Meljay Fall In Love Week 🍂🌿

For as long as Mel could recall, she always strived for precision. For perfection. To move in every capacity with exactness sharp as a blade and cool hardness as the steel upon which it was crafted. Not so much as a strand of air amiss or fault in her expression. But then—

Thwack!

Thwack!

There’s him. 

Jayce’s axe is tiredly notched in the stump. Gloved fingers caress the top of the log, the tips bury in the split of the log. Teeth ground down with a guttural grunt, Jayce manages to split the thick log in two, tossing them aside in the steadily accumulating pile of others just like those. He shakes the tension in his hands free before righting the cuffs of his flannel sleeves that started to slide down haphazardly before reaching for another log. 

Thwack!

Thwack!

In the autumnal season the temperature reading of their camping grounds this time of hour was around 294K, yet Mel cannot help but twinge, sensing a discrepancy, a miscalculation even, for the air against her skin feels remarkably thicker and warmer with each strike Jayce takes against a log. 

A passive thought of an itch circling around her neck and curling about the base of her spine tries to build, but Mel can’t seem give it much regard.

Thwack!

Fuck, is there plenty of wood.

“Umm Mel?” A soft crunching of leaves under one’s boots broach Mel’s space. A soft cadence in the poke Mel mindlessly recognizes as her sister-in-law Sky.

“Hm?” It is but a lackluster acknowledgement.

Sky was ready to take whatever she’d get. “Are you alright?” There is a hint of a smile behind the query.

“Of course,” Mel mutters in the fine space between her teeth. Distracted. Still neither unwilling nor unable to break her gaze from her object of interest. It seemed he is working up heat as well for a minute is needed to shrug off the flannel. There is only an undershirt left for decency. Ribbed texture and white cotton material. Blooming sweat stains clinging to his mid and lower back bring the idea of “decency” into severe question, however. “Why would you think otherwise?” Mel’s right knee develops a mind of its own, deciding to buckle underneath her. Oh gods, Jayce has taken to using the flannel to blot at the sweat around his forehead and neck. 

“Because you have been statue silent and still for the last five minutes, you haven’t cared to fix the cup of cider dripping down your hand.”

“Wait, what..?” Mel’s shoulders jump upon finding Sky was correct in that manner. She finds the white paper cup previously filled near to the brim to be a third empty. A fine trail of the beverage runs down her hand and wrist, droplets falling to the earth. Righting her cup, she licks at the juice on her hand. How unbecoming.

“Did you need a napkin or a wipe?” Sky offers politely. Too politely. It licks at Mel’s humiliation.

“No, no. it’s fine. I’m fine,” Mel waves off. “I’ll get one myself.” With a nod of thanks, Mel excuses herself to her and Jayce’s car, free hand tugging at her cream colored knit scarf a couple of times along the way, finding it cloying. With a damp napkin, any potential stickiness may be easily forgiven. 

It is a not too often occasion anymore Mel could be able to stop by Talis Forge and catch him in the middle of work there. Given his primary job in the lab, more often than not as of recent, the forge has transitioned to serve as an avenue for stress relief when experiments and/or pressure was too great. 

A returning to his roots. Creating with his hands and putting his body, heart, and soul into what’s before him.  

In the earliest stages of their relationship, Mel made just about every excuse she could to visit him in his place of work. Now a number of years later, they have grown in their career paths and obligations that doing such would not pan out well. 

Ogling at your husband’s bodies of art is apparently an inexcusable absence that has run its course. 

With the couple’s propensity to be most acclimated to the comforts of city life and local entertainments, they do not often go out in consideration of an activity such as camping out for stargazing. Only prompted by Kino’s persistence over the event tonight did they give in.

And by the gods why have they pushed this off?

Mel mentally kicks herself at the thought. The vision of Jayce chopping at wood burned into her eyes brands the deepest parts of her brain. There is a fireplace at their estate, of course, winters can be unforgiving, but it is always well-stocked through connections of servants handling menial affairs of housekeeping and the like. Her mind starts to click and turn with the possibilities suddenly presented before her.

“Hi, love. What are you doing over here?”

Seated on the bed of the popped trunk, Mel peers up at him; an adoring smile curling her lips. Jayce’s breath is labored and there was a hint of sweat around the spot of his navel. She gestured to her cup, raising it in her answer. “I could say the same for you.”

“Same thing.” Strong brows lift playfully while Jayce swivels around to take a seat to her left. 

Mel leans back slightly giving him more clearance to reach over her for the jug of cider and pour himself a cup. The smell of sweat and Jayce was all encompassing. Dizzying. In the best and worst of ways. Lingering even when he returns to her side proper, pulling several greedy gulps from his cup. Finished in a matter of seconds. Mel’s tongue teases the back of her teeth in watching his Adam’s apple bob with each swallow. 

“Gods that was so good!” 

The gasp of relief is palpable, a swirl in Mel’s gut turns in sympathy and more. 

A thumb dragged across his lower lip, swiping at a rogue drop primed to run down his chin, Jayce smiles. “I really needed that.”

