Archive of Our Own

His vision spins, his head hurts. The images given to him swim in front of his eyes as he stumbles between the buildings. The hammer is heavy in his hand. He swings it forward when he thinks he sees danger, energy humming for a moment before the danger in the back of his mind leaves again. He spins around and tries to ground himself but the noise is just so fucking grating on his nerves and he just can’t- but he has to. He promised. He made a promise and he would do anything to keep it. He has to keep it. His own voice echoes in his head. His wrist burns with blue crackling magic. His vision doubles as if he’s in two places at once before it slams together, making him cry out.

He stumbles away from the scene, tracing the steps in his vision. Buildings line up for a moment before dissolving into chromatic aberration that sends spikes of pain straight to his brain stem. He wasn’t left untouched but it was necessary to give him that information, to ensure the destruction of- The ground under his boots changes from loose gravel to almost smooth stone. It has the same organic echoes of the anomaly. It’s built/grown. He blinks. The visions part and let him see that he’s found the center of the commune. A broken sphere guarding something precious.

Viktor.

The image of him is now engraved on his heart as well as his mind, the visions swimming back in with their colorful variations. All of the possibilities aligning in this moment. He sees them, feels them all. The hammer charges again, he is barely aware that he had brought it up to bear. The whine of the now changed hex gem catches Viktor’s attention and those amber gold eyes open. That expression, so soft and welcoming, gods, it feels like coming home. How he missed them so much. He hefts the hammer up. He can’t miss. He can’t fuck this up, not like before, not like again, not like the others. 

Viktor’s eyebrows pinch. 

Jayce grits his teeth as the visions and voices clamor. Don’t they know how difficult they are making this? Can’t they just fucking stop! The moment- it’s almost there.

“Jayce?”

Jayce’s fingers grip the trigger, feeling the vibrations as the hammer reaches the peak, a full charge, can’t miss, can’t hold back. He pulls the trigger with a roar.

Viktor’s hair flares up with the force of magic energy emitted. He’s knocked out of his precarious position, collapsing to the floor as the bolt bursts out through the back of the sphere. The gear in his hand rolls across the floor. There are shouts from outside and the sound of footsteps. Jayce realizes he can hear them. He can hear more than the screams and pleas from another world. He can hear more than just his own racing heartbeat and pulsing blood in his ears. He falls to his knees with the hammer supporting the upper half. Did he- He hears something fall, farther away, and he prays to anyone that’s listening that it worked.

“Jayce? What did you do?”

The voice draws his attention. Viktor has pushed up to his elbows, looking baffled. He looks between Jayce, the hammer still glowing, and the shattered wall right behind where he had been meditating.

“Why? Why are you here? After our talk, via Salo, I thought-”

“Salo was followed,” Jayce rasps out, his throat dry. “I think- I think I got him.”

“Him? Who?”

“Viktor!” A familiar voice shouts as she comes running in with several others behind her. Pinkish hair. Jayce knows her.

“Make sure- make sure he’s dead.” Jayce points to the new hole. His arm drops and he rests his head against the handle of the hammer. It’s finally blissfully quiet. Maybe he did it. Maybe he succeeded.

She hesitates until someone with blue hair nudges her and points out the hole. Together they go up to peer through. Others of the commune are going to Viktor’s side. Jayce closes his eyes. He’s so fucking tired. There’s murmured conversation in the background. He hears the scrape of feet as people move around. 

“Yup, dead. Not sure you can come back from a... six inch- give or take some blown out flesh- hole in the fucking chest,” a sarcastic voice calls out. 

“They’re Noxian. Why is a Noxian here?”

“Maybe they are after Vander and...” Conversation drifts off. Or maybe it’s Jayce who’s drifting off. Everything hurts, especially his leg. Sleep feels like it’s a good option to stave off what’s going to hit him. His grip slips and the hammer falls to the side but he barely hears that. He just wants to slip into the darkness.

There’s a gentle touch to the top of Jayce’s head, startling him back to awareness. “Jayce.” He’s always enjoyed how Viktor says his name. “You saved me.” He looks up at Viktor. He’s changed. He’s so beautiful.

“I had to.” Jayce wants to lean into the touch. It’s warm and safe. Dangerous too, a soft voice whispers. He’s not quite done.

“I thought-”

“I know what you thought. We tried that too.”

“We?”

“The others. Don’t- Don’t worry too much about it. Just know, I would never harm my partner. No one will ever harm my partner,” he says as he feels his teeth bare at the thought of a threat. Viktor kneels in front of him, his touch moving to cup Jayce’s cheek which relaxes the grimace back down. There’s an energy that hums at his fingertips, a warm inviting safe energy. Jayce’s eyes struggle to stay open. 

“No. I don’t suppose they will. Not with us together.” He smiles softly.

“Together,” Jayce agrees.

“You’re hurt. Let me-”

“No!” Jayce startles, the bright rainbow of colors shooting back into his head. He throws himself backwards, hissing as his leg wrenches out of position. “You can’t. Not- Don’t do that to me.”

“But Jayce I can heal-”

“I don’t want to be connected. I don’t want to lose myself. I can’t lose myself or I lose you,” the words tumble out of his mouth.

“I don’t understand.”

“I know. I know. And I will explain. Later. But please, don’t,” he begs. Viktor frowns but draws his hand away. Jayce almost chases it, but he manages to hold strong. “My task isn’t done yet.”

“Task?”

“I’ll explain everything. But I need-”

“A shave?” The blue hair helpfully chimes in, ruining the moment. “A bath too. Fuck, you reek.”

“Jinx, be nice,” pink hair cuts in, nudging her sister. The name triggers anger in his chest but his arms feel too leadened to reach up. He keeps his eyes on Viktor, focusing only on him. If he can only focus on him...

“Just pointing out the obvious. I thought he was a Pilty boy. What’s he doing here, looking like that? He's almost furrier than Vander right now. Like all kinds of fucked up and that's coming from me of all people. Get this man into a tub and maybe carefully hand him a razor. Scratch that, someone should do it for him.”

“Jinx, just shut the fuck up.” 

Jayce looks over with a snarl but Viktor steps into his line of sight and immediately Jayce backs down again.

Viktor reaches out to help Jayce up, but his hand pauses as Jayce flinches back, turning his eyes to the ground in shame at his reaction. Viktor’s just trying to help, but Jayce can’t bring himself to take his hand. He reaches out and grabs his hammer again, using the long shaft to pull himself back up to his feet. He grimaces as he puts weight back on his leg but he does his best to school his expression as he finds everyone looking at him. He tries to hide away from their judgement and questions and gazes. Viktor waves them away and they all leave as Jayce works on pulling himself together. He did it. He came back for Viktor. He protected Viktor. So why isn’t it over?

“This way, Jayce.” Viktor speaks up once they are alone. He turns first, heading out of the now broken sphere. Jayce follows him, trying his best not to limp too much. He notes absently that Viktor’s limp is gone. Thankfully Viktor still walks slow enough for Jayce to keep up as he leads the way into one of the nearby structures. 

It must be a domicile, Jayce discovers once inside the door. There’s a table and cooking area to one side, a loom on the other. There’s a doorway on the back wall leading to more. Presumably a sleeping area. It all has that strange architecture that reminds him of the anomaly. It’s built well. How long was he gone? He tried to count the days in the ravine but this commune looks like it’s been here for months already, maybe years. Had he really lost that much time? 

“Here, let me take that,” Viktor interrupts Jayce’s thoughts as he reaches out to take the hammer and painful colors bloom once again in Jayce’s head, making him step back, stumbling over a low stool, hammer falling to the ground. Viktor grabs his arm to help catch him and Jayce snarls at the touch, pulling his arm back even as his calf hits the head of the hammer and he goes down on his ass. Viktor stands there, looking at his rejected hand. His expression is hurt.

“Sorry, sorry, fuck,” Jayce curses. “I’m not- I’ve been alone- no, not even that. Where I was- Sorry,” he goes back to after tripping over his words.

“Don’t apologize, Jayce. Apparently you’ve been through something traumatic. Take your time. You’ll find everything you need to recover here. All you have to do is ask and we will provide. This house will be yours for as long as you need it. I’ll bring food and clothes shortly.” He goes back to the front door. 

Jayce almost calls out for him, but his voice is stuck in his throat. Viktor didn’t even try to help him up again. After how Jayce reacted, of course he wouldn’t. Jayce grinds the heels of his hands against his eyes, wanting the pain there to go away. The pain in his leg throbs and he realizes the brace is digging into his shin from this position. Jayce slowly pushes and pulls himself back to his feet. “Fuck,” he allows himself. 

He carries the hammer into the back room with him. It’s small enough that the paranoia in his head lets him prop it up against the wall next to the bed without it being too far away. He stumbles over to the tub on the other side of the room, leaning heavily against the edge, and turns on the water. The pipes groan a bit but after a moment water does start to flow. He slips his hand under the flow and then his head, swallowing down the fresh cool water that the pipes bring. It’s so sweet compared to the backwash water at the bottom of the ravine. Too soon the water turns warm and he has to pull his head back. Water drips off his beard and hair into the rising water below. He sees dirt in the droplets already. He’s filthy.

He’s tempted to slide into the water with all of these filthy clothes, but that would just be a waste of water and time. Honestly these clothes need to be burned. Viktor did say he was bringing more clothes. He pushes himself straight and then gets to work getting undressed. 

His fingers have trouble with some of the buttons and clasps on his jacket. It’s a combination of rust, mud, and shaking fingers that makes each one a battle. But finally he peels it off over his shoulders. It falls to the ground with a stiffness that makes his stomach turn. The under layers aren’t much better but at least there are no buttons. His shoulders ache as he pulls it up over his head, his nose wrinkles at the smell as it passes by. He has to sit on the edge of the bed to work on the other half. The stench his shoes release is even worse and he adds both boots and socks to the pile of trashed clothes. 

He curses more forcefully as he wrestles with the brace around his leg as some of the parts are almost fused together with rust. When he finally gets it off, it gets set at the end of the bed carefully because he doesn’t have another hammer to make a replacement with. The pressure behind his eyes throbs at the thought of using the second corrupted one he took from that other world. No, no, that’s not an option. 

His pants are a challenge too but the relief when they come off is palpable. His skin aches against the fresh air. The tub across the room is more alluring than he thought possible. He stumbles back over to it. Carefully he lifts one leg and then the other and sinks into the lukewarm water. It’s not even hot but it’s the best bath he’s had in a long time. 

Instantly the water clouds with dirt, almost hiding the bruises and sores on his skin. He lets the water simultaneously fill and drain out, trying to clear some of it before it becomes mud. He dunks his head under the surface and tries to scrub a bit. He should have thought ahead and found some soap but this is better than nothing. He comes back up with a gasp. He settles his shoulders on the edge of the tub to soak and rest.

Until there’s a sound from the other room. He finds himself halfway out of the tub, hand reaching for the hammer that’s now too far away for his pounding heart, before he goes down on his bad knee.

“Oh.” Viktor freezes in place in the doorway. He’s carrying a basket. He slowly turns his eyes away from Jayce’s nudity as Jayce grabs something from the pile of old clothes to cover himself up. “Apologies. Do you want my help to get up?” 

“No,” Jayce says shamefully through gritted teeth. He probably does need it though. As his knee felt like it almost bent backwards on that one haphazard step and is now radiating pain against the ground. “No, I’m alright.”

“Clothes and food are in here.” Viktor sets down the basket on the floor. “Sorry for interrupting. I’ll leave you to your bath.” And then he’s gone again.

Jayce lets out a sob. Why is he such a fucking mess? Why was he put through all of that hell? Why can’t he just be normal again? Why can’t he have his partner back? It used to be so easy, the banter back and forth, the late nights working on equations, the awe when they’d make a breakthrough, the tired smiles at each other when they brought up taking care of their health, the worry over watching Viktor’s disease slowly eat away at his body, the blood on his hands and fear in his heart when Viktor-

The shirt he grabbed falls as he curls up in a ball on the ground until the pain recedes enough that he can push himself up to his feet and shuffle back to the tub. He leans against the edge. It’s too much to climb back in now. He pulls the plug and lets the water drain out. He’ll try again tomorrow.

He limps over to the basket and drags it over to the bed to sort through it. He finds two outfits. One is a simple linen set of tunic and pants. Sleep wear he thinks, as he pulls it on. The other outfit seems more robust for wearing out. Under that is bread that he bites into directly, eating hungrily as he finds fruit as well. He barely unwraps the small block of cheese before shoving that into his mouth. He almost chokes on the next bite but he washes it down with the small jug of sweet juice. After the bits and scraps he found in the ravine, this is a feast! And it’s gone almost as fast as he found it. His stomach aches with how fast he ate but he had no control over his body demanding survival. 

He sets the basket down and turns to lay down on the bed as the last bit of sunlight moves past the window. Darkness is held at bay by several softly glowing rocks. He closes his eyes and is pulled under into sleep almost immediately.

--

Not that he stays there long. No, rest would be too easy for him. The ravine haunts him. The marionettes haunt him still. The jagged edges of the anomaly’s corruption cut into his mind as he relives his journey through the broken city, a testament of his glory of a failure. The dusty pastel neons flow together like the shine of oil on water as he climbs. He reaches the top lip when a mechanical arm grabs his ankle and pulls him back down. The fall, no, the sudden impact at the bottom jolts him awake.

He sits up, clutching his chest as his heart pounds, skin clammy with cold sweat. He turns over and tries again.

The scene shifts. The hammer is heavy in his hands, the whine a physical vibration through his tired arms. The burst of light doesn’t miss, it goes straight through Viktor’s chest and once again Viktor is laid out on the ground ruined. Jayce falls to his knees screaming.

This time he wakes up with his throat raw.

The next dream has his hands covered with blood. Viktor’s blood as he lifts him from the ruined council room. Viktor’s body is limp and lifeless and Jayce feels helpless. He runs, clutching his partner close, he runs. But the door doesn’t seem to be getting closer. He pushes himself harder, urging his legs to move. The body is feeling heavier and heavier in his arms, weighing him down as he’s sinking into the floor. He has to get to the lab, he can save Viktor! But he can’t move! He’s drowning in blood and falling through the floor and Viktor is gone and he’s falling into the ravine and he lands again with a jolt.

The bed is too soft, he can’t sleep here. He grabs the blanket and slides to the floor. It’s uncomfortable and cold but immediately his body recognizes it. He curls up tightly and this time slips into oblivion.

--

When he wakes up the next morning, the basket that held the food has been replaced with a tray. His head pounds as he realizes that someone had been in there with him and he didn’t know. His chest tightens and his heart rate skyrockets. His vision goes blurry before he can get a hold of himself. Blood rushes in his ears, making him deaf as well as blind and numb, adding to the panic boiling up and over and through him. The panic attack eventually fades, leaving him sore all over and with tear streaks running down his face.

Eventually his stomach grumbles loud enough to snap him out of it and he crawls over to the new plate of food. He eats it just as viciously, shoving everything into his mouth like someone is going to take it away from him. 

There’s a knock on the doorframe and Jayce’s eyes snap up to where Viktor is standing. He realizes how awful he looks hunched over the tray with both hands full of fresh bread and fruit. He forces himself back to sit against the bed. He wipes the fruit juice rolling down his chin away with the back of his hand. He tries to ignore the look of judgement on Viktor’s face. He looks like he has questions but the silence continues.

Eventually Jayce clears his throat. “Sorry if I disturbed anyone last night. I... Nightmares. I think I might have screamed.”

“You did.”

“Sorry.”

“I can help-”

“No, no,” Jayce shakes his head as the colors come back in warning.

“Why do you keep denying me, Jayce?”

Jayce looks down with disgust at himself. He should let Viktor help him but he can’t. He looks at his hands and sees the blood on them. When he looks at Viktor and sees that purple, he can’t help but remember what he turned his partner into. Because he was too selfish to let him go. And now he’s stupidly pushing him away. “Because,” he starts, looking back up, but he finds that Viktor’s gone again. Jayce’s chest feels empty.

--

It takes Jayce a while to pull himself together. He forces himself to eat slower. He cleans up more in the tub, not a full bath but scrubbing his skin with a wash cloth until the water finally rinses clear. He changes out of the sleep wear and into the new outfit that Viktor provided. It’s a lot softer than he expected. Even the leather belts are buttery smooth as they wrap around his waist. It’s not the formal straight lines of Piltover’s fashion but more organic sweeps that feel a lot more freer and easier to move around. The fabric is gentle under his brace and against the sores on his skin. He’ll still have to ask for medicine of some sort but this is much better than trying to put on his previous outfit.

Which he gathers up and takes to the front room. He sets it in the stove and then lights a fire to destroy as much of the stink as possible. The chimney is efficient at pulling the smoke out of the room. He pokes around the rest of the space as the clothes burn. It looks like someone was living there, but there’s not a lot of personality left behind. He doesn’t even know when they would have vacated the spot. It’s not like Viktor knew he was coming. The cloth on the loom is about halfway completed. It’s the same soft fabric as what they are wearing. He never really thought about where his clothes came from. He assumed there was a factory on the outskirts of Piltover that made the generic bolts that were used for everything. There’s a different quality to this however. 

The fact that such a small community has taken up such industry is evidence of Viktor’s leadership. Between cloth making, fresh food, and all of the architecture in such a small amount of time, Jayce is in awe. They had discussed such a model in their labs, mostly when they were coming up with ideas on what tools to make with the hex gems. They talked about what jobs were the most critical to society, what would be able to give the most growth, what needed the most help, who needed help. Viktor’s insight into the Undercity was valuable as Piltover relied on them more than Jayce understood. They talked over coffee about what a society started from scratch would look like. 

And apparently it looks like this.

He moves to go outside as soon as everything in the stove is ash, but his head bursts with pain and he stumbles back to the bedroom. As soon as the hammer is in his hand, the colors subside. He’s not allowed to leave without it apparently. He picks it up and it feels like an anchor weighing him down. But it also gives him peace, so he’ll have to carry that weight.

Jayce heads out to find Viktor in the commune. He walks between the small buildings, observing the strange architecture mirroring the anomaly. The people too. Where they’ve been touched and healed have the same organic scarring. There are marks on their foreheads like fingerprints. Viktor’s fingerprints. The people of the commune look at him and nod but don’t invite him to linger. They are busy with small tasks themselves. 

He wanders without direction. He slowly gets his bearings and the lay of the land. He catches glimpses of blue hair. His grip on the hammer tightens as he realizes who it is, now that his mind isn’t reeling from the otherworldly input and commands. Jinx. The woman who killed Viktor. His lip snarls but she’s gone before he can pull his hammer around. He’ll confront her later because there’s something more dangerous around. 

He doesn’t realize he is looking for danger at first. Something is starting to raise the hair on the back of his neck a little. Little flashes of color tinge the edges of his vision. It’s not as strong as when he first arrived but the parallels can’t be denied. He moves to the outside edge of the commune and his eyes scan the cliffs. He lowers himself into a battle stance with the hammer held tight at his side. Something’s there. Someone. The hammer’s hex gem whines as he holds down the trigger to charge it. One of the commune turns to look at him. His eyes don’t leave the cliff. He watches for the movement to prove his hunch.

There’s a step behind him, the familiar tap of a cane. “Jayce.”

Jayce stares at the spot highlighted by the remnants of the anomaly for a moment more before releasing the trigger. He turns to look at Viktor. His heart pounds looking at him. The cane he heard is now just a walking stick. He still looks fragile. And wary, judging by the glance to the cooling hammer. “I was looking for you.”

“I’m not up on the cliffs.”

“I thought I saw someone. Like the intruder from before.”

Viktor hums and looks to the cliffs. “It’s a possibility. But they should know better than to act. Yet.”

“That ‘yet’ is what I’m worried about.”

“And I’m worried that you are going to provoke something. You need not be on guard like this.” Viktor gestures to the hammer.

“Someone needs to be. You and yours don’t have weapons.” He glances at the others who have gathered. They look so soft and innocent compared to the neighboring Undercity. Compared to the Noxian army. Even compared to Piltover’s soft population. “Let me be this for you.”

Viktor tips his head to look over Jayce and his proposal. Jayce burns at the appraisal. He doesn’t feel worthy. “We are no threat.”

“But you are threatened.”

“Do not act rashly, Jayce. Let me think it over.”

Jayce relaxes. It’s not a no. He’ll take that for now. The threat that was up in the cliffs is gone now. He’s sure of that, for some reason. The crowd around them starts to dissipate, going back to their chores. He sets the hammer down on the ground. “Viktor, I’m sorry for this morning. I still have shit going on in my head from wherever I was. I did things, things happened to me, I saw things... I’m still processing everything.”

“Take your time, Jayce. We aren’t going anywhere.” Viktor says as he turns and leaves.

Jayce watches him go, feeling his heart leave with him. They are supposed to be partners. He knows that Viktor’s changed since the explosion but this is too much. But he suppose he’s changed as well.

He looks back to the wall and the cliffs beyond. These people are not safe. Not with the wolves circling them outside of the gates.

--

After stalking the wall and gate of the commune for a couple more hours to make sure that danger doesn’t come back, eventually hunger drives Jayce to find food again. He moves to the center of the commune. There’s something of a market set up there. He’s not sure how to pay for anything but he finds it a moot point when someone simply hands him a half wrapped hot sandwich with a smile. 

He finds a seat where he can eat and watch the crowd. The food is delicious and he finds himself finishing it too quickly, even if it wasn’t as frantic as his last two meals. He watches how the people of the commune come through and simply offer and take what they need from the stalls. Apparently there is no money, no transaction. No deals to trade goods for services.

Jayce actually finds himself missing the loud haggling from the Piltover weekend markets, compared to the soft murmurings here. But there is a peace to it. No one argues. They are all just helping each other with the little tributes they can offer. It’s all about the harmony in the community. It seems as placid as the dull pastels they all wear. 

It’s against those dull pastels that the bright blue hair dashing through the shadows stands out. He moves quickly to catch up to it, following it down the alley. His finger is on the trigger, finally he’ll get revenge for Viktor, his Viktor, his lab partner now turned synthetic commune leader. There’s a scramble of feet as a figure ducks behind a stack of baskets. Jayce’s lips curl back as he brings the hammer to bear. He’ll smash it all to get to her. 

He swings the hammer up and it’s only at the top of the arc that he sees something moving above him and he just barely manages to side step which moves his hammer enough to come down against the ground with a harmless crash. There’s a whirl of blue hair and pink shimmer glow and he’s spinning with it to keep himself from getting caught up in pale limbs. It’s still not enough and he takes an elbow to the side and he hits the wall hard as a follow up kick catches him on the shoulder. He goes to pull the trigger on the hammer but his hand is hit next in a way to pin it against the shaft away from the trigger. A hand wraps around his throat and shoves him against the wall. Pink eyes flash in his face. 

“Don’t you fucking touch Isha.”

“Jinx!” Jayce hisses out as he struggles against her overly strong grip.

“You alright kid?” she apparently asks the shadow behind them. Jayce only hears tiny footsteps that run up to them, pause, and then runs out of the alley. “You’re fucking lucky I don’t have my weapons on me.”

“I’ll fucking kill you!” Her grip on him starts to crush his throat. The leftover anomaly throbs in his head, adding to the pain. “You killed him!” 

Her grip relaxes just a hair. “I’ve killed a lot. Who are you talking about?”

“Viktor!”

“Viktor? The one up and walking around and playing god here? That one? You really came back crazy didn’t you?”

“I held his broken body, carried him to the lab, and had to use the fucking hex core to bring him back because you decided to fucking blow up the council room and start a fucking war with the Undercity.” She pulls back a little more, unsure. “I was promoting peace between Piltover and Silco’s precious Zaun when you fucking ruined everything.”

“No. No, it’s not my fault.” She falters a little more.

“You’re the fucking problem, Jinx!” He uses the space she gives him to throw her off and swing the hammer. She leaps up nimbly and the hammer smashes into the wall. Jayce tries to pull it out, but it’s caught in the concrete. 

“I- I didn’t mean to- I didn’t know- It was different then. I was different.” She steps back towards the mouth of the alley. Jayce continues to struggle with the hammer, growling in frustration. “It’s different now.”

Jayce manages to get the head loose, but when he turns to hunt her down, she’s gone again. He runs after her but there’s a crowd now at the head of the alley and even as he tries to push through them, he finds himself recoiling from accidental brushes of their shoulders against his and it’s too much. It’s too much. He screams up at the sky and the crowd pulls back from him. The circle of judgement is not any better. He stumbles back and thankfully the crowd parts this time. He turns and runs out of the market.

He somehow manages to find his way back to the domicile he started the day in. He slams the door closed and has the rest of his panic attack in peace.

--

Jayce needs to talk to Viktor but he can’t fucking find him. He stalks through the commune over and over and sees no sign of him. Jayce can feel a snarl starting to find its way onto his lip. It shouldn’t be this hard to find his partner. They used to be there for each other in the lab. Always within arms reach, bumping into each other as they reached across for notes or tools. But now he can’t figure out how to be in Viktor’s presence for more than a couple minutes at a time. He’s sick of it. 

He stomps his way to the partial dome that he first found Viktor in. He’s not there but that’s fine. He’ll show up apparently. Something is telling him that. He’ll listen. As enigmatic as his extra senses are, they haven’t been wrong yet. He throws his hammer down and folds onto the ground. He leans forward onto his knees and settles in to wait.

Jayce is rewarded maybe hours later by Viktor’s light steps approaching with a hesitancy that Jayce hates. “Jayce.” He also hates how a shiver goes through him at how his name sounds in that accent.

“Viktor, we need to talk.”

“Oh? What about?”

“Why do you let Jinx stay here?” He can’t help the bitterness that bleeds through his voice.

“I’m helping her and her sister with a favor. I’m the only one who can help them restore their former guardian to his previous mental state. I can’t do anything for the physical, but-”

“She killed you!” Jayce pushes up towards Viktor, halfway to his feet before his leg fails him and he has to stay on one knee. “She’s the one who attacked the council room and blew you up and made me use the hexcore to turn you into-” he gestures at Viktor’s new body, “this! She killed Councilor Kiramman, Bolbok, and Hoskel. Salo lost his legs. Shoola lost an eye. She’s the one at fault and she’s just walking around free, without a care in the world in this little paradise of yours.”

“Jayce, I understand how you feel-”

“Do you?” he rages. He stands, overcoming the pain in his leg, and towers over Viktor. “Do you really? Do you remember my fear at seeing you broken? Do you remember how your blood stained my clothes? Were you there when we were attacked again during the memorial to the others? Did you watch your other best friend lose herself to revenge, hunting through the Undercity for a psycho killer who ruined our best chance at peace? No! You weren’t! You just left!” He sinks back down to his knees. “You left me.”

The silence stretches on. Jayce can’t even look up at Viktor, afraid of the expression he might see. His hands are clenched against his thighs to keep from shaking as his chest heaves from emotions. 

“People change, Jayce. I’m no longer the Viktor you knew.” Jayce feels tears slip down his cheeks. “She’s not the same as she was. You are not the same as you were. This place allows for the chance of redemption. I would not deny Jinx of that, no matter what her actions were against my former self. In fact, if she hadn’t done that, I would still be on that other path that would have led to the destruction of our dreams through the forced manufacture of weapons using our precious Hex Tech. This place is much better than that future. Even you can’t deny that.”

“Is... is this place your redemption then?”

“In a way. It is yours too, as you decide to seek it. Maybe that’s why you wish to defend it so fiercely. Use this chance to become something good, Jayce.” And then he turns and walks away because of course he does. Jayce stays there with a sob caught in his throat until his knees go numb. Redemption for someone who has done such violent acts for no sane reason? But really, who is he to judge? He has blood on his own hands. He’s killed. He took what was supposed to be an engineering miracle and killed a child with it. Maybe he is no better than Jinx. So if she’s allowed to be here...

His body’s needs finally pushes him to move. His thoughts are still a bit scattered and unsatisfied but he’ll withhold his judgement. He picks up his hammer and heads back into the commune. 

--

Jayce wakes up on the floor next to the bed again after another night of terrible nightmares. He sits up slowly, with something itching the back of his mind. He finds Viktor cross legged and presumably meditating on the bed and immediately freezes up. Jayce doesn’t make a sound despite the fresh panic in his system. He just lets it flow through his body as he works on controlling his breathing again. His eyes stay on Viktor's face, using it as a focal point. 

Jayce realizes this is the longest moment he’s had in Viktor’s presence so far. He actually gets a chance to study him. Viktor looks better than he did in the lab. Almost as well as he did when they first met. The longer hair is new. The soft blonde on the underside is a nice touch that Jayce wants to explore more with his fingers. He draws back his hand that has already started reaching out.

The hexcore’s touch marks the edges of Viktor’s sharp cheekbones with the weird organic scarring he’s come to understand are wild runes. The deep circles under his eyes are just soft shadows now. The bits of body he can see under the blue robe are purple and metallic still, that strange semi organic material from the hex core that saved his life. The blue robe itself is familiar and it takes Jayce a moment to realize it's the same blanket that he gave Viktor the last time he saw him in Piltover.

“Oh.” 

Viktor's eyes open at the noise, startling Jayce a little as well. “Jayce, you're awake.”

“I am. You're wearing...”

“Hm?”

“Nevermind.” Jayce shifts his sitting position to something a little more comfortable. “You look better. Like, not sick. Are you better?”

“I no longer have the same concerns as I did, though I appreciate yours. This new form does not want for much.” Jayce nods along. “I don’t require food or water. It’s quite freeing actually.”

“That’s not... That’s not how it should work. You’re still using energy.” Jayce frowns. He thinks back to their work, to Viktor’s notes. He studied them almost religiously after Viktor left, trying to understand what his partner might have become. “The hexcore is like a battery. It’s got a limit.” His eyes go wide as he comes to a realization. “And your work with the commune is draining it!”

“A simple explanation, but correct.”

“Then stop that,” Jayce hisses with distress.

“My work isn’t done.”

“Fuck that,” he spits out.

“There are people relying on me here, Jayce.”

“And what happens to them when you’ve drained yourself fully, huh? What then? There has to be another solution, Viktor.”

“My... mentor, for a lack of a better word, found one.” Jayce’s head explodes with color and noise. His hands go up to cradle it like he can press the pain away. Viktor doesn’t reach out to him but watches him cooly. “But obviously I refused.” The reaction dulls. “What happened to you, Jayce?”

Jayce takes a moment to catch his breath before he responds. “The anomaly at the hex gates. It pulled me elsewhere. To an alternate universe. You, a version of you, were there. You- he warned me. He showed me. Everything. Too much. Fuck, it’s so much.” He rubs his face, scratching at the wild beard there. “You- He has been able to see and watch and try so many things to stop, to stop the end of the world.”

