#anyway if u know the tin can phone reference in leo's u are incredibly based and we should be friends

[sailxrmxrs]

guess who is back on their au bs. spoiler it's me. time to relive my uni experience vicariously through fictional men in a college au <3 excuse the long post in advance but i have no self control and ofc they all deserve their time to shine hehe. also!! sometime soon i'll be writing n posting solo fics for the infinite blue boys that haven't yet had one so tobias, brooklyn, and alexei enjoyers your time is coming. until then i go hibernate and scream about rings of power to literally anyone that will listen. enjoy the college au softness gamers.

♡ leo ♡

Moving into your new room for the oncoming year of university had been an interesting process. The pinnacle of all the excitement had been the fact that your window aligned perfectly with the window of another apartment. More specifically, another person's bedroom. When you were sitting at your desk, you had the perfect view at the other person's own desk and, when he was sat there, you could see whatever he was doing. At first, it had been the cause of awkward stumbles and unsure movements. Should you acknowledge each other? Wave and try to say hi? Or would it be weird to make it known that you could, in fact, directly see each other at any given point of the day when you were both sat in your rooms. Your neighbour had made that awkward uncertainty feel like a distant glimmer of a memory though. One afternoon when you were tidying your room, you'd caught a glimpse of him in his room, beaming at you with a friendly wave. He looked as though he'd just gotten home, still wearing an outdoor jacket and dark blue hat atop his even darker hair. Even without meeting him it was glaringly obvious that this man was the walking personification of sunshine.

Since then, anytime you saw each other you'd happily wave in greeting. It soon became a comfortable bond, despite never having spoken a word to each other. Eventually, he began to communicate via post-it notes, writing out little messages for you and sticking them to the window. Somewhere along the way, you'd learnt his name was Leo and he was, as appearances suggested, just as much a ray of positivity as you'd first suspected. Sometimes his notes were little anecdotes about a movie he'd watched with his flatmate, or they'd be little messages of encouragement if he saw you were particularly stressed about a class or piece of homework. And you would do the same, offering little snippets of your life in the form of handwritten notes. Leo's presence was a soothing comfort with no pressure to talk when you couldn't; you were simply existing together in your separate bubbles with the knowledge that there was someone there to provide company should you feel as though you needed it. The two of you had also exchanged phone numbers one night when Leo had been concerned you were overworking yourself. He had called you instantly, warm voice gently reprimanding you until you agreed to take a break and get some rest. After that, Leo started texting reminders to eat or take breaks throughout the day. It was a sweet gesture that you soon discovered Leo also needed to hear, his own habits as bad as yours. He, too, seemed to be far better at taking care of others than himself.

"Aren't you supposed to be taking a break?" Leo asked, glaring at you from his own spot at the window.

"Aren't you? Either way I'm almost done and then I will. Stop looking in my window too it's weird." You punctuated your teasing comment with a knowing smile in Leo's direction that he echoed with one of his own. There was a beat of silence, the two of you just looking into one another's eyes before Leo broke that quiet.

"Want to do something fun?"

Your eyes narrowed, expression tinged with mild concern for the mischievous look on Leo's face. "Like what?"

He fidgeted in his chair, fingers playing with a pen as he answered. "Remember as a kid seeing those tin can phones in the cartoons?" He paused, waiting for a response or acknowledgement that you knew what he meant. When you nodded, he continued on, seemingly unconcerned with how ridiculously out-of-nowhere it might sound. "Have you ever tested to see if it works?"

"I think I see where this is going. But no, I haven't tried it."

"Do you want to?" Leo grinned as you rolled your eyes at the sight of the two tin cans he was now waving in the window. Why he wanted to try it out when you could already speak to each through the phone was beyond you, but there was no denying that his excitement was pretty cute. So you went along with it, watching as Leo figured out how to poke a hole to feed the string through. Soon he was opening his window and leaning out so that he could toss the other end over to you. If anyone was walking along the path between the two apartment buildings and happened to glance up, who knew what they'd think of the two college students orchestrating a hesit in the form of childlike communication methods. Once you'd managed to catch your end of the makeshift device, Leo cheerily called a 'goodbye' and hung up, holding his side of the can phone to his mouth. Miraculously when he spoke, you could hear his voice—albeit a little quietly.

