elixir ➳ gbg imagines

mccreamy - projects

college!au
—

jay brushed the back of his pencil against his lips, eyes skimming the online article for any note-worthy phrases. cans of empty red bull were strewn around your desks, and you were glad that the librarian hadn't come over to check on your progress.

"you alright?"

he nodded slowly, yawning, "'m just tired."

"you don't have to stay, you don't even go to school." you mumbled, taking in his eye-bags.

the kiwi gave a small smile, resting his chin on his palm. "it's fine. i'm glad to help." his laptop sat open in front of him, and he scanned the screen, copying and pasting paragraph fragments from the article into a google doc —you were supposed to analyze it as part of a project, which was due yesterday. you'd used your absences as an excuse, and now the two of you were basically living in the library.

you opened snapchat to take a quick pic of him, but he simply shook his head and rubbed his eyes, "phone away, (name), this is due in seven hours."

sticking your tongue out, you swiped a filter onto the snap and put it on your story, before setting your phone aside and replacing it with a pencil.

the rest of the afternoon was spent quietly working, a  scratching of pens and fingers typing on keyboards accompanied by a few scattered words here and there the only sounds audible from that table.

eight hours later, at ten-thirty p.m, you two were finished.

"and... submitted!" whisper-shouting, you raised your fists, stretching. beaming at each other, he shut his laptop lid, standing up.

jay rolled his neck, and you gaped when it cracked way too loudly.

"i feel like an old man." he mumbled, stepping over at your gesture to help you rise.

sweeping the red bull cans into the trash and tidying up, you hefted your backpack onto your shoulders, arching an eyebrow as you yawned, "wanna head over to the new smoothie shop on third avenue? it'll be a thank you—and i've heard good things about it!"

the brunet cocked his head, knocking his phone onto the carpet, "are you asking me on a date?"

"it's whatever you want it to be." you grinned, taking his hand and dragging him out of the library.

later, he would ask about the red flush that had spread across the bridge of your nose, and you blamed it on the humidity outside. you both knew that was a lie.