Viktor shrugged a little. He continued finger-combing through Jayce's hair. There wasn't very much of it for something like styling nor enough for how inordinately long he was spending on it. But it didn't matter it was soothing to them both.
"It's not a big deal. It just means that I have never cared for communal sleeping ever since. I had planned to simply stay up. K convinced me otherwise."
And because he was just too emotionally exhausted he didn't feel any awkwardness in saying this part;
"Not being alone does help more than I thought it would."
Viktor has been alone for most of his life. It wouldn't occur to him to ever be anything else.
The room was quieter now, the sounds outside muffled, and all Jayce cared about was hearing Viktor speak in that lovely accent and the fingers combing through his hair. There wasn't much room to style the hair, but that didn't matter. The gesture just felt so damn pleasant that even Jayce's breathing calmed down.
"If I had known before, we could have shared a bed upstairs, even if there was no heat, and kept each other warm." They could still do that, but it would imply moving. Even if he was sitting on the floor, Jayce was very comfortable now and didn't want to break the spell that had taken over them. "K gives very good advice. I'll have to thank him for managing to get you to rest. Maybe ask him for tips."
While still far from happy, Jayce's tone was more animated while talking about this new subject. K really was a good friend, one he cared about a lot. Knowing that Viktor liked and possibly trusted him just as much seemed meaningful. Perhaps being in Folkmore really is doing them some good.
"I'm glad you realize that. And I know it's not easy to be close to people, to have enough bandwidth for relationships. But they can be good, and you deserve good things, Viktor."
Viktor kept up the methodical finger-combing of Jayce's hair and felt a small sardonic laugh escape him.
"If we had both stayed upstairs then I would have been warm, but you would be cold. And since you hate being cold, it's probably for the best that you slept by the Forge."
Viktor was privately of the opinion that he and K had a lot in common. K had a few of the same self-deprecating tendencies that Viktor already had but it was also difficult for Viktor to be around people at all and K not only understood that but empathized with it. Viktor did like K but more importantly, he felt a certain sort of kinship with the replicant that Viktor isn't sure anyone else might pick up on.
"I don't think I'll ever be capable of the kinds of casual friendships that you are. That's not to say I haven't had any friendships at all, but I will concede that many of them have happened since I've been here in Folkmore."
The laugh took Jayce by surprise, but he ended up tilting his head a little and raising his shoulder in a 'yeah, probably' gesture.
"It would have been worth it." He hated the cold with a passion, but he hated to see his friend hurt or uncomfortable even more. It will take them some time since they are nowhere near what a sane person will consider 'well', more so after discovering the magic disease spreading on Viktor's skin, and that's why Jayce wants to do anything he can to make at least the small problems more bearable.
"That's fine. You are who you are, V. As long as you feel happy, then that's enough." Reluctantly, he really was enjoying those fingers massaging his scalp, Jayce looked up. "We could go down to the forge, see if K is around, and still share a bed even if he's not. We both need to rest properly."
This would probably be the point where Viktor would demure or make some excuse so he wouldn't have to sleep in the same bed as anyone else, because that concept had all sorts of innuendo attached. But the truth was after the incredibly stressful month they'd just survived, Viktor just didn't care. He also felt bone-weary from having to go through the pain of explaining his stupid mistake in the lab, what it had cost Sky, and what it was doing to him now.
"You go ahead. I'm going to look for pants that aren't stained with my blood first. Then I'll come back to the Forge."
Viktor had the reassurance that he was dealing with Jayce. The guy wouldn't know an innuendo even if it came to him and hit him in the head with a mallet. Besides, the last thing on Jayce's mind after everything they had to endure, especially today, was doing anything physical. He felt comfort enough in staying close to his loved ones, he doesn't need more.
"Alright. I'll find us a place to settle in the forge." Jayce smiled, his expression tired but honest, the eyes still a cyan blue. After sighting in regret at having to move, he finally stands up. "See you soon, V."
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no subject
"It's not a big deal. It just means that I have never cared for communal sleeping ever since. I had planned to simply stay up. K convinced me otherwise."
And because he was just too emotionally exhausted he didn't feel any awkwardness in saying this part;
"Not being alone does help more than I thought it would."
Viktor has been alone for most of his life. It wouldn't occur to him to ever be anything else.
no subject
The room was quieter now, the sounds outside muffled, and all Jayce cared about was hearing Viktor speak in that lovely accent and the fingers combing through his hair. There wasn't much room to style the hair, but that didn't matter. The gesture just felt so damn pleasant that even Jayce's breathing calmed down.
"If I had known before, we could have shared a bed upstairs, even if there was no heat, and kept each other warm." They could still do that, but it would imply moving. Even if he was sitting on the floor, Jayce was very comfortable now and didn't want to break the spell that had taken over them. "K gives very good advice. I'll have to thank him for managing to get you to rest. Maybe ask him for tips."
While still far from happy, Jayce's tone was more animated while talking about this new subject. K really was a good friend, one he cared about a lot. Knowing that Viktor liked and possibly trusted him just as much seemed meaningful. Perhaps being in Folkmore really is doing them some good.
"I'm glad you realize that. And I know it's not easy to be close to people, to have enough bandwidth for relationships. But they can be good, and you deserve good things, Viktor."
no subject
"If we had both stayed upstairs then I would have been warm, but you would be cold. And since you hate being cold, it's probably for the best that you slept by the Forge."
Viktor was privately of the opinion that he and K had a lot in common. K had a few of the same self-deprecating tendencies that Viktor already had but it was also difficult for Viktor to be around people at all and K not only understood that but empathized with it. Viktor did like K but more importantly, he felt a certain sort of kinship with the replicant that Viktor isn't sure anyone else might pick up on.
"I don't think I'll ever be capable of the kinds of casual friendships that you are. That's not to say I haven't had any friendships at all, but I will concede that many of them have happened since I've been here in Folkmore."
no subject
"It would have been worth it." He hated the cold with a passion, but he hated to see his friend hurt or uncomfortable even more. It will take them some time since they are nowhere near what a sane person will consider 'well', more so after discovering the magic disease spreading on Viktor's skin, and that's why Jayce wants to do anything he can to make at least the small problems more bearable.
"That's fine. You are who you are, V. As long as you feel happy, then that's enough." Reluctantly, he really was enjoying those fingers massaging his scalp, Jayce looked up. "We could go down to the forge, see if K is around, and still share a bed even if he's not. We both need to rest properly."
no subject
"You go ahead. I'm going to look for pants that aren't stained with my blood first. Then I'll come back to the Forge."
no subject
"Alright. I'll find us a place to settle in the forge." Jayce smiled, his expression tired but honest, the eyes still a cyan blue. After sighting in regret at having to move, he finally stands up. "See you soon, V."