Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Angel of Small Death  — December 2024

Jayce & Viktor Centric

Viktor has been hiding something.

I mean, come on ! While no one else might notice the odd behaviour, the secrets, the silence— hell, it’d be considered normal for him by onlookers— it was quickly reaching a deafening decibel. For Jayce, that is. Who would like to think he knew his partner better than anyone! His lab partner, sure, but the man he’d built the future with nonetheless. Something was up, even if he refused to let anyone know. People don’t just change like that, do they? He didn’t think so.

The lack of answers— an insistence that he’s fine— only raised more questions. Because, while Jayce knew something was different, what exactly was it? From the subtle flush across his face, the hesitation, among other tiny reactions, Jayce was fairly certain it wasn’t a bad thing. At least, he hoped it wasn’t; Viktor, from an emotional standpoint, seemed fine. That was the most confusing part. He still joked around on occasion, humoured Jayce’s overexcitement, worked on Hextech while he was on the clock— it was just that… Shit, he didn’t even know.

Things were different; he was different. It wasn’t just the way he’d leave early without warning, or how he began to disappear on trips to the undercity out of nowhere. There was more, and Jayce was confident in that. He’d been working away at his own projects still, avoiding the question whenever Jayce asked about them. That was, by far, the most upsetting factor. They were partners! Since when had Jayce been excluded from such a thing? (He would understand if he was, given they had a real conversation about it, but… out of nowhere?) This was, quite literally, their job together! He thought they trusted each other— he had always trusted Viktor.

Jayce, however, had no evidence of this supposed secret. 

And it was driving him insane . 

Chewing— more so gnawing— on the back of his pencil, Jayce let out what had to be the fifth groan of the hour. Before him was his desk, cluttered about with all sorts of things such as coffee, files, etc, but most dreadfully his blank blueprint. Or, more accurately, his slightly-damaged-from-constant-erasing blank blueprint. He glared at it, like it was its own fault. He couldn’t work like this. 

Shifting uncomfortably, he’d had no choice in acknowledging that crawling sense of anxiety. His mind had been caught on Viktor for the better half of the day— and the better half of his night— attempting to figure out why he was excluded from this. Whatever ‘this’ was, of course. Maybe it was egotistical, assuming this had something to do with him, but could anyone blame him for being worried he had fucked up? Jayce had a bad habit of doing that. He hoped he hadn’t, in any case.

He really should just ask, is what Cait had told him, at least. It could be that simple. He hated to say she was right, but… It’d be the responsible adult way of going about things, which would likely get him an answer, even if not the desired one. 

But that’s so embarrassing! 

Jayce didn’t want to sound like he was eavesdropping, or being annoying, or— God forbid— incredibly clingy. He wasn’t some overly-attached girlfriend— he had no reason to be so caught up in this.  It was humbling enough that this tormented him today, but he wasn’t mad. Viktor had a right to privacy, as did every man. Was this really something Jayce should be losing sleep over? Obviously not. Should he be focusing on his own projects instead? Absolutely. He wished he could. 

Biting back a sigh, he lazily pushed his chair back, letting it roll for a moment as his conflicted gaze hardened. He needed to chill out. Clicking his pencil once, then twice, then a third time, he dropped it to the table with a thud.

… and continued watching it, doing nothing to stop as it rolled off the table, hitting the ground with another thud, before continuing to roll…

all the way to Viktor’s desk.

Hm. If there was a lightbulb over Jayce’s head at this moment, it was likely flickering and maybe partially cracked. This wasn’t a good idea; Going through his best friend’s things is definitely overstepping, if not a desperate betrayal of trust. Jayce knew that. He knew it well, even as his eyes found their way to his several drawers, settling on the very bottom one. Which he knew contained at least some of his blueprints, specifically the ones he hadn’t shown Jayce. 

But , Jayce was a good friend, and a law-abiding citizen at that.

… He was. Really. But even then, the temptation almost slithered around him, a rough internal battle between his conscience. The curiosity ate at him, in such a childish way he didn’t want to admit it. Jayce’s eyes shifted back to the pen on the ground with a pout-like frown, like it was taunting him. 

The wheels on his chair squeaked quietly against the silence of the lab as he rolled over, bending down to grab his pen… just so happening to land on the drawer handle instead. Jayce swallowed, guilt rising, but deciding he was too far in to turn back. He pulled the drawer open, eyes darting to the files left at the very top.

With a determined frown, he reached forward, picking it up to skim. It was hard to get his mind off of each little noise from the hall outside. He didn’t want to linger for too long, after all– he had no idea how he’d explain himself, at best he’d just get a lecture on privacy. He didn’t know if he’d survive that, even. 

Could anyone blame him, though? Viktor was one of the most interesting, wildest minds Jayce had ever worked with. He was so determined– like the very act of discovery ran through his veins. It had awoken a similar fire in Jayce when they’d first met– he adored his best friend. In a mostly heterosexual way, he figured. 

(Caitlyn would disagree, much to Jayce’s disappointment– He figured he knew himself pretty well! It wasn’t like he minded too badly, but… it was still up to debate. For the meanwhile, they’d come to a middleground with ‘questioning.’)

When he held the paper to his face, squinting as if he were deciphering it…

It took him a minute to realize what he was looking at.

The last thing he’d expected, in complete honesty, was to be met with Viktor’s personal… adult projects, for lack of better words. His eyes flickered between the blasphemous Hextech-based-strap-on device between his fingers, and the seemingly animated tentacle toy next in the pile. They were admittedly incredibly advanced for any toy Runetta had to offer right now– not that Jayce was that well-versed in the market, of course.

He wasn’t a virgin, or anything, but… twice wasn’t exactly enough experience to write home about. There was always so much work to do– especially with his role as a counselor. He was plenty happy with the arrangement he and Mel had last had, but… he’d felt pretty stuck, as of late. Jayce, in his heart of hearts, didn’t want to judge Viktor.

Jayce didn’t know whether to laugh at the mere embarrassment of his own situation or not– this was the worst thing his desperation could’ve led him to. It was almost eating at him, the guilt of thinking of his partner in such a light. Not that he hadn’t before– but… that was under different circumstances. You can’t control your dreams, right?

