Chapter Text
The University was full of whispers. That was the first thing Jayce noticed when he stepped on campus for what should have been the last formal day for staff. Granted, it wasn’t really the last day, given all the complications and summer courses, but still. It should have been a fairly slow and calm atmosphere. It really wasn’t. Worse, it wasn’t just the students. Actually it was more the staff then the students. The few students who were around seemed fairly normal to him, but Jayce had placed his lunch (leftovers his mom had insisted he take after having Saturday dinner with her) in the staff fridge and it was like there was something in the air itself.
It was even worse than it had been a few days ago, when the word on the Council vote went out.
(Jayce had immediately texted Viktor to ask if he knew about it and had got ‘Yes’ in reply, which had been… not super helpful. Apparently Viktor wasn’t interested in becoming less terse via text.)
This had to be something new and just when Jayce had been hoping he might have enough free time to properly spend with Viktor over the break.
No one filled Jayce in.
Viktor wasn’t in yet, either, which didn’t help Jayce’s twitchiness. They couldn’t have caught Jinx and Ekko, could they? There was no evidence. Everyone said so. Caitlyn said so, which was more to the point since Jayce knew she had accurate information. And, besides, wouldn’t he have been arrested as well? Caitlyn would definitely have warned him if that was going to happen, right?
After he’d been there an hour and having walked past the hundredth intense conversation, Jayce cornered Rosa. It wasn’t like he knew her well, but he had to ask someone.
‘What is going on?’ Jayce demanded, forgetting to either knock on her office door or greet her.
Rosa looked up and smiled. ‘Ask Viktor.’
‘Ask…? I’m asking you!’ Jayce scrubbed a hand over his face. ‘Viktor’s not here yet.’
‘Ask him when he gets in then,’ Rosa said, still smiling as if at some private joke. ‘I think he’ll be happy to tell you.’
And that was all she’d say.
Jayce stomped back up the stairs to his office. He sat at his temporary little desk, in his temporary little office bouncing his leg up and down. He stared at his remaining grading and forced himself through one very badly done exam. Very badly done. Worst marks yet. It didn’t help his mood.
Finally, he gave up sitting and paced the hall between Heimerdinger’s (also not in) and Viktor’s office until the elevator doors opened and Viktor emerged.
‘What the hell is going on?!’ Jayce demanded, rushing up to him. ‘And don’t tell me it’s nothing! The whole campus is whispering about something.’
‘Nice to see you too, Jayce.’ Viktor leaned on his cane and raised an eyebrow.
Combined with Rosa’s smile, it created a non-specific suspicious feeling that settled in Jayce’s gut.
‘What did you do?’ he asked.
Viktor’s eyebrows flicked up again. ‘Come into my office.’
Jayce followed him over to his office, where Viktor still hadn’t personalised any of it. It looked like the Dean’s Assistant’s office still. Viktor, being Viktor, ignored Jayce’s impatience and took his time settling his stuff in place. But he didn’t sit down.
‘Well?’ Jayce asked.
‘You may not be aware,’ Viktor began, ‘but there is a little used power where the Dean of Piltover University has the ability to cast a vote on the Council on specific issues.’
‘Uh, yeah,’ Jayce said, cautiously. ‘I’ve heard of that. But Heimerdinger almost never –’
‘Uses it, no. He doesn’t. But the power is still there.’
‘Okay –’
‘It turns out that, provided they meet certain requirements, an acting Dean is also allowed to use this power.’ Viktor rested both hands on his cane. ‘Yesterday afternoon I submitted my intention to do so in the next vote, as required by the law.’
Jayce gaped at him. ‘You did what?’
‘I will be voting on the Council during the next session. Specifically on the vote as to whether Piltover wastes further resources trying to continue the investigation into the building collapse.’
Jayce stared at him. ‘You’ll be… voting.’
‘On the Piltover Council, yes.’
‘But that’s a conflict of interest,’ Jayce said, automatically. ‘They’ll never let you.’
