Work Text:
Isak's life is a big mess. Like really someone is up there taking the piss out of him. There's no other explanation. Maybe he's being a bit overdramatic right now. Just a bit though. He knows there are millions of people who are short-sighted..or even billions, maybe? And there are glasses and contacts for that issue so it's all good, right? Except it is not.
He fucking hates wearing glasses, okay. They make him look like a nerd and it's so uncool. He prefers contacts most of the time. As long as his eyes let him. Because like he said before someone up there is messing with him and cursed him with allergic conjunctivitis. That is so not fair. If weather is windy, his eyes get watered; if it is sunny, sunlights do its job; he doesn't even understand the cause most of the time but his eyes get watered in all inappropriate times. Turns out there's no appropriate time. And if pollens start to fly around all over the city, it's even worse, not only get they watered but also red, as if he's been crying all day long. You can't even imagine how many times someone reached up to him in public to console him 'it's okay, what you are crying over, it's okay, don't worry, it will pass' No it will not pass, fuck my life. But he doesn't voice his thoughts, he just nods to the considerate stranger. He got used to it at this point.
It's one of those days, that his eyes demand a rest from the contacts. Okay it's nice they're green and everyone seems to adore the colour but they are so fucking demanding sometimes, he can't deal with this shit, he has to go to the library and study for his last exam. He takes a glimpse of his glasses lying on the table and shakes his head a big no. He can get through a day without them. It's not like he's blind or anything, just people's faces get blurry. He's got a lot of shit from people for not being nice and saying hello to them but how can he? He doesn't recognise people's faces in a relative distance with his bare eyes. But today he's just gonna go to campus, get himself a coffee and study all day in the library without interacting with anyone so what could possibly go wrong, yeah? He sighs and locks the door, leaving his glasses behind.
It's fairly less crowded at the campus, loads of students gave their last exam already. It's all good, it means he can find himself a comfortable spot to study. First, go buy coffee. He doesn't need to see to order his regular coffee, he's doing good. He doesn't need glasses or contacts, fuck them, he thinks when he makes an eye contact with someone across a couple of tables away. He turns his head immediately. Rude, Isak, he was looking at you, probably someone you know, you should've just given a small nod to avoid the complaints later. He takes his coffee over the counter and decides to give himself an easy exit, just go say hi before heading to library so you don't have to deal with it later. The boy must have turned his back to him at some point but Isak can't go back now, he walked over here already, he touches the boy's shoulder and says 'Halla' with a smile in his voice. Okay, I'm done here, I'm nice and now I can go and study in peace, he mentally highfives himself just as the boy turns his head. And something's wrong with the boy's face. No, not like that. His face is perfect, he's so beautiful, probably most beautiful person Isak ever laid eyes on and he's smiling at Isak with a most beautiful 'Hallaa' he's ever heard of. But something's quite wrong. He's never seen this face before. He would've remembered. This is unfamiliar and the boy looks at him with questioning eyes. Fuck, fuck, fuck, abort mission. You just greeted some stranger, great. All the people Isak has offended by not saying a simple hi, yeah they got back at him, karma's a bitch after all. Isak mumbles 'I gotta go but see ya' before even the boy can reply, he takes big steps and gets lost.
He's embarrassed, he should've said 'Sorry, I mistook you for someone else' but he fucking said 'See ya' with a smile. He finds himself a spot in the library, a spot in a corner and not seen easily. It's not like the boy's gonna track him here but still. He tries to study but ends up cringing himself for what he just did. After a couple of unproductive study sessions, he pulls out his phone.
I Messed Up
11:47
Guys
Mahdi: So what's new
Jonas: What did you do this time
I said hi to someone
Magnus: wow Isak's finally socialising guys
Fuck you
It's not like that
I greeted some guy I don't know of
Mahdi: Why?
