Chapter Text
The great city of Piltover. Home to progress, innovation and the splendor of trade. The endless sea breeze here cultivates only the brightest of minds, both above and below its waterline.
At 9:30 in the morning, in central New Piltover, the Council convenes, called together to ease the pains of the city and its inhabitants.
Well, for one family, it was very inconvenient.
"Dammit Jayce... you left it again." A grumble could be heard from the Talis home, directed towards a wrapped box that sat on the kitchen island. Viktor, who had just walked into the kitchen, only stared at it with a frown. Jayce had been in quite the hurry this morning, in what was supposed to be his day off to spend with the family, he was called in for an emergency council meeting concerning sudden trade matters.
Viktor wasn't too sure what it was about, but it left him in a sour mood that morning. It also left him alone with two young children, not like he couldn't handle it, but it was a little difficult juggling a toddler and a newborn.
Said children are 2 years and 7 months old Naph Talis and his younger sister, 3 month old Amarantine Talis. Ever since Amarantine was born, big brother Naph stepped in as "man of the home". Viktor, his dam, is very appreciative of this as having a busy Councilor as a mate can make things very difficult.
"Your father, I swear" Viktor mumbled, shaking his head before turning to head back into the workshop. There inside, sat Naph who was sitting on a playmat in front of the window, right next to his sister. Sleeping away in the portable cradle they had placed days earlier. Jayce and Viktor worked constantly to balance their work and home life and for the past seven years, they had managed with only a few hiccups. Today was one of these hiccups.
But unlike last time, where he could ring up a random sibling of his to help, today it would be handled a little differently.
Viktor sat at his desk and watched his pups play for a few moments before digging in his desk drawer, looking for something particular. Now, he wasn't the best when it came to sewing and making things with a needle, but he could sew a simple line and do easy repairs with the occasional loose button. With his own Dams help, he managed a simple satchel, a tiny one at that with the cutest of designs- but not just any design. The satchel was embroidered with the Talis House emblem.
He pulled it from the drawer and held it in his lap, while this wasn't a tradition in Piltover, it was an important one in the Undercity. A sign that a pup was an official child and participating member of the family.
An errand.
Viktor did his first errand when he was just a month over 2 years, and like himself, his siblings and all the children in Zaun, it was a momentous event that proved they could be independent. It was also a milestone for the parent to start letting the child explore their ever growing world.
"Naph," he called out to catch the pup's attention, shifting a bit in his seat. "Come here, would you?" Luckily, the pup heard him, lifting his head up from his blocks to smile at his Dam. "Coming!"
On chubby legs, Naph stood and toddled over, gaining a little speed and promptly collided into Victors legs. The Zaunite chuckled at his son's enthusiasm, and reached down to pick him up from under his arms. Groaning at the weight and the strain on his back but managed to put the toddler on his lap. Naph looked around happily at the new view the height gave him before looking at Viktor.
He giggled and rubbed his head under his Dams chin, enticing a happy purr from him and Naph couldn't help but do the same.
"Naph, dear-" said Pup looked up with a dopey smile. "I have something very important for you to do. And only you can do it" he started, reaching for the satchel that Naph was sitting on. Pulling it free, he presented it to him, letting the pup grab and inspect it.
"Me, Mama?"
"Yes Dear. I can only trust you, I can't send your sister, she's far too small" that had Naph looking towards his sleeping sister. Her leg kicked in her sleep and a determined look was set on the young boy's face.
"Yes Mama! I can- I can do it" Naph wasn't looking at him while he spoke, still investigating the satchel, opening it up and turning it this way and that. It was rather spacy and he looked to his Dam for more information.
"Your father was very forgetful today, Brouček, -" "oh no!" Naph had yet to learn that interrupting was rude but Viktor just tapped his lips so he could keep talking. "Oh no indeed, he forgot his lunch"
The young pups gasped and covered his mouth, shaking his head animatedly. "No lunch! Papas going to- going to be rumbly"
Oh no! His father had forgotten his lunch, a concept that little Naph learned was very important. What a forgetful father Jayce was!
Viktor just smiled at his son's antics and rubbed his back, nodding animatedly to gather Naphs attention once again.
“That’s right, and without it, he’ll go hungry while at work. And we both know how grumpy Papa gets without a meal?” he asked, smiling when his words brought giggles from his pup. “So I’m trusting you with delivering his lunch- with this” Viktor finally revealed the purpose of this reminder, holding up a corner of the satchel with his free hand.
Naph suddenly went quiet, looking between the corner piece Viktor held and Viktor himself, visibly thinking about his sudden quest. It was long enough that Viktor was starting to worry, wondering if the simple task was just too much but it seemed he had simply thought too soon as Naph nodded.
“I can- I can bring Papas lunch. I want to help Mama”
What a good son! Naph Talis to save the day!
“That’s good Naph, a very good thing” he complimented, giving his son a kiss on the cheek before lifting him up to set him on his feet, holding up the satchel to set over the boys shoulders and adjusting its length so as not drag behind on the floor.
“Now let’s go get Papas lunch”
Using the desk to get himself on his feet, Viktor took Naphs hand in his own free one. Giving his daughter a good look to make sure she was still asleep before leaving her in the room, of course leaving the door open incase she made any noise.
Together, the pair left the workshop and made their way into the kitchen, stopping by the island so Viktor could grab the lunch box. The toddler bounced in place as Viktor grabbed the wrapped package and turned to face his pup, holding the package up,
“Lunch for papa?”
