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Caitlyn was never a very sociable child, always a bit too awkward and sheltered to connect with kids her own age. So, it came to a surprise to her when she connected with Jayce so well. He was older, about eight years or so, and a blossoming inventor. Caitlyn, at the young age of ten, knew very little of the scientific world and the complicated topics that tend to fly right over her adolescent head. However, she always found herself attentively glued to Jayce’s side, wide eyed and nodding along as the older boy explained the intricacies of his latest revelation, his latest theory, his latest invention.
So, when her mother decided to officially sponsor Jayce, Cait was over the moon. The pair quickly bonded like siblings, especially after Jayce became an almost permanent resident in their large manor, like a thorn in her side she intended to keep forever.
As Cait grew, so did her understanding of Jayce’s scientific mind. Though, not by much. Sure, Caitlyn was intelligent, far above the intelligence of anyone her own age due to her private teaching and naturally gifted mind, but Jayce, well, he was a true miracle, as her mother would say. And Caitlyn often found herself agreeing.
Every second Caitlyn did not spend perched behind a rifle with Officer Grayson by her side, she was with Jayce. Whether she was helping him carry loads of boxes from the manor to his lab located in one of the busier areas of Piltover, or peering wondrously over his shoulder as he hurriedly scribbled down some messy notes, or tinkered with a bit of machinery in his hands, they were always together. He was the brother she never knew she wanted. She did not realize just how lonely her life was until he showed up, all crooked smiles and grandiose promises of changing the world for the better.
By the time she was sixteen, Caitlyn was almost an assistant of sorts. Though, of course this was only Jayce’s excuse to steal her away from her own overbearing mother, not that he would ever admit such a thing aloud, especially not to Cassandra’s face. Though Caitlyn’s mind was still not quite wired to understand the scientific wonders of the world like Jayce’s was, she still didn’t mind sticking around. It was her fascination, after all, that drove her. Her want to understand everything around her, including that which seems unexplainable. And, most of Jayce’s science talk really did seem unexplainable.
Not that she would ever say that to him, not when she notices the way his eyes light up when she nods along to his excited rambling, mouth moving a mile a minute as he tries to get his every thought out in a single breath. However, most of their time together was spent in companionable silence, Jayce doing whatever it is he does as Caitlyn watches with an intense patience and fascination.
It was soon after one of these days that she noticed it.
An unusually tabbed page in one of Jayce’s notebooks. Rarely did Jaye ever close his various journals. Instead, he had them all splayed open wide, ready for him to glance at whenever he may need to. This one, however, was closed tight, a pen sticking out between the thin pages, keeping a bookmark of a particular note. Now, Caitlyn was taught to never snoop, it goes against everything a Kiramman is supposed to be: gracious, well-mannered, prestigious. However… Caitlyn bites her lip indecisively, worrying the skin between her white teeth. She glances around the room.
Empty.
It often was. Jayce’s old space in the Kiramman Manor was rarely occupied nowadays. After the very unfortunate explosion of his home lab, and the then very fortunate promotion that followed soon after, Jayce spent most of his time at the Academy. He would visit occasionally, at the rare occasions when he allowed himself a break from the Academy’s imprisoning workload, but the visitations were few and far between. When he does have the time, it was always easy for him and Caitlyn to fall into their old pattern, Jayce settling behind his old desk as Cait pulled up a wayward stool. And they would talk and talk and talk.
And, it would appear that he has left behind a lone notebook after his last visit just a few days ago. Caitlyn desperately wants to open it, to flip through the hundreds of pages of notes and gibberish. Her morbid curiosity eats away at her, her need to understand everything chipping away at her morals. Her hand toys gently with the leather bound cover, absentmindedly picking at a flayed corner as she contemplates if understanding the inner workings of Jayce’s Hextech technology was worth betraying his trust.
She chews at her cheek, a nervous habit her mother has always tried to correct, but Cait has argued back that it was a much better alternative to anxiously biting her nails. As much as she wants to know… peeking when Jayce was not around felt like an invasion of his privacy, like she was flipping through the wrinkles of his brain and he was not here to allow it.
The teenager sighs, tucking a strand of hair that fell over her eyes back behind her ear. No, she supposes she will not snoop. Damn those rigorous morals her mother and Officer Grayson have instilled upon her. Instead, she will return the notebook to Jayce. She has been meaning to visit his new laboratory anyways, an apparently spacious room with every bit of equipment Jayce could ever possibly need to fulfill his dreams for the future.
With possibly too gentle of a grasp, Caitlyn picks up the notebook, tucking it neatly in her hands. She stares at the smooth leather cover, chuckling to herself as she notices Jayce’s own name carved into the material, right in the center so there could be no possible confusion of just who the journal belonged to. He really did have an ego problem. She could probably blame herself for that, but she is sure his new position under Professor Heimerdinger’s wing has not helped either. Or the way everyone and their mother whispers praise whenever he does as much as walk down the street.
