i'm the headlights, he's the deer

Jayce lives a simple life. 

He built his cabin from the ground up, designed his own plumbing and heating system with a fireplace, even made an oven and stove for proper cooking. He learned how to knit and sew, how to skin animals, tan leather hides, and save the bones for broth. How to cultivate a garden and find edible plants, keep bears and wolves away from his home. 

His life now is a concrete series of choices he made. For once, he's in control. That's all he ever wanted.

Being a councilor was not for him. The second things started to get complicated, he uprooted his entire life and ran away from Piltover as fast as he could. Maybe he took it a little too far, honestly– building a cabin in the middle of the woods, almost a mile from the nearest village, was certainly a change. But he's content here. Focusing on survival is a much more concrete battle. 

He's lonely, sure. But that's fine. He manages.

He'd always wanted a family. A few kids, a wife, a quiet cottage near Piltover so they could see his mother every weekend. But he can't go back now.

He settled for peace, at the expense of company.

Spring is coming soon, and that means rabbit season. Rabbit season means lots of fresh game. So Jayce doesn't think twice as he automatically sets up the metal spring traps of his own design in the woods around his cabin. He doesn't even bother baiting them– rabbits aren't very smart in his experience, and seemingly will just jump right into the traps without looking. 

He checks the traps every morning as part of his routine, always bringing his axe with him in case he has to put some poor animal out of its misery. He doesn't want to be cruel– he's just doing what he needs to survive. 

It's a warm morning, the frost on the grass already starting to thaw, and Jayce got an earlier start than usual thanks to a loud bleating noise coming from outside. He groggily drags himself out of bed and grabs his bag, shoving his boots on and allowing the slight chill of the outside air to wake him up properly.

The bleating continues. Shrill and whiny. He's got one trap set up right outside; it doesn't catch much, but sometimes he gets some easy game. Maybe a sheep got caught in it, a few do wander around nearby. 

He walks through the trees, and as he makes his way to the trap, he sees exactly what he's caught. 

It's a faun. A small, slim little animal; could be anywhere from six to twelve if he had to guess, based on how skinny it was, just likely underfed. But stuck in the teeth of the trap was one leg. One furry, brown leg, ending in a hoof. 

The little creature whimpers and kick again, which only digs the sharp metal further into its leg, earning a desperate, high bleat. Jayce can't bring himself to walk away or put it out of its misery. He shushes the animal again, sticking his knife back in the holster at his waist. It continues to kick weakly and cry as Jayce approaches, finally close enough to reach out and grab the trap. 

It wrenches open with a sickening screech, and the little faun sobs. Jayce kneels down beside it, finding the leg still locked around the teeth of the trap, and tugs his shirt off in a panic.

"It's okay, girl, I'm not going to hurt you," he soothes the way he would any other small calf. "This isn't gonna feel nice, but I've gotta–"

All of a sudden, the animal wails again, wet and desperate, but manages words this time, taking Jayce by surprise. "I'M A BOY!" it screeches, and it feels more like a pain-induced temper tantrum than anything. Jayce fumbles to find the words to calm this damn thing down.

"Okay, okay, that's okay, I'm sorry. Just stay still for me," he replies frantically, and grits his teeth as he holds the leg still while the boy continues to kick and scream. He manages to pull the soft, furry calf from the trap, and quickly wraps his shirt around the blood soaked leg, tying it tight into a knot. Jayce kicks the trap away carelessly, and scoots closer, holding the little animal's leg in his lap.

The boy is still sobbing, but after a moment, it starts to weakly peter out into little hiccups and gasps, his wide brown eyes staring up at Jayce in fear and confusion. 

"A-are you going to kill me?" He hiccups. He's got a wobbly sort of accent, unfamiliar to Jayce. 

"No," Jayce says softly. "I'm going to take you to my home and get your leg fixed up. I'm sorry you got stuck in the trap."

The boy sniffles, crossing his arms and pouting, little ears pressing back flat into his hair. "It's your fault. You're the one who set those traps, aren't you?"

"Well, yeah," Jayce admits. "But it's not meant to catch little fauns. I meant to trap rabbits."

"That's still mean," the boy grumbles. "... but I guess everyone needs to eat."

Jayce chuckles, and carefully lifts the boy off the ground. There's a small yelp– of surprise or pain, Jayce isn't sure– but he only squirms a little bit before tentatively settling in Jayce's arms.

"I don't believe you," the faun says decidedly as they walk back to the cabin. 

"Why not?" 

"I think you're going to eat me."

Jayce huffs a laugh, shaking his head, and awkwardly reaches to open the door and step inside. The cabin is a little cooler than it should be– he didn't have the chance to light the fire this morning. 

Jayce sets the boy down on his couch carefully, and immediately pulls a pillow out to stuff under his injured leg. The faun is still looking at him suspiciously, but he isn't fighting back, clearly seeing the futility in it. Jayce goes and strikes a match, lighting up the fire, and then heads to the bathroom to grab his first aid supplies. 

He returns to the little boy and kneels in front of him.

"Let's take a look at that leg," he says, reaching out and carefully untying his flannel from the wound. Even the slightest jostling makes the boy whimper, but he's clearly trying his best to stifle it. 

"You're being very brave. This is going to hurt, but it's going to make sure your leg heals up properly, so can you keep being brave for me?" Jayce asks, desperately trying to remember how his mother would talk to him when he was hurt as a kid. The boy nods nervously, and Jayce pulls the flannel all the way off.

The wound is admittedly pretty bad. The teeth of the trap dug in deep, and they could only hope that the boy would be able to walk again in a few months. Jayce doesn't voice any of this; instead, he pulls out his distilled alcohol and pours it on the flannel. 

"What's your name?" He asks in an attempt at distraction. 

"Viktor," the faun replies. Jayce nods.

"I'm Jayce. Do you live nearby?" 

The fawn furrows his eyebrows. "Uhm. Yes. I live in the grove." As he replies, Jayce swipes the flannel over his leg, and Viktor cries out. He shushes the boy, wiping it gently again. Most of the dirt is gone, so that would have to do.

"Does your family know where you are?" Jayce takes out the thick cotton gauze he has, and unwraps it.

