Nuts and bolts

Jayce’s POV:

He was rested next to Mel as he talked, going on about this mysterious tension that he can’t quite pinpoint, the endless struggle slowly growing between him and Viktor. He didn’t want it to be like this, Viktor was a great friend of his and he didn’t want to loose that because of this tension that was unbearable to go on with.

Mel listened as he talked, having her hair wrapped up in a bonnet with a robe on, laid against one of the pillows as he talked, her hand absentmindedly toying with a loose thread on a pillow.

“And just-I don’t know-I’m having these thoughts that I don’t KNOW if I usually have-I mean I don’t think about Viktor that much right? I just don’t want anything wrong with him that he’s not telling me about, I want him to trust me enough to tell me when something’s wrong! Cause usually if there’s something small maybe wrong he’ll tell me but I don’t know-it might be both of us this time..and I’m just panicking cause, Viktor means so much to me as a partner and he’s so admirable-Mel I don’t know anymore…” he groans, holding his head in his hands as he rolls onto his side. Mel gave him a sympathetic look as she rubbed his shoulder. “It’s ok to be confused, just take a small moment to calm down ok…” it wasn’t really much of a secret that Mel and Jayce had history. On their recent years of hextech they had grown close, stealing glances and late night hookups were casual, but it only lasted for a short while as good things come to end. They had still remained friends and there surprisingly wasn’t that much tension between them. Jayce was comfortable with Mel and Mel was comfortable with Jayce.

“Just…I’m so..confused…I feel like my entire world is crumbling down-I can’t-…” I say as his eyes teared up. Mel rubbed his back soothingly trying to calm down cause in all honesty she had a gist of what he was rambling on about but he kinda just rushed through the door talking without letting her ask much more.

He wiped at a small coffee stain that had been left on his hoodie after partly rushing out of the kitchen earlier, trying to clear his thoughts. It was his favorite shirt too..one that Viktor had gifted him on his birthday. It was special because of that, he had piles of presents on his birthday, many from the people of piltover and others from council members or staff. But this one, this was important, also because Viktor had never really gotten him anything before.

It was a dark burgundy color with gold and burnt orange accents, the colors in their own way reminding him of the present gifted themselves. On the back of it was a printed design of piltover with Zaun next to it, the headstone in the middle signifying in a way that they hoped to bring the cites together over time by helping them. It was mawkish maybe to think of the hoodie to this degree but he didn’t care. He liked it.

“Jayce..please, explain exactly the point your trying to get past me..” she says softly, looking down at him as he sat his head up from her lap.

“I…don’t know…I’ve been having these weird thoughts about viktor lately..maybe? I don’t know. For the past weeks-months there’s been this underlying tension between us and it’s killing me Mel. I feel like he might even be not talking to me as much anymore-like-he’s purposely trying to avoid me or something-“

“Now hold on-hold on-“ Mel stopped him. “Why on earth would you think Viktor would want to avoid you?”

“Well-because he has! Yes, we’ve talked and such but it’s been more distant. And…” he trailed off.

“And…” Mel said slowly.

Jayce slumped back against the bed. “I…and it’s hurting me so much, he might not even really be ignoring me and I’m overreacting or overthinking but it’s gut wrenching thinking he’d want to even remotely avoid me!” Jayce exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air as he looked up, wide eyes.

“…Jayce?..” Mel said softly.

“Yes?”

“Why does it matter to you so much what viktor thinks about you?” She said softly, a quizzical look on her face.

“What are you trying to say Mel?” Jayce said almost accusingly. Almost. “Now now, I’m just saying…it seems like it matters a lot to you.” She says slowly.

“Of course it would! He’s my best friend. He’s-I mean I love him, he’s so intelligent and aloof-“ he started before getting cut off.

“What?” Mel says a bit blankly.

“What?..” Jayce repeats her, confused.

“You love him?…” Mel says tilting her head. Jayce just looked at her like she was crazy, was she being serious? Of course he did! It was-well it was Viktor.

“Yes, of course I do? He’s like a brother to me, after all. We’ve been together through thick and thin and he’s so important to me, losing him would be like losing a part of me, I couldn’t live without him. Brotherly love ya know? I mean, he really is so…he’s something alright?..” Jayce says, his voice calming down a bit more. “…” Mel just looks at him, her expression almost sympathetic. “Oh…oh Jayce.” She says rubbing her temple.

“What?!” He says, sitting up getting a bit fed up with her lack of answer. “…are you sure you don’t..’like him like him’?..”

“Why the hell-would you ever think that?” He was taken aback, what would ever spur her on to think that Jayce would ever love him! There was brotherly love yes, and it was just that. Viktor was so dear to him, he would protect him with his life if it meant he could be with Viktor everyday.