“What… the fuck?” Jayze whispered to the empty room around him, his disbelief tinted with a hint of utter amusement. His jaw dropped as he read through the details– three motors, one at the tip, base, and balls; how charming!-- before he swallowed hard. The quality wasn’t anything to disregard.

“Jayce?” 

At the sound of Viktor’s voice cutting through the lab, Jayce jumped. With a loud clash, he hit his head on his partner's desk, eliciting a yelp more pathetic than he’d like to admit. Panicked, he composed himself, flashing Viktor with a big, fake grin. Like he’d done nothing wrong.

“Ah– fuck– Hey!” Rubbing the back of his head, Jayce tried to keep it casual. He wanted to explain himself– defuse the situation, before it peaked. It didn’t help that he couldn’t find the words to say anything. “Hello, Hi there, how was the talk?”

“Were you going through my things?” Viktor didn’t spare him any mercy.

The look on Viktor’s face– his eyebrow quirked, anger dancing in his eyes, and a near-snarl on his face– made Jayce freeze. Perhaps he was a bit paranoid, and it wasn’t really that bad, but he couldn’t help the way he cowered slightly. Ducking his head, he wouldn’t make eye contact. 

The guilty puppy effect, everyone.

“What?! No– No, of course not, I was just–” He tried, his voice weak despite how much he struck at his natural charm. He knew Viktor would see right through it, though, and proceeded to falter. And hard. “Uh…”

Viktor took a step further into the room, his uniform coat slung over one arm, while the other leaned on his cane for slight support. His eyes scanned the room, shifting from desk to Jayce’s thick cloud of guilt, and then to his fingertips. 

He frowned.

“Jayce.” The heavy accent, which Jayce usually loved, cut deep when it came from such an annoyed core. He wanted to apologize for even being here, for even daring to breathe while Viktor worked himself into a rant. “You are in the midst of reading my work.”

“I… Guess so,” Jayce breathed, tugging at his collar like it’d help him breathe a little easier. Spoiler alert, it didn;t.  “... Sorry, I didn’t mean…”

At that, Viktor’s frown only deepened in what Jayce would consider a look of betrayal– As he turned around to storm out, as best he could after such an exhausting day of being pushed to his limits socially– Jayce began to fret. He couldn’t let Viktor go– not without a proper explanation. He sounded selfish, but he didn’t know if he could sleep with such a conflict ongoing.

Standing up straight, a few clumsy steps over their equipment, Jayce reached out to Viktor, his voice desperate. “Wait– Viktor! What- Okay, okay, don’t get mad at me, but…” He paused, throwing his hands up quietly confessing his utter confusion. “What the fuck?”

Viktor’s gaze hardened, and Jayce shrank.

“Pardon me?” There was actual spite on his tongue now, much to Jayce’s fear. Viktor sounded hurt, if anything, as he walked towards the doorway.  “You’ll have to elaborate. I don’t believe I gave you permission nor an invitation  to go through my desk, let alone my personal projects.” 

Jayce couldn’t even begin to argue– God, he was such a dick for this… Viktor had every right to be upset with him. His own bottom lip quivered, but he knew Viktor wouldn’t turn to see it.

“-- Before you voice your judgement, of course.”

Huh? That wasn’t what he– Jayce wasn’t trying to judge him! God, for someone who did so many speeches, he was really, really bad with talking. He was quick to bounce over to where Viktor stood, hesitating to touch his shoulder.

“What– Sorry, sorry. Let me rephrase,” Jayce stepped back when Viktor’s gaze shifted, raising his hands in surrender. He didn’t want things to be like this. “What… exactly are you making? I don’t mean to be judgemental, I promise, I’m just… kind of shocked? I wasn’t expecting… you know.”

Viktor raised an eyebrow, but the initial hurt seemed to be replaced.

“What,” There was, instead, a dry sarcasm. It felt like it burnt holes in Jayce’s skin, when it was aimed at him like this. “Is it that shocking that I, like every other man you know, has sex?” 

“N- No! Viktor, that’s not–” Jayce scrambled. This wasn’t the first time he’d been accused of looking down on the other– he didn’t . He couldn’t.  “I, just… with Hextech? That’s not exactly what I had in mind when we were talking about striving for something great.” He was quick to follow it up, snapping his fingers.“... Not that there’s anything wrong with that, I just… You know.”

“Mmm. No, Jayce, I don’t know.” Viktor let out an airy sigh, and for the first time tonight, he finally noticed the faint blush coating his cheeks. “I’m working to stabilize everything, and for the most part, everything has been completely safe and rather functional.” 

Huh. So he was that far in, and Jayce just hadn’t noticed a thing? While he totally got it– Viktor was by no means obligated to let his coworker into this aspect of his life– there was still a small bit of jealousy that gnawed at him. He felt left out.

“... Not that I’ve run many tests, considering… It’s a small sample size.” Viktor added casually, the insinuation driving Jayce absolutely mad. He shifted uncomfortably. “These trips to Zaun get expensive.”

Jayce blinked, Zaun , “That’s why you…?”

While he didn’t voice that unspoken acknowledgement, it would be ignorant to avoid mentioning how well known the undercity was for its brothels. This was like his rose-tinted glasses were being lifted, for the first time since he’d met him– Viktor was far more experienced than him. 

Jayce didn’t want to acknowledge how that made him feel, because for some reason, it definitely wasn’t bad.

“Everything was done with proper care and moderation,” Viktor continued to explain, almost defensive now as he continued to rant. “I’ve used almost a shred of a crystal– It’s such a strong fraction, but so far, completely safe.” The crystal in such a small dose? They;d barely lingered on that topic– they were supposed to get back to that together! “Not that I need to explain my personal projects to you, which we had agreed upon already.”

But there was no reason to dwell on that, so Jayce let it go. He swallowed. 

“Is it really safe? We haven’t even–” No, he didn’t want to sound like he was second guessing him. Viktor was a genius, after all. Jayce sighed. “Okay, you’ll need to catch me up on what little discoveries you’ve made along the way,” Arguing playfully, he hoped to ease the tension.“But I just… I don’t know. I didn’t expect it.”

