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Viktor was in agony, and for once it wasn’t because of his leg. Actually, the leg had been giving him less trouble lately.
No, it was you. You and that miserable scrap of pink material.
The recent heatwave saw everybody in various states of clothing much lighter than their norm. Even himself, who was usually cold, opted for less layers. But as it turns out, you ran hot- very hot.
It was all he could do not to scream, watching you waltz in this morning. Rose fabric draped snugly over inviting curves, more of your skin on display than he ever could’ve dreamed to see.
He froze mid theorem, the chalk rolled from his palm, clattering as it hit the floor. Jayce let out a cat calling whistle that you dutifully ignored, giving him a slight eye roll and shrug.
He bent down to pick up Viktor’s chalk, leaning in as he handed it over. “Stop staring and go tell her she looks pretty,” Jayce whispered, lightly nudging the man away from their blackboard. Tell her she’s pretty? Just walk over and say it? Isn’t that a little forward? Of course it isn’t, I’m simply being a coward.
What was life if you didn’t take a few risks. Taking risks is what got him here, a boy from nothing on the verge of greatness. He had a dedicated partner, and an enchanting girl who seemed to enjoy his company.
One self inflicted pep-talk later he strode toward you with a bit of confidence in his gait. He could do this.
Noticing his presence, you looked up from the bag of notes you’d been carefully unpacking. “Morning Viktor, ready for-” you cut off, wondering why he had such a resolute expression on his face.
“Good morning,” he greeted. “You look very nice today... not that you don’t always look nice of course- but what I mean to say is, that dress looks especially nice on you.”
Somewhere in the distance Jayce inhaled a mouthful of coffee. Viktor ignored the sputtering, much preferring to watch your lips crook into a pleased smile.
“For that-” you reached into your bag. “You, my smooth inventor, get your very own chocolate croissant.” You dangled a crinkled paper sack in front of his face and he perked up at the smell, your chocolate croissants really were very good.
“Hey, I whistled at you, what do I get?” Jayce shouted from across the room.
“Here,” you tossed a small pouch his way, “Sorry if it’s a little squished, I dropped it on the way over.” He let out an indignant huff before tearing into the bag, taking big bites and chewing loudly
“It smells delicious, thank you.” Viktor savored his first bite, letting the warm chocolate and buttery pastry melt on his tongue. You watched his face like a hawk, relishing in the obvious enjoyment you saw.
“No problem, breakfast is the most important meal of the day.”
With that you both settled in, ready for the work ahead.
*******
Although the lab provided a haven from the scorching heat outside, it was still much warmer than usual. The heatwave had put considerable pressure on the city's automated temperature regulation, and an old lab like theirs was struggling especially hard under the strain.
You dreaded returning home this afternoon, which no doubt would be sweltering as it didn’t have the luxury or an air cooler.
Even after a few hours of studying sweat still clung to your skin, giving it a glossy shine. The uncomfortable sensation led to lots of fidgeting as you tried to cool off, attracting Viktor’s attention, who’d been distracted since your arrival this morning.
You’d cross your legs and his eyes would slide over to catch a glimpse of thigh. Lean forward to get a better look at your work and he’d lose his place on the board in favor of your cleavage. Every twist, squirm, and shift gave him a new view of your enticing curves.
That familiar prickling sensation returned, the one he felt so often around you, his fist clenched rhythmically around the chalk in frustration. Long having abandoned his jacket and waistcoat he now uncuffed the wilted sleeves of his uniform button up, securing them above the elbow. It did little to stop the tight heat that itched beneath his skin.
You let out a deep sigh before giving in. “Viktor, if you reach a stopping point sometime soon would you mind coming over here?” He noted the air of frustration in your tone, you must be struggling.
He knew this was coming, biomechanics, as many cross discipline studies, were much more difficult under the surface than one might initially believe. But you had been drawn to the organic side of study from the start, the forces of nature, something both he and Jayce were surprised by.
