#and that's when viktor realizes that jayce was right—that jayce wasn't there anymore just a puppet viktor had walking and talking like jayc

[1296-very-good-year]

They didn't even try to make Vik look like the S1 mage. Was he just... cosplaying as a mage from another timeline every time he gave baby Jayce a rune or what? He has the same staff shape but that's it.

[shushmal]

The sound of this otherworldly hammer is deep, vibrating through Jayce's chest. It's heavy in his over-tired arms, his muscles weak and aching still from climbing the ruins of Piltover, from sneaking his way down to the lowest depths of the undercity. His hands shake. His head pounds. Jayce feels himself pulled in too many directions, ripping at the seams.

Above him, Viktor opens his eyes—wrong color, wrong light.

Jayce can almost imagine him smiling.

And it's enough to break him.

The hammer make a shrill noise as Jayce drops it, white light dimming. It echoes in the metallic dome, ringing in Jayce ears, and he falls to his knees in despair. When will he keep all the promises he's made to Viktor?

"Jayce," Viktor says, so softly. He descends from above like an angel, a god—too beautiful for Jayce to look at anymore.

And maybe Jayce can do this another way. Maybe he can reason with Viktor, maybe he can— But then Viktor is there in front of him, a gentle hand against Jayce's cheek, and he gasps.

"So much pain," he murmurs, kneeling to Jayce's level. "You have suffered. I'm so sorry."

He is beautiful, Jayce thinks. He's always been so beautiful, but Jayce can see it now, that only part of Viktor looks at him from behind those multi-colored eyes. Something else looks too.

"I promised you," Jayce says, his voice cracking. An admission, a confession, another failure. "But I can't."

Viktor's fingers are cold against his cheek. "It was cruel to ask you," he says. He's kind enough to smile at Jayce. "It would have destroyed you, in the end, to do it."

"I'm sorry," Jayce chokes, and Viktor makes a shushing sound, leaning forward. Jayce thinks they might kiss, but instead their foreheads touch, noses brushing. Jayce closes his eyes. "I'm so sorry, Viktor."

"You do not have to be sorry," Viktor says. "You don't have to be afraid anymore, Jayce. Not when you are beside me."

A pit forms in the middle of Jayce's chest, and what little hope Jayce has disappears into it. Viktor won't be stopped, not by Jayce. He's failed and failed and failed again.

"I'm so sorry." Useless.

"You're hurting," Viktor says. He cups Jayce's face.

"If you do this," Jayce whispers. "It won't be me anymore. I'll be gone."

Viktor shakes his head. "Do not be afraid, my Jayce. You will be well."

Jayce looks at him, one last time, this beautiful man that Jayce has adored for so long. His eyes burn with tears. "I love you," he croaks. "Remember I said that, before you do this. Remember that I loved you, with my entire soul, even though I couldn't save you."

Viktor's brows come together, his face a portrait of worry, sympathy. "Shh," he coos, like Jayce is a child wailing. "It will be okay. I will be with you, Jayce. Always."

Closing his eyes, Jayce tries to smile. Viktor's hands press more firmly against his face, a purple glow, the smell of lightning. Jayce can taste the power on his tongue, the magic.

And just before he's gone, Jayce promises once more, "I love you."

[mono-dot-jpeg]

focus and study - viktor

summary; in which viktor gives you a proper incentive to study hard and even helps you relieve some stress

genre/extra tags; small one shot, modern college au, smut, fluff, half baked smut, established relationship, this could be considered a prequel to my jayvik reader smut, viktor and reader were together first and jayce joined in not long after, OR jayce thought they were dating already and viktor reader thought too hard about the relationship, silly shit at the end, jayvik freak agenda, OOC viktor????, open ended

word count; 1.1k

[nsfw] [gender neutral reader]

[warnings; sex toys, dom! vik my beloved, written by a sex neutral asexual, orgasm denial/edging, overstimulation?, voyeurism?, implied dacryphyilia, degradation???, vik call you a slut, whore, dumbification?? idk how to spell that one how fitting, riding, slight oral, a small step up from mean viktor compared to my other fic]

a/n; umm... no notes. written in January, finished for valentines. this world will never give me viktor league for valentines. this is so half baked. im so sorry viktor nation.

studying was the worst. at least for you. you, who usually had a good sense of confidence when it came to your classes, felt like screaming into the void with every curse you knew.

nothing just seemed to be clicking in your mind. no matter how many times you went over it yourself, how you asked the teacher, how you asked some classmates. nothing worked.

but then viktor had this genius idea.

"hah... viktor.. i don't- i don't kn-know.." you gasped between words as you feel how sticky your lower half has become as you sat at your desk. you've never been more thankful to only afford a cheap chair because you just know that any leather seat would have you riding on it like it's viktor's own dick. "i don't know- the- the answer-! ngh!" your body trembles as the stupid hot red dildo stuck in you vibrated gently. it was enough to feel but not enough to satisfy. it wasn't even big enough to hit any good spots, too.

"dear.. you can do better than this. i don't date a dumb whore.. do i?" he said sitting on your bed as he fiddled and twisted with the setting on your vibrator. his smirk is subtle every time he gains a whine out of you when he turns the settings higher or lower.

you shook your head, intensely disagreeing with him as you try to hold back from touching yourself. "n-no.. i'm not dumb.." you whined into your hand that did nothing to cover your moans.

"we have 5 more questions, pretty. can you do them for me?" he asked. you can hear him stand up, and you see his figure at your vanity mirror as he approaches you. you can see how hard he is with his pants tightening by his dick. "i'd be very happy if i could give you a reward."

you look at your written notes, but everything seems to blur and mesh together. you shift in your seat, and the vibrator just grazes your sweet spot. you crumble and whine loudly at the absolute lack of satisfaction you just felt. so close but so far. you don't even realize you're crying.

"is my poor love too much of a dumb slut to handle some math assignments? you can't even think, right? you can't even answer my questions anymore.." he said, his hand resting on your cheek as he turns you to face him. "what will i ever do with you?" he turns the settings higher, leaving your legs twitching and shaking for more.

"v-viktor.. please.." you cried out. "i want- want you so b-badly.." you can't help your hand traveling down to your heated area to start touching yourself for any sense of satisfaction. but viktor stops you from doing too much.

"now, now, what did i say about touching yourself? i should teach you how to behave properly. i'd say i could fuck you stupid but that wouldn't be so right for this scenario, would it?"

you start getting desperate, your hands grip at his pants tugging at them and looking up at him with glazed eyes for a chance to have him in you. "v-vik- ah.. please.." your body is only turned to him now, your face covered in tears as the vibrator is only grazing and brushing at your sweet spot.