Viktor scoffed, “You know,” His tone was teasing, taking on the phrase Jayce said so constantly, without ever realizing it. “The stereotype is really true with you Pilties,” The low notes of his voice send shivers down his spine. Was this what it meant to feel fight or flight? “You’re so, so , weird about anything remotely sexual.” 

Jayce perked up, brows furrowing as he immediately got defensive.

“Are we? I doubt–”

“No,” Viktor cut in, crossing his arms as he finally glared at Jayce. It wasn’t filled with any malice, but even the droplets of annoyance were enough to drown in. “You don’t know anything about the undercity.”

And again, Jayce shrank, looking quite pathetic for a man who was nearly a foot taller than his partner. He nodded, not willing to argue. It was perfectly in his nature to feel so down when Viktor was– he didn’t know when it became so familiar.

He’d do anything to bring back his smile, in any case.

“Look, Viktor, I’m sorry!” Jayce almost begged, finally wrapping his arms around Viktor’s shoulders. He paused, waiting for any discomfort, before sinking into the hug. “I was just… curious, you k–” Viktor shot him a look. “I just wanted to see what you were up to. I’m sorry for going through your stuff, I promise I won’t judge you or anything.”

Without any reaction, Jayce tried again, voice encouraging. “I’m sure it’s… a high demand design.”

His partner's reaction was bitter, another scoff, like he was being mocked. “Mhm.”

“Viktor.” The desperation in his voice wasn’t invisible to Viktor, who seemingly softened up on instinct. Jayce tried to play honestly. “I’m sorry , really– I’m not just saying that. I shouldn’t have… I shouldn’t have done that to you.”

The look on his face was filled with hope and sorrow, almost flustering Viktor– no other man in Piltover would fall over themselves to apologize for finding such an embarrassing collection. Hell, consider the blackmail potential– Maybe he should’ve been grateful for how good Jayce was.

Not that anyone was denying that– he was made up of something different; something light, something full of admiration for creation. It was what drew Viktor in, alongside his inventions.

“It’s… it’s in the past now,” Viktor pressed his fingers to his temple, cringing like he always did when a headache was coming on. Jayce didn’t appreciate the tone of dismissal, but he nodded weakly. His eyes kept flickering to Viktor’s face. “You can quit apologizing. I heard you the first time.”

“Oh…” Jayce bit his lip, blinking. “Right. Ssss… mhm.”

The silence that fell between them as Jayce backed away, lightly biting one of his nails as he tried not to overthink this situation. He didn’t even know if it was overthinking, as of right now– this felt perfectly necessary! Viktor could’ve seen the smoke coming out of his ears from how hard those cogs were turning in his brain.

Instead of letting Jayce lose himself in his guilt, he cleared his throat.

“... Are you still curious?”

Was Viktor… flustered? Is that what that tone was? Jayce’s face heat up immediately, gaze snapping to his partner. He traced him for any sign of a joke– another bit of his typical dry sarcasm– but relaxed slightly upon catching a glimpse of his eyes. 

“Am I still–?” Jayce hesitated, awkwardly but full of interest, “Uh…” 

Viktor was quick to remind him that he had a choice here– part of him wished he didn’t, in all honesty. That sounded like something he’d have to unpack in therapy, some day. “You can say no, and we can both forget about this.”

That wasn’t what he wanted! Forgetting about this would only make things weird between them– not that discussing it wouldn’t either, but that sounded much more appealing. He was certain every part of Viktor’s mind contained a wonder, and he was determined to be worthy of hearing about it.

“Hold on– Let me answer you, first,” Jayce’s voice was shaky, but he didn’t miss that hopeful glimmer in Viktor’s amber eyes. He took a deep breath in. “Yeah. Yeah, I– I think I’d like to hear more… while I said it was unexpected, It’s not like it’s the worst way to use Hextech.””

They locked eyes, and Viktor held it, until Jayce tore his own away, his stomach filled with something similar to butterflies. He didn’t want to admit that this wasn’t the first time he’d felt this way, standing in this lab. Viktor didn’t miss his flush, either.

“I see.” Viktor paused, almost like he had something else to say. Jayce had a feeling he knew what it’d entail, and held his breath. “Okay. I’ll…” “I’ll tell you more about it tomorrow, it’s too late to deal with this.”

“... Right, right, yeah,” What… an odd way to end the night. Jayce fixed his posture, again flashing a guilty frown in Viktor’s direction. “I’m sorry, man…”

“Ah, ah, don’t apologize again,” He waved his arm, accent thick with exhaustion. Both of them needed sleep, if they were going to discuss anything. “We’ll continue tomorrow. I’ll tell you about the talk with Headmaster Heimerdinger, too.” He paused, standing in the doorway now. “Everything went well, in case you were worried.”

Right, the talk. “Oh, yeah– okay. I’m glad.” 

The last thing he wanted to think about was the counsel– but luckily, this meeting with the headmaster was bound to go well. It simply regarded work concerns with general lab safety among the academy– all sorts of annoying, condescending remarks that would only limit Viktor, being brought to his attention. Heimgerdinger was one of the most empathetic among the counsel, should one ignore Jayce.

“Goodnight, Jayce,” Viktor’s voice held a lighter tone, which made Jayce’s own eyes flicker with hope. He smiled, but gestured his chin towards the desk. “Please put my things away– as you found them–  before you leave.”

With that, Viktor was gone.

Jayce called out after him, hesitating for a second as he lost himself to his thoughts, “... Goodnight Viktor– !...” He didn’t think Viktor heard him, however. Feeling rather pathetic, his eyes fell back on the paper in his hands.

To think, all of this was about a pretty little strap on. 

Jayce wanted to laugh at the situation, but considering the fact he was actively living it, he decided against it. He needed sleep. That was a mutual acknowledgement between them, which was rarely ever taken seriously. He supposed he should be grateful.

As he slid the file back into the cabinet, closing it with a heavy guilt weighing at his chest, Jayce finally considered what tomorrow’s discussion might entail. It made his breath hitch, one handing shooting to his mouth as he leaned against the desk. Wss…  was that technically flirting? I mean– What’s more intimate than sharing one’s personal sex-toy fantasy designs? Jayce wasn’t good with this kind of thing.

