Prompt: College Library AU! Wheatley is studying in the library for an exam when a young lady catches his eye in an… unexpected way.

Studying was boring as all hell. And Wheatley knew that sensation all too well. The sinking feeling that began to crush you as you realized no amount of studying would ever prepare you for that exam meant to trick you and merely test your memorization of facts rather than the application of a problem.

At least, that's what Craig complained about all the time. Even though he was really good at that memorizing bit that Wheatley was so horrible at – which was why he'd found himself in the library that day, fully intending to study his brain to the max, get lots of sleep, and hope that it all worked out for the exam.

It might work.

But he was bored. Books had so much tiny text, and he was trying not to study from his laptop because then he would inevitably go onto Twitter and check up on his never-ending feed.

So, his brain found another distraction. There was a single thud! from left, and Wheatley turned to see what was causing it. Had a book fallen? A person? A parrot dressed in a poncho and earmuffs?

Dismissing the last one as a ridiculous notion, he instead saw a female student reaching up a tall bookshelf. She was about a shelf and a half shy of where she might've been reaching.

When she started to jump again, she had Wheatley's full attention. He watched her with intense curiosity as she leaped at the book, fingers just beginning to brush shelf but unable to hook her fingers around the book itself.

And then she backed up towards him, and looked left and right.

A stool? Wheatley began to glance around for one, but when the squeal of sneakers came from her direction, he whipped his head back around and saw her break into a dash at the shelf, jumping at the last moment in an act of parkour to grab the book.

It didn't relent. She couldn't squeeze her fingers between the tightly packed volumes and instead of giving up, she tried that same method again.
Wheatley couldn't bear it after a third time, especially when she nearly walked a step up the vertical surface of the shelf and nearly had it! He almost began to cheer for her, but refrained from doing so while she took one more running leap and her fingers pulled it out a little bit further…!

He couldn't take it anymore. Pushing his chair back with a squeak, Wheatley walked over past the young lady and easily reached up to the book.

"Is this the one you want?"

She stared at him with silent eyes, which seemed to be looking him over. He couldn't tell if he had done a good thing or a bad thing, and her piercing gaze really didn't tell him either or.

"I had it."

The mumble was quiet, but Wheatley heard it all the same. She silently took the book and sat back down at her table, one away from his own. Wheatley stood by awkwardly, expecting a glance, smile, or thank you, but none came.

…So he just went and sat back down, casting glances at her while she flicked through the book, doing a massive pile of work while he struggled to remain focused on his material due to his constant pattern of looking up every thirty seconds at the girl across the way.

The girl across the way, however, was drowning herself in her studies due to embarrassment. She had been noticed! By another person! She hadn't seen him when she looked around to find a spot; and nobody ever came this far back in the library, anyway! That was why she liked being back here.

Oh, well. At least he was quiet and… at least kind. She was so close to that book! And that… goober with an innocent smile and good heart had to get it for her!

She resisted the urge to slam her head into the book before her in shame and embarrassment.

Wheatley wanted his candy bar.

And it was tantalizingly stuck right there. The metal spiral was still holding it in the clutches of the machine.

He was going to get it, no matter the cost. Looking left and right to make sure nobody was around, he knelt down before the machine, and proceeding to jam his hand inside, reaching up towards the chocolate sugary snack that was out of his reach. Adjusting his body with a grunt, he began to slide his elbow into the machine, and his fingers were able to brush against the wrapper but unable to grip…!

"Are you stuck there?"

"AHH!" Wheatley proceeded to attempt to pull his arm out of the machine, and found himself stopped. Oh no.

Not wanting to look like he was currently trapped by the jaws of the vending machine, he looked up to the person with a smile.

"Not at all- HEY!" His face brightened when he saw who it was. "Parkour Lady! Yeah, ahaha, not stuck at all, no sir. Everything's perfectly fine. I'm just… getting my candy bar that hasn't been cooperating with me and the money I put into this machine. So, I've decided to try brute force, get it out myself, as it seems to have gotten stuck like myselllllllllll…" He trailed off, realizing that he had been just about to admit his arm felt like it might be slowly losing circulation. "…How's your book? You're an excellent jumper, by the way, fantastic stuff there, you could be in the Olympics…"

But she didn't respond, instead looking at the machine with that same gaze she had given him back in the library. Wheatley had been about to ask if he'd done something wrong, when bam! She kicked the machine!

The bar fell triumphantly from it's prison… and past his hand into the compartment below.

Wheatley was extremely grateful, and made another attempt to pull his hand out of the machine, but still found himself stuck inside the compartment, elbow-deep.

"Here, now let's get you out." She knelt down and began to help slide his arm out, both of them saying different ways to twist it before it finally popped free, and he was able to finally open his chocolate and noticed she was walking away.

"Oi! Not this time!" He chased her down, causing her to pause and turn to see him following her. "I haven't got class for an hour, so I've got a couple questions for you. What's your name, anyway?"

"…Chell."

"I'm Wheatley!" He stuck a hand out and she took it, a tad cautiously, but he did his best to not shake her arm off or anything. In fact, her hand was really delicate, but she gave a good handshake. Her eyes were also really nice, and they were looking at – his chocolate bar!

"Oh!" Wheatley went and broke a piece off, holding it out to her.

"Want a piece of it, luv?"

She was taken aback by the sudden offer, but happily took it, munching on it while looking at Wheatley, who was now going off on a tangent about how his next class was two hours and he wanted something to eat. Chell listened quietly, just taking in his voice and animated expressions he added to all his words.

What a goober. …He has a cute smile.