"I don't have a family," Viktor says simply. He doesn't look even the slightest bit bothered by the information.

"You're all by yourself out there?" Jayce asks. He begins to wrap the cloth around Viktor's injured leg, who winces but is otherwise quiet.

"It's okay. I can take care of myself." Viktor turns his head, one little ear flicking impatiently, fiercely prideful. Jayce is partially amused by the creature's tiny chest puffing out, his attempt at seeming brave, while also heartbroken. 

"You're very little to be all by yourself," Jayce says gently.

"I'm big enough," Viktor declares. Jayce chuckles and ties off the gauze. 

"All done." He pats Viktor's leg, and the boy looks down, a little startled.

"Oh," he mumbles. His eyes flit back up to Jayce's face, and he still looks suspicious. "... are you going to eat me now?" 

Jayce laughs, and he stands up. "No. Are you hungry? I have some food." 

Viktor nods tentatively, and he curls up on the couch slightly. "Okay." 

Jayce thinks to himself briefly, and then walks to his workbench, grabbing one of the little mechanical carts he built as a kid and held onto for pure sentimental value. It's old, but not rusty, so he brings it back to Viktor, setting it on the couch. 

"You can have this if you want. I'll make some food." 

Viktor tilts his head, one ear flicking, but he seems curious, and picks up the cart. Satisfied, Jayce heads to the kitchen, opening his icebox and pulling out the pot of stew he made last night. He puts it on the stove, lighting a match and turning it on, letting it sit there to simmer. He glances back to the couch. Viktor is pulling the little cart back and letting it zoom across his coffee table, bumping into the books Jayce left there. Jayce smiles to himself and turns back to the stove, stirring it a few times and dipping his finger in. It seems warm enough now, so he takes a bowl and fills it, bringing the bowl and a small spoon back over to the couch.

Viktor is still playing with the little toy cart, but his ears flick up as Jayce approaches. Viktor ducks his head, nose twitching as he sniffs at the steaming bowl, and suddenly sneezes. "What is that?"

"Stew. Has some rabbit and root vegetables. It might be a little spicy for you," Jayce adds as an afterthought, chuckling. Viktor takes the spoon and determinedly shoves it in his mouth. His entire face glows bright red, but he manages to swallow it, coughing slightly. 

"Good job," Jayce says anyways. The boy looks away from him shyly, but his little tail twitches and wags, giving away his obvious glee.

"Feeling better now?" Jayce sits down next to him properly, watching as he attempts to take another spoonful. It makes him look a bit woozy, and he sets the bowl back down.

"Still hungry…" he mumbles, furrowing his eyebrows.

"I think I have some dried berries if you'd like those. What do you like to eat?" Jayce asks gently. Viktor just shrugs in response, and gives a large yawn. 

"Probably time for bed, huh? Let's get you to sleep." Jayce gets back to his feet and scoops Viktor up with ease. The little boy tentatively curls into his chest with a sigh, nuzzling slightly into the warmth. A sense of warmth fills Jayce's chest– he managed to gain the little faun's trust faster than he expected. If he had been all alone out there his whole life, maybe this was the first time someone has tried to care for him. The thought is honestly devastating, so he brushes it aside.

Jayce sets him carefully down on his bed, taking a small blanket to wrap him in. He tugs off his shirt and jeans, climbing into his bed and turning off the lamp. It's only early afternoon, but after the morning he's had, he can take a nap, and Viktor seems like he'd rather die than let go of Jayce now.

Viktor wiggles around a bit, trying to settle, and Jayce shushes him. He briefly stills, and then scoots himself over to Jayce, wedging his way up against Jayce's chest. Jayce tentatively wraps his arms around Viktor, reaching up to stroke his hair, and the boy nuzzles up to him again, little horns gently butting against his chin. 

I can do this , Jayce silently repeats to himself. I can take care of him. I have to.

Jayce wakes up late in the night to something wet on his chest. 

The little warm body against his own is alarming enough. As he blinks the sleep from his eyes, recalling the day before, he looks down to the faun curled up to him. Viktor is still snuggled against him, furry legs entangled with his own, head resting against his chest. Jayce couldn't tell if he's still asleep or not– because while his eyes are peacefully shut, his mouth is suckling at Jayce's nipple insistently.

"Viktor," Jayce murmurs, moving his hand up to Viktor's hair to ruffle it. "Viktor, wake up." 

Viktor stirs, blinking sleepily up at Jayce, all big golden eyes and innocence. Jayce gently pulls his head back. 

"Do you want milk? I can't give it you like… that," he manages. "But I have some." 

Viktor looks incredibly disappointed by this news, and his tail flicks and ears droop. But he nods anyways, hunger clearly winning out, and lets Jayce get himself up before picking the boy back up into his arms and carrying him out.

He sets Viktor down on his sofa, and heads to the icebox. There's a good container of milk left from one of the roaming goats, and she'll probably still be nearby if he goes looking– and the town market isn't too far away. He brings the bottle to the sink, letting warm water from the tap run down the glass. Returning to Viktor, he opens the bottle and sits down on the couch beside him. Viktor immediately climbs into his lap, and Jayce takes it in stride, supporting Viktor's back with his arm. He lifts the bottle to Viktor's mouth, and the little faun happily laps up the milk, ears twitching frantically.

When he gets all the way to the bottom, Jayce tilts it away, wiping the smear of milk from Viktor's chin. It comes away partially brown– he definitely needs to give the boy a bath.

"Let's get clean," he says, settling the bottle aside and scooping the pliant boy back up to take him to the bath. 

He sets Viktor down in the tub, who looks around at it, baffled. Jayce turns on the tap, letting the water flow under his hand for a minute before it warmed up enough. The water pours over Viktor's legs, slowly filling the tub, and he looks confused but seems to appreciate the warm water enough to look past it. He settles in against the side of the basin, and as the water reaches his chest, Jayce turns the tap off. The water is already cloudy, and Jayce takes the plain soap he has and rubs it in his hands.

