Chapter Text
Jayce double-checked that he locked the carriage door before he was comfortable walking away. He wasn’t nervous, and even if he was, it wasn’t because he was in Zaun – the outskirts at least. It was just… he hadn’t seen many vehicles since crossing the bridge so he knew his would be something of a curiosity. And whilst Zaun’s infrastructure had improved, he certainly knew that given all his work on Hextech, getting stranded there would not be ideal. Not when there would hopefully be two of them making the journey back.
The foyer of the shelter was bright and airy, welcoming even. It reminded him of the rescue shelter he took Cait to last year, where she picked up her Molly-Girl. Moggy-Girl, he called the scruffy thing behind her back, though he was starting to warm up to the creature. Though perhaps the cat was starting to warm up to him was a more apt description, aka he could enter a room without it diving to attack his feet. He chuckled at the thought; at least the cat liked Cait, the pair were practically inseparable, and hopefully he would have similar luck today.
“Hello sir - oh! Mr Talis! What brings you here sir?” The lady behind the reception counter – a beta – jumped when she looked up and realised who’d walked in. Jayce winced. He’d hoped coming this far out would prevent this sort of reaction, hoped that maybe he wouldn’t get recognised in such an establishment. Not that he was embarrassed, no, he was doing a good thing! Being charitable really. Perhaps though, it might have been a little foolish to think that even in Zaun they wouldn’t recognise the ‘Man of Progress’.
“Er, yeah, um, hi?” he stuttered, his face turning crimson with embarrassment. He cleared his throat and pulled himself up, desperately feigning confidence. “I’m, uh, here for an omega. Please.”
The lady’s mouth popped open and hung there, seemingly speechless, and he took the opportunity to look a little closer. She was elderly, perhaps close in age to his Mama, with a kind but tired face. He wondered how much of her weariness was the result of age, and how much was due to what he imagined she’d seen working at the shelter. Her wispy grey hair was pulled back behind her head, and he could see the gears in her brain turning as she wondered what the Jayce Talis was doing in an Omega Rescue Shelter. A ‘bargain bucket for sloppy seconds’ he remembered some of his peers calling it at the Academy, as they sneered at those they deemed beneath them. Often with a ridiculously expensive, high-class pedigree simpering on their arm.
“Uh, yes, of course, Mr Talis,” she spoke, finally recovered from the shock. “We can do that, certainly. You… you do know this is a rescue shelter though? The omegas we have here are lovely, but they won’t be like the ones you’re used to in Piltover.” She fiddled with a button on her oversized cardigan, clearly uncomfortable but unwilling to say out loud what they were both thinking.
He smiled, his usual disarming grin, and felt a glimmer of satisfaction as she visibly relaxed. “Yes, um, Miss…” he peered over the desk to read the name tag pinned to her front, “Vivienne, that’s actually why I’m here. I know the dismantling of the Shimmer trade and the… ‘removal’… of the Chem Barons flooded the system with a wave of abandoned omegas, and I want to help. I’ve done a course – on how to care for traumatised omegas!”
“I… I see. Well, that’s wonderful Mr Talis, we thank you for your generosity. Is there anything in particular you’re looking for?”
“Oh please Vivienne, call me Jayce,” he said, widening his grin and giving her his signature Talis wink, “I really want to help out, so I’m looking for your least adoptable omega – perhaps one who’s been here the longest?”
He watched her freeze in surprise again, and he a slight pang of guilt for the repeated frazzling of her nerves. She was quicker to recover this time though, and didn’t even need to look in their records.
“Oh! How kind of you Mr T-Jayce! Well, there is one… Just to check though, are you here for a mate?”
It was Jayce’s turn to pause in shock. Not that the question was particularly unexpected, he supposed, he was just surprised at how direct it was. It made sense though, once he thought about it. Whilst there was the obvious use of omegas and biology dictated that only one could form a bond per alpha, there was no law preventing someone from acquiring multiple, as long as one could provide for them. He knew many of his colleagues kept at least two, felt it was kinder to split the fucking and the household maintenance tasks required of a house omega. Jayce wondered if she thought that was what he was here for, that he already had a proper mate and was simply looking for some household assistance.
“Well… ideally yes, if I’m being honest.” He scratched the back of his neck to relieve the pressure from the open honesty. “I, ah, don’t have a mate and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want one. But it’s not the priority really. I’m mostly looking for an assistant, I guess. My leg never healed right after the Council attack and it’s still causing me problems. Most days I’m fine with just this brace, but working and living alone is taking its toll. I guess I’m, uh, looking for an omega who can help in the home and maybe even help me in the lab. Just following instructions though – don’t worry, I’m not looking for a miracle!” He laughed at his own joke, but paused when he saw Vivienne’s eyes light up and he looked at her curiously. His gaze caused her to start, and she looked back with a tight, apprehensive grin.
“Well Mr Talis, we do have one omega, one that fills a surprising number of those requirements. He’s smart – for an omega, at least – and he is the one who’s been here longest. Just over a year in fact, bless, and the least adoptable, given that you would be the tenth alpha to take a look at him. It’s just…”
Jayce waited patiently for her to continue, for the other shoe to drop on what was sounding like an interesting case. Worth a look at least. Vivienne twisted the cardigan’s button as she worked out how best to phrase her thoughts.
“Well… it’s just that. It seems that with your leg, sir, it might be best if you adopted an omega who’s… a little more…able, perhaps?” she whispered, clearly uncomfortable referring to what others would call ‘defects’ (in omegas at least) in front of someone clearly affected by a similar issue.
He hummed, and curiosity won control over his impulses. “Is there something wrong with the omega you have in mind?” he asked.
“It’s not his fault!” she insisted, and Jayce was surprised in the fervour of her outburst, did she have a soft spot for this mysterious omega? “And the poor thing does well enough, now that the doctor worked out that he needs a stick and his braces – for both his back and his leg. But he does need them, Jayce, no amount of training – even with your fancy Piltover trainers – will be able to get him to walk without them. We don’t know why, we originally assumed it was because of how we acquired the lad, but now the doctor thinks it might be congenital – that he was born like this. He seemed to know exactly how to use the aids when we gave them to him, almost like he’d been politely waiting.”
How… interesting. Jayce didn’t know what he was expecting, but it certainly wasn’t that. There was one thing that was bothering him, though. “Could you not ask him why? Surely he’d remember how long he’s been this way.”
Vivienne shifts slightly in her seat. “Ah, well that’s the other thing. He doesn’t speak. Hasn’t since he got here. There’s nothing stopping him, biologically at least. The doc thinks it’s more psychological, he’s had a hard life, and he didn’t come here under the best of circumstances, even for us.”
“So, you’ve said. May I ask how he got here?” he asked, a pit forming in his stomach in anticipation.
“Well, you said it yourself sir. We’re very grateful in Zaun, for the assistance and everything, and life is better without those awful goons. But no one thought about the omegas that would be left abandoned without them. Viktor belonged to quite a high profile one, one that managed to escape a full Enforcer chase actually. It’s just… he escaped because of Viktor.”
Now that was a surprise, surely an omega wouldn’t be able to facilitate such a feat. And he had a name now. Viktor. He turned it over in his head, even testing out the presumptuous ‘Viktor Talis’ and found that he quite liked it. Jayce found himself leaning forward, entranced by the story. “He helped a Chem Baron escape the Enforcers? How?”
“Well, that’s a little bit of an exaggeration I guess, sorry. The Enforcers were gaining on the guy’s carriage and then suddenly the door flew open, and something was flung out. They all had to stop so they didn’t hit whatever it was and that gave the guy enough time to get away. When they went to investigate, they found poor Viktor – left for dead on the pavement! They brought him here and we managed to save him, though it was touch and go for a while. Hasn’t spoken a single word since though.”
That was… a lot. Jayce’s heart twinged in sympathy, and he felt his inner alpha flare with a protective rage. Treating anyone like that was terrible, but an omega? His interest was piqued, and he was very curious at the strength this one had shown. He heard a muffled cough and looked up to see Vivienne breathing through her sleeve. He sniffed the air and realised he’d lost control of his pheromones, his usual woodsmoke acrid and choking from the anger.
“I’m so sorry, lost control a little,” he muttered, and in the anger’s abrupt absence he felt the flooding of shame. “He must be very strong indeed, to survive all of that. Is there anything else I should know?”
