PART 3
The rest of the year had unspoken tension and the two barely talked to one another, refusing to even be on the same page with each other. The once-comfortable rhythm they’d once had was shattered, replaced by a strained silence that neither addressed. Viktor kept busy with his studies, family, his violin, and occasionally with Sky. A good friend of his and he knew she had a thing for him but he didn’t reciprocate the feelings. He avoided Talis like the plague, only keeping his interactions brief, and only speaking when necessary but other than that, it was like two strangers were living together.
Jayce had tried repeatedly to apologise, but nothing had ever seemed to work so he had started to focus on other things instead of his roommate. Keeping up with his studies, practice and spending time with his own family. He had stopped trying to apologise to Viktor, allowing him to have his space, however long that may be. He did smile at him from time to time though, trying to ease the tension a little bit, but all attempts failed. So, he just let the rest of their year roll off of his shoulders with little interactions between them.
~~~
Their fourth year started back up late August, early September. Jayce and Viktor were still roommates. Jayce had tried to talk to Viktor during the summer but all the man did was read the messages and didn’t reply. He couldn’t blame him, giving up on that about halfway during their summer holiday. When they started the year again, there was tension still, neither said a word. However, Jayce could have sworn he saw a faint glimmer in the man’s honey eyes, almost excited to see him again.
Viktor… Yes. He did miss Talis but he wasn’t about to admit that. He had all of the summer holiday but he never replied to his messages for that reason. Instead, he had spent it with his father, Jinx, and Vander on some occasion. He played his violin more, read, and drew a few sketches too. Some of those sketches included Jayce Talis. He had ended up telling Jinx about his feelings for his roommate and of course she already knew! She caught onto everything her brother did and had feelings. “Sibling instincts,” she had told him, which he half believed was true. She just had a good skill at observing things around her.
~~~
Currently, it was now the fourth month into their fourth year. Jayce had been picking up on the small things that Viktor was doing in the morning, such as how he made his tea, how he had certain things ready so he could grab and go. That very morning, Jayce had an idea to break the ice, and hopefully restore their somewhat of a friendship. He woke up earlier than usual and put on a shirt, fixing his hair as best as he could before getting out of bed and set the kettle on the stove, pulling out Viktor’s preferred mug. Now he knew it was the weekend and he had practice later that day, but that didn’t stop him from deciding to cook breakfast.
As the kettle whistled softly, Jayce poured the hot water into Viktor's mug, carefully adding just the right amount of tea leaves. He had memorized Viktor's routine over the months, not out of obligation but out of genuine interest. The man was meticulous, and Jayce found comfort in observing the quiet precision with which Viktor approached even mundane tasks.
With breakfast underway, Jayce worked quietly, frying eggs and slicing toast, occasionally glancing over his shoulder at Viktor’s closed bedroom door. His hands moved with a practiced ease, though his mind raced with thoughts of how Viktor might react. Was this too much? Would it feel forced? He shook his head, dismissing the doubt. As the aroma of tea and breakfast wafted through the dorm, Viktor’s door creaked open. Jayce froze for a moment, spatula in hand, as Viktor emerged, his hair slightly tousled from sleep, and his honey-colored eyes squinting against the light. He looked at the scene in front of him—the neatly set table, the steaming mug of tea, and Jayce standing at the stove—and stopped in his tracks.
“Good morning,” Jayce greeted, his voice softer than usual, as if testing the waters. He turned back to the stove, plating the eggs and toast before setting them on the table. “I thought I’d make breakfast. You’ve had a busy week… thought you could use a break.”
Viktor stared at him, his face unreadable. For a moment, Jayce wondered if he’d made a mistake. Then, with a quiet sigh, Viktor shuffled toward the table, his cane clicking softly against the floor. He picked up the mug, took a sip, and closed his eyes briefly, as if savoring the familiar taste.
“Děkuji (thank you),” Viktor murmured, his voice low but sincere. “I appreciate it.”