She goes to tuck the bound book under her arm when–
“Caitlyn!” The voice of her mother echoes throughout the halls. The sudden intrusion startles the teenager, making her jump a little, the notebook clattering out of her hands, landing flat on the floor below her a dull thump.
“Damnit,” Caitlyn hisses quietly under her breath, annoyed as any teenager would be. She opens her mouth to yell back, something utterly impolite but Caitlyn could not find herself to mind when her mother broke the very same rule herself just now, when she falters. Her eyes catch onto the now open pages of Jayce’s notebook, laying splayed out before her feet. But, instead of the calculations and crazed ramblings of a madman obsessed with creating magic in a lab that she expected to see, she saw nothing but drawings.
She blinks. Once. Then twice. She should look away, but she does not. Politeness be damned. Instead, Cait crouches down to the floor, hovering above the charcoal drawings that littered the previously bookmarked page, the pen that formerly found a home nestled between these very pages now rolled uselessly across the room.
Caitlyn knew Jayce could draw, she has seen him sketching detailed diagrams and plans often enough to know he knew at least the very basics, but… this? It was something completely different.
Drawings of people. Or, more accurately, one person, drawn multiple times across a stretch of two pages. One man studied from almost every possible angle. Scratches of charcoal fleshing out the man’s features, carving out his defined cheekbones and gaunt frame. Lines placed with a calculation that Caitlyn has only ever seen Jayce use for his inventions, not for drawing the same man over and over again.
Her eyes flitted across the pages in awe, fingers carefully dusting over the harsh lines, before ghosting over a smear of chicken scratch text that read Viktor in Jayce’s familiar handwriting. The name was vaguely recognizable to Caitlyn, she could recall the name being murmured from Jayce’s lips a few times before.
His partner. Lab partner specifically, Cait clarified to herself. Her brows scrunch together, furrowed in deep concentration as she continued to examine the drawings. Each line was purposeful, each stroke of the pencil carefully placed as if Jayce was handling dangerous technology, not drawing his lab partner from various angles. It was rather touching, in an odd, kind of creepy sort of way.
“Caitlyn?”
Hearing her mother call for her again snapped Caitlyn back into the present moment. She awkwardly stumbles backwards, slightly startled by her mother’s voice sounding much closer than it was previously, before straightening herself back up with, admittedly, very little grace. She huffs out a short profanity under her breath, thin lips pulling into a tight frown. “Just a moment, mother!” She calls back, hoping to stave off her pestering mother for just another minute.
Her eyes quickly skirt back to the notebook she still held tightly in her grasp, and in a sudden moment of realization she snaps it shut like it was never opened in the first place. This is not something meant for her eyes. She feels her face flush an embarrassingly red shade at the realization of what she had just done, at the invasion of privacy she just committed.
The door slams open, the sudden noise echoing through the rather empty room, startling Caitlyn from her thoughts once again. The teenager turns around, clutching the notebook close to her chest as if to hide it from her mother’s questioning gaze. “Caitlyn,” the woman starts, “I have been calling and calling for you. Whatever are you doing that is keeping all your time?” Cassandra makes her presence known.
“Nothing!” Caitlyn quickly squeaks out.
Cassandra raises a perfect brow, but seems not to question her daughter’s hasty excuse, despite just how suspicious it is. “Very well, dear. Follow me, I could quite use your help with a few dinner arrangements.” Without an answer, she turns around, not waiting to look to see if her daughter will follow along. She knows she will.
The younger Kiramman frowns, but nonetheless takes a step forward before pausing. She glances down at the journal that contains Jayce’s oddly endearing sketches of his… lab partner. Yes, oddly endearing is the phrase she would use to describe this strange fascination Jayce seems to hold. A fascination that feels akin to admiration.
Caitlyn shakes her head, clearing her mind of her curious thoughts. She decides, then and there, that it is none of her business. Instead, she silently opens her jacket and slides the notebook inside, keeping it tucked safely at her side to return to Jayce when she was done with whatever errand her mother required of her. She wills the notebook from her mind, discarding Jayce’s sketches from her memory.
After all, it most certainly means nothing.
Right…?
–
As a Councilor's daughter, it only made sense for Caitlyn to tag along with her mother to various council events, not only to make a good impression for the Kiramman name, but also to get Caitlyn’s face out to the public eye. Her mother always said she preferred to hide from the crowds, but at these events, hiding was nearly impossible. And, unfortunately for Caitlyn, today was just one of those days.
Forced into her best attire, the young woman scanned the crowd. Dozens, if not hundreds, of Pilties crammed into one large room, all slightly tipsy off cheap champagne. She herself was no exception, as she silently sipped at her third glass of the evening, needing the buzz to get herself through this tortuous night. Usually, at these sort of parties, she stayed stuck to her mother’s side, pretending to listen and laugh along at council member gossip. However, her mother had broken off from her an hour ago with the excuse of needing to have a private conversation with Councilor Medarda, a stunning woman that Cait could not help but to ogle at whenever she crossed her line of sight. Sue her for finding a pretty woman attractive.
