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allykabbet · 7 months ago

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If it were anyone else- Jayvik Snz fic

Viktor is sick and refusing to rest- Jayce is pulling out clumps of his hair.

A 4.5k snzfic written in my attempt to recover from the show (it’s not working)

A lil snippet:

He held it up to his face, body tensed stiff, eyebrows raised and eyes scrunched closed before suddenly he let out a little, gasping breath and ducked forward into the handkerchief-

“HH’ungtx…Hh’etngx..” They were stifled into near silence and if Jayce hadn’t been surreptitiously watching him, he doubting he would have heard anything at all.

Viktor mopped up his nose with the handkerchief, this time using it to press against his nose as if to ward off any further, itchy sensation. He seemed to let out a tiny groan before putting the cloth away and picking the manuscripts back up again.

Full fic under the cut.

—-

Morning light streamed through the semi-transparent windows of their lab, Jayce blinked a little as the light fell across his face.

He was tinkering with a Hexclaw prototype- they’d pretty much got it down but the cooling mechanism sometimes reacted with the pulse of energy that surged through the wiring from the Hexcore. Some more insulation around the central wiring perhaps…

The door creaked open and Viktor shuffled in, nodding his head in his customary hello.

Jayce watched as his partner walked over, he seemed a little stiffer today, weight pressing a touch heavier on his cane than usual. He’d ask about it later.

“Morning Vik, could you take a look at this, I’ve added insulation to the central wiring but I’m not sure if that will rub against the gears if they fully contract it.”

“Let me see.” Viktor leaned over his shoulder- smelling of mahogany and slightly of sleep still. He sniffed lightly as he took a look- murmuring under his breath as he rotated the the Hexclaw and extended it slowly.

“Hmm, I believe this will be fine. See here, even fully extended the cogs have full rotation. We can test it later.”

“Okay, I’ll get to work on the locking system then.”

“Yes, I’ve been meaning to speak to you ab–hhhh…” Viktor suddenly paused in his speech, eyebrows raised and eyes squeezed shut. He raised a finger to his nose, pressed lightly before the sensation seemed to abate and he shook his head softly to clear any remnants. “Sorry, err, yes I’ve been meaning to speak to you about that.”

Jayce studied Viktor’s face, had he needed to sneeze? Whatever it was, it didn’t paint an optimistic picture when coupled with just how exhausted Viktor looked. Even darker eye bags were swept beneath his eyes and there was a tired tension about his face, like when he was having one of his worser pain days.

“Because, whilst I agree the HexClaw must have some preventative measures-”

“Did you sleep okay?” Jayce butted in before he could help himself.

Viktor looked a little taken aback, slender fingers curling harder against the cane he was leaning on.

“Why– I… Yes. Why do you ask?”

It was Jayce’s turn to be sheepish. “You just look..you seem.”

“Tired?” Viktor supplied helpfully. “You’re right, except im always tired. And strangely it seems to hit me worst when in a room with you.” Viktor flashed a small, mischievous smile.

Throwing himself back in the chair, Jayce bent an elbow and jabbed it playfully into Viktor’s ribs.

But instead of tapping him back, Viktor was suddenly recoiling, twisting to the side and coughing heavily into a fist, his slender frame shaking with each one.

“Fuck, Viktor I-,” stammered Jayce, getting to his feet and resisting the urge to grasp Viktor’s shoulder, “I didn’t mean-.”

Viktor shook his head through the fit, waving his free hand.

“It’s-,” he was cut off again by a gulping breath, desperately trying to draw air back into his lungs, “It’s okay. I’m okay. It just jolted me.”

Jayce was at a loss for words. That really hadn’t sounded good, if it were anyone else he’d urge them to go and rest.

But Viktor had told him he didn’t like being treated like some fragile porcelain doll, that sometimes days were hard but he wanted to push through anyways.

“I’ll…I’ll get you some water.” He finally rushed out. Something practical. Something with his hands. That made more sense.

He walked over to the tap, let the water run cold then filled a cup.

As he turned back around, Viktor was already at his desk, glasses on and turning their formative blueprints for a filtration system over in his hands.

