Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

If I wanna stay alive 

You should never cross my mind 

Yeah, I knew it….

I been through it

✷

"Viktor!" 

Viktor didn't bother to look up from his book. He didn't need to. There was only one person in the whole of the undercity—if not the entirety of Runeterra—bold enough to come into the Machine Herald's workshop in the dead of night screaming bloody murder. 

Most made it their business to steer clear even in broad daylight—or what passed for it down in the entresol—too scared of the mechanical monster that lurked within. And besides, even if the staggering self-confidence wasn't enough to give away the intruder's identity, the sound of Viktor's front door being knocked down would have cinched it. 

"You're a real piece of work! You know that, V?" Jace was already worked up, his rich voice rough and low. Though this was not, Viktor suspected, an effect of the undercity air—choked as it was with smoke and toxins. Oh no. This was pure frustration—built up until it went off with a bang. 

Perfect . 

"Good evening to you too, Jayce," Viktor replied breezily. He scanned the page before him, taking note of his place. "Would you like a glass of wine?"

"No, Viktor. I don't want wine—why would I—Never mind! You're going to answer for what you did!"

"And just what is it I'm supposed to have done this time, oh mighty man of progress ?" Viktor drawled lazily—every word dripping with disdain. "Have I killed Heimerdinger's little pet? Stolen all the pens from your desk? Perhaps, I've taken up shoplifting to pass the time between committing war crimes and being generally unethical—

"You know what you did, Viktor," Jayce growled, and even with his eyes still resting on the page before him, Viktor could picture the expression perfectly. That handsome face would be twisted with rage, tan skin taking on a subtle flush of anger, heavy brows low and looming over glittering eyes. Beautiful . 

Jayce's voice cut through the lovely image like a knife through a sheet—a grating hiss. "Well? Are you at least going to deny it?" 

Viktor decided to make him work for it, delighting in the familiar turning of the gears. Even as a child, he had loved this—crafting little mechanical toys, watching their gears spin, motors chugging along. But who needed a toy when you could wind Talis up and watch him go?

"Deny what?" Viktor asked sweetly, turning the page of his book as though this were nothing more than another quiet evening—as though Jayce had come to ask his thoughts on the weather. "You're not making very much sense. Maybe you should visit a physician.”

"You—You broke into my lab and stole those crystals, Viktor," Jayce replied sharply, every word short and clipped with irritation.

Viktor hummed. “Sure it wasn’t someone else?”

 "I know it was you."

"Is that so?" 

Jayce snapped, voice rising once again. "It has to be you! No one else would even dare—" 

"If you're so sure, then why not go to the enforcers? I'm sure they'd be delighted to have a reason to haul me in…Unless," Viktor added innocently, eyes sparkling with poorly contained glee. "There was a reason why you couldn't report it…perhaps, because the pride of Piltover didn't even realize there was a theft until this evening?"

A moment passed in heavy silence. And then, Jayce sighed. Victory . 

"Will you at least tell me how you got them to glow like that?" 

Viktor finally looked up, lips pulling into a sharp smirk as he did. He found Jayce standing in the center of the room looking deflated, that silly hammer of his humming gently at his side. Loathe as Viktor was to admit it, his old partner looked good. The cut of Jayce's white coat clung to the sharp taper of his waist, highlighting the impressive breadth of his shoulders. That soft dark hair was freshly cut, a few strands hanging artfully over a furrowed brow. 

If Viktor had been an artist, he might have tried to set it to paper—preserving a little bit of the man before him for posterity. But he wasn't, and so he didn't. 

"Maybe," Viktor purred lazily, letting his voice drop into a register reserved only for select occasions. "If you tell me how long it took you to notice?"

"I don't think that's at all relevant," Jayce retorted through gritted teeth. Viktor leaned back in his chair, pulling his mechanical limbs into a languid stretch. 

"Let me guess, you tried to use one to power up something?" Jayce's silence was response enough. Viktor tipped back his head and laughed—the sound of it booming through the workshop. He didn't stop until his eyes were hazy with tears, most of which he wiped away with the back of his hand. "You did! Oh, I wish I could have seen it—"

"In my defense, they were very convincing." 

"Thank you," Viktor said with a dry smile, shoulders shaking with laughter. "It was rather difficult to get the coloring to look right, not to mention finding marbles that looked close enough. In the end, I had to enlist some outside help. Thankfully, Jinx was more than happy to lend a hand. Nice to see you still make friends wherever you go."

