Complicated
“Hey..Cait, how are you?” Vi said, trying to hide the catastrophic sight of the cabin behind them.
Viktor slapped a hand over his eyes, staring down at the floor.
When he and Vi had arrived at their cabin they hadn’t really anticipated just how rowdy Powder and Ekko would be.
They’re tiny children who have been cooped up in a spaceship and can finally run around without masks on, since the cabins were situated inside a large building on the base.
Yeah, maybe they were doomed from the start.
Ekko pretended he was the colonel while Powder pretended she was killing him with one of the large wooden loofahs, Ekko screamed in agony and had a fake-death, which of course was followed by a fake-funeral scene.
Cute kids.
Ekko then came back from the dead and stole rolls of toilet paper, flinging them all around the room while Powder acted like she got caught in a spider-web.
Viktor had made them beds on the floor in between both of the bunks, he hadn’t realised how bouncy they were though.
So then they bounced so high the fan fell so Vi made them wear the plastic shower caps as protection while she tried fixing the fan.
Because that makes sense.
Where was Viktor during all this? Aside from trying to keep the kids from blowing up the place he was on a radio call with Grace, who needed someone to complain to about Jayces dad.
Yeah, he’ll unpack that and yell at Jayce later.
“Uh..” Caitlyn was wide-eyed as she looked around “I just came to hand you your checklist for the cabin but…I’m not sure how much that’s gonna help with organising”
Viktor winced as he heard the fan fall down again “Vi! You were right! The helmet helped!” He heard Ekko say cheerfully, like nothing was wrong.
“What did you try fixing the fan with?” Viktor turned to to her
“…a dream?” She shrugged “It doesn’t matter because it doesn’t work now”
“Where’s- where’s Maddie? She’s your other roommate, right?” Caitlyn eyed the clipboard
Vi scowled “who knows, she’s probably forcing information out of someone”
Caitlyn chuckled, earning a grin from Vi.
Viktor turned his attention to Jayce, who quickly moved his head towards the kids. Had he already been looking at him?
“Okay, well I’d like to sleep in a de-webbed bed tonight, so why don’t we get a move on and clean this up?”
For once, Viktor agreed with him.
☆
“Caitlyn, can I speak with you?” Viktor asked her a while later, carrying a trash bag filled with toilet paper and dirt.
“Oh..sure” she said wearily.
He closed the door behind her after they walked out, Caitlyn also had a large trash bag.
“I’d like to apologise for my behaviour this morning” he said as they walked towards the large green bin that had their cabin number on it “I’m not proud of it, and I’m sorry I was so harsh on you”
Caitlyn smiled as she opened the lid, chucking her bag inside “all is forgiven, I’m sorry again for what I said”
“It’s quite alright, I can understand your desire to spend more time with Violet”
She immediately blushed “I- Er, thank you…for understanding”
The walk back to the cabin was quiet until Caitlyn said: “Do you know about Jayces father?”
Viktors eyebrows shot up “I do”
“Okay well…he and Jayce had a talk and it didn’t go well so, please, just go easy on him”
“Hm, I have specific instructions from Grace to yell at him”
“Well don’t” she said sternly “I know you have your opinions about us, but the talk really messed him up, I just…Just let him rest tonight, please”
Viktor let out a sigh “alright”
“Thank you, Viktor”
☆
Powder and Ekko had finally settled down; both snuggled up on their beds, Vi was snoring loudly on her bunk, wearing nothing but a pair of boxer shorts and white crop top.
Maddie still wasn’t there.
He found Jayce in the bathroom, brushing his teeth.
The man’s eyes immediately widened as Viktor entered “Viktor!” He said around his toothbrush
“I thought you weren’t supposed to talk with your mouth full,” he said, turning on the tap and washing his hands.
Jayce spat out the toothpaste at his sink and washed his mouth, he was also wearing boxer shorts, but nothing covering his chest.
Viktor turned his attention back to the sink.
“I apologised to Caitlyn” he wasn’t sure why he said that, like Jayce even cared
“Oh” the other man said softly “That probably meant a lot to her, even if she didn’t show it”
Viktor hummed in agreement “I…also wanted to…”
He looked up at Jayce, at his eyes that were still red from crying earlier, Viktor knew he had been.
His skin was glowing in the irritating light of the bathroom.
“You wanted to..what?” Jayce tilted his head
Viktor swallowed “eh…nothing, goodnight, Talis, see you tomorrow”
He immediately walked out, noticing Jayces shoulders slump in disappointment.
“Night, Viktor”
He felt like an asshole, laying on the top bunk while Jayce slowly breathed on the bottom one.
He lay awake, facing the ceiling.
Something about that interaction was wrong
Something about Jayce Talis was wrong.
Or maybe…
Maybe he had it all wrong.
Maybe he’d been wrong this whole time.
He didn’t even brush his teeth.