Chapter Text
Jayce wasn’t meant for a desk job. He’d known this his whole life. Everyone else seemed to be just now figuring it out. All it took was a few misfires inside his desk and suddenly, he wasn’t the golden boy anymore. Always harping on about progress, yet failure is a foreign concept to them. Nothing new to learn if you’re always succeeding.
Jayce’s boss hadn’t even bothered chewing him out, simply sent him away with a disappointed shake of his head. Little did he know that Jayce was secretly celebrating. There would be a lot to figure out tomorrow, but god, did he hate that fucking job. So, just for tonight, he tried to ignore all his worries and relish in the fact that he never had to sit in that stupid cubicle ever again.
Then his mother called. Jayce hadn’t told anyone about his newfound freedom yet, but somehow, Ximena knew. She always knew.
“Hey mom,” Jayce was forfeiting his carefree night by answering, but he wouldn’t in a million years ignore her call.
“Jayce? You seem weird. What happened?” Forward as ever, that woman. Jayce loved her, but he wished every now and then that it might be possible to keep a secret.
“What do you mean, mama?” Silence on her end. A sigh from Jayce. “I got fired.”
“What?! What for?”
“Something may or may not have exploded in my desk and damaged a lot of company property.” Jayce paused. “Something that I may or may not have built and left in there.”
“Jayce Talis! What were you thinking?”
“Well, to be honest, I was thinking that it wouldn’t blow up.”
Ximena simply sighed. “I know you hated it there, Jayce, but it was good.”
“I know, mom. I’m sorry.” Jayce may have hated that job with the passion of a thousand suns, but he hated disappointing his mother with the passion of a thousand and one. “I’ll figure something out, I promise.”
“I know you will, honey. Get some rest because tomorrow you are on the hunt for a new job. Bright and early. And make sure you eat something.” For all her lecturing and yelling, she really cared about him. It just made Jayce even more guilty for the sleep she was going to lose because of him.
“I will. Love you, mom.”
“I love you too, Jayce. Goodnight, mijo.”
Jayce hung up the phone and just sat. He hadn’t left his car yet, still in the parking lot of his apartment complex. Didn’t have the energy. Maybe he’d just sleep here, save himself the trip. He was seriously considering it, but a twinge of pain in his back made him reconsider. Still, he remained in the car for a few more minutes before he could make himself open the door.
With the elevator out of order for the past week, it was quite a hike to his place on the eleventh floor. I fucking hate this city, Jayce thought on floor nine. He found himself thinking this sentiment more and more frequently as of late. If it weren’t for his mother, he’d have left a long time ago.
They two of them had come here after a particularly low time in search of opportunity. Isn’t that how it always is? Sure, they found it and they were better off than before, but Jayce never felt like they truly belonged. But he’d never had a real reason to leave besides a general feeling of discontent. And his mother seemed so happy to have him close. They were the only family they had.
Jayce finally reached his floor, short for breath as he turned his key in the lock. The moment he was through the door, his shoes were off his feet and he collapsed on his bed.
He held no resentment towards Ximena. He stayed more out of his own sense of obligation than her actual need. She could fare perfectly well on her own, Jayce knew this, but he still felt like he couldn’t leave her. Or maybe it was that Jayce was too afraid to be on his own. Whatever the reason, he was still here and wasn’t leaving anytime soon. He may be out of a job, but he had a home. He had his mother. He told himself that was enough.
Jayce didn’t even bother changing out of his work clothes before drifting off to sleep.
***
The next morning was spent in a haze. Somehow, Jayce had managed to remove his shirt in his sleep and also throw all of his covers to the other side of the room. He rolled out of bed, literally, and trudged into the kitchen.
Seven minutes. That’s how long he spent staring at half empty cupboards trying to find something to eat before deciding he wasn’t that hungry. His mother’s words from the night before were bouncing around his head, but all he could bring himself to do was collapse on his sofa. He turned on the TV. Nothing good, but he watched anyway.
The entire day went by in a blur. Jayce was pretty sure he cried at least once, but he can’t remember. Why was he even like this? He hated his job. He was glad to be rid of it. He knew that for sure, but then why was he taking it so poorly?
