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esp_dragonv2) wrote2021-11-28 08:22 pm
esp_dragonv2) wrote2021-11-28 08:22 pm
Purr
Fandom: Arcane: League of Legends
Summary: Jayce was curious to know if Viktor could purr after his transformation.
Contains: Jayce/Viktor, catboy!Viktor, sad ending
Notes: Set after S1, but ignoring the ending.
Rating: G
Genre: General
Word count: 4,478
Status: Complete
"I think we need to slow down," Jayce said, watching Viktor eat as they had dinner in the lab, hunched around the one small table that wasn't covered in blueprints, calculations or prototypes.
The tip of Viktor's right new triangular ear flicked, mirrored by his raised eyebrow. "Oh?"
Why was there even a question? When Viktor brought his fork up, Jayce's attention was drawn to his transformed hand, the brown short fur covering the back of his hand, his nails now curving down into sharp claws.
"I just want to make sure you're all right first." What if the transformation had changed more than just his body?
Viktor took a bite, and were his incisors longer than before? "What happened to forging ahead for the sake of progress?"
Jayce ran a hand down his face as he sighed. "There's a difference between getting caught up in the moment and dealing with the aftermath." And currently? Viktor was doing both. "We have a result, so now we can recalibrate, find what-"
"We can do that by using the hexcore again," Viktor said, his gaze steadily.
"We don't know how much it's changed you, if it's affected you in other ways."
Viktor huffed, tracing small signs in the air with his fork. "I feel fine," he said as he continued eating.
Jayce watched him for a few more seconds before he sagged, nodding. "I know. I'm just...worried." He started eating, his food a little cooler than it had been a few minutes ago. But Viktor still sounded like himself, was still talking.
He would keep an eye on Viktor in the meantime though, just in case.
* * *
"No, no, no," Viktor said, shaking his head, the tips of his ears quivering. "That wouldn't work because..."
Jayce had been listening, waiting to see if he could follow Viktor's thought process, and he saw Viktor's pupils constrict to slits, his ears going stiff.
Without explaining, Viktor span around, his tail swishing and batting Jayce in the leg as he strode towards the blackboard.
Viktor's tail flicked from side to side, like he was on the hunt and Jayce couldn't help himself smiling as he followed. They had been all this time, hadn't they?
* * *
"Do you think you can purr?" Jayce wondered out loud as he opened the door to their bedroom.
"Very scientific," Viktor said, amusement clear.
"There is a scientific reason for it!" He held the door open and Viktor headed in.
"Which is?"
Incessant curiosity. "Iiinnn case you've changed where we can't see or test. And it would be a good way to check if your instincts have been affected, since we don't purr." Obviously.
Viktor leaned his weight on his cane some more, his tail swinging left and right in slow arcs. Jayce had started to recognise it as something it would do when Viktor was thinking hard about something. "And your proposal to make me purr?"
There were a lot of things Jayce could think of that he was sure would make Viktor purr, and by Viktor's slowly growing smirk, he had the same idea as well.
Jayce closed the space between them, tracing his fingers along Viktor's jaw before leaning in to kiss him.
Viktor narrowed his eyes at him, his ears pinned on Jayce, when he pulled away. "You don't seem that invested in researching your hypothesis."
"Just setting a baseline," Jayce said, reaching up to rub at the base of Viktor's cat ear, where he knew he was more sensitive. "So we have something to compare to." It made sense.
"Then you'd best start comparing," Viktor said, leaning into his touch, his eyes going to half-mast.
Grinning, Jayce leaned in again.
* * *
"I think that experiment yielded no results," Viktor said, as he pulled the blanket up to cover himself afterwards.
"Hey! I think there was some bias going on," Jayce protested. He was still too far hot and he would wait until his heart rate had settled down first before crawling under to join Viktor.
"Oh?"
"You were trying not to purr." He had seen Viktor trying to keep quiet, biting his lip at times, which had made him push all that harder. Even then, there had been no purrs; there had been lots of other sounds though, which made up for it.
Viktor smirked briefly before he yawned, his ears flipping back. "If you can't make me purr after trying, then we can confirm my hypothesis was correct and all changes are surface only."
"Under one instance," Jayce countered as he moved back under the blanket. "We have to repeat it to make sure."
Viktor's eyes were drooping, but he moved closer, Jayce wrapping an arm around him. "Under the same conditions or...more intense?" he murmured against Jayce's chest.
"Both?" Both was a good idea.
He got a snort as a reply. "Next time."
Jayce grinned, drawing slow circles over Viktor's skin. "Of course." Then they could plan out what exactly they could try.
Viktor didn't say anything else, his breathing evening out as he fell asleep. Jayce listened to him for a minute or so, before following him.
* * *
"Do you think catnip would work on you?" Jayce asked. The purring experiment hadn't shown anything, but testing how Viktor's body reacted to catnip could show something else.
"Another test?" One of Viktor's ears turned towards Jayce, and that was one of the best indicators now to see how much Viktor was paying attention when he was working on a calculation or something else.
"I wouldn't be a scientist if I didn't want to test everything." He was still worried about Viktor, but Viktor seemed to be settling into the new changes.
"I seem to remember a few times when you didn't," Viktor said, still working on his calculation, but Jayce could just see his small smirk.
"We were under time constraints then!" They hadn't been allowed to test as extensively as they wanted. It had worked out in the end with...only a few hiccups, and they'd learned more about what they needed to improve on. It still wasn't something Jayce wanted to do every time.
He heard Viktor's low laugh, the final tap of chalk on the blackboard as he finished, before he turned around to face Jayce. "We can try it."
"Really?"
