Work Text:
There he sits at the corner of the College Library's outdoor seat. He, a total stranger that could make Luke decide to go to the Library every lunchtime and take a Bus to go back to his faculty afterwards instead of driving his own car, just to see him.
He looks good, indeed. Didn't mean to brag but try to picture him; Brown iris which gets even more piercingly pretty with big eyes, beautiful tan skin, kind of fierce but undeniably handsome face, tall body that built like a Greek god, and probably is a hot-loner-nerd based on many books in his canvas tote bag.
How could Luke stop stealing glances?
With his appearance described in detail, of course, he's way easier to imagine. Even so, it's not just his visual that being the reason why his figure pierced in Luke's mind long enough to drive him crazy like this. It's an additional reason but not the main reason. Well, yes it's still a reason, just not the reason why.
The main reason was his gentle and silently caring behaviour. He doesn't talk much, but taking care of what he wants to take care. It was the first thing that took space somewhere in Luke;
The way he helps someone needed to get in or out the bus. The way he brought cat food and feed stray cat that not many people really care about. The way he interacts with random kids that talk to him. The way he helps stranger to get their book at the top of the bookshelf that not so many people could reach. The way he patiently wait to get in or out of the bus or Library's door if it's crowded. The way sometimes he gently offers his seat to other person. And, the way he helps Luke.
If Luke had to write down all of that, he could bet it's going to be a long essay with so many part, and sub-bab. But he can't do it, thanks to the damn assignment he had to do. Damn assignments successfully held back his thirsty ass. Fucking assignments. Luke just want to drool over him in peace. But again, Fucking ass —ignments.
Let's drop the assignment thingy Luke need to do, and go back to the man of the daydream Luke's been doing. Oh, now he's wearing glasses, holy damn, Luke can't help himself wonder how he managed being that handsome even when he's so serious with his thick-ass book. It's just simply not fair. Not to mention those were nerdy glasses, but unexpectedly still look good when he wears it. Not fair.
All Luke knew, he is a college student from Faculty of Social and Political Sciences in the same University he goes. Luke did try to find his other information from friends, but sadly he gets none. Not even his name. Guess he is a really mysterious man, that amazingly could catch Luke's attention with no trying.
Somehow, those fact alone putting Luke in a big self-dilemma. Luke surely wanna know him more, obviously, but he seems reserved and not easy to approach. Not to forget that he has the strong stolid vibes, Luke doesn't want to be the reason why his favourite stranger feel any slightest disturbance. But also, in the other side Luke can't deny the fact that he wants him to acknowledge his presence, Luke just want his attention so bad. This is exactly what drove him frustrated most of the time whenever he see him.
But guess what? After so many of Luke's cowardice days, the second option eventually wins. Last night and this morning, Luke keep making up his mind to approach him. He will approach him in a way that been planned for a long enough time.
And now, after Luke make sure he made up his mind one last time, slowly but surely he walks to him before he finally standing at an appropriate space in front of him.
Only god knows what Luke's capable of doing if he lost a grip of himself, he probably will stop when he finally sits on those lap of his favorite stranger, or he will sell himself like a whore, or maybe both. But he doesn't do any of it because sweetheart, everyone knew it's kind of inappropriate.
So he just stands awkwardly behind the stranger's opposite seat.
“Um. Hello?” Luke greets formally at first, before he get automatically hold his breath because the stranger don't say anything, but fully paying attention to Luke. “So. I, you know, do you remember me?.. Probably not because why would you? Oh my god, sorry i'm babbling too much, yeah.. but anyway— seriously i'm so sorry.”
Luke's words were cut short when he heard someone in front of him chuckles. Luke stands there and wait, while silently curse himself in silence. Luke already prepared this for a whole week and see how fail his real attempt is.
”... Fuck, i messed up.” said Luke mumbling and more likely to himself.
“No, you're not.”
“Holy damn you can read mind?!” Luke asked in shock.
He looks confused as well. “You accidentally said it.”
“Oh! Yeah—” Luke is getting anxious again. Afraid this attempt will be worse than before, he immediately shuts his mouth.
“Chill, dude. Sit first, it's empty.” He try to calm Luke, somehow it works. Luke sits obediently and a bit calmer than before. “So, what's up?”
