelligent than most of these so-called scientists in, hell, in all of Runeterra. The academy was never going to refuse you, not you.” Viktor grabs his face now, pulling it down to his face. “You're not only going to have a great future, you already are great, in every possible way that matters. As a man, as the Talis Head, as an alpha, as a scientist, friend, partner.” 

Jayce doesn't realise he's crying, not when Viktor's stare is so intense, amber eyes scorching everything they touch and healing every crack formed in Jayce's heart. It almost feels like a confession, but Jayce knows it isn't that; it's far more than that. Viktor understands him, in ways that no one else does, and only his opinion matters. 

Not Dr. Tarol’s. 

Not anyone else's. 

Viktor rubs the tears away from his cheeks, a smile forming slowly. 

“Besides, didn't Miss Kiramman tell you the real reason he left? What he said to you was all a lie.” 

Jayce sniffs, trying to move his head back, but Viktor holds him firmly. He feels like he still has questions he needs to ask, but he quietens down his cries and relaxes on Viktor's hands. He's certain Viktor's actions were in the best interest of him, but he still can't bring himself to fully trust that belief. 

Eventually, Viktor lets him pull away, and Jayce stands, walking around Viktor restless, before pacing in front of him. 

“You have questions.” Viktor states, putting his other bag on his lap and adjusting it so he stays comfortable. 

Jayce suddenly realises that Viktor removed his brace so that he can't leave; if Jayce wants to leave, he can. But Viktor won't be able to. He's trusting Jayce as much as he can, giving himself to be questioned by him and unable to leave until Jayce allows him to. Jayce sighs out, pulling his hair softly before stopping a few paces away from Viktor. 

“I have many. I… How did… Who-” 

“Relax, Jayce. No one else is coming here, I locked the gates.” Viktor says, jingling the keys in front of him. “We're alone, you can ask every question you want.” 

Jayce breathes out, feeling his shoulders slump. 

“Who else knows that Dr. Tarol… to me…” He hopes the question is understood, and Viktor nods as if understanding him. 

“No one knows the full details, Jayce. Miss Kiramman said that the only reason she knows the diary isn't completed is because it was open to an empty page, presumably before he had to run. She gave the diary to me in secret, and I never opened it either. Only me and her know who it is, but no one else on this planet knows exactly what happened.” Jayce realises that Viktor's scent has receded, and despite understanding how that gives him privacy and full autonomy over his own thoughts and feelings, a small part of him hoped that he could smell it again. It always calmed him down. 

“What about Mel? And Sky? And how did Caitlyn know about him coming back? How did you tell her so quickly? Is that where you were going with other alphas-” 

“Jayce, one question at a time. To answer the first few, Jayce, you have my word that no one else knows. Not Mel, and not Sky. I had only asked Sky to help me catch a carriage and to reserve it for the ride back. And Ms Kiramman asked Mel to be at the train station for you, but we never told her anything other than that. Everything she did, was of her own accord, to damage control in case things got out of hand.” Viktor speaks slowly, as if missing a syllable meant that Jayce would misunderstand completely. 

He feels as if heavy rocks have been pushed off his shoulders. He's crying again, fuck, he sees Viktor try to stand up to him but he puts his hand up and motions for him to sit down again. 

“Tell me exactly what happened after you found out, that night.” 

Viktor breathes in, holding his crutch tighter, then exhales. 

“I immediately wrote to Miss Kiramman. I told her that I found Dr. Tarol, and that he would be coming back to Piltover at some point. After we arrived, when you went to your mother's, she passed by the lab. We talked about what we'd do. But neither of us expected that you'd be sending the letter so quickly. We were going to include you in our plans to bring him to justice, but we ended up having no time. Miss Kiramman was able to secure just enough enforcers, and having them out of uniform approved by her captain, the morning of Dr. Tarol coming here. Everything was short notice, including telling you. I waited outside the lab to tell you everything this morning, but you didn't show up. I assumed you went straight there, so we did too.” 

Viktor breathes out as if he spoke all of it one breath. He watches as Jayce nods at every new point happening, and the part with Caitlyn suddenly makes full sense. They wanted to make sure he had an alias, but it was too late to ask him, so they simply included him? 

“That's all they need from you.” 

He wonders if Caitlyn had been able to get the captains approval on Jayce being part of the plans, or if this was another one of Caitlyn going ahead with risky things and then apologising later. He'd have to thank her for it, preferably at some point weeks from now when he's in a much better position. For now, he can't stomach facing her again, or anyone else for that matter. 

“I wish you would've told me anyways.” Jayce says, looking away ashamedly. He's happy, of course he's happy, he doesn't have to house Dr. Tarol in his house. He doesn't have to stay with him, ever. Most likely the rest of the shimmer will be given only by Dr. Reveck.

But it still felt like he was lost, like he was left in the dark with no light and only one guiding voice telling him where to go. It didn't matter if that voice was Viktor's, or Cait's, or Dr. Tarol's, or even his mother's. It was still only just one. And it didn’t belong to him.

“I… am sorry, Jayce. That… was due to my own cowardice. I had opportunities to tell you, few that they were, and yet I still was afraid that you'd…” Viktor trails off, biting his lip. 

“Refuse?” 

“Panic. I know you'd have panicked, and I know you would've eventually accepted, but I'm not sure how you could've been leading up to the actual arrest of that man.” Viktor practically whispers it, and Jayce knows he's right. 

When he had found out that Dr. Tarol was on the run, enforcers had all but begged people to come forward if they knew anything that could help them. Jayce had wanted to, had gone there, in fact, and only a few paces away did he start to hyperventilate. He never walked through those doors, never said anything that could've helped, because he was too afraid, too gripped by his own shame to even admit it. 

Would Jayce have done the same thing, then? Would he have been unable to walk through the train station doors and wait for Dr. Tarol and his impending arrest? Would Jayce have been able to even leave his mother's house this morning without crying and vomiting his breakfast all over the floor? 

Jayce pulls at his hair again, and Viktor grunts. He looks like he wants to run over to Jayce, but stays put, crutch held tightly that his knuckles have turned white. A thought suddenly occurred to Jayce. 

“Can you feel that?” He asks, and Viktor nods weakly. 

“I can feel your pain, Jayce. I'm so sorry.” Viktor states, and it almost reshapes everything that has happened since the bond. 

Jayce could feel Viktor's pain, especially during their cycle, so why has it never occurred to him that Viktor could feel his pain also? 

He stops pulling his hair, letting his hands drop, and then walking back to Viktor. 

“My mother will know, won't she?” He asks, and Viktor looks away. 

He breathes out as he finally opens the other bag, trembling fingers pulling out a book that was dusty on the outside. It had a green webbing design, the pages full and thick until about ¾ of the way of the book, and two letters on the front of it, written ‘J. T.’ 

Jayce feels nauseated. 

He has seen that book.

Every single damn time that Dr. Tarol had come for the extra lessons, from the very first fucking day, he's had that book! He would always say it's to write down what he is to teach in every lesson, what Jayce has learnt, and how to move forward. He was always holding it, showing off the cover to his own mother and saying, “This holds the key to your son's future. Everything I need to help him is in this book.” And she'd laugh and clap! 

Oh, Jayce zips to the other side and vomits out everything he's eaten. 

“Jayce!” Viktor hisses out, then this time, stands up with his crutch, despite his missing leg brace. He hops towards Jayce, leaning on him far more than he should, but the weight is welcome. 

Viktor holds his hair back, scratching small circles into the back of his head as Jayce cries into his own vomit puddle. How pathetic it must be to see one of the Men of Progress cry like this, succumbing to something as simple and small as a book. He thinks of all the times he'd wanted to peak inside, only to be stopped by Dr. Tarol each and every time. He cries harder, and Viktor holds him, eventually lying down with Jayce on top of him, legs to the side, crying into his chest. 

He thinks of all the times that the book remained open, pencil in hand instead of pen, scratches heard in the silence whilst he did the equations that Dr. Tarol would give him. He's slightly more of an artist now than he was ever before. He knows the sounds of drawing on paper. 

He thinks of when Dr. Tarol once left the book on the table, excusing himself to go to the toilet. He thinks of when he got the temptation to open it, to find out what was truly inside. Was he doing well in is tutor lessons? Why didn't Dr. Tarol show anyone this diary? He had touched the diary, felt it's edges on his fingers, even held the book at some point, but he had never opened it. 

If he had, would he even be in this position right now? 

Eventually, he calms down again, and looks to Viktor, who’s spotting a strained smile. 

“Vik- your leg-” Jayce starts, and Viktor shushes him softly. 

“Nonsense. It's nothing compared to this. Compared to now.” Viktor says, but he still accepts the help as Jayce practically carries him back to the bench. 

Once he sits down, Viktor grabs the diary and puts it to his chest. 

“If I give you this, what will you do?” Viktor asks, and his eyes narrow as if trying to detect lies. 

“I'll… I probably won't read it? Maybe I'll put it somewhere-” 

“No, I meant, what will you do?” Viktor tries again, and this time, Jayce gets it. 

What will he do? If somehow, he opens it, and confirms all that he fears is inside, he might need to be admitted to a hospital or else he'll most definitely try to be non-existent from the world. 

Jayce thinks hard about it. He won't be kind, that's for sure. Maybe he'll read it and blame himself even more. Maybe he'll convince himself that Dr. Tarol only saw his signs as a way for him to accept what was happening to him, and make excuses for him again. No, what if he relives everything again? What if he starts getting nightmares, and starts sleepwalking again? He already slightly did that earlier with Cait- walking up to a wall and hitting his head on it without him even registering it. His head hurts less now, thanks to a soothing balm Cait gave him before he went, but he wonders if that'll get worse. 

Jayce doesn't want Viktor to see him like that. Gods, Jayce doesn't want Viktor to see him at all right now. He feels sore, vulnerable and frayed at the edges, exposed in a way that sells freedom as captivity. He could make sure that Dr. Tarol never sees the light of day again, but he's so afraid of having to face him again that he may as well never exist to him. He doesn't want to see him, he doesn't want to interact with him, and god only knows how much he doesn't want his mother to know. 

But if this goes to court, which Caitlyn seems to want it to, then everyone will know. 

“I don't know.” He answers, and it's true. He doesn't know what he'll do. But he knows he'll be worse off with it. “You didn't give me the choice of taking him down, but you want me to decide what I do with myself? Why don't you decide for me?” 

Viktor's quiet, silently staring as Jayce fidgets. He'd much rather someone else make the decision, because Jayce is a coward that way. He knows that if Viktor had asked him to join the plan, he'd have immediately said no. He knows that this plan wouldn't have gone through. It's a sick feeling, knowing that he would have been complicit in hiding such a horrible human being- even if he didn't know that Dr. Tarol had done this to many other children. 

And fuck, wouldn't that have been selfish? If Viktor had never done it without him knowing, if Jayce had adamantly refused, wouldn't he have taken away those children's right to have their problems come to light? To have a monster finally locked up, free from his torment? 

Jayce sighs as he curls in on himself. Each question hangs over him, pushing back the weight he had just removed onto his shoulders. Something about the way that Viktor stays silent irks him, maybe the bond feeling as if he's being rejected. And it's fading, too, the bond. Quieter now than it ever had been, a thrumming thing that only allows its existence in Jayce's mind through tandem waves. He wonders if it's different for Viktor, who actually has the bite. If it hurts when he turns his neck, if it burns whenever Jayce rejects his advances.

What is he doing? The bond is the last thing to think about right now. 

Viktor sighs, then holds the diary even closer to his chest.

“Your mother will know. Miss Kiramman is planning on taking this to court, and make sure that he's locked up forever. Even if your name isn't there, even if the diary isn't there, she will surely connect the dots, and know.” Viktor starts, and Jayce flinches at almost every word.

Of course she would. Jayce sniffles as he tries to repress his cries. How would he even begin to explain it? How would he face her, knowing that he hid this from her since the very beginning, left her to tease him on his bites without her knowing who it was? It broke his heart, even more, to realise that he doesn't truly know how she'd react. Weren't they always close? The idea of her finding out has never been entertained by him, never truly been thought of more than fleeting moments in his life. 

She'll know. Of course, she'll know. 

“But no one has to know anything. Not even her. No one has to know the truth, no one has to read the diary, Jayce.” Viktor continues, and then goes to hold his hand this time. “Let's burn it.” 

Jayce looks at him, eyes wide with shock. His heart speeds up, hammering in his chest at the prospect of burning it. 

“What?” Jayce asks, despite the fact that he's already understood him, already began to accept the decision Viktor made. 

“You can keep it, of course. But if you want my opinion, then let's burn it. No one has to know what that rancid man was thinking, or doing, whenever he was with you. Not the enforcers, not the courts, not me and especially not you. His thoughts are not worth your time, your energy, or your self-worth. Let's burn it, Jayce.” Viktor urges, and finally, for the first time that entire day, Jayce smiles. 

Fully smiles, he feels his cheeks pull up with his lips, and before he can stop it, he starts to laugh. Really laugh. It takes him by surprise, truly, the whole ordeal almost consuming him, being ended with one simple motion? 

Let's burn it. 

There would be no evidence. He would have plausible deniability. Even if his mother questioned him, Jayce could say that it never happened to him; after all, the only proof is there, in Viktor's hands, and soon enough, maybe in ashes, thrown into the sea, swallowed up by the deep blue and stored at the bottom in endless sands. Maybe the pages will burn faster than the actual book, maybe it'll all alight at the same time, combusting immediately in beautiful fires of ember and gold, reflected in the very same colour of Viktor's eyes. 

Jayce wants to burn it. He wants to erase anything that connected him to Dr. Tarol, and replace it in its entirety with the life he's led so far. He doesn't want to feel like a burden, heavy in remorse and shame, ridden with guilt and trauma. He wants to let it go, turn up the sparks of the flame if only to make sure it never reignites. 

He eventually stops laughing, looking at Viktor who has a puzzled look on his face. There's a soft blush on his cheeks, his eyes impossibly soft despite the confusion written in them, and Jayce chuckles. He feels lighter, better, sweeter than he ever has. 

“Yes, Viktor. Let's burn it. I want to do it, though. I want to set it aflame and watch it burn. I don't want to read it, or know anything about it. Let's just burn the fucker.” Jayce breathes out, and Viktor sighs in relief as a smile slowly creeps onto his face. 

Viktor puts his brace back on, and together, they walk towards the ocean. They don't go to the pier this time, squabbling about where exactly is best to light something on fire, before they eventually reach a small, secluded area of the beach, surrounded on both sides by heavy rocks. It was still too cold for anyone to be at the beach, but it didn't matter to Jayce. The sun had already long begun to set, and Jayce walks Viktor down to the sands, as far as he could go with his crutch, before having to lean on Jayce instead.

Viktor told a small joke, and Jayce laughed. He doesn't remember what it was, but he knows that for the first time in a couple of weeks, that day he's laughed more than he ever did. 

They sit down quietly as Viktor brings out a lighter. Jayce raises an eyebrow. 

“Do you always walk around with a lighter?” He asks, then chokes on a laugh as Viktor brings out a vial of what smells like alcohol, and Jayce already knows it must be ethanol in it. 

“Are you just a serial arsonist in your spare time?” He asks this time, and Viktor laughs instead. 

“Yes, well, sometimes when you need to burn something, or someone, and you don't have the right tools for it, you get so irritated you can't sleep.” He says it matter-of-factly, and Jayce huffs. 

“So your first thought was to supply yourself with the right tools to become a pyromaniac whenever you feel like it?” 

“Precisely, darling.” 

Jayce laughs, throwing his head back, though he knows it's mostly to hide away his reddening face. Viktor calling him little nicknames other than ‘J’ may actually be the end of him. 

After all, ‘J’ was pushing it. 

Viktor dumps the entire vial onto the book, and then hands the lighter to Jayce. He shrugs, then inches away from the book as Jayce did. 

Jayce looks at it, drenched in the liquid, the waves trying but failing to touch its edges. If there was anything he wanted to know, for example, why Dr. Tarol did it in the first place, somehow, Jayce knows he won't find it in there. He wasn't the first one, and he's glad he was the last, but he knows that there's nothing in there that could bring him comfort. Nothing that could bring him peace, or happiness. Not in the way Viktor does when he scratches his head, or playfully argues with him, or lightly scents him whenever they move past each other. In that moment, Jayce decides that it's time for him to start healing over, to let that man go, to build his life again from the ashes of his old one. 

He turns on the lighter, and breathes out. 

“Here goes nothing.” Jayce says, and then points it down towards the book. 

It instantly catches fire, but doesn't burn as quickly as he'd like. He watches it for a while, watches the edges of the paper start to turn in on themselves, the green decaying and becoming browner with each flame that licks up its skin, and Jayce feels a slimy sort of satisfaction as he watches the ‘J. T.’ get wiped off from the front of the cover. It'll continue to burn for a while, he thinks, so instead, he stands up, walking over to Viktor, and helping him stand up as well. Viktor isn't looking at him, nor at the book, and Jayce looks to the direction that he's staring at. 

“Look, Jayce. Bioluminescence.” Viktor whispers, slightly louder than the crackling of the fire and quieter than the calming waves that reach up the shore. 

“Do you want to see it?” Jayce asks, and Viktor finally looks back up to him. There's a look in his eyes that Jayce can't discern, but it makes him want to hold Viktor close, to shield him from anything else in the world, keep him locked up in his heart and stay there forever. 

“We'll get cold, though. It's best if we come back on a warmer day.” Viktor looks slightly disappointed, and as he tries to turn around with Jayce, Jayce doesn't budge. 

“I forgot to tell you, my mother has asked for your presence for dinner today. You can take a warm shower and change when we're back home again. Let's go in.” Jayce practically demands it, and Viktor clicks his tongue before nodding. 

“I wish you'd have told me sooner. I’d have packed a gift and nicer clothes.” Viktor responds, letting Jayce guide him into the ocean slowly. 

“My mother didn't even tell me that early. She told me this morning. Like she just decided it, even though I know she must've been planning this in the last decade.” He shakes his head, jokingly disapproving, and Viktor laughs. 

“You think your mother can see into the future and knew I'd one day become your partner?” Viktor asks as his toes, void of shoes and socks thanks to Jayce, finally find the sea waves. 

Jayce doesn't answer, already mesmerised by the ocean waves curling around them both. Bright neon blue laps around their legs, then their thighs, eventually their torso as they finally stop at a reasonable distance. Viktor flicks his hands in the water, laughing as the water reacts to the movement. He flicks water towards Jayce, who dodges by instinct, accidentally letting go of Viktor, who toppled over backwards into the ocean. 

Before Jayce begins to worry, Viktor is laughing, fully laughing, mirroring Jayce's own laugh earlier, and Jayce feels wonder and joy fill his heart at the sound of it bouncing on top of the waves. Viktor flicks more water on Jayce to get him just as wet, and Jayce willingly plunges himself into the ocean with Viktor, joining him in his laughter. The water is freezing cold, their jackets are by their shoes on the sand, and Jayce wraps his arms slowly around Viktor's torso, moving nearer towards the shore so they could sit and still be inside the water. 

Viktor gasps at the same time Jayce sees it. 

Huge, slow in speed and graceful in its delicacy, a neon blue form shaped underneath the waves told them of its arrival. A sting ray, or something of similar shape, swims up to them, then around them, painting a path of glowing blue onto them. Jayce feels like he's floating, the waves carrying him and making him feel lighter, and Viktor laughs as he reaches out his hand to the shape. It doesn't run from his fingers, simply stops momentarily before it begins another spin around them. They both laugh, watching the stingray circle them, then it eventually starts to swim deeper into the ocean. Jayce watches it until the blue disappears completely, and feels satisfied. It felt like a good omen, as if he and Viktor had discovered a secret that only the two of them can keep. 

The waves kept creeping higher and higher, so Jayce decides it's time for them to go. When he finally looks back towards their jackets, the shoes, and the book, he finds that the first two things are still safe and dry. 

He does not find the book. He sees the flimsy ash get eaten up by the waves, again and again, as if the ocean is licking up his wounds in an attempt to heal him. He smiles, giggling happily as Viktor leans on him even more. 

He has a long road to walk on, a bumpy sure ride, but he feels as though he's finally out of the cavern that he had based his life in. He feels that he has finally found the exit. 

--- 

Jayce is back in that cavern. 

“And Jayce! You said that Mr. Tarol would be fine if he came back! Why is he being held up by the enforcers? And why is my dearest Viktor wet???” Ximena throws the accusations the moment they step inside, and Jayce sighs. 

“I'm wet too, mama.” 

“That's hardly an important factor, you come back to this house with all kinds of elements sticking on you. Viktor dearest, come this way. Let's get you warm, hm?” She says as she ushers Viktor in, holding his other hand as he accepts the help. 

Jayce feels happy that Viktor lets his mother coddle him; it's something he's always wanted to make sure would happen with his future partner. That him and his mother would get along, and be happy, together. 

Since when did my future partner suddenly get switched to using he/him only pronouns? Oh gods, it's Viktor isn't it- 

“Jayce, my love! Don't stand at the doorway! Go get Viktor a towel and change your clothes!” Ximena calls out to him, and he chuckles. 

Alright, maybe that's too much coddling. Jayce loves his mother too. 

He quickly runs up to get him two towels, one for washing up and one for drying, and then his clothes he used to wear when he was younger, somehow still bigger on Viktor than he'd thought. Once they'd both showered and changed, Ximena placed them in their smaller living room, in front of a fireplace that was lit and kept the room feeling warm and cosy. She brought them dinner, and despite Jayce's insistence in helping, she shut him up with one word and kept going back and forth to the kitchen. 

“So, Viktor. You smell like my Jayce.” She starts, right at the beginning of dinner, making both Jayce and Viktor cough from what they had in their mouth. 

Jayce feels the wine go through his nose. 

“What? What? It's not a bad thing, it's just… I'd like updates about you two from time to time! What- stop staring at your mother like that, Jayce Talis!” She says as she glares straight back at him, then looks over to Viktor, her face changing instantaneously to a much softer, and warmer expression. 

Jayce scoffs. 

“It's quite alright. Jayce tends to… be quite protective of people around him that he cares about.” She starts, and takes a sip of the wine also. 

“Possessive, more-like.” Viktor says underneath his breath, but somehow the sentence is heard by both of them. 

“Yes well, possessive isn't exactly a good light to describe him, especially since he's always striving for the interests of others at heart, hm?” She chuckles as Jayce smiles softly at her. 

“You see these two fingers? Jayce made these when he was around 15 years old, my little genius. It's almost been a decade since, hasn't it? And they work perfectly!” Ximena shows off her prosthetic fingers, and Jayce cringes at it. He's always thinking of ways to improve them, make them feel more comfortable, easier, and beautiful also. 

But the fire in his heart warms at knowing that something he made when he was so young is cherished still to this day. 

“Ah yes, Jayce is blessed with craftsmanship. He made a few of my braces, my cane, as well as my crutches. Honestly, I would still be using my old, almost two decade old ones if it weren't for him.” Viktor says it to Ximena, but the tone feels pointed at him.

It is then that Jayce finally realises why; he can finally smell Viktor's scent. Lovely honey and a slight breeze fills his head, and Jayce responds in kind, spreading his scent out towards Viktor in what he hopes is reassurance. Instead, he's met by his mother clearing her throat and looking at him. 

“Jayce, be a dear and grab us some new glasses? There's this drink from Ionia that I’d like us to try, non-alcoholic, of course…” She starts, and Jayce stands up dutifully. 

He leaves them be, looking for the glasses as well as the drink. He hears hushed whispering that gets quieter, and curses his mother internally for knowing that Jayce's sense of hearing is sharper than most. He looks for the drink, opening their fridge, then the cupboards, then finally finds it in a basket surrounded by fruits and a cake. Jayce smiles, deciding to take the whole basket back, along with the glasses. 