"Look at that. Proper scientists we are," Leo commented, looking proud with himself for the success of his little experiment.

"Care to explain what sparked this thought? Seems a little random even for you."

"First of all, rude. And second of all, I had a secret I wanted to tell you and I thought this would be a fun way to do it. And before you ask, yes I did see it in an anime. No I won't tell you which one."

You couldn't help the laugh that spilled from your lips at Leo's flustered rambling. He would sometimes get like this when the two of you talked, particularly about matters of relationships or your friendship with one another. "Fair enough. So what's this secret then?"

"You have to listen close because I'm only going to whisper it once, okay? Don't look at me like that! I'm trying to be sweet and endearing here!"

"And you are succeeding. Now please tell me this secret before I perish from anticipation, Leo."

"You're cute." His whisper was barely audible across the tin can connection, though you knew you'd heard him right when you looked up to see his face was a bright shade of pink. In the time you'd known Leo he had never blushed, at least not this visibly. The can in your hand was quickly forgotten, your hands reflexively placing it down as you stood from your chair. Leo followed suit and, as though reading the other's mind, you were both quickly rushing out of your rooms to meet in the middle. It was in the spot right beneath your windows that you were wrapped up in Leo's embrace, his arms warm as they engulfed you close against his chest. The force of the two of you meeting had his signature hat falling to the floor.

"I didn't say it before but you're cuter, by the way," you uttered, leaning back slightly to admire Leo's impossibly large smile. His hold on you loosened as he leaned down to retrieve his hat, setting it on your head instead of his own and pressing a kiss to the tip of your nose before taking your hands in his.

"You're wrong, but I'll let it slide this time. Come back up to my room? It's got a great view."

♡ milo ♡

The early afternoon sun was warm on your face as you sat alone on a picnic bench with your laptop sat on the table. The library was far too warm this time of year to concentrate on anything and this class presentation needed finishing as soon as possible. And what better place to do so than outdoors in the warm summer sun? Flowers were in full bloom littering the grass around you and far off laughter of college students enjoying the bright weather provided the perfect ambient noise to work to. In the hour you'd been sat there, you'd managed to get a good portion of the presentation typed out and it was looking like you could fully finish soon so long as you didn't suffer from any distractions or interruption. Your phone was on 'do not disturb' and your focus playlist was softly playing in your headphones. In that moment you had finally achieved the perfect mood and environment to focus, something you so often struggled to find any other day.

"Excuse me? Are you busy or could you help me with something real quick?" A voice sounded from behind you, fracturing that picture perfect focus. Of course things could not go exactly according to plan. It was simply the nature of life to find a way to throw an additional difficulty into an already hard to figure out task. Turning around, you were met with a tall figure with long brown hair tied back from his face, though a few stray sections framed his neutral features. He held an expensive looking camera in hand, one that led you to believing with 90% confidence that this man was a photography student.

"Um, sure. I'm working on a presentation right now but I'll help as long as it doesn't take too much time," you offered, feeling too guilty to say no. After all, surely he wouldn't need much from you, right?

"I have to photograph someone for my class and I realise this might sound entirely insane considering we don't know each other, but do you mind if I photograph you? You wouldn't need to do anything too special. To be honest some shots of you working might be good too," he explained, eyes examining your setup and the surrounding area as though he was conjuring the perfect framing for his proposed impromptu photoshoot. He certainly seemed into the idea of having you be his model but the pull of your work was calling out to you. Sure, he said you could keep working while he took his photos but how much would you be able to concentrate while he did so?

"If you don't have the spare time that's fine, you know?"

"No it's fine! I have some time to spare. Promise this won't take too long, though?"

