Chapter Text
As Viktor’s plane soars into the sky toward Piltover and the streets that have never left his memory, he wonders what the possibilities are of him never coming down.
Is there a chance, a small percentage, that he might be able to stay above the clouds, away from the choices he’s made and the world he will return to?
A young couple is sitting beside him, chatting about their exciting plans for their impromptu vacation weekend as Viktor stares at the city skyline below, pondering over alternate realities and timelines, trying to calculate how likely it would be that he could return to a time before everything took a turn for the worse.
His answer comes in the form of the landing of the plane against the tarmac, jostling the passengers up and down at the slam against the Earth. It’s confirmation that yes, this reality is not only one he has to live, but one he made for himself. He chose to return, just as he chose to leave. Everything that came before and everything that will come after is of his own making, too.
The line out of the plane is slow as always, but with his strategic placement towards the front, he’s able to shuttle off relatively quickly. He never traveled much in his prime, and if he did, it was primarily via car or train. Therefore, the Piltover International Airport is but a maze to him, one filled with people who know where they are going and more grab-and-go food joints than he can count. The signs that point to “baggage claim” become his lifeline, guiding him to the small conveyor belt where he grabs his one and only bag. He has more to his name than what he carries now, but they were shipped back ahead of him from Demacia. So for the last two weeks, he’s been living out of the same suitcase he trails behind him and the laptop bag on his shoulders.
Pickup is stationed just outside where he retrieved his bag. He steps outside into the early summer air, feeling it’s alright to shed his lightweight jacket. It’s warmer here than Demaica, seeing as it is further south and closer to the equator. He prays the summer won’t be too hot; he had only recently adapted himself to Demacia, and it would be a challenge adjusting back to his homeland's weather.
In the distance, across the skyline, he sees Piltover again. The buildings still look small from this distance, but he knows he is still an ant before them.
A honk startles him from his nostalgia, and his ride pulls up unceremoniously in front of him. Before it is safely in park, the passenger door whips open, and a thin girl with short blue hair leaps out, pulling him into a hug so violent it nearly knocks him off balance.
“There’s the science boy! Back from his adventures!” Powder sings, holding him closely and swaying.
“Powder–”
“It’s so good to have you back!” She releases him for a moment, pushing him back into the upright position via his shoulders – which once again nearly knocks him over. “Look at your hair! It’s still so long.” She reaches out and curls a loose strand around her finger. It springs away as an odd curl.
It’s so good to see her here, in Piltover, so close to home. He can’t help but smile. “I’ve been meaning to cut it, but it kept slipping my mind,” he admits. It reaches his shoulders now and is always getting in the way. Perhaps he should finally schedule that appointment now that he has the time.
“Is that your only bag?” Violet, a buff woman with pink hair and a pointed stare, calls from the driver's seat as she reaches down to pop the trunk.
While he shares no genetic makeup or resemblance to either of the two women, they are – legally and forcibly – his siblings. Yet despite their lack of blood relation, they are his sisters in every way. He watched them grow up, and they've always come to him when they needed advice.
“The rest should be at the house already,” he says.
Powder nods. “Silco’s stacked everything in your room,” she confirms. “I had to hold him back from taking everything out of its box. I thought you might want to organize them yourself.”
“Thank you, Pow.” While he’s grown to care for Silco, the two of them have never seen eye to eye on matters of decor. He’ll probably keep most of his boxes packed for now, seeing as he has no idea where his next living situation will be.
Vi moved in with her girlfriend last year, and Powder graduated recently with a degree in engineering, just like her older brother, and plans to move in with her boyfriend, Ekko, sometime in the next year. In short, this means that if he doesn't find his own place, he will be the only one living at home. Not that he minds, but he’s 32 now, and Vander and Silco probably want some alone time now and then.
“How is Rio?” he asks as they shuttle into the car. Powder happily jumps into the back, giving Viktor the passenger seat so he can stretch his legs.
Rio, his sweet calico cat, stayed with him for the majority of his time in Demacia. She was his closest companion, as sad as it sounds. Rio would always follow him around the house, sleep in his lap as he graded papers, and wake him at odd hours of the night when she deemed food to be a necessity. When Powder and Vi came to visit him last month to help pack, he sent her home with them. It broke his heart to be without her, but traveling with her would have made the entire move harder.
“Purr-fect as always!” Powder smiles from the back seat. “I kept her in my room for a few days to readjust to the space, then as soon as I let her roam around the house, she immediately found your room and fell asleep on the bed.”
He smiles as he stares out the window. It’s nice to hear she misses him; hopefully, she won’t be too mad that he was away.
As they pull onto the highway, the landscape and buildings pass by in a blur. The city has grown in his absence, like a plant with constant sun and rich soil. Skyscrapers have popped up seemingly out of nowhere on both sides of the bridge, and the great divide between Zaun and Piltover is starting to blur. He was aware of the reparations the two cities were making, but seeing it with his own eyes is truly astounding.
From what he's been told, the air in Zaun is cleaner, the buildings more modern and less worn down, and industry is beginning to thrive in the land he's called home for so long.
Viktor wonders, as he sits in the passenger seat of Vi’s car watching his home city from across the river, if growing up in this Zaun would have made a difference in his life. Surely he wouldn't have the same lung issues he suffered through for many years, but he wonders what else might have changed. What path might he have taken? Would he be happier with who he has become?
Piltover, in contrast, is as beautiful as ever, no surprise. The buildings look as if they were freshly polished, gleaming in the bright sun and illuminating the world. They tower above the cars, each one holding people with lives and stories of their own.
Despite the fact it’s been four years since he’s stepped foot on this soil, he decides to make his first stop the University. His sisters poked fun at him when they learned about his plan, calling him a certified nerd. Try as they might to tease him, he doesn’t mind. He promised Heimerdinger to drop off the last of his form as soon as he returned, and while he could have waited a day, he would rather not have it weigh on his mind.
They park in the guest lot just outside the main campus. As Viktor steps out of the car, Vi leans in to ask, “And this really couldn't wait until…I don't know, after you've settled in?”