Maybe it was fully platonic. But oh, God , Jayce Talis was nervous.

Because, no matter how deep down he tried to bury that voice that dared to bubble in the back of his mind, what if he didn’t want it to be platonic? He shook his head, hand still clasped over his mouth as he grounded himself.  The very idea was a little more exciting than he wanted it to be.

He shifted uncomfortably, trying to ignore that stirring sensation as heat pooled at his abdomen.

A shower sounded good. A nice, long, cold shower. Jayce had heard those were good for your muscles, right? Among other things. Other things that were increasingly relevant, should he want to stop questioning that one tricky identity crisis. He let out a shuddery breath.

He couldn’t tell anyone about this. He was sure he sounded like a moron, at worst a pervert.

Flicking the lab light off,

Jayce left for home with a pit in his stomach.

Tomorrow couldn’t come fast enough, he decided.

Chapter Text

Viktor couldn’t sleep that night.

What a rarity it was, for him especially. He’d always been an easy— albeit light— sleeper, not exactly being able to afford the alternative with his fragile health. This wasn’t to say his sleep schedule was impressive, by any means, but… he was satisfied. 

It was enough to fuel his work at the lab, which is what really mattered, anyways.

If anything , he’d grown more accustomed to the restlessness Jayce faced, having spent several late nights together (his apartment was closer, of course). He’d always sympathized with him in that regard, though, he was sure both of them had something to envy. In his partner's case, it was beyond what he knew.

Speaking of Jayce… 

He always seemed to leave Viktor both speechless and filled with criticism, after stunts like this. He was regarded as one of the smartest men in Piltover, yet still fell to— for lack of better words— idiotic plans on a whim. With others, Viktor wouldn’t put up with it. He wasn’t above switching seats or simply cutting people out for far less. Yet , somehow, he’d grown soft over the course of his studies and career up here. He’d lost that fighting will of his youth, or something like that. Either that, or Jayce had somehow put a curse on him—

His (questionably) heterosexual lab partner and closest friend, that is. Who just so happened to— with his lovely puppy eyes and moron-esque tendencies— be the walking epitome of Viktor’s type.

But that wasn’t relevant anymore, now was it?

Ever since he’d become infatuated with Mel…

Viktor turned in his bed, groaning as he considered the possibilities of tomorrow's conversation. Despite the soreness in his leg, it was merely a stone next to the mountain of anxiety he’d built himself. His own boldness would haunt him, indefinitely— but wasn’t that what he wanted? Offering to show Jayce his intimate ideas? It seemed like the proposal went well, but clearly, his mind wouldn’t rest over it. He didn’t want to make things… ‘weird,’ as his partner would put it. 

At the same time, he preserved his own bitterness in its right; Jayce was the one going through his things.

Which, to give him the benefit of the doubt, wasn’t totally being held against him. This excused nothing, mind you, but it explained his guilt. Viktor acknowledged that he typically shared everything with Jayce invention wise, and that he’d suddenly been keeping these things private (for good reason, he’d argue). That being said, Viktor was still beyond pissed. It wasn’t only an invasion of his privacy, which he took rather seriously, mind you, but it was simply none of Jayce’s business— especially given how poorly he reacted.

At the same time, Viktor felt the urge to crawl into a hole and never be seen again. Which was, already, pretty humiliating. His closest friend had found his literal sex toy designs— Viktor was nothing close to a prude, having gotten around a fair amount prior to his work in Piltover, but it was that image he avoided here. As he’d said, Pilties were incredibly awkward about the mere topic. Among their other made-up social rules, the focus on sex— specifically avoiding it— was hard to miss.  Being caught with such desires was quite scandalous in hindsight. 

On days— or, rather, nights— like this, Viktor missed how things were in the undercity.

Specifically, he failed to grasp Piltover’s social checklist. Brothels were one thing they were well known for down there, yes, but the culture behind sex and its likeness was deep and rich; far more interesting and open than anything he’d encountered up here. From leather bars to kink events, he’d experienced bits and pieces. He was sure not everyone was vanilla, but… they didn’t do it up here like they did it down there, that was for sure. 

He just hoped that, for once in his life, he wasn’t reading too deeply between the lines: he didn’t miss the way Jayce’s cheeks flushed, the way he insisted on curiosity, hell, the way he looked at Viktor—

Viktor’s tired eyes shifted to his alarm clock.

3:24 am.

Pulling his pillow over his face, the exhausted scientist let out a frustrated sigh. It was far too late to be thinking about what existed between him and his lab partner— or, rather, what he wished did. He’d always been one to let reality slip when he got excited; he supposed his lack of a love life was no different. 

Ah well, maybe in another life.  

He wondered; momentarily, what Jayce was up to; if he had managed to fall asleep. There was absolutely no doubt he was wallowing in his own guilt, knowing him. Conflict tugged his lips into a frown, knowing he was the righteous cause of it. 

Viktor decided he’d fix that,

once he got the chance.

— — —

It was always silent at the academy in those familiar early mornings. 

Before the birds even woke themselves, the busy campus was manageable, at this hour. Even in their department, which was away from typical studygrounds, things got hectic throughout an average day. Viktor supposed he could be grateful for that, if anything. The soft tap of his cane filled the quiet halls when he first arrived, eerily empty spare for the few janitors. 

Viktor had made sure to wish them good mornings, though he felt far from that. 

Three hours before they‘d typically meet at the lab, Viktor was already at his desk, brows furrowed in quiet consideration. Sleep had proven to be a frivolous task, but he at least managed two hours. As a result, two cups of coffee surrounded his work, his cane propped against a nearby stool. 

Pen in hand, he pulled up his personal projects— the ones he supposed he could now openly partake in— with the intent to brainstorm. Thin fingers brushed between files, before he finally decided on something simple: a small, deep navy silicone plug, decorated in rose gold with a sparking-blue glass rose centrepiece. This particular project of his was nearly completed, having a whole prototype with minor tweaks still needed. It was a warmup.

