Jayce Talis (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
hextechhead) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
abraxaslogs2023-04-22 11:15 pm
hextechhead) wrote in abraxaslogs2023-04-22 11:15 pm
Entry tags:
You give me a reason, something to believe in
WHO: Jayce and Viktor
WHAT: The two head out to Aquila for some networking and beach fun and heart to hearts.
WHERE: Aquila
WHEN: End of April/Early May
WARNING: Will add if need be!
[ooc: artwork by rachelle-redacted]
WHAT: The two head out to Aquila for some networking and beach fun and heart to hearts.
WHERE: Aquila
WHEN: End of April/Early May
WARNING: Will add if need be!
[ooc: artwork by rachelle-redacted]
no subject
Jayce is one of those naturally tanning people so he doesn't really need a hat, but he probably will wear one of them to make Viktor smile. He scheduled the Fallon appointment on purpose because he doesn't want to have to worry about that longer than their first day. He's confident about it. Putting on displays is normal for them after all. And afterward they can relax.
"I don't, no. But I'm so glad." Have any idea. He couldn't possibly imagine it, being an outrageously healthy person. All he could do was watch Viktor and try not to be obnoxiously overprotective. But after almost seeing him die, the change is very distinct since. He can note all the ways big and small the cure has made a difference. One of them being Viktor's mood for the same reason he's saying. No longer sick all the time.
"You can't become a bodybuilder or anything though, what would I bring to the relationship?" He's teasing. As if Viktor would be interested.
we can probably do a little timeskip in a comment or two?
All Viktor wants to do is make things, of course. Jayce knows by now that he views politicking and interpersonal relationships as secondary and often an impediment to what he views as really important. Even this meeting is a stretch for him, though he does understand the necessity of it and he'll have Jayce by his side the entire time. Takes some of the edge off, and if Nadine is making her own inroads, he's more than happy to capitalize on that. Why work harder when they can work smarter, after all?
He makes the executive decision to purchase both hats, then places one on Jayce's head as they leave the stall.
"You're fishing for compliments, Jayce." Though there's caution in Viktor's voice, his tone is good-natured as they keep walking. He could wax poetic about everything Jayce does bring to the relationship, or argue that he will not, in any capacity, become a bodybuilder, but it seems nice to just share this moment instead. He looks over at Jayce, affection in his gaze, then seems to reel himself in from saying something too overly-sentimental.
"But if you must know, I keep you around for more than just your good looks." His brain, his kindness...the list is practically endless, and they don't need the distraction right now. "Let's go to this meeting, and then I'd like to get some use out of these hats."
yes, if you want to jump forward past the chat, maybe actually on the beach relaxing :) with hats
It's been a long time since Jayce worried about competing with new friends. Now it's the opposite. He loves seeing other people appreciate Viktor, as they always should have.
Jayce laughs and walks out with the hat without comment. He obviously is going to take it off before they go meet Fallon, he has to look the part of what he is trying to present, but he will wear a hat no matter how silly if Viktor puts it on his head. "We're in a beach town, fishing is pretty normal around here. I'm just being like the natives." He takes Viktor's hand with his own and kisses his knuckles.
"I am looking forward to that water. After all this time in the desert, it'll be hard to get me out of it." Jayce does like being clean, he takes a shower or a bath every day, if only to wash off his perceived desert dirt. And because he works hard and sweats constantly. Swimming just for the fun of it will be a nice change.
"I have everything we need in the bag. You ready for a return to the Jayce and Viktor presentation show?"
i got u B)
He thinks for a moment about the first few months after Jayce's arrival--how insecure he was, that Viktor was making friends and a name for himself. All of that has melted away, the two of them more secure in their work and each other than ever, and he can't help but feel proud. That much is evident in his expression as he reaches up to straighten the hat on Jayce's head.
"I'm ready. Fallon is expecting us."
--
The presentation goes well--better than well, and the two of them share a meal afterward, debriefing and talking about where they'll go from here. It seems likely that they can lobby for a permanent portal to Aquila, which will make expanding their business easier. Even better, Fallon seemed to like what they had to offer. It might not be as world-shattering as Hextech, but it will help people, and that's what matters. That's all Viktor has ever really wanted to do.