“It'll be ten minutes at most,” he assures her.
Powder leans over the console to show Viktor how she rolls her eyes. “I'm setting a timer.”
Viktor smiles at her, knowing this is her way of pressing his buttons. On another day, it might have worked, but it's nice to be in their presence after spending hundreds of miles apart for so long. Besides, they know how much this job means to him, and he wants to start on the right foot. Once everything is settled, he’ll go home.
Well, first he'll stop at the gravesite to visit his parents, then he'll go home.
Viktor leaves his suitcase in the car but brings his laptop bag with him as he enters the main campus.
As he walks toward the tallest academic building, he notices that the campus hasn't changed much. The faces are new, although the buildings are more or less the same. He hopes for the students' sake that the facilities are better than they were when he was here. While the science and engineering program may have been the best in all of Runterra even before he was a student, he distinctly remembers how the dorm laundry rooms always had at least one washer which was a borderline fire hazard, and once a squirrel miraculously appeared in his dorm room – which was weird enough as is before taking into account he lived on the sixth floor.
He takes the path through the courtyard, watching as students enjoy the fresh sun and each other's company. It’s the beginning of summer, and the summer classes will soon start for those who choose to take them. The others are most likely international students who find it cheaper and easier to stay here year-round. Regardless, they're all lounging in the sun or passing a Frisbee back and forth through fits of laughter. Once the homework piles on, they'll be stuck in the endless cycle of projects and exams, so best to enjoy their free time while they have it. Viktor may envy them for their youth, but he certainly does not want to be in their shoes.
Heimerdinger's office is right where it's always been – on the top floor of the science building. The elevator seems to have gotten much-needed maintenance repairs in recent years, making the trip more fluid than he remembers. Before he left, it would shake at each floor, and all its patrons would say a quick prayer that they'd make it to their destination in one piece.
The top floor is filled with the offices of professors. Most are still away during the break between when classes start, but a select few lights are on. Viktor is quick to move by them on his way to the door at the far end of the hall, not bothering to read the names to see if any of his favorite teachers are still here. The last thing he wants is to bump into an unexpected familiar face today. He’s not ready yet.
The door is already open a crack as he approaches, showing that the light is on inside. Viktor knocks for politeness's sake anyway.
“Come in!” Hiemerdinger’s voice rings from somewhere inside. It’s been too long since he’s heard the nasally voice in person. Over the phone, it was distorted by satellite waves and distance.
It's a bit of a mess in the office. Boxes lay half opened, and books and papers are scattered over every available surface. The pictures on his walls are still the same ones from when Viktor was a doe-eyed student all those years ago; mostly awards and magazines showing off Heimerdinger's many achievements, all decades old by now.
“Ah, Viktor!” The professor pops up from behind his desk, where he is rummaging through one of his drawers. “Welcome back, my boy. I was hoping you'd stop by soon. Did you bring the signed paperwork?”
Viktor slips his bag from his shoulder and rests it on what should be a coffee table if it weren’t covered in research.
“Right here, professor. I believe these are the last ones, but do let me know if there is something amiss.” He slips out the signed documents, each with his signature and the designated tax and payment information.
“Wonderful, wonderful.” Heimerdinger hobbles over to him. Even after all these years, Viktor can never quite get over how much shorter the man is. He's barely five feet, and his balding head and bushy red mustache only draw more attention to him. “I must say, as happy as I was for you to have work in Demacia while you recovered, I am truly elated to have you back in Piltover. Even more so since you will be working here at the University,” he says as he takes the papers and hurries to set them on his desk next to another stack of them. Viktor hopes they won’t get lost in the chaos of it all later on. “The years have passed so quickly! It feels like we left just yesterday you were applying for the PhD program, don't you agree, lad?”
Viktor smiles at the professor, but in truth, he's felt the years wear on him with each passing day. To him, an eternity has passed since he was last standing here.
He's not the man he was before.
“It is quite strange to be back,” Viktor supplies. “The city has changed.”
Heimerdinger shrugs. “Yes, well, cities tend to change faster than other places. There's always something new to build and more people to accommodate. I'm sure your hometown won't have changed much. Time will feel frozen when you return,” he reassures, though Viktor isn't sure if he can find much comfort in that.
“Perhaps.”
“You're staying with your folks, aren't you? Must be nice to see them again.”
Viktor nods, holding his cane a little tighter in his grip. After his real parents passed when he was young, he bounced around from home to home until he eventually ended up with Vander and Silco, who raised him alongside their two adopted daughters, Powder and Violet. All of them visited while he was away for work in Demacia, so it's not like he hasn't seen them, but he hasn't visited the home he's grown up in in quite some time – that among other things.
“It certainly will. Though I don't look forward to sleeping in my childhood room while awaiting an apartment,” Viktor admits. It's embarrassing to sleep in his racecar bed. He loved that thing to death as a teen. He had never had a bed that was truly his own, let alone one that looked so cool. Now, while he is very fond of it, it’s a bit too flashy for his tastes.
“Oh yes, I forgot that's the case. But do enjoy it while you can. At this point in your life, you don't always get to stay at home for good reasons anymore. It's always something serious.” He pulls at the strands of his stache, twisting it around his fingers. “Oh, and I'm sure Jayce will be quite elated to see you! I remember your college days like it was yesterday. You two always kept me on my toes.” He laughs at some memory. Viktor's jaw stiffens.
“You haven't told him yet, have you?” The question comes out more nervously than he wants it to.
Heimerdinger shakes his head. “Of course not, my boy. I haven't said a word. Although I'm not sure why you'd want me not to. He might be happier than I to hear you're joining us as a professor.”
Four years ago, Viktor would have been inclined to agree. It was always their dream to work alongside each other as professors.
Although that was a long time ago. He’s not so sure anymore.
“I want to surprise him,” he says instead, hoping it's enough. Which is, to be fair, not entirely a lie. He does want to surprise Jayce, but he worries about what type of a surprise it will be.