"This is soap, it's going to help get you clean," Jayce explains, and Viktor just closes his eyes and sinks further into the water. Jayce chuckles, leaning over the tub to scrub at Viktor's arms and shoulders, reaching deeper to get to his hips and back. The boy shifts a little bit as Jayce's hand gently slides down over his tummy and abdomen, carefully brushing over his crotch. Jayce swallows, and he knows he should hold himself back, but his curiosity gets the better of him. His fingers drift down, gliding over the soft fur before finding two tiny folds. He assumed Viktor was a girl when he found him, and not for no reason– between his legs, there's a little cunt tucked away, smalll, delicate, surrounded by soft fur. He impulsively brushes one finger up, grazing the boy's clit, which makes him jolt with a surprised gasp. Jayce finally gets ahold of himself and moves on to his thighs. His muddy legs and hooves are definitely the worst, and take some solid scrubbing and rinsing before they finally are a warm brown with delicate white spots. Jayce is extremely careful around his injured leg, lifting it out of the water to unwrap it. 

Finally, he reaches Viktor's face, and delicately rubs the soap into his skin, avoiding his eyes the best he can. Viktor's eyes are still shut in contentment, and Jayce carefully pours the water over his face to wash away the suds. His skin is practically milky white, spotted with small moles and white spots, face truly angelic.

"All clean," Jayce murmurs. He drains the tub, and when Viktor scrunches his nose and shivers, wraps him up in a towel. He ruffles Viktor's hair with the towel, carefully thumbing over the delicate skin of his ears and face, before moving down to pat the rest of him dry. 

Jayce brings Viktor back to his bed, and grabs a shirt from his dresser, where he has to slightly wrestle the now annoyed faun into it. 

"Why do I have to wear this," he whines as Jayce finally pulls it down. 

"To keep you warm." And so I'm not constantly tempted by your beautiful body, he doesn't add. He's never felt this way before. Never had any interest in men at all, let alone boys. But something about Viktor is magnetic.

Viktor just huffs, ears and tail twitching in matched annoyance, but he lays back down in bed and curls up. 

"Still sleepy, huh?" Jayce reaches over and runs his fingers through Viktor's clean hair. Scratching over his scalp makes the faun's tail start wagging immediately. He sees Viktor nod over his shoulder, and pulls the quilt up over him. 

"Rest. I'll be right over here at my workbench, okay?" Viktor nods again, and as Jayce walks away, he can hear little snores coming from behind him.

He tries to work, tries to finish drawing up the plans for the inevitable repair his roof will need, but he can't focus. All he can think about is Viktor. How is he supposed to care for this little faun? He's never raised a kid before. He's an only child, and the woods around are dangerous. He spends his time making sure he can survive. Now he has to provide for a little boy all by himself.

All he knows is that he has to do this. There's no going back.

A few weeks pass without much fanfare.

Viktor settles into living with Jayce, and Jayce settles into taking care of Viktor. It takes a lot of coaxing to get Viktor to stay behind while Jayce goes out to hunt, but he digs up a few more of the old toys he has, and lets Viktor sit at his workbench and tinker around with spare parts. The boy has a clear talent for mechanics, even after growing up in the wild, and Jayce thinks he could have a little assistant in a few years.

Gods. Years. He basically has a kid now. 

Jayce spends one morning just tracking down the goat he knows roams locally, and he brings her back on a lead, letting her hang around in his fenced garden for the time being. The steady source of milk has a warm flush returning to Viktor's skin, his fur growing in less patchy immediately, and his little limbs are already slowly turning from skin and bones to have a thin layer of fat on them. He's still tiny and skinny, but at least he doesn't look near death now.

Viktor is slowly re-learning how to walk, with a brace Jayce quickly threw together and fitted to his injured leg. They take short walks every morning, and soon Viktor is able to sit by while Jayce milks the goat and tends to his growing garden. The blueberries come in, and he spends warm afternoons sitting in the sun and picking from the bush. 

Jayce quickly discovers that Viktor is incredibly clingy. Seemingly starved from any sort of affection and care for his entire life, he latches onto Jayce, and sticks to his side like a magnet. He stares up at Jayce with those huge golden eyes, begging to be held and carried around. He curls up with Jayce in his bed every single night, little fists clenched in his shirt. 

Jayce doesn't really mind. He always wanted kids, but just in some distant, far-off future, one where he finds a wife and settles down. What he has now is definitely unexpected, but he's taking it all in stride the best he can. If this is what fate decided for him, he'll take it.

Unfortunately, he also discovers that Viktor's lack of social interaction has put him in a very, very tedious position.

He's working one night at his table, drawing up plans for a better brace to support Viktor's leg, and Viktor is settled on the floor near his feet. He's reading a simple book on mechanics Jayce had laying around– how Viktor learned to read is beyond him, and when he asked, Viktor just shrugged. 

Jayce feels a little hand on his leg, and glances up, blinking away the numbers swimming in his vision. Viktor is awkwardly pushing himself up off the floor, and he takes hold of Jayce's shoulder as he stands.

"Hey. Getting tired? It's a little late," Jayce asks, reaching out to gently ruffle his hair. Viktor shakes his head, butting into Jayce's hand with a happy little sound. 

Viktor pushes himself up and makes room for himself in Jayce's lap, to Jayce's surprised chuckle. He pushes his chair back, wrapping his arms around Viktor's waist. His fingers touch if he puts his hands around it– this fact tortures him. 

Viktor just nuzzles into his neck, making more of his little happy sounds, and he lightly nips at Jayce's skin. He likes doing that, and Jayce isn't totally sure why, but his little canines aren't sharp enough to do much, and he doesn't bite hard enough to break the skin. It's an affectionate sort of biting. 

"You were feeling a little lonely down there, huh?" Jayce murmurs into his hair. Viktor nodded, butting at him with his little horns. Jayce can feel the flicking of his tail on his thighs, and he rubs circles into Viktor's back. The boy is constantly desperate for affection, and he doesn't mind indulging it. Sometimes he wonders if it's a bad idea to let him get this attached, but his selfish desire to keep Viktor close wins out every time. Guilt is always simmering deep in his stomach, but it's become such a constant thing he's learned to ignore it.

Viktor leans back slightly, and he's looking up at Jayce with those huge eyes, which are suddenly filled with a clear sense of determination. Jayce raises his eyebrows, and then Viktor leans up, grabbing Jayce by the back of his head to pull him down, and presses their lips together.