He glimpsed over his notes, reacquainting himself with his past ideas. 

Viktor viewed this as, partially, an art form. Pleasure in itself was, which doubled as an excellent pain relief. His curiosity is what led him here, seeing the wonders Hextech provided in other aspects of ordinary life. This was simply his own take on it. Between his fingers, he inspected the design. It was a simple device, at first. Sure, it had internal motors, simple vibration, the works. 

Hextech had transformed it in two ways:

One, it added a natural electrical current; not something shocking or painful— unless you wanted it to be— but something gentle, that sent tingles down each muscle it touched, powerful and unlike any normal sensation. It seemed to peak at the rim, where the nerves mattered most, but extended towards the tip.

More interestingly, with the second advancement, Viktor had somehow found a way to make silicone as malleable as clay. With a simple twist of the rose decorated on the exterior of the plug, Viktor watched with a hum as the toy expanded in his palms, almost doubling in length in an impossible way. His gaze shifted as he toyed with it, locking in on the screwdriver at the table's edge.

As background noise, he put on something from Jayce’s CD pile. Some type of pop music, the type you’d hear at a sports game, or in a gym. He’d never been much of a listener before they began working together, truthfully. The silence was always enough. 

For the better half of the morning, Viktor worked on his craft. He had all the time in the world, being here so early. He had finished the plug within the first hour or so, spending the next bit brainstorming other projects. While he’d love to get beta testers to ensure complete function within the toy, he’d need to wait until he had a moment to visit the brothel. He definitely wasn’t registered to do anything officially, and the staff had always been eager to assist, anyways. 

Though, he did suppose it was always fun to try it out with a hookup. It wasn’t like it’d be a first, anyways.

His silent concentration had apparently reached its limit, as the earth so decided. He heard Jayce’s footsteps from the hall well before he even reached the doorway— it was peculiar, the way he already recognized the pattern of his steps. Viktor chose not to dwell on that for much longer.

“Viktor?” Jayce called out with sleep still in his voice as he turned into the room, already in the midst of shrugging off his coat to discard at the door. He flashed a smile to him, warn as ever.  “And I thought I was here early.”

On a hunch, his eyes shifted to the clock. 9:05– he’d been here for hours already, and there were still eight more to go. 

“You aren’t, actually,” Humming as his thin fingers drummed against the desk, he didn’t miss the way Jayce’s eyes followed each sound. “I think we were scheduled to be here about five minutes ago?” As petty as it was, humor coated his words. His lips quirked into a slight smile as he watched the other man visibly pause. “Not that it matters, really.”

“Oh,” He sounded stumped, rather than his typical quick quip. Walking over to where their desks were, Jayce still had no response. Viktor’s eyes traced his face, searching for an answer— the eyebags were quite telling. “Well.”

And suddenly, that initial humour dissolved into something he didn’t want to call worry. “… Jayce, have you slept?” He asked, careful.

“Ha—“ As he sank into his chair, the energy in the room shifted from concern to slight sympathy. Viktor frowned as Jayce continued.“Not even a second, but I was hoping my natural charm would make it less noticeable.”

Even in Jayce’s misery, he wasn’t about to let up on his sarcasm. Viktor clicked his tongue, walking over to where they kept a personal coffee machine. He was fairly certain it was against lab protocol and safety, but they deserved it, he figured. “Ah, well, it doesn’t.”

He bit back a smile as he heard Jayce’s groan of offence, filling a cup with coffee. 

“You are so mean,” The sun-kissed scientist whined, sad hazel eyes burning holes in Viktor’s head. With the lovable dramatics of a typical tired Jayce, he sighed. Loudly. “I’m being attacked in my own damn lab…”

Not only was he fighting back a laugh, but a scoff now too. Jayce was pathetic, sometimes, but endearingly so. 

“Our damn lab,” Viktor corrected with a dry huff, sliding a cup of coffee over to said problem. “It’s justified, I’m still supposed to be upset with you.”

Having turned back to his own desk, he thought that had done the trick. There was a second of silence, before Viktor felt large arms wrap around his waist. Ah, yes, this was definitely normal for homies. Jayce’s, anyways. He lifted his own arms, quirking an eyebrow as he looked down at Jayce. 

“… Viiiiiiiktor,” He frowned, and for the first time in a while, Viktor didn’t miss the subtle stubble growing in.   Jayce had forgotten to shave, it seemed— good, it looked good on him. “I’m sorry…”

It was frustratingly hard to stay mad at that.

“I know you are,” He bit back a harsher reaction, but cringed at how soft his own voice came out. Waving a dismissive hand, he carefully unhooked himself from Jayce’s grasp, handling his arms rather gently despite his size.  “Ignore me, I need to sulk in my bitterness still.”

As he walked back to his desk, he could feel the guilt radiating from Jayce like he was the sun of misfortune. It took self control not to face him, instead settling himself back into his spot at his desk. He made a point of moving on like everything was normal— like their interaction wasn’t tainted by the elephant in the room. Viktor hummed as he pulled up a program, setting up the visualization of the Hexgates. 

“For how long?” 

Viktor’s eyes flickered to Jayce as he pleaded with him, voice far too whiney for a grown man. He didn’t let his amusement show, because that would be feeding the problem, but instead clicked his tongue with a hum. “Ask me in a few business days.”

“Mmmm…” Jayce groaned, and Viktor felt like he could almost read his mind. It wasn’t just how closely they knew one another, but rather… Jayce being somewhat easy to read. He could almost sense the pout on his face. “If there’s anything I can do to, uh… help, you know you can ask, right?”

Viktor stilled, hands slowing down as he sorted through papers. He set them down. That really wasn’t as simple as he made it sound, though Viktor wished it was. With a distinct sense that those hazel eyes were on him, he nodded, slowly. “I know, Jayce.”

“I just… I don’t know, I want to make it up to you.”

This time, Viktor turned his head back, narrowed eyes searching Jayce for some hint of falsehood. Jayce was sitting at one of the chairs, leaning forward as his elbows rested on his knees. With his eyebrows knitted into something tense, Viktor didn’t know what to make of this authenticity. Whatever it was, it was laced in guilt. His eyes flickered to how tousled his hair was, or how disheveled his button-up was. 

