Long nights and daydreams [ON HOLD]

by Brigadier

Summary:

“Go out with me,” A voice says, pulling Viktor out of his reading stupor. “Sometime.”

Viktor looks up to find none other than the Academy’s Golden Boy, captain to the rugby team and second-best when it comes to grades in his class, Jayce Talis. He briefly looks around, searches for answers where there are none, and looks up to Jayce again.

He swallows the mouthful of the cafeteria’s specialty —a simple ham & cheese sandwich— and wipes his mouth clean with a napkin before uttering, stupidly, “Pardon me?”

 

Basically I re-write the whole arcane lore because I can

Chapter 1: The kid with chubby cheeks from across the bridge

Notes:

this was supposed to be short & sweet, and without arcane energy/magic/Hextech, but oh well. i ended up mixing in the arcane + league lore and this is what i came up with. i hope y’all enjoy it nonetheless

“Go out with me,” A voice says, pulling Viktor out of his reading stupor. “Sometime.”

Viktor looks up to find none other than the Academy’s Golden Boy, captain to the rugby team and second-best when it comes to grades in his class, Jayce Talis. He briefly looks around, searches for answers where there are none, and looks up to Jayce again.

He swallows the mouthful of the cafeteria’s specialty —a simple ham & cheese sandwich— and wipes his mouth clean with a napkin before uttering, stupidly, “Pardon me?”

"I think you're really smart and funny. Very attractive, too," Jayce pauses and takes a deep breath; the book Viktor had been reading closes abruptly from where it was resting on the cafeteria table, and Viktor's finger twitches as he realizes he was holding the bookmark in his other hand. "I'm asking you out."

"I— um," Viktor racks his brain for anything to say, and he looks down, mournfully, to the book without his bookmark in it. Jayce looks at him, then the book, and rushes to open it in the page he recalls Viktor was reading. Viktor takes the book from his warm hands and realizes it is the page he was reading. His treacherous heart skips a beat. "Is this some sort of joke?" He ends up muttering; the longer he takes to reply, the more people around them notice the unusual exchange. 

"No, it's not," Jayce scoffs. "It pains me to hear you think so poorly of me, Viktor. I understand there's barely been any interaction between us despite us being classmates and roommates, but I just thought letting you know how I feel would be better than... um, you not knowing?"

Viktor shrinks further in the uncomfortable cafeteria chair and sighs. "They say ignorance is bliss."

Jayce steps back from where he's standing in front of Viktor, suddenly looking smaller than he's ever been, and Viktor realizes his mistake far too late. By the time his own words echo in his mind, Jayce has turned around and headed for the rugby field. 

The whispers and deriding looks take no longer than a few seconds after Jayce has stormed out to reach his ears, and Viktor wants nothing more than to be swallowed by the merciful Mother Earth. 

He rejected Jayce?

Just who does he thinks he is?

How does a fucking cripple get the chance to date Jayce, and not me?

He's supposed to be the smartest person in his class, but I'm starting to wonder if his grades have more to do with the fact that Heimerdinger is his guardian than his alleged shrewdness. Who in their right mind rejects someone like Jayce? And so easily?

I would've done anything to date someone like Jayce, but I'm not half as boring, ugly or able as Viktor is. Perhaps he's just Jayce's type.

When Mother Earth doesn't swallow him whole —as he's sure he doesn't deserve that mercy—, he closes his book, takes the cookie and carton sweetmilk that were left from his tray, and storms out, too, towards the rugby field.

Viktor was never bothered by the sound his cane made in the past, but now, he feels far too self-conscious to not be troubled by it; he wonders if he'll ever be able to walk without aid, and sighs when he looks down at his right leg. Perhaps he can use a leg brace, depend a little less on the cane; but his chance at drafting and creating a leg brace went out of the cafeteria's window when he spoke without thinking first.

Jayce and his family would've helped Viktor to create one at the forge had he asked, and had he not rejected Jayce without pondering if the way his heart fluttered when Jayce was close was an indicator of the way he felt, too, and not an acute heart disease like he'd initially thought it was. 

The tightness in his chest makes him slow down a little, but when he at last reaches the rugby field, he realizes he took far longer than he normally would to cross the cafeteria, take a few turns, and make it to the field; their practice match had already started, their training over long ago, and he realizes his opportunity at apologizing and setting things right was also thrown out of a window the moment he set his eyes on Jayce and the beautiful student from Noxus —Mel, if he recalls correctly—, talking a little too close to each other. 

For someone who claimed to be interested in him, Jayce sure moves on fast; and why wouldn't he, being the man he is? Healthy, handsome, strong, smart, witty Jayce could have anyone he desires. Which, in Viktor's personal experience, begs the question: why bother with Viktor? 

He sighs and weighs his options; he could sit and wait until the match is over to apologize, but that would mean he'd lose his advanced calculus class —he's not a big fan of it, but he'd rather take every available class; after all, he knows knowledge is his best weapon— or he could go back inside, wait for the professor to arrive, take his class and wait for Jayce on their shared dorm, if Jayce ever comes back for something that isn't taking his belongings and changing dorms. 

Viktor doesn't remember the last time he acted on such a reckless whim, if ever, but he chooses the first option and sits on the frontmost part of the grandstands, in the first available and isolated seat he can find. He props his cane —along with his carton sweetmilk— on the seat next to his, places his book on his lap and bites into his cookie, hoping the 80-minute match passes rather quickly.

Forty minutes into the game, Jayce finds him amongst the crowd and runs to him during their designated half-time break, and Viktor is so engrossed on his book he nearly jumps out of his skin as he hears rather than sees the bang Jayce's body makes when he collides with the grandstand's guardrail, propping himself up and crossing his arms over the guardrail. 

"What are you doing here?" Jayce asks, and Viktor has to translate as he speaks around his mouth guard. 

Viktor's heart can't catch a break as he looks at the tight jersey and body armor Jayce has to wear to enter the field; he swallows and says, "I want to talk with you. Nice jersey." He adds the last two words after noticing the backside and part of the left side of said jersey are torn open in their entirety. 

"Is that why you came? To insult me further?"

"I never meant to insult you, Jayce. Much less hurt you. That's precisely what I want to talk to you about."

Jayce narrows his eyes and Viktor hears the coach barking out instructions about a distracted captain, tactics and second half. 

"Duty calls for you, Captain." Viktor mutters, staring at Jayce's dirt-and-mud-smeared face, at his sweaty forearms, at the body armor discernable from underneath his torn jersey.

"Will you stay the rest of the match?"

"I will if that's what it takes for you to hear me out."

Jayce huffs as he jumps down from the guardrail and joins his team, and Viktor feels his heart on his throat even after he disappears completely in the changing room's direction. At least Jayce looked less angry and willing to listen to him after the match.

Viktor finds he can no longer concentrate on his book, the letters swimming in and out of his vision, and realizes he's probably distracted at how Jayce searches the grandstands to meet his eyes every time he scores; or maybe Viktor is distracted by the fact that he finds himself wanting to find his eyes every time. He's about to drink his carton sweetmilk when he realizes the second half is over. He doesn't understand much about rugby, but he thinks he can understand the dejected look on Jayce's face when he trudges to find him on the grandstands, or the way he pulls his scrum cap off of his head after propping his arms on the guardrail.

"Bad match?"

"More like bad season," Jayce huffs, talking around his mouth guard once again, and wipes the sweat off his forehead before looking at the other side of the grandstands; Viktor finds himself losing the battle against his curiosity and finds Mel calling Jayce over with a graceful flick of her wrist. Jayce doesn't even look in Viktor's way when he says, "See you back at the dorms?"

Viktor sighs, taking his book, his cane and the carton sweetmilk before standing. "I have class."

That makes Jayce look back at him, a baffled expression on his face. "You don't, we share similar schedules."

"I missed advanced calculus for this," He mutters, tucking the book under his arm and starting to walk away. Still bewildered, Jayce follows him from underneath. "I'm hoping to make up for lost time. Hopefully the Professor won't mind an extra student in his class. Also, I wouldn't like to keep you any longer; looks like Miss Medarda is looking for you."

"Viktor, wait," Jayce calls after him; when he gets no reply, he takes a few steps back to the rush forward, gaining momentum and successfully jumping the guardrail; his coach calls after him, but Jayce pays no mind as he catches up with Viktor. "Why are you acting like this? You were the one who suggested talking about... what happened."

"For someone allegedly interested in me, you sure move on fast." He mumbles, begrudgingly, and looks to where Mel was siting. She seems to be gone now. 

"Mel? She's my best friend, and she's got a—"

The coach gives a final warning to Jayce before disappearing in the crowd of players; Jayce looks at Viktor, and then grunts to jump back down to the field. Viktor huffs and continues to make his way to the Academy's halls, hoping to find Heimerdinger and explain the reason behind his absence.

 

---

 

Viktor is called to the Dean of the Academy's office as soon as he walks inside the main building, and he sighs as he makes his way over. He doesn't understand what he was thinking, skipping a class to watch a rugby match in hopes of talking to Jayce. What's more, skipping his own guardian's class, hoping the yordle who raised him wouldn't notice? Wouldn't acknowledge his absence? Wouldn’t punish him? 

He takes a deep a breath and knocks once, twice, on the imposing and unnecessarily big wooden doors. The response is immediate, and he cannot delay the inevitable any further, so he pushes the imposing doors open and walks inside. He places the book he was holding on a table nearby, looking down at his feet as he walks to the desk his guardian is currently sitting behind of.

"Viktor," Heimerdinger greets, and Viktor sags as he makes it to the comfortable chair and sits down. He finally raises his eyes to meet his guardian's, and finds the yordle raising a single eyebrow. Despite his back support, he finds it difficult to sight up straight, yet he does when he realizes what the eyebrow gesture really means. "I must be honest with you, my boy. I'm quite disappointed you skipped a class, and also quite irritated it was my class you skipped. Surely there is a reason behind all of this... recklessness and rebellious behavior? You have never conducted yourself to be so careless, especially when it comes to your studies. The reason must be of great importance to not only fail yourself, but your father as well."

"Failed myself?" Viktor rasps, quietly, frowning at the mention of the word fail. 

The rest of the lecture, although not any less insulting, he thinks he can deal with; after all, everything is true. But fail? Fail himself, how? And fail Heimerdinger? How is that related to skipping a single class in his entire academic life? Is Heimerdinger so easily disappointed, that easily hurt? Above else, was it true? Had he failed himself in favor of having a conversation with Jayce he didn't even have the opportunity to have? 

"Yes, my boy. This cannot go on, and I must know the reason why this happened to abolish it," Heimerdinger continues, and Viktor feels a headache coming. "We must get rid of any distractions, and you must focus entirely on your studies. I was actually going to talk with you about something this afternoon, but I'm not sure I can until we end this rebellious behavior."

Viktor's frown only grows, and he finds himself asking, "What is it? Am I in any more trouble?"

"Oh, not at all, my boy. I meant to give you the Assistant to the Dean of the Academy's position. You seemed to be ready, a challenge for your brilliant mind; keeping up with your studies and simultaneously, working beside me to make of this Academy the best to existence in Piltover," His guardian stops, sagging in his seat, and Viktor feels his stomach drop; having to work as the assistant of the Dean? While studying? How would that even be posible? He'd have to drop several of his classes in order to come close to what his new position might demand of him. And, not to mention, he'll have to walk twice as much on a daily basis; his leg might not be able to keep up with him, and that will only add to Heimerdinger's current disappointment. "But given the circumstances, it seems my goal shall be... delayed."

"Perhaps it isn't a good idea..." He trails off, and sees the hurt in his guardian's eyes. He rushes to add, "To have such an important position while studying, Father. Think of it this way: I might have to drop several classes just to meet the requirements for that position, and, consequently, I won't be able to focus solely on my studies like you want me to."

Heimerdinger thinks for a moment, and nods. "That's entirely true. Perhaps I'll have to wait until you graduate to give you the job."

Is that all he wants Viktor to become? An assistant? Is that why he asks so much of him?

"Yes, that would be best." He ends up saying, so as to not drown in his own thoughts.

Heimerdinger stares at him for a long time before sighing and saying, "I might've gone overboard with my words, Viktor. I apologize. I never meant to hurt you. You've never acted this way, and as such, I was —and still am— immensely worried. Why did you skip class?"

"That—" Viktor racks his brain for an excuse, anything that sounds less pathetic than I've been in love with your Academy's Golden Boy for so long that when he confessed —at least, I think he did—, I panicked and asked him if it was a joke. Then I had to find him on the rugby field, and I waited until the match was over in hopes to apologize but turns out Jayce already has his eyes set on someone else and I ended up making a fool of myself with him, with you and with myself, if that's even posible. He settles with, "I wanted to be present on the rugby match. Cheer for our team and expand my little-to-nonexistent knowledge in our Academy's sport teams."

Heimerdinger looks surprised for a moment, then schools his face into a calm expression. "You skipped class because you wanted to watch a rugby match? Do you really expect me to believe such nonsense, child?” And the frown is back on his furry face. Viktor allows himself to sag in his seat. “I watched you grow; you never showed any interest in physical activities, not even when I suggested parasports as an extracurricular activity. Since when do you lie to your father? The truth, Viktor." 

Viktor huffs. "I... had a little argument with my classmate and roommate, Jayce."

"Jayce Talis?"

"The one and only."

Heimerdinger raises an eyebrow, prompting him to continue. Viktor sags even more, and ignores the pang of pain that comes as a result from his spine. 

"It started in the cafeteria. I may have... hurt his feelings, and he left for the rugby match not long after. I followed him and realized I had two options: make the walk back inside, humiliating and excruciatingly long as it was, and join your class or stay, watch the match and hopefully catch Jayce at the end of it. I sort of... lost track of time, and we talked for a little while in the half-time break; he asked me to stay for the rest of the match."

His guardian hums, seemingly knowing where this was going. "And you did."

"Of course," Viktor answers, a bit too fast, and hurries to add, "He said he'd hear me out if I did. But then, when the match ended, he left with someone else, and I was forced to leave on my own. I had planned to talk to him while we walked towards our shared dorm, but it seems he already had other plans with someone else."

"And that's bothering you."

"Deeply," He whispers. "But I suppose it doesn't matter, now. I will take full responsibility for my actions. It won't happen again."

Heimerdinger hums, appreciative of his honesty, and jumps down his chair to walk up to where Viktor is. He pats his calf affectionately once, twice, before he sighs. "It cannot happen again, my boy. You had me worried. I do hope, however, that you and Jayce sort out your argument; that way, you can finally return to—"

"Focusing solely on my studies," Viktor finishes for him, and Heimerdinger looks so proud Viktor forces himself to resist the urge to look away. "We will, hopefully."

"We must recover lost time, so I expect you to meet me at my office in a few hours."

"Are you busy at the moment?" Viktor asks, looking out the window behind Heimerdinger's chair. "I would like to start recovering lost time now, if posible."

"Oh, of course! I thought you'd like to have a chat with Jayce first, but who am I to deny my son's eagerness when it comes to knowledge?" Heimerdinger chuckles and walks towards the exit. "I'll have someone bring your notebook and book, my boy. Worry not about trivial matters."

Viktor sighs and nods, smiling at his guardian; only after Heimerdinger is out of the office does he dare to drop his smile, resting his forehead on his cane as his mind wanders, unpleasantly, to a few hours prior, when Mel and Jayce were talking so closely to each other he considered it too intimate for a friendship. But who is he to judge their friendship, when he has no point of comparison? He’s never really had a friend, the only person ever-present in his life being his guardian.

Viktor has never been more eager to study advanced calculus, if ever; maybe all he needs is a few hours with derivatives and trig functions. At least, the derivatives and trig functions would never leave him for someone else.

 

---

 

Viktor closes the door to his dorm with a little more force than necessary, resting his back on it for a moment before walking towards his bed. He expects to find it empty, but he startles when he finds Jayce, asleep, on it. And he feels even more startled when he finds Mel sitting on Jayce's bed, looking at him with a well-practiced smile.

He thinks he understands how Jayce moved on so quickly; she might just be beauty’s and grace’s embodiment.

"Hello," She says, and even the way she speaks emanates elegance. "I apologize for the intrusion, but he asked me to deliver this message lest he had somewhere else to go. He just wanted to tell you he never meant to leave like that, and that he's sorry. It appears he was more tired than he originally contemplated, though, and fell asleep while waiting for you," She chuckles and stands, wiping imaginary wrinkles off her beautiful dress before looking up at him. "I'm afraid I must take my leave now; Elora is waiting for me."

"Elora?" Viktor asks, and Mel turns, just as she is about to open the dorm’s door, to smile at him.

"Yes, Elora. My lover."

Viktor holds his breath as she leaves and finds himself unable to breathe a good few seconds after she's gone. He stands in the middle of their shared room until his leg complains, and takes a seat on Jayce's unmade bed, sighing as the soft mattress relieves a little of his days' worth of pain. Jayce grunts from his bed, and Viktor shushes him back to sleep; he doesn't think he's ready to have the conversation yet. He figures he should use this time to do his homework, and he moves to his desk and pulls out a few of his notebooks from his messenger bag to start. 

An hour or so later, Jayce stirs awake, slowly, groggily, and Viktor's heart seizes at the sight; he might as well suffer from falling in love and an unknown acute heart disease simultaneously.

"Vik?"

"Did I wake you?" He asks, turning his desk lamp off momentarily; he also closes the notebook he was currently working on to give Jayce his full attention. "I'm sorry."

"I was already awake," Jayce attempts to lie, and rubs his eyes as he sits up. "Where have you been?"

"I told you I needed to make up for lost time," He whispers, staring at Jayce's silhouette as his eyes adjust to the lack of light. "Where have you been?"

"Here. I was waiting for you," Jayce admits, and yawns. "Did he ground you?”

Viktor huffs out what he supposes is a laugh; it bubbles from deep within his chest and falls out of his lips before he can stop it. Jayce looks amused by the sound. “I suppose he did.”

“I should tell him you missed class because of me,” Jayce says as he stands, his back popping as he stretches his arms towards the ceiling; Viktor swallows and looks away as he catches a glimpse of skin when his shirt lifts. “Is he still in his office?” Then, his eyes fall on Viktor’s desk, where he placed one of his many clocks. 8:10 pm, it reads.

Viktor fumbles in the dark for his cane. “That won’t be necessary.”

“Why not? It was my fault.”

He finally grasps his cane and stands, his thigh hitting the underside of the desk in his hurry, “It’s fine, really,” He mutters, making his way over to Jayce to stop him from walking away. “I’ve already—”

“Are you alright?” Jayce cuts him off, meeting him halfway; now that he’s much closer, Viktor can make out his worried expression in the barely lit room. “Why’re you in a hurry? Are you leaving again?”

“I’m— I’m okay. But no, no,” He says, his free hand coming up to rest on Jayce’s forearm. Jayce, in turn, holds out his arms, palms up, and his hands end up by Viktor’s elbows, consequently bringing them closer. Viktor takes a deep breath and tightens the grip he has on the handle of his cane; his legs feel like they want to give out from underneath him to see if Jayce would catch him. “I’m not…” Looking up, now, he thinks he might want to test it out, despite his better judgement; his hypothesis being Jayce wrapping his arms around his middle, and then lowering him to the bed in favor of asking what’s wrong. “Going anywhere.” He whispers, and only then realizes the true extent of their height difference; he never really put much thought into it, but now, having Jayce’s nose about to touch his own, he comes to the conclusion that Jayce always leans down to look him in the eye, to talk to him, or for no reason other than to share a smile. 

Viktor’s heart does somersaults in his chest before settling on a rather quick rhythm. 

“Then?” Jayce asks, and Viktor finds he doesn’t even remember what they were talking about. “Do you want to talk?”

“Eh, want as in want, perhaps not.”

“Viktor.”

Viktor sighs. “Alright, alright,” He mutters and tries to walk towards Jayce's bed, but finds Jayce tightens his hold. “It’s alright, come with me,” And he guides Jayce to his own bed, instead, sitting down and prompting him to do the same. Viktor takes a deep breath and realizes he’s still holding Jayce’s hand from when he guided him to sit on the bed, but finds he doesn’t want to let go; he props his cane beside the bed with his free hand, and says, “I just want to know: why?”

Jayce’s intake of breath sounds loud in the quiet dorm, and he pulls his hands back into his own lap; Viktor’s hands never felt colder. 

“I told you, I like you and I thought—”

“Why ask in front of everybody?” Viktor tries again, and Jayce sags. “You know I hate it when people look my way, and having you merely standing next to my table made people look. And then you—”

“Okay, okay, I get it. I should’ve asked when we were alone,” Jayce pauses and looks down at his hands. “You make it sound like me being close to you is a bad thing.”

Viktor looks at Jayce’s fiddly hands and suddenly feels the urge to hold one, “That’s not—” He clears his throat. “Allow me to elaborate on that. You’re Jayce Talis, the Academy’s Golden Boy, so wherever you go, people follow. And people look at you when you enter a room. Now imagine everyone’s surprise when you walk over to the cripple-nerd’s table and say, I’m asking you out. I was surprised myself; everyone in our class, including me, thought you and Mel were dating or had something akin going on, and turns out Mel and Elora are dating and you—” He looks up at Jayce, and his breath catches his in his throat. Jayce is looking at him now and leaning in on his personal space; Viktor leans away in favor of finishing his sentence as he sees Jayce closing his eyes. “You— you are, you are, um.” He stutters and sighs when Jayce’s lips finally meet his own, and he does his best to reciprocate the clumsy kiss. 

“I’m what?” Jayce says as he pulls back with a charming grin. Viktor can only be grateful they weren’t standing; he’s positive he would’ve gotten to try his hypothesis as his legs would’ve definitely given out from underneath him. "I'm sorry, you were stuttering so much I couldn't quite catch that—"

Viktor huffs and pushes Jayce out of his personal space, sitting up straight and clearing his throat once again. "As I was saying before I was rudely interrupted, you are..." He finds he cannot bring himself to say what he wants to say, and Jayce catches up on it quite quickly.

"Interested in you?"

"Yes, that. It's, um, quite flattering, really," He says, and thinks Jayce already knows what's coming. "But I'm afraid I can't... give you what you want."

"Is it because I'm from the Undercity?"

Viktor widens his eyes, "What? No, no, Jayce. Of course it's not that."

"Is it because I'm a man, then?"

"No, Jayce. It's not that, either. In fact, I like men," Viktor says and gasps as he realizes what he just said. Jayce widens his eyes at the admission, but soon looks hopeful once again. "I-It's because I have to... focus solely on my studies. I can't— I don't have the time to date."

"Focus solely on your studies? That sounds rehearsed," Jayce replies, smiling and looking down at his feet. Viktor sags. "Like something Heimerdinger would say; is that what he tells you?"

"Um, well—"

Jayce sighs, "We can study together, I'll be on time to each and every one of his classes, I'll even sign up for more classes if that's what he asks of me," He says, leaning a bit too close, and Viktor's heart skips a beat; Jayce's eyes travel to his lips. "Please? I'll talk to him, I'm sure he'll understand he can't forbid you from... dating me? You're almost 21, right?"

"I don't think his worry has to do with age," Viktor responds, leaning in, his eyes focused on Jayce's lips; oh, how treacherous his body to act on its own. "It has to do with distractions. He doesn't want me to slack off on my studies."

Jayce leans back and barks out a laugh. "You? Slacking off? Maybe it's just paranoia, Vik," As he says this, he resumes his position, if only a tad closer to Viktor's face. "You're not the kind of guy to slack off. Much less academically. You ask so much of yourself, it's impressive yet not surprising how far you've come."

Viktor lets out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding and finally closes the distance between their lips, this time resolutely; Jayce returns his eagerness and makes a sound at the back of his throat, one that Viktor will treasure forever. One calloused and warm hand comes to rest at Viktor's nape, and he shudders; Jayce's other hand comes to rest on his chest and slowly but surely encourages him to lie down on the bed. Viktor does, and Jayce's lips chase his own as he does; he finds it hard to breathe, and he thinks it's related to the way Jayce is mindful of his leg, or the way Jayce tries to pour down the way he feels about Viktor in every kiss. 

He becomes aware of his inexperience as Jayce's hands seem to know exactly what to do, where to caress, where to roam without it being urging or pushy. Viktor brings one of his hands to Jayce's hair, one that caresses the undercut there and receives an encouraging moan in response; the other, however, he doesn't know what to do with it. Jayce notices his hesitation and brings one of his hands to guide Viktor's towards his shoulders. 

Viktor's heart might just give out with the number of somersaults it has done today.

His hand takes the liberty to roam around the expanse of Jayce's nape, shoulders and upper back, and Jayce swallows the sigh he lets out.

When the lack of oxygen becomes too much to bear, he finally pulls back and swallows after looking up to Jayce through his eyelashes; Jayce's eyes are glazed over and slightly unfocused. Viktor thinks the look suits him.

"Is this your answer?" Jayce asks, breathless, and Viktor finds his throat suddenly dry. 

"My answer? To what?"

Jayce looks to the side and stands from where he was practically lying on top of Viktor; Viktor sits up so suddenly the room spins. "My... proposal."

Viktor sighs. "Jayce, there's nothing I want more. I've been... interested in you ever since you became my roommate, three years ago," He pauses and smiles when Jayce turns to look at him. "You're smart, strong, tall, and so effortlessly charming I shouldn't even be considering rejecting your proposal."

"But?"

"But this is out of my hands. Heimerdinger would kill me; the only relationship he had, he called it a mere distraction," He says, and Jayce grimaces at the thought of the yordle being romantically involved with someone. Viktor can't blame him; he grimaced, too, when his guardian first told him. "He is so against relationships I'm starting to think he doesn't want me to date anyone, ever, and that it has nothing to do with me getting distracted from my academic life."

"What if we hide it? Our relationship?"

"Would you be willing to?" Viktor asks instead, and Jayce frowns. "You know, avoid PDA and deny our romantic involvement if asked."

"Maybe. I'll put up with it, if that's what it takes for you to be with me," Jayce says, still hopeful, and Viktor sighs. "What's PDA?"

"Public displays of affection; kisses, hugs, holding hands, that kind of thing. We cannot—"

"But—"

Viktor huffs. "We must not be seen doing that sort of thing. Think of it this way; we've never really interacted —publicly or otherwise—, and us suddenly becoming close will catch your fans' unwanted attention. What if one of said fans knows I'm the Dean's son? What if they tell Heimerdinger about us? It'll be game over for the both of us."

"No hugs, kisses or holding hands; roger that. I'm pretty sure I can deal with it, I'm a strong man, after all," Jayce winks at him, crossing his arms over his chest; Viktor resists the urge to roll his eyes. "And I don't have fans."

"You do. And a touch to the shoulder and whispering to one another can also be considered PDA."

Viktor is sure Jayce tries to conceal the way he bristles at the mention of shoulder touches. 

"Fine, fine. How about this, then: we, um, become friends publicly, and then bam! After a few days of outstanding performance, we kiss."

If Viktor hadn't laughed before, he surely does now; he covers his mouth with his hands, yet his shoulders shake with the bubbly feeling from before. Jayce looks at him in what Viktor can only call awe, and sighs. 

"Even the way you laugh is attractive."

Viktor feels his face heating up, so he looks away from Jayce and takes a deep breath so as to settle down from his laughing fit. He remains silent for a while, and then he mutters, "We can try to publicly become close, not friends, and then by the time people notice, we'll be dating, and no one will mind us. Right?"

"Yes," Jayce replies immediately, and Viktor smiles softly when he comes to sit down on the bed once again. "Yes. Please. I'd like that."

"Alright. We can give it a try."

A slightly awkward silence takes over, and Viktor tries to think of a way to melt the awkwardness away, but being the socially awkward man he is, he can't think of one; then, Jayce asks, presumably speaking his mind, "Would you like to cuddle?"

"Jayce—"

"Too much?" He asks, like Viktor imagines a kicked puppy would.

He sighs and says, "No. I think cuddling is alright. I just... never done that before."

Jayce lies down and leaves his arm extended; for him to rest his head on, Viktor supposes, and he lies down beside Jayce, if only a tad hesitantly, making sure he's lying on his left side so as to not hurt his bad leg any further. Viktor tentatively lies his head on Jayce's bicep, and although it is somewhat comfortable, he ends up resting his head on Jayce's shoulder; Jayce's tenses up, presumably not expecting Viktor to do that, but soon after relaxes. 

"How's your leg?" Jayce whispers, his nose coming to rest on Viktor's hair. "Does it hurt?"

"It's fine," He replies quietly, and experimentally lies his right leg over Jayce's thighs. "Better, now."

Jayce chuckles and curls his arm over Viktor's back, embracing him, and although Viktor had never experienced this kind of intimacy with anyone, it feels right. Like he belongs here, in Jayce's safe, warm embrace.

 

---

 

Their plan of avoiding public displays of affection and denying their romantic involvement gets thrown out of the window in the same week they planned it, when Viktor clears his schedule to be able to watch another one of Jayce's practice matches. 

Viktor arrives early, tries to will his anxiety to disappear as he looks for a relatively isolated seat in the frontmost part of the grandstands; he finds Mel had been saving him a seat, and he quietly appreciates it. He's still embarrassed about his misunderstanding regarding Mel, so he cuts their conversation short and waves her goodbye when she says she was only saving the best seat for the Star Player's boyfriend. 

He didn't deny it, so he's certainly fucked up their plan; hopefully, Mel won't tell anyone. She doesn't strike him as someone to betray him like that, given that her relationship with Elora is also a secret, but one can never be too careful. He'll deny it next time he sees her. Hopefully.

As he sits down, he props his cane on the seat beside him and pulls out his notebooks; of course, he'd let Heimerdinger know, beforehand, that he'd cleared his schedule now that him and Jayce were on good terms again, so that he could enjoy some time with his new friend. Heimerdinger had been bristling, but had ended their conversation with, perhaps interpersonal relationships will improve your mood and your social skills. He supposes his guardian is right.

Just as he is about to open the first notebook, he hears a loud clash of flesh and metal, and he looks up to find Jayce propped on the guardrail, just like the first time he was here; he can't help the relieved sigh that escapes his lips at the mere sight of Jayce.

"Did I scare you?"

"Not at all," Viktor replies, and catches himself before he starts leaning in on Jayce's personal space. An emotion akin to hurt flashes Jayce's golden eyes, and Viktor wants nothing more than take those sun-kissed cheeks and join their lips. As inviting as that particular thought is, he shoves it away in favor of whispering, stupidly contradictory, "I want to kiss you." 

Jayce beams at that, outshining the sun itself, and whispers back, "You said no whispering. And no kissing, too."

"In public."

"We're in public."

Viktor wants to smack himself. "Right."

"Why did you bring notebooks? You're supposed to be paying attention to your boyf— best friend's performance in the field during the match."

"I know, but I cleared my schedule and this," He points at the multiple notebooks on his lap. "Was my punishment."

"Perks of being the Dean's son, I guess," Jayce says and shrugs. "Have fun with those. But you better be cheering me on, or I'll kick you out of the grandstands myself." 

With that, Jayce puts on his mouth guard and scrum cap on, to then jump down to the field. Viktor sighs as he watches him jog towards his designated position.

Half an hour later, he thinks organic chemistry can get it, and closes his notebook in favor of finally paying attention to the match; he thinks the match is going just as their coach and his team planned, if Jayce's big, toothy, heartwarming smile is any indicator. Thinking back at how he used to suppress such thoughts makes his chest feel heavy; why deny himself of this? Openly admitting to himself, in the confines of his own mind, that Jayce might just be what he needs right now; companiable, charming, witty Jayce.

He's pulled out of his stupor by the ball itself, that lands rather closely to the grandstands, and he makes eye-contact with the player who ran for it; the player winks at Viktor, and he doesn't know what to do, so he blinks multiple times and smiles kindly at them. Jayce comes from behind the player and huffs, taking the ball from the player that winked at Viktor and handing it to the already approaching referee. 

Viktor tries to talk to Jayce, but he's called by his coach just as he is about to; Jayce frowns at him for a moment, and then jogs towards his coach to listen to what he has to say. Viktor sags in his seat and avoids the player's eyes; he supposes such display might be enough for them to understand Viktor is taken, and simply not interested. The worst part of it, Viktor thinks, is that he realizes the player was from the opposite team.

At the designated half-time break, Jayce looks his way but doesn't really approach him, so Viktor shrugs and pulls out a different notebook from his messenger bag; anything but organic chemistry might suffice. Thermodynamics, quantum physics, advanced biochemistry or molecular biology; he sighs as he looks at his options and thinks that maybe not anything but organic chemistry might suffice. He takes his quantum physics notebook, opens the extra exercises page, and takes his pencil; right when he's about to write the date on the uppermost corner of the page, he sees how Jayce is jogging his way from the corner of his eyes. He pretends he doesn't see him coming when Jayce props himself on the handrail.

Jayce glares at his skull for a few quiet moments before sighing and nudging Viktor's leg with the knuckles of his hand; Viktor looks up at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Can I help you, Golden Boy?"

"Really, Vik? This is ridiculous."

"You're the one who's being ridiculous," Viktor answers too fast, closing his notebook momentarily. "Getting mad over someone winking at me? I was as taken aback as you were; that hadn’t happened before."

"I'm not mad."

Viktor looks down at Jayce's clenched fists and sighs. "I... want you, I don't even know who they are." He mutters, avoiding Jayce's eyes.

"I know."

"Then why does it bother you?"

"Because you smiled at them."

"I thought I was being polite."

They have a brief glaring competition before a teammate calls Jayce over; Viktor thinks about not saying anything else until they can talk it out in the safety of their dorm, but ends up saying, "You scored 6 times today, and it's only half time."

Jayce, despite himself, beams at him. "You noticed."

"Of course I did, and I am cheering on for you, internally."

Jayce huffs out a laugh and smiles briefly at him before saying, "Kiss for good luck?"

"Very funny."

He then jumps down and joins his team. If Viktor recalls correctly, the most their half-time break lasts is fifteen minutes, so he hurries to start his quantum physics exercises, hoping he'll finish them by then.

Not even ten minutes pass when he hears the telltale sign of Jayce propping himself on the guardrail, and he smiles when he meets Jayce's golden eyes. "Missed me that much?"

"Perhaps," Jayce replies, nonchalantly. "Maybe we can try the kiss for good luck now?"

"We're in public," Viktor mutters. "We can't—"

"We're basically alone at the moment," Jayce whispers, making a show of looking in every direction before his eyes land in Viktor's lips. "Please? I've been distracted. I can't get you out of my head."

Viktor swallows as all he hears is his loud heartbeat, and his eyes fall to Jayce's lips, too. "You're insufferable. You can't go around saying things like that."

"I think you like it when I do."

Viktor would be lying if he said he didn't. Then, "I can't reach you. Not like this."

Jayce jumps down in favor of gaining momentum and, not long after, hops over the guardrail; Viktor suddenly feels nervous and looks down at his own lap, where his notebook lies. 

"There. Now? Please?"

"What if someone sees? And what about your mouth guard? Am I supposed to kiss you with it on?"

Jayce huffs, now exasperated, as he pulls his mouth guard out with a little more force than necessary and leans down to crowd Viktor's personal space. Viktor tries to look around one last time before he pecks Jayce' lips once, twice, and sags back into his chair. 

"Pecks don't count." Jayce pouts and doesn't lean back; in fact, his arms encage Viktor into his seat.

Viktor brings a hand to cup Jayce's cheek and mutters, "I'll make it up afterwards, yes?"

Jayce puts on his mouth guard in the same manner he took it off, abruptly and irritated, and sighs. "You better. This is not enough." He jumps down onto the field and joins his teammates once more, as if nothing happened; Viktor takes his sweet time calming down his wildly beating heart.

He doesn't realize when or how, but twenty minutes go by without much hassle; he thinks his understanding of the game is getting better, and it is now easy to follow Jayce with his eyes.

Jayce is just about to score a try when a player of the opposite team tackles him, while another takes the ball from his grasp and makes a run for it.

Viktor feels his heart stop when Jayce doesn't stand immediately after being tackled, as he usually does. The coach calls for the referee, the referee pauses the game momentarily and Viktor's heart drops to his stomach when Jayce turns in his general direction; he can't really discern what's happened, but what he can discern is the telltale red of a bleeding wound, and it's Jayce’s right cheek that's bleeding.

He immediately stands from his seat, shoves his notebooks inside his messenger bag and walks as fast as he can towards the changing rooms; he knows the coach won't take his Star Player to the infirmary, because that would mean taking him out of the match, so his only option is the changing rooms. He gets there in record time, and is relieved to see Jayce is already there, in front of a mirror, holding a napkin to his bleeding cheek to try and stop the bleeding.

"Jayce," He calls as he enters, pushing the door open and throwing his bag to the floor in favor of reaching Jayce. "What happened? Are you alright? Does it hurt a lot? Is there anything I can do?"

Jayce chuckles and meets him halfway, muttering, "It's okay. It's just a stud to the face, it happens. Can you kiss it better, though?"

Viktor frowns as he carefully takes Jayce's face between his hands, assessing the damage himself, his cane falling to the floor; the swelling is very bad, and it won't stop bleeding, but other than that he thinks everything is fine. His eyes meet Jayce's, glazed over due to the pain and the blow he took, and sighs, "This is serious, Jayce. Your beautiful face is ruined."

Jayce's hands steady him as he realizes he dropped his cane. "You think my face is beautiful?"

Viktor huffs as he lets go of Jayce's face. "Take your mouth guard off, it might help with the swelling. Let me find a first aid kit."

Once Jayce hands him his cane and he does find a kit, he sits beside Jayce on a bench and carefully removes the napkin the coach oh so kindly lent him to stop the bleeding; he places his cane over his lap this time. He takes a gauze and applies pressure until he finds the wound is no longer bleeding, then takes cotton ball, soaks it with isopropyl alcohol and takes a deep breath. "This might hurt."

"I know, I'll be alright."

Viktor steels his nerves and swabs the soaked cotton ball, as gently as he can muster, over the bruise; Jayce maintains the eye contact, as if he doesn't feel any of the pain. Viktor then takes a clean gauze and tapes it over, and Jayce is on his feet so fast Viktor takes a while to understand why. He takes his cane to stand in front of Jayce and places his free hand over Jayce's frantic heartbeat. 

"Where to?"

"The field, of course," Jayce says around the mouth guard he struggles to put on; when he successfully puts it in place, he says, "The coach will murder me himself if I take longer than ten minutes."

"Stud incidents aren't just a superficial wound," He hurriedly says and pushes Jayce to sit back down on the bench they were in. "What if they accidentally caused you a concussion?" He props his cane beside Jayce, on the bench, before he takes Jayce's head with both hands. He tries to search for head injuries, but he gets easily distracted by the way Jayce looks at him, so he decides to ask for symptoms instead. "Do you have a headache? Are you nauseous? Are you dizzy? Do you feel fatigued? Blurred vision? Ringing in your ears? Do you see stars? Your eyes seem glazed over and unfocused, perhaps you do have a—”

Jayce takes his wrists and gently moves Viktor's hands away from his head. "I'm fine, Vik." 

Viktor checks Jayce's pupils, just in case, before sagging forwards, if only a little. "Okay," He mutters, and rests his forehead on Jayce's, placing his trembling hands over Jayce's cheeks to ground himself. "Okay. I just— don't ever stay still after being tackled. I nearly had a heart attack."

"I'm sorry," Jayce says, still holding Viktor's wrists. "It startled me, that's all. I'm fine."

Viktor then realizes their proximity, his nose bumping Jayce's, and swallows. “I might be able to… kiss it better now that I know you’re alright.”

“Yeah?” Jayce mutters, his breath fanning Viktor’s lips. 

“Yeah,” And he purposefully grazes his lips against Jayce's, once, before pulling away. "After you go to the infirmary."

"What?"

"I'm not letting you go back to the field like this," He lets go of Jayce entirely to take his cane and walk back to the exit of the changing rooms. He huffs when he looks back at Jayce and he hasn't moved an inch. "Come on. I'm taking you there; I suspect you do have a concussion, and it is advised I monitor the next 24 hours lest your symptoms get worse."

"Vik," Jayce whines and stands so quickly he ends up flipping the bench over; Viktor raises a single eyebrow, then bends over to take his bag from where he discarded it on the floor in his initial hurry. "Please. You don't understand. The coach will kick me out of the team if I leave now."

Viktor frowns and feels his chest getting warmer, but not in a pleasant way; it feels more to what he suspects is the feeling of his own blood boiling. The grip he has on his cane tightens, and Jayce seems to notice, as he walks towards Viktor as one would when placating a scared or dangerous animal. 

"Ridiculous. You cannot be considering going back to the field like this," Viktor turns his back on Jayce and starts exiting the building. He knows Jayce is trailing after him, so he adds, "My voice might not have a lot of weight or hold importance, but I bet Heimerdinger's does. I'll talk to him regarding your coach's ineptitude; and I swear if he lays a single finger on you, I'll use my cane to give him a concussion, see how he likes it."

Jayce hurries to put on his scrum cap and asks, "Where are you going?"

"Are you even listening?" Viktor asks, a bit more aggressive than he intended to, and looks over his shoulder to find Jayce by the doors to the changing rooms. "I'm talking to Heimerdinger about this."

Jayce sighs and runs a hand down his face, wincing when his fingers catch on the gauze Viktor had just taped into his wound. "Well... I'll see you later?"

Viktor huffs. "Perhaps. I might have to... stand up for you if this matter actually gets the attention it needs."

With that, he leaves in favor of entering the main building and hopefully finding Heimerdinger in his office.

Heimerdinger wanted his insight and help to make this Academy a better place, right? The best Academy in Piltover. He thinks re-evaluating the personnel might be the first step to it, so he brings it up to the conversation he has with his guardian, and although surprised, Heimerdinger thinks Viktor has a point.

He did end up, however, having to stand up for the students that were affected by their coach's negligence, and he became one of the Heads of the Student Council thanks to Heimerdinger and a few other Professors present in said meeting. While the last thing he wanted was more responsibilities, if he wanted to make changes, he wouldn't wait for someone else to do them, so he gladly took the position and sighed as soon as he was in the safety of his' and Jayce's dorm. 

He supposes the news aren't as enticing as they should be; more responsibilities mean less time to spend with Jayce, and he can only imagine the impact it will have on the two of them. Their relationship's novelty hasn't worn off, having started dating a few days ago, and they had gotten used to spending any free time available together. Now, said time, Viktor will have to direct into upgrading their academic life and playing as someone relatively important; he's not precisely surprised by the outcome of the meeting, since he's one of the few students that actually brought up the negligence of the sports coach and a few other professors, but it certainly wasn't what he'd expected. 

Taking a seat on his bed, Viktor sags forward and grunts as his leg sends a pang of pain, as if complaining about today's treatment; standing for hours on end during the meeting, having to do several errands in order to officially take up on the Head of the Student Council position, having to collect multiple testimonies to file a formal complaint to get the coach fired and replaced...

He might've overdone it.

He lies down to finally give his leg some resemblance of relief, when the door to the dorm slams open; he sighs. He supposes he's not the only one who had a rather tiring and long day.

"Viktor? Are you awake?" Jayce calls, and he sounds angry at him. Viktor swallows after he mutters a quiet yeah. "You— Just what did you do? You got me kicked out of the rugby team."

Viktor sighs again. "You're not getting kicked out of the team, Jayce. No one is, in fact. If you had read the entire announcement, you would've realized that rugby matches are suspended until further notice due to the lack of a coach. Unsupervised matches are, however, allowed but under the students' risk. And you are only allowed to do Rugby Sevens if you do end up running an unsupervised match."

Jayce groans and only then does Viktor look up to him. "Why Sevens?"

"To minimize the risk of the players getting injured while unsupervised, of course."

"We wouldn't be entirely unsupervised. We have several referees." Jayce points out and Viktor shakes his head.

"I tried convincing Heimerdinger by saying you have three referees, but he didn't seem keen on the idea. He said you and your team needed to be supervised by referees and coaches simultaneously," Viktor feels his heart speeding up when Jayce looks down at him with a grin. "Do you have an anecdote you'd like to share, Captain?"

"Well," Jayce huffs and sits at the edge of Viktor's bed; Viktor moves to make room, wincing when he tries to move his right leg. Jayce frowns, worried, and says, "Is there anything I can do? For your leg?"

"I'm—" Viktor says and gets cut off by yet another wave of pain; he plops back down on his pillow once the pain settles. "I'm fine. So... The anecdote?"

"Allow me and my family to make a leg brace for you," Jayce says instead as he stares at Viktor's tired expression. "Please. Free of charge."

"I cannot accept something like that and not pay for it, Jayce. I might consider it if you allow me to pay," Viktor mutters, closing his eyes so as to not see the worry in Jayce's face; this is supposed to be concerning for him, not Jayce. It shouldn't plague Jayce's beautiful mind, or anyone else's but Viktor's, for that matter. The last thing he wants is for him to become a burden; hence why he always does things himself and almost never asks for help. He takes a deep breath and says, "Why a forge?"

"What?"

"Why did your family choose to work on a forge?" He says, finally opening his eyes.

Jayce smiles softly, and Viktor's heart seizes. "Well, there is a lot of scrap metal down there; it seemed fitting, you know, to make a living out of it. Though my mother and father never really expected to bring their company Topside. It's actually thanks to your father we are here today; he brought our enterprise into the Council's attention, and it was a complete success," Jayce looks at him and slowly, carefully, lies down next to him. "We owe you and your father a lot. Our lives, really."

"Why me?" Viktor whispers, and hums when Jayce's hand finds his hair.

"Because it was actually you who brought up our company into your father's attention," Jayce whispers in a fondly manner, like every time he speaks about his own family or Viktor. "The boat you built as a kid—"

"How do you know about that?"

"Heimerdinger always speaks about it to his students during class, really. Do you remember how you built it?"

"Well, I sort of remember... I'd get the materials I needed from a kid with chubby cheeks," Viktor says and closes his eyes once again; the hand on his hair stills, and he's about to complain when, at last, it resumes its caresses. "By the bridge. I'd walk all the way down to reach the waters underneath the bridge, and I'd try my boat. There was a kid at the other end of the bridge, and he'd send my boat back with a few pieces of scrap metal or cogs that he thought my boat needed to be improved; I'd make the improvements with what he gave me, and he'd giggle every time he took it between his hands to inspect it. One day, though, he disappeared, and I sort of... had to cross the bridge to get my boat back. A miracle, really, that I wasn’t hurt in the process."

When he gets no response, Viktor opens his eyes to find Jayce lost in thought, looking elsewhere; Viktor reaches out, his knuckles caressing Jayce's uninjured cheek, and he asks, softly, "What's the matter?"

"I—," Jayce starts, then swallows. "Well, I no longer have chubby cheeks, but I like you the same."

Viktor stops breathing; it feels like the world has stopped moving all around him, and his heartbeat becomes really loud to his own ears. His hand, the one he'd reached out to Jayce, remains unmoving in Jayce's cheek, and he suddenly feels the way his eyes well up. 

“You—” He starts, and his words get caught up in his throat; his hand now cradles Jayce's face.

Jayce’s free hand caresses his cheek, as if returning the loving gesture. “I never meant to leave like that, but that’s when your father comes in. He found us a home, Topside, and convinced the Council to give my father and mother everything they needed to get their company settled here. Soon after, he gave me the chance to study in your prestigious Academy,” He pauses and sighs, their proximity making Viktor feel the ghost of it over his lips. “I tried to… talk to you, before, multiple times, but I never really… I was too nervous to talk to you. Clearly you didn’t know who I was, and as time went on, I was sure you wouldn’t remember me; after all, we never really saw each other face to face, just across the bridge. It was fair. I knew your face from the times I’d cross the bridge just to see you building or repairing your boat.”

“I’m—”  treacherous tear falls down and ends up staining Jayce’s hand. “It was you. I thought it was me trying to cope with the fact that I’d never see you again; a childish way to find some resemblance of familiarity in a stranger. But it was you, and… my father never told me.”

Jayce scoots closer, and the hand that was caressing Viktor's cheek falls to rest on Viktor’s chest. “I’m not sure. Maybe he had his reasons.”

Viktor frowns as he thinks back on the day he sort of rejected Jayce; when Jayce asked if he was rejecting him because he was from the Undercity. Could Heimerdinger have lied to him all this time, to break them apart? Did he know what he did in the evenings, all those year ago? Did he know how fond he was of the boy with chubby cheeks that always seemed to know exactly what he needed? Did he even care? Or did he only care about his son not being friends with people from the Undercity?

“And what might those valid reasons be?” Viktor grunts, and when Jayce opens his mouth to speak, he rectifies, “It’s a rhetorical question, love.”

The nickname slips from his lips with startling ease, and he tries to not make a big deal of it, but Jayce nearly tumbles off of the bed with how quick he searches for Viktor’s eyes. Viktor presses his eyes shut and lays his hand —the one that had been cradling Jayce’s face— over his eyes for good measure. 

"Anyways," He adds, clearing his throat. "I don't think keeping this from me is excusable; you were and still are an important part of me, whether he has his reasons or not. I still have our boat, back at home."

Jayce pries the hand off his eyes and smiles; Viktor thinks his cheeks are tinted a darker shade, but makes no comment on it. "Our boat?"

"You helped be build it, of course it's ours."

Jayce hums and rests his head on Viktor's shoulder. "So, now that you know my story, will you let me design your leg brace?"

Viktor huffs. "Alright, alright. A knee brace should suffice, though; for now."

And his mind drifts elsewhere when Jayce starts guiding him through his draft for Viktor's leg brace, the materials he'll need, how much time he might take, how his mother would be delighted to help; he ends up wondering how he never realized the kid with chubby cheeks from across the bridge was Jayce. When they were younger, they never really talked to each other or crossed the bridge at the same time to share their creation, but Viktor should've known that feeling that seemed to pull him to Jayce like a magnet was more than just a hunch or something akin to it; he should've known it was recognition, really, because he now mourns for the lost time. He always had a feeling Jayce wanted to talk to him ever since he enrolled the Academy, but he attributed it to his own delirious mind; and it's no wonder, now that he knows the truth, why he fell in love with Jayce the very first time they spoke, all those years ago when they were notified they'd be sharing a dorm. 

He places a kiss at the top of Jayce's head, and Jayce melts into it, the sentence he'd been in the middle of saying long but forgotten. 

Viktor uses the silence to finally bring up what's been bothering him ever since he saw Jayce again. "Did you go to the infirmary after the match?"

"I did."

"And?"

Jayce chuckles, nosing at Viktor's neck. "Impatient, aren't we?"

"Jayce."

"It was all just minor injuries. No signs of a concussion, just minor cuts and bruises; the nurse asked me to send you her regards, by the way. She said you did an impeccable job cleaning the wound, like always, and in consequence, saved my, and I quote, beautiful face from being ruined."

Viktor huffs and pushes Jayce's face away from his own, making a show of crossing his arms —at this point, had he not done that, the arm that was under Jayce's body would've been crushed under his considerable weight.

"Who, exactly, are you quoting? Me or the nurse?" He asks, turning his face away when Jayce tries to kiss his cheek.

Jayce's giggles soon turn into a full, hearty laugh and Viktor can't stop the smile taking over his face at such a treasurable noise.

"You, angel, I'm quoting you."

Viktor forgets how to breathe once again, and he wonders if Jayce ever gets tired of making his heart do somersaults or of telling his lungs to forget how to breathe. Jayce takes advantage of his momentary distraction and wraps Viktor's arms around himself, scooting even closer, ever mindful of Viktor's leg. Viktor breathes once he feels Jayce's short hair tickling his nose, and he sighs.

"I... like you, a lot," Jayce mutters against his neck and his embrace tightens. "And I have for so long, I was going to combust if I didn't ask you back then. I'm sorry I didn't do it properly, though."

"Do it now, then."

"Do you want me to...?"

"Ask me properly, yes," Viktor teases. "Unless you don't want to—"

"Viktor, would you grant me the pleasure of being my partner in life?"

"That sounds..." Viktor swallows around the knot in his throat. "Like we're getting ready for marriage. And rehearsed. Was that what you were going to ask?"

"Perhaps," Jayce says and hides further inside the safety of Viktor's embrace when Viktor tries to look him in the eye. "Then, um. Would you allow me to love you the way you deserved to be loved, Vik?"

Just marry me already, his brain uselessly supplies, and the knot in his throat tightens. 

"You made it sound one-sided."

