Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The lab was quiet, save for the soft hum of the holo-display flickering between them, faint blue hues plastering over their faces in the dim night. Viktor leaned back in his chair, fingers drumming absentmindedly on his desk as he studied the glowing neural structure suspended in mid-air. It pulsed with simulated energy, intricate yet delicate, like a living thought captured in light.

Across from him, Jayce flipped through his notes, half-distracted, one hand wrapped around a lukewarm cup of coffee. It had been hours since anyone else had passed through the lab; the rest of the research team long since retired for the night. But for Viktor and Jayce, science had always blurred the line between exhaustion and obsession, a line that they often found themselves traversing together.

"Do you ever wonder," Viktor mused, voice barely above a whisper, "what it must feel like?" Jayce glanced up, brow furrowing. "What?" His tone made it seem as though he wasn’t entirely listening to Viktor.

"To connect. Not through words. Not through gestures. But through something deeper." He gestured toward the holo-display, an intricate rendering of the Na'vi queue, the biological tendril that allowed them to bond with the world around them. "Their neural network isn't just communication. It's… understanding. True understanding. To merge with another being, to feel what they feel-" He trailed off, his fingers grazing the edge of the console.

Jayce exhaled a quiet laugh, shaking his head, a toothy half smile vaguely spread across his face. "You make it sound so mystical. It's just a biological function, Viktor."

Viktor scoffed, lightly leaning himself back into his chair, a knowing smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "Yes, and a sunrise is just light refraction, and love is just a series of chemical reactions, hmm?" Viktor waved his hand at Jayce as his elbow rested against the cold table.

Jayce hesitated for a fraction of a second, mouth closing just as quickly as it opened, before masking it with another sip of coffee. "You're romanticising it." Jayce muffled into the space between his lips and his mug.

"And you are refusing to acknowledge it for what it is," Viktor countered with a slightly more stern tone. Turning back to the display and leaning forward once more. He tapped a finger against the holo-display, causing it to ripple and shift. The glowing model of the queue pulsed like a heartbeat. "You say it is just biology, but science and emotion are not so separate. Even here-" he pointed to the simulation of two Na'vi connecting their queues, data points flickering between them, "-even in the numbers, there is something more. A bond. Not just information being shared, but something unquantifiable. You cannot tell me that does not interest you, Jayce." Viktor shared a one sided glance with Jayce, before flicking his eyes back to the holo-display. 

Jayce set down his coffee a little harder than necessary, lips pressing into a thin line. "Of course, it interests me, Viktor. But that doesn't mean it's some kind of-" He gestured vaguely like he couldn't quite find the word, flapping his hands around in a shrugging kind of way. "-soul-bonding experience. We're here to study, to learn. Not to-"

"Feel?" Viktor finished the sentence for him, his voice quieter now, sharper at the edges. Something about it hurt Jayce. 

But Jayce didn't answer right away. His jaw tensed, eyes flickering over Viktor's face before settling back on the holo-display. The simulated tendrils of the queue intertwined again, data flashing between them in a quiet, intimate loop.

The silence stretched, heavy and uncertain.

Viktor sighed, shaking his head as he leaned back again, exhaustion finally creeping into his posture. "Perhaps I am just envious," he admitted, voice softer now. "That they have something we will never be able to experience, not truly." The last of his sentence was breathed out into nothing, a sort of solemn look washed over Viktor’s face.

Jayce found himself frowning at that, the sharpness in his expression fading. "We will. In the avatar bodies. That's why we're here." He sounded tired, whether it be from the lack of sleep or their conversation.

"Yes," Viktor murmured, though there was an edge of doubt in his voice. "I suppose we will."

But even as the holo-display flickered between them, casting soft blue light against the darkened lab, neither of them yet realised just how deeply this discussion would come to shape them.

~~~

Viktor and Jayce had been preparing for this moment for weeks and weeks on end, learning the Na'vi language and general human-oriented knowledge of the Na'vi culture; it was time for their first tests to be connected to their Avatar forms. But at last it was finally approved by Heigmendigner, Jayce and Viktor were permitted connection to their Avatar's.

Viktor's heart was thumping against his chest in anticipation, as he had the final parts of his examination completed, sitting on the side of the link-unit, across from him Jayce was doing the same.

Jayce was chatting away with the examiners, and Viktor wondered if he too was feeling this elation behind his ribs.

"All set." A technician called out from behind Viktor, the examiner offered nothing but a slight nod, quickly jotting down some final notes, pen scratching against paper.

"Okay Viktor, I need you to lay down now," Viktor nodded, pulling his legs over the lip of the link-unit, a slight grunt escaping him from the effort, "Great, now we flip this down over your face," She gently grabbed at a delicate metal frame that rested above Viktor's face. The examiner stepped to the side and waved over another person, in silence Viktor watched from his laying position, heart still hammering against his ribs. "I'll be closing this now, okay?" The technician said from beside the examiner, Viktor opened his mouth in response, but before he could so much as mutter a single vowel the lid was closed over him. He was fully encapsulated, and strangely Viktor found it comforting.

Viktor stared up at the metal frame above him, before a set of lights shone in his eyes and the process had begun. Flashing whites were blinking at him, putting strain on his night-owl eyes, before Viktor's consciousness wavered.

The world came back in pieces. First, sound, a distant, rhythmic beep. The soft murmur of voices. Then, light, blinding, all-consuming, forcing his pupils to contract rapidly. Then, the feeling came to him, and it was different. Viktor inhaled sharply. His chest expanded easily, lungs pulling in air without the usual resistance. No stutter, no burn. It felt cleaner, richer, and alive in a way he'd never known before. His skin hummed, his senses sharper than they had ever been.

Something twitched. A flicker of motion at the edge of Viktor's perception. His toes and fingertips. Viktor's breath hitched. The feeling travelled upward, across his legs, even where his brace once rested, only his brace wasn’t there. Instead his eyes followed along the line of long blue limbs, with muscle definition he’d long forgotten.

For a long, disbelieving second, he simply stared at his legs. Then, hesitantly, he tried again. His knees bent, then stretched, the movement effortless and so simple, so natural, as if he'd never struggled with the ability in the first place.

Viktor’s heart pounded, like a deep hammering against his chest, and he could feel it without any form of hurt. With no consequences of a beating heart. 

Viktor's torso and shoulders shifted with him, reacting instantly to the impulse. There was no weight, no struggle, no pain. His once bad knee bent without complaint, his muscles obeying without hesitation, without a knowing hurt. He lifted his hand, fingers flexing, long, elegant, ending in blue nails. He turned it over, studying the smooth, unfamiliar stretch of his palm. The colour of his skin was wrong. His limbs were too long and his senses too sharp, but none of that mattered. Because for the first time in his life, he felt whole.

"Vitals are steady," a voice murmured nearby. "Viktor, can you hear me?"

He blinked, finally registering the white, sterile walls of the laboratory. The Avatar Link Bay, where he had spent years studying the neural synchronisation process. Only now, he was inside it. He turned his head toward the sound, and for the first time in a long time, it was effortless. No pain, no stiffness.

A woman in a lab coat peered down at him, one of the technicians monitoring his connection. "Take it slow," she instructed. "You're adjusting to the neural link. Just small movements for now- " her voice gradually faded out of Viktor’s focus.

Slow was not an option. Viktor sat up fast. Too fast. The world tilted, his senses overloaded for half a second, nausea creeping up on him, but he didn't care. He was moving. His legs obeyed him. He threw his legs over the edge of the pod. His heels met the cool floor, solid and real, and the sensation sent a violent, shuddering thrill through him.

He had to stand.

There was a sharp intake of breath behind him, technicians exchanging concerned looks, and shortly Viktor was met with voices probably telling him to sit back down, but they didn't matter. Nothing mattered except this.

He pressed his palms into the pod, bracing himself, his arms didn't shake with strain. He shifted his weight forward, his knees didn't buckle beneath him. And then, he stood.

The room blurred at the edges. A slow, disbelieving grin curled at Viktor's lips. His ears flicked back, unfamiliar but sensitive to every sound around him. His legs held firm. His body was strong. Then he felt a slight sway behind him, his tail, flickering as he’d stood. Viktor gently grabbed at it, letting it fall out of his hand and rest behind him once more.

Jayce had once warned him, You should pace yourself. You're going to push too hard, and then you'll collapse.

To hell with that. His body wanted to move. He took one step forward, then another, each stride stronger than the last. His tail flicked instinctively for balance, his movements fluid, easy, right. The lab door was right before him, but when his gaze drifted to the right he saw Jayce, watching him, Viktor's eyes flickered between Jayce and the door. Jayce’s wide eyes peered at him, followed by his mouth opening, Viktor could almost predict the next words, before jayce could get his words out though, with one final exchanged look between the two and a slight shake of his head, Viktor made way to the exit.

"Viktor, slow down!" The technician called out, but it was too late. Before long Viktor made it outside of the lab, where the air was different and no mask was needed. He only paused for a moment. Viktor broke into a run. The exhilaration crashed into him like a tidal wave. The wind rushed against Viktor's skin, and his muscles responded instantly, no lag, no weakness, no pain. He was running, running for the first time since he was a child before his body had failed him before he had been forced to use his cane, before he was forced into countless braces; before he had resigned himself to an existence of limitations.

He could have wept from the sheer overwhelming joy of it.

"Viktor!" A scruff voice called out to him once more, muted to Viktor's ears.

The voice barely registered before something massive slammed into him from behind, knocking him off course. He skidded across the outside floor, limbs tangling, a weight pinning him down.

He gasped, not from pain, but from sheer shock, his body responding instantly to the collision, adrenaline spiking, instincts flaring. His ears flattened, his chest heaved, and when he opened his eyes, Jayce was on top of him.

Viktor blinked. Jayce blinked back. Amber and gold met in the space between them, flickering under blue lids, barely held for a moment before being intercepted by aversion, Jayce's golden eyes flickering to something else on Viktor's face.

There was a long, heavy pause. Jayce's massive Avatar form pressed against Viktor's own, their limbs tangled together, both of them breathing hard. Jayce's golden eyes scanned him frantically. "Are you insane?" he demanded. "You just woke up. Why the hell are you running? You could've crashed into something, or-"

Viktor's lips twitched. "I did crash into something," he said dryly, accent still present. "You." He finished his sentence with a huff in between them.

Jayce groaned, flopping onto his back with a dramatic sigh, his medical gown draping over him. "You're impossible." Jayce exhaled and peered at what could have been a familiar sky if he didn’t know any better. 

Viktor too, stared up at the boundless sky above him, white clouds painted across the blue expanse. Everything about this was surreal. The colours, the sounds, the sheer size of their bodies. Jayce looked different, but his frustrated expression was the same as ever. Even his eyes, Viktor thought quickly of how Jayce’s pupils dilated at him while hanging over the top of him.

Again, his heart stammered at the thought. 

"Tell me," Viktor said, still grinning, another huff escaping his lips, "did you tackle me for my safety or simply because you were jealous that I am faster than you?" A smug smile plastered itself onto his face.

Jayce snorted. "You are not faster than me."

"Mm. If I recall, I was running, and you were chasing. So, technically-"

"Viktor." Jayce huffed with a smile spread across his lips, toothy fangs peering out from behind them.

Viktor laughed. He laughed. It felt light and effortless. Like everything in the world had shifted just slightly, and suddenly, moving forward felt possible.

For the first time, he wasn't chasing time. He wasn't being left behind.

But the moment didn't last, as the two were frantically called over by the technicians, including Skye and Heigmendigner. When the two of them decided to get off the strangely mossy floor beneath them, they jokingly pushed each other slightly as they made their way toward the two smaller scientists. One had long dark hair and round glasses; the other was short and bearded, with hair scuffed and unstyled.

Skye peered under her glasses upwards at the two blue giants before her, scolding them before sharing a sweet, knowing smile with Viktor. Unbeknownst to the two of them that Jayce had watched the exchange.

As Heigmendigner started talking with the broader avatar before him, Jayce's ears flickered attentively, listening to the sciences behind making genetically similar avatars. All while Skye gently spoke to Viktor, giving him another scolding for scaring the technicians, and her for that matter. Before she started whispering, the two of them followed Jayce and Heigmendigner back into the doors from which they’d come from.

"He wants to speak with Overseer Merdarda." She nodded toward Heimendigner, but her voice was quiet as if the information was confidential, her hand covering one side of her mask, despite not making it any quieter. Even though there was now a significant height difference, Viktor heard every word. He looked down at Skye briefly as they walked behind Jayce and Heigmendinger, trudging toward the labs again. Before his eyes flickered up to Jayce's own ears, flickering slightly toward Viktor and Skye, he too overheard her.

Despite knowing this, Viktor pressed slightly, "Not Commander Merdarda? Why not simply report to her?" Viktor's voice was low but just enough for Skye to hear him, assisted by his slight lean downwards.

When Skye didn't respond to his question, Viktor looked down at her, where she shared a knowing glance with him, earning her a nod in return. A silent sort of understanding.

Jayce and Heigmendigner’s quiet conversation continued as they reached the lab, where Skye and Viktor fell into a comfortable silence. Viktor was incessantly listening to the conversation before him, unable to not overhear their discussions.  

