Chapter Text
Viktor isn’t one to complain about much-he points out obvious things with mild irritation and amusement but he won’t outright complain. Except for now-the first weekend without Jayce was-in no exaggeration-his own personal hell. And he made it everyone's problems in ways that weren’t outright rebellion nor a tantrum.
Simply put, he didn’t get up till past 12 and flopped around like a dead fish with no plans on moving. It did nothing, but he didn’t care because what else was there to loose? He didn’t have a car, and he needed his phone and the computer to do homework, and someone already banned Jayce from the home so he really had nothing to loose. Maybe Sweetmilk, but he had his own money and no way to tell him not to buy the damn drink.
They weren’t exactly things of rebellion, or to start a revolution but hey-what can you do? Besides, loopholes existed for a reasons; so he invited Mel and Sky over for a study session. Mostly so he was actually productive and also to just smirk at the sight of Sky’s light green bug and Mel new glossy black car parking where Jayce usually would.
They took over the kitchen, books and snacks strewn about as they talked and worked-actually got a lot of work done too. Helped when his father came up earlier than usual and blanked at the sight of the girls. “I thought i said-”
“Ah. You said Jayce was banned here till you said otherwise.” Viktor corrected, purposely wearing his favorite sweater that still smelled like his partner. “You didn’t say anything about Mel or Sky.”
The two girls offered smiles and waves, Mel even pulled out a small pink box filled with cookies. “I brought millionaire shortbread Mr. Silco, would you like one?” The chocolate covered cookies practically winked up at him, they even had a dash of sea salt. “Their my fathers favorites!”
Silco looked between the cookies and the group of teens-how they were actually working instead of held up in Viktor’s room like he would be with Jayce and sighed. “Thank you-but i have to head to my office…dinner is at 8, like normal.”
“Of course father.” Another subtle dig, they rarely called him father or dad-he’s been baba since Viktor could talk. “Have a good time at work.”
The tension could be poked at and it would jiggle but he doesn’t really give a damn, a silent rebellion for the technically fair but at the moment unjust punishment. But all of that doesn’t really change the fact that Jayce isn’t here, or that he doesn’t pick him up the following Monday with his normal coffee-instead it’s Mel, with warming seats and a radio station fully dedicated to musical jazz that makes him tired the whole trip to school.
By Tuesday he misses the old red truck, how it needed to warm up on colder mornings before they drove off-how Jayce poked his tongue out when he rummaged through his backpack for snacks or calculus homework for Viktor to double check before class…all the damn little things that a few hours at school can’t fill.
They try to make up for all the time they don’t spend-even skipping study hall on Wednesday to uh…study oral anatomy in the janitors broom closest. It was ok there but it smelled like bleach and fake lemon pledge-it made them both nauseous so the janitors closet was a no go. So where the bathrooms, the library during lunch, maybe the lab during lunch but Sky hung out with them during lunch so you know, bad.
On Thursday, as they worked in the lab, Viktor watched as Mel and Jayce talked-how they seemed to finish each others sentences and just…click. They were perfect for each other in every sense-the golden boy and girl. So many people thought they were dating, he knows why though. Him and Jayce aren’t exactly public with their title, mostly at Viktor's insistence. He knows what people think of him, how he gets blank stares when they see him in science class and gets openly praised by Heimerdinger-they sneer most times.
The Zaunite scholarship student, who brought along the hall monitor puncher and the quiet plant kid who supposedly fought some kids from the wrestling team. That wasn’t proven yet-which is a topic for a different day. He knows the look-it was always watching him, and now it looked at him with complete pity because Mel hung around them more.
From an outside perspective, it looked like she was maybe dating one of them-and she would look amazing with Jayce, and that’s Viktor thinking that. Maybe because he knows how pretty Mel is and how she just lights up rooms when she goes in them. What if he dated Mel? Would his parents ban her too because they were late one night? Wait-why would he date Mel? He’s dating-he’s partners with Jayce. Jayce whose probably glad he doesn’t have to be around him and his nightmare siblings-!
That was enough thinking for the day.
By Friday, Viktor was at the end of his rope. Babysitting Powder and Ekko upstairs as they played and did what all normal kids probably did-recreate crime dramas with dumber rules. Vi and the others were downstairs and this was the least he could do while grounded anyways. He focused on his homework for the most part, stuck in the living room while the two children played with such conviction he would rather watch them be on tv than whatever show they were playing as.