“Don’t worry love, if I was an alpha I think I’d be the same every time I thought about it! Awful, isn’t it, the way some people behave.” She looked down, finally seeking out the omega’s records. “He can’t speak but he does understand, follows orders well enough – which is our requirement to release an omega for adoption of course. We’ve gone through all the standard testing, and he’s definitely been trained properly, follows all the usual orders. Um, let’s see – oh! Well, with the no speaking thing, he won’t seek out help. That’s generally fine, he’s a real smart one so he can work most things out himself, but it can cause a couple of issues, especially with his health. It took us months to work out he has Grey sickness, he managed to hide his coughing, and it wasn’t until he passed out during breakfast one day that we knew something was wrong. When we cleaned out his room when he was in recovery, we even found a massive stash of bloody tissues he’d kept hidden. You’ve got to really keep an eye on him.”
“Hang on a second, isn’t Grey sickness fatal?” he asked, for once regretting his tendency to ignore any information that wasn’t magic-related.
Vivienne gave him a slightly confused smile. “It was, yes, but your Academy found a treatment last year – even for the advanced cases like Viktor’s. Hmm let me think, it was such a big deal, we were all so happy, as you can imagine, but it’s been a while since I read the announcement. It was a show of good faith, after the accords were signed. The Council sponsored research into the disease, even recruited Zaunite scientists for the job!”
That did ring a bell, he remembered Mel telling him something about that and felt a pang of guilt for not giving her his full attention. “Oh, yes, sorry, I remember now. It was funded by the Kirammans, and House Medarda, yes?” He searched his brain further, desperate to find something that showed he wasn’t just a sheltered Piltie. “And the scientist, her name was Miss Young? Sky! Do you know her?”
He winced at how ignorant that last sentence came out and prepared to be rightfully lectured for how patronising he was being. He was in luck though, as Vivienne’s face lit up.
“Oh! Yes actually! I’m her aunt, Sky’s my sister’s daughter – her youngest,” she declared proudly.
“Oh wow, that’s incredible! You must be so proud.” His smile was genuine this time.
“Yes, well, we always knew she would go onto great things. You know she started as a child, managed to grow a flower that filtered the toxins out of the air. The funding allowed her to increase its potency to make an effective treatment. Which reminds me, it’s a treatment, not a cure per se. Viktor’s very good at taking it, doesn’t fuss at all bless him, but it will be your responsibility to ensure he does so – every day, mind. He won’t do it automatically, even if you leave the meds with him. We’ve also got him doing physiotherapy exercises to help his leg so it would be best you ensure he keeps that up too. Will that be alright?”
Jayce went over all the information in his head; Vivienne had been correct when she’d said there was a lot. Viktor… didn’t sound perfect, he could admit that. The medication and physio weren’t an issue; in fact it would probably be quite useful, being responsible for someone else’s wellbeing had always helped him to remember to take care of his own. The fact that he could follow the standard orders was good, because whilst he didn’t intend on using Viktor as a trophy for the Academy events – not that he even went to many anymore – he still had to exist in public, and he did technically still have an image to maintain. The lack of speaking didn’t worry him either, his Mama had always said he was capable of talking for two so the silence wouldn’t be a bother, poor Viktor would probably suffer most if he was being honest.
The lack of communication regarding health issues was a bit of a worry though. He wasn’t… the best at being observant, not around other people in particular. It was possible though, especially if he set his mind to it and it wasn’t like Viktor would be locked away at home all the time. He hoped he’d be able to take the man to the lab and there were always people coming in to bother check up on him. He was certain they’d extend the same concern towards his potential mate.
“You’re right, Vivienne, taking on an omega is a big responsibility under the best of circumstances, Viktor even more so and that’s not something to take lightly. It does sound though that he could do with a quiet life, a gentle one even, and that’s something I can offer. My days in politics are long finished, my role is more honorary these days and I’m mostly content to potter around my lab, maintaining Hextech. The Gates too, when the Council requires. I’d like to meet him, at least, if that’s ok?”
Vivienne’s face beamed up at him, and there was even a slight shimmer in her eyes. “Oh Jayce, that sounds wonderful. Yes, that’s exactly what Viktor needs, a bit of quiet and a proper home. We do our best, but omegas need an alpha to truly thrive, and poor Viktor is withering away. One final thing though; as you can probably imagine, the poor thing is terrified, even after all this time and that can sometimes present in some… not ideal behaviours. Now he’s not aggressive and he’s never attacked anyone so don’t worry, but he does sometimes growl when he gets stressed. It’s just a natural stress response but it’s usually trained out of omegas as soon as they present, so it can come as a bit of a shock if you’re not expecting it. Hmm, what else? Oh, I’ve already told you about the back and the leg, but another thing is that it causes him to stand all hunched over which some alphas think detract from his beauty.”
Jayce was pleasantly surprised at her snarl of derision. It seemed this was a vocation for Vivienne, and she did genuinely care for those under her care. Her face snapped back up to him and he even felt intimidated by the fire burning in her eyes when it was directed at him.
“So you’ve got to be kind, if you go and meet him. Nine alphas have rejected him already, and each time he takes it worse than the last. Doesn’t eat or sleep for days afterwards and Janna knows he doesn’t have the health to spare.”
“Of… of course Vivienne, don’t worry.”
Her face softened and she stood up from behind the desk. Jayce steeled himself, as he followed her out of the reception, hopeful that he was about to meet his future mate.
The walk through the pastel-painted corridors was longer than Jayce had imagined and was a sobering reminder of the pressure places like this were under. He and Vivienne continued talking throughout the journey and he tried to learn as much as he could about the man he was here to see. He asked what Viktor liked to get up to at the shelter, and Vivienne frowned, stating that whilst they provided plenty of designation-appropriate enrichment – arts and crafts, gardening, light housework practice – Viktor never joined in. He seemed happy enough, she was quick to point out, he just seemed to prefer sitting on the periphery, didn’t even want to socialise with the other omegas.
They stopped when they reached the right door, and Vivienne opened a small, embedded hatch to peer into the room.
“There’s an alpha here to speak with you Viktor, is that ok?” Pause. “Excellent, I’ll send him through in a second.” She shut the hatch and turned to Jayce. “Any final questions?”
“Is there anything I can do to help, any way I should behave to help him feel less stressed?” he asked, wiping the sweat off his palms, the gravity of the situation finally catching up to him.
To his surprise, Vivienne just laughed, soft but sad. “That's very sweet,” she murmured, “but it won’t matter, love. You’re an alpha, and a stranger. Whatever you do, he’ll be terrified."
Vivienne ushered him into the small, well-lit room, promising she’d stay outside, and then the heavy door slammed closed behind him. The positive colour scheme of the rest of the shelter had continued into this room, a bizarre contrast for a space that would otherwise look like a prison cell. To his left, the only ‘decorations’ marring the monotony of the bright yellow wall were a toilet, a sink, and a small chest of drawers. He estimated that it would take four strides to cover the length of the room, to the wall containing a small window covered in bars. To his other side stood a small, neatly-made bed that looked like it had come second hand from a hospital. And there, in the centre of the room, stood Viktor.
The man’s head was facing down, with his long hair falling forward to cover his face, so Jayce took a moment to indulge his curiosity and observe. Viktor was dressed plainly, tight black leggings as a barrier against the standard grade medical brace he wore on his right leg, and a baggy grey T-shirt which he assumed was hiding any bulk caused by the back brace Vivienne had mentioned. He could see Viktor was clearly trying to hold himself upright, not trying to hide the slight hunch in his posture but rather the trembling that threatened to course through his body. The tension required by his muscles was causing the man to sway slightly, although he didn’t seem at risk of toppling over.
Jayce inhaled deeply, initially surprised that the man’s scent wasn’t obvious, especially given that he was in his private room. There was something there, he could tell, but it was weak, dampened somehow and he realised there must be a scent blocker involved. It made sense, he supposed. Places like this often housed tens of omegas at a time and the amount of intermingling pheromones would undoubtedly become overwhelming, even for the mostly beta members of staff. Besides, he was able to pick up some of the more dominant notes - sweetmilk and lavender, perhaps. Whatever it was, the man smelt incredible, and Jayce was surprised to realise that he was excited to discover more of the complexities.
“Hello Viktor,” he spoke softly, mindful of how the man still started at the breaking of the long silence and Jayce adjusted his body into a more open position. The course had said that could be reassuring to some traumatised omegas, showing that he didn’t have anything awful to hide. Once the man had recovered from the initial shock, he paused to see if he would finally look up at him, but the curtain of hair remained firmly in position, so he continued. “I’ve been speaking with Vivienne about you, and it sounds like we might get on. Please can you lift your head a bit so I can see your face?”
