Chapter Text
It was still dark out when Mel woke up.
She blinked hard as she came to herself. A small smile graced her lips at the reason why she was so out of it. Their first lovemaking was better than any dream she had and she had several over the last couple of years as they became better acquainted. She hummed contently as she turned her head to look at Jayce’s sleeping form-
His side of the bed was empty.
She put her hand on the sheets. His spot was cold. He’d been gone a good while. She stared at where he had been as realization sunk in. She swallowed the feeling attempting to come out.
”Jayce?” she called out.
She waited. But there was not a sound inside his apartment. She cursed under her breath as she got up to dress in haste.
She should have known better.
She shouldn’t have assumed, shouldn’t have thought there was something else here. He was a councilor now. They were on equal footing. He could take whatever he wanted. It was the way most people were.
…But she hadn’t thought it was how he was.
Her eyes stung. She rubbed her eyes hard and turned around to face herself in the mirror hanging on the wall.
”Get ahold of yourself,” she harshly reprimanded her reflection. “You’re not a child.”
It was how people were. She shouldn’t be so surprised. Of course that’s why he was around her so much. Asking for her opinions and always making a beeline for her at parties.
It was all a ploy. A hunt.
Deep down…she had known he was too good to be true. She took a couple more deep breaths with her eyes closed and then looked at herself in the mirror again.
”Better.”
She slipped out of his apartment.
Coming to Mel’s place, Jayce felt like he was walking numb.
The housekeeper showed him to another balcony. He looked curiously along the way but other than some priceless pieces the walls were noticeably devoid of photos.
This balcony was smaller than where the fundraiser had been, with sitting cushions, fruit, and a rather large painting. He almost mistook it for the landscape if Mel’s living quarters weren’t so high up.
”I didn’t know you were an artist.”
A stupid thing to say. He can see the truth of it right in front of him, the table of raw materials to mix her own paint to choose the exact shades she wanted. Of course she’d go that far as a painter. But she was painting in her white dress. Either she was confident she wouldn’t slip up or she wasn’t thinking clearly this morning either.
He dismissed that option. Mel was always in control.
He stepped closer, watching as she used her palette knife to lay on more red. She was painting boats. A fleet except no ships he’d ever seen before - the size of them left him a little in awe.
“Hm.” She was mixing colors on her palette but refusing to look at him still. He didn’t blame her. “There’s quite a lot about me you don’t know, Talis.”
Last name.
Of course she’d be angry. He left her in his own bed with no note even though he thought he’d be back long before she’d wake up. Nothing was going to plan. It was a mistake to come here in person. And yet…It was the least he could do.
“Listen, I’m sorry for disappearing last night.”
She made a sharp swipe of bright red on the canvas. “Duty calls.”
He just couldn’t do anything right lately. He let out a deep breath. He owed her the truth, even though he was still coming to terms with it himself. He looked down and saw a cushion. He settled down on it with a weariness he was finally allowing himself to feel. He swallowed hard and stared at a spot on the floor.
”Viktor’s dying,” he quietly rasped out.
Out of the corner of his eye he saw that she was very still. He blinked as his eyes began stinging. He heard her heels on the floor. He looked up briefly to see her put her palette down and come over.
It all came out.
He told her about what he really had wanted to do - what they wanted - how the fissures most likely made Viktor ill and that’s what they were supposed to be doing with hextech, helping people not doing trade deals and Viktor was dying and he didn’t know how bad it had been, Viktor was worse, Viktor had saved him once - his voice had cracked and he paused, covering his face briefly. And now there was nothing he could do for him.
Mel sat besides him, listening to him.
He kept rubbing the useless stone around his wrist. His mother had warned him magic wouldn’t save him, back when he was almost exiled. Maybe she had been right. Maybe magic couldn’t save anyone.
“I hate feeling so useless,” he rasped.
”I didn’t realize you were so close,” came her quiet response.
”Yeah,” he bitterly chuckled. “So close I didn’t notice he was dying. Gods.”
He rubbed his face, looked at her solemn, patient expression. He took a breath in, caught a whiff of the coconut lotion he’d seen her put on in her office and couldn’t help it.
He laid his head on her lap.
He felt her form stiffen from the initial shock of it. He shouldn’t be doing this. But he liked how close she was, how nice her lap felt for his weary head. He closed his eyes briefly and pretended they were just like any couple in the city and they just woke up and were watching the morning sun after breakfast in bed.
”Why…”
He opened his eyes and turned his head to catch her expression. She was confused. He wanted to laugh at his make believe. They couldn’t be a normal couple if they tried. He looked up her hand hovering above him. He didn’t want them to be just like any other couple. She was everything extraordinary.
“Why,” she restarted her question, “did you come to me with this?”
It was a soft question, no animosity. He rolled a little so he was more face to face with her.
