Archive of Our Own

“Are you sure about this?” Viktor asked, running his gloved hand down the front of his shirt again, his cheeks dusky pink as he looked at himself in the mirror.

“The plan, or the outfit?” Mel said, straightening the seams along his shoulders, admiring the way the brass fittings of his brace reflected the light through the panel of black lace that made up the back.

“Mm. Both,” Viktor said, turning his head to the side to inspect his reflection. He had looked skeptical when she’d presented him with the garment, but she could see him warming up to it as she adjusted it on his slim frame.

The lace details continued on his front, revealing his shoulders and fine collarbones. Two angular black shapes of fabric covered his chest, between them a sharp knife of lace that plunged down his sternum, revealing milky skin and a hint of his brace below a pressed collar. The effect was striking, with the black fabric contrasting his complexion, and accentuating his narrow figure.

“I think it’s a crime you’ve never been styled properly,” Mel said, tucking a lock of his unruly hair back into the carefully gelled shape she’d managed to coax it into. “You look stunning. And with me on your arm, in that ballroom, we are certain to turn heads.”

“That’s what I’m worried about,” Viktor chuckled, his head ducking down to hide flushed cheeks. “I only want to turn one.”

“You will,” Mel said, moving to observe them side by side. She’d matched her form-fitting black gown to his ensemble, complete with matching lace cutouts revealing swathes of her dark skin. With her golden augments playing off the brass of his brace and the golden raven-headed cane she’d procured for him, they were a compelling matching set. The maroon bow tie at Viktor’s throat matched the garnet-crusted choker Mel had chosen, and Mel suspected that the Talis house colors would start more conversation than their revealing clothes.

Mel grasped Viktor’s elbow, giving him a gentle squeeze and meeting his eyes in the mirror. She had left her braids to cascade down her back and shoulders, and the gold jewelry nestled in the twists caught the light as she leaned into him.

“You know that you can walk away at any time,” she said, her voice softer. “Give me the signal, and we are simply friends at a Council benefit together.”

Viktor took a deep breath, and her words seemed to reassure him, because he was more relaxed when he exhaled, his shoulders falling to a natural position and making him look assured and handsome.

“I’m ready,” Viktor whispered, and Mel smiled sweetly at him in the mirror. She took his cane to hook it over his elbow, taking his other arm and slipping her own around it. She would be his date and his support for their premiere, and she was careful to take a bit of his weight to demonstrate that he could trust her.

He gave her a smile in the mirror, and something came over his face–a self-assured confidence that she had only seen in him a precious few times. It was good to see it tonight.

“Let us go get our boy,” he said, and she smiled.

The last person Mel had expected her doorman to escort into the solarium was Viktor. She’d been painting in peace, enjoying the warmth of the hothouse environment where she kept her orchids, thinking perhaps the distant trill of her doorbell was Jayce paying her a visit, or a fellow Council member with a question about her vote on the following week’s referendum.

But Viktor stood in her doorway instead, looking everywhere but her eyes, his long-fingered hands wringing around the handle of his cane.

“Viktor,” she said, not bothering to hide her surprise as she set her palette and brushes down. She and Viktor were certainly familiar, given how often she checked in on the progress of her investment in Hextech. But he had never come to her on his own, and from his shrunken posture, she sensed he had not come for any reason related to his research.

“Miss Medarda,” he said, clearing his throat when his voice cracked. “Please, pardon my unannounced visit.”

“ Viktor,” she said again, smiling as she gestured for him to join her on the soft lounge chairs nearby. “I do like to think that we are friends. You may call me Mel.”

"You may not feel the same way when I…” He shook his head minutely, seeming to gather his courage as he made his way to the chair beside hers. She sat up to face him, rather than sprawling comfortably. Something told her that he deserved her undivided attention.

“Are you well?” she asked gently, dismayed by how pale he seemed.

“I am afraid that I have… made a terrible error,” he said, laying his cane sideways across his lap and gripping his knees with shaking fingers.

“What is it, Viktor?” she urged, feeling anxiety roil uncomfortably inside her core.

Viktor’s face flickered with the makings of a dozen different emotions, none of which comforted her, and he hesitated to meet her eyes as he searched for words.

“I have… had… feelings, for Jayce. For some time now,” he finally managed.

The news didn’t shock her. Jayce and Viktor were so closely knit that they were rarely seen apart, when they even bothered to emerge from their lab. Mel felt some of her anxiety ebb away, even as the reason for Viktor’s visit became clear. Even though things were still casual between her and Jayce, they had never bothered to hide their relationship from the public, and certainly not from Viktor.

“I see,” she said, when Viktor’s grip had tightened enough that his knuckles had gone white.

“I… fear I had a moment of weakness, earlier today,” Viktor continued, his back bowing until he was hanging his head in shame. “I acted upon my feelings, and I… I kissed Jayce.”

Mel could see the pain that pinched his eyebrows together, pressing his mouth into a tight line. She felt for him, and it was easy to see how even the best outcome of this conversation would prove difficult for him. She searched herself for any sting of betrayal or outrage, but she found only sympathy.

“ Oh, Viktor,” she said softly, reaching across the space between them to rest her hand lightly on his.

“He–he rejected me immediately,” Viktor said, finally looking up at her–but it wasn’t the agony of rejection that she saw in his brown eyes. It was desperation. “Miss Medarda, you have to know. He did not betray you. I… I wanted you to hear it from me, so that you would know I–I did not mean to hurt you. Or Jayce. I am so… so terribly sorry.”

“Viktor,” she said, curling her fingers between his palm and his knee, gently prying at his grip until she could hold his fingers in hers. “Do not apologize for how you feel. Please. Your feelings for Jayce could never hurt me.”

Viktor’s eyes shuttered, and he seemed to struggle as a wave of pain washed over him.

“I feel certain that they have hurt Jayce,” he said softly. “But that is mine to contend with. I… I came here to assure you that I am not pursuing Jayce. I would never do anything to damage your relationship. I know how… special you are to him.”

“Thank you for saying so,” she said, brushing a thumb over his knuckles. His skin was cool, as if his body had slipped into the panic of survival mode and was drawing his warmth from his extremities. “I appreciate you coming to me.”

She was struck to see a tear drip from between his closed eyelids, splashing onto his trousers and leaving a dark spot on the fabric. He was quick to dab at his eyes, turning his head away as if to hide from her.

“I will–I will remove myself,” he said quickly, but Mel tightened her grip on his hand, even as he repeated his apology for intruding. He tried to lift himself out of the chair, but she didn’t let go.

“Viktor, wait,” she said, keeping her grip on him until he sank back into his seat.

“Please, Miss Medarda,” Viktor said, his voice a whisper. “My h-heartbreak… is not your burden.”

“It is if we are friends,” Mel said, giving his hand another gentle squeeze. “Viktor, I know how important you and Jayce are to one another. When we are together, he speaks of you more than anything else.”

Viktor’s chin trembled, but Mel kept on, knowing that he needed to hear her words, even if they hurt in the moment.

“If… if there is a chance Jayce does not return your feelings, you should know that it is not for a lack of affection. You are incredibly dear to him.”

Viktor let out a wet sigh, taking a threadbare handkerchief out of his pocket and brushing tears off of his face.

“I fear I have ruined what we had,” he said, despondent, almost resigned. “I have been such a brute…”

“I cannot imagine that is possible,” Mel said. “Give him some time. He feels… everything quite deeply. He is likely just as afraid of hurting you.”

Viktor shook his head again, folding his handkerchief absently back and forth. “Thank you for your kindness,” he said to her, staring into his lap.

Mel found she was having a hard time imagining that Jayce didn’t, or couldn’t, feel the same for Viktor as Viktor did for him. Jayce’s passion for Viktor’s intelligence and skill was matched only by his passion for their research, for which he insisted on giving Viktor the lion’s share of the credit. She was simultaneously touched and frustrated that they might have avoided a mature, honest conversation about their feelings simply out of concern for her involvement. They were both boys, which precluded their wisdom in any matters of the heart, but they were also both incredibly kind, and good, which meant that they might avoid any interaction if it meant protecting what Mel had found with Jayce. These last few, sweet months with him had been a gift, but she knew that it would be unspeakably cruel to let anything come between the two of them, even if her feelings for Jayce continued to grow.

