#and jayce chooses him every two seconds

[discoedelysium]

i’ve been trying to figure out what makes jayce and viktor’s ending so powerful and the only thing that resonates is the way jayce fights against EVERYTHING to be with viktor’s pain. he has so many chances to give up, to let go, to save himself

but he keeps coming back to viktor’s hands. even when viktor pushes him away. even when the rune forces them apart. there are so many opportunities for jayce to let go — but

we finish this together

[drossna]

that final jayvik scene, disability, and a world with pyramids

Bear with me for a second, doomed yaoi fans, I’m one of you.

The one thing that bothered me about the final scene between Jayce and Viktor is how Jayce calls Viktor’s leg and his disease “imperfections”. It feels dismissive, like these are superficial traits and not facts of life that Viktor had to deal with every day. They were a part of him, yes, but they hurt him, hampered him, and were literally killing him in the end. Viktor is allowed to have a complicated relationship with his disability. 

It was a poor choice of words on Jayce’s part—that’s my explanation. 

The best way I can reckon with Arcane conflating imperfection and disability/disease is by thinking about it in terms of a world with or without pyramids. 

This idea comes from The Wind Rises, my favourite Ghibli film. There’s a lot of ways you can interpret the meaning of that film, but here’s how I do it. 

Jiro, the protagonist of The Wind Rises, faces two terrible choices in the film. The first is whether to continue to design the airplanes he loves even when they will be used to kill, and the second is whether to allow his wife to stay with him even though she’s dying from tuberculosis and might survive longer if she lived in a sanatorium. 

In both cases, he chooses the thing he loves. He designs his Zero planes and contributes massively to the field of aeronautics, and then the planes are sent to war. He lives together happily with his wife, and she passes away quickly. There is no correct choice for Jiro, but he chose a world with pyramids. 

(sidenote: Jiro working on schematics with one hand so he can hold Nahoko’s in his other while she rests is jayvik coded)

See, the pyramids came at a huge human cost, but their cultural and historical value is undeniable. Their non-existence, just like the cost of their construction, would be a heavy thing. 

The world where Viktor grows up, uses a cane, studies, uses a crutch, perseveres, ails, and dies, that is a world with pyramids. 

The world where the Machine Herald erases all human suffering, that is a world without pyramids. 

What I take away from Jayce and Viktor’s final scene ISN’T that Viktor’s disability is inconsequential, but that it’s worth it. That Jayce believes he’s worth it. And that he wants Viktor to believe he’s worth it, too. 

[venerawrites]

Hello!

Would you have any ideas or headcannons for a gn!reader, who is a florist, has a crush on Viktor but doesn't know how to express it? I have a feeling it could lead to some funny misunderstandings... Maybe even Viktor finding flowers randomly on his doorstep...

author's note: guess who's back? recently, I had the inspiration to write again and this is such a cute request, I just had to start with this one! Thank you for requesting and more importantly for your patience! <3

P.S - also I have 0 idea about the meaning of flowers, so if any of these don't make sense, blame Google. <3

If not for Jayce, Viktor would probably live in the lab. His routine usually consisted of arriving early in the morning and leaving almost at midnight, long after everyone had gone home. In his mind, there was no point in going out - not only it was a struggle for him to move freely around the busy streets of Piltover, but he also had 0 interest in being anywhere BUT the lab. What else could be more important (and exciting) than working on the Hexcore after all?

He soon learned that for his friend and partner, Councillor Medarda's birthday WAS in fact more important than working for the future of Piltover. And while he stubbornly refused to join him in his hunt for an appropriate present, on the third day of Jayce's begging and pulling the "we are not only partners, we are brothers" card, he reluctantly agreed to accompany him to the nearby market.

They have been going from stall to stall for almost an hour now and Viktor was far from happy. His leg was hurting and Jayce kept asking him for his opinion about dresses and perfumes and all these stuff both of them had no idea about.

In the end, Jayce ended up with two bags full of different objects as he "could not really choose". "Great, now to the flower shop!", smiled the tall man, gently nudging his partner in the ribs. "You've got so many presents already, why would you go to ANOTHER shop?", asked Viktor with a sigh, already knowing there was no point in arguing with the other male. He stood up from the bench he was sitting on, clenching his teeth once he felt the muscles in his leg spasming. "Women love flowers", pointed out Jayce as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. He paused for a few seconds, before furrowing his brows and looking at his partner almost unsure. "Right?" Viktor sighs, debating if he should say what he really thinks or what Jayce wants to hear. Finally, he decides on the latter. "Right."

Viktor hasn't really kept in touch with anyone from the Academy so seeing you, his old classmate, working as a florist was an unexpected, but pleasant surprise. After a brief chat, interrupted every so often by Jayce, who kept asking different questions about the numerous flower options in the shop, you agreed to catch up for a coffee on the weekend.

But one coffee "date" soon became two and just within a few weeks, it was a ritual for both of you to meet at least two times per week.

For Victor, it was nice having a friend other than Jayce. In a way, speaking with someone who was not involved in science or Hexcore was almost a relief - it gave him the opportunity to speak about topics OTHER than work, such as hobbies and everyday life.

For you, however, what started as just catching up with an old classmate soon turned into... more. You always thought Viktor was a charming man - even during your Academy days - but you never really got to know him, as he always had his nose buried in textbooks. But the more time you spent with him now, the more fascinated you became with his wit, knowledge, and humour.

It is not a surprise you fell fast AND hard for him. But did he feel the same? It was hard to tell. He wasn't the type to openly flirt, but you have noticed small things such as the way his cheeks became a light red colour every time you accidentally brushed hands or the way his gaze studied your profile every time he thought you were not looking. He also always seemed to listen attentively to everything you were saying and often tried to stir the conversation toward you and your interests, rather than him.

Unsure how to "test the waters", you decided to show your affection the best way you knew how - with the language of flowers.

At first, you tried to leave hints secretly. You would leave a few fresh ranunculus flowers at his front door on your way to work, or drop sweet peas at the reception of his work, asking the doorman to deliver them in the lab during his lunch break.

Despite being one of the smartest men in Piltover, Viktor's ability to read clues was pretty much non-existent. "I think someone is targeting me", he said in a hushed voice one afternoon while you walked in the park together. You raised a brow, confusion, and worry written all over your face. He seemed almost reluctant to share more, but as you continue to stare at him, he adds with a sigh: "I keep receiving these... flowers. At my house, at my work... I think they are a sign someone is after me. Have you ever read the book "The Rose Symbol"? In it, the killer sends flowers to his victims as a warning before he strikes", he scratched his chin, completely oblivious to the way your eyes widened and your face became completely red. "And interestingly, Jayce does not receive anything... so whoever it is, they must have a knowledge of my work specifically. They are trying to stop me from developing the Hexcore."

Needless to say after this "admission", you stopped leaving flowers for him, too ashamed of the fact none of your clues were picked up, and also scared of the possibility that you may somehow make him more paranoid.

Unknowingly to you, your attitude around him changed too - you were somewhat more reserved and you started to find excuses as to why you cannot hang out with him. While you did not do it on purpose, deep inside you did feel the need to put some distance between you, especially for the sake of your own feelings.

Viktor may be blind to hints, but the sudden tension in your relationship did not escape him. It did not take long for him to put two and two together and realise that "coincidently" the flowers stopped coming after he shared his "worry" with you.

Two weeks passed since your last meeting and Viktor decided it was time to "confront" you by dropping unannounced by your shop. And for you, it was definitely a surprise to find him in front of the shop's door after closing hours, clutching a bouquet of red tulips close to his chest. He didn't even greet you, before shoving the flowers in your face, a bright red colour covering his cheeks. "For you...", he mumbled, his eyes glancing at you, before moving away just as quickly. You quirked a brow, looking at the flowers, before tilting your head to the side. "I ... Thank you!", you smile, confusion written all over your face, "What is the occasion?" Viktor stayed silent for a moment, before clearing his throat. "I know you were the one leaving me flowers. And I wanted to say I do reciprocate your affection", he recited seriously, almost as if he had practiced this sentence hundreds of times. The rosy colour on your cheeks now spread all over your face to the tip of your ears. "Oh.."

Viktor did not say anything more about it, instead offering to accompany you on your way home. The walk was filled with laughter and awkward jokes, and the tension, that had formed between you during the past few weeks, quickly started to melt.

Slowly, your relationship started to rebuild, but this time something was different. While you quickly fell back to your old habits of spending afternoons and weekends together, you also started to get physically closer - small brushes of your fingers, which after a while started to wrap around each other; long gazes into each other's eyes; shy smiles, every time any of you made a bad attempt at a flirty joke.

As someone who had only one short-term relationship in the past, Viktor would take things very slowly, but it will be very obvious he does like you (even when it takes him months to actually admit it to you and ask you on an official date!).

cc artwork: Neil Ross

[sapphic-enigma]

Alright so I've been thinking about the portal and Ekko and I think he might be able to save Isha. I was on tiktok and saw this picture

Now when I look at this it looks like Ekko is in the center of multiple different timeliness that he's connected to in some way. Now Ekko is currently in the portal where jayce escaped from. I think the portal experiences time differently than the real world.

Now I have two ideas. 1. Since Ekko is in the portal where Jayce escaped from he has access to multiple timelines and episode six is a mash up of him trying to fix the timeline.

Someone else pointed out that the scene with viktor and the coin he drops rolls differently every time. What if the reason it does that is because Ekko has tried using his power multple times to change things but it all still ended up at the same outcome [with Isha shooting vander] because he didn't make a big enough ripple to change time. So the episode we saw was actually a mashbup of all the times Ekko tried to fix it.

2. Ekko is in the portal at the time of the explosion that Isha sets off but since it's exactly 4 second he is somehow able to escape the portal or rewind time within the portal to save Isha from dying when she shoots vander.

In either scenario I think he comes to the conclusion that he can't stop jayce from killing viktor but he can save isha from dying and the moment he chooses to rewind is the 4 seconds at the end so he can save Isha and vander.

Am i wrong? Probably

Is this helping me cope with Isha likely dying? YES YES IT IS

[applebuttercringe]

Arcane finale initial thoughts

This episode was a roller coaster for me.

-She cut her hair off screen? Why? If she is about to commit suicide I don’t see the desire to get a new look beforehand. Usually stuff like big haircuts signifies rebirth is storytelling, a shedding of the past. This is the opposite.

-A whole melancholy Jinx tries to kill herself scene. I’m so tired. Give her a break.

-the song is haunting

-I know that they established that the time travel doesn’t work past 4 seconds, so no saving Isha. But they should have saved Isha.

- I don’t get the Jimx with the flag in the intro. She never really became a leader for Zaun. She briefly called herself it during the prison break out. But that was about saving Aisha. Then she abandoned it entirely for Vander. She really never became a revolutionary. She avoided it.

-They built the hexgates with no off switch? Did Dr doofenshmirtz teach us nothing?

-We never see Caits reaction to Jayce’s….everything?

-How does Jayce know that?

-so Viktor died, he was brought back via mad science that stripped him of his humanity, and then, the exact same thing happened again. Something something two nickels weird that it happened twice.

-Does Maddie know about the sex with Vi?

-Is this the Waarwhik Viktor team up?

-If shutting down the hexgates is a slow but steady process. He probably should have started it earlier instead of having meetings to tell them how long it will take to shut down. Is there a reason he didn’t do this immediately after Viktors mannequin attack.

-Is Loris dead?

-Is Cait never gonna tell Maddie?

-Is Maddie gonna die so it never has to happen?

-The Undercity member of Caits new team is the first to die.

-Very similar imagery to Caits gassing of the Undercity

-Oh damn, they won

-Maddie was a spy, the theories were right

-Cait used the same gun butt jam move on Maddie that she did on Vi.

-Cait won’t die. I don’t believe it.

-MADDIE THAT IS COLD

-Damn Mel

-Are they gonna be saved by Mel’s newly revealed magic powers that came outa nowhere? How did she master them so quickly?

-Jinx incoming

-I guess Ekko convinced her

-Ex Machina

-Dod Sevika convince the Undercity?

-what is with the sense of time this act. I have no idea the time between events. I thought Cait passing out was at least an hour time skip seeing as everything calmed down, but then Vi and the pianist are in the same place and same position as before?

-Is Viktor dead? Oh it was a trick.

-He ain’t in the egg.

-the hex ray from season 1?

-NEW DESIGN SLAYS

-nevermind he looks like a hammerhead shark.

-Cue all the fanfictions where this is resolved with freaky sex

-Is Sevika dead?!

-Cait you just got stabbed, how are you walking?

-With every scene change you can feel the writers struggling to keep track of all the characters. This fight scene is never ending cause we keep needing to pause for an ex machina reveal. It’s Voltron all over again.

-This is reading as Mel will become a new league champion. Mage support. The new design and everything.

-“People deserve to choose their own fates.” Says the guy who fuses Viktor with the Hexcore against his will.

-That was a cool Mel moment

-Is she saving her mom?

-So will Ambessa give up and Viktor is the new main villain?

-How did that kill Ambessa? I’m so tired.

-I can’t tell if 23 more minutes of this is a good or bad thing

-This redemption is sweet but, meh.

- Aw, they are flying like it is the invention of Hextech again.

-More loss for the sisters, cool.

-Oh, it’s the top of the hexgates like it was in the dystopian apocalypse.

-Them losing and the apocalypse happening would at least be an interesting ending.

-Viktor is spirit bending Jayce’s soul like he’s the avatar

-AS IF THEY COULDNT GO HARDER WITH THE CHRISTIAN SYMBOLISM. Jeez

-It’s like Viktor is asleep behind the mask, or dead.

-“what you thought were weaknesses” “your leg, your disease” “there is beauty in imperfection”. Was he supposed to find beauty in dying young Jayce? It wasn’t a random imperfection. It was a disability and debilitating disease caused by Piltover senseless mistreatment of the Undercity. Demonizing Viktor for wanting to cure himself, or make life better, or being able to run is so dumb.

-Yeah Viktor how dare you wanna live.

-Between that and the Silco speech this seasons big moral monologues are really flat yet sanctimonious.

-Viktor is in there. Seeing once again!

-“All I want is my partner back” gay baiting till the end eh Arcane. I’m not complaining about this, I eat it up every time. I am losing chess to this dog.

-AAAH LOVE IS GONNA SAVE HIM

-oh, the mage is Viktor. That’s. Hmmm. It’s fine. Don’t know how I feel about the goatee.

-Do you think they intended this twist from the beginning?

-“In all time lines, in all possibilities, only you can show me this” damn. Diversity win I guess.

-Now kiss lol

-Handing the bracelet back like Viktor gave it back to him in Episode 3 of season 1

- and just like that I’m back

-“We finish this together” 🏳️‍🌈

-They’re writing the fix it fanfic for me

-All the mannequins go to space?

-The hug 🥺

-Caitlyn’s gonna get a dope eyepatch

-Aww, Vis arc is about trying to save people and self sacrifice. You have to move on and live for yourself Vi. You can’t save em all.

-Save her Jinx, get involved and make a positive difference.