Luckily, Heimerdinger finds joy in that answer. “By any means, I'm sure you're anxious to see them all again, so I won't keep you.”
Viktor nods. Anxiety is only one of many emotions he feels when it comes to returning home. “Thank you, professor. I'm sure we'll still see plenty of each other when the semester begins.”
Heimerdinger laughs. “Yes, we certainly will. And I truly cannot express my joy in having you here, lad, this school will thrive with your intellect. Should you have any questions, do not hesitate to send me an email or call.”
Viktor fidgets with a soft smile. He's never been good at standing in the spotlight. “Thank you, professor. Enjoy your summer.” He bows his head slightly and turns to leave.
✦✦✦
It’s not that Viktor does not find the prospect of becoming a full-time professor at Piltover University enticing – he agreed to work there of his own volition, after all. Before he had left for Demacia, that was the job he wanted more than anything. But plans changed when the surgery he needed wasn't in Piltover, and it was by sheer luck that Heimerdinger had a connection at Demacia University who informed him about an adjunct position opening up that would give Viktor the time off he needed for recovery and a decent income.
Now, for the first time in his life, his health isn't an issue. The hospitals in Demacia were, as promised, top-notch and helped Viktor through the roughest patches of his remaining illness. There was only so much to be done about his leg, but so long as he could breathe clearly, he had no complaints about his cane.
Now, he is a part of this city once again, although he has no idea if it will welcome him back. His leaving was unorthodox in more ways than one, and part of him wonders if he should have stayed away. Alas, the heart of scientific exploration has always resided in Piltover; therefore, so must Viktor.
They drive back through Zaun and into the suburbs of the town in which he grew up. Or rather, the town where he spent the most time growing up, seeing as he was moved all around for so long.
The first thing he notices is that the potholes have finally been filled, making the ride temperate and smooth. The second thing he notices is how much livelier the space has become. Green has always been a signature color for Zaun, but it was rare for plants to be able to grow in such harsh conditions. Or at least it used to be.
Trees and bushes line the road he used to walk along the side of the road, children are playing carefree on the sidewalk and in the streets, and the houses that always looked to be on the verge of collapse are brand new.
Viktor can hardly believe this is the same Zaun.
They stop at the gravesite just outside the Fissures. parking as close as they can to the actual grave so Viktor doesn’t have to walk too far. Vi and Powder stay seated in the car to give him his space. They never met Viktor’s parents, and even if they had, they would have been too young to remember them. Silco and Vander, on the other hand, knew them very well from their time as miners, which is part of the reason they took Viktor in. They had originally assumed he had been taken in by another family of his, then, upon learning he had none, they were quick to fill out the forms. He was 14 when they took him in, and every year after, they always brought Viktor here on his parents' birthdays and the anniversary of their deaths to preserve their memory.
Viktor lays a gentle hand on the headstone, running his thumb over the letters of their names. It's a modest grave, the cheapest money could buy. His father passed when Viktor was nine in a mining accident, and his mother died a year later of an illness they didn’t have enough money to put a name to. Viktor has always wondered if it was the same disease that nearly took his own life many years later, but the guilt that comes with knowing he was able to survive at the cost of his parents’ lives hurts too much for him to entertain the thought for more than a few moments at a time.
He tries to smile, though the hole in his heart reserved for them is one that time has never made easier. Their faces blur in his mind, yet the warmth of their hugs stays dormant in his thoughts.
“I’m home,” he whispers. “I’m sorry it took me so long.”
✦✦✦
The house has changed.
After Viktor left, Vander put on a fresh coat of paint and, according to Silco, has picked up gardening in his older years. The bushes are freshly trimmed, and flowers have started to bloom along the path to the front door. What Viktor has always known as an old house has been given new life. The only thing that’s stayed the same is the mailbox with its dent from when Vi rode her bike into it years ago.
There is a decent gap in years between him and his adopted siblings – he's eight years older than Vi, and ten years older than Powder – so more often than not, he was their babysitter when Silco and Vander had to work at their bar. One day, when Viktor was only 16, he took his eyes off Vi for one minute to make sure Powder wouldn't run into the road. All it took were a few seconds and a loud bang for the mailbox to stand to bend ever so slightly under the impact of Vi ramming into it full speed. She scraped her head and her knees, but there was no lasting or irreversible damage done to her. Thank goodness for that, or Silico would have killed him.
Speaking of, his two adopted dads file out of the house at the sound of the engine. Vander does so proudly with his arms already open to embrace his son while Silco follows close behind, cool and collected as always.
“Viktor!” Vander calls as they step out of the car. He pulls Viktor in, squishing him against his chest in a way that nearly chokes the wind out of him. Vander does not do it intentionally, that Viktor knows, it's just that he's a powerful guy. “It's good to have you home, son.”
“Thank you, Vander.” Something Viktor never got used to was calling either Vander or Silco “dad,” even if that's what they were to him legally. It probably stems from the fact that his actual father had been present in his life for so long. Vi is the same for the most part, but Powder was so young when she started living here that she uses paternal endearments more freely.
“How was the trip back? The airport must have been loaded with travelers,” Silco inquires, reaching out to sling a careful arm around Viktor's shoulders in a side hug.
“It was. I'm glad I won't have to do it again for some time.” Regardless of where he ends up, he plans to stay in the house for the better portion of the summer, or at least a good month. Moving from place to place is such a hassle, and he doesn't want to do too much of it if he doesn't have to.
“I'm sure you are. You must be exhausted too. We have your bed all set up, and your boxes are all in your room,” Vander says as the five of them make their way into the house.
A wave of relief washes over Viktor when he finds the porch stairs still creaking. He's glad some things haven't changed. “Powder was telling me as such. Thank you.”
As they enter the front door, Viktor is overwhelmed by the scent. It hits him like a truck to the gut. He never thought of this place as having a defining smell. After living here for so long, he became noseblind to it and merely smelled air. But after four years it…
It's not what he expected. Something wrong mixed with a faint trace of booze and the outdoors. There is no name for a smell like this. It's foreign to him, something he has never known.
