Chapter Text
Three taps of his cane. Three steps forward. Three seconds to reconsider. Three seconds to fail. Three seconds to hear his cane hit the floor. Three steps forward. Three seconds suspended mid-air. Three seconds right before he hit the-
Viktor's eyes opened and he dragged in a shaking breath. Despite the chill in the air, no puffs left his shuddering lips. He sat with his cane placed delicately across his lap, right on the edge of the rubble. Right where he could see the ground. Right where he could see the grass they'd planted to cover the mess. There'd been a balcony here once. Viktor remembered it fondly. He would come out to drink tea. Watch the people below. Sometimes he'd read. He pulled one of his legs up to his chest as he stared forward. He wished he could see the moon. But it was cloudy this night. Cloudy. Cold. His night had been clear. For three seconds, he'd seen the moon so clearly. For three seconds, he'd touched the stars.
It felt... cruel. In a way, almost inhumane. That the moment his vision had gone out, he'd only had three seconds of peace before he was back on the balcony. Right back where he'd started. And yet... the commotion. The panic below had told him otherwise. That's when the headache had started. A dull, throbbing pain always tucked away in the back left of his skull. He'd grown accustomed to it. He didn't think anything in his life had ever happened that had caused such a violent, sickening disappointment within him. Not the rejection of his research. Not the diagnosis he'd received. Not even his initial removal from the mere consideration of being a professor, something he'd only been saved from by the Dean of the Academy taking pity on him. Even then, just an Assistant. But still, none of that could've compared to the nausea he'd felt waking up from hitting the ground. The world's worst joke. And he was the punchline.
Something small and white floated past his face. He raised his eyes, pulling himself away from his thoughts. His fingers raised next, but the snowflakes drifted through him. He was so distracted by the snowfall that he didn't hear the footsteps until something was suddenly kicked off the ledge next to him. He jumped so badly that parts of his body exploded into mist before reforming. He paused as he dematerialized for a moment before reforming in a standing position. He held his cane tightly in his hands. The man that had appeared next to him was breathing heavily. He kept stepping forward and backwards from the ledge, his gaze fixed on the sky. He looked downright panicked by the snow. That was... That was terror in his eyes. He looked so frightened that he almost seemed ill. Viktor paused.
He recognized this man. He'd been the one living in this apartment when the wall had been blown out. Viktor still wasn't even sure what had happened. He'd gone to wander around the Academy the day before, only to come back to his balcony... gone. He'd always stayed outside on it. Any glances he would cast inside the apartment, the man would always be bent over a journal, or scratching out equations on the chalkboard hung on the wall. And even on the rare days he'd come outside on the balcony, all he would do was read. The same book. The same book every single time. It had looked so worn and the pages had seemed so yellowed. Viktor had... never cared to look at him this closely. With a face like that, he never would've expected to see this man inside as much as he did. He swore this man would only eat, sleep, and research. But now... it looked like he wasn't doing any of that.
Now... it looked like... Viktor froze up. He took a few steps away as the man took a few steps forward. Viktor didn't know what to do for a moment. He knew this feeling. He'd had this feeling. Surely he... Viktor stared at the man. The only thing that seemed to be keeping the man back was the snowfall. Why was he so afraid of it?? Viktor's hands were fidgeting on his cane. What should he do?? What could he do? He couldn't just... He couldn't just let... let history repeat itself?? No. No, he... Viktor glanced back. He retreated to the darkest part of the room, feeling himself become a little more solid. He placed his hand on the wall to steady himself, his cane shaking in his other hand. He could hear the man whispering to himself, clearly trying to talk himself into it. He paced along the ledge for a moment before peering over it.
Viktor stared at him. It wasn't worth it. He wouldn't be free. He couldn't... The man seemed to take a deep breath, composing himself. Viktor could see the breath billow out in front of him and panic flared in his chest. "Am I interrupting?" The question blurted from his throat a little more sarcastically than he'd meant, but it got the job done. The student let out a loud swear, turning to look back at him in shock. Those golden-brown eyes were only filled with confusion and they seemed just as panicked as Viktor felt. Viktor wouldn't move forward. He knew that, in this light, he would be solid enough to make out. When those eyes landed on him, he had to steel himself. He wasn't used to being... seen. He gestured to the sky. "Something like this during snowfall... Poetic, don't you think?" He sighed. "Tragic, but poetic."