-Oh no, don’t kill Jinx. Don’t do it. I saw it in the trailers. No

-If this is a fake out death it is dumb, if this is a real Jinx death that is dumber.

-

Jinx suffered the most out of anyone in the series. She tried to kill herself and was saved by Silco, she tried to killer herself and was saved by Isha, she recovered with Isha, Isha died so she tried to kill herself again, she is saved by Ekko, and finally kills herself as a sacrifice for Vi? Fuck that. This endless pain train was t a recovery, it was just revelling in her pain till her violent death.

-SHES ACTUALLY DEAD

-Oriana, sure

-SINGED GOT TO LIVE. HE GOT A HAPPY ENDING? HE KEEPS THE HEADS OF KIDS HE KILLED IN HIS EXPERIMENTS IN JARS.

-alright. Ultimately fuck this show. It was so good, then it messed it all up. Ultimately this show was just about reveling in Jinx’s pain. I’m too tired to have coherent thoughts but. That was the worst ending they could ever had done. F this

[cort4se]

arcane dump

cw: unorganized + swearing

I love Arcane, and it's been one of my favourite shows for years and I'm so sad it's ending in two days but now that I think about it, we’re moving really fast for all the content that's been released so far.. I dont know if 3 episodes is even enough to cover it all

what even is black rose and why are they after Mel matter of fact what did they do to kino that they knew about their inside joke..

who was ambessa with that mel was literally able to challenge goku with that insane energy release. What exactly did jayce see that everyone looks like an alien causing his head to split every few seconds. Why was there a jojo reference specifically in relation to time.. what exactly is victor EVEN talking about..

Now that hexcore is faulty and jayce is on the quest to destroy it, what's gonna happen to all those other places that wanted a piece of it

Was vi only fighting in the pit and drinking for those 6 months?? Why did we brush over the fact she actually became an alcoholic and it got so bad that loris had to leave her cause it was probably affecting him. Also why does he look sm like Vander. How did cait and maddie become a thing?? It would have been very ballsy for maddie to go ahead and pick up the fucking government.. But if it was cait, why choose maddie of all ppl?

Why did the explosion pause at the end of episode 6 and is that in reference to ekko’s supposed connection with time alteration. What exactly did singed do to vander that he’s actually battling his inner demons.. What is the academia in piltover like now that the two most brilliant minds from there are gone.. 

sigh, guys what do we think

[blue-the-octoling]

Anyway! Time for a little yap session!!

I already told my wife about how I thought Jayce and Viktor are the embodiment of creation and destruction. Obviously in season two you see what Viktor has been up to while the under city had went to shit. But in the show you can see uniformity in every in his civilization.

The perfect circles, the symmetry, the light colors and light that surrounds him. Though it’s just random enough to look like nothing but nature had created that, he had a mission to cure others to make a perfect utopia where disease, death, hunger and pain was all taken away or kept to a minimum his people wear white clothes. A sign of innocence and purity that makes the rest of them (jinx, violet, vander, Isha) stand out so heavily. The greenhouse looks like the ball of Arcane that sucked up Jayce. That once again holds a broken Vander and thus all of viktors hard work. He wants nothing but to help.

Jayce on the other hand has seen the harm, it can do, all that time he was trying to control it. In the first episode when Jinx drops a piece of raw hextech that he had somehow acquired in the first place blowing up the building. He had a rule for the crystals though. Once he was able to “control” it. He wouldn’t use it for weaponry. Though at the end of second episode of the second season he has thrown away all want to keep his tech safe. Then finally his hammer the very hammer that killed Viktor and all of his followers. From the beginning we were told that Jayce was dangerous, that what he was doing wasn’t stable and that he would give into his true nature eventually. I would also like to bring up the hextech crystal that he always had on his wrist and eventually became integrated into his skin. It was clear from the beginning that his obsession would eventually be his undoing.

Arcane is not only creation but chaos all the same picking and choosing who it wants to become its “prophets”.

Anyway. The rambling of a crazy woman has ceased. @kiw1-qu33r

[great20sworld]

LIVING THE DREAM 

A Viktor x Reader fanfiction 

Author's note: Chapter 1, chapter 2, chapter 3, chapter 4, chapter 5, chapter 6, chapter 7, chapter 8, chapter 9, chapter 10 and chapter 11 along with summary are available in my Tumblr page. 

⚠️ Content warning ⚠️: Character death (not major character)

Chapter 12: Reverse!

__________________________

“We could've calibrated it better”

You said for the umpteenth time and Viktor didn't honour your exclamation with any comprehensible response, choosing to simply hum in acknowledgement. You put your head in your hands, forefingers pushing back the strands of hair falling over your eyes and thumbs gently applying pressure on your temples as you supress the weight of your eyelids gaining weight as each hour passes. An owl looked at you from the branch curiously extending to the lab, as if it also wanted to partake.

The lab was empty of human presence save for you and Viktor, the latter seemingly immersed in page turner resting in his lap, filled with equations. Though his eyes (much more vigilant than yours in the hour) were torn away from the book every once in a while, to rest momentarily on the dimly glowing line of crystals attaching itself to circuitry. It had taken almost another week or so to actually proportionally raise the charges to match the supposed output you predicted via modelling, and several hours before, your little team had convinced yourselves that the ‘portal’ was almost ready, and as soon as the crystals reached the charging point at a particular scale in the energy it generated, the phenomenon can be observed, granted that there would be a controller.

You remembered wearily how sceptical still Jayce had looked right before being pushed to the conclusion, running a gloved hand through his dark auburn hair and sighing. However, to your delight and surprise Viktor insisted and made a deal that if this “last attempt” failed, they would return to normal property analysis research and the unwilling labour had left Jayce tired, so he was definitely not going to be there to control it. Viktor had volunteered (very eagerly) and Sky also did, seconds before you also volunteered. 

Your gaze met Sky’s and you swore you saw something flicker behind her gaze, only momentarily though, as she quickly schools her expression to a cheerful smile, and saying something about needing to visit the green house anyways, before she thanks you for taking initiative. 

You try to shake away the small doubt already beginning to creep behind your head, as you had watched her leave with Jayce, for the day, leaving you with the tall lanky scientist with the lovely accent. 

Coming to terms with the hopeless fool trapped inside your struggling intellectual brain, you accepted to yourself that this was a moment you had been craving for. You two had gotten closer, ofcourse. With more time to talk, and more time to stress over your work with mutual headaches and late nights, it's been...nice, you presumed.

To spend some precious time with the man, where no other soul could bear witness to the "stolen moments" or so the foolish romantic in you chimed when he came closer, and closer, his beautiful fingers guided by the arm not supporting the cane extending forwards, (aiming at your hand at your side, you hoped).

Until...

You feel a soft flutter of paper being taken from the table you leaned against; his notes which he had compiled throughout the weeks, as he moves away, already ruffling through them, mumbling to himself.

You could've burst out laughing if it weren't for that tiny romantic blushing embarrassedly, clutching at its pearls making you quickly turn away, your gaze darting to the experimental setup. He had settled down next to it, and you, opposite to him, observing idly. When the silence got oppressive, you attempted to make conversation but were met with objective answers, not wandering far into what lay beneath his exterior. 

It didn't put an end to your silent study of his countenance, however. Only fueling it. In the shadows cast by the glow of the crystals and the milky white moon peeking in through the curtains, he resembled a sculpture with golden eyes moving gently in its sockets, made of the stars themselves, you swore. The lines over his cheekbones almost seemed intentionally crafted for beauty.

Then again... wasn't he?

The skilled fingers turned pages, as shoulders leaned back on the chair. It always startled you whenever his voice cut through the artificial silence to instruct you to check the controls.

Although...

Were your eyes deceiving you or was there a gentle tilt on his soft lips upwards whenever you made haste to adjust the systems or struggled to stay awake? 

Surely a play of the whimsical moonlight.

After the owl flew away, leaving you nothing else to make funny faces at, when your human companion wasn't looking, you sighed and looked away to the far end of the table, where your eyes linger on Viktor's workstation. There's another book over there that you hadn't recognised before. You sauntered over to his desk, unoccupied right now as the man sat at the main setup table to get a close look.

"In search of the sun", the title read. 

Ah, you have seen this before- just not up close as it were. You've observed at times when the scientist seemed to scribble away in this one, during moments of respite from calculation rechecking.

You flip through the old tattered thing, looking like one wrong tug at its spine would bring the papers down loose at your feet. It was handwritten, with crude but curious illustrations and erasure marks at most points. The recognition of illustrative depictions showing Zaun was instant, the fissures, the alleyways, and the descriptions. You didn't recognise the handwriting, but there were some scribbles at the sides of some pages, with arrow marks. That one, the sweeping letters- too illegible to be beautiful, but too pronounced to be ugly, you recognised instantly. 

The man's voice suddenly shakes you from your analysis, as he says, "She didn't get time to finish it."

You almost stumble when you find him standing next to you, but you make an effort to stay put. 

"Who?"

"The author."

"Who is the..." You try to flip to the back of the book, but his hand rests on top of yours, rendering you motionless.

"You won't find her name there. She never...got the time to put in her name."

Silence reined for a few seconds before vulnerable eyes met yours.

"It was...written by my sister. She...she used to write, about the undercity and the parts of it where we lived." 

 "Oh..." You breathe, looking at the book again with a newfound admiration. You don't remember coming across much authors from the undercity, much less someone who wrote about it, not without ironing out many wrinkles and smoothening out sharper details about zaun, that is. Viktor had mentioned that himself, in one of the conversations you had with him. Considering this one seemed, rather descriptive based on some of the sentences you caught sight of, what you saw now wasn't a tattered old thing anymore...

"She passed away a few years ago... Couldn't... couldn't finish writing it..." You don't miss the strained waver in the soft tone, it makes your chest ache and mouth part in shock. 

“Oh Viktor…” you murmur gently, hands clutching the book securely. “...I'm so sorry”

“It's in the past. She made a great effort though. But, it's not very comprehensive or fact oriented, more on experience…” he looks away.

“It's perfect.”

“What?” Viktor looks back at you, brows slightly raised. 

“Let me guess…” you say, your eyes trained on the book, once held by a beloved soul. “Some old critiques from up here, from the topside turned this down from being published, for all the reasons you just said.. and...you believed them.” 

Viktor was left speechless.

“Viktor… it is not detail orientation which moves hearts. This is not a documentary about zaun. It is not trying to be. It will not be happy to.” Your thumb traces the front cover. “I haven't read it yet, but from what I've gathered, this is a documentation of its people. Of a zaunite’s wishes, dreams, life. Moreover, what would a topsider know of that life? Know of the undercity?” You lift your gaze. 

“I…” Viktor’s voice quivered.

“You're no fool. You know this. You had been convinced. Viktor…why?” 

The shadows of loving sorrow came over the handsome face, you bearing witness to the past unfolding before those eyes, knuckles tightening around the cane supporting him. 

“My sister… Atira, was the kindest soul, who believed in the people, in hope, all in its own form amongst my people…our people, down beneath. Whatever she wrote, she wrote with emotion, differing entirely for whatever I stood for. She… O Janna, she loved the undercity. Loved it for what it was, believed and understood.  But, it all came to a startling close when one of the chem leakes happened. It happens always, we are usually able to foresee it sooner but…” 

His throat constricts.

“...She asked me to keep this, do whatever I must with it. Trusted me with everything that happens to a book, she believed I understood, because I was always the sharper mind in her eyes.” He sighed deeply.

“I went looking and searching for every publication sectors I could, sadly only available up here, but… none of them saw what…she had seen. What we had seen. It was never enough… I…” 

“I failed her…” 

The tilt of his head away from your view was something you hated with a passion, you own eyes filling with emotions so rough, you felt it in your heart. His sister had sought out the light. She was in search of the sun. You could almost see it. A woman, about Viktor's age, in the Undercity, eyes golden like the rays of the sun she sought after...

Seeing its brilliant rats in curtains over the crevices and cracks of Zaun, Atira might have wished to come up to the topside, but fear and prejudice may have stopped her.

A lover of nature, a lover of people...

If only she, and many others could have reached the safer side sooner in the time of the chem spills…

The sight of the ring of portal you had created in your table made you stop. A teleporter. Something that could connect and transport…

So that is why Viktor had insisted.

You take Viktor's hand, making him look at you.

“So much of the undercity…searches for the sun. Searches for safety…” you murmur. “Viktor, you haven't failed her! What if, what she desired was not the publication of the book, but the liberation of the undercity? She's smart, I have no doubt- if she has needed her book to get published, she would've sugar coated so much, but no- this is raw, this is true. What she wished, was the need of freedom, to seek the light. Somehow…” 

Viktor's eyes widen, his lips parting in shock. “Y/N… that is…”

“You can do it Viktor! You haven't failed… you have just started! ” Your hand, holding his, shakes it with excitement, as you see hope dancing in his eyes. In unison, your gazes darts to the ring set up the crystals almost charged up.

You smile and it gets wider when you feel his fingers closing around yours, face turning back to you, beautiful and hopeful, as he whispers:  

“We can do this.”

He's not alone...

“That's my boss!” You laugh, playfully patting his shoulder, as if long years of camaraderie had passed between you. 

Well, who needed long years when a part of your soul was standing before you?

Your eyes are blessed with the sight of him smiling, as you speak. 

“Why stop here! We can make a water filtration system!”

“And a heating system!” He adds.

“And an air cleaning system!” You grin.

He laughs, and the twinkle in his eyes when they meet yours makes your heart pick up pace. 

"Ah, you laugh now, but believe me when I say- this will change lives. So many. Both of undercity and piltover." You reassure, already up in the clouds with your visions.

“You are a lot like her.” He opines.

“I’m like your sister to you?” You ask slowly, a smile in your lips as you hold her book close to your chest, securely.

“My sister? No, no! You are not like a…sister to me.” 

A shy silence lingers between you, as the obvious reaches out from the top of your tongue.

“Who am I to you?” your question. More silence, his gaze darting everywhere except back to you.

“Your assistant…”

“Not just.”

“Acquaintance…?”

“More.”

“Friend…”

“More.”

“Best friend!”

“...”

“M-more..?” You blush.

Twin roses bloom on his alabaster cheeks, and a small strained breath from his countenance before his tender lips quirk upwards. Suddenly, you felt like a Victorian woman, a shy and quiet thing, before someone handsomely shy, yet, bolder. You gaze fixed on your shoes, as you see him stepping forward. 

“Y/N…” the quietness of his voice makes you lift your gaze up, met with the angel’s gaze, sweet and tender.…

Beep! Beep! Beep!

You and Viktor jump apart at the sudden beeping noise from your wrist, gasping softly. The chronoporter was going off, interrupting the sugary sweet moment, making you want to throw the thing right outside the window and be done with it.

"Dimensional drifts detected!" Chimes your mechanical companion, as your struggles to hide the dial of it from under Viktor's gaze proves faulty. 

"Is your watch...talking?" He asks, one eyebrow raised and lips slightly parted in bewilderment.

"Uh? N-no no no! It's, umm just I... I was saying that!" You laugh awkwardly, shifting your wrist wearing your watch out of his line of sight, pressing the mute button frantically as it resorts to angry text mode, indignant at being quieted by a mere human again. 

