The news that the art teacher had been fired spread like wildfire. No one had seen Miss Morley in the last few days nor had she been teaching for the last week. As a replacement teacher, she was only supplying until the end of the year. That year had turned into little more than a few months.

A replacement had been brought in quickly and the new supply teacher was already in work.

'Christophe!' Viktor cheered, holding out his arms for the younger man. As per usual, they threw themselves into each other's arms, a joke from years past. 'I didn't know you were in Chicago!' Viktor was as surprised as Chris was. Chris was the last person Viktor thought he would ever see in a school.

'I've been in and out recently and money's on the low so when I saw the offer, I had a look around the school. I saw you teaching, actually. It was the thing that made me end up choosing the place.' Viktor gaped at the man but couldn't deny the smile that was on his lips. He ignored the other teacher's odd looks and continued to talk with his old-friend; Christophe Giacometti was a freelance photographer but also a talented painter, although his paintings were 'frisky' to say the least- as were his photographs. Viktor wasn't quite sure how he had got the job but it was the school's choice, not his. They were on a tight schedule, he understood that.

'So, what subjects you here for?' Viktor asked, nudging Chris playfully.

'Art and Photography, the usual.' Chris sighed. It was clear that Chris' dream was never to become a teacher but the place was only temporary and hopefully, it would get the money Chris needed. Viktor was as much of an optimist as Chris was. They would both achieve their dreams, in time.

Even if Viktor wasn't quite set on what his was yet.

'The headmaster say you couldn't do Sex-Ed?' Viktor was halfway between joking and being serious. Chris would make a good SE teacher, even if he terrified the kids slightly whilst doing so.

Chris' laugh was boisterous and filled the room. If there was anything Chris could do, it was get the attention of an entire room within seconds. He loved it. His whole life was a craving for attention. There was something that didn't seem all that bad about that.

'Wait, you came in last week and saw me? Why didn't you say hi!' Viktor realised, facing Chris with a dramatic flip of his hair. He wasn't sure if he imagined hearing another teacher's sigh. They could tell already, with the addition of the new teacher, they were going to be as hard to keep in control as their classes.

'I was with the headmaster, couldn't interrupt the class. I would have, otherwise. I tried to find you at the end of the day but you were gone.' Chris pouted, feigning upset only causing Viktor to let himself loose and laugh. It felt nice.

It felt like too long since he had last laughed.

'Well, it was nice seeing you, Chris. Teaching time, now.' Viktor put on a serious face which only caused Chris to crack up again.

'Viktor, you being serious is like watching a fish drown. It just doesn't happen.' They smiled at each other and Viktor let himself smile again. Turning away, he smiled wider. He could feel it coming back.

He could feel himself coming back.

The goofy, laid-backed optimist who wouldn't let you get a word in with his endless chatter.

Viktor was back.

-

'You're kidding!' Yuuri and Yurio sat in the Russian classroom, five minutes before the bell was supposed to ring when Yuuri finally heard the news. Yurio had been the first to be told about Miss Morley's firing, it was because of him after all. For Yuuri, though, it had come far too late.

'Nope. I got Miss Morley fired.' Yurio stated proudly, folding his arms and legs, resting his calfs on the wooden desk.

'Yuri!' Yuuri wanted to scold him but the relief was all too overwhelming. Something about Miss Morley had been off since the beginning and despite never quite being outright cruel to him, she had always come off the wrong way.

Yuuri felt terrible that she had to lose her job over it but his heart leapt and danced for joy as his mind broke down just what he felt.

'What?' He voiced coyly. 'She was a pain and she broke the rules. All I did was report her.' He shrugged, his smile twitching onto his lips.

'Wait, broke what rule?' Yuuri asked, leaning in to hear just what happened.