“The end of the world? Isn’t that a little drastic?”

“No. Not from what I saw. He wants to stop himself, you, from doing it in as many timelines as he can. He doesn’t have a perfect strategy. Fuck, I don’t even know if this is going to work.” Jayce’s shoulders sink down. “If I’ve even saved anything.”

Viktor hums in thought as he watches Jayce. “I can’t say I understand everything but I am not doubtful that you experienced all of this. And are currently still experiencing it?” he prods.

“A bit. It’s like he’s still guiding me. With a hot poker to my brain.”

“That sounds uncomfortable. If you were to join us, I’m sure I’d be able to shield you from that and also fix your leg,” he gestures to the brace at the end of the bed. 

“I can’t,” Jayce hisses out as more color blooms briefly. 

“You’re telling me a lot of things I can’t do, Jayce. But I’m not seeing you bring a lot of solutions to the table.”

“I just came from hell to try to save your life, Viktor!” The chromatic aberrations burn at the edges of his vision. “Give me a moment to get my bearings. Don’t rush me.”

“Another don’t,” Viktor chides snidely. 

“You don’t understand.” His fists curl against the throbbing pain.

“Then make me. Tell me. Show me.” Viktor leans into his space and the colored noise gets louder. 

“Fucking fine.” Jayce grabs Viktor’s hand and brings it up to his forehead. “Not all the way.”

Viktor closes his eyes and energy thrums from his fingertips. The clear golden light chases the pain away almost immediately and the relief is sweet and instantly addictive but Jayce focuses on holding onto himself as he feels his self falling through an openness. He opens his eyes and sees not Viktor in front of him but almost a hundred bright lights floating in a vastness in front of him. They are all connected with golden threads to a bright central mythical figure like a giant puppeteer. He grips his own arms, nails digging into flesh to keep him grounded. 

The thread attached to him is thin like a spider’s web. It pulses with more of that soft light and he can feel Viktor with him, looking through him like he is notes spread out on the tables in the lab. He can feel Viktor’s intrigue at his memories. The confusion at the state of the world. The concern over his fall and his climb out of the crevasse. The amazement as he sees his other self. The amusement as Jayce argues against the other’s initial plan. The respect at the mutually developed next steps. The understanding of the goal. 

Then suddenly it’s all gone. No more warm golden light. No more connection. No touch. He’s alone and cold and so very empty. 

“I see,” Viktor says simply.

“Viktor. You have- you have all of them in your head? They’re all... Fuck, you’re burning through-”

“I’m still within my limits.” Viktor unfolds from his position and stands.

“We can solve-” Jayce scrambles to get to his feet, expecting more pain than he feels, but Viktor’s hand presses heavily against his shoulder, keeping him down on the ground. Jayce’s skin feels like it burns under Viktor’s touch, even though the fabric. The pressure is enough to make him want. It’s such a difference from his previous flinches that he obeys and stays down.

“You should rest, Jayce,” Viktor says dismissively.

“I don’t have time to rest. I can save y-”

“You already have. I am saved from a fate that resolves unsatisfactorily. We’ll try to resolve this one better but we can only do that if you rest. Maybe on the bed this time.”

“Don’t leave.” Jayce hates how fucking pathetic he sounds, but Viktor stills. “Please don’t leave, Viktor.”

There’s a long moment and Jayce thinks for a moment Viktor will stay but then Viktor shakes his head. “There are things in the commune that I need to attend to. Rest. I’ll have more food brought over.” 

Jayce slumps down and watches as his partner leaves the room. He starts to gingerly get to his feet but notices that there isn’t any pain. He quickly undoes the brace and pulls up the pant leg and finds the wild runes circling his knee. The chromatic warnings flare up around the edges of his vision but it’s not like he can undo Viktor’s work. He reaches up and touches his forehead where Viktor had touched him but finds only smooth skin, no opaline scars. He stares at the brace on the bed. He didn’t ask Viktor for this. Viktor probably thinks it’s a kindness but he didn’t have to live in the city covered in wild runes being hunted by marionettes with more corruption. He finds his fingernails digging into the new marks on his skin, wanting to claw them away. But that won’t help anything. He’ll just have to ignore them now and deal with the nightmares that they incite.

He pulls the blanket up onto the bed and tries to get some more rest as Viktor recommended.

--

Jayce smells the food before he opens his eyes. When he sits up, there’s no one in the room with him. He had been hoping that Viktor would return, but no. He reaches out and takes the tray of food, doing his best not to inhale everything. He washes it down with some sweet juice as well. There’s fresh clothes on a nearby chair. He slips them on. He leaves the brace for his leg behind as he doesn’t need it, not with Viktor’s fix. 

He does take the hammer with him. 

Jayce wants to find Viktor and have more conversation with him but as Jayce hunts around the commune, he doesn’t see his partner anywhere. He gets that tingling feeling again and makes his way to the wall again. He tries to approach the gate but the color bloom keeps him away. His hands start to ache with how tightly he’s holding his hammer. He sees a small movement and swings the hammer up and releases a blast of energy in one smooth motion. There’s a cry out against the cliffs and then silence. The itch in his head disappears. 

He drops his hammer again and relaxes. Only for a moment because he’s turning sharply at the familiar sound of a cane. Viktor steps closer. Not cane, staff. Jayce wonders if it’s just habit to keep it around. Or maybe his energy...

“How’s the leg?” Viktor asks placidly.

“Better,” Jayce says guardedly.

“Chasing off intruders?”

“Yeah. There was another. I think I got them.”

“I don’t know if I should hope so or hope not.”

“Well, they are gone now.”

There’s an awkwardness between them that Jayce hates. The moment lingers between the two of them. It’s harder for Jayce to read Viktor like this. He used to be able to anticipate Viktor so well in the lab, working on their projects, handing tools back and forth, calling out notes to each other. But this Viktor, he’s so closed off, guarded, changed. “I hope you’re finding everything alright here.”

“This place is ... It’s so different from what we used to talk about, but... the vision you have for here, I can see it. There’s a kind of peace here that I haven’t ever seen before.”

“There’s no conflict when everyone is aligned. I cure them of what ails them and bring them into the fold. Like preening a feather, everything lays in the same direction. No arguments, no fighting.”

“And they all want this?”

“Of course. Who doesn’t want peace?”

“Well, when you put it that way...” Jayce rubs the back of his head, finding the wild mostly untamed hair. But the chromatic itch is nagging him at the back of his mind. This isn’t a perfect system. “No conflict because they’re all following your will,” he murmurs, voicing the dark thought.

“We are of one will. If I happen to be the leader...” Viktor shrugs. “I do not control them, Jayce. They came willingly. They stay willingly. Talk to them. See what their opinions are. I’ve respected your opinion so far. The two sisters and the little one aren’t part of this. Talk with them before you judge me.” Viktor turns on his heel.

“Viktor,” Jayce calls out as he leaves. “Fuck.” He hates how Viktor keeps walking away. Before they used to talk for hours. If there was a disagreement they would chase it down until they came up with a definitive answer or compromise. This Viktor just keeps abandoning him. Jayce just wants to chase him down and throttle him, but that won’t be constructive.

He rubs his face and finds the wild beard there too. He should clean that up as well. Maybe while doing that he can do as Viktor asked and actually talk to people. He lifts the hammer up again and heads back towards the center of the commune.

There he finds people working or lounging peacefully. They all look happy. No shifty glances, no put upon smiles that don’t quite go to their eyes, no grimaces over their various chores. They look willing to be here. The open gate is also proof of that. They could come and go, but they don’t. They stay. 

He wanders a bit before he finds Salo again. They had run into each other at the bottom of the hex gate. Both the Noxian and Jayce had followed him back to this sanctuary. 

“Jayce!” he’s greeted with a warmer smile than he’s ever seen the former councilman wear. “Come sit, Take a moment.”

“Salo,” Jayce greets back. He glances around and then joins Salo around a small pool of water with various toiletries around the edge, vane as ever. He feels uncomfortable, but the painful colors that he’s been using as a guide don’t return. They must deem Salo safe. “I never expected to see you here.”

“Very understandable. My previous life was... Well now I look back on it and ask myself why I put myself through all of that. All of the politics and scheming and backstabbing, for what? A little bit more power, a little bit more wealth? None of that mattered when the council room exploded and took away my legs.” He glances down at them with a soft smile. “But look Jayce, Viktor gave them back to me. He gave me so much more than I ever expected. This, all of this is so much more.” He sounds so very earnest in his explanation. “Piltover could be so much more as well if they only-”

“Joined with Viktor’s hive mind.”

“That’s such an awful way to put it,” Salo pouts. “It’s not a hive mind, it’s a community. It’s like a family. Viktor invited all of us in. He leads us with a glorious vision for all of us.”

“Don’t you think it’s a little much?”

“Not at all.” Salo sighs. “You think we’ve been brainwashed. That we aren’t ourselves anymore. It’s not like that. We are just more than our individual selves now. We are still us. I am still Salo. Because who else would I be? But we are more now that we are connected. I understand more now. I... There’s so much I didn’t understand about the Undercity but now I do because of my neighbors. And they understand Piltover better too. We understand the commune. We understand Viktor and his dreams. They were your dreams too, Jayce.”

Jayce startles a little bit at that. “I didn’t want this.”

“No, not exactly. But you wanted everyone to have a better life. Fresher food, cleaner food, breathable air for all. We can provide that.”

“At the cost of individuality?”

“I wouldn’t go back, Jayce, not for anything.” Salo says it with such sincerity. ”It’s not for everyone, I’m sure. But it’s so much better than fighting over scraps, than machinations to gain a modicum of power, than using poison to try to ease suffering and only falling into more suffering. Jayce, I came willingly. We were mostly broken, hurt people who wanted a better option and what we got was a miracle.”

Jayce frowns and thinks over Salo’s words. Salo gives him space and silence, working on rubbing lotion onto his elbows and knees. He caps the small container and gets up and leaves without a word. Jayce doesn’t say anything either, lost in thought.

Once he comes back to himself, Jayce takes his hammer and goes on ‘patrol’ again. No strange feelings this time. He just needs to move as he thinks. He talks to several other members of the commune and they each have a similar argument to Salo’s. They each have different reasons for joining, but none of them would be eager to return to how it was. They feel that this is better than what they had.

--

At dinner time, the commune comes together for a group cooked meal. Jayce tries to get Viktor’s attention, tries to sit near him but Viktor keeps slipping away and someone else engages him in conversation about the meal. By the time they are all seated, Viktor is nowhere to be found. Viktor said he didn’t need to eat with his new form. Jayce frowns at that. Viktor needs to get some sort of energy to make up for what the commune is using from him. 

But if Viktor doesn’t want to talk to him then he won’t force it. 

Jayce enjoys dinner and observes the commune. It works well as a whole. The only bits that don’t feel like well oiled cogs are the visitors, not that he’s seen any sign of blue hair since their fight. So when Vi slinks up to his side, she almost startles him out of his seat.

“Enjoying the cult?” she starts.

“Is it a cult?”

“I’m pretty sure it is the very definition of a cult.”

Jayce hums in thought. “It’s actually not that bad?”

“Yeah, you know, it could be worse.” She takes a bite of her dinner, leg bouncing nervously under the table. “Still can’t wait to get out of here. But we need Vander fixed first. Viktor’s been trying but it’s taking so long.”

Jayce assumes that’s where Viktor’s going when Jayce can’t find him. “You’re not interested in staying?”

“We’re going to get the hell out of here. Away from Piltover entirely.”

“The way things are going, not a bad idea.”

“But you’re going to stay?”

“Of course.”

“Gay.”

Jayce blinks. “What?”

“You’re staying for Viktor.”

“He’s my partner not my-”

“Your partner? Your partner.” She throws up finger quotes. “Yeah, yeah totally not gay.”

“It’s not like that. We’re not like that.”

“Uh huh. Sure.”

“It’s not-”

“Sure.”

“I’m not-”

“I believe you.”

“I've slep- kissed Mel.”

“Congrats on the bisexuality, but you still have a gay boner for Viktor.”

“I do not have a g- you're ridiculous.”

“No, what's ridiculous is that you're the only one who gets to carry around a weapon. I want my gauntlets back,” she pouts.

Jayce frowns. He didn't quite realize that. Huh. He ignores further taunts from Vi as he quickly finishes his dinner. He takes his hammer and heads back to where he’s been staying to think over her words. He’s never thought about Viktor like that. Yes, they were close but not like that. It was Mel and him. Even then, he left her side when he heard Viktor had fallen in the lab. He talked to her about him all the time. He risked everything to save Viktor. He would risk everything now to keep Viktor safe.

He sets the hammer down next to the bed and sits down heavily. Too many thoughts. He doesn’t want to focus on them now. 

--

The next day is similar in feeling. Jayce finds himself patrolling the boundary of the commune and talking with different inhabitants. He does finally find the greenhouse that Vander is in. Viktor is with him, eyes closed and arm out. Jayce can feel the crackle of energy between them. The same energy that Viktor will run out of, sooner rather than later at this rate. What will that mean for the commune? What will happen to Viktor? The thought makes Jayce’s heart race and sweat bead on his forehead. He can’t lose Viktor again. Jayce needs to solve this issue but to do that, he needs more information from Viktor but that means he needs to talk to Viktor and Viktor seems against that right now. 

Thoughts like that get him pacing again at the gates. 

Which means he's the first to see Vi rushing back with a bit of panic on her face. “They are going to attack soon.”

“Who?”

“The Noxians. You delayed them by killing that spy, but that didn't stop them. Caitlyn says they are going to move in tomorrow. We need to move everyone else out.”

“They won't want to move.”

“Then they'll die.”

“Not while I'm here.”

“You're not going to be enough. We need to talk to Viktor.” She takes off for the greenhouse with Jayce close on her heels. Viktor is there, resting thankfully instead of actively trying to fix Vander. “Viktor, you have to get everyone out.”

“Where would we go where they would not find us?” Viktor stands with the help of his walking stick. “I knew they would make a move sooner or later. My mentor told me how much they wanted the creature.”

“He’s not a creature, he’s-”

“I’m Vander,” a deep rumbling voice answers. Time seems frozen for a long moment as everyone processes what he just said.

“Oh! Oh fuck.” Vi sweeps into Vander’s arms and buries her face against his chest.

“I just finished my work today. It’s not perfect but it will hold.”

“Wait, wait, where’s Jinx? She needs to hear you, see you.” Vi pulls back and looks up in amazement. “I can’t believe this worked.” 

“Viktor,” Jayce cuts in. “They’ll still try. And without a target, they are more likely to attack your people.”

“I’m aware that’s a possibility. But we are not leaving.”

Jayce’s heart sinks as his fears are confirmed. “Then I will defend you.”

Viktor’s head tilts softly as he looks Jayce over. Jayce feels a shiver go up his back. He stands a little straighter, holds his hammer a little higher. “Give Vi and Jinx their weapons back. I’ll need them at my side too.”

“If they’ll fight with you. They might decide to leave now that Vander is of his own mind.”

“We’ll fight,” Vi says sharply. “I’m sure Jinx will too.”

“I will too. In return for returning me,” Vander says.

“It’ll strain the work I’ve done,” Viktor warns. 

“I owe you,” Vander argues but is cut off by the sound of pottery crashing at the doorway.

“Vander?” Jinx whispers. “Is it-” She stares in disbelief. Her eyes flicker over to Jayce as if daring him to do something.

“Yeah, c’mere,” Vi invites her in. Her need to celebrate overcomes whatever risk Jayce poses. In a flash Jinx is crashing into Vander. He chuckles softly at her energy, murmurs lowly to her and she sobs loudly in happiness. “Just in time for Noxus to attack.”

“What?” Jinx’s braids whip around. “No, no, no. We just got him back. How do you know?”

“Caitlyn-”

“That fucking bitch!”

“Hey! No. She’s on our side. She’s with me. She doesn’t like the way it’s going either but she’s stuck right now with Ambessa. Ambessa looks at her like she’s her protege or something. She let me know about this attack early.”

“We gotta get out of here. We gotta run. Vander, back me up. We gotta go. We can’t be here any more. Isha too.” Jayce looks back at the doorway and sees the young girl picking up the shards of the water jug that was dropped. “We have to go.”

“Powder,” Vander says softly.

“No! You don’t get to play hero again! We don’t have to be heroes! We can be scared! We can run! We have to run! I can’t lose you again! I can’t lose anyone else again!” she screams, looking around wildly, like there are things the rest of them can’t see. Isha rushes over to her side and takes her hand, pulling her attention down. Jinx is still obviously panicking but she looks down. Isha lifts and drops her hand and Jinx forces her breathing to stabilize. 

Viktor taps his staff to get everyone’s attention. “I would recommend that you leave while you’re still able to. I will protect my people here. Vander, you owe me nothing. My effort was freely given. The four of you should leave.”

“Viktor, we could use them,” Jayce argues.

“No, we take our shit and leave,” Jinx agrees with Viktor. “Vi, if your girlfriend wants to come, that’s fine. If she can not try to kill me of course. That would be fucking fantastic. But we gotta go. Please.” 

Vander pulls the two of them, no three of them with Isha, away so they can conference and come up with an answer. 

Jayce gives them space, moving closer to Viktor. “You don’t have to stay either, Jayce.”

“I’m not going anywhere without you. My place is by your side. That’s why he sent me back. That’s why I was given this.” He taps his hammer on the ground. “Whatever you decide, I will protect you.”

“Hopefully that won’t be necessary, but I appreciate the consideration. It was fortuitous that I was able to complete my work on Vander before they invaded. Now they will find nothing of value to them. It is a shame that Vander will leave. The experiments that were performed on him would have been valuable but the cost would have been too great.”

“The experiments?”

“Oh yes. Chemical experiments that were able to save his life, bring him back from death and give him this powerful form. It’s the next evolution to shimmer. But from what I understand, he is a unique specimen. The progress made from the success of his recovery and transformation will be lost.”

Jayce feels an itch in his mind. If they could bring someone back like that, then maybe they could do the same for Viktor but... “Not all progress is good.”

“No. I suppose not. We have learned that lesson before, haven’t we?”

Jayce nods, thinking back to the research on the hexcore. It was enough to save Viktor’s life but at a cost that he’s not sure he’s fully reconciled yet. 

“Viktor,” Vander interrupts with the girls standing with him. “I truly appreciate what you’ve done for me, for us. But we think it would be best if we were to leave.”

“Of course. Take care. Maybe one day we shall meet again.” 

Jinx starts pulling on Vander’s arm with Isha in her other hand. They turn and leave. Vi lingers just long enough to get another, “Thanks, Viktor,” out before she follows them as well. Jayce watches them leave, a bittersweet feeling in his chest.

Jayce turns back to Viktor. “We can still leave as well.”

“Why would we do that? We aren’t a threat. If we leave early, Ambessa surely will know that something has changed and will follow them early, putting them in danger. I’m sure we will be fine come tomorrow. We will welcome them in with open arms.”

“Are you really that trusting?”

“I am. After all, you’re here.” Jayce feels his cheeks heat up at the praise. He’s not at all as sure of himself as Viktor is, despite his own assurances. But together they should be able to hold their own. Hopefully. “I hear you have been having a lot of conversations,” Viktor changes the trajectory of their conversation.

“Yeah, I have. I think I get it now. What you are doing is very different and new to what we’re used to with Piltover and the Undercity, but I think it can work. It is working. It’s not perfect though. You’re still burning through too much energy.”

“With Vander’s recovery complete-”

“That will buy us some time, but you’re still carrying all of these people. They are all connected through you. You’re living on a timer. Again.”

“Maybe that’s why it doesn’t bother me.”

“It bothers me!” Jayce drops his hammer and steps close to Viktor. His hands twitch like he wants to grab and shake some sense into Viktor. “I can’t lose you, Viktor. Not again.”

“I am not the same Viktor that you knew and cared for, Jayce.”

“You’re still the Viktor I love.” Jayce watches as Viktor’s eyes go wide at the admission. “You’ve changed for sure but you are still trying to help people. You’ve made this sanctuary, you’re risking your life for strangers. You’re still my partner. My Viktor.” He reaches up and cups Viktor’s face. 

Viktor tilts his face into Jayce’s hand before seemingly catching himself and pulling away abruptly. Jayce doesn’t follow him, a little stunned at his own revelation. Maybe Vi was right, even if she was crude. He can work through the implications though. They have time. If they survive tomorrow.

“Jayce,” Viktor says hesitantly.

“We have more important things to deal with. We’ll get through tomorrow and then we’ll talk, okay?” Viktor nods. “Good. Go talk to your people. I want to keep an eye on the gate.” Jayce picks up his hammer and heads out.

--

Jayce is nervous as he wakes up the next day. Vi didn’t give them a lot of information to go on. She was too panicked and they got out of there so quickly. He hopes that Caitlyn went with them. He cleans up a bit, eats some fruit for breakfast, and then heads to the gates to wait. He gets more sensations of being watched this morning but none strong enough to power up his hammer like he had before. He manages to keep his cool, for the most part, right up until he hears the rhythmic stomps of an army approaching.

He stands at the center of the gate with his hammer at his side. He hears the familiar tap of Viktor’s cane- staff behind him. They don’t say anything to each other as the red and steel come into view. The imposing figure at the front is not accompanied by Caitlyn, much to Jayce’s relief. But instead, there is a tall bald man with the lower half of his face covered. Jayce doesn’t immediately recognize him even though he gets the sense he is familiar. Sort of. Those memories don’t seem to be his. He’s not sure if it’s an echo from Viktor the mage or the Viktor next to him. Either way, he understands that this man is intelligent and dangerous. 

The army stops just before the commune’s gate. “Good morning, Viktor,” Ambessa greets, taking off her wolf mask to show her smile underneath. “I assume you know why I am here. Hand over the beast and no one will get hurt.” The anomaly warnings in Jayce’s head pulse with warnings of danger. His wrist itches.

“This beast you speak of is no more,” Viktor tells her. Her face immediately darkens.

“I know you haven’t killed it. I know its capabilities are much greater than yours. You and your flock are nothing but pacifists,” she sneers over the word.

“The beast is no more. I freed the man that was trapped and tortured inside of that feral mind. And in his freedom, he left.”

She looks over to the other man with her, who shrugs. She looks back at Viktor. “Impossible. Not in the time frame given. You’re lying.”

“No,” Viktor says simply with a shake of his head. Jayce can see the anger brewing under Ambessa’s controlled surface.

“Then where did it go?”

“I didn’t ask. I could not care less. If you leave your weapons at the gate you are welcomed to check inside for yourself.” He gestures to the rest of the commune before turning back to her. “It was a challenge to unravel his mind after everything that was done to it. All of that behavioral programming and chemical control,” Viktor’s gaze moves from Ambessa to the other man, “but in the end, it was simply another puzzle that I have solved.” He returns his focus to the Noxian. “It was a favor that I offered, but that task is now complete, as of last night. You are too late.”

“Liar!” She lunges forward and Jayce covers the ground between them impossibly fast. As if he was moving even before he was aware of the attack. The hammer swings upwards and connects with her outstretched arm right at the underside of her shoulder. Her momentum changes enough that she’s thrown into the air. With a skill that comes from thousands of fights she lands on her feet a few feet away. Jayce has the hammer cocked and fires at her new position. She evades but one of her soldiers behind her goes down. The rest of the line reacts with shields up. 

Jayce doesn’t stop there; he’s swinging again as she tries to attack again. The hammer doesn’t connect this time as she’s ready for it but it does make her keep her distance. Jayce follows up with more blasts from the end of the hammer, the energy scattering against the Noxus shields. 

She focuses her whole attention on Jayce, wanting to take him out before she deals with Viktor. She’s so fast but he’s now used to the chromatic warnings and he lets instinct take over to keep just a hair faster than her. He can hear her growl in frustration as he stays ahead of her blows, using the handle of the hammer as leverage to jump or block her punches and kicks. He didn’t know he could move like this but he lets his body listen to the whisperings in his head. It feels at times that the hammer is in multiple places at once, jumping from location to location. His wrist burns.

It’s still not a perfect defense however and he takes a flurry of hits across his chest and shoulders. The pain from the last one that lands makes him think that something’s broken in his arm. But he uses the pain to fuel himself to swing the heavy hammer a couple more times. This time he sees the transcription rune attached to his wrist trigger the corruption in the hammer. Suddenly the head of the hammer is not where it’s supposed to be and once again catches her midsection with a solid impact. Jayce spins with the momentum and another jump in time-space catches her on the shoulder, this time from above. She stumbles back and Jayce brings the end of the hammer to bear. This time the whine is different, powered not just by the hex gem but also by the transcription rune. The vortex of power at the core pulls Ambessa in as she scrambles to get some distance back. Jayce roars primally as he pulls the trigger. 

Green energy deflects the blast around Ambessa, a sphere of chaos spilling out behind her, taking out soldiers despite their shields. The spillover twists and distorts anything it touches. The organic destroyed, the inorganic changed into echoes of wild runes. The damage done flickers and twitches as the Noxians look on in horror. Even Ambessa is shaken as she retreats to where her second is holding the smoking remains of his green runes. 

Jayce moves forward to hunt her down but is stopped by Viktor’s hand on his shoulder. The pain in his arm hits him but he manages not to drop the hammer. His lips curl up in pleased aggression as his eyes stay on his enemy and see her fear.

“My flock might be mostly pacifists, but we still have teeth.” Viktor’s head tips just ever so slightly towards Jayce. “I do not recommend returning until you too learn peace, Ambessa.”

“You’ve made a mistake.”

“I don’t think so. But time will tell. Now, leave.” There’s a pulse of energy that comes from Viktor that pushes along the ground and into the army, making them step back as dust spins up into wild vortices. Jayce can feel it resonate with the hammer. But then it’s gone. 

Ambessa hesitates but then she barks orders at her soldiers to grab the fallen and return to the city. “It’s not worth it if the beast isn’t here.”

Jayce holds steady with Viktor’s hand still on his shoulder until they have all retreated. But as soon as the last red and steel are out of sight, he sways on his feet, his world reduced down to the pain in his arm. “I think it’s broken,” he murmurs.

Viktor reaches forward and takes the hammer out of his grip. The chromatic alarms don’t flare up this time more than a weak pulse. The relief of not having the weight pulling down on the injury makes Jayce lightheaded. 

“Thank you, Jayce. That was quite impressive.” Viktor’s voice sounds farther away than at his side. Jayce turns and tries to focus on him.

“I’m just glad it worked.” He takes a breath and there's more stabbing pain coming from his ribs. “She’s a fucking monster.” Jayce's vision blurs for a moment before it comes back and he sees Viktor's expression of concern. “Just need some rest.”

“I can heal-”

“No,” he says sharply. “Please no,” he says softer. “I don't want you burning your energy on me.”

“You said your arm was broken. Let me at least set the bones.”

“Can you do it the old fashioned way?”

Viktor sighs heavily. “Yes, Jayce, I can do it the hard way.”

“Good.” He sways forward and Viktor has to catch him. There's a warmth in his touch but the pain makes it hard to focus on it.

“Come along then, let's get you comfortable.” Jayce nods as Viktor tucks under his good shoulder and wraps an arm around Jayce's waist. Together they slowly make it back to Jayce's domicile.

Jayce's vision is very blurry but he can see a basket with something white in it on the table and he can smell some fresh cooked food. He wonders how they knew. Maybe they watched the fight? He almost trips over a chair as they finally get to the bedroom. Viktor carefully rolls Jayce off of his shoulder and into bed. Viktor moves away and that warmth that was there fades. Every breath Jayce takes is just more pain. He stares up at the ceiling and lets tears run down the sides of his face. 

Jayce hears Viktor set down the hammer with a thunk, before his footsteps leave the bedroom. Jayce takes a breath as if to follow him, but Viktor comes back with the basket and Jayce relaxes. Viktor moves the bandages from the basket to the side of the bed. He carefully starts to strip Jayce of his upper clothes, loosening belts and pulling fabric away until Jayce’s chest is bare. The flesh is red with darker spots starting to bloom. Viktor skates his fingertips over the bruises and Jayce sighs at the relief, his breathing made just a little bit easier.

Viktor works his touch up to Jayce’s shoulder and down to his upper arm where the break is throbbing under the skin. Viktor’s touch feels cold here, no glowing warmth. “This is going to hurt, Jayce.”

“I’m ready for it.”

“Deep breath.” Viktor grips his arm on either side of the break and sets it with blinding pain on Jayce’s part. He can’t even scream with how breathtakingly the pain is. “Breathe, Jayce, breath,” Viktor coaxes. Jayce nods and tries to suck in some air, pushing it out before taking more in. That warmth slowly starts to sink in and Jayce shakes his head.

“No, no, don’t, I’m okay, I’m okay.”

“You’re an idiot.”

“Yeah, yeah probably.” The warmth leaves and the pain comes back. Viktor moves carefully to set a split against the break and wrap it with bandages. He makes Jayce sit up and wraps his chest up as well. He binds the arm close. “I’m right handed, you know.”

“I know. I’ll help.” Viktor helps lay Jayce back down on the bed, head and back supported by pillows. “It won’t take that long to heal. You’ve bought us enough time.” He reaches down into the basket and pulls out a small vessel. He holds it up to Jayce’s lips to let him sip. The juice is cool and sweet and very refreshing. Viktor grabs a warm pastry filled with meat and cheese next and feeds it to Jayce. 

Jayce smiles softly and doesn’t stop him despite his other arm being fine. He likes that Viktor is staying close. He likes that Viktor is caring for him instead of being aloof and pulling away as soon as he can. It helps that Jayce is no longer pulling away either. He’s getting more used to society again. The ravine isn’t gone. It’s still there, liable to haunt him at a moment’s notice. The mage’s warnings will still spike in his head but he’s gotten more used to them, using them to his advantage. He’s not like how he was. He’s as changed as Viktor, he supposes. 

He takes the slices of fruit that Viktor slips between his lips. 

“Thank you.”

“It’s the least I can do for you chasing off the wolf at our gate.”

“I told you that I would protect you. I’ll protect this commune. I’m not going anywhere else. I’m going to stay with my partner and see your dreams through.” He brings up his good hand and cups Viktor’s cheek. This time he does lean into the touch, eyes closing. “I loved who you were. I’ll love who you are. I’m here for you.”

“Jayce,” Viktor says softly.