Mel wasn’t going to shove Jayce into Viktor’s arms, particularly if he wasn’t actually interested, but it broke her heart to see Viktor holding back tears in her solarium, mourning not only his thwarted romance but also his deepest, most precious friendship.

“Viktor… if there is a chance you can extend your trust to me, then please, let me talk to Jayce. I may be able to help.”

He finally looked up at her, his brown eyes nearly gold from the sheen of tears left unshed.

“You needn’t intervene on my behalf,” he said, his brow furrowing with worry. “Please, I do not want to cause any conflict between you and Jayce.”

“If you had ever met my mother, you would know I am an artisan of conflict,” she said, giving him a half-hearted smile. “I know that your partnership means the world to Jayce. I do not wish to be intrusive, but… Viktor, I would sooner talk to him about this than let anything come between you.”

Viktor hesitated, but then he curled his fingers around hers, finally returning her grasp.

“Very well,” he said. “I trust you.”

The light of the ballroom’s chandeliers was doing wonders for Viktor’s eyes, and Mel felt a satisfied smirk overtake her face as she watched dozens of pairs of eyes track their progress across the ballroom. She had no doubt that their quarry had already spotted them, so Mel tilted her head, exposing the long line of her neck to whisper into Viktor’s ear.

“I won’t bore you by making my introductions,” she murmured. “Will you dance with me instead?”

Viktor seemed to flush subtly, but his posture didn’t waver. He was confident, and it fit him just as well as his tailored clothing.

“Even at my physical best, I am a terrible dancer,” he confessed in a whisper.

“No one is expecting a waltz, Viktor,” she chuckled, and then shifted her hand on his arm, sliding her fingers into his. “Trust me?”

He gave her a small nod and a smile, and she led him onto the dance floor, being sure to stay close. She took an intimate position, curling an arm around his back and touching her chin to his shoulder, and she felt his gloved hand spread on her lower back, her fingers clasped in the soft leather palm of his other hand.

She initiated the slow pace of their sway, just a simple movement of hips that allowed them to make a relaxed, lazy circle on the dance floor. She could smell his cologne from this close, an old-fashioned, bright musk that complimented him well, and she let it wash over her as they danced.

“I wish I could see the look on his face,” she whispered, her dark-painted lips curling into a smile against the collar of his shirt. “I bet he’s never seen you like this before.”

“In a beautiful woman’s arms?” he chuckled. “Certainly not.”

“Dressed to kill,” she corrected, smiling against his shoulder. She pulled back, slipping her arm to the top of his shoulder instead, so they could be seen conversing as they swayed.

“Also that,” he said. “I am accustomed to being… quite invisible in rooms such as this.”

“You are certainly not invisible tonight,” Mel said, letting out a surprised laugh as he smirked and dipped her backwards onto his arm. His strength wavered just slightly at the depth of her lean, but he was able to lift her elegantly, his smile tender.

“Nor are you, Miss Medarda,” he said, and pulled her close again, his fingers pressed gently into her skin through her dress’ lace window. “Balcony, seven o’clock,” he whispered into her ear.

Mel’s heartbeat picked up slightly, and she smiled at Viktor as he pulled back, turning her in a gentle rhythm until she could naturally pass a glance over his shoulder at the balcony. Jayce stood out in white and maroon, his arms held tight at his sides. He was nodding along to an Academy department chair who had pulled him into conversation, but his body was turned toward the dance floor, like he was being drawn to stare. He glanced down as Mel watched, and she could see the open confusion on his face.

No matter. They would remedy that soon enough.

“Would you like to come with me to get a drink?” she asked him with a smile, and he nodded, keeping his hand at her lower back as they made their way to the bar. The crowd didn’t quite part for them, but it was a near thing; heads turned as they moved, like a gentle wave that lapped at them, hissing with whispers like water against beach stones.

Mel ordered a martini for herself, and watched Viktor as he requested a gin and tonic.

“I thought you didn’t drink,” she said, her voice full of laughter.

“It is a special occasion,” he said, accepting the glass of clear liquid from the bartender with a nod. It wasn’t quite straight gin, she thought, but it was close. The tenders at these events were paid to be generous. Even so, he hardly flinched as he took his first sip.

“There are a few greetings I will need to make tonight,” she said, with a hint of bitterness. Normally she didn’t mind the obligations, but tonight she had much better things to be getting on with. “I don’t suppose you would like to accompany me? I will take no offense if you decline–it is dreadfully boring, even with good company.”

“I suspect I will be better off at your side than left to my own devices in this crowd,” he admitted, looking sheepish for the first time since they’d walked in. Once she’d taken his arm again, he leaned in to whisper to her, and she noted, not for the first time, how velvety his voice was when he was speaking softly.

“If you need to make an escape, just give me a signal. I can pretend to need a break from standing,” he murmured.

“And if you actually need a break from standing?” she said, quirking an eyebrow.

“I will tell you,” he said, with a shy smile. “I promise.”

Her usual repertoire of social connections was a much different experience when it was Jayce at her side, taking up his own conversational space, compared to Viktor, who was accustomed to blending in with the background. He was a chivalrous partner, his hand lingering on her back unless he had to shake a hand or use his cane to support himself. He laughed softly at her jokes, and pushed one of her long braids over her shoulder when he noticed it was in her face.

She was able to catch glances of Jayce as he made his way through the crowd, shaking hands and chatting up Hextech’s biggest funding partners, his laugh occasionally rising over the din of conversation. She could see Viktor following him with his eyes as well, and she was sure they were being watched in return. It was an elegant dance, the three of them circling each other, and it was its own thrill to know that no one else might notice it, the steps of the dance invisible to everyone but them.

Eventually Jayce made his way down to the main ballroom level, taking a trip to the bar and then getting back into the crowd. Mel could see Viktor taking more opportunities to use his cane, and she started taking bigger sips of her martini until it was finally empty.

In the middle of Councilor Hoskel’s second mind-numbingly boring story, Mel put a hand on Viktor’s shoulder. “Would you refresh my drink for me, darling?” she asked him, and then leaned into his ear quickly. “Take a break if you need it,” she whispered, and he nodded to her with a grateful smile, taking her empty martini glass from her fingers.

She listened to Hoskel for just long enough to see Viktor find a seat at the edge of the ballroom, carefully out of the way. With a touch to Hoskel’s elbow and a few well-placed words, she was able to slip away from him and make her way slowly along the edge of the crowd, glancing over the sea of velvet and silk brocade as if she were looking for someone. As she hoped, Jayce excused himself from his own conversation and slipped up beside her, a conspicuously empty rocks glass in his hand.

“Mel,” he said breathlessly. “Wait, where’s Viktor?”

That simple question told her all she needed to know about how closely he had been watching them all night. She nodded her head towards the seat where Viktor was reclined with his long legs crossed, nursing the remains of his drink.

“Taking a break. Why? Are you alright?”

“You said you would be coming in later,” Jayce said, his tone lingering somewhere between indignant and simply puzzled. “Not that you’d be bringing Viktor. He never comes to these–”

“He told me he had an interest in attending,” she said easily, like she had hardly given it any thought. “I offered to be his date. Doesn’t he look stunning tonight?”

“Uh…” Jayce cleared his throat, and Mel watched a tangled knot of feelings pass over his face. Poor thing. “Y-yeah, I mean… you both look…”

“Will you save a dance for me, darling?” she said, running a hand down his arm and into his palm, squeezing briefly. “I have to corner Cassius Diawara about the referendum before he sneaks out. Wait for me?”

He looked more than a little flustered, but she wanted to keep him on his toes. The fewer conclusions he could jump to about her ulterior motives, the better off she and Viktor would be when it was time to bring their plan to fruition.

“Uh… sure,” he said, and she left him with a smudge of dark lip stain on his jaw as she slipped back into the crowd.

Not three hours after Viktor finally left with a fragile, tentative hope in his eyes, Jayce burst into her study, looking winded and overwhelmed. Elora jumped in her seat, startled by his entrance, and Mel sighed softly.

“I’m sorry, Elora,” she murmured, touching her assistant’s hand. “You can go home–I think this will take a while.”

