Rule of Threes-Jayce/Viktor/Mel

Golden Boy

Jayce straightened his tie in the mirror, his back straight & his shoulders pushed back, he looked dignified, glowing, Piltover's golden boy on a marble pedestal. Viktor wasn't jealous of him as many were, Jayce deserved it after all. He'd rather it be Jayce than him, a fitting, spotless picture for their Hextech dream in the public's eye.

Viktor fidgeted with his crutch, catching a glance of himself behind Jayce in the mirror. "something on your mind?" Jayce asked, Viktor met his eyes in the reflective surface "nothing that is of concern" he said back, smoothing out his vest as Jayce turned to look at him directly. "you think too much, Viktor, it's what you do best" Viktor scoffed, but a tiny smile curled at his lips "yes, well, I suppose what I lack in...social graces I possess in intellectual capacity" Jayce laughed at his not so subtle self praise, glancing at a clock on the wall that was making an endless ticking noise. "dust off those social skills then, Vik, the council is waiting for the genius doctor Viktor & his lab partner" Viktor gave a sarcastic chuckle at that, but didn't comment on it.

Mel was standing in the vast ballroom with impossibly high golden ceilings & intricately crafted stone floors. She was making meaningless chatter with fellow socialites & sipping exceptionally sweet wine that she suspected was an illegal import-something she chose to keep to herself.

Jayce arrived fashionably late as always, his lab partner following behind him. Mel let a smile cross her face, mauve lipgloss shimmering in the light as she glided across the polished stone towards her guests "gracious of you to make an appearance, Mister Talis" she said, a light air of playfulness in her voice. "apologies, I seemed to have misplaced my favorite tie" Jayce offered as a reason, it wasn't true, but Mel let him pretend he was fooling anyone. Mel turned towards Viktor, who was slightly behind Jayce, she found herself amused by his display of anxiety. "Viktor, I presume?" She asked, voice like a light floral perfume. Viktor suddenly looked at her with raised eyebrows, as if he was surprised she addressed him "um-yes. That is me" he said simply, a little informal considering the person he was talking to, but Mel didn't seem to mind. "a pleasure finally seeing you outside of that lab, I was starting to think you never left" she said, her smile never leaving her. Viktor didn't seem impressed "yes well, with all due respect, Hextech doesn't just appear out of thin air, councilor" Mel gave a sip of her glass as Jayce looked at Viktor like he had two heads "ah, what he meant to say was-" Mel cut him off "I know what he meant, Jayce, no need to clarify". her & Viktor never broke eye contact, it wasn't a challenge, but Mel knew a fox when she met one. "Hextech takes more than one brilliant mind after all" she said, words as smooth as silk.

Eventually Mel had pulled Jayce towards the circle of wealthy Pilties that were drooling over Hextech money making schemes like hungry dogs. Viktor followed only because he felt tied to Jayce, without him he felt lost in this spiders web of politics & social cues. Jayce was being shown off like a shiny necklace, Viktor knew he knew this, but it didn't bother him, at least it never seemed that way.

No one really looked at Viktor, nothing more than a passing glance. That was fine by him, social niceties never struck him as desirable, he was used to being a fly on the wall so to speak. Jayce put a heavy arm on his shoulders, he'd been talking & Viktor hadn't been listening. "-I'm sure you're all well aware of my lab partner, Viktor" Jayce said, voice warm like honey & oh so...unassuming. Viktor cringed internally as he felt wealthy, prying eyes feast on him. "ehh Jayce...there is no need" he muttered, gently taking his arm off his shoulders & backing away a little from the circle. "I am rather ehh, thirsty, I will take my leave" he said slowly, retreating away to a refreshments table not far away, a socially acceptable escape.

Jayce followed shortly after, muddled half-apologies to the guests on his lips. He caught up with Viktor easily, eyebrows furrowed "what's going on? Are you feeling alright?" He asked, Viktor answered with his usual dry tone "I am not who they are here to see, Jayce" Jayce seemed confused by this. He was all too honest with his emotions "what do you mean? You're a father of Hextech, of course they'd want to see you". topsiders, all too ignorant of their own people. Viktor paused, not sure how to explain to Jayce why rich businesspeople didn't want to see him "I am...not the vision they see when they envision Hextech. You are. You play the perfect role, do not let me get in your way" Jayce looked almost offended "is this what this is to you? A role?" He accused. Viktor sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose "it is a role if we want it to be or not. Such is politics".

Jayce was about to make a rebuttal when the familiar click of heels approached, Mel stood before them, a now empty wine glass in hand. "your sponsors are eager for your company" she said, eyes grazing over the two men "is everything alright?" She asked, calm & collected as always. If Viktor didn't know better he'd say nothing ever got to her. Jayce started "apologies, I just-uh-I was attempting to introduce Viktor to our sponsors &..." he didn't finish his sentence, but Mel understood a little too quickly "ah, I see. Jayce, could you entertain our guests for a second? I would like some more wine" spirits weren't what she was after, but a slightly bewildered Jayce Talis walked away anyway, leaving Viktor & Mel alone at the table. Viktor avoided eye contact, not watching her refill her glass.

"You don't have to care what they think, you know" Mel said, taking a sip of her glass. Viktor shifted awkwardly "is that...not the point of having sponsors?" He asked slowly, Mel smiled at that, a real smile "not necessarily. Your Hextech has proved itself to this city, they can not like you all they want, but they can't deny good business when they see it-they would be foolish to" it was here she found herself taking the look of Viktor in. He'd gotten paler since they'd last met, though he certainly looked nice in a suit. "...Jayce talks about you often" she said suddenly, this made him raise his eyes from the table "he does?" Mel nodded, looking entertained by his reaction "he thinks very highly of you, you know" Viktor cleared his throat, his voice getting a little more high pitched "we spend most of our time together, I suppose that's to be expected" he said, trying to brush it off. Mel put a hand on her hip "so you think of him highly as well then?" He stammered "well yes, of course I do, he is...a good friend to me".

Mel was outwardly unfazed by this whole thing, it was maddening to Viktor being unable to read her. "ah, I see, apologies for the...assumption" she said, leaving Viktor only more confused. "what assumption?" He asked, Mel didn't give a straight answer, instead she put a light hand on his shoulder "I would suggest putting up with their social games for now. For the good of Hextech" Viktor just looked at her with a face of bewilderment before she glided off to attend to...matters of great importance he assumed.

This whole thing was doing his head in, he'd told Jayce this was a bad idea, that he worked better behind a curtain than in the spotlight, but he had insisted.

"They'd love you, you know" he'd said, his golden glow & bronzed skin, his broad, sturdy shoulders, they commanded confidence, strength. He was so much more...grand than Viktor. He was something so much more "they'll see what we can do, what you can do, it'll be an awakening" their Hextech dream...it all seemed possible when it was coming out of Jayce Talis' mouth.