[ 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.
[ for just a moment, jayce allows his fingers to curl up once his hand goes empty, chasing viktor's fingers just as they haul their new goods away. lowering himself to encourage more comfort, jayce rests on a forearm and, with hope, wonders if viktor would at the very least disengage the compactness he's forcing himself to take.
he points to the first title, and looking proud of himself announces: ]
This one's "A Brief History of Time", [ and he's only managed to do so because he's rehearsed for this moment. sharon helped him out, sure . . . but jayce wanted to learn, too. he wouldn't have half the ease viktor currently had with the letters, but that's never stopped jayce from absorbing knowledge. he'll get there— he'll keep up. ] right?
[ Jayce moves and Viktor follows him, a sunflower tracking the path of the sun. His bent legs fold to the side and nearly brush against Jayce next to him, and while he holds one book in his lap, the other stays aloft as he holds it with the spine in his palm and allows gravity to pull the pages apart and grant him a quick sample of the contents. ]
That's right. [ There's a smile in his voice, both proud of Jayce's intelligence and also enjoying that he might seek validation from Viktor. It's a hint of the past, of them working together in the lab and Jayce showing him calculations just to get a bit of praise rather than actually second-guessing his work. ] It's quite an ambitious title.
[ Scanning the page that had been randomly selected for him, his eyes catch a familiar word that stands out amidst a sentence. The universe doesn't allow perfection. He shivers from the cold stone that sinks into his stomach and gently closes the tome, setting it on the blanket beside him to abandon it in favor of the other. ] And this one? What drew you to it?
[ he did in fact, want a selfish bit of validation just as much as showing that he could keep up, still bright despite his head seemingly poor in other angles— that he was fine, that he was still himself, or at least he could be.
while jayce feels a cushioning sensation of comfort bloom in his chest as viktor relaxes, there is just . . . something in the way he puts the first book aside that makes jayce feel the icy swell of discomfort. it's shared, once again, though he couldn't tell whether that was his own fertile imagination or his empathy or . . . the actual elephant sitting in the corner that could amount to their tether. much like anything else that bothers jayce to the point that he questions his reality, he leaves it be. for now. ]
Full disclosure . . . The plants. [ and it reminded him of viktor. jayce raises his shoulders and clears away the knot that causes his face to heat up. he lays down, instead— head looking up, and hands folded over his chest. now's a good time to pull another blanket and watch a twinkling wave of color rush over the roof. ] You know more about plants than I do.
[ Viktor fears that his attempt to subtly set aside the first book did not go unnoticed, perhaps appearing ungrateful for such a thoughtful gift. Was it just fate that everything be tainted by his past misdeeds? The chances of opening to a quote about perfection... surely it couldn't just be cruel serendipity.
He traces a finger over the fungi adorning the cover in his hands, flashes of memories that weren't his coming to the forefront of his mind. Jayce standing atop the ruined Hexgate, exotic plant life spreading from two still figures at the epicenter. Viktor knows more about plants, yes, but the similarity between the colorful fungi on the cover and that arcane flora so closely tied with the older version of Viktor that he'll never become... ]
Thank you again, Jayce. It will be a good way to pass the time to learn more about the fungi of this world.
[ Looking down at him where he lies, he feels his chest swell with affection. Jayce had taken the time to find books that would interest him, to read their titles in a foreign language, and bring them back safely to Viktor. His emotions cannot be expressed through one glowing eye nor his unchanging face, so he reaches out a hand to rest on Jayce's knee. ]
Really. Thank you. [ It will be a good challenge to keep him company in the dead of night. ]
[ if there was a way to put the entire universe in a single stare . . . jayce has mastered it. the way he looks at viktor, the way his love bleeds out, the slight crease as his brows come together, the smile, the way his eyes see beyond. with jayce's hand placed on top of viktor's and fingers curling to squeeze the sides of viktor's palm, their tether surges like a live wire given life, energy— tangling and braiding until their essence sunchronizes. what they feel is one.
the lights above aplified the beauty of it. ]
—I'll, [ there was a bit of tension he's now a little awkward about, even if he's still smiling through it, and still very well holding the top of viktor's hand. it doesn't look like he's letting go any time soon. ] still want to read it, after you.
