Following Jayce's POV

A week had passed. It was now December 20th. Viktor seemed happier now. Jayce noticed he seemed off the day they went shopping. Jayce tried to ask him what was wrong, but he always gave a fake smile and said everything was alright. Jayce thought back to what could've put him off.

"He still seemed fine when Caitlyn and Vi began to walk off... He seemed sad when I- Why would he be sad about that?"

Jayce gazed over at Viktor who sat beside him at the dining room table. He was sipping on a glass of sweetmilk, something Jayce had bought him while they had been out yesterday. He could tell Viktor was happier now, but he still couldn't push the thought from him mind.

"Hey, Vik?"

"Yeah?" Viktor gazed up from his sweetmilk, turning his full attention over to Jayce.

"Did I say something that made you upset last week?" He asked.

He noticed Viktor's expression drop a bit. He sighed.

"I- No, you didn't," Viktor muttered, his gaze dropped.

"You promise?"

"..."

"Vik?"

"No."

"Please tell me what I said," Jayce said, nearly begging. He wanted to make it right.

"It's not important," Viktor replied, shrugging. "I was just being sensitive."

"Was it me offering to buy you a new jacket?" Jayce guessed.

"No. No, it wasn't that," Viktor shook his head.

Jayce thought about that day, the few words he said circling in his mind.

"Yeah.. It's not like that meant anything."

It seemed like a shot in the dark. But, Jayce took it.

"Was it because I said that us.. Being so close at the time didn't mean anything?"

He noticed Viktor's eyes get slightly bigger with panic. He didn't reply. It was. That was the reason Viktor had been sad. But, why?

"Vik?"

"Yeah, it was," Viktor sighed.

"Why..?" Jayce pressed.

"I.. Well, I mean are we not friends?" Viktor asked.

Oh. Is that why he was upset? He wanted to make sure that they were still friends?

"Of course we're friends, Vik!" Jayce replied quickly. "You're probably my closest friend."

Viktor smiled. It looked genuine.

"Alright, just- Just making sure," he nodded.

A new thought wormed its way into Jayce's mind. One completely unrelated to the topic. Christmas. It was coming up soon. He grinned. He'd gotten Viktor a few things.

"I will make this a good Christmas for him."

Jayce turned on his stool, and stood, going to put away the plate he had, along with Viktor's, now empty, sweetmilk glass. Afterwards, he went and sat back down beside Viktor. He engaged in a nice conversation with him. Not long after, their conversation was interrupted by Caitlyn walking in. She had a smug look on her face.

"What did you do? Why do you have that look on your face?" Jayce asked, worrying lining his stomach.

She gazed up at the ceiling for a moment, Jayce and Viktor doing the same. From the ceiling, there hung a cut, green plant. Jayce's mouth fell open after a moment. Viktor just blinked.

"Uh, Talis- You have a plant taped to your ceiling," Viktor said, clueless as to what it meant.

"Cait!" Jayce slammed his fist down on the table, startling Viktor. "Mistletoe?? What is your deal?"

"I don't understand, it's just a plant-" Viktor muttered.

Caitlyn giggled, "it's traditionnnn."

Vi walked into the room due to the commotion. She gazed up at the mistletoe before rolling her eyes.

"It's a plant. Should I put plants on the dorm ceiling when we get back to the dorm?" Viktor asked.

Jayce couldn't help but chuckle at Viktor's cluelessness. He turned to face him.

"Not unless you want to kiss people under it," Jayce said.

He watched Viktor's face go pink.

"Wh-What?" Viktor gazed up at the plant him and Jayce had been sitting under. "But- I'm so confused. It's a plant??"

"Yes, I know," Jayce chuckled. "But it's been Christmas tradition for years for a lot of people to put mistletoe in places. If you and someone else are under it, you have to kiss."

"Oh- Does that mean that we have-"

Caitlyn giggled, cutting him off. "Yep!"

"Caitlynnnnnnn," Jayce spun around to face her. "Really?"

"Oh come on, just like a kiss on the hand or something. You're breaking tradition if you don't!" Caitlyn said.

Jayce gazed between Viktor and Caitlyn, considering. Caitlyn raised her eyebrows expectantly. Viktor was still pink in the face from Jayce's explanation, and Jayce assumed that the realization was still washing over him. Pressure from Caitlyn and her girlfriend watching Jayce got to him.

