Chapter Text
Jayce adjusted the settings on the newest device they were building, attempting to tighten a screw, but his attention wasn’t on the project. His mother’s words still rang in his ears, as persistent as the ticking of the clock on his workshop wall.
“Jayce,” Ximena had said earlier on their last call, her voice carrying that maternal mix of firmness and warmth, “invite Viktor to Thanksgiving. You always talk about him. He’s your friend, isn’t he? He shouldn’t spend the day alone.”
Jayce groaned at the memory. She didn’t understand. Viktor wasn’t just “his friend.” Viktor was... complicated. Smart, brilliant even. The kind of person who made Jayce question whether he was doing enough, whether he was thinking deep enough, trying hard enough. He admired Viktor, respected him—and if he was honest with himself, he cared too much about what Viktor thought.
And then there was the small issue of Viktor being Viktor. Would Viktor even want to come? He could already imagine the smirk and dry remark: “Thanksgiving? Is this the one with the turkey or the eggs? Either way, I will pass.”
But Ximena wouldn’t let this go, and Jayce didn’t have it in him to say no to her.
So, after spending more time in the forge then he needed, and tinkering with his excuse long enough to seem busy, he finally mustered the courage to walk down to the lab, where Viktor was.
The sound of metal and gears met him before the sight of Viktor did. As always, Viktor was hunched over his workbench, his cane resting against the table, his brow furrowed in concentration. Jayce hesitated, then cleared his throat.
“Hey, Viktor.”
Viktor didn’t look up. “Hmm?”
“I was, uh…” Jayce rubbed the back of his neck. Why was this so hard? “I was wondering if you wanted to come to my place for Thanksgiving. You know, with my mom and me.”
That got Viktor’s attention. Slowly, he straightened and turned, arching an eyebrow in that way he did when he thought Jayce had said something profoundly stupid.
“You want me to attend a holiday dinner?”
“It’s not just a dinner,” Jayce said defensively. “It’s… a tradition. Good food, good company. You’d like it.”
“I doubt that.” Viktor’s voice was dry, but there was a flicker of something in his eyes—something Jayce couldn’t quite place.
“Come on,” Jayce pressed, his tone softening. “You’re always here, working. You deserve a break. And my mom... She wants to meet you. I’ve told her about you, and she insisted.”
“You told her about me?” Viktor sounded genuinely surprised.
“Of course I did.” Jayce chuckled nervously. “She knows how much I respect you. How important your work is. And, you know, she worries about me. She thinks I should have more… people in my life.”
For a moment, Viktor was silent, his expression unreadable. Then he exhaled and leaned on his cane.
“All right, Talis. I will come. But you’ll have to remind me what happens at a ‘Thanks giving’.”
Jayce laughed, relief flooding through him. “Deal.”
Jayce fidgeted with his tie for the third time that evening. He wasn’t even sure why he was wearing one—it wasn’t like Viktor cared about formalities. Still, he felt like he had to make a good impression for his mom, or maybe for Viktor. Maybe for both of them.
The front doorbell rang, and his heart jumped. His mom, Ximena, beat him to it, gliding through the hallway with the kind of elegance that made Jayce feel like a kid again.
“Jayce, don’t just stand there,” she called over her shoulder. “Go open the door!”
Jayce obliged, smoothing down his shirt before pulling the door open. Viktor stood there, leaning slightly on his cane, his thin frame silhouetted by the evening glow. He wore his usual attire, no-frills and practical, but there was something in his posture—a hesitation—that mirrored Jayce’s own nerves.
“Hey,” Jayce greeted, stepping aside. “Come on in.”
“Thank you,” Viktor said, his tone polite but guarded.
Before Jayce could say another word, Ximena swept into view. Her face lit up like the Hexgates on launch day.
“You must be Viktor!” she exclaimed, clasping her hands together. “Jayce has told me so much about you. I’m Ximena, his mother.”
Viktor, ever the gentleman, gave a slight nod. “The pleasure is mine, Mrs. Talis.”