“Here.” He placed the cup down on the desk.

Viktor didn’t look up, just reached out and sipped some- “Thanks.”

The message was clear- we don’t need to talk about it.

Sighing, Jayce returned to his own desk and attempted to refocus back on his work.

A couple hours passed in pleasant quiet, the only sounds the slight hiss as he burnt away areas of the insulation that were potentially too thick and the scratch of Viktor’s pencil against paper.

Jayce, however, had found he hadn’t accomplished as much as he’d intended by now. He kept getting distracted- glancing over at Viktor as the sunlight fell across his cheek or his brow tensed in that way it always did moments before he’d figure something out.

Fuck he was at it again.

But he’d also noticed, a few of the times he’d looked over, Viktor would raise a handkerchief, swipe it under his nose and blow gently, so quietly he couldn’t hear from where he sat.

Maybe it was the turn of the seasons?

He switched his gaze back towards the Hexclaw but as he did movement flashed in the corner of his eye. Viktor had raised the handkerchief again but this time he seemed frozen in place.

He held it up to his face, body tensed stiff, eyebrows raised and eyes scrunched closed before suddenly he let out a little, gasping breath and ducked forward into the handkerchief-

“HH’ungtx…Hh’etngx..” They were stifled into near silence and if Jayce hadn’t been surreptitiously watching him, he doubting he would have heard anything at all.

But just as he’d picked his pencil back up, the tip pressing against the corner of his mouth, the sensation seemed to ambush his senses once again and he hurriedly raised the back of a hand to stifle a breathy, practically soundless sneeze into it. And again.

Okay, Jayce was full on staring now, he’d have to look away soon else Viktor would take notice.

So with tremendous effort, he tore his eyes away. He’d perfected the insulation, now to adjust the mobility of the fingers- they were still deciding whether to let them move individually or as one…

Sometime later, with the sun cresting over the midday point, Jayce put the machine back down again.

“I’m gonna get some food,” he said, pushing up from the desk, “Want me to grab you something?”

Viktor looked up from his work and fuck if he was tired before, he looked downright weary now. Purple, shadowy discolouration hung beneath his eyes and his face looked even more drawn than usual.

“I-,” he broke off to clear his throat thickly, “I’ll just have some sweetmilk if they have any.”

Again, with anyone else he would ask- ‘that it?’ but he’d learnt long ago not to question his partner’s eating habits. It was better than nothing- which was far too often the answer.

“Sure, I’ll be back in a bit.”

Half an hour later, sweetmilk in tow, Jayce pushed back through the lab doors.

Viktor was over by his station, peering down at the adjustments he’d made to the Hexclaw.

“Thoughts?” said Jayce, walking over and handing him the sweetmilk.

“Hmm, the insulation looks perfect but I’m thinking we compromise between full finger mobility and none at all.” his voice was thicker than earlier, congested perhaps, his accent even more pronounced than usual.

“What did you have in mind?”

“What if we introduce single-digit mobility but in ju–Hhhh.” he broke off, turned a little from Jayce and sniffled deeply, “sorry, in just the pointer finger.”

“Best of both worlds.” responded Jayce, nodding, “Okay, I can make the adjustments.”

“Hmm good. I made some changes to the filtration system too.”

The sniffing was getting more frequent now. Up close, rather than a few metres across the lab, the moisture that was beginning to settle in his nose and sinuses was evident.

“Just minor things like–HHh- like..exc–hH excuse me-”

Viktor twisted away from Jayce and hurriedly raised his, now rather worse-for-wear, handkerchief before taking two itchy, hitching breaths and tipping into the fabric-

“Hh’estchuuh–HH-Etsh’chuh..” they were wet and exhausting sounding. Jayce couldn’t help but cringe a little at the way they seemed to zap Viktor’s energy.

“Are you-”

Again, the wave of the hand, “Yes, yes. Come.” He motioned for Jayce to follow him to his desk, holding out the blueprints for him to inspect.

From what he could see, it seemed the efficiency of the system had been improved by heating the water to a lower but still effective temperature. In the Undercity, energy was precious- this would be a critical change.