After that, they go to the promised beach, hats and all. Viktor takes to the water a little better now that he's not being unceremoniously dropped into it a mile offshore, but they still stay in the shallows and he stays within reach of Jayce. He likes the feeling of weightlessness and the soft sand underneath them. The day proceeds, all things considered, fairly perfectly.
With no further obligations, he finally takes some time to relax, finding it wholly pleasant. They spend all day on the beach, sometimes in the water, sometimes under the shade of an umbrella. They have, thoughtfully, packed an icebox of snacks and drinks that they pick at through the afternoon. By the time the sun starts to sink, Viktor is drifting off in his chair, his hat over his face and his hand reaching for Jayce's.
no subject
Jayce feels confident that portal is going to be possible, and it will make a huge difference for connecting the three cities together. It's difficult to argue against more commerce and tourism. Those are easy sells. This is why he feels confident about the Conclave and what they can accomplish. Small things that can make big changes for the city at large. They have already made the Free Cities a better place, in his opinion. And they're not stopping.
The beach is beautiful and Jayce glistens unsurprisingly under the glow of the sun and the ocean. He doesn't go far from Viktor, maybe another day he can swim out a little deeper, but that's not why he's here. He is here right now for them to spend time together. He makes certain that Viktor is safe in the sun, fusses over him of course, as if he could stop, but it is overall a very relaxing experience.
Jayce slides their fingers together, noticing Viktor's weary drifting away, but it seems perfect. His partner isn't always great at being at ease, but he's proven otherwise today. He considers as he looks at him and he settles his chair right up against him.
"V," he says with a smile, caressing his cheek to get him awake and aware. "There's something I need to show you, but we need to pop into the Horizon to do it briefly." Time moves differently in the psychic plane so he doubts it'll be more than a few minutes, but he's had a plan in the works for awhile.
no subject
With no further obligations, he's not sure why Jayce is nudging him awake. His first instinct is to refuse, turning away with a grunt, a futile effort to continue his nap that he wasn't able to start in the first place.
"Mmmn--" Viktor groans, squirming in his chair in an attempt to resist, but Jayce has succeeded in his endeavors. He blinks awake, scrubbing at his face and sitting up. "You have something planned?"
That in itself has him curious, though he's not sure what it could be--especially if they need to go into the Horizon to do it. They can go into the Horizon at home, so something about this must be special. He's got no real reason to object, so after a momentary furrow of his brows, he nods, taking Jayce's hand in preparation. "I hope it's better than the nap I was about to take."
But, he says that with a fond smile.
no subject
He goes in there first and so he's already set up the apartment for when Viktor appears even if it's seconds later. The wall is even blown out exactly as it was when they met, and the chalkboard they figured out Hextech with is covered in all the same calculations. The wall is covered with what looks to be a large screen though, approximate to what would be a full movie theater in a modern era. He's learned about those through talking with others over time and he gets the general idea.
Jayce makes a couch for the two of them to sit on in front of said screen and Rio shows up to make herself comfortable on the floor in front of them. Jayce being Jayce, he makes her a little bed so by the time she settles down, she's cozy on the ground. He never forgets those details for their fake but real feeling family pet.
"So I'm about to be insanely sentimental. You may need to brace yourself." Jayce smiles over at Viktor, putting an arm around his shoulders.
no subject
When Viktor opens his eyes again, however, he's in the laboratory, the natural starting place when he enters their shared Horizon. Not knowing what to expect, he takes a moment to envision himself the way he wants to be. It isn't quite the way he looked when they first met--they're both almost a decade older, at this point, but in the real world Viktor is still recovering from years of illness. He looks better and feels better than he has in a long time, but there's still recovering to do.
So Jayce beats him to the place the met, the ruined apartment reproduced down to the finest detail. What's new and different is what seems to be projection equipment, technology beyond what they have in Piltover but something he's come to be acquainted with from other Summoned. For a moment, it seems like Viktor doesn't know what to do with himself. He doesn't know where this is going or what Jayce has to show him, and though he trusts his partner implicitly, it's difficult not to be wary.