So, as of now, Caitlyn was slouched against a wall, her back pressed against the cold surface, sending slight shivers down her spine. With a heavy sigh, she took a long swig from her champagne glass, letting the bubbly liquid soothe her nerves and boredom. She could only find entertainment in observing the crowd for so long. It was amusing at first, watching people her and her family held in such high regard make a fool of themselves on the dance floor, but after the first hour, Caitlyn could not help but grow bored.
She goes to take another sip of her drink when she notices, with a frown, that she has already finished off the last of her champagne. “There goes my last bit of enjoyment…” She mutters under her breath, barely able to hear her own voice over the loud music and the even louder chatter that surrounds her. She glances around, looking for any nearby waiters. When she finds none, her eyes instead land on the bar to her left.
That’s when she notices him. Jayce. He was lazing casually against the bar, resting an elbow on the undoubtedly sticky surface of the counter. He rests his chin upon his hand that was propped up on the bar, staring into the distance at some unknown point Caitlyn can’t quite see.
Cait lets her shoulders sag for the first time that night, releasing a sigh of relief at the sight of a familiar face in a crowd of strangers and uninviting family friends. It’s not uncommon to find Jayce at these sorts of things, after all he is an important man to the Academy, but seeing him alone was the real shocker. She readjusts her stance, pushing herself off the wall when the figure standing at Jayce’s side finally comes into view as well. Defined cheekbones, tired eyes, a cane held steadily in one hand. She recognized the man as Jayce’s lab partner, Viktor. A man Caitlyn has only had the pleasure of meeting once or twice before, though only ever by accident.
His presence causes Caitlyn to pause, her steps faltering. She isn’t quite sure what to do. She purses her lips in thought, chewing at the inside of her cheek. The pair haven’t seemed to notice her standing a respectable distance away, too absorbed in their own conversation to notice anyone besides each other, as if the entire room around them just fades away while they're in one another’s presence. It’s interesting.
Rather awkwardly, Caitlyn lingers in the background, falling back into the shadows to do what she does best, observing. Well, best right after her marksmanship of course. She watches Jayce watch Viktor, watching his eyes light up with a passionate energy she has seen a plethora of times from Jayce. But never has it been so… loving. So filled with pure adoration and admiration, it almost makes Caitlyn a little queasy.
Jayce puts his hand firmly on his partner’s shoulder, squeezing the man’s slim frame with a delicate yet strong touch. The other barely bats an eye, only spearing a quick glance at Jayce’s tanned hand before letting a small smile grace his features.
He must be used to it, Caitlyn thinks to herself as Viktor, a man who has never given her the impression of liking physical touch or even liking being in the presence of people in general, does not even blink at the sudden touch. Instead, he seems to lean into it, letting Jayce’s hand rest heavily on his shoulder, like a comfortable weight keeping him tethered to the ground beneath his feet.
They’re talking rapidly. Well, more like Jayce is talking and Viktor is slowly nodding along, assumedly subdued by the drink he is currently nursing in his hand, eyes hazed over in a mixture of tipsiness and an admiration that is identical to the one Cait can see in Jayce’s own eyes. They continue to talk, Jayce animated and Viktor much more quiet. So quiet, in fact, that whenever he does open his mouth to respond, Jayce always leans in close until their foreheads are almost bumping against each other. At one point, Caitlyn notices, he leans in and never moves back, his voice quieting due to the short distance between him and his partner, but his smile remaining just as wide as before.
And then, Jayce removes his hand from his partner’s shoulder. Caitlyn watches Viktor’s mouth twist into something sour at the loss of contact, though she isn’t quite sure either Jayce or Viktor himself notice this small expression that’s gone within seconds. However, before Caitlyn can do as much as feel bad for Viktor, Jayce extends his hand back towards him, as if offering something. What it is, Caitlyn can’t tell.
Though Cait can’t hear the exchange over the noise, she can pick up on a thing or two based on reactions alone. First, she watches as Viktor’s eyes widen in shock, his mouth going slack for a second before he very quickly fixes his composure into something much more neutral. However, even from a distance, Caitlyn can tell his eyes give away his true emotions, a mixture of surprise and discomfort. He lets out a small laugh, shaking his head.
Jayce pouts. Cait has to hold back a laugh of her own at the expression. He says something that she can’t pick up on, but based on his wide eyes, Cait can assume it was something akin to a plea. Viktor, almost absentmindedly, gestures to his cane with his free hand, raising a thick brow as if he was calling Jayce an idiot with just his expression, no words needing to be exchanged between the two. However, Jayce seems to say something convincing at that moment, as Viktor releases a huff that blows a piece of stray hair out his eyes, before reluctantly placing his hand in Jayce’s own.
Expectedly, Jayce’s grin widens, his sharp canines peeking out from under his top lip. However, a little less expectedly Jayce begins to lead Viktor out to the dance floor, keeping a strong grip on his hand as if to keep him close and steady.
In the crowd, Caitlyn loses them almost immediately, the odd pair quickly getting swept away by the torrent of slow dancing couples. She cranes her neck this way and that, even standing up on her tippy toes, but can’t find the familiar head of dark, combed back hair and white suit in a sea full of identical hairstyles and outfits. Her lips pull down in a frown, a bit disappointed at losing her entertainment for the rest of the night.
