Chapter Text
The device whirred loudly, angrily, as it began spinning rapidly, orbiting around the pulsating gemstone with enough speed to harshly ruffle Jayce’s dress shirt. Beside him, Viktor flinched at the onslaught of raw, arcane energy that now filled the room. The resonance got louder as loose papers began to fly about the room, caught in the breeze of magical chaos. Oh Gods, this had been a mistake… Jayce’s face dropped, and he shifted closer to Viktor anxiously, protectively. “I don’t think it’s gonna hold! Look at the buildup!”
Jayce needed to get him out of here, needed to warn the people in the Gala that they needed to run, needed to start making peace with death because his mom, Caitlyn, Mel, and Heimerdinger were going to absolutely kill him if he survived this. In his panic, he briefly noted that Viktor didn’t even seem remotely phased, which was shocking enough to stun him out of his manic state. Viktor never even took his eyes off the gemstones, a small, feral grin beginning to stretch across his face. “The resonance will stabilize it,” Jayce stared at him, dumbfounded, as Viktor turned to meet his gaze head-on. “Trust me.”
Oh, so Viktor was crazy. Good to know. No, wait, that wasn’t right. Viktor was brilliant. He had proved as much. Jayce owed him that, at least. So, instead of scooping Viktor up into his arms and booking it out of the room, he nodded slowly. “Alright, Viktor.”
They were both definitely going to die, but at least Jayce could say he died doing what he loved.
Also, Viktor was nice to look at, so at least his view would be good.
Viktor turned back to the gemstone, and if Jayce wasn’t mistaken, there was a slight flush on his cheeks. Not as unaffected as you try to seem, are you, gorgeous? Jayce smirked. They watched as the device spun and spun and spun until there was a burst of light, and the erratic movements of the crystal slowed. The apparatus slowed down, too, leaving papers to drift back to the floor as the resonance settled around them. “There we go,” Viktor breathed, leaning back on his cane slightly as the gem began to twirl gently in place.
Wait.
What.
“Oh my God,” Jayce leaned forward to get a better look. The stone, now stabilized by the resonance that followed Viktor’s calculations, twirled gently. Mockingly. Viktor had been right, after all. Oh, Jayce was gonna kiss that smug smile off his face. That would show him. Then maybe he’d buy him a ring and propose marriage. Or something like that.
“I told you it would work,” Viktor’s soft voice was teasing, lilting in that wonderful, pleasant cadence. It was unfairly sexy. To Jayce, he added, “All yours.”
Yeah, Jayce was definitely going to kiss him. But first—
“Wow,” Jayce whispered, eyes drawn back to his gemstone. “It’s never done that before,” He shook his head in amazement and took a deep breath. “Alright, here we go.” Jayce twisted the button with careful fingers, avidly watching the way the crystal reacted. It pulsated and lifted higher, the device coming alive with every steady twist of his hand. With steady movements, he tried out several of his theorized patterns, carefully noting how the stone reacted. Jayce turned the button again, and something pulsed out of the gem.
Beside him, Viktor staggered back as the crystal rattled angrily, and the resonance grew louder. “Disengage!” Viktor shouted. There was another burst, and the window behind them shattered loudly. He and Viktor both flinched as another pulse hit them. The glass—which had been flying out of the now-open window—came rushing back toward them. Jayce grunted as a piece sliced his cheek, and he slammed his fist down on the button. The gemstone dropped back into the mount, still and dull. Jayce breathed heavily as Viktor, the lunatic, leaned closer. “Incredible,” Viktor murmured.
Alright, so definitely not that one. Feeling the sting on his own cheek, Jayce spun. “You okay?” Jayce asked, gripping Viktor’s shoulder.
“What?” Viktor blinked at him. Physically, he appeared unharmed. His face was flush with excitement, but his alabaster skin was unblemished and unmarred. Viktor seemed to take stock of himself for a moment before shaking his head. “Oh, yes. I’m fine,” he said, then faltered. He lifted a hand haltingly but did not lay it on Jayce’s cheek. “Your face, however…”
“Huh?” Jayce mirrored his movement and winced when his finger brushed raw, torn skin. He wasn’t bleeding much, but enough to dampen his fingertips. Viktor handed him a rag from a nearby table and watched nervously as Jayce dabbed at the blood. To him, Jayce said, “I can’t believe it worked.”
