Title: Mirrored but different
Summary: "I would ask what you are studying but judging from the book I can't seem to decide if you are a KGB spy or a simple lit fanatic." Sometimes beginnings can be a bit different…better. Chuck/Sarah AU Stanford era story
-oo-
With a pen tucked in neatly behind his ear and a bright yellow marker in hand Chuck read through the script from his programing methodology class with interest and enthusiasm only a first-year student could have. It wasn't until the first signs of a neck cramp started to creep up on him that he finally looked up taking in the seemingly endless green fields, filled with students lounging around, chatting, studying or using the nice weather and the open space for a game of catch.
Baseball was never really his thing which he could blame on his absent dad or more likely his best friend Morgan who introduced him to games of a different kind that he quickly fell in love with, the ones with (digital) troll's and other such creatures. Speaking of impossible quests an afternoon outside seemed like one for him more often than not. People have tried, his sister in particular but even she let him be after a while, seeing as he found the book on C++ more amusing then a gathering that she organized specifically for him.
Yet here he was enjoying the sunny afternoon with a cup of coffee and a few books (you can take the nerd out of the dorms...). Maybe it was because here at Stanford he was among his pears so to speak or maybe the 2 by 2 dorm room was starting to smother him especially with his roommate interrupting his studying every two minutes with inane questions.
The simple route of getting to Stanford was a given for him, if he managed to ace his goals. The scholarship that gave him this opportunity demanded high standards, but that was better than no standards at all. Otherwise he would be spending his time at Buy More for the foreseeable future and he just didn't want to be that kind of a disappointment for Ellie.
So, putting on a brave face he had managed his first few days here. He found the dorm, along with the classical case of jocks that seemed to inhabit this place. Of course, he ended up sharing his dorm with the said jock and it didn't really surprise him that it turned out that way.
Most of the students around him found a kindred spirit to connect to, but he was lacking a bit in that department. Sure, he was a friendly person, one that managed to find company and be accepted into anyone's social circle when he tried just a little, but that was not what he meant.
He needed a true friend, someone who knew more about the small details of his intricate and rather impressive ability to memorize all things nerd and wasn't be afraid to share the same with him. To connect on their values, not what the social circle demanded of them and until he found that someone, he will be happy just sitting on the campus bench observing people around him.
It was moments like these that he missed his best friend from back home, just to share the small tidbits about his new environment and geek out over the cool technology and sheer size of the library that was at his disposal. Sadly, not many would appreciate that.
Still, he enjoyed the time here, the freedom and the sense of finally moving forward. Making all that hard work Ellie did to raise them both, raise him and it mean something. This was a perfect place to ensure that their future doesn't turn out like their childhood.
Suddenly he felt a presence next to him, as he was so lost in his thoughts, he simply didn't notice what was happening around him. But there, next to him, was the most fascinating individual he had ever laid his eyes on. Her entire presence was contradicting and he found it fascinating.
At first sight, the messy hair and thick glasses with a pencil placed to her lips to reveal the braces would be off putting to many, but not him. Because he noticed that her stature was that of someone who was active - all upright and proper. It was quite obvious she did sports, or at least spent time in the gym. Also, he could see by the way her eyes drifted over a page that she was aware and alert of everything around her. All of that combined made him conclude she was a highly intelligent and capable individual despite her attempt to hide her beauty behind a carefully constructed mask.
"You know it is rude to stare," she said and the next thing he knew was that the pair of the most beautiful eyes he had seen was staring at him with annoyance and he just couldn't seem to form a sentence, which only served to encourage her.
"What, suddenly the cat got your tongue?"
Wiping his sweaty palms on his jeans and feeling the texture beneath his fingers calmed him for a bit and he looked towards his stack of books just to avoid the piercing gaze, before gathering some courage and replaying.
"Yeah sorry about that, I tend to space out. Genetic defect I'm afraid."
She regarded him in a curious fashion as if assessing his approach before giving him a thin smile and entertaining a rebuff of her own.
"Really, I couldn't tell. I thought it was either the glasses or the braces that got you so weirded out."
He quickly made a gesture with his hands to negate her claim. You see his hands had a mind of their own from time to time and always tended to try to speak for him. That mostly ended up looking like a rather silly cartoonish gesture and mostly people stayed away from him afterwards.
"No, no! I think you are beautiful, braces and all."
Aaand he also tended to put his foot in his mouth a lot. He had a whole list of people of opposite sex who were the witnesses to the said phenomenon and all of them tended to make that their last outing with him. Really, he couldn't blame them.
She was different, because a full-blown laugh escaped her and he was speechless once more. For a person who prided himself that he could talk the legal department to death, this was a rather peculiar instance.
