Day 5 of @jayvikficweek: Fingers in his forehead/Freaky Friday (strange, magical, weird or unique concepts)
A few notes beforehand: Honestly, this will mostly be exceptionally unique fics that I haven't covered before and I'm too impatient to wait to rec a later day. I like unique fics, so I had some trouble finding something specifically for today.
Again, I'm not reccing anything with over 500 kudos. As always, I've included rating, kudos count, and word count (rounded up), alongside the writer's Tumblr - if they've posted it on the fic. If I'm leaving anyone out and you know it's the author, not just someone with a similar URL, please let me know and I'll tag them!
again, and again, and by yoyoandswords || E | Kudos: 100-300 | WIP: 73k | Updated: Jun 2025
Relevant Tags: Post-Canon, Mel/Elora, Reincarnation, Science Fiction, Jayce has PTSD, Mel has PTSD, Mage Mel, Mage Jayce, Professor Viktor, Disabled Jayce
On an expedition into the ruins of what was once the city-state of Piltover, historian Elora discovers two mages, Mel Medarda and Jayce Talis, who have been under a sleeping spell for four hundred years. She insists on bringing the possibly radioactive ancient mages back to her home in the Freljord. Because there's something pulling Elora towards Mel, who speaks as if they already know each other. It's probably the same thing that pushes Jayce towards a professor called Viktor.
Or: Mel and Jayce meet the reincarnations of Elora and Viktor and get a second chance, centuries after the events of Arcane s02e09.
Commentary: technically more of a post-canon AU, but most of my recs are going to be that anyway and I wanted to rec this earlier in the week because I really love it. Jayvik and Melora, with Jayce & Mel friendship. They get punted forward 400 years and have to deal with the consequences. Lots of Mel character exploration and Jayce has magic! An incredibly unique concept; Elora is a historian here, so there’s also an element of Mel and Jayce reciting their history to her that I love.
butterfly soup by m122y || T | Kudos: 300-500 | WIP: 84k | Updated: May 2025 (on Tumblr @drossna)
Relevant Tags: Post-Canon, Arcane Herald Viktor, Solarpunk, Disabled Jayce
Jayce and Viktor vanish from the roof of the Hexgate and reappear thirty years later completely unchanged: Jayce still bruised and broken, Viktor still behind the Machine Herald's mask. Meanwhile, the twin cities of Piltover and Zaun have continued on without them. Science and magic meet in startling ways, the dead rise, and foreign political powers threaten to undermine the work done to recover from the battle three decades prior. Veteran champions struggle to protect the city's foundations while young, upstart rebels fight to determine its future. The waters are rising, the forests are evolving, and the peoples of Runeterra are finding new ways to make old mistakes. And, in the middle of it all, Jayce and Viktor figure out how to be.
Commentary: I lost this for so long and I'm so happy I found it (from someone else reccing the fic for this event!) The author themself said that this was a "a Jayce/Viktor fic masquerading as an exploration into the direction that Piltover and Zaun would head after the close of the series" and they're not exaggerating. Amazing worldbuilding of post-Arcane Piltover and Zaun, a great political plot, Jayce dealing with the idolatry after the final battle and his new disability, Viktor dealing with the consequences of his actions and his new Arcane Herald body... this fic is amazing, you need to read it.
at least, be human by notsolstice || E | Kudos: 100-300 | One-Shot: 18k | Complete: Jul 2025 (on Tumblr @americachavez) (BlueSky: yearnatron5000)
Relevant Tags: Post-Canon, Arcane Herald Viktor, Size Difference, Macro/Micro, Trans Viktor, Top Viktor/Bottom Jayce
“Touch me, please,” he begs, crying openly now. “Viktor, please, I need you inside me—” He needs more than that. He needs Viktor to crack him open like an egg and swallow whatever foul black tar clings to his insides—he needs Viktor to close those big hands around him and crush him like an insect—he needs Viktor to pull his arms and legs off like a sadistic child with their favorite toy and put him back together, to fix him—he needs— Weeks after Jayce wakes up on the roof of the Hexgates alone save for a mildly concussed Ekko, he is still in mourning for his partner, seemingly lost to the Arcane. Jayce is still grieving when alarms sound out over the city. Something has been spotted on the horizon—a giant metal construct with strange gold and greyish-purple skin—and it’s headed right towards Piltover.
Commentary: This writer consistently writes absolute bangers. A very unique post-canon AU where Jayce stays in Piltover and Viktor is ... dead? This has Jayce angst, Jayce and Vi friendship, and fun hexclaw antics.
Boustrophedon by snowquill || E | Kudos: ~300 | One-Shot: 22k | Published: Jan 2025 (on Bluesky: nivasnow)
Relevant Tags: Post-Canon, H/C, Grief/Mourning, Jayce has PTSD, Disabled Jayce
Jayce pushed himself up from the couch and stopped in his tracks when he noticed something out of the corner of his eyes. Or rather, someone. This is not possible, Jayce thought. And yet, there, in the middle of his flat was— “Jayce?” Viktor asked. Set after the end of season 02. After all that happened, Jayce struggles with his survival, Viktor’s survival as nothing but an astral ghost, the question on how to continue a life (and love) he never expected to have — and also, building a robot body.
Commentary: Another fun and unique take of the Jayce-and-Viktor revive post-canon fic. Here, Viktor is a ghost and we get to see Jayce and Viktor do science! in Piltover again. And Jayce gets to stay with his mom! This fic and the previous three all explore how Piltover would see Jayce (and Viktor) post-war, which is always slightly different per author and it's always fascinating to see what changes and what stays the same.
for better or worse by bestie || M | Kudos: 100-300 | One-Shot: 5-10k | Published: May 2025
Relevant Tags: Old Mage Viktor, Mage Jayce, Trans Jayce, Top Viktor/Bottom Jayce
Even with all his power and all the time in the world, Viktor was still only human. Maybe he did miss something. An offshoot, lonely in its own right, quiet and open and waiting and wanting— “Jayce?” Viktor whispered into the air. And, in Viktor’s mind, he heard a reply, instantaneous and desperate: Viktor. The air seized in Viktor’s lungs. He brought both hands to his staff, clutching it just as desperately as the voice that’d rung out in his mind, to keep himself steady. The warmth roiled through him, and, no, it wasn’t just warm, it was hot. It was burning. Viktor, the voice called again. Viktor, where— Wait for me, just— I’ll find you— -- or, a sudden arrival to viktor's doomed timeline changes everything. [ mage!vik for day 2 of bottom jayce week. ]
Commentary: Hell yeah mage Jayce fic. Not going to spoiler too much, but the mage Jayce concept - his powers and how they contrast with Viktor's - is inspired.
