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findmeinthelake · 1 year

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Steel (Jayvik Fanfic)

Chapter One: Transformation

Note: This is also posted to my Ao3, which is under the exact same username

Jayce x Viktor (Arcane), tension, angst, Viktor becoming Machine Herald, Machine Herald

"Those stupid words that came out of Jayce's lips... fuck."

“Jayce will understand.”

His previous choice of words still stuck in his head, bouncing off his skull and causing yet another headache.

Viktor sighed.

Jayce did not understand, yet here Viktor stood- next to his friend whom he loved dearly. Why did he do these things for Jayce when he got nothing in return?

Love. Unconditional love.

---

“Mel?” Jayce called, coughing and covering his eyes, shielding them from the dust that clouded the room.

Soft groans came from the rubble, the remnants of the council chambers shifting as those who survived cried out for help.

The Golden Boy dove at the stones, trying to find his lover. He sifted through the pile, looking for any sign of life.

“Please, Mel…” Jayce whispered, “Please.”

For a while, there was nothing but the sound of falling rocks and the pitter patter of enforcer footsteps.

Then came the sobs, awful screams of agony. No one could tell if it was a trapped soul, or the one who found their body.

That, right there, was his biggest mistake.

Dark grey rocks crumbled as Viktor tried moving his already weakened limbs. This was going to get nowhere.

He inhaled sharply, holding back coughs of dust to listen in. Faintly, Viktor could hear Jayce calling out.

His amber eyes lit up as he gained hope, thinking, no, knowing, his partner was looking for him. Viktor could finally smile.

“Mel… please.”

Viktor barely heard the whispers from under the rubble, struggling to free his left arm that had become pinned between two pieces of metal.

Those stupid words that came out of Jayce’s lips… fuck.

No one was looking for him.

No one cared.

---

The lab was just like how he left it- messy. Good. He knew where everything was left.

Viktor limped over, not wearing the glove that had previously concealed his augmented hand. He dropped his crutch, gathering his supplies.

He frantically scooped up blueprints and materials, shoving them into a bag. Jayce will miss none of this. He thought to himself.

Jayce never noticed anything anymore.

Viktor sighed, double-checking that he grabbed everything of importance. Yup.

He was good to go.

“Home sweet home.” Viktor murmured, walking down the entrance of the cave. He carried his belongings in a heavy bag, straining his shoulder.

“I assume he didn’t.” The Doctor spoke, bandages covering his mouth as he answered the statement from days ago.

Viktor shook his head in disappointment. “He… he did not.” He calmly spoke, setting his bag of stuff down.

Singed had a history with Viktor, as they had met when the young boy stumbled into his lab. They didn’t see entirely eye to eye on things, but, ends could be met.

The older man didn’t have to ask. He eyed Viktor’s altered leg, examining the purple and black skin. “Are you willing to give up valuable things?”

“Like what?” Viktor asked, cocking his head. He had already lost his friend, his lab, and his trust in people.

Flicking a vial, Singed replied with two words. A horrifying trade.

“Your humanity.”

Viktor gave a slow nod, accepting the consequences.

Singed smiled, glad his old friend was beginning to agree with him.

“Get rid of all of it. I want it all gone.” Viktor muttered, “Every last part that renders me slower- more of a, how do you put this, risk? Anything you can do, do it.”

The chemist nodded, walking over towards Viktor. “It will take a toll on you. Emotions are what drive the mind, boy.”

Viktor closed his watery eyes, whispering “I don’t want to be human anymore.”

“As you wish.” Singed replied, tracing Viktor’s arm with the needle. He flicked the scientist’s small tricep, squeezing around his arm to find the vein.

The needle had a cool sensation. Viktor didn’t question what was being injected in him, as he didn’t wish to know the pain he would endure. Yet. All things have a price. His amber eyes got heavy, weighing down on his face. He watched Singed grab a small saw, blinking rapidly as the restraints were tightened.

---

Was it real gold? Or was it fake, just in place to make Piltover, The City of Progress, look exquisite?

Why is this the shit I ponder? Jayce scolded himself. He could be doing something important- something worthwhile. But no. He sat and stared at the fancy ass door that should’ve been opened over an hour ago.

“Mr. Talis?” A voice called, the sharp steps echoing around the room.