It must've only been about 6 or 7 minutes that he was gone, but somehow, Viktor's chair had been moved closer to his mother's, and she had on a soft expression when she looked at him. She stands up, taking the bottle from the basket, leaving the cake as she tells them to eat. 

After dinner and dessert, she pesters Viktor to stay, and Jayce lays on the sofa as he hears Viktor and his mother talking. Sometimes it is loud, and he hears them gossiping about some of the people at the market, other times it is far too quiet for him to fully listen to, but he doesn't intend to either. Whatever his mother and Viktor talked about, if he was needed, they'd tell him. 

Eventually, Viktor comes back out again, looking at Jayce sheepishly before pointing upstairs towards the bedrooms. Jayce raises an eyebrow, knowing it's the first time Viktor has ever actually slept over, but he follows him anyways. 

“Jayce, your mother directed me to one of the guest rooms but-” 

“No, stay with me.” Jayce immediately cuts off his sentence, and Viktor smiles as he nods.

Jayce gives Viktor one of his pajama shirts that he's only worn once or twice, far too big on Viktor himself, and too constricting for Jayce. Jayce wears instead just the matching pants to the set, and they both settle down into the bed, holding each other as they stare silently. 

Viktor is the first to break away, looking at the room Jayce grew up in. Twinkling lights still shine despite all the other lights being off, and he chuckles at everything his eyes touch. 

“I did not realise you were into magic, J. Wizards and witches, hm?” Viktor says, amusement overlaying his tone. 

Jayce grunts, embarrassed at being seen like this, small and childish, but it's a kind of vulnerability that Jayce allows. Only a handful of people know of his room, mostly because he rarely actually had friends he liked to bring them here. He watches Viktor take in everything, and he feels his heart swell with pride as Viktor looks satisfied at the arrangements of it all. Would a younger Viktor have been just as happy, just as proud as Viktor is right now, looking into Jayce's room with everything he's filled? 

He remembers the posters of his favourite band from when he was 13 to 15 and realises that no, maybe it's better that Viktor gets to see a much nicer, curated version of himself. 

“Your den is beautiful, Jayce.” Viktor says, sighing to him softly. 

Oh, right. This is technically his first den. He hadn't even realised that he had invited Viktor into it, hadn't realised the implications of it at all. There were steps to inviting your omega into your first den, such as, firstly, courting them. 

“Viktor, I- Sorry I didn't mean to-” Jayce starts, and Viktor laughs instead. 

“I'm only jesting, Jayce. But it's true, your space is wonderful. I always feel safe wherever you are, thank you.” Viktor says with a yawn, snuggling deeper into Jayce's chest, and Jayce can't help the smile that breaks onto his face. 

“Jayce… I am so sorry that… I invaded your privacy like that. I never meant to simply stumble upon Dr. Tarol like that, and I swear I would've told you but-” 

“I know, Viktor. It was hard for you also.” A beat of silence goes by before he adds, “Thank you for being strong enough for me when I felt too weak to stand.” 

“You do that for me everyday, Jayce. I can never repay you for everything you've done.” Viktor says, and this time, his voice slurs. “And by the way, you're not coming into work tomorrow, if that was on your list of things to do…” And before Jayce could protest, Viktor was fast asleep, breathing light and slow. 

Jayce couldn't wake him up to argue about it, so he decides instead that he'll simply have to talk to Viktor about it tomorrow morning. 

---

“So your idea is to leave me here alone?” Jayce says as he watches Viktor get dressed with yesterday's clothes, now dried and ironed. 

Viktor chuckles, clasping on the last of the locks on his leg brace, and then standing up experimentally. He looks at Jayce with a smug smile, and Jayce feels the smile threaten to break out of his face. He wills his face to stay still, angry at Viktor for practically putting him on house arrest. 

“It's not like I'm putting you on house arrest, Jayce.” Viktor states, and Jayce has to blink twice to make sure his surprise at Viktor's mind reading doesn't get caught on his face. “You need the rest, and I've been, ah, lacking at work recently. And besides, it's just doing more experiments and tests, no? Nothing bad has happened as of yet, so I should be fine with just Ms Young.” He says, smiling wider in a way to tempt Jayce into smiling back at him. 

He's almost winning. 

“But I want to be back at work. I feel restless. I can't just stay here. Please Viktor.” Jayce tries, but Viktor looks at him with the same look in his eyes that his mother has whenever a decision is final. 

“Again, I'm not locking you up here. You can go wherever you like, you just can't come and work in the lab, Jayce.” Then, as the last final ploy, he walks up to Jayce and takes his face into his hands, leaving small and soft kisses all over his face, his temple, his forehead, lastly his hair, and Jayce doesn't even realise when his mouth had moved to a smile, but it's too late to take it back. 

Viktor sighs happily as he draws circles into Jayce's hair. 

“The competition is in a couple of days. Our doctor told us that we need to stay as relaxed as possible this week, and you've already been shaken up quite a bit. Please rest.” Viktor puts one more kiss into his hair before he grabs his crutch and walks towards the door. 

“Wait! Let me at least walk you out.” Jayce says as he puts on a random shirt he found, then bounces towards him. Viktor nods, and they both go down stairs to meet Ximena. 

Eventually, Viktor leaves with breakfast to go, and Jayce is left alone at his house. 

“You're not alone, I'm right here.” His mother says back, and Jayce realises he said that last part out loud. 

“Is there anything you need done mama?” He asks, and Ximena narrows her eyes in suspicion. 

“Why aren't you going to work?” 

“Viktor won't let me. Something about me needing to rest.” He mumbles, trying not to give too many details. 

His mother walks closer to him, then scents him all over. He slumps, putting his head on her shoulder immediately and whimpers. It's been too long since he got scented by his mother like this, not with worry and concern, but with familial love and comfort. He sighs, hugging her tightly before leaving her. He feels renewed, and she laughs. 

“Now that you look twenty years younger… Accompany me to the market.” She says, and Jayce immediately groans out loud. Viktor left him to do grocery shopping? He'll have to make sure he repays Viktor back, tenfold. 

Once at the market, Jayce pulls a trolley behind him, leisurely walking about whilst his mother talks to everyone and buys what she needs. Half the time, she's advertising Jayce to potential suitors, but then she starts talking about Viktor and something about the way they both light up at his name makes all the suitors walk away in disappointment. 

Not that either of them even noticed.

The day is shining brightly, the breeze cool from the rain the day before, the market is buzzing with people. Jayce stops by whilst he watches his mother try to buy avocados for a cheaper price when someone taps his shoulder. 

“Excuse me, are you Jayce Talis?” A pretty girl asks, a beta it seems, lashes fluttering in shyness. 

“Yes, that's me. Is there anything you-” 

“I knew it! I told you, Laio, it is him!” She cuts him off, and then drags her friend from behind them. 

“We were there- yesterday at the train station!” She starts, and Jayce zones out. 

Oh god, there were civilians. 

He starts to panic, everything that she was saying starting to blur together in a wave of nausea. Something eats at him, pulls him in different directions, and before he knows it, he bows out the conversation (an incredibly odd thing to do for a prime Alpha), then leaves the basket as he stumbles through the crowd. 

There's a buzzing in his ear, and someone is calling his name, but suddenly everything and everywhere is too loud. He's trying to find the way out of the market, he's trying to find his mother in all this mess, but his eyesight is blurring together and his feet feel heavy. 

It's then that he spots it, a newspaper, one clearly of a newsagency that's not popular but trying to gain its place in the city, with his face on it. The headline read, “Piltover’s Golden Boy Catches Criminal; A Hero Born From Ashes.” 

Jayce runs, weaving through the crowd until he gets to a quiet place, a huge fountain obscuring him from everyone else, and tries his best not to heave his breakfast. He breathes in too quickly, exhales too slowly, out of air trying to find a rhythm that works for him, but fails. It's then that he smells it, the familiar scent of chrysanthemums and safety, wrapping around him softly. He doesn't know when she'd gotten there, but he gets pulled in her direction all the same, sinking to his knees when she sits down on the fountain next to him and then crying into her lap. She doesn't shush him, doesn't try to stop him from crying. She scratches his head, pulling his hair softly, humming a lullaby she used to sing for him whenever he was scared, and he finally finds a good rhythm to breathe to again. 

Eventually, he looks up to her, tears slowing down, and she pouts as her hands cup his cheeks. 

“My little baby, you're alright. I'm right here. I promise, I'm right here.” She says, and Jayce lays his head on her lap again. 

“You know, when you were younger and got lost in the market, you used to cry just like this.” She says, then, chuckling to herself, she adds, “Well, a bit more of hitting my leg and demanding where I was and why I hadn't found you despite you being the one who had wandered away.” 

Jayce sniffs, head feeling clearer just from her voice alone. 

“Do you remember what I used to tell you after that?” She asks, and Jayce slightly shakes his head. Truthfully, he doesn't remember much from his childhood. 

“I would tell you, ‘Don’t cry, my little baby. Even if you get lost, there will always be a home for you to return to.’” 

Jayce smiles as he recalls one memory with that exact line. 

--- 

After the market, Jayce opts to stay indoors, but that proves just as useless. He's truly restless, wanting to be tinkering with his hands, wanting to prove himself worthy, to prove himself useful. 

Unfortunately, he truly thrives at that when he's at the lab. 

He sighs as he walks back into the kitchen, listening to his mother with a guest talking in the living room. He had already met her, talked to her for more than half an hour, then excused himself to do gardening duty. Which was about an hour ago, and he was already done with the backyard trimming that his mother had wanted. Technically, he needed to do the front yard also, but a thought suddenly hits Jayce just as he's about to yell out to his mother. 

Viktor said that he's not allowed to work in the lab. He didn't say, however, that he's not allowed to be in the lab. And if Jayce were to be a little bit more honest with himself, he misses Viktor more than he actually misses being in the lab. 

So he makes up his mind, sneaking upstairs to put his clothes into a bag, then downstairs, calling out to his mother that he's working on the front yard bushes now. She answers him without looking, and he slips out the front door. 

When he gets to the academy, he changes in the bathroom to his academy uniform, then goes up to the lab, walking in slowly. Neither Viktor nor Sky hear when he opens the door and walks in, but they certainly hear when the door closes. 

“Ah, Mr. Heime- Jayce?!?” Viktor says, turning around to look at him, surprised. 

“Hi.” Jayce responds, waving at Sky who waves hi back. Jayce goes to sit on the stool before he's physically blocked by Viktor's scent. 

“What are you doing here? Didn't I say-” 

“You said I can't come in and work. You didn't say I can't come in at all. So I came in to watch. No working, just observing.” Jayce nonchalantly replies, and he hopes it's enough of a loophole for Viktor to let him through. 

Viktor eyes him coldly, before he hears the timer going off, then sighs. 

“Fine, you can stay. But if you touch even one blueprint, even if it's to observe, I'm calling security.” 

“Ha, try it. Security loves me.” Jayce sticks his tongue out, and Viktor rolls his eyes. 

“Security are also incredibly bored and would love to do just about anything, including kicking out someone who shouldn't be here.” Viktor snaps back, and Jayce tenses slightly. Sky giggles, and the tension breaks immediately. 

“I won't touch anything, I swear.” 

Which was a lie, because three hours in and Jayce is already prepping for the next batch of experiments to get started, and Viktor has finally figured out the seal for his glass helmet. At some point, Viktor simply lets Jayce be, and they work well into the night. 

Finalising their project was the easiest part for them, they already had everything assembled, and they simply needed to make sure that it works in any circumstances. The containers were easy to follow, easy to use, and easy to show the difference. Their plan was also just as easy; every person at the Distinguished Innovators Competition would show their work at the very beginning of the competition, then it would continue to be shown to judges for up to three hours before the voting closed. 

Three hours was a lot of time, and they decided to have three samples; three plants that would each get harmed at the beginning of each hour, and would show how they became healed by the end. Each plant would be different; one from the ocean, one from the academy gardens, and of course, the original plant as a base for the other plants to be compared with. 

Jayce finishes up the last of the knobs needed the next day before running back to the lab. Viktor greets him, both of them running on four hours sleep in the past three days, and hoping that everything works out. 

Jayce sighs, looking at the time. Viktor's been looking over the blueprints again and again, checking up all their containments, the plants, the vials of shimmer they had. Viktor looks over to Jayce, and calls him back softly. 

“I recently talked to Dr. Reveck. He has agreed to give us full licence over shimmer. If we debut the shimmer and the containment cells at the same time, we should no doubt win the competition.” Viktor starts, and Jayce feels confused at the information. 

“Give us full licence? Why?” 

“All he told me was that he was unable to publish anything physical like this, but if he wanted to use it for his own experiments, it needed to be approved and published. As to why he is unable to do it himself? I… decided not to ask. He's a bit terrifying, that man.” 

Jayce thinks slowly on it, thinking back to what Dr. Tarol had said. 

“Maybe he wants to use it as well? But for what?” Jayce asks, and Viktor nods slowly as he looks at the vials of shimmer. 

“When I left Dr. Reveck, he had a daughter who… I didn't see her when we visited, but he talked of her as if she was still… alive. But, maybe we shouldn't go digging in problems we don't want, hm? We have enough already on our plates.” Viktor sighs it out, resting his head on Jayce's shoulder. 

Jayce hums in agreement, looking at the experiments, all neatly packed away. Truthfully there was nothing left to do now, not with everything already in boxes, unless they wanted to keep rechecking the blueprints and each equation on the chalkboard. 

He stands up slowly, watching as Viktor leaned away from him, look at the very same chalkboard with sleep in his eyes.

“These equations are what we need to cure you, Viktor…” Jayce starts, writing down a small ‘For Viktor' underneath the long list of equations. “Everything that I've written here is for you, and it's all chock full of love.” He states, then looks back to where Viktor was, expecting a response to his confession. 

Instead, he finds Viktor already fast asleep, head on his hand, hand on the table, and back uncomfortably arched in a way that Jayce knew would hurt him later on during the day. Jayce chuckles, the nerves that had skyrocketed being left to fall slowly as he rubbed off what he had just written. A confession dead in the night, between him, the stars, and the chalkboard. 

He curls Viktor into himself and carries him on to the couch, positioning him so that neither brace will give him trouble the next day. He kisses his head, rubbing small circles in his back, and breathes his scent in. 

Tomorrow is the Distinguished Innovators Competition. And Jayce feels it in his bones that he's already won. 

--- 

Dear Dr. Reveck, 

It seems that after your disappearance, I was unable to get into contact with you again until now. I was given this address by a new friend that my partner and I have made, and we are currently stuck with one of our inventions.

You see, the plant ‘Reolina’ seems to offer up answers to questions that my partner, Jayce, and I have. They have seemingly healing properties, however, after our first trial experiment with a containment cell that can extract its healing cells and the process behind it, we can't seem to make it work. I hope this letter finds you in good time as I ask you for your advice. 

We recreated the conditions for the Reolina plant to activate its healing properties, however, we think it may be missing a biological component to it, and since neither I nor my partner are educated enough in that field, I was hoping you could clear this up for us with any suggestions. 

I look forward to hearing your response. 

-V 

--- 

Dear V, 

It indeed has been a while since I last heard from you. Apologies for disappearing so suddenly, I had been in a rush to leave Piltover. I assume you're in Piltover Academy, then, if you're working on such experiments? You were always bright, Viktor, I'm glad that even Piltover could not overlook you. 

In terms of your plants, yes, the Reolina relies a lot on its biological environment for it to start the chemical reaction that helps itself heal. It is similar to other plants I've seen, however, no one else has been able to recreate this process. If you're sure that the plant could work, why don't I come over and see if there's anything I could do to help? I'm sure it'll be easier on you as well. 

P. S. Please address me as Dr. Tarol when writing me letters from Piltover. 

-C. R 

--- 

Dear Dr. Tarol, 

Thank you for your timely response. Is there any reason why I should refer to you as Dr. Tarol? In any case, I do not mind it, as I do not mind you coming here at all. 

Jayce and I were also thinking of creating more of an aquarium rather than a tank for our invention, which would allow it to host fish and other plants to recreate this environment. Please tell me if this is necessary, and if so, we should get to it as soon as possible. 

As for the dates for you to visit, would you mind coming to visit us in five days time? We would be free and happy for you to come over. 

Sincerely, 

-V 

--- 

Dear V, 

The reason I go by Dr. Tarol in official documents is because that is my partner, Alexier’s, last name, as he has decided to take my own name instead. It simply might get confusing for us, though it is a bit annoying in that regard. If I could get back my name and get rid of this official one as quickly as possible, believe me, I would. 

As well, I do not think an aquarium would be useful for this sort of experiment. I believe I may have the solution you will need, although, as you may remember, it might not be the safest solution yet. I'll be able to come by in four days time, given I am sent a letter that requests my presence there in Piltover by then. I will bring all that I can to assist you on this, as well as one of my assistants in the lab.

I hope that this, in turn, lets you assist me as well. If what you are doing is what I think it is, then it'll benefit the both of us to create this invention that can heal people. After all, we all have someone we would like to see get better. 

I hope our interests will align in that regard. 

-C. R. 

--- 

Dear Dr. Tarol, 

I believe our interests will align in many ways. I have decided that we will come to you instead, bringing our inventions on the way. I had wanted it to just be me visiting, but my partner insisted on coming. Do not worry about having to move, we will work in your lab if you see fit. 

We will be there in three days, please write back if you disagree with this arrangement, or do not write back at all if you agree. We have much to talk about, that includes Jayce and I’s invention and use of it, your unorthodox method you have mentioned, as well as your partner, Alexier Tarol. 

I believe that is a name I have become heavily invested in, recently. 

I hope you'll be able to send a carriage to pick us up from the train station. We will be there soon. I am sure we can find a solution to all our problems, in due time. 

Kindest Regards, 

Viktor. 

--- 

Chapter Text

Jayce wakes up with a start. Viktor is already gone, but he can hear vague noises coming from in front of him, and his eyes soon adjust to the lithe form tinkering away at something. He smiles, his heart warming up to waking to Viktor working, and looks outside to gauge the time. The sun is just starting to rise, and he yawns as he stands up, gliding over to Viktor as quietly as he can. 

“Mornin’ sleepyhead…” Jayce starts, rubbing Viktor's shoulder briefly before walking past him. 

“Good morning.” Viktor says, stoic, and Jayce looks back to see what has Viktor so tense. 

He's working on his microscope again, a thing Jayce realises Viktor does when he's incredibly nervous. Jayce goes back to his side, rubbing his back and smiling softly. 

“We'll be fine.” 

“Of course.” Viktor replies, but it's clear he's not truly listening. 

“V, go home and shower. So will I. I'll meet you here in an hour to start loading everything down, okay?” Jayce waits patiently for Viktor's answer, which comes only after a few seconds of silence. 

They both make their way down to their apartments, showering and getting ready. Jayce looks at the clothes he'll be wearing, sighing out loud. They'd be matching, they always have, but Viktor will be wearing Talis red. He breathes out, excitement pouring over his veins. 

This is it. 

This is what they've been leading up to. 

As he passes outside, now clean and ready for the day, he checks his mailbox in case something has been sent to him. A letter he's been waiting for rests inside. A confirmation of the giant encased glass walls had finally been processed. It was now in Piltover, waiting for payment, and, most importantly, a delivery address. 

He feels a bit guilty at thinking about asking Mel now for the funds, but he can hardly wait. This is a large-scale project, fully built to be able to contain at least two human bodies in there, along with litres of water. Even if he had the funds for it, he'd need a Councillor's approval for it even existing in Piltover, let alone their lab. 

He's learned his lesson once at having illegal items in his possession, especially if there's a chance everything could explode at any point. 

Which is almost how every single invention ever has ever been built, but whatever.

He grabs the letter then heads towards the lab. 

Inside, Viktor is already there, red tie untied, fidgeting with everything in the boxes. He'd opened one, looking through the small boxes and softly shaking the vials of shimmer in his hands. He didn't turn to look at Jayce, his expression pensive and afraid. Jayce walked up to him, clearing his throat, and Viktor finally looked back at him.

All at once he was hit with Viktor's smile and his scent. He needs to tell Viktor to stop doing that, one thing at a time or else his heart will explode. 

He looks at the vials of shimmer in Viktor's hand. One and a half bottles left. If all goes well today, they'd be left with at least half a bottle, the other used for experimentation, showing to judges, explaining what it was, how it can be used and how they attained it. All information that Viktor got from Dr. Reveck. They'd be debuting two things instead of one, and with any luck, by debuting the shimmer, they'd also be allowed to use it thereafter. 

“Any luck coming up with names for it?” Jayce asks, and Viktor chuckles, shaking his head. 

“Perfluorocarbon will have to work for it this time around, but the populace doesn't exactly like scientific names. And besides, I think I've grown attached to the name ‘Shimmer’. It's a testament to the way it looks, and easy to remember, no?” Viktor says, his tone still light and airy. Jayce agrees with a hum, looking at the liquid in the vials. In his gut, he feels as though he's looking at the answer to everything that's happened, and everything that's to come. 

“Jayce, any news from-” 

“Yes. The glass is here.” Jayce smiles, and Viktor sighs out in relief. 

“We can get started tonight then.” 

“What, not going to celebrate our win?” 

“We don't even know if we'll win.” Viktor states as he rolls his eyes, but something in him folds. His scent betrays him. 

“We'll win.” 

Viktor smiles, then nods, standing up and walking over to their mirror. Jayce follows. 

“Would you like me to tie your tie?” Jayce asks, and Viktor beams at him, nodding. 

Jayce tries tying it from behind, following the method he knows so well but reversed. It doesn't work, and he ends up cursing and crowding in front of Viktor, blocking his view to the mirror. He was still struggling somehow, but eventually, the tie gave way, and he looked at Viktor's face as he tightens it around his neck. Viktor is already looking at him, eyes soft at the edges, a small, soft smile gracing his lips. There was a faint blush, and a nervous look underneath his eyes, but Jayce absorbs it all in as if it's his own. He silently removes the hair that was stuck to Viktor's face, and Viktor looks down sheepishly, the blush growing, and when he looks back up, Jayce is startled. A fire in those eyes sparkled, something he wasn't expecting, and Viktor started leaning in close. 

No, this wasn't how it was supposed to happen. But the gears were already moving, and Jayce didn't have space to back away. Viktor was close, so close that Jayce could smell the toothpaste he used that morning, and then Sky busted in through the door and Jayce moved away as quickly as he could. Respite. He breathes in quickly, and notices the subtle change of Viktor's scent, rejection, then hesitation, and suddenly it returns to normal. If Sky noticed, she didn't say a thing. 

After Sky helps them pack up their luggage, they step inside the carriage, holding the door for her, and she tsks as she shakes her head. 

“I told you I won't be there at the beginning, didn't I?” She says, and they both panic at the words. 

“What? No, Sky, we need you. You're integral to this, we can't start without you!” Jayce starts, and Viktor follows up. 

“We'd be lost without you. Even if it's only the beginning, please come with us.” 

Sky looks at them seriously before she softens up, chuckling to herself. 

“You guys will do great, I promise. However, as I was the one who got the Honour Prize last year, I have to make a speech early at the beginning. And then, after that, I have to present my findings from my trip abroad, including the Reolina flower I found for the both of you. Don't worry, I'm not stealing your thunder.” She winks, and then crowds in closer to them, offering up her arms. 

They both look relieved, climbing out of the carriage quickly to fall into a group hug, one held together by Jayce's arms. He feels his pride swell, his nervousness tampered by being close to the both of them. Viktor and Sky giggle, and he knows somehow that they're giggling at him. 

“Alright, so what if you two are part of my pack? Get over it.” He huffs out, and then squeezes them tighter, hearing them both gasp and laugh. He can feel it in his bones, today will be great. 

