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Chapter Text

Jayce launched himself across the Piltovian skyline, chasing after Violet, Mylo, and Claggor. Powder was trailing behind the group ever so slightly. It had taken some convincing to sway Vi away from trying to do this job in the middle of the day, and Jayce almost regretted it now as he had to grab Powder under the arm to keep her from sliding off the roof. 

“Vi! Slow down, Powder almost fell off the damn roof!” Jayce’s heart pounds a little as he gently lets Powder go onto the roof next to him. Mylo huffs as he slides to a stop, turning to look over at Vi for a moment. 

“I told you she wasn’t ready for this, Vi! She’s still too young.” Violet rolled her shoulders and jogged back to get closer to the group. She nudges Mylo in the ribs before walking up to check over Powder’s face, searching for injury.

“You good, Pow? I know you can do this, but if you want to come along for the next job you can. I’ll have Mylo or Claggor take you home.” Vi’s eyes shone bright in the sparse moonlight, shining with a determination that Jayce had seen in her every day. Even when she was ten, and her parents had just been lost, she was more determined than Jayce had been. And that determination was infectious, and Powder straightened like the pure force of Violet believing in her made her stronger.

“I’m ready, Vi. Jay needs me, anyway.” Powder tugged on Jayce’s hand a little before taking a running jump to reach the next rooftop. Jayce smiled under his mask, ruffling Violet and Mylo’s hair as he passed them before doing the same. When he reached where Claggor and Powder stood, he rummaged around in his satchel for his map.

They were planning into rummaging through some of the Academy dorms, then taking a shortcut into some of the labs in the engineering building. He hadn’t wanted to go through the dorms beforehand, but the kids were pretty convincing when it came to things they wanted. Powder was the first one to suggest the heist. Jayce was against it, he had enough problems without potentially leading enforcers to his home, but there’s only so many things you can actually get in Zaun. Piltover simply had better constructed goods, that’s all. They could afford the best. Once Jayce had conceded to the heist, the plan spread to the kids rapidly. 

Powder wanted to come of course, and considering the fact that she probably knew some of Jayce’s projects better than he himself did, Jayce couldn’t complain too much on that front. Violet was the group’s smash-and-grab expert, and she would have come along even if Jayce had told her no. The boys came along because Powder and Violet were, and Mylo would rather die before he got left out.

Jayce tucked the map back into his bag before waving the kids over to the corner where he stood.

“Alright, so the dorms are there, and I think we’re close enough to exams that any light that isn’t on is so asleep they wouldn’t even hear a bomb go off.” Powder’s eyes lit up for a moment before Jayce ruffled her hair. “We aren’t setting off any bombs to test that, though. We have two smoke bombs we know will work though, if enforcers get on our tail.”

Jayce looked down at the dark balcony across the street before cracking his knuckles and readjusting his satchel so it’d be more secure.

“Let’s see if any of these assholes have something worth taking, huh?” Jayce takes a couple steps back and jumps.

They hit three dorms before everything went to shit.

It was nobody’s fault, really. A bag half-full of tools and scraps tends to make some noise, even when muffled by the blanket that Claggor had snuck in from one of the richest looking dorms. They were going to attract attention eventually.

Jayce should have expected this, but academics don’t rest. He sure didn’t, and apparently neither did the cross-looking man staring directly at Jayce and his gaggle of pre-teens he had dragged into the lion’s den.

“Tell me why I shouldn’t call the enforcers right now, hm?” The man eyed the bag full of stolen goods critically. “Because from what I can see, there are four children and an adult man sneaking into my workshop to steal from me.” Maybe lion’s den was the wrong phrase here. The man before them was no lion. He was thin, one might even say wirey. He had an intelligence in those golden eyes far beyond what could be achieved by a wild cat of that size. 

No, this man was a viper. He was poised to strike, hand over a button that would certainly set off some kind of alarm in the building. And if he pressed it, they’d be fucked.

“Hm? I will not fault you for stealing from the rest of Piltover, I know what life in the lanes can drive one to do. However, I take my work very seriously. And I refuse to be taken advantage of. So speak , or I will call the enforcers who will fault you for your desperation.” Jayce’s breathing was heavy as he shoved the bag to the kids. It landed heavily in Powder’s arms, who just looked up at him with wide-eyed fear.

“Take what we have, go home. If you see enforcers, drop the goods and get away. I need to talk myself out of Stillwater.” The stranger’s eyebrow quirked slightly, his hand moving away from the button by a few inches. Just enough for Jayce to shove the four kids out of the room, despite how Powder pleaded with him to come with. Violet pulled her away, and they started running the path home. Jayce could hear them arguing on what to do, but he blocked it out as he slowly turned to face the stranger.

“Interesting…” The man looked him up and down with that same critical look he had given to the bag. “You care for the children, so they aren’t hired help. You sound much too young to be their father… Perhaps a brother? Come here.” 

The man’s hand was still hovering over the button, so Jayce complied. He just needed to make sure the kids got as far away as possible before he tried to escape himself. He stopped a few feet away from the man, showing the palms of his hands to him in surrender. Closer to the light now, the man could see him better. Jayce anxiously watched as the stranger’s gaze passed over him, never lingering on one part. He felt exposed, like the stranger had the ability to see into his soul from where he stood.

“I assume you don’t know me, but you obviously knew where you were breaking into. Viktor. Heimerdinger. ” Jayce sucked air in through his teeth. Shit.

He did know who Viktor was, and he felt stupid for not recognizing him sooner. Viktor was famous. A Zaunite himself, he was adopted from the undercity as a child and proceeded to outpace every scientist in the city. He had graduated years early, and was now a professor at the same Academy that Jayce had foolishly broken into.

“Listen, I’m sorry Docto-”

“Mask off.” Jayce’s hackles raised. But he had no plan to get out right now, so he complied, slowly pulling the mask off his mouth to expose his face fully. He kept his eyes on Viktor’s hand, watching as it inched away from the button again. He chewed anxiously at the scar on his lip, eyes flicking from Viktor’s face to his hand again.