“Here.” Mel’s voice aches with a rasp passing the jug over for a refill. 

He nods his thanks, then pauses, eyeing the cup with focus as though a passage is written on its surface. After a moment, Jayce settles on putting it aside. 

The weight of his head falls heavy on Mel’s shoulder. Accepting it easily, fingertips graze the ribbed texture of his undershirt and the dense muscles underneath. Reaching the back of his head, slender fingers curl adoringly, manicured nails gave soothing scratches. The soft hum emitted from his throat beats against Mel’s chest.

“I missed you.”

To that, Mel raises a brow. “What do you mean?”

He doesn’t give a direct answer. Instead he turns his head up towards her. A kiss on soft full lips. It is chaste. One slow and tender. Mel reciprocated, though daring to coax a parting of his lips, tongue swiping at his waterline. It tasted of chapped lips, Jayce, and apple cider. 

“Finally did something about that ogling, didn’t you, sister?”

The couple abruptly parted as if caught in a sinful act, resting their foreheads against each other. 

Jayce bites back a tight grin. 

Mel’s cheeks burn, fists curled tight ready to detonate. A blow taut with restraint beats on Jayce’s thigh, a victim of proximity. “Kino!”

“What?” hands held up in surrender until they fall to his hips with a chuckle. “Acting like a couple of teenagers, I swear. You fool few, sister. Least of all us. That tension before could be felt all the way over in The Freljord.”

Sky futilely masks a giggle with the back of her hand.

“I would appreciate not having to be subjected to seeing my sister suck her husband’s face… but such is the burden I must bear having invited the two of you along with us.”

Mel hides her eye roll in the crux between Jayce’s neck and shoulder. The theatrics.

Sky, slipping an arm around Kino’s waist, presses close for a kiss to his jaw. “How are the preparations for the telescoping coming along? Think we should be set for the comet tonight?” A few taps to his butt shoo him in the direction of his telescope and computer mapping he had been working on for the past hour or so. “Let’s check it out.” A knowing glance over Mel’s way.

While stepping away, Kino’s chin turns to meet his shoulder, full beard skimming his gray henley. A glimmer of mischief held in a sly eye. “We have tents already set up, as an FYI. If you can hold out until after the comet, that’d be appreciated.”

Mel and Sky’s eyes both blow wide. 

“Brother!”

“Kino!”

“Love you too, sister!” He calls, waving an adieu before planting a tender kiss in the small curls free from the tight constraint of Sky’s up-do.

When the air of mockery dies down, so, too, does the scowl etched on Mel’s face. Removing herself from being buried in Jayce’s dense musculature, she turns her attention to the tips of her hiking boots skimming the earth and stray leaves beneath.

The music playing from their stereo fill Mel’s ears in the silence with soothing jazz. Until Jayce finally addresses the elephant Kino so graciously planted. “So you were ogling me?”

She doesn’t even need to utilize her periphery to see the word “smug” painted over his face. “I have no need to neither confirm nor deny such allegations to you, sir.”

“You know just as well as I that a refusal to answer is an answer.”

“In. Any. Case,” Mel bites, each word drawn out with crystal clarity, “Progress, Jayce. What is it looking like?”

When Jayce is privy to new information, he gets dangerous. Unfortunately it is one his qualities Mel finds attractive, and infuriating all the same. “You’d like to know, wouldn’t you?” Watching Mel press the corners of her lips tight in a voice smarmy, he replies, “If I said I was almost done, it would be painful wouldn’t it, dear?”

Mel’s sigh is low but features mold to coy. “The absolute worst,” she murmurs against his lips. A cool pitter pat of syllables, stopping shy of her target. A hand slipping between his chest and hers, she presses him away. 

Honey eyes fall to her hand on his chest then back to her. He sandwiches her hand with his warmth. “I’ll make sure to chop a few extra logs in your name.” Jayce presses off of his seat with a renewed boost in his spirit. “Better safe than sorry.”

“My gratitude knows no bounds.” Mel’s words drip syrupy sweetness watching his shrinking figure return to his task at hand. One of her feet swing back and forth lazily, tapping in the air according to the instrumental beat on their stereo. While she still has a few tasks of her own before the group was set for the evening, she can convince herself she has enough leeway for an extended break. 

Oh.

Past the spot where Jayce sat but a minute ago, his cider remained. Untouched. 

Thwack!

He is already back at it again. 

Mel steals a sip from Jayce’s cup, heart drumming with another thwack. Another few minutes wouldn’t hurt.

⋆⁺₊⋆ ☀︎ ⋆⁺₊⋆

When the sun finally gives way to the stars in the night, the chill in the air falls heavy and hard to ignore. Bellies are satisfied with overly processed and preserved snacks that would surely give them a breakout the day or two after, hot cider and cheap beer. The campfire crackles a song for the trees around and night sky above.

All of this… it is far removed from what consists of Mel’s living on a day to day basis, but it isn’t disagreeable. Maybe it is something about the circumstances of camping and standards are out of sorts. There is a quaint charm to be considered when appreciating the possibilities of the universe with ones you love.

