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The office for graduate students in the archeology program was shitty to say the least. It was crammed into the basement of one lecture hall, the ceiling threaded through by various pipes. Flickering fluorescent lights provided spotty illumination over the bookshelf that leaned exhaustedly against one wall, the two desks and the itchy sofa lodged in the back of the room like a popcorn kernel between teeth. It was always either too hot or too cold. Neil hunched over at one of the desks, sweat causing his shirt to stick to his chest as he half-heartedly tapped away on his laptop, desperately trying to pretend as though he were the only person in the room.The office was shitty on a good day, but the presence of Andrew Minyard, the most senior TA and unsettling reminder of Neil’s anxieties, made it somehow even more unbearable. Neil had only been at Palmetto State for a week, but he was already starting to question his decision to accept his admission into the graduate school. He wasn’t cut out for any of this; it was just a convenient means of securing a little more freedom for himself. However, it was radically clear just how suited for this life Andrew was. The comparisons Neil found himself making, unconscious or not, made sharing Andrew’s space something of a burden.As Neil procrastinated working on nothing, Andrew took up most of the awful couch with the entire length of his small body, manspreading to a concerning degree, owning the cushions. He was holding a book in one hand, and he was chewing a wad of gum so loudly that it nearly drowned out the gurgling of the pipes above. Neil tried to keep his eyes on his computer, on the bullshit powerpoint slides he was supposed to be editing, but Andrew tugged at his attention. He couldn’t help sneaking a side glance every couple minutes, as if proving to himself that Andrew was still there.He couldn’t just get up and leave. That would mean he had lost. But then again, how did he win? What was the competition, exactly? Neil snuck another minute look across the room, only to freeze in surprise as he locked eyes with Andrew. Fuck.“What am I doing over here that’s so interesting?” Andrew raised one eyebrow, closing his book, putting the noisy chomping of his gum on hold. “I could swear, I must be doing something. Otherwise what reason would you have for looking at me every, oh, let’s say two minutes?”Neil swallowed, skin prickling. He didn’t know what to say because he didn’t know the answer himself. “Sorry. Nervous tic. I’m used to being alone most of the time.”“Yeah, okay.” Now Andrew was bouncing one leg, the rubber sole squeaking on the dusty tile floor. “Let’s agree to disagree and say I believe that. What are you working on?”“Just editing these slides, it’s for a lecture on human osteology. I’m just supposed to check for facts and grammar. But honestly I think I’m somewhat out of my depth.” Neil admitted, cursing himself instantly for doing so. Now he had rolled over and let Andrew see his weakness.Andrew tossed his book aside, picking himself up off the couch and moving to stand behind Neil to look over the screen. He smelled interesting, Neil thought, absently. Kind of like cough medicine. “Well? Show me.” Andrew said, his voice low and impatient.“Uh, I guess I don’t really understand these few slides at all? Like it sounds like it should be basic, but I just don’t remember learning about these terms. Honestly I’m more of a landscape archeologist, human remains are kind of beyond me.”Andrew reached over his shoulder to scroll through the slides, and here was another thing that was out of Neil’s depth. The infinitesimal shiver that rolled over his neck and shoulder, places where he could imagine he felt the warmth of Andrew’s arm through the fabric of his jean jacket. “These seem just thrown the fuck together. Whoever wrote them really dumped it on you.” Andrew muttered, and the puff of his breath against Neil’s neck sent another wave of nerves through him. “What should I do?” Neil asked, feeling very small but also marginally pissed. It wasn’t his fault for having a half-assed project handed off to him.“I think this slide about osteoarthritis needs some fixing. If you put some text in there it would really fill up the space.” Andrew sighed, pulling back and moving to lean against the desk so he could face Neil instead. The empty space at the crook of Neil’s neck was both a relief and a disappointment. “Let me think.”Andrew took a minute to organize his thoughts, and Neil couldn’t help but take in the rest of his outfit, cuffed acid-washed jeans and a tight black t shirt under the jacket. For the head TA he didn’t really dress like one, Neil thought. It made it all the more infuriating that Andrew so outshone him. Without really meaning to, Neil snuck a few glances at his face. Clean-shaven, it seemed. But his eyes were rimmed by dark circles. Maybe he didn’t get a good sleep the night before. Served him right.