Love and Logic

Temple of Love

A/N: I researched bone structure for this, any skeletal enthusiasts feel free to make corrections. Also character's thoughts will be italicized.
⚠️warning: s*xual harassment (never done by herb!)

Going to Miskatonic as an art student was what Y/N had wanted for her entire life.

The prestigious institution allowed her a full-ride scholarship, probably because they needed more fine arts students to keep getting grant money.

Best not to dwell on negatives!

As Y/N opened up her backpack, she shoved in her sketchbook, textbook, pencil case, and field watercolor kit.

Swinging the pack over her back, she broke open her apartment door and sauntered out.

     

Y/N opened up the pink class schedule she had written, anatomy, wonderful.

The medical students at Miskatonic seemed good at first, but tended to look down upon the arts, especially during classes often shared by both majors.

As soon as she walked through the door, the eyes of the few students inside turned to her. The instructor came up to her.

"Good morning. I'm Doctor Carl Hill, and I'm pleased to meet you."

The doctor smiled at her, and Y/N felt a chill climb up her spine.

This man did not leave a good taste in her mouth, and she didn't like how he placed his hand on her shoulder.

She quickly found a seat next to a young man who was glaring at the doctor.

"He's such a creep around girls."

The man whispered to himself loudly enough for only them to hear.

Y/N looked down at her watch; it was 20 minutes until class  started.

The brunette in scrubs turned around to look at the young woman, giving her a (far less creepy) smile.

He wore gloves on his hands and appeared frazzled, with messy hair and untied shoelaces.

"My name is Dan, and I'm a medical student; what are you studying?"

Dan gave her a boyish smile, and the young woman smiled back.

"I'm Y/N, I study visual and fine arts."

The boy looked momentarily amazed, like he had stars in his eyes.

He looked at her casual clothing, sweater, a skirt, and Mary Janes—and he knew he had finally found a friend in his least favorite class.

The two of them began making small talk as the sound of footsteps broke the conversation.

"Good morning doctor, is the skull functions quiz today?"

The professor visibly tensed.

"Dr. West, a pleasure as always."

Y/N turned her head around to meet the eyes of a scrutinizing figure, almost glaring at her with lips that slowly sunk into a frown.

She immediately looked away, annoyed by his insistence on looking at her like she was Satan.

"Is she even in proper scrubs?"

The eyes of the entire room, which was now rather packed, turned to Y/N. She looked back at him with fire in her eyes.

"I'm just a spectator from the arts department, I hope that doesn't bother you too much."

He gave off this perturbed hmph before sitting down in the only chair left, right between Y/N and Dan.

"Come on, Herbert, she's nice!"

Herbert pointedly turned his head away from his roommate's incessant whining.

He didn't need to become friends with art students. What would they ever do for him?

The girl would just be another squeamish failure; why should he tolerate that?

He turned forward to see the skeleton model come out of the industrial closet, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw the girl rapidly flip to a clean page in her sketchbook.

'So unprepared.' Herbert was aware that the few art students in the class would leave after this semester, when the lessons on bone structure and anatomy concluded.

He'll be glad that his routine will be back to normal.

"Does the femur support more than the leg bones and knees?"

Herbert looked to his side again, polished shoes tapping impatiently on the white linoleum. ' Why was she asking such easy and insufferable questions?'

The professor animatedly stepped closer, leaning over her shoulder and answering intently.

Herbert sighed 'a plagiarist and a creep.' He was getting ready to go back to his own clipboard, until he saw the professor's hands begin to get closer and closer to her hip, horror filling her already scared eyes.

"Professor! Could you assess these notes on the pelvic joints?"

It disgusted Herbert to see how he looked genuinely disappointed at the prospect of not getting to harass a young woman who looked close to tears.

Dan noticed the spectacle, looking around one more time to see that everyone else was focused on their work.

He gave Herbert a pointed glance, a non-verbal good job.

   ★

The students all gave their half attention to the professor when he opened up a filing cabinet, grabbing a manila folder and opening it.

He handed out a copy to each student.

"Alright then! A new semester with new students allows for another project. Since our new students hail from the arts sector, I've planned an art project for the class."

'Oh God, why?' Herbert was well aware that he didn't have a good reputation with Dr. Hill, but failing a project would result in a significant drop in his grade; after all, art had never been his strong suit.

Dr. Hill began listing off all of the pairings, most of whom were rather excited to get to know one another.

" And Y/N with Herbert."

The two young adults turned around and stared at one another, shortly before Dan broke the silence.

"Just make sure you two keep it quiet."