"What did you say?" Viktor asks skeptically, but you are once again interrupted by an ear splitting sound of metallic doors being squelched against one another and broken to pieces like rubber, the floor getting tremors as seemingly a giant's footsteps come by. Both yours and Viktor's head snap up the lab entrance, as you make out the figure of an old familiar face, now doused in purple hues, veins bulging and almost popping in the way muscles ripple beneath skin... 

"...."

"Oh thank God, you're not dead!" Were not the words you expected from your companion, but he has his ways. You look at him, your lips stretched incredulously in a thin horizontal line. Absolutely unbelievable.

"What! I was worried I had murdered him!" Viktor says back, frowning. You sigh, waving your hand dismissively before flinching as you see the goon pick up a huge table and throw it towards Viktor. Moving swiftly, you skid over to him just in time to splinter the table into pieces with your punch, Viktor cowering behind you, his eyes screwed shut. Before he could get in harm's way, you push him behind the huge board and the wall, as you step forward to face the goon, your blood rushing to your head in anxiousness. 

"How are you still doing this? Didn't you learn your lesson last time?" You say as you dodge away from the trajectories of whatever objects are being thrown your way. But you are answered with rageful screams and growls and maniacal howling laughter.

"Wait...wait wait! That's the voltmeter! No not the soldering set! Ahhh! The circuit board!" You say as the mindless man throws things at you, things you know are quite expensive, even up here in this functional universe. The monster of a man lunges at you and you roll away once more, jumping and galloping away, praying for an exit- but to your shock you see that the entrance is blocked with how much metal and rubber which used to be doors and walls piled against it. Viktor cannot save you anymore either, because if he threw the crystal again, the whole lab will explode- and you already had a sample of that.

Oh gods, what have you done?

You accidentally get hit by a wooden bench, making you see spots in your vision as you shake your head from disorientation. Your eyes lift up to meet the malicious ones of the man's, raising his whole torso to end you...

"Dimensional rift probability- calculated. 1.”

The room momentarily goes still, no life, no motion, until the next moment where it is bathed with the incandescent breathtaking sapphire hues wraps its curls around every crevice of the lab, pulling in itself, warping and twisting magnetically, with symbols flashing before your very eyes. Your feet lifts off the ground, as you defy gravity once more, the goon before you also airborne, to his dismay. However, the ring of charged arcane symbols rotating over and over, powerfully humming and thrumming over the atmosphere catches your eyes, mesmerizingly. 

���LOOK OUT!”

The sudden push towards the right as Viktor's whole body weight propels you out of the way of the beam of pure energy which surged through the middle of the room, made you dizzy, making you cling helplessly onto him, as he pushes you to the pillar, his cane holding you both in place. The screams of the brute maddeningly ringing around the lab, and vanishing all together- all in a staggering moment where you held him close. 

The light dies out, making everything clatter to the ground, including the two of you, as you tumble and fall, your fall made gentle by the low height you were at. 

Frantic gazes look around. No brute. 

The hextech crystal ring was glowing…

Deep breaths. Panting, hyperventilating. 

Your gazes meet, only inches apart, your arms thrown over his shoulders and his around your middle, cane pressed to the back of your leg. 

“It…it worked…” he whispers, eyes searching yours, in search of what- he didn't have a clue. 

“We…we did it…”

“WE DID IT!” 

Laughter fills the air as you both embrace, faces giddy, smeared with dust and dirt, eyes misty with unshed tears of joy and relief as you feel his hands shaking with nerves, holding you. The laughter gives way to soft giggles, and then chuckles as the tension loosens its grip on your throats. 

You pull away just enough to press a sweet kiss to his cheek, before hugging him again, not brave enough to face his gaze. You could feel him gasp, warmth spreading to the tips of his ears but you weren't sure if it was his, or yours. 

"Oh, and I saved Atira's book..." You say shyly, patting the inside of your cost pocket, the soft this of the book against fabric.

You feel rhythmic, almost symphonic beats of hearts against each other, this close…

Then…

A soft tender, chaste peck on your cheek by him…

You would have fainted. In his arms. Gladly so. 

The rest of the night felt like a dream, though you had simultaneously vague and pronounced memories of him helping you stand back up, asking you tenderly for permission to walk you home, passing by enforcers who were rather shocked to see you both unscatched, his hand in yours until you reached Gina’s house…

Another sweet kiss to your cheek before you watched shyly from the window as he walked away, grinning and smiling to himself stupidly as well, soft cheeks wearing blushes.

What a night…

Almost made you forget about the warning signal from your Chronoporter informing you that the portal you two had accidentally conjured up, had lead to your home dimension, and that Silco's goon had been dropped right before a location you recognised as a rehabilitation center. 

Good for him, you hoped.

Somewhere back in the academy, in the greenhouse, Sky Young prepares to tell you something.

Something concerning her heart.

_________________________________

Chapter 13 coming soon. Stay tuned.

[vole-mon-amour]

1x06.

I wanna scream and rip my hair out. Jayce, maybe if you and Viktor made out at least once, if you put your heart into that, this shit wouldn't be happening.

Why is it every single time there's an unconventional homoerotic relationship, the creators slap the 'brother' label and that's it, done, not a ship!

I don't believe for as single second that Jayce is straight. But choosing a path of the least resistance? That he does. And that's why Viktor keeps fighting and will become an antagonist while Jayce is.... yeah. :/// (Oh, season 2 is going to be SO hard on me. I'm so upset, lmao.)

You're a coward, Jayce. Viktor deserves so much better. At the VERY least you should've been with him.

What a GORGEOUS show. The animation is top tier. What I love about this style is how you can see brush strokes and you can study it, but it's also fully and SMOOTHLY animated. It's perfect, just like Jinx herself.

And it's so obvious that the same artists that worked on Dishonored & Dishonored 2 have also worked on this show. I mean, this sign is so similar to the Outsider's mark & the way the environment and the humans are drawn, it is VERY Dishonored.

Look at my baby girl. <3 She's so unstable & I love her.

RIP Sevika, yeah. I understand why Silco hadn't told Jinx about V, but that's probably what killed him. Sigh. I don't know how I'm gonna watch s2 without him. I love him too much.

Sevika, darling, shut up. x)

I would have absolutely LOVED to see how Silco raised Jinx because it's obvious he knows how to be loving and gentle. He's not a stranger to this.

Also, I love this villain so much.

I'm still mad about Viktor doing all the work and Jayce just embracing that.

Yeah, you two are definitely in uncharted waters here. Assholes. :( (don't mind me, i'm very sad about my ship)

He's so in love. :(

[casspurrjoybell-25]

ON A NIGHT LIKE THIS - Chapter 5

*Warning Adult Content*

- Jayce -

After dinner, Dylan seemed ready to settle down for the night.

Jayce made a quick trip to the outhouse, noting that there were now several inches of snow on the ground.

When he got back inside, he saw Dylan had changed into flannel pants and a thermal shirt.

The shirt hugged Dylan's muscles in all the right places and Jayce had to force his eyes away.

It was ridiculous for him to even notice something like that given the situation he was in.

Dylan could probably kill him in a matter of seconds and he didn't want to give him a reason.

He pulled his sleeping bag out of his pack and unrolled it on the floor of the cabin.

Grabbing his jacket, he balled it up and stuck it under his head to use as a pillow.

The fire in the wood stove had died down and now the cabin was only dimly lit.

It was cold on the floor.

Definitely not as cold as he'd been in his tent but cold enough that he couldn't get comfortable.

He tried to curl into a ball but his sleeping bag was too narrow to allow for that.

He heard Dylan shift on the bed and he stopped moving, not wanting to disturb him.

Dylan sighed.

"Get up here."

"What?"

"I can hear you shivering. That sleeping bag isn't warm enough and even though I've never slept on my floor, I can't imagine it's anything but freezing cold."

He sat up.

The bed was a single and certainly not big enough for two people.

There wouldn't be any distance between them.

He fidgeted with the zipper on his sleeping bag, not knowing how to handle this awkward situation.

The last thing he wanted to do was anger Dylan.

He had let his guard down some but he was still afraid of the guy.

Dylan sat up in bed.

"What's wrong?" he growled.

"I'm gay," Jayce blurted out.

It wasn't the most graceful confession and he was well aware it could get him thrown out of the cabin depending on Dylan's belief system but he thought this stranger should know that before sharing a bed with him.

He didn't want to be responsible for deceiving Dylan or giving him a reason to kick his ass and throw him into the snow.

"So?"

"It's just..." he hesitated, trying to choose his words carefully. "Most guys aren't okay sharing a bed with a gay man. I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier when you were trying to warm me up."

Dylan snorted.

"If someone is too freaked out about being close to another man that they'd let him die of hypothermia, then they have no business being in the wilderness."

He nodded.

It seemed like a good point and Dylan seemed like a good man for thinking that way.

Could he really trust Dylan?

Right now, he had to.

He had no other choice.

"Speaking of that, sorry I freaked out earlier. I thought you... wanted something in return for saving me. But I wasn't thinking clearly."

Dylan stared at him, one eyebrow raised.

"Who do you think I am?"

"Well, I don't know who you are, other than a big mountain man who dragged me out of my tent and brought me to this cabin in the middle of the woods. I don't know if you're going to kill me and add me to the other bodies that are probably under your cabin."

"I think you've seen too many horror movies."

"Maybe," he said, a half smile making its way onto his face.

Without skipping a beat, Dylan said...

"You can check underneath the cabin tomorrow. But right now, you need to get in the bed. You don't want to risk hypothermia twice in one day."

Jayce got out of the sleeping bag and cautiously approached the bed.

Dylan moved all the way over towards the wall.

As he got under the blanket and laid down, he made sure to stay as close to the edge of the bed as possible.

"There's a dip in the middle from me laying in the center every night," Dylan told him. "You might as well rest against me because you're going to end up there anyway."

He scooted backwards until his back was against Dylan's.

This was definitely the weirdest situation he'd ever been in.

But just like when Dylan had his arms around him to warm him up, he felt content.

The bed was much warmer, and Dylan's body radiated heat.

Within minutes, he began to drift off to sleep.

The next morning, he stirred as he felt movement.

When he opened his eyes, Dylan was trying to climb over him.

"I'm awake," he mumbled.

"Sorry," Dylan grunted. "I was trying to get out without waking you."

"No need to apologize. It's your place and I'm in the way."

Dylan finished climbing out of the bed and began to rummage around.

Jayce closed his eyes when Dylan changed back into the clothes he'd been wearing yesterday, and then he heard the door to the cabin open and close.

He stayed in the bed and pulled the blanket up further so it was covering half his face.

This was much better than his tent.

As he breathed in deeply, he caught a faint scent of musk and what smelled like a Christmas tree.

He wasn't sure if the scent was all Dylan, or if some of it came from being surrounded by evergreen trees.

Either way, he didn't care.

It was pleasant and comforting in a way.

- Dylan -

He walked around the cabin, checking to see how much snow had fallen overnight.

It was only about six inches, so he decided to take a quick morning walk.

He figured Jayce would appreciate some time alone since this entire situation must be overwhelming for him.

If he was being honest, it was overwhelming for himself, too.

He'd never spent this much time talking with another person, let alone having this much physical contact with another person.

He'd never shared a bed before.

Sure, he'd told Jayce about using body heat to help someone with hypothermia but he'd never had an opportunity to put that into practice.

At first, when Jayce seemed reluctant to share the bed with him, his heart had sunk.

He'd assumed Jayce was afraid and would rather freeze than be close to him but it was a surprise when Jayce had instead thought he would be the one afraid to share a bed.

Finding out Jayce was gay made him feel better about Jayce's reactions to him and he could pretend that Jayce's fear was due to his sexual orientation and not Dylan's appearance and size.

He put all those thoughts out of his mind as he reached his favorite spot.

It was a small grove of larch trees.

Their needles had turned from bright yellow to a deep gold.

Sometimes he felt like he waited all year for the moment when the larches would turn.

The forest was stunning in the fall but that beauty was short-lived and the fleeting colors reminded him that soon he'd have to leave his cabin and face the stares of everyone in town.

He reached out and gently touched the needles of the larch in front of him.

Had Jayce noticed the trees with golden needles?

Had he appreciated the deep reds and purples of the huckleberry bushes?

So many came from the city each fall, descending upon the mountains and snapping pictures on their cell phones to share on social media, as if getting the perfect shot were the only reason for the drive out here.

He felt like those people missed out on a lot.

After a few quiet minutes standing in the grove watching the snow fall, he began his walk back to the cabin.

He needed to figure out what to do with Jayce and how to share his space with this stranger who had stumbled into his life.

- Jayce -

The sound of feet stamping on the wooden floor of the cabin woke him.

Dylan was back, shaking snow off his coat and toeing off his boots.

He had a few logs tucked under one arm, and Jayce watched as he added them to the wood stove.

The heat from the growing flames quickly warmed the cabin.

Dylan was boiling water in the kettle and scooping something into two bowls.

Without turning around, he spoke.

"Get up if you want to eat. I'm not bringing you breakfast in bed."

Jayce didn't know whether to be amused or pissed off by Dylan's abruptness.

The man had rescued him and was kind enough to share his food and his bed but he certainly wasn't cheerful or welcoming.

Jayce got up and sat in the chair at the small table and a moment later Dylan set a bowl in front of him.

It was oatmeal and the scent of cinnamon and maple syrup filled the air.

"Thank you."

Dylan didn't respond.

He stood over near the kettle and ate his oatmeal, not saying a word the entire time.

When they had both finished, Jayce cleared his throat.

"So... what's the plan? Should I get my stuff together so you can take me back to the real trail?"

"No. I'm not taking you back out there."

"What? Why not?"

He couldn't keep the alarm out of his voice.

Was this the moment Dylan was going to tie him up before chopping him into pieces?

Dylan gave him a pointed look.

"I'm not going anywhere and neither are you. There's a storm coming in and we'll be getting snow the rest of the week. You can't risk being out there when it's actively snowing. If you think you were lost before, that's nothing compared to how it'll be in whiteout conditions with a foot of snow on the ground."

He stared back at Dylan.

"What am I supposed to do?"

"Stay here. You don't have any other options."

His breaths came quicker and he looked around the cabin, trying to tell himself it would be okay.

But the cabin was so small,

and he had to share it with a man he didn't know.

A man who didn't seem all that friendly, despite his kindness so far.

Jayce wasn't prepared for this and he just wanted to go home and pretend this whole thing had never happened.

"Hey, I don't like it either," Dylan said, noticing his panic.

Of course.

That was the cherry on top of this shit sundae.

Dylan didn't want him here, so not only was he trapped in a cabin but he was trapped with someone who didn't like him and wanted him gone.

Putting his hands in his hair, he fisted it in frustration.

His chest was tightening and it seemed harder to breathe.

He didn't even hear Dylan move across the cabin but then Dylan was kneeling in front of him.

"It's okay," Dylan said.

"It's not. You don't want me here and I don't want to be here."

"That's not what I meant. I don't like that I'll be stuck here either until the weather settles."

"But you said before that you're not out here to babysit hikers."