Every thought in Jayce's mind flies out. The feeling of those little hands clutching his hair, the soft lips against his, the fast breaths brushing against his skin, fill his senses completely. He's overwhelmed. He knows he should stop this. He knows it's wrong. He has to be better. He can't let this happen.

Slowly, he pulls away, reaching up to gently detach Viktor's hands from his hair. His emotions are running rampant, conflicting thoughts and feelings butting up against each other. 

"Why did you do that?" He manages to ask softly. Viktor looks up at him, and his eyes start to water. Jayce's heart drops into his stomach.

"B-because… I want to," Viktor replies nervously. Jayce reaches back out to stroke his hair, but Viktor ducks away, his ears pinning back. "Do you not want to kiss me?"

Jayce is pretty sure he's experiencing some form of a heart attack right now. He struggles to find any words. Nothing comes, and Viktor just looks at him with those huge, sad eyes, searching his face desperately. This is the wrong move, because Viktor awkwardly climbs off his lap, crossing his arms. 

"Why won't you kiss me?" he asks tearfully.

"You're too young, Viktor, you shouldn't… you shouldn't want that," Jayce tries to explain. 

"I'm old enough! And I want you!" Viktor glares up at him. He stomps his little hoof in an attempt to prove his point, but it only serves to deepen the guilt Jayce feels. He's so little. He's just a boy throwing a temper tantrum because his crush doesn't like him back. 

"I'm sorry, Vik. It's just not okay." Jayce reaches over to pat his back, but Viktor turns away and limp-stomps over to the couch to curl up in a ball and pout further. Jayce sighs. He doesn't know how to handle this. How to control his own urges. How to explain to this little faun, who's grown up all alone without any societal taboos, and now feels rejected. He's terrified this has set him back weeks, broken the trust he so carefully built. 

"Are you ready for bed?" Jayce asks after putting away his work for the day. Viktor just "hmph"s at him. 

"Okay, well, I'm going to sleep now, it's getting late. You can come to bed whenever you want. I'm sorry you're feeling upset, I know it doesn't feel fair, but it's just how things are," Jayce tries again. He gets no response, and defeatedly heads to his bed, turning out the lamp.

"Goodnight, Viktor," he calls anyways. He still receives nothing but silence. He's hit with deja-vu. The empty silence of his cabin is just like before Viktor showed up in his life. 

And he suddenly feels very, very lonely.

Jayce wakes up in the morning to an empty bed. An empty house.

Of course he immediately panics. 

He spends the morning searching the nearby woods, but he can't find a single sign of Viktor anywhere. The little faun is definitely more adept at traversing the woods than him, and so small that he can go through it without leaving a trace. As night falls, Jayce considers it a lost cause, and hopes the boy survives. He made it this far– hopefully he can figure out a way to make it on his own with his hurt leg. 

A day passes, and then two. And Jayce is tentatively back to his normal life. He skins a large buck and can't help but feel deeply guilty. He dries the leather and makes himself a second coat, a little smaller. In case he loses his winter weight. Not for anything else. Anyone else.

On the third day, it starts pouring rain in buckets. Spring is almost here, and it's announcing its presence with harsh winds and a crackling thunderstorm. Jayce takes the rain as a blessing– he can start to turn over the soil for his little garden when the weather lets up a bit, and collects the rainwater in jugs to store. Viktor lingers in the back of his mind, worries constantly floating through his head. 

And then he hears the wailing.

He's halfway through preparing dinner when he starts to hear a faint noise outside of his cabin, mostly hidden under the rain. A crying, bleating noise, of a hurt animal. It gets louder and louder, and he finally can't ignore it any longer, and slides on his otterskin to brave the rain. It's still pouring out, and lightning flashes in the dark sky, illuminating the small figure laying on the ground about twenty feet outside of his cabin. 

Jayce tentatively approaches it, hearing another weak bleat. 

"Viktor?" 

The faun looks up at him. He's laying in the mud, and as the lightning flashes again, he whimpers. He's covered in cuts and bruises, and there's blood trickling down one of his legs. Jayce rushes to kneel at his side. 

"Gods, Viktor– never, ever, do this again, you hear me?" Jayce begs, shaking his shoulders. Viktor whimpers, nodding his head furiously and then tucking it into Jayce's neck with a stifled sob. Jayce easily scoops him up, his little wet body shivering in the cold, and walks back to his cabin as fast as he can.

"A b-buck found me," he wails, as the door opens and they're both back in the warmth of the house. Jayce sets him down on the couch, careless of the fact that's he's absolutely drenched and dripping blood. "He t-tried to t-take me, I ran- but–" Viktor bursts into tears, knees pressed together tightly, trembling. Jayce can see the blood continuing to run between his legs, and rage flashes through him, hot and aggressive.

"Did he touch you?" Jayce nearly growls. Viktor nods weakly.

"I– I– I'm s-sorry," the boy wails.

"You're okay, shh, it's okay. I got you," Jayce replies immediately, kneeling in front of him and wrapping him in his arms tightly. He never wants to let go. Viktor cries into his chest, tears soaking Jayce's shirt, little sobs wracking his chests for minutes on end. Jayce strokes his hair and back, pressing kisses to his hair without even thinking. 

"You're going to be okay, baby, I've got you," Jayce murmurs into his hair. Viktor's sobs slowly peter out, and Jayce leans back, but Viktor immediately buries himself back into Jayce's chest, clearly reluctant to let go. 

"Let's get you cleaned up, okay? I'm not going anywhere, I'm right here," Jayce says, and Viktor just nods. Jayce carefully picks him up, legs wrapping around his waist and arms looping around his neck, Viktor's head resting on his shoulder. His breathing is still shaky, but he's slowly relaxing. 

Jayce draws up a bath, and lets Viktor sit in it for as long as he wants. Jayce is incredibly gentle and indulgent as he cleans the dirt off his body, hands smoothing over Viktor's skin over and over. As he reaches Viktor's tummy, he moves away completely, skipping to his thighs. He drains the water, picking Viktor back up and setting him on the toilet carefully, encouraging him to sit up, and kneels in front of him on the floor.

