Chapter Text
Jayce silently sat there, pondering to himself. His fingers pushed against his temples, rubbing as if he could coax his brain to think faster, think better. Asking if it was worth it - really worth it. Will this opportunity come again...? Will something at least like it?
...No. No it wouldn't - he had to do this. Had to at least attempt to, had to at least make a valiant effort, be able to tell his mother that he tried.
He picked up his laptop again off the coffee table - the one he had put down with a sigh as soon as he read the email. The email from a person he had least expected. How did he even get his email address?
He reread the email, put the laptop back down, got up off his couch and paced around his apartment a few times - then sat back down, reread the email (again), got off his couch (again), but this time went into his kitchen to grab one of the cheap flavored canned martinis out of the half drank six pack in his fridge. He sat back down, popped open the can quickly and took a quick drink, grimacing (nobody drank the canned ones willingly unless they were pinching a dime).
He reread the email, fought the urge to again abandon his couch, and made a sigh that was wet with emotion. How did he even respond to this?
He hadn't spoken to him in six years. As far as Jayce knew, they were over. One of them made their choice, and it certainly wasn't Jayce.
But the email was desperate. Pleading. Something Jayce knew his ex-partner didn't do, at least not willingly. He must've been so embarrassed...mortified, even. Jayce couldn't help but smirk at that - quickly pushing down the feeling, guilt overtaking him but he pushed that aside too. No, he must be...neutral.
He picked up the laptop again for the...how many times now? Rereading the email for the final time...
'FROM: [email protected]
TO: [email protected]
SUBJECT: Require Your Asistance
Greetings, Dr. Talis,
Apologies for the sudden email. I require your assistance immensely. There are too many details to be able to share over email, if you would please join me at the Academy to discuss, I would greatly appreciate it.
If you would prefer to meet elsewhere, reply back with where and I will join you. If it's an establishment with food or drink, I will pay.
If this email is left unanswered for 48 hours I will assume the answer is no and will not contact you again.
Thank you,
Viktor, PhD
Professor of Technology and Engineering at the Academy'
Jayce tapped his fingers nervously on the edge of his laptop. The subject line was misspelled. Viktor would never let a typo evade him. To anyone else, they would think he was looking into it too much. To Jayce, that told him this was important. Viktor never let his nervousness show.
Jayce began typing a response.
'FROM: [email protected]
TO: [email protected]
SUBJECT: RE: Require your Asistance
Dear Professor Viktor,
I will be there tomorrow. Attach your schedule. I'll meet during your planning hours.
Jayce'
...
Viktor sat blankly. His laptop had made a chime a few minutes ago. He expected it to be an email from a student, or a professor, or the Academy newsletter he never reads.
He sat instead, staring at the screen of the response he never thought he'd get. He showed no emotion on his face, felt nothing internally. He ignored the small, tiny, locked away part of him that wanted to scream, thrash around, throw something. No, he chose to feel nothing.
He took a deep collecting breath, and hit the reply button, rushing to attach a copy of his schedule and hitting send. He minimized the email tab, briefly considered working before shaking his head and closing his laptop.
Six years. Viktor wondered what he looked like now. Did he still have that tiny gap in his teeth? Did he still have that neat hair? Did he still spend a few minutes on it every morning?
He took a deep breath, pushing those thoughts away with a force. It wasn't important. He had a mission. He looked around at his messy office. His curtains were drawn. It was dark in his office despite the light outside - things were strewn on his desk, some of it had fallen on the floor. He'd need to tidy up before Jayce came here tomorrow. His brain immediately complained, he was tired. Exhausted.
He'd do it tomorrow, before Jayce got here. He rested his head on his arm. His palm playing with his hair. Fidgeting...he never used to do that. That was always...a Jayce thing.
He felt exhausted, pretty sure he was getting a migraine. It was the morning, but he held no classes today. He took the week off. How could he work like this? Knowing he was...
He got up, grabbing his crutch and awkwardly shuffling over to the couch in his office, the one he had asked for from Heimerdinger, ever since his illness had gotten worse. He melted onto it, sighing as his muscles stretched, reducing some of the ache deep inside him, it becoming instead a throb in his joints.
Viktor's head touched the pillow, and like that he was out. He should've expected it honestly, he'd been awake for...two days? Tirelessly working on the project he'd just gotten back, the project he was having to give away, out of his pleading desperate fingers. Another part deep inside of him wanting to clutch this, this one thing he could keep to himself forever, he wanted to email Jayce back, tell him never mind. Keep working on the project in the hopes that he'd be able to finish it in time.
He knew he wouldn't.