"I did, but you're here now. And you're not that bad. Just a little naïve."

He looked up and saw a small smile on Dylan's face.

He couldn't help but smile back and his breathing slowed.

Maybe everything would be okay.

Dylan was gruff and intimidating but he did seem to be a decent guy.

There were worse people he could be trapped with for the next week. 

[theprettyarachnid]

arcane characters and valentines day

a/n: if anyone says that this was posted late, no it wasnt.

warnings: a lil suggestive but still sfw!

Jinx

🕷 Jinx definitely goes out early in the morning and graffiti practically all the buildings in Zaun and some in Piltover that says in all capital letters "I LOVE Y/N"

🕷 Steals some pretty flowers from some Pilti's garden as a present for you

🕷 She's home by the time you wake up with flowers in hand

🕷 It's actually a little startling because she was literally watching you but sweet nonetheless

🕷 Jinx has pretty much has the whole day planned and gets very upset if something doesn't go the way she imagined it

🕷 At the end of the day you two are snuggled up on the couch eating a bunch of chocolates

Vi

🕷 I feel Vi is the type of person to say they hate Valentines Day but she actually puts in a lot of effort for you

🕷 She lets you sleep late into the morning before waking you up and taking you out to lunch

🕷 She won't tell you exactly where you're going for lunch and just says you'll have to wait and see

🕷 She takes you to one of the more lively places of Zaun that plays music and has a lot of food stands

🕷 There's also a few mini games there and she wins you a toy of your choosing

🕷 You can't tell me Vi doesn't absolutely CRUSH those mini games, especially like the test your strength ones

Caitlyn

🕷 She gets you so many gifts

🕷 Throughout the entire day you'll find it a new present for you with a small card attached that says "yours, caitlyn"

🕷 I can see her ditching some of her patrols to spend time with you

🕷 After she gets off work, she takes you to the forest where you find a picnic blanket with a bunch of food and desserts

🕷 It's one of Caitlyn's favourite spots because it has a nice lake near by where you two can skinny dip in

Ekko

🕷 You wake up to him literally glued to your side half asleep

🕷 He makes you stay in bed longer with him because "it's valentines day"

🕷 Ekko's really cuddly in the morning in general but it's amped up by like 10

🕷 When you're both up and ready, he takes you to the market and buys you anything you'd like for a discounted price

🕷 You two end the day with him taking you on the roof of the shop and watching the sunset with some chocolates while gossiping

Viktor

🕷 my favourite boy <3

🕷 Viktor gently kisses various parts of your body until you wake up

🕷 He tries and stays in bed with you for as long as possible but eventually he does have to meet Jayce at the lab

🕷 Asks you to shower with you and is literally so gentle with washing your hair and body <3

🕷 He's hugging you and giving you neck kisses until he actually has to leave

🕷 Viktor tries to be back before dinner time

🕷 Instead of taking you out because it'd be extremely busy, he cooks for you instead while you two share a glass of wine

🕷 viktor puts alcohol into practically every meal he makes dont come for me

🕷 Depending on how tipsy he is, he dances with you

Jayce

🕷 He's still asleep when you wake up but you're kind of stuck there until he wakes up because he's on top of you

🕷 try moving someone who is 6'7 and 230 lbs

🕷 You know he's awake because the second he's up, Jayce is kissing your neck and inching his hands lower and lower

🕷 He lifts his head up to give you a good morning kiss with an affectionate yet playful smile

🕷 Unfortunately he can't totally blow off his meetings and work but he's definitely late for them

🕷 Jayce rents out an entire restaurant just for the two of you and if you try asking how much it costs, he won't answer

🕷 When you two go home, there's flowers everywhere of every kind

🕷 this man is literally broke by the end of the day

Silco

🕷 Buys you the most expensive jewelry you have probably ever laid your eyes on in real life

🕷 Also buys you a new outfit to take you out to dinner in

🕷 He doesn't need to rent out the restaurant, no one is going to walk in there if Silco is in there

🕷 He's more affectionate than usual but nothing too extreme if there are still people near by

🕷 It's just simple kisses on the wrists and compliments about how lovely you look

🕷 Once you're home and alone with him though... good luck

Vander

🕷 I feel like the kids definitely decorate The Last Drop for Valentines Day

🕷 Vander makes everything half on during holidays and closes early so he can spend time with you and the kids

🕷 Powder definitely forces you and Vander to sit down while she 'cooks' dinner

🕷 Eat it.

🕷 Once the kids are in bed and everything, Vander actually cooks you two dinner while laughing about the day

🕷 That's when he also gives you his gifts like flowers and a bracelet he bought for you

[alligatorbloodart]

Let’s induldge in depravity: or how jayce convinced his introvert friend to go to a party

a/n : crossposted on ao3! first fic since i was thirteen, so 5 years ago :o sorry for any typos left! Modern au!

tooth rotting fluff incoming!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The morning was young and cold ;fitting for this time of the year. Winters in Piltover were cold,usually filled with snow all season long. That's exactly what pleased Viktor about this town. All he knew before coming to Piltover was muddy and hole filled ground. Hobbling crutch in hand,the zaunite was heading towards his usual workplace., the space he's known for 7 years : his and jayce's lab. Jayce has been his partner for years now, Viktor was now an actual worker and researcher ath the academy instead of a mere student. He finally graduated from this faculty two years. ago He got a job as a professor of scientific engineering, teaching the undergraduates. Working part time may mean less time at the lab but well, at least rent is payed without fault every months (Jayce wonders sometimes why Viktor puts his hard earned money in a rent, giving on how much time he spends in the lab and the academy and that the academy litterally has rooms they can offer to their workers. He put it as « separating work from personal life. » Bullshit)

The clacking noise of his crutch resonated in the streets, people slowly rising from their deep slumber .It's only six in the morning. Re-adjusting his scarf , throwing it over his shoulder roughly to shield him from the cold, Viktor slowly made his way through the academy grounds, still half asleep, even with two cups of coffee in his system. Pushing the already open gates of the academy with a slam of a shoulder. They creaked at the push, allowing the man to enter his second home. Viktor had a long day ahead of him, He has a lecture to give in one of the lecture hall ,a course at ten o'five, conveniently placed couple of hours that allow him to eat lunch with Jayce and work in the lab for a vast majority of his day. Being one of Heimerdinger's favorite students (even when he's not a student anymore, shh no one is supposed to know this ) and only a part time teacher, he got to pretty much choose his classes and timetable at the start of the schoolyear every time, given that he is also a researcher here brings him a lot of privileges.

He climbed his first of many flights of stairs of his day, his steps echoing in the empty hallways. Several steps and a heavy breathing later, Viktor finally was facing his destination : The lab.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Jayce heard the doorhandle rattle and twist , he got up from his desk , heading towards the door to greet his partner and friend of many years. Contrary to Viktor,Jayce was yet to graduate from the university. Being the youngest of the two « science bros » as he would put it. Nothing should stop him on his way to his diploma,aceing every tests and tasks, always a step in front of his classmates. No wonder why he's been under Heimerdinger's wing since he started studying here. After his first pass of finals with a stellar success, the old professor introduced him to his new work partner and hopefully friend : Viktor Novikov, Heimerdinger's even better studen, older by two years than him. Jayce was immediatly thrilled by the idea of having a work buddy and a lab, given by the academy for them to work in. It might have taken time for Jayce to settle down in the lab, lab that had been occupied by Viktor since the beginning and also to get to know how the zaunite was as a person. Jayce might be slightly a shy guy but he found an bigger introvert than him. Viktor was quiet, shy and not the one for small talk at first Once Jayce got to know him and once Viktor warmed up to him, he got to know an entierly diffrent person that he first met this day in january. He was a quick thinker, a sarcastic guy and not a morning person. Soon the tall and frail man made his way through Jayce's life and now the two of them were very rarely seen without the other.

« -Hi Viktor ! Good morning !! » he greeted the brunette,hugging him briefly and tapping his back softly.The hug didn't last long, only a few seconds, really happy to see him. He was wearing a crewneck with the logo of the academy with a dress shirt underneath. Red, classy jeans were on his legs, hugging each and every curves. « Hi jayce, » Viktor croaked, his coffees still not giving his adrenaline rush. Jayce reached for his patner's leather bag,discarding him of the heavy pouch, containing his precious laptop,a pair of wireless earbuds, his multiples folders of various lectures,or plans of previous realisations.A pencil case is nesting at the right side of the main pocket, a plain brown one with golden stitching and matching zipper. Apparently a gift , Viktor once said. He grabbed on one end of his knitted maroon scarf,unwrapping it from his neck.He took off his black coat, putting his weight on his good leg, hanging it on the coat hanger at his left, revealing his outfit : a white dress shirt with a brown,warm wooly sweater full of cat hair,black dress pants adorned with this special mark of affection that a pet would give : Fur stuck on every garments he owns. He doesn't mind it, he would even go as far as to say that he likes it, he would never admit it out loud to anyone. Maybe to Jayce but that's it. He doesn't have time to seem soft, he has a reputation to hold, the one of a hardworking zaunite who made his way in the scientific field, not a crazy cat man.

« -you know you could have come in later ! You worked until late last night. » « I know, jayce. He replied as a matter of fact. But you know, sometimes Morpheus isn't too fond of me sleeping in his arms » he slurred , his accent thick. «- That must be annoying not being able to fall asleep after a dayful of work. Jayce said as he was walking to his abanndoned desk, a half drunk latte cup from the local coffee shop and manuals resting on its surface. He sits on the chair, heading back to his homework, Viktor shoots a glance on his notepad : some scribbles of chemistry formulas « eh,you know, you get used to it after a decade. » He went in the kitchen to pour himself a glass of water. Grabbing his favorite cup from the cupboard and filling it halfway through, drinking it straight away, the cold liquid quenching his thirst. Heading back to the main part of the lab, glass empty still in hand, he noticed a plastic cup from the same place where Jayce's was from. «  You got me, he sniffed the cup and lifted the lid up, the flowery smell filling his nostrils, a tea ? » « -Yeah ! Jayce proudly smiled like a happy kid gifting his mother a present. I bet by now you've drunk a lot of coffee by now and i wanted to get you something while i was there ! There's a cookie in my bag if you're hungry as well. » « thanks,but why the sudden attention ? Viktor quizzically asked to his partner, chuckling for himself . this is suspicious. Without giving much thoughts started to sip his tea, a hibiscus flavored white tea. Something that he wouldn't have bought for himself, but the change was welcomed gladly. It tasted light and sweet, just like a summer evening.

« -No reasons ! He smiled and shook his head sideways. You work extra hard for your students and our projects here, i thought i'd treat you to something to start out the day, you deserve this. He stumbled on his words at the end of his sentence, Viktor not noticing this, already sitting on his chair , pulling his laptop out his bag.

« i worked on the coding of the hexclaw last night, want to see it ? »

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ They worked on the coding, revising things and tweaking the wirering of the hexclaw, their latestet project, an extra claw shaped arm popping out the wearer's back, until nine forty five before Viktor had to leave the lab to dispense his lecture on interpreting data for the second years. « Meet me for lunch ? » Jayce said hopefull « of course,where ? Viktor replied putting his coat on. « here ? » «i thought we could buy some take out and eat it in the lab since it's way too cold to eat outside. » « surely yes, then i suppose i'll meet you here at the end of my class ? Jayce opened his mouth as he wanted to speak but viktor was quicker than him. Don't think too hard on the food,just get whatever you like, i'm not that picky. » « You've read my mind i'm impressed!You've never told me you were a psychic . Jayce smiled at his remark. You're going to be late ! Have a nice lecture, see you in a few ! » « see you for lunch, jayce » He said lastly, reaching for his bag and putting it across his shoulder

Viktor closed the door, he figured that his partner was going to finish his homework since they work in close collaboration, rarely going further in their work without the other.Plus he didn't have class on tuesdays. Taking his keys in one hand, he climbed down the stairs rythmically, heading to the first floor where his hall was. He put the key in the keyhole and opened the classroom. It smelled like old books. The students were mature and smart enough to not scribble obscene things on the tables, like Viktor had seen in his highschool years in Zaun. He settled down on his desk, dusting it (not that it needed to, it was a tic of him) and wiping his hand on his pant leg. He took out the stuff he needed for the hour, it being his note folder and his laptop. He plugged in all the cords he needed in order to display his screen and Powerpoint on the blank desk. He made sure that everything worked perfectly before settling down and wait for his class to start. Viktor took out his phone, mindlessly scrolling on twitter, not particularly giving much care to what he was reading nor retweeting. It was mostly to kill time. His class was at ten o'five, aroud ten ,the most assiduous students started to show up, greeting him before sitting down. Five minutes after, the hall was mostly full, some seats left unattended, not a rare occurrence. « -Greetings students, Viktor spoke in the microphone in front of him, his zaunite accent resonating through the room , Today, our lecture will be on data analysis and interpretation. » He started on his presentation , talking with passion,articulating his notes out loud. (he could dispense his whole classes without his notes, but he likes having them just in case he might forget something important ) occasionally pointing with a tiny lazer, the kind that cats play with. He actually got this for his cats, but now the small cat toy rests on Viktor's lanyard, as he deemed it a helpful tool. It served at pointing things on the board during the day, playing with his cats behind close doors.

After two hours, the class was done, he stayed for around ten minutes, putting his folder and laptop away , giving an occasional advice to a student, answering some questions and whatnot. By the time he was ready to go, it was twelve ten. It was now time to get back to the lab, have lunch and hopefully finish the coding of the hexclaw. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Jayce was making his way to the lab, a takeout bag in his right hand. He's been craving sushis for two days and decided today to finally cave in and get some at the asian restaurant downtown. The trip wasn't that long, maybe twenty minutes round trip. Plus walking outside helped Jayce to cleathis mind from his schematics homework (thinking of it he really needed to wash his hands, metallic gray from the amount of graphite he uses to draw out his plans) heading back to the academy, long and strong legs allowing him to walk in long strides and climb the stairs three by three. Pushing the door of the already open lab, already occupied by his partner who was done with his morning class.

« -Hi again ! I got us sushis » he said , putting the bag on their shared table, taking the boxes and chopsticks out of it.

Viktor smiled content with his choice of food, thanked Jayce before diving in his box of salmon sushis.

« so, how was your class ? » Jayce said in between two bites of sushi . « Ehh,students were attentive as always , data analysis isn't the worst subject of this semester i would say. The most boring stuff is coming straight in their faces but i'm sure they will be well behaved as always. » he winced at the wasabi that he squished on his sushi perhaps with a too heavy hand. Jayce smiled fondly at this sight , watching his friend squinting while mutturing something he couldn't quite make out, given that speaking with a mouthful of sushi isn't the easiest thing ever to decrypt. « That's great ! I'm glad you like teaching. Not that i doubted your abilities, i never did , but i was afraid you wouldn't like it as much. » « They're good kids, why would i hate it. He paused, drinking the ginger flavored soda that Jayce got him. Are you done with your homework by the way ? »  Viktor wondered. « i really want to get the hexclaw up and running soon » his words had a charming sonority thanks to his accent. Jayce could listen to him everyday with this accent of his.

