Programmed Instability, [just toying around with ideas..]

[winexandxdine]

Math had never been his thing in highschool. Maybe it was just fate twisting around and pointing a cruel, bent finger at him for hating it, but, here he was. On the college campus, in a math classroom, stretching up and slanting his name against the green chalkboard in messy, quick print.

Mr. Eden.

The name was painfully simple, and painfully boring, and he felt.. well, awkward, writing it up there. The professor was barely out of college, himself, with fair hair and pale silver-blue eyes and a dreamy, sort of innocent face that really didn't betray his personality at all. (Or at least Andrew didn't like to think it did-- he didn't like to imagine himself as one of those wafty, airheaded fellows.)

He dropped the chalk onto the tray attatched to the base of the chalkboard, clapping his hands together to smear the fine dust away, stepping backwards and balancing his hands on his hips. Yeah. He could handle this, most definitely. Maybe he wasn't the most qualified teacher in the world, but this wasn't exactly an ivy-league school, either (or else Andrew wouldn't have been hired so readily), and at least it was just a basic Algebra class. Frequented by freshman, he hoped he could handle it.

It wasn't like he had much of a choice, really. He needed this job, needed the pay. Hell, he was already living on campus like one of the students, but there was a giddy sort of freedom to it. He was out, he had a nice job, he'd secured a place in life, and hopefully it wouldn't kill him.

Clicking his tongue against the roof os his mouth, Andrew regarded his name on the board, before shrugging his shoulders backwards in a relaxing sort of way and crossing over to his desk, slumping down in the seat and spinning the chair around so he could keep an eye on the door.

He was ready for this!

Of course, it was an hour before his first class was scheduled to start.

Drumming his fingers on the (edit) DESK (not door) (/edit), he was the perfect picture of ready-to-burst anxiety.

[Larry Yakomoto]

((Mind if I post here as another teacher? Seme, obviously. >] Kekeke.))

[winexandxdine]

( If I minded, I wouldn't've made the board. XD )

[Larry Yakomoto]

((True true, but I never know if people are saving a post for someone. e_e I get conf00zed and insecure. >>))

The first day of college was something that Ethan always looked forward to, because he taught freshmen. Freshmen were fun because they were new college students with egos to boot, and superiority complexes whose sizes were rivaled only by their student loans. They were pompous, sometimes rude, and usually know-it-alls, and often cracked Ethan up. Frankly, he loved his job.

But there was fresh blood on the staff, as well. An adorable, mousy-looking thing that had to be fresh out of grad school himself. What he was doing teaching college, Ethan didn't know. He himself had started with high school english ten years prior, but had moved on to the wonderful world of creative writing for college frosh. But they had to welcome the new meat, didn't they?

Ethan, being the ringleader of the English department, decided to have a go at it first. He didn't bite, really, he was just a tad intimidating sometimes.

Ethan Love stood at about six feet, four inches, and weighed just over two hundred pounds, all of it lean muscle. He donned, today, a somber white button-down dress shirt and khakis, livened by his tie. His tie was rainbow striped with the words, "COME OUT COME OUT WHEREVER YOU ARE" on it. The dean objected to it, but it didn't violate any dress code, so Ethan was free to wear it when he liked. Heh.

Straightening said tie, he exited his room and headed down the hallway, his boring brown loafers making precious little noise (paired with the boring brown loafers were rainbow socks that went impeccably with the tie). He rapped his knuckles on Mr. Eden's door in an obnoxiously loud way, then let himself in, grinning.

"Good morning. You are Mr. Eden, I presume? I'm Ethan... well, Mr. Love to the students, but you can call me Ethan. Heh. Welcome to college."

[winexandxdine]

( It's fine and awesome. XD I love Ethan already. )

He couldn't pretend that he wasn't surprised-- honestly, he had already begun to doze off, his elbow propped against the desk, his cheek cradled in his hand. Then there was the sharp sound of knuckles rapping against the door and he was on his feet in a second, eyes wide and ears shifting a guilty sort of pink.

"Er, hello," Andrew finally managed out, after a stretched pause wherein he remembered he was supposed to speak, and he cracked a nervous sort of smile. "..Sorry," he explained in a rush of an exhale, reaching up to tangle his fingers in his own hair again, shaking his head from side to side. "I wasn't expecting anyone-- not that it's not good to meet you," he amended, quickly.

He dropped his hand and straightened his shirt, simple, long-sleeved and boring black as he crossed over to Ethan with a few quick, tidy steps. He offered out his hand, then sighed and seemed to remember introductions. "And, yeah, I'm Mr. Eden.. but, likewise, you can just call me Andrew."

