Work Text:
"I’m just going to bury myself away for a bit okay. I’ll come out when I’m done."
You pull your face at your own words, knowing how hard the next however many hours were going to be. No matter how hard you tried to keep on top of your work, somehow the deadline had crept up on you. There was still plenty to do.
"Good luck!" Minho calls out after you, echoed by the rest of your friends. Even though you were on different courses, you all managed to spend time together.
I’ll need it. You think, before scolding yourself for being pessimistic. That was no way to start off a study marathon.
You manage to find a quiet corner in the common room. The library was to busy for your liking and the lady who worked there always found some reason to shout at you. You needed to concentrate.
It took longer than it probably would have to set up your work space but you were putting it off for as long as possible. Sighing you get to work.
You soon realise that you’re in for a long night when your phone vibrates along the table, nearing the edge. You decide it’s a good enough excuse to pick it up and check it.
DON’T WAIT UP FOR ME BABE. STAYING WITH TOM TONIGHT XXX
You groan internally at Teresa’s message. If you’d known that a couple of hours ago you could have studied in your own room. As much fun as they both were, you would only end up talking to them instead of working if they had decided to stay at yours tonight.
Plugging in your earphones, you turn your music up and get back to work.
A few hundred words and several journal articles later, your eyes start to sting. Rubbing them better, you feel a warm hand on your shoulder.
"You alright love?" Yanking an earphone out, you look up to see your neighbour, Newt. He smiles almost apologetically at you.
"Hey." Your mind is still on the last sentence you wrote but you’d much rather talk to your visitor.
"You know it’s pretty late right?" Looking around you realise the rest of the room is deserted.
"Yeah. I’ve gotta finish this tonight though so I’m camping up here until it’s done." You smile weakly, deciding that this is torture and anything else would be more appealing. Even listening to Gally rant on about the differences between 18th century and 19th century architecture.
"I was afraid of that." He nods knowingly.
"Here you go love." He produces a streaming cup of coffee in front of you.
"You, my dear Newt, are amazing. Don’t ever let anyone tell you any different." You beam at him in delight as though the cup is the answer to all your problems. If only.
Newt chuckles quietly. “I’ll remember that.”
He looks over at the computer screen in front of you. “Professor Page’s class?”
"Oh yeah. The woman is relentless. It’s due 9am tomorrow- today actually." You correct yourself after glancing at the clock on the wall.
"Aw that’s rough. I took her class last year so I know your pain." He winks for good measure.
You can’t help but grin at him. “I’ll be glad when this is in anyway.”
"Well I’ll leave you to it then love. Good luck." He adds after you pull a face at him. You don’t really want him to go but you can’t afford to fail.
You nod solemnly as he wanders off out of the door. Huffing quietly, you force yourself to concentrate again.
A few of hours in, you feel awful. The second wind you’d found where you were bopping away to the sounds of the 00s has evaporated and you want nothing more than to give up and go to sleep.
The next sentence just wouldn’t work. You’d written it a dozen times by now but it didn’t make any sense. It didn’t fit and you couldn’t figure out how it would lead into the next section of your work.
You bury your face in your hands, thinking about how many jobs didn’t require a degree and your cousins boyfriend who got an amazingly well paid job straight from school. Who needs a degree anyway right?
Between the frustration and the lack of sleep you realise your beginning to well up. You suck in a deep breath and growl loudly to yourself, hoping that it would help.
"(Y/N)?" The way Newt calls your name as he puts his hand on your back makes you think he’s said it a few times already. You pull out your earphones as you look up at him.
"Are you alright?" His eyes are full of concern.
You glance at the screen before looking at him again, nodding slowly. “I’m just tired. Tired and fed up.”
"You got much left to do?"
"Not really, I’m getting close it’s just now working properly though. I can’t word the next section so it reads properly." You wonder for a moment if you’re even making any sense.
"Have you backed it up?" Panic floods through you at the thought of losing your work in the few short seconds it takes to save your work again.
"Now I have." He rolls his eyes in reply.
"Right. C’mon." He pulls at your hand, standing you up.
"What? Where are we going?"
"You need a break love. You’re only going to feel worse if you try and carry on." Ignoring your protests, he steers you out of the door and outside into the cool air.
You stop at a bench not far from the building. Newt slouches into it, waiting for you to join him.
