You’re still half-distracted as you enter the lab, the rhythmic hum of machinery filling the air like a steady heartbeat. The flickering light of the Hextech crystal casts long shadows across the room, and you see them both already bent over their workbenches—Jayce, with his sleeves rolled up and a focused intensity in his eyes, and Viktor, his hand resting lightly on his mechanical prosthetic as he adjusts the delicate components in front of him.

"Good morning," Jayce says without looking up. His voice is warmer than usual, a hint of something softer beneath the typical confidence.

You glance at Viktor, who’s already facing you, his expression unreadable, but there’s something in the way his lips twitch that says he’s expecting you to say something. His voice follows Jayce’s with a quieter, more hesitant edge, "I trust you’re feeling well today?"

You nod, but there’s an undercurrent of something more than friendly. The three of you have worked together like this for months now—late nights, shared frustrations, and small moments that turned into something more. You’d never fully said it aloud, but the closeness between the three of you has evolved, quietly, over time.

Jayce stands up, pushing back a stray lock of hair, his eyes meeting yours with that glint of mischief. "I was thinking—when we finish this prototype, we could take a break. Maybe get away for a bit?" His hand lingers near your arm, fingertips brushing just enough for you to feel the spark of it.

Viktor’s gaze shifts to Jayce, then back to you. You swallow, feeling the heat of their attention on you, the weight of the unspoken. Viktor doesn’t say anything at first, but the corner of his mouth twitches, a subtle approval in his eyes. “Is that what you want?" he asks, voice low. “To help us finish this... and then... take the evening off? A celebration of sorts?”

Jayce smirks, and the look he gives you is unmistakable, filled with that familiar warmth and quiet promise. The words hang in the air, charged with more than just the project at hand.