resident evil oneshots ! ☆

☹︎✴︎ [c.r.] iii : professor?

"chris," mr. nivans acknowledges his colleague with a subtle jerk of his chin the moment he frantically steps foot inside the teachers' lounge. "good morn-"

"yeah, mornin'." the man in question cuts in, absent-mindedly walking right past piers as if he were a mere ghost. he doesn't even spare him a glance, much less his signature grin. no, with his expression oddly troubled, chris just makes a beeline straight towards the coffee machine in the corner of the room, turning his back towards the other man in the process.

the action could be considered rather rude - perhaps even insulting to some - however, it's the way he looks so utterly zoned out whilst doing it that tells the correctional justice professor all he needs to know.

the impoliteness hadn't been intentional at all...

...and that sparks mr. nivans's attention almost immediately.

after all, piers knows chris like the back of his own hand - perhaps even better than that. if the years spent working in the same building, co-existing as colleagues, and later on as friends, have taught him anything, then it's that the menace that's currently standing in the opposite corner of the room - stepping from one foot to another, looking fidgety as fuck - is quite literally his polar opposite.

immensely introverted to a point, he sometimes comes across as cold to certain people: piers nivans is a man who tends to keep to himself. while chris tends to thrive on chaos and mayhem - whether intentionally or not - piers, on the other hand, prefers logic and order. and, whilst we're on the topic of logic, there is none whatsoever when it comes to finding an explanation for how such two different people manage to get along, nor for how exactly the dynamic proceeds to work. it's just how things function around here - how they've always functioned when it comes to them.

still, piers remains pleased about the fact that it works, no matter that it's unexplained and that he oftentimes comes off as aloof when compared to his loud, boisterous opposite. actually, he finds it just fine. but now that the harmony has been disrupted, he finds himself feeling obligated to sort it out. so, he crosses one ankle over the other and asks, "are you all right?"

"i'm fine." the brunette replies with a gesture that resembles a tired wave of his hand; his response is almost automatic. and it's like he blurts it out by default when he adds: "jus' dandy."

piers quirks a brow whilst he watches him mess around with the coffee machine... the thing is brand new and still requires some learning. "you're sure?"

luckily for chris, he keeps his face hidden as he rummages through the cupboard for his mug. "yup." he mumbles, popping the 'p'.

a child.

"well, all right... it's just that you seem to be slightly off, that is all." and that's worry - concern for his friend, hidden underneath a clear statement that nobody had asked for.

the cupboard closes with a soft click. there's a small pause before the burlier friend in question sighs. "i'm just tired, man."

"because?"

"couldn't sleep."

"ah," the other professor mumbles in reply. that certainly could explain his inability to focus.

but on the other hand... he seemed completely fine until stumbling into one of his students. it wouldn't hurt to ask, now would it?

"anyway, i saw you with that l/n girl earlier... out in the hallway."

thump, thump, thump.

fuck, chris's heart starts to hurt immediately at that. he should have known that it wouldn't be that easy when it comes to piers fucking nivans. where the fuck had he been hiding anyway? did he hear anything? see something?