~~~

Shortly after listening to conversations about MR scans, neutral connections and the transmissions and receptions of sensory information between Jayce and Heigmendigner they'd made it back to the labs where Viktor and Jayce's real bodies resided. Whilst Jayce found it vastly interesting seeing himself outside of himself, Viktor felt uneasy, his stomach twisting at the sight of himself, seeing himself how others saw him made him feel ill and queasy. Deep down his human body disgusted himself, and he felt a much deeper connection to himself as an avatar, but he knows a dream when he sees one, nor would he ever admit such a thing to anyone but himself.

They were analysed in the very same room, having monitors attached to them after their running escapade, checking vitals once more. "Regretting running now?" Jayce chuckled, looking over at Viktor, but Viktor looked at him with that quirked up lip and a slight shake of his head, "Do you regret chasing me?" Viktor's soft laugh faded into the lab's stale sanitised air, Jayce smiled in return his toothy grin making the room slightly more comforting.

Strangely, Jayce didn't answer Viktor's question, but seemed content with Viktor's answer regardless. Viktor found himself peering at Jayce from behind his examiner, taking in his features under the white lights, the shape of his nose, his brows and that familiar gap in his teeth, only now his canines were sharper, more pointed. Only when his examiner speaks to him is Viktor pulled out of his entrancement on Jayce.

"Prognosis is healthy." The examiner turns to the other, his voice is stern as he waits for the other examiner for Jayce to respond. "The prognosis is elated but healthy." She turns to her co-worker with a smile. "You two can see Professor Heigmendigner now." She motions her hand toward the exit where Skye waited for the two of them.

Their large statues took up a considerable space in the room, even as they weaved between other working scientists, making way for Skye.

"I'm glad you two are healthy despite overworking yourselves just out of the bay." Skye smiles at the two of them, before leading them toward the locker room, where RDA clothes were prepared for them. "Please change out of your medical gowns, there should be clothes in your respective lockers" Skye motioned to the door, before waiting outside, fervently flicking through the notes on her tablet.

The two of them went inside, dawdling for a moment, Viktor begrudgingly opened his locker, grabbing the cargo shorts and shirt, scoffing at the prospect of wearing them. "You know Jayce, we studied Na'vi clothes, only to wear the RDA uniform." His voice was slighted and even mumbled, feeling as though there was more potential here than the RDA was providing.

But Jayce laughed, a short hearty laugh, quickly tugging up the cargo pants, skipping out on potentially wandering eyes. Turning to Viktor, chest free of his shirt for a few moments. "Could you imagine," He joked, as he threw the shirt over his arms, threading himself and tugging down the front of his shirt as it rested on his shoulders, "-me, wearing what the Na'vi do?" He shook his head slightly with a sort of self-conscious laugh.

His now excessively large hands gripping at his hips, as if he were fidgeting. Before Viktor could respond, protest even, Jayce did it for him, again, "I would look ridiculous." He trudged out of the locker room, still bare footed.

While Viktor's brow furrowed, he contemplated why it'd be so preposterous, and he’d honestly thought the Na’vi clothing would suit Jayce. The amount of skin peering back at Viktor, the way the fabrics would wrap themselves around Jayce's sturdy body, the small of Jayce's back, what pattern would be rested there. Viktor didn't let his mind wander further, shaking his head slightly. But still, he stripped himself of his gown, and emerged from the locker room in the RDA uniform, and it felt heavy.

The three of them continued their walk toward the conference room, the same tiled floors twinging at Viktor's soles, they spoke diligently as they walked to the science education section of their base. The brisk walk felt long and Viktor longed for those familiar sensations where his feet thudded against the earth outside, where his feet felt cold from dirt and not concrete.

The two were sat down to discuss the differences in their avatar's by comparison to real Na'vi, Jayce was attentive for the most part, supplying occasional questions toward the matter, where Skye would promptly answer, mask still encapsulating her face. Viktor however was barely paying his lab partners any mind, confined in the cold metal of the conference room, where his long blue legs barely fit underneath the table. He held up his hand, eyeing down the additional finger he had, wiggling it slightly, before folding it and holding it up to the screen where a Na'vi hand diagram was displayed.

"Viktor? A question?" Skye gently pushed her glasses slipping down her nose slightly, holding onto her same tablet from earlier, clasping it tightly against her chest.

Viktor was taken aback for a moment before musting up a question he'd long asked himself.

"Why is it that we are different?" Viktor's hand came down and rested against the desk, hand gently wrapping around his wrist, tail flicking with curiosity, to hear what they’d have to say. But rather than Skye answer, before she so much as parted her lips, Jayce intersected, turning in his chair as he would often do in the lab. "Well, because of human DNA. We are human after all." Jayce rolled his shoulders a little, feeling as though Viktor's question was well answered.

Viktor shrugged slightly, he’d known the answer of course, he’d just wished it were different.With babbling questions behind his eyes, he returned his focus onto the painted stripes meticulously placed across the skin of his forearm. Viktor had long since blocked out the sound of Skye and Jayce sharing what can only be described as an information dump, all information they’d long since studied of course.

Heimerdinger's entrance was calm yet commanding, the soft padding of his small footsteps barely making a sound against the cold metal floor. Behind him, Overseer Merdarda followed, her presence the opposite, deliberate, sharp, impossible to ignore.

Jayce immediately straightened in his chair, his tail stilling behind him. Viktor, however, only tilted his head slightly, watching them enter with a lazily curious expression.

"Good, you're both here," Heimerdinger began, adjusting the high collar of his uniform before clasping his hands behind his back. His large eyes flickered over them both- evaluating, considering. "Now that you've had time to adjust to your new forms, we have an assignment for you."

"An important one," Merdarda added smoothly. Her dark gaze swept across the room before she gracefully took a seat at the head of the table. She folded her hands atop the desk, fingers intertwined, a sign of control.

Jayce's ears flicked. "What kind of assignment?" A sort of stern curiosity flittered through his words, not quite carefully chosen, but considered maybe. They were after all in the presence of someone with a large amount of power and resources over their lab-ongoings.

"A field mission," Heimerdinger answered. "To collect samples of Pandora's flora for further study. Given your.. unique perspectives, it would be beneficial to see how your Avatar forms interact with the environment directly."

Viktor glanced toward Jayce, then back at Heimerdinger. "A field mission already?" Viktor tapped a thoughtful finger against the desk. "I would have assumed you'd want us in the lab for further observation." His accent was sharp, he phrased the statement like a question.

Merdarda smiled, though it was not entirely warm. "Science is important, but so is diplomacy."

Jayce's brow furrowed. "Diplomacy?"

"Yes." Merdarda leaned forward slightly, her golden accessories glinting under the room's artificial lighting. "You're not just collecting plants. Should you encounter any of the local Na'vi clans, you are to approach them peacefully and introduce yourselves as representatives of our efforts here. We want to foster a working relationship with them."

Viktor narrowed his eyes slightly. "You mean, gain their trust." Viktor should have watched his words and chosen them more carefully, but he could see this for what it was. 

Merdarda tilted her head ever so slightly. "If you wish to phrase it that way."

Jayce exhaled, crossing his arms. "And what if they aren't… receptive?" His demeanour, followed by a gruff exhale, shot a slight irritation through Viktor’s limbs. 

"You adapt," Merdarda replied, voice smooth as ever. "You are not soldiers. You are scientists. Researchers. Make them understand that. Show them we are not a threat."

"That is easier said than done," Viktor murmured. "The Na'vi have no reason to trust us." His hand wavered, long fingers resting once more on the desk, tail flickering slightly behind his frame.

"Which is precisely why this mission is crucial," Heimerdinger chimed in. "If you establish a dialogue now, it could prevent future misunderstandings." He continued, urging the two to take up this offer as if they had a choice; it was this or whatever alternative plan Commander Merdarda had likely consulted with the Overseer.

Jayce rubbed the back of his neck, thoughtful. He wanted to believe in the mission. He wanted to think that this was indeed about peace. But with Merdarda involved, it became questionable.

Something about it felt calculated. 

Still, this was their chance. Jayce looked toward Viktor, who met his gaze with a knowing flick of his tail and roll-back of his ears, tell-tale signs even they weren’t aware of yet. A silent conversation passed between them. They would do this, but on their own terms, neither had the power to turn down Overseer Merdarda. Viktor exhaled through his nose and finally gave a slight shrug. "Very well. When do we leave?"

Merdarda smiled, victorious. "Tomorrow morning."

Chapter Text

Nights are cold in the RDA facilities, especially this wing. The bland walls, lack of windows and tiled corridors was enough to send a chill through the soles of your feet and up your spine. At least it was for Viktor. No shoes could ward off the stale coldness that lingered beneath his feet, it kept him awake most nights.

Tonight was a cane night, where he felt more confident in his steps, and that maybe his brace wouldn't clamp down uncomfortably over his leg. But it did, it always did, an unmistakable ache that Viktor thinks he'd always feel, whether he was wearing the damned thing or not. The halls smelt of nothing in particular to him now, his human body not nearly as tuned into its senses as his avatar, something he could feel himself missing already, simply the thought of disinfectant was irking him. Furrowed brow and hobbled steps, followed by an infrequent tap of his cane. Viktor made his way past the cafeteria, usually full of people, scientists and soldiers alike, now barren and dark. 

Tap, click, tap tap, click.

The lab almost beckoned him, keeping him out of sleep, just as much as the cold was. There wasn’t anything in particular to do in there tonight, the following day was pre-planned, no lab work, but an ‘outside tour’ as Heimerdinger and Overseer Merdarda had described it. 

Thus, Viktor was alone for the night, Skye had warned both Jayce and himself that they'd need an early night's rest in preparation for the following day's expedition. Heeding her warning, Jayce had supposedly turned in, shying away from the lab room he and Viktor practically lived in, which in itself was unusual. Something about the gesture, Jayce’s absence, unsettled him, just as he felt about the way Jayce's avatar form weighed over him, a grin spread across his face. For a moment Viktor nearly imagined Jayce's confident smirk instead, peering over him, fangs peeking from behind his open mouth.

A thought that was quickly flushed from his mind. As it were, Viktor would never admit these everlingering feelings to anyone, let alone indulge in them. Especially not in the lab, he can sometimes barely contain his intrusive thoughts about Jayce as himself, god forbid he’d ever imagine the same scenes while Jayce was using his avatar. 