The man could only stare at him before he finally turned his head away, frustration in his tone as he spoke. "It would be a shit poem." His voice was strangled. "How did you get in my apartment?"
Viktor paused before glancing to the side at what was left of the blown-open doorway. He raised a brow and turned back to the man. "...It was not difficult." He replied quietly. He still wouldn't move and that only seemed to make the man more uneasy. He opened his mouth, but Viktor spoke before he could tell him to move forward. "You seem afraid of the snow." His comment made the other man freeze up a little. "A snowflake landed upon you and you flinched like it had burned you." The man seemed taken back. "The snowfall will only grow heavier... I think you should come back inside." Viktor's tone became quiet and prompting by the end. The man glanced back behind him at the ledge and Viktor's hand tightened on his cane. So many emotions were flying through the man's eyes and he finally squeezed them shut, holding his forehead in his hand.
His shoulders had sunken in defeat and his face only held frustration as he moved back inside. Viktor relaxed a little, a chill of shock moving through his body with the relief. Good gods, he'd actually stopped him. He wasn't sure what to do as he watched the man sit on one of the only remaining chairs, burying his face in his hands and leaning his elbows on his knees. Viktor watched him from the dark section he occupied. He remained leaned against the wall. "...I just came to get what was left of my things." The man finally spoke up and Viktor didn't believe that for a second. "I've been expelled from the Academy. I'll have to move from this residential building." Viktor paused. Expelled?? He echoed the word in surprise. It was rare students were ever expelled. That kind of decision had to be made by- "Yes, expelled! Didn't you see the trial??"
The man's annoyed tone made him pause as the other shot him a glare, clearly fighting back tears. Viktor only stared back. "No, I was not aware there was a trial." He replied, his voice remaining calm. The man stared at him before saying that every student had known about it. "Clearly not." Now Viktor was just curious. What had this student been on trial for? Blowing up his apartment? Viktor could think of past students that had done so much worse. So much worse. "...do they put students on trial for incidental property damage now?" He glanced around. "Mm, I would've been in trouble quite a few times if that were so." He'd mostly murmured the last part to himself, but the man spoke again.
"It was for my research. The Council found out about it. It was deemed... dangerous. And it was... unauthorized. So they shut it down." The man said quietly. Viktor's eyes lowered to the ground. He made a small noise of understanding, saying his work had been shut down as well. The man glanced up at him. "What... did your research consist of?" He sounded uncertain as he asked. Likely since he hadn't been expecting to have a casual conversation. Viktor could tell that much. Bringing up his research and what he could've done was always painful. It was always painful, but it would be the first time in a while he'd been given the chance to speak of it again.
"Epidemiology. I studied, uh..." Viktor paused as the man spoke up.
"Diseases?" He was watching Viktor in resigned confusion. Viktor nodded. He replied that he'd wanted to be an epidemiologist, but he had flown too close to the sun while presenting his findings. The man hesitated and sat up a little more. "H-How? Identifying and reducing the risks of outbreak and infection is something Piltover holds... in high regard..." He scanned over Viktor's expression and his brow furrowed. "Right...?" He had sounded less and less certain as he spoke. Viktor gave a quiet sigh as his eyes lowered to the ground.
"It is not only identifying. It is observing the effects something may have. Which fed into my secondary study of anatomy." His hand was fidgeting on his cane again. "And... it appears you are not allowed to speak of diseases caused by certain things that..." He trailed off, unsure of how to word it. He seemed to have the man's full attention now. His curiosity. "...If you present your findings on the diseases caused by... a textbook definition of bioterrorism... they remove you from your study." The man paused, his golden-brown eyes scanning over Viktor as he asked what he'd presented. "I presented on The Grey." Even the name of the chemical seemed to lock the man's body up. He stared at him with wide eyes and Viktor nodded, avoiding his gaze. "It had been far too ambitious of me." He glanced back at him. "And what of your research?"