[ The light playing softly over Jayce's face makes him younger again, softens the lines of pain and scars of time, paints his facial hair until Viktor remembers how Jayce had appeared in the astral plane. There's a weight to his expression, like a physical touch against Viktor's skin, a magnetic force that pulls him closer. He shifts again, lower to prop himself up with a hand splayed on the blanket near Jayce's shoulder, and for a second he imagines it: leaning down fully, pressing a kiss to those plush lips. But the Viktor in his mind's eye is human, has a warm mouth to press against and two working eyes of amber and is all soft skin to embrace. This is the dreamscape Viktor, so far from the reality of a cold, hard, metal husk that he must live with, his own cross to bear. ]
We could read it together. [ He doesn't lean in closer, but he does ease himself down backward until he's lying on the roof next to Jayce's sandwich of blankets, staring up at the sky and clutching both books to his chest. The tether tugs at him, an eager dog on a leash puling it taught and straining for release, but Viktor holds firm. He may be warming up to the idea that Jayce could see past the machine to find his partner again, but he isn't delusional to believe that anything more could come from that look, those hazel eyes. ]
[ somewhere in between the short silence, jayce too searches viktor's face, or at least half of it. he knows the want is his, he's realized it for a while now, growing thicker roots the longer they stay together. it had spooked jayce earlier, mostly because of viktor's reaction and the fear of his shutting down, of losing him again. but viktor settles in his welcome, tempting jayce to scoot closer as they keep their glances and maintain . . . hand contact, for an amount of time that by now, jayce could feel the heat pooling in his stomack and creeping up his neck. something snaps jayce out of his dreamy stupor into surprise. pleasant surprise, in fact, enough that it pries the wandering eyes that have found part of viktor's old lips, his mole— and sputters. ]
[ Viktor isn't sure what causes Jayce to sputter until he thinks about it; them reading together, shoulder to shoulder, pressing close in the cold of this world and sharing light that is probably conjured by Viktor. It's intimate to be sure, and with the additional thought of Jayce falling asleep while leaning against Viktor, his head lolling to rest on his shoulder... ]
Even if you sleep. I'll just make you read aloud the next day to cover anything you missed.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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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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he points to the first title, and looking proud of himself announces: ]
This one's "A Brief History of Time", [ and he's only managed to do so because he's rehearsed for this moment. sharon helped him out, sure . . . but jayce wanted to learn, too. he wouldn't have half the ease viktor currently had with the letters, but that's never stopped jayce from absorbing knowledge. he'll get there— he'll keep up. ] right?
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That's right. [ There's a smile in his voice, both proud of Jayce's intelligence and also enjoying that he might seek validation from Viktor. It's a hint of the past, of them working together in the lab and Jayce showing him calculations just to get a bit of praise rather than actually second-guessing his work. ] It's quite an ambitious title.
[ Scanning the page that had been randomly selected for him, his eyes catch a familiar word that stands out amidst a sentence. The universe doesn't allow perfection. He shivers from the cold stone that sinks into his stomach and gently closes the tome, setting it on the blanket beside him to abandon it in favor of the other. ] And this one? What drew you to it?
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while jayce feels a cushioning sensation of comfort bloom in his chest as viktor relaxes, there is just . . . something in the way he puts the first book aside that makes jayce feel the icy swell of discomfort. it's shared, once again, though he couldn't tell whether that was his own fertile imagination or his empathy or . . . the actual elephant sitting in the corner that could amount to their tether. much like anything else that bothers jayce to the point that he questions his reality, he leaves it be. for now. ]
Full disclosure . . . The plants. [ and it reminded him of viktor. jayce raises his shoulders and clears away the knot that causes his face to heat up. he lays down, instead— head looking up, and hands folded over his chest. now's a good time to pull another blanket and watch a twinkling wave of color rush over the roof. ] You know more about plants than I do.
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He traces a finger over the fungi adorning the cover in his hands, flashes of memories that weren't his coming to the forefront of his mind. Jayce standing atop the ruined Hexgate, exotic plant life spreading from two still figures at the epicenter. Viktor knows more about plants, yes, but the similarity between the colorful fungi on the cover and that arcane flora so closely tied with the older version of Viktor that he'll never become... ]
Thank you again, Jayce. It will be a good way to pass the time to learn more about the fungi of this world.
[ Looking down at him where he lies, he feels his chest swell with affection. Jayce had taken the time to find books that would interest him, to read their titles in a foreign language, and bring them back safely to Viktor. His emotions cannot be expressed through one glowing eye nor his unchanging face, so he reaches out a hand to rest on Jayce's knee. ]
Really. Thank you. [ It will be a good challenge to keep him company in the dead of night. ]
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the lights above aplified the beauty of it. ]
—I'll, [ there was a bit of tension he's now a little awkward about, even if he's still smiling through it, and still very well holding the top of viktor's hand. it doesn't look like he's letting go any time soon. ] still want to read it, after you.
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We could read it together. [ He doesn't lean in closer, but he does ease himself down backward until he's lying on the roof next to Jayce's sandwich of blankets, staring up at the sky and clutching both books to his chest. The tether tugs at him, an eager dog on a leash puling it taught and straining for release, but Viktor holds firm. He may be warming up to the idea that Jayce could see past the machine to find his partner again, but he isn't delusional to believe that anything more could come from that look, those hazel eyes. ]
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Even if I'll sleep at some point?
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Even if you sleep. I'll just make you read aloud the next day to cover anything you missed.
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🎀