Viktor appreciates the care with which Jayce moves into his space. He can't quite snuggle into him without aggravating his incisions, so the strong arm around his shoulders and a gentle lean into his side is more than enough. Already he's impatient to get up and get back to work, but the haze of the painkillers makes him complacent. He stares at his and Jayce's fingers intertwined, focusing on that over anything else. This is what he has now, for as long as he wants, and it's enough.

"You're right, I know."

And in the end, he thinks he'd rather have his life than all of the advancements of the Hexcore. It's a selfish admission, but all of this has been selfish regardless, hasn't it? He'd feverishly completed the device because he needed it to live, both here and back home. Its potential greater benefits were secondary. But there will be other chances, other innovations. Viktor just has to focus on that, and the new opportunity afforded to him by the risk they took together.

"I hope you know that my extended timeline isn't going to make me any more patient." Even the prospect of a few weeks in bed has him restless. "You'll have to work very hard to entertain me, in the meantime."