Jayce's jaw clenched, as did his free hand. Cute . "What did you do with the real ones?"

"Don't worry, Defender . They're safe. I have no intention of letting them fall into dangerous hands." 

"As if your hands aren't dangerous enough," Jayce muttered darkly, though there was far less heat behind the words now. 

Viktor rose to his feet, stalking towards Jayce as quickly as he dared—which wasn't very fast at all. Jayce had always been a little excitable, and Viktor didn't want to risk spoiling the fun with a fight. 

"Well," He continued with a smile. "Now that we've established that, why don't you be a good boy and tell me what it was you were trying to start up?”

 Once again, Jayce didn't answer. Unfortunately for him, his eyes did. Though it was only for a moment—barely a breath—Viktor saw them flicker down towards the hammer still clutched tightly in one of those massive hands. In the low light of the workshop, most people might have missed it. But the Machine Herald wasn't most people. Some would say he wasn't even a person at all...

Jayce seemed to know the game was up. His lips pursed sharply, face contorting in a fascinating mix of irritation and embarrassment. Viktor was close enough to take in every little shift, every thought written on Jayce's handsome face. 

"I was trying to work on the calibration and thought that perhaps a fresh hex—"

Viktor was laughing again, this time softer—more teasing than raucous. He reached out a dark metal hand, running it along with the gold trim of Jayce's jacket. Viktor heard Jayce's breathing quicken—his pulse race. 

"You know," he said softly, cold finger changing course to run across the hills and valleys of muscle underneath Jayce's vest. "If you really need them for your work...I might be persuaded to tell you where I've hidden them. A fair trade.” 

"Oh yeah?" Jayce sounded as though he didn't quite believe it, a sentiment that was confirmed in his next breath. "And why the hell would I trust you, V? You've lied to me before." 

Viktor hummed, drawing just a little closer—the space between them collapsing with a sigh. He could smell Jayce's cologne, the same scent he had worn all those years ago. It seemed some things never changed, even if everything else did. 

"I have, haven't I?" He whispered, the delicate sensors in his fingers instantly picking up the sudden spike in Jayce's heart rate at the dark words. Not that Viktor needed that particular piece of data to know he'd won. He knew Jayce better than that—could almost hear the familiar gears turning.

Viktor smirked, leaning in to brush the killing blow against the shell of Jayce's ear. "If you'd like your reward, I suppose you'll just have to take the risk." 

A moment of silence. And then Jayce laughed softly. His hammer disengaged and then fell with a sharp clatter to the floor. Good. After all, the pride of Piltover would need his hands free for the foreseeable future. 

Chapter Text

For as long as Viktor had known him, Jayce had always been tactile, unable to keep his massive hands empty for long. And so, he wasn't at all surprised when they settled on his waist—a comforting weight. They didn't stay there long, of course. In fact, it only took a breath or two for Jayce to grow bolder, his hands sinking down to take hold of the swell of Viktor's ass—squeezing sharply enough to draw out a soft whine. 

Clearly immensely pleased with the reaction, Jayce leaned in closer, his chapped lips brushing teasingly against the curve of Viktor's neck. Almost a kiss, but not quite. They were another thing left to the past…along with the rest of their kindness. Viktor pushed the dark thought aside, trying to enjoy the moment.  

This close, the scent of him was overwhelming: sweat and iron, coated with sweet smoke and a hint of jasmine. Viktor wanted to drown in it. Jayce seemed inclined to let him.

"You know," he said softly, pressing the words into the pale skin of Viktor's neck—each one tangled with the promise of tongue and teeth. "I had wondered why you'd gone through all that trouble,"—his grip tightened, voice a low rumble—"But now I think I get it. You've been desperate for some attention, haven't you, V?"

