A/N: Hey! This fic is heavily based/inspired on the wonderful College AU art by charliekaye on Tumblr! Seriously tho, please check out charliekaye on tumblr if ya haven't, their art is so nice holy shit...

Also here's the post that inspired me to write this please look... post/160412416297/everyone-listen-open-ur-eyes-luke-never-died )

Slight warning, Jane's got a potty mouth and she takes every chance she gets to poke jabs at Luke's lil crush and gets a lil nasty with it, be warned.

I: Sweet Talk and Awful Blushes

"Where're we goin' again?"

"Oh, you'll see- cover your eyes, asshole ."

Luke let out a mild groan of annoyance, covering his eyes with one hand as he gripped on Jane's shoulder with the other. His face screwed slight as they walked, Jane trying to keep a quick pace but going a little too fast for him to keep up. The field had been seemingly untouched by any human influence. Grass grew to his hips here, just a little bit away from the college he attended, and rocks of all sorts jutted out from the dirt. It made him uneasy that he didn't know where he was going, even more so when his foot got caught on a rock and he was nearly sent tumbling into the ground. And, seeing that he had Jane in an iron grip, he'd nearly take her toppling down with him, which resulted in both of them grunting in annoyance.

"Fuck, Jane ." He cursed. "C'mon, can't I look for just a second?"

" No ." She hissed. "Just hush . We're almost there."

"You said that 10 minutes-"

" Luke ."

"Damn, fine!"

He pressed his lips together as they continued their trek. Eventually, he felt the grass getting lower, and then soon nonexistent. And then, the ground growing even and softer. He swallowed hard. Where were they?

The early February air was warm for the time of year, and you could easily wear a long sleeve without any need for a sweater. It felt good, honestly, and gave him leeway to wear more comfortable and light items in the college's wide and hot studio. He couldn't always wrap his sweaters around his waist- given the mess he'd always make with the media and the fact that he was never keen with aprons- so this was all a welcomed change.

Of course, he knew it was only temporary, and that they'd be getting a snowstorm at any time. That was just good ol' North Carolina weather.

Suddenly, a sharp metallic hit sounded through the air. Something heavy and hard slamming against something smaller. Luke bit his lips.

"Jane, you ain't takin' me to somewhere just to get me killed, are ya?"

" Well ..."

The sound got closer and louder as they walked, and the eventually it became clearer. A whirring, and a hit, metal fencing jingling up above, and then a soft 'fuck yes'.

His guts twisted in the worst of ways. Oh, Luke knew the voice.

" Jane, what the fuck ?!" Luke instant jerked away. Opening his eyes wide, he got a good view of the person they were coming out to meet.

Javier García seemed all too focused on the practice he did in solo right now, bearing an intense yet seemingly uncaring look. Well, it wasn't so much as uncaring, more or less he seemed... confident. Yeah, that was the word. Javier lined his body up for the perfect swing, as always, and when the ball came at him he swung. The movement was almost divine, Luke thought, a little too graceful and calculated to be mortal . Every swing Javier swung was the perfect swing, In Luke's eyes.

Jesus. He looked over at Jane with mildly angry yet giddy eyes, and she had that smug ass look to her face.

"Jane-"

"Hey, don't get mad with me." She held her hands up, chuckling. "This actually wasn't my idea to take you out here, stupid."

He stared at her, a little dumbstruck. He opened his mouth to ask who's it was, but it was obvious who's idea it was.

"Hey, pretty boy, are you gonna join me in here or what?" The man in the batting cage called towards the pair, a grin to his voice.

Oh, man . Luke's cheek's were hot, and by the look Jane was handing him it was most likely dusted with a rosy blush too.

"God, you've got the worst thing for this dude, don't you?" She laughed as she ushered him towards the door to the cage. "Try to keep it in your pants, Luke, okay?"

