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Chapter Text

Living with Viktor was like a dream sometimes. There were moments that Jayce still woke up and had to just sit and stare at his partner asleep at his side for a few minutes just to remember that he was here , that they were together and in love and everything was perfect and right in the world. 

There were times where he moved around Viktor in the kitchen as naturally as if they’d been sharing a living space their entire lives. So attuned with the other’s presence, they were able to predict their movements before they even made them. He would reach a hand for something while cooking, only for Viktor to wordlessly hand him the exact thing he required, without ever having to open his mouth. Jayce would know instinctively when Viktor was starting to feel the pinch in his shoulders from hunching over his laptop too long, and come over to give him a massage, working the knots out slowly and watching in satisfaction as Viktor groaned and melted back into the chair under his touch. 

He was giddy each time they got into bed together, couldn’t help grinning as they brushed their teeth in the bathroom mirror together, clung to Viktor’s back everytime the other man was cooking breakfast (despite how he grumbled about it hindering his movement, Viktor never told him to let go), he thanked his lucky stars almost every second he spent breathing the same air as Viktor. 

“ A-Ah…! Viktor—f-fuck, please… ”

Particularly in moments like these…

Behind his ear, he heard Viktor purr, a deep rumble in his chest that seemed to reverberate along Jayce’s back. Pleased at his begging, he could almost see the sly smile stretching on Viktor’s face. Long fingers curled securely around his hip bone, pressing him up closer—which meant he sunk deeper onto the strap currently drilling into him. A moan punched out of his chest, fingers curling into the sheets underneath him. 

Viktor teased his lips along the back of Jayce’s neck, not quite kissing, just enough for him to feel Viktor’s hot breath against his damp skin. Goosebumps rose, unbidden, and he bit back another groan. 

“Feeling good, darling?” came Viktor’s smug, sly voice. As if the son of a bitch didn’t know the fucking answer to that question. At Jayce’s incoherent mewling, he just chuckled. 

Jayce had half a mind to do something about Viktor’s smug sense of superiority, but then again, he barely had half a mind left right now. 

Viktor angled his hips, pressing Jayce deeper into bed, forcing him flush against the mattress as he fucked into him, rendering Jayce unable to do much than take it . Which is exactly what he wanted, but he’d forgotten his own request at that point, too caught up in whining for more and weakly protesting the slow grind of the cock against his cervix teasing him into oblivion. 

He knew Viktor could fuck him like he meant it, but the jerk was being maddeningly slow on purpose. They’d been at this for an hour already, and Jayce was ready to do anything just to get release.

“Such a good boy,” Viktor hummed, the way he sounded so utterly unaffected by their activities sent a jolt of hot arousal straight down to Jayce’s core. “Taking me so well, baby. Stretched so full around my cock. My sweet, perfect Jayce. I love you, dearest.”

Jayce whined, trying to rub two brain cells together to form a response. “I— ah —love you too—ah!”

Viktor chuckled again, the sweetness almost overshadowing the dark edge. Almost. “What’s that, dear? You’re a little hard to make out,”

“F-fuck you—” Jayce panted.

“Mm but I’m already fucking you,” Viktor smirked, hitching his hips forward sharply. He was rewarded by a startled moan. “Sound so pretty for me Jayce, my perfect little whore, hm?”

Jayce’s body was on fire, pleasure rolling through him in waves as Viktor leaned in once again, teeth grazing at the shell of his ear. “You’re mine, aren’t you štěně? My sweet little puppy?”

“Ah! Yes!” Jayce moaned, feeling Viktor sink impossibly deeper with the new angle, his hips flush against his ass. “Yes, m’yours V, m’all yours…”

“Mmm…” Viktor hummed in satisfaction, sinking his sharp canines down into the side of Jayce’s neck. Jayce keened, fisting the sheets beneath him. “Your neck looks so bare, so lonely. We should get you a collar, I think. Would you like that, štěně? A pretty collar you can wear for me, like a good boy?”

Fuck, that was suddenly the only thing in the world Jayce wanted. He never thought he’d be into that kind of thing, but Viktor had a way of making anything sound hot. And he wanted whatever Viktor wanted. 

“Yes,” he whined. “Wanna be yours, Vik…” 

“Good slut,” Viktor brought a hand across his throat—not squeezing, just resting his slender fingers over his honeyed skin—his rhythm stuttering a little as he relied on his other hand to hold him up. His bad leg was screaming in protest, but he pushed the pain aside in favour of giving Jayce what he needed. 

“Do you want a little J , or a V ?” he asked idly, stroking a finger over the base of Jayce's throat, like he was remarking on the weather and not dragging his cock in and out of his boyfriend’s pussy as he contemplated the image of a collar wrapped around his neck. 

“ V , I want a V .” Jayce instantly decided. “M’yours, Viktor.” 

He heard Viktor curse under his breath, the stuttering of his hips picking up in pace over the whispered Czech. Knowing he had some effect on Viktor made his toes curl. 

“Fuck, I love you so much. You’re so perfect, Jayce. My perfect boy.” Viktor groaned, reeling back to hold Jayce’s hips in his hands. “Good puppy.”

Jayce groaned, forehead dropping against the pillows. He went limp, trusting Viktor to hold him where he wanted him. 

“Does it feel good, puppy?” Viktor asked, his voice only now taking on a breathier note. He was tiring, but he carried on valiantly nonetheless. “Feels good to have a cock in this needy hole?”

Jayce groaned in an affirmative, nodding against the pillows. His legs slipped open wider, allowing the silicone cock to thrust in ever deeper. He shouted when Viktor slammed right up against his g-spot. 

“There?” he couldn’t see it, but he just knew from the tone of voice that Viktor was smirking wickedly, triumphant at finding his sweet spot. 

“Yes, there! Please, please… ” Jayce sobbed, every nerve ending lit up and on fire throughout his entire body. “Please, please please please , sir I need to—I need—”

“Mmm you must be getting close if you're calling me sir,” Viktor chuckled. “Maybe I should slow down, give my puppy a breather?”

“No! No please, please!” Jayce shrieked, voice breaking. He couldn’t have Viktor stopping now. “Please, don’t stop, I’ll die! I’m going to die…”

“So dramatic,” Viktor huffed in amusement, torturing him further by slowly down his thrusts. 

Jayce sobbed brokenly into the pillows. “No, no please! Please !” he fisted the sheets, thighs trembling—he was dangerously close to orgasm, and he couldn’t lose it now. “Please, I’ve been good sir—I’ve been so good —”

“You think you’ve been good enough to come?” Viktor asked, pressing a hand down on Jayce’s lower back to get him to arch. “You think you deserve it?”

“Yes, yes I do! I’ve e-earned it!” Jayce cried. 

“Mm I don’t know about that,” Viktor hummed. His hips paused, and Jayce lost his mind. 

“No! No please, please!” he writhed under Viktor, hips scrambling to try to fuck himself onto the strap in the wake of Viktor’s still hips. “I need it, lo necesito, necesito—por favor, por favor mi vida, I’ve been good— I’vebeensogoodI’magoodboyplease —”

He sobbed through tears and snot, flushed red and desperate against the cushions, shaking like a leaf.

Viktor frowned, laying a gentle hand on his back. “Jayce? Darling, you’re hyperventilating. Breathe for me sweetheart,” 

“Please,” Jayce sobbed again, panting harshly. “Please, Viktor…I need—”

“Shh shh, I know. I know darling, I know.” Viktor soothed his hand down Jayce’s back, rubbing up and down in slow, swooping movements. “I know what you need my love, and you’ve been so good for me so far. So patient, so obedient. I’m so proud of you, you’re doing so well. Breathe in for me Jayce, deep breaths.”

Jayce choked on a hiccuping sob, forcing his lungs to take in air slowly. Viktor rubbed over his shoulder blades soothingly. 

“Good Jayce, very good. Nice and deep, that’s it.” he murmured. “I’m sorry I teased you so much dearest, that was cruel of me wasn’t it? That wasn’t very nice of me to do.”

Jayce shook his head, and Viktor tutted sympathetically, weaving his fingers into his hair. 

“Yeah, I know. I was being mean to you, and you don’t deserve it.” he cooed. “You’re my perfect puppy, and you deserve a reward. Do you want your reward now, Jayce?”

Jayce nodded, mewling incoherently. 

“Can you give me your colour, love?” Viktor said gently. Jayce babbled something that was neither English nor Spanish. “Words miláčku, I need words.”

“Green.” Jayce mumbled. “M’green, Vik.”

“Okay. Thank you můj lásko,” Viktor leaned in to press a kiss to the crown of his head. “Do you want to stay like this, or be on your back?”

“Like this.” Jayce answered. “S’nice. Deep.”

Viktor smiled. “Yeah? You like it deep, puppy?” he dragged his hips back, until the tip of the cock was popping out of Jayce’s dripping cunt, before slowly thrusting them forward again. Jayce groaned at every thick inch. “You like cock deep enough to get you pregnant?”

“Yes,” he moaned, body lighting up at the words. He was so glad they’d discovered this breeding kink in Prague. “So deep, V. It’s so good…want you, want it…”

“Mm I know sweet thing, you want my cock.” Viktor cooed, picking up a gradual pace. “You want my baby too, don’t you? Want me to put a baby deep in that womb? Pretty puppy wants to be bred?”

“ Sí …” Jayce bit his bottom lip, fingers so tight in the sheets his knuckles were turning white. “Sí, Viktor… ”

“Fuck,” Viktor abandoned all pretense at teasing, hammering into Jayce at a pace that had his body scooting forward on their cushion pile. 

He kept his body firmly held down, rendering Jayce unable to even squirm around as he was fucked. Reaching around his body, Viktor opened up his mouth with two fingers and shoved them down his throat, pressing down on his tongue. Jayce moaned and gurgled around the digits, body tensing and untensing as he rapidly approached orgasm.

“That’s my štěňátko,” Viktor smirked. “Who’s a good boy, huh? Who’s my good boy?” 

He was being a little cruel, knowing Jayce couldn’t reasonably answer him right now, but he couldn’t help grinning at his boyfriend’s gurgled attempts anyway. He slipped his fingers out of Jayce’s mouth, sliding the slick digits around his throat and pressing down gently. 

“Is it you, Jayce?” he squeezed a little harder. “Are you my good boy? My good puppy?”

“Ngh– yes , yes it’s me.” Jayce moaned. “Imma good boy, m’your good puppy—”

“Bark.” Viktor commanded. Jayce’s breath stuttered. The hand around his throat slipped away, moving to strike at the toned flesh of his ass. “Bark for me, be a good little doggie now and I’ll let you come.”

Jayce’s legs almost gave out, thighs shuddering on the verge of violent as he let out a hesitant yap . Viktor rewarded him with another spank, and he yapped louder. Viktor’s fingers clenched, wishing beyond wish that Jayce had a leash he could tug right now. He needed to get him a collar and lead immediately, as soon as possible. He’d look so, so pretty in leather…

Viktor knew Jayce’s body as well as his own. He could tell the signs of an impending orgasm, the way Jayce tense and his thighs quivered and his moans reached pitches only dogs were likely to hear. 

“Come now Jayce, come for me.” he pushed on Jayce’s upper back, forcing his head down into the pillows, letting him moan uncontrollably into the fabric. 

He forced his aching leg to stay steady so he could thrust harder, deeper, just the way Jayce liked, until finally his perfect, sweet boyfriend was moaning around his fingers and cumming around his cock, soaking the pillows under his hips. 

“That’s it baby, there’s my good boy.” Viktor cooed softly, thumb stroking his hipbone rhythmically. “Aren’t I just the luckiest guy in the world to have such a wonderful man?”  

Jayce whined when Viktor pulled out of him, wincing at the sudden emptiness and the catching of the silicone head around his sensitive rim. Viktor shushed him gently, rubbing soothing circles over his lower back as he leaned back and gave him room enough to roll over. 

“There’s my handsome man,” Viktor murmured, wincing as he gingerly manoeuvred his way to the edge of the mattress to sit and undo his harness.    

Jayce, usually boneless and mindless after an orgasm, gained some level of clarity at seeing Viktor wincing. Concern filled his eyes, and his head turned to watch him bring shaky hands to the buckles and straps keeping the harness in place. 

“Vik?”

Viktor waved a hand at him dismissively, not looking up from his task. “I’m fine, Jayce. Don’t worry about me my sweet, you focus on your afterglow hm? Let yourself float a little longer, I know you like that feeling.”

“Mm I do, but only if you have the feeling too.” Jayce mumbled, rolling onto his side to face Viktor. “Are you in pain?”

Viktor couldn’t stop the grimace that came to his face as he stood on trembling legs to remove the harness and put away the strap. He didn’t make it to their toy box, just dumping it on the floor as he sank back down onto the mattress with a barely repressed groan. Jayce dug his elbows into the mattress and dragged himself closer, hands finding his trembling thigh and encircling it with warmth. 

Viktor sighed, leaning back a little to cushion his back against Jayce’s belly. Jayce gently massaged the overworked muscle, frowning softly at Viktor’s quiet, pained noises. 

“Baby, if you were hurting you should have told me. Safeworded, something.” he scolded gently. 

Viktor shrugged. “Sex always hurts me, in some way or another. It’s okay, there’s not really a pain-free way for me to experience intimacy. Not totally, anyway. Besides, I can handle it. I’m tough. And it’s worth it to see you enjoying yourself.”   

Jayce's brow furrowed, his hands stilling on Viktor's thigh. “Vik… it’s not supposed to hurt . Not like that. This shouldn't be just something you ‘handle’ because you think it makes me happy.”

Viktor tilted his head slightly, the edge of a soft smile playing at his lips. “But it does make you happy. That’s part of why I like it.” His voice was quiet, almost sheepish. “Not the pain— not exactly—but the connection. The closeness. You, falling apart in my arms. That makes it bearable.”

Jayce cupped Viktor’s side and pulled him in a little tighter, sitting up more to rest his cheek against the curve of his shoulder. “You shouldn’t have to bear anything to be close to me. I want you to want this as much as I do, not just power through because it makes me melt a little.”

“I do want it,” Viktor insisted, turning just enough to glance at him. “You think I’d do all this for anyone else? Strap in, sweat, ache for hours afterward? You’re the only man I’ve ever trusted enough to let see me like this. That’s not obligation. That’s love. I love you, Jayce. I don’t mind going through a little ache to bring you pleasure, I promise.”

Jayce was quiet for a moment, tracing lazy shapes on Viktor’s hip. When he finally spoke, his voice was low and serious. “Okay, I get that you’re in pain literally all the time and strenuous stuff like this is bound to make you ache, but I can’t have you forcing yourself through sex past your limits, V. That means finding ways that work for both of us. No more hiding your winces and ignoring your pain.”

Viktor chuckled weakly. “Or what?”

Jayce kissed the nape of his neck, soft and lingering. “Or I’ll be forced to pout and whine and cry until you give in. I know you can’t say no to me for long,”

“Mm that’s not fair.” Viktor pouted. “Don’t fight dirty,”

“It’s only because I love you too much to see you hurt and call it normal.”

They lay there in silence for a while, Viktor relaxing further into Jayce’s embrace as the ache in his body settled into something more manageable. Jayce didn’t push for more words, just kept holding him, breathing in sync, fingers brushing slowly over his skin.

After a long moment, Viktor murmured, “Next time…maybe we try a different position. One that doesn’t twist my knee so much.”

Jayce smiled against his shoulder. “Next time we’re pulling out the cushions and planning it like a military operation.”

Viktor laughed, and though it still sounded a little strained, it was genuine. “With blueprints and an engineering-grade angle calculator, no doubt.”

“You joke,” Jayce muttered, “but you know I have one.”

“Truly, I’m the luckiest man alive.”

“You really are,” Jayce whispered, and kissed his shoulder again. “And so am I.” 

So all in all, living with Viktor had been nothing short of ecstasy from day one. Jayce had never been so in love with another person, so sure of his decision to love Viktor. Nothing could go wrong, he thought.

That, of course, was until the fights started.

They didn’t argue over big things—the fundamentals of life, Jayce and Viktor agreed on most things whole-heartedly. They share the same political views, they had spoken at length about how they felt about the possibility of marriage and children in the future, they had early on sat down and decided how to equitably split the bills and the household chores. In these matters, they never had an issue—it was the little things. Petty, stupid almost. Things Jayce would have never even thought to be an issue until he lived with Viktor. 

It started with the kitchen. 

Jayce could hear Viktor huffing from his recording room. Hell, he could hear it through his headphones even. As he wandered out of the room and down the hall, he heard the clattering of cupboards opening and shutting, the clang of pots and pans being moved around, the tapping of Viktor’s crutch as he shuffled around the kitchen. And over it all, the distinct sounds of his boyfriend’s agitated huffing.

He stuck his head in the kitchen. “Need something, amor?”

Viktor huffed, slamming a cupboard shut with enough force to make the frame rattle. “Where in the hell did you put the salt this time, Jayce?” he snapped.

Jayce blinked, taken aback by the sharp tone. Viktor had never spoken to him like that before. 

“Why do you assume I did something with the salt?” he asked.

“Because you were the last one in the kitchen, when you made lunch today.” Viktor said, throwing his hand up in exasperat ion. “I can never fucking find anything in this damn kitchen, you’re always picking shit up and moving it—can’t you just put things back where they go ?”

“Woah, hey. There’s no need to talk to me like that, Viktor.” Jayce said firmly, leaning up against the doorway and frowning at his boyfriend.

Viktor dragged a hand down his face, letting out a low groan. “You’re right, I’m sorry.” he sighed, rubbing at his eyes. When he next spoke, his tone was more controlled. “Do you know where you may have put the salt last, Jayce?”

“Have you tried the second cupboard?” Jayce asked.

“Yes, that’s the first place I checked.” Viktor replied, frustration bleeding back into his voice. “That’s where it should be, but it isn’t.”

“Okay, then maybe next to the stove?” Jayce suggested. 

“If it were there, I’d see it.” Viktor gestured to the clear stovetop with a hand. “Behold, nothing.”

Jyace tried to think back to lunch, and where he might have placed the salt when he was done. He knew Viktor liked things to be just so, and being unable to find what he needed was clearly cutting into his intended cooking time which must be frustrating him. The quicker he found him the salt, the quicker they could move on from this. 

“Did you have a look by the microwave, or in the third drawer?”

“Yes, Jayce! I have looked in all the places you normally leave things. If it was in any of the obvious places, I’d already have it!” Viktor snapped. 

“Viktor, don’t snap at me.” 

“Sorry, sorry.” Viktor took a deep breath, trying to tuck away his mounting anger. “I’m just frustrated that you are always moving things from where they go, and then I can’t find them when I need them.”

“I didn’t even know things had a specific place,” Jayce frowned. “Since when was everything designated?”

“It’s not designated.” Viktor said. “But there are places where things always go, Jayce. And you move them.” 

“That doesn’t even make sense. The salt moves around all the time.” Jayce shook his head, folding his arms over his chest. “How am I supposed to know which is the magical salt spot?”

“The salt goes where you fucking found it!” Viktor cried. “Wherever you find something is clearly its place, so just put it back where it came from! It’s not that hard!” 

“Don’t talk to me like I’m stupid, Viktor.” Jayce snapped back, finally having enough of this ridiculous argument. 

“When you say and do stupid shit, I’m going to talk to you like you’re stupid! Because you’re being stupid!” Viktor retorted. 

“Okay, you know what? Figure it out yourself. I’m done with this conversation.” Jayce threw up his hands, retreating from the kitchen and going back to his recording room.

He wasn’t about to get abused over fucking salt, of all things. It was ridiculous and childish.

Turns out, Jayce had left the salt in the fridge for some reason, which Viktor discovered when he went looking for the butter. 

An hour or so after that, Jayce was streaming on twitch for his followers when Viktor texted him. 

[Cariño]: I’m very sorry for calling you stupid, my love. I shouldn’t have taken my frustrations out on you like that. 

Jayce sighed, softening slightly at the message. He knew how particular Viktor’s autism made him with this kind of thing. But, even though he couldn’t really help that, it didn’t mean he was allowed to shout at Jayce like that.

[Cariño]: dinner is ready, if you’re hungry. May I bring you in a plate? Or I can leave it in the fridge if you need more time away from me.

God, he couldn’t possibly stay mad at this man. He set down his controller and picked up his phone, typing a reply, giving Viktor permission to enter. His twitch chat starting spamming the chat with questions as to who he was texting, but they soon got their answer when the door opened and Viktor entered carrying a plate. 

With Jayce’s set up, only Viktor’s torso was visible in the camera behind him as he approached. He stayed relatively quiet since Jayce was streaming, leaving the plate beside him on the computer desk, and laying his hand on his shoulder. He squeezed gently, a silent apology. Unnoticed by the camera, he leaned in closer to press his lips into Jayce’s hair. 

Jayce sighed softly, untensing under Viktor’s fingers. Acknowledgement. He felt Viktor smile against his hair. 

“Thanks,” Jayce said softly, glancing up at him. “What did you make?” 

“Potato and leek soup.” Viktor replied. “Used the heavy cream this time, so it should be thicker than last time.”

Chat exploded at the sound of Viktor’s voice: 

HexBolt77: who the hell is that behind you????

CrimZoneX: wait, is that VIKTOR???

ToxicPixel: Viktor? You live with Viktor??

ShadowCtrl: wait wait, jayvik confirmed? Domestic husbands?!

Viktor chuckled at the influx of messages as Jayce helped himself to dinner. 

“Yeah guys, it’s Viktor calm down.” Jayce said nonchalantly. “We live together now. Turns out we were living in the same town, so we thought hey why not, solit rent and save money right?” 

Viktor bent down to be seen in the camera, his amber eyes catching the reflection of the ring light. He waved, wiggling his fingers at the camera. “Hello.” 

NovaViper: omg it is Viktor! HI VIKTOR!!

GlitchHavok: Viktor bringing Jayce dinner, thats so cute!

LethalFrame: so like, are you guys dating or???

“God forbid two guys live together, am I right?” Jayce snorted, slurping up his soup. “Chill guys, we're just friends.”

“Yeah, this jayvik thing you all do is very cute and all, but two people can live together without being together.” Viktor said dryly, raising an eyebrow. “Right, dearest?”

“Absolutely honey,” Jayce grinned.

Chat was going feral.

ByteKraken : DEAREST?? HONEY??

PeachyBunz : nah this is a soft launch if I’ve ever seen one

TVNovaX : okay but who calls their roommate “honey”???

SoupAndAJetpack : blink twice if you’re dating. blink three times if you're MARRIED.

Jayce leaned back in his chair, blowing on a spoonful of soup like it was nothing. “You guys are so dramatic. Viktor’s just really affectionate with his friends. That’s how it is in—how did you call it, babe?—Eastern European hospitality?”

Viktor didn’t miss a beat. “Yes, exactly. Very common to kiss your male friends on the mouth, cook them meals, share taxes—”

Jayce choked on his soup, laughing.

CroutonPriest : SHARE TAXES????

YeetParade : y’all filing jointly or what??

LavenderPixels : I’m losing my MIND they’re doing this ON PURPOSE

Typeoftoaster: Eastern Europeans are NOT affectionate, u dirty liar u just wanna kiss jayce

“Maybe I do,” Viktor said, leaning in on Jayce's shoulder, eyebrows raised like a challenge. “What about it ‘typeoftoaster'? What're you gonna do about it, hm?”

Jayce wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and gestured vaguely at Viktor. “Ignore him, he’s just extra feisty today because I ate the last slice of banana bread again.”

“It was my slice,” Viktor said with faux betrayal. “I even wrote your name on your portion. In chocolate chips. Inside a little heart.”

Chat was practically combusting.

WhimsyMoss : chocolate chip love notes???

Z3r0Lag : that’s not friendship. that’s MARRIAGE

ChairSniffer99: if this is trolling it’s expert level

Viktor leaned closer again, putting his chin on Jayce’s shoulder with the most casual intimacy possible. “Tell them about the thing, Jayce.”

Jayce blinked. “What thing?”

“You know, the thing you did last night. In the bedroom.”

There was a beat of silence. Chat exploded again.

ShadowCtrl : WHOA WHOA WHOA

GlitchHavok : THE THING??? THE BEDROOM THING??