« I did actually ! I think that if we work hard enough we might be able to finish it at the end of this month ! » he sounded like an excited puppy. Cute . Wait what « then let's get back to work, jayce, not before putting this eh, trash away. » He put the used contenents in the kraft bag then propped himself on his legs, crutch in one hand, bag in the other. He put it near the doorway, making a mental note to take it out hen he left the lab. He took some soldering tools in one hand, Jayce already taking out the already done parts of the hexclaw on the table. « Shall we begin ? » he asked. Jayce nodded enthusically. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The streets were dark and lit by the lamposts. The faint lights of the labs gently lighting up the differents notebooks filled to the brim with the multiple ideas that the the two science partners had today, who were still working on their exoskeleton arm at three am in the morning. Their tinkering were occasionnaly stopped by one of them yawning or drinking their mug full of coffee. Jayce's movements started to get sloppier and slower as he was hammering with force the piece of metal, flattening down. He stopped, breathing heavily, sweat pearling on his forehead and his tank top, sweater discarded a long time ago in the heat of the action. His outfit accuentated every achin muscles of his body, Viktor might have admittedly took a double look seeing his partner in such a … state ?

Speaking of the devil, he was now stretching himself on a chair , crossing his hands and pulling them upwards his head, leaning left to right. His spine made its infamous « pop » sound as he was doing his usual round of stretching.

«-What time is it now ? » Jayce spoke, drinking from his reusable water bottle,« it's three fifteen » his partner replied, now standing up and walking in circles around the rood, awakening his legs and to gett his bloodflow up and running properly after sitting in the same position for four hours straight. « we should get going, it's late, you have a dayful of class tomorrow and i want to get back here as well. » Viktor declared sternly,as he wasn't usually the one that liked to stay in the lab by days on end without getting back home « and i have to feed my cats. It's been a while now, they're going to be mad » he added , turning his head away as he were ashamed of being a decent pet owner. « - i was about to be done, i have to clean up the forge and i'll get home. Jayce declared, buttonning his shirt then pulling his crewneck back. The taller boy picked up the different tools he had been using mere minutes ago and put them in their adequate drawers. Once everything was back in it's place,he stated gathering his stuff back ,Viktor mirroring him. The zaunite took the two cups and put them in their small sink, making a mental note on washing them tommorrow. Taking his back,he steeped in direction oh the door, getting dressed neatly for the cold cold streets that were ahead of him. He twisted the doorhandle, opening it.Jayce came in quickly in his coat, his backpack on his rightful place. The two boys started to make their way back to their rightful appartment making small talk while walking. After a short walk from the academy, their ways had to part up, jayce living downtown, Viktor living further outside the perimeter of the city, where rent was much cheaper.

« So, i'll see you after your classes ? » Viktor asked, pulling his apartment badge out of his coat. His apartment was only a few meters away « -Well yeah of course ! There's no reasons why i wouldn't come to the lab » he smiled trying to keep his voice from wavering, but for some reasons his smile was...

Forced ? Fake ? Very out of character for Jayce Talis

viktor arched his eyebrow, head tilting to one side

« okay ? » he said still not convinced but not insisting. He just wanted to get back home. «-yeah !Good night viktor ! Have a nice sleep » Jayce said, patting Vikor's shoulder , the latter greeted him goodbye before walking to his apartment pulling his badge out, beeping it on the surface. He called the elevator and pressed the Four button.He lived on the final floor of the building. Thank god he had an elevator in his apartment complex. He fiddled with his keys unlocking his door, two of his cats greeting him with meows He closed the door behind him, locking it before crouching down

« Hi kitties ! » he pat the older one, Sirius, a beautiful black and white fluffy cat. He grabbed in one hand the smaller one, His high pitched meows making Viktor melt. « hello sir Othello, looks like you missed me eh ? » Viktor smiled and kissed the black kitten's head He was way to cute not to be kissed. He put his coat on his designated hanger, un tying his shoes, leaving him in mismatched socks . He walked to his living room to see his last cat ,Lily, his first pet of his own, resting on his desk chair. The tabby cat opened her eyes to see her owner walking up to her. She purred, content. « hi Lily, how's my lady doing ? » she meowed hoarsely. Viktor left her to get in his room. The room was kind of small, fitting a bed and a drawer. He pulled some new clothes for the day tomorrow : a simple black turtleneck that fitted him like a glove and some brown corduroy pants. He took a pair of boxers and an oversized shirt to sleep in, he didn't even bother to see what was printed on. The man headed to his bathroom for a well deserved shower. He sat on a stool that was always here, either to put clothes on or to sit while getting undressed. He unbuckled his pants , dropping them on the floor in a swift motion. He does the same for his boxers and socks. Viktor took off his prosthetic, wiping it down with an alcoholic wipe to desinfect it. He placed it near his sink. He took off his sweater, unbuttoning his shirt underneath, revealing his tank top that sat as an extra layer in an attempt for warmth. Viktor shed this last layer and threw everything in his laundry basket. He stood up , looking himself in the mirror naked as a newborn baby. His torso was adorned in moles, different freckles and two small white scars underneath his chest. Symmetrical tattoos were decorating his shoulders, looking like tinted glasswork, the kind that you see on gothic cathedrals. They formed an intricate monochromatic pattern suiting Viktor, accentuating his already round shoulders. He hopped in his shower, unfolding his small shower stool. The warm water was doing wonders to his sore muscles, feeling them relax at the contact. He cleaned himself thoroughly, washing his mop of brown hair as well while he was at it. He decided against the conditionner that you have to rince, taking a small tube of leave in hair mask, rubbing it on his hands before combing it throught his locks. Ten minutes after he was out of the shower, drying himself with a towel. He put on his black underwear and his oversized shirt. It was an old slipknot shirt that he got ten years ago that he stills love even if the print is chipping away from all the times it got washed. He threw it on before taking his crutch under his arm , prosthetic in his hand. His bed didn't falter at his weight. The zaunite put his prosthetic at the side of his bed, pulling out something from underneath.

Crochet needles. Yes , Viktor Novikov liked knitting out of all the artistic endeavors he could have chosen, he chose the most granny like thing ever He liked emroidery as well, but since he started to knit a nice scarf (a pretty dark red one) he decided to finish this project before begining anything else. He did a few rows before finally feeling sleepy and turning off his bedside lamp and lying on his side, Othello right in front on him on the other pillow, Sirius at the foot of his bed. Four thirty in the morning, finally the end of the day for the Zaunite. Morpheus came in quickly for once, allowing Viktor to rest from his day like he should. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ As far as Viktor can remember, he's always been an introvert. When he was a kid, he was always that one kid that stayed alone during recess, not because he was bullied ( well he was but he quickly learned to fend for himself) but because he wanted to. In middle school while people were starting to have their first sleepovers ,he was in and out of the hospital to try to find what was wrong with his back and limping leg. Viktor found solace in reading books, about science, greek mythology,and... cats that lived in the woods ? Needless to say that the rare times he spent he school was either alone or with two of his friends, Jack and Svenn. They were the weird kids : all adorned with dark and edgy clothing, listening to the rare metalcore records they could put their hands on the occasion they went topside. When he moved out to Piltover in his second highschool year (technically his first since he skipped a class) he slowly got out of touch with his old friends. They talked from time to time. Jack and Svenn were the first people to know about Viktor's transidentity. They supported him as much as they could, not understanding much at first. Finally being in a decent city with decent medical care, he finally found out what caused him all this pain : a very severe case of scoliosis and a tumor in his tibiae. Coming to terms that you have a cancer is already traumatizing enough but having to amputate said leg to prevent cancer from spreading is...also scary. But oh well ! He shall live ! Viktor became an amputee at the ripe age of 15. He spent his highschool years alone, studying to go to that famous academy in town. He passed his diploma with the best grade in school, obtaining a scholarship at the academy for his papers on prothetics and exoskeletons. The rest is history, he studied for two years alone before meeting jayce, one of the only friends he had. So yeah, Viktor has always been a huge introvert, Jayce knew that.

«- I'm invited to a friend's party tomorrow night, i'd love for you to be my plus one. Would you mind going there with me ? What. Well, what a surprise and what a way to greet someone. Viktor had just taken off his coat , Jayce has been in the academy since ten this morning , the thinner man finally took half a day off.Jayce really tried to convince him to take the full day, but Viktor, ever the stubborn refused and chose to come at five , hour at which Jayce ended his classes.

« What? » Viktor replied puzzled. A party ? A student's party ? That didn't sit quite with him «-I'm going to a party and i want you to come with me » he repeated, wincing at his friend. « absolutely not » he deadpanned. «-but why ! Come on it could be fun ! You could use a fun evening with people Viktor ! »

Viktor pinched the bridge of his nose and exhaled loudly. Jayce hissed in apprehension. « Jayce, he started, accent heavy, you know that i'm not one for parties. But a party hosted by one of your friends ? First, i don't know them and- « - They're nice i swear ! » «  please let me finish » jayce's mouth closed « i'm not a student anymore, i'm a teacher in this academy , there's no way i'm going to let my students seeing me » He punctuated his sentence, Jayce's frown growing by the minute « Viktor, i can reassure you that this will be nice and cool ; Plus you're my partner as well, you're not only a teacher. And i've seen some of my professors partying with students. Please Vik ! My friends really want to see the guy i work with ! And you could use it you know !  Caitlyn and Vi will be there !» Viktor reacted at the mention of the two girls but quickly dismissing it whit an head shake. « I am sorry but i am not going to this party, end of story. » Viktor finished, starting his work on soldering. He worked side to side with Jayce until midnight, a short work session because Jayce had a lot of homework to do. He started some while his partner was himself working on re tightening the bolts in his prosthetic They left the lab at one, did their usual way back work routine. After Viktor had showered he put on yesterday's pj's, adding a pair of brown sweatpants and a black hoodie for warmth and eating his pesto pasta with grated parmesan in front of his tv watching an episode of a true crime mini serie on Netflix. His phone vibrated, showing his phone wallpaper : a picture of his three cats wearing party hats. Jayce kept on making his phone buzz, "please think about it,it 's going to be great. Goodnight x"

He put his phone down, thinking about what Jayce sent him. He was right, he could use the fun , an occasional party isn't the worst thing ever when he thinks of it. But what if his students were there ? It was too late to make a decision about this and imagining how Jayce would be excited to see him declining this offer. He knows he wouldn't be sad for long.. Viktor's brain was starting to get mushy his stomach gurgling at his unfinished plate of pastas. He finished it, standing up walking without his crutch, prosthetic still on to get a bottle of water and his crocheting supplies, pet Lily and get back to his nice, comfy couch. He crochet for a bit until he felt tired and finished his true crime mini serie. He fell asleep on his couch while watching Adventure time for the hundredth time. The mural clock on the wall read 6.47. His insomnia will be the death of him someday.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ He caved in. He would come to this party. Jayce was right although Viktor might never admit it out loud to him. He will hundred percent admit when he's wrong but not today. Needless to say, Jayce was really really thrilled that Viktor decided to tag along. A sound akin to a squeal slipped out of his throat and ran to hug Viktor tightly , muttering a lot of « thank you's » and « i'll make it up to you i promise ». The party could be shit but at least the Zaunite made the taller man happy and ecstatic to hang out with him. And this thought made him smile softly. Shit, he was being soft.

Jayce couldn't even focus on his classes and lab work today, jiggling in his chair and telling the details to Viktor countless of times.

At the end of the day , Viktor could recite by heart what jayce told him : party starts at 8pm 55th marble avenue, the house with azalea bushes in front. There's a gate, enter it and ring the doorbell. «Don't force yourself to bring anything there's going to have a lot of people and a lot of snacks.Might have pizza but maybe eat something in case if there's not any left  Oh and don 't wear anything too fancy».

They left the academy rather early, Viktor at the end of his final class, 5.30 and Jayce at 5 pm, he had to get prepared and go help his friend (whom Viktor forgot the name.. Was it.. Emilia ? Amalia ?)

For once Viktor got in his appartment way too early for his liking and usual routine. 6Pm and already petting Sirius ,changing his cat's water and pouring them a fresh bowl of pet kibble. He came here to first, change himself. Being always on the look out for any urgent meetings with his peers and for his classes, he tended to tone his usual style for something more formal. Viktor walked his way to his drawers,sitting on his bed to pick out his outfit for the night : Black slim jeans that were distressed, with holes on the knees and some patches on the sides, hiding tears from all the times he wore it for the past five years. It's a size too big now, his academy years of not eating three full meals a day were showing. He reached out for a simple brown belt with a beautiful beetle buckle, handmade by one of his only ex-girlfriend that he met during his stays at the hospital that worked with metals and knew his fascinations for these creatures. A shirt fell on the floor , pulled by Sirius in an attemped of climbing in and sleep on the clothes. Viktor put him on his bed, unfolding the shirt that fell, an oversized shirt with a peony on the back and white zaunite lettering on the front. He put on his favorite bleached hoodie, a bit oversized just like the rest of his clothes. Viktor dressed himself, not bothering to take a shower since he will be sweating anyways. He will once he comes back. Heading to his bathroom he put on some deodorant under his armpits, throwing a it of cologne on his wrists. He felt too lazy to brush his hair. It's always that disheveled so that wasn't going to change anytime soon. Looking himself one last time in the mirror, he attached a necklace to his neck, a simple silver chain. That's the look for this night, already extravagant from what people usually see him wearing. He could have been more edgy but he decided against it. Putting his black varnished doc martens, his scarf and a jean jacket that he owned for a while now (like most of his clothing to be honest). Patches of diverse metal bands, fandoms, video games were sewed on the sleeves. Hand embroidered figures of cats and a small pansy adorned the front, alongside some enamel pins. A pronoun pin could be found on the heart pocket as well as adventure time pins his mom got for him back when she visited him, last summer. A calathea leaf sat proudly on one end of the sleeve, which was screenprinted on it in magenta ink a few weeks ago.

Viktor exhaled loudly, glancing at his phone. 7pm. He had time to go to the grocery store to pick up a bottle of vodka, finding it too impolite to arrive without anything. He took his wallet ,wireless earbuds and keys, readjusted his hand on his crutch. He closed his door, taking out his earbuds and setting his playlist. The walk to the store was quick, done in about 5 minutes. He immediately picked up quickly a bottle of Poliakov, set up on being quick to arrive just on time. At the cash register he noticed the mini bottles of alcohol. It could come in handy. He asked for a small bottle of Jack daniels, putting it in his inside pocket in his jacket. His bottle under his arm, he crutched his way to the place, sending a quick text to Jayce telling that he is on his way. He replied that some people are there already but they were early.

He walked to the gate, music roaring in his ears. After twenty minutes there he stood, in front of it, Goodbye by Bo Burnham playing in his ears, making the sight very dramatic. Perhaps a bit too much it's only a party, Viktor, you went to parties before. He coughed, turning his earbuds off and putting them in their case. « i'm going to have a great time, maybe even get drunk most likely actually , it's going to be great » he tried to convince himself but he wasn't having it. He pushed the metal frame , ringing the doorbell with apprehension. He heard excited shouts behind the door. There was a small enamel name plate on the door : Stuart. That doesn't help him to remember the name of the host.

