He used to come much more frequently--back when he felt it wasn't a waste of time to do anything but work in the lab. His visits to the forge were few and far between in more recent years, but that hasn't changed the fact that he likes watching Jayce work. It's so different from anything he does that he can't help but be impressed whenever he sees it (though he knows it goes both ways). His own skills trend towards finer, less physical work--delicate engineering and particularly fussy details. They compliment each other in that way, and now that it's all materializing in front of him, he resolves to join Jayce down here, even if nothing they make can be removed from the space. It will be nice to see him at work again, in this capacity.
"That's quite the assertion." Because, as they both know, Viktor doesn't like a lot of people. He's civil, yes, more than able to navigate the strange particularities of both the Academy and the larger scientific community, but as the years went on mostly withdrew from public life, in part because Jayce was so much better at navigating that world--and more palatable to Piltover, too. Generally speaking, Viktor has his doubts about those who care about the city, because more often than not they only care about one half of the city. Even Jayce, for all his talk of improving lives and their shared goal, slipped on occasion, and Viktor is not so far removed from home that he doesn't remember. Still, he wants to believe it, if only because Jayce is so earnest. Viktor leans against the worktable, thoughtful, eyes on the wrench that Jayce fidgets with.
"Being good is never easy." And it is, also, very subjective. It makes him wonder what they should really strive for, because being a good person is sometimes different than getting results. What is good, even? Doing the least harm possible? Creating actual, tangible change, even at the cost of one's integrity? He can tell, perhaps, based on Jayce's expression, that he's wrestling with similar questions. Viktor doesn't feel like the right person to say this, given the various ways he suspects they've failed to meet their own standards, but the encouragement feels needed, regardless. "What's important is that you try, and you do not compromise, even when it gets hard. Maybe it's not my place to say, because I didn't know him, but I think he would have been proud of you. Of Hextech."
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Date: 2022-04-05 07:58 pm (UTC)"That's quite the assertion." Because, as they both know, Viktor doesn't like a lot of people. He's civil, yes, more than able to navigate the strange particularities of both the Academy and the larger scientific community, but as the years went on mostly withdrew from public life, in part because Jayce was so much better at navigating that world--and more palatable to Piltover, too. Generally speaking, Viktor has his doubts about those who care about the city, because more often than not they only care about one half of the city. Even Jayce, for all his talk of improving lives and their shared goal, slipped on occasion, and Viktor is not so far removed from home that he doesn't remember. Still, he wants to believe it, if only because Jayce is so earnest. Viktor leans against the worktable, thoughtful, eyes on the wrench that Jayce fidgets with.
"Being good is never easy." And it is, also, very subjective. It makes him wonder what they should really strive for, because being a good person is sometimes different than getting results. What is good, even? Doing the least harm possible? Creating actual, tangible change, even at the cost of one's integrity? He can tell, perhaps, based on Jayce's expression, that he's wrestling with similar questions. Viktor doesn't feel like the right person to say this, given the various ways he suspects they've failed to meet their own standards, but the encouragement feels needed, regardless. "What's important is that you try, and you do not compromise, even when it gets hard. Maybe it's not my place to say, because I didn't know him, but I think he would have been proud of you. Of Hextech."