He chuckled, outstretching his pinky finger to you. "Pinky promise. And if I break it I'll personally help you finish your presentation." The offer was too tempting to pass up and you really didn't want to leave him without help, especially since this was for a class project of his own. Your mystery photographer introduced himself as Milo before setting down the small bag of equipment hanging from his arm. He started setting up, instructing you to continue on with your work as though he wasn't even there. It was a task far easier said than done. Despite Milo's quiet demeanour, the knowledge of his presence was just as distracting as any conversation might have been. It wasn't as though being a model for someone's class project was a usual occurrence for you. Once Milo got to work, it became apparent very quickly that he was very good at what he did. Between shots, you took fleeting glances up at him to see him entirely in his element. He would be examining each shot, eyebrows furrowed with concentration as he focused on each individual detail. Then he'd gently adjust the placement of your hand, guiding it with a surprising softness to wherever he needed it to be.

"How you doing over there? Do let me know if this is getting too long or distracting," Milo said, lowering his camera to speak to you. It had been about thirty minutes since he'd first approached you and, surprisingly, his presence hadn't ended up being as distracting as you'd initially thought. Milo wasn't one for unnecessary conversation, only offering quiet instructions to get the framing right for a shot or to check in with you. By now you were almost done with your work—a miraculous turn of events for which you were eternally grateful.

"Doing good! I'm actually about done here so you'll have my full attention soon," you replied, smiling as you finished typing your current sentence.

"Good to hear it. Once you're done, I might get a couple of you over by that tree then I should be all good here too." Milo checked something on his phone, nodding at whatever it was he saw. "Oh, and thanks for doing this, by the way. I get that you probably didn't want to be disturbed while you were working so I appreciate it."

Looking up from the screen, you saw Milo meeting your gaze with a small smile. He didn't seem to be the most physically expressive of people so that small shift in his features was surprisingly sweet to witness. "Of course! I'm glad to have been some kind of help. Although I don't feel like I've done a whole lot considering I've been sat here working for most of it."

Milo chuckled softly, nodding a little as he answered. "Perhaps. But we both got what we wanted so that's the important thing, right?"

Once you finished working on the last slide of the presentation, feeling confident that it was good as it could have been, you began to pack up your things. Milo had paused his own work for the moment, now sat opposite you and watching as you put away the laptop and notes accompanying it. Despite not speaking a word, his eyes on you felt louder than anything he'd said to you all day. He had an intensity about him that others might find intimidating and, if you hadn't just spent half an hour in his company, you might have agreed with.

"Ready?" Milo had directed you for the last couple of photos, again gently guiding your movements so that he could perfectly capture you under the sunlight and shade. It wasn't long before Milo was putting away his equipment, thanking you again for the help. It had been surprisingly fun to model for the afternoon—even if Milo was the one doing all the work in that regard. Still, his company had been nice and, admittedly, you were a little disappointed to be parting ways. Or so you thought.

"You know it's about time for food right now, don't you think?" Milo asked, glancing at the clock on his phone's lockscreen.

"You're probably right. Time for me to head home and figure out what meal I can scrape together with what little remains in my fridge." Your comment was lighthearted, poking fun at your lacking motivation to properly stock up on ingredients and cook for yourself. Cooking wasn't terrible of course, but after a long day of classes the last thing you wanted to do was stand over a hot stove and prepare all kinds of ingredients.

"Or how about I take you out to dinner? As thanks for your help. And, if you'd like, to get to know each other a little better?” Milo smirked at your widened eyes, noting your averted gaze as he continued to speak. “As more than just a photographer and his muse."

♡ rory ♡

"Oh shit, I'm so sorry."

When you got out of bed this morning, having a stranger accidentally spill their iced coffee over you was not a priority on your to-do list. And yet, here you were with a coffee stained shirt and a very embarrassed man apologising profusely for the mishap. The morning has already felt rushed enough, what with your phone alarm betraying you and leading to you getting out of bed half an hour later than planned. You still had some time to get to your lecture, but that once comfortable time frame was no longer quite so comfortable. There was just enough time to quickly grab a coffee and breakfast on the go. And this stranger's coffee had just torn a rather large hole in that plan. He seemed nice enough, but it still didn't help to quell the rising urge to unleash your frustrations in the form of tears right there in the middle of the coffee shop.