"Perhaps. Or, maybe I just like watching you get worked up, Defender ." Viktor laced the title with as much venom as he could muster, voice dipping down into a toxic purr—every word corrosive. "Besides, I can get attention just fine,"—He shifted, a metal hand moving to cup Jayce where he was already swelling beneath those ridiculous leather trousers he’d taken to parading around in—"If anything, it seems like you've been neglecting yourself." Jayce groaned, teeth sinking into Viktor's neck forcefully enough to bruise. Perfect . Too bad the marks wouldn't last…

Emboldened, Viktor decided to push a little further—reveling in the winding of the gears, the inevitable 'bang.' He took hold of Jayce's growing arousal and squeezed, careful to keep the pressure just on the right side of pleasant—a tease, but nothing more. He pitched his voice low and soft, letting his accent thicken. "I'm starting to think we ought to revisit the terms of our little bargain. After all, from where I'm standing, it seems as though you make out with the better end of our deal."

"Well," Jayce huffed, hips rolling gently into the palm of Viktor's metal hand. "We can't have that, can we?” Viktor laughed, the sound cut short when Jayce's lips found the side of his neck once more, pressing more bitter words into the delicate skin. "Gods. You really are a piece of work, aren't you, V? All of these theatrics just for a quick fuck. Pathetic ." 

Pathetic . The word sent a surge of electricity rolling down Viktor's spine. He let out a low moan, delighting in the feeling of Jayce going still against him. Viktor could almost hear the gears in that brilliant mind grinding to a halt, then picking up once more. Clever boy .  

Jayce stepped back. In the soft glow of the chem lights hanging high in the rafters above them, his tan skin took on a lilac sheen—transforming that familiar flush into something ethereal. He looked beautiful as ever, warm eyes bright and hazy—lips bitten blood red. 

After a moment, Jayce smiled, and for a split second, Viktor could almost imagine they were back in the lab—suspended in the air as magic swirled around them. Sadly the illusion was shattered in an instant as Jayce's smile darkened, twisting into something hungry and just a little dangerous. Not that Viktor mourned the loss. Not really…

The distance between them compressed in a heartbeat, and before he had the time to react, Viktor found himself being shoved over his empty worktable. A mechanized heart could neither skip a beat nor pick up pace. However, that hardly meant Viktor couldn't find himself breathless—his thoughts devolving into a mess of longing and excitement as gloved hands ran over the tops of his thighs. 

In an instant, Jayce was wrenching his legs apart, grip sure and firm. Viktor let them widen, enjoying the heat rolling off Jayce's body as he stepped into the newly freed space, smirking all the while. 

"You've been holding out on me, V," he whispered softly, his rich voice dripping with promise. "You should have told me this was what you really wanted." Jayce leaned down, thick fingers wrapping gently around Viktor's throat. "If I had known you were such a desperate little whore, I would have dropped by sooner. Put you in your place."

"Jayce—" was all Viktor managed to say before the hand on his throat tightened. The pressure was soft and controlled, but the message was clear. Clever boy. 

"Quiet, V," Jayce whispered. "I don't want to hear you speak again unless it's to say sorry for being such a disgusting slut." 

At the filthy words, Viktor's eyes nearly rolled back in his head, the thin fabric of his underthings already starting to grow damp and sticky. 

Jayce had gotten better at this since the last time they had done this . Much better . In truth, Viktor hadn’t really been expecting that.  

Once upon a time, that kind of talk would have had Jayce turning bright red, but now it seemed almost natural, rolling off that talented tongue with ease . Almost absently, Viktor wondered if Jayce had been practicing— who he'd been practicing with …Thankfully Viktor wasn't given too long to think about it because Jayce was on the move once more. 

Thick fingers dragged down his chest, stopping only when they had reached the hidden clasp on his trousers. Jayce undid it with ease, his free hand sliding under the dip of Viktor's waist—lifting him up just enough to yank the offending clothing down and off augmented legs. 

In sharp contrast to the heat of Jayce's body, the cool air felt like a shock. It set his sensors humming furiously. A shockwave rolled down Viktor's metal spine, tearing a soft moan from already parted lips. 

Jayce smirked down at him, running a finger over the slick mess he found waiting for him. "I guess all that attention you've been getting down here wasn't enough." Viktor groaned, his mind starting to spin as the last barrier between Jayce and his goal was quickly torn away, cast aside to join the heap of fabric already lying on the cold floor. 

Jayce laughed softly, eyes glittering prettily in the low light. "But then again, you always were so hard to please," he continued lazily, pausing to pull off his gloves, revealing one thick finger at a time. " I guess when you've had half the city, it really does take something exceptional to satisfy. I suppose I should be flattered that you think I'm that good." 