Elora looked between Mel and Jayce, plainly worried, but she nodded to Mel dutifully and gathered her notes into her arms before slipping out, skirting around Jayce. He had hardly moved from Mel’s doorway, and she stood slowly from her chair, carefully observing his tight posture.

“Jayce?” she finally said. “Is everything alright?”

“Mel,” he breathed, looking at her as if he’d just realized where his panicked feet had taken him. “God, I… I don’t know what to do.”

“What is it, my darling?” she said, careful to radiate calm as she moved around her desk and stopped before him, resting a gentle hand on his shoulder.

“It’s…” Jayce swallowed hard, his eyes searching hers. “It’s Viktor. He, um…”

“Oh,” she said. “Yes. He told me.”

“He told you?” Jayce demanded, and then squeezed his eyes closed as if a headache had suddenly come on. “Oh, god…”

“Shh, it’s alright,” she said. “He came a short while ago. The poor thing wanted to tell me what happened, so that I wouldn’t think you had… betrayed me.” The thought of it still settled sourly within her–that Jayce might only have room in his heart for one person. Mel couldn’t imagine a bigger heart than Jayce’s, and she knew she would always share room there with everyone Jayce cared for. To share that space with Viktor, she thought, was a foregone conclusion.

“Fuck,” Jayce finally said, his posture slumping. He leaned over until his head fell to her shoulder, an incredibly weary sigh leaving his lips and warming her collarbone. “Mel, I don’t… I mean, his face. I’ve never seen him like that. I think…” Jayce made a soft, choked sound, one of his hands moving to take a desperate grip on her waist.

“I think I broke his heart,” he finally whispered, the words forced through a lump in Jayce’s throat.

“Tell me what happened,” Mel said, putting an arm around his shoulders and sliding gentle fingers into his hair.

“I mean, we were… we were just in the lab. This formula’s been bugging us for days, and when Viktor finally figured it out, I… I don’t know. I got excited, and I hugged him, and… and then he was just–just kissing me. I mean, I didn’t even realize what was happening, but when it was over, I… he looked so scared. He was so scared, Mel. And I just–I mean, all I could say was… was that I’m with you. It’s not that I–shit.”

He pulled away from her arms, his hands sliding frantically into his hair, and he began to pace across her carpet, his face drawn with pain.

“It’s not that I… don’t like him. I mean–fuck–he saved my life. He saved my life’s work. I just… I mean, I’m with you! And I love what we have, I don’t want to mess this up. God, Mel, I don’t want to mess us up. I want to be with you. I–”

He stopped his pacing, looking at her with a desperation that made her ache.

“I want to be with you,” he said, letting those words settle in the quiet of her study.

“I know,” she said, wanting to comfort him. She hadn’t ever questioned his feelings, and this didn’t change that fact. Not for her.

“But… his face,” Jayce said, helpless. “I never meant to hurt him… I never want to hurt him.”

“I know you don’t,” Mel said, reaching for him. He came to her again, folding himself back into her arms, desperate for comfort. For answers.

“I can’t stand the thought that I might have hurt him,” Jayce whispered against her hair.

“He said the same of you,” Mel said gently, rubbing Jayce’s back.

“What do I do?” he asked, his voice plaintive. “I don’t… I don’t want to force him to pretend it never happened. It’s not fair. But I don’t know how t–” He cut himself off, his breath shaking him against her.

“You love him,” Mel said simply, and she felt Jayce’s body jerk in her hold.

“Mel, I–”

“Shh,” she hushed. “I know that you do, Jayce. The way that you speak about him to me made that clear a long time ago.”

“...I want to be with you,” he said, his voice smaller than she had ever heard it.

“You are with me,” she said. “And I do not mean for that to change. But I know how important he is to you, my darling. I cannot let our relationship come at the cost of your relationship to Viktor.” She pulled out of his arms carefully, nudging him up so that she could hold his face in her hands, let him see the unwavering determination in her eyes. Jayce’s face was lined with pain and confusion, and she stroked his skin, urging him to relax, to give himself into her touch.

“Let me speak to Viktor,” she said. “I can reassure him. Nothing is broken that cannot be fixed.”

“It should be me,” Jayce said, though she felt him shudder at just the idea. “I can’t let you take this on in my place.”

“Jayce, I would not offer if I didn’t want to be involved,” she said firmly. “And it might be easier if I speak to him first. He may not be willing to offer you the full truth if he thinks he will further damage your partnership.”

Jayce sighed, wilting into her palms, his worry plain in every line of his body. But he closed his eyes, giving a little nod, one of his hands coming up to press against hers.

“Okay,” he said softly. “...Yeah. Okay.”

When Viktor found her, she was deep in conversation with Diawara’s wife, who was proving much easier to persuade than her husband. He held a full martini glass out to her with a little smile, and then his hand returned to her back, the cool leather of his glove a relief in the warm ballroom.

When the lady Diawara looked away to ask a waiter for something, Viktor turned his body into hers, swirling the last dredges of his drink in his glass.

“How is he?” he asked, and he couldn’t mask his worry. Either for their chances, or for Jayce himself, it was hard to tell.

“Almost ready for us,” she whispered back, giving him a smile. He returned it after a moment, and brought their glasses together with a soft tink of cheers.

The party soon came to a halt for speeches, and Mel was grateful for the chance to catch her breath. She sipped at her martini delicately, knowing she only wanted a soft buzz for what was going to follow. Viktor seemed to agree, as he hadn’t refilled after his first drink, but his fingers tapped nervously on his glass, his face carefully hiding his distraction in a way the rest of his body couldn’t.

“Is he staring?” Viktor whispered, almost too soft to be heard over the voice of the City Allocations Committee President ringing through the microphone. Jayce wasn’t hard to find in the crowd, with his height and his signature white coat, but she only looked at him for a fleeting moment, catching his eye for a beat only to look away, and whisper into Viktor’s ear.

“I’m not sure he’s blinked all night,” she said, and she and Viktor both laughed softly, until the forbidden nature of the sound and the nervous energy strung between them pushed them into full-blown, desperately silent laughter. A man to Mel’s right gave them a scolding glare, but Mel was focused on not smudging her lip stain as she hid her laugh behind her hand. Viktor cleared his throat to mask his own laughter, his shoulders shaking as he held it in, attempting to avoid disrupting the otherwise quiet crowd around them.

By the time they finally caught their breath, the crowd was applauding, and she and Viktor used the cover to wipe tears of mirth out of their eyes and school their features. Any guilt she might have felt at teasing poor Jayce was overshadowed by how surprisingly pleasant she was finding Viktor’s company, his wry humor and his gentle attention. Mel spread her own hand on Viktor’s back, positive that the angle would give Jayce a perfect view as her fingers brushed over Viktor’s brace beneath the lace of his shirt, and then up to his skin, between his shoulder blades.

“He can’t keep his eyes off you. You are wearing his hammer tonight, after all,” she whispered, and she delighted in the shiver that traveled through her companion, the soft smile that played over his face. It had been entirely intentional to the design, of course; the lace windows of Viktor’s shirt had been placed to evoke the Talis family symbol, something she knew only Jayce would notice. The subtle implementation of Jayce’s family symbol on his partner’s body, in such a sensual manner, only to be caught by the most discerning eye. She realized she was enjoying teasing Viktor as well, seeing him gain confidence as he came to grips with the power he held tonight, looking the way he did.

Another round of applause erupted from the crowd around them as the Gala Committee’s Co-Chair encouraged everyone to drink and dance, and Mel slipped her arm back into Viktor’s elbow, pulling him close.

“One more dance?” she asked, and she felt the shudder that passed through him as he nodded, both of them sharing the thrilling realization that the first stage of their plan was coming to a close. They passed their glasses to a waiter, and Viktor swept her back out among the other couples on the dance floor, his smile brilliant as he started up their gentle sway.

“Miss Medarda,” he said against her cheek, a name he’d refused to stop using and which now sounded so sweet to her ears. “No matter what happens, thank you for this. I will never forget this night.”

“Nor will I, Viktor,” she said, sliding her hand to his back to pull him into a hug. “But I promise you, our night is far from over. You’ll see.”