"Don't worry about it. Not your fault," you replied, hand clinging onto your phone to keep some semblance of yourself together. It really wouldn't bode well if you started breaking down in front of an already guiltstricken stranger.

"Then at least let me pay for your stuff," he spoke as he eyes landed on the drink already in your hand, purchased right before he'd spilled his. "Or I guess for a future drink."

"Seriously, it's fine. At least I only have the one morning class, right?" At the reminder of your class, you rushed to check your phone to see there were roughly ten minutes before you needed to be one campus. Which was a fifteen minute walk away. Today was certainly not your day.

Seeing your distress, your coffee spilling stranger leaned closer, concern knitting his eyebrows. "Need a lift in to campus? I can get you there in five as long as you're cool with riding on the back of a motorbike. Oh, and take this." He swiftly removed the oversized hoodie that had draped over his frame, holding it out to you. His flame red hair was tousled, stray strands falling over his eyes as he adjusted the plain white t-shirt that had risen slightly with the hoodie's movement. "Go on, it's cool. You can take it for today."

"Are you sure? It's kind of cold out. I'd feel bad."

"And I can just as easily go home and get another to wear. After we've gotten you to your class. The clock is ticking by the way so if you want to get there on time..."

Sighing, you took the hoodie from him, offering him your phone and drink to hold while you put it on. While succeeding in hiding the coffee stain, it was also perfectly warm and cosy. The stranger returned your things to you as he made for the door, holding it open for you to exit first. Right outside was his motorbike, painted black with accents of red that almost perfectly matched the shade of his hair.

"Come here," he directed, helmet in hands as he held it above your head. "Don't give me that look. I don't care if it's five minutes or fifty. You're wearing this helmet. I've already spilled coffee today and I'd like to keep to just the coffee, thanks."

Within minutes you'd sat on the back of a motorbike, arms clinging to the waist of a man you had, quite literally, just met, wearing his hoodie as he drove you onto campus. Surely if anyone you knew saw they'd suspect he was some secret boyfriend you'd been hiding away. With enflamed cheeks, you left your coffee spilling stranger, who you now knew was named Rory, and headed toward your lecture, miraculously on time. Despite being having left him, thoughts of Rory still danced on your mind. The way he'd so gently adjusted the helmet for you; the way he helped store your drink and phone for the ride in the fancy little cup holder on the front of his bike; the way he'd guided your arms around his waist when you loosely held onto the back of his shirt. Just thinking about it was enough to distract you from whatever the professor was talking about in the front of the lecture hall. Your one saving grace was the promise of the lecture slides being posted after it was over. Once the hour was up and you were freed from the suffocating warmth in the room, not made any better with the large hoodie you wore, you made a beeline to leave the university building. Your original plan had been to go and study for an upcoming exam before running some errands but after your catastrophe of a morning, studying could wait. You'd take a nice leisurely stroll into the city to get everything you needed and then head home where you could change out of the coffee shirt and into something comfy.

"Need a ride?" A familiar voice sounded from the side of the road. Rory was stood, leaning against his motorbike with his arms folded and a teasing smirk on his face. He was wearing a new hoodie and he toyed with the helmet in his hands, glancing between it and your surprised expression. "Figured you might want a short ride back home after earlier. And it's only fair of me to offer my services."

"You really didn't have to. Besides, I have some errands I need to run anyway."

"Then we can go together. Consider me your personal chauffeur for the day. Just don't expect this every day, alright?" Rory had closed the distance between you both, sliding the helmet onto your head once more.

"Seems like an awful lot to do for someone you just met. Even if you did spill coffee on them."

Rory grimaced, a hint of pink blooming on his cheeks as he finished securing your helmet. Clearing his throat, he turned to mount the bike and feigned boredom as you remained in place. "Are you coming or what? I don't have all day."

"Oh? And what happened to being my personal chauffeur for the day?"

"Just get on the damn bike. Idiot."

You climbed on the back of the bike, laughing at Rory's attitude. "Have you always been this mean?"

