Work Text:
Andhera drums his fingers against the desk in front of him. He’s doing his best to pay attention to his professor, especially since this art history class is super interesting, but it’s really difficult for him to focus today. Every sound is just kind of… not working. Like, there’s sounds (Andhera seems to always be aware of every single one), but it’s difficult for them to process them all.
That’s not to say that Andhera isn’t listening; they’re catching what they can, writing down the main ideas that they are able to glean from the lecture, it’s just the smaller details that are getting lost. Andhera couldn’t say why, and it absolutely fucking sucks, but he can adapt.
Suddenly, the professor claps, making Andhera jump in his seat. Luckily, it does capture his brain’s focus long enough that he understands the whole next sentence his professor says. Unluckily, it is one of the worst statements Andhera has ever heard in their life.
Well, okay. Maybe not ever. That’s hyperbole. But it’s, like, definitely up here. Bottom three sentences this week. Or, like, this month. Actually, maybe it’s in the bottom ten this month. Andhera hears a lot of weird shit. Whatever.
“So, with this specific period of time, there are a lot of important elements that appear throughout art, especially in this region.” The professor gestures to the board in front of her, hands flitting near a map of Italy. Andhera bites the inside of his cheek to try to make his eyes stay there, and not the walls of the lecture hall. “With so many elements, there are a few that stand out to certain people. I want to know what elements stick out the most to you about the Baroque period, in the form of a presentation.”
Oh, presentations are awful. They’re, thankfully, few and far between, but the concept is no better than it was in high school. Andhera just struggles to keep himself to the mini script in his head, and can’t make eye contact with anyone in the crowd, and makes shitty jokes that never get a laugh. It’s the absolute worst.
“In order to not hear the same presentation over and over again, I’ve decided to make this a group project. All the details about the groups have been posted, as well as the rubric. Remember to be creative, and collaborative. I’m not your parent, I expect you to try to handle things yourself if anything goes awry, but I will step in if necessary. You all can go now, have a nice weekend. And get started on this sooner, rather than later!”
Nevermind, scratch that last thought. A group presentation is the absolute worst. All the normal horrors of a presentation. with the added stress of having other people to work with? Literally a nightmare.
At least the groups are pre-assigned. That takes away the need to look around the room awkwardly, and ask the person next to him if they have a partner already. That’s, like, the worst part. So, Andhera will take what they can get.
Andhera has another class immediately after art history, and doesn’t get back to his dorm until after six. He had opted for a single when choosing room assignments, not wanting to deal with the forced socialization of roommates, so there is no one waiting for Andhera when they get back to their room. Well, no one except for Grandpa Dog, their emotional support animal.
It’s nice. A little isolating, but still nice.
When he glances at his phone, Andhera groans. There’s a new email. Emails suck. Andhera opens the email anyway.
Hello, Andhera! This is Binx Choppley, from your art history class.
We seem to have been paired together for the presentation. Whenever you can, please let me know your contact info, and if/when you are available to meet to start working. I am always free on weekends, and Monday, Wednesday, and Friday after 3. If none of those times work for you, we can work something else out.
Thank you, I hope you are having a nice evening!
Binx Choppley, She/They
Fuck. Now Andhera has to respond to an email. They have to give their contact information. This is awful, and Andhera drops to the floor, leaning against Grandpa Dog.
“This sucks. You’re so lucky you don’t have to deal with emails or group projects.” Andhera cards his fingers through Grandpa Dog’s fur, who huffs quietly. They take that as agreement.
Andhera quickly sends back his availability and phone number in an email that seems professional enough. Then he wonders if he responded too quickly. Maybe Binx will think he’s weird and tell the professor that they can’t be paired together ever again and then he’ll get kicked from the class and-
Oh. They have a new text.
[Unknown Number]
hi, its binx. is this andhera?
This is almost worse than the email. Binx is acting casual, and if there’s one thing that Andhera can’t be, it’s casual. They will certainly try, though.
Hi!
Yep, that’s me!
I’m Andhera.
Well, it could’ve gone worse.
Andhera mindlessly pets Grandpa Dog while waiting for Binx to answer. It’s quite nerve-wracking.
[Binx (Art History Project)]
hey! im binx
wait, i already said that, didnt i? whoops lol
how are you?
You know
Good
I mean
Yeah, good :)
okay lol
Binx launches into planning, which is so much better than small talk. Andhera knows how to deal with plans so much better than small talk. Small talk is of the devil.
After a little more back and forth, Andhera and Binx decide to meet Saturday afternoon. Neither of them have plans (Andhera never does), and there’s no class schedule to worry about on the weekends. Easy peasy. Lemon squeezy, even.
The week goes by fairly normally. Andhera doesn’t text Binx, and Binx doesn’t text Andhera. Nothing breaks from routine until Saturday morning, when Andhera forced themself to double check with Binx that the two are still meeting today.
Binx sends the affirmative, so Andhera gets ready as quickly as possible. He doesn’t have to leave for a while, but he wants to be prepared. While he waits, Andhera plays sudoku on his phone, twiddling his thumbs and glancing at the clock every minute or so. Not the most productive use of Andhera’s time, admittedly.
Andhera times it so that he’ll be a little bit early, but not so early that he’ll seem eager. But he also won’t be late. It’s genius.
After ensuring that they have everything (multiple times), Andhera is off. They elect to leave Grandpa Dog back in their room. He’s largely a good dog, but he can sometimes get a little rowdy around food. And takes up a lot of room. So, Grandpa Dog stays behind.
The walk to the agreed-upon coffee shop is short. Andhera is there six minutes early, which is pretty good. He looks around, trying to find a place to sit, when a girl waves at him. It makes Andhera startle, and he slowly walks forward.