“Ok-ok calm down, it was just a question.” She says sitting up, adjusting her bonnet and looking in the mirror.

“And how has viktor been acting towards you again?” She asks. Jayce after a moment of conjuring up his composure, calms down. Only just a bit. “As if he’s been purposely ignoring me, he barely even looks at me anymore and when he does he immediately looks away! Like I’m so horrible to look at or something..and he blushes when I catch him too, I guess he just doesn’t like being looked at or caught looking at people, I don’t know Mel..” Jayce said with a sigh.

‘You’ve got to be kidding me.’ Mel thought, rubbing her temple, suppressing a frustrated laugh. “Now, Jayce, just listen to me when I say this.” She says firmly. Jayce immediately listens at her tone, leaning up. “Hm?”

“Do you think Viktor could..I don’t know, possibly find you attractive? Or perhaps likes you a bit more than a friend like I said earlier?” It just dawned on Jayce then and there, that Viktor was capable of that sort of emotion like every other human being.

“Oh…” Jayce said lowly. It was like the realization of the tension, the buildup, the struggle to look at him with a straight face or him reacting differently to his affection, how had he not noticed? “I-..I just..” Jayce mumbled, his eyes fluttering around the room just trying to make sense of this. “W-we’ve been friends for years, I mean why would he want me..I-…but it makes sense..”

“Thank you for considering my option..” Mel says with flat amusement. Jayce didn’t laugh, not even smile as he processed this. Viktor. His business partner. Lab partner. Best friend. Someone like a bother to him….brothe-..brotherly love…god had he actually said that?

“How did you not notice?” Mel blurts out. “What?” Jayce says quizzically, rubbing his head as he tried to wrap it around the situation-not even getting into if they might be wrong and it could be more of a personal matter for viktor and it being something else entirely.

“How viktor looks at you, Jayce. It’s more than just ‘brotherly love’ ya know.” She says leaning on her side. “Was I that oblivious?..”

“A bit.” She replies casually. “And…how does this all make you feel?..” she says leaning back to him and rubbing his arm.

“I-…I think…” he mutters breathlessly. He had always thought of it being a possibility of being bi, gay maybe even but it was a bit of a stretch. The perfect golden boy of piltover, sleeping with men. It almost sounded hysterical. But..not entirely crazy. During his past relationship with Mel that had talked about it but never pursued it as they were dating each other and it was a closed off relationship, so he never had the chance to pursue it and sadly probably never will. With his popularity as the ‘man of progress’ finding someone who didn’t know who he was wouldn’t be easy, unless someone in the academy..no! Bad Jayce..

And what would his mother think? He knew she would support him through thick and thin no matter what but..it’s just the thought of something like that getting out of his hands and not being able to justify himself was..terrifying.

“I mean…I think I might be bi..Mel..” he says quietly, almost ashamed.

Mel had to bite back a laugh. It was painstakingly obvious, to her at least that he liked men but now was not the time to laugh and giggle about this. Maybe later at most. Yes.

“Ok, it’s good you’re figuring this all out. Just, breathe.”

“But…what does that leave now?…I mean with-images and everything-“ she hated to admit neither of them had thought about that. Sure, Jayce hiding his sexuality could be easy, if his face and gossip wasn’t plastered on everything over the city. Jayce’s smallest or most remote behavior could possibly spark a rumor or even gossip, and in piltover gossip as hot as that would spread like wildfire through out the academy, so she needed to take into account Jayce’s situation, and as well as feelings.

“Well, you obviously don’t have to spout it about the world, but Viktor is also…ya know.” She says vividly.

Jayce’s brows furrow, confused. “Huh?” He says tilting his head. Mel sighs, “Gay?”

“Oh…” Jayce had almost forgot about Viktor in this entire situation, funny enough. But Viktor was in fact, gay. Jayce had found out earlier in their partnership careers on accident. He had caught Viktor with an assistant of some sort from the lower staff of the academy, Viktor and the man vigorously making out with each other like teenagers on the lab counter which had escalated to something as ratchet as oral sex, Viktor holding the man down, which surprised Jayce for some reason. He didn’t know what it was but he felt this emotion that was almost-disgust?- no. Never, he wasn’t homophobic god no, but now he realizes the feeling. Legs tangled together, kissing and blowjobs.

He was jealous.

A bit ironic he finally sees it that he just now finding out years later, but everyone finds things out at a. different speed. Jayce’s just a bit longer.

“Am I in love?…” Jayce whispered. He looked up at Mel. He probably looked pathetic right now. Tears streaming down his face as he came to terms with the situation, his lips red from biting them so much and his cheeks flushed from the overall thought of someone as amazing as his partner Viktor liking him.

“Im not one to answer that question for you, but it seems so.” Mel says softly with a small laugh. “Oh god…” Jayce groans into his hands. “What do I even do?..”