"Only to people who inconvenience me." He set the engine running, the muscles in his stomach twitching when you wrapped your arms around him, your earlier apprehension having disappeared entirely now that Rory's own grumpy attitude was starting to make itself known.

"Funny. I don't remember asking you to do this for me. In fact, you even insisted. If my memory is correct, that is."

Rory scoffed as the bike roared into motion. The rush of cool air made you grateful to have Rory's body shielding you from the brunt of it, though you instinctively burrowed into his shoulder as the wind hit your face. "I will push you off this bike and leave you."

"Oh so you're not denying that you insisted? How cute." It was hard to see Rory's face from your position behind him, but his light skin gave away the rising blush spreading across his face. The sight was sobering, making you suddenly very aware of where you were sat and who you were sat with. Somehow Rory felt like someone you'd known for months, maybe even years. And there was something about the way he teased, that push-and-pull, that had you thinking that maybe this was something more than just a kind gesture from the person who spilled their coffee over you. And, unbeknownst to you, Rory was thinking the exact same thing. He couldn't really explain his thought process. Or that the reason he'd spilled his coffee in the first place was because he took one look at you and suddenly forgot how to breathe. There was no way he could explain any of it, even to himself. But he didn't care if he understood it or not—all he knew was that he was interested and that he was determined to earn your interest too. Though he suspected he might already have it, and he was right.

♡ alexei ♡

Every new semester brought new people, new classes, new schedules. It served as a nice change of pace, though also meant having to adjust to all the new differences right after you'd just gotten accustomed to the previous semester schedule. Still, as you took up a seat in the science lab, there was a faint sense of excitement to see your new lab partner again. His name was Alexei and you'd shared a class with him in the previous semester but had never gotten the chance to speak to him. He tended to keep to himself rather than embedding himself in the wild socialising of college students. That wasn't to say that he was a complete recluse, of course, nor was he rude. He simply wanted to attend class, maintain a good grade, and go home. Despite not having spoken to him, the few occasions you'd glanced his way to find his eyes on yours had your stomach doing somersaults. It was enough to convince you to keep away until you could manage a conversation with him without feeling your heartbeat in your throat from how nervous he made you just with that mildly intense gaze. He always had an inquisitive look about him that felt as though he were analysing every part of you both visible and invisible.

This semester, however, you had been assigned as his lab partner which meant there was no tactical avoiding to be done. You were forced to face him, and your feelings, head on while also ensuring you looked and behaved like a normal human being. The first class had been more of an introduction to the semester plan so neither of you said much to the other outside of a small greeting when you took your seat next to him. But today would be the first chance for you to finally get to know Alexei as more than just 'the mysteriously smart guy in your class'. You hoped he would make for the perfect lab partner; there was truly nothing worse than being forced into working with someone who dumped all the responsibility on you without a care in the world. Though it became steadily apparent that Alexei was not such a partner. From the moment he sat down, textbook on the desk and a fresh notebook for the semester in his hands, Alexei regarded you with that same intense focus. Just as you'd been about to broach the conversation, the professor raised their voice to begin the class.

As the class went on, you scribbled down notes as fast as you fingers would allow, hanging on to every word that your professor spoke, including the frequent group assignments to be worked on alongside lab partners. The mention of partners had you reflexively glancing at Alexei for a split second. Your heart almost skipped a beat seeing a slight flicker of movement in his own eyes. Had he already been looking at you? Had he just looked away to hide it? Or was it simply your hopeful nature looking for a sign that wasn't there? It wouldn't help to dwell on the thought for too long so you continued to note down every matter of importance from the class lecture. The class passed by in the usual fast-paced blue that always manifested at the start of each semester. Bright-eyed students still holding some semblance of sanity before the real struggle kicked in and the collective mood dropped significantly. As you began to pack away your things, a soft voice spoke up from beside you.

"Are you free after this, by any chance?" Alexei's eyes were fixed on yours, that same familiar intensity in the strength of his gaze. This seemed to be normal for him, to regard anyone he spoke to with undivided attention. Once you got used to it, the mannerism was actually rather cute.