'You should know, you were there. You know that clicky-fingers thing she used on me, it's against school rules. It's her power. Can't use that on a student without consent.' Yuuri had a flash of a bathroom stall, Viktor pinning his arms down. 'So, I went to Mr. Smith and a week later, here we are.' Yuuri couldn't help but laugh at how relaxed Yurio was about the entire situation. Yuri had been a better mood as of late and it had lifted Yuuri's spirits too.

The world was settling again. His existence was fragile, though. He was floating on the water. It was a matter of time before his muscles gave up and he sank back down again. For once, he didn't think that far ahead. He stayed in the present. He was proud of that.

He had a tendency to look ahead too much.

The irony.

'I don't believe you got her fired.' Yuuri chuckled, leaning on his palms. The bell rang soon after and the rest of their conversation was cut short as Viktor entered the room, sporting an unusually large smile on his face.

Yurio couldn't resist the temptation and leaned over, whispering in Yuuri's ear. 'It looks like Viktor wanted her gone too.' Yuuri didn't want to read into that any more than he already had and simply laughed along quietly with Yurio as class started.

-

Yuuri entered the room quietly, checking that Viktor was inside before he walked in himself. He was glad to see, though, as he peered around the door that Viktor was sitting on his desk, his legs swinging back and forth jovially.

'Hey!' Yuuri called out, closing the door behind him. Viktor was quick to change his gaze and bounced off the desk with a flourish. 'You're certainly in a good mood. Was Miss Morley leaving that much of a godsend?' Yuuri joked, taking his place on the student's desk directly opposite Viktor's.

Viktor's eyes widened comically as he turned his full attention to Yuuri. 'Miss Morley has left?' He gasped. How had he not noticed sooner? Actually, he scrapped that thought, with the effort he had made to avoid her, there was no reason he would notice.

Yuuri chuckled, albeit timidly. If her departure wasn't the cause of this...jolliness, then what was? 'You haven't heard? She was fired. You know that time she made Yurio shut up with that whole finger clicking thing,' Yuuri clicked to prove his point 'well, she got fired for it. Can't use powers without consent.' Yuuri hated how the scene in the bathroom came back once again. From the twitch of Viktor's lips, he couldn't help but think Viktor saw the same thing.

His smile remained constant, though. His spirits had been lifted too high to be dragged down this quickly. Between Chris' sudden arrival and Lily's sudden departure, Viktor was as high as a kite. It was as if he had forgotten everything.

Yuuri was glad. Viktor didn't deserve the burden.

'Coaching time!' He announced suddenly. Yuuri let a small laugh pass through his lips and shuffled in his seat in preparation for what was to come. He was nervous. This was different to the other times. The tension didn't remain thick in the air. It was all so light-hearted. Peaceful.

Viktor plopped himself onto the desk and stared Yuuri down, his smile broadening. 'The usual, close your eyes and breathe.' Yuuri shut his eyes, as told, and started to breathe when he almost fell off the desk. The knock had shocked him, so much for foresight.

Viktor didn't seem far different. Jolting slightly, he pushed himself off the desk and back onto his feet, approaching the door with a clear wariness. Opening the door with a creak, Viktor looked at the man standing on the other side of the door with a beaming smile.

Yuuri didn't recognise him. He was tall, far taller than both Yuuri and Viktor, with blonde hair that Yuuri doubted wasn't dyed and a goatee that made him a little more intimidating that Yuuri assumed he was. He looked polished yet disheveled. His suit was askew but it looked purposefully put that away. The man was a piece of art, Yuuri would admit that. If only for the way he stood, like he was meant to be looked at.

'Chris!' Viktor all but shouted and ushered the man into the room, closing the door- this time locking it, Yuuri chastised himself for not doing so the first time. This whole affair, the power practice, was still a secret and if anyone were to find out, well, consequences would be paid.

'Yuuri, this is Chris. Chris, this is Yuuri.' Viktor introduced. Yuuri waved timidly as Chris gave him a curt nod.

