WHO: Mel Medarda & Jayce Talis WHAT: A pride stroll/date + takling about their newly established polycule WHEN: June 22nd late WARNINGS: None STATUS: Complete
Jayce knew if he brought Viktor to the city’s light festival, they’d get distracted and discuss the science and magic behind it before anything else. He was self-aware enough to know that it wasn’t always preferred to tag along behind them when they got into science mode, even with as reasonable as Mel was towards the pair of them.
So he planned it out. Bringing her first meant he could appreciate the view and go in surprised by it all, and then give himself time to mentally prepare to keep up with Viktor the next night. The atmosphere of it all first, with an added dinner, and then followed by letting himself become engulfed in the science of it all after.
Planned, set, dated. He’d already taken time to appreciate her outfit of the evening, and they’d had a nice dinner. What he hadn’t, for all his genius, prepared for, was the thunder that rumbled overhead as they stepped under a rainbow-lit awning. “Uh- well that doesn’t bode well.”
Mel had been on more than a few dates in her life but almost all of them had been strategic. They had been planned by her, deftly organized and tightly controlled for the outcome she had in mind. Jayce had made it difficult to be that version of herself from the start, though. Jayce planned and it was charming, not procedural. A date before a date. She would get the affable version and Viktor would get the engrossed one; they'd both have an enjoyable time. The possibility of rain seemed a small concern in comparison.
"It almost seems fitting. So many rainbows must have some rain involved…" Mel smiled and threaded an arm through his, weaving their fingers together. She didn't often instigate public displays of affection, but it felt right in the moment. "We should negotiate now for your jacket. What would it take for you to hold it over my head if it starts to rain?"
Jayce tried not to look pleased at the touches, but it was a difficult ask of him. He liked physical contact, was often the first to initiate the more casual touches. They grounded him, having grown up with a mother that wasn’t afraid for her son to know she loved him. Jayce liked being able to pay that forward, when his head wasn’t stuck in science.
“Ooooh, I don’t know,” he teased right back, playing hard-to-get despite them both knowing he’d lay it down in mud if she needed him to. “This jacket was tailored for me specifically. It’s a little difficult to get off in time. What if,” He leaned down to her to whisper as if it was a secret. “I offer to pay someone a large amount of money for their umbrella?”
Mel huffed a little laugh, feigning offense until he got around to his suggestion. There was something delightful about the thought of Jayce bribing people. Even if it was only for an umbrella. Plus he looked pleased and he was so close. She narrowed her eyes thoughtfully up at him. Anyone else might have thought she looked suspicious, but Jayce would likely recognize the mischief more commonly aimed his way. “Hm. How large? What’s the going rate of an umbrella these days?”
They were passing a display of particular impressive lights and she let her gaze drift to it in distracted appreciation. She might not have had Jayce and Viktor’s scientific brilliance, but she had a keen respect for advancement and invention. Creation, rather than destruction. “You might have had more funds to work with if you’d helped with the technical aspects of this festival.”
She was close enough that it was an easy thing for him to lean down and steal a kiss. “Beg a kiss” might have been the term he would have used years before, when whatever they had was a lot more of a delicate balance of politics and lust. Jayce wasn’t a fool, he’d figured he had fallen in easier than she had, but it had been the same with Viktor. “When it comes to your comfort, there’s no upper limit,” He cheesed out with a grin.
It would have felt smoother on someone who didn’t immediately look so pleased with himself. He tugged her along, trying to spot an awning just as the rain droplets started. “Are you worried about my finances? I promise we’re doing well for ourselves, even without working on the light festival. That just makes this--” Jayce gestured above them to the lights, and got distracted for a moment staring at the wonder. His voice drifted off like he was looking into space, “all the more exciting.”
Mel smiled against Jayce’s mouth, helplessly charmed by his sweetness. “No upper limit,” she repeated with teasing awe. “And he says I don’t need to worry about his finances.” She wasn’t, not really. She’d learned her lesson about Jayce. He was an easy target when it came to leading him by nose – or rather, by the emotions - but he was better at getting the job done than she would ever have thought at first glance. And he didn’t make a habit of just telling her what she wanted to hear. That was one of the first pleasant surprises about him.
Of course, the chance of her hair getting wet wasn’t pleasant at all. Mel was sure she would’ve considered that fact if Jayce wasn’t so distracting. She ducked under an awning and glared up at the sky. “All flirting aside, if this really gets going, I will not be too proud to ask Viktor to send Blitzcrank to us with an umbrella. I don’t want to cut things short,” she admitted, glancing softly at him. “I’ve been looking forward to this.”
At her glare, Jayce immediately started shrugging out of his jacket. He hadn’t been joking (much) when he’d commented that it was tailored to fit him, so it didn’t come off as quick as it might have, but he wasted no time offering it to her just as a few drops fell from the sky. “I’m sure Blizcrank would be happy to help if it picks up, but we can dodge into a shop nearby if it gets too bad?”
But he had been looking forward to it as well, even if he got two pre-planned chances. But he still smiled fondly at her after glancing up at the lights. “If the worst case is that we end up in a cafe for a few hours, I’m not complaining.”