The teacher's eyes lingered on his tie for a moment, then shifted downward and halted at the socks, and the grin grew a little less nervous and a tad more genuine. Amusing-- at least they weren't all stiff-necked and uptight.

"..I feel like I'm started college again myself, honestly," Andrew admitted, biting the tip of his tongue. "Thanks."

[Larry Yakomoto]

((*tackle* I <3 Andrew. XD))

Ethan nodded in understanding as he quite genially took Andrew's hand.

"Yeah, I know what you mean. It's all the same insecurities you have when you first start school only you're working with adults so no one's allowed to talk about them. Because... you know, we're adults and we have everything figured out." He chuckled softly, shaking his head.

If there was one thing Ethan lacked, it was modesty. If there was another thing he lacked, it was a general respect for his homophobic, uptight co-workers. The only plus side to being around them was their great reactions to small pranks pulled on them that had no repercussions on Ethan, but generally tended to tighten the sphincters of the rest of the staff.

The dean had come to see Ethan as something of a nuisance, but he hadn't done anything worthy of getting fired yet and he was a spectacular teacher. Even the other teachers grudgingly admitted that he was superb at making the freshmen listen and get a grip on their rampant egos.

"So... english. You're teaching it." Thank you, Captain Obvious. "What part? I mean... comp? Lit? Er... essay writing? Handwriting analysis?" Another chuckle ensued as well as an absent tug at his right earlobe, one of several quirks he was prone to.

[winexandxdine]

(omg your avatar XD)

"English?"

Andrew gave a sort of embarassed grin, his grip firm with Ethan's. "I'm teaching English? Uh, I thought I signed on for a math class, but I'donno. Maybe it was a mistake." He squeezed the other teacher's hand, then remembered he probably needed to let go, slipping it out of his grip and hooking his thumbs into the pockets of his pants.

A bit of an awkward position, yes, but oh well.

"And you're right.. adults." He wrinkled his nose as if smelling something particularly foul, before shaking his head. "Never been too good at being one of those. I still like chocolate too much. And ice cream.. but I guess I'll have to put my big girl panties on and get over it."

Andrew laughed under his breath, taking a step back and tossing a glance over at the rows of chairs. "I would offer you a seat, but I hear they're not all that comfortable.." He trailed off just a little, wondering if Ethan wanted something. New teacher initiation or something, maybe, he wouldn't be surprised, but at least the other man didn't seem ready to pounce on him and scribble 'noobie' all over his arms in black permanant marker.

This was, of course, not highschool, but it was a little difficult to remember that sometimes.

"I like your tie, by the way."

[Larry Yakomoto]

Ethan glanced around, blinking in mild confusion, then recalled that yes, the math department was right beside the english department. Eh, way to make an ass out of yourself, Larry. I mean Ethan. Cough.

Slender, long-fingered hands drifted to gently stroke the tie, and Ethan chuckled.

"Isn't it just precious? Dean Miller hates it, but he can't stop me from wearing it. Heh. The students seem to like it, too..." Chuckling a little at the offer of one of the chairs, Ethan shook his head in decline and perched himself on the corner of Andrew's desk.

"This'll suit me just fine. Actually, I'd probably better get back in my classroom. The Flints will be arriving shortly..." Ethan rolled his eyes a bit.

The Flints were sisters- twins, both of them with a thing for handsome, blonde-haired, glasses-wearing teachers named Mr. Love. Their elder sister had been in Ethan's class the year prior, and had introduced the twins at the open house a month or so before. They had promised to arrive early to class. Ehhh.

"Anyhow, I'll talk to you after class... maybe you'd like to get some lunch with me later on?"

[winexandxdine]

Well, Larry--er--Ethan shouldn't feel too bad. Andrew had probably walked into an English classroom or three trying to find his own room, so maybe the mistake wasn't so severe.

"I'm sure he wouldn't, but you're right.." He reached up, hiding a slight grin with his hand as he moved over to take a seat in his chair, thumping heavily down into it. "He can't take it away from you, can he?" A pause. "Nice socks, too. Glad to see you have some fashion sense." He was lightly teasing, just trying to be silly, of course.

"The Flints? Er, wait.. just explain to me at lunch. Which I would, by the way, love to have with you, if you'd be nice enough to show me around campus. Honestly, I'm just a little bit lost, but I'm hoping to get familiar with the place before too long.."

He rolled back against the wall, pulling out a gradebook, putting it back in the desk, and finally just letting it rest in his lap.