"You're always sentimental." Which means this is probably going to be overload, so Viktor does take Jayce's recommendation and steels himself, even if it's difficult to know just what, exactly, he should be bracing for. Still, he settles into the spot made for him, leaning into the outstretched arm as it's offered. "What is this, Jayce?"
no subject
The screen changes to a first-person point of view and Viktor can see himself as Jayce did that first day. Curious about the blackboard, distant and remote but there is still a spark in him from the start, looking at Jayce's details instead of simply pushing it away. Jayce has to focus on what he's doing so he can't look at Viktor, his arm around him comfortable.
It would be almost like a movie made about the two of them. Sometimes in first-person, sometimes seemingly on the outside. It goes through their first night together and the glow of the blue room as they laugh, pushing a gear between the gate, but it doesn't end there. Instead it fills with images throughout their partnership. Working on the Hexgate, designing and presenting (at least you didn't throw up), hours and hours pushed into minutes of crisp visual memories, of them laughing together, sometimes arguing, drinking coffee and barely awake, the moments of discovery when something finally kicks in. Years of their friendship and partnership.
Through it all there are glimpses of how Jayce specifically sees Viktor. There is love in the psychic camera watching him, animated and passionate, sometimes sleeping in the lab, the rare smiles and laughs that brightened Jayce's life. It's as if he has remembered every detail of Viktor and their times together and it's obvious. It's a way to show how long Jayce has loved him and it's not all romantic tinged, it's friendship, it's understanding between two people who are so different and yet the same.
It does pause before it gets to the darker memories, before their struggles and fighting, because he said positivity. And they know what happened. They lived that. It tested their partnership but what Jayce wants them to remember, and for Viktor to see, is the brightness of a long-lasting love. Of someone who sees him so clearly.
"And then ...."
The movie shifts and this time it's in Abraxas. The moment he found Viktor in Cadens, the look on Viktor's face, as he'd said before how much it meant to know they wouldn't be apart forever. It's them building a life here, of their work in the mines, their friendships with others here, the lab, the first apartment they shared as a home of their own. And then their first kiss, the many kisses since; it's not carnally suggestive as they both know how sex may be hot but not necessarily beautiful, and he is much more focused on the aftermath. Waking up together, curled up in each other's arms, even the smallest details like a kiss on the cheek on the way out or handing Viktor a coffee without him needing to look because they are that in sync. Dancing.
Whether the 'camera' seems from the outside or from Jayce's own point of view, so much of it is focused on Viktor but also any time that it's them. It goes all the way up to seconds before this moment, swimming together, and Jayce looking over at him to see him doze, and come to this very second. The video itself could have been an hour or ten minutes, it's hard to tell with time in here, but it is a super cut of their lives together, and all it was in its brightest of modes.
Jayce is finally able to let it go, and he turns to Viktor. For once his eyes aren't wet because he wasn't able to cry while doing this, but his smile is warm. These were his memories, clear as day.
"I've led a beautiful life because of you, Viktor. From the moment we met, you've become as essential as the air I breathe. And I wanted you to understand how I felt before I ask you something important."
[ooc: basically vibe inspiration from this scene in The Good Place tbh]
no subject
It doesn’t take long for him to realize what he’s seeing—Jayce’s memories of him over the course of many years, highlighting their happier, closer moments. There are more of them than he might have thought, though he’s sure that’s just his own recency bias is at play here, the near-death operation and the stress of locating the missing summoned most prominent in his mind. Through it all, Viktor himself is the focus, with Jayce’s love and admiration evident in every shot. Where he might ordinarily balk at the mere thought of being observed (or perceived in any way, really), the intent behind the display quickly becomes clear, and Viktor is left speechless as he watches it unfold. It isn’t often that he sees himself from the outside (practically, because neither Piltover nor Cadens has any moving image-recording technology), and it gives him pause. Is this what Jayce felt, over all these years? What he sees in him every day? The sheer volume of the memories over the better part of a decade is a good reminder of just how deeply their lives have been intertwined, even before their romantic relationship. He offers a soft laugh, watching their early failures, and leans in closer to Jayce as they celebrate their successes. He remembers those long nights in the lab. What he was oblivious to, of course, is the quiet moments of observation that seem to be so frequent. Jayce watching him sleep. Passing him coffee the instant he needs it, like it’s second nature. The way he twirls his hair around his fingers, when he’s in deep concentration.