“If you run, I’m pressing the button. You won’t get past the courtyard.” Jayce deflated. He was trapped. He looked over a few feet to the side and made his way to a chair to sit. He dropped into the seat unceremoniously, head caught in his hands. Viktor watched him with some curiosity, caught off guard by the way that Jayce completely gave in.

“I’m sorry, I swear I was just going to take some tools and supplies. None of your work was going to be touched. And if the kids did, I would put it back as best as I could find it. I promise.” Jayce looked up from his hands, up at the pale figure before him. His eyes were tired, full. Almost like a puppy. Viktor looked shaken by Jayce’s sudden vulnerability, blinking a few times before adjusting his untucked dress shirt.

“Supplies?”

Chapter Text

“Supplies?” Viktor tired his head curiously, watching the man in front of him start to unravel before his very eyes. The way that his hazel eyes pleaded up at him distantly reminded him of his father’s Poro, and he had to fight down a small smirk at the thought. 

“Y-yeah. Supplies. Scraps, better tools, anything I could use for my work.” The Zaunite fidgeted, tugging idly at a strap on a thigh holster that seemed to be holding tools.

Ah. The man was a gadgeter. Or perhaps he even worked in body augmentation. 

He kept talking, words pouring out from him due to nerves.

“The things up here are better than anything I can get down in the undercity, and my supplier decided to break the deal we’ve had for the past three fucking years- And that’s ignoring the fact that I can’t find the pieces for the stabilizers I’ve been trying to build since last summer-” The man cut himself off with a long-suffering sigh, his face going back into his hands as he despaired over what seemed to be his livelihood crashing down on top of him.

Viktor hummed, stepping closer. From this angle, he could see the grey hair that showed up in the man’s dark mop. Stress had undoubtedly caused it, from the way his shoulders sagged the moment he got a chance to vent out his frustrations.

“You need a sponsor.” The man’s head whipped up, like he had forgotten he was trapped in a workshop with Viktor. He opened his mouth to respond, but nothing came out.

“You need a sponsor, and I can provide. But I want to know what you’re building. And I need your name.” He watched the man’s eyes flick to the door, then to the button behind Viktor. Viktor raised an eyebrow like a taunt. You want to run? Try. The man crumpled again under his gaze, and nodded.

“Jayce of the former house of Talis. And… I do need a sponsor. I can’t possibly support running up here every time I need a part I can’t fabricate myself.” Now it was Viktor’s turn to be surprised. Talis. He knew that name, a minor house of Piltover that had been banished to the undercity after showing public support of the attempted revolution. Talis was still a common name to be heard, their tools lasted well and copies only had half the durability that the Talis house was renowned for. 

Viktor kept his shock to himself, a murmured bolts and nuts the only evidence that he had been taken aback.

Jayce looked up at him, those hazel eyes pleading.

“You’d really be willing to sponsor me? My work… it’s necessary. It’ll help people, I just know it.” Something in Viktor said this was meant to happen. He didn’t understand it, but something deep in him told him it was the right thing to do here.

“Piltover stands for progress, and if what you’re doing is truly so influential, I can’t afford to let your project fail.” Jayce’s face breaks out in a nervous grin. He stands, and Viktor rapidly comes to appreciate the fact that Jayce is taller and wider than him. If he had wanted to hurt him, Viktor very well could have been dead now. This fact is further impressed upon him as he’s scooped up in an overexcited hug by the man, lifted easily from where he stood.

“You won’t regret this, Doc, I promise! I can show you now, if you’re able to leave?” Jayce sets Viktor back down to stand, eyes suddenly wild.

“What better time than the present…?” Viktor was really hoping this wasn’t a mistake. His father would be heartbroken if he had been adopted just to die in the lanes a little over a decade later.

Chapter Text

Zaun had changed.

Maybe that was obvious, but Viktor found himself marveling at the fact as Jayce guided him through the streets. They had taken the long way due to Viktor’s insistence, Jayce was shocked that the trams ran this late at night, but seemed otherwise amenable to letting Viktor choose their pace.

Viktor ogled the streets. The nightlife in the undercity was… intense. Neon signs, stores packed to the seams, music flowing from half the open doors they passed on the way to Jayce’s workshop. Viktor had been born in the Undercity, but he felt so disconnected from it now. And from the way that pedestrians looked at him, he looked just as out of place as he felt.

Viktor stood disbelieving under the neon sign to the Last Drop, quirking an eyebrow to Jayce in confusion.

“You told me that we would be going to your workshop. This…” Viktor waved at the building, a drunk patron stumbling out and nearly falling flat on their face right on cue. “This is a bar, Jayce. Not a place of science.” His eyes settled back onto Jayce, and Viktor quickly realized he had said something wrong. Jayce looked a little frustrated, and he ran a hand through his hair with a distinct annoyance. Viktor watched him mumble something under his breath, and he felt something foul burrow into his chest.

He was no better than a Piltie. Hell, at this point he was deserving of the term. He watched as Jayce’s lips formed something that he knew was ‘Fucking Pilties.’ and he suddenly felt sick. The undercity was not his home. It hadn’t been for years.

“The bar is above my workshop. Vander let me have the space under the Last Drop as long as I helped out with the kids.” Whatever favor Viktor had managed to get from Jayce was starting to dwindle now that Jayce was no longer in danger of being jailed. Viktor felt the way Jayce’s eyes burned into him, and that sick feeling in his chest only settled down to his stomach. He needed to keep Jayce on his side, there was no way Viktor could manage his way back home now without getting mugged. He just nodded dumbly, leaning a little heavier on his cane as Jayce guided him in.

The inside of the Last Drop was like a storybook. Tables full of joy as the patrons drank with their friends. Booths lined some of the walls, but Jayce didn’t stop to let Viktor look around, he simply placed a hand on the small of his back and guided him up to the bar, gently pushing him into a stool next to what seemed to be a kid from the earlier attempted heist. And he sat. So out of his element, reeling from the culture shock he’d been experiencing since he had entered the Undercity.

“Jayce! You’re back!” The little girl nearly tackled him in a hug, and Viktor’s mouth was dry as he watched Jayce pick her up like she weighed nothing at all. Maybe she did, based on how thin she looked in the few glimpses he had gotten earlier. He cringed slightly as the child’s blue eyes locked in on him and narrowed.