Swiftly, Jayce grabbed Viktor's wrist, raising his arm forward towards Jayce. He pressed his lips against Viktor's hand. It shocked him slightly how cold his skin was. He pulled away after just a few seconds. He turned to face Caitlyn, his arms crossed.

"There, you happy?" He asked.

"Mm, yeah," Caitlyn chuckled. She turned and walked out with her girlfriend.

Jayce turned back to face Viktor, who had his face covered by his hands. He noticed dark pink through the gaps in his fingers. He grinned a bit.

"Viktor?" He asked, sitting back down.

"Hmm?" Viktor replied, his voice muffled.

"Look at me?" Jayce asked.

"Mm, no."

"Vik. Look at me."

When Viktor shook his head, Jayce reached forward, grabbing Viktor's hands, pulling him from his face. He had a vague image what he'd be met with. He studied Viktor's uncovered face now. It was nearly red and Jayce blinked, gazing at Viktor. He chuckled a bit.

"Why did that shock you so much?" He asked.

"I- Uh, I just wasn't- I wasn't expecting that," Viktor muttered. "This whole.. Mistletoe tradition is strange."

Jayce chuckled a bit. He turned Viktor's chin to face him. Viktor's face was warm due to how pink it was.

"Yeah, you might want to get used to it," Jayce muttered.

Viktor blinked. "What, uh, do you mean by 'get used to it?'"

Jayce lifted Viktor's hand again and Viktor stiffened slightly, adverting his gaze. Jayce grinned, planting a kiss on Viktor's hand again, gazing up to see his reaction. He was staring at the table, his face growing darker. Jayce lifted an eyebrow.

"Uncomfortable? I can stop," Jayce said.

Viktor shook his head. "N-no, not uncomfortable.. I just- I've never- I, uh, I've never, like-"

He fell silent, his words failing him. Jayce chuckled a bit. He figured what he'd say.

"No one's ever kissed you before?" Jayce whispered, vaguely aware of Caitlyn and Vi chatting in the living room beside the dinning room.

"I- No, not really-" Viktor muttered.

"Not even on the top of your head? Or on the cheek? Like a family member would?"

A sad look flashed in Viktor's eyes and Jayce sudden felt guilty. He had no idea what Viktor's past was like.

"No.. they all just kind of ignored me," Viktor mumbled. "Called me things and stuff."

"What do you mean?" Jayce pressed gently.

"I was an only child," Viktor shrugged. "My mother always thought of me as a curse. To her, I was useless because of my leg. My father was never present. I think my mother blames me for that too."

Jayce took in the words, listening closely as Viktor kept speaking.

"She'd call me things like- A-actually, I don't want to repeat those words.. But she always told me I'd amount to nothing. That's the reason I got into Piltover Academy. Her doubt fueled me. I wanted to prove her wrong. And I did."

Jayce was speechless for a few moments and Viktor stammered.

"S-sorry. I didn't mean to bring the mood down-"

"You have nothing to appologize for," Jayce whispered.

Viktor adverted his gaze, but Jayce cupped his chin in his hand, turning his head so he was facing Jayce.

"Absolutely nothing to appologize for," Jayce nodded. "I'm proud of you, Vik. And, I'm sorry you had to go through all that."

Viktor shrugged a bit. "Thanks for listening, I guess."

Jayce smiled. "Of course. I could listen to you speak all day without getting bored or tired of it."

Viktor's face went pink again. He chuckled awkwardly. "I doubt that, but okay."

Jayce smiled, squeezing his hand. He lowered his head, kissing it again, trying to rid Viktor of any negative emotions. It seemed to work because Viktor's face turned pinker. Was this actually happening? Was Jayce actually being this confident?

"It's just platonic. It means nothing besides that," Jayce told himself. "That's all. Platonic. But.. What if Viktor doesn't think it's platonic? Does he like me?"

"Your-" Viktor fell silent, and Jayce figured he was contemplating on if he should say his thoughts out loud. "My hands must be so cold, because- Nevermind.."

Jayce felt his face grow warm, his ear tips warming as well. He knew what Viktor was trying to say.

"They are quite cold. Perhaps you could wear gloves?" Jayce asked, lifting his head.

Viktor shrugged. "Gloves dry out my hands, no thank you. I'd rather them be cold."

Jayce chuckled, watching as Viktor's eyes shimmered in the light.