Viktor nodded, his gaze flicking over Jayce. "Where are you holding it?"
Oh. "I haven't got any on me." He hadn't expected Viktor to agree straight away, so he hadn't bought any.
Viktor shook his head, but Jayce could see the smile he was fighting back as he walked over. "I suppose it's near lunchtime. We can find some and then eat here."
"Sure!" Jayce wanted to test Viktor's changes, but this was the only time he hoped his theory would be wrong.
* * *
Jayce watched Viktor roll the small bag of catnip they'd bought between his hands, used enough to his changes now to keep his claws away from the fabric. Viktor had gone through a few clothes near the start when his claws had caught and just tore holes through them.
"You look more worried than I feel," Viktor said, lifting his gaze to look at Jayce.
"Well, can you blame me? If you do react to it, what then?" Physical changes for the sake of progress, maybe. But the potential for losing himself, losing Viktor completely? It wasn't something Jayce wanted.
"We would figure something out," Viktor said, fingers, going to the drawstrings. "We always do."
They did.
Jayce still couldn't help holding his breath as Viktor opened the bag. Viktor stopping himself from purring was one thing, but he couldn't stop how his body would react to drugs.
The reaction was instantaneous.
Viktor grimaced, jerking his head back as his ears flattened.
Jayce breathed out. "No?"
"No," Viktor confirmed, still grimacing. "It's too sharp, and I certainly feel no change in my mental facilities or have an urge to run or anything else."
"Good." Jayce relaxed, watching Viktor tie the bag back up again, getting up to drop it into the filling bin in the corner. They should probably have that emptied soon, since they'd moved ahead enough that anything left in there wouldn't be relevant and they definitely wouldn't need it anymore, but for now, they would finish lunch first.
Viktor may have physically changed, but mentally he was still the same.
* * *
It wasn't strange to wake up alone, Viktor getting up first to write down a new revelation before he forgot it, so Jayce got ready and headed for the lab, breakfast in hand in case Viktor had decided to skip it again.
When he opened the door, Viktor wasn't working at the blackboard, pacing in front of it instead, his ears flat, his tail twitching.
"What's wrong?" Jayce asked as he closed the door behind him, walking over.
Viktor's jaw tensed, his tail lashing before it settled again. "Nothing. Why would you think there was something wrong?"
"It's a little harder to hide your emotions now," Jayce said, lifting a hand to stroke one of Viktor's ears.
Viktor exhaled, his ears straightening for a second before folding again. "It's less hiding my emotions and more that there's something in the building now that sounds like it's trying to dig into my skull." He tried to lift his ears again, but he flattened them almost as soon as he did. He eyed Jayce. "You can't hear it?"
Jayce turned his head, trying to pick out anything that seemed out of place, but he didn't hear anything new. "No." Was Viktor's hearing more sensitive now since he had larger ears? It would make sense.
Viktor made a grumbling sound as Jayce handed him breakfast.
"Come on," Jayce said, patting his shoulder and leading him back outside.
Viktor looked up at him, an eyebrow raised. "What are you thinking?"
"I want to see if we can find the source." He wouldn't be able to do that himself if he couldn't hear it.
Viktor's ears flattened a little bit more. "It's fine," he muttered. "I'm used to ignoring annoyances."
Jayce glanced back at the blackboard - the calculations were the same as the ones that had been on it the night before. "How much work did you do this morning?"
Another grimace, Viktor relaxing a little as he sighed, leaning against Jayce. "Not as much as I would like."
"Then the faster we sort this out, the faster we can get back to work."
Viktor didn't say anything as they left the lab, but one ear pricked up, swivelling around before flattening again. "True. The source appears to be coming from the north."
"Then that's where we'll start," Jayce said, moving in the direction Viktor had indicated.
* * *
They had visited a few places with no result. Either the walking or the sound was taking a toll on on Viktor, leaning more on Jayce and slowing down the longer they continued.
"Have you made any changes or adjusted the machinery this morning?" Jayce asked the engineer manager, a short man with ginger hair that looked like it had been singed in a few places. They were on the edges of the building, almost the furthest point from the lab, but it seemed a likely place. Though he had thought that of the other places they'd investigated... Still, they were narrowing down where it wasn't.
"The turbines were maintained this morning, like they are every year, sir," the manager said, jerking his head behind him. "Everything is to standard."
"Could you check to make sure everything was put back properly? I just want to make sure everything is running as best as it can." It was easier putting it that way, than drawing their attention to Viktor.
The manager opened his mouth and then closed it, nodding. "Of course, Counsellor." He span on his heel, barking instructions to the other workers. While he did that, Jayce went back to Viktor.
Viktor had found a chair to sit on near the entrance, leaning on his cane in front of him. "They're not very happy about this," he murmured, making Jayce turn back to watch the workers. It looked like they were inspecting everything about the turbines without complaint.
"It wasn't that much of an ask, was it?" And if something hadn't been put back right, doing this could prevent an accident.
Viktor continued watching the workers. "Hmm, they had to delay working today due to the inspection, so they're already behind, and the turbines are large..." He closed his eyes and shook his head slowly. "You can't hear them?"
How sensitive were Viktor's ears now, hearing all that when his ears were flat? "I can't." Even as the turbines wound down, he still couldn't hear much clearly.
Jayce reached over, Viktor tensing when his fingers first caressed the top of his skull, but he relaxed a little as Jayce started massaging the base of an ear. Did it hurt to keep them down all the time, like continually using a muscle? Or was it still better than hearing whatever Viktor was?
They stayed like that for a few minutes, Viktor leaning towards him.