Viktor shook his head, a little gleam in his eyes. ‘A conflict of interest? Oh no, quite the opposite really. I am the victim, here. It was my, well our, research that was taken and destroyed. It was my office that was blown up. It was me and my partner who were nearly killed. And I’m representing the University, who has had severe property damage.’ Viktor hooked his cane over his elbow and spread his hands. ‘Who could have more right than me to vote on this issue?’
‘I don’t… know?’
Viktor smiled the toothy grin of someone who knew he was getting away with something. Jayce found himself mesmerised.
‘I have worked at the University many years. I have been acting Dean many times before. I have Heimerdinger’s written permission to do this. It’s all perfectly legal.’
‘But you’re not from… No, that doesn’t matter, does it?’ Jayce said, dragging his brain back into reality. ‘It can’t do. Mel’s from Noxus.’
‘No, you’re quite right. It doesn’t matter that I’m from Zaun. Not according to the law. It’s a somewhat bizarre part of Piltovan law, if you ask me, that anyone with potential interests in other countries – like, as you say, the Medarda’s – can be in charge in Piltover. But nevertheless. It’s allowed.’
Jayce took a minute to stare at the wall. Mel had had some difficulty with it; people had sometimes questioned her loyalty. That was one of the reasons she’d wanted to be seen dating a Piltovan. But… Piltover’s history with Zaun was… well, even Jayce knew about the long succession of riots leading up to Zaun’s independence. And Piltover had occupied them a few times afterwards to try and keep the peace. And current events had done a pretty good job at highlighting that some of the tensions were still around.
Yet apparently someone from Zaun could vote on the Piltover Council.
Viktor was going to vote on the Piltover Council.
Holy shit.
‘That’s… but they won’t like this. They’ll take away the Dean’s vote before you even make Dean!’
Viktor shrugged. ‘They were going to do that anyway, Jayce. I never expected to be able to use this particular power and even if I had, I’d still do this.’
Jayce sat down heavily in the visitor’s chair. ‘So you’re just going to… turn up and vote?’
‘I will also state my case, in the event that we’re debating it,’ Viktor said and started ticking off points on his fingers. ‘Ongoing expense. Stressful for students and staff. Little chance of finding the perpetrator. A need to move on and rebuild. I imagine I can avoid the actual debate part to a large extent, if I simply state those points.’
‘You don’t want to debate them?’ Jayce asked, still trying to catch up.
‘I’m not a politician. I’d rather not pretend to be.’
‘But you’ll vote.’
‘Oh yes I’ll vote.’
‘That will make… eight votes.’ Jayce frowned. ‘So you can’t cast the deciding vote or anything…’
‘No, but I can have a direct say and if it is going to be four to three against, I can force a stalemate and a second vote. Better to have the vote than not, Jayce.’
‘Right. Right.’
Viktor was studying him. ‘Don’t tell me you disagree.’
‘No! I…’ Jayce shook his head. This was raising his blood pressure, he could feel it. ‘I wasn’t expecting this. I thought you didn’t like public speaking!’
‘It’s a closed vote. That’s seven people, Jayce.’
‘Seven of the most powerful people in Piltover!’
‘Still hardly a crowd.’ Viktor watched him for a moment. ‘And, like I said; I don’t intend to do much speaking.’
Jayce ran a hand through his hair. ‘Okay, I… let me think.’
He’d heard of the vote, but… He hadn’t really wanted to ask anything much about it, because he really didn’t want anyone asking him any questions as to why he was interested. Yeah, I want the questions to go away so me and my partner don’t end up in prison.
This was different though. This was Viktor involving himself (since he’d apparently not had the same qualms) and so…
‘You don’t have to be involved,’ Viktor said, watching him closely.
‘I can help,’ Jayce said. ‘I can talk to Mel.’
‘Mel Medarda.’ Viktor tugged at a strand of curled hair just behind his ear. ‘Hm. Do you think that will do any good? You hadn’t left me with the impression you were on good terms.’
Jayce winced. ‘We are. We’re just… we’re friends now.’
He hadn’t meant to tell Viktor about the train wreck of his last relationship; it had just slipped out. But Viktor had assured him he wanted to be serious. Viktor had been so… so… kind about it. Jayce could help him with this vote. Mel would listen to him.