NovaViper : VIKTOR EXPLAIN YOURSELF

Jayce turned bright red, swatting at Viktor’s face with the back of his hand as he snorted. “He means I fixed the radiator, you absolute goblins. It was making that weird rattling noise again.”

“Mm,” Viktor hummed, clearly pleased with the chaos. “You were very handy with your tools , love.”

“Oh my god,” Jayce groaned, covering his face.

404DonutNotFound : I CAN’T TAKE THIS ANYMORE

FuzzyLoaf : I feel like I’m being gaslit and cuddled at the same time

SnuggleDuck : one more “love” and I’m writing wedding fic I s2g

Jayce peeked through his fingers. “Okay okay, this is getting ridiculous. Viktor and I are not dating. We’re just two guys, being dudes, sleeping in the same bed for—completely platonic warmth.”

Viktor hummed, a serene expression on his face. “He hogs the blankets.”

“I do not!”

“Mm. My poor frozen toes would disagree.”

Jayce groaned again while chat lost all sense of structure.

Viktor left him to his stream, satisfied at the drama caused in his wake.

That night, Viktor cuddled closer and closer until their bodies were touching from head to toe, entirely intertwined. 

He pressed gentle kisses to Jayce's throat, wrapped around him tight like a koala. He was being more affectionate than he'd ever been before, clinging to him like a child after a nightmare. And he wouldn't stop mumbling I love you with every second breath. 

Jayce pressed a soothing kiss to his forehead, holding him in steady, warm arms. 

“Baby, it's okay, you know.” He murmured. “You don't have to act this way because of a little fight.”

He felt Viktor sigh against his neck. “We never fight. I hated the feeling. And it was over something so stupid…”

“Yeah, but that's how all couples are I guess.” Jayce shrugged. “Stupid fights are bound to happen, and hey if it's something that upsets you, I'm never going to call you stupid for it.”

Viktor sighed again, deeper this time, his breath warm against Jayce’s collarbone. He winced at Jayce's choice of words. “I didn’t mean it when I said that. I was frustrated, but it wasn’t fair. You’re not stupid, miláčku. I don't think that.”

Jayce held him close, running a thumb gently over the curve of his shoulder. “I know you didn’t mean it, but it still hurt. Especially that tone you spoke to me with.”

“What tone?” Viktor glanced up at him, gnawing at his bottom lip. 

“You can't hear it?” Jayce asked. “You were talking to me like I was a five year old,”

“Oh.” Viktor blinked, looking guilty. “Oh, no I…I didn't hear that. I heard the volume of my voice, but not…I thought I was being quite neutral.”

“You were not, V.” Jayce said flatly. “It made me feel really dumb, and attacked for no reason.”

“I know.” Viktor’s voice was small, thinned by guilt. “I panicked. The salt wasn’t where I expected it to be, and it… it broke the pattern in my head. I can’t explain it, it just makes everything feel off. Loud. Even inside.”

Jayce nodded slowly. “I get it. I mean—I don’t experience it that way, but I get that it’s real for you. I just wish you’d told me about the system you have. I didn’t even know there was one.”

“I didn’t think I needed to,” Viktor murmured. “I assumed it would be obvious—I put things back wherever I found them, even if that place is different from last time. But that’s not fair, is it?”

Jayce smiled, soft and rueful. “Not really. My brain kind of functions like a series of spontaneous side quests. I don’t mean to move things around, I just… do. And then I forget I even touched them.”

Viktor chuckled under his breath. “Yes. I’m learning that. Slowly. Sometimes with great pain.”

Jayce kissed the top of his head. “We’re gonna need some kind of compromise. Labels, maybe. Or a little diagram on the inside of the pantry door.”

“Colour-coded sticky notes?”

“Only if you promise not to judge my handwriting.”

Viktor snorted. “Deal.”

They lay there quietly for a moment, the last weight of the fight lifting slowly like mist from the bed.

“Next time, just tell me what you need,” Jayce said gently. “I know communication isn't always easy with you, but you have to make the effort or I can't help you.”

“I will,” Viktor whispered. “But only if you promise you’ll stay next time. I can’t fix it if you disappear into a locked room.”

Jayce frowned, guilt flickering in his chest. “Yeah… okay. That’s fair. I wasn’t trying to punish you, I just… needed space before I said something I couldn’t take back.”

“I understand,” Viktor said, and he really meant it. “But you leaving really hurt. It took me twenty minutes to calm down,”

Jayce tightened his hold slightly, nuzzling his nose into Viktor’s hair. “I didn't realise,”

“Made my chest feel so tight.” Viktor said, his hand curling around Jayce's sleep shirt. “I just want to resolve things immediately, while the energy is there. But I understand that leaving for space is the more mature thing to do…maybe just, tell me when you're coming back next time? So I don't get anxious?”

“Sure, sweetheart. We can time our cool down so you know I'm not abandoning you,” Jayce agreed.

Viktor sighed, nodding into his chest. “I love you, Jayce. You're the love of my life, you know that? I don't want to yell at you over salt.”

Jayce chuckled, kissing his head. “You're the love of my life too, Vik. And it's okay.” 

And it was okay, for a while. 

Then the next fight came, just as sudden and petty as the first one. 

Viktor had a habit of playing heavy metal music at top volumes when he was upset. It was a contradiction in itself; loud noises triggered Viktor's overstimulation, making him tired and irritable. But when he was upset, he voluntarily subjected himself to a cacophony of awful sounds. 

Viktor said it was about the choice. Apparently that made all the difference.

Either way, when Jayce walked through the door and was greeted with the deep pulsing base of some screamo song he could barely understand, he instantly knew Viktor wasn't in a good mood. 

The living room lights were off, the kitchen light on, and Viktor’s coat was still hanging on its peg — so he’d been home a while. Jayce winced as the guttural screams bounced off the walls. 

It was Viktor’s upset playlist. 

Not the sad one with classical piano and Icelandic post-rock. The other one. The one he only played when things were unraveling in his brain like a tangled thread. The one with the German death metal and Czech rap.

“Vik?” Jayce called cautiously, toeing off his shoes. “Everything okay?”

A cupboard slammed.

Jayce flinched.

He followed the noise into the kitchen, where Viktor stood stiffly in front of the open freezer, arms crossed and jaw tight. His brows were furrowed in a stormcloud of quiet fury. He didn’t even look over when Jayce stepped inside.

“…What’s going on?”

Viktor gestured sharply to the freezer without turning. “You ate it.”

Jayce blinked. “Ate what?”

Viktor finally turned, the weight of his irritation hitting Jayce square in the chest. “My ice cream. The chocolate almond ripple I specifically bought because I had a craving. You ate the last of it.”

Jayce stared at him. Took a second to take in Viktor's words. Was he seriously—yep, he was seriously pissed over this. 

“Wait… seriously? That’s what this is about?”

“Yes.” Viktor’s voice was clipped, but tightly controlled—like a dam threatening to burst. “You didn’t even ask. You just took it. You didn’t leave me any .”

“Woah hey, I didn't think it was a big deal.” Jayce ran a hand through his hair, baffled. “Vik, it’s just ice cream. I didn’t think it was, like, off-limits. It wasn't labelled or anything.”

“It wasn’t labeled because it shouldn’t have to be labeled!” Viktor snapped, finally breaking eye contact to pace across the kitchen. “It was mine! I paid for it, which means it's not yours! I put it in the back of the freezer where I always keep my things. That’s where I store my comfort food. And you just—” He waved a hand, frustrated. “I didn't even get to have any of it. You ate it all . And now it’s gone.”

Jayce blinked again, stunned by the seriousness in his voice. “Okay, yeah, I ate it, but—Viktor, it’s ice cream.”

“So? You didn't even ask! If you had, I would have said yes. But you didn't think—why did you think it was okay to just take it, Jayce?”

“I don't know, I just did!” Jayce threw up his hands. “I thought we were chill with sharing food. You literally drank half my coffee this morning.”

“That was accidental, you poured it into my mug. And you said it was fine!”

“It was fine! Because I'm not a territorial freak like you!”

Viktor stopped pacing, standing rigid with his back half-turned.

That one hit. Jayce’s shoulders dropped a little, his irritation giving way to uncertainty. “Okay, hold on. That’s not fair. I mean that, babe, I'm sorry.”

Viktor gripped the edge of the counter, knuckles whitening. 

“I'm…sorry I'm being so difficult right now.” Viktor said tightly, obviously making an effort to keep his voice as level and neutral as possible. “I just want to understand why you thought it was okay to eat my food.”

Jayce rubbed at the back of his neck, his mouth dry. “I didn’t think about it like that. I wasn’t trying to be selfish, I just… wanted something sweet. I saw it and grabbed it without thinking.”

“That’s the problem.” Viktor’s voice cracked just a little as he turned to face him fully, eyes glassy with frustration. “You don’t think . Things go missing all the time—spatulas, lids, my measuring spoons—and now it’s food. It makes me feel like I don’t have control over my own space. Like I can’t trust my own kitchen to stay still.”

Jayce’s face softened. “Vik… I didn’t realize it was affecting you like that.”

“I know,” Viktor said tightly. “But it still keeps happening. And I’m tired. I needed something small to feel right today, and now it’s just… gone.”

Jayce exhaled, unsure if he felt guilty or just stunned. Maybe both. “I didn’t know it mattered that much to you. I'm really sorry baby, we share almost everything else, I didn't know this was a boundary.”

Viktor sighed, crossing his arms over his chest. “Communal things are fine to share—bread, milk, coffee, that kind of thing. When one person finishes it they replace it. I have no problem with those items being shared. But things like this, that I paid for myself to have, you have to ask to have some. I don't touch your food that you pay for, why is it okay for you to touch mine?”

Jayce blinked. “Wait, really? You don't?”

It was Viktor's to blink, dumbfounded. “No…? It's yours, why would I? I won't touch it, not if I don't pay for it.”

“Oh. Oh my god I thought…V, I thought we were both doing that.”

Viktor’s brow furrowed. “What do you mean?”

Jayce rubbed his hands over his face, groaning. “I thought we were just… sharing. Like, a ‘what’s mine is yours’ kind of thing. I’ve been letting you have stuff I bought without thinking about it.”

“I thought you were offering,” Viktor said slowly, confused.

Jayce let out a short, stunned laugh. “I mean, yeah! But not, like, specifically. I just never kept track. I figured if I didn’t make a fuss when you had my stuff, then it’d be okay if I had yours sometimes too.”

“But I never did,” Viktor said softly. “Because I thought it would upset you.”

Jayce just stared at him for a second, a strange mix of exasperated affection and embarrassment twisting in his gut. “Holy shit, we’ve been living in two completely different rulebooks this whole time.”

Viktor sat heavily on one of the kitchen stools, rubbing at his temple. “Apparently.”

Jayce walked over and leaned on the counter across from him, searching his face. “Okay. So... rule clarification time. We each get a shelf in the fridge and freezer for personal stuff, yeah? And the rest is free-for-all?”

Viktor looked up at him, something easing in his expression. “That… would help a lot.”

“And when in doubt, ask?”

“Yes.”

Jayce nodded. “Cool. I can do that. No more eating your sacred chocolate ripple without permission.”

Viktor gave him a dry look. “ Especially not that.”

Jayce smiled sheepishly. “Noted.”

There was a beat of silence before Jayce asked, quieter this time, “Are we okay?”

Viktor looked at him for a long moment before standing and stepping around the counter. He wrapped his arms around Jayce’s waist and pressed his forehead to his chest.

“Yes,” he murmured. “We’re okay.”

Jayce held him close, kissing the top of his head. “I really am sorry. I never want to make you feel like you can’t trust your own space.”

“And I’m sorry I snapped,” Viktor said against his shirt. “Next time I’ll talk to you. Not yell.”

They stood like that for a moment, wrapped in silence and each other.

“…So,” Jayce mumbled eventually. “Should we go buy a replacement tub?”

Viktor looked up, eyes narrowing suspiciously. “You mean you should go buy a replacement tub.”

Jayce grinned. “I’ll drive.”

Viktor rolled his eyes but smiled despite himself. “You’re lucky I love you.”

“I really am.”

Learning to share their space together was bumpier than Jayce had been expecting, but despite the bumps in the road it was worth it. And eventually, they found a rhythm that worked for the both of them.  

And there was a benefit to fighting at least, that usually came in the form of make-up sex. And Jayce was never one to turn down an opportunity to have Viktor in bed, for any reason.

“Jayce… ngh, deeper darling…” 

Viktor's noises were like sweet music to Jayce's ears. Nothing could be better, he thought, than this. 

Jayce hitched his hips up at a different angle, sliding the slim dildo just that much further into Viktor's ass. The air punched out of Viktor's chest like a bullet, the helpless whine that left his mouth sending a full body shiver down Jayce's spine.

“Like that, love?” He panted, one hand splayed over Viktor's chest, keeping him pressed up against his chest. 

“Yes Jayce, yes,” Viktor's head fell back against his shoulder, his hands scrambling uselessly for something to hold and ground him. “Fuck that's so good, it's so good baby, feel so full—good boy, you're doing so well, making me feel so good—”

Jayce whined, pressing in again. He lapped up the praise like an eager pup, his mind consumed with the single purpose of bringing Viktor pleasure. His free hand snaked around to rub at Viktor's clit, circling the sensitive base and forcing out more delicious sounds from his boyfriend. 

Viktor’s thighs trembled as Jayce’s fingers worked in time with each gentle push of the toy, his body arching into the pleasure with a helpless, keening moan.

Jayce leaned in, kissing along the slope of Viktor’s shoulder, murmuring between kisses, “You’re so beautiful like this… just letting go. Letting me take care of you.”

Viktor whimpered, gripping Jayce’s wrist now—not to stop him, but just to feel him. “You always take such good care of me.”

Jayce nuzzled into the curve of his neck, whispering, “I love you. So much, V. I love you.”

Viktor turned his head, catching his lips in a kiss that was messy and soft, all heat and heartache. “And I love you.”

Jayce rocked forward once more, slow and deliberate, swallowing Viktor’s broken gasp like it was made just for him. “Always?”

“Ngh—always, Jayce. Fuck, h-harder, please…”

They moved together, tangled in the quiet kind of passion that felt more like worship than lust, soft moans and whispered promises blending in the low light of their bedroom, like the world outside had stilled just for them.

Jayce kept his movements steady, each slow thrust deliberate, perfectly tuned to Viktor’s breathless whimpers. His other hand remained over Viktor’s chest, feeling the frantic thrum of his heart beneath skin damp with sweat.

Viktor’s hips rolled back in time with him now, guiding Jayce to a rhythm he liked. “Just like that, baby…just like that, don’t stop.”

“I won't,” Jayce whispered, voice hoarse and reverent against his ear.

“Mm good, such a good listener.” Viktor purred, reaching back to tangle his fingers in Jayce's hair. He bit playfully at Jayce's lips, teeth grazing his bottom lip and pulling. Jayce whimpered. “You're mine tonight, you don't stop until I say so.”

“Yes, Viktor.” Jayce groaned, pressing his head to his sweaty neck and bucking his hips dutifully. 

Viktor turned his face toward him, thumb hooked under Jayce's chin—he brushed their lips together in a shaky kiss that was more breath than contact. “Don’t want to come yet, Jayce,” he panted. “Wanna stay like this… need you closer.”

Jayce's heart clenched. He tightened his hold, chest pressing flush against Viktor’s back. “Then I’ll keep you right here,” he murmured. “For as long as you need. Roll over mi vida, rest your leg,”

Viktor whined in protest, not wanting to separate from Jayce's body, but his leg was weakening rapidly. As was Jayce's, truth be told. They both really needed to get off their knees. 

Despite his displeasure, Jayce got him on his back fairly easily, Viktor limp and pliant with the promise of more pleasure. He got Viktor lying comfortably against the pillows as he switched out dildos. 

Viktor watched him languidly, slipping his fingers down his body to stroke at himself while Jayce chose a slightly thicker, longer dildo. Viktor preferred those hard to reach places while Jayce favoured size. He sighed softly, easing himself further into the pillows. 

It hadn't been the original plan when he'd come to apologise for yet another stupid argument. Technically, Jayce had been the one in the wrong for their latest fight—the poor man had been feeling a little overstimulated and antsy all day for some reason, and he'd been trying to patiently pay attention to Viktor's impassioned rambling (something about the American Revolutionary War, if he recalled, Viktor had been reading a lot about American history lately) but he just couldn't handle the noise level any longer. 

“V, babe, you're shouting.” He said, harsher than he intended. “Can you quieten down a little? It's giving me a headache.”

“Oh. Oh, sorry Jayce. I didn't realise.” Viktor deflated at once, all his interest in the topic leaving him like a let down tyre. 

Jayce waited for him to pick up the rant where he left off at a quieter volume. But he never did. Viktor clammed up entirely, looking on the verge of tears, sitting silently on the couch as Jayce typed up a rough draft of a video idea for next week's upload. 

After a few moments, Jayce sighed, feeling like a monster that had just kicked a puppy or stole candy from a baby. 

“You don't have to be silent, mi amor.” He murmured. “I didn't mean to shut up, I just needed the volume a little lower, that's all.”

Viktor nodded, picking at his sweater sleeve, eyes down on his hands. 

“You know I didn't want you to shut up, right?” 

He just nodded again, a couple tears slipping past his eyelashes and running down his cheeks.

“Oh, baby…” Jayce felt even worse seeing Viktor's tears. “Come here sweetheart,”

He opened his arms for Viktor to come into, and his boyfriend crawled into his lap and wrapped himself around his warm, board frame. He sniffled softly, and Jayce felt his heart break. 

“I'm sorry my sweet, sensitive boy.” Jayce teased gently, rubbing his head against Viktor's. “You know I adore you, right?”

Viktor nodded against his chest.

“And you know I love listening to you talk, right?”

Viktor nodded again, his hands gently curling into Jayce's shirt. Jayce pressed a kiss to the crown of his head, rubbing down his back comfortingly. 

Jayce rocked them slightly, just enough to create a rhythm, something to fill the space that Viktor's silence left behind. He could feel the tension vibrating through him—too stiff, too still. Viktor wasn’t shutting down. He was locked in .

“V…” Jayce murmured, voice warm, coaxing. “Will you tell me what’s going on in that brilliant head of yours?”

No answer. Not even a nod this time.

Jayce didn’t push. He just kept one hand tracing soft circles into Viktor’s back, the other smoothing over his thigh.

“I can guess,” he tried, quietly. “And I might get it wrong. But… maybe it felt like I was telling you to stop talking. Or like what you were saying didn’t matter to me. Is that it?”

Still nothing. But Viktor’s hands clenched just slightly tighter in his shirt.

Jayce’s heart ached. He pressed a kiss to Viktor’s temple. “You know that’s not true, right? I was just overwhelmed. You weren’t doing anything wrong. You never are when you’re excited about something.”

Viktor’s breath caught faintly at that, but he didn’t move.

“I love when you ramble,” Jayce whispered, nose brushing through Viktor’s curls. “I really do. You make everything sound interesting—even things I don’t understand. I just… wasn’t in the right headspace to say that the right way.”

His fingers slowed on Viktor’s back. “If you’re upset, you can show me in another way. You can write it. Tap once for yes, twice for no. Squeeze my hand. Anything.”

A beat. Then another.

And then, slowly, Viktor’s hand found Jayce’s again. He threaded their fingers together—and squeezed.

Hard.

Jayce let out a breath he hadn’t realised he was holding. “Okay,” he whispered. “Okay, baby. I hear you.”

They stayed like that, wrapped tight in each other, the silence no longer hollow but full of everything that hadn’t been said yet.

“You’re not too much,” Jayce added, soft and sure. “You’re never too much. You’re mine .”

Viktor trembled against him, breath hitching like he was trying not to cry again. But he didn’t let go. Didn’t move away.

Jayce rubbed his thumb over Viktor’s knuckles, grounding him. “I’m right here, love. Whenever you’re ready.”

It was almost an hour later when Viktor stirred from where he’d gone quiet in Jayce’s arms.

His fingers twitched first, then his breath changed—less sharp, more aware. Jayce noticed immediately, though he didn’t say anything. He just shifted slightly to look down at him, eyes patient and warm.

Viktor’s voice, when it came, was a whisper. “I’m sorry.”

Jayce blinked. “What for?”

Viktor didn’t look at him. “I… I don’t know. I just… I felt like a child. The way I shut down. Couldn’t say anything. It was stupid.”

Jayce’s brows drew together. “Hey. No, it wasn’t. Don’t do that to yourself.”

Viktor shook his head, pulling back slightly. “I know you didn’t mean anything bad. I know . But it felt like I was being too much. Too loud. Too annoying.”

Jayce gently caught his chin, tilting Viktor’s face up so he could look into his eyes. “You were passionate. You were excited about something you cared about. That’s never annoying.”

“But I couldn’t even say that,” Viktor muttered. “I just… sat there. Like a statue. I hate when that happens.”

Jayce pressed a kiss to his brow. “You don’t have to hate that part of yourself. You were overwhelmed. Your brain was protecting you. That’s not weakness. That’s being human.”

Viktor’s throat bobbed with a swallow. “It didn’t feel like being human. It felt like being a problem.”

Jayce’s voice softened even more. “You are never a problem. You are my favourite person in the world. And sometimes, your brain throws a wall up. I’m not going to climb it or knock it down—I’ll just sit beside it until it comes down on its own.”

A shaky breath left Viktor’s chest, and his eyes finally met Jayce’s. “You don’t get tired of it?”

“No,” Jayce said, instantly. “Because you’re worth it. Every time.”

Viktor melted a little, his posture easing, his face crumpling into something between gratitude and guilt. Jayce pulled him back in, holding him tight.

“You're not a child. You're just someone with feelings. And you're safe here. With me.”

Viktor nodded into his shoulder, his voice muffled. “I hate how much I needed to hear that.”

Jayce smiled faintly, pressing a kiss just beneath his ear. “I’ll say it as many times as you need.”

That's how it was with Viktor sometimes, but Jayce wouldn't want it any other way. He meant it when he said he didn't care Viktor was autistic—he loved him anyway, it would never be the reason he stopped loving him.

Still, Jayce felt like Viktor needed a bit of extra loving that night, hence the pegging. It wasn't often Viktor relinquished control like this, letting Jayce top, but when he did it blew Jayce away how breathtaking he was when he just let himself relax and feel . Not worry about being in charge for once.

Jayce crawled between Viktor's legs, hands running up the pale limbs. Viktor welcomed him, fingers grasping at his hips to pull him in closer.

“No,” Viktor's hands stopped his hips when he rubbed the strap down his weeping slit. “Don't want frontal.” 

Jayce stilled immediately, looking down at him with soft eyes. “Okay, baby,” he said, voice warm and reassuring. “No frontal. Just tell me what you need.”

Viktor’s legs fell open on instinct, his chest rising and falling with the pace of his breath. “Just want to feel full again,” he mumbled, reaching for the cock to guide it where he wanted, back to his ass. “Back where you were, štěně. I want it there,”

Jayce leaned down to kiss him, gentle and slow, and murmured against his lips, “that an order, sir?”

“Yes,” Viktor smirked. “In your place , puppy.” 

Jayce groaned at the authority in Viktor's voice, lifting one of his thighs over his hip to take the weight off his bad leg. The strap pressed against Viktor’s rim, and Jayce paused, watching Viktor’s face for any sign of tension.

But all he saw was raw, open need.

He slid in slowly, letting Viktor adjust to the stretch. Viktor let out a long, broken moan, his hand squeezing Jayce’s like a lifeline.

“Good?” Jayce whispered, kissing the side of his mouth.

“Yes,” Viktor gasped. “My good boy,”

“Is it enough lube?”

“I like the burn,” Viktor smirked. “I don't mind a bit of pain baby, you can hurt me a little.”

“Fuck,” Jayce huffed, slotting his thighs flush to Viktor's ass. Viktor clenched hard around the toy, biting his lip hard enough to draw blood. “Freak.”

Viktor laughed breathlessly. “Says the man who begged me to get him a collar last month,”

“Which you still haven't given me by the way,” Jayce pointed out with a pout.

“Waiting for the perfect one.” Viktor chuckled. “I'm going to order you a custom one I think, you deserve the best štěňátko.”