He should have seen this coming, you weren’t like anyone he’d met in Piltover thus far. And after all, trying to harness the powers of magic could use a bit of outside the box thinking.
Viktor had been meaning to pay closer attention to your progress today, quickly realizing that while you loved asking questions, you also loathed giving up. He despised the way your shoulders slumped after admitting something was too difficult for you to grasp on your own, understanding that feeling all too well.
Viktor knew he was naturally gifted, knew what his intellect was worth, but it wasn’t as if he was born spouting advanced mechanical theory.
A crippled boy from the undercity, his mind was all he had- and so he honed it like steel. He needed to be twice as clever as the smartest student in the room, as long as he didn’t show it of course. The city of progress was funny like that.
You didn’t have to be like him, you could be more.
So he settled in the chair by your side, leaning forward to take a glance at whatever had you so stuck. Ah, no wonder, he was surprised you’d made it this far.
“You’re really doing very well, I would have expected you to call for me ages ago,” he smiled encouragingly.
“Oh that’s great, glad to hear it,” sarcasm dripped from your tongue.
You knew he was trying to be supportive, but between the damp hairs that stuck to your nape and the words floating off textbook pages, your frustrations were rising.
“I supposed I could always send Jayce over here to help in my stead?” His brow arched and the corner of his lip followed wryly. Why- that little brat
Lifting your hands in mock surrender, you conceded. “No- no- lay your genius on me professor, I’m ready to learn.”
You’d taken a liking to cheekily calling him ‘professor’ from time to time, enjoying the way it made his ears turn pink. He caught on quickly but didn’t chastise you, not exactly sure how it made him feel but knowing for certain he didn’t want you to stop.
“Perfect, because I knew we’d get stuck here eventually so I drew up a few diagrams just to help you visualize some of the tougher mechanisms.” He darted away, the quick tapping of his cane echoed with each step, returning quickly with a folder of neat sketches.
“You did that for me?” you asked.
They were all painstakingly hand-drawn, and from first glance looked much more helpful than the dreadful book you’d been trudging through all morning.
“Thank you.” He looked down to see your eyes gleaming with gratitude.
“Oh yes- well really it was no trouble, I needed to brush up on some of this anyways…” he trailed off, directing your attention towards the carefully drawn outlines and away from his darkening cheeks.
“If you look here, this represents impulse-” pointing with a long slender finger. “And over here-” he leaned closer into your space, “this should help you understand its relation to motion.”
“Okay, sure- but what’s going on over here,” you questioned, jabbing your finger at a particularly offending linear representation.
“Ah I was hoping you’d ask about that, you see…” he continued talking excitedly, going over each figure in detail. Your spirits rose as things began to click, it didn’t take long before you felt comfortable trying a few problem sets alone. Instead of telling him as much, you opted to watch.
You loved watching Viktor in his natural state- unlocking the mysteries of the world.
He looked especially appealing today, and your roaming gaze locked on his long arms. They gestured wildly, only to stop here and there, pointing at a diagram or tracing over a sketch. His thin burgundy button down rolled up to expose lean forearms, they looked deceptively strong.
You wanted to reach out and touch, feel the sparse hairs covering them, trace the thick veins that ran to the crook of his elbow. It was such an innocuous amount of skin, but the novelty was tantalizing all the same.
You’d seen the way he looked at you this morning, eyes sliding slowly over your frame in appraisal. You felt those eyes the rest of the day, burning into your skin, sending pricks of heat to your core. Now he was so close, you could smell the coffee on his breath, see the fullness of his lashes and the ink smudging his palms. It made you ache.
“Ah- I need to return to my research, I believe I have some new ideas regarding orbital frequency, they must be thoroughly tested.” He pushed his chair back, reaching towards his cane.
The movement pulled you from your daze. “Oh right, yes- thanks for these they’ve really helped a lot.”
You felt a little guilty for checking him out, you should’ve been paying closer attention. But gods, how could you not get distracted? He was less than a foot away and spent half the morning looking at you the same way Jayce looked at the last turkey on rye.
