I wasn't originally intending to write another chapter of this, but oh, do we ever get a choice in what inspiration is dropped on us?
My progress was initially hampered by an inability to find the right music. From discussions with a few people, we've decided what music is popular in the Undercity: punk, alternative rock, electronica, industrial. But what on Runeterra do they listen to in Piltover? Yes, obviously classical music. Which I do not dislike, but they've got to listen to something else too, right?
Then it hit me, punk's mortal enemy, progressive rock. Overly complex music played by upper class English schoolboys who think they are oh so clever? But of course! So I delved into my record collection to find something suitable, and I came across something more than perfect. Go and listen to Machine Messiah by Yes, and tell me it's not about Piltover.
After many months of hard work, Viktor finally had a working prototype of one of his ideas to utilise Hextech. He and Jayce had started to jokingly call it the Hexclaw because of its shape, and the name stuck. Jayce watched as Viktor strapped the unfinished control glove onto his hand and activated the laser beam, using it to cut a design in a piece of metal.
"It worked!" Viktor cried.
Jayce grinned and walked over to the cut metal profile. When he saw it up close he laughed to himself, and reached out to try to pick it up. It was a stylised version of his own face. "It's – ouch – me? You're not only a great inventor, but an artist too."
Viktor smirked. "You say this as if you did not know already," he said. "A gift for your mother, perhaps? So she doesn't forget what you look like."
"Oh, I know. I haven't been home in too long," Jayce said, rubbing the back of his neck.
Viktor walked over to him to inspect the precision of the laser cut metal. "A few tweaks and it will be ready to show to the professor," he said. "How are your gauntlets coming along?"
They both looked over at Jayce's workbench, where his prototype lay in pieces. "Uh, I decided to take a few steps back. I'm sure it'll be in full working order before long," he said. He looked at Viktor, who looked pleased with his creation. Jayce was proud of him, and that totally eclipsed his own setbacks. "We should celebrate your success, go out to dinner."
"Ah yes, I wonder what the canteen is serving tonight?"
"I don't mean the canteen. How about we go somewhere else, somewhere nice?" Jayce suggested, and Viktor flushed slightly and looked surprised. Jayce smiled. He was so adorable. "It's been weeks since I asked you out, and I haven't even got around to taking you to dinner yet. I'm surprised you haven't dumped me."
"Yes, you really ought to get your priorities straight, Mr Talis," Viktor said.
Jayce did a mock bow. "Of course, sir. I'll try harder," he said, then leaned in to try to kiss Viktor, who turned away. Viktor must have seen the disappointment on his face, because he sniggered.
"So where are you taking me?"
"Oh, I've got a few places in mind," Jayce said, trying to play it cool.
They worked for a few more hours, Viktor making notes about the first test of the Hexclaw, Jayce returning to his workbench and made an attempt to figure out where he had gone wrong with the gauntlets. Every time Viktor looked up at Jayce, he was looking in his direction too. He didn't have to hide it anymore, but somehow Viktor still found it embarrassing to be caught looking at Jayce.
"Is an hour long enough to get ready?" Jayce asked him as they walked back to their rooms.
"I suppose so," Viktor said, and went inside his room, wondering how it could possibly take so long to get ready.
First, he went to his wardrobe and found his nicest suit. Thankfully, Professor Heimerdinger had invited him along on some lavish business lunches and dinners when he was his assistant, so he had something suitable. He hated those things, and was glad to be released from such expectations.
Going to dinner with Jayce was different. Although he had tried to act nonchalant about it, he was quite excited about it. His daydreams about them being together had never included going on dates. Being seen out in public together seemed so… official. Not that he doubted that Jayce would take things seriously, but his own insecurities crept in and made him doubt if he deserved to be treated so kindly.
Viktor was still looking at his reflection in the mirror, trying to get his hair to lie flat, when there was a knock on the door of his room.
Jayce looked somehow more perfect than he did on a regular day. He was wearing a crisp white suit and polished brown boots. He must have noticed Viktor staring, because he laughed bashfully.
"Well, you could have made an effort," Viktor said with a smirk as he closed the door of his room behind them.
Jayce laughed. "You look nice too," he said, seeing straight through Viktor's sarcasm.
Viktor smiled to himself as they fell into step with each other and walked down the corridors together. Once they were beyond the university gates, they saw one of the city's main plazas filled with well-dressed men, and women in elegant dresses, many of them wearing opulent jewellery to show their wealth. Viktor was used to being ignored, so when he walked through the city, he simply had to avoid being bumped into. But as he walked with Jayce, people turned to look. Jayce walked with purpose, meeting the eyes of the people who looked in his direction, nodding and smiling.
Viktor felt Jayce's arm bump into his. Jayce was walking noticeably closer to him now, and Viktor felt him rest his hand on his back. Like an official couple, Viktor thought, feeling suddenly self-conscious.
