[ The windows may offer glimpses of the lights, but he can already assume that it doesn't do justice to a full display in uninterrupted sky. It still surprises him when Jayce suggests they go out to see it, though, especially when the roof means taking stairs and his legs is still healing. But when he looks down at him, at the face he knows so well beneath the unfamiliar lines and facial hair, sees the colors reflecting in his hazel eyes, Viktor knows that he doesn't have it in him to deny Jayce. ]
It's still cold out. [ His tone is factual rather than combative, wondering if Jayce will change his mind. Viktor has always known how much his partner dislikes the cold and the snow, the memories it brought back of struggling to survive. Curious that the same experience would make him so in love with magic. ] We'll need to bring blankets as well.
[ eh, well— the beauty of the northern lights and watching them with viktor felt worth it. a little lul from the rest of the night earlier which was, up until this point, a real shit show. and if he wasn't going to sleep now, he'd much prefer to watch the lights and pick viktor's brain.
jayce is already shuffling to stand upright. ]
Make sure it's enough, then.
[ the hint of a smile is still on his face, even as he winces through the strain of standing. gathering his staff under him, closing the shawl over his shoulders tight and movingover to their supplies. going to take some things on the way up to make their lives easier. ]
[ That makes Viktor pause and regard Jayce, and if he had the facial features to do so, he'd be raising a questioning brow. Him make sure? Jayce is the one who wants to do something potentially uncomfortable, and Viktor isn't going to baby him forever.
Maybe just one night.
He huffs and looks away, but not before he notices the wince. Standing and easily overtaking Jayce as they walk in the same direction, he recovers the makeshift staff and offers it to Jayce. With that settled, he can return to the pile of blankets to grabs a few and hastily fold them up so he can carry several in his arms. ]
You should eat some protein to help with the healing. And drink more water.
[ viktor must understand this has suddenly become a team effort, a mutual hangout. he has been dragged into the company of interlude that they could very well use, and jayce has managed to find something to be in good spirits about— despite everything. the only appeasing indicator that his intention means well is the hopeful mood he's put in. if, at least, the light waft of pleasant anticipation is anything to go by. thank you, he murmurs, letting his gaze stay for a second longer to watch viktor return to blanket plucking.
besides, jayce too, is preparing to bring quite a few things with. it only dawns on him when he picks up two tin cups from their supply corner that viktor no longer drinks. they could not share in the meager liquids they've harvested. shortly after, it dawns on him that he also does not eat, and won't be sharing in the protein he'd eagerly considered bringing extras for.
the dejection hits him so sharply viktor might be able to hear the jut of his split, lower lip as he tries to . . . recallibrate his direction with this. ]
Uh . . . Yeah, I was— going to. [ . . . ! his bag. where was his bag— he had a few books in there from when he first met sharon, he hasn't had the chance to show them to viktor. shuffling through the belongings, jayce finally manages to pull out two moderately sized books that could fit in a hand. in all honesty, they were easy reads in terms of length, especially for scholars. but he'll get to sharing once their up. little sachel of water, food, some blankets that he can manage over his own shoulder and the books. time to go up. ] For us, actually.
[ but he holds the books up, to quickly smooth the hit of that honesty out, ]
[ He doesn't see the hesitation nor the way Jayce has to reboot his mental systems to recalculate for reality, but he does hear a bit of a huff and comes closer to see what's causing the frustration. Two cups. Honestly, they shouldn't even have two cups to begin with, but vessels were useful for more than just drinking. It dawns on Viktor that Jayce had been planning for him to drink and maybe eat as well, and though the sentiment is sweet, it also reminds him of what he's lost. While it's beneficial that he doesn't have to partake in all of the necessities for human survival, it might have been nice to have the option. As a treat.
Clearing his throat, he leans down closer to look at the books, eye shining with curiosity. He's been to a library, but it takes far longer just to peruse titles now than it ever had back in Piltover. Reading English has become easier with practice, but it's hardly second-nature at this point. ]
[ jayce does a little double take, brows raising until the entirety of his features crinkle with fondness. one look at his pants and, gods. a nightmare, but jayce had been appreciative of viktor's sharp minded humor. the many things he's missed of him.
this was indeed proving to be the better distraction compared to the night's happenings. jayce's tooth gap flashes for an instant. ]
Right. The height of Piltovian fashion, [ gives himself even a little gesture from head to toe: brace, staff, ripped pants and bloody top. jayce had already made his final choice of apparel in piltover a statement: that he was uneven, assymetrical and no longer fit into their casing. he's almost certain there might be blood still stuck to his gums, too. ] they'd pass out from the crassness.