“You should go check on everyone. Make sure the Noxians didn’t come back. I need to rest anyways.” He drops his hand down back to his side. Viktor looks like he wants to argue but he finally decides to nod. He helps take off Jayce’s shoes and makes sure he’s in a comfortable position with a blanket. 

“I’ll return soon, Jayce. Rest well.” Viktor stands and leaves the room. Jayce doesn’t feel as bad watching him leave this time than he has before. They are in a better place now. He’s sure that Viktor will be back without having to hunt him down again. He closes his eyes and slips into sleep.

--

Jayce wakes up through a nightmare with sharp pain through his chest as he jolts upright. He catches movement in front of him and tries to grab for his hammer, but it’s not there and it’s just Viktor trying to pull away quickly from him. 

“Wait! Sorry. Fuck, please don’t- Please stay.”

Viktor freezes almost halfway to the door again.

“I’m sorry if I startled you. I was just checking on your bandages.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know. Just, reflex. I’m okay. You’re okay. I’m glad you’re here.” Jayce relaxes down against the bed again with a wince. “How do I look? Because I feel fucking awful.”

“You’ve looked better.” Viktor comes back over and sits on the edge of the bed. “But this is worse than when the furnace back drafted on you and put you out for three days.”

“Hah, that soot wouldn’t come off for even longer,” Jayce smiles at the memories. Viktor visited him in the hospital. Mostly to bring him work so he could write down what all went wrong. Then those days turned into visiting Viktor at the hospital when he overworked. But now, Viktor doesn’t have to worry about that, not with his new body. Jayce will still worry for him, but that’s what a good partner does, right?

“You’ll need plenty of rest to recover from this. If you won’t let me-”

“I know. Especially the arm. But, it’s... I don’t want you to use up your power until we get that solved. I can heal just fine the old fashioned way. We’ll only consider it in case of an emergency, alright?”

“Alright. I did manage to procure some salves that should help with the pain.”

“Oh? Yeah, I’d be down for that. Breathing feels like hell right now.”

“A warm bath should help as well.” Viktor gets up and crosses the room to start drawing hot water. Jayce is happy for the space so he can hide the blush that comes up on his cheeks at the idea of taking a bath in front of Viktor. But he doesn’t want the distance between them, so he’ll just swallow his pride for this. Viktor reaches into a nearby basket and pours something into the water that smells wonderful as the hot water makes it bloom. Something herbal and minerally. When the water is at a good level, Viktor turns back to Jayce. “Your legs weren’t injured.”

Jayce laughs, wincing immediately at the pain in his chest, and carefully moves himself to the edge of the bed, legs over the edge. Viktor comes to his side to help him upright and then up to stand. Jayce swallows down the groans as different pains flare up. Finally up on his feet, Viktor helps Jayce take off the bandages. Jayce glances down but doesn’t see more of the wild runes on his body under all of the colorful bruises. At least Viktor is respecting that. 

The strips of fabric fall away in a small pile, except for the ones holding the split on his arm. Viktor helps next with the rest of the belts holding Jayce’s pants up. Jayce is blushing up a storm but Viktor looks pretty nonplussed about it even as Jayce steps clear of the fabric. Viktor offers an arm for balance as Jayce steps into the tub and sinks down into the heat, much warmer now than when he tried that first night. His winged arm sets carefully on the lip of the tub. Jayce lets out a heavy sigh and lets his eyes close.

“The bath salts should help with healing as well. I’ll apply the salves afterwards.”

“I feel like I’m at the spa, Viktor.”

“If you want, I could give you a massage.” Jayce’s eyes snap open and sees Viktor’s smug expression, as if proud that he caught Jayce off guard.

“If you’re offering, I might take you up on it. But I could honestly use a haircut and shave first.”

“I can help with those as well,” Viktor nods. He closes his eyes briefly and seems to be thinking hard. “Supplies should arrive shortly.”

“Did... Did you just telepathically ask someone else to bring you supplies?”

“Yes. I find the connections helpful. Someone is usually available for requests.”

“Oh. I didn’t know you could do that.”

“There’s a lot of things you don’t understand yet, and yet you continue to fight it.”

“Well, now that the stress has been... lifted? Yeah, I don’t think anything else is on the way. Not for a while at least. But we have time now. I want to learn. I want to know. I want to help.”

“I get that now. If we have the time you say we do, then we shall learn together. For now, just relax and heal.”

“Yeah.” Jayce closes his eyes again and lets the hot water do its job. He hears a soft knock at the door and Viktor stepping away for a moment before he comes back. He listens to the scratch of a chair being pulled close. He doesn’t flinch when Viktor touches his hair. He moves with Viktor’s guidance to lean forward as Viktor pours water over his head. Viktor works shampoo into his thick locks with both hands. It’s the nicest sensation he’s had in a while. A tear slips out of the side of his eye, hidden by the water on his face. 

When Jayce is clean and rinsed, Viktor pulls it all backwards, brushing through it a couple of times. Maybe more times than strictly necessary, but Jayce isn’t going to say anything with how good it feels. Viktor tugs on different sections and snips the ends off, letting them fall to the floor behind the tub. Jayce didn’t know that Viktor could cut hair, but he’s not about to question the tender moment between them. Viktor continues to work until he is satisfied with the clean up from Jayce’s wild growth. Jayce swears that his head feels lighter already. 

Viktor scoots a little closer, the top of Jayce’s head resting against his chest. Viktor’s arms come around either side of his face. Viktor gently scoops water up from the tub to work through Jayce’s beard. Soap comes next, working up a good hearty lather with Viktor’s fingertips going all the way down to his jaw.

Jayce thinks this might be the most contact they’ve ever had. They always worked within arm’s length of each other in the lab, but there was space between them. Jayce looks back at that with regret. Viktor deserved more than that. Jayce was just distracted by the shiny opportunities that Piltover offered him, taunted him with. The research grants, the council seat, Mel. Now none of that is important. Hell, it wasn’t ever that important. Not as important as his partner in front of him. If he had focused a little more on Viktor and Viktor’s research over anything else he was doing then maybe, maybe they wouldn’t have had to go through so much trauma to get to here.

Viktor rinses the lather out and picks up the scissors next to shape and trim the scraggly growth. Jayce appreciates the firm touch Viktor uses to turn his head one way and then the other. He keeps his eyes closed to keep the distance from being too awkward. He trusts Viktor with anything that he needs. Especially when Viktor tips his head back and re-lathers up his neck. The scrape of the razor against his skin makes his heart race, not out of fear though.

Viktor soothes the skin down with another scented oil, working into the rest of Jayce’s beard with circular motions that almost put Jayce to sleep. Just before he goes under though, Viktor pulls his hands away. Jayce cracks an eye open and sees Viktor holding a mirror in front of him. There’s still a little bit of a haunted look around his eyes, some exhaustion too, but the haircut and beard look a lot more civilized than before.

Jayce makes eye contact with Viktor through the mirror with a raised eyebrow.

“I think I like the beard,” Viktor answers the unasked question. “It’s a difference between your clean cut look from Piltover.”

Jayce looks himself over again in the mirror. “Alright, then we keep it.” Jayce nods. “I’m no longer a Piltie now, but one of yours.”

“One of mine?” Viktor hums. “I like the sound of that. Even if it’s a bit pretentious.”

“And starting a cult isn’t pretentious?”

“It’s not a cult.” Viktor pouts through the mirror before putting it away.

“Sure, whatever you say, glorious leader.” 

Viktor gives him a look and splashes him in the face with a bit of water. Jayce laughs. He doesn’t mind being in Viktor’s cult. He’s not ready to be connected like everyone else. Not yet. 

Jayce turns his head to watch Viktor as he cleans up a bit. His motions bring back old memories. Viktor had a particular way of moving to keep his body from rebelling. It got worse obviously as his body deteriorated, but early on, he could move around without his cane. Very careful movements that Jayce can see again. He’s almost sure it’s just habit, not actual concern for this new body. 

Viktor glances over and catches Jayce staring. He looks away first. “How is the water temperature?”

“Getting cooler. I probably can get out now.”

Viktor grabs a towel for Jayce, bringing it close as Jayce pulls the plug in the tub. Jayce stands carefully and uses the towel to dry off the best he can with one hand. Viktor gathers up his pants and holds them ready for him. It's almost a bit much but as Jayce tries to reach with his bad arm without thinking and is forcefully reminded with pain, he learns to appreciate the help. Viktor directs him to sit on the bed and Jayce settles in against the pillows the best he can. Viktor brings over a small jar, twisting off the cap as he takes Jayce’s side. “Apologies if it’s cold. This body doesn’t produce heat like it used to.” 

“I’m sure I’ll man-” the first cool touch makes him stutter “-age. Damn.”

“I warned you and your ego.”

“Yeah, yeah. I’ll still manage.” He just knows to brace himself for the next touch. It’s a floral scent, reminding him of the Kiramann gardens. Viktor’s touch is light enough that the bruises don’t ache under the pressure but he’s thorough on covering every multicolored mark. It’s incredible that she was able to do such damage to him with just her fists. 

With Viktor in front of him now, the touches feel a little more intimate. Jayce doesn’t know where to put his gaze, so he studies Viktor’s face. He wants to memorize those sharp planes that aren’t sunken in by disease but touched instead by the arcane. The familiar moles are still there, a beauty mark above his lip and another more faded below his eye. His hair is long and loose as well with lighter sections on the underside. Jayce remembers how wild it could get when he was too deep in his studies to maintain it, but never this length. And it’s so soft too. 

He realizes he’s lifted his hand to touch it, to wrap a soft section around his fingers, when Viktor freezes, looking back at him intently. “Sorry,” he murmurs as he pulls his hand back.

“I suppose with how much I’m touching you, that turnabout is fair play.”

“No- Well, I... I should have asked first.”

“Nonsense.”

Jayce frowns as he’s not exactly sure how to take that answer. Viktor gets back to applying the salve to Jayce’s chest and side. He shifts to undo the binding on his broken arm to apply more there as well. Jayce lets him work without touching him again. He’s still trying to process everything. There are feelings bubbling up in his chest and now that he doesn’t have these overwhelming instincts to protect the commune from danger, he doesn’t have an excuse not to examine them. But right now he’s a little distracted by how close Viktor is, how gentle he’s being, how kind. His heart aches a little.

Viktor finishes with the salve and re-ties the split to his arm with fresh bandages and remakes the sling to keep Jayce from moving it too much. He leans across Jayce to tie the sling on his far shoulder. Jayce’s hand comes up to Viktor’s side to help him balance. When the knot is done, Viktor doesn’t pull back, staying in Jayce’s space. Jayce’s hand tightens, pulling him closer. The tilt of their heads feel natural as they come together in a gentle kiss.

Viktor’s lips are warmer than Jayce thought they would be given the temperature of his fingers. Said fingers slide up along the side of Jayce’s face, helping control the kiss and not letting Jayce pull back as he deepens it a little more. Jayce feels a hunger stirring in him as he presses into the kiss, opening up for Viktor. 

Viktor’s hand slides further back into Jayce’s hair and grips lightly to tip his head back. He offers no resistance as Viktor shifts up and leans in, moving over his lap until Viktor is straddling him and they are brought chest to chest, as much as possible with the sling in the way. Jayce wishes he had his other hand free to grab and hold Viktor even tighter. He does his best with his good hand on Viktor’s waist, marveling briefly at how narrow it is in his large hand. 

He’s distracted again by Viktor’s tongue pressing against his lips, begging for entry which he gives eagerly. Viktor tastes slightly metallic, like when Jayce would hold a tool in his mouth while working on a gadget in the lab. He should have kissed Viktor in the labs and found what he would have tasted like back then. He should have done a lot of things but he’s here now with Viktor on his lap, kissing him like he’s a lifeline. When Viktor finally pulls away to let Jayce breathe, Jayce finds himself panting. There’s more color on Viktor’s lips now. 

“I seem to have gotten a little carried away,” Viktor apologizes.

“I want more,” Jayce says breathlessly, shaking his head. “Viktor.”

“Jayce,” Viktor answers softly and Jayce almost moans at the way his name sounds.

“Please.”

“You are injured and need rest.”

“I need you.” Jayce pulls on Viktor’s waist again, grinding his hip upward to make his intention clear. 

“Stubborn.”

“Would you have me any other way?” Jayce smirks, especially as he sees Viktor softening. “Please, Viktor.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. I want you, Viktor. I love you.”

Viktor is suddenly kissing him again as if he wants to taste those words. Now it’s Viktor grinding down against Jayce’s interest. Jayce finally lets himself moan at the pleasure. There’s a resonating sound from Viktor’s chest as well. Jayce slips his hand through the open side of the blanket turned robe to touch more of Viktor’s back. The metallic surface isn’t smooth but banded like muscles. He can feel the slicker gold bands against the deep purple. He traces the designs with his fingers as Viktor kisses him passionately. 

Viktor skims his free hand down Jayce’s chest, working its way down between them. It stirs up the butterflies in Jayce’s stomach as he brushes past that too. Viktor hooks two fingers into Jayce’s waistband and nimbly undoes the belt there with his thumb. It’s just a small lift of his hips needed to move the fabric out of the way. Jayce’s breath catches in his throat as Viktor touches him lower and lower until finally encircling him. Jayce lets out his breath with a groan that turns into a growl. Viktor pulls his hand back in surprise and Jayce lets out a whine that only subsides when Viktor touches him again. He wraps his cool hand around him, pressing his palm against the heated length. Viktor strokes him with a steady pace. Jayce rocks his hips in time, making Viktor sway above him. Enough that Viktor has to tighten his grip on Jayce’s hair to control the kiss. 

Jayce almost ignores the pull on his hair. Having Viktor in his lap is so much more than he ever dreamed of, but he’s going to make the most of it. Jayce’s hand slides down his back. He pushes the robe farther off his narrow shoulders as he cups Viktor’s ass, needing to touch as much as he is being touched. Going from normal life where there were people everywhere to being trapped in an empty land with no living breathing thing to the stolen touches between them here in the commune to this. Jayce feels like if Viktor wasn’t so cool, his skin would actually catch fire. And of course, he wants more. He presses into the kiss, adding teeth to pull at Viktor’s bottom lip, getting a corrective tug on his hair for it. He squeezes his fingers against the violet metallic flesh. He lets out moans, audible demands of want.

Viktor finally pulls back, letting Jayce catch his breath again. He keeps stroking Jayce’s cock. But with his other hand, he pulls Jayce’s hand off of his ass, making Jayce whine again. But that doesn’t last long as he’s slipping the robe off completely and then guiding Jayce’s hand down between his thighs. Jayce’s gaze follows and he sees something familiar but unexpected. He thought he knew his partner but maybe not as well as he thought. He missed so many signs of what Viktor was going through, Viktor hid so much from him. No more. No more secrets, Jayce promises silently. No more distance.

At his fingertips are dewy lips; he gently explores the golden folds there. He glances up and sees Viktor’s eyes closed and mouth open, taking in the sensations. Even Viktor’s hand has stilled on his cock. Jayce takes the opportunity to really feel him out. His fingers are getting more and more wet as they touch him. Jayce works his way to Viktor’s hole and gently pushes in. The noise that Viktor lets out makes Jayce’s cock jump against his palm. 

That seems to remind Viktor what he was in the middle of. They sync up their movements, Viktor stroking Jayce’s cock and Jayce fingering Viktor’s hole. There’s a soft pause as Jayce adds a second finger but then Viktor gets back to kissing Jayce. Jayce hums a question as he tests a third finger and Viktor answers him with a nod, pressing his hips down against Jayce’s hand. Jayce wants to make sure Viktor is ready and comfortable before moving on but at the rate that Viktor is soaking his hand, he won’t have to worry. 

Viktor’s impatience wins out and he tugs both of their hands away before lining himself up over Jayce’s cock. It’s cooler than Jayce has ever experienced before, only warmed up by his fingers, but the slick tight feeling of the gold and purple flesh sinking down on him is mind blowing enough to make him grab Viktor’s hip again for stability and control over himself. Viktor lets out a silky moan as he slides down, pausing when he’s fully seated.

“Jayce.”

“Viktor, fuck, Viktor.”

“I love you too.” And then he starts to move.

Jayce has never felt a hunger like he does as Viktor rocks forward, coming off of his cock just enough to really make Jayce feel it when he slams back down. The moan ripped from his chest is matched by the one coming from Viktor. Jayce shrugs off the sling and uses both hands on Viktor despite the pain in his shoulder. He helps Viktor through the same motions again, enjoying the friction and grip around his cock. Viktor’s cool insides are slowly warming up with the repeated contact. The pace is deliberate and is driving Jayce wild. He leans forward to kiss Viktor again, to taste him again. He wants to sink his teeth into him. He wants to mark him. He wants him in every possible way. His grip on Viktor's hips echoes that. The energy he finds to push up off the bed and into Viktor as Viktor comes crashing down stems from the burning need inside of him. 

Viktor throws his head back in pleasure when the thrust hits him just right and Jayce chases him there, leaning forwards to latch his teeth on his pale exposed throat. There’s still the grip on the back of his head that keeps him from doing too much. A tether of sorts to control. He’s still under Viktor’s control. And he doesn’t want to be anywhere else.

Viktor's moans get louder and higher pitched as Jayce's get lower and more throaty. Jayce can feel the way Viktor shivers at each new sound Jayce makes. Together their pleasure builds. Jayce gets to watch Viktor tip over first, the slick gold tightening up around his cock like a vice. Jayce continues to thrust up until finally grabbing Viktor by the shoulders and pulling him down flush as he fills him up, heating him further from the inside.

Their soft pants fill the room as Jayce rests his forehead against Viktor’s chest. Viktor releases his grip on Jayce’s hair, petting it instead. Slowly they come down from their orgasms. Jayce can hear the almost mechanical thrum of Viktor’s heart settle back into a steady rhythm. He continues to cling to Viktor even as he goes soft, shifting hips only to slip out. Viktor tries to pull away once, but Jayce holds on tighter. 

“Jayce, your arm,” Viktor protests.

“Don't care,” Jayce murmurs back. Viktor relents and lets him hold on as long as he needs, running his fingers through his newly cleaned hair. Jayce takes a while, letting his emotions run wild for a bit. He loves Viktor and Viktor loves him. Through everything, they are here, finally together. He thinks back to the lab and their work together, to their successes and failures, to the explosion and resurrection. He doesn't know why he didn't say it earlier to Viktor. Pure ignorance on his part. How could he not love his partner? It feels inevitable and yet he knows there are other timelines that end so much differently. He shakes his head and dismisses those. They're just failed experiments. Trial and error. This one... He hopes it stays true.

Eventually the pain from his arm does become too much and it finally drops away from Viktor's body. Viktor leans back and redoes the sling for him. He slips off of Jayce’s lap and ignores the whines at the separation as he steps away for a towel to clean up their mutual mess. Once done, he leans in for a kiss, using it to push Jayce back down to reclining on the bed.

“I'm going to step out to get you some food. I won't be long.”

Jayce pouts but nods. He'll manage being alone for that long. He still hates watching Viktor leave. He tries to keep his eyes on the door, waiting for his return, but his eyelids are heavy and slip close.

--

Jayce wakes up actually feeling rested for once. It’s a gradual feeling of returning to his body. The rise and fall of his chest. The aches in his arms. The length down to his toes. The gentle fingers brushing his hair. His cheek pressed up against a cool thigh. He carefully turns his head to look up at Viktor.

“Sleep well?”

“For once in my life,” he answers, throat a little raspy. “Thank you. You?”

“This body doesn’t require sleep. The mind does but a little meditation is all that is needed.” He doesn’t stop playing with Jayce’s hair and Jayce doesn’t push him away. He just smiles dopily up at Viktor. He feels entirely at peace with his head in Viktor’s lap. Nothing else matters. Not at the moment anyways. He’s not naive enough to know that this moment will last forever but he wants to cherish it as long as he can. He’s with his partner again. He’s in love with his partner. He tries to reach up and touch Viktor’s face but the sling doesn’t let him that far. He pouts and Viktor laughs. Jayce’s heart sings at such a soft beautiful noise.

“I love you,” he murmurs softly.

“I love you too,” Viktor answers just as quietly. Then there is a small furrow on his brow and he turns to look out at something. Jayce didn’t hear anything and doesn’t see anything but the closed door when he follows Viktor’s gaze.

“What is it?”

“Nothing important. Just a question someone has.”

“So they can reach out to you as well?”

“Yes. We are all connected.” There’s a beat and then Viktor returns his attention to Jayce. “You could be a part of this.”

Jayce doesn’t immediately deny it this time. The chromatic warnings pulse dully. He’s not sure what that means. Is it less dangerous for him to be connected now? Is their power waning due to distance and time away from the mage? Is it a plea to go ahead and connect to Viktor? It does appeal to him. To be part of Viktor in a way that defies the usual. He’s had those fleeting connections already and the experience of being tethered through the vastness of the arcane is both terrifying and comforting.

But that connection, it’s not without cost. They need to solve that first before he becomes a part of that burden.

“Not yet.”

“I understand.” Viktor pulls his hands away and Jayce immediately misses his warm touch. “You should eat. I can reapply the salves.”

At the reminder of the food, Jayce’s stomach growls. He carefully sits up, letting the moment dissolve. There’s a fresh basket with food stuffs in it. Jayce manages to mind his manners and simply eats quickly as Viktor applies the cooling, healing salves to his chest and arm again. He helps Jayce dress again as well. Jayce does his best to try to remain unaffected by the casual touches but he finds himself yearning for more when Viktor finishes.

“Come,” Viktor commands simply as he takes up his walking stick. Jayce picks up his hammer with his off-hand and obediently follows Viktor out into the commune. 

There are some greetings from people as they walk by but not as many of Jayce would have assumed. He supposes if they are connected then they already know what is going on. The greetings that do happen might be out of habit from their previous lives. Salo definitely looks up from his work and beams at Jayce, telling him that he looks so much better. Viktor checks mostly on buildings and items around the commune, rather than the people. Jayce glances behind them and finds usually someone is approaching where Viktor touched with tools or materials to patch or change whatever it was he noted.

Jayce is coming to understand how something like this was able to be built up so quickly. It still took time as people had to find Viktor. It was probably a trickle at first, then as news spread more showed up. More will show up too. He’s pretty sure it’s only been because of the Noxian threat that there isn’t a line out the gates for Viktor’s touch to heal them. Which means Jayce now has a timer in his mind to solve the energy problem before Viktor is drained away before his very eyes. He finds his lip curling up at the very thought of that. 

Once he’s sure that they’ve walked the whole commune, with Jayce always trailing a step or two behind him, Jayce finally speaks up. “You had Salo go to the Hexgates and pick up one of the rod assemblies. Why?”

“I was hoping to tap into that energy. I am made from the Hexcore. I thought it would resonate.”

“But it didn't.”

“Not exactly. There is a reaction, just not a controllable one. The energy flow is unstable and wants to flow back and forth instead of where I want it to go.”

“It was drawing from you as you tried to draw from it.”

“Exactly.”

“So you need a buffer, a one way conduit.”

“I have several theories for a solution, but have not had time to implement anything. Yet.”

“Tell me about them. I can help.”

Viktor hums. Jayce can tell when he reaches out to someone. “It will be nice to involve your ideas. Like we have done before.”

“We're partners after all.”

“Yes, let us be partners once again, Jayce.” Viktor starts walking once again. “I have them setting up a laboratory of sorts for us.”

Jayce falls into place just behind Viktor. “I'm surprised you didn't already have one.”

“I didn't have a lot of time to dedicate myself to the craft of engineering while I was building a community, curing Shimmer ailments, rescuing a man's mind from an alchemic beast, welcoming my feral partner home, and fending off Noxian troops.”

“I think I did that last one.”

“You did fend off their general. And a handful of spies.” They approach the greenhouse where Vander had been staying. The lush greens and damp air is a very stark contrast to their previous lab set up or to Jayce’s forge. 

Jayce sets his hammer down by the door and tours the space. There’s a bench set up with tools and notebooks. There’s a large piece of slate set up like a board with a pile of fresh chalk nearby. One of the Hexgate’s rod assemblies is set up on a little trolley. Jayce is familiar with the design. The only difference is the presence of pearlescent finger prints with singe marks around each. The remnants of Viktor’s previous trials. He drags his fingers across it, feeling the energy hum inside. Yes, channeling this back into Viktor will help provide Viktor with more energy. There’s only so many of these though, so again, just a stopgap solution. So some sort of trade agreement will need to be settled with Piltover and surrounding cities...

He’s interrupted from his thoughts by a gentle touch on his shoulder. “You’ve started without me.”

“Sorry, I was thinking through... Well, more councilor level things. Sourcing more material.”

“We need to figure out how to use what we have first.”

“Right, right,” Jayce smiles as Viktor once again reminds him to take it back to basics. “Alright, we already know what sort of frequencies-” he goes to reach for a piece of chalk but the sling once again restricts his movements, like it’s supposed to. 

“Allow me.” Viktor picks up the piece of chalk and starts writing the equations on the slate. Viktor’s just as familiar with the Hextech formulas. Jayce lets him write out what they need to start with, offering input where helpful. It feels like their old laboratory days. Back when Viktor was healthier and Jayce wasn’t burdened with councilor concerns. He feels lighter without the weight of Piltover on his shoulders. 

This time he’s only focused on Viktor. Everything will just be for Viktor. He falls quiet as he watches Viktor write. He seems more animated than he has been. He’s still as beautiful. Viktor looks over when he realizes Jayce hasn’t spoken in a while. He reaches up and cups Jayce’s face. Jayce leans into the touch. “Sorry, I was letting my memories get to me. Our early days.”

“Back before we knew better.”

“Back when we thought we could change the world.”

“Well, I think we accomplished that.”

“Yeah.” Jayce cups the back of Viktor’s hand with his good one. Viktor leans in to kiss him gently. Jayce meets him halfway. He’s met with soft lips and a vision of equations written on starlight. He gasps and Viktor freezes.

“Jayce?”

“I saw...” He’s not sure what he saw. He’s not sure where that memory came from. He gets where it’s set. It’s them doing similar work but in the arcane. He presses forward to kiss Viktor again and gets a better glimpse of the work already written. This time when he pulls away from Viktor he knows what to write down next. “I saw our work.” He tells Viktor what he saw and half way through it Viktor’s turned to the slate is writing down the solutions as Jayce recalls them. He’s nodding along and adding notes as he goes. 

Jayce’s recollections fill up half of the board. He steps back to look it over. Viktor joins him, lightly leaning against his good shoulder. 

“There is some merit to these lines of thought.”

“Yeah, we- they- whatever, this is onto something.” They both take it in a moment longer before almost simultaneously they step forward to expand the notes. Viktor has to do all of the writing, but he keeps up with Jayce’s musing. They bounce ideas back and forth, marking ones to circle back to later as they chase a rabbit of an idea down to the ground. Sometimes Jayce chases a little too hard and Viktor has to rein him back in, returning to the basics once again. Not all lines of thought yield anything more than a dead end, but some are promising.

Food appears on a table behind them as well as some more materials that correlate to ideas talked about. Viktor forces a break right before Jayce gets his hands on tools. Jayce shoves food into his mouth, still thinking about the builds he wants to try. Viktor throws him a disapproving look but Jayce can’t see it over his thoughts. As soon as he swallows down the last bite, the wrench is in his hand. Viktor sits back and watches, knowing that Jayce will get nowhere without his dominant hand. 

Sure enough, moments later Jayce shouts in frustration, a piece of metal clattering to the ground because he can’t keep it pinned in place and work on it at the same time with just one hand. He throws down the wrench as well. He considers flipping the workbench as well, but manages to talk himself off the ledge with some soft mutterings about how that won’t help Viktor. He lets out another sharp growling groan at himself before he stomps around and picks up the discarded pieces.

“If you were connected to my...” Viktor pauses to decide his word choice, “cult, then you could effortlessly work with someone to do such tasks.”

“No!” Jayce says sharply, turning to look at Viktor serenely watching him. He twists his head away in shame. “Sorry, sorry, fuck. I... I want to do this. I need to do this. I have to save you. Myself.”

“Then unfortunately it seems you’ll have to wait.”

“I don’t have time to wait. You don’t have time. There will be more. You’ll burn out. We don’t have time.”

“I keep offering you options, Jayce. You’re the one who keeps turning me down.” Viktor comes over to the bench. Jayce knows what he’s talking about. The healing Viktor could provide. The connection to others as assistants, as his hands. Even the connection to Viktor could ease the flow of communication to get to a solution faster. As shown by the equations floating in the arcane. “Perhaps this is enough work for today. It’s not like I’m going to expire tomorrow.”

“I can’t lose you!” The outburst is louder than Jayce intended. His breaths are harsh in the silence that follows. Like even the rest of the commune went still, not wanting to anger him further. His jaw clenches so hard his teeth grind. His hands make fists like he can fight off the impending doom of Viktor’s peril himself. Tension wraps itself tight up in his spine. Viktor says nothing, looks at him impassively, leaning back against the workbench. Jayce lets the tension go, sagging like he let go of the strings of a marionette. “I can’t lose you again,” he tries again, quieter this time. 

Viktor simply holds out his hand and Jayce goes to him. He takes it and falls to his knees in front of Viktor. He hides his face against the robe pooling in Viktor’s lap, letting the dark blue material soak up his tears. Viktor pets his hair with his other hand, letting Jayce have his moment as other emotions flood in and through him.

When the sobs have quieted down to just ragged breaths again, Viktor tugs on his hand, drawing him back up to his feet. He keeps drawing him in to a sweet kiss. Almost feels like forgiveness. Jayce sinks into it, thirsty for more. He pushes into Viktor’s space and Viktor welcomes him in. He clings to Viktor with his good arm and Viktor works around the bad one. Viktor wraps his legs around Jayce’s hips and anchors himself tightly. 

“I’m not going anywhere, Jayce. I have you to protect and save me,” Viktor whispers against his lips.

Jayce kisses him zealously as if sealing the promise to do so for eternity. Viktor lets him go unchecked, kissing him back with the same ferocity. He starts tugging and pulling at Jayce’s clothes which encourages Jayce to do the same. The robe slips away easier and Jayce spreads his hand over Viktor’s back, tracing the remnants of the brace Viktor wore. Viktor makes sure the robe is completely out of the way before managing to get a couple of belts on Jayce undone to loosen the front of his outfit enough to get his hand on Jayce’s cock. Jayce gasps at the touch. He growls possessively as Viktor guides the length between his thighs and the head brushes against that slick gold found there. Jayce uses the leverage of his good arm to hold Viktor in place to thrust inside. Viktor’s head falls back in pleasure and Jayce is there to chase it, leaning over Viktor, caging him against and on top of the work bench. 