”I just…” her hand laid on his chest. He felt better with that touch. Gods. Even just a look from her and he was alit like a furnace. “Nothing feels impossible.” He chanced grabbing her hand. She didn’t pull away. “When I’m with you.”
She let out a nearly quiet sigh. He’s not sure what kind of sigh that was.
”I’m an exile from my family.”
He felt his brow twitch at the idea. “You?” He shook his head. “Impossible.”
”You just said nothing is impossible with me,” came her amused reply.
He let out a snort. “Not like that.”
Her amused smile faded as she looked at the painting. He looked at it with her.
”Why?” He asked.
She rarely offered information about herself. There were no photographs or family portraits in her office or the parts of her home he saw.
Although, there was the night when they were on the balcony and she said Medarda only take and were not often the ones giving back.
She said this the night she taught him the secrets of the council, the night she aligned herself with him and his hextech when everyone else was drifting away from him yet again. The night he invited her up and she accepted with a smile. She had touched his hand out on the balcony, a soft question of interest and they kissed and made love on his bed like he’d dreamed of these past years even though he knew she was out of his league.
And now she was telling him she was an exile? He couldn’t fathom it.
”I fell short of Medarda standards.”
He didn’t miss how quiet her voice was. ”I don’t believe that for a second.” He turned his head to look at her. “Do you?”
Her lips parted and her eyes - gods, he didn’t want to see that expression in her eyes again - of despondency, of the weight of failure. She blinked and it was gone, only leaving concern as she looked down at him.
”You should be with him, Jayce.”
He knew she didn’t answer his question. He knew it was a deflection. But the reminder of what else happened last night made him look away. But he refused to let go of her hand. She had her fingers curled over his anyways.
“We can’t change what fate has in store for us,” she softly continued, “but we don’t have to face it alone.”
That offer was one she’s made to him many times, when things were going badly for him. What did she see in him? What made her repeatedly gamble on him when he proved time and again to be a wild card? He turned his head and kissed the side of her hand. She was no longer looking at the painting. Her fingers carded through his hair and he could only stare ahead at the canvas.
”It’s a beautiful painting.”
Her fingers went along his jawline. “You need a shave, Jayce.”
First name. He turned his head so he could see her again. She was tracing his facial features.
“I’m sorry,” he repeated.
”It was an emergency. I understand.”
“I thought I’d make it back before you woke up.”
”I don’t sleep for long.”
”I wanted to be there when you woke up,” he emphasized. “I was going to make you breakfast, make love again, and then we’d just cuddle in bed. That order was completely flexible.”
The corner of her lips quirked up. “You don’t even know how I like my eggs.”
”Poached?”
”Soft to medium boiled.”
”Of course. It couldn’t be hard or raw.”
”If you ever serve me raw, I’ll kick you out of my bed.”
“I’ll kick myself out if I do,” he laughed. Her eyes were brighter. He could get addicted to making her smile. “Are you touching my face so you can paint it?”
”I don’t do portraits.”
”You like boats.”
She let out a hum. “Among other things.”
“Have you painted a dog?”
”What?”
”No, wait,” he scrutinized her. “You feel more like a cat person.”
”Why would I paint a cat?”
”Because you like them.”
”I didn’t say I did.”
”You didn’t say you dislike them.”
She pinched his nose. “Your mother deserves all the wealth of Piltover for raising a brat like you.”
”So you like brats?”
”No.”
”But you like me and you called me a brat -“
”Don’t get ahead of yourself, Talis.”
”You cuddled my back. Isn’t that a sign of liking someone?” He narrowed his eyes. “Unless you were searching for my vital organs…”
A laugh escaped her lips. “You are absolutely ridiculous.”
”I like you.”
Her eyes were wide. He turned his head and kissed her thigh. Her fingers tightened around his fingers. This, he could focus on. Just her and him like it was supposed to be this morning. He kissed higher up on her thigh, keeping an eye on her face as he peppered upwards -
“Jayce.”
He hummed as his response but didn’t stop. Her skin was so smooth and the parts with gold were slightly cooler as his lips drifted across. He moved her hand into his hair as he rotated onto his stomach. He looked up at her as his thumb rubbed her knee. Her eyes were lidded now as she understood his intention.
”Here?” Her brows furrowed a little. “Now?”
“Yes.” He gave her thigh a nip. He kissed the area he bit. “Do you want me?”
Her lips parted as he stared unrelenting at her. “You know my answer.”
He moved her so her legs were on either side of him. “Tell me, Mel.”
“Jayce Talis-“ Her breath came out suddenly as his hands slowly dragged up her thighs and under her dress. “-I am not one of your academy admirers that’ll jump when you -“
“I was joking,” he half laughed.
She gave him a thin look. “It didn’t sound like it.”