After he releases them from his death grip, Sky bids them good luck and farewell, and she departs to a different carriage already waiting for her. Jayce and Viktor go back inside their carriage, and then it starts. 

It takes about an hour to get to the place where the Distinguished Innovators Competition is being held. Something about the way the carriage was moving kept Jayce on edge, fiddling with their main invention, notching different types of gears tighter. At one point, a gear keeps being loose, and Viktor puts his hand on Jayce's shoulder. 

“You're turning it anti-clockwise, Jayce.” He says with a smile that exhibits anything but confidence. Viktor looked pale, far too pale, and once Jayce finally got the small gear into place, he quickly called for the carriage to stop. 

They stopped just in time, as Viktor practically flies out and throws up on the side of the road. Jayce gets out, holding Viktor's hair as he runs circles into his back. When Viktor looks back at him, there is a glint of amusement in his eyes. 

“How the tables have turned, hm?” He says, and Jayce chuckles before watching Viktor's face become too pale again, and he wretches this time, unable to throw up anything else. 

Jayce brings a wet cloth for him and bottled water, and once they are on their way again, they make eye contact and laugh loudly. It didn't settle their nerves, but it certainly let them have a moment of calm. 

They arrive finally and get some help to move everything, and then finally get to their stall. Viktor's face drains of colour again, looking at where they were put in terms of position. 

They were dead last. 

As far away from the stage as possible, last two to be looked at, last to be judged. By the time that the judges finally get to their stall, they'd be tired, already wowed, and most likely annoyed that they'd be watching only half of the experiment and not the full one that is instant. Their experiment takes time, and by the time everyone arrives, there wouldn't be any time at all. 

Jayce laughs, then looks at Viktor, patting his shoulder. 

“So long as it works.” Jayce says, and Viktor nods solemnly. 

They walk all the way to the back, Viktor's leg clearly making him worse as they stumble through the crowd, and by the time they get to their stall, they both fall into the chairs given. 

“200 candidates? Last year there were only 125.” Viktor says, and Jayce smiles at Viktor this time. 

“You can thank Mel. She quickly organised that Zaunites are allowed to take part in the Distinguished Innovators Competitions from now on. Then she increased the number to 200. Amazing, right?” Jayce says, and Viktor nods, smiling. 

Mel had only told that to him in passing a couple of days ago, but hasn't told him the exact details. He infers the rest from the information he's been given. What a curious way to unite the two cities, through innovation and progress. Jayce knew that something like that would eventually build up into greater things, politics mingling in with a promise of a greater future. He imagines it, then, a Piltover and Zaun nation, not divided by their differences, but united in a shared goal and understanding. Aligned in a tangle of hopes and research and development. 

He looks over to Viktor, who had already started unpacking everything, and feels that it is the correct direction for Piltover to head towards. Who knows what other brilliant minds are out there? 

He joins Viktor in preparing their mini version of their machines, sleek and futuristic, holding the plants, still beautiful, healthy, and undamaged. If they wanted to impress the judges, they needed to show them the entire process, from start to finish. 

Eventually the day gives way, and the clouds that had peeked before are gone, leaving out the soldering sun. They've finalised all they need for the experiments and have been waiting for almost an hour now, the judges still half way through everyone. Viktor is even more nervous now, bouncing his leg and asking Jayce questions about their experiment that they've talked and practiced multiple times. It doesn't help him calm down, and soon Jayce leaves to get them both some drinks to cool down and hopefully relax. 

On his way, he spots brilliant blue hair and white locs bobbing up and down, and instinctively smiles. He was hoping the two of them would be here. 

“Jinx, Ekko, it's lovely to see you two here.” Jayce starts, walking up to them, and they both instantly brighten up. 

“Our favourite Piltie!! After Caitlyn, of course.” Ekko says, and Jinx rolls her eyes. 

“I'm still deciding on that one.” She responds, but immediately flashes back to Jayce. 

“You guys are here too? What are you doing exactly? Anything that could explode?” She asks, and then visibly deflates when Jayce shakes his head. 

“Nothing exploding, sorry Jinx. What do you two have?” 

They both launch into their invention, specialised gas masks that can filter even the thickest of the gas in Zaun at high speed rates, light and durable and in different sizes for anyone to wear, children or adults. Jayce gets absorbed in the explanation of their invention, which then starts to garner more people to listen, and when the judges come half way through Jayce's questioning, they have to restart again and use Jayce as a guinea pig for their masks. 

Not that he has agreed to it. 

“Okay Jayce, are you ready? This is powdered paint, mixed in with a couple things to make it more airable, thinner. Normal gas masks aren't able to filter out this type of thinned out gas.” Ekko says, and Jayce shakes his head worriedly, which earns him a couple of chuckles from the audience. 

He's sat on one of the chairs they had for a guinea pig, high up and away from everyone else. They had him wear a suit over his clothes so that it doesn't get dirty, but his hair is still out and breathing the sun. It's not that he doesn't have faith in their masks, he's seen the math and it has been explained twice and believes that it will succeed. It's just that, well, he doesn't want to have paint all over his head. Still, he's already in it, and he isn't about to put a damper on their experiment shown to the judges for his own selfish needs. 

“3.. 2.. 1! Pull the lever, Ekko!” Jinx screams out, a maniacal laugh pouring out of her, which makes people laugh again. 

Jayce doesn't know what's happened; one moment the day was sunny and clear, the next, he's doused in what seems like red and blue paint. He feels the chair lower as he breathes in and out, unable to see from the glasses of the mask. Then, it whirs, and small little wipers that are attached to the mask swipe over the glasses. 

“The wipers automatically update when the user no longer has any visuals, and it'll also start to warm the air a bit to help calm down the user from panicking.” Ekko explains, and Jayce smiles as his vision returns. 

The first person he sees is Viktor, standing in the crowd as if trying to hide in, but he stands out so beautifully. Jayce takes a sharp breath, watching as Viktor watches him, amusement and awe filling his eyes, and he wants to fling himself into his awaiting arms, thin as they are. He knows he'll never feel more secure than when he's inside them, and he starts to hear a small beeping sound. Viktor's still staring at him, has he even blinked? He's smiling, a big smile he hasn't seen in a while, and Jayce feels his own cheeks start to burn while smiling at him again. The beeping gets louder, and suddenly, he hears Ekko yelling at him. 

“Jayce, my man!! Breathe, what's going on?!” He's almost about to knock Jayce over when Jayce finally exhales, and everyone breathes a sigh of relief as Jayce puts a thumbs up, applause breaking out. 

Jinx hits him on the head automatically as he removes the mask, and he has to compose himself and not smack her back as Ekko shows him off. 

“As you can see, none of the red and blue powder got anywhere near his handsome face. These masks will make it possible for people in the fissures to sustain themselves, especially when mining.” 

The presentation ends with a bow, and Jayce gets tackled by both Ekko and Jinx. 

“Thank you so much! I think we'll win first place thanks to you! Your breathing trick was very neat.” Jinx says, already wiping away the rest of the paint from his hair. He had since removed the suit he was wearing on top of his clothes, and was nodding to everything the two were saying. 

“Though you did scare us. Why did you stop breathing?” Ekko asks, and just as Jayce was about to make up an excuse, Viktor walks to them. He smiles as he approaches. 

“Oh. Nevermind then.” Ekko says, and winks at Jinx. He removes Jinx from pestering Jayce any more as Viktor gets close to enough to talk to Jayce. They both wave at him, then disappear. 

Viktor chuckles, putting his hand on Jayce's hair and shaking it roughly. Red and blue paint still stuck in flitter outwards, and he laughs this time as Jayce gets covered slightly in the colour. Jayce has to remember to actually breathe as Viktor laughs, the sunlight behind him making him almost ethereal, a soft glow on his hard edges. He laughs along with Viktor, and they both walk back to their stall, where the judges were still a ways away. 

After almost another hour of waiting, Jayce turns to the side to see Mel's expectant and excited face, along with four other judges who are now crowding in. She winks at both Jayce and Viktor, and they both walk towards the front to explain their invention. 

Since they barely had enough time, they decided to make a slight change to their plan. Of course, Viktor tried to calm Jayce down about it whilst his own nerves ran, but Jayce was starting to panic about it. Viktor clears his throat, waiting for Jayce to start talking, and Jayce flashes a nervous smile towards the judges. 

“Hello everyone, this year we bring you something that will change the way of life of many people, sick, injured or otherwise. Our invention that we have here is all about healing- anything. From a small scratch, to even internal injuries that need too many complicated surgeries for even a chance of being better, our machine here will be able to do this in less than a quarter of the time normally needed.” Jayce starts, and Viktor opens the three tanks of water, all already having the plant. Viktor speaks next. 

“This is the Reolina plant, which has an amazing self-preservation system where it heals itself whenever it detects that it is injured. It is a quick process for this plant, so Jayce and I thought; what if we could apply this to anything else? Other types of plants, animals, and maybe even humans? Today, we bring you the very answer to those questions.” 

They start first by handing the judges different objects, scissors, a knife, a small hammer, a blow torch, and a small screw. People start to gather around them as Viktor brings out their other two perfectly healthy plants, setting them in front of the judges. Jayce gestures for them. 

“Judges, if you'd please? As much damage as you can.” He says, and at first, they are skeptical, but as time went on, they released a bit of their obvious frustration at the hot day on the plants. 

Jayce and Viktor grin when they see the judges put the objects down, inspecting their work. Jayce had done much worse to some of their plants. The two plants had some burns, cut leaves, damaged stems, weak and cut roots, and Viktor extracts them just as carefully as he did before, placing them in the bowls and connecting their roots to the tubes that connect to the Reolina plant at the bottom. He then opens the last tank with a Reolina plant, taking the scissors, and cutting it straight through the middle till only a small connection is left of it. He grins at Jayce, and they both nod. 

Jayce walks over to the small vials, then holds them up for people to see. 

“These here are perfluorocarbons, a liquid we made that acts similar to blood, but is nowhere near that.” He says, and Viktor quips in. 

“We also call it Shimmer, since it, well, shimmers.” Some people chuckle, and Jayce is thankful for Viktor debuting the name. 

“Yes, we will add shimmer to jump start the reaction, and in an hour when you check back in, you will see that the plants will have not only just partly healed, but fully healed. You may even notice some buds that were stumped may have bloomed.” 

The judges look in awe as Jayce and Viktor add the shimmer to the water, which quickly reacts to it and starts to turn a light purple. It then goes clear again, and Jayce and Viktor say their thanks to the judges and ask if they have any questions. 

Despite it supposed to be a break, they explain their entire journey finding this cure (minus Dr. Reveck), how they intend to help with it, what the perfluorocarbon actually is and how it is made. Before they realise it, there's a huge crowd in front of them, almost the entirety of the participants, and suddenly an hour is up. If they want to make sure they are able to wow them, they need to do the reveal now. 

“Okay, everyone, it's been an hour. You all saw how the plants got damaged, how we added them to the small tanks here, now let's see the results of our invention.” Jayce says nervously. 

They've all been talking to the crowd the entire time, so no one actually checked on them like they had before. He hopes that everything went well, despite knowing that this has worked before, he suddenly thinks that everything is actually going to fail. 

He trembles as he starts to remove the black curtains around the tanks. Viktor holds his hand, nodding at him with a smile, and Jayce gets the courage he needs. He and Viktor open the two plants, then the third one, looking at them first, and then presenting them to the judges and everyone else. 

Silence at first, and then, slow clapping that starts to pick up as people stare in awe. The plants are healed, no longer bearing burn marks, the stems strong and healthy, and even some flowers had bloomed under water. Viktor takes the bowls out, putting them on display for people to look, touch, smell even. 

The judges ask even more questions that they both answer, at awe at the miraculously healed plants, and one judge even breaks off another leaf, then sees light purple run across the cut on the plant until it stops leaking from the stem, and then it goes back to being clear. 

Jayce knows they've successfully wowed the judges, and only hopes that they can win at least top three. After the judges leave, other people come up to them to talk to them about it. 

Jinx throws herself at Jayce, somehow managing to jump high enough for a quick hug. 

“How'd you manage to put violence in your little presentation?? I asked Ekko if we could harvest the grey and dump it on some poor piltie and he almost pulled us out both.” She says as she scoffs, and Jayce laughs. It's clear she's taken a liking to him and Viktor, maybe from the chats they've had with her at The Last Drop. 

“Y'all were good but… I think we're taking the cake here.” Ekko says, and someone scoffs behind him. 

“I think Jayce and Viktor have this in the bag, actually Ekko.” Caitlyn says, and Jayce sighs as he sees her. He hasn't seen Cait since the day at the train station, and he's happy that the next time they met was under happier circumstances. Vi trails behind her, high-fiving her, and Jayce knew that was a sentence that Cait must've learnt from her only.

“What? Do you hear that? Sounds like a Kiramman offering to buy us all lunch!” Jinx says, and Caitlyn rolls her eyes. 

“Well, we should get going then, no?” She asks, and Jinx squeals, taking Ekko’s hand and squeezing past the crowd. 

Jayce and Viktor follow behind after cleaning up, going to finally have late lunch with everyone else. They enjoy Sky's speech and presentation of her notes abroad (which, they realise, she had asked them with help multiple times and they had given her tips and encouragement without somehow realising that those very speeches were for this same day). After she's done, she practically runs at them, hugging Viktor and Jayce and laughing. 

“I saw you guys from where I was, all the way at the back! I had to run to see you, but I was so happy I didn't miss it!” She says excitedly, and finally starts eating with the rest of them. 

As the night draws in and everyone else has packed most of their inventions, the group goes to sit down, somehow at the back again, and Jayce swears this must be a curse. 

“Thank you all so much for coming to today's Distinguished Innovators Competition! We shall at first start with the runner ups!” Heimerdinger starts, and Jayce listens out for their names amongst the seven runner ups. Nothing. 

“And now, for the Honours Position! The Honours Position is a prize given to only one person who invented something absolutely amazing by themself! And without further ado…” Heimerdinger drawls on the winner before announcing their name. 

“Now, for the most anticipated part of the night. The top three! We will start with those who came third… Adam Rue, Nuero Rue and Oli Opin, with their laser guns!” Heimerdinger excitedly goes up to them as they get their photos taken individually, shaking their hands and giving them their medals. 

Jayce feels his heart leap. He had hoped to be part of the top three. Even if they already had Mel funding them, he wanted to get them out there. To get Viktor's brilliance seen. 

“As for the second place, this prize goes to… Ekko and Jinx, with their specialised gas masks! Absolutely incredible!” Jinx screams, a high pitched sound that makes Jayce's ears hurt, but Ekko laughs along with her, running with his hand on hers, matching each other's pace. 

Jayce looks over to Viktor, who smiles sadly, looking at their conjoined hands. He wonders whether Viktor thinks they've lost, or if he simply wants that sort of connection. Jayce mulls over whether or not he should take Viktor's hand, just like Viktor had done before. 

“And finally, for the first place, with an incredible invention that will truly change the world…” Jayce decides, fuck it, he's going to hold Viktor's hand, because it doesn't matter if they win or lose, they have each other, and that's all that matters, “two people with talent that cannot be found anywhere else but their own hands…” Viktor looks back at him, and suddenly nothing else in the world matters. Jayce mutes out the world, feeling his heart beat getting faster as he watches Viktor, eyes of gold soft at the edges, brows drawn, until suddenly, Viktor's entire demeanor changes. His eyes are wide, surprise colouring his face, and it's then that Jayce decides to tune into the world. 

“You won!! Jayce get the fuck up to the stage, you fucking won!!!” Caitlyn screams in his ear, and Jayce jumps up, looking at everyone applauding them whilst standing, and he looks back to Viktor who's smiling so bright that he puts the night stars to shame. 

I want to kiss you right now. 

He doesn't do that, instead, he walks with Viktor slowly, at Viktor's pace, matching each other as the applause stays strong and gets even stronger as they finally reach the stage. Flowers are thrown on stage, whistles and cheers heard from the hundreds of people, and Jayce doesn't even remember what Heimerdinger says to him. He's up there on stage, holding his partners hand as they both hold their trophies, medals adorning their necks, and smiling for a photo. He thinks maybe he cried, because his vision of Viktor gets blurry, but he doesn't care. They're still on stage when Mel walks onto the podium. 

“Today marks the beginning of the union between Piltover and Zaun, with Zaunites here in attendance to the competition, as well as first place being between someone from Zaun, Viktor, and from Piltover, Jayce Talis. May our hopes and dreams of progress reach beyond the skies, our families unite in what should've been a reunion today rather than a union, and,” Mel looks at Jayce briefly, then to someone in the crowd that Jayce believes must be Sevika, “may love be worth the trouble, the fighting, the peace and prosperity that comes after. May love conquer all.” Applause rings again as she goes to stand with Jayce and Viktor, taking another photo of them, then winking as she shoos them off stage. 

Mel's right, he thinks, looking now at Viktor who keeps looking at their engraved trophies, written in the exact order that Jayce had requested if they were to have won, love will conquer all. 

He decides then and there that he will court Viktor after their bond, because he simply can't imagine a world where their love didn't conquer. And Viktor may not feel the same way he does, but that doesn't mean he won't always will. Jayce just has to show him he's capable of it. He looks over to their trophy, and smiles at the small mistake done at the engraving of their names, but for Jayce, it feels like a sign. A good sign. 

The small plaque on their trophy read, ‘Viktor and Jayce Talis.’ 

--- 

Jayce and Viktor stumble into their lab late that night, because of course after celebrating hard at The Last Drop, they decided to go here instead of home. With a sigh, they both release their scents that they had been holding the whole day, and Jayce feels his body flare up as Viktor's content scent wraps around him. Honey and freshly baked bread spreads throughout his space, and he looks as Viktor starts to relax as he takes in Jayce's scent. Jayce smiles, giggling like a kid with the alcohol spreading through him. 

Even after all the drinking, Viktor had somehow refused to dance, saying he was feeling too sick and in pain to do so, but he had clapped and sang along with others. Four of their group had won the competition, and they rightly had as much to drink as they wanted. 

Jayce watches as Viktor pulls out another bottle of champagne that he's only ever seen at the academy balls, and grins wickedly. 

“How'd you even get that?” Jayce asks, trying to sound out his vowels, knowing painfully that he's failing, but Viktor laughs freely at it and he doesn't care about it truly. 

“Last academy ball we went to. Got a guy to smuggle it out for me for a favour.” Viktor wiggles his brows and Jayce frowns. 

“What kind of favour? I hope he didn't ask for anything explicit…” 

Viktor laughs as Jayce's face reddens, and he he hopes Viktor is laughing at his question and not his face. A striking feeling of possessiveness runs through him, and the moment he feels it, Viktor looks at him with smug glint in his eyes. 

“Why? What d’you think I promised?” Viktor moves closer to him, opening the bottle effortlessly. The cork flies somewhere, but Jayce can't take his eyes off of Viktor walking towards him. 

“Something I couldn't give…? Why not ask me?” Jayce responds, and his breathing is suddenly acting up, and he wonders if it's the alcohol influencing him. 

“Oh yes, it's definitely something you can't give… not anymore.” Viktor says, taking a small sip from the bottle, then stopping in front of Jayce, offering the bottle. 

“Well, what was it?” Jayce tries taking the bottle from Viktor's hand, but he refuses, shaking his head, then shoves the bottle in front of Jayce. 

Jayce raises his brow, seeing Viktor still smile smugly, then lowers his head as he takes a sip from the bottle. Viktor pulls the bottle away slowly, and Jayce follows the motion with his head until his forehead slightly touches Viktor's. 

“Do you really want to know that badly?” Viktor whispers it, and Jayce feels like electricity is sparking through them. He tries to pull away, but his head stays right where it was, despite his body taking one step back. 

“Yes.” 

Viktor smiles, leaning in closer, and something roars inside Jayce. Did Viktor bribe a random guy with a kiss for some lame bottle of champagne? He finally pulls away, and Viktor lets the rejection get known through his scent. Jayce huffs, turning around to see Viktor, then crosses his arms. 

“What was it?” 

Viktor giggles again, taking a bigger sip from the bottle, and Jayce suddenly remembers those pretty pink lips wrapped around his- 

“Thesis.” Viktor says after finishing his sip. 

“Wha- what?” 

“He wanted help with his thesis, and since I used to be the assistant to the dean, I gave him some advice. And it's not something you can ask help for, since you're finished your thesis already.” He continues, and then laughs at Jayce's confusion. 

It dawns on him that Viktor had just been playing with him, and he huffs at first before laughing along with him. 

“You're quite the possessive man, Talis. You should've seen the look in your eye, like you were ready to find the poor guy and kill him.” 

“Yeah, well-” 

“Or lock me up.” Viktor interrupts, taking another sip, then offering the bottle to Jayce. 

Jayce considers Viktor's words as hard as he could. Does he want to lock up Viktor, make him his own, never to be seen by anyone else? A thought process he has thoroughly avoided, because thinking of that means he'd do much worse to keep him by his side.

Do you want me to?

He grabs Viktor's wrist and raises it to his face, then drinks from the bottle in Viktor's hand. He doesn't break eye contact, and he doesn't respond to Viktor's words either. Too many things left unsaid, and yet, he thinks that for the first time, the silence may speak louder than words. 

“Dance with me, V.” Jayce says, and Viktor scoffs, putting the bottle down. 

“We don't have music, I'm a terrible dancer, and my joints hurt too much to dance. Didn't we establish this at the club?” Viktor says, but he still puts his crutch aside, and hops over to Jayce, leaning on him heavily. 

“We don't need music. And I'll match your dancing. Plus, keep your weight on me, you don't have to move yourself. Put your feet on top of mine.” He directs Viktor to do so, and visibly laughs when Viktor scowls at him.

“Am I not hurting your feet?” 

“No, these are fully hardened leather. You could drop a metal anvil on them and I wouldn't feel a thing.” And technically, his hardened leather shoes truly are that strong, but he's certainly not wearing those shoes right now. 

“I'll hum us something to dance.” Viktor says, then starts humming a song they both knew. It was the song that played when Jayce finally got his thesis done, a celebratory song that Jayce didn't know the full lyrics to and was appalled at what he had started playing on their recorder in front of his mother.

Jayce chuckles, one hand on Viktor's back and the other holding his hand. 

“Maybe I should hum us a song.” Viktor jokingly pouts, then nods as he smiles wickedly. 

He puts his head on Jayce's shoulder, sighing softly as Jayce hums one of the songs for the waltz usually played at the balls. He moves slowly, letting Viktor be able to predict which way he will go, but most of the moves are just sashays to the side, and sometimes a slow spin. Viktor giggles when it happens, and Jayce delights in the sound each time. 

Eventually they hold each other in the spaces between the darkened spots of their lab, Jayce has stopped humming but hasn't stopped moving slowly, his head lightly resting on Viktor's own. They don't say anything, simply keep dancing as they stay in the moonlight coming through the window. Jayce spots the shimmer, one glass left with barely half of the perfluorocarbon, and sighs. The very first thing they'll do is to put in a request to start testing on animals, then moving on towards humans. They should be able to heal Viktor by the end of that year, if they're lucky. 

Healing Viktor. A prospect that seemed like a dream two years ago, but now they've finally made reality. They're so close, just a couple of steps left. 

A different set of steps also await Jayce. With his decision to court Viktor, he'll ask him the week after the bond is gone. Just to make sure that Viktor won't be still under the influence, even though that influence has been fading steadily everyday. He wants to do the right thing- research courting rituals for Zaun, then find a way to mix them in with Piltover’s courting rituals. He thinks of Viktor wearing a courting gift from him, and he knows exactly what he'll do. A golden arm band with red lining that wraps around it. I'll be simple, useful, and stylish, something Viktor can flaunt whenever he wants, but cover if he needs to. It's exciting, now, to think of all they could be in the future.