«Hii ! You must be Viktor ? » a short girl with a bob haircut with light blond hair opened the door « Good evening, yes it is me. You must be ...? » he replied, putting on a happy face.

She screamed « JAYYYYYYYYYYYCE ! VIKTOR IS HERE ! » she gulped she let out a hand so that Viktor could shake it, which he did « Emilia ! Glad you could make it ! Jayce talks about you all the time ! » oh So it was Emilia and not Amalia, great to know that. God he went to a party just because Jayce would be here. He's weird Emilia opened the door fully, it was time to put on the « hello yes i am sociable » face for a night. He stepped in ,bad leg and crutch first. « VIKTOR !! » his train of thoughts was interrupted by his lab partner, seemingly really happy by the sight of his best friend. He went in for a one arm hug, Viktor not particularly shocked by the action, reciprocating the gesture. Pulling away from the embrace,Jayce stopped dead in his tracks to admire Viktor's outfit. The latter did the same. He was wearing a nice open flannel with a simple white shirt with something written on its tiny pocket. For pants, a simple pair of black pants with a few holes in them. This outfit fitted him like a glove, each piece of fabric hugging his muscles without being too tight. He was handsome and hopefully he knew it. Viktor flushed at his thoughts « -Wow Viktor ! You look so good in this outfit ! Is that the jacket you keep on adding things to it ? It looks so good ! » Jayce smiled , mouth open. He was so sincere.

It was so rare for the both of them to see each other in casual clothes outside the academy. They sometimes saw each other after or before work, always in their crewneck/shirt combo. The rare times they saw each other in more casual stuff, it was when one of them stayed over for the night. « Thank you jayce, Viktor shifted pulling him upwards to be more comfortable. I can't say you look too bad yourself. Never thought you were a flannel person. » He smiled and laughed nervously, seeing the amount of people from the corner of his eye.

« Oh yeah ? I thought i'd try out something new ! He saw Viktor gulping nervously. Hey , don't be nervous, you're on time they are just early. Here, give me your jacket i'll put it where mine is. » Viktor pulled off his jean jacket off his shoulders. « Wow ! It's heavy ! Never thought it weighted so much ! »

« yeah, it's the pins and the paint. It makes stuff very heavy » he replied ,accentuating the « very » with his accent rolling his r sound. Jayce took his jacket, thanking him before going left, where the bedrooms were. They were way too many to host a singular person. Must be Emilia's parent's house. Jayce opened a door, putting Viktor's jacket on top of his, meticulously placing it so he different pins wouldn't fall and the paint crack. How thoughtful. Viktor grabbed the bottle of vodka he brought in his hands. «- Here, let me introduce to the people! » Jayce said. Oh boy. « It's showtime » Viktor croaked. Smile forced, immediately returning to a more annoyed face «- oh come on ! I'll make it great ! » Jayce laughed « don't boost your ego too much Talis . »

« -Everyone ! Jayce started. This is Viktor, my lab partner and best friend of mine ! »

« I THOUGHT I WAS YOUR BEST FRIEND » a blue haired girl shouted. He recognized the voice as Caitlyn's. They've hung out a few times with Caitlyn's ''friend '' aka : lesbian crush who is also in love with her but afraid of running their friendship.

« Caitlyn, we've been through this, you are my childhood friend ! » Viktor waved to most of the people here, waving back or whispering thing to one another. In these moments, he's thankful he's not French because kissing everybody on the cheek here ? No way. He sat on a couch spotting someone he knew.Not before placing the bottle of Vodka on the table. « -Hiii man ! The person spoke, letting on a fist so that Viktor could bump it, which he did. He finally convinced you to come here ?The lesbian crush of Cait spoke. Vi was a Zaunite like Viktor. The pink haired lady is a tattoo artist in one of the streets in Piltover. They were the one to tattoo Viktor in the first place. «it's been a while since i've seen you i missed your face ! She playfully said, ruffling his hair. He winced, she laughed to brush it off. « Hi Vi, indeed yes, i've been meaning to go to your shop for a while now, might have an offer for you . » he replied, smiling at his friend. They were the polar opposite in some ways but their love for tattoos and alternative things brought them together oh, and their homosexuality. «- Hell yeah man, always down to tattoo you ! How are you doing ? Are you interested in some beer ? » « Always. » They chatted together for a while, enjoying a couple of beers, idly talking about what happened recently in their life and at their different workplace. He showed Vi Othello, since she only knew he was getting him. The kitten was now six months old and so cute «- Oh my god, he is so cute, i want to step on him » She grabbed his phone to zoom on the picture. « His wittle mouff » she cooed «I love him. I would pet him »

« You must find him really cute then. You still refuse to pet Lily! » he slurred, alchohol making his way in his system. «  -She is evil ! She keeps on meowing at me like some crazy bitch ! » she almost shouted. « Who's a crazy bitch ? » Caitlyn came near them, sitting besides Viktor. «- One of his cats , she always screams when she sees me » Vi replied, looking straight into Cait's eyes. « She is not ! Viktor answered, pestering, She is old ! » Cait laughed. « he has a new kitten and he is so cute, please Vik, show her » Viktor grabbed his phone, showing the same picture he showed Vi. « Hi kitty  ! He is so small ! He's six months right ? » Viktor hummed « i really need to see your cats one day. Oh and nice outfit by the way, never pictured you wearing a bleached hoodie. » He laughed, taking a swig out of his beer, finishing it « Thank you Caitlyn, I've own this one for years now. » « and i've never saw you wearing it ? What a shame ! » she answered, also tipsy. Vi devoured her with her eyes. Viktor took it as his cue to leave. He stood up, grabbed his cane. « Well, ladies, I'm going to grab myself a drink and see jayce. I'll be back, one day. He jokingly said. » « -bye bye cat guy see ya later alligator » Vi waved, hand starting to be heavy from her beer consumption.

He went into the kitchen,grabbed himself a cup, pouring it halfway with vodka and filling the rest with coke. Once his drink prepared, he searched for his partner in the now crowned of people here. He finally caught sight of his friend , being taller than anyone here. He was talking to someone Viktor couldn't see from afar. After pushing people out of his way , he tapped Jayce's shoulder. « -Speaking of the devil,Viktor ! This is Mel, she's an upper classmate. » There stood a beautiful lady, with dark skin and beautiful curly ebony hair. She wore golden jewellery, making her eyecolor and eyeshadow pop. She was dressed in a white velvety dress.She was beautiful. He felt like he knew her from somewhere. « Oh,hi Viktor ! You were my professor last year » he had his answer. « Hello Mel,i knew i'd seen yourself somewhere » he smiled, genuine. «-You've never told me that Mel ! » jayce pretented to be hurt. « I thought i did ? But oh well. I'm going to see my friend over here. Bye Viktor, it was nice to meet you outside of class. » Mel beamed. She really was pretty. « my pleasure, have fun,be safe. .» he replied, waving. « -Soooo, how are you enjoying this party so far ? » Jayce said, uncertainity showing on his face « hate to say i'm having fun, He laughed. No seriously i talked to Vi for a while. It's been a while since i saw them. Caitlyn came in at the end and after showig her a picture of Othello, i left. He stopped, taking a sip out of his drink. Vi was eyefucking her ? I didn't want to be in their way so i left to see you. » « Well that was expected. Maybe they'll finally make a move on each other tonight ? » « I hope so. It's been too long. » he took a big gulp, hoping to anethesize his back that was starting to hurt. « whatcha drinking ? Jayce asked, leaning on the wall beside him. Viktor gave him his glass.Jayce tried it, pulling out a face. That's almost pure vodka ! » Viktor let out a guttural laugh, jayce immediatly looking at him, flushing. « I'm sorry Jayce, but your face was really funny » «  -Are you drunk ? » jayce asked, half serious « Ehh i could be drunker. I'm going to make myself another drink, care to join your partner ? » « -Of course. Let's go. » The kitchen was empty the last time Viktor came in. Now three people were standing, mindlessly chatting. Viktor's cane made its infamous noise. One of the three guys tilted his head towards him

« Mr Novikov ! No way you're here !

Shitshitshitshitshitshit a student why. He knew this he should haven't come here.

«Yes ? Aren't i allowed to have a life outside the academy » god he hoped he didn't sound too harsh. He huffed a laugh, trying to not seem too agressive.

« Of course man,, eh i mean sir ! We all do ! Even Heimerdinger »

He laughed at his own joke. Nameless student was drunk.Oh course out of all the students that could have recognized him, he fell on the most anoying one and drunk. Pff. Best case scenario he lets Viktor alone .Worst case? He doesn't let him go. Jayce looked at Viktor, visibly tensed ,brows furrowed. He worldessly got up to the counter, finding some mint liquor and decided to mix it with sparkling water. He was tipsy at this point

«Aw you're leaving already ? I thought you would have your drink with lil' ole me ! »

« Listen young man. Viktor started. I'm here to enjoy my night out for once, and i don't want some random drunk student ruining it » He finished his sentence clamly in his usual manners, grabbing his crutch and tilting his head, a non verbal gesture of « come on, we're leaving ».

« Ohh that's why ! You want to get laid ! » his friends looked at him mouth wide open , quielty saying that it's not appropriate « Dmitri,Dude, he's your teacher you can say shit like that ! » the taller guy declared , pulling his friend away.

« Excuse me ? » the zaunite told coldly, accent sharp. Jayce was at a loss for words. He never saw Viktor truly annoyed and flat out angry. And he never wanted to. Oh this is bad.

« Listen you .. He tried to keep his temper, he was still the one that should have the control. You think you can speak to your own professor like that ? Listen to your friends maybe. Your name is ? » he stopped waiting for his answer « Dmitri Flach » said student replied all smug puffing his chest. Viktor flashed a grin « Oh yeah mr Flach ! How could i forget you ! Heimerdinger talked about you a few days ago ! » Dmitri gulped « He told me how turbulent you were and how it may or may not will be a problem for the future » he drawn out his last sentence.

This was entirely made up. Heimerdinger never cares for turbulent kids like him. Viktor just remebered how he acted in his classes to create this fake conversation. He shouldn't abuse his position but one:He isn't thinking clearly, mind fogged by the alchohol and two he is pissed. He didn't want to do this.

« No,no way ? » Dmitri blemished. « Ohh yes Mr Flach ! Now if i were you, i would leave my professor alone or at least maybe not talk to him like that. I'm not your friend, your bro or your buddy ? Capiche ? »

He nodded. « Let's go jayce. Gentlemen » He gave Dmitri's friend a polite nod.

Jayce has been watching this scene from afar  with wide eyes full of love and admiration, wondering if everything was made up or not. He has issues figuring if people are lying or not. Viktor assured him that it was just playing pretend. For once he was good at it, usually this man can't lie ever. Let's put this on his tipsiness.

« There's a garden here right ? » Viktor questioned « y-yes ! He shook his head.Do you want to go outside ? » « yeah , i want a breathe of fresh air. » he directed himself to the bedroom where his jacket was, mint liquor sparkling water mix still in his hands. Jayce reached for his aviator looking jacket and viktor's jean one. They both put their jacket on and opened the small door in the kitchen to go outside. Some people were smoking on the patio upfront but surprizingly no one was in the garden. The garden was big, with a single swing and leaveless trees. The snow was still laying down thick on the floor, no footsteps traces on it.

Viktor stepped excitedly as he could to feel the snow on his shoe covered feet. Jayce smiled, endeared by this sight. He saw six chairs folded , protected of the snow by the roof. « Do you want one ? » Jayce asked , Viktor nodded. Jayce went in, got them and unfolded them. His partner sat on his chair, letting his crutch rest on the side of it. He gluped his drink down, finishing it in a record time

« Viktor, you're going to be drunk » he faced his partner «  and what if i want to ? » he smiled.

He's on his way to get wasted. Fuck it let's get drunk too

« -Didn't portrayed you as a drinker » he laughed. « I'm not to be honest. I'm barely tipsy now but since i decided to take my weekend off as my therapist asked me to, I guess i can get drunk, for once. » « -makes sense. You should eat something though. Pizza ? » « pizza. »

Jayce stood up, grabbing three slices of pizza and putting them on a plate. He glanced at the alchohol area . Very uncanny of him, he served himself a vodka/cola mix, A third of cola and the remaining of vodka. He wass never a fan of drinking. He liked parties from time to time but never liked the aspect of going there just to get wasted with their friends. Maybe, now that Viktor was here, he understood this side.

Coming back in the garden with his cup filled to the brim and the plate, Viktor let a snarky laugh. « Getting wasted too, talis ? » « Why not. Just for you » he flushed and laughed it off. Viktor let out a fake aww noise, mocking his friend. He reached out for a slice of pizza, happily eating it. They idly chatted for a while, mostly of their days, while jayce was slowly giving in and slowly slurring his speech, ears turning red, clear jayce indication that he was close to be drunk. « i have something for us » Viktor ransacked in his pockets, showing him the miniature bottle of Vodka he brought just for the two of them. He drank straight from the bottle. « that's how we do it in Zaun » he told and gave him the small glass bottle Jayce took it hesitant. He caved in and drank it too. « -We do the same here too » he grinned Viktor laughed . They sat in the cold, the buzzing of the generic pop music inside making a nice background noise.

« Jayce, look. The stars. We can see them ! » He sounded really happy about that «- yeah  we can ! why are you so excited ? » Viktor stayed silent. Jayce turned his head to see him, eyes wide open , mouth ajar admiring the show that the sky gave them. He looked so beautiful with the dimmed light and this happiness. He should take him stargazing whenever they can if it meant that much for Viktor. « I've never stargazed before » he addmited it , taking a long sip from the bottle. « Why ? » « In Zaun, the pollution is so bad the sky is always clouded by dust particles. Piltover was the first place where i've seen a blue summery sky. I had yet to stargaze. I've never saw a normal sunset. Well i did but i never too the time to take everything in. » He stopped for a while. « Growing up in Zaun is something I never wish to anyone. Piltover is just... Filled with mother nature's graceness . Flowers are always wiltded, lakes grey and streets dirty»

« -Then we should see sunsets together, see sunrises and go in a field together ! I know a secret place where i could take you swimming . » He was interrupted by Viktor laughing his ass off « -Heyy ! » « I'm sorry Jayce, i, he snorted, I don't know how to swim . » He exploded again. Jayce looked dumb for once but went with the flow and laughed. Once the two men calmed down, jayce started again his monologue. Viktor looked in his eyes. « -i know your childhood was tough, you've told me a few things already and i know you barely told me what you've been through, I want to be here. I want to tell you about the diffent constellations, make you walk barefoot in the dirt I don't know how that would work but I will help you ». He laughed at how cheesy he sounded .Jayce put a hand on Viktor's left knee. He was down bad. « Almost sounds like you really like me » Viktor laughed, now completely drunk. «- I do Vik » he smiled genuine. Viktor stopped for a few minutes, drinking silently. « Hey Jayce ? » the taller man turned over him. « I'm going to sound stupid. Nevermind » he looked at his feet. «- No, go on,Viktor » « Promise you won't laugh at me ? » jayce nodded Viktor glanced at the swing, snow coating the seat. « I really , really want to go on that swing. » he slurred his sentence , He was too drunk to give a fuck. Plus, Jayce was the only one here. Nothing to worry about.