“You’re brilliant, Viktor.” he breathed, mentally slapping himself for not noticing this potential improvement sooner.

“Yes, I though-HhHEH…sorry.. heh–H’ESt’Chuh.”

He’d fully twisted away from Jayce, hand gripping his cane as the force of the sneeze rippled through him. He slowly straightened up, rubbing the back of a hand against his nose which was starting to grow a touch pink around the nostrils.

This couldn’t go on, it was painful to watch.

“Bless you, Viktor. How are you feeling?”

“I-,” he was caught in a trap, there was no conceivable way he could wriggle out of this one. He cringed a little, shrugging his shoulders and mumbling- “Sorry, I think I may be coming down with something.”

Jayce wanted to reprimand him for apologising over something so normal and that that much was obvious but, pleased Viktor had let in him, however small, he held his tongue.

“You do look a little peaky, need me to get you anything? Maybe we can finish early tonight?”

Viktor shook his head, his eyebrows furrowing- “If anything, it’s just a cold Jayce.”

Then, reaching to take the plans back from Jayce’s hands and scribbling a note in the corner said- “See the meshing too? It’s just theoretical at the moment, but I think two layers would work just as well as three...”

Hmm, so he was determined to push on anyways. It was like the admittance of not being well didn’t mean anything. Viktor wasn’t ‘well’ any day so why should this make a difference?

Well, if he wasn’t going to look out for his health, Jayce would just have to. Though as discreetly as possible- the energy his partner was giving off right now was like a honey badger- go on, try to coddle me- I dare you.

“Keep exploring that and we’ll test it later.” he said instead, trying not to let his exasperation leak into his voice.

Viktor just hmmed his confirmation, sat back down at his desk and and kept scribbling away.

The light was beginning to dim now, casting a warm orange glow through the lab. It was beginning to grow a chilly too and, as he looked over at Viktor, he was hunched in upon himself in his usual, awful posture perhaps attempting to keep the heat in.

Jayce turned the radiator on and sat back at his desk. Viktor had said it was just a cold and everyone got a bit sniffly every now and then right? He’d be okay if he just kept an eye on him right?

So with renewed determination he turned back to his work. He’d fixed the four fingers in place- now to make the pointer move…

They slipped into quiet again, though this time it was interrupted more frequently by Viktor sniffling or trying to clear his throat without sparking a coughing fit.

Try as he might to focus, he couldn’t help looking over a few times. Once, he’d since Viktor circling his temples with his knuckles as if trying to knead away a growing headache.

Another time he’d stifled a fit into utter stillness once again (ducking into his elbow again and again and again) but Jayce had called out ‘bless you’ either way- which had earned him a glare through tired, hazy eyes.

But, at last, he’d finally finished the new mobility adjustments so, rising to his feet and stretching, he paced over to see what Viktor was up to.

He had put away the manuscripts and was now fiddling with a rudimentary, first-draft model of the filter machines- his fingers shaking slightly as he twisted and tightened the bolts.

“All done?” Viktor asked softly, sensing Jayce approaching.

“Mhmm. You mentioned earlier about the locking mechanism too, I was thinking it should be a key and code system.”

Viktor sighed, raising a palm to pummel at his forehead- “Ahh yes I’d completely forgotten about that.”

He raised his head from where it was hunched over at his work, turning to face Jayce properly.

Jayce’s couldn’t help the little squeeze of his chest as he looked down at his partner- the rapidly fading light hiding the redness around his eyes and nostrils but deepening the shadows.

And oh, bless him, he couldn’t help but notice the moisture that was collecting at the base of his nose. Poor guy, it was probably running like a tap.

“Give me a sec.” he blurted suddenly and hurried back to his own desk. He rifled through the drawers and produced what he was looking for.

As he turned back around, as suspected, Viktor was trying (and failing) to clean himself up using the sleeve of his jacket- his handkerchief likely well beyond the point of use.

“Want to borrow this?” Jayce asked- holding out one of his own handkerchiefs.

A flash of embarrassment rippled across Viktor’s face but then he sighed with resignation and extended a hand, turning fully away from Jayce to mop up his nose.