“Okay. I think you should just add something about the etiology of the disease. In joints, the disease starts as a result of decaying cartilage, and then progresses as the bones develop spurs… are you writing this down?” Once Andrew was satisfied by Neil’s scrambling on the keyboard, he continued. “Eventually remodeling of the joint will follow… and this is how the bones get that glassy eburnation effect. From rubbing together so hard.”It could have just been Neil’s imagination, but it was possible that Andrew said the last few sentences with a very pointed intonation. “Um, sorry, can you just repeat that part?” He asked, distracted.Andrew wrinkled his nose ever so slightly in distaste. “So here are the bones.” He made a socket with one hand, putting his fist into it as the joint. “No cartilage left to cushion the impact, osteophytes and porosity only make the problem worse. So it just grinds…” He looked at Neil, probably to make sure he was paying attention, before rotating his fist in the palm of his hand. “And keeps grinding into the other bone. Until the pressure turns it glassy, like a rock in the ocean.”Neil’s face felt hot. Andrew couldn’t have meant it like that, right? Neil was probably just thinking about this with the wrong head. He hastily typed in Andrew’s suggestions. “Alright yeah, uh, thank you for the help.”Andrew snorted, a crooked little smile finding its way onto his lips. Of course that was where Neil was looking now, at his mouth. “Sure. You don’t mean that. I’m going back to work.” And so quickly that Neil couldn’t have stopped him if he tried, Andrew plucked the gum from his own mouth and stuck it on the keyboard.Dumbfounded, Neil stared at the green wad, leaving Andrew to march back over to the shitty little couch. This couldn’t be happening. But it had, and there was the evidence.There was absolutely no reason why any sane person would find that interaction arousing, Neil thought, suddenly enraged. And yet here he was, with gum on his computer and, bizarrely, a boner. Normally he would blame this kind of thing on testosterone, but he couldn’t find it in him this time around.Very slowly, he counted to ten before grabbing the gum like a hot coal, tossing it into the wastebasket, snapping his computer closed and slinking out of the room. Andrew had won this round, that much was clear. But Neil would be back. Eventually. ***The new guy, thought Andrew, hours later, was unfortunately cute. Neil Josten had to have been smart enough to get into the program, but he was clueless in a way that made Andrew just want to torment him. He was also probably too thick to notice Andrew’s heavy subtext earlier. Cute, but unfortunate.Maybe he just hadn’t been direct enough. Tomorrow was another day. Andrew tossed another wad of nicorette gum out the window of his car, leaning back in the driver’s seat and closing his eyes. He felt like shit. He couldn’t even enjoy the chase properly. As tempting as Josten was, Andrew wanted one good cigarette more.But he couldn’t. He already made up his mind. He had to exercise some kind of care for himself. Binding for so long was already shit on his chest. Forcing his eyes open, Andrew met his reflection in the rear view mirror. He looked like how he felt; exhausted, his eyes ringed by dark circles. Sooner or later he would have to start driving back to his and Aaron’s apartment, but right now he would rather drive straight to the nearest convenience store and pick up as much nicotine as money could buy.When he could tear himself away from the mirror, Andrew let his gaze wander down through the parking lot, trying to think of anything but how shaky his fingers were starting to get. He was torn out of his downward spiral by a very welcome sight: a firm ass in light grey jeans, headed towards the bus stop. Of course Josten was also calling it quits for the day.Was it creepy to offer him a ride home? Maybe he’d make an effort. The buses were shitty anyway, and it was getting pretty humid outside. If Neil said no, he said no. Putting his car into reverse, Andrew quickly backed up, cruising up alongside the curb where Josten stood looking lost, rolling down the passenger side window. “Hey. If you want a ride home, I can get you there.”Neil wrinkled his nose, and it was absurdly darling. “Uh, I don’t know. I think I can get home just fine. The bus… I mean…”Andrew shrugged. “Your choice. Take it or leave it.”After a few more seconds Neil sighed. “Okay, yeah. I don’t live that far away. If you drop me off on the corner of University and State I’ll be fine walking the rest.”He sure would be fine. Walking or just standing. As long as he kept wearing those pants. “Alright then. Try not to fuck up my car.” He had to play his cards right. As Neil slid down into the car, Andrew quickly reached for the collection of CDs tossed into the center console, digging around until he found something just loud enough but just subtly horny enough to give Neil a hint or two. Not that he would pick up on them. Neil jumped once the music came on, blasted to its full volume. “Oh, wow, that sure is loud!” He practically had to shout over the wild distortions of guitar chords.