"How so?"

"It sounds like you're saying just let me love you, I don't mind if you don't reciprocate," Viktor mutters, one of his hands coming up to rest on Jayce's undercut. "I don't want that."

"Aright, then how about: Viktor, I want you to be my partner, in every sense of the word."

"Every sense of the word?"

"I meant to ask you if you... wanted to team up for the science fair?" Jayce says, and he sounds so shy Viktor thinks he will melt. "I know you always team up with Sky, and I always team up with Mel and Elora, but I was wondering if... you wanted to? Team up with me? Just the two of us. I have this… project I’ve never been able to share with anybody else, and I think you might be able to help me with it.”

"I like both proposals," Viktor says and feels Jayce's chuckle against his neck. "I will be your partner in every sense of the word, and I actually I wanted to ask you to be my science partner, too."

"Great minds think alike."

Viktor thinks back to when they were building a boat out of scrap metal, to the way they never really shared a single word, and how they'd perfectly understand each other, and whispers, "Yes, they do."

Chapter 2: Take me with you, or let me follow

As the science fair approaches, Viktor's anxiety grows; their project this year is nothing short of amazing, given that he now has Jayce's marvelous insight —not that Sky's insight wasn't good, but Jayce and him think much more alike— and easier access to metallic materials. But Viktor supposes it's something not even Heimerdinger has seen, and that's saying something since his guardian is soon to be 303 years old. 

They're drafting the blueprints of a device that channels arcane energy or magic with science; Jayce hadn't quite talked about the reason why he always wears a leather bracelet with a blue gemstone embedded to it, but when he does, Viktor believes and hangs onto every word. 

Jayce talks about the creation of magic, but they both know it's not quite creation; matter is neither created nor destroyed. Can magic be considered matter in this vast universe?

They start small, in the lab Heimerdinger temporarily allocates students that will work and eventually present projects in the science fair, with a device that harnesses magic through raw crystals. Said device has yet to be named, but they both came to the conclusion that, if this works, the name of this new era of technology will be named Hextech; hence, the device might be referred to in relation to its function, something as simple as Hextech device. 

They’ll soon have to turn raw crystals into refined crystals, for it to be safer for use, and to create technology with it. And what a concept it is; Viktor never thought for it to be possible. In fact, he didn't believe magic was real until Jayce talked him through his discoveries and rather illegal experiments, and talked about how an ancient mage had saved his mother’s life when the factory she worked at in the Undercity had collapsed; until he showed him equations that proved him wrong, that proved him magic did exist, and that it was possible for them —just the two of them, in all of Runeterra— to channel magic through crystals. 

The Hextech device starts becoming more and more solid as the weeks go by, and then comes the day they finally get to try and see if it works. Every failed equation, every argument, every disappointment taking shape to prove Jayce's dream can become true. 

Viktor's takes a deep breath as he hands Jayce the crystal they're working with, and he mutters, "Remember we don't need to dampen the oscillations; we need to—"

"Crank it, yes," Jayce says and fixes the goggles over his eyes; he turns to look at Viktor and fixes his goggles, too. "Ready?"

"Whenever you are."

Viktor stares, fascinated, at the way Jayce molds the runes into a well-known pattern, one he knows by heart; one that, years ago, saved Jayce's mother from her inevitable demise. Only magic could save someone from an inevitable demise, he thinks. It's thanks to magic that Viktor will get to meet Jayce's mother, and his heart warms at the thought.

His heartbeat quickens when the device creates a warm atmosphere of blue hues, and then, an explosion.

Jayce shields Viktor with his body once he realizes the explosion broke one of the windows at the lab, and shards of glass start flying everywhere along with their notes, stools and tools. Viktor holds onto Jayce tightly and closes his eyes despite the protective equipment he's wearing, his cane long but forgotten, propped in the table they were working on; after a few moments, the warm atmosphere seems to settle, and it seems their experiment ended up in yet another disappointment.

He sighs and rubs Jayce's back, as if to prepare himself for yet another heartbreaking expression Jayce will wear when he, too, realizes the experiment failed.

That is, until Viktor becomes aware that the atmosphere hasn't quite vanished in its entirety; he ventures to open his eyes and is met with the sight of his cane floating a few inches away from his face. He gasps and tries to step back, but he finds they're both hovering too. 

"Jayce?"

"Did it work?"

"Open your eyes, love."

He looks up to find Jayce looking at him with awe and wonder; Jayce's eyes then look in every direction and he laughs.

Jayce takes his goggles off and tosses them, chuckling when the goggles float away instead of falling to the ground; all the while, he has Viktor safely held with his free hand.

One of Viktor's arms reaches for his own goggles to lift them and then, the same hand is reaching for his cane; at last, he decides not to take it, and lets it float away from him. And oh how wonderful it feels to be weightless; there's no pain up here, and he'd like to imagine what it would be like to stay hovering with Jayce in this lab, for the rest of his life.

"It worked. Imagine the possibilities of what we can do now," Jayce says, cupping Viktor’s face with both hands. "We can improve lives so easily with Hextech, we just need to find investors and people willing to believe in this new era of technology, to believe in us."

"Do you think... Heimerdinger will approve of this?" Viktor asks, his hands grasping Jayce’s wrists. "We might be violating a few Academy regulations, if I'm being entirely honest."

"Academy regulations?"

Viktor sighs and gently pushes Jayce’s hands away in favor of putting distance between them; perhaps to focus, as he often finds himself distracted by Jayce. However, he struggles to keep still while hovering, and Jayce grounds him by taking both of his hands in his. "This is illegal equipment found exclusively in Zaun, and we've been endangering not only our lives but the ones of those around us, too. There were several complains from our lab-neighbors regarding flying glass and ceiling-debris after each and every one of our explosions. It's a miracle the building didn't collapse," Jayce flinches at the words building and collapse, and Viktor feels so guilty he feels the need to speak once more. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean—"

Jayce sighs, not letting go of his hands. "I know, it's alright. Now, the equipment we're using was the only one useful for us, and it wasn't supplied by the Academy because none of the available equipment here provided us with what we needed. And we endanger our lives because everything worthwhile involves a little bit of risk; I'm sure we're not the only ones endangering lives and causing explosions in the building."

"But we are, Jayce."

"Then maybe their projects aren't worthwhile."

"Jayce."

"I'm telling you, angel," Jayce says, a beautiful smile on his face. "We, you and I, are the future of Piltover. And if the Council or Heimerdinger don't see it, then..."

"We'll be banished from Piltover," Viktor finishes for him. "But, we'll continue our research elsewhere; Runeterra has quite a lot of regions, Zaun and Piltover aren't the only cities we can live in. There's Noxus, Demacia, Ionia..."

"You're thinking far too ahead. I'm sure we're not violating anything. Neither the Academy regulations nor the Ethos. We'll be fine."

Viktor looks to the side. "Now that you mention it, we might be violating a little bit of both. We smuggled illegal equipment into Academy grounds, we don’t have permits for the restricted items we own and Hextech is still very volatile. This technology will be able to improve lives as well as it might take them; if our technology falls in the wrong hands, they might end up building weapons,” Jayce looks at him as if he hadn’t thought about that, and Viktor resists the urge to sigh; he steers the conversation elsewhere and says, “Hextech might also be able to help people like me, though; people with disabilities. What if there's a way to improve our lives, by changing the nature of our bodies? Augment physiology? We might be able to augment my leg, and your mother's spine, Jayce."

Jayce gasps, quietly. "Do you think... we can augment physiology?"

"Given time, we might be able to. Hextech is definitely the future of Piltover. It has to be. We won't stop with Piltover, though; think about the improvements we can make in Zaun."

“That is, if we’re not banished first.”

Their brainstorming session is cut off short by the faltering of the device; Jayce, always the one with fastest reflexes, pulls Viktor closer and prepares for impact, flipping them both so Viktor lies on top of him and Jayce falls on his back, cushioning the fall for him.

It happens so fast, Viktor can only hope holding onto Jayce is enough.

The device flickers off, the warm atmosphere of blue hues dissipates, and they both fall just as Jayce had planned; a quiet oomph! is all that can be heard after the moment is broken, and Viktor realizes he's on top of Jayce far too late. The door to their lab slams open, and Heimerdinger and two enforcers enter to see what had caused the explosion from before.

"Professor, I can explain—" Viktor tries, trying to lift his bodyweight so Jayce can breathe; he didn't realize when, but Viktor had placed his hand so it cushioned Jayce's head during the fall.

And it'd be such a romantic environment, one scenario he'd seen in multiple movies and read in multiple books, had his father not shattered the moment.

Now, though, he shakes his head to get rid of such thoughts, stands on shaky legs and holds the edge of the desk in favor of walking towards his discarded cane. 

"What is going on here?" Heimerdinger asks. "What was that explosion of blue light? Just what are you two working on—" And then, his guardian's eyes fall on the Hextech device, and he freezes. "What is that? Is that... a Hex-crystal?"

Jayce sits up with a grunt, and Viktor would immediately go and help him up if he wasn't frozen in place by the look of fear he sees in his guardian's face. One of the enforcers takes pity on Jayce and helps him to his feet. 

"It is, Professor," Jayce replies, his wonder and excitement never dwindling, even after so many disappointments and failed experiments. "We were able to channel magic through these raw crystals; once we refine them to endure more impact, they won't react this way! They''ll be perfectly safe for daily use. All we want with this Hextech project of ours is to improve lives, Professor, so please understand—"

"No great science should put lives in danger," Heimerdinger cuts him off, now looking at Viktor. "The pursuit of knowledge and innovation should never come at the cost of lives. Have I not taught you anything, my boy?"

"Hextech was my idea, Professor," Jayce says, and Viktor had never heard him talk like that to an authority figure, much less Heimerdinger. "If you're going to take action on this, the blame falls entirely on me."

That catches Heimerdinger's attention, who in turn looks at Jayce with something akin to frustration and disappointment mixed together; Viktor knows that look all too well. "I'm afraid I will have to take decisions I never thought I would, but Jayce, you must understand that what you're doing here is something beyond your comprehension. The arcane talents, one is born with them, we cannot create them. The fact that you two were able to channel magic through this Hex-crystals is incredible, but no less dangerous; these crystals are volatile, hardly ever stabilize, and you endangering lives leads me to believe the risk is not worthy," He pauses and looks at Viktor once more. Jayce takes on a defensive pose and stands between Heimerdinger and him; Viktor rests his forehead in the vast expanse of Jayce's back as he hears his guardian say, "Some mysteries are better left unsolved. You've disappointed me, the both of you. Expect to be trialed soon."

Heimerdinger and the enforcers leave, and Viktor is not sure how long he stands there, forehead resting on Jayce's back and his free hand gripping Jayce's shirt.

"Why did you do that?" Viktor asks, in a whisper, and finally pulls away from Jayce.

Jayce turns to look at him with a saddened smile. "It was my idea, wasn't it? I'm the one responsible for all of this."

"I'm your partner, aren't I? In every sense of the word," He says and realizes his eyes are welling up. "I'm to blame, too."

"I don't want you involved if all Hextech brings is trouble." Jayce whispers and closes the distance between them; Viktor leans into the calloused hand that cups his face.

"That’s up to me to decide. We're partners, you can't just kick me out of this. Good and bad, right?"

Jayce sighs and remains silent. Viktor no longer leans into the calloused hand.

"Heimerdinger will bring this... mess into the Council's attention. What if they call for an assembly, and they expel you from the Academy? Or worse, even, what if they banish you from Piltover? If they banish you, it might not only be you who they are banishing, Jayce," He says, and swallows past the knot in his throat. "Think about your family. If they banish you from Piltover, your family will pay the consequences, too; the Council might not banish them, but their forge will no longer be prestigious as it is right now. You and I both know first-hand what it is to be pre-judged; what if word of your banishment reaches their clients' ears? What if it's all lies, to discredit your family's forge? Please, think this through. Share the blame with me, admit it was the two of us in the trial, and we might suffer a lesser sentence."

"If they expel me from the Academy, I'll find a way to continue my research; I've always researched independently, I don't need the Academy for this," Jayce mutters and rests his forehead on Viktor's. "All I need now is you. I'll find a way to meet up with you, whenever you can. If they banish me from Piltover, I'll make a living back in Zaun. It wouldn't be the first time. Though seeing you will be much more difficult if that happens, I'll manage."

"Jayce," Viktor pleads, closing his eyes; he feels the path a stray tear traces down his cheek as he mutters, brokenly, "Please don't do this. We'll find a way, yes? Together. Your parents did everything they could to make a living up here, and you made an effort to become the Academy's Golden Boy. You can't just give up on that, now. Will you give up rugby, too? What about your team? They'll need your guidance, Jayce, you can't just—" 

Jayce places a kiss on the tip of his nose, and Viktor suppresses a sob. "You're the best thing that has happened to me in a long while. I'll give up on everything I have, if that means I get to have you by my side."

Viktor tries, really, to not say it aloud, but he finds he doesn't want to keep this particular thought from Jayce, so he mumbles, "And if I told you I wouldn't forgive you if you let me out of this?"

"What?" Jayce pulls back, and Viktor sighs at the loss of the contact.

"I won't forgive you, if you leave me out of this. You said partners in every sense of the word. Did you lie?"

"No, of course not."

"Then let me take the blame, too," Viktor says, resolutely, and opens his eyes to find Jayce's welling up, too. He swipes his thumb, gently, over the tears that stain Jayce's cheeks. "We're together, wherever Hextech leads us. If we share the blame, your family's forge might be saved; the public eye will guide their attention and gossip towards Heimerdinger, his son being the one who broke several Academy regulations and the Ethos. Maybe then we can move to Demacia with a clear conscience; I heard it's... prosperous land. We can look for an Academy, there, and have a house with a backyard for you to play rugby with your classmates, or perhaps look for an Academy that has a rugby field."

"Demacia, hm? It sounds so tempting when you say it like that" Jayce chuckles wetly. "We're technically already living together, but moving to an actual house might... make it official. I like the way that sounds."

Jayce sighs, and Viktor stands on his tiptoes to kiss his nose, too. "It's decided then. If chaos ensues, which I'm positive it will, we'll move to Demacia, have a house of our own, and make sure the Academy we enroll in has rugby as a sport to practice within Academy grounds, so you can be the Captain once more."

Jayce closes his eyes for a moment, then opens them in favor of looking at him, and mutters, "I love you."

Viktor's grip on his cane falters, and he stumbles forward; Jayce's hands are immediately around his middle, steadying him, and Viktor thinks he's forever lost the ability to breathe properly. He widens his eyes and looks up at Jayce; Jayce only smiles softly at him, like he expects nothing in return. And maybe he doesn't, as Viktor knows he isn’t someone who pressures others into doing something, specially not Viktor.

Viktor feels he is ready, however, to say them back, but for some reason, the words get stuck in his throat and refuse to come out.

"We'll share the blame, then," Jayce adds in the tense silence, and of course he looks a little disappointed and hurt Viktor didn't say anything to him pouring out his feelings, but says nothing about it. "Let's hope our contingency plan remains a contingency plan."

 

---

 

Their trial is in a few hours, and neither of them can decide upon what to do with themselves.

Heimerdinger had briefly visited them in their dorm to give word of advice; do not mention anything about magic. And really, it would've been useful advice to lessen their verdict, but given that they were more inclined to coming clean and explaining to the Council what is really happening in their lab, it's useless. 

Jayce seems more irritable than usual, and Viktor cannot blame him. After all, Jayce is in a very difficult position at the moment; deny the existence of magic, deny his life’s work, deny his dream, all in favor of hopefully staying within Academy grounds and not being banished from Piltover, or admitting he’d been working on something dangerous that might lead to revolutionary technology and risk being expelled from the Academy or banishment, and consequently bring misfortune to his family.

Viktor has a lot to lose, too; if they decide to deny the existence of magic, they will lose all their progress and research, and it might end up with Viktor losing Jayce, too. And if they decide to come clean, he loses three of the things he treasures most in life: the opportunity to learn, his home and his father. But then again, he’ll have Jayce and Hextech, right?

Nothing but death is a guarantee in life, and he hopes the Council takes pity in two young, naïve students with delusions of grandeur.

 

Viktor is sitting on the carpeted floor by the window when Jayce storms in after yet another I need to think walk around the Academy; he sighs as it becomes evident that the walk didn’t work. 

“Jayce,” He tries, and Jayce rubs his face with both hands in frustration. “We need to keep ourselves cool-headed if we want to make the right decision.”

“Yes, well, nothing is working,” Jayce says. “I-I can’t stop shaking and thinking about getting expelled, or banished, or ruining my family’s hard-earned success, and I obviously never meant for any of this to happen, much less getting you involved and ruining your life, too, and I—”

“Come here.”

Jayce stops his rambling and looks at him. “Vik, this really isn’t really the time to—”

“Come here.”

Jayce slumps forward and drags his feet towards Viktor, then sits beside him on the carpeted floor. Viktor extends his legs to the front and pats his left thigh; Jayce sighs and immediately lies down to rest his head on Viktor’s thigh. 

Viktor sighs, content with Jayce's grounding weight on his thigh, before he cards his fingers through Jayce's fine hair; Jayce sighs, too. 

"I understand this is a very difficult position you're in, and that words will offer little to no comfort, but I want you to know I'll be by your side, whatever it is the decision you come up with; whether we tell the truth, lie and deny everything, or elope right about now, I'm with you, Jayce."

Jayce closes his eyes, a tired smile taking over his handsome features. "Elope? Is that an option?"

"It is if you want it to be," Viktor mutters. "We could just... pack our belongings and cross the bridge; it's not like people know who we are. I'll write my father a letter, and then we can pass by your house to say goodbye."

"Just a letter?" Jayce opens one eye.

"It should suffice," Viktor sighs and looks down to Jayce. "I'm actually surprised we weren't apprehended. I'm afraid we will be if he sees us roaming around the halls, or anywhere near the labs. A letter should... be enough. Are you considering eloping?"

Jayce shakes his head softly, still resting on Viktor's thigh. "No. We're not ones to run away from the consequences of our actions, are we?"

"Of course not. But you seemed to be giving it some thought, you know. Like I said, I will support any decision you take."

"What about you? What do you think it's best?"

Viktor purses his lips and looks away, to Jayce's unmade bed. "I'm afraid that, objectively, denying everything will result in the best outcome, my love. But I wouldn't want... to interfere with your Hextech dream, nor do I want you to take a decision based off on what I say."

"Our Hextech dream."

The hand on Jayce's hair stills, and he looks down again; Jayce is wearing the same expression he had a few hours ago, like he expects nothing in return, when he had said—

"I—" Viktor swallows, his throat suddenly dry. "Our Hextech dream, yes. We might be branded as lunatics if we talk about magic in front of the Council; if I recall correctly, Heimerdinger had told me about Bolbok, one of the councilors. Something about magic nearly destroying his race. Heimerdinger himself is always ranting about a burden only he carries; time, and the things he's seen during his lifespan."

Jayce looks up at the hand that had stilled mid-air and brings it to his lips. "I don't know what to do," He mutters against Viktor’s hand, then places a small kiss over his knuckles. "I want to continue seeing you every day, I want to have the opportunity to study in this Academy and I want to continue living Topside, but perhaps not at the cost of my... life's worth of research. Magic saved my mother's life, once, and it might improve yours and many others'. Denying the ability we have to channel magic is like betraying myself."

"Don't deny it, then," Viktor says on a whim. Jayce widens his eyes and frowns. "Tell them the truth; what benevolent magic is like first-hand, what it might do to help those in need, what it did for your mother, all those years ago. Ask for forgiveness and promise effectiveness and safety as long as they let you continue your studies Topside. Reiterate there aren't any casualties and that you mean no harm to this gilded city's inhabitants. Demonstrate that, with time, you also want to make the Undercity as powerful as Piltover is; perhaps even reunite the city, or give the Undercity some independence. Betraying ourselves will be our damnation; we only have ourselves to believe in if we want anything to be done and this world to be changed into a better place."

Jayce sits up, not letting go of his hand, and his face softens. "Do you think they'll have mercy on us, if we do that?"

"They're afraid of change, clearly, as things have never been reshaped this much. We're introducing a new era of technology: The era of Hextech, and thus we represent a threat to their never changing and outdated procedures and regulations. We need to prove them that we mean for this city to grow, and not just economically; imagine the social impact Hextech would have if available for anyone that needs it, or the impact it will have in the medical field. They’ll have to believe in us, and thus lessen our verdict.”

"Economically?"

"Well, all rich people want is to be richer," He huffs out a humorless laugh. "A lot of the Councilors are only looking for gold mines, and you and I both know Hextech might be one; it is magic we're talking about. The possibilities are endless. What if we can transport people to other regions in Runeterra, without nothing but some sort of Hextech enhanced transportation device? Or, not just people; merchandise. They'll love it if you mention economic growth."

"We didn't spend hundreds of sleepless nights designing Hextech for them to take advantage of," Jayce says and stands. "We're not using Hextech to make the rich richer. It's for people in need. I think I'd much rather be banished over letting them call the shots on our research, our technology, or our lives, for that matter. Topsiders just take and take and take and expect me to what— not fight back? They take like the world belongs to them. This is our creation! We call the shots—"

"Jayce."

Jayce looks at him, baffled. "Are you okay with that?"

"It's not like I'm okay with it, it's just something that is bound to happen if they let us continue our research," Viktor says and takes his cane to stand from the floor. "I thought you had considered the possibility of the Council making their own demands—"

"Ridiculous. Just what are we to the Council? Gold mines? Do they only ever care about coating this fucking city in gold? Do they have any other objective that is not making money?"

Viktor sighs and leans on the desk. "Perhaps not, Jayce. Everybody wants something; the fact that you and I want something that's not related to gold doesn't mean everybody else is able to see our vision. In fact, it seems like people find it harder to understand. For them, the only thing that matters is gold. Hence why this city is in shambles and divided. Had they cared for the people, there wouldn't be Piltover and the Undercity, nor there'd be a bridge. It would only be Piltover, broken and corrupt as it may, but there would be only one city."

Jayce rubs his face with both hands, rather aggressively, and says, "I'm afraid I need another walk around the entire campus before I can face those pigs."

"Take the time you need."

As the door to their dorm slams closed, Viktor thinks he only made things worse; but perhaps it was something Jayce needed to know, to consider, before coming clean about the whole Hextech ordeal.

 

---

 

Viktor had heard about how imposing the Council’s meeting room was, with how dark and cold the atmosphere could get and with the audience and what not. But nothing could’ve really prepared him to enter and having all eyes on him; people at the audience knew who he was, the Councilors knew, too, since he was supposed to be Heimerdinger’s prodigy. Now though, he was only a traitor; to the Academy, to the Ethos, and to the whole lot of Piltover.

Rarely anyone looked at Jayce as they walked to the center of the meeting room, and for the first time ever since meeting Jayce, he selfishly wished it wasn’t that way; he wished they all looked at Jayce, like they always do.

They stand side by side in the middle of the cog-shaped desk, and Jayce nudges his elbow against his side; Viktor turns to look at him and Jayce smiles at him. Viktor sighs, quietly, and smiles back.

“Jayce Talis and Viktor Heimerdinger. You both are accused of the same crimes; said crimes being illegal experimentation and endangering the lives of your fellow students and professors alike in the Academy,” A pause, then the same, cool and calculated voice adds, “What do you have to say for yourselves?” Her accent is noticeable, so it must be Mrs Kiramman, then.

Viktor clears his throat and says, "The supplies we needed for our experiments were far more dangerous than we were aware of, and we—" He pauses, looking down at his own feet. Lying; he'd never thought he'd lie to the Council, but here he is, hoping it lessens their sentence. "We now know our actions were against Academy regulations."

"Being Heimerdinger's son, I'd at least expect you to know what Academy regulations are, and how they get violated," A second voice adds; Councilor Salo, he thinks. Viktor doesn't dare to look up. "I think you were aware of the violations committed but didn't have the heart to tell your partner here."

Jayce huffs under his breath and says, "We endangered the lives of students and professors alike, and for that we are deeply sorry. We ask the Council's forgiveness and hope we can continue our studies."

Shoola finally speaks up, and Viktor tries not to sag further when he hears the harsh tone in her voice, "As Viktor's patron of many years, I can speak for his character. I believe that one day, he will be a great contributor to our society."

"They nearly destroyed the labs at the Academy," Adds a third voice, this one of an older man; Hoskel, if he recalls correctly. "Is this the sort of contribution we can expect from him?"

Heimerdinger speaks, at last, and says, "If you were a scientist, you'd know you can't make a prototype without breaking a few wrenches!"

Salo huffs, then asks, "Is there anything the two of you can show for your work besides explosions?" 

Viktor winces and prays to whoever is out there, listening, that Jayce ends up listening to his word of advice.

Then, Jayce speaks. "There is, Councilors. If you give us a chance to demonstrate we can channel arcane energy through raw crystals, we will gladly—"

"Arcane energy?" Shoola asks, and Viktor looks up at her to find she's looking at him as if he's gone mad. He'd warned Jayce about this, but he can't really blame him for telling the truth. "Arcane talents are something you're born with, they can't be... fabricated."

"Actually, we believe it is possible." Jayce says with conviction.

"The arcane is the curse of our world; my race was nearly destroyed by it." Bolbok says, and turns to Viktor, too.

Viktor shrinks under everyone's combined gazes, yet ventures to speak again, "Surely we, the pioneers of science, can use it for good. Our goal is simply to make this city grow; Hextech has the potential to do that. A new era of technology, revolutionary progress that will surely benefit this city and make it reach its maximum potential."

Jayce beams at him. "We're the champions of discovery, why fear it when we can master it?"

"Enough." Heimerdinger says, but Jayce isn't listening.

"This is the city of progress; think of the wonders we could create. Let us show you the extent of our research and prove to you—"

"Enough!" His guardian looks at him for a moment, then looks back at Jayce. "Neither of you seem to understand what's at stake. But how can you? That's a burden only I here carry. Time. I've seen this power in the wrong hands; it corrupts, consumes, lays waste to civilizations. That cannot happen here, my boys. It must not."

Shoola stops glaring at him in favor of seconding Heimerdinger's opinion. "Heimerdinger is right; Piltover was founded to escape the warmongering of mages, not cultivate it."

"The Ethos is clear. They must be banished from Piltover." Bolbok adds, his voice carrying a heavy burden with it.

Viktor lets out a breath he didn't know he was holding and looks at Jayce; Jayce looks back at him, and for the first time, he sees panic in his eyes.

Just as the Councilors are about to vote for banishment, a strong, feminine voice Viktor doesn't recognize speaks.

"Please, let me speak!" Viktor looks at the owner of the voice and is surprised to find a woman that resembles Jayce quite a lot. He thinks this is Jayce's mother, and judging by the way Jayce sags forwards, he thinks he's right. "As a woman from the Undercity, my voice doesn't carry any weight here. But as a mother, I have a voice that matters deeply. My son isn't in his right mind; his entire life, he's chased an impossible dream. And now I see he can also affect others," She adds in a whisper and seems to want to meet Viktor's eyes. Viktor then looks to the ground, and he thinks he's going to be sick; the grip he has on his cane tightens. "What they both did was foolish and unwise, but I'm sure they both have a good heart. Please, let them come home. I'll make sure they get the help they need to abandon this... impossible dream."

"A crime like this can't be overlooked. The boys must be punished." Says Salo.

"A violation of the Ethos calls for banishment," Heimerdinger says and Viktor looks up to find his guardian's eyes amidst the chaos around. "But as a father myself, I can sympathize with you, Mrs Talis. And I can also sympathize with such innocent, youthful dreams to change the world. Perhaps in this matter, a lesser sentence might suffice," A pause, and then Heimerdinger fiddles with his gloved hands before saying, "I move that both Jayce Talis and Viktor Heimerdinger be summarily expelled and remanded to the care of... their parents. All those in favor?"

Before anyone can lift a hand, Salo raises his voice. "With all due respect, I believe your judgement is severely affected by the fact that one of the accused is your beloved son. This does not seem like a fair verdict."

Shoola huffs and raises her hand as if Salo hadn’t spoken, Heimerdinger and Mrs Kiramman following suit. Hoskel, at last, raises his hand, if only a tad reluctantly. Four votes in favor against two that oppose their verdict.

"You may take your son home, Mrs Talis," Heimerdinger says and looks at Viktor as he adds, "But neither of them are to set foot in Academy grounds again."

 

---

 

Jayce is sent home after he's forced to pack his belongings; in the meanwhile, Viktor is forced to stay behind by Heimerdinger's side, and he knows it was his guardian's doing, not allowing him to be close to Jayce again.

They spend the afternoon in silence, and in all honesty, Viktor was expecting Heimerdinger to lash out at him for throwing all of his efforts out of the window for a boy he met a few months ago, so close to graduation.

If he were to ask if Viktor regretted it, though, Viktor would say no every time. But he supposes that something that comes with experience and time is emotional intelligence; or he'd like to believe so, as they share companionable silence until it is late at night and Heimerdinger asks him to accompany him to his personal lab. 

He's left with little options, though, as his guardian starts walking without listening to his answer; they enter the lab and Viktor is surprised to find their supplies, blueprints, tools, Hex-crystals and Jayce's journal already there. 

"What is the meaning of this?" Viktor can't help himself and asks.

Heimerdinger sighs. "Come tomorrow morning, all of your research will be safely disposed of."

"Why... are you telling me this?"

Heimerdinger motions for him to come closer and he does, propping his cane on the crook of his elbow; his guardian props himself in the desk at the lab and takes both of his hands in his. "You've been expelled from the Academy, what are you planning to do now?" 

"I was hoping to..." Viktor swallows. "Make a living in the Undercity, with Jayce."

His guardian shakes his head disapprovingly. "Foolish boy, you don't belong in the Undercity."

"Where do I belong, then? Clearly not here."

Heimerdinger looks to the side and says, "Go home. I'll find a way to still make you my assistant, yes? But we have to wait until the dust settles."

Viktor looks mournfully at the research, at Jayce's life's work, and has the urge to take at least Jayce's journal. "Thank you, Father." He whispers, and Heimerdinger squeezes his hands affectionally, once, before letting go and handing him the keys to his lab and Heimerdinger's house; he perhaps should refer to the house as his childhood house, where Heimerdinger raised him and gave him a home. 

"Lock up." Heimerdinger says and walks down the hall.

Viktor freezes in his spot for a moment before taking his cane in his hand and grabbing Jayce's journal with the other; he's not sure if Heimerdinger meant for this to happen, but he's grateful he had this opportunity. He's inclined to think, however, that this was Heimerdinger's way of saying, I'm giving you a chance to prove yourselves, don't waste it, despite seeming completely against the idea of the arcane energy. Viktor won't waste the chance, and he leaves as soon as he's able to with the journal tightly held against his chest.

His feet take him back to what used to be their shared dorms, and he sighs as he opens the door; he flicks the lights on and is about to plop down face first into his bed when he finds a note attached to a rose on his pillow. His heart races as he walks to his bed, sitting down next to the rose; he places the rose in his lap and takes the note between his hands. It reads,

Angel, I'm sorry it ended this way. I hope we can meet again, soon. However, I am selfish; if you're able to, meet me by the bridge at midnight. I'll be waiting, should you return to me. 

-Yours truly, J.

Viktor swallows and blinks away the tears welling up in the corner of his eyes; he looks at the clock by his nightstand, it reads 10:52 pm. More than enough time to take a shower, change his clothes, find a cloak of sorts to conceal his identity and make it to the bridge on time. Or at least, he hopes it is.

A quick shower and a change of clothes later, he finds himself knocking at Sky's dorm door; he curses himself, as he didn't really think before coming all the way here, but just as he is about to leave, the door opens. 

"Viktor?"

"Sky, hello," He says, bashfully. "I'm— I'm truly sorry for bothering you at this hour, but I really need your help. Do you happen to have a cloak or something that resembles one?"

"A... cloak?" She questions, but walks back inside to inspect her and her roommate's wardrobe. "I think I do. Will a coat with a hoodie work? My roommate has questionable taste in fashion, really, but maybe you can give it a proper use."

"I think that's perfect," Viktor replies as Sky hands him the questionable clothing garment. "Your roommate's questionable fashion taste has saved me, really. I'll give it back, sometime soon. Do you think they'll mind?"

"Hopefully not."

"Thank you, Sky. You've no idea how much this means to me."

Sky smiles at him and fixes her glasses. "You owe me one. Perhaps we can pair up for the next science fair?"

Viktor's heart drops, and he ends up saying, "Of course."

He bids her goodbye and quickly puts the coat on; surprisingly, it seems close to his size, so it's not overly flashy. If he recalls correctly, the enforcers that roam around the Academy at night clock in at 11:30 pm, so he still has plenty of time to make his way out of the Academy and towards the bridge.

He quickly goes back to his dorm and takes Jayce's journal with him, then looks at the rose and realizes he never really placed it on a vase; he decides to place it on what used to be Jayce's bed, in hopes no one will occupy it, at least until Viktor moves out.

 

Viktor arrives to the bridge in record time; he pulls the coat closer to himself, if it is even possible, and tries of a way to look nonchalantly, and non-approachable too. He props his cane on the crook of his elbow —even if his leg soon complains— and rests his back on the wall.

A few minutes pass after the giant clock near the bridge strikes midnight; he gives up on not using his cane for two reasons: practicality and recognition. If Jayce doesn't recognize him with this peculiar coat on, he certainly will if he sees the telltale cane. 

After another few minutes of silence, and he's considering leaving; what if whoever left the note wasn't Jayce, after all? In theory, no one but Jayce called him angel; but perhaps they were overheard? They had stopped being overly cautious as the weeks went by, and the probability of someone finding out they were dating may have increased due to it.

What if someone had impersonated Jayce to harm Viktor? To blackmail him regarding Hextech? It was a secret to absolutely no one that Councilor Salo and Bolbok were not happy with their trial's verdict; would they go this far, though? If he really considered it, it sounded like a stretch, ridiculous, even. Why would two Councilors even bother to make Viktor's life any more difficult than it already is? A waste of time, and resources.

Perhaps not Councilors, then. What if someone else impersonated Jayce?

He gets so distracted with his wandering thoughts he doesn't hear footsteps approaching until they are a few feet away from him; he'd recognize that silhouette everywhere, anywhere, and the relief that washes over him is unmeasurable. 

"Jayce."

"Viktor, you came," Jayce says and practically jogs towards him, embracing him as soon as he's able to; Viktor props his cane on his elbow —something he's doing a lot, as of late—, and takes a deep breath, taking in his lover's scent. "Where have you been? No one would tell me where you were—"

"Heimerdinger wouldn't let me see you," Viktor cuts him off and he resists the urge to pull Jayce’s hood down, and reasons with himself that this is for the best, to concealing their identities of prying eyes. “I was so worried. What’re you going to do? How did your mother take the news?”

"Well, she still thinks this is madness," Jayce says. "But I sort of... cut her off. I told her I'll come find you, the only person in this planet who seems to believe in me, to complete my research elsewhere. I'm not sure what else to do, though. Clearly, I can't go back to the Academy, nor to my mother's house."

Viktor sighs and tightens his embrace. "Live with me. The house I’ll be staying in is not far away from here. I’ll move soon, just as I’m able to gather my things."

"They didn't send enforcers to escort you out as soon as the trial was over?"

"It's all Heimerdinger's doing," He says, bitterly. "I'm not sure if he's trying to help or manipulate me; you know, keeping me on a short leash. He even considered letting me keep my position as one of the Heads of the Student Council; as if me being expelled from the Academy could be overlooked.” 

Jayce huffs and leans down to bury his nose as close as he can muster to Viktor's neck without pushing the hood down; Viktor wishes they weren't out in the open. "I'm sure it's a little bit of both. Though I'd change help with overprotect. He's always been so protective when it comes to you."

Viktor hums. "Where are your belongings right now?"

"Well, Mel is supposed to pick them up from my house and leave them here, by the bridge," Jayce says, suddenly looking around. "I'm not sure she was able to escape the enforcers that guard the Academy at night, though."

"Had I known, she could've given them to me," Viktor huffs, frustrated. "She might not be able to bring them here, maybe until tomorrow. Where are you staying tonight?"

Jayce pulls back in favor of meeting his concerned eyes. "Don't worry about me."

"That's not concerning at all," Viktor says, voice dripping with sarcasm, and pulls out his keys from the coat's pockets. "Here. Let me guide you to where you'll be spending the night."

"What? Vik, the last thing I want is to cause you anymore problems—"

Viktor starts walking towards Heimerdinger's and his home; then, he remembers Jayce's journal and fishes it out from the coat's inner pockets, stopping to turn around and face Jayce. "I— I brought this with me. I know it's not half of the progress we already had, but it's something nonetheless. I wish I could've taken more, but this is the only thing I could take without the enforcers noticing there's something missing."

Jayce huffs out a small, relieved chuckle, and kisses his cheek as he takes it from his hands. "It's more than enough. I wasn't expecting any less from you, though; I knew you'd get into trouble to save our research."

Viktor's hand comes to rest to where he can still feel the ghost of Jayce's lips on his cheek and he mutters, distractedly, "It wasn't any trouble, really; and I'd do it all over again."

"Did you break into Heimerdinger's lab for it? Mel overheard two enforcers talking about disposing of our research and how they'd lock everything up in there," Jayce says and Viktor swallows as he starts walking once again. "She was in the audience, and she said she would've interfered had her voice carried any weight. She asked me to tell you that she's sorry she couldn't do more."

"I didn’t break in; long story. Next time you see her, tell her not to worry; we’ll be alright," Then, he truly understands the words. "What do you mean more?  What did she do? Did she get into trouble?"

"She sent Elora to retrieve some of our notes and tools from the lab after we left for the trial, and she'll hand them to me as soon as she gets my things," Jayce says, lowering his voice and looking ahead as he stores, safely, his journal in a small bag he brought. Viktor looks to the front, too, as he's supposed to be the one guiding. They turn down an alley and Jayce starts speaking once again. "For obvious reasons, they couldn't retrieve the Hextech device, but they retrieved a few of the gemstones, too. In my safe, there were five gemstones aside from the one we were working with. Elora was able to fetch three gemstones, so as to not raise suspicion. I'm not sure what Heimerdinger plans to do with the other three, I just hope he doesn't get rid of them. Perhaps he'll store them somewhere safe."

"If he does store them, I'll find out where he has them and retrieve them myself," Viktor mutters and makes another turn; Jayce follows closely. "We can't afford more of those gemstones. I'm surprised you even have that many. Now, pay attention to the turns we make; I'm not sure how long until I move there, if you do decide to stay in Heimerdinger's house—"

"Heimerdinger's house?!" Jayce raises his voice and stops in his tracks; Viktor turns to him and covers his mouth with both hands.

"It's my childhood home. I'm afraid there's nowhere else I can offer you as a shelter," Viktor whispers. Jayce's frantic breathing eventually settles back into a normal rhythm, and Viktor moves his hands from Jayce's mouth to his chest. "I'll be living there, too, but not yet. I need to fetch my things from our dorm and—"

"Where does Heimerdinger live, if not there?!"

"Shh," He, once more, cover Jayce's mouth. "Let me speak, love. This house is relatively far from the Academy and the Council's meeting room, so he found an apartment closer to both and bought the house so he could leave it to me in his will. He rarely ever visits the house, so you'll be safe there. It's heavily guarded and cleaned constantly, so our only problem will be getting in; I'll be let in, easily, but I'm afraid you'll have to break in. I'll open a window or something for you, okay?"

Jayce swallows and nods; Viktor drops his hands once again to Jayce's chest, if only an excuse to touch his lover.

"Good boy."

He feels Jayce's heart speeding up at the praise underneath his hands; he smiles to himself before patting Jayce's chest twice and turning around to continue walking once again. After a few streets, he stops and Jayce does, too.

"I'm afraid this is where we split up," Viktor mutters. "Do you see the white and blue house at the end of the street?"

"You mean the flashy steampunk-styled mansion?" Jayce says in wonder, and Viktor huffs. "I do, certainly. It's built to catch people's attention."

"Preposterous, I agree," Viktor says and turns to face Jayce in the narrow street. "Okay, you'll have to go around and hope there are no guards in the yard. If you do see guards, you hide somewhere. How're your climbing skills?"

"My climbing skills?"

"Perhaps the easiest way to not be seen is climbing to the preposterous roof; I'm sure there is somewhere you can hide in there, with all the absurd decorations and cogs embellishing the structure. There's multiple balconies around the house, too; I'm sure that, if you do climb to the roof, there'll be a way to let you in," Viktor says and tries not to stare at Jayce's lips as Jayce leans down. "So, what's the script, Golden Boy? I need to know, so I'll be ready." 

"I'll climb the roof," Says Jayce, oblivious. Viktor nods and takes a deep breath to start walking towards the house. "Wait—"

"What is it?"

"No kiss for good luck?"

Viktor rolls his eyes. "I'll kiss you as much as you want once we're safely inside."

"As much as I want?" Jayce asks, a hand in his jaw, as if deep in thought. "You should be more careful with your wording, angel. Deal."

Viktor's heart speeds up and he pulls the hood to further hide his face. "Jayce. This is not the moment. Be careful."

"Alright, alright. I'll see you inside."

With his heart in his throat, Viktor trudges towards the house, lowering the hood so as to not raise suspicion among whoever is guarding the house. The enforcer at the front gate greets him and welcomes him home, and Viktor thinks Heimerdinger sent more enforcers than were necessary; he unlocks the house and quickly shuffles inside, locking behind himself and only flicking the necessary lights on on his way to the second floor. He sighs, contentedly, when he remembers this house has an elevator, one that Heimerdinger built himself so Viktor could move around easily —one he helped draft when he was younger— and he feels rather thankful after such a tiring day. 

Once the elevator dings open, he nearly jumps out of his skin when he finds Jayce already inside and looking around in the dark hall, ever his curious chubby-cheeked boy.

"J-Jayce, you nearly gave me—" He says, still trying to calm his heartbeat, and doubles over, catching his breath. "Goodness gracious. How'd you even get in?" He asks as he walks towards where the light of the main hall is and flicks it on.

Jayce narrows his eyes, adjusting to the change in light, and says, "You might want to check the locks before you move here, angel. They're so easy to pick."

"You lockpicked one of my locks?"

"Did you make those?" Jayce asks, beaming at him; Viktor narrows his eyes at him. 

"When I was a kid. I can't believe Heimerdinger never changed them," He mutters, exasperated, and walks towards the room he'll be sharing with Jayce. "There are multiple guest rooms, but you can't really use them if we don't want to raise suspicions. Heimerdinger can't know I have you living with me."

"Just say you want to share a bed with me, angel, it's easier."

Viktor resists the urge to roll his eyes. "You are taking the floor, Jayce. I never said we'd be sharing a bed."

Jayce catches up with him, chuckling his way over, and stops him by embracing him from behind and propping his cane nearby on a wall. "Hm. I don't think that's what you want."

"It might be, if you continue pushing your luck," Viktor says, and his body betrays his words as he moves his head to the side to leave more room for Jayce to nose at his neck. He sighs as he feels Jayce's lips on his neck, and he allows himself to close his eyes, too. "Behave yourself. There's still a lot of things we need to discuss."

Jayce hums, presumably not listening, and sighs against his neck. Viktor shivers, and just as he is about to say something else, Jayce suddenly pulls his face back. "Whose coat is this? It smells like someone else."

Viktor snaps his eyes open and holds his breath. "Sky's roommate sort of lent it to me."

"Sort of?"

"They weren't there. I asked Sky for a coat and this is what she lent me," He says and hopes Jayce resumes his activities. When he doesn't, Viktor mutters. "Jayce?"

"Do you happen to know who this roommate is?"

Viktor frowns and turns in Jayce's arms to face him. "I don't. Is there a problem?"

Jayce frowns, too, but Viktor knows his anger is directed elsewhere; perhaps, it's not anger Jayce is feeling.

"The player who winked at you, all those months ago. Do they ring a bell?"

Viktor huffs. "Are you being serious? I didn't even remember— How do you even know how they smell like?" He raises an eyebrow and Jayce looks away. "Oh."

"I-It was long ago," Jayce says, hurriedly, and looks at him once more. "I just— this is weird."

"It sort of is," Viktor concedes and pushes Jayce's arms away. He sighs as the moment is broken and walks inside the room. "This is... my room. Make yourself at home; we might have to share bed for tonight, though. I was supposed to go back to the dorms and sleep there, but I'm sure Heimerdinger won't mind. I was kicked out of the Academy, too, so it'd make more sense for me to sleep here."

Jayce walks inside soon after and his eyes roam in every available surface; Viktor thinks he's looking for something. And he might just know what that something is: the boat they built as kids. Viktor smiles to himself as he walks to one of his many bookshelves and pulls it out; he hands it out to Jayce, who in turn accepts it eagerly.

"You can have it," Viktor finds himself saying, and he even surprises himself; but what is there to be surprised about, if Jayce has come to mean to absolute world to him? He'll give Jayce the entire world if he could, so giving him such a valuable item shouldn't come as a surprise. 

"I can't take it." Jayce immediately replies.

"See it as a trade, yes? Your journal and this old boat for my leg brace."

"That doesn't seem fair at all," Jayce counters with a frown, placing the boat where it was. "You saved my entire research and gave me one of your most treasured objects, yet I only give you a leg brace? Are you even listening to yourself?"

"Okay, maybe not a trade," Viktor takes the boat and places it in Jayce's hands once more. "I want you to have it now. I won't take anything other than a yes for an answer."

Jayce huffs and Viktor realizes his eyes are welling up; he props his cane on the shelf, carefully takes the boat and places it next to where he propped his cane, and wraps his arms around Jayce's middle. 

"Thank you," Jayce mutters, wetly, at the crook of Viktor's neck. "For everything."

"I love you," Viktor says back, finally, and tightens his embrace. "I love you, Jayce."

Jayce doesn't say anything back, and Viktor doesn't need him to; his embrace tightens, too, and Viktor figures the knot in Jayce's throat is too much to bear, so he understands the silence and won't mistake it as a rejection. They stand there, in each other's arms, until the clock in the main hall strikes one in the morning; it startles them both, and Viktor sighs as he starts to feel the fatigue weighing down on him. 

"We should probably..." Jayce trails off and wipes his nose with the sleeve of his shirt. 

"Yes, yes. The bathroom is right there, if you want to... um. Did you bring any other clothes?"

Jayce looks to the side. "I'll just sleep in my undies, if you don't mind. It's not like you haven't seen me—"

"Jayce. Go brush your teeth, I'm sure there's a spare toothbrush somewhere in the shelf."

Jayce drags his feet inside the bathroom, reluctantly, and Viktor feels like he can breathe once more. He slowly takes the coat off, then his cravat, vest and shirt, and soon after, his pants. He leaves his undershirt and briefs on, and soon after, Jayce re-emerges from the bathroom.

Jayce plops down on the bed, face first, and says, muffled by the pillow, "There. Goodnight."

Viktor huffs as he makes his way to the bathroom and feels so grateful with Heimerdinger for considering his return to their house; for having clean sheets and the bed made, since he doesn't think he'd be able to do it all with how tired he feels at the moment. 

He walks back out to find Jayce under the covers, snoring; his heart seizes at the heartwarming sight and he sighs, contentedly, for he at least gets to see Jayce like this once more.

Viktor lies down on his left side, and soon after feels two strong arms dragging him to Jayce's side of the bed; his back ends up joined to Jayce's chest.

Small mercies that feel like much more than that, really.

Chapter 3: Loyalty, new beginnings, commitment and devotion

Viktor swallows as he is lead through the back door of the forge; he never really put much thought into how a forge would look like on the inside, but if he had to describe it in one word, it'd be imposing. Especially when they aren't supposed to be there.

"Jayce, why didn't you just tell your mother we'd be here?"

"I don't need to ask for permission; this is as much as my forge as it is hers," Jayce huffs and nudges him inside a heavy iron door. "There. This is... or used to be, my workplace at the forge."

Viktor is about to come with a witty retort when he looks around; the machinery, cogs and pipes around his workplace are breathtaking, albeit a little rudimentary. Yet again, Jayce most likely built this all by himself, so it's no less marvelous. 

"This is incredible," He mutters as he ventures further inside. "I have never seen anything quite like this."

Jayce places both hands over Viktor's shoulders and guides him to a specific workbench. "Here. This is the leg brace I'd been working on," He says and takes the brace in between his hands momentarily before putting it back down on the workbench. "I've been coming to the forge for the past two days, and I think it's finally done. Though I don't remember ever polishing the metal I was using…"

The door to Jayce's workspace creaks open, and Viktor remembers Jayce closing it behind them; they both turn to face the intruder, and a feminine silhouette appears on the doorway. 

"Jayce?"

"Mom," Jayce whispers, and despite his comments about cutting her off and not needing her, he breaks the moment his mother's arms envelop him in a warm embrace. Viktor looks at them and an unpleasant thought crosses his mind; had Heimerdinger ever hugged him before? Viktor supposes he's not worth the effort. "I—"

"I know, Jay-Jay," She mutters, rubbing his back. "I know. I'm sorry too. You scared me, coming here; I thought someone had broken in."

"I'm sorry," Jayce whispers and hugs his mother tighter before letting go of her. "I just... my partner, he needed—"

Suddenly, his mother turns to Viktor, and Viktor startles as she hugs him with the same fervor she'd hugged her son; he accidentally drops his cane in the process. Then, "Viktor. I'm sorry about what I said during the trial, I meant none of it. It was all just in hopes I could get my baby to come back home, and hopefully help you, too."

Viktor's breath catches in his throat as one of her hands rubs his back affectionally while the other comes to rest at his nape, cradling. Words don't find him soon enough, so he hugs her back in hopes it'll be enough. And it seems to be, as she sighs and hugs him for a moment longer and then pulls back to cup his cheek. 

"My name is Ximena, Ximena Talis. I'm sorry for the late introduction, but this foolish boy never thought about asking you out before, so I never got the chance to properly introduce myself."

"Mom."

Ximena chuckles and lets go of Viktor; Viktor's knees feel like they're about to give out, and he leans against a workbench. Jayce, ever so observant, takes his cane from the floor and hands it to him. 

"You talked with your mom about me?" Viktor asks, teasingly, and Jayce looks away.

"When he was younger, you were the only thing aside from magic I would hear him talking about for hours on end," Ximena says and chuckles. "He really hoped he'd get the chance to cross the bridge and talk to you. And well, eventually he did. Not exactly what he had daydreamed about, but he was able to—"

"Okay, that's enough," Jayce says and walks back to where the leg brace is; he takes it in his hands and asks, "Did you polish it?"

It's Ximena's turn to look away, sheepishly, and Viktor finds the familiarity endearing. "Well, you are always so eager to create you often forget about polishing your inventions. The sharp edges would've probably hurt Viktor here."

Jayce winces and sighs. "Perhaps," He then looks up to his mother and his smile falters. "We need to leave; we're... um, sort of in a hurry?"

Ximena's smile falters, too, and she sighs. "I understand. But you better come visit me more often, Jay-Jay. Where are you living now? You know you can always come back—"

“We’ll be fine, Mom.” Jayce mutters, placing a chaste kiss on his mother’s forehead.

 

Leaving the warmth of the forge is more difficult than either of them imagined, and Viktor sighs once outside. "She's lovely."

Jayce beams, turning to look at him. "I knew you'd like her, once she got the opportunity to apologize."

Viktor hums and they make a turn. "So... you daydreamed about crossing the bridge and meeting me on the other side?"

Jayce huffs and pulls at the hood on Viktor's cloak, playfully. "I bet you did, too."

"Oh, I did. And I'm not embarrassed to admit it. You intrigued me a lot; I once told you that everybody wants something, and I was used to people wanting and expecting things from me, but then, I met you," He pauses and pulls at Jayce's hood. "You only want... me, I suppose. It was quite the change, but perhaps changes are for the better."

They keep walking in companionable silence until Viktor hits his own forehead with a misplaced iron pole. For some reason, that brings to mind what they meant to do after going to the forge.

"Are you alright? Should we go back to the forge? My father might be busy, but I'm sure he'll make time for us; he knows a thing or two about medicine, he might be able to—"

"I need to go back to the Academy," Viktor says, stopping in his tracks and closing his eyes to hopefully make the dizzying feeling go away. "I was supposed to gather my belongings two days ago. How could I have forgotten? Why didn't you remind me? Just what were we doing two days ago?"