“-The weapon was….this wrench!” Powder proclaimed, holding up a wrench and pointing to the “victim” in question, a sock monkey with pink and blue eyes. “Confess!”
“I thought the weapon was the hammer?” Ekko asks, wearing a post it note that said ‘Suspect??’ “A wrench can’t kill a person-not like a hammer.”
“We agreed it would be a wrench cause Mr. Carls is a car monkey.” She reminded him, “And you probably killed him cause he wanted you to sell your car-but you said no.”
“Ohhh…” He looked between the wrench and “dead” sock monkey before shrugging. “If you say so. But hammer is a better tool.” How does a nine year old know which tools are good for killing?
“Nuh uh-a wrench is better cause theres so many at the car place.” Powder stated, “A hammer wouldn’t be there.”
“A sled hammer would.”
“Nuh uh.”
“Yeah huh!”
“Nuh Uh!”
“You’re both wrong.” Viktor finally cut it, having been rereading the same paragraph about cell division for their whole conversation. “And it’s called a mechanic Powder.” He closed his book, wincing slightly as he leaned forward from his spot on the couch-he damn back might actually kill him. “A missing wrench would be noticed, which would lead to the last clients of the day and even the books if the mechanic-”
“Mr. Carls.” Powder corrected, pouting.
“Right-is Mr. Carls is trying to sell or buy old cars, illegally or not, then people would notice.” He continued, “And a sledge hammer would be too heavy. It didn’t matter what the weapon would be…just who was able to get him.” Why was he so into this game? Especially when it concerned a sock monkey?
“The way the officers found the body made it seem it was a wrench though.” Powder pointed out, looking between her brother and the toy, “Maybe we can’t see it cause he’s small though?”
“Oh maybe-what if we had a big body?” Ekko suggested, “I don’t wanna be a suspect.”
“Why not?”
“Cause i like Mr. Carls! I fixed his eye for you didn’t i?”
“Oh yeah…” She hummed, squinting slightly. “But then you’d be dead-and laying down.”
“Oh…” They brainstormed together before giving Viktor matching puppy dog looks. “Viktor?”
“Can you be our victim please?” He will not submit to those damn puppy dog eyes-that HE taught her to do!
Viktor was laying across the couch a few minutes later, playing dead as the two poked and prodded him with how he died. Powder still said wrench, cause it was her game, and Ekko claimed malnutrition because of the state of the victim. Rude…but true. Outside of their voices and how they talked about him like he wasn’t there, it was nice to lay down actually.
In the start of September, a few weeks ago actually, he was given a back brace-it helped with his spine and was supposed to help with his slouching problem…doesn’t stop him from slouching but the intent was there. However it made sitting up a pain-the doctor was talking about upgrading his cane like before-making it a full time crutch. On one hand he won’t mind the upgrade, on the other hand he would get more stares…which was always fun.
Viktor already had his eyes closed, Powder insisted because ‘murder victims aren’t awake!’ so he might take a nap. He’s been sleeping better yeah but naps are fine every now and then anyways. The kids words are fading into normal background noise-barley anything until he hears the telltale click of a camera and sighs before opening his eyes. “I wasn’t sleeping.”
“Alright if you are ducky-sides it’s nice. Got a whole album of you dozing off you know.” Vander chuckled, shaking his head. “You like to nap-like a cat in the sun.”
“If i was, i’d be a fat indoor cat at this rate.” He mumbled back, which sounded nice actually. Sitting at a window, watching the birds-getting meals in fancy little bowls and catnip toys.
“Your baba prefers cats-always had.” A large hand ruffles up his hair, “So did you.” The hand leaves his hair, making him blink his eyes open and glance around. Powder and Ekko had left-taking Mr. Carls with them. “You remember don’t you?”
Viktor sat up slowly, wincing slightly but gave his dad some room as he sat with him with a scrapbook in his hands. “I…think i do?”