Jayce’s heart lifted at the simple acknowledgment, and he smiled, sitting across from Viktor. They ate in relative silence, the tension in the room slowly ebbing away with each passing minute. It wasn’t much, but it was a start—one small step toward rebuilding the bridge they’d burned.
~~~
Three weeks had passed since their small interaction, the date now being the end of November, and since that morning when Jayce broke the tension with breakfast, things had slowly started going back to normal. Well, as normal as they could get. They were back to small talk and small gestures during the times that they passed each other, and this caused Jayce to feel hopeful. Did the younger still have a huge crush on Viktor? Oh, absolutely. Has he asked him out yet? … No. He had told Caitlyn about his feelings and she tried to give him good advice, but to no avail, her advice was terrible.
Jayce had reminded himself not to keep staring at Viktor whenever the man was sitting beside him. He couldn’t help it! He just took in his beauty and resisted the urge to pull him close, whisper sweet nothings and kiss him. What? Viktor was fucking adorable.
Currently, the baseball player had just gotten back from practice and entered their dorm room, seeing and hearing Viktor playing his violin which was… Strikingly attractive. Jayce was frozen in the doorway, watching Viktor as the man swayed a little from where he was seated on the couch, the instrument playing out a soft melody and Viktor humming along. Jayce stood frozen in the doorway, leaning on the frame that led into the kitchen. The sight of Viktor playing his violin was mesmerizing, his movements fluid and graceful, each note weaving a delicate tune that filled the room with warmth. Viktor’s eyes were shut, lost in the music, his expression relaxed in a way Jayce rarely saw. His humming sent a chill down his spin- it was soft, almost instinct, as if Viktor wasn’t conscious of him doing it.
Jayce swore his heart skipped a beat as he watched the way Viktor’s hand moved to guide the bow across the strings, his focus centred on the instrument. He shifted, not wanting to interrupt but he couldn’t tear his eyes away. He felt a heat rising to his cheeks, adding colour to his dark complexion, his crush intensifying with every second he spent watching the beautiful man. Viktor looked so peaceful, so beautiful, and he couldn’t help but smile.
Viktor finished the piece with a flourish, letting the note linger in the air. He exhaled quietly, lowering the violin and bow to his lap, his honey coloured eyes flickering over to the doorway. His brows furrowed slightly when he noticed Jayce, a light pink dusting over his face and the tips of his ears, a sheepish grin on his face.
“You’re back early,” he stated, his accent thick on his tongue, adjusting his posture a little bit.
“Practice was cut short,” Jayce shrugged. “You play incredibly.”
Viktor’s face turned a darker shade of pink, a small, shy smile appeared on his face, his fingers tracing his violin. “Thank you,” he murmured, looking down at his instrument. “I didn’t expect you to be back until four.”
Jayce shrugged and stepped further into the room, putting his duffle bag down near the bookcase that was hugging the corner of the room. He smiled softly, gesturing to the violin. “I didn’t want to interrupt. You looked… so into it, and honestly, you sound amazing. I could have stood there for hours listening.”
Viktor’s face darkened slightly, his hair falling over his shoulders as he averted his gaze, busying himself with placing the violin carefully into its case. He mumbled something in Czech, which translated was “you flatter me too much,” and he shut the latches on the case. His eyes flickered up to his roommate after he stood up, leaning on his cane. “Was there anything else you needed?”
Right! Jayce’s smile widened a little bit as he sat on the arm of the couch, thinking about his next words carefully. He hadn’t understood what Viktor had said but he assumed it was something to do with him giving compliments, he couldn’t stop admiring the man, though he pulled his eyes away from him when he remembered what he wanted to ask Viktor. “We have a game tomorrow, and I was hoping you would like to go…?”
Viktor hummed in reply, stepping around Jayce as he walked down the small hallway, about to turn into his room but he glanced back. “I will consider it.”
That’s all he needed. Jayce beamed and nodded before Viktor disappeared into his bedroom. He spoke in Spanish to himself, pushing a hand through his hair as he grabbed his bag and headed to his own room. Now he could only hope Viktor would show up.