Viktor has known for a long time that Jayce was the only person who really ever understood him. Knows him for who he is and treats him as an equal. That had been important to him, in Piltover, and it’s important to him now, but seeing it in this way for the first time is deeply affecting in a way he didn’t necessarily expect. He doesn’t hate watching himself on this imagined screen. Instead, he watches himself through the eyes of someone who loves him.
When the movie changes to their time in Abraxas, Viktor sees the life they’ve built here so clearly. He’ll never be able to let go of the Undercity, he thinks, not entirely, but all of this makes a very compelling case for what they could have here, if he allows himself to embrace it fully. As everything becomes more and more recent, up to and including the moments they spent together today, his attention drifts from the memories on the screen to the man next to him. Jayce is, obviously, concentrating on the display in front of them, but Viktor is watching him, instead, his own expression welling up with emotion. When it finally ends, he’s turning to meet Jayce, hands instinctually lifting to cup his face, dragging himself further up onto the couch so they can be even closer.
“I know how you feel,” he says, and if that wasn’t true before, it certainly is now. Viktor’s voice is soft, and there’s some confusion in it, and perhaps a hint of concern, as if he’s wondering if Jayce is all right. Obviously all of this was for a reason, though he can’t exactly guess what that reason is. There has never been any doubt, when it comes to what Jayce feels for him. So what, then...?
“You are the only person who has ever understood.” His true, authentic self, and his mind, and the things he cares about and what he values. It means more to him than he can properly express. Then, somehow even softer— “What is it you want to ask me?”
no subject
But what they built after that initial discovery has been a life worth living. In Piltover and here, it seems to be what they are the best at. They don't sit around and wonder about what they should do, they're both go-getters. They push their way out into the world with the strength of someone who knows they are part of a team. The man he is now was always in him, but it did require someone to unlock him.
He's always had a hard time understanding why no one saw Viktor the way he did. Now he understands it more, because of classicism of course, but it still seems so insane to him. Viktor's the sun to him. There is no doubting that in his memories, how every smile, every raise of an eyebrow, has natural light shining through. He's loved him for a long time as his best friend, and there really is no telling in these memories when exactly that turned into romantic love. Because it's all the same thing, although probably a few of the moments years ago when he is focusing a little too much on his lips and the moles. A surefire sign.
It's complete, he managed to do it exactly as he had practiced, and he comes back to his body in the Horizon to have Viktor cupping his face, coming closer to him. Jayce smiles at him and the truth is, he doesn't feel nervous. Maybe he should. He's been nervous before now. But it's like consuming all of those memories together he believes stronger than ever before that the two of them can overcome anything. Whatever happens, he's seen years of evidence that they can.
"You make me into a better person, every day. You know that I get really caught up in the future, about what I can see in my own head, but what I've learned being with you is that I don't want to be ten steps ahead alone. I want to walk it together."
Jayce pulls him in for a long and lingering kiss, wanting to spin them both into a warm and delightful feeling, and he is on that wave of positive energy, at the crest of it. There is no fear in his eyes when he pulls back and there is so much certainty instead. He's never been more certainy.
"Count to ten and then go back to Aquila."
Jayce needs those ten seconds as he disappears immediately and it's because he needs to get the ring. It has been in his bag hidden for weeks and in his pocket since they came here. When Viktor does come back to himself, Jayce will be there on one knee, a silver ring with gears that seem to magically be moving at all times. A replica on purpose of that gear that started it all, teleported between their sides of the room, and made for this purpose. It's symbolically all about their past and now their future.
