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“Jayce.” Viktor chided gently, irked by the man’s incessant fidgeting in the stiff seat next to him. Had he known this would spark up anxiety in the other man he would’ve refused to allow the little tag along.
“Sorry.” Jayce flashed a smile, as natural on his face as ever. Despite the subtle tenseness lingering around his eyes, which Viktor politely deigned to ignore.
“It is just a routine check up.” He offered, lilting and accented voice aiming for reassuring. “The likelihood that I will get worse news than usual is slim.”
“No, I know that.” Jayce sighed out, splaying his legs and knocking their knees together briefly. “Stop trying to make me feel better. I’m here to make you feel better.”
Viktor scoffed quietly, sending a sideways glance to where they had made brief contact. Barely a brush, really, but the sensation lingered regardless. “What, by having an anxiety attack in the waiting room? I feel much better, thank you.”
“Hilarious. Have you considered doing stand-up?” Jayce joked back, and at least the banter had stopped him from jostling around.
Viktor cocked a brow at the phrasing, pointedly adjusting the grip on his cane. “Think that is amusing, do you?” He lightly tapped the cane to the brace securing his leg. “You enjoy poking fun at the cripple?”
Years of sharing classes, a dorm and eventually an apartment together had numbed Jayce to Viktor’s attempts at entrapping him.
“I didn’t mean it like that, and you know it.” Ah, how Viktor missed the days when Jayce would scramble to apologize for his accidental missteps.
“Missed opportunity, then.” Viktor said, eyes flickering to where he was expecting his name to be called. He despised waiting rooms. Having to attend appointments was enough of an irritation, but the anticipation was the real kicker.
Jayce didn’t seem to enjoy it all that much, either. But Jayce seemed frequently uneasy when it came to anything surrounding his roommates health, which was at times endearing.
Occasionally.
At least the conversation appeared to distract his best friend from whatever had been plaguing his mind, which in turn lowered Viktor’s irritation.
And really, loathe as he was to admit, Jayce’s presence was comforting. Just the warm existence at his side, the playful back and forth, even being irritated by him - it was nice. He’d never fathomed taking somebody with him, not until Jayce had insisted this time, it had always been a routine. Alone, he faced the doctors.
It was nice.
“Thank you.” Viktor spoke quietly, catching Jayce’s eyes.
No verbal response was given, but a knee rested firmly against his own.
No longer brief and fleeting, a now steady and solid presence.