“Yeah, you were real young-maybe when it was just you and Claggor still i think.” Vander opened the book, finding old pictures of a younger him with a fluffy tabby cat laying on his lap. “The doc you and your baba go to-had this cat-”
“Rio.” Viktor remembered small things-a fluffy tail and purring so loud it felt like an engine right at his chest. “She was nice…loved treats…”
“There you go.” He smiles at his oldest, flipping through and seeing quite a few photos of the then 3 year old and the cat-following her around with ease because she loved following him around too. Even if he had just gotten a little brother-he adored the tabby cat like she was the best thing in the world after sweetmilk and plushies. “You loved her, and she loved you lad-won’t say i understood it much but she did help keep your mind off all the medical jargon going on.” He handed the book to his son, thinking back to how he adored the sweet thing.
“I remember…more or less anyways.” Viktor mumbled, flipping through the pages and seeing the abundance of cat stuffies over the course of a year or so. All tabby cats, and all of them called Rio. “Huh…how on earth baba didn’t cave is beyond me.”
“A lot of self control…and we did just have your brother.” Vander reminded him, “Eh, maybe one day we’ll get that cat. Train it to be nice to the fish.”
“Cats are food motivated, it would be hard.” He closed the book and offered a small smile. “...I-i’m sorry-for what happened…”
“You’re a teen Viktor, you make bad choices and learn from them.” He got up and ruffled his hair, “Sides-you can make as many as you want, janna knows i did at your age.”
“...really?” He paused, as many as he wants?
“Please, no ones perfect lad. You, me, your baba? We raised hell in any way we could-once Benz and I hotwired a car and chased rookie enforcers with a siren we found in the junkyard.” He chuckled deeply, heading to the kitchen. “Good times..”
Huh. While he knows how to pick locks, maybe require somethings-Viktor certainly wouldn’t be hotwiring any cars…but he can drive them. It would have to be just right though.
All he did was wait-wait for after dinner when baba drank his two glasses during some movie him and dad were watching, how he looked dead on his feet the moment he got home because of political reasons. Perfect.
By 10:00 most of the house was already asleep-the only exception being himself and the living room tv. By 10:30, he heard the click of the door and smiled-waiting a few minutes in case there was more nose or anything else before creeping out of his room and checking the hallway. Dark and empty-the only light came from Powder’s nightlight and the light from his parents room-but when the door closed they rarely opened it again. Perfect.
How the hell he didn’t get caught, that’s a mystery for the ages but who gives a damn when you call your partner and tell him you’re outside and asking to hang out-it was like a cheesy movie where the boyfriend breaks his girlfriend out to go make out…because that’s what they did.
Well not right away-first thing they did was kiss like starving people, cold hands twisting into that stupid red and white letterman jacket Jayce wore after practice while his hands cupped his face like it was precious glass about to break. They missed each other, so it was worth the possibility of getting in trouble.
After their reunion kiss, possibly better than their first kiss but that was to be determined, Jayce pulled Viktor from the drivers seat so he was rested on his lap, arms wrapped around his waist as he stared intently into his eyes. “Vik…i missed you so much.”
“So did i..” Viktor brushed away any stray hairs from the others forehead, a small smile making it’s way onto his face. “I feel so…foolish.”
“Why?”
“Because we see each other all week…but yet here are. Like…”
“Romeo and Juliet?” Jayce offers, face already falling when he remembers the tragedy, “Wait-”
Viktor snorts, shoving his shoulder slightly. “What-a gay Romeo and Juliet? Whose who then? Eh?”
“It was the first thing i thought of!” Jayce defended, pulling Viktor down. “You don’t like movies really-!”
“I like movies-we just don’t pay attention to them!” Viktor reminded him, huffing and puffing as he tries to smother him with affection. “We are the furthest thing from Romeo and Juliet! We aren’t stupid.”
“You would drink poison though.” He points out, which…fair enough. “But fine-wrong comparison…we’re like…uh…huh.” Not a lot of couples who lived to the end it seemed.
“We’re us. No tragedy involved.” Viktor hummed, pulling back enough to kiss him softly. “And if want to keep it that way, let’s go. Unless you want to explain to your mother why we’re like this?”
Nope-not in this lifetime. Jayce let him go back to the drivers seat, and soon they were off-first to get sodas at some drive thru, and then back to Zaun to find somewhere secluded but not creepy.