"Well, we went out shopping," Jayce replies, assessing the new lump in Viktor's forehead. "We ran out of food, and you wanted to check out the local market to see if you could find a new cloak. Then you left for the Academy to return the weird coat you-know-who lent you indirectly, and... you were supposed to gather your things that day, on your way back. Perhaps you got distracted?"

Viktor sighs and opens his eyes. "I did. Mel gave me your things and I was so excited and grateful, seeing the gemstones intact, that I ended up hugging her and Elora and I totally forgot what I was doing there. I just made my way back, oh so eager to show you; it slipped my mind. Unbelievable."

Jayce hums and places a soft kiss on his forehead; Viktor winces. "Sorry, thought I'd kiss it better."

"Funny, aren't we?" Viktor says, a fond smile stretching his lips. "Now that I think about it, the only thing I might want from what I left behind is the rose your note came with."

"A rose?"

Viktor frowns and looks at Jayce. "What do you mean, a rose? Did you not put it there? And here I thought you were a hopeless romantic."

Jayce chuckles rather loudly in the empty street. "Mel. I asked her to leave the note in our dorm, but I never thought she'd be a hopeless romantic. She likes you, as you can see; she went out of her way to get you a rose so you would come find me at the bridge."

Viktor hums and makes a show of crossing his arms. "You should've let me live in my happy little lie; I really thought you had chosen the rose to place it alongside the note," He pauses and tries not to melt at the way Jayce looks at him. "It was beautiful. I regret not retrieving it," He sighs and says, "Let's just go. Hopefully no one has occupied our dorms, and my rose is still there, where I left it."

He starts walking, Jayce following suit. "Where did you leave it?"

"By your pillow," Viktor mutters, immediately, and feels his ears burning; he continues walking, hoping Jayce didn't notice. "Come on, Golden Boy, we need to get there before—"

Just as they arrive to the street where they usually split up, Viktor discerns Heimerdinger's unmistakable silhouette by the front gates. He seems to be carrying a box, and looks around, perhaps hoping —expecting— Viktor to be home; his breath catches in his throat when Heimerdinger looks his way.

"It's alright, I'll just climb to the roof and wait until you tell me it's safe," Jayce whispers, just out of his guardian's view. "Hopefully whatever it is he wishes to discuss doesn't take too long; it's a rather sunny day today. I’ll scorch up there."

"I'll keep him downstairs," Viktor says, pulling his hood off of his head; he turns to look at Jayce. "Lockpick your way inside, we'll fix the locks afterwards. Go to our room and please be quiet."

"Do you think I'm incapable of being quiet?" 

Viktor raises an eyebrow and Jayce huffs. "I love you, but you are rather clumsy and noisy."

"I'm as sly and quiet as a cat."

Viktor sighs and shakes his head. "Just get in there safely. We have work to do."

He walks away and realizes he left the leg brace in Jayce's hands; he can only hope Jayce is able to climb with one hand, or that he finds a way to store it safely and climb inside. He takes a deep breath as his guardian spots him, and he smiles.

"Viktor, my boy, you had me worried! Where were you?"

"I was..." Viktor racks his brain for something to say as he unlocks the front gate and lets his guardian inside. "Um. I meant to go to the Academy, gather my things and all, but—"

Heimerdinger stops in his tracks once Viktor turns to face him after closing the gate and says, "Viktor, what happened to you?! Did you hit your head somewhere?!"

Viktor suppresses the urge to sigh with relief. "Yes, so that happened. I hit my head and decided it was best for me to seek medical attention; I was about to when I spotted you by the house's gates."

Heimerdinger tuts and says, "Hurry inside, my boy. Let me check on that wound of yours."

Viktor unlocks the main door to the house and sets his cloak by the coat hanger near the entrance; after, he leads them to the dining area, and sits down in one of the chairs as Heimerdinger pushes the box he had been carrying to Viktor's lap.

Heimerdinger then props himself in the chair next to his and hops on the table to be able to reach Viktor's head. "Oh, my boy. That must've hurt. Let me see if we have a first aid kit somewhere."

And his guardian leaves the dining room in favor of doing so; Viktor sags on his chair and tries to listen for the telltale noise Jayce makes when he hops down from the roof and into the balcony of their room, but it seems he doesn't want to enter yet. Heimerdinger then comes back with a first aid kit on his hands; he hops on the table once more and searches for the isopropyl alcohol and gauzes.

"It seems to be only a few scrapes; you were lucky. It'll be over in the blink of an eye," He says as he pours some of the alcohol into a clean gauze and walks closer to him. Viktor instinctively closes his eyes, lest some of the alcohol accidentally falls to his eyes. He feels the gentle swab of the gauze a few times before Heimerdinger sighs. "Are you not curious about the box I placed in your lap, my boy?"

"I am," Viktor replies immediately, opening his eyes. The gentle swabbing continues. "I just didn't know if asking would be inappropriate or not."

Heimerdinger takes a clean gauze and tapes it in place before motioning to the box with his gloved hands. "Open it."

Viktor narrows his eyes and does as he's told; inside, there are his few belongings —the ones he'd left behind in his dorm— and the withered rose. His heart skips a beat when he finds the note, too. "Did you read it?"

"My curiosity won over, I'm afraid," Heimerdinger admits, but the smile never leaves his features. Viktor narrows his eyes further. "It didn't take me long to understand who this mysterious J was, and well... I've been meaning to ask—" He pauses and sags, if only a little. "Do you not trust me, my boy?"

"What?"

"In my defense, this J of yours seems to be quite used to calling you angel. And I thought that, perhaps, you didn't trust me enough to tell me you had a boyfriend."

"With all due respect, father, I never tell you this kind of things because you have left very clear that you are against any kind of relationships that aren't a friendship or a partnership."

"Nonsense!" Heimerdinger says, but he relaxes, and Viktor chuckles, as this is the first time he's seen his guardian flustered. "I've never said such things!"

Viktor sighs. "We've been... dating for a few months now. You know who he is, don't you?"

"Why, of course," His guardian says, and he sounds rather excited at the fact that Viktor is opening up a little bit to him. "A few months, hm. No wonder I found you like that in the lab when—"

"Dad," Viktor says, swallowing; he doesn't think he's ever called Heimerdinger dad. Heimerdinger himself looks a little bit surprised, but then he smiles once more. "There's something I'd like to address with you, and I think this is the right moment to do so."

"Tell me, my boy."

"There was this... boy, with chubby cheeks by the bridge. You brought him and his family Topside," Viktor starts, and he knows his guardian knows where this conversation is headed. "I could've considered him a friend back then, you know? Perhaps my one and only friend. You never told me where he went after he suddenly disappeared, and you knew. And after all these years, you didn't tell me he was Jayce all along, either, and you knew, too. My question is, why?"

Heimerdinger seems to consider his question and sighs. "Perhaps I was afraid of you drifting apart; wandering astray, for that boy. You clicked with Jayce since the very first moment; you didn't even need to speak to him to understand him, and I was afraid that, if I let that friendship grow, you'd cross the bridge and follow him to the Undercity. You don't belong down there, and I'm afraid Jayce doesn't, either; hence why I decided to give them an opportunity of living Topside,” He pauses and beams at Viktor. “Oh yes, the Talis Forge. By far one of the best investment the Council has made."

Viktor looks down to the open box on his lap and says, "Well, I'm just glad our paths crossed again."

"Oh, my boy, don't get me wrong. I'm glad your paths crossed again, too; I think I knew where you two were headed the moment you stepped into my office and brought up the fact that you and Jayce had argued, and a few hours later, you decided to bring to my attention the negligence of the rugby coach. A shame, really, that we had to expel you both; I do hope, however, that you two understand why we did it."

Viktor hums. "I just wish Jayce wasn't expelled; he was one hell of a rugby player."

"Language."

Viktor huffs. "I'm soon-to-be 21, father. Can't I—"

Heimerdinger shakes his head, fondly, and sighs, "I'm afraid not, at least not when I'm within earshot. I strongly dislike profanities."

"Right," He whispers, still looking down at his withered rose. “Rugby meant a lot to him, though. If you could only—”

His idea is cut off short when he hears a loud bang coming from their bedroom; he winces and hopes his guardian didn't hear anything.

"What was that?"

Viktor takes a deep breath and says, "Must've been the wind, knocking things over. I left my bedroom's window open."

Heimerdinger hops down the table and starts walking towards the elevator; Viktor follows suit with his heart in his throat. "Foolish boy, how many times do you need to hear me say that leaving one's window open calls for a break in?"

"I don't think it's a break in," He says, blocking his guardian's path. "It really must be the wind. Worry not about trivial matters, father. There are at least five enforcers guarding the property, I'm sure I'll be notified if anything happens."

Heimerdinger thinks for a moment, and then sighs. "You're right. I'll have eight enforcers stationed here, then; just in case."

Viktor's heart drops. "That's not necessary, either. I'm sure it's just the wind—"

The clock on the main hall strikes four in the afternoon, and Heimerdinger gasps. "I have a Council meeting soon!"

"Oh, really?"

"Yes, we are planning to have a new member added to the Council." Heimerdinger replies, already making his way towards the door.

"Perhaps I can suggest someone?"

His guardian turns to look at him with curiosity. "And whom may that be?"

"There's a student from Noxus, her name is Mel Medarda. I'm pretty sure she's always found politics quite interesting; I trust her judgement, and I trust she'll be a great addition to the Council. Plus, being from Noxus, she can act as something akin to an ambassador between the two regions."

Heimerdinger hums and opens the door. "Very valuable insight, Viktor. Good thinking, an ambassador might just be what we need."

Before he gets to answer, Heimerdinger leaves and closes the door behind himself; he nearly almost forgets how his guardian has a tendency of speaking to himself out loud.

Viktor sags and immediately gets inside the elevator.

He opens the door to their room and finds Jayce, still on the floor, motionless. 

"Jayce?"

"Is he gone?"

Viktor breathes a sigh of relief and sits down on the bed. "He left seconds ago. However, I'm sure you heard most of our conversation."

Jayce sits on his hunches between Viktor's parted knees and rests his chin on Viktor's left knee. "I didn't mean to."

"it's alright, I don’t mind," Viktor says, carding his fingers on Jayce's messy hair; Jayce hums and closes his eyes. "Did the brace survive the fall or are we going to have to ask your mother for help to make another one?"

Jayce chuckles and reaches, blindly, under the bed. "It did. May I do the honors?"

Viktor's heart skips a beat and he mutters, quietly, "Yeah."

Jayce's talented hands help him adjust the knee brace, and only then does Viktor realize Jayce added padding to the inside of the brace; his heart seizes at the mindfulness in which his knee brace was created and feels nervous to try it.

Adjustable straps, padding, breathability; Jayce and his mother really thought about his comfort, and that thought warms his heart like no other.

"Seems like a decent fit." Jayce whispers, making final adjustments.

"It's perfect. Thank you, my love." Viktor says as he leans down to cup Jayce's cheeks.

Jayce's eyes are hooded when he says, "Anything for you."

Viktor nudges Jayce's nose with his before placing a chaste kiss on Jayce's lips. "He brought my stuff, from our dorm."

"Hm?" Jayce questions, perhaps distracted, and Viktor huffs.

"My belongings. They're downstairs, in a box. Even the rose; I regret neglecting it, as I'm afraid that if I touch it, it will become dust."

Jayce blinks slowly at him and says, "Then perhaps it's better to leave it as it is. Think of it as a way to close a chapter in your life, to start a new one."

Viktor hums and kisses the tip of Jayce's nose. "That is a nice way of seeing things; it has been quite the chapter in our book, hm?"

"Yeah," Jayce whispers, distracted by Viktor's ministrations, and Viktor chuckles. After a moment of silence, he whispers, "Do you think there's a way of turning one of the guest rooms into a lab with the things Elora and Mel managed to retrieve?"

Viktor is surprised he hadn't thought about it first. "Of course. We'll have to improve our locks first and adapt the room to fit our needs; hopefully it won’t take us long.”

Jayce hums and braces himself in Viktor’s left knee —a weight barely there, really, perhaps an excuse to touch him— to stand. “I’ll rearrange the room and you’ll build new locks. How’s that sound?”

“That works for me,” Viktor says and takes his cane to stand, too; the brace feels as good as it looks, and he sighs when he doesn’t immediately feel the telltale pain. “I’ll improve the locks, add some curtains here and there and perhaps add soundproof walks to the new lab; the last thing we need is for Heimerdinger or someone else to find out we're giving continuity to the very thing that nearly got us banished from Piltover.”

Jayce brushes his knees and chuckles. “Yeah. Adding soundproof walls has to be one of your most brilliant ideas. The enforcers will certainly notify Heimerdinger if they realize we’re experimenting here. And if there's a second person living here; I'm sure Heimerdinger will burn me alive if he ever finds out.”

Viktor hums as he walks towards the bookshelf where Jayce’s boat is. “And perhaps... we can notify the enforcers you live here now?”

"What? Have you lost your mind?"

"We'll only be notifying the enforcers," Viktor says, turning to face Jayce. "That way, if they see you here, they won't try to arrest you for break in. You’ll no longer need to climb the roof to enter, and—"

Jayce huffs. "I don't think it is a good idea."

Viktor frowns. "Why not?"

"I don’t trust enforcers," Jayce walks towards Viktor and holds both of his hands, tenderly, as he says, “Never have and never will. What if they tell Heimerdinger there’s someone else living here?”

“I’m sure that won’t be a problem,” Viktor says. “He knows we're together; and this is technically my house now, I think I get to decide—”

“He knows we’re together?!”

“What’s so wrong with that?” He asks and pries his hands away from Jayce’s. “Are you afraid of my—”

“I’m not afraid of him.” Jayce mutters. 

“Then…? Are you ashamed of… this?” He asks and motions between them.

When Jayce opens his mouth to reply but doesn’t, Viktor thinks he has his answer. His chest feels heavy, and he can feel the bile rising up his throat. 

“Leave.”

Jayce snaps his mouth closed with an audible pop! before he tries to step closer. Viktor steps back and looks away, trying his best to hide the tears welling up in the corner of his eyes. 

“And take your things with you.”

“Vik, please,” Jayce pleads, and Viktor doesn't even know what he’s asking for; Jayce most likely doesn’t even know himself. Then, “I have nowhere else to go.”

“You do. Leave.”

Jayce swallows, audible in the quiet of their room, and says, “I don’t. No one but you understands what Hextech means to me. If you kick me out, I'll lose it all,” He pauses and takes a deep breath. “We can talk this through, yes? I didn’t mean— I’m not ashamed to be with you. It’s just—”

“Please just leave,” Viktor says around the knot in his throat; he swallows, willing for it to go away, but it only gets worse; he now feels like he can’t breathe enough. “You’ll have Hextech with you, you won’t lose it all.”

“My partner is everything to me, without him, Hextech becomes meaningless. Angel, please just—”

“Leave."

Jayce huffs out a breath, as if he’d been kicked or punched around his middle. “Vik, you’re all I have. I’m not ashamed, and I’ll prove it to you.”

Viktor sees out of the corner of his eyes when Jayce jogs towards the balcony of their room and climbs down to the garden below; he doesn’t dare to move a muscle until he thinks Jayce has slipped out of the property, and the need to throw up that morning’s breakfast is so strong he rushes to sit down and hopefully distract himself from it.

He counts to ten, and with each number, takes a deep breath; he knows the irrational fear of throwing up will pass if it comes down to actually throwing up, but it never gets any easier, and it doesn’t necessarily mean he’d throw up willingly. He then reminds himself that if he kneels on the hard, bathroom floor, his leg will complain, perhaps all just part of a surprisingly not-so-futile attempt to distract himself; he closes his eyes and fully concentrates on taking deep breaths.

Soon after, the nausea is gone, but it gets quickly replaced by a wave of sorrow, one that grips his heart like a vine; the deep breaths don’t seem to help this one particular affliction, though.

He sags forward, resting his elbows on his knees, and keeps his eyes closed, hopefully to avoid the tears from falling.

He soon feels his body getting heavier and acknowledges his exhaustion by lying down on the bed; you’re on Jayce’s side of the bed, his brain supplies uselessly, and he rolls to his left side to finally give his mind some resemblance of peace.

 

After what Viktor supposes are a few hours of rest, he opens his eyes and stands from the bed, hoping to get a glass with water from the kitchen downstairs. He walks towards the elevator and his mind soon wanders to Jayce’s whereabouts; he knows an argument like this will take time to heal, specially since it led nowhere, but he can’t stop himself from worrying. About Jayce’s whereabouts, his wellbeing or where he’ll spend the night, lest he doesn’t come home today.

He catches a glimpse of the main hall’s clock, and it reads 12:56 am. He sighs and hopes Jayce found his way back to his mother’s house, or that he’s making his way here.

He gets to the kitchen awfully slowly, and without flicking any of the lights on, pours himself a glass of water, then peeks through the curtains; ever since Jayce told him he didn’t trust enforcers, he's been having a rather nagging thought about constantly checking the enforcers outside the house. Perhaps all just paranoia.

He’s momentarily surprised to catch a glimpse of a rather tall, hooded person opening the main door; it sounds like lock-picking, really, and he holds his breath. It could be Jayce, but then again, why would he be entering through the main door? He’s supposed to climb to the roof, unseen, and lower himself to their bedroom's balcony. 

He swallows and looks around for anything than can be used as a weapon; he thinks his cane and a kitchen knife should suffice. The intruder pushes the door open with a creak and closes it behind themselves, looking around before spotting Viktor near the kitchen isle.

They quietly stare at each other before the intruder lowers the hood that used to cover their features.

“Jayce,” Viktor breathes and catches himself before the glass slides from his grasp; he then places it safely on the counter, next to the kitchen knife. Jayce quietly walks towards him, flicking on the kitchen's light on his way over. “I nearly stabbed you; why’re you entering the house through the front door? Do you want to get arrested?” He pauses when Jayce comes to stand before him and hasn’t answered any of his questions. Then, “Where have you been? Why didn’t you come back any sooner? Were you considering not coming back? I didn’t mean—”

Jayce hands him something and whispers, “For you.”

Viktor takes several moments to understand and looks down to find a white rose between his fingers; he sighs as his heart beats a little louder and faster than before. “It’s beautiful, Jayce, but it'd be nice if you could answer my—”

Jayce’s calloused fingers tilt his chin upwards, and he sighs into the kiss when his lips are met with Jayce’s.

“I’m sorry," Jayce mutters, his voice raspy. "I talked to Heimerdinger as soon as I left; nearly gave him a heart attack after I broke into his office, though. Are yordles immortal?”

Jayce smiles softly, cradling his face with one hand. Viktor sighs again and looks down at the white rose. “I’m not sure, but he'll be alright. What did you tell him? Is that how you entered through the front door?”

Viktor tries to calm down his treacherous heart when Jayce says, “It is. I told him I was living here, with you, and that I wanted him to inform the enforcers so that they wouldn’t arrest me. He took it surprisingly well, despite my wording,” Jayce looks to the side, bashfully. “He also told me a certain someone wanted me to keep playing rugby with my team, and he allowed it as long as I didn’t cause any ruckus. Hopefully I’ll have a practice match soon, with the new coach.”

"I bet he received your teammates’ complaints, too. You’re a great addition to the team and he knows it," Viktor says, partially distracted by the rose. Then, he looks up to say, "I also know how much you enjoy rugby, and I thought you deserved a chance to be able to play with your team; I’m surprised he allowed it, though. He’ll definitely get in trouble if someone sees you within Academy grounds."

Jayce hums and looks back at him. "I’ll make sure to convince them to play in after hours, and I’ll be careful with the enforcers. I'm sure my team will distract them if needed,” He says and drops the hand that had been cradling Viktor’s face. “Also, I heard someone is joining the Council. A friend of ours, actually."

"Oh, really?" He replies, trying to appear nonchalantly and not meeting Jayce's eyes yet. "She’ll be a great addition to the Council. I think you mentioned once or twice how her goal was to become a councilor, and since she helped us, I thought I could return the favor."

“I didn't say who, though; I knew it was your doing,” Jayce huffs, fondly, and looks back at the main door. “Sorry I lock-picked my way inside; had I known you were awake, I wouldn’t have…” 

Viktor takes a deep breath. “I still need to fix the locks around the house, it’s alright.”

And there’s something palpable in the air, a secondary effect lingering after their argument; a certain wariness that wasn’t there before. Viktor sighs and places the rose on the glass he poured for himself, and the says, “Are you sleeping here?”

Jayce looks at him and mutters, “Of course I am, if you’ll have me.”

They climb to the elevator in silence, going on about their nightly routine in tense silence; Viktor takes off his new knee brace, lies down on his left side, his back to Jayce, and sighs. Jayce lies down, too, and if the sudden soaring heat is any indicator, his back is facing Viktor, too. 

“I never meant to make you feel like I was ashamed of being with you,” Jayce mutters, his voice tight. “You’re the best thing that has happened to me in a really long while. I wouldn’t trade you for anything. You gave Hextech meaning; I might’ve started Hextech, but without you, it would only be scribbles on a journal, failed experiments, and a dream chased for so long it would’ve become a nightmare.”

He feels the bed shift and dip under Jayce’s weight before two strong arms, if only a tad hesitantly, wrap themselves around his middle; Viktor takes in a shaky breath before he embraces the arms with his own. 

“You gave my life a new meaning. I’m truly sorry I can’t seem to do the same for you.”

“You gave my life a new meaning, too,” Viktor mutters quietly, speaking past the knot in his throat. Words don’t find him as easily, and he takes a moment to gather his thoughts and convey his feelings properly. “You gave my monotone life an exciting twist, painted my grey skies with colors I didn’t know I liked and gave me something to believe in when I didn’t even believe in myself. I'd say we’re… even.”

Jayce nuzzles his nape and sighs there, a warm tickle of breath, and Viktor can breathe easy once more. Then, “We’re feeling a little poetic today, aren’t we?”

“We have our days,” Viktor says and chuckles when he remembers what happened around a month or so into their relationship. “Like when you—”

“Please, don’t—”

“Like when you drank after a match and stumbled into our dorm; I remember you saying a lot of things like the ones you just said, and then you scared me to death because I thought you had fallen. Turns out you kneeled in favor of asking me to marry you,” Viktor completes his sentence, nonetheless, chuckling as Jayce groans. “I told you I would, when we were older, and you fell asleep on my lap when I sat down in your bed. And it was such a heartwarming moment until you woke up a few minutes later and threw up all over me—”

“I’m glad I don’t remember that part,” Jayce grunts and huffs as Viktor’s shoulders shake with his quiet laughing. “Though I have you to remind me every once in a while.”

Viktor sighs, contentedly, after his laugh quiets down. He shifts on the bed and finds a comfortable spot once again before Jayce speaks. “Did you mean it?”

“I usually mean the things I say when I’m not arguing with you,” Viktor mutters. Jayce bites the skin where his shoulder and neck meet, and he yelps. “What was that for?”

“That’s a rather feeble answer. Did you mean what you said?”

Viktor racks his brain to understand what Jayce is asking about. “About marrying you?” Jayce hums, affirmatively, and Viktor feels his heart pounding. “I did. I still do.”

“Well, I’ll ask you, properly this time, when we figure out what to do with our lives. We'll worry about that after we fix the locks and build our new lab,” Jayce says, nonchalantly. “Hopefully your answer won’t change by then.”

I doubt it would. Viktor wants to say, but Jayce has rendered him speechless; and it's unfair, really, how difficult it is to speak about this kind of things to some, but to Jayce, they come naturally. It makes Viktor wonder if Jayce has felt, said or daydreamed about them before.

Not long after that, Jayce's quiet snores are the only thing —besides the ever-present ticking of the clock— that can be heard in the quiet of their room. Viktor thinks he won't be able to sleep anymore.

 

---

 

Viktor is sitting on his makeshift desk by one of the corners of their rudimentary lab when he realizes the kind of equipment Jayce is bringing home; sealants for the windows, curtains and what seem to be primal soundproof walls. They look a little rough around the edges, but they are overall better than anything one could find on a Topside market; he thinks he has a general idea of what Jayce has been doing, and where he has been getting the materials they need.

He stands from his stool and walks towards the door when he hears Jayce cursing out loud after dropping several things he was carrying; he sighs as he opens the door to the lab and sees his partner kneeling to gather the things that are now scattered on the floor. 

He's about to kneel besides Jayce when his partner looks up, smiles, tiredly, at him and says, "It's alright. I've got it. How're the locks coming up?"

"For the front door's and our lab's lock, I was thinking about electronic locks; perhaps fingerprints, since they're non-intrusive compared to other biometrical locks."

Jayce frowns and resumes gathering the bits and knick-knacks he brought from the Undercity into a box. "We'd have to be careful not to burn our fingers off, then."

Viktor huffs. "We can always add six fingers for each of us into the database, just in case we do burn some of our fingers off. We'll notify Heimerdinger, I'm sure he won't mind. As for the rest, I was considering upgrading the mechanical locks; it should suffice."

"I'm not the only person who knows how to lockpick, angel. What if there's someone who already has this house on the lookout?" 

Viktor hums and tries to peek inside the box when Jayce walks past him to enter their lab. "There's enforcers—"

"I was able to break my way inside for so long it's concerning you still trust the enforcers outside," Jayce says and places the box on his desk; Viktor walks over and sees a bunch of cogs and tools, some of them with pink and blue painting smeared on them. He wonders if those belonged to a kid before they were sold to Jayce. "We should tell Heimerdinger that he can either replace the enforcers or call them off; maybe even ask him for help for those complex locks of yours."

"If I use a simple mechanism with a solenoid lock, it won't be complex. I'm sure asking for help is unnecessary," Viktor says, defensively, and frowns. Jayce raises an eyebrow at him but says nothing. "Anyways, what is all this?"

Jayce digs inside the box and pulls out numerous wires and connectors. "I figured you'd say fingerprint locks, for added safety, so I thought ahead and brought these with me. Benzo will eventually find something akin to a fingertip sensor, I hope. Otherwise, we'll have to look for that one Topside; and as much as I hate to admit it, I think it'd be easier to find up here."

"Benzo?"

Jayce turns to him with a smile. "Yeah, you would definitely like him. He's actually the one who'd donate the cogs I'd put in your boat, all those years ago; he finds what people Topside call junk and scraps, and sells them to anyone who can re-porpose that kind of items."

Viktor hums and peeks inside the box again. "And what about those monkey-shaped toys?"

"Those were a gift," Jayce says, brushing it off and returning his attention to the box. "I'll use them as decorations around the lab, if you don't mind."

"Not at all. Did Benzo give them to you?"

Jayce sighs, softly, holding one of the wind-up toys. "No, this one's are from Powder. She's a genius, really, I bet you'd like her too. I plan on recruiting her to work alongside us when Hextech is safer to use, and when she's older. She's like ten years old right now."

Viktor thinks for a moment before whispering, "Seems like you still have a lot of friends in the Undercity. Perhaps I'll get to meet them sometime?"

Jayce stills his movements, his hands hovering in the air momentarily before he closes the lid of the box and puts it aside. "I don't think that's a great idea. The Undercity is not safe, and they don't like it when Topsiders cross the bridge."

Before he can say anything else, Jayce leaves the room in favor of bringing the rest of the things he brought inside. Viktor stands there, beside Jayce's makeshift desk, for some time before making his way over to his own desk. He sags once he sits down and resumes what he was doing prior to Jayce's interruption; drafting the blueprints of the locks. 

 

A few hours later, Jayce has successfully installed the soundproof walls, has covered the windows' seals with acoustic seals and has draped each window available inside the lab with soundproof curtains; Viktor hasn't made much progress with the locks, and he thinks it's related to what Jayce said earlier about the Undercity being unsafe for him, and about its population basically not wanting him down there.

Unlike Jayce, he has nothing to offer; perhaps he just wanted an excuse to cross the bridge and see the Undercity for himself now that he's older and understands why Piltover is divided like this. Perhaps he wanted to prove —who, he's not sure— that he isn't like the rest of Piltovans, that perhaps he is better because he wants to cross the bridge and meet the people there, help them once Hextech was back on its feet. But he might just be lying to himself; if he's honest, he's afraid of what he might find down there, just like any other Topsider, and perhaps the only thing that truly makes Viktor different from and any other Piltovan is the fact that he's given people in the Undercity a chance to prove themselves, and they have, over and over, and Jayce is the living proof of it.

Still, it bothers him that people in the Undercity prejudge just as well as Piltovans can; he means them no harm, but he supposes they have every right not to trust he won't hurt them, given the experiences they have with Topsiders. If their positions were reversed, he'd most likely react the same way as self-preservation.

Viktor sighs and sags further when a wire doesn't connect properly and sends a bolt of electricity through his finger; by now, he's gotten used to this happening, so he doesn't really react and tries to connect it once more. He grunts —in frustration, mostly—, when the rudimentary mechanism shocks him once more. 

Perhaps that's not the only thing on his mind; what are they going to do, now that they're experimenting in a rather rudimentary lab? Is it even safe? Will they be able to finish their research like this? Will they be able to bring Hextech to the masses, like they dream of? If Heimerdinger finds out about it, they'll most likely be kicked out of the house, and consequently, lose all of their research once more. And they'll be banished for treason, not for illegal experimentation. 

And what about what Jayce had said, a few nights before, regarding marriage? Viktor is only 21, he couldn't possibly get married at such a young age, right? Marriage wasn't only being closer to another person; it involves responsibilities and obligations neither of them might be ready to deal with. It sounded appealing, though, publicly committing to each other and having matching wedding bands.

When he spoke about Jayce giving his life an exciting twist, it wasn't really this kind of twist he was talking about. 

Viktor takes his cane from beside him and stands from his stool, and Jayce immediately turns to look at him; he takes a deep breath and says, "I'm... going outside for a while. I can't concentrate."

Jayce makes his way over and asks, "Is there something in your mind?"

You, you and you, Viktor thinks and settles with, "Don't worry about it. I'm hoping to clear my head if I sit long enough by the garden."

Jayce frowns. "You don't even like the garden. What's going on? Is there nothing I can do to help, then?"

"No," Viktor mutters and sags as he looks at Jayce's dejected expression. "You've done enough, my love."

He leaves for the garden with a nagging feeling that Jayce didn’t take that kindly.

 

He takes a deep breath and sits down in the grass near the yard of the house; he is not surprised to find an enforcer beside him as soon as he does.

As always, his mind finds a way to wander astray, and he ends up thinking about what he needs to avoid thinking about, and he huffs, sagging further. He brings his knees to his chest and closes his eyes; he imagines he's back at their dorm, that fateful night when Jayce asked him to be his partner. He thinks about different positive outcomes pairing up with Jayce might've had had they chosen a different project; had they chosen an easy way out.

And he wants to be selfish, really, when he thinks about all the things he had before getting expelled; Jayce, his father's approval, and the opportunity to learn and become a professional. He was a bit lonely, but books always made him feel like he needn't anyone else. But then again, he still has Jayce, his father's support, and the opportunity to learn doesn't necessarily comes from an Academy. He has his books, Jayce's journal, and Jayce himself for that. The public library. His guardian. He reminds himself that knowledge comes in many different shapes, and he already feels like one of the weights has been lifted from his shoulders.

Then comes the time to think about what the future means for them; he knows for certain they'll continue their research, but what then? They can't expect the Council to approve of their projects just because they work. Or perhaps they can. They now have Mel on their side, inside the Council; and he knows Shoola wouldn't abandon him after many years of guidance and financial support. Heimerdinger was already risking a lot by covering for him and Jayce, so what's one more little favor? They'll have to create a device that will surely make the Council approve of their work, and from then, they could get more investors to create more technology and finally be able to help those in need. But until they had a safe, useful Hextech device, that will have to wait. And they'll have to risk banishment when the time comes, as it was clear that, while most councilors voted for expulsion from the Academy, all of them were wary of Hextech. 

Another weight is lifted from his shoulders, and he feels like he can breathe once more.

He now needs to sort out the marriage matter. He promised Jayce they'd talked about it after they got to finish their new lab and the new locks, and the only thing that's missing are the fingertip scans to complete the locks. He thinks that Jayce built the lab within a week because he wanted to talk about that as quickly as possible; and he supposes he will offer his help to finish the locks so they can focus on it, too. Viktor appreciates the help and all, but why does it seem like Jayce is in a hurry? Is he that eager? Is he afraid Viktor will leave? Does he want to have marital benefits? Share his tangible and intangible goods with Viktor, just so they don't have any problems in case their marriage doesn't work? 

He sighs and tries to think of a way to ask about it, without hurting his lover, but comes up empty-handed. He supposes the best way to address it is by asking directly or waiting for Jayce to do it.

In any case, he feels much better after a few minutes, and he gladly accepts the enforcer's help to stand when they offer it. He walks back inside and tries to avoid getting distracted so as to not shock himself once more.

 

A few hours later, Jayce stands proudly in the middle of their new lab and turns around to look at the finished product. Viktor stands beside him, and he thinks he did a great job; the only thing that he'd like to know is where the things that were stationed in this room are. He doesn't mind as long as they're still somewhere inside the house, as they were probably Heimerdinger's. 

The walls are covered with shelves, and the most accesible shelves have the tools they might need to continue their research. Every single toy is adorning a different shelf, too, and it warms Viktor's heart, for some reason. 

"It seems we can start working now," Jayce says and wipes his forehead with the back of his hand. "I'll bring the Hex-crystals, the journal and whatever else Elora managed to save; you can continue with the locks, or you can help me restore our lost equations."

"I'll keep working on the locks; it won't take me long to have them ready for when we get the fingerprint scans," Viktor says and avoids Jayce's eyes. Jayce doesn't seem to notice. "I've been meaning to ask, where did you put those things? The ones Elora and Mel gave you."

"On the roof."

Viktor's eye twitches. "On the roof. What if it rained? The journal would've been ruined!"

"I did think about that. It's all inside my safe, don't worry," He mutters, distractedly, and walks towards the exit. Then he looks over his shoulder, "You need to trust me a little more."

Viktor sighs and sits on the platform ladder Jayce had been using moments prior. He places his cane over his lap and waits for Jayce to return, sitting in the centre of the room, until something caches his eye; he stands as curiosity wins over and makes his way to Jayce's desk. Before he can open the velvet box, Jayce slams the door open. 

"A little help here, angel?"

Viktor huffs and walks to where Jayce is holding his safe; he takes it from his hands without hesitation, grabbing the safe and tucking it under his left arm, and then frowns. "Is this what you needed me to help you with?" 

Then, he realizes Jayce is no longer in front of him, and that he's moved to his desk. Viktor is about to reproach and ask when he sees Jayce taking the box with both hands; Viktor notices Jayce's hands are shaking, and he thinks he now knows what the box has on its inside. He immediately turns on his heels, walking towards his own desk in favor of putting down Jayce's safe, and he thinks of a way to delay the inevitable; he opens the safe and starts taking out the journal, papers and tools inside, admiring the crystals at last. 

"Vik?"

Viktor tenses and turns to face Jayce once more; the first thing he sees, however, are a pair of matching rings and necklaces on the velvet box. He feels like he can't breathe once more and like he didn't go through all the trouble of sorting out his emotions to feel a little better about them. He swallows and looks up to Jayce's face.

"What...?"

"I wanted..." Jayce starts and swallows. "I— um. These rings, well."

Viktor sighs and props his cane on the crook of his elbow in favor of holding both of Jayce's wrists, gently. "It's alright, Jayce. It's just the two of us here. Take a deep breath and start over, yeah?"

Jayce looks him in the eye for a few moments before taking a deep breath and nodding. "Okay. My mom and I made these promise rings, and each of them comes with a necklace so we don't wear them on our fingers; they could easily be exposed to corrosive materials, given the nature of our work, so I thought it'd be best if we wore them around our necks, safely tucked away inside our shirts and closer to our hearts, too. And by giving you this, I'm not asking you to marry me; not yet, anyways. I thought about it, and I understand it is a scary thing to do, especially now that we're only 20 and 21. They're promise rings, meant only to symbolize our commitment with each other, and mayhaps only for us to see. They're not precursory to anything; I don't expect you to do or say anything, if you do decide to wear it. We don't have to get married if you don't want to. Or we could, when everything in our lives takes shape. Until then, this is more than enough," Jayce pauses and looks to the side. "I initially only forged mine, and it was to convey my devotion to you and our shared dream, but then my mom suggested to make another one and gift it to you, so here I am."

Viktor swallows around the knot in his throat and says, "I do want it. I want to wear them."

He lets go of Jayce so his lover can put the necklace with the ring around his neck; a comforting weight, barely there, but still perceptible. He looks down to his ring and gasps quietly as he sees Jayce's name engraved into it; it seems to be Jayce's handwriting. Looking back up, he takes Jayce's necklace and takes a moment to appreciate it; his is engraved with Viktor's name, and it's definitely Viktor's own handwriting. He must've taken a look to his Academy notes and copied the way he wrote his name; all the effort, so Viktor could place it around Jayce's neck and feel a certain warmth in his chest, all so they could enjoy this.

His eyes, on their own accord, look at Jayce's lips, and he sighs quietly, "I love you."

Jayce seems to be taken aback, but recovers quickly and sighs, too, "I love you, too."

Even if they didn't wait for the locks to be finished, he thinks they sort of talked about it at the right moment. It was no wonder Jayce had been distracted and acting out of it for days.

 

From that moment on, Viktor rarely takes the necklace off.

Chapter 4: I'm making a point (but you'll never know)

Notes:

the title for this chapter comes from a song named "worlds apart" by Wallows

Months go by without them making much progress; investment is something neither of them had truly considered, when they were expelled and decided to continue their research on their own. Or well, perhaps it's not something they didn't consider; Viktor did consider it and hadn't really executed his plan to get investments yet. He had a feeling no one at the Council would take said plan kindly, possibly only Mel. 

Viktor sighs as he fiddles with the ring Jayce gave him a few months back, hanging safely from the necklace, and thinks about the fact that their first anniversary is coming up soon; it's not like the date wasn't important enough for him to memorize, but he was dealing with enough things to allow the day to slip off his mind. He’s almost sure Jayce doesn’t know the exact day, either.

Progress Day was soon, too. And with it, the chance to present something more solid when it came to Hextech; perhaps if they introduced a safe way to channel magic and utilize it on technology on Progress Day —where he assumes a lot of investors are looking for projects to invest in— it’ll be their opportunity to not only create pressure on the Council to embrace Hextech, but also find people that believe in them.

He had a lot to think about, and a lot to address with Jayce, but given that Heimerdinger had allowed him to play rugby with his teammates, perhaps his priorities lied elsewhere for the time being. Viktor was seriously asking himself whose dream this was; it started being Jayce’s, then it was theirs, and now it seems to be only… Viktor’s?

Viktor spends more time alone in the lab than he ever thought he would when he hadn’t even considered being alone in the lab, considering Jayce’s insistence to build a new lab to work in. He understands Jayce’s eagerness, however, to play with his teammates and new coach, and convinces himself this is only temporary. Perhaps this is where Viktor steps in; maybe it was Jayce’s job to introduce him to magic and show him it was possible to channel it relatively safely, and it is now Viktor’s duty to take advantage of their discoveries, to draft and create the technological devices to help those in need. 

But why does it feel like he’s the only one who cares about helping those in need, now? The only one who seems to care about getting Hextech off the ground? About making their dream come true?

Viktor thinks that, if this is how he’s supposed to feel —alone and frustrated— to bring their dream forth, then perhaps he no longer wants to give it continuity. Which brings something Heimerdinger once said to him to the forefront of his mind; some dreams are meant to remain just that, dreams. Sometimes we're just meant to give them up in order to keep our sanity.

And then, he remembers Jayce's words; a dream chased for so long it becomes a nightmare. Is this what he had meant? Is that why Jayce has grown distant with Hextech? Wasn't it his dream, too?

Then again, he thinks about what it might do to help people who need it, the positive impact it can have in this broken city, and he re-considers giving it up. Sacrifices are to be made, and if love and companionship is what he has to give up to contribute to this society, then he perhaps he will.

But will he give it up love, companionship, and his own sanity, all for a dream that wasn't even his to begin with?

Viktor is brought back from his turmoil of thoughts when the lab's clock strikes 5:00 in the afternoon, and he takes a deep breath as he prepares the presentation for Councilor Shoola, his patron of many years. He safely stores some of the projects' blueprints in his messenger bag, and hesitates whether or not to take the Hextech device he rebuilt on his own; perhaps it's not a great idea, since he didn't get the chance to try it.

Unfortunately, Jayce's absence had much more impact than he initially considered, blinded by his own loneliness; Jayce is the only one who knows the combination of runes that said device needs to work. It'd be pointless to bring it with him for two reasons: he can't make it work without the rune combination, and because it is the very thing that caused the explosion that got them expelled. Shoola surely wouldn't consider his offer if he were to present it; she'll probably think he's mocking her in some way.

He then slings the bag over his shoulder and walks towards the exit of the lab; next from him, where his desk lies, the sight of a long-withered white rose greets him, and bile rises in his throat. Devotion, his mind echoes Jayce's voice, it symbolizes my devotion to you and our shared dream. 

Where is that devotion now that I need it? He thinks, bitterly, and locks the lab.

Viktor nearly jumps out of his skin when his back hits something relatively soft; he swallows and turns around to find Jayce leaning down to look at him.

"Going somewhere, handsome?"

Viktor leans back and gently pushes Jayce out of his face. "To get my patron to invest in my projects. If you'll excuse me, I'm already late."

"Your projects?" Jayce frowns. "What are you talking about?"

Viktor huffs and walks around Jayce, towards the main door; Jayce blocks his path once more. "Can we talk about this?"

"I don’t know, can we? You’re barely even here,” He says pushing Jayce away by placing his hand in the middle of his chest; his breath catches when he feels the necklace underneath Jayce’s undershirt. He quickly pulls his hand back, as if he’d been burnt. “And didn’t you listen to what I just said? I'm running late, and it's going to take me a while to fetch a carriage to take me there.”

“I didn’t mean to be absent,” Jayce mutters and blocks door, now. “I’m sorry, I was excited to play again and—”

Viktor sighs. “I know, I know. But it’s been months since Heimerdinger allowed you to play; months in which you haven’t made progress with Hextech at all,” He pauses. “We’ll talk about it when I come back, alright? I really need to get going—”

“Please, Vik.”

He steels his nerves and mutters, “Move aside, Jayce. If you still care about Hextech, that is.”

Jayce frowns. “I started Hextech.”

“And, in your absence, I gave it continuity,” Viktor says, trying to stay calm and looking to the side. “I’ve been holed up in the lab on my own, day and night, trying to make Hextech something more tangible; and while you never asked this of me, I wanted to do it, because it was supposed to be our dream, and I thought it fair since you introduced me to magic and the endless possibilities that come with it. I felt as if it was my job to give it continuity, now that your priorities seemed to lie elsewhere,” He pauses and looks up to meet Jayce’s eyes. “I’m trying to do something for us, for our dream, Jayce. So please, step aside.” 

Jayce lets out a breath and whispers, “It is our dream. I understand you're upset I seem to spend more time at the Academy —despite being expelled— than here, with you, but my priorities have never lied elsewhere. We’re partners, aren’t we? We work together, and we stick together through thick and thin.”

Viktor finds he can’t look at Jayce in the eyes any longer, so he focuses on the door instead. “Are we really having this conversation right now? You didn’t seem to mind not working beside me for weeks, what changed?”

“I don’t know, maybe the fact that you seem okay with leaving me out of this?” Jayce raises his voice. “Hextech is mine, too, so why are you okay with leaving me behind?”

“I already told you; you didn’t seem to mind leaving me behind— you know, this is getting nowhere,” Viktor grunts as he turns around, walking towards the back door. Jayce huffs and blocks his path once more, at an inhuman speed, really. “Why are you like this?” 

"Talk to me, Vitya," Jayce mutters, pleads. "This isn't like you, and I don't know what to do—"

Viktor's heart seizes at the nickname, and he has to fight himself to not give into those beautiful, honey-lemon eyes. "You can let me talk to a possible investor, and we can fix this later." He says, effectively cutting him off. 

"Take me with you."

"These are projects I drafted; you don't even know what they are."

"Then show me." Jayce says, exasperated, and Viktor wishes they could understand each other like before. When it was easy to guess what the other would say, do or even feel. 

"You haven't really been around, hence why I didn't want to bother you with mere sketches," Viktor whispers and takes a deep, shaky breath. "Or maybe you've been around, but your mind is elsewhere. What happened to partners, in every sense of the word? Partners don't usually leave the other behind."

"Since when do you feel like this?" Jayce asks instead, and Viktor swallows. "Why am I finding out until now? I didn't realize—"

"If you had been here, you probably would've realized—"

"I'm sure this problem is a two-way street, darling, 'cause I'm no fucking wizard. I can't guess or assume how you feel. I need you to tell me if there's something wrong, something bothering you, or if there's something on your mind. I'm sure I would've done something to change my behavior if you would've told me before."

Viktor huffs, and then, his brain reminds him of something Jayce had said that didn't seem to be that important back then.

"You gave my life a new meaning. I’m truly sorry I can’t seem to do the same for you."

The weight of those last words crushes his heart and lungs alike; he tries and fails to blink his tears away, and Jayce notices the tears rolling down his cheeks almost immediately. Before Jayce gets the chance to touch or say anything to him, Viktor raises his hand, stopping his mid-air, and mutters, "I can't meet Councilor Shoola like this. I told you we could talk about it after, for this exact reason. You always make things escalate and thus we only hurt each other. I try, Jayce, I really do, to not answer in the same manner so as to not hurt you, but you make it quite difficult."

"How am I the only one to blame for this?" Jayce says, raising his voice once more, and Viktor sighs before aggressively wiping his tears away with his sleeve. "You get defensive, too, so you're not really trying."

Defeated, Viktor walks towards the main door and walks out of the house; he slams the door closed and isn't surprised to hear Jayce's hurried steps trailing his own. He decides to completely ignore his presence, and debates whether it'll make things worse or if it will help Jayce cool off a bit. He keeps walking towards the main street and hopes a carriage makes its way here soon; the warm afternoon air seems to do wonders to dry his tears, hopefully his patron won’t notice or ask.

Jayce, fuming and all, helps him up once they find a carriage that will take them to Shoola's house. 

Viktor's late to their meeting, terribly so, and he is awfully aware that he already stands to lose. Councilor Shoola was already against magic and the arcane even before their trial, and she was merciful enough to convince the rest of the Councilors to ignore Salo's comment in favor of accepting Heimerdinger's verdict during the trial. Would she be even more merciful, to consider investing in illegal experimentation and the same thing that nearly got him and his partner banished from Piltover? Would she be able to recognize potential, if presented to her when she's alone and without the influence of the rest of the Council? If she declines, would she notify the rest of the Council to get them banished once and for all? And if she doesn't notify the Council and refuses, who will they turn to? Will Mel recognize the potential? Will Hoskel? Mrs Kiramman?

He feels something against his knee and looks down to find Jayce's calloused knuckles over it; perhaps his leg had been bouncing, as Jayce has a tendency to stop it in the most innocent and non-intrusive of ways. Viktor feels a knot in his throat and sighs.

"I can't do this on my own." Viktor finds himself saying, barely above a whisper.

"And you won't. I'm here, now, and I don't plan to let you feel like you're alone ever again." Jayce answers just as quietly.

He swallows past the knot and mutters, "Did you feel alone, these past few weeks?"

"I'm not sure I did," Jayce pauses and adjusts the straps of Viktor's knee brace. Viktor sighs once more. "I had my teammates, but perhaps I was just lying to myself. After all, no one can fill up the space you occupy in my heart."

Viktor huffs. "Do you ever run out of flattery?" It was supposed to come out sarcastically, relatively confident, but instead, he finds his eyes are welling up again; he thinks Jayce is to blame for that, with all the cheesy things he says so easily. Does Jayce mean what he says, with how easy that kind of words come to him? "You mean a lot to me, too, even if I rarely say it. Speaking about the way I felt was... prohibited when growing up, unless they were positive things; hence why I find emotions difficult to convey. And I know Heimerdinger didn't really mean to make me feel useless when it comes to emotions, but he still did. I learnt to suppress the negative emotions and I was doing a great job until you tagged along. It's like you took the jar all those emotions were bottled up in and threw it to the ground between us; as significant and helpful it was, I've lost control of my emotions and, consequently, I've lost control of myself," He pauses and finally looks up to Jayce. "You make me lose control, Jayce."

"That sounds like... a bad thing." Jayce mutters and rubs the back of his neck. Is he... nervous?

"Hm. Then let me try again," Viktor makes a show of thinking what to say next. "Whenever I'm with you, I find my thoughts wandering astray from reason and feel delightfully lost within your beautiful mind. How's that for a change?"

Jayce's breath seems to catch in his throat, and he sputters about, opening and closing his mouth and not really articulating any word. Viktor barks out a laugh and covers his mouth, so as to not scare the driver away. 

Then, "That's the most romantic thing anyone's ever told me. There's no way you just made that up."

"Eh, I might've taken a page or two from your book, hopeless romantic," Viktor replies with a fond smile and sighs. "And no, I didn't just make it up. I actually wrote it for you a few hours before you asked me out on the cafeteria, all those months ago. You weren’t really supposed to hear it, but oh well," He pauses and says, then, "I usually don't believe in fate, but I do believe that things happen for a reason."

Jayce hums and fiddles with the straps of his knee brace. Then, "Were we supposed to happen, then?"

"Mayhaps."

They stay quiet for a while before Jayce speaks once more, "Progress Day is coming soon. Do you plan to use that to our advantage when you talk to Shoola?"

"I do. I was thinking about proposing a Hextech presentation on said day, should she agree to invest in our project."

"Those are your projects, Vik, you worked on them on your own," Jayce sighs. "I will, however, help you build them, if you let me. The presentation is a great idea, a little on the positive side but it's great, nonetheless. I think she'll like the presentation being hosted on Progress Day; and perhaps we can offer an annual presentation of Hextech, for our people to see our progress instead of just imagining it."

Viktor hums, too. "I knew you'd understand. Glad we're back on the same page."

"Yes, well," Jayce mutters and rubs the back of his neck once more. "Do we have anything to present?"

"Not really," Viktor says and looks out of the window of the carriage. "But we built the Hextech device under three months. I bet we can do it again, if only a tad faster; we only have less than three weeks."

Jayce sags in his seat. "And we'd have something to present had I not been absent. Angel, I'm truly sorry—"

"I know you're upset about it, and it's valid, but know that seeking apologies wasn't my intention when I brought it up; I understand you want to apologize, too, and my own apology is due but this isn’t the time. Right now we need solutions, love. And I do need your help with that."

After pursing his lips in thought, Jayce mutters, "Perhaps we can work on different things." 

"What...?" Viktor turns to look at his lover.

"One of us works on the Hextech device, and the other on one of your projects. And I think it's obvious who will work on what," Jayce huffs, unamused, and his eyes soften. "We won't be working on our own, we'll be conducting our efforts in a way we're not used to, but for the better. We have less than half the time we had before, and if we do it this way, we might have something to present should Councilor Shoola say yes to our proposal."

Viktor thinks for a moment and realizes how close to his patron's house they are; then, "Alright, okay. I think you're right. Dividing the work and conducting the efforts to be efficient, right?"

"Yes, angel. Nothing more."

Viktor nods and startles as the carriage comes to a stop. “We’ll discuss this further back home, yes?”

 

The mansion his patron lives in is as preposterous as the house he and Jayce live in; everything is tarnished in a beautiful golden color, and Viktor wouldn't be surprised if it was actual gold what covered the furniture and every available surface on Shoola's house. The butler lets them in and guides them towards some sort of meeting room, opening the door for them; Viktor takes a sharp breath when he sees the surprised face Shoola wears when he sees Viktor and then Jayce.

"Viktor, you had me worried," She greets him, nods towards Jayce, and motions for Viktor to sit down next to her. He does so and invites Jayce to sit down next to him. Then, "You never arrive late. I was about to call the enforcers to look for you."

"I apologize, I had a little setback," He says and places his messenger bag on Jayce's lap. "It's been... quite long since I came to you for guidance, hasn't it?"

Shoola hums, her eyes focused on the blueprints that stick out from the bag. "It has been, but you know you're welcomed here whenever you want to visit. I was a little disappointed you didn't visit sooner, especially since I didn't hear word from you ever since your expulsion."