‘If you think it will do any good, then it may help,’ Viktor said. ‘But, ah, not if it will mean you owe her anything. And, Jayce…’ His eyes flicked around the office and he grimaced. ‘…I would be careful what you say to her. She will have her own agendas.’
It didn’t take a genius to interpret that as; don’t tell her about Jinx and Ekko. Jayce wouldn’t. Not with Viktor’s freedom at stake.
‘Viktor.’ Jayce stood up and went over and put a hand on Viktor’s shoulder. ‘I get it. And I don’t think I’ll end up owing her anything.’
If anything, Mel might feel she owed him something, which wasn’t an angle Jayce really wanted to push. She didn’t.
‘Good,’ Viktor said, head tilted to look up at Jayce with those molten golden eyes, still with that little spark of mischief shining within.
‘Can I kiss you?’ Jayce asked. ‘Or not at work?’
Viktor’s mouth quirked, which really only increased the urge. ‘Not normally at work, no, but the door is closed.’
Jayce leaned down and kissed him slowly, feeling Viktor run his hand down his arm.
‘So I shouldn’t make a habit of this?’ Jayce murmured.
‘Well, not at work. Off campus however…’
‘Any time you want,’ Jayce said.
Viktor’s eyes widened slightly before he smiled. ‘That might be quite the commitment.’
Okay, now Jayce really wanted to invite him home again. Jayce leaned forward again and someone knocked on the door. He jumped back guiltily and Viktor straightened his shirt and sat back.
Jayce pulled a face and Viktor shrugged and mouthed; Not at work. Yeah. Fair enough.
***
Sitting in an upmarket café across from Mel, Jayce realised she knew something was up. He knew he hadn’t been subtle. He knew they hadn’t exactly been doing one-on-one meet-ups. He’d still been hoping to actually catch up with her a bit before trying to discuss the vote. Was he asking for a favour? Well, yeah. Except Mel would vote whichever way she thought was best, so maybe it was more like persuading her to his side of the argument?
Despite Mel’s slightly tilted head, looking at him over where she had her hands folded over each other, giving the impression that she was just one little hint away from raising an eyebrow, Jayce forged ahead with the small talk.
Until Mel hinted for the third time that she only had so much time for coffee.
Jayce knew that. It had been a little difficult to persuade her to meet up on short notice, but he knew Mel kept free spaces in her schedule so she could be flexible when she needed.
‘So, uh, I was wondering what you thought about the vote to drop the investigation?’
Both of Mel’s eyebrows rose and Jayce realised that she’d known the reason for this meeting all along.
‘The vote itself?’ she asked. ‘Or Viktor’s involvement?’
Jayce sighed. ‘Both?’
‘And you want me to… what? Vote against him? Vote with him? Try to find a loophole to prevent him from voting?’
‘No! I just… All right, I was hoping he might have some support, okay? The investigation is really screwing everyone at the University around – ’
‘Everyone?’ Mel asked, in the same tone as before. ‘Or just Viktor? He could have lowered his involvement in the investigation, but he seems to be taking an active part.’
‘In defending other staff, yeah,’ Jayce said. ‘Sky, uh, Sky Young, she’s a researcher Viktor’s worked with before, she was taken to the Enforcer’s station and questioned for hours and, seriously, Sky wouldn’t hurt a fly. She definitely wasn’t involved. And they’ve started intimidating students. Its things like that that I don’t think he can ignore.’
Mel studied him. ‘That was definitely part of Professor Heimerdinger’s arguments when he complained to, well, everyone. Even once the vote was proposed, though, I hadn’t got the impression that he intended to vote.’
‘Well he can’t. He’s on going on holiday as of tomorrow, so – ‘
‘And he wouldn’t have voted either way.’
‘Fine, you’re right, it’s a Viktor thing,’ Jayce said. ‘And I don’t want him walking in there without any support. You told me about the negotiations that go on before votes and… I know you’ve probably already chosen your position but – ‘
‘Have I?’ Mel asked. ‘For an investigation into an explosion in the University? One that seems by all accounts to have been an accident? What possible stakes could I have in this vote, Jayce?’