It'd been years since the two of them were assigned together, all that time let Viktor fester in his adoration for Jayce. Before Viktor had noticed it, he'd started personal studies on Jayce, watching the flex and relax of his muscles when working on bigger projects. It took even less time for Viktor to make quick comparisons between the two. Jayce is muscular, unreasonable at times, harbours an attractively sculpted face, all of the things Viktor wasn't. All the things he would never be. 

Viktor's breaths became laboured by the time he reached their lab door, deep inhales and slow exhales. 

The lab’s lights weren’t on, Viktor approached the locked door, leaning on his cane as he fussed, chest still rising and falling heavily, getting the personalised keycard out of his pocket. Scruffy jeans and a slightly crusted sweater lay over his frame, god he had to wash up, he could practically feel the spilled coffee on his skin, the stickiness of the sweetmilk against the fabric of his sweater, it was uncomfortable. By the time he’d managed to grab out his keycard, another was already pressed to the identifier. The large, calloused hands for a moment looked as though they were pinching the item, as if it were too small to hold normally.

“Can’t sleep either?” The distinct voice of Jayce groggily mumbled from behind him, and god Viktor was partial to when his voice was on the verge of sleep, Jayce stood just behind him. Viktor made the same poker face he'd always make, only giving a small knowing glance over his shoulder. Jayce had most definitely been asleep at some point tonight, why he was awake though Viktor had no clue. 

“I hadn’t yet tried.” Viktor admitted, a mischievous smile pressing against his lips, turning away from Jayce to step into the lab.

Tap, click, tap, click, click, tap.

An amused huff escaped Jayce, stepping into the lab as well. Jayce was well kept by comparison, wearing clean jeans and a tight fitted shirt that adorned no stains or crust whatsoever. The only messy thing about him was his beard scruff and tousled hair that he’d let grow. Again, Viktor had made short work of a quick study, Jayce's wide shoulders that smoothed into his neck, how the scruff would feel against his cheek.

Not in the lab, not again. He thought, pushing it all aside. Endlessly thankful Jayce is oblivious to Viktor's rampant mind. 

The two of them sat in a sort of mutual silence, as Viktor peered through documents of information on the nearby Na’vi clans, reading up on what he could. A name stuck out to him, the leader of the Tor-Tompìva Clan, Vandir and their tsahìk Sy’lko. Unbeknownst to himself, Vitkor had been staring at the photographed documents of the two, lingering on the holo-display for too long, long enough to grab at Jayce's attention. 

“The uhh, leaders of Last Raindrop Clan?” Jayce hesitated for a second, waiting for Viktor’s attention to be shifted to him. “At least that’s the translation Skye gave me, I’ve never been any good at pronouncing Na’vi words.” He trailed off, finally getting through to Viktor, whose golden eyes barely flickered across from him, unfocusing on the holo-display for a moment and peering through it to Jayce, only to flick to the next display. “They are the closest Clan, at least to where the research station is, no?” Viktor inquired, a sort of breathlessness present in this voice.

“Yeah, you think we’ll see them? Tomorrow that is.” Jayce leaned back, feeling the tiredness seep into him once more. “Ideally, no.” Viktor found the words spilling from him before he could so much as think of an answer. He was just as shocked as Jayce was at the words, at the admittance. “Why?” Jayce couldn’t help but ask, leaning forward now, elbows pressed onto the table's surface. He’d thought Viktor would be excited at the chance to meet Na’vi. “To be truthful Jayce, I do not trust this expedition.” He paused for a moment, clearing his throat and waving his hand at nothing in particular, “I do not trust the intent rather.” Viktor felt as though he owed Jayce at least some insight to his thoughts, his scientific and political mind, not the other thoughts. Viktor was leaving open a small gap, a slight insight to what was ebbing at his stomach and keeping him awake. 

“I know Viktor, I know.” Jayce too felt the sway of anxiety floating through his stomach, head hanging slightly. Strangely it wasn’t for fear of being out in Pandora, in the unknown wilds, but rather the underlying purpose of their mission.”Time will tell.” Viktor trailed off, a matter of fact type tone blanketing his words. Their minds trailed off too for the remainder of the night, reading and re-reading documents before it was inevitably time to head to the allocated dorm rooms. Jayce had long since fallen asleep in his chair, head lolled to the side on his shoulder and arms crossed over himself.  Viktor found himself letting a smile spread across his lips, for a moment he deliberated leaving Jayce there, and simply placing a blanket over him. For a moment he wanted to lean down and press a chaste kiss on top of his ruffled head, but he didn’t, he couldn’t. Never would he condemn Jayce to seeing how he truly felt, instead he did leave him there, not before shuffling over to the clumped blanket that resided in their lab.

Click, tap, tap, click, click, tap.

Jayce barely protested in his sleep as the blanket was dressed over him, before Viktor could muster the ability to stop himself, he pressed his fingertips to his own lips, and pressed them to Jayce’s stubbled cheek. Again, his brows furrowed and a heat splashing over his cheeks, he left the lab, taking steps as quickly as he could muster, the brace clamping down harder than usual, a reminder that his expressions of affection ought to be kept to himself. 

~~~

Jayce and Viktor's late night served as a refresher, to re-assess the information on the Clans and biology with a new lens. A lens that offered distrust from the RDA, it wouldn't be the first time RDA operations felled the Na'vi. Whether Overseer Merdarda had meant what she said about peace left the two of them doubtful. 

It was, after all, Commander Merdarda, Overseer Merdarda's mother, that had issued ‘scare-tactics’ for any Na'vi too close to their facility.

Despite the Overseer's hierarchical power over Commander, there was very little stopping any sort of influence. Viktor knew this especially.

They’d made their way to their research outpost, 25 clicks from their big facility. It was a complicated ordeal, transporting the small research team, Jayce, Viktor and Skye, whose job was to directly report to Heimerdinger; and to transport their avatar forms to the outpost. The entire journey was painful on Viktor’s leg, the turbulence and metal vibrations seeping into the bone of his bad-leg, the Aerial Samson was heavy with a sway, carrying the avatars below them in a shipping container. Jayce however thought the views were astounding, peering out of the cockpit windows to the suspended rock formations. 

“God, Viktor, the view is endless..” Jayce found himself trailing off, slightly muffled from his mask, before being ushered by Skye to sit back down. It was only then that Jayce finally got a good look at Viktor, hands clutching at his cane tight enough to make his knuckles white. His furrowed brows and squeezed shut eyes, Jayce found himself counting Viktor’s moles, making sure they were all in the same place, the ones he could see at least, the mask covering much of Viktor's face. Jayce didn’t need to ask if Viktor was okay to know he wasn’t, to know that the Samsons vibrating engine was rattling him, causing aches and pains. “How long until we touch ground?” Jayce’s voice was stern now, sore neck turning until he peered at the pilots. His tone made Viktor’s eyes open, a slight squint at first before opening fully, to wordlessly stare across from him at Jayce. “Touch-down in ETA 5 minutes.” A voice spoke back to Jayce. It was enough to make Viktor squeeze his eyes shut again, thinking about equations forced his mind to distract from the pain wobbling through his leg, the brace squeezing tight on his thigh.

Shortly their altitude had lowered and suddenly there was a thud below them, the shipping container had to be removed before they could land, distant radio chatter and the maneuver of the Samson led Viktor to believe it was finally time to land, finally time for Viktor to walk on solid ground. His eyes still shut, but more relaxed, suddenly opened, eye flicking to Jayce who’d sat beside him at some point, large hand pressed to his good knee. “Are you alright to stand?” Jayce’s voice was soft, and Viktor hadn’t realised everyone else had departed the Samson, Skye spoke to the pilots at the opened cargo ramp, mask muffling her words. Jayce was still patiently waiting for an answer, hand still pressed gently to his knee. 

“I am quite alright.” Viktor mustered, standing too quickly for his legs to keep up, wobbling as if he were a new-born fawn, cane hitting the ground with a harsh click. But still he tried, and each step sent a seething pain through him, from the base of his foot to the top of his spine. Tap, click, tap, tap, click. Jayce had long since known Viktor to be stubborn, too stubborn for his own health matter of fact. He wasn’t going to stop Viktor from trying though, he knew better than to impede, lest he faces Viktor’s angry words again, so instead his hand fell to the small of Viktor’s back, as it often did. The only sign that Jayce knew Viktor was uncomfortable with his touch was the reddening of his ears, as he watched the form of Viktor become more rigid, his hand left his back, red blushed across Viktor’s ears. Jayce reached for the folded wheelchair he’d packed in the cargo bay, unfolding it without so much as a word to Viktor, before placing it beside the man. A silent offering. 

Today would be a wheelchair day, Viktor felt embarrassed with himself, as all wheelchair days made him feel. But still, a relieved huff escaped him as he found himself resting into the wheelchair. After a moment they made their way into the outpost, prepping for set up while Viktor had a short rest.

~~~ 

Setting up in the new research facility wasn’t anything new to anyone, time went by quickly and the distant sun had barely moved from its position from the early morning. Viktor found himself thoughtlessly staring out the window and at the separate building where their avatar forms rested. It’d be a long day he could tell, but it’d feel infinitely shorter when he’ll have the ability to move with ease, it always seemed to be too little time. Viktor was torn from his position when Skye called him and Jayce for the debrief.

“Alright, so” she paused, the gentle squeak of the wheelchair stopping near her, “-we, you two, will be going out today to collect plants to study their biology.” She looked to both Jayce and Viktor who were seated, checking if they were actually listening. “You will also be doing some nearby recon-” Her eyes planted squarely on Jayce, who seemed just as unimpressed as he had been earlier, whilst in a video call meeting. “Jayce will be taking some equipment-” Skye’s hand gestured to thigh holsters, too large for any human to wear, but small enough to garner what could only be slightly-bigger than average pistols. Viktor felt himself sit straighter, leaning forward slightly. “I thought we were supposed to be handling any contact peacefully.” Viktor was blunt, as he could be between the three of them, his brows creased and his lips faltered into a line. Skye cleared her throat slightly, “-for self-defense, they are protective measures against hostile wildlife.” Skye only flipped her hand-held holo-display tablet around, pointing to viper-wolves. 

A brief wave of relief washed over him, but still concerned about the implications of taking any form of weaponry with them. As if Jayce had read his mind, “The implications of arms isn’t great.” His elbows rested on his thighs, leaning forward with a shake of his head. “I know, I’m sorry. Overseer Merdarda felt it would be safest for you two, given this is a vital mission, to have at least the option.” Skye’s shoulders sagged slightly, her small frame somehow shrinking ever-so slightly. “So it must be.” Viktor exhaled, clearly holding lingering agitation over the matter. 