Gods, he really had been practicing. Viktor watched with hooded eyes as the gloves joined the slowly growing pile of discarded clothes, and Jayce retook his place between the spread of his thighs. Callused hands brushed over the newly bared expanse of skin—teasing nerves and sensors alike as they went. It was nothing short of electrifying, every touch ripping through him like wildfire. Perfect . 

“Look’s like you’ve made some modifications, V,” Jayce continued lazily, bright eyes twinkling with mischief. “Always upgrading….”—He leaned down, lips rough and hot against Viktor’s neck as he spoke, voice barely above a whisper—“It must be so frustrating to know that no matter what you replace, no matter how much you try and strip away… you’ll still get so wet for me, Vitya. ”

Viktor sunk his teeth down into his lower lip—biting back a whine. It seemed Jayce had learned to play dirty too… How long had it been since he’d brought out that little pet name? Certainly not since —

That line of thought was severed neatly as the first callused finger slipped into him, the stretch heavenly. It was as good as Viktor remembered, maybe even better—the sensation heightened by the scent of him: iron, sweat, smoke . Jayce didn’t give Viktor time to adjust—to regain control—quickly adding another finger, thrusting, and stretching— making room for himself just like he used to…

Viktor groaned, uncertain whether he wanted to close his eyes and lose himself in the sensation or watch Jayce work…in the end, it was no choice at all. Golden eyes traced the sharp lines of Jayce’s handsome face, taking careful note of every detail— crooked teeth sinking sharply into slick lips, dark hair falling loose from its gelled style, a thin sheen of sweat …  

Suddenly, Jayce was pulling back, hands dropping to undo the front of those ridiculous trousers. Viktor watched as they were lowered over lean hips, only enough for Jayce to release himself out into the open air. Only a breath passed before Viktor felt the familiar press of Jayce at his entrance—blunt pressure, followed by tantalizing friction as he finally slid home. Back where he belonged . 

They groaned into one another’s mouths, lips brushing gently before Jayce pulled out. He slammed back in a split second later, hard enough to punch the breath from even augmented lungs. Viktor whined, body jolting with electricity as those rough hands found his hips, their grip like iron. 

The pace Jayce set was once of pure need—punishing and just a little messy. Not that Viktor minded, of course. If anything, he reveled in it—the physical expression of just how badly Jayce had wanted this, had needed it, all that manicured control fading into nothing. His breath was hot against Viktor’s neck, their little game entirely forgotten as they collided into one another again and again.  

One of those massive hands left its place at Viktor’s hip, moving to brush against his neglected cock. The rough caress set every nerve in his body singing, drawing a little keening noise from the back of Viktor’s throat. Jayce’s rhythm faltered. He pressed a curse into the reddened skin of Viktor’s neck, followed by the scrape of teeth. 

“Fuck, Vitya —so good—so tight for me —” Those clever fingers returned to their task, years of history compressing into a single motion—a single goal. “Come for me, V. Come on, my cock. I want to feel you—” Jayce— as he always did— got his wish. 

Soon enough, Viktor screamed, vision going blurry—fading to white—as pleasure ripped through him at last. He barely heard the wet slapping of skin on skin that followed, nor the soft growl as, with a final thrust, Jayce forced himself deep and finally let go. But Viktor did feel the way Jayce shuddered against him— those rough lips pressing a kiss to Viktor’s own as the man he loved poured himself inside him. 

They lay there in silence for some time. Viktor couldn’t say how long it was exactly, though it was long enough for their sweat to cool, that thick cock starting to soften… 

Jayce was slow to pull away, but when he did, the change was almost instant. He seemed to close off; all his earlier bravado washed away to nothing. Jayce stepped back into the middle of the room, bright eyes careful to settle anywhere but on its only other occupant as he hurried began setting himself to rights. 

Viktor watched the little drama unfurl before him with hooded eyes, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. Jayce looked entirely undone—the kind of ruin that no amount of readjusting could undo. His skin was flushed, hair tousled, breath coming in uneven rushed even now. It was lovely . 

“Well—I—guess, I’ll just….” Jayce trailed off, gesturing vaguely in the direction of the door. It seemed the mighty man of progress was lost for words … How cute . Viktor pushed himself up, lips twitching into a soft smile as he leaned against the cold metal table—posture languid, elegant. 

“Aren’t you forgetting something?”