“Really, it was no trouble at all,” something knowing crinkled around his eyes. Something that hinted he was wise to where your mind wandered during his little lecture.
You rubbed your thighs together unconsciously and his attention snapped down to follow the motion, a wolfish smile creeping up his cheeks.
“Are you alright?” he asked. You felt the beginnings of a wicked blush radiate across your chest.
“It’s a bit warm in here, perhaps I should fetch you some water? We wouldn’t want you to- overheat.” Viktor offered, tone laced with feigned innocence.
Before he moved to get up, you reached out, hand covering the bare skin of his forearm. “Erm- no thank you- I’m fine, but-” Time to test the waters, here goes nothing.
“Maybe I could bring dinner by your apartment- sometime this week? To thank you for all the extra help.”
You held your ground, hoping an assertive posture and direct eye contact would mask the nerves fluttering inside of you.
Viktor’s mouth puckered into an adorably small and round “oh.”
A voice that sounded an awful lot like Jayce rang through his mind. Don’t keep her waiting, you idiot, say something.
“That would be- lovely.”
You lit up with excitement, already beginning to plan what you might cook.
“Great! Because I was thinking I’d make those potato and cheese filled dumplings? You know- the fried ones you really like.” You continued chattering, too enthused to wait for an answer.
“Ooh, and actually tomorrow I’m supposed to pick up a string of kielbasa from the foreign imports market- so I can make that cabbage soup too. Remember that soup? The one Jayce said had too much dill in it...”
And it was Viktor’s turn to watch you.
Moments like this reminded him, you were much more than a clever girl in a pretty dress. You- cared for him, in ways he still couldn’t comprehend.
How did you do it? His whole life he’d been running. Running towards greatness, climbing to new heights of brilliance and innovation. It was fulfilling, but lonely. Viktor thought he’d made peace with that long ago, thought the sting of his early academy years as a pariah had cauterized the desire for camaraderie.
A whole childhood of loneliness and in the blink of an eye you and Jayce had carved out a place alongside his dreams.
He was... terrified. What would happen? How would he go on? His life had become so full of friendship and laughter, what if one day it was just- gone.
Like the voracity of hunger after growing accustomed to a full stomach, he feared the yawning pit of loneliness that would inevitably follow your departure from his life
“Viktor, have you checked out on me?” You questioned, fingers wriggling in front of his scrunched expression.
He would fight for you, he had to.
“No,” he lied easily. “I was merely thinking that Jayce doesn’t have a refined enough palate to appreciate the nuances of dill.”
“Hmm yes- well it is a divisive herb.” You nodded, not quite believing his response, but going along all the same.
Jayce watched in amusement, deciding a bit of punishment was in order after having to endure this ridiculous game the two of you were playing.
“Dinner sounds fun, what should I bring?” He asked from across the room, popping off his welding goggles with an easy grin.
Viktor sent a look of irritation towards his partner. “You-” he emphasized, “are not invited.”
Jayce laughed good naturedly before turning back around, continuing the assembly of a complicated looking contraption that consisted of several oscillating gears.
*******
Today was the day.
After triple checking your reflection in the dingy mirror that hung over your sink, you saddled up the bags for tonight's dinner, making your way to the lab. It was a chore toting them all the way, but you knew it would be more fun having Viktor cook with you instead of bringing an already prepared meal.
His eyes widened as you walked in, laden with bags and maneuvering with the grace of a blind grizzly.
“Oh, please- let me help you with that,” he began taking them from your grip.
“Whew- thanks, I didn’t realize how heavy those were,” you said, shaking out your strained arms.
“You have gone to too much trouble, look at all of this,” he gestured to the small mountain of groceries covering your table. “Next time, we will go do the shopping together, that way I can assist- and you don’t pull a muscle.”
Next time. Something warm curled inside you at the prospect.
It was at this point you noticed something was off, you hadn’t heard a peep from Jayce. Usually he greeted you jovially, sometimes sniffing around for a snack or two before returning to his work.