They walked towards a large, expensive-looking restaurant. It was filling up with diners from the upper echelons of Piltovan society.
"Where are we going to?" Viktor asked, hoping it was not going to be that one.
"Oh, you'll see," Jayce said mysteriously. "We're not far."
Thankfully, they walked by the expensive-looking restaurant. Viktor caught a glimpse of the two of them together in the highly-polished windows. He was far from unhappy, but it seemed almost too good to be true. Just enjoy the moment, he told himself.
Jayce took them down a side street to a much smaller restaurant. They went inside to see only a few tables with other people. Viktor immediately felt more comfortable here.
A girl in a lemon-yellow ruffled dress came hurrying towards them, and skidded to a halt in front of them. "Hello, and welcome to Hartley's Restaurant, I'm Miriam and I'll be your… your, um," she paused and her eyes moved as if she was looking for her lines, "your server today."
Jayce smiled at her. "We'd like a table for two, please," he said.
"Table for two," she said, nodding and appearing to be trying to commit that to memory.
"Maybe that one over by the window?" Jayce suggested.
Miriam nodded and led them over to the table. "Now, what can I get you?" she asked them before they had the chance to sit down.
Viktor felt like he didn't know the etiquette and protocol of this situation, and glanced at Jayce. His companion looked equally confused.
"Darn! Menus! I knew I forgot something!" Miriam said, scuttling off and then bringing back menus for them. "Sorry," she said, smoothing down the front of her dress. She moved a little closer to their table and said in a conspiratorial tone, "I'm not stupid, it's just that my parents say I have to look people in the eye, and that makes me forget what I have to say."
Viktor chuckled. "I know how that is," he said.
"Don't worry, you're doing fine," Jayce said.
She let out a breath, and seemed immediately less tense. "Okay," she said, fluttering her eyes to blink back her tears. "Can I get you some drinks?"
Jayce looked at Viktor. "As we're celebrating, how about some wine?"
Viktor agreed.
Miriam fumbled a little notebook from somewhere in her skirts, and wrote that down. "And what would you like to eat?" she asked. "Oh, I'm supposed to let you look at the menus first. Sorry!"
"That's all right. What is in the soup of the day?" Viktor asked.
Miriam raised her eyes skyward for a moment, then looked down again and gripped the notebook tightly, looking furious with herself. "I don't remember," she breathed. "I'll go and check!"
But Jayce held out a hand to her and smiled. "No, that's all right. We'll have the soup," he said, and looked over at Viktor. "Viktor, where's your spirit of adventure?"
"Spirit of adventure, of course," Viktor said, finding himself smiling too. "In that case, for the main course I will have the chef's special."
"And so will I," Jayce said.
The waitress nodded while scribbling in her notebook. She looked up at them, relief that the interaction was over showing on her face. "I'll be right back," she said.
"This place seems nice," Viktor said.
"She's trying her best."
Viktor snorted. "I was being genuine," he said.
"This was where my parents brought me to celebrate when I was accepted into the academy," Jayce said.
Viktor nodded in approval. "They have good taste."
Jayce smiled, and Viktor was so caught up gazing into his enchanting dark eyes that he barely noticed the waitress return to their table with the wine.
"Thank you. Don't worry, I'll pour it," Jayce said.
"Thank you," said Miriam. "This job really isn't for me. I'm only working here temporarily until I'm old enough to apply to the academy. I know it's silly, they probably won't let me in. But I do so like making things."
"You're an inventor too?" Viktor said, smiling.
The waitress nodded bashfully.
"So are we. We're here to celebrate Viktor's new invention," Jayce said.
Viktor glanced at him. "Our new invention," he said.
Miriam looked amazed. "Wow! Congratulations!"
"Thank you," Viktor said.
"Miriam!" the other waitress called.
The waitress bobbed her head, then scurried off again.
The wine had already been corked, but Viktor still admired the elegant way Jayce picked it up and filled the glasses. He picked up a glass and raised it. "To our partnership," he said.
"To our partnership," Viktor echoed, raising his glass also. They clinked their glasses together, then both took a drink. "The wine is, uh…"
"Wine," Jayce finished, and they both started to laugh.
They sipped their wine while looking out of the window, occasionally stealing glances at each other. Less people passed by than on the main routes, and that made this place seem more secluded and intimate.
Jayce felt the wine affecting him, making him feel warmer and more relaxed. He watched Viktor gazing down at his glass, looking thoughtful. "What are you thinking about?" Jayce asked him.
Viktor looked up suddenly, as if he had been caught doing something he shouldn't be doing. His cheeks coloured, and he put a hand through his hair self-consciously. "Just thinking about how lucky I am. I never dreamed you'd take me out to dinner," he said, then he hid his face behind his hand.
Jayce felt his heart flutter. Viktor was so cute. "I guess you liked me for a while, huh?" he said.
