I... [ Jayce made a thoughtful sound, but got quiet, trying to see if he did. ] There's something. I think. It's not the same. [ Turning to face his partner, Jayce's shoulders sag like the tension is finally bleeding out of him and his expression is softer. ] It's here, [ and Jayce puts one of Viktor's hands on his side where his ribs are. ]
[ It wasn't until this moment that Viktor realized he'd been holding a great deal of tension in his shoulders, because it all dissipated when Jayce rested his own hand along his partner's side. Suddenly, quite unexpectedly, this has become a sort of experiment. And Viktor knew how to navigate that. ]
Listen to it. [ He barely breathes, watching Jayce's face eagerly. ] You said it feels different. How?
[ There are hundreds of questions on the tip of his tongue, but Jayce dams them all back (for now) so he can listen. He brushes his thumb over the back of the hand pressed to his ribs. ]
It's not a sound. [ Jayce closes his eyes because he doesn't hear anything, but he can feel it. ] It's like the feeling I get when I strike something against the anvil. Like all that energy has to go somewhere when it travels up my arm so it feels like all the bones are rattling. [ Opening his eyes, he searches for Viktor's. ] Resonating.
[ Viktor could barely contain his excitement. He vibrated with it, this thrill of discovery, this confirmation that they'd felt similar things. ] Yes! Yes, precisely.
[ Reaching out, he gently brushed his fingertips along Jayce's brow, his own expression completely open and warm. ] May I show you what I feel now? [ Viktor would never do this without consent. No matter how many times they'd connected their consciousnesses. ]
[ That excitement is infectious and Jayce doesn't fight the smile that pulls at the corners of his mouth, and his eyes are sparkling with the same enthusiasm. ]
Yes. [ Jayce leans into that touch to his forehead. ] I want to see, Viktor.
[ With the gentle touch of a lover, Viktor cradles Jayce's jaw, drawing them both into the astral plane. They've done this hundreds of times by now — and it's as easy as breathing, a simple shift and they're there together. Only now, the noise is louder. And it sounds like voices. ]
This is what I hear. [ Viktor is watching Jayce carefully. ] Not always. It becomes more pronounced only at certain times.
[ One or one hundred, the pull into the astral plane rushes through Jayce like a rolling storm every time, awe-inspiring and terrifying at the same time. The one thing he notices first, though, is that the halos of light are gone and Jayce can finally look around without risking the stabbing pain of a headache.
The next thing he notices is the sound. It was persistent, like the voice of someone trying to get his attention, but none of the words made sense. ]
When does it change? [ Jayce stops looking around to look at Viktor. ] Does it sound like something to you? I can hear it, but it's like hearing something speak in a language I don't know.
I began hearing it when I bled on the Hexgate. And it became more pronounced when I experimented on myself. [ Viktor knew this would likely alarm Jayce, so he was mindful of keeping his voice calm. ] At the time, I was too distracted to understand what it was. I still believed it to be that resonance. [ And he meant it, resting a hand on Jayce's arm before offering a gentle squeeze in reassurance. ]
Now, though ... [ He tilted his head, listening. ] Now they are louder. Agitated, I think. The Lawspeaker irritated them, but I'm not sure why — or what they're saying. I can only feel their meaning.
[ Jayce still moved too fast and too slow inside the astral plane, but he reaches for his partner all the same. He's upset, but it's all turned inwards, because Viktor had done all of this on his own. Alone. Because Jayce was too busy everywhere else to see that Viktor needed him. ]
You think it's reacting to the Lawspeaker? [ Jayce's brow furrows. ] Do you think it's related to the way they talk to us? Maybe it's throwing off the resonance and that's why it feels agitated.
Jayce. [ Softly, gently, Viktor reached up to cradle his partner's face, gently forcing him to look into his eyes. ] It did not frighten me then. I barely registered it — I wouldn't have thought to tell you. [ He gave him a stern look. ] This is not your fault.