Jayce flushed. “Thanks, V.”

“Now, fuck me Jayce.” Viktor ordered, nudging his lower back with the heel of his foot. “Like you mean it.”

Jayce rolled his hips in shallow thrusts, watching Viktor’s face soften into pleasure, his body relaxing under the rhythm. He started slow and deep, like Viktor liked, then gradually quickened his pace with shallower thrusts, following the guidance of Viktor's increasingly desperate whines.

Viktor arched into him with each stroke, whimpering when Jayce brushed just right. He could feel it in his g-spot through the vaginal wall. 

“Yes, Jayce yes . Fuck! There—there, baby, right there — don't stop —”

“I know,” Jayce breathed, pressing in a little deeper. “I’ve got you. Just let go, sweetheart. I’m not going anywhere.”

Viktor’s breath hitched as his body trembled beneath him, and Jayce held him through every wave, anchoring him with murmured praise and soft, reverent touch.

Jayce kept the rhythm steady, hips rocking in time with Viktor’s shallow breaths. He could feel every tremble, every soft gasp, and the way Viktor clung to him—fingers digging into his hips, thighs tightening around him—like he needed this to hold himself together.

“You’re doing so good for me, baby,” Viktor whispered, brushing his lips over Jayce's temple as Jayce leaned down so they were chest-to-chest. “Always so good for me, my perfect boy.”

“Feels good?” Jayce panted, sweating from the effort. “You like it like this?”

Viktor nodded, barely, his eyes glassy and half-lidded, his body pliant and flushed. “I'm so close… don’t stop, Jayce, don’t you dare stop—”

Jayce shifted his angle just slightly, finding that perfect spot again, the one that made Viktor’s body tense and his voice crack with a moan. He brought a hand down between them, thumbing over Viktor’s clit with slow, tight circles.

“Come on love, come for me. Let me see you come,” Jayce breathed.

That did it.

Viktor shattered with a cry, head slamming back into the pillows, his whole body arching into the pleasure as it overtook him. His thighs trembled, fingers spasming against Jayce’s hip bones, riding out every last wave of his orgasm with helpless, beautiful sounds.

He eased the toy from Viktor’s body with care, not wanting to push him too far. He was quick to unhook himself from the harness and tossed it gently into the corner of the bed before wrapping his arms fully around him.

Viktor let out a long, shuddering breath and burrowed into Jayce’s chest, limp and content, the kind of spent that left him boneless.

“You okay?” Jayce asked softly, carding his fingers through Viktor’s sweat-damp curls.

“Mhm. Better than okay,” Viktor murmured, voice low and wrecked with affection. “Loved that.”

Jayce smiled, kissing the top of his head. “Me too, love. You’re amazing.”

They lay there for a while, tangled up in each other, sharing the kind of silence that only comes after closeness and catharsis.

Eventually, Jayce shifted, brushing Viktor’s cheek with the back of his fingers. “Let me run you a bath?”

“Only if you get in with me,” Viktor mumbled sleepily.

Jayce grinned. “Deal.”

Chapter Text

It was an ordinary day when Viktor’s world came crashing down. There were no signs of anything amiss; no ominous foreshadowing that would have tipped him off to the beginning of the worst time in his life. Things were peaceful, optimistic even. Seven months into the best relationship he’d ever known on God’s green earth, Viktor couldn’t be happier. 

It wasn’t like the forecast could warn him of what was coming. And even if it had, would he have been prepared for it? 

Most of his daily wardrobe now consisted of Jayce’s shirts and scandalously short shorts. He rarely left their apartment anyway, and the barest flash of pale flesh usually drove Jayce wild enough to put them in bed for at least an hour or two on a good day. But, it wasn’t like Viktor was much better—especially around t-shot day, he’d lost count of the times he’d fixed his eyes on Jayce from across the room and just communicated with his partner that he needed him and he needed him now . 

And Jayce always delivered, oh yes. Viktor was notoriously difficult to get off, he had enough trouble getting himself off let alone anyone else getting him there. But Jayce, with Jayce it was as easy as breathing. And even on the days when it wasn’t, he never made Viktor feel bad about it, just adjusted to what he needed in order to get him across that line. 

Viktor was so in love with him. He couldn’t imagine his life without Jayce in it—how had he gone 25 years without knowing this amazing man? 

At the beginning of The Problems, as Viktor would later coin this period of his life, it was a random Tuesday. Nothing remarkable, just another day where he was joining Jayce in his twitch stream. Today was a minecraft stream, and it had been going well so far.

He was warm, tucked up him a blanket Jayce had lovingly wrapped around him as he sat in his new gaming chair (said gaming chair had been a gift from Jayce for their 6th month anniversary, a date Viktor had teased him about celebrating— who celebrates before a full year has even passed miláčku? My silly puppy —and matched Jayce’s own). It was comfortable in a way that had Viktor drifting off almost immediately. He still missed his old armchair in his bedroom back home, the one that had once belonged to his beloved grandfather, but this new chair achieved much the same purpose. And if he were going to be streaming more gaming content with Jayce—which he was, as per Jayce’s insistence (and a good deal of their combined subscribers)—then he needed a proper chair to accompany him. 

Jayce had even taken it upon himself to add a little footstool to the bottom of the chair, that could be flipped up at the flick of a lever on the side of the chair. This allowed Viktor to stretch out his bad leg after sitting for some time, and was much appreciated. 

In an evening that was fairly nondescript, as far as evenings went, Viktor squinted into his camera, puffing out his cheeks and pouting at the audience that was currently watching him play. The ring light caught on his glasses, giving his golden irises a sort of halo affect. Jayce had been affectionately calling him mi ángel all evening, much to the amusement of their twitch chat. Well, their chat exploded every time it happened anyway. Viktor retaliated by nicknaming Jayce drobínku — a term that translated best to “little crumb”, normally used for children or small pets, it gave the image of a fragile and sweet crumb of cake needing protection or extra doting love. Viktor got caught up in thoughts of calling “ Drobínku!” after their children one day whenever he said it, and found himself smiling for reasons other than Jayce being adorable on stream. 

He pictured a little girl with long, chocolate-coloured hair, olive skin, and twinkling hazel eyes, running excitedly along the beach. She held hands with a small boy who had Viktor’s eyes and messy curls, both of them laughing as they played. Nearby, Viktor and Jayce lay back on a blanket, watching the sunset—hands weathered by time, hair just beginning to grey.  

“Gizi! Nino! Don’t wander too far moje zlatíčka!” he’d call, settled comfortably back against his husband’s chest. “Buď opatrný!”

“Ano tati!” Gizela called back. 

“They’re fine mi amor, let them have their fun.” Jayce murmured into his hair, pressing a soft kiss against the crown. “You worry too much,”

“Mm you don’t worry enough.” Viktor hummed, huffing out a sigh. “Your children are little terrors when they want to be.”

“Oh they’re my children are they? Thought they were your children,” Jayce teased.

“When they wake me up before 6am fighting over a toothbrush that doesn’t even belong to either of them, they’re your children.” Viktor grumbled, shooting Jayce a pointed look through his eyelashes.

Jayce chuckled. “Hey, at least you got them to agree to a ceasefire.”

“Yeah, only took several bribes of candy later. If they’re good and pass their math tests on Friday.” Viktor puffed out his cheeks, his hand resting against his round stomach. “ And Nino has made me promise he’ll be the first to see the baby when I go get the ultrasound next week.”

“Does he not realise that papi gets that privilege?” 

Viktor smirked, looking at his husband slyly. “Now darling, you wouldn’t want me to be dishonest to our dear son, would you? I promised Antonio he’d be the first to see the sonogram, and I have to honour that promise.”

Jayce’s eyes grew big and shiny, an exaggerated pout forming on his lips that had absolutely no affect on Viktor after all the years he’d seen it weaponised against him. 

“Uh-uh-uh, none of that štěně.” he reached up to tap Jayce’s nose like a naughty dog. “Besides, you won’t even be here for the appointment, you’ve got to visit your father’s grave.”

Jayce sighed. “I told you I could postpone that trip. I can see papi anytime, this appointment was the only one you could get.”

“I’ll be fine Jayce, Jinx is coming with me remember? I won’t be alone. Besides, you promised the kids you’d take them to see grandpa. They’re excited for the trip—it’s not often they go out of state.”

Jayce hummed, his hand joining Viktor’s, rubbing the stretched skin and feeling his son’s little feet kicking against his fingers. The pressure brought a smile to his face. 

“Little one is eager to get out,” he commented. 

“Tell him to be patient. He’s tiring me out already.” Viktor complained. “Honestly, what is with your babies and being rude? Gizi kicked me nonstop too.”

“Simply no manners.” Jayce laughed softly, nuzzling Viktor’s neck. “Though I remember Nino gave me a good deal of issues too, so your son wasn’t much better than my daughter.”

“You couldn’t walk by the butcher without being sick for almost four months.” Viktor remembered, his face crumpling in sympathy. 

“Least I could still walk,” Jayce shrugged. “Let’s hope this one doesn’t put you on bedrest again.”

“Hah, I should be so lucky.” Viktor rolled his eyes. “Still, that’s what I have a loving husband for. To wait on me hand and foot,” He heard a cry, and glanced up. “Ah shit, Jayce, the kids—”

“It’s okay mi vida, I’ve got ‘em.” Jayce rose to his feet, letting Viktor reposition himself on the blanket before striding across the sand. “¡Traviesos, vengan aquí! What have you done now?”

“Behold! Our rock children!” Jayce’s enthusiastic voice through his headphones tore him from his pleasant daydreaming. He blinked, refocusing on the scene in front of him.

Viktor peered at the computer screen, watching Jayce’s interesting construction project. His little minecraft avatar diligently stacked stone blocks atop each other, making the roughest outlines of a strange effigy. Viktor tilted his head, eyebrows shotting up his forehead at the ambitious pseudo-ritualistic imagery.

“Mm, yes well done drobínku, truly horrifying to behold.” he said dryly. Jayce just chuckled. 

“Have you made the walls of the house yet, V?” he asked.

“Uh…” no, he had not. Truthtfully, he had no idea what he was doing in this game. “I’m still digging for the stone,” he lied.

His minecraft performance was unbelievably contrast to his Overwatch skill. That game was easy, simplicity itself. Find enemy: aim and shoot. Easy. But this? This children’s game with its thousands of crafting materials and patterns and random exploding green things? Viktor was out of his depths. 

“Wait, V where did you even go?” Jayce turned his character around the area, peering around for Viktor who had, somehow, dug himself into a hole.

“Great question.” Viktor huffed, sitting back in his chair and flinging his hand up. “I’m stuck.”

“Stuck where?” 

“I dunno Jayce, it’s dark . Do I look like I can see in the dark?” Viktor whined. “I’m in like…a cave? I’m underground.”

“For fuck—how did you manage that V? I turned my back for like three seconds.”

“I dunno Jayce ,” Viktor’s whine increased in volume. “ Help me. I’m lost.” 

A sigh. “Alright, alright. Just — hold on, don’t move. I’m coming for ya.”

“Maybe if I keep digging I can escape.” 

“No, don’t do that—!”

“Ah fuck, I fell into a place with lava. I’m surrounded.”

Jayce’s screen tilted downward as he sprinted toward the coordinates Viktor had messaged in a panic, his Minecraft avatar tripping over the uneven terrain of a half-built hill and some errant cows.

[ironspider420]: bro got lost in the tutorial cave
[creeperKisser69]: LMAO he dug straight down didn't he
[dropFan]: protect himmm 😭🧡
[blockDaddyJayce]: jayce gonna do a full rescue op for his damsel
[v1ktors-legbrace]: lava? in this economy???

Jayce groaned as his character dropped into a dark hole and immediately got whacked by a rogue zombie. “Oh my god, Viktor, why is this place crawling with mobs? What did you do?”

“I was looking for iron or whatever! Stone or whatever bullshit you wanted! You told me to!” Viktor said defensively. “And then the gravel betrayed me. I was taken out by gravity okay? It’s not my fault.”

“Oh my god. You dug straight down. Vik, that’s the one thing I told you not to do!”

“I thought that was what you were supposed to do! To mine!”

Jayce wheeled his character around, torches flaring to life on the walls. “Rule number one, never dig straight down. You’re lucky you didn’t fall into the pit of—”

“—Lava, yes. I did. I did fall into the lava, Jayce. I’m fucking on fire right now, save me!”

[sp1tf1re_g0d]: HE’S BURNING OH MY GOD
[jayces_mallet]: Viktor.exe has stopped responding
[ur_golem_bf]: “gravel betrayed me” I'm crying
[v-ictorious]: jayce save your man he’s too hot rn (literally)

Jayce slammed a healing potion into his hotbar and dove forward, bridging frantically over the lava pool. “Okay, I see you—I see you—just don’t move, alright?!”

“I’m standing on a single block. I can’t not move,” Viktor hissed. “I’m cornered like a rat. There are skeletons nearby. I think one of them is looking at me.”

“I swear to god—don’t look at it then!”

“Jayce, that’s not how skeletons work!”

“Sure it is, if you can’t see them, they can’t see you.”

“I’m going to fucking die, aren’t I?” Viktor sighed. “This lava cave is my tomb. Avenge me Jayce, build another horrifying rock effigy in my honour.”

“Oh don’t be so dramatic, I’m coming.”

[enderbabe]: THIS IS THE BEST COUPLES CONTENT OF THE YEAR
[jayce4president]: someone make fanart of Jayce diving across lava to save V pls
[milkbucket_mommy]: HE’S ON ONE BLOCK this is emotional cinema

Jayce finally reached him, shoving a block under Viktor’s feet just as a flaming arrow hissed by.

“There. You’re safe. Mostly.” Jayce said, panting, as if he’d actually been running.

Viktor’s avatar looked up at him slowly, then immediately walked off the edge and burst into flames again.

[dropFan]: NOOOO VIKTOR
[imwithstupid]: bruh
[hearthfire43]: this man is a genius IRL and he just walked into lava twice
[jayce_irl]: someone revoke his mouse privileges

Jayce collapsed backward in his chair, laughing so hard he choked. “Oh my god. I tried. I tried to save you.”

Viktor sighed deeply. “Perhaps I should simply take up knitting instead.”

“You’d probably stab yourself with the needles.”

“True. But at least I wouldn’t be on fire.”

“You totally did that shit on purpose Vik,” Jayce couldn’t see him, but he glared accusingly at his camera as if Viktor could see it.

Viktor laughed, eyes crinkling at the edges. “ Maaaybe .” 

[lavaIsTemporary]: new stream title: “Viktor fucks with Jayce for a solid hour”
[blockDaddyJayce]: 10/10 would watch again

An hour later—after multiple accidental deaths, one creeper incident that took out half the garden, and Viktor somehow setting a chicken on fire—the house was finally done.

It wasn’t exactly a masterpiece. The roof was a little lopsided, one of the windows was inexplicably filled with dirt, and Jayce still hadn’t figured out how to make the staircase not look like a medieval health hazard. But it had walls, it had doors, it had beds and Viktor hadn’t died in at least ten minutes.

Progress.

Jayce panned his camera slowly across their little valley base. “Behold. Our humble abode,” he announced grandly. “Crafted with love, incompetence, and one very reluctant partner.”

Viktor’s avatar stood in the doorway, holding a random flower Jayce had shoved at him earlier.

“Oh yes,” he deadpanned. “Truly the peak of architectural elegance. Please ignore the dirt window. That was… intentional.”

“Artistic choice, yeah.” Jayce agreed with a grin. 

“Wait wait, Jayce let’s put our little minecraft beds together.” Viktor was so enthusiastic in destroying his bed and rebuilding it to rest neatly against Jayce’s that Jayce almost said he loved him out loud. 

He settled for texting it to him, making Viktor smile at him through the camera, even though Jayce couldn’t see it live on stream. His cheeks were just begging for a kiss. So were his lips, but his lips were always doing that as far as Jayce was concerned.

[creeperKisser69]: THEY HAVE MATCHING BEDS
[golemshipping]: look at their little HOUSE 🥺
[dropFan]: Viktor holding a flower like a blushing bride I'm gonna scream
[jayce_and_the_gayce]: just kiss already

Jayce placed two flower pots on the window sill, his avatar crouching beside Viktor’s with exaggerated slowness. “I just think it’s neat,” he said softly.

“Alright Marge Simpson,” Viktor didn’t miss a beat. 

Jayce rolled his eyes and carried on like Viktor hadn’t spoken. “I think it’s nice , to build a home together. With the person you love.”

“Yes, I love creating a home with you Jayce—my totally platonic bro. My heterosexual life partner, as it were.”

Jayce gasped. “How dare you downgrade our epic gamer bond.”

“You say that like we’re married, Jayce.”

“We’re not, but we could be.” Jayce held up a finger, waving it at his camera. “Hypothetically. For tax benefits.” 

 [milkbucket_mommy]: THE FLOWERPOTS ARE GAY
[brickhouseBabe]: Tax benefits = true love
[heartcore_gamer]: they are literally married
[sp1tf1re_g0d]: this is why I tune in every week

Viktor smirked. “Trying to get me a green card are you puppy?”

“Well, gotta keep you in the country somehow.” Jayce joked. “In a completely hetero way.”

“Ah yes, the most heterosexual thing I’ve ever heard.” Viktor laughed. “Marry your homie, keep them in the country.” 

“Well, if I asked you would you say yes?” 

“I would sooner die than be married to an American,” Viktor savagely bonked Jayce on the head with the very flower he’d been holding earlier. “A Mexican , though…”

Jayce grinned. “¿Te casarías conmigo, Viktor?”

Would you marry me, Viktor?

“Sí, mi amor. ” Viktor answered immediately, no hesitation in his voice. "Si me consigues un anillo muy bonito. Pero tiene que ser un anillo bien bonito, ¿eh?"

If you get me a very pretty ring. But seriously — it better be a really pretty one, okay?

He just stared at him, caught somewhere between flustered and smitten.

Twitch chat, of course, lost it .

[SpicySopa]: did viktor just drop a full ass proposal back?? IN SPANISH??
[ ChamoyLover93]: not jayce teaching him mexican spanish so he can flirt better IM GONNA SCREAM
[ dropFan]: "mi amor" 😭😭😭 i'm gonna cry they’re SO GROSS
[ lizardbrains]: he really meant that “bien bonito” i’m gonna punch a wall they’re actually married
[ noobmasterjayce]: viktor's accent is SO THICK but he still sounds hot help

Jayce laughed, cheeks reddening. “Okay, cariño.” Jayce turned his avatar to face Viktor’s and threw a bunch of red roses at him. “Take these. For your inventory. And also your heart.”

“I’m full,” Viktor said flatly, not picking them up. “Inventory. Not heart. That one’s full of your love already, can’t handle any more intake sorry.”

“Did I just get rejected by my husband?”

Viktor snorted. “No ring, no husband. Suck it up weather boy,”

Jayce made a dramatic sound of heartbreak and lay down on one of the beds.

[jaycesMallet]: HE’S SLEEPING IN THE SAD BED
[viktorslegbrace]: Viktor pick up the roses you coward
[bedsharing_truther]: they’re gonna log off and cuddle irl you can’t convince me otherwise

Jayce grinned into his mic. “Guys. Seriously. We’re not dating.”

“Absolutely not, I actually hate Jayce.” Viktor added. “I merely tolerate him for his resource-gathering capabilities. Both in-game and in real life.”

“Yeah,” Jayce said, shoving his character up against Viktor’s again. “And for the record he mispronounces ‘calculation’ and dies every five minutes. So hot. Who would wanna date that?”

“I will log off this server right now.”

“No, you won’t. You’d miss me.”

There was a pause.

“…That’s unfortunately correct.”

[tnttogether]: "WE'RE NOT DATING" [plays romantic Minecraft music]
[skeletons4ever]: Viktor: 😐 Jayce: 😍
[golemshipping]: we’re not dating dot mp3

Jayce tilted back in his chair, laughing. “Alright, chat. That’s enough chaos for tonight. Next stream, we’re going to try to make Viktor a working farm.”

Viktor sighed. “How thrilling. Another opportunity to kill everything I touch.”

Jayce smirked. “Yeah, but this time, with love .”

[golemshipping] New Stream Title: “we built a house and definitely did not fall in love doing it 🏡❤️ (no homo)”

They did not, in fact, log off and cuddle. But that was only because it was time for dinner, and Jayce resolved to cook for them. Under Viktor’s unnerving, unblinknig gaze from the kitchen counter of course. As per usual. 

Jayce let his bluetooth speakers fill the silence, watching it satisfaction when he saw Viktor’s foot start tapping along to the songs on his playlist. Obnoxious American pop music was how Viktor described his taste in music, but these days he said it with a smile. Usually while drunkenly shuffling along to the beat in their living room—Jayce had uploaded exactly one video of one such incident on instagram and Viktor had threatened to shave off his beard while he slept if he ever did that again. 

Viktor sipped leisurely at his wine while Jayce cooked. 

Jayce chuckled as the familiar pop beat kicked in, the kitchen speakers playing Call Me Maybe at full volume. He barely had time to turn back to the pan before Viktor’s voice—well, Carly Rae Jepsen’s voice—rose behind him.

“Hey, I just met you—”

Viktor was still perched on the kitchen bench, one leg curled beneath him, the other hanging loose and bare without the brace. He tossed his head, brown curls falling artfully over one eye as he struck a faux-demure pose, shoulders swaying in time with the music.

“And this is crazy—”

He trailed a fingertip slowly down the length of his own neck, raising a brow at Jayce like he was trying to seduce him with nothing but bad pop lip-sync and too much confidence.

Jayce snorted. “Oh my god.”

“But here's my number—”

Viktor held his hand to his heart like he was in a telenovela, then slowly extended it toward Jayce, fingers curled in a ‘call me’ gesture, lips syncing perfectly with the track.

“So call me, maybe~”

He blew Jayce a kiss, then lazily kicked his good foot like a bored lounge singer in a cabaret show, sultry and mocking all at once.

“You’re the worst,” Jayce said through a grin, trying—and failing—not to look too long. “That’s not even remotely how this song is supposed to be performed.”

“I’m improvising,” Viktor replied, flicking his wrist. “The Viktor edition.”

Jayce choked on a laugh.

“It’s hard to look right, at you baaaaby—”

Viktor leaned back on his hands, chin tilted up, singing toward the ceiling like he was in the final act of a tragic musical, voice full of longing and doom. Then he turned slowly, locking eyes with Jayce and lip-syncing the next line with a devastating pout:

“But here’s my number…”

He traced a little heart in the air with his finger.

“…so call me, maybe.”

Jayce turned back to the stove with red ears and a grin he couldn’t hide. “You’re lucky I love this song.”

Viktor smirked. “You’re lucky I’m only using my upper body.”

The last notes of Call Me Maybe faded out, but Viktor stayed put on the bench, chest rising with theatrical exhaustion like he’d just performed a sold-out arena tour from the waist up. Jayce was still trying to focus on dinner, except his stirring had slowed to a distracted swirl, watching Viktor’s smug little grin over his shoulder.

Then the speakers shifted, and the shimmering synth of Kesha’s Your Love is My Drug flooded the kitchen.

“Oh no,” Viktor murmured, eyes narrowing in anticipation. “Don’t even think about it.”

Jayce turned, eyes already gleaming with mischief, wooden spoon in hand like it was Excalibur. “Oh,” he said, voice low and dangerous, “I absolutely am.”

"Maybe I need some rehab..."

Jayce began to sway his hips as he stirred, dramatically mouthing the lyrics and locking eyes with Viktor. With every exaggerated line, he stirred the pot like he was mixing a love potion, spoon slicing through the sauce with sensual over-commitment.

"Maybe just need some sleep..."

He leaned against the counter, lips still syncing perfectly, smirking as he pointed the spoon at Viktor like a mic drop.

"I’ve got a sick obsession..."

He spun the spoon once between his fingers, then gripped it like a microphone, strutting the few steps across the kitchen floor.

Viktor was already laughing, hiding his mouth behind his hand like he couldn’t decide whether to be mortified or delighted.

On cue, Jayce reached out and scooped Viktor right off the bench , one arm strong and steady around his back, the other under his knees.

“ Jayce—! ” Viktor yelped, arms flinging around his neck more on instinct than grace. “What the hell are you doing?”