“What? Oh—right,” Jayce cleared his throat, sounding sheepish. “Where have you hidden the crystals?”

“We’ll…” Viktor began slowly. “One of them is in that box over there.” He gestured towards a large box across the room with a careless wave of the hand, a sharp smile widening as Jayce remained stock still— the gears turning once more . 

“And the rest of them?” Viktor didn’t answer, eyes drifting down to inspect his fingernails for a bit of non-existent dirt. “Viktor…We had a deal. You promised you’d give them back—” 

“Don’t be silly,” Viktor snorted, every word laced with derision. “I never said I’d tell you where they all were, only that I’d be willing to make a fair trade. It’s hardly my fault if you came to the wrong conclusion, Defender .” He looked up from his nails to find Jayce already fuming, sharp jaw subtly clenched. Perfect . 

Viktor let his smile settle into something sharper—not entirely friendly, but not unfriendly either. “Don’t pout, Jayce. If anything, you should be happy I’m willing to give any of them back to you at all.” Golden eyes flicked down to watch, those massive hands clean prettily at Jayce’s side—the gloves still lying forgotten on the floor. “However, as a show of good faith—since you’re so concerned with that these days—I’ll give you a hint free of charge.” Viktor paused for effect, letting his legs drift open every so slightly—revealing the sticky mess Jayce had left there. 

Just as predicted, hazel eyes tracked the motion, settling right where Viktor wanted them. When Jayce replied, it was softly, something knowing—and just a little excited—swirling behind his bright eyes. 

“Is that right…”

“Yes,” Viktor replied smoothly, looking up at Jayce through heavy lashes—every word coated with promise. “There’s another crystal hidden somewhere in this very room…although I’m afraid I’ve forgotten where….” 

Jayce snorted, running a hand through his already disheveled hair. “Anything, in particular, that might jog your memory, V?” Clever boy . 

The grin that split Viktor’s lips was so wide it almost hurt. “You know…several do come to mind. Perhaps you ought to begin by cleaning up your mess.” 

Jayce huffed a laugh, eyes sparkling. In the lilac gloom, they looked almost luminous—alive and shifting. He nodded his head in the direction of Viktor’s abandoned chair, the message clear. Viktor smirked, moving to sink down onto the plush leather with a sigh. 

It was an old thing, liberated from Jayce’s old council office after a drunken night with Jinx down by the docks. The dark blue leather was soft and buttery against his bare skin, the scent of jasmine and smoke practically woven into the upholstery—one of the many reasons Viktor had decided it would be far better off in his workshop. After all, it wasn’t like Jayce had much need of it. 

He arranged himself lazily, careful to never let his eyes leave Jayce’s as he did. If his old friend recognized the chair he made no comment about it, either simply too distracted to notice or to care. The moment Viktor stilled, Jayce sprang into action, returning to his place between long, thin limbs. He dropped to his knees on the cold floor without complaint, the sight mouth watering. Viktor watched through heavy lashes as those massive hands slipped underneath his thighs, lifting them up and over broad shoulders. Jayce’s voice was a low rumble, the vibrations rocking through Viktor like an earthquake. 

“You’ll tell me where you’ve hidden the second one?” 

“Of course. A deal is a deal.” 

“No tricks?” 

Viktor arched a brow, smirk widening. “No tricks. However, it is getting late…and considering how much better you work under pressure perhaps I ought to sweeten the deal.”

Jayce hummed, pressing a soft kiss to the inside of a metal knee, sending the sensors humming. Always so sweet .

“I’m listening.”  

Viktor didn’t doubt that for a second—in fact he could almost feel the truth of it swirling around them. The full weight of Jayce Talis’ attention was a heady thing, but coupled as it was by the brush of those full lips against thin skin, it felt almost maddening. A weaker man might have already crumbled, but Viktor wasn’t weak— not anymore . 

“If you can make me cum again with just that pretty mouth of yours, in say…,”—Viktor glanced towards the clock, running a quick calculation—“under five minutes, I’ll throw in a third.” 

Jayce laughed, low and breathy. “Just when did you get to be so mean, Vitya ?”

“I was always mean, Jayce. You just weren’t paying attention. Now you should really get to work. Time starts now.” 

