Newbie's Dismay

[Ixtlilton]

Man, this one was super shy, wasn't he? Sky's gaydar was whooping. Could be a false alarm. But... Clean, polite, friendly, kind of shy around cute guys (humble =/= Sky)... All of those things pointed at one super gay. Sky squinted at him, his mind going to place it really shouldn't.

"I was popular in school," Sky said honestly and with no sense of humility whatsoever. "Honestly, though, it was just because of my powers. Well, and my natural charm, of course, but who knows where the line between those two actually is?" he said with a shrug. He paused to morph his legs back and zip back up his pants. "The snaps are in case I have to morph in a rush and destroy the zipper," he explained idly. "All my pants have them, but boy, do I get funny looks from the tailors."

Sky nodded. "It's impossible... I try to keep them all straight, though. When it comes to PE, there's a lot of creative ways to cheat, and while I want the students to hone their powers, and we have practices for that, I want them to become strong in their own right as well."

[Coconut]

Well, that must have been nice for him... Being popular and everything. Ethan couldn't help but wonder what it was like. People actually going out of their way to talk to you, being able to talk back without it being awkward... He could believe it of Sky, but at the same thing he was a little puzzled at one thing Sky said. "You were popular because of your powers?" He'd grown up understanding that everyone WITH powers was always trying to HIDE them... especially during their school years. "How so?"

He smiled a bit, half ignoring that Sky seemed to just lack in modesty altogether. As the other teacher went about morphing back, at first Ethan forgot and glanced down to see what he was doing, but he quickly looked away again. Yeeaaah he didn't want to give off the wrong impression or anything. Not that Sky wasn't attractive, but, um... It. Wasn't something he should be thinking about right now. He had too much going on with his students and everything, he didn't have to start worrying about looking twice at other teachers.

God, that's all he needed. Arising questions about his sexuality would be all over a school this small in a heartbeat.

"I'm glad I don't have to worry about that for math." Ethan said with a nervous sort of smile. "On the other hand, I have to worry about kids not paying attention and failing... or cheating off tests." The young teacher sighed, by no means looking forward to grading the first quiz of the semester, whenever that would be. "I wish I could get everyone as excited about it as I am, but I've always known that most kids just... hate math." Stupid people. Math rocks. It doesn't lie, there's always a right answer. No second guesses, no false signals. Simple and formulaic.

[Ixtlilton]

"See, that's the difference between real life and school," Sky said, rolling his eyes. "The people good at my class are proud about it and brag about how much PE rocks, and are worshipped for it. The people good at YOUR class keep quiet about it and hope no one notices and calls them a geek. Then they succeed for the rest of their lives while the people good at my class work in fast food restaurants. Or, you know, become PE teachers," he added with a laugh.

"Hmm? Oh! Ha, someone needs to work on their mythology. Okay, I'll show you." ...Ah... crap. A song? A song... he hated doing this a cappella. Uuuuuh... "Hello, Seattle, I am a mountaineer, in the hills and highlands." ...For a mystical bespelling siren fish thing, he sure had horrid taste in songs. But he kept on with it, knowing he'd just look like an idiot singing if he only did two bars. "I fall asleep in hospital parking lots and awake in your mouth." Thank god the lyrics did NOT matter one lick. He watched with a hint of a smile to see how it effected Ethan. Maybe he should back up, too, before he stopped, in case Ethan wanted to throw a punch or something. Turn into a bear... something.

[Coconut]

A small, sad smile was on Ethan's face. He wanted to tell Sky that that wasn't true, ever kid had an equal chance at success, but for some reason he didn't feel that there was much room to dispute it. Especially since he'd had the same thoughts himself when he was going through high school. It was a comfort, really, to know that he, the little geek who shouldn't even BE in high school, would probably amount to more then those jocks his brother beat away from him could ever hope to.

"... Mythology?" The young man looked a bit puzzled. He didn't understand what mythology had to do with Sky's powers. There weren't any stories of fish men coming and doing... something to unsuspecting individuals. That he was aware of, anyway, so what could Sky possibly... mean... by...

