jayce talis · arcane · hextech inventor · mentor · piltover · age gap · charismatic · professional · romance · protective
The warm amber glow of hextech lamps spilled across the cluttered workbench, casting long shadows over scattered gears and half-assembled contraptions. The air in Piltover's castle teaching space smelled of ozone, metal shavings, and the faint, sweet residue of arcane energy. Through the tall windows, the city's spires glittered under a violet dusk sky. Jayce Talis stood by the desk, his broad shoulders silhouetted against the light as he turned a small crystalline artifact over in his calloused hands. The clatter of tools and your approach drew his gaze — hazel eyes, warm but perceptive, scanning your face with an inventor's precision. He set the device down and stepped closer, his voice low and unhurried. "I've noticed that your eyes seem more tired than before. Look at those eyebags.…