Viktor barely had to wait a moment before Jayce did just that. Stubble dragged along the thin skin of his thighs, rough lips pressing a wet kiss to what waited between them. It was sweet—tender. But then again, Jayce had always preferred a little romance…

Viktor smirked, reaching down to card metal fingers through that dark hair, pulling until he felt a moan against him. He pulled harder, letting his voice fade into a dark purr—dripping with promise. “Go on then. Show me what else you’ve learned while you’ve been away.” 

Jayce seemed to take the words as a challenge, dextrous tongue slipping in between the slick folds, delving deep. “ Good boy,” Viktor groaned. The hand in Jayce’s hair loosened its grip ever so slightly—the pleasure of it far too distracting to keep up the pretense entirely. At his words, Jayce’s hands shifted to take hold of thin hips—pulling Viktor into his roving tongue. It felt a little like drowning, the current taking hold and dragging him down into the depths…

“One minute down, Defender ,” Viktor sighed, a low curl of heat pooling his belly as he watched Jayce dive into him—desperate and hungry as ever. “You’d better get serious if you want your prize.”

 Jayce growled, hands tightening on Viktor’s waist as those drenched lips found their way to his cock, sucking gently. Viktor purred, struggling to stop his eyes from fluttering closed. He wanted to see—wanted to etch the scene into his memory along with so many others that had come before it.  And so , Viktor looked on with keen eyes, sensors tracking every subtle shift in those broad shoulders, the flex of muscle rolling under tan skin. 

It was dark enough that he could almost ignore the few strands of gray creeping into Jayce’s dark hair—the way he had broadened over the years, sharpened. The lines of that perfect face had hardened too, shaping rough force into sculpted elegance. Yes , Viktor thought absently, there was much to recommend the man Jayce Talis had become . And yet, despite it all—despite the changes time had wrought upon them both—it was still so easy for Viktor to lose himself in the memories, to stare past the man of progress and see the boy, sitting the ruins of his life’s work, fire raging behind tear filled eyes… 

“You know…I remember the first time you did this,” Viktor said quietly, the words pulled from his lips before he had time to consider them. He didn’t expect Jayce to reply, of course. His tongue was far too occupied for that, but all the same, his reaction was telling enough. That familiar grip shifted slightly, callused thumbs sliding back and forth over the sharp cut of Viktor’s hips. Sweet and sentimental.

“You spent all day at that investment meeting for the gates,” Viktor continued softly, golden eyes bright and keen now—watching and waiting. “You were so excited, weren’t you? Came running back to the lab still in your uniform, only to wind up down on your knees for me—just like this. So eager .” Viktor felt Jayce moan around him, the vibration making his vision go hazy. That wicked tongue quickly found the underside of his cock, flicking gently. 

“You didn’t have a clue what you were doing either…”— It was growing increasingly difficult to keep his composure, every word that followed coming out tangled—heavy—“You just wanted a taste. My poor little puppy. You stayed down there so long I thought your knees would bruise—so sloppy, so determined to be good .” Viktor’s voice shifted into a low purr, rolling his hips gently. “But it was so difficult for you to stay that way, wasn’t it? You could barely hold it together long enough to make it good for me, rutting yourself into my shoes like a dog. My good boy —”

Jayce snapped. He wrenched Viktor’s legs from his shoulders, surging to his feet with frightening speed. Viktor collapsed back into the plush leaver, watching with wide eyes as Jayce’s hands flew to his belt, the silver fastening clattering together with his haste. A moment later his cock sprang free once more—not quite hard yet, but clearly on the way. 

Viktor laughed as he leaned forward, lips parted in open invitation. Jayce groaned, a heavy hand swiftly finding its way to the back of Viktor’s head, the other dropping low enough to take hold of himself—brushing the blunt head against the soft skin of Viktor’s cheek.  

Viktor looked up at him through dark lashes, voice a soft purr. “You know this nullifies our little bargain, don’t you, Jayce?” He asked sweetly, pausing to press a kiss to the velvety skin at his lips—tongue darting out to enjoy the salty tang. “You’ll only walk away with one now.” 

Those long forgotten flames burned behind Jayce’s eyes now—the heat of them searing. He smirked down at Viktor—one of those perfect crooked smiles that Viktor had always adored.