Jayce just grinned, lips syncing along with reckless abandon:

“I don’t care what people say, the rush is worth the price I pay—”

He spun them slowly in a lazy circle, his socked feet slipping slightly on the tiles as the lights caught in Viktor’s tousled curls. Viktor clutched tighter, one eyebrow arched in disbelief, the other betraying amusement.

“I get so high when you’re with me—”

Jayce lifted the wooden spoon like a dramatic mic, holding Viktor tighter as if the words were meant only for him, sung from some deep part of his chest that didn’t quite know how to stay quiet anymore.

“But crash and crave you when you leave.”

Viktor’s laugh slipped out, breathless and warm. And then—still tangled in Jayce’s arms, Viktor threw his head back, lip-syncing with mock agony: “You ruin me,” he sang-said, shaking a hand at the ceiling with tragic flair. “My one weakness! What will I ever do now? You’ve trapped me.”

Jayce nearly dropped him from laughing. “You’re damn right. I ain’t letting you get away anytime soon,”

But Viktor looped an arm lazily around his neck and leaned in close, nose brushing Jayce’s cheek, words still syncing with the track:

“Your love, your love, your love—”

His voice dropped to a whisper against Jayce’s ear:

“—is my drug.”

For one heartbeat, Jayce forgot they were being ridiculous. He forgot the spoon. The stove. The song. All he saw was Viktor in his arms, eyes bright, lips curved into something maddening and soft. The beat thudded on. Neither of them moved.

Then Viktor blinked. “Put me down now silly, you’re going to drop me.”

“Never,” Jayce said, breath catching, too real.

A beat.

Then Viktor smirked. “Good. Because my brace is on the other side of the apartment, and I will take you down with me if I fall.”

Jayce laughed, hugging him closer. “I’d go down with you anytime, V.”

“Mm. Could stand to go down on me a little more often though,” 

Jayce barked out a startled laugh, pressing his lips to Viktor’s.

They stayed there swaying — half dance, half embrace — ridiculous, tangled, and so obviously gone for each other. And the music just kept playing.

The sound that would signal the beginning of The Problems, was a simple knock on the door. Innocuous in and of itself, it came just after Viktor and Jayce had sat down at the dinner table to eat. Viktor frowned, looking at Jayce. They hadn’t been expecting anyone, and even if they were, it wasn’t like they’d receive guests so late in the evening anyway. 

At first, they’d ignored it. But the knocking got more insistent. And then a rhythmic pattern that Viktor found achingly familiar. A sinking deeling descended in his stomach as he got himself up, grabbing his cane to get him to the door. 

When he opened the door, the very last thing in the whole world he’d expected to see, was his sister Jinx, standing at the threshold with a suitcase and a carefree smile. 

“Hiya Vitek!” she beamed, like she hadn’t just turned up out of the blue from across the ocean. “Miss me?”

For the longest time, Viktor just stared at his sister, not comprehending the visual in front of him. 

Jinx was here. In front of him, in front of his home. The home he shared with Jayce, the home he’d created a beautiful sense of order and peace. Unnanounced, with no warning. Across an ocean, across continents, across timezones. Jinx was just…here. With a suitcase in tow. Not just a quick one-two visit, though why Jinx would bother coming so far for something casual was beyond him anyway. 

His first thoughts went to his father. It had been a little while since he’d directly heard from family—admittedly, he’d gotten a little caught up in his new life with Jayce, high on their domestic life. But surely, if something had happened, someone would have contacted him, right? But Jinx was smiling, she wouldn’t be smiling so wide if someone was wrong.

“What are you doing here?” 

Jinx’s smile faded, melting like sugar in the rain. Her shoulder’s immediately tightened, like she was trying to draw herself up higher, taller, establish a rock pillar in the middle of a windstorm. She crossed her arms over her chest, leaning back on her heels. 

“Wow. Hello to you too, brother.” she muttered. “No ‘hi sister, how are you’? No, ‘omg it’s so nice to see you, it’s been forever’?”

“I do not say omg ,” Viktor answered. He felt a rustling of wind at his shoulder, signalling Jayce had joined him at the door. Jinx’s grin was back upon seeing the taller man.

“Hi Jayce!”

Jayce blinked, just as stunned by her sudden arrival as Viktor, but recovering much quicker.

“Hey Jinx,” he gave her a friendly wave from over Viktor’s shoulder. “We didn’t miss a message or anything, did we?”

“Oh, nah. I was just in the neighbourhood so to speak,” Jinx rocked back and forth on her heels, her pigtails swinging past her shoulders now. 

“In the neighbourhood?” Viktor raised an eyebrow. “Jinx, we live in California. That is not in the neighbhourhood. How did we get here?”

“By plane silly, duh.” Jinx stuck out her tongue. “Is it a crime to visit my brother now? I’ve never been to the States, thought I’d come over and check things out, I dunno.”

“In all these years, you’ve never expressed an interest in travelling abroad.” Viktor replied, nonplussed. “And what of your studies? Does tati even know you’re—”

“Oh relax, I’m on break.” Jinx dismissed his concerns with a vague wave of her hand. “I was bored back home and thought I’d come out for a holiday. Figured I’d stay with you two.”

The reaction was immediate. Simultaneously, both men had very different reactions to Jinx’s request. 

“Yeah, of course you can—” Jayce began.

“No you absolutely cannot!” Viktor broke out. 

Jayce fell silent. Jinx looked stunned by the volume of Viktor’s protest, blinking in shock. Her hand wavered over the handle of her suitcase. Viktor didn’t speak any further, though his body was trembling just a little. Jayce placed a hand on his shoulder. 

“Come in, Jinx.” he said softly, trying to gently nudge Viktor out of the doorway to let her inside.

“Jayce, this is my home,” Viktor turned on him immediately, scowling. “You can’t just—”

“I’ts my home too, last time I checked. And I say it’s okay.” Jayce cut in. “She’s family, V. She’s more than welcome.”

For a moment, it seemed like Viktor was going to argue further. But, taking a glance at his sister, he softened. Just a little. Rigidly, he nodded, and ducked under Jayce’s arm back into their home. Jayce opened the door wider for Jinx to enter. 

She trundled her suitcase into the living room, and stood there awkwardly, looking between Jayce and her brother, whose aura was that of a caged animal. Restless, jittery— agitated .  

“Jinx, please make yourself comfortable.” Jayce said, gesturing to the couch. “Excuse us just a sec, okay?”

Jinx nodded, then launched herself haphazardly onto the sofa like it was her own. Viktor’s eye twitched, but he said nothing. His jaw was tight as he turned and followed Jayce into the bedroom, shutting the door behind them with a click that felt louder than it was.

Jayce barely had time to turn before Viktor exhaled, sharp and shaky.

Jayce frowned. “Okay… what in the world was that?”

“What was what ?” Viktor snapped, spinning on him. “That was nothing. I handled that incredibly well.”

Jayce blinked. “That’s debateable. Vik—”

“I didn’t yell at her. I didn’t slam the door. I let her in! I let her in , Jayce!”

Jayce raised his hands. “Okay, yeah, I acknowledge you didn’t put your sister out in the cold. I do . But she’s—”

“She just showed up !” Viktor cut in, hands flaring upward. His voice climbed in pitch, strained with frustration. “She didn’t call, she didn’t text, she didn’t even email ! I’m supposed to just drop everything because she feels like being here? How do I know tati even knows she’s here? What if she just ran away or god forbid, she’s on the run from something—”

“She’s your sister ,” Jayce said carefully, “and she flew halfway across the world to see you. Maybe something’s going on. You didn’t even ask —”

“That’s not the point!” Viktor’s breath hitched. “This is my home , Jayce. My space. I didn’t get any time —no warning, no buffer, no moment to prepare for someone coming in and turning everything upside down. And now she’s here and she’s on my couch , and I can already feel everything coming apart .”

Jayce stepped forward. “V, I get that. I do. But she’s not trying to hurt you. She’s family , V. She’s not even being rude—”

“I didn’t say she was!” Viktor’s voice cracked with the effort of holding himself together. “But I can’t just shift gears like you can. You think I’m being cold, but I’m not. I’m—” He ran a hand through his hair, pulling it tight at the roots. “I’m freaking out , Jayce. Everything was fine this morning, and now it’s not. And you just said yes without even looking at me—without even checking if I was okay with it!”

Jayce’s face fell. “I didn’t mean to go over your head, Viktor. I just didn’t want to leave her outside.”

“I know ! And I’m not angry at you, or her—I mean, I am , but I’m not—” Viktor groaned, pacing tight, uneven steps. “I know I’m not being fair. I know she didn’t mean to hurt me, and I know you were trying to do the right thing. But it doesn’t feel fair in my head, right now. It just feels loud . And messy. And like I’ve been backed into a corner with no way out.”

Jayce hesitated, then closed the space between them, slow. “I’m sorry, V. I really am. I should’ve asked you first. I just panicked. She looked so tired, and I wasn’t thinking about what you’d need. I didn’t mean to bulldoze you.”

Viktor’s shoulders sagged, the adrenaline slowly bleeding out. “I love her, Jayce. I do. I just—need time. To get used to this. I don’t want to snap at her. I already did , and I feel awful about it.”

Jayce touched his arm. “Okay. Then we figure it out. Together. We’ll set boundaries. You’ll get quiet time when you need it. I’ll talk to her, explain how things work here. But she stays—at least for tonight. Deal?”

Viktor nodded, reluctantly. “...Fine. But I’m not sharing my tea stash.”

Jayce smiled, pulling him into a hug. “I’ll hide it behind the rice.”

Viktor groaned, tucking his head into Jayce’s neck. “Everything feels so hot and loud and too much .”

“Okay.” Jayce said quietly. “Okay. Why don’t you take some time in here, calm down, and come out when you’re feeling better? I’ll stay with her until then.”

He sighed, sagging against Jayce. He nodded against his neck. “Okay. I’ll—I’ll be out soon. Tell her—tell her I’m happy she’s here, I just need a moment.” 

“I will.” Jayce murmured, pressing a kiss into Viktor’s head. “It’ll be okay, baby. You’ll see.”

Little did either of them know, that this was just the beginning of things. 

Chapter Text

Jayce had two thoughts as he sat across the dining table from Jinx, watching her pick at her brother’s warmed up portion on the plate. Well, he had a lot more thoughts than just the two, but the main two were these: one — Jinx had clearly come here for more than just a visit. Two — she was pissed off at Viktor’s reaction to her arrival.

Neither of which Jayce could do anything to help with at this moment, so he just had to sit in the awkwardness that enveloped the two of them as they ate. Viktor hadn’tt come out of their room yet, and each tick of the clock felt like an eternity. 

It wasn’t as if Jayce didn’t know how to be alone with his boyfriend’s sister. They had gotten along when he was in Prague, but he didn’t know her as well as Viktor did, nor did he know how to best handle her when she was upset. Especially since he very much suspected she was upset for more reasons than just Viktor’s bad reaction to her presence. 

It didn’t feel appropriate to ask what had really brought here to the States. He had the feeling there was more to it than just visiting during the college break, but that wasn’t something he felt he could ask her about. Jayce might not know Jinx very well, but he was still a big brother, and something didn’t feel right. An uneasiness sat in his ribs, watching the way Jinx half-heartedly pushed her fork around the plate. The sound of metal screeching against the porcelain made Jayce’s teeth ache, and it took a lot in him to not visibly cringe at the horrible noise. From her reaction though, he hadn’t been successful in keeping it in. 

“Sorry,” Jinx muttered, dropping her fork. “Can’t seem to do anything right, I guess.”

“He’ll come around.” Jayce said gently. “Viktor just needs time to process the change. He’s happy to see you, Jinx.”

“Yeah right,” Jinx muttered, flopping back against the chair with a huffed sigh. She wouldn’t meet Jayce’s eye. “No one wants me around.”

Jayce’s heart ached at her words. It made him think of Cait, and how sad it would make him to hear his little sister thinking no one wanted her to be around. It made a flare of anger burn in his heart over Viktor’s overreaction, even though he knew he couldn’t help it.

“Don’t say that Jinx,” he leaned forward a little, holding his hand out, palm up on the table. “I’m certain that’s not true. Viktor wants you here, I promise, just give him a minute yeah?”

Just as he spoke, he heard the soft clicking of the bedroom door opening. Viktor emerged, his shadow flickering against the wall of the corridor as he made his way past the kitchen. Jayce, for whatever reason, found himself holding his breath. 

But Viktor didn’t acknowledge either of them as he came into the living room, passing by the dining table without so much as a glance. Instead, he made a beeline for the couch, rearranging the cushions to one end and removing the quilted throw gifted to them by Jayce’s mother. 

Jinx muttered something in Czech under her breath, and Jayce watched Viktor’s body go rigid. Though, after a second or two, he unfroze and continued what he was doing. Jayce was unsure if he’d actually heard whatever it was that Jinx had said, or if simply hearing her was what caused the reaction. 

“V, honey?” he called tentatively, gripping the back of his chair. “You gonna come and eat with us?”

Viktor shook his head, straightening with his arm full of the cushions and the throw. “I’m not hungry anymore dearest, I will eat later.” he mumbled. 

He started out of the room with his hoard without another word, leaving Jayce to stare after him nonplussed. He blew out his cheeks, slowly sinking back int ohis chair. 

“Should just get back on a plane,” Jinx muttered, crossing her arms over her chest. She stared over at her suitcase, lips pursed. 

“Jinx, come on, that’s not —”

Jayce was cut off by the sounds of beeping and the swishing of water. He frowned, glancing absently back down the hallway. Sounded like a load of laundry was being put on. But at this hour? 

Viktor then returned to the room, this time laden with a variety of pillows from the recesses of their closet. They were all caseless, and he stacked them on one of the armchairs on his way to the couch. Jayce frowned when Viktor began shoving the coffee table back towards the TV set, pushing it flush against the cabinet. He then moved the other chairs back a little, already starting to pant with the effort of moving the furniture. Then, bending in front of the couch, Jayce observed him fiddling with the bottom, looking for the pulley latch underneath. 

“Angel? Need help there?” he called. 

“I’m fine, thank you love.” was Viktor’s answer. He finally found what he was looking for, and tugged out the shelf beneath the couch to unfold the mattress. 

“Did you just start the washing machine baby?” 

“Yes, I’m washing the the blankets from storage.” Viktor replied.

Jayce frowned. “Uh…why?”

Viktor finally looked over towards him, fixing him a look. “You expect me to have my sister to sleep on sheets that smell like mothballs? No. I’ll need you to help me clear out our cabinet later too so Jinx has somewhere to put her things.” 

Jinx perked up at that, leaning to one side and almost falling out of her chair in an effort to catch her brother’s eye. “Really?” she squeaked. “I can stay Vitek?”

Viktor’s eyes softened. “Eat your dinner, beruško. Then wash up — I’ve set aside a towel set for you. I’ll make your bed for you while you shower, and come tuck you in for bedtime.”

Jinx puffed out out her cheeks. “Vitek I’m not five anymore,”

Viktor smiled. “You’ll always be five beruško. Now finish your dinner, or Jayce will cry.”

“It’s true, I will.” Jayce nodded sagely, not skipping a beat. “Always burst into tears when people don’t eat my food. Cultural thing, can’t help it.”

“He’s a sensitive soul,” Viktor teased, stepping up behind up and pressing a kiss to his cheek. “Te adoro, mi amor.” 

Jayce turned his head, catching Viktor’s lips. He sighed contently. “Moc tě miluji, lásko.”

Jinx gagged theatrically when they finally broke apart, muttering how she regretted coming here already. Viktor chuckled, his hand brushing tenderly over Jayce’s shoulders as he walked past, heading back down to the laundry room. 

Viktor usually rose with the sun, but he was surprised to see Jinx was already up when he came into the kitchen. Barely 7am and already the kitchen smelled like coffee and syrup, as his cane tapped along beside him against the tile Jinx perked up, blue braids swinging around her head. 

“I made coffee!” she beamed. “Man, your coffee in America fucking sucks. I don’t know how you stand it.”

“Eh, you get used to it.” Viktor shrugged, opening the cabinet to fish out his usual mug and place it under the coffee maker. “It’s an acquired taste.”

“Must make you homesick a lot,” Jinx joked. “I know I’d die without a decent cup of coffee.”

Viktor hummed in response, taking his coffee out with him to the dining table. Jinx watched him go, her smile falling. After a moment, she followed behind him like a puppy dog, and tugged her lips up again, shoulders tense. 

“So uh…whatcha doin’?”

“I need to work on a script today,” Viktor murmured, opening up his laptop. “Jayce is heading to the gym soon to film part of a workout routine video. Then we’re going to go through the footage from our last stream to create a highlights reel for his channel.” 

“Oh.” 

Viktor tapped away at his keyboard, pausing every few seconds to twirl a finger in the air in a vague thinking gesture, trying to find the right words. Jinx stood awkwardly beside him, not knowing what to say or do. She heard the bedroom door click open again, and immediately perked up. 

“Good morning! I made coffee!” she called enthusiastically to Jayce as he ambled into the kitchen.

“Oh, really? Thanks Jinx.” Jayce smiled at her, helping himself to coffee.

“I also cleaned up from dinner last night, you know so the kitchen wouldn’t be super messy come morning.” she added proudly. 

“You shouldn’t be doing manual labour, it’s not your home.” Viktor said flatly, sipping at his coffee. 

Jinx deflated. “Oh, I don’t mind—”

“You’re visiting, Jinx. You don’t need t odo chores. Leave that to us,” he cut in.

“Okay.” Jinx said, muted. 

Jayce had the distinct impression of a pouting child kicking the dirt. He glanced at Viktor, who hadn’t looked up from his laptop screen, and hummed softly. 

“So what’s on the agenda today bug?” he asked Jinx. “Anything you wanna do?”

Jinx looked at him, regaining a little of her spark. “Vitek said you were busy today—” 

“Oh I just have a bit of filming to do this morning, but we have the afternoon to ourselves.” Jayce dismissed her concerns, already mentally cancelling all the work he had lined up that day. “You can come with me to the gym if you like, and we’ll go out somewhere afterwards. Anywhere you like, yeah? You can pick what we do.”

Jinx’s eyes sparkled, practically bouncing on her heels at the plan. She glanced at Viktor, who took a long sip of coffee, and finally spoke. 

“That sounds like a good plan, Jayce can take you out to have fun today.”  

Jinx wilted like a dehydrated hydrangea, all the excitement leaving her body. She didn’t want to go out with Jayce , she wanted to go out with her brother .  

“You could join us, V, after you’re done with that.” Jayce suggested, looking between the siblings.

“I have to get this finished on schedule Jayce, it’s a sponsored video I have a deadline to make.” Viktor said mildly, finally glancing up from his screen. His eyes flickered to Jinx. “You’ll be okay hanging out with Jayce today, right? Maybe tomorrow we can do something.”

Jinx sighed mutely. “Yeah. Okay.” 

Jayce looked between them for a moment like witnessing a ping-pong match. The tension in Jinx’s shoulders was undeniable, but Viktor seemed oblivious to it. Or he was choosing to leave it unaddressed. Either way, as Viktor went back to his work, Jayce squared his shoulders and let out a breath, determined to bring the energy back up. 

“Alright bug, I’ll just grab my keys and we can head out. Hey, why don’t I take you to the arcade after we’re done at the gym? It’s not far,”

“There’s an arcade?” Jinx squealed. “Like in the movies!”

Jayce chuckled. “Yeah bug, like the movies. Come on, we’ll paint the town red.” 

“Have fun you two,” Viktor lifted a hand to wave them off as they headed for the door. "Buď hodná Jinx, ano?"

Jinx turned and stuck out her tongue at her brother’s instruction to “be good”. He didn’t see it, but he could imagine the gesture well enough to chuckle and shake his head as he got back to work.

Time moved a little slowly in the apartment, or maybe it was just Jinx that was moving slowly. Every morning was the same, greeting Viktor with over-the-top enthusiasm and coffee, to get a distracted “thanks” before he retreated into work again. 

Jayce did his best to involve her in things, taking time out of his own schedule to bring her out to places to eat or to go sightseeing, but it wasn’t the same. Viktor just kept living his life as if Jinx wasn’t even there, not deviating in his schedule for anything. 

“We need to get more peanut butter,” he said on Thursday, five days after Jinx had arrived. “And we’re running low on eggs.”

“I could head down to the store after I finish making this thumbnail.” Jayce offered. 

“No need, I have some time. I’ll go now.” Viktor fished out his keys from the bowl on the counter, and ducked his head into the laundry room where Jinx was sitting watching her clothes rumbling around in the dryer. “Jinx? Wanna go to the store with me?”

Jinx blinked, looking up. “The store?”

“Yeah, we need a few things,” he said. “We can get takeout for dinner on the way back, if you want.”

A slow smile stretched over Jinx’s lip. She leapt up, bouncing her way over to him like a giddy kid in a candy store. “Okay! Can we get pizza?”

Viktor smiled indulgently, letting her cling to his arm as he reached for his cane. “Maybe, but it won’t be as good as back home. American pizza is…interesting,”

“Hey, what’s wrong with American pizza?” Jayce said defensively, looking up from his tablet.

“Nothing, miláčku. You just get spoiled when you can take summer vacation in Italy as a kid,” Viktor hummed. He pet his boyfriend on the head as he passed. “You want pepperoni love?”

“Mm, nah.” Jayce shook his head. “Trying to avoid pork these days,”

Viktor gave him a lopsided smile. “Jayce, I keep telling you that you don’t have to keep kosher just because I do.”

“It’s easier to keep one kosher kitchen than separate utensils and dishes.” Jayce shrugged. “Remember that time I used the dairy plate for meat and you had to throw out the whole set?”

“Mm. You make a good point.” Viktor hummed, lamenting the loss of his nice Shabbat dinner set. He couldn’t use the plate for dairy dishes after it had touched meat, even after washing it, and he couldn’t stand having a missing piece in his set. So, a new one had been procured instead—an expensive mistake that they both wanted to avoid making again.

He left Jayce working at the table with a kiss, and took his sister down the road to the local supermarket. She pushed the little trolley along the aisles while Viktor trundled along beside her, consulting his list every now and then.

“You keep kosher?” Jinx asked suddenly, squinting her eyes at her brother. “I didn’t know that.”

Viktor blinked, looking back at her. “Yeah, don’t you?”

She bit her lip, looking a little guilty. “Not really…”

“I thought tati kept a kosher kitchen,” Viktor frowned. “At least, he does when I’m there.”

“Yeah, if I eat at home it’s probably kosher. But I don’t check on food I have outside,” Jinx shrugged. “I like hamburgers too much, and those breakfast muffins you get at McDonald’s.”

Viktor stopped walking. “The ones with bacon? You eat bacon ?”

“It’s good!” Jinx puffed out her cheeks. “I don’t understand why we’re not allowed to eat it, it’s a stupid rule. Don’t judge me!”

“I’m not judging you,” Viktor denied quickly, schooling his shocked expression into one of neutrality. “I just wasn’t expecting that, that’s all.” 

“Yeah, well there’s nothing wrong with it.” Jinx muttered defensively. “Haven't been struck down by it yet, and there’s no such thing as Hell so who cares?”

“Right, well…yeah, sure. Your relationship with food is your own,” Viktor said haltingly. “If that’s what you want to do, then okay.”

“That’s right it’s okay.” She hunched over the trolley handles like a cougar protecting her cubs.

“It is.” Viktor said, and he meant it. It wasn’t up to him to dictate what rules she followed and which she didn’t. They weren’t Orthodox anymore, and she was a legal adult, she was free to do as she pleased.

“Good.”

“Good.”

They blinked at each other few a few awkward seconds, before Viktor cleared his throat and went back to scouring the shelves. 

“So…” Viktor said, reaching for a jar of peanut butter. “You still going out with that guy — what was his name, Michel — from the chemistry lab?”

“No, we broke up a month ago. He was boring.” Jinx mumbled. 

“Oh.” Viktor looked at her. “I didn’t know that.”

Jinx shrugged.

They moved into the next aisle, Viktor tapping his finger against his cane handle. A nervous habit he’d always had. 

“Do you want to pick out something?” he asked softly. “We can get those lemon cookies you like, they have them here.”

