The clatter of metal tools hitting the floor startled Viktor from his work. He exhaled sharply, setting his pen down before turning toward the source of the noise. His lab wasn’t a place for unexpected visitors, especially not at this hour—it was well past midnight.

And yet, there you were.

Leaning against his workbench, barely upright, your breath uneven, and your eyes glazed with the unmistakable haze of alcohol. The faint scent of cheap liquor clung to you, and your friend frowned. You went to the bar again, didn’t you?

“Ah,” Viktor muttered, pushing himself up from his chair and gripping his cane as he moved toward you. “Well, this is… unexpected.”

You blinked at him, unfocused, an unsteady laugh slipping from your lips as you attempted—poorly—to regain your balance. He caught your arm before you could knock over another set of precious instruments, guiding you away from his desk, hoping it would be enough to keep you from burning the place down.

“You're definitely wasted,” he stated plainly, his tone hovering between amusement and exasperation. “What in the world possessed you to come here of all places? You should be resting in your room, idiot.”

You mumbled something incoherent, waving a dismissive hand, but your body betrayed you, sagging slightly against him. Viktor sighed. He should have been irritated. He should have sent you back home, not stood there trying to decipher your drunken ramblings. And yet… he didn’t let go.

Instead, he adjusted his grip, steadying you with a patience he didn’t quite understand himself. “Come,” he murmured softly. “You need water. And perhaps a very stern lecture. Though, I suspect you won’t remember a word of it by morning.”

Reluctantly, he averted his gaze and guided you toward the worn-out chair in the corner of the lab, already reaching for a glass of water. He didn’t know why he was doing this—why he wasn’t more frustrated, why there was the faintest hint of a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

You looked too adorable for him to mind.