Chapter Text
The gym had become Jayce’s sanctuary in the coming weeks; it was a place to destress and turn his brain off for a bit. He always found it best to ‘shake off’ the stress, and he was beyond grateful that the school had offered him a place to do so; he was restless . He didn’t have the time to commit to a sport yet though, as much as his peers had been pushing him to join a club or two, but working out gave him a sense of purpose. Most days, he’d run into Violet (though she really insisted that just ‘Vi’ was fine), who trained there almost religiously - she was a part of the boxing club, if he remembered correctly. She had mentioned something about the college’s intervarsity championships, but if he was being completely honest, he didn’t understand a word of it. She had introduced herself on his second visit, smirking as she pointed out his less-than-stellar form as he attempted to bench press.
“You’re gonna wreck your shoulders like that,” she’d teased, throwing a damp towel over her shoulder. “Let me spot you - save us both the trouble of calling an ambulance later, yeah?”
At the time, Jayce had been a little embarrassed. He soon realised, though, Vi was just blunt - not judgemental. Incredibly so. And oddly enough, he liked that about her. Her confidence and dry humour were endearing once you realised she wasn’t being mean, but was instead just testing the waters. Their bond was built on some back-and-forth banter and a mutual interest in fitness. Despite having no classes together, Jayce liked to consider them close. Maybe not as close as himself and Caitlyn, a girl from church he’d reconciled with once he realised they were both attending Piltover University, but he certainly enjoyed her company. He had introduced them to each other shortly after, and thus he had successfully carved out a niche in the social landscape of the campus; benefitting from the two girl’s mutual connections and quickly becoming a familiar face at the dining halls, common rooms, and late-night group study sessions. Not that he really did much studying there. He found it was often him and Vi snickering in the corner while Caitlyn worked away.
Today, though, Jayce was all tuckered out. His body ached from overworking himself the week before at the gym, and walking across campus from his dorm to his classes didn’t help. He sat on a bench not far from where Vi was hammering away at a punching bag that, at this rate, seemed to be crying for mercy with every squeak and rattle of the chain. Her punches were fluid, precise, and effortless. Or at least, effortless enough for her to throw a few jabs his way as she worked. He probably could have done without them, but Vi was never the type to spare him from teasing.
“All good over there, pretty boy? Or are you just here to sit around and watch?”
He scoffed. The audacity for someone who had texted him at six in the morning just to do exactly that - sit and watch. He shifted the textbook in his lap before licking his thumb and turning the page. “Some of us have midterms to prepare for, Violet.” He glanced up at her with a half-shrug, matching that smug energy of hers. “Not all of us can sweat our way into a scholarship.”
“Excuses, excuses.” Her punches came to a slow before she reached out to steady the swinging bag. Once she was certain it wouldn’t swing back around and smack her in the face, she unstrapped the velcro of her gloves and began strutting over in Jayce’s direction. She threw a hand on his shoulder before plopping onto the bench with a huff. He could feel the sweat from her palm seeping through his shirt, but did his best not to comment on it.
“Those classes still kicking your ass?” Her voice took on a softer, more supportive tone, despite her crude language. She glanced over his shoulder and into the textbook. Gibberish to her, most likely. The problem was it was gibberish to him, too. He sighed, before snapping the book closed.
“ Man , you have no idea. It feels like they want me to fail - this stuff should be easy. I did not work this hard in high school just to fail in my first year of college.”
Vi raised an eyebrow, dropping her gloves underneath the bench with a ‘thump’ and slouching a little bit. There was a moment of silence between the two, filled with the ambience of faint music and the rustling of other gym-goers. They had chosen the quiet side of the gym this time. Jayce got stressed out by all the clattering of barbells and weight plates, so he appreciated her changing her schedule up a bit for him.
“You know, there’s this kid in the library who does tutoring for a bunch of those mathy-subjects. Pretty cheap. Helped one of Cait’s friends, Mel, last year. From a C to an A- in Psychology.”