“I hope you’re right,” he sighed, and she rubbed his back a little, comforting him. He would need to hold fast for this next part, and she hoped the confidence he’d found tonight would help him do that.

As he gently turned her, she saw Jayce, standing just at the edge of the dance floor, watching them. His face was inscrutable, but his body was held tight as an over-tuned violin string. She had planned for a drawn-out search of the ballroom to find him, but he had brought himself right within their reach instead, unable to resist the magnetic pull, and Mel couldn’t help but smile.

She lifted her hand from Viktor’s back, looking at Jayce from under her lashes and crooking one finger, beckoning him. His face went from tense to slack, eyes widening in surprise. He swayed a bit on the edge of the crowd as he hesitated, before stepping into the fray of dancing couples, marching towards them.

“Here he comes,” she whispered to Viktor, who gave her one last squeeze before straightening.

They both looked up at Jayce as he approached, his stiff intrusion hard to ignore in the swirling tide of dancers. A few of the couples watched as they moved by, but Mel ignored them. Jayce met Mel’s eyes first, and then looked at Viktor, his shoulders around his ears.

“Viktor,” he said, his voice tight. “What are you doing here?”

Viktor looked as innocent as a lamb under Jayce’s scrutiny, his hand still clasping Mel’s, a gentleman ready to lead.

“I am dancing with the most beautiful woman at the gala,” he said, and then smiled at Mel, who laughed delightedly.

Jayce seemed lost for words at that, though his mouth opened and closed a couple of times as he struggled. His gaze raked up and down Viktor, so unabashed that Mel wondered if he realized how desperate he looked, like it was taking all of his effort not to touch.

His gaze moved to Mel, and any anger he might have held seemed to slip out of him, his shoulder slumping.

“I… saved you that dance,” he said, looking like a puppy left in a cardboard box by the roadside.

Viktor moved before Mel could, bringing her hand up to lightly kiss the back, before passing her hand into Jayce’s and pressing their palms together. “Councilor,” he purred into her ear, smiling up at Jayce and brushing his hand over Jayce’s shoulder as he gracefully retreated to the edge of the dance floor. The touch seemed to electrify Jayce, making his movements clumsy as he took Mel into his arms. She knew him to be a fairly skilled dancer, but he barely managed a slow sway, his eyes gazing down into hers, desperate for answers.

“What’s going on?” he asked, his voice plaintive. Their teasing had dug under his skin, she thought to herself, and she carefully pulled him close, resting her cheek against his, as she had done with Viktor. Jayce’s skin was blazing warm against hers, compared to Viktor’s calm coolness.

“Everything is alright, my darling,” she cooed, bringing a hand up to brush her fingers against the exposed skin just above his collar.

He seemed soothed by that, at least for the moment, and she felt him relax against her incrementally as they danced.

“How did you convince Viktor to, um…”

“Come to the gala?” she asked.

“...Dress like that,” Jayce said, and Mel chuckled. She put just a bit of distance between them, sliding her hand to his shoulder and smiling up at him.

“I promised I would make it worth his while,” she said.

“How?” he asked, the strain back in his voice, his dark brows knitting together over eyes full of wariness.

“That’s between us for now,” she said easily, cupping his cheek and brushing a fond thumb under his eye.

He allowed an uncertain silence to sit between them, as Mel swayed with him like it was any other function they had come to in each other’s company. She was content that she had them both where she needed them to be, and with a final turn, she met Viktor’s eyes where he stood at the edge of the crowd. She could tell his nerves were setting back in, and that meant it was time to act.

“Come,” she said to Jayce, taking his arm and gently tugging him off the dance floor. Viktor smiled as she moved to him, putting her hand over the one he was using to lean on his cane.

“Will you handsome men come back to mine?” she asked, giving smiles to both of them. Viktor nodded easily, while Jayce looked as though he was contemplating an outburst. A glance around them seemed to convince him to refrain, and Mel was able to slip one arm through each of theirs, striding across the ballroom with the Men of Progress on either side of her.

Her home was warmly lit when they arrived, and there was tea waiting for them in the parlor.

Viktor seemed relieved to sit, leaning back in his chair as he cradled his teacup and laughed with Mel over the conversations of the evening, the gaudy outfits, the little dramas that always took place when Piltover’s rich and powerful gathered in one room.

Jayce was quiet, though less tense than he’d been in the ballroom. He seemed to watch each of them in turn, cracking the occasional smile as they laughed together. It was time to fold him back in to the space between them, where he belonged, but it would be the most delicate part of the evening. Mel waited until the tea had cooled, and the remnants of the gala’s excitement had finally left them behind, melting into the warm quiet of the late hour.

She set down her teacup and stood, straightening her dress, pulling her braids over one shoulder to expose the lace back of her gown.

“Jayce, darling, would you unzip me?”

Jayce jumped to his feet, his body a live wire. Despite the atmosphere of relaxed camaraderie between her and Viktor, it seemed he was still unsettled by the sudden shift in their dynamic.

Once Mel felt the zipper release and the sides of her gown start to fall away, she turned in his arms, pulling him into a soft, sensual kiss. He didn’t object, seeming grateful to slide his lips against hers in a way that had become sweetly familiar, but he went stiff again after a moment, his hand grasping her waist.

“Mel–wh–”

He cut off abruptly, and Mel tilted her head, seeing Viktor leaning against the broad span of Jayce’s back, his eyes closed in contentment. His hands, still gloved, were running carefully down Jayce’s sides, plucking curiously at his coat to find its edges and pull them back.

“V,” Jayce said, his voice strangled, and Mel cupped his cheeks, turning him back to her.

“Look at me,” she said, her tone soft but inarguable. “Jayce. Will you let us take care of you tonight?”

“U-us?” Jayce stammered, as stiff as a board under her fingers as they drifted down his throat and over his strong chest.

“Yes,” Mel hummed, slowly loosening the knot of his tie. “We both missed you this evening.”

Jayce was stunned silent for a long moment, before he spoke through a tight throat.

“But I… I–I mean… a-are you sure?” he whispered.

“Of course,” Mel said, and she heard Viktor hum, then the soft sound of him nodding against Jayce’s back.

“Yes,” Viktor said, his voice soft and husky.

“Oh…” Jayce said, lost.

“Tell me you want this,” she said against Jayce’s jaw, watching as Viktor’s hand spread on Jayce’s stomach, admiring hard muscle through his clothes.

“...Can I want this?” he whispered, one of his hands coming to rest on her shoulder.

“We would not be offering otherwise,” Viktor mumbled, his voice gravelly.

Mel nodded once, looking up into his eyes with the unspoken promise that any answer he gave would be lovingly accepted. He looked back at her, searching her, for only a moment before he spoke.

“Ye… yes,” Jayce said, dumbfounded, and Mel took his hand, gently leading both of them out of the parlor. Viktor, when she looked back at him, seemed almost as dazed as Jayce was, but he met her gaze, and she could see his eyes were flinty and alert. He smiled at her, almost disbelieving, and she felt her heart coalesce, the rightness of this settling over her like a warm blanket. The Viktor who had looked after her so lovingly all night deserved to have everything he dreamed of, and so did her sweet Jayce–even if he hadn’t let himself indulge in those dreams yet. And she would have them both, in their gentle kindness, the two best men she knew.

Her bedroom was softly lit when they entered, her bed neatly made and her sleep clothes set to the side on the chair beside her vanity. She watched Viktor take a seat on the edge of the bed, one long leg crossing over the knee of the other. She slid her hands over Jayce’s shoulders, pushing his coat down his arms and revealing the Academy colors beneath. She skillfully unhooked the fasteners of his vest, a familiar motion by now, and tugged his tie free from his throat, dropping both to the floor.

Jayce’s eyes were wide and fixed on a point behind her, and she turned her head to see Viktor out of the corner of her eye, slowly pulling at the fingers of his gloves to loosen them, watching Mel and Jayce with hooded eyes.

Good boy, she thought, glad to see he hadn’t lost any of the confidence he’d found tonight. She couldn’t wait to show Jayce more of that lovely pale skin, and how perfectly it contrasted hers when they touched.