“You brought the guy? Why? Do I gotta get dad?” Viktor tried to look nonchalant, but he had a feeling he didn’t want to meet the girl’s father if he’d show up in a bad mood. Jayce huffed quietly, the grey hair at his temples glimmering in the neon lights.

“No, Pow. He wants to give us money.” ‘Pow’’s eyes narrowed again, and Viktor felt scrutinized.

“Money for our projects , I wouldn’ve brought him in if it was just because he felt bad for us. Tell the others that I’m safe, and let Vander know I’ve got…” Jayce visibly searched for a word, his eyes flicking briefly like he was looking through a dictionary for the right phrase. “... an investor.”

The girl still looked suspicious of Viktor, but she ran off once Jayce set her down on the ground. Viktor waved after her weakly, and she wrinkled her nose in return before disappearing into a back room. Jayce carefully pulled him off the barstool, guiding him behind the bar and through a back door. The hand was back on the small of Viktor’s back as Jayce guided him through the storage rooms and into yet another back room. They descended stairs, enough to make Viktor’s knee click in a truly awful way, and finally ended up at a door with no less than three deadbolts. That godforsaken hand finally left him as Jayce dealt with the keys and locks, quietly swearing under his breath about something in a language that Viktor wasn’t sure he knew.

The door opened, and Viktor felt his heart drop to his ass. It was a fan. Jayce’s workshop was three fan blades that had clearly once dealt with clearing out the Grey from lower parts of the undercity, but were now acting as a workshop and storage facility. Below the fan was a dark void. He didn’t have this section of the vents memorized, so Viktor had no clue how far the drop actually was.

Viktor sat in one of the few chairs Jayce had that was both not covered in clutter nor a bean bag. His mind was working a thousand miles a minute as he examined the humming blue crystal in his hand. He turned it, and watched in an unspoken wonder as some sort of blue particle drifted off of it.

“I can see why you were so worried about a stabilizer, now. Screws and sprockets, Jayce, this… this is…” Viktor looked up at Jayce, incredibly dangerous stalling on his tongue as he saw the barely restrained excitement the larger man was displaying.

“It’s, in theory, a concentrated form of magic that can be used without needing a mage. Pure energy, waiting to be shaped, waiting to be directed into runes and- and- anything!” Jayce grinned, the gap between his teeth showing as Viktor searched for a way to justify crushing his dreams. And as Jayce looked so eagerly at him, he couldn’t find it.

Jayce was tired. Stressed beyond imagination. Viktor could see that in the way his canines worried his bottom lip, could see the nights spent spiraling in the dark circles under his eyes, the heart-tearing moments in every premature grey hair that littered the young man’s head and beard. They were about the same age, but Jayce seemed like he had been running on fumes for so long that he had aged an extra decade. And yet he still had this eager look. He believed in this project. His smile was almost childish, all teeth and squinty eyes. Jayce was intelligent. And Viktor found himself believing in the project nearly as much as Jayce did in that moment.

“Jayce, you will change the world with your dream. Let’s get to work on that stabilizer so you can start helping-” -Viktor looked up at the distant ceiling- “- your people.” Jayce lit up like a firework, and carefully took the crystal from Viktor’s hands and put it away before crushing him in a bear hug. Viktor felt that gnawing sickness that had settled in his chest when he entered the Last Drop start to melt away, heat rising to his face at the sudden contact.

Jayce pulled back, looking excited. He still held Viktor’s shoulders, and Viktor found himself smiling at the warmth that Jayce’s gaze afforded.

“Hextech will be our dream. You won’t regret this, Viktor. God, I promise you won’t!” Viktor laughed breathlessly. He sure hoped so.

Chapter Text

Jayce watched Viktor go over the contract they had drawn up for the third, maybe fourth time. 

They had originally planned on just going over math and Jayce’s blueprints, but with the blueprints came Viktor’s realization that they would need to have a legal agreement to allow Jayce access to some of the materials. So Jayce pulled out some blank paper and some pens so they could draw something up.

“This isn’t the official contract, of course. We will need to go to a notary, and with the study of the Arcane we will need to involve the Council so we can get permission to work.” Jayce’s shoulders slumped. He had forgotten about the Council. Piltover was a haven away from the mages, so magic was against the very ethos. Viktor put a hand on his knee, trying to give him a reassuring smile. Jayce could tell he was tired, it was nearly morning, though time disappeared completely this deep underground.

“But, it’s a good start. And with my support, we may be able to get the permits.” Jayce looked him in the eyes. Those amber eyes that seemed to stare directly into his soul. There are little flecks of green in them….

Jayce is shaken out of his exhausted stupor by Viktor breaking eye contact. Right. They were doing paperwork. Jayce rubbed his eyes, desperately trying to focus on the task at hand. 

“I hate that we have to ask permission. We’re trying to change the world, they should just let me do whatever I need.” Viktor snorted, leaning back in the beanbag chair he sat in. Jayce watched intently as he rolled his neck, the loud cracking coming from it making him twitch. Viktor leveled his eyes back onto Jayce, and once again he felt like he was trapped in front of a viper.

“You have a bright mind, and your drive is something I admire. But we still need to go through the proper channels so that we don’t get exiled, or worse, sent to Stillwater.” Jayce huffed indignantly. 

“ We wouldn’t get sent to Stillwater. I doubt you’d even be exiled. You’re the founder’s son, and one of the top minds in all of Runeterra. You’d be fine. My family was active in Zaun’s revolution, they’d kick me into Stillwater and do Janna knows what to me.” Distantly Jayce felt bad for unloading on Viktor like this, but he was just so clueless. Jayce watched Viktor’s whole body tense, his eyebrows knitting together in a way that Jayce couldn’t quite read.

“Do you even know what goes on in Stillwater, or do you just wave it around like an unimaginable threat? Do you know what that place does to people?” Jayce was standing, he didn’t know when that happened, and Viktor looked up at him with his mouth slightly agape. Jayce ran a hand through his hair, trying to collect his thoughts before he got any angrier. It wasn’t Viktor’s fault. He had spent most of his life in the care of the most important man in Piltover. Viktor was Heimerdinger’s son, and Jayce severely doubted that either of them had ever bothered to go to Stillwater to check the conditions of the prison that Piltover sent their criminals to.