“Champagne, ma’am?” Caitlyn whips her head in the direction of the voice, the waitress looking at her expectantly.
“Oh, thank Gods,” she mumbles, exchanging her empty glass with a full one. She drinks half of it in one swig, the sudden buzz causing her to stumble a little on her own footing. She may have lost sight of Jayce and his lab partner, but at the very least she has shitty champagne to keep her going.
Though, she wonders distantly if ‘lab partner’ is truly the correct term to describe their relationship.
–
“Hello, dear!” Greeted Ximena Talis’ motherly face at the doorway of her quaint abode, her arms open wide for a hug from her pseudo-daughter.
Caitlyn grins from ear to ear, gladly accepting the hug from the woman she has come to love like a mother. She has spent too many afternoons here with Jayce to see her as anything else. She had a welcoming and warm presence her own mother seemed to lack, always glad to accept Cait into her home as if she was her own daughter. From the way she doted on her, she might as well really be her daughter at this point.
As always, Ximena’s hugs are comfortably warm, and strangely strong for such a feeble older woman. A bit reluctantly, Cait moves away from the warm embrace. “Thank you for having me tonight,” she says as Ximena leads her into the entryway. Without having to be told, Caitlyn toes off her shoes, placing them on the rack to her right. Ximena smiles appreciatively, continuing to lead her towards the kitchen where a lovely aroma lingered in the air.
The older woman scoffs, “Of course, dear. It’s my pleasure, if anything. You know me and Jayce always love having you over. And, you being here will be a great surprise for him! As you know, he has been working so tirelessly. It will be nice for him to enjoy a family dinner like back in the old days,” she laughs softly to herself, returning to the big pot of stew she had set to a boil.
“Yes, it will be quite pleasurable. It has been awhile since I’ve seen him not working,” she affirms, settling down to the chair she reserved for herself at the age of twelve, when her trips to the Talis household went from every few weeks to almost everyday. Running her hand slowly over the table caused almost every memory here to flood her senses, she could remember doodling aimlessly on a sheet of paper right at this very table, her short legs kicking back and forth in the air as Jayce and his mother chatted just as a real family did. She smiled to herself, letting the memories envelope her just as Ximena’s warm hug did moments ago.
“Do you have any idea when he will show?” Caitlyn asks after a short, comfortable lapse in conversation, the only sounds in the air being the wooden spoon clinking against the side of the metal pot as Ximena continues to stir the good-smelling concoction.
Before the older woman can respond, the sound of the front door opening brings both their attention towards the entryway, where hushed voices are whispering furiously to one another. Caitlyn starts to grin before realization dawns on her. Voices? Her manicured eyebrows furrow into an expression of curiosity, unsure of who the second voice could belong to.
Ximena, the unquestioning angel that she is, does not seem to have the same apprehension that Cait does as she drops what she is doing to rush to the front door. Caitlyn goes to follow her, when Ximena stops her in her tracks, an apologetic look seared into her features. “I’m so sorry to ask, dear, but could you please keep an eye on the pot while I go collect Jayce?” She asks.
“Oh! Yes, yes, of course,” Caitlyn agrees, to which Ximena smiles gratefully back at her before scurrying off as fast as her old age would allow her.
Trying not to be too disappointed, Cait makes her way to the stove. Though she couldn’t see who Jayce’s mystery guest was, her mind began to fill in the blanks. A girl, perhaps? Councilor Medarda? Caitlyn knows the two have been getting… close lately. She shudders, a bit disgusted at the thought, trying to clear her mind of the image that was just unwillingly brought to mind at the mention of her brother and Councilor Medarda. Gross.
“Jayce, darling!” Ximena’s voice is clear as day, audible even over the hiss of sizzling food underneath Caitlyn’s nose.
“Hi, ma,” Jayce responds, voice much quieter than his mother’s but still loud enough for Caitlyn to pick up on from the kitchen. The two exchange small pleasantries, most of what Cait tunes out, not wanting to eavesdrop too badly. That is until she hears a familiar name.
“I hope it’s okay I brought Vik.”
Caitlyn pauses, the repetitive stirring of the ladle coming to a sudden halt at Jayce’s words.
“Of course it is, my dear! Viktor is always welcome,” Ximena responds, and Caitlyn has the sudden epiphany that this can’t be the first or even the fifth time Viktor has been welcomed to the Talis family home. How much does Jayce bring him over? Enough for him to be well familiarized with Mrs. Talis it seems, as the woman eagerly welcomes him with a joy that rivals the welcoming of her own son.
“Thank you,” Viktor says stiffly as if the air has just been knocked out of his lungs. Caitlyn can assume Ximena was currently crushing him in one of her famous hugs.
“Oh! And Jayce, I have a special guest for you, as well.”
“Oh? Who is it?” Jayce asks, amusement lacing his tone like an overgrown puppy.