“Your heart rate is increasing. What are you thinking about?” Viktor asks, and it breaks the dream he was already flying in. 

“You.” 

“Oh?” Viktor this time raises his brow, and Jayce flushes as he gets misunderstood. 

“No, I meant, curing you-” 

“Yes, I know Jayce.” Viktor chuckles, then snuggles in closer. “Anything else?”

“You're brilliant, Viktor.” Jayce starts, and Viktor chuckles again. “No, I'm serious. You saved me back then, and you keep doing it for me all this time. You're amazing, talented, and so fucking kind, sometimes I wonder what I did to deserve you like this.” Jayce sighs, and Viktor stiffens slightly before relaxing again. 

“If you think I am kind, Jayce, then you are mistaken. You seem to not know me very well.” Viktor says, then Jayce pulls him into a spin. 

“You begged me to leave the salamander that got caught in one of the nets alone and to release it back. You almost cried.” 

“That was one time!” 

“You tell me to leave the windows open so that the spiders can come and leave whenever they want, despite the fact that you hate spiders.” 

“I don't want them trapped in here, with our equipment!” 

“You have kept the drawing of you that Jinx gave you months ago, despite you criticising it everytime you look at it.” 

Viktor stays silent, and Jayce feels the smile start to grow again on his neck, where Viktor had moved and perched his face. 

“She thought about me enough to draw me. I love that picture.” 

“She gave you a third arm and drew your hair all scraggy.” Jayce deadpans, and Viktor scoffs. 

“I talked to her about the idea of a third arm with a laser that could be of help, and my hair is always scraggy.” 

“No, it's not. It's perfect and soft and curls beautifully at the edges. It's one of my favourite things about you.” Jayce breathes out, and then tries to blame the alcohol in his head for making him so honest. 

Viktor stays silent, smile still on his face, when he removes his head from Jayce's shoulder. Jayce slows down, eventually coming to a stop, no longer humming. 

“I'm getting tired. Maybe we should stop…” Viktor says, and Jayce holds him closer, trying to keep Viktor's weight mostly on himself. 

“We have stopped.” Jayce responds, and Viktor looks at him with that same awe in his eyes that he had earlier in the day. 

“Jayce, what are we?” 

Jayce sucks in a breath, a question he was hoping he'd never have to answer until he started courting Viktor. But the answer would be the same then, as it is now. Simple and true, in each and every way, Jayce responds as honestly as he could muster. 

“Partners.” 

--- 

It's Monday of their final week in their bond, and the two scientists have already been hard at work at developing their invention. After some arguments, they decided to call it the hextank, and have sent in papers to get both animal and human testing approved as well as the order of giant glasses approved by the council. Now, they were at their last and final appointment at the doctor, fidgeting slightly as the doctor looks at them suspiciously. 

“Congratulations on your win at the Distinguished Innovators Competition.” He starts, and Jayce and Viktor both murmur thank yous before quieting down again. 

“How many hours total of sleep did you get in that week?” He looks at Jayce, somehow knowing he'd crack under pressure, but Viktor was the one who answered. 

“An adequate amount.” 

“It doesn't look like you two have slept in the past two weeks at all.” The doctor responds, and Viktor scoffs. 

“We are scientists, things were happening, surely you must've seen this coming, doctor.”

“Yes, I did, which is why I gave you supplements in case this happened. Tell me, Jayce, did either of you take them?” 

Jayce remains quiet as he refuses to look at the doctor. He thinks of the bottles of supplements on his desk, unopened and untouched, and he knows Viktor must be in a similar position. 

“We ate that one time…” 

“One time?!” The doctor practically stands up, and they both jump. 

“No, no! We had- meals! Technically, at my mother's house we had a full meal and- We're fine?” 

The doctor eyes them suspiciously again, tapping his fingers on his desk, on top of two files that were clearly labelled Jayce and Viktor. They were a little too thick to hold good news inside of them. 

“Scientistswhodidnttaketheirsupplementssaywhat.” 

“What?” Both Jayce and Viktor say, and the doctor points at the both of them. 

“Ahah! Neither of you followed my directions!! Are you trying to work yourselves into the grave?” He starts, then sits down slowly as he sighs loudly, clearly exaggerated. 

Jayce has to think about it from the doctor's point of view; his two clients are doing everything they can to absolutely push their bodies past their limits. It's still a little funny to imagine that the new little gray hairs the doctor now spots is purely because of them. 

“Jayce, Viktor. I left this last part out because I didn't want you to worry.” He says, removing his glasses and setting them aside. “When the bond fades, it will either fizzle out, or it'll be a shock to the body. Jayce, since you don't have the bite, it'll most likely fizzle out, but Viktor…” 

Viktor tenses, then grips his crutch tighter. Jayce notices his pale knuckles already turning white. 

“Viktor, your body will become shocked when it doesn't have the pheromones of a bite in your system anymore. You'll most likely faint from the sudden change, and it may be enough to make you need a hospital run, in case…” in case your lungs fail again. 

Jayce holds Viktor's hand, looking at him with determination in his heart. 

“We'll be at the academy when the bond fades, it's a very short walk from here. If anything happens, I'll run here with him?” Jayce asks the doctor, who looks conflicted. 

“Well, you can, but this is still just a clinic. If anything happens, you'd want to call for an ambulance to be taken to the hospital. I'd appreciate knowing though, just in case. I can bring his medical files and be there for him in case of medical malpractice because of his Zaunite roots.” Viktor nods in understanding, but Jayce is baffled as the doctor continues to talk. 

“Medical malpractice?” He asks, and Viktor squeezes his hand tightly. 

“Yes, a few times he was dismissed when he had a serious condition, or left alone in the wards with no nurse. It was especially bad when he needed surgery, and it took us over three weeks to even find a doctor willing to operate a high risk operation on a Zaunite, and even then he was fully booked until three months later. And Viktor only secured it because I was there with him, so…” 

Jayce feels his scent turning sour, anger practically seething out from his ears. He tries to suppress making a sound, but he feels the growl in his chest before he even does anything. 

“If they give you trouble next time, just use my name.” Jayce says, to which the doctor and Viktor look confused. 

“What?” Viktor asks, and Jayce turns to look at him. 

“Write Viktor Talis of House Talis on it. You're already our beneficiary anyways. Claim the goddamn rewards for that.” 

“You realise that makes it sound like the both of you are married. To each other.” The doctor says, and Jayce shrugs it off.

“I already tell everyone we're partners, and if it's for the fact of making sure Viktor gets above standard healthcare, then I truly do not care.” Jayce candidly responds, and he sees the doctor start to grow his creepy smile. 

And technically, Jayce is going to make sure that Viktor will be Viktor Talis soon enough. So it wouldn't be lying, he's just predicting the future, that's all. 

“I'll mark him down as Viktor Talis from now on, then.” The doctor looks over to Viktor with that wicked grin, and Jayce finally lets his angry scent go, and senses Viktor's own scent. 

A heady mix of embarrassment, gratefulness, and something else Jayce still can't place. Something he last felt back during the cycle. 

“Anything else we need to know, doc?” Jayce asks, smugly smiling at Viktor's face, which had turned red as a tomato. 

“Uh, yes. My name is Dr. Lupos, you are aware of my name right?” 

Jayce and Viktor jump, eyes wide at being caught. 

“Of- of course we knew that! Right Vik?” 

“Yes! We most definitely know the name of our favourite doctor.” Viktor chimes in, nodding his head as he closes his eyes. 

“I'm the only Talis family doctor.” He deadpans, folding his arms around himself. 

“That doesn't mean you're not our favourite!” Jayce responds, and the doctor rolls his eyes. 

“I have a name badge! And a metal plate that has my name there!” 

“Has that always been there? Be honest.” Viktor says, and Jayce snorts before he could stop himself.

“So you two did forget my name!!” 

“Ah, doctor… uhm, look at the time! We must take our leave now.” Viktor says, starting to stand up and leave. 

“Did you seriously just forget it again?? I have certificates on the wall with my name on them!!” He calls out, and Jayce chuckles as they leave, taking their prescriptions with them. 

They stop by at the front of the clinic, getting supplements before finally leaving and walking towards their academy. 

“I had no idea he even wore a badge.” Jayce starts, and Viktor starts to chuckle before it doubles over into a full blown laugh. 

“I honestly never saw anything with his name on it!! Not the badge, the metal plaque, the certificates, nothing!!” Viktor says in between laughs, and Jayce joins him in. 

“Did you forget his name right after he told it to us?” 

“Of course not, I was just messing with Dr. Lepos.” Viktor responds, and Jayce furrows his brows. 

“It's Dr. Lopes.” 

“Nope, Lepos.” Viktor smugly raises an eyebrow, and Jayce furrows his brows even more. 

“I swear it's Dr. Lopes.” 

“Jayce, I can't believe you've forgotten his name already. Do things just go in one ear and leave the other?” 

He scowls, but says nothing to Viktor's jab. It's fine if he doesn't know, he'll take Viktor's word for it. 

--- 

By Friday, they've already finished building the hextank, now waiting on getting their approval for the council. Jayce had been hard at work at the forge for two different reasons, creating all the small extra parts needed to connect all the pieces for the hextank, as well as creating the golden arm band for Viktor. He had gotten the measurements on Saturday, wrapping his hand around his arm (and being surprised when it fully fit), and then deciding to make it adjustable. 

After all, once Viktor is cured, Jayce is going to make sure he'll eat until he's a healthy weight. 

He's smiling walking back to the lab now, armband not yet fully finished in favour of finishing the hextank instead. Viktor was busy testing out their newest medical equipment, specifically the heart rate monitor. Jayce smiles as he hears the constant beeping, and Viktor looks at him and greets him with a soft ‘welcome back’ and a nod. 

The heart rate monitor starts beeping faster, and Viktor scowls and swears as he tries to remove it from his chest. Jayce smiles, folding his arms. 

“Excited to see me?” He asks, and he laughs as Viktor looks back to him with an even deeper scowl. 

“I'm excited to see what you're holding.” He snaps back, but his face is too flushed to have any real bite in it.

Jayce chuckles again, walking over to Viktor as he leans on the desk. It's true, the papers he's holding hold good news. And bad news, also. 

“Well, the council meeting could've gone… better.” He starts, grimacing at the meeting he walked out of right after working at the forge. 

They had wanted to secure the right permits to start animal and human testing, but the council was (mostly) against human testing immediately. In fact, other than Mel and Heimerdinger, everyone was against testing on anything sentient at all, too proud for them to risk being seen as risk takers. They had wanted them to perfect the hextank first before starting out, but how are they to do that without testing? 

In the end, they had agreed on animal testing, specifically rodents and mice, and other animals will get approved so long as they proved the hextank actually worked. 

Which, Jayce already knew would, but that would be mean by the time they get to humans, it’d be far too long. 

Viktor's smile falls slightly, looking away as he shoots his hand up to play with his longer curls. 

“I'm guessing they denied human testing?” He says, and Jayce responds with hum, brows furrowed. 

“They barely approved animal testing. We can only do rodents for now. Apparently we have to show that there's at least a 97% survival rate within a batch of a hundred. At least twice.” He dryly responds, and Viktor groans. 

He looks over to their big hextank, then scoffs and chuckles. 

“Looks like we won't be needing that for a while then?” Viktor turns to him, his smile firmly sitting on his face. He had a look Jayce had only ever seen when Viktor was taking upon a new challenge, excited for it's journey and to overcome it. 

“But you-” 

“I have time.” Viktor says, clearing his throat, then coughing once. Jayce notices the absence of his handkerchief, then passes him his own. Viktor thanks him, then keeps it. 

“We better get started then.” Jayce starts, and Viktor nods, taking out the smaller hextanks, then staring at their Reolina plants and far too much salt water in other tanks. 

“At least we have enough of a supply of the plants, thanks to you ordering more of the plants and water. Now we just need rodents.” Viktor starts, taking a piece of chalk and going to their chalkboards, leaning on his crutch far too much. 

“We can look at pet stores or adoption centres that have any injured animals. That way we don't have to hurt the poor things.” Jayce walks over to him, putting his hand on Viktor's shoulder. 

“Yes, we'll start with that. Could you…?” 

“Of course, V. I'll start to look for places that could have some available but we won't be able to get anything till Monday.” 

“Hah, that's fine. Besides, the bond fades today so I’d like to get as much rest as I can.” Viktor says, nodding at the board as he writes up everything they'll need for the experiments to start. 

“It was sort of okay, wasn't it?” Jayce asks nervously, and despite not truly specifying what exactly he was talking about, Viktor nods to him in agreement about the bond.

Jayce walks to the back of their lab, where they kept their calender and other miscellaneous items, including a book that had a list of most stores in Piltover. He picks the book from the shelves there, and spots some letters tucked neatly underneath it. 

He picks one up, and gets confused at seeing the letters being hidden underneath the book. They were all addressed to him, from an address he didn't recognise. Why would Viktor hide them here? 

“Hey, Vik, there's some letters here-” 

“Jayce…” 

Jayce looks back to Viktor, who looked like he was holding back his breath. Then suddenly, he coughs, a loud, wet sound, that continues divulging into other coughs, and Jayce realises why it sounds so wet. 

Blood. 

“Neck… burns…” Viktor says in between coughs, and Jayce runs towards Viktor before he could fall into the ground. 

Viktor is still coughing, but the blood has subsided. Still, he lost far too much. Jayce is silent, trying to hold Viktor's head up. 

Breathe. Breathe Viktor, please, Viktor!

“Hey! Help!! Is anyone there?!” Jayce finally screams out as Viktor's breathing slows down. The coughs persist, and suddenly Viktor is seizing. 

His eyes roll to the back of his head, and Jayce starts to panic. Something's not right. He thinks of their doctor, and decides to carry him, trying to run to the door, but something told him he won't make it. Not to the clinic, not even to the hospital, Viktor is dying right now.

Jayce looks around their lab, then spots their hextank. Empty, perfectly built and ready. He looks at Viktor, who's no longer shaking, no longer moving, breath coming in to slow, and he doesn't give a fuck about what the council has to say anymore. 

He puts the heart rate monitor back onto Viktor, removing his clothes, then puts all the other wires onto him. A tube for feeding, a tube for air, fuck, they hadn't built a perfect helmet yet, hadn't fully tested it out. He connects the sea water to the tank, and as it fills up, he looks for the shimmer, setting it aside as he continues to set Viktor up. 

When everything was connected, he puts the Reolina plants, all of them, into the water, connecting them to Viktor as a feedback tube. Then he carries Viktor up the short amount of steps onto the top of the now filled tank.

All while, the heart rate monitor showed his heart rate slowing down. He counts the seconds in between each beat as he slowly lowers Viktor into the tank. 

Five seconds. 

He carefully let's him stay afloat, knowing that with or without the helmet, Viktor could still just as much drown. There's still blood on him, still the heart beat continues.

Six seconds. 

He takes the curtains at the bottom and connects them to the railings on top, slowly starting to cover the tank to create a total blackout environment. 

Seven seconds.

Jayce takes the bottle of shimmer in his pocket and curses. They hadn't even started calculating how much they'd need for an animal, nevertheless a human. Two drops had worked for a small cactus. A whole bottle had killed the plants in a couple of hours. He has barely half a bottle, and despite the fact that they can make more now, they still hadn't due to time restraints. 

He prays. 

Jayce prays to whatever god was listening to him that this was enough. Marker in hand, he marks how much was left, then pours the entire rest of the contents of the shimmer, and watches as the water fully turns purple, and instead of immediately disappearing into a clear liquid like it did with the plants, it stays purple. Jayce curses, then breaks down at the top of the stairs. He's crying, no he's been crying for a while, but this time he's wailing, begging for anyone out there to save Viktor. 

Tears still in his eyes, he descends the steps, taking up the heavy hatch connected to the tank and pushing it up with the stick they had created for it. He goes back up to the top, closing, and locking the hatch. He sits on top of it as he continues to cry. 

Six seconds. 

--- 

Five seconds. 

--- 

Four seconds. 

--- 

Three seconds. 

---

Chapter Text

Viktor looks at him with a puzzled look on his face. He's resting on Jayce's sofa, now moved closer to the window, sunbathing like a lizard that's been deprived of it for too long. He's not wearing anything- not even underwear, a sunhat that he had been given once by his mother being the only thing covering any part of his body- his face. Well, now his chest, after it's fallen down from Viktor's questioning stare. 

Which, beforehand, had a question coming out of those pretty pink lips. 

Jayce recalls the question now, breath coming in quick as he tries to scramble for an answer. For once, his brain fails him. 

“What?” 

Viktor chuckles then, bats his eyelashes all innocently, putting his finger on his lips and biting it, then, as if he hadn't just embodied the most alluring siren in all heavens and earth, he looks down shyly, a pale pink blush forming across his cheeks, and asks the question again. 

“I asked if you're going to eat all that.” He almost mumbles it, but clearly he wants to be heard. 

Jayce looks down and sees that he's holding at least three different sandwiches, and he's just as naked as Viktor. He looks back up to him and smiles. 

“Would you like one?” 

“Or two, if you'd allow me.” Viktor responds quickly, and Jayce chuckles. He looks back up to Jayce, and Jayce nods and then gestures for the sandwiches, placing them on his lap. 

“They're all yours, Viktor.” 

Viktor's eyes darken, a large contrast against the backdrop of the sunlight pouring through the window. It's warm enough that they can stay like this, and Jayce watches the hat get slowly removed and Viktor stands, then wobbles as he sits back down again. He scowls at Jayce, but as Jayce stands up to him, he shakes his head, putting his hand up. 

“I'll take what I want, when I want it.” Viktor says, and Jayce chuckles again. He relaxes, leaning back into the singular sofa facing Viktor, all three sandwiches still on his lap. 

Viktor holds on to things on his way, first the sofa, then the table, a lamp he decided to use as a makeshift cane for three seconds, then he's at Jayce's feet. He crumbles, sitting on his knees, and Jayce watches his body move. The skin stretching to accommodate his every movement, his hair swaying with the slight breeze coming through the window. Viktor's perfect pink cock stands alert, but Viktor isn't paying attention to it, not really. Jayce guesses it must still just be the effects of the cycle, still in motion. 

Viktor takes one sandwich, hand moving with confidence and eyes Jayce's own dick, looking up to meet Jayce's eyes as he takes a bite. Jayce watches him eat the sandwich, ravishing it, in fact, and leans in when Viktor sighs after finishing it. Was Jayce even hungry? It didn't matter, what he wanted to eat was right at his feet. 

“Jayce…” Viktor starts, and Jayce leans in even more to pay special attention to those pools of gold, drowning him in affection he's been begging for. 

“Are you going to stay sitting there all day? Or are you going to save me?” Viktor asks, his face twisting in pain as he fidgets on the spot. 

Jayce smiles, something wicked and possessive and far too gone to be considered love or devotion. Worship, maybe, if he ever knew what that felt like. He reached out his hands, touching Viktor's hair, then his face, slowly down to his neck where the bite stands agitated, his neck, his torso, then pulls him up. 

--- 

Jayce startles awake from phantom sounds of Viktor calling his name. It's been three days, and Jayce has only gotten small hours of sleep, between checking up on Viktor, trying to create more shimmer by himself, and still trying to go through with the testing. 

He can't do it. 

He's got nothing done. The entire weekend and he's just been tossing and turning, pacing around Viktor, afraid to open the curtains and check in on him. The only way for him to know that Viktor's alive is the beeping from the machine, consistent and loud, soothing Jayce's anxieties only by a bit. He's wondering, now, how he can hide this from everyone altogether. Just walking into the lab will immediately make you see the large tank, clearly on and working. 

It's way past mid-day when someone tries the door. 

“Jayce, Viktor? I'm here to talk about your approv-” 

“Mel! Sorry, we're kinda busy right now! Could you come back some other time? We can't open the door!” Jayce yells out quickly, and hopes it's enough. Mel pauses, then replies in agreement, telling them to stay safe, then goes back where she had come from. 

Jayce crumbles on the floor, tears threatening to fall. He can't hide Viktor from everyone. 

During the night he goes through everything in the lab. The letters addressed to Viktor. They were letters asking for help from Dr. Reveck, but Jayce feels a sense of betrayal in what he finds. 

Did Viktor already know? 

He looks at the tank, and loses all fight. He can't do anything about it now. The court hearing will take place in a month, Dr. Tarol is currently being held in prison. Jayce practically shakes his head off. He looks back to the book with the stores, and tries to find more places to get any animals for testing. 

He doesn't get sleep that night. 

Three days later, both Sky and Mel visit at the same time. 

Jayce hasn't slept since, afraid of seeing Viktor in his dreams again, mostly from their cycle. He keeps hearing Viktor calling his name, just as he's about to fall asleep, and then he jolts awake to it. He feels like he's two minutes away from passing out, and also like he might never sleep again. 

He's written equations over and over again, trying to equate them to a human being’s need of shimmer in the tank for it to actually work. If one drop works for a plant, how much for a human? If one drop works for a plant for a period of 2 hours, how long for a human? He's drawn Viktor's body from memory on the chalkboard, noting all the spots the shimmer and reolina plant would most likely heal. It seems to heal first from the inside, so he hopes the lungs were first, his spine, his leg after, then other things that were affected because of his disease. His kidneys, esophagus, hell, even his stomach lining. 

Everything, Viktor is sick everywhere. 

The knock truly jolts him awake. 

“Jayce, it's Sky and I. We're worried for you, you never came to our appointment yesterday, and it looks like neither you nor Viktor have logged out at all since last Friday?” Mel says, and Jayce mentally curses. 

He should've gone down and kept logging them out. Even if the guards didn't see him leave, or see Viktor at all. It's almost been a week since they went missing, technically, and he doesn't want enforcers hounding on the door to see him illegally experimenting on humans after being told explicitly not to. 

Not to mention he basically bypassed a shit ton of lab checks to do this whole thing. Fuck, this time he could actually be removed from Piltover altogether. 

All that needs to happen is Viktor waking up at this very moment and we can forget this ever-

“Viktor, we're coming in!” Sky says, and Jayce remembers she has a spare key. 

“No! Wait, we're not- an experiment is going on and it's too dangerous for you-” 

“Jayce, I doubt any experiments now aren't things we've seen.” Sky responds, and the door opens before Jayce can protest any longer. 

He didn't realise how much darker it was inside the lab with him putting up curtains and closing the windows. Another lab hazard. He didn't even care at that point. What if it didn't work because the room wasn't in total darkness? 

Sky and Mel immediately gasp as they see Jayce, hair frazzled and unwashed, body unwashed, beard starting to grow through, half his clothes gone and left in a small gray tee and his pants. He wonders if they think he's crazy, if he's finally gone off his rockers and they'll call enforcers inside to take him away. Maybe they'll call him a madman with no regard for human life. They'd be right. 

He only cares for Viktor's life. 

They both look at each other then walk into the room, closing the door and locking it. They approach Jayce slowly, putting their hands up, and it immediately dawns on Jayce that's he's a fucking Prime Alpha and they're more scared that he'll react to them being here, almost to the brink of insanity, than the fact that he's their friend and god does he need a shower and a warm bed. 

He falls to his knees immediately, tears welling up again. 

“I'm not a threat.” He whispers, and the girls immediately drop guard and run to him. 

“Jayce, what happened? Did something go wrong?” Mel asks, and Sky looks around the lab. 

“Where's… Viktor?” She asks carefully, then looks at the tank, the heart machine beeping, the indicators of CO2 emissions going off in the background of another machine. “Jayce, where's Viktor?”

Jayce lets his tears fall. He chokes on a sob, holding his own arms as he digs his too long nails into them. 

