Chapter Text
♥️
More than anything else, it astounds me that there is not an affectionate term for those who wish to live their lives continuously swarmed by puppies.
More the fool society.
At any rate, there are few things more delightful than waking up to a wiggly, bouncy ball of fluff with not a cruel thought in its head (if there are thoughts at all).
My landlord, soulless being that he is, does not agree. And so I must spend my days in anguished loneliness-
"Stop internally monologuing, you have Chem in five minutes."
"WHAT?!"
I fell out of my chair (gracefully) at that wake up call.
"I had twenty minutes just a blasted second ago!" I wailed, shoving various papers and folders into my panda themed backpack (an essential item for every college student).
"Not according to the more reliable source." Decreed Pal, waving a hand in the direction of the microwave clock.
"You cheap Walmart brand-" I began shaking one fist at the self-same device while the other continued thrusting various writing utensils bag-ward.
Pal interrupted my dramatics, however: "No time for your thespian-ism, you better run. Dr. Thomas is not as forgiving as your Illustration professor."
A fair point, that. I made for the door post-haste.
And proceeded to arrive five minutes after the bell had shrieked my tardiness.
Blast the whole operation.
I tumbled headfirst out the door the instant the bell rang. No more wasted time learning about reactions or molecules. Clutching my notes, which consisted of two equations and twenty six doodles, I marched to the caf.
Plonking down beside Pal, it was time to get down to brass tax.
"So…. any cuties spotted this week?"
Pal let out the world's longest sigh, and pushed around her fruit salad apathetically, and at last mustered up stamina to pronounce the best thing I'd heard all day: "Not for me, but I think I sighted someone you'd find interesting."
I leaned forward, eyebrows ascending.
"Oh? Do tell."
She sipped her lemonade candidly, and grinned a thousand watt smile.
"You'll have to swing by the lab and see for yourself."
"Oh for crying out loud, stop trying to drag me into your science cult! Illustration and I are in a very healthy relationship and you cannot sabotage it!" I snapped, waving my hands for added effect.
Her smile only grew. A regular sadist, this friend of mine.
"Calm thyself. I'm not going to initiate you (yet), I merely wish to watch two dorks blush furiously over the other's attractiveness."
"Welp… you'll probably get what you want." I admitted, swallowing nervously. Last minute animation projects are nothing to cute boys who use their noodles.
Like a particularly malicious cupid, Pal snatched my hand, and started hoofing it to the science building, me in tow.
"Man," I thought, "She really wants to hook it up!"
As I pondered how to introduce myself gracefully, my eager friend skidded to a halt outside a particularly well furnished engineering lab. Pointing excitedly at the door, she practically bounced with pure energy. The nerve of this woman!
"At least introduce me!" I squealed frantically. She rolled her eyes and groaned as if I'd asked her what color the sky was.
"Fine, but don't leave ALL the talking to me, capiche?" I considered this request, and found it reasonable.
"Deal! Knocky, knocky! Otto, you alive in there?" Pal called, rapping briskly on the obtrusive door.
"One moment, I'm nearly done with this calculation." Came the reply. The voice was soft and frail enough to be the wingbeat of a startled butterfly. I was immediately endeared.
The noise of papers behind the door, and the footsteps, and after that…
I remembered that I am terrible at talking to boys. Especially boys that look like walking teddy bears with warm chocolate brown eyes framed by glasses so large as to provide the appearance of a human dragonfly. Y'know, boys like Otto Octavius.
"Hi!" I managed, eloquent creature that I am.
He peered up at me (oh my stars he's so cute I will protect him with my liFE-) and turned suddenly into a cherry tomato. It seemed I was not the only one attracted to nerds.
"Hello! I don't believe I've h-had the pleasure of your acquaintance." He offered his hand "Otto Octavius at your service!"
I shook his hand, it was warm and calloused, pointing to a more physically based science.
"Marina Matthews, pleased to meet you!" I grinned, maybe I could manage some small talk. "So, what're you majoring in, Otto?"
"Oh! Well I couldn't quite decide, sooo I'm double majoring, actually, Nuclear Physics and Engineering." He looked down at his feet after this astonishing announcement, as if he had blurted something embarrassing.
"Good grief! Talk about being an overachiever! What do you plan on doing with all those brains?" I queried.
He flustered even more and muttered: "I'd like to develop more effective power sources, but I haven't perfected the methods just yet." Then he glanced up hurriedly. "But enough about me! I'm sorry for blabbering, what are you majoring in?"
I smiled reassuringly and leaned sideways against the row of lockers. "No worries! I enjoy listening to people talk about what they're passionate about! I'm majoring in graphic design, minoring in dance, and thanks for asking! Now see who's blabbering?"
"No! I completely agree with your earlier point, passion can instill curiosity in the hearer that no other emotion can bestow!" He looked up determinedly, then.
I glanced quickly, his eyes were so intense for that fraction of a second after he finished this statement that I could have sworn I was staring at the sun. Then, just as my heart rate began to calm down, the bell rang.
"Darn! I'll see you later, okay! Pa-! Where on earth?" I exclaimed looking around for that absurd matchmaker. Otto, thankfully, was able to provide some insight into this new mystery.
"She stepped away quite some time ago, I believe she has Literature class." He said, gesturing down the hall toward the Arts building.
"Ah! That makes sense… I was just.. distracted." Sheesh, could I be less subtle? Think, quick make it sound less flirty-
"I suppose I was, too. Seeing as I only caught a glimpse of her walking away." He blushed, eyes more like the distant stars than our sun, now.
And, I, like any mass does when confronted by a larger solar body, began to revolve.
♥️