Bastian sat at their usual table, his eyes darting around the busy street corner. The sun had just set, and he'd made it to his standing date with Riley early. When the server asked him what he wanted, he absently ordered whatever seasonal crap the place was serving. Coffee was coffee to Bastian, especially since that damn frat party last semester, and so he didn't really care what they brought. What he cared about was—

Riley came into sight across the street, and Bastian couldn't help but smile. They'd met by chance, or so Riley thought. He'd been watching the junior since the start of the year, but when they'd bumped into each other in the quad three weeks ago, Bastian had thrown caution to the wind. He'd asked Riley out for coffee, and now they met every Thursday evening for a couple of hours before Riley had to go to work.

"Bastian," Riley said, letting the heavy book bag he carried fall to the ground with a thud. "I'm sorry if I kept you waiting."

Bastian shook his head. "I haven't been waiting long, no," he insisted. Riley smiled, and it made Bastian's heart jump. That smile lit up the blue-green eyes that only enhanced his ginger hair. Riley, Bastian thought fondly, was the quintessential red-head, and he thought it was hotter than hell. "I ordered something for myself, but I didn't get you anything yet since I didn't know when you'd be coming..." God help him, was he rambling? Again?

Riley laughed and sat down. "It's all right. I like my tea really hot, so I can order when they bring yours out. How are you doing, Bastian? You don't look so pale tonight. You're feeling better?"

He loved how Riley called him Bastian. No one else had done it, but Riley had started immediately upon learning his name was Sebastian. "A little," he admitted. Yeah, he was feeling better. He'd downed a quart of the pig's blood he'd wrangled from a butcher 20 minutes away from the university. "How about you?"