As he drifted into a deep sleep, his brain calmed down for the first time. He always forgot the comfort of sleeping - would do it more often if he wasn't a workaholic - or wasn't embarrassed about going to sleep at 11 in the morning. He didn't know when he'd wake.
A small, tiny part of him inside - different from the other tiny parts of him he hid, hoped he didn't. Hoped this was the last sleep, the deep eternal forever slumber.
He didn't push this one away.
...
Jayce drove silently on the highway. He'd just pulled out of a gas station, getting a cheap shitty coffee. He'd just barely gotten any sleep last night, too busy overthinking the next day. When the next day became that day, he forced himself to shut off and sleep.
He only slept about four hours, and now he was trying to focus on driving. He didn't drive much anymore and the Academy was three hours away. Usually he'd be listening to music or a podcast or an audio book on the way there, but he could barely hear any of it over his own thoughts. The silence was deafening however. Ironic.
As a person cut him off and he mumbled a few curses and insults under his breath, his car started ringing, startling him and almost making him swerve. He looked at the caller ID. His mom.
He answered it immediately.
" Jayce, ¿adónde vas tan temprano por la mañana?" His mother asked, not accusingly. Shit, he forgot to turn off his location...one would wonder why a 35 year old man would still have Life360 with his mother. They wouldn't know that Jayce had asked for it - to calm the worries of his mother being so far away.
"Ah... mamá, no sabía que seguías despierta... son las 8 de la mañana," he awkwardly said, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. He forgot to tell his mom what he was doing...he'd never hear the end of it if he told her, he was a mama's boy though. He couldn't lie to her.
"Mamá. Promete no asustarte." He spoke.
"¿¡Estás en problemas!? ¿¡Qué hiciste!?" She immediately asked, fuck why'd he phrase it like that? He coughed anxiously.
"No, no uhm, voy a la Academy." He mumbled.
"¿Por qué estás...?"
"Me voy a reunir con Viktor." He finally choked out.
His mom was silent for a moment but he heard the almost silent gasp she made over the phone. He didn't comment on it. He instead braced himself for the inevitable lecture he was going to get.
"Jayce," she said, and it was in the most loving tone, immediately making him melt, immediately stopping him from 'bracing for it'. Anxiety left his body, even if just for a moment. It was just him and his mother. He could be vulnerable, he had to remind himself that. "You must be anxious." She said, the swap to English not surprising.
Talks of Viktor were almost always in English. Why? He didn't know. Maybe it was a silent invitation - in case he could hear, even if he wasn't there.
"Mamá, you have no idea." He admitted, a dry chuckle choking out of him, ugly and vulnerable. It was true - six years of zero contact, and they didn't leave on the best of terms, an understatement of the century. Last time they spoke was the ugliest conversation they had ever had. The words Viktor said...and the words Jayce had said back. Jayce didn't know he could have even said such things.
"Mijo... Mijo, I need you to promise me something." His mother finally said after a few suffocating seconds of silence. He cleared his throat before making a tiny 'yes mamá?'
"You need to apologize to him."
He almost hit the breaks in the middle of the highway.
"What!?" He didn't yell or shout but the volume in his voice certainly rose. He took a second to calm down, not wanting his mother to think he was mad or raising his voice at her. No, he just was...shocked. "Má, we haven't spoken in six years. How do you know that's what he even wants? How do you even expect me to...bring 'it' up? How-"
"Jayce, baby, I'm not saying you need to immediately-"
"What if he doesn't apologize to me?" He said, hating the slight venom in his voice.
"Jayce-"
"What if-"
"Jayce Talis." She said firmly, immediately causing the words to get stuck in his throat. The full name made him get that familiar feeling when he was in trouble - a weird feeling to still get in his mid 30s but he would still dare never cross his mother. She could ground him and he wouldn't fight it, even if she never would - she wasn't a helicopter mom. Something he always appreciated.
"Jayce - I taught you to be a kind, responsible man. Whether he apologizes to you or not does not matter. You know that." He tapped his fingers on the steering wheel anxiously. Here it was - the lecture, and usually his mother was the right one in these lectures. She was definitely right on this one. "You do not need to apologize immediately, but you need to apologize. At the very least while you're there. You can even tell him I asked you too."
"Wouldn't that damp the meaning of it?"
"If you need someone to blame I'm willing to take it." He huffed. He knew if he did apologize he'd never tell Viktor his mom practically grabbed him by the ears and made him. Not only would it possibly make the apology less meaningful, but it would be embarrassing.
He tried not to think about how the Viktor he knew before the fall out would never let him live it down. Would joke about it at every opportunity...
"Mijo. You need to promise me." There was something in her voice, something that tugged at his chest. He sighed and sank down a little in his seat.