Vander takes his bags to his room while Viktor is shuttled off to the dining room for dinner. He is forced into his usual seat and not allowed to help as plates of food are brought out and laid in the center. He doesn’t like being unhelpful, and as the oldest, this is a strange phenomenon to him. Yet no matter how much he argues that he is not only able to help but willing, his family keeps him firmly seated.
The only thing that keeps him content is when Rio jumps onto his lap, butting her head against his chest in welcome. He holds her close and kisses her head. His heart feels warm all over again. She shows no signs that she’s upset about the time they spent apart, only that she is happy to see him again. He's missed her so dearly; having her in his arms brings instant comfort.
Once all the food is out, they waste no time digging in. Conversation bounces effortlessly from things Viktor has missed and all the plans they'll have to make now he's back. It already sounds overwhelming, but he smiles through it anyway.
Everyone chatters on for a good while until Viktor can no longer fight his exhaustion and retires for a well-deserved rest. No one stops him from leaving; they all understand. And besides, he's home now; there'll be plenty of time.
He takes Rio with him, cradling her in one arm as she too starts to slumber. Like her owner, she can only handle so much socialization in one day.
His room is on the first floor just beyond the kitchen. Tomorrow morning, he knows he'll hear Vander and Silco grumbling about the news as they scuttle through pots and breakfast arrangements.
He takes a small breath in anticipation as he pushes inside. The door still squeaks, thank fuck, and the wood floors still have scruffs from his previous cane. His walls are covered in posters about space and sci-fi movies he hasn't seen in years, and his bookcase is overflowing with science fair trophies and textbooks. Everything sits untouched like an abandoned time capsule.
And in the center of it all — his racecarbed.
He sets down Rio on the bed, then makes a quick detour to the bathroom for a long-awaited shower. He scrubs himself down as efficiently yet hastily as he can so as not to spend more time than needed standing around. He doesn't remember the shower feeling this cramped, or the water staying this hot for so long. He tries not to dwell on it.
Once he’s finally cleansed of the day’s adventure, he slips into a fresh pair of boxers and ties himself in a robe to make the journey back to his room. Then he lets his cover fall to the floor and tucks himself under his sheets. Even they feel different, no longer as inviting or as warm as they had been during his years as a growing teen.
Suddenly, when Viktor closes his eyes in the one place that should be familiar, he finds tears welling up in his eyes. Everything has changed, and even the things that haven't still seem to haunt him.
When he left this place, he sealed his fate as a stranger.
He didn't think it would hurt this much.
✦✦✦
Viktor wakes to a commotion in the kitchen so loud can't fall back asleep. He slips into some sweats he left behind from college and sneaks out of his room to see what the fuss is about.
Vander is taking a hearty supply of meat out of the freezer as Silco and Powder arrange different types of cheese onto a wooden board at the kitchen island. Silco is bickering with Vander about something from their respective sides of the room until they notice Viktor walk in.
“Morning, traveler,” Vander greets, stepping away from his station and setting the meat down on the counter. “Coffee?”
Viktor nods, confused. “Please.”
Vander smiles. “Coming right up.”
Footsteps come from the next room, and soon, Vi is walking into the kitchen, sweating slightly from being outside. She, like the rest of his family, is dressed casually to accompany the warming weather.
Much to his chagrin, she makes a point to walk by Viktor’s and ruffle his bedridden hair. “There's Sleeping Beauty.”
“Ha ha.” Viktor sits down at the island and flattens his hair to look somewhat presentable. He’s always had a terrible bedhead, and his family has never let him forget that. It didn’t help that he slept like a log the second he reclaimed hold of his emotions. “You could at least give me the benefit of 24 hours before teasing me.”
Vi smiles. “No can do. House rules. So long as you're under this roof, we can poke fun at you for as long as we'd like.”
Viktor looks to Silco for some support, but he's very occupied with his job of cutting pieces of cheese. Viktor tries to grab one of the slices, only to have his hand slapped away by Powder.
He frowns. “What are you all doing anyway?”
“Preparing for your party, obviously,” Powder says, like this is something Viktor should know.
Vi grabs the abandoned meat from the counter. “People are going to start coming over around one, so you might want to freshen up, sweetheart.”
Viktor's eyes widen as he looks at the oven clock. It's twelve right now, so that gives him an hour, and that's only if no one shows up early – and someone always shows up early.
“Was no one going to tell me about this?” He flattens his hair further. Vander places a steaming cup of coffee in front of him alongside some creamer.
“Vi said she already told you,” Vander explains, looking at his daughter with a furrowed brow as she slides open the back door with her foot and a sheepish grin.
Viktor huffs, pouring in his preferred creamer to coffee ratio – 2:1. “Well, it seems she ‘neglected’ to tell me one was happening, let alone that it was happening today .” He raises a brow at Vi before she can slip away. She simply winks at him in return. “What if I had plans?”
Powder, surprisingly, laughs. “We all know you don't.”
Viktor tsks and leans back into his chair, grabbing his coffee with both hands. “Regardless, it's the principle of the matter.” He tilts his cup slightly toward Vander. “And thank you for the coffee.” Vander pats his shoulder before moving back to the fridge. “Who's even coming to this thing anyway?”
Silco cuts a few slices out of a rather large block of cheese with a level of skill that should be worrying. “Just a few people, don't worry.”
Powder smiles. “Milo and Claggor will be there. They can't wait to see you.”
Milo and Claggor were fostered by Vander and Silco the year Viktor went to college. He didn't see much of them since he was away and they were closer to Vi’s age than his own, but they bonded over their mutual love of creation over winter and summer break.
“Is that it?” He watches as Vander disappears out the back door to meet up with Vi. He can smell the warmth of the grill through the open door. The amount of food they’re planning to make is more than necessary for just eight people.
“Ekko’s coming, so is Caitlyn and the neighbors. Oh, and some people who work at The Last Drop,” Powder says, sneaking a mozzarella ball when Silco isn't looking. Even if he was paying attention, Powder is the only one would could get away with such a feat. “It shouldn't be too big of an event. We all know you hate attention.”