Jayce faltered for a moment, making a face. “Psychology is mathy ?”
“Not the point, dude.”
“Sorry, right.”
There was another brief pause while Jayce considered his options. He didn’t frown upon tutoring or anything, he’d gone to his fair share of study centers as a kid. They just made him nervous. The one-on-one stuff in particular. He straightened up before talking again, reaching around and grabbing his untouched gym bag from behind Vi. He awkwardly dragged it closer to him
“What’s their deal? Is it a professor?”
“Dunno.” She shrugged lazily. “I don’t think it’s anything official, just some guy's side hustle. Knows his stuff, though.”
Jayce nodded, filing the suggestion away in the back of his mind for later. As much as he’d like to trudge on and do it himself, prove his worth and independence, his stubbornness wasn’t going to be what got him a passing grade this semester. He needed to get out of this mess first. Vi gave him a quick jab, noticing him dwelling too hard on the thought.
“Come on, big guy. You and I got places to be. Plus, I’m hungry.” Vi messily stuffed her gloves into her duffel bag before slinging it across her body and hopping off the bench. “I’m craving something greasy and terrible for me. Burgers? Fries? Need to clog my arteries.”
“Real classy, Vi. Lead the way.”
Minutes later, they stepped out of the building and into the crisp campus air. The cool, early-morning breeze was a welcome change from the clammy, stuffy air of the poorly ventilated gym. The campus buzzed softly around them; students making their way around, friends laughing on their way to their first classes, the faint strum of a guitar from someone sitting on the quad.
“Man, it’s nice out,” Vi said, shoving her hands into her jacket pockets. “Almost makes you forget we’re all just one bad midterm away from total collapse.”
“You’re a Phys-Ed student. You don’t get to complain about bad midterms.”
“I don’t need to,” she shot back, sneering. “You whine enough for the rest of us.”
It didn’t take long for them to arrive at their destination. Vi had led Jayce to a diner sat just off campus, lovingly named ‘The Last Drop’. It was nestled between a shoddy laundromat and a corner store. From the main quad, it was a ten-minute walk along a narrow street lined with lampposts. Students trudging back from late classes often passed by, lured inside by the warm, inviting light spilling from the diner's wide windows; but it was far less busy this early in the day. They pretty much seemed to have the place to themselves, Jayce wagered, unable to see anyone as he peered through the windows. Had the doors not been unlocked, he might have thought it wasn’t open yet. Vi pushed the door, holding it open and nodding to him to head in.
“Ladies first, Jayce.”
The diner had a vintage feel, not exactly because it strived to achieve that retro aesthetic, but rather because it had simply never updated itself. Credit where it’s due, though, it gave the diner a clash-of-eras charm. The checkered linoleum floor was scuffed and scratched from years of shuffling feet, and the jukebox in the corner hummed with some final traces of electricity, though its buttons and coin slot had been covered up with old and torn-up duct tape. Most likely one too many bad song choices from customers drove the owner up the wall. Instead, an old radio behind the counter played a unique mix of pop hits, old classics, and local ads. Jayce recognised the easy tune of Fleetwood Mac. Vi continued to walk in before slipping into an empty booth. Jayce followed.
“So…” He sat across from Vi, glancing around with a curious eye. “Why here?”
“My dad owns the place.” She drummed her fingers against the table idly, looking in the direction of the counter. “My sis works here, too. Food comes free - family discount and all that.”
“Oh, thanks.”
“ My food, Jayce. You’re still paying.”
Jayce made a face, kicking Vi under the table. She let out a quiet ‘ow!’ and was readying herself to return the gesture when a short, blue-haired figure approached the table. She cleared her throat to announce her presence.
“Look who finally decided to show up,” She quipped, her voice carrying a slight lilt of amusement. “Usually you’re on your third meal of the day by now.”