Viktor sags. "Yes, well, it's been difficult."

"I can only imagine," She says and sits straighter. "Enough with the small talk, I think I know you enough to see you have something to show me.”

"I do," Viktor says and takes a deep breath. "But you must know it's not—"

"I know you continued your illegal research, darling," She cuts him off, but has a gentle smile on her face. Viktor relaxes. "Why else would your partner be here?"

Viktor feels a little stupid for not considering Jayce would give them away beforehand; in his defense, it was supposed to be only him and his patron. Jayce snuck inside the carriage.

Jayce chuckles, nervously, and Viktor says, "Then, would you consider listening to what we have to say?"

She seems a little surprised by the tone in his voice, and she taps her long, golden claws against the wooden table. "Of course I will, I wouldn't have invited you here to have a chat otherwise. I’m your patron, after all; I offer guidance, and investment if I see fit. And I won’t lie, Viktor, not to you; I’ve been wondering how it is even possible to channel magic as a non-mage ever since your partner told me, during your trial, that you both believed it was possible. I’m thoroughly intrigued; and I have a few questions, if you don’t mind.”

“Of course, I understand the concept is quite intriguing, hence why I supported Jayce’s idea of it,” Viktor replies, fiddling with the strap of his messenger bag. “Ask away, please.”

Shoola hums, seemingly satisfied with his answer, and asks, “How do you channel the arcane energy?”

“We built what we named Hextech device, and it basically channels magic through raw Hex-crystals, making use of a pattern of ancient runes Jayce knows by heart,” Viktor tries to explain and Shoola looks impressed, so he pushes on. “The crystals only stabilize at high frequency, so it’s a highly volatile experiment; we are aware of the risk and plan to take it, if only a little more prepared than last time. We’ve built a new and improved lab, and we now know how to deal with the crystals a little better than before. Given time and resources, we’ll be able to stabilize them and make them safe for use.”

“And what is your plan for the magic, if you do successfully channel it through stabilized crystals?”

Underneath the table, he taps Jayce’s knee once and Jayce beams at him before spurring into action. “We believe we can help tons of people if we use said crystals to enhance technology; imagine the devices we can create with Hextech, how easily we could improve the lives of those in need.”

“Is your plan to create portable devices and bring this… Hextech to the masses, then?”

“It is,” Viktor says and takes a deep breath. “But it is also to bring this city to its maximum potential, to grow as primary power in Runeterra, to put Piltover on the map.”

That seems to catch Shoola’s attention, and he tries not to let the glare Jayce is sending his way affect him. 

“Could you… would you be able to do that? How?”

Viktor takes the bag from Jayce’s lap and takes out the blueprints he brought; both Jayce and Shoola look at the scribbles on the paper with curiosity and wonder alike. Viktor can feel his heart pounding as he says, “I wanted to… talk about bigger projects once we had something more tangible, but if it’s alright with you—”

“Of course, go on, please.”

Viktor sighs, “It will take several years for us to perfectly stabilize the crystals, but I’ve been planning ahead, thinking of ways to make this city a better place; and while our technology could be used for large scale projects, we aim to make it accessible to anyone that needs it. Thus, I’ve been thinking about our artificers, and the unsatisfied need they have; cutting materials as precisely as possible is not something easy for the average artificer, and it takes a lot of effort and time to do it,” He unfolds one of the papers and extends it on the table in front of them; the draft of the Hexclaw, as he named it. “I designed, although rudimentary and of course in need of improvement, the Hexclaw; a mechanical arm equipped with a powerful ray of light, capable of cutting through almost every material and with utmost precision.”

“How is it used? What controls it?” Jayce asks, looking at the design.

“It is controlled by a Hex-enhanced glove, but I’m afraid each of these claws will need two crystals to work,” As he says this, he points to a specific drawing on the blueprints. “One will power the Hexclaw itself, while the other will power the glove. The glove will be able to read the gestures of the hand of the artificer accurately, to avoid accidents and, hopefully, misuse.”

Shoola taps her golden claw against a specific diagram and asks, “And what kind of safeguard do you plan on implementing against Hextech misuse?”

“That, I’m not sure of.”

“And what about training? Will the artificers need training for the proper use of the claw? Do you have an estimate of how much it’ll cost you to fabricate each of the claws? What about the price to the public? How much do you plan to charge per claw? What about profit margin in relation to production volume?”

“I’m sure the artificers won’t have any problem undergoing a few weeks of training,” Viktor says, trying not to get overwhelmed with the amount of questions. “And most of your questions are related to mass production; while we do hope to start mass production of our technology, it won’t be any time soon. A breakthrough like this will take us at least twenty years of careful research.”

He hears Jayce sigh beside him, and thinks he’s done s great job dealing with Shoola’s questions. He’s used to them, really, and even Shoola herself seems proud of him and the answers he gave. 

Then, “You’ve grown to be the man I knew you could be, Viktor,” She mutters and smiles, softly, at him. “I will invest on this Hextech of yours, on one condition.”

“And that is?”

“I get to be Hextech’s exclusive investor.”

Jayce huffs. "With all due respect, Councilor, that is ridiculous. A technology revolution like the one Hextech might bring with it requires an investment of an unimaginable magnitude. Especially if we want to bring it to the masses and fulfill the Council's own demands, lest this is brought forward with the Council."

Before Shoola can reply, Viktor says, "If we do want to make this happen, unfortunately, every Councilor has to approve of it. And I think... Jayce is right. As our first and most important investor, however, you will personally get notified of each and all of our advancements. We," He pauses and unfolds the next paper within his reach. "Don't plan on stopping with portable devices. What if I told you it's possible to make something akin to the current bathysphere, a means of transport that takes you from Piltover to the Undercity, but many times faster and that can travel longer distances? Perhaps even transporting goods and making this city a primary power in Runeterra; make Piltover have an open economy and grow our financial system like never before," He pauses and feels Jayce pinching his left knee; he suppresses the yelp that threatens to leave his lips in favor of explaining the blueprints to his mentor. "These are the Hexgates. A tower of stabilized Hex-crystals that manipulates kinetic energy to send airships full of people or merchandise at an unimaginable speed across the whole of Runeterra, without damaging the goods or hurting the people aboard. Completely autonomous and safe for use, despite the energy charge inside the tower."

For the first time ever since he met his mentor, Shoola is left speechless; for some reason, Viktor doesn't feel proud of it, despite it being something relatively positive. He knows Shoola loves talking about margin profit and economy, but talking about the Hexgates in front of Jayce feels like betrayal; he did say he was against commercial-related projects, and he is right. Hextech was created to help those in need, not to make the rich richer; but then again, without investors, Hextech cannot prosper.

"Your mind works unlike any other, Viktor," Shoola finally says and stands; Viktor stands right after. "You and Hextech truly are the future of this city. I will schedule a meeting with my fellow councilors when I see fit, after you've made progress with this... marvelous technology of yours, and you'll present something more tangible, as you said. We'll convince them to invest in the future, and not in the past. These Hexgates of yours will benefit those interested in trading privileges, and thus our economic growth will increase by the day. You're truly a genius, such a shame I had to expel you myself. But perhaps for the better; inside the confines of the Ethos and Academy regulations, you wouldn't have been able to continue this incredible creation of yours."

"Hextech is Jayce's too, it's not only mine," Viktor says and tries to offer her a smile. "And like you said, our expulsion from the Academy was a tragedy in itself, but the confines of it wouldn't have allowed us to be able to... invest in the future. Do we have a deal, then?"

Shoola chuckles, a small sound, really, and says, "Really, how can I say no to such an auspicious offer?" She extends her hand for him to shake, and he does with a trembling hand. 

 

The ride back home is silent, awfully so; a lot of what he told Shoola wasn't for Jayce to hear, especially when talking about tarnishing this gilded city in more gold, but Jayce himself insisted on coming. This... political side of Hextech, perhaps Jayce is not ready to bear. And he thought they'll have more time, that it'll take longer for them to need investors, but none of them really considered losing the Academy's support, nor did they consider Academy regulations and the Ethos itself before experimenting with highly volatile materials. 

Viktor sighs and leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees and burying his face in his sweaty hands; he wishes they were back in their dorm, talking about the boy with chubby cheeks, and that he'd accepted Jayce's proposal of working together but under the condition that Viktor got to choose the project they'll present on the science fair. He was initially going to team up with Sky, to try and build air purifiers for the Undercity, as he knows most —if not all— of Piltover's waste goes down there. They'll surely need air purifiers, and perhaps it's not the most urgent thing to fix, but it probably would've meant something, and they would've won the first place for the sheer "thoughtfulness" of their project. 

But he didn't choose their project, he had agreed on Jayce's idea; and now, they were both paying the consequences of it.

The messenger bag that lies beside him on the uncomfortable seat of the carriage feels unlike his own, and he wishes nothing but to throw it out of the carriage window; he knows better than to do that, though, as he is selfish and wants his projects to prosper as much as any project Jayce might come up with. That is, if he still wants Viktor to be part of Hextech.

"Hexgates, hm?" Jayce mutters, and he doesn't sound upset, perhaps just disappointed. 

"It was a leap. I didn't think she'll find it worthy of her time—"

"And did you think she'll find helping the artificers worthy at all? You were right about the councilors, they all want more gold than they already have." Jayce huffs and rubs his face with both of his hands. 

"This again?" Viktor huffs, too, and sits straight to meet Jayce's defiant eyes. "Two things; one: without investors, Hextech won't prosper. Good luck trying to build technology out of good will," Jayce stares at him in disbelief, and Viktor can't seem to stop his own words. "And two: had you hadn't been absent, we would've had more projects to bring to her attention. But no, Jayce, you were absent, and it was up to me to rack my brain for ideas to speak about with our first and most important investor. And, let me remind you, even if you said it yourself: without the Council's approval, Hextech won't be able to reach the masses. It's nothing more than illegal experimentation and a rather childish dream because we haven't made any progress in months, and I didn't even get the chance to speak about Progress Day with her. If the Council approves, it'll be because it wants in on our revolutionary technology; I need you to understand that we need to do this. It's not something optional if we want Hextech to be available for everyone."

Jayce sinks back into the seat of the carriage with a grunt. "If good will could help me build Hextech, I would've built it long ago. It would've reached the masses by now, and I wouldn't need you nor your stupid investors to do it."

Viktor huffs and sinks back into his own seat; his treacherous mind echoes some of the things Jayce had said, a few months ago, that seem to be the exact opposite of the things he's saying and doing now.

"My partner is everything to me, without him, Hextech becomes meaningless."

"I might’ve started Hextech, but without you, it would only be scribbles on a journal, failed experiments, and a dream chased for so long it would’ve become a nightmare."

"They're promise rings; I initially only forged mine, and it was to convey my devotion to you and our shared dream, but then my mom suggested to make another one and gift it to you."

"Really?" He finds himself muttering. "Well, like I said, I wish you the best of luck. I hope good will is able to give you what me and my stupid investors could not."

He turns his back on Jayce, as best as he can within the uncomfortable space of the carriage seats, and brings his legs to his chest.

Jayce doesn't speak for the rest of the ride.

 

---

 

Jayce leaves the moment they arrive to the house, and Viktor can't bring himself to care; he knows he has a point, but Jayce will never know if he doesn't even try to listen. This dream of his seems to be a secondary thing in his life, now, something to cling to instead of making it real; and Heimerdinger had once told him that it was easier to dream than to work for it. Perhaps that's where Jayce's reluctance comes from.

He greets the enforcers by the gate and slams the front door shut as soon as he's able to; his eyes travel to the withered white rose on the glass, whose water looks dirty now, and he sighs. He then walks towards the dining room and recoils when he tries to walk towards one of the chairs to sit down and hears a little underfoot!

"Father?" He asks and looks down. "Who let you in?"

"How is that the first thing that comes to mind when you see your father after months of not visiting him?" Heimerdinger asks and Viktor finds he doesn't have the energy to argue. He sits in one of the chairs and watches as his guardian does the same.

"I'm sorry, it's been difficult, here."

"Difficult? How so?" 

Viktor looks to his messenger bag and thinks about telling his guardian what he's been doing for months on end; that he's betrayed the Ethos and him once more, but that he hopes for support when not even his partner gives it to him. But yet again, Viktor seems to have a talent for lies and betraying people, so he huffs and places his bag on the floor. 

"Jayce and I have been... arguing a lot, lately. It's bound to happen, I'm afraid," Viktor replies instead. "The novelty of our relationship has worn off, and people are entitled to have their own, very different opinions. Perhaps there are things we might never agree on, and that's alright. Though that doesn't make it hurt any less."

Heimerdinger sighs and looks to the side. "I'm afraid you're right, Viktor. Words we say when angry are the ones that cut the deepest, and the hardest to forget; I'm sorry, my boy."

"It'll pass, I hope," He shifts uncomfortably under his guardian's scrutinizing gaze and asks, "Who let you in, though? I seriously want to know; I built those fingerprint locks, so if there's any malfunction—"

"There's none," Heimerdinger replies, nonchalantly, and says, "But you left the back door open. A lock like that is useless if you forget to lock the rest of your doors, my boy. I'm assuming you left after the argument, but you need to be more careful from now on. How many times do you need me to—"

"Okay, I get it," Viktor cuts him off. "I have to lock the doors and close the windows. I'm not a kid anymore, dad."

"Maybe not, but you do act like one sometimes," His guardian chuckles and Viktor huffs. "Now, why is there one of those fancy locks in one of the guest rooms? Is it Jayce's bedroom now? Why does it have a fingerprint lock, when yours doesn't?"

Viktor racks his brain for something to say, and ends up with, "He uses the guest room as a storage room. I hope you don't mind."

"Storage room? For what?"

"His belongings, of course," He replies, evasively, and adds, "And the boat we built as kids. I ended up gifting it to him, and he decided to place it on the storage room."

Heimerdinger seems surprised for a moment. "Oh, then it must mean a lot to him; to the both of you, I suppose. Alright, as long as there's nothing that gives continuity to that lunatic idea of yours—"

"Heh, about that..." Viktor mutters and closes his eyes momentarily, if only to steel his nerves. Just as he is about to speak once more, the front door makes the telltale sound of his solenoid lock makes when unlocked. He huffs once more and says, if only a little louder, "There might be something I want to talk to you about."

Heimerdinger turns his head to the side, curiously.

He listens for those heavy footfalls, and when they do approach the dining table, he says, "That room, at the end of the hall, is not really a storage room. It's—"

Jayce nearly collides with the back of Viktor's chair with how quickly he seemed to be walking and cuts him off, saying, "It's a lab. We hope to continue our academic studies, even after being expelled from the Academy. And we wanted to get your approval on the matter...?" 

Heimerdinger nearly jumps out of his skin at Jayce's sudden appearance, but Viktor is so used to it he was already expecting it.

"A lab?"

"Yes. If you have time and if you're interested, I could perhaps show it to you?" Jayce offers and Viktor huffs.

"I'd be delighted! I was actually worried Viktor here hadn't mentioned anything about continuing his studies, even after expulsion." His guardian says and hops down the chair, following Jayce towards their lab. 

Viktor can feel Jayce's eyes boring holes into the side of his skull once more. He supposes Jayce placed everything important out of view, just in case something like this happened.

 

After Heimerdinger leaves, Jayce doesn't come out of the lab; he thinks it has to do with what Viktor said earlier, about his absence and how Viktor had been doing all the drafting and was going to move into prototypes on his own. Jayce might even have found his rudimentary Hextech device and decided to try it on his own.

He's curious, really, to know what Jayce is doing, and he enters the lab as quietly as possible to find Jayce asleep on his desk, his head lying next to the Hextech device he tried to rebuild on his own. 

He quietly makes his way over and saves the calculations and drafts from underneath Jayce's head; he lights the little candle on Jayce's desk to take a look at them and finds some messy progress. Some of the calculations they originally lost when they were expelled have been recovered, and some ancient runes take up the rest of the page, some written over and over and over again. Is Jayce afraid he'll forget the rune pattern, eventually? He supposes it's a valid fear, considering the years that have passed since the accident.

On the next page, he finds a sketch of the Hextech device, if only improved. And his heart warms when he spots a little Jayce T. and Viktor H. on the right uppermost corner of each and every page, even the ones he hasn't even used. Habits are tough to break, he supposes. 

"What are you doing?" Jayce asks, groggily, and Viktor looks at the clock on the wall; 12:19 am. 

"What does it look like I'm doing?" He asks back and places the papers on the desk. Jayce sits up and grunts as he rubs his neck. "How long have you been reading and writing in the dark?"

"Not long," Jayce replies, quietly, and looks at the clock too. "Oh. Well, I started around 8:30 or 9:00, it hasn't been that long. I fell asleep halfway, too."

Viktor looks at Jayce for a moment before muttering, "Let's go to bed."

Jayce sighs and stands to follow him out of the lab without any hesitation; they get into the elevator and it's quiet, save for the clock on the main hall ticking. 

Then, "About what I said," Viktor starts and takes a deep breath. "The... good will comment, I'm truly sorry. You just seem to be reluctant to continue, and I was afraid that if I didn't say something to kick you out of that fear and hesitation, you'll stop believing in Hextech. In us. If we want this world to change, we can't ask for permission."

"I'll never stop believing in Hextech," Jayce whispers, and Viktor finds himself selfishly wishing he adds: nor will I ever stop believing in us. He's so focused on wishing it happens, he misses whether or not Jayce said it. "And my comment was... I will never not need you, Vik. That's bullshit, and I'm afraid we both know it. I was mad and hurt for something that shouldn't have made me angry and hurt and I—"

The elevator's doors open, and Jayce offers his arm to Viktor; Viktor sighs contentedly when he hooks his left arm with Jayce's right to support his tired gait. They walk out of it in favor of going inside their room, and none of them speaks as they go about their nightly routine.

Then, as they lie side by side, facing each other, Viktor finds himself whispering, "Was it the Hexgates? What made you feel betrayed?"

"Yeah. I understand what you said, about the Council making demands, and I know it's something that has to happen if we want to continue making advancements, but the fact that it has to happen doesn't make it any fair."

"I know," He whispers. "But I need you to focus on what we'll do for the people, instead. It helped me deal with Shoola's demands, back at her mansion. And it will continue to help me throughout this journey," He pauses and looks down at Jayce's chest, where the ring lies. "I actually drafted one more thing, but that wasn't for Shoola to see. Only for you, and your mother."

Jayce frowns. "My mother?"

"Yes. It's a personal project, really, but I've been working on a back brace to replace your mother's," Viktor says, eyes focused on the ring. Jayce looks expectantly at him; Viktor looks up and says, “It's a... tad more invasive, but much more functional. I originally drafted it for myself, but I think it's better for her to use it if she finds it useful. It's not a big deal, nor is it enhanced by a gemstone, but I wanted to let you know."

Jayce hums and his warm knuckles caress Viktor’s arm. “I’m sure she’ll appreciate it nonetheless.”

“Yeah,” He sighs as Jayce’s knuckles trail up to his hand; Jayce intertwines his fingers with Viktor’s and sighs, too. “I’ll give her the blueprints, ask her what she thinks. It’s better if she forges it herself, to make adjustments and all.”

“That’d be nice,” Jayce whispers and his eyes move down to Viktor’s lips. Viktor longs for it, too, but thinks this might not be the right moment. “When are you going?”

“Tomorrow, most likely. Or, well, today, strictly speaking.”

Jayce looks up to his eyes, as if asking, and normally, Viktor would give in; in fact, Jayce wouldn’t even have to ask, as they generally read each other so well… but perhaps not this time.

He looks to the side and thinks Jayce understands; Jayce sighs, lets go of his hand and shifts on the bed, his back now facing him. Viktor himself turns around and mutters, "I'm sorry. For everything."

"So am I." Comes a quiet reply.

Despite wondering if he'll be able to sleep at all, exhaustion finds him relatively quickly.

 

---

 

Viktor wakes to an empty, cold bed and convinces himself it's better this way; the lingering wariness and awkwardness would've been worse to deal with than a pang on his chest and the remnants of a hollow piece in his heart. He stands and doesn't even bother to get a change of clothes, nor eat, and he makes his way to the lab; half-hoping to find Jayce there, with a smile on his face and a small piece of chalk on his hand as he walks him through the discoveries he made during his restless night.

When he unlocks the lab door and finds it empty, he resigns himself to work alone once more. His eyes settle on the rudimentary Hextech device and the notes Jayce made, the adjustments that needed to be done and the runes scribbled over and over again in the pages. He moves what he’ll need to his own desk and starts by analyzing the parts of the device he might've gotten wrong; he hopes Jayce won't mind if he rummages inside the boxes he knows contain whatever knick-knacks and bits Jayce found in the Undercity. Viktor's sure he can find some cogs and wrenches that will help him fix the device, along with Jayce’s soldering gun.

After rummaging several of the boxes, he thinks he has enough materials and tools to fix it, so he gets to work. 

 

The device starts taking shape after some time, and he's equally nervous and excited to try it when he feels something furry rubbing against his legs, underneath his lab desk. He holds his breath and racks his brain to give it some sense, until said furry something hops to the desk's surface and he sighs in relief. His father's Poro.

His father's Poro?

The relief is so short lived and Viktor looks around, hoping his father hasn't found yet another way to let himself in; when he sees no one else but him and his father's Poro, he allows himself to sag on the stool once more.

"What in Janna's sake are you doing here, hm?" Viktor mutters as the Poro rubs itself on his left hand. He tries to gently push it away to continue writing when the Poro makes a displeased noise and insists on rubbing itself on his hand. Viktor sighs and picks it up to then place it on the floor.

Both him and the Poro nearly jump out of their skin as the lab's door slams open.

Jayce makes his way inside quietly and closes the door behind himself; he doesn't seem to have seen either of them as he trudges to his own desk to set down yet another box on its surface. He turns around and jolts when he sees Viktor on his desk, and nearly screams when he spots the furry friend by his feet.

"Angel, what is that thing?!"

"A... Poro?" Viktor mutters. "Have you never seen one before?"

"N-No," Jayce stutters. "Is it venomous?! What does it want? Why is it here, in the lab? Did you let it in? Whose is it? Is it yours? I didn’t take you for an animal-friendly person. Are you—?"

Viktor stands and walks, slowly, towards Jayce. "Jayce, look at me," When he does, Viktor continues. "It's alright. They're just pets. This one is my father's; I'm surprised you didn't see it before, really, it tends to follow him everywhere. I wouldn't be surprised if it snuck inside the Academy a few times before."

"A pet? It's hideous!"

"Jayce."

Jayce swallows and takes a deep breath, presumably to calm his rapidly beating heart. "Okay, okay. Your father's pet is inside the lab. My question is why, angel? Did you let it in? How did it get inside the house in the first place?"

"I'm not sure myself," Viktor replies as the Poro sniffs Jayce's boots; he thinks it’s adorable, the way Jayce tries his best not to startle it or move at all as the Poro rubs itself on his legs. "If it knows how to climb, it might've gotten inside during the night, when I left the window open. I didn't realize it was here, it followed me to the lab and started making demands for attention. Perhaps it's hungry."

"What do they eat?" Jayce asks, closing his eyes as the Poro roams around his head and shoulders, its little horns sticking out as it purrs.

Viktor chuckles and covers his mouth, "They like to snack on humans."

"Angel."

The Poro jumps down and walks back towards him; it hides behind his cane, and he can't help but chuckle again. "I'm not sure either. It's always following my father around, so I never really got the chance to take care of it myself."

Jayce sags forward in relief when the Poro leaves his side and shudders. "Well, let's return it to its rightful owner. I don't want it to lick my face ever again."

Viktor huffs and then remembers the way he felt when he woke up this morning. "Where were you, anyways? You left… really early."

His partner rubs the back of his neck and looks to the side. "I had to pick a few things up from Benzo's. Hopefully give a better shape to…” He trails off and frowns when he looks at his desk; Viktor clears his throat and points to the already fixed Hextech device. "Oh. How are you always ahead of me?"

"Not always," He replies as he nudges the Poro aside to walk back to his desk and take the device. "I was about to try it when I felt the Poro rubbing against my legs. Though, now that I think about it, it's best if I let you try it. It should work, should be as safe as the first one."

"Are we not doing anything about that?" Jayce asks and points to the Poro.

Viktor raises an eyebrow and Jayce sighs, defeatedly, and walks towards his desk. They stand side by side, just like they did all those months ago, and he finds himself sighing; he then takes one of the boxes, where Mel and Elora stored their safety gear, and pulls out both of their goggles.

Instead of handing them to Jayce, he pulls him down by the front of his shirt and adjusts the goggles over his golden eyes; he holds his breath as Jayce smiles fondly at him, and his eyes travel against his will down to his lips. Jayce closes the distance within an instant, and Viktor sighs into the kiss. 

After he adjusts his own goggles, he says, "Are you ready?"

"I am, I can't wait." Jayce mutters as he takes a crystal. It cackles before resolutely settling there, on its designated place on the device.

That is, undoubtedly, a good sign, but Viktor finds himself with the urge to say, "Just one more thing," Jayce turns to him with a frown. "Don't get overly excited, yes? This device was built by me, and I never got to try it. Even if I tried to accommodate it to the improvements you sketched, it might as well just be another complete failure and—"

Jayce huffs and cups his cheek; Viktor's mouth snaps shut. "Don't worry, we'll fix it together. That was originally my plan, but you woke up earlier than expected."

Viktor looks to the side and sighs. "I'm sorry."

Jayce kisses his forehead and lets go of him in favor of taking a small, soldering gun and welding a little piece of metal that was out of place. He then starts mapping out the runes pattern into the button on its right side, its pieces turning and shifting until the crystal is hovering in the middle of the device; Viktor holds his breath as the warm atmosphere of blue hues starts taking shape, and he finds comfort on the small weight of his father’s Poro on his shoulder. 

The crystal spins faster by the second, and Viktor props his cane on the crook of his elbow in favor of hugging the startled Poro.

“I don’t think it’s going to hold,” Jayce says, loudly, and looks back at the device. “Look at the buildup.”

“The resonance will stabilize it,” Viktor replies, holding the Poro with one hand as he places the other in Jayce’s strong arm. “Just trust me, my love.”

Whatever Jayce was about to reply dies on his lips as an explosion takes place; Jayce once more shields him with his body, and he and the Poro end up squished close to Jayce’s chest. He hugs the Poro close to him as he feels the atmosphere dwindle, thinking their hovering might come to an end soon, but then it settles. They’re left with the warm atmosphere of blue hues once more. 

“We got it first try,” Jayce says, equal parts bewildered and excited, and catches a wrench that hovers his way. “We got it!”

Viktor unhands the poor Poro and it hovers away; he tries to suppress a chuckle and grabs Jayce's arms to steady himself in the air. "Of course we did, we're the future of Piltover. You need to start believing in us."

"You're the one who said I shouldn't—"

"Shh, I know," He says and pulls Jayce down by the front of his shirt again, taking the goggles off with his free hand. "Do you think the explosion was loud enough to be heard outside?"

"Let's hope the soundproof walls did their job," Jayce mutters and, in turn, takes Viktor's goggles off. Then, "Though I'm afraid it was loud enough to rattle every single window inside the house. I don't think the enforcers will care enough to—"

A loud bang comes from the front door, and both he and Jayce flinch. The Poro hovers and sputters about until it is safely back on Viktor's embrace, and Viktor sighs; he wonders how long the atmosphere will last, and how long it'll take the enforcers to break down the door. He supposes the latter will take much less.

He floats towards one of the walls and tries to pull himself towards the door; once he manages to unlock it, he peeks outside and witnesses the moment the enforcers break down the main door. He grunts and ponders on how much it'll cost to buy another door, and how much time it'll take to be installed.

"Mr. Heimerdinger, is everything alright?" One of the enforcers calls out and he tries to pull himself further down; he feels Jayce's hands on his ankles, pushing him towards the door. He manages to properly peek outside, and the enforcer's relief is palpable as they look his way and say, "We heard an explosion of sorts, we thought—"

"I'm alright," He replies. "I apologize for disturbing your work. And well, you see, my partner and I now study independently in this lab, and accidents are bound to happen. We have protective gear, soundproof walls and safety measures, but they still happen. I apologize for the disturbance."

"We were notified, but we appreciate the apology nonetheless," Says another enforcer, and they take their helmet off to narrow their eyes at him. "Are you sure everything is alright? You seem..."

"Yes, yes, I am sure," He cuts them off quickly and holds the doorknob a little harder; he can feel the warm atmosphere dwindling once more, and his breath catches in his throat. "I might seem a little pale or agitated, but it's all just part of the little fright my partner and I went through thanks to the little accident we had. I'm sure you two can go back to your duties once you um... inform my guardian about the door."

Both enforcers look back at the broken door mournfully, and the one who spoke first mutters, "Of course. We also apologize for the disturbance. In the meanwhile, I'll be sure to station one of my enforcers closer to the door, and place something to work as one."

Viktor sighs in relief as they leave and closes the door to their lab; during his conversation, the Poro held on tight to his back, its little claws digging into his pijamas. He looks back at Jayce, questioningly, since he hasn't let go of his ankles, and Jayce pulls him towards himself, playfully and in one quick motion. 

He finds himself yelping as Jayce ends up underneath him, still hovering, and in a matter of a few seconds, the atmosphere banishes in its entirety. He yelps once more and feels the Poro's little claws digging deeper as the three of them fall down to the floor; just like the first time, Jayce cushions their fall and Viktor cradles his head to avoid further damage.

As their tools and knick-knacks fall all around them, he mutters against Jayce's chest, "You need to stop doing that."

"And let you fall first?" Jayce asks, breathless. "Never."

Viktor huffs and tries to stand, but finds the position rather comfortable; he then adjusts his legs and lies his head back down on Jayce's chest. "Hm, pay the consequences of your actions, then." 

Jayce chuckles and embraces him, wrapping both of his arms around Viktor and the Poro, despite his clear dislike for the little furry friend. "I always do. We're not ones to run away from the consequences of our actions, right?"

He hums and closes his eyes for a moment; just as he feels his consciousness drifting away, he jolts away and says, "Your mother's brace!"

He sputters until he finds his cane and stands, the Poro falling from its comfortable spot on his back; he extends his hand for Jayce to take and when he does, takes advantage of their closeness by pecking his lips. Jayce huffs and looks away, the upper lobe of his ears a shade darker.

"Is she still at the forge?"

"Of course, it's still relatively early," Jayce says and looks at the clock; he grimaces as it reads 12:01 pm. "Well, not early, but she's at the forge."

"I'll get dressed then," Viktor announces and turns to walk towards their bedroom when he feels something pulling at his pant leg; he looks down to find the Poro, pulling his pants. "Um, I really don't know what they eat. Try giving it some fruit?"

"Me? Angel, I don't think I can—"

"I knew I could count on you." Viktor says and smiles at Jayce as he leaves the Poro inside the lab. 

 

One quick change of clothes later, he realizes he hasn't eaten. He figures it doesn't matter and hurries downstairs when he hears Jayce screaming. 

"What happened? Are you hurt?" He asks, breathlessly, as he enters the kitchen to find it nearly in shambles.

"It bit me!" Jayce argues; and Viktor tries, really, to find patience within him when he sees Jayce on top of the kitchen counter and the Poro at the floor, trying to bite his ankles every time Jayce moves.

He looks up to the ceiling and takes a deep breath; he then bends down to pick up the Poro and says, "Let's just go, yes? And could you do me a favor?"

"Anything to get that thing away from me. I tried to be nice, but it wasn't cooperating," Jayce says and climbs down the kitchen counter, awfully slowly for a skilled rugby player. "What do you need, angel?"

"The blueprints of the brace," He says and looks down at the Poro in his hands. Seems like he did try to feed some fruit to it. "On my desk in the lab. Be quick, so we can return it to its rightful owner before going to the forge."

Jayce snickers at the Poro and jogs towards the lab; Viktor rolls his eyes and makes his way outside. He greets, if only bashfully, the enforcers outside and crosses to the main gate as quickly as possible.

Jayce catches up to him and they fetch a carriage to Heimerdinger's apartment.

 

Viktor takes a deep breath as he knocks on the preposterous wooden doors; he waits for a few moments before his guardian opens the door. The Poro jumps down to Heimerdinger's head as soon as it is able to, and Viktor sighs in relief.

"There you are!" Heimerdinger says, clearly speaking to his pet, and then looks up to Viktor for an explanation.

"I'm as confused as you are," He says and looks back at Jayce and the driver that is waiting for him. "Long story short, it somehow came home and it was a disaster. Jayce is terrified of it, I couldn't even feed it since I don't even know what they eat, and it seems it is able to climb. I left my window open at night and I assume that's how it got inside," He speaks quickly and looks back at his guardian. "I have somewhere else to be, but I'll catch up with you later. Is that alright?"

Heimerdinger looks at Jayce and waves; Jayce waves back, sheepishly, and Heimerdinger sighs. "Alright. Don't lose yourself, my boy."

"Why would I...?" 

Before he gets the chance to reply, Heimerdinger closes the door on his face; he sags and sulks in front of the closed door for a moment before getting inside the carriage once more.

 

They get to the forge and enter through the back door, as they usually do, and Viktor's breath catches in his throat when the first thing he sees is an impressively wide back. He stops in his tracks and, consequently, Jayce collides with him.

"Dad?" Jayce asks to the tall man.

The man finally turns around and Viktor shrinks; he seems friendly, but he is definitely a tall, imposing man. Jayce places both of his hands on Viktor's shoulders and chuckles. 

"Jayce," The man smiles, kindly, at his son. Then, he lowers his eyes to Viktor and seems surprised. "You look awfully familiar. Have we met before?" He looks at his son once more and asks, "Where are your manners, boy?"

"Oh, right," Jayce says, "This is my father, Ivar Talis. He's actually Piltovan, and the one who gave us a name Topside," He whispers to Viktor's ear; Viktor feels his cheeks growing a shade darker under Ivar's scrutinizing gaze combined with his partner's behavior. Then, as if nothing happened, Jayce beams at his father and says, "This is Viktor Heimerdinger. He's my partner—"

"Heimerdinger? Is he the pretty boy by the bridge you used to talk about all the time?" Ivar asks and Viktor thinks he can't possibly get any redder than he already looks.

"Dad."

"He is," A third voice adds, and Viktor immediately feels a little better when Ximena peeks from behind her husband. He smiles and waves at Ximena, and she in turn smiles and waves, too. "Hello. I'm so glad you two are here! I was wondering where you two have been for the past weeks; and since Jay-Jay's birthday is coming up—"

"Mom!"

Viktor looks over his shoulder at his partner and mutters, "When were you planning to tell me?"

Jayce deflates and Viktor sighs as he looks back at his lover's parents. "It's such a pleasure to finally meet you, Mr. Talis."

"Likewise," Ivar looks between him and Ximena and mutters, "Have you two met before?"

"We have," Ximena says with a smile. "During the trial, first, and then when these two broke into our forge to make a knee brace for Viktor."

Only then does Mr. Talis seem to notice Viktor's cane and knee brace, and he hums, satisfied, as he looks at his son's creation, safely resting on Viktor's knee. "I taught you well, then, boy."

Jayce beams once more and Viktor finds it hard not to melt. Then, Jayce speaks, "Mom, there's something Viktor wants to show you."

And Viktor feels a cold wave rushing through his body as both of his in-laws look at him, curiously and expectantly. Jayce pushes him forward, gently, and Viktor sighs.

"It's nothing much, really, I was just thinking about what Jayce told me happened back when... um," He swallows. "The accident you had at a factory, Mrs. Talis, and the consequences it brought. I sort of designed a back brace, for more support and durability, but I'm afraid it lacks comfort. It's my first time designing this kind of thing, but I do hope it turns out to be useful to you."

He pulls out the blueprints from his messenger bag and extends it to them; Mr. Talis seems eager to see it, as he is the first one to take it and unfold it. They both look into his sketch, and he feels like the air at the forge is far too hot and heavy to breathe in. Jayce walks around him to look him in the eyes and smiles at him, placing one of his hands on his arm while the other tucks some of his hair behind his ear. Viktor sighs and then looks back at Mr. and Mrs. Talis.

He finds both of them are smiling warmly at them, and his heart beats much faster when Mr. Talis places the blueprints on a table nearby and extends his hand; Viktor extends his hand to shake it, yet suddenly, Mr. Talis pulls him, Ximena and Jayce into a tight hug. 

Viktor positively stops breathing during the hug.

Once Ivar lets go, Viktor takes a deep breath and finds his eyes are welling up; he curses under his breath and curses Heimerdinger for never really showing him this kind of affection, and for never really teaching him it was a common occurrence between families.

Ximena chuckles and smiles at him, then cups his cheek and wipes away a stray tear as she whispers, lovingly, "This is so kind of you, Viktor. I'm really thankful; I'll have my husband help me forge it and make some last adjustments."

"It's nothing, really. I hope it does help you." He mutters and smiles.

She pulls back to give room to Mr. Talis. "Viktor, I'm afraid I never really got to properly thank you for bringing my family Topside."

"There's nothing to thank me for, I didn't really do anything."

"But you did," Ivar insists, and he sighs as he sees for himself who Jayce got his stubbornness from. "You made the Council invest in my wife's forge and helped us move Topside. Gave us a home, too. You have done much more than any other Piltovan has for my family, and for that, I thank you, Viktor."

Viktor feels his eyes welling up once more and swallows past the knot in his throat to say, "I wish I could've done more. I'm glad I could be of help to you, and I'll do it over again."

The three of them get pulled back into a crushing hug once more before the clock at the forge strikes1:00 pm. 

Mrs. and Mr. Talis look at each other and Ximena says, "I'm afraid we need to head out. We have somewhere else to be, but feel free to stay in the forge if you need to."

They leave in a hurry, Ximena placing a kiss to both Jayce's and Viktor's forehead, and Ivar giving them a rather hard pat on the back to each of them. Viktor resists the urge to cough until they are both out of sight.

"Sorry, you'll get used to him in no time." Jayce whispers.

Viktor takes a deep breath and asks, "I'm curious. How did your mom and dad meet?"

Jayce rubs the back of his neck and smiles. "Well, they met when my father visited the Undercity for the first time. As a man with a patron, he was looking for something worthwhile, something to dedicate himself to, and when he didn't find it Topside, he ventured to the Undercity. He found the factory my mother worked at and instantly clicked with her; he'd visit her every day, and just when they thought about marriage, the accident happened. He took care of her and convinced her to open her own forge, so she wouldn't have to go back to the factory. They got married, I was born soon after, and they created the Talis Forge; they started in the Undercity, something akin to Benzo's shop, and then I grew up and found a pretty boy by the bridge," Jayce chuckles and leans down; Viktor's heart skips a beat. "They started to notice some of the cogs and knick-knacks were missing, found out I was responsible and then, instead of asking me directly, followed me to the bridge one night. I can't say they were surprised, but they did seem to be proud of me for some reason. They'd even help me get you the wrenches, cogs and knick-knacks they thought you and I needed to build the boat. Then, Heimerdinger sent someone on his behalf saying he was truly interested in what we did. He brought it to the Council's attention and well, you know the rest."

Viktor hums and smiles. "That's a nice story. And with a really happy ending, too."

Jayce huffs. "At least, that's how my father narrates it. I'm assuming there are a lot of things he doesn't want me to know, but I like this version, too."

Viktor reaches out to Jayce's chest and places his hand over the ring, hanging from his neck, and whispers, "I like it, too."

Notes:

this is taking a ridiculous amount of research —hence the delay— and I love it

Chapter 5: I could run from it all, but I'd only get lost

Notes:

title is from "my life" by imagine dragons

They give up in presenting something in Progress Day. Viktor thinks their device —now perfected— is more than enough to show Shoola some of their progress, but certainly not enough to think about a presentation in Progress Day; while that would serve to catch possible investors' attention and, consequently, the Council's attention, he doesn't think he's ready to face the consequences of keeping this from his guardian, and he knows it'll be much better if Shoola addresses it with the rest of the councilors first and then with Heimerdinger. 

While Shoola's initial investment is enough to finally build something more tangible, he thinks he knows what she would want them to build first. If it were for Viktor, he'd build the Atlas Gauntlets —Jayce's most recent sketch of a Hextech device— and his Hexclaw first. If she could have it her way, however, he's sure she'll choose the Hexgates.

And perhaps people in the mines and the artificers aren't really people in need; they get tired and are probably underpaid, yes, but compared to what one can find in the Undercity, they are not really people in need. If he thinks back on the last time he saw the Undercity for himself —long ago, really, but he's sure it only went downhill from there—, there definitely are more urgent matters: the contaminated water, the polluted air, the food scarcity, the debris and waste accumulating on the streets, and so on.

He remembers the time when he wanted to build air purifiers and deliberates on a way to infuse them with a crystal; perhaps he can make it work faster and expand its coverage with it.

Maybe he can work on a water filter system that turns contaminated water into drinkable and ionized water; enhance it with crystals to ensure the safety of drinking said water.

Can their magic create food to abolish the scarcity of it, too?

Viktor's spiraling mind is pulled out of its stupor when Jayce taps his shoulder with his own cane; he sighs as he looks at the time, and curses Jayce and his water and food breaks under his breath.

"I know, I know," Jayce says to him with a fond smile. "But we need a nurtured and hydrated mind if we want progress. How's the new project coming along?"

Viktor stands form his stool and sighs, “Ehh, I think we’re moving too fast; I understand we're eager to start helping the people in need, but we haven’t even found a way to stabilize the crystals that doesn’t involve the Hextech device. But if I had to create something new, I’d choose one of the projects I have planned for the Undercity. I can't think of a way to help Piltovans. We have the Hexclaw and the Atlas Gaunts, but my mind keeps wandering to the Undercity. They are the people in need, not us."

"True, we do need to make them safe for use first,” Jayce sighs. “And you know the Council doesn't care for people in the Undercity. I'll doubt we'll get investors if we show them what have planned to do down there; they'll be surprised to see the extent of their negligence."

"They won't believe the extent of their negligence, even if we show them the damage they're causing down there," Viktor huffs and takes Jayce's arm when offered. They walk towards their dining room when he asks, quietly, "Have you thought of a way to make the same for use?"

"Not quite," Jayce replies. "We need to find a way to refine them so they can endure great amounts of impact without causing explosions; strictly speaking, they're crystals, so perhaps it's possible to grind away the excess of it to produce a facet."

"We'll need a faceting machine for that," Viktor frowns. "I'm pretty sure diamonds are engraved into the lap that'll shape and polish the gemstones. Won't that be...  a little out of our budget?"

"I don't think it is; I'm pretty sure my father owns a faceting machine. We could borrow it."

"Hm," He hums as he takes a seat in one of the chairs by the dining table. Jayce plops down in the one next to his. "Even if we do somehow get the machine, it's a really dangerous thing to do. The crystals are highly volatile, and we're not even sure if it'll work—"

"They stabilize at high frequency, perhaps we're on the right path," Jayce explains and hands him a glass with water. He then pours one for himself and sets the pitcher aside. "The lap works at a high speed. If we do it periodically and as quickly as possible, perhaps we'll have a way of making them safe for use."

Viktor thinks for a moment. "We have a lot to risk and lose, my love. We're risking our lives and the crystal; what if it doesn't work and we end up gravely injured? What if it causes an explosion? Or what if it doesn't work, and we end up wasting a crystal? We have very limited resources here, and we need to wait until Shoola tells us she did find a way to obtain more crystals. If not, then we'll have to use your method of getting crystals, whatever than may be. And I need to find the ones in Heimerdinger's possession. He wouldn't dispose of something so valuable; I just know it."

Jayce takes a few sips of his water before saying, "I understand your reluctance at trying it, but maybe I can—"

"No. It's either the two of us, or neither. We talked about this, yes?" He says and places his hand over Jayce's free hand. "No doing things on our own."

Jayce sighs and squeezes his hand once. "I know. But I meant it when I said that I don't want you involved if all Hextech brings is trouble and misfortune."

"And I meant it when I said that's up to me to decide. We're in this together, right and wrong, bad and good. We're so close to a breakthrough; we can't give up now," He pauses and drinks some of his water. Then, "Perhaps you're right. We need to try the faceting machine. I'm assuming we only have one try; whether or not it works, the crystals are our most scarce material. If we grind away the excess and try it, and it hasn't lost its ability to channel magic, then we'll do the same with the rest of the crystals. If it doesn't work, I was think about finding a way to encase it or its properties in some sort of glass; make it look like a marble of sorts." 

"Encase it?"

"Cover it in glass, like one would when we enwrap something to preserve it or put it on display," He says and places his glass on the table, drawing a sphere in the air with both hands. "I'm not sure how that would work, but perhaps we can—"

"You know, you're onto something," Jayce says. "If we use the faceting machine and it doesn't work, we can use the pulverized crystal and encase it in glass, see if it works?"

"Yes, and we could also try to encase one that's not pulverized," Viktor chuckles. "It's just an idea I had, when I couldn't sleep yesternight."

Jayce sighs and his excitement dwiddles as he looks at him with worry. "Again? Why didn't you wake me up?"

"It wouldn't have been fair for you," He mutters and sags on his chair, looking at his glass; Jayce squeezes his hand and he looks up to meet Jayce's ever-kind eyes. "It'd be egoistic, don't you think?"

"No, I don't think it is. Hence why I asked you to wake me up if you can't sleep."

Viktor huffs and looks at his glass once more. "I was eager to tell you my idea to make them safe, but perhaps yours is better. And it's understandable, you've been studying crystallography and this specific crystals for far longer than I have. Perhaps I should've woken you up, so we could get to work."

Jayce shakes his head. "Rest is important too, angel. While I appreciate your enthusiasm, we do need to rest. The lack of sleep brings short-term consequences, like stress, mood changes or slow-reaction times. But the ones that concern me the most are the long-lasting consequences, such as faulty brain function, memory loss, early death—"

"Okay, point taken," Viktor cuts him off and sighs. "I'll think about waking you up the next time I can't sleep, alright? What do you even need me to wake you up for?"

"Well, I can help you fall asleep, or I can have an early death with you."

"My knight in shining armor, aren't you," He says and rolls his eyes, fondly, when he hears Jayce's quiet chuckle. Then, his patron crosses his mind, and he sighs. "On a serious note, though, have you... given it some thought? To the Hexgates?"

"Vik—"

"I know, I know. But I can't think of any other way of getting rid of the Council's demands for the next few years. If we give them what they want—"

"Are you sure they'll stop there?"

"Eh, for a while. They can't expect us to build whatever they ask for two reasons: one, it will take us a lot of resources —time, money and workforce, if you must— to build something that big, and two, we’re not here to do private projects. One thing is giving this city the opportunity to have an open economy and thus place itself on the map, and another very different thing is to let them do as they please with our technology," He pauses and huffs. "I won't hesitate to refuse their commercial-related projects if they don't listen to us. What are they going to do about it? Ban Hextech? They know they need us and our technology if they want this city to prosper. Try to replicate Hextech? I want to see them try to have half the progress we already have."

"What if they do try to replicate it?" Jayce mutters to his glass.

"It'd be pointless," He says. "And they'll know it once we show them how volatile the materials we work with actually are. The explosion we caused back when we were expelled is nothing compared to what might happen when we try to refine these crystals. Too dangerous and time-consuming; they'll have to bend with our demands, too."

Jayce huffs. "It doesn't seem to be going downhill, the city. You said, if they want this city to prosper."

"The economy will go downhill eventually. While operating on a closed economy is relatively possible, the downsides to it are, quite literally, visible in Piltover. Inequality is a direct consequence of Piltover's closed economy, as well as food shortage; and you and I both know who pays for Topsiders' mistakes."

His lover grunts. "And what good would it do, to have an open economy? It won't make a difference for the Undercity."

Viktor sighs. "Perhaps it won't be as noticeable as it'll be Topside, but the more food, jobs and economic growth there is, the more opportunities we will all have. Maybe even in the Undercity; people like you, with similar backstories, will be able to cross the bridge more freely, don't you think?"

"I can only hope you're right."

Viktor squeezes his lover's hand in reassurance and says, "I hope I'm right too, my love. This is just what I hope happens, what should happen if we go by books and texts. I'm not sure if it will happen, as this is all trial and error, but we can't hesitate if we want to build a new world. This city needs to change, and you and I, alongside Hextech, have the potential to do that. I understand your reluctance, but we need to focus on the fact that we're the only two people that seem to be interested in actually making this world change for the better."

Jayce nods and looks at him like the first night, when Viktor told his lover he believed in him and in magic; full of hope, wonder and eagerness alike.

Viktor himself feels much better, now, and he stands, the snacks they were supposed to be eating long but forgotten in the middle of the table, and says, "Let's see if your father has the faceting machine, yes?"

Jayce stands with the same eagerness and replies, "Leave it to me. You can prepare what we'll need, and make space for the machine in one of our desks. I remember it being relatively big and heavy, but I'll manage."

He nods and turns towards the hall when he feels Jayce's strong hands on his hips; he holds his breath and mutters, "What's the matter?"

Jayce rests his chin on his shoulder and mutters, "No kiss for good luck?"

Viktor rolls his eyes, even if Jayce can't see him, and says, "No, I'll save them for when we actually need them."

"And that is?"

"When we try the machine," He says and sighs. "If your father doesn't happen to have it, perhaps Benzo will?"

Even if his back is facing Jayce, he can feel him beaming at the mention of Benzo. "Quick thinking. I'll get the machine one way or another."

Viktor huffs as his lover leaves the house so eagerly he forgets his cloak; and while Jayce doesn't really need to conceal his identity, he thinks it's better to wear it either way. He takes a deep breath and makes his way to the lab, excited to start the second phase of Hextech: refining the crystals for safer use.

 

---

 

Jayce hasn't come back in more than three hours, and Viktor starts to worry. He asks the enforcers outside multiple times and gets the same, saddened reply; we haven't seen him ever since he left. Would you like us to check the nearby streets, just in case? 

He sighs for the tenth time in the past ten minutes and is about to stand to ask about Jayce once more when he hears a commotion outside; he immediately stands and walks towards one of the windows that faces the main gate.

Three of the enforcers that guard the house move quickly towards one end of the street, and Viktor's heart leaps to his throat; he opens the door and moves to open the gates.

At the end of the street is Jayce, who's leaning heavily into one of the enforcers, while another enforcer carries the heavy machine. Viktor pushes open the main gate with shaky hands and approaches the enforcer with the machine to tell them where to place it in the meanwhile; then, he approaches Jayce and tries to make sense of the red and purple patches on his face, his blackeye, split eyebrow and bloody lips. He racks his brain for an answer, something to direct his attention to instead of the anger and impotence that take over his mind; he looks to the end of the street to find it empty, save for an enforcer that is now guarding the street, lest whoever attacked Jayce decides to come back.

The enforcer by the door helps get Jayce safely inside and Viktor pushes a nearby chair in their direction for them to sit Jayce there. He then asks one of them to get him one of his many first aid kits and when they do and leave, he thanks them profoundly and kneels in front of Jayce; Jayce seems to be about to reproach him until he frowns and flinches, the movement causing him pain.

"Stop frowning, you’ll only make it worse," Viktor mutters and sighs, his chest feeling heavier by the second due to such a heartbreaking sight. "What happened, my love?"

When the only answer he gets is a grunt, he takes a deep breath and takes the isopropyl alcohol and a cotton ball; he soaks the cotton ball in it for a few seconds before gently swabbing the split eyebrow. He steels his nerves when Jayce flinches once more, and he whispers, "Shh. I know, I know. It'll be over soon. I need you to try to sit still, can you do that for me?"

Jayce nods and finally looks at him in the eye. Viktor swallows as he notices the tears staining Jayce's cheeks, and he gently swipes them away before cleaning the split eyebrow once more; when he thinks it looks clean, he discards the dirty cotton ball to swap it with a new one. He thinks the eyebrow might need stitches, but he doesn't have the heart to do it himself and he doubts Jayce will want to go to a doctor or even his own father for help; he decides to dress the wound and leave it to heal on its own.

Jayce stills his movements by gently taking his wrist.

"Your leg."

"It's alright, don't worry about that now. Where else does it hurt? I'll get you an ice pack, alright?"

Jayce holds his wrist a little tighter, and he thinks he gets the message; don't leave.

"Let me tend to your lip then, yes?"

Jayce lets go, if only a tad reluctantly, and he's able to soak the clean cotton ball in alcohol before swabbing it over Jayce's split lip. Viktor then looks at Jayce's blackeye and thinks he's going to be sick.