He wishes briefly they were back at the academy. Young and bold. Wasting their youth away bent over counters fucking each other instead of writing miles of useless notes about Hextech. But it’s better late than never and Jayce will take full advantage of the renewed time they are given. 

Jayce’s pace is rushed and his rhythm is rough but Viktor helps smooth it out with gentle control. Just a touch here, a pull of his legs there, a praise, a moan. He smoothes Jayce down into a well oiled fuck machine quickly. Jayce lets himself be guided, tamed by the beautiful amethyst and gold being beneath him. Viktor would be flush with the work bench top if Jayce’s arm wasn’t curled protectively around his back, making him arch upwards towards Jayce’s warm broad chest. With each stroke of Jayce’s hips their bodies rub together, flesh versus organic metals. The impact of their hips mix with their moans, echoing in the green space around them. 

Jayce, worked up into a frenzy, climaxes first, filling Viktor up. He doesn’t stop there though, he powers through his own overstimulation until Viktor’s body goes taut and he’s gasping Jayce’s name. Slowly, carefully Jayce brings it back down, watching and caring for Viktor’s response to him. “I love you,” he murmurs.

“I love you too.” Viktor pushes up to give him one more kiss before laying back down limply. “Let’s call it a day and let you rest some more, alright?”

“Alright.” Jayce carefully pulls away and then focuses on cleaning up. He helps Viktor back to his feet and helps him dress again. “Can’t believe you still have this.”

“Hm?”

“This blanket. Robe now. But that’s the blanket I gave you when you finally woke up.”

“Is it now? I suppose it is. Maybe I should change it out-”

“No! I mean, I’m glad you kept it. You said it was only affection that kept us together for so long, but that’s not a bad thing. Keep it. For affection’s sake. I mean, unless you need to wash it.”

“I’ll be quick about washing it I guess.” Viktor smiles softly at Jayce’s reaction. Jayce almost feels bad about being so possessive, but this is his partner wearing his blanket. It feels right. So he lets that possessive feeling bury itself a little deeper into his chest. He offers his good arm to Viktor so they can walk out of there, but Viktor just raises an eyebrow and glances towards Jayce’s discarded hammer.

“Oh, right.” He drops his arm to pick up the hammer instead. Not that he really could use it well with his dominant arm broken. He frowns at himself. Why carry around the paperweight then? But the aberrations at the edge of his vision won’t let him leave it behind. Not yet. Once collected, he nods to Viktor who takes them out of their greenhouse turned workshop. 

Dinner is held with everyone tonight. This time Viktor makes himself at home at the head of the long main table. No one begrudges Jayce’s spot next to him. Everyone is smiles and soft talk as food is passed around. Salo on Jayce’s right helps out when Jayce finds his arm in the way again and again. The small annoyances are starting to add up, but Salo keeps Jayce’s mug full of the sweet brew that he boasts that they have finally been able to draw out of their waiting barrels. It was a project he started just after he joined the commune and finally the fruits of his labor have ripened. Jayce agrees that the cider is flavorful and when he goes to stand up at the end of dinner, finds it plenty potent.

Jayce’s world sways as his balance tries to find some semblance of stability. Someone grabs his elbow to help but he yanks himself out of their grip like it burns and the world spins. He takes a couple steps but the colors flare up at the wrong moment and he feels like he’s going to be sick. His foot catches on the head of his hammer, dutifully kept by his side, and his balance is lost for good.

He would have met the ground, kissed it as lovingly as he did Viktor, if it weren’t for strong amethyst arms that catch him halfway down. It gives him a sense of deja vu but in reverse. He’s definitely caught Viktor before, in the labs when his leg gave out and the cane slipped. He stares at the ground with his vision spinning for a breath before Viktor gently helps him upright. He almost sways back the other way but for the grip tight on his good arm.

“Easy now. I got you.”

Jayce swings his attention towards the voice and finds Viktor there. He looks ethereal and real at the same time. He’s strong and healthy now. So strong. “You always do.”

“Always will.” Viktor steps in close under Jayce’s arm. Someone else picks up Jayce’s hammer and Viktor holds him back from the wince that follows the disruptive flash in his head. Viktor takes the hammer and passes it to Jayce’s hand. He clenches around the handle tightly, the weight pulling his arm down over Viktor’s shoulders in a way that would have made him previously worried. But this Viktor is strong. So strong.

Viktor guides them away from the table where cleanup is bustling along without them. 

They walk, or stumble in Jayce’s case, back to the little house that Jayce has claimed as his own. Not that he has done anything to claim it besides sleep in the bed. He hasn’t touched or changed anything in the front room. He’s only nestled into the backroom. It’s been a week so far and he still feels like a visitor. Something inside of him aches but his mind is too dulled to really chase down that feeling. 

He drops the hammer with a thud as soon as they are through the inner door. Viktor carefully rolls him off his shoulder and onto the bed. The world spins a little more before settling down. Viktor lifts his legs up onto the bed, tugging off his boots. He loosens some of the belts around Jayce’s waist, carefully undressing him so that he’ll sleep better. Jayce watches him and helps where he can, touched by his partner’s care. His eyes start to feel too heavy to keep open by the time Viktor pulls the sheets up over his chest. But he does manage to reach out and catch Viktor by the robe.

“Sleep with me.”

“This body doesn’t need sleep.”

“Stay. Rest. Meditate. Just stay.” He feels the pause and can almost hear Viktor thinking through the options. 

“Alright.” 

Jayce smiles and scoots over to give Viktor room on their bed. His smaller, denser body slips under the sheets and curls up against Jayce’s side. Jayce curls an arm around him to hold him close. He lets out a heavy, happy sigh and slips into sleep.

--

Jayce wakes up out of a nightmare in a cold sweat, curled up on himself too tight, judging by the way his muscles ache. There’s a presence against his back, wrapped around him to try to provide him safety. The not-metal-not-flesh has almost warmed to Jayce’s temperature. Warmer lips press a kiss to the nape of his neck. He relaxes under the care. Viktor has him. He’s not trapped in that nightmare world where his failure reigned. He’s not holding onto the broken body of his partner. He’s not watching the rot of the world take away everything he holds dear.

He reaches up and finds one of Viktor’s hands and squeezes it. “Thank you.”

“Of course,” comes the easy answer. Viktor squeezes back. “You’re so tense. I can help you relax.”

“N-”

“The old fashioned way,” Viktor corrects, short cutting through Jayce’s immediate rejection. “Let me help you, let me touch you.” He slips from Jayce’s grip and runs his hand against Jayce’s bare chest down to his barely covered thigh. Jayce shivers and lets himself relax a little more, stretching his legs out. Viktor takes advantage of that and slips his leg between Jayce’s calves. The arm underneath worms its way further under Jayce’s chest, wrapping around him and pulling him close. Viktor hooks his chin over Jayce’s shoulder. “Please, Jayce,” he asks softly.

And who is Jayce to deny such sweetness? He nods.

“Good boy.”

The shiver that goes through Jayce could not have gone unnoticed but Viktor doesn’t comment on it. His free hand comes back up to Jayce’s hips, dragging amethyst and gold tipped fingers over smooth skin. He dips down to and through Jayce’s happy trail. He brushes through the dark hair. He follows the slopes of Jayce’s muscular form down to the v of his hips. Jayce notices he’s holding his breath in anticipation as he gets a little light headed. He reminds himself to breathe as Viktor teases him, getting him worked up without even touching his cock. He breathes in and lets out a little whine to try to get Viktor’s attention.

He does get a soft chuckle next to his ear. But Viktor’s teasing circles across the lower half of his abdomen don’t change. Jayce takes a couple more breaths, working on relaxing still from the tightness that came from the nightmares. When the muscles across his stomach relax, Viktor makes his move. He slides lower, following the trail of hair to where it nestles at the base of Jayce’s half hard cock. Cool fingers wrap around him and start to stroke. The whimper becomes a moan. 

The pace is slow, tantalizing, teasing. Viktor is doing it on purpose, keeping him in a pleasurable limbo. He only gets rewarded with a tightening of his fingers or a miniscule increase in pace when he settles into the touch. Viktor is forcing him to relax. Jayce does his best to obey, letting the nightmare he’s already forgotten about go, letting his body fall calm. Viktor hums approval when Jayce’s weight rolls back against him, a wall as sturdy as the metal he’s made of now. 

“I have you, Jayce.” Jayce shudders at how honeyed his name sounds in Viktor’s accent. His legs rest a little more, falling a bit more open with Viktor’s wedged in between. Jayce’s head gets tipped back against Viktor’s shoulder as Viktor’s hand comes up to hold his throat, gently measuring his pulse. “Breathe. Relax. I have you.”

Jayce melts completely, just letting the pleasure drift over him as he’s under Viktor’s control. Viktor picks up the pace finally, working on bringing Jayce up to his peak. Jayce doesn’t chase it, he just lets it come. His only effort is letting out a moan with each exhale. It feels so good to just let it happen, even with how much he’s had to be coaxed into such a position. His orgasm swells and crests and washes over him. Viktor knows the perfect time to slow his pace until his hand stills. He doesn’t let Jayce go yet, holding him splayed out and boneless for a long moment later until finally an involuntary shiver goes though Jayce because of the cold. Viktor folds him back together and carefully pulls away, only as far as the tub to get a wet cloth to clean Jayce up with.

Jayce lays there still for a couple moments longer. Viktor sits on the edge of the bed and pets his hair. Tears leak out of the corner of Jayce’s eyes. He’s never felt this vulnerable with anyone before. Of course it’s Viktor who can take him apart. And slowly put him back together. Jayce takes a couple deep breaths to recover. He rubs his face to clear up the wet there. He rolls towards Viktor and smiles up at him. “Thank you, V.”

“You’re welcome, Jayce.” He leans down to kiss Jayce gently. “Let me get your salves and then we can get breakfast.” 

He reaches over to get the jar and starts applying the gel across Jayce’s chest and arm. Jayce does his best to get dressed afterwards with some help from Viktor after he grumbles over trying to manage the belts. Viktor cuts up his fruit so Jayce can eat easily with his left hand. They get ready to head through the commune and Jayce goes to his hammer. 

“Don’t you think you should leave that? It’s not like you can use it in your current predicament.”

Jayce pauses. The palm of his hand itches and the chroma flares up. But he can’t use it even if he wanted to, needed to. He pushes down those feelings. “Yeah, I’ll leave it.” The physiological sensations lessen as soon as he’s out of the room. Lessen but don’t go away. He feels the tug going back to the hammer as they walk the commune, his place a step behind Viktor as they go. He’s definitely distracted but Viktor doesn’t seem to mind.

The center of the commune is set up like a market today. There’s a couple people from the Undercity there that aren’t part of Viktor’s flock. Jayce is reminded that more people will be coming in now that the threat is gone. He has a limited time before Viktor is asked to save more people. He can feel the panic rising up in his chest. 

“You should grab some stuff to make your home more yours, Jayce,” Viktor interrupts the spiral of thoughts threatening.

“Oh. Sure.” Jayce takes the basket that Viktor offers him. He looks around the market. “I don’t have money.”

“Unnecessary. We only take money from outsiders because we might need something from them. But inside the commune, money has no value. You offer protection. They offer goods. The trade is more than fair.”

Jayce isn’t sure if he agrees with that fully but he’s not going to argue with the leader of the commune over the commune rules. If he’s given special treatment for being Viktor’s partner, then he can’t argue with that. He wanders the stalls, looking at the little baubles and tools that people have made. Any time he reaches for something though, he has to set the basket down first. It gets repetitive and annoying. He turns to Viktor to see if he could possibly carry it but finds Viktor a little ways away with his own free arm full of food stuffs to bring back. Jayce frowns and grinds his teeth at his own limitations and continues on. Anything he takes he holds up to the person manning the booth and gets their nod of approval before setting it in the basket. No one asks him for anything. He sees others doing similar shopping, and they too don’t use any money. It is as free as Viktor said it would be. 

Jayce picks up a wind chime that he thinks would look good in the window of the bedroom right next to a group from the Undercity. The soft notes as he lowered it into the basket must have caught their attention because he hears them start arguing with the stall owner that how dare he charge them for anything when this brute gets to take things for free. Jayce goes still as anger starts to build in him. How dare they-

He’s stopped with a firm hand on his shoulder. “It’s alright, Jayce.” He notices that the group has taken a step back from where his lip had been curling up. “We don’t want any trouble here,” Viktor says very diplomatically. “I would be honored if you’d like to participate in the market as more than just buyers. If you’d like to bring wares to trade, we will accept that as easily as we do coin.”

“What wares does he bring?”

“Protection. I’m sure you’re aware of the Noxian general that was but is no longer at our gates.” Viktor glances warmly at Jayce.

Their eyes go wide. “We’ll... we’ll find something to bring.”

“Glad to hear it. Your coin is good for today.”

“Yeah, no problem.” They all nod and back away quickly, looking very interested in a booth over there away from Jayce and Viktor. Jayce relaxes.

“It’s a good thing they didn’t want to fight. You don’t have your hammer.” Jayce feels wound tight again, bristling under the statement. “Easy, Jayce, easy. I didn’t mean anything by it,” Viktor tries to walk it back immediately.

“I could still take them. Hammer or not. Broken arm or not.” He picks up the basket and stalks away. He feels Viktor’s eyes on his back but doesn't hear the tap of his cane following after. He gets all the way back to his little house and just barely refrains from throwing the basket with all of his collected items at the wall in rage at how impotent he feels. It’s a basic injury. He needs time to heal. Maybe he could make a brace for his arm like he did his leg. But he’d need his arm to do that. Fuck! He walks away from the basket on the table because he doesn’t want to ruin someone else’s hard work just because he can’t do his own. 

Viktor could fix this. Viktor could heal his arm just as he healed Jayce’s leg. He had been sure he was going to live with that limp and brace forever but Viktor’s touch simply fixed it. Viktor could set this right. The sooner Jayce gets his arm fixed, the sooner he can solve Viktor’s energy problem instead of letting everyone else siphon off of him until it’s critical. Waiting does nothing but move the needle.

He hates the conclusion he comes to but using the energy now will be less wasteful than letting Viktor bleed out energy over the long wait.

Jayce rubs his face and lets the anxious energy bleed out of him. He’s made his decision but he doesn’t have to rush to it. Viktor’s probably busy in the commune right now. Jayce can work on the house in the meantime. He goes to the basket and carefully sorts everything he picked out, putting it up around the place to make this more his. Theirs? Viktor’s been staying with him but he’s not sure if that’s going to be permanent. He wants it to be. He wants to stay with his partner. He feels himself getting emotional about it as he puts up the damn wind chime in the window.

“It looks nice there.” Jayce nearly leaps out of his skin at Viktor’s voice, the delicate chimes clashing violently. His arm aches as it tries to reach for the abandoned hammer feet away. 

“Fuck.” It’s more breathy and panicked than he wants. “Wasn’t expecting you back.”

“Sorry if I startled you. I finished shopping.” He sets down another basket on the table, this one full of food. “You looked pretty deep in thought.”

“I have been. Thinking about a lot. I think... I think I need to ask you to heal my arm.”

Viktor raises an eyebrow at him. “A change of your convictions?” 

Jayce's cheeks burn with shame. “A change of priorities,” he corrects.

Viktor’s eyebrow stays raised for a moment more before he comes over to Jayce’s side and helps him finish hanging the windchime. “It’s alright to ask for help after all, Jayce. We are partners in this endeavor.”

“Yeah, partners.” Jayce gently bumps against Viktor’s shoulder. The other looks up at him and smiles softly. 

“Well?”

“Well what?”

“You were thinking about asking. Are you going to ask?”

Despite everything, it’s still hard to bring himself to actually vocalize the request. “Viktor, will you please heal my arm?” The warnings go off in his head but he knows that this is the best line of action. It’s just physical healing. He’s not connecting to the commune. Not yet.

“Of course, Jayce.” Without hesitation, without giving Jayce any more time to hesitate, Viktor lays a hand on Jayce’s arm and bright heat radiates out from his fingertips, so bright that Jayce has to look away. He grits his teeth at the fire that goes from his fingertips up to his shoulder. But thankfully it doesn’t go any farther past that. It’s just his arm. 

When it’s done, Viktor pulls off the remnants of the sling and splint. Jayce glances down and sees more wild runes wrapped around his bicep like a tattoo. His given outfit leaves it exposed. He tries to not think of it as Viktor’s brand on him. He flexes his arm and there’s no pain. “Thank you, Viktor.”

“Always. Anything for you, Jayce.” Viktor cups Jayce’s face and gently pulls him in for a lingering kiss. His fingertips still have some residual heat in them. Jayce wraps his newly healed arm around Viktor’s waist, pulling him in close against his body. Viktor lifts his arms around Jayce’s shoulders and melts against him. 

Jayce lifts him up and carries him the short distance to the bed, laying him down against the sheets. Jayce covers Viktor’s body with his own. Viktor arches up against him, rubbing against him just right. Jayce moans into Viktor’s mouth as he claims it over and over again in hot open kisses. His hands pull and tug at Viktor’s belt and robe. Viktor’s cool fingers slip under Jayce’s clothes. There’s a flurry of movement and they come back together naked, hot flesh pressing against cool organic metal.

Their bodies slot together like they were made for each other. Jayce feels freer than he has been in a long time. The pain in his limbs from broken bones, a distant memory. The mental anguish caused by months of isolation and arcane exposure, quiet. His partner, his love, is safe and alive in his arms. It makes him think about when they finally fixed the resonance with the crystals and the room turned blue and gravity was replaced with the arcane. Free floating and smiling and laughing at each other over the glorious breakthrough. Felt like they could do anything from that moment forward.

Jayce kisses Viktor against the bed. His hand, now free from the sling, slides down Viktor’s body to curl between his thighs. He finds slick gold already primed for him. He won’t need to prep him much but he still relishes the feeling of Viktor around his fingers and the way Viktor gasps as he’s stretched open. 

Viktor grips his arm, fingers digging into his biceps. His legs wrap around Jayce’s hips and start to pull him in close, physically begging him when he feels like he’s ready. “Please, please, Jayce,” he pants out. 

Jayce pulls his fingers back and he uses the extra slick on his own cock before lining up and sinking in. 

Together they move in a sensual dance. Viktor leverages his hips off of the bed to meet Jayce as he thrusts down in a steady rhythm. Jayce drinks down all of the soft breathy moans that Viktor gives him, savoring the way he says his name like a prayer. He matches Viktor’s intensity, letting them slowly build up to mutual pleasure. They chase their ends, crashing together at their peaks. Viktor tightens up so sweetly around Jayce’s buried cock, pumping deep into him. 

They stay tangled together, breathing as one, as their bodies relax. Viktor is slightly warmer against Jayce’s sweaty muscles. Jayce makes sure his full weight doesn’t crush his lover, careful as always. Eventually he pulls free to tip to the side. He gathers Viktor in his arms. Viktor tucks his head against his chest. Jayce’s fingers roam gently up and down Viktor’s back, tracing out the different fibers that make up Viktor’s repaired body. He regrets a little not touching him ages ago. How soft his skin would have been under those stuffy Academy outfits. He knew that Viktor wore a back brace, how would that have looked holding his tiny waist straight? Gorgeous, that’s how. Jayce was so blind to what was in front of him the whole time. He kisses Viktor over and over in wordless apology.

Viktor kisses him back with what tastes like forgiveness. 

The moment lingers on as Jayce doesn’t want to disturb it but he knows the time isn’t giving them that much of a luxury. Jayce’s body cools and he starts feeling hungry again. He kisses Viktor once more before rolling away to dress and grab a piece of fruit. Viktor stretches out a bit, not needing the same necessities as Jayce. He lays on his front and watches Jayce move around the room. Jayce steals glances back at him, enjoying the view. The sunlight from the window catches on the gold along Viktor’s back, echoes of the brace Jayce had just been reminiscing about. Something catches in his brain and Jayce goes over to him, running a finger along the pieces there. Viktor raises an eyebrow up at him but doesn’t move, letting Jayce explore. 

Jayce traces the golden nodules along his spine. Right there at the base where his hips sit his finger catches on the inside rim and something gives. Viktor gasps, pulling away from the intrusion. “There. A port,” Jayce murmurs. “I bet-”

“Ask before you finger-”

“Oh, sorry. Fuck. But I think-”

“Probably, but you need the right attachment to-”

“That makes sense, but that’s easy to make. And it can something can sit on your-”

“As long as it’s removable.”

“Of course.”

Viktor sits up. He chuckles as he sees Jayce’s smile. It has been a while since they were able to go back and forth, picking up each other’s ideas so fluidly.

“There’s still plenty of time in the day, would you like to go to the workshop?”

“Yeah, let’s go figure out a way to charge you up.” Jayce helps Viktor stand and finds his clothes. He grabs another fruit and the hammer with his other. Jayce feels much better as he heads out to the greenhouse with Viktor by his side.

--

With his newly healed arm and direction on how to get the energy into Viktor, Jayce is able to put together a couple different prototypes to help control and funnel the energy. The first one is too rudimentary and allows for too much power leakage. The second is too bulky for Viktor to use comfortably. The third is usable but could definitely be improved upon, but it’s the golden hour already. Jayce is... well satisfied isn’t the right word, but progress is being made instead of him wallowing and waiting for his arm to heal itself. He is the Man of Progress after all. The little bit of charge that Viktor gets today through the testing should offset the cost it took to heal him. Potentially. If Viktor’s estimates are correct. 

Of course Viktor would be correct. He too is an engineer. Why wouldn’t he be correct?

Something makes him doubt in the back of his mind but he pushes it away like he does with the pulsing chromatic warnings that have come back like a bad headache. He’s glad that Viktor offers to do dinner with just the two of them because he’s not sure if he has the energy to put up with anyone else right now. 

Viktor makes him sit down with a hot drink, some sort of tea that he doesn’t recognize. Viktor moves around the space to put together a small meal for Jayce. Jayce watches him with tired eyes. Viktor still carries himself carefully, as if a wrong step will undo everything and put him back into the uneven, aching, deteriorating body that broke with the blast. Jayce shakes away the sticky memory of blood on his hands. Viktor’s safe now. 

As if reading his mind, Viktor comes over and places a kiss on his forehead. His hands are a little warmer from cooking and feel good at his temples. 

“Sorry, tired brain likes to wander.”

“That’s quite alright, Jayce. I’ll keep bringing you back to me.”

“I know you will,” Jayce says with a happy sigh. Viktor steps away again to bring the plate over. It’s just a sandwich but Jayce treats it like gourmet. He swears he can taste the love in it. “Still weird that you don’t eat.”

“Different body, different needs. You fed me my first meal in so long with the testing today. The energy flow was like the first sip after a long hot day out in the sun.”

“I promise it won’t be too long before we have you fully topped up. You’ll be able to feast whenever you need. I’ll have it solved shortly.”

“I know you will,” Viktor echoes back to him, sitting at the table with him.

“Might be easier if I had a forge,” Jayce tries to say casually. “I can edit a lot of the materials just on the anvil in the greenhouse but I think we could get a better stronger connection with an actual alloy instead of twisted wires and then I could make forms for the plugs and-”

“We can make you a forge, Jayce. I’m sure it will see plenty more work than just a feeding tube for me.” 

Jayce wrinkles his nose at the description. “We have to come up with something better than that. What do you think of Hexcharger?”

“Hex again?” Viktor laughs.

“Better than feeding tube. We can workshop it tomorrow.” He finishes the sandwich and takes the plate to the sink. “Come lay with me. Please.”

“Of course, Jayce.” Viktor takes his hand and lets Jayce lead him to the bed. They curl up together and Jayce falls asleep with Viktor’s hands petting through his hair.

He wakes up in the middle of the night, cold and alone with the remnants of a nightmare still tugging at his brain. His vision doubles and shows him ruin overlaid with reality. He rolls out of bed and grabs the hammer. Where is Viktor? He needs to find Viktor, needs to make sure he’s safe, alive, whole.

The other timelines ring in his ears. His hands shake. His breathing stutters as he catches sight of bodies, flesh and metal. Twisted and torn. The images won’t leave him. His heart pounds. He knows he’s panicking. His feet feel like they are moving through molasses. His knee aches without the brace to support each pained step. It echoes up through his arm like the weight of the hammer is undoing his bones. His bangs fall into his face again and he’s climbing to the top of ruined Piltover again. The rune on his wrist burns, blue fire popping off like solar flares. The shadows around him dance in the light, flickers of otherworldly visions dancing spinning swirling with chromatic warnings loud and distracting and his head feels like it’s going to explode if he doesn’t die from asphyxiation first. 

There’s movement in front of him and he brings the hammer up, the whine of the charge harmonizing with the screams in his ears. The image in front of him is in triple before it pulls itself together into a robed figure with pale silvery eyes watching him with detached disgust.

“Jayce!” There are suddenly hands on his cheeks and Viktor’s very concerned expression in front of his face. “Jayce, it’s okay. I’m right here.” 

Jayce immediately drops the hammer to the ground, kicking up dust with the impact. “V...”

“It’s alright. I’m here.” The world settles under his accent. His warm fingers brush the hair off Jayce’s face. “Everything is okay, Jayce.” The tight band across Jayce’s chest finally relaxes and Jayce sucks in air like he had been drowning. “There we go. Just breathe for me.” He can feel the sweat on his back cooling now. “It was just a nightmare.”

“Viktor. You weren’t there. And it all hit-”

“I’m sorry. Something needed my attention.”

“Something- Do you need help?”

“No, no, it’s all taken care of. Don’t worry. There’s no threat.”

There’s still a thrum of nervous energy under Jayce’s skin despite being soothed by Viktor. Jayce’s panic returns for a moment as the moonlight catches Viktor’s eyes and he looks just like-  He looks around, eyes scanning for that other figure. But it’s gone. It wasn’t there. He adjusts his grip on the hammer. Jayce takes a deep breath and releases it softly. “You sure you don’t need my help?”

“I’m sure. I’ll show you what it was tomorrow? Go home. I’ll meet you back in bed to help you sleep. Try to keep you off the ground.”

Jayce’s cheeks burn in shame at that. He remembers the disdain in the look that Viktor gave him when he found him under the bed. He nods. He hates being this broken. He knows Viktor has a solution for him. To join the network. Viktor believes that will help, or at least reduce the burden on Jayce but Jayce can’t bring himself to join them yet. He doesn’t want his problems, his psychosis, to ruin what Viktor has so carefully built. His reaction to the arcane has been so violent so far. He’s not sure what would happen. Despite Viktor’s assurances that everything will be okay. “I’ll be okay. I’ll just go walk this off. Check on everything. I’m supposed to be the protection afterall, right?”

“Alright.” Viktor steps back to give him room. “Whatever you need, Jayce.” He already misses his touch. Feels so much colder without it. 

Jayce nods again and turns to walk the perimeter again. The night air will help clear his thoughts. Now that he knows Viktor is safe. There’s no Noxian threats. Nothing mounted against them from the Undercity or Piltover yet. Just an easy walk behind the walls of the commune. The hammer swings by his side, an easy weight on his healed arm. The nightmare still curls up in the deepest of shadows around him but the moonlight wards it off from coming back too close to him. He just walks back and forth. His leg is fine, healed by the wild runes. He’s fine. 

He’s fine.

Waking finds him curled up around Viktor back in bed. He doesn’t have much memory of getting back. He walked until he was too tired. He fell into bed after just barely dropping the hammer. Viktor must have joined him after that. 

The sunlight is at a tall angle. It must be pretty late into the morning. 

He runs his hands down Viktor’s back. Not wanting anything more than touches to confirm that he’s real. Jayce gets a flash of Viktor’s face in the fire down in the crevasse and he tightens his grip. Instantly Viktor is soothing him with a gentle touch on his face. 

“Sorry.”

“It’s alright. It’s not like I was asleep. Just waiting for you. I just wish you’d let me do more for you, Jayce. I can help with everything going on in here,” Viktor offers as he brushes his fingers across Jayce’s forehead. 

Bright pain explodes and Jayce pulls back violently, his back hitting the floor. It takes a moment for his vision to clear. Viktor has shifted to the edge of the bed, looking concerned. “Sorry, sorry, what the fuck?” Jayce shakes his head to try to clear it. “It won’t let me, whatever mage you did. The arcane, that arcane won’t let you in.”

“I wasn’t- I just touched you, Jayce.”

“I know, I know, I don’t know why it-?” He realizes he’s been baring his teeth and forces himself to relax. “Sorry.”

“It’s alright.” Viktor carefully slips off the bed. “Take your time getting ready this morning. I’ll see you in the workshop.” Viktor makes sure his robe is in place before taking his staff and leaving.

Jayce hates how cold Viktor can be. But Viktor’s just giving him the space he needs to get over this fucking trauma. He’s safe. They are safe. But it won’t leave him the fuck alone. He hates it. He smashes his fist against the floor. The actual pain helps ground him through the weird nebulous pain in his head.

A couple deep breaths later and he finally gets out of bed. He washes his face and finds some food before he grabs the hammer and goes back on patrol, burning off the last of the anger in his steps. He circles around to the workshop and sees an additional building attached to it. He’s very sure that it hadn’t been there yesterday. He hears construction noises, the tink tink tink of a hammer against nails, the rhythmic buzz of a saw, the heavy slam of stone on stone. He walks around but it seems like construction on the outside has already been completed. The door is shut. He reaches for it when he’s interrupted.

“There you are,” Viktor calls out, coming from the entrance of the greenhouse/workshop.

“What is this?”

“What I asked everyone to work on last night. You had a request so I made it happen.”

“Last night... Is it-”

“Not fully completely on the inside but it’s in a state to show you. We would love your input. It’s not as grand as the Talis Forge in Piltover but...” Viktor turns the knobs and opens the door for Jayce.

It’s definitely not the same scale but the stone forge that is being built is a strong miniature of the one that held his name. It’ll be enough for prototyping and delicate work. The crew inside pauses their work as Jayce sets down the hammer to move around the space to look at it. The furnace has everything it needs. Bellows feeding a firepot with a tuyere. The pit with different levels built in for different temperatures with a proper hood over it with a flue leading up to a chimney. Work table, anvils, tool rack, water tank, etc. It could use a little bit of refining because of its scale but it’s incredible that they could throw this together so quickly. He turns back to Viktor.

“How- Why-”

“Because you asked for it.”

“I- I- I don’t know what to say.”

“You don’t have to say anything. I’m happy to give you anything you need, Jayce.” 