Mel’s soft tug on Jayce’s belt grabbed his attention back, and he let out an almost inaudible gasp as she encouraged his pants to drop, exposing the hesitant half-erection he had in his underwear. She worked to unbutton his shirt next, taking her time.

“You remember your safe word, don’t you darling?” she purred, and Jayce nodded, his jaw still slack as he looked between her and Viktor.

“Say it for me?”

“Tower.”

“Very good,” Mel cooed. “Viktor?”

“Mm. I’ll use ‘hierophant.’”

Mel smiled at him. “Mine is temperance,” she said, tugging Jayce’s unbuttoned shirt open to expose his chest. “Sit, please.”

Jayce sat, his hands loose in his lap, and she nodded to him, brushing loving fingers through his hair to tug it out of its perfect coiff.

“No touching until I say so,” Mel purred, watching Jayce’s eyes slide shut as she scratched his scalp gently. “Understand?”

“Y-yeah,” he said, and she pressed a kiss to his brow before she pulled away.

Her dress was already loose from Jayce’s assistance with the zipper, so she shook it off, revealing the black silk undergarments she’d donned in anticipation of the evening. She knew her ass looked immaculate in the high-line panties, and she turned to let Jayce admire it as she wandered to the bed, where Viktor smiled up at her. She brushed her fingers under his jaw, admiring him in the low light.

“You were wonderful tonight,” she said, loosening his bowtie for him and pulling the maroon silk from under his collar.

“Mm, it was an honor to accompany you, Miss Medarda,” he said, looking up at her from under his brows.

“How is your leg, darling?”

“Fine,” he said honestly, reaching to set his cane aside, hooking the raven’s beak onto the surface of her bedside table. She loosened his hair with her fingers, the same way she had with Jayce, and a few strands fell over his forehead, giving him a pleasantly rumpled look. Viktor reached for the buttons under the arm of his shirt that would allow him to take it off, but she moved to help him instead, unfastening the buttons and carefully pulling the shirt over his head.

He smiled and laid back on her bed, cool and comfortable as if he belonged, and began to undo a series of fastenings on his brace that were beyond her comprehension. She climbed onto the bed next to him, perching to watch, to help if she saw an opportunity.

With a few final twists, he let out a breath as the brace fell away, and he arched his back to slide it out from under himself, letting it fall to the floor. There was the faintest sheen of sweat on his skin where the brace had been pressed against him, and Mel indulged herself in running her fingers along his ribs, the faint scars on his chest, and up his sternum.

“Viktor,” she said conversationally. “Are you attracted to women?”

It was a thought that was only truly occurring to her now, but he had been so relaxed at her side all night, and there was no hesitation in his face as she touched him.

“I am attracted… to people who are kind,” he said softly, reaching for the hand that was exploring his chest and slipping his thin fingers between hers. She felt her heart stutter in her chest, and she let out a soft sound, leaning over to press her lips gently to his. He kissed her back, but it was unhurried and sweet, his tongue only faintly brushing the tip of hers. He tasted of bergamot, and his lips were softer than she’d expected, teasing across her mouth, kissing the corners and then each of her lips in turn. He was a surprisingly good kisser, and she found herself reluctant to pull back when she needed air.

One glance at Jayce let her know that he was being as attentive as she’d hoped. His hands had shifted to the arms of the chair he sat in, and he gripped them hard enough to turn his knuckles white. His cock was straining at the seam of his underwear, but he’d kept his hands to himself, as instructed.

“Allow me to thank you for being such a wonderful date tonight?” she asked Viktor, brushing hair off his forehead with gentle fingers. He flushed a bit as he nodded, pushing himself up the bed to lay more comfortably.

“How would you like me, Miss Medarda?” he asked, playing absently with the button of his trousers, popping it open almost as an afterthought.

Mel turned her head to look at Jayce, whose chest was rising and falling with near-panting breaths. He met her eyes, transfixed on the scene playing out before him.

“What do you think, darling?” Mel purred, tracing her fingers up Viktor’s stomach, running a circle around his belly button until Viktor shivered. “Do you think Viktor would prefer my mouth, or my fingers?”

Jayce gaped. “I d—I don’t, uh—“

“Why don’t we start with fingers, so I can keep telling him how lovely he is. Is that alright, Viktor?”

“So thoughtful,” Viktor said, smiling softly and letting one knee fall to the bed, giving Jayce a perfect view of him.

Mel sat on her knees and carefully pulled Viktor’s head into her lap, where he relaxed against her thighs with a sweet little sigh. Mel released the zipper of Viktor’s trousers, slipping careful fingers below his waistband, and then into his underwear. His pubic hair was sparse and soft, and she stroked his mound with her fingertips until his eyes slid closed in relaxed pleasure.

She brushed her thumb over his erection, making him gasp, before slipping her fingers between his lips, gently probing his wetness before pushing inside.

“Already so wet,” she cooed, stroking his hair as his hips stuttered, chasing her touch. “You’ve been waiting for this all night, haven’t you? Waiting for one of us to touch you like this.” Jayce made a strangled noise in the corner, but she ignored him, watching Viktor’s face closely for any signs of discomfort as she slipped further into him.

“You feel wonderful, my dear,” she said, and he gave a cut off gasp, spreading his legs wide enough to put strain on the crotch seam of his trousers.

It quickly became clear that Viktor was not free with his noises during lovemaking, a fact that fascinated Mel as much as it endeared him to her. The silent bedroom filled with his barely audible gasps, and the soft moans and whines that he made in his throat, so sweet and intimate. She probed his walls with tender fingers, smiling in triumph when she found the spot that made him cry out, a broken little sound that tugged at her heart.

“Does that feel good, sweet thing?” she asked, and he nodded, his hair becoming messier as he writhed.

“Feels so good,” he said, turning until his brow touched her stomach.

“Would you like to come?” she asked, and he shook his head, taking a gentle grip on her wrist.

“No,” he breathed, letting out the sweetest sigh when she pulled her fingers out of him, lingering only a moment in his warmth. He opened his eyes and smiled up at her, his cheeks flushed with pleasure. “I like to make it last,” he said.

“As do I,” she said, and tenderly lowered his head back to the bed, bending down to kiss his forehead, and then his lips, feeling his quicker breaths against her mouth as he came down from the pleasure.

When she sat up, she lifted her hand to her mouth, as if she was about to indulge in the taste of Viktor’s wetness on her fingers. She paused with her fingertip just brushing her lip, and looked over at Jayce, who looked wild, his eyes flicking back and forth between her mouth and Viktor.

“Would you like to taste him, my darling?” she asked Jayce, and he let out a whine, wriggling in his seat.

“Yeah,” he breathed, his muscles tensing as he visibly held himself back from the edge. “Yes. Please.”

She wondered with delight if he could come untouched from watching them as she slipped off the bed, standing before him and placing a knee on the edge of the seat between his legs, careful not to touch him.

“Gently,” she instructed, though she knew he was always gentle as a rule, only getting rough with her when she asked. He opened his mouth in anticipation, and she touched her fingertips to his tongue, humming as he closed his lips around her digits. He moaned loudly as he sucked–he’d never been reserved with his noises–and looked up at her, almost cross-eyed, from under dark lashes.

“Does he taste good?” she asked him, feeling the moan that rumbled through his throat. “As good as you dreamed he would?” she said, her voice softer, and his eyes shuttered closed, his hips jerking against the cushion of the seat beneath him.

Mel slowly withdrew her fingers and replaced them with her tongue, kissing him deeply to chase the faint taste of Viktor that lingered. Jayce whined into her mouth, his hands hovering around her with the barely-restrained urge to touch. She had never forbidden him to touch either of them, only himself, but his dedication to her instruction was so endearing, and undeniably arousing. He was so malleable when he was like this, so sweet and eager to please, and she could hardly resist him. When she broke the kiss and stood, his hands dropped back to his lap, and he let his head tip back, as if his strings had been cut.

“Such a good boy,” she said, before returning to the edge of the bed.

Viktor was sprawled out where she’d left him, watching Jayce with an expression of soft disbelief that was enough to make Mel’s heart ache. He looked positively debauched, with his hair a ruffled halo around his head and his trousers rucked down just enough to see the trail of dark hair leading beneath the band of his underwear. Her little game with Jayce seemed to have turned Viktor on even more, and his breaths were coming quick again, his gaze hazy.