"Yes, má, I promise." He was glad she couldn't see his face.
"That's my boy." She said, a lilt in her voice telling him this made her excited. He said his love you's and goodbye's before hanging up.
This meeting just became a lot more difficult.
...
Jayce arrived at the Academy. It was just the same as he left it. Older, but no less extravagant. He hoped he didn't run into anyone he knew, choosing instead to quickly rush down the hall. The only person he had spoken to was the receptionist, asking where a 'Professor Viktor's' office was. Thankfully the receptionist didn't recognize him.
He approached the grand, dark wooden door with golden handles. A golden name plate next to it with Viktor's name, and another golden plate under it listing his office and planning hours. Jayce was right on time.
He hovered his hand over the door. Anxiety pounding in his ears. He stayed like that for 10 seconds, 20 seconds, 30 seconds...a minute. He quickly took over his brain and knocked, immediately making a gasp and putting his hand down. Shit.
He was about to see Viktor for the first time in six years. He had zero idea as to how that didn't hit him until now. Jayce just agreed to see a man he swore he hated, running to Viktor at his first request. Jayce took a deep, shuddering breath. He wish he took his anti-anxiety medication. Fuck.
What did Viktor even need? What did he want? What were they gonna talk about? Was he mad? What was Jayce going to even say-
He heard a creak interrupting his spiral momentarily, a bed spring? Couch spring? A deep, slightly agonized sigh. Slow steps.
The familiar clack of his cane. It made a weight rest on his chest.
He didn't know he missed that noise.
He heard the jangle of the door knob creaking and saw it move. Suddenly, he felt nauseous. He fought back the urge to hurl, anxiety exploding in him. He couldn't have a panic attack right now. He couldn't. He wanted to run, he suddenly felt...cornered.
The door swung open.
'Holy shit,' was Jayce's first thought. The person staring at him. He looked the same but so, so different. They were both silent, staring at eachother. Viktor had only opened the door a crack, the office behind him dark. He looked like...had he just woken up? His hair was touseled in that familiar way, like when Jayce had woken him up from-
'Shut up' he thought to himself. His eyes drifted to Viktor's...heavy eye bags. Somehow worse than before. He was...paler. Thinner. More...
He gulped.
He looked sicker. And what he thought was his cane was now...a crutch.
The silence only lasted a few seconds, all these thoughts only lasting one second. And yet the unspoken words suffocated him. He again fought back his panic attack.
"Dr. Talis." Viktor spoke first. Jayce ignored how he didn't say his name.
"Professor." Jayce responded. He also didn't say his name. Both to avoid it, and also to maliciously comply. He bit that urge back immediately. He couldn't fall back into how they left it.
"Uhm, give me a, er- Give me a moment." Viktor mumbled, Jayce nodded tensely. Viktor closed the door, and heard him struggle with the crutch. Struggle.
Things were being shoved around, he heard a trash can open and close repeatedly. A curtain open. Jayce fidgeted with his hands outside the door.
When it opened again, the door fully opened. Despite what was Viktors obvious attempt to tidy up a little, the office was still disorganized. Messy.
"Come in," Viktor motioned tensely, turning around and walking over to his desk, resting his crutch next to him and sitting down slowly. Jayce followed after him, taking in the office.
The place was covered in plants, wilting. All in desperate need of a trim and water. Various papers littered Viktor's desk. A dusty couch sat against the wall, with blankets thrown all over it. A soft dent in the cushion still there.
Viktor was sleeping there, Jayce put the pieces together. The hard wooden floors in desperate need of a sweep groaned under his feet.
"I.. apologize for the lack of cleanliness. I'll admit I've been busy. I planned on tidying up before your arrival - but er...plans changed." Viktor spoke, his tone a weird mix of tenseness and politeness.
Jayce sat down in one of the chairs sitting opposite of Viktor's desk, his hands resting on his knees, messing with the fabric of his pants nervously. His chest was still tight, still fighting the panic of being face to face with the man he swore he'd never speak to again.
"Well, I guess let's just get into why I asked you here. I know you're probably a busy man," Viktor spoke, Jayce couldn't understand how he seemed so calm right now. Clearly he was at least nervous, Jayce always had the skills to read Viktor that other's didn't have. But even more clearly, Viktor was better at hiding his feelings then Jayce. Viktor could probably read him like an open book right now.
"I'm working on a project. It's a project we both started and never finished when we were partners." Viktor spoke, methodically, almost like a doctor. He spoke as if he didn't just drop an atomic bomb in the middle of the conversation. He couldn't mean-
"This project is important to me. I have full assurance that it's important to you too. Or at the very least was." Viktor continued, Jayce hoped he couldn't see the panic and other mix of emotions on his face though he knew that it was futile.