"my pretty dumb slut, is that what you are now?" he asked, holding your face by your chin. his thumb rubs at your tears. "you listen to me so well, and yet you can't even finish reviewing your notes as i told you to." he shook his head in feign disappointment before moving back to the bed. you follow him, your bodily fluids drip down your legs in a way that makes you feel so pathetic, but you don't even care at this point. you need him so bad.

"please- viktor- i want to- i want-" you can't even speak right. not when he's unbuckling his belt and unzipping his pants. you almost drool at the sight of him.

"you should be good enough to not cum until i tell you, yes?" you nodded eagerly at his words. "look at you, you're drooling over me." he commented, but most of your sense is thrown out the window as you start licking at his dick. your warm mouth starts to suck and hollow your cheeks as you blow him. you can see how much he enjoys it, but he stops you from doing too much. he grabs a condom to put on, and your body shivers in excitement.

you both move to a more comfortable position, resting fully on the bed rather than on the edge of it. he takes the vibrator out of you, leaving you whining from the emptiness. "no whining, dear." he said as he sat on the bed, pants tossed to the side, boxers somewhere on the floor, and his white button-up open and loose. "ride." he gives the one command, and you go for it. you keep it careful so as not to disturb his hurt leg too much.

you line yourself with his cock and slowly sink, moaning at him filling you so well. you start riding not long after once you get used to the feeling of him. but you're so close to cumming due to the vibrator simply torturing you earlier that your body shivers and shakes from you holding back. "let- let me cum, v-viktor!" you gasp between pumps. his hands on your hips guide the pace.

"you couldn't even answer 5 questions for your notes. are you sure you're not my dumb slut? you can't even think about anything but my cock, right now? nothing but my pretty whore."

"please, please, please!" you repeated, your eyes unfocused and blown out as your mind draws blanks. "wanna cum! please!"

"you're asking so nicely. perhaps you're not that dumb." he hummed. "you can cum now, dear." he purred before holding your face to his, to kiss you stupid. you instinctively respond to his kisses and the last thrust that hits your sweet spot, leaving you to moan his name out. "that wasn't a great plan, but we learned a lot, didn't we?" you would be mad at him for being so composed and calm this whole time if you weren't so fuzzy brained right now. he slowly guides you to pull out and tosses the condom in the nearby trash bin. you move slowly and lean down to finish him off.

"you don't have to do that, dear."

your response is muffled, and you don't even pull away. you refuse to leave your man unsatisfied, but his next words have you pausing, "jayce can do that for you. isn't that right, jayce?" you pause to look over at the door and see a heaving jayce with a hard rock cock stuffed in his pants and a guilty puppy look on his warm face.

[jules-ln]

Tbh every time I think too much about Viktor and Jayce's relationship I just want to cry lmao

Because, Jayce must've felt lonely, an outsider, that nobody could really understand him or his dream of magic.

He must've spent all those years in the academy just living for the sake of his dream coming true. And while he wasn't completely alone, he must've felt so lonely

Then he found Viktor, and how would he not absolutely adore this man as soon as he met him? He not only gave him back his dream and his hope, he also believed in him when nobody else did and was willing to risk everything for Jayce, after meeting him just a few days ago

But then as years passed he became used to Viktor being there, Viktor consoling him, picking up the pieces of him and putting him back together, so without realizing it, Viktor just became the sole support he needed in his life, because Viktor understood, and if Viktor understood then he no longer was lonely

But then Viktor started dying

And you know what, I watched s1 again recently and it really surprised me how much Jayce isn't with Viktor, even after he knows that Viktor is dying, it seemed like he was avoiding him, and maybe he was

For Jayce it was easier to avoid completely the topic, he didn't need to think about a world without Viktor, a world where he would be alone again, he didn't need because he didn't want to

And everything would be fine! Jayce somehow would find a way, there should be a way! So he didn't even thought about Viktor not being there because a life without his partner wasn't even a possibility for Jayce, it just couldn't

But, then think about how Viktor felt

I dislike Christian Linke as much as everyone else, but I think he was right when he said that Viktor wanted something Jayce couldn't give him. I know everyone took it as meaning that Viktor was in love, but I think what Viktor wanted was comfort

Just think about when they talked together in Jayce's destroyed apartment, he said that nobody believed in him; he probably was as lonely as Jayce if not more. Then he believed in Jayce in the same way he would've liked someone to believe in him. He decided to be there for him. And he probably thought that from there on Jayce too would be his support, but he wasn't

Jayce took and never gave back, probably he never realized what he was doing, and so when Viktor needed him the most, he wasn't there

"It was affection that held us together" like I just imagine Viktor alone at night; thinking that he could do so much more if he just went down to Zaun and did his thing without asking for the council's permission, without Jayce

But he never did so because he knew he would hurt Jayce so much if he left, so he stayed

"It was affection" it was, not it is. Viktor probably thought that Jayce didn't need him anymore, that whatever feelings he had for Viktor were over. And how could he not think that?

Viktor was alone against his illness, and the only thing he asked of Jayce, to destroy the Hexcore, he didn't do, more than that, he used it to keep him alive. "The mutation must survive" he felt used in that moment, nothing more than a scientific experiment. A thing for Jayce to play with. There was affection between them, was

Of course Viktor didn't understand how deep Jayce's love for him was, Jayce himself probably didn't understand either

Then think about Jayce in that cave. I know a lot of people have say that it mirrors Viktor's story, but really think about it. Wouldn't Jayce felt the exact same way as Viktor did when he was dying? Desperate for a solution, not knowing if he was going to survive to see the next day, full of pain he couldn't treat, and so, so, lonely

Jayce must've understand then his mistake. Because in s1 he had a lot going on as well, having the person you love the most in your life being terminally ill isn't a nice experience, but Viktor needed him and he didn't see that

So when he returned, he was finally ready to give Viktor what he needed, he was ready to hold him and tell him it was going to be ok, that whatever it happened, they would go through it together

And now I'm just crying 🥲

[max-of-progress]

Ok so this post got me thinking about Zaundads and Jayvik parallels again

because who doesn't love a ship where the characters tried to brutally kill each other with their bare hands at least once?

Also,, I'm just now noticing how Viktor's mask thing is cracked on the opposite side of where Silco's scar is and the crack is very much in the same shape. That's probably pure coincidence but STILL.

Also that look of fear Viktor has,, and also Silco's rat-ass face staring back at Vander when Vander first grabs him by the throat....yeah,,,

Anyways, people always love saying how Vi and Jinx parallel Vander and Silco, and they use that to "defend" their claims about Vanco/Zaundads being incest since they mirror actual siblings (which is ridiculous) but when you like ACTUALLY use your brain and think about it, Zaundads moreso parallel Jayvik than anything.