He gave her a small smile. “Really. You don’t have to tell me anything. Now, if there’s sounds you want to make…”
He kissed up her inner thigh, nice and slow. She closed her eyes as his other hand went over her hip, his thumb caressing her hipbone and then slid down under her underwear, teasing her slowly, trailing up and down. She bit back a curse when his finger dipped in.
She stared up at the ceiling, following the intricate lines of gold before she closed her eyes again and moaned as his tongue flicked her clit.
“Ohh…”
She softly moaned as she laid down. He watched her arch, felt her fingers twitch and clench in his hair when he licked a sensitive spot. She loudly moaned into the open air when his fingers curled just so - he timed the next curl with a generous sucking of her clit.
”Oh, Jayce.”
She tugged at his hair. He pulled up enough to see her lifted head.
”I want you,” she huskily murmured.
“Yeah?”
She bit her lip and nodded. ”Strip,” she ordered.
He looked around the balcony. They were pretty high up. No one should see them. But doing this outside in broad daylight still added another level of heat to his already burning body. He sat up on his knees and undid his ascot, tossed it aside.
She raised herself on her elbows to watch. He unbuttoned his vest with a playful wag of his brows and she chuckled as he threw it off somewhere.
Her beautiful, keen hazel eyes never strayed from him. He undid the buttons of his dress shirt extra slowly, savoring the way her eyes lidded and her teeth gnawed at her bottom lip. Her hand drifted between her legs, teasing herself as he peeled off his shirt. He kept his eyes locked with hers as he ran his hands down his body to undo his pants but keeping them on.
”Stunning,” she breathed out.
He couldn’t lie, he preened at her approval. “Your turn.”
He gently pulled her hand from between her legs to help her sit up. When he saw her fingers were wet he couldn’t help but bring them to his mouth and suck them clean.
She breathed harder and surged forward, replacing her hand with her mouth. She painted kisses along his lips, his jawline, his neck, his collarbone. He groaned as she kissed down his pec and lightly swirled her tongue around his tit. He pulled her face back to his and kissed her deeply, indulging in the way she played with his tongue before he broke the kiss.
She made a sound of protest.
He decided to kiss her again while he blindly felt around for the clasps of her gown. His hands slid lovingly along her exposed back, feeling the difference in her warm skin and the cooler gold tattoo. He had to pull away from her mouth to lift the dress above her head and dropped it to the side where his clothes was.
He took a moment to cup her face, lean his forehead against hers and breath with her. Her hands came up to wrap around his wrists in a light hold.
”I’m glad,” she murmured.
He nudged her nose with his to prompt her further. She looked up at him with fondness in her eyes.
”I’m glad you came to see me.”
His thumbs rubbed light circles along her jaw. “I’m glad you forgave me.”
“I told you.” She shook her head. “There’s nothing to forgive. You were taking care of the people in your life.”
“But seeing me gone, I can only imagine what you must have assumed - but last night wasn’t like that.”
Her eyes drifted to the side and then went back up to his. “Never mind about that.”
”Mel,” he kissed her forehead, “last night was a culmination of several years’ worth of feelings.” He looked straight in her eyes. “It wasn’t a one time occurrence.”
A crooked smile appeared on her face. “Seeing as we’re having intercourse again, I would say not.”
“You know what I mean, right?”
Her smile gentled. “Take me to dinner sometime?”
”I already have a place in mind.”
”We have a deal, councilor.”
“No, not yet.” He tilted her chin upwards. “Gotta seal it properly with a kiss.”
It started out slow and soft, both of them learning the shape of the other’s lips and marveling at the sparks each brush created.
But after years of pining, slow was hard to keep doing. The kiss turned open mouthed and hungry, both of them moaning and touching as they sank back down on the cushions.
She pushed down his pants and took ahold of him, teasing him as he had done for her earlier. He softly groaned as he rocked with her hand until he was hard enough. He moved the pillows around so her hips were angled upwards and comfortable.
Pleasure lit up both of their faces as he ran his cock through her folds, slicking himself before pushing in gradually, not wanting to hurt her.
“More,” she groaned out.
He rocked at the same pace. She gripped the back of his head and kissed him hotly. He moaned in her mouth as her other hand trailed her nails up and down his back, making him shiver. He paused to adjust her again, bringing her legs up so her ankles rested along his shoulders.
”This fine?”
He gave an experimental roll of his hips. Her lips parted as pleasure shot up her body.
”Oh gods Jayce.”
He watched as she bit her lips and pulled at her hair. “Guess I’m a good investment after all,” he teased.
She gave him a scolding look but it was quickly replaced with an open mouthed moan. His grin quickly scrunched up in a gasp as she rolled into his thrust. He leaned forward to kiss her but only managed to catch her bottom lip.
Further snarky remarks were forgotten as they found their rhythm.
She was already sensitive from his teasing earlier. Her toes curled as she came. Just hearing her was more than enough to make him come but he held off long enough to make her come a second time with a swirl of his cock against her clit and teasing her folds.