Jayce blinked. Oh right. Mel might not have any reason to have taken a strong position. He… hadn’t considered that.
‘But you knew this was about the vote. So it’s got to be a talking point, right?’
‘Jayce,’ Mel said. ‘A Zaunite has invoked an old and barely used power and intends to vote on the Piltover Council. Do you think we’ve been talking about the topic of the vote?’
Oh. Right.
‘Are there many people against him?’
‘Him in particular?’ Mel lifted a shoulder in a small shrug. ‘Not really. There is a lot of outrage about the law.’
‘But they’ll let him vote?’
‘At this stage it would be even more of a scandal to try and stop him. He has submitted the intention to vote on behalf of Piltover University; it would be difficult to arrange and an insult to the University and to Professor Heimerdinger to attempt an emergency vote to stop him. And an overreaction, but that part doesn’t always stop my colleagues.’
Saying outright so do you know if the vote will go our way, would have Mel sighing and rolling her eyes at his lack of subtlety, Jayce just knew it.
‘Is anyone outraged enough to vote against Viktor out of spite?’ he asked instead.
‘Jayce,’ Mel said. ‘There is always someone outraged enough to vote out of spite.’
Jayce ran a hand through his hair. ‘But you’ve heard people talking about the whole thing? You’ve got to know what everyone’s thinking!’
‘It’s certainly been discussed at length,’ Mel agreed, in a tone that suggested she’d heard nothing else since Viktor had announced his intention to vote. She paused for a moment. ‘Has he got any history with Hoskel?’
‘I don’t think so, why?’
‘Hoskel does seem curiously determined to vote against Viktor, but as far as I was aware they’ve never spoken.’
Jayce frowned; something was trying to emerge from the depths of his memory, but he couldn’t place it. ‘Is Hoskel really against Zaun or something?’
Mel pursed her lips. ‘This feels more personal.’
‘I don’t know, I – wait.’ Jayce’s memory snapped back into place and he was sure it had been a Hoskel Viktor had been talking to. ‘Viktor refused to let his… daughter? I think? Anyway. He refused to let Hoskel’s daughter get a degree without actually doing the work. He did also tell her she was smart enough to do it on her own merit, so I didn’t think he was that harsh, but she was angry.’
‘Is that all?’ Mel rolled her eyes. ‘I can smooth that one other. Leave it with me.’
Jayce relaxed a little. ‘Thanks, Mel, I appreciate it.’
‘I’m sure Viktor appreciates you doing this for him, too,’ Mel said. ‘Congratulations, Jayce. I wondered how long it would take after the gala.’
‘Huh? What?’
‘For you and Viktor to date.’
‘I… We’re…’ Jayce sighed. ‘How do you even know that? And I barely even talked about Viktor at the gala!’
‘No, Viktor was most of what you talked about at the gala.’ Mel smiled. ‘And mostly who you talked to as well. Since then you have been seen going to Viktor’s apartment repeatedly and often not leaving until quite late at night.’
‘That was research actually, on hexite. The, uh, the relationship is new.’
Not brand new, Jayce had to admit at this point, it had been a few weeks but… He wished they’d managed to get a little more time within those few weeks. He’d actually been seeing more of Viktor when they had been working on Hextech then he was now. Bad timing, he guessed.
‘Oh, yes, I meant to congratulate on that too,’ Mel said, her expression softening. ‘Your hexite research is going somewhere now.’
Guilt twinged at Jayce; he probably should have shared that news with her. Friends would do that.
‘Yeah, finally, it is. Thanks to Viktor.’
Mel smiled again and stood up. ‘I’ll let you get back to him, then. Do give him my best.’
Yeah Jayce would… not be doing that. He didn’t think Viktor liked politicians much and he wasn’t sure if Viktor had even met Mel, but he was sure that Viktor knew Mel was his ex. So that would just be weird.
He did hurry straight back to campus though.
