Chapter Text
He really wasn't expecting the snow today.
Jayce had checked the weather forecast at least 800 times before leaving home, he was sure that the snow would only arrive at the end of the week, but of course it had decided to fall a day earlier than expected.
He lets out a deep sigh, to help, the blizzard had started at dusk, just before Jayce's departure time, just when he had decided to work overtime, on a normal day, he would already be home by now.
Well, but it was entirely his fault. As Professor Heimerdinger's new assistant, he had been too optimistic to accept the extra shift during the imminent storm.
With no other options, Jayce resorts to his favorite hiding place: the college laboratory. Reserved for the assistants of the most renowned professor, there weren't many people around. Heimerdinger was nothing short of a genius, and his eccentric ways required a team capable of following him in his inventions, so there weren't many candidates up to the task. Jayce was one of the exceptions.
As expected, there was no one there. Jayce walked in and threw his bag on the familiar bench, not caring much about how his material got scattered around the room; that was a problem for later.
He risks a glance at the window. The imposing glass wall was admirable in the daylight, but it was terrifying in equal measure on days like this. The sight of the dark sky and the storm outside sent shivers down Jayce's spine. "Maybe the curtain idea isn't so ridiculous after all."
Jayce sits with his back to the window and holds his face in his hands, letting his guard down, he allows all his nervousness and anxiety to show.
His shoulders are shaking and he's rubbing his hands so hard it's amazing how they're still attached to his wrist. It's too late to go home, he would never drive in a storm, his only alternative is to spend the night at the lab. Again. He needs to tell someone.
Before he can think too much, Jayce hears his phone vibrate. It takes him a second to find it under the many notebooks. Looking at the screen, he finds a variety of messages. The first one is from Caitlyn.
C: Please tell me you've already gone home and aren't spending the night at college.
Jayce sighs as he types his reply.
J: 🥺
The response is almost immediate:
C: Unbelievable.
He intentionally ignores Caitlyn's next messages. Then he quickly and vaguely responds to his mother's worried messages. Jayce doesn't like to lie, but saying he hadn't made it home would only make his mother more nervous. As soon as he clicks send, a call pops up on the screen.
"Mel?" He answers.
"Jayce, are you okay? Did you make it home?" Mel's voice sings on the other end of the line.
Jayce can't help but smile slightly. They always worried about him, but they were especially careful on days like these. Cait was practically his sister, while Mel had been his best friend for years (They dated for a while, but they both decided they were better off as friends).
"The storm caught me before I could leave."
"Oh, Jayce, I'm so sorry. You know, I could just come get you..."
"NO." He swallows hard. "No, it would be too dangerous, Mel, I'll be fine, really."
She sighs. "I knew you'd say that, but I had to try. Well, take care of yourself and call me if you need anything, okay?"
"Okay, thanks, Mel."
"Do you want me to pick you up tomorrow?"
"Caitlyn will probably do it, but I appreciate it anyway."
She laughs, "What would you do without us?"
"I'd rather not think about it." He smiles back.
Soon, they say goodbye and end the call.
The warm feeling from Mel's call dissipates too quickly and he's alone again. If only she were here, Jayce could lay his head on her lap, she'd run her fingers through his hair like his mother did, and he'd be able to calm down.
Jayce turns in his chair only to find someone standing next to him and he nearly jumps out of his own skin.
"Am I interrupting?" the person asks.
Jayce jumps to his feet.
"JESUS. WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM?" He clutches his chest, recovering from the shock.
The other doesn't respond.
"Okay... I'm sorry, but you scared the shit out of me." Jayce looks again at this new figure. Beside him, there was a man with brown hair and golden eyes, he was holding a cane and some books. He knows this guy, he's the professor's other assistant, he's seen him a few times, but they haven't been properly introduced. "Um, you... Have you been here long?"
"Actually, I was here before you arrived. I tried to get your attention, but I think you were too... absorbed in your matters."
Jayce's face heats up, how could he not have noticed?
"Oh, well... I, Hm..." Just say something, idiot. "What's your name?"
"It's Viktor," the shorter man answers with a thick accent.
The wind blows harder outside, and Jayce flinches at the sound. If Viktor noticed, he doesn't say anything about it.
"And you must be Jayce," he says, his eyes scanning him.
"Do you know me?"
"I didn't mean to eavesdrop at all, but your conversation was quite loud."
"Oh, right..." Jayce feels embarrassed again, and he has no idea why. "I didn't expect to find anyone here at this hour."
"I could say the same."
The silence between them hangs for a few moments and Jayce stares at Viktor's beautiful red and gold sweater, the Piltover College crest on his chest.
"Are you working overtime too?"
"Yes, I was in charge of closing the lab."
Jayce then realizes that the only thing preventing Viktor from carrying out his task is the fact that he is still in the room.
"Oh, I suppose you're waiting for me to leave."
"I didn't say that. Actually, I might have heard you say you intended to spend the night here?"
Oh, shit. It wouldn't be the first time and he would be in trouble if the professor found out a second time, or a third time, or... he should stop counting.
"What??? Me? Of course not, who would spend the night in a lab, surely..." He starts to ramble but stops when he sees Viktor's raised eyebrow, indicating what a terrible liar he was. "Okay, you got me."
"Don't you have a car? The storm isn't that bad, you could have gone home already," Viktor points out, gesturing with his cane to the window.
"I do, but..." How could he explain to this handsome guy about his pathetic phobia of snow and storms? That sometimes he would be so paralyzed with fear that he couldn't move?
Viktor seems to notice Jayce's internal struggle and mercifully interrupts his suffering.
"I guess maybe the tires aren't weather-rated?" He suggests.
"Yeah. That's it." Jayce nods a little too quickly.
Viktor nods in agreement with a small smile.
"Well, then it would be stupid to leave under such conditions, wouldn't you agree? In that case." He walks closer to Jayce. "Do you mind company?"
Jayce blinks. "No, not at all." And it was genuine.
"Good." Viktor nods and sits down on the bench where Jayce had been a few moments before. Jayce stood next to the other man, unsure of what to do with himself, "So that's it? He's just going to stay here?" Jayce certainly hadn't expected this development.
Viktor reaches out and picks up one of Jayce's open design notebooks. "Is that a hammer?"
Jayce's eyes light up instantly.
And so, they spend the night like that, discussing Jayce's projects while discovering a mutual enthusiasm for their creations. Viktor's serious appearance seemed to betray his kindness, it was almost as if they already knew each other, Jayce explained his ideas while Viktor pointed out the points to be modified or improved. Almost like a synchronized dance, they sketched ideas on the board, laughing when a very absurd error in the calculations appeared, Jayce's anguish long forgotten, he could not be having more fun.
The storm outside no longer seemed like such a terrible problem.