She still smiled at him as brightly as before and he had an urge to turn around to check if it was maybe someone else behind him that was having the actual conversation with her while he was cutting in the middle like the usual weirdo.
"Whoa, didn't expect that I got to say."
But still she was there and demanding his attention with her presence alone. He was surprised that the entire campus wasn't just there to give her that attention. It was like he stumbled on a holy grail. A person so beyond his expectations that he suspected he was on hidden camera and any minute now someone will pop the bubble.
Perhaps he should spend less time in his head and more in the reality he concluded, choosing to enjoy this moment and take it in for as long as it lasts.
"What can I say, I mostly tend to babble until the person is so put-off that they get too scared and move away, preferably onto another planet."
Her smile didn't wane as she regarded him with warm eyes and a relaxed demeanor.
"Still I think I'll take my chances with you rather than aliens."
He couldn't help but give her his full-blown smile. Here he was with someone sharing his real self, if only in small doses and they were not leaving. And even if he failed to notice her eyes observing him with honest interest or a slight blush that tinted her cheeks, he could feel his own cheeks stretch into a smile and that was a feeling he hasn't had in a while.
So, he took a chance. Extending his hand towards her to shake he said, "I'm Chuck."
She looked at him in disbelief and he rushed to explain, "My parents were sadists."
The warm smile never left her face as she extended her own hand to place in his. The jolt that followed almost made him jump from the bench. It was as if his whole body short circuited and was jolted back to life in a matter of seconds. Or was it longer? He let go of her hand slowly, realizing this handshake lasted longer then was probably appropriate.
"Well it is nice to meet you Chuck. I'm Sarah."
Even her name was lovely and if he said that aloud he was pretty sure she would throttle him, because to his lanky body she seemed much stronger than him. A wet noodle he was, there was no denying the simple fact.
"I would ask what you are studying but judging from the book I can't seem to decide if you are a KGB spy or a simple lit fanatic."
She only shook her head at his antics before answering.
"Actually, I am into foreign languages and I am a lit major so it goes hand in hand. This is Tolstoy by the way."
He glanced at the giant book before saying, "By the size of it I knew it had to be Russian."
She only nodded in return before glancing at his stack of books and he could sense her question. He scratched the bag off his head, because his love for technology and computers always had him on the back foot with other people.
"Ah computer science and advanced development with a smidge of programming jammed in it. I like to dabble in it from time to time."
Instead of the usual cluelessness he saw a rather impressed Sarah staring back at him.
"Good to know I'm not the only one enthusiastic about five hundred-page books. Aren't you full of surprises?"
He laughed because that was what he was thinking about her.
"Ah I obviously have too much free time on my hands seeing as my social life here has been so very eventful. You know how freshman love to spend their time playing CoD or writing their own version of Zork."
"You do have a very busy life."
"Oh yeah, so busy that I didn't even get to explore this place so far, mostly being focused on getting my classes and work done, so I don't fall back later."
She nodded along and stood up taking a deep breath before looking down at him. She really was something else.
"Friends then?"
He could only nod and turn towards her in wonder.
"Are you sure?"
She nodded and turned around to look over the small park. Then she turned to look at him with a smile and a quirked eyebrow.
"We shook on it, right?"
He could only nod and as her hand extended to him - he was baffled that after all he had found someone, he could share his experience with.
"Show me around?"
The smile didn't leave her face and he extended his hand towards her, his body already making the decision for him as per usual. He couldn't help but agree, already wanting to know everything about this enigma before him. She pulled him with her with no effort and he was convinced that she really was a kickass ninja, who came here to infiltrate the clueless residents.
As they walked along, he couldn't help but say, "There is more to you than meets the eye, that much I got."
She only glanced at him from the side, she was pretty tall but as per usual not many came to his height. She was just right though.
"You have no idea."
Before he could stop himself, he said, "But I would like to find out, if you'll allow me."
She only turned to look at him with a beaming smile he couldn't help but return.
"So, tell me about yourself Chuck, where are you from?"
Soon he was a giant animated noodle as Sarah laughed beside him in disbelief as he told her about his friend Morgan, sister Elle and Captain Awesome. For once he didn't feel like a sore thumb sticking out in the crowd of students. Actually, he didn't even notice any of them because it seemed he has found the right person to share this new experience with.
What they both failed to notice was that their hands were still interlocked and wouldn't let go, for a long, long time.
"So, wait, you call him Captain Awesome?"
The laughter was infectious and he enjoyed every second of it.
"Yeah everything he does is awesome… flossing…"
Her laughter echoed through the Stanford campus waking the curiosity of the occasional student they'd pass who'd look at the smiling twosome and never once think, there they are - the two people who never knew where to fit in finally found that they were the perfect fit for each other.
But they have. And they were.
The end.