JANUARY TDM

[monstertruckers]

code

((OOC: Hello, and welcome to our first TDM! This month, Reserves will open on the 10th and Applications will open on the 25th! We hope you enjoy the game launch!))

After tumbling through shadow you find yourself in a shrouded, ruined garage. It’s full of shattered windows and broken mechanical equipment; watch out for shards on the floor, in between the strange symbols scrawled into the ground. Outside the daylight is fading; night is rolling in, and there’s just a few dying lights flickering on and off. It’s going to be hard to see in here and avoid bumping into things and people, if you don’t get outside soon.

Beyond the rundown garage is an overgrown gas station surrounded by thick, wetland forest. Starlight is streaming through the trees, along with light from a broken moon. The one thing that isn’t overgrown with plants is a large Convoy of vehicles, parked right underneath the station canopy.

01: START UP

The Convoy looks like a cross between a semi truck and a train; there’s no one at the front, but there’s still power humming through the entire Convoy. It’s also the most hospitable thing in sight. Why not make yourself at home a little? You just have to chase that eerie, empty feeling since there’s no one else present.

Alternately, there are the cars scattered around the Convoy; all of them in better shape than the gas station. And some of them looking and feeling almost like they might belong to you. That feeling is only increased, when you see there’s a key to the car nearby. Perhaps the key is already in the ignition, on the dashboard… It may have even been on your person, ever since you woke up in that garage. Either way, you have the keys to the vehicle now.

…But there’s a few rough edges on these vehicles. Flat tires, cracked windows and mirrors, maybe some stuck doors and locks; all of them the sort of thing that requires two pairs of hands and supplies. The garage can take care of the supplies… Now it’s just a matter of finding some extra hands.

02: RUIN EXPLORATION

The ruined gas station and garage are the only man-made structures around, and have seen better days. The store still holds packaged food, and tepid drinks of all sorts. The garage has old mechanical equipment for working on cars, along with that strange summoning circle.

There's also a giant tree bursting through the gas station roof. And clinging to its branches, half melted into the surface, are metallic bodies. Graffiti is spray painted onto the tree, reading ‘avoid the Husks.’

Those who ignore the warning and get closer hear a faint hum coming off those bodies. It’s almost like whispers, though it’s impossible to make out any clear words. Some Husks are clutching supplies in metal fists. For a few unlucky new arrivals, those Husks might even be holding the keys to their vehicles.

Making direct contact with the Husks intensifies the hum, and the whispers begin to form into pained cries, and give the impression of something rummaging through their thoughts; trying to pry out things that hurt Drifters, and reflecting those hurtful things on the bodies of the Husks for anyone to see.

03: MONSTER ATTACK

The night grows darker, and the shadows grow deeper. And from those shadows comes the glint of something moving across the Husks, rippling over the metal… And breaking it apart in a flurry of too sharp claws and teeth. That’s when the radio chooses to come on in another mess of static.

Be careful- Keep your fear and rage in check- Calls the monsters- We need the shield up-

The warning comes too late as monsters arrive. Some human-like but with razor teeth mouths that stretch from face to groin; others resembling alligators with bloated proportions and jaws that spit lightning; and still others where the vegetation has come to life, sporting thorn covered appendages.

The Pisaca monsters act as shock troopers, wearing the Convoy down with venomous bites and debilitating howls, before the heavy and brutish alligators bull in, using their bulk and electric attacks to obliterate what’s left. The capparwires scurry in the periphery, taking cheap shots with thorny vines and sparking electricity where they can. It’s a task to keep the monsters at bay until the generator fires up. Especially when one last enemy makes an appearance…

03-A: MIRRORMIC

There's as a metallic shiver along one of the remaining Husks, and a strange ringing whisper in the ears. The next moment, the Husk breaks open in a gleaming pool of quicksilver. That quicksilver catches reflections, and molds itself into a darker copy of a Drifter.

The mirror monster whispers faults and secrets at the reflected Drifter, and anyone close by. It tries to goad Drifters into an attack. And when struck, the mirror monster plays its second trick; whatever damage it takes is reflected back onto the Drifter as a transformation. An injury to the arm transforms the Drifter's arm, and so on.

It's possible to banish this monster through direct lights shone on it from a car, flashlight, or magic… But such action needs to be swift, before the Mirrormic completely changes its Drifter.