Silco will admit, he does overwork himself-at least he has been lately weather that was from his office or trying to keep up with their old routine. Getting to be a voice for a nation was no easy task, trying to keep up some sense of normalcy alongside that wasn’t either. Most days he was tired, fighting a migraine and having aching feet-once or twice skipping dinner to meet his own deadlines and falling asleep the moment he flopped onto the bed and dead to the world.
This Friday was no exception, but he saved off passing out for at least an episode of his crime shows-nearly passing out in the middle of it. He did convince Vander to pick him up from the couch though, which was a win in his book. It became a bigger win for the day when his beast of a husband offered to rub his feet which might’ve killed him and sent him straight to heaven.
Nothing could get better than this-but the mood was interrupted by his goddamn phone buzzing on the bedside table. “Damn it.”
“Just ignore it love, only sickos call this late.” Vander pushed him back down onto the bed-content to let the device buzz it’s way into hell but Silco just groaned louder.
“I work with sickos Maledetto cane.” He groaned, opening his hand for it to be plopped into. Vander sighed but did as asked, shaking his head. “What? Yes i know what time it is-you called me-no the matter can wait until morning-i don’t care. That really should be your problem, i know, yes i-you bastard.” He flopped back down and growled. “Fine-fine whatever-i have the documents in my car. I’ll look them over and get back to you.”
“Trouble in paradise?” Vander teased, catching the phone with ease.
“If i could, i would blow up each and everyone of those idiots.” Silco groaned out, “Be a lamb and get my briefcase from the car? I won’t be more than a few minutes."
“You’re the one who answered the damn thing dove, your crime, your penance." He chuckles even when he gets kicked in the side. “Fine fine-don’t fall asleep you though you hear?”
“Please-i’ll be dead before i can sleep.” Which felt more and more true with these damn idiots-but he does sit up slightly and sighed heavily when Vander left the room. He really needs to turn the thing off more-maybe get Viktor or Powder to disable it after 8. Or the moment he leaves the office.
It didn’t seem like it, but it finally felt like the boy was finally letting up on his little pity party. It was just a punishment, and even if he found loopholes in his words it seemed it was doing him some good. It felt like ages since Viktor’s invited Sky over, she’s been a good friend to him for a long time-she didn’t deserved to be forgotten because he was trying to pursue a deeper friendship with the Talis boy, and seeing her in their kitchen was a welcomed change. Teens, you change one thing and it’s like their whole identity is in ruins…
He was like that once, and look where that got him. After this weekend, maybe, he might have to lift the ban. Or at least put rules on these study sessions-only in the kitchen or living room-
“Silco-where are the keys?” Vander came back, confused. “They ain’t on the hook.”
“What?”
The keys weren’t on the hook, nor in his pants pockets, not even in his jacket. They checked everywhere-the living room, kitchen even-just in case-hell even the bathroom if by some miracle it was there. Silco even checked to make sure he didn’t somehow lock them inside the damn car-and their night became even worse because where the hell was the DAMN CAR?
It was possibly stolen, but that didn’t explain what happened to their keys-it didn’t even explain why it would be stolen in the first place! It was old, with chipping pain and no spare tire because someone kept forgetting to get one-plus most if not all of the streets around them knew it belonged to them. They were the second “scariest” place around-after that house on Emberfleet anyways.
“Who the hell would steal our damn car?” Vander had opened up the car again, needed a drink before even thinking of calling enforcers about their car.
“Possibly the same person who steals any car.” Silco sat at the bar, nursing a healthy glass of whiskey. He wanted to add more, maybe snark that this was a sign that he should have his phone off after 8 pm, but it started buzzing again. “What is it this time-what?”
“My son is gone!” Came the panicked voice of Ximena Talis, making him jump. “Jayce-i-i went to-to check on him-and-and he’s gone!” That wasn’t what he was expecting, especially if she was the one to call them first.
He put her on speaker phone, where she explained the whole situation, ending with her asking if they’ve seen him around. They hadn’t…but Silco left to head upstairs and opened the boys room-eye scanning around and finding one empty bed and two confused kids. Well god FUCKING DAMN IT!
Viktor had chosen the abandoned convenient store parking-the same one they chose for their make out session that started their punishment in the first place. It sucked to kiss with the gearshift between them so they moved to the backseat instead-just like before with Viktor on Jayce’s lap with his hands tangled in his hair like a lifeline as their tongues twisted together-it made it hard to breathe but he could give less of a damn as Jayce bit his bottom lip to lick at his teeth which had a film of sugar over them from his large soda from only a few minuets ago.