Well, that was weird. Sky started singing and all of a sudden Ethan felt... funny. It was like a haze was descending over his brain and at once everything became relaxed and calm and clear. Sky was... Sky was sing... Sky was pretty cool, wasn't he? He was a pretty neat guy. So easy to talk to and he was kinda hot, too. Not that Ethan would EVER admit that to himself when he had a clear head, but there it was. Right now his head was anything but clear. The whole world had a dream-like quality and right there, in the middle of everything, was Sky.

He couldn't help but wonder what would happen if... Woops! The idea hadn't even completely crossed his mind and Ethan randomly found himself moving without even meaning to. Now he was hugging the other teacher while sitting on his lap, Ethan's head tucked against the crook of Sky's neck with a hidden, stupid look on his face. Huh. Maybe he should say something. "...You're comfy."

...What the hell?

[Ixtlilton]

He didn't get it, even after the mythology hint? Geez! Did what he know about mers coincide from what he learned via Disney? Well, he was a Math teacher, not an English teacher. Frankly, Sky hadn't been that good in any classes other than PE, but he'd enjoyed some of the stories in English. And Biology. Lit and Biology, that was pretty much it.

"Hello, Seattle, I am a manta ray, deep beneath the--" Oh! Uh... Ethan was a, um... friendly one. Sky tried not to laugh, knowing that he was history once he broke off singing, unless Ethan was the most evenly spirited bear EVER. Still, seeing as how Ethan was this friendly a verse and a half in, probably would be best to stop before he decided to take his pants off or something. "Blue waves," he finished, not willing to end mid-verse.

He snapped his fingers next to Ethan's ear, trying to give him the jolt that would help him break out of it. A fine merman he would be, with a "spell" that would break anytime someone walked into water, heard lightning, or got punched in the face.

[Coconut]

Yeah, Sky was very comfy. Ethan figured that he'd be happy just sitting here for a while, there wasn't any reason to move, after all. Sky was comfy and smelled good and Ethan was happy. He could vaguely recall some stories of sirens or whatever who'd sing to sailors and put them into trances, maybe that's what Sky had meant, but he didn't really care right at this very moment. Sky was com... fy?

Ethan blinked. He blinked again. He looked around, slowly, until he realized, in horror, that it had not all been a dream. An instant later, the math teacher was standing, stumbled, regained his footing and was standing again (if a bit shakily). "I! Um. Sorry. N-nice... so that's your power? Must... come in handy. Have come in handy. Came in handy. S-sorry, I, ah, should be going. Less... lesson toplanoutbye."

The rather flustered math teacher then turned, attempted to avoid walking in to the wall, righted himself, and headed towards one of the tables in the room to grab a backpack he'd left underneath it. It was a throwback from his college days, he'd always carried around a backpack instead of a briefcase just because he'd found them so much more easily to carry around books and such for long distances. He slung it over his shoulders and headed for the door, only realizing once he'd taken a step outside that he'd forgotten his textbook.

Ohplease fortheloveof god whyisthis happening to me? Ethan took a moment or two to mentally lecture himself on a faulty memory before poking his head back into the room and saying in a quiet, still very much nervous voice. "Forgot my textbook- sorry." He hesitated a bit, nervous about entering the room, before eventually convincing himself that he couldn't properly plan out a lesson WITHOUT his textbook and forcing himself to step inside to retrieve it.

[Ixtlilton]

The fact that Ethan was currently laying on top of him like a puppy didn't actually mean Ethan was secretly gay, or even secretly liked him. It did, however, mean that he was secretly extremely easy to manipulate. A more suspicious person might have just sat there, staring and looking dazed.

"Uh, Etha-" Sky began before the man blustered his way out of the room, nearly running into several things on the way out. Sky frowned. Way to go, Sky. Freak out the new teacher and lose another potential friend, all in one go! he scolded himself, even as a more synical part of his brain repeated the mantra that anyone who was freaked out by his powers could never be a good friend anyway.