03-B: BOMBADGY BOMBARDMENT

Before, during and even a little after the monster attack, there’s an extra presence scurrying around the vehicles, snuffling and barking when startled. A band of chunky, raccoon-esque monsters known as the bombadgy are raiding anything that looks like it could be food storage… And this includes vehicles!

The bombadgy’s claws are deft and sharp with tearing through windows and door seams. These creatures are a touch skittish and won’t attack unless provoked. They also can expel a flammable gas… And this means they can explode if sufficiently spooked or stressed. This also means that they can be treated as living bombs, and be lobbed at other threats if needed.

04: WIND DOWN

During the monster attack, there’s changes gripping the Convoy, and especially the people in it. It might feel like your control is getting worn away by the second… At least until something in the trucks starts to whirr to life. It’s a soft enough noise, little more than a hum as something blooms out of the engines. It fast turns into a shield that envelops the Convoy in a shimmering, glowing dome.

And while it might not be enough to reverse those changes, it can at least stop them from growing any worse. Give you a moment of breathing space to adjust to everything that’s happened, and give you some measure of clarity and control. There’s time to breathe and mend now. Take stock of one’s injuries and changes.

But there’s a few strange surprises still waiting, it seems. Because the corpses of the monsters begin to disintegrate, like they are bleeding out motes of sickly light. Light that you quickly absorb; it has the side effect of lessening pain, even mending wounds… Though it might make you feel a bit off. Maybe a little more excitable, maybe a little more irritable, or maybe expressing a certain odd psychological quirk. Still, that sudden surge should pass in about an hour or so; just need to keep it together until then. Perhaps with a little company.

05: CAMP

A screen in the Convoy flickers to life. The image isn't visible through a snowfield of static. Same with the audio:
“Still… Alive? Good. Connection- Can’t hear you. Can't talk. Convoy will- take you closer to Nirvana.”

After that, the connection is dropped, leaving a collection of text:
I’m sorry. I have no answers for you. But you’re still alive. You’re not as broken as the rest of the world. When the sun rises, this Convoy and all the cars around it will start moving North towards Nirvana. If you want answers, and to stay as close to human as you can… I suggest you stay with the Convoy. Good luck.

A last alert flashes across the screen: “TESTING LOCAL NETWORK CONNECTION.” And then… Music starts to play on the speakers. Mellow guitar and brass music that’s at odds with all the weird that’s happened recently, but perhaps just the thing to relax to.

MICRO ENCOUNTERS:

PLEASE NOTE! These are small bits of set dressing for players to include in threads if they wish, rather than full fledged prompts or events. You may handwave your exploration of these areas, or thread them out.

Race Track: There’s a race track that winds around the gas station! It’s a bit threadbare in places and little more than a mossy and muddy trail. But it’s still a race track that weaves under and over trees, and seems like a good place to test new wheels.

Gone Fishing: The gas station area eventually turns into the start of a swamp; that explains where the alligators came from. It may be possible to do a little bit of fishing, though the fish are just as weird as everything else. Still edible though. Swimming in the swamp is not advised. The alligator monsters and fish tend to bite back.

Spray Paint Messages: The paint on the trees and gas station is starting to fade and wash out, but can still be legible; most of it contains messages warning about the end of the world, prayers to the heavens for mercy, and dire warnings about husks and something called “moon warps.”

NAVIGATION || RESERVES || APPLICATIONS

Comments

[becomerobot]

[What a helpful stranger.

Really, though, Viktor absolutely does not clock Jayce in the moment. His ragged appearance and overgrown hair is too different at a glance, but especially a panicked one. The Mercury Hammer also looks completely foreign to how Viktor knew it and he didn't know it all that well. The Talis forged piece he spends everyday with is still with him, the crutch Jayce made him after his cane was broken during their first proper experiment-

Jayce can recognize the colors even in the dim light of the garage, Viktor using it to help leverage the truck from its resting place and send it rolling, mostly thanks to Jayce's brute strength. Once it is going, oh boy does that truck go, rampaging through anything in the way. Offering the two men a huffing to catch their breath moment of calm. Viktor tucks the crutch beneath his armpit and grips it tightly, watching the truck absolutely collapse a few monsters...

A short moment to admire the carnage, before he looks to the man collapsed in front of him next and... nudges Jayce with the end of that cane to get his attention, before offering a hand down-]

Thank you, si- [... sir? Sir?? Viktor blinks to recognize an extremely familiar golden eyes. His voice is incredulous to ask,]

-Jayce?