“The bond- it- ended and-” Jayce starts, and Sky puts her hand on his shoulder firmly. 

“What bond?” She asks, and oh god, Sky didn't even know. 

He starts hyperventilating. This is not going well. 

“Leave.” He starts, and Mel firmly puts her scent on him, trying to get him to submit. 

He roars back with his own scent, and cringes at the smell. Burnt, frayed, acrid, as if someone lit it on fire on top of a burning computer. Mel doesn't back down, and her scent ends up overpowering Jayce, forcing him to submit. She hugs him immediately. 

“When the bond ended, did it lead to complications?” She asks, and Jayce nods. 

“You two bonded? Since when? Why didn't you tell me?” Sky asks angrily, but Mel puts an arm on her shoulder and she sighs out her anger. 

“It was a one-way bond, was it?” She asks, and Mel nods. 

“The doctor said once it ended, it might shock Viktor's system, and to take him to the hospital in case something happened but…” He tries, because truly how can he explain his thought process during that time? He had a feeling Viktor wouldn't make it in time for a hospital run? How was he to prove that? 

“I don't know, I just saw the tank and something told me to do it. And his heartbeat was getting too slow and I didn't know what else to do because he'd have died in my arms otherwise-” Sky and Mel both hug him again, and he cries in their arms. 

Is this a precursor? Are they hugging him goodbye to go report him? He might actually break in that case. 

“Sky, you go and get the animal testing done. You need to do 200 experiments done by the end of next week, and then give me the reports, alright?” Mel starts, and Sky nods, standing up. 

Jayce is confused. What is going on now? 

“Jayce, go home and-” Mel tries, but Jayce refuses. 

“No! I'm staying here! I- I have to stay here, I don't know what I'll do if I don't…” he whispers the last part, and Mel looks heartbroken. 

“I'll bring you fresh clothes. Are you still the same size? There's a shower here in the academy, no? Take a shower then. After that, help Sky. 200 healed animals by the end of next week. Can you do that?” Mel takes Jayce's face in her hands, feeling his heartbeat from underneath her hand, on his neck. 

Jayce already knows it's erratic, his heart has been in overdrive ever since that day and he hasn't had a moment where it has slowed down to normal. He nods, there's showers down the hall from the lab, and Mel stands up from the floor. Jayce eyes her dress. 

“Mel, your dress is-” 

“It's fine, Jayce. I have hundreds more like it.” She says, smiling as she takes his hand and forcefully pulls him up. 

He stands, painfully, every inch of his body in pain, and then gives her a hug. He probably stinks, the whole place probably does, fuck, he takes a step back as if burnt, but Mel follows him, hugging him close. 

“I've known you for a long time, Jayce. No amount of dirt or sweat will make me walk away.” She says, chuckling. 

He relaxes in her hold, letting some of the anxiety go, and then she's gone from his bubble. She talks to Sky, something he truly can't hear if he tried, and then she leaves. 

“Alright, it looks like you went through this book for stores… There's more books like this in the library. Let me go get them. Are you okay here alone?” Sky asks, and Jayce nods. 

She comes up to him, hugging him softly, then with a final squeeze, she lets go. 

“We'll save him. Sure, we fast forwarded a lil bit, but it'll work. I'll want to see exactly how you did it, I know you Jayce, you definitely did a report with everything you did, didn't you?” She asks, and Jayce eyes the three different reports he had written, one immediately after putting Viktor in the tank, one after a day, and the other is the latest one, where his memory wasn't so fuzzy. Sky chuckles dryly, squeezing his shoulder, then leaves quickly. 

Jayce slumps into his chair, hand on his nose bridge, trying to exhale everything that has happened. Two people now know, implicit in human experimentation, and as he starts to laugh, he suddenly realises why Mel wants the animal testing to happen anyways. 

Two hundred animals. Is she trying to get more approvals from the council? But even then, she won't be able to get it for human testing, the council made it explicitly clear that it has to be different types of animals, jumping up in size each time before humans can even be on the table. Maybe Mel knows something he doesn't? 

He sighs, looking up at the tank, and sniffles. He's had enough of crying now, too much is going on to have blurred vision. Standing up, he finally goes to uncover a small part of the curtains so he can see Viktor for the first time since putting him in there. He holds the curtain, willing himself to open it. 

He doesn't. 

He turns away, then begins flipping through the book again. Sky comes back with five other books, updated with newer stores in Piltover and Zaun, and they start taking down the addresses and numbers. 

By the following day, he has new clothes to wear, and he goes to take a shower. He turns the hot water as high as he can, putting his head underneath the shower head and trying to drown out Viktor's voice in his head. He had tried sleeping after Sky told him to, saying she could look after Viktor whilst he's on the couch. He woke up to Sky petting his hair, trying to calm him down from his soft cries. He doesn't even know why he was crying, he was dreaming of Viktor in their cycle again. A good, happy dream by all means. A nightmare in Jayce's mind. 

He shakes it off, the shower doing a good job of clearing his head slightly. He misses the forge, he misses food, god he misses his mom's food. He misses his mother. Jayce sighs, finally turning the shower off, then notes the shaver on top of his clothes. For the first time, he chuckles. 

He does the job poorly, nicking himself three times, and it isn't fully done, but he feels better. He feels more like himself. He puts new clothes on him and walks back to the lab, feeling slightly more rigorous. Jayce sighs, opening the doors to the lab and takes a single step in. And stops. 

Sky is checking up on Viktor, looking through Jayce's notes and reports, and at all the attachments Jayce has made. She seemed to have some more ready to be inserted, and also has somehow set up for more of the perfluorocarbon to be made, something he had been neglecting out of fear. 

Viktor is there, his hair slightly getting blonder at the tips, eyes closed in the tank, nothing but white shorts covering him. His body is fully submerged, but the air support he has is flimsy and looks as if he's one jolt away from drowning. The puncture spots on his body look painful and done haphazardly, more than likely going to leave a few scars, and Jayce stares at Viktor with awe and fear in his body. 

Technically, his spine seems a little straighter, his leg a little less crooked. Something inside him twists at the sight, and he can't decide whether or not it's a good thing. 

“There's not enough perfluorocarbon in the tank to fully heal him. I'm checking the levels and it seems to working, very slowly, but it won't be enough.” Sky says as she walks over to Jayce, then looking at the tank as well. “I don't want to add extra perfluorocarbon whilst it is still going through the process. We haven't done that before, so we don't know what it might do.” 

“How do we know when it's done?” Jayce's voice is rough and shaky, and Sky squeezes his hand in comfort. 

“I'm assuming when he wakes up. However, the system doesn't need to be done when he's asleep, it seems to me that it doesn't care about brain activity.” She answers, softly muttering to herself as her thought process continues inside her head. 

“We could make pools.” 

“Exactly! Like spring pools but medicinal! Able to heal multiple people at a time rather than just one person!” Sky jumps up, nodding softly as she pulls up Jayce's notes. 

“And with these calculations… Jayce, you may have just been taking shots in the dark, but you were pretty damn close. It'll be possible, very soon. And with pools, we could technically test a lot of the animals very quickly…” 

“I can ask the Kirammans. They have a pool block closer down to the outskirts of Piltover. We could instead fill it with seawater and start the experiments on the rodents there?” Jayce says, and Sky nods enthusiastically. 

“It's a plan, then. You'll get the pools set up whilst I get the rodents to the pools. By the end of next week, we could be done with 300!” 

Jayce looks back up to Viktor, wincing as he sees the air tube again. 

“I did this badly. I didn't follow protocol, and I'm afraid he might drown…” He says quietly, and Sky nods slowly. 

“It's okay, I have a bit of experience hooking things up onto people. Let's give him the proper tubes and everything. Oh, and the helmet Viktor made should work? He very much worked on it and tested it with a couple of plants when you weren't here.” Sky walks over to the equipment attached to Viktor, and then to the glass helmet. “We can do this, Jayce. You're not alone.” 

Jayce tears up, smiling as he nods at her, then walks to her side to help her finish setting up. 

An hour passes by and they've finally finished hooking Viktor up with everything he'd need. The helmet was placed on his head without removing him entirely from the tank, and other than the tubes that connect him to the plants, everything else was replaced or rewired correctly. 

Jayce sighs as he sits down at his desk as Sky works tirelessly to start the process of making perfluorocarbon. Since they haven't ever made it before, they only had the method and instructions on a paper given to them by Dr. Reveck, and just as Jayce was about to help Sky, a knock came on the door. 

“Jayce, Sky? It's Mel. Can I come in?” 

Jayce goes to open the door slowly, letting her in as he takes a look around to make sure no one else saw them. He sighs as she sets down papers, looking at Sky first then at him.

“So, if you get 200 done by next week, guaranteed human testing approval.” Mel says triumphantly, and Sky gasps, clapping her hands. 

“How? The council were pretty adamant on that not happening.” Jayce asks, and Mel huffs out loud. 

“I went to see them all individually and gave them… a choice.” She starts, nervously looking down. “My plan before this was always to get someone on the council seat from Zaun, but I decided to use that instead to try and sway them into agreeing for the human testing.” 

“You gave them the option of either human experimentation or a Zaunite councillor?” Jayce asks, slightly surprised at how the hands are played when the council is present. 

“And they chose human experimentation over a Zaunite councillor?” Sky lets her venom sink into her words, and Mel looks down, sighing. 

“They would rather you and Viktor fail, Jayce, than a Zaunite councillor succeed.” 

The three of them remain quiet, Sky turning away as she continues preparing the ingredients. 

“Do not worry, I already have a plan to put a Zaunite on the council.” Mel looks directly at Sky as she says it, and Sky whips her head around, standing stiffly against the desk. 

“How?” 

“I'll marry one.” 

Jayce huffs, then chuckles, then Sky laughs and Jayce can't help but follow along. It's the first time he's laughed in what feels like ages, and he runs his hand through his hair as he laughs off the nerves. Securing both human testing and a Zaunite seat? Maybe some things weren't too good to be true. 

“I thought you said you two weren't ready for marriage yet?” He playfully nudges at her, and she grows flustered as she slightly hits Jayce's arm in retaliation. 

“Soon. Soon! It'll work!! And if it doesn't, it'll be Silco on the seat, through another way of course. But the direction that Piltover is headed is one where the council will be half Piltovian and half Zaunite and that's exactly what I intend for it to be.” 

Jayce nods, looking back to where Viktor was, the curtains now drawn to a close and blocking all visibility. 

“I'm sure loads of people will be happy to hear that. Viktor included…” He thinks back to when the doctor told him of the medical malpractice Viktor had experienced. Viktor's surely not the first case, and most definitely not the last. 

But he could be one of the last few. 

“How is he?” Mel asks, pointing her head towards Viktor. 

“Stable, so far. Hasn't woken up or anything. We can't check and assess how much healing has been done until an actual doctor sees him, but then we'd have to explain how it happened and-” 

“Jayce, don't worry. I'm sure by the time he wakes up, everything will be in order.” 

Mel puts her hand on Jayce's shoulder, then leaves to join Sky by her side. She learns the ropes of the perfluorocarbon, watching over Jayce and Sky and helping them make sure the method is according to the instructions given, before saying her goodbyes and leaving a couple of hours later. 

Jayce and Sky take turns watching Viktor. 

--- 

5 days later and they have finished all two hundred rodent testings. Jayce doesn't feel the happiness he thought he would, seeing the results of all the experiments at the pools. Sky runs around, a couple of assistants with her checking to make sure that every rodent is healed and accounted for. 

100%. Every single animal that came in has been healed, and has been steadily healthy ever since. The ones that were very close to dying given during the first batch are all back to their shelters or with new homes, ready to tackle the world again. It had taken Jayce and Sky three endless nights to figure out the exact correct measurements that would work for each rodent of their size, and they had practically nailed it at the head. 

He knows that with Viktor, it would have taken a day, maybe a couple of hours. He feels so much slower without him by his side, and the more he's outside and away, thinking back to everything that's happened to him and Viktor, the more he's starting to slightly resent him. 

He got the news of Dr. Tarol's fate from a headline. Or rather, of his fate now. He didn't read it at all, but he knew that there was a hearing, and then it ended and the council decided there should be another hearing. He didn't feel like puking that day, so he continued on his way. 

Viktor's letters also consume him. In the last letter, it seemed like Viktor knew who Dr. Tarol was. Knew what he was to Jayce, and it felt as if he had orchestrated the whole thing. Was Viktor working with Dr. Reveck and Dr. Tarol the whole time? But it didn't make sense, not to Jayce, not really. He needed more information, more proof, more evidence before he makes his hypothesis. 

Which is why, when Sky begged him to finally go home for the first time since Viktor collapsed, Jayce instead makes his way to Viktor's apartment. He had a lot of Viktor's small things that held his scent with him, a hair tie, a lip gloss that's barely used, his gloves, his keys. He keeps them all in his small bag, and he digs into it as he reaches Viktor's door step. 

Jayce steps inside and is immediately greeted by Viktor's scent, warm and inviting and fading. His scent somehow still had a dash of snow in it- Jayce's own scent that had mingled in somehow, and Jayce realises why as he walks through the apartment. 

His clothes. 

Hats he'd forgotten he had, a scarf he looked for once then overlooked, the clothes Viktor wore at his mother's house, some regular shirts and tees that definitely belonged to Jayce. Everything was perfectly placed in spots that Viktor was most likely to be at; the scarf on the sofa, the hats in the bathroom, the shirts in the bedroom, on his bed, arranged messily but maybe with a clear order that was unknown to Jayce. Viktor had been nesting with his items, had claimed Jayce's scent, and had started living in it. 

If anyone else were to come to Viktor's apartment, they'd think they are mated, living together here. 

Jayce sits on the bed, Viktor's own sleep shirt cold and left haphazardly, most likely preparing for its owner to come back and use it again. He takes the shirt, bringing it up to his nose and inhaling it, closing his eyes as he faintly hears Viktor's laughter in his head. He misses him, misses his omega, and fuck, if he's given the chance somehow, he'd want to do all this again. 

Even if it meant he'd go out in pain, just to be able to see his golden eyes, he'd do it all again. 

He doesn't let go of his shirt, instead taking it as if claiming it, putting it in his bag before walking around the apartment again. It's small, cramped and tidy, a living room that acted as a mini lab situated first in through the door, a kitchen he knows Viktor barely used, a small bathroom and a bedroom right across it. The essentials. Viktor only ever needed the essentials. 

He notices the picture of them with the trophy is already up on his wall, along with other photos from photographers that he'd have paid far too much money for in this day and age. He wonders if he could ever get Viktor a camera, big and uncomfortable as it is, but maybe Viktor would love it. Maybe Viktor would find a way to make it smaller, to make it portable. Viktor could find out how to do anything, anywhere. 

Viktor could find anything, Jayce realises. 

He stares at the four files in front of him, each of them hidden in the living room. He feels guilty for rummaging through Viktor's apartment, but it hadn't even taken long. Was Viktor planning on Jayce never coming there? No, with the dates of the files, Viktor had already started on at least two of them when Jayce had been over the small handful of times. Jayce just hadn't been given a reason to look. 

He opens the first one. It has basic information on Dr. Tarol, things one can find if they have enough time to look for them. And yet, when would Viktor ever have? They practically spent their time together at the hip because of the bond… except for times when Jayce dropped off Viktor at home. Almost every night. 

The second file has a list of things that Dr. Tarol was found guilty for and wanted for by the council. Jayce is appalled as he looks at the list. House arsonist, blackmail of a child(ren), threatening multiple councillors, harassment and sexual abuse, forging of papers, blackmail of other professors… the list goes on. What the hell is wrong with that man? 

Each page had details on everything Dr. Tarol had done, everything that is known. 

Nothing on Jayce, but there's so many fucking speculations. 

Jayce's name is written almost on every page, theories on what had happened to him and… 

Jayce looks down at the bottom. 

Revenge plans. 

If Jayce wasn't incredibly angry right now, he'd be incredibly turned on. Of course Viktor wanted to get revenge for him. But was this how he had wanted it? How he planned it? 

Jayce sits at the kitchen floor, holding the next two files. The first one held a map that had a route on Dr. Tarol. Apparently, he had even fucking found out where Dr. Tarol had run off to, and had some mole there to track him. No photos of the man, though, which Viktor seemed angry about in the notes. It meant that the first time Viktor saw Dr. Tarol at all was when they were both at Dr. Reveck's lab. 

For some reason, Jayce heaves a sigh of relief at that. Viktor didn't know what the man looked like, met him for two days, and then he was gone. 

The last file was the actual plan. Something far worse than what ended up happening. Hiring people from Zaun, a kidnapping plot, some old abandoned house in the deepest depths of Zaun that no one can ever find. Jayce can barely read it. It's too much. Already facing all the information on Dr. Tarol was suffocating enough, but this- 

Jayce sighs as he skips to the last pages. A reworked plan, one more similar to what actually ended up going down. Jayce sees somewhere written down that Viktor didn't even want Jayce to come to the trip, he didn't want Jayce to meet Dr. Tarol. He didn't want Jayce to even know. 

He wonders, then, how the bond could have played a role in this. His first initial plans, the way he wrote furiously, scribbling everything in red pen, as if obsessive over him, like Jayce was some sort of possession. Then slowly, it became slower, clearer, notes written calmly, plans made and theories regurgitated into something more cordial. He shivers as he makes the connection. 

Viktor is a possessive man. 

He closes the files then puts them back where he found them. He should feel angry, creeped out and furious at Viktor. At this invasion of privacy, this proding into his past whilst Jayce cared for nothing but for Viktor's future. And maybe that's where their paths had diverged, then. Despite the fact they were standing on the same line, they were looking in completely different directions. 

He feels the exhaustion weigh on him, and he knows he'll barely make it to his own apartment anyways. He shifts around, then retreats to the sofa in the living room. Despite his fatigue, he somehow can't sleep, so he gives in and slips into Viktor's bedroom, closing the door behind him and removing his clothes. He wraps his blankets around himself, the scent of an obsessive man around him, and yet he feels that peace still stay in his body, long after the bond is gone. 

He still feels like it's there. His heartbeat is erratic, his movements sometimes too quick and then too slow. Sometimes he feels like he's in his head again, unable to think clearly or even speak, and he's grateful for the times Sky can take over when that happens. 

He's sure that, like everything, it'll pass. 

--- 

“The council has approved human testing. They were shocked at the results, but now even they are enthusiastic about it. You'll be in touch with a hospital as well as other medical professionals to begin this journey.” Mel says with a smile, and Sky hugs her back as she laughs softly. 

Jayce breathes a sigh of relief. 

Viktor still hasn't woken up, and he's slept at Viktor's apartment two nights now. But it didn't matter. Even if enforcers were to come in right now, they can very easily show the proof they have of human testing, and can easily lie on when they started testing Viktor. 

“Three a month, then after twenty people have healed, it'll increase. And after a total of hundred people have fully healed, given the results are the same as the rodents were, this will be open for public testing as well.” Mel looks at Viktor as she smiles. “Looks like we only get two this month, huh.” 

They all chuckle, and sit down as they eat the food Mel brought to celebrate with them. Jayce still has the heavy stones in his heart, his eyes too erratic, brain working overtime as he feels hope at Viktor waking up soon, as well as dread for the conversations to follow after. 

Sky and Mel leave eventually, leaving Jayce to be the only one left in the lab. He checks over Viktor once more, looking at the results that came through the monitors. Almost all the perfluorocarbon has been used up. 

This must mean he'll be waking up soon, right? Was it the perfluorocarbon that was keeping him asleep, or something else? Would I have to call a doctor? 

Jayce paces the entire night, removing his shirt from the fever he was starting to run. He passes out on the table, then wakes up a couple of hours later in a panic. It repeats twice, unable to remember whatever dream he was having, but waking up with Viktor's name on his lips. 

Eventually, the sun gives way, and Jayce starts the day again. It's Saturday, so he decides to go into the forge for the first time in a long time. They had assessed all that happened as much as they could, but they suspected Viktor might still need a back brace, albeit lighter and less constricting as the one he currently uses, but something he'll most likely wear whilst he's on his healing journey. He also wants to continue the golden arm band for Viktor, even if he's unsure on whether or not he'll ever ask to court him right now, but it gives him a sense of familiarity to work on both these things at the same time.

Jayce turns the forge on, and gets into his zone. But he's still too electrified, body jostling without his permission, and without realising it, he bumped into something from behind him. A curse fell from his lips, and then a blood curdling scream. Something ran down his back, slicing past it in the middle, and Jayce feels his body sizzling, the blood hot and gushing from the wound on his back. He cries out, trying to move away from the hot flames, to get some sort of help, but his legs barely moved. 

Jayce has never felt more alive. 

Eventually he makes it to the small clinic where his doctor is in, jacket around his back to cover the deep wound. He doesn't miss the blood dripping from his back, and neither do the nurses. His doctor comes rushing in, worry etched all over his face, and he turns Jayce around to assess the damage. 

“It's not too deep, thank gods. I can stitch you up and bandage you, but you can't be doing any sort of strenuous work, do you hear me? And where is Viktor?” His doctor says in a rush, and Jayce only grunts as he feels the sterile saline pour across his back. He's breathing too loud, trying to keep his voice in, but his doctor suddenly stops moving, hand hovering over him. 

“Mr. Talis? Mr. Jayce? Jayce??”

Jayce can't respond, his head feels too heavy, but his body is running too hot. Everything feels like it's crashing down on him, and his heart is beating so fast it feels like it'll explode. He thinks of Viktor, alone in the lab, waking up and being unable to open the tank from the inside and fuck, why did they make something so inhumane? Sky won't be there till Monday and it's Saturday, Jayce has to stay awake. He pushes himself off the bed, and distantly he hears his doctor yelling at some nurses. 

“...still bleeding! I'd… tranquilizers please!” He makes out the words from his doctor, and his heart almost stops. He can't be out, no, Viktor is alone in there. Anyone can walk in. Viktor isn't safe in there, he might wake up any second, what if Jayce isn't in there? 

He tries to fight it, pushing away any hands that try to restrain him, stumbling through the door as he feels more blood drip down his back. Shouldn't it have stopped bleeding by now? As he takes another step past the door, he feels a sharp pain in his arm, looking back quickly to see his doctor with an injection pressing into him, but his sight is already blurry and hazy, and before he can say anything else, he's out like a light. 

--- 

He hears voices around him talking in hushed tones, then feels the bright light on him practically burning his eyes. He tries to move his body, but it doesn't follow his bidding, feeling too heavy for him to even jolt. No thoughts are going through his mind right now, just the stillness of being half awake and half asleep. 

Half an hour later and Jayce opens his eyes. 

Two hours later and he's in a hospital bed, two doctors, one of which being his own doctor, checking up on him to make sure he's okay. There's a nurse in the back who's trying to explain to him what he went through, but he honestly couldn't hear or understand him at all. 

His first conscious thought is of Viktor. 

He hears the heart rate monitor start beeping too fast, and looks around for Viktor, trying to see if he's finally awake, if he's panicking because he's in a tank put in by Jayce, completely unaware. It took him a while to realise it was his own heartbeat he was listening to. 

Mel and Sky visit him in the next couple of hours, promising to keep an eye on Viktor whilst the doctors are gone, and then Dr. Lupos comes in, sitting across Jayce with a pen in hand. 

“Viktor never went to the hospital, never came to my scheduled appointment, wasn't there at his apartment when I went looking for him, and hasn't shown up despite me requesting he comes in. And then, you come in, bond sick and delirious, half bleeding to death, and screaming out Viktor's name. Tell me the truth.” 

“Bond sick?” Jayce asks, and Dr. Lupos sighs. 