Magnus: Yeah you don't even come and say hi to me sometimes I'm offended
My eyes got allergic so I'm not wearing contacts today and I caught him looking at me
I thought it was someone I knew, just wanted to be nice
Because you give me lots of shit when I'm not
Mahdi: Why don't you wear glasses
Jonas: Because he thinks they make him look like a nerd
Mahdi: Where's the lie, then? He's in the library right now
Magnus: lol this is hilarious, what did he say
He didn't say anything because I said see ya and got lost
Jonas: You didn't explain? Now he probably thinks he must have met you before
Mahdi: Haha he might be deep in thoughts now figuring out where you guys did meet
Jonas: Not that bad though, you can say you were just being nice when you see him next time at the campus
But he wasn't looking at me anymore when I approached him, I even touched his shoulder to make him turn sides
Ugh
Magnus: ashkskdgj
Jonas: Okay, that doesn't look that good
Mahdi: This is overdue though, I was waiting for karma to do its job for a while
Magnus: But Isak this can be a meet-cute story, that you can tell your grandchildren about later
Mahdi: Yeah man since you guys 'meet' already, just ask him for a date and if he says no, just say what are you talking about we're already dating
Jonas: Okay guys stop, Isak is blushing so hard right now if I know him at all
Fuck my life
He locked his screen just in time when someone touched his shoulder and said 'Halla' Those blue eyes. Payback time. 'Halla' said Isak, his eyes wandering down. 'Here you are' said the boy with a small laugh. 'Want to take a break from studying and get some fresh air?' Isak was screaming inside, but the boy doesn't need to know that. Play it cool. 'Okay' said Isak.
They walked outside the library in an awkward silence but the boy finally broke the silence when they found themselves an empty bench to sit on.
'Okay, I'm so sorry but I just can't remember you' He sounded so genuine, Isak wanted to laugh or cry over the situation or both.
'That's okay. I'm forgettable.'
'No, you are not..mhm'
'Isak.'
'Even.'
'I know that.' So good playing it nice, Isak.
'Ah, yeah sorry about that. Please remind me where we met, I've been trying hard for a couple of hours'
Even was embarrassed, it was funny. Isak kept playing. 'Just a uni party, I guess? Look, it's okay, I saw you looking at me and just wanted to be nice and say hi you know. No hard feelings though.' It was good cards have been turned on Isak's favour for a change. He needed this. Give it more of it universe, if you're listening. But the universe had other plans.
'A uni party? Are you from Oslo?'
'Born and raised. Why?' He felt it coming but asked any way.
'Because I moved in Oslo just a week ago and recently transferred here.' Even was laughing now. Fuck my life, really.
'Oh shit. Fuck my life' escaped Isak's mouth. He was embarrassed for a lifetime now, he couldn't look at Even's still laughing face.
'So what's up?' said Even, finally recovering from his big laugh.
'I can't see okay. I'm not wearing contacts today, you know allergies, I thought you were looking at me and you were probably someone I knew, just wanted to be nice for a change, won't try again' Here he is again being overdramatic.
Even laughed, though. He didn't question why he kept this going on instead of simply explaining. It's good because Isak doesn't fucking have the answer.
'I get you. Allergies suck. Why don't you wear glasses for the day though, I mean if you are that blind?' He was laughing again and making fun of him but Isak deserved it so he couldn't complain.
'I...I just forgot taking them with me.' I flipped them off on my way out.
'You forgot?' Even didn't seem to buy it, you don't even know me, how can you say? Is it that obvious, my undying hate for glasses? But they started it, they make me look uncool. Yeah because I'm so cool without them, nice try.
'But you were right though' said Even interrupting his thoughts.
'Huh?'
'I was looking at you, when you were getting coffee.' He smiled, 'But not because I knew you, just because you are hot.'
Isak was feeling the blood running through his cheeks right now, he looked at Even's eyes without embarrassment for the first time and he smiled right back.
'And I think you'd look hot with glasses too' added Even.
Maybe his life was not that big of a mess after all and maybe someone up there didn't really hate his guts. Just maybe.