"Is it that bad?" Jayce huffs.

"Well, sort of. Your beautiful face is officially ruined," He says in hopes of lightening the mood, but Jayce only sighs and closes his eyes. Another tear rolls down his cheek and Viktor's heart seizes in a very unpleasant way. "I'm sorry, I was trying… I just don't—" He huffs, frustrated with himself, and takes his cane to stand. Jayce reaches out to take his hand, but he whispers, "I'll be right back. I really need to do something about that eye, love."

He gets an icepack and a towel as quickly as he can, and he wraps the towel over the icepack to place it over Jayce's eye, gently. Jayce sighs and starts applying pressure himself, taking the icepack from his hands before uttering, "I'm sorry I took so long."

"Don't think about anything right now, it's alright," He whispers and drags a chair to sit beside Jayce. "Does it hurt anywhere else?"

"No."

“Let me rephrase, then: did they hit you anywhere else?”

Jayce takes a moment to reply. “Maybe?”

Viktor sags in his chair and covers his face with both of his hands. "I asked the enforcers to look for the person that did this to you, my love. Don't worry about anything."

"Good luck with that," Jayce mutters. "He's from the Undercity; wouldn't be stupid enough to follow me Topside."

"I'm sorry, I'm afraid that is all I can do at the moment."

Jayce sighs and looks down with his good eye to where Viktor's shaky hands lie in his lap; he takes one of them with his free hand and says, “I’m sorry for worrying you.”

Viktor hums and brings the calloused hand to his lips; as he places a tender kiss, he realizes Jayce’s warm, comforting knuckles are bruised and bloody, too. He reaches for the first aid kit he left on the floor nearby and fetches the alcohol, some gauzes and bandages once more.

As he disinfects and bandages Jayce’s hand, he mutters, “What did he even want?”

“What do we all want?” Jayce takes a deep breath and re-adjusts the icepack. “Money. I only had a few silver cogs on me, after paying Benzo for the machine. He wasn’t precisely happy with the amount and called his buddies.”

He finishes dressing that hand and taps the other; Jayce switches the icepack to his bandaged hand, if only a little awkwardly, and places his other hand on Viktor’s. 

“Were they armed?”

“One of them had a small shard of glass but seemed reluctant to use it,” Jayce explains as Viktor cleans his other hand. “The only real damage they did was slicing my eyebrow open.”

That explains why his split eyebrow needed stitches.

Viktor huffs in frustration as his shaky hands make him drop the gauze he was using, and just as he is about to reach for a clean one, Jayce stops him from doing so.

“Are you alright, angel?”

“Am I alright? Look at the state you’re in! All for some stupid, worthless coins,” He huffs once more. “And maybe even the machine you were carrying; if they knew what it was for, they might’ve assumed you had jewelry on you and hence they...” Then, his mind wanders to unpleasant territory. “Your ring. Did they take it?”

Jayce huffs and raises his hands in frustration, the icepack sliding from his hand and falling to the floor; Viktor supposes he has his answer. 

“They tried taking it and—” Jayce’s voice catches in his throat. “I fought back.” He reaches inside his shirt and pulls out the necklace; the ring hangs proudly from it, and Viktor feels like he can breathe again.

He sighs. “Love—”

“I know,” He mutters. “I know. But I wasn’t going to let them take the ring. Anything but my ring.”

Viktor’s chest feels warm and he takes a deep breath; then, “I wish I could kiss you, right now.”

“You can,” Jayce looks down at his lips and whispers, “You should.”

“I don’t want to hurt you,” He whispers with finality and looks at the icepack on the floor; he takes it and hands it to Jayce. “I’ll make some black tea; caffeine helps with the swelling. And I’ll get you some painkillers; Ibuprofen should suffice.”

He takes his cane to stand and feels Jayce’s warm hand over his. “Why do you say things like that and then leave?”

“I’m not leaving,” Viktor chuckles and stands from his chair; Jayce huffs. “I’m going to boil some water for the black tea, and now that I think about it, I need some sweetmilk.”

“I don’t like tea.”

Viktor looks back at Jayce and sighs. “I’m afraid there’s only tea in this house; my father only drinks tea. Unless you’ve bought some coffee—”

“I’ve been drinking coffee ever since we moved here,” Jayce grunts. “How did you not notice?”

“I’m sorry. I’ll brew some coffee then—”

Jayce stands so quickly Viktor has to steady him and lower him back into the chair. 

“Where do you think you’re going? You’re staying here,” He pauses. “Or are you hurting somewhere? Do you want the painkillers before the coffee? Do you not want coffee? Perhaps it’s not a good mix, the warm coffee and the icepack,” He fixes the icepack and sighs, placing a kiss to Jayce’s forehead. Jayce melts into it. “Alright, no coffee. I do need to get some painkillers and water; it’s going to start hurting soon. Or perhaps it’s already hurting and you’re not telling me.”

“I’m alright,” Jayce whispers and reaches for his hand once more; Viktor allows it and feels his heart skipping a beat when Jayce brings it to his swollen lips. “Just stay here, with me.” 

"Jayce—"

"Please," He whispers to Viktor's knobby knuckles and places a chaste kiss there. "Can you just stay here?"

Viktor sighs and says, "Let's move to the lounge then, yes? Have you somewhere more comfortable; I'm afraid you can't lie down yet. Do you think you can walk on your own?"

"Yeah, I can."

"Then wait for me there, I'll get the painkillers." He gently pushes Jayce's hand away and makes his way to the bathroom, where he keeps the painkillers and non-essential medicines on a cabinet near the mirror.

As he makes his way inside, he catches a glimpse of his own face on the mirror, and he hopes the paleness is just due to the fright Jayce gave him and nothing more.

After taking the Ibuprofen, he walks back outside and goes to the kitchen, where he fetches a glass with water and finally makes his way to the lounge; he finds Jayce sitting in one of the fancy loveseats there.

He takes a deep breath and places both the painkillers bottle and the glass with water on the coffee table before sitting next to Jayce, thighs touching; Jayce lowers the icepack in favor of looking at him, and immediately rests his head on Viktor's shoulder. Viktor tenses, if only for a moment, and soon after wills himself to relax.

They stay in a relatively comfortable silence until Viktor takes the icepack from Jayce's hands and holds it to Jayce's face himself. "Do you think the icepack is working?"

"It doesn’t hurt, so I suppose it is."

Viktor hums and repositions the icepack; he kisses Jayce's temple and lingers there, close to his lover's face. "Take the painkillers before the pain gets worse and you get a headache."

Jayce grunts and does as he's told to then resume his position on Viktor's shoulder. "There."

"Good job, now close your eyes; that way, you'll avoid moving the injured one around too much."

Jayce hums and closes his eyes; Viktor sighs and rests his head on top of his lover’s. Unfair, really, how some people hurt others without a bit of remorse; and all, for silver cogs.

Then, he finds his mind drifting to the faceting machine on the dining room's table; he grimaces when he realizes what Jayce's current situation means for Hextech's second phase. He can only hope Jayce doesn't take out his anger on everything around him when Viktor tells him they are going to have to set back any and all advancements for at least three weeks, or until Jayce's blackeye heals completely; he can't risk Jayce hurting himself trying to wear safety gear, or risk Jayce getting hurt due to poor use of it.

When it melts, he lowers the icepack to the coffee table, and finds he feels restless. He tries closing his eyes, too, but his efforts are futile; he remains awake, the only sounds in the room being Jayce's quiet breathing and the subtle sounds of the clock. 

Then, "Going to the Undercity is strictly prohibited for at least three weeks," He mutters and Jayce grunts. "And no rugby for at least four weeks."

"Alright, alright," Jayce sighs and shifts; Viktor wraps his arm around Jayce's back to bring him closer. "Anything else I should know before I'm grounded?"

"Well..." Viktor trails off and places a chaste kiss on Jayce's head. "There is one more thing, but we can discuss it later. Do you want to sleep now?"

Jayce nods against his shoulder and they stand, leisurely, to then make their way towards the elevator.

This time, for their nightly routine, he goes to the bathroom with Jayce and helps him undress; Viktor's breath catches in his throat as he assesses the damage on Jayce's chest. Jayce sighs as he, too, looks at his chest.

"I didn't think it'd be this bad," Jayce mutters apologetically, looking at him with puppy eyes; he looks away so as to not give in. "I promise it didn't hurt when you asked."

"I highly doubt it," He grunts and takes a bottle of salve from the cabinet. "Here; this should help with the bruising."

"Are you not going to help me with that?" Jayce asks, raising his good eyebrow teasingly. Viktor frowns. "I suppose that's a no."

"I don't think I can." He mutters and swallows as his heart does somersaults inside his chest. 

It's Jayce's turn to frown, and he places the salve back on the cabinet. "Why not? You've seen my bare chest countless of times; I sleep with just an undershirt or shirtless all the time. Why are you shy about it now—"

"One thing is seeing, and another very different thing is touching," He mutters and adjusts the cane in his hand. "And my hands are shaky all the time, I don't think it's a good idea—"

Jayce smiles softly at him and takes Viktor’s free hand in his, guiding it to the center of his chest and leaves his hand there, resting atop his own; Viktor’s breath catches in his throat, and he can't help but look away. 

"It's alright, angel," Jayce mutters. "You can touch; I belong to you, after all. Unless you don’t want to?"

Viktor huffs and tentatively looks at the hand on Jayce's chest; his face immediately feels warmer, and it only gets worse as he looks back up into Jayce's eyes. "I do, but I've never touched anyone the way I'm touching you right now. Or in any other way, for that matter. It feels too... intimate."

"It is," Jayce steps closer, his eyes never leaving Viktor's. "Does it make you uncomfortable? Intimacy?"

"Not at all," He says, too quickly, and Jayce chuckles. "But it's thanks to you I get so nervous and flustered whenever you say things like that— I'm in uncharted waters here; you seem to know exactly what you're doing all the time, and it makes me wonder if you've touched someone else like this or if it just comes naturally to you—"

“I haven't. Not like this."

Viktor stops his rambling. "What do you mean not like this?"

“I don’t know, with you it’s just…” Jayce trails off, his free hand brushing a stray lock behind Viktor’s ear. “Touching you feels different, in a good way,” Then, "Perhaps it does come naturally, when I'm with you."

He holds his breath and looks down at his hand, tentatively moving it to rest over Jayce's heart; Jayce’s hand follows his own, and he huffs out a quiet chuckle when he finds a rather quick rhythm there. "See? It comes all so effortlessly to you; unfair, if you ask me."

Jayce hums. “We all have our different ways to show love; for me, it’s easy to tell you how much I love you, and touching you feels like second nature,” He pauses. “I think I’ve come to understand yours; the way you express love, I mean.”

“And that is?”

Jayce leans down a tad closer and mutters, “You memorize little, unimportant things that matter to me. You go out of your way to do things for me, even if I didn’t ask. You listen to what I have to say, and always share your opinion on the matter; I like challenges and fresh perspectives, so it’s mostly welcomed.”

Viktor huffs. “Mostly welcomed.”

He looks at the salve and sighs; he wonders if the tingly feeling he has on his palm has anything to do with the fact that he touched Jayce's bare chest or if it has to do more with Jayce’s accurate yet corny words, and how nervous being this close to his lover really makes him feel.

Jayce looks at the salve, too and asks, “Would you like to try now?”

He nods and takes some of the salve; he swallows as he looks at Jayce’s chest and starts applying it, fumbling for a while with his own fingers until he finds a comfortable way to spread it and not hurt Jayce in the process. His hand stops shaking after a while, and he thinks he's confident enough to do it with both hands now; he rests his cane on the crook of his elbow and takes more salve, spreading it into Jayce's tired shoulders and then, down his abdomen.

He doesn't realize their proximity until he feels the ghost of a sigh against his forehead. He holds his breath and retracts his hands as if burnt, looking up; Jayce leans down and presses his lips against Viktor's —softly, mindful of his injury, and most likely considering how much pressure it would take for it to hurt. Then, as it doesn't hurt as much as he thought, Jayce kisses him a little more urgently.

One of Viktor’s hands reaches blindly behind him to find support on the sink, causing his cane to fall from the crook of his elbow, while the other finds leverage in Jayce’s shoulder, and he sighs into the kiss. Jayce grunts and he thinks his legs are going to give out from beneath him. The hand that was holding onto the sink moves up to cradle Jayce’s nape, while the other slides down to rest on his lover’s chest, just above his heart once more.

Both his and his lover’s heart are beating so fast he feels they’re going to burst.

“Jayce,” Viktor calls and has to gently push Jayce back to continue speaking, as Jayce keeps trying to kiss him; Jayce’s rapid breathing mingles with his own, and he swallows in favor of muttering, “You’re hurt. I don’t want to make it worse—”

“I can take it,” His lover mutters, breathlessly. “I’m not fragile.”

“Is that what this is about? Or is there something else?”

Silence is all he gets for an answer.

He steps back to take his cane from the floor and says, “I don’t think you’re fragile, I just wanted to take care of you.”

Jayce huffs quietly. “I know. I just don’t like feeling useless or weak—”

“You were attacked, and hence you’re hurt. You’re not weak, and I won’t think any less of you because you needed my help today,” He says and looks at Jayce’s blackeye. Then, “I love you the same,” He sighs and turns towards the bathroom’s door. “I’ll get you a clean shirt, yes? I just changed the sheets and I don’t want you to smear the salve on them. Ideally, we would have to wait for your skin to absorb the salve, but I’m sure you’re tired—”

“Viktor—”

He looks back at Jayce and feels his heart seize in an unpleasant way. “I know, but we can’t have you walking around shirtless; the salve will make you feel cold, and that will only worsen—”

Jayce reaches out and grabs his arm by the elbow. “I’ll get it. You should lie down; I don’t want you to overdo it.”

Viktor feels a knot in his throat and looks back at the door, muttering, “Yeah. I should, probably… yeah.” 

After getting out the bathroom, he can hear Jayce’s frustrated huff coming from behind him. Viktor sighs and changes into his nightwear, to then lie down with his back to Jayce’s side. 

He feels the bed shift and then the telltale, soaring heat of Jayce’s back against his own; he sighs and turns to face his lovers back, wrapping his arms around him. Jayce melts immediately, and sighs, too, when Viktor places a kiss over the broad expanse of his upper back. 

“I’m sorry, love,” He mutters. “I’m worried about you. Let me take care of you, please.”

Jayce huffs quietly and whispers, “I’m fine. We can continue Hextech’s second phase, come tomorrow morning.”

Viktor huffs, too. “I knew there was something else, behind that anger. And you already know what I think about that, don’t you?”

Jayce tenses in his arms, and instead of letting go, he tightens his embrace. Then, “I understand you’re upset, but it’s for your own sake I’m doing this, Jayce.”

“I’ll feel better when I see progress with—”

He kisses Jayce’s nape, and slowly, feels his lover settling back into his embrace. 

“It’s for both your sake and mine. I can’t have you getting hurt over the poor use of the safety gear. With that blackeye, I doubt you can wear the goggles properly, and if you can, it’ll only be to apply more unnecessary pressure on it and make it worse.”

Jayce sighs. “Then I can just watch, from a distance.”

Viktor frowns. “Are you okay with that?”

“We can’t delay it any further, can we?”

Viktor, despite himself, feels a smile forming on his face. “We have all the time in the world, my love,” That makes Jayce chuckle, and he thinks he’s done something right, finally. “I’ll wait for you. It’ll only be around three weeks,” Jayce flinches, and he hurries to add: “The enforcers will use that time to catch whoever did this, and you and I will focus on other things.”

“Like?”

“Well, I’ve been thinking about the rest of the crystals, the ones that are presumably under my father’s care,” He pauses and sighs. “I’ll take care of that. And I was wondering if you wanted to speak with Mel about Hextech? Get her to approve of it, for when the time comes?”

“The time for what?”

“Introduce Hextech as a whole, of course,” He says and Jayce huffs. “What’s so funny?”

“It’ll take years for us to make advancements— why am I the one telling you this?” Jayce half-turns to him, and Viktor chuckles as he steals a quick kiss from his lips. 

“I was thinking about talking to her once we had stabilized crystals, but it’s alright if you want to build something first,” Viktor says. “She was willing to defend us at the trial, right? She will see Hextech’s potential, and possibly be by our side when the Council hears of Hextech once more.”

Jayce sighs. “I wouldn’t be too sure; maybe she saw the potential, but she’s…”

“Ambitious?”

“Yeah.”

“Understandable,” He whispers. “So am I. And perhaps even you’ll be ambitious, once you fully grasp our technology’s full potential. Can we count her as an investor, then?”

Jayce turns around in his arms, his expression unreadable, as he says, “Maybe. But if we have all the time in the world, why do you seem to be in a hurry?”

That renders Viktor momentarily speechless, and he has to look away as he doesn’t understand the emotion in Jayce’s eyes.

He retracts his arms and wraps them around himself, the room suddenly cold. 

“I’m in no hurry,” He says after a while. “I plan ahead.”

Jayce looks at him with worry. “You plan far too ahead. Perhaps that’s what doesn’t let you sleep at night? Or rest, not sleep. You do sleep, but you don’t rest.” 

“I fail to see how those two things are related—”

“You worry about things that aren’t even real yet,” Jayce cuts him off, raising his voice a little. “Viktor, look at me. This isn’t— You shouldn’t worry about things like that yet.”

He holds eye contact for a few moments before he gives in, sighing. “You can’t ask that of me.”

Jayce’s calloused hand cups his cheek. “I know, I know. I need you to try, nonetheless.”

Viktor huffs. “I can try; you should try, too, to hesitate a little less when it comes to the Hexgates.”

“That’s not—”

“It is equally difficult,” Viktor mutters, and the hand cupping his cheek pinches said cheek. He huffs. “You ask me not to worry about the very thing that could get us banished from Piltover if it doesn’t get the support it needs from the Council, and I ask you to consider a commercial project that’ll make this city much more prosperous, but that’ll take years to show results in the Undercity, if ever; I think it's fair.”

“You also asked me to wait three weeks to start phase-two, three weeks without going into the Undecity," He pauses for emphasis. "And four weeks without rugby.”

“What a demanding partner you have,” He says in a playful tone, and Jayce feigns sadness by pouting and nodding. “Poor thing, whatever shall we do?”

Jayce scoots closer and hugs him, tightly, hiding his face on Viktor's neck. "Kiss it better?"

"Hm, I’ll think about it. Get some rest." 

 

They fall asleep in each other's arms, and Viktor finds himself resting easy whenever they sleep like this.

 

---

 

A week goes by, and Viktor comes up with the conclusion that he does not want to go to his father's apartment; he needs to, it's not a matter of wanting to or not, since Hextech phase-two depends on it, but he soon understands he's reluctant to go. Jayce is starting to get better, and that means they're both doing a good job with the healing process, but it also means that perhaps they can reduce those three weeks into two, if all goes as planned. And if they decide to start next week, they'll naturally need the other three crystals; whether it works or not, they'll soon come to need them. 

He sighs as he looks down at the injury in Jayce's eyebrow, and Jayce looks up to meet his eyes. 

"What's wrong?"

"It'll scar," Viktor mutters. "The cut in your eyebrow."

"I am aware, but don't I look cool now?"

He huffs and cups Jayce's cheek. "You have always looked cool, my love. It does add a rebellious kind-of look, though." 

It's Jayce's turn to huff, and he stands from the loveseat he was sitting in; then, "I'm getting better. How about we try—?"

"One more week, and maybe we can try the machine," Viktor says and chuckles when Jayce groans. "I said three weeks. The fact that you're getting better really means a lot to me, my love, but I can't have your wounds worsening once more. One more week, and we'll try. Plus, I still need to see where Heimerdinger is keeping those crystals."

He steps out of the lounge in favor of walking towards the kitchen, and he frowns when Jayce trails his steps rather hurriedly.

"About that," Jayce says and blocks his path. Viktor frowns harder. "What're you planning to do?"

"Well, go to his apartment and search it, I suppose," He replies off-handedly. "He must have them in his apartment. He wouldn't store them in his office, would he?"

"I don't think that's a good idea," His lover says and looks away. "He already has trust issues, if he finds out we broke in—"

"I'm not breaking in," Viktor cuts him off. "And you're staying here."

"What?"

"I'll go visit him, have a small conversation with him, and then I'll try to search for the crystals," He says and walks around Jayce in favor of fetching a glass with water. Jayce follows. "It’s better if I go on my own."

Jayce huffs. "And if he's not home?"

"I have a spare key. I'll let myself in and search—"

"And what am I to do? Wait here?"

Viktor turns to face his lover and raises an eyebrow at him. He thinks Jayce understand what he means to say. 

"Why? Why are you leaving me out of this?"

"I'm not leaving you out of this, I thought you were terrified of my father and his Poro?”

Jayce crosses his arms over his chest, defensively. "I'm not afraid of your father. His Poro, on the other hand..."

Viktor thinks for a moment, and then, "Let's have dinner with him, then."

"W-With Heimerdinger?"

"With his Poro," He replies, rolling his eyes. "Of course, with my father, Jayce," He huffs out a quiet chuckle. "It'll be the first time you have dinner with him, and you'll have the opportunity to prove yourself with your in-law."

Jayce narrows his eyes and then, as if an idea just occurred to him, he smiles and drops his arms to his sides. "Alright."

"Alright?" He finds himself asking, now nervous.

"Of course, I'll have to prove myself and then," He leans down to meet Viktor's eyes. "At the end of dinner, I'll ask formally for your hand—"

Viktor's breath catches in his throat, and he shoves Jayce out of his face playfully. "I no longer want you to come."

Jayce chuckles and says, "Too late."

"You invited yourself, that doesn't count. You're not coming, end of the story."

Jayce's chuckle fades eventually, and so does his smile. Viktor is about to ask what's wrong when Jayce speaks. "On a serious matter, though... Do you remember what day it is today?"

Viktor wants to smash his head on the wall when he looks at the calendar near the kitchen. "Progress Day. Maybe the dinner with your in-law can wait."

His lover beams at him and runs to take both his and Viktor's cloak from the entrance's coat hanger. He rushes back and asks, "Where're we going?"

"To enjoy the day, I suppose," He says. “I need to be presentable and in Shoola’s tent in about an hour. She’ll kill me; I’m late again.”

Viktor turns towards the elevator and grunts; he hates having to stand for hours on end on a tent with nosy people. They always ask questions they don’t need to know the answers of. And now, his expulsion from the Academy must have reached everyone’s ears; Shoola decided to remain his patron, Shoola should deal with them.

He sighs as he enters the bedroom and catches a glimpse of the uniform he used to wear to the Academy, hanging proudly in his closet still; he feels forlorn, and he had made a special effort not to think about how losing his place at the Academy made him feel. He had tried to distract himself from it, concentrating in their new lab, new projects and in Hextech's second phase, but at the very back of his mind, there was always a nagging feeling of sadness, of loss, of frustration and disappointment. Before Jayce, the Academy and his father was all he had; his very existence was tied to it, and he had made up his mind to devote himself to his studies from the very first moment he stepped foot on his Academy dorm. And now, he had given it all up for someone, something he didn't think he was capable of; and of course, a dream, childish as changing the world may be.

Something he promised himself after Jayce, though, was to not live with regrets. Giving up in his academic life was a huge price to pay, yes, but Hextech and regret didn't go in the same sentence; he knows they have the potential to change the world, and they won't stop now that they're close to a breakthrough. And who knows, perhaps they'll even find investors today, with Shoola's help.

He startles out of his turmoil of thoughts when Jayce knocks on the bedroom door to catch his attention; he turns to find his lover leaning against the doorframe.

"Everything alright?"

Viktor huffs and takes out his uniform. "Eh, could be better. Would it be a mistake to put this on?"

Jayce frowns at the uniform. "I think so. We don't belong there anymore, angel."

Viktor sighs and looks to the side, hanging the uniform back in place. He then looks at a dark brown suit his father bought him many years ago, and at the ivory lace cravat that goes with it; he pulls it out and says, "What about this?"

"Now we're talking," Jayce says and takes the clothing hanger from his hands; how and when Jayce approached goes beyond him. "How come I never really saw you wearing this?"

"I don’t like wearing suits; they make me feel pretentious."

"A shame. I bet you look beautiful with it," His lover says, off-handedly and still distracted by the cravat, and Viktor finds his pulse quickening. Then, "Do you have a green suit? I think it'll compliment you even better."

"And what're you going to wear?" He asks and searches his lover's eyes. “We can… match?”

Jayce pretends the suit is the most interesting thing in existence.

"Jayce?"

"I'm not sure I'm going, angel." Jayce admits, quietly, and places the suit carefully over the bed. 

"I'm afraid you have no choice, as I was planning to drag you there anyways," Viktor says, equally quietly, and looks back at Jayce's side of the closet. It's almost empty in that aspect, logically, as they didn’t plan to buy fancy clothes, but he thinks they have time to buy him something to wear. He is already late, so what're thirty more minutes? "You seemed eager to leave a few moments ago. You even asked where are we going? I assumed you were coming with me."

Jayce sighs. "I am. I just don't think I'm welcomed in Shoola's tent, so I don't need something nice to wear."

"Too bad. We're partners; if she wants me there, she'll have to get used to your presence. Let's get you something nice, yes?"

"No, no. What are you thinking? Didn't you say you were late?"

Viktor hums. "I think red suits you. Or navy blue. Oh! I know, cream. I like the way the uniform looks on you, so cream it is."

"Viktor."

"You don't like cream? How about a red one, then? If we hurry, we can catch the tailor down the street before he, too, leaves for the Progress Day celebration—"

"Viktor." 

He takes a deep breath and looks at his lover. "What's the matter?"

“We can’t afford something like that, not now.”

“Nonsense. Part of Shoola’s funding is meant for this kind of things,” He pauses and looks at his part of the closet once more. “I’m sure she wouldn’t want us to wear something old and outdated today, specially if she plans on announcing something related to Hextech; not Hextech, per sé, but something to leave the masses speculating about us. Two young prodigies, in the pursuit of something great.”

Jayce huffs. “Two young prodigies, in the pursuit of something great…” He trails off and looks to the side; Viktor looks back at is lover and frowns softly. “You hate being late, though. Buying a suit will take time, and getting it tailored like you wanted to—”

“We’re already late, what’re thirty more minutes?” 

“It’s not going to take thirty minutes.”

Viktor sighs. “They won’t be waiting for me, I have time,” He takes a deep breath and says, “If you don’t want to go, it’s alright. I can make an excuse, when they ask where the other young prodigy is.”

“I want to be there, with you, but people talk—”

“What is it that has you worried, about what they’ll say?” He asks and tries to stifle down the defensiveness in his tone. “Your family? Us?”

Jayce looks like he’s been struck, suddenly pale, as if he realized something he hadn’t considered. “My family is going to be there.”

“Well, of course. They’ll have their own tent, like every year…” Viktor trails off, and thinks he understands what Jayce’s worry is about. “Your family’s forge is something to be proud of, specially since it was built in the Undercity, where the struggles are far more concerning than Topside.”

“I—” Jayce stutters. “I am proud of my parents and what they’ve accomplished. But people always have a way of making me feel like I’m on my parent’s coattails instead of doing something for myself. That’s why you rarely ever saw me in my parent’s tent, years prior.”

“Well, now the young prodigy is making something of his own, isn’t that something to be proud of?” He asks and walks to where his lover is standing; he cups his cheek to say, “You’re going to be on a different tent, too. They’ll see for themselves that you’re not on your parent’s coattails; they’ll talk differently now.”

Jayce sighs and leans into his palm; his pulse quickens as he feels Jayce’s lips pressing a kiss to the inside of his wrist. “Yeah, maybe you’re right, as usual,” Then, “I love you.”

Such a common occurrence and yet, his heart skips a beat like the first time he heard it. “I love you, too. Will you let me gift you a suit, then?”

“Maybe,” Jayce huffs. “For now, though, I do have a suit.”

Viktor frowns and looks back at the closet; he spots a white jacket at the very back. “Hm. Try it on, then.”

As his lover leaves to try the suit on, he’s left with his own suit and a certain reluctance to try it on; his father chose the color to match Shoola’s tent, and he thinks it looks good on him, but immediately relates the suit with the masses. Of course, all the suit brings is apathy and reluctance to put it on. He sighs and starts dressing, sitting on the bed to pull his pants on and strap the knee brace in place. He gives himself a once-over in one of the full-body mirrors and looks away quickly; it should suffice, after he fixes his hair.

The door to the bathroom opens and he’s rendered speechless; he turns around to properly see Jayce, and swallows. The suit’s jacket accentuates his broad shoulders perfectly, while the black cummerbund and pants make a nice job at hugging his narrow hips and give a favorable contrast to the look, alongside the black bowtie. The white shirt underneath will probably need some ironing, but Viktor finds he thinks Jayce looks perfect just like this.

Jayce fiddles with the cufflink, and he doesn’t look up when he rambles on. “I bought this suit long ago, even before I started playing rugby. I wasn’t sure if it would fit, and I think it’s a tad tight but if you like the way it looks—”

“You look—” He starts and swallows once more, his mouth suddenly dry. “You are beautiful, Jayce.”

Jayce looks up and meets his eyes; his breath seems to catch in his throat, and Viktor finds himself fiddling with his cufflinks, too, the longer his lover stares and says nothing.

“Does it look that bad? I wear it yearly, but it seems I’ve lost weight this year and—”

“No, no. It’s just—” His lover walks closer and brushes a rebellious strand of hair behind his ear. “You look heavenly, angel.”

Viktor huffs and looks away. “Flatterer.” 

“I mean it,” Jayce insists and kisses his forehead. “You look—”

He chuckles, nervously, and cuts him off. “Let's just go, yeah? We’re already late.”

Jayce huffs, too, but lets it slide. 

 

Viktor leaves the house feeling like it'll be a long, long day.

Chapter 6: Heart made of gold

Notes:

this fandom is so kind 🥹

i appreciate each and every one of you

Viktor is ten minutes in when he thinks about taking Jayce's hand and getting out of there. 

The condescending gazes, the grimaces and the huffs are far too much to bear with, especially since most —if not all— are directed at Jayce; he wonders how this kind of people carry on with their lives, really, because they take one look at his lover and feel better with themselves, as if they personally know Jayce and have the certainty that whatever Jayce has done, they've done ten times better. They know nothing; about his lover, the struggles he's had, and the ones that are to come. And yet, they think they do, as they smile at Viktor and glare or grimace at Jayce. 

And they only smile at Viktor because he has a patron, and a name. Nothing really related to him.

He wishes he could do something about it, but Jayce stops him every time he tries; it feels like Jayce is taking their side in fsvor of not making a big deal about it, and Viktor feels his blood boiling. He does, however, alert the enforcer outside Shoola’s tent in hopes they do something about it.

Viktor takes one look at Shoola and knows she's not happy with Jayce's presence, either; he knows Shoola's inconformity has nothing to do with Jayce being from the Undercity, but rather with the fact that she is, officially, only Viktor's patron, and if that wasn't already troublesome enough, he can't imagine what two expelled students inside her tent might do. Wonders for her, if he were to consider the crowd around her. She’s probably using her “benevolence” —taking two expelled students under her wing, to guide them and fund their independent studies— to her advantage, looking for even more investors and things to invest in, too; Viktor hopes she’s looking for a way to get the crystals, while she’s at it.

Viktor feels a little tug on the back of his suit jacket and doesn't even need to turn around to know who it is; he ends the conversation with the young woman he was speaking with and turns around. 

“What’s the matter, love?” He whispers and searches for Jayce’s eyes. Jayce looks alarmed for a moment, and he supposes it has to do with the term of endearment; he sighs and looks away.

“I’m— um,” Jayce stutters. “I’m going to my parent’s tent for a while. I was wondering if you wanted to come?”

Viktor blinks several times and says, “I’d love to, but what for?”

“Well, you know,” His lover says, nervously and avoiding his eyes. “Y-Your brace should be um, a nice way to introduce a new chapter of our forge.”

He looks down at said brace and takes a deep breath. "That's actually an amazing idea; I'll let Shoola know, wait for me there, yes?"

Jayce nods and finally looks at him in the eye; he then looks down at his lips and sighs. "Yeah, okay. I'll go then."

As he watches Jayce leave the tent, he thinks about the variety of people there are inside the tent; the probability of someone having the crystals for sale is high, or at least he thinks it is, and he decides that Shoola doesn't really need him here anymore. He pushes his way through the crowd until he reaches Shoola, and she smiles kindly at him when she spots him. 

"I'm sure many of you know, but Viktor's expulsion from the Academy was quite unfair and unnecessary; the way I see it, the Academy is afraid of Progress, and thus they expelled Viktor and his partner, prohibiting them from giving their marvelous creation continuity and, consequently, stopping the progress this city needs," She pauses and places her delicate hand on his upper back, as if to emphasize her point. Viktor feels everyone's eyes on him and thinks he's going to be sick; the tent suddenly feels cramped, smaller, and the air seems to not be enough as she continues, "If you decide to believe in progress, if you call yourself a citizen of the city of progress, you'll be investing in us; soon, Viktor and Jayce will show us all true progress, and give this city the prosperity it needs. Invest in Hextech, and you'll be investing in the future of Piltover!"

A round of applause can be heard, alongside excited and skeptical whispers alike; Viktor looks at Shoola, and she nods at him, as if to say it's alright, leave this to me. He has a feeling they're not talking about the same thing, but leaves the tent either way.

 

He takes a deep breath as he stops for directions with an enforcer, and he tries not to grunt in frustration as the enforcer indicates the Talis Forge's tent is all the way down the street and in the opposite direction in which he was headed; he takes a moment to catch his breath and looks down at the brace. While it does provide support, it logically does little about his pain, and he wishes it could do both; provide support while getting rid of his pain.

Then, he recalls a conversation he had with Jayce, right before Heimerdinger called off their experimentation within Academy grounds:

"Do you think we can... augment physiology?"

It had been a comment in passing, really, but if Hextech becomes what they want it to, it will be possible; through prosthetics and braces like the ones he and now Ximena wear, they might be able to help people who need it. It won't be augmentations in physiology as such, but certainly a big help. Or perhaps… they’ll find a way to mix Hextech and the physiology of the person in need?

With renewed resignation, he turns to walk in the right direction when he sees Jayce's broad shoulders in the distance; he sighs in relief and thinks about approaching, but spots Mel's unmistakable golden armor right next to him. He thinks nothing of it at first, but as he makes his way over, he hears the hushed tones and urgency in both of their voices; he tries to stay out of view as he walks through the crowd to make out what they're saying, and he does so by hiding on a nearby tent.

"I understand it is a scary thought, but imagine the equipment we would be able to give our enforcers with this technology of yours," Mel mutters, now exasperated, and he hears Jayce huff in disbelief. "I'm not talking only about weapons, Jayce; think about armors, how much safer their work would be if they had proper equipment to work with—"

"They're already scary enough," Jayce cuts her off. "Think about the children. Enforcers are supposed to make the citizens of Piltover feel safe around them, but tell me: when you see an enforcer, do you feel safe? Do you think they're approachable? Would you approach one, if you needed their assistance?"

Mel huffs, too, and says, "Enforcers are not here to seem approachable, they're here to make justice. They're not meant to be amicable-looking, Jayce. And if that's what's bothering you, perhaps we can design a different kind of armor or enhance the one they already wear, so they don’t look any scarier; that's not what matters here. Their weapons, on the other hand—"

"I’ll give the armor part some thought, but we are not enhancing weapons with Hextech, much less creating them,” Then, the sound of a multiple papers falling. He wants to believe it was a stack of papers Mel wanted to hand Jayce, but that his lover refused to even read. “If you want in, you're going to have to consider our demands first. We're not here to please anyone but the people in need, Mel; this technology is Viktor’s and mine, and even if you’re part of the Council now, we make the calls, not you and your cabinet positions.”

Viktor holds his breath and decides it is the time for him to intervene; he peeks out of his hiding spot and calls, "Jayce, there you are," He says, a little winded due to the conversation he overheard, and to make a show of looking for his lover everywhere. Then, "I've been looking for you."

Jayce looks as relieved as he, presumably, does; Mel, on the other hand, looks a little annoyed by the interruption.

"Angel, finally. Did you get lost? I should've waited for you—"

"Nonsense, I'm here now," He says as Jayce walks to meet him halfway; Mel then sighs and smiles at him, as if she wasn't about to strangle his lover had he not intervened. While he understands both postures, he is more inclined to Jayce's, of course, sticking to their original goal. "Mel, always a pleasure to see you." He says and hopes his tone is not bitter enough to be noticeable; she remains unfazed, so perhaps it is only noticeable to Jayce's ears. 

"Likewise," She replies, ever elegantly, and gestures towards Jayce. "A shame, truly, that you have to snatch him away. We were having a very interesting conversation regarding Hextech; and I'd love to have a chat with you, too, when possible."

"Of course," He says and tries to mimic her polite smile. "Now, if you'll excuse us, we have somewhere else to be."

Jayce offers his arm for him to latch onto, and they walk away, if only a little tense; he thinks Jayce knows he overheard, but neither make a comment on it, even after they are out of Mel's earshot.

They finally get to the Talis' tent and Viktor feels like he can breathe easy again.

"What was that about?" He mutters, avoiding his lover's eyes. "Weapons? We haven't even created our first prototype and she's asking for weapons? What do we even want weapons for? We're not at war, and I think the enforcers' uniforms are more than enough."

Jayce sighs and leaves his side in favor of bringing a chair over for Viktor to sit on. His heart warms a little, and it would be something much more appreciated if what Mel said didn't take up the forefront of his mind at the moment.

His lover waits for him to sit down to whisper, "I'm as confused as you are. I suppose this urgency has something to do with very personal matters she rarely speaks about; something about her mother, I think. But why push this on us? She's a councilor now, she has the power to make those changes if she finds them worthy; why ask this of us, knowing we won't build weapons or enhance the ones in existence?"

"I don't know," He says and feels his breath catch in his throat as he sees Ximena and Ivar at the center of the tent, smiling and speaking with a bunch of clients; he finds himself wishing Jayce and him had opened a forge, too, instead of something as complicated as magic-enhanced technology. Then, "She knows the potential we have, then; she just needs to understand our goals, what we mean to do with Hextech, instead of interposing her own. I’m assuming this is what you meant when you said she was ambitious…?"

"Not quite. I didn't think she'd make demands, too, but here we are," His lover says and Viktor sighs. "I'm glad you intervened when you did."

"Who knows what would've happened if I hadn't," He mutters and shortly after leans on his cane to stand. "What do you need me to do?"

Jayce frowns. "I only need you to look pretty, though that comes naturally to you; my parents will do the rest."

Viktor huffs and places his cane over his lap. "What did they say about your blackeye? I suppose they weren't happy about it."

"Well, my father was quite worried. My mother, on the other hand, asked me not to go to the Undercity ever again and threatened to give me a blackeye herself if she found out I did behind their backs.”

“Hm. I like her; we see eye to eye.”

Jayce huffs. “My own lover betrays me. What, are you going to hold me down while she punches my face?”

He thinks for a moment and hears Jayce’s chuckle. “If it comes down to it, then yes,” He pauses and takes a deep breath as Ximena and Ivar look their way; they motion him over, and he takes his cane to stand. “On a serious note, though, I’m afraid your visits to the Undercity will have to be less often. Monthly, perhaps.”

Jayce offers him his arm and he takes it graciously; then, “How about weekly?”

“Monthly.”

“Every two weeks?”

Viktor shakes his head as they make their way to the centre of the tent. “Every two months it is.”

“Okay, okay. Monthly.”

"There' something I've been meaning to ask, but this is not the right moment to do so," He says and stands proudly besides Ximena; he mutters in Jayce's general direction, "I'll ask later, yes?"

Jayce nods and leaves the tent momentarily, for some unknown reason; he's left with his lover's parents and a bunch of curious people that gather around the three of them. Ximena starts explaining how the general idea of creating prothesis and braces to improve people's lives started when Jayce's friend drafted something for her, and how that greatly influenced the new chapter in their forge, how she appreciates the thoughtfulness behind that action and how she'll always be in debt with him; Ivar then proceeds to talk about his brace, how it was designed by Jayce, and how the future of their forge looks, the projects already underway and the accesible prices for them to be available for almost everyone who needs them.

And Viktor would try to elaborate on his answers further, when questions are directed his way, if the word friend hadn't stuck with him; and it hurt even more, coming from Ximena herself. He keeps up with the smiles and polite replies until the crowd dwindles, and takes the opportunity to sit down in the chair Ivar pulled close to where they were standing for him.

He sighs, quietly, and sags a little on the chair; Ivar notices his change in attitude and seems confused himself as to why Ximena said friend, but makes no comment on it. Instead, he pats his shoulder and sighs, too. Viktor can tell Ivar wants to say something else, perhaps make him feel a little better, but is called by an investor soon after. 

That leaves Ximena and him on the tent, alone. Viktor makes an effort not to look her way, but it becomes impossible when she stands in front of him, worry etched to her expression. He's not sure whether she realizes the mistake she made or if she's worried because she doesn't, but he meets her eyes and can't help the unpleasant way his chest seizes.

"I hope you can forgive me once more, Viktor," She mutters as Jayce re-enters the tent; she doesn't seem to notice him walking towards them when she adds, "I know you two aren't friends, but it was to protect both of you. We don't really know who it is that attacked Jayce, and it seemed targeted; what if they were here, in this tent, trying to find out how to hurt Jayce in many other ways? I can't risk—"

"Friends?" Jayce asks; Ximena startles and steps back a little, allowing Jayce to look at Viktor. Judging by his lover's expression, Viktor's face must say a lot. "What are you talking about? You rehearsed your speech with me, and there wasn't anything about friends. There was the word partners in your speech, but not friends."

Ximena takes a deep breath and looks at her son, saying, "I'm afraid there were some last-minute changes; it was for the best, Jayce. I want you to think about what I said a few hours ago; this attack was directed specifically at you. It wasn't a random crime, much less a normal robbery. Please understand—"

"That's ridiculous," He says, exasperated, and offers his hand for Viktor to take. Viktor finds himself caught between his lover's and Ximena's pleading eyes, and he has to look away with the intensity of both. Then, "Let's go home, yeah? Or to Shoola's. Somewhere people actually see you have a special place in my life you belong to."

Ivar's voice looms inside the tent as he calls Jayce's name like a warning. Jayce's hand doesn't waver as he keeps it extended for Viktor to take.

Viktor takes a deep breath and takes the hand that's offered to him, looping his arm with Jayce's for support. 

They walk out of the tent as tense as they initially walked in, and Viktor feels like he just lost something, like he left something behind, inside the tent; he takes one look at his lover and thinks that Jayce feels the same.

 

The rest of the day passes by in a blur, and Viktor sighs as they finally make it back home. He has a feeling Jayce wants to be alone for a while, but feels reluctant to leave him on his own.

He places his hand on Jayce's arm and says, "Do you want something to eat? We haven't really eaten anything other than what Shoola bought for us, and it's been quite a while."

Jayce shakes his head, and Viktor's heart seizes unpleasantly when he realizes his lover's eyes are glossy.

He guides Jayce to sit down on the loveseat by the lounge, and he does so without complain. Viktor remains standing in favor of taking his lover’s suit jacket off; he places it by the armrest in the sofa, and soon, his own suit jacket follows.

He startles when Jayce buries his face in his chest, but soon wraps his arms around him, one hand cradling the back of his lover’s head while the other rests over Jayce’s upper back.

“I’m sorry.”

Jayce shakes his head and hugs him a little tighter. “I don’t know why she did that. It doesn’t make sense.”

A beat of silence, and then, “She must’ve had her reasons. We really don’t know anything about your attack—”

“Please don’t,” Jayce mutters. “Not you.”

Viktor sighs and hugs his lover closer. “It feels like all this dream of ours does is take, take and take. The Academy, the place we used to live in, our lab, rugby, my position as one of the Heads of the Student Council, the access to the Academy’s library, the quality time you used to spend with your friends in the Undercity, our parent’s approval… Should I go on?”

His lover huffs, wetly, and says, “I think I get it. And all of the arguments we’ve had…”

Viktor looks down at his lover and whispers, “Those have only served to bring us closer, don’t you think?”

Jayce looks up at him. “Yeah. You’re right; you truly are all I have, now. I really wish… this dream didn’t just take. When will it give us something?”

Viktor hums. “Soon, my love, soon.”

 

---

 

Unfortunately, that soon seems to be taking forever. Another week goes by, and it’s finally time to try the faceting machine.

Viktor is fast asleep when he feels Jayce nudging his side; he grumbles and turns around, groaning when his right leg complains of the position. He shifts until he finds a comfortable spot and sighs when Jayce pulls him a tad closer, nosing at his nape.

“C’mon Vik, wake up,” Jayce mutters, and his voice sounds so lulling Viktor’s tempted to fall asleep once again. “We have to try the faceting machine.”

Viktor hums and opens his eyes, disoriented at first; when looks for the clock on his nightstand, it reads 6:09 am. When Jayce feels him move, he quickly pushes the covers aside and sits on the mattress’ edge; Viktor, on the contrary, pulls the covers closer to his side and wraps himself with them.

“Jayce—”

“It's early, we can seize the day and—”

Viktor props himself on his elbows and looks at his lover. “I’m usually a morning person, love, but today is not one of those days. It’s 6 in the morning, and we went to sleep late last night.”

His lover huffs and stands, getting dressed rather quickly with whatever clothes he discarded on the floor last night. Viktor frowns as he finds the shirt Jayce is wearing to be a tad more tight than it usually is; he narrows his eyes in the relative darkness to find it’s his, not Jayce’s.

“Well, while you get ready and all, I can go to fetch something from Benzo’s—” Then, as if realizing his mistake, Jayce freezes on his way to the bathroom.

Viktor huffs and pushes the covers aside, siting on the edge of the bed and taking his cane to stand. “I knew it,” He hesitates and sighs, his cane in his hand as he sits back down. “What do you even need to go there for? We have the crystals and the machine here, what could you possibly need from Benzo?”

Jayce sighs. “He may or may not have found a crystal…” 

He turns around to face his lover so quickly the room spins. “What?”

“Yeah. He’s hosting an auction of sorts, I need to be the highest bidder.”

“An auction?” Viktor asks and doesn’t really wait for an answer. “Take me with you.” 

“Angel—”

Viktor stands, now resolutely, and feels his way around the room to hopefully find something decent to dress up with. He finds a loose shirt and some pants and puts them on in favor of catching up with his lover; he then follows Jayce into the bathroom and says, “You better not be thinking about going there on your own. We talked about this; I asked you not to visit the Undercity often, that you did it monthly, and it certainly hasn’t even been a week since I asked. I understand getting the crystal is important for us, but it’s either you take me or you don’t and we miss this opportunity.”

“I can’t take you with me,” Jayce mutters and looks at him. “It’s too dangerous—”

“Dangerous how, exactly?”

“You saw what happened to me.”

“And that’s exactly why I don’t want you to go on your own,” Viktor says, and hates to ask this of Jayce but adds, regardless, “We’re taking an enforcer with us.”

Jayce looks at him as if he’s officially gone mad. “What? Benzo would kill me himself if I bring an enforcer with me, specially if he’s hosting an illegal auction in the Undercity.”

“No one will know it’s an enforcer; they won’t be wearing a uniform and it’s just for safety matters. It’s our safety we’re talking about,” He pauses. “Are we going, love? I have to notify them beforehand—”

Jayce huffs and shakes his head, leaning against the sink. “I think that’s not necessary—”

“And I think you don’t understand how important your safety is for me,” He sighs and moves to stand beside Jayce; Jayce doesn’t meet his eyes as he says, “You’ve said, in more than one occasion, that I’m all you have; well, the same goes for me. You’re the only person I can truly rely on, Jayce, and the last thing I want is to lose you. Your wounds might’ve not been life-threatening this time, but I don’t want to take any risks."

"We can't take an enforcer to the Undercity, angel. We do that, we put a target in our backs—"

"The enforcer will keep a safe distance and will be asked dress like us; no one will even know—” Viktor cuts him off.

“And what good would it do, if the enforcer has to be stripped from their weapons as soon as we enter the auction? Do you think they won’t search us to bid?”

"They’re not only trained to use weapons, surely they undergo hand-in-hand combat training, too. They can even bid, if needed. Actually, that's a great idea; the three of us can bid separately, and hopefully that will give us advantage. I'll talk to one of the enforcers, I doubt they'll refuse."

Jayce grabs his arm and stops him from walking away. Viktor frowns. 

"The enforcers that guard your house aren't your friends, angel," Jayce mutters, annoyed. "If you ask one of them to bid in an illegal auction in the Undercity, what do you think they'll do, hm? Go along with it? They're not even your bodyguards, they shouldn't go down there; in fact, they shouldn’t even move from this property. Heimerdinger posted them here for your safety. You can't go around asking them for favors, either, and this certainly weighs far more than a mere favor."

"I'm no idiot, Jayce. I am aware that they are not my friends," He says and yanks his arm free from Jayce's hold. "But they might be able to accompany us to the Undercity if I ask. Okay, they won't bid or even enter Benzo's shop if you don’t want them to. But I do need us to get in and out of there safely. Why don't you understand what I'm trying to do here? Do you think I want to put a target on our backs? That I want Benzo to hate us and kick us out of his shop indefinitely? Or maybe you think I want to miss the opportunity to have the crystal he found?"

"No, of course not. But I can handle it on my own."

"Oh, like you did two weeks ago?" He asks and immediately regrets the words that leave his mouth; Jayce looks away from him, and Viktor's eyes travel to the green-purplish bruise underneath Jayce's eye, and then, up to the mostly healed cut on his eyebrow. "I know you don't like enforcers, but perhaps…"

“And what would your excuse be? You’ve clearly never visited the Undercity, so what could you possibly say for the enforcer to agree to come with us?”

Viktor thinks for a moment. “Perhaps just tell them we’ll visit one of your relatives; I clearly cannot tell them we’re getting illegal equipment, so I’ll just come up with something if you agree.”

"If I agree to take you with me, would you stop insisting with the enforcers?"

Viktor huffs. "It's not me or the enforcer, Jayce. It's you, the enforcer and me, or just you and me."

"With the way you were speaking, the just you and me didn't seem to be an option," Jayce replies and looks to the side. “Still, the enforcer—”

"Just you and me, then," He sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose with his free hand. "Meet me downstairs?"

Jayce sighs, too, and says, "Yeah. I won't forget my cloak this time, if it makes you feel any better.”

“Hm. It does very little to calm my nerves,” He says and can’t help the smile that slips past his lips; Jayce beams at him, but before he can say anything else, Viktor adds, “Now go. Prepare whatever it is we need to take with us. I need…” He looks down at himself and sighs. “To get dressed. This shirt is not even mine.”

“And you need to eat,” Jayce says, seemingly off-handedly, as he walks towards the door; he puts a hand on the doorway and looks back at him to whisper, “I’ve um— I’ve noticed you eat less, lately. I didn’t know how to address it—”

“I’m fine,” Viktor says. “It’s nothing to worry about. I’m a slow eater, so eating takes a lot of valuable time; hence why I decided to eat a little less, to save time. I didn’t think it’d be noticeable.”

Jayce thinks for a moment, just staring at him with worry etched on his face. “Well, we’re in no hurry. We have time. The auction starts at 11 pm; I wanted to see if I could convince Benzo of selling the crystal to us directly, but since we’re going to bid for it, we have all the time in the world, right?”

Viktor huffs as he recalls that conversation, and says, “And why wake me up at 6 in the morning? The auction is in about sixteen hours.”

“In my defense, convincing Benzo to sell it to us was going to take time, that’s why I wanted to go this early. And it was going to be practically impossible,” He pauses. “What do you want to eat? There’s bread or fruit, and there’s sweetmilk in the fridge.”

He grunts. 

“Sweetmilk and bread it is.” Jayce huffs, fondly.

“If you say so. And I bet you could’ve convinced Benzo,” Viktor says as he moves to walk past Jayce and towards the closet. He regards the clothes on his side of the closet as he adds, “I think you underestimate your loquacity and silver tongue, love. And combined with how much Benzo likes you…”

Jayce follows and stands behind him to whisper, “I used to take care of several kids in the Undercity when I visited, being the oldest and all; his kid was one of them, though he handles himself pretty well. I suppose that he does like me a lot.”