[ by his tone, jayce almost nearly implies good. he's not going to change himself again.
Good. [ He'll speak it for them both, the distaste for the Piltovan elite and their need to control the undercity, benefit from its goods and services, without taking the time to care about the people living there. If Viktor thinks about it too much, he'll get riled up rather than wind down to relax and look at the sky. ]
Oh, but first, you really do need some new clothes. [ Setting down all of the blankets he'd just gathered up, Viktor goes to a corner that's been unofficially designated as his, the spot where he keeps his bag with its notebook and pencils, vials of tears and thin brushes. There's also a few lumps of fabric, and he grabs two before returning to Jayce. ]
I found these and thought they would fit you. [ On top, a faded green sweater clearly knitted by a machine from how neatly the rows align, and beneath it, a pair of caramel-colored pants made of some kind of canvas or corduroy. ] They'll be warmer than what you have on now. And less bloody.
[ there are two things that strike jayce, then. first, that he really needs to get his game together. he's barely paid attention to such things, too alarmed and hyperfocused on survival or violence or pain to think about basic amenities until they actually begin to bother him during the lull. if it weren't for viktor . . . hell, he'd be in places. doing much worse.
to think viktor thought about him that was is even honey sweet. trying not to let the surprise draw out across his wrinkles, jayce takes the clothes, exchanging them for the hold on his things and shaking his head, beaming, almost— ]
You're something else. [ he needs to start taking better care of himself. ] Thank you.
[ he'll . . . go over to the stairway to change, then. door cracked enough for the lights to shine through as the shirt and pants come off in full. battle jacket, while bulky, desperately needed some cleaning, so he could make do with a blanket or two over his shoulders. behold, he does return looking a pinch less like he's been through the ringer; not a tight fit, actually rather loose.
[ Viktor takes everything but Jayce's staff from him when he hands over the clothes, thinking about how it will be easier for them to carry things up in a box rather than willy nilly. Maybe he is babying Jayce too much at the moment, but they'd shared an intense moment earlier during the spell and there's a strange sort of afterglow softening Viktor. He doesn't want to linger on that, nor on the way the pain of struggling with the spell had shifted to pleasure on the turn of a dime. ]
You're... welcome. [ It feels strange to say when all he's doing is looking out for his partner by providing something that he needs. Fresh clothes, if not entirely clean thanks to years of dust, would be better to change into after a shower and and uninterrupted night of good sleep, but this will have to make due.
Turning away from the stairs, he busies himself with putting Jayce's supplies into a box, focusing on the task rather than looking through the shadows. He's just curious, he tells himself, worried about any hidden wounds and the rest of the rashes he hadn't been able to examine. If they're more prominent on the arcane scarring on his leg, Viktor hates to think what Jayce's back might look like. ]
[ it looks like a pain, for the record. feels that way, too— but scratching his back was more complicated a task, with the wide spread of cracked scabbing a little too raw to dig his nails into. it was sore . . . especially after sticking to any wet spots in his clothes, remedied now with a change and a quick touch up on bandaging. he could ask viktor for help, later.
only because jayce too, wishes to see the lights and talk the night's troubles away rather than giving them both more to stress over. he needs a god damn break. it might just be jayce's own overthinking, too (or a hunch?) that has his fishing for disarming words that could ease this odd discomfort between them. maybe it wasn't even discomfort, just . . . an awkwardness jayce didn't want them to feed.
humor always did a good job at deflecting. everything about jayce's movement now announces him. the thunk of the staff, the click of the brace. he gestures to himself as he approaches from viktor's side, shrinking his arms under the cover of the blankets warming his shoulders. ]
I think I'm ready to tell the academy about the good old days.
