Chapter Text
“I didn’t realize that paying for coils and wires would cost us so much.”
“She charged you double, just so you know.”
“She what?!”
“Because you’re an outsider.”
“And you’re telling me this now??”
“Because it was amusing to try and watch you barter with her. She was twice your size, you know.”
“Oh, you’re an ass…”
Viktor chuckled, shaking his head. He and Jayce had come down to the Undercity to gather up some supplies they had run out of. Read, had been destroyed and broken. Their next experiments with Hextech weren’t going smoothly, and they were going through supplies faster than Viktor with sweets. While there were suppliers topside, Viktor had suggested going to the Undercity this time. They did get quite a lot more, though they certainly paid for it. Rather, Jayce paid for it.
“Next time, you’re paying for it, while I wait outside.” huffed Jayce, shifting the box in his arms.
“What, and leave you to get assaulted? What sort of partner would I be, to leave you to that fate?”
“I wouldn’t get assaulted!”
“Ehh, you stand out like a sore thumb, Jayce. An obvious Piltovian.”
Jayce huffed, looking down at himself. He still wore the Academy uniform. Both him and Viktor were. So why did he stand out, and Viktor didn’t? …Then again, his face was on several posters and memorabilia, so he stood out quite a bit.
“Next time, I’m dressing up differently.” he huffed, “I’d like to see her barter with me then.”
Viktor laughed softly, before pausing and putting his hand on Jayce’s arm, stopping him.
“What’s wrong?”
“We’re being followed.”
The moment they stopped, three rough individuals came out, circling them. Jayce tensed up, watching them carefully, but a gentle squeeze from Viktor’s hand made him relax a fraction. They didn’t have to fight. Maybe they could talk their way out.
“Fancy supplies ya got there.” said one, nodding to the box Jayce was holding, “Betcha paid a pretty price for it, eh?”
“Bet it’ll sell for more, hm?” asked another.
“Look, we don’t want any trouble.” said Jayce, watching them, “We’re just passing through.”
“Yer a Piltie passin’ through.” said the last one, eyeing Jayce up and down, “An’ fer that, ya gotta pay a fee.” He held out his hand, “Give us th’ goods…and ye can walk outta here unscathed. Resist…an’ we might jus’ hafta git rough…”
The others cracked their knuckles and rolled their shoulders, already ready for a fight. Jayce stepped back slightly, lowering his voice so that only Viktor could (hopefully) hear, “Got any bright ideas to get out of this one?”
“Well, talking politely didn’t work.” said Viktor simply, “So that leaves only one option.”
“Which is?”
One of the goons went for Viktor, spotting his cane and thinking him an easy target. But Viktor had grown up in the Undercity. And while his body was weak, he himself was not. Viktor waited until he was close enough, and before Jayce could move to help, he whipped his cane up, and shoved it into the gut of his attacker. The man wheezed, doubling over. Viktor twirled his cane once, before swinging and cracking it against the side of the goon’s head, making him crumple to the ground.
Jayce (and the other goons) stood there, shocked. Jayce never doubted Viktor’s competence, but he hadn’t expected him to use his cane as a fucking self-defense weapon. His hands, which worked deftly at his desk, were the same ones twirling the cane, wielding it to defend himself. He stood proud, barely sparing the goon a glance, as he turned around, only to see everyone watching him. He blinked owlishly, before tilting his head.
“…What?”
I love him. Thought Jayce, swallowing hard. That…had been hot to watch, VIktor taking down the goon with his cane. He wouldn’t mind seeing it again—
“Get ‘em!”
…Which was going to have to wait.
Jayce quickly set the box down, and headed for the leader, while Viktor took care of the other goon.
Jayce wasn’t much of a fighter. He’d gotten into some fights, during his school years, but they were short lived, as teachers usually split the fights up. But he knew he was strong. He worked at his family’s forge, he had gained muscle since. Even if he didn’t know how to fully fight, if he threw a punch at the right angle, he knew his opponent wouldn’t be getting back up for awhile.
As he tussled with his goon, he could hear struggling behind him. The metallic clunk of a cane, curses muttered in an unknown language, and pained gasping. Thinking it was Viktor, Jayce threw his guy to the ground hard, and turned around, ready to help Viktor out, but quickly found that the pained noise had come from the goon, who was holding his throat. With cane extended, Jayce had a feeling Viktor had delivered a solid hit to the man’s throat. He inwardly winced—that couldn’t have been comfortable. It didn’t take long for the guy to collapse to the ground, winded and injured.
“Nice hit.” Complimented Jayce, grinning at Viktor.
Viktor smiled back at him, before his expression turned serious, “Jayce, knife!”
Jayce turned around, barely moving out of the way of a slashing knife. He hissed, as the knife caught his right arm, slashing him. The knife was sharp, cutting right through his shirt, but at first glance, it didn’t seem too deep. Just a glancing blow. One that stung, and was bleeding. But he didn’t have enough time to worry, as the knife was coming at him again.
The goon was pissed, and his movements were wild. Jayce dodged another close blow, before grabbing the man’s wrist and twisting it sharply. The man gasped with pain, trying to hold onto the knife as long as he could, but a swift punch to the gut had him crumpling to the ground, dropping the knife, which Jayce quickly kicked away from him. But that didn’t stop the goon, who struggled to get to his feet, snarling.
“Jayce!”
Turning, Jayce barely managed to catch Viktor’s cane that was thrown at him. Lightweight, but sturdy. Nodding his thanks, Jayce turned back around, raising the cane up, before bringing it down hard on the goon’s back, sending him to the ground for the last time.
Letting out a breath, Jayce lifted the cane up…before bringing it down, hard, on the goon’s back. Not only did the guy fall to the ground, unmoving, but the force was enough to break the cane, sending one piece flying down into one of the alleyways they were near.
Viktor just…stared. He knew Jayce was strong, hell he’d experienced it himself. Lifting him up with just one hand, carrying him in one arm as if he weighed nothing (well, he probably did but that was beside the point)… His strength was amazing. Arousing, even. Lifting the Atlas Gauntlets as if they were simply gloves, wielding the Mercury Hammer with ease, working at his family’s forge without straining himself… And now?
Breaking Viktor’s metal cane, over the back of some thug.
Jayce Talis’ strength was truly amazing.
Jayce stood up straight, looking at the cane, before doing a double take, just now realizing what he had done, “Aw, shit! I’m sorry V, I-I’ll make you a new one as soon as I can.”
He turned to face Viktor, only to see him watching him with an odd spark in his eyes. One he’d only seen, when it was just the two of them, behind close doors…
“Vik?”
Viktor blinked, snapping out of it, before waving a dismissive hand, “It’s fine, Jayce. No need to worry. But your arm…”
Jayce looked down at his bleeding arm, “Damn, he got me.”
Viktor limped over to Jayce, gently rolling up his sleeve to get a better look at the wound. It thankfully wasn’t too deep, it was just deep enough to make it bleed quite a bit. Stitches probably wouldn’t be necessary.
“I’ll patch it up at my place, it’s closer.” Said Viktor, tugging at Jayce’s sleeve, “Plus I have spare canes there.”
“How many spares do you have?” Asked Jayce, offering his arm to Viktor. Instead, Viktor moved on his other side, taking the uninjured arm.
“Enough.”
“How many canes have you broken?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know?”
The two chuckled, as they continued on, the box of supplies tucked under Jayce’s other arm.