“May I be permitted to taste you, Miss Medarda?” Viktor said, biting his lip until it was flushed and pink.

“I don’t think I’ve ever been asked so politely,” she giggled, reaching out to brush the backs of her fingers over his lips. “Yes, Viktor dear.”

He pushed himself up with a little smile, kissing her sweetly and brushing a hand over her stomach, making her shiver. He climbed off the end of the bed to kneel on her carpet, and she quickly reached for a pillow, passing it to him. He smiled at her so warmly, his eyes full of naked affection, and he slipped the pillow under his knee. “Thank you,” he murmured, before taking a grasp of her calves and guiding her to the edge of the bed.

He kissed a line from her knee to her inner thigh, taking his time and enjoying the softness of her skin with his lips and fingers. She lifted herself slightly as his nimble fingers guided her panties down, and Viktor silently worshipped her legs with his palms while he tugged the panties over her knees and onto the floor. His goal was clear–with his back to Jayce, he was giving Jayce a perfect view of Mel as she opened her legs wider, and Mel couldn’t help but smile at his cleverness.

“Please forgive any flaws in my technique,” Viktor said, with a little laugh that was so honest and unguarded, it made her chuckle, too. “It’s been… quite some time.”

“You’re forgiven,” she said, and then her mouth fell open with a soft gasp as he kissed her sex, letting the cupid’s bow of his lip tease over her clit.

Viktor didn’t approach the act as though he had any lack of practice. Unlike Jayce’s strategy of unbridled enthusiasm, Viktor took his time, as she was realizing he did in all his sexual endeavors. He used just the tip of his tongue, flicking it across her folds and barely teasing her opening until she was shuddering, her leg muscles trembling with restraint.

“Viktor,” she moaned, wanting to encourage him, and he gave her a burning glance from under his lashes, making her smirk. He was going to tease her, make her wait for it, and he could tell it was as much for her benefit as it was for Jayce’s.

She felt him press his thumb into the seam of her thigh, carefully holding her open as his tongue delved deeper inside, teasing her with soft pressure only to pull back and flick the tip of his tongue over her clit. She made a punched-out moan with every repetition of his touches, hearing Jayce echo her across the room with small, desperate whines.

She let herself be free with her noises, her head rolling back on her neck and her mouth falling open for every gasp and moan. It was sweet torture, his slow and teasing pace, but she reveled in the way he kept her in her body, stroking her inner thigh with the softest touch or pressing kisses to her folds until she was shivering. She felt the electricity in every part of herself as he slowly, carefully, guided her to the precipice.

“Would you like me to make you come, Miss Medarda?” Viktor asked, and his voice was hoarse in a way that sent tingles through her, a smile curling over her lips.

“Yes, Viktor,” she moaned, reaching down to put her fingers in his hair, curling them around the back of his skull to push him where she wanted him. Jayce made a desperate noise, and Mel let her eyes slip closed, focusing on the newly intentional brushes of Viktor’s tongue, and the gentle finger that probed her alongside it.

Her orgasm snuck up on her in a way she hadn’t often experienced, and she trembled when she felt it building, her fingers digging into Viktor’s scalp as she pushed her hips to meet him. He laved her tongue over her, teasing her clit with his lips, and she gasped tightly as pleasure washed over her with its accompanying wave of heat.

Viktor sat back with a gasp, licking wetness off his lips and wiping his chin indelicately with the back of his hand. She laughed softly at the gesture and let herself fall back onto the bed, stretching her muscles out in their post-orgasm bliss.

“Viktor,” Jayce whined, and Mel looked over to see Jayce, arched practically off his seat as his cock twitched, desperate for stimulation.

“You want to taste?” Viktor asked, and Jayce moaned as Viktor slowly lifted himself to his feet, bending his leg absently to stretch his knee joint. “What do you think, Miss Medarda? Has he earned it?”

Mel grinned, loving how quickly Viktor had caught on to this game. He was a natural, and she had never seen Jayce so undone.

“Just a taste,” Mel granted, reaching down to feel her own wetness, an aftershock of orgasm passing through her hips as she pressed her palm against herself.

“You heard her,” Viktor said to Jayce, coming close enough to kneel his good leg onto the seat beside Jayce’s thigh, towering over Jayce while he panted and whined. Jayce surged up to meet Viktor at the faintest gesture of Viktor’s hand, and Mel watched as Viktor accepted his tongue, indulging him in a deep and visceral kiss. All too soon he pulled back with a soft gasp, tutting when Jayce let out a bereaved moan, panting for more.

“Just a little longer, my heart,” he purred to Jayce, who pouted and squirmed when Viktor left his side, his hand brushing over Viktor’s thigh through his trousers as he went.

“What will we do with him?” Viktor said, coming back to the bed and sitting on the edge, lanky and relaxed. Mel laughed at his tone, that of an exasperated parent fondly lamenting the antics of a misbehaving child.

“He has been very good tonight,” Mel reasoned, turning onto her side and propping her head up on her palm. Jayce flushed and wriggled, closing his eyes as his thigh muscles tensed. She realized they probably could make him finish just like this, if they really wanted to. But she had other plans.

“We could ask what he wants,” Viktor teased, brushing sweat-damp hair off his forehead.

“I know what he wants,” Mel said, gazing deeply at Jayce, who looked back at her with hooded eyes. She’d never pushed him so far before, and she could see him slipping in and out of lucidity, struggling with the sensations of his body and the show they were putting on just for him. Her poor Jayce deserved his reward.

“Oh?” Viktor asked, smirking. “What is that?”

Mel sat back up, peeling away her bra to let her breasts relax against her chest. She kept eye contact with Jayce now, pulling him into the conversation, letting him know that his wait was over. She saw Viktor turn to look at Jayce, too, his eyes practically glowing in the soft lighting of the room.

“He wants to be where he belongs,” Mel said, sliding off the bed and brushing her braids over her shoulder, letting the jewelry in them chime softly. “Between the two people who take such good care of him. Who love him best in the world.”

Jayce let out a soft, pathetic cry, his hips stuttering against air. “Please,” Jayce whined, biting his lip hard. “Mel, please.”

Mel turned away from him, and moved instead to her bedside table, setting Viktor’s cane aside to pull open a drawer. She withdrew something she knew Jayce was familiar with, and she smiled as she heard his whine when he saw her set the leather harness on the bed. She carefully handled the accompanying blue glass dildo, and a bottle of lubricant, setting them on top of the harness, where the glass could catch the light. Viktor’s brow was quirked in interest, and he chuckled a little as he watched Jayce react to the sight of the toy. This was definitely a side of his partner he’d never seen before, but it was one he would become familiar with, if Mel had any say.

She moved to Jayce’s side, brushing her palm over his cheek and admiring how beautifully flushed he was, from the tips of his ears all the way down his chest. He pressed into her touch, chasing any stimulation he could get.

“I’m going to show Viktor how to get you ready,” she said, leaning over him to give him a soft kiss. “Alright, my darling?”

Jayce shuddered in anticipation, nodding quickly and getting up from his seat when Mel pulled on his hand. She tugged off the shirt he was still wearing, and instructed him to drop his underwear, which he did with comical quickness. He followed where her gentle hand pushed him, receptive and eager, moving on wobbly knees to the bed.

Jayce didn’t have to be told to get into position on his hands and knees, and Mel cooed to him for being so good, tipping his chin up for a soft kiss before going for the bottle of oil. Viktor crawled up the bed, laying against the pillows in a way that would give him a perfect view of Jayce’s face. Viktor’s cheeks were flushed again, and Mel watched him stroke himself through his trousers, lazily and with all of his attention fixed on Jayce.

Mel pressed a kiss to Jayce’s lower back as she knelt behind him, uncorking the bottle of oil she’d been warming in her palm. She lifted the bottle enough for the light to shine through the liquid, and she saw Viktor’s eyes following her movements, tipping the bottle and drizzling the oil onto her fingers. Viktor’s eyes flickered to Jayce then, watching his face with rapt attention as Mel slipped her fingers over Jayce’s tailbone and down, smiling at whatever he saw in Jayce’s expression. Mel circled her fingertip at Jayce’s hole, humming absently to herself, watching Jayce’s leg muscles tremble with the effort of staying still and being good.