[ there's nothing wrong with viktor's choice, and he's well aware of scarcity— perhaps he is just simply aware of his own appearance and attempting to accept it sooner rather than later: he does look ten years older. fifteen? the streaks in his hair does not help his case. ]
[ Turning when the hollow thump of Jayce's staff echoes around the room, Viktor appraises the fit of the clothes and deems them suitable. It's nothing like the smart cut of the Academy uniform, nor the well-tailored suits he'd wear to parties, but it's warm and it... suits him, in a way. Viktor can almost imagine Jayce wearing a pair of glasses to complete the look: scholarly, comfortable, and aging like a fine wine. He stops himself, however, because that age isn't natural for someone in his thirties, especially someone so healthy and fit as Jayce had been. It makes his stomach turn to remember that a version of him had been responsible.
He shoves those thoughts aside and offers Jayce the box of supplies he'd abandoned in favor of changing his clothes. ] You look ready to take a nap.
[ Gathering up more blankets, he leads the way to the stairs that they discovered would, eventually, take them to a roof. ]
[ hah, jayce barks, louder than intended but well enough to be heard. box now fit under one arm, staff secure in the other, ]
If only.
[ his days are numbered by insomnia and nightmares. a nap would be a treasure, actually . . . . and jayce quite misses the days where he slept through alarms like a log. but he's meeting with viktor side by side to face off against another mortal enemy, stairs. at least the climb wasn't too high up—? ]
Just need my slippers.
[ better to start the struggle with good humor than not. the first few steps are heavily depending on his strong leg and staff, but jayce manages slowly. part of him hopes that viktor would have the patience to wait. ]
You're right, how could I have left out such an essential item?
[ Chuckling softly, he waits for Jayce to begin the ascent first and then waits behind him, a solid wall to fall back against in case... Well, he doesn't want to think about that. Instead he thinks about what might have caused the sky to light up because otherwise he'll have to focus on remaining patient and not simply carrying Jayce up the stairs. He knows that too much inactivity would be as dangerous as too much, and without there being any urgency or danger, he needs to respect Jayce's autonomy.
Still, he can't help wishing Jayce would let himself rely on Viktor a bit more. ]
[ not entirely painless, not exactly painful, jayce is finnding with each step. but something tells him the smart move would still be to safeguard the leg, and so that he does. he takes each step steady, and feels a warm hug of selfish wholeness in viktor having the patience to wait for him.
he can do this. it's not another terrible reach of effort. ]
A little numb, [ may be an aftermath or the magic simply doing its work, or both— ] but walkable. I'd rather that than it killing me.
[ not in the literal sense, but. you know. perhaps that would not last long, so it may be best not to get used to it. painkillers were a little hard to come by, but not impossible. he's still going to take it easy. ]
And I'm more interested in your choice of magic catalyst.
[ Viktor hums at this, eyes on Jayce's leg even though it's covered by layers of blankets and pants. ] It's possible there was nerve damage, either from the bullet or the spell. Or the nerves are regrowing at a slower rate than the tissue itself.
[ There are a slew of possibilities, and without proper equipment and clean working conditions, trying to puzzle out the answer as to what's really going on is a risk to Jayce's health.
Stewing in his thoughts, he perks up at the question posed as a statement. Of course Jayce would be interested in his choice of magic catalyst, he's been interested in magic his entire life and now he has yet another form of it to study. Well, if being his subject means that they can keep this tenuous peace between them, Viktor will lie on the metaphorical examination table. ]
It was part inference, part... instinct. I had already discovered that runes placed on my body were exponentially more viable than runes written on any other surface. [ He thinks about the metal skin now etched with runes, so similar to his body scarred with his efforts to fix it. ] You're familiar with the stories of dark sorcerers using blood magic, and you saw how the Hexcore responded to organic matter.
[ nerve damage. jayce tries not to show how the bridge of his nose crunches with displeasure much greater than any discomfort or pain he could be feeling. it wasn't like that way before— so he's hoping it's just a passing aftertingle from the spell itself.
they'll get a better look at it when they can. nothing stands unless there's proof. a few more stairs, and while jayce is beginning to huff, he can see the end of the rails going up. ]
That's . . . Incredible. [ viktor was incredible. ] Have you felt any side effects?
[ anything to worry about? goes unsaid, but jayce . . . hopes viktor would tell him. not hide it. ]
[ Studying the results of the healing as well as any after effects can wait until the morning; tonight, they deserve a break. Jayce especially seems to be in good spirits at the prospect of watching the night sky from the roof, and as long as he doesn't catch a cold from it, Viktor is happy to observe with him.