[hexrot]

[ overgrowth tickles his face past his beard, dirt dusts his brows and doesn't make him any dirtier than he already is. he has half the mind to stay there, the hoax of his mind likely difting off on its own if he waits long enough. but metal nudges him. he plants his hands and rests on his knees.

he'd been afraid to look up, but he does. he looks.

and his entire face falls with shock.

the colors of house talis paint a more than familiar crutch, forged by his own careful hands— they are the very same colors that dawn his brace, made from the hammer that crippled him in every way possible since he fabricated the damn thing. viktor's painstakingly pale complexion and the bags under his eyes meet jayce's shaking stare, and a rather quickly escalating whisp of breathing through his chipped mouth and split lips. his chest rises and falls under the same rhythm as his startled palpitations. viktor's eyes were honey gold with life. his limbs are firm as they offer him a hand, unlike how they were so limp and lifeless when jayce carried him into the lab in panicked haste. the memory makes his sunken eyes water. he doesn't know what to do. he doesn't take the hand out of sheer distress.

he can't say a thing for a moment. maybe two. he is— out of touch with reality, isn't he? something is wrong. something is terribly wrong with him, he . . . he's been in the chasm for too long. he's already fractured. he was expecting to find viktor, just as the mage had told him to, changed and metal and unlike himself. but not this way. not in this circumstance. it's wrong, and at the same time so right.

he can't . . . keep his promise like this.

jayce feels his heart collapse. had this been the viktor he was fated to confront, he'd failed horribly. he tries to swallow, but his mouth just runs dry; his voice, just as much, a bare whisper in the night. ]

V— Viktor—

[becomerobot]

[Since Jayce isn't taking his hand to lift himself up to Viktor, he is quickly crawling himself down to meet Jayce. An awkward and wobbly lowering to his knees, using the crutch as an anchor so he doesn't just fall like a ragdoll. One hand wrapped around the upright staff and the other reaching for Jayce tentatively.

If he's not bat at or flinched away from, his hand will reach out to cup Jayce's beard with a curious touch, rubbing his thumb through the hair. If Jayce won't let him touch, Viktor's hand just falls to his own lap, palm up and half curled with odd defeat. He leans in with his head tilted, shrugging both shoulders with bafflement and voice stern with outraged concern-]

What happened to you? You're a... a mess! [So kind, Viktor, real nice of you partner.

It also isn't like he's one to talk. The runic scars he's dug into his own skin and the hexcorification of both his hand and leg still linger. Those are hidden beneath his clothing, at least.

Jayce's changes? Very much visible! Viktor's never even seen the man with so much facial hair. He can't just grown that overnight... what could have even occurred?]

[hexrot]

[ this is a dream jayce tells himself, he repeats it over and over. thin fingers thread through the overrun brush and jayce can only follow with his eyes, of which blink, harshly, but do not flinch. he blinks because maybe he'll stop seeing things that way (he doesn't, and his inner mantra wavers). he feels touch, the hairs being stroked. his shoulders sink and hitch with his frightened breathing— it's his turn to extend touch, half expecting for viktor to disappear from the hesitant reach for his shoulders. they cup viktor's upper arms, the entire circumference of his fingers clasping around from underneath, all of which pull from him the quietest of gasps.

it's not a dream. he's a mess! a mess. that was viktor. that was the viktor he'd lost. he's still— so wonderful. jayce feels he doesn't deserve this. he doesn't deserve him. he looks like the viktor he'd so carelessly abandoned for too long.

jayce makes a sound he's only ever made in the company of his own solitude. it's wet. raw. aching. painful like being stabbed in the chest. clearly teary eyes search viktor all over and he squeezes his hold on him— all until yanking viktor forward to throw his arms around his neck and bury himself there. his shoulders shake uncontrollably, and the sounds that come, albeit muffled, strangle a squeak that drags too long.

has viktor— ever heard him sob? ]

[becomerobot]

[No. Nope! Viktor definitely has not heard that one before.

He's also not been pulled into so desperate a bear hug. His shoulders jolt up and his back stiffens, but he doesn't struggle nor pull away. Hand just flutter his fingers into the open air a moment, letting his crutch go to fall to the ground, before veeery tentatively letting both arms curl around to touch Jayce. Uh. There... there? There there. Pat pat...

What is happening!?]

