Boz

Hunched over the cluttered workbench, like he had been for the past several hours, Viktor was focused intensely on the mechanism in front of him. With protective goggles and a precise touch, he made tiny adjustments to the small, whirring machine, making note of the observed reactions. His focus was broken a moment later by the pleasant scent of fresh coffee wafting into the lab. Viktor flipped off the machine, quickly scrawling on the pad of paper beside him before tugging his goggles off. He blinked as his eyes adjusted to the warm lighting of the lab, glancing towards the window, noting the darkness outside.

Raising his arms above his head, Viktor’s vest rode up his torso enough to reveal a sliver of the smooth, pale skin that lay beneath. A soft squeak left his throat as he arched his back, face scrunching in effort as he stretched the soreness from his muscles, hearing the brace beneath his clothes shift. The creaking of the old floor drew Viktor’s attention to the doorway, eyes landing on Jayce, smiling as he held two steaming mugs. Viktor caught the way Jayce's eyes darted briefly down to his stomach before returning to his face. Clearing his throat quietly, Viktor lowered his arms and smoothed his vest back into place, offering his partner a drowsy smile.

“Figured you could use some.” Jayce nodded towards one of the mugs, stepping further into the workspace. It was impressive, really, how Jayce managed to get Viktor’s coffee down to an exact science, knowing just how much cream and sugar to add each time. Viktor gave a small nod, reaching out eagerly for the warm offering. After taking a careful sip, he felt himself relaxing just a bit.

“Ah-...Thank you.”

Jayce nodded and hummed under his breath, bringing his own mug to his lips. He took his coffee black, a trait that had always seemed odd to Viktor. How the man could stomach such a terribly bitter drink was beyond him. Viktor sighed wearily, directing his attention back to the mechanism on his desk, a much smaller version of a Hextech powered mobility aid he had been fussing over for weeks now. Jayce set his own mug down beside Viktor’s, standing behind him and peering down at what his partner had been working so tirelessly on.

“How’s it coming?” Jayce's honeyed voice lilted into Viktor's ear as he placed a warm and heavy hand on his right shoulder. Viktor groaned quietly in exhausted frustration, tipping his head back to rest against Jayce’s chest. The action earned a small squeeze-rub to his bony shoulder.

“It isn’t,” Viktor huffed, taking a steady inhale when Jayce’s hand continued kneading at the tense muscle. Jayce frowned, leaning a bit closer to get a better look at the little amalgamation of gears and metal bits sitting in front of Viktor. The thing was surrounded by scattered papers covered in chicken scratch writing and loose diagrams. The hand on his shoulder migrated to Viktor's hair, slowly combing it away from his face. It was a subconscious impulse for Jayce, needing something to occupy his hands whenever he was thinking hard about something. It had taken Viktor by surprise the first time it’d happened, but the action had become somewhat routine after a while. Viktor closed his eyes, quietly enjoying the affections while Jayce studied his progress.

“Tell me again how it’ll work,” Jayce muttered, brows furrowed in thought. He stood straight, crossing his arms leisurely under his chest while he eyed the prototype on the desk. Viktor’s eyes fluttered open at the loss of Jayce's touch, glancing back down at his project. He nodded, leaning forward to pick up a nearby pen, using it as a pointer.

“This here is what will connect to the hip, here to the knee, and here at the ankle. I am still working out how to stabilize the Hextech to react precisely to the wearer’s movements.” Jayce nodded along, having heard the concept for the device several times now. It was inspired by Hextech’s apparent levitation capabilities the two inventors had discovered a few weeks prior. It was a brilliant and well intentioned idea, one that he wanted to see through to the end. Jayce didn’t want this one to end up on the ever growing scrap heap in the corner of their lab.

“It’s great, Viktor, really. We’ll keep working out the kinks. Maybe Heimerdinger would be willing to come by and lend a hand,” Jayce posited after a moment of contemplation. He was well aware of the nearly impossible standards Viktor held himself to, too often pushing his mind and body to keep working, even when he ached for rest. In Jayce’s mind, Viktor didn’t give himself nearly enough credit for the groundbreaking work he did. Viktor nodded, not entirely reassured by Jayce’s words. He let his head fall forwards into his hands, rubbing the heels of his palms against his temples to soothe the stabbing pain behind his tired eyes. He didn’t have the energy now to bicker with Jayce, deciding to follow the advice before he gave it, and call it a night.

“Yes…Yes, I’ll get a hold of the professor in the morning,” Viktor affirmed, reaching for his cane. His slender hand grasped at the air a couple of times before curling around the worn handle. Jayce took a step back as Viktor slowly got to his feet, the leather straps of his brace creaking in protest. Both scientists retrieved their mugs and shuffled towards the door, Viktor flicking off the light as they went.

In the quiet of the evening, that familiar worry lurked in the back of Viktor's mind as he walked in silence alongside Jayce, his cane clicking rhythmically against the wooden floor. The sound reminded him of that of a ticking clock. That ever present, unending, mocking noise. What if there wasn't enough time to perfect his project before the showcase next month. Not enough time to prove himself as an inventor. Not enough time to-

“Get some rest, okay? We’ll sort it out with the professor tomorrow,” Jayce suggested, his hand smoothing over Viktor’s back in a placating gesture as they walked down the still, dark hall.

Having been suddenly stirred from his thoughts by the grounding touch and the soothing voice of his partner, Viktor looked over at Jayce, letting out a weary exhale. He nodded, managing a weak smile.