“I…” Viktor looked lost on what to say, and drew into the same shell he had been in when Jayce took him into the last drop. Viktor dipped his head in shame, his long hair dropping to cover his eyes somewhat.

“I apologize.” Jayce’s eyes followed Viktor’s hands as they traced over the handle of his cane. Viktor’s hands were nimble. They looked suited to refined work and writing. Piano. Viktor looked up at Jayce through his hair, a strange feeling in his chest forming as Viktor’s eyes seemed to actually look at him instead of just burning into his soul.

“I am so… disconnected from the life down here. Even as a child, I lived on the edge where the Undercity bled into the upper. I am simply-” -Viktor pushed his hair out of his face, facing up to meet Jayce’s gaze- “-a delusional Piltie.” Jayce let out a breath he didn’t know he had been holding when Viktor finally broke eye contact again.

Jayce was getting used to Viktor’s presence. That was the only explanation he could find when he woke up with his head in the man’s lap, being judged by Powder and Vi. By the breathing above him, Viktor was still asleep, so Jayce simply rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and looked up at the two girls.

Vi gestured at Viktor intensely, her eyes raised and mouth turned in an expression that clearly said ‘I can’t believe you let him into our home after he tried to get us arrested!’ Jayce just shrugged, and gestured over to the contract sitting on the crate a few feet away. Vi picked it up and started flicking her eyes over it, eyebrows getting more and more furrowed until she handed the stack of paper over to Powder. Powder dutifully quit glaring at Viktor and read over the contract, her eyes scanning over it. Her eyebrows shot upwards, and she looked at Jayce with a bit of wonder.

Jayce held out his hand, and Powder handed the draft of the contract to him. He gestured to the clock hanging over his work desk with a raised eyebrow, and the silence was finally broken by Violet.

“It’s almost noon, were you two kissing or whatever so long you forgot to sleep?” Jayce huffed and rolled his eyes before carefully getting up from Viktor’s lap, watching for any sign he was waking up. Once he was sure it was fine, he stood and pulled the girls away with him.

“We weren’t kissing, we were working . I’m trying to get money for our work, so we don’t have to go on a heist every time I can’t make something.” Jayce sighed. “Aren’t you tired of it? Surviving? We could change the world for the better, but change doesn’t come from good intentions and empty words.” Vi’s eyebrows furrowed, but she nodded.

“Vander thought you were kissing.” Jayce’s attention whipped to Powder, his eyes wide.

“Vander? I told you to tell him we had an investor .” Jayce’s cheeks burned with embarrassment. That explained how uncharacteristically empty his workshop had been the whole time they had been working. Powder probably gave too much information and Vander came to the conclusion himself. Or, Janna forbid, Vander had simply seen Jayce guiding Viktor to his workshop and assumed that Jayce was taking personal calls in his workshop now. Jayce looked over at Viktor as he readjusted himself on the bean bag chair. Viktor being asleep with Jayce’s head on his lap certainly didn’t help the assumption.

“Well, trust me, okay?” The girls both looked suspicious, but agreed anyway. Thankfully, Viktor stayed asleep for the whole interaction, and Jayce ushered the girls out of his workshop before approaching his sleeping body. 

Viktor’s glasses had fallen off his face, and laid on his chest where they were held by his gold-looking glasses chain. Jayce tilted his head to see Viktor’s face better, taking in the details now that those piercing eyes weren’t distracting him. Viktor looked thin, but his face was filled out. His cheekbones were high, elegant , Jayce’s mind supplied. He had two moles on his face, one under his eye, and the other right by his mouth. He had pulled his hair out of the loose ponytail when they were getting into the denser details of the arrangement, so now his hair was almost like a dark halo around his head. There were dark circles under his eyes, like he spent a lot of late nights working instead of sleeping in his own bed. He looked peaceful sleeping, the permanent crease between his eyebrows gone in his rest. Jayce realized he had gotten way too close when Viktor shifted slightly in his sleep, causing him to nearly jump out of his own skin.

Jayce collected himself quietly and carefully put a hand on Viktor’s shoulder, gently shaking him awake.

“C’mon Doc, we fell asleep. It’s lunch time.” Viktor groaned, a single eye opening to look up at Jayce. 

“You fell asleep first. Your head weighs ten pounds, and you sleep like a rock. ” The corner of Viktor’s mouth twitched in a half-smile, and he leaned up to stretch his back out. He groaned quietly as a loud pop sounded from a shoulder, then another from his hip had him grimacing. 

“Remind me to never fall asleep on your bag chairs again, my joints will never forgive me.” Jayce just smiled and nodded as Viktor put his glasses back on his nose and tied his hair back from his face. Jayce put his hands on his hips, grinning teasingly.

“Well, that’s if I let you back into my workshop anyway, Princey. We’ll have to see if your money can buy its way into here next time.” Viktor’s eyebrows twitched at the nickname, and he painted a smile to match Jayce’s own. His teeth were unnaturally straight, he had obviously gotten braces as a teen. Jayce quickly realized that was a weird thing to note as Viktor started speaking.

“Oh, you’d be willing to tear me away from our dream ?” Jayce’s heart skipped a beat. “How egotistical of you, Jayce. Perhaps Hextech being ours was just another snare to get me to give you all my money?” Viktor’s grin was almost as deadly as his eyes, and Jayce found himself pinned to the spot like a butterfly in a case, a smile and amber eyes acting as pins and glue.

Jayce shook the hold Viktor had on him off, rolling his shoulders with a sly grin before holding out his hand for Viktor to pull himself to stand.

“No comment. However, I need to get you back to your shiny office before they start sending enforcers into the lanes to search for you.” Jayce dipped to grab Viktor’s cane and the contract before gesturing for him to follow behind him.

“C’mon, I’ll take you to Jerichos.”

Chapter Text

There were seven days until their appointment with the council.

On the first day, Jayce decided to collect everyone important in his life and explain to then what was going on. 

Vander sat at one of the bar stools, making sandwiches for the kids. He handed one off to Mylo, then cleared his throat.