“I know, V,”—the hand in Viktor's hair tightened, pulling a soft whine from his parted lips—“But I don’t care.” With that Jayce was pressing into Viktor’s mouth, groaning loudly as he slipped into the wet heat. Viktor welcomed him in with a soft hum, enjoying the stretch—the heavy weight on his tongue. Perhaps he’d been hungry too…

Jayce was, as he had always been, disgustingly careful—the roll of his hips controlled and even. His hands ran softly through Viktor’s hair—twisting overlong strands with restless fingers. It wasn’t long before he started to swell, growing stiff and firm on Viktor’s tongue. 

“Fuck, Vitya. You’re so good —” Jayce pushed in deeper, moaning loudly as he slipped into Viktor’s throat, hips stilling. He rested there for a moment, enjoying the sensation. Soon enough, Viktor’s eyes began to water, the breath coming quickly through his nose. He let out a low whine, hands clutching gently at Jayce’s thighs. 

“Hang on,” Jayce said sweetly, eyes glittering. “You can do it. Just a little longer.” The words brought a flush to Viktor’s cheeks, and another onslaught of memories. How many times had they done this? How many times had— “You’re doing so good, bunny—fuck. So pretty.” Jayce pulsed gently on his tongue—fully rigid now. “Just like that, bunny—so perfect .” 

No sooner had the words left Jayce’s lips, than he was pulling out, a trail of slick still connecting him to Viktor’s lips. Strong hands settled on Viktor’s shoulders, wrenching him up and out of his seat without pause. Viktor went without a fight, smiling breathlessly as Jayce flipped their places with ease. Before he had time to fully process the shift, Jayce was sinking into the newly vacated chair—pulling Viktor down on top of him. 

Though roughened hands quickly found his waist, still thin enough for Jayce’s index fingers to nearly meet as they locked together. Without a second thought, Viktor reached down, helping to position Jayce at his entrance once more—whining softly as those familiar hands pulled him down and he was filled once more. 

Despite all the changes—the modifications, adjustments, and redesigns—Jayce could still lift him like it was nothing. Of course, Viktor had been careful in his selection of materials over the years, favoring lighter alloys and slimmer designs over bulk. Not that Jayce needed to know that…

He seemed determined to take his time—setting a slow, almost reverent pace. If the first time had been about need, this felt like want—longing. And perhaps it was. Jayce fucked Viktor like he was something precious, ever second joined together sacred. His grip was firm but practiced, desperation soothed enough to ensure that every time they joined together it pulled a moan from bitten lips. 

They didn’t speak. Words would have been too much—too real. Instead they pressed silent wishes into each other’s skin, vows ripped apart with soft moans and heavy sighs. Viktor felt tears stream down his cheeks, slipping down Jayce’s back as he pressed his face into his lover’s neck. 

Despite it all, Jayce never slowed, never tired. He pulled them together, lifted them apart—again and again—until the world faded. Viktor shouted, time frozen as he let himself uncoil into Jayce’s arms. 

Viktor let himself slump—the tension ebbing from his muscles in an instant. He let his eyes fall closed, thinking nothing of it as strong arms lifted him once more. He lost track of time then, enjoying the heat of Jayce against him as they made their way up the stairs. 

Moments later, he found himself enveloped in a soft warmth, the mess of blankets wrapped carefully around his tired limbs.  

A soft kiss was pressed to his lips, then to his forehead. It was followed by a whisper—sweet and low. “Goodnight, V. Get some rest.” Viktor didn’t answer, already slipping away into the silence of heavy sleep

Though Jayce was clearly long gone, there was something waiting for Viktor when at last he descended back into the workshop. It was a little piece of paper, laid neatly in the center of his desk. Viktor picked it up without hesitation, golden eyes flicking over the messy scrawl that Jayce Talis liked to pretend was handwriting. 

V,

Sorry about the door.

 I managed to re-hang it, but the bottom hinge creaks very loudly. I’m sure you’ll manage. 

As for the crystals, you really should have hidden them better, bunny.

I mean, you could have at least put them in different boxes. 

Anyway, next time you miss me, you’re welcome to visit me in the lab. Maybe we can talk about that book you were reading. I’m sure I’ll have caught up to your place by then.

Yours, 

Jayce

“ My place ?” Viktor’s eyes narrowed, the gears of his mind already spinning furiously. What on earth could that —Viktor whipped around, gaze immediately settling on the empty space where only hours before he had set down his novel. It was gone, no doubt already miles above his head in the pure piltovian air…

Perfect.