“Come and see for yourself,” his mother chuckles softly. Jayce seems to take well to the advice, as just a second later, Caitlyn hears three pairs of footsteps, and one crutch, make their way through the entryway that branched off to the quaint kitchen. Ximena heads in first, the two men following close behind.
When Jayce’s head finally peeks around the corner after his mother’s, Caitlyn peels herself away from the hot stove top, taking a few short steps to the table that was settled in the center of the room. Jayce doesn’t immediately notice, his eyes, and hands, glued to his partner instead. He busied himself with keeping one hand on the small of Viktor’s back, and the other on his forearm. While Viktor busied himself by swatting at Jayce’s clingy hands, muttering something quietly for just the two of them to hear. Jayce only grinned apologetically, despite Viktor’s harsh tone, eyes still unable to leave his partner’s own.
Caitlyn cleared her throat, feeling a bit out of place all of a sudden.
Jayce straightened up, his head whipping around at the sound before his eyes lock onto hers. “Sprout!” He exclaims, hands leaving Viktor, as he rushes towards her. Before Cait can react, he is suddenly crushing her in a hug, large frame enveloping hers completely. Despite their very minimal height difference, Cait feels like a small child again in Jayce’s arms.
“You know I hate when you call me that,” she complains, though she hugs Jayce back nonetheless.
“What? Now that you’re a big, scary enforcer I can’t call you Sprout?” The older chuckles, pulling away.
“I’ve been complaining about it since I was a teenager, Jayce. Being an enforcer has nothing to do with it.”
“Whatever you say,” he pauses, grin widening cheekily, “Sprout.”
Caitlyn rolls her eyes and punches his arm, admittedly a little too hard, as Jayce immediately seems to bite back a wince of pain. Caitlyn can’t help but smirk, not even bothering to hide her growing smile.
“You’re evil,” Jayce huffs out, rubbing at the spot on his arm that will certainly have a bruise by the morning, lips screwing into a childish pout.
“You’re just mad that your younger sister is stronger than you,” she teases back playfully. Though, if there’s a hint of truthfulness behind her tone, she doesn’t let Jayce in on it, not wanting to bruise his arguably already too-large ego. On second thought, maybe she really should beat him in a fight, only to do the world a service and knock him down a few pegs.
“Not my fault I spend all my time in a lab instead of the shooting range.”
“Please, you two, you still fight like children,” Ximena scolds, and the two siblings immediately bite their own tongues like they’re ten and eighteen again. Caitlyn is even half tempted to mumble out a small apology, as if she really was a child again on the verge of tears, when Viktor’s soft chuckle cuts through the air.
Jayce perks up at the sound, as if just hearing Viktor has the ability to re-energize him from his mother’s brief scolding. Caitlyn bet that if he had a tail, it would be wagging feverishly right about now. Cait watches as Jayce crosses the short distance over to his lab partner, and as if his hands were magnets and Viktor’s body was crafted from metal, Jayce’s hands immediately find themselves back on Viktor. He firmly grasps the shorter man’s shoulder, directing him to an unoccupied chair. Viktor smiles gratefully, settling down and handing Jayce his crutch. As if this happened a million times before, Jayce hurries to settle it against a nearby wall without having to be asked.
Following his partner’s lead, Jayce sits down next to him. Caitlyn notices him silently scooching his chair over a few inches, close enough so he could lean close to Viktor and whisper quietly to him if need be. Viktor doesn’t bat an eye at this action, once again, as if it had happened a million times before.
“So!” Caitlyn says abruptly, just a tad too loud and a bit too quick. “How are you, Viktor?”
Viktor, as if surprised that she was addressing him, blinks his tired eyes a few times before schooling his features into something much more neutral, a pleasant smile taking over his features. “I am good, Miss Kiramman. And you?”
“Oh! Caitlyn, or Cait, is fine,” she laughs a bit awkwardly, and possibly a bit too long to be considered normal. “But, uh, I’m great. It’s very good to see Jayce and Ximena again. And you, of course. Do you stop by often?” She asks, genuinely curious.
“Okay… Caitlyn,” Viktor hesitates, as if testing the name on his tongue. “I would not say I visit all that frequently, no. But it is always enjoyable when I do. Mrs. Talis is a wonderful host,” he smiles politely, nodding to Ximena, who was too busy cooking to say much more than a flattered thank you to Viktor’s comment.
Jayce, too, reacts well, grinning ear to ear as if the compliment was just as much for him as it was for his mother. “Yeah! V and I try to come by from time to time. Ma always likes seeing him. I swear, she loves him more than she loves me,” he laughs, voice holding no bitterness.
His partner scoffs, rolling his eyes fondly. “Do not say that, Jayce,” he scolds.
“What? It’s true!” His tone isn’t lined with the pain one might expect, but a strange sense of pride instead, as if Ximena accepting Viktor was the best thing he could wish for. Caitlyn isn’t quite sure how to take it, so she instead busies herself with sipping at the wine that Ximena settled down before her just a few moments before, hiding her confused yet amused expression behind the rim of the glass.
