After a long time

Today, he was being introduced to a new class. For the last week or so his so called 'classes' were going so well that they the other teachers had decided to move up his schedule for an entire month. Rumors were starting to spread around the school anyway, and the sooner they knew him for what he was, the better, they all thought, except for him, for he was still so overwhelmed by Ania's class that he couldn't tell his tail from his head. He didn't have a say in it though, so through another door he went, following closely behind another homeroom teacher whose name he had forgotten.

And yet again, he immediately felt the weight of twenty pair of eyes falling curiously at his back. It seems they have already heard of you. the other man said, taking in how the students looked at Michael with a honesty wonder in his eyes. With some, there was a bit of disbelief mixed into all that, a bit of hope, a bit of relief, but the wonder was one constant thing.

So, class, I guess you know what I am going to say today. the teacher began, and somebody immediately jumped at the chance. No homeroom today!

Yes, but?

Don't get too excited, 'cause this guys gonna be teaching us how to suppress our powers! the same cheerful voice answered, and as Michael raised his eyes he found a strange sight: a student at complete peace with himself. Not that I need that, though. Can't I just go home?

Not a chance, Greyam. Mr. Grif...Michael will be taking attendance at the end of the class just as I would. So, behave! That goes for the rest of the class as well. and with that, the other man went through the door.

For a moment, there was a complete silence.

Hey, can we see your wings yet? Greyam asked in the same cheerful voice, and all hell broke lose.

STOP!

The other class hadn't been this bad. Yes, once he had shown what he can do, they have all insisted on petting his wings, but at least they haven't left their desks, and not once had any of them reached for his pendant.

Now! he yelled, and the students froze in fear. Back to your places, all of you! He had never seen a more synchronized plan of attack. They were all in their seats within seconds.

That's better. he quieted his voice, already feeling his voice going sour because of that one sentence he screamed. And it wasn't really a sentence.

Turning back to his desk, he leaned against it as he did before, purposely refusing to sit behind it like a real teacher would have. Had they not been so idiotic, he might've just sat on it, like he did before.

Obviously, you all know what I will be doing for I see no other reason as why you would be so...rowdy. The class chuckled at his choice of wording and he had let it pass. However, move one hair out of place, and I will walk out through that door. he warned, taking a pendant off. His wings bursted into the air, taking half of the space behind him, as he sat on the edge. One by one. he commanded. And I want to hear your names. The first row jumped like trained.

Fine, has everybody had enough? Seriously, it would be better if you have. he threatened, his voice rising again. He could already feel he would have troubles with this class. They have, for one, already wasted half of the class.

That all? he asked, and for once, he wasn't talking as if he was reading from the Oxford Dictionary. There was no time for that here. Thinking long words required time, and he had to have fast reactions here. Scanning the room, he felt like he had seen a familiar head there hunched over his desk. He frowned, a shot of anger, pain, and sadness rushing through him all at once, before he managed to bury them down under the tone of ice and newly found line of thought that he liked to call ''teacher mode''. That probably wasn't William anyway, but there were other telepaths and empaths in the room. Each class was bound to have one. And if, by some chance, it was William... well, it would be even worse then.

Suddenly tense, he continued to speak.

I had a speech. he said, looking at his hands as he played with his pendant. A nice long speech which explained pretty much everything that needs to explain, except, before you ask, and I know you will, the meaning of life. he made a theatrical pause there to see how they would react. Silence.

However, since you have wasted half of my class, there is no time for it. he got up, putting his pendant around his neck, and his wings disappeared. The point is: I can make one of these for anybody that has problems with their powers.

So, it was William in the end.

He had really hoped he wouldn't have to meet the boy again, and had counted on the largeness of the school and the share number of classes to keep them apart, or at least keep them apart for some time, considering that if he was going to go to every class (and that was the plane for now, which made him shiver) he would have to see him...eventually. He just didn't count on 'eventually' being his second class. And if the pang of guilt, and pain, and anger, and god-knows what emotions in him wasn't enough, the boy seemed determined to undermine his class. And that is where the guilt went away.

He didn't care about what has been said, he didn't care about the hurt, not his own, not of the others. He had buried deep and put it aside during the long months of training because what he did could help It could help, really HELP all those who struggle, all those who don't know what to do with this power, like Ania did. It could help stop all those that were dangerous.

So to have somebody try to undermine that was to press his buttons, all at once.

I am not teaching anything as of yet, Beckett. he said, his voice ice cold and his face the example of stringency. I am simply explaining what I can do for those of you who do not feel quite at peace with yourself, or simply have a power that is...inconvenient. Like not being able to kiss your boyfriend, or touch, or feeling so much thoughts and emotions from those around you that they drive you mad. Of course, he doubted William would ever want his help, but still.

You must have heard of examples from the other class I've thought. he said, relaxing once again. He won't let the boy get to him. He had put that beside him, behind him, and if he had to face him, he would face him as a teacher. A quiet murmur of 'yeah's filled the room.

Good. he nodded his head, thinking about what he's gonna say next. However, William is right to an extent . My pendants don't help you control your powers, they only suppress them making them easier to handle. he stopped there for a moment again, before continuing. And that's why there is a program being build right now by every other power teacher in the school. I am technically still in training and can't do any actually teaching my self, but I can prepare you for that, by giving you pendants and some other basic info. He didn't mention the program in Ania's class since they didn't seem to need it, but here, he would have to use all of his cards, especially if there was somebody who would constantly try to undermine him.

He wasn't going to let this turn out into a fight. He wasn't. But if he wanted the students to believe a word he had said despite William's constant dry comments, he would have to explain himself. And he didn't like the feeling of that. He might not be doing any teaching as of yet, but he was a teacher (in-training, but a teacher).

How was he going to get passed this, damn it?

Unfortunately for you, I can't. This lessons are a part of my training. he said, looking him in the eyes for a moment, before he looked away. There was nothing but irritation there. A bit of pain rushed through him, and this time, he simply decided to ignore it rather than bury it, for while the truth was that the broken friendship still left a bitter taste in his mouth, it was also truth that he had moved past it. There was nothing to be done, no remedy for guilt and no outlet for anger, so he would just have to make his peace with that. And he did. For months.

Only it was hard to keep it up now that he was in the same room with the boy, especially because of what he was saying.

And you will be learning. As I said, all of you will need some basic info about the upcoming program, simply to see if you wish to join or not if nothing else. Also, in order to make pendants for those of you want them, I need to get to know you. So, you will have to suffer through my class, at least for a week, if no more. he said, hoping that nobody would call him on the semi-familiar manner with which he was addressing the boy.