They took a breather on her cushions. He buried his face against her chest. Her fingers lightly played with his hair.
”Got any plans today?” he asked.
”Not particularly. You?”
”I probably do but I don’t want to go.”
”Stay for lunch?”
A slow grin appeared on his face. “I already ate.”
She pinched his ear. He laughed.
They spent the rest of the day naked.
They had lunch naked, took a shower and cuddled on her bed naked. Then, the inevitable wandering of hands occurred, followed by kissing and sucking. She promptly rolled him on his back and rode him. He kept his hands on her hips to touch her but let her control the pacing.
She tried going slow, savoring him, but the way he was looking at her with his lips parted in equal parts awe and pleasure, and how deliciously thick he was, she quickened the pace. She moaned up to the ceiling as he started thrusting up in time with her.
”Gods, you’re incredible,” he groaned out.
Her brows scrunched up as she felt herself getting closer, closer - she gasped as he roughly rubbed her clit.
“Yes, Jayce. Yes, yes-!”
He didn’t stop as she shivered and came, her head falling back as he sent her flying out of her skin. He took over the lead but kept her on top of him. His hands on her hips lifted her up and down on his cock while he rolled up into her.
She closed her eyes as he loudly groaned out her name, his thrusts getting erratic as he came. Her nails scratched his stomach as her fingers clenched.
He laid still beneath her.
She allowed herself to slide down into his arms. He kissed her temple as she cuddled up against his chest.
“I liked that,” he rumbled out. “Liked it a lot.”
He wasn’t going to forget how she looked above him with her hair loose and getting in her mouth - no, he was going to be on his deathbed and still remember how she looked.
“I enjoyed it as well.” She nuzzled her face in the crook of his neck. “I do like you.” She made little figure eights along his collarbone. “More than I should,” she mumbled to herself.
“I didn’t hear that last part.”
”It was nothing.” She sighed and closed her eyes. “I’m tired.” She kissed his pulse and gave it a little suck. “The Hammer of Piltover did well.”
He let out a choking sound. “The what?”
“It’s what people call you.” She softly laughed. “Didn’t you know?”
”I thought it was the Man of Progress.”
”You have two nicknames.”
”…Dare I ask if it’s for my family forge or for sexual insinuations?”
“Probably both.” She shrugged. “You're gorgeous, darling. Society tends to make many speculations about pretty people.”
“Glad you’re so calm about it.” He lightly flushed.
“It’s not my nickname.”
”Alright you.” He rolled them over, making her let out a surprised sound. “Not your nickname,” he repeated with a chuckle.
She flinched as he tickled her side.
”Tell me the truth now.” He got her to flinch again as he found another ticklish spot. “Did you make a move on me to see if the rumors were true?”
“Of course not!” She twisted as he rubbed her side. “I told you I like you.”
“Sorry I didn’t hear that.”
”Jayce!”
He grunted as she maneuvered him to the side. He blinked as she laid next to him with her arms crossed.
“How’d you do that?”
“I told you,” she primly sniffed. “There’s a lot you don’t know about me.”
”I’m sorry.” He lightly kissed her shoulder. “I took the teasing too far.”
She harrumphed. He came up and put his arm over her stomach. He ventured putting his head near hers, on the same pillow. She didn’t pull away. He kissed the top of her head. She turned her head to look at him. His hand rubbed circles along her stomach. She leaned in and lightly sucked on his bottom lip.
His hand trailed down. ”One more?” he quietly asked.
Her body was tired but her eyes lidded against her better judgment. “Please.”
Her dark lashes fluttered as his fingers teased between her legs. He murmured softly to her, telling her how beautiful she was, how wonderful she felt, how much he wanted her, wanted her clever mind and her moments of softness and trust, telling her she was safe with him, to trust him.
It was pillow talk, she knew. But it didn’t stop her from believing it despite her knowing he couldn’t protect her from everything even if he wanted to.
She glanced up at the painting on her wall, the bleeding red she had been avoiding to see while she rode him and had situated herself to face the rest of the room instead of the painting.
His free hand touched her cheek. She looked at him and kept her eyes on him. She trembled as he rubbed her sweet spot while his thumb made circles on her clit.
“Come, Mel. It’s ok.” He kissed her upper lip. “Let go, dearest.”
She clenched the pillow hard as she came. She gasped out his name with her eyes squeezing shut. He slowed down, letting her catch her breath. She slowly opened her eyes. He was licking his fingers clean. She made a soft sound. He put both of his arms around her to hold her.
”Good?”
She nodded. “Good.”
They were getting drowsy. Just before she fell asleep, she murmured,
“I should paint you.”
He blinked hard to keep from sleeping. “I thought you don’t do portraits.”
”Not typically.”
He smiled and pulled her in closer. They soon fell asleep.