Jayce snorted at his request. « -sure, no problem. Guess i have to push you ? » He nodded. Viktor admired his partner with only affection in his eyes. God, he was always this non judgemental and ever the kind one. He is a lovable idiot and Viktor realized that at this right instant. They propped themselves on their feet , Viktor limping cane in hand towards the swing. He made the snow fall with a single swipe of his hand. He put his butt on the plank like seat,waiting for jayce to give a push. « -Ready ? » « Of course. » He lightly pushed Viktor so that he could get used to this feeling. The buzzing sound of the music overlapped Viktor's laugh,genuine and airy. The feeling of the cold, winter wind in his hair, while flying in the air was overwhelming in a good way, a way he hadn't felt in a long while. Viktor felt free. Last time he felt this free was when he was nineteen and had his top surgery procedure done, a few months after getting his first prosthetic. He felt like conquering the world. Previously he was alone,basking in this glorious feeling. Now everything was the same, laughing at the sensation in his stomach, butterflies fluttering from adrenaline. But he wasn't alone. He had Jayce at his sides now.

What about Jayce ?

He was gawking at him, smiling from ear to ear, Viktor's laugh sounding like music to his ears. He was giving all his energy to push him at his will, chanting « higher ! » like a mantra. Five minutes of swinging and pushing after, they stopped, Viktor recovering from his high . Viktor broke the silence first. « It's getting late and i really really want to get out of here , i want us to have a sleepover. And bagels. » « -Damn Viktor, giving in on the drunk cravings ? You're sure ? » Jayce snickered « absolutely. » «- my place or yours ? » « Mine. I have bagels and booze. » Viktor said proudly. « -So we're continuing our drinking marathon I suppose ? » Jayce asked but sure of the answer «  yeah, we don't work tomorrow and it's going to be fun. Come on let's go. »

The walk back to Viktor's place was chaotic. Jayce wasn't walking straight and viktor couldn't support him even if he wanted to, drunk or sober. Jayce just helped himself on the walls, palm supporting him, caressing the concrete surface. Their stride was silent, both focused on getting back somewhere safe without making an unfortunate meeting. In the elevator, Viktor wrapped his Kicking their shoes off near the entrance of Viktor's place, landing haphazardly, scaring Lily, curious to see who made such a noise. They took off their jackets, trying to place them carefully on the coat hanger fixated on the wall, already hanging two different scarves and Viktor's black trench coat.

«- So, got any things in store for us ? » Jayce asked, reaching out to grab Othello, craddling him and baby talking him . « hi sweet boy ! You're so cute ! » « Im hungry so i think we're going to eat. At least i am going to, You want one ? » Viktor inquired, stumbling with his crutch. «- yeah sure, want some help ? » Viktor shook his head sideways. « no, you may not but you can turn out the tv for me . He immediately reached out for the remote. He reached out for avocadoes in the fridge, ripe enough to be cut and two yellow tomatoes, claiming to be better than the regular ones. Pulling out a pack of bagel breads, cutting them in half and spreading cream cheese on the four slices. He chopped the avocadoes and tomatoes in slices,putting them on the cheese. Re assembling the bagels and placing them on a plate. He asked Jayce to get his plate, leaving Othello down, meowing in protestation. « Didn't have chicken or any meat, grocery day is supposed to be tomorrow but guess i'll survive without chicken ham for two days. » « -Oh that's fine ! They look good ! » Jayce almost drooled at the sight of these wonderful looking bagels. They ate content, Viktor taking all the praise jayce tells him about his cooking. Truth is that it's one of the only foods he can make without spoiling it. Once they were finished they placed their plate on the coffee table. « -So, what do you have planned for our impromptue sleepover? »

Viktor grabbed the two remote controls, pressing on the « input » button. He pressed the central button, turning the hdmi key. He pressed on his profile, the only one present. Showing on the screen was a welcome message. Viktor scrolled down to the netflix. Pressing on the Grey's anatomy icon , he paused everything before it started.

« I have a game for us. » Viktor stood up, wandering in his living room. He first grabbed two shooting glasses out of a cupboard. He then gave them to Jayce who placed them on the coffee table. Viktor immediatly went back to find something else.Jayce glanced at him. He seemed focused on trying to find something in his drawers of the small cabinet, host all of Viktor's crafting supplies « Ah ! There they are. » Jayce couldn't make out of what his friend was holding. It lwas a thin and small plastic package. Viktor then roamed in his kitchen , grabbing a bottle of booze in his bottom left cupboard. He strolled to his couch , putting everything on the small table : A bottle of whiskey and.... fake mustaches ? Jayce looked at him quizzically. « -What are these for ? » he giggled. « That's where the fun starts. Viktor declared. So basically i'm going to put on a serious show on netflix that you shouldn't laugh in front of, he explained carefully. I'm going to attach these mustaches on the tv scren and whenever they hit a charcter's face, we drink a shot of whiskey. He directly unwrapped the packaging , pulling out two very cliché looking mustaches on the screen, one on the left at the top , one at the right , more downwards.

He then sat, smiling smugly. « Shall we begin ? »

They played this game for three episodes , taking shots more often than not, alcohol seeping in their veins. Totally wasted , they laughed as if they were kids hearing a swear word. They've never been this close and in such a venurable state before. More than two hours have passed and the two friends were still on the brown leathery couch. Viktor had discarded his hoodie a while ago, lounging in his black shirt, same for jayce and his white flannel. « -Hey Viktor ? » Jayce put himself on his side. «- have you ever danced before ? » «Nope, never did. I never went to prom or anything like that. Even during my graduation ceremony , remember ? We hung out with Vi and Caitlyn. » the zaunite was looking straight into the frozen screen, unfocused eyes making his vision blurry. «- Well. Jayce stood up. He walked up to his partner sat at the opposite side of the couch. He bowed, offering his hand. Should i have this dance, partner ? » Viktor came back to reality ,eyes admiring Jayce's huge palm . He looked at his partner face, goofily smile plastered on him , flush adorning his cheeks, because of the alcohol and ..  Heat . Yeah it was hot in this living room.« I don't even know how that would works, he said pragmatically. But sure. Don't make me fall Talis. » He grabbed his hand, deft and long fingers now on top of his partner's hand, giving it a squeeze

«-Okay, I knew most ballroom dancing when i was a kid, my mom insisting on taking classes with her, but honestly i don't remember much. » Jayce scratched his neck in a nervous manner. « I know how to waltz ? » Viktor interrupted, Jayce furrowed his brows. « -So you've danced ! » he faked hurt « Never told i did. I've always been an observer. Whether it was my mom dancing with my dad at family gathering or my friends at our middle school graduation party, i'll teach you. You'll lead since i physically would have trouble, i'll be able to follow you. » He sat on the armrest ready to give out his instructions.

«Step you left foot forward and step on your heal. Do the same for you right one. They should end up parallel to each other» «- Like this ? » Jayce told as his partner said. The latter nodded. « move your left to meet the right , they should be touching. Just like that yeah. » Viktor praised. He continued on his instructions so that Jayce could achieve a box step. Viktor stood up with confidence, unsure of his steps. He might have gotten his prosthetic years ago but it still feels weird to walk . Wobbliness is annoying, main reason why he still has a crutch or cane. He'd rather take off his prosthetic when he's at home

But now, in this instant, he was glad he didn't take it off. Jayce let out an arm in case if Viktor wanted to latch on, but it was not necessary. He stood still, alcohol both ankylosing his legs and freeing his mind. There was no way he would have done that sober. Once the dizziness was gone he made his way to Jayce with no issues. « put your right hand on my left shoulder. » Viktor put his left hand on Jayce right shoulder. He gripped on thightly,afraid that Jayce would let go in a panicked frenzy. « -I know this ! Now i have to grab your hand ! » full of enthusiasm he wrapped his hand in the brunette's one. « -are you ready ? Tell me if i do something wrong. » « hmm I will. » Jayce stepped, Viktor counted « one. » They danced for a little while, a professional would never call that dancing. They stepped on each other foot , giggling as Viktor occasionally interrupted , counting the tempo. Let's say it didn't help them, way too drunk to achieve something productive. Viktor fell on the ground, laughing. Kneeling, he just giggled. Jayce let out a hand for him to grab on. He sat back on the couch's armrest. « Heh, imagine if you were the one on the ground. I wouldn't have been able to help » Viktor said in between two big lungful of air « -I can see that happening. Then i would be like » he dramatically wiped around, his arms in the air, taking slow calculated steps backwards. He caricatured « Oh no Viktor! I’m falling right into your arms ! Guess you’ll just have to hold me then. How sad » He then pushed himself on Viktor, bodyslamming him, restraining his strength and not putting his full weight on his skeletal friend. Viktor let out a oofing noise at the sudden weight on him and then let out a weird croaking noise as he caught on the situation : Jayce laying on his side, on top of him, crackling like a proud hawk. Viktor not knowing where to put his hands just put his left one on Jayce's shoulder. « Well, it happened . » Viktor mustered quietly, silence now entering the room. The neighbors must be happy. He pat the shoulder of the bigger guy; surprised, he looked at his partner. «- Is that okay ?aren't i too heavy ? » « yeah, i wouldn't have let you bodyslammed me in the first place Jayce laughed, making Viktor's body vibrate And no ? I might be a sack of bones but i am an amateur of weighted blankets Just the perfect weight to soothe anxiety. » Viktor whispered, silly smile on his sharp features. « -You're feeling anxious now ? » Jayce questioned, propping himself on his stomach, hands crossed under his chin. Viktor placed both of his hands on his back, intersecting them together. «Most of the time yes. It's rare that i'm not feeling anxious about something. I don't always know the reason even. But there's better days and worse ones. I felt anxious before coming to the party. Once i saw you, Vi and Caitlyn i was comfortable . Now i'm feeling ..Light ? » He arched a brow at his own questionnement , rubbing his thumb on Jayce's back. He could get used to it. « And physical pressure helps you ?  It's kind of weird. » « It's called deep pressure therapy. I own a weighted blanket, they're filled with sand. I made one once, i filled it with rice. Sometimes when i feel like absolute garbage I put both of them on my chest. Helps during panic attacks. » Viktor explained, visibly not for the first time in his life. « Having a person compressing me into a zip file is one of the things i enjoy about physical touch, though i barely indulge in it. » Viktor rambled , watched by his partner. « When was the last time you've been in a similar situation ? If that's okay ?»

Viktor as deep in thought for a few seconds, counting the years on his hands. « About eight or nine years ago ? » Jayce's eyes widened « What ! But like you have been in relationships right ? Viktor nodded. But never cuddled ? He nodded again. «In my first relationship back when i thought i was a bisexual woman we never got the chanced to, since i met her in the hospital when i went through my first round of chemo. We stayed together for two months, we didn't have phones and no way to contact each other so we decided to break up. She gave me my belt buckle, handmade by her. Plus it was at the time where i had my first existential crisis in my hospital bed. I quickly came to the conclusion that i wasn't attracted romantically nor sexually to women. I had time to figure out my life in this hospital ». Jayce listened carefully, empathy in his eyes. Viktor stopped. « Then , there was Dylan. A perfect dickhead. He huffed. A narcissist who never cared for me other than sex. He knew i was transgender, i told him and he reassured me that it was fine. But once we tried to get intimate, it only took a glance at my scars to fially get that i wasn't cis. He redressed himself straight away, not without saying slurs. Three months of relationship and only a single way of...Intimacy. Good riddance. » Viktor hmmed in annoyance. « So yeah, last time i cuddled with someone was with my mother the night before i left Zaun, that's it. I never want to seem vunerable after everything happened in my life, I know indulging in affection or love, platonic on not isn't a weekness but ... i'm rambling i'm sorry. I'm sobering up and yeah. We spent a nice night i shouldn't burden you with my life. » he lightly slammed his hands on Jayce's back.

« -No, no it's okay Vik ! You've heard everything important about me, of course i will listen to you. Can i be honest ? Viktor inspected his face before letting a quiet affirmation. I kind of feel privileged to know that. » he beamed. « You can. I never told anyone about it. » Viktor admitted. Jayce frowned. « -You are stronger than you know it ; You've got the looks, the intelligence and much more even. You've been through your terrible ex and his consequences all alone and you've been through frightening experiences with a few people at your sides. I've always admired you but now that you've told me these things … Damn i'm all fuzzy. I'm litterally laying on your torso after you told me how much you feel vunerable from showing affection? » «... Thank you. It feels weird to hear me saying my story still, even if i said it to a therapist already. You're... eh, special ? He approved his own sentence . Yeah. You're special. I would thank Heimerdinger everyday for this day he introduced you to me. » Viktor blushed «  Oh sorry for that. » he tried feigning a contenance.

«- Hey Viktor ? You trust me right ? » Jayce asked, sitting up after what felt like ages sprawled on his partner's chest. Mirroring his actions Viktor acknowledged. « Yeah ? I've literally told you. » « -Just to make sure. » He scooted closer , a mere twenty centimeters away from his partner. He placed one of his palm on Viktor's shoulder, the other cupping his face. Viktor jolted away from the contact ; «- It's okay. I won't hurt you. » He smiled gently. Viktor leaned in the palm of the man in front of him. He flushed, not bothered to hide himself anymore. « I think i know where this is going. » «- I hope you do » Jayce let himself drown in Viktor's eyes like he did plenty of times, admiring their golden color, liquid honey swirling in his irises. « God , you're taking way too long » Viktor was the first one to lean in, to Jayce's surprise. Immediatly receprocating, Viktor pulled away, truly intoxicated by what he felt. Jayce pried him back, hands making their way on Viktor's back, lips gently moving against each other. Viktor put his hands on Jayce's neck, carressing his jawline gently. The kiss was chaste and soft, like he never experienced before. Jayce pulled away, pressing his forehead against his, basking in this feeling of raw thrill and uncertainty. Viktor was the first to hug him in a tight embrace. The taller male wrapped his arms around his shoulder, engulfing Viktor fully. «- i waited too long for this . » Jayce broke the silence, a hand making its way trough Viktor's nest of chestnut hair. « I think tonight was the perfect moment. » They stayed like that for a while before one of them moved. «- Look, Viktor. » « hm ? » He pointed at the window pane. « -The sun is rising ».

Not much after that they decided to go and catch some rest. After all today was saturday and neither of them wanted to go to work after this night. Honeymoon phase replacing the ingested alcohols. Jayce slept in a shirt given by Viktor, one big enough for him to fit in. He stripped off his jeans leaving himself in just boxer briefs. Viktor sat on the bed, removing his prosthetic leg, placing it nearby. They faced each other, arms wrapped around their chest, a mess of tangled legs. To Viktor's surprise, he fell asleep immediately.

They slept until three pm, woken up by Sirius climbing on Jayce. «-Good afternoon Viktor. Jayce smiled, caressing Viktor's cheek.  Viktor groaned, nesting himself in jayce's chest. I forgot you're not a morning person. » He laughed while his partner muttered something in Zaunite.