Some ramblings under the cut-

The argument for Vi and Jinx with Zaundads is all taken from those two scenes (you know the ones) that are so blatantly meant to parallel each other. But that's about where the similarities end.

Sure, they also go their separate ways despite being close at one point, but with the sisters, it wasn't by choice!! With Vi, how she reacted was an accident! It was an in-the-moment sort of thing, the mistake of a child who had just undergone a whole ordeal of trauma.

Meanwhile with Vander and Silco, Vander was out to kill Silco. Maybe on the bridge it was an in-the-moment reaction he had to Felicia and Connol's deaths but that man had a knife. He had a weapon he could have EASILY used to finish the job, and instead he chose to use his bare hands. Instead, he chose to violently drown Silco, and when Silco got away, Vander tried to do it again. He wasn't done. There was no quick realization of what he'd done like what Vi had when Jinx's nose started to bleed.

Then in the Cannery, it's not in the moment. They want to kill each other. I think that was pretty obvious, and for good reason too. Vander for self-defense, to protect his kids, Silco for revenge and maybe even some peace of mind, but I digress.

Then there's the split, which is arguably another parallel for the two of them. They go their separate ways, become enemies, yadada.

That happens with Jayvik too! And their separation more closely parallels Zaundad's one than the sister's.

With Jayvik and Zaundads, their wants and dreams conflicted with each other. They separated and went their own ways to pursue their own dreams once their shared visions didn't align with each other's anymore. On top of that, this separation happens after Viktor and Silco realize they can't trust their partner anymore. Vander because he tried to fucking kill Silco and Jayce because he broke his promise to Viktor and revived him with the Hexcore. Then when they cross paths again after that fall out, they try to kill each other (once more in the case of Zaundads, lol).

The only reason why Vi and Jinx diverted paths is because Vi was kidnapped, arrested, and taken into Stillwater! She was taken away from Jinx not by choice! The others chose to walk away from each other. Sure, Vi was leaving to go, but she was ready to go back the minute she saw Jinx in danger, but she couldn't. Their situations drew them apart, outside forces not within their control separated them, but they didn't leave each other by choice like Viktor and Jayce, and Silco and Vander.

Anyways, further parallels to the two pairs off the top of my head:

- Jayvik and Zaundads both started out having dreams of making their worlds a better place. - A breakage of trust and a divergence in those dreams causes them to separate - They try to kill each other on multiple occasions - After their paths diverge from each other, Silco/Viktor give Vander/Jayce a chance to join them on their "shared dream" once more - but they refuse - "In all timelines" - Jayvik always meeting and Zaundads being together in the AU, where everything is right in the world - Called each other "brothers" at one point - Viktor and Silco being all high and mighty about not having sentiments or anything, building walls around them - yet Viktor still has Jayce's blanket and Silco still has Vander's knife (plus the photo of him, Vander, and Felicia and the "Our Love" vinyl) - Jayce and Vander being major factors in Viktor and Silco's becoming of the monster that they are - their choices and broken promises leading Viktor and Silco down their paths and causing more problems along the way - Idk how to explain it but they just bring out the best and the worst out of each other - It's big hunk puppy dog x Zaunite twink shimmer user essentially

I'll never get over someone saying that Jayvik is Zaundads, but if Zaundads had chosen each other instead of their dreams.

I think about that every now and then and just burst into tears.

Jayvik broke the cycle. AU Zaundads broke that cycle too.

Idk,, just,, toxic doomed yaoi hits different. I get why people say that the sisters parallel Zaundads, yeah, I see it, but they share so much with Jayvik instead. That and I hate that it's used as an argument to why Zaundads is incest. :/ Like,, c'mon now.

[empresskaze]

I Would Shiver The Whole Night Through - Jayvik - Sick Viktor 3/6

Part 1 | Part 2

Day 10 “You’re safe, it was just a dream.”

Day 11 “You’re burning up!”

I've added the ao3 link to this to my master list which is in my bio.

also forgive any errors I wrote a lot of this in the dark without my glasses on xD

~~~~

I never asked for any of this Viktor!

She's using you! Using us why can't you see that!

It's not like that!

Fuck off you know it is! Forget it, forget us! I'm done!

Jayce hadn't realized he'd drifted off until that particular dream jerked him awake. He felt around for his phone, squinting at the bright screen popped on. 

11:32 pm

Hell, it wasn't even midnight yet. He couldn't have been out that long. 

Mel Medarda

Jayce couldn't get that menacing glint in Viktor's eyes as he spoke her name out of his mind.

Yes, she'd been a source of friction. Yes, he'd slept with her, but only after Viktor left. Cait was the sisterly confidant. Vi helped with distractions and drinking the memories numb. But Mel? She had taken the pain away, even for a short while. The first time Jayce hadn't thought of Viktor at all was that night. 

Given she'd been one of the catalysts that burned down their partnership, Jayce had been fully ready for any onslaught Viktor considered bringing on. Hence why his sudden laughter didn't make sense. But maybe that had just been the fever.

The fever, shit!

Rolling over, Jayce saw the huddled frame of Viktor shivering violently messily wrapped in both blankets. Jayce vaguely remembered himself having the thinner one on when he laid next to Viktor but at some point, Viktor had stolen it. Neither seemed to be helping as he shook hard enough, Jayce was suddenly worried he might fall off the bed. Scooting over, he grimaced, seeing Viktor's hair matted in sweat against his ashen skin. The bag under his eyes etched deeper than earlier as Viktor's brow creased severely. Teeth gritted, only hissing breaths escaped, as he'd pulled himself into the tightest ball his body could manage.

Carefully, Jayce reached his hand out to cup Viktor's forehead, who relaxed with a meek sigh momentarily, only to whine when the hand was pulled away.

“Shit V, you're burning up.” Jayce moved off the bed, heading into the bathroom. He soaked two of the hand towels, rinsing them rapidly, but they still dripped water as he returned to the bedroom.

“Hey, hey, it's okay.” Jayce tried soothing Viktor as he pulled away the blanket, which was nearly drenched. “I'll get you a clean one, don't worry.”

Viktor's thin fragile body racking with feverish shivers ached Jayce's heart. He should have gotten him out of those wet clothes immediately, started the shower right away, anything but let Viktor stew in freezing clothes sucking any warmth from him.  

Focus Talis, you can guilt trip yourself later.

Carefully, Jayce swept away the stray hairs stuck to Viktor's forehead as he laid one of the towels upon it. “It'll be okay.” He repeated, not sure at this point if he was talking to his patient or himself.

Viktor let out a weak moan, wincing when the cool cloth hit his skin. Jayce swore he heard him mumble something but Viktor's voice was too soft to discern any words.

Jayce then lifted the sweatshirt that was even more soaked from the fever than the blanket had been, but at this point, he needed to worry about lowering it before getting dryer clothes.  

Viktor winced as the cooler air hit his exposed stomach, hand flailing around, trying to push away Jayce's.

“Trust me, V, I don't like this anymore than you do.” Jayce remarked as he held the shirt up with one hand and lay the bigger of the two towels onto Viktor's slender waist.

Viktor howled, thrashing away from Jayce, who had to grab onto him so he wouldn't tumble off the bed. 

“C-c-cold.” The first words Viktor spoke stammered out through chattering teeth and dry cracked lips.. His sunken eyes remained closed, though. Jayce wasn't even sure if Viktor was fully awake.

“I know it is, V, and I'm sorry.” Jayce positioned himself closer to the still flailing man in an effort to calm him down. He wrapped his arm around Viktor's shoulder so his head now lay against his chest. Viktor clutched Jayce's shirt in his hand, still trembling, but Jayce could feel his body starting to relax.

It took roughly half an hour of Jayce continuing to keep Viktor close so he wouldn't pull off the towels before Viktor once again drifted back to a somewhat peaceful sleep.  

Jayce's heart pounded against his chest as he looked down at Viktor, who now slept quietly on his chest.

How familiar this felt.

When he believed Viktor was truly out again, Jayce maneuvered out from under Viktor, removing the towels to rinse and hopefully replace without as much drama as before. This time he only decided to put the one on Viktor's forehead back on. He got a small moan as Viktor's head turned away but nothing else.

Jayce sat back down on the bed, once again looking at his phone.

Almost 2am, no wonder he was tired.

However,Viktor needed another blanket, so Jayce emptied the dryer so Viktor would have a dry uniform ready. The original blanket offered was now dry, so Jayce tucked it in around Viktor while repositioning the towel that had fallen.

Then he collapsed back onto the bed, staring at Viktor until his eyes finally closed.

****

A frantic spasm woke Jayce from a dreamless sleep. Nearly bolting up, he saw Viktor gasping for breath as he wildly looked around the room.

“No! No! You can't!” He rasped, “I worked so hard!” His voice cut out as he bent over coughing 

“V! Hey, look at me.” Jayce said calmly.

“Jayce?” Viktor looked at him as if he was seeing a ghost. He squinted as he took in his surroundings. “Where am I? What happened?”

“You're safe, it was a dream.” Jayce grabbed the towel, which had fallen off Viktor's head.

“A dream?” Viktor blinked, then rubbed his head. “I don't even remember now.”

“What do you remember?” Jayce asked, sitting himself up against the headboard.

Pulling his knees to his chest, Viktor rested his chin on them. “We were in your living room, right?”

“Yes, you have a fever, probably from the rain.”

“Right, yes...the rain.” Viktor coughed again.

“Here.” Jayce stood up. “I'm going to grab some water and Tylenol for you. And then you're gonna tell me what happened, okay?”

Viktor lowered his gaze but Jayce saw him nod his head.

“Okay then.” Jayce said and headed to the kitchen.