Jayce looked up from the spot in the ground he was staring holes into. “Is that the entire debrief?” His voice was smooth, any agitation or concern he’d had just moments ago was smoothed over. “The recon is for any signs of the nearby clans Na’vi.” She clarified, voice growing almost stoic, unlike her usual self. “We’re under strict orders from Heimerdinger and Overseer Merdarda to be as complacent as possible with any contact, and if possible, speak with them.” Her head was almost buried into the tablet before checking between the two of them. “Any questions?” She always asked this, sometimes knowing they didn’t have anything to add, this was one of those times. As Jayce and Viktor shared and exchanged glances, and Viktor offered Skye a shrug, worry was still swaying in his core. “Debrief concluded, get prepped for the neural link units.” Skye waved her hands at the two of them, ushering them away before turning to her tablet once more. 

~~~

The jungle breathed around them. Viktor stood at the edge of the research outpost, gazing out into Pandora's vast, untamed wilderness. The dense foliage glowed faintly with bioluminescence, twisting vines curled like waiting serpents, and towering trees stretched endlessly toward the sky. The sounds too, Viktor could feel them almost through his skin, ears twitching and flicking, trying to take in every audible thing. Creaking wood, windswept leaves, and of course the distant shuffling and soft cricketing of critters.

Viktor listened more intently suddenly, somewhere in the distance, something howled.

A shiver, not of fear, but of thrill, ran down Viktor's spine. He curled his toes into the damp earth, and his tail once again started flickering. It was his first time stepping outside, to the real outside, in his Na'vi body, and already, the air felt different, thicker, richer, like every inhale brought him to life. 

"You're staring like a scientist again," Jayce teased, adjusting his gear, RDA equipment strapped across his hips like a belt, vest resting over his grey long sleeved shirt, pocketed with prodding utensils and glass tubes, and then checking the thigh holster, that the usually over-sized pistol was strapped in. Viktor peered down to his own RDA get up, cargo shorts and short-sleeved black shirt, adorned with the RDA logo of course.

"Not that I blame you. This is a lot to take in." Jayce was done fiddling with his gear now, one hand resting on his hip, the other gesturing the abundant expanse before them, tail flicking slightly. Keeping his composure despite his awestruck from within the Samson, he couldn’t fool Viktor, Jayce was just as amazed with the wild biome as he was. 

Viktor turned toward him, ears flicking instinctively, another new reflex he hadn't quite mastered yet. Jayce stood tall, his avatar form familiar and yet unfamiliar, golden eyes reflecting the soft glow of their surroundings.

Viktor smirked. "I am a scientist, Jayce. This is what I do, you are too, matter of fact." Viktor nearly felt himself hiss the last words of his sentence, eyes drifting to the gun holstered away. Jayce was a scientist through and through, but he was also the muscle, clearly Overseer Merdarda had seen that too.

Jayce rolled his eyes, entirely unaware that Viktor was peering down at the gun resting on his thigh. Handing Viktor a small walkie-talkie, tapping the strap on his own chest, silently instructing him where to put it. "Alright, partner, let's go over the mission Merdarda gave us again. We're heading out to collect biological samples near the river. Just basic survey work." Jayce all but sped through the plan, as if they hadn't heard it a hundred times within the early hours of their morning and their final debrief just earlier. Something about the lack of ‘Overseer’ when addressing Merdarda irked him, making him slightly uneasy, despite it not being his place to feel that way.

Viktor arched an eyebrow, shoving the thoughts away. "Basic, hm? That is what you said about my first avatar test run, and yet, I ended up tackled to the ground." A smile tilted its way onto Viktor's lips, but was squashed down again, as if he had to prove he was still agitated at Jayce for towering over him, large eyes peering at him. If he was even agitated at all, which he knew he wasn’t. 

“Besides,” Viktor continued, “-you forgot the recon part.” Viktor could feel his nose scrunch up again, head lolled down slightly, side-eyeing the gun once more.

"Yeah, recon too, and that was your fault for running like a maniac." Jayce waved his hands around for a moment before they resumed their default position on his hips. 

There was a slight pause, as if Jayce was waiting for a retort he knew was coming.

"Debatable." Viktor's gaze left Jayce's, and instead turned upward to inspect the trees towering overhead.

Jayce groaned but motioned for Viktor to follow. "Come on. River should be 5 clicks that way." His head nodding in front of them, looking down to the miniature compass on his wristband.

Viktor took a confident step forward, following closely behind Jayce.

They’d made it most of the way, the river’s flowing water was audible now, their only exchanged words being about Viktor’s confidence in his form. “I am better coordinated in this form than you are.” Viktor scowled, half-serious half-joking. Jayce’s only response was a chuckle, knowing damned well Viktor was moving as though he had two-left feet this morning, when they’d first re-entered their avatars.

The chuckle made Viktor look up slightly, he was taller now as his avatar and it felt strange not looking up as far. Soon Viktor's eyes planted themselves onto Jayce’s grey shirt, Jayce’s usually wide shoulders were even broader now, the spliced genetics doing wonders for Viktor’s imagination. Gods, not the avatar too. Viktor shook his head to himself, taking a bigger stride to instead walk side by side to Jayce, only for his tail to catch on a low-hanging vine. He yelped as the sudden pull that threw off his balance, and he staggered, barely managing to right himself before slipping on the damp moss beneath him.

Jayce snorted. "You were saying?"

Viktor scowled at the vine wrapped around his tail, untangling himself. "This thing is a hazard." He flicked his tail, testing its movement. "It has a mind of its own."

"We'll get used to it." Jayce smirked. "I think it's all about instinct, maybe.” Jayce extended a hand to Viktor, whose long limbs were now covered in green and brown smudges. 

Viktor exhaled, shifting his weight experimentally. His body felt different, longer, leaner, more powerful. Every small movement had more range, more fluidity than he was used to. Reaching for Jayce’s hand, his was quickly lobbed up from the ground, standing tall beside Jayce who offered that same toothy smile, the very same Viktor had grown fond of, ever since their mini-marathon.

Jayce took off ahead, his footsteps light and soundless despite his size. He moved like he belonged here, navigating the uneven terrain with ease. Viktor, on the other hand,

Viktor stepped forward, misjudging the force needed to push off, and suddenly, he was moving too fast. He was thinking too much again, it wasn't like when he first leapt from the lab, he felt like he knew what to do then. But now, it was like he was relearning everything from scratch.

His body launched forward with more momentum than expected, and he barely managed to skid to a stop before crashing into Jayce with a solid thump.

Jayce raised an eyebrow. "You're really struggling with the whole readjusting thing, huh?" A smile cracked, big canines and his toothy grin, the same smile Viktor had always known, yet enhanced somehow.

Viktor huffed, tearing his eyes off Jayce's pointed canines. "Forgive me for not being born in an able, athletic body." Suddenly, Viktor was met with an egg wash of shame, unpleasantly coating his skin.

Jayce's brow creased slightly, knowing full well Viktor wasn't talking about the avatar bodies, his eyes hesitated before drifting away from him. 

He hesitated for a moment, the air stilling, but not quite quiet, thanks to the constant critters chattering. "Don't worry," Jayce grinned, an ebb of sadness still lingering in his voice. "I'll be here to catch you if you fall again."

Viktor narrowed his eyes. "You enjoy this, do you not?" He didn't know if he was supposed to be hurt or grateful at Jayce's words.

"A little."

Before Viktor could argue, Jayce turned, ducking under a large tree root. He grinned. Perhaps there is some enjoyment to be had in this.

Chapter Text

Gentle winds pushed ripples across rocks, the water wasn't quite clear but not murky either. Viktor couldn’t bring himself to slip into the shoes left for him, the shoes that were abundantly too large for a human, the shoes that enclosed Jayce’s bare skin. Instead he wanted to feel the ground beneath him. It’d been long since soil was this moist, and even after Viktor was encased by metal, shipped off and frozen. But even now the metal and tiled floors would never be the same as this, solid but natural, not stinking of disinfectant.
Viktor found his bare feet slipping into the river's edge, feeling the coolness of the water on his bare, blued skin. He spared Jayce’s the exhale he’d been holding in as the coolness of the water crept up his skin, peering across from him Reyknap fluttered past with ease, the canopy sparing space for light to fall across their wings. The moment was beautiful and even though he was spending that moment beside Jayce, he wasn’t sharing the same experience. Jayce was squatted, leaned over the riverbed, peering at the contents within, entirely unaware of the wavering reflection, prettily painting himself. The remaining sun kissed the skin of Jayce's face, bouncing off the water's surface, highlighting the planes of his face. Just as the sun pressed against the Reyknap wings, Viktor was entranced.

There was a silence between them, the space filled with ambience- the gentle river flowing over rocks, distant creatures squawking and chittering. All of it was swallowing Viktor whole, and for a brief moment he imagined holding Jayce’s hand in this space, sharing it with him. Viktor could feel his heart quickening slightly at the sight, Jayce illuminated by the slowly falling sun.
But there was nothing that could make this daydream of his a reality, once cocooned in awe, he butterflied himself, freeing himself from a non-existent safe haven, you will never be what he wants. The thought shattered the small reality he’d built for himself.
He cleared his throat, earning a flick of Jayce’s ear. You have samples to be collecting. Viktor reminded himself, struck with embarrassment, again catching himself ogling his co-worker and long-time friend.  
It's getting worse. He rubbed the wrist of his other hand, a nervous giveaway, worry ebbing at his chest. No matter how hard he pushes these things down they keep springing back at him, like coiled heat beneath his skin.

It was bothersome to be this attached to someone who barely registered your presence as more than a mere coworker, let alone a friend. Skye was his friend, would Jayce consider Viktor a friend? Perhaps not.
There was a distant hope behind Viktor’s eyes, remembering the gentle support Jayce offered him, but he wouldn’t allow himself to experience such a trifle thing- hope. 

He'd dawdled for far too long again, hand releasing his wrist, his attention flickered back to the materials beneath his feet. Riverbed samples would allow for a water inspection, too. How different could Pandora’s water be after all? Viktor couldn't stop himself, amber eyes flicking over to Jayce once more, tail twitching. It’d been quiet between them for quite a while now.

For a moment, Viktor awkwardly watched the gears turning in Jayce's head as he wordlessly inspected the riverbed flora. Smirking when the cogs paused to speak, “It isn't quite moss.” Viktor spoke outwardly as Jayce had opened his mouth. 
Jayce quickly clamped his jaw tight, biting his tongue, followed by a quirk of his lips. “No it isn't, is it?” Jayce trailed off, pressing his fingers into the water and gently collecting the material, pressing his thumb to it and rubbing it across his fingertips. 

Viktor watched him, watched the furrow of Jayce's brow soften and his pursed lips curved into a soft smile. God he loved Jayce smiling. 

He pushed it down, harder, further into the crevices of his mind. Enough. It is bothersome, bothersome for Jayce. 
Viktor could only imagine how Jayce would react had he known he'd been desperately adored, the cold shoulder Viktor would rightfully receive. 
There's no time for someone like himself for Jayce. 

His gazed reeled back in, focusing once more, how the water felt against his skin. It pulled him back to where he was and out of his thoughts. Viktor bent down too, a movement he quickly recognised would be unachievable in his human body, another fault that would be unsuited for Jayce. With a short exhale, grounding himself once more, Viktor pulled a small glass vial from his own equipment, scraping it against the smaller rocks in the water, gathering what can only be described as long underwater moss. He’d only gathered a sliver of it, he refused to take more than what was needed, Viktor knows more than anything how that snowballs, Earth knows how badly that snowballs. 

Moss had long since expired on Earth, the more Viktor found himself reading the more he studied the diagrams, the more he was determined to never let Pandora suffer the beginnings of the same fate.

Across from Viktor, Jayce’s large body was still crouched down, running his fingers along the mossy ground, studying the way it reacted to his touch, scientific curiosity overriding everything else. Barely visible bioluminescence trailing his fingers movements across the plant's surface. 
"This entire ecosystem is interconnected," Jayce murmured, more to himself than anyone else. "It's not just intelligence. It's synchronisation.The Na'vi don't just live here. They're part of it, biologically, neurologically..." He exhaled, shaking his head. "It's unbelievable." His eyes gently lifted, looking toward Viktor slightly. 

Viktor softly scoffed, arms crossing over himself as he gathered the vial in his hand, pulling a marker from his vest and filling in the blank label on the vial. "For once, I agree with you." Viktor let his words fall solemnly, feeling mildly slighted that it took Jayce physical evidence to believe what they'd studied. But it couldn't be helped, a theory was just a theory until there was evidence to prove it, at least to Jayce's version of the scientific mind.
 
Jayce turned to him fully now, lips quirking into a smirk. "You agree with me all the time."
"Untrue," Viktor deadpanned, painting the marker at him laxly before stuffing it back into his vest.
Before Jayce could counter, something snapped behind them, loud enough to be a footstep over a branch, but no steps were heard after the initial sound. Viktor was quick to turn at Jayce, who already stood from his position. His eyes scanned the wilderness just behind them, his tail jarringly twitching, ears perked forward, but his broad body was still. Viktor could feel himself wince internally as his eyes trailed to Jayce's hand, where they rested over the holster. 

Viktor quickly stood, hand outstretched, palm wide and fingers spread as he took slow steps forward. If there truly was something lurking just beyond, they'd certainly not appreciate hands gravitating toward what can only be seen as a weapon, because that's what it was, a devastating weapon that could hurt and kill instantly. Viktor's hand is a silent demand for Jayce, barring him from the weapon without so much as touching him. Jayce could only straighten his body and flex his long fingers away from the pistol, hesitantly nodding at Viktor in delayed agreement. 

Viktor too started peering wearily across the treeline, the tall canopy casting a deep shadow over the undergrowth. A deep knowing compelled Viktor to reach out, to speak before he wouldn't have another chance “If you are not a hungry beast, then we are friends.” Viktor broadcasted, for a moment he'd thought perhaps it was a creature after all, be it one that would hunt them or one that would run. There was no response, the silence itself felt like an answer. 

As Viktor's hand started to fall to his side, he spotted movement at the same time Jayce had. 

A drawn bow, arrow sharp and adorned. Slowly a Na'vi stepped out from the shadows. Their frame is similar to Viktor’s, broad but not as Jayce was. Jayce was quick to side step in front of Viktor, hands held up, “We mean no harm, and pose no threat.” Jayce was stern, and suddenly the two of them were overwhelmed with the sense that there'd be a huge language barrier. One that could determine if either one of them was to be injured. 

When their whole body surfaced into the light, the bow still drew taut. Their eyes locked onto the holster plastered to Jayce's thigh. Viktor saw the flicker in their attention, the way their patterned skin grew slightly more rigid at the sight. “Fwew tarnioang..” (For predator animals..) Viktor's voice intercepted whatever Jayce was going to continue with. 
They grimaced, undoubtedly displeased with the notion such a weapon was to be used on creatures, but slowly their bow was lowered slightly, an arrow not drawn tight, but still pointed toward them. Their hair was different to that Jayce and Viktor had studied, it was dreaded, thick and lightly decorated, and not black as many studies had suggested. Instead it was an off-white, and yet the Na'vi's features spared no room for wrinkled skin, they didn’t bear any sign of old-age. They were young, perhaps even younger than Jayce and himself.
Their clothes are a series of intricately placed fabrics, crystal beads and twine, their patterned skin a deeper blue than Jayce and Viktor.

Viktor could feel the strangers gaze burning holes into them, flicking between the two as their tail followed suit. Their deep brown eyes landed on Viktor again, staring into him. The air was tense, and Viktor found himself almost curling into himself, ears flattened and tail stilling. He clenched tighter around the sample vial in his hand. The only sound flowing between the three of them was the soft sway of the river's water.

When the stranger spoke, their tone was stern and their gaze softened, “Fe'ran eltur tìxten si, aystampe.” Viktor could only pick words out of the few they'd said, reading Na'vi was different from hearing it. Nor did they repeat themselves. 
“Flawed.. men..?” Viktor mumbled to himself, stomach hollowing, he’d said it loud enough for both Jayce and the stranger to hear. Jayce's brows raised slightly, but his lips remained the same line, caution filtering through him. 

The Na'vi slid the arrow away and rested the bow at their side, making short strides toward Viktor, almost completely ignoring Jayce, save for the glances to the holster. Their bodies grew more tense the closer they came, Jayce shuffled slightly still partially in front of Viktor, but distanced enough the holster wasn’t in range of the stranger.

“Fìpo,” he pointed at Viktor's hands “fe'ravni.” His voice flickered with what can only be disdain, if the scrunching of his nose was anything to go by. Viktor felt his own eyes widen, the Na'vi was pointing at his additional finger, the human hands that accompanied their avatars.

“Oh.” Jayce found himself saying aloud, filling the silence and briefly catching the attention of the stranger. Viktor's heart was beating slightly harder now, and his stomach was still carved hollow, sifting through the Na'vi words he'd committed to memory. He felt flustered, sieving through anything that could help their situation, the longer he took to answer the more his eyes flickered between his damp feet and the strangers dry ones, noticing the distance between them. Taking a half step back, foot touching the water once more, Viktor felt his hand gravitating towards his wrist once more before he’d finally found some plausible words to fill the air.

Stringing together the words wouldn't be ideal but Viktor hoped it would work well enough. “E. Ftia atxkxe.. ngaytxoa.” (I understand. We're studying land.. sorry.) Viktor slowly gestured behind him, before looking at the additional finger on his outstretched hand and snatching at it, his apology for their flawed bodies. Startling himself, and not the stranger, suddenly feeling alienated in his avatar's body, like he should have felt this whole time. This wasn’t his body, he could never have a body like this. His clamped-together hands gently uncoiled, pointing to himself, “Viktor,” and toward Jayce, “Jayce.” Viktor slowed his breathing, hoping he'd conveyed their intentions well enough, ignoring the fact he'd folded his pinky’s, tucking them away. 

He looked over to the stranger whose face was unreadable for a moment, before his hand rested on his hip, and he gently laughed. “Eylanay'ipu!” They'd said after their short outburst, something at the gesture made Viktor's mood soften, but his fingers stayed curled. 
“‘Funny friends’ huh?” Jayce confessed, the tension from his shoulders loosening. A short smile escaped his pressed thin lips. 

The stranger nodded, before pressing his palm rested flat to his chest. “Ekko.” A short toothy smile escaped him too. There was little else Jayce or Viktor could communicate, and the wind was getting colder, a brisk reminder they should start their trek back. 

Viktor spoke in the space between them, after returning his gaze from the falling sun. “Oegn tätxaw, alìm..” (We must return, it's far away..) He gestured back into the wilderness behind Ekko, who only responded with a knowing nod. Turning back to the two of them, reaching out and touching either one of their shoulders. “Tam, kìyevameintj.” A smile pressed across his face once more before he turned away from the two, offering a wave before disappearing in the underbrush once more. The sun was getting lower now, the bioluminescence of the night starting to show itself across the leaves and grass blades. 

For the first time in the whole exchange Jayce let out a deep exhale, and Viktor offered a nervous chuckle. 
“Holy shit.” Jayce said, still in disbelief, “Honestly, what would I have done without you?” Viktor's heart stopped for a second. Feeling praise wash over him like a warm hug. “Thank god for your language studies.” He added, and although Jayce meant nothing by the initial gesture, at least nothing romantic, Viktor still felt his heart flutter for a moment, before clipping its wings. Bothersome.
Eyeing the nearly forgotten sun nearing the horizon line as a distraction.  
The two of them shouldn't be out much longer. They were told to be back before sundown, and yet the sun was gently faring its goodbyes.

They still had to get back to their outpost, and report to Skye. 

As if her ears were burning, their radios chattered at the same time, and her voice echoed roughly from within. “Science team come in. It's near sundown, where are you? Over.” Followed by a static. Viktor could practically imagine Skye pacing, leaning over the science team’s bodyguard, deliberating whether to send the few soldiers situated at their outpost for a search and rescue or not.
Jayce reached for his radio, striding forward and nodding to Viktor, they really should get a move along. A soft click before Jayce spoke, “Jayce here, oh and Viktor’s here too, we're coming back, over.”