The man paused and, to Viktor's surprise, a look of embarrassment seemed to pass over his face. "...Magic." Viktor paused and stared at him quietly. "I was... mixing magic with science." Viktor wasn't sure he quite believed him, but he also knew that he'd watched this man come home before and slave away day and night over his journal. Over his chalkboard. "I-I can show you. I see that look." The man stood up and moved forward, picking up a lantern before flicking it on and placing it up on a hook sticking out of the wall. The entire chalkboard was illuminated and Viktor's eyes scanned over the patterns. Wait... patterns? No, these were numbers. Equations. Not... The man had turned to look back at him, scanning him over. "...You see them too, don't you? I see that look." He repeated his earlier statement in excitement.
There was something slightly desperate beneath his words and Viktor glanced at him before his eyes moved back up to the chalkboard. He'd seen these shapes before. The way the equations were flush against one another. He was quiet for a moment. "...Professor Heimerdinger had books with these shapes. These are Runes, no?" Viktor asked, moving so he was leaned back against the wall. The man was startled for a moment. He asked if he'd known the Dean and Viktor paused. "I used to be his assistant." The man scanned him over before asking if his research had lost him the position. "...It played a part." He quickly gestured back to the board. "One shape appears more consistently than the rest." He wasn't lying. Through the tight-knit equations, he was seeing a consistent shape among all the others. "A... strange request, but could you move the lantern a little farther?"
The man paused before reaching up and moving the lantern over to a nearby desk. Viktor finally moved from his spot, his cane softly tapping against the floor. He stopped in front of the chalkboard, making sure to stand almost directly in the man's shadow to maintain his solidarity. The man paused before offering him the chalk. Viktor hesitated. He hoped to the gods that he was solid enough for this. He reached out and relief flooded his form as he took the chalk. He turned to the board. He drew with the chalk in light strokes, knowing if he pushed any harder, it would fall right through his fingers. Once he'd finished sketching out the Rune he saw, he quickly placed the chalk down and moved back a little. The man had fallen silent next to him, studying the shape he'd drawn. His hand was holding his chin. "...This one is the consistency?"
"It is the one I see most prevalent." Viktor replied. He wasn't sure if he'd done something wrong or not. The man suddenly inhaled and let out a LOUD swear. Viktor jumped, quickly hiding his hand as it turned into mist. He stared at the man in shock as he buried his head in his hand.
"These would've worked then!! That's... fuck!" The man turned away, his voice became strangled with frustration again. "Why couldn't I pick that out?? How did I keep missing that??" He turned to Viktor. "Show me where you see it! Circle them!" He stated firmly. Viktor stared at him and the man paused before quickly stepping back. "Pl-Please. Can... you circle where you see them? I-I'm sorry." Viktor could recognize the desperation of being so close to an answer. He'd felt it many times. He moved forward, scooping up the chalk. He scanned over the wall of equations and variables again before reaching out. He drew circles around every single one he saw. The moment he thought he was done, another would appear. He finally pulled his hand back, quickly placing the chalk down once more.
The man stared at the nearly countless circles before covering his mouth again, staring forward. "...I wish I had my equipment." He muttered to himself in a pained voice. Viktor hesitated before asking where it was. "It was all confiscated. They locked it away in one of the larger labs." Heimerdinger's lab. Viktor had no doubt that's where it was. He glanced over at the man quietly before his grip tightened on his cane. He gave it three small taps before speaking, saying that he could get it. "What?? No, they're probably keeping an eye on you if you were demoted from the Dean's Assistant. Y-You've... You've helped me quite a lot, I don't want to get you in trouble."
"If you would like my help, please meet me at the Academy within the next hour. If not..." Viktor turned away before his shoulders sank. "Please don't be where I think you'll be when I return." His voice had weakened and he moved away, his cane tapping along the floor. He slipped out of what was left of the destroyed door and he heard the man start to call out again. Viktor shut his eyes, dematerializing. When he reformed, he was standing on the steps of the Academy. He moved up them, standing next to the doors. He had to be careful around here. All he had for the clothes were the ones he'd dropped in. A simple Academy uniform. No coat and nothing that would keep him warm during weather like this. People would look at him like he was crazy if they saw him.
