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[scienceofthearcane]

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You have reached Viktor. I'm sorry I can't receive your message right now. But if you leave it for me here, I'll return it as soon as I can.

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[ Set shortly after Valentine's day | Action ]

[defenderoftomorrow]

[ In the last few days, Jayce's mood had improved significantly, and his eyes had been a steady yellow at last rather than the somber cyan blue of the early weeks of the month. Realizing his feelings for Viktor and K, as well as learning that Viktor was okay with the idea of people loving more than one person and forming a familiar bond with K, have left Jayce feeling all warm inside.

He was still nervous about sharing that last bit of information with Viktor, but he wanted to tell him the news as soon as possible, since he had no plans to keep it a secret.

Jayce gathered the finished blueprints for Rio's new giant aquarium tank and went to find Viktor at his desk, probably working on Cobb's new arm. ]

Viktor, do you have a moment? There's something I'd like to tell you.

[ Going by Jayce's tone of voice, slightly nervous but still upbeat, Viktor could probably tell it wasn't bad news. God knew they had enough of those this month. ]

[ Set shortly after Valentine's day | Action ] Also doing prose;

[scienceofthearcane]

In fact, he was. Viktor was adjusting the torque that would allow the elbow and the wrist movement with two very thin screwdriver-like instruments. It's also noteworthy that at the corner of his desk, he had what had been a bouquet of a dozen roses but was now rather odd looking with most of the blossoms snipped off of the stems. Viktor had found that Rio did not like the stems probably because they were too tough for her to swallow whole.

Viktor looked up from what he was doing to regard Jayce, though, who seemed to be nervous but excited about something? Viktor set aside the thin screwdriver-like instruments, not wanting to accidentally make a mistake on Cobb's arm while he wasn't paying attention.

"I can take a moment, yes."

Oops right, prose is great o7

[defenderoftomorrow]

"Thanks, Viktor."

The view of the half-eaten roses filled Jayce with amusement and resignation all at once. By now he had realized that no amount of flowers brought to Viktor would catch his interest in a romantic fashion, but they would absolutely draw Rio to them in a 'new snack' sort of way. That alone was enough for Jayce to keep bringing flowers every now and then. it made Rio happy, so by extension, it also pleased Viktor.

"The arm's looking good. I'm glad we took on this project, not only is it useful for Cobb, but we've learned a lot about this new technology." That's not what Jayce wanted to talk to Viktor about, he knew he was stalling, but it was true that the arm really was progressing wonderfully. OKAY, focus. , Jayce told himself, taking a deep breath.

"Have you heard about the Familiars bonding with Myths and Legends?  When there's mutual acceptance and understanding, a special kind of connection." 

Not unlike the connection that already existed between them, but perhaps better defined, more clear for all the participants. Myths and Legends couldn't bond, however, at least not as far as Jayce knew. But that was a thought for another time. 

"K and I the other day...we chose that connection, that kind of personal bond. I just wanted to let you know."

[scienceofthearcane]

Was that what he had been so nervous about? There was hardly any reaction with Viktor only smiling a very little bit.

"I've heard that a bond was possible and that it was apparently quite intimate, but I've never known how it was meant to work. I do know that this bond also helped Legends control their emotions. Which, no offense, you do need help with."

Viktor tilted his head quizzically.

"Does this mean you'll be sleeping with K? He's been sad lately, but that might help improve his mood."

[defenderoftomorrow]

Yes, yes, that was it. Jayce at first wasn't sure if the lack of reaction was a bad or a good sign, but the moment he caught that little smile from Viktor, he knew it was the latter.

"It's very personal, at least to me. I don't plan on establishing any other familiar bond myself, and I'm glad that talking to K helped to make our feelings clear." Jayce could feel his face start to get warm, but this was a much-needed conversation, in his opinion, even if Viktor was both very blasé and blessedly accepting about the whole ordeal.

"As for how they work, I don't know if it changes from person to person. I can tell when K is feeling strong emotions too, I can sense his soul. And my senses warn me sooner now if he's in some sort of danger or distress."