Viktor lost himself in his thoughts. For once he was grateful that he decided to come to this party hosted by that random girl . Without it he might have never felt this warm and feeling in his gut. The alcohol definitely helped, he couldn't deny it. Thanks to the vodka for showing his vulnerability. It was maybe too soon to call it this way but looking back at all these years with jayce and their friendship, he was certain of it. It was love. And it felt wonderful.

[arcane-temp-fandomblog]

Ambessa - Machiavelli comes to fix Piltover's politics

"Ends justify the means. The end."

Machiavelli once wrote in a meme because people making memes seldom open free Wikipedia edition of The Prince. The one where he roasts rulers of different city states of Italy and beyond because their bad decisions led to their downfall.

The Prince is just a tad satirical* 'Choose your own adventure guide book to being a monarch' (*understandable, author before writing it was tortured enough then thrown out of it's home-city by self reinstated ruler). You take a role of Prince - a ruler of a city state and it's on you to determine which historical profile matches your circumstances of rising to power and holding onto it, which of all options and advices you should use - assess yourself and your goals wrong and you're dead. Good luck aspirational Princes.

The fun part about Ambessa is that she paraphrases The Prince and:

1) she is seldom if ever wrong in seeing the issues and she solves issues in her preferred way, and is okay getting her own hands dirty accepting the responsibility - which is a POSITIVE

The way she chooses to solve them is down to her own make up and choices being a warlord, but that feeds to the other part:

2) she tries to push everyone into same mould of how to achieve these results - which is a NEGATIVE

But overall she is good at pointing out what is not working in the system.

Let's first look at Piltover - a city-state and who is Jayce in politics at the point of this scene when they meet. What's the problem with Piltover's politics according to Ambessa but first Machiavelli's preface:

I come now to the second case, namely, of the leading citizen who, not by crimes or violence, but by the favour of his fellow-citizens is made Prince of his country. (...) I say then that the road to this Princedom lies either through the favour of the people or of the nobles.

For in every city are to be found these two opposed humours having their origin in this, that the people desire not to be domineered over or oppressed by the nobles, while the nobles desire to oppress and domineer over the people. (...) A Princedom is created either by the people or by the nobles, according as one or other of these factions has occasion for it.

For when the nobles perceive that they cannot withstand the people, they set to work to magnify the reputation of one of their number, and make him their Prince, to the end that under his shadow they may be enabled to indulge their desires. The people, on the other hand, when they see that they cannot make head against the nobles, invest a single citizen with all their influence and make him Prince, that they may have the shelter of his authority. (Both Silco and Ekko btw.)

Moreover, the demands of the nobles cannot be satisfied with credit to the Prince, nor without injury to others, while those of the people well may, the aim of the people being more honourable than that of the nobles, the latter seeking to oppress, the former not to be oppressed. Add to this, that a Prince can never secure himself against a disaffected people, their number being too great, while he may against a disaffected nobility, since their number is small.

The Annotated Prince/Chapter IX / Niccolò Machiavelli (Source Wikipedia)

So that is the mind behind the body problem of Piltover's politics. Machiavelli comes back over and over that if you are bad ruler for you subjects - people will come for your head. If you want power to rule - you will shoulder the consequences of not-wellbeing of your people. Doesn't matter if you didn't know, had bad advisors, didn't want to be hated - you want power, you're responsible now. The proof of how good you use your power will be in your results.

This scene has best situational joke of the whole season:

You showed her boy, you really showed her. She'd probably already skewer you if she didn't want you to make a weapon for her. He's so cute, it's exasperating. Who allowed this man into politics?

(Just in case imo. Ambessa is Agathocles from Chapter VIII: Of Those Who By Their Crimes Come to Be Princes / same source.)

Ambessa is fine not being person of moral virtue to continue her rule and her family wellbeing. This is the path she chose knowing the consequences and she accepts them. Like the death of her son - isn't her fault but she still feels it was her duty to protect him and cover his ass. She's doing the damage control for her children.

It's so funny that Mel thinks she's there for herself, where this momma wolf came to cover the ass of all of Piltover's political circle failures with the only way she knows how - bloodshed.

I mean that's cute from Mel, I can see where she's coming from but ever wonder if the people of the undercity maybe don't give a fuck why she sponsored Hextech or if Piltover the city project burns to the ground with all the council. It's burning for them from the time Hextech was invented but only benefited the rich council members. So would they give a fuck if Piltover imploded or what anyone on the council wants?

I really don't think so dear council. Each one of you.

Especially about you Heimedinger and your legacy of Piltover - the bastion of enlightenment.

There just needs to be one person that was victimized enough to lit the match. One.

The funny part is Hextech could have saved the city if they let them give it to the people as soon as it was operational, access to hexgates for free and all. Gj council.

Like Machiavelli alludes, if you're a bad at wielding your power as a "Prince" - at some point your subjects will stop giving a fuck about YOUR City-state project.

Ambessa is for me, I don't watch that much media, the best so far embodiment of Machiavelli's writing - especially since she does embody just part of writing - the ruthlessness required if you want to be a Prince through bloodshed. Just amazing, she's so on point with her critique too.

But also she really eh, didn't get her message across to Mel about wolf and fox, which honestly stifles Mel's political abilities A LOT. It's a shame. Since Mel has all the abilities to be the head of the council, she's just too scared to be it - don't show your baby girl that you kill the symbol of the regime. She instead shrugs off responsibilities and works in shadows. Eh, you ruined her potential Ambessa. Season 2 hope to make them both grow?

Could peace have been attained with Silco even if Jinx wasn't one of demands? NO, he couldn't control her. She nearly never did what he asks her to, all the things in Piltover were her own actions. So she would continue to wreak havoc anyway. Peace needs to account for Jinx basically.

For more there's a list Arcane meta analysis posts by me

Side note: it's hard to ever say if a character directly quotes something, I really think she does but Machiavelli is kind of father of political science and one of founding writers of Utilitarianism. So if you're going to write a character with Utilitarian philosophy in politics and war - you'll bump into him consciously or not. But her dialogue is a bit too word for word.

[steelandscience]

YESYESYESYES YES.

This is such a wonderful and absolutely spot on analysis. I’ve always been curious at why people react so strongly to this scene (particularly in how it makes them feel about Jayce and Mel) because Arcane is very careful to always make the character’s actions understandable. They all believe they are right, and if you dig into it, they always have pretty solid reasoning behind why they personally make the choices they do, even if those choices don’t end up being so great in the end.

I also feel like it’s worth adding that…

this scene does a great job at demonstrating the WAY that each of them considers a solution, and their relationships to each other.

Mel: Mel, with all her political prowess, knows exactly how important it is to be prepared for every possible outcome. However, she believes that building a weapon or a defense mechanism does not mean that you have to use it. To her, having these weapons is a show of strength, and a safeguard chosen with the hope that they would never have to use them against anyone. But they cannot be unprepared. However, she believes that Jayce understands what she means, and that’s where she is really wrong.

Jayce: Jayce is significantly more black and white in his thinking than both Mel and Viktor. He believes that their choices are either to make the weapons and use them, or don’t make them and don’t use them. He isn’t seeing the shades of grey that Mel is— Mel is treating this as one step in a possible plan, whereas Jayce is treating this as an explicit yes or no decision. He’s torn because he feels like he has to choose between who he is— Viktor’s partner, the scientist and possible humanitarian he’s been for nearly the last decade— or the man he feels like he should be— the Councilor trying to remedy Piltover from Mel’s side. I also think it’s important to note here that Jayce likely feels like he’s choosing between Mel and Viktor, and if we look at the events from the previous few days… Mel has steered him into relative success in a job he never thought he could do, and Viktor chose to endanger himself by going to the Big Bad Undercity. Suddenly Mel’s “make and use weapons” is looking a lot more sensible than Viktor’s “don’t make and don’t use weapons”.

Viktor: I completely agree with the read that Viktor is lying, and I think there’s a reason for it. Viktor sees the shades of grey— he lives in the shades of grey, always caught between Piltover and Zaun. However— and I think this is the most important part— he knows that Jayce doesn’t. Viktor essentially appeals to Jayce (and Mel’s) emotions here, which is a stronger argument for Jayce than for Mel. I think he takes a black and white argument for three main reasons. The first is that he knows how Jayce thinks because he has been the most important person in his life for nearly a decade. The second is that Viktor, because of his upbringing, likely agrees with Ambessa— if weapons are made, they cannot be unmade, and they will probably be used. I do think that Viktor wants to do good with hextech, and I do think he believes in the “scientists not soldiers” thing… but I think he clearly recognizes that hextech can be weaponized, and once it is, he thinks it may be a slippery slope into full military use. The third is that I think he only just realized that they have already made weapons with hextech, and they need to stop before it gets worse. I suppose it is possible that, when holed up with Jayce in the lab, giddy with invention, the two of them didn’t realize the gauntlets and hex claw are weapons. But I think now, with Heimerdinger’s caution, the threats from the undercity, and taking apart Jinx’s creation… As you said, Viktor is a smart man, and there is no way that he can miss the fact that they have already created weapons if he didn’t realize before. I think primarily, he is trying to reassure himself here, and to ensure that nothing else is made in the future.

This scene is so pivotal for all three characters. I think it also best demonstrates the divide between the three of them. And I absolutely love it.

Everyone in this scene is wrong (and lying). But also everyone in this scene is right. And Mel is the most right

A drive-by analysis of THAT ep7 scene.

The fandom reading of this scene has long been a source of frustration for me, which I've written about elsewhere in meta here and by way of fic here. Primarily because so much of the focus was on positioning Mel as a mean baddie conniving villain in opposition to Jayce and Viktor and / or using her evil politico-feminine wiles to drive a wedge between Jayce and Viktor (both readings reinforced by a distinct shippery lens, let's be honest). You can watch the full scene here and even the title of that video frames this scene in the ways I outlined above, it was the only somewhat full clip I could find.

But that's not what's happening in this scene.

All three characters have actually got three different and VALID positions and perspectives playing out here, and the show is wonderfully good enough to allow for that nuance even if fandom doesn't:

Mel, the pragmatist and strategist whose job it is to safeguard Piltover and identify threats is proposing the building of a defensive system to combat the clear, oncoming threat of a soon-to-be weaponized hex crystal. While we know in her heart she wants to foster peace, she believes that "war is a failure of statecraft" and she hopes to figure out a diplomatic solution but she's not unaware of the realities of the challenge confronting them (and she has some pretty clear blindspots that she has to confront as well re: how the council / Piltover are positioned). She is also shouldering the alarming news from foreign allies that potential enemies perceive Piltover as "vulnerable" due to the ongoing unrest in the undercity.

Jayce, who is caught between his role as a scientist and his position on the council, to which he was elevated explicitly to protect Piltover from oncoming threats after the two bombing incidents in ep4 and the theft of the hex crystal. He's always wanted hextech to "protect" and "improve lives" but he's also increasingly aware that the threats facing them may require some kind of active means of defense. He wants to take some kind of action, he always does and it's both his strength and his downfall. We also learn later in the episode that he's always dreamed of building magical hammers with which to play vigilante, so this notion of active martial-militarised "defense" has always been in him. Also, important to remember that Jayce by this point had already instituted some pretty reckless, sometimes fascist policies in his bid to "take action", including the decree to restrict movement from Zaun in the interests of protecting the city.

Viktor, sees himself as something of a pacifist-idealist and he's a Zaunite. He believes hextech should only be used to "help save lives", that they are "scientists not soldiers" and no amount of threat or danger justifies building a defense mechanism that may easily become a weapon that's used against the most vulnerable, and specifically against his people or innocents. For context, much like the two above, we can't read his aggression towards Mel and Jayce in this scene without recalling that mere hours before he had been detained on the bridge between the undercity and top-city like a criminal because of a decree that his best friend put in place. He's likely still justifiably smarting from the indignities of that experience.

Everyone in this scene is withholding information or outright lying.

Mel isn't telling the whole truth about her concerns for the city's safety and what she's heard from her allies, she is afraid and one can see it in her face throughout the scene, but she believes she's not in a position to express that.

Jayce isn't sharing that part of him very clearly does want to make weapons, and he already has ideas down for a prototype that he later completes in ep8 to go on the unsanctioned raid with Vi.

Viktor is lying about the potential of the hex crystal being weaponised at the beginning of this scene. I can only surmise he's lying because Viktor is not a stupid man. He recognises the skill and talent in the crude bomb in his hands, it doesn't take a genius to see that whoever built it could make even more advanced weapons EASILY. But he insists that it's "a stretch" - bullshit.

Everyone in this scene is right, too. BUT, and this is key, the show also wants to show the damning consequences of their stances / carry these positions to their likely damning conclusions.

Like really, I think as I've tried to outline above, each one of them has a pretty valid point of view.

Even Jayce, whom a lot of the fandom somewhat unfairly imo tends to dismiss as an impulsive idiot, makes some sense. If his raid with Vi had been carried out with a bit more foresight, it would've been a sound strategy to weaken Silco's power base. And yeah, the inaction has been a serious issue on many fronts. The narrative quickly forces Jayce to learn the most destructive / harmful conclusion of his approach to act first, think through the potential consequences later, when he kills a child.

Viktor is also correct that this is a slippery slope. It's dangerous to hide behind the notion of having "no choice but to do things" because that can so easily be used to justify reprehensible things. He, like Jayce, is forced to confront some harsh truths and his own hypocrisy when he accidentally kills Sky in his thirst to use the hexcore to strengthen his body.

Mel, who understands war and power plays better than anyone in the room, knows how precarious things are and that the city is essentially a powder keg. She's correct that the crystals will be weaponized and it'll come back to bite Piltover in the arse, and the show's own narrative proves her right (which is why I said above she's kind of the most right). As far as we know, they're all dead right now because no one ever got around to building a damn defense system. Thanks, guys. But like the other two, she's forced to confront the negative sides to her plan in the shape of her mother, who sees any move to develop hextech, even in much-needed defense as an opportunity to exploit for her own benefit and hunger for power.

tl;dr

The one thing this show is fairly good at is multipolar ideas and perspectives. In some instances, this may become frustrating. But in this scene it's one of the STRONGEST times that I feel like it's such a strong narrative choice because it gives us three distinct characters, with three distinct points of view, and none of them undermine each other - but they are held accountable and forced to learn. That's really mature writing.

The unfortunate thing is that so many fandom readings only acknowledge one side or actively shit on individual characters, which, and I'm not afraid to say this, is such a lazy, reductive way to read these three, their positions and the story as a whole, imo.

Anyway, this was meant to be a drive-by post but here we are. Thanks for coming to my Ted Talk.

Other random questions I ponder because of this scene:

Does Viktor ever feel guilty about the fact that he's helped Piltover to widen the gap of inequality with Zaun as part of the Hextech innovator team, and is in some ways, kind of a sellout? Could make for interesting nuances to his journey next season. Is he deemed a sellout?

Just how long has Jayce been playing around with swaggy prototypes of hextech weapons. He was already dabbling prior to this scene at the Talis Forge. Hm.

If they make it out alive, will Mel get to say she told them so? Because I'd really like for that to happen, bye!