#to be clear Jayce is very smart in this fic he’s just having a weird day

[hmslusitania]

Wildly out of context exchange from the fic I’m working on—

Viktor: I know people like me get married, but…

Jayce, internally: what, scientists?!

Jayce, still internally: nope, that’s not it

In his defence he’s having a very weird day

[goddessofroyalty]

Verse: Zaun Family

The conversation the other day of Viktor’s relationship with Benzo in this verse inspired me to write a scene that almost immediately follows the very first fic that created this whole verse where Jayce and Viktor visit Benzo’s shop after making the deal with Silco.

The vibe I’m going for with Ekko is overexcited child that keeps jumping between topics without even giving others a chance to talk. Hopefully that comes across and he doesn’t just seem to have weird dialogue jumps.

Tags: omegaverse

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“There is somewhere else I would like to visit before we leave,�� Viktor says once they leave his family’s home. Silco having agreed that he would help fund their work so long as he got an investors cut of the profits and that Zaun would have use of their results equal to whatever Piltover was guaranteed.

“Sure, of course,” Jayce says. They are in no rush to return Topside and going by Viktor’s siblings reaction it clear Jayce’s new partner did not visit all that often.

Viktor gives a small nod before leading Jayce through the streets with a comfortable ease that helps Jayce believe that this is actually where Viktor grew up.

“Oh, I know this place!” Jayce says when they stop outside a shop.

“What?”

“Yeah, I came down and brought a piece from here when I was building the prototype,” Jayce explains as Viktor pushes the door open to the shop. “Nothing in Piltover seemed to be working and-“

“Viktor!”

Jayce lets his words break off at the excited call of a child. The boy who had seemed far too young to be watching a shop when he had previous visited leaping over the counter to run to them.

“I didn’t know you were coming down. Benzo’s out back checking the books. But more importantly what are you working on currently? I’m trying to fix an old clock I found and can’t figure it out,” the boy rambles excitedly before stopping and looking at Jayce. He looks back at Viktor with a finger pointed at Jayce. “What’s he doing with you?”

“He is my, uh, work partner,” Viktor explains, before looking over at Jayce. “You two know each other?”

“Yeah!” Jayce says trying to remember the name the kid told him when he visited. He had asked! But he hadn’t exactly thought it was something he needed to remember. Now though it feels very important so he doesn’t accidently offend someone who is clearly a friend of Viktor’s.

“Uh, Ekko?” Neither Viktor nor the boy react so that must be it. Good. “Ekko served me when I was here. He gave me a good deal!”

Viktor and Ekko share a glance. And shit- was he wrong about the name?

“I’ll go tell Benzo you’re here,” Ekko says, running out the back of the shop. And Viktor starts walking around the shelves, moving things around in his search. Completely comfortable despite no-one from the shop being there to make sure he isn’t stealing anything but Jayce figures Viktor knows better what he’s allowed to do then Jayce is.

“You know it’s nearing closing time Viktor,” the man who Ekko returns with says and Viktor’s head bops up from where he had bent over to look at something, both hands still resting on his cane.

“You would not close on me.”

“Right you are,” the man, another alpha Jayce realizes, says like is a familiar joke between the two of them. He leans against the main counter apparently content to just watch while Ekko grabs a small crate, taking it over to Viktor. It doesn’t take long for him to notice Jayce as well. His eyes clearly running up and down Jayce from behind his glasses. “I see you brought a Piltite down with you.”

Viktor doesn’t respond, probably because Ekko is already talking to him again.

“You still haven’t told me what you are working on Viktor,” Ekko says as he follows Viktor around. Viktor putting things in the crate he apparently wants. Jayce wonders how many kids in the Undercity look up to Viktor like Ekko clearly does. It makes sense seeing how smart and amazing Viktor is that they would.

“Something big,” Viktor tells him, before pausing. “Actually something small, but if it works then we will make it big.”

“Cool! Can I help?”

“Not right now. But, uh, if it goes how we think it will then in the future… maybe.”

Jayce leaves the two to their discussion. Ekko had been so serious when he had served Jayce the last time but now he has the excitement a child should. Jayce doesn’t want to accidently ruin it if the kid is shy around strangers.