Viktor hummed, moving away from Jayce's touch, and when Jayce tried to follow, he was warned off with a look. "We've wasted a lot of time; this may be a new thing-" Viktor swayed, sucking in a breath.
"Viktor?" Jayce gripped his shoulder, making sure he wouldn't fall if Viktor had suddenly lost his strength. Had they walked too much? He'd made sure Viktor had eaten breakfast, but maybe that wasn't enough. Or was it a new change they hadn't been aware of? "What is it?"
"I think..." Viktor exhaled, and Jayce watched as one ear slowly flicked up, and then the other, both of them swivelling around. Staying up. "I think whatever it is has been fixed."
Grinning, Jayce wrapped an arm around him in celebration before going off to find the manager. Once he told the manager, they could get back to the lab and start working again.
* * *
Viktor was swaying on his feet, leaning more weight on his cane, his hand dipping every so often as he wrote on the blackboard before rising again.
Jayce came up behind him, knowing Viktor knew he was there with his ears pinned to him. "I think it's time to go to bed," he murmured into Viktor's ear, wrapping his hand around Viktor's.
With deft fingers, he removed the chalk and set it down in one of the holders.
"Hmmn," Viktor said, his tail curling around Jayce's leg. "I shhhould..."
"Go to bed," Viktor repeated. "You won't be thinking straight right now anyway." There had been too many times where they thought they'd had a breakthrough one night, and then come the next morning, couldn't make any sense of their notes. "If it's that important, you'll remember tomorrow."
Viktor didn't move, his focus still on the blackboard, as if he was trying to memorise everything that had been written there, before he sighed, leaning back against Jayce. "Yes, I think it's time for bed."
Smiling, Jayce gave him a quick kiss on the temple, and they left the lab together.
* * *
Viktor was tinkering with something when Jayce entered the lab a few days later, the shape instantly recognisable.
"What are you doing?" Viktor's cane hadn't seemed so worn down to need an upgrade, and Viktor hadn't been complaining about it either.
"Trying to design a new cane," Viktor muttered, nodding towards his old cane that was leaning on the table next to him. "My claws are stronger than I thought."
Jayce sat down next to him studying his old cane. There were claw marks along the handle where he held it, and in the space between the arm and hand rest. "What are you thinking?"
"Metal, for a start," Viktor said, turning the prototype in his hand. "Hollowed out to make it lighter."
Jayce nodded. "And the design?"
"Well, I was hoping for your input on that," Viktor said, giving him a small smile.
He smiled in return, reaching for a sheet of paper with some space on it.
* * *
Viktor smirked down at Jayce, bracing his hands on Jayce's shoulders, pinning him to the bed, mindful to keep his claws away from Jayce's skin. "Still interested to see if you can make me purr?"
Jayce grinned back, resting his hands on Viktor's hips. "A little, to hear what you sound like." It was obvious now Viktor was fine; if his instincts or his mental capacity had changed, it would have been obvious by now.
"Hmm, then you'd best try harder than last time."
Chuckling, Jayce ran a hand down Viktor's thigh, Viktor gripping his shoulder. "I accept your challenge."
He would be listening out for purrs, but that wasn't the main goal this time.
* * *
Jayce rubbed his neck as he entered the lab. The council meeting felt like it had gone on for hours but sunlight still st-
He paused, seeing Viktor curled up on the windowsill. That wasn't like him, and as far as Jayce was aware, Viktor had slept well last night.
Viktor was napping, wasn't he? Jayce kept an eye on his chest as he walked over. It rose and fell, Viktor's face relaxed, not grimacing.
Sleeping. Not collapsed.
He sat down next to Viktor, resting his hand on Viktor's shoulder, feeling his warmth. Good. He was okay.
Viktor made a soft sound, one ear flicking towards his hand, his tail curling at the tip. He didn't wake up, but he moved closer until he was pressed against Jayce's thigh.
That seemed to be what he wanted, sighing and then settling down again.
Jayce leaned back against the window, moving his hand up so that he could run his hand through Viktor's hair.
Yeah, a break seemed like a good idea for now.
* * *
Out of habit, Jayce scanned the hall, noting where everyone was, his eyes settling on Vik - oh boy.
Over the years, he'd gotten more experienced at reading Viktor's body language and expressions, but sometimes it was hard to read him, especially when they were in formal events, and revealing a new invention and the socialising that followed after was one such event.
Viktor's transformation made him a little easier to read across the room though, and right now, Viktor's ears were quivering, probably from Viktor trying to control them, and his tail was puffing up every so often as it lashed from side to side. Whatever they were talking about, Viktor wasn't happy.
Jayce strode over, grinning widely as he placed a hand on Viktor's shoulder. "Ah, there you are, Viktor. You don't mind me borrowing my partner for now, do you, Sassan?" He didn't wait for a response. "There's just something I need his input on."
Jayce directed them away, and Viktor exhaled, leaning into him slightly. "What's wrong?"
"It's about the..." Ah, what could he say? There were ears listening on all side.
Viktor's expression cleared. "Oh, that," he said, nodding.
"Yeah, that," Jayce agreed. "We need to see to that immediately."
"Of course."
They exited the hall, Jayce nodding to the guards as they passed.
"I can make it from here," Viktor murmured, relaxing the further they got from the hall. "They won't miss me if I disappear - you on the other hand, they'll wonder where the Councillor has gone."
Jayce sighed, continuing to walk to their bedroom. Viktor was his partner, but he shied from the spotlight and people seemed just more willing to talk to Jayce. "Not immediately."
At that, Viktor snorted. "Everyone saw you leave with me."
...There was that. "And they won't expect me back until later, while we sort out the 'thing'."
It drew a small smile to Viktor's lips. "I didn't see you come up with much better."