~~~

The sun was nearly forgotten, nearing the end of the horizon line, 
Glowing flora shifting in soft bioluminescent flows, the distant call of a viperwolf echoing through the thick canopy, Viktor has long since been on edge. The night was unknown to the two of them, they'd only observed the nightlife from within the RDA facility, and even then it was dismal, it wasn’t actually experiencing it. Viktor had never felt so aware of the world before. Every scent, every vibration in the air, every movement in the undergrowth registered with stunning clarity.
His Na'vi body was still new to him, a gift and a curse. A gift for a body he'd longed for and a curse as a reminder that he'll never have the ability to feel as free as he did then. He moved easily, faster than he ever had in his human form, but the feeling was almost disorienting. It was like waking up from a lifelong dream and realising he'd never actually been awake before. He’d spent so long in his dilapidated body that he’d long forgotten the ease of simply moving.

The night air was cool now, not freezing, not leaving goosebumps across his patterned skin, it was refreshing. Viktor could feel the wind tousle his hair just as it softly moved Jayce's. His eyes trailed from the nearby environs, how the wind pushed the glowing speckles across the flora, just ever-so-slightly. And then his eyes were planted back on Jayce, taking strides in front of him, neck bending slightly to double-check their location. 
“We're nearly there.” A huff escaped Jayce, their consistent fast pace wearing them down, Viktor too could feel the hotness of his tired breath against the cool air around them. 

“You can see the outposts' lights.” Viktor peered over Jayce's shoulder, who looked at the infrastructure in front of them as well. A tension Viktor hadn't noticed peeling from Jayce's frame, layer by layer, until they'd arrived at the doorstep. 

~~~

It’d been a long night, thanks to the rollercoaster of emotions and overwhelming development of their senses, and yet Viktor found himself feeling sort of beside himself upon needing to return the avatar to the station. He didn’t want to feel his own skin again, not for the night, and not for the day. But god, he’d feel so out of place and so undeniably readable for not wanting to leave this body just yet. So he did, alongside Jayce, who was all smiles now that they’d returned to their safe-haven, where the walls barred their senses. They’d laid their avatars down in their dorm beds, nestled inside the separate building, where no ventilation and air seals were needed. 

Viktor’s chest tightened again as he came to, a sweat dripping from his head as he sat up, and took the pouched nutrients from the disposable squeeze beside his neural link. His heart was hammering slightly from the transfer, and his legs ached for simply existing, laying in this position for hours and hours on end left him feeling crooked. 

Jayce had already sat up, delightfully chatting away with Skye and Cait, their personal bodyguard. Viktor found himself almost painting a picture of them in his mind, one where he wasn’t in it. I don’t fit. He’d thought to, no one but himself.

But Jayce saw him, saw him still laying there, head tilted slightly peering at them from his long lashes. He stood and made his way to him, gently helping him sit up, his hand on that same small of his back. Viktor felt disgusted with himself, his body not listening to him, aching and pulling at his muscles, pleading to his body to not rely on Jayce for this. This simple task, and yet here he was, doing just that. He grimaced to himself, the warmth of Jayce’s hand seeping through the clothes drearily draped over him. An ebbing ease radiating from Jayce’s palm pressed to his back, it shouldn’t- ease him- but it does. 

Here Viktor was feeling sorry for himself, when all Jayce’s expression had to offer was a genuine smile. Sometimes Viktor wondered if he himself was an open book to everybody, or just Jayce. But he knew better than to expect special treatment from Jayce, and gods maybe he didn’t even want it, to be treated with such care. Viktor knew better than to expect what he craved from Jayce, do not expect the unexpected he told himself.

Despite the rude awakening Viktor had already faced, the two of them spent the better half of their night being scolded not only for being radio-silent but for returning so late. Even their attempts at explaining they hadn’t heard anything from the radio were dismissed, only to be corrected once more that they should do check-ins, especially if they were receiving nothing. That was until Viktor and Jayce had recalled the events, in between bickering of course. Skye's worried, and slightly agitated- which was rare, expression contorted into bewilderment, not only astonished that they'd already met a Na'vi, but that Viktor had managed to talk their way out of any ill-happenings. Not that she had outright expected any injury to occur to them if they were to encounter Na’vi, but given that there was a pointed arrow aimed at either one of them was enough to warrant at least mild concern for their well-being.

“You got a name? Was there any hostility? Did they tell you which clan they were from?” Skye had rampant questions and she barely took a breath between them. It was almost as if she were interrogating the two, mainly Viktor but Jayce was there too. Cait sat there sipping out of a mug too, content with the chatter. “This sounds eerily like an interrogation.” Cait quipped, laughing into her cup and steam bellowing onto her cheeks.

Before Viktor could actually get any of those answers out, his body thrummed with unpleasant aches, his brace strangling his thigh again. Jayce’s eyes flittered over Viktor, who hadn’t sallied an answer yet, and met Viktor’s partially vacant eyes, an expression that often plagued him when his chronic pain was relentlessly striking him.

An expression that had started becoming more frequent since their initial avatar testing, where Viktor had full pelt run out of the lab. Before he could stop himself, Jayce had responded for him, “It’s late Skye, I’ll give you a written report by morning.” He shared an expression with Skye, one that she could recognise, ‘he’s hurting’ written all over his face. Skye’s excitement quickly dwindled, turning back to Viktor and peering at his free hand balled into a fist over his braced knee, the other clutching onto his cane. 

God, please not another wheelchair day. Viktor begged his body to get its act together, but as always, he was met with silent indifference. He did however, manage to offer up a smile to both Skye and Cait, an almost apologetic smile, a quiet apology where no words were needed to express his regret that he wasn’t more able than he currently was.
“I am rather tired” Viktor’s smile barely faltered, he was so used to offering up the same excuse, despite knowing full well the others already knew of his pains. Viktor was both grateful and uneasy that Jayce could see right through him, he shouldn’t have to, Viktor should be more able than this but he wasn’t. 

Viktor wished he could be a lot of things for Jayce, but he couldn’t. 

Instead, he stood wearily from his seat, feigning confidence as he awkwardly hobbled toward his bed arrangement, the icy nip of the metal floor seeping through the soles of his feet, the socks doing little to protect from the cold. 

Tap, click, click, tap, tap.

He crawled onto his bed, and landed with a soft thud.