The rest of the evening goes well. As always, Ximena’s cooking is marvelous. And once one drink turns to everyone’s third, the conversation starts flowing much more steadily. The stilted awkwardness between Caitlyn and Viktor dissipates as their tipsiness increases. She learns quickly that Viktor can be just as talkative as Jayce, but in a much more muted sense. While Jayce is all loud laughs and big hand gestures, Viktor has a much more sarcastic palette, a sharp and witty tongue hidden behind this polite facade of his.
She also learns that Jayce can get even more touchy when tipsy, a feat Caitlyn thought was impossible. Quick, fleeting touches became permanent fixtures, Jayce’s hands grabbing onto Viktor wherever he could and refusing to let go. Hands that at first only brushed against one another briefly now settled atop one of another, Jayce’s larger hands curling around Viktor’s own. Viktor, though not initiating the contact, did not seem to mind it. He leaned into Jayce, his posture sagging off to the side, as if gravitating towards the other man.
For not the first time that night, Caitlyn felt out of place, like she was intruding upon something she was not meant to see, a private moment between two… lab partners. Everytime she was tempted to leave, she felt herself pulled back into the conversation, Jayce making sure not to leave her out of the discussion despite the fact he was almost cuddling with his partner.
Caitlyn, for lack of a better word, was confused, but decided not to question it. Jayce has always been a notoriously touchy and affectionate man, and if he has decided to extend that touchiness to his lab partner, then so be it. As long as Viktor doesn’t seem to mind, which he really, really doesn’t, then neither will she.
She does, however, wish Jayce could tone down the PDA. At least for her sake.
–
Caitlyn rarely had a reason to visit Jayce’s lab within the Academy walls. Usually their hangouts these days, as rare as they were now with Jayce’s position as a Councilor and Caitlyn’s as an enforcer, consisted of Jayce barging into her room without warning and dragging her away to do whatever it is he wanted. Much like an eager puppy who really was impossible to say no to. That, or he would interrupt her while she was on the clock, earning him a rightful punch to the side or a harsh twist of his arm.
However, this time, Cait needed Jayce urgently to discuss his Hextech technology that was very urgently becoming more of a hindrance than a help to society. So, she found herself scouting her way through the Academy hallways, an unfamiliar set up to her as her mother much preferred her to receive her tutoring privately in the home than at Piltover’s finest Academy. So, really, it is her mother to blame for her only friend growing up being Jayce. Not that Cait is particularly upset about her and Jayce’s odd companionship.
The Academy was similar to maze, endless hallways leading to endless possibilities. In the dark, it was even worse. The walls stretched high above her, making her feel claustrophobic despite the towering heights. She tried desperately to recall the twists and turns it took to get to Jayce’s lab. Straight, then right, then right again? She purses her lips, following her own instructions only to end up terribly lost in the maze of halls.
“Miss Kiramman?”
Caitlyn whips her head around at the intrusion, only to be met with a bright light shining directly in her eyes. She hastily puts a hand over her face, squinting to allow her eyes to adjust. The man seems to realize his mistake, however, and quickly lowers the flashlight with a brisk apology.
Now free from the blinding light, Caitlyn is able to make out the man’s face. An older gentleman in a guard’s uniform. She recognizes him vaguely, and could definitely recall seeing his face at one of her mother’s dinner parties that she was so fond of, while Cait rather despised them. Unfortunately, his name would not come to mind. “Hey, uh… you!” She awkwardly forces out, trying her best to be casual, and failing miserably as she only manages to trip over her own feet. She cringes. Goddamnit.
The guard, Mr. Whatshisname, doesn’t seem to notice her obvious and embarrassing blunder. Or, if he does, he doesn’t react. Thank the Gods for that, if this got back to her mother… Caitlyn does not even want to think of the talking to she would receive from the angry Kiramman, who would be absolutely horrified at her lack of manners. “Is there anything you need help with?” The man asks and Cait gives a quick thanks to the Kiramman name and her enforcer uniform that saved her from being immediately kicked from the premises.
She stiffens her posture, straightening her back and holding her chin high, trying to remain professional. “Yes. If you could point me towards Jayce’s lab,” she states in her most authoritative tone, before feeling a bit guilty and quickly adding a quick “please?”
“You mean Councilor Talis’ lab?”
“Er, yes.” No matter how many times she hears it, Cait will never quite get used to hearing her brother’s name attached to the title ‘Councilor.’ Caitlyn has a specific view of Councilors, one Jayce does not fit into. She has trouble aligning the man she grew up with to the stuck-up and pretentious image she has of the Council members.
The guard pulls his lip back in a polite smile before pointing to the way she came from. He mumbles out some vague directions, just specific enough for Caitlyn to gain a rough understanding of the Academy’s layout. She nods in appreciation before heading out in the direction the guard pointed towards, not wanting to be forced into any awkward small talk. And, more importantly, she did urgently need to talk to Jayce.