He takes a long sip of his coffee. “And that's everyone?” He looks up at her, silently asking a question with his mind: Is he coming too?
Powder looks away. “Probably,” she sings in an oddly suspicious way. Silco must think so too, because he sends her a look.
Viktor sighs. That is a hefty group for sure, but one he can reasonably work around for a day. And, while he hates to admit it, Powder is right. It's not like he has anything to do today other than recover from jet lag. He can spend the whole day recharging his social battery in bed tomorrow.
“Alright, alright.” He sets down his cup and pushes to his feet. “I'll get dressed, then I'll come out to help.”
“You're not allowed to help set up your party, Viki.” Powder calls after him as he walks away.
Just as he fades into his room, he hears Silco whisper to Powder, “Why didn't you tell him he's coming?”
To which she shushes him and says, “It's a surprise .”
✦✦✦
Viktor wears his nicest yet most casual short-sleeved button-up to the party. It’s blue and loose enough that he won’t be stifled by the creeping heat. He bought in Demacia before his first day as an adjunct. It’s not as big on him since he started gaining his usual weight back, but it’s not tight either.
As expected, people start showing up before the agreed-upon time. He hears the doorbell ring just as he finishes slipping the sleeve of his knee brace on under his pants. Standing is going to take a toll on him, especially with the uneven terrain that is the backyard. It’s better to plan preemptively rather than spend tomorrow wallowing in regret.
He quickly ties up his hair and slips into his jeans to go meet their guests.
First to arrive is Milo and Claggor, who eagerly talk to Viktor about his adventures in Demacia, asking all about his life there and how it differed from Zaun. They are especially interested in agricultural life, which Viktor is a little embarrassed to not know much about.
Following close behind is Ekko, who, after greeting Viktor with a firm handshake, goes to help Powder hang up decorations on the patio. Next is Caitlyn, who gives him a tight hug. She and Vi have been close long before they started dating, and by association, Viktor has known her for quite some time. She visited him a handful of times in Demacia, but it’s still been so long.
More people follow in behind – mostly family friends he hasn’t seen in a while – until they have a proper party in their hands. The house is alive with laughter and life. People are drinking beer on the porch, playing cornhole in the yard, and chatting with Vander as he grills burgers, chicken, and some vegan patties.
Viktor is pushed from one conversation to another, which he expected but is none too fond of, regardless. Socializing has always taken a toll on him, and even if he cares for everyone he speaks to, he simply does not have the energy to give 100 percent. Everyone asks the same questions anyway: How are you? What was Demacia like? How are you recovering from your surgeries?
His answers are always the same: Good, crowded, and perfectly fine, thank you for asking.
Just when he thinks he's finally settling into the pattern of socialization, the fence door to the backyard opens with a squeak. Powder dashes through the small crowd to be the first to greet the guests.
“There you are! I was wondering when you'd show up. Oh! And you brought food.”
“It's just some pasta salad, but it took longer than we thought it would, hence the lateness. We hope we haven't missed anything.” The voice is feminine and familiar, a soothing melody Viktor hasn't heard in years. He tries to look past the bodies to see who it is, but can't get a good look.
“Not at all! The food isn't even ready yet,” Powder assures, taking the tray from the woman. “We're just glad you could make it. Viktor's somewhere among this mess. I'm sure he'll be happy to see you.”
He steps away from the group to see the newcomers, and his heart stops in his chest.
The woman is one who loved him like a mother. She's made him countless meals and tucked his hair behind his ears when it grew too long. It's been years since he's seen her, and her dark hair has begun to gray at the roots.
Viktor is happy to see her, truly he is, but it's the man beside her that gives him pause.
He looks taller, though Viktor knows that is not true, and he carries himself more casually than Viktor is used to. His shoulders are still broad enough to carry the world, and his muscles are certainly more defined. What takes his breath away, though, is the beard . That certainly wasn't there when he left, and he never expected him to have one upon his return.
And of course, there's the small child sitting on his hip, making grabby hands at Powder like she wants to say hello.
She has his eyes, his tan skin, and his smile. Yet alongside the pieces of him, the girl has her mother’s nose and thick hair.
The man looks up and catches Viktor's stare.
Everything fades to a hum.
Jayce .
✦✦✦
18 years earlier
Moving in with Vander and Silco wasn’t the only major change to occur in the life of 14-year-old Viktor; he also changed schools. It was of his own volition, as his new legal guardians did not want to force him to uproot so much of his old life on a whim. Viktor, however, did not mind. He wasn’t being challenged enough, and if there was one thing he loved, it was learning. They offered to enroll him in Zaun’s academy, which was, to be fair, a better option than the school he had been attending. In the end, though, Viktor knew there was only one place that would give him the education he needed to succeed, and it was in Piltover.
While it was not unheard of for a Zauntie to attend a school across the bridge, it wasn’t exactly common at that time either.
Viktor didn’t care, and Vander and Silco were eager to support him, so they wrote to the school board, made some calls, and enlisted Viktor to start as soon as his move into the house was complete.
Viktor did not have any high expectations other than academics. He knew that his peers would probably sneer at him with contempt, maybe even call him dirty and detestable, but so long as his schedule was loaded with APs and Honor level classes, he would be a happy kid. He didn’t let himself think about making friends, partially because he wasn’t big on meeting people, but also because he wasn’t fond of meeting people from Piltover . The plan was to keep his head down and survive the next four years of High School with grades good enough to get a substantial scholarship to a reputable university.
Of course, Viktor’s plans for himself never go as he hopes.
It was a month into the semester when he transferred, which was enough time for everyone to know him as the “new kid” for the rest of his time there. At first, this made him the main subject for conversation, but the less he reciprocated, the less interested they became.
Well, all but one of them became less interested.
“Hiya, I’m Jayce.”