“Well, kind of,” Viktor winced.
“We have to try it again.”
Viktor glanced at the window and the glass around them. Jayce knew that the place looked like an absolute mess, but he was not going to let this opportunity pass them by. Viktor grimaced at him. “Are you sure that’s a good idea? Shouldn’t you be getting back to the party?”
“Screw the party,” Jayce said immediately. In fact, he would rather be doing literally anything else than returning to the Gala. “This is way more interesting—way more important than that.” He didn’t expect Viktor to understand that this was, quite literally, his life’s work. On his deathbed, Jayce would need to be carried out of this room on a stretcher if he had his way.
“Your friend, Ms. Kiramman, did have a point, Mr. Talis,” Viktor raised an eyebrow. Jayce silently cursed himself for how much he liked hearing the soft curl of Mr. Talis out of Viktor’s mouth. Later. There would be time to explore that later. “Much as you may hate it, you are the Man of Progress, after all. Won’t someone be looking for you?”
Jayce fought back the sting at hearing Viktor call him the Man of Progress. Viktor couldn’t possibly understand the way those words brought a chill to Jayce’s spine and an unsettling nausea to his stomach. He had hated the moniker since Mel first came up with it all those years ago, hated the way it clung to his skin like cheap silk, hated the way it made him some sort of God to the Piltovans. It was a title bestowed on him that he would never escape. Someday, when he died, his goddamn headstone would say Man of Progress.
He had never asked to be the Man of Progress.
He only ever wanted to be Jayce.
“Eventually,” Jayce conceded, because Viktor—beautiful, sweet, brilliant Viktor—was still watching him expectantly. “But until then, I’m going to stay right here, with you, and this gem.”
Viktor flushed again, and this time, Jayce’s eyes darted to watch it spread across his cheeks and neck. He fought back a pleased smirk. That cool, indifferent front that Viktor was putting up would only last so long, and Jayce was nothing if not patient. “And… the window?” Viktor muttered weakly, turning away shyly.
Jayce let the grin stretch. “Well, it’s not like it can break a second time, right?”
Viktor rolled his eyes, but he was amused. “Won’t someone be coming to see what’s going on?”
Jayce shook his head. “With all the noise from the gala? Nah. I guess later in the night, when everyone notices the massive hole in the window, maybe, but all the glass is in here, so it’s not like there’s any evidence outside.”
“We should—perhaps the gems can wait for tomorrow,” Viktor tried again, still looking at the wreckage a little nervously. Jayce understood his hesitation. The gemstones were insanely powerful, and Viktor had never seen anything like them before. “We don’t know what will happen if you try again.”
Despite the fact that Viktor was probably right, Jayce refused to back down. Jayce bit back a whine and knocked his shoulder into Viktor’s. “C’mon, Viktor, aren’t you the least bit curious?”
Viktor huffed and leaned away from him. “Of course I am, Mr. Talis, but I am also trying to be pragmatic, which you, a venerated scientist, should also be.”
“I’m plenty pragmatic!” Jayce laughed. “I’m just also… eager.”
“Reckless might be a better word.”
“I think that’s a bit harsh, V,” Jayce grinned at him, feeling far lighter than he had since before the robbery. Who was this man? This gorgeous, wonderful man, who had the complete ability to set Jayce’s heart ablaze?
Viktor side-eyed him archly. “Just so I’m clear, you are the same person who blew up his apartment a few years ago, yes?”
Jayce flushed so quickly that he could feel the heat erupting across his face. He sputtered, “That wasn’t my fault! My apartment was broken into, and I was robbed—”
Viktor’s sly smirk expanded, his thin lips curling upward. “And you still had dangerous and non-stabilized technology lying about in your home, yes?”
Jayce stammered again, face steadily turning crimson. “Well—I—it was an independent study!”
“Let me guess,” Viktor grinned, all teeth and bite. Jayce wanted to taste the inside of his mouth. “Unauthorized?”
Jayce’s eyes narrowed, but he was fighting back a smile. “Look, I can hardly be the one to blame when someone came into my home and—”
“Relax,” Viktor took pity on him and shook his head with a small laugh. “I am teasing you, Mr. Talis. God knows I have done unauthorized things in the name of scientific pursuit.”
“Oh, yeah?” Jayce flirted, unable to stop himself. “Like what?”