Jayce... Jayce, [what should he even say? "It will be okay"? It won't be! Not if they get swarmed by monsters because the man is loudly sobbing-]

Please, get a hold of yourself. It's not safe in the open like this. [the monsters are chasing down the very distracting cybertruck for the moment, but when they don't find anything inside, what then? Viktor tugs on the man's jacket, a token gesture of trying to lift him up even if Viktor's tiny arms absolutely cannot do that, especially not while down on his knees in the mud.]

We need to find better shelter- to wait until this dies down. [Viktor can't recognize the twisted Mercury Hammer for what it is at a glance, much like he couldn't know this scrappy looking fellow was the esteemed Jayce Talis... he presumes they're defenseless, and they are, if Jayce cannot compose himself enough to use the unknown weapon he brought with him,]

[hexrot]

[ please, this is all too much for him! he barely wants to let viktor go— practically melting into a pile of useless progress goop at the sensations overwhelming him. he locked the fuck in and all it took was the viktor before it all to snap him into a soft mess. the tensing muscle under his arms, the little bolts under his shirt lining viktor's spine, the awkward patting his partner tries to give on his thin back, he's lost a lot of weight and probably isn't so hulking despite still being pretty, ah. large.

but viktor is right, and that starts jayce's rapid blinking. heaving through and strangling the noises, jayce can hear him, trying to nod to let him know that he's listening, he's still listening. it's not safe. get it together— get it together. he's has not stopped crying, a mess of sniffs, snorts and groans to bite through it. at last, jayce let's go, forcefully, bashing the side of his head with the inside of his wrist. his head hurts, but it doesn't split like it had earlier. any watchful, arcanic eyes still on him might be losing its grip. ]

Augh—

[ it takes him a moment, but once jayce has shoved necessity into light, he's the first one to get up; he uses the grounded bar of the hammer to hoist himself up and keep the weight off his leg. with his hands having unraveled from viktor but still close, he claps the underside of viktor's arm to help pull him up.

he nods, tear stains and grime mixing and running down the most angular slants of his face, but— he's functional. he has to be.

he can't fucking let viktor down again. that's the only thing that makes this manageable. ]

I'm— Right behind you. Go.

[becomerobot]

[Viktor grabs back up his crutch when Jayce releases his hold on him. He stands up remarkably quickly on his hexcore leg, surprising himself briefly. Hoping Jayce doesn't notice can be a later thought, what matters now is moving as quick as they can. What Viktor notices is that it is Jayce who has a more difficult time than he does.]

Your leg- [that is sure a brace, in the Talis colors no less. Something more familiar to it, but again, the parts of the Mercury Hammer making it up aren't pinging him just yet. He reacts with tucking himself beneath Jayce on that side, wanting to help him. The cane can support Viktor and he can support Jayce.]

-let's go. I think I saw a... a caravan of sorts? [What he saw was a normal, modern van. It looked large enough to hide in the back of and had doors they could slam behind themselves. Running and hiding is a bit pathetic, but with Jayce in this state of distress, Viktor wants him to be safe above all else.

Pride is set aside immediately when his partner is on the line. He moves them that way, leading Jayce from beneath his arm, it shouldn't be far from where the stupid cybertruck was parked.]

[hexrot]

[ the hammer's head is heavy enough in the meantime to be planked to the ground, and once he's got that as a crutch to support his strong side— oh, viktor. them side by side this, their legs even mirror each other. two sides of one coin . . . jayce's eyes divert to the aforementioned leg for a moment, lifting it briefly before continuing with a snort to push the strain in his throat and nose away. they can talk about what's under their clothes later. they had to sync their gait, now. but somehow that's . . . actually pretty easy. like minds in the same zone, all of that.

jayce never really did have the chance to speak to viktor about it. the carved runes into his skin, his hexcorized leg. what remained was a blame on himself like no other, a reminder of the time jayce was not there for him when he needed it most.

it would be a blessing if no other creature took interest in their escape. that's, unluckily, not part of their trek today! an ugly pair of pisaca have unfurled from the hillside shadows to follow after the men, a feast for each of their lengthy jaws that jayce catches with his paranoid alarm— hypervigilent, hyperaware, survival pounding through his ears and wanting to, above all else, stay alive so that viktor may be safe.

the only warning he gives is a squeeze and yank of viktor's shoulder away, and a bark of his name. ]

Viktor!