“Make a move?” Mel suggests. “What!?- are you mad I’m not just going to go up to him over the assumption he likes me!”

“…” Mel gave him an unamused look before speaking. “If he doesn’t like you then he’s lying.”

“Oh well that’s wrong, for one. We don’t even know if he does, and I’m not asking myself.”

“Why not?” She says quizzically. “Cause-…I’m…I’m just scared..” he says softly Mel pauses before sighing. “Ok, that’s fine. Just take it slow and you’ll figure everything out..” she says as she lets him lay his head on her lap, stroking his hair as he calms down from the overstimulation of a situation.

Viktors POV:

Viktor had finally gotten back from the kitchen, the coffee pot empty now as he had cleaned the cups, even Jayce’s unfinished cup. It was roughly five o clock now and he could hear distant talking as he made his way back down the hallway, grabbing onto his cane as he neared Mel’s door and he decided to snoop a bit.

Now, Viktor isn’t usually nosy, but to say a bit of gossip here and there isn’t interesting would be a lie. He inched near the door and froze when he saw Mel and Jayce cuddling-more or less laying his head on her lap and he was silently fuming as he froze in confusion. It wasn’t uncommon but that did not change the fact he hated it, he was jealous but he’d never admit it to himself or anyone.

“What am I supposed to do?..” he heard Jayce say as he turned to walk away.

He paused. “Well if you do love him you need to tell him.” Viktor slowly turned to look in the room. Jayce…was in love with someone?…a guy?..

“He’s so-so beautiful, intelligent, sarcastic, I mean, a bit aloof but that can easily be over looked. It’s like every-time I look at him now he’s, more, than a best friend. Every time I place my hand on his shoulder or I help him walk it feels like more and…to think he’d even like me is so enthralling. Viktor is such a remarkable person, I don’t understand why he gives himself so little credit when we’ve finished a project, I mean without him I quite literally wouldn’t be here.” Jayce says, with an almost fire-y passion that you’d only ever see when talking about his work, about something he loved. It feels like everything around Viktor paused.

“…h-..” he muttered, looking down with wide eyes as his cheeks flushed from the heat creeping up his neck.

Jayce had heard the small noise and made his way to the door, Mel watching from in the room. Viktor hadn’t noticed they stopped talking until Jayce spoke up behind him.

“…Viktor…” Jayce mumbles with wide eyes, a knowing look that Viktor had heard-a bit- of what Jayce had said to Mel. She watched helplessly from the sideline of the room, also trying to suppress a bit of excitement that the two might actually finally after years of waiting get together.

Everything seemed to be moving so quickly as Viktor quickly fled, not looking back as Jayce yelled after him. What was going on? Why would he ever like him of all people? A guy?- not even really thinking of himself as a guy in his own eyes..but, why not someone as beautiful and smart as Mel? She was popular and rich wasn’t she? She was a woman. And Viktor..technically speaking genetically was but he had gotten that top surgery long ago. While being proud on himself for being this long on his journey of his surgery he couldn’t help but feel the doubt creep up on his neck and into his brain. ‘What if Jayce thought I was disgusting? What if he didn’t like me and-…’ why am I even thinking this way? If Jayce really does love me he’ll except me..

He stumbled into his room as his cane flopped against his bed with a clank as he sat on the edge, panting from the over exertion. “No-…no no. No no…” he whispered as he rubbed his face. He was mortified…but oh, so so happy. Finding out Jayce..actually might like him was so odd. He thought Jayce might have caught on at some point more or less but not actually reciprocated the feelings was definitely level of surprise for Viktor. One that he wasn’t mad about.

It was seven twenty eight in the morning now, a few hours later after just sitting and contemplating in his room Viktor paced his room, more or less limping as his cane clacked against the wood with every step. The pain in his leg was partly numb from how in depth with his thoughts he was. He could feel a headache coming from how much walking he had been doing and the pain of his leg crashing down onto him as he slumped onto the edge of his bed, heaping as he rubbed his eyes. He felt much regret after running away like that from Mel’s room, having not listened to what Jayce had to say and hiding in his room for hours without saying a thing to Jayce. He…would have to in the morning, if he left his room, which might not be that likely, he could possibly just tell Heimerdinger that he was feeling under the weather, that he could have a cold or flu. That would be thought about later.

He couldn’t go back to the lab, not after that embarrassing display of running-limping- away in a hurry. He’s sure the look of urgency on Jayce’s face would’ve made him stop in his tracks and turn to face him so he had no choice but to escape to his room. He just now noticed he could also hear Mel’s voice calling after him when he left, saying something along the lines of ‘wait! Just let him explain!-‘

His head was a jumbled mess right now, of many things, all of them centering around one thing however. One, damn thing.

Jayce.