“I- Uhh” Calm, Luke. Calm. “I wanna return your handkerchief that you lend me two weeks ago. Here, i even wash it at the laundry.” said Luke while handing the mentioned handkerchief to him.
He take a look at it for awhile, before he pushing it softly back to Luke. “You can keep it.”
“Oh, okay.” said Luke with a glimpse of confused look in his face. “You don't want it anymore?”
“I still want it, it's my favorite handkerchief. I just want you to keep it for me.” He answered calmly. And before Luke can reply, he continues. “Anyway i remembered you. You are the guy who cries in the middle of the night at the corner of Business Faculty's Hall.”
“Is it necessary for you to spell it out? Its really embarrassing.”
He softly laughs. “I just wanna prove that i remembered you, Luke.”
“How can you know my name?!”
“Oh. Luke is your name?” Despite the glimpse of surprise in his face, he remains calm and collected.
Luke saw it and retorts. “Don't try to lie and just tell me.”
“Guess i am bad at lying, isn't it?” He said nonchalantly. He shrugged his shoulder before he answered. “You are pretty popular though. I know you from one of my friend, i just tell your characteristics and, ta-da! He show me your twitter account.”
“You know my account?” Luke ask, still in shock.
“Yes, Sir.”
Seeing him answer casually, somehow successfully made Luke a bit anxious. Not to mention Luke's thirsty sub-tweet about him, even with a subtle coat. “Are you stalking me there?”
He shrugged his shoulder. “A little bit. And you stalk me too, so we're equal.”
“What do you mean i stalk you?” ask Luke, suddenly acting innocent.
While the person in front of him mock his fake innocent face in a subtle way, Luke secretly panicking. “You take a bus and secretly stealing glances at me, instead of driving your car?”
Luke's caught red-handed. With a heavy shoulder he ask back. “Am i that outright?”
“Yeah.”
Luke keeps his mouth shut, then thinking about the best way to properly apologize to him. “I'm sorry to make you uncomfortable for the past two weeks.”
“You did it for two weeks?” He asked in shock.
Luke seems shocked as well confused. “I mean, yeah?”
“I thought it's only the past 3 days.”
Luke feels even more sorry than before. Unconsciously, Luke softly scratched his own un-itchy nape, as an outlet of his awkwardness and guilt. “I'm sorry. I promise i wont do it anymore.”
They takes time on their own. Realize that he just casually mentioned it and doesn't sound mad, even the slightest, Luke gets confused. He should be mad, he have right for it, but he doesn't. “You're not mad?”
“No.” He said. “Probably because i wait for you to approach me first? I'm kind of sucks at opening a conversation.” He closed his abandoned book and put it in his tote-bag. Then he pays full attention to Luke. Luke just understandingly nod at his words.
“What takes you so long to approach me, though?” He asks.
Came to think about it, he is contradicted to how Luke's thinking about him before. He's actually a chill and fun guy to talk with. He's not the type that could easily opens conversation, but he keep the conversation going.
“Before we talk, you are pretty scary.” Luke finally answers.
“Like, pervert-scary, disturbing-scary or..?”
“No!” Luke quickly denies and then he answers honestly. “Like 'Don't talk to me. I'm hot, you're not. We're not at the same level. Don't approach me.' type of scary.”
While he smiles gently, all Luke can only do is watch and get a grip not to lose himself. “So you think i'm hot?”
Luke hardly swallow his own saliva. “Did i just expose myself?”
“Yeah.” He answered, still with a little smile, somehow he looks happy but sad at the same time.
Luke doesn't know where he gathered enough courage to tell him, but he did tell him his thoughts eventually. "But it wasn't only your looks that made me want to know you more."
"Then, what is it?"
"You're kind and gentle. I saw you helping people, feeding stray cats, and many more. It's not usual to see someone care about his surroundings like you did, so you got my attention so much."
Accidentally saw understanding and waiting look from his interlocutor, Luke just realized he was talking way too much. Embarrassed, Luke excuse himself. "Excuse me, i'll curse myself for awhile.”
He laughs, then looking at Luke with another one little smile on his lips, this time it looks sincere and not having other meaning. “Luke, you're funny.”