Correct! What a smart pup!
“That’s right Naph” Slowly, Viktor moved to kneel down, making sure he was stable on his knees before lifting the flap of the satchel so he could place the package inside.
“Papas favorite lunch we prepared yesterday, now promise me Naph,-” His Dams stern tone caught Naphs attention, his bouncing coming to a halt as he listened with all his heart. “Dont go eating your fathers lunch,-” Naph couldn’t help but interrupt, laughing as he bounced.
“Oh mama! No mama!”. Viktor couldn’t help but chuckle, shaking his head as he pressed the button clasp on the satchel closed. “That’s right, no eating, while you walk. “ he repeated, nodding when he deemed it closed enough and reached up to tap his sons nose, earning him a delighted giggle. “You can eat with papa, there’s enough for the both of you”
With a nod from Naph, Viktor began the slow process of getting back up again, his son ever by his side and only took off when his Dam was back upright on his feet with his cane stable, racing to the grand front door the moment he could.
Still such a young boy in the eyes of the world has the eagerness of a hardworking member of a society! And he hadn’t even left the house yet. Already, little Naph is showing his Dam a great promise of success.
Viktor had stopped by the door, holding his hand out and smiled when Naph immediately stopped his hopping to grab his own with such an intensity that seemed far too foreign to belong on a toddlers face. Slowly, he opened the door and let Naph step outside first, squinting at the sunlight as he followed his son outside and stood on the landing for a moment, both Dam and Pup taking the new environment in.
As gently as he could, Viktor took the first step down and sat on the concrete stoop so he could be eye to eye with his son. Doing last moment checks on Naph- his collar was straight, his shirt soft and clean, right shoes were on the right foot- oh he was stalling at this point.
Despite this being a momentous occasion, it’s still a very stressful moment, come now Viktor! Naph can do it!
The dam took a breath and placed his hands on his sons shoulders, making sure he had the pups attention…He couldn’t help but stare, as much as Naph was his boy, he could see all the little details that belong to Jayce, the sparkle of deep gold in his eyes, the black strands in his brown hair, the gap in his teeth. That was all Jayce.
It made letting go all that much harder.
Viktor sighed and leaned forward to kiss Naphs forehead, laughing in the process when the Pup giggled and tried to escape, easily doing so before Viktor leaned and wrapped his arms around him to pull him into a hug.
“Now you be a big boy for me, okay Naph?” he asked, still holding his son close but relaxed enough to look at him comfortably. “Do you remember how to get to Fathers job?”
Ah, last minute checks. A good move, let’s see if Naph remembers how to get to the Councilors hall.
The young pups face scrunched up as he began to think, another detail he supposedly learned from his father and one Viktor couldn’t help but coo at.
“OH!” a sudden yell from the pup. “It’s by the metal person!”
Metal person?... oh! Young Naph must mean the “statue of a progressive tomorrow”. A famous gold plated statue of an inventor from decades prior. Little Naph sees it every time he joins his father to work.
“That's right, zlatíčko, Its right across the street from there. Do you remember what to do when you get to a street?”
Another moment, another scrunch. His dam wondered if it was possible for a toddler to develop an eyebrow scrunch this young.
“When…when at a street... you... you uh..” Another face scrunch, this time he paired it with a head scratch. “Oh!,” and he lit up when he finally remembered. “Look both ways, and hand up!”
“Correct again, you raise your hand as high above your head. That means. Mr. Enforcer stops all the traffic to cross"
Naph nodded eagerly, bringing his hand down to clap, Viktor did the same albeit a little more quietly.
"When you cross the streets what's the final thing to do?"
That caused a great moment of silence, little Naph shuffling in his spot as he thought with all his little toddler might.
"Big building…where papa works... with the pretty glass…go inside and…uh…hm.."
It was at that moment, remembered all the teasing Jayce once did, it really did look like Naph picked up his habit of biting his lip. Something he reached out to correct.
"You go inside the pretty, big building and you show them your badge"
As customary with family members of the council, badges, brooches or any form of identification is given. Usually it's the crest of the family. Little Naph was gifted one from his father when he was only a year old.
Naph stared in silence as Viktor reaching into the satchel and in an inner pocket, pulled out a little badge.
"Hammer!"
"That's right. Talis, that's you"
"Me! I'm Talis!"
His excitement was infectious and his Dam couldn't help but smile and nod along. The pup was loud and the some that were walking along their sidewalk would glance but nothing more as it was only a happy and loud toddler.
"That's right…Naph, I'm trusting you. If you ever get worried you can come home." He pinned the badge on the body strap of the satchel, giving it a pat when it was secure.
There, he reached out to his son, to hold and kiss the crown of his head.
Even confident in his choice, parting with a pup for their first errand is a tough thing to do for any parent.
"You'll do great. I know it" he kissed Naphs cheek this time, letting go when the boy started to fuss to much.
"Now get going, before your father gets too hungry and gets all cranky"
That got Naph back into high bright spirits again and without a second to wait. Bounded down the stoop- his Dam right behind him to open the little iron gate as he was too short to undo the lock.
But that's where Viktor stopped and Naph kept trotting forward.
"Bye mama! Bye mama!" the young boy would chant as he walked away from his Dam and home. He didn't even know that his mother was hurting but it had to be done. Viktor leaned against the brick wall lining their little yard and watched as Naph walked further and further away.
And off he goes! His very first Errand in Piltover!