Hemingway in Love [1c/?]
anonymous
October 23 2010, 08:04:36 UTC
They walked in relative silence out of the dorm, and it wasn’t until they were halfway across the quad that Francis decided to voice a question he had been turning over in his mind for a while.
“What are you studying here?” Upon first glance, he really couldn’t tell what Alfred was interested in, besides videogames and American football, but Francis had heard that sort of information from Matt already.
“My major, you mean?” Alfred shoved his hands into his pockets as they walked. “Physics. Quantum mechanics, specifically.”
“Really?” Francis turned his head to stare at the other incredulously.
“Hey!” Alfred just laughed. “I know what you’re thinking, and not everyone into physics stays in their room all day doing equations and shit for fun. Besides, I want to be a teacher, not a researcher.”
“How fitting.” Francis’s lips quirked up into a smile. “I do as well-but literature.”
“What? Really? That’s so cool!” Alfred seemed genuinely excited, engaged, and Francis couldn’t help by feel that the other’s enthusiasm was rather catching. “People say it doesn’t pay much or whatever, but I just want to be able to do and talk about something I really, really like, you know?”
“Yes.” Francis nodded a bit, tugging on the collar of his coat to adjust it, the chill of fall already seeping in. “I know what you mean. What better job than to read books I like and talk about them?”
“Exactly.” Alfred nodded as well, but with far more eagerness. “Well, except I’ll talk about physics, but it’s the same principle! So long as you love what you’re teaching.” He paused long enough to push open the door to the restaurant when they reached it. “But I do know you have to take classes on how to teach and stuff. Hey, maybe we can take those together!”
“No one else you know wants to go into teaching?” Francis slid into one of the booth seats near a window, Alfred taking the space across from him.
“Nah. You’re the first.” He laughed, leaning back in his seat. “And we’re roommates too!”
“Funny how life works that way, sometimes.” Francis turned to smile at the waitress who brought them the menus and hot tea.
“Well, people come into your life for a reason, right?” Alfred reached over to pick up the teapot and pour himself a cup, expression thoughtful. “Or, at least I’d like to think so.”
“I might have to agree with you.” He waited until Alfred was done before pouring some tea for himself. “Or, at the very least, people who come into your life find a reason to stay a while.”
“One or the other.” Alfred broke into another bright grin, something that seemed to be his default expression. Francis just chuckled and raised his teacup.
“To a new year then.”
“Huh…?” He blinked a few times before catching on. “A toast? Really? I can’t remember the last time I did one of those.” But Alfred lifted his own cup, the ceramic making a soft clink sound when he tapped it against Francis’s. “To a new year.”
“What are you studying here?” Upon first glance, he really couldn’t tell what Alfred was interested in, besides videogames and American football, but Francis had heard that sort of information from Matt already.
“My major, you mean?” Alfred shoved his hands into his pockets as they walked. “Physics. Quantum mechanics, specifically.”
“Really?” Francis turned his head to stare at the other incredulously.
“Hey!” Alfred just laughed. “I know what you’re thinking, and not everyone into physics stays in their room all day doing equations and shit for fun. Besides, I want to be a teacher, not a researcher.”
“How fitting.” Francis’s lips quirked up into a smile. “I do as well-but literature.”
“What? Really? That’s so cool!” Alfred seemed genuinely excited, engaged, and Francis couldn’t help by feel that the other’s enthusiasm was rather catching. “People say it doesn’t pay much or whatever, but I just want to be able to do and talk about something I really, really like, you know?”
“Yes.” Francis nodded a bit, tugging on the collar of his coat to adjust it, the chill of fall already seeping in. “I know what you mean. What better job than to read books I like and talk about them?”
“Exactly.” Alfred nodded as well, but with far more eagerness. “Well, except I’ll talk about physics, but it’s the same principle! So long as you love what you’re teaching.” He paused long enough to push open the door to the restaurant when they reached it. “But I do know you have to take classes on how to teach and stuff. Hey, maybe we can take those together!”
“No one else you know wants to go into teaching?” Francis slid into one of the booth seats near a window, Alfred taking the space across from him.
“Nah. You’re the first.” He laughed, leaning back in his seat. “And we’re roommates too!”
“Funny how life works that way, sometimes.” Francis turned to smile at the waitress who brought them the menus and hot tea.
“Well, people come into your life for a reason, right?” Alfred reached over to pick up the teapot and pour himself a cup, expression thoughtful. “Or, at least I’d like to think so.”
“I might have to agree with you.” He waited until Alfred was done before pouring some tea for himself. “Or, at the very least, people who come into your life find a reason to stay a while.”
“One or the other.” Alfred broke into another bright grin, something that seemed to be his default expression. Francis just chuckled and raised his teacup.
“To a new year then.”
“Huh…?” He blinked a few times before catching on. “A toast? Really? I can’t remember the last time I did one of those.” But Alfred lifted his own cup, the ceramic making a soft clink sound when he tapped it against Francis’s. “To a new year.”
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