Chapter Text
2 weeks, you had 2 weeks until your audition . You mentally hyped yourself up as you left the theatre with a few sample monologues and a couple librettos in your bag. You sighed as you walked through the Performing Arts building and looked up at all the pictures of the past shows they had done. You were cooked. Positively. You didn't know how you were going to swing this, with finals around the corner, and then all of your classes, you might not even have time for this. But you knew you had to make it happen, if you didn't get into the show then what would you do? Tech, yeah right. You couldn't trust yourself to not drop a light on one of the actors below the catwalks.
You left the PA building and walked your way to your car, you felt your phone buzz in your pocket and sighed as you ignored it for the time being. Allowing yourself to get into your car before setting down your things, locking the doors and then taking a deep breath. You needed 45 seconds to collect your thoughts and then you would check your text messages.
After a moment of breathing you checked your phone. It was your roommate, Sky.
‘ Hey y/n you coming back for lunch, or is that theatre thing running late?’
You smiled a little and then texted back.
‘ Meeting just ended, got a lot of work, but i’ll be over in a few, just got to the car. Whats for lunch?’
You quickly received a response, simple and straightforward.
‘Food :D’
You smiled and rolled your eyes, putting your phone in your bag and driving to the dorms.
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The drive back was fine, short, taking local roads back took you less time and was safer overall. You parked and made it to the dorm without issue. Grabbing your key and unlocking the door you were met with the smell of blood orange, a candle you had bought a couple weeks ago already burnt to nearly its end sitting on the coffee table.
Your dorm, well, apartment near the college had two small bedrooms, a bathroom and a living room along with a small kitchenette. You were glad your parents helped with the price of the place otherwise you and Sky wouldn't be here, you would both be in a small room, bunk beds and all.
You set your things down on the coffee table in the living room and looked over to the kitchenette, the small island with bar seating having a spread of food on it. You went over to see what it was.
“Welcome home y/n” Sky said with a smile “I got some food” she moved over and let you view the options. On the counter there were a couple of sandwiches a small charcuterie board and various sides like coleslaw, macaroni, and chips. You instantly noted that nobody would be eating that coleslaw.
“Hey Sky, whats up? What have you been up to today?” You said as you picked up a half of a sandwich and took a bite. Looking over at her as she deeply sighed and slouched into the counter behind her.
“Went to the Lab, worked on this new prototype with the boys, professor Heimerdinger came in and loved it. But I decided to come here and take break so you’d have some food and company to come home to.” She gave you an overdramatic grin at her chivalry.
“Well, thank you, my hero.” You said as you playfully nudged her “i always needed a knight at my rescue when i get hungry” You both giggled and picked at the food in front of you. It wasn't too long, though, before you heard a buzzing, it was Sky’s phone, the screen flashed to life and you saw that she received a text from a group-chat labeled ‘big burly men’ you giggled a little at the name and then looked away from her phone, not wanting to invade her privacy.
She picked up the phone, unlocked it, and read the texts. She then sighed and texted back before putting it in her pocket. “Gotta head back, wanna come? They could probably use you as a guinea pig for some contraption or something.”
You shrugged, finishing up the sandwich and dusting your hands off before wiping your mouth with a napkin. Sky already got to work on putting the food in the fridge. “I’ll go, im always up to get tested on.” You said playfully and walked over to the living room, grabbing your bag off of the table and blowing out the candle, trying to save what was left of it for a special occasion. You then turned, looking over at Sky.
Sky grabbed her bag, quite a bit larger than your messenger bag that you had a couple of books and a wallet in. She had a full on backpack, heavy duty, filled with papers, books, snacks for when she stayed late at the lab, and other necessities that the lab didn’t have. She grabbed her keys and her coat and the two of you left and made your way to the building a short walk away.
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You and Sky made it and walked into the lab. She greeted the two others in the lab as she set her stuff down. “Hey guys, brought y’all someone to test on. Y/N, you guys have met her before”
Jayce looked up from his workbench, he was going over some books while staring at what looked like a metal glove in utter confusion, getting snapped out of his haze when he heard Sky talk. “Oh hey Sky, uhm, oh yeah! Y/N nice to see you! Glad to see we didn't scare you away with the last test model we put you in.” He smiled, he always had that air about him, confident, friendly and approachable. His partner on the other hand was less so.
Just as Jayce got done speaking, Viktor looked up and nodded at you, his hair messy around his face, you noticed how the corners of his mouth pulled upward when he saw you. Or you were just delusional. After all, you were only here because of your strange fascination with him. “Yes, it is nice to see you back again Y/N” He spoke, that devilish accent making your face feel a little warm.
You smiled slightly and cleared your throat, “nice to see you both too.” You said as you walked over the the couch many of them called a bed on particularly long nights. Blankets folded neatly along the top of it. You set your bag down and then walked over to the workbenches of the two men. Sky had already gotten to work, pulling out her notebook and grabbing tools to help on Jayce’s hand shaped, thing.
“What do you guys have to test on me?” You said, moving over to Viktors side of the benches and looking at what he was working on. It was a bunch of papers, He was the more planning side of the work after all, checking the math, working out the kinks ans writing down new formulas to fix issues in the physical prototypes. Oh to be as smart as him , you thought. You then realized you were hovering for a bit too long and took a step back. “Nice, uhhh, abstract shapes and lines you got there” You said, trying to act like you knew what was happening on the paper in front you, but you had no clue.