~~~

It must have been hours later that Viktor woke, a thud shuddering his frame awake, his mouth dry and eyelids still heavy.

He held still, and he thought to peer out the window from his laying position, body aching slightly. It was dark outside and within, the nearby whispers and chattering between Skye and Caitlin had quieted. The only light was beaming down at the floor beside him from the reinforced window, the rest of the outpost was dark. Viktor’s eyes scanned the room he lay in, Jayce’s bed arrangement just across from him. But strangely, Jayce’s bed was empty, the blankets ruffled and scattered across it. Clearly, he’d been in it, which surely meant he’d be nearby. 

At first, Viktor thought he’d be using the restroom and lay his head back down, pressing it gently into his mediocre pillow, until he rolled slightly, eyes locking onto the light outside. The light was different from the distant blue of the gas giant pressed into the sky, it was small, much smaller- hand-held perhaps. Viktor’s eyes snapped open, realisation striking him before he was claimed by sleep once more.

A light near their avatar station, where their alternate bodies lay resting. 

Suddenly, Viktor felt his heart hammering in his chest, and he sat upright, scrambling to find the cane that should be beside his bed. He reached for it, snatching it up and abruptly standing. He tried to identify the figure, but he already knew who it was. Jayce. 

His broad shoulders were unmistakable, but what was it that he was doing? Was he observing their avatars? But why in the dark of the night? Viktor found his bones creaking before he could stop himself. He tried to be quiet, to silence the noise of his cane tapping the metal floor beneath him. There was a mask near the air-tight door. He snatched it before pushing down on the handle, straining his back and the leg that was supposed to have a brace on it. The door groaned open followed by a hiss, it closed behind him, and his heart was hammering out of his chest. He was sure he saw Jayce holding a tablet, but he couldn’t be sure. 
His pulse quickened, fumbling while trying to put the mask over his face and balance himself, desperately trying not to fall over. 

By the time the door opened in front of him, the mask was sitting snug on his face, and he’d suddenly understood what the thud was and hoped it wouldn’t wake anyone else.

The door was quieter as it closed behind him, the same thud disappearing into the night sky. Viktor hadn’t brought shoes with him and he could feel the wet ground beneath him, and he could hear Jayce’s voice coming from the station, it almost sounded like an agitated yell. Something within Viktor startled, it wasn’t often Jayce would let his anger slip, at least not in front of anyone, or at least when he thought no one was looking. 

Viktor’s cane was silent against the ground beneath him, he approached the separate building, hobbling his way over, his body still stiff from sleep. The open vented windows let Jayce’s voice seep through it with ease, his voice slightly muffled behind the mask. 

“You want me to- what?” Jayce’s voice was grim and accusatory, a sweat beading down the back of his neck.  Viktor stilled, his breath catching in his throat, he knew he should be approaching him with ease, confronting him even, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it. Jayce had to have a reason for hiding away. He held himself still, back pressing against the cold metal exterior of the building. 

There was a distant voice, commanding Jayce with a stern tone but Viktor couldn’t make out what they said. His heart was hammering in his ears and his legs were getting weaker by the second out in the cold. His avatar body could withstand it, but him? In his human form couldn’t, his real skin failed him as goosebumps burned across it. Viktor squeezed his eyes shut, desperately trying to focus on the voice from within instead.

Jayce sighed from inside, and Viktor peered into the building through the vented window, partially obscuring his view. He could see Jayce’s head in his hands, his thumbs pressing circles into his temple, a motion he’d only do when in deep, contemplated thought. 
The voice spoke again, but even still Viktor couldn’t make it out, it was more assertive, forcing a waver from Jayce’s voice. “Please,” a wobbly huff escaped his lips, sounding almost wet, “- don’t.” It was a plea. Viktor’s heart panged in his chest and his unbraced knee wobbled, he’d never heard Jayce so desperate before. Viktor’s skin was burning with texture, the goosebumps almost trying to escape from his skin’s surface. Viktor listened to Jayce sucking an uneven breath through his teeth and holding it. There was a cold, desolate space in the air, where not even silence could comfort either one of them. Jayce's breaths were wavering, and Viktor could only imagine the other man's pained expression, eyes squeezed tight and brows furrowed. 

"I'll- I'll do it." Jayce hesitated, only to mutter something to himself. The wind quieted, almost as if it were begging Viktor to listen more intently. "For him." He sounded almost hollow.

The wind around Viktor brushed against the trees above, and suddenly, he felt less alone and not in the way he’d wanted to be comforted. Something was watching him. Something from the underbrush or even the trees themselves. He could feel it. 

But he’d have no time to dawdle on the watchful presence, the sound of Jayce shuffling from within reared him into action. He’d rather not be caught eavesdropping, especially not by Jayce, as fast as he could manage, he’d shuffled his way back to the entrance. 

Suddenly cursing at himself for not wearing shoes, the dirt pressed against his soles would be hard to hide. But still he pushed, his overworked muscles screaming at him, and the outpost door opened. He ripped the mask from his face and clamoured to place it on the holder it came from. Viktor’s pulse was stammering so hard he could feel it, instead of making way to the bed outright he pushed himself to his knees, pulling out the suitcase of clothes beneath his bed. His knees screaming as he dropped to the floor, his hands trembled slightly at the thud, the sound of the outpost door opening. Viktor pulled the socks he’d snatched onto his feet before messily shoving the suitcase back under the bed. The goosebumps pressed uncomfortably against his skin, the blanket doing little to warm him as he threw it over his body. 
Viktor’s back was showing to the rest of the room, and suddenly, he heard the tiptoeing footsteps of Jayce, who hesitated before Viktor’s bed. He heard it, a sound that would make Viktor’s chest come to a screeching halt, that made his fingertips feel heavy and tingle with pain. Sniffling, Jayce had been crying. Viktor felt himself tense, hoping that Jayce hadn’t noticed, he held his breath waiting for Jayce to do something, anything. Viktor was fighting the urge to spin around and offer what little comfort he could. Every part of his body was telling him to turn and be there for Jayce, but he lay still, body tense as he felt his eyes wet slightly. He couldn’t bring himself to move. 

An exhale escaped from behind him, before the familiar clamouring into bed put his mind at ease, despite the guilt and regret flooding through him. 

Even as Viktor heard Jayce’s snores, how they bounded off the metal surfaces around them, he was still stuck in his thoughts. Overworking his mind until he felt the tiredness press against his eyelids, beckoning him to sleep. His final thought before slumber consumed him, if this was something pressuring Jayce, he’d hoped the man would find it in himself to come to the science team about it, or even discuss it with Cait. The two had known each other for years longer than Viktor had known Jayce, perhaps she knew much more about comforting him than Viktor could ever know, and maybe- maybe it was selfish of him to think that without even trying. 

Chapter Text

The morning is unsurprisingly wet, the outside of the outpost coated in the remnants of the rain that followed the heavy winds. 

Jayce woke, a painful headache needling itself behind his eyes. His eyelashes felt as though they were stuck together, clumped from his brief crying. He knew at the time he couldn’t stop himself from the tears falling, the pressuring weight got to him, and still the Commander's voice echoed through his ears from the night prior, as if she were tormenting him for his decision. 

“Jayce Talis, you are under my orders to gather this intel, by any means necessary. Is that clear?” 

Her voice was gravelly but there was no room for a rebuttal, no space to so much as breathe in a refusal. Not when he knew what was at stake. If the Commander was asking this of him then it had to be done, but gods what would they do with the information? Jayce could feel a cold sweat running down his neck and his palms pressing his eyes, rubbing in both frustration and in a failing attempt to quell the headache. 

Even Jayce could feel the furrow of his brow, it was only adding to his headache. He turned from his bunk, gripping at the fuzzy textured blanket that rubbed him the wrong way, it was sort of itchy and Jayce couldn’t imagine trying to sleep with the blanket on him without some sort of barrier. Suddenly he’d wished he’d brought the labs blanket with him, the same navy blue one that was draped over him in the chair just two days ago. A speckle of care from Viktor, the moments Jayce would cherish. 

Sometimes he’d wondered what the man was thinking, what he thought of their little science team, what Viktor thought of their late nights together, or the way Jayce’s hand fit perfecting into the small of his back. A smile found its way onto Jayce’s face, and he grabbed at his jaw slightly feeling a stubble beginning after just two days of not shaving. 

Jayce peered his head around, hand laxing from his own jaw, resting on his elbows. The light from the window just behind him was shining across Viktor’s bed, where Jayce had wanted to see him soundly asleep. Only to discover it was empty. His frown returned briefly, before peeling his arm from the blanket and staring at the time. 

“Maldición..” Jayce cursed from under his breath, he’d quickly gotten up and left the men’s dorm section, scurrying to the bathroom, scrubbing his teeth and ignoring the stubble that was growing on his face. 

By the time Jayce made it out to the main area of the outpost, as small as it was, he’d barely managed to shove on his second boot and pull at his pants from his belt. Three people sat in front of him, two mid-discussion and the other reading intently from a tablet screen. Jayce shut the door behind him, and heard the remnants of Sky and Cait’s conversation, something about the Tor-Tompìva Clan. 

Viktor is of course embedded in research, curled up into the rounded chair across from the other two, coffee in one hand, tablet in the other. Mesmerising. How Viktor was so dedicated to his work and eagerness for knowledge, it was mesmerising to Jayce. 

“Ah you made it!” Caitlyn laughed at him slightly, pulling him out of his thoughts before subtly pointing out the bedhair that was still planted on his head. He ruffled at his own hair, feeling only slightly embarrassed that Viktor might have seen it, but when Viktor didn’t so much as look at him he didn’t feel relief either. “Yeah yeah, what’s the plan for today?” Jayce shuffled towards his self-claimed seat. 

Sky cleared her throat, grabbing at Viktor’s attention too, which only slightly irked Jayce, something in his chest rising before falling out of touch again. 

“So, now that everyone is here,” her pointed look washed over Jayce, but a smile was pressed across her cheeks, “- We can get started on the plans. I’ll be looking into the water components and quality from the samples you two brought back yesterday and start working on a report for Heimerdinger." 