“I’m afraid that’s classified,” Viktor taunted lightly.
“Don’t tease me, Viktor,” Jayce complained playfully, but the smile returned to his face once more.
“Well, for one, I am in here with you, performing highly dangerous experiments on non-stabilized materials while hundreds of unknowing patrons linger on the other side of the building,” Viktor raised an eyebrow. “So perhaps that will give you a slight clue as to the types of projects I find myself drawn to.”
“Maybe you’re the reckless one,” Jayce teased. Please be the reckless one, he pleaded internally. Please take a chance on me.
“What happens in my laboratory is no one’s business but mine, Mr. Talis,” Viktor chuckled. “The same way I suspect that news of tonight’s experiments will stay between myself and you for the time being.”
Jayce was utterly bewitched by him. “You’re more than just a quiet academic, aren’t you?” Jayce cocked his head and couldn’t help but scan Viktor from head to toe. The ill-fitting knock-off clothes, the well-used cane, the sharp, piercing eyes… Viktor was an anomaly, and Jayce wanted to study every single centimeter of him.
“I’m not sure what you mean…” Viktor shifted nervously under Jayce’s heavy gaze. He was unbearably sweet in his shyness, and Jayce briefly wondered if he could coax a more confident side out of Viktor, one that still flushed under the attention given to him but also doled it back out in equal measure.
“Oh, nothing. Just that there’s more to you than meets the eye,” Jayce grinned at Viktor. He gestured to the device, still resting on the table. “Let’s get this thing loaded up for round two.” He grabbed a broom from where it was leaning against a nearby table and started sweeping up the debris on the floor. Viktor watched him, looking unsure. After a moment, he timidly began setting up. Jayce continued sweeping, and as he passed, he leaned his head down to murmur in Viktor’s ear, puffing hot breath along his neck. “And my name is Jayce, Viktor.”
Jayce hummed as he darted away, leaving Viktor trembling slightly. He liked that he had an effect on Viktor, which meant that Viktor was attracted to him at the very least. Good. It would make their first date that much sweeter. Jayce cleared away the shattered glass, dumped it into the waste bin, and reloaded the gemstone. They didn’t speak as they went through the phases of setting up the device and locking down loose materials, but they moved around each other in unison. They were in sync, down to the way Jayce silently held out a hand and Viktor placed the correct wrench into it.
When they were ready to begin again, there was a moment of tense anticipation. They were standing on the precipice of discovery, of revolution. With a shared look of understanding, Jayce pressed the button. The device spun again, stabilizing in the way it always would from here on out—after all, Viktor was very good at math—and Jayce went through the steps of twisting and experimenting with the movements of the runic-covered panels on the outside edge of the device. Thankfully, this time around, no glass exploded, but there were errant pulses that stemmed from the stone.
It took a few minutes for Jayce to find his groove, and his irritation built. Sequence after sequence flashed by without success, and he was getting frustrated. Finally, after a while, he closed his eyes and thought back to the Mage. What exactly had he done to wield the arcane just so? Could it be replicated at all? How did his hand move? How did the wind feel? Jayce remembered with brutal clarity—a memory he had revisited so many times that it was forever ingrained within the confines of his brain. An inseparable piece of him.
The Mage’s movements took shape behind his eyes. In the room with Viktor, Jayce twisted his wrist in a series of rapid motions, mimicking the mannerisms of the Mage, spinning the gemstone in a pattern only he could see. The resonance built and built, though Jayce saw nothing but the Mage in the glade, manipulating arcana over their heads, until something finally clicked. There was a wave of warbling sound, and the device lit up. Jayce’s eyes snapped open just as the gemstone exploded and a pulse wave rocketed through both of their bodies.
Their feet left the ground as the gemstone flared with brilliant, white light. He shut his eyes, hand over his face as the light grew unbearable, then blinked out in an instant. When his eyes reopened, he was hovering ten feet in the air, Viktor a few paces away and shielding his eyes still, and the entire room was illuminated by a shimmering, translucent sphere, hovering about fifteen feet above their heads. He and Viktor were… swimming, for lack of a better word, in weightless gravity. It was impossible, he had been told.
No, that wasn’t right.
It had been impossible.
