Alexei pounced on Elijah, literally wrapping the stunned exorcist up in a rib-cracking hug.
"Fucking hell, Solnyshko!" His voice boomed down the hallway, earning a few stares he didn't care about. "Do you even get it? They're gonna shove your theories into the heads of undergrads. Like—you're in textbooks now. That's celebrity level for scholars!"
Elijah stiffened, red spreading at the ears.
After hesitating for a second, he patted Alexei's back.
"Okay, stop crushing me."
"No, you deserve a special hug."
And the arms around him tightened, making Elijah helpless.
"Congratulations, darling. How about we throw a party? My treat."
"No."
Elijah waited, but when Alexei sniffed his neck, he had to push the hooligan away from clinging to him.
The area around the professor's office was almost empty. However, it was hard to bear the blatant inquiring looks from the passing students.
"Lyosha, let go, and... stop acting like a puppy."