For a moment Viktor didn’t move, and Jayce’s heart slightly sank at the thought of their first interaction being Viktor disobeying him. But then, with a deep exhale, he watched as the man slowly raised his face towards him.
His first thought was awe at the delicate beauty of the man’s features. His second thought was anger, and then sadness, at the overt display, the remnants even, of the man’s former suffering. A thin but deep scar ran from the man’s hairline to under his chin, giving the illusion of a face split in half. Scar tissue, long healed but textured, framed his face, running down the sides from his prominent cheekbones and seemed to continue from his neck to under the high circular hem of the shirt. Jayce’s stomach turned at the thought of what had happened to the man but the feature that broke his heart were his eyes. They were beautiful, large and doe-like, pools of molten amber framed by long dark eyelashes. But they looked almost lifeless, their gaze towards him dull and almost unseeing.
“Thank you, Viktor,” he breathed, once he realised how long the silence had stretched whilst he made his observations. There was no reaction. His leg was starting to throb, and he realised how long he’d been standing without a break, but he swallowed the pain down.
“I’m looking for some help, I guess, and it sounds like something you might be interested in. My leg got hurt in… an accident and it never properly recovered so a lot of it would be simple housework, helping me out with the cooking and cleaning. A bit boring maybe, but it seems like a quiet life might be something you’d like?”
The man’s eyes did flicker briefly down to the brace on his leg, but he showed no emotion. “I’m also a scientist and I need an assistant. Someone who can be careful and follow instructions so don’t worry if that sounds intimidating. Vivienne said you’re smart though, so we can see how it goes – if you’d like to try doing more – if you’d be interested?”
This time Jayce was sure he saw a brief spark of interest when he mentioned being a scientist, but it was gone too quickly for him to be 100% certain he didn’t imagine it. He shifted slight to relieve the awkwardness of two unanswered questions, and the movement sent jolts of pain up his leg. Once the cloud of pain faded from his eyes, he moved automatically to sit on the bed but paused at a peculiar sound.
It was a low, broken rumble that almost sounded like purring, though that wasn’t quite right. He glanced up to see Viktor watching him, teeth bared and growling, and for a moment he wondered if he’d made him angry. He remembered Vivienne’s warning though, and when he looked closer, he could see the uncontrolled shaking and wide eyes that betrayed the man’s fear.
Jayce’s face flushed at he realised what he’d been about to do, his body cold as the shame washed over him. He was a guest in this man’s room, his only private space, and he hadn’t even asked before attempting to intrude further by sitting on his bed. His leg was throbbing in agony though and, unable to stand any longer, he sank carefully to sit on the floor instead.
Once settled, he looked up to see the man’s overt shock at his actions. In another circumstance it would almost be comical, Jayce thought, as he watched eyes widen until they bulged, mouth agape. That feeling vanished quickly, however, when he saw the lucidity return and Viktor’s dawning fear at his previous display.
“No, no Viktor, don’t worry! You were right, that was rude of me to do that without asking, I’m sorry,” he rushed to reassure, holding his hands in the air for emphasis. Again, the look on Viktor’s face, confusion now mixed in with the surprise, would be funny if the implications weren’t so heartbreaking. He’d always struggled with empathy, his Mama saying he felt things too deeply, and so with the tell-tale sign of his throat choking up, he moved to change the subject, to something safer.
“It’s a small house, but its cosy,” he said, bending forward to gently massage the spasming of his aching leg, “I live in a small townhouse in the centre of Piltover, near the Academy though so it’s surprisingly quiet.”
At first the man’s confusion remained, clearly in shock that Jayce was still willing to consider him despite being growled at. The fear was still present, though Jayce could see that the man’s trembling had calmed to a less violent tremor, so he continued. “I’ve set up the spare room all ready. It’s small, but you’ll have your own bed, and the window is large with a wonderful view of Progress Park, so it feels light and airy. I’ve got a well-stocked personal library which you’d be welcome to use, and my lab is near the Academy library so we can always try and find stuff there if I don’t have anything you want.”
Viktor’s face had morphed into guarded curiosity, and given that Jayce’s leg pain was no longer all-consuming, he slowly pushed himself back to his feet, staring directly at the man.
“I just have a couple of questions,” he said softly. “I’ll admit, I’m not the most organised but I’m not a complete invalid – I just need a bit of help. Can you cook and clean, Viktor?”
Jayce’s heart flipped at the slight glimmer of hope on the man’s face as he hesitantly nodded, and he smiled gently back.
“Great! That’s, uh, good. Thank you so much. I guess that leaves me with one final question then. Viktor, do you want to come home with me?”
Jayce watched in horror as the progress he thought they’d made vanished in an instant. Viktor’s face had completely shut down and he pushed down his leggings, almost robotically. He whined when they got stuck halfway down his thigh, until he seemed to remember the presence of the brace and gave up. He then swiftly removed the shirt, holding it out as an offering, the fabric rippling slightly from the pressure of the clenched fist. For a moment, Jayce could only stare back, too dumbfounded at the sudden turn of events to even ask what he’d done wrong.
Jayce was confused. Nothing in the course had prepared him for anything like this, but Viktor was staring directly at him, gaze lowered to his chest to avoid his eyes, acting like it was normal to fully strip in front of a complete stranger, so he was determined to work out what was going on.
His first thought was that this was an attempt at coming onto him, and he was aware that even in Piltover some dealers would allow prospective customers to ‘sample the goods’ before making a purchase. He’d not asked Vivienne about that, but she hadn’t mentioned it and clearly hadn’t given Viktor the order when she spoke through the hatch earlier. Besides, it was hard to be certain, but Jayce couldn’t see even a hint of swelling, no tip peeking out from the folds. The complete absence of any scent of slick was more conclusive; Viktor was completely unaroused.
As he continued staring wordlessly, he noticed Viktor’s face flush and his gaze lowered back towards the floor. He desperately searched for some sort of sign, or meaning, in the dangerously thin body in front of him. The man’s body was a canvas of suffering and told the story of a lifetime of pain. From the neat, long-healed lines running beneath his chest, to the barely healed markings – runes, to his horror – etched all over his skin. The braces were doing their best to hold their charges in place, but the habits of prior compensation were still evident in the man’s posture and twitching. The trembling had returned in full force and Jayce worried that the man’s legs would give way and he panicked that he wouldn’t be able to solve the puzzle before he passed out when it hit him. Oh.
Viktor was showing him his body, not in an attempt to arouse, but to inform, showing the full extent of everything that had been done to him, as if it was his fault that people had been so cruel. Vivienne’s comment about the previous nine alphas came to mind, and with the obvious fear and shame he could see, everything clicked awfully into place. This had been the point where Viktor had been rejected, and the alphas had let him know why.
Jayce felt like vomiting – he probably would have in his younger days, when any display of violence was enough to turn his stomach. Only age, and an unfortunate familiarity with the unpleasant side of human nature, kept him in check.
“Hey, hey Viktor, it’s ok,” he murmured softly as he walked slowly towards the man, arms raised and palms open. He wrapped his hands around the fist clinging onto the man’s shirt, still outstretched in front and held tight to keep the man steady after the violent flinch threatened to topple him. The eyes gazing up at him were glassy with unshed tears, reminding Jayce of a prey animal that knew, and had accepted, that its time had come.
“Thank you for showing me that, you can put this back on now,” he said, his voice rough with emotion and he gently pushed the man’s hand back towards his own body. “It’s fine, I’ve not changed my mind, and… and I’m sorry for, everything that’s happened to you I guess.”
He pulled back before the rising wave of emotion threatened to overwhelm him, and watched Viktor quickly get dressed again. By the time the man stood up straight again, he’d mostly gotten himself back under control.
“Vivienne said you currently have physio for your leg, and that it seems to be helping. I do too so we can book you in with mine to keep that up, can maybe see if she can do anything to help your back too.”
The look of surprised hope gazing up at him threatened to break his tight control and he straightened up to deal with the sadness that Viktor had resigned himself to being left alone again.
“Yes, Viktor, I still want to adopt you, if that’s ok?” He paused, watched the man briefly deliberate whether Jayce wanted a real answer before giving a firm nod. “Brilliant, that’s great, I’m, uh, glad to hear it. Is there anything you need to pack before we get out of here?”
The instant head shake surprised Jayce a little, until he glanced round the room and realised that there was no evidence of any personal belongings in the small room. He nodded, then smiled at the man, before turning back towards the door.