Jayce perked up, scratching at the side of his face where the cut was. “Yes?” He asked, standing up and turning towards the enforcer. He wiped the small amount of blood off his cheek. The stupid thing kept reopening… constant reminder that he failed.

The enforcer coughed, crumpling the piece of paper. “There is still no sign of Viktor.” She paused, watching the Councilor’s expression turn from hopeful to blank. “He is now presumed dead, most likely caught in the blast of the explosion and, well, vaporized.”

Vaporized.

With a quickened heartbeat, Jayce whimpered. No… that can’t be true. Not Vik… A tear ran down his cheek, running over the small cut. First Mel, now this?

“You’re certain?”

“Yes, sir. Viktor is dead.”

The world froze. Nothing mattered anymore. Years down the drain… Everything was so real now, coming into the limelight and falling onto him. He never got to say goodbye.

Without another word, Jayce headed out the door. Surely there would be some clues in the lab, right? Work Viktor left behind?

Jayce opened the door, twisting the familiar key in his hand. He peered in, wide-eyed and half expecting to see his old partner at work on one of their many projects.

He walked along the lengthy desk, tracing his index finger in the dust, drawing obscure shapes. Maybe if he had paid more attention to Viktor, he would know where to look.

The hexcore was gone, but even when Vik was… alive… it was gone. Maybe Heimerdinger had it destroyed in secret?

“We could have done so much together…” Jayce whispered to the nothingness in the room, waiting for a response that wouldn’t come.

If only you didn’t leave him- and for a girl of all things. Maybe he would have trusted you more. Confided in you. But NO.

Jayce winced, clawing at his temples and tearing the wound on his upper cheek open. “Go away… please.” He whimpered, staring at the center of the room. He contemplated grabbing the pistol he now carried.

Nothing responded.

He was alone. No one was left to do his work, look after him, let him lean on them- they were all fucking gone because of him. He could’ve done more.

Progress isn’t something that comes to those who don’t strive for it. The future is now, and the past needs to be left behind. The dawn of tomorrow is coming, and Jayce doesn’t want to be left behind.

That is his greatest fear.

---

Nothing.

Viktor grunted, struggling against the restraints. He didn’t say anything- didn’t want to see. His eyes were wide with excitement, but also regret.

“You’re awake?” Singed spoke, walking over to the boy and grabbing him by the jaw, using a small flashlight to look into his pupils.

The Inventor nodded, a million thoughts surging through his mind. Did it go well? How far along was he? Is he gone?

Singed undid the restraints, occasionally glancing up at the man he operated on. “It’s just your legs for now.” He paused, undoing the last restraint and pointing at the ground, “Test them out, go on.”

Viktor furrowed his brows, asking “Why not the other parts-”

“I need to see how your body reacts to the change. I know you mixed magic and science by carving runes into yourself, and by doing that, you made yourself the one controlled variable we are allowed.” The Chemist explained, blankly stating what he found to be quite obvious.

Cold. Viktor traced the steel with his fingers, standing up and shaking. It would take him a minute to find his balance, but he could walk.

He grinned.

The new limbs were quite nice indeed. He paced around the room, flexing the metal limbs. “They’re beautiful.” He whispered, “More, please, doctor.” He asked, sitting on the table once more.

“I cannot pair your nerves with the mechanics- you will never be able to feel anything with your hands again.” Singed muttered, his mask slipping. He almost felt bad for the boy.

Viktor nodded. “My organs- can you replace them too?”

Singed silently agreed.

Viktor leaned back, closing his eyes as Singed flooded his bloodstream with shimmer. Now would hopefully be the final time.

An orange glow tinted the room, only the experiment tubes providing other light. The steady sound of creaking filled the space, water dripping from somewhere above.

Without a word, Viktor opened his eyes. He moved his limbs, noticing he wasn’t tethered down to the operating table like before.

“I wasn’t sure if you’d wake up.”

Viktor looked towards the Chemist, standing up. “How long has it been?” He asked, blankly stating the question.

Singed sighed, “Almost one month. Your body took quite the toll.” He explained, finding a mirror for the boy to look into. “The shimmer has a fair share of side effects, which would explain your prolonged sleep.”

The face in the mirror was not one Viktor recognized. His eyes were a milky shade of black, only having his amber pupils to stand out. Cheeks that were once colorless were now replaced with steel. A neck with many unique marks was covered in sections of metal, moving smoothly on itself.