"No," Jayce admitted. "But it means I won't have to remember any particular details to make sure it all matches up later." And it was true, in a way. The problem had been Viktor being agitated, and he was dealing with it by getting Viktor out of there.
"But, thank you," Viktor said.
"No problem. Now, let's get you back."
* * *
Viktor wasn't eating. Jayce watched him ignore his food, eyes drifting around the lab.
"Do I need to feed you?" Jayce said, Viktor's attention snapping back to him.
"Mm?"
"We still need to eat, Viktor," he said, scooping up a spoonful of food. "We can't do our best if we miss meals." It was something they sometimes did, when they were too caught up in their latest idea, but Jayce did try to keep regular meals, and Viktor usually ate once he had food in front of him.
He held out the spoon, waving it from side to side, in case that somehow made it more enticing. Viktor tracked it, ears following the movement. "So do I need to feed-"
Viktor leaned forward, taking the spoon in his mouth. He pulled back, swallowing. "Hmm, maybe."
Well, if it got Viktor eating... Jayce got another spoonful ready, Viktor already watching the spoon, his tail swishing from the corner of Jayce's eye.
* * *
Jayce approached Viktor in the lab, turning a new idea in his head. "Hey, what do you thi-"
Viktor's ears flattened and he whirled on Jayce, grimacing.
"...What?" Had he forgotten somet-
"What are you wearing?" Viktor demanded, his nose wrinkling.
Jayce looked down. It was his usual dress, and that couldn't be what Viktor was reacting to, since he already knew something was up before he turned around. Was it something he smelled of?
Oh.
"A gift from our new visitors," Jayce said, pulling at his top to sniff at the cologne again. "You don't like it?" It hadn't seemed that too strong when he'd put it on.
"I'd rather not have my nose assaulted every time you come near me."
That strong? Damn. "Do you want me to-"
Viktor grabbed him by the lapels, jerking him forward a step.
"Wha-?"
Viktor closed the space, pressing up against Jayce, rubbing his face against Jayce's neck.
Before Jayce could make sense of what he was doing, Viktor stepped back again, studying him as he sniffed the air. He nodded in satisfaction. "Much better." That done, Viktor turned his attention back to the blackboard.
Uh, all right...? So Viktor's sense of smell was stronger too now?
* * *
"This should make the hexclaw less sensitive," Jayce said, watching Viktor slip on the controlling glove. But they'd thought that about their previous adjustments as well.
"If not, I think I know what needs to be changed," Viktor said, flexing his hand, making sure the glove fit. They'd had to make a few changes so that Viktor's claws and fur didn't get caught, but the design was better, and they were able to think about how the glove would be used by different people of different sizes.
"Hey, let's see if it works or not before we start thinking about what to do next," Jayce said with a small laugh. They couldn't get too ahead of themselves, or else they would lose sight of what was right in front of them.
"Hmm."
He quietened down as Viktor pointed, making sure neither of them were distracted.
The beam was steady, the colour a little brighter. It appeared to cut through about the same, though they would have to measure the deepness once Vik...
Jayce frowned. The beam wasn't moving, focused on one spot, cutting through the block. He glanced at Viktor, who was staring at the beam, his tail flicking at the tip.
Viktor took a breath, and Jayce heard the beam move again. Except it wasn't a drawing or writing to show precision like Viktor normally did. It was just a bunch of short zigzagging lines with no order. The beam stopped a few seconds later with a crackle, and Viktor yanked the glove off.
"I think...I need some sleep," Viktor said, setting the glove down.
It was starting to get dark. "Let's go," Jayce said, watching Viktor. His shoulders were trembling, his ears flat. He must have been more tired than he realised.
They left for their bedroom together.
* * *
Viktor had been missing for a few days. It...wasn't unusual, and something Jayce had gotten used to, but their last test with the hexclaw weighed on Jayce's mind. He'd tested it himself and their changes had helped, but... There was something about how Viktor had reacted afterwards.
He turned his head at the sound of the door opening, relief flooding him as he saw-
His grin fell. "Viktor?" he said as he rushed over. "What happened?" Viktor had entered without his cane, dragging his foot a little as he walked in. Had he been mugged?
Viktor didn't reply, his ears pricked, and his tail at a relaxed curl. Focused on reaching Jayce. His expression seemed...a little blank. Jayce didn't like it; it wasn't like him.
Jayce reached him, placing his hands on Viktor's shoulders, trying to see if there were any injuries or bruises. Nothing that he could s-
Viktor's eyes were slitted, Jayce realised, now that he was closer. They only used to do that when Viktor was excited about something, but there was nothing to be excited about here. Viktor hadn't been working on a calc-
"Ow!" Jayce winced. Viktor had lifted his hands to rest them on Jayce's chest, flexing them so his claws dug into Jayce's skin. "What are you..."
Viktor continued doing that. Like a cat trying to make a good spot for themselves.
That wasn't what made Jayce's heart drop.
It was the low droning in the air that hadn't been there before. It was a continuous sound, and when Viktor pressed up to him, the sound vibrated through Jayce's chest.
A purr.
"Viktor...?" Jayce whispered.
Viktor lifted his head to look at him, and as he blinked slowly, Jayce saw a third eyelid sweep across his eyes.
No...
The sound was all Jayce could hear over the sound of his own thundering heartbeat.
It didn't make sense. They'd checked and Viktor hadn't reacted! Viktor had been the same!
Except, how much had his behaviour changed over the last couple weeks? It hadn't been anything too obvious or sudden, just a few small things that they had assumed was part of his new senses.