The mention about how he needed to control his emotions earned Viktor a slightly offended pout, but Jayce didn't find it in himself to argue against it (Hard to deny the truth, embarrassing as it could be).

The following question, however, had Jayce's cheekbones go from 'barely warm' to 'actively looking like a ripe cherry' in a matter of seconds. He knew the answer, of course, but for a few mortifying seconds, Jayce stood there, opening his mouth with no sounds coming out of it. Then rubbed his nape in a nervous gesture and tried again.

"No, we're not sleeping together. Not like I wouldn't like to! But I emh...I don't know if K is interested in sex at all. And sex is not necessary for a relationship, either, at least to me. "

[scienceofthearcane]

It never ceased to amaze Viktor how Jayce could be so oddly prudish about the strangest things.

"Well, has he stopped you from touching him in a certain way before?"

Touch had never bothered Viktor, but he still had a pretty low opinion of himself in the first place and that opinion usually colored all of his interactions with Jayce. It would be worse if Jayce knew of Viktor's romantic feelings for him but would still think of Viktor as a kid brother; something that just needed looking after, of protecting because Viktor is too fragile to look after himself.

"I could see that kind of touch being interpreted as possibly too sexual."

[defenderoftomorrow]

Talking about his possible sexual life was not how Jayce had anticipated the conversation going! Viktor caught him off guard, that's all. That said, he did have a hard time addressing these sorts of matters with Viktor because of his feelings for his partner. What would Viktor think of him if he were finally brave enough to confess? That he was only interested in the sex, the possible gratification?

For now, all he could do was answer Viktor honestly.

"No, he did not. But allowing someone to touch you is not the same as giving express permission. I'll have to talk to him about it and ask K what he really wants." Jayce is all too aware of the way people in K's world had abused and mistreated him and his kind, and he refused to treat K with anything less than kindness and respect. The fact that he would also happily sleep with K if asked was irrelevant, or so he told himself.

Viktor's last words made Jayce's expression fall slightly.Then he tilted his head, looking at his partner with curiosity. He was tempted to take a step closer but restrained himself.

"Is that...is that what you think when I touch you?"

[scienceofthearcane]

...well shit.

This had opened up a very difficult subject to navigate. If he admitted to liking the fact Jayce had never been shy about physical contact, even if Viktor absolutely could be, would that then mean that Jayce would get awkward about doing it now? Viktor had a moment of wondering if he should lie and hope to keep the same working relationship they had always had. But lying had only compounded problems or created new ones, so it was deemed as not worth it. A muscle tightened in Viktor's jaw before he spoke.

"Sometimes. Not always."

There. Make of that what you will, Jayce.

[defenderoftomorrow]

Jayce straightened a little, his cheekbones still dusted pink, but he was getting his blushing under control. Much like Viktor, he was torn about how to act next. He hadn't meant to put his partner in an uncomfortable situation, not now and not in the past. Touching others was simply Jayce's first way of expressing concern or friendliness, but he could now see how it could have been interpreted as him wanting more.  Perhaps, subconsciously, that's exactly what he was doing.

He didn't want to stop touching Viktor, is the thing, but he also didn't want to make things awkward between them. In the end, it was not his choice to make, and in part, he was grateful for that. He took a step closer, looked down between them, and brushed his hand against Viktor's before meeting the man's eyes. 

"Do you want me to stop?"

[scienceofthearcane]

Viktor stayed completely still as if Jayce were a wild animal that might get spooked and run away. Even the light touch to the back of his hand didn't make him stir, because Viktor wasn't sure what he would do if he did move.

"...no. I don't want you to stop."

And just maybe Viktor's hand did risk moving then. Maybe a single finger returned that caress to one of Jayce's fingers, only the touch was feather-light. Maybe there was also a moment in there when their eyes did meet and Jayce had a moment of seeing the intensity in Viktor's.

But in the end, it was only a moment and a fleeting one at that.

In an effort to keep himself from blushing and thus giving himself away, Viktor checks a very distinctive pocket watch that he didn't have before Valentine's day. Nor did he have the remains of a dozen roses.