"Wish me luck at least, will you? And, I'll, ah, meet you by the library?" Which was one of the places he'd been able to pick out the location of so far.

[Larry Yakomoto]

Yes, but Larry's an illiterate moron that forgets everything, including things written very clearly in Auto's first post. Heh.

Ethan couldn't help laughing at the fashion sense comment. He knew that he was tragically mismatched, and he didn't really care. Most days he was a bit more put together, but the alarm had gone off late and Ethan had hit the snooze button anyhow, not even realizing that he'd be late. Then he'd gotten in the car and remembered that the power had gone out for an hour or so last night, and the clocks were slow and he'd be early for class.

That was the only reason Ethan was able to greet the charming Mr. Eden this morning before class and obligingly wish him luck, as requested.

"I look forward to lunch with you, Mr. Eden," he replied, removing himself from the corner of the other's desk. "I'll see you by the library before lunch to give you a tour about the campus, and warn you about the Flints. I think they have your class and you're their type." He grinned almost wolfishly, then headed for the door.

"Good luck."

((Er... yeah. You can skip or whatever. ^^;;; ))

[winexandxdine]

Hours later, Andrew found himself pacing just in front of the library, arms folded loosely across his stomach. Students milled about, some giving him funny looks when he smiled at them, leaning up against the wall, drumming his fingers against the wall.

The class had been.. well.. interesting. After the students had actually gotten over the fact that, no, he wasn't a student, but was, yes, their teacher, the lessons had gone smoothly for the most part. Reviews, mainly, re-hashing things the freshmen had learned time and time again in highschool.

He had another class that evening, not really looking forward to it, but just figured that no person really looked forward to their job. It had to get easier, less awkward, didn't it? He could only hope so, at least.

Andrew leaned back, glancing up, surveying the heads of the mass of students, hoping to catch Ethan's tall frame. He stood out (a good thing, most definitely), should have been so simple to pick out in a crowd, a head taller than a lot of the people milling around.

He touched the tip of his tongue to his lips and really, really hoped that the English teacher hadn't just forgotten about him.

[Larry Yakomoto]

Soon enough, that choppily long-haired blonde head appeared down the hallway, and immediately spotted Andrew's slim form leaning against the wall, waiting oh, so patiently. Ethan really couldn't help but smile.

Forget about the lunch date? How could he? Though Ethan did tend to be something of a flake, he didn't usually forget about appointments like that. Especially not with someone as cute as Andrew... even if he was straight, which Ethan sincerely doubted, but wouldn't have bet on. You never know.

"Hey there," he chirped, grinning. "Sorry I'm late- spilled some coffee on my shirt and tried to get it out... ehhh..." He gestured vaguely to the brown blotch that had blossomed right next to his tie. It had missed the tie, though, and white button-down shirts were a dime a dozen, so no harm done.

"I'm such a damn klutz," he chuckled, shaking his head a bit. "Anyhow... you hungry? We could go to the campus cafeteria and get some of their slop, if you like, or there's a terrific chinese joint in the shopping center down the street about five minutes. Whichever you prefer."

Well, when he put it like that...

[winexandxdine]

"Klutz?"

It was hard to hide the obvious look of relief that crossed Andrew's face as he caught the sight of Ethan, standing up straight and lifting his hand to his brow in a sort of pale mock-salute.

"You don't really come off as one, but I guess the coffee attests to that.."

He leaned back against the wall at that, thrusting his hands into his pockets and letting his eyes fall half-lidded, as if thinking it over. "Chinese sounds good, even if I've never been too keen on the food.. never really tried it, actually."

The teacher shrugged his shoulders back, turning his face up to blink openly at Ethan.

"How did your classes go, by the way? I meant to ask.." A pause, and a loud, irritated exhale. "...and you were right about the freshmen. They're crazy, aren't they?"

[Larry Yakomoto]

Ethan led Andrew out of the rather crowded hallway down a much more sparsely populated one, then exited the building via a pair of glass doors. About five minutes' walk away was a sprawling shopping center, the center of which was a Safeway surrounded by dozens of smaller shops, one of them being Young Chow Cafe.

"Every single one of them," he replied, chuckling as he shook his head. "They're absolutely nuts... and egomaniacs to boot. But... eh... you learn to love 'em. Especially the smart ones."

Ethan ran hand through his hair, smiling as he watched the ground in front of him while they walked as though it would go somewhere if he didn't. It was a bit strange that he didn't make eye contact, but hey... everyone has their quirks.

"And my classes went well, thank you. Yours? Did you meet the Flints yet, or have you still been denied the pleasure of their company?" Ironic smirk.