This was the most excitement he'd had in a while. He... He had saved someone. Maybe...? He stared at the ground quietly. Three taps of his cane. Three seconds of scanning the street. Three more taps. His eyes drifted to the sky, watching as the snow fell. It didn't take long before he started to lose hope. He just... didn't want to come back... and find another person standing at the ledge. Looking down... at themselves. He didn't want that. It brought a heavy ache to his chest that contributed to the one constantly embedded in his skull. Something moved. Viktor's gaze snapped up. Through the snow, he could see a figure fast approaching the building, wearing a heavy cloak. Their breath was coming out in thick clouds and the man pulled back his hood to stare at Viktor with wide eyes. He seemed completely dumbfounded as he stared at him. "...Aren't you cold??" He asked in his breathless voice.
Viktor shook his head. He turned to the doors and ever so slightly pushed his finger inside of one to open the locking mechanism. He pushed the door open, gesturing for the man to follow. "...Do they really just leave it unlocked at night??" The man followed him inside, Viktor letting the door shut. It was almost pitch-black in here, with outside light shining in through the windows down either hall. He felt so solid. Almost alive. Almost. He paused as he heard the man speak again. "Hey, uh, you left so fast that I didn't catch your name. I'm Jayce Talis." The man held out his hand, seeming nervous. Viktor blinked in surprise. He... He hadn't tried to... He hesitated before reaching out and shaking Jayce's hand. He pulled his hand away so fast that it seemed to startle the other. "...Your name?" He finally prompted him again.
"Viktor." He replied, glancing back at him. "We should hurry." He turned and he heard Jayce stumble to follow after him. His cane was tapping against the floor and he kept himself extremely distanced from the light of the windows, which seemed to confuse Jayce. He stopped next to the door of Heimerdinger's office, gesturing for Jayce to wait. He used the same trick he had at the front doors, though he was careful not to let Jayce see. He slipped into the office, instinctively heading towards one of the walls. It was still there. It looked like Heimerdinger had never moved it around. Viktor pulled down the key ring from the hook before coming back out to Jayce and offering it to him. He had to lower it so the ring was against Jayce's fingers. He knew the hallway was almost completely dark. Jayce seemed absolutely frozen for a moment, his eyes hesitantly finding Viktor's. "Take it." Viktor prompted him. Jayce did so, though he was clearly shaken by it.
Viktor turned away, leading Jayce down the halls. Jayce seemed to stop and become confused at several points, Viktor having to repeatedly come back for him. "How can you walk so easily?? It's so dark, I can barely see." Jayce said, his eyes wide. While that may have been true, Viktor could see just fine. He reached the large door of Heimerdinger's lab, guiding Jayce to the keyhole in the center of it. "...I don't suppose you know which key it is off the top of your head?" Jayce gave a small disappointed sigh as Viktor shook his head. He started to fiddle through the keys. Even if he knew he couldn't be caught, the thrill of this was exciting. He was... Admittedly, he was having fun. He flinched as a blinding light suddenly erupted on their other side.
"Willing to risk exile for your endeavors? That's quite the conviction." A woman's voice sounded unamused. Viktor could barely see past the flashlight she was holding and he didn't recognize that voice. The good thing about this was that his corporeal form could not exist under bright light. Jayce was on his own trying to explain. He froze as he heard Jayce sputter, referring to the woman as... One of the Councilors?? He didn't recognize her. Had the Council seats changed? He was vaguely aware of Jayce speaking to the woman. He held up his hand and rested his knuckle against Jayce's back to let him know he was still there. However, he was completely hidden behind the other. He didn't know why he was so nervous about this. He wasn't the one at risk. He gave a quiet sigh, wondering if he should just dematerialize and return to the ledge. Jayce was caught, wasn't he?
He paused as the light suddenly turned away and he heard heels clicking. He was stunned silent for a moment before speaking. "She... is letting you be?"
"Not... Not exactly. I have one night to show why my research is worth this. I have to make... what is essentially a month's worth of progress in... one night." Jayce sounded a little strained and it seemed he finally found the right key as the door to the lab hissed open. All of the lights inside hummed on their lowest setting. Viktor saw Jayce reach out to the switch and he halted himself so fast with his cane that he almost fell. He remained outside in the dark hallway. Jayce paused, turning to look back at him. "Viktor??" He pulled his hand away from the switch and Viktor hesitated. He finally crept forward into the lab again, the soft tapping of his cane accompanying him. He hadn't been in here for a very long time. "Ah!" He heard Jayce exclaim in excitement before he moved over to the table, the door heard sliding shut again.