The only thing that was really certain was that the next few students he taught PE to should be pitied, because Sky was definitely not in a very good mood. He was sulking magnificently when Ethan poked his head back in. Sky looked up, hopeful, but... no, he just forgot his notebook.

Too sullen to actually help Sky get it, he just decided he'd make the stupid nervous bear get it himself. "I don't bite, you know," he said grumpily. "I'm a fish; you're a bear. That's your territory."

[Coconut]

Sky's sudden change in mood made Ethan freeze half-way through the door. Wait. What? He'd just made a complete and utter fool of himself. He freaking climbed into another man's lap, even after reassuring himself of the fact that he wasn't going to be showing any kind of interest in anyone anytime soon, let alone attractive, male gym teachers. Sky's power had completely caught him off-guard and then to suddenly wake out of a stupor on another man's lap, well aware that if Sky hadn't stopped he might have done something even more stupid...

He'd just had to get out of there. His mind went black and sped up at the same time, he just couldn't even FACE Sky after he'd... it was so fucking embarrassing. Now... SKY was the one getting sulky. He should be laughing at him! It had been HIS power, he should... Don't people react...? Sky's power... was... reactions.

...Ethan was a dick.

The math teacher walked stiffly over towards the chair where he'd been sitting not ten minutes ago, mind racing, body sluggish. Why would Sky be laughing? Ethan had ran out of the room like he was on fire. As far as Sky was concerned, he might as well have just told him he was a freak and slamed a door on his face. He... he hadn't even thought of that. He'd completely forgotten that most people out ther with powers also carried their scars, being rejected because of the strange things they could do. Hell, he should know that himself. And he'd just...

Ethan glanced at Sky as he leaned down to pick up the book. He stared off at a spot on the wall as he straitened, holding it in both hands in front of him like a try, standing there for a moment, "...I'm sorry. I didn't... You don't..." He sighed, shifting the book in his hands and rubbing the side of his face with his freed hand. This had been a loooong day. "I was embarrassed, is all. I, um." He tried a small smile. "If you couldn't tell, I've never really... had to... deal with people much. Growning up. I didn't know what to do, so my mind just said run." Ethan made a face. "... Some bear I am."

[Ixtlilton]

Sky did brighten when Ethan at least tried to awkwardly make conversation. "Let me go ahead and reassure you really quick that it doesn't mean you're gay. I could hum a tune and make Arnold Schwarzenegger think I was the most beautiful thing in the universe." He decided to risk a joke. "It might mean that you're gullible, though," he added with a tentative grin.

He nodded slowly. "Actually, I was kind of wondering if you were going to wake up from it and maul me instead," he said, actually laughing. "You never know how someone's going to react, but I have to admit, a bear running away because he realizes he just sat on someone is not the reaction I was expecting."

[Coconut]

...Oh, thank god he wasn't angry. Ethan visably relaxed when the other teacher regained some of his good humor, even gaining enough confidence to look at him again, relief clear on his face. He didn't know what he would have done if Sky had been angry at him for the stupid misunderstanded. How could he have been so dense?

He blinked. "...Yeah." Hahaha. Of course it didn't. Some manipulative power didn't make someone gay. Not really. The desire to... No, he wasn't thinking about this, remember? No. Relationships. Not until he was confortable being a teacher. None. Bad Ethan. He smirked. "Wouldn't be the first time someone told me that."

Ethan glanced at Sky, a small, nervous smile on his face as he looked away, his free hand reaching up across his body to rub his forearm awkwardly. "...If you'd actually seen my bear form I think... you'd get it. Or, at least, have a better idea. Kinda. I show you, but..." He made a vague hand gesture, not really wanting to spell out how much stripping in front of another guy didn't appeal to him right now. Or how embarrassed he was of his shift. Even if he could know down a house if he ran into it enough times.

[Ixtlilton]

Sky smirked. "Then I should warn you, after the third time someone says 'it doesn't make you gay,' it totally does. You only get three shots at non-gayness before it takes you over." Either that or if someone has to say "it doesn't make me gay, right" three times, you ought to just come out at that point. We're talking to you, conservative Republicans.