For the first time since the explosion he was meeting Viktor at the lab. After a few back and forth emails, they’d decided on two different prototypes to build and test. And try not to blow up. Still, they’d test them in the blast chamber so if they did blow up Jayce didn’t think it would be too big a deal. And Viktor would agree with that, he was sure. Heimerdinger, though, might not.
Jayce was a little early, since he hadn’t known how long the coffee meeting was going to go, but he’d bet Viktor would already be there.
He walked through the halls of the Bunker – significantly less creepy with most the lights on and sounds from other labs – and heard voices coming from Sky’s lab.
‘…perfectly capable of worrying about more than one thing at once,’ came Viktor’s voice.
‘I know,’ Sky’s voice floated over much more softly and Jayce just barely caught the words. ‘It’s usually more like ten things.’
‘Ten? Tch. Easy.’
There was a pause, then Sky said; ‘You could ask Caitlyn Kiramman?’
‘I already have asked Miss Kiramman, when I was getting Jayce his meteorite. I’d rather not do it again.’ Viktor sounded a little morose now. ‘I feel I should be able to think of something. This cannot be this difficult.’
‘Um, does he like museums?’
‘I don’t know.’
‘You could ask Vi?’
‘If I wanted to be teased mercilessly and get highly questionable suggestions for cage fighting then yes, I could ask Vi.’ Viktor’s sigh carried through the hallways. ‘She could give me sensible options. But I suspect she wouldn’t. And, like I said, I should be able to do this. Meeting to work on prototypes suits me just fine, but it’s hardly… romantic.’
Jayce, confused but deciding he couldn’t really eavesdrop for too much longer, stepped forward.
As he passed into the doorway, Viktor added; ‘Jayce must have his own preferences for dating that –‘
Viktor’s eyes went very wide as they met Jayce’s.
‘Uh, hi,’ Jayce said, lifting a hand in greeting.
‘I just remembered I forgot my… safety glasses in my car, bye!’ Sky scurried out of the room, with her safety glasses on her head.
Viktor’s expression went comically flat. ‘I’ve been abandoned.’
‘Yeah, I saw that.’
‘I’m guessing you also, uh, heard that. May I ask how much?’
‘Most of it, I think,’ Jayce admitted.
Viktor massaged his temples. ‘I’d forgotten your habit of listening at doors.’
‘I don’t – ! Okay, look, it just happens sometimes, I don’t like to barge in, because that’s rude and then I overhear… You know what, this isn’t important. Viktor, you know I like working on the prototype too, right? That’s… It’s also my idea of fun. I thought you knew that.’
Viktor glanced away. ‘Well, yes. But it’s not… it’s not much of a date, is it? And obviously it’s my turn to invite you somewhere.’
‘I don’t mind if working on Hextech is also a date,’ Jayce said.
I don’t mind if the lines between what is and isn’t a date blur, and we’re always just seeing each other outside of work. I don’t mind if you put spare clothes in my apartment tomorrow and I end up with some in yours. I don’t mind if we look like a married couple right away. I found myself looking up ring designs the other day, even if I’m pretty sure you don’t want my last name.
‘That’s good to know.’ Viktor continued to stare down at the bench for a moment, looking about as unsure as Jayce had ever seen him. ‘But I said I wanted to be serious, Jayce, and I meant it. I was hoping to do this right.’
Meaning, Jayce figured, that he hadn’t been supposed to overhear Viktor struggling to work out a date plan. Yeah. He’d have been bright red in Viktor’s place.
‘Hey, it’s… why don’t we just…’ Jayce paused and tried again. ‘I was kind of planning to suggest the observatory, if you want?’
‘The observatory?’ Viktor looked up at that, then tilted his head to one side. ‘How about… Zaun’s observatory?’
Jayce said; ‘Zaun has an observatory?’
Viktor sighed and arched a single eyebrow, the nervousness vanishing from his expression. ‘Yes.’
‘Oh.’
‘It’s not in the old mining fissures with the main city,’ Viktor said, just as the pause was starting to get to Jayce. ‘Technically, it is just outside of the city boundary, but there is almost no light pollution and on a moonless night the sky is quite impressive.’
Piltover Observatory did have a fair amount of light pollution, even being on the outskirts of the city. But since most of Zaun was below ground, he guessed that reduced the light pollution outside the fissures. Huh.