Jayce crosses the distance between them and scoops Viktor up in a tight, crushing hug, burying his face against his soft long hair. He loves him so much. Viktor chuckles softly at his obvious enthusiasm. Jayce squeezes once more before giving Viktor room to breathe again.

“You’re my partner, Jayce. Anything you need is yours. Go correct them. I only know so much about your forge. I’ll be waiting in the workshop.” He points out the door between the new forge and the greenhouse. Jayce smiles and kisses him before letting him go. He turns back to the crew that’s waiting and quickly makes the adjustments he noted, pitching in and helping where he can until it’s exactly where he wants it to be. It takes him most of the day until he has a perfect fire tempered down in the firepot.

Jayce goes to get Viktor to show him the fruits of his labor and finds Viktor leaning over the work table, sketching out something. Jayce stalls out and just watches him, admiring him. It feels like the good days again. But now it’s better. He comes up behind Viktor, sliding a hand around his hip and his heart flips as Viktor leans easily into him. This is how it should be. This is how it should have been.

“What are you working on, V?”

Viktor holds up the documents. “More designs for the Hexcharger. I had some ideas of how to hang it off my back and waist.”

“They look good. I can probably make one today. Which is your favorite?” 

Viktor shows him and Jayce is happy to touch Viktor to trace out where it sits against his back. The important pieces will be the connectors, cord, and carrying case for the rod. After that, it’s just design. Jayce can definitely get started on it. He kisses the back of Viktor’s neck as he takes the papers and heads back into the forge to work. He finds that baskets of material have shown up. Probably Viktor’s doing. He stokes the fire and gets to work.

Jayce makes quick mock ups of what he needs and makes casts of the repeated parts while metals simmer in crucible. He fills the sprues and while he waits for them to cool, he hammers out a sheet to make the body. Everything comes together under the glow of the furnace. When he emerges from the furnace to the greenhouse, all of the glass panels are dark with night. 

Viktor is at the board, working on some more equations. Jayce looks over his shoulder. “What are you working on? This doesn't look like power transfer.”

“No, it's not. I’m following a train of thought I had over the Hexgates back at Piltover. Salo’s been picking up the rods for me, but you were right to think long term. It’s gaining its own wild runes. It reacted to your transcription rune and changed your hammer... the way it moves... Maybe it's nothing.”

“Maybe, but we don’t know much about the wild runes except that they like to fuck with my head. Ekko said that it was leaking out into other areas before we... before I...” He shakes his head before he can get lost in memories of the ravine. “Maybe tomorrow we can follow that train of thought more. But for tonight, let me give you a treat.” He presents the working prototype to Viktor. 

Viktor judges it for craftsmanship and apparently finds it suitable. He hangs it back long enough to shrug out of the top half of his robes. Jayce helps him into the contraption. He slides the rod into place. With Viktor's blessing, Jayce plugs the Hexcharger into the socket. Viktor shudders and Jayce feels his cheeks get a little warm but the rod starts glowing a solid blue and Jayce can feel the energy frequencies start up, making the hair on his arms rise up. 

“Is it flowing correctly? Any feedback noise? How much feedback? Is it comfortable? Do I need to make any adjustments?”

Viktor shivers again. “Oh Jayce.”

Jayce stares at him with concern. That wasn't a valid critique. It sounded positive but he can't have gotten it right immediately. 

“It's delicious. Like the first bite of cake after all of the boring speeches on Progress Day.”

Jayce smiles at the description. He relaxes down and rubs Viktor’s shoulder. “I'm not gonna stop your first meal in a while but when you get a chance, let me know what I can improve.”

Viktor looks over his shoulder at Jayce with a satisfied look on his face. “Thank you, Jayce.” He leans against Jayce's chest. Jayce wraps his arms around his narrow waist, carefully making sure he doesn't knock the Hexcharger. He sways them softly in the glow rock light and the soft blue of the condensed arcane rod. Jayce feels so much better that they are on the right track solving Viktor’s energy problem. The frantic need to beat the hour glass has been defeated now that they can pour more sand into the top. Once Viktor is ready they'll discuss how much he's getting from the rod, compare that to what they anticipated, and project Viktor's needs. 

Eventually the rod goes dark and the thrum coming from it dies. Viktor finally pulls away from Jayce, turning and kissing him briefly. “Not perfect, but so much better.”

“Good. Talk numbers to me.” Jayce grins as Viktor laughs at him. 

“Tomorrow, tomorrow will be soon enough.”

“Are you going to remember until tomorrow?”

“I’ll write it down while you sleep.”

“Alright.” Jayce steps forward and helps take the Hexcharger off. They leave it on the workbench and head back to their home. Jayce finally feels exhaustion as he falls into bed. He wraps around Viktor who snuggles in neatly with him. He drifts off with Viktor petting his hair.

“My brilliant engineer,” Viktor murmurs out.  

--

The next couple of days blur together in a sweet mix of engineering and crafting and designing and he feels amazing. He still does patrols in between design tweaks. He even gets a couple of tasks from the commune too. They keep him busy. Viktor checks in on him often. It’s great to be able to do all of this with his partner again. But this time Viktor rewards progress with sex which is an interesting development to their relationship. He isn’t complaining. He likes celebrating progress. 

The noise in his head has settled down to a muted mess, like someone throwing a fit down the street and around the corner. The colored warnings that made themselves so at home have seemed to realize that they aren’t needed anymore. It’s peaceful in his head. The commune feels like it’s glowing to him. Everyone smiles softly at him and he smiles back. 

By the fifth rod, Viktor declares that the power loss is less than 1% in the transfer but he feels nearly too full now. They’ll have to watch the rate of use but Viktor assures him that it will be slight. Everything they just made up over the couple of days had been drained over the past couple months. 

He decides to treat himself to a break away from the forge while he waits for another challenge to arise. 

It’s market day in the commune. There is a new stall manned by someone from the Undercity. Handcrafted jewelry salvaged from junk parts. He actually thinks they are pretty nice. He picks up a bracelet and the seller encourages him to try it on. It fits pretty well but she reaches out and deftly takes out one chain and it fits even better. She waves at him to keep it when he realizes he has no cogs to pay her with. He supposes it is the commune way. He wanders away with a new shiny. He picks up some food for lunch and a new tunic and belt. It’s pretty blue, like Viktor’s. 

He can’t carry too much since he’s carrying the hammer around still. The last habit that he needs to break. He’s been doing better about leaving it a room away while he’s working or sleeping or celebrating with Viktor. But it’s still very much a part of him still, a weight balancing out the treats in his other hand.

He’s headed back to the house when he feels a tug. He hasn’t had a feeling like needing to be anywhere in a while, so he follows it while tightening his grip on the hammer. He sees someone darting between buildings. He follows them. No commune member would need to hide like that. He loses track of them down a dead end alley. He goes to the end and looks around. As he turns back, he watches as the cloaked figure climbs out of a window. A thief. Intruder. 

His blood boils. He can hear his heartbeat drumming in his ears. This vision turns red almost hiding the chroma waverings that return. His muscles clench hard. He can’t breathe through the rage that has claimed him. This is their home. How dare someone intrude on what’s theirs, take what’s theirs, try to claim what’s theirs? How dare they?! His teeth grind. He feels like he’s burning up. He discards the items in his hand and grips the hammer with both hands. He’ll fix this. 

The thief’s feet barely touch the ground before the hammer crashes into their side. There’s a sickening crunch of bone before flesh rends apart, caught in the pressure between hammer and wall. It’s fast enough that there isn’t even a cry out. Just the sigh of the last breath as the body slides down to the flagstone. There’s a flash of satisfaction through him. Blood pools out before creating rivulets between stones. He watches with both horror and detached disgust. All of the rage in him is gone now that the threat has been eliminated.

The fight had been nothing. It hadn't been a fight. Not like going after Jinx, not like facing off with Ambessa. This was just murder. His stomach turns. But it's not his first kill. The hammer shakes but does not fall out of his hand.

A member of the commune walks by, pauses, and nods before moving on. Approval. No screams. Anyone else would have screamed. 

He stands there stunned until he hears the familiar tap of the foot of the not-cane-but-walking-stick. 

“Viktor, what have I done?”

“Protected us.” Viktor’s hands are warm as he reaches up to touch his face. Everything calms in his mind. “We'll clean this up. You should take your goods and go home.” He looks down and sees where he dropped the new tunic (now stained), food, and cuff. He gathers them up and nods. “You did well.”

“Sure,” he agrees softly. He stopped a thief. He protected the commune. He turns and heads back to the house. Flees back to the house. He tries to ignore the murmurs of the others as they watch him go. But he catches a couple works. “-protecting-” “-defender-” “-safe.”

He crashes through the door of the house and throws the bag from the market down. The runed tunic flutters on top of it. Maybe he can wash it and save it. The blood is fresh.

He gets to the bedroom and throws the tunic into the tub. Everything else ends up on the bed. Cold or hot water for blood? He tries to remember his mother's lessons. Cold water. That’s right. He uses whatever soap is by the edge of the tub and starts scrubbing. He lifts the tunic up periodically to check. The blue is darker with the water. The blood washes out. 

His guilt doesn't. 

He keeps scrubbing. The water goes flat and the suds stop forming but he keeps washing. His knees hurt. His back aches. The light goes dim as it gets late in the day. He keeps scrubbing.

He lets out a sob as a gentle amethyst hand pulls him away from the tub. The tunic now has holes in it where he rubbed through and it’s bloodier than when he started because his hands have been rubbed raw. Viktor drains the tub of the now red water and moves everything off the bed. 

“Come here.”

He obeys, curling up in the bed with his head on Viktor's lap. “I'm sorry.”

“Don't be. You were protecting the commune, protecting us, protecting me.” Viktor runs his hands through his hair, gently petting away his worries and fears and guilt.

He has a question bouncing around in this head that he wants to ask: what am I?

Somehow he knows that Viktor’s answer would be: mine. 

He wants that to be enough but there’s something in him that’s scared of that answer so the words stay trapped behind his teeth. He doesn’t say anything else as Viktor continues to pet him as he cries it out. The guilt slowly leaves him. It was just another outsider trying to ruin the grand plan that Viktor is building. It was just a thief that had to be punished. It was just nothing. He stops crying. It’s silly to cry over nothing.

He closes his eyes and falls asleep.

--

Over the next couple of days, he patrols in between tasks that the commune asks of him and his forge. They keep him busy. Viktor checks in on him often. He’s doing alright. 

The commune is growing well. There are new members every week. New domiciles go up overnight with everyone working together. The wall gets moved out a little more when there’s a need. He only notices when he has to change the path of his patrol to accommodate the changes. More people join the market too. He sees people from both the Undercity and Piltover sharing their work. Word seems to be getting around. 

When he looks into a mirror, he notices he’s lost that haunted look. He looks healthy. His eyes seem lighter than he’s used to, but maybe that’s just the contrast with his new longer hair and fuller beard. Viktor does well to keep it trimmed for him. The wild rune brand on his arm is pale against his skin, matching his cream commune outfit. The one on his knee is the same though hidden. Little ones wrap around his fingers where Viktor has healed little burns from his forge work. Like rings.

He’s wandering through the market when he sees a familiar face. One that haunts him during the nights where Viktor doesn’t stay with him. His heart stops. His breath catches. The world stops for a second. Then they go around the corner out of sight. He drops everything in his hands except for the hammer. He chases the face down and sees them in pale clothes with opal fingerprints on their face.

“I killed you.”

They smile at him. “It’s okay. I forgive you.”

“No. No, I killed you.”

“And Viktor fixed me,” they answer simply.

He frowns. That’s wrong. Something’s wrong. “You didn’t come here to be part of the commune.”

“No,” they shake their head, but then shrug. “Viktor did apologize for not asking before he fixed me, but it’s better than being dead!” They nod emphatically. “In fact, it’s pretty good! I’m so much better than before. You’re doing such a good job defending it. It’s safer here. Better here.” 

Of course they are. They are in the commune now. Much better than being a thief in the Undercity. He nods and lets them go back to their errands. He goes back to the forge. Much better than Piltover.

--

The days go by. The commune keeps him busy with tasks in and out of the forge. Viktor checks in on him often. He’s doing alright.

He walks through the commune on patrols. The others greet him with ‘Defender’ and ‘Protector’ and the title feels right. He was the Man of Progress above but here he’s the guard of this place, this peace. No one is going to hurt his people. They have become his people. He is theirs. Their Defender. Their Protector. He’ll dedicate himself to keeping them safe.

He finds himself at the gate often, looking at the marks on the ground where he chased away the wolves that threatened. He feels... He’s not entirely sure of the feeling. It feels so far away. Maybe it’s pride. It should be pride. He successfully proved to Viktor that he was serious in being the Defender of this commune. He looks up to the cliffs. 

Would they recognize him up there?

He doesn’t care. He turns his back on them and continues his patrols around the commune, making sure no other wolves or foxes or any other vermin threaten the glorious commune Viktor has made.

Viktor also uses those titles when he draws him into bed for sleep. Dreamless sleep. No nightmares anymore. Viktor has chased them away. Only peaceful rest for his Defender. 

--

The days blur together. The Defender patrols in between tasks that the commune asks of him and his forge. They keep the Protector busy. Viktor checks in on him often. He’s doing alright.

--

The Defender’s out walking a patrol when he hears a weird sound. Well, it’s more he feels it. Like a pressure against his eardrums. He grips the hammer rightly, pulling it up into a defensive position. The chromatic aberrations make his whole vision twitch and he winces at the pain it delivers. Danger approaches. Who is it going to be this time?

There’s another not-sound that has him growling. It’s coming from the base of Piltover. He runs along the wall to get to the point closest. He’ll be the first to face the threat. He’ll protect the commune.

At the wall he sees something move, small and furry. He brings the end of the hammer up and around, ready to pull the trigger, when a third pulse goes out and suddenly there’s a pop and something is above him. He swings the hammer up but there’s a clap of air as the mass of the new object is suddenly gone and another pulse goes through his brain, triggering all of the warnings going off. It’s enough to make him stagger and he almost misses the pop of whatever it was returning. But his instincts react and he’s swinging his hammer through the air at the intruder.

“Jayce!”

Who? The hammer misses as the intruder pulls back hard on the hoverboard to get out of range.

“Jayce! It’s me, Ekko!” 

The head of the hammer crashes into the ground. He blinks to try to clear his vision as his head aches with all of the conflicting warnings. The additional layer of the pulse when the intruder disappears and the pop as he reappears at the wall doesn’t help. He doesn’t seem to be in control of his hands as he lifts the hammer again with his finger on the trigger. The blast hits the wall where the two figures were but the pulse triggers first and they weren’t there. They were next to him.

“Something’s wrong with him.”

“Did he get got already?”

“Not quite. I can see some but not all the way.”

“I see it.”

They disappear again as he swings his hammer through the space they were. The rune on his wrist stays dark. He could use its power to catch them off guard, he thinks as he growls. Instead the pulse sound hits him from behind and he drops the hammer to cover his ears and hold his head together.

“Jayce, my boy, what happened to you?” It’s a familiar voice that cuts through the noise and colors. A small hand reaches out to touch him on his shoulder where he’s curled up on the ground. “It’s okay, Jayce. We’re not here to harm you. We’re here to help.”

“C’mon Jayce. This is just kinda pathetic, even for you.” The other steps off of his board and comes to his other side.

Jayce. His name is Jayce. When did he lose that?

He looks up at the two of them. “Professor? Ekko?”

“Man, you look rough, dude. Like some serious haunted shit. Got webs all over you.” Ekko waves his hand over his apparent state of being. He covers the wild runes on his upper arm instinctively. 

“It’s not just there, Jayce. It’s, oh dear, it’s all over.” Heimerdinger looks him over. There’s what looks to be half a pair of goggles over his left eye, but it’s wrong. It’s fused to his face with a wild rune that makes his head feel funny to look at. 

“On his ribs too. Where the fuck did you get teleported to? We looked for you but you must have gone elsewhere.”

“We had our own elsewhere adventure. It was a doozy.” Heimerdinger looks up towards the rest of the commune. “But now is not quite the time to tell it.”

“Ah, Herald’s on the way?” Ekko looks up too. Something’s wrong with his right eye. “I see him.” 

“What’s going on?” Jayce asks.

“Only the end of the world.” Ekko shrugs. “Looks a lot different in this one. Like we arrived in time this time. How do you want to play this, Professor?”

“I would like to assess how this Viktor is doing. Maybe it’s not as dire as our elsewhere. Why don’t you take Jayce here on a walk to catch him up?”

“Good idea. I’ll be back if you need me. You know the sign.” They both do the same but mirrored gesture with their hands. Then Ekko reaches down and pulls Jayce up to his feet. “Gonna feel weird. Don’t throw up on me.”

“What-” and then that not-sound is inside of him and they are in a different cosmos, one made of light and angles and geometry that makes Jayce’s head spin and his gut heave and then there’s a pop and they are in the canyons beyond the wall. Jayce gasps and he almost doubles over, leaning against the wall as he swallows down the bile that tries to come up. 

“Breathe. In and out.” It takes a couple deep breaths before Jayce is able to stand upright. “There we go.” Ekko reaches up and grabs something in the air next to Jayce’s head and swipes downward, like brushing cobwebs away. Jayce feels a pain that doesn’t hurt, a curtain lifting like color coming back into his vision. He gasps at the sensation. The wild runes on his skin, on his knee, on his bones throb with a disconnection.

“What the absolute fuck.”

“Yeah, cool trick, isn’t it? When we used your transcription rune to try to recreate the anomaly to jump our home, it had some interesting side effects. I think the professor has it the worst, mine at least stayed in my eye. His, well, you saw the goggle. But hey now he can see more. A lot more.”

“What did you do to my head?”

“Ooooh, that. This Viktor is a lot more subtle than our elsewhere. Fuck, that one grabbed you nearly immediately after the Hexcore take over. Turned you into his right hand man slash pet. Complete with a collar. Disturbing. This one seems to be more on the slow track. I just...” Ekko waves his hand a bit more. “Cut cords?”

“He wouldn’t.”

“Never met the real one prior to the, you know, boom. But this Viktor would, will, apparently already has. He had his hooks pretty deep into you. You didn’t recognize me or Professor Heimerdinger at first, Jayce. Hell, I’d say you didn’t even know yourself there for a moment.”

Jayce looks down and away from the truth.

“But that’s not really Viktor. It’s the Hexcore,” Ekko stresses.

“Of course it’s Viktor.” Jayce would know his partner.

“It’s really not. He’s as trapped as you are. I got to see the real Viktor in there just for a moment before we bailed from that elsewhere. And trust me, it’s not what you think.” Ekko’s tone is soft, thoughtful, haunted. “We couldn’t... We didn’t know how to get to him and get out of there. It was a close call leaving. Fuck. We had to leave all of them. Caitlyn and Vi, they were still fighting. A resistance against the Herald. The last humans. Everyone else had been turned into... mannequins.”

Jayce’s head snaps up.

“Oh, you had those in your elsewhere too? Fuck. I was really hoping... At least they aren’t here. Right?”

“No.” Jayce’s mind turns to the thief, resurrected, fixed. “Not quite.”

“Good, then we still have time.” Ekko reaches into his pocket. “Give me your hand.” Jayce lifts his hand. “No, the other one.” Jayce switches hands. Then he sees what Ekko is holding.

“That’s the anomaly!” 

“Kinda. It’s not the one from the Hexgates here. This one is more, homegrown.” Ekko sees Jayce’s incredulous expression. “What? Like it’s hard?’

“How- Yes, that’s impossible.”

“I wasn’t expecting the second, but it was just sitting there after the first one blew up on the two of us, connecting us in a way that’s really gonna be weird when we get past survival mode,” Ekko says thoughtfully. “But that’s a later issue. This one was just sitting around so I snagged it. I think this one is meant to be yours.” 

Jayce tries to pull back his hand but Ekko holds tight. Ekko presses the anomaly against the rune and hot white pain blooms forth, burning up his arm all the way to his chest. It’s so much pain he can’t even breathe, much less scream. It’s more pain than he can stand but Ekko doesn’t let go, doesn’t let him escape. He stares down at the dark hand on his wrist pressing a corrupted sphere against, no, into the rune. The trypophobic multiple spheres slide against each other like an impossible puzzle to solve. Bright colors slide over the dark surfaces like oil. It finally, finally slips below the surface of the rune and after running up his arm like an arc flash, it feels like the anomaly curls up in his chest like a cat settling in a sunbeam.

“What the fuck!” Jayce gasps, clutching his chest.

Ekko blinks and looks at something farther away. He does that same hand gesture that he and Heimerdinger did before they parted. “He’s coming. You gotta lie about it. It’ll be waiting for you in the arcane. Just know that it’s got the power to jump two people.”

“What? What?”

“Yeah, good luck, dude.” Ekko pulls the hoverboard from his back and hops on. Then with a collapse of air that has Jayce cringing hard, and he’s gone. Jayce takes a couple deep breaths to try to reset himself. He feels like his head is clearer now than it has been in a while. He didn’t realize how cloudy it had been getting. Maybe they were right. Maybe Viktor had been... But Viktor wouldn’t... Jayce isn’t sure anymore. 

The Viktor in the lab never wanted to make weapons and this Viktor has made him into a guard dog. 

He hears quick footsteps coming down the canyon, full on running. Jayce sees a glow up on the walls before he sees Viktor come around the corner. He’s shining with power, amethyst and gold brilliant and showing through the blue robe. His hair is almost white, floating around his hair. His grip tight on the staff. His bright silver eyes dart around the area, looking for danger. He comes to a stop in front of Jayce, reaching up to cup his face, fingertips hot. Jayce just barely holds himself back from flinching. 

“You’re alright. Are you alright?” The light slowly fades away until he’s just Viktor again.

“Yeah. Confused, but I’m alright.”

“What happened? Why are you so far out here? I heard you screaming.”

Jayce is pretty sure he didn’t actually scream. But he doesn’t correct Viktor. “Ekko wanted to show me something. He found out something about the arcane. They, he and the professor, were with me when we visited the anomaly. I went to the- the ravine. They went...”

“Where did they go?”

“Elsewhere. But what they found, what Ekko showed me, it didn’t react well to me. Like from the ravine. And the mage. I’m just not a good candidate for the arcane.”

“You don’t react well to others’ arcane. My arcane though...” Viktor touches where he fixed Jayce’s arm. Jayce is surprised that Viktor can’t sense the writhing sphere sitting in his chest. “Where did they go? Just now?”

“Dunno. They just... Teleported?”

“Hmm... As long as they didn’t hurt you.”

“No, no, I’m fine, Viktor.”

There’s a tension in Viktor that releases. He leans on the walking stick as if he needs it. As if he didn’t run out here. Jayce is wondering now how much of a show it is. Ekko said he saw the ‘real’ Viktor in that other version. He hopes his Viktor is still in this one. “Let’s head back.” 

“Of course.” Together they walk back to the walls of the commune. Jayce stops by where he fought Ekko to pick up the hammer. Viktor would have hated that he still had this hammer. He looks at Viktor. This Viktor. 

No, no, this is still his partner. It has to be. But things aren’t lining up. Things aren’t making sense. There is an answer out there, he just needs time to think about it.

--

The next couple of days blur together. He patrols the walls, looking for the other two, in between tasks that the commune asks of him. They try to keep him busy. Viktor checks in on him often. But Jayce has been checking on him too. 

Seems like the connection they had was broken enough that Viktor doesn’t always immediately know where he is. He hates that he has to hide from Viktor like this, but the more he looks, the more evidence there is that he’s not truly his partner anymore. He sneaks around the commune, leaving his hammer at the forge to move easier.

There’s a coldness to Viktor and to the members of the commune when no one is looking. No soft smiles between each other, those are saved for Jayce and visitors. Just efficient movements to get tasks done. Like robots. Like marionettes. How much control does Viktor have over them all? Or is it just the Hexcore? Is the Hexcore the one controlling Viktor too?

When Viktor joins him at night, Jayce now notices that his hands are warmer. He can feel what feels like gossamer threads sliding over him. They don’t stick though. Not anymore. He can’t believe he missed this before. Viktor was slowly devouring him. He wonders if Viktor would have actually asked when he pulled Jayce into the network.

He had been so worried about Viktor using his energy, but that wasn’t the real reason the mage tried to give him warnings, was it? He inspects the wild runes on his arm and knee. Heimerdinger mentioned his ribs too. He doesn’t see anything on his skin but Viktor must have done his work subdermal. Hidden. Extra anchors for his arcane to hook onto. 

When he glances in the mirror now, his eyes are back to their normal hazel. None of the paleness left. He brushes the hair off his face. He’s tempted to go clean shaven again, but that might be too much change that Viktor would notice. 

 The anomaly inside of him isn’t still. He’s getting used to it, but it won’t let him forget about it. He can feel it react and observe the world around him. He wonders what it sees. It doesn’t care about any visitors. It only seems to be interested in commune members and Viktor. It must be reacting to the network.

When Jayce closes his eyes to sleep, he feels it settle with him. He takes a couple deep breaths and tries to reach out to it. It seems to react to his mental presence. It seems familiar somehow, but he can’t place it. It seems hesitant to reach back out to him. Only once does he catch the impression of golden eyes and he feels like he’s back in the labs again. He doesn’t know what that means and it’s gone before he can chase the feeling down. Does it have a consciousness to it then? Ekko said that it would be waiting for him in the arcane. But he doesn’t know how to get there. What does that mean? How did Ekko know it was supposed to be his? Jayce has too many questions and not enough answers. He just keeps a low profile in the commune as he thinks about what to do. 

Now that his eyes are more open, he definitely sees more that’s wrong with Viktor. That’s not to say that it’s not Viktor. He gets glimpses, stolen moments where the facade drops and he’s sure that everything is a lie and Viktor is his partner, the same partner that saved his life and believed in him and his magic. Viktor is there, here in his arms. It’s the familiar banter when they are working on an equation in the workshop, the familiar tap of his cane when he approaches with a question, the soft gentle touches that lead to- That’s not as familiar as before things changed but Jayce is sure that it’s Viktor there driving. No Hexcore pushing him to kiss him and crawl into his lap and gasp out Jayce’s name. That’s Viktor. His Viktor. His partner.

He has dreams again. Ones where he’s following different timelines, different what ifs. What if he kissed Viktor while they were floating through the professor’s office? What if he hadn’t used the hexcore to save Viktor? What if Viktor hadn’t interrupted him? What if Mel had saved Viktor instead of him in the explosion? What if he had killed Viktor? What if VIktor hadn’t left after he woke up? Some feel more real than others. The sweet ones. The ones with Viktor held against him. He wakes expecting Viktor in his arms and finds his expectations met with disappointment more often than not. He feels nostalgic for things that never happened as the anomaly paces around in his chest. 

Sometimes the dreams don’t stay only with his sleep.

Jayce finds himself having a panic attack almost daily as he tries to figure out what’s real and what’s not. He doesn’t have enough information. He just keeps getting thrown curve balls and new questions. This reality is going a different direction than the other ones that the mage showed him. There aren’t any marionettes here but the citizens of the commune are almost living dolls anyways. Ekko and Heimerdinger appeared and then disappeared after giving him a gift he did not want and does not understand and won’t communicate back to him. He doesn’t know what to do.

While Jayce is having a fresh panic attack from overthinking everything and having nothing to work off of, Viktor finds him hyperventilating in the forge, curled up and gripping his wrist where the blue gem is fused to his skin. There’s an exclamation and a rush of violet and then Viktor’s face filling his vision, fussing over him. Viktor’s telling him to breathe and relax and show him where it hurts. Jayce can barely hear him through the colorful static in his head, the pounding heartbeat racing and choking him. Cool hands cup his cheek and gold eyes frown in concern. Viktor! His Viktor. Jayce presses forward to kiss him and falls into the cosmic arcane.

Jayce pulls away just a little to look at him. Viktor is there with white wispy air holding onto him. No wild runes on his face. Just beautiful angular cheekbones, blemished only by his beauty marks. Their bodies are astral, free from pain and panic. At least Jayce is. Viktor’s eyes are wide with terror.

“Viktor.”

“You shouldn't be here,” Viktor hisses out.

“I don't understand what's going on.”

“It'll find you, take you. You have to run.”

“I'm not leaving you. I'm not leaving my partner.” Jayce grips him tight. Their bodies are made of light and space and potential. “I'll save you. I promise. I'll figure everything out and save you.”

“Jayce, you can’t. It’s too strong. Oh Jayce,” he pleads. He sounds so sad. 

Jayce cups his cheek and presses their foreheads together. “I understand more now. I will save you.” There’s a not-sound next to them. Jayce glances out. He sees a familiar sphere watching them from behind Viktor. His anomaly. 

I need a stronger connection, Jayce. A familiar voice. Jayce glances at Viktor. This is a good start but-

The cosmos suddenly shift and Viktor panics. Jayce feels something like a large dark presence behind him. “Jayce!” Viktor shoves him and he's back at the forge.

Viktor’s eyes have a silver shine to them again. “Are you alright?” he asks in a slightly more mechanical voice.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine. Just... Thought I burned myself. I didn't, I'm okay.” He pushes up to his feet and helps Viktor stand up as well. “I shouldn’t be working this late.”

“Head to bed, I’ll join you soon.”

“Sure, Viktor.” He turns down the tuyere so the fire stays low in the pit. He kisses Viktor’s cheek as he exits like he had gotten into the habit of when he was still under the influence. He doesn’t mind keeping up the charade. He heads back to his house with his thoughts racing. He sits on the bed and wraps his arms around his knees pulled up to his chest. 

He confirmed that Viktor is still there.

He confirmed that the other anomaly is still there.

The other anomaly spoke to him.

He doesn’t know what it all means but it’s progress. It’s the next step after Ekko showed up and freed him. He rubs the rune on his wrist. The transcription rune had been so valuable to their research. It helped create Hexgates. Along with a couple other runes like acceleration, anchor, and levitation. The corruption of the ravine and the mage’s touch affects Jayce’s hammer. Ekko was able to take that even further apparently with the newfound ability to teleport and used that to jump through realities to get home. 

The anomaly at the base of Piltover is different from the one in his chest now. Accidentally created instead of specifically. He wonders if the one in Piltover could speak. He just couldn’t hear it. This new one wanted a stronger connection. To do what? Jayce worries that he’s meddling with things he doesn’t understand. That really hasn’t stopped him before but this time there’s not even research to back up any of his theories. He hardly can even call them theories. They are mere thoughts at this point. He wishes he could bounce them back and forth with Viktor and turn them into something workable. 

He settles into bed for the night with more questions than answers still but he holds the few answers he has close to his chest. 