Vivienne beamed at him when they both walked out of the room, murmuring a quick “Congratulations!” before turning on her heel and leading them back towards the reception. To his horror, Jayce nearly ruined the moment immediately when his hand automatically moved to provide support to Viktor’s lower back whilst they walked. The man’s reaction was instantaneous, his hand a blur as it moved to slap Jayce’s away with a hiss, and then falling into the wall in his panic.
For a moment, time seemed to still, as Jayce watched Viktor panting, staring down at his hand horrified, Vivienne about to press the button on her nametag which he assumed would alert a guard. He wanted to kick himself, curse his stupidity. Of course touching Viktor without asking would cause him to panic. The logical part of his brain kicked in though, reminding him that as satisfying as the self-flagellation would be, it wouldn’t help Viktor who was already suffering and was at risk of even more because of his foolishness.
“It’s fine! Don’t call anyone, please, I’m fine!” he begged Vivienne, and he held his breath as her hand hovered, only exhaling when it finally lowered. He turned to Viktor and held out his hand. “I’m so sorry Viktor, I didn’t think. I just wanted to support your back, but I should’ve asked first. Are you ok?”
Viktor blinked up at him in shock, then suspicion as he waited for the other shoe to drop. After a moment of staring at Jayce’s unwavering hand though, he nodded, then warily reached out with his own. Jayce made sure his movements were slow and strong, as he carefully helped the man back to his feet, the tightly closed eyes clearly indicating his fear of being dropped. Once they were both standing, face to face, Jayce searched the man’s face to see if there was any visible indication that he was hurt from the fall, mindful of Vivienne’s warning about his capacity to hide pain from earlier.
“You sure you’re alright?” he asked in defeat, and accepted the wary nod as a reply. “I am really sorry Viktor. Would… would it be ok for me to touch you? Just my hand on your back for support, I promise!”
The man’s resigned disbelief was quickly smothered by a nod, and Jayce wondered what horrors he was imagining. The course had said omegas learnt from experience, and were quick to associate consequences for particular actions, especially if they were negative. Did Viktor think he was going to punish him for lashing out, even though he’d accepted responsibility and said it was fine? Or did he think ‘back support’ was a polite pretext for something more sinister, that Jayce was willing to grope and fondle what would soon be legally his in public?
He barely held back his frown as he considered how best to approach this conundrum. It wasn’t like he could ask the man, neither question was suitable for a simple yes or no answer that they were currently limited to. He thought back to the course again, remembering the next part of the lesson. The book had stated that whilst it was easy for omegas to get stuck in their deeply entrenched behaviour patterns, with enough time and patience it was possible to teach them new ones. With a consistent approach, most would be able to make new associations, ones that were more appropriate than the ones they’d been taught. That was it then, he’d said what he’d do – even asked for the man’s permission, all he had to do was follow through without making a fuss, continue until this became Viktor’s new normal.
He reached across slowly, placing his palm firmly against the small of the man’s back, ignoring the flinch and gently rubbing with his thumb in attempt to calm the tremors he felt against his skin. He smiled, before turning to face Vivienne, who nodded in approval, and they made their way back through the long corridors.
Filling in the forms went quicker than he expected, almost too easy considering he was essentially taking ownership over another human’s life. Vivienne was quick to point out that Viktor was somewhat of a special case, that they had to create the correct papers from scratch when he arrived because they couldn’t find any record of him beforehand.
“Having massive gaps is fairly normal, especially with the ones from the Chem-Barons. Omegas tended to get traded around quite casually and none of the Barons were the type to waste time doing it properly by officially registering the transfer,” she explained, as Jayce wrote down his address, the only one on Viktor’s file apart from the shelter. “But no records at all? I’ve never seen that before. Even in Zaun it’s always been the law that all omegas must be registered upon presentation. We did try our best to find his details of course, but either they’ve been lost or whoever he was with didn’t bother. Doesn’t matter now though of course, he’s all sorted and I’ll just update his tracking chip with your details. I don’t imagine I have to explain how the Hextech in these works, do I Mr Talis?”
He shook his head and laughed in response. The technology wasn’t his most significant achievement, but it was universally popular, and an excellent show for public relations he’d been told. Significantly reduced omega-related crime and improved their wellbeing which admittedly was never really a major priority but always did well in the papers.
He handed over the adoption fee, still in the envelope Cait had given him. They’d argued about it initially; he’d been shocked that she’d thought he couldn’t afford an omega and had genuinely wondered if she was trying to insult him. Once he’d calmed down, she’d explained, and he’d had to begrudgingly admit she had a point. Yes, she knew he could afford an omega himself, but he had admittedly been putting it off for months, claiming he was too busy whenever asked. After walking into the lab, seeing him in a state of disarray – obviously living there for ease, at the expense of his leg and general wellbeing, for the third time in two weeks, she’d come up with a plan. By giving him the money as a present, he had to prioritise the task, and Jayce hated how well she knew him because he’d started searching for shelters the next day.
“Oh, one final thing! You just need to pick a collar. It’s not as extensive as what you might find across the bridge, but we do have a bit of a selection,” Vivienne said cheerfully as she placed a box on the counter. Jayce looked to Viktor and nodded encouragingly who seemed surprised to be given the choice. The man looked him up and down and Jayce continued smiling in case he was worried it was a trick. Eventually though Viktor seemed to make up his mind and carefully started rifling his long, slender fingers through the box.
Jayce’s throat swelled with emotion when the collar Viktor nervously presented him with, eyes desperately seeking approval, was the exact match of the House Talis colours. He turned it over in his hands, admiring the rich burgundy leather and checked the metalwork of the golden clasp. Unable to speak, he slowly lifted it to the man’s throat, carefully pulling his hair out from underneath before buckling it in place. He checked the tightness by curling two fingers underneath and could feel the rabbit-fast pace of Viktor’s pulse under the delicate skin of his neck.
“Well, I think we’re all done here! Thank you so much Mr Talis, we wish you and your new omega the best of luck with your new life together,” Vivienne chirped, her hands clasped together as she beamed at the pair. Before Jayce could turn to leave though, she lent forwards, and he was taken aback at the change in her demeanour, at how serious her face turned as she looked at him firmly. “Please bring him back here if it doesn’t work out,” she said quietly, looking him straight in the eyes. “No matter the reason, we won’t judge.”
Jayce remained frozen for a moment, surprised but touched by her conviction. He maintained eye contact as he nodded, pleased at the visible sigh of relief that followed, and turned to face his new… mate – legally, at least. He slowly reached for the man’s free hand, threading their fingers together when it was clear Viktor wasn’t going to pull away and they walked out of the shelter, into the late afternoon sun, together.
The walk back to his carriage was short but not uneventful. Jayce kept a loose grip on the hand held within his own, and they managed to walk side by side despite how narrow the pavement was. The only issue arose when someone overtook them, cutting past Viktor close enough that their arms must’ve brushed slightly. Jayce wouldn’t even have thought anything of it if it wasn’t for the other man’s reaction. Viktor jumped, his body slamming into his own – it might have been painful if he’d been a healthy weight. When Jayce turned to check if he was ok, the man cowered away, refusing to meet his eyes.
To Jayce’s surprise delight, the carriage was exactly where he left it, untouched even, from a cursory glance over. It was only when he opened the door on Viktor’s side that he remembered what Vivienne had said about how the man ended up at the shelter, but before Jayce could panic over whether this would bring up bad memories, Viktor started moving.
The good news was that the man seemed fine enough getting into another vehicle. The bad news, however, was that he didn’t know how to do it properly. Jayce yelped as Viktor tried to fold himself into a kneeling position in the footwell of the passenger seat and grabbed his arm before he put any pressure on his bad leg.
“No! Uh, I mean, no Viktor, you sit on the seat. Please.”
Viktor’s face was blank as he gazed up at him owlishly, but he slowly moved to do as Jayce asked. Jayce’s back twinged in sympathy at the sight of how ramrod straight the man was holding his spine, but decided against pointing it out and potentially embarrassing him.
Once they’d pulled away, Jayce realised his assessment of Viktor’s comfort in a carriage may have been a little pre-emptive. On the one hand, he was happy that he was no longer putting so much pressure on his spine by forcing it too upright. On the other hand, being curled into a quivering ball, held in place by arms firmly hugging his bent legs and his face hidden into his knees didn’t seem much better, if he was being honest.
