re; vic ships and kiss numbers... vicjacob 30... it seems so them....
30. as comfort
Jacob knows very well that Vic is a ball of manic energy. After nearly a decade of improvising with them, he’s gotten used to their preshow rituals, used to the pacing and hand flapping and efforts to prepare for the crowd.
Something’s different tonight, though. They’re pacing quicker than usual, biting at the skin around their nails, mumbling softly to themself. The difference in energy is palpable, but everyone else doesn’t seem to notice, lost in their own conversations. Every time Ally cackles a little too loud or Talia’s voice raises in excitement Vic flinches, shrinking into themself.
They catch his eye, catch that he’s staring at them, and he lifts his eyebrows slightly. They respond immediately, rushing over to the couch he’s sitting on, settling into his side and under his outstretched arm.
“Hey buddy,” he murmurs, and they tuck their skinny legs underneath them and press their knobby knees into his thigh. “Everything alright?”
Vic shrugs, biting at their thumbnail. “Dunno,” they say, voice fuzzy in a way he’s heard a couple times before. “Driving here stressed me out. I had to rush to get out of the house. I feel like I’m not going to do very well.”
Jacob snorts, hand firm on their shoulder. “Yeah, that’s not possible.” Vic smiles softly and he immediately wants to make that beautiful smile wider. “Can I help? You wanna step outside and smoke?”
They shake their head, but keep staring at him with those clear wide eyes, and he’s leaning in before he can think about where he is. He tilts their chin up and they meet him halfway, lips chapped and cold, a shiver running through him. He cups their flushed cheek and deepens the kiss, tilting his head, pulling back for air and then diving in again. They kiss languidly, softly, and he can feel Vic’s muscles relaxing incrementally.
When he pulls back, he’s vaguely aware that they’re being stared at by the rest of the team, but he can’t really bring himself to care; Vic is smiling lazily, baring teeth, eyelashes fluttering. They’re downright gorgeous, and he kisses them again, just a quick peck this time. “Feel better?”
Vic nods, getting a little shy. “Yeah. My brain’s less noisy now.” They blink up at him, and he doesn’t let them retreat. He keeps one hand on their shoulder, the other on their waist, boxing them in. “Thank you.”
Jacob grins. “Yeah, man. Don’t sweat it. You know I’ve got you.”