It only took a few minutes for Caitlyn to find her way now that she knew where the hell it was she was supposed to go. Really, what imbecile designed this place and made the rather ridiculous decision to make every hallway look identical to the last. Finally, after much trial and error, she made it to the large door that marked the entrance to her brother’s lab. The door was unnecessary tall and wide, matching well with the interior of the lab which she would also describe as unnecessary tall and wide. With a huff, she pushes open the door, figuring Jayce will be there despite the late hour. Time he doesn’t spend wasting away in his lab has become rare.
She doesn’t even spare the room glance, or spare Jayce the courtesy of knocking before entering the room. “Jayce, I need to discuss some of the more… dangerous aspects to your Hextech technology. After the recent attack I’ve become concer–” Cait finally looks up.
It seems she was right about one thing, Jayce is here, but he was rather preoccupied. Sleeping. On his lab partner’s shoulder. Caitlyn blinks owlishly, eyeing the odd pair suspiciously. Jayce had his cheek pressed against his partner’s shoulder. The partner in question dozing off soundly as well, his forehead pressed against the desk the two of were leaned against. His arms were folded under his head, making the uncomfortable position the smallest bit more relaxing at least. Still, Caitlyn winced in sympathy, knowing how uncomfortable it was to pass out face first on your desk.
The pair were nestled together softly, their backs rising and falling in sync, as if they were not two separate beings, but one in the same. With the way their limbs were intertwined, Jayce’s foot hooked around Viktor’s ankle and his hand resting on his forearm, it was difficult to tell where one began and the other started. From their shoulders down to their thighs, every part of their bodies met in the middle, glued together by some unknown force.
They looked peaceful, Caitlyn realized with the faintest smile on her lips. She could not recall the last time she saw Jayce without the weight of his newfound political power resting heavily on his shoulders, pulling him down the same way she has witnessed it happening to her mother over the years. Though, her mother had a much better way of hiding it than the younger man did. His eye bags, while faint, were always there. His brow always pinched in worry. Now, though, none of that previous stress was present in his features. He was calm, relaxed even, in his lab partner’s arms.
It kind of made Caitlyn want to throw up, in a weird sort of heartwarming way. She wasn’t quite sure what to do. She shuffled from foot to foot, eyes flickering between the two sleeping figures and a random point in the distance. As much as she needed to talk to Jayce, she also did not want to disturb his well deserved respite.
So, she glances around the room, eyes scanning the various chalkboards, filled to the brim with equations and diagrams that made her head hurt if she focused on them for too long, before she focused her attention back to the desk that was currently being used as an uncomfortable bed. She didn’t really know what she needed, or what these notes mean, but she knew she needed something to stew over, to hopefully bring her closer to understanding Hextech’s more dangerous qualities.
Carefully, she tiptoes closer to the desk, holding her own breath so as to not make any noise. She hurriedly sorts through the detailed notes, pocketing anything that looks like it might be useful. “It’s not stealing if it’s from your own brother…” She mumbles to herself to calm the guilty feeling that was starting to rise in her gut. Plus, if anything, it was Jayce’s own fault for sleeping on the job, and Caitlyn was just the angel who felt too bad to wake him. Or, that’s what she tells herself at least.
She finds a loose piece of paper and reaches for a discarded pen, hastily scribbling an apology and a promise to return the notes tomorrow morning, adding a crude little smirking face while she was at it. Just to tease Jayce a little bit. She plasters it right in the space in front of him for him to read when he wakes up, whenever that may be, and turns to leave when she notices the bundle kicked to the floor beneath Jayce and Viktor’s feet. A blanket, one side blue and the other a vibrant red.
Before she’s even registering the action, Cait reaches for the fabric, pulling the soft quilt into her arms and then drapes it over Jayce and his partner’s shoulders. She sighs, watching as Jayce seems to unconsciously nuzzle into the warmth, digging his face further into Viktor’s bony shoulder. He releases a small noise, something akin to a hum of content.
Caitlyn isn’t quite sure just what relationship Jayce had with his lab partner, whether it was something platonic or romantic was beyond her. She has had too many conversations with Jayce about this situation that always end the same way, with him vehemently denying whatever allegation she throws at him regarding him and his lab partner. But, whatever it was between them, she is glad that at the very least her brother finally had a friend who wasn’t her.
Took him long enough.
–
Jayce wasn’t the same man he was before. The kindness that used to shine in his eyes was long gone, stomped out by months of tragedy that he was yet to open up about, no matter how hard Caitlyn tried to pry it out of him. He would not budge, mouth set in a firm line. She missed him. She misses the young teenager she met years ago: the young boy who would guide her through her maths homework, the young boy who hand crafted her a brand new bike in hopes it would increase her chances of meeting friends her own age. It didn’t. But, it brought the two of them closer together.
But, even more, she misses the man he was mere months ago. Not the one weighed down with tragedy, nor the one who put politics ahead of science, but the man who made sure to visit her once a week, even when he was busy at the Academy. The man who would explain theories and inventions to her like they were discussing the morning paper. The excited older brother he once was. Now, however, he was just a shell of who he was before, a body with no soul, a man without the will to live.