“Uh- hi?” Andhera greets. And asks. Grasks? No, that’s dumb.
“Hi! Andhera, right?” The girl stands, smiling. It looks kind of strained, but that’s what Andhera feels like during every social interaction. It’s normal for them. They nod, and she continues. “Hi. Thanks for meeting me for the project, I really appreciate it.”
“Yeah, of course!” Andhera offers a strained smile of his own. “I mean, I couldn’t exactly say no . Not that I wanted to! Say no, I mean. I ju- We- Uh… grades.”
Smooth.
Luckily, Binx doesn’t seem too weirded out by Andhera’s fumbling, and the first meeting for the project goes well. They make decent headway, and Andhera only feels a little bit like a fool by the end.
The second meeting goes even better. Binx and Andhera talk about intense shadows and the framing of Baroque pieces, and then somehow they veer off topic. Andhera learns that Binx likes to sew, which is cool as hell.
By the third meeting, Andhera feels like they could be making a friend. A real one, not one of their rock friends that sit happily on his desk. There are a few other people that Andhera has gotten close with, like Hob. It’s just… it’s different with Binx.
When she leans toward him to share a detail about herself, something that feels secretive, it makes his stomach flutter. When she laughs at his jokes, his face starts feeling warm. When she touches his shoulder, it feels like he might explode.
At first, Andhera just thinks they’re sick. They let Binx know, spend a day or two trying to recover (even though they feel fine that whole time), then the symptoms come back the next time they meet up with Binx.
It’s baffling. Andhera doesn’t know what could be causing this. It doesn’t make any sense.
Out of options, Andhera Googles his symptoms. The results tell him he has a crush. He calls the results stupid, and tries again. They say he has a crush again. He flips off his screen, and tries again. There’s one result that says he has a parasite living in his brain. The rest say he has a crush. Andhera closes his laptop.
It’s just not possible that Andhera could have a crush! They have never felt anything like that before. Granted, they have gotten along with very few people before now. But still!
With nowhere else to turn, Andhera sighs and texts one of the only people with the experience he needs. Almost immediately, his phone starts to ring.
“Pillar Boy!” Squak shouts into the phone, making Andhera cringe and pull the phone away a little bit. “Tell me everything!”
Ah, right to the point. “Hello, Squak. Hello, Chirp.” Andhera greets his friends, who both deny Chirp being there. She does say hello back, though. “I… have a question.”
“Of romantic importance,” Squak says, reciting Andhera’s exact wording.
“Yeah. I think I’m sick, but I looked up my symptoms and all of Google says I have a crush. Outside of one page that says I have a brain parasite, which seems more likely.”
“A brain parasite?” Squak asks dramatically, as he tends to do.
“I think a brain parasite sounds rather nice,” Chirp muses. “It sounds like a lovely little friend.”
“Oh, you’re right!” Andhera says, immediately launching into a conversation about the benefits and drawbacks of brain parasites. That is, until Squak reminds them of the issue of the crush.
It’s a longer call than Andhera would ever admit. A good portion of the beginning centered on brain parasites. But, by the end, Andhera comes to a conclusion.
He has a crush on Binx.
Which, wow. Okay. It makes sense, Binx is cool as fuck, but Andhera doesn’t know what to do with themself after they realize.
Every meeting with Binx afterwards is more awkward and strained. It probably makes Binx so uncomfortable. Andhera hates it. Being normal friends is so much better than this.
That is, until one day, when Andhera meets Binx at their usual spot a week before the project is due. They don’t have any of their stuff out when he gets there, leg bouncing as they survey the room. Then, as soon as they spot Andhera, Binx is crossing the room toward him.
“Come with me,” she says, grabbing Andhera by the wrist. He’s a little bit stunned, but Andhera goes along with it, following behind dutifully.
They leave the building, and walk to the edge of campus in silence. Binx drags Andhera to Wonder, one of the dorms, and swipes her card to be let in. She continues pulling Andhera to the stairs, taking him to the basement.
Now, it’s a widely known fact that basement dorms are the worst. Andhera doesn’t think they’re going to Binx’s room, though. Mostly because she’s mentioned living on the second floor before.
Binx goes to the back of the stairs, where there’s a little closet. They ram their shoulder into it, dislodging the door, and step inside.
“Woah…” Andhera breathes out, looking around as he enters the small room. “What is- what?”
All around him are trinkets big and small. There’s an old desk with a sewing machine, there are dozens of jars filled with beads and rocks and shells, there’s a random assortment of trash.
Binx plops down on a beanbag chair, and gestures for Andhera to do the same. They sit next to her, staring around the room in awe.
“This is where I go when I need a bit of a break,” Binx confesses. She tucks her hair behind her ear, watching Andhera carefully. “It’s pretty secluded, and there are newer supply closets, so these ones had their doors painted over years ago.” She pauses, fiddling with one of the many rings on her fingers. “You just… you’ve seemed stressed. And I thought that this might be able to he-”
“Will you go out with me?” Andhera blurts. His eyes go wide as he realizes what he just did, and Binx jerks. “Shit, fuck, sorry. I didn’t mean to- I mean, I do want- but I never-”
“Yeah.” Binx sounds… happy. She slowly starts to smile, then she looks away from Andhera. “I’d love to go on a date with you.”
“Awesome.”
Andhera beams.
They spend a little bit more time in the closet, before eventually Andhera leaves to go back to his room. When they part, it’s as partners , which is quite possibly the coolest thing ever. In the world.
(And they end up with a 96% on their presentation. All in all, a fucking win.
Andhera still hates group projects, though.)