Work Text:
let it be known that councilor jayce talis is a fucking lightweight. they’re in the lab, jayce is drunk, clinging to a bottle of champagne, and it’s new year’s eve─ and yet viktor is hard at work. the hexcore floats ominously, making that soft, strange humming sound. everything is quiet until jayce ruins the peace.
“vitya,” he says loudly, hiccuping softly. his warm hand smacks down on viktor’s shoulder, causing the shorter man to flinch slightly. “happy… happy, uhh, new year!”
his words slur together horribly, and viktor finds he hates the scent of alcohol that lingers on jayce’s fancy clothes. he’s all dolled up from some council party, viktor knows this. jayce had begged earlier for him to be his guest to said party, crying about how stupid he’ll look when every other councilor shows up with a date except him. viktor, cheeks flushed a brilliant ruby red, had rolled his eyes and told jayce to deal with being the odd one out, or take caitlyn instead.
“it is not the new year yet,” viktor sighs out, eyeing the clock they’d installed in the lab. the time reads 11:49, the new year won’t come for eleven more minutes. “you’re a bit early.”
“then… happy early… new year!” jayce hiccups, thrusting the bottle of champagne into viktor’s arms. his words slur together. “snatched this for you.. since you wouldn’t be my hot date.”
“some of us have work to do,” he mutters, eyes trained on the hexcore. “i have no time for partying, jayce.”
“‘s why i… brought you that.” the taller man points lazily at the large bottle of champagne viktor’s got cradled against his chest. like a baby. “drink it, v, it’s so good!”
“no, thank you, jayce.” viktor says, carefully setting the bottle on the table next to them. “i’m working. i typically refrain from drinking while at work.”
“vitya!” jayce whines, draping himself over viktor’s back, like a fancy coat. he kisses the back of his lab partner’s head and viktor’s face flushes red. “i missed you tonight.”
“jayce…” viktor cranes his neck, trying to look back at his extremely drunk partner. “jayce talis, you are drunk. quit with your whining, i have work to do.”
“but— but, ‘s almost midnight!” the councilor protests, scandalized that viktor would continue working on a “holiday,” as if viktor ever took normal breaks on normal days. “vitya, please. ‘s almost midnight and i wanna kiss you. c’mon, no more working. no more.”
viktor sighs again, gently pushing jayce away. he needs to focus without being interrupted. if he could just finish before midnight—
“viktor!” jayce whines again. his voice is giving viktor a headache as he whines and whines and keeps kissing viktor’s neck. “loosen up for once.”
“fine. not like i can focus with you touching me so much anyways.” he mumbles, closing the notebook. “we’re going home, jayce, so you can sober up.”
“i don’t need to.” jayce proclaims, kissing the top of viktor’s head. he rises, unsteady on his feet, intent on helping viktor up.
“i can get up just fine.” viktor sighs, getting up from his seat and taking jayce’s hand. he shifts his crutch back under his arm, letting jayce plant a wet, sloppy kiss on his cheek. “oh, you’re feeling very affectionate tonight, hm?”
“i missed you!” jayce declares loudy, pulling viktor close to him. “and it’s almost midnight.”
“and?” he sighs, leaning into jayce. the man of progress is warm and giggly, and viktor likes it. he likes seeing jayce so giggly, even if it’s because he’s tipsy. he loves that gorgeous, blinding smile.
“that means… it’s almost the new year.” he mumbles, holding viktor so, so gently. “can i kiss you, vitya?”
“of course, jayce. of course you can.”
and when the clock hits midnight, marking the new year, jayce is busy kissing viktor, and viktor is busy kissing jayce.