“So, what’s all this about an investor, lad?” The low chatter in the room halted, all attention turning to Jayce. He swallowed nervously, and stood from his seat next to his mother. Ximena looked up at him, and his heart ached for a moment. She tapped her prosthetic fingers against the table idly, and Jayce took a moment to fully compose himself.

“The kids and I went on an… ill-advised trip to the Academy grounds. While we were there, we caught the attention of Doctor Viktor Heimerdinger, the kid that got adopted by Councillor Heimerdinger. I sent the kids back home, and we talked a bit. He came all the way from his workshop to mine, and when he saw the work I had done…” Jayce looked over at Powder, who was painting a prosthetic Jayce had built for a client.

“He’s agreed to sponsor me. Sponsor us . Him and I are going to be business partners. I’ll have proper funding for my work.” Jayce felt like he should say more. He had so much to say about it all, but it felt all too strange to explain. He had no idea what he was feeling, excitement bleeding over into anxiety, then back again.

He watched his mother light up, and that was enough to carry him through the rest of the week. She jumped up, pulling Jayce into a hug so tight it popped his back.

“Oh, mijo, I knew it! I knew you and that big brain would change the world, your father knew it too. Estaría muy orgulloso.” Ximena looked up at him, and held Jayce’s face in one hand. Jayce nuzzled into her palm. Twenty-four years old and he was still more than willing to let his mother baby him. He glanced up at Vander, who seemed a bit more apprehensive. He nodded approvingly though. 

The second day, Viktor came back. His hair was braided out of his face, and he had a whole wagon of metal in tow. Jayce hadn't seen this much high-quality steel in one place since who knows how long ago. Together, they built prototypes.

Most of the gems were too dangerous to test in Jayce’s workshop, but they had slivers from one of the gems Jayce had blown up. They tested their prototypes on that, and only a few of them exploded in their faces.

Viktor got clipped by a flying shard of metal, so they decided to call it for the day. They left the workshop, and Jayce decided it was time for Viktor to properly meet everyone.

He met Vander first, who patted him on the shoulder so hard he nearly fell, and made him a drink to calm his nerves. The smell of it alone made Viktor’s nose wrinkle, and he nearly gagged at the first sip. Jayce carefully took the drink from his hand and took a sip of his own, eying Vander suspiciously.

“Are you trying to kill him? This is nearly medical-grade, and he’s a topsider. Give him my usual.” Vander huffed a small laugh, shrugging his shoulders casually.

“Figured his Zaun blood would come through, sorry lad. I’ll add it to your tab.” Vander pulled a bottle out from a small refrigerator Jayce had installed under the bar, and he handed it to Viktor.

“So, you're going to be Jayce’s sponsor? From that cut on your cheek it seems like he’s already gotten around to blowing something up in your face.” Viktor touched the cut on his face, paling a little when he saw blood on his fingers. Jayce opened the bottle for him, pushing it closer to his face to urge him to take a sip.

“I’ll find a rag to clean it up, hold on Doc.” Jayce took Viktor’s original drink along with him, sipping it idly as he looked around for a clean rag. Viktor took a sip of his new drink, and nearly sighed at the less intense feeling. 

“Y-yes. Jayce and I have struck a deal. I will fund his work, and work alongside him when he allows.” He takes another sip. “Jayce’s mind is truly incredible, the things he’s done here would be inconceivable for even the best engineers back home.” Jayce came back with a wet rag and started carefully cleaning the cut on Viktor’s face. Vander looked between them with a raised eyebrow, then looked past them and to the door as it opened.

There was an immediate bustle in the room as Powder, Ekko, Vi, Mylo, and Claggor entered. Viktor nearly dropped his drink, and Jayce took a final sip of his own before dropping the rag and running towards the kids with a grin on his face. He scooped up the first three he could grab, who just happened to be Vi, Ekko, and Mylo. He spun them around in a circle before looking around with a very distinct mischief. Powder seemed to have caught onto the game, climbing up his back and pointing over to a booth. 

“C’mon, you have new orders!” Jayce stiffened up, and walked over to the booth mechanically. He dropped the kids on the soft bench, doing his best not to laugh as Mylo complained. 

“Now go back and get Claggor! Let's go bruiser!” Viktor smiled into his drink as he watched Jayce turn around like a robot and chase Claggor down with Powder on his back. The two backed him into a corner before he simply put his arms out in acceptance. Jayce picked him up, and went back to the booth with the other kids, dumping Claggor on them unceremoniously. Once the four got situated, he sat down next to them, pulling Powder off his shoulders and onto the table. 

Jayce waved Viktor over, and the group got past the first impressions made pretty easily . Powder still squinted at him when Jayce wasn't looking, though.

The third day was spent in Viktor’s office. Writing and re-writing the speech they were planning to give to the council. 

Jayce ended up on the floor, laying flat on his back while Viktor read from their script. Lunch had come and gone, the faint smell of it lingered from the take-out containers in the trash.

This was the least busy day, but perhaps the most tedious. And by the time the sun started going down, he was ready to go home. He felt good with the script, flourishy words added in by Viktor, and he was sure it would impress the council.

Viktor walked him out to the gates of the Academy, and they chatted about the week so far.

Jayce paused at the edge of campus, Viktor stalling a few feet in front of him before turning around.

“Jayce?” Viktor tilted his head, fingers drumming on his cane as he tried to discern why Jayce had stopped walking. 

“You’re super disconnected from the Undercity, right? And you didn't get to do kid stuff either because-” Jayce stalls, but Viktor nods as permission to continue. “-because… of your disability. So I figured, since we have some prototypes, and the presentation is written- There’s an arcade down in the lanes, y’know? I used to play there a lot when I was growing up, and the kids go there all the time-” Jayce fidgets with his bracelet, spinning the thick leather around his wrist idly.

“Are you asking me to go play games with you and four to five children?” Viktor raised an eyebrow, a small smirk barely tugging at the corner of his lips. Jayce looked up, a little surprised. If he had a tail, it would certainly be tucked between his legs.

“I mean- The kids only go when they're free. Ekko works at Benzo’s and-” Jayce stopped as Viktor started to snicker quietly, eyebrows pulling together in a knot as he tried to figure out why he was laughing. Viktor stepped up to him and carefully set a hand on Jayce’s shoulder. 