"You could say that," Viktor said from behind his wine glass.
Jayce felt his own face growing warmer as he watched Viktor slowly blink as he looked at him. He felt an urgency inside of him, like he wanted to do – something – touch Viktor's hand, kiss him, wrap his arms around him – he wasn't sure. But he didn't know if Viktor would be happy with such public displays of affection, especially in this early stage.
Miriam returned to the table with their soup, placing it down with a minimum of spillage. They thanked her and started to eat.
"Hmm, spiced vegetable. The spirit of adventure pays off," Viktor said.
"Uh-huh. There's nothing like real homemade soup," said Jayce. "Reminds me of my childhood."
"Fresh vegetables were hard to come by in the Undercity," Viktor said.
"Oh," Jayce said, momentarily lost for words. "Well, that's why we need to make a change."
Viktor nodded. "There are still children being born there every day whose childhood will be no better than mine. It's easy for people up here to forget that," he said.
Jayce sighed. In their current positions, it was easy for him to forget that their origins were so different, but Viktor didn't have the privilege of being able to forget. "One day it won't be like that. And I'll be right beside you fighting for that future," he said.
Viktor's look of defeat seemed to lift. "Thanks Jayce," he said.
The main course turned out to be a seafood platter. "Now this reminds me of my childhood," Viktor said.
This was not the sort of food that Jayce was used to, and by the look on Viktor's face, he could tell.
"Are you not eating that last tentacle?" Viktor asked.
"Oh, I couldn't, I'm so full," Jayce said, patting his stomach. He gestured to his plate. "Go ahead."
As Viktor reached across the table with his fork, he eyed their waitress and another girl wearing a similar dress in powder pink. "I think they are looking at you," he said.
Jayce glanced at the girls. "I think they're looking at both of us," he said.
Viktor scoffed. "You're just saying that to be nice."
"You're just jealous," Jayce said in what he thought was a playful way, but when Viktor looked hurt, he apologised.
Miriam looked even more nervous when she returned to their table to collect their plates this time. "I know I'm not supposed to, but can I ask you a question?" she said once she had finished stacking the plates.
"Go ahead," said Jayce. Here it comes, he thought.
"Um, are you two on a date?"
Jayce glanced at Viktor, who gave a little shrug. "Yes," they said in unison.
She gave a little shriek and grinned. "I knew it!" she whispered. "You two make such a cute couple. My sister thinks so too." Then she ducked her head and took the plates away.
Jayce looked and Viktor, and they both started laughing. Jayce impulsively leaned over the table to touch Viktor's hand and kiss him on the cheek.
"I don't think we need to provide proof," Viktor said, but he didn't seem annoyed, he was smiling and his gaze was soft.
"I know. I just wanted to," said Jayce. He enjoyed seeing Viktor's eyes fall shut and the blissful look on his face.
After some discussion about the bill – Viktor allowed Jayce to pay on the condition that he hurry up with his invention and allow Viktor to take him out to dinner – they thanked the waitress and got up to leave.
"Let us know when you're applying to the academy, we might be able to put in a good word for you," Jayce said with a wink.
"Oh, thank you so much!" she said. "Come back soon!"
Outside, they fell into step with each other again. "That was nice. Thank you," Viktor said.
"It was my pleasure," Jayce said. He walked around to Viktor's other side and after a few fumbled attempts, their fingers intertwined with each other's.
Without a discussion, they both let go of each other's hand before they returned to the academy grounds. Jayce wasn't quite ready for everyone they knew to find out about them, and he guessed Viktor probably felt the same. He couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness as they approached their rooms. The date was over far too quickly.
They both slowed down as they walked around the corner of the corridor where Jayce's room was located.
"I enjoyed tonight," Jayce said as they came to a stop outside his door.
"So did I," Viktor said, and his smile made Jayce's heart beat faster.
Jayce put his hand on Viktor's shoulder as he often did when they were working together. But now it felt different. Jayce once again felt a longing to take Viktor in his arms and kiss him. Maybe he should have taken his chance earlier when they were outside of the academy.
Viktor's eyes, which were usually always moving, were focused intensely on Jayce. A quick kiss couldn't hurt. He brought his other hand up to stroke Viktor's cheek, and Viktor leaned in to the touch. Jayce leaned forward and brought their lips together. The mere touch sent an electric thrill through his body. Viktor moved closer to him and snaked his arms around his back, kissing him back with a fervent passion. Jayce wrapped one arm around Viktor and tangled the other in his hair, tilting his head so he could kiss him even deeper. Jayce's feelings of desire and longing only intensified.
They both froze when they heard footsteps. The sound seemed to be getting closer. Jayce gently kissed Viktor's lips and then withdrew from him and unlocked the door to his room. There was a tense moment where they locked eyes, and then Viktor followed him inside.