"Of course you were an excellent assistant, you're excellent at everything you do." Viktor is a literal genius, there is no end to what he's capable of. Jayce may be biased but he also thinks it's pretty obviously true. Jayce knew generally that Heimerdinger had an assistant, but he didn't know anything about him. When Heimerdinger visited him, he didn't bring anything other than his pet along with him. Jayce was very absorbed in his own life and work.

Jayce shrugs. "Technically they do, but it's a family business. Training your own kid young is just smart." Kids take in tons of information and they learn well, so by the time Jayce was older, it's all become second nature. He isn't at all sorry about it, he loves that he knows the trade. "I was already interested. I was playing with hammers as far back as I can remember."

Jayce's eyes widen and he takes the adorable clockwork boat, smiling as he looked it over. The cranks and wheels could turn, he sees that, perfect for putting into the water. "I would have. You were already inventing things even then." His mind is so beautiful it actually hurts Jayce to think about it sometimes.

"Unfortunately, neither of us would have been where we were when we met if we always had each other." They wouldn't have been lonely. Maybe they would have come up with incredible things earlier, but so much of who they are is also defined by what they didn't have. Their drive to be better, to prove themselves. Having a childhood soulmate would have changed that. "But I like the idea anyway."