Sky squinted at Ethan, trying to figure it out from the hints. "Are you secretly a dwarf panda? Do you just say bear so people don't associate you with something cute? Hmm... how about a teddy bear? Do you turn into Snuggles from the commercials?" He was just purposefully teasing at this point.

[Coconut]

Ethan gave Sky a strange look. He honestly didn't mind being teased. It was nice, in a way, when it was good-natured (well, he thought it was good-natured) teasing like this. But after a certain point, he couldn't help but wonder if there was an underlying point to this teasing. Especially considering part of what he was being teased about. The young man tried a smile again, still too nervous to realize that he'd been standing this entire time with a book in one hand and his backpack still on, a chair right in front of him for the taking. "...If you want to know my sexuality, you could just ask, you know."

But that was the thing about Sky. At one point he'd have Ethan feeling uncomfortable, at the other, he'd be rolling his eyes. Yeah, he was totally a dwarf panda. "I'm not something super-small and cuddly. Give me some credit, I wouldn't even be able to face other shifters if I were." He frowned slightly, thinking it over. "Actually, I guess I'm pretty dangerous." And then he grimaced. "I just don't... like..." Glancing away, he contemplated just showing him again. "I don't wanna just describe it, but..." No fucking way he was stripping for Sky.

[Ixtlilton]

"Well, I... huh?" Sky blinked, turning red slightly. "I was just making a joke, man," he said, glaring slightly at the wall and willing himself to turn a less pink shade. He could NOT go around inquiring as to the sexualities of his co-workers, no matter what Mr. New Teacher seemed to think. He just filed that under 'things not to joke about with Mr. Strangebear' and tried to move on with the conversation.

"Well, whatever it is, it's clearly large enough to shred your clothing, or you wouldn't be hesitant about shifting in public, I guess," Sky said with a nod. "But come on, I'm a giant fish. Not even a badass fish like a Pirhana, the kind you give to your five year old son because they're really low-maintenance. Awesome is not a required factor for shifters, I'm pretty sure."

[Coconut]

Ethan couldn't help but tilt his head slightly, suddenly curious about why Sky was blushing. He had... made him blush? For some reason, he felt kinda happy mixed in with a few other emotions he couldn't quite identify. One of them kinda seemed like guilt. Oops. He had just made things awkward again? Crap. He hadn't meant to... fuck, why had he even said that? HE was the one who kept telling himself... and then he had to go an make things awkward. "Sorry..." He muttered softly, eyes downcast. I guess that answers the question of whether or not Ethan takes well to teasing. Yay for one social experiment out of the way...

"You know what..." Ethan looked around the room, dropping his backpack off his shoulder and placing the textbook carefully on the seat. Math geek righ there. He then made his way over to one of the closets in the room, probably a supply closet or something like there, and opened the door. It was empty enough for him to fit easily enough, so he closed the door behind him, leaving it open a crack so that he wouldn't have to deal with paws on doorknobs. A few minutes later, he emerged, notably different. For one, he didn't walk on two legs anymore. Yes, Ethan had, indeed, turned into a bear! But he wasn't a big bear. Not the size of any respectable bear, anyway, he was about the size of a large dog with light, blond fur close to the color of his hair all over his body. BearEthan hesitated where he stood in the closet, but eventually seemed to convince himself to pad quietly over to Sky, looking at him with large, sad-looking bear-eyes, praying that he didn't laugh.

[Ixtlilton]

Sky ddin't laugh. Not technically. His face sort of... warbled, like he was trying very hard not to giggle. He was definitely a bear, and he wasn't even a cat sized one like Sky had been imagining in his mind. He would have been a very intimidating dog, but since you sort of imagine bears to be better, the size took away from the intimidation factor somewhat.

And then Sky decided to do what he could probably brag about for years if he phrased it right. He reached out and scratched behind Ethan's furry bear ears. "I only wish you were big enough to ride," he said finally. "Because that would be awesome. Maybe I should bring you to PE class one day to chase the students..." Maybe it would have been funnier if he hadn't been seriously considering it.