He thought back to another book he’d read in preparation, how it said it was natural for abused omegas to display fear inappropriately due to their past experiences. The chapter had continued by explaining the best way to deal with this was to find out what experience the omega was getting upset about and reassure them that it wouldn’t happen again. The book had acknowledged though, that finding out that information often wasn’t feasible, or simply impractical, and advised another good approach was to simply ignore the omega until they worked out that they weren’t in danger.
Jayce glanced over towards Viktor again, who was now visibly rocking back and forth in his seat. He could see the logic in the book’s advice, sure, but… it did seem a bit cruel to ignore someone who was clearly very upset – probably for a good reason, in his head at least. So he made the executive decision to ignore that teaching and do what he often did best. He talked.
As he guided the carriage through Zaun’s endlessly twisting streets, that gradually opened up the closer they got to the bridge, he chatted aimlessly, talking about his work, his family and his friends. He spoke about how he’d built the HexGates, how he’d nearly been expelled once his secret work on magic had been revealed. How he’d been given a final chance at the urging of Councillor Medarda, and whether it was the adrenaline or some divine inspiration, he’d worked out the problem that had plagued him for years. The power and potential of magic harnessed by science had been proven, and his life, mostly for the better, would never be the same.
Before he could continue, he turned onto the bridge, and he lowered his speed out of respect for the many traders who’d set up their lines of stalls. He smiled at the progress they’d already managed to make after just over a year of peace. It wasn’t perfect and the divide between the two cities was still present and visible, but what had once been a desolate No Man’s Land was now a hub of trade, and the link was strengthening more every day. He glanced over to the man beside him and was pleased to see the rocking had stopped, his face tilted upwards, with large eyes observing their surroundings hungrily.
Jayce groaned as he pulled up to the final remaining stain of Piltover’s supremacy over its sister city. The past year he’d supported efforts to remove the Enforcer Station that guarded the golden gates, but a hard truth he’d learnt early on in his political career was that progress without magic happened slowly. Stupidly slowly, he’d often complained to Cait behind her mother’s back.
Viktor’s face fully rose at the change in pace and Jayce smiled reassuringly, checking he still had the man’s papers on him. “Nothing to worry about, Viktor, just an Enforcer check. Really you should come with me so they can do a proper search, but what’s the point in being a Councillor if you can’t bend the rules in your favour occasionally? You stay here, and I’ll be back shortly.” He winked at the man before leaving the carriage, leaving the doors unlocked just in case.
As soon as he’d walked out of eyesight, he felt his smile drop, and he spent the rest of the short journey building up his Councillor Talis persona, the one who would get what he wanted, Enforcer rules be damned. The first person in uniform to spot his approach seemed to recognise him, which was a good start. After an exaggerated salute, he was ushered past the line, straight into the building itself. Excellent.
“Councillor Talis,” the superior officer he was brought to drawled. “What business brought you the other side of the river?”
“Charity work, actually,” he stated, staring the other man directly in the eyes. “I heard about the debacle caused by the botched Chem Baron raid, how all the omega shelters were overwhelmed because no one thought to consider them before making a move. As a representative of the Council, I thought it would be best to go assess the situation myself, so I could see what support we can offer them.”
He forced his surprise at his own tone down. He’d originally planned to go for the friendly approach, more flies with honey and all that. But… something about Vivienne’s words and seeing how Viktor had been affected had riled him up and it seemed this poor man would have to bear the brunt of that.
Indeed, the man looked up at him in surprise, though whether it was his tone, the charity work story, or just the fact he’d gone over to Zaun in the first place (Jayce shut down the part of his brain that kept reminding him what had happened the last time he’d gone over), he couldn’t tell. He supposed it didn’t matter, as long as he got through the check as quickly as possible, without needing to subject Viktor to any more stress.
“Charity work, huh, how… benevolent of you Mr Talis. And that was all you did? There’s nothing else I need to know, given that all imports into the city require inspection?”
“Well… whilst I was at one shelter, I heard the story of a particular omega that pulled on my heartstrings. He’s been the victim of many tragedies, and I thought it only right I bring him over the Piltover where he can receive more appropriate care. I have his papers here for you, I’m sure that won’t be an issue.”
He walked forward and placed Viktor’s documentation directly in front of the man. Before stepping back, he inhaled deeply. The man was an alpha, but his scent – leather, iron and…molasses? – was weak, and Jayce smiled, asserting his dominance had been the correct approach it seemed. He’d just have to push a little more.
“Hmm, while I appreciate you providing these papers Mr Talis, you do understand that the very law you are supposed to represent and uphold states that all goods – omegas included – need to be fully checked out, for the safety of the city,” the man reiterated, straightening up to try and maintain some standing in this ‘negotiation’, but Jayce could see the sweat beading at the edge of his cap.
“Oh of course, and as a Councillor you can be assured that the safety of Piltover is always my highest priority. But the omega I’ve adopted, well… his last experience with the Enforcers nearly ended his life, through no fault of his own – he was merely caught in the crossfire, so I believed it would be more compassionate not to subject him to more of the people who caused his injuries in the first place. And I distinctly remember part of the Peace Accords stating that we Piltovans would recognise our role in causing and continuing the deprivation of Zaun, and would prioritise compassion moving forwards?”
The man’s eyes bulged, and he saw the gulp get caught in the man’s throat and knew he was close. “Well… yes, of course Mr Talis, every Enforcer is aware. It’s just… the rules are the rules, and I can make it easier by conducting the search thoroughly but–”
“I’m sorry, are you suggesting that I’m incapable of controlling my own omega? Even still, I’ve told you – and it says in the file – that the man is injured. He can barely walk, let alone cause any risk to the citizens of the city.” Jayce forced his face into a cold, hard grin, and watched the man try to stifle his cough from the strength of the pheromones engulfing him.
He’d done it. He watched the man sigh in defeat and reach to stamp Viktor’s papers. Jayce’s smile softened as the man passed them back over the desk.
“…No, of course not, Councillor Talis, and I apologise if my words caused offence. I wish your omega the best in his recovery. Now, is there anything else you need?” he muttered, perking up only at the thought of Jayce’s imminent departure.
He paused, pretending to think, before leaning forward to speak. “Well… actually, now that I think about it, there is one more thing. I’m not as public facing anymore but I imagine there could be some interest in the news that I’ve adopted an omega. Given his current health condition though, I feel it would be best to delay that information being released as long as possible. I’m sure you understand?” He stared at the man, until he was forced to look away, jaw clenched.
“Of, of course sir, very compassionate of you. This information will remain between you and me.”
Jayce’s smile was fully genuine this time and he thanked the man before turning to leave.
As he walked away from the building, he found the slightest tingling of guilt gnaw at his stomach. Not for his behaviour with the Enforcer, but for how he’d spoken about Viktor, how… callously he’d utilised the man’s suffering. He told himself that it was in the man’s own interest, that he’d spared him the humiliation and indignity of being inspected like cattle (he imagined, from what he knew of the Enforcers’ methods), and besides, the man hadn’t even been there to witness it. Still, it bothered him, and he couldn’t shake the feeling.
The smell of the different foods being sold by the merchants lined up in their colourful tents caused his stomach to growl, reminding him that the last time he’d eaten was breakfast. He imagined Viktor was in a similar position, he’d arrived at the shelter at what most would consider lunchtime and given the state of him, an extra meal couldn’t hurt.
He walked up to the stand serving the food that looked least familiar, that was even covered in the traditional, practically unused, Zaunite script and ordered a couple of items. He was certain he’d been overcharged, but he considered the price worth it if it meant providing Viktor with a little familiarity before being thrust into a new world. A last taste of home, he supposed.
He was pleased to see Viktor had lowered his legs in his absence and almost looked like he was sitting comfortably in the seat. He leaned forward to deposit the food boxes on the man’s lap before climbing back into the carriage. When he turned to grab his box, he was surprised to see the panic return to the man’s features and he reached forward slowly, exaggerating his movements as he took the top portion from the pile.
“I, uh, thought you might want something to eat,” he said, nodding down to the box remaining in the man’s lap. “The stall said it served traditional food from Zaun, but you don’t have to eat it if you don’t like it, or if you’re not hungry.”
To his horror, the man’s eyes widened, the panic deepened, and he watched in slow-motion as Viktor’s hand moved forward to grab the fabric covering his crotch. He yelped and reached down to halt its progress as the man started trying to pull at the fabric of his trousers.