“I would love to go visit the arcade with you, Jayce. I’m not trying to cause any more of that grey hair you have.” Jayce’s ears flush red, and he involuntarily shrugs his shoulders up in a failing attempt to hide the obvious silver hair at his temples. He looks embarrassed, and even tries to shake his hair so that the longer mop on top will cover the imperfection.

He stammers over an excuse for a few moments before simply looking away, refusing to be caught by the humor in Viktor’s piercing eyes. Viktor pulls his hand off Jayce’s shoulder, then nods his head to the general direction of the Undercity. 

“Go on home, grandpa. I’m sure your lukewarm oatmeal and nightcap and gown are waiting for you.” Jayce’s face burns brighter as he mumbles a goodbye, speeding his way back home. 

On the fourth day, Jayce came back up to the uppercity to bring Viktor to the arcade. 

Nothing much eventful happened, Viktor was about as good at the few games as one might expect from an academic. And if Viktor was enraptured by Jayce as he fought the boxing game, that was between him and god.

The fifth day was spent in a tailor’s after Viktor found out Jayce didn’t have a single suit.

“Why would I have a suit? I work with molten metal and robotics all day, I’ve never needed a suit a day in my life.” Jayce looked unamused as he was measured, pouting slightly down at where Viktor was sitting.

“Weddings, funerals, award ceremonies, parties- And you can’t show up in front of the council wearing…” Viktor waved vaguely at the jacket currently laying in his lap. While the jacket was black, it had fraying edges and holes that had certainly been put there by Jayce falling off of things. Jayce huffed indignantly and shifted his body to allow the tailor to continue with his measurements.

“We don’t really do weddings, or award ceremonies. And funerals aren’t a black-tie affair.” He jumps slightly as the tailor touches him without warning, but continues on. “You clearly know nothing about the Undercity, Doc. Have you ever been to a party? I think you’d die.” Viktor just furrows his brows, making eye contact with Jayce through the mirror. 

“I’ve been to galas, but I don’t exactly make a habit of sneaking off down there every time I catch wind of a party. You and your family are nearly everyone I know in the Undercity.” Jayce turns to face Viktor, the tailor buzzing away to the side so Jayce can step up to the other man. He leans over Viktor, studying his face with an unreadable look. Viktor swallows nervously, suddenly anxious that he said the wrong thing and would end up in a fight he would certainly lose. He shrinks down into his chair a little, never breaking eye contact.

Jayce sighs and steps back, twisting his back to pop it and walking back over to the tailor. He asks questions Viktor can’t quite make out over the thrumming in his ears. This kept happening. They’d have easy conversation and something would shift. Suddenly Jayce would be looking at Viktor with a disdain he saw when Jayce was dealing with a particularly resistant part, and Viktor would shrink away like he had been hit. He wasn’t sure what he was doing wrong, but he knew it was his fault.

Conversation was sparse as they finished the appointment, and silent as Viktor paid for their matching suits for the presentation. 

Viktor was worried he had ruined everything. The sixth day was spent in Viktor’s office, but he was grading papers instead of pushing any work towards Hextech.

Viktor sighed as he went through the assignments one by one. It had thankfully been a slow week on his schedule, a long weekend and a spontaneous day off gave his students more than enough time to finish their reports, but at this point Viktor knew he would be getting behind if he didn’t catch up. His teaching assistant could only do so much without his guidance, as most of Viktor’s schedule resided in his own mind. They were perfectly suited to handing papers over to Viktor, though.

Jayce wandered in some time past dusk, and Viktor didn’t even notice he had entered until Jayce sat solidly on his desk. Viktor looked up and nearly dropped the papers he had in his hand.

“There you are, Doc. I was a little worried when I heard nobody had even seen you near shop all day, figured I’d come and check on you.” Jayce set down the bag he had been carrying, gently prying the papers out of Viktor’s hands before rummaging around in the bag and pulling out a small lunchbox. He pushed it into Viktor’s hands with an inaccuracy that made the smaller man slightly suspicious.

Viktor sniffed the air, then leaned closer and sniffed Jayce. His nose scrunched in distaste as he connected dots. 

“You’re drunk, Jayce. You’re drunk, and you’re in my office, on my student’s assignments.” Viktor paid more attention now. Jayce was wearing makeup, smudged from what he assumed was a party. The lipstick he had worn was smudged halfway into his beard, and there were suspiciously kiss shaped marks left in a different lipstick color along his jaw and down his throat. Viktor’s eyes trailed down the path, getting a rare look of Jayce without his usual turtlenecked shirt. Something foul swirled in his stomach as he saw the lipstick disappear under Jayce's collar.

He turned his focus back to the lunchbox now in his hands, ignoring the way Jayce stared back at him. He opened it, and was hit with a smell that made his stomach gurgle loudly. When was the last time he had eaten? Breakfast? And based on how intoxicated Jayce was, it was almost certainly past midnight now.

Viktor dug in ravenously, making Jayce giggle a little.

“I knew you’d like it. That was my dinner before I went out, so it’ssss…. Cold. It’d be way better if it was hot, but I figured it would have gotten cold between home and here anyway.” Jayce watches Viktor eat with a certain warmth. Viktor hardly notices he’s being watched until Jayce leans into his personal space. More than half the meal is gone already when Jayce carefully places a hand on Viktor’s chin. His breath catches, eyebrows furrowing as he watches Jayce’s hand sway towards him. A thumb swipes next to Viktor’s mouth, and it goes into Jayce’s mouth. 

“You had cheese on your face.” Viktor’s mouth is slightly dropped open, his mouth suddenly dry. His face feels hot. He tries to stammer something out, but it all dies in his throat before it can even become words. Jayce smiles, seeming clueless that he had just fundamentally changed something deep in Viktor’s psyche.

It was the day before their appointment with the council. 

The appointment itself was in the afternoon, and they were set to pick up their suits the morning of. 

Jayce groaned into his cup of coffee as Viktor went over their presentation. Traces of glitter and makeup still dirtied his face, and he hid his eyes from the light streaming in through the windows. 