The girl stood next to their booth, one hand on her hip and the other holding a small notepad. She looked younger than Vi, with sharp, blue eyes and a faint air of mischief and spunk about her. Something about her demeanour intimidated Jayce a little bit. Her hair was tied into two uneven buns pinned on top of her head, with choppy bangs framing her face. She wore a plain white t-shirt under a wrinkled apron that looked like it had seen as much wear as the diner itself. This was paired with loose black jeans that were scrunched up as they met her sneakers. Her pen was already poised, twirling idly between her fingers.
“What do you want, then?” she asked with faux exasperation before glancing at Jayce. She pointed her pen at him, almost accusatory. “And who’s this guy?”
“Shut up, Powder. A paying customer.”
‘Powder’ eyed Jayce suspiciously for another moment before turning to face him fully, clicking her pen and raising her eyebrows.
“Well then, Mister ‘Paying Customer’. What’ll it be?”
“Um.” Jayce awkwardly leaned back to glance behind her, squinting to try and read off the menu across the room. She hadn’t exactly given them much time to decide. “Just the pancakes, I guess. With syrup.”
She scribbled down his order with an exaggerated flair. A little strange, considering they were the only two here, and likely the first customers of the day. She definitely would’ve been able to remember without the notepad. She spun on her heel towards Vi.
“And you, most esteemed sister?”
“The same,” Vi leaned forward on the table with a yawn. “Just make sure mine tastes better.”
The girl rolled her eyes and tucked the notepad into the front pocket of her apron. “Sure thing. Some half-burnt pancakes, coming right up.” With a mock salute, she sauntered off toward the counter, leaving the two to their conversation.
Jayce watched saunter off. “She’s... Um, lively. Does she greet all the customers like that?”
“That’s one word for it,” Vi said with a snort, folding her arms. “Pow’s great, but she’s got no filter. You’ll get used to it.”
It didn’t take long for Powder to come back with two plates of pancakes, sliding them lazily onto the table in front of the two. Much to Jayce’s surprise, neither serving was burnt, and his food didn’t seem to be all that sabotaged at first glance. She, albeit very dryly, told them to enjoy their meal, sticking her tongue out at Vi on her way out. Their feuding didn’t seem all that serious, yet Jayce still felt sort of nervous - as if he was intruding on something. He didn’t even know Vi had a sister up until now. Speaking of Vi, she ripped one of her pancakes in half, drowning it messily in syrup and sticking it in her mouth. She licked some of the syrup off her thumb with a ‘pop’.
“So,” She started in between chews, while Jayce poked the pancakes with his fork, further examining for any foul play. “About that tutoring-”
Jayce made another face, hunching over his food as his nose wrinkled. It smelled fine. He was just hoping this whole thing would be a distraction. “Isn’t this supposed to be a break from all the school stuff? My day hasn’t even started yet.”
“You’re the one who brought up grades first, genius. ‘Tryna help.”
“I don’t know.” He stabbed the pancake with his fork, twisting it around until he successfully pulled off a corner and put it into his mouth. He swallowed before continuing. “It feels weird. Like, having to admit I can’t keep up. I don’t even know if I can afford it yet.”
Vi shrugged. “Yeah, well, it’s your call. Gotta be ready for the midterms somehow.” She pointed at him. Her finger had a strange sense of purpose to it. “Like you said, you can’t sweat your way into a scholarship.”
Jayce sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I’ll think about it. What’s his name again?”
“Viktor, I think.”
Jayce paused, mid-bite. It was like a sudden record scratch had broken the calm ambience of the diner. Viktor. His classmate. He didn’t know what it was, but the guy made him nervous - he’d been overthinking their little interaction all night. He wasn’t sure what reaction his face betrayed, but Vi caught onto it immediately, and began to press further. She leaned over her food, closer now; her voice dropping as if there was anyone else around that could hear. There certainly wasn’t.
“What’s wrong? Do you know him?”