"Oh. Uh, yeah I should be. Did you need something?"

Alexei's eyes widened a little, his hands moving a tad frantically as though he might have imposed or overstepped some boundary in expecting help. "No, no. It's nothing important. I was just wondering if you wanted to—if you maybe wanted to go study together? It's totally fine if you can't! Or if you don't want to! It's just that I've not had a lab partner who actually did any work so I got a little excited and—"

"Alexei. Breathe. I'd love to go study with you. I was thinking the same thing actually."

Alexei took a moment to register your acceptance, seemingly expecting a refusal or some half-assed excuse as to why you couldn't go along. His expression soon shifted into a warm smile, his eyes crinkling in the creases as he led the way out. Along the way, Alexei asked, somewhat nervously, if it was okay for the two of you to go to either his apartment or yours to study. He explained how he can't focus in the library with all the noise of students talking and that he needs to be somewhere quiet so he can actually focus. Despite how apprehensive you'd been to speak to Alexei before, it quickly became apparent that he was nowhere near as intimidating as the version of him you'd concocted in your mind. It helped to ease some of the nerves that had fluttered in your stomach earlier that morning during your commute to campus. Since Alexei's apartment was closer, that had been where the two of you ended up. And now you were sat in his room, legs crossed on his bed with all your notes splayed out in front of you, Alexei doing the same. The study session had been going well, though the conversation tended to drift away to questions of 'what other classes are you taking?' or 'oh did you check out that new bar that opened up just off campus?' Things between the two of you just seemed to click. You shared similar interests, studied similar majors, and generally had pretty similar personalities. Alexei was just easy to get along with and not to mention incredibly smart; having him for a lab partner was definitely going to pay off in more than one way.

Hours drifted by and before you knew it, the sun was starting to set. It hadn't been until the sun was low enough to shine directly in your eyes that you realised exactly how long you'd stayed. Grabbing your phone to check the time only exasperated that hurried feeling that maybe you'd overstayed your welcome.

"It's getting kind of late so I should probably get going. Thank you for the studying though! I had a good time, even if we did end up getting a little sidetracked..." You laughed nervously, eyes averted away from Alexei.

"Hm? Oh. I didn't realise it was this late," Alexei murmured, clearly having the same sobering realisation that the two of you had spent so much time together after having officially met earlier that same day. "Thanks for coming over. I had fun." When you finally felt able to look at Alexei again, you were met with a gentle smile as he helped to collect all of your notes together.

"I'll see you in class tomorrow?"

Alexei nodded, the movement stiff as he followed you to the front door of his apartment. He seemed to be contemplating something, though you couldn't tell what. It wasn't until Alexei began to move closer and press the softest of kisses to your cheek that you realised why he was so uncertain. Heat spread throughout your cheeks, the only sensation you could feel aside from that lingering whisper of Alexei's touch.

"See you tomorrow."

♡ brooklyn ♡

A low buzz consumed the university library, white noise that felt far more comfortable than pure silence when sat at a computer trying to finish an assignment due for later that day. You didn't envy the students fuelled by their third energy drink of the day, clearly pushing through after pulling an all-nighter to finish the work they'd thought still had a week left to complete. Thankfully, your own studying was much calmer. You were sat alone at a small two-person table with books you were using as references piled beside the notebook you were scribbling any and all coherent thoughts that could prove useful. There was still ample time so you were not yet in need of your own caffeine induced rush. With headphones in and a study playlist quietly playing, you could leisurely flick through pages and note down key points of analysis for your future self. And, for later on, you had a snack or two stowed away as a little motivation. It was the ideal setup to make sure you actually stayed focused while you were there. That was, it had been an ideal environment until an unexpected guest asked to join you at your table.

