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A bottle of wine sat on the desk, witness to the impromptu toast that marked their small triumph. They had been weeks of hard work in the laboratory. The plans, calculations, and prototypes had taken away their sleep and any hint of social life. However, that night, something different lit up the workshop. The last experiment had turned out better than expected, marking a significant breakthrough in their research.
Jayce, as always, had been the first to suggest celebrating. Viktor had rolled his eyes, but hadn't objected. A glass of wine wasn't his idea of relaxation, but after so many sleepless nights, even he needed a moment to breathe.
"To a bright future," Jayce said, raising his glass, with a smile that lit up more than any light. Viktor smiled sideways, with his typical skepticism.
"A bright future, yes... as long as we don't destroy half of Piltover in the process." Jayce let out a laugh and they clinked their glasses. The first sip was timid, at least for Viktor, but Jayce, between toasts and energetic comments, was different.
Jayce didn't stop at one glass; he soon finished the first, served himself a second... and then a third. Now he was sitting on the couch, his posture relaxed, one hand holding a half-empty glass and the other gesturing exaggeratedly as he talked about how they would innovate the world with their inventions and hex-tech.
"Viktor!" Jayce exclaimed with enthusiasm, almost spilling his wine as he leaned forward. "Listen to this, listen to this. Did you know you're the most intelligent man I've ever met?"
Viktor, who was sitting in his usual chair with his back slightly hunched, looked up with an arched eyebrow.
"Really?" he asked with sarcasm and amusement. "Did you figure that out after three glasses?"
Jayce waved his hand, downplaying the teasing.
"I'm being completely serious!" he declared with a slightly slurred voice. "You're... you're brilliant. A genius. A visionary!"
Jayce leaned forward, his expression completely serious. "And besides, you're handsome." That made Viktor choke on the little wine he was drinking, letting out a cough that echoed in the laboratory.
Jayce looked at him, confused, as if he didn't understand why Viktor wouldn't accept the compliment with dignity.
"What? Did I say something wrong?" he asked, leaning in even closer.
"It's the truth. You have those intense eyes. And that voice... so sexy even when you're being bossy. Gods! How am I not kissing you right now?"
"You're drunk," Viktor replied, laughing, trying to maintain his composure although he couldn't help but smile as he studied Jayce with a mix of amusement and tenderness. There was something charming about seeing his normally confident partner so uninhibited.
Jayce frowned, like a child who had just been denied a lollipop.
"I'm not that drunk."
"Jayce, you tried to use a screwdriver as a fork five minutes ago. You're drunk."
The comment made Jayce burst out laughing, a sound so carefree and happy that even Viktor couldn't help but smile. The laboratory felt like a warm and welcoming place.
"Okay, fine... maybe I am a little drunk," Jayce admitted, reclining on the couch and looking at the ceiling with a silly grin. "But that doesn't change what I say. You're incredible, Viktor. You make me want to be better."
Viktor remained silent for a moment, observing Jayce with a soft expression. Although he knew the alcohol was speaking for him, he couldn't help but feel a strange warmth in his chest at Jayce's words.
Jayce took the silence as an opportunity to continue looking at Viktor with a soft and dreamy expression.
"You know?" he said finally, his voice dropping a bit. "I admire you a lot. Not just for what you do, but for who you are. You're incredible, Viktor. And I feel lucky to be by your side."
The words, although slurred and clearly a product of his drunkenness, carried a sincere weight that made Viktor look away for a moment, deeply touched.
"You have a special talent for exaggerating when you're drunk," Viktor murmured, trying to downplay the moment.
"No!" Jayce waved his finger in the air, as if he were giving an important lesson. "It's the truth. You make all this work. Without you, I'd be lost. I'm just a guy with no great progress, but you... you're the brain of everything. My favorite brain!"
Viktor couldn't help but laugh at the exaggeration, although his cheeks flushed with a light pink hue.
"your favorite brain? What an honor."
"Anyway, stop putting yourself down, Jayce. You're also very intelligent," Viktor added finally, his tone softer than usual.
Jayce turned his head to look at him, his eyes shining with a mix of emotion and gratitude.
"Was that a compliment?" he asked, his voice filled with excitement. "Gods, Viktor, you've made me the happiest man in the world!"
"You're ridiculous," Viktor muttered, although a smile crept onto his lips.
Jayce stood up, swaying slightly, and extended a hand towards Viktor.
"Come here."
"What are you doing now?" Viktor asked, although he took Jayce's hand with some caution.
Jayce pulled him up from his chair with a clumsy movement and hugged him tightly, as if he wanted to convey all his gratitude in that gesture. Viktor, accustomed but surprisingly moved, allowed the hug, even returning a gentle touch on Jayce's back.
Jayce leaned towards him, carefully resting his head on Viktor's shoulder.
"I'm not exaggerating, I swear," he murmured softly. "I love you, Viktor. And I mean it."
The silence that followed was deep, filled with meanings that Viktor couldn't ignore. His heart began to beat faster, flooded with the affection he felt for this man.
With a delicate gesture, he gently pulled Jayce away from his shoulder, only to move closer and unite their foreheads.
"I love you too, Jayce," he replied finally, in a whisper filled with sincerity.
Jayce slowly lifted his head, his eyes clouded by the wine but filled with genuine tenderness.
He swallowed hard, and his voice came out lower, almost trembling: "Can I... kiss you?"
Viktor observed him for a moment, allowing himself a small sigh of resignation mixed with affection.
"You're a disaster, Jayce," he murmured, caressing Jayce's face, following the curve of his jaw and the line of his nose.
Jayce closed his eyes again, letting himself be carried away by the sensation of Viktor's hands on his skin. A soft sigh escaped his lips as Viktor continued to caress him, his touch light and tender.
"But I suppose you're my disaster."
And before Jayce could say anything more, Viktor leaned in and closed the distance, uniting their lips in a slow, warm, and tender kiss, filled with all the emotions they had always felt.
Both of them laughed, letting the night continue its course as the laboratory filled with a warmth that had nothing to do with machinery or lights. That night, amidst laughter and nonsense, they stopped being the pressured geniuses and simply became Viktor and Jayce: partners, companions, friends, confidants, lovers.