God, even like this, Viktor cursed this man for looking the way he did. Praying Jayce didn’t notice how his cheeks burned over being the muse of his emotional distress, averting his gaze to his desk. That wasn’t a normal thing to think about a friend, now was it? Never one to be bound or blinded by lust, Viktor didn’t know what motivated him to say what came next,

but… he was taking a chance. 

With an uncomfortable pause, he did his best to keep his voice steady, though it came out rather casual. His fingers traced a circle onto his desk, anything to distract him from his shot. “… Jayce, you still wanted to see what I’ve, eh… created, correct?”

What a weird feeling, asking someone if they’d like to see his sex-toy projects. 

There wasn’t any time to brood, however, as Jayce seemed to perk up at that offer. 

“Oh— Yeah!” He seemed to catch onto how overexcited his reaction was, faltering, but still nodding eagerly. Jayce nodded, like he didn’t just light up, and cleared his throat. What a dork , Viktor thought. “I mean, if you’re still cool with it.”

With a sigh and a gesture, Viktor waved him over as he reached down, pulling open his bottom drawer. “Bring your chair,” Muffled by the action, he pulled out that same toy he’d been working on this morning. “I’ll show you some of the finished pieces, I suppose.”

By the time he looked back up, Jayce was already next to him, a little too excited for Viktor not to chuckle at. It was the same curiosity he held in their typical projects, but… this really, really wasn’t the same. Viktor looked at him with a skeptical eye.

“You are aware of what you’re getting yourself into, right?” At the end of the day, he cared more about making sure he didn’t freak Jayce out. This was such a breach of privacy, and Viktor honestly didn’t know what drove him to give in like this.  “I kept these private for obvious reasons, but I’m not opposed to sharing.” 

Honestly, he wasn’t a prude.

Should he meet someone with just as much experience– for instance, any stranger at any Undercity bar– the language of flirting and innuendos came like second nature. He was a grown man, who’d had countless partners over the years. Sex wasn’t awkward, not for him– He only had Piltover’s social stigma to blame, in many ways.

Yet, at the same time, there was a sense of corruption itching at him, like showing Jayce such things was a path of sin. He knew Jayce wasn’t a virgin. He knew Jayce was, like him, a grown man. He didn’t know what to call this feeling, the one that both craved and avoided these temptations. That was something to unpack later, he decided.

“I am,” The reassuring tone in Jayce’s voice was only emphasized by his tendency to speak with his hands. Bringing them to a prayer-like pose, he turned it to Viktor. “I can’t promise I’ll, like… understand all of it, but talk to me like I do.”

Viktor chuckled, eyes flickering back to him. “Fine, then. Works for me.”

Knowing that each movement he made would be carefully studied, he turned his attention to the device sitting on his desk. The glass rose shimmered with bright blue sparks as his thin finger found its way to the button. Jayce held his breath for a moment, hardly anticipating…

The way the oddly-shaped toy not only began to vibrate, pulse, but also grow in size. 

It took a whole lot not to laugh at the way Jayce’s jaw dropped, eyes locked on it in an almost disturbed fascination. His hand hovered like he wanted to touch it, but there was a certain level of paranoid fear stopping him. Like something bad would happen if he did. He blinked twice, before shaking his head.

He had an idea of what he was looking at, but… where was this meant to go, exactly? How did it work? Did he even, truthfully, want to know?

Jayce swallowed.

“Wow, Viktor, this is…” Jayce began, sounding absolutely impressed, before melting into a hard-to-admit confusion. When he said he didn’t really understand all this stuff, he meant it– in his defense, this wasn’t a normal toy. “What is this, exactly?”

”An anal plug, Jayce.” Viktor responded, so casual it was like he’d asked about the weather.

The question seemed so obvious that Jayce wondered if he was supposed to know that. Shrinking a little, he nodded as the realization dawned on him. Suddenly, the fact it had the ability to basically double in size was much, much more intimidating. He twisted it, squinting as if he’d get a beetle angle that way.

“Ahhhh,” With the confidence of a liar, Jayce scratched at his chin like he understood. Viktor turned away slightly to hide his grin, still watching as Jayce fidgeted with the toy in his hands. “Right. Of course, a butt plug. I knew that.”

“I’m sure you did.”

As fun as it was to watch Jayce play with– in a surprisingly non-sexual, normal way, despite how odd it sounded– a plug, Viktor had other ideas in mind. Assuming the most logical reason Jayce could be here, Viktor did go into the logistics and mechanics behind the toy. He rambled on about the process, how the arcane kept its power even in a dust-like form, everything. Hextech was, even when used in taboo ways, magical— any inventor's dream, which was rightfully theirs. Jayce nodded as he explained. 

Flicking through his notes, Viktor pulled up one of the earlier sketches he’d made as he explained one of the functions. He hardly noticed the lack of response at first, too lost in explaining his own works of science. “You’d think that would work, but of course, it required your favorite method– cranking it …”

When he looked back, however, Viktor could tell Jayce’s mind was elsewhere. His own voice faded out as he tried to follow what had him so quiet. His eyes drifted to the toy, wrapped in Jayce’s large, practiced hands. He rubbed his thumb over the beaded base, whirring quietly as it rotated. It was impossible to miss how flushed he was– it was cute, in a way. 

“Earth to Jayce?” He hummed, waving his hand in front of the other man’s eyes. As Jayce blinked himself out of whatever daydream he was in, Viktor only teased. “I know it’s pretty, but this is a bit much.”

“I wasn’t–” Like he was being accused of something, Jayce stammered. “I didn’t…”

Viktor… didn’t know what Jayce thought he said, but his interest only grew as he noted how red Jayce’s ears were getting. The urge to push was beyond tempting, but instead, he chose not to tease him any further. The poor guy was clearly embarrassed already, as amusing as it was.

“Is this… the first time you’ve seen one of these? In person?” He asked after a moment, which seemed to startle Jayce. The question wasn’t a heavy one, but by the look on his face, you’d think it was. “Forgive me, but I don’t really have any basis for what you do in your personal time. Not that I need to know, of course.” 

