Sidemen Shots

Four Months ~ Minishaw

"What year does everyone have next?" Vik suddenly asked, loudly, addressing the room at large rather than a specific person.

Since it was only the Monday of the second week back of the new academic year, not many of the teachers currently had their timetable memorised, and had to carry around with them a paper copy for the moment. The fact that the previous Thursday was the first day back didn't help the matter any either.

"Year eleven, mate." Josh was the first to respond, the older man one of the only teacher's not hastily searching his pockets or the surfaces around him for his timetable. It was like this every year. "Easy lesson, to be honest. Their folders got delivered Friday, so I'll hand them out and make sure they all have their names on them and all the knowledge organisers and stuff."

Tobi, having kept his eye on his own timetable for the entirety of their lunch so far, also didn't have to check to know who he had next.

"That's a good idea. I was gonna start with the curriculum today but I should just do that instead. Knowing this lot, I doubt I could get them to focus straight after lunch, anyway."

Ethan went to reply next, though he was interrupted by a light tap on the arm from Josh; the new male PE teacher had just opened his mouth to speak, and he hadn't yet interacted with anyone inside the staff room apart from exchanging the common courtesies. Ethan likely didn't know anyway, since he was an on-call supply with far too much paperwork for this early in the school year.

(Vik wouldn't be surprised if some of it was left over from last year.)

Smiling supportively over at Simon, the new PE teacher, Josh prompted for the taller man to go on.

"I have this one year nine class that I met last week - they're a cool group, all pretty into sports. Quite athletic, the lot of them.'

Harry piped up, then, his hand coming up to cover his mouth as he chewed and swallowed the last of his meal before continuing after his sudden attention draw.

"All of your groups are pretty athletic, are they n-not?" Harry asked, his question semi-rhetorical with a hint of genuine interest. His eyes roved slowly over Simon's body, up and down in that subtle - yet obvious - way of his. Depending how well you knew Harry, or how much attention you were paying to him at the time.

Neither Josh nor Ethan failed to pick up on it, unlike Vik. (Who later had it pointed out to him at home by Tobi, who also happened to be his husband, conveniently. Vik no longer had to drive his little buggy of a car in to work anymore.)

"Chris told me he was giving you all of the higher ability groups, this year. Which is- that's a big feat, my f-friend. Chris is rather fond of his little h-high abilities, as he calls them."

Chris, the Head of the PE Department, was indeed very fond of his more athletic pupils. Obviously, he was as respectful to all of the students, but the higher abilities seemed to have a special place in his heart, as if his honing of their skills could send them very far in life.

Vik found he couldn't judge him, however, considering his own stance on the frequent attenders of his yearly Science Masterclass. Or even those who would randomly drop in on his regular Science club.

"He might have mentioned something about that, yeah." Simon grinned, the most emotion anyone had seen him show so far - in the 2 and a half days of term. It was refreshing, as well as sweet. "Only about ten times, though, so not many."

If Harry's laugh seemed rather exaggerated to anyone (which it did!), then they didn't point it out at any point. Which was smart of them.

When the bell went for the next period, signaling that their lunch was over, each teacher gathered their things and stood, though not necessarily in that order.