“It sure is.” Andrew snorted. He started towards the main road without another word. It was enough just to have Neil in the car. His presence was distracting enough that Andrew’s cravings were, for the moment, mitigated.Neil shifted a little, getting comfortable in the seat before Andrew could tell he was taking in the rest of the car. The mess of CDs. The empty packs of nicorette gum shoved half-heartedly into a cup holder. The broken latch on the glove box. Andrew knew how he must come off in the office - every inch Neil’s senior, more knowledgeable than Neil might ever consider himself to be. But maybe this car was more honest. Here was a look at another side of Andrew. Neil could take it or leave it.He took it. Darting quickly into the center console, Neil scooped up some of the CDs, shuffling carefully through them. Andrew could see in his peripheral vision exactly which ones Neil paused on. Nirvana, Regina Spektor, Muse, Ella Fitzgerald, Alice in Chains. Yes, there were gears turning in Neil’s head now.After another minute or two, Andrew turned the music down. “So. Why archaeology? What’s in this for you? I assume you got admitted for a reason.”Neil looked up sharply, almost dropping the CDs. “It’s kind of hard to explain I guess? I’ve always been good at math, but what I like about that is the feeling of solving a puzzle and getting a tangible answer. And I think archaeology is a lot like that, but with different pieces. Using shards of the past to solve the puzzle and get the full picture. It’s satisfying.”Maybe there was more to Josten than met the eye. “That makes sense. Admirable.” Was it just Andrew’s imagination, or did Neil get a little red when he said that? Was complimenting him really the easiest way to get him flustered? It seemed like that was the case.“What about you?” Neil asked. Oh, now Neil had him. He’d given a good honest answer, and now Andrew had to reciprocate. “I like thinking that there’s something human about the past. I think that’s why I feel so strongly about studying bones. Sure, there’s an element of fact there, a solid truth. You can’t put on rose-colored glasses and wash it away. But there’s subjectivity too, the idea that what you are holding is part of a human story. And you can only try to empathize with that.”Neil leaned back in the passenger seat, seemingly content with that answer. “Right… yeah, that is a nice way of looking at it…”In the end, Andrew dropped Neil off on the corner of State and University without any fanfare. He could drop more heavily loaded subtext another day. Neil was clueless, but he was growing on Andrew quickly. Andrew idled the car at the curb for a moment too long to watch Neil head off down the street before turning around to start on his own drive home. There was a bottle of Ibuprofen there with his name all over it. His fingers hurt on the steering wheel, each individual joint aching as he starved them out. Was this the effect of his addiction, or was it psychosomatic? At the end of the day it was kind of the same thing. He just had to keep reminding himself the discomfort was worth it.***Was Andrew an asshole or just weird? Neil couldn’t help but let his thoughts continue wandering back to the man, even as he was supposed to be working on research. But scrolling through mind-numbing lists of sources was really starting to pale in comparison to Neil’s running mental commentary on last Thursday’s events. There had been the gum. That was an asshole move, but it had definitely gotten Neil going in a ridiculous way. Yet, there was also Andrew’s car. The clues there were clear. This was a man trying very hard to quit smoking. Could he blame Andrew for being a little asinine? Growing exasperated, both with himself and his homework, Neil let his head thump down on the worn surface of the desk in the graduate student office. He was alone today, but he couldn’t stop imagining what Andrew would be doing if he were here. Making a rude comment about Neil’s poor work ethic? Or would he offer to help again?The pipes overhead gurgled their agreement; this did suck. Andrew was probably just like that. There was no way he could be entertaining the same thoughts about Neil, especially since he was so far beyond Neil academically. Neil’s head snapped up when the door creaked open. Think of the devil, apparently, and he shall appear. Andrew quickly stalked through the room to his usual place on the couch, looking somehow even more exhausted than the last time Neil saw him. Not even bothering to say hello, he flopped down and pulled out his own laptop, balancing it on one knee and letting the blue glow wash over his face. Before Neil could preemptively stop himself, his thoughts were already wandering into some truly nasty territory. He figured it would be a miracle if his cheeks weren’t at least a little red. He couldn’t just sit here and do nothing, the least he could do was try. Clearing his throat, he glanced over at Andrew. “I was thinking about what you said. All that stuff about the bones? I think I’d like to see more.”Andrew looked up, slowly closing his laptop. “I could show you the osteology lab. If you’re down for a walk.”“Yeah, I haven’t been in there yet believe it or not. I mostly stick to the materials lab.” Neil stood and pushed in his desk chair. “You can definitely give me the tour.”