This felt like turning the tables, considering it was Jayce’s turn to be humiliated, but this definitely was much more fun. He picked up on every little thing: the way Jayce loosened his collar a few minutes ago, his wide eyes, the uncomfortable squirm every so often.

The thing about it, though, was how curious Jayce was. 

That is what kept Viktor so enthralled.

“Though… you clearly are getting quite the glimpse into my own.” Viktor added under his breath, a more smug smile creeping onto his face despite their positions. Really, he shouldn’t be so confident– This was, as he’d dreaded last night, blackmail material. “Should I be afraid?”  

Yet, Jayce was really in no state to process every little sarcastic quip his partner made. Hell, he had forgotten he was being spoken to– Sputtering at the initial question, realizing he was supposed to answer, Jayce rubbed at the back of his neck awkwardly. Looking for the words to respond, he completely missed the last thing Viktor said. For the best, anyways.

“Ah— Well, uhm… actually, once…” He carefully set the toy down on the table, jumping slightly as it continued to loudly vibrate and bounce against it. Rushing to hold it more firmly, he continued. “I, uh..  didn’t really know the name of it, or what it was, but Mel brought it up.” 

That made sense.

Viktor, while he’d never been so close with her given the power she held, would bank all of his money on her having quite a few surprises up her sleeve. Hell, maybe even a strap or two. He’d known women like her before– been friends with them, even. That was a dom right there. The scientist was sure of that, if anything.

“Mm,” He hummed, choosing not to get into it with that hookup again. He’d already heard everything about it when it first took place. Jayce was practically vibrating with excitement when Viktor saw him that day.  “I tried to make this one aesthetically pleasing, so that both partners involved have something to enjoy— beyond the obvious, of course.”

Tapping on the glass, the Hextech seemed to react under each impact, sprouting internal bursts of glitter. It was beautiful, really– a well crafted piece of art. Viktor could only hope Jayce saw it that way, but judging by that look in his eyes, he was equally as interested. 

Viktor didn’t want to think about why that made him happy. 

Sure, it was validation– the approval of his typical companion when it came to work and friendship. At the same time, for an obvious reason, he didn’t want to think about the underlying forces pushing him to the butterflies in his stomach.

“I… see,” Jayce nodded, tilting his head as he tried to get a better look at the way it sparkled. Tapping on it the same, he lit up a little. “I don’t know if the one she had was pretty like this— Christ, look at the way the Hextech powder shines— since I couldn’t, you know…”

Viktor made a muffled sound behind his mug, “Hmm?”

“Like… see it? From the angle I was in—” Jayce provided in a smaller, almost shy voice.  

Viktor choked on his coffee.

Though Jayce wasn’t looking at him, eyes stubbornly stuck on the toy, Viktor’s jaw audibly dropped at his sudden realization. He didn’t believe it at first, honestly. His eyes flickered back to the bigger man, his new hypothesis ringing in his ears now. It… was definitely a solid theory— It was just that, obviously,  he had never really thought about it nor expected…

Jayce Talis, the golden boy of the academy, the Man of Progress known all throughout Piltover, and one of the most controversially single bachelors among most upper-class rich ladies, was a fucking bottom.

(He could be a verse, but Viktor had a sure feeling that, regardless, this man was not dominant.)

In hindsight, a lot of things made sense now. His relationship with Mel, being one— plenty of men got with their bosses, of course, but this really went on to highlight the power dynamic. It wasn’t only that, Viktor noted: he was always so eager to please, whether it was him or the council members. That look on his face of immediate hurt at the smallest taste of disapproval, his heart always on his sleeve, his very enticing ass—

Viktor cleared his throat. 

This explained so many things.

“Right,” He steadied his voice, running the back of his hand over his mouth. He couldn’t meet eyes with Jayce right now. Not if he wanted to hold himself together.  “Well… I suppose most of them don’t, if they have the other features included.”

Jayce, like a curious dog, tilted his head in the opposite direction. “And yours does both?”

“It does.” He nodded.

If you thought asking Jayce if he’d like to see these toys was a bold move from Viktor, the urges he was facing now completely overshadowed that. As much as he wanted to believe this wasn’t impossible, he didn’t know what answer he expected. Viktor bit his lip, gaze fixated on the desk.

“Jayce… would—“ Viktor paused, taking a visible breath in. He didn’t know if this would come off as romantic, though, part of him really wished it did. The logical half of him, however, vetoed that feeling completely. “Okay, humour me for just a moment. If you’re uncomfortable you are always welcome to end this discussion, alright?”

“This sounds scary,” Not matching Viktor’s energy whatsoever, Jayce looked up from the toy he’d been poking, a dumb smile on his face. He could sense how serious Viktor sounded, but that only made him a tiny bit concerned. “Continue, though.”

Viktor sighed airily.

Pulling the toy from Jayce’s hands gracefully, he dangled it in his own. From behind it, his golden eyes landed on the golden boy. The eye contact was strangely intimate, but Jayce had never seen a prettier man. “Would you like to help me with them?” 

There was such hesitation in his voice; like he wasn’t one of the smartest men in all of Piltover. It was too humble, his elaboration. “My creations— designs. I know I've kept them private, but…”

Like it was the most obvious question in the world, Jayce didn’t miss a beat. “ Are you kidding ? Last I checked, we’re partners–” Overcome with a sudden passion– because, of course, it was Jayce– he stood up, hand landing on Viktor’s shoulder. “Obviously I want to help out!””

“I’m just, uhhhh… not too sure how I’ll be much help here, honestly.”

Oh, this was an even harder thing to explain. Viktor took a second to recover from the recoil of being touched so tenderly, nodding hard as he refocused on Jayce’s confused confidence. “You don’t need experience to give me feedback,” He tried to sound casual, which likely wasn’t the most direct way to explain this. “I’ll handle the designs, you don’t need to worry.”

Jayce blinked as he mentioned the word ‘feedback’.

“Wait, do you mean like…” Sitting up straight, Jayce thought he’d heard Viktor wrong. Though he wasn’t upset, or anything, he assumed he’d be helping with the craft of it. That was, after all, their jobs. He slowly began to realize what this implied, mouthing hanging slightly ajar. “Some type of tester? Like, you want me to use these?”

