Chapter Text
Only the sound of graphite against paper could be heard in the room, the occasional jarring noise, but nothing lasting. The senior class was taking their first test. Specifically in biology, which meant a pair of watchful eyes watched every single move. Even though it wasn't necessary, since no one there had the courage to cheat on Mr. Aburame's class.
Still, Shino divided his gaze between the room and the laptop in front of him, while planning other lessons. The biologist was known for being intimidating: classes were well-controlled and almost timed. Was a great teacher, but extremely strict; his subject was one of the hardest in the school. Even with all this, his students enjoyed his classes, mainly because of the man's unique manner.
Hair was long and straight, always tied in a perfect bun. Clothes varied in neutral tones, but seemed to favor specific styles. In fact, he seemed to own several of the same outfits, only varying the tone, yet still sticking to a specific color palette. Was currently wearing a long, black, turtleneck shirt, over which was a gray-green coat. Aside from his eccentric personality, what most caught the students' attention were his sunglasses. He was never without them, which resulted in several different theories: that he did it so no one would know where he was looking, that he was blind, or that he was always hungover.
Regardless of the reasons for his quirks, Aburame Shino was a school icon. Easily identifiable. Especially since he was always accompanied by another easily identifiable icon.
A knock on the door invaded the classroom, making everyone look at the delivery. Through the square window, a brightly smiling face could be seen. Presence made the students shift in their seats and chatter. It was Kiba, or Mr. Inuzuka, though no one called him that, who was the physical education teacher.
With a barely audible sigh, Shino stood and went to open the door. The entire time he walked, Kiba's eyes never left the man. Smile widened when the door opened, revealing the full face of Inuzuka.
"Mr. Aburame." Greeted in a slightly mocking tone that went unnoticed by the teenagers. Voice was lower than usual, showing that even with the joke, the athlete respected his coworker's class.
Kiba was a little shorter than Shino, but his muscles were more visible. Hair was layered and fell to the nape of his neck. A goatee adorned his open, flirtatious smile. Played a thousand different things, favorites being fighting. Also always wore sportswear and questionable color combinations.
"What do I owe your presence to?" Shino asked, still holding the door. He might go out to chat in the hallway, but would never leave the classroom unsupervised.
Side by side, it was even funnier; the two were complete opposites. Shino was serious, discreet, spoke in whispers, dressed neutrally, and had impeccable manners. Kiba, on the other hand, was playful, loud, sometimes shouting, used too much neon for one person, and was clumsy.
With indiscreet glances, the students observed the interaction between the two teachers. There had been a rumor in class for a few days that the physical education teacher liked the biology teacher, and from then on, there was a movement to find out if it was true or not.
Theories were analyzed: it was clear that Kiba was very affectionate with his workmate. Looked, smiled, joked, and talked a lot. Even though Shino didn't reciprocate, there was an interesting point: the biologist never pushed or cut the other off at any time. Two were inseparable in the school hallways.
That's the main point. Furthermore, the students began to notice other factors: they both seemed to be the same age, around thirty. Neither wore a wedding ring. And they never talked about marriage or children.
So the class had a mission: to bring their two teachers together.
"You were one of the ones invited to the school volleyball championship." Kiba replied, laughing openly. He knew perfectly well that his friend wouldn't like the idea. That's why he asked Principal Naruto to break the news.
In that instant, Aburame's expression changed slightly, but Kiba noticed and laughed, covering his mouth. He was incredulous.
"Why would I go to something like that?" The championship was an annual event for older students, bringing together several schools from the state. It was usually held in a city too far away, requiring hours of bus rides, with too many teenagers. It was terrifying from the biologist's perspective. To make matters worse, there were four classes, which usually required four teachers. "Who else is going?"
"Me, you, Sakura, and Ino." Kiba replied, laughing. Meanwhile, the students whispered about the event's details.
At least it was a good lineup, Shino thought. Ino was a literature teacher, usually calm but still firm when necessary. Sakura was a math teacher, almost always stressed, and she could be scary. It was a different team, for sure.
"Do I have the option to decline the invitation?" Shino asked, even though he already knew the answer.
"I don't think so.”