He sat next to him in honors chemistry on the fourth day of class. Viktor had finally warded away the other unwelcome attention, yet somehow this guy was not getting the memo. His face was illuminated in a bright smile, and his hand was extended in greeting. As far as teens went, he was definitely on the dorkier side with splashes of acne on his jaw and forehead, and he was just on the line of pudgy and fit.
Viktor ignored his offered hand in the hopes of turning him away. Surprisingly. Jayce didn’t mind.
“I heard you’re from Zaun. What’s it like there?”
Viktor glared at him. “Polluted.”
Jayce nodded, like it was interesting. “Right, right. I heard about that. But I also heard that there are groups of people who are working toward genetically modifying different plants to cleanse the pollution from the air and turn it back into oxygen. It’s fascinating, isn’t it? How we can change biology through forced evolution?”
That was not at all what he expected him to say, so he simply blinked and said, “I guess,” even though the subject was quite intriguing to him.
For the next week, Viktor assumed that Jayce must be making fun of him somehow. He always sought Viktor out and talked to him, no matter how uninterested he acted. No one had ever shown much interest in him, so it had to be a joke he wasn’t getting.
It wasn’t until one day when Viktor was walking past the lunchroom on his way to use the bathroom that he saw Jayce sitting alone at a table, eating the first of two sandwiches. His table was the only empty one in the room, and Viktor realised then that Jayce, much like himself, didn’t have any friends.
He wasn’t sure why the realization haunted him so much, but whether it be through pity or camaraderie, the next time their lunch periods matched up and they were sitting together, Viktor decided to ask, “Have you ever watched Doctor Who ?”
And with the way Jayce’s eyes lit up, you would think Viktor had given him the stars.
✦✦✦
From that day on, the two were nearly inseparable. Jayce invited Viktor over after school, and his mother loved him like he was her own son. Vander was welcoming toward Jayce, although Silco needed some time to accept the wide-eyed Piltover boy. To this day, Viktor isn't sure if Silco likes Jayce or just tolerates him for Viktor's sake.
Viktor hadn't wanted a friend, and while he still felt that way, he made an exception for Jayce. He was a parasite in Viktor's life, something he couldn't live without once it had attached itself.
They were both brilliant as far as teenagers went, and bonded over their interests in the theoretical and the literal. It wasn't long before they rightfully became known as the “nerds” at school. They were excited about labs and would even stay after class to argue about new studies with their teachers (who more often than not were just as excited about the conversations as they were).
Everyone stayed out of their way, partially because they were seen as “uncool,” but also because it was difficult to keep up with their line of thought. Their brains must have connected somewhere along their friendship, and they were practically one when it came to matters of science.
Things changed the summer Jayce turned 16.
It wasn't by any means a sudden change; it started rather slowly, then tumbled down all at once. Viktor didn’t notice since he spent every day by Jayce's side, accompanying him to his family's forge to watch how tools were made, walking through downtown Piltover, watching movies, playing video games, and talking about science. So, of course, everything appeared to be normal.
Then came the first day of school, and the unnoticed became the unavoidable.
Jayce was hot.
He hit a growth spurt during the summer, and that, accompanied by his endless hours of manual labor, resulted in his body finally filling out in a way that was both proportional and – as Viktor hated to admit – attractive.
For their fellow students, the change was widely evident since the last image they had of him was when he was still rather awkward and a little too square in some areas. Now he had evened muscle, a confident build, and the beginning of a long battle of facial hair.
Viktor hadn't noticed because he was with Jayce every day, and to him, Jayce hadn't changed. He was the same Jayce he had always been.
Of course, once it was pointed out to him, it was hard not to notice.
Viktor himself had grown a fair amount, but mostly up and not out. He was still rather thin – toned, but thin – and there was a new mole on his neck he would probably have to get checked out. Other than that, there was nothing of note.
Jayce was confused, if not a little oblivious, to the attention. People were smiling at him, sitting at their lunch tables, and inviting him to social events.
“I don't get why everyone is acting so nice all of a sudden,” he said one day as he was playing darts with Viktor in his garage.
Viktor blinked. It was early September and nearly a month into the school year. How could Jayce not have noticed?
“You really don't know?” he asked, setting down the book he had been reading while waiting for his turn. Each rotation took forever because they took immense time calculating how to best through to hit the bullseye – a feat none of them had accomplished.
Jayce tossed the dart. It hit the five, and he cursed. “Wouldn't be asking if I didn't know,” he said.
Viktor pursed his lips, unsure of how to explain. “Have you looked in the mirror?”
Jayce sent him one of his confused smiles, the kind he used when he was trying to follow Viktor's thoughts but was a few steps behind. “At least twice a day when I brush my teeth, why?”
Viktor frowned. “Well, in recent months you've…well, some would say – not I, of course, but some – would say that you have gotten more…” he searched for the right words while Jayce stared at him with a furrowed brow. “More fit? I suppose?”
Jayce retrieved his dart from the board. It was the kind of weather where one could comfortably get away with either a sweatshirt or a T-shirt. Viktor, who ran cold, wore a sweatshirt, while Jayce was in a short-sleeved shirt that surely would have been big on him back in February. Now it was tight against his biceps.
“Fit?” he echoed.
“Yes, fit. Or muscular, if that's what you prefer.”
Jayce looked down at himself as if it were the first time he had looked at his body. “Huh.”
Viktor nodded. “Huh indeed.”
“So…are they nice because I look intimidating?”
Viktor had to suppress his groan. Jayce could be unbelievably dense sometimes. “They are nice because they think you're hot ,” he elaborated, feeling a warmth of embarrassment flush across his chest as he did so.
Jayce looked at him in disbelief. “... Me? ”
“ Yes .” Viktor wanted to crawl into a hole and die. “They're trying to flirt with you, Jayce, or become hotter simply by being associated with you.”
He twisted the dart between his forefinger and thumb, thinking. “Do you think I'm hot now, Vik?”
The nicknames started barely two months into their friendship, yet still, they caught Viktor off guard every time.
“Me? Well, uh.” He bit his cheek and looked away. “If I am to look at it objectively – and purely objectively – I would say that compared to some of the other hormonally crazed boys in our year, that you are – on a physical standpoint – elevated from the rest.”