~~~
Did he consider it? He did. Did he go? No.
Viktor hadn’t gone to the game. Jayce had reminded him when the game would start and where the best seats were, excited to hopefully see him at the game. However, he hadn’t seen him. He kept looking up in the stands, hoping to see a familiar face, or any sign of him. But as the minutes ticked by, there was still no Viktor. Jayce sighed, walking up to home base as he readied his bat and made the first swing getting to third base before the ball went back to Mel. He had really hoped Viktor would have shown up.
Viktor hadn’t gone, and the reason why was because he had to study for an upcoming test and he really didn’t want to flunk it. He had told himself that he would do it that day, but when the time came, he found himself unable to focus. The weight of his decision of staying behind felt heavier than he wanted it to. He had told Talis that he would consider it and he didn’t exactly say if he would be going or not. He didn’t know why, but he didn’t show up late either, seeing as Jayce probably wouldn't have minded, but still. He didn’t want to stand in the cold, nor did he want to sit in the bleachers… Something about that was almost too vulnerable.
He spent most of the evening buried in studying, reading a book or playing his violin. He would sometimes think back to Jayce and the strange emotions he couldn’t quite put into words. He knew he was avoiding something- avoiding the tension between them that neither knew how to put into words, and he was avoiding his feelings that he couldn’t understand that were about Jayce. He would daydream about the baseball player. His strong arms and how he longed to be wrapped in them, protected on his bad days. His soft laugh, and the way it made his chest tighten with warmth. He found himself getting lost in Jayce’s warm, brown eyes, the way his irises would shimmer with fondness at times. The dopey little smile he had on his lips from time to time… God, he was a goner. Viktor didn’t know what to do about these feelings so he pushed them down deep into his chest for now, knowing it would come up eventually.
He plucked the strings of his violin, sitting in the living room, his mind distracted from the melody with no direction behind it. Viktor sighed softly, pressing his violin to his chest, momentarily lost in thought. He hadn't a clue what happened, but he was certain that he wanted to be more than just roommates with Jayce Talis.
Speaking of the devil, a very upset Jayce walked into the dorm room, scaring Viktor a little bit, almost dropping his violin in the process. The younger grumbled in Spanish, sighing deeply as he walked into the direction of his bedroom, dropping his bag there before turning on Viktor.
“Por qué no estuviste en el partido? (Why weren’t you at the game)?” Jayce asked, his tone straightforward and blunt. Viktor blinked.
“I’m sorry?” Viktor asked, taken back by the sudden tone of voice he used. Why was he so upset about him not being at the game?
“Dijiste que vendrías al partido. No lo hiciste. ¿Por qué? (You said you’d come to the game. You didn’t. Why)?” Jayce asked in Spanish. Viktor’s brow furrowed, unable to understand what Jayce was asking of him, and without even caring to look at him, he kept rambling. “Perdimos el partido y no creo que hayamos perdido de esta manera antes... Tal vez si hubieras estado allí, ya sabes, como un amuleto de buena suerte, ¡podríamos haber ganado! (We lost the match and I don't think we've lost this badly before... Maybe if you were there, you know, as a good luck charm, we could have won)!”
Viktor didn’t understand what Jayce was saying so he stood up, holding his violin and looked at the other male. “If you’re going to speak in Spanish, at least translate and if you were asking why I didn’t go, it’s because I had to study, Talis.” His own expression was a scowl as he walked around his roommate and into his room, leaving Jayce paused in the midst of his frustration.
The baseball player had only wanted his friend (who was also his crush) to be at the game because it would have meant something to him. He knew he shouldn’t have snapped at Viktor like he did, and he should have let him explain first before he said anything. He sighed, running a hand through his sweaty hair, sitting down on the couch and just sort of stared into space, feeling guilty that he had snapped at Viktor. He hoped Viktor would at least make it to the next one…
~~~
Two weeks later, the next game was approaching. Jayce had once more hoped that Viktor would be at this and he had made sure to ask him. He made sure to give the man enough time beforehand, not wanting to make another assumption like last time. He didn’t want to pressure him, but he did have hope that he would show- a quiet but persistent desire.