"I'm going to check down here, okay?" He says nervously, half phrased like a question, as he taps Viktor's upper thigh. This is beyond uncharted territory now. He knows it's wrong. He knows he shouldn't. But he'll do anything for Viktor. Anything.

Viktor just nods, and he spreads his legs tentatively, but Jayce has to put his hands on his thighs and open them wider. His hands completely encircle each of Viktor's thighs with ease. Fuck.

The water had washed some of the blood off, but not all of it. Jayce wets a cloth in the sink with warm water and kneels back down. He gets closer, and takes a deep breath, trying to control his shaking hands as he wipes the rest of the blood away as gently as he can. Viktor makes soft little sounds above him, but he can't tell if they're good or bad. 

With the blood cleaned off, he should be all done.

Jayce's self control is really starting to wear away.

He sets the cloth aside and rubs the downy fur above Viktor's pussy gently. Viktor shivers, little thighs shaking, and then Jayce brings his fingers down further, spreading his folds carefully. Thank the gods, he doesn't look too damaged. With the blood gone, his cunt looks a little swollen, a little red, but otherwise okay. 

"Do you feel okay down here?" Jayce asks. Viktor hesitates, but he nods. Jayce strokes over the fur of his tummy again, and kisses the spot, before standing and gathering Viktor back into his arms.

He brings the boy to bed, wrapping him in blankets before shedding his own wet clothes and climbing in beside him. Viktor immediately scoots into his arms, and Jayce pulls him close.

Viktor's eyes are half lidded, clearly sleepy, but he nervously glances away from Jayce, shyly tucking his head into his neck. Jayce strokes his hair, down his back, and kisses the top of his head again. Viktor finally looks back up at him, those big eyes filled with pure hope.

Jayce is going to hell. He's going to hell. There's no saving him now. He's finally crossing a line he can't go back from. 

He leans down, carefully bringing Viktor's head towards his, and presses their lips together softly. He feels Viktor's ears twitch frantically against his cheeks, and Viktor pushes forwards, kissing back as best he can, clumsy but excited. 

Jayce pulls back. And then he kisses Viktor again. And again. And again.

"Do you love me?" Viktor asks softly as Jayce pulls back one final time. Jayce's chest clenches tight.

"I love you, baby," he murmurs. Viktor shyly buries his face into Jayce's neck, hiding his flushing cheeks and pleased smile.

"I love you too," he whispers, breath ghosting over Jayce's neck.

Now that Jayce has kissed him once, it seems to be all Viktor wants. He sits beside Jayce's forge impatiently, his eyes darting around and tail swishing until Jayce finally sets his hammer down and leans back. That tiny break is enough to get a lap full of desperate, whiny faun, pressing his lips to Jayce's, or anywhere he can reach. He wants to kiss Jayce until he's gasping for air, Jayce's hand on his back to steady his rattling breaths when he finally pulls away. 

"More, now, please," Viktor demands, with the added please a new thing he's starting to pick up. Manners help him get his way. 

"I need to finish working, V. Can you go play for a bit?"

The grumpy look Viktor gives him is enough that Jayce places a slow, gentle kiss to his lips, and Jayce can feel his little tail wagging furiously against his thigh. 

The one place Jayce truly indulges him is at bedtime. He's long since given up trying to get Viktor to sleep on his own, and now he doesn't mind letting the boy snuggle up to his chest and kiss him until he dozes off, little breaths slowing down right into Jayce's mouth. 

Tonight he's inexplicably needy. Not as sleepy as usual by this time, wiggling and wrapping his arms around Jayce's neck just to get as close as possible. Jayce gently strokes through his hair, fingers rubbing the soft skin of his ears just to feel them twitch and flutter.

" More, " Viktor pants into his mouth, eyes droopy with feverish need instead of sleep. And then Jayce realizes his hips are erratically moving in circles, thighs squeezing together. 

Jayce strokes his hair again, shushing him. "You're moving around a lot. Do you feel okay?"

"Tingly," Viktor mumbles, ducking his head shyly and squeezing his legs together again. 

Jayce carefully moves his hand from Viktor's lower back, instead sliding it around to his front, pressing gently on the lower part of his tummy. "Down here?" Viktor nods, brows knitting together in frustration.

"It's okay. Sometimes… sometimes that happens. You have to take care of yourself in a private way."

"I want you to help," Viktor protests. 

Jayce swallows, every ounce of his moral fiber being used to keep him from saying what he really wants. "I shouldn't, it's not okay for me to help."

"I don't know what to do," Viktor whines desperately, clenching his thighs together again. Jayce sighs heavily. The guilt weighing deep in his chest gets easier to ignore every day. 

"I can show you for right now. But then you have to do it on your own from now on, okay?" 

Viktor nods, whimpering, and Jayce finally shifts his thigh to slot it between Viktor's. He seems a little confused, so Jayce carefully places his hands on Viktor's hips, pushing them down and then forwards.

"Rub against me, back and forth. It'll feel good."

Viktor nods determinedly, biting down on his lower lip before pushing his hips down into the solid muscle of Jayce's thigh. His eyes light up and his breath catches in his chest. 

"O-oh," he gasps, and repeats the motion. His hips begin to rock back and forth automatically, furry little thighs rubbing soft against Jayce's skin. He presses his head into Jayce's chest, moaning, and Jayce presses down on his hips more, encouraging him to build up a solid rhythm. Viktor pants against him, whimpers and whines escaping shamelessly as he ruts. 

"Does that feel good?" Jayce murmurs, and Viktor nods with a little "uh-huh". Jayce can feel the stickiness clinging to his thigh now, the tiny hard bud of Viktor's clit catching against his muscles. "Keep going, sweetheart. You can do it."

"F-feels weird," he whimpers. "J-Jayce– I– I think I'm gonna pee," he sobs out, and Jayce has to grit his teeth to ignore his cock throbbing red hot in his boxers mere inches away.

"Just let go. It's okay, it's gonna feel really good." 

Viktor sobs again, his hips stuttering as he chokes on a whine, and Jayce can feel the dripping of slick and fluttering of his pussy during orgasm against his bare thigh. He takes a deep breath, trying to control the rushing of blood in his ears and his cock practically jumping in his boxers.