"Viktor, I know this isn't something you expected or thought about, but I've always intended to spend the rest of my life with you. I would like that to be as your husband. Will you marry me?"
no subject
Part of him is worried. Nervous where Jayce isn’t. All of this talk is so final and definitive that he wonders if he’s done something, to prompt this. Failed to show his appreciation, in some way, to the point where Jayce has decided he needs a reminder. Of course, it’s hard to be too worried, when Jayce ends the film and turns to face him, smiling genuinely. That in itself is reassuring, but Viktor doesn’t necessarily like the anticipation. Of feeling like he's missing something vitally important. He pushes himself closer to Jayce almost by reflex, thumbs stroking his face, some concern in his expression.
“You won’t be alone. I’m here, always.”
Now more than ever, they have a future ahead of them. Is that what Jayce is trying to assert? The kiss is nice, and it lingers for a long moment, and Viktor tries to put aside his apprehension by focusing on that, and the grander gesture. But it ends sooner than he likes, and he’s barely given time to object when Jayce simply vanishes from the Horizon, leaving him alone in the ruined apartment with imagined projection equipment, mouth open to protest but finding it immediately pointless, since Jayce is gone. He’s afforded ten seconds simply because Viktor is too shocked to immediately follow, but after a moment he manages to collect himself, count off the rest of the numbers, and re-enter the real world. He’s ready to be entirely indignant about whatever it is Jayce has going on and why he can’t just be straightforward about it until the second he opens his eyes.
Well. That’s pretty straightforward.
Viktor’s immediate response is to lean forward in his seat, trying to get Jayce up from his knee, finding it entirely deferential in a way that doesn’t suit either of them. Given their relative positioning, all he really manages is pulling Jayce closer, hands clasped over his, bringing the ring into better view. It’s beautiful. Meticulously crafted, like everything else Jayce makes, and he recognizes the significance immediately. Anticipating his inevitable bewilderment and lack of need for this kind of thing, Jayce has clearly planned carefully. It’s working, because he says husband and Viktor feels something in the pit of his stomach, an involuntary twinge of excitement at the thought, even if it’s never something he’s considered for himself until this very moment.
“You want to—” Jayce is right that Viktor never expected this, to the point where he doesn’t even finish his sentence, as if saying it out loud is going to make it real. It’s been unspoken between them, but of course Viktor has never considered anything but spending the rest of their lives together. Now that he has a life to look forward to, he probably should have seen this coming, because Jayce is exactly the kind of person who would want to formalize their commitment. Viktor doesn’t look displeased by the question, rather, wholly surprised. Thoroughly tripped up and caught off-guard. He sputters, trying not to ask why. “Wh—how long have you been considering this?”
no subject
He has gone into this with the expectation Viktor will say yes, but not in the way that he thinks it has to be that simple either. Viktor will have questions, he always knew that. He'll have to explain himself in a way not everyone would, but that's because of who they are. Curious scientists to the end. He isn't expecting Viktor to yell yes and jump into his arms, that would be another type of person.
Jayce does come off his knee although they're seated so he does end up simply coming in close to Viktor. He's been working on the ring for a long time, and he does have the designs for a second one. He was going to make that one too, but realized Viktor would absolutely want to make it for him. It's an equal gift when it's an agreement between them. It's been easy hiding it by spending extra time in Lee's forge and she even peeked in on it after his tenth attempt.
"That's a complicated question because I used to think about it here and there back home. I assumed we'd end up together, which I know is one of those 'Jayce you look forward in your own fantasy and don't include anyone else' things." He's done a lot of soul searching since coming here and a lot of the changes in him have required Jayce to become more grounded and less fantastical. He still has big ideas but they're always the kind that seem doable, rather than his grand dramatic plans that are more impossible.
Besides, he's learned that the reality is better than the fantasy when it comes to Viktor. In every way.
"In a more realistic sense, I've thought about this since the first time we kissed." That is for certain true. Jayce knows what he's about. "But I knew ... it was better for us to talk about this after you were cured. I know neither of us would have wanted to see it as a last act of love." As in, getting married because Viktor was dying and it was their only chance. That would've been bittersweet and a little hollow, since promising a life together that would end soon wasn't much.
Not like this. Which is a longer life promised. Jayce has been planning this for certain after Viktor was out of the woods and that's when the ring was designed. Then Caitlyn got kidnapped and it had to be temporarily put on hold.