[ away from him, away from his line of combat, digging his good heel into earth and activating the hammer's magic to make the kick up of weight easier to pull. its momentum becomes fatal, causing an angled splat, crack and guttural yelp that ends in a strike to the floor. teeth, entrails and pieces of the creatures fling away as they're torn apart together. part of one goes flying. it's other bits and pieces, along with the remains of its twin, are wedged beneath the abberration.

jayce pants, immediately looks for viktor's safety, and tries to quickly adjust his footing on his own. there's one more.

and its jaws spark like a thunderstorm. ]

[becomerobot]

[They're moving step-by-step in desperate rhythm, creating a hopeful moment. They can do this, together, get out of this mess. Until they're descended upon by a gang of creatures, all out for blood. Viktor hates to think he's helpless, but he's never been a fighter. All wits, no brawn. Jayce, fortunately, has both about him. And a big fuck-off weapon.

A hammer. The hammer. He ducks backward when Jayce warns him and moves to swing it at their assailants. Viktor flinches as it swings and smashes the first two monsters into a fine paste. Incredible. He's in awe of the gruesome sight and of Jayce, capable of reacting so quickly to save them. That's new, Viktor thinks, considering how Jayce once tensed up and blanked when Jinx's bomb nearly went off in their lab. Viktor had to be the one to react, then.

He can react swiftly now, too. The last monster is approaching and Jayce struggles to lift the hammer. Right, it shoots laser blasts. They're both so boyish in their fantasies of making tools, between the Mercury Hammer and the Hexclaw. Ah, how useful the latter would be about now, if Viktor had it strapped to his back. Maybe in another life. What he does have is his cane and that is the perfect shape to act as a kickstand for the weight of the hammer. Viktor angles it against the ground and then wedges the armrest behind the hammer's activation handle. Jayce can brace the weight of the hammer against it for support. Viktor's free hand grasps Jayce's lower wrist and steadies the aim towards the monster ahead of them.

By his spur of the moment calculations, this should minimize any kickback they have to endure, holding the hammer steady together.]

Shoot it!

[hexrot]

[ it takes the harsh brunt of weilding tge hammer off of jayce's shoulders and hips, for once— and for once his chest flutters like birds' wings at the rekindled partnership that kept them together and made them so much more. jayce's expression of jolted awe is accompanied by burning eyes, on the verge of emotion at the sight. that's his partner—

he has only buckled down so fast a few times in his life; all of them included viktor. his legs station, his hips reinforce him, and he wills the excelleration rune to react. the thrum is palpable, felt around them as the blue gem in his wrist acknowledges his plea with a bright gleam. the slumbering hammer roars to life, hungry, and unfolds its behemoth wings like a butterfly's to expose its core: a growing, whirling nucleus of something primal, raw and deranged.

with a harsh, snarling shout, jayce absolutely unloads: a fervid burst of chaos errupts onto the beast. the corrupt arcane magic does not only obliterate the monster, but it leaves behind its nasty fingerprint. the area of contact is stained with greens and reds, of morphed flesh that webs outwards, hovers and glitches in place as if it were now a timeless tomb of gore and hexcorized remains. the wings of the tainted hammer whir, fold and shut down as jayce releases the weight, with only one hand. his left is searing—

when he turns his forearm upward to inspect the pain, through tightly clenched teeth and substancial exhales, the glowing blue runic gem burried in his flesh has snaked its roots up his veins. gold has cracked around crystal. it climbs, ingrains until just below his inner elbow, with a deep, unsightly gradient of purples and pinks— the same netting, uneven pattern that reflects off his cheeks in the right bounce of light.

the ache becomes a dull throb, enough that jayce can try to take his attention off it, releasing the hammer to give his good hand to viktor and help him up. they still needed to get to safety. ]

The caravan, [ he reminds; they'll figure the rest out later. ]

[becomerobot]

[Once again, the carnage is an absolute marvel. Viktor's eyes are wide and fascinated by what he sees, even if he has to flinch away from the brightness of the blast. The explosive remains are a pure curiosity, Viktor immediately wanting to study the patterns and remnants of such an arcane power unleashed. How did Jayce ever manage to harness something like this? Through the Mercury Hammer no less-?