“I knew you weren't listening to the nurse. That's very rude, you know. You got bond sickness as a reaction to your omega's severe reaction to the bond ending. It's a sort of last resort that the bodies can do. Did you feel highly agitated, heart unable to calm down, constantly sweating and restless?” 

Jayce nods, Dr. Lupos clicks his pen at the same as he clicks his tongue. 

“That's bond sickness. Happens rarely, usually when there's an emotional connection between two people. Now, bond sickness is so very easily cured. You just have to inhale Viktor's scent from his scent gland. It reassures the alpha in you that his omega is still around, even if they're not mated. But you couldn't do that, could you?” 

Jayce looks down as he fidgets. He feels like he's had far too many “this is it” moments, but this time, it may finally flip against him. He decides not to say anything to Dr. Lupos, and he sees the doctor sigh, clicking his pen again then sighing as he stands up. 

“I was young when my father was a family doctor to a new family made for political reasons here in Piltover. Only the omega had the bite, but the alpha didn't. She had refused to bite him, and they had stayed only half bonded.” He looks out the window, clicking his pen twice. 

“On the numerous times that the couple came to my father, at our house because we didn't even have an institution yet, they were crazed. Mad, even. My father tried to convince them to stay close, and only after a couple weeks did they agree.”

Jayce looks on as the doctor continues to speak, jaw clenched and trying to figure out where it was headed. 

“The bond ended, but the alpha had fallen in love. Hard. And the bond sickness- it overtook him. He was sick for days, and she refused to give him just that one scent. And, fair enough, she didn't want the man. But, Jayce, do you want to know what happened to him?” The doctor finally looks back at him, setting the pen down on the table, then watches it roll towards the floor. 

“The sickness continued. It spread. And in the dead of the night, it took him. He was given only two weeks after the bond before he died. Two days ago, Jayce, you walked into my clinic and almost did the exact same thing.” 

Jayce holds his breath in, feeling the dread start to paint his insides. Yes, he was in the hospital, yes, he was feeling a bit calmer. But the heat stayed, and his heartbeat was still too erratic, and sometimes the edges of reality frayed around his eyes. Was Jayce dying? 

“So, please, Jayce, no matter what you've done. No matter how legal or illegal it is, tell me where Viktor is. I won't report it, I'm just trying to help.” 

Jayce feels tears spring in his eyes and doesn't bother to stop them. Viktor, his Viktor… 

“Why? Why do you want to help?” Jayce chokes out, and he lets it be, because for once, he wants to cry and be seen and not be judged for it. 

“You insisted on choosing me to be your doctor, despite the fact that you were recommended three other doctors that were far better than me. You helped with my clinic, you brought me more patients, and you brought me Viktor, and now I care about you two. A lot. So, tell me what happened, in exact detail.” 

Jayce hesitates before he speaks. He explains everything, as quickly as he can, trying to skip out on details but Dr. Lupos asks questions that fills in the blanks. It's after two hours of Jayce explaining it all does Dr. Lupos finally stand up. 

“I am interested in the human testing of your invention. Recently, the clinic got some new equipment, including an x-ray machine. Once you're released, we'll go get Viktor and see how he's doing. Then we'll try to wake him up.” 

Jayce doesn't get any sleep that night. 

--- 

He's walking towards the lab when he sees Sky waiting for him outside. She stared at him wide eyed, looking at Jayce for an explanation as to why he's with Dr. Lupos, but Jayce simply nods in her direction, introducing him to Sky and letting them get acquainted. He then opens the lab door, walking over to the tank and looking back at Dr. Lupos. He's staring intently at the curtains. 

Jayce draws them back slowly, and immediately Dr. Lupos notes down in his notepad something Jayce doesn't want to know. Then he walks up to him, looking around his body then coming back to Jayce. 

“The scars around the knobs in his back look fully healed. Amazing. Despite the feeder, he looks malnourished and weak. It's probably affecting his ability to wake up by himself.” 

“The perfluorocarbon is all used up, Jayce. Since last night, there has been no changes at all. There's nothing more we can do.” Sky says, and she looks down sadly, then shuffles away. Jayce hears Viktor's heart beat on the monitor, steady and sure. 

“Is it possible to get him to the clinic?” He asks Dr. Lupos, who nods enthusiastically. 

“I imagine that right now, he's in a comatose state. I can bring back an oxygen mask if we're worried, but seeing as you have him in an oxygen bowl rather than a breathing tube down his throat, he should be fine.” 

Jayce breathes in, looking to Sky, and nodding. “This may be our last chance.” He says, and she reluctantly agrees. 

Dr. Lupos goes back to the clinic to get a carrier whilst Jayce and Sky start to remove Viktor from the containment. Jayce notices how Viktor's skin is all pruned over, face calm and relaxed, body even lighter than it was before. He looks back at the tank as they fully remove Viktor from all the attachments made, knowing that it was their first and last time using something so terrifying. The pools were something much more acceptable, accurate and safe. He sighs. They had to do one person wrong to get everyone else right. 

Jayce and Dr. Lupos carry Viktor to the clinic, and Dr. Lupos sets him up so he can do the x-ray. After that, two other nurses help with getting Viktor set up in a bed to recover, and eventually Jayce settles down on the chair across from Viktor, shirtless and bandages removed as Dr. Lupos assesses his back. 

“Your sickness is getting worse. It's spreading. We're going to try and wake Viktor tomorrow, but I have feeling he might wake up by himself now that he's no longer underwater. I'll have to restitch you, your heart is pumping too much blood everywhere…” Dr. Lupos mutters, applying a balm on Jayce's back and then new bandages. Jayce looks at the window behind him, seeing the red streak already staining the new bandages running down his back. 

“Are you staying here?” Dr. Lupos asks, and Jayce nods, looking at Viktor. 

“I'm not leaving his side again.” 

“You'll have to, eventually. You know, to pee and stuff.” He says, chuckling, and Jayce smiles softly. 

“Yes, I guess sometimes I really do have to leave him, even if I know I'll come right back.” 

They stay quietly looking at Viktor, each trying to find a way to say goodbye. Dr. Lupos walks over to Viktor, smiling down at him, then back at Jayce. 

“According to Viktor, Zaunite courting traditions dictate that the first step the Alpha must do is present a gift that is useful to the omega and only the omega.” He says, then, that sickening wide grin pulls his face as he lets it rest. “I believe you have made… a couple. Four total braces, two crutches, one cane, all for him, hm?” 

Jayce coughs, looking away and blushing. Is that really true? He'd have to ask Viktor once he's awake. Does that mean Viktor could've taken Jayce's devotion as a confession? Oh god, was Jayce unintentionally courting Viktor? 

“Look at you, getting all worried. I can't believe you've finally met your other half. I can't believe it's only dawning on you now. My wife tells me all about how you two are like in her restaurant at 2am…” 

Jayce blinks. Eyebrows furrowed, looking at him confused. 

“What? Your wife? Have we met her?” 

“Yes. She's usually your waitress.” He responds, chuckling, and Jayce feels like the world is far too small. 

“But- she's an Alpha and- she said she had an omega partner??"

“She does, yes. Just not me. I also have an omega partner. The same one.” He winks, and Jayce huffs out a laugh, before chuckling as he shakes his head.

“This world is too small for me to even be surprised at anything.” He says, and Dr. Lupos agrees. 

Eventually he leaves, and Jayce rests on the chair, closing his eyes and hoping his mind can rest, even for just a couple of minutes. 

--- 

“Jayce…” 

Jayce looks at Viktor, sitting across from him on his desk, looking at the old leg brace, hissing at it. 

“Could you please tighten the screws on this-” 

“I'll make you a new one.” Jayce decides, then and there, standing up with a tape measure. 

Viktor's eyes are wide, already shaking his head. 

“No, you don't have to.” 

“I want to.” He responds, and then gets on his knee as he starts to remove the brace. He pauses on the last latch. 

“Can I?” He looks up, and there's an indescribable look in Viktor's eyes. The sunlight hits them at just the right angle, making them purer than any gold he's ever seen. 

Viktor opens his mouth to respond. 

“Jayce…” 

“Jayce…” 

Jayce jolts awake, the light pouring in behind him as he fidgets and looks around. God, he can't bear his heart constantly thrumming so loudly, so quickly. It's giving him a goddamn headache. And of course, he had another nightmare, Viktor saying his name as if- 

“Jayce?” 

Jayce whips his head up as he stares at Viktor, something cracking in his heart as he sets eyes on those golden pools again. Finally. He stands up, loses his balance as he sits back down, then stands up even slower this time. His hands reach Viktor's face first, and then he pulls himself towards Viktor, because apparently his body isn't even cooperating. 

“Viktor? My god…”

Viktor breathes out, resting his head in Jayce's hands, closing his eyes as he breathes in Jayce's scent. Tears start falling from his eyes, which Jayce quickly wipes away with his thumbs. Then he opens his eyes, and the eye contact almost jolts Jayce again. His fever gets worse, his hands trembling as tears start falling from his eyes. 

“You're alive.” He says, and Viktor reaches out his own hands to Jayce's face, bringing their faces together as their foreheads touch, and then letting their heads rest on their foreheads. 

Jayce rasps out his breath, trying as much as he could to take it all in. There's no thoughts behind his actions, just a pure need grasping at his heart, directing him with every action he takes. He pulls back, takes Viktor's hand, and before he could ask, Viktor shoves himself into Jayce, nape exposed where his scent gland was situated. 

Jayce holds him, bringing his entire body to envelop him, burying his face into Viktor's scent and physically feeling the draining, intense anxiety that gripped him leave. He feels his body slowly start to cool down, gulping down his scent in mouthfuls as if he could drown in it. 

“You're alive. You're alive. You're alive.” Jayce repeats, over and over, feeling his heart starting to get full from Viktor, but in a good way. 

For once, he feels good. Like everything that ever happened was for this exact reason. 

“Oh, you- you must be cold.” Jayce says, pulling out a blanket from his bag.

“How? What- happened?” Viktor asks after he pulls himself from Jayce's neck, lightly resting his head on Jayce's shoulder. Jayce trembles, either with laughter or fear, he can't tell, but he shakes all the same. 

“You- we saved you, Viktor. The hextank, the shimmer, it worked! You're- well, the doctors say that-” 

“I… was supposed to die.” 

“No- Viktor, we- we saved you! You fainted and I used the hextank and it actually healed you. Well, enough that you weren't going to die. The bond-” 

Viktor breathes out a shaky gasp, pushing away from Jayce's shoulders as he wraps his arms around himself. 

“Why would you- Jayce, we don't even have approval for these type of experiments. You could get expelled, or worse! You could be be banished from Piltover!” 

“Viktor, I didn't have a choice! You were going to die.” 

Jayce stands up, putting his hands through his hair as he starts pacing. 

“Why would you make that choice for me? I never asked for that.” Viktor calmly says, looking away from Jayce, and suddenly, Jayce feels that irritation come back into place. He needs to calm down, fucking hell he needs to take a couple steps back and look at this from Viktor's perspective, but he can't seem to shake off the finality in Viktor's voice. As if his death was the obvious answer to anyone with half a brain. 

“Like how you made the choice for me with Dr. Tarol?” Jayce spits out, knowing this conversation was something he wanted to have later, but here he comes, bringing it in with him. 

“What?” 

“I saw the letters Viktor, I know what you did.” 

“What letters?” Viktor asks, and then his eyes suddenly shrink. He must've remembered. 

“Were you always setting me up? All that information you dug up since I shared with you something I expected you to respect from me!” 

Viktor coughs once, clearing his throat, then tries standing up. 

“I didn't set you up, Jayce. I was- wait, how do you know about that? Did you go through my apartment?” Viktor asks incredulously, shuffling his feet as he grabs his cane. 

“I needed to find out, Vik! You betrayed me! You went behind my back and looked this guy up! When did you even have the time? Why did you do it!?” 

Viktor remains quiet, looking to the side as he breathes in. Jayce watches him, trying to find anything from Viktor that could show any hint of- anything. Remorse, guilt, sadness, anger… Viktor looks away as if he's empty, devoid of all emotions and uninterested in the world. 

“After you told me… I couldn't stop thinking about it. I got angrier each day, until I wasn't even able to sleep, to work, or to eat. It consumed me, completely, and I… I needed to get it out. I thought I'd just look up people who were registered offenders. I didn't even know who I was looking for until…” 

Viktor looks back at him, eyes teary. His lip trembles as he chokes back on a sob. 

“I found him completely by accident. His timeline just seemed… to line up. I thought that when I found out he's no longer in Piltover, my heart would finally rest, but it just didn't sit right with me. I got…” 

“Obsessed?” Jayce finishes, and Viktor sits back down. 

“Jayce, I… am so sorry. You're right, I should've never disrespected you like that.” Viktor says, and Jayce feels his anger slightly ebb away. 

“You made revenge plans, Viktor. You looked up info on this- this insane man and then willingly went to meet him! And you weren't even going to bring me along until I practically cornered you on it!” 

Jayce pulls his hair, walking over to the window as he stares outside. It's still late morning, the sound of Viktor's heart rate on the monitor still loud and comforting to him. 

In the end, Viktor had tried not to get Jayce hurt, even if it did end up hurting him. He's still trying to get around it when he feels Viktor's hand on his shoulder, slowly urging him to turn around. 

“Jayce, there is nothing I could say to take away the hurt I've caused you, I know this. And I truly am sorry… I never had the right to do that to you. In my head I thought I was protecting you but I… it was selfish. And cruel, I see that now.” 

Viktor squeezes his shoulder, then lets his hand drop, face falling. 

“And I'm grateful for everything you've done for me, even now. But I think from this moment forward, we should go our separate ways.” 

“What?” Jayce's voice is higher than he would like, breaking at the vowels, and his world feels like it's crashing down. 

“I'm resigning. I won't be your lab partner anymore. You… can take the design for the hextank, I don't care about it, not anymore. Not when I've hurt you like this.” Viktor stumbles backwards as he walks towards his hospital bed, sitting down slowly. He breathes in, tears threatening to overwhelm him, and Jayce stares as he feels his heart break into million pieces. 

“But, what about us? What about everything we've done? Everything we promised we'd do, together? Do you not care about that anymore?” 

“Jayce, it's clear to me now that it has always been… affection that held us together. But if my affection can turn so obsessive that it hurts you like this, then I cannot let it fester and continue.” 

“But-” 

“Goodbye, Jayce. I will treasure our time together.” Viktor whispers it, and then releases a strong, repugnant scent. A scent made to revolt Alphas, to turn them away from an Omega- an Omega in fear. 

Jayce tries to handle it, tries to swallow down the putrid feeling of vomit coming up his throat, but Viktor's scent stays strong, dominant, and when a doctor comes in and smells it, he immediately takes Jayce out of the room. 

He tries to fight it, tries to fight them, calls Viktor's name and begs for another chance. But he's gone from the ward faster than he can blink, and then a security guard escorts him outside. He stands outside the clinic, heart in his hands, bleeding and painful, and looks up to the sky. 

It looks like it's going to rain. 

--- 

Chapter Text

Jayce paces around in the lab, scratching his arms as he anxiously awaits for Viktor's return. Viktor still has his stuff here, his favourite mug and some of his clothes, his books of research, hell, even an extra pair of shoes. Surely Viktor will come back for these things, right? 

Three days. It's been three days since he was kicked out of the clinic, and Viktor disappeared. He's asked everyone he can think of for his whereabouts, but apparently Viktor is just as good as becoming invisible as he is with complex math equations. Jayce looks at the chalkboard with their equations still on there, then the next one where he drew Viktor's anatomy, trying to understand what the Reolina plant may do. 

In the end, the doctors confirmed that Viktor's lung disease had been cured- mostly. All that will remain occasionally is a dry cough, and he needs to stay as hydrated as he can. Other organs affected are also cured. The scars on his arms healed over, but strangely enough, there were small markings all around the wounds on them, a translucent webbing design on his leg, his brace, his hand, and all on the spots that had the attachments inserted in by Jayce. They are visible only in the light, only if you know what you're looking for. 

Jayce didn't even get to see them. Or him. He wasn't allowed back inside to the clinic until Viktor had long since gone. 

Where would Viktor go, anyways? And without Jayce? 

He stops pacing inside the lab and looks at the work they have to do. A new team, all medical team will eventually be joining them, whenever Jayce and Viktor say they're ready to have them. 

Jayce and Viktor. 

This invention isn't just Jayce's, it never was. It was built on Viktor, built on his blood, sweat and tears, and even if Jayce played a part in it, it was important that Viktor was there to oversee this huge monument. It's unacceptable that he wouldn't be. 

Jayce eyes the golden band he had made for Viktor. It's still missing the red colour he wanted to put on it, to mark him as House Talis. He looks back to the drawing of Viktor, and sighs. He won't be getting any work done like this. He needs to clear his head. 

He takes a bag and goes out shopping. 

Technically, he just wanted to buy a permanent spray he could use to mark the red on it, but he's soon entranced by jewels and gems in a store near the academy. He's walking around in it when a stores person comes up to him, clearing his throat. 

“Are you looking for something specific, sir?” She says, and Jayce turns to the woman talking to him, a tall, confident looking woman with jewellery hanging off every finger. 

He nods, solemnly, then looks back to the rest of the gems. 

“I'm looking for uncut rubies, if you have any.” He tries to keep his voice level, as if he isn't on the verge of a breakdown. 

The lady takes him to the gems and shows him different shades of rubies, noting their age and where they were found. He finds one that's a deep red, intoxicating at first sight, and points for that one. The lady then disappears into the back, leaving Jayce alone in the shop. 

He continues to look through other things noting all the earrings with diamonds on them and rings with emeralds and sapphires. One particular ring has a deep green shade on its emerald, and he can't help but think that it'd go perfect with the ruby red. Something to complement the colour, as well as telling the story of where Viktor came from. 

When the lady comes back, he asks for the emerald as well. 

Jayce takes the time to walk through other shops throughout the day. He doesn't buy anything else, simply window-shopping and feeling the air come back into his lungs. He still has to find Viktor, still has to go back and finish the golden arm band, but for now, he relaxes in the sun. 

He's in a bakery store, waiting for his order on the other side, when he smells him. 

And sure, Viktor's scent is of bread and honey, so it'd blend perfectly in a bakery store, but it is so unique to Jayce that he'd recognise him anywhere. As he turns to Viktor, he pauses as he hears the conversation. He then turns his back fully, suppressing his scent and trying to hide from Viktor's view. 

“...yes. I'll be leaving Piltover on Friday. I'm not sure when, or if I'll be back, so I had to have some of my favourite treats in the meantime.” He says, chuckling, and Jayce hears the sadness in the person's voice who's taking his order. 

“Aww, Viktor. We're going to miss you here. Who else will buy out half our store every half a month to eat at home or with his partner?” 

“Ah, about that… hah, nevermind. I truly will miss this place.” 

“Are you travelling with your partner, then? You travelled with him before, yes? Ooh is this a honeymoon turned dream home? A little cottage by the woods?” She coos, and Jayce senses Viktor's scent turn sweeter. Embarrassed. 

Jayce almost chuckles. 

“No, my partner and I… are no longer together. I'm moving away.” He says, solemnly, as if regretting the decision he's made. 

“Aw, but at least you two weren't bonded yet. You're going by air, are you? I hear it's all the rage these days.” 

“Ah, is it? I'll probably be going by-” 

“Excuse me, are you here for the honey pastry and cream filled donut?” Another person asks behind him, and Jayce quickly turns to look at her. He nods, grabbing the bag of pastries and says his thanks.

He didn't get to hear the last part, what would Viktor leave with? Maybe he would change his mind and actually go by air anyways? He thinks of Viktor's fear of heights, and knows that Viktor wouldn't choose that. 

Unless he was truly trying to get away from Jayce. 

Jayce walks out as slowly as he can, savouring the scent of his omega, and feels rejuvenated. He quickly eats his food on his way to the lab, no, the forge, then gets started on finishing the armband. 

--- 

He's sitting in the lab alone, curtains drawn to a close as he's working through paperwork for funding when Sky bursts in. 

“Viktor is leaving?!” She asks, and fuck, Jayce has got to update her on important things like this. 

“Sky, don't worry he-” 

“You're going to get him back, right?” She asks, and Jayce stiffly stares at her. 

He then looks at the golden band he finished days ago. Yes, he's going to get him. There's nothing that has filled his mind than going to get him.

“I tried everywhere. He's not at his apartment, he's not at The Last Drop, he's not at the clinic. But he's leaving tomorrow. I'll catch him before he goes.” Jayce says, and Sky puts her hands on her hips, the same way she does when she's about to ask a question that Jayce knows will make him sigh later.

“How do you know that?” 

“I accidentally bumped into him the other day in his favourite bakery. I overheard the conversation.” 

“And… you didn't ask him to stay, then?” She asks, and Jayce looks away. 

Why didn't he ask then? It's obvious to him, fidgeting with the golden band that he had somehow reached for in the box. 

“Well, I-” 

“You're going to ask him to be your mate.” She finishes for him before he even gets to answer. 

He nods, looking away defeated. If it wasn't for the courting thing, he'd have asked Viktor then and there to stay. But instead he decided to be dramatic and want to finish the courting gift first before he talked to Viktor again. He huffs, putting his fingers on the bridge of his nose. 

“So? Show me.” Sky says as she goes to sit up on the desk next to him. 

“What?” 

“The courting gift. I wanna see.” She smiles as Jayce chuckles, shaking his head. He pulls out the small soft box, laying it down on the table, and neither of them move to touch it. It's a red velvet box, a ‘V’ in cursive and gold written on the top, and clearly something that isn't small enough to be a ring, or big enough to be a collar. 

Sky hums, nodding her approval, then opens the box. She gasps. 

“Jayce… this is beautiful! Where did you get the gems? In this shape? And oh, it's actually something useful that can be worn everyday! My partner got me a necklace, but an armband? Viktor's always wearing them, saying his shirts feel too big, it's perfect!” She exclaims, and Jayce nods as she takes her words in, before frowning. 

“Your partner?” He asks, wondering when this development happened. 

Sky giggles, pulling out a beautiful necklace, simple gold chain with a locket and key attached to it. 

“Yes, who you know, by the way, and who you will meet soon.” She winks, and Jayce groans. He hates waiting. 

“So, what time does Viktor leave?” She asks, and then it dawns on Jayce that he didn't actually hear that part. 

Oh god, Viktor could already be leaving, or he could leave in the afternoon, or late at night? Why are there so many hours in a day anyways?? 

Jayce mentally curses himself. He can't be at all places all the time. How is he going to find Viktor? 

“I don't know.” He confesses, and he looks to the curtains in a close. 

“Well, I know the schedules. The blimps leave twice a day, one at 6:30 AM and one at 6:30 PM. The boats leave four times a day, 5 AM, 9AM, 12 PM, and 5PM. The trains… the trains are more consistent. They leave on the hour.” She says, and Jayce feels that panic settle in his throat. 

The blimps are easy to find. They have strict leaving times. The boats time to leave are swayed depending on the weather, and the trains always carry on, no matter if it's thunderstorming or snowing. Trains are hourly. 

Which one does he think Viktor decided to choose? Three options to get out of Piltover, numerous different times for him, and Jayce has to figure out something for it. 

He breathes in, looking at Sky as an idea formulates in his head. 

“The air blimps are closest to us, and the boats the farthest. But when I go back to my apartment, the boats are much closer. I'll go to the boat first, pass by the train station, then to the air blimps. Then go back through the train station and wait until it's time to go to the boats, and vice versa. I'll be running a lot.” 

Sky chuckles, then laughs out loud as she puts down the golden arm band. 

“Why don't you just get a very dedicated driver?” She asks, and Jayce thinks about it. Paying a driver for a carriage for the whole day whilst he jumps in between stations doesn't sound too bad until he thinks about the money he'd need for that. He frowns, maybe it's worth it if he somehow catches Viktor? 

