Chapter Text
Everyone has their drama. Piltover University’s Engineering department is absolutely no different. Yes there is the typical competitiveness of students working similar, but different fields, there's the student relationships, there’s the usual stress of just being a university student with no money, and even less free time. But unless you were to see it for yourself, you absolutely would not believe the complete chaos that is the University's two most sought after professors.
Professor Viktor Novontny is, in all honesty, fairly unassuming when you first meet him. He is soft spoken yet direct. A quiet, polite man who has dedicated his life to his research in biomechanical engineering. He is wicked smart but is very good at bringing his knowledge down to a level that is understandable and exciting.
Professor Jayce Talis is kind of the opposite. The mechanical engineering students love him. He's extremely personable and his strong, wide build definitely helps with his appeal. He is also wildly smart and often forgets that not everyone has his same level of understanding in his feild. He greets every student with a warm handshake and smile.
However about two weeks into the respective programs, everyone is shocked at who their professors turn into as they get to know them better. Professor Novontny is actually borderline insane. It really should not be possible to have explosives this often in bioengineering. This guy, it seems, seeks out the dangers of his profession with an honestly terrifying glint in his eye. He will also absolutely roast anyone and everyone. He may be slightly soft spoken but he can and will absolutely annihilate you if you say or do something that he finds to be particularly stupid. He is a cocky bastard too. If you plan on disagreeing with something he says you had better have at least 4 different sighted sources as well as physical proof of him being wrong. Even if you have all of that and more he will look at it for about 2 seconds before tearing into the “honestly offensive lack of genius”. He, of course, will then explain to you how he is in fact right and how the other so-called professionals are simply too small minded to have the guts to push their theory just the little bit further to make it work.
Professor Talis is a hyperactive labrador. His students have agreed through many different polls that this is the simplest way to describe him. He’s fun and wild and always moving. He is also incredibly awkward. Honestly, how does someone with this much natural charm screw up so badly in normal conversations? It's like the only thing he truly knows how to talk about is mechanics. Which admittedly is why they took the course so it's fine, really it is. But don't try to start up a conversation with him about literally anything else. It will end with him fumbling over his words and saying something so out of pocket that you’d honestly believe you were talking with a three year old who had gotten bored of the conversation and decided to change the topic. One student a few years ago had gone down in meme history for recording a conversation she had had with the professor where she had told him that her pet had died and he responded with “ oh… that's so sad. Uhm… can I get you a dinosaur sticker?” He now has a poster in his classroom of a t-rex holding a “sorry for your loss” card.
The students love them both. Unfortunately, they seem to absolutely hate each other. Professor Novontny will go out of his way to track Professor Talis down and smack him hard on the arm or shin with his cane unprovoked, then proceed to walk away with a smirk while Professor Talis curses and flips him off. It is a very common sight to see them arguing loudly over some sort of physics theory that is going completely over everyone else's heads. Other times they have been seen talking in the hallways when Professor Talis will suddenly lean down slightly to whisper something in the others ear with a smug grin on his face. Professor Novontny’s face will then twist into shock and annoyance but before he can actually respond to whatever Talis had said, the taller man will have already started jogging away laughing, leaving the other to shout his name after him and limp as quickly as he can to follow him away. Sometimes when the students are needing a break from their genius professors lectures someone will pipe up and mention something that they heard the other professor say, leading to at least a 10 minute rant about how the other professor is clearly wrong. It is an endlessly amusing waste of time.
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It is a Friday evening and the school is finally free of students wandering halls. Viktor is hunched over his desk reading through his students' most recent research papers, muttering to himself as he marks corrections and praises onto the essays. Jayce smiles as he walks into Viktors office unnoticed. He quiets his steps as he walks closer to the other and does his best to stay out of Viktors line of sight. Jayce leans in close to his ear and blows directly into Viktors ear canal. He is rewarded with an immediate shriek and has to quickly step back to avoid being hit square in the nose by Viktors cane handle. He laughs at the others' annoyed face and fights back a coo at Viktors hand still overing the offending ear.
“You are lucky I was standing most of the day today. If my leg wasn’t aching so much right now I’d come over and hit you properly.” Viktor murmurs at him. Jayce, the menace, just laughs again and walks back over to lean against Viktors desk to face him properly.
“If you paid better attention to your surroundings and sat down like you were supposed to, this wouldn't be a problem.” Jayce retaliates before his face eases into something that looks infuriatingly close to worry. “Really though, is your leg that bad today? Do you need anything?”
Viktor shakes his head “ No, it's alright I just got carried away. They were asking good questions about the design of that new catheter I showed you. I was trying to draw it out on the chalkboard.” Jayce hums as he glances over at the mentioned board. It's a complete mess of Viktors usual chicken scratch but sure enough in the corner furthest away from his chair is a to-scale diagram of the mechanical structure of the newest surgical equipment. Jayce scoffs.
“Yeah ok, "trying "." He rolls his eyes fondly. Viktor shoots him a halfhearted glare. “You about done with whatever you’re doing? I’m starving, and it's take-out night. I want to get to that Chinese place before they close.”
Viktor nods as he finishes up his last comment. He reaches for his cane and moves to stand up. Jayce offers his hand to further assist. Viktor takes it after a brief hesitation, his leg really is killing him tonight. He keeps a hold on Jayce to further relieve some pressure. Jayce, blessedly, doesn't mention it when Viktor leans a little more into his hold. He just re-adjusts his arm to be better used as a crutch and goes to put Viktors left hand in the crook of his elbow. Jayce can't help but smile when the dimmed lights of the office catch on the gold on Viktors ring finger. He brings it up to his lips, pressing a warm gentle kiss to Viktors hand and revels in the feeling of the smooth metal wrapped snugly on long, thin, clever fingers.
“ Let's get you home, Professor Talis.” Jayce says while grinning like the stupid, lovesick puppy that he is. Viktor laughs softly at Jayce’s antics
“Yes, I think you should.” Viktor says as he pulls his husband into a gentle kiss.