It was well into the evening when his phone rang. It was his mother again. Jayce didn’t want to answer. Not when he was like this. She would know something was wrong. She would demand he tell her. And he wouldn’t be able to because he didn’t even know himself. He was worried he would snap at her. But he answered the phone anyway.
“Hello?” Jayce winced. His voice was so much weaker than he’d intended.
“Jayce? What’s wrong?”
“It’s nothing, ma. Why did you call?” Please let it go.
“Hmm…” Ximena paused. “I made dinner. You should come over and eat with me.”
“...Why?” Even with Ximena’s overbearing hospitality, this was weird and sudden.
“Because I’m your mother,” she snapped. “And because I have something to tell you.”
“What is it?”
“Just come over for dinner, Jayce. Love you, honey!”
She hung up before Jayce could say anything else. He groaned. Didn’t have much of a choice now.
***
It had been too long since Jayce shared a proper meal with his mother. God, she was good at cooking, and that’s an understatement. Crazy how this one thing was able to take him out of the slump he’d been in all day, even if just temporarily.
“So, what was it you wanted to tell me?” Jayce said between mouthfuls.
Ximena stood up from the table and grabbed something from the counter. When she sat back down, she waved it in the air. It was a letter.
“This came in the mail today.” Ximena was grinning. “It’s about a blacksmith opening in a cute little place called Pelican Town.”
“A blacksmith?” Jayce didn’t know what to think. Ever since he was little, smithing had been his passion. He used to work as one, until the city shut down the forge and he was forced to his desk job. On paper, this was a perfect opportunity. He could do what he loved and the timing couldn’t have been better. But there were also so many uncertainties. He’d never lived far from his mother, and didn’t want to leave her all alone. He had a life here, even if it wasn’t ideal as of late.
The whole reason he and his mother came here in the first place was because of the opportunity. For Jayce, that meant the opportunity to change the world for the better. To help people. Granted, he wasn’t doing very well on that front lately, but he would forfeit every chance if he moved to a town with a population of 6. Jayce’s mind was running a mile a minute, but one question pushed to the front of his thoughts.
“Wait, why did they send you a letter?”
Ximena rubbed the back of her neck. “Well, it was addressed to your father.”
Jayce couldn’t help but laugh and Ximena shot him a sharp look.
“Sorry, I just—how out of touch are these people? And why did they send him a letter anyway?”
“I’m not sure. Your father never said anything about this to me when I knew him. But, according to the letter, he worked there as a blacksmith awhile back. I guess he left and didn’t keep contact.”
“Clearly.” Jayce grabbed the letter from her and silently read it through. “And you think I should go in his place.”
Ximena nodded. “You have the skill. I don’t see why not.”
“I do! It’s like a million miles away! And they’re asking for my father, not me. Even dead, he’s better in the forge than I’ll ever be. Besides, I have a life here. I can’t just up and leave on a whim.”
“If it’s me you’re worried about, Jayce, don’t be. I think it would be really good for you to get away from all of this. And if you hate it, you can just come right back.”
Jayce sighed. “The whole reason I stayed in the stupid city is because I want to make a difference. I know I can cha—”
“Change the world. I know , Jayce. And I know you will. But you have to remember that the world starts with people. You have such a passion, Jayce. All you’ve ever wanted was to improve people’s lives. But if you stay here, you’re stuck. We both know it. If you really want to help people, maybe you can start with these ones.”
Jayce didn’t know what to say. Didn’t know what to do. All of this was happening too fast. Just yesterday he’d been at his boring desk doing his boring job. Now he and his mother were discussing him moving hundreds of miles away.
“Just think about it, okay?”
“Yeah, of course, mama.”
***
Jayce couldn’t sleep. He glanced at his clock for the fourth time in the last five minutes.
2:14am.
The more he thought about it, the more he realized that it made so much sense to go. And the more he thought about it, the more he didn’t want to. He kept repeating himself all the reasons to stay. And yet, he was still undecided. That was probably an answer enough in and of itself.
2:23am.
He wouldn’t know anyone. It would be a fresh start. He’d be completely alone. Would he have time to visit his mother? Would she visit him? What a stupid question, of course she would. She’d probably visit so often he’d get sick of her. He’d probably have to keep a permanent room for her to stay in. He chuckled just thinking about it.
2:30am.
He could always come back if it didn’t work out.
2:31am.
Well, fuck.