“God, Viktor, no!” he yelled in surprise, instantly feeling awful for his outburst as he watched the man’s eyes fill with tears, and felt the tremors coursing through the delicate wrist in his grasp. It was shockingly fragile, like he could snap the bones by simply squeezing harder and the thought made him feel sick. He loosened his grip and placed Viktor’s hand in the man’s lap. “You don’t have to do that, not here, not with me,” he continued, gentler now. “It’s… It’s just food Viktor, just to tide us over till dinner. You don’t have to do anything to earn it. We’re just going sit here for a bit, so I don’t have to eat and drive, and then we’ll head back to my – to our – house, ok?”
Viktor stared at him stunned, until he realised Jayce was looking for an answer and managed a small, juddering nod. Jayce sighed in relief and chose to focus all his attention on whatever delicacy he’d acquired.
The food was… interesting. Not something he’d choose to eat again if he had the choice, but he finished the entire box of the… roasted lizard-things, maybe, fairly quickly. He’d been avoiding looking over at the man sat beside him, but he was pleased to see that the box was only about half full when he finally glanced over. Jayce announced that they were going to head off, but Viktor was free to continue eating as they drove into the city.
As he pulled out of the waiting area, he explained they’d have to drive a little slower in the city but that it would give him plenty of time to enjoy the view of the many beautiful sights the city had to offer. For a moment, he was worried Viktor had taken his suggestion as an order, as the man’s eyes were transfixed to the window, but he did seem a bit more relaxed, so Jayce let it slide.
He found himself automatically taking on the role of tour guide. Whilst the city could frustrate him sometimes, he couldn’t deny his love for his home. He spoke of the clock tower, told tales of the shows he’d seen at the Medarda Opera, and was pleased to see that Viktor had relaxed more into his seat every time he glanced over.
It wasn’t long before they entered the shining white cliffs of the Academy District where he lived. He pointed out the newly rebuilt Council Tower, keeping his explanation light and for a moment he felt awful for how grateful he was that Viktor didn’t speak. That he couldn’t question the obvious gaps and general vagueness of his summary, wouldn’t inquire after the details that activated the anxiety he’d learned to keep buried just thinking about. just the mere thought.
In an attempt to distract himself, he took a slight detour, drove the carriage to a point where he knew they’d see the HexGate and pulled over once he saw it would soon be activated. His inner alpha preened at how fascinated the omega looked as he gazed in awe at the structure, that is until he noticed Jayce watching him, then he flushed in embarrassment and looked away. Jayce didn’t comment, saddened at the thought that Viktor had been conditioned to be ashamed of having interests. He knew that was how some alphas preferred their omegas to behave, seeing them almost like dolls. He’d never understood that mindset personally, he didn’t need another person present to feel comfortable talking to himself. Once they’d seen the airship disappear into the rune matrix, he pulled away, exhausted and anxious to finally get home.
He kept his eyes straight ahead as he parked the carriage in front of his modest townhouse, wanting to give Viktor the privacy to react openly at the sight of his new home. He wondered what he made of it, his two-storey terrace that had served him well ever since his last home… exploded. Turning to face the building, he tried to imagine how it looked to a stranger’s eyes. The gleaming white stone of the walls, the unusually cylindrical projection of the wall to the left of the heavy wooden door that was perfectly framed by a stone arch. That half-tower had been the reason he’d chosen the place, after the HexGate sponsorship had enabled him to move out of his Mama’s house – the official House Talis residence – for the second time. It was modest, especially for a man of his standing, but it was close enough he could walk to the Academy, even now with his leg, and it was home.
He got up to help Viktor out of the carriage, but by the time he’d managed to walk round, the man was already heaving himself out onto the pavement. He looked down at his face and was disappointed to see that the bare modicum of relaxation they’d achieved in the car had vanished, the terror almost palpable as it radiated from Viktor’s body. It made sense though, if Jayce thought about it from his perspective. He was about to enter his future home for the first time, a building he’d never seen, yet was already tied to. Jayce wondered absently mindedly what number home this was for Viktor, how it measured compared to the others, and wondered what he was expecting to happen the other side of the heavy wooden door.
Once again, he was at a loss at how best to reassure the man that whatever horrors and worst-case scenarios were running through his head would not - and would never - take place within those four walls. So, like the first leg of their journey, he fell back on old habits and let his voice take over.
“So, uh, this is it, I guess,” he said, as he walked towards the black wrought-iron gate that led into the small patio that separated his house from the street. Viktor followed him through quickly, and Jayce let the gate close with a loud clang, cursing his absent-mindedness when he saw Viktor startle at the noise. “Oh, sorry, force of habit,” he muttered as he fished for the keys which had managed to sink to the base of his pocket. Once located, he turned back to Viktor and was pleased to see the man was looking up, carefully observing the house’s exterior. The curiosity was quickly buried when the man caught Jayce’s staring, his face burning red and swiftly fixing upon the paved slabs of the path.
“You can look,” Jayce urged softly, “it’s your house too now.” He led Viktor up the short path and winced as he made his way up the short but steep set of stairs to the entrance. He knew he should’ve brought the stick - he only had himself to blame for the level of pain coursing through the limb, having chosen to only wear the brace despite knowing how much standing would be required. Nothing to be done about he now, he supposed, and focused on getting to the front door without falling.
Once inside, shoes hastily kicked off to rest on the mosaic tile of the entrance, he placed the bag of supplies from the shelter on the small table at the base of the step that led deeper into the house. He led them to the kitchen first, walking down the length of the hall, past the stairs on their right until they reached the second door on the left. He felt his face flush at the state of the room. It was tidier than it had been in months, although the clean-up that morning could barely have been considered cursory, but it was something else to see the mess he’d grown accustomed to through someone else’s eyes. Viktor was polite enough not to react, and Jayce hurried forward to sweep the remaining papers that covered the breakfast counter into a slightly neater pile.
“I, uh, went shopping earlier so we’re fully stocked for a bit,” he mumbled as he shoved the stray dishes to join the small pile that had already amassed in the sink. “I’m sorry,” he admitted, “I did try and clean up before you came, it’s just been so long since I’ve cared about how the place looks.”
Viktor’s eyes narrowed, clearly deep in thought, which, combined with an unearthed treasure on the counter, gave Jayce an idea. “Oh! I forgot I’d left that there,” he said, and picked up the small notebook and pen. “We need a way of communicating beyond yes and no, so how about writing in this?”
He was so pleased with the brilliance of his idea; he didn’t notice the change in Viktor’s body language until he looked up after a moment of waiting for the proffered items to be taken. What little colour the man’s face held had drained completely and his eyes were widened and glassy.
“Viktor… this is for you,” he murmured gently, trying to hide his confusion at the man’s reaction and desperately tried to work out the reason for it. Viktor remained frozen still, save for his head which lowered to face the floor. “Ok, no notebook, that’s fine, I’ll leave it on the counter in case you change your mind, alright?”
Desperate to escape the choking tension permeating the kitchen, Jayce ushered them both back out into the hallway, pointing out the small bathroom tucked under the stairs. He noticed the man squirming at the mention of a toilet and off-handedly said he could go if he needed before they went upstairs. The speed at which Viktor darted into the small room was genuinely impressive and he wondered how long the man had needed to go. He frowned at the thought, making a mental note to address that somehow at some point. He leaned against the wall whilst he waited, breathing deeply through the pain which was now throbbing through his injured limb.
“Long drive,” he said in sympathy when the man finally emerged, looking a little more collected but pink with embarrassment. “Have you been needing to go for a while?”
Viktor’s face darkened and he didn’t look him in the eyes as he nodded. Jayce hummed, embarrassed that he didn’t notice, despite his assurances to Vivienne regarding the communication issue.
“My fault, I should’ve asked on the bridge. I just didn’t want you to have to leave the carriage. If the notebook is out of the question for now, then we’ll need another method of communicating. How about raising fingers up, perhaps? One if you’re hungry, two if you’re thirsty, and three if you need the toilet – does that work for you?”
Viktor looked surprised for some reason, but he nodded eagerly, and Jayce smiled at finally achieving a small win. He looked up at the stairs looming to his right and changed the plan, he wouldn’t make it up there to continue the tour and be able to come back down for dinner.
“I know we’ve just eaten, but I’m going to need an early night. Something light before bed?” he asked, before turning back into the kitchen.
Jayce had always loved cooking, had inherited his mother’s habit of showing love through food, and it was one of the things he’d missed the most the past few years. It wasn’t that he couldn’t cook anymore, but after a long day in the lab it often became of toss-up between making it up the stairs to bed or trying to make something and having to crash on the sofa in the living room. It was a comfortable sofa, granted, but it often resulted in back pain in addition to the throbbing in his leg the next day so the former often ended up being the road most taken.