“... I'll find one at the boat station.” 

Sky laughs again as she nods, then prodes him to start actually working. Jayce agrees, focusing on finishing the last of the documents that has the medical team agreeing to help them with their pools and human testing. All that's left now is one signature; Viktor's. 

Jayce smiles as he looks at the velvet box. They just needed to talk. They needed to start over, clean, afresh. And this time, Jayce intends on doing it right. 

--- 

There are no boats leaving the pier the next day. Jayce figures that's normal, seeing as the thunderstorm has already started rolling in. It's not raining yet, but it most certainly will. He thinks about how this has been one of the most rainiest times in Piltover. Usually it's all sunshine. 

He can at least cancel the boats from the schedule, but can he cancel the blimps? He tries to find a carriage near the pier, but seeing as the boats got cancelled, there's barely anyone there. The blimps are all the way on the other side of the city, he needs a carriage if he's to get there before 6:30 AM. 

He starts to run in that direction, looking for anyone available, and after ten minutes of running, he bumps into a carriage that lets him in. 

“Where are we going?” 

“How much is it to fully book you for the rest of the day?” Jayce asks quickly, and the driver laughs. 

“I can only give you half a day. Until 12:30PM. Why?” He asks, and Jayce closes the door as he settles into the carriage. 

“I'm looking for my partner. He's leaving Piltover, but I don't know how. I need to convince him to stay.” 

The carriage driver laughs, starting the carriage as he continues in the direction Jayce was headed. 

“Ah, young love. So dramatic. Now, I'm guessing we're headed towards the air blimps?” 

Jayce responds in kind, sitting back down as he looks outside. It's still dark, but that's because the clouds are covering the sky. He misses the stars. 

They reach the air station at 6:20, and Jayce runs inside to try and catch Viktor before he boards in. Once he reaches the boarding station, he stops, heart in his throat. 

There's a line, a long line, and some staff explaining things to people. Jayce walks closer to hear what the commotion is all about. 

“I'm so sorry, everyone. Due to the bad weather, we're set to take off a little later. It will be either a 30 minute delay, or a 2 hour delay. We are so sorry, everyone.” People mostly look annoyed, or agitated, but Jayce, for the most part, is happy. 

He scans the crowd slowly, taking his time to ensure Viktor isn't among the long line. After checking over eight times, the line of people finally start to dissipate, and Jayce is left to watch on the other side. Viktor wasn't there. 

The boats are cancelled, the air blimps are delayed. Jayce thinks it must be a miracle from god. Most likely, the trains will also be delayed, and he bounces out of the air station as he gets back in the carriage.

“Not there, to the train station now. And that will be my last stop from you.” Jayce says, and the carriage driver hums, starting the carriage and getting closer to the train station. 

Jayce's heart drops when he sees the schedule. Everything is on time. The trains are fully operating. They have been since 3AM. Viktor could be gone by now. 

He stays, though, at the train station. He hates the place now, can't help but associate it with Dr. Tarol and Dmitri. But he walks around as he tries different exits to find Viktor. 

There's different lines for different doors, hundreds of people coming in and out. He can't even look at the doors, not when he's so caught up in looking for people now. 

The train station seems to be as busy as it possibly can. Hours pass by and still, no sight of Viktor. He even buys the shitty food they sell there for far too much just to make sure that he doesn't miss him. 

He thinks he may have spotted him maybe once or twice, but the scent wouldn't be the same, or the person would look back and they'd look nothing like his shining beauty. He sighs as he sits down, watching people walk in and out. He's never finding Viktor. 

Before he realises it, it's 6:00 PM, it's raining with lightning and thunder outside, and Jayce has barely thirty minutes before the next air blimp leaves. His heart beats loudly as he thinks of whether to go to the air station or stay here. What if Viktor comes through those doors as soon as Jayce leaves? But the next train leaves at 7PM, he can make it back just in time. He wills himself up, running out the door, and immediately getting wet. Right. He didn't even bother to bring his umbrella. 

He runs over to a waiting carriage, asking to be taken to the air station as quickly as possible. When he finally gets there, it's 6:35 PM. He looks around for anyone, but it's silent. He walks up to the front desk, clears his throat before he asks. 

“Uh, hello. Did the 6:30PM flight already take off?” 

“No, darling. It's been cancelled.” She says quickly, and Jayce nods as he says his thanks. 

Cancelled. 

He wasted time for nothing. When he goes back outside, there's no carriage waiting for him. He won't make it, but he runs towards the train station anyway. He slips and almost falls, catching his breath as the rain pelts down harder. Fuck, he really should've at least bought an umbrella. He continues his run, as fast as possible, grateful that the rain keeps people from being outside. 

When he reached the train station, it's already way past 7. The sky has darkened from the sun setting, and Jayce walks inside to find that the train is gone. He breathes out, heart in his throat as he blinks back tears. That could've been Viktor. 

Jayce looks at the time for the next train. It's been delayed. The other trains are cancelled for the rest of the night. How bad is this weather? 

He walks back outside, letting the rain consume him, when he finds the lingering smell of bread and honey. He follows it down to another entrance of the train station, and then it disappears, replaced by petrichor. Oh. 

Viktor was here. 

Viktor's already gone. 

Jayce breathes in, trying to hold everything in together. It's fine if Viktor's already gone. He can still get information on where Viktor went, and he'll take the next train to the same location. Jayce steels himself, tightly squeezing his hands into a fist, then quickly walks back towards the train station. 

He gets stopped, however, by someone who was right behind him. Jayce hasn't seen him, smelled him, hell, not even hear him (though the thunder is loud and the rain is deafening so he wouldn't have heard him anyway), but when he slips and falls thanks to the rain, Jayce holds the person's head to make sure they don't hit it on the concrete floor. 

“Jayce?” 

The gods must love him today. 

Jayce sits up quickly as he looks at Viktor, who had been dry because he had an umbrella, but was quickly getting wet. 

“Jayce, what are you doing here? I told you-” 

“Let me court you, Viktor.” Jayce starts, and damnit that's not what he wanted to start with. A hi, hello, how are you would've been nice. 

Viktor's eyes are wide as he searched Jayce's face for something, then sighs as he looks away. 

“Jayce, you don't have to force yourself to-” 

“Viktor. We've… we've both made mistakes on our part. And we both instead run away instead of trying to fix it. But I can't let you go, not now, not today. The feelings I have for you go beyond the bond, they were there and present before then. They are there and present now.” The thunder rolls, and Viktor continues looking at Jayce like everything was a sick prank to him. Tears start in his eyes. 

“No, you're lying. I- I'm filthy. I'm obsessive, and I hurt you.” 

“I hurt you, too, Viktor. I put you in the tank without talking to you about it. I purposefully went to your apartment and invaded your space. I claimed you, Viktor.” Jayce laughs as he runs his hand through his hair. He had rehearsed the speech he would give Viktor a million times, yet none of those words come to mind now. 

He takes out the box, urging it into Viktor's hands, still seated on the floor in the rain. 

“I understand now. My purpose was always in the lab, with you. Without you it's all meaningless, pointless. I'd sooner quit being a scientist than quit being your partner.” Jayce says, and Viktor takes the box with shaking hands. 

Jayce picks up the umbrella Viktor was using, covering Viktor with it as Viktor opens the box, gasping at it. Thunder rolls again. 

“Viktor, would you give me the honour of officially courting you? Will you come back with me, and stay with me, in the lab where we belong, in this city where we live?” 

Jayce tries to stay strong whilst Viktor weeps, but he's always been a bit of a crier. No use trying to stop it now, not when he's cried harder in front of Viktor and was still accepted nonetheless. 

“My love is a dirty and cruel thing. It'll ruin you. It'll poison you, and it won't let either of us go. I'm broken, even after being healed, I'm still broken and in need of repair. Are you sure about this, Jayce?” Viktor asks, and Jayce breaks apart as Viktor speaks his own declaration. 

“You've always wanted to cure what you thought were weaknesses. Your leg, your disease. But you were never broken, Viktor. There is beauty in imperfections. They make you who you are. An inseparable piece,” and as thunder rolls here, Jayce waits for it to pass as he puts his hand on Viktor's cheek, because everything too, shall pass, “of everything I love about you.” 

Viktor holds the golden arm band to his chest as he cries. The rain slowly dies down, but it continues still to pitter patter throughout the city. Jayce takes Viktor into his arms, umbrella be damned, and Viktor hugs him back, scootching closer until he was fully enveloped in Jayce's arms. 

He nods, softly, holding onto Jayce's shirt as his cries begin to quiet down. 

“I accept. Jayce… I… I don't want to go. I want to stay, with you.” 

Jayce smiles as his heart finally overflows with the love he's been desperate to pour over Viktor. He takes Viktor's jaw into his hands, guiding him up to his face, then rests his forehead onto Viktor's. 

“Then let's go home.” 

--- 

They were lucky a carriage was still around, and as Jayce took one last look at the train station, he sees the sign that notified people that all the trains were cancelled, including the oncoming one. 

It felt as if it was fate. As if he was always going to intercept Viktor here. 

Or maybe, in every universe they are together, Jayce would always intercept Viktor as he's about to leave for good. And maybe, they'd leave together. 

He quickly brings Viktor inside to his apartment, turning the heating on and removing Viktor's wet clothes first. He prepares a bath for him, then lets Viktor go into the bathroom whilst he removes his own wet clothes. 

They had said nothing during that entire time. 

Jayce is terrified, truthfully. So, he's asked Viktor to stay, and to court him, but now, what comes next? There's steps to these things, steps of which they've already passed the line for, and Jayce wasn't truly as prepared as he thought. He'd have to go to ask his mother for guidance. 

And there's, of course, a different set of steps for Zaun courtship. He wonders if he could ask Vi for guidance, despite her being omega, she had taken the role of an alpha in courting Cait, and obviously had thoroughly succeeded. 

Even now, though, Jayce was mostly curious about Viktor. Piltover courtship dictates that they can't be intimate at all until the last stage of courting, which includes seeing the other naked. And Jayce is far too curious about how Viktor looks now, apparently glowing in light like bioluminescence, and curious about what else changed with him. Viktor comes out of the bathroom and wears half the clothes Jayce sets out for him, aka, the giant shirt and nothing else. 

“The bath is free.” He says as he walks into the bedroom, leaning lightly on the cane. Jayce stands up from his chair, going up to Viktor and physically stopping himself before he put his hands around his waist. Technically, he doesn't know if that counts as intimacy, but fuck, he needs to talk to his mother before he loses his goddamn mind. 

“How… are you feeling? Your body? Did you heal… is there any difference… did I-” 

“Jayce. Take a bath first, then I'll explain everything.” Viktor says, and Jayce nods as he painfully removes himself from Viktor's orbit. 

It's soothed when he realises that Viktor left his scent all over the bathroom, which started out as a wonderful little gift for him which turned into actual torture. He tries to will his dick to die down because he's so sure he's not even allowed this. 

Once he finishes and dresses up (far more modestly than he'd like), he goes back into his bedroom and almost cries at the sight. Viktor is there, in the blankets as if he's lived there his whole life, and everything looks right again. He doesn't even remember the last time Viktor was in his bed like this, but it almost feels sacred to be able to see a view like this and not weep in devotion. 

Instead, he drags the chair to where Viktor is and sits down. Viktor looks back up to him, smiles, then moves to a sitting position. Jayce's eyes flicker down and finds Viktor isn't wearing anything else. He thinks of Heimerdinger’s moustache and his stupid thesis paper. 

“My lungs are fully healed. It seemed that's what the reolina and perfluorocarbon mostly focused on. That meant that my back, my leg, even my wrist that was always too weak, didn't get fully healed. But that doesn't mean they're not better. My back feels much straighter, I can sit like this for a few hours before it starts to ache too much.” Viktor starts, then scooches over to show Jayce his leg. 

Outside, the thunder rolls, lightning practically hitting all the rooftops, and as soon as Viktor shows off the translucent webbing markings on his legs, Jayce's power shutters out. A blackout, something he's never even experienced before. He stands up softly, looking around in the dark. He's about to go get some scented candles he used mostly when he wanted to calm down when he feels Viktor grabbing his shirt, and his scent slowly turning sour, tinted in fear. 

“Viktor?” 

“Don't leave. I don't like this… combination.” He says, voice small and quiet. 

Jayce understands, taking Viktor's hand in his and squeezing it. A thunderstorm and darkness, he can imagine Viktor's gone through countless amounts of them in Zaun with no power and barely anyone to help him. 

“Do you think you can walk?” He asks, and Viktor squeezes his hand in response. 

“Yes, so long as I'm holding onto you. My leg is still painful though, so I can't walk long distances.” Viktor responds, and Jayce nods. 

He takes Viktor's weight onto him, and lightning flashes, leaving the room in blinding white for a few seconds. The rain pours harder as Jayce and Viktor slowly shuffle towards the bathroom, Viktor leaning over the counter as Jayce kneels and takes out the candles. Viktor raises an eyebrow as lightning flashes and he glimpses the the big scented candles Jayce is holding. 

“What?” Jayce says, catching the amused look on his face. 

“Nothing, loverboy.” Viktor quickly responds, stifling his chuckle as Jayce bumbles. 

“Sometimes I like my room smelling nice! It's not to seduce anyone!” 

“Of course, of cour-” thunder rolls, and Viktor slips from his position, almost falling onto Jayce before Jayce catches him, helping him stand up. 

“Falling for me, are you?” He cracks after a few moments of breathing, and Viktor huffs. 

“I can't believe I was going to leave in this weather. I hate thunder.” 

Jayce stays quiet, leading Viktor into the kitchen as he takes out the matches and lights the three candles. He takes two as Viktor carries one, and they both head into the bedroom and place them in high, safe areas. Lightning strikes again, and Jayce instinctively looks at Viktor, watching how the yellow glow of the candles paints his skin muted and faint. He almost looks like a dream, hazy and soft in Jayce's bed, sitting and waiting for him. 

Jayce sits next to him, taking Viktor's hand in his because damned be the rules he's not aware of yet, and rests his head on Viktor's shoulder. Viktor sighs, letting his own head rest on Jayce's, and the scent slowly starts to fade back to normal. 

“Jayce. Are you sure you want to court me? I just… can't believe it.” Viktor murmurs, and Jayce has to chuckle. 

“I was battling on whether or not I should during our cycle. I was so sure you felt nothing for me.” He nuzzles into Viktor's shoulder, and feels Viktor stifling his laughter. 

“I've liked you since that night of the explosion in your apartment. I've practically been throwing myself at you, I mean, I even let you bite me, didn't I?” 

“I thought you said you let me bite you because you felt safe with me?” 

“Ah, is that the excuse I gave? Well, it doesn't matter, it was true anyways.” Viktor chuckles, and Jayce stares at him. 

“Wait, so you seduced me with a bite?” 

“Jayce Talis, I'll have you know that during that, ah, endeavour, you were begging to bite me.” 

Jayce reels back. He does not remember begging to bite Viktor, he would know, right? Besides, why would Viktor say yes- 

“I did not! Did I? Oh my god I don't remember. And you let me? Viktor, I feel like we could've talked about it before that happened!” Jayce is pacing now, and Viktor lets our comfort in his scent, letting Jayce calm down enough as the rain pours on. 

“Well, I thought you'd stay for a chat once the both of us were more clear headed but someone had completely different plans.” 

Jayce stares as Viktor continues, shyly looking away. 

“I took that as rejection, I suppose. That you didn't want me, and you were simply acting on your urges. I'm… sorry.” He regretfully says, and Jayce crosses from his position to Viktor, getting on his knees as he smiles up at him. 

“I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have ran. I've been running from things for a while, it's time I finally take some courage and use it for good.”

Viktor smiles back at him, hand trembling and resting in Jayce's hair. It slowly moves down as he pets him, then to his cheek, which Jayce rests against, and Viktor chuckles. 

“How about we go to sleep, hm? We need to talk more but I'm tired right now.” Viktor squeezes Jayce's cheeks as he tugs him up. 

Jayce had decided to sleep on the sofa, but with the electricity gone and Viktor still slightly jumping everytime the thunder rolls, he decides to just stay with him. He slowly stands as Viktor gets under the covers, humming happily, and as soon as Jayce gets under the covers on the other side, he immediately latches onto Jayce. Jayce chuckles as he lets himself have this, wrapping his arms around Viktor and drawing him in even more, close enough until he can feel Viktor's heartbeat. 

Viktor purrs, and it activates Jayce's own rumbling. The sounds get blended in with the thunderstorm, but Viktor and Jayce can feel it, and that's all that mattered to them. Viktor falls asleep first, exhausted from his day, and Jayce soon follows after, watching the candles flicker in his room, with the feeling that from now on, everything will be alright. 

--- 

“You want to… combine them?” Viktor asks as he whisks the eggs in the bowl, putting in different spices from a recipe he got from Jayce's mother. 

“Yeah. That way it pays homage to both of our backgrounds. After all, it's both of us together, isn't it?” Jayce says, and Viktor hums sweetly. They had been talking about how to go about the courting, and Jayce had been adamant about including both Piltover and Zaun rituals. 

Although they're not as popular these days, courting rituals are still done to have a pair be seen as a couple in front of the law without a marriage binding them. It's like the “engagement” part of a relationship, except earlier than that since courting is mostly about seeing whether two (or more) people are compatible with each other. 

“But one of Piltover's courting rules dictate that the Alpha, in our case, can't be intimate with the Omega, no? What are the parameters for that? Will I be unable to hold your hand whenever I want?” Viktor finally pours the egg into the pan, and Jayce clicks his jaw as he watches Viktor cook. 

Jayce wants more than hand holding. God, Viktor looks so good cooking, wearing one of Jayce's shirts that he ended up changing into because apparently he sweated too much in the other one. Jayce wants to go up to Viktor and rip the shirt off and finally have that smooth skin back in his mouth. 

“Yes, I can't touch you… intimately. I'll have to ask my mother for the parameters.” He sighs, looking away from Viktor's tantalising shoulder. 

Viktor's not wearing his back brace. His spine stands a little straighter, he's not using the crutch or cane either since he's standing in one spot, but he did end up putting his leg brace back on to help him continue standing for longer periods of time. 

“By the way… I'm guessing you don't need your current braces, do you? They must be heavy since they're no longer as useful. Something similar but lighter? Maybe like the braces you used to wear, before your body got worse…” Jayce mutters out, looking down as he starts to map out the braces measurements in his head. Simpler braces are useful this time around, and without administering the Reolina and shimmer again to Viktor, he'll have to wait until there's more experiments done and use newer, lighter braces. 

“Are you just always thinking about the forge?” Viktor chuckles, putting the eggs, bread and bacon in front of the two of them. Jayce nurses his cup of tea, looking at Viktor's fingers as they methodically put butter on both pieces of bread he has. 

“No, I'm just always thinking about you.” 

The knife stops suddenly, then continues its action as Viktor looks away. 

“You're awfully bold now. I don't think that's part of the courting rules for Piltover.” Viktor says, putting the bread on a pan as he toasts it, putting the eggs and bacon inside it. 

“A toasted bacon and egg sandwich?” 

“Yes, you want to try?” Viktor suggests, and Jayce hums. 

“I want to try everything you'll make for me, Viktor.” 

In truth, Jayce just loves the domesticity of it all. The rain thundered on last night, and it opened up to a beautiful day, with the sun pouring in through the windows. Jayce thinks about moving into a house together, about having pups running around and a ring on Viktor's finger. God, he wants it all now, and Jayce has never thought of himself as possessive- okay maybe that's a lie- but he likes to think he's not that bad. But as it stands right now, he wishes he could at least lock up Viktor in his room and never let anyone else see him again. 

His Viktor is his to see, to touch and hear and smell. He shakes the thoughts away, looking outside for a bit before deciding his first agenda should be his mother. 

“Are all your clothes wet?” He asks, and Viktor looks over at him with that look that tells him everything he needs to know. “We can use the dryer.” 

“Washer first. I don't want my clothes smelling, okay?” 

“Breakfast first?” Jayce flutters his eyelashes in a cutesy way, which makes Viktor laugh as he gives him his toasted sandwich. 

They finish breakfast as they continue talking about different courting rituals. Viktor never bothered to learn the rituals except the one he needed to know in case he gets sworn off to an Alpha, the omega courting ritual for both Zaun and Piltover. He agrees to mix them in a way that is natural for him, even if it means it leans more into Zaun rituals than Piltover's rituals. 

Jayce believes he may subconsciously do the same, but he tries to keep an open mind. 

They shuffle into the small laundry room together, holding the clothes that Viktor had packed. Only one suitcase. Jayce frowns as he takes the wet clothes out. Viktor had one suitcase worth of clothes, and that was it. He was going to start spoiling Viktor immediately- new clothes and shoes and jewellery, anything he can get his hands on. 

Once the washer starts, Jayce carries Viktor onto it, letting him sit on top of it as it spins. Viktor laughs, his voice coming out a bit jittery due to the movement of the washer, and Jayce laughs at the sound. The morning sun still isn't too hot yet, so he revels in the feeling of being here with Viktor, trying to talk about their plans for the day without cracking out into laughter again. 

After they both shower and change, they get ready to leave for Ximena's house. Jayce calls for a carriage, letting Viktor get inside first and then getting in from the other side. Jayce anxiously turns the courting gift in his hand, almost dropping it twice before Viktor snatches it from his hand as they were getting off. 

“It's mine anyways, and if you break it at such an important moment I will create a time machine to take it from you even earlier and slap you for dropping it in the future.” Viktor huffs, walking up to the doors of the house. 

“But if you stop me from dropping it then that means I don't need a punishment, no?” Jayce pouts, wanting to be the one to show it to his mother and try to explain their journey there. 

“I'll kiss it better?” 

“I'm still getting punished though??” 

“You'll be alright.” Viktor chuckles, and raises the door knob to knock three times. 

Jayce and Viktor wait outside nervously, and as Jayce's scent starts to turn anxious, so does Viktor's, bouncing off each other as time continues passing on without an answer.

“Maybe she's not home?” Jayce says, taking a small step back. 

“Yes, maybe we came at the wrong time.” 

“We should go home and try again another day?” 

“I agree, let's go now.” Viktor says, and just as he's about to turn around and scurry off, the door opens, and Ximena's scent waves over them. 

Except, something isn't right. 

“Oh… boys! I'm so sorry, I've been a bit sick so it takes a while to open the door…” Ximena says, and Jayce immediately opens the door wider. 

His mother stumbles, surprised, and he catches her before she falls. 

“Why didn't you tell anyone, ma? Someone should be taking care of you.” He says, ushering Viktor inside. “Vik, can you stay in the living room? I don't want you catching what she has.” 

“No, absolutely not. I'll help out to take care of you, Ximena.” Viktor says, putting the courting gift into his jacket pocket, then going to the other side of her. 

“Oh, it's nothing much, boys. Just a bit of a cold. It's been raining too much, but my plants needed to be picked and pruned so…” 

“You worked in the rain?!” They both say at the same time, and Ximena smiles. 

“At least my vegetables are perfect. I'd like to get back to bed if you don't mind…” 

Jayce and Viktor lead her back up to her bedroom, letting her rest again. She almost immediately falls asleep, and Viktor shuffles out, saying he will cook some soup for her, as Jayce decides to take a small towel and wet it with cold water. 

He's changing the towel again, wiping away her sweat and making sure she's warm when she wakes up, looking up at him with a knowing look. 

“Are you finally courting him?” She asks, and Jayce smiles as he nods. 

“Yes, mama. I'm sorry it took such a long time, but Viktor's been in my heart since the beginning.” He says, and she smiles as she hums. 

“What happened between the two of you?” She coughs after asking the question, and Jayce pushes a glass of water in her direction. 