"Sh- Shut up, Jane. " He hissed out shakily. Luke's heart was running wild in his chest, and he felt butterflies in his stomach. Jane wasn't wrong when she said that. She wasn't wrong at all, but she wasn't exactly right either. Saying he had a thing for Javier García seemed like a gross oversimplification. Luke had had a thing for someone before. A lingering interest, something small. This ? This wasn't small.

"Break a leg, Luke." Jane pushed him to the door, offering him a half assed thumbs up before stepping back. "Don't choke."

He swallowed dryly, adjusting the strap to his satchel before nervously heading in.

Javier wasn't in his batting position anymore, a hand balancing on the upright bat for support and the other resting on his hip. He had his head cocked to the side, a soft smirk planted on his face. His chin and jawline were dusted with dark facial hair, and what skin he'd exposed was glistened with sweat.

Boy, howdy, was he quite the fuckin' man.

"C'mon," Javier chuckled and nodded for him to come closer. "I don't bite too much, pretty boy, I promise. I just... wanna talk for a bit."

Pretty boy? Don't lose it , Luke thought to himself, don't lose it . "A-Alright.." He looked the other over again, eventually working up the energy to walk forward. God, Luke wasn't as charming as he was years ago. Back in high school, he was quite the fox. Now? He wasn't so smooth. At least, not with men. "So... what do you wanna talk about?"

Javier looked him over as well, smirking. "First, names." He picked his bat up and went over to rest it on the metal fencing. "What's yours? I can't call you pretty boy forever."

"I don't think I'd mind bein' called that." Luke looked away sheepishly

"Pretty boy?"

Luke choked out a little chuckle. "Least it's pretty boy and not somethin' stupid."

"Alright, fair enough." Javier nodded. "But, still, I wanna know your name."

"U-Uh... Luke."

"Luke...?" He looked back with a tilt of his head.

"Porter."

" Porter ." He exhaled his name with a wag of his finger following. "Ah, shoulda figured."

"Why's that?"

"Well-" Javier motioned to his satchel. "Your bag's covered in paint, and there's this Luke Porter guy from the art studio that they're always talking about around campus." He snorted. "I shoulda put two and two together."

"Ooh." Luke mused. He then frowned. "Wait, people talk about me?"

"Around the visual arts department? Oh yeah." He motioned for Luke to follow him as he started to walk around around the baseball diamond. "Don't be shy, the machine's out of ammo so you won't get hit."

He's hesitant, struggling to will his legs to work again. Eventually he managed to get his weak knees to let him go forward. As they walked, Luke kept a firm grasp on the strap of his satchel.

"Sooo.. I'm guessing you know my name."

"Javier García. You play for the college baseball team, right?" He looked back at the bat and then at Javier. He's wearing his jersey still, the school's team emblem printed in bold there.

Javier looked at him in a bit of surprise. "Yeah." He looked away and smiled. "But, my friends call me Javi."

Javi .

Luke let the name bounce around in his head and tries not to melt in on himself.

Javier cuts the quiet. "So, Luke, you into baseball?"

Luke opens his mouth and then looked away. "'M not for or against it, I guess?" Luke said honestly, but in a joking manner. "Not really my cup of coffee, I guess. Why?"

"Not really your cup of coffee ." Javier laughed. "I've heard cup of tea, but not cup of coffee. Is that a local joke that I'm not getting?"

"O-Oh, uh, not really." Luke rubbed his neck and laughed along nervously. "I'm a barista at the cafe, so it's kind of a runnin' joke between us..."

"I think it's pretty cute." Javier was full of smiles it seemed. He tosses him another warmed look, soon turning around to face him and walk backwards. " Well, I'm asking because I've seen you lingering around the College baseball stadium during team practice. Always sitting by the bleachers, just watching." He shrugged. "I figured you liked baseball because of that. Seems like you're more of a lurker, huh?"

Ah, shit . Luke smothered down a small groan of irritation at himself. Christ, he wasn't subtle or discreet, was he?

"Y-Yeah, I just... uh.." Shit. Shit. Luke rubbed his neck and shrugged. "It's a cool hangout spot, y'know?"