" J-Jayce !" Viktor gasps, and his hips finally slow to a stop, head drooping.

"Feel better now?" Viktor nods somewhat shyly as Jayce moves his hands back to cup Viktor's head and hold his back. 

"You can do that whenever you need to, okay? Just find what makes you feel good," Jayce explains the best he can. Viktor is already breathing slow and sleepy in his arms, and Jayce pets his hair and kisses the top of his head. 

Apparently, Viktor took Jayce's offer very literally. He's just such a greedy little thing, unable to go five minutes without Jayce's attention, and every time he discovers something new he drowns himself in it.

Jayce walks back into the house with half of a moose slung over his shoulder to find Viktor sitting up in bed, Jayce's flannel wrapped around him, humping his pillow with soft pants coming from his mouth. Jayce is rock hard in an instant, and he nearly drops the massive carcass sitting on his shoulders. 

Viktor appears to be too lost in the pleasure, not even noticing Jayce, rocking his hips desperately, eyes shut tight. 

Jayce sets the dead animal by the front door to be dealt with in a little bit, and wipes his hands on his pants before walking over to the bed, kneeling in front of it. Viktor finally opens his eyes, hazy with pleasure and desperation, and he whines as his hips continue to rock against the pillow.

"Keep going, you got it," Jayce encourages softly. He reaches up to put his hands on Viktor's hips, guiding him through the motions, and with that, Viktor's ears stick straight up and his thighs tremble. He lets out a little moan, and slumps over the pillow with a heavy sigh.

"It's better when you help," Viktor mutters, muffled from his face in the sheets. Jayce rubs his thumbs in circles over the sparse fur at Viktor's hips.

"I know. But you need to do it on your own."

"I like it when you help me more," he continues to protest. "It makes me all wet and tingly every time… it's not the same without you."

Jayce has to use all the strength in his body not to throw the little faun down on the floor and ravage him right there. Viktor is going to be the death of him. 

"I know," Jayce manages, stroking Viktor's hair. "I'm sorry, V."

With the proper food and shelter, Viktor is growing at a rapid rate. He's taller and his hips and chest are starting to fill out, gentle curves forming on his little body. And he can't seem to go one day without masturbating. 

This is taking an extreme toll on Jayce. He has the most beautiful boy living in his home, wearing his clothes, leaving slick on his pillows and constantly humping his own hand and fingering himself, moaning Jayce's name. It's pure torture. He knows he shouldn't go any further. Kissing him was bad enough. Showing him how to cum was even worse. Going any further would be grounds for his own execution, honestly.

Unfortunately, Jayce is only a man. He only has so much self control.

He splurges at the market on a few new books for Viktor, some of his favorite old folktales, and a few bottles of wine for himself. He saves them for the first proper day of spring, when the strawberries start to flower and the fruit trees drop petals all over the forest floor. That night, he teaches Viktor how to knit, and his clever little fingers quickly pick it up. Jayce suspects that he'll be the better knitter by fall. 

He pops the cork on the wine bottle, and pours himself a glass as he sets dinner on the tables. He tried to make a blueberry cobbler, but it turned out more like blueberry jam with some sweet bread crumbs. Viktor devours it anyways. 

"What's that?" He asks as Jayce takes a long sip from his glass.

"Grown up drink," Jayce says with a laugh. "You won't like it."

He reaches across the table to let Viktor inspect the drink. Viktor takes one sniff, and his face scrunches up enough that he clearly loses interest in the alcohol. Jayce finishes the glass, and as he cleans up dinner, Viktor lounges on the couch, looking through one of the storybooks.

When Jayce comes over, the book is open on the couch, but Viktor isn't even looking at it anymore. He's glancing around anxiously, biting down on his lip, wriggling around, one hand awkwardly in his lap. Maybe the alcohol in Jayce's blood making his judgement weak. But he finds himself saying something stupid.

"I can show you something new to help with that."

Viktor looks up at him, gold eyes wide and pleading, and nods. "Yes, please," he responds softly, and Jayce's chest clenches tight. He's so sweet, so innocent. 

Jayce carries him to bed, laying him down on his back, and he snuggles into the pillows. Whatever nervous tension filled him before seems to have evaporated with Jayce here to take care of him. 

Jayce sits down at his feet, carefully lifting his legs to go on either side of his own hips, then bending down to get them over his shoulders. In order to keep from stretching Viktor too far, he has to be nearly buried down into the mattress.

He runs his hands up Viktor's warm, furry little thighs, his fingers easily wrapping around the girth of them. Viktor squirms just a bit, hooves twitching, and he whimpers softly from above. Jayce presses a few kisses to his thighs, the softness of his fur brushing his cheeks, and then moves up to kiss his tummy and right where the downy, fine hair above his pussy begins. Viktor whimpers again, his hips pushing up into Jayce's face. 

Jayce finally gives in. He noses between the warm, glistening folds of the boy's cunt, and starts to carefully lick, tongue tracing delicately around his clit. Viktor immediately gasps, his hips jolting. 

" Aa-ahh ! Jayce!" His little hands grab at Jayce's hair, and Jayce buries his face in, properly licking him open and flicking over his clit. Viktor moans so soft and sweet for him, more dribbles of slick catching on his tongue. When Jayce purses his lips around the hardened nub, sucking at it in slow pulses, Viktor wails, his pussy throbbing and his orgasm hitting him fast and hard. 

"Hhh… J-Jayce… please…" he mumbles, legs trembling under Jayce's hands, and he rubs up and down Viktor's thighs comfortingly before moving to spread his lips again with two fingers. 

Jayce swipes his tongue over the faun's clit while he carefully slides one finger inside. Viktor whines and scrabbles at Jayce's hair, the one finger barely even fitting in his tiny pussy. But then Jayce bends his finger up and starts to firmly massage into his g-spot, and Viktor is gone again, choking on a gasp. Jayce doesn't let up, and Viktor is gasping for air. 

