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“You look like you’re about to fall asleep at that desk.”
Jayce’s head jerks up from where it had been resting on his chest, and Viktor smiles, warmth spreading through him at the startled expression on Jayce’s face. “Come, rest,” he says, patting the couch next to him. “You’ve been working on that equation for too long, I can’t have you fainting on me.”
Jayce rolls his eyes good-naturedly. “I notice you’re not working on any equations,” he points out, but the jab loses some of its effectiveness when he stands from his chair and walks over to the couch, sitting down next to Viktor.
A wry grin makes its way onto Viktor’s lips. “I am taking a break,” he replies. “As you should.”
“Yeah, yeah…” Jayce mutters, lifting a hand to his mouth as he yawns widely. “Guess you’re right.”
He raises his arms over his head, interlocking his fingers and stretching. His shirt is pulled up by the motion, revealing a strip of tanned light brown skin.
Viktor’s face heats, and he looks away hurriedly. He may have a small, tiny, raging wildly out of control, minuscule crush on Jayce. And Jayce doesn’t feel the same. Well, Viktor hasn’t exactly asked, but he doesn’t need to. Why would Jayce feel the same? He’s the golden boy, the savior of Piltover, the (co)inventor of Hextech. And Viktor is…well, he’s Viktor. Not much special about him.
But it’s fine. It’s fine. All he has to do is ignore the existence of his crush and pretend that he’s just friends with Jayce, nothing more. He’s got this.
But of course, Jayce doesn’t make it easy.
As Viktor watches, Jayce finishes stretching, lowers his arms, and then he just sort of…flops against Viktor.
Viktor freezes. “What are you…doing?” he asks slowly, his hand hovering in mid-air as he tries to figure out what to do. No one’s ever done this to him, and he feels very out of his depth. Should he put Jayce down on the couch, or let him keep leaning against him? What do regular people do in this situation?
“You’re warm,” Jayce murmurs. “An’ I’m tired.” Tucking his head into the crook of Viktor’s neck, he closes his eyes and lets out a long, contented sigh. His body is heavy against Viktor’s, but strangely, Viktor doesn’t feel the uncomfortableness that he always does when someone touches him. Instead, it feels…nice?
Viktor swallows hard. Slowly, carefully, he lowers his hand until it’s resting on Jayce’s shoulder. Jayce doesn’t react, and Viktor breathes a soft sigh of relief. The close contact is something he’s unused to, and to have Jayce initiate it so casually…
Viktor bites his lip and resolutely ignores the side of him that is aching with the need to lean his head against Jayce’s, and close his eyes, and fall asleep with Jayce at his side--
He shakes his head slightly, dispelling the thoughts racing through his mind. Right here, right now, this is enough.
Minutes tick by in silence (Viktor counting every one, despite his best efforts not to), and Jayce readjusts his position on Viktor’s shoulder several times, a frown tugging at his lips. “Why’re you so bony?” he mutters, his eyes fluttering open for a moment.
Viktor chuckles softly. “My apologies for not being a suitable pillow,” he replies in a murmur.
Jayce huffs a sigh and closes his eyes again. He’s still for a few seconds, and then he grumbles under his breath and lifts his head from Viktor’s shoulder. Viktor barely has time to mourn the loss of contact before Jayce is suddenly kicking his shoes off, swinging his feet up onto the small couch, and laying his head in Viktor’s lap.
His head is in Viktor’s lap. His lap.
A shuddering breath escapes Viktor’s lips as he stares down at Jayce, at the peaceful expression on his partner’s face.
He looks younger, like this. Less stressed than he’s seemed lately. They’ve both been working around the clock, trying their hardest to develop technology using Hextech, doing their best to help the city of Piltover with their knowledge. And, as is evident by Jayce’s weight on Viktor’s lap, it’s taken its toll on them.
Viktor’s eyes flicker down to Jayce’s hair, his black locks falling over his forehead. It’s been a few months since Jayce has cut it, and it’s grown slightly longer than usual. It looks so…soft. Viktor wants to touch it. He bites back a groan of frustration, his fingers twitching beside him. He wants to touch it so much.
He carefully lifts his hand, his fingers trembling ever so slightly, and slowly places it on Jayce’s head. He braces himself for rejection, but instead of pulling away, Jayce sleepily murmurs something incoherent and leans into the touch. A quiet, contented sigh leaves his lips.
Viktor lets out an answering sigh of relief. Spurred on by Jayce’s reaction, he sinks his fingers deeper into his partner’s hair and begins to gently stroke Jayce’s hair, his fingers combing through the silky strands (just as soft as he’d imagined) in smooth, steady motions.
Jayce doesn’t protest. If anything, he seems to like it, from the way his lips curve in a smile. Viktor continues.
After a few minutes, Viktor is jolted out of the peaceful trance he’d fallen into by the sound of Jayce’s voice.
“Feels good,” he murmurs, eyes still half-closed.
Viktor blinks. “I thought you were asleep,” he replies softly.
Jayce smiles, his eyes sliding closed again. “Almost.”
Viktor smiles in reply, continuing to card his fingers through Jayce’s hair. His nails accidentally graze over Jayce’s scalp, and he quickly stops, not wanting to hurt Jayce, but Jayce lets out a disappointed sound. Viktor cautiously scratches Jayce’s scalp again, and Jayce doesn’t pull away. He apparently…likes it.
With a soft sigh, Viktor leans his head back against the couch. Maybe he deserves a rest too. And with Jayce nearly asleep on his lap, he feels more relaxed than he has in months.
Letting his eyes fall closed, he breathes out slowly and surrenders himself to the waiting embrace of sleep.