Chapter Text
The tall handsome stranger was always already on the train when Alan entered the carriage, and stayed on after Alan alighted.
He was the tall handsome type Alan fancied and maybe wrote internal scenes in his head for where the stranger would be queer and interested in a quiet mouse with a temper like Alan and would be interested in him even if he was so incredibly dull and boring.
The stranger had groomed facial hair and piercings in his ears and tattoos on his arms, and he was big and stocky and loomed over most of the other passengers. He was Scottish, judging by his accent when one morning Alan was blessed enough to hear him answer a phonecall.
The trip from his flat to Greenwich through the Tube every morning was only made bearable by the handsome stranger who dressed in soft flannels and leather jackets and worn jeans and long scarves and scuffed boots. The stranger with his long bleached blond hair swept to one side to show the shaved undercut beneath and all the silver in his ear.
Alan wondered if someone on Tumblr had already written about the Scotsman or if he had a fanbase on Instagram and he’d feel almost offended if it hadn’t happened. The stranger was clearly the stuff of dreams, as if willed into being by pining queers such as himself.
What would tall roguish stranger want with an asthmatic Anthropology major anyway; the man looked like he played rugby for the national team and was a lumberjack on the side.
Alan trudged closer to the door as it neared his stop, and shot Mr Lumberjack a fleeting glance. To his horror, he met his direct gaze, and was given a soft smile.
He almost pitched himself out onto the platform the moment the doors opened, and hurriedly allowed himself to be swallowed up by the crowd, missing the stranger’s voice completely.
“Wait-!”
Alan Humphries was an idiot who shouldn’t be allowed in public. After his best friend Ronald stopped laughing long enough to reassure him the sky hadn’t fallen down, Alan retreated to his room and flopped onto his bed facefirst.
At least tomorrow was Friday and he could spend the weekend pretending nothing had happened.
“Hey um, you dropped this.” Mr Lumberjack was talking to him. Alan wanted the train floor to open up and deposit him right onto the tracks and keep going.
“Th-thank you.” He accepted the single glove he’d spent the weekend trying to uncover.
“It fell out of your pocket on Friday when you were rushing out.”
“Yeah I was um-” Alan could feel his cheeks growing redder and redder the longer he stood under his stare. “I was running late for class.”
“Yeah? What do you study?”
“Anthropology.” Alan darted a glance up briefly, trying not to falter under those startling grey eyes.
“Sounds challenging.” He smiled and Alan really really wished he hadn’t because no one should be that handsome and in his vicinity where he could make a fool of himself. “Greenwich, right?”
“Uh huh. Yes. Um. I have to go, thanks.” Alan turned and hurried out the doors and tried not to think about him for the rest of the day.
Tumblr should be for kittens and fanfiction and gifsets, Alan decided and no he was not going to write a post that night about how Mr Lumberjack spoke to him or how he had grey eyes with gold flecks in them or how he smelled really nice. No. He had more self control than that. He would not cave.
He caved.
“Your tutor is Professor Spears, right?” Mr Lumberjack was speaking to him again and Alan was convinced this was still a dream.
“Um, yes.”
“He taught me four years ago when I was there.”
“You’re an Anthropology graduate?” Alan’s eyes widened.
“No, I’m an Archaeology graduate but we have a unit in Anthropology that overlaps.” He corrected with a smile. “Spears is a real stick in the mud but he knows what he’s talking about. Good to know he’s still tormenting students.”
“Professor Spears is an inspiring man and unparalleled in his field!” Alan blurted. “His publications are- are phenomenal and his work ethic is highly admirable!”
“He also has a pigeon named Darwin and a dove named Archimedes.”
“…”
“I’m Eric, by the way.” He offered his hand and Alan shook it after a moment’s hesitation.
“Alan.”
“Well Alan, give Spears my regards- tell him his unruly Scotsman is now causing havoc at an excavation site and if he wants an update he can send Darwin with a messenger scroll on its leg.”
He couldn’t help but laugh, and Eric smiled broadly at the sound, giving his hand a warm squeeze before letting go.
“I’ll see you tomorrow, Alan?”
“Yes.” He bit his lip, trying to keep from beaming. “See you tomorrow, Eric.”