Instead he goes over to where Benzo is watching them from the shop counter.

“Nice to meet you, I’m Jayce Talis,” he says, offering a handshake.

“Benzo.” The man’s grip is similar to Vander’s in how firm it is. Maybe Jayce needs to work on a firmer handshake if they will be doing more business in the Undercity going forward. It seems to be the way down here. “Do you know what you’re getting into with that one?”

“What?” Jayce knew Viktor was brilliant and that he was willing to break into the Dean’s office to prove Jayce’s theories right.

It hits him that Viktor’s family had assumed they were together like a couple and that it’s probably what’s happening again.

“Oh we’re not. Uh- Viktor’s my work partner. Not- ah.”

“What are you working on together?”

“Well-“

“Jayce, can you come here?” Viktor calls before Jayce can start to explain what he hopes will become Hextech. He holds a hand up to Benzo to pause the conversation before going to where Viktor and Ekko are.

“Do you think you can carry that back with us?” Viktor asks with a nod to what looks like an old rusted motor.

“Are you sure you want it? It looks pretty broken.” They can probably get something newer in Piltover.

“Yes. I have an idea,” Viktor says which is good enough for Jayce. So he goes to see if he can pick it up.

“Yeah, should be able to.” The motor is heavy but not too bad. Jayce feels confident he can take it and the crate of other things Viktor has picked out.

“Good,” Viktor says, heading back to the counter, Jayce following behind Ekko.

“You just came here to take my stuff and leave then?” Benzo asks, suddenly pulling Viktor into a hug. Which seems a bit forward but maybe Viktor knows the man more than just a shop he frequents. Or maybe people are just more affectionate in the Undercity.

Not that Jayce could ever picture the Zaun Representative being that affectionate with anyone. But he also wouldn’t have thought he would live under a bar and had five kids or that one of them would be someone like Viktor.

“You said you were nearly closing,” Viktor says, but he leans into the alphas side, his eyes squeezing shut for a second before they pull away. “I will be back next week. Ekko has made me promise to help with the clock he is working on.”

“Has he now?” Benzo asks glancing at the boy who gives a wide smile that even Jayce knows is a claim to innocence. Benzo lets out a huff before going around to behind the counter and taking the seat by the register. “Always tinkering with something you two.”

“You get to sell things that work instead of being junk because of us!” Ekko protests, climbing up onto the counter itself to sit.

“Alright, I’ll give you that.”

There’s an awkward lull in conversation before Jayce realizes they probably should be getting back if they want to make it back home at a decent hour.

“How much do we owe you?” he asks, reaching into his coat to where his money is.

Benzo’s expression suddenly hardens.

“Don’t insult me boy,” he says firmly and Jayce freezes while the man points to Viktor. “I have known Viktor since he was first born. He does not pay here.”

“Really?” That explained why Viktor had seemed so familiar with the man. It kind of nice to be meeting Viktor’s family and friends in the Undercity after how little Viktor had talked about any of them.

“Yep. Still feels like only yesterday that he was a tiny thing that I could hold in one arm when Silco’d let me even look at him. Not that I blame him mind-“

Whatever he was going to say is cut off by Viktor making a kind of hissing noise and suddenly pushing in front of Jayce.

“Jayce is not interesting in stories from when I was a baby,” he says. Which, actually, Jayce would be very interesting in hearing how Viktor grew up to be the amazing person he is now. Viktor turns to face him before he has a chance to voice that exact fact. “It is time for us to go.”

“We can stay a bit longer if you like.” It’s not as if Jayce is a stranger to a late night and Jayce doesn’t think he can remember Viktor ever visiting the Undercity since they started working together. He’s happy to let his partner catch up with the people who care about him.

“No, no. There is work I want to do,” Viktor insists. He turns to Benzo a finger raised before dropping it again. “We will be going.”

“Of course. I know better than to try and argue with you,” Benzo says, with his hands held up in surrender. “See you next week still?”

“Yes, yes, next week,” Viktor agrees. Grabbing the crate and balancing it against the side his cane isn’t on. Quickly heading back towards the door.