To his surprise, Jayce laughed. “So, yes?” he clarified. It was evident he was teasing him now.
Viktor continued to frown. “Yes, Jayce. You're hot. Any more questions?”
“Just one.” He continued to smile and threw his dart at the board, missing the mark once again. He went to retrieve it. “If you're so certain about your hypothesis, then how come they're not flocking to you?”
Viktor blinked. “I beg your pardon?”
Jayce laughed. “You're 16, Vik, not 43. You can speak like it if you want.” Viktor kicked his shoe at Jayce, and it hit his thigh.
“Do you have to make me say it?” he mumbled, pulling his legs into his chest and crossing his arms.
Jayce's smile fell. “Did I say something wrong?”
“That depends, are you mocking me for not being attractive?”
Jayce's eyes widened. “What? No! No. Viktor, I'm asking because you're hot. I'm pointing out a flaw in your logic, not insulting you – although, maybe I am if I'm pointing out a flaw. But I'm not trying to.”
Viktor was still getting used to his body and the emotions that stirred within. At that time, he had started to feel everything tenfold: anger, frustration, happiness. With Jayce's words, he felt a deep flush grow from his cheeks, all the way down his neck, to the top of his chest.
“That's… you're… you shouldn't…” he wasn't sure what he wanted to say, and Jayce certainly didn't either.
“Vik?”
Viktor stood from his perch, grabbed his cane, and hobbled over to Jayce. “You're speaking nonsense.”
“Am not.”
“Are too.” He extended his hand, silently asking for the dart. Jayce gave it to him.
“Am not. Do you really not think you're hot?” he asked, taking a step back to give Viktor space to throw.
“I know that the rest of the school doesn't think that.” He shot without aiming or thinking, missing the bullseye entirely.
“Then they're being dumb.” Jayce plopped down in Viktor's old spot on the bench.
Viktor retrieved his dart from the board.
They didn't talk about it again.
✦✦✦
Jayce's popularity only increased when people discovered he wasn't just hot, but probably one of the nicest people at school. He remembered things about people, and he knew how to hold a conversation.
Viktor thought the attention would change him. It wouldn't have surprised him if Jayce slowly pulled away, finding Viktor to be below him. As more people entered Jayce's circle, the change seemed inevitable.
And yet, Viktor was always his closest friend. When people tried to exclude him from conversation, Jayce would pull him back in, and when Viktor tried to distance himself, Jayce wouldn't let him.
“It doesn't matter how nice everyone is to me,” he said one day when they were playing video games on the floor of his room, “ you're my best friend, not them.”
Viktor wasn't sure why Jayce was so determined about this matter, but he didn't complain. Jayce was all he had.
One day, when Jayce was driving Viktor home with his freshly acquired driver's license, he presented Viktor with an invitation: “Do you want to come to Salo’s party this Saturday?”
“A party?” The only parties Viktor had been to were for his younger siblings' birthdays or Jayce's.
“Yeah. His parents are out of town, so apparently it's going to be a big celebration. He just invited me during lunch.”
“Did he invite me? ”
Jayce frowned, his eyes staying on the road. He wasn't blind to the way people treated Viktor. He often mentioned he should tell everyone off who was rude to Viktor, but Viktor discouraged it, saying it wasn't worth the time. He was a Zaunite with a malformed leg; the treatment wasn't new to him.
Doesn't make it right, Jayce always said.
Jayce smiled sheepishly. “Not specifically, but I asked if I could bring a plus one, and he didn't say no. I'm sure he knows I'm bringing you.”
And that was the thing about Jayce and Viktor. They were a bit of a package deal. Sure, Jayce would hang out with other people sometimes, but that was mostly because Viktor didn't want to come along. He liked being with Jayce better when he didn't have to fight for his attention, and when he wasn't being brushed away by others.
Viktor rolled his eyes. “This Saturday?”
“Mhm. Obviously, I won't force you.” He slowed down at the red light, which meant he could look at Viktor. “ But I would like you to join me. It will be more fun with you there. Salo's house is huge , and the backyard is massive . I heard that it's so secluded that the light pollution is significantly less than here in the city.”
He huffed. “A secluded mansion filled with party-crazed teens? That sounds like the beginning of a horror movie.”
Jayce laughed. “Come on, V. It'll be fun.”
Viktor wasn't so sure about that, but he agreed anyway because it was Jayce, and he trusted Jayce more than anyone else.
He picked Viktor up at his house the night of the party. Silco was still in the middle of his “be safe” lecture when Jayce pulled into the driveway and waved a hand out the window. Viktor, after making many promises to follow Silco’s advice, hobbled down the front steps with his overnight bag to Jayce's car. The only reason he was allowed to go was because they thought this was a sleepover at Jayce's house, which it would be, but only after the party.
As he hopped into the passenger seat, he briefly heard Vander calling out to have fun.
“Ready?” Jayce asked as he started to back up. He looked…nice. Or at least nicer than usual. His hair was gelled into a perfect wave, and his sweatshirt was just a little too small, showing off the muscles he'd formed in the forge.
Viktor swallowed. “As I'll ever be.”
✦✦✦
The party was exactly as Viktor expected, which was to say that it was loud and filled with too many hormones.
Bodies were everywhere: dancing, talking, drinking, grinding. It reminded Viktor of his days as a child in Zaun when he stayed out a little too late, and the nightlife crawled out from their holes.
He already knew he wouldn't like parties, and now it was confirmed.
He stayed by Jayce's side as much as he could. No one tried to talk to him, except for another thin boy who might have been flirting, or at least he was until he found Viktor uninteresting and left.
People kept bumping into them, and whenever Jayce noticed Viktor stumble or grip his cane a little tighter, he'd call out a “hey” to the offender that was swallowed by the music.
“I'm going to find the bathroom,” Viktor did his best to yell over the sound, and Jayce nodded. He pushed through the crowd of people, using his cane to preemptively nudge them out of his path.