[ It takes him a second to process Jayce's theory, but when he does, his face lights up. Surging forward, he kisses him, before pulling back to quickly to start pacing, muttering to himself. ] If that's true, then surely we could trigger it ourselves ...
[ Jayce presses into that palm but he resists, brows knit together in frustration. But Jayce is unable to deny him anything and so he lifts his gaze, holding his partner's eyes. ] It is, [ he insists. ] We used to tell each other everything, even things we didn't think were important, Viktor. [ And I made you feel as if I didn't have time for you goes unsaid, but it's written on his face. ]
[ Making a soft, surprised noise into that kiss, Jayce recovers quickly, smiling as he kisses him back. ] Trigger it how?
The responsibility doesn't rest on your shoulders alone. [ Equally stubborn, if not more so, Viktor continues staring Jayce down, a frown tugging at his mouth now. ] I could have tried reaching you, but I retreated into myself. We lost each other, miláčku. And we won't do it again, will we?
[ That reaction is adorable, and he's charmed by it, but easily distracted by this discovery. ] With something of equal volume, perhaps?
No, we won't. I promise. [ Jayce has made so many promises, had kept some, broken others, but these promises to Viktor he wants to hold fast to. ] You won't lose me, Vitya. I'm here. [ Reaching up, Jayce holds his partner's face in his hands, thumbs brushing over the rise of sharp cheekbones, lingering where moles used to sit. ]
Equal volume. [ Jayce's brow furrows, pouting as he thinks. ] I don't know if I can do it by myself, even from in here. [ He isn't giving up, but he's rapidly coming up on a brick wall to throw himself against. ]
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Listen to it. [ He barely breathes, watching Jayce's face eagerly. ] You said it feels different. How?
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It's not a sound. [ Jayce closes his eyes because he doesn't hear anything, but he can feel it. ] It's like the feeling I get when I strike something against the anvil. Like all that energy has to go somewhere when it travels up my arm so it feels like all the bones are rattling. [ Opening his eyes, he searches for Viktor's. ] Resonating.
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[ Reaching out, he gently brushed his fingertips along Jayce's brow, his own expression completely open and warm. ] May I show you what I feel now? [ Viktor would never do this without consent. No matter how many times they'd connected their consciousnesses. ]
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Yes. [ Jayce leans into that touch to his forehead. ] I want to see, Viktor.
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This is what I hear. [ Viktor is watching Jayce carefully. ] Not always. It becomes more pronounced only at certain times.
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The next thing he notices is the sound. It was persistent, like the voice of someone trying to get his attention, but none of the words made sense. ]
When does it change? [ Jayce stops looking around to look at Viktor. ] Does it sound like something to you? I can hear it, but it's like hearing something speak in a language I don't know.
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Now, though ... [ He tilted his head, listening. ] Now they are louder. Agitated, I think. The Lawspeaker irritated them, but I'm not sure why — or what they're saying. I can only feel their meaning.
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[ Jayce still moved too fast and too slow inside the astral plane, but he reaches for his partner all the same. He's upset, but it's all turned inwards, because Viktor had done all of this on his own. Alone. Because Jayce was too busy everywhere else to see that Viktor needed him. ]
You think it's reacting to the Lawspeaker? [ Jayce's brow furrows. ] Do you think it's related to the way they talk to us? Maybe it's throwing off the resonance and that's why it feels agitated.
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[ It takes him a second to process Jayce's theory, but when he does, his face lights up. Surging forward, he kisses him, before pulling back to quickly to start pacing, muttering to himself. ] If that's true, then surely we could trigger it ourselves ...
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[ Making a soft, surprised noise into that kiss, Jayce recovers quickly, smiling as he kisses him back. ] Trigger it how?
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[ That reaction is adorable, and he's charmed by it, but easily distracted by this discovery. ] With something of equal volume, perhaps?
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Equal volume. [ Jayce's brow furrows, pouting as he thinks. ] I don't know if I can do it by myself, even from in here. [ He isn't giving up, but he's rapidly coming up on a brick wall to throw himself against. ]