Viktor laughed in delight as the famed Man of Progress mug floated by his face, and Jayce thought that it was the most beautiful sound he’d ever heard. He watched as Viktor waved his arms in an arc, pushing himself upwards another few feet. It really did feel like swimming, now that he thought about it. Jayce “swam” below him, chuckling along with him, and the two of them devolved into wondrous laughter as the absurdity of the situation finally hit them. Eventually, Jayce floated up alongside him, and the two of them orbited the sphere in the center of the room.
“This is unbelievable,” Jayce murmured.
“This is magic,” Viktor replied.
They ended up on opposite sides of the sphere, staring at each other through the thin, shimmering veil. Jayce tapped a small cog in Viktor’s direction, and it shot into the center of the sphere. It disappeared, swallowed by the small blue ball of energy within the heart of the ring, and then shot back out on Viktor’s side, twirling and spinning. Viktor plucked it out of the air, grinning at Jayce. Jayce’s smile hadn’t faded once in the entire time they’d been experimenting, but now it took on a softer edge as he peered at Viktor.
“Can you believe this?” Jayce asked.
“For the better part of an hour, I’ve had to convince myself that I’m not dreaming,” Viktor replied, tilting gently in the anti-gravity. He looked lankier like this, his long legs spilled out around him. “This is certainly not helping.”
Jayce pushed himself around his laboratory, swimming underneath Viktor and gazing up at him with wide, awestruck eyes. “Viktor, this is…”
“The beginning of a new era, Mr. Talis,” Viktor huffed out a disbelieving laugh and beamed down at Jayce. “The era of magic.”
“If we got this in the hands of the people, this could change lives for every single person,” Jayce said. He could see it now—Piltover, the Undercity, all of Runeterra forever changed, altered by perfect, crystalline gemstones. “People in Piltover, people in the Undercity—people all over the world!”
“Were it anyone else who had said that, I might’ve called them an egocentric narcissist,” Viktor admitted, but there was a giddy flush on his cheeks that made him look boyish. “But I believe you’re right. This will change the world.”
Jayce’s heart sang with pride.
They continued to swim through the air for a few moments, enjoying the feeling of weightlessness. Viktor spun a few times, reading papers and journals that twirled by his head. Jayce took great pleasure in pushing himself off the wall for a burst of speed, before diving down below and kicking off an adjacent wall. It reminded him of summers in Ixtal, swimming laps in grand pools with marble bottoms and hard deck chairs. It was another ten minutes before Jayce finally joked, “We should probably get down, huh?”
Viktor twisted until he was upside down, Jayce running perpendicular to him a few feet away. His tawny hair floated around his face, and Jayce tried not to giggle. Viktor made a face and said slowly, “I’m not sure how to do that.”
“Me either,” Jayce admitted. Glancing around the room, his eyes finally settled back on the device. If he disabled the device…? He swam down until he was only a few feet off the ground and called up to Viktor, “I think maybe if I hit the button again, it’ll reset everything?”
“It’s certainly worth a shot,” Viktor replied, still hovering around the spherical ball of light.
Jayce pressed himself down further and hovered near his device. He turned back up to face Viktor, anchoring himself on the table. “Viktor, c’mere.”
“Just a moment,” Viktor took a final swim around the sphere. With a disappointed sigh, he dove lower and accepted Jayce’s helping hand when he offered it. His skin was smooth, but not soft and unblemished. A worker’s hand. Jayce loved it.
Jayce tugged him even closer until Viktor’s feet were skimming the top of the table. His fingers hovered over the button as he turned back to Viktor. “You ready?”
“If we must,” Viktor gazed back up at the sphere longingly.
Jayce chuckled and squeezed his hand. “There’ll be more where that came from, V. I promise.”
Jayce pressed the button. The sphere above them pulsed again, and the anti-gravity dropped. The sphere dissipated, and the blue gemstone returned to its mount harmlessly. Viktor dropped a few inches and landed on the table with a grunt, shoes scuffing up the few discarded papers that lay there. Jayce dropped a few feet further away, onto the floor, and winced when he landed hard, and pain shot up his shins. Viktor tilted his head in concern. “Are you alright, Jayce?”
“Yeah, just landed funny,” Jayce rubbed his kneecaps, grimacing. Wait. What had Viktor just called him? He snapped his head up with a goofy smile. “I think that’s the first time you’ve actually called me by my name.”