The warmth in her chest not solely attributable to the fire Jayce set up—

It is undeniable. A moment treasurable in its simplicity and grounding not always found in the cobbled streets she walks every day in the city.

Looking up to the vast open sky where light pollution was minimal is but proof of such a sensation. 

Now it is only a matter of waiting. 

Kino said it would be any minute now… almost fifteen minutes ago. In the waiting, he flexes his astronomy, sharing stories of this being one of those comets that passed over once every hundred years. A once in a lifetime opportunity they couldn’t afford to miss in person. Videos and pictures and word of mouth would never do the wonder justice. 

The stereo dialed down to a low buzz, the fire continues to crackle and dance with life and everyone waits with baited breaths. 

Kino’s attention twitches. “Everyone.”

It’s here. 

At the sight above, Sky turns into Kino, reflexively reaching for his knee. 

Mel’s lungs turn to a vacuum, her soul finds a grounding touch in intertwining her fingers with Jayce’s. 

Silent save for a heavy sigh, Jayce presses his lips tight, his gaze unblinking towards the heavens above.

A heavy streak of white paints the night sky with remarkable contrast. An outline and tail of powder blue gives it a shape one can only describe as ethereal. Regality and divinity superseding the secular. Fitting for the goddess after which the event is named. Following in short circumstance, smaller but no less powerful bursts of light fall across the sky as well. Too many to count in real time.

Mel silently watched her mother as she talked to the person behind the booth, trying to strike a deal and get more information on whatever she needed. Her mother was usually reserved when it came to her problems unless it involved her or Kino directly. This was not one of those times, so Mel wasn't exactly sure what her mother needed. She glanced over at Kino, who was on the opposite side of Ambessa. He looked the other way and at the other shops. The streets were bustling with people, the sound of talking filling the air, mixed with the faint music that was playing somewhere. Ambessa brought the two to Piltover so they could see what it looks like, considering they had ties with one of the clans here. It was a beautiful place, really. Gold and copper shimmered all over the city. The sun was bright, illuminating the city. The buildings were tall and the city was lively. These market shops seem to be popular, considering there are so many booths and tents. There was a slight breeze, which contrasted the heat of the sun.

Mel copies Kino as she looks around at the other shops, though her attention was caught by an excited voice, loud and clear. Mel looked at the source, and saw a boy. He was a bit younger than her, but she thought he's absolutely adorable. Not in the way a small child would be, or a puppy--although his excitement mimics one of a puppy. He jumped up and down, holding onto the booth as what could only be his mother handed the man behind the table a toy. When he stood still, he stood on his tippy toes, which Mel thought was cute. She kept her face neutral, but she held back a smile as she watched the boy.

It seemed as if he felt her eyes on him, because he looked in her direction. When their eyes met, Mel's stomach flipped. The boy had big eyes, which were a golden color. Mel was captivated by them. She could see the curiosity deep inside them. She watched as his cheeks flush, his tan skin turning pink. Her facade broke, and she smiled slightly. Her heart raced, and she could feel just how warm her own face is. The boy smiled back at her, his slight tooth gap showing. Mel's smile grew a bit more.

Mel could feel something. She wondered if he felt it too. This sudden desire to know everything about him. All his interests and hobbies, what he's like as a person. The desire to hold his hand, play games together, and then kiss each other on the forehead. All the while they have racing hearts and flushed cheeks. The longer she looked at this boy, the more sure she got that he could feel this too. That he felt the same way.

The boy fidgeted slightly, looking over at Mel's mother. He stared at her for a moment, and his brows furrow slightly. Mel followed his gaze, looking back up at her mom. Her face was stern, and the man behind the booth had begun to annoy her. She certainly was intimidating. She was tall, and her muscles were shown off with her outfit. Her voice was clear, and when Mel looked back at the boy, he looked slightly worried. Mel furrowed her brows. She didn't want him to be scared of her mom, even though it was completely valid. She could see in the way he bit his tongue that he wanted to talk to Mel, and Mel wanted him to talk to her. However, she didn't think her mother would appreciate her walking off to talk to some random little boy for no reason.

She watched as the boy's hand met with his mothers. The boy looked at his mom as she handed him the toy he was so excited to get just a moment before. Mel felt her heart drop as she saw his mom begin to pull him away. The boy looked over with a slight panic in his eyes as he gets forced away from the sight of Mel. Mel got the urge to go after him, to stop his mom from walking away so she can talk to him. He waved to her, and she took a step, then stopped herself. Mel frowned, weakly waving back as he dissapered into the crowd.

The image of that boy stayed in her mind for the rest of the time she was in Piltover. Everytime she stepped onto the streets, she hoped she saw him again. But he stayed a memory as they got on the ship that takes them back to Noxus. Mel gives in to the thought that she won't see him again. It's alright. She's sure she'll find someone else.

🍂🍂🍂🍂

Mel watches as the man who recently got his apartment blown up walk up to the council table. Mel's heart skips a beat when she sees his eyes. Those are the same eyes she saw when she was 10. This is the boy she had seen all those years ago. She finally had a name for him.

Jayce Talis.