Jayce opened his eyes, catching Viktor’s gaze and felt a burning sensation in his stomach. “Vik…”
“Jayce…” Viktor whispered against his mouth, hands moving from his hair to his shoulders before he started to push him down. “M-More-want-more-” He words came out rushed and slurred, like they barely formed in his mind before they tumbled out, it didn’t stop him from pushing Jayce down so he was laying in the backseat with him on top.
“Vik-vik calm-calmate amor-” He held onto his arms, moving to his face-that perfect face he wanted to always stare at, to draw, to kiss and adore. “I know.”
Those simple words make him pause, to stare down at him before his breathing quickened and his eyes darken. Viktor gripped at Jayce’s shirt, rucking it up with a drooling mouth. “Want-please-just-just you-you please-”
Jayce’s eyes widened but he nodded, hands steady as he shrugged off his letterman jacket before undoing Viktor’s own sweater-his sweater-and start undoing his jeans, somehow their mouths ended up together once more, desperation melting into groans and moans that was just them. Their bubble in the backseat of a car-he wished it was his own but that didn’t matter because his hands are filled with Viktor Viktor Viktor-!
There was a knock on the window, making both stop dead in their tracks. It had to be the wind right?
Someone knocked on it once more, with just a bit more force than before-and if they squinted their eyes, beyond the steam from the windows closed during their make out session, they saw a blurry outline of a man-a beast of a man actually.
Hesitantly, Viktor leaned over to crank down the window, dread replacing the heat in his stomach when he realized it was his father standing there-arms crossed with an unimpressed eyebrow raised to his hairline. “Get out here boys. Now.”
They had no choice but to, trying to make themselves look somewhat put together before the door opened and they had to come out to a humiliating sight. Both sets of parents stood there-Ximena’s car was there-she seemed so upset and disappointed when she caught sight of them trying to buckle up their pants.
They don’t even get a chance to explain before Ximena grabs Jayce's ear and right then and there starts to yell at him in Spanish-asking what the hell he was thinking-why he thought 11:30 at night was the perfect time to make her worry?! “Sabía que salías con Viktor, sé que lo amas, ¡pero te crie mejor que eso! ¿Intentar quitarles la virginidad a ambos en la parte trasera de un coche? ¡Debería azotarte por intentar faltarle el respeto de esa manera, Jayce Alejandro Talis!” (I knew you were dating Viktor, I know you love him but i raised you better than that! Trying to take both of your virginity in the back of a car?! I should spank you for even trying to disrespect him like that Jayce Alejandro Talis! )
At least he wasn’t the only one getting not only a grounding of a lifetime-Viktor was in the same boat clearly as Silco, instead of letting him fix himself, did it for him with the harshness he thought only a hispanic mother could have.
“Tu sei più responsabile di questo Viktor: ci hai rubato la macchina, senza biglietto, senza preavviso, e se gli inquirenti ti avessero beccato? E in macchina?! Con lui?! Eravamo preoccupatissimi, e ti abbiamo trovato qui con i pantaloni sbottonati: non uscirai di casa prima di DOPO il college!” (You are more responsible than this Viktor-stealing our car, no note, no warning, what if Enforcers had caught you instead? And in the car?! With him?! We were worried sick-and find you here with your pants undone-you won't be out of the house until AFTER college!) Silco spoke in harsh italian, finally grabbing his ear and marching him to Ximena. “Apologize to Mrs. Talis for making her worried and stealing her son like some wanna be James Dean.”
“I’m sorry Mrs. Talis.” Viktor rubbed his ear when it was finally let go, facing the woman. “I wasn’t thinking, and i’m sorry for making you worried about Jayce.”
“And?”
“And stealing him like a wanna be James Dean.” He was sorry for making her worried, because she definitely didn’t deserve that. She’s been nothing but nice to him, sending him home with treats and food with no hesitation.
“I know young man, i know. We’ll talk about this more in the morning.” Ximena assured him, “Just rest assured, Jayce is grounded. Maybe until he graduates from college.”
“Mama-”
“Ah-don’t.”