Hungover, he nearly didn’t leave his house that morning. But he knew he had to go over their presentation. He squinted at Viktor, glaring at the way he somehow seemed so awake at what Jayce was sure was a hellish hour.(He’s wrong. It was noon by then.) Viktor had walked him home the night before, and disappeared the moment Jayce passed out in his own bed. Jayce knew Viktor was running on even less sleep than he was, but he also knew the professor had the advantage of not feeling like his skull was being fucked by angry golems. 

“I know the script, Doc. Just let me…” Jayce cut himself off with a whine, squeezing his eyes shut as he gently laid his head on the table in front of him. He didn’t even shift as Viktor set a hand on the back of his neck, but melted ever so slightly as he ran a hand through his hair.

“Do you want to go to my place and take a bath, Jayce? It won’t cure your hangover, but it might relax you. I have some good painkillers at home too.” Viktor’s voice was soft, yet amused as he played with Jayce’s hair. Jayce mumbled something akin to an affirmation as Viktor kept running his fingers through his hair. His shoulders dropped as he felt Viktor’s nails gently scratch his skull. He whined as the fingers left his hair, only to be met with a slightly breathless chuckle in return.

“C’mon, you big puppy. I’ll take you home so you can take a bath.” Jayce groaned as he sat back up, drinking the rest of his coffee before standing. He leaned his head into Viktor’s shoulder, mumbling something incoherent as Viktor gently guided him out of the office. Jayce removed himself from Viktor’s shoulder as they stepped out into the hallways, but covered his eyes with a loud groan. He heard Viktor sigh, and felt as one of his hands was taken and held onto.

“Keep covering your eyes, we’re about to be out in the sun. I’ll walk you home.” Jayce just nodded, hiding his eyes behind his free hand and following where Viktor guided. He could swear he heard whispers around them, the words Professor Heimerdinger a constant. He didn’t have enough brainpower at that moment to figure out what they were talking about, simply filtering it out as he felt Viktor’s hand tighten ever-so-slightly around his own.

Jayce only tripped twice on the journey to Viktor’s home, and that was pretty good compared to his usual. Viktor pulled Jayce’s hand away from his eyes carefully, and when he opened his eyes he was in a dark room with those amber eyes looking up at him. Viktor smiled a little, nodding his head towards a hallway on the other side of the room. Jayce followed behind him like a lost puppy, letting Viktor guide him through his home and to the master bathroom. He leaned against the sink counter as Viktor got the bath running, blinking at him disbelievingly. 

In the dark, quiet room, he finally had enough of his mind back to process how odd this situation was. A Piltie was drawing a bath for him. A famous scientist. The youngest man in all of Piltover to have gotten a PHD and a teaching job at the Academy. He only halfway took in the information as Viktor told him what all the soaps were for, watching bubbles swirl around the bath. He nodded dumbly as Viktor left, dropping his jacket to the floor unceremoniously as the door shut behind him.

When he finally got into the bath, it was luxurious. Steaming hot, and smelling like the same floral arrangement that seemed to cling to Viktor, Jayce was in heaven. He felt muscles unknot, groaning and closing his eyes as he leaned his head against the wall. The bath fit him well, and a distant part of him understood that the tub must be massive for Viktor. He nearly fell asleep there. Maybe he did, he wasn’t fully sure. He distantly heard the sound of the bathroom door, not even processing Viktor’s chuckle as he saw how Jayce had completely melted in the tub.

When he finally got his brain back into his body, the bath was going lukewarm. His fingers were wrinkled, and when he looked into the bathroom, his clothes were missing. Replaced by what looked like a white t-shirt and a pair of pajama bottoms. On the counter were two pills and a glass of water. He just smiled. 

When Jayce left the bathroom, he did feel considerably better. The shirt fit him well enough, the pants were a bit short. He didn’t mind it too terribly, drinking the rest of the water that had been set out for him as he tried to finish drying his hair with one hand.

They spent the rest of the day in Viktor’s home, practicing their script, along with responses to any questions or concerns the council might have. Jayce’s clothes were clean by the time he needed to go home, and he changed into them with a small smile. He smelled like Viktor now.

Chapter Text

Viktor watched as Jayce paced the waiting room. Every few seconds, Jayce would tug at the tie that Viktor had tied for him, and it was at a point where Viktor would need to adjust it before they entered the councilroom. Viktor traced the embellishments on his formal cane, watching as Jayce muttered to himself and walked in circles. He was unurprised when Jayce’s head shot up and looked at him for the fifth time in the last few minutes.

“What if they ask to see a full prototype? The crystals aren’t stable enough to be placed into our current prototype without causing an explosion.” Jayce had managed to fully untie his tie, much to Viktor’s dismay. His hair was still slicked back, at least. Showing off the shots of grey on his temples. Viktor had suggested it, hoping it would make the Council think he was more mature.

“We’ll tell them that a full display must be done in a controlled environment. Jayce, we’ve got this . We have every potential question planned out, we’ll surely get our proper funding. We could have grant money . And access to all the exact materials that you need for your project.” Jayce takes a deep breath, finally looking down at his tie with a definite frustration. With a mumbled curse, he kneels in front of Viktor so he can fix it for him.

“I just-”

“No.” Viktor ties Jayce’s tie, and gently tucks it into his vest with the smallest smile. He puts his hands on either side of Jayce’s face forcing him to look him in the eyes.

“Jayce Talis, you are one of the most intelligent men I have ever met, and the Council will see that. Hextech will change the world. You will change the world.” Jayce looked up at Viktor like they were in their own dimension, nodding slightly, still held in place by Viktor’s hands. Viktor ran his hand over Jayce’s hair, then carefully tugged the man to sit in the chair next to him.

“Now, no more pacing. You’re making me dizzy.” Viktor locked their fingers together, doing his best to calm Jayce down. He was used to these sorts of things, but Jayce had never been scrutinized by a bunch of rich fucks before. No wonder he was nervous. He let Jayce lean his head into his shoulder, and they just stared at the door, waiting to be called into the council.

“We’ll change the world.” Viktor hummed in confusion, neither moving.

“You said that I’d change the world. You keep calling hextech mine , Doc. It’s ours. Our dream. Our project. We’re gonna change the world together.” Viktor leaned into Jayce a little. Jayce couldn’t see his smile, but Viktor squeezed his hand a little tighter.

