diff --git a/crates/typst-layout/src/inline/line.rs b/crates/typst-layout/src/inline/line.rs
index 67ace7988..5c153a156 100644
--- a/crates/typst-layout/src/inline/line.rs
+++ b/crates/typst-layout/src/inline/line.rs
@@ -429,8 +429,8 @@ pub fn apply_shift<'a>(
                     .select(family.as_str(), variant(styles))
                     .and_then(|id| world.font(id))
             })
-            .map_or(scripts.kind.default_metrics(), |f| {
-                scripts.kind.read_metrics(f.metrics())
+            .map_or(*scripts.kind.default_metrics(), |f| {
+                *scripts.kind.read_metrics(f.metrics())
             });
         baseline -= scripts.shift.unwrap_or(font_metrics.vertical_offset).resolve(styles);
         compensation += font_metrics.horizontal_offset.resolve(styles);
diff --git a/crates/typst-library/src/text/shift.rs b/crates/typst-library/src/text/shift.rs
index 220668935..2c89e7947 100644
--- a/crates/typst-library/src/text/shift.rs
+++ b/crates/typst-library/src/text/shift.rs
@@ -195,28 +195,18 @@ impl ScriptKind {
     ///
     /// This can be used as a last resort if neither the user nor the font
     /// provided those metrics.
-    pub const fn default_metrics(self) -> ScriptMetrics {
+    pub fn default_metrics(self) -> &'static ScriptMetrics {
         match self {
-            Self::Sub => ScriptMetrics {
-                width: Em::new(0.6),
-                height: Em::new(0.6),
-                horizontal_offset: Em::zero(),
-                vertical_offset: Em::new(-0.2),
-            },
-            Self::Super => ScriptMetrics {
-                width: Em::new(0.6),
-                height: Em::new(0.6),
-                horizontal_offset: Em::zero(),
-                vertical_offset: Em::new(0.5),
-            },
+            Self::Sub => &DEFAULT_SUBSCRIPT_METRICS,
+            Self::Super => &DEFAULT_SUPERSCRIPT_METRICS,
         }
     }
 
     /// Reads the script metrics from the font table for to this script kind.
-    pub fn read_metrics(self, font_metrics: &FontMetrics) -> ScriptMetrics {
+    pub fn read_metrics(self, font_metrics: &FontMetrics) -> &ScriptMetrics {
         match self {
-            Self::Sub => font_metrics.subscript,
-            Self::Super => font_metrics.superscript,
+            Self::Sub => font_metrics.subscript.as_ref(),
+            Self::Super => font_metrics.superscript.as_ref(),
         }
         .unwrap_or(self.default_metrics())
     }
@@ -229,3 +219,16 @@ impl ScriptKind {
         }
     }
 }
+static DEFAULT_SUBSCRIPT_METRICS: ScriptMetrics = ScriptMetrics {
+    width: Em::new(0.6),
+    height: Em::new(0.6),
+    horizontal_offset: Em::zero(),
+    vertical_offset: Em::new(-0.2),
+};
+
+static DEFAULT_SUPERSCRIPT_METRICS: ScriptMetrics = ScriptMetrics {
+    width: Em::new(0.6),
+    height: Em::new(0.6),
+    horizontal_offset: Em::zero(),
+    vertical_offset: Em::new(0.5),
+};