He wasn’t the same, but neither was Caitlyn. They have both changed in the last few months, for better and for the worse. Caitlyn has done many regretful things in the past few months, actions that she can’t just will away with a wave of a hand and a quick mention of her family name. Unforgivable actions, the kind she will spend the rest of her life, no matter how short and grim that life is currently looking, atoning for.
She has many regrets. She regrets ever working alongside Ambessa. Pawn or not, she still agreed to fight by her side, still pledged her loyalty to her. She regrets ever hurting Vi, for laying a hand on the person she loves most in life. But, above all, she also regrets not being there for her brother. And now, it was too late. He has closed himself off, an impenetrable wall that refused to let anyone in and refused to let anything out.
“Viktor’s at the center of all this, isn’t he?” Her eyes, hardened by war, shift over to Jayce. Jayce, who adorned a new thick beard and grown out hair that fell over his forehead when he cast his gaze towards the ground. His eyes, much like her own, told a story of hardship. The innocent wonder that once shimmered in his irises was long gone, replaced by something colder. Something sharp. Something Caitlyn wasn’t used to, not from her brother at least.
Jayce doesn’t respond. Not at first. And Caitlyn fears she has brought up a memory that cut straight through Jayce’s core until it pierced through his heart. Whatever remains of it. Something flashes in Jayce’s eyes, something Cait isn’t able to put a name to. An emotion so complex and full of pain that it sends a shiver right down Caitlyn’s spine. All because of the mention of Viktor’s name.
Whatever Jayce’s true thoughts are, he doesn’t express them. He inhales shakily, something so miniscule Caitlyn doubts anyone at the table noticed but her. He squeezes his eyes shut, the muted amber of his irises vanishing beneath his closed lids. She can do nothing but wonder what is going on inside his head. what old memories he might be revisiting. No doubt recollections of Viktor. His lab partner, his best friend, his…
Caitlyn isn’t all that sure what they were. She never really was, but now less so than ever. But… looking at Jayce now, she can assume a thing or two about them, the pair of coworkers that always seemed too close to be just lab partners. It’s clear just by staring at him that Jayce is thinking something similar. She can only hope that by the end of this, he will be okay. She isn’t so sure she can wish the same for Viktor. Not anymore.
–
The last time she was here, she was mourning the loss of her mother. The violet petals danced through the air like purple ghosts, fluttering to the ground where they were once again swept away by the wind. Jayce was here then. He isn’t anymore.
It’s funny, in a twisted way that only fate could conjure up. Now she is here all over again, mourning the same person who stood by her side to help her through her last loss. This time she couldn’t rely on Jayce’s comforting presence, his soft voice that always felt unnatural coming from such a large man. But, of course, Jayce had made it work. From him it was right. Everything was right when he was with her.
Of course, he wasn’t anymore. He no longer could be, no matter how hard Caitlyn prayed to the Gods that she does not believe in, no matter how much she bargains and begs, nothing can change fate. For once, the Kiramman name was useless to her, she couldn’t use it to demand back her brother’s life. The Grim Reaper does not listen to such commands. His bony fingers had already snatched Jayce up from this world, dragged him away to never return him to her again.
She inhales shakily, her fingers digging into her thighs. Her blunt nails, not nearly as prim and manicured as they once were, only left blunt indents, red marks that were already fading. She wishes they would leave permanent marks upon her pale skin, a reminder of the damage that she has caused, of the lives lost. She squeezes her one eye shut, the other lost in battle. She wishes away the tears that demand to spill out. She will not cry.
No one knows what happened. There are rumors, of course. But, ridiculous ones she refuses to believe. Ruthless stories of the Herald– Viktor mercilessly decimating Jayce, leaving nothing but a pile of ashes in his wake. Or, tales of Jayce selflessly sacrificing his own life to put an end to Viktor’s, driven by nothing but his hatred for the Herald and his love for his home and the people within it.
Caitlyn couldn’t believe the stories, refused to. She wasn’t able to connect the image of the man she knew, or the man she knew through Jayce’s praise of him, to the tales surrounding his ultimate demise. She tried to imagine Viktor, the same Viktor who looked at Jayce as if he cradled the entire world in his palm, harming Jayce in any such way, and her mind came up blank, unable to conjure up such an unbelievable image.
She pictured the Viktor that Jayce knew.
The Viktor that Jayce loved.
And Viktor, who loved him back all the same.
Whether either of them realized before it was too late, though, was beyond her.
It was all so obvious now. Reflecting, Caitlyn felt a bit foolish for not putting the pieces together sooner. Despite the sadness that weighed over her like a heavy weight, she couldn’t help but let a small chuckle slip past her lips, the noise getting caught in her throat and ending up more like a garbled sob. She thought back on it, the drawings she stumbled upon purely by accident all those years ago, the touches that bordered on reverent. It really was quite obvious.
So, maybe partners was the correct term for them. Partners, in the lab, in life, and in whatever afterlife they are now gallivanting through. Wherever they are, Caitlyn muses, she is sure they are together just as they were in life.
She only wishes she could be there to witness those two fools admitting their own feelings for each other finally.