~~~~

TBC, next part will be posted on the 18th

[showsandstuff]

Am I the only one who is disappointed with Caitvi in season two? When I watched the first season I had the biggest caitvi brain rot because they actually gave me SUCH a fun dynamic with them. Buddy cop Caitvi was hilarious, I loved that so so much!

And season 2 started of strong imo but then it rushed through everything. I loved the scene in the cell, obviously, but it was misplaced. Your sister is about to kill herself girl what are you doing this is not the time!! And other than romantic and sexual tension there wasn't all that much left of their previous dynamic aside from the brief scene in episode six...

Idk, I think I'm just annoyed. Usually when I see a non canon gay ship get more traction than the Canon lesbian couple, I just assume it's misogyny or lesbophobia, and move on with my life. But I can't even do that here because Caitvi was WAY more popular in season 1 (as they should).

Jayvik isn't getting somewhat more popular in season 2 because people don't like lesbians, but because their arcs are connected so strongly to each other. (Also I'm not saying that Jayvik is now more popular than Caitvi, but it's like a graph where the super high stocks caitvi are still even while Jayvik is skyrocketing rn)

Wanna know why Jayvik wasn't all that popular in season 1? Because (after act 1) their arcs were mostly separate, safe for a couple of moments. Viktor worked on his body and Jayce was doing politics.

Caitlyn and Vis arcs intertwined more, they actually did shit together and it was beautiful, funny, romantic, EVERYTHING!

Also a fun opposites attract buddy cop dynamic is also just more fun than men who do science together (in my personal opinion)

Now let's look at Caitlyn and Vis relationship in season two.

It starts of strong. I momentarily thought that Caitlyn was uncharacteristically mean to Vi when she refused to become an enforcer, but she apologized for it later and I recognized the fact that Caitlyn was grieving. Then once we get to episode two and three I could already feel their relationship being a bit more odd. The kiss (though I cheered) didn't feel right. I felt like something was missing, and that was their chemistry from season one. Also I feel like we glossed over too many decisions that Caitlyn made, and I think Vi should've put a stop to it sooner. But overall I was okay with them in act 1.

Then we had a timeskip and the two were fully separated. Act 2 literally started with Caitlyn in bed with another woman, like we can see they're not together anymore. Caitlyn has obviously changed, there is not much of the sweet cupcake left that we had come to love in season 1, and Vi is boxing and getting drunk.

Then they meet and like... Vi calls Cait cupcake, and Cait switches sides IMMEDIATELY? GIRL WTF?!

I get that Caitlyn wasn't entirely on Ambessas side the entire time, but I had hoped for more drama first. So you're telling me the very next interaction the two have after their heart wrenching falling out is them making up again? Come on.

Then we had act 3 and overall it was better I think but the timing of their hot scene in the cell was just odd, like what about your sister about to kill herself? I was very happy and hyped in the moment but then I realized how rushed this was. Why? Why make em fuck right here? And in the final act, the two weren't together because again, their arcs were not as connected. And that's actually pretty cool to have a couple who do their own things! But it doesn't help their relationship when they, in turn, aren't given enough time to develop as a pair!

I feel like season 1 did this incredible job of setting these characters up, showing us why they work so well together and why they would fall for one another. And season 2 gave us pay off for it but with very little set up, which was needed because of how Cait changed throughout the season. I don't mention Vi here because she did not change. She had her drunk boxing phase, which we got nothing but a montage off, but everything else is basically season 1 Vi aside from very few things here and there. Like her becoming an enforcer wasn't a character change for Vi, her finally letting go of powder and calling her sister Jinx, wasn't a big character moment for Vi, they were pay off for a set up we didn't get enough of.

SO TO GET TO MY POINT:

S2 was rushed. We should've AT LEAST gotten 3 seasons, like minimum, because there was a whole lot of plot and very little moments in between for characterization. Especially for Caitlyn and Vi and their relationship to each other.