It wouldn’t be very nice to laugh at Mr. Broad Shoulders trying to wiggle out of his fitted jacket, but Mel wasn’t always very nice. Besides, it was attractive. She liked watching him strip in any and all circumstances. So much so that she had to blink and refocus on the subject at hand when he held out the jacket. Mel took it and held it up over her hair, looking up at Jayce from under its shadow.
“Thank you. You’re obnoxiously handsome when you’re chivalrous and taking off your clothes, just so you know.” Flashing a dangerous smile, she stepped out from under the awning and gestured to some more lights not far off. “I can hold out for a bit. Wrap an arm around me and point out your favorite lights?”
Jayce flushed under her scrutiny like he usually did. She had always been very good at breaking him apart with just a look, and now was no different, even in the dim rain and haze of the evening, glowing joy hovering above them. It was really no problem at all to do just as she asked and wrap an arm around her, one as protective as he could make it.
“I think I like the bubble ones the most,” He gestured to one just ahead, floating in the air, spinning, glowing a vibrant yellow hue. It was a marvel of magic and technology as it looked almost alive. The color reminded him of her. “I think Viktor will like the ones that change color and shape.” It was nothing new for him to slip his partner in on the conversation, but he did falter a little as he shifted the conversation back to her. “Speaking of,”
Jayce’s free hand came up to the back of his neck to rub nervously, “How are you feeling about all of-- that. Him?”
She liked his choice. It matched her aesthetic and it was impressive too. As the subject shifted, Mel saw his line of questioning coming. It was a good question after all. Here, away from the subject it revolved around. The rain trickled down off the edges of Jayce jacket, but it was still only a light drizzle. Not terrible enough to make her look like a drowned rat looking up at him from under cover. Not nearly distracting enough to avoid overthinking their arrangement either. Not that she wanted to avoid this conversation.
"I'm feeling…good. I'm a little surprised it's all working out as it is, but then you were a surprise too. It shouldn't surprise me that your life partner would change the rules too." Mel glanced away. "I admit, I don't have any experience with this kind of thing and that leaves me a little unsettled. How are you feeling?"
With her hair already tucked neatly, he just let his hand soothingly brush over the long column of her neck reassuringly. Mel unsettled was enough to rattle an entire compound, in his experience, but then he also knew she hid a lot under that shockingly calm facade. He’d never been able to figure out how she kept things under wraps so easily.
Jayce didn’t need much time to think about her question right back - it was a fair one. “I’m good? Good enough that it’s more excitement than unsettlement on my end.” His smile was a little shameless, but his cheeks still flushed with embarrassment. “It’s a bit like a dream coming true and maybe a little too good to believe with the two parts of me coming together,, so I have to get over that wish fulfillment part.”
Mel closed her eyes and tipped her chin up to him, exposing more of her neck to his touch. It was a vulnerable feeling, which was probably the better word for unsettled, but she wasn’t sure she was ready to admit that out loud. Things were always easier when ever assumed she had everything under control. That she wasn’t afraid of anything. Her fear was that of getting very attached anyway and looking up at his bright flushed face, it was hard to remember the negative potential in that.
“I’m glad you’re happy. I promise any…discomfort for me is rooted in the same excitement. I’m not used to wanting anything like this.” That was almost admitting too much but again, Jayce’s charming face unmoored her. “I didn’t let myself. Intimacy with one person was dangerous enough for a person in a position of power, let alone intimacy with two.” Mel checked the sky and when it appeared the trickling rain wasn’t turning into a downpour yet, she lowered Jayce’s jacket to rise up on her toes and kiss him. “You’re both very special, you know.”
Jayce was unspeakably soft for her, as much as he had tried not to be for a while, he had given in and was glad for it. Viktor had gotten that softness early enough, but both of them had done a good job at putting up walls around themselves. Jayce had never been good at keeping his own walls up for very long.
It showed clear as day on his face now, looking down at her. Even in the magical glow and the rain and fog that was slowly seeping in, it hadn’t diminished the heat in his gaze. “I’m not used to seeing you like this,” his earnestness got away from him but he wasn’t sorry, instead just grinned unapologetically at her before he swept down to meet her for that kiss. “I like it.”
"Oh no," Mel laughed, dropping back to her heels to press a hand over his mouth. "I've opened a can of worms here, haven't I? You're practically beaming." She didn't sound especially regretful. If anything, she sounded flustered for half a second and then the ship righted itself. "Come on, you handsome sap. I was promised a date."
Slipping his jacket over her nearly bare shoulders, she tucked an arm through his and pulled him forward on the sidewalk. "If you show me a good time, I might even encourage more of these public displays of affection. You never know…"
“It’s all downhill from here,” Jayce confirmed with a smug grin. He tightened his hold on her arm as they waded into the light rain, slight bounce to his step. This felt like a win, a good push in the right direction, and if she was already making promises of public displays of affection, well…
He was all too happy to move along at whatever speed that ship sailed, as it stayed on course.