Jayce set his fork down and straightened slightly, his shoulders instinctively tensing. “Not... really,” he said slowly, rolling the words around like they might come out better if he chose them carefully. “He’s in one of my classes. Engineering seminar, I think.” He hesitated for a beat before adding, “Quiet guy.”
Vi nodded, taking in this information while tearing off another piece of pancake. “Yeah, well, that tracks. Dude’s not exactly a social butterfly. But, Mel seriously swears by his tutoring.”
Jayce hummed noncommittally, poking at his pancakes again. The syrup pooled in the center like molten amber, his fork gliding through the stack more as a distraction than out of hunger. The sudden churn in his stomach had killed his appetite. Why was he so worried about this guy anyway?
Vi didn’t miss a beat. Her intuition was killed. “Hey, what’s the deal?” she asked, her voice casual but probing. “You don’t like him?”
“It’s not like that.” Jayce said quickly, though the tips of his ears betrayed him, turning faintly red. He took another bite of the pancake to busy his mouth, but the syrup’s sweetness only stuck to the discomfort he couldn’t quite shake. He didn’t like the direction the conversation was taking - mainly because he didn’t even know what it was about Viktor that had ruffled his feathers so deeply. The exchange lasted no more than a minute. He probably didn’t even think about Jayce afterward.
Vi leaned back again, eyeing him with suspicion. “So you just... Have a vendetta against this guy? For no reason at all? Nothing weird about that, totally.”
Jayce frowned, feeling heat creep further up his neck. “It’s not weird,” he said defensively, though the words felt unconvincing even to him. “I just didn’t expect him to be the guy, that’s all. I don’t really know him.”
“Relax. He doesn’t bite, or anything. Don’t know what has you so worked up.”
This was a clear prompt to explain. Jayce, once again, did not. He instead stayed silent, the diner’s ambience pressing in around them. The soft clink of silverware from the kitchen, the low chatter of other people outside, and the occasional hum of the coffee machine behind the counter all mingled in a way that should’ve been comforting. Instead, it was suffocating, and the name sat heavy on Jayce’s chest; an unspoken weight he couldn’t quite justify to himself.
“Look, all I’m saying is, give it a go.” Vi continued after a beat, breaking the silence with a shrug. “If you wanna keep struggling, that’s on you. But midterms don’t mess around.”
Jayce sighed, finally meeting her gaze. Her expression was softer now, the teasing edge giving way to genuine concern. He hated how logical she sounded - how right she probably was. This entire fear of his was silly. He wasn’t the type of guy to typically be so nervous, either. He credited it to his new environment. In his defense, he was... Definitely sheltered. At least in comparison to Vi.
“Fine, I’ll check it out.” he conceded, his voice quieter this time. Defeated.
“Good,” Vi said simply, taking another bite of her pancake and chewing with exaggerated satisfaction. She pointed her fork at him again, a sticky smear of syrup glinting on the prongs. “Now, eat your damn breakfast.”
Jayce smiled despite himself, the tension easing just enough for him to take another bite. The pancakes were better than he’d expected - fluffy and soaked with just the right amount of sweetness. Good enough to take his mind off the whole exchange with his classmate. Across the table, Vi returned to her food, seemingly content to let the conversation drop there. The radio switched songs, the familiar opening chord spilling into the room. Outside, the faint shuffle of students passing by on their way to class drifted in with the occasional burst of cool air from the diner’s front door.
Jayce let the quiet moment linger a little longer, the name Viktor still swirling in his thoughts; no longer as startling as before. Maybe Vi was right. At the very least, he was definitely overthinking it. Still, the idea of sitting across from Viktor gnawed at something deep inside him, a mix of apprehension and a strange, unplaceable curiosity. There was something magnetic about him, and something equally intimidating that pushed Jayce away. He wasn’t so sure Vi was right. Maybe he did bite.
He took another bite of pancake, letting the syrup dissolve on his tongue, and tried not to think too hard about it.