Summary: At an academic conference in USA, you meet an admirer of your work, Steven Grant of the University of London. But you seem to admire more than his work. Will this meet-cute between two people neck deep in their careers blossom into something more, or remain one of the nameless dozens you meet at every event? Maybe this time, you'll take a chance.
Writing based on prompt by @dopeqff
Warnings: Academia, dialogue-heavy
You stand at the line in the cafetaria, smiling politely at passing people you had met earlier in the day. It's your first time in the United States, and the first time presenting your research at a conference on this scale. It is a dream come true, as it is nerve wracking. And the man a couple ahead of you in line turning back again and again to glace at you is not helping. You wait for your order at the counter, tilting your chin up to reassert your confidence. Now it's just him ahead of you, you send a polite smile his way as you'd been doing to everyone.
He returns a tight lipped smile before he shakes his head and turns to you,"Sorry, but...I gotta ask. Are you Dr. ....did you write the paper of Ethnozoology of the Eastern Himalayas?" Your polite smile breaks into a genuine one at the recognition. "Yeah, that's me..hello!", you say with a tiny awkward wave. The man seemed to enamoured to note your shyness, and he rambled on excitedly,"It's so great to meet you! Your work, spending so much time with the community...wow! And the things you wrote about, and just...the way you wrote it, it's like reading a story, not a scientific paper...and I mean that in a good way..very good way!" You preen under the praises, mumbling thank you-s under your breath.
"Bollocks", he curses in a low voice. "I didn't introduce myself. My name's Steven Grant...with a V...research scholar in the department of History.."
"...University of London?", you finish his sentence and he nods, a bit baffled. "You wrote the piece on relevance of ancient Egyptian mythology to modern way of life" His eyes go wide at that,"You...have read it?"
"Oh yeah, thrice", you giggled, eyes shining. "It was insightful... relatable... emotional... and funny? The way you wove theories and literature with evidence, it was like poetry. Can't wait for more work from you!"
"I..umm..thank you", he is blushing quite vividly. The tips of his ears are red, and he bites his lip in a shy smile. He's attractive, but it's like he isn't really aware. Your eyes sweep his figure quickly. He's actually put effort into dressing for the occasion, in a formal shirt and dress pants and a tie, a pen tucked into his breast pocket. He was clean shaven and had these big, smart eyes framed by lines that highlighted his smile. With a head of dark curly hair lightly peppered with some grey, he was hands down handsome. But the way he carried himself wasn't the cocksure gait many men who looked as good followed. His stance is relaxed, peaceful. He cheerfully thanks the server who returns with your and his coffee order quite late.
"Actually I've been meaning to ask you some things about your work, I may be referencing some of your work in my next study", you pipe up when he hands you your drink. "I thought I'll mail you but never got around to...would you mind...sometime, if that's okay..?"
"Oh yeah sure!", he is beaming. "On ancient Egypt? I'll talk your ears off if'ya let me." That makes you chuckle, and you warn him,"I have to admit, I'm the same way about my work." You sip your coffee and look around the seating area. "If you're not busy now then, if you are though by all means..."
"No...no", he smiles, grabbing his wrap was just served. "Now is good." You both nod to each other glancing at an empty table and take your seats. There's an air of shyness between the two of you. You aren't an extroverted person by any means, but in professional settings you were almost never shy. But again, this wasn't a shyness that made you self conscious, or small. It made you feel seen, under doting attention that you weren't used to. He looks expectantly at you as you sip your coffee, and you ask him about his thoughts on development of philosophy in the middle eastern world as opposed to western culture. Soon that evolved to comparing notes and experiences from each of your on-ground experiences. Over another round of coffee, you told him stories from your stint in the Himalayas while he listened with rapt attention, gasping and sighing at the exciting bits. He was so attentive, so vocal, you were almost struggling to believe that he wasn't faking it.
"So...that's about it from me", you end sheepishly. "Long story short, take more alcohol with you than you think you'll need."