Viktor took a deep breath in. Jayce knew he was about to get hit with something. There was very few reasons that Viktor would break their code of silence to eachother over a project. He just hoped it wasn't...
"I'm leaving the project to you in my will."
.
.
.
"Wh-"
"I need you to sign the papers of transition-"
"-Viktor wait-"
"-It'll only take a few minutes, the keys to the lab will be given to you as well. I've already had everything arranged-"
"-Viktor-"
"-You can choose to either work here or if you want I can arrange to have things delivered to you at home-"
"VIKTOR." Jayce suddenly couldn't handle it anymore. The tightness in his chest so strained he felt his heart would explode out of him like the tenseness in a mouse trap. Viktor jumped just a little, but stopped talking, looking at Jayce as if he were just another diplomat or professor or co-worker he was meeting with.
"Yes, Dr. Talis?" He waited for him to speak. Viktor still didn't say his name.
"Wh...what do you mean in your will?" Jayce looked at him, the rest of the question going unsaid. He couldn't dare say it. He knew the solemn truth hung in the air. If he was bringing up his will now, how much time did he have left?
"Exactly what it means Dr Talis. The patent, research, materials...it's going to be inherited by you in the will." Viktor kept the blank neutral look on his face, as if he was just reciting a simple fact to Jayce. As if he was just saying 'the sky is blue.'
Two facts jumped into Jayce's brain at the same time, and he had to stop himself from hurling sick all over himself. Not out of disgust, but out of pure unadulterated anxiety.
One, Viktor wanted to include him at all in the will. His full legal name was on there. Viktor had, at some point, gone through the legal process to make sure he was included in it.
Two...
He didn't even want to think about it, but he had to. He had to ask.
"Professor..." Jayce spoke, trying to maintain some shred of dignity after shouting his ex-partners name in his office. Some of the first words to him in years. "I-...How much...time?-"
"Unimportant." Viktor interrupted. That familiar edge, familiar tenseness showing for only a milisecond on his face though Jayce would never miss it even if he were miles away. Viktor pulled out a manilla folder out of a drawer in his desk. Jayce could read the 'End of Life Plans' title, though Viktor wasn't trying to show it off.
Jayce didn't even have time to process that before Viktor cleared his throat and pulled out a few papers.
"This is a copy of your part of the will, just so you know what you're going to recieve. There's also a copy of the patent in there until you recieve the actual one." He handed the papers to Jayce, Jayce eyed over the will.
His eyes read the list of things he was going to recieve, not believing one of the items until he read it more than once.
"Wait- Vik- Professor. It says you're giving me...why are you giving me $50,000?" He couldn't believe the words coming out of his mouth right now.
"To continue the research." Viktor stated plainly. The sky is blue. He suddenly shifted in his chair, his voice lowering into something...vulnerable.
"Jayce." Jayce sat up straight. The first time he'd said his name. The first time he said it to Jayce in six years. "You will continue the project, correct?"
Jayce sat there, frozen. Looking into the eyes of the man who years ago he couldn't even think about without wanting to punch a hole in the wall. The eyes of the man who a few weeks ago Jayce would not expect to ever speak to again.
"I-..." Jayce began. The words caught in his throat.
He was still cruel enough to say no. He was still angry enough to say no. He wanted to say no. A massive, overpowering part of him screamed at him to say no. All he had to do was say no, and leave. He could go back to ignoring every little reminder of him. Settle back into his life hours away in a quiet rural town. Do his own research in his small apartment. Tinker.
"Yes."
Jayce didn't know why he did that.
...
Viktor woke up with a stir. A big, gentle hand shaking his shoulder. There was a weird wetness coming out of his mouth. His dull, sleepy synapses firing to make him realize it was drool. He looked at where the trail led to...all over his notes. Embarrassing.
His synapses fired again. Oh, someone had woken him up... He looked at whoever shook him, getting ready to chew into them about touching him when his golden eyes met amber. Jayce Talis. He quickly glanced away.
"Mr Talis..." Viktor said politely. For some reason not understood to him, he couldn't chew him out, at least not right now. Maybe it was the embarrassment of being found in the labs crashed out on his notes with a puddle of drool underneath him. He awkwardly took a tissue and cleaned himself up, avoiding looking at Jayce.
"Mr...?" Jayce began, not knowing what to call him.
"Viktor. It's just Viktor."
"Just Viktor?" Jayce looked at him questioningly.