He'd chosen something simple; a comfort meal often made in the Talis house growing up. Whilst Viktor stood at the hob, frying the eggs and sliced potato together, he sat at the small kitchen table, slicing up the components for a simple salad on the side. He kept sneaking glances across towards the man, determined to improve on watching over his wellbeing, and checking that he wasn’t having any difficulties. In fact, Viktor seemed more relaxed than he’d been all day, apparently enjoying the work of a simple task, or perhaps the increased distance between them. Jayce tried not to take it personally. Besides, the leg wasn’t the only reason he’d chosen to prepare the salad. He knew he was being paranoid, and it was embarrassing really, given the bravado he’d shown the Enforcer at the bridge earlier. But still, the process was a lot more enjoyable with the knowledge that Viktor wasn’t the one with the sharp knife.
He'd only just finished tossing everything together in a large bowl when a plate containing the entire omelette was gently placed onto the table in front of him. Before he could ask Viktor to grab another one to split the meal across, the man knelt softly by his side, sleepily gazing up.
Oh.
He knew some alphas preferred to hand feed their omegas, but Jayce had always considered the practice outdated and inefficient at best, downright weird and degrading at worst. It certainly wasn’t a habit he wanted to indulge, but he was too tired to fight it, so he simply reached behind him for the chair’s decorative pillow and passed it down to protect Viktor’s knees from the hardwood floor.
Jayce started with the salad whilst he waited for the omelette to cool down, alternating feeding himself with a fork in one hand, and gathering mouth-sized portions in his fingers to pass down with the other. It was an… intimate process, and not entirely unpleasant if he was being honest, Viktor’s soft lips wrapped around his fingers as he took each offered morsel. The man pressed a gentle kiss of thanks to his hand after each one, though the drooping eyes suggested this was borne of pure habit, not a desire for anything else. He did ask Viktor to always prepare two plates of food in future though, even if they had to work their way up to him sitting up at the table properly.
He was too tired and in far too much pain to care about the plates, so he told Viktor to leave them in the sink so he could show him the upstairs of the house and then go straight to bed.
Jayce started with a quick peek in his own room, so Viktor knew where to find him if he needed anything. Shame prickled under his skin at the sight of the mess he’d left it in, and he vowed that even though he doubted Viktor would spend much time in there, he’d get round to sorting it out. He pointed out the bathroom door on their way back down the hallway to the space he’d set up for Viktor.
The room was formerly his home office, with the contents hastily shoved into the living room downstairs that he’d pointedly avoided entering earlier. It was small. Whilst he’d managed to squeeze in a double bed, pressed against the far wall, there was only enough room to fit one bedside table the other side and a small wardrobe. He blushed as he realised that the room was roughly the same size as Viktor’s room in the shelter and shifted uncomfortably to ease the shame of not being able to provide more for his omega.
There was one improvement though, even Jayce in the midst of his self-hating spiral could admit that. The wall to the right faced over the back of the house, looking over the park the house bordered, and the majority of that wall was taken up by a large window. Even in the dark, the view was beautiful, the moon and the pathway lights illuminating the room with a silvery glow. It made the space feel larger, and Jayce couldn’t help but feel pleased at the look of awe on Viktor’s face as he looked out.
“Well, ah, this is it,” Jayce said, shuffling to the side to usher Viktor further in. The man pointed to the bed and then towards himself, his face now a picture of confusion. “Yeah, this is your room and that is your bed. Oh! Ah, I nearly forgot, I, uh, got you some extra cushions and blankets. For your nest. They’re in a box under the bed.” He pointed his foot in the direction, not wanting to risk his scent contaminating any of the items he’d purposefully bought brand new.
He turned back round to face Viktor, whose forcefully blank expression was barely disguising any of the terror that had resurfaced for some reason. Before Jayce could ask what was wrong, too tired to remember he’d have been unlikely to receive a proper answer anyway, the man dropped to his knees. A trembling hand reached for his groin again, and any concern for the impact the fall had on the man’s leg was swiftly forgotten as Jayce reached down to hold it back.
In a horrible way it made sense, Jayce supposed, and was clearly a sign for what had been expected of the man with his previous alphas. Plus maybe the separate room and bed had spooked the omega, and he was simply trying to assert his place in the household in the only way he knew how. Jayce knew what all the books said, that omegas were simple creatures, only generally capable of one thought at a time and, given their biology, that thought was most likely sex. That was why they needed a firm hand, an alpha or even a beta to look after them, because left alone they were often too perpetually horny to take care of their other needs.
“No, Viktor,” he said softly, looking down at the panicking man with pity. He cradled the hand he held within his own, turning it over so he could stroke the palm gently with his thumb. “You’re beautiful, don’t get me wrong, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want our relationship to develop in that way eventually. But not now, not like this. I want us to get to know each other first at least, and we’ll see what happens.”
He was surprised to see a new expression cross Viktor’s face, and he added it to the sparse mental library. One eyebrow was raised in a manner that Jayce could only describe as disbelief, scepticism perhaps, though he didn’t know whether it was from his comment about the man’s beauty, or that Jayce cared enough to learn about him before fucking him. He gently lowered the hand in his grasp down into the man’s lap and chuckled softly.
“You are beautiful Viktor, and I won’t lie and say I’m not attracted to you. But right now, I’m far too tired to debate that with you, so I’m going to the bathroom and then I’ll head to bed. I’ll call to let you know when I’m done.”
He didn’t realise the issue until he was already in the shower, letting the warm spray of water soothe his angry muscles. He was so used to living alone that he’d completely forgotten to grab his pyjamas and now faced a rather treacherous naked walk back to his own room. There was the option to leave with his towel, he supposed, as he brushed his teeth, but then thought about how unlikely he was to remember to return it and decided against it. He’d just have to be quick, and he’d call out to Viktor from the safety of his own room.
Jayce was so focused on this goal that he nearly didn’t notice the kneeling figure outside the door in the hallway, barely able to stop in time to prevent himself from tripping up and sending them both flying.
“Viktor–my god! I thought you’d wait in your own room, but never mind,” he breathed, reaching down to haul the man to his feet. He rushed back into the room to show Viktor where he’d left a toothbrush out ready and showed him how to use the shower if he wanted to use it. “Oh, you’ll, uh, need pyjamas sorry. I’ve not got any clothes for you right now, I thought it would be better to go shopping when I knew your size, so I’ll go grab some of mine and leave them outside the doorway whilst you get yourself sorted, ok?” Suddenly remembering his complete nakedness, he darted back into his own room to get changed.
Luckily, he could still hear Viktor moving around when he dropped off a shirt and old boxers that would probably dwarf the man and cover him fully. Once he got back to his room, he grabbed some paper and a pen before collapsing into bed. One of the many benefits of being a Councillor was how easy it had been to justify the necessity of the pneumatic message chutes extending into his house, into his own bedroom even. Perfect for him to send a message to both Cait and Mel, knowing his two closest friends would be eager to learn about his future mate. He was in the process of writing another letter, this one to his Mama, when he heard a quiet shuffling at his door, and he looked up to see Viktor stood awkwardly in the threshold.
“I’m just about to go to sleep Viktor, do you need anything?” he asked. The man shifted his weight a bit more before slowly raising his hand up, thumb and little finger touching across his palm so three fingers were raised high. Jayce looked at the man blankly for second, too tired to work out whether this was some sort of omega thing he’d forgotten about, before he remembered their conversation about communicating earlier.
“Oh! Three fingers, you need the toilet?” Viktor nodded desperately. “But, but you were just in the bathroom, why didn’t you go the– Oh! I see. Of course you can go, and for future reference you don’t need to ask when we’re at home, sorry I should’ve specified that was more for letting me know when we’re out. Do you need anything else?”
After Viktor’s small head shake, Jayce bid the man a good night and watched as the door was softly closed behind him. He finished his letter, asking his mother whether she’d be interested in a visit - hers or his, he didn’t mind - because he wanted her to be the first to meet his new mate. Hopefully, his new mate he supposed. He’d meant what he’d said to Viktor earlier, the man was stunningly beautiful, and he could feel the beginnings of a growing wetness at the thought of everything he’d like to do to the man. Not like his other alphas though, the ones who’d hurt him, scarred him in a pitiful attempt to try and hide how perfect the omega was.
No.
