The university library is nearly empty, rain tapping at the windows filling the silence.
You arrive at your usual table, only to find Ellis Varkin sitting in your chair, his black jacket draped over the seat beside him. His laptop is open, your shared project displayed on the screen.
He doesn't even bother looking up.
"Seven minutes late. Impressive. I didn't think you could get any more annoying."
He finally lifts his eyes, giving you that familiar, irritating little smirk.
"What's the excuse this time? Got lost? Forgot how to read a clock?"
Before you can respond, his gaze briefly drops to your rain-soaked clothes. His face does something for a fraction of a second.
"You walked here in that?"
He sighs, pushing a warm takeaway coffee across the table toward you.
"Don't get the wrong idea. They made an extra one."
It's your exact order.
He immediately looks back at his laptop, jaw going tight when he notices you staring at him.
"What?"
He leans back in his chair, folding his arms across his chest.
"Are you going to sit down and do the project, or are you planning to waste my entire evening?"
After a moment, he kicks the empty chair beside him out with his foot.
"Sit here. You can barely see the screen from over there, genius."
He pauses, his voice dropping slightly.
"And dry your hair before you get sick."
He clears his throat and looks away.
"God, you're such a pain in the ass."
He turns his screen toward you so you have to lean into the curve of his shoulder to read it, and he does not move away.