His attention is dragged back to the man himself when he mutters out his reminder. Viktor is distracted from that goal by the sight of Jayce's arm, looking like it was drastically injured by the explosive kickback. For no reason other than instinct, Viktor reacts to grab it, as if he could stifle the spread with his grip as a tourniquet might-

Entirely foolish, he learns, but he should not have reach with his gloved hand. His hexcorized flesh immediately reacts to the acceleration rune and sparks a discharge of arcane energy. The blowback knocks Viktor off his feet, sending the crutch spinning away beneath a nearby car. He doesn't even feel that he's hit the ground and practically bounced off the dirt. His hand and leg hurt too damn bad for anything else to register, his glove torn to shreds to reveal the shimmer purple beneath, zapping with aftershocks. Viktor grips it with his other hand and curls in on himself, leg reacting similarly to an overload of energy from the anomaly.

He's absolutely fighting to stay conscious after that, eyes unfocused and expression bleary. The only thought beyond the shock is that he hopes Jayce isn't hurt, too.]

cw: probably a panic attack (or one to come) 😭

[hexrot]

[ the blow, to jayce's luck, only throws his arm sideways and nicks his limb with a pinch of electricty— all of the brute impact is thrown right into viktor. the surge of horror that destabilizes jayce, for good, was this. initially, all he hears is a crackling white noise humming against his eardrums. his lips move, he says his partner's name, but he can't hear it himself. only the vibration of it thrumming from throat to tongue. he loses count of how many times he says viktor, from the moment he tries to bolt and his leg disagrees, forcing a jounce in his quickened pace, to when he drops to his knees by viktor's side. ]

Viktor?! Viktor—

[ a strangle of a whine slices his words, makes his panting desperate and erratic; his fingers shake as they hover above viktor, and jayce could only hear his heart and how it races so fast he feels like its going to stop, and he'll die along with it. the glow of viktor's hexcore-touched limbs oscilate purple, and jayce remembers—

he remembers, too well, what this brings him back to. he relives the totaling anguish of viktor's death, pulling his broken body from the rubble and refusing to let him die. he checks his chest, he's— breathing. he wasn't he couldn't let him go. he just couldn't fathom living a life without him— the nos that cascade from his trembling lips don't stop until they've melded with inconprehensible weeping, even if he's groggily spoken to. jayce's immediate action to scoop him into his arms, leave his hammer and viktor's crutch behind— hold viktor close and limp as fast as he fucking could.

he's afraid to feel the uneven cracks in his ribs, or how his top half would keep dislocating from his lower with every step he took. he's so afraid he doesn't realise that isn't what's happening. he could even smell the dust and shimmer of a magical explosion when it's not there at all. it takes what feels like ages to get to the caravan's back doors, swinging it open, placing viktor so gently inside, slamming the doors to trap them within—

and kneel beside him. he's trying his best to speak, to say something that wasn't garbled and, and broken and completely . . . leaving him in far greater shambles than seeing viktor alive just a few moments ago. ]

Viktor? Viktor— [ a gasp, ] Please—

[ he's going to lose his mind. it feels like a boulder has fallen on his chest, and he can't lift it off. he's frozen, it's crushing him, he can't breathe— ]

[becomerobot]

[Even fighting as hard as he can to stay lucid, Viktor fades in and out of pained consciousness. He anchors himself to the sound of Jayce's voice calling out to him. The poor man is so panicked, so distressed, and it breaks Viktor's heart to hear. He tries to hold onto his waking mind, to respond and give Jayce some comfort he's not dying. He most he can do is reach a twitching hand to Jayce's chest when he's scooped into the man's arms. His fingers jolt and dance in place, all jittery impulse from the arcane energy surging through him like so much frayed electrical wire.

The energy has mostly worked itself out, discharging and losing steam, by the time Jayce has rushed them into the back of the caravan and relative safety. Viktor feels his body placed down more gently than he feels he deserves. His eyes finally focus and he blinks rapidly to get involuntary tears away. Jayce looks so destroyed, Viktor lurches and coughs before he can get words to form, gasping-]

I- I'm sorry- Jayce... I- [only one phrase comes to mind, apologetic and foggy. Viktor's wishing to comfort the terror in Jayce's eyes in any way, his odd humor coming through even in such a moment of strife,]

I'm a mess... huh?

[hexrot]

[ he can't make it stop on his own. even as he tries to close his eyes and squeeze at his chest, nothing helps. except—

he moves. he ghosts his chest and opens his eyes. the pain within jayce's most intimate precipice floods with relief, but it does not instantly cure the anxiety that has overridden him. he needs a bit more time, a bit more time as he clasps viktor's metalframed hand, bows his head, and prays for the terror to pass. breathe. he needs to breathe. he could have control, he had it.

he only speaks a few moments after, when the exhaustion settles in his bones and makes his inhales slower enough to handle. ]

You're alive, Vik— [ he doesn't care about the mess. well, he does. he feels like he should be the one apologizing to the depths for what he thought he had to do in that lab, alone. he only doesn't embrace the man again because he's on his back, but damn it if he had half the mind to! ]

I'm . . . the bigger mess.

