Chapter Text
You shifted again in the booth seat as you scratched out the twelfth opening line to your final project for your creative writing class. Nothing was coming and staring at the multiple scratches on your notebook paper only served to taunt you more. You closed the notebook with a groan and sat back in the booth, rubbing at your weary eyes. You checked your mug but were immediately reminded that you had finished your coffee a long time ago now.
“Right,” you muttered to yourself and sighed. Your senses let the sounds and smells of the coffee shop filter back in.
The little place had become a sweet getaway since starting college. Its typical humdrum was a lovely reprieve from the shouts and bustle of the dorm and classroom hallways. Not to mention the cute fellow that frequented there.
Your eyes fell upon this said guy for the hundredth time that evening.
He sat in a nearby table, its top completely overtaken by his various homework assignments. He was tall, as evidenced by his long legs. His slender fingers drummed his pen against the side of his narrow cheek. He had a sharp, straight nose that matched the rest of his very linear body frame. Atop that nose sat a pair of square-framed glasses, which he kept adjusting with his pen. His dirty blond hair was mussed from constantly running a frustrated hand through it.
Ignis, if you remembered correctly. A fascinating name. You’d been watching him since he had arrived an hour or so earlier, but he had yet to relax in any kind of way. Actually, to your great dismay, he’d only grown more and more stressed. His body was all angles and tense edges. Whatever his homework was, it was adamant upon eating him whole if he didn’t calm down a bit.
You rolled your pen between your fingers, absently gnawing on the inside of your lip. He could use some company… right? Your stomach quivered with nerves at the thought. But you’d been wanting to talk to him for… weeks now, if you were being honest with yourself. And not just the short, awkward small talk you managed to come up with whenever he stood in front of you in line to order. Not that it was all that often, but you’d both been here often enough to occasionally run into one another.
You’d also seen him at another place in town: Takka’s. He worked there as a cook in the kitchen. The one time you went, you just happened to see him. And you remembered the small smile he gave. You shook yourself out of the daydreamy thoughts. That wasn’t the point at the moment. The point was whether or not you would be brave enough to go talk to him… now.
You set your pen on your notebook and grabbed your wallet, before you could talk yourself out of it. You walked past Ignis, who was muttering angrily at some book in front of him, paying you no mind. A girl with pretty, blonde curls greeted you at the register.
“Hello! What could I get for you this evening?” she asked with a toothy smile.
“Could I get two peppermint teas, please?” you replied.
“Of course!” The girl – Stacy – tapped away at the iPad. “Would you like anything in those teas?”
“Umm, would you mind putting honey in one of them, and the other is fine without anything. Thanks!”
“Sure thing!” She read off the total, and you handed her your debit card.
You waited at the counter for her to bring out the two saucers with teacups on them. The honeyed one was marked by a spoon resting against the saucer. You could instantly smell the peppermint, and it made you smile. You thanked Stacy and carefully took hold of the two saucers. Stomach still quivering, you took a deep breath and walked over to Ignis’ table.
He didn’t hear you approach nor sensed your presence upon arriving. Biting your lip, you set the saucer down on a tiny cleared out space beside his book.
Suddenly a startled set of eyes snapped up to meet yours.
And while your premeditated thoughts disappeared upon taking in his handsome, slender face, your mouth slid into a kind smile. “You look like you could use some tea,” you said, humor in your tone. “That assignment seems to be winning the battle.”
He blinked in his stunned silence.
You could see the slight curve of his eyelashes that almost teased the lens of his glasses. You managed a half grin, warmth creeping into your cheeks. “Unless you don’t like tea… then this is gonna be super awkward.” A chuckle bubbled out as your now emptied hand tucked a stray lock of hair behind your ear.
Ignis shook himself out of his stupor and gave you a small smile. “I do rather enjoy tea,” he said, a slight accent in his words. “Thank you.”
A smile broke over your features. “You’re welcome!” You took the spoon from your own saucer and stirred the honey within your tea. “So, what are you working on that’s killing you so?”
He ran a hand through his hair and adjusted his glasses. “What am I not working on?” he answered in exasperation. “I’ve got a load of math to get through, two half-baked papers, and a book report due.”
You glanced down at the table, taking in the mess of papers and textbooks. “And you’re trying to work on all of them at the same time?”
He stared at the pile of homework before blinking up at you. He couldn’t deny it.
You chuckled. “How about just choosing one assignment and getting through that?” Taking a sip of your tea, you watched his lanky body slouch back against his seat.
Ignis rubbed his eyes underneath his glasses. “You’re right,” he breathed out as he sighed. “I’ve only managed to get myself entangled with it all.” Seeing how you were drinking your tea, he decided to take a sip of his own. The warmth of it was an obvious pleasure.
“You could even narrow it down, either by which is due first or by which is easiest. At least then one thing will get done for sure,” you added, smiling.
He met your gaze with a smile of his own. “All the better if they’re one and the same,” he remarked.
“Yes, exactly!” You giggled, and the way he watched you made the nerves in your stomach rise again. You did your best to not grow too self-conscious as you still stood at his table.
He cocked his head. “I believe I’ve seen you around here before,” he began. “What is your name?”
“Oh!” You quickly introduced yourself, cheeks heating up.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you. My name is Ignis Scientia.”
You took his extended hand and grinned. You really wanted to ask about the origins of his name, but you really didn’t want to embarrass yourself by geeking out over his name. You also figured you should get a move on with your life as he took another drink of his tea. “I’ve also been struggling with my own homework,” you added lamely, throwing a thumb at your empty booth where your stuff still sat.
Ignis glanced over at the spot. “What have you been working on?” he asked. Everything about his current posture read ease. He was no longer wound tight like a spring, but rather sitting back with his shoulders at rest and no crinkle between his brows.
“Oh, I’ve been struggling to start my final short story for creative writing. I just can’t seem to make any idea stick!” You stuck your tongue out of the corner of your mouth to show your own exasperation.
A chuckle rumbled from his chest. “Well, I’m not sure how much help I’ll be, but if you want to bring your things over, maybe I could help you brainstorm some ideas.”
You very obviously perked up, like… very obviously. But you really couldn’t bring yourself to care, because he nodded, eyes alight with something that made your stomach flip. “Y-yeah! That would be great,” you stuttered out, tucking your hair behind your ear.
Ignis nodded and took your saucer from your hand, setting it on the table. He then started shuffling his things around.
You quickly swiveled on your heels, biting your bottom lip to keep from wearing an ear-splitting grin. Giddiness flooded your system as you gathered your things and when you turned back, all you could see was Ignis’ calm, welcoming smile.