They reach the top of the stairs and Viktor side-steps around Jayce to stand near the door, ready to open it once Jayce is ready to proceed. ]
Side effects? [ His mind instantly goes to the strange release he'd felt at the height of the spell and how his body had tingled afterwards, but the thought of sharing all those implications with Jayce makes him want to hide away. ] Nothing dangerous.
[ it may have been jayce, but somehow the lack of a direct no has him stopping mid step to carefully watch viktor. he couldn't see the face he was making, but the answer hadn't satisfied him completely. after a moment of diligent pause, jayce asks: ]
You'd tell me if there were, right?
[ you won't seclude yourself and hide it from me again, will you? jayce watches in wait before he's ready to climb the rest of the way up. he'd feel better with an answer before they're met with distracting starlight.
one of his greater fears right now is viktor simply— disappearing from him, again. he just wakes up one day and viktor has left him, without a word. even if they've spoken, even if viktor has said otherwise now— what if, you know? ]
Of course. [ It's quick and honest though, on second thought, Viktor would probably hold back that kind of information if the trade off was being in pain for the sake of healing Jayce. The other doesn't need to know about how Viktor had struggled nor the strange euphoria that had come with the height of the spell, magic slotting into place, and finishing. Gods, even just the way he's wording it in his mind is suspect. ] In the interest of honesty, the spell was more difficult to perform than I'd anticipated, but it's a challenge to calculate something with so many unknown variables.
[ He knows that he needs to regain Jayce's trust for so many more reasons than he'd care to linger on right now. The focus is on being here, staying present, telling him when things are wrong and trusting that Jayce will do the same. ]
[ valid and so easily said, there's no room for jayce to suspect a thing. after a silent moment flipping it around in his brain, jayce accepts, ]
I believe you.
[ with a twinge of relief easily visible through the relaxation of the corners of his eyes. it's just him, probably. there wasn't anything to worry about. well, the roof awaits. adjusting his hold on his box, jayce nods and works himself up the remaining staircases. ]
[ Viktor nods as his only reply, accepting the fact that Jayce believes him and falling into a comfortable silence for the remainder of their ascent. Once they reach the final landing, he once again pauses to let Jayce catch his breath before opening the door.
Outside, the night is lit from above by ghostly, shifting light. It makes for strange shadows and reflections on the rooftop where creeping vines seem to glow blue and purple and pink from one minute to the next. Viktor's eye is drawn to the sky, up to the colors that remind him of memories both painful and powerful. ]
It isn't too cold, is it? [ He props the door open, wary of being locked out on a tall roof and a cold night. ] We can pile the blankets together somewhere.
[ even before they reach the very top, through the doors, jayce is captivated by the shifting hues— it's one of those things he would've woken viktor up in the middle of the night for. if he still slept, that is. double taking downwards, jayce kicks a piece of discarded debris between the door and its hatch, so they don't have to worry about the lock.
jayce is not completely blind to the sensation, watching viktor between the wave of colors, of awe and melancholy— he feels it shared, like a rub across his back made known. he wasn't viktor to truly know it, but he was there. he tried to understand, and he thought he could at least a bit. this is what you see?
the astral plane was beautiful, despite the circumstances that brought them there. if they could revel in the arcane's space without losing themselves, jayce would think the same thing he does now, without worry: this is beautiful.
he could see his own breath, puffy and white in the air; it was cold, but not something that couldn't be remedied with more blankets over him. jayce fixes the ones already over his shoulder and walks to help find a good spot. any spot would do, really. ]
Nothing these and good talk won't fix.
[ jayce flashes a quick quirk of the lips before he pats the arch of viktor's back and encourages him to follow. ]
[ Chuckling, Viktor shakes his head fondly. Only Jayce would find warmth in a conversation, especially one with so much potential to be awkward or full of silences. Even when they were on better terms, working daily in the lab together, they mostly talked about experiments and inventions and science and facts. They don't have any projects to discuss right now, so the topics left are ones that Viktor is a little less well-versed in, less of an expert.