He didn’t blow it properly though, and as he turned back around to speak about the questions- his voice was thick with the congestion he hadn’t cleared.

“A key is likely to be lost and codes learnt. I think just a code but change it daily.”

How his mind was still coming up with the best solutions when he even looked miserable was beyond Jayce.

“Good idea. Should we test the filter?”

Vitkor glanced back at the machine he’d been tinkering and nodded “Yes, it is ready for a preliminary test.”

“Great!”

Jayce lifted it to the testing corner of their lab- hooking it up with a tap that ran there and placing a bucket for the clean water on the other side. He turned a tap that would add a drop of dye to the running water- allowing them to see how much would come through.

“Ready?” he asked Viktor who was leaning on his cane behind him, tiredly but pleasantly looking on.

“Ready.”

Jayce switched on the machine- it whurred to life- clear water spilling into the bucket. He turned to smile at Viktor when there was a loud whirring. The machine coughed and sputtered before suddenly pumping out thick vapour- slightly blue from the dye.

The vapour quickly dispersed, cloaking the two men in warm mist. Jayce heard the sounds of someone quickly stumbling backwards.

“Shii-Hhht…,” Viktor had tried to distance himself from the steam as much as possible but it had done its work. His hand was raised to his face in anticipation, breath hitching widely and audibly, nose and eyes tightly scrunched.

“Shit I’HhM g-gonna–Hhh!! HH’ Hgh’hSCHhiew…Hheh- HH’EACHEW!

With each itchy sneeze he dipped desperately forward, hands tented over his nose and mouth to catch the mess.

“Fu–hhHH Jayce, t-turn ihHH-heh. Turn it off!”

Oh right. The machine was still on.

Hurriedly, Jayce fumbled through the steam to switch off the filtration device- hearing Viktor’s desperate, gasping breaths and wrenching sneeze after sneeze tear through him.

“Vik, are you okay?”

But Viktor was too heavily wrapped up in unbearable, itchy limbo, chest rising and expanding with fast, catching breaths.

“hh-! eH’SSCHIEW…..Hh’AESSCHuhh-! Fuck I ca-HHh, can’t sto-HH’EH’ESthciew…”

Jayce hurried over, wrapping an arm around Viktor’s shoulder and guiding him to his desk chair so he didn’t topple himself over with the force of his own sneezes.

The man continued to gasp and twitch beneath him with every step- they sounded harsh- exactly the opposite of what Viktor’s headache and no doubt sore throat needed.

“Try and breathe, you’re okay. You’re okay.” said Jayce, rubbing a hand up and down Viktor’s arm.

Viktor seemed to rally himself- forcing his breathing to calm though it was still interrupted by the occasional gasping inhale.

“That’s it.”

Viktor went stiff, breath stopping short before toppling over itself again- air rushing into the lungs with a final- “ Heh’GtSCHhh-!!”

They were both quiet for a moment- Jace suddenly became aware of his palm still pressed gently against Viktor’s upper arm, gave him a last little squeeze and withdrew it.

“That was…” he began slowly.

But, clearing his throat thickly and with a voice like tar, Viktor interjected- “I am sorry. That must have been… I.. well that must have been gross.” he seemed to grimace as he said this- turning his back to Jayce and reaching for the borrowed handkerchief laid on the desk. This time he had no choice but to properly blow the gunk from his nose.

“Hey it’s fine, don’t worry. We’ll fix the filtration device in no time too.”

Viktor just nodded back tiredly- “We can take a look at the formula later.”

“Later? Technically we ‘clocked out’ 30 minutes ago.”

“I’ve still got some things I want to take a look at.”

Unable to stop the exasperation leaking into his voice, Jayce said- “You’re clearly not well Viktor, please, let’s just leave it here for today?”

Viktor stiffened in his seat, fingers curled tightly around his cane.

“You can get some rest and then we’ll tackle this tomorrow.” Jayce continued.

Viktor looked at him through red-rimmed, amber eyes- his expression unreadable.

“Jayce,” he began slowly, “I can look after… snfff… myself.”