Viktor froze, then blushed again, stammering out, “Yes, well…” He trailed off awkwardly, eyes darting around. “You have been fairly adamant.” Viktor finished lamely. Viktor glanced around the room, looking awkward. Jayce was about to ask why before Viktor’s gaze settled on his cane, which had been blasted across the room. Viktor glanced at the tabletop, then at the cane, then back to Jayce. “Um…”
Jayce followed his gaze. “Oh, no problem.” Instead of heading to grab the cane, he headed for Viktor, standing in front of him expectantly. When Viktor only stared blankly at him, Jayce reached for him.
Viktor backed up a step, eyes wide. The table rocked precariously, and Jayce instinctively steadied him. “What are you doing?”
“Helping you down,” Jayce said simply, arms still outstretched. Was that not obvious? Viktor would still need help getting down from the table with his cane, anyway. “Come here.”
Jayce reached for him again, fingers tugging lightly at Viktor’s pant leg, and Viktor swatted at his hand before he could stop himself. “I can—just—if you get my cane, I can—”
“Viktor,” Jayce chided, but he could feel the grin starting to split his lips. Viktor was turning crimson, looking so abashed it was almost comical. He was so cute. “Don’t be difficult.”
“I’m not being difficult!” Viktor lied.
“And what do you call this then, hm?” Jayce reached for him again, and Viktor smacked his hand away instinctively.
He blushed when Jayce glowered up at him, still faintly amused. “Sorry, that’s a reflex.”
Jayce tugged on his pant legs again, firmer this time. Viktor stuttered forward a step, yelping as the table wobbled. He balanced himself out as best as he could. Jayce raised an eyebrow and said, “I will just pick you up.” And I might never let you go, now that I think about it…
“I’m—that’s not—I’m not a cat!” Viktor sputtered. “You can’t just manhandle me!”
“You’re certainly acting like one.” Jayce gave him a flat look and closed his hand around Viktor’s good knee, pulling him forward with a sharp yank. Viktor went, and Jayce curled his arms around Viktor’s legs, easily lifting him off of the table. He hardly weighed anything at all. Viktor stabilized himself on Jayce’s shoulders, face red as Jayce’s forearms slid up over his thighs and ass until they rested around his hips. Once Viktor was settled on the ground, Jayce took a chance and held tight. Viktor looked too flustered to call him out. He grinned down at him. “See? Nice and easy.”
Viktor stuttered for a beat before choking out, “Well, yes, but now I am off the table, and I still don’t have my cane, so there’s still that problem to address.”
“I’ve got you,” Jayce said simply. He let go of Viktor’s hips but dropped his hand on the center of Viktor’s back. Viktor limped across the room, Jayce at his side the entire way, and snatched his cane up from the floor. Once Viktor was fully leaning against the cane, Jayce finally released him in full. He didn’t go far, though, just backed up half a step to let Viktor straighten up.
“Um,” Viktor said, blinking his big, gorgeous eyes up at Jayce. He reminded Jayce of the deer and fawns that he’d once seen in the glade as a child, after the Mage had saved him.
He’s interested, Jayce’s brain said stupidly, ask him out. “How long are you in town for?” Jayce asked, shifting until he was in front of Viktor.
“Just the night,” Viktor admitted quietly as the realization came crashing down around them.
What? No, no, no, that wasn’t right—Jayce gaped at him. “Oh, but that—that’s so soon!”
Viktor shrugged, expression somewhat sheepish. “I was only invited to the gala.”
Jayce couldn’t lose him now; he had just found him. How could he convince Viktor to stay? Should he invite him back to the apartment for drinks and conversation and maybe something more? Should he offer to walk him home so he could invite him back out again in the future? No, none of that would be enough. Jayce was hungry, and he needed to know everything about him. He needed time, Viktor’s time, and he needed a lot of it. It was selfish to ask, but Viktor was the other side of his coin, and he needed him here.
Wait.
“Well, consider this your official invitation—your permanent one,” Jayce held out his hand, a cold resolve seeping into his veins. Viktor tentatively took his hand as Jayce continued. “I want you to join me as my partner.”
Viktor sucked in a breath, eyes wide. “What?”
“I want you to be my partner,” Jayce repeated, conviction lacing his words. Every meaning of the word, if we’re being honest.