Not so much as a word was said between the other three, only accepting nods as they watched her press her glasses up her nose slightly before continuing. “Cait will be accompanying the two of you today, you;ll be going a little farther than yesterday and given you returned late and made contact I just want to be sure,” She sighed avoiding eye contact from both Jayce and Viktor, who she could feel a protest coming from, and for the first time Viktor beat Jayce to it. “The implications of having a soldier with us are not going to be well received.” Viktor stirred. “No offense that is.” He gestured to Cait in a non-chalant way, but sincerity wound tightly across his expression. 

“None taken.” Cait curtly replied before contently sipping from her mug again. 

“I understand, but it’s an order from the Overseer, Mel didn’t want to but Commander Merdarda insisted that there be some form of protection.” The name fell heavy over Jayce’s shoulders, and he felt himself physically sag a little at the thought of her influence already seeping into the Overseers decisions. Apparently Viktor felt discouraged too, but only in the way he had already suspected it was coming. 

“I do not trust the intent rather.” Viktor’s voice from their late night in the lab returned to him, and Jayce let out a deep sigh. Because the truth of it was that Viktor had known it was coming, and part of Jayce wished that it wasn’t the case, but given the frustrating call from Commander Merdarda last night, Jayce knew it was coming too. “Okay so we take Cait with us, but where is it we’re going?” Jayce didn’t mean for it to come out as coldly as it did, and he earned himself a raised brow from Cait, who’d become far too familiar with his frustrations over the years of knowing him. 

“Well you’ll be travelling to an older facility further into the wilds,” Sky bit her bottom lip, hesitating slightly, pressing on cautiously she added, “- It’s close to the Tor-Tompìva clan, but ideally Overseer would advise us to re-establish the location.” Her shoulders shrank slightly. She knew better than anyone else that this clearly wasn’t a mission for a science team to be doing, it looked more like thieving land. “This is not research.” Viktor stated what everyone else had known, his accent thick and his tone sharp. “We must remind them we are here for research, what good would come of stealing land from the clan, what sort of peace is that offering?” Viktor pressed forward, uncurling his legs from the seat and pressing his hand around his cane. Before Sky could answer, her mouth opened and Jayce filled the space between them all, “It isn’t.” He hissed it out, through a taut jaw and furrowed brows. 

The room filled with silence, awkward but knowing. Not one of them had the authoritative power to decline, to refuse this very clearly morally unjust decision. 

Cait sighed, she had barely spent any time in her Avatar form, rather she was mainly in charge of keeping the outpost protected, something she’d felt more comfortable patrolling as herself. Cait is a well renowned sniper from under Commander Merdarda retinue, even so Cait wasn’t particularly fond of the woman that aided in her training. 

“I’ll have to try on my blue won’t I?” Cait almost entirely deflated in her seat, sipping the last of her coffee. 

“You’ll be more scattered than Viktor was.” Jayce chuckled, remembering the clumsy nature of Viktor's walk with him to the riverbed. Viktor scoffed, turning into a half-hearted snicker. The air in the room grew softer and Sky visibly gained confidence, her shoulders straightening slightly, recalling the story of Viktor and Jayce sprinting out of their initial Avatar trial. 

It was good and somewhat freeing from the confines of the RDA facility, to be relaxed and in their own space, but Jayce felt a weight hanging over his heart. Knowing well that the Commander was trying to get Jayce closer to the clan, closer to gathering the information she’d demanded from him.

~~~

Sky wrote off the checklist, reading it aloud for the team to hear. The three of them towered over Sky, her voice muffled but ringing clear to them through her mask. Viktor shoved the bright walkie-talkie into the pocket on his vest, pressing the button to check it was on the same frequency as the others, Jayce, Cait and Sky’s walkie talkies all echoing the same white noise from Viktors. Cait looked uncomfortable, ammo cartridges snuck tight into the pouches of her vest, water bottle strapped to her belt- that was all normal, but she flickered her tail with a sigh. “God, it’s distracting.” She muttered to herself, grabbing at her own tail and holding it steady. Jayce laughed and elbowed her gently, “Don’t let it get caught in a vine.” She raised her brow before looking over to Viktor who was very clearly frowning in Jayce’s direction. 

Sky was practically talking to herself by the time she got to the end of the list. Before she snapped her fingers at them, earning three rounds of ears twitching in her direction. 

“I take it, you all know the coordinates of the location then?” Sky crossed her arms at them, before realising how much of a strain it was on her neck to look at their faces. 

“Sorry Sky, where is it we are headed?” Viktor cut in, apologising on the other two’s behalf despite not being the talkative one himself. She sighed, waving them off before pulling out her tablet again, reading aloud the coordinates. Viktor pulled a small notepad from his pocket and wrote it down, as Jayce was checking their current coordinates on his watch, committing it to memory as if he hadn’t done so already.

Jayce’s stomach felt sore at the prospect of bringing another gun but he strapped the thigh holster to his leg, clipping it over his belt too. He felt eyes on him, watching his movements. He looked to Cait only to find her strapping her own rifle over her shoulders, she wasn’t paying any mind to Jayce. 

His eyes darted to Viktor, who was staring squarely at Jayce’s thigh where the holster straps hugged the fabric of his pants. Viktor clearly hadn’t noticed that Jayce had noticed his onlooking, something in Jayce felt a worry wash over him. Of course Viktor was uneasy about the number of firearms they’d be taking with them, it wasn’t exactly screaming ‘we’re peaceful don’t worry!’ and Jayce found himself sighing and pressing his hands onto his hips. Capturing the attention of Viktor this time, eyes meeting his own, the first acknowledgement he’d received all morning from him. 

Viktor’s ears pushed backwards and his tail stilled, a wash of shame fluttering over him, he’d looked away from Jayce and into the wilderness just across from them. Something in Jayce stirred again, the same feeling that pressed into his stomach when his hand was pressed to Viktor’s back. 

“Are we ready to head out? We only have so much daylight left.” Cait’s words cut through the air, waking Jayce from his thoughts. “Yeah, uh- Sky will you be okay here by yourself?” Jayce found himself turning to Sky who was on the verge of heading inside. “Don’t worry, the building will be in lockdown until you return, Overseers orders.” Sky smiled but it barely felt reassuring. 

“And when will we be returning?” Viktor cut in, he still wasn’t facing them, his gaze stretching over the trees and underbrush that surrounded them. 

“Tomorrow, ideally.” Sky answered, earning a swift turn from the three of them. “T-tomorrow?” Cait asked, confused even. “Are we expected to stay the night in the, might I add, abandoned facility?” She was getting more tense, clearly she didn’t plan on being in her avatar for longer than she needed to be. And yet here Viktor was feeling relief spread through him at the mere prospect of staying in this form for longer than 6 hours. 

“You do check-ins every hour, once you reach the facility, the generator is reported to still be functional. When you regain power you contact the Overseer.” Sky sounded as though she was reading from her tablet, and yet it rested under her arm. 

“And if the generator doesn’t work?” Jayce asked, pressing his fingers into his temple, this was beyond unsafe, stranded in the wilderness with a small team of barely functional, let alone passing avatars. “Then report to me again, through the walkie-talkie.” Sky didn’t sound so confident after that, her voice wavered slightly and it by no means instilled any sort of confidence in the three of them either.

“This is stupidity.” Viktor hissed, his attention sharp and agitated, the flickering tail an endearing give-away. The three of them felt cheated out of important information, the location was further than they’d been led to believe, which warrants an overnight stay. 

“Agreed.” Sky added, before pressing the at the door handle to be let inside the air tight decontamination room. “And yet we have to do it anyway.” The door closed behind her and the three of them were left there, agitated and sceptical. But the sun wasn’t going to wait for them, and if they had to do it they had to do it now, before they’d run out of light.

“Alright, jodidamente ridículo, let's go. Cait you lead us and I’ll follow behind Viktor.” Only then did Jayce’s fingers leave his temple, pressing hard enough to give himself early signs of a headache. Cait offered up a small nod, before striding into the forest before them. Jayce turned to Viktor and offered his hand out in front of him, urging Viktor to walk between them.

“Kecy.” Viktor finished before starting the trek in the right direction, Jayce followed suit, caution pressing though him as he unholstered the pistol and held it in his hand, putting the military training he’d been forced to learn to use.  

~~~

Jayce found his eyes planting squarely on Viktor’s shoulders in front of him, ears twitching at any movement around him, he didn’t know if it was paranoia or anxiety keeping him alert but it was definitely working. He couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched, and neither could Cait apparently. “You feel it too right?” Her head turned to look back at the two of them briefly. She refocuses her attention on the coordinates nestled on her watch. Jayce offered a hum of approval, feeling himself grip sighter at the pistol and his shoulders tightening. Yet in front of him Viktor seemed almost tension free, there was no knot holding his shoulders tight, no stiffness in his walk and no hesitant sway in his tail. For a brief moment Jayce’s gaze pressed into where Viktor’s tail attached to his back, before swiftly looking away, peering into the tree tops above him, looking for any out of place movement. 

“True, surely if they meant harm it would have happened by now.” Viktor’s voice was optimistic at best, suspicion barely present in his tone. Cait laughed dryly and shook her head slightly, but after seeing the heated debates Jayce and Viktor sometimes got in she knew better than to retort, especially to Viktor. She’d get an earful despite backing down from whatever it was she could have said. 

Instead the air felt tense, rigid enough for a heated knife to glide through it with ease.

Jayce looked down to the coordinates on his watch, looking up to Viktor, staring past him at Cait, who’d effortlessly slid over an oversized tree root. “How much farther?” Jayce called out in front of him, waiting for Viktor to press over the tree root, before following behind, one hand on it as he gently launched himself over it.  

“Two clicks.” Cait nodded in front of her, two fingers flicking in the same direction, other hand gripping at the underside of her rifle. 

Jayce felt his stomach do a whirl, they were so close, and that meant intel. Intel he hadn’t wanted to collect. “How many members of the clan, their weapons, their leaders, you will collect all of this information for me, Talis.” Commander Merdarda’s voice rang in his ears again. “You know what’s at stake, don’t you?” Her voice was venomous and filled with a confident knowing. It made him feel sick, but here he was, doing exactly what he was told. 

The wind shifted, picking up slightly and Cait stopped, her nose twitching and tail stilling. Viktor stopped too, but he wasn’t looking in front of him, instead his head was tilted, gazing over at a plant bearing some form of fruit. Before Jayce could so much as ask why they’d stopped Viktor deviated, striding toward the plant, and pressed his fingers around the stem holding it in place. “Viktor.” Jayce hushed, but it came out as a whispered yell. “I am collecting samples Jayce, as researchers do.” Viktor hissed back to him, still not looking him in the eye.

Jayce stood there, waiting for the formation to return, waiting for Viktor to come back from the few steps he’d taken. He watched Viktor turn his back before snapping his head to Caitlyn. Cait’s attention flickered to Viktor, before she raised the rifle toward him, one eye squinting as the other pressed to the scope. She was quick, Viktor hadn’t noticed the gesture but Jayce had, and he felt his stomach drop, his eyes widening and shooting back to Viktor's direction when he saw it he felt his body surge forward. His hand reached out to Viktor's free hand, once not preoccupied with a fruit, he felt as though time was slowed. But the shot rang in their ears, and Viktor jumped at the sound. 

Cait shot at the floor, where the shadow met the lowered sun's light through the canopy. The dirt brushed in the wind, and Viktor had been pulled into Jayce, his heart hammering against Jayce’s. He could feel it, and the slight tremor in Viktor’s hand. 

Viktor’s amber eyes were staring into Jayce’s vest, wide and disorientated. Cait was holding her position, a warning shot. Jayce’s eyes followed Caitlyn’s into the underbrush, locking eyes with another. 