That must've been his equipment. Jayce came back over with his journal. He seemed uncertain before asking if Viktor was going to stay to help him. "Help you? Jayce, I do not know how much help I'd be. I studied disease and anatomy." Jayce replied that that could be useful. He asked if Viktor knew how to use tools. "Yes?" Jayce smiled before saying that they could do this together then. Viktor stared at him. It just sounded like he was... going to be an assistant all over again. "Jayce, I mean this politely, but I do not wish to be your assistant." He jumped as Jayce spoke, saying he would be his partner, not his assistant. He was quite insistent about it and Viktor didn't know what to do. He appreciated Jayce's eagerness and his passion, but... "Jayce. I don't think I can. I apologize."
It did make him feel guilty as he saw Jayce's shoulders sink. He moved back to the tables, setting his journal down and rubbing the back of his neck. Viktor's grip tightened on his cane. He felt terrible. He paused as Jayce picked something else up and called him over once more. Viktor tipped his head before coming over. Jayce showed him a thick, leather bracelet. There was something glowing in the center and Viktor's shoulders scrunched in surprise. He'd never seen a physical Rune before. But that symbol... "This was the Rune your equations made up. Is that why you became so excited?" Viktor asked, glancing up at him curiously. There was an ugly feeling creeping up his spine that he didn't quite... Jayce smiled as he wrapped the bracelet back around his wrist. "Which Rune is it? I haven't brushed up on symbology in... quite some time."
Jayce paused, glancing over at him. He seemed uncertain and Viktor furrowed his brow. He didn't think any of the Runes could be... embarrassing? He paused as Jayce held his wrist out to him. Viktor hesitated before moving closer to inspect it. The shape was familiar. He was wracking his head trying to remember that old book. His hands were fidgeting on his cane. Three taps of his cane. Three seconds to think. Viktor tipped his head before it finally clicked. "Binding." He said, glancing up at Jayce.
"Binding." Jayce agreed quietly. He suddenly reached out and grabbed Viktor's hand, the Rune on his wrist lighting up. Viktor startled, jerking backwards. He nearly fell as there was a soft clinking noise. Clinking?? Viktor's eyes were wide as he stared at the glowing blue chain connected to his wrist.
"J-Jayce??" Panic instantly started to fill his chest again and his cane clattered to the floor, dematerializing after a few moments as Jayce looked him over.
"I was right. You’re made up of the same magic as the Rune." He sounded slightly proud of himself. Viktor glanced at his wrist before looking up at him again. "I see that look. I know. But you'd already messed up your charade a few times." Jayce added, moving back around the table. To Viktor's shock, the chain connecting them only lengthened until Jayce got further away. Viktor yelped as he was dragged through the table and collapsed in front of Jayce. "And it works!" Jayce sounded excited as he moved back to the other side. "Good gods, I've been searching for a being tied to this magic." He sounded so relieved and Viktor was only panicking more. He raised his wrist, glancing at it. He really hated to do this, but...
Jayce jumped as Viktor's wrist let out a loud snap. His neck followed, along with part of his skull. Right where it ached. Luckily, the broken wrist seemed to dislodge the chain and he heard Jayce yell out as he dematerialized. Viktor reappeared back in the apartment, panting. He didn't even need to breathe, but it was calming the absolute terror he'd just felt. He snapped his wrist back into place, shakily reaching up before fixing his head and neck. He summoned a new cane to his hands and pushed himself to his feet. His hands were shaking badly as they fidgeted. Three taps of his cane. Three seconds to close his eyes. Three seconds to calm down and breathe. He...
Viktor's eyes shot open, his body instantly starting to turn to mist as he felt a burning in his wrist. "Don't. Don't. Please don't." He whispered through gritted teeth. He could only watch in panic as the shape of the Binding Rune etched itself into his pale skin. Three seconds to process. Three seconds to panic. Three seconds before he was being dragged right back to Jayce's side.
And it only took three seconds for Jayce to flash him a smile, accompanied with a calm 'welcome back'.