“Thank you, guess it's my passion to be a clown in front my crush.” said Luke immediately without thinking, and not looking at him. Soon after, he realized what he just say. “Oh. Holy fuck!”
“Watch your words in front of your crush.” he tease Luke.
With a blushing face, Luke retorts. “Don't mock my feelings, they are real.”
“So basically you admit you already had a crush on me, when you don't even know my name?” He asks. “Cute.”
“Seriously, am i that easy to read? And How you— ?” Luke ask again, can't even continue because he's in disbelief of how correct he could take a guess.
“Again, yeah.” He answered Luke. “You don't call mine even when i call yours, also you look anxious like you wanna ask something.” he answered casually.
“I'll stop ask you like before, from now on i believe i'm that easy to read to you.”
He laughs again for the nth times. “Seriously though, you're funny.” He said, with chuckles.
“I'll take that as a compliment. Thanks.” While Luke answers him, he notice Luke still looking a bit anxious about something.
“Why don't you start ask what you want to know about me?” he said, and he could not hold back his fond smile.
But too bad, Luke missed it because he is looking away to cover up himself. The rush in his blood is not helping either, Luke even forgot how he planned the conversation and totally just go with the flow. He doesn't prepare any question, he'll just ask anything he want to know at the moment. “Can i?”
“Of course.”
Luke Leaning forward, resting his hand on the table. “What's your name?”
“Joss Way-Ar.”
“Which year are you in?”
“Second year.”
“What are you majoring in?”
“Anthropology.”
Slowly running out of question, Luke improvise. “What's your zodiac?”
“Pisces.”
“What's your MBTI?”
“Haven't checked it out.”
That's it, Luke ask irritably: “Don't you wanna ask about any of my info?”
“Luke, third year, majoring in statistic. It feels enough for me now except—” he countered while taking his phone. “Want to exchange number?”
Unlike Luke's sulking face, adrenaline rush unbelievably fast when the stranger, –or let's call him Joss from now on– hands Luke his phone. In silent, Luke put his phone number in and do a miss call so Joss's number will automatically shows in the recent calls.
“Seriously.. Are attacking someone constantly with surprises is your secret talent?”
“Maybe yes, maybe no? I don't know either.” He looks at Luke, before he ask back. “Anyway, can i ask you back? Just two questions.”
“Okay.”
“I'm sorry if it offends you, but are you into guys like me? For real?”
"No." After taking time to understand, Luke finally answered the question. "You're the first, though..” Luke admitted.
Joss face turns bright and then smile excitedly again. “Great! Wanna go on a date?”
“Holy spirit, I WASN'T PREPARED FOR THIS?” ask Luke with a suppressed shout. “Could you excuse me, i'll scream first.”
Joss jokingly scoffed at him. “You can't. We're in Library's outdoor if you forgot.”
“Oh. YEAH YOU'RE RIGHT.” said Luke, still with a suppressed shout.
“You're not answered my question though.” Joss complained.
“Oh. Of course yes, Joss. Of course.”
Joss kind of surprised how good his name sound came out from Luke. “Call me again.”
“Call you? Joss?” Luke ask, confused.
“I like it. See you at 5, here? How about that?”
“Okay!” Luke answered way to excited like he's not confused just a few second before, Joss laughs again. “See you soon, Luke.”
“See you soon!!— Uh, Joss.” Realized that he sounds way too excited, Luke immediately shut up and curse to himself for being too dumb. “Fuck me.”
Joss fake gasps dramatically. “I'll probably do it somewhere in the future, but for now let's just take it slow. Okay?”
Luke asked confusingly. “Do what?”
“As you said. Fuck you.” he tease Luke.
Understand Luke is not going to verbally respond based on his totally flushed face, Joss standing up and ask for leave. “Anyway, got to go. See you at 5, okay?”
Still awkward and embarrassed, Luke nod in flushed face expression. Looking at that, Joss couldn't hold back his fond smile. But unlike before, now Luke see his fond smile clearly and Luke couldn't help himself smile sheepishly at Joss right after.
The energy of excitement rush faster in both of their own veins when they're part. No one know what's future holds, neither the two of them. But with Luke that secretly like surprises, and Joss who seems to naturally have unique way of thinking. What could possibly go wrong?