“I don’t really like the lemon anymore,” Jinx said. 

“Oh,” Viktor blinked. “Well, you can pick something else you like? Come on, let’s find you something. There’s nothing Czech here, but there’s a little international section with some stuff you might be more familiar with…” 

They ended up getting Jinx a few things, she seemd happy to place things into the shopping trolley, filling it with colourful things she’d never seen before, and some things she’d only seen in American movies. A few, Vikto assured her didn’t taste as good as it looked, but she was determined to try anyway. 

Last stop was the medicine aisle, where he picked up a few supplements and multivitamins. 

“Why are you getting that?” Jinx asked, pointing at the medicine box he was holding. 

“It’s for hayfever.” he said, dropping it in the trolley.

“Since when do you get hayfever?” Jinx made a face. 

“Since always Jinx,” Viktor chuckled. “It’s just worse in Piltover than back home,”

On the way home, they did, in fact, stop for pizza. Viktor let Jinx order whatever she wanted, which meant they ended up with more sides than actual pizza. But that was okay.

Back at the apartment, Viktor turned in early. He said goodnight to Jayce with a kiss, then ruffled Jinx’s hair on his way past, making her scrunch her nose and pout after him.

Jayce lingered a little longer in the kitchen, putting away leftovers and rinsing out their glasses. It wasn’t until he was on his way to bed himself that he overheard the voice drifting from the living room.

Jinx. On the phone.

“Yeah, Viktor’s letting me stay,” she was saying. “It’s… fine.”

A pause, the quiet rustle of her shifting on the couch.

“No, it’s not like that. He’s been polite. Weirdly polite. Too polite, you know? He’s not like this when he visits.”

Another pause. Then a sigh, soft and heavy.

“I guess I didn’t expect him to roll out a red carpet or anything, but… I dunno. It’s like I’m staying in a stranger’s house.”

Another sigh. “Yeah, maybe. But I’d have to convince him to drive me up to see you. Doubt he’d let me take his car all the way to San Fransisco.”

She was talking to Ekko by the sounds of it. He wondered how long they’d been in contact.

Jayce hummed, wondering if he should say something to Viktor. Technically, this wasn’t his family to meddle in. but Jinx was staying in their apartment, and there was clearly something bothering her, and Viktor seemed to be ignoring it. Or he wasn’t aware of it, but he couldn’t possibly be that oblivious to his own sister’s moods, could he? 

He decided to wait for now, and hope the siblings resolved whatever it was amongst themselves.  

A little bomb left outside their bedroom door nearly gave Viktor a heart attack.

He flinched the moment his foot clipped the small metal contraption, its presence unnoticed until it rattled against the floor with a suspicious ting . Before he could so much as glance down, the damn thing exploded with a sharp crack —a spray of confetti and metal washers shooting into the air like shrapnel. Startled, Viktor stumbled backward into the doorframe with a thud, his heart lurching violently in his chest.

A high-pitched yelp escaped him—undignified, almost squeaky, the kind of sound he hadn’t made since before starting HRT and was pretty sure his vocal cords no longer had the license to produce. And yet.

Down the hall, a burst of laughter cracked like thunder.

He looked up to see Jinx, crumpled against the wall in a fit of cackling. She was doubled over, wheezing, wiping tears from her eyes like she’d just witnessed the greatest comedic moment of her life.

Viktor glared daggers at her. “Jinx, what in God’s name even is that?”

He gestured wildly at the device, which now sat innocently in a puff of glitter like a war crime in a party store.

“How did you even get that?”

“I made it,” she managed between giggles, still grinning ear to ear. “Found some junk in your scrap bin. You throw out gold , you know that?”

Viktor exhaled slowly through his nose, pinching the bridge of it as if that might stop his blood pressure from skyrocketing. Clearly, he wasn’t doing enough to keep her entertained. “Jinx,” he said tightly, “you cannot set off explosions in this house. It’s not good for Jayce, he—”

A strangled sound behind him made him whip around. Jayce.

Still tangled in the sheets, Jayce was pressed back against the headboard like he was trying to sink through it. His eyes were wide and glassy, not focused on anything in the room. Not blinking. Not seeing.

“Jayce,” Viktor breathed.

His cane clattered to the floor as he half-fell into the room, all thoughts of caution or pain forgotten. His leg screamed in protest, but he barely felt it as he scrambled onto the bed, reaching out with shaking hands.

“Baby,” Viktor said, his voice breaking. “Baby, look at me. You’re okay. You’re safe. It’s just me.”

Jayce didn’t move, didn’t speak—just gasped shallowly, each breath hitching short, as if the air refused to reach his lungs. His whole chest rose and fell like a bird’s, panicked and rapid. He was trembling, shoulders tight, eyes distant.

Viktor cupped his face gently, bringing their foreheads together. “Look at me, lásko , can you see me? It’s your Viktor. It’s me, miláčku .”

He whispered the words like a prayer.

“Take a deep breath for me, my love. Deep breaths. You’re alright. You’re safe. Nothing’s going to hurt you.”

From the doorway, Jinx had gone completely still. She hovered uncertainly, frowning, arms crossed tightly over her chest. The laughter was long gone, replaced with confusion—then creeping guilt.

Viktor didn’t spare her a glance.

Jayce’s breath shuddered, still shallow, caught somewhere in his chest like he’d forgotten how to inhale. His chest just felt so tight , the world was shaking. All he could smell was the burn of rubber, of ashphalt, the screeching of tires, trapped, trapped —

“You’re not in the car sweetheart,” Viktor murmured. “You are here, in bed, with Viktor.”

“V-Viktor…” he managed.

“That’s it love, Viktor’s here. I’ve got you. Just listen to my voice. Follow my voice and come back to me.”

Jayce gave the smallest of nods, sharp and jerky.

Viktor exhaled in quiet relief. “That’s it. Good boy. You’re doing so well. That’s it, Jayce. Good boy.”

He drew Jayce gently against his chest, guiding his head down until his ear rested right over Viktor’s heartbeat. He ran a soothing hand through Jayce’s hair, slow and repetitive, grounding.

“I’m right here,” he whispered, over and over, like a mantra. “You’re safe. Just breathe. I’ve got you.”

He didn’t look up, didn’t move, didn’t dare let go. Not until the air stopped shaking between them. Jayce clung to him like a lifeline, but slowly his breathing evened out again. Somewhere, Viktor registered the dull pain of a pulled muscle in his leg, and a flicker of irritation flared in his chest. He’d have to get the deep heat cream and massage his leg later, which would likely mean he’d be in too much pain to get any substantial work done. Great. 

“Are you with me, Jayce?” he murmured, pressing his lips t othe crown of Jayce’s head. 

Jayce let out a long, slow breath, nodding against his chest. “Mm-hm.”

“Good.” Viktor rested his head against his for a moment, breathing in his scent. He sighed. “Love you,”

“Love you too.” 

Trusting Jayce was alright to be let go, Viktor leaned back and gave him some space. He inspected his leg, rubbing at the strained muscle with a soft scowl. 

“I-I’m sorry,” Jinx’s voice floated into the room behind him. “I didn’t—”

“You cannot be as reckless as back home, Jinx.” Viktor snapped, head turning to face her. “This isn’t your playground! You gave Jayce a panic attack with your antics!”

“I didn’t know — I didn’t mean to —”

“That doesn’t matter!” Viktor got up from the bed, rounding on her. “Jayce shouldn’t have to worry about being triggered in his own damn home!” 

“Viktor, it’s okay.” Jayce said weakly. 

“No, it’s not okay!” Viktor cried, turning back to him. His voice broke. “It’s not okay, Jayce.” 

“Sssh I’m alright, look at me,” it was Jayce’s turn to calm Viktor down, reaching out to tangle their fingers together. “Nothing catastrophic’s happened, I’m okay. See?”

“You haven’t had a panic attack in months,” Viktor lamented. “You were getting better,”

“Yeah, and healing isn’t streamline.” Jayce reminded him. “I might not get an attack for years and then suddenly get a bunch. But the point is, I’m alright now.” 

Viktor sighed. 

Jinx was still standing at the threshold hovering between in the room and out, looking like she was about to cry. “I’m really sorry…”

Viktor sighed again. “It’s not me that you should be apologising to, Jinx.”

“I’m sorry Jayce,” she said sadly. “I didn’t mean to freak you out…”

“It’s okay Jinx,” he said kindly. “You didn’t know.”

“Next time you want to pull a prank, ask me.” Viktor said sternly. “If it won’t cause any harm to either of us, I’ll even help you set it up. Okay?”

Jinx nodded mutely, eyes still glassy.

Viktor softened. “Oh, come here broučku.” he opened his arms, and his sister came crashing into his chest immediately, whining like a child.

“It’s okay,” he murmured into her hair. “You’re not in trouble. Tell you what, if you want to tinker, why don’t we build something together? You remember the boats we used to build by the river? Want to show Jayce how we did it?”

He smiled when he got an answering nod against his neck. “Okay then, we’ll find some materials.” he glanced back at Jayce, who was finally slipping out of bed. “You didn’t have anything important to do today?”

“Not anymore,” Jayce grinned. “Let’s build some boats. Been a while since I did any actual engineering.”

They ended up making a competition out of it. Jayce even filmed most of the building process as a vlog-style video for his channel. They took their boats down to the river, and raced the three of them with the tide.

Jinx’s boat eclipsed both his and Jayce’s, in the end.  

The TV flickered in the low light, casting shifting shadows across the apartment. A sitcom played, the laugh track echoing too loudly in the silence. Viktor sat on one end of the couch, his laptop open but untouched in his lap. Jinx curled up on the other end, knees drawn to her chest, arms wrapped around them like a makeshift shield.

They weren’t fighting. Not really. But the quiet had weight to it—thick, awkward, brittle. Ever since Jinx had triggered Jayce’s panic attack, it was like Viktor was keeping her at arm’s length. Well, even more of an arm’s length than he had been holding her at before. 

Every laugh from the screen landed wrong. Neither of them laughed with it.

Viktor kept adjusting his screen, pretending to type something, anything. Jinx kept pretending to care about the show, eyes fixed but unfocused. Neither spoke.

Midway through the second episode, Viktor closed his laptop with a soft snap.

“Jayce and I have got an early morning,” he said, standing a little too quickly. “Don’t stay up too late.”

Jinx didn’t answer for a minute. Then: “I’m 19, not a baby.”

He hesitated a second, as if about to say more. “Right. Well, don’t complain to me if you’re grumpy in the morning when we wake you up.” Then left.

The door to his bedroom clicked shut behind him. Jinx didn’t move. The TV laughed again. She didn’t.

Two weeks after Jinx had arrived unexpectedly, and things hadn’t gotten much better between her and Viktor.

The coffee machine gurgled in the background. Viktor, distracted by something in his inbox, barely looked up as he set a mug on the table near Jinx, steam curling lazily into the air. A habitual gesture. Thoughtless, almost.

“Here,” he said. “It’s still hot.”

“I didn’t ask for anything,” Jinx snapped, her voice cutting sharper than she meant it to.

Viktor blinked, startled by the edge in her tone. She saw it flicker in his face—hurt, confusion, something close to retreat.

She looked away quickly.

“What’s your issue today?” he asked, a little more scathing than he meant. 

“You don’t have to pretend like everything’s fine, y’know.”

There was a pause. Then, carefully:

“…I’m not pretending.”

Jinx let out a sharp breath that might’ve been a laugh, except there was no humor in it.

“Right,” she muttered. “Guess this is just what fine looks like now.”

She stood up and walked out, coffee left untouched on the table.

She’d been quiet all evening. That was how Viktor knew something was wrong—Jinx wasn’t made for silence. She vibrated at frequencies that rattled other people. She left noise and colour in her wake like a comet’s tail. But tonight, she sat on the floor of the living room she’d been sleeping in all week, knees hugged to her chest, face buried, hair limp.

He thought maybe he could sit beside her, offer something—tea, a distraction, a stupid comment about whatever show she’d been watching on his laptop. But before he could even shift his weight, her voice cracked the quiet.

“I’ve been here almost three weeks already,” she said, muffled but rising, “and you still haven’t even said it’s okay that I’m here.”

Viktor blinked, caught off guard. “What? I—I mean, of course it’s okay, Jinx. I thought—I would have thought me making a space for you here would make that obvious.”

She lifted her head sharply. Her eyes were rimmed red, cheeks blotchy. “Maybe I didn’t need a couch. Maybe I needed my brother to say it. Out loud. Maybe I needed to hear that I wasn’t just crashing here like an inconvenience.”

Viktor opened his mouth, but she wasn’t done.

“Is that too much to ask? For someone in my family to tell me I’m wanted?”

“No,” he said, voice soft. “Of course not—”

She cut him off, bitter and hoarse. “The only reason I’m even here is because I’m not wanted anywhere else!”

He stared at her, the words stilling his heart. “What do you mean, Jinx? Did something happen at home?”

“No,” she muttered. “Nothing happened. That’s the problem.”

There was a silence that followed, heavy and strange. It occurred to Viktor, not for the first time that week, that maybe he should’ve done more when she first arrived. Said more. Asked more. Instead, he’d given her a pillow and disappeared into work. Pretended her presence didn’t shake something loose in him that he didn’t want to look at.

“Does Tati even know you’re here? Does he know you’re safe?” he asked finally, trying to sound casual. “Please tell me you told him know you were coming, and that he wasn’t filed a missing person report with Interpol.”

“I’m not that stupid.” Jinx snorted, scrubbing at her face with her sleeve. “I told him.”

Viktor relaxed, slightly.

“After I got on the plane.”

He closed his eyes and exhaled sharply through his nose. “Dammit, Jinx…”

“I’m not a kid,” she said with a shrug. “He can be mad if he wants. You left home at my age.”

“That’s not the same,” Viktor said firmly. “I told them my plans. Mami and Tati supported me leaving. I stayed in contact the whole time. And it was for school, I didn’t just vanish.”

“A school you ended up dropping out of.” She made a sharp, ugly noise in the back of her throat. “But of course it’s different. It’s always different when it’s you.”

He frowned, bristling. “What the hell does that mean?”

“It means you’re the one who gets everything!” she snapped.

Viktor recoiled, eyes narrowing—but Jinx was already pushing to her feet, pacing now, arms crossing and uncrossing as if the motion might keep her from flying apart.

“You got the perfect grades, the scholarship, and even when you left school you got a job you actually like—you have the whole shiny, perfect, brilliant Viktor packag! You got Jayce.” Her voice twisted around the name, halfway between jealousy and grief. “And I stayed. I stayed behind and smiled at the funeral and held Dad’s hand while he cried and acted like it didn’t matter that our whole goddamn world fell apart.”

Viktor didn’t move. “Mami died during a global pandemic, Jinx! You can’t blame me for not coming home for the funeral, the borders were closed!”

But she wasn’t done. “Not all of the EU was closed! You could have come in through Switzerland, or Greece. But that was too inconvenient.”

“Jinx—” 

“And now he’s with Vander. They’re not even hiding it anymore. He’s moving on like nothing happened. Like she didn’t matter. Like we don’t. And I just—”

Viktor’s eyebrows shot up. “Tati and Uncle Vander?”

“After babi and děda died, Uncle Vander came over to stay with us. You know, after you abandoned us to come back to your fairytale life.” Jinx jabbed a hand into his chest, and the accusation of abandoning his family hurt more than the jab did. 

“I didn’t — Jayce’s visa was—”

“Right, because Jayce is so much more important than your grieving family!” Jinx snapped. “You barely waited for their damn bodies to go cold before you ran off back to California!”

Viktor’s throat closed over. His tongue felt like lead in his mouth. 

“Tati’s been talking about dating again.” Jinx raged on, like Viktor wasn’t even there anymore. “Like mami didn’t even matter. And I see the way he looks at Uncle Vander. I couldn’t breathe there anymore. Everything felt like a ghost. And you left too. You were supposed to come back, at least for a little while, but then you were just… gone. Everyone left.”

Her voice cracked. She looked at him with something like fury and heartbreak rolled into one.

“I was 10 when you left home,” Jinx said bitterly. “I remember you being gone longer than you were there. All I knew of my brother was he was in America to be a scientist. And oh isn’t Viktor so smart and isn’t Viktor so great and so dedicated and so wonderful and brave and — no one ever said those things about me. I tried to do neuroscience because you did biomed. And I thought maybe if I just… tried harder, I could be worth something too. But I’m failing. I’m not you. It’s all too hard and I don’t even know if I like it!”

Her chest was heaving now. “I came here because I didn’t know where else to go. And I thought maybe you’d still care. Maybe you’d see me and say it’s okay. That I belong somewhere. But you just gave me a blanket and shut the door.”

Viktor stood frozen, throat tight. The hurt in her voice was sharper than anything she could have said with anger alone. And underneath it all, the one thing she hadn’t said yet echoed anyway: I needed you.

He stepped toward her then, slowly, arms open—not to fix it, not yet. Just to be there. To say with presence what he hadn’t managed in words.

“Jinx,” he said softly, “Beruško… I’m so sorry.”

And this time, she didn’t flinch away. She just folded into him and sobbed like a child.

“Jinx, listen to me.” he murmured, tucking her head under his chin, cradling his sister to his chest. “You are my sibling—I love you, beruško. Never doubt that. No matter what, you are always — always — welcome in my home, in my life.”

She didn’t pull away from his embrace right away. Her tears soaked through his shirt, hot and silent now, her breath stuttering in hiccups against his chest. Viktor held her there, one hand at the back of her head, feeling like a dam had broken and he was trying to hold the water in with his arms. He didn’t know what to say. Words had always come easier in equations, in precision and proof and logic. But something stirred in him, a memory—not his own words, but their grandfather’s.

He swallowed. Then, softly:

“Děda used to say… ‘Even the broken shards of a vessel still reflect the light.’”

Jinx stiffened in his arms. Viktor kept going, gently, the way děda once had for him, when he’d come home from school bloodied after being shoved into lockers and spat on for dressing like a boy and cutting his his hair short.

“It’s from the Talmud, I think. That even if something’s shattered, it can still carry purpose. Still carry light. You don’t have to be whole to be worthy. Just… willing.”

He thought it might soothe her. It always had soothed him. But instead, Jinx pulled back, suddenly cold.

“Oh my God, of course you’d say that,” she said, laughing bitterly as she wiped her face with her sleeve. “Talmudic lectures. Right on cue.”

“Jinx…?” He reached for her again, but she stepped back. “What’s wrong?”

“Everything!” she snapped. “Me! That’s what’s wrong.” 

“What—you’re not wrong, Jinx, there’s nothing wrong with you—”

“I’m not like you, Viktor.” she scrubbed at her eyes so harshly it was like her tears offended her. “I don’t care about that stuff. That crap never made any sense to me. I’m a bad Jew, I can’t even fucking do that right.”

“Jinx, you’re not a bad Jew. There’s no such thing,” Viktor shook his head. 

“No, it’s fine. You can say it.” Her voice cracked, jagged around the edges. “I don’t believe in it, Viktor. I don’t believe in God. I never have. I just—pretended. For Tati. For Mami. For you.”

Viktor stared at her, his hand half-lifted in a gesture of comfort he no longer knew how to finish.

“I didn’t light candles when děda and babi died,” she said, quieter now. “I didn’t know how. I didn’t even try. I don’t speak Hebrew like you do. I don’t go to shul like you. And I know if I told tati that, it would break his heart. So I keep pretending. And then I come here, to you, and you’re quoting the fucking Talmud—”

“Jinx I’m sorry,” Viktor tried t oget ahead of this, to fix things. “I shouldn’t have brought it up. I’m not even religious myself,”

“Yes, you are.” Jinx said it like an accusation. “You only come home for the damn holidays, and you take it just as seriously as tati does. You say the prayers right, you still use mami’s siddur, I’ve heard you pray to a God you claim you don’t believe it—”

“I don’t know if there’s a God or not, Jinx,” Viktor denied. “What I do isn’t for God, it’s—”

“Yeah, I know, it’s for you. It’s comforting. That’s called faith, Viktor.” Jinx sneered. “You have it, and I don’t. That sort of stuff works for you, and that’s great for you. But it doesn’t fix me.”

“Jinx,” Viktor said quietly. “I wasn’t trying to fix you, I—”

“Well, it feels like you are,” she said, voice trembling. “Feels like everyone is.”

The silence that followed was a different kind of heavy now—one laced with old guilt and newer shame.

“Come here,” Viktor opened his arms, an open invitation. 

For several beats, Jinx didn’t move. Then, finally, she crept into his arms, and he held her so tightly he feared his bones would crack.

Viktor let the silence settle between them like dust. He didn’t try again to fill it with tradition. No proverbs. No Hebrew. Just breath and presence. The truth was, he didn’t know how to respond to everything she’d said. That she didn’t believe. That she’d been pretending. That she thought he was some model Jew, the golden child, some unreachable bar she kept smashing herself against.

He exhaled slowly.

“I’m not good at it either,” he said, barely louder than a whisper.

Jinx blinked up at him, eyes red and puffy, suspicious.

“At what? Comforting people?”

“Well, that too,” he admitted. A corner of his mouth twitched, not quite a smile. “But I meant... at everything. At being what tati or mami wanted.”

She looked away again, jaw clenched.

“I’m not the perfect Jew, nor am I the perfect son.” Viktor went on. “Your relationship with our heritage is your own. It’s not up to me or anyone else to decide. And how you’re feeling, about mami, about tati and Uncle Vander, this is a conversation you need to have with tati. He needs to hear how you feel.”

She went quiet, eyes drifting to the blank TV screen.

“I was scared you’d hate me,” she said after a moment. “For letting it all slip away.”

“I don’t hate you, Jinx.” He turned fully toward her now, so she couldn’t escape the weight of it. “I could never hate you. You’re not less than me because you don’t do the same things. You’re not a bad Jew, or a bad sister, or a disappointment. You never will be, you understand that? I love you. Tati loves you. Our love for you is not conditional, we’re always going to be a family. Okay? I’m not ever going to leave you.”

She didn’t cry again. But she did flinch, just a little, like the words had cut deeper than anything else he’d said all night.

“I know I’ve made you feel like you had to be someone you’re not,” he added. “I’m sorry for that. I didn’t mean to. I’ve just…  I was gone too long, I haven’t been here for you like a brother should have been.”

Jinx looked at him for a long time, expression unreadable. Then, slowly, she leaned her head against his shoulder. He kissed her head, tightening his hold on her.

"You're still figure things out. That;s okay." he said, gentle but firm. "I was just as confused when I was your age."

She snorted.

"It's true," he insisted. "You've gotta remember I'm 8 years older than you Jinx, I've had longer to figure it out. And at 19, I certainly didn't know. Youv might have been too young to remember, but I was terrified to tell mami and tati I wanted to be a boy instead of a girl."

She lifted her head. "You were?"

"I was." he nodded. "I was scared, I was confused, I didn't even really know if that's how I truly felt inside. I wetn through three therapists trying to explain how I think I felt. And then suddenly I was going to America and I was without you all, and I was scared all over again. I've never felt more alone than I did my first year here, I hated it. I wanted to come home, but I was scared of dsappointing mami and tati by quitting. And then the pandemic hit and I couldn't continue studying, and then mami passed and I couldn't make it home to say goodbye..." 

Viktor took a breath, feeling his throat close with unshed tears. he cleared his throat, forcing himself to continue. 

"The point is, I might look like I've always known who I was and I've always had it together. But the truth is, I haven't. and I've been a mess, I just hid it from you because you're my little sister and I'm supposed to look out for you. I'm supposed to be the big strong older sibling that comforts you during your problems. And I'm sorry we don't know each other like we ought to." he blinked against the tears stinging at his eyes. "But starting now, that changes. Okay? I want you to be able to talk to me, about anything. I'll always be here to listen to who you are."

“...I don’t know who I am,” she admitted. “But I know I’m tired of trying to be you.”

Viktor’s throat tightened. He rested his head gently against hers.

“Good,” he said. “The world’s already got one of me. It needs you to be you.”

Chapter Text

It was a bright, sunny morning, when someone moved into unit number 14. One floor above him and Jayce. Viktor marked the arrival of a new neighbour by the multiplying boxes on the stairwell and crammed inside the elevator when he went down to fetch the mail. 