“I know that but if you just-”

Viktor raised up a hand, “I’m not fragile,” he looked at him sternly now, willing him to understand, “I can work for a bit longer.”

Worry and frustration snaked around Jayce’s chest like thorns. On the one hand, Viktor only seemed to be getting worse and rapidly so. On the other, there was such hurt in those eyes. He wanted more than anything to simply be normal, be well.

Jayce wanted to reach out, take his partner in his arms and tell him none of that mattered to him, why would it?

But the urging in those eyes made him bite his tongue.

“Just a couple more hours.” he finally sighed.

“Good.”

They both went back to work but Jayce wasn’t really doing anything. How could he when all he could think about was the slender form to his left, hunched and sniffling and yet determined no matter the cost to pledge on for the sake of Piltover?

He saw Viktor’s frame shake and rattle through another set of silenced sneezes, his shoulders drawing in on themselves as he groaned through a shuddery exhale.

Fuck this.

Jayce stood up, grumbling something about getting food and marched out of the lab. He couldn’t bare to watch anymore.

He stomped off in the direction of the mess hall, footsteps echoing down the cool, shadowy doorways.

“Jayce?” he heard from behind him.

He swivelled around to face Mel, cloaked in a golden robe, eyeing him suspiciously.

His frustration must have been written on his face because she asked gently- “Is everything okay?”

He sighed heavily, running a large palm down the side of his face- “It’s Viktor. He’s sick as a dog but refusing to rest. He won’t listen to me and I-”

Mel stepped forward and placed a warm hand on his forearm, she smiled soothingly up at him- “It’s going to be okay. You know what he’s like but he’ll pull through.”

“I know he will in the end but why put himself through this pain in the process?”

She sighed, glancing out of a window, the flickering lights of Piltover shimmering against the midnight sky- “Sometimes we believe the pain is what we deserve.”

“Deserve? He deserves the world well, he deserves-”

She smiled, a flash of something, almost knowing, passing across her expression- “I know that, Jayce.”

They stood in silence for a few seconds, the sounds of wind as it slid against the Academy walls filling the lull.

“You should go to him.” she said at last.

And he did.

Jayce pushed back through the door to their lab, armed with a steaming cup of tea, another handkerchief and some pain meds he’d nabbed from the medical bay.

It was dark inside, the only light the one illuminating Viktor’s desk.

“Viktor?” he called out softly.

There was no reply.

As he stepped closer to the man’s desk he noticed his form was slumped forward, forearm on the table and his head flopped against it.

Oh, for God’s sake.

“Viktor?” he tried again. He placed down the things bundled in his arms and hurried over. As he drew nearer he could hear the slow, ragged breaths coming from his slender form.

“Vik?”

He held a hand out and shook his partner’s shoulder’s softly. There was no response.

Viktor’s sleeping face, though relaxed, was pale and sweaty, his hair plastered against his forehead. A sliver of moisture had collected under the chapped skin of his nose, drool gathering at the side of his mouth as he breathed craggedly through his mouth.

Jayce placed the back of his hand against his forehead to confirm his suspicions. Fuck. Dry heat emanated from his skin, sinking into the back of his hand.

“Fuck Viktor,” he said, voice hoarse, “You’re really burning up.”

There was still no response. Jayce was tempted for a moment to just let him sleep but, knowing Viktor’s medical needs to some extent, he knew it was bad for him to sleep in his back brace- especially not in this twisted position.

Plus, he needed to get some medicine in him for that fever. He didn’t think he’d ever felt someone that hot.

So he shook him again, more forcefully this time.

“Can you wake up for me?” he said softly, leaning closer.

Groggily, Viktor’s eyelashes fluttered open before suddenly his breath caught and he was snapping forehead with too desperate sneezes, too hazy and out of it to cover or care where they were directed.

“Hheh’’Estgnx…H’ESTCH–uhh.”

“Bless you, here.” And before Jayce really knew what he was doing, he’d turned around, fetched the clean handkerchief and had placed it around Viktor’s nose, mopping up the mess for him.

And, for once, Viktor let him.

He sniffled deeply, woozily raising his head to face Jayce.