Viktor’s eyes darted around the room, and his fingers grew limp in Jayce’s hands. Okay, yeah, so maybe Jayce had come on a little strong, but it was the best he could do under pressure. “I—I don’t know what you…”
“I want you to work with me up here, in my lab. The ideas I’ve had—with your help, we could make some actual progress!” Jayce was working himself up, his smile growing. It was a simple plan, really, and foolproof. He just had to make Viktor see that. “I can get the gems fully stabilized, and then we can get the Hexgates up and working, and then who knows? We could bring your claw to life, too!”
“Jayce—” Viktor started, but Jayce was on a roll.
“Oh, Viktor, it’s going to be amazing,” Jayce beamed. A thousand images flashed through his head at once: him and Viktor tucked over a book together, Viktor at the chalkboard, Viktor beside him on stage, Viktor, Viktor, Viktor. “Think of all the things we could create, all the good we can do! We can help people, people who really need it!”
“Jayce, wait—”
Jayce turned to him, placing his hands on Viktor’s thin shoulders. He pressed his forehead to Viktor’s, peering down into the pale, wide eyes. Make him understand, you have to make him UNDERSTAND. “Viktor, my whole life, I’ve felt like I was speaking a language no one else could understand. Then you waltz in here, not only understanding me but being fluent in my language, too? You’re like a dream come true.”
Viktor’s face softened. “I…”
“We’ll get you an apartment close to me—actually, you know what? You can stay with me for a bit. My place is big enough for the both of us, and it’s closer to the University than anything you’d be able to get on your own. It’ll be easier for us to commute to work together, anyway,” Jayce rambled, still inches from Viktor’s face. Even if he had wanted to stop talking, he couldn’t. “I have a guest room—I’ll clear it out for you, and it can be yours for as long as you want it.”
“Jayce, I…”
“I’ve never worked so well with someone in my life,” Jayce continued. His thumb absentmindedly stroked over the harsh angles of Viktor’s cheekbone, following the curve with a soft, gentle pressure. Viktor leaned into it subconsciously. “It was like you could read my mind. I’ve never met someone like you.”
Viktor only managed a weak, “But…”
“You’re incredible, Viktor,” Jayce murmured, voice low and soft in the air between them. He shifted a little, and the tips of their noses brushed together. Ask if you can kiss him, idiot; you have to ask first. “Do you—” want to go out with me? Jayce didn’t get a chance to finish.
Outside, something exploded.
Viktor and Jayce both flinched harshly. Jayce wound an arm around Viktor’s waist and yanked him away from the open window, curling in front of him protectively. His heart was racing in his chest, and he could see smoke beginning to rise in the distance, somewhere down on the street below. Viktor clutched at the back of Jayce’s shirt, and Jayce began herding him backward. Another boom went off outside, then another. Jayce paled, tugging Viktor further away from the windows and closer to the laboratory door. “What’s happening?”
“Something outside?” Viktor’s voice cracked fearfully.
Alarms started blaring overhead as two more detonations went off down in the main square. Jayce grabbed Viktor’s hand and dragged him out the door, needing to get him to safety. “Stay close to me, Viktor.” And with that, Jayce tore off down the hall, slowing his steps just enough for Viktor to keep up with him.
The main hallway was in chaos. Staff, workers, and the few odd attendees that were permitted to roam the halls were running around in panic. Jayce led Viktor through the crowd, never once releasing his hand. Up ahead, Caitlyn was barking orders at other enforcers, looking flushed and startled. “Two units head outside to find the source of the explosion. Everyone else, get the guests into the courtyard, now!”
“Cait!” Jayce yelled for her, and she turned immediately, relief flooding her face. Jayce pulled them to a stop in front of her, placing his free hand on her shoulder. “What’s going on?”
“We think it’s a targeted attack—multiple detonations outside. The gala could be next. You both need to get out of the building, now,” Caitlyn shoved at Jayce’s broad chest, and he went, though he shot her a guilty look.
“Will you be okay?” He asked, still pulling Viktor with him.
“I’ll find you after!” She promised. “Now, go!”
Jayce tugged Viktor into the main gala floor, where screams and pandemonium were filling the room. Everyone was pushing and shoving, rushing to the exits on all sides of the building. Jayce was too busy trying to get Viktor out of the building that he almost didn’t notice Viktor tugging in the opposite direction. Only after the movements got more desperate did he realize Viktor was trying to break his hold. Jayce turned to him in confusion, startled to find Viktor’s eyes roving around the floor, wide and panicked. “Viktor?”