"Spare seat for your favourite classmate?" Brooklyn asked, hand already dancing on the back of the chair opposite you. You'd met Brooklyn rather early on during your university studies. He'd been in your first class sitting right next to you and had clearly decided that by now the two of you were friendly enough to talk outside of class—a sentiment that you did not agree with. He wasn't an awful person by any means. It was just that the two of you didn't have a whole lot in common and you found him to be somewhat of a nuisance during classes together. He was the type of student to be so objectively perfect that it was annoying. He always had the exact copy of a text, always knew the assignment schedule, and would happily ask the professor to go into further detail toward the end of a two hour lecture meaning you would get home almost an hour later than you usually did. The professors all loved him, of course. After all how could they not love someone who embodied the definition of a model student. But, for you, he was a physical reminder of all the things you were not. All that you found difficult or tiring came easy to him and it left your ego feeling a little sore with every conversation you had with him. That said, you also couldn't bring yourself to turn him away when the library was as busy as it was.

"Go for it. Not that you're a favourite, mind you."

Brooklyn laughed as he took up the seat across from you, a large book heavily landing on the table. "So quick to correct me I might begin to take offence."

"Well if your conversation is as dire as your taste in literature then I wouldn't hold my breath if I were you."

"You wound me," he proclaimed, one hand on his chest and the other resting on the far-too-big copy of Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy as though it were a precious child of his. Although considering the fact that you'd never seen him without a sizable novel in hand, he probably did regard it with such reverance. You could empathise with his passion for literature, including the classics he always seemed to carry, but where Brooklyn always seemed to be buried nose deep into something philosophical or wickedly gothic, you preferred some of the lighter reads. Tales of romance and adventure were far more interesting and compelling than eight hundred pages of deep evaluations of the human psyche, expecially when it was late evening and you were looking for something easy to digest after a long day of classes.

"If my reading is dire then do enlighten me as to what might improve it."

"What? Trying to impress me, or something?" You quipped, pen now abandoned along with all hopes of being productive for the afternoon.

"So what if I am? Does that bother you?" Brooklyn's face was intense, eyes holding yours captive in a way that you hadn't felt before. No matter how much you might have wanted to, you couldn't look away from the depths of those amber eyes.

"No. I suppose it doesn't," you managed to whisper out. It was a miracle that Brooklyn had been able to hear. Although his eyes did flicker to watch each movement of your lips so he likely made the most of the visual aid.

"Then please, go ahead and indulge me as to your own, evidently superior, taste." Brooklyn leaned back in his chair, one arm folded across his chest and the other held atop it, his long fingers resting on his chin as his forefinger lightly tapped the spot of skin where his upper lip met his cheek. It took a moment to focus again, having to clench your fists as a physical reminder of where you were and what he'd asked of you.

"Well, for starters, would it kill you to reach something a little more adventurous, would it?"

"Hm? Do elaborate."

"You're always carrying around some classic that's about high society or a far-too-detailed account of some painfully boring political scape. Surely even you want to read something with a little magic or romance in it?"

Brooklyn nodded, barely hiding the smirk that tugged at the corner of his lips. "Oh, of course. But I didn't realise you paid so much attention to me to notice. It's rather endearing." He adjusted in his seat, leaning forward with both elbows on the table now. He was so close that if you leaned in you'd be able to see the intricacies of the colours that swirled in his irises. Such an inviting shade that it almost did lure you in—until you remembered exactly where you were, anyway.

"But I can assure you, I have indulged in plenty of romances. Care for me to show you exactly what I've learned?"

♡ tobias ♡

For any student, deadlines and due dates were the causes of insurmountable amounts of stress. Usually it always managed to work itself out but this time around, luck did not seem to be on your side. For most other classes all you needed to do was upload a file and subsequently forget all the stress that had once accompanied it. No, this one assignment required to be handed in to your professor and it just so happened that the moment you stepped out of your home, rain began to pour. It had only been a light shower so you'd decided to just brave the short walk onto campus. After all, the paper was safely stowed away in your bag and safe from the downpour. That was until it got heavier and heavier by the minute. And now, here you were, stood in the shelter of a bus stop as the rain continued to pour. Every few minutes you pulled out your phone to check the time, silently praying the time would miraculously pause until the rain lightened. Fate, however, was not that kind. Instead of granting you the kindness of clear skies, fate handed you a companion to bask in your bad luck with. The person who approached had clearly been in the rain for a while, his blonde hair damp and clinging to his forehead as he finally joined you in your shelter.