That's something to worry about later. Now, he folds down to his knees and lays out a couple of blankets on the rooftop both to pad the hard surface and keep Jayce warm from below. With that settled, he sits on one corner and folds his knees to his chest, trying to take up as little space as possible. ]
[ they . . . might still run that risk, even with jayce eager to simply talk and talk and fill in the spaces they used to. he's willing to take the risk anyway, but stops at the first words that come to mind. it's beautiful.
that might not lead to anything more than reminiscing, so . . . he'll have to settle with his gaze upward once he sits rather unceremoneously, rump to blankets and legs stretched out. with the box now set aside, jayce can rummage through it. ]
Why not start with these? [ two books slightly puffed at the seams with humidity, but the pages are still easily flippable and readable. the first title reads: a brief history of time by stephen hawking, and entangled life by merlin sheldrake. both caught jayce's eye by cover alone; equations in the background of the latter, and plants (and fungi) in the former. ] They're for you.
[ Viktor shifts once Jayce has taken his spot, scooting a little closer but staying folded up with his arms wrapped around his legs to keep them pressed to his chest. He doesn't expect Jayce to withdrawn something from the box to start a conversation, certainly doesn't expect to see books in decent condition, and definitely doesn't expect them to be for him. Arm falling from around his shin, he reaches out towards Jayce's hand and takes the books. It highlights how different they are in size now, Viktor's fingers easily taking the two books and dwarfing Jayce's entire hand used to hold both together. ]
For me? [ He holds them close on his left side to make it easier to focus his one eye on the covers. It takes a moment for the words to click, all of the letters falling into place in his mind but needing to consciously mentally pluck them and file them as full words. ] Thank you, Jayce. These will be good study material to improve my English and learn more about the science of this world.
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It's still cold out. [ His tone is factual rather than combative, wondering if Jayce will change his mind. Viktor has always known how much his partner dislikes the cold and the snow, the memories it brought back of struggling to survive. Curious that the same experience would make him so in love with magic. ] We'll need to bring blankets as well.
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jayce is already shuffling to stand upright. ]
Make sure it's enough, then.
[ the hint of a smile is still on his face, even as he winces through the strain of standing. gathering his staff under him, closing the shawl over his shoulders tight and movingover to their supplies. going to take some things on the way up to make their lives easier. ]
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Maybe just one night.
He huffs and looks away, but not before he notices the wince. Standing and easily overtaking Jayce as they walk in the same direction, he recovers the makeshift staff and offers it to Jayce. With that settled, he can return to the pile of blankets to grabs a few and hastily fold them up so he can carry several in his arms. ]
You should eat some protein to help with the healing. And drink more water.
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besides, jayce too, is preparing to bring quite a few things with. it only dawns on him when he picks up two tin cups from their supply corner that viktor no longer drinks. they could not share in the meager liquids they've harvested. shortly after, it dawns on him that he also does not eat, and won't be sharing in the protein he'd eagerly considered bringing extras for.
the dejection hits him so sharply viktor might be able to hear the jut of his split, lower lip as he tries to . . . recallibrate his direction with this. ]
Uh . . . Yeah, I was— going to. [ . . . ! his bag. where was his bag— he had a few books in there from when he first met sharon, he hasn't had the chance to show them to viktor. shuffling through the belongings, jayce finally manages to pull out two moderately sized books that could fit in a hand. in all honesty, they were easy reads in terms of length, especially for scholars. but he'll get to sharing once their up. little sachel of water, food, some blankets that he can manage over his own shoulder and the books. time to go up. ] For us, actually.
[ but he holds the books up, to quickly smooth the hit of that honesty out, ]
But I think I have something better.
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Clearing his throat, he leans down closer to look at the books, eye shining with curiosity. He's been to a library, but it takes far longer just to peruse titles now than it ever had back in Piltover. Reading English has become easier with practice, but it's hardly second-nature at this point. ]
Well, after you, mister fancy pants.
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this was indeed proving to be the better distraction compared to the night's happenings. jayce's tooth gap flashes for an instant. ]
Right. The height of Piltovian fashion, [ gives himself even a little gesture from head to toe: brace, staff, ripped pants and bloody top. jayce had already made his final choice of apparel in piltover a statement: that he was uneven, assymetrical and no longer fit into their casing. he's almost certain there might be blood still stuck to his gums, too. ] they'd pass out from the crassness.