He found the bathroom just past the kitchen and, no surprise, it was huge. Honestly, it was nearly the size of Viktor's bedroom, something he tried very hard not to ruminate on as he closed the seat to the toilet, sat down, and pulled his knees to his chest. His leg ached from standing, but he didn't care.
Viktor sighed. He wanted to go home.
But he told Jayce he would come, and Jayce was his only friend.
After five minutes of sitting in his sorrow, someone knocked.
“Occupied!” he called out, and the sound ceased. When another five minutes passed, the knocking came again. This time, more forceful. Viktor let out a deep breath. “Occupied!” he yelled again. Yet the knocking kept coming. Viktor pinched the bridge of his nose. “Oh for fucks sake – It's occupied!”
The door sprang open, and Viktor nearly fell off the toilet with a yelp.
“There you are!” Jayce was red in the face as he closed the door behind him. “I was worried when you didn't come back.”
Viktor clutched his chest and took a few steadying breaths. “You nearly gave me a heart attack! What if I had been peeing?”
Jayce looked him up and down. “But you're not?”
“I could have been!” Viktor argued.
Jayce plopped down in front of him on the bathroom mat, a small red solo cup in his hand. “Have you ever had whiskey?”
“No,” Viktor admitted with a soft glare, placing his feet back on the ground and sitting normally. It was Vander’s favorite drink, yet Viktor never had an interest in trying it. His whole life, he'd been surrounded by drinking and drugs, and the former certainly didn't change when he was adopted by a bartender. “Is that what that is?” He motioned to the cup.
Jayce frowned. “I don't actually know. It's alcohol, that much is certain.” He gave it a sniff, then recoiled with a shiver. “Want to try it with me?”
The world felt quieter now that he and Jayce were alone, and Viktor felt a little braver because of it, so he nodded.
Jayce took the first sip, albeit slowly. As soon as the liquid flushed down the back of his throat, he let out a mighty cough and pounded his chest.
Viktor laughed as the cup was extended to him. His hubris made him think that he might receive the drink better, but as soon as it passed his lips, his face scrunched up in disgust. “Oh– oh no ,” he hissed, swatting at the air as if it would make the burn go away. “People enjoy this?”
Jayce took the cup and poured it into the tub drain. “Apparently.”
Viktor swallowed until the burn subsided. “That was the worst thing I've ever tasted.”
Jayce was smiling. “Me too. Hey,” he put his hand on Viktor's knee, “I have something to show you.”
Viktor's face fell. “Does it involve going back out there?”
He was given a sympathetic smile in return. “I know this isn’t your scene, but it will just be a little bit, and it'll be worth it, I promise. We'll go right back to my place after, and we can watch low-budget sci-fi movies. What do you say?”
The offer was certainly enticing, and after a night like tonight, Viktor wanted nothing more than exactly that. “Okay, lead the way.”
Jayce placed his hand between Viktor's shoulders as he guided him through the crowd, keeping him away from the drunkards and party people.
To Viktor's surprise, he led him out the back door onto the porch. It was quite high up with a long set of stairs traveling down, yet before Viktor could complain, Jayce was kneeling for Viktor to hop on his back. He did so wordlessly, wrapping his arms and legs around Jayce and holding his cane tightly.
Jayce knew all about Viktor's bad leg; he had explained it to him in detail a long time ago during one of their first sleepovers. Jayce never bothered him much about it, but there were certain cues he picked up on about when Viktor needed assistance and when he was fine. After learning Jayce could be quite persistent and annoying once he set his mind to something, Viktor had given up arguing against the help.
So Jayce carried him down the stairs and onto the back lawn. When they were far enough away from the house that the music was a low buzz but the lights still cast shadows, he sank onto the ground and let Viktor down.
Viktor slid off easily, and once it seemed Jayce was content to sit on the grass, Viktor took his place beside him, like always.
“Lie down,” Jayce instructed, lying back on the late-night grass. Viktor did as he said. “Now look up.”
The moon was in full force tonight, which was nothing unusual. What took Viktor by surprise, however, was how many stars there were.
Zaun was polluted way before Viktor was born, and the sky was always hazy at best, with the only light being that of the city far across the river.
Here, on the edge of Piltover, they covered every inch of the sky.
Jayce was smiling beside him. “Just wait a few more minutes,” he said, checking the time on his phone.
Viktor didn't ask why. He waited as Jayce told him, and within moments, he saw something dash across the sky. He grabbed Jayce's arm in excitement. “ Jayce!” he beamed. “Was that–”
Another one followed close behind. Then another. Then another.
Viktor gasped. A meteor shower .
“It's beautiful, isn't it?” Jayce whispered, fully mesmerized by the light show above them. “When I heard this was happening tonight, I knew we had to see it, but it's only visible from certain spots in Piltover and unfortunately nowhere in Zaun. I'm not even sure if Salo knows this is tonight. If he doesn’t, he's missing out.”
Viktor couldn't help but laugh. This was probably the happiest moment of his life, aside from being adopted and making a friend. “Is that why you invited me? You wanted to show me this?”
Jayce smiled, caught. “Yeah.”
“You could have just told me!”
Jayce shrugged, still smiling. “I wanted it to be a surprise.”
A warmth swept through Viktor's chest, leaving a trail of casualties in its wake. He wasn't looking at the stars anymore, only Jayce.
“Can you promise me something?” Viktor whispered.
Jayce looked at him immediately. “Anything.”
Viktor opened his mouth, then closed it, then opened it again. “Promise me you'll never change,” he said.
Jayce eagerly offered his pinky to Viktor. “So long as you promise never to change, too,” he said. “I want to be your best friend forever.”
Viktor scoffed but extended his pinky all the same. “You don't know what you're saying.”
Their fingers locked, and Jayce squeezed gently. “I've never been so sure of anything.”
And as the two lay in a field of soft grass, staring at the stars above, Viktor felt himself becoming a fool for Jayce. He would believe anything he said, and he would trust that their promise would always hold true.
He held onto that promise for almost twenty years, but it turns out all it took was four for them to break it.