"Hi." His greeting was a little breathless, having rushed to get out of the rain. He carried with him a tote bag that he dumped unceremoniously on the ground as he pushed his wet hair back and out of his eyes. Taking a quick glance at the contents that peeked out, you saw a familiar looking essay title.

"On the last minute essay run, too?" You ask, eyeing the paper in his bag.

"Sadly. At least I was before all this rain started." One look beyond the borders of the bus stop was all you needed to know the two of you were going to be stuck here for a while. The sky was a darkened grey, the clouds knitted together so tightly the sun was merely a dull shine beyond them. The rain was hammering against the roof of the bus stop, a sound that you'd usually revel in when you were safely tucked away in your bedroom and without an assignment deadline steadily creeping closer. But if there were to be a silver lining to those rain clouds it was your new companion. He had moved closer, leaning against the back wall of the bus stop with his head tipped back.

"How long before we can brave it, do you think?"

"Hm, the optimist in me says not much longer but the realist says we're stuck here for foreseeable future. My only saving grace is I've got two hours before this assignment needs to be on the professor's desk."

His attention shifted to you, grimacing. "Why do they even need a copy when the internet exists?" The question was rhetorical, a frustrated reprimand of the professor who favoured a more traditional approach for their assignment submissions. On any other day it would be a mere inconvenience, but today it felt like a personal slight against their students.

You companion let out a sigh and stuck out his hand to shake yours in greeting. "The name's Tobias. Since we're going to be here a while." You offered up your own name, accepting his hand with slight bewilderment at his energy. Tobias sprang into conversation, rambling about another class as though the two of you were close friends and not two random strangers stuck together as a result of the bad weather. But you didn't hate it. In fact, you rather loved getting the chance to talk about nothing and everything with him. He had this energy you couldn't quite put a name to that rolled off him in waves, making you feel on the same relaxed wavelength he seemed to be on. It wasn't long before the impending deadline of your assignment was a distant flash of anxiety. With Tobias at your side, telling you about some exciting escapade he'd had last weekend with his roommate, you could momentarily forget that worry. Something about Tobias' demeanour set you at ease, and there was no ignoring the growing concern that you might not see him again once the rain subsided. A part of you ached to stay and linger, despite only having known him a short while.

As if sensing your desire to remain in Tobias' warm presence, the once hammering rain started to lighten. It disappeared as quickly as it had started; one moment everything was a murky, dull grey and the next the clouds were beginning to part so that the sunlight could sparkle in the reflections of puddles on the road. Wistful, you reached for your bag, noticing Tobias doing the same.

"Walk together? Since we're headed to the same place anyway," Tobias spoke, offering a hand for you to take. A silent nod of acceptance and your hand was in his. You'd expected him to let go as soon as you were out of the bus stop's shelter but Tobias's grip was warm in yours, his arm swinging ever so slightly with each step. He was happily chatting away as the both of you reached campus, hands still interlocked. Right until the moment you each needed to enter the professor's office to hand in the assignment, Tobias' hand didn't once leave yours. Neither of you addressed the unusual familiarity that manifested in the constant touch. Mostly because you didn't know how to. And also because you didn't want him to worry that you might dislike his forwardness.

After Tobias exited the professor's office, he offered up his arm in reunion. Upon seeing your confused look, he clarified. "What? Did you think I was about to ditch you after all that? Nah, I wanted to take you out for coffee. If you're free, that is?" Suddenly Tobias' relaxed nature fell away, leaving frantic worry in it's place that perhaps he misread the situation. "Sorry, it's fine if you don't want to—"

"No, no I do! I was just a little surprised, is all."

Tobias grinned as he offered his arm again, smile turning almost smug as you accepted the gesture. "Well you better get used to it, then." He winked, chuckling at the flush spreading over your cheeks. "Because, permission granted, I don't intend on letting you disappear on me."