I still generally prefer Caitvi to Jayvik, but only because of season 1. Season 2 gave me the two things I wanted most (a sexy scene and a kiss) but forgot to give me the things that made me fall in love with this ship in the first place.

Which was the hilarious buddy cop dynamic of rich girl cop Cait, and broke butch prisoner Vi.

[chronicsyd]

Soooooo I just watched the trailer for S2 and uhhhh-ahhh ah-ha… (lemme just... share my thoughts real quick):

Vi is outright calling Jinx, “Jinx”. She Definitely thinks Powder is beyond saving at this point (I knew it was coming, but it’s still sad to see at the same time) and she says “my sister is gone” so yea, she Fully believes this herself. And I think that’s the stick that broke the camel’s back for Vi to be sticking around topside.

I hope to God Ambessa doesn’t mean the Entire council is dead… (but with absences of Viktor and Jayce in this trailer isn’t getting my hopes up) maybe she just means that there’s So little people that there’s nothing the council can Actually do anymore, and so everything is just in chaos. (Also yea, my predictions of Cassandra being dead were spot on… so good job me)

Honestly, I was expecting Ambessa to have a more “antagonistic” (not outright Villain, but she’s certainly not making things better if that makes sense) role this season, Clearly she stuck around for a reason. I also kinda think she’s addressing either Caitlyn or Jayce (should he happen to Be alive) with the words she’s saying here. (my thoughts are leaning more towards Caitlyn because she says, “You will have Justice” and I think that’s what’s Caitlyn’s looking for. and if Mel happens to die in that council room, she also feels the loss that would bring as well as Caitlyn.)

Well… I wanted “Unhinged Caitlyn” and I CERTIANLY got it…

SO… I was Wrong about S2 being the last season, yea I’m a little upset about it. And I’m now worried about certain characters meeting their demise (oh God I hope that Vi isn’t the one that kills Jinx if it happens… I don’t think I’ll EVER be able to recover from that)  

Ekko’s still alive yay! (no shit sherlock…) (I’m honestly expecting more between him and Jinx this season) (also Heimerdinger's there... but i expected that as he is no longer a councilor)

Warick showing up, of course…

Noxus and Enforcers will be working together here… oh dear…

One of the clips Clearly show’s Caitlyn wearing the old enforcer uniform (you can tell by the color of the collar thing she’s wearing, and the sides of the collar don’t stick up around her neck in the newer uniform) so that happens early on in the season

Vi seeing the death and devastation that Jinx has caused to the council and topside is what I think shook her in that direction to believe that Jinx is beyond saving. And it Hurts for her to admit it, you can clearly hear it in her voice.

Jinx says to Vi first thing, “Finally got the name right… sister.” (she probably tries to go after Jinx in the first part of the season, still believing that Powder’s there. But has to learn that there’s only Jinx. And Jinx is the one that needs to be stopped) and there's SO much venom in her voice when she says it too, like damn...

Now I think there’s MORE to the face Vi’s pulling in that last teaser we got with her than “just being an Enforcer” “not happy being an Enforcer” all that fun jazz.

I have No idea who’s under that cloak… they’ve done a good job hiding their face

of course Sevika's still around, wasn't expecting anything less. but there's clearly no "top dog" to take Silco's place. everyone in Zaun is just fighting for their own thing and not under one specific person if that makes Any sense.

I don't recognize who Sevika sees to be fighting in that clip (does anyone know who it is? or is it just someone we haven't met yet)

Netflix is still calling this a "teaser" so i believe that we have to have at least One full trailer that's probably being given to us in a few months before S2 arrives

Vi's wearing Claggor's goggles I'm gonna CRY

(I’m most definitely probably going to add things and have “sudden realizations” so be on the lookout for that… ha-ha)

[omoghouls]

Hear me out. S1 Viktor having accidents around the lab as he gets sicker and works more and more. The first time it happens in front of Jayce he’s mortified but Jayce is so kind about it and insists on helping him clean up. When Jayce begins to devote more and more time towards his council duties, Viktor misses him but would rather die than voice his feelings so he decides to get Jayce’s attention and care back on him the only way he knows how.. and suddenly every time he’s with Jayce in the lab, his pants are wet and there’s a puddle beneath his seat. Jayce eventually realises what he’s doing.

Omg,,,,,😭😭😭

Viktor comes to realize that fluttering feeling in his stomach he had while Jayce helped wipe off his legs with the warm cloth was /not/ of annoyance but instead him feeling happy/cared for-

Like said, Viktor would rather die than admit to missing Jayce- Viktor knows many things, but being open about his feelings? He'd get a failing grade.

Instead, Viktor does what Viktor does best, channeling his unspoken desires into deliberate actions-

It takes quite a few times before Jayce catches on - he knows Viktor's health is very far from good, so he thinks Viktor is just having really rough days that are causing him to be wetting himself.

But, eventually, he starts to notice how Viktor's face doesn't grow red anymore. How it seems like Viktor is expectant or Jayce's typical reaction- he doesn't want to think that Viktor is purposefully wetting himself but, this is Viktor.

Maybe the next time Jayce is in the lab, he confronts Viktor about this- and oh god Viktor wasn't expecting this (he thought Jayce would be so preoccupied with council stuff he'd just, take Viktor's wettings at face value-) poor guy is fumbling over his words, trying to find an explanation, weave a new lie.

Jayce then places his hand on Viktor's shoulder, looking directly at Viktor.

"Vik, I know things have changed, and I'm really, really sorry that we haven't been able to work together as we used to. But, you don't have to do this in order to get my attention," Jayce says, eyes flicking to Viktor's fiddling hands, "I care about you, even when I'm not physically cleaning you up, I promise."

Viktor is speechless. Shit, why is it hard to swallow right now?? His exhale is shakey as he avoids Jayce's look of sympathy.

Jayce can see Viktor struggling to formulate a reply. So, the man just pulls Viktor in for a hug- unspoken desires still lingering heavily in the air but, at least in this moment they were close once more😭

[danidoesathing]

My HC on why Giopara and Talis look so different is that they have different mothers. They both have Mr. Talis as a father, but in Arcane's timeline he married Ximena, and in the base League timeline he married someone else.

(Jayce Giopara's family situation is... Complicated. We don't know anything about his actual parents (they might be dead? We're not really sure), but we do know that House Giopara sponsored him at a very young age, similar to how the Kirammans sponsored Talis in Arcane. He probably wasn't born to House Giopara, but they were his main sponsors for a long time. (I personally HC (and this is just my own headcanon; this has no real basis in anything, so take this with a grain of salt,) that the sponsorship was also a "you live up to our expectations as the child we sponsored and we let you stay with us and use our name" situation-which would admittedly explain a lot about Jayce Giopara's personality and attitude.))

