Work Text:
Jayce sighed and shifted his grip on the books being cradled in his arms. He knew he couldn’t keep lying to his Mum about academy life, couldn’t keep telling her that his research was “going great” and he’d made so many friends. She’d find out the truth somehow, even if it was through himself.
And that truth was that it was terrible. He’d gotten barely any recognition from tutors (even though that was partially his fault because most of the time he was too busy researching to turn up to his lectures), the research into the arcane he’d been spending so much of his time on was going nowhere and he hadn’t made a single friend.
Although a social life felt like the least of his concerns, he hadn’t realised how lonely he could get - back at home he and Cait would talk at least twice a week - usually more depending on her mother’s mood - and he missed it.
Of course he could just go and visit her but that wasn’t the point, the point was that he was out of his comfort zone. When before he’d felt like a confident, popular young man; he now felt like an outcast.
The guy with no one to sit next to at lunch, the guy who spent his breaks pouring over books on magic, and - worst of all - the most forgettable guy in class.
Nowadays, he was the one who was only really the centre of attention when he was sneaking into class late, and it was something he was used to.
As it turns out, a social life was important. And Jayce didn’t have that anymore.
He looked up at the steadily darkening sky and shivered, it was late winter and the days were getting rapidly shorter. He’d been trying not to haunt the library for too long and make the freezing trek back to academy accommodations before it got too dark and cold, but it was a rather ambitious goal.
As he was crossing the courtyard, heading towards his dorm hall, his attention was caught by raised voices and peculiar noises coming from the turning into the gardens.
He caught snatches of sharp tones and decided to get a closer look. He didn’t consider himself nosy, but everybody else did and he couldn’t help but involve himself.
He snuck up to a nearby wall close enough to the little alley to listen without being easily spotted.
“Give that back!” Yelled a strongly accented voice.
“It’s a waste of knowledge on you, sumprat!” Another voice jeered.
Something metal clattered to the ground and the first voice grunted, followed by a thud.
“We all know the only reason you’re here is because that old hamster took pity on you, you don’t belong here.” The second voice said in a low tone laced with venom.
Jayce edged a little closer to the corner of the wall to listen, and heard what he assumed was the second person spit on the paving slabs.
Several sets of footsteps approached and Jayce quickly turned around, hands in his pockets and head down as he started speed-walking away.
Three other students emerged from the alley, the burliest of whom shoved past him forcefully and made sure to step on his foot.
Slowing down and wincing at the throbbing in his foot, Jayce waited for the group to get out of sight before striding back to the alley.
He stepped past the end of the wall to see a pale, thin older-looking boy with dark brown hair; Heimerdinger’s assistant, he realised with a start, he recognised him from some of the lectures he actually managed to attend.
The boy was on his knees on the floor, scrambling to pick up several books - seemingly both notebooks and library books, in varying states of damage.
His cane lay a few feet away from him, close to Jayce’s boots.
Jayce picked up the cane and hurried over to the boy, who took it begrudgingly. Jayce dropped his own books to reach for the boy’s, only to have his hand batted away by the other boy.
“I don’t need your help.” He snapped.
“Sorry,” Jayce replied sheepishly, “do you have trouble with those jerks often?”
He remained silent, clutching his pile of books and rising to his shaking feet.
“You need help getting home?”
Jayce asked, again being met with silence.
Even with his cane Jayce struggled to keep up with him as he hobbled ahead of him, “I didn’t ask for your help.” He said curtly after a few minutes.
Jayce remained silent for moment before replying “No, but I wanted to anyway.”
They walked quietly for the next few minutes, though the other boy gradually slowed to an amble.
“What’s your name, assistant boy?”
“Don’t call me that.” He snapped back.
“Got it.”
Another few moments passed with only the sound of their feet and his cane against the cobbles.
“It’s Viktor.”
“Aren’t you gonna ask my name?”
Viktor turned to him, pinning him with his amber eyes which reminded him of a bird of prey, fierce and noble - yet there was something graceful about them.
“I know your name, Jayce.”
Jayce was taken aback for a moment but tried not to show it, keeping his eyes forward and his expression blank.
“I actually pay attention in class instead of doodling in the margins of my books.”
“They’re important doodles.” He retorted earnestly.
“But still doodles.”
He continued to follow Viktor in silence again, but not an awkward silence.
They approached the dorm building on the campus, ascending the steps leading up to the door. Viktor wobbled slightly on his leg and inadvertently leaned towards Jayce. Jayce hurriedly held out his arms to support him, muttering “I gotcha, I gotcha.”
Viktor frowned slightly and grimaced as he righted himself, but didn’t complain.
They strolled down the corridors together until Viktor came to an abrupt halt outside one of the doors, pulling his keys from his pockets.
“This is your stop then?”
Viktor nodded in response, fitting his keys into the lock and twisting.
“I’ll see you tomorrow then,” Jayce offered as Viktor pushed open his door.
Viktor turned around, one armed braces against the doorframe and fixed Jayce with another state from his hawk-like eyes.
“If you show up to your lessons, yes.”
And with that he turned and pulled the door firmly shut, leaving Jayce standing in the corridor outside.
Maybe his research could wait for a day.