“Sure, why not?” Andrew absent-mindedly ran his fingers through his hair before leading the way out into the basement hallway. Neil watched the muscles of his back move under his shirt, a relatively tight-fitting baseball tee. Andrew was wearing ripped jeans as well, and the slight flashes of skin were grossly enticing.How had this progressed so quickly? Neil thought, truly puzzled. He was really letting this feeling just take him by the hand and drag him wherever it wanted to go.Andrew stopped at a heavy fire door, pulling out his ID card and swiping it on a reader just above the doorknob. Once the light flashed green, he tugged open the door, flicking a row of light switches just inside that lit the room up with a hiss. “This is where we do most of the photography and visual analysis, but we also have the equipment for isotope testing.” Andrew explained, walking right up to a soft gauze sheet covered with bits of vertebrae and a few long bones. “I’m working on this right now. It’s hard to make really definite claims about age without a cranium, but I’m pretty sure this is an adult.”Sure, Neil had asked to see the bones in order to maybe get a shot at seeing Andrew’s, but the fact that he was looking at death face-to-face was still sort of stunning. “Wow. I didn’t know this was all back here. You can really put somebody’s life back together just from a few shards of bone?”“Depends what the shards are.” Andrew snorted. “But I can sure try.”“Can you give me a demonstration of what you do?”A faintly amused look on his face, Andrew quickly pulled on a pair of nitrile gloves before gently scooping up one of the long bones. “For things like pathology, it’s important to look for lesions. Or evidence of muscle strain that can manifest in places where ligament would attach. Sometimes it’s visible to the naked eye.”Moving one hand lightly up and down the bone, Andrew twisted it around in his fingers, occasionally shooting a look up at Neil as though making sure he was paying close attention. As if Neil could stop paying attention now. “So,” Andrew said, slowly and carefully, “you just want to examine the shaft of the bone. This is a femur, so evidence of strain would be here, where the muscle used to be.” He held the bone up, showing Neil a series of faint raised lines in the bone surface. “There’s a scale you can rate these things on, to say how active the individual was.”Andrew gently sat the bone back on the gauze, but the image of his hand literally stroking it was forever burned into Neil’s retinas. “Interesting…” He managed, unsure what else to say that wouldn’t instantly give him away.“Do you want to give it a try? There are a lot of bones here I haven’t gotten to examine yet. Work here is slow when it’s just me working.” Andrew flashed him another look, and it was clear even in his tired eyes; this wasn’t a drill, there was attraction there.“I…” Neil swallowed, trying to keep his balance. Did he want something to happen? Suddenly, this more than an aimless fantasy. Andrew wasn’t pulling his punches either. “I think I’d rather do something else. If you don’t mind.”“Do not. I repeat, do not. Fuck with me. Josten.” Andrew replied, his voice almost quiet but still deathly serious. “Do you think you want to do something else? Or do you actually want to? No ‘thinking.’ I’m not in the business of ‘maybe’ or ‘soft yes.’ Are we clear?”Neil bit the inside of his mouth. Okay, so this really was happening. “Right. You’re right. And it’s a hard yes, don’t get me wrong.” He paused. “Can anyone get into this room without your ID card?”“Only the department supervisor and one other professor. But I don’t think either of them are here today.” Andrew said, and that was all Neil needed. He didn’t think he would regret this. He nodded, and Andrew reached up to grip the collar of his sweater, pulling Neil down through the inches of space that divided them.It was surprising how soft Andrew’s mouth was, warm and eager against Neil’s own lips, which he knew were bitten to hell. Andrew didn’t seem to care about that, though. It wasn’t long at all before Neil let his mouth soften, Andrew’s kiss insistent enough to persuade Neil’s tongue out of hiding too. It had been years since Neil had been kissed like this. Andrew tasted strange, like cinnamon. Was it the gum? Neil didn’t care enough to devote any more thought to it, letting Andrew back him up against a wall of closed freezer doors. Andrew pinned Neil’s wrists to the cold metal. Neil hadn’t been expecting it, but he couldn’t help the way it drew a soft moan from him. Did he like it? Yes, his growing boner reminded him. He liked it quite a lot. Andrew broke the kiss to graze his teeth lightly against the side of Neil’s neck, and Neil bit the inside of his mouth again to keep from embarrassing himself. There was a hot bundle of nerves in the bottom of his gut, squirming sharply, leaking into every corner of Neil’s body.