The neighbour in question almost bowled him over as he was exiting said elevator, arms laden with several heavy looking boxes. The both of them made surprised noises, jerking away from each other on instinct. Viktor caught himself on the wall, stablising himself with his cane. The new neighbour’s high heels clacked on the concrete — who wore heels on moving day? — but though she prevented herself from falling, her boxes fell down everywhere. 

“I’m sorry!” they shouted simultaneously. 

Viktor blinked. The neighbour stared back at him for a moment, before a bright laugh bubbled up in her throat. It was a lovely, melodic sound. One that instantly brought a smile to Viktor’s face. 

She was beautiful. Dark skin, unblemished and dusted in the lightest shimmer — body glitter? Bold, golden eyeshadow made way to a soft plum on her lips. Golden hoops swung from her ears, and her hair — darker than midnight, plaited into a multitude of braids swept up in a complicated updo on the top of her head — was adorned in several charms and trinkets. 

“Sorry,” she said again. “I didn’t see you there.”

“I’m not surprised, with all that.” Viktor said, gesturing to the boxes. “I’m sorry I made you drop them. Let me help you,” 

“Oh, goodness no! I couldn’t possibly ask you to do that,” she shook her head, dismissing his offer immediately. “I almost ran into you . And besides, you…I wouldn’t…” somewhat awkwardly, she cast her gaze over his brace, and his cane. “I wouldn’t want to impose.”

Viktor smirked, used to those kinds of glances. “Don’t worry, I have a nifty lifting tool just for these occasions.”

Under the curious eyes of his new neighbour, he strode over to his door and rapped his knuckles against the surface. 

“Puppy, I need you!” he called. He turned back to the woman as he waited, listening amusedly at the clanging coming from inside the apartment. Indicating that his loving boyfriend was quite literally dropping everything to rush to Viktor’s aid. Cute.

“Viktor Nováček.” he introduced, holding out his hand. 

“Mel Medarda. A pleasure,” the woman smiled pleasantly, shaking his hand.

Her grip was firm, he noted. 

“Your accent is delightful to the ear.” Mel complimented. “Where are you from?”

Viktor smiled. “Thank you. I’m from the Czech Republic. By your accent I would hazard a guess you’re…English?”

“Nigerian, actually.” Mel said. “But I spent most of my formative years in a British boarding school. Hence the accent.” she quirked a grin. “Mother insisted I be properly educated, after all.” 

“Ah, mothers are the same everywhere it seems.” Viktor chuckled. 

Their apartment door swung inwards at that moment, revealing the bulk that was Jayce making his way across the threshold. Viktor took a moment to admire his boyfriend. He was still in little more than his tank top and sleep pants — riding deliciously low, of course. Just the way Viktor liked them, showing off his hipbones. The elastic in them had gone months ago, but Viktor all but forbade Jayce from replacing them. If you looked closely enough, you could still the faint purple imprint of Viktor’s canines from two nights ago. His chest puffed up in a satisfied pride. 

He wondered how rude it would be to dismiss the new neighbour to drag his partner back inside and have his wicked way with him. He’d only need ten minutes — five, if pressed. And if he really, really tried, he was sure he could beat that record. He could have Jayce dripping onto his hand and pleading in under a minute, making those beautiful eyes go cross-eyed in pleasure as his back arched and toes curled into the hardwood floor of their hallway. Just one minute, that’s all he’d need to have his gorgeous boyfriend screaming and making a mess of their welcome mat…

Viktor shook his head, forcing the less than appropriate thoughts from his head. He cleared his throat, gesturing vaguely in Mel’s direction. 

“Jayce, this is Miss Mel Medarda. Our new neighbour.” 

“Pleasure, how do you do?” Mel smiled warmly, holding out her hand to Jayce, who quickly returned the welcome. “Jayce, was it?”

“Yes, Jayce Talis. Nice to meet you Miss Medarda.” 

“Please, Mel is fine.” Mel giggled, waving a dismissive hand. “Miss Medarda is my mother.”

“I thought we could help her with the boxes,” Viktor said, nodding towards the fallen boxes on the ground. “They seem heavy. And since you skipped your physio yesterday like a bad boy…”

“Physical punishment?” Jayce teased. “You’re so cruel to me, Vik.”

Viktor shrugged with one shoulder. “I could be inclined to be kind…” 

“Oh?” 

He huffed a laugh at the wicked grin on Jayce’s face, shoving his shoulder half-heartedly. “Don’t give me that look. Be good and put those rippling pectorals to use.”

“Yes sir,” Jayce smirked, pretending to roll up his sleeves and bending down to gather the boxes. 

“Ah, so this was the ‘nifty lifting tool’ you were talking about?” Mel asked, amused. 

“I call him the Talis Lifter 5000.” Viktor said proudly. “He responds well to commands, rarely tires, and runs almost entirely on praise.” 

“Almost entirely?” Mel picked up two boxes, not wanting to make Jayce carry them all alone. 

“The rest is tamales.” Viktor said, taking a single box into his arms. “Though I haven’t quite figured out how to out-do his ma on those.”

“And you never will,” Jayce asserted as the three filed into the elevator bound for the above floor. “Mama has the best tamales V, all mamas do.” 

“Entonces, ¿no tendré los mejores tamales hasta que me pongas un bebé?” Viktor smirked. So I won’t get the best tamales unless you put a baby in me?

Jayce spluttered, going an interesting shade of red. “¡Cállate, cállate! ¡No mames, Viktor! Estamos en público.” Shut up, shut up! What the fuck, Viktor! We’re in public!

 “¿Qué? ¿Dije algo raro?” What? Was that weird? Viktor’s smirk grew. As if he didn’t fucking know what he was saying. As if he wasn’t doing this on purpose, right in front of their poor, unsuspecting new neighbour. “¿Por qué te pones rojo, Jayce?” Why are you turning red, Jayce?

“¡Baja la voz, carajo!” Jayce hissed, cheeks getting impossibly red. Lower your voice ,dammit!

“¿Qué voz?” What voice? Viktor leaned his head in further. “¿La de “ponme un bebé”...?” The one that says ‘put a baby in me’?

“Viktor!” 

“Is everything okay?” 

The two of them turned to look at Mel. Viktor had almost forgot her presence, too consumed with teasing his easily flustered boyfriend. She blinked owlishly at them, no doubt assuming they were in the midst of some sort of argument. 

Jayce cleared his throat, still blushing like mad. “Uh, yeah, yeah. Just talking. You know — family stuff, mostly.”

“I’m plotting to steal the Talis tamale recipe. Jayce keeps thwarting my attempts, sadly.” Viktor grinned, the lie passing his lips with an ease the ever-honest Jayce envied.

“Keep trying, I’m sure your master plan will succeed eventually.” Mel chuckled. 

“Thanks, I will. Won’t that be nice, Jayce?” Viktor wasn’t fooling Jayce with that sickly sweet tone of voice.

"Te voy a matar." Jayce whispered. I’m going to kill you.

Viktor just continued to grin. "¿Antes o después de los tamales?" Before or after the tamales? Little shit. 

“Your Spanish is impressive,” Mel complimented. “At least, to my layman ears anyway.”

“He’s been taking classes.” Jayce said, a touch of pride to his voice. “I tried to teach him, but Mexican slang can be…a little challenging.” 

“And Spanish is easier for me to pick up than Czech is for Jayce.” Viktor shrugged. “Jayce’s Czech is…well. Leaves something to be desired.”

“Hey!” Jayce pouted. “Your dad said my accent was getting better.”

“It is,” Viktor nodded. “You’re doing remarkably well miláčku. Czech isn’t an easy language to learn. It’s just easier for me to learn your language than it is for you to learn mine.”

“I think it’s very romantic to learn a language for someone.” Mel smiled at the two of them. “So, how long have you two been married?”

Jayce jolted like he’d been shocked. “Married?!” he squeaked, snapping towards her like a spring coil. “Oh—n-no, we’re not married! No, Viktor’s just my boyfriend.”

There was a beat.

Viktor’s brow twitched. His smile faltered for a split second. “…Yes,” he said, softer than before. The clarification sat a little heavier in the air than expected. “I’m his boyfriend of… it’ll be one year, come spring, actually.” 

Jayce turned to look at him, surprised. “Really, already? Surely it hasn’t been that long yet.”

Viktor shrugged, eyes on the wall. “Well, we went to Prague about three months after we started dating, spent a couple months there, and then Jinx arrived about three months after we got home, and she’s been here two months already…”

Jayce whistled, impressed. “Damn, you’re right. I can’t believe it’s almost been a year.”

Viktor smiled, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes.

Mel nodded warmly. “They say time flies. You two must be happy.”

“Yes. Very happy.” Viktor’s voice had dipped slightly, like the air had gone out of it. 

Jayce glanced over, suddenly aware that something had shifted, but Viktor just kept talking, steady and composed as ever. Almost too composed. Even as the elevator pinged, announcing the floor, and the metal doors slid open, Viktor moved like a robot — limbs stiff, jaw tight, eyes pulled forward like if he looked at Jayce the dam would burst. 

Just his boyfriend, Viktor thought. That word didn’t sit well with him — ‘ just; . Just? That word lingered longer than it should have. He knew Jayce didn’t mean anything by it, it was true after all, but something about the urgency in his denial stung anyway. It shouldn’t, really, and it was stupid that it did. By his own admission, they hadn’t even been dating a year yet. Nowhere near the realm of marriage, they hadn’t even celebrated their first anniversary yet. They had time. They could wait — they had their whole lives. 

And Viktor was a patient man. He had spent his entire life without Jayce, he could live without a ring on his finger for as long it took. There wasn’t any rush.

But why did Jayce have to deny it so vehemently? Like the very idea was absurd, like he couldn’t allow the assumption to linger a second longer than necessary?

Was…was it possible that Jayce was second guessing them, him ? They’d moved in together barely six months in. Were they moving too fast? Viktor hadn’t had a stable relationship before, the only person he could ever call a ‘boyfriend’ had been the ex that assaulted him two months into dating, and he’d left the country to escape him. He had nothing to compare this to, really. 

Did he want to marry Jayce? Yes. did he want kids with him? also , yes. Did he want to spend the rest of his life beside this man, to grow old with him, to die in his sleep curled up in his arms? Yes, yes and yes. 

But was it too soon? Did Jayce want those things? 

Just his boyfriend.  

Not ‘my love’. Not ‘my partner’. Just a boyfriend.

Viktor didn’t think he liked the idea of being ‘just’ anything. 

He loves me. He loves me. Viktor took a steadying breath. Jayce loves me. I know he loves me. Calm down. He loves you, Viktor. 

“How many more you got?” Jayce was asking Mel, setting down his pile by her door. “I can help with the rest.”

“Oh, there’s easily like an hour of work left. I couldn’t ask you to—”

“I got nowhere to be.” Jayce smiled, shrugging. “It’s no trouble, really.”

Mel smiled. “Oh well, thank you. The last boxes are down in my car.”

“Lead the way.”

“I think I’ll leave you two to it,” Viktor said, his voice sounding far away to even his own ears. 

Jayce fixed him a look of concern. “V? You okay?”

“Mm. Fine, just…tired.” Viktor flashed him a smile. Miniscule. Vanishing in a second. “My leg is ehh…giving me trouble this morning.”

It was a lie, but no one needed to know that. It got the desired result, which was getting Jayce’s attention on him again. 

“Go rest, baby.” he murmured, an arm slipping easily around Viktor’s waist. 

Viktor sighed, selfishly sinking into Jayce’s warmth, wishing he could keep it all to himself forever. Lock him up and never share him with anyone ever again. 

Jayce pressed a kiss to his temple. “Jsi v pořádku,můje lásko?” Are you alright my love?

Viktor nodded. “Ano, miláčku.” Yes, sweetheart.

“Want me to get you a couple of heatpacks? Set you up on the couch with your book and tea? Then I’ll go help Mel with her boxes.” Jayce offered softly. Sweet, as always. 

“Mm no, it’s okay. I can get them.” Reluctantly, he removed himself from Jayce’s warmth, tapping his way over to the elevator again. “I’ll be alright, I promise not to die without you.”

Jayce chuckled. 

Viktor did not get his heatpacks. He didn’t settle on the couch and read. Instead he paced the length of their apartment once, twice, maybe twelve times in the span of the next hour.

Thinking. Just thinking. 

Viktor’s thoughts had a tendancy of spiralling — this much he knew. Was intimately familiar with his breakdowns, though he hadn’t had a major one since his grandparents’ funerals. He’d been doing so well. Though he knew he’d never be fully rid of the meltdowns, he at least thought he was in a good enough place to not live in fear of them anymore. 

Eivdently not. 

But, before his racing thoughts could spiral down into a full panic, he heard laughter outside.

Viktor tugged open the apartment door just as Jayce was saying goodbye. Mel was laughing. Leaning against the railing, cheeks flushed, a box still tucked under one arm like a prop in a play she didn’t want to end.

“Well, you officially rank above every other guy who's ever helped me move. You didn’t even complain once.” she was saying.

Jayce grinned, wiping the back of his hand across his brow. “That’s only because I haven’t stood up yet. Ask me again when I can’t feel my knees tomorrow.”

She snorted, and nudged him lightly with her elbow. “Like I said: wimp.”

He clicked his tongue. “Ungrateful.”

They shared a smile. The kind that came with some silent punchline Viktor hadn’t been there for. It hung there for a second longer than it should’ve.

Viktor stepped fully into the doorway. “Is everything finished upstairs?”

Jayce turned like he’d forgotten for a moment Viktor would be there. “Yeah — yeah, we’re done. She’s all moved in.”

Mel offered Viktor a quick wave. “Thanks again for the help, Viktor. Couldn’t have done it without you cranking up Talis Lifter 5000.”

He nodded politely. “Of course. It was no trouble.”

Jayce lingered in the hallway, watching as Mel made her way back up the stairs. She moved with that effortless, self-assured grace of someone who knew she was being watched and didn’t mind one bit.

She tossed a final comment over her shoulder — something flippant, probably funny, Viktor didn’t catch it over the blood rushing through his ears — and Jayce laughed, soft and warm. Then, as she disappeared around the landing, heading up the stairs, Jayce just stood there a moment longer. Quiet now. Still.

Viktor watched him. Jayce was watching her. And it wasn’t just the smile on Jayce’s face that made Viktor’s stomach twist, it was the look beneath it. A kind of softness. A glow.

Something Viktor had only seen directed at him once , maybe twice — in quiet, unguarded moments when Jayce didn’t know he was being looked at. But this? Jayce wasn’t hiding it.

He looked at her like he was seeing the beginning of something. Like he already missed her, even though she was just upstairs.

Viktor couldn’t breathe.

And then he saw it: the faint smear of gold at the base of Jayce’s throat, catching the hallway light. Like she'd left a fingerprint on him — a shimmering claim. Viktor’s mind flickered to her body glitter, that shimmery sparkle she seemed to leave behind everywhere she went. 

“She got you,” Viktor said quietly.

Jayce startled slightly, like he'd forgotten Viktor was there.

“Huh?”

Viktor nodded toward the mark.“On your neck.”

Jayce rubbed at it absently, still looking toward the stairwell.

“Oh. Right. Must be her glitter or something. She’s, uh—covered in it.”

He chuckled, but Viktor didn’t. Didn’t answer, either.

“She’s cool,” Jayce added after a moment. “I like her.”

That landed harder than it should’ve.

“Yes.” Viktor mumbled through stiff lips. “I like her too.” 

And it was the truth. She was perfectly polite, as neighbours went. A nice woman, to be sure. There were far worse people to have as an upstairs neighbour.

But Viktor couldn’t stop staring at the gold on Jayce’s skin. His fingers curled into a fist. 

He decided he hated the colour of gold.

“Oh man, there’s more.” Jayce chuckled, lifting his arm to find even more gold smudges. “She sparkles. Everything she touches ends up glowing.”

“Yes, I noticed.” Viktor offered a smile, small and tight. “Seems like you two got along.”

Jayce shrugged, still a little breathless from laughing. “She’s fun. I think we’re gonna get on great.”

The door shut with a dull click. Jayce moved past him, oblivious to the shift in atmosphere, peeling off his tank top as he went — and that gold glinted again, faint but infuriatingly persistent. Like it wanted to be seen. Like it belonged there. It didn’t .

Viktor just stared for a moment. At the glitter. At the curve of Jayce’s neck. At the places someone else had touched. Laughed with. Made him glow. He didn’t know what exactly he was feeling — not quite anger, not yet jealousy — but it was sharp, and hot, and unwanted.

He wanted that shimmer gone . And more than that — he wanted Jayce marked again. But properly . Marked by Viktor .

He stepped forward, slow and deliberate, then reached out and brushed his fingers against Jayce’s neck, where the gold still clung like dust.

“It’s not your colour,” he murmured. “You look best in red.”

Jayce turned toward him, brows raised, but before he could say anything, Viktor continued.

“Come have a shower with me,” Viktor said. “You smell of sweat,”

He tried to sound casual, teasing. But it came out a little too smooth. Too deliberate. Like it wasn’t really about getting Jayce clean at all. And Jayce picked up on that.

Jayce blinked, then grinned. “That’s one way to say you missed me. I was only gone an hour, mi vida.”

Viktor hummed. He opened the bathroom door wide, like a beckoning hand.

Come back inside. Come back to me.

Another loop of red rope coiled around his arms, tightening with a swift tug to pull it taut against his olive skin. His jaw flexed against the gag, teeth digging into the silicone dog bone that currently rendered him speechless.

“Not too tight?” Came Viktor's soft, sweet voice. 

Jayce shook his head, and Viktor let out a pleased hum that had a happy heat tightening in Jayce’s belly. 

“Good boy.” Viktor praised, looping another length of rope around the arms that were slowly being secured flat against his back. “You're being such a wonderful boy for me, my love. So patient and obedient.” 

Jayce could only whine in response, drool dripping down past his chin. Viktor cooed softly, bringing a tissue up to wipe him clean. He lingered a moment longer than necessary, thumb brushing over Jayce’s throat — right where, days ago, gold shimmer had sat. 

It was gone now. Washed away. Replaced with the red of Viktor’s teeth marks, with the bruises of his fingertips. 

“Messy pup,” he purred, the hiss of his gentle s 's wrapping around Jayce's ears like silk. Viktor's fingers slipped under him, and Jayce let out an undignified squeak as his long, cold digits teased at his folds.

“Look at you, you're already so wet.” he teased. “I haven't even touched you yet. You're getting this turned on just from a gag and being tied up?”

Jayce whined, nodding. The medallion on his new collar jangled with the movement. A pretty gold charm with an engraved J on the front side. On the back the inscription simply read V's good boy. 

Rose-gold: something Viktor had chosen, something he had placed. It looked so pretty against his Jayce’s lovely skin.

Jayce had been so excited when it came in the mail yesterday. So excited, in fact, that Viktor knew exactly what the true reason was for him cancelling on Cait and Vi today. 

Jinx had gone to lunch with the girls — she was slightly nervous going without Viktor, but practically sprinted out the door when it was mentioned Ekko would be there — leaving the two of them alone for the day. And since they had a few new toys come in the mail, why not try them all out at once?

“Red is such a pretty colour on you, dearest.” Viktor murmured, tucking in the last knot of rope. “Thank you for letting me practise my shibari knots on you darling, you've been so very helpful.”

Jayce whined in response. Viktor chuckled, pressing a chaste kiss to his cheek. 

“We'll do your legs too next time, I think,” he purred, flattening his chest against Jayce's back, relishing in the feeling of his bound hands pressing into his stomach. “But my pup is oh so pent up, I can't help but feel partly responsible for that puddle.” 

He pointed down over Jayce's shoulder, indicating the darker blue patch of their top sheet where Jayce had been steadily dripping onto the mattress. Viktor clicked his tongue as if scolding.

“Making such a mess of my bedsheets, I just washed them.” Viktor nipped at the shell of Jayce's ear, and tugged. Jayce keened. “What I wouldn't give to strap a vibrator to that pretty pussy and just leave you here.” 

Jayce's eyes turned; half pleading, half glaring. He made a noise of protest, almost argumentative in nature. Viktor raised a single eyebrow.

“Are you giving me attitude, Jayce?” he said, voice measured and unamused. “You're going to be a brat?”

Jayce groaned low in his throat, the sound warbled by the gag, then tipped his head back against Viktor’s shoulder with a deliberate kick of his hips. Defiant. Testing.

Viktor’s eyes darkened. His hand slid down Jayce’s chest, fingers trailing like lazy sparks over his sternum. He buried his fingers in the thick of Jayce’s dark chest hair, and curled his fingers into a loose fist. “Oh, that’s how it is, hmm?” he murmured. “All tied up and still mouthing off.”

Jayce gave a muffled little huff, narrowing his eyes. The message was clear: do your worst.

Viktor clicked his tongue again— soft, scolding, indulgent. “What an ungrateful little pup I’ve got. Here I was thinking you deserved a reward…” He sighed dramatically and reached for the bedside drawer. Jayce’s breath stuttered.

The drawer opened with a quiet rasp. Viktor let it linger—just enough time for anticipation to bloom and curl in Jayce’s gut. Then he held up the vibrator, clicking it on to let it buzz. Jayce stiffened, toes curling.

“Still want to glare at me, miláčku?” Viktor purred, brushing the toy teasingly over the inside of Jayce’s thigh. He didn’t press, not yet. Just let the hum kiss the edge of skin. “Or are you ready to apologise like a good boy?”

Jayce wriggled in his bonds, arching his hips forward on instinct. The gag muffled his whimper. He shook his head stubbornly, eyes burning with a challenge.

Brat.

Viktor’s smirk turned sharp, almost fond. “Oh, my love, you never learn.”

Viktor thumbed it higher and let the low buzz fill the air like a warning. Jayce tensed. The smugness in his face flickered. But he didn’t back down.

“You want to be difficult? Let’s see how long that lasts.”

One hand slipped into Jayce's, letting his fingers curl around it. He squeezed once: green .

Viktor moved at once. He pressed the toy directly against Jayce’s ruddy cock, holding it there  against the erect nub with two fingers while his other hand stayed in Jayce's, ready for a signal should he need it.

The reaction was instant. Jayce jolted, the ropes creaking as his muscles spasmed. His breath came in short, harsh bursts through his nose, gag muffling the whines that climbed up his throat.

“There we go,” Viktor murmured, watching him intently. “So sensitive already. What a mess you are.”

Jayce twisted, panting, hips rolling —half trying to get more, half trying to escape. Viktor didn’t let up. He clicked the button once, twice, three times. Turning the toy up to its highest intensity. 

Jayce screamed. It was muffled against the gag, but it was the loudest noise yet. His thighs trembled. A high, keening noise pushed out from his gag as his head dropped forward, damp hair falling into his face.

“Look at you,” Viktor said, a little softer now. “That’s it. Taking your punishment so well.”

But Jayce was starting to shake. His muscles twitched uncontrollably under Viktor’s hand, eyes screwed shut. His hips twisted, his hands jerking violently against their restraints like they were trying to break free to rip the vibrator away from him. The whines became higher, wrenching , tears gathered in his eyes.

It looked too much. It sounded too much. Viktor's breath caught.

“Jayce.” 

He wanted to move the wand away. But he didn't. Jayce didn’t signal, and so he kept it there, letting Jayce writhe against him like a worm on a hook. 

Jayce crumpled, slumping over and shrieking into the gag, hand squeezing Viktor's so tightly it almost hurt. But he still didn't signal. 

“Jayce?” 

Jayce was crying now, the tears streaming from his eyes, and normally when he had Jayce crying in bed, Viktor felt a sense of pride. Of accomplishment. Seeing his pretty boy crying in pleasure was usually a treat. But this…

This felt wrong . Like he was hurting Jayce. 

“Jayce, do you need to safeword?” He asked urgently, squeezing Jayce’s fingers.

Jayce sobbed, but shook his head. He pressed his hips up against the toy, and the head of it slipped into that perfect spot right at the sensitive tip that had Jayce's entire body shudder. He let out a howl that was almost wounded .

Viktor's heart hammered in his chest. This didn't feel like conquest anymore. This was torture . 

He clicked off the toy, and threw it away like it burned.