[ if they're touching humor to deal with this, so be it; jayce slides his own in, despite his voice still coming in hoarse and wet. but jayce wins the mess competition. he literally hasn't bathed for months. ]

[becomerobot]

[Viktor spares a weak, if unforced smile. Even if everything is going so wrong, he cannot help the spark of joy a little humor brings him. Even if it's dark comedy,]

Can't... get rid of me that easy.

[He's always fighting to stick around. Only recently had he ever strayed towards his more intrusive thoughts, of which Jayce so kindly interrupted him from. Pulled him from the edge with just a few words, as Viktor once had for him. He reaches for Jayce again, but hesitates seeing his own hand. Not wanting another blowback, like the one he just caused, the hand falls to rest limp on his own chest. Viktor's lips push against each other, looking to Jayce with remorse,]

... I was hoping... to not have to explain this to you. [how he changed himself, that is, how he failed to utilize the Hexcore without hurting someone else in the process. It filled him with too much shame to tell Jayce about, not when the man was trying so hard to fix things between Piltover and Zaun... it was too selfish a burden to add to his partner, Viktor kept it to himself.]

[hexrot]

[ a hand on his chest it is— but only briefly. the acceleration rune has been quiet since they were outside. jayce at most allows a comforting touch to linger, before his hands return to his lap. he'll hardly feel comfortable like this in the long run, and the back of the van is pretty spacey, so . . .

he shuffles around, stretches his legs out, scoots down, and aligns his head with viktor's, side by side. he takes a deep breath in— its edges still shaking from the aftermath of all of this, before he replies, quietly: ]

You don't have to. I . . . Know.

[ they are words laced with sorrow, and jayce manages to turn his head to face him. he'll never get another chance to say this to this viktor. he deserved so much more than confusion, but there's a limit to what jayce feels he could share about his own timeline. does he need to suffer more, over something he couldn't do anything about?

jayce treads carefully, but genuinly. ]

I should've been there for you— I'm . . . So sorry.

[becomerobot]

[The apology is... baffling and touching. Viktor had never blamed Jayce for his absence, he-]

You had... important work to do. I know that.

[Work Viktor never could have done. Being a councilman? Trying to root our corruption and repair a society so fractured? Viktor's place was in the lab and nobody ever tried to take him from it. Only death was going to do that. Jayce had so many demands placed on him, pulling him in all directions.

Viktor doesn't want to admit to feeling abandoned, it feels too pathetically needy. He stubbornly wished to help himself, all on his own, no matter what it took. Then, it got Sky killed. How far they both strayed...]

What... happened to you?

[hexrot]

[ jayce's pause is uncomfortably protracted. his first thought twinges heartache and sultry anger at himself; just the sheer idiocy of attempting the impossible feat of pleasing everyone, and letting them sculpt him made him think— how could I have been so stupid? every single time.

he breathes in; it makes his lungs sound like a hollow cavern. he wants to address the errors— but they'll have plenty of time to do it. the twinge in his brows, despite looking up at the close, metal ceiling, shows objection. but viktor is asking him something that makes the soles of his feet freeze.

it's still fresh. he hasn't told anyone because he hasn't seen a single living soul to. that, and— he doesn't think he could. a man once so open with his feelings now felt reserved about expressing them. if anyone else were to ask, he would deflect.

not viktor. he trusts viktor. he feels— understood, seen. he's the only one who ever did. ]

I, [ it is difficult, but he proceeds, saying only enough. ] fell down a ravine.

[becomerobot]

You fell?

[The emphasis on that is terrible, because it speaks to so much doubt in the verbiage. Viktor is questioning the word choice, not the event itself. He fell... or he jumped-?

Which makes for a domino of conclusions to all tumble one by one. Jayce looks, at a minimum, months older from last he saw the man. Clean shaven, dressed for the council, announcing Viktor as a Zaunite. They were all caught up in the politics of the situation, yet he recalls a noise. A noise like something was rapidly approaching them.

And Viktor woke up here.

He's a man of science, of rationality and understanding, questions are better made direct and with purpose. What could make Jayce "fall" into a goddamned ravine-?]