‘Sure,’ Jayce said. ‘I haven’t seen a fully dark sky since, uh… since… I think I must have been a kid. I didn’t really leave the city in Ionia.’
And before that he’d been really caught up in studying when he’d been at University. Trying to get his degree. Trying to discover everything he could about hexite at the same time. Jayce… hadn’t seen the night sky since his father had died, now that he thought about it.
‘Wonderful, the Observatory of Zaun it is. Eh, perhaps after the Council vote, however.’
‘Yeah, I can’t believe you’re even thinking about date plans right now. That’s what Sky was saying too, right? I know there’s really not much you have to prepare, but still.’
Viktor leaned on his cane and watched Jayce with an odd expression.
‘What?’ Jayce asked.
‘The Council vote, while, yes, a little stressful, will only last a few hours at most.’ Viktor’s hand tightened briefly on his cane and then he gestured at Jayce. ‘This I’m hoping will be a little more long term. Prioritising only the former would seem counterproductive, no?’
‘Oh,’ Jayce breathed and then cleared his throat. ‘Yeah. Okay. That makes sense.’
God. God. Viktor had the most matter-of-fact ways of saying things that sounded so devotional, in his soft voice with his accent curling around the words. Jayce wanted to listen to him all day. How had Viktor stayed single?
‘I can’t kiss you here, can I?’ Jayce asked, with a sigh. ‘At work.’
The corner of Viktor’s mouth tugged up. ‘In Sky’s lab? No, I think she’d probably prefer not.’
Jayce started. ‘Oh shit. Yeah. She’s been gone a while.’
‘She’s probably come back, heard we were still here, and left again.’ Viktor sighed. ‘She doesn’t like to interrupt people. We should probably move to my lab.’
‘No problem.’ Jayce fished his safety goggles out of his pocket and snapped them into place theatrically. ‘Let’s go blow up some prototypes!’
Viktor sniggered. ‘Jayce. Jayce, we need to build the prototypes first.’
‘Right, build them, try not to blow them up, probably blow them up anyway.’ Jayce made a sweeping motion with one arm. ‘After you.’
***
The day of the Council vote, rain pounded down onto the sidewalks, coursing through gutters and roaring down drainpipes.
Jayce paced the foyer, waiting for Viktor to arrive.
He couldn’t go in. Closed session was apparently a set-in-stone official state of affairs and once the vote was announced as such it meant no spectators. After talking with Mel, Jayce wasn’t sure if this one had been set as closed because no one in the Council cared, or because they were genuinely worried that – despite popular belief – the building explosion had been some kind of attack and they didn’t want to be seen publically voting on whether to keep investigating.
Viktor had told him that Heimerdinger was convinced it was an accident, not just because of the timing but because so few people had known enough about Viktor and Jayce’s research that it was unlikely the culprits had even expected an explosion. He was right. Jayce wondered if it had been difficult for Viktor not to admit that he knew it was an accident.
Jayce scrubbed a hand over his face and wondered if the Council would still have made it a closed session if they’d known from the start that Viktor would be voting. Maybe. Did anyone on the Council know Viktor hated public speaking?
The doors opened and Viktor finally walked through, shaking water droplets off his umbrella and setting it carefully in the umbrella stand.
He’d dressed in his best University clothes. He looked every inch the distinguished professor he was, with his hair neatly pushed back and the cane the same gilded one he’d taken to the gala.
‘Raining,’ Viktor grumbled as he approached Jayce. ‘Of course it would be raining, in summer, because entering the room looking like a drenched rat would be just perfect. And of course this floor is polished marble, which has had water tracked all over it. Are they trying to recreate the icy effect, do you think?’
‘You don’t look like a drowned rat,’ Jayce told him.
‘Wonderful. Now all I have to do is make it to the Council chamber without looking like I’m trying to skate.’ Viktor took a deep breath and pinched the bridge of his nose. ‘You don’t have to be here, Jayce. This will likely take hours.’