(With that interpretation, it akes sense why he'd latch onto the first person who actually treated him like an actual human being.)

YEAH SAME obligatory my lore knowledge is iffy at best, this is all probably nonsensical and this mostly my half assed interpretation BUT!!

when it comes to the alternate timeline versions of the characters (aka the skins) there’s a good amount of odd physical variation so it’s clear while they are consistencies in a lot of timelines and I’ve always assumed it’s due to either due to different parentage or hitting a different order in the genetic lottery (ie Caitlyn being blonde in the battle school universe or Vi being a noble in the gilded/no zaun timeline). Jayce has a few really weird variations like being blond in one or two and straight up having blue hair and glasses in another (could be died yeah, but that universe is a piltover/zaun fusion and theres plenty of weird natural hair colors down there), but for him it’s particularly strange because of his last name. In Arcane he’s born into the name Talis (or possibly married into? He looks a lot like the image of the late Mr talis but I know there’s a few theories/headcanons that he’s an immigrant too. Hard to say because we STILL don’t know what the fuck they were doing in that blizzard or anything about Talis’s dad really), but in the lore we have no clue what kind of family Jayce might’ve had, if he had any at all. I doubt he’d be apart of House (or clan? I know it’s called different things in the lore) Talis if the House still exists at ALL anymore. Him becoming part of the Giopara house was more or less a business transaction.

And I think that lack of genuine familial connection to them + his lack of connections to other people in general made him a lot more stubborn and mean. It’s also ingrained this need to prove himself and be right, because he had to prove himself a worth investment to this family otherwise he might not be in it tomorrow (not exactly like Talis people pleasing tendencies, but not too far off from it). Which obviously fucked with his perception of relationships and self worth a LOT. Which is reflected a lot once he starts having a genuine friendship with Viktor because he doesn’t really know. What to do with this or how to not be combative and stubborn about everything (neither does Viktor to be frank. it’s a very new experience on both sides. its one of the reasons their relationship was so explosive and ended in the way it did). And like he still wants to do good and be good but he doesn’t know how to connect with people really and I do think he being treated like an asset before a member of a family fucked with him a deep level.

(I do think as he got older, and especially at the rise of his popularity as a hero, his want for approval fades a lot. At that point he's mostly realized he doesn't give a shit what other people think anymore and stops putting on a performance for everyone. he's still emotionally constipated, lonely as hell and has yet to get over himself but he's getting somewhere, at least.)

Talis never really liked people much either or had many friendships but he can at least say that he had some sort bond with his mother and Caitlyn before Viktor. I think he was a lot more of the kind and naive person in comparison because he had an environment where he could be that. i dont think Giopara ever had that. (To be fair, Talis ALSO has a good amount of problems that stem from his childhood, mostly from the blizzard, but this aint about him rn).

tldr Jayce Giopara and Jayce Talis at their core are the same, but they lived entirely differently lives that shaped them into different kinds of people.

(In a similar sense, I don’t think arcane Viktor ever could’ve become like Machine Herald Vik, or at least not as extreme, solely due to his experience with Rio and Singed. It deeply ingrained the fear of being forced to live too long + being robbed of his anatomy + getting fundamentally changed against his will, all of which are things MH Vik has pretty opposite views about. He had to be forced into this role of inhumanity against his will and actively KILLED for him to start going ‘humanity is the problem’. MH viktor (I assume) never had that horribly traumatic experience and thus developed different values. there's probably more to their childhood that created such a difference but they gave us fuck all with arcane vik's backstory)

And honestly I think him actively trying to evolve everyone is partially because he does want to help and the DEEP internalized ableism but also because he’s desperately trying to have some sort of control over himself by claiming that he’s better now without his humanity, like it was his choice. even though it wasn’t and the idea of having nothing of his own self deeply terrified him. But that’s a tangent for another time)

[mxchineherald]

As he approached her with the satchel bag, he heard her request in his mind. He paused in his movement to consider it. It was still the early afternoon, and the meeting wasn't for another hour and change. There might have just been enough time for the detour. With a swallow, he nodded his head, communicating agreement through his thoughts. Everything about the idea of a cup of tea with her as company was alluring, not only for relaxation, but more time with her. "That would be nice, yes."

Unconsciously, he began to let the walls between their thoughts cross over again, allowing her into his mind, should she wander there.

He realized now that he had never actually been to Sky's home. He had been so busy with his work that he rarely made any social visits, and they were usually limited to Jayce. Even then, their conversations often revolved around their projects anyway. In the end, it was his work that he felt the most passionate about. Mundane things like hobbies and recreation were never on his mind anymore. That had certainly gotten him here, he supposed.

He waited for her go ahead, sensing that old familiar pull being stifled once again. He paid it no mind this time, convinced it had no power over him at the moment. Hearing her assurance, Viktor cautiously lowered the satchel underneath the Hexcore, using his other hand to gently push it into the leather bag. "Do you feel it when you are moved?" he asked inquisitively while lifting the satchel off of the desk and slipping it over his unoccupied right shoulder.

His augmented hand, still gloved, grasped the shoulder strap as he began to walk to the exit into the hallway. Walking like this, slow and steady to keep from tripping, reminded him of his old treks through the caves of the doctor's lab, with one hand on his makeshift cane, and the other around a crate full of candle blossoms. He remembered playing with Rio, tossing her candle blossoms as treats for her little tricks. He'd taught her how to chirp on command, or how to do a twirl.

He missed that strange creature. She wasn't dead, but she probably would have been better off that way. A somber pang struck his heart at the recollection of seeing her in that tube, preserved but trapped. When he saw her in such a state, he couldn't help but think of himself. Anxiety played it's drum in his chest, and he pushed it aside to focus on the present again. "I'm afraid I'll need directions to your home," he said, still battling his memories back with a mental stick.

Sky didn't like the sound of Viktor's coughing. It sounded worse than the last time she heard it. She thought about encouraging him to go see a doctor after the meeting but then she remembered what she had seen that night. One of his legs looked different and that was also the leg that she could now sense more clearly than the rest of him.

By that logic his hand must also be different now. She didn't remember what his leg had looked like very well since she had been focused on getting him away from the HexCore at the time but there was clearly a difference between those parts of his body and the rest of him. That would be difficult if not impossible to explain to any doctors. Which meant that her herbal remedies were his best chance.

"I could be found here too although... I think I might be pretty hard to destroy now. Just like I can help you with my energy, I think I can protect myself and you as well." Sky said a touch wryly since while she was still learning about her new state of being she was a quick study. Already she was having an easier time supporting him as he moved around the room and controlling the energy she was using to do so.

"Viktor? If there's time before the meeting, can we go to my home? I've been growing herbs there, some should help with your coughing. If there's time then I could talk you through making a quick cup of tea." She suggested a bit shyly.