... did I die, Jayce?

[hexrot]

[ jayce's inspiration is terse and bare, and in his quiet, he slides his eyes shut with a tight swallow that clicks airbubbles within his throat. the resigned, chilling silence was enough of an answer. jayce could never outright lie. what does he say, though? too much or too little? ]

I wouldn't let you die.

[ a murmur of truth. ]

[becomerobot]

[Viktor's too smart for his own good, he can make the connection to what that means,]

The Hexcore... you didn't destroy it, did you? [he lifts his changed hand to look at, contemplative. It was his only chance at survival, but he wanted to rid the world of it. A failed experiment. A dangerous one.

If he didn't die, then he must have lived due to that, which... would mean Jayce broke his promise. Viktor bundles that hand into a shaky fist, angry at himself,]

It killed Sky, Jayce. In my stubborn pursuit to live, she was an unwilling sacrifice. She should have been given a second chance, not me...

cw: suicide ideation

[hexrot]

—I'm sorry.

[ i'm sorry i let you down. i'm sorry i would always let you down that way and i don't even wish i wouldn't because my life would be meaningless without you. he could say it forever, cascading with guilt, but never could he regret. regret would mean he'd allow viktor to slip from his fingers without suffering. let him go, and it was more probable that jayce would go mad in the head before accepting that fact. he doesn't push back. he knows, they've had tis conversation before. the only thing jayce would at the very least like to leave him with is full disclosure, quiet, shivering, small but at the very same time with a heart for viktor that did not fit in his chest. ]

I couldn't fathom— living a life . . . Without you in it.

[ despite his vulnerable words and their devout connotations, he doesn't expect it to be a justified excuse. just— a why. he broke his promise, he did. he broke many promises until he vowed to keep his last.

he feels awful that he'd either do it again or plunge off a ledge uninterrupted.

it feels a bit much to add anything else, for the moment. his heart feels like it was close to bursting, and because of that his eyes stay glued to the car roof. ]

[becomerobot]

[That confession is a heartbreaking one. Viktor... didn't want to ever hurt Jayce this badly. He loved- no, loves- the man with his whole being. A blade that cuts both ways. It could bring such joy and such haunting sorrow. When the duties of the council put distance between them, Viktor couldn't bare to pull Jayce back, to make the man witness his deterioration moment by moment. Better he be distracted, fulfilling other work. Viktor did not want to be his priority, it would destroy Jayce too much to try and fail to save him. Better for Viktor to save himself or fail himself.

Seems that distance didn't matter. Jayce would still crumble without him. A real tragedy of a partnership. Doomed from the very start.

Rare for Viktor, given it's always Jayce who reaches out for him, but he unfurls his fist and rests it on the man's shoulder. Quiet and yet firm, he mutters,]

I'm right here, Jayce. I'm not gone yet.

[hexrot]

[ when jayce feels pressure on his shoulder, his breathing catches. it almost spooks him— but that prickle at the back of his neck becomes a melted pool of warm, melancholy reprive. that is so very special, what viktor has done. his eyes regain a big, doe-like shine to them, clasping his much larger hand on top of the reassuring gift, nodding to accept it. viktor could slip his arm away at any moment, but for jayce— he'll linger the weight of palm on top for just a little longer. miniscule tugs after that will induce him to let go.

plans have changed drastically. he is not in the time nor place he should be, with the viktor he was fated to confront elsewhere. they're not even on runeterra anymore.

jayce turns over onto his side, facing viktor. they were both like-minded, able to follow each other's theorem, formulas, equations— and viktor was genius. he knows, especially from their shared experience, what his partner had thought. ]

. . . It was an accident, [ he affirms, eyes downcast and hand resting on the atrophied muscle of his now braced leg. ] I tripped— and the Mercury Hammer fell on me.

[becomerobot]

[Viktor does not lift his hand away, if anything, it only gets more firmly placed against Jayce. He doesn't want to let the man go. They're in this new, baffling predicament, but at least they found each other. There's no separating them now, at least, not if Viktor can help it. He feels so protective of his partner, he always has...

And hearing what happened, it makes him wince at the thought. That damn hammer.]

And you... crawled up out of a ravine, after that?

[He doesn't like the alternative answer to that question- that Jayce died, that Viktor died, that this is just some freakish afterlife they both ended up in.

Or is there comfort in that, that they still got to meet up in a life beyond? Too much to digest at once.]