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Nathan slowly stirred sugar into his cup of coffee. He didn't normally drink the stuff, so he was making do with one of the small disposable cups that the electronics shop provided.

Luke had actually asked to talk with him. Maybe it wasn't as bad as his morning paranoia had suggested. Or maybe it was worse. He'd been smiling, though. Hope springs eternal.

Here he came now. The spring in his step actually seemed happy, not aggressive, not as if he had a bone to pick. There seemed to be a serious expression on his face, though, although sometimes it was hard to tell.

"Hi, Nathan. How's the coffee?"

"It seems fine. No soap in the pot, at least." That had happened at least once.

Luke filled his overly large cup and dropped some coins into the nearby jar.

"Mmmm. I really like the smell. Why does coffee always smell so much better than it tastes?" He was drinking it black. Nathan shuddered slightly.

"Probably all the aromatics evaporate quickly. Although some people do like it iced. Maybe that keeps them around longer. The aromatics, I mean." He was making it up. The questions the kid kept asking!

Nathan went over to the nearby window to look out at the stream. The water was low. It hadn't rained for a few days.

"That makes sense." Luke came over to stand next to him, looking out. Standing rather close. Not that Nathan minded. Not at all.

Nathan had noticed that about him almost right away. Luke's sense of personal space seemed quite a bit smaller than that of most people in the lab, even less than that of the Europeans.

There was an incident he remembered from a party they'd had at the lab before Luke was hired. One of the French physicists had been talking earnestly with an American colleague. Every once in a while he'd step a little closer. And seconds later the American would step back. It wasn't long before they'd managed to go the whole length of the commons area. Nathan didn't think either of them had realized what they were doing.

Nathan hadn't seen Luke in any similar situations, but he was sure it was only a matter of time. Of course, he didn't know what might have happened away from the lab. But then, a lot of people probably gave the kid plenty of leeway, considering the circumstances.

Often Luke reminded Nathan of a well behaved puppy: a little anxious, but very friendly and eager to please. Not that he looked like he actually had canine genes. Something else, maybe. That kind of attitude probably helped a lot in his interactions with most people.

"Do you know who those people were in the teleconference? I don't think I've seen them before."

Nathan couldn't help noticing that Luke smelled a little whiff. Not that bad, but a little muskier than most people. It must have been the stress of the morning's accelerator test. He didn't think it was fair of the prof to parade Luke in front of visitors that way, as if to say "Look how progressive we are!"

"They're at the large west coast linear accelerator center. They use the same technologies we do, like superconducting RF, but their design is a lot different. The control philosophy is similar, though. I suspect they're looking for pointers for improving their operations, even though they're ten times our size." Spies. Although maybe that was being a little too harsh.

"Did you recognize any of them?" The kid just didn't give up, did he?

"The older woman is their director. She used to work here a long time ago, I'm told. I'm really bad with names, sorry. I might recognize them if someone mentioned them, though." That problem was annoying, and it'd been the source of some embarrassment a few times, too.

"The professor seemed to know them pretty well. He was talking to them a lot before you came in." Figures.

"Maybe he went to grad school with some of them. It's a pretty small world, after all. They probably attend a lot of the same conferences, too."

"Yeah, I guess." Luke glanced around. "Where is everybody? I thought this was a work day. There certainly were plenty of people in the control room."

Nathan looked at his watch. "Well, it isn't quarter after yet. The techs are hourly, so they're still on break. Probably out back enjoying the sun while they still can." Just as well, maybe. Some of the techs were rather prejudiced. Or at least liked to talk as if they were. Spending his time programming, Luke probably didn't interact with them often. Fortunately. For some people, the university's inclusiveness policy didn't mean much.

"Oh, right. Uh, Nathan..." He seemed nervous about something. Maybe a little more whiff than before, too.

"There's something I need to talk to you about. It, uh, doesn't seem right to, uh, do it at work. Uh, canyoucometodinneratmyplacetonight?" Running his words together, as if he wanted to get it out before he changed his mind.

Oh, shit.

Shit, shit, shit.

"I can't," Nathan said, panicked. "Not tonight. Other commitments." Like finding a place to hide, where he could beat himself up for being such a coward.

But the disappointment on Luke's face felt like a knife in the gut. Suggest an alternative?

"How about tomorrow night?" Something might happen before then, not his fault. Like getting run over by a truck. "Your classes must start again on Wednesday, though." Maybe he had last minute homework due? Please, God, Nathan prayed, I'll even learn what a Hail-Mary is.

Luke's face lit up. "That'd be fine! I'll get some pizza. I think I know the kind you like," he grinned. "You bring some beverages."

"Uh, OK. Any preference?"

"Nope. Whatever you like." Oh, wonderful. Put the onus on him. Nineteen was not twenty one. Bring alcohol? I don't *think* so!

"OK. What time? And I don't think I know where you live." Don't think? That's good, Nathan.

"How about seven? I'm in the highrise down on University Avenue. 4F. Maybe we'd better exchange phone numbers, just in case." Just in case what? Nathan got lost, maybe? Went uphill instead of down? Got hit by a truck? He should be so lucky.

"Sure." Ah, they both had the same phone carrier. That might simplify things. Maybe mention it later.

"Here, let me get rid of that for you." Luke took the empty cup from Nathan's hand and tossed it into a distant trashcan. Show off. "I guess we'd both better get back to work. See you!" _________________________________________________________________

Perv. He actually let that *animal* paw him. And look how close they'd been standing. Here she'd thought he was nice, just 'cause he always thanked her when she dumped his trash. Shows to go. Can't judge a book by its cover.

The building custodian retreated quietly. She'd clean the shop later.