Jayce made a sound. Sharp, confused. A strangled whine punched from his throat behind the gag, and his body lurched forward like he was trying to follow it, as if the absence of sensation was a punishment worse than the overstimulation itself. 

His eyes, wide and glassy, searched Viktor’s face with an almost frantic kind of desperation. His hips rolled instinctively, as if chasing a phantom pulse, ropes pulling taut with the motion. The moan broke at the edges, raw and pleading.

His chest heaved, his face flushed and damp. There was no relief in him, no rest—just the stunned, feral panic of someone who thought they’d done something wrong.

No. No, no, no.

“Red.” Viktor whispered. 

The word struck like cold water.

Jayce froze.

His breathing stuttered as his mind clawed its way out of the haze. He blinked again, eyes wide now, locking on Viktor’s face. Viktor looked… scared. Not of Jayce —but of himself . His hand was trembling where it still clutched Jayce’s.

“I can't do this.” Viktor pressed his head into Jayce's shoulder, having a shuddering breath against the heated skin. “I'm sorry Jayce. I need to stop.”

Fingers nimbly grasped at the rope, undoing the knots in a few swift tugs.Viktor was quick, his movements hurried and frantic, but precise. He was as nimble with his fingers releasing him as he had been tying him up. As Jayce's arms fell to his sides, free, Viktor reached up for the buckles of his gag, yanking at it like it offended him. 

The moment the gag dropped away, Jayce sucked in a sharp, rattling breath. Almost in a daze, he raised a hand to massage his aching jaw.

He licked his lips, swallowed hard, then croaked out, “Wh… what happened?”

Viktor didn’t answer at first. He was too busy wrapping an arm around Jayce’s waist, holding him steady, pushing his face into the small of his back and breathing in his scent.

“You said red,” Jayce mumbled, sluggish but present. “You safeworded? I–I was okay, I could have kept going…”

“I couldn't.” Viktor’s voice cracked. He tucked his face against Jayce’s back harder, eyes squeezed shut. “I know you didn’t need to safeword out. But I did, Jayce.”

Jayce was still breathing heavy, but he was more alert now — blinking rapidly, his brow creased in confusion. “Why?”

“You looked—” Viktor’s breath hitched. “I couldn’t tell if you were still with me. It felt like I was hurting you.”

Jayce stiffened slightly. “No. No, Viktor, I wasn’t—I didn’t want you to stop. I thought it was part of the punishment, and I—” He winced, then rested his hand against Viktor's, voice softer. “I wanted to power through it, be good. Make you proud.”

Viktor’s hands clenched gently against his sides. “You were good, dearest. You were so good, and I'm so proud. I didn't…safeword for you . I safeworded for me .”

Jayce craned his neck, trying to see Viktor's face. “Why, baby?”

“I didn't like it.” 

The words were so simple. Childish, almost, in their timid delivery. Like he was worried about rejection, or disdain. Like Jayce would be disappointed in him. But there were the only words Jayce needed to hear. 

The mattress shifted as Jayce turned. He fell back onto his backside and pulled Viktor in. Viktor immediately curled around Jayce, pressing himself so close it was hard to tell where Jayce ended and Viktor began. 

“Talk to me.” he said softly, resting his chin on Viktor’s head. 

Viktor opened his mouth, just as there was a crashing at the front door. The pair froze. 

“Viktor fucking Nováček!”

Viktor’s ears pricked. Jinx wasn’t due home for hours, at least. What was she doing back so early?

“Get the fuck out here right now! We need to talk!”

Jinx sounded…not angry, exactly. But something worse. Panicked, betrayed, borderline tearful. That worried Viktor more than anger. Anger he could deal with, but tears? Tears, he didn’t know what to do with. 

“I’m coming!” he was quick to scramble off the bed and find his clothes, yanking them on feverishly and desperately trying to smooth his hair down in a more civilised manner before he went out to confront his sister.

Jayce bent automatically to help him with his leg brace, but evidently even with assistance he was taking too long, because a banging at their bedroom door came not too long after.

“Quit fucking your boyfriend and get out here!” Jinx shouted.

“Give me a minute, Jinx!” Viktor shouted back, sharing a look with Jayce. “Are you hurt?”

“Only my heart.”

“Great.” Viktor muttered under his breath. “That’s not ominous at all. What do you think’s happened? If Ekko’s done something to my sister—”

“Ekko isn’t like that.” Jayce said. 

Viktor grumbled as he stood, and made his way to the door. “Stay here baby, whatever this is I don’t think Jinx would appreciate an audience.”

Jayce nodded, settling back on the bed. With a breath, Viktor left the room, grabbing his cane by the door as he hobbled out into the hall.

“Jinx,” he sighed, limping his way to the living room. “What on earth is—”

“Am I adopted?”

Viktor froze. 

“Vitek, am I adopted?”

The question was like a tsunami in the desert. Entirely unexpected, and bizarre. What a question to be asked on a random Thursday. Was his sister adopted? The same sister who shared so much of his own face? Unlikely. He and Jinx were spitting images when they were kids, the pair of them took after their mother mostly in face, but Viktor grew to resemble Silco more as he got older. Still, the resemblance between them as siblings was undeniable. If Jinx was adopted, then Viktor had to be adopted too. 

Brow furrowed, he turned to face his sister. “What?”

“Am I adopted?” there was no hint of mirth in Jinx’s face. No poor taste prank was this. She was dead serious. 

“Wha—what are you talking about, Jinx?” Viktor could only stare at his sister in shock. “Of course you’re not adopted, what on earth made you come to that conclusion?”

“I met Caitlyn for lunch, you know since you two decided to cancel in favour of getting freaky on a Thursday morning.” Jinx said, eyes rolling. Even in a crisis she couldn’t help but snark at her brother. 

“Not exactly what happened,” Viktor’s lie was weak and he knew it, but he plouged on ahead anyway. “And you don’t need your big brother around all the time—”

“Well, that’s just it.” Jinx clicked her fingers as if she’d made a huge discovery. “I dunno if you’re even really my brother.”

Viktor reared back, offended. “How could you say that to me?”

“Then tell me why Caitlyn’s girlfriend looks exactly like me!” Jinx snapped. “What was today for, if not a way to tell me I’m not really family by sending me to meet a girl with my face?”

Jinx thrust something at him — her phone. The screen was lit up with a photo, Jinx and Vi with their heads pressed together, side by side. As if to compare the similarities. 

Of which there were many. Too many.

Part of Viktor went cold. He had noticed the resemblance between Vi and Jinx early on. He’d commented on it himself, in fact. But he’d chalked in up to coincidence. People had a finite number of facial features, after all. It was inevitable people who weren’t related would have similar characteristics. 

But he’d never seen Jinx and Vi together side by side like that. Looking between them, it seemed entirely obvious that they were related. Too similar to be distant relations, either. Not cousins. Sisters. 

But that couldn’t be possible. Vi was born and raised in Mexico. Jinx was from Czechia. Viktor still remembered her being born. He’d been there . He’d held his baby sister in the hospital in their mother’s lap. He knew she was his sister. There was no doubt of that. 

Vitkor told her as much. 

“They could have got me from another couple” Jinx said, folding her arms around herself in a makeshift hug. “That doesn’t prove anything.”

“Doesn’t—Jinx, come here.” Viktor grabbed her hand and pulled, tugging her along with him down to the bathroom.

He flicked on the light, the fluroesecents sharp and clinical against the sensitivity of his retna. He tugged his sister to the sink, and the bathroom mirror. 

“Look at us.” he said, pointing to her face, then his own. “We have the same face. You couldn’t look more like me if you tried. You look like mami, you always have. Even your hair is the same. I’ve got tati’s nose, you’ve got his thin lips and his weird teeth. We both have mami’s ears, her cheekbones. We’re siblings , Jinx.”

That seemed to calm Jinx down a little, but not completely. 

“So, you don’t think Vi looks like me?” 

“I…” Viktor hesitated. “I… do , but that doesn’t mean you’re adopted. Look,”

He lay a hand on her shoulder, turning her to face him. “Why don’t we do one of those DNA tests? Just to ease your mind. You, me and Vi. It’ll tell us nothing’s wrong and hey, it could be interesting too.”

Jinx considered it. “Yeah…that sounds okay.”

“I’ll get Jayce to get us some.” 

It was two weeks before they got the results back. 

In Jayce and Viktor’s living room, they all sat —Vi, Cait, Jinx, Jayce, Viktor, even Ekko had made the trip down for it — the table was crowded with anticipation as the three reports, feverishly torn from their envelopes the second they arrived, sat side by side on the mahogany surface. 

First, they went through their loci. Viktor took over the cross-referencing, circling every genetic marker that matched between the three of them in a red pen. Then, he checked their alleles. Jinx, Vi, and himself, had 2 matching alleles. Each of them shared roughly 50% of DNA. 

“Sibling Index.” Viktor murmured, crossing his finger over the inked words. “155. Probability of full siblingship — 99.9%.”

There was a beat of silence. Just the faint hum of the fridge and a bird outside the window—then Jinx let out a short, disbelieving breath.

“Wait… wait, that means…” Her eyes darted between the reports, then between Vi and Viktor. “We’re all full siblings? Like, actual, biological—”

Vi blinked slowly, shoulders taut. Her eyes were locked on the numbers like they might change if she stared long enough. “No way. That can’t be right.” Her voice was hoarse. “I’m the adopted one?”

“How can—?” Jinx broke off, mind running on overdrive. “You’re older than us. You — you had to be born first , but you…”

“I was raised in Mexico.” Vi’s tone was flat, but her voice cracked at the edges. “Different continent. Different language. No idea you even existed.”

Viktor hadn’t moved. He was still hunched over the reports, the red pen slack in his hand. His face was pale and unreadable, except for the crease between his brows.

“I don’t understand,” he said quietly. “Tati never said anything about another. It was just me and Jinx, always. We grew up like that. Did mami…?”

“No,” Jinx denied it instantly, eyes hard. “If mami had had a kid with someone else, we’d be half -siblings, right? And according to that, we’re full siblings.”

“So…what? Ma and tati just… abandoned their first born? Is that what you’re suggesting?” Viktor’s grip on his pen was tight, his eyes wild. 

Jinx gestured helplessly. She didn’t want to accuse their parents of having a kid just to abandon them, but what else was there when faced with the evidence?

Vi shook her head slowly, jaw clenched. “My parents... they must’ve adopted me as a baby. They never said anything . I thought I was theirs.”

Jayce reached over instinctively to steady Viktor’s trembling hand, but Viktor pulled away before their skin could touch. He stood abruptly.

“So all this time,” he said, voice low, like if he spoke louder the ground might give out beneath him, “we were three . And we didn’t know. I had two sisters, and they denied me that — they all did . They denied us the right to know each other.”

Ekko sat back, exhaling hard. “That’s wild, man. You were all right there, living whole-ass lives not knowing the others existed.”

“I don’t know if I can believe this,” Vi muttered, rubbing her hands over her face. “It’s just… too much.”

Jinx was staring at her hands now, flexing her fingers like they weren’t entirely hers. “This—” She looked up at Vi again. “This is so messed up.”

Vi let out a humorless laugh, sharp and wounded. “Yeah. No kidding.”

Cait put a hand on Vi’s knee, grounding her. “Hey. It doesn’t change who raised you. You’re still you.”

“It changes everything, ” Vi snapped, more to herself than anyone else. “I thought I knew where I came from. Now I find out I’m not even Mexican? I’m Czech ? How the hell did I even get here from so far away?” 

Viktor finally looked up. His expression was fragile—eyes shiny, lips parted like he was about to say something, but couldn’t find the right shape for it.

“Let’s find out.” he said, reaching for his phone. 

“Vitek, it’s the middle of the night back home.” Jinx said. 

“I don’t care.” Viktor muttered. “ Our father has some explaining to do.”

Chapter Text

27 years ago…

Felicia’s stride when she entered the room was not confident. It was strange, in a way, to see her like that. Vander and Silco always knew her to be the loudest person in the room wherever they went. Now she was practically meek, docile like a mouse. It unnerved the both of them. 

Silco made eye contact with Vander across the bar, brows furrowed, head gesturing in Felicia’s direction. Vander acknowledged the look with a disgruntled noise, bar rag still slowly making its way over the glass in his hand as Felicia sat back on her stool with a low huff. 

Silco tried to determine the source of Felicia’s attitude drop before questioning the sullen woman. 

Had she drunk a little too much? Unlikely. It was barely 8pm. Felicia could outdrink both him and Vander on a good night, and they hadn’t had much tonight. Just a couple rounds to celebrate Vander passing his finals. Vander was the one serving at the bar tonight anyway, there was no chance of them getting too drunk — he’d cut them off long before that could happen. 

Maybe she was put out with him. Or with Vander. He tried to think if they’d said or done anything to irritate her of late. He couldn’t think of much, least not from tonight’s outing. He may have pissed her off a couple days ago when he implied Vander was a better kisser than Felicia, but he’d already paid his penance for that by being forced to watch the two of them make out on the couch while they ignored him all tied up on a chair like the world’s sorriest cuck. He’d only been joking anyway, and she knew that. 

“Fel? Honey?” he ventured, fiddling with the straw in his drink. “You okay over there?” 

Felicia did little more than hum, glum. Vander eyed Silco again. 

“Something you need to get off your chest, sugar?” he asked. “You can talk to us, you know.”

“About anything.” Silco added.

Felicia looked over at them, chewing on her bottom lip. When she opened her mouth, it was to drop a bombshell into their laps.

“I’m knocked up.”

Silco felt a pit drop in his stomach. For a moment, he and Vander just stared at each other. Speechless. And what, really, was there to say? They always used protection when they were intimate, but that was never 100% effective, especially with Felicia unable to use birth control without severe side effects. They’d known that, academically, but practically? Seeing the result firsthand was different.

Felicia didn’t seem particularly thrilled about it. Part of Silco was a little excited, the bigger part utterly terrified. He could tell Vander was much in the same boat. After all these years together, he could read that man like a cheap paperback. He was panicking .

They were too young for kids. Too unprepared. Felicia worked at a daycare for minimum wage for crying out loud. Vander had another 2 years before he could even practise medicine, and Silco didn’t exactly break the bank working in paramedics. London was expensive as hell, even with them all pitching in for rent and utilities. With a baby added to the mix…

“You uh…wanna run that by me again, Fel?” Vander choked out, his hands now completely still in their clean-up. 

Felicia produced a pregnancy test from the handbag she’d taken into the bathroom with her, and laid it out on the bar. “Been feeling off lately, and on the way here I just…I don’t know. Something just told me to test it.”

Silco stared down at the positive pregnancy test, scarcely breathing. He wet his lips, and tried not to swallow his damn tongue. 

“Do you…” his throat closed, but he powered through. “Do you know if…it’s mine? Or Van’s?” 

Felicia flinched minutely. “No. I mean, not for sure. It could be either of you. Doesn’t really matter, I suppose.”

There was a long silence, the kind that pressed against the ribs and made it hard to breathe. Silco’s jaw ticked. Vander let out a breath that sounded like he’d been holding it for years.

“And how are we doing?” Silco asked softly, gaze never leaving her face. “What are we feeling, Fel? Is this a ‘yay, we’re going to be parents’ moment? Or a ‘get me to the nearest clinic’ situation?”

Felicia’s arms crossed over her chest, half a defense, half to keep herself from shaking. “Honestly?” Her voice was quiet. “I don’t know. I wasn’t planning for this, but the second I saw the result…I don’t know, I got…sad, but also happy. I think—I think I want to keep it.”

Silco nodded once, a small motion, like he’d already sensed that answer. “It’s your decision honey, if that’s what you want, that’s what we’ll do.”

“Is it just my decision, though? I mean…you’re my husband.” Felicia said, eyes turning earnest to Silco. “What do you want?”

“If you want the baby, Fel, then so do I.” Silco answered simply. “We always talked about kids. It doesn’t matter to me if they come a little sooner than planned. I’ll still love them. Even if the poor thing ends up being Van’s little monster.”

Vander laughed, more of a wheeze than anything. “Hey, and how am I supposed to feel if it’s your tiny mongrel, huh?”

Silco smirked. “Then you can sleep peacefully knowing it won’t have that nose of yours.” 

“Oh please, you love my nose. You know they say a guy with a big nose has a big—”

“Van.” Felicia smacked his hand, a half-hearted grin on her face. “Be serious a minute.”

“It’s not true anyway,” Silco shrugged. “You’re not that big.”

“You weren’t complaining last night.”

Silco side-eyed him. “Mmm…I suppose you’ve got me there.”

The laughter simmered down slowly, warmth still lingering in the space between them. But the air shifted—softened into something heavier, quieter. Vander rubbed the back of his neck, stepping away from the bar like he needed a little more air than the room could give him.

“Okay. Okay. But this is… a lot, right?” Vander asked, voice low. “I mean, if the baby is mine—”

“It doesn’t matter, Van.” Felicia cut in gently. “Not really. What matters is how we raise it.”

Silco’s gaze flicked to her, hopeful. “Well that’s obvious, isn’t it? We raise it together. The three of us.”

Felicia looked between them—her husband, and the man she’d built so much of her life around. Her lips parted, then pressed shut again. “I don’t think we can.”

Vander’s brow furrowed. “What do you mean?”

Felicia took a breath, slow and steady. “I mean legally. Logistically. Socially. We’re not just three people anymore—we’re going to be parents. And the world isn’t set up for what we have. I mean, look at my family."

"You grew up in a commune, that's not the same." Silco scowled. "It wasn't polyamory that screwed up your childhood, Fel, it was your freaky cult parents."

"Regardless," Felicia said, eyeing him. "I know how a situation with too many parents can ruin a kids life."

Silco’s expression tightened. “So what? We’ve never given a damn about how the world works before. That’s their problem, not ours.”

“It becomes our problem when it affects the kid,” she said. “Silco, you’re my legal husband. You’ll be on the birth certificate, no matter what. But Van—he’s not. If the baby’s his, he has no rights. No protections. No say. If anything ever happens to me, or to you, there’s nothing in place for him to keep custody. He’d be a legal stranger to his own child.”

Vander shifted uncomfortably, but said nothing.

“And what if it’s yours, Silco?” Felicia continued, turning to him. “What if something happens between us—hell, even just a bad argument or a crisis—and Van’s left trying to raise a kid that isn’t his, without any real authority to make decisions? No school forms. No hospital access. Nothing.”

Silco opened his mouth to argue, but she kept going, more quietly now.

“And what about the child? What do we tell them? That they have two dads but only one is official? That Uncle Van might be their real father, but we’ll never be sure because we agreed not to test it? They grow up with a story that’s blurry at best and legally precarious at worst. They deserve clarity. Security.”

“But they’d have us, ” Silco said, almost pleading. “They’d have all the love in the world. That’s what matters.”

Felicia’s voice cracked. “It’s not just about love anymore.”

Silco pressed a hand to his mouth, eyes burning. “So what are you saying?”

“I’m saying…” She hesitated, then reached out and took Silco’s hand. “We go back home. The new Republic is stabilising now. Your parents can help us. It’s safe again, and familiar. It’s where we can raise the baby without all the complications of this.”

Vander’s voice was rough. “You’re saying I step back.”

“I’m saying we need to give this baby a clean foundation,” Felicia said. “You’d still be in their life, Van. But as an uncle, a close family friend—someone they trust, someone who loves them. But not in the middle. Not sharing a bed with Mum and Dad. It’s too confusing to a little kid, I don’t want our lifestyle to damage our child.”

Silco’s jaw clenched, pain flashing in his eyes. “So that’s it? You want me to leave my partner of a decade just like that?”

“Sil, baby it’s okay—” Vander began, reaching out.

“No, Van, it’s not okay.” Silco cut him off, voice cracking as he turned toward Vander. “We’ve been together since we were teenagers, dammit. Since before we even knew what we were doing. We fought a revolution together. You’ve been my home longer than I’ve had a real one. And now I’m supposed to just walk away from that?”

Vander swallowed hard, his hand flexing on the edge of the bar. “That’s your wife, Sil,” he said quietly, glancing toward Felicia. “It’s not some stranger asking you to end it. She’s the mother of your child. She and the baby have gotta come first.”

“You would have been my husband , if society wasn’t so damn ignorant.” Silco whispered, his fist clenching on the bar. Vander covered his hand with his own, swallowing it almost completely. “You should’ve been. You still should be. I would have married you in a heartbeat.”

“I know, baby.” he murmured. 

Silco growled, slammed his fist down on the bar—not in anger, but in desperation. Felicia flinched. 

“Fucking hell.” he cursed under his breath. “I love you, Van.”

“I know Sil,” Vander sighed. “I love you too. But Fel’s right — it’s not just about love anymore.”

Felicia wiped at her eyes. “I always felt like I came between you two.” she said, voice thick with guilt. “But I chose you both. I loved you both . I still do.”

Silco turned to her, his expression torn in two.

“I never wanted to be the reason you had to leave him,” she whispered. "I'm sorry."

“You have never once come between us,” Silco said, reaching for his wife with his other hand. “Never in a million years, Fel. You were, and are, the greatest joy we ever added to our lives. It has been the greatest gift of my life to love the two of you."

“Mine too. You know, I still remember the day he met you. He came barrelling in raving about this gorgeous girl that had started working at our usual cafe.” Vander chuckled. “‘Wait till you see her Van, I think I fell in love with her the moment she took my order, she’s a goddess’.”

“Did you really say that about me?” Felicia asked, a warm smiling overtaking the sadness on her face.

Silco’s lips pulled into a smile too, reminiscing on that day. “Well it was only the truth, Fel. And I’m pretty sure Van fell in love with you about five seconds into that conversation too, so it wasn't just me.” 

“It’s true, I did.” Vander grinned.

“And now here we are.” Silco muttered, sobering into sullenness again. “And this strange crossroads.”

“I don’t want us to break up.” Felicia said softly. “But I also didn’t want to lie to our child. I didn’t want them to grow up ashamed or confused, or worse—forced to keep our family a secret just to make it through school, or a courtroom, or a border.”

“You’re the ones that got married.” Vander added after a moment, softer. “I always knew, anyway. I’ve always known that if such a day came, if there had to be a choice… it wouldn’t be me.”

Felicia shook her head, choking on tears. “It shouldn’t have to be a choice.”

“But it is,” Vander said.

“And I hate that,” Silco murmured, his voice barely there.

The silence that followed was thick with every unspoken thing—every anniversary, every shared morning, every private promise made when they were younger and thought love could overcome anything.

It wasn’t fair. It wasn’t right. But it was what had to be done.

Moving day was overcast. Not an unusual scene in central London, but the usual mood that accompanied such gloomy mornings — giggling in the sheets, coffee in bed, warm showers shared by too many bumping elbows — was all but gone this morning, replaced instead with an echoing silence that could crush space and time itself. 

“I’ve always hated goodbyes.” Silco muttered, dragging the cigerette from his lips as he watched the men load the van below the balcony. “Always preferred to just slink away into the night like an alleycat. Leave the people guessing.”

“As charming as your stray cat ways are, this one couldn’t be avoided.” Vander nudged a coffee into his hand for what felt like the last time. “It’s not forever, Sil.”

“May as well be.” Silco muttered. “Even in the army you were only a dirty letter away. And now I’m supposed to just pretend like all those years meant nothing.” 

Vander sighed. “Stop being so pathetic and melancholy. It makes me want to kiss you, and I can’t do that anymore.”

“You could.” Silco said, taking a long drag of his cigarette. “For old time’s sake.”

“I can’t, and you know it. We agreed on a clean break.” Vander said firmly. “Easier for everyone.”

“You think I’m just going to stop loving you because I’m not allowed to kiss you anymore?” Silco raised an eyebrow. “Doesn’t work like that sweetheart. I loved you when the law still said we couldn’t, any rules we come up with pale in comparison.”

“Yeah, I know.” Vander shrugged. “You’re a stubborn bastard like that.”

“Takes one to know one.” Silco chuckled. He put out his cigarette against he balcony railing. “This fucking sucks, Van.”

“I know.” Vander didn’t have anything but quiet agreement to give. There wasn’t much else to say. 

“Darling, the movers are ready! Time to go!” Felicia called, waving up at the two of them from the street. 

Silco waved a hand down in acknowledgement. He ached to give Vander a kiss goodbye. 