Today though, he was hunched over a stack of papers in the corner most table, looking awfully small for such a large man. Your only inclination he’d hear you arrive was a halfhearted wave and brittle smile.
You looked to Viktor, a silent question in your eyes.
He shrugged, as if to say I don’t know, he’s been like that all day.
Your eyes squinted, mouth set in a firm line as you looked towards Jayce.
Viktor knew this look, you were going to get to the bottom of things. Good, because he was mildly concerned as well, it was only midday and he’d already had to correct two glaring errors in Jayce’s normally pristine calculations.
He tried asking if Jayce was alright this morning, after the man silently walked into the lab looking ragged and worn. But Jayce answered him with a short, “I’m fine, just didn’t sleep well.”
What was he supposed to do with that? It wasn’t as if he was unwilling to push for more information, he simply had no clue where to start. Viktor felt ridiculously inadequate when it came to matters like these, thank gods you were here.
You rifled around in one of your many canvas totes, letting out a quiet sound of success before brandishing a handful of small sandwich cookies, each held together by a sticky red jam.
Jayce was unaware as you made your way toward him. Only to be surprised as your hand entered his field of vision, depositing a little mound of cookies atop his notebook pages.
“Cookie for your thoughts?” you asked softly, taking a seat next to him.
He popped one into his mouth, chewing thoughtfully before speaking. “I’m not very subtle am I?”
“No sweetie- you’re not,” you laughed lightly. At least he’s self aware. “So tell me, what’s bothering you?”
“It’s really not a big deal…” he attempted to dissuade your concern.
“Don’t pull that with me, somethings eating at you, bad enough to knock that permanent smile off your face.”
He thought he’d been doing well, keeping this sour mood to himself.
Jayce knew today was a big day for you and Viktor, he hadn’t wanted to rain on your excitement. The two of you had your first date, and even though you weren’t calling it a date- it was still a date.
But he knew you wouldn’t let up until he told you, so he decided to take the path of least resistance, too exhausted for anything else.
“Cait and I got into a fight, I stayed up most of the night thinking about it,” his shoulders sagged, no longer attempting to put up an unbothered facade.
Your warm hand reached out, comfortingly rubbing his shoulder.
Viktor had approached closer by now, but maintained a respectable distance. Jayce looked over, locking eyes with him as he hovered with uncertainty. A jerked nod towards the empty spot across from him and Viktor got the message, taking a seat at the table.
“You’ve been friends for so long, but a lot of things are changing now, maybe this is just the two of you acclimating into a new dynamic?”
Jayce weighed your words thoughtfully, opting to eat another cookie before responding.
“I don’t know… this was- bad,” he answered, deep voice sounding so fragile and young.
“Bad enough that I don’t know if we can come back from it. Gods- I don’t even know if we’ll ever speak to each other again.”
What if we really don’t? he wondered, swiping at the gathering moisture in his eyes.
The sight broke your heart, rushing forward you scooped him up in a protective embrace, hands carding through the shorts hairs at the base of his neck.
You locked eyes with Viktor, who meaningfully looked from the pile of food on the table then back to you, raising his brow in question.
Oh. You nodded back imperceptibly, flashing him an appreciative smile, before releasing Jayce.
“Jayce, come have dinner with us tonight, maybe a food coma will take your mind off things?”
“Thanks for the offer, but really- I’ll be okay,” he declined. It was your special night, and he actually was feeling better after getting that off his chest.
“We insist, it will be a nice break from research, for all of us.” Viktor pressed in a soft but certain fashion, and something in his expression seemed to change Jayce's mind.
“I guess I could use a break, I’ve been pretty useless today,” he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.
“Wonderful, then it’s settled,” you clapped your hands together with enthusiasm. “Pencils down boys, today- I’m the teacher.”
There was an impish glint in your eyes, and Viktor found himself unreasonably enraptured by the prospect of you instructing him.
“Now, first things first, how good are you with pleats?”
*******