"I guess ." Javier seemed unbelieving of his lie. "I mean, I can't complain. Watching the art students do their thing is pretty nice." He sighed. "The way they just move their hands... and somehow it all comes out perfect."

"'S not always perfect." Luke spoke. "The details are a pain in the ass to get right, trust me. Takes weeks for most of us to just get part of it done right."

"Well, to someone who doesn't have a good eye for details?" Javier folded his arms. "It looks pretty damn perfect to me."

Ohh, God . Luke swallowed hard, having that weirdly giddy look on his face. It seemed like playing cool wasn't his strong suit.

"S-so," He looked away, face still hot. "Is this all you wanted to talk about?"

Javier shrugged. "Well, no." He looked behind him to Jane, who was watching them idly from behind the chain link fence. "Why? You giddy to leave?"

"N-Nah, I'm just..." He cleared his throat.

"Anxious?" Javier tilted his head.

"K-Kinda."

"Don't be. I told you, I don't bite much." He tried to reassure with a hint of playfulness there. "And, well, what I wanted to talk with you about is something more school-wise, but- hey- figured since you're here I might as well chat you up a little."

"R-Right." Luke felt a little more at ease, but his heart still fluttered like he was around his childhood crush. Which, in a sense, Javier was exactly that. Javier was... the first crush he'd actually had. He'd liked girls, had things for them and flings. But... never had he had a crush on someone. Not to this degree.

"So, just a little more on the sweet talking." Javier clasped his hands together. "What're you majoring in? Minoring?"

"Well, you're quite the curious fellow." Luke felt himself relax with a soft chuckle. "Majorin'? Uh.. Art History. I'm mostly doin' Studio Art right now, though, not much of the history part." He shrugged. "I'm minorin' in agriculture. Just to make the old man happy, y'know?"

" Yeesh , agriculture?" He tilted his head. "Your dad's into planting, I assume?"

"Farmin', uh, yeah." He nodded. "Thinks an Art degree won't get me anywhere. Agriculture is the right way to go with him."

"Daaamn, that's rough." Javier groaned. "I'd think now more than ever Art could get you places. Well... I'm thinking animation, really, but comic book art is pretty nice too."

"Y'think?" Luke smiled. "Well, I'm not really an animatin' man. More or less I'm just... uh.. A painter."

"I could tell."

"Paintin' don't really pay the bills though."

"Hey," Javi smirked. "With that minor in agriculture, you won't be a starving artist now, huh?"

That earned a laugh and then an obnoxiously loud snort from Luke, who covered his mouth after realizing he let that slip.

"Did you just snort ?" The baseball player grinned and then laughed. "Christ, you're cuter in person than you are on the bleachers, Luke."

"You think I'm cute?"

"Yeah. Like a small puppy." He looked behind him, along the diamond they walked in circles on. "Well... Let me just jump to the point real fast so I don't waste anymore of your time."

Luke inhaled shakily. Uh-oh.

"Luke, are you any good in Math?"

Luke is taken aback by the question. "Math? Well, sort of. I passed Calc, if that's what you're askin'."

"As long as you didn't fail it, that's fine by me." Javier rubbed his hands together. "I need help with it. Any help at all. Like, tutoring."

"Tutorin'?"

"Yeah. I'm uh... not doing too good there." He reached back to rub his neck guiltily.

"Don't you have any other friends who could help?" It wasn't a challenge or said in a way to turn Javi down. But... he was genuinely curious.

"Well, no... actually I don't. I have friends but the only one proficient in math is pissed with me to hell and back." He laughed nervously, something Luke hadn't really heard out of him. "Tripp's into mechanical stuff and engineering, but I'm kind of on his bad side right now.."

"Ah.."

"That, and everything about you kind of screamed studious from afar."

Luke Porter? Studious? He can't help but snort again. "Now you're just bein' an ass kisser."