"You should write a book!", he sounds excited, earnest. "All these stories, I mean I thought your paper was great..and it is! But come on, a run-in with terrorists, living with hunters, local elephant gods, bears! It's like some Indiana Jones meets Jungle Book kinda..wow!"
"Yeah I doubt anyone's gonna want to read that", you laugh dismissively.
"They'd be missing out", he asserts like it's the most obvious thing.
"I have a question for you though", you change the topic. "Did you have a say in the art of God Khonshu that was published with your writing?" He hums in agreement,"Yeah, I gave the artist some basic descriptions."
"Right, okay!", you sounded excited. "How did you arrive at the descriptions...like, did you have any particular bird in mind..or do the texts...?"
"Not exactly", he shuffles in his seat, suddenly conscious, eyes quickly darting to a corner of the room and back. "It's a bit complicated, but you could say there were...multiple sources I triangulated from.''
You nod in understanding,"So yeah, I ask because it doesn't really match a bird? On the net it said falcon, or vulture, but the beak is way too big...You know what matches close though..well the beak isn't curved like his but..."
"What is it?"
"A Marabou Stork", you almost giggle. "Wait I'll show you" You fish out your phone, quickly type and hold it out for him to look at a photo. Steven's looking at it for a moment, two, then he throws his head back in a laughter.
"That is accurate", he laughs. "Gosh even the expression, yeah he wouldn't be happy"
"You think I'll be at the receiving end of his 'wrath that he called real justice' now?", you ask, quoting his writing.
Steven recognizes the reference, eyes shining in pride,"Nah, you're good. His fist of vengeance would agree with you."
"Charming", you chuckle. "So hey, I need to head for my presentation, but can I have your number? ...In case I have more questions."
You stand to shake his hands then, his number saved on your phone, and he gives his own awkward little wave. As you head back, your heart is thrumming excitedly as if it knows something you don't.
i need to know more about professor!steven! any more ideas you'd like to share?
ooh, i have a lot of thoughts about sweet professor!steven 🥰
he always gets to class early in order to set up, so excited to share as much with his students as possible and make use of the class time
sometimes he gets so into what he’s talking about, he ends up stumbling and tripping over his own words and has to slow himself down. he gets embarrassed by it, but you think it’s adorable
he likes having a cup of coffee or a nice tea in the mornings when class begins but sometimes he’s all over the place and forgets. you make it a point to get two coffees most days you have his class and quietly leave one on his desk. the fact that you thought about him and did this for him made his heart practically melt
should wear his glasses when he’s teaching but forgets half the time (yes, they’re sitting on top of his head or hanging from his shirt collar)
office hours? he doesn’t know about them, preferring to make himself available throughout the day when he wasn’t teaching. he had so much knowledge to share, why wouldn’t he? besides, one afternoon when you’d stopped in asking for help had led to sharing your first kiss
he's pretty lax when it comes to homework and tests. there are some papers assigned but they're fairly open ended and he offers help whenever needed. definitely adheres to the belief that knowledge is not summed by tests. makes him a very popular professor
unlike a ton of professors, he doesn't assign the most expensive textbooks out there
a lot of students flirt with him but damn, he is oblivious. someone could literally say i want to sleep with you and he still wouldn't be totally sure of their intentions. when you came around however, you made it perfectly clear so there was no misunderstanding. you still remember the way his face had flushed when you’d confessed your feelings
overall, a+ professor that people definitely want to end up with
Babesss thoughts on professor au with Steven?? Him being totally oblivious to reader's advances despite the flirty comments and revealing clothes and Marc as usual eating his head up
ooh, i am weak(tm) at the thought of professor!steven! what does he teach? well, i think that's obvious french literature egyptian history 😌 and like?? he's the adorable, dorky professor that people like but you're just like 😍 and subtly try to convey that interest- okay maybe not so subtly - through little flirty comments, asking for help during his office hours, etc. he's so sweet but so oblivious, meanwhile Marc is there like !!!! maybe by the end of the semester he finally gets it and makes a move, feeling better about everything once you're no longer his student. but yeah, i'd love a class with him 😌