“Jayce, please,” Viktor begged. He tugged again, but Jayce held firm. “I have to go!”
“Go? What? Viktor, come on!” Viktor was obviously terrified, and panic did intense things to the mind. Jayce needed to get him somewhere quiet and safe where he could calm down. Jayce pulled him forward a few feet, the crowd still pushing and shoving around them.
Viktor took a step away, and their arms pulled taut in between them. Viktor started pulling in the opposite direction. “Jayce, my friend—I have to find my friend!”
Oh shit. That’s right. Viktor had come with someone else. Fuck, okay, that’s priority number two. Number one is still getting him out as soon as possible. Jayce’s eyes widened, but his fingers readjusted his hold on Viktor, something less bruising and more comforting. “There’s no time! We’ll find them outside, okay?”
“But I—” Someone barreled into Viktor, and he stumbled to the side. Jayce’s fingers tightened once more before someone knocked into him, and Jayce’s grip faltered. At once, his hand was emptied, and Viktor was shoved out of sight, disappearing below the shoulders and bodies of the figures rushing past them. Jayce spun, trying to rush in the direction Viktor had fallen, shouting, “Viktor! Wait—Viktor!” Immediately, the sea of people separated them, and Jayce was pushed forward roughly, shoulders jabbing into his chest and stomach.
Jayce continued shouting for him, kept trying to move backwards, but he was eventually spun around and propelled forward. He spilled out onto the street and cut through the crowd that was anxiously filing out the door. “Jayce!” Sky’s voice cut through the din of noise, and he whirled.
“Sky!” He rushed towards her and yanked her aside, craning his head to look back toward the entrance. “Did you see a man with a cane come out here?”
“What?” She had to shout to be heard over the roar of the panicking crowd.
“A man with a cane,” Jayce repeated. “A few inches shorter than me, fair skin, dark hair? Did you see him?”
“No, no, I’m sorry,” She shook her head. “There was an explosion—they’re saying someone set off bombs!”
“Bombs?” Jayce gasped. “Why would someone do that?”
“I don’t know!” She cried. She looked frazzled, her tanned skin pale with fear. Her eyes watered behind her glasses. “It all happened so fast!”
Jayce squeezed her shoulder. “It’s gonna be alright—the enforcers are handling it. I’ve gotta go, okay? I’ll see you on Monday.” She nodded as Jayce broke away, pushing through the crowd. He headed for the courtyard and breathed a sigh of relief when the crushing weight of the mob dispersed into the grass. He climbed onto one of the benches and peered into the crowd, desperately searching for any signs of Viktor. There were hundreds of people flooding out from all the doors of the building, and as time went by, Jayce’s panic built.
What if Viktor had gotten hurt? With his cane, his mobility was limited. Jayce hadn’t asked, but it looked like Viktor’s leg gave him trouble, which gave him a slight limp when he walked. Everyone had been pushing and shoving in the ballroom, and what if he had gotten thrown to the floor and trampled? What if another bomb went off, and Viktor couldn’t run away fast enough and was caught by falling debris? What if Viktor was terrified and alone, desperately searching for Jayce the same way Jayce was searching for him?
Twenty minutes went by while Jayce paced across the bridge like a tiger in a cage, looking at every dark-haired man with so much scrutiny that it was probably insulting. When the last person filtered out of the ballroom and onto the street, the enforcers piled out behind them, shutting the doors. Caitlyn’s blue hair lit up amongst the crowd, and Jayce vigorously waved her down. She pushed her way to him, climbing astride the park bench beside him. “Jayce, are you alright?”
“Have you seen Viktor anywhere?”
“Viktor?” She frowned, then glanced around. “No, I thought he was with you.”
“We got separated,” Jayce said miserably. “I’ve been looking, but I haven’t seen him come out. I’m scared, Cait—what if he got hurt?”
“Well, the ballroom is empty, at least,” she told him, squeezing his shoulder. “If he was inside, he’s at least made it outside, now. I’ll have some of my people look for him, okay?”
Jayce’s shoulders relaxed slightly. “Okay, yes, thank you.”
“Did you see anything out of the ordinary?” Cait asked gently. “We’re trying to figure out what the hell happened here.”