"I don't really mean get married as in here in Cadens in a formal sense, I was thinking more we could come up with our own ceremony and symbolic gesture, maybe with our friends here in attendance, and it'll be ours." He isn't looking at this like logic and legality, it definitely is symbolic, but they don't need more than that.
"It's a type of commitment and declaration and I want to make to you, V. I know it is sentimental but it's ... something I want." Jayce uses his free hand to run fingers through Viktor's hair affectionately. "But I want to be clear this isn't an ultimatum, it's okay if you say no." Jayce would be hurt, obviously, feelings aren't logical, they both know that, and they'd understand it.
no subject
That Jayce would even dare to fantasize about this, back in Piltover. Now, however, things are much different, so it only follows that Jayce is changing his expectations accordingly. It's not lost on Viktor, however, that all of this is now coming about not only because of his renewed health, but also because Jayce has chosen to make Cadens his home.
There's a lot to think about here--Jayce can probably see it on Viktor's face, even as he pulls them both into a more comfortable position, leaning forward in his chair so that he can be as close as possible. One hand snakes around the back of Jayce's head, thumb brushing his cheek. Viktor is sure his partner expected some amount of hesitation from him, so the physical touch is meant to be reassuring.
"I appreciate your waiting to ask until I was no longer terminal." That's said with a breathy laugh, though ironically Viktor thinks he would be more willing to immediately accept, if he only had weeks. Still, he's glad that they're talking about this now. If they were to marry, and he were to die, then Jayce would never move on, which is the one thing that Viktor wanted from him, in the worst case scenario. Viktor's had to recalibrate a great deal, since the procedure--where he might ordinarily resist something like this on principle, he understands deeply how important it is to Jayce, even if he immediately bristles at the thought of a wedding. It's softened, at least, by the assurance that it's more for them, and that they could make whatever kind of ceremony they want. Something meaningful.
"You know that I am yours for as long as you will have me. I suppose I felt this was a given." That they didn't need anything official, because Viktor's commitment to Jayce is a foregone conclusion. The way Jayce lays out his reasoning is a testament to it. "But would you want that, too? To formalize it in the Free Cities? Citizenship?"
He knows how he will reply to the larger question, he thinks, regardless of what Jayce says here, but true to form, he must analyze all factors, first. His gaze is soft, searching, perhaps betraying the answer he's about to give.
no subject
Jayce appreciates the physical gestures Viktor is giving him as reassurance, a testament too to how much they know about one another now. Becoming lovers and romantic partners added elements they didn't have before, like how easy it is for Viktor to quell any rising anxiety with a single touch.
"It is a given that we are going to be together, V, but I want to be your husband. I want the title. And technically we can just wave our hands and say we are, but I'm sentimental. I want some kind of celebration with it." Jayce is good at asking for what he wants these days, but it helps that his confidence is the way it is because of how good they are together. They've gone through a lot and made it out the other side stronger and he is confident in their relationship.
Viktor knows he's sentimental and symbols do mean something to them. It's why Viktor got him the bracelet that's around his wrist even now. Gestures matter a great deal to Jayce, and this is the biggest one he can make. As for the next part he pauses and thinks, but then shakes his head.
"I don't care about that. We have both of our names on what we make and own, I'm not concerned about us being legal." If they were in Piltover he would. This is his adopted home, but he has no actual loyalty to the Free Cities, only to the lives they've made together and with the other Summoned.
Jayce takes Viktor's hand and puts the ring in the middle, gently encouraging him to wrap his fingers around it and feel it in his palm. Real and his, if he wants it. A gift, no matter what.
"You can take time to think if you need to."
no subject
Not that he wants to be part of Cadens in that way. In fact, Jayce's answer is the right one. Given the fact that he still feels beholden to the Undercity, becoming citizens doesn't sit right, and it isn't lost on him, that this is unfair. That none of this would be possible for them in Piltover, and that it might slip through their fingers in an instant due to cosmic forces that are out of their control. What happens if one of them is pulled away? The thought of it is more unbearable than ever, and Viktor still thinks he could control it, if he devoted his time and energy to puzzling out the Summoning ritual. Then, he could secure the future that he and Jayce deserve, even if Jayce doesn't know it yet.