“Jayce I-”he began slowly before his features crumpled again and he tiredly raised the back of a wrist to collapse into with a-

“EHh’’etshcuhh…hH’Eh..”

His shoulders stayed raised in anticipation for a second sneeze but it never came and he let out a shaky, irritated exhale before looking back up at him with bleary, tear-strewn eyes.

“Jayce I….snffff..guh… I really don’t feel good.”

He must be really out of it to actually admit that.

“I know.” Jayce said gently, moving to lock an arm around Viktor’s shoulders, “I’m here though, you’re going to be okay. Let’s get you too bed, yeh?”

“I’m not sure I-” his voice trailed off, “I’m not sure I can make it myself.” he admitted quietly.

Jayce almost laughed- “You won’t be going alone. I’m here.”

And slowly he helped Viktor to his feet, feeling the feverish heat pulsing from his partner as his arm wrapped around his shoulder.

Slowly, they began to head towards the exit. Jayce’s room was nearer- they’d go there.

“One step in front of the other.” he said softly as Viktor struggled to keep himself upright. He took hold of his weight more firmly- it was scaring him, just how much Vitkor was relying on him to walk.

As they stepped out into the hallway, Viktor suddenly halted.

“HHH-hhold on a se-Hh second.” He’d raised his free hand to his face and was gasping softly, chest heaving in and out.

“It’s okay Vik, just let it out.”

“H’EHH’’echuhh… EH’EH’ngx…guhh, sorry I can’t-”

Jayce ran a hand up and down his back, soothing him softly- “There’s nothing to apologise for. Come on, we’re almost there.”

They trudged forwards, Viktor’s breath’s coming in as tight wheezes. How on earth had he gotten so sick so fast? Jayce supposed it was properly the meds he was on in an attempt to fight his disease- his immune system was shot.

Finally, they reached the doors to Jayce’s room.

“Wait… this is…”

“Yes, my room. I’m not letting you walk any further.”

And ignoring Viktor’s mumbling protests he guided him through the apartment to his bedroom.

“Jayce.. This is too much, I can’t”

“That fevered brain of yours sure knows how to talk some bullshit huh? Come on.”

And gently he lowered Viktor onto the bed, tenderly removing his clothes and flicking the buckles that kept his leg brace in place. Slowly, he moved to Viktor’s back.

“Wait I-.” Viktor said hoarsely, jolting back, his body shaking as his skin was exposed to the cool air, “I can do it.”

“Please, Viktor, just let me do this for you.”

“It.. I-”

Jayce sat down on the bed. He couldn’t hide it any longer. He slipped an arm around Viktor’s side and pulled his clammy, heated body into his own. He tucked Viktor’s head under his chin, his hair smelling of sweat and grease but mainly of him.

Viktor initially tensed but then sunk into the contact, burying himself into Jayce’s chest.

“You’re not weak, Viktor,” he said gently, raising a hand to sink into the brown locs of his partner’s hair, “I have never and will never see you that way.”

Viktor shook beneath him, with what could’ve been a sniffle or a silent sob.

There was so much more he wanted to say. How Viktor was the strongest, most determined person he knew. How his disability, his illness, was all part of him. And how he admired all of it, all of him.”

But it was too raw, too much. Not yet.

So instead he said- “So please, let me do this one thing for you and get you into bed.”

Viktor’s head was so close, he could just reach down and kiss it. But he didn’t- he’d already said to much.

Slowly, Viktor uncurled himself from him and nodded softly.

Fingers fumbling, Jayce went though the many clasps of the back brace before, with a pop of air, it slid off.

He guided Viktor under the covers- marking the goosebumps that that sprouted across his shaking frame.

He’d go and fetch the blankets and tea and meds in a moment but for now- he simply gazed down at the clammy, gorgeous face of his lab partner.

Oh what the hell.

He leaned forward and pressed his lips to Viktor’s damp forehead.

“Get some rest, okay?” he said, sitting up, trying to calm the nerves that were somersaulting around his chest and stomach.

“Thank you.” Viktor said, voice as soft as snow. And finally, feeling the comforting weight of Jayce at the foot of his bed, his eyes slid shut.

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