Viktor over at you and then pointed at the central drawing “See these are just sketches of the prototype we are calling HXC-01, for no reason other than Jayce thought it would make it sound cool. Its going to be the central housing for the energy sources we have been working with, with this we should be able to find a way to provide energy to every person in Piltover and maybe even Zaun if our endeavors prove successful.”
You nodded along as he talked, listening to him as he pointed to each part of the blueprint and explained what they did. “This part would provide ventilation, for people needing to do repairs. Although we have decided that we would design a failsafe that closes any openings and kills anything inside should their be a malfunction within or an emergency wherein we need to destroy the energy core from the inside.” You winced a little at the thought of them needing to already think up ways to destroy their creations but do think that its good to be safe about it rather than sorry later if it does had a malfunction.
Viktor then sat up and looked at you, acknowledging what you had said earlier. “Ah yes Miss Y/N, we need you to test this, should be much less invasive in comparison to the last prototype.” He reached into a drawer in his workbench and pulled out a small box, within it was a small metal circlet with a wire pattern running through the outside. “We will need you to wear this for about a week to get proper results but if it ends up not functioning the way we intend it to then we may cut the time short.” He looked over at you once more. “Miss Y/N if you wouldn't mind, may I have your wrist for a moment to get this fitted on you? Your dominant hand please.”
You nodded and lifted your arm towards him, allowing him to take your wrist and fit the circlet around it. The light touches of his as he slid it over your hand lingering a bit longer than they should have. He tapped it a couple of times and then allowed your hand to drop as he took his cane in his hand, standing slowly, he walked over to Jayce and gestured for you to come along with him. “Jayce, can you make sure this is positioned correctly?” He leaned onto his cane and you admired him as you walked by and went to Jayce, giving him your wrist that now wore the bracelet.
Jayce nodded “Looks good, now lets just turn it on…” he faded off as he then flipped open a computer that sat on a stand nearby, he typed in a few things and a small light flickered green on the bracelet. “And there, so this is pretty much an incredibly simplified smart watch, but it will monitor body temp, heart rate, blood pressure, and a couple other things.” He smiled as he explained. You noticed sky look up and then shake her head a little bit, “Way to reinvent the wheel guys” she said, her and Jayce quickly fell into a playful argument.
Viktor looked at the two with a slight smile on his lips as he started to turn and walk back, you wondered about his lips, how soft they were and how his fingers light feel on other places other than your wrist. Tracing up your back as you two explored something other than science together. You quickly zoned back in and walked over to viktor. “Anything else you want to put me into before i go memorize some lines and work on stuff?” You asked putting a hand on his shoulder.
He paused for a moment, you could have swore you saw a light smirk flicker across his face before he looked in your direction and spoke. “No, no, nothing besides that at the moment. Just make sure you keep it on at all times, it is waterproof so do not worry about getting it dirty or wet. Feel free to go study now.”
You nodded “Thanks Vik. I will.” You walked over to the couch and crossed your legs, placing a blanket over your legs as you grabbed the sample monologues from earlier, reading over a couple of them before switching to the librettos and finding more interest in them than the lines. You put in a earbud and listened to the backing track, humming along quietly trying to get a grasp on the rhythm and range of the pieces you were given to look at.
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After a bit of doing that you checked the time, it was 5pm, you had probably gotten there around 2:30. You set your things aside and walked over to sky tapping her on the shoulder. “Hey dude, don't you have a lecture at 5:30?” You asked tapping on her phone screen and showing her the time.
She looked up and then her eyes widened as she started cleaning up her workspace, she always liked to be early. “Yeah! Thanks Y/N gosh I really lost track of time huh?” She quick y wiped off her hands and took her safety equipment off before packing her bag and then looking up at Jayce and Viktor. “Hey you two, i’ll be back, I have a physics class in the neighboring building, I should be back around 7:30 ish!” She put her bag on and then ran to grab her jacket as she went for the door.
Jayce looked up and waved, smiling. “Alright, be safe Sky!” Viktor looked up and nodded along with Jayces statement before speaking “Yes Miss Sky, you have great promise, please make it to class on time.” You then stopped sky before she left and handed her her phone to make sure she didn't forget it and then smiled.
“Oh thank you! If I forget this I’m screwed, I’ll be back soon, feel free to stay here or do whatever it dosen’t matter!” She said quickly before giving you a quick side hug and then leaving quickly. You chuckled to yourself and then made your way to the couch again where you have made yourself quite at home in the couple blankets that were there. You sat down and pulled the blankets over you again as you grabbed a small sketchbook out of your back and a pencil, setting yourself up to draw the lab.
Jayce looked over at his phone and smiled before speaking “Hey you two, I also gotta go, I have a dinner date with Mel, and if I’m late again I think she’ll actually kill me.” He chuckled as he organized his station and wiped the soot and grime off his hands with a not so clean shop towel. “I’ll be back in later tonight most likely, Vik you planning on staying here?”
VIktor looked up at jayce and nodded “Yes I have a few things i need to finish and I’d also like to keep Y/N company.” You felt like you should get your eyes checked because you could have swore his cheeks flushed ever so slightly after he said that.
Jayce nodded and walked towards the door, running a hand through his hair. “Alright Vik, just make sure you take a break, alright?” He gave you a look as if to say ‘make sure he does while I’m gone’ Viktor nodded and gave a little hum in response. Jayce then took a deep breath and opened the door “Ill be seeing you too” He then left the lab, the door shutting softly behind him.
You and Viktor were alone, in the lab, together.