'You're not a teacher, are you, Yuuri?' He asked, a flash of confusion on his face. Yuuri chuckled, trying to hide the anxiety that was threatening to rip him at the seams. Don't panic now, Yuuri told himself. This was just a guy. A guy that Viktor knew. A friend of Viktor, he presumed. Or, more than a friend? That familiar feeling coiled in his gut. He did his best to ignore it.

'Oh, no. I was just here to...' Yuuri trailed off. What was he supposed to say? The truth.

'Never mind that!' Viktor interrupted, his grin remaining but fear implanted in his eyes. Chris looked at him, clearly curious but thought better of asking in front of Yuuri. He looked nervous, Chris decided, there was no point making it worse. 'Yuuri, Chris is the new art teacher. I assume, now, Lily's replacement.' Yuuri stared at the man in surprise. He would be taking Chris' class then. He could only hope it wouldn't be awkward.

'Chris, Yuuri takes my Russian class. He's in your class too, I think. Oh, I forgot, this is Yuuri Katsuki, two u's, there's another one- a friend since before I came here- Yuri Plisetsky, with just one u. An angry little fella, I'm sure you'll see him your class.' Viktor gave Yuuri a look that Yuuri could only comprehend as an 'am I right?'

Yuuri nodded. 'Yeah, Yurio and I are in your class.' He smiled, his lips forming more of a straight line than a smile. He tried, at least.

'I'm excited to see you then in class then, Yuuri.' Chris purred. Yuuri's eyes widened as he tried to ignore the involuntary shiver in his spine. Was this man seducing him? No, he was a student.

A flash.

His and Viktor's lips mere inches apart only a week or two before.

Okay, maybe being a student didn't exclude that thesis.

Chris turned to Viktor, that- was it sexual- purr returning. 'Anyway, I came here to say hi. We didn't get much time this morning but I see you're busy. You free after school, we have to catch up.' Chris gave Viktor a dazzling smile which Viktor returned to the best of his ability.

Yuuri looked at the exchange. Why did he find himself gritting his teeth? The conversation continued for a minute. Surely that wasn't flirting he saw? No, definitely not flirting. Teasing. Oh god, was that worse? Yuuri's mind went into overdrive.

Panic rose in his throat, choking him.

No! He wouldn't let this affect him. No, he was stronger now. Right? There were only a few obstacles left, this wasn't one of them. Panicking would resolve nothing. But since when had he ever believed it had resolved anything, anyway?

Yuuri watched how they acted, too caught up in his own mind to see Viktor checking on him every now and then. Their friendship was strong, they had known each other for a long time. That was simple to see. The exact details of that friendship, though, were hard to decipher. Exes on good terms? Tactile friends? Two men with a flirty nature? Just friends?

Yuuri would like to think his final statement was true. No matter how much he doubted it.

Yuuri smiled throughout it all, though. Watching Viktor warmed his heart. He relaxed his jaw and released his teeth from their tight vice. Viktor looked happy. Happier than even when Yuuri had first known him.

Viktor's life had taken a turn for the worse when he met Yuuri. Yuuri knew that. As did Viktor. He wasn't guilty, though. He couldn't have stopped it, really. He wasn't sure what path he could have taken that would have stopped him from being wrapped up in this chaos.

Yuuri tended to not think about it all that much.

Viktor's smile. It was unique. It wasn't like the ones he had forced for Yuuri. Not like the ones he had when he spoke his first language. Not the one that he had when he hummed to himself when he thought Yuuri wasn't paying attention.

No, this was Viktor's happiness. Viktor had seen a glimpse of his past and he had caught onto it, bringing those feelings back to the present. He looked youthful, acting much younger than he should be for a twenty-something-year-old. Yuuri enjoyed it. Even if his stomach churned at each touch, each laugh. His heart remained passive. Viktor had regained a bit of himself today.

It gave Yuuri hope.

Maybe he could do that, even if he had no happy memories to latch onto.

word count: 2272

published: 01.09.17