Viktor still didn't say anything, the purr growing louder as he rested his head on Jayce's shoulder, rubbing his cheek there.
Jayce had been curious to know if Viktor could purr, but now that he could hear it, he didn't want to hear it ever again.
Summary: Jayce was curious to know if Viktor could purr after his transformation.
Contains: Jayce/Viktor, catboy!Viktor, sad ending
Notes: Set after S1, but ignoring the ending.
Rating: G
Genre: General
Word count: 4,478
Status: Complete
"I think we need to slow down," Jayce said, watching Viktor eat as they had dinner in the lab, hunched around the one small table that wasn't covered in blueprints, calculations or prototypes.
The tip of Viktor's right new triangular ear flicked, mirrored by his raised eyebrow. "Oh?"
Why was there even a question? When Viktor brought his fork up, Jayce's attention was drawn to his transformed hand, the brown short fur covering the back of his hand, his nails now curving down into sharp claws.
"I just want to make sure you're all right first." What if the transformation had changed more than just his body?
Viktor took a bite, and were his incisors longer than before? "What happened to forging ahead for the sake of progress?"
Jayce ran a hand down his face as he sighed. "There's a difference between getting caught up in the moment and dealing with the aftermath." And currently? Viktor was doing both. "We have a result, so now we can recalibrate, find what-"
"We can do that by using the hexcore again," Viktor said, his gaze steadily.
"We don't know how much it's changed you, if it's affected you in other ways."
Viktor huffed, tracing small signs in the air with his fork. "I feel fine," he said as he continued eating.
Jayce watched him for a few more seconds before he sagged, nodding. "I know. I'm just...worried." He started eating, his food a little cooler than it had been a few minutes ago. But Viktor still sounded like himself, was still talking.
He would keep an eye on Viktor in the meantime though, just in case.
"No, no, no," Viktor said, shaking his head, the tips of his ears quivering. "That wouldn't work because..."
Jayce had been listening, waiting to see if he could follow Viktor's thought process, and he saw Viktor's pupils constrict to slits, his ears going stiff.
Without explaining, Viktor span around, his tail swishing and batting Jayce in the leg as he strode towards the blackboard.
Viktor's tail flicked from side to side, like he was on the hunt and Jayce couldn't help himself smiling as he followed. They had been all this time, hadn't they?
"Do you think you can purr?" Jayce wondered out loud as he opened the door to their bedroom.
"Very scientific," Viktor said, amusement clear.
"There is a scientific reason for it!" He held the door open and Viktor headed in.
"Which is?"
Incessant curiosity. "Iiinnn case you've changed where we can't see or test. And it would be a good way to check if your instincts have been affected, since we don't purr." Obviously.
Viktor leaned his weight on his cane some more, his tail swinging left and right in slow arcs. Jayce had started to recognise it as something it would do when Viktor was thinking hard about something. "And your proposal to make me purr?"
There were a lot of things Jayce could think of that he was sure would make Viktor purr, and by Viktor's slowly growing smirk, he had the same idea as well.
Jayce closed the space between them, tracing his fingers along Viktor's jaw before leaning in to kiss him.
Viktor narrowed his eyes at him, his ears pinned on Jayce, when he pulled away. "You don't seem that invested in researching your hypothesis."
"Just setting a baseline," Jayce said, reaching up to rub at the base of Viktor's cat ear, where he knew he was more sensitive. "So we have something to compare to." It made sense.
"Then you'd best start comparing," Viktor said, leaning into his touch, his eyes going to half-mast.
Grinning, Jayce leaned in again.
"I think that experiment yielded no results," Viktor said, as he pulled the blanket up to cover himself afterwards.
"Hey! I think there was some bias going on," Jayce protested. He was still too far hot and he would wait until his heart rate had settled down first before crawling under to join Viktor.
"Oh?"
"You were trying not to purr." He had seen Viktor trying to keep quiet, biting his lip at times, which had made him push all that harder. Even then, there had been no purrs; there had been lots of other sounds though, which made up for it.
Viktor smirked briefly before he yawned, his ears flipping back. "If you can't make me purr after trying, then we can confirm my hypothesis was correct and all changes are surface only."
"Under one instance," Jayce countered as he moved back under the blanket. "We have to repeat it to make sure."
Viktor's eyes were drooping, but he moved closer, Jayce wrapping an arm around him. "Under the same conditions or...more intense?" he murmured against Jayce's chest.
"Both?" Both was a good idea.
He got a snort as a reply. "Next time."
Jayce grinned, drawing slow circles over Viktor's skin. "Of course." Then they could plan out what exactly they could try.
Viktor didn't say anything else, his breathing evening out as he fell asleep. Jayce listened to him for a minute or so, before following him.
"Do you think catnip would work on you?" Jayce asked. The purring experiment hadn't shown anything, but testing how Viktor's body reacted to catnip could show something else.
"Another test?" One of Viktor's ears turned towards Jayce, and that was one of the best indicators now to see how much Viktor was paying attention when he was working on a calculation or something else.
"I wouldn't be a scientist if I didn't want to test everything." He was still worried about Viktor, but Viktor seemed to be settling into the new changes.
"I seem to remember a few times when you didn't," Viktor said, still working on his calculation, but Jayce could just see his small smirk.
"We were under time constraints then!" They hadn't been allowed to test as extensively as they wanted. It had worked out in the end with...only a few hiccups, and they'd learned more about what they needed to improve on. It still wasn't something Jayce wanted to do every time.
He heard Viktor's low laugh, the final tap of chalk on the blackboard as he finished, before he turned around to face Jayce. "We can try it."
"Really?"
Viktor nodded, his gaze flicking over Jayce. "Where are you holding it?"