--

Jayce helps Viktor put another rod into the Hexcharger. It’s pretty streamlined now, sliding along the back of his waist where it sits around his hips like a pretty piece of jewelry. Jayce was even able to make sure it works well with the blanket turned robe. The fabric is starting to get a little worn out but not enough to force a change.

Jayce glances back at their stack of cylinders, now empty. “Well, that was our last one. You should get Salo to bring us some more.”

“He’s busy doing something else.”

“Oh?”

“He’s in Piltover selling some of our goods. Hand crafted items sell for a premium in a manufactured society.”

Salo’s also probably spreading the word about the commune, finding people who don’t quite fit into Piltover and convincing them to join. Jayce has noticed the growth of their population down here. 

“That’s good. We can use that money to try to source more directly.”

“Yes. But until then, maybe I should go myself to pick up some more. Check in on how the Hexgates are doing. Their makers aren’t around anymore after all.”

Chroma flashes up along the edges of Jayce’s mind. Danger in that suggestion, but he also feels the anomaly in his chest lean forward, as if intrigued. There’s something more to Viktor’s motives than just getting more energy. He wishes he had more concrete indication on what to do. Does he fight against it or go with it? 

“We left very good documentation, but you're right, we should go visit.” Viktor nods approvingly. The anomaly stays focused instead of curling back up to its neutral position. “When do you want to go?”

“Do you have any pressing projects right now?”

“No.”

“Then, right now.” Viktor smiles and gives Jayce a kiss. Jayce picks up his hammer and follows Viktor out of the workshop. The only time he’s seen Viktor leave the commune is when he came running out into the canyons for Jayce. 

Jayce wouldn’t mind returning to Piltover, but he won’t go back without Viktor. And without Viktor being himself, he won’t want to return either. Maybe once free they can return home. Together.

But every step they take towards Piltover deepens the sense of fear and unease and wrongness sitting in Jayce’s gut. The anomaly seems to get more and more active. He gets flashes of other timelines again. The mage must be still sending warnings through their arcane connection. But warnings are useless if they aren’t actionable and Jayce has no idea what to do. He’s just hoping that he’ll be ready when the opportune moment arrives to do whatever he needs to do to save Viktor.

The bottom of the Hexgates are eerily empty. He would have thought that Salo’s pilfering would have cause some amount of suspicion but apparently they over engineered it enough that it was still operating perfectly within tolerance even with some of the rods removed. It really was a marvel of engineering. He sighs wistfully as the blue hum reminds him of hours and days in the lab, working side by side with Viktor, solving the arcane enough to put it to use by those that weren’t gifted with the touch to use it naturally. They harnessed a wild force and put it to their use.

What fools they were to think they could do that with no repercussions. 

Jayce could feel himself twitching as the chroma warnings were getting worse. He’s glad that he’s a step behind Viktor so the other couldn’t see it. His grip on his hammer starts to hurt. It's so tight. It’s so heavy. There’s an ache in the back of Jayce’s teeth that comes from the hum of the machines. He thinks he hears the ravine calling for him again. Apparently he didn’t learn the lesson the first time, time for round two!

He has to stop and collect himself before he loses control and spirals out again. He gets to watch Viktor now, not stopping, not slowing. He seems transfixed by the heart of the Hexgate.

“I am ready now. It took a while, too long, but I had to take the necessary steps. The beast, my following, the power, I have everything I need now to control what has been birthed here.” He waves his staff and the environment shifts from cold steel and blue to the sweet cream and iridescent pastels. The anomaly created by the Hexgates twists and curls like a mobius shape. “Unlimited possibilities. Chaos and order married together through our desecration of the arcane.” He cups his hand and the anomaly sits atop his fingers as he observes it. “Do you understand? If they all fall in line, then there will be no struggle, no suffering, no pain, no loss. I can fix them all. I can lead them all. Can you imagine it? Perfection, a perfect society.”

“An end to pursuit.”

“Hm?” Viktor turns back to Jayce as if seeing him for the first time. As if he wasn’t expecting an answer from him.

“Perfection is a dead end.”

“You don’t want a utopia? You don’t want everyone to live peacefully?”

“They have to have the freedom to choose that path themselves.”

“And what about the ones who do choose the peaceful path but get caught in the crossfires of those who don’t? They don’t have a choice in being victims. Not all of them will have a protector like you or me. Are their lives the cost for this freedom you want?”

Jayce doesn’t have a good answer to that question. Obviously the price of freedom and choice will be blood, even the blood of innocents. But the utopia that Viktor talks about isn’t real. He saw it, he lived it. The mage warned against it. “It’s not so black and white, Viktor. Imperfections are what make the world beautiful.”

“Imperfections are what make the world painful. My imperfections were killing me. I would have probably died within months, if not weeks of the explosion. The bomb just hurried up the process.”

“Don’t say that. We could have saved you.”

“You did save me. I’m here, aren’t I? You saved me and you kept saving me and it’s thanks to you that I can ascend again and become perfect and make the world perfect with me.”

The anomaly in Viktor’s hands shudders and the one in Jayce’s chest reacts in turn and now is the moment. He crosses the distance between them, hammer coming around and swinging through the space where Viktor stands. But it whistles harmlessly through air as Viktor launches himself into the air, moving faster than Jayce has ever seen. He returns to the ground slower though, floating until his feet touch back down.

“So the wolfdog has decided to attack its master. That won’t do.” Viktor slips the anomaly into the space at top of his staff. He launches himself forward as Jayce swings again at him. The step back Jayce has to take to stay out of his amethyst reach makes the arc miss Viktor by mere hairs. The royal blue cloak flutters in the passing wind. Jayce has to follow up with a bare fisted punch to keep Viktor from getting too close. His wrist starts to burn with energy as the two of them dance around. Viktor stays just a step ahead of the hammer even as it jumps around in space to try to catch him off guard. 

Jayce notices though that Viktor stumbles a bit in the distorted wake of the head when Jayce swipes for his feet. His veins feel like they are pumping with nitro as his chest swells with the presence of the other anomaly. It makes his movements faster, makes the hammer more unpredictable, but he still just barely keeps up with Viktor who looks bored that he’s having to put up with this fight. 

The wild runes on his arm and hands glow brightly and he feels his grip start to get weak. Viktor smirks as the hammer slips out and goes flying across the room with a scratching thud. Jayce fights as long as he can with fists and kicks but flesh can only keep up with metal for so long.

Viktor takes him out at the knees and he goes down hard, he barely catches himself with his hands on the ground. His lungs rasp as they try to draw in as much oxygen as he can, the cold air sharp like daggers. A drop of blood drips down from the corner of his mouth to the ever shifting colors on the floor. 

“I don’t know how you got free, but it won’t be hard to remedy that.” Viktor approaches him from behind. He reaches down and slides his hand through Jayce’s long hair, pulling him up to a sitting position. Jayce is hit with the memory of the position that his long dead self had been in at the top of the ruined Piltover. They aren’t there but the results are still the same. He failed. He closes his eyes and lets Viktor’s hot fingers press against his forehead.

There is a flash of light and he’s taken into the astral abyss again.

Well, this is a much better connection.

The voice comes from just behind his left ear but when he turns to look, there’s nothing there.

Maybe a little too good. Going to be tricky to get you out of this one. This time from his right, but still nothing. Oh sorry, I suppose it’s safe enough for now. The voice moves to in front of him. There is a shimmer and more amorphous geometries that slide against itself in impossible ways before it resolves itself into a soft projection of a very familiar face. 

“Viktor.”

“Not your Viktor unfortunately. I don’t have much time to explain. I can only shield us for so long with this direct of a connection. You really did fatten him up. But I’m still going to have a better shot with taking down this Herald over the other one.” His tone and expression turns wistful. “I’m sorry I lost that battle. I lost my Jayce.”

“You’re the Viktor from where Ekko and Heimerdinger went.”

“Yes. I saw an opportunity after a lost cause. Maybe if we get you out of here in one piece, you can pay it forward.”

“I’m not leaving without my Viktor.”

“Of course. Wouldn’t dream of asking you to do that, love.” The pet name catches Jayce off guard. “I’ll make sure the both of you get out here. Have a little faith. Oh, they’re coming.” The other Viktor’s shimmering image fades into nothing but Jayce can still feel his presence curled up neatly in his chest. It’s comforting, after a week of having him close and now being able to put a name to the face so to speak. Another Viktor. 

Jayce only gets a breath worth of respite before the cosmos he’s drifting in violently shifts and folds and opens and reveals a larger than life figure, floating in the middle of a web of connected souls. Jayce can see the resemblance to Viktor but it’s not him. This is something much different. 

Too long and too spindly limbs with gears as joints are covered in glowing shifting runes. The usual gold network on its chest are now channels for neon energy, pulsing like billows of a forge. A mechanical face like a welder’s mask sits under a crown of stars. A beastly ruffle of fur spills out behind him like a halo of silver. Golden eyes sweep over the landscape trying to find him. The ever familiar robe is cast over its shoulders like a cloak billowing out and dissolving into cosmic dust. It sweeps the staff over the crowds with the ever spinning anomaly casting a searching light.

Terrifying.

“Beautiful.”

That too. But nevermind that. Where is your Viktor? He has to be around here somewhere. You saw him before.

Jayce nods. He met him just recently. And Viktor wasn’t the monstrous godlike figure in front of him. But how does he find him now? He doesn’t have that much time. The search light is getting closer and closer and he’s not sure if the other Viktor will be able to shield him from direct contact. He wants to shout into the void, scream out Viktor’s name, but no, that’ll draw attention. Where would Viktor be?

His eyes are drawn to the cloak. The blanket that Jayce grabbed after Viktor emerged, alive again. It’s still with them, even here. A symbol of their connection. Why would the Hexcore, the Herald keep it? It wouldn’t. Viktor would. Jayce pushes up through the empty space.

Careful now.

He feels the other Viktor lift him up out of the way of the searching eyes. He continues to press on, skimming forward over the other souls. He glances at them and they look peaceful and calm. Less detailed than he is. He wonders how much of their selves have they lost. He puts them out of his mind, focusing on Viktor. He just needs to save Viktor right now.

Darling, I hope you know what you're doing.

He doesn't. He's only following his intuition. If that robe is there, then Viktor must be as well. There's a trinket that Jayce got from the market for Viktor, a broach made of fused glass that is blue and red and purple overlapping. He thought it would remind Viktor of where he came from when he picked it up from the Undercity merchant. He focuses on that as he surges forward. It swings back and forth as the giant moves. It catches the light from the anomaly. It catches the light.

“There you are.” A massive mechanical hand catches him out of the ether. “Somehow you still resist me.” Its voice is deafening in its omnipresence. It suffocates Jayce’s thoughts. “How?” The hand brings Jayce up to the mask so that golden eyes can stare into his soul and find the secrets itself. “I gave you everything you could have wanted. I gave you purpose, I gave you a forge, I let you keep the hammer, I gave you companionship. I gave you affection.”

“All I want is my partner back,” Jayce growls out, fighting against the grip. But going up against a god is hopeless, even for him. He’s sure that whatever this is in front of him isn’t his partner, isn’t his Viktor. Jayce feels cold and empty and alone as he stares back. Where is the other Viktor? Why can't Jayce feel him now?

“You’ve been so good to me. Doing everything I asked and more. Why do you rebel against me now when we are so close to everything we wished for? Why do you persist? I want to solve you. You should be mine.” He can feel the fangs behind the possessive.

“Too bad, fucker. He’s got a date already.” A second giant staff swings into view catching the monster off guard as it crashes into its mask. With the surprise attack, the monster lets go of Jayce who goes flying loose in the cosmos. He recovers and turns to look at what’s happening. He catches the other Viktor taking another swing at the monster. 

If the machine monster was beautiful then the other Viktor is gorgeous. His hair is flowing white with pastels at the tips. His chest is pale skin covered with wild rules that skim and dance underneath flowing fabric draped over his shoulders made up of oil slick and impossible geometries. Gold accessories gleam in the cosmic light around them, emanating from him. There’s additional energy halos above and behind his head. 

He’s almost everything that the Herald is not. He looks like a Savior.

The Herald recovers after a second hit and stares down the other. “You... can’t be.” There’s a roar that sounds both animalistic and robotic and the Herald throws his own punch. The Savior blocks and goes for another attack. The Herald roars and the fur around his neck comes alive. It moves through him and as it separates itself from the Herald, it resolves into more fur, muscle and fangs. It grows to the impossible size of the other two. The second entity, which looks much too like Vander, lunges forward from the Herald at the other.

The Savior swings the butt of his staff up to catch the beast in the chest, but it just twists in the ether and attacks again. “Warwick, I haven’t missed your ugly mug.” The Savior stays moving to keep the beast, Warwick, at a distance while also trying to hit the Herald. It’s a dance of giants  against a backdrop of the universe. Jayce feels so small and insignificant. What can he do against gods?

He cries out as the Savior misses a block and gets hit two fold as the Herald gets a shot in which knocks him into Warwick’s claws. Rivulets of oil slick pastel energy seeps out of the wounds across his back. 

“Alright, easy mode is over.” The energy pools into the cosmos and then coalesces into a third arm floating behind him. This time when they come at him he uses the extra limb to kick them back. Concentrated arcane bursts out from the fingers much like the artificer's device they designed years ago. It cuts through Warwick several times, across his chest and neck and waist. The beast dissolves into light and space dust. The Savior turns back to the Herald.

“You’re next, bitch.” He swings the staff as the extra arm turns and starts to point at the Herald.

“No!” Jayce screams with all of his might. If the Herald disappears then Viktor disappears with him. The Herald looks over at Jayce as if remembering he’s still there. A nuisance to deal with.

The Savior thankfully hears him as well. There’s a slight pout on his face but the arm dissolves back into ethereal miasma behind him. He uses the distraction on the Herald’s part to swing the staff around and catch him in the side of the face. And like that Jayce is forgotten again. 

Jayce can feel his heart in his throat. Where is Viktor? Where? He hopes that Viktor can’t feel the pain of each hit that the Savior lands. He pushes forward through the empty space to get closer to the fight. It’s dangerous but that’s where Viktor will be. He has to get to him. He has to save him. 

The Savior notices Jayce coming closer and has to adjust his attack to keep from hitting him. It costs him a couple hits as the Herald takes advantage. More effervescent blood spills forth, bright against the dark cosmos. But Jayce notices that the Herald is also leaking dark oil from under the edges of his mask and along the ribs of his furnace which is pulsing at a higher rate. The Savior looks like he has the upper hand, just barely. 

Jayce watches as the Savior takes a hit to the chest in favor of blocking so that he can get a powerful swing to connect against the Herald’s mask. There’s a shuddering at the point of contact and then the mask cracks. A second hit and a whole chunk of it falls away. 

“Viktor!” Jayce shoots forward through the space as he sees his partner’s wide, scared eye peering out from under the dark metal. 

“No! It cannot be!” the Herald cries out using Viktor’s mouth. Jayce feels hate for that burning in his chest, using it to move even faster. How dare the Herald use his partner. Jayce will put an end to that.

“Oh, but it is,” the Savior taunts, but the fight isn’t over and goes back to grappling with the Herald. 

Jayce dismisses the banter and fight, focused on just getting to Viktor. As he gets closer to the breach of the mask, Viktor looks farther away, shrinking even as Jayce closes the distance. He can’t let him get away, he won’t allow it! He puts all of his willpower into moving like a shooting star, into reaching out to Viktor hand outstretched, focusing on him and him alone. His partner. His Viktor.

He crosses the threshold of the mask and suddenly is in a different space, running across an empyrean plane full of galaxies to where Viktor is standing, his own body wrapped in celestial concepts. 

“Jayce?”

Jayce crashes into him, wrapping him up in his arms and spinning him around. “Viktor, oh Viktor.”

“Jayce, fuck, Jayce.” VIktor clings to him, holding him just as tight. “What’s going on? I don’t understand.”

“It’s going to be alright. It’s going to be alright now. Just need to get you out of here.”

“And go where?”

“Anywhere, Viktor. Anywhere we want to go.” He looks around them. The space they are in shudders. Probably another blow from the Savior. There’s no obvious way out. Not even the crack in the mask is left. It’s just the two of them.

“How?”

It’s got the power to jump two people. Ekko’s words come back to him. He lets go of Viktor just enough to look at his wrist. The transcription rune is sitting neatly there with the anomaly right there. He’s not sure how it can be there and be the Savior fighting at the same time but what makes sense in here anyways. He told Jayce to trust him. There must be something of a plan or a theory that he’s acting on. 

Jayce tucks his face against Viktor’s neck, squeezing him close. He feels Viktor gripping him just as tightly. They are both scared of losing each other again. But they can’t stay here. 

Have a little faith.

Jayce closes his eyes. He’s trusted Viktor again and again. This shouldn’t be any different even if it’s not his Viktor. “Hold on tight, Viktor. I’m going to get us out of here.” He focuses on the rune and the anomaly and the empty space in the room they are in outside of the arcane. He knows that room as well as any of the craftsmen who built it. 

The rune glows with the anomaly powering it. The layered spheres, now made of the blue light of the rune, expand and surround them. He just needs to ‘jump’ them. To move from one point here in the arcane to another out in the real world. Viktor’s shaking in his arms but his fingers are gripped so tightly into Jayce’s shoulders that he’s going to have bruises. He feels the charge of energy and then he hears the non-sound of the discharge inside of his ribcage. Then they are hurtling through a different cosmos filled with angles and harpsichord strings and fractals. Jayce holds tight to Viktor as he fights the spinning for control. He tries to focus again on the Hexgate room, thinking hard about the flat floor and half dome of precise engineering in the center and no swirling, spiraling colors. Viktor thankfully keeps his face tucked into Jayce’s chest and it’s grounding in a way that Jayce needs. They need to go home. He pushes his will again and suddenly his back is cold as processed air hits it. His body is real and aching. He fights the way his guts want to empty again with short quick breaths. He has a warm weight in his arms and hair tickling his nose.

It’s hard to pull apart, clinging to Viktor like he’s going to be taken away at any moment. But after that moment passes, he slowly relaxes and yes, they are at the base of the Hexgate with the steel and blue architecture under their feet instead of astral projection or wild rune bullshit.

“We did it,” he whispers out, as if scared to break the spell. But they are still there. “Viktor, fuck, we did it!” He can’t help the kiss that he presses to Viktor’s surprised upturned face. It takes Viktor a beat but then he’s kissing back. They are alive. They are together. Jayce doesn’t stop kissing him until his lungs burn for air. He pulls back and looks at Viktor. There’s no silver gleam in his eyes. There’s no wild rune scarring on his cheeks. His hair is long but dark. He takes another half step back and finds Viktor’s skin is pale and human again. His dignity preserved by the everpresent blanket, wrapped loosely around him. “Fuck, Viktor.”

“Jayce. What...? How...?” Viktor looks at his own hands in awe. “I’m...”

“You’re yourself again.” Jayce kisses him again, shorter this time. He glances over at where he had been and startles, pushing Viktor behind him as he steps protectively between his partner and the figure still standing there, hand extended to where Jayce’s head had been. 

This figure had changed again. It is now shaped more like the Herald. At the same time, it was something new. Mutated long limbs didn’t have gears at the joints, but are now organic. It had a mask over its face but it looked like a split face, somewhere between human, beast, and machine. The skin was still the purple living metal and the forge lines they had seen in the astral plane were simply the gold circuits from before. It seems frozen with golden eyes staring down at where Jayce had been. 

Viktor peers out from behind Jayce, clinging to him for balance. “Is... isn’t that... me?”

“It’s the Hexcore without you. It must be The Herald.”

Viktor shudders at the name. “What happened to it? What happened in there?”

“Another you fought it. Is fighting it?” he corrects. Jayce feels guilty about leaving the other Viktor there. He seemed nice, caring, comfortable with Jayce. Jayce feels for the anomaly but doesn’t find it in its usual spot in his chest. He looks down at his wrist and the rune is gone as well. Apparently it had just enough power for one jump, unlike what’s tangled up in Ekko and the Professor.

Jayce instinctively shifts into a more aggressive stance as the figure starts to move. He glances over to the hammer on the ground but it’s too far away. He would leave Viktor vulnerable. The figure pulls its hand back and straightens up. A halo of runes illuminates in the air behind his head. It looks over the two of them, making Jayce bare his teeth aggressively.

“Jayce,” the voice that comes out is very synthetic. “I am pleased to see you made it out alright, darling. Ah, Viktor too. I hope that body is to your liking.”

“Darling?” Viktor comments from behind Jayce. As if that was the word to focus on out of everything the being in front of them said.

“Apologies. It's a habit. I was very close to my Jayce and then got to spend a not insignificant time close to your Jayce.” It tilts its head and Jayce can almost read the smile in the movement.

“I see,” Viktor nods, still processing everything.

“You won?” Jayce says guardedly. 

“I did. The Herald, the Hexcore isn’t truly gone or I would not be here, but it is contained, controlled. Despite the veritable feast of rods you gave it.”

Jayce relaxes back down, but keeps Viktor behind him. “What now?”

“Good question.” He looks out through the doorway to the side, back to the canyons they came from. “There’s so much to do now. And no timeline to do it in. I suppose I'll have to take care of the commune. I have so much to undo there.”

Jayce frowns. He remembers all of the souls connected to the Herald, in suspended animation. He doesn’t think they came to any harm during the fight but they would still be trapped in that webbing. “Will you free them all? Can you?”

The golden eyes dim instead of closing as he looks inward. “Depends. I'd like to but there's some, let’s say, fuckery going on. I'm definitely going to get them back to as normal human as possible. I'm not interested in being a cult leader.”

“Liar,” Viktor chimes in.

“True, but we've seen what that results in. And we don't want to go down that road again.” His shoulders bounce with simulated laughter. “I am going to need help. I know you probably want to get back to Piltover after this whole sabbatical, but I could use you here for a bit. Also for introductions. Those outside of the commune are going to see this body and react, eh, poorly.”

“We could definitely use the rest,” Viktor chimes in, carefully stepping around Jayce and still using him for support. Jayce hates that but Viktor seems confident enough that the other won’t hurt him. “And we will help too. This was my commune after all.”

“Of course, Viktor.”

“If he’s Viktor, what- who does that make you?” Jayce asks, trying to get ahead of the confusion.

“Viktor,” the two of them answer simultaneously. Jayce rubs the bridge of his nose.

“Shall we head back?” the other Viktor asks. 

His Viktor nods and takes a couple steps towards the door, but pauses when he hears the tap of the staff behind him. “I’m walking.”

“Very astute,” the other Viktor comments with amusement in his artificial voice.

“I no longer have the Hexcore supporting me. I’m no longer made of metal.”

“Very observant.”

“Yet I walk.”

“When Jayce teleported you out of this, he took all that was human, which is why I seem as strange as I am. I’m only made of metal now.” He looks at his own hand before looking back to Viktor. “I helped fill in the rest. What’s the point of being a god if I can’t even do that? Think of it as a reset. You still have your genetic degenerative bone disease but I’m sure you have someone who will help you make better braces earlier in the process. As long as you don’t go back to the fissures, your lungs should stay healthy instead of becoming deadly.”

“I get to live?” Viktor looks back at Jayce with hope in his eyes. 

“You get to live,” the other Viktor confirms.

Jayce closes the distance between them and crushes his Viktor into a tight hug again. His words are trapped in his throat by emotion. He’s so happy that his partner will be safe. Viktor holds him tight back, chest bouncing with laughs and sobs. Jayce gets it. He feels the same. He finally pulls away when the other Viktor coughs politely. His Viktor brushes away the tears on Jayce’s face. He kisses Viktor briefly before turning to the other. “Thank you,” he rasps out.

The other Viktor nods and gestures again to the door. The walk back to the commune is much more pleasant than the walk to the Hexgate. Viktor marvels in his ability to walk. Until they get on rough terrain and they realize he doesn’t have shoes. Jayce scoops him up in his arms and carries him the rest of the way.

When they get into the commune, they find the inhabitants all idly standing around, looking a bit vacant. 

“I didn’t realize it had gotten this bad,” Viktor says softly from Jayce’s arms. Jayce can feel him shrink in on himself in guilt.

“Don’t worry about it too much. I understand the Hexcore’s influence very well. I’ll take care of them. You two get something to eat and then get some rest. We’ll talk more again tomorrow.”

“I do want to talk to you about how you’re planning on maintaining control over the Hexcore instead of letting it control you. We can come up with some strategies and-” Viktor sounds like he would like to go to their workshop to get started but the other Viktor cuts him off.

“Tomorrow, Viktor,” he reassures with a mechanical chuckle.

Jayce carries Viktor all the way to their home. It’s weird coming back to it after so much that has gone down. Jayce feels hesitant when he sets Viktor down, but Viktor’s quick to grab his hand and make sure he comes all the way inside. Jayce knows he should be happy but it now feels too easy. Viktor moves around the space like he’s looking at it with new eyes. He finds the bowl of fruit and immediately bites into an apple. He sighs happily as he chews.

“I haven’t eaten in so long.”

Jayce smiles softly at his enthusiasm. He wishes he was more excited but his chest feels empty without the anomaly. He rubs at his wrist where the rune was. His palm itches as he realizes he left the hammer back at the Hexgate. He too looks around the bedroom and horror dawns on him as he realizes that all of the affection that happened between them was the Hexcore placating Jayce. 

He kissed Viktor at the Hexgate but does Viktor feel that way about him? He can’t remember if Viktor kissed him back or was he too stunned to react? He can feel the panic clawing up his throat as he thinks through the implications. The Hexcore forced Viktor and Jayce took advantage of him. He’s just as bad if not worse than the Hexcore. He backs away from the bed until his back hits the door frame. 

The impact catches Viktor’s attention away from the pastry he’s enjoying. He says something but Jayce can’t hear. His breath is too fast, his heartbeat pounding, his pulse racing. His vision is starting to blur too so he misses Viktor coming to stand in front of him until his two hands grab onto the sides of his face and force him to focus on him. Viktor’s lips are moving and he does his best to read his lips.

Breathe. Breathe, damn it. He sucks in a lungful of air and the world comes a little more in focus. “Good, good, keep breathing for me, Jayce. In and out.” Jayce obeys and slowly comes down from the panic attack that grips him. “There we go. Okay, okay.” Viktor lets go of his face and rests a hand on his chest to keep Jayce’s breath going. “Easy now. It’s alright Jayce you’re safe. No more danger here. No more Hexcore or Herald.” Jayce shakes his head. That’s not the problem. “No? Okay, so it’s something else. What are you panicking about, Jayce?”

“I- I did things.” Viktor arches an eyebrow, but patiently waits for more explanation. Jayce swallows hard. “To you. Under the Hexcore. Viktor... Fuck, I practically raped you.” Viktor’s expression goes soft. Jayce has to look away out of shame.

“Oh Jayce.” The pity in his voice makes Jayce want to throw up. “You did no such thing.” Viktor turns his face back towards his with gentle fingers along his bearded jaw. “I understand your thoughts on this, your rationale. But your basis of logic is false. You think I did not want that. That is the furthest from the truth. I wanted it so bad that the Hexcore finally saw the use for it and convinced me that I was doing it for you, for us. And I was so willing.”

“But it was controlling you.”

Viktor hums in thought. Jayce can see him working on framing his arguments. “I was being influenced. By various amounts. More and more towards the climax that we just experienced. Less when it was us. It would be like waking up, having you come into focus so that I could show you everything I wanted to. For the day to day dreary work, yes, I let the Hexcore take the driver's seat. It was comforting to let it have control after being so exhausted. I do regret letting it have that much control and influence now that I have clarity over what was going on in the commune. But I do not regret anything I did with you.”

Jayce is going to rebuttal, but he finds his mouth busy with Viktor pressing a kiss against his. He freezes up but Viktor stays insistent, leaning up against him, even pushing up onto his toes to keep the pressure up. Jayce relents, tilting his head to let their mouths line up neatly. His hands come to settle on Viktor’s waist with light touches. Viktor keeps it up until they both need to breathe. Jayce follows a little as Viktor pulls away first.

“Do you believe me now?”

“A bit.” He tries to catch his breath after the kiss, after the panic attack still. “Might need a bit more convincing,” Jayce tries for cute and flirty but it comes out flatter than he wants. 

Viktor smiles up at him anyways with warm golden eyes. “We’ll take it slow, Jayce. Whatever you feel comfortable with.” He takes another step back but grabs Jayce’s hands so he doesn’t lose contact. He gently pulls Jayce over to the bed. “I’m looking forward to real sleep too.” He makes Jayce sit down and he kneels to pull off his shoes. Jayce shrugs off his shirt and belts, tossing them to the side. He reaches for Viktor when he stands again and pulls him close into his lap, a familiar movement that Viktor eagerly follows. He rests his head against Viktor’s chest, turning his head to press his ear in. He sighs when he hears a steady heartbeat. Viktor runs his hands through Jayce’s hair. He waits patiently for Jayce to get his fill before he pushes him back and down. Viktor lays down next to him, resting his head against Jayce’s chest. “Feeling better?”

“Yeah.”

“Good.” Viktor pushes up to kiss his cheek briefly before settling back down. “I still like the beard.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Makes you look a lot more mature.”

“Oh.” He mentally assigns it as a Viktor thing instead of a Hexcore thing. “Hey wait, what does that mean?”

Viktor chuckles and wraps an arm around Jayce’s waist. Entwined, they get very comfortable and slip into sleep.

Jayce only gets an hour of sleep before the nightmares come for him with mechanical hands that grab him and crush him. They rip and tear Viktor apart in front of him, rebuilding him into something grotesque as he lays there broken and unable to move for all his efforts. The cosmos are dark, no hope left in these heavens. He screams and screams and screams until his voice is raw and he's being shaken awake but the moonlight turns Viktor’s eyes silver and Jayce lashes out, barely missing as Viktor scrambles away. The flash of bare, pale skin, not purple, brings horror to Jayce's expression and he shoves himself to the corner of the bed away from Viktor.

“I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry,” he says on repeat. 

“It's okay, it's okay, it's okay,” Viktor echoes back at him.

Jayce shakes his head. He's broken, ruined. He's not safe. 

“You’re not broken. I’m not going anywhere, Jayce. I trust you.” Jayce didn’t realize he said anything out loud. He sobs at Viktor’s kind words. “You’re going to be okay, Jayce.” Viktor carefully climbs back onto the bed and comes over to where Jayce is trying to make himself even smaller. “It’s okay. I should have anticipated this. Your post traumatic stress disorder isn’t just going to go away now that we’ve gotten our happy ending. I thought you were doing better but that was just- it was just me ensnaring your mind, wasn’t it? Of course it would come back now. After all of that we went through.” He finds Jayce’s hands and holds them. Jayce stares at them, trying to ground himself in Viktor’s words, in his touches. He lets out a long shuddery breath. “There we go. That’s it. Breathe for me, Jayce.”