Jayce let out a strangled noise when Mel’s finger slid easily inside, and she smiled to herself, wedging the bottle of oil between her thighs so she could stroke Jayce’s hip with her free hand.

“Does that feel good, my darling?” she said, working her finger in and out of him until the slide was pleasant. “Why don’t you tell Viktor how good you feel?”

Jayce gasped, his head dropping between his shoulders. Viktor moved himself closer to Jayce, sliding his hand around and under Jayce’s chin to lift his head.

“Tell me, Jayce,” Viktor said, breathless.

“Fuck,” Jayce cried, and Mel probed him with a second finger, pulling her first one out and slipping the second one in alongside it. “Oh my god… f-feels so good,” he said, and Mel watched Viktor smile at whatever he saw in Jayce’s face. “Feels so fuckin’... oh god. M-mel,” Jayce whined, pushing himself back onto her fingers just a bit, as much as he probably thought he was allowed. “N-need more.”

“You’ll get it, my patient boy,” Mel cooed, pulling her fingers out and adding a third. There was a bit of resistance, and Jayce let out a broken moan at the feeling, but soon the slide was easy again, and Mel watched Viktor begin to stroke himself again, his eyes fixed on Jayce’s face.

“Viktor,” she said, and she chuckled at his resistance to look away from Jayce to acknowledge her. “Will you bring me the harness, please?”

Viktor lifted himself onto his knees and brought the strap across the bed, helping her slide the glass dildo in, and offering a shoulder to lean on as she slipped it around her legs. She fastened it with practiced ease, and pulled Viktor into a gentle kiss as she lubricated the dildo. Jayce’s eyes burned into them as he watched them over his shoulder, and Mel met his gaze out of the corner of her eye. She could see how he burned to be in her place, or perhaps in Viktor’s, coveting their every kiss and brush of fingers. She used her clean hand to tug at one of the belt loops of Viktor’s trousers, making him gasp softly.

“About time these came off, my dear,” she said against Viktor’s mouth, and he pulled back with an expression of interest, his eyes bright. He slithered out of them, clearly aware of Jayce’s gaze, and she smiled with satisfaction as they dropped, along with his underwear, onto the floor.

“My beautiful boys,” she said, appreciating Viktor’s angular, lithe form as he slipped back up to the head of the bed. She watched Jayce take him in as well, in all his pale, smooth glory, and she felt Jayce tremble under her hand, nearing overstimulation.

“Would you like him, my darling?” she purred to Jayce, pressing herself against Jayce’s back, letting him feel the cool of the glass cock against his thigh. Viktor looked between her and Jayce, his cheeks slowly flushing, and Jayce shook under her with the power of his enthusiastic nod.

“Y-yes,” Jayce whined. “Please, Mel…”

“Don’t ask me,” Mel said, drawing little shapes along his shoulder with the tip of her nail. “Ask him. Nicely, sweet boy.”

“Viktor,” Jayce said, and as many times as Mel had heard Jayce say that name since she’d met him, she had never heard him say it quite like that. Like benediction to a deity. “Please, Viktor… l-let me–I want you. P-please…”

Viktor melted under Jayce’s pleas, so soft for his partner in this unraveled state. He moved closer until Jayce had to lift one hand from the bed to allow Viktor to slide underneath him. He stretched out like a cat in the sun beneath Jayce’s body, cupping Jayce’s face in his hands and pulling him into a kiss. It was just as hungry as the last, but more sensual, more intimate.

“I am already yours,” Mel heard Viktor whisper against Jayce’s lips, and Jayce let out an answering whine.

Mel reached under Jayce and stroked her oily hand over his cock, careful not to touch his head. He was on a hair trigger now, and she wanted him to last for Viktor. Jayce cried out at the long-awaited stimulation, and Mel had to use her hand on his hip to keep him from thrusting into her grip, seeking more friction.

“Be gentle,” she warned Jayce, watching Viktor put a pillow under his hips to lift himself for the best angle.

“He doesn’t have to be gentle,” Viktor mused, smiling absently as he fingered himself. “I will not break. I want him to take me.”

Jayce made another strangled, desperate sound, and Viktor chuckled in response, tugging him into a kiss.

“Take me,” Viktor ordered, and Jayce jumped into action, bending low over Viktor’s body and burying his face in Viktor’s neck and shoulder. Viktor cupped his head and let out the sweetest sigh, and Mel watched Jayce slide into Viktor with heated interest. She lined the glass dildo up with Jayce’s opening, ensuring that any amount he pulled out of Viktor would push him back onto the toy. Mel met Viktor’s sparkling eyes over Jayce’s shoulder, and moaned at the deep sound that Jayce made as he worked himself back onto the toy, pulling out of Viktor for a deep thrust.

Even under the cacophony of Jayce’s desperate moans and gasps, and the wet sounds of their bodies rippling between each other, Mel could hear the ecstatic cries that died in Viktor’s throat, cut off by the sheer power of Jayce’s thrusts. Mel spread her legs to get closer to them, pushing her cock deeper into Jayce, cooing when she felt him shudder and cry out.

“Oh god,” Jayce moaned into Viktor’s skin, his arms wrapping around Viktor and practically cradling him against his chest. “Mel… Mel… more, more. Viktor, p-please…”

Viktor’s legs bent and pulled up, curling around Jayce’s hips, relinquishing his body to Jayce’s mercy. Mel rested her hands on Viktor’s knees, feeling them squeeze around Jayce, egging him on like a rider would a stallion. She watched Viktor’s head fall back onto the bed, his toes curling and flexing with each thrust.

Mel laid her forehead against Jayce’s back, feeling the heat radiating off of him, and thrust into him hard, matching his relentless pace. The added power of her thrusts made both her boys cry out, and Viktor threw his arms around Jayce’s shoulders, letting out the loudest sound she had heard from him all night–a bright keening that broke in his throat. Jayce begged again, his voice muffled against Viktor’s skin, and she thrust once more, feeling Viktor’s legs quaking around Jayce’s hips as he finally came.

It took precious few more thrusts for Jayce to grunt and tense, his hips juttering frantically as he emptied himself into Viktor. Mel hummed deeply against Jayce’s skin as she felt it, the dildo pressing pleasantly against her mound with the vibrating pressure of his ecstasy. When it was done, Jayce fell the short distance onto the bed, his body eclipsing Viktor’s, and Mel sprawled onto his back, her legs finally relaxing beneath her.

Their asynchronous panting was all that filled the room for a long few minutes, and Mel enjoyed the rise and fall of Jayce’s back underneath her. Viktor’s legs fell limp until his heels were resting on her calves, pressed into the bed by the weight of both of them. For a brief moment in the quiet, they were all utterly connected, their bodies tangled and indistinguishable.

When Viktor finally made the softest sound of discomfort, Jayce began to lift himself, levering Mel back to her knees in the process. She pulled out of him carefully so that he could sit, and she heard a soft hiss from him, her hand lingering on his back as he finally sat up. He looked hollowed out, his cheeks deep red with flush, his hair stuck to his forehead with sweat. She pulled him gently to lean against her chest, and he went gratefully, his arm stroking up her side as he leaned his weight into her.

Viktor laid where he’d been left for a long while, catching his breath and watching the two of them, looking sated and soft. When he finally sat up, with a slight wince, he lounged on one hand he propped up behind him, his legs bent. He and Mel both watched with soft fascination as Jayce’s spend leaked lazily out of him and onto his pale thigh, proof of the covenant they’d formed.

“Would you like to clean up, my darling?” Mel asked Jayce, and Jayce nodded, barely able to lift his head enough to do so.

“I’ll get it,” Viktor said softly, moving in to kiss the top of Jayce’s head, and then Mel’s cheek, before sliding to the edge of the bed, being careful not to spread the mess. Mel held Jayce close and listened to both of their hearts slowly return to rest, as the water ran quietly in the adjoining bathroom.