"I made a resin cast of the new robotic hand. It should have hardened enough to be ready now. I wanted to add small neoprene pads to the tips of the fingers for better touch control."

[defenderoftomorrow]

Time seemed to slow down, and for a beat, it was just Viktor and him, frozen in time. Jayce liked the quiet and appreciated Viktor not pulling away in disgust when they touched.

"I don't want to stop either." His breath caught in his chest when the light touch of this hand was returned. It might have seemed small to an onlooker, but it meant the world to him. It made Jayce think: Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps...Maybe there was a chance for them. Jayce's eyes light up again, another flash of gold as their eyes meet.

It felt all too brief.

When Viktor looked away and inspected his new watch, the spell was broken Jayce looked away and cleared his throat. He closed his eyes for a moment, took a deep breath, and then looked at the arm, trying to concentrate on what Viktor was saying.

"You are doing a fantastic job with that arm. Cobb will be pleased. I've been working on the system to turn on and off the cooling system, to make the switch as small and intrusive as possible. And I've also finished the desing of Rio's aquarium tank ."

Jayce left the blueprints on the worktable and leaned to inspect the arm, curiosity piqued. He wasn't simply praising Viktor when he mentioned that his partner did a good job, it was the honest truth. There was something else that got Jayce curious.

"That's a really beautiful watch. Is it new?"

[scienceofthearcane]

The irony is that Jayce had more than a chance if either one of them would just set aside their own silly fears about making the other feel awkward. Viktor glanced once at Jayce then looked back at the watch and turned pink. He smiled as he closed it thinking of the night he got it.

"Yes. Inanna gave it to me on our date for Valentine's day. He's better at celebrating an Earth holiday than I am, I think."

[defenderoftomorrow]

One day, they might get there. One day. How long could it take them? Another decade? Hopefully not.

And now there was that lovely blush on Viktor's cheek again. Jayce was getting very fond of the view. Of course, once it was clear why Viktor was blushing, he paused and blinked in confusion.

Date?

Valentine's day date?

For a very, very brief moment, Jayce's eyes flashed green. He frowned, but it didn't last more than a second, and thankfully, Viktor was still looking at the watch. Then he felt ashamed of himself for the brief pang of jealousy and for being this selfish after Viktor had accepted his bond with K so openly.

Inanna was a good man and an even better friend. Someone who was understanding, sweet, protective, and witty. Someone who would look after Viktor and make him feel special and loved. Once Jayce faced the facts, it wasn't difficult to feel happy for them.

"That was very sweet of him, I'm glad you had a good time. I didn't know you were dating. It's good to hear he's treating you well." Jayce also had no doubt that Viktor would be just as good for Inanna as well, and the goddess deserved some real appreciation after everything he had gone through.

[scienceofthearcane]

Viktor had entirely missed that flash of green in Jayce's eyes but he looked back up now. He was still pink and still smiling. There seemed to be so few things in Viktor's life that made him smile, but speaking of Inanna always did it.

"He made it very clear that we weren't going to be exclusive from the beginning, but I don't know if he's dating anyone else. As smart and magical as he is I would not doubt it. But I'm not dating anyone else right now. so while not exclusive it is just us."

The last part was said with a bit of a shrug.

"I haven't been capable of things like dating before, so this is all still kind of new to me. It's nice though."

[defenderoftomorrow]

Probably for the better. The green was...well it was not nothing, but Jayce truly didn't want to bring jealousy into this. It was undeserved, and he was honestly glad about Viktor and Inanna had found happiness in each other.

Part of Jayce can't help but feel bad that he was too late, that now Viktor had someone who made him happy. He would not care for anyone else in that same way. That was it until Viktor clarifies that they were not exclusive, prompting Jayce's eyes to get bright gold again.

"Oh, you're not? I see...of course, right. Whatever works best for you both. I mean. That's...that's great to know."

Jayce was babbling He was aware he was babbling. Jayce couldn't stop babbling. He could, however, try not to smile like an idiot. The keyword there was 'try'.

"You deserve these things, Viktor. That kind of happiness."

I wish I could give it to you.