Carefully, Jayce is coaxed out of the corner and back onto the middle of the bed. He can see that Viktor is exhausted, dark shadows under his eyes that look so familiar. Viktor doesn’t lay down but sits with him. Viktor keeps petting his hands and arms, giving him sensation to keep him there instead of letting him slip back into nightmares. 

The night is otherwise quiet and still. It could be just Viktor and Jayce in the universe and somehow that feels right to Jayce. 

Viktor’s fingers slow down and his head droops against Jayce’s shoulders. Jayce knows Viktor should sleep. He’s not interested in going back to the nightmares himself, but Viktor hasn’t slept since he- Jayce lets out a breath instead of finishing that thought. He carefully moves Viktor so he’s laying down. Viktor pouts and tries to argue, but Jayce just kisses him softly and tells him that it’s okay, he’s okay. Viktor’s too tired to really argue and lets Jayce tuck him in. It’s now Jayce who’s petting through his soft brown hair to lull him asleep. 

Jayce watches over him as Viktor sleeps well. 

Happy ending?

Morning comes gently. Viktor stirs awake and Jayce’s heart flips a bit as he watches the golden eyes blink open and then close again as Viktor yawns. Viktor opens them again and looks up at Jayce. He reaches up and cups Jayce’s face. “You didn’t get any sleep, did you?”

“No,” he answers softly. “I didn’t want to risk it.”

“We’ll get you a nap soon.” His fingers fall away from Jayce’s face. Viktor yawns again as he sits up.

“That sounds nice.” He feels the exhaustion nipping at the edge of his being, but he’s fine for now. Viktor leans back against him, their shoulders pushing up against each other. “How did you sleep?”

“Well. Dreams, but too many to really remember. I think they were remnants from the others. There used to be so many. But now...” Viktor sighs. “It’s quiet.”

Jayce thinks about it. He looks out the window. He’s been used to the gentle life here at the commune. He hated the solitude of the other dimension. But could he go back to the city life up above? “Quiet sounds nice.” 

“Oh?” Viktor sounds like he tucks that information away. Viktor moves one of his hands over to Jayce’s, lacing their fingers together. Jayce squeezes gently. He’ll go wherever Viktor wants to go. He is his home. Viktor turns his head up towards Jayce and they come together in a soft kiss. Viktor increases the pressure first, leaning in and pushing Jayce back until Viktor is in Jayce’s lap. 

Jayce gasps into Viktor’s mouth as he grinds down against him.

“Too much?” Viktor checks. 

“No, no, it’s good. Please.” His hands pull Viktor closer, one hand on his back, the other in his thigh pushing up the blanket turned robe in favor of touching flesh. Real flesh. Warm and smooth and pale. “I want to feel you.”

“I want you too, Jayce.” Viktor runs his hands up along Jayce’s chest until he can throw his arms around Jayce’s neck. He uses the position to lift his hips a bit as Jayce moves his hands under the blanket. The cloth comes free and is discarded on the bed. 

Jayce’s hands roam hungrily over his bare thighs, ass, back, shoulders, chest, waist, and comes around his hips to cup him and he startles a little at what he finds. His eyes snap up to Viktor’s.

“Ah. Yes. The Hexcore thought... I didn’t agree but I also... This is me. Is, is this okay?”

Jayce cups his balls then twists his grip to stroke up along Viktor’s shaft, flicking his thumb over the head and making Viktor gasp. “It’s you. Of course it’s okay.” Jayce keeps one hand on Viktor’s back to hold him close as he strokes Viktor, drawing so many wonderful noises from him. Familiar noises. He kisses Viktor before moving down the column of his throat to kiss and bite his pale skin. He finds an array of small moles across his chest and traces them out like constellations as VIktor throws his head back. Viktor rocks his hips against Jayce’s hand, matching his timing. 

As Viktor gets louder and looser in his movement, he works his fingers into Jayce’s long hair and pulls him back from where Jayce is sucking a mark against his chest. “Together,” he gasps out, even as he takes in how wild Jayce looks with swollen lips and blown out irises. “Please.” 

Jayce nods and works on pulling himself out of his pants without knocking Viktor off of his lap. Jayce leans back and Viktor moves in quickly. He lines up their hips and they each offer a hand to stroke their two cocks together. Viktor chases Jayce’s mouth and kisses him. Like they always do, they fit together perfectly. They anticipate the other, moving in sync. They race together towards their climaxes.

They moan out each other’s names as they spill out on Jayce’s stomach. They rest with their foreheads together. Viktor supports himself against the bed even though Jayce wouldn’t mind his weight. They breathe as one as their bodies cool down from their orgasms. Jayce reaches up to brush away the long hair from Viktor’s face. He shifts them up, letting Viktor tip back more in his arms. 

He believes Viktor a little more now. Especially as Viktor smiles crookedly up at him. Viktor leans his face into Jayce’s hand and nuzzles his palm. Jayce looks over him, enjoying how he looks. Healthy and whole and human. He freezes only when the wild rune brand on his arm slips into his field of view. He’s still marked by-

“It’s okay, Jayce.” Viktor covers his bicep with his own hand, blocking it from Jayce’s sight. Of course he would follow Jayce’s line of thought so well. “It’s over.”

Jayce nods and breathes again.

Viktor twists a little to get his hips off Jayce’s. He pushes on Jayce’s chest to get him to lay down again as Viktor curls up against his side, laying on that marked arm. “My apologies, but I find I’m a bit of a cuddler.”

“I don’t mind,” Jayce reassures as he pulls the blanket over both of them. Viktor gently runs his fingers over Jayce’s chest, absently drawing out nonsense. Jayce’s eyes drift shut as he listens to Viktor’s breathing. He falls asleep as exhaustion finds a weakness and takes him under.

--

Jayce is slowly pulled out of sleep by gentle conversation with two very familiar voices. The same voice but not. His brain struggles to put it together as he stirs. The conversation stops and there’s a weight at the side of the bed. Gentle fingers brush through his hair. 

“Jayce.” Jayce opens his eyes to find Viktor looking down at him, golden eyes soft. He smiles back. He reaches up to tug Viktor down into a kiss which Viktor doesn’t fight but keeps it pretty brief. “We have a guest. It’s just the other Viktor,” he gently warns, hoping that Jayce won’t lash out.

The other. Right. Jayce nods, he remembers and understands. Viktor pulls away to give Jayce room to sit up, the blanket pooling around his waist. He sees the other Viktor sitting almost demurely on a chair by the door. They were expecting him to freak out. Maybe he would have. 

“Morning,” Jayce greets, his voice gruff with just waking up.

“Afternoon.” There’s no lips to move but the voice sounds like it comes from something more inside. The little head tilt he does as he speaks confirms it. “Just so though.”  He looks smaller than yesterday but Jayce is sure if he was to stand up, he’d be stupidly tall. Another measure to keep him unthreatening. 

“I slept.”

“Yes. Only a couple disturbances but not enough to wake you before I could calm you.” Jayce’s eyes flick to his Viktor’s face at that. “With just some kind words and hair petting. I have no powers anymore.”

Jayce relaxes his grip on the blanket and takes a deep breath to calm the panic that had risen. “Thank you.” He looks to Viktor again as he moves around their space and he’s in a fresh outfit. Viktor hands him a plate of food. 

“Viktor brought food and a new set of clothes for me. We can still keep the blanket but without the metal body, I get cold again.” 

Jayce nods as he takes the plate and starts eating.

“We were just discussing ways to guarantee that the Hexcore,” there’s a bit of a pause as both of them judge Jayce’s reaction, but he just ducks his head a little, “won’t just take me over again. Right now it’s subdued and I have my doubts it’ll be able to find power again-”

“Doubts aren’t strong enough,” his Viktor argues. “Both of us understand how persuasive it can be. Even unconsciously.”

“I do understand. But we have time to solve it.”

“And we will need to solve it before someone decides to solve it for you.”

“By killing him,” Jayce chimes in, following the logic.

“Exactly.” His Viktor looks pointedly at the other. “Let’s get something put together quickly.” 

They catch Jayce up on their theories as he finishes breakfast. He offers some insight based on their previous work and his experiences. There’s a bit of hesitation from the other Viktor when they bring up the idea of collars to lock down his powers. His eyes go dim and Jayce remembers something Ekko said. He’s not sure if that would be poetic justice or too much. They should come up with an alternative solution to make him more comfortable.

The conversation moves into details and Jayce watches Viktor looking around for something to write on.

“Go to the workshop. I’ll meet you there. Just going to clean up and get dressed.”

Viktor glances over to Jayce and realizes they’ve just been talking while he’s been bare chested the whole time. Jayce appreciates and enjoys the bloom of color on his sharp cheeks. “Well, yes, let’s do that. Closer to the forge where we can make prototypes.”

The other Viktor chuckles and unfolds himself from the chair. He has to stay hunched to avoid hitting the ceiling. Jayce feels his pulse ticking up as fear grips him as his head tips up to follow his height. Viktor ducks through the doorway to give the other two a moment of privacy before they continue work. 

“Alright, we’ll keep working while you get presentable. How long before I should come back for you?”

“I just want to bathe and dress. Shouldn’t take more than a half hour.”

“If something happens before then, just hold tight until I get to you, okay?”

“Yeah. I’ll be okay.”

“I know you will.” Viktor leans in and kisses him gently. Jayce basks in it before Viktor finally pulls away. “Thirty minutes then I’m going to come find you.”

Jayce nods and watches Viktor head out. As the door closes, he pushes the blanket away and slips off the bed. His knee aches as he puts weight on it. It shouldn’t. He glances down at it and sees the wild rune still wrapped around it. He shakes off the feeling and starts the bath.

He slips into the water with a sigh. The sleep helped with a lot of the physical requirements yesterday. Viktor’s been helping with the mental. It’s been a lot. But Jayce still feels so raw from everything. It all started from the explosion in the councillor’s room. 

Seeing Viktor... Saving him and then waiting for him to wake up and then watching him just walk out. He started struggling then. And then he was thrown into the ravine and asked to do so much to try to save Viktor. Which he did by facing down the Noxians and then he immediately lost himself anyways and had to be forcefully brought back to consciousness just in time to watch Viktor lose. It was only a miracle that they are here today.

It’s too much.

Tears run down his cheeks, fighting through his beard to fall into the tub. He curls up tightly as his knee continues to ache in memory. He breaks down with choking sobs as he tries to process. This isn’t at all what he wanted out of his dream. He wanted to give magic to the people to save them, to make their lives easier. Instead it has just invited strife and discord and pain, so much pain. 

He only has thirty minutes before Viktor finds him again. He should have given himself more time. He should have done so much differently. He shouldn’t have come to the commune. He shouldn’t have lived through the ravine. He shouldn’t have become the Man of Progress for Piltover. He should never have turned his back on Viktor. He shouldn’t have made Hextech. He shouldn’t have chased after magic. He shouldn’t have chased his stupid dreams.

But then he wouldn’t have met Viktor. And Viktor would be dead. If not from the explosion in the chamber than the disease from the fissures. 

Now, Viktor has a second chance, a second life. Free from all of that. 

Jayce got his partner back.

He can’t throw this chance away.

Not again.

He uses that to pull himself out of the tub and drains the water. He dries and dresses quickly. He eyes the brace in the corner of the room, forgotten since Viktor healed his leg. There’s still a phantom ache in his knee, but it’s not real. What good will a brace do against a phantom? He reaches for the hammer but it’s still not there. He shoves the panic away. He doesn’t need it any more. There’s nothing to defend. There’s no need for him to murder anyone else.

He shakes those thoughts away before he can spiral out of control again and heads quickly to the workshop. 

As he enters, both Viktors look at him. His Viktor smiles brightly. The other one looks away, back to their chalkboard already filled with calculations and runes. Jayce wonders if he sees his Jayce when looking at him, even with the longer hair and beard. 

“Come look at what we have so far,” Viktor waves him over and Jayce heads to his side. Viktor gives him a look over but finds that he’s at least put together enough not to invoke too much concern. Jayce catches up on what’s written out on the board. The work is sound but very complex. He points at a line he doesn’t quite understand and the two of them start explaining it at the same time with the same words. Hearing them in stereo makes his head reel. He has to step back as the two of them look at each other and laugh, not helping the strange feeling. 

“No. Just one at a time,” he cuts in. They look at him and see the seriousness in his face. There’s a quick silent conversation between their glances and they both nod. His Viktor speaks first.

“Apologies, Jayce. We’ll do our best to accommodate.” He explains the section Jayce needed on his own. Jayce follows the explanation and continues through the rest of the equation. The next question goes to the other Viktor. Then back to his Viktor. Back and forth until he’s checked all of their work. The guards that need to be in place to contain and help control the Hexcore need to be very robust as it was designed to learn and evolve over time. Isolating it from exposure, from stimulus that it can use will be key. They’ll need to mute it too so that it can’t attempt to persuade Viktor into letting it out. Blind, deaf, and dumb.

“Is there any way to reduce its current capacity? Otherwise you just have a wolf pacing around a cage constantly testing the guards until it finds an escape.”

Both Viktors look back at the board in thought. Jayce really can’t offer much more insight than questions because Viktor was the one working on it, entirely by himself. Because Jayce was too busy playing politician. Ignoring his partner’s plight until it was too late to do anything about it. 

Jayce withdraws a bit while the two Viktors work out his query. He rubs the arm with the wild rune on it. He can just barely feel the pattern over it. The bone doesn’t ache like it does with his knee. He wasn’t hurt with it long enough like he was in the ravine. His nail catches on the scalloped outline. This was really the start of his downfall into the Hexcore’s control. And it knew it. He remembers how Viktor made him ask for it. It manipulated him into accepting its healing powers so that it could get a hook into him. More and more came after that and Jayce didn’t even think about it. Once again, he ignored the warning signs. Once again, he fucked up.

“Jayce.” The mechanical voice interrupts his thoughts and he looks up.

“Fuck, Jayce, your arm!” Viktor rushes over and pulls Jayce’s nails away from his upper arm. He glances down and sees bloody streaks through it. His nails are steeped in red. The pain kicks in a little later and he flinches a little. “Over here.” Viktor pulls him towards a small fountain running. He grabs a cloth and starts rinsing away the blood. 

“Sorry.”

“As long as it doesn’t get infected you’ll be okay. Oh Jayce, can’t take my eyes off you.”

Jayce feels even more ashamed at that. He feels so broken. He doesn’t twitch as Viktor splashes cold water over the wound. “We can keep this covered. Maybe we should think about a tattoo or something to help cover it.”

“Maybe.”

“Are you okay?” Viktor asks, looking at him after his next short answer.

“I will be.” Jayce sighs out. “I have you.”

“You have me.” Viktor cups Jayce’s face in his hands and kisses his forehead gently.

There’s a soft knock at a door and then moments later the other Viktor comes over with some medicine and bandages. He passes it off before retreating to let Viktor care for Jayce. The salves sting a little as they are applied with warm fingers. Viktor makes sure the bandages aren’t wrapped around Jayce’s upper arm too tight. 

“You’re not going to go after your knee next, right?”

Jayce shakes his head. “Different issue there.” He takes a breath and then admits, "It hurts.” Viktor frowns and kneels down to take a look at it. “It’s not- You healed- It's healed just fine. It just- It’s in my head. I know it is. From the ravine.”

Viktor sighs. He can’t help with that. “We’ll just keep an eye on it then.” He pushes up back to his feet. He glances back to the blackboard. “We’re almost done with how to degrade the Hexcore, it’s a counter program that will slowly undo the evolution it took. Hopefully it’ll leave it inert after some time. I think we’re ready for the physical design. If you’re up for it.” 

Jayce nods and together they head back to the board. The other Viktor is pulling the next fresh slate out to help sketch out schematics. Jayce looks at him and realizes something. “You asked them to bring bandages.”

He looks up at Jayce. “They offered. I do not command them. I will not command them.”

“But still very connected.”

“Yes.”

Jayce feels conflicted but Viktor already said that he’d work on giving them their freedom back, so he drops the topic. He instead grabs the chalk and starts sketching out a chest piece that could plug in like the Hexcharger to deliver and monitor the Hexcore. The other two chime in with ideas and requests to accommodate their programming via runes. There will be a bit of artificing required after the initial smithing but nothing they can’t handle.

The bite of chalk against the slate helps calm Jayce as he falls into the very familiar rhythm that is engineering with Viktor. Even the other Viktor’s robotic voice doesn’t throw him off any more. It's not the manic energy of their youth but the back and forth between the three of them building up to the satisfaction of a completed design helps put him back into a better mind set. He's even eager to get into the forge when one of the Viktors suggests the idea of food first. 

Jayce doesn't want to lose the momentum but he remembers how many times he had to coax Viktor away from his work for food and rest. So he nods and steps away from the chalkboard. 

“The market is up if you want to go get something,” the other Viktor offers, correctly predicting that Jayce wouldn't want him to ask the commune members to bring something to them. 

Jayce catches himself looking for the hammer to take with him. Viktor slips his hand into Jayce's instead. “I got you.” Jayce squeezes his hand back before they head out, leaving the other Viktor behind.

Jayce is quiet and contemplative as they walk. His knee is bothering him a little bit but he does his best to avoid a limp. It would be best to make sure he doesn't fuck something else up by over compensating for an imaginary injury. Viktor fills the silence as he brings up small things he thought of for the commune while he was the leader, especially before Jayce arrived. Jayce actually finds it comforting that Viktor really did plan for this place to last. It's set up perfectly for the other Viktor to take over and continue. Without the mind connection part. If they can solve the perfect lock. 

He’s itching to get back to work, but Viktor’s still looking through the pastries. Jayce takes a deep breath and lets him set the pace.There’s no need to hurry anymore. Viktor isn’t dying.

I get to live? The way Viktor said that sticks in Jayce’s mind. Viktor always knew he had a shortened timer. He always knew that death was looming right behind his disease. When they first met, there was distance there, but as the years slipped away and it got worse, that distance closed. And what did Jayce do about it? He sought his own glory.

“You should try this one,” Viktor cuts through Jayce’s thoughts. “Jayce?”

“Yeah, sorry, getting lost again.” He takes the pastry and bites into it, letting the sweet custard inside spread across his tongue. “Mmm, very good.” 

“Good.” Viktor picks out a couple more and then guides them to sit at the edge of the fountain in the middle of the commune to rest and eat. Jayce makes sure his knee is straightened out. “Maybe a brace would help. To remind the leg that it’s safe,” Viktor suggests as he hands over another pastry to Jayce.

“Maybe. I’ll try it on when I get back to our place.”

“Not that one.”

“What?”

“Please. It’s rusted and fastened crudely. It’s more of a danger than it will be a help. Make yourself a new one.”

“It’s perfectly functional.”

“Oh? Then maybe I should use it.”

“No.” 

Viktor raised his eyebrow at Jayce when no more argument came. 

“Fine, I’ll make new braces. For both of us.”

“Good.” Viktor leans against Jayce, happy with his victory. Jayce doesn’t mind making new braces, but he’s still not sure if it’ll help him. Why waste materials on something that probably won’t work? Well, he doesn’t know that. It could help. He focuses on the pastry, rather than letting his mind spiral down into the negative again. 

Viktor licks his fingers clean when he finishes, standing up and stretching. It’s good to see him so animated. Jayce finds himself smiling at his partner.

“Alright, let’s get you back to the forge. I know you’re eager to work.” Viktor holds out his hand and Jayce takes it, careful not to pull him off balance as he stands as well. Viktor smiles up at him and leans in, pushing up on his toes, for a quick soft kiss. Jayce captures him with an arm around his waist and goes for a second deeper one. They pull away a little breathless before resting their foreheads together.

They got through everything and are together again.

Jayce lets Viktor go, but his hand is caught and together they head back to the forge. Jayce already knows which pieces he’ll need to make first to let the other two start working on the artificing. They find the other Viktor meditating in the workshop. He raises his head and the arm from his back waves at them before he goes back to it. Jayce supposes he’s working on dismantling the hive mind. He pushes aside the fear that he’s talking with the Hexcore. Viktor goes to work on designing some braces while Jayce gets the forge stoked to get the pieces for the lock made. 

Jayce lets himself get lost in the physicality of the hammer against the metal as he shapes and pieces they need. The heat coats his back and arms. Sweat quickly creates a sheen on his skin. The vibrations of the smithing hammer makes him more aware of his muscles. The strikes against the hot metal become the rhythm of his heart. He lets his thoughts go quiet, focusing only on geometry and quality. 

When he finishes the pieces for the lock, he lets the fires go down. When he turns to clean up the tools he finds Viktor sitting there watching. “Oh, hi.”

“I never got to visit you when you worked in the forge in Piltover. It was too far for me to walk. But now I know I missed out. It’s incredible watching you work like that. You were so focused I bet you didn’t even hear me come in.” 

Jayce shakes his head. “I didn’t know it was an accessibility thing. I thought you thought it was too dirty or something.”

“Well, it’s dirty for other reasons,” Viktor teases with a lascivious gaze. Jayce feels his cheeks heat up as Viktor lets his eyes roam over his bare chest. Viktor laughs and gets to his feet. “It’s late now, we can work on the rune matrix tomorrow. Let’s get some dinner and sleep.” 

Jayce nods. He makes sure everything is put away, puts on his shirt, and then follows Viktor out. There’s a little bit more noise than he’s used to at the center of town. It makes Jayce nervous after so long living in the commune between soft murmurs giving him thanks and calling him Defender. A shiver goes through him as they get closer. Viktor squeezes his hand in support.

They turn the corner and see everyone around the communal table full of food. The noise is just bright conversation. The other Viktor is already sitting down at the head of the table. Jayce and Viktor find spots of their own. Jayce watches the others and notes how they are more animated. More natural. More real. He glances at the other Viktor whose eyes brighten a little and he tilts his head in acknowledgement. He’s giving the people back their identities. He’s making things right. Jayce nods his head back at him and pulls food to his plate to eat with his Viktor.

--

Viktor’s leaning against Jayce as they head back to their house. Someone had shared the honey wine again. Jayce passed on it, but Viktor indulged a little bit, just enough to feel loose and relaxed. Jayce makes sure their steps are sure as he guides them home. Dinner was nice. It was nice to hear everyone talking again. He finds himself upset that he hadn’t picked up on the differences until it was too late.

“No frowning,” Viktor chastises, poking at Jayce’s cheek. Jayce instantly softens his expression up for Viktor. “Much better. Though you’re still stinky.”

“Stinky?”

“From the forge. Smell like you and ash and metal. Stinky.”

Jayce snorts. “Ah, yes. I guess I should wash off.”

“Yes. Bath.” Viktor nods at the idea and Jayce is sure that he has ulterior motives. But he’s not going to argue with them. He just makes sure to open the door to their home before Viktor runs into it. Viktor hurries into the next room to start the water as Jayce closes up behind him. As soon as he enters the bedroom he’s accosted again by Viktor who tugs at his clothes to get them off. Jayce chuckles softly and helps him out, keeping an eye on the tub to make sure it doesn’t overfill. 

Viktor gets very touchy feely when Jayce is bare, leaving only the fresh bandages on his upper arm. Jayce lets him explore for a bit before catching Viktor’s hands which brings a pout to his partner’s face.

“I wasn’t,” Viktor pauses to think of the right word and finally settles on, “allowed to touch back then.”

“You should have asked.”

“You weren’t like this back then. We were simply lab partners.”

“And now?”

“Partners,” he puts a lot of emphasis on the word that makes pleasure curl in Jayce’s gut. Viktor leans in to kiss him with his wrists still held. Jayce lowers their hands and lets go to hold Viktor close. But as soon as he goes for Viktor’s clothes, Viktor pulls away, dancing back towards the bath. Jayce laughs softly and follows him, stepping out of his pile of clothes. Viktor gestures to the tub so Jayce obeys as steps in, lowering himself into the hot water with a sigh. VIktor turns away to the little cupboard with supplies and comes back with a washcloth and some soaps. He pulls up a chair as Jayce leans back against the edge of the tub.

“You know, you could join me in here.”

“I could,” Viktor nods. “But I want to take care of you. Properly.” He dips the washcloth into the water, soaps it up, and then leans over the edge to start dragging it over Jayce’s skin. Jayce smiles and tips his head back to let Viktor indulge. Viktor’s touch is a mix of cloth and skin as he works from Jayce’s shoulders down each arm and back up and then down his chest. He keeps his touch teasing and light around Jayce’s hips. Jayce still reacts even as Viktor almost pointedly ignores the growing erection that he has in favor of working down his thighs and calves. It turns into more of a massage than a wash at some point, but Jayce isn’t going to complain. He just watches Viktor as he works, enjoying the way he softly bites his lower lip in concentration. The third time his sleeve dips into the water, Viktor curses softly and pulls back to take his top off. 

Jayce watches him even closer. He didn’t get a lot of opportunities to see Viktor in anything but his lab wear. Maybe a fancier suit for presentations and galas but not stripped down until recently. But even then, the bare skin over the purple and gold biometal is a treat. He’s still skinny of course, but not deathly so. No embedded metal either to help correct defects, not yet. Not ever now that they can get him proper medical care. Jayce finds him gorgeous, would find him gorgeous any way he came. He reaches out and touches Viktor’s shoulder, getting his attention.

“Don’t stop there. Get all the way undressed and join me, Viktor.”

Viktor hums in thought as if this was a great decision to make. Jayce smiles and chuckles softly. Viktor finally stands with a heavy sigh as if it wasn’t obvious what he was going to choose. He shimmies out of his pants and tosses them away. He steps away briefly to grab the bottle of shampoo and something else before coming back. Jayce lifts a hand up to help Viktor step into the tub. He settles down straddled across Jayce’s lap facing him. He scowls a little when he sees Jayce’s smirk but a kiss cures both expressions and they settle into a softness that feels good. 

Jayce runs his hands up and down Viktor’s back, drawing water up and over it. Viktor slides his hands through Jayce’s beard and cups his face. They kiss again, slowly making out as they touch each other. The water sloshes between them as their bodies come together. Their chests press closely. Viktor fits inside of Jayce’s wider frame. They fit well together. 

Jayce’s interest hasn’t waned at all and rests patiently against Viktor’s ass. Viktor’s own cock rubs teasingly against Jayce’s abdomen. There’s no rush between them to get to the next step. In fact, Viktor takes a step back, leaning away just long enough to grab the first bottle and getting the shampoo in his hands so when he gets them back into Jayce’s hair, it’s a little more productive. Jayce smiles as he’s kissed again, enjoying the care that Viktor gives him. 

It was Viktor that washed him before. Not the Hexcore. It was Viktor. 

Jayce wraps his arms around Viktor, holding him close. The warmth of the water is nothing compared to the heat of his skin. His hands get a little more exploratory, a little more touchy and grabby. But he’s stopped when Viktor pulls away again, pushing at his shoulders until Jayce is dunking under the water to rinse his hair. He comes back up with extra splashes and goes right for a big wet kiss. The laughter he gets is such a balm on his soul. He doesn’t stop kissing Viktor all over his face. He goes back to touching him all over, hands never settling anywhere for too long.

Viktor at least tames Jayce’s kisses with a grip on his wet hair and focuses him with a deep searing kiss that just stokes the fires in his belly. His want for Viktor is already tangible but it’s bordering on torture with how close and tantalizing Viktor is. His grip slides under the water to Viktor’s skinny hips and grabs his ass with both hands, getting a good moan out of him. Jayce drinks that down like life saving water. 

Jayce starts to reach for Viktor’s cock, but once again Viktor pulls back and denies him. A growl rising from Jayce’s chest, unbidden but stemming from all the time before that Viktor pulled away, denied him. He doesn’t miss the way Viktor flushes at the sound, catching himself from returning to Jayce’s arms again.

“Easy now,” Viktor soothes. He reaches back and grabs the other bottle. He also pulls the plug on the tub, letting the water drain out. He makes a bit of a show of pouring the oil over his fingers, drawing Jayce’s attention and curiosity. Understanding floods Jayce’s face as Viktor sits up on his knees and reaches around to touch himself, opening himself up for Jayce.

“Fuck, Viktor.” His hands return to Viktor’s hips briefly before lifting one to up Viktor’s face. He leans up to kiss him.

“Mmm, I haven’t had a chance to do this in so long, but I really enjoyed feeling you inside me. I want you, Jayce.”

“Want you too, Viktor.” He finds his patience again as he kisses Viktor, sipping on the sweet sounds that Viktor gives him, as he waits for Viktor to be ready for him. Well, somewhat patiently. As it feels like Viktor is dragging it on, he grips Viktor a little harder and lets out a growl in mock frustration. He feels the shiver that goes through Viktor.

Finally Viktor withdraws his fingers and wipes the excess oil on Jayce’s cock. Jayce hisses at the relief after so long of being ignored. Viktor lets his knees slide forward in the tub, lowering his hips down as he guides Jayce’s cock to his ass’ entrance. They both pause and take a breath before Viktor lowers himself down. They moan together as Viktor is filled and Jayce is sheathed in heat.

They crash together with kisses and touches. Viktor focuses on moving his hips, sliding up and down Jayce’s cock with an energetic rhythm. Jayce works on bracing himself in the tub so he can lift his hips to meet Viktor, helping Viktor move as well with his hands on his waist.

The pleasure builds up between them. Neither of them slow down to draw this out. They crave each other too much. Their moans are mixed with gasps of their names, building up in volume.

Jayce doesn’t want to be anywhere else, with anyone else. He has his Viktor, safe and whole and healthy. It was everything they... Viktor had been working towards. The thought makes him falter a little. Viktor notices and cups Jayce’s face. “Focus on me. It’s okay. Focus on the now.” Jayce nods and does as he’s told. 

The new pace is a little slower but deeper. It’s not as frantic as he pulls Viktor into a kiss and grinds up into him. Viktor seems to be relishing the way his legs can lift and drop him with little effort. It’s smooth and painless. Even Jayce’s leg has calmed down, forgetting it’s nonexistent injury, for now. The only sensations between them are pleasurable. They roll and move as one, sharing breaths between kisses, touching and grabbing each other, wanting to be close, wanting to be one together.

Viktor reaches his peak first. He gasps out Jayce’s name like his orgasm snuck up on him. Jayce relishes the tight heat as pleasure races through Viktor’s body. Finally Jayce spills into him, causing another wave of pleasure to echo between them. Slowly they come to a still, clinging to each other. Viktor rests his forehead against Jayce’s. Jayce loops his arms around Viktor’s waist. Together they let their racing hearts slowly calm.