“We heard the first explosion from the lab,” Jayce told her. “It was so loud that it sounded like it was in the room with us. The next two were further away.”
Caitlyn frowned. “Your lab is on the other side of the building.”
“And?”
“We had two go off in the back alley, one on the street near your lab, two out here on the main road, and one near the side entrance,” Caitlyn told him. “All small explosions, no casualties. Hell, no injuries reported. Why would they spread out the attack?”
“I don’t know,” Jayce said honestly. “Is it a scare tactic?”
“Hm,” Caitlyn murmured, then glanced up as a few enforcers appeared in front of them, a crowd of terrified elites trailing them like frightened children. “Sheriff Grayson,” Cait nodded.
“Miss Kiramman,” The Sheriff said in her deep, gravelly voice. “Might we join you?”
“I’ll just…” Jayce jerked his thumb over his shoulder and climbed down, offering Grayson a hand to climb up beside Cait.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” Grayson called, and at once, the crowd quieted. “If I could have your attention, please. I know you’re all frightened, but right now we need everyone to take a deep breath and settle in for a long night. We will need to speak with everyone to obtain alibis and figure out where everyone was when this incident occurred. Once you have spoken with one of my men, you will be given a stamp on your hand. Only then may you return to your homes. We apologize for the inconvenience.”
As the crowd started grumbling and groaning, Grayson nodded to Caitlyn, who turned to face the crowd. “We’ll have you line up in groups. If you came with other guests, try to stick with them. The sooner we all comply, the sooner you can all go home.”
Slowly, the crowd began to gather in a string of lines across the grass. Jayce slipped into Cait’s line, still glancing around for Viktor’s lithe frame. When he made it to the front nearly an hour later, Caitlyn looked exhausted. “Hey, Sprout.”
“Jayce,” She nodded, already taking a note. “You still haven’t found Viktor?”
“No,” He shook his head. “I’m gonna stick around and see if anyone’s seen him.”
“He hasn’t come through any of our lines,” Caitlyn informed him. “I’ve been keeping an eye out. Is it possible he went out the side entrance?”
“I guess,” Jayce shrugged. “Can I head over there and ask?”
“Maybe wait until everyone has cleared out,” She winced. Though the lines had thinned since the start of the investigation, there were still hundreds of people on the lawn. “It’s going to be a long night.”
“Will do,” Jayce kissed the top of her head. “Come find me when you’re done. I’ll be around.”
“Stay safe, Jayce,” She warned, rolling her stamp over the back of his hand. “Next!”
Jayce wandered off, heading over to the side entrance. He lingered for a while, noting the considerably smaller line. He stalked up and down through the crowd, searching for Viktor’s messy hair to no avail. When he questioned Maddie, she swore that she hadn’t seen him come through. With a sigh, Jayce turned to the other alleyway on the other side of the building. While he didn’t find Viktor there, he did learn that Mel and Elora had been safely evacuated—which made Jayce wince because not once had he thought of his ex-fiancé.
Two agonizing hours crawled by. Jayce had walked the campus so much that people were starting to give him pitying looks. He ran the same circuit over and over again, a long, dreadful loop, and angled around all of the main entrances and exits to the ballroom. He spoke to every enforcer, walked past every guest, and came to the realization that Viktor had seemingly vanished into thin air. He was slim and slight, but by the Gods, how did he lose a person? It had taken one push and one shove, and the man of Jayce’s dreams had disappeared into the night.
Cait eventually found him sitting in the grass in the main courtyard, under the massive oak tree that the freshmen all loved to congregate around. He was exhausted and tired, and he had rolled his sleeves up some time ago. His buttons were undone, and he was sure he looked like a wreck. Caitlyn didn’t look much better, and she slowed to a stop in front of him. “We’re done.”
Jayce pushed to his feet, blinking tiredly at her. “Viktor?”
“No one saw him,” Cait shook her head.
Jayce’s heart sank. “How is that possible?”
“He must’ve gotten spooked and fled before we began rounding people up,” she told him, wincing slightly. “We would’ve liked to talk with him, but if he was with you, we know he didn’t see anything.”
“So, he’s gone?” Jayce asked quietly. He knew the answer. Cait knew the answer. He still asked it anyway.
“Yes, Jayce,” Caitlyn said sadly. “Viktor’s gone.”