She sits up, taking the glass of water and drinking it. Jayce looks away as he feels her piercing gaze on him, a nervous smile breaking out on his face. 

“You claimed him, didn't you?!” She accuses, and Jayce jumps. 

“Well, no not technically but I mean yes technically? It was an accident but it was fully reciprocated! Apparently, I was just a coward because I-” he stops, shutting up quickly before he can say his biggest blunder, but his mother catches on quickly. 

“Because you what? What did you do- Jayce Talis do not tell me you left him after claiming him!!” She whisper-shouts it, and as Jayce says nothing, she takes his ear and pinches. 

“Ow! Ow! Mama!” 

“I raised you better than that! I cannot believe you'd bite an omega and leave him there alone! Please tell me he at least wasn't going through heat…” 

When no response comes from Jayce, she gasps, grabbing his other ear. 

“Jayce Talis! Are you trying to give your mother a heart attack?! Have you apologised to him? What's the point of courting him, you should be his life-long servant for this grave crime! Ough, you're just like your father!” She says, then removes her hands as she coughs into her arms. 

Jayce ignores the stinging sensation of his ears as he gives her the glass of water again. He didn't bother to fight her on this, he deserves to be put in jail for his crime, he's grateful to get away with it with just this punishment. As he puts his glass down, he looks at his mother as he tries to get her to continue. Seeing that she won't, he decides to pick her apart. 

“My father? What do you mean?” He asks, and his mother sighs, her hand going to her ring and turning it around. 

“I met your father when I was very young. I didn't like him very much, all ego and arrogance, just like you.” She says, rolling her eyes, and Jayce huffs at the statement. “When we were in university, things changed. I suppose I suddenly saw him as a potential mate. But we were drunk one time at a party, and something triggered my first ever heat, and some alphas tried to take me.” 

Jayce's heart is in his throat, his fingers flexing as he listens in. 

“Your father claimed me so that they couldn't take me. Then he ran with me all the way to my apartment, left me there, and ran away.” She chuckles, coughing slightly as Jayce looks away. 

Yeah, sounds familiar.

“I understood he did it so he wouldn't need to physically fight other alphas and potentially lose- and if I smelled like him then other alphas would know to back off. Haha, he didn't come back for the whole week, and afterwards my friends hunted him down and we went to the doctor together.” She smiles fondly, sighing as she finally settles back into her blankets. 

“We went through a lot together, and it would be another two years before he'd ask to court me. I'm glad you didn't wait long. It ate me up inside.” 

Jayce chuckles, holding his mother's hand and squeezing it. 

“It ate me up as well during the bond. I just wanted to drop to my knees and beg him to marry me.” 

She yawns, eyes drifting off to sleep as she mutters. 

“Funny… that's what he said to me too after I said yes…” 

She falls asleep, and Jayce breathes out. He had no idea that's how his parents got together. Whenever he asked, his mother would say that they were childhood friends, and he asked in their mid twenties to court her and she said yes. He chuckles as he stands up, leaving her to rest as he looks over to her bedroom night stand. In the middle are a pair of earrings with Talis red gems on them. They were clearly polished and well maintained, better than anything else on her night stand. He smiles, then finally closes the door softly so as to not wake her. 

He finally reaches the kitchen where he finds Viktor hard at work, cooking for the second time that day. 

His parents' love is everlasting, so much so that his mother decided she'd never remarry. There's traces of his father everywhere in the house, from the pictures on the walls to the pots and pans used, old china that were gifts from his father to his mother, his favourite plants and trees, the furniture he made for the family. Jayce doesn't remember much of his father, but he remembers how gentle and kind he was, how loving and loyal to his family he had been, and the messages he was taught before he left. One of them rings out now as Viktor looks up to him, nodding to him softly as he adds in the carrots into the soup. 

Once you've finally found your one true love, Jayce, don't ever let it go. Love them even in death. 

--- 

Jayce and Viktor leave the house late at night, deciding to ask Ximena about courting rituals another time and not troubling her with it. They both return to Jayce's apartment, tumbling softly whilst laughing. Jayce falls onto the sofa, turning the small TV on as Viktor walks up and down the apartment. 

“Are you alright?” Jayce asks, and Viktor nods. 

“I can just… walk when I want to again. It doesn't have to have any reason. I just can. It doesn't hurt as much, I can put it to the back of my mind and be fine.” He says happily, then walks back to Jayce, sitting next to him and letting their shoulders touch. “Is this too intimate for Piltover's standards?” 

“Oh no, a shoulder! I will surely jump you the moment there's contact.” Jayce dramatically says, and Viktor laughs at him. He yawns, resting his head on Jayce's shoulder. 

“You should go sleep in the bed, Vik. You still need a stable spot to rest in.” Jayce huffs out, and Viktor nods slowly. 

They both shuffle into the bedroom, changing into night clothes as they get ready for bed. 

“So I'm guessing you're not staying with me tonight?” 

“No, unfortunately not.” Jayce responds, wanting to kneel and give Viktor a kiss then and there. 

Viktor raises a brow and smiles. 

“The way you look right now says you want nothing more than to take me for yourself.” 

“I do.” 

“Then take me.” Viktor says, opening the blankets, but Jayce looks away. 

“I will wait. I can wait. I'm courting you properly, Viktor.” Jayce reaffirms, and Viktor hums approvingly. 

“Goodnight then, Jayce.” Viktor drawls out his name, and Jayce breathes out. Is Viktor making this difficult on purpose? 

“Goodnight, V.” 

The next day, Jayce goes to Caitlyn's after dropping Viktor off at his apartment to start unpacking. He hopes to find Vi there, and is pleasantly surprised when no one else but Cait and Vi are at the Kiramman estate. 

“Jayce, what brings you here today?” She says, wearing her casual clothes since it's Sunday. 

“Big man, hello hello! You here to take my mate away?” Vi asks, and Jayce chuckles as he shakes his head. 

“Actually, I'm here for you.” He says, and Vi sits up as she looks at him. 

“Did I do something? Did Jinx do something again? Gods that girl… she means well I swear she-” 

“No, it's nothing like that.” He interrupts, and he can tell he's become too serious as both Cait and Vi sit up straighter. 

“What's going on, Jayce?” Cait asks, and Jayce sighs. 

“I'm courting Viktor.” 

“No!” Vi says, at the same time as Cait says, “Yes!” 

Jayce blinks, confused, as he watches Vi argue with Cait. 

“It's too soon!! I didn't think he'd have the balls to actually ask him! There's no way I just lost $100!” Vi grumbles, and Cait laughs as she puts her hand out. 

“Pay up, cupcake. I told you I know Jayce better than anyone.” 

“You're stealing from the poor, Cait.” 

“No, actually, I'm claiming my prize from the sore loser. Give me my bet money.” 

“You two made a bet on me?” Jayce asks incredulously, and they both nod, suddenly turning serious. 

“I bet you'd wait four to five months before you finally cracked and asked to court Viktor after your half bond. Cait said it will only be one to two weeks. You couldn't have waited like other Pilties? Don't you care about modesty??” She says, and Jayce slowly closes his eyes as he takes in the information. 

“You… knew?” He looks over at Cait, who smiles and looks away. 

“When I said I won't tell anyone … I didn't mean Vi.” She says, and Jayce sighs out. 

“Who else knew? Jinx? Fuck, everyone?” 

“Nah, just me bros. Don't worry, I don't snitch, unlike a certain money stealing cupcake.” Vi chuckles as Cait playfully hits her shoulder. 

Jayce chuckles, rolling his neck and then breathing in and out again. 

“Vi, I know that you played the alpha in the Zaun courting rituals, didn't you? I need your help on them.” 

Vi nods, standing up. 

“I've got you, pretty boy. I have a diary of everything I did, let me grab it quickly so I can summarise it all.” She says, then leaves to Caitlyn's bedroom, leaving Cait and Jayce alone. 

“Jayce, how are you feeling now? With everything that's happening?” She asks, and Jayce smiles. He stands up, going over to sit next to her, then hugs her, putting his head on her shoulder as he sighs. 

“I think everything was moving too fast, too quickly. But, I'm finally able to breathe again. Everything just feels so… right.” He leaves her side, leaning back into the sofa as he looks up to the small outside garden area they were at, underneath a white gazebo. 

He notes her scent turning a little guilty, and looks at her. 

“Jayce, about the-” 

“Back! Okay, so I pretty much numbered everything according to when I did it, and I added a little contents page here after everything was done.” She says, handing over Jayce the diary. 

Her handwriting is neat and steady, far more legible than other people's handwriting, and he reads the contents and realises they are the steps needed. First step being to get something only the omega could use. On top of the arm band, Jayce knows he's going to make the two customised braces as well, to fit Viktor's current needs. The second step is… 

“Knowledge?” He asks, and they both nod. 

“It's quite similar to Piltover's one actually, which is Providing. Basically, you need to know what your omega wants and needs before even he decides it. Basically, be able to read and understand them.” Cait says, and Vi agrees with her. 

“For Cait, it was a bit easy. She's super skilled with her gun, and has a tough persona around her, but inside she's a big softy. And being around her a lot helped me to understand her better.” Vi inputs, and Jayce turns to the pages where Vi wrote all her notes about what she did for Cait. 

“Don't worry, all the explicit stuff is in another book.” She winks, and Jayce almost feels like throwing up. 

He goes back to the contents page. The courting ritual seems to have last about five months for them. The next step was bravery, and Jayce flicks to the pages that explore it more. The alpha has to prove that they are courageous in front of their omega, for any reason, and the omega has to approve on it. Usually this is done by fighting other alphas that want the omegas attention, but since the world has become more civilised, bravery can be found in other ways. 

“I have never exterminated more cockroaches in my entire life than I did for Cait when I reached that stage. Mind you, I hate those fuckers too, but I never went out of my way to reduce their population. For my cupcake though? Anything.” She winks at Cait, who rolls her eyes and groans, but doesn't even bother to hide her growing smile. 

Jayce chuckles, going back to the table contents and reading the next step. Care. He flicks over to the pages and finds it's only one page- a simple guide to what it's about. Providing for the omega when they are in heat, without falling to the physical needs of either alpha or omega. 

“Ah, that one Cait had to do instead. It was pure torture for me. She was right there and she couldn't do anything for me.” Vi pouts, and Cait takes her hand. 

“I took that step very seriously. Being in heat is no joke, especially without someone to help you along. So to be there and help in other ways other than the obvious… it required mental stability I truly did not think I had.” Cait confesses, and Jayce simply looks at them. 

Helping Viktor in his heat without sinking into his heat? So things like changing his clothes, preparing his nest, keeping him fed and clean, without ever actually giving into taking him? Isn't something like that what had gotten Jayce into the whole situation in the first place? 

“I'm sure you'll be fine, Jayce. When is Viktor's next cycle?” Cait asks, and Jayce breathes out. 

“In a month or so.”

“Oh.” Cait says at the same time as Vi says “Ah.” 

“So look, the steps don't have to be taken in this order, but they do have to happen in a five to six month period. You're going to have to prepare yourself for that… quickly.” Vi says, and Jayce pointedly sighs as he leans back on the sofa. He's done for. 

He continues reading the contents for the second last step, something called Hunt, and Jayce quickly flips the pages till the explanation is there. It is quite literally that, a hunt.

“The hunt is the biggest difference between Zaun and Piltover's courting rituals. Instead of a hunt, Piltover has a scavenger quest, where the omega looks for items and clues that lead them to the alpha by the end of the day. The hunt, however, is quite literally the alpha hunting the omega whilst the omega hides away. Usually in different places, they don't have to leave anything if they don't want.” Vi bumbles out, brow scrunched up in concentration. 

“It's incredibly easy to blur the lines between a courting hunt and an actual hunt. You have to let the omegas instincts believe that you are safe, and they shouldn't know it's you hunting them, or else they'll associate you with being an enemy.” Cait lists off, taking the notebook from Jayce's hands and flicks two pages over. 

“Vi insisted on being the one to hunt me, and she left me a blurb of things that I didn't realise would help me. Every corner I took, Vi had expected I would, and she would leave her scent in places she knew I'd take safety in. So I began to associate her scent with safety, until I began craving her. I almost ran all the way to Zaun just to see her because of the hunt, meanwhile she was behind me the whole time.” 

“Did you get caught?” Jayce asks, and Vi snorts. 

“Yeah, right on the bridge. She screamed and the enforcers came rushing towards me. Then I grabbed her and ran all the way into Zaun till we lost them. Had to apologise big time to her mother and the enforcers.” Vi says, chuckling as she scratches the back of her head. 

“But it worked. After the hunt, if I wasn't next to her side, I'd feel anxious. Of course I went back to normal in a week, but now it's like I need to breathe her in.” Cait finishes, handing back the book to Jayce. 

He takes it, opening to the contents page again, and then looks at the last step. Sacrifice. 

“Sometimes you have to leave something behind to prove you're willing to take the next step into the future with someone.” Vi says, squeezing Cait's hand. 

“What did you sacrifice?” 

“Can't say. Only Cait and I know.” She responds, and Cait sighs as if she regrets it. Vi whispers something, and Cait chuckles, regaining that composure she had before. 

“I don't regret sacrificing it, not if it meant having Cait. And I'm still here, alive, aren't I? I'll never regret it for the rest of my life. I got something even better.” She kisses Cait's cheek, then forehead twice, letting her own forehead rest on hers afterwards. 

Jayce stands up, heart full. 

“Did you almost fail during the Care stage?” He asks Cait, and she laughs. 

“Three times I almost failed. One time I gave in and gave her a kiss. It's okay, I tried.” She huffs it out, and Vi laughs. 

“She just couldn't resist me. Not that I was making it any easier for her.”

“What do you mean?” Jayce asks, and Vi turns to him with a glint in her eyes that tells him he's in for a long, long ride. 

“The omega has their own set of rules. But one of them is to constantly be seductive, alluring, trying to veer the alpha off course. Viktor will say, and do things he knows will purposefully make you want him more, and it's your restraint that shows your respect for him that he's after. He'll be like that, throughout the entire courting ritual.” Vi says, and suddenly, the night before makes sense. 

Viktor was trying to get him to give in, and he's going to continue trying to get him to take Viktor, fail the courtship. Would he have to start again? He supposes that that is the role Viktor is given, whether he likes to or not, and by accepting Jayce's courting gift, he has agreed to the rules of the courtship. Jayce breathes out, taking a seat across from them. 

“This will already be incredibly hard. Now, Viktor's whole role is to throw a wrench in my plans of courting him?” 

“Yup.” Vi pops the ‘p’, happily eating the pomegranates that Cait had started to peel and put in bowls. Her hands were already red and sticky.

“It's tough, Jayce, but it's worth it. I've never felt more connected to someone than I do with Vi, and I wouldn't trade her for anything in the world.” Cait says, and Vi kisses her again, right on the cheek, then winks at Jayce. 

“Jayce, are you aware of Piltover rituals, though? Zaun rituals allows for touches and acts of slight intimacy, but Piltover is a stickler for none at all. That even includes handholding. You'll have to keep your hands to yourself for five to six months if you decide to go with Piltover's courtship.” She says, and Jayce groans, putting his fingers on the bridge of his nose. 

“I was thinking of mixing them together, actually. Why is Piltover so harsh on these rules?” He says, and almost drops the book he was holding. 

“Well, since Piltover doesn't have the hunt nor the Care parts of the courtship, it's kind of been put as an overarching rule instead of being a step. Do you want me to tell you Piltover's steps?” Cait asks, and Jayce nods as he finally locks in. 

“Gifts of affection, usually in flowers- and you need to know flower language to convey what you are trying to say. Then after is Providing, the exact same as Knowledge, it gets a bit different next step. Next up is Parading. You need to find a way to show everyone that you are courting Viktor and he has accepted you, in a non-intimate way, by the way.” 

“Which means, no hickeys!” Vi pipes in, and Jayce believes he may have turned scarlet. 

“Yes, like I said, nothing intimate like that. It could be through rings or a declaration at a party, you basically need to brag and show off Viktor. Step after that is the scavenger quest, and then the last is Sacrifice. Except, instead of giving something up, you're giving something of yours to them. Usually this means a family heirloom.” Cait finishes, and Vi takes out the necklace around her neck and shows it off to Jayce. It had the Kiramman symbol on a blue gem, and Jayce realises it was actually a locket. When Vi opens it, a small picture of herself and Cait are in there. He smiles, humming appreciatively. 

“Thank you, that was very helpful. I went to ask my mother but she was very sick yesterday, so we ended up taking care of her instead.” Jayce says, relaxing into the sofa more. 

“Does she know that you claimed Viktor?” Cait asks, and Jayce snorts. 

“My ears are still stinging.” 

The three of them laugh, gushing over the new development, and soon Jayce is realising he should leave before he overstays his welcome. 

“Vi, do you remember that I had a gift for Viktor? Please go get it.” She asks, fluttering her lashes all cutely at her, and Jayce wonders if she got that from him or he got that from her. 

“Fine, fine. But I'm not too sure where it is so it might take a while!” 

“I'm sure you'll find it, darling.” She says, eyes closed as she seethes out the last word, and Vi is out of her seat quicker than lightning. 

Once they are the two of them again, Cait stands up and sits next to Jayce, taking his hands into hers. 

“Do you want me to update you on what is happening with Dr. Tarol and Dmitri? I don't want you finding out on a random day from some newspaper about the next steps.” She says quietly, and Jayce breathes out. 

Truth be told, he never wanted to talk about it again. 

“Cait, unless it directly affects me, I don't want to hear about that man anymore.” He moves to leave when Cait holds him steady. 

“It does.” She doesn't break eye contact with him, and breathes out. 

“He's claiming that it's all fiction, that everyone is trying to defame him. Turns out, the pictures were drawings, and he's claiming not guilty. But here's the thing, among the witnesses stands… your mother. He's saying that if you don't show in court in support of what your mother is saying, then everyone will know she and others are lying. He's charming, Jayce, and some of the jury are starting to believe him. It doesn't help that he brings up how he helped you and Viktor with your experiment.” She breathes out slowly, and Jayce feels the walls slowly start to close in. 

“Jayce, breathe, in and out.” Cait commands him, putting one hand on his back and pushing it in time with his breathing. Jayce follows her orders, trying to make sense of it all, then shakes his head. 

“Why would my mother take a stand as a witness? Did she know something?”

“Yes, the claiming bites on your neck, occasionally. She somehow fully believes you were a victim, even if your diary wasn't there. You don't have to go there, Jayce. It was your mother's decision to take a stand, and no one else's.” Caitlyn finally lets go of his back, standing up with her hand still in his. 

“What could happen if I don't go?” 

“The jury may be convinced by him. And if the councillors want to keep in good relations with the rich jury, they'll most likely vote in favour of releasing him.” 

Jayce breathes out as anger flows through his body again. Of course, it comes back down to money. He doesn't realise he's squeezing his hands until he hears Cait whimper, releasing her hand quickly and apologising. 

“I don't know what to do.” Jayce says after a while, because it's the truth. He doesn't want his mother to go up against everyone and be called a liar. But he doesn't want to face Dr. Tarol again. He's stuck between a rock and a hard place. 

“You don't have to do anything, I just wanted you to know instead of being ambushed by the news later. They've rescheduled the court date again. It'll happen in a month and two weeks. You have time to decide.” 

He'll be too busy courting Viktor to even think about all of it. And before he even decides on whether or not he should go, he needs to talk to his mother first. About the truth, what really happened, and why he never said anything in the first place. 

Bravery, courage. He needs to stand up for himself first, if he ever wishes to stand up for Viktor for the rest of his life. He doesn't know if he'll go to the court as a witness, but he's certain that him and his mother will have a talk that will alter their relationship forever. He gulps, uncertain of the future ahead of him. 

“I'll see.” Is his only response, and Cait nods, then hugs him. He hugs her back. 

“It's good to see you back and happy, Jaycie. I've missed you.” She says, and Jayce chuckles at the nickname Cait hasn't called him in a while. 

“It's good to be back, sprout. I'm guessing you'll be seeing me more often.” He says as they pull apart, and she nods and laughs. 

“Trust me when I say the courting rituals are hard. You'll need someone to vent to. Just come over when you need to.”

“With sushi and a nice cold drink?” 

“Make it alcoholic and you'll have all my days.” 

Jayce gasps, putting his hand on his chest. 

“Drinking during work hours? Cait, I thought you said you'd be different from the enforcers!” He says it in a high, overdramatic and offended voice, and they both break out into laughter. 

It wouldn't be the first time that they've done that, and it certainly won't be the last. Jayce leaves the Kiramman estate with a notebook, a box with a gift for Viktor, and a heavy decision to be made in his heart. He reaches his apartment and puts the box on the counter, smelling the soft scent of honey and bread and wishing Viktor was there. 

Before he does anything, he takes a long hot shower, something to calm his brain down since it's been overactive. He got too much information for one day, and he'll have to start writing it all down somewhere. He quickly puts on the spare shorts he keeps in a small cupboard underneath the sink, and walks into the living room, looking for an empty book. He finds one, but can't find a pen, so he walks into his bedroom to get the one he keeps by his nightstand every day. 

There, on his bed, is Viktor, lying flat on his stomach as he slightly chews the pen in hand, a crossword puzzle in front of him. He looks towards Jayce as he enters, and smiles at Jayce's reaction. The room smells like honey, bread, and sweat. Something else is running underneath it, but the windows are open, allowing the air to run through, and Jayce can't tell for sure if what he's thinking is what Viktor had done. 

“Hi J.” Viktor says, smiling wider as Jayce stands there and takes in his form. He's wearing his shorts and one of Jayce's shirts, but the shirt is risen up enough that he can see a small part of his back. 

Viktor isn't holding back. 

“Hi V.” He murmurs back, then, turns to his desk instead and searches for another pen. 

“Hungry?” He asks, and Viktor shakes his head.

“I ate already. You?”

“I'm good.” He lies, because he can't imagine giving Viktor an excuse to move from his comfortable position on the bed. Jayce's bed. 

He goes back to the living room and takes the present as well as the two books. Once he's inside his bedroom again, he sits on the floor by his bed, giving Viktor the present as he starts writing in his own notebook. 

Viktor decides to sit up as he unwraps his gift, letting his legs dangle right next to where Jayce was seated, and Jayce fights demons as he tries to concentrate on his book and not on the milky expanse of Viktor's long legs. God, he needs to keep it in his pants, he feels like a freak. How can something as normal as legs start to make him feel hot all over? 

Viktor hums, reading some note that Jayce couldn't see from his position, then he chuckles. Something clinks inside the box, clearly made of metal, and Jayce's interest is even more piqued. 

“What is that?” He asks, and Viktor drops everything back into the box and closes the lid.

“Just something I had asked for from Ms Kiramman before. It seems my order has finally come through.” He says, his tone sultry and teasing. Jayce feels himself getting slightly hard from Viktor's voice alone. 

“When did you even order that?” 

“A while ago, Jayce. And don't worry, you'll get to see it soon enough. If you're good and patient, that is.” Viktor's hand slowly descends upon Jayce's hair, petting it swiftly and playing with it in his hands. He fights the urge to take his hand and kiss it, and then take Viktor in that moment. 

“We should get some sleep.” He says after some time, and Viktor hums in agreement. Jayce stands, stiffly walking to the door and looking back. Viktor is all cuddled up inside now, looking back at him expectantly. 

“Are you ready to finally join me?” Viktor asks, and Jayce smiles, knowing the game now. 

“No, I think I can restrain myself.” He says, and Viktor smiles approvingly. “Goodnight, Vik.” 

Viktor yawns, turning off the light and burying himself in Jayce's blankets.

“Goodnight, Jayce…”

Jayce falls asleep with the ghost of a smile on his face.

---