"Well, they don't call me Javier 'ass kisser' García for nothing." Javier gives him a playful look. "So, what do you say? Hell, I'll do anything for you in return."

Luke is quiet for a second, blood rushing through him loud and fast. The answer was obvious. "''Course I'll help, Javi, but... I don't really want anythin' in return."

The other seemed surprised and then he groaned. " What ? Dude, I can't do that." He held his hands out pleadingly. "I have to do something in return in order for this to work out. It doesn't feel right to not do it like that."

"Well, helpin' you out is a reward in itself." He doesn't realize that he's said it until it's too late again. Shit. His face is hotter than the sun now, and even Javier's face reddens slightly.

"I-Is that so?" There's a little bit of embarrassment in his expression, fluster apparent in his body language. Luke feels like an idiot. "Well... I still can't take that. It has to be something I can do besides being myself."

Luke grips at the straps to his satchel again. "I-I.. W-Well... Uh.." He pressed his lips together. "How about I tutor you and I think on it?"

"Think on it?"

"Yeah. Once finals roll around I'll have an idea of a payment."

"Now, that makes me anxious, ha..." Javi looked to the side. He's quiet for a moment, running a hand through his hair. "Hm... Alright. No surprises, though, okay?"

Luke nodded. "Sure."

The baseball player smiled and then nodded towards the door to the cage. "Alright. Since I dragged you and your friend out here, why don't I treat you two to Pizza or something? Or maybe we could hit the cafe..."

"The Cafe sounds good." Luke perked up. "I have uh... discounts there?"

"Oh, fuck yeah." Javi grinned. He went over to pick up his bat. "I'll hit the showers after this. Hope the cafe doesn't mind the stench of sweat."

"We've smelt worse."

"That's a relief." Javi looked over at the machine. "Ah, wait, shit, lemme go clean that up." He started towards it. "I'll be back in a sec!"

Luke smiles "Take your time!" He calls back. His legs are weak again, knees shivery, and his neck tingling with anxiety and exhilaration. Not only had he talked to Javier García, he had managed to get onto a somewhat friendly level with him. And now? He would be actually helping him. He walked back, his body gently hitting the chainlink fence as he exhaled a dreamy sigh. Oh wow . Not even 30 minutes and now he'd be seeing Javier almost regularly, talking to him regularly...

"Hey, jackass!" Jane came up to the chainlink fence, grinning wide. "How'd it go? Are you two gonna head back to your dorms and bump uglies?"

"What? J-Jane, God, no... "

"C'mon, Luke, you know you'd love that." She teased. "Rolling around like two frisky teens, making the bed creak and all that shit."

"Jane , stop. "

" Ohhhhh, Mr. García, let's do it and make beautiful little babies together. Mwah, mwah, mwah. " Jane pushed at him from behind the fence and laughed at her own impersonation of Luke.

Luke covered his face and let out a muffled noise. "J-Jesus, Jane, quit it! I don't sound like that!"

"You do too." She backed away, grinning. "Jokes aside, what'd he call you here for?"

"A tutorin' agreement."

"You two didn't talk and laugh like that just for some tutoring agreement." She folded her arms. "But, I'll try to believe that to save you the embarrassment."

He groaned. Eventually Javier came running back.

"Alright. Coffee on me?"

"Oooh~." Jane mused, wiggling her eyebrows at Luke.

" Jane ." Luke hissed through grit teeth.

Javi looked between the two of them, a brow raised. "Am I missing something, or...?"

"I-It's nothin"!" Luke looked over at him quickly. "L-Let's head to the Cafe."

Javier stood there with a bit of a perplexed look on him. Eventually he eased and laughed. "Alright, pretty boy." He put the bat over his shoulder and gently ushered him forward with a hand pressed against the curve of Luke's spine. "Let's get going."

The contact sent shivers all through the art student, his lips curving into a giddy smile.

Jane shook her head at him as they both came out. "Christ, you're such a mess." She muttered softly.

Thank you for reading! Stay tuned for the next chapter!