Viktor returned with warm, damp cloths, which he used to tenderly wipe sweat from Jayce’s brow and chest, before mopping oil and spend from Jayce’s cock, gentling his touch when Jayce whined from the overstimulation. He dabbed at Mel’s hairline and the back of her neck with a clean cloth, and she sighed softly when the cool air hit her damp skin, making gooseflesh travel along her arms and chest. He even dabbed the cooling damp down her chest and under her breasts, where the sweat had collected, leaving her feeling refreshed and clean.

He left the bed to clean himself, and Mel pressed kisses against Jayce’s forehead, listening to Viktor moving quietly, until she felt a gentle tug at the harness strap, turning to see Viktor opening the buckle. He helped her slide her legs out of the loops, and she did so gracelessly, falling into a limp heap with Jayce on the bedspread and laughing softly.

“Come here,” she said to Jayce, pushing him up toward the pillows and tugging the blankets out from beneath him, letting him slip between the sheets. He collapsed onto the pillows, looking nearly asleep already, and she couldn’t stop herself from running tender fingers over his cheeks and brow.

“You did so well for us,” she whispered to him, pressing barely-there kisses to his skin. “I’m so proud of you, my love. You were wonderful. You can sleep.”

Jayce made a soft, contented sound, and Mel sat up to watch Viktor bring the toy and the used cloths back into the bathroom, and return a moment later with a glass of water. He took a few sips before he climbed onto the bed and passed it to Mel, who drank gratefully. She hadn’t realized how dry her throat had gotten, and the cool water soothed her.

“Any water, darling?” she whispered to Jayce, who moaned softly and shook his head. She set the glass on the bedside table and slid between the sheets at Jayce’s back, pressing herself into his warmth.

Viktor hesitated for only a moment as he watched her, but it was enough to make her heart ache. She reached over Jayce to pull back the blankets on his other side, and Viktor gave her a bashful smile as he slid in where he was welcomed, curling up against Jayce’s chest.

“Oh… y-you’re staying,” Jayce said, and even the exhausted roughness of his voice was unable to cover his obvious relief.

“Jayce… I would not leave this bed if it was on fire,” Viktor grumbled, burying his face in his pillow. Mel laughed softly as Viktor’s ears turned red, and she reached over Jayce again to brush gentle fingers through Viktor’s hair, pushing some behind his ear.

“Viktor is ours now,” she hummed, dropping a kiss to Jayce’s shoulder as she stroked Viktor’s hair. “Isn’t he, Jayce?”

Jayce opened his sleepy eyes and looked over at her, rolling onto his back to meet her eyes more fully. Viktor finally lifted his head out of the pillow, his eyes wide and vulnerable as he rested his head against Jayce’s shoulder, taking his chance to slip closer.

“Yeah?” Jayce said to her, slipping an arm under her to spread his fingers across her back.

“If he wants to stay,” Mel said, and Viktor bit his lip when Jayce’s head turned to look at him instead. He shied under their gazes, and Mel saw a shade of the introverted, withdrawn scientist she’d come to know through Jayce. She knew that their adventure wouldn’t transform Viktor overnight, but she wished she could grasp for that fearless, confident creature she’d had on her arm at the gala. She wanted to draw him out slowly, as much as he would allow.

“More than anything,” he admitted, the corner of his mouth quirking up with a wry chuckle. Jayce’s arm curled around him at that, fitting him tight against Jayce’s side, and Jayce kissed his cheekbone, so tenderly it made Mel’s heart ache.

He turned and gave her the same kiss, and when he smiled at her, his eyes were so full of love and warmth that they seemed fit to overflow.

“You two are amazing,” he whispered, and Mel smiled back at him, returning his kiss.

“Tell us again in the morning,” Mel chuckled, stretching out against Jayce and resting her head on his shoulder, mirroring Viktor on Jayce’s other side. Viktor cracked his eyes open with a sleepy smile, and Mel returned it, reaching across to buff her fingers across his cheek.

Jayce reached around her to turn off the light, and Mel was asleep against his warmth in moments, lulled by the soft breathing of her boys nearby.

Viktor had finally drifted off on the settee when the rain began its gentle patter on the glass roof of the solarium.

After a few late nights in the lab, hunting down any remaining flaws in their latest design and painstakingly editing their grant request, Jayce had convinced Viktor that he could sit out the meeting with the Academy’s cabinet in favor of finally getting some rest. Viktor had reluctantly agreed, and Mel had coaxed him to keep her company in the solarium while she worked on her latest painting. She was pleased with the work so far–the play of sunlight on the water was working well, but the clouds were bothering her for some reason, and she had wiped the oils from her canvas, determined to try again.

Viktor’s quiet snoring drew her attention after a long while of companionable silence, and she smiled to herself when she realized he’d gotten comfortable and slipped into sleep. Her sweet man needed it–the late nights were wearing on him, and the exhaustion was beginning to manifest in his body, with purple stains beneath his eyes and sore shoulders that left him stiff in the mornings. She felt herself relax, a previously invisible weight lifting from her shoulders, knowing that her boys’ latest deadline was passed now, and he and Jayce could relax for a while.

The second attempt at a cloudy sky was going much better, and she felt invigorated by the success as her knife pressed slashes of grey underneath the white, turning the shapes from puffy and white to heavy with impending rain. A bit more purple to help the grey stand out against the pale sky, and she sighed with satisfaction, standing back to get a better view.

A throat cleared, and she glanced at Viktor before spotting a figure in the doorway–Jayce, beaming over a bouquet of roses.

“Jayce,” she whispered, holding out an arm to him, and he moved to her side, pressing the roses into her hands and kissing her cheek.

“Sorry I’m late,” he whispered back. “The meeting ran long.”

“These are beautiful,” she said, lowering her face into the velvety petals of the flowers, and taking in their delicate smell.

“A thank you,” he said, kissing her again. “For being patient, through this whole thing.”

“Too sweet,” she hummed, brushing her fingers over his cheek. “Thank you, my darling. I suppose this means you won the grant?”

Jayce beamed, turning his face to kiss her palm. “You would have gotten the roses either way,” he said.

She laughed softly, letting him slip from her arms and move to the settee, where he knelt on the slate floor. He brushed his fingers over Viktor’s cheeks, pushing hair from his forehead, waking him as tenderly as he knew how. “Viktor,” he whispered, pressing his lips to Viktor’s brow. “Baby…”

Viktor inhaled softly and his eyes fluttered open, briefly disoriented until he saw Jayce. Mel watched the sweetest smile spread over Viktor’s face, his hands coming up to cradle Jayce’s jaw.

“We got it,” Jayce whispered, and had to move quickly to avoid being headbutted as Viktor abruptly sat up, suddenly wide awake.

“We got it?” Viktor asked, breathless.

“We got it,” Jayce laughed. Mel couldn’t keep from laughing along with them, swept up in their joy as they threw their arms around each other, Jayce lifting Viktor off the settee and into the air with almost no effort. He spun Viktor around once, tugging a surprised squeal out of him, before pulling him into a deep kiss. Mel slipped up to them, wrapping her free arm around Jayce’s waist, watching them with fondness blooming in her chest.

When Jayce let Viktor down, it was almost right into the bouquet, and Viktor laughed softly, smelling the flowers. “Lovely,” he said.

“They’re my consolation for almost a week of sleeping without my boys,” Mel said proudly, cradling them. Viktor laughed, tugging her close so he could kiss her cheek sweetly.

“You deserve them,” he said, his eyes crinkling with fondness. “And more.”

“And that’s why we’re taking her to dinner tonight,” Jayce said, his hand spreading on her lower back.

“Are you boys on the dessert menu?” Mel asked, chuckling in delight when Jayce flushed.

“At your service, Miss Medarda,” Viktor purred, letting his voice go soft and gravelly.

“You spoil me,” she said, making Viktor smile as he gently took her bouquet from her hands in exchange for a kiss.

“Not nearly enough,” he said. “Let me get water for these.”

Jayce smiled down at her as Viktor headed for the kitchen, pulling her against his chest and kissing her again, slow and sweet this time.

“Thank you,” he murmured. “For everything you’ve given me.”

She smiled up at him, seeing the way his eyes sparkled with knowing. “You couldn’t be more welcome, my love,” she said.