Oh. "I haven't got any on me." He hadn't expected Viktor to agree straight away, so he hadn't bought any.
Viktor shook his head, but Jayce could see the smile he was fighting back as he walked over. "I suppose it's near lunchtime. We can find some and then eat here."
"Sure!" Jayce wanted to test Viktor's changes, but this was the only time he hoped his theory would be wrong.
Jayce watched Viktor roll the small bag of catnip they'd bought between his hands, used enough to his changes now to keep his claws away from the fabric. Viktor had gone through a few clothes near the start when his claws had caught and just tore holes through them.
"You look more worried than I feel," Viktor said, lifting his gaze to look at Jayce.
"Well, can you blame me? If you do react to it, what then?" Physical changes for the sake of progress, maybe. But the potential for losing himself, losing Viktor completely? It wasn't something Jayce wanted.
"We would figure something out," Viktor said, fingers, going to the drawstrings. "We always do."
They did.
Jayce still couldn't help holding his breath as Viktor opened the bag. Viktor stopping himself from purring was one thing, but he couldn't stop how his body would react to drugs.
The reaction was instantaneous.
Viktor grimaced, jerking his head back as his ears flattened.
Jayce breathed out. "No?"
"No," Viktor confirmed, still grimacing. "It's too sharp, and I certainly feel no change in my mental facilities or have an urge to run or anything else."
"Good." Jayce relaxed, watching Viktor tie the bag back up again, getting up to drop it into the filling bin in the corner. They should probably have that emptied soon, since they'd moved ahead enough that anything left in there wouldn't be relevant and they definitely wouldn't need it anymore, but for now, they would finish lunch first.
Viktor may have physically changed, but mentally he was still the same.
It wasn't strange to wake up alone, Viktor getting up first to write down a new revelation before he forgot it, so Jayce got ready and headed for the lab, breakfast in hand in case Viktor had decided to skip it again.
When he opened the door, Viktor wasn't working at the blackboard, pacing in front of it instead, his ears flat, his tail twitching.
"What's wrong?" Jayce asked as he closed the door behind him, walking over.
Viktor's jaw tensed, his tail lashing before it settled again. "Nothing. Why would you think there was something wrong?"
"It's a little harder to hide your emotions now," Jayce said, lifting a hand to stroke one of Viktor's ears.
Viktor exhaled, his ears straightening for a second before folding again. "It's less hiding my emotions and more that there's something in the building now that sounds like it's trying to dig into my skull." He tried to lift his ears again, but he flattened them almost as soon as he did. He eyed Jayce. "You can't hear it?"
Jayce turned his head, trying to pick out anything that seemed out of place, but he didn't hear anything new. "No." Was Viktor's hearing more sensitive now since he had larger ears? It would make sense.
Viktor made a grumbling sound as Jayce handed him breakfast.
"Come on," Jayce said, patting his shoulder and leading him back outside.
Viktor looked up at him, an eyebrow raised. "What are you thinking?"
"I want to see if we can find the source." He wouldn't be able to do that himself if he couldn't hear it.
Viktor's ears flattened a little bit more. "It's fine," he muttered. "I'm used to ignoring annoyances."
Jayce glanced back at the blackboard - the calculations were the same as the ones that had been on it the night before. "How much work did you do this morning?"
Another grimace, Viktor relaxing a little as he sighed, leaning against Jayce. "Not as much as I would like."
"Then the faster we sort this out, the faster we can get back to work."
Viktor didn't say anything as they left the lab, but one ear pricked up, swivelling around before flattening again. "True. The source appears to be coming from the north."
"Then that's where we'll start," Jayce said, moving in the direction Viktor had indicated.
They had visited a few places with no result. Either the walking or the sound was taking a toll on on Viktor, leaning more on Jayce and slowing down the longer they continued.
"Have you made any changes or adjusted the machinery this morning?" Jayce asked the engineer manager, a short man with ginger hair that looked like it had been singed in a few places. They were on the edges of the building, almost the furthest point from the lab, but it seemed a likely place. Though he had thought that of the other places they'd investigated... Still, they were narrowing down where it wasn't.
"The turbines were maintained this morning, like they are every year, sir," the manager said, jerking his head behind him. "Everything is to standard."
"Could you check to make sure everything was put back properly? I just want to make sure everything is running as best as it can." It was easier putting it that way, than drawing their attention to Viktor.
The manager opened his mouth and then closed it, nodding. "Of course, Counsellor." He span on his heel, barking instructions to the other workers. While he did that, Jayce went back to Viktor.
Viktor had found a chair to sit on near the entrance, leaning on his cane in front of him. "They're not very happy about this," he murmured, making Jayce turn back to watch the workers. It looked like they were inspecting everything about the turbines without complaint.
"It wasn't that much of an ask, was it?" And if something hadn't been put back right, doing this could prevent an accident.
Viktor continued watching the workers. "Hmm, they had to delay working today due to the inspection, so they're already behind, and the turbines are large..." He closed his eyes and shook his head slowly. "You can't hear them?"
How sensitive were Viktor's ears now, hearing all that when his ears were flat? "I can't." Even as the turbines wound down, he still couldn't hear much clearly.
Jayce reached over, Viktor tensing when his fingers first caressed the top of his skull, but he relaxed a little as Jayce started massaging the base of an ear. Did it hurt to keep them down all the time, like continually using a muscle? Or was it still better than hearing whatever Viktor was?
They stayed like that for a few minutes, Viktor leaning towards him.
Viktor hummed, moving away from Jayce's touch, and when Jayce tried to follow, he was warned off with a look. "We've wasted a lot of time; this may be a new thing-" Viktor swayed, sucking in a breath.
