A/N: Jayce loves his friends but they're starting onto the road to being a nervous wreck.

Jayce hummed softly as he walked down the hall to his room in the Piltover wing of the Institute. He fidgeted with his glove slightly as he thought over what had just happened. He was horribly embarrassed at how he had acted towards her. He had not relied on bad pickup lines since he was fifteen. He had made a total idiot of himself and disrespected her intelligence by even trying them.

He sighed and shook his head. He knew that he would need to try harder to keep his head next time. The way to charm a lady was with kind actions and good manners. Perhaps he would get a second chance tomorrow at the lunch Jarvan IV was throwing to celebrate Demacia's victory over a dispute with Noxus. He needed to prove to her that he was more than just a flirty male.

Jayce was jerked from his planning by sudden contact. An arm hooked about either of his own, making a human chain. He blinked in surprise, gazing switching between Vi and Ezreal who were to either side of him. He opened his mouth to ask what they wanted but his jaw clicked shut as Vi smirked while stroking her fingers up his chest teasingly, making him blush.

"Hey there, Lover Boy. You stood us up." She purred and nipped his ear. It was a little game she enjoyed playing to fluster him as a reminder of a very awkward drunken one night stand a few years back. Now she claimed that she used it to tease him and get what she wanted, never telling anyone that it was how she gauged his true current mood. The soft embarrassed chuckle mixed with the smile he gave her told her that he was in a rather pleasant mood, making him easier to talk to.

"Yeah, Pal. You totes owe us a hangover." Ezreal chuckled as he tugged on his older friend's arm. The older male could only smile and shake his head at the playful antics. He pulled his arms from their grip and wrapped his arms around their shoulders, smiling softly. He looked them over suspiciously. The looked rather buzzed and he found himself untrusting of their intentions, they were known to play pranks on him while drunk.

"My sincerest apologies, you two. A situation in vital need of my expertise came up and I simply could not make it to our little gathering." He smiled softly and his companions grinned knowingly.

"Oh really? what's her name, Lover Boy?" Vi quickly grew louder in her excitement as she nudged him in the ribs. He winced in pain but simply shook his head. He sighed sadly and gazed up at the cross-vaulted ceilings of the corridor.

"I honestly could not tell you. I never got her name. She never spoke a word." His two companions gave him a surprised look. Ezreal pulled back slightly and pouted.

"You didn't ask her name? That's not like you." Jayce chuckled softly and shook his head.

"She was quite the silent type. It was almost as if she never even saw me." He smirked for a split second at his personal joke. The expression faltered slightly as he thought over what had happened with the Ice Witch. He wanted to ask his friends how he could get through to her but that would only open him up to endless ridicule about his choice; he just could not deal with that right now.

He clicked his tongue and grinned, making his stride longer. He wanted to stop focusing on his failures of the night and catch up with his friends. He guided them towards the tavern as he wanted to shift the focus from him to his friends. His tapped his gloved fingers along their shoulders to get their attention.

"Alright then, you two, I told you about my evening. Now, how did yours go? What were you two up to?"

"Girl watching!" The slurred words tumbled out of both their mouths at the same time. Jayce frowned softly at the answer and shook his head.

"You two do realize that's rude and disrespectful to your lady friends, right?" They laughed softly at his concern, Ezreal nodding as Vi patted Jayce's lower back playfully. She twisted under his arm slightly and smirked at him.

"Not for us, Moron. We were finding you a nice girl." She raised a hand and flicked his nose, "So you'd quit bein' so mopey all the time." The confession made Jayce's eyes widen slightly in surprise. He smiled softly and played with Vi's bangs. His friends' concern and need to help was heart lightening. He chuckled softly at the situation his formally depressed state had gotten them in when he felt Ezreal tug on his coat playfully. Jayce rolled his eyes, his friends always acted so differently while tipsy.

"Yes, Ez, need something?"

"Nah. But I was just thinking how we don't have to find you a girl now most likely. We just gotta find your mystery girl and convince her you're a great guy." Jayce stiffened as he listened to the blond, his companions not feeling his rigid posture. A strange sense of anxiety and need for secrecy filled him. He knew that they could never learn who had stolen his heart; association with the cruel Ice Witch was highly frowned upon by every faction.

"So, when you going to show us who this girl is?" Jayce's eye twitched at the question but he quickly smothered his apprehension with a playful look.

"Now, now. It's not a real mystery if you're not strung along for a while. It's just no fun." He mentally slapped himself. He had just unwittingly issued a challenge to the two people who refused to back down at all costs.

"You're on!" Oh, how he hated his own stupidity. He was rather glad they were headed to the tavern, he needed a drink; badly.