Viktor tilted his head, studying Jayce’s face. “… Is that a problem?”

He shook his head immediately, “I— I don’t…” Jayce swallowed, pausing for a moment. That was so embarrassing, but… also an extremely enticing offer. They’d both been so hellbent on not making things weird, but some mutual part of them desired it. “... No, I guess it isn’t.”

Viktor’s gaze lingered, and with the gentleness of a saint, he reached out to Jayce. The first contact felt like breathing for the first time. Jayce leaned into it, though his eyes searched for approval. Lightly tracing his jaw, Viktor tilted the dark brunette's head up, the softest forced eye-contact he could manage. He could practically hear Jayce’s heart beating out of his chest, his own cheeks painted a shade of pink. 

“Are you sure, Jayce?” He almost whispered, sending chills down the man’s spine. He loved how reactive he was– he hoped that applied in other places. “Do not feel pressured, I will never make you do anything behind your comfort. If this isn’t something you’re truly okay with, tell me, please.”

It almost sounded like begging– the gentle kind. 

This conversation had gotten very tense, very quickly. It wasn’t exactly negative, but it was serious. Viktor supposed he should’ve known it was bound to happen, given how vulnerable the mere concept was. He held his breath as he waited for Jayce to respond, his hands warming up to match Jayce’s natural heat.

“Viktor, I want to do this,” It sounded unreal, almost, but Jayce said it with such sureness. With a shrug, he continued to explain himself.  “It’s just… not what I was expecting, considering I’m so… I don’t know, vanilla?”

While he fully and truly understood that, Viktor chose to lighten the mood a little. “Didn’t you say Mel used a plug on you…?” He asked rhetorically, his voice a little too smug. “You aren’t experienced, sure, but that isn’t what most would define as vanilla.”

Now, it was Jayce’s turn to turn red again. Some things are better kept a secret, and for some reason he had a feeling that was one of them.  He huffed, looking to the doorway like avoiding eye contact would make his problem go away. That problem being Viktor, of course.

“ Well… ” Jayce pouted.  “I didn’t say I wasn’t curious..?”

Viktor smiled, finally retracting his hand. Jayce’s own went up immediately, tracing the ghost of a handprint on his jaw. Both of them wished the feeling lingered. With a more satisfied mumble, he flashed Jayce a smile. “That’s what I like to hear.”

Raising an eyebrow, Jayce met his smile with his own. “Is it?”

This conversation had gone through so many shifts, Viktor felt like he’d get motion sickness. His eyes met the clock for the first time in forever, the entire morning disappearing right beneath their eyes. It was already lunch, and they hadn’t done a thing. 

And, for some reason, he was okay with that.

“… Would you like to come over for dinner after work tonight?” Viktor offered, careful with each word. Their flirting met a typical conclusion, though this wasn’t any ordinary arrangement.  “It doesn’t have to be anything you don’t want it to be— I wish to discuss our agreement further, come up with boundaries and such.”

Anything he didn’t want it to be?

The problem with that was that Jayce didn’t know what he wanted it to be.

Maybe he wanted it to be everything– God, if only Viktor knew how much this man yearned for him. Even if these thoughts were buried under several layers of denial, it was insane how everyone but them had noticed their feelings for one another.

If it wasn’t romantic, then it had to be sexual. 

Caitlyn had said it, so had her girlfriend, and so had Mel.

(The last one being between other councilors– typical gossip, and such.)

“Free food is always a good thing, isn’t it?” Jayce grinned, his silent agreement hanging in the air. He’d been to his house several times, but never like this. He didn’t know what to call ‘this,’ but he was excited. Viktor didn’t bite back his one grin this time, which only added to it.

“Who said anything about free?” With a scoff, Viktor spun his chair back around. He pulled up a screen, typing something in. Ignoring Jayce got a better reaction than giving him one, in many cases. “I expect you to help in the kitchen, golden boy.”

“Hey—“ 

“Ah, ah,” Gesturing to the clock, Viktor looked back to Jayce like he was disrupting him. It wasn’t like they were mid conversation, or anything. “We’ve wasted enough time, wouldn’t you agree?” 

Jayce frowned, but he already knew what was coming.

At the exact same time, word for word, Jayce quoted Viktor as he said it. Because, oh my god, the man was like a parent when it came to work. Like a broken record, he always said the same damn thing in his lectures. “Personal projects come after the ones with important deadlines.”

Viktor only looked smug after, like his lesson had stuck.

“Fiiiine,” With a groan, Jayce rolled his chair, gaze following Viktor as he made his way over to the blackboard. He assumed his usual spot for these morning recaps.  “So, what’s on the schedule, then?”

It was funny how easily they fell into routine. They were so familiar , yet these past few days had proven how little they really knew about one another. Viktor held a certain level of fondness; the only one that made him invested enough to take a chance. He shot a look back to Jayce, narrowing his eyes playfully.

Resting his cane against the wall, feeling well enough to stand straight on his own, Viktor held a white stick of chalk in one hand. With an exhale, he began to sketch a diagram from memory, impressively verbatim. He could feel Jayce’s eyes on him. 

This was their natural element, a typical day. With a dreary sigh, Viktor began his lecture with a rant. “ Well, if you’d been here rather than getting dolled up for a council gala, you would’ve been well aware of the situation brooding due to the Hexgates…”

The rest of the day went mostly as planned.

Though, in the back of their minds, there was a parallel mixture of anxiety brewing. Viktor noticed more about Jayce than he usually did; he felt connected with each touch, tipsy on just the sound of his words. It was like that bitterness had dissolved immediately, against Viktor’s better judgment. In other words, they had a rather productive day. The type where everything just seemed to come together; something harmonious. 

They finished several write ups, finished a prototype, received parts that had been lost in the mail, even got acknowledgement from some unlikely faces. Viktor was proud of their work, and he could only imagine how Jayce felt, with his grin so big.

He couldn’t take his eyes off of him, in all honesty.

It was a lovely way to set the tone for the night.