“I hope you like it.” Singed whispered, watching Viktor touch his new face with metal fingertips.

“I am satisfied.” Viktor replied, a faint smile cracking on his lips. He ran his new hands through his fluffy brown hair, twisting it around his fingers like he used to as a boy.

Nothing. He felt nothing.

The Mechanical Man unbuttoned his shirt, looking at his torso. He still had some skin, but his ribcage was guarded by a steel chamber, along with his spine that ran up the back of his head.

Singed explained “I hope you don’t mind the small changes. I had to extend it slightly up the back of your skull after I… altered your brain.”

Viktor felt at the back of his head, hearing only the sound of metal on metal. His brown waves that were previously there were cut, replaced by the steel plating. He still had most of his hair, but the sections near the metal were cut extremely short to account for the surgery.

“It’s only a small section that is hidden.” Viktor replied, shrugging before putting his shirt back on. “Even then, it doesn’t matter.”

“Then it worked.” Singed smirked. “Before, you would have thrown a small fit.”

The Scientist nodded. “Good. Then I look relatively the same, aside from the sides of my cheeks and eyes?”

Singed coughed, “Yes.” He murmured, handing Viktor a small metal mask. “This is so you aren’t… how should I say this… ostracized? Society won’t like you like this.”

Viktor took the mask, examining it. It was beautifully crafted as a gift for him. “Thank you, Doctor.” He smiled, “But society didn’t like me before, it will be no different now.”

“They will hate you.”

“So be it.” Viktor muttered, attaching the mask to his face. It heavily altered his voice, giving it more of a… robotic feel. “I have things I need from my lab.”

---

Jayce walked down the hallway, doing his nightly walk.

It was a new routine for him- pace around and think.

He passed the lab twice now. Jayce avoided the door like the disease it was- it had ruined his life once, and he wasn’t going to let it ruin it again.

CLANK.

A rattling sound came from the lab, followed by a string of angry curse words.

Jayce stood in front of the door, his hand inches away from the handle. Should he open it? What if it is bad?

His curiosity got the best of him. Jayce twisted the knob, entering the room. His hazel eyes met an orange glow coming from the desk as someone, or something, rummaged through the drawers.

“Show yourself!” Jayce barked, ordering the thief to step into the light. “I’m armed!” He yelled, holding the weapon at his side.

The stranger walked over, revealing a mask of steel. He stared at Jayce, watching him tremble.

Jayce shook, eyeing the tufts of brown hair that stuck out into a similar fashion that Viktor’s did. “Vik?” He whispered, lowering the gun.

“What?” Viktor mumbled, his voice masked by metal. “Did you really th- OW FUCK.” He yelled, holding his side.

Jayce panicked, looking at the gun he just fired. “Oh my god…”

Viktor swatted at Jayce, “Get away from me, traitor!” He grunted, shoving more stuff into his bag with gloved hands.

“They told me you were dead…” Jayce cried, dropping the gun. “I thought I lost you.”

“You have.” Viktor blankly stated, eyeing the ‘Golden Boy’. “Now, leave.”

Jayce shook his head, “No, absolutely- absolutely not!” He yelled, walking rapidly towards Viktor and jumping at his face.

Trying to shake him off, Viktor grabbed at Jayce. “Get off me, dammit!”

“What did they do to you?” Jayce yelled, pulling at the mask. “I can help you, Vik, we all can- the city will help you. I am here for-”

Jayce went silent as he fell to the floor, carrying the mask with him. He looked up at his old friend’s face, seeing his altered eyes and the steel on his cheeks and neck.

“I did this to myself.” Viktor answered, staring at Jayce on the floor, taking off his gloves and revealing his metal limbs. “It’s quite nice, actually.”

“Vik…” Jayce whispered, tearing up as he looked more and more. He stood up, walking over and grabbing Viktor’s steel hands. “We will make this work… it will take time, but we will make it work.”

Viktor watched as Jayce traced his hands. “Stop.” He ordered.

Jayce looked down at him, his brows knitting together. “What?”

“I can no longer feel the sand under my feet. Never again can I feel the warmth and touch of someone’s hand on my own. It means nothing to me.”

Jayce shook his head, unable to believe this was the same person as before. “Vik, I love you. I always have.”

Viktor tilted his head, taking his mask back and sealing the bag he carried.

“Love is conditional, Jayce.”

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