She would have blushed if she could since her apartment was practically a jungle with all the plants she'd been growing in there for her research. She didn't have the funding fora proper workspace for them so she had ended up doing much of her research and experimentation in her own home.

When he approached with the bag she felt that hungering feeling again but once more pushed it aside. That would be something she needed to investigate and be on the look out for clearly. Once that was done she carefully wrapped the HexCore in a layer of energy to protect him from it.

"It should be safe for you to handle the HexCore now." She said tentatively, still worried since that hungering feeling had shown up twice now in reaction to Viktor.

[viktorshands]

Hello! Do you take requests? If so would I have an idea in mind. So you know how Act 1 Viktor had a cane and then after than he had a crutch instead? What if at the time he had to stop using his cane, it was the reader who actually created his crutch. They designed and built it and everything just for him and they gave him the crutch as a gift knowing his cane wasn't gonna last long anymore. How would Viktor feel about the whole thing?

AWH oh my gosh this is the cutest thing! I hope this is satisfactory bb! Also I know this took a long time so I apologize- I got lost in the sauce.

(っ◔◡◔)っ ♥ GN!Reader ♥

You were always the friend that could be described in one word as mindful. You took great joy in taking care of your friends' needs and always put them before your own self care. Sky and Viktor, for example, had been friends of yours since you were a child. You were only a couple of years younger than both of them, but thought of them as the siblings you never had. With Sky, she was easy to read, you could always tell when she had something on her mind, and she was very open with you when you asked her what was going on. Viktor, on the other hand, was a completely different story.

You noticed that Viktor had been spending more and more time in the lab, much to your and Sky’s dismay, of course. You became distant, your once close friendship seeming to dissipate over time, turning the two of you to colleagues instead as he made room for Hextech. Even on rare occasions when you were able to visit with him, it was usually only in the lab. His mind was so occupied with the advancements that he and Jayce Talis were creating together. The Hexgates were incredible, but your heart was torn. Something wasn’t right. You could tell that Viktor was spending perhaps too much time in the lab, his skin was becoming more pale, and the circles under his eyes were becoming more prominent as the months went on.

It wasn’t until you finally got him out of the lab for an evening walk that you realized that there was something he had been keeping a secret. His leg was worse than ever before. Initially he pretended that it wasn’t a big deal, but after taking several breaks and eventually relying on your strength to stand upwards, he conceded silently. You finally realized it as he couldn’t hide his pained expression from you. Your dear friend was pouring his entire life and wellbeing into Hextech, and what was it giving back to him? You had to do something to help, but what?

After walking back to the lab with Viktor, you scurried down the hall and immediately got to work. You drew up a blueprint of a crutch - to rest under his arm and with a handle for his hand to grip. Being a sort of jack of all trades you could do a lot of different things well - but you needed this to be perfect for Viktor. Your pride took a backseat to your heart, and you sought Jayce out to assist you with the creation of the crutch. He made fast work of your blueprint since you already had the measurements perfectly mapped out. The gold accents on the crutch were Jayce’s finishing touches. As much as you hated to say it, you were glad to have his help, and since he vowed to keep it a secret you were eternally grateful.

The following day you let yourself into the lab well after hours (with the help of spare keys lent to you by Sky). Not to anyone’s surprise, you found Viktor asleep over one of the workstations, his arms folded under his head and his notes scattered around him. A soft blush spread across your cheeks, and you gently leaned the crutch against the desk, careful not to make a sound. You left a small note tied to it with a small piece of ribbon, it wasn’t much, just something to tell him that it was meant for him.

[ly-cub]

┊ ┊ ┊ ┊ ⚙︎ . *. ⋆ SHE MUST BE TALKING ABOUT JINX; it hardly surprised him at all, her anger towards the culprit who caused her mother's death. the same culprit who hurt those that mattered to him too; the attack had taken the lives of three of his fellow council members, and severely injured salo && viktor. these were crimes he knew couldn't go UNPUNISHED, and shouldn't. all he'd wanted was peace, and one rogue zaunite had severely damaged any semblance of what they had been working for these past few years. the timing of it all still just didn't seem right; seemingly, it never did anymore.

❝ we're going to find her, ❞ he tries, slowly retracting his hand; maybe physical contact wasn't all that wise in this moment. it's all he can really think to say and do; he hopes it doesn't sound like an empty promise, something to only make himself feel better, but there's still an aching desire for JUSTICE deep within him. one he's sure the other shares with him. ❝ we're going to get the justice your mother deserves. ❞ we just need the time to come back from this. the thought doesn't leave him, though; he doesn't want to make the situation worse.

// but would her mother even approve of this revenge? rings in the back of her head, and she pushes the incoming guilt down. her mothers face haunts her just as much as jinx' does and it almost makes her want to resent her mother. at least, if she did, it maybe wouldn't hurt quite as much.

caitlyn resents herself most, for hesitating, for not taking the shot when she had it. for being stupid enough to want to listen to vi, for not being able to stop her.

she maybe would've normally appreciated the physical affection, jayce has always been known for such, after all, but at the moment she just feels so weird - as touch starved as she is - it's not quite as welcome as normally.

" we will. " she nods, whispering weakly, holding back stray tears she barely realizes want to press forward.

" I just want to- feel better. " caitlyn admits, wiping at her eyes. " I should've just taken the shot when I had it, jayce. "

nothing ever seems right anymore. her mother dies and leaves this giant hole and now caitlyn is supposed to just- be the head of everything. ignoring how absolutely useless her father has been in all of this - of course - he's grieving as well. but sometimes she wishes she would just have anyone she could depend on, as well.

[jules-ln]

I think the problem lies in thinking that manipulating people is inherently negative, and I don't think it is lmao

You can manipulate people for good things, and you can manipulate people for bad things

Let's put the example of Silco, Silco wasn't a good person (I love Silco BTW, one of my favorite characters along with Jinx and Viktor)

In S1 he was manipulating Jayce to get Zaun's independence; something that I think is inherently good (even though Silco isn't exactly a good person but that's another conversation lmao)

Now I don't think the professional relationship between Mel and Viktor and Jayce was predatory, or at least not more than normal (I think there's the topic about how the relationship between an employer and an employee is never going to be one of equals by the mere capitalist system in which it develops, but that's aaaaanother topic lmao)

But I think the problem is that when their romantic relationship started both had different expectations. Like Jayce genuinely expected Mel to be more honest with him (like how Viktor was) while Mel had the baggage of how she's accustomed to deal with her interpersonal relationships where instead of a mutual exchange of equals, she's used to a struggle for dominance (like the relationship she has with her mother)

And I said before, independently of how you might consider the relationship between them, we shouldn't forget how Jayce feels about it

J:"How can I know you aren't lying to me?"