“Nice to meet you,” Jayce says, picking up the engine and jogging the gap to catch back up to Viktor.

[penumbra-mayhem]

In Search of the Answer

JayVik fic // 1.4k

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They'd been at it for hours. This one fucking equation. It stared at them—no—taunted them with its illusory simplicity. Viktor slouched in his seat, his glazed eyes scanning it over once more, as if the 41st time would make a difference. As if, suddenly, the answer would spring out from the board before his very eyes. Infuriating.

A piece of chalk whizzed past his ear and hit the board, breaking on impact and crumbling to the floor. Viktor swung his head around, blinking hard at the immediate dizziness as he joked, "That wasn't very dignified of you, Golden Boy."

Jayce pretended to gag as he walked up to the left of Viktor and leaned back against one of their worktables. He chuckled, "Ew, no, don't call me that, please."

"Pfft, why not? It is your title, is it not?" Viktor teased.

"Yeaah," Jayce said, crossing his arms as he stared back at the board, "but it's weird when you say it. It's weird when anyone says it, honestly, but especially you."

"Well then, what would you rather I call you?"

"I don't know." He shrugged. "Jayce? Anything other than Golden Boy, really."

Viktor could have let it go. He could have called him any benign, clever insult, something to just provoke a bark of laughter and maybe a quick quip in return. But the day had been so monotonous and he was so tired; his third cup of coffee had barely done anything. He was tired, they were bored, and the goddamn equation was not going to be solved anytime soon.

So he decided to play. Viktor slung an arm over the back of his chair, fixing his gaze on Jayce with a tilt of his head and a smirk.

"Okay....pretty boy."

That got his attention. Jayce's eyes widened and his head swiveled back and forth between the equation and Viktor. Gaping, he struggled to find his voice, "Wh-what?"

Viktor shrugged. "What?"

Jayce tugged at the hair on the back of his head as he stammered, "Why-uh, um, why would you call me that?"

"It's an accurate descriptor, is it not? You are pretty," he replied, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. He couldn't help but take delight in Jayce's flustered appearance.

"What? N-No, I'm not."

"Yes. You are. With your hair and your skin and your eyelashes—"

"My eyelashes?"

Viktor nodded. "Yes, your eyelashes."

"My eyelashes."

"Have I suddenly switched into another language?" Viktor was just being an ass at this point.

Jayce tried to fight back. "How in Piltover are my eyelashes pretty?"

He failed.

"They're long and luscious," Viktor answered, a smug grin fixed on his face. Jayce cackled, shaking his head in disbelief. "And you bat them. Often," he added.

"I do not!"

Viktor waved his hand, clearing the air of Jayce's protest. "Yes you do, whenever you want to get your way—which is often—you bat your eyelashes."

"You..." Jayce growled in mock irritation, "you asshole, you're messing with me."

"I'm not messing with you!...pretty boy."

Jayce stammered through a series of frustrated sounds before declaring, "You can't say that!"

Now things were getting good. Viktor lifted his head off his arm, intrigued. "And why not?"

"Because...because between the two of us, you're the pretty boy!" Jayce shot back, as if he'd won. As if he hadn't played right into Viktor's hand.

"Aw, you think I'm pretty?" Viktor teased, tousling his own hair.

Jayce kept fighting, aware he was losing ground quickly but unwilling to give up. "Well-I-uh, it-it's a fact! Everyone knows that!"

Viktor mocked astonishment. "Really?"

"Y-Yes! Really! It's uh one of your top qualities."

"My top qualities? And what would those be?"

"You know...uh...smart, yeah, very smart. Um, ingenious. Uh...witty...compassionate, persistent...funny...dedicated...."

Jayce slowed down, caught in Viktor's gaze.

Viktor's grin softened. "And...pretty?"

"...y-yeah...it's...among those."

"Hm. Interesting," Viktor murmured.

Jayce squirmed, stammering, "W-Well now your top quality is just being creepy, stop...stop staring at me."

Viktor shrugged. "Okay." Grabbing his cane, he stood and walked up to the board. He dropped the game and engrossed himself back into the equation, chalk in hand.