Viktor hums and takes a shirt; he hears Jayce’s huff before he even pulls it out of the closet. “What?”

“You need to blend in if you want to come,” Jayce pulls something out of his own part of the closet, regards it, and hands it to Viktor. “The moment you step foot in the Undercity, they’ll know you’re not from there.”

“That’s— just how will they know?”

Jayce sighs. “Let’s just say you carry yourself differently.”

“Different how? What are you talking about?”

“It’s not necessarily a bad thing, angel, it’s just that it’s clear you aren’t from the Undercity,” He pauses and takes one of Viktor’s old pants. He hands them to him, too. “That and your cloak should suffice. Get dressed, yeah? I’ll get the things ready now.”

Whatever he was about to reply dies on his lips as Jayce leaves the room far too quickly; he looks down at the clothes in his hand and shrugs, taking off the ones he was wearing in favor of putting on the ones Jayce chose for him. He sighs and takes his old shoes from the closet to put them on; he then straps the knee brace in place and fixes his hair near one of the mirrors. 

The elevator’s doors open and he steps out to find Jayce by the entrance, a huge backpack resting by the door. Viktor shrugs and takes the hand that's offered to him; Jayce steers him towards the kitchen and he sighs, following suit.

They sit at the table to eat their breakfast in silence, and he finds his thoughts wandering to the time they talked about having dinner with Heimerdinger; while it was certainly an experience, having Jayce telling him he’d ask for his hand formally and all, he finds he’s more drawn to the part where he said he’d steal the crystals if needed. Would he be able to steal from his father, if Jayce distracted him for long enough? Would he be able to look into his father’s eyes after doing so? Would he be able to lie to his father’s face, if he was to be confronted about it?

Jayce’s knee nudges his own, and he looks up at his lover as he eats unworriedly; he’s glad Jayce doesn’t bear this kind of burdens. Or maybe he does, but doesn’t really ponder on them for as long as Viktor does; he wishes all of this could happen a little quicker, that he could see results instead of just losses when it comes to Hextech, so believing in it would be a little easier the longer they stall.

Viktor looks down at his plate to realize he’s eaten the entirety of the bread Jayce put on his plate, along with the sweetmlik. He sighs and pats the knee that had previously, if only accidentally, nudged his own and stands. Jayce himself looks a little surprised, but makes no comment as he, too, stands and they make their way to the kitchen. He makes quick work of the dishes and feels Jayce’s hands on his shoulders; he then proceeds to steer him back towards the door, and Viktor can quite literally feel the excitement emanating from his lover.

“We’re going now?” Viktor asks as Jayce puts his backpack on. “I thought the auction was in fifteen hours—”

“It is,” Jayce comments off-handedly, struggling to find the other strap of the backpack; he helps him with it, and Jayce adds, “But we’re making a quick stop. Well, not quick. We might need to visit Powder, I promised I would long ago.”

Viktor blinks several times as Jayce holds the door for him. Then, “Powder? We’re babysitting Powder? What are we going to do if her guardian isn’t back by the time the auction starts?”

Jayce chuckles. “You worry too much. And we’re not babysitting, we’re visiting both her guardian and her.”

 

---

 

He thinks Jayce was overreacting when he said the Undercity was too dangerous; they took the bathysphere without much hassle, walked down a few dark alleys that had mossy walls and pipes everywhere, and made it to a cozy looking building named “The Last Drop.” In their way there, he might’ve seen one single fight and a few drunk people; nothing really struck him as dangerous.

Though upon entering the building, that changed.

It wasn’t the atmosphere, really, but the people inside and the way they looked at Viktor; are they able to tell he’s Piltovan, like Jayce had said?

He swallows and makes no eye contact, gripping Jayce’s shirt like a lifeline. Jayce takes him by the hand and guides him to the counter at the very end, where a very tall and broad man with a full beard and a frown etched to his face dries off a couple of glasses.

The frown fades from his face as soon as he spots Jayce.

“J, glad you made it,” The bartender says and places down the rag and the glasses. Then, “Powder’s at the back, has been askin’ for you since the very moment you left.”

Jayce chuckles. “I know, but I sort of… got attacked, on my way back Topside. I couldn’t come back for two weeks.”

The man frowns and leans forward, placing both hands on the counter between them. “Why did you not tell me before? Who was it?”

“I’m not sure, they were wearing cloaks and it was dark and I couldn’t really see—”

“Who, Jayce?”

Jayce sighs and gives his hand a squeeze; his breath catches in his throat as his lover mutters, “I think one of Silco’s guys was amongst them.”

Viktor feels the knot in his throat tighten. “You did know who they are. Why didn’t you tell me so I could inform the enforcers?” He asks and realizes what he’s done after everyone inside the bar turns to look at him. He shrinks under everyone’s gaze and holds Jayce’s hand tighter. 

“The… enforcers?” The bartender asks in a soft voice, and Viktor steps closer to Jayce. “Oh. Why don’t we take this outside, yeah?”

He walks around the tables with his gaze glued to the floor, while Jayce glares at everyone who stares at him longer than he considers necessary; the tall man guides them outside, and only after safely closing the door, he says, “A topsider? What is he doin’ here?”

“We’re bidding in Benzo’s auction,” Jayce replies pulling him closer. “We need the crystal, Vander.”

“An auction? In Benzo’s?” Vander asks and crosses his arms over his chest. “What crystal? Why was I not informed of this? You know what consequences an auction like this can bring."

"I know, but this time is different."

"Different how? We don’t know if Silco—”

“He wouldn’t,” Jayce intervenes. “Very few know what the crystal is capable of, most of them don’t understand—”

“A crystal, you say,” Vander thinks for a moment. “What could you possibly need it for? If no one understands, why are you risking your life for it?”

“Because we understand the potential it has,” Jayce whispers. “Viktor and I are the only ones who understand how to use the crystal, and how dangerous it can be in the wrong hands. We need it, Vander.”

Vander sighs. "Why would they even bid for it? You just said very few understand what it does. What makes you think they'll take a liking into the crystal?"

Jayce huffs. "We know Silco has eyes everywhere; don't you think notice of a crystal capable of channeling the arcane might have reached his ears by now?"

"What?" Vander asks and huffs, too, as if he doesn't believe what Jayce said. "Jayce, this fantasy of yours is getting out of hands. I thought I talked you out of it—"

"You weren't there, Vander, I've seen with my very own eyes what this magic can do."

"Magic cannot be created; hell, i’m not sure it even exists, Jayce," Vander says, and Viktor knows he doesn't mean to hurt Jayce when he says, "And I doubt two young fellas can invoke magic with a bloody shiny stone. I've told you, countless times before, to stop aiming for things that are beyond your abilities. I am proud of you, but this madness? It has to stop."

Jayce remains silent for a few moments, and Viktor can see the way Vander realizes he's hurt him far more than he thought he would.

Then, "You have been a mentor for a lot of kids in the Undercity, including my own, Jayce. Many of them, if not all, look up to you; and with reason. You have a heart made of gold, and I don't want you to lose it. This dream of yours is something impossible; you'll only lose yourself in this, and now, you've dragged someone else into it.”

Vander looks at Viktor, and he finds he has to look away.

“I’m not going to lie to you, Vander. We’ve lost very important things and people in our lives; but we’re too close to a breakthrough to stop now,” Jayce pauses. “We need that crystal. And we'll use it for good.”

“The road to hell is paved with good intentions,” Vander says. “And what you do with the crystal is not what worries me at the moment; what you’ve got to lose is. All you’ve probably lost by now, and what you’ll continue to lose,” He pauses and sighs, dropping his arms to his sides. “People lose themselves in their ideologies and dreams; I’ve seen it first hand. I don’t want for that to happen to either of you. Think about Viktor here, what he's given up for this, and what you have given up; is it worth it?"

Jayce looks like he doesn’t know what to say, and Viktor says, “I’m sure it will be, eventually. I like to think of it as an investment, one that will eventually produce results. If we give up now, all of that will be in vain. And we won’t lose ourselves; we intend to follow the road we're currently on to make a change. I don’t know who this Silco is, or what the madness you’re talking about is, either, but I can assure you we need that crystal to make all the losses worth it.”

Vander sighs, and Jayce asks, defensively, “What’re you suggesting? That we miss this opportunity? That all we’ve lost goes to waste?” 

A beat of silence.

“No,” Comes the quiet reply. “I can’t ask that of you. You’ve always had a thick skull; it'd be pointless. All I ask of you now is that you don’t lose yourselves and whatever goal it is that you have in mind, don’t ever lose sight of it. And protect those closest to you.”

Jayce sighs, too. “I knew you’d understand, eventually.”

Vander huffs and says, “Be careful, in the auction; and tell Benzo I want to have a chat with him, yeah?”

Jayce beams at Vander before the bartender extends his hand to shake; Jayce takes it and Vander pulls him into a tight hug. Viktor looks away and stands there, fiddling with his cane. Before he even gets the chance to do anything else, he gets pulled into an equally tight hug; as soon as he is freed, he takes a few seconds to catch his breath.

Suddenly, the back door opens, slowly and with a screech, and two big grayish eyes peek from behind it; Jayce chuckles and opens his arms, and a little girl with blue hair runs to hug him. Vander ruffles the little girl’s hair and re-enters the bar, leaving them both with who he supposes is Powder.

“How have you been?” Jayce says, leaning down to meet her eyes. “How’s Vi? Milo, Claggor?”

“We’ve been alright,” She mutters and looks at Viktor with curiosity. “Who is he? Is he the Viktor you won’t stop yapping about?”

Jayce huffs and ruffles her hair, too. “He is. What did you have in mind for today, hm?”

Powder thinks for a moment and says, “I wanted to show you something I did.”

Before Jayce gets the chance to do anything else, Powder starts tugging him back inside; Jayce offers his arm, not budging with the insistent tugging, and Viktor gladly takes it. She guides them through the back door towards an old wooden door, one that she pushes open with a creek; she hops down the stairs, tugging Jayce with her, and Jayce makes sure he’s able to walk down the stairs on his own before relenting and giving in to the tugging.

Jayce sits on the bunk bed, and Viktor’s spine hurts from just seeing the position of his lover’s back, with how much he has to hunch to fit inside the bed; Jayce doesn’t seem to mind, though, as he happily sits through the explanation of why and how the wind-up toys now work.

She tries one of her toys, and they both wait with bated breath to see if it works; it doesn’t, unfortunately, and Powder huffs in disbelief to then try to turn it on once more. It turns on, but the moment she sets it on the floor, it powers down. She huffs, this time frustrated, and kicks the wind-up toy away from her.

It lands by Viktor’s feet, and he bends down to pick it up; he looks at it in detail, trying to figure out why it doesn’t work, and realizes one of the gears is out of place. He looks around to find Powder handing him a tiny wrench. He tightens the loose screw and winds the toy, setting it back into the floor.

Jayce and Powder wait with bated breath once more, but Viktor is confident it’ll work. The toy starts moving, and Powder smiles once more as she realizes that her creation finally works, with just a tiny bit of help.

“You really are the smartest person, just like Jayce said!” She says and hugs his legs; Viktor’s breath catches in his throat, and he manages to pat her back a few times before she leaves his side in favor of hugging Jayce, too.

 

The quick stop before the auction turns into an hour, then two, and Viktor stops counting after the third. Jayce was right about Powder; she’s brilliant and has a unique spark within her, and he can only hope they can convince her to work with them on Hextech once she’s older, as said spark is unequalled when mixed with her determination, just what they’d need if they ever sought out a third partner.

When three hours becomes more than half the day, he sighs and sets another wind-up toy down on the floor, next to where he is sitting. Jayce looks at him and sighs contentedly, too; Powder fell asleep on his lap, so now they are both stuck there until she wakes up once more.

A few knocks can be heard coming from the old wooden door, and Vander peeks inside before sighing, too. “She’s been stayin’ up late, barely sleepin’. Vi’s going out more now at night, so she stays awake to wait for her.”

Jayce looks down at Powder and brushes a strand of hair behind her ear; the sight makes Viktor’s heart do somersaults inside his chest. 

“And she can’t take Powder with her? She’s around ten, isn’t she?”

“She’s eight; no child of mine leaves the house on their own before the age of ten.”

“She wouldn’t be alone; Vi, Milo and Claggor are ten by now.”

A pause.

“Let me rephrase that, then: no child of mine leaves this house to run errands before the age of ten.”

Jayce huffs. “And you make no exceptions, I forgot about that rule.”

“You were the one I set the rule for,” Vander chuckles. “You are one of my own, even if your parents are around.” And Vander ruffles Jayce’s hair; another sight to behold, one that makes his chest feel warm once more.

“They’ve asked about you, you know? You’re welcome to visit them. I’m sure they’ll want you to.”

Vander hums. “I don’t belong there. I’ll get arrested the moment I set foot Topside.”

Viktor looks at the warm exchange and can’t help but say, “I can protect you, if you ever do want to visit.”

The bartender looks at him and laughs, wholeheartedly, extending his hand to help Viktor up; Viktor sighs and takes it gladly, though Vander practically lifts him up with a single tug. He ruffles Viktor’s hair, too, before lifting his daughter in his arms and leaving to another room. 

Viktor doesn’t fix his hair like Jayce does, and they leave the bar shortly after.

 

The auction starts soon, and yet, Viktor was dragged by his lover to a street food stall. He relented under he pretense that the stall was close to Benzo’s, and he can’t help but feel like they’re going to be late; he looks towards Jayce and his stomach churns, aggressively and unpleasantly, at the sight of the food his lover is eating. 

“Are you sure you don’t want anything, angel?” Jayce speaks around a mouthful. 

Viktor takes a napkin and wipes his lover’s mouth clean as he says, “I’m sure. Now, eat quicker. The auction is in thirty minutes.”

“Already?”

“Yes.” He says and sets the napkin down; he looks at the chef in the stall and smiles at him, trying to appear kind.

Jayce chuckles and says, “His name is Jericho, he’s been working here ever since I was a kid.”

The chef makes a lot of sounds, ones he of course doesn’t understand, and Jayce laughs at whatever Jericho said.

Viktor, not for the first time since he entered the Undercity, thinks about the things he’s missed due to his irrational fear of the Undercity. He also wonders if things would’ve been different, were their places reversed, or if they were both born in the same place; how different would either of them be, and how different would their relationship be? Would they have met at all?

His mind then wanders to Heimerdinger, his guardian, and how he was prohibited to even come close to the bridge that joins the two cities. Why are Topsiders so afraid of what they created? Is it because they don’t want to see they caused this division, because they’re afraid to acknowledge it?

He sighs as Jayce pays and says his farewells to Jericho; he shyly waves back when the chef enthusiastically smiles and waves at him, too.

 

The auction takes place in a small plaza of sorts, near Benzo’s shop, and Viktor would be lying to himself if he said he isn’t worried about the amount of people that have gathered there to bid; he has no idea about the starting bid, how much a crystal like that can cost, and how much they have to bid. He curses himself for pushing that onto Jayce, who looks equally worried about this.

They stand near the display cabinet, and he feels like the crystal looks a tad different from the ones they already have, but thinks nothing of it; if he knows one thing about crystallography is that no two crystals will ever look exactly the same. 

Jayce leans closer to him and whispers, “Well, it’s not as bad as I thought. Starting bid of a thousand silver cogs, bid increment of 500.”

“How much do we have?”

“Ten thousand, we’ll be fine.”

Before they even get to register, a person he doesn’t recognize approaches, searches them for weapons quickly and then hands him what he supposes is their paddle, the object that displays their assigned number as bidders; he swallows as the auction starts and someone bids.

With a shaky hand, he raises the paddle too.

It doesn’t take long before bidding turns into a literal battle, the 1.5k turning into 3k; the first bidder raises their paddle, and signals something to Benzo, who is right next to the display cabinet. The current bid suddenly spikes to 4k, and he can feel Jayce tensing beside him.

Without hesitation, he raises the paddle and mimics the first bidder’s gesture; the bid spikes to 5k, and the first bidder looks at him with a smirk. 

“Angel.”

“It’s fine, two can play this game.”

Jayce huffs and crosses his arms as the first bidder raises the paddle once more. Another bidder raises their paddle, and Viktor waits for the right moment to raise theirs, too.

The auction gets to the point where only him and the first bidder are bidding, and the tension is palpable. He bids for 10k, at last, and Jayce clears his thoat.

“What’s wrong?”

“I may or may not have lied about us having 10k.” Jayce whispers and Viktor feels his blood running cold.

“And why would you do that, exactly?”

Jayce looks inside the bag and says, “Well, I didn’t mean to lie. I genuinely thought we had 10k, but I might’ve miscounted.”

Viktor thinks the wall looks very tempting to smash his head onto. “And what are we supposed to do if no one bids higher?”

“Pray to Janna? It’s Benzo we’re talking about, he’ll have mercy on us—”

“How much do we have?”

“Like… 9k?”

The first bidder offers 11k, and Viktor feels like he can breathe easy once more; he still huffs, frustrated, when Benzo looks at him as if expecting them both to bid higher than whoever was bidding first.

Viktor shakes his head, defeatedly, and Benzo himself looks frustrated when he sells the crystal to the other person; they stay behind, taking a moment to take in the fact that they couldn't get the crystal even if it seemed just within reach, and the crowd dwindles eventually.

 

Benzo approaches and invites them to swing by, and most to his surprise, Jayce agrees almost immediately; they make their way to Benzo's shop in silence and, just as Benzo is about to open the door, a kid with white hair and big, clever brown eyes pops out of a pipe in the uppermost part of the shop's roof.

Jayce is about to greet the kid when he motions for them to be quiet; Jayce frowns and closes his mouth, looking back at Benzo, who is not exactly paying attention to them. Viktor frowns, too, and closes the door quietly after Benzo enters the shop; the kid hops down with ease and finally greets Jayce.

"What were you doing, buddy?"

"Heard Benzo had an auction comin' up, wanted to see for myself but of course he wouldn't let me go," Explains the kid. "So I swapped the stupid crystal he was sellin' and kept it here." He opens his palm and both Jayce and Viktor hold their breath as they are met with the authentic crystal; it was no wonder the other one looked a little off.

"You're gonna get Benzo in real trouble for this. He just sold it for 11k," Jayce scolds, and the kid shrinks a little. Viktor places his hand in Jayce's shoulder, and his lover sighs. "You wouldn't want Benzo to get hurt because of a tantrum, would you?"

The kid looks at the crystal, and then to the side to say, "No, of course not. And it wasn’t a tantrum; you told how much you both wanted one of these a few months back, so I took it. I didn’t think something bad would happen."

Viktor feels his chest getting warmer the longer he stares at the kid, and he sighs.

"I'm don’t think telling Benzo about this is a good idea," He says. "We can keep it a secret. If whoever was bidding for the crystal doesn't know what an authentic one looks like, Benzo will be fine."

"Why would they even bid for something they don’t know about?” The kid asks.

Jayce looks at him, and Viktor says, “They might’ve been sent by someone else.”

The kid frowns and looks up. “Someone like… Silco?”

Jayce nods. Then, “Are you seriously suggesting we lie to Benzo about this, angel?"

"It's either lying and hoping the won’t find out, or telling the truth and both of them getting hurt, either by arguing or being found out," He elaborates with a sigh. "Pick your poison."

All it takes for Viktor to know what poison his lover chose is meeting his eyes; Jayce huffs and pats the kid's head. "Don't do this again, Ekko. You're going to get yourself in trouble and drag Benzo with you."

"I promise I won't. Here, take the crystal," Ekko whispers and places it in Viktor's palm. “Promise you won’t tell Benzo."

“I promise,” He mutters, and the kid beams at him. “Now go.”

Ekko climbs back inside the pipe so quickly it takes him a moment to realize the kid is no longer there; Jayce kisses his cheek and, just as quickly, gets inside the shop to have a chat with Benzo. He places a hand where he still feels the ghost of Jayce’s lips and takes a deep breath to calm his heart.

They got the crystal, in the end, even if it wasn’t how they had planned it out. And everything went smoothly to his first visit to the Undercity with Jayce. Now all they have to do is try the faceting machine; hopefully that turns out as smoothly as this.

Notes:

i’m afraid this fic is more than i can chew but i will continue cause i’m stubborn as hell

Chapter 7: The cause of our sickness (is love)

Notes:

i swear i am not leaving this fic, i will hang onto it cuz i have SO many ideas to re-write the canon, especially after season 2 revealed a lot of details about the Arcane itself (no spoilers dw)

title is from a song called "The water is fine" by Chloe Ament

Viktor sighs when Jayce turns the faceting machine on despite his warnings; he understands the enthusiasm, and by now, it’s been a few weeks since he was attacked, so technically speaking there is nothing holding them back from trying it other than their rudimentary lab, inexperience and highly volatile materials. Details, really.

His hands shake as he hands Jayce the crystal, and as Jayce brigs it closer to the lap in the machine, he feels his heart leap to his throat. “Wait.”

Jayce stills his movements immediately and turns to face him; Viktor adjusts the goggles on his lover’s face, makes sure the blacksmith gloves cover up to his elbows and verifies the respirator mask is placed properly before finally letting go of Jayce’s face. He hears the sigh Jayce lets out as he checks his own gear for the third time.

“Are you ready now?”

As he can’t delay the inevitable any longer, Viktor says, “Yeah. Be careful, and for the love of Janna take the crystal with the pliers, not your fingers. We don’t know how the crystal might react.”

Jayce huffs and takes the piers from the workbench with a little more force than necessary; he takes the crystal with them and brings it closer to the lap of the machine, and now it’s him who hesitates. He steps back, if only a little, and shields Viktor with his body as the crystal finally touches the lap. 

Nothing seems to happen, at first, other than the lap grinding the excess material and making a horrible sound with it; but as the crystal is polished with the machine, it expels micro-explosions that progressively get stronger. Viktor stops the machine before Jayce places the crystal on the lap once more, and he tries to think about a way to stop the disc from expelling micro-explosions and sparks.

“What if we try to wet the lap?”

“What?” Viktor looks at his lover and raises the goggles to meet his eyes. “What for?”

“To stop the sparks from igniting. Maybe that’s what we’re missing.”

He considers it, and then, “Well, that will stop the sparks from igniting, but it won’t stop the explosions from happening. It’s magic we’re dealing with here.”

Jayce huffs. “We can’t take unnecessary risks. You'll have to wet it every once in a while, and I'll focus on the crystal. Goggles.”

Viktor huffs, too, and fixes his goggles; he takes the kettle they discarded days ago —that had been filled to the brim with what had been boiling water and somehow they forgot about it, too fixated on what they were working on— and starts pouring some in the lap as Jayce starts the machine once more.

 

They start, slowly, to grind away the material from the crystal; surprisingly, both the sparks and the micro-explosions become sporadic, and with less impact, due to the water he continues to pour every once in a while. Thankfully, Jayce seems to know what he’s doing as he rotates the crystal in certain ways for it to become as smooth and even as possible; he’s glad at least one of them seems to know how to use the machine.

After a few minutes, Jayce suddenly stops and turns off the machine. Viktor’s breath catches in his throat as he spots the very reason why his lover ceased grinding: a crack on the crystal, that nearly goes all the way to the other side. 

“Fuck!”

“Did you notice the explosions stopped occurring, too?” He mutters. “We should stop grinding this one to try with another.”

“We can’t waste another,” Jayce says, abruptly, and practically tears the goggles off of his face. “Shit.”

“Perhaps it’s a good sign,” He says and pulls his goggles off, too. “Perhaps we’ve managed to stabilize it. The fact that it stopped emitting explosions doesn’t necessarily mean we rendered it useless.”

Jayce pulls the respirator mask off his face. “I know, I just— there’s a massive crack on it. It stopped with the explosions, yes, but that is not what worries me; the crack does. What if the crack is what fucks it up? That’s what rendered it useless, i-it wasn’t the—”

“We don’t really know if it’s useless,” Viktor tentatively places his hand on Jayce’s upper back and starts rubbing the tension off, carefully and slowly, and whispers, “Plus, we can always try again. This kind of things usually don’t work first try, my love. We’ve most likely stabilized it; we just need to grind another one and try to avoid cracking it.”  

Jayce sighs. "Yeah. Okay. What if you try grinding it, the next time?"

"I can try, but I can't promise you perfection."

"I know, unlike other people in your life, I’m not asking you to be perfect,” Jayce turns to face him and kisses his forehead. “And what then? Should we try encasing, like you said? Would it work that way?”

Viktor hums. “It’s a leap, but of course we’ll try. Do you think the dust would still work? Dissolved in water?”

Jayce frowns and thinks for a moment. "Maybe not. It's a double-edged sword if you think about it; it could have the same effect the water and electricity combo has, or the water could render it useless."

Viktor hums. "Let's hope for the former, yes?"

His lover nods and adds, “And what if we do manage to stabilize one? How will we know it actually worked? We have no way to try it.”

“We’ll then have to create the devices that will be enhanced with the crystals; we have a few blueprints, it's only a matter of getting the materials and building it,” He pauses to pull down his mask, too. “I know how much you’ve wanted to do this, and how long it is that you’ve been trying to achieve it, but I'm afraid it'll take us far longer than we initially calculated. We also can’t expect us to perfect our research within a few months. It took you at least ten years to write your own journal and truly understand what the mage used and how they managed to save your mother's life.”

Jayce hums. "That’s true," And he can sense the hesitation when his lover asks next, "And what would we build first?"

Viktor drops his hand from where it was resting on his lover's shoulder and says, "I think you know Shoola's answer to that."

"I'm not asking Shoola, am I?"

He sighs and walks back to the machine as he mutters, "I suppose not."

He then fixes the respirator mask back on his face and sits on the stool he placed next to the machine to continue what they started.

"Vik?"

As he reaches for his goggles, he feels Jayce's hand taking his wrist, as if to still his movements. He looks up to find a frown on his lover's face. At last, Viktor gives in to his lover's pleading eyes and mutters, "My answer hasn’t changed.”

Jayce huffs. “Why the gates? Out of everything you’ve drafted, why—?”

“And what would you build, Jayce?” He asks and Jayce looks away. “The Gaunts?"

“Not the Gaunts—"

“Then what else have you drafted, hm?”

“W-Well, maybe we can draft something else—”

“I know we can, but the Hexgates are better than you think,” He says, fixing his goggles despite having his wrist held by Jayce. “Better than you give them credit for. If you could only help me start building them, so you could see for yourself what they can do—”

"Why build those first? It's ridiculous," Jayce says and finally lets go of him. "Just how many crystals are we talking about? Dozens? Hundreds? Thousands? You want us to build an autonomous tower capable of housing thousands of crystals at a time first? We don't even have the ones in Heimerdinger's possession yet, let alone have enough to build your gilded city's most wanted project!"

"I’m not sure about the number of crystals yet, and Shoola is working on finding a supplier of sorts; I’m pretty sure she’s already found one. And since you were so against it, I left the project alone, I didn’t even—”

“Don’t put the blame on me; had Shoola asked you, you would’ve immediately given her an estimate number.”

Viktor huffs. “She's our primary investor, Jayce, I have to give her numbers. Why don’t you understand what I’m doing here? Building the Hexgates will benefit us all, and will get the Council off our backs for a few years. Then, we will have all our time to focus on the important projects. I can't understand why you're so against it."

Jayce remains silent for a moment, his lips sealed shut in a thin line, as if he doesn’t believe what Viktor said. Then, "Why are you on her side? Hextech is supposed to be ours, yours and mine. Not hers. Her opinion has no place in our creation, so why—?"

"Unfortunately, Jayce, it does. She is part of the Council, our only patron and our most important investor; if she weren't paying for literally all of those things, I would agree with you," He then pauses and closes his eyes for a moment; he feels a headache start to take place right behind his eyes as he says, "This is not just you and me against everyone else, Jayce. We need allies, investors, people who believe in Hextech, in us."

"I understand that part. What I don't understand is how Shoola's opinion overweighs both your and my opinion."

He opens his eyes to stare, disbelievingly, at the floor of their shared lab. "Well, that's easy, my love. We may be the brilliant minds behind Hextech, but without her funding, it would've been, in your words, a dream chased for so long it turned into a nightmare. You and I both know how much we depend on that funding, if she were to cut us off—"

"A few months back you were complaining about Mel putting her interests first, but what about you? You're doing the same thing."

That renders Viktor momentarily speechless. Then, “They're not solely my interests."

"You're right, they're also Shoola's and every Topsider's. My bad."

"Just where is this coming from? What do you mean my interests? If you gave the Hexgates a chance, you'd understand they're our interests, not just mine," He takes a deep breath and places a hand on his forehead as the headache grows, grows and grows the more they argue. Then, "And if we're talking about seeing to our own interests, then you are doing the exact same thing. Although I’m not sure what your interests are, because you haven’t drafted anything to help those in need. My claw inspired you to draft the Atlas Gauntlets, yes, but like we had established before, those aren't really people in need when compared to people from the Undercity. What else have you drafted to help the Undercity, Jayce? The air purifiers, the water filter system and the prospect of fabricating food with Hextech are my ideas, so what are yours?”

And he renders Jayce speechless, too. He sighs and lifts his goggles once more; they hold eye contact, and Jayce is the first to look away.

He tries to reach out, take his lover’s arm or try and touch his hand, but Jayce steps back, effectively shutting off his attempts at comforting physical contact. He understands, really, that he went overboard with what he said, but none of it was a lie.

Jayce huffs and tears the gloves off as he walks towards the entrance, placing all of his safety gear in the workbench nearby. “Fine, then. Time and time again you’ve proven that I don’t care about Hextech as much as you do, right? Surely the years I spent trying to decipher what the mage meant to tell me when they gave me the crystal mean nothing compared to whatever you have managed in a few months, right?

"That is not what I'm saying, Jayce—"

"I'm guessing it also means that you don't need me here and that you can work on your own; I have a match in an hour and we’re going to drink afterwards, so don’t wait for me.”

“What about dinner with my guardian? I did tell you—”

Jayce looks over his shoulder to say, “You left very clear that you didn’t want me there, remember?”

Viktor huffs. “Fine; you were the one who insisted on coming anyways. And I can work on my own; I've done it quite a few times in the past, haven't I?” He says, seemingly nonchalantly, and takes the pliers and then the crystal with shaky hands. “Is Mel going to be there?”

“Probably.”

He hums and fixes his goggles, starting the machine and pouring some water into the lap. “Tell her I want to have that chat soon, yeah? And of course, send my regards to Elora,” Out of spite, after Jayce slams the door to their lab closed, he adds through clenched teeth, "And happy anniversary, Jayce."

 

He takes few minutes to gather himself and tries to placate his treacherous heart by taking a deep breath; he wills the knot in his throat to go away as he brings the crystal closer to the lap with the pliers.

As he starts grinding the excess away, carefully and slowly, he attempts to replicate whatever Jayce had done with the previous one. He takes twice or thrice as much time, but his crystal remains unscathed and now has a nice, polished surface.

He wishes Jayce was here with him, celebrating not only their anniversary but also the fact that they managed to stabilize —or at least he thinks they did— two of the crystals in their possession, certainly bringing them one step closer to their shared dream. But his lover is not there; he's alone in the lab, with only the sounds of the faceting machine and the clocks very distinctive ticking as company.

Viktor sighs as he thinks about the dinner they are supposed to share with Heimerdinger in two hours and curses himself for convincing Heimerdinger to allow Jayce to play once more; had he not done that, Jayce wouldn’t have run away. He’d probably be sulking and fuming within their house’s grounds, somewhere. Or perhaps not, perhaps he’d be sulking around within Academy grounds despite being expelled.

He sets the crystal back on its designated place on Jayce's safe and turns off the machine. He stands from the stool, finding he feels deeply disappointed about the fact that he and his lover can’t seem to find common ground when it comes to the Hexgates. He wishes Jayce understood, or that he understood better his lover’s point of view; wondering about who’s in the right and who’s wrong is pointless, as both of them have a certain degree of truth within their arguments.

Nonetheless, it pains him to know Jayce thinks he drafted the Hexgates to bring this gilded city more income; he only meant for them to eventually help the Undercity. Certainly the extent of his gates won’t end with Piltover’s topside, will it? He likes to think otherwise, he wants to be different from the Piltovans that have hurt Jayce and the people in the Undercity in general, and he’s almost sure his Hexgates are the first step.

He sighs once more and starts grinding the third and last of the crystals in their possession. 

 

He’s late once more as he walks up the steps to the preposterous wooden doors in Heimerdinger’s apartment; he tries to fix his appearance before knocking on the door, and he holds his breath as said door opens. 

“Viktor, my boy,” Heimerdinger greets and lets him in. “You had me worried, you’re late.”

He sighs and sags a little, changing the subject by saying, “Jayce couldn’t make it, said he had a match this afternoon. I hope you don’t mind.”

They walk in silence towards the dining room, and his guardian seems to want to say something but refrains from doing so. He supposes it is related to Jayce’s absence, and as they take their respective seats on the ridiculously long table, Heimerdinger finally breaks the silence, asking, “I’m taking it your studies aren’t going as planned? Why the long face?”

Viktor looks to the side as their dinner is served by one of the maids, and he waits for them to leave before uttering, “No, my studies are far more difficult than I initially thought they’d be, and they aren’t really showing any positive results. And…” He hesitates for a moment. “The more time I spend with Jayce, the more we wander astray. We’ve been having… very difficult times finding common ground, and he refuses to listen to what I say.”

Heimerdinger takes his fork in his hand before saying, “You can’t expect things to be easy now, my boy; I can only imagine how difficult it must be for you to study independently, and I’m afraid that your relationship problems are something only you and your lover can sort out. I can, however, give word of advice, and it’ll be up to you to listen and take action or not,” His guardian makes a quick pause to stab the meat on his plate with the fork and eat it. Viktor looks down at his own plate and forces himself to do the same. “Proper communication of your needs, openness to dialogue and willingness to listen are some of the most important things in any kind of relationship; I’m assuming it works for romantic ones, too.”

“But he doesn’t want to listen.”

“Do you listen to him, then?”

Viktor frowns, “O-Of course I do. Or at least, I try.”

Heimerdinger looks at him for a moment. “I think I know what your problem is. Neither of you seem to listen, and thus the arguments are a common occurrence. If you two sat down to try and understand the other’s point of view, perhaps—”

He cuts his father off, something he’d never thought he’d do, to say, “I do listen. But he refuses to, and at this point I’m starting to think we won’t find common ground when it comes to—” 

Suddenly, something catches his attention on a nearby window. He stops talking mid-sentence, which makes Heimerdinger still his movements; his breath catches in his throat as he realizes that what caught his attention is a familiar silhouette near the single-hung window.

“When it comes to what?” His guardian asks, and his eyes slide back to him to not raise any suspicion. 

The Hextech enhanced gates. But you won’t understand either, would you?

He wants to say, but instead, limits himself to sigh and reply, “It doesn’t really matter. I wouldn’t want to burden you with that kind of problems.”

Heimerdinger hums quietly. “You know I don’t mind, and I will listen to any kind of problems you have, my boy. As your father, my only job is to guide and teach,” He pauses to take a bite. “Though seeing as you are very self-aware and independent, you don't seem to need said guidance anymore. Of course, lest you need it, know that you can talk to me, Viktor."

He looks down at his plate and pokes a piece of meat with the fork so as to not have to reply.

A moment of silence passes, and then his guardian speaks again, "Jayce is supposed to be someone you can lean on, a strong pilar amongst shaky grounds, but if the way you speak about him now is any indicator, it seems he is more like a hammer that is unintentionally and continuously smashing you, as the pillar, down.”

Viktor huffs. “It feels like that, sometimes. Although I’m sure he feels the same about me,” He pauses and thinks of a way to steer the conversation and his guardian’s attention to something less personal. Then, “I’ll take you up on the academic-problem-solving offer, though. If you don’t mind.”

As Heimerdinger speaks animatedly about his alleged academic problems, his eyes glide back to the single-hung window; Jayce is no longer there, and he finds he starts feeling anxious. Is he here to search and collect the remaining crystals? Or is he there to join them? If so, and if Viktor knows his lover at all, why does it seem like he is looking for a way to get inside undetected?

If he truly is looking for a way to get inside, he won’t find it; Jayce should know better at this point, though, as neither Viktor nor Heimerdinger ever leave doors or windows unlocked, let alone open.

He tries to think of a way help him get in; that way, he can follow his original plan of distracting his guardian so Jayce can look for the crystals around the house.

His eyes then look down, at the glass of wine near his right hand, and he finds himself sighing quietly to himself. 

He makes a show of lifting the glass while nodding to whatever concept it is that Heimerdinger is explaining, to then proceed with his very unmeditated and sudden change of plans; he feigns a sharp pain in his leg that makes him drop the glass, pouring the wine all over his pants and the expensive white carpet. He doubles over a little and holds his leg as a part of his acting, and immediately feels guilty as his guardian asks if he’s alright; the maids immediately bustle inside to clean up the shards of glass and the expensive carpet, and he feels twice as guilty, knowing he did this just so they could steal the crystals from his guardian’s possession.

Viktor steels his nerves to carry on —as much as he hates lying to his own father, he thinks it is a little too late to backtrack—, and stands from the chair, mindful of his supposed sharp pain and the mess around him, and says, “I apologize, father. I’m afraid I need a moment."

"And a change of clothes," Says Heimerdinger with a slight frown on his face, looking down at Viktor's dress pants; he himself looks down to the mess he made on his garments and cringes, as he knows how much Jayce loved them. "You have spare clothes on the guest room. Take a moment to change and come back when you're ready, alright?"

"Yes, father. Once again, I'm sorry—" 

"Yes, yes. Now go." Heimerdinger, distracted by the mess, sends him off to the guest room and doesn’t notice when Viktor wanders away from said guest room and towards the kitchen, where the single-hung windows are bigger. He finds Jayce there, trying to lockpick his way inside, and he rolls his eyes as he makes his way to open the window.

“I almost had it,” Jayce grunts as soon as he climbs in, and Viktor huffs. “Had you given me a little more time…” And his lover’s eyes roam downwards, towards the wine spilled on his dress pants. “Did you really need to... do all that? You could’ve just said you wanted to use the restroom—”

“I panicked, alright? You weren’t supposed to be here,” He says, and out of spite, he adds, “You had a match and an afterparty of sorts, remember?”

“Yeah, yeah,” Even if Jayce’s back is facing him, he can tell his lover rolls his eyes as he mutters, “I loved those pants on you, and now they’re ruined.”

“Quit whining,” He whispers and finally closes the window. “This is your fault as much as it is mine. Did you drink? How did the match go?”

A beat of silence.

“Jayce?”

“I…” Jayce sighs and finally turns to look him in the eye. “I ended up not going. I came here as soon as I could.”

Viktor’s chest seizes, and he looks to the side. “I see,” He shakes his head. “Jayce, I—”

“Not the time or place, angel,” Then, “And… me too.”

He sighs and steels his nerves to add, “Right, yeah. The crystals might be hidden in his bedroom; it is always locked, so lockpick your way inside and try not to damage the lock. Last room to the left. Also, if I’d said I needed to use the restroom, the maids wouldn’t have been distracted enough not to find you snooping around Heimerdinger’s room—”

Jayce huffs. “Okay, I get it. Always a step ahead, right?” Viktor raises an eyebrow, unimpressed, and Jayce adds, “How much time do I have?”

Viktor peeks inside the dining room and utters, “Around ten minutes, tops. I do need to change, so meet me back here in ten.”

Jayce mock-salutes him before leaving towards the hall; he watches him go for a moment before he heads towards guest room to fetch some clean clothes.

He tries them on and is about to leave when he looks back inside the room one last time and spots a safe of sorts, right beneath the bed; he frowns and carefully kneels over the carpeted floor to take a better look at it.

His breath catches when he realizes the safe had been hidden, haphazardly pushed underneath the bed to never be touched or opened again; and perhaps it is what they’ve been looking for, the sole reason Jayce broke in for in the first place, so he takes the safe and strides back into the kitchen. He feels his heart leap into his throat, however, when he sees a maid wringing one of the rags they used to clean his mess by the sink; he hides the safe behind his back with one hand while the other tightens its grip on the handle of his cane.

The maid turns around to face him just as Viktor spots Jayce approaching the kitchen, and they seem startled for a second before bowing their head as a greeting and saying, “Mr. Heimerdinger, I’ve managed to get most of the wine off the carpet, so worry not. Where did you leave your dirty clothes?”

“That’s… a relief, thank you,” He says and meets their eyes. “I’m sorry, but I’m afraid I left them by the guest room. You don’t have to wash them as of now, I can come back—”

The maid giggles and says, “Nonsense, I’ll have them clean and dry by the time you leave.”

Before he gets to stop them, they leave the kitchen towards the guest room; he sighs and looks at the hall, where Jayce was watching their interaction the whole time. “And? Did you find them?”

“What’re you hiding?” Jayce asks instead and strides inside the kitchen; Viktor huffs and is about to come up with a snarky remark in response to the slight teasing when he spots the safe Jayce found. Viktor frowns as he is met with the sight of an exact replica of the safe he himself is holding.

“What?” He mutters and places the safe between him and Jayce. “Look.”

Jayce frowns and looks down to the safe in Viktor’s hands, then at the safe he had found, and then back at Viktor. “Oh shit. Do you think we’ve found your father’s deepest secrets? Why is there two of them?”

Viktor huffs again and mutters, “How is it that you’re never serious about the things you should be serious about? It could be a safety measure of sorts; to get whoever wants to take the safe confused so they steal the wrong one.”

“They could very well steal both, like we’re doing now.”

Viktor rolls his eyes. “Either way, if I know my father at all, I’d dare to say that if he had any deep secrets, he wouldn’t leave any physical evidence of them,” He says and nudges Jayce to the side to walk towards the other safe. He puts them side to side and levels them with a scrutinizing look. “I’m pretty sure one of these has the crystals we’re looking for, the other, however…”

“Contains your father’s deepest secrets.”

He sighs, “Yeah, yeah; the other contains my father’s deepest secrets. Now go, I need you to get these home safely,” He says and turns around to face Jayce. “I’ll open the same window and then hand them to you once you’re outside.”

“You’re not coming? How long are you staying?”

The questions catch him off guard; he frowns and replies, “Of course I’m not leaving yet,” Then, he unlocks and opens the same window to say, “Come on. We don’t have much time; he’ll worry if I take any longer.”

Jayce huffs and walks to the window to climb out; after handing both safes to Jayce, he says, “See you back home, yeah? I won’t be long. And try not to open any of the safes while I’m gone.”

“Just who do you take me for?” Jayce whispers, storing the safes in the bag he brought rather aggressively. 

“Jayce Talis, of course. You’re mad at me, and usually very impulsive; it’s not much of a stretch to say it crossed your mind before I even said it, is it?”

His lover narrows his eyes as he says, “What about you? Aren’t you mad?”

He looks into his lover’s eyes for a moment, takes in the golden hues in them, and whispers, “No. I’m disappointed we can’t see eye to eye; I wish I could understand you better, and, selfishly, I wish you could do the same, too.”

Jayce sighs and looks away to say, “We’ll find common ground, angel. Eventually. We have to if we want this dream of ours to become something bigger.”

"Yeah, we do."

He looks away too and suppresses a sigh before sliding the window shut as quietly as he can. Without looking back, he strides, purposefully painfully slowly, back inside the dining room where his father awaits for him.

 

Having returned home, the first thing they do is open the safes. One contained the crystals they were missing, as they suspected, while the other had but some sort of somniferous gas that sent them to sleep a good ten hours or so as soon as they opened it. He supposes his guardian knew that, if there was someone brave enough to steal the safe, they'd open it right on the spot to confirm they had the right one and thus, inhaled the somniferous gas the fake safe had to get caught afterwards.

He's glad, however, that neither of them opened the fake one before getting home.

 

---

 

"So, if what we need is to grind the excess of the crystal, maybe we can try something else, some... other machine. Recovering the dust we grind away from the lap of the faceting machine after it's gotten wet is practically impossible and useless, given that we theorize that once the crystal's excess touches the water it becomes useless," Jayce says as he paces around the room. Viktor wants to focus on what he's saying, really, but finds it harder the more his lover speaks. "Don't get me wrong, though, I still think we were onto something when we thought about preserving the dust we were grinding away; perhaps if we let it dry it can work again. The thing you said about encasing it is genius; I still think that's what's gonna work best if we do find a way to make the crystal dust work. Also, I was thinking that maybe we don't need to make the crystals safe for use just yet. Adding a stabilizer on whatever device it is we're going to enhance with the crystal should save us some time, effort and financial resources—"

Then, silence.

He looks from the window back to his lover and finds Jayce is looking at him with a frown etched on his features.

"What?"

"You're not paying attention," Jayce mutters as he lowers the crystal to the table next to him. "You've been distracted these past few days. Anything on your mind?"

His eyes glide to the crystal on the kitchen table and he sighs. He thinks about telling Jayce about the fact that they missed the date of their first anniversary, thinks about letting him know how deeply disappointed and hurt it made him feel, and yet, when he looks up, he finds he can't. “It's nothing. So, about not making the crystals safe for use, I don't think it's a good idea. We cannot leave it to luck, if the stabilizer on the device fails—”

“We’ll just have to add a failsafe.”

He frowns. “Like?”

“We’ll think about something.”

“We wouldn’t have to think of a way of adding a failsafe if there were no possibilities of it failing in the first place—”

Jayce huffs. He takes a little longer to reply, saying, “I understand your reluctance, but—”

“There shouldn’t be a but, Jayce. In fact, I don’t understand how you’re even considering it. We cannot use the unstabilized crystals on devices, it’ll be too risky for anyone who handles said device, whether it has a failsafe or not.”

A good moment of silence passes by before Jayce recovers. “If we skip the stage of making the crystals safe for use, we could start building the devices now.”

“It’ll still take years to even start building them, can’t you understand what’s at stake? Are you listening to yourself right now?”

Just as he is about to take his cane to stand, Jayce snaps. “Mel found a provider. Someone who can get us however many crystals we need," Viktor slowly sits back down, the chair making a horrible screech as it's pushed back with his weight. "She wants… advances on The Hexgates, too. If she’s to get the provider to make a deal with us and get the Council to approve of Hextech, she wants in, and she’s not making small demands, Vik. You saw for yourself, during Progress Day.”

“I remember she wanted... weapons, yes,” He mutters and looks away. He doesn’t know what to make of this new information, and wonders if this was the reason why Jayce seemed to be in a hurry, even from the very start of their partnership. Just how long has Mel known about Hextech? How long has she been planning to be a part of it? Had she been looking for a way to supply crystals from the very start, to force her way in on Hextech? “How long?"

"How long?"

"How long has she known about Hextech?" Viktor asks.

"Well, she's known for years by now. I fail to see how that's relevant right now—"

He sighs. "I— I think you’re being hasty. Whether she found a supplier of sorts or not, we have Shoola’s supplier too. Plus, you seem to strongly dislike my Gates so I see no point on polishing calculations and dimensions if you’re not going to be part of it.”

Jayce sighs and rubs his face with one hand, while the other, he brings to rest at his hip. “But I am. I still dislike the Hexgates, sort of. But we need Mel to convince the Council we mean no harm, and that Hextech can be as good as any other project that means to bring progress to this city.”

“Do you think Mel is the only person capable of doing so? Convincing the Council? Finding providers? Making demands regarding our technology?”

“What? No!”

“Then why the insistence? We have Shoola on our side, it's only a matter of time before she calls for an audience to finally reveal her— our intentions to the Council. Plus, we've yet to achieve anything tangible as proof that channeling the arcane through technology is possible, so why—?”

“If we get the Council’s approval now, we can be within Academy grounds once more," Jayce says. "Just like you've wanted since we got expelled, right? No more hiding or illegal experimentation. They’ll not only approve of Hextech, but they’ll also support us, angel. You and me, as the brilliant minds behind Hextech.”

Viktor frowns; back into… Academy grounds?

“We cannot go back. We violated Academy regulations and the Ethos itself. We were expelled. They won’t take us back—”

“They’ll have to,” Jayce pauses. “We could really use the equipment they have; if Mel—”

“—Or Shoola.” He chimes in.

His lover rolls his eyes and continues, “If either or both of them bring this to Council, I’m sure the rest of the councilors are to follow and accept Hextech soon; they’ll all want in on our marvelous technology. I just know it.”

He looks up to find his lover’s eyes, sparkling like the very first time he said he believed in him, in Hextech, and he cannot help the way his heart sinks.

If the Academy takes them back, would he be able to graduate before they properly start with Hextech? Or would Jayce be against it, ‘cause he might consider it a setback? Either way, he feels all of this to be rushed, but finds he cannot say no to those eyes. 

“I still think what we have going on is more than enough in our plates. This is rushed. You’re being hasty.”

“We take the time we need and that’s it. There’s no such thing as hasty or rushed when it comes to technology advancements or progress, angel,” Then Jayce kneels and takes Viktor’s thin and cold hands in his. “Tell me you’re with me in this. Tell me you’ll be by my side, when I need you the most.”

Viktor’s eyes land on the ring Jayce wears around his neck and his breath catches.

This is not how he pictured Jayce agreeing to build the Hexgates, nor did he consider the possibility of it happening so soon and rushed, but if this is how it's going to happen, he has no moment to complain, 'cause one moment he's wondering, hesitating, calculating the possible outcomes, and the next, he hears his own voice say:

"I will."

 

---

 

Days turn into weeks, then into months before the Hexgates seem an almost tangible project.

Their lab becomes a second bedroom, now, with how fixated and obsessed both of them seem to be with finishing the drafts to present before the Council. They both lose track of time between equations and late-night conversations, praises and disappointments, breakthroughs and failures, arguments and breathy kisses; the days start to blur together the longer they stay inside their lab, and the longer they isolate themselves for the sake of the Hexgates. 

And after a million different failures, the Hexgates are finally done in paper, and the day comes where they are to present the footprints to Shoola. 

Viktor finds himself restless the night before, so he sees no point in lying down. Instead, and even when his back complains, he remains by his desk, reading his relatively improvised explanation regarding the Hexgates' functioning, measurements and accuracy when it comes to geolocation across Runeterra.

Then, his mind wanders to the day Jayce asked him to wake him up just so they could stay awake together, or have an early death together as Jayce had jokingly put it, but when he looks at the improvised cot beside Jayce's workbench and finds him fast asleep, snoring, he doesn't have the heart to do it, so he stays awake with only a little lit candle to keep him company. His eyelids start to feel heavy a good two hours into rehearsing his explanation, and for the first time in days, he thinks about looking at the clock in the wall; 01:43 am, it reads; taking his cane to stand, he blows the little candle out and. just as he is about to make his way towards the cot, he feels two strong arms wrapping around his waist.

"You're up late," Jayce mutters groggily. "And you didn't wake me up again. What were you doing, anyways?" 

"Final adjustments." He whispers back. 

"Nervous?"

"I'm positively jittery."

Jayce chuckles and rests his chin on his shoulder. "You'll do great, angel. It's Shoola we're talking about; she loves everything you do, and with reason. Plus, we only need her to bring it forward to the Council. Easy peasy."

Viktor huffs. "That's not the part that has me feeling nervous. We basically have Shoola’s unconditional support, I don’t think a meeting with her is necessary. We’ll just present it to her the same day we do to the rest of the Council."

"Then?"

"I— it’s my father, Jayce. I lied and stole from him; I betrayed him," His breath catches in his throat, and he has to pause his rambling. Jayce's hands slide upwards, towards his arms, and start rubbing them lovingly. He takes a deep breath and says, "How am I to do it, love? How am I to— look him in the eyes and admit I've been giving continuity to the very thing he asked me not to touch and leave alone? Do I just— what, continue with my life as if I didn’t fail him as a son? If Hextech does get approved by the Council, does it still count as betrayal? I think it does, ‘cause I betrayed him by lying to his face in favor of continuing what he calls a lunacy—”

“Breathe, angel.”

Viktor lets out a huff, and takes a deep breath in tune with Jayce’s calm breathing; he leans his face back a little, towards his lover’s, and is surprised to feel a stubble on Jayce’s jaw. Just how long have they been here, holed up in the lab? 

“We’ll be alright,” Continues Jayce, rubbing his stubble lovingly to the side of his neck and cheek; Viktor recoils with a chuckle. “I’m sure everything will fall into place; Heimerdinger will understand.”

That begs the question, “And what about your parents? What if word travels to them? What would they think about you? About me? This is— much bigger than I thought it would ever be, and I'm not sure if I'm truly prepared to... lose this much."

