An Easy Fix
“Can we fix it?” Jayce asked hurriedly.
Nobody was acknowledging him, Viktor and Grace were in deep conversation and the other Avatars were busy talking to each other about their new normal bodies.
“Wha- yes, Talis, of course it can be fixed” Grace rolled her eyes like it was a stupid question.
Remembering that if he simply stood up from the tiny medical bed instead of trying to make himself small, he’d tower over the doctor, that made him feel a little better.
“But..how? There’s no way to…I can’t just grow another finger, can I?”
Viktor’s mouth formed a line — another stupid question
“Now, are you sure this is what you want, Talis?” He asked
“Uh..what do you mean?”
“If you don’t want us to spike you with more human dna, then we won’t. If you feel as though four fingers will benefit your research somehow then you should trust your gut”
Jayce swallowed.
Something about all this felt wrong, it felt strange and weird.
But, he knew there was a right answer.
“No…no, give me whatever I need”
Grace smiled, but Viktors jaw clenched.
What?
~
“Viktor, will you please talk to me?” Jayce begged
They were back in their human bodies, the only two in the dorm. Viktor had his back to Jayce, tidying Vi’s suitcase. Jayce had his hands on his knees.
“I don’t understand, I thought that was the right choice”
Viktor sighed “You clearly did not want to change that part of your Avatar, Talis, I’m…disappointed, that is all”
“Yeah, when are you not?” Jayce huffed, standing up “Sorry, I wasn’t aware wanting to fit in was such a crime!”
Viktor groaned “Spare me the complaints, fitting in shouldn’t matter! Your research should be your number one priority!” He turned around to face Jayce.
“Yeah, well, not everyone is as antisocial and angry all the time as you are, Vik!” He yelled “My apologies for wanting to be apart of all this, I don’t want to be some kind of experiment on-top of everything else we’ve got to do! I don’t want that!”
Viktor sighed “that is a selfish thought, Talis”
Jayce wanted to laugh “selfish? I feel like this is the exact opposite!” He ran a hand through his hair “Wanting to be on the same level as you all is selfish now? Since when?”
“Since the moment you boarded that ship” Viktor poked him in the chest, causing Jayce to flinch “since the moment you walked into that lab like you owned the place”
“I-“
“From the moment Mel Medara laid eyes on you and gave you everything you could ever want and you began using her! You used her to get on this mission, you used Grace and you used me!”
Jayce licked his lips. Viktor was frowning in a way he’s never seen before.
“I would never ever use you, Viktor” he said weakly “and I’m sorry you feel so betrayed, I don’t know what happened in your past to not let you trust anyone, but none of that is my fault”
He stood closer, Viktor’s hands hit the sides of the bunk, Jayce leaned down so their foreheads were almost touching.
“If this is all I’m ever gonna get out of you, if all you’re gonna do is put me down and shut me out and never entertain the idea that I might not be who you think I am then I don’t want to work with you anymore”
He backed off, walking towards the door
“This may be selfish,” he said before walking out and quickly slamming it behind him.
Viktor didn’t realise his knees were so weak until he flopped onto his bed.
He didn’t want to think about anything, about what had just happened or about how much he hates himself.
Suddenly the door opened, and Viktor let the small burst of hope die out as he saw Vi.
“Wow! The testosterone in here is unbearable!” she faked a gag “what the fuck have you two been up too?”