“Hey,” he started, leaning on the doorframe of Viktor’s room. “There’s a game tomorrow, starts at five and ends around seven? If you want to come… You know… I’d like it if you could.”
Viktor hummed in reply, glancing up from the book that was in his hand, his eyes trained on the text in front of him. He moved his glasses from the top of his head to the bridge of his nose, looking over at Jayce. His eyes narrowed in though. He bit his lip, unsure if he would actually go.
“I’ll consider,” Viktor answered, his words assuring. He turned back to his book, disregarding the rest of the world around him. Jayce nodded, taking that as a sign of something and left him to be, retreating back to the living room where he was working on homework.
The following day, Jayce went to practice right on time, joining the rest of his team as they warmed up the match. He scanned the bleachers, eyes looking between the stands to find Viktor. Mel had nudged him, pulling him back into focus. She made a gesture to pay attention to what their coach was saying and he did. They didn’t need to lose this match.
Viktor did go to this game. He had waited until five fifteen before he made his way to the field. He saw the bleachers and decided not to be somewhere within eyesight. So instead, he was off to the side, leaning against the cold metal, watching the game. His eyes were trained on Jayce, watching his figure move graciously in the sport, around the field. He noticed Jayce kept making home runs with every hit he succeeded in. He watched the way Jayce’s muscles contracted against his uniform, the way he swung the bat.. All of it. He smiled a little bit and even though Jayce couldn’t see him, he did cheer for him a few times.
Once the game had ended, Viktor had made his way back to the dorm, getting there just a few minutes before Jayce did, giving him plenty of time to act as though he didn’t go to the match. He sat on the couch, his instrument on his lap, the bow in his hand. He wa just about to play when Jayce walked in, panting and with a smile on his face but that turned into a frown.
“How was the match?” Viktor asked nonchalantly, playing the part. He knew how it went. The Piltovians had won. Jayce walked into the dorm, setting his gear bag down, disregarding it for now. His body was still buzzing from the rush of adrenaline. His team had won, and it was a hard earned victory. He had a huge grin on his face, but as he entered the room, that grin fell when he saw Viktor holding his violin. He frowned a little, opening his mouth to speak.
“I thought you said you…” Jayce huffed, feeling let down as he cursed out in Spanish. With Jayce distracted briefly, Viktor stood up, coming closer to the man and pulled him down by the collar.
“I did. I was at the game. You played wonderfully,” Viktor whispered before closing the gap, locking their lips in an unexpected kiss.
Jayce’s eyes went as wide as saucers when Viktor grasped the collar of his uniform shirt and pulled him down a little, his heart skipping a beat in confusion and surprise. He barely had time to register what words Viktor had said before his mind was overwhelmed with the sudden heat of Viktor’s lips on his. He was frozen for a moment before he wrapped his arms around Viktor, pulling him closer and kissing him back.
“I have been waiting so long for that,” Jayce admitted when he pulled away, panting. Viktor smiled a little.
“Hmm? That so?”
“... Since we met,” Jayce rubbed the back of his neck nervously. “You seriously went to the game?”
“I did. I was off to the side,” Viktor answered, his hand never left where he had placed it on Jayce’s arm, humming softly. “You did great.”
Jayce smiled, peppering Viktor in a mountain of kisses, loving how Viktor’s laughter filled the room. “Soooo… Does this make us partners?”
“Only if you would like to,” Viktor answered after catching his breath.
“Very much so.” Jayce grinned, receiving a warm laugh from Viktor.
“Okay,” Viktor said, smiling before Jayce kissed him again, holding him close. He was happy. He had the guy of his dreams in his arms and he had won the game today! Viktor was happy too. He leaned into Jayce’s arms, content. Someone who could understand him, loved him and that’s all either of them could ask for.