"Don't worry about my parents," Jayce says, if only a tad coldly, and sighs. "I promise I’ll do everything in my power to fix this, okay? You worry about the drafts and explanations you’ll present to Shoola and the rest of the Council, and I’ll worry about everything else.” 

That makes Viktor frown. “Explanations I’ll do? Will you not be by my side, during the assembly?” 

“I don’t think I’ll be welcomed—”

“And I don’t think you’re telling the truth about what’s bothering you,” Viktor says and turns around to face Jayce. “What is it that you’re not telling me?” 

Jayce looks surprised for a moment before he recovers, saying, “I really doubt I’ll be welcomed. I’m from the Undercity, I was expelled from the Academy and I’m the one who polluted my parent’s forge’s reputation. I am not one to be acclaimed for.” 

Viktor cups his lover’s cheek, his thumb rubbing the stubble, and whispers, “I think you are. The place where you were born doesn’t define you, what you choose to become does; and I think the man that you are slowly but surely turning into is someone worth acclaiming for. Not everyone discovers a revolutionary way of improving the technological industry and finds the right partner to do so, or do they, Jayce?”

That pulls a chuckle out of Jayce’s lips, and he whispers, “I also need my partner standing beside me during the assembly. Partners in every sense of the word, right?” 

He brings his lover’s face closer to his own to rest his forehead on Jayce’s, and feels the ghost of a sigh against his lips as he closes his eyes. 

“I cannot thank you enough, for everything you’ve done for me, for us.”

Viktor momentarily lifts his face to place a kiss on Jayce’s nose, “You’ve done so much for me, too. I don’t regret anything. Our parents will understand.” 

“And if they don’t?”

He blinks several times before muttering, “Then we’ll just have each other, I suppose. I’m sure they will, though.”

Jayce hums and asks, “We’re… in this together, right? Through good and bad, thick and thin?” An almost rhetorical question that just needs reassurance, and in turn, he mutters:

“Yes, my love. Through good and bad, thick and thin. Will you stand by my side, then?” 

Jayce chuckles. “Until you get tired of me, angel.”

 

---

 

The day of their meeting with the rest of the Council comes far too soon, and despite them having a few weeks of preparation, Viktor still feels like he isn’t ready; and if he’s a tad reluctant to present their technology once more to the Council, this time a little more tangible than before, Jayce is completely against doing it.

Viktor can tell the reason he’s against the assembly is due to his nervousness and not because he doesn’t want their project to be known, and he tries to understand the reluctance, but when it gets to the point where Jayce doesn’t even want to get out of bed on the Big Day, he realizes that’s where his patience ends. 

“Jayce,” He calls for the second time; once more, the only reply he gets is a grunt. He takes his cane with both of his hands and prods at Jayce’s back over the blankets. “You can’t stall now, specially not today. Get up.”

Jayce’s disheveled hair is uncovered for a second, and the next Jayce is under the covers once again. Viktor huffs and looks at the clock on the wall; 11:28 am. The Assembly is being held at 12:00 pm, so he literally has no time for this. 

“You have 2 minutes to get ready, and I’m, by no means, joking,” He announces to the dark room, trudging blindly towards the exit. “If you’re not downstairs in 7, I’m leaving without you.”

Before he leaves the room, he hears a muffled, “I don’t think… I’m ready to lose this much, either. My parents are everything to me, and if they do cut me off I don’t know what I’ll do.”

That stops him in his tracks; he sighs and walks back inside to sit beside Jayce on the bed. “You’re their son, Jayce; I have no doubt you mean everything to them, too. I’m sure they’ll come to understand and support you eventually. Our intentions are the same as theirs; to help those in need. The method we’ll be using is far from the conventional one and hence the people are afraid, but once they see the wonders Hextech can do… they’ll understand, right?”

That makes Jayce uncover his face entirely, his broad, naked shoulders peeking from underneath the thick blanket as he stares at the ceiling, “I can only hope you're right," A pause. "They wanted me to stay in the forge, take up after them, you know?” 

Viktor, despite being ready, lies down next to his lover, his newest black suit crumpling with the movement. He shifts until he is facing Jayce and, with the back of his hand, caresses his lover’s cheek, feeling the stubble with his fingers. “Would you have... wanted that? Work with them at the forge until you inherited it?"

Jayce looks at him for a moment, and with a sigh, he directs his eyes back to stare at the ceiling. "No. Not really."

"Perhaps they’re afraid you’re taking the dangerous route, instead of the familiar one. The forge is relatively much safer than Hextech is.”

“Heimerdinger’s fear must be the same, then,” Jayce says, leaning his face towards his cold fingers. “He wanted you to take the Dean’s Assistant position until you became the Dean of the Academy.”

Viktor huffs. “Do you think he would’ve given up that position?”

“I do. He would’ve trusted you with it, and he would've been able to focus solely on his position as the Head of the Council,” His lover pauses to look him in the eye, and he sighs. “You would've been one hell of a Dean.”

They look silently at each other, and Viktor wonders if Jayce is thinking about them same thing; giving up on this dream of theirs to live the ordinary Piltovan life. And perhaps it’s selfish to wonder such things, as he knows Jayce is not thinking about that.

They have the chance, now, to change the world, for it to become a better place, so why give up said prospect? 

“But I don’t want to be the Dean of the Academy, and you don’t want to follow your parents’ steps at the forge,” Viktor says. “We want to become inventors. Hextech’s inventors. And for that, I’m afraid there are some sacrifices we need to make; my father used to  say all the time that nothing worthwhile comes without sacrifices.” 

Jayce rubs his stubble on the back of Viktor’s hand, and he sighs. “You made up your mind, hm?”

“All these weeks of preparation were not only for us to get the presentation ready as such, but also to prepare for what might come our way when we admit we gave continuity to Hextech behind the Council’s back —despite being expelled from the Academy and almost banished from Piltover,” He pauses. “Now that Shoola has finally decided to call for an Assembly to formally introduce her newest investment choice to the rest of the Council, we’ve quite literally put a target behind our backs, Shoola herself included. She could also be trialed for treason, and if that happens, you and I will be banished. And despite it all, I… think Hextech is worthy of said sacrifice; if we could get even the tiniest chance of helping people like you and me, I think it’s worth the risk.”

Jayce searches his eyes, and he assumes it is to see if there’s any hint of hesitation in them, and when he finds none, he leans closer to kiss his lips; leaning his forehead on Viktor’s as he rests one if his warm hands on Viktor’s nape, he says, “I knew I chose wisely when I chose my partner for life.”

 

To Viktor's surprise, they make it in time for the Assembly; the building only serves to bring back memories of their trial, and he thinks he's going to be sick as he walks side by side with Jayce and Shoola. And if two expelled students don't catch enough attention, them entering the Conference Room with a Councilor surely does; he's glad, however, that they have at least one Councilor on their side, perhaps two if they counted Mel.

His patron takes her respective seat by the preposterous cog-shaped desk, and the lights turn off as they get to the center of it; then, a single light is aimed directly at them, and Viktor thinks he's going to be sick. The scene before him is far too familiar, one he doesn't really want to relive, but he's left with little choice as the same voice who spoke first during their trial formally greets everyone in the Assembly, and then acknowledges them by saying:

"Jayce Talis and Viktor Heimerdinger," And Councilor Kiramman pauses, looking at them with what he supposes is disappointment masked with apathy. "A little over two years ago you were trialed and expelled in this very room. I was hoping I wouldn't have to see you again under the same circumstances; and yet, here we are."

Viktor feels the knot in his throat tighten and looks for his patron's eyes; Shoola makes a small and graceful gesture with her hand, signaling him to refute Councilor Kiramman's words, and he takes a deep breath before saying, "While I was hoping for the same thing, Councilor, I've come to realize it's not necessarily a bad thing, as we've come to present to you one of the most revolutionary technology advancements you'll ever get to see."

Heimerdinger is about to speak up when Shoola raises her hand, lightly, and efficiently stops him from doing so; he supposes the Councilors had some sort of meeting beforehand to avoid casualties. He swallows as Jayce motions for an enforcer to bring their most advanced scaled prototype of the Hexgates, one that's not larger than three feet tall; containing all of the 6 crystals they have in their possession, said scaled prototype is most —if not all— of the work they have to present Hextech as such.

It took about 7 months for them to get it right, and now, all they have to do is show what Hextech can do.

"As many of you know, the arcane talents are something one is born with, but what if I were to tell you that it is not necessary for you to be a mage to utilize said powers?" Jayce asks the crowd in the Assembly, and then looks straight into Heimerdinger's eyes as he says, "Viktor, my partner, and I have managed to find a way to channel the arcane energy through raw crystals. Our intention is solely to..." And Viktor supposes he's the only one capable of hearing the hesitation in Jayce's voice as he says, "Bring this city to its maximum potential. Make of Piltover a primary power in Runeterra," He pauses and looks at Viktor. Viktor nods, his lips sealed tightly in a thin line as his lover continues to quote his very own words. "To put Piltover on the map."

And he pushes the knot in his throat aside, one that grows when he realizes that the reason why it feels so wrong to hear Jayce talking the way he does about Piltover is because he is used to Jayce voicing he only means to help the people in need, the Undercity, and not Piltover. He clears his throat to add, "What we have here is our most advanced scaled prototype of a project unlike any other. The Hexgates; an autonomous and completely safe for use tower of stabilized Hex-crystals, capable of transporting goods and passengers alike without delay; in a matter of seconds, our Gates locate the desired destination on a globe and, making use of the arcane energy within the crystals, they move its cargo at an unimaginable speed and with utmost precision," He pauses as Jayce powers up the device and brings their test subjects: an inanimate object —an apple— and a live one —his father's Poro. Heimerdinger pales as he spots his beloved pet by Viktor's feet, but the Poro doesn't really seems to mind as he continues on with the explanation. "Witness, ladies and gentlemen, the power of Hextech."

Jayce sets up the Hexgates to move the apple from one side of the room to the other —as the prototype is, clearly, only able to transport the cargo in small distances— and looks for his lover’s eyes; they look at each other for a quiet moment, one where the anticipation and skepticism are palpable in the air, and Viktor nods in encouragement.

The Gates lift the apple in the air and with the only sound in the room being the mechanical whir, he takes the momentary distraction to move towards where he think the apple will fall. The telltale tap, tap, tap of his cane catches his father’s attention, and they lock eyes; and it’s the first time since he’s looked into his father’s eyes ever since the assembly started. He feels the knot in his throat tighten, and just as he is about to look away, the apple is finally sent to its destination, falling right in front of him. He catches it in the air and takes a bite just to emphasize the point of without damaging the goods being transported. 

Viktor holds his breath after swallowing the bite, and he supposes that the silence that takes a hold of the entire room has to do with the fact that no one really expected it to actually work; Jayce huffs, relieved, and leans down to take the poro. 

Before they get the chance to try it with their second test subject, Heimerdinger stands from his seat to say, “Wait!” 

Jayce stops midway, poro in hand, and Viktor is about to step in when Shoola speaks. “With all due respect, Professor, I trust my pupils here will deliver your beloved Poro safely. As stated and proven before, the Hexgates are safe for use, and won’t cause any harm to it.” 

Then, Shoola motions for Jayce to continue, and he does; he sets up the Gates once more, makes final adjustments and lets go of the Poro as the atmosphere of blue hues emitted by the Gates lifts it up in the air. He hesitates, if only for a moment and due to Heimerdinger boring holes to the side of his skull with his eyes, and this time, Jayce looks for Shoola’s reassurance. Shoola herself seems surprised but encourages him with a gentle nod nonetheless. 

Viktor holds his breath once more and closes his eyes for a moment; the moment he listens to the telltale micro-explosion of the Gates, he opens his eyes just in time to catch the Poro, who made it safely to the other side. He lets go of the breath he was holding and brings the slightly startled Poro closer to his chest; he looks into his father’s eyes and stands a little taller, a little more defiant than before, and then looks at Shoola, who, on the contrary, doesn’t look like she’s surprised. In fact, she looks proud; of them, of herself, and what the three of them have accomplished together, if only a tad indirectly: without her investment and guidance, this wouldn’t have been possible. 

In a matter of seconds, Jayce crosses the room and hugs him like never before, wrapping his arms tightly around his upper shoulders; he lets go of the Poro in favor of hugging his lover back, and a round of applause can be heard. He feels overwhelmed with relief, as he thinks the verdict to Hextech is obvious; almost every Councilor is clapping alongside Shoola and the rest of the crowd in the Assembly, those of whom aren’t being Bolbok and Heimerdinger himself. He can’t say he’s surprised, really, and meets his father’s eyes over Jayce’s shoulder; he can’t read the expression on Heimerdinger’s face, as he’s never seen it before, but if he had to guess, he’d say is one interesting mix of betrayal and terror written on his features. 

Chapter 8: Phobos (Mar's doomed moon)

Notes:

Phobos is often referred to as Mars' "doomed moon" because it is gradually spiraling inwards due to gravitational tidal forces exerted by Mars itself, pulling Phobos closer and closer to the planet. Over time, these forces will cause Phobos to either crash into Mars or break apart due to the intense stress; whatever happens, Phobos is doomed.

The euphoria Viktor feels after the Assembly is short-lived, awfully so; Jayce's excitement quite literally emanates from him in constant waves as he speaks animatedly about what’s next for them, but all Viktor can focus on is Ximena's apologetic glances from across the room. Ivar is there, too, but he doesn't even look at them.

Upon realizing this, he feels a pang in his chest, the same one he felt during Progress Day when he lost Jayce's parents' approval, and he cuts his lover off mid-sentence by taking his hand and dragging him out of the room before he spots his parents inside the Assembly.

Jayce doesn't seem to understand the rush, but follows him nonetheless; once outside, Viktor sighs and embraces his lover's middle once more, leaning most of his weight on him.

"Everything alright?" Jayce asks.

Viktor's heart breaks a little, and he says, "Of course. The presentation was a success, everyone loved it." He buries his face in Jayce's chest.

"But?"

He turns to look into his lover's eyes for a moment and then, before he can reply, a third voice interrupts, making them both turn their heads.

“There you are,” Shoola walks through the crowd, ever so elegant, and says, "I've sent someone to accommodate two rooms for you within Academy grounds, so worry not about going back and forth between the Academy and where you’re currently staying. You have two weeks to fully move in, which would give me the time to also accommodate a lab exclusively for Hextech related-matters; considering I’ve finally found a reliable crystals provider, I thought Heimerdinger’s lab would suffice, seeing how spacious it is. The first cargo is nothing short of large, if I do say so myself. I shall talk to him about it.” 

Jayce pales for a moment, and before he gets to, undoubtedly, complain, Viktor lets go of his lover to stand up straight and steps in with, “Of course. We cannot thank you enough, Councilor; without you, none of this would’ve been possible. For your support, we are forever grateful; I promise we won’t let you down.” 

“I knew I was not mistaken when I decided to put my trust in you,” She says and sighs, clasping her delicate hands in front of her. “You’ve really proven yourselves, the both of you. Expect only the best of this… partnership we now have; and worry not about Council-related matters, for I will take care of those. For now, at least. Anything you might need, do not hesitate to ask.”

After she walks away, he hears Jayce’s disbelieving huff.

“Are you okay with taking Heimerdinger’s lab?” 

“It might… accommodate to our needs, like she said,” He mutters and avoids his lover’s eyes. “Although I am not entirely comfortable with this either, he rarely ever uses the lab for teaching purposes anymore, let alone for personal projects. It will be—”

“A real lunacy,” Jayce interrupts and he can’t help but feel the knot in his throat tighten at the choice of words. Viktor steps back in order to look at his lover properly, and Jayce looks away. “T-To take his lab, I mean. We can’t just— take Professor Heimerdinger’s lab.”

“That is for the Council to decide,” The grip on his cane tightens as he says, “In fact, I’m sure Mel will second the idea.”

“She definitely will. But you?” Jayce rubs his face with his hand and takes a deep breath before he asks, “What did she mean by for now?”

Viktor frowns. “What?”

“Shoola said something about her taking care of Council matters for now. What does that mean?”

“I… don’t know, either. I don’t think you and I and Council matters go in the same side of the equation, but we shall see,” He pauses and says, “If you’ll excuse me, I’d like to start packing now.” 

“V—”

He’s just about to smack Jayce’s hand away when he sees Heimerdinger in the crowd; instead, he takes said hand to bring his lover closer, to use Jayce as a shield of sorts. Jayce huffs but goes with it, and they start walking towards the backstreets, hoping to remain unseen.

Halfway through the journey to where they usually fetch a carriage, he spots Heimerdinger making a turn on the street and realizes that, despite his best efforts, they did not remain unseen and his father had been aware of their intentions all along. 

“A word, Viktor?”

He looks pleadingly at Jayce, hoping his lover comes up with an excuse, but Jayce only looks away.

Viktor sighs and lets go of him, walking the rest of the way towards the carriage with only his father and silence as company.

 

With renewed gloominess and heaviness in his gait, Viktor enters the carriage after his father does, and he can feel the bile rising up in his throat even when his father has not said a single thing ever since they got inside the carriage. In fact, he thinks that’s precisely the reason why he feels jittery, now.

A few moments of tense silence pass before Heimerdinger finally speaks. 

“What do you have to say for yourself?” 

Viktor sighs before uttering, “Nothing I say or do now will do anything to make you forgive me for this, so what’s the point?” 

Heimerdinger places his hands on his own lap before saying, “I think that depends on what you say.”

“What could I possibly say for you to—?”

“Perhaps you should start by answering one simple question," For emphasis, his guardian pauses. "Why? Even after my warnings, you two gave it continuity. Why is that?”

He looks out the carriage’s window, and after a moment, he says, “Because we want to make Piltover a better place, and we believe this might be the only way to do so, Father. Progress is what this city needs—” 

“There are many other ways to do so, child; I am sure of it.” He seems to hope to meet his eyes; Viktor remains unfazed, still looking out of the window. Heimerdinger sighs.

Viktor thinks about the state he found the Undercity in, how much worse it was before he set foot in there, and says, “I don’t think there’s any other way. And if there is, why, as the Head of the Council, have you not implemented it?”

Heimerdinger seems to truly consider his reply, but brushes it off with,

“I think the City doesn’t need to progress any further; Piltovans like it as it is.”

“How do you know they do?” He asks quietly but firmly. “Bread and circuses, right?”

“That is not what we do. What I meant to say is that Piltover’s at its peak—!”

“There is always room for improvement, you’ve told me countless of times!” Viktor snaps. “Why is Piltover’s future any different that mine? Jayce’s? Yours?” He pauses and leans back in his seat, placing a hand on his forehead. “We are Piltover, and if you think that this city is at its peak—” 

then you are part of the problem.

Viktor stops himself right on time, before he says something he will definitely regret; regardless, he feels a pang in his chest. 

After taking a deep breath, he continues. “This city can improve; and perhaps you’re not ready to hear this yet. None of you are. But Jayce and I will show you all. We chose to believe in Hextech when no one else would because we know this technology has the potential to make Piltover a better place. That’s why we gave it continuity; not to disobey, not to be rebellious, and certainly not to betray you and the Council and the Ethos. I feel like I need to tell you this since you seem to be hellbent on believing the only thing I want is to lie, disobey and hurt now that Jayce has shown me—”

And Viktor stops talking as he feels his father’s arms wrap around his neck.

He also stops breathing for a good moment, feels the way his eyes fill with unshed tears; he tries to blink said tears away as he wonders just how long it has been, if ever, since his father last hugged him that way.

He doesn't even notice when Heimerdinger approaches, let alone anticipate the hug, and his father leaves him with little to no time to react; said hug makes him freeze for so long that when he comes back to, his father is back on his side of the carriage, sitting on his seat, as if nothing had happened. And he’s speaking, but Viktor doesn't quite catch the first things he said—

“—Regardless, this is the path you’ve chosen. Now that the Council has approved of your…” And he braces for the impact, but none comes. “Invention, there’s nothing I can do but support you as my son and Shoola’s pupil. I’m afraid you’ve put me in a very difficult situation, Viktor, but as your father, I will be by your side and offer guidance when I see fit.”

He thinks about not replying, leaving things as they are now, but he takes one look at his father, recalls how much he needed the hug, and said resolve breaks; he ends up uttering, “If it makes you feel any better, this not what I imagined would happen when I accepted to be Jayce’s lab partner, either,” He huffs and fiddles with his cane’s handle. “Far from it, actually. Hence, I never meant to go for it this way. I never meant for all of this to happen the way it did. I'm...” And the apology slips his mind. "I'm just as disappointed; but only about the way things between you and I are now. I feel like we're both walking on eggshells, and it's... strange."

“It is strange indeed. I’m sure we'll get through, with time,” Heimerdinger says. “And I’m afraid most things in life don’t go the way we plan."

"Yeah." Viktor says, nothing more than a sigh, and looks out of the window again.

The hug keeps occupying the forefront of his mind and feels there's nothing else to say, now. Though through his peripheral vision, he can see his father struggling to keep the conversation going; and normally he would be the one eager to speak with his guardian, but finds reluctance where there was willingness before.

A few more quiet moments pass, where the only thing that can be heard is the horse's hooves on the pavement, and then,

"I'm not sure whether you are aware of this or not, but I wanted you to take my place as the Dean of the Academy. After this, however… I don’t think we can go back to the original plan, can we?”

Hearing his own father say it feels far different from the night Jayce had said it, and he lets out a sigh.

“I was aware. Jayce brought it up, a few hours ago,” He says. “And maybe I would’ve followed your steps, if only—”

“You are ambitious, I’ll give you that; you wouldn’t have settled with just being the Dean of the Academy,” A pause. “Perhaps I underestimated you, for you are meant to do something greater, something not quite as mundane as it is to be… the Dean of the Academy. An inventor, if you must. And I should've known this from the very moment you lost interest in the position of the Dean’s Assistant, ever since Jayce formally entered your life,” Heimerdinger looks at him. “I... didn’t want to believe you wanted something else than what I, your father, could offer. I’m sorry, Viktor; your rebellious actions are a consequence of my negligence as a father, I’ve come to understand.”

Viktor blinks several times before he recovers, “Negligence?”

“Had I allowed you a little more freedom to explore what you wanted to become, you wouldn’t have had to resort to lies and rebelliousness,” The carriage stops and Viktor can’t even get to process his father’s words before the driver opens the door for him; they’re at his house, and he has no idea how they came to get here as quickly. He accepts the driver’s help, gladly, and just as the driver is about to close the door, Heimerdinger says, “In my more than three centuries of life, this is my first time being a father, too. I hope you find it in yourself to forgive me, I never meant to make you feel like you were trapped within the confines of the position I wanted to give you. However, there’s no point in reminiscing about what ifs; I’m glad I’ll have you back within Academy grounds, even if it’s not how I imagined it would happen.” 

Viktor feels his knees weaken as he watches the carriage drive down the road; then, he looks at the other side of the street to find Jayce there, waiting for him instead of going inside their house on his own. He has no idea how he got here just as quickly as they did, but he’s grateful, however it happened.

Just as Jayce is in front of him, he wraps his arms around his middle and leans most of his weight on his lover once again.

“I’m taking it that conversation didn’t go as planned?” Jayce greets, his tone apologetic, as he rubs Viktor’s back. 

He leans his head on Jayce’s shoulder and says, “Not quite. Things rarely ever go as planned when I’m with you.” 

Jayce huffs, “I could say the same thing about you, you know?”

“It’s not necessarily a bad thing,” Viktor mutters placing his hand on Jayce’s chest, his tone apologetic, too. “I’ve come to understand.”

A pause.

“Did it go I will cut you out of my will kind of bad or was it just you disobeyed and you will pay the consequences of your actions but I’m still your father and will continue to support you kind of bad?”

Viktor huffs, unimpressed, and says, “It went I disobeyed and will pay the consequences of my actions but he’s still my father and will continue to support us kind of bad. He was your mentor, too. I… didn’t get to ask how he would feel if we were to take his lab, though.” 

Jayce hums and hugs him a little tighter. 

He frowns as he feels Jayce’s frantic heartbeat underneath his hand, and he asks, “And you? Everything alright?”

It takes a while for Jayce to reply. “My parents were there, in the Assembly. My mom was looking at me like I’d officially lost it, she seemed... almost afraid to me. She didn’t leave my father’s side; my father, on the other hand, didn’t even look at me,” He takes a sharp breath, and Viktor moves the hand on his chest to cup Jayce's cheek. “He didn’t even look at us, V.”

Viktor sighs, too, and kisses his lover’s cheek. “I know, I’m sorry, love.”

“You knew they were here?”

“I saw them at the very back of the room, yes,” He pauses. “But I didn’t want to worry you.” 

Jayce tenses, as if he's going to get defensive and lash out, but in the end, he leans his weight a little on Viktor, too; after a sigh, he says, "Do you think we've officially gone mad?"

Viktor considers the progress they've made channeling magic through crystals to enhance technology and the fact that they got the Council to approve of the very thing that nearly got them banished from Piltover, this lunacy of theirs, and answers with a simple, "I think we have."

“Not quite a bad thing, you’ve come to understand?”

Viktor huffs. “My thoughts exactly.”

“Great minds think alike.”

He recalls that conversation, one they had years ago when they first started dating, as he says, “Yeah, they do.”

 

---

 

A few more months go by and Viktor starts feeling like time is slipping through their fingers; despite there being no deadlines, the feeling is still there, nagging in the back of his mind. And everyone's expectations of Hextech start weighing down on them; having found the support they needed felt more like an anvil had found a home inside his ribcage instead of a weight being lifted off their shoulders. 

If being Heimerdinger’s son had taught him something was to not break under the weight of expectations and pressure, something he could certainly use to his advantage; he thinks he’s doing great with handling demands. Jayce, on the other hand, having been raised in a much different household, doesn’t do well with the stress and breaks rather easily; he tries to take care of most —if not all— diplomatic business to ease some of the stress off his lover, but there are times where he’s holed up in the lab and Jayce is the one that gets caught in said business on his way to the lab or the field. 

Viktor also feels like they’re back at square one, with Jayce not quite balancing his personal and professional life; back into Academy grounds, it’s easier for him to sneak past their professional life —responsibilities and obligations alike— and onto the field with his former friends and teammates.

And it wouldn’t be a problem if it didn’t interfere with their meetings with possible investors and Shoola’s meetings alike. 

But it does. And they’re back at square one. 

Jayce doesn’t notice how Viktor starts spending more time at the lab due to his absence.

Nor does he notice how Viktor’s back starts hunching, ‘cause they’re no longer in their makeshift lab where Jayce had designed their desks to be at the perfect height for Viktor not to lean down.

Nor does he notice how little they truly see each other now, with Viktor holed up in the lab and in meetings and Jayce in the field with his teammates and in the lab when Viktor decides to rest for a while. And that combined with the fact that they each have separate rooms and very different schedules makes it practically impossible to see each other, even at night and in the privacy of a room.

Nor does Jayce realize how absent he’s truly been until Viktor and Shoola formally announce the building process of the Hexgates will start next spring, and he misses said announcement; one he was supposed to partially give.

 

Right after the public announcement, Viktor practically locks himself in his bedroom and notifies the guard stationed outside of his room that he is to be disturbed by no one. And he left very clear that no one means absolutely nobody; not Jayce, not Heimerdinger, and certainly not Shoola. 

Needless to say, the peace and quiet lasts for approximately 10 minutes. 

He can hear the guard letting whoever is knocking know Viktor said nobody, but said nuisance continues talking over the guard saying things like ‘I won’t have this bullshit’, ‘I think I am an exception’ and ‘Viktor, I know you’re upset but can you please open the door?’

Viktor huffs and stands from the bed, grunting as his mind wanders to the back brace he drafted for Ximena, one that had been initially for his own support and aid. He thinks he now can recall why. 

“Please abstain yourself from insisting,” Says the guard. Viktor walks a tad closer to the door as they continue. “Like stated before, Mr. Heimerdinger is not—”

“Okay, pal, I can also pull that like stated before card,” Jayce barks, now exasperated. He sounds agitated, too, the kind of rapid breathing that indicates he’s just come back from a match; Viktor rolls his eyes. “Like stated before, I am his partner and I think I am an exception to the do not disturb rule he set just now. Don’t act like you don’t know who I am.”

“I never meant to insinuate I don’t know who you are, Mr. Talis. That is not my intention at all,” And Viktor bites down a giggle when he hears the guard say, “All I’m doing is respecting your, and I quote, partner’s wishes. He specifically said there were three names that were strictly forbidden from disturbing him, and yours is on the list.” 

“My name is on the list? Don’t be ridiculous,” Jayce huffs. “And what would you know about my partner’s wishes?” 

Viktor opens the door and sighs, “‘Cause I told them I wanted no one on my door; and I did make a list with your name in it. And yet, here you are.” 

“Viktor, can you please listen—?” 

He taps the guard’s shoulder twice and they move aside to let them talk privately, albeit right outside his bedroom; he steps outside and closes the door behind himself, and after some reluctance, takes another step closer to Jayce in the relatively dark Academy Hall. 

“What? You’re not letting me in?” 

“I think not. I am very upset at you right now,” He mutters, gripping the handle of his cane, perhaps in an attempt to calm himself. “Not attending a formal announcement you were supposed to partially give? What were you thinking? What do you think your absence at the ceremony says about us? About Hextech?”

“You’re starting to sound like Shoola.” Jayce mutters.

Such a simple, short statement takes him aback, and he recovers by saying, “I think she cares about us.”

“And I think she only cares about what the masses say and think about Hextech. I’d advise you to not get it mixed up.” He huffs.

“The public opinion is a rather determinant factor of Hextech’s success. It is only natural for her to care about that too.”

“I don’t think she cares about you,” Jayce says. “About us. What I’m trying to say is that she only cares about Hextech.” 

Viktor takes a deep breath before saying, “I understand you’re hurt and wary when it comes to Piltovans, but I dare say she cares about us both, as Hextech’s inventors and her most important investment.” 

“See? She sees us as something she can use,” Jayce replies immediately. “Look at your choice of words. Hextech. Her most important investment. We’re not people to her, just numbers on her bank account and on her public image. Why can’t you see—?” 

“Is this what you came to tell me? That my patron of many years is using our invention for her advantage?” He mutters, awkwardly gripping the candle of his cane. “Tell me something I don’t know. Isn’t that what patrons do?”

Jayce looks hurt for a moment, but then says, “Do you not care about her seeing you as a number? A statistic?”

“No, as long as she continues to finance our dream,” He pauses. “Is this really what you came to say? Is there nothing more important than Shoola plaguing you at the moment?” 

“Listen, I didn’t miss the public announcement for a match. If you could only listen—”

Viktor raises his free hand in a clear gesture to stop Jayce from talking, and he does. Then, he says, “I told you several times, with a lot of anticipation. You had weeks to prepare, weeks you used to play and hole up in the lab doing Janna-knows-what. Clearly, it wasn’t related to the most important announcement we’ve made regarding Hextech, was it?” He pauses, even if it’s a rhetorical question, to give his lover the benefit of the doubt. No answer comes, so he continues. “Was it worth it?” 

“What?”

“Was the match worth it? Missing the most important announcement we’ve made regarding Hextech?” He presses. Jayce huffs and finally pulls his scrum cap off; he resists the urge to run his hands through that messy and usually soft hair in favor of emphasizing his point of being royally pissed. He would usually run his hands through Jayce’s hair just as he’d take the scrum cap off, but not today.

“It not about the match, V.” He repeats.

"Then? What is it about?"

When all he gets for an answer is silence in the dark, cold Academy Hall, he starts considering running back the same speech regarding priorities, being distracted and non-committal, but ends up thinking better of it and saying, “Around two years ago we were having this exact conversation. Do you remember?”

“I do,” Jayce deflates at the admission. “Can we just take this inside? Please?”

Viktor takes a moment to scrutinize his partner’s face, and an image of the ring that hangs from both of their necks’ flashes in his mind’s eye. He instinctively lowers his eyes to Jayce’s chest, where he thinks the ring should be resting, and sighs. 

“Alright. I will listen to what you have to say; however, I think you should take a shower first.” 

Jayce huffs. “Is that your way of telling me I smell?”

He turns around to open the door and walk inside before saying, over his shoulder, “It is indeed. Use mine.” 

 

Jayce walks out of his bathroom wearing nothing but a towel, that barely holds itself around his waist, and their ring, that hangs proudly around his neck; Viktor looks away immediately as he remembers they no longer share a room, so Jayce’s clean clothes are in his bedroom next door. 

Before Jayce says anything, Viktor is already on his feet, quietly making his way to Jayce’s room; after taking a deep breath, he pushes the door open.

And he tries, really, not to flinch as he sees the mess inside; towers of clothes on the floor, a half-eaten sandwich that looks rather recent in one of the desks near the window, books, notebooks and pens scattered in every available surface, the unmade bed full of dirty rugby uniforms, and his Journal, thrown carelessly to the side of the bed. Viktor huffs and carefully makes his way to his lover’s bed, where he uses it as support to lean down and take the journal in his hands.

He startles as a few stray pages fall from it, and leans down again to gather them; his breath catches as he realizes they are Jayce’s sketches. And they’re not precisely of any kind of device or invention; it’s his own eyes that stare back at him from the sketch on the paper.

The door is pushed open by Jayce, so carelessly that he startles once again as his lover makes his way inside. 

“We should make a hole in the wall that separates our rooms.” He announces into the air between them, not quite looking at Viktor nor the mess around him, as if he was used to it by now.

“Or we could just make a door.”

“That works too, I suppose,” Jayce huffs. Viktor grimaces at the very thought of Jayce getting used to mess and grime ever since they sleep in separate rooms as Jayce continues talking, “I don’t know why Shoola got us separate rooms; it’s pointless. Whatever the reason, she’s left very clear that she’s against us being together. Something about slowing you down and making you hesitate. And you say she cares about me…”

Viktor watches, patiently, as his lover leans down to choose, sniff and put back down some of the clothes on the floor, and move onto the next pile of clothes until he finds something to put on.

“I stand by what I said,” Viktor whispers, his eyes focused on his partner. “And I don’t think that’s  true. Did she really say that?”

“Mel says she did.”

He hums. “Does Mel say my father talks that way, too?”

Jayce stills his movements midway of pulling his shirt over his eyes; instead of answering, he pulls the shirt over his eyes with a little more force than necessary and mutters, “I’m sorry about the mess—”

And his lover finally raises his eyes to meet Viktor’s. Then, they slide down to his hands, to the rather intimate sketches of Viktor’s face that were haphazardly thrown inside the journal.

A tense silence engulfs the room immediately, and to break said tension, Viktor mutters, “Is this what you do inside the lab when I’m not around? Draw my face by memory?” 

“Ha-ha,” Jayce mocks and tugs at the hem of his shirt, as if fixing it. Viktor’s breath catches in his throat as his partner’s little fang peeks from inside his lips; he had forgotten just how much he liked it.“You were not supposed to see those.” 

“In my defense, the journal was almost underneath your bed, pages folded and gathering dust. I just wanted to pick it up and bring you some clothes…” He pauses. “Did you roam around the hall with only your towel on?”

“There was nobody around.” Jayce shrugs it off.

Viktor rolls his eyes. Then, he tries to resist the urge to speak about how different his habits seem to be now that they no longer share a room, but fails.

“You weren’t as messy, when we lived together.” 

“I was barely around.” Jayce huffs, nervously.

“That statement makes absolutely no difference right now,” He points out. “You’re barely here, too. What changed?”

“I think you know what did,” And his lover’s guard finally falls. He takes a deep breath to reply, but Jayce beats him to it. “With you not being around, it doesn‘t matter whether my room is neat or not.”

“I think it does matter,” Viktor whispers and finally stacks the sketches inside the journal to close it. He carefully makes his way to the desk with the half-eaten sandwich and slides his finger over the surface of the desk. “And the current state of your room speaks volumes about how you feel at the moment. Is there something on your mind?” 

Jayce sighs. “I don’t wanna push this on you. It’s okay, really. I’m alright.” 

Viktor rubs his index finger and thumb together to get rid of the dust he wiped off as he says, “You’re a terrible liar. We haven’t spoken properly these past days and yet I think I know you enough to know you’re hiding something.” 

He raises his eyes to meet Jayce’s and his heart drops. His partner’s eyes are glossy.

“Love?”

“I…” Jayce takes a deep breath and says, “There might be something…”

“Do you want to talk about it?”

A small pause.

“My mother came by, a few hours ago, before the match. She said my father heard terrible news from the Undercity, that… Vander’s missing, and that he went down there and hasn't come back in hours," He pauses. "I think something's wrong. Awfully so. It's been well over a year since my mother and I talked, and for her to come look for me with such urgency..." 

"Did you… answer to her?"

"I couldn't speak," He replies, quietly, ashamed. "Whatever happened down there is bad, and I felt like speaking about it might've made it... real. Tangible. I couldn't even look her in the eyes."

"Do you know where she is now?" He asks quietly, his mind going a thousand miles per hour, flashing thoughts he doesn't want to linger on any longer than he has to. He starts making his way to the bedroom door as he waits for an answer. "Do you think she'd go down there on her own?"

"She and I grew up in the Undercity for most of our childhood, of course she'd go on her own— oh."

"We need to make it to the bathysphere, and quickly," Viktor says as he hurriedly makes his way inside his own room; even the guard picks up on his hurry and trails his steps, though they stop at the entrance of his room. He takes the cloak they’d use to go to the Undercity and tosses the other one to Jayce. "If she's going down there, it'd be perfect for her to slip by undetected at night, right? And I’m not saying she can’t handle herself, all I’m saying is that if Ivar and Vander are missing, there’s something very dangerous going on down there and we need to find her before—”

"We? Are you coming with me?" Jayce asks. 

"Why, of course I am,” He says and looks over his shoulder to make sure Jayce is putting the cloak on. Then, he looks at the guard. “I’m sorry, but I really need—”

“I’m afraid I cannot let you go to the Undercity, Mr. Heimerdinger.” 

“I’m afraid this is an emergency,” Viktor says with resolve as he makes his way back to the door; on the way, he takes Jayce’s hand. “My family is in danger. Please move out of the way.” 

“Allow me to accompany you, then,” They say, more a demand than a request. He sighs as he recalls Shoola saying the guard at his door was going to be personally chosen by her now that he was officially back into her care. “My instructions are to—”

“I have no time for this,” He says as he pushes his way between the door and the guard. “She cannot control where I go and what I do, and if you so much as touch me or my lover I will call the enforcers on you.”

The guard lifts their hands in surrender and finally steps away; as soon as Viktor slams his bedroom door shut, they position themself by the door, as if Viktor was still inside and they were still posted for guard. He hums, satisfied, and tugs at Jayce's hand as encouragement to continue walking down the halls.

Once outside, he realizes just how empty the streets in Piltover are at night; and how quiet, eerie so. They make their way down the streets just as silent, still holding hands and hoping they get there in time for the last trip of the bathysphere. Walking inside the bathysphere and being the only people around feels off, and as it slows down to a stop, he’s not quite surprised to feel a little reluctance when walking out of it.

Jayce remains silent the entire ride and even after, when they’re waking through the streets of the city he grew up in.  

“Where could she possibly be?” Viktor whispers, afraid to break the silence. 

Jayce tugs him closer as he mutters, “I have a few ideas. But I remember her saying my father was talking about The Last Drop.” 

“That’s a good start.” He says.

“As good as any,” His lover says, and in the distance, he can make out the glowing, telltale sign for Vander’s bar. “Let’s hope the kids are still here.”

“And why wouldn’t they be?” 

“Let’s say they have a tendency of disobeying for what can be considered the right reasons if put into perspective.”

“Meaning…?”

“They might’ve tried to go on their own.”

Viktor huffs and pulls the hood of his cloak to conceal his face. “Go where? Stop talking in riddles.”

“To rescue their and my father, angel.” Jayce huffs as he quickly tries the front door; it’s unlocked, surprisingly, and they make their way inside.

The bar is just as quiet, completely empty, and it makes Viktor feel like this might be some sort of ambush related to whatever happened to Ivar; Jayce makes his way inside the familiar halls in the dark and stops in front of an old, wooden door that looks smaller than the rest. He tries to pin-point the reason why it’s familiar until Jayce opens the door.

Two arms wrap around his middle with such force Viktor stumbles and falls hard on his rear, the hood of his cloak falling in the process; Jayce is just as surprised as he is as he looks down to find the source to be the owner of such telltale blue hair, illuminated only by a stray ray of light that comes from a hole in one of the old windows. And there's something hard and metallic —some sort of cylinder— she's holding with all her might, that digs into his side, but he pays no real mind to it.

“Powder?” Viktor whispers and the arms around him tighten their embrace; he slowly wraps his shaky hands around the little girl, embracing her, too. 

“What happened?” Jayce says, kneeling beside them; he gently scoots closer, Viktor’s cane in his hand. “Pow-Pow, where’s Vander? Benzo?” 

Powder shakes her head fervently, and Viktor swallows. "Where are they?" He insists, gently, and the little girl lets out a sob.

"Benzo's gone," She musters and hugs Viktor tighter; he raises his eyes in time to see his lover's face pale at the admission. His heart aches and he tightens his embrace on Powder. "Vi said he was... torn apart, by something unlike anything she's ever seen before."

Jayce takes a few moments, before quietly asking. "Gone?"

Powder nods against Viktor’s chest; he feels the bile rising up in his throat as Jayce’s eyes get glossy once more. 

“Where’s Vi?” Viktor voices his concern. 

“She left,” She says, muffled by Viktor’s clothes. “She left me here. They all did. Said Ivar and Vander were next, but that I wasn’t ready.” 

“Ivar and Vander?” He can’t help but ask, and Powder lifts her head slowly to look at him; her eyes are reddened, as well as her cheeks and nose, and her tiny face is a mess but he can’t help the urge to tuck a stray lock behind her ear. As he does, Powder leans into his gentle touch. “Vi left on her own accord to help Ivar and Vander, right? And she said you were too young to help?”

“Mylo and Claggor left with her, too,” She says, wiping her nose with the back of her wrist. Viktor offers his tissue —the letters V.H embroidered in the uppermost right corner of it— to her, and she takes it gladly. “They all left and said I wasn’t ready.” 

“Ready for what?” Viktor asks and, instead of waiting for a reply, cups her cheek to say, “Perhaps they were trying to protect you from whatever they think you’re not ready for.” 

Given her current state of mind, she huffs and says, “I’m not afraid. I’m 11 now—”

“You have to understand Vi and Claggor are trying to protect you,” Jayce cuts her off. “And Mylo tries, too, despite the differences there might be between the two of you.”

She buries her face back into Viktor’s chest, and he sighs, pleadingly looking up to his lover; as much as he’d love to stay here and embrace Powder, their visit to the Undercity had a main objective: find out where Vander, Ivar and Ximena are right now. And now, Vi, Mylo and Claggor are to be added to the list.

Then, his mind flashes a rather unsolicited image of Benzo, that fateful day in the auction, and another, when they were back at his workplace and Viktor and Ekko met for the first time. He rests his chin on Powder’s head and sighs. 

The same stray ray of light that illuminates the blue of Powder’s hair hits Jayce’s face as he sighs and leans down; Viktor can quite literally see on his partner’s expression the moment Jayce weighs his options and makes a decision.

Jayce reaches out to cradle Powder with one arm and says, “We’re taking her with us. We can’t waste anymore time; we don’t really know what happened to Benzo or where our parents are, and now Vi, Mylo and Claggor are in danger, too.” Then, he extends his free hand for Viktor to take. 

“Do you have any ideas as to where they are, now?” Viktor asks, taking his lover’s hand to help himself up. 

Jayce pauses midway towards the door of The Last Drop, but before he can answer, “Ekko was there when Benzo was attacked, so he followed Silco,” Whispers Powder, hugging Jayce’s neck as if her life depended on it. “Vi said they're at old cannery, by the docks.”

“Silco's factory?” Jayce asks, and Powder nods. 

“Who is this Silco? Why is he behind everything bad that happens in the Undercity?” Viktor finds himself asking, a little annoyed at being the only one who doesn’t know who this famous Silco is. 

The only thing that can be heard is Jayce’s quiet steps; he huffs and trails said steps, hurriedly, to stand between the door and Jayce.

“Who is Silco? And why do you not answer every time I ask?” 

“The less you know about this place, the better.” 

“This place is the place you grew up in, and it became part of my life the moment you did,” Viktor says, a knot taking place in his throat. “Tell me what I need to know, that’s all I ask.”

Jayce sighs, a little exasperated, and shifts Powder in his arm to say, “The less you know about this place, the safer you are. I need you to trust me in this.” 

“And I do,” He takes the doorknob and twists it to open the door. “But I need you to trust me a little more regarding what’s happening here. I think I understand enough to know this Silco situation is bigger than you and me. All I need to know is why he has Ivar and Vander kidnapped.”

He sees the moment the hesitation crosses Jayce’s mind, and then, “They are against what Silco believes in. Benzo is— was, too.”

“What Silco believes in,” Viktor echoes. “And what may that be?”

“He has the crazy idea of ruling the Undercity as an independent city. Vander, my father and a lot of us are against it. All we want is to have a little peace in this wasteland,” He huffs. Powder leans her head on Jayce’s, and he takes a deep breath to say, “And all he wants is to reign the Undercity and fight for its independence. Both my father and Vander have been trying to stop him for years; the last thing we need is a leader like him.”

Viktor takes a deep breath, too, and sighs, “That’s… quite a lot to take in,” He looks away to say, “You’ve made me understand why he wants what he wants, but it won’t be easy. It will only ensue civil war, seeing how the Council will be against giving up the Undercity’s control.” 

“Would you be okay with the Undercity fighting for independence?” Jayce asks and walks out of the bar; he is quick to follow.

“Of course not. We want to help the Undercity and, in doing so, unify Piltover as a whole, not to destroy whatever little keeps us together as a city,” He pauses. “And… you?” 

Jayce hums, pensive. “I’m sure Vander and my father are right. They believe we need to unify the Undercity, and not necessarily fight for independence. Unfortunately, Silco and his goons are the only obstacle to achieve that.” 

“Do you not believe we can operate as one city, like it used to be before there were Topside and Undercity?” Viktor asks, and perhaps gets a little defensive. As usual, he assumed they’d be on the same page, but seems like they’re not. 

“I don’t think people in the Undercity would like that, no,” His lover says and takes a turn, walking a little faster. He catches up, if a little winded. “And, in the end, history repeats itself. The civil war that made us Topside and Undercity happened for a reason, right? It’s just bound to happen. Maybe we can leave things as they are and help the Undercity with Hextech?” 

“Then the Undercity will feel like we are intruding and say they don’t need Topside’s help if we leave things as they are now,” He points out and sighs as his lover comes to an abrupt stop to face him; he looks at Jayce and then at Powder, who has her eyes closed by now, and wonders why people so alike can have such different opinions, ones that create a breach in the relationship they have. “We might need to unify Topside and Undercity, or intrude. We’ll see. Though I’m sure things will remain as they are for now, right? Vander and Ivar have the situation under control, and I’m sure they’ve kept the kids safe, too.”

When his lover realizes Viktor can’t keep his eyes off of Powder, he looks at her, too, and lets out a breath. “I can only hope you’re right. We’ll be lost without either of them; I can’t begin to imagine what we’ll do if both of them—” 

“That won’t happen,” He says as he cups Jayce’s cheek. “Come on, we need to keep moving. Ximena must be caught up in this mess by now.” 

Jayce kisses the palm of his hand and lets go of his hand to turn around and keep moving. 

 

They make it to the docks and Viktor is about to grunt due to the exertion on his leg when the old cannery building groans; he looks up in time to see the building partially collapsing, and then, he sees the reason why: flames. The flames engulf the building with such speed Jayce leaves Powder in his arms and makes a run for it; Viktor’s breath catches in his throat as Powder opens her eyes and wrestles until she’s free. 

“Powder, listen to me—” He says as he holds her by the wrist.

“Vi’s still inside!” 

“You can’t go inside!” Viktor practically yells, the unfamiliarity of the volume in his voice tearing at his throat. “Please, stay with me!”

She looks back at him for a moment, and he thinks she will listen, hopes she does, but it all happens so quickly he has no time to react; Powder pushes the metallic cylinder she was carrying with her into his hand, yanks her arm free and makes a run after Jayce, leaving him frozen in place. 

He feels his knees buckle as he makes his way in the general direction his lover and Powder went, and stops in his tracks as the building groans once more. Time seems to stop as he takes in his surroundings and the situation they’re now in, how quickly it seemed to escalate.

Ashes and bits of smoke slowly start creeping into Viktor’s nose and eyes, and he uses his own cloak to cover his mouth and nose to keep pushing forward. 

The second floor collapses, and he’s sure the time fully stops; the sounds around him reduce to the building’s groans and screams, and that mixed with the little oxygen in the air makes him feel so overwhelmed he starts feeling dizzy. He leans on one of the adjacent building’s wall to catch whatever little breath he can and just as he is about to continue walking, Jayce walks out of the old cannery, or rather what’s left of it, with an unconscious Ximena in his arms.

The sight immediately makes his eyes water, and he reaches for the back of his cloak with shaky hands; he tears a considerable amount of fabric and wets it with relatively-clean-looking water. He weighs his options and opts for tearing the wet fabric in two; just as he has Jayce within reach he cleans his face and holds the wet cloth over his partner’s mouth. Jayce’s rapid and irregular breathing makes the cloth feel warm in his hand and he takes the moment to assess Jayce’s general condition. When he’s sure Jayce didn’t inhale as much smoke as to have severe repercussions on his health, he leans heavily on the building behind him with a little wave of relief washing over him; Jayce holds the fabric over his own mouth and says, “Take care of her, yeah? My father’s still inside—”

Viktor’s blood rushes to his ears so quickly he stops listening for a good moment, and by the time he comes back to, he’s siting down with an unconscious Ximena on his lap. He tries his best to clean Ximena’s face and place the other wet piece of cloth over her mouth as he simultaneously holds his cloak’s fabric over his own mouth, and all the while fighting to stay conscious himself.

Breathing gets easier after a little while so he uncovers his mouth, but just after he does, he leans to the side and empties his stomach as far away from where Ximena lies as he can muster. 

Viktor isn’t sure how much time passes before Ximena opens her eyes; it happens so suddenly he startles, and he can’t blame the look of horror in her eyes as she takes in her environment. He thinks his steady breathing helps her calm down, and slowly but surely, she sits up and starts coughing. He pats her back as gently as he can; he helps her, too, with the immediate wave of fear and realization that washes over her by staying quietly by her side as she sniffles. He cannot begin to image what horrors she went through and on her own. 

After her coughing fit, she musters, “Jayce? Ivar?” 

Viktor sighs, “Jayce re-entered the building; said his father was still inside.” 

“The kids?”

“Powder was with us but ran after Jayce the moment she saw the state the building was in,” He gently takes the cloth he gave Ximena from her shaky hands to wring it and wet it once more. She hugs herself with one hand while she holds the cloth close to her nose and mouth with the other. “I have no idea what’s going on inside, I’m afraid.”

Ximena’s eyes wander back to the building and she lets out a sob, as if she was holding it but could no longer do so. He sighs and blinks his own tears away, saying, “How do you feel, Mrs. Talis?” 

“Better, now that I know you’re alright. I figured you’d tag along if my stubborn Jayce decided to come.” 

Just as he is about to reply, Jayce runs out of the collapsing building with an unconscious Powder in his arms.

There’s no sign of life after them. 

Jayce falls to his knees right after making it out of the building, and Viktor, weak as he feels, takes his cane to stand as quickly as his shaky hands allow him. He kneels in front of Jayce and cups his lover’s face with both of his hands, desperately trying to figure out whether he’s conscious or not; Ximena stands after him and takes Powder from his son’s arms, cleaning her face with the piece of cloth she was using. 

“Jayce,” He calls, his trembling hands roaming around his hunched figure, desperately trying to find an anchor, something that grounds him to the moment he’s in and makes him believe that, despite all his efforts, this is really happening, and that he needs to do something now. “Jayce, love, open your eyes.” 

A shaky hand reaches for Viktor’s cheek, as if to wipe away his tears, but falls midway on its journey; Viktor’s vision blurs as his eyes fill with tears once again, and he takes Jayce's hand, the one that had reached for his cheek, holding close to his chest. Having found an anchor, he takes a deep breath and wills himself to stop shaking.

