They're supposed to be quiet, this late at night.
When someone gets tired- really, really tired- a sort of high fogs their mind. And despite the sheer brainpower these boys share, they are not immune to this phenomenon. Especially not when they're on their third all-nighter of the week.
A book clatters to the floor as Jayce fumbles the stack Viktor has been laying in his arms, and the boys both turn pale for a moment.
"Shhhhhh!" Viktor giggles. "They'll hear us!"
"We're gonna be in trouble anyway. We're not supposed to be here this late." Jayce snickers back.
"Shhh. Shush, shush, shhhhhh." Viktor waves his hands wildly, swaying heavily as he gestures. "What they don't know... won't hurt them."
"Oh, yeah, sure. We're just gonna casually sneak 16 books on anti-matter theory out in your bag?"
"I mean, I didn't say it."
Jayce snorts into his fist, nearly doubling over as he chokes on his laughter. More books slip out of his grasp, and Viktor nearly face plants on the floor trying to catch them. He pops back into Jayce's field of view a moment later, his hair slipping into his face as he springs up like a jack-in-the-box.
That mental image proves to be too much for Jayce to handle, because his snickers turn to muffled laughter as he sinks to his knees, wheezing silently as Viktor giggles at him.
"What are you laughing at?" Viktor questions.
"You!" Jayce giggles. "You... you."
"What did I do?" Viktor laughs.
Jayce looks at Viktor's face, framed only by the lights by the front desk, and sees eyes filled with starlight and a crescent moon of a smile. Viktor has always seemed more alive at night, almost thriving in shadow and shade. He does his best work when no one else is watching... well, no one except Jayce.
And how lucky he is, Jayce thinks to himself, that he's the exception. He can't imagine how much Viktor trusts him with, can't even begin to comprehend that Viktor puts so much in his calloused hands, puts so much of himself in Jayce's hands. And Jayce would take so much more, if Viktor was willing to give it. He'd take everything, if Viktor was willing to give him that much.
Viktor shines like the moon; a reflection of the beauty and brightness around him, but no less beautiful on his own. Loving him is like loving the night- there will be some fumbling as you get used to the dark, but once you know it, you'll never want to leave. And once you know the dark, you can navigate it with your eyes closed.
It's one such navigation Jayce performs now, taking Viktor's hand and pulling himself to his feet. He plants his feet, holding Viktor in his arms, smiling like he's just seen the most beautiful thing in the world.
"What are you thinking about?" Viktor whispers, leaning against Jayce.
"You're beautiful." Jayce admits, not even stopping to think of what he's just said.
Viktor pauses, his hand fidgeting with Jayce's tie. He looks up slowly, and a strange hunger haunts his eyes. Jayce has never seen anything like it- Viktor looks absolutely ravenous. Jayce is starting to wonder if he'll be the one devoured, if he's said something to trigger this sudden, silent starvation.
"Kiss me." Viktor commands suddenly.
Jayce does not hesitate to obey. He leans in and meets Viktor's chapped lips, rough and broken skin brushing against his mouth. And Viktor tastes good. Sour and sweet, lemons and honey, and Jayce finds that hunger from earlier has infected him, because he can't stop himself from taking more, more, more. His lungs burn, but even as he drowns in Viktor's kisses, he can't bring himself to come up for air.
When he finally does, breaking the kiss with a quiet moan, he barely gets a breath in before he goes back for more. His hands wander down Viktor's back, mirroring what he feels Viktor doing on his own backside. He feels like he might eat Viktor alive. He can't think of a reason to stop, can't think of any reason why he shouldn't.
"Jayce..." Viktor gasps quietly.
That quiet utterance is enough to break him. His name on Viktor's lips, spoken like a hymn, like a prayer, is enough to drive him wild. He needs Viktor right this second, or he'll lose his mind. Screw the books.
"I think... we should finish our research tomorrow. The books will keep." Jayce whispers in Viktor's ear.
"Yes, yes. Let's go." Viktor agrees quickly, dragging Jayce by his belt loops. "Forget the books. We don't need them."
"No, not for this kind of "research", we don't."
Viktor's laugh chases them from the library, and Jayce soaks in it all the way back to the lab.
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