Modern AU

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"So... let me repeat that,"

Two men were sitting in a coffee shop, one wearing glasses and a turtleneck sweater, the other with long white hair tied in a ponytail and a blue shirt.

"You want me to tell you what to do to successfully date that guy from the same university as you, knowing that, you've been flirting with each other since the beginning of the year and you're in the same class?"

"Not so loud, Joseph-"

"Oh dear, you've brought me to a godforsaken place where only old people come for tea. No one will recognize us here."

Joseph rolled his eyes, letting out an exasperated sigh as Aesop nervously turned his spoon in his coffee to dilute the sugar that had probably been melting for a century now.

"Remind me his name again?" the blue-eyed one asked.

"Eli... Eli Clark."

"Hmm... Honestly, I think you should just go for it."

"What if he doesn't see me that way?" the other one replied, looking to the side.

"You won't know until you try."

"Easy to say coming from you."

Aesop looked down at the black liquid in his cup when suddenly the ringtone of a cell phone interrupted their conversation. It was Joseph's and he took it out of his pocket before tapping something on it with his thumbs. The blue-eyed man then smiled, which intrigued his friend sitting opposite him.

Joseph then stood up as he slung his jacket over his shoulder, finishing the rest of his latte in one gulp and leaving his share of the bill on the table.

"Are you leaving?" asked Aesop.

"Mhm. I have a date with someone. It's better than spending the afternoon with a single guy."

"Tsk, that Jack again I bet?"

"We should have a double date with your boyfriend sometime!"

"He's not-!"

Unfortunately, Joseph had already left the coffee shop laughing before the gray-eyed one could finish his sentence, the poor man now finding himself alone at his table with a terribly embarrassed look on his face.

His 'boyfriend'...

He let out a sigh as he took a sip of his coffee.

"If only..."

Aesop let out a grunt of frustration, getting a few glances from the customers sitting further away, this was going nowhere and he shouldn't have asked Joseph of all people for advice.

He paid the rest and decided to go home, that was enough time out for today and as for his 'problem', he would figure it out when he would see the one concerned in class the next day.

That was the plan.

"Hello, Aesop!"

A blue-eyed brunet gave him a smile to die for before putting down his bag and settling down right next to him and for a moment, so mesmerized by the beauty of the latter, Aesop almost failed to answer him like any normal person would.

"Good morning, Eli..."

For the duration of the class, Aesop was unable to concentrate on what the professor was saying, too busy glancing discreetly at Eli, Joseph's words echoing in his mind each time like some kind of hellish alert.

Finally, the hour ended without the student having written much down on his class sheet, and as he was about to leave for lunch, a hand coming to rest on his shoulder made him flinch.

"E-Eli?"

"I'm sorry I startled you," he said, withdrawing his hand with an awkward look. "I just wanted to know if I had done anything that might have displeased you because I saw that you kept looking at me during class..."

Oh goodness, was he that undiscreet? If possible, he would have liked to hide in a hole a hundred meters under the ground and never come out, but that was unfortunately impossible. What could he possibly say to him so that the other would not get the wrong idea?

"N-No... It's not your fault, don't worry about it."

"Really? Good then!" A bright smile played on his lips, making the other's heart flutter uncontrollably. "I'm relieved, I must admit Aesop, I sometimes worry that you don't like me..."

Eli's smile seemed to sadden for a second and a sudden wave of confidence came over the gray-haired one, feeling that he had to clarify this point that was far from reality.

"Not at all!"

The two men both displayed a surprised look, each unaccustomed to hearing the young student raise his voice like that.

"I-I mean," he resumed with scarlet cheeks. "I don't hate you...on the contrary."

"O-Oh, I see."

Ahh, the situation seemed to be getting worse with each passing minute and the atmosphere between them was now terribly awkward.

"Well, if that's all, I'll leave you."

Aesop tried to run away but Eli held him back by the arm, looking just as shocked as he did at his gesture.

"Um, Aesop, if you're free, would you like to do something this weekend?"

The gray-eyed man widened his eyes. He would be grateful if someone could pinch him because he couldn't believe what was happening.

"You mean..."

"Like... a date?"

The brown-haired man sounded uncertain at his own words, the red beginning to show on his cheeks as well.

"J-just you and me?"

"Ah-! If it bothers you, forget what I just said-!"

"No-! Um... I'd be delighted."

Aesop sketched a weak smile and Eli chuckled in response, more relieved now.

"Perfect! I have to go somewhere right now, but we'll talk via text?"

"Alright."

Eli gave him one last wave before exiting the lecture hall, Aesop doing the same before sitting back down in his chair when the other disappeared from his sight. What could he have gone through in his previous life for things to be going so well now. He had not expected it at all and the weight on his shoulders had also been lifted, he would even let a tear fall but there was no need to resort to that.

At last, somewhere else on campus, someone else seemed to have ridden an emotional roller coaster too.

"I did it, I asked him, Norton."

Eli was sitting on a bench with another dark-haired student, his hands hiding the smile he couldn't make vanish.

"So?"

"He said yes. Can you believe it? He said yes..."

"Well done, Prince Charming. I won't have to hear you talk about it now I hope."

Eli laughed, ignoring his best friend's last sentence, his mind only imagining the faint smile that rarely appeared on Aesop's face.

He had finally asked for a real date with the latter, not a group outing or for homework but a real date only with his beautiful Apollo.

He had been watching Aesop ever since he saw him at the first day of school meeting and now that he had finally accomplished his goal, he was eagerly waiting for the week to end so he could see him face to face.