Chapter 3: The key elements to a successful meeting

Alfred stayed up late to prepare himself for the next chemistry class, only going to bed after Kiku threw a pillow at his head (he was sharing a small apartment—existing of three rooms and shared bathroom with other apartments—with his BFF to make the rent less of a worry). While he usually stumbled into class only a second before the professor began teaching (or sometimes after it), he was present at exactly twenty-four minutes before the lecture would commence that day. Anything to make a good impression on his beloved sexy piece of man. Since Ivan wasn't there yet, he put on a coat and safety goggles (good thing he had contacts for these occasions) and decided to wander through the room for a little while.

This university spent quite a lot of money on their chemistry program, for which Alfred was glad. While he was actually going for a degree in astronomy, chemistry was definitely one of his favourite subjects (and not only because Ivan was there). He hoped to work for NASA someday, who knows, maybe even go to space as an astronaut. (Insert dreamy sigh.)

The blond was just testing out a Bunsen burner when Ivan walked into the classroom. Alfred froze, as if caught doing something bad, but Ivan walked straight to the front of the room to drop off his bags without sparing a single glance his direction. Alfred quickly turned the burner back off and skidded to his new lab partner.

It was only when he was standing on the opposite side of the desk that Ivan seemed to become aware of his presence. His shoulders hunched back instinctively, and those (amazing lovely beautiful gorgeous) eyes of his snapped to Alfred's figure. Once he had established an absence of any danger, his gaze slowly sauntered back to the schedule he had been reading.

"…You actually came here earlier than me. I am…impressed."

Alfred felt like doing a little tap dance at being complimented like that, but managed to keep it in his pants. "Yeah, you told me to be here on time, so…yeah." Mmmmh, did that sound a little too fanboyish? …Nah.

Ivan nodded absentmindedly. "All right then. You go grab an Erlenmeyer, then we can set up the experiment professor Munch wants to conduct today."

Alfred bounded to the cabinet happy like a kid who got to see his dad again on Christmas after thinking for five years he'd died–or something. Ivan was praising him! Ivan was ordering him around! Ivan was going to bend him over a table and fuck him raw–well maybe not today, but if he could let their relationship progress in such high spirits, that was definitely a possible future! Alfred bit his lip to keep in a sudden hysterical giggle, hoping the blush didn't show on his face. He was such a romantic soul.

While he got the equipment ready, Ivan put on a lab coat as well. Alfred hoped to catch a flash of naked skin, but he was once again wearing a thick turtleneck that completely concealed any bit of godlike pale marble. The boy wasn't going to let that discourage him however, since he finally had Ivan all to himself for at least ten more minutes!

"So, Ivan. That's a Russian name, right?"

He shrunk a little when Ivan looked at him like he was a moron, but kept the smile on his face. To show your enemy–or love interest in this case–you were afraid, was to surrender. And dammit, he'd only just begun! Surrendering now just wasn't an option.

"…Da," Ivan allowed, deciding he could humour his new assistant now that everything was set up. "Did you have to think hard to figure that out?"

Alfred's eye twitched, his smile growing a little strained. Ivan wasn't going to make this easy on him. But Alfred loooooved a challenge. Game on, Braginsky.

"Well no, but I figured it'd be a nice conversation starter. I can now see that was the wrong thing to think," he said light-heartedly, leaning forward on the desk. It could have been his imagination, but Alfred swore he could see the other smirk at that.

"And I suppose you have a very American name?"

Alfred blinked. Had he…had he forgotten to introduce himself? Ivan really didn't know his name? …Really? His back snapped taut as he shot off the desk, and his right hand was plunged forward. "Alfred F. Jones at your service!"

Ivan looked coolly at his hand, then at his face. He didn't shake his hand. "Do not think simply because you were here on time that this means I like you now. Perhaps if you had made yourself more noticeable before…"

"But I always sit in the first row during chemistry!" His mouth snapped shut when Ivan frowned, blush finally breaking through. If Ivan were to find out he sat there to watch him… Ah shit, he must know now! About Alfred desperately wanting to work with Ivan, sitting in front of the room, blushing when he mentioned it…the signs were all there. Ivan had to notice–

"Like I said," Ivan continued, letting his gaze wander through the room, supported by an utterly bored expression, "I would have noticed you had you made yourself noticeable. Which means you do not perform well in the classes, which means you are not worth my time. And even if you were–I did not come to this university to look for a partner, but to look for a job. So just do what I tell you to do and stop wasting my time."

Alfred deflated at the exact same moment Ivan turned away from him and the first students began filing into the room. Ivan had no idea who he was. Not only that, he apparently thought he was just some slacker not even worth bothering with. His idol thought extremely lowly of him…

The professor entered last-minute, apologising for getting stuck in traffic. He thanked Ivan for getting everything ready for him, and smiled in surprise when he found Alfred there as well. By the time he began his class, Alfred had made a decision.

He was going to make himself worth Ivan's time. He was going to start working super hard, prove himself worthy of being noticed. He was going to earn Ivan's attention, and then they were finally going to have their real first date! In the name of science, Ivan would be his before the year was out!