"Viktor?" Jayce gripped his shoulder, making sure he wouldn't fall if Viktor had suddenly lost his strength. Had they walked too much? He'd made sure Viktor had eaten breakfast, but maybe that wasn't enough. Or was it a new change they hadn't been aware of? "What is it?"
"I think..." Viktor exhaled, and Jayce watched as one ear slowly flicked up, and then the other, both of them swivelling around. Staying up. "I think whatever it is has been fixed."
Grinning, Jayce wrapped an arm around him in celebration before going off to find the manager. Once he told the manager, they could get back to the lab and start working again.
Viktor was swaying on his feet, leaning more weight on his cane, his hand dipping every so often as he wrote on the blackboard before rising again.
Jayce came up behind him, knowing Viktor knew he was there with his ears pinned to him. "I think it's time to go to bed," he murmured into Viktor's ear, wrapping his hand around Viktor's.
With deft fingers, he removed the chalk and set it down in one of the holders.
"Hmmn," Viktor said, his tail curling around Jayce's leg. "I shhhould..."
"Go to bed," Viktor repeated. "You won't be thinking straight right now anyway." There had been too many times where they thought they'd had a breakthrough one night, and then come the next morning, couldn't make any sense of their notes. "If it's that important, you'll remember tomorrow."
Viktor didn't move, his focus still on the blackboard, as if he was trying to memorise everything that had been written there, before he sighed, leaning back against Jayce. "Yes, I think it's time for bed."
Smiling, Jayce gave him a quick kiss on the temple, and they left the lab together.
Viktor was tinkering with something when Jayce entered the lab a few days later, the shape instantly recognisable.
"What are you doing?" Viktor's cane hadn't seemed so worn down to need an upgrade, and Viktor hadn't been complaining about it either.
"Trying to design a new cane," Viktor muttered, nodding towards his old cane that was leaning on the table next to him. "My claws are stronger than I thought."
Jayce sat down next to him studying his old cane. There were claw marks along the handle where he held it, and in the space between the arm and hand rest. "What are you thinking?"
"Metal, for a start," Viktor said, turning the prototype in his hand. "Hollowed out to make it lighter."
Jayce nodded. "And the design?"
"Well, I was hoping for your input on that," Viktor said, giving him a small smile.
He smiled in return, reaching for a sheet of paper with some space on it.
Viktor smirked down at Jayce, bracing his hands on Jayce's shoulders, pinning him to the bed, mindful to keep his claws away from Jayce's skin. "Still interested to see if you can make me purr?"
Jayce grinned back, resting his hands on Viktor's hips. "A little, to hear what you sound like." It was obvious now Viktor was fine; if his instincts or his mental capacity had changed, it would have been obvious by now.
"Hmm, then you'd best try harder than last time."
Chuckling, Jayce ran a hand down Viktor's thigh, Viktor gripping his shoulder. "I accept your challenge."
He would be listening out for purrs, but that wasn't the main goal this time.
Jayce rubbed his neck as he entered the lab. The council meeting felt like it had gone on for hours but sunlight still st-
He paused, seeing Viktor curled up on the windowsill. That wasn't like him, and as far as Jayce was aware, Viktor had slept well last night.
Viktor was napping, wasn't he? Jayce kept an eye on his chest as he walked over. It rose and fell, Viktor's face relaxed, not grimacing.
Sleeping. Not collapsed.
He sat down next to Viktor, resting his hand on Viktor's shoulder, feeling his warmth. Good. He was okay.
Viktor made a soft sound, one ear flicking towards his hand, his tail curling at the tip. He didn't wake up, but he moved closer until he was pressed against Jayce's thigh.
That seemed to be what he wanted, sighing and then settling down again.
Jayce leaned back against the window, moving his hand up so that he could run his hand through Viktor's hair.
Yeah, a break seemed like a good idea for now.
Out of habit, Jayce scanned the hall, noting where everyone was, his eyes settling on Vik - oh boy.
Over the years, he'd gotten more experienced at reading Viktor's body language and expressions, but sometimes it was hard to read him, especially when they were in formal events, and revealing a new invention and the socialising that followed after was one such event.
Viktor's transformation made him a little easier to read across the room though, and right now, Viktor's ears were quivering, probably from Viktor trying to control them, and his tail was puffing up every so often as it lashed from side to side. Whatever they were talking about, Viktor wasn't happy.
Jayce strode over, grinning widely as he placed a hand on Viktor's shoulder. "Ah, there you are, Viktor. You don't mind me borrowing my partner for now, do you, Sassan?" He didn't wait for a response. "There's just something I need his input on."
Jayce directed them away, and Viktor exhaled, leaning into him slightly. "What's wrong?"
"It's about the..." Ah, what could he say? There were ears listening on all side.
Viktor's expression cleared. "Oh, that," he said, nodding.
"Yeah, that," Jayce agreed. "We need to see to that immediately."
"Of course."
They exited the hall, Jayce nodding to the guards as they passed.
"I can make it from here," Viktor murmured, relaxing the further they got from the hall. "They won't miss me if I disappear - you on the other hand, they'll wonder where the Councillor has gone."
Jayce sighed, continuing to walk to their bedroom. Viktor was his partner, but he shied from the spotlight and people seemed just more willing to talk to Jayce. "Not immediately."
At that, Viktor snorted. "Everyone saw you leave with me."
...There was that. "And they won't expect me back until later, while we sort out the 'thing'."
It drew a small smile to Viktor's lips. "I didn't see you come up with much better."