‘I’ve finished my grading,’ Jayce said. ‘I’ve got time. Besides, you’re making history; the first Zaunite to vote on the Council.’
Viktor grimaced. ‘Oh good.’
‘I’ll be able to say; I was there.’
‘Yes, looking at a closed door.’
‘Hey,’ Jayce said, putting a hand on his shoulder. ‘You’ve got this, okay?’
‘I know I do,’ Viktor said. ‘But it’s going to be, eh, tedious at best. I hope –’ He shook his head. ‘Well. I suppose worrying does nothing at this point. The Councillors will vote however they wish.’
‘And so will you,’ Jayce said.
Viktor flashed a quick hint of a smile and agreed; ‘And so will I.’
Jayce checked his watch. ‘When exactly do you need to be in there?’
‘Need to? Eh, fifteen minutes or so, but it’s possibly best not to walk in last minute.’
Across the room, Cassandra Kiramman was chatting casually with Shoola, neither of them were looking over at Jayce at Viktor. Jayce tried to decide if it was genuine or if they were very deliberately Not Looking At Viktor. Cassandra had based a lot of her public image on doing charity work. Privately though… Jayce had heard enough off-handed comments from her – and some more pointed things from Caitlyn – to know that not all of her private opinions matched that public image. And she still didn’t like him after he’d failed to live up to the promise that had earnt him her sponsorship. Shit. What if she was deliberately not looking at him?
Mel wasn’t there yet, but Mel’s style was more to walk in right on time as if everyone had been waiting for her. It worked for Mel. She did it gracefully every time. Jayce had tried it once and figured he just looked like an asshole.
Councillor Bolbok walked straight through the doors, glanced casually around the room, and headed straight for the elevator that would take him to the Council chamber.
‘Well,’ Viktor said, watching as Shoola started to head that way. ‘I’ll see you later.’
‘Good luck,’ Jayce said.
‘Viktor,’ Mel said from behind them and Viktor pivoted on his cane to face her. ‘Jayce. It’s wonderful to see you both.’
Jayce tried to ignore the way Viktor’s expression turned mildly suspicious before he schooled it into neutrality.
‘Hi Mel,’ Jayce said.
‘Councillor Medarda,’ Viktor greeted her with a nod. ‘I was just heading up.’
‘Excellent,’ Mel said. ‘Shall we, then?’
Viktor gave Jayce a simple, small wave of his free hand, and then walked side-by-side with Mel towards the elevator, no sign of what he thought of that gesture. Jayce remembered him being concerned Jayce would owe her something and winced. But obviously Mel thought it would help. And Jayce trusted her judgement.
Now he just had to wait.
He wasn’t the only one hanging around, but it was a public building. There were some people from the press, who Jayce studiously avoided eye-contact with. The weather seemed to have deterred a lot of would-be spectators. And the time length. Viktor was right. Sometimes even the simplest votes took hours, depending on which factions in the Council were arguing at the time.
Jayce took out his laptop and started finalising grades.
At the forty-five minute mark, Caitlyn wandered in the front doors, removed her jacket, folded her umbrella and sat down next to Jayce.
‘He’s not on trial, Jayce,’ Caitlyn said, sounding exasperated. ‘You don’t have to be here.’
‘I’m being supportive!’
‘He’s just voting; my mother does it all the time. They talk. They argue. They all raise a hand one by one.’
Jayce stared at her for a moment and was reminded of when the Kirammans first started sponsoring him and he saw what real wealth looked like. ‘I think the Council positions are pretty coveted, Sprout.’
She rolled her eyes. ‘I know. And I’ve been hearing my mother’s veiled disapproval of this all week.’
‘She doesn’t think Viktor should vote?’
‘It’s an old fashioned power that should have been abolished long ago, is what she said,’ Caitlyn reported. She fidgeted for a moment. ‘But I think it’s because he’s from Zaun. She doesn’t like Vi, either.’
Screw politics, Jayce could be blunt with Caitlyn.
‘Do you know which way she’s voting?’
