Teacher training day + new Muse single = bout of creativity. What's that I hear you cry? I already have 20 stories on the go? Yeah, well...I was going to wait a little while to upload this, but I was too excited. You probably won't get another update for a year.

I'm trying something a little different here. Some of the fanfictions I've been reading recently involved a lot more plot and character development than what I'm used to writing, basically treating it like a proper novel but without original characters. So, this is my attempt. Rating shouldn't go very high, most definitely not over 15...I think.

Disclaimer: I do not own Matt or Dom, unfortunately, but this story is from my own ideas woo.

Enjoy ;D

I sifted through the pile of papers resting on my desk, sorting them into two separate piles of application forms and accommodation forms. Glancing to my left, I noticed that Julia had disappeared somewhere without me noticing, so I carefully rolled up the sleeves of my new, crisp white shirt. We didn't have a uniform here, as such, but we were meant to look smart, and I'd managed to spill coffee on my old shirt over the summer.

The fan whirred in the corner of the office and I adjusted the tie wrapped uncomfortably around my neck before continuing with the work in front of me. It was mid-September, the first day back for students of Kent University, and it was expected to be busy. Which meant 'Rise and Shine, Dominic, you've got a long day ahead of you!' Or at least, that's what I said to myself. I'm somewhat a loner, living by myself in a small house just outside the Canterbury campus. I moved away from my parents' house as soon as I turned eighteen, suffocated by their rules, and bought myself a small place with a friend from school. However, things turned ugly with us and he moved away, leaving me by myself in a house meant for two. Not only is it a struggle to keep paying the bills on my meagre salary, but it's always empty in the house. I don't have anybody to greet when I walk in the door, nobody to talk to about my day over dinner or watch late night TV with. I've gotten used to it, though. You do after a while.

As the minute hand gradually inched its way towards the 12, I finished sorting the piles and sighed, resting my elbows on the desk in front of me and placing my head in my hands. The doors opened at eight o'clock, but the first lecture of the day wasn't for another half an hour. The new undergraduates were excused for the first day and were due a tour of the campus after lunch, so most of the work would be in the afternoon. I probably could've slept in for another hour at least. Julia slid into her seat beside me and began tapping away at a computer, her glossy nails getting chipped as she attacked the keys, furiously typing out an email.

"Everything alright?" I asked her as she pursed her lips and scanned the email she'd already finished.

"Dr Cannon said that the equipment isn't working in his room," she replied, sending the email and swivelling her chair towards me. She ran a hand through her straight blonde hair. "The tech staff weren't answering his phone call so of course I had to go down there and see what was wrong. As per usual." A small smile tugged at my lips.

"It's because everyone's heard what a fantastic job you do already. They're looking for the best." She chuckled.

"Enough with the flattery, Dominic, it's only the first day back!" I shrugged. Julia's been working here for years and years and years. I started my job two and a half years ago when her previous work partner left to study Psychology, having earned enough to finally pay the expensive fees, so the opening I'd been waiting for had arrived. Since then, Julia and I have been working together to make sure that all the official documents are recorded, students are turned in the right direction etcetera. Although the head of the campus has his own secretary, Julia ends up doing most of those duties herself. It's in her nature to do everything she can, as she can't even sit down without bouncing her knees up and down with all that spare energy.

She's also my only friend in this whole place. When everything fell apart with Mark, she was there to help me through it, and I think that was when we became friendlier than just workmates.

I heard footsteps heading towards us and I turned to face the front, Julia continuing with her work, to see a young woman inquiring about her room. The next couple of minutes continued like this, more and more students filing in through the big double doors as the pair of us fended off complaints about the accommodation and questioning newcomers who'd gotten a bit lost.

About five minutes before the first lecture was due to start, a young man came up to me. He rested one elbow on the desk and asked me if he could sign in.

"Sure," I told him. "That's kind of a requirement." A small smile flickered across his thin lips as I passed him the sign-in sheet that was already covered in scrawled names and times. He picked up a pen and wrote 'Matthew Bellamy, 8:26' in sloppy handwriting at the bottom of the page in a free space before handing it back.

"Could you tell me where the first lecture is please? I'm on the Astrophysics course, second year, I've got a lecture with Dr Cannon on Nuclear Physics but I've got no idea where I'm supposed to be," he told me, smiling sheepishly. I looked up at him, properly looking at him for the first time, and took in his features. A shock of black hair was arranged messily on his head that contrasted brilliantly with his pale skin. He had cheekbones that could cut glass and a sharp, defined jaw, a slightly crooked nose and piercing blue eyes. I glanced down, trying not to look like I was checking him out, even though I obviously was. I glanced at the timetable pinned to the noticeboard beside me, the schedules overflowing with overlapping lectures, and found his location. He drummed his fingers on the desk impatiently .

"You'll be in Lecture Hall 1. Looks like your course is pretty popular this year."

"Yeah, I guess so. It's a really interesting topic." We both looked at the clock at the same time.

"You'd better hurry before you're too late," I stated.

"Thanks, Mr..." he peered at the badge pinned lazily to my shirt, "Mr Howard." I nodded and watched him walk away, eyes dropping lower than they probably should have. Julia cleared her throat from next to me and I felt my cheeks heat ever so slightly.

"Somebody's got a crush!" she sang, giggling like a schoolgirl.

"I do not!" I insisted, turning back to my work.

"You do, you do, you're blushing!" I shook my head defiantly. "Come on, you have to admit, he was pretty cute." I laughed.

"What about your boyfriend?"

"Doesn't mean I can't look," she replied with a smirk. "And I was thinking more for you, of course."

"Julia, you don't have to try and hook me up with every good-looking guy we see," I sighed.

"So you admit that he's good-looking?"

"I never said that he wasn't, I just said that I don't have a crush on him!" There was a sharp rap on the desk and we both turned to face a line of students, startled. Oops. We both continued with our work, directing the students to their lectures and marking them in on the main register. During a break in the flow of people, I was entering the names into our database when I spied 'Matthew Bellamy' written there. After confirming that he was indeed present for today's session, I clicked on his name, curious. As the page began to load, I spotted a picture of him in the top right corner of the page. In the picture he looked younger, even though it was only taken just over a year ago. His hair was dark brown instead of black, softening his face instead of sharpening it.

On the left, there was a table of data. Matthew Bellamy was only twenty years old and had been since the ninth of June earlier that year. He was studying the Astrophysics and Astronomy course here in the Ingram building. I turned my nose up. Physics had never been my strong point, and especially not Physics that you couldn't see in action. A quick glance at his educational history told me all I needed to know. He was exceptionally intelligent, achieving high grades in a range of subjects, and had a small collection of extra-curricular activities to his name. His personal history, or a summary of it, was also available underneath the details but needed a password to access it. I probably had the password tucked away in one of these drawers but I refrained from using it, instead closing down the page and continuing to mark people in. Matthew's personal history was none of my business.

I turned around to get something and briefly spotted a smirk plastered on Julia's face. It was only there for a split-second, but I knew exactly what it meant. I'd only just met the boy and I was already looking up his details. I squeezed my eyes shut, running a hand through my dishevelled blonde hair and reached for the box of files on the floor. Somehow, I was going to have to get him out of my head. I knew from experience that it was impossible to have an obsession with somebody you can't have, fancying my fair share of straight guys over the years only to be disappointed.

However, this was a new record for me. Our conversation barely lasted five minutes, and Matthew was only asking for my help. Nothing wonderful, nothing profound about it at all. Just like any other student that passes here every single day of the year. And yet, somehow, completely different to all of them.