Two Na’vi were stalking there, one in a sort of sprawled crouching position, knife pulled from its place, defensive and agitated. The other had a familiar bow pulled tight, aimed at Cait, ready to release the arrow but not quite. Jayce looked at the bowman's eyes, they too flickered to him, to the pistol in his hand and the way he had a hand wrapped round Viktor’s shoulder. 

“Nìmunngu..” His voice faltered, as did the tension of his bow-string, earning him a brief glance from the other na’vi. 

Viktor’s heart was still pressing hard against his chest but he pushed away from Jayce, turning his gaze across to where he’d once been standing. “Ekko..” Viktor waved down Cait, pressing her to stop aiming at the two of them, but she didn’t lower her rifle, eyes pressed into the other Na’vi’s stance, knife still drawn. “Cait lower it.” Jayce’s voice was stern, nearing a command. “Her first.” She sputtered, flicking her head at the Na’vi, hair slicked like oil.

Viktor shot a look at Ekko, opening and closing his mouth trying to find the right words again. The tension was awkward and strangled. “Ngaytxoa.” (“Sorry.”) Viktor looked up from the ground back at Ekko, who had tension wrapped around his shoulders, passing weary glances at Cait’s gun that stayed unwavering and trained on them.

“Oegn ne sop lal RDA building.” (We’re travelling to an old RDA building.) Viktor couldn’t find the right words for it and instead gestured, hand over-head, undercover- building. Ekko offered nothing but a slight nod before looking back at Cait, eyes stretching across the long barrel. 

“Poe vinpawn ngeyä 'eylanay yem mìso..” (“She requested your friend put that away..”) Viktor nods his head toward the knife bearing Na’vi, the words coming quicker now. Ekko lets out what can only be a scoff, nudging at the Nav’i crouched in front of him. She slowly stands, hands outward and thumb curling around the blade as he hesitantly puts the knife back into its socket across her back. Cait holds firm, waiting for her arm to reappear empty-handed. “Cait.” Jayce’s voice was angry now, and it made Viktor’s blood run cold, his voice pressed against his ear and he flinched slightly, head tilted away from Jayce. 

But Caitlyn listened, lowering the gun from the two, but there was still a tension pressing her shoulders tight as she straightened up. 

“Ngaytxoa.” Viktor offered again, by now Jayce knew what it meant- sorry, again apologising on their behalf. A sigh fell from Cait’s lips, “What now?” She wasn’t asking about what Viktor had said, but rather what they were supposed to do. Caitlyn hadn’t exactly been trained to deal with a peaceful encounter under the Commanders order, but Jayce and Viktor had been- Heimerdinger saw to that.

Ekko pressed a hand over the Na'vi's shoulder pulling her muscular shoulder behind his own. He looked at Caitlyn squarely, stepping forward into the sunlight, white speckles fading as his skin disappeared from the shadow. Cait took an obvious step backward, clearly intent on keeping the distance. But Ekko pressed his palm against his chest, “Ekko.” and waved his hand to the Na’vi behind him, still encapsulated by the shade. “V’i.” She grunted in response, crossing her arms over each other as her tail flickered. 

“Kaltxì.” Jayce said, before he could let Viktor think he knew no Na’vi whatsoever. He stepped around Viktor, palm pressed to his chest, his eyes gently pressed onto V’i. “Jayce” his own arm wavered in front of the other two beside him, “Viktor, Cait.” Viktor nodded and Cait stood in silence, simply watching the situation unfold before speaking up. “Now that we all know each other, what are we doing? We’re losing light.” She pointed to the sun that was gradually dipping, a reminder that they still had around two clicks to go before they reached the neglected outpost. 

Viktor’s ears twitched and the grip Jayce hadn't noticed until then released from Viktor’s other, empty-handed wrist. The other is still holding onto the mysterious fruit.  “Oegn tìkin ne käsatseng.” (“We need to go out there.”) Viktor pointed in the direction they were headed. “Ne lal tsenge.” Ekko nodded along, empty hand rubbing at the back of his neck. 

V’i looked toward Ekko, stepping forward into the sunlight too, where her body had clear faded scars breaking up the patterning of her skin. Her hair was short along the back with a decorated headguard pressed to her forehead under her long one-sided fringe.  “Kea, olo'eyktan natxu.” Her voice is smooth but sharp. Viktor’s brows furrowed, Jayce watched his expression change in real time, but of course he himself could only decipher the language as if it were broken English. Something like ‘no’ and ‘disapprove’. 

Ekko followed up with a grunt, clicking his tongue and waving V’i off. Jayce watched Viktor hesitate, before committing to the words stuck in his throat. “Rutxe..” (“Please…”) 

V’i turned toward him as if her head were on a swivel and it made Cait’s grip on the rifle tighten, only to earn herself stern glances from Jayce and V’i herself. She hesitated, looking over her shoulder at Ekko who’d already seemed to come to a conclusion himself. “...Frawzo.” Her hands found themselves on her hips, resembling a stance Jayce often found himself in. “Oegn eyk hufwa.” Ekko said from behind V’i, hand on her shoulder as she looked upward and groaned. “Okay.” Viktor sighed, a weight peeling itself off of his shoulders, every time this seemed to go their way but if Ekko hadn’t recognised the two of them it would have been a shit-show and Jayce understood that. 

“Na txim a txìmmì..” V’i muttered, earning an elbow from Ekko. She rubbed where she was prodded before striding forward in front of Cait, passing off suspicious glances to her, eyeballing her hands. 

“Kindly, what the fuck is going on?” Cait was clearly at her wits end, hands still firm around the gun, that’s now pulled tightly against her torso. Jayce stepped forward, to walk beside her as he gestured  toward V’i who was impatiently waiting for them to hurry and follow her. Jayce’s heart was still beating hard against his chest, as he turned to look at Viktor who was walking beside Ekko behind them. 

“We’re going to the outpost, but they have to lead us there.” Viktor voiced from behind them, nodding at Ekko. 

“That’s just great.” Caitlyn followed up, marching forward with angry stomps. Jayce didn’t dare leave Viktor too far behind, so instead he forced himself to watch over both Cait and Viktor for entirely different reasons. Again the headache needled from behind his eyes, he squeezed them shut for a second, hoping it’d ease the oncoming head throb, but it didn’t. 

The sun was dwindling down on them, so they pressed through the forest, wearily following V’i, and Caitlyn couldn’t help herself from checking their coordinates every couple of minutes. Nor could Jayce help himself from turning his head behind him, checking on Viktor who was still walking alongside Ekko. He watched for a moment, staring at the way Ekko was pointing toward the plant in Viktor’s hand, gesturing instructions before pointing to his open mouth. A clear discussion on how to eat the fruit Viktor had collected. 

~~~

It felt a lot shorter than it had been, they’d reached their destination. The metal of the walls was overrun by flora, draping over the windows and doors. Yet strangely these doors were scaled for their avatar forms, they weren’t short and didn’t beg them to crouch through them. It suddenly clicked with Jayce that the building was made specifically for Na’vi, or at least avatars. Which begged the question, how long has the avatar programme really been running?  

It was almost as if Viktor was reading his mind, “How old is the avatar programme?” He asked, knowing no one here had any sort of answer, not a real one anyway. “Too old.” Caitlyn answered, hand swiping away overgrown vines from the dilapidated generator in front of them. Jayce’s eyes followed the cable leading from the generator to the solar panels that were clearly covered by foliage.

“Irayo.” (“Thanks.”) Jayce turned to Ekko and V’i who stood behind them. “Nìwotx sìltsan.” Ekko smiled a toothy grin at him, despite Jayce not knowing what the words really meant, he nodded content. Jayce’s eyes gravitated toward Viktor, who’d seen the same covered solar panels. Viktor found it in himself to clamber up the side of the building, stepping on the sturdy but long-since-abandoned cargo boxes for a boost, before pulling away at the vines that crept over the panels surface. Jayce was almost enamoured by the movement Viktor was capable of now, something in his gut both warmed and wrenched at the same time, like a well-endowed sun-soak only to be interrupted by an icebath. 

Ekko and V’i still stood behind Jayce, chattering amongst themselves, it seemed more like V’i was grumbling slight protests and Ekko was trying for some sort of reason, to quell her agitation almost. 

Caitlyn was still locked onto V’i, still holding her firearm close to her chest. Part of Jayce felt almost irked by this side of Cait, it wasn’t often he’d see it, not often it’d be so blatant. 

But there was also something else there, in the way her brow furrowed in contemplation, agitated, but still thinking to herself. It was only when Jayce caught a glimpse of her tail lazily flicking behind her that he’d felt more at ease. He’d not spent those late nights studying and re-analysing Na’vi mannerisms and behaviour for nothing, supposedly it was positive-oriented curiosity. Sometimes Jayce could have sworn he’d seen this same movement in the corner of his eye from Viktor.

He snapped out his thoughts, feeling eyes firmly planted on him. Viktor was gently peering at him from on top of the building, vines in hand as he slowly dropped them off the roof.  

Jayce couldn’t help but let his grin grow a little wider, toothy and all, and offered Viktor a little wave. “Are all the vines off now?” Jayce called out toward Viktor, who’d since flicked his whole body the other direction, shuffling toward more vines presumably. 

“Ah- Almost.” Viktor called back, throwing the last of the vines from the panels. 

Cait stood by the generator still, turning to it as Ekko grabbed at Jayce's attention. “Oeng zene kä set.” Ekko smiled at Jayce, who stared back blankly, a hesitant smile plastered across his own face. God, he had to study the Na’vi language some more.

“They must leave now.” Viktor translated for him, climbing down from the roof with a soft thud, pressing his palms to his lower shirt and wiping them. “Oh!” Jayce hadn’t expected them to leave without at least a few questions, but maybe they’d be back. The thought quickly ate at him. Would they be back with more people? 

“Will you tätxaw hu nì'ul Na'vi?” (“Will you return with more Na’vi?”) Viktor found himself asking gently, the mixed English with Na’vi felt strange to hear, but maybe by now Viktor had found himself running short of Na’vi words. At first it almost felt like he was hesitant, but his ears jolted forwards, and Viktor’s stance straightened. 

But Ekko didn’t answer, his ears shot backwards and V’i found her voice instead. “Kxawm.” Her voice was sharp, and her eyes jumped over to Caitlyn, who still had her back turned, fiddling with the generator. 

All Viktor could do was nod, contemplating but there was nothing he could actually do. 

Before any more words could be awkwardly spilled between them, V’i turned her back to them, striding off into the growing dark, her only attempt at a goodbye was her head over her shoulder with a slight nod. Ekko stood still for a moment, “Zo.” His smile faltered as it did when he’d made eyes toward Cait’s weapon, and then he was gone. Followed suit with V’i and returned to the darkening treeline, vaguely illuminated by bioluminescence. 

The silence was cut by Caitlyn. “All gone?” She hadn’t turned around to look at either of them, before she finally pulled open the button cover. Neither Jayce nor Viktor answered her, she’d already known the others had left.

“Get your radio ready, let's see if this actually starts.” Cait looked over her shoulder finally, briefly glancing at the two of them. For the first time in a while Jayce couldn’t read the expression on her face, something about it both settled and uneased him, he’d grown so used to reading how his childhood friend feels but now that she was bigger, her features the same but different, it was harder. Harder to understand her. 

As Jayce reached for the radio secured in his chest pocket, a short static buzz cut through them. “Science Team, check in.” Sky’s voice echoed slightly in the air, earning a chuckle from Jayce. As he answered, the generator gurgled before hesitantly starting.

“Gen’s good, we’re good, found some maybe friends- and now we set up for bed.” Jayce was brief and spoke faster when he mentioned the friend part, but now that their building had powered doors it was time to start their makeshift set-up and aim for a somewhat restful sleep.