Only then does he think about the rest of people that were supposed to be inside; he looks back at what he supposes is the entrance of the building, now in ashes, and wonders where Mylo, Claggor, Vi, Vander and Ivar are; if they made it out in time; if Jayce saw his father underneath rubble, or if he didn’t even get the chance to see him at all.

The weight in his chest only seems to grow the more he thinks, and he lets out a sob of his own; his eyes return to his lover’s face, and he thinks Jayce is fighting to stay awake for Viktor’s sake. 

Viktor weighs his options; he can leave now, ensure that these three people he’s come to care about are safe and sound, or he could stay and enter the building, ask for help, see if anyone else is still inside and alive. And, to make a decision, all he needs to do is look at the three people around him.

"We need to leave." He whispers, a treacherously weak sound, and he knows Ximena doesn't want to leave just yet.

He stands, wrapping Jayce's arm around his neck to support his lover's weight. Letting out a jagged breath, he realizes his cane is nowhere to be seen; carefully and slowly, he turns around to meet Ximena's anguished eyes.

"We need to leave, now."

"They're still inside," She mutters, cradling Powder's head with such care Viktor's heart shatters. "I know they might not be—"

The knot in his throat tightens as he hears several sets of footsteps among the ringing in his ears, and he thinks it's over for all of them, but is relieved to look up to find telltale and familiar blue uniforms at the end of the street. 

"Enforcers?" Ximena asks.

"They must've heard the commotion from across the bridge." Viktor mutters, relieved.

One of the enforcers, the Sheriff, he presumes, barks out orders while the others rush to what's left of the old cannery. Said Sheriff looks at them with disdain at first, but then he supposes he recognizes Ximena and sends a smaller number of enforcers to aid them, too. Two of the enforcers help him carry Jayce's weight while another one hooks Viktor's arm over their neck so as to aid his tired gait; he looks back to find Powder in an enforcer's arms while Ximena describes what happened. The wave of relief that washes over him is so strong his vision blacks out, and he fights to stay awake for the enforcer's and Ximena's sake.

 

---

 

Viktor doesn’t think he’s ever felt more exhausted as he does when they enter the bathysphere; he thinks he drifts in and out of conscience while the group of enforcers help them out of the Undercity, for he can only recall snippets and bits.

Jayce leaning heavily on the two enforcers,

Ximena's shaky voice thanking one of the enforcers for helping them out,

the enforcer's soft voice as he kindly asks Viktor to stay awake and calm,

Powder in the enforcer's arms,

the cold, biting wind of Piltover's merciless nights hitting his face,

waking up to an unfamiliar room with a soft, candlelit atmosphere,

Jayce lying on a bed across from him,

Ximena whispering sweet nothings to her son,

Powder sitting next to him on the bed,

and finally, the unforgiving rays of sunlight hitting his face as he comes back to.

Chapter 9: An unexpected loss, the treacherous stages of grief and the art of coping

Notes:

theoretically speaking, i have reached the original timeline (benzo’s, grayson’s, vander’s, mylo’s and claggor’s death and all the series of events from the first three episodes from the first season) thing is, i am going to cover that 7-year gap we have between episode 3 and 4 in the next chapters, and i am so (not) ready for it :)

Ivar Talis' funeral is the first one Viktor attends in many years. He wears the Talis' House colors upon both Talis' request, and he sports an amicable expression like he would in any Piltovan reunion, but, contrary to said reunions, this one feels like a fever dream; like time slows down for Jayce, Ximena, Powder and him, but for the rest of the world, this is just an ordinary day, like any other.

He chats a little with each of the guests while receiving condolences on the Talis' name, as they asked for the ceremony to be a private one, where only very few people could attend, and most of the time, Ximena and Jayce stand by the casket, wishing —naturally— to remain undisturbed; still, he cannot blame the occasional loyal client from the forge that wants to give condolences, who stands by the tent's entrance in hopes of expressing kind words that fall on rather deaf ears.

Powder doesn't leave his side, ever; while he's at the tent’s entrance, kindly ushering the people away, when he's inside acting as a host of sorts, making sure all the guests are alright, and when he hides away from prying eyes as he cries as quietly as he can so as to not disturb his grieving family. She's there, always, making sure he isn't alone despite her grieving the loss of most —if not all— of her family, too; perhaps that is the sole reason she sticks to her new normal, Viktor being the one who's taken care of her and stuck by her side the longest since the incident.

Looking at her now, he realizes he's not on his own, and while it is a weight off of his shoulders, Powder’s presence now entails responsibilities to them; he needs to stay strong, for her, for Jayce and for Ximena.

A grounding thought amongst the shaky grounds of grief.

Viktor takes a deep breath and extends his hand for Powder to take; without hesitation, she takes it and they re-enter the tent after a moment of weakness. She utters not a word; about her feelings, about the vulnerability of Viktor’s state of mind, about the losses she’s had; and while Viktor worries about her, he thinks the best he can offer for now is company, just as she's being doing all this time.

Upon joining Jayce and Ximena near the wooden casket, his mind wanders to unpleasant thoughts; he how from one second to another everything changed. He remembers the formal announcement of the Hexgates, remembers arguing with Jayce about it, and then, all he remembers after is being caught outside a building that was being consumed by flames.

Ximena steps forward and places a delicate hand over the polished surface of the coffin, effectively distracting him enough to cut off every thought. Viktor steps forward, too, and mimics her gesture, placing one of his cold hands over the gilded details in the coffin; he thinks about all the things he left unsaid, like how grateful he was that he got to meet Ivar, if only for a little while. How regretful he is of not having the opportunity to spend more time with him. How much he had wanted to prove they only meant to right the wrongs in Piltover with Hextech to him; how he mourns the fact that he knows Ivar would’ve approved and invested in Hextech, had they had the time. And, at the same time and contrary to his previous thought, how much he wanted to apologize for giving Hextech continuity and not regretting it, apologize for encouraging Jayce to fight for this foolish dream instead of stopping him and making him stay to the safer path, instead of convincing him of taking after Ivar on the forge.

Apologize, too, for not being able to be what Ivar wanted for his son. 

The knot on his throat only tightens when he feels the familiar warmth of a calloused hand on top of his own; he looks up to find Jayce's ever kind eyes looking at him with unmistakable understanding. He lets out a breath, akin to a huff, and rests his head on his lover's shoulder as his eyes well up with unshed tears once more. He sees in the corner of his eyes how Powder stands on her tiptoes to place her free hand, the one Viktor isn’t holding, next to Jayce's, her fingers idly tracing the gilded details on the wooden surface of the casket. 

"I don't know how you do it," He mutters, only for Jayce to hear. "Staying strong."

"It's what he would've wanted." Is all he gets for a reply.

 

After so many warm and sunny days, that day rains.

 

---

 

The rest of the day passes by in a blur of events that mingle together;

the four of them being back at the Talis House,

Jayce asking him to stay a little longer in the privacy of his childhood bedroom, to embrace him while he cries safely on Viktor's arms to prevent Ximena from seeing him like this,

the four of them eating their first meal of the day in silence; the half-eaten plates getting colder and colder as they move to the living room, 

the ticking of the old clock near the fireplace, so loud amongst the sea of silence that takes over as soon as the sit down,

Ximena apologizing for the lack of space inside the house for Viktor and Powder to spend the night,

Jayce fetching a carriage to take him and Powder to Academy grounds,

saying goodbye with his heart in his throat,

looking back through the carriage’s window to see Ximena in his son’s comforting arms,

Viktor asking the driver to stray on their path back to the Academy,

Powder falling asleep on his lap while the carriage drives down the road, 

and ending up in his childhood house with her.  

 

He isn’t exactly surprised to find the house in a rather deplorable condition compared to how it was when it was inhabited, and with a certain heaviness, he pushes the gate open and leads Powder inside.

By force of habit, perhaps, he flicks the light-switch of the Main Hall and is surprised yet relieved to find they do turn on.

Powder lets go of his hand to wander around the first floor in curiosity, and he decides to rest a little by walking towards the living room and sitting down in the loveseat he used to share with Jayce when they lived together.

“Do you live here?” Comes the echo of a question from the Main Hall. 

He brushes off some of the dust gathered in the leather seat beside him lest Powder sits there and says, “Not anymore, but Jayce and I used to live here not long ago.” 

A pause, and then a set of footsteps as she makes her way inside the living room. “It looks… abandoned.” 

“It sort of is, at the moment,” He pauses, looking at her for any signs of discomfort as he says, “But I’m afraid this is where you and I will live from now on.” 

She stops in her tracks on her way to the bookshelf. “You’re gonna live with me?” 

“Of course.” He replies, hopefully sounding nonchalant. He thinks he does a terrible job at it, though. “I’m afraid you are stuck with me for the foreseeable future.”

“I don’t mind. Jayce has Ximena,” Powder points out. “And now, I have you.” 

Viktor feels like he can breathe a little easier, as he initially felt like Powder was completely opposed to the idea of living with him; not quite because she’d live with Viktor, but because she would now live Topside. Perhaps all she wants is to not be alone, in times like this; and the longer she spends with her, the more he feels that awkward walking-on-eggshells feeling melting away, something he’s infinitely grateful for.

“That’s a nice way of seeing it,” He says and sighs as his eyes slide closed due to exhaustion. “And you’re right about that. You can count on me from now on.” 

She seems to stop her curious wandering to think for a moment, as he no longer hears shy, little steps near the bookshelf. “What if you get tired of me?” She mutters. “Just like they did?” 

He’s come to understand that Powder now refers to Vi, Mylo and Claggor as they; perhaps as a part of her grief, the denial woven into such feeling not quite letting her process their absence. 

“I don’t think they got tired of you,” Viktor whispers. “They cared and worried about you a lot. They loved you, too, I can tell.”

She huffs, and he feels the urge to add:

“There are bad people in this world, Powder, but you’re not one of them. Perhaps… just misunderstood. If they would’ve gotten tired of you, they wouldn’t have cared for you the way they did, as unique as expressing their love towards you might've been.”

He startles a little when a sudden weight drops beside him, and he opens his eyes just a tad in time to see Powder as she opts to sigh and lean her head on his arm.

“Do you really think so?” She whispers, allowing the tears to well up in her eyes. Finally letting the walls down enough to be vulnerable, if only a little, around Viktor.

“I know so.” 

Powder wraps her arms around his torso and although it was sudden, he embraces her back, resting his head atop hers without hesitation.

Then, she asks, "Are we family now?” 

The question takes him aback and his breath catches in his throat; he tries to swallow the lump in his throat to answer, but his mind goes blank.

After a moment, he looks down and she looks up, and looking into her eyes he says, “Yes, we are.”

She seems content with the answer, as she hugs him tighter and buries her face in his chest, just like she did back at The Last Drop. 

A question keeps nagging at the back of his mind, and he finds he thinks it is the right moment to ask, “Moving Topside will be really different from the way you’re used to live in. Are you… okay with that?” 

“I don’t care,” She replies immediately, her voice brittle and muffled thanks to Viktor’s clothes. “That means you won’t leave me, right?”

The answer brings back unpleasant memories from not long ago, in the Undercity;

when Powder let go of his hand in favor of following Jayce inside the burning building.

when Jayce brought out Ximena’s unconscious figure in his arms. 

when Jayce went back inside and took longer to get out, this time carrying an unconscious Powder in his arms. 

when they heard the enforcers and it gave Viktor hope.

the journey back home.

when Jayce and Ximena argued because Jayce wanted to go in his own lest the building hadn’t entirely collapsed, and wanted to protect Ximena from the awful truth of the whole situation.

when Viktor was stuck between both parts of the argument with Powder hugging his legs, then, trying to distract her by covering her ears so as to not let her listen into the discussion that was taking place while they all struggled with the treacherous first stages of grief; denial and anger. 

when both Talis’ had to go back and legally recognize Ivar’s body amongst the rest.

when Ximena came looking for Viktor, who has been taking care of Powder on his is own, to let him know that the funeral would be held two days after. 

when he put Powder to bed that same night and Jayce confessed, only for Viktor to hear, that there where only four bodies, and that Vi was nowhere to be found. 

the retelling of the memorial for Benzo, Vander, Mylo, Claggor and Vi, seen through and narrated by Jayce and Ximena, who were the only ones who could attend without being questioned.

lying in Jayce’s bed, being stuck inside the Talis’ house while the memorial took place in the Undercity, angry and frustrated with himself as Powder slept by his side. 

and lastly, when he hid in in the comfort of Jayce’s arms that same night because he knew that, eventually, Powder would ask about her sister. Whether Powder was resentful towards Vi or not, it was clear that she wanted to know the truth, her whereabouts, what her absence meant for her.

 

And looking at her now, he wonders how much longer he has until he’s forced to answer such a dreadful question. 

“I promise I won’t leave. Now or ever.”

 

---

 

Adapting to change has never been as challenging as it is the first few days Powder moves in; she’s irritable or asleep for most of the day, and she doesn’t speak unless Viktor is with her.

Viktor has gotten used to having her around, even during meetings, and he thinks it might not be healthy for her to emotionally depend on him and Jayce this much; so much so that he considers looking for a professional, someone who understands child behavioral irregularities better than he does, but every time he brings it up in conversations with different people, he realizes he’s on his own.

Jayce and Ximena are struggling with their own grief, Shoola doesn’t really care as long as she doesn’t intervine in Hextech-related matters, and Heimerdinger doesn’t know Viktor was there when the incident in the Undercity happened, so he isn’t aware that he ended up having to take Powder’s full custody when no one else stepped up; not that he blames any of them, though.

In fact, Heimerdinger doesn’t really know anything about said incident aside from the fact that the outcome was Ivar’s death, and that's solely because he was notified that neither Viktor or Jayce would be around in the lab for a few days.

So he truly is on his own; it is up to him and him only to take care of Powder and all she might need. How he’ll explain all this to Heimerdinger when the time comes is beyond him; perhaps, for his future-self to worry about.

 

Viktor’s wandering thoughts come to a stop when he feels Jayce’s foot tapping his own from underneath the table; he was so focused in his own thoughts he even forgot Jayce was in the meeting, too, and that he was probably handling all the questions thrown at Viktor’s way. And he mentally chastises himself, as this is the first meeting Jayce attends to ever since his father’s passing, and Viktor is not precisely present when Jayce needs him the most.

“You’re distracted,” Jayce whispers to him as soon as Shoola takes over the conversation with the noble. “More than the usual, these days.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He replies, just as quietly.

“Then you’re also a terrible liar.”

Viktor huffs and considers brushing it off again, but thinks better of it when he recalls his lover saying that he didn't want Viktor walking on eggshells around him like he had been doing ever since the incident; he opts to tease him, asking, “Are you not in my thoughts enough, Golden Boy? Is that what you’re saying?” 

“Someone else is taking the forefront of your mind,” Jayce replies in a low tone. Viktor swallows. “And that is bothering me, yes. Your mind is elsewhere.” 

He looks down to that certain someone; she sighs and shuffles in her seat until she realizes both Jayce and him are looking at her. Viktor sighs and pulls her little chair closer to him, but Powder has a different idea; she shyly climbs into his lap and rests her head on his chest. Viktor thinks his heart is going to burst as he wraps his arms around her; within seconds, she’s able to close her eyes once again. 

Jayce hums from beside him. “She’s really grown to you, hasn’t she?” 

“That’s the effect she has on people, I’m afraid,” Viktor whispers. “She says we’re family, now.” 

And his lover seems to want to say something else, but opts to keep it to himself; Viktor wants to ask about it, for that expression he has never seen on the other, but also keeps to himself in the end. 

His attention goes back to the meeting they’re currently in, one that is draining him more than it normally would, with Powder sitting on his lap drifting in and out of sleep as he's stuck listening to an old man ranting about how he’s truly interested in investing in Hextech as soon as he and Jayce give the green light to start building the Hexgates. And although he does know what the meeting is about, he can’t quite fully grasp whatever it is that said old man wants to achieve by having them hear him rant until their ears fall off. 

Viktor locks eyes with his lover once more to say, “You are always in my mind; if anything, you’re the one who’s been distracted lately. I don’t blame you, though, for I understand—”

“Isn’t that right, dear?” Asks Shoola, efficiently cutting off whatever he had been saying.

Viktor swallows and chimes in with, “That’s right, Councilor. As stated before, for rather personal reasons, the constructive process of the Hexgates has been slightly postponed,” He pauses, and Shoola looks proud of him. Jayce, on the contrary, pinches his left thigh from under the table; he looks at Jayce and frowns, then turns to the noble to continue, “But fear not, Mr. Ferros, as we intend to start by the summer. We’ve heard only wonders about your work force, so one could only assume you’d lend us a hand on that aspect?”

“I’d be delighted to,” Says the nobleman. “I have only the best of the best when it comes to my personnel, it’s only natural we’d partner up like this. I understand our personal matters can get in the way of… success,” He says as he stares at Powder. Viktor defensively pulls her closer to his chest. “But I am still interested in lending a hand when the time comes.”

“We appreciate your understanding, Mr. Ferros,” Says Jayce, the disdain in his voice only discernible to Viktor. “And we apologize for the delay.”

“I truly hope you’re able to sort this out, boys,” Ferros says. “I couldn’t possibly bear the idea of you two becoming parents at such a young age; much less, right as you’re about to become, let’s say, fundamental people in Piltover’s economy. Personal matters always get in the way of success, never forget that.” 

“Parent?” Shoola asks, in singular and genuinely surprised, and then looks at Powder, as if she hadn’t realized the kid was even there. Then, she forces an amicable laugh to say, "I believe there's a misunderstanding, Albus. Viktor here is only babysitting; in no posible outcome would he, out of his own volition, become a parent at such a young age. I hope this... minor setback is cleared and out of the way, now, because I don't think you'd want it to become a major problem that would terminate our business relationship, would you?"

Mr. Ferros seems to reconsider making a big fuss about the mess Viktor and the Talis' have found themselves in, even if unbeknownst to him, and says, "Of course not, no. I saw nothing." He winks at Viktor with a forced, tight-lip smile; Viktor find he cannot bear to look at the noble, nor Shoola, so he looks at the girl in his arms instead.

After a tense silence, Viktor steps in with, “Worry not, for our personal matters will not affect our professional life. As I'm sure you understand, my partner and I would appreciate it if you could leave personal matters out of our business relationship, regardless of your personal feelings.” 

The choice of words wipes the smile off of both Shoola’s and Mr. Ferros’ faces; sensing his hesitation, Jayce stands and finishes off with, “I’m assuming that now that all matters have been settled, the meeting is over?”

Without really leaving them much of a choice, Jayce lifts Powder up with one arm and extends the other, hoping Viktor takes his hand.

Viktor takes his cane to stand and takes Jayce’s hand to finally exit the Council Meeting Room. 

 

As the big, preposterous wooden doors close behind them, Viktor lets out the breath he didn’t know he’d been holding. Jayce looks at him from the corner of his eyes to say, “Summer? When did we take that decision?” 

“You want to argue right now?”

“I don't want to argue,” Jayce pauses and makes a turn toward the exit of the building. The halls are quiet, eerily so; only their footsteps can be heard. “What I want is to know why you took a decision without consulting me.” 

“Believe it or not, it wasn’t my decision to delay the constructive process,” Viktor says. “It was Shoola’s. I couldn’t concentrate at all inside the lab or anywhere, for that matter, and you were home; it was only natural the project would be delayed.” 

Jayce fully turns to look at him and says, “Then you were distracted.” 

Viktor huffs. “Of course I am distracted, Jayce," And he tries to stop himself, tries to understand and not push this on anyone else, but fails. "I have been taking care of Powder on my own ever since the incident, and I no longer have one but two emotional and rather heavy weights to bear on my shoulders. Listen to me when I say I don't blame you for anything; I want you to understand, however, why Shoola made this decision."

"She doesn't get to make decisions like this; not when it comes to Hextech." Jayce mutters.

He thinks for a moment about his wording and settles with, "I'm afraid she does, because you were absent, and I am no use to her like this."

That stops Jayce in his tracks. "You're no use to her like what?"

"Distracted, occupied with..." And his eyes roam over Powder's sleeping silhouette as he comes to a stop besides Jayce. "Other matters. I wasn’t making any progress, at least not noticeable in her eyes."

“She told you that?” Jayce huffs. "She cannot be serious."

Viktor looks away. “Not her exact words, but what she said had the same meaning. I know you're upset I didn't tell you this beforehand, but try to understand, if she hadn’t officially pushed the project back a few weeks—”

“As far as I’m aware, between spring and summer there is a considerable number of months, not just weeks.”

"Jayce," He says, brows furrowed as his grip tightens on his cane’s handle. "It was for our sake."

"You know damn well it was for hers," And his lover lowers his voice as he says, "Her interests lie solely on the money she can make off of us. If she hadn't told all those nobles that we were gonna have a, and I quote, minor setback, they would've been up at her door asking where their fundings are. She saved herself the trouble, and of course, used us in the process; she could've relied the news herself, but she had to have someone else to blame it on, so she made you attend every single meeting for you to deliver the news yourself. Why can’t you—?”

“She’s using us just like any other patron would, I thought we had settled that already,” He cuts Jayce off and looks at Powder, who stirs in Jayce’s embrace. Letting go of Jayce’s hand, he says, “Maybe she was using us to pin the blame of this minor setback on someone, but this is our technology; as the inventors, we represent Hextech throughly, it’s only natural we would need to face the consequence of our decision.”

“What decision do you mean, exactly?”

He pauses for a moment, and looks up to Jayce to say, “Powder, love. She’s been in my custody ever since the incident, and due to my… inability to cope, the project was postponed. I'm sorry—”

The more he speaks, the more Jayce looks offended, saying, “Don’t apologize. That decision was pushed on you, it’s not like you had any other choice. I know Shoola doesn’t care enough to hear what happened, but if she had the tiniest bit of empathy in her gilded, Piltie mind she’d understand you had no choice but take Powder’s custody,” He huffs once more, and Powder looks up at him with a frown etched on her face. Jayce is so focused on Viktor he doesn’t realize Powder is awake and listening when he mutters, “There's no such thing as inability to cope, I'm sure she can be a handful, especially after the incident.”

Viktor’s breath catches in his throat when she looks from Jayce to him, and he feels anger bubbling up in his chest when he realizes her eyes are glazed over. His eyes glide back to his lover. "She is not a handful,” He says and Jayce seems surprised for a moment, which leads him to believe his voice sounded rougher and louder than he had intended to; regardless, he continues. "She is part of my family now, and if I had to, I'd do it all over again; I don't think the project's delay and this City’s prosperity —one that said project will bring— can begin to compare to her wellbeing. And this decision was not pushed on me; I had choices, Jayce. Many of which I would rather not think about. But I chose her. I know none of you are precisely happy with the outcome, as the Hexgates’ constructive process has been postponed, but I don't regret my choice.”

Jayce looks at him for a moment in what seems to be stunned silence, and then says, "I'm sorry. I'm not mad at you, angel," Viktor huffs and turns away when his lover tries to make eye contact; he sees out of the corner of his eyes how Powder asks to be put to the ground. After Jayce complies, he says, "Nor at Powder, of course. I’m upset at Shoola because she gets to manipulate Hextech however she pleases.”

“She is not manipulating anything, Jayce. She did this for us.” He says as he feels Powder's arms wrap around his legs; he looks down and places his free hand over her nape, cradling.

"She saved herself," Jayce sneers, stepping closer and pointing to the ground to emphasize his stance. "This will buy her some time with the investors, but they won't wait for long."

"Then she did it for Hextech's sake, yes? No funding, no investors, means no Hextech. Think about it this way; there's a lot we need to sort out, and it buys us some time, too, to do so.”

“Sort out what?”

“The finishing touches to the Hexgates, of course," He pauses. "Polish calculations, measurements and blueprints, regulations and location, materials—"

Jayce seems overwhelmed with what he says and stutters, "W-We are no architects. That's up to Ferros to worry about."

"As far as I'm aware, Ferros is not an inventor and knows nothing about oscillations, runes, combinations, crystallography and, I dare say, the arcane itself; he'll be lost without us," Viktor points out; he can see the moment his and Jayce's thoughts align when he says, "We'll have to be there every step of the way, guiding his workforce. Like foremen, of sorts. He'll lend a hand with builders, yes, but we're to be the foremen; it's up to all of us the Hexgates become a tangible thing. They'll need guidance. What is up to Ferros to worry about is more related to soil testing, site clearance, foundation, load bearing and capacity of the building, utilities and infrastructure, safety, quality control and all that; still, we are a team of sorts for the time being."

Jayce looks at him with a small frown etched on his face, "You did a rather extensive research, even for a prospect."

"Back when I first drafted the Gates, yes; I tried making advances as of now, but no breakthroughs. Now that I think about it, there's a lot we need to discuss..." He trails off, catching Powder's attention; she smiles, if only a small, imperceptible thing. His chest feels lighter as he adds, "We need to schedule another meeting with Ferros, and I'll make sure Shoola doesn't intervene; she doesn't need to meddle any more than she has, right?"

"I have a feeling you're going to leave her out of the constructive process for my sake."

Viktor hums. "Maybe. It's not like she needs to be there, anyway. She needs to ensure we don't run out of crystals, workforce and other essentials, yes, but she doesn't need to be there. As I was saying, we need to start some sort of material-trial operation alongside Ferros; we still don't know what kind of material can withstand the arcane-energy charge the main tower will have."

"You're right. We need to sort out the calculations first, then we’ll worry about the tower’s building material," Jayce interjects and takes a deep breath, letting it out in a sigh as he adds, "Is there a set number on how many crystals we'll need?"

"Not quite. Another thing we need to consider is how we'll stabilize the crystals while they're inside the tower; constant and high-frequency oscillations have proved positive effects, but how will we ensure each crystal is stabilized? Will we need to resort to... making them all safe for use first? That would delay the Hexgates' inauguration immeasurably, and we don't even know if the ground crystals will work at an industrial level. They worked on the Hexgates' prototype, but we know it did it only due to the small scale and capacity of transportation it has; I have a feeling grinding the crystal dwindles its power, like it severs, infinitesimally, its connection to the arcane. Maybe if we stabilize a small number of crystals at a time, we’ll be able to amount them how we want in the Gates. Also, imagine how long it'll take just to grind the crystals; we'd need to create a much bigger grinding machine—" And he stops rambling as he realizes Jayce is staring at him with what he can only describe as awe, admiration or pride; he looks away, flustered, to ask, "Lab?"

That seems to snap Jayce into action, nodding enthusiastically as he confirms, "Lab."

 

---

 

Viktor unlocks the door to Heimerdinger's lab, and although it's been technically theirs since they moved back into Academy grounds, it still feels like an intrusion as the three of them step inside. Powder climbs to her usual spot by the far end of the lab, sitting down on top of the radiator and entertaining herself with the multiple pipes around it; meanwhile, Jayce and him walk to the main desk, now having to share a single U-shaped table that extends to most of the room's circumference. 

Having gotten to their desk, Jayce pushes one of the rolling stools close to him and he sits down with a sigh; he's grateful they thought about rolling stools before anything else as an accommodation in their new lab. He idly rubs his knee over the brace as Jayce gets the first blueprints of the Hexgates out of one of the many bookshelves littered around the room, and he starts thinking about the material they might have to use for them. He recalls having theorized many different alloys and discard even more, and he brings one of the rolling chalkboards closer to him, taking the leftover chalk and writing some of the alloys he thought about on his way over to the Academy.

"Does your mind ever stop thinking?" He hears Jayce call over his shoulder, and Viktor huffs.

"Of course not," He replies, the chalk tapping against the board being the only sound in the room. Then, "I was thinking we could calculate the number of crystals based off of the weight they can transport. The average Poro weighs about 10 pounds, which is practically nothing compared to an actual cargo airship, but we estimated that our Hexgates' prototype could transport about 3 Poros at a time, meaning 30 pounds as a maximum weight capacity. 30 pounds every 6 crystals," He says, his mind running a thousand miles per second as he writes the calculations on the board; he pauses for a moment as he waits for Jayce to roll out the blueprints and stand by his side. "If we were to transport cargo airships that weigh around 660,000 pounds plus the cargo, we would need..."

"A fuck-ton of crystals."

"You read my mind, as always," Viktor says as he sighs and puts the chalk down. "This is ridiculous. I told Shoola we could do it, but I don't think she has any idea as to how many crystals the Hexgates alone will need."

"It should be around..." Jayce trails off and leans closer to the board, taking the chalk from his hand to write down. "132,000 crystals to move the airship without cargo. And the average cargos that people like Shoola transport weigh around 20,000 pounds..." 

"Let's say we need 140,000 crystals, then," He mutters with a frown. "Where, in Janna's green Earth, are we going to get that many? And just how tall does the Main Tower need to be to house that many crystals? "

"We could divide the crystals into many, many compartments," And he follows the chalk with his eyes, trying to understand Jayce's line of thinking. "12 or 18 per compartment, and it would have to stabilize them all by creating quick oscillations autonomously. Perhaps a cylinder could suffice?"

Viktor hums, impressed. "I think so, yeah. An autonomous mechanism that uses centripetal forces to stabilize the crystals, right? And what would make them spin?"

"Runes. The multiple combination of runes, the many patterns we've memorized by now, and the forces of the arcane itself." 

He moves his rolling stool to the blueprints and looks at the messy sketch on it. "So the runes not only will craft a tunnel of sorts to transport the aircraft, but will also provide the oscillations the crystals need to stabilize themselves and thus, channel the arcane energy. Are we in the same page?"

"Yes," Jayce replies immediately, pointing to the uppermost part of the Hexgates in the sketch. "We might need to redesign the top of the tower, though; I suggest a map of sorts, so the transportation part becomes easier to stablish."

"Like a globe?"

"Yes, exactly like a globe," Mutters his lover, distractedly and speaking slowly, drawing on the chalkboard again. "The main stabilizer, the one that will channel the energy, will have to be next to or on top of the globe, to act as the main source of power for the instantaneous transportation; this one will have to create the patterns for the runes. The other stabilizers will lie in every cylinder, autonomously creating oscillations to stabilize the crystals and facilitate the channeling of the energy, too."

"What about the design?"

The question seems to snap Jayce out of his creative stupor, and he looks down to meet Viktor's eyes. 

"The metal framework. Would you change anything?" He prods again, and his partner considers the question as he re-directs his eyes to the blueprints. "It's crude, I'm not sure it'll hold."

"I'm sure we'll figure it out alongside... Ferros," Jayce speaks the name with a tint of disdain; Viktor sighs. "He's the one who knows about weight capacity, design and architecture in general, right?"

"You're right. Maybe I'm getting ahead of myself," He pauses and takes another piece of chalk, pulling himself closer to the rolling board once more. "We can still discuss the material, right?"

"I'm sure Ferros won't care. What did you have in mind?"

"Titanium," He says as he wipes a tiny piece of the board clean, without altering their newest calculations. "An alloy, more accurately. What if we do grind some of the crystals and create an alloy of sorts? One that has conductivity, durability and has resistance to corruption? We know how volatile the crystals can be, so what if we create an alloy with one of the most durable metals in existence?"

Jayce leans down, unintentionally crowding his personal space, and looks at the blueprints behind Viktor; he swallows as he reconsiders whether this was unintentional or not. His eyes fixate on the outline of Jayce's ring, and he can't help but reach out to the collar of his lover's shirt to pull it out, leaving it hanging full on display. 

"You might just be the most intelligent person in the world," Jayce says, apparently oblivious to Viktor's suffering. He had forgotten how intoxicating Jayce's natural scent mixed with his cologne could be. "You're definitely onto something, as usual, my love."

Viktor finally caves and pushes his lover out of his personal space, and he can feel like he can breathe once again as Jayce steps back with a little, mischievous smile playing on his lips; so, definitely not unintentional. He huffs and wills his heartbeat to calm as he says, "Does your family forge work with... titanium?"

What he said broke the little spell they had going on, the flirtatious and playful ambience plummeting to the ground with his question. He holds his breath as he sees Jayce looking away from him. Perhaps it is too soon to bring up the Talis' Forge into conversation?

"Titanium... can be challenging to acquire," He says, slowly and avoiding Viktor's eyes. "The process of extracting and refining titanium is energy-intensive and costly, which only contributes to its rarity in Runeterra. Most of the raw materials Piltover has come from the Undercity, from the mines, so perhaps there is a slim chance we could find it down there, though it’s really unlikely we find it pure. Maybe… fused with oxygen, if there’s still any down there."

"I see," He whispers and looks away too. "I'll talk to Shoola and Ferros about getting titanium, then. I once read about Southern Noxus; the book stated that region is rich in natural caves, perhaps they can provide metals and minerals when the time comes."

"I'll ask Mel about it, then."

Viktor finds himself fiddling with the handle of his cane as the room falls quiet, and he directs his eyes to Powder, by the heater. She seems to be contemplating whether to say something or not, and Viktor is grateful she doesn't; while it is nice of her to try and ease the tension, he thinks acknowledging whatever it is that happened just now will only make it worse. Perhaps only an apology is due.

"I'm sorry," Viktor whispers and whirls around in the rolling stool, his back facing Jayce. "It was insensitive of me."

"It's alright," Jayce answers in the same, quiet manner. "I'm sure Mom will be delighted to speak with you about it, too. Maybe she'll consider your idea a good one, to try and bring our Forge into the competitive market once more."

“Our mining colonies will most likely be interested in forming alliances, too. It doesn’t have to be… the Talis’ Forge.” He suggests, quietly, and swallows as he runs his fingers over the now outdated blueprints —with the changes his lover drew over the chalkboard. Only then does it occur to him that, if they had worked on the miner’s Atlas Gauntlets it would’ve benefitted both sides. But they hadn’t. He imposed the decision of building the Hexgates first on his lover, and now they were paying the consequences; and although he wasn't alone while taking the decision, perhaps he hadn't considered the right person.

"You can try to talk it out with her, regardless," Jayce replies. "The more alliances, the better, right?"

He half-heartedly nods, a minute movement perceptible to those closest to him, and mutters, "Yeah."

His eyes glide to Powder once more, and he smiles as he sees her half asleep on top of the radiator; he should remind her that staying there is not precisely safe, but then again, that is the only place around the lab she feels comfortable and safe in, besides, of course, his or Jayce’s lap. 

The only sound present in the room is the one that the chalk makes against the board once more, and he tries to focus on the previous blueprints and the technical drawings his lover is now making to fix them, but now that he's mentioned the forge, his mind wanders to Ivar. The incident. That rainy day, a few days after, under a tent's roof. He thinks he understands, now, why Jayce was reluctant to acknowledge the Talis' Forge; the huge gap Ivar's absence weighing heavily on Ximena and Jayce must still be taking his toll. It takes its toll on him, too, at night in the solitary confinements of his bedroom; he cannot imagine just how much worse his lover feels every time he remembers. 

Viktor shakes his head and lets out the breath he didn't know he'd been holding when the thoughts stray to flames, and wonders if the incident's events are taking a heavier toll than he initially thought. The puff of air he lets out and the sound that comes with it catches Jayce's attention, and he leans down once more to say, "Everything okay?"

"Yes," He replies, immediately, far too quickly for Jayce's liking if one where to judge by his expression of confusion and slight mistrust; perhaps Viktor isn't as much as a good liar as he thought himself to be. "I was just... considering," His mind supplies a quick answer, coming up with, "A way of measuring the energy within the crystals."

"And what may that be?" Jayce asks and leans his hip on the desk, crossing his arms with a smug expression on his face. 

"Well," He fiddles with the corner of the blueprints as he says, "I was thinking of a Hexa. It represents the base unit of arcane energy, tied to the amount required to power a Hextech device; it will make easier the calculations, too. Instead of saying 6 crystals per 30 pounds, I suggest we convert said values into a Hexa."

Jayce seems geniunely thrown off balance with his suggestion, but not in a bad way; quite the contrary, his eyes spark like the very first time the Hextech device worked, all those years ago, and just like that, the flirty and comfortable atmosphere returns. His lover turns to the chalkboard, chalk in hand, and says, "Then a Hexa equals to 30 pounds every 6 crystals. It's brilliant! We'll need..."

"Around 24,000 Hexas to power the Hexgates," Viktor completes the sentence as Jayce writes it down. "Easier that way, no?"

"You really are brilliant, you know that?"

The tone in Jayce's voice is so warm Viktor's heart threatens to burst as it pounds against his ribcage, and he looks away from the board to the floor; he takes his cane to stand and immediately after, a finger lifts his face. He locks eyes with his lover for a few seconds, clearly debating whether they’re on the same page due to their closeness. Then, he looks down at Jayce’s lips, and it’s the only invitation Jayce needs to close the distance between them to share the first kiss ever since the incident. 

Viktor's breath catches in his throat as Jayce eagerly chases his mouth every time he tries to recover some of the breath Jayce is so greedily taking from him by breaking the kiss; he tries, too, to reciprocate the eagerness, as he had been craving this for so long and wants to show it, somehow. He sighs through his nose, his breath fanning against his partner's, and wraps his arms around Jayce's neck to pull him a tad closer.

He doesn't realize when Jayce takes his necklace out from underneath his shirt, like Viktor had done with Jayce's a few minutes ago, and fiddles with it as he leans even closer, trapping Viktor between the desk and his body effectively.

Jayce’s hands come to rest at his waist, and Viktor would've lost himself in this tiny piece of normalcy had he not heard the little, "Get a room," comment from somewhere behind him.

He sighs once again as he places a chaste, parting kiss to Jayce's lips to say, "I thought you were asleep." Shooting a glance over his shoulder. 

"And I thought you two were mad at each other." Powder replies, just as smugly.

Viktor huffs and lowers his hands to his lover’s chest, already mourning the loss of warm lips on his own.

“Adulthood is tough,” He mutters and feels Jayce’s chest vibrating with a chuckle. He adjusts Jayce’s collar and sighs. "You'll understand, eventually."

She hums and asks, “I hope not. What you two were doing is gross.”

“I want you to say that again when you find someone you like.” Jayce teases. 

“Ew. What’re those rings for, anyway?”

“They represent commitment.”

She tilts her head to the side. “Are you married?” 

Viktor says, “No.” 

“Not yet,” Jayce adds and finally leans back. “They’re like… Vander’s. Promise rings.”

“Vander had a ring?” He asks before he can stop himself. "Who had the other one, if you don't mind me asking?"

Jayce looks at him, a little alarmed, and before he can step in, Powder chimes in with, “Silco did, when they were young.” 

“Silco?” He asks and turns around completely to face Powder. “Isn’t he the bad guy here?” 

“Yeah,” And she lowers herself to ground level to walk around the lab as she says, “Vander used to say he wasn’t always bad. He looked really sad when he said it, so none of us asked about it. When he talked, we listened; but that’s it.” 

Viktor frowns and leans on the desk for support, accidentally knocking over the piece of chalk that he left there. It breaks in two, and his eyes follow the movement before he snaps out of it and the words really sink in. 

“Vander and Silco had matching rings," He says, slowly. "Were they lovers, before all this?” 

“Lovers?” Powder asks and tilts her head to the side. “Who knows. The only times he spoke about Silco were the ones when he drank one too many, which wasn't really something that happened a lot but—”

“That’s enough, Powder.” Jayce says, a little too roughly for Viktor’s liking. 

"You're the one who brought it up!" She points out, defensively.

Jayce sighs from somewhere behind him, "I just wanted you to know how important these rings are for us, you know? Not for you to speak ill of Vander." 

"I'm not," She counters and sticks her tongue out. Without having to turn around, he knows Jayce is doing the same; still, he shoots a warning glance over his shoulder, then turns to face Powder again. "I was just telling the truth."

"Perhaps you shouldn't talk about Vander like that, whether it's true or not," He says, looking at her in the eye; she shrinks a little, and he sighs. "You wouldn't want someone else to speak like that about him, would you? Or for someone to remember him that way, right?"

"No."

He hums and sits back down in his stool. "Smart girl. We want to remember Vander as the strong, wise man he always was,” Then, he follows his lover with his eyes as Jayce walks around their desk to approach Powder. “Though something about this… ring thing with Silco doesn’t sit right with me. Even if Silco wasn’t always bad, why would Vander keep the ring after they disagreed to the extent of hating each other?” 

His question hangs heavy in the room, and it takes a moment before any of them speaks.

“Whatever happened, only the two of them know,” Jayce starts, kneeling in front of her; she sighs and walks right into Jayce’s outstretched arms as he says, “They weren’t lovers, per sé; or at least I don’t think they were. Maybe Vander kept the ring as a way to cling onto their memories, to help him deal with the pain of having to live with the fact that one of his most trusted people betrayed him somehow. Neither of them thought their differences would take such a heavy toll."

An odd thought occurs to him, then. If Vander was someone important to Silco, was Silco mourning his death, too? If he still had the ring, would he keep wearing it after what happened in the Old Cannery? Did he mean for it to go that way? Was the fire intentional?

He takes a deep breath and closes his eyes, willing the unpleasant thoughts to go away; what was done was done, and there was no way to change how things went. Still, he finds himself wondering about alternative ways the incident could’ve gone down, as if imagining those things could help with the guilt he feels. 

“He wouldn’t ignite the fire in the cannery on purpose, right?”

“What?”

“Silco.”

“No use dwelling on that, now.” Jayce says evasively as he stands with Powder in his arms. "Do you think we could talk more about the Gates later?"

Frowning, he asks, "Where are you going?"

"Mel wants to talk about the ways we can promote Hextech," Jayce says, off-handedly, while walking towards the door of the lab. "Told me to come find her back in the Council room. With her influence in the Council, it shouldn’t be too hard to convince other Councilors to invest.” 

"We just got here," Viktor says as he follows his lover with his eyes, incredulous. "Are you taking Powder with you? Why wasn’t I notified of this?"

Just as he asks, Powder is set down on his lap; he flinches, imperceptibly, at the added weight and the pressure it puts in his bad leg, but by the time he wants to object Jayce is already out the door.

He sighs and looks down at Powder, and she lifts her shoulders as if saying I don't know either. Perhaps aware of the pain the added weight inflicted on his bad leg, she climbs down his lap and instead pulls Jayce's rolling stool to sit next to him.

"Thanks, love."

She hums and spins in her place with help of the rolling stool, seemingly really entertained despite there being nothing she could possibly find remotely fun or entertaining inside their lab.

As he tries to go back to the brainstorming they were doing, he finds that Jayce's sudden absence has cut off an invisible cord in his line of thoughts and gives up within minutes, tidying up the place a little before taking Powder's hand and leaving towards the dorms. 

 

Although that plan is thrown out of the window when he crosses paths with Shoola, right as they were heading to the main building of the Academy.  

“Viktor, dear,” The Councilor greets. “I was worried I wasn’t going to catch up with you in time, with how much in a hurry you seemed to be back in the meeting room. I figured you were headed to the lab, and I cannot be more glad I was right. Where is Thalvorn?”

“Thalvorn?" Viktor asks.

"Your bodyguard, dear," She answers, if only a little exasperated. He cannot, for the life of him, remember the poor mate's name. "Where are they?"

"I told them to get a break, haven't seen them since. Also, I apologize for leaving like that,” He says, looking to the side and shifting his weight from one foot to another under her scrutinizing and imposing gaze. “But I didn’t like the way the nobleman was speaking to me, and I was not going to let him rant about my life as if he were the one living it.” 

“It is true he overstepped; however, so did you,” She replies, easily, as if she was expecting this answer and had premeditated her own, deliberately. “We must not let what others say get into us, specially not our future investors. You are a public figure now, Viktor. You represent Hextech legally. You are Hextech, to the public. You need to act the way you want people to see Hextech as. You want them to see an immature boy whose mind cannot seem to catch up to expectations? Or do you want them to see the composed, intelligent man whose reality exceeds mere expectations that I know you can be?”

“But—”

“You never used to talk back to me, before,” She cuts him off, effectively shutting down any and every response he might’ve had. “A younger version of yourself is most definitely ashamed of you. I’m assuming these rebellious actions you’ve been portraying and encouraging lately have been the only remarkable results of your… pairing with the boy from the Undercity.”

“Jayce has nothing to do with—”

“How can you be so foolish, boy?” Shoola huffs. Viktor cannot recall one time he’d seen Shoola lose her temper like this. “So blinded.  Have you not realized how much you’ve changed over the years? The Viktor I knew would’ve never talked back. The Viktor I knew would’ve never taken an unnecessary risk that put his Academic life in danger. The Viktor I knew would’ve never defied the Academy’s Regulations, much less the Ethos itself! And it’s all thanks to that… Undercity boy!”

“I take my own decisions, and whether they’re influenced by his presence or not does not concern you.” He whispers, heart in his throat as he looks at his patron. 

She seems to be too stunned to speak, and for a moment they both are dead-silent.

Then, she regains her composure, possibly reminding herself she is a Councilor, but just enough to portray pity and say, “He’s using you.” 

“What?” 

Powder squeezes his hand, and Viktor turns to look at her; she shakes her head frantically, pulling his hand to get him to understand she wants them to leave before Shoola says anything else, but his feet remain glued to the ground. Like they’re suddenly made out of titanium, and not flesh.

“It’s as clear as day, love. He’s using you to create his beloved invention," Shoola says, worry clear on her voice. She has always been one of the very few people he cannot properly read, so he struggles to see if she's being honest of if she's trying to manipulate him. "He'll take your House’s name and use it to his advantage, too.” 

“Jayce wouldn’t do that,” He interjects, tightening the grip in his cane. “And he has his own last name, one that he uses proudly—”

“You’re a Heimerdinger,” She starts. “One of the most influential Houses there are in Runeterra. Talis doesn’t carry nearly as much weight as Heimerdinger does, if any at all now that Ivar has tragically passed; why use his own when he could simply take yours?” 

Hearing Ivar's name stings, and he takes a moment before he narrows his eyes and says, “He is better than that. Better than you know.” 

She hums, joining her hands elegantly where her ribcage ends, right above her stomach, to say, “Or at least that’s what he wants you to believe. I remember Heimerdinger mentioning something about his appearance in your life being rather… sudden,” The Councilor expresses with disdain, looking down at the ring that hangs in full display around his neck. “You know I’m saying this because I care about you, right, dear?”

The hand that held the handle of his cane comes up to, albeit defensively, cover his ring from view, cane still in hand; Shoola smiles at him, softly, as if what she came here to say had gone across just as she intended to. Powder rests her forehead on his leg, defeated, and he wonders whether her reaction is related to what Shoola had said or if she just had terrible timing.

“I look forward to your attendance on the meeting we have on Thursday,” She says with an air of finality. “I sincerely hope you can make it. Oh, and tell your partner to arrive on time, yes? Councilor Medarda has been arriving uncharacteristically after the scheduled time as of late, too, makes me wonder what those two are up to.” 

"What are you implying, Councilor?" He asks, quietly.

"I am not implying, dear, I am merely stating facts. She arrives late, and so does he; I'm afraid you and I both know it is not usual for either of them to do so."

And then she leaves. Viktor swallows and remains still, uncharacteristically so, trying to find a little sense in his conversation with the Councilor. 

“You don’t believe her, do you?” Comes a quiet whisper. 

“Of course not.” He mutters, his hand still hovering by the ring. 

“I think a part of you does.” Powder says, and instead of letting go of him, she hugs his leg tighter and tighter the longer he remains silent. 

“I wouldn’t doubt… my future husband,” But his eyes remain focused in where Shoola once stood. "Not about cheating, at least. Do you think…?"

He startles out of his trance when Powder stands right in front of him and pulls at his vest, eventually forcing him to look down. 

“She’s lying.” 

Viktor sighs and finally puts his hand down to support the weight on the cane. He places the hand that had been holding Powder’s in the back of her head and whispers, “Let's go, yeah? You must be hungry; do you want to check out what the cafeteria has in store today?” 

"I don't like the cook," Powder says and takes his hand. His heart skips a beat as he realizes this is the first time she's taken his hand without him aksing for it, and his chest warms at the thought. Then, "She's scary."

"Scary?" He chuckles as he starts walking back toward the exit of the building. "Alright, we can eat elsewhere."

"Can we eat with Jericho?”

He frowns, “Jericho? It’s been a while since I heard that name. Jayce likes that food stall, but I’m not sure it’s a good idea to go to the Undercity on our own.” 

“On our own? Aren’t you an adult?” 

“Going to the Undercity is dangerous,” He replies immediately, and the time Jayce had told him the exact same thing crosses his mind. When before he would've denied it —and he literally had, when talking with his lover—, he now finds he understands Jayce's past fears better than anyone. He sighs and says, “It doesn’t have anything to do with me being an adult.”

“I grew up there, I’ll protect you,” She says, confidently, and lets go of his hand to throw punches in the air as a demonstration. He hums, holding back a laugh, as she huffs out, breathily, “You don’t have to be scared.” 

“I’m sure you will,” He pauses to take her hand as she finishes her demonstration. “But I should be the one protecting you from harm, not the other way around.” 

“Why?”

“Because I’m older; one should always protect the most vulnerable groups.”

“Did you see those moves? I’m not vulnerable, old man,” She huffs. “I think me protecting you is the way it should be.” 

That does make him chuckle. “Do you, now? How am I an old man?” 

She thinks for a moment. “You’re like— twenty years older than me, right? That makes you an old man.” 

A guard holds the door open for them, and he resist the urge to glare at them as the struggle to hide their laugh; they step outside, and he looks back to find the guard hiding their face from view, presumably trying to hide the fact that they're still giggling.

He huffs as he says, “I’m twenty-four. That makes me—”

“An old man,” She says and nods her head enthusiastically. “Point proven.” 

He stops and looks at her, feigning indignation as he revels on the sound of her loud, careless and innocent laugh, one that he thinks he will miss once she grows older, for it has a unique, childish tint to it. She hugs his left leg and hides her face on the side of his thigh, giggling still; he looks down at her and takes a deep breath, tickling her sides with his free hand.

"I'm afraid I'm firm on my decision regarding the Undercity, but I'm sure we can find something akin to what Jericho cooks around here."

"I don't think so, Topsiders' food is shit."

"Language," He scolds and recoils when he realizes Heimerdinger used to do the same to him. "A lady does not curse. And while Topsiders' food may not be what you're used to, I think we can find something you like up here. You didn't seem to have any problems with the cafeterias' food up until now…"

As Viktor trails off, he realizes Powder has stopped and seems to be thinking about something. He comes to a stop and crouches in front of her, looking at her until she meets her eyes, ignoring the pain the pressure puts on his bad knee.

"What's wrong?"

Avoiding his eyes, Powder whispers, "I've never been called a lady, before."

He hums. "Does it bother you?"

"No," She says, suddenly bashful. She grips his hand a little tighter as she says, "I like it, I think."

"Alright," He says and pushes a strand of hair behind her ear. "Well, pretty ladies get to dine wherever they want. I'm sure Jayce won't mind if we slip to the Undercity?"

So much for being firm on his decision. 

He stands to his full height and starts making his way to the bathysphere, Powder by his side. It should be safe enough to slip by undetected, he thinks, for it is only midafternoon. As they get closer to the bridge, he spots a familiar face near the entrance of it; Thalvorn, the guard Shoola had chosen for his safety, most likely looking for him. He's left wondering how it had taken them this long to come close to finding him when he wasn't even hiding in the first place.

"Isn't that thorn-something?" Powder says and stops walking. 

He's forced to come to a stop beside her once again, and he asks, "Thalvorn. Do you not like them, either?"

"They're creepy."

"They're meant to be relatively scary, since they were hired by Shoola to protect you and me," He acknowledges. "Do they make you uncomfortable?"

"Am I supposed to feel comfortable with someone following us all the time?" She huffs and stands behind him as the guard approaches. 

"Fair enough," Viktor admits as Thalvorn bows as a greeting. He nods his own greeting and says, "Is your offer still up, Thalvorn?"

"Offer, Mr. Heimerdinger?"

"The one that stated you're willing to go to the Undercity, were I to go."

The guard seems to frown underneath their enforcer helmet. "Of course, I will ensure your safety regardless."

Viktor hums, satisfied with the answer, and says, "Then let's go before it gets any darker."

Notes:

i have no idea if anything related to physics and magic in this chapter is correct but bear with me, i'm doing my best to understand how the Hexgates really work; there is little to no canon information about them, so most of this, i made it up for the sake of my mental health— i mean fic, for the fic

Series this work belongs to:

• Part 3 of JayVik collection