When they have recovered, Viktor moves first. He uses the edges of the tub to lift himself off. They both hiss at the additional friction. Viktor steps out carefully and finds towels to clean up and dry off with. Jayce climbs out after him, taking an offered towel. No words are spoken between them, none necessary. They pull on some semblance of sleep clothes and fall into the bed together. Jayce feels a knot of anxiety in his chest. What if he has a bad night again? But the way Viktor curls up almost on top of him, ear pressed against his chest like he’s listening to Jayce’s heart, Jayce can’t think about any dark what ifs. As Viktor said, he needs to focus on the now. He reaches up and plays with Viktor’s soft hair, basking in the warmth between them.

Just as Jayce is about to drift off, Viktor’s voice breaks the silence. “I haven’t felt this good in... ever. Even when I was young, my leg, my bones were already betraying me. My lungs didn’t have a chance with the poison in the air down here either.” Viktor takes a deep breath with his fresh lungs and laughs. “No wait, there was one moment.” He pushes up to look at Jayce directly. “I felt this good the night we found magic.”

Jayce shares his soft smile, remembering the soft blue light as they were flying weightlessly through Heimerdinger’s lab. “Yeah, yeah that was amazing. The start of our dream.”

“And now I get more of those moments. I get to start over. I get to live.” He sighs and settles his head against Jayce’s chest again.

Jayce can feel Viktor fall asleep as he thinks about that moment, about their path to here, this moment. He wonders what will happen next. His dreams have radically changed. He doesn’t want magic any more. Not with what it did to Viktor. He’ll use the last of it to help the other Viktor lock away their creation, but after that? What will he do? What can he do? He’s not sure, but he’s not panicked. He is sure about one thing. Viktor will be there.

The night, like Jayce assumed, is not kind to him. Despite the pleasant day and evening with Viktor, despite the reassuring weight against his chest, despite trying to stay up as long as he possibly could, the nightmares come to terrorize him anyways almost as soon as he slips under. 

He wakes up to a bad one with a gasp and finds Viktor staring down at him with wide eyes full of horror and fear.

“Sorry, sorry-”

“What did I do to you?” Viktor whispers.

“Don’t- Fuck, Viktor. It’s okay. We’re better. We’re- It’s not like that any more.” Jayce doesn’t know what he had been doing in his sleep as the nightmare ravaged his mind. He doesn’t even know what version of Viktor he would have been fighting against. He reaches up for Viktor, who flinches back. “It’s okay, it’s okay. I’ll be okay.” He presses forward with his touch. Viktor closes his eyes and leans against his palm. “We’re going to be okay.” He pushes up to kiss the tears that roll down Viktor’s cheek. 

“Jayce, you’re Jayce,” Viktor mutters, giving Jayce a little more insight into his nightmare that’s already fading from his memory. He loves how Viktor’s accent curls around his name so he doesn’t fight the comfort Viktor tries to share.

They stay up a little longer, kissing and holding each other. Jayce’s leg starts to ache but he knows it’s just in his head. It’s not even the side that Viktor is currently laying on top of. He pets through Viktor’s hair until his partner falls asleep again. He keeps himself awake from sheer will until dawn. This time Viktor gets to wake up with a softness that feels like a better fit for their happy ending.

At least Viktor gets a happy ending, Jayce thinks as he gets up and moves around stiffly between exhaustion and his knee acting out. He eyes the brace. He doesn’t put it on, but he makes sure it’s with him as they head out for breakfast and to get back to work on the Hexcore’s lock. 

The commune feels lively this morning, like it had at dinner. Jayce catches Viktor looking a little melancholy at it. “It’s not your fault. You were being influenced.”

“I still missed the signs. I fucked up and I feel like I’m getting away with it.” Viktor looks over at Jayce with soft eyes. “I feel like you’re paying for my sins.”

“I don’t mind carrying yours while handling my own consequences, Viktor. I’m not blameless either. All we can do is move forward. Together.” 

Viktor nods and squeezes his hand.

At the workshop, the other Viktor is already hard at work working on artificing the runes they came up with onto the pieces that Jayce made yesterday. Viktor goes over to him to review the work,double checking the equations and calculations. Jayce takes the old brace to the forge to work on making a new one, the ache in his leg throbbing worse with each step. 

The forge’s heat rises to greet him as he preps the pieces of metal he’ll need for the brace. He has to be careful not to fall into rote memory and make it Viktor-sized. Though, Viktor will need one too. He’s not even sure what this brace will be doing. It’s not like the leg actually needs support. Mostly he’ll just need to feel like it’s supporting something, doing something. Very somatic rather than therapeutic. 

He gets half of the pieces made and cooling when someone from the commune comes in with a request. It’s an easy task but requires different metals and a different temperature with the forge. Jayce still doesn’t hesitate to put aside his project to help out.

“Thanks, Def- Jayce.” 

Jayce shrugs it off but his knee aches with phantom pain. 

A couple more requests come in. They are better about calling him by his name. Pointedly so. He wonders if the Viktors have anything to do with it. The side work delays making the braces but he doesn’t mind. It’s not like he really needs his, and Viktor hasn’t quite designed his yet. Viktor brings him a bit of lunch and makes him take a break, but Jayce uses it to talk through what he’s working on. Viktor throws in his two cents as he is the expert on braces. Jayce helped make his, but Viktor lived through the evolution of the designs.

Jayce finishes the commune pieces first, but before he’s about to return to the brace, the other Viktor enters the forge with one of the pieces he had been working on. Despite no moving facial features, Jayce can feel the sheepish expression as he hands it over.

“Can I get the etchings smoothed over? I missed runes in the transcription.”

“Of course. Give me a second.” He adjusts the heat of the forge again. 

“Is everything okay, Jayce?”

“I’m fine. Just... adjusting.”

“I saw what they- I- he- it did to you.”

“I’m fine.”

“Viktor told be about the nightm-”

“I’m fine!” He whirls around at the other with his smithing hammer held tightly in his hand, teeth bared in a snarl.

“You most definitely are not fine, Jayce.”

The hammer drops to the floor with a clang. All the tension in his body falls immediately. “I know, but... but what- what am I supposed to do about it?” He shakes his head. “I just. I just need time. And rest.” He looks up at Viktor with a wry smile. “And maybe a whole new me.”

“Do not- You’re fine the way you are, Jayce. We can give you time and rest. You need to give yourself that as well. I can ask the others here to give you space if that’s what will help.”

“Honestly working is keeping my mind quiet while I’m awake. It’s the leg that bothers me then. Maybe once I finish the brace,” he sweeps his hand to the parts, “it’ll help.”

“I can help with the assembly while you fix my mistake.” Viktor nods at the mis-inscribed piece on Jayce’s anvil. 

Jayce takes a deep breath. “Thank you, Viktor.”  He turns to face the fires to fix the piece as Viktor works on assembling the pieces he has ready. By the time Jayce has the piece fresh and smooth again, the brace is assembled as far as the pieces created. Thigh support, the knee hinge, and vertical pieces headed to the heel that Jayce has yet to make. Jayce looks over the work and approves it.

“I will make sure not to ruin another piece of the hexlock. It is coming along nicely.”

“I’ll feel better about taking a break as soon as it’s done.”

“It will be well deserved, Jayce.” Viktor takes the piece and returns to the workshop.

Jayce wipes his brow and then focuses on finishing off his brace, just needing the piece that will support the foot. He curses himself as he finishes the piece and realizes that he made it Viktor-sized by accident. He sets it aside and starts work on another one. Thankfully this one comes out nicely and goes together with what Viktor had started. He pulls the brace on and straps it to his leg. The fictional relief hits him hard as the fictional pain is banished and a tear rolls down his cheek. He feels so broken. It’s not real. He shuffles around the forge to put up his tools and bank the fire. He glances at the workshop door but decides to leave through the other one, heading back to their home to try to sneak some sleep in. 

He doesn’t even bother to take off the brace as he just flops onto the bed, letting the placebo do its effect. Maybe it could even keep him safe from the nightmares. He can only hope as he closes his eyes and lets exhaustion take over.

--

He wakes up to a body next to him. He freezes up as he tries to place himself after the jumbled mess his mind provides as dreams. It’s warm, not cold. Alive? He hears the softest wheeze of breath. Yes. Conscious? Probably just sleeping, he decides as he takes in the darkness of the room. He must have slept more than he expected to. A small blessing, he thinks. It’s only made a small dent in his exhaustion but at least he’s a little more confident that he won’t collapse. 

More awareness creeps in as his panic subsides. Softly tousled brown hair shares the pillow. Viktor’s curved back presses against his side, lightly leaning on him. Now he can feel the slow rise and fall of his breathing. It turns from startling to comforting. Despite everything, Viktor still chooses to be by his side. He carefully turns on his side and wraps an arm around Viktor’s waist. The other man absently snuggles back against Jayce’s chest as if he’s safe.

Jayce knows it’s not necessarily true despite all of his efforts. He hopes one day maybe. In the meantime, he’ll stay awake and watch over Viktor so he can get his rest.

--

“People were coming here to be healed,” Jayce voices a thought as they browse the market for lunch. All of the pieces for the lock against the Hexcore are ready. It’s just up to the other Viktor to finish the etchings, which he offered to do while the other two went out for a break.

“Hm?” Viktor looks up from the fruit stand at him.

“There's still a need. You've solved a lot of other problems sustainably. Fresh air, fresh water, ample food, a market for trade. Even the way the buildings can be added almost overnight. But you had a shortcut for healthcare.” Jayce doesn’t gesture down to his knee but he can feel that ghostly throb of pain and the placeboing presence of the brace.

Viktor straightens back up with his hand thoughtfully on his chin. “You're right. And there's a great need for it too. Maybe not here, necessarily anymore but those still in the Undercity.”

“There’s always future need here. Aging and disease and accidents can happen. If this is to stay here, to become more than just the outskirts...”

“What could it become?”

“Maybe the rebirth of Zaun? We’re not that far from the Undercity. More distance from Piltover is probably not a bad thing. Let this become the new heart of the people here. Expand it. Let people stay here as we clean up their areas. A stable base of operations for change.”

“The people won’t like change,” Viktor frowns thoughtfully.

“They never do, but we can show them that it’s not that scary. Instead of Zaun being born from rebellion, let it be born from a softer hope. From recovery.” Jayce wraps an arm around Viktor and pulls him close. Viktor rests a hand on his chest and looks up at him adoringly.

“That sounds good, Jayce. A new Zaun.”

“Why not ask Medarda for help?” The two of them part quickly and look at the new voice. They find Salo standing there. “Sorry, I overheard. It’s hard being... apart from everyone. I tend to forget myself sometimes.”

“Salo, no, no, you are welcome to join us. You’re part of this place. You, all of you, should have a voice in the future,” Viktor reassures. 

“You think Mel would help?” Jayce asks.

“She’s not quite the bleeding heart that you were. But I think she could find a good deal in helping out down here.” He chuckles softly. “Plus, I’m pretty sure the two of you would be able to give her a pretty strong argument.”

“It’s been so long,” Jayce murmurs, thinking about her. It feels like a lifetime ago. 

“I think she’d still answer you.”

“It’s worth sending a message,” Viktor agrees, resting a hand on Jayce’s arm. “She’ll be happy to hear from you.”

--

There’s an air of anticipation as Viktor double checks all of the inscriptions, piece by piece as Jayce assembles the lock. The other Viktor looks through their calculations as well, not wanting to miss a single step. But the last piece snaps into place with no objections from anyone. 

“Ready?”

“As I’ll ever be, I suppose.”

“We shouldn’t get any feedback from our side except for the runes activating. You’ll have to inform us of anything happening... internally.”

“I will.” He comes over to stand in front of Jayce, turning around so that the alien-yet-familiar port on his back is accessible. Viktor helps Jayce wrap the apparatus around his narrow waist, making sure it’s resting comfortably on his hips. Once in place, he takes the cord and carefully slips the connector into the port. Viktor gasps as the whole thing lights up the familiar soft blue of the arcane. Jayce doesn’t take his hand off of it, ready to pull it out if there is any indication of a bad reaction.

“It’s...” Viktor’s voice sounds distant. Jayce’s grip tightens. “Gorgeous. A prism prison. I can see the core. It’s trapped. It’s safe.” 

Everyone lets out a collective sigh and Jayce drops his hand to his side. “Good. One less thing to worry about.” 

“Thank you, Jayce, Viktor.” Viktor’s voice is back again, returned from whatever internal mindscape the Hexcore exists in. 

“Happy to have it done.”

“We’ll still need to keep an eye on it, check to make sure it’s truly kept away,” Viktor reminds. 

“Yes, of course.” 

--

They are headed to dinner when they get notice that Mel has arrived at the gates. It had only been a day after they sent a message that she sent one back down that she’d be there the next day. 

The three of them, Jayce, Viktor, and Viktor, head out to greet her. Jayce is looking forward to seeing her again, but he can’t quite escape the knot in his stomach either. They left each other on strange terms. His grief over Viktor blotting out a future between them. But now they'd see each other again, after so much that has happened to Jayce. He never went back to her. Not after Viktor woke up. Not after returning from the ravine. Now, he definitely doesn’t have a future with her. Not over his partner. Not again.

Jayce takes a deep breath to steady himself as they make the last turn. She turns and looks up at their footsteps, elegant and poised. Her white dress pairs so well with her dark skin and gold accents. It's a balm on his heart to see that some things don't change.

"Jayce!" She hurries forward to him, arms out. Her embrace feels like a warm sunny day. He is loathed to pull away but they aren’t as they once were. She pouts but he smiles back. She looks him over. Gentle touches on his forearms, the bandage on his upper arm, his beard. "Going for the more mature look, I see."

There's a chuckle from Viktor at his side. She looks over, "Viktor. Oh, you look incredible. Last time I saw you, I thought- and then Jayce said- But you look, healthy. What hap-" her eyes flick to the third of their party as the other Viktor also turns the corner having fallen back to give the familiar faces a chance first. "What is that?"

Jayce glances behind and sees the yellow eyes dim in hurt. "That's Viktor." 

Mel takes a step back in confusion, looking between the two Viktors with suspicion.

"It's a long story," Jayce cuts in, "but both of them are Viktor. The tall one is just from a different... dimension? I don't know if we've really established what the elsewheres are in relation to this one."

"I am pleased to meet you, Mel Medarda. This version of you." Viktor bows deeply. His elongated limbs are elegant but it's still very alien and Mel doesn't drop her defense.

"Different dimensions? What have you been up to down here? What is this place?" She looks around with more scrutiny.

"It's a place for new beginnings," Jayce's Viktor cuts in. "I built it while on my... sabbatical." Mel narrows her eyes at his choice of words. "I've given this community shelter, fresh water, fresh air, and some independent food sources. And a new leader," he nods to the other Viktor. "But we still have some needs that I no longer can provide."

"No longer?"

"The Hexcore that was providing these people with a medical aid that that sought out unfortunately came with some significant side effects." Jayce does his best not to snort at how mundane Viktor has turned their whole struggle. Viktor glances over at him with a smirk. "But there is still a need for medical care for these people and others that hear the stories of miraculous care. They will come bearing their ails."

Jayce sees some understanding in Mel's eyes. Maybe she had heard some rumors about this place. The commune wasn't wholly sourced from the Undercity after all. Almost on cue, Salo comes walking around the corner. "Councilor Medarda." Mel's eyes go wide at seeing him walk. 

"Salo- Councilor Salo, I-"

"Am I still? I thought maybe my absence..."

"Honestly? It's been a fucking mess up there. The bare bones council is scattered to the winds. I’d take anyone at this point. Anyone back even." She nods at Jayce and Salo. She pauses. "Caitlyn isn't around here, is she?"

"No," Jayce answers simply. “We didn’t see her, but we believe she left with...” How would he describe the little misfit family that was here so briefly. “With Vi and her family to find safety from...” And now how to bring up the Noxians that wanted them.

“From my mother. Ah. I heard a little bit. Of a failed chance, thwarted by a cult and their mad wolfdog. Oh, was that you?”

“Mad wolfdog?” Jayce frowns. Is that how people saw him? Is that what-

Viktor cuts in, “A somewhat unfortunately but apt description of the moment. Things have shifted since then, but Jayce did a wonderful job of protecting this settlement. Ambessa was looking for a weapon that was simply a man looking for his family.”

“One of your miracles? Like Salo’s legs.”

“Yes, exactly.”

“But no more miracles now.”

“No. More natural healing we hope now. But we need help. Your help.”

“Well, let’s see if we can hash out a plan. Care to give me a tour?” The Viktors agree. Jayce nods along but falls behind as the two of them showcase the settlement. Or more accurately, he falls into his place as rear guard. He catches it and grinds his teeth against the feeling. It’s different now. It’s not like that anymore. He clenches his fists as he pushes the feeling aside. 

“Jayce,” the soft robotic voice catches him in his thoughts. The taller Viktor had dropped back to his side while the human Viktor was animately explaining the sustainability of the chosen architecture to Mel. 

“Sorry,” Jayce apologizes. 

“You did what you had to. You protected Viktor.”

“Yeah. Yeah, I had to.” His hand drifts up to the wild runes on his bicep. The bandages were replaced with just a cuff to try to keep the scabs hidden. The cloth helps him remember not to scratch at them. 

“Still bothering you? Are you getting enough sleep?”

“Barely. Viktor tries to help... But I’m mostly scared of hurting him in my sleep.”

“I might know a way to help. Let me know if you’d like my assistance.”

“I’ll think about it, thanks.” Jayce looks up at him and nods. Viktor’s face is emotionless, but his voice is full of care. He takes a deep breath to compose himself and they rejoin Viktor and Mel as they finish wrapping up the tour at the workshop. 

Mel smiles as she sees the smithy as if to say of course you’d have this. Jayce just shrugs back at her. It feels like one of the universal truths about him. He’s a Talis so of course he has a forge. She looks over the work that they have left up about the Hexcore lock. She admits to not being able to follow the formulas at all but it certainly looks impressive as the Viktors explain a little bit more of their history. 

“This device was strong enough that it brought a dead man back to life, jump-started a commune, and somehow created a physical copy of said dead man while channeling a copy from a parallel dimension? And my mother somehow overlooked it?” Mel whistles slowly. “She’s getting rusty in her old age. But we do need to continue to be wary since you,” she looks pointedly at the tall, demi-human, “still exist and could theoretically be used by her.”

“I would prefer not to be used as a weapon.”

“Agreed.” She crosses her arms and leans against the desk. “What you have created here, it’s impressive. Not at all what I thought would come about when I allowed you to break into the professor’s office all those years ago, but I still think that investment has paid off. I think I could spare some of those dividends to support your ideas. Do you have any tea that we could have while we talk details?”

Viktor smiles brightly and it thrills Jayce’s heart to see him so happy. Both Viktors excuse themselves to go set something up. Jayce feels awkward as he’s left with Mel alone in the workshop. He doesn’t know what to say or do and she’s content apparently to watch him squirm. Finally she breaks the silence but in the worst possible way.

“So, I see you and Viktor have worked your shit out.”

Jayce blushes hard and coughs as he chokes on a reply instantly.

“No, no, it’s a good thing, Jayce. We all saw how much you loved him. And when... the aftermath... I know how much that hurt you. But it seems like everything is coming up roses.”

Jayce nods slowly as he pulls himself together. “Yeah, mostly. Viktor’s... better. No lung disease. The bone disease still exists but the damage has been reversed for now. The biomechanical body that the other Viktor has, no issues there but we don’t know what its longevity is actually,” he drifts off a little as they haven’t thought about it. Or at least, neither of the Viktors have vocalized thoughts about it. “But theoretically he’ll be sustainable. Since the Hexcore is contained and he’s no longer creating miracles, there’s not a power drain-” He pauses when she holds up a hand.

“And what about you, Jayce? You are looking a little worse for wear, even under the new look.” She pushes up from the desk and walks over to him. He does his best not to shrink away from her touch when she lifts a hand to cup his cheek. “Heavy shadows under your eyes, bandaged arm, and now you’re the one wearing a brace.”

“It’s not- It’s not real.” He grimaces at the truth. He feels his knee throb under her observations anyways. “Viktor healed it.”

“From what? What happened? What am I missing, Jayce?”

Jayce shakes his head. He feels like if he opens his mouth then everything is going to come out and ruin everything that the Viktors are trying to build right now.

“Jayce,” she tries again, plying him with worry. She could always read him. He was always an open book to her. She knows that something was wrong now. But that’s the key point. Was.

“It was a journey, a necessary journey to get to this point. It’s too long of a story to recount, and that’s just my part. I can’t even imagine what the others have to share.”

“Others?”

“The Viktors, Ekko, and Heimerdinger. Wherever those last two are. I hope to see them again.” There’s something inside of him that doesn’t think so. Maybe they’ve moved onto greater adventures.

Mel just shakes her head. “I’ll be around to listen if you ever want to tell. But I guess we’ll focus on the future. I think I will be able to help.” She looks up as the other two come back with materials for tea and dinner. She gives Jayce one more pitying look before taking a deep breath to refocus on the business at hand. 

Jayce tries to follow along. He was a councillor at one point. He used to be good at politics, but he can’t seem to keep his attention on the matters at hand. He finds himself staring down at the tea in his cup and letting the discussion flow around him. Mel tries a couple of times to draw him back in but eventually they just give him the peace that he seems to need. The conversation goes well and they agree to trade supplies and medical assistance. 

It’s late enough at the end that the Viktors offer Mel a place to stay overnight and she accepts. Jayce wonders if she did only to see if she can find any deception of what they’ve presented her. The thought of her skulking around the commune and prying into their lives makes Jayce’s guts twist uncomfortably. But he shoves those feelings away. He’s no longer the Defender. That’s no longer needed. 

He hovers around awkwardly while the Viktors and Salo act like perfect hosts. Jayce realizes that as much as he at one point wanted to go back to Piltover with Viktor, he might not fit there anymore. Something about how Mel looked at him made him realize he changed too much. 

--

Finally he retires with his Viktor back to their home. They fall into bed with Viktor still talking about the plans and possibilities of their new agreements with Piltover. Jayce grunts along appropriately as his mind drifts along, wondering where his place is. Beside Viktor of course. He’ll just let Viktor decide, he decides. He kisses Viktor’s forehead causing him to shut up with a soft laugh. 

“I have been talking your ear off. But I think this is going to be a success. We’ll have so much work tomorrow, yes?”

“Yes,” Jayce agrees. Viktor snuggles in and drifts off happily. Jayce tries to follow but can’t seem to fully let go of those uncomfortable feelings. Between his leg, the fear of hurting Viktor in his sleep, the old need to protect the commune, and everything else, sleep escapes him. The other Viktor was right. He’s not okay. But what can he do?

The other Viktor said he had an idea, didn’t he? It might be worth a shot. That Viktor has helped him so much. What’s one more thing? 

Jayce carefully slips out of Viktor’s embrace with a kiss to his forehead. He tugs the blankets over Viktor’s shoulders to make sure he stays nice and warm in his absence. He slips out of the door quietly. Moving around the commune helps quiet at least one of his anxieties. He finds everything quiet and safe. No sound or movement around Mel’s guest location either. But he knows that the other Viktor doesn’t sleep, not in that biomechanical body, so where is he hiding? Jayce finally sees a soft blue glow coming from the greenhouse, so he goes to investigate. 

The door is silent as he slips inside. He sees Viktor there with the Hex Charger, loading up another fuel rod. 

“What are you doing?” Jayce asks.

“Oh!” Viktor turns at the intrusion. It’s hard to read his emotions without a face. His tone is mechanical and neutral. “Jayce. I was just topping up.”

“But why? You shouldn’t be using any energy. You aren’t healing anyone. You are disconnecting them.”

“That process isn’t as easy as it seems. There’s been a power drain in the background. I didn’t want to worry you. But obviously you have some worries. You should be sleeping, Jayce.”

“I couldn’t.”

“I see that.” Viktor gestures to a nearby chair. “Come, tell me about it.” He finishes dropping the latest rod into the Hex Charger and the blue light blooms again. It reminds Jayce of when they first harnessed magic. He obeys and settles into the chair. 

“Old habits and old trauma. Nothing new. You’re right, I’m not okay but I don’t even know where to start to untangle everything. Seeing Mel again, it makes me realize that I don’t think I could go back to Piltover. There was so much up there that distracted me from what was important. Viktor won’t want to go back their either.”

“No. He was never from there to begin with. We are from the Undercity. But that place has no love for us either. That was one of the drivers to create a new place, like this commune.”

“I want to be comfortable here. Especially since Viktor will want to stay here.”

“But this place is triggering some of the trauma that the Hexcore caused.”

“Yes.” Jayce runs his hands over his face in frustration. Of course Viktor would understand him. He startles when he opens his eyes again and finds Viktor kneeling in front of him.

“My apologies, but your leg, it’s part of this right? I can help. Massage can redirect the pain, phantom or not and I learned a lot about pain.”

Jayce nods. That makes sense. He doesn’t know everything about the other Viktor but it makes sense that he too would have had to put up with his leg deteriorating and learn about how to handle it. Viktor takes the nod as permission and takes off the useless brace. He reaches out and starts to massage Jayce’s leg through his pants. 

The tips of his fingers slide along the muscle. Pressure is applied to nerves that make Jayce’s leg twitch but more touches settle them back down. Jayce can feel that phantom ache start to release its hold on reality, start to slip away. Better than the brace. Jayce sighs and closes his eyes. His head tips back, exhaustion starting to creep in now that the constant stimulus has lessened. 

Heat clues him in first. It’s subtle and almost not noticeable through the cloth, but his body recognizes it as his heart rate starts to race and his breath catches in his throat. He looks down and Viktor’s hands are glowing with that tell-tale sign of power and control with thin wisps of light lacing Jayce’s leg like a brace. But as soon as Jayce starts to try to pull away, those wisps lock down against his skin like bands of iron. He still manages to twist away but that just makes him tumble off the chair to the ground. 

“Don’t fight, Jayce. It’s not worth it.” Viktor crawls forward, more threads of light spilling out of his fingertips to wrap around different body parts and locking them in place. Jayce finds less and less room to move as he tries to escape. “Stop making this harder, love. I know you’re not exactly mine, my Jayce, but you’ll be a suitable substitute.” Viktor moves until he’s covering all of Jayce, looking down with those flat glowing eyes and expressionless mask. He reaches down and touches Jayce’s cheek. A particularly thick wisps wraps around his neck, cutting off all noise of protest. “You always snapped at the leash, but you enjoyed the ideals of the collar. Control, obedience, comfort, ownership, loyalty. You were always so faithful to me. This dimension is a little different but I can train you once again.”

Jayce can feel a cloudiness start to come over his mind. He’s losing feeling in his body. Fingertips and toes become just distant memories. It’s a speedrun of the brainwashing that the Hex Core tried on him. Jayce fights with all of his will but it’s a losing battle. How? How did it come to be this? How did they miss the signs? Is it even the Hex Core?

“You will be mine, Jayce. You’ll always be mine, no matter how to try to escape me.”

“F-fuck y-you,” Jayce gasps with the last of his energy.

“Oh my dearest.” This time Jayce can hear the derision in Viktor’s voice.

“No really,” there’s a harsh crack and suddenly Viktor is knocked to the side, “fuck you.”

All of the white lines of Jayce’s imprisonment snap apart and Jayce rolls to his feet away from the biomechanical body that is still reeling from the blow. He looks up to see Viktor struggling to reset Jayce’s corrupted hammer. The other Viktor is pulling himself together from the unexpected blow. Jayce moves before he thinks about it, crossing the space between them, grabbing the hammer, and swinging hard. The head comes into contact again with the other Viktor, sending him crashing against the fall wall of the workshop.

Jayce is spun around with the momentum of the hammer’s head and catches sight of the real Viktor’s face, horrified and angry and hurt. It’s only a flash before Jayce roars again and swings to end this nightmare. The biomechanical carapace cracks and shatters and the scream that escapes will haunt Jayce until the end of his days, but it trails off and becomes silence. 

Viktor moves first, coming up to Jayce gingerly. The hammer handle drops out of Jayce’s fingers and Viktor fills the empty spots with his hands. Viktor pulls him away from the broken corpse and pulls him into a tight hug. Jayce wraps his arms around his partner, the sob that wants to come out caught in his throat.

“I- I didn’t know either,” Viktor whispers out. “I just... I was looking for you. And then- then I saw. Fuck. All that work.”

“It wasn’t- It wasn’t the Hex Core. It was just him.”

Viktor lets out a horrified gasp as the implication. That could have been him. That was him in a different timeline. Jayce squeezes him tighter, trying to absolve Viktor of the evils his other self was apparently capable of. 

“It’s alright now. It’s over.” For some reason, Jayce’s leg doesn’t hurt anymore. He gently turns them and heads to the door. They’ll figure out how to clean this up, how to explain this in the morning.

Their horrors aren’t over though as they open the door to leave and see a body seemingly caught midstride, arms out, reaching for the workshop. Viktor gasps again and runs over. He tries to shake them, turns them over, checks for pulse and breath.

“Dead.” 

Jayce looks up the pathway and sees another. He looks the other way and sees more. “They’ll all be dead.” Viktor follows his gaze and he cries out.

Jayce feels hollow inside. That could have been him. Should have been him as well. Part of the fold. Part of the system. The other Viktor had lied to them. He had turned everyone into living puppets just to try to trick and capture Jayce. Maybe it was more than that, but that had been at least one of his intentions. 

This was all Jayce’s fault. The mage was wrong. He had been wrong. 

Jayce looks at Viktor who was weeping and mourning the lives that he had touched, that he had been connected to, that he had condemned without knowing. There was no longer a place here for them. Piltover wouldn’t take them back, Undercity will reject them, there’s no one left here in the Commune. 

“Jayce, what have we done? What will we do?”

Jayce goes to Viktor and gathers him up in his arms, helping him stand again. His chest soaks up the tears across Viktor’s face. His hands soothe out Viktor’s sobbing shoulders. 

“What will we do?”

“We leave.”

Viktor looks panicked. “What about Medarda?”

“There's nothing we can say or do that can fix this. She'll find a way to clean it up, hide it away. That's all that anyone can do with it. There's nothing for us here anymore.”

Viktor thinks about it. Jayce can see that he hates it, but he can also see the inevitable conclusion that Jayce reached. The crying calms and he nods.

Moments later, two cloaked figures aren't seen running from the edge of town to anywhere else.