“Oh, please, call me Ximena,” she said warmly, reaching out to take his arm. “Come in, sit down. You look like you could use something warm—tea? Coffee? Or maybe something stronger?”
Jayce’s jaw slackened as he watched his mother practically usher Viktor into the house, her attention entirely on him. She didn’t even look back at her son.
“Tea would be fine,” Viktor replied, a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.
Jayce trailed after them, feeling like a third wheel in his own home. By the time they reached the living room, Ximena had already fussed over Viktor’s coat, insisted he take the comfiest chair, and disappeared into the kitchen to prepare tea. Viktor, to Jayce’s surprise, didn’t seem overwhelmed. If anything, he looked amused.
“She likes you,” Jayce muttered, taking the chair opposite Viktor.
Viktor raised an eyebrow. “Should I be worried?”
“Very funny,” Jayce said, though his voice lacked conviction. He drummed his fingers on the armrest, his earlier nerves creeping back.
Dinner was a surprisingly smooth affair. Ximena had outdone herself, laying out a spread of roasted turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and a selection of side dishes that made even Viktor pause.
“You cooked all this?” Viktor asked, his tone tinged with genuine admiration.
“I did,” Ximena replied, beaming. “Jayce helped a little, but he’s more useful in the workshop than the kitchen.”
“Hey!” Jayce protested, though he couldn’t hide his grin.
As the meal progressed, Ximena kept the conversation flowing, skillfully drawing Viktor out of his shell. She asked about his work, his homeland, and even his thoughts on Piltover’s obsession with progress. Viktor answered with a mix of honesty and dry humor, and Jayce found himself marveling at how easily his mother had managed to make Viktor feel at ease.
But it was the way Viktor’s eyes lit up when he and Jayce started discussing their latest project that really caught Ximena’s attention. She leaned back in her chair, watching them with a curious expression as they bantered about theoretical energy outputs and Hextech applications.
“Jayce, you’re oversimplifying,” Viktor said, his tone tinged with mock exasperation.
“I’m making it understandable,” Jayce shot back. “Not everyone wants to hear about microfluctuations in Hex-crystal stability, Viktor.”
“Then they are not worth explaining it to,” Viktor retorted, a rare smirk gracing his lips.
Ximena’s soft chuckle interrupted them. “You two are quite the pair,” she said, her eyes sparkling with something Jayce couldn’t quite place.
After dessert, Viktor politely declined Ximena’s offer to stay the night, citing an early morning at the lab. Jayce walked him to the door, feeling a pang of disappointment as Viktor stepped out into the crisp night air.
“Thank you for inviting me,” Viktor said, turning back. “Your mother is… quite remarkable.”
Jayce chuckled. “Yeah, she’s something.”
Viktor nodded once, his gaze lingering for a moment before he turned and walked away.
Jayce closed the door and leaned against it, exhaling heavily. His nerves had mostly subsided, but his thoughts were still racing.
Ximena appeared in the hallway, a knowing smile on her face.
“Well,” she said, crossing her arms. “You could’ve warned me.”
“Warned you about what?” Jayce asked, straightening.
“That you and Viktor are dating.”
Jayce’s heart nearly stopped. “We’re not—what?!”
“Oh, come on, Jayce,” Ximena said, rolling her eyes. “The way you two look at each other? The way you talk about him? It’s obvious.”
“It’s not—he’s not…” Jayce stammered, his face turning red. “We’re just friends. Colleagues.”
Ximena raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. “If you say so. But if you ask me, there’s something there. Maybe you just haven’t realized it yet.”
Jayce opened his mouth to protest but found he didn’t have the words. Was his mom right? Had he been too obvious? And worse—had Viktor noticed?
“Good night, Jayce,” Ximena said with a knowing smile, patting his shoulder before heading upstairs.
Jayce stood there for a long moment, his thoughts a tangled mess of confusion, denial, and… hope?
He groaned, running a hand through his hair. This was going to make things at the lab very complicated.