Losing Viktor's gaze, however, was like losing the air in his lungs; Jayce was left breathless.

He stared after him, observing the way Viktor's hand hovered over the board, as if that stance would somehow cause the equation's answer to come to him faster. Jayce found it far too endearing. He scrubbed a hand over his face before hanging his head and calling out weakly, "ahh fuck...Hey Vik. Since I'm already saying a bunch of weird stuff.....you can keep staring at me.....if you want."

Viktor stayed facing the board for a moment, just long enough for surprise to flash across his face. He fixed his countenance into something more coy before turning around and walking up to Jayce. What he couldn't hide, however, was the pink tinge ghosting his cheeks.

"I do want," he cooed, "Like I said, you have pretty eyelashes."

The air had shifted, they both felt it. Jayce let him approach. His eyes dropped and he gripped the table behind him. Viktor didn't get too close, allowing them breathing room as he noticed the change in Jayce. When he spoke again, his words were low and tender:

"Am I making you nervous, Jayce?"

He let out a breathy laugh, still unable to look at Viktor. "Nervous? What? P-Please, you're my partner..."

"You didn't answer my question," he murmured.

"What do I have to be nervous about?"

"I don't know. You tell me."

"I...um..." He swallowed his words. How could he tell Viktor that he was like the night's constellations, guiding Jayce through the dark. That his face was what Jayce saw every time he looked into the hexcore. What string of words could he put together to explain what he himself barely knew but felt blazing through his body every moment of every day.

"It's okay, Jayce," Viktor spoke, soft as starlight, "Whatever it is."

"I can't," he blurted, "I don't want to uh..."

Viktor leaned back. His skin prickled. Maybe he'd gone too far. "Don't want to what?"

Jayce crossed his arms tight against his chest as he mumbled, "I don't want to make you uncomfortable."

Ah, there it was. Viktor smiled and assured him, "Jayce you don't need to worry about that. I'm made of tough stuff."

“Yeah,” Jayce agreed, Viktor’s smile tugging one out of him as well, "Yeah, you really are."

“So?”

"So…so sometimes I wonder...what it would feel like...to hold your hand,” he admitted.

"Well,” Viktor said as he leaned in a bit, “you are a man of science. You want to know something, what do you do?" He held out his left hand towards Jayce, palm up. "Run an experiment."

Jayce stared at the offering. He uncrossed his arms and took Viktor’s hand in his with the delicacy he usually reserved for fine tuning their hextech. He found himself entranced by their joined hands, unable to look away.

The cold of Viktor’s hand sent chills running through Jayce. He could feel the soft silk of chalk dust that always coated Viktor’s fingers, causing him to leave white fingerprints wherever he went. Jayce wondered, if he let go, would he find chalk prints left on his skin?

"Jayce.”

He lifted his eyes. Viktor was much closer now. When had he moved? How long had Jayce been staring at their hands, mesmerized by the latticework of veins under Viktor’s pale skin?

“What is your analysis?” Viktor murmured.

He took in a shaky breath, his voice small, “I um…I like it. This, I-I like this. Your hand is…soft.”

Jayce was so warm—his eyes, his voice, his hands. He was slowly melting Viktor, and he didn’t even know it.

“I like this too,” Viktor admitted in a whisper.

“Vik?”

“Yes, Jayce?”

Finally, things started to click, the numbers adding up, the pieces coming together. Of course. The answer had been there the whole time.

“I um…I think that I—”

“Eighty-five!” Viktor exclaimed, squeezing Jayce’s hand.

“Wh-what?” Jayce stammered, watching as Viktor suddenly let him go and raced back to the board.

“It’s fucking eighty-five!” Viktor shouted. He scrawled the answer in chalk before turning to goggle at Jayce.

Jayce’s face dropped. “But if that’s eighty-five, that means…”

“…that all of section B needs to be reworked,” Viktor groaned, “Ugh, I’ll get more coffee.”

He walked out of their workplace, leaving Jayce alone with the chalkboard. He looked down at his hand. Five smudges of chalk dust decorated his palm, like meteors streaking across the sky.