"Yes. Did you need anything?" He finally met his eyes...well, his eyebrows. A trick he learned from years and years of experience. If he was too scared to meet someones eye's, he'd just study their eyebrows. The eye contact would be close enough for most people not to notice he wasn't actually meeting their eyes, and he at least would still look confident, professional. All the things he needed to be.
"No, I just noticed you'd fallen asleep...I've been there haha, didn't want you waking up with a neck cramp..." Jayce awkwardly explained, shuffling his hands nervously at his sides. Viktor glanced away for a second.
"You're Professor Heimerdinger's assistant right?" Jayce asked, trying to make conversation Viktor didn't really want to have.
"Yes." He hoped his one word response would communicate that, but the kid just kept going.
"Oh, that's really cool...most students don't even get an opportunity to be an assistants assistant." Jayce joked lightheartedly. Viktor just tried to remain polite, but on guard. He didn't really know Jayce, and most of his peers had already included him in the rumor mill. He at least had hope college students weren't privy to that, but he was proven sorely wrong. Viktor was just waiting for Jayce to ask if he sucked any dick to get into his position. As most of his peers believed.
"...Is this your first year?" Jayce asked. Viktor nodded.
"Oh, so you're 18?" Jayce assumed. Viktor nodded, again, not offering much for conversation.
"Me too!" Jayce said, smiling. Viktor tried to figure out if it was genuine. "Most people don't even start their third years here. It's really cool to meet someone else just starting college here...everyone else is so much older than me." And it was true. It was rare to find anyone starting their college careers here. The Academy had a reputation for being the most difficult school to get into. Most people started at different colleges that were still impressive, but not the Academy. Hoping to get their test scores and grades up enough to meet the Academy standards. You'd have to have a completely clean track record in high school to even be considered.
This didn't help Viktor's rumors. He was from Zaun, went to one of the poorest schools in the city, barely had a chance at an education. Not to mention he was homeless and parentless by 9. His chances at getting into the Academy were slim to none. But he did it.
Jayce must have worked hard too. But he was from Piltover. Not as wealthy as some of the other students attending - but comfortable. Able to spend in excess without worry, while still needing to find a job. So when Jayce in this conversation had given Viktor his phone number, and asked if he wanted to study some time, Viktor almost deleted it from his phone immediately and went about his day.
He had no time for study dates with someone who was probably just trying to befriend him to see if any of the rumors held weight. Who was probably hanging out with his group of piltie friends, spilling 'the tea' on every little awkward mannerism he did. He'd probably hear whispers about how that 'one assistant from Zaun was found passed out in the labs! he was drooling on his book!' accompanied by giggles and stares. How immature.
And yet, he was curious. For one of the most popular students at the Academy, Jayce didn't hold that same pre-judgemental look in his eyes like everyone else did. Didn't look at Viktor like he was gum on his shoes, didn't speak to him with that weird tone everyone else did where they were trying to be nice, he was the assistant to the Dean of the school after all, but clearly didn't like him.
He was stuck between thinking about just ignoring the number in his phone - one of his first contacts that wasn't just Heimerdinger or other various school staff - or deleting it, blocking it even. Texting him first was out of the question. He kept debating it the whole day, when eventually his question was answered.
Viktor was sitting at his small little desk, right outside Heimerdinger's office, grading some papers for him. His phone buzzed, and he glanced at it. He expected it to be Heimerdinger or maybe even a different professor, but the contact name 'Jayce Talis :)' popped up on his screen.
He sort of half smiled at the fact that Jayce put a smiley face next to his name, and unlocked his phone to read the message.
'Jayce Talis :)// hey Viktor! it was nice meeting you today. you're an engineering major right?'
Viktor cocked his head a little as he read the message, resting his chin on his palm before typing a response.
'Viktor//It was nice meeting you too, Jayce. Yes, I am an engineering major.'
He put the phone down, continuing grading papers before getting a response shockingly fast. He picked it back up again to read the response.
'Jayce Talis :)//i thought so!! im in engineering as well. do you have Wiring Schematics with prof. hd?'
'Viktor//hd? Is that short for Heimerdinger?'
'Jayce Talis :)//yea!'
'Viktor//Yes, I do.'
'Jayce Talis :)//oh awesome! i know you're an assistant and probably really busy but do you have any free time? im ngl im kind of struggling in his class, and you seem really smart haha'
This compliment, for some reason, caused Viktor to feel a small amount of warmth spread up his cheeks. Nethertheless, he struggled. A lot of him still didn't know if Jayce truly wanted to be near Viktor, or if this was maybe even some elaborate prank.
That didn't stop him from typing yes however, nor did it stop him from making plans.
Viktor had no idea that this small gesture of kindness, of helping one of his peers study for class, would change the next 20 years of his life.