"S-stop– feels– feels weird– I– I gotta pee–" he whines, pushing at Jayce's head. Jayce's other hand slides up to press on his tummy, and he hums into the sweet warmth of Viktor's cunt. Suckling at his clit one more time and rubbing that spot with insistence has Viktor's feet kicking the bed as he sobs. Jayce feels his pussy pulse around his finger, and then a gush of liquid comes out of him, dripping down Jayce's chin as he finally pulls away.

"Good boy," Jayce slurs, the alcohol and taste of the little faun's cunt leaving him utterly wrecked. He curls up around Viktor, who easily snuggles up to him, letting Jayce rub his back and just idly play between his legs, flicking his clit and spreading him open. 

"Squirted all over my face, baby. So good," Jayce mumbles. 

"... is this what happens when you feel good?" Viktor whispers, and the throbbing boner in Jayce's pants suddenly re-enters his memory as Viktor tentatively grinds his little bottom against it. Jayce immediately groans. 

"Yeah, it is." 

"Can I make you feel good?" Viktor's eyes are wide and excited. The alcohol has Jayce feeling loose and careless, and he just couldn't deny Viktor, could he?

"Do you remember what I taught you the first time?" Jayce asks quietly. Viktor nods, and the smart boy he is, shifts his legs to partially straddle Jayce. His bare pussy is just hovering over Jayce's clothed cock now, only two layers between them. 

Viktor rolls his hips experimentally, and at the sudden relief Jayce sighs and pulls him closer. Viktor lets out little huffs as he rocks, and Jayce begins thrusting back up against him, making them both moan. 

"Feels so much better like this," Viktor whimpers.

"Your pussy is so warm and wet for me," Jayce groans, the alcohol letting him ramble mindlessly. "Wish I could give you my cock, fuck your properly. You'd be so tight, so sensitive. Bet you would cum the second I put it in."

Viktor doesn't even really seem to know what the words mean, but his little tail is wagging and there's a river of slick dripping down his thighs, his hands gripping tight at Jayce's hips. One hard thrust has Jayce's cock popping out of his pants and boxers, and Viktor pushes them down without warning and starts to hump at his cock bare. 

"This feels the best…" he hiccups. "Feels best with y-your…" His face flushes bright red, his next words a shy whisper. "Your cock feels so good." 

The filthy words said with so much embarrassment in Viktor's soft innocent voice have Jayce letting out a strangled groan and promptly cumming right there, coating the outside of Viktor's pussy.

Still panting, Viktor reaches down and dips his fingers in the white fluid, pulling it up to his lips and licking his fingers. Jayce is still recovering from the best goddamn orgasm he's ever had, and seeing that nearly makes his cock jump up again. 

Instead, he carefully wipes between Viktor's thighs with his shirt, tossing it away before wrapping him up in his arms.

"Can we do that again?" Viktor whispers.

Jayce sighs heavily. 

"Maybe," he replies. That seems to satisfy Viktor, who curls up into his chest and shuts his eyes with one of his happy noises.

Jayce hates himself. He loves Viktor. He's learning to live with both of those things.

One morning, Viktor is up before Jayce.

As Jayce climbs out of bed, he spots the fawn sitting on the edge, kicking his feet. Jayce yawns, running a hand through his hair, and sits up.

"What's got you up so early?" he asks groggily. Viktor ducks his head shyly, fingers playing with the fabric of the blanket, before he looks back to Jayce.

"I want to show you my special place," he says quietly, his eyes huge and earnest.

Jayce's chest fills with a kind of warmth he can't even begin to describe, like the sun itself is in his body.

"Okay," he replies. "Let's have breakfast, and then you can show me." 

Viktor nods and springs up out of bed, hobbling to the kitchen excitedly. Jayce chuckles to himself.

Viktor is eager to rush through every part of their morning routine. He's clearly trying to be patient, and failing pretty miserably. Jayce doesn't really care– the boy's excitement is contagious. 

When they finally leave the house, Viktor takes his hand, looking up at him. 

"Follow me, okay?"

Jayce swallows, and tries not to grip the boy's tiny hand too tightly. He just nods, and lets Viktor part the brush in front of them and guide him through the woods.

They make it a short ways in, a path that Jayce has been down many times before, but stop in front of a thick bramble of spiky berry bushes. Normally, this would have been something Jayce ignored– he wouldn't cut them down, the berries were too valuable to waste come the summer, but going through them would be too much of a time sink without permanently damaging the plants. Viktor seems to have made a small path for himself, something he easily slips through and trots along without hitting the thorns. Jayce is able to keep up by carefully pushing the branches aside this time, only getting a few snags on his shirt.

When he parts the last thicket, he watches Viktor eagerly let his hand fall and run. His 'special place' is a small meadow, lining a quiet, clear stream of fresh water, all of it enclosed by the outer berry bushes or covered by rocks pressing up against large willow trees. Jayce steps out, looking around in slight awe, when he watches Viktor try and run back to him overzealously and stumble into the grass. Thankfully, the dirt here seems to be soft, and he just looks up at Jayce, cheeks flushing with embarrassment. 

"Be careful of your leg, okay?" Jayce bends down to help him stand back up, but again holding onto his hand, Viktor shakes his head.

"I can't swim… I wanted you to take me into the water," he admits bashfully.

The stream is deep enough that Viktor's concern makes perfect sense, but it seems to be slow moving and gentle. Jayce hefts him up into his arms, and the faun wraps his arms around Jayce's neck without hesitation. Jayce glances down at his clothes– well, the spring linens should be fine, they'd dry in the sun fast enough. He walks through the meadow, carefully stepping over the rocks edging the stream, and enters the water. It's cool around his ankles, and as he wades deeper, it eventually reaches Viktor's legs, who makes a little yelp of amusement when it touches his fur. 

"Happy?" Jayce asks with a sheepish smile, and Viktor nods. 

"Hold onto me, okay?" He bends down to set Viktor into the water, holding his hands tightly, and Viktor stands up in it with a bleat so happy and cheerful Jayce feels tears prickling in his eyes.

They wade around in the water for a bit before Viktor comes back to him, and Jayce takes him back out of the stream and over the rocks, setting him on the ground. He quickly strips his now wet clothes and lays them out to dry before settling beside beside Viktor. The grass is soft, and sunlight is drifting over them through the trees, warming them after being in the cool water. 