"No," Jayce admitted. "But it means I won't have to remember any particular details to make sure it all matches up later." And it was true, in a way. The problem had been Viktor being agitated, and he was dealing with it by getting Viktor out of there.
"But, thank you," Viktor said.
"No problem. Now, let's get you back."
Viktor wasn't eating. Jayce watched him ignore his food, eyes drifting around the lab.
"Do I need to feed you?" Jayce said, Viktor's attention snapping back to him.
"Mm?"
"We still need to eat, Viktor," he said, scooping up a spoonful of food. "We can't do our best if we miss meals." It was something they sometimes did, when they were too caught up in their latest idea, but Jayce did try to keep regular meals, and Viktor usually ate once he had food in front of him.
He held out the spoon, waving it from side to side, in case that somehow made it more enticing. Viktor tracked it, ears following the movement. "So do I need to feed-"
Viktor leaned forward, taking the spoon in his mouth. He pulled back, swallowing. "Hmm, maybe."
Well, if it got Viktor eating... Jayce got another spoonful ready, Viktor already watching the spoon, his tail swishing from the corner of Jayce's eye.
Jayce approached Viktor in the lab, turning a new idea in his head. "Hey, what do you thi-"
Viktor's ears flattened and he whirled on Jayce, grimacing.
"...What?" Had he forgotten somet-
"What are you wearing?" Viktor demanded, his nose wrinkling.
Jayce looked down. It was his usual dress, and that couldn't be what Viktor was reacting to, since he already knew something was up before he turned around. Was it something he smelled of?
Oh.
"A gift from our new visitors," Jayce said, pulling at his top to sniff at the cologne again. "You don't like it?" It hadn't seemed that too strong when he'd put it on.
"I'd rather not have my nose assaulted every time you come near me."
That strong? Damn. "Do you want me to-"
Viktor grabbed him by the lapels, jerking him forward a step.
"Wha-?"
Viktor closed the space, pressing up against Jayce, rubbing his face against Jayce's neck.
Before Jayce could make sense of what he was doing, Viktor stepped back again, studying him as he sniffed the air. He nodded in satisfaction. "Much better." That done, Viktor turned his attention back to the blackboard.
Uh, all right...? So Viktor's sense of smell was stronger too now?
"This should make the hexclaw less sensitive," Jayce said, watching Viktor slip on the controlling glove. But they'd thought that about their previous adjustments as well.
"If not, I think I know what needs to be changed," Viktor said, flexing his hand, making sure the glove fit. They'd had to make a few changes so that Viktor's claws and fur didn't get caught, but the design was better, and they were able to think about how the glove would be used by different people of different sizes.
"Hey, let's see if it works or not before we start thinking about what to do next," Jayce said with a small laugh. They couldn't get too ahead of themselves, or else they would lose sight of what was right in front of them.
"Hmm."
He quietened down as Viktor pointed, making sure neither of them were distracted.
The beam was steady, the colour a little brighter. It appeared to cut through about the same, though they would have to measure the deepness once Vik...
Jayce frowned. The beam wasn't moving, focused on one spot, cutting through the block. He glanced at Viktor, who was staring at the beam, his tail flicking at the tip.
Viktor took a breath, and Jayce heard the beam move again. Except it wasn't a drawing or writing to show precision like Viktor normally did. It was just a bunch of short zigzagging lines with no order. The beam stopped a few seconds later with a crackle, and Viktor yanked the glove off.
"I think...I need some sleep," Viktor said, setting the glove down.
It was starting to get dark. "Let's go," Jayce said, watching Viktor. His shoulders were trembling, his ears flat. He must have been more tired than he realised.
They left for their bedroom together.
Viktor had been missing for a few days. It...wasn't unusual, and something Jayce had gotten used to, but their last test with the hexclaw weighed on Jayce's mind. He'd tested it himself and their changes had helped, but... There was something about how Viktor had reacted afterwards.
He turned his head at the sound of the door opening, relief flooding him as he saw-
His grin fell. "Viktor?" he said as he rushed over. "What happened?" Viktor had entered without his cane, dragging his foot a little as he walked in. Had he been mugged?
Viktor didn't reply, his ears pricked, and his tail at a relaxed curl. Focused on reaching Jayce. His expression seemed...a little blank. Jayce didn't like it; it wasn't like him.
Jayce reached him, placing his hands on Viktor's shoulders, trying to see if there were any injuries or bruises. Nothing that he could s-
Viktor's eyes were slitted, Jayce realised, now that he was closer. They only used to do that when Viktor was excited about something, but there was nothing to be excited about here. Viktor hadn't been working on a calc-
"Ow!" Jayce winced. Viktor had lifted his hands to rest them on Jayce's chest, flexing them so his claws dug into Jayce's skin. "What are you..."
Viktor continued doing that. Like a cat trying to make a good spot for themselves.
That wasn't what made Jayce's heart drop.
It was the low droning in the air that hadn't been there before. It was a continuous sound, and when Viktor pressed up to him, the sound vibrated through Jayce's chest.
A purr.
"Viktor...?" Jayce whispered.
Viktor lifted his head to look at him, and as he blinked slowly, Jayce saw a third eyelid sweep across his eyes.
No...
The sound was all Jayce could hear over the sound of his own thundering heartbeat.
It didn't make sense. They'd checked and Viktor hadn't reacted! Viktor had been the same!
Except, how much had his behaviour changed over the last couple weeks? It hadn't been anything too obvious or sudden, just a few small things that they had assumed was part of his new senses.
Viktor still didn't say anything, the purr growing louder as he rested his head on Jayce's shoulder, rubbing his cheek there.
Jayce had been curious to know if Viktor could purr, but now that he could hear it, he didn't want to hear it ever again.