Chapter Text
Viktor prided himself in being level-headed most of the time despite all his faults and obstacles that hindered his progress, which was one of the biggest reasons he was able to make it this far. This far in question being by Jayce’s side, altering the future of Piltover forever. It was truly a dream come true. Their dream come true, as Jayce had put it in one of their initial meetings.
His composure was not often broken, while still being able to display a wide range of strong emotions. However, his emotions seemed to be spiraling out of control more often than not lately, and Viktor for the life of him could not figure out why.
While he was mindlessly trying to fix an equation he had gotten wrong in his tired state, Viktor felt the recently acquainted heat rising up his face again. Why couldn’t he get it right? The frustration was about to get the better of him before he felt a presence behind him. Already knowing who it was, he turned around in his seat only to be met with the sight of all black. He flinched backward to get a better look at Jayce, who was far too close for him to be comfortable. His partner didn’t seem to care, however, looking over his shoulder to observe the equation that got him stumped.
Meanwhile, Viktor’s breathing hitched. In his current state with a whole four hours of sleep in his arsenal, he was almost certain he was hallucinating. But no, Jayce was standing there with a black turtleneck that hugged his body in all the right ways, and black sweats that left him gulping nervously. Viktor seldom saw the man in casual clothes, him almost always being prim and proper while Viktor tended to be the more unruly of the two of them. Even then, he would hardly describe himself as unkempt. Seeing Jayce rid himself of the tie that was perpetually around his neck, Viktor felt himself staring.
“-lo? Earth to Viktor?” Jayce was waving a hand in front of Viktor’s face. Shaking his head, the Zaunite brought himself back to the present.
“Sorry, I was thinking about something. What were you saying?”
Jayce gave him a kind smile that gave rise to a strange fluttering feeling in his chest that felt constricting. “I think I know what you got wrong. It’s this variable here,” he said, pointing to a random letter Viktor had scribbled. He absentmindedly wondered how it would be like to hold the large hand.
Caught up in his emotions, he could hardly feel disappointed in his failure to notice the simple mistake and instead mumbled a small, “Oh.”
Noticing the lack of emotion in his often passionate partner, Jayce frowned. He leaned closer, the back of his hand pushed against Viktor’s forehead. “Are you sure you’re alright? You’re not sick or anything?”
In hindsight, Viktor should’ve known better. He should’ve known in his sorry state he would’ve done something stupid. But it seemed all reason and inhibition fell out the window whenever Jayce was involved. He sighed contently against Jayce’s touch, melting into his slight touch. The other man seemed to be taken aback slightly, which should’ve been a sign for Viktor to stop. Immediately.
But then he went ahead and said something like, “I would love to feel how it is to hold hands with you,” and closed his eyes in bliss.
Jayce’s posture stilled immediately, and Viktor’s eyes flew open. He said that. He really said that. In all his days of living in Piltover, he never had a reason to put his guard down. Instead, he always made an effort to never wear his heart on his sleeve. And then a person who matched his intellect came into his life, and it seemed all the promises he made to protect himself withered away.
"Er, I apologize. I do not know what came over me," he said stiffly, before lightly pushing Jayce's hand that was still frozen mid-air away. "I'm afraid I have something to take care of, I'll get going now if you'll excuse me." He didn't wait for a response before he all but bolted out of the lab that seemed to be closing in on him.
Heat rushed to his cheeks, reminding him of the humiliating words that came out of his mouth. Of course, it had to be his work partner who made his emotions go haywire. Of course, it was Piltover's Golden Boy who made him want things he couldn't have. Of course, it was Jayce who he had to fall for.
Viktor was so fucked.