He could argue for it, again. Insist that if they're going to move forward, then Viktor wants to ensure that nothing will ever separate them or take away what they've made for themselves, not even the Singularity.
But Jayce says I want to be your husband and any resistance he could have put up or any counterarguments he might have made dissolve into thin air. Viktor's face wells with emotion, the expression something new and indescribable, all of the love he feels threatening to spill out, like he might cry again but stops just short of it. His fingers close around the ring and Jayce's hand with them, and he brings the whole arrangement up to his mouth to press his lips to Jayce's knuckles. He lingers there, one last moment of consideration.
"I don't need time to think." He's asked his questions, and received adequate, well-reasoned answers. Viktor wants to make Jayce happy, and if the titles and the celebration and the formal commitment to each other is part of the deal, he's willing to weather it. More than that--Viktor finds himself wanting it, too. "You've made a compelling argument."
He knows he might come to regret this, if they're ever separated by the unknowable whims of the Singularity. Viktor is trying, however, to learn from Jayce. To cherish the fact that they're able to have this, in spite of everything, and hold it close even if he might lose it all, and not even remember having it in the first place. That shouldn't mean he denies himself this happiness.
Viktor lowers their hands, opens his palm, and carefully slides the ring onto his finger. It fits, because of course it does. "I will marry you, Jayce Talis."
no subject
He hasn't given much thought to the situation involving the kidnapping spell. He knows that Viktor hasn't given up on all of that because he knows him, and he's fine with it. If at some point a discovery is made about it, Jayce is open to talking about it, his line was just that he isn't going to spend all his life here focused on that. He is dedicated to making a life worth living here and all that entails, living in the present as he promised. And proposing to Viktor is following that same path. The future he sees for them here.
They may disappear at any moment. One or both of them, and that is a reality, but they also may be dead back home, so there are a lot of mays and ifs and uncertainty. And while that used to terrify him, at this point he found that it only froze him in place before. He won't let it hold him back from the things that matter now.
He laughs when Viktor said he made a compelling argument, and while he wasn't really nervous about Viktor saying no, it's still a thrill and a relief when he says yes. Jayce feels a surge of adrenaline and he smiles so wide it practically hurts, cupping Viktor's face in his hands and kissing him deeply right away. All his planning turned out to be worth it, but Viktor would always be worth it.
Jayce goes a step further by sliding his hands over Viktor's legs and to his backside, sweeping him right off his chair as he stands. He never does this in a public place, it's very much a 'in our apartment and in passion it's fine,' but he feels like sweeping Viktor into his arms is absolutely a reasonable reaction to them being engaged. Viktor may be getting healthier but he still practically weighs nothing compared to his boyfriend's biceps.
He doesn't carry him bridal style but he does hug him and spin him around a little bit, like he wanted to do the first time they reunited. "I will marry you, Viktor."
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Viktor finds Jayce's smile contagious, and he offers a brief one of his own before Jayce kisses him fully and he has no choice but to reciprocate. He throws his arms around Jayce's shoulders and leans into the kiss, perfectly content to drag it out as long as possible, the whole world shrinking down to just them.
"You're everything to me, Jayce. How could I say no?"
He'd be content to stay exactly like this, burying his face against Jayce's neck, but his partner has other ideas. Viktor yelps, more out of surprise than anything else, but finds that he doesn't object to being picked up in the heat of the moment, nor does he care that they're in public. The ease with which Jayce lifts him out of his chair is not surprising, but the temporary instability catches him off-guard for a moment. Viktor clings tightly to him as though his life depends on it, though when it becomes apparent that he isn't going to fall, he tilts his head back and laughs.
"You don't have a ring," he says once he stops spinning, though he'll remain in Jayce's arms for as long as he's allowed, toes barely skimming the sand. "Can I make you one?"
It occurs to him that was the idea, so he imagines Jayce will love that he asked, but Viktor means it, regardless. He wants to do this.