[ by his tone, jayce almost nearly implies good. he's not going to change himself again.
although he will accept new pants. ]
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Oh, but first, you really do need some new clothes. [ Setting down all of the blankets he'd just gathered up, Viktor goes to a corner that's been unofficially designated as his, the spot where he keeps his bag with its notebook and pencils, vials of tears and thin brushes. There's also a few lumps of fabric, and he grabs two before returning to Jayce. ]
I found these and thought they would fit you. [ On top, a faded green sweater clearly knitted by a machine from how neatly the rows align, and beneath it, a pair of caramel-colored pants made of some kind of canvas or corduroy. ] They'll be warmer than what you have on now. And less bloody.
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to think viktor thought about him that was is even honey sweet. trying not to let the surprise draw out across his wrinkles, jayce takes the clothes, exchanging them for the hold on his things and shaking his head, beaming, almost— ]
You're something else. [ he needs to start taking better care of himself. ] Thank you.
[ he'll . . . go over to the stairway to change, then. door cracked enough for the lights to shine through as the shirt and pants come off in full. battle jacket, while bulky, desperately needed some cleaning, so he could make do with a blanket or two over his shoulders. behold, he does return looking a pinch less like he's been through the ringer; not a tight fit, actually rather loose.
dapper young-grandpa ready to give lectures. ]
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You're... welcome. [ It feels strange to say when all he's doing is looking out for his partner by providing something that he needs. Fresh clothes, if not entirely clean thanks to years of dust, would be better to change into after a shower and and uninterrupted night of good sleep, but this will have to make due.
Turning away from the stairs, he busies himself with putting Jayce's supplies into a box, focusing on the task rather than looking through the shadows. He's just curious, he tells himself, worried about any hidden wounds and the rest of the rashes he hadn't been able to examine. If they're more prominent on the arcane scarring on his leg, Viktor hates to think what Jayce's back might look like. ]
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only because jayce too, wishes to see the lights and talk the night's troubles away rather than giving them both more to stress over. he needs a god damn break. it might just be jayce's own overthinking, too (or a hunch?) that has his fishing for disarming words that could ease this odd discomfort between them. maybe it wasn't even discomfort, just . . . an awkwardness jayce didn't want them to feed.
humor always did a good job at deflecting. everything about jayce's movement now announces him. the thunk of the staff, the click of the brace. he gestures to himself as he approaches from viktor's side, shrinking his arms under the cover of the blankets warming his shoulders. ]
I think I'm ready to tell the academy about the good old days.
[ there's nothing wrong with viktor's choice, and he's well aware of scarcity— perhaps he is just simply aware of his own appearance and attempting to accept it sooner rather than later: he does look ten years older. fifteen? the streaks in his hair does not help his case. ]
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He shoves those thoughts aside and offers Jayce the box of supplies he'd abandoned in favor of changing his clothes. ] You look ready to take a nap.
[ Gathering up more blankets, he leads the way to the stairs that they discovered would, eventually, take them to a roof. ]
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If only.
[ his days are numbered by insomnia and nightmares. a nap would be a treasure, actually . . . . and jayce quite misses the days where he slept through alarms like a log. but he's meeting with viktor side by side to face off against another mortal enemy, stairs. at least the climb wasn't too high up—? ]
Just need my slippers.
[ better to start the struggle with good humor than not. the first few steps are heavily depending on his strong leg and staff, but jayce manages slowly. part of him hopes that viktor would have the patience to wait. ]
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[ Chuckling softly, he waits for Jayce to begin the ascent first and then waits behind him, a solid wall to fall back against in case... Well, he doesn't want to think about that. Instead he thinks about what might have caused the sky to light up because otherwise he'll have to focus on remaining patient and not simply carrying Jayce up the stairs. He knows that too much inactivity would be as dangerous as too much, and without there being any urgency or danger, he needs to respect Jayce's autonomy.
Still, he can't help wishing Jayce would let himself rely on Viktor a bit more. ]
How does your leg feel?
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he can do this. it's not another terrible reach of effort. ]
A little numb, [ may be an aftermath or the magic simply doing its work, or both— ] but walkable. I'd rather that than it killing me.
[ not in the literal sense, but. you know. perhaps that would not last long, so it may be best not to get used to it. painkillers were a little hard to come by, but not impossible. he's still going to take it easy. ]
And I'm more interested in your choice of magic catalyst.
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[ There are a slew of possibilities, and without proper equipment and clean working conditions, trying to puzzle out the answer as to what's really going on is a risk to Jayce's health.