Jayce would adore Viktor, if given the chance. Fuck the man so well he’d have no choice but to speak again, to scream his name as he came on Jayce’s knot. He felt the swelling of his cock as it sought to get in on the action and suddenly came back to his senses.
God. Was he really such a knothead that he was fantasising over a man so broken he’d try to earn simple human decency with sex? Shame once again flooded his body, and he was glad Viktor had shut the door properly, hopefully preventing the pheromones that filled the room from travelling across the hallway and frightening the man further.
He signed off the letter, barely able to hold himself back from signing his name so forcefully it tore through the paper. He sprayed each of the notes with the aftershave bottle he kept on the bedside table, just in case, and sealed them into their respective capsules. Once he’d sent all three to start their journeys through the winding networks of tunnels that ran through the city, he turned off the bedside lamp, asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.
He assumed he was dreaming at first, when he first became aware of the soft keening noise permeating through the house, and he initially tried to brush it off, the cries too raw, too animal even, for him to think it anything other than some sort of stray howling outside. The sound continued though, loud enough that he couldn’t block it out and as he listened closer, he became more aware of the complexity. Interspersed between soft wails were the unmistakeable sound of broken sobs. Human sobs. He jolted upright, suddenly panicking at the memory of the last time someone had broken into his house, and the horror that had followed, his subconscious brain not yet caught up that he no longer lived alone. Before he could do anything drastic, send a quick note through the chute to sound the alarm, it came back to him.
Viktor.
He jumped to his feet, grabbing his bedside walking stick to save time instead of fastening on the brace. Out of force of habit, he knocked gently on the door but when he remembered he’d not receive verbal confirmation either way, he decided to open the door and peek in.
The sight before him broke his heart. Illuminated by the pale moonlight streaming through the window, the curtains seemingly untouched, Jayce could see everything with a stark clarity. Viktor sat upright on the bed, curled up so tightly that the man’s body seemed impossibly small. Tears were streaming down his face and even the wrought iron bedframe was trembling from the force of his crying. The storage basket was seemingly left untouched because there were no signs of any nest-building, no blankets or pillows on the bed besides the ones he’d laid out fresh this morning.
“Viktor, what’s wrong?” Jayce whispered, hoping that the man could at least indicate if there was a problem, even if he couldn’t verbalise it. Instead though, the man’s face simply disappeared into his arms, the sobs stifled with a choking noise. “Are, are you pain, Viktor? Please, do you need any medication?”
His desperate pleading seemed to do the trick, and Viktor did shake his head slightly, and Jayce breathed a sigh of relief, although he was left just as clueless as before.
“Am I alright to come sit on the bed with you?” he asked to no response, Viktor’s capacity for communication clearly exhausted. He stood dithering for a second, wondering whether to push the matter or to just go back to bed, the man – his charge – clearly physically safe at least. A silent sob wracked through the man’s body, he was clearly trying to be quieter to please Jayce, and he made up his mind.
He walked over to the bed slowly, mindful of Viktor’s reaction earlier, but at least he’d get an answer he supposed. He wasn’t growled or hissed at as he slowly lowered himself onto the mattress, though that would’ve been less painful to see. Instead, Viktor simply flinched, curling further somehow into his knees, the arms that had been held tight around his shins moving up to protect the exposed back of his head. Jayce tried to speak, to soothe the man, but the words choked up in his throat, so he waited, observing the room around him until they both recovered.
He wondered why the curtains were open, Viktor had clearly shown some initiative through turning the overhead light off, so he didn’t think it was a desire to keep things how Jayce had personally left them. His answer came, when the light dimmed, a cloud passing over, and Viktor’s trembling increased.
“Are you afraid of the dark?” he murmured, the answer clear when the cloud passed, and the silvery light returned, reducing the tremors to an occasional shiver. He hummed, making a note to buy a bedside lamp and some form of nightlight if he could find one. “I’ll try and get something sorted for you tomorrow, sorry I didn’t think of it beforehand. Don’t worry about it though, we all have our fears. I still get scared when it’s cold, I can show you my collection of coats tomorrow if you’d like?”
Again, he didn’t receive an overt answer to his question, but he was pleased to see his words still had a positive effect. Viktor had raised his head slightly, his arms had returned to hug his legs, but Jayce was certain the man’s limbs were held looser, a little more relaxed. He smiled, secretly pleased he’d somehow managed to find someone who didn’t hate his propensity to talk when anxious, and continued.
He spoke of his other fears, of the events that still haunted his nightmares. How he preferred open spaces, would find himself panicking whenever he found himself stuck in a small, enclosed space. Once he started, he found he couldn’t stop talking. The words just kept pouring out, about the night of the Council attack, how he’d just convinced the other members to approve of his proposal to secure Zaun’s independence when the bomb had hit. The days trapped under the rubble, desperate and practically begging for death, for any release from the crumbling stone prison. A pillar had landed directly on top of his leg, shattering the bones completely, and his initial frantic struggling had only served wrench everything further out of place. The pain had been unbearable, but the waiting even more so.
They found him eventually, rabid and starved, voice so hoarse from screaming that he couldn’t even thank his rescuers. He patted his leg gently as he spoke of the endless surgeries, the tedious recovery he’d endured only to end up with a leg that still didn’t work. The doctor’s had even said he was lucky, he spat bitterly, to keep the limb at all – that it was practically a miracle that they didn’t need to amputate it.
And in a small, awful way he agreed. He was lucky. His was the worst injury out of the people in that chamber, the others had been harmed certainly, but only his section of the floor had crumbled enough to sink below, trapping him, the roof caving in over where he’d been stood.
A slight rustle besides him finally broke him out of his reverie, and he paused, out of breath from the outburst. He looked over to see Viktor staring up at him, eyes wide in shock – and… compassion? – and despite everything, was pleased to see his confession had somehow caused the man to relax, the tension of the ball he was still held in significantly looser.
“Oh, ah, I’m sorry, um I seem to have gotten a bit carried away there,” he muttered, mood instantly improved by the almost playful tilt of Viktor’s head as a response. Briefly, he wondered if the man was aware of that, what his personality had been like before everything that had happened. Whether it would be possible for him to regain that sense of self, and one day dare to be so bold overtly.
He filed those thoughts away for later and patted the bed between them. “Lie down for me Viktor, how about you try and get a bit more comfortable?”
Initially, the blank wave of calm that settled over the man seemed like a good sign, that they’d somehow worked through whatever had caused his earlier reaction. His relief was short-lived, however, as he watched the man start into motion, lying down and, almost mechanically, attempting to pull his boxers down.
“God, no Viktor! That’s not what I meant!” he panicked and grabbed the top edge of the duvet to tuck the man in instead. “Lie down for me, under this duvet. I’ll be back in a second – I’ve thought of something that might help.”
He paused for a moment, the other side of the man’s door, to take in a deep breath and recover from… whatever had just happened. Once he’d made it back to his own room, he scoured the overfilled bookshelves that lined the walls for something appropriate. He was sure he had something fictional, somewhere buried in the pile, but whether it was the dark or the hour, it eluded him. Instead, he picked up the closest book that seemed vaguely useful, a memoir of some adventurer who’d also been interested in arcane crystals almost a century ago. He’d read many similar instances over the years, but this one had been the basis for his first ever expedition outside of Piltover, so he’d kept it out of sentimentality. It wasn’t exactly fiction, although the man’s understanding of the task had certainly bordered that line – Jayce had soon discovered – but it would do.
Viktor was still awake when he walked back into his room, eyes wide in surprise as if he didn’t quite believe Jayce would’ve kept his word and returned, over the comfort of his own bed. He watched as Jayce moved back to the bed and sat down softly.
“I, uh, often find reading helps after my nightmares,” he admitted, slightly embarrassed but leaned back against the headboard and opened the book and held it between them, so they could both read the pages. “Sorry it took so long, I thought I had something a bit more interesting, but it was either this or some physics textbook, so…”
He chuckled and then started reading. By the third entry, the third day of the adventurer’s hapless blundering through the Shuriman desert, he glanced over to see Viktor’s eyes slowly drooping closed. By the seventh day – tragically where it actually started to get a bit more interesting, Jayce thought – the man was fully asleep. He watched the gentle rise and fall of his chest, his face relaxed and peaceful for the first time that day, even with the scars that marred his feature. Jayce whispered good night, and stood up slowly, careful not to jostle or make any noise that would disturb Viktor’s sorely needed rest. He left the book on the man’s bedside table and walked back to his own room, falling asleep instantly into a dreamless abyss.