M: "why would you think I am?"

J: "Because you used me, and Viktor, for Hextech, you called us investments"

Which tell us that even if it wasn't the case, Jayce does feel hurt and used by Mel, and I think that this is because of Viktor

Lemme explain

Idk if there's an equivalent expression in English, but in Spanish I would say "A Jayce le duele mucho Viktor"

And I don't know how to explain it in a way that would convey the exact meaning, but it's basically that Jayce cares a LOT about Viktor, and whatever hurts Viktor, also hurts Jayce

(Jaidjsosjsj, can I say that I just love Jayce so much? He's so aidbaibdodk 🥺)

Anyway, What I was saying?

Ah yes, so, I think that while he was in that cave (that could've been for months) He probably was replaying in his head again and again how he could've done things differently to avoid Viktor dying in the council room and that was when he realized/felt like Mel was using and lying to him

And like I said before, independently of how their relationship actually was, the facts remains that at end Jayce felt like he could no longer trust her

Now, whether I think there was something Mel could've done so that their partnership wasn't manipulative. I'm going to say that, in the beginning? No, because Mel is the way she is and she was always going to act like that, later though? Mel could've sat with Jayce and talk honestly about their relationship, I think if she had done this, their relationship wouldn't have ended, problem being that once again Mel is the daughter of her mother and it's not like her to act like that

Now, about the scene in the council room, I'm going to be honest with you, interpreting cinematic language is not an exact science, it's pretty subjective and your interpretation is as valid as mine

But I will say that I don't think that at the end Jayce stayed with Viktor instead of Mel because of his duty

I think Jayce's duty was to protect the cities from Viktor's glorious evolution, something that he could've fulfilled while being with Mel and without staying with Viktor

But again, he didn't trust her anymore, independently of if he was right or not, that's how he felt

And I think that Jayce stayed with Viktor because he loved him (it doesn't matter if you interpret this love as platonic or romantic, it was love), Jayce himself says so "I thought I wanted us to give magic to the world. Now all I want is my partner back"

So he finished the relationship with Mel Because there wasn't trust anymore, and a relationship can't go on like that, and then Jayce stayed with Viktor out of love

I hate how people talk about Mel and Jayce's relationship

Because every time someone comments about how Mel manipulated Jayce, someone else jumps to say "nooo, Mel couldn't have done something like that she's perfect and has never done anything wrong in her life, ever"

And I'm here like "You are making a good complex character into a bland, one dimensional character"

Because it's clear to me that Mel acts the way she does Because of her trauma. Like I can imagine conversations with her family probably felt like playing 3d chess with a metaphorical sword hanging over her head

No wonder that she kept her distance from Jayce for 7 years, and when she makes a move, her first move is manipulating him

She does it, because she doesn't feel safe to go and just open herself and be vulnerable with Jayce

She probably expected Jayce to be like her family, to play 3d chess with her and him to make his next move

That's why she was so surprised when instead of him being calculating and manipulative, he was earnest and kind. And then after that, after Mel confirmed that Jayce's feelings were honest, she started to open herself up to him

And you see, both Mel and Jayce started their relationship on opposite sides

Jayce gave her his trust 100%, he was vulnerable and showed his belly from the beginning, but that was because he was expecting the same from Mel

People can think whatever they want about Mel and Jayce's relationship, but that doesn't changes the fact that Jayce himself felt used by Mel

And I think everyone is way too eager to dismiss Jayce's feelings in the fight scene between him and Mel with Viktor. He probably had PTSD and didn't feel safe at all (You can tell by the way he clings to his hammer as a form of protection) and mind you, Mel also had gone through an extremely bad experience

But once again they found themselves at opposite sides

Jayce was angry and hurt, he probably played every interaction he had with Mel in his head again again while on that cave, and felt like an idiot for not realizing that she had been manipulating him

He also was in an extreme state of distress and was searching for someone to blame for what had happened. He was calculating what really went down during the bombing of the council and came to the conclusion that Mel could've saved Viktor, so he decided to blame her

Mind you, that wasn't a logical decision, Jayce was lashing out because he was in distress and Mel was just the unlucky one, but it could've been Cait, Vi, or his mom just as well

Now, Mel on the other hand, she was accustomed to the kind and soft Jayce, the one that earnestly listened to her, she went there searching comfort from him, just to find out that Jayce had changed and he was now attacking her

That's why she was so taken aback by him, you can hear how her voice trembles and her body language showed that she was nervous

Once again they found themselves in opposing sides because Mel didn't clarify what she did and that she no longer wanted to manipulate Jayce.

She did that to Jayce because of her trauma, that was how she was used to relationships to be, but then when she realized that Jayce was being honest, instead of clarify things, she let things stay how they were; maybe afraid of how Jayce would react

But it was because she's the daughter of her mother and that influences how she acts on her relationships

People are totally going to hate me for this, but let's compare Mel and Jayce's relationship to Viktor and Jayce's relationship since Viktor and Mel mirror each other

When Viktor and Jayce met, they didn't like each other at all lmao

But then the trial happened

Both Viktor and Mel looked interested in Jayce, but for two different reasons, Mel looked at Jayce and thought that Hextech was a good investment, meanwhile Viktor was interested in Jayce's dreams, in his values and the willingness to stand up for them

And I'm not saying that Mel was wrong and Viktor was right, I'm saying that Mel is a perfectly reasonable person while Viktor is insane lmao

Because then Viktor goes on and risk his entire life for Jayce, like I can't even say how much Viktor would've lost if things hadn't gone as planned

Yet, he did it for Jayce, he was honest since the beginning and put his life at risk for him. In turn Jayce also gave up everything for him like Viktor did, but in this case both him and Viktor were on the same page since the beginning

In the scene right before the fight when Viktor appears, Jayce is quite literally standing between Viktor and Mel with a choice to make

He takes a look at Mel, before turning around to face Viktor and giving his back to Mel

The camera lingers on his back, where we are shown a pattern that represents both Zaun and Viktor (as I've already talked about in this post)

I really love the cinematic language of this scene and I want to do an analysis of it, but long story short, this is the visual language of arcane telling us that Jayce is choosing Viktor

This is where their romantic relationship is officially over

Not because he didn't care about her, or because he didn't love her. But because at that point in the story he couldn't trust her anymore, even if she was saying the truth, he wouldn't be able to trust her, so sadly the relationship between them had already ran it's course

I think it's interesting, because we rarely see this kind of relationship between a woman and a man in media, where the relationship simply isn't mean to be anymore, but both the man and the woman remain in good terms, and I appreciate that Arcane shows how sometimes, even if a relationship is extremely important and you love the other person, not everything is meant to last forever; but that doesn't make it any less important