Allodoxaphobia ♅ Viktuuri

35) ''Christophe!''

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.