“I’ll sit in a minute. My backside is numb so I need to stretch out a bit.”
He chuckles to himself nodding. “Don’t blame you love, you’ve been sat there for hours.”
“So how come you’re still up and about anyway? Not that I’m not eternally grateful but it is the early hours of the morning.”
He shrugs noncommittally at first. Looking down at the bench, running his fingers into the grooves in the wood. “I was just up y’know? Was working night shift at the bar the last couple of night so I’m not completely adjusted back to daytime living yet. That and I wanted to make sure you were alright.”
Despite the cold air, you feel a warmth inside and lower yourself into the bench beside him. “Thank you Newt. Seriously.”
“Oh that reminds me. I got you this.” He scrambles around in his bag for something before producing two burgers from the local fast food place.
“Newt! Yes!” You didn’t realise how hungry you were until that exact moment. You practically throw yourself on top of him, wrapping your arms around his midsection.
“You’re the best Newt. Thank you!”
Without seeing his face, you can feel him smiling. “Don’t worry about it love.” He puts the burgers down to wrap his arms around your back.
You soon have to break away from the hug to see to the burger calling your name. Eating in a comfortable silence, you realise how easy it is to be with Newt. Normally you were always surrounded by the rest of your friends when you were with him. It’s nice to spend some time alone.
“C’mon love, we have to get you back.”
You groan and pull your face again. “Do I have to?” You whine, already knowing the answer.”
“Yes. Now lets go.”
He throws his arm around your shoulder as you walk back to your spot, making it much less awful than it would be if you were on your own. To your surprise, instead of leaving you to it again, he sits down in the chair beside you.
“Can I help you?” You can’t help grin at him, unable to deadpan your own joke.
“Nope. I’m gonna help you. Or proof-read it anyway - if that counts as help.”
You gape after him for a moment. “Really? You’d do that?”
“Of course I would - if you want me to - I took her class last year so I know the material and stuff.” He trails off sounding slightly nervous.
Normally when you let other people help you, you ended up regretting it. Something tells you this will be different. At this point you’re pretty desperate to get it finished anyway so proof-reading was a luxury you didn’t think you’d be able to afford.
“Be my guest.” You reply, gesturing to the computer.
He sets about reading from start to finish, mumbling to himself every so often. Occasionally he’ll edit some mistake out for you. You take the opportunity to watch him and properly examine his neck, the slope of his back and his arms which flex slightly as he runs a hand through his crazy hair. He is so handsome.
“Enjoying the view?” You realise he’s caught you out look at him, the corners of his mouth give him away as his lips turn into a grin.
“Yep.” You retort calmly. There’s something about being so tired that makes you feel much braver than normal.
He pauses for a moment before chuckling and getting back to your work. You feel your cheeks flush, surprised at your own brazenness.
Eventually he looks up again. “This is really good (Y/N). I’d say you’re almost done. Just wrap it up with a conclusion and you’ll hit the word count.”
“Thank fuck for that.” You sigh in relief. “I thought it was never going to end.” You add dramatically.
He doesn’t leave your side until it’s completely finished. Normally, having someone over your shoulder would make you feel pretty uncomfortable but Newt’s company puts you much more at ease.
You submit your work and throw your arms in the air thanking everything in sight because everything is wonderful and brilliant now that’s over.
“Thank you so much for everything tonight Newt. Seriously, I don’t think I would’ve managed it without you.”
You can see him blush lightly as he rubs his neck. “Of course you would have done it Love. We’ve all been there.”
“Maybe, but still. I’m glad you found me anyway.”
“Good that Love.”
“How about I buy you breakfast to make up for putting up with my pouting all night?”
He laughs loudly at your words, “You weren’t that bad (Y/N).”
“Alright but I’m hungry and you’re good company so how ‘bout it?” You shrug at him, not really wanting to leave him yet.
“Sounds good to me. But only if I can take you out to dinner tomorrow?” He raises an eyebrow at you as he poses his question.
You shift about under his gaze slightly, feeling the heat rush to your face. “What kind of dinner?”
He rolls his eyes kindly, smiling at you. “Like a date kind of dinner. If you’re interested that is.”
“I’d like that.” You reply quietly, smiling at him too as he drapes his arm around your shoulder.
Walking out of the building as the sun rises, you’re secretly glad you left all that work until the last minute.