Stewing in his thoughts, he perks up at the question posed as a statement. Of course Jayce would be interested in his choice of magic catalyst, he's been interested in magic his entire life and now he has yet another form of it to study. Well, if being his subject means that they can keep this tenuous peace between them, Viktor will lie on the metaphorical examination table. ]
It was part inference, part... instinct. I had already discovered that runes placed on my body were exponentially more viable than runes written on any other surface. [ He thinks about the metal skin now etched with runes, so similar to his body scarred with his efforts to fix it. ] You're familiar with the stories of dark sorcerers using blood magic, and you saw how the Hexcore responded to organic matter.
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they'll get a better look at it when they can. nothing stands unless there's proof. a few more stairs, and while jayce is beginning to huff, he can see the end of the rails going up. ]
That's . . . Incredible. [ viktor was incredible. ] Have you felt any side effects?
[ anything to worry about? goes unsaid, but jayce . . . hopes viktor would tell him. not hide it. ]
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They reach the top of the stairs and Viktor side-steps around Jayce to stand near the door, ready to open it once Jayce is ready to proceed. ]
Side effects? [ His mind instantly goes to the strange release he'd felt at the height of the spell and how his body had tingled afterwards, but the thought of sharing all those implications with Jayce makes him want to hide away. ] Nothing dangerous.
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You'd tell me if there were, right?
[ you won't seclude yourself and hide it from me again, will you? jayce watches in wait before he's ready to climb the rest of the way up. he'd feel better with an answer before they're met with distracting starlight.
one of his greater fears right now is viktor simply— disappearing from him, again. he just wakes up one day and viktor has left him, without a word. even if they've spoken, even if viktor has said otherwise now— what if, you know? ]
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[ He knows that he needs to regain Jayce's trust for so many more reasons than he'd care to linger on right now. The focus is on being here, staying present, telling him when things are wrong and trusting that Jayce will do the same. ]
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I believe you.
[ with a twinge of relief easily visible through the relaxation of the corners of his eyes. it's just him, probably. there wasn't anything to worry about. well, the roof awaits. adjusting his hold on his box, jayce nods and works himself up the remaining staircases. ]
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Outside, the night is lit from above by ghostly, shifting light. It makes for strange shadows and reflections on the rooftop where creeping vines seem to glow blue and purple and pink from one minute to the next. Viktor's eye is drawn to the sky, up to the colors that remind him of memories both painful and powerful. ]
It isn't too cold, is it? [ He props the door open, wary of being locked out on a tall roof and a cold night. ] We can pile the blankets together somewhere.
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jayce is not completely blind to the sensation, watching viktor between the wave of colors, of awe and melancholy— he feels it shared, like a rub across his back made known. he wasn't viktor to truly know it, but he was there. he tried to understand, and he thought he could at least a bit. this is what you see?
the astral plane was beautiful, despite the circumstances that brought them there. if they could revel in the arcane's space without losing themselves, jayce would think the same thing he does now, without worry: this is beautiful.
he could see his own breath, puffy and white in the air; it was cold, but not something that couldn't be remedied with more blankets over him. jayce fixes the ones already over his shoulder and walks to help find a good spot. any spot would do, really. ]
Nothing these and good talk won't fix.
[ jayce flashes a quick quirk of the lips before he pats the arch of viktor's back and encourages him to follow. ]
I think we have enough
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That's something to worry about later. Now, he folds down to his knees and lays out a couple of blankets on the rooftop both to pad the hard surface and keep Jayce warm from below. With that settled, he sits on one corner and folds his knees to his chest, trying to take up as little space as possible. ]
Is there more you wish to discuss?
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that might not lead to anything more than reminiscing, so . . . he'll have to settle with his gaze upward once he sits rather unceremoneously, rump to blankets and legs stretched out. with the box now set aside, jayce can rummage through it. ]
Why not start with these? [ two books slightly puffed at the seams with humidity, but the pages are still easily flippable and readable. the first title reads: a brief history of time by stephen hawking, and entangled life by merlin sheldrake. both caught jayce's eye by cover alone; equations in the background of the latter, and plants (and fungi) in the former. ] They're for you.
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For me? [ He holds them close on his left side to make it easier to focus his one eye on the covers. It takes a moment for the words to click, all of the letters falling into place in his mind but needing to consciously mentally pluck them and file them as full words. ] Thank you, Jayce. These will be good study material to improve my English and learn more about the science of this world.
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🎀