Jayce stood in the center of the council hall, sweating his absolute balls off. He was sure his tie was loose again with the way he kept tugging at it.

“How can we be sure that giving him access to these materials, restricted materials , won’t come back to bite us? I’m sure nearly all of us remember how the house of Talis betrayed us, are we really considering letting this kind of experimentation continue?” One of the councilors, blonde, prissy, Salo , spat his venom. Pure distaste flowing from his lips. Jayce wasn’t even sure if Salo actually cared about the materials. He just seemed happy to talk past Jayce and towards Viktor and the council members.

“I promise that-”

“And moreover, there’s no evidence that this project will be totally beneficial to the city. I see no reason why there should be governmental funding into this… Hextech?” Jayce was cut off by a critical looking woman. She doesn’t even attempt to return eye contact when he looks at her, her eyes seemingly glazing over him and towards everyone else in the room.

“Well, Councilor Kiramman, we are the city of progress, yes?” Councilor Medarda speaks to Kiramman, but her eyes are locked onto Jayce. Similar to Viktor, he feels pinned in place. Her eyes hold him in place like a paralyzing bite from a spider, she slowly wraps him in her web as she continues. He stays rooted to the spot.

“Though, Jayce -” -She says his name like a spell, an odd fear coursing through his veins at the utterance of his own name- “-I would like to ask what makes your project special. All we’ve seen so far is a speech and what seems to be no more than glitter. What is your project meant to do, how will you help your people, as you claim?” Jayce is shell shocked. Other than Councillor Heimerdinger, Medarda has been the only one to actually ask him a question instead of asking Viktor. He clears his throat, trying to ignore the feeling of being watched that had suddenly come over him. 

“I’m attempting to create magic.” The whole room bristles at the word magic . Councillor Medarda just watches him, her eyebrows now raised in intrigue.

“ Magic? ” This comes from Councillor Hoskel, who seemed to have only now looked away from his puzzle to pay attention.

“Arcane talents are something you’re born with, they can’t be… Fabricated .” Councillor Shoola addresses the room, the gears around her throat clicking quietly. Jayce feels a knot start to form in his throat.

“Actually, I have seen his work myself, and I do believe it to be possible.” Viktor speaks up from his seat next to Jayce. He had done his best to let Jayce lead, which he was grateful for, but even he could see the dread that was settling into the Zaunite.

“Has anyone even tried it before?” Councillor Medarda looks to the rest of the council, seeming intrigued by the way they seem to shrink away from her gaze. Jayce hears a rumbling from Councillor Bolbok, a sure tell that he was about to speak.

“The arcane is the curse of our world. My race was nearly destroyed by it.” The dread that had settled into Jayce’s chest starts clawing out through his throat. He feels like he might vomit. He starts to step forward, but is held back by Viktor, now standing. Viktor puts a hand on Jayce’s shoulder, and he finds himself taking a step back to stand side-by-side with him.

“Surely we, the Pioneers of science, can use it for good, yes? We are the city of Progress, why fear it when we can master it ?” Jayce looks to Viktor, and watches passion bloom through him. Jayce hears Councillor Heimerdinger’s warning to stop talking as a murmur as he continues.

“This is the city of Progress, think of the wonders this project could create if you let him prove-”

“ Enough! ” Jayce and Viktor both jolt in shock as the yordle raises his voice, the energy Viktor had brought fizzling out between them.

“You don't understand what's at stake.” Councillor Heimerdinger seems to calm slightly, a sad look clouding his eyes.

“But how can you? That's a burden that only I here carry… Time.” He looks far away as he continues, like he's only half-present as he speaks.

“I’ve seen this power in the wrong hands. It corrupts . Consumes. Lays waste to civilizations… That cannot happen here, boys.” Heimerdinger looks up at the two, looking haunted, apologetic, but overall decided.

“Heimerdinger is right. Piltover was founded to escape the warmongering of mages, not cultivate it.” Despair starts clawing through Jayce’s throat again, only punctuated by the clicking of the Councillor’s gears.

“The ethos is clear, he must be banished from Piltover.” That he rings like gunfire in his mind. He was right. He would get all the trouble, and Viktor would get off free. He doesn’t even feel Viktor’s hand tighten on his shoulder, his whole body feeling numb.

He’d be exiled. His mother would have to find work to support herself. He’d lose Vander and the kids. Enforcers would double-down on the lanes to make sure that nobody else was attempting to continue his work. He had single-handedly ruined life for everyone he cared about in one meeting.

Viktor’s hand leaves his shoulder, and he steps in front of Jayce. He becomes their focus for a moment as Jayce stumbles and falls into the chair.

“If you’ll allow me to speak?” Viktor looks to each Councillor, making sure that he has their full attention. 

“I am no Councillor, but you all know me well. Beyond my father’s role in this Council, I am one of your top minds. An educator, a man who has stood for Piltover’s progress since I had the chance to help the people of this city. And as that man, I need you to trust my judgement . Jayce Talis may be in violation of the ethos but he could still help our city in ways none of us could ever imagine. He did this without an Academy education, could you even conceive what he could do if he was supported?” Viktor leans his cane against Jayce’s legs, looking to each council member for support.

“A lesser sentence, I implore you. Allow him to stay in Piltover. I’ll task myself with monitoring him to make sure that he doesn’t try this again.” Jayce feels his heart break. 

“A violation of the ethos does call for banishment-” Viktor’s shoulders drop slightly. Jayce can’t even breathe. “ -but I can sympathize with a young man’s dream to change the world.” Breath floods into his lungs as he looks to Councillor Heimerdinger. The Yordle pointedly ignores his quiet gasp as he continues on.

“Perhaps in this matter… a lesser sentence will suffice.” Viktor’s shoulders slump in relief. Jayce feels some sort of vague hope start to pull itself out of his gut.

“I move that all of Jayce’s projects connected to this are confiscated and destroyed, and he work under Viktor so he may keep an eye on him. All those in favor?” The hope is shot point-blank. He feels his chest constrict as council members raise their hands. His vision starts going dark around the edges as Viktor grabs his cane and leans heavily against it.

His dream. Gone in just a few words.