Vander followed him downstairs, down the hallway the three of them had lovingly decorated with pot plants and picture frames, now bare of everything barring Vander’s bonsai collection and a couple pictures of him and Silco at university. 

“We’ll come visit in the winter, when you’re on break.” Silco said, his voice quiet and heavy. “You have my parents number, yeah? You can call us, anytime.”

“I know. I will. Same goes for you two, anytime.” Vander responded.

His hand found Silco’s, thumb smoothing over his wedding ring. He wondered, briefly, what their lives would have looked like. If relationships like theirs had been legal, when they’d met. If they would be husbands right now instead of Silco and Felicia. If they would have even opened their relationship to Felicia, if they’d been able to get married. It didn’t matter now. 

“Bye baby,” he murmured. “I’ll be seeing you.”

Silco rose on his toes, and leaned. Pressed his lips to the corner of Vander’s mouth. Squeezed his hand in a death grip. 

“Vander…I lo—”

“Don’t. I’ll lose it.” Vander tried to smile, tried to joke, but it fell short. “Go on, or I’ll start crying and you’ll never make it out the door.” 

Silco sighed. “You’re going to do that anyway,”

“Yeah, but you won’t be able to see me. So it doesn’t count.”

“Sure it doesn’t, love.” Silco murmured, humouring him. “I’ll call when we get there safely.”

“Sure thing. And for what it's worth, I've always liked the name Violet."

Silco smiled. 

As Silco took the last of the bags to the car, Felicia replaced him at the doorway. When she joined him in the car, her eyes were red-rimmed. He held her hand, and started the engine. 

“I love you Fel.”

Felicia returned his weak smile with a watery one of her own. “I love you too.” 

6 years ago…

“She’s still angry at me, I think.” Silco sighed, setting his phone down on the kitchen table. The screen was still lit from his latest failed call attempt. “She hasn’t answered in three days.”

“At least we know she’s alive,” Vander said gently. “Viktor said she’s answering his texts.”

“Oh huzzah , my daughter isn’t dead.” Silco rolled his eyes, voice sharp with bitterness. “She just might never speak to me again, but hey—small wins, right?”

Vander gave him a look. “Can’t help but notice you sound a little pissed off.”

“Gee, can’t imagine where you got that idea.” Silco’s glare sharpened as it landed across the table. “Truly, Van, you’re a genius. Sherlock fucking Holmes.”

“I’ll let that one slide,” Vander muttered, voice low with guilt. “Seeing as I feel partly responsible—”

“You’re entirely responsible!” Silco snapped, voice cracking on the edge of grief. “We agreed, remember? That we’d ease the kids into it. When they were ready. Not let them catch us making out in the damn hallway a month after we buried their mother.”

“Well, to be fair, you kissed me —”

“I know , I know.” Silco groaned, dragging his hands down his face. “It all just happened so fast. My head has been so fucked up lately.”

He stared down at the floor, voice trembling. “I miss her, Van. Every day. I haven’t stopped thinking about her .”

“I miss her too.” Vander said quietly.

“But I–I miss you too.” Silco whispered. “I miss you so fucking much. Having you here the last 20 fucking years, close enough to touch but not being able to hold me . It’s been so damn hard…”

“Hey, hey.” Vander shifted, tugging Silco out of his chair and into his arms. The place he’d been longing to be for the last few decades. Silco didn’t resist. He collapsed against him like something broken, burying his face into Vander’s chest as though he could hide from everything pressing in. “No one is going to blame you for a moment of weakness, Sil. You’re grieving too.”

“You didn’t hear her, Van.” Silco said into his shoulder. “She hates me.”

“She’s fifteen, and hurting,” Vander said gently. “And she shouldn’t have seen that—not like that. We should have sat her and Viktor down. Explained it properly. Let them ask their questions. Instead we—”

“Snuck around like cowards,” Silco finished bitterly. “I thought I could juggle it, until they were old enough to understand. But the look in her eyes, Van—she said I was replacing Felicia. That I didn’t even let her memory get cold before I shoved someone else into her place.”

“I think it’s time we tell them.” Vander said heavily. “The whole story.”

“No, they’re still so young, they’re not even out of the house yet.” Silco shook his head. “Fel and I always agreed to wait until they were grown before we’d ever try us again, some time when they were old enough and mature enough to hopefully understand our love was different.”

Silco closed his eyes. “I don’t know how to fix this.”

“You don’t,” Vander said. “You wait. Give her space. Let her be angry. Let her sort through it. She’s smart. And she loves you. She’ll come home eventually. When she’s ready.”

Silco was silent for a long time, arms wrapped tight around the only familiar thing left in the world. A ping interrupted Silco’s thoughts, his phone screen lighting up with a text from Jinx. with bated breath, he read it. 

“She says she won’t tell Viktor.” he reported. “Not if we never do that again.”

Vander sighed. “Do we give in to the little gremlin’s demands?”

“I think we have to.” Silco said. “At least for now.”

“We’ve got to tell her the truth eventually. Viktor, too.”

“We will.” Silco promised. “But Viktor is about to go to America to study, and Jinx is about to enter her final years of highschool. They’ve got enough to worry about than their father’s relationships. Once they’re settled, then we’ll explain things.” 

“And hope they don’t kick dear Uncle Van out of the family.” 

Present Day…

It was around 2am when the phone rang. 

Silco made a barely human noise, head buried somewhere in the recess of Vander’s chest, his arm reaching blindly around him for his phone. The giant, hulk of a man didn’t even move. Jerk. he knew Vander was awake, he was a light sleeper.

“Van.” he muttered. “Phone.”

“Mmf. ‘Gnore it.” Vander mumbled into his hair, wrapping his gigantic arms around Silco’s bony frame tighter. “‘S’too early, s’prolly nuthin’...”

“Van, you forget I have two children in another timezone.” Silco wrenched himself up, clawing his way over Vander’s imposing bulk to reach for the nightstand. “And my kids don’t tend to call for no reason.” 

The blinding blue light hit Silco in the face as he flipped over his phone, making him squint blearily at the caller ID. when he saw it, his stomach dropped.

“Especially not Viktor.”

Viktor never called. Barely even texted. He was lucky if his son remembered he even existed most of the time, when not in direct eyeline with Viktor he tended to forget about people. If he was calling, he would have had the decency to check the time difference, which meant he was very deliberately calling at 2am, which could only mean one thing. 

Silco’s mind immediately fell to Jinx. was she okay? Was that why Viktor was calling? Their last phonecall had been about Jinx turning up at his doorstep and what the hell could Silco have done to prompt that kind of dramatic run away (he’d received a sort of bewildered, grudging congratulations when he told him about Vander, along with a scolding of not considering Jinx’s feelings — scolded by his own son, what had the world come to?)

“It’s Viki?” Vander seemed more awake now, shifting to his back so Silco could more easily sprawl over his chest, clutching his phone in a sudden death grip. 

Silco shared a look with him, mouth mashed into a tight line. Without a word, he accepted the call and brought the phone to his ear. 

“Vitek, it’s 2am—”

“I’m aware of that, and I don’t care.” Viktor answered bluntly.

Well, that was certainly new. Viktor was hardly rude or disrespectful. He’d never spoken to his father in that tone before. He didn’t know what to do with this Viktor. 

“Why did you never tell us you had another kid?” 

Silco blinked. Of all the things he might have expected, this wasn’t one of them. “What do you mean, another kid?” he asked, dumbfounded. “We only have you and Jinx—”

“Don’t lie to me, otče .” Viktor said.

The word landed like a slap. Viktor had never called him that before. Otče was stiff, formal — the kind of word you used for a priest in confession, not your own father. It stripped away every ounce of warmth from the room, turned blood into ice water. For Viktor to use it now meant he wasn’t speaking to his dad — he was addressing a man he no longer recognised.

“Viktor, I’m not—”

“Then tell me why the fuck Jinx and I are staring our sister in the face right now?” Viktor snapped. “You tell me that. Tell me why Violet and I share a face but not a name, huh?”

Silco’s heart stuttered, and stopped. The phone almost fell from his grip. He felt dizzy. 

“Did–did you just say Violet ?” he breathed.

Beneath him, Vander jolted awake, stone cold sober at hearing that name. He stared at Silco, wide-eyed, trying to hear the conversation on the other end. Silco just stared back, barely able to even breathe. 

“But that’s–that’s not possible…” he whispered, the words slipping past numb lips. “She…Violet, she–she never…” 

The hospital room came rushing back to him in a jagged blur.

Felicia was sobbing into his chest, shaking so hard he thought her bones might splinter.

"I want to see her,” she kept repeating, voice cracking, nails clawing at the thin fabric of his shirt. “Please, I just want to see my Violet.”

“They said—” Silco’s voice broke before he could finish. His arms tightened around her, more for his own sake than hers, rocking her slightly like the motion could anchor them.

The doctor stood at the foot of the bed, shoulders stiff, eyes fixed on the clipboard in his hands. He didn’t look at them when he spoke.

“I’m so sorry. She was gone before she could even draw breath. There’s nothing to see. We’ll… we’ll take care of everything.”

Before either of them could argue, a nurse had slipped past, gathering the small, swaddled bundle from the bassinet as if she’d been waiting for the cue. She moved quickly, efficiently—too quickly. Felicia lunged, a raw sound tearing from her throat, but Silco’s arms locked around her before she could leave the bed.

“I just want to see her face!” Felicia’s voice cracked into a sob that tore through him. “Please, just once—”

The nurse was gone. The door clicked shut. The white sheets seemed to glare under the harsh fluorescent light, too bright, too clean, too final.

A hand landed on Silco’s shoulder, heavy and steadying. Vander was there, his usual booming voice reduced to a low rasp.

“I’m here, Sil. Whatever you need, I’m here.”

Silco nodded faintly but kept his eyes on the door, as if willing it to open again. It didn’t. The only sound was Felicia’s broken sobs and the hollow thud of his own heartbeat in his ears.

“Violet—she’s dead.” Silco stammered. “She died. She didn’t — she never lived . What do you mean she’s in front of you? ”

Viktor blinked, taken aback by his father’s response. Of the many things he could reasonably expect — denials, reluctant acceptances, reassurances and lies — he hadn’t expected the genuine, sheer confusion in Silco’s voice.  

He exchanged a look with Violet, and Jinx. The two of them looked just as bewildered as he did. Jinx’s mouth moved silently, what is he talking about?

Viktor opened his mouth to ask the same thing. “Tati, what do you mean by that?”

“Vitek, I don’t think this is a conversation for the phone.”

“Well tough, I’m on the phone now.” Viktor said. “And so is Jinx, and Vi, by the way. You’re on speaker.” 

“Viktor, we really should talk about this kind of thing in person—”

“Well you don’t exactly live down the road tati, we’re not getting on a plane for 13 fucking hours and give you ample time to come up with a lie.” Viktor snapped.

“I wouldn’t be lying, for one,” Silco argued. “And I would pay for you—”

“Just answer the damn question, Silco!” Jayce finally shouted. 

There was nothing but stunned silence on the other end. Then, a sigh. 

“Jayce. I appreciate you being there for my son, but this isn’t really any of your business. It’s family—”

“It concerns the man I love, so it concerns me.” Jayce snapped. “Viktor is my family, so this is my business. You’ve kept him in the dark about this his whole life, you’ve denied him the right to know his own siblings! You’ve denied them all that right! So you’d better have a damn good reason for that!”

“Jayce—”

“You will show your fucking children the respect they deserve! You will tell them, and you will tell them now .” he growled, impassioned with a blazing righteousness he hadn’t even known he could feel. 

He looked over at Viktor, but his boyfriend had a strange look on his face. The phone hung almost limply in his hand. His whole body had tensed. 

“Jinx, take the phone please.” he said in a hushed voice. He barely waited for his sister to close her fingers over his phone before he was quickly striding out of the living room.

Jayce watched him leave, an uneasy feeling growing. “Vik? Baby?” 

Viktor didn’t respond, just disappeared down the hall. Jayce shared a silent, lost look with Jinx, who gestured for him to follow, holding up the phone in a I’ve got this gesture.

At once, Jayce took off after Viktor. 

He found him in the bathroom. 

“Babe? What’s wrong?” Jayce closed the door softly behind him, his voice gentle and low like he didn’t want to startle Viktor.

“I’m okay, Jayce.” Viktor mumbled, though his voice was muffled as his face was half buried inside his sweater, Viktor having pulled up his collar. He was pink in the ears. 

“Mi vida?” Jayce’s brow furrowed, not hesitating to gather Viktor’s body in his arms, holding him loose enough to move away but strong enough to feel his body heat. “What is it?”

Viktor mumbled something, burying his head in further. Ears going pinker.

“What was that?”

Viktor groaned, pulling his sweater back down to reveal his flushed face. “I said I got wet .” 

“Oh.” Jayce blinked. “ Oh .”

Viktor flushed further, the red splotches colouring his neck. He squirmed in Jayce’s arms like a worm embarrassed to even be on the hook, looking off in the distance. To the side. Anywhere but Jayce.

“What made you wet baby?” Jayce asked, a little bemused.

“Just…the way you spoke to my father.” Viktor croaked. “How you—spoke up for me, demanded from him—I’ve never heard anyone talk to táta that way before. I’ve never heard you talk like that before.” He risked a quick, shy glance up at Jayce. “It was…really fucking sexy.” 

“Just hearing me talk like that made you wet?” 

Minutely, Viktor nodded. “Like, really… really wet, Jayce.”

Jayce’s mouth went dry. His hands tightened slightly on Viktor’s waist, just enough to feel the tremor running through him.

“Fuck, baby,” Jayce breathed, his voice dropping an octave. “You have no idea what that does to me.”

Viktor’s eyes flickered up to his for half a second before darting away again, his lips parting on a shaky inhale. Jayce tilted his head, catching his chin between his fingers, forcing Viktor to meet his gaze.

“You’re telling me I could get you like this… just by putting your father in his place?” Jayce’s tone was teasing, but heat pulsed in every word.

Viktor’s lashes fluttered. “It’s…not just that. It’s the way you did it. You weren’t speaking over me, you were speaking for me. you—I like it when you’re…defensive. Protective. It’s…”

Viktor bit down, teeth niggling into his bottom lip. He exhaled, leaning up to rest his forehead against Jayce’s. 

Jayce could feel Viktor’s breath fan warm over his lips, each exhale a little uneven. “It’s…?” he prompted, his voice low, coaxing.

Viktor’s eyes flicked up, dark and bright all at once. “It’s hot, Jayce,” he admitted, the words almost a whisper but weighted enough to punch through Jayce’s chest. “You make me feel so safe. Wanted. You made me feel like I mattered more than anything else in that moment.”

Jayce swallowed hard, his thumb brushing over Viktor’s flushed cheek. “You do matter more. Always. To me, you’re everything.”

The words landed like a strike—Viktor’s breath hitched, his fingers curling into the fabric of Jayce’s shirt, holding on. Jayce felt the shift in the air, the pull in his gut, and suddenly he couldn’t keep the distance between them.

His forehead dropped lower, noses brushing, his breath mingling with the quick, shallow rhythm of Viktor’s own. “Tell me,” Jayce murmured, his lips barely a hair from Viktor’s. “Tell me exactly what you’re thinking right now.”

Viktor’s eyes were molten when they met his. “I’m thinking,” he said slowly, voice like silk dragged over coals, “that my body is on fire, and I want my man to do something about it.”

Jayce’s answering groan was low and hungry. His hands slid down to Viktor’s hips, drawing him closer until the space between them was nothing but heat and fabric.

“You sure? Here, now?” His lips finally brushed against Viktor’s in a kiss that was soft for all of one heartbeat before it deepened, teeth grazing, tongues meeting, urgency flooding in like a tide.

“It is hardly the time,” Viktor admitted, panting against Jayce’s lips the second they pulled back for air. “Or the place. But fuck, Jayce, I want you. I need you. Please, my cunt is literally throbbing right now, I’m aching for you Jayce. I need you please—” 

Jayce’s breath hitched, a raw sound catching in his throat at Viktor’s words. “Shit, Vik…” His hands tightened on Viktor’s hips like he was afraid to let go, thumbs digging into the fabric where it clung to him.

Viktor’s pupils were blown wide, his chest rising and falling in quick, shallow pulls of air. “I can feel it, Jayce—every heartbeat between my legs is driving me insane. I’ve never—” His voice broke into a soft, desperate sound, his fingers curling into Jayce’s shirt like he could drag him closer by sheer will. “I’ve never felt this desperate before in all my fucking life.”

Jayce’s forehead pressed to his, their breaths mingling, heat rolling between them. “You’re killing me, mi amor,” he wheezed, his voice almost pleading. “You think I can hear you say that and not want to—” He cut himself off with a sharp inhale, his hips instinctively pressing forward until Viktor gasped.

Viktor’s knees weakened under the contact, a shiver raking down his spine. “Jayce—please—”

Jayce swallowed hard, fighting the thin thread of restraint still holding him in place. His lips ghosted over Viktor’s ear, his voice a rasp. “What do you need, baby? What do you want—my fingers or my mouth?”

Viktor’s breath stuttered, his nails digging faint crescents into Jayce’s skin through the shirt. His body betrayed his answer before his lips did, shifting closer, pressing into him with a shiver that left no doubt. A choked sound caught in Viktor’s throat, his fingers clutching at Jayce like he needed him to stay upright.

“Your fingers,” he gasped, breath hot and shaky against Jayce’s jaw. “I need them inside me—need to feel you stretch me open—”

Jayce groaned low, the sound vibrating through both of them. “Fuck, mi vida…” His hand slid down over Viktor’s hip, fingers curling possessively as his other cupped the back of Viktor’s neck, keeping him close. “You’re so goddamn perfect when you ask for me like that.”

Viktor’s lips parted in a soft, desperate moan, his body arching into Jayce’s touch. “I’m already dripping for you, Jayce. Please, please I can’t wait—”

That thin thread of restraint finally snapped. Jayce’s hand trailed down, slow enough to make Viktor tremble, until he could cup the heat between Viktor’s thighs through his clothes. He felt it instantly—the damp warmth, the way Viktor’s hips jerked into the pressure.

“Oh, fuck…” Jayce breathed, pressing his forehead to Viktor’s again. “ Fuck , V. You weren’t lying.”

Viktor’s eyes fluttered shut, his voice breaking on a needy sound. “I told you. The way you spoke was so fucking sexy—Jayce please, take care of it. Take care of me baby, I need you to make me feel better.”

Jayce’s fingers hooked into Viktor’s waistband, dragging it down just far enough to slip his hand inside. Heat hit him instantly, damp and slick and intoxicating. He groaned into Viktor’s mouth as his fingers found him, stroking through wetness before pushing in, slow only for the first inch.

Viktor’s knees nearly buckled, his hands flying to Jayce’s shoulders for balance. “Oh—fuck—” he gasped, his head falling back against the wall.

Jayce’s mouth trailed hot, open-mouthed kisses along Viktor’s throat, feeling his pulse hammering under his lips. “God, you’re tight, baby,” he murmured, curling his fingers just right until Viktor’s breath stuttered in his chest. “But you like it that way, don’t you? Like the stretch.”

“More,” Viktor pleaded, his voice breaking, hips rolling down to meet each thrust of Jayce’s hand. “Harder—”

Jayce obliged, working him open with firm, relentless strokes, his thumb finding that swollen, aching bundle of nerves and circling until Viktor was shaking in his arms.

“Oh my G-God, yes.” Viktor breathed, eyes squeezing shut. He wrapped his arms around Jayce’s shoulders, burying his head tight against Jayce’s neck, hoping it would muffle the desperate noises escaping him. “So thick—so perfect…”

“That’s it,” Jayce coaxed, his own breathing ragged. “Take it for me.”

“Faster, oh Jayce please—faster—”

his wrist started working faster, fingers driving into Viktor with a steady, ruthless rhythm. “You feel so fucking good, baby,” he whispered, his lips brushing the shell of Viktor’s ear. “So tight and wet—fuck—”

Viktor’s breath came in sharp, broken gasps, each thrust sending him closer to the edge. His nails dug crescents into Jayce’s back through his shirt, clinging like he’d drown without him. “Oh—oh God, Jayce —yes, like that, just like that—don’t stop—”

“I’m not stopping,” Jayce promised, curling his fingers deep inside until Viktor’s whole body arched into him. His thumb pressed down on his ruddy cock, circling the sensitive head hard, and Viktor’s strangled cry was muffled against his neck.

Jayce hissed when he felt Viktor’s teeth dig in. he bit down hard, fingers white-knuckling his clothes. “Right there, love?” 

Viktor nodded rapidly against him, shaking thighs doing their best to buck into his hand. He whined when Jayce closed his hand around Viktor’s hip to keep him in place.

“Please, I’m so close—so close—” Viktor’s voice pitched high with desperation, his hips jerking uselessly against Jayce’s hold.

“Come for sweetheart,” Jayce coaxed. “Come for me now.”

The words tipped him over. Viktor’s body tensed, trembling in Jayce’s arms before he came hard, heat pulsing around Jayce’s fingers. Viktor’s release spilled over Jayce’s fingers in gushing waves of heated liquid, pouring down and soaking Jayce’s hand. 

Viktor sagged, heavy and limp, blindly trusting Jayce’s strength to hold him up as his own legs liquified into jelly. Panting hard, he weakly steadied his hands against Jayce’s chest, eyes fluttering. 

“Jesus fucking Christ.” he breathed. “Did I—”

“I think you squirted baby, yeah.” Jayce said, inspecting his drenched hand with fascination. 

“Fuck.” Viktor squeaked, face reddening. He looked mortified. “M’sorry. I didn’t mean—I didn’t even know I could do that—”

Jayce chuckled softly, the sound warm against Viktor’s ear. “Don’t you dare apologise,” he murmured, pressing a kiss to his temple. “That was the hottest thing I’ve ever seen in my life.”

Viktor groaned, trying to hide his face in Jayce’s shoulder, though the heat creeping up his neck gave him away. “It’s— messy ,” he mumbled, voice still shaky.

“Yeah,” Jayce agreed, grinning as he adjusted his hold on him, “and it’s perfect. You—” he stole a lingering kiss, slow and deep, “—are perfect. I like messy. I’d drown in your pussy if I could.”

Viktor’s fingers tightened on Jayce’s shirt, a little shiver running through him despite the afterglow setting in. “You’re ridiculous,” he muttered, but there was no heat in it, just breathless affection. “Absolutely insane.”

“Maybe.” Jayce kissed the corner of his mouth, then pulled back enough to look at him. “You think you can stand, mi vida?”

Viktor made a soft, noncommittal sound. “If you hold me.”

“Always,” Jayce promised, bracing him easily with one arm while reaching with the other for a towel by the sink. He cleaned Viktor with slow, unhurried strokes, as if he didn’t care if they were in a cramped bathroom or that Jinx was probably wondering what the hell was taking so long.

Viktor hated the cleanup that followed sex on a normal day, but with this amount of excess liquid, it was an even more discomforting experience for him than usual. His nose wrinkled in distaste as his wet underwear touched his skin. Jayce helped him to the edge of the tub and sat him down, then eased him out of his pants and then his underwear. He chucked the underwear into the hamper, fishing out a slightly cleaner pair. 

Viktor made a face when presented with his jeans. “Do I have to wear them? They’re damp.”

“Unless you want everyone to know what we just did in here while your family is in the midst of a crisis,” Jayce shrugged.

Viktor’s face fell. “Right. Yeah.” 

In the wake of his unexpected desire, he’d forgotten what had got Jayce shouting at his father in the first place.

When Viktor finally managed to stand on his own, Jayce smoothed his hair back, eyes lingering. “We should… probably go back out there.”

Viktor’s lips curved into the faintest smirk. “In a minute.” He tugged Jayce back down by the shirt, kissing him again. Softer now, gentle. “Just five more minutes, my love.” 

He didn’t want to deal with this weird emotion that had lodged in his chest since he’d looked down at the DNA results on the table. It was overwhelmingly uncomfortable, and though he knew he couldn’t run from it, if he could delay it just a little longer, stay here just a little longer with Jayce, then maybe he could deal with what was to come. 

Everythnig seemed possible with Jayce. Jayce made everything feel better.