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That is important to him for Viktor to understand, and he thinks he does. Their relationship is not contingent on Viktor agreeing to what he wants, but when they both learn to want something together, it makes it even better when it happens. Jayce is more traditional in many ways, that's always been true. He did always want to fall in love and get married, although his ambitions toward his work took first precedent. But he never saw himself as a lifelong bachelor, he knew that he wanted a partner in life. Viktor just ended up being his partner in everything.
He laughs when Viktor yelps but he's holding him carefully, Viktor knows Jayce is very careful and considerate when he's sweeping him up. He never lets him fall or be put in any danger, he could do this with one hand if he wanted to. He loves when his partner ends up relaxing into it though. When he clings to him not from fear but because he wants to stay close. Jayce stops spinning and for a few seconds he still holds him close, even if it requires Viktor to stay off the ground. He does set Viktor down but his arm moves around his waist and keeps him near.
Jayce beams down at him. "I didn't make one because I assumed you'd want to make it yourself." Viktor admires Jayce's handiwork, obviously, but he also likes to put his own touch on everything that matters to him. His own inventions, and this ring will be one of them. There are people looking at them after the spinning, but nothing negative. If anything they might see from the corner of their eyes some smiles, because who doesn't love a beach proposal?
"Thank you, V." Jayce cups his face with his free hand. "For literally all of what I showed you in the video, but also ... because I know this isn't really your thing, but you're willing to do it anyway. I promise it will be intimate and comfortable and not my usual brand of overdramatic." Jayce likes that for his presentations but his wedding, not so much.
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Viktor tries it out, finding that he likes the way it sounds. That much is evident on his face, which sports a sincere smile. Soft. All the love in the world in his eyes, a rare look for him. He can't say he ever thought this for himself, but now that it's happening, it feels more comfortable than he expected. This is right. It feels right.
They come to a stop and Viktor nuzzles into the crook of Jayce's neck, not at all worried about falling or stumbling with that strong arm around his waist. He can't say he isn't anxious about a ceremony, but Viktor already knows he can weather it.
"I'll make you a ring, and then we can have a celebration. In the Horizon, so all of our friends can be there. If it makes you happy, I want to do it." Increasingly, Viktor is determining that's what matters to him. It makes him happy too. That said, he's not about to let Jayce off without consequence. "But we will have to do it in the Zaunite way. I don't think my mother would forgive me, otherwise."
Is it a joke? It might be a joke. Viktor pulls back from the embrace and his face is sincere, betraying nothing.
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That way Viktor really doesn't have to worry about too much attention or discomfort. Jayce is already getting what he wants by the marriage and the party. Even if it's them and three other people, he will be happy. Symbolically, it is all going to be enough for him. If he really did care about the details, he might have wanted the legal documents. It's all about being able to look in Viktor's eyes and make promises in a more official way, and then call him by a name he's thought in his head for years.
He does wish for a strong moment that his mother could be there. That is the only downside. He has Cait here, and he is thankful for that, but his mother always wanted to be there for this. They talked about it sometimes, she would tease him about making her wait so long. But Jayce knows his mother would be happy for him if she knew. That is what has kept him from going crazy missing her here. It can't hold him back.
He leans down to kiss Viktor, long and sweet, and takes his hand with the ring so he can kiss it. "Looks good on you," Jayce says with a smug smile. He looks forward to the expressions on other people's face when they see it. Maybe. Once he gets one, he'll be sure to probably flash it everywhere. Jayce is too enthusiastic about these things, but Viktor likes him for it.
"I've been planning this for awhile, I'm glad the practice paid off."
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Okay, maybe now it's clear that he's joking, because of course Jayce would do that, without question. Viktor is still apprehensive about the thought of a ceremony, but Jayce talks him through it, seemingly having thought of everything. Yes, something short and simple in their domain, with their friends, feels appropriate. Neither of them really need the formality of it, but if it makes Jayce happy, then he'll do it.
In his head, however, he considers this moment all that matters. Maybe they'll quibble about the use of fiancé in the interim, when this is all Viktor requires to call Jayce his husband. The way he leans into the kiss says as much.
It's not long, however, before something else occurs to him and he gives Jayce a little shove against his chest.
"I can't believe how long you've conspired against me."