“What did you have in mind?” Andrew asked, the slightest bit breathless. “What is okay for you?”Neil let out a soft breath, trying to collect his thoughts. “Whatever you want. I just… can I sit down?” He was worried his knees would give out.Andrew pulled away, looking quickly around the lab. “There’s a free exam table over there. If you’re alright with sitting on that.”It only took a second or two for Neil to boost himself onto the table, and just moments beyond that for Andrew to hook his fingers through Neil’s belt loops, holding him close for another fierce kiss. If the nerves had subsided for a second, they had returned now in full force, Andrew’s hands and tongue sparking new waves of heat that radiated straight down to Neil’s dick.When Andrew lightly pressed a hand to Neil’s belt buckle, Neil reluctantly broke their kiss. “Yeah. Yes.” He said, voice words sticking hoarsely to the back of his throat. Andrew worked quickly, stripping Neil down to his boxers.So stupid. How could Neil have forgotten to mention anything. “Uh, wait... Before you…” Neil’s hand found Andrew’s where it had looped under his waistband, stopping him. “It’s maybe not what you’re expecting? I don’t...”“I’m trans too. You don’t think I’ve been on planet earth long enough to clock people?” Andrew snorted softly. “Do you want to stop? Or keep going?”Well. Maybe it wasn’t a surprise, now that Neil thought about it. But he could think about it more later, when most of his blood wasn’t trying to escape his brain and flee south. “Oh, keep going. If you want to keep going.”“I want to.” Andrew bent down, abandoning the removal of Neil’s boxers for the moment to start working a hickey into his inner thigh. Stunned, Neil sat back, instinctively spreading his legs a little wider to give Andrew more room. It stung, but the pressure felt right. “Can I suck you off?” Andrew asked, once he had left several large, strawberry colored marks dotting Neil’s legs. In answer, Neil scooted further back on the exam table to give Andrew a better angle. “Yes.” He breathed, his head spinning. Andrew leaned over, finally pulling away the last offending article of clothing, exposing Neil’s dick to the cold air. Without any other stimulus, it seemed to react on its own, pulsing lightly as if begging for touch. Neil swallowed, looking quickly away. Now he was blushing for sure.“Is anything off-limits?” Andrew bent down further, both hands creeping up the already sensitive insides of Neil’s legs to spread him open wider. Neil shook his head, his skin prickling. Satisfied, Andrew dipped his head down, pressing the flat of his tongue against the full length of Neil’s dick.Neil squirmed, his hips twitching all on their own, a low and desperate gasp falling from his lips. “Andrew…” What could he ask for? Andrew used his tongue softly, the pressure light and teasing but somehow just enough. Was it a surprise he knew what to do? He was the same, after all. He knew what would feel good. “More?” Neil asked weakly, his hands scrabbling against the surface of the table for something, anything to grab onto.Andrew laughed, the vibrations doing something evil to Neil’s insides. He let his head fall back. No use keeping his sounds pushed down. They’d all come out eventually. As Andrew lightly sucked the aching head of Neil’s dick between his lips, making sure not to nick it with his teeth or overstimulate him, soft gasps rapidly progressed into much louder groans. If there was anyone standing in the hallway, they would definitely be able to hear now.There was too much and not enough. Andrew’s soft mouth was so right between Neil’s legs, Andrew’s tongue flicking playfully up and down his cock until he thought the heat would blast him apart at the seams. The bundle of warmth was sharp and prickling now, shooting bolts of lightning up Neil’s spine. Andrew pulled Neil’s dick almost tenderly between his lips and Neil sobbed a moan, curling forward in an effort to contain himself.He wouldn’t be able to keep it together much longer. Andrew knew exactly which strings to pull, where to unravel Neil. The mounting pressure of Neil’s rapidly impending orgasm squirmed down low in his hips, hot and bursting. “Shit, Andrew, I’m…” What was he supposed to say? Was it just good hook-up etiquette to let Andrew know how close he was? He spent too long thinking about it to give Andrew a proper warning. His hips rolling without his permission, Neil was already coming, blades of pleasure sliding through his entire lower body.Andrew didn’t stop, sucking him even though his orgasm, moving down lower to lap up Neil’s come. Of course he was a swallower, Neil thought, feverishly, struggling to keep himself from just flopping down on his back. Andrew drew back up to kiss him then, and Neil let him. It was strange to taste himself in Andrew’s mouth, but he didn’t hate it.After a time, Neil reluctantly broke the kiss, scooting off the table to pull his pants back up and fasten them. He was probably red enough to land an airplane by. Andrew looked shockingly nonplussed. Was this something he did every day? Neil shot him a glance once he had dressed himself again. “Do you uh. Do you want me to…?”Andrew let Neil catch a glimpse of his smile. “I think that was enough for me for one day. You’re… never mind. Some other time, though.” He leaned up, pressing a quick, chaste kiss to Neil’s mouth. “When you’re ready to get back to work, you know where the office is.”This had to be a dream or something, right? Neil watched Andrew go, his brain desperately trying to find any justification for what had just happened. But no, this was real life. Some other time, Andrew had said. Neil took a deep breath, settling his nerves. He was more than ready to make good on that.