Viktor rolls over, climbing onto Jayce's lap and laying on top of him with another one of those happy bleats.

"I love you, Jayce," he whispers, and Jayce has to swallow back tears again.

"I love you too, baby," Jayce whispers back, leaning down to kiss his head. Viktor wiggles up further, leaning in to kiss his lips, and they spend what feels like hours laying in the sun, kissing slow and soft. 

Viktor eventually leans back, licking his lips, eyes wide and nervous.

"I want you to mate me," he whispers shyly, and Jayce's heart immediately starts to pound in his chest. His ears are ringing. Maybe this is all a dream. If it is–

"Are you sure, baby?" Jayce whispers back, voice shaky.

Viktor nods, surging forwards to kiss him quickly, and Jayce pulls back this time.

"I want this to be special for you, okay?" Jayce murmurs. Viktor nods tentatively, and wraps his arms around Jayce's neck without hesitation. Jayce rolls them over, easing Viktor back into the soft grass, and he sighs happily, hair fanned out underneath him, little legs falling open easily. Jayce brushes his hair out of his face, and Viktor's huge eyes look up at him, shining with nervousness and excitement.

"I'm going to make sure you feel really good," Jayce promises. Viktor leans in for a kiss, eyelids fluttering shut and little hands coming up to rest against Jayce's chest. Their lips meet, and the kiss is easy and slow, comfortable. Viktor knows how to delicately lick into his mouth, suck gently at his lower lip, effortlessly.

Jayce runs his hands up and down Viktor's sides, moving to lightly thumb over his nipples. Viktor shivers, wiggling slightly and letting out a little whine into Jayce's mouth. The tiny swells starting to grow there are just barely enough for Jayce to cup in his hands, gently squeezing them. He wonders how much bigger they'll get, or if they'll just remain little and perky. 

He trails kisses all the way down Viktor's neck, pausing to lick and suckle gently at his nipples, which has Viktor squirming and murmuring Jayce's name. He giggles as Jayce kisses his tummy, but quickly dissolves into little pants as Jayce kisses down his furry abdomen and gently spreads the folds of his cunt. He's already slick, gets wet so easily for Jayce every time. Jayce doesn't know how he managed going so long resisting this. 

Eating Viktor out is Jayce's idea of heaven. His sweet, natural taste, the way his thighs tremble around Jayce's head, his little whimpers and whines. It's easy to make him cum three times, swirling his tongue around his clit and sucking it gently between his lips. 

Viktor is so wet that it's dripping into the grass, and it's sticking to his thighs. Jayce presses one more kiss to his pussy, and slides back up to hold Viktor in his arms again.

"Are you ready, baby?" He whispers. Viktor nods, wiggling impatiently as he always does. 

"It might hurt a little, but we'll go really slow." Jayce reaches back between his legs, brushing over his clit before sliding one finger back inside. It goes easily, and a second follows. He presses up into that spot that makes Viktor tremble and push back against his hand before a third pushes in. The stretch doesn't seem to be too much for him, and he continues to rub over his g-spot until Viktor is pawing at him and begging for more. Jayce presses another kiss to the top of his head. 

"Take a deep breath," he instructs, and Viktor listens, his chest expanding. Jayce nudges the head of his cock up against the folds of his pussy, and it's still so large in comparison. It takes all his self-restraint to keep from shoving right in. Instead, he slowly pushes the head in, and Viktor gasps, his breaths stuttering. 

"H-hurts," he whimpers, and Jayce strokes his hair, clenching his stomach tight to keep from moving his hips. 

"It'll feel really good soon. I'm going slow, remember?" 

Jayce tilts his head up for another kiss, letting Viktor lose himself in it before pushing his cock in further, the head popping inside. He's tight like a vice, hot like a fever, slick like a river, and Jayce groans. Viktor shifts his hips, his breaths still short and quick.

"H-hurts, Jayce," he whimpers again. Jayce only has so much self control. He pushes all the way inside, and their hips finally meet, Viktor's hands scrabbling against his chest as he's filled. Jayce rubs his cock up into his pussy with another groan, and suddenly Viktor gasps and moans.

"Feels good now, huh?" Jayce murmurs. Viktor nods.

"Again," he whispers. 

Jayce continues to grind his hips up, and Viktor kicks his legs, ears twitching and eyes closing tight. Slowly, he starts to thrust in and out, deep and even, and Viktor is reduced to little " uh-uh-uh" s and nothing more. His head is thrown back, eyes shut tight, and he clutches Jayce's shoulders so tight his fingers are digging into the skin. He starts to rock back against Jayce on every thrust, and this has him gasping for air, cunt pulsing around Jayce's cock. He's already so tight inside, but the added pressure makes Jayce groan and bury his head in Viktor's neck, peppering it with kisses.

"You gonna cum, baby? You gonna cum for me again?" He whispers, voice gravelly in Viktor's ear, and Viktor just whines and nods his head frantically. Viktor lets out a loud, long moan, still gasping for air as his hips jerk up into Jayce's and his cunt throbs. Jayce can feel liquid practically gushing out of him, covering Jayce's cock, and the sound of his thrusts is slick and filthy. 

"I want it in m-me," Viktor pants, wrapping his legs around Jayce's hips. "Inside me, please, Jayce– J-Jayce–" 

Jayce's self control flew out the window a long, long time ago. Those words in Viktor's sweet little voice have him burying his cock all the way inside his pussy, and he groans loudly, head falling to the ground as he cums inside of Viktor, who lets out a long, breathy gasp.

Both panting, they lay there, cum and slick leaking out of Viktor's cunt and sliding down both of their thighs. Viktor shifts slightly underneath Jayce, and he manages to roll them over onto their sides, his cock slowly sliding out of Viktor, both of them letting out small sounds at the sensation.

Viktor snuggles back up to Jayce, pressing tiny kisses to his neck and jaw. Jayce wraps his arms around Viktor again, reaching down to stroke his back, and he can feel the cheerful wagging of his little tail. 

"I love you so much," Viktor says with a sigh. 

Jayce presses a kiss to the top of his head. 

"I love you too, baby." 

Jayce definitely didn't get the family he expected. But his little faun is plenty.