Caitlyn shook her head. ‘The explosion worried her but… it makes the Enforcers look really bad the longer this takes. And Professor Heimerdinger offered his opinion that it was an accident, and it’s not like anyone’s taken responsibility for an attack. It might be less embarrassing for the city if the investigation just stops. Besides, I told you, there’s no evidence. It’s completely stalled.’
Jayce scrubbed a hand over his face.
‘He’ll be the first Zaunite to vote on the Council either way,’ Caitlyn said.
‘I know.’ Jayce glanced at the elevator doors. That would be fine if Viktor was just making a point. But he wasn’t.
He wished he could be in there. Couldn’t it be a closed session, except for Jayce Talis? He could have stood quietly in the corner, or something.
‘I’m going to be at the University next year,’ Caitlyn said and Jayce nearly dropped his laptop.
‘Cait, what?’
‘When Heimerdinger was talking to my mother about arranging this vote, I asked him about journalist courses,’ Caitlyn sat, tugging at the hem of her shirt and not looking at him.
‘Journalism?’ Jayce asked. ‘When did you…?’
‘When I realised that I was getting just as much information about the investigation from the newspapers as I was the Enforcers,’ Caitlyn said, looking up and for the first time in a long time there was real fire in her eyes. ‘They’re allowed to do full investigations. And they don’t answer to the Council. My mother doesn’t have any sway over them.’ Her eyes darted briefly to the side. ‘What do you think?’
‘Investigative journalism? I think it’s perfect for you, Cait.’ Jayce grinned at her. ‘And you said you already enrolled?’
She nodded. ‘Heimerdinger doesn’t jump whenever my mother says so.’
Privately, Jayce thought Cassandra Kiramman was less likely to block this anyway, since the required University degree might mean journalism had just high enough a status in her eyes to be okay for a Kiramman. She probably still didn’t love it, though.
Jayce tugged Caitlyn into a brief one-armed hug.
‘I wasn’t sure you’d like it,’ Caitlyn admitted. ‘I know you don’t read the news anymore.’
‘Yeah, that’s because it was focused on me for a while there. Doesn’t mean there’s not value to it.’
Caitlyn gave a small smile. ‘I could hold people accountable, Jayce, if they bother people like this again. Vi thinks it’s a good idea too.’
As long as the newspapers weren’t calling him out in public… but Jayce wasn’t a public figure anymore. Mel didn’t seem to mind getting in the press. She’d accepted it as part of her life. Jayce kind of envied her that sort of acceptance of what other people said about her.
Viktor would be in the press for this vote. Probably already had been – just Jayce hadn’t read the papers – and if the last front page news incident was any indication, he really wouldn’t like it. But… fine. The independent press was actually a good thing. And Caitlyn would be really good at it.
The rain had eased off a little and Jayce watched the droplets slide down the glass window.
‘You guys are good, then? You and Vi?’
‘I… apologised,’ Caitlyn admitted. ‘And I think we’re in a good place now.’
Jayce wondered if they’d stay in a good place if Vi’s sister got arrested for this. He glanced at the elevator doors again.
‘That’s great.’
‘And you’re still distracted.’
Jayce sighed. ‘I can’t help it. Why does it have to take so long? It’s all decided, right? Everyone’s already decided how they’re going to vote before they walk in the room!’
‘It’s the posturing, Jayce, and not all of them are fully committed for every vote. So they have to state their arguments just in case they can sway someone.’ Caitlyn shrugged. ‘Besides, they’ll also be debating Viktor’s presence, definitely in veiled comments if not outright.’
‘I bet he’s loving that.’
‘Didn’t he expect it?’
‘Uh, probably.’
They lapsed back into silence and Jayce tried not to watch the huge, decorative clock on the wall, but he could even hear the thing ticking over the low murmur of voices in the room. Ten minutes passed. Then twenty. Then thirty. Then –
The elevator door beeped and opened, revealing Viktor, Cassandra Kiramman and Shoola. They all immediately went their separate ways as they stepped out, which told Jayce absolutely nothing. He stood up.
Viktor saw him and instantly changed direction to head over, his expression a professional mask.
‘So?’ Jayce asked, the second he was close enough.
‘Five votes to three. The investigation will be dropped,’ Viktor said, and smiled.