Coach N. Scott

“I swear, I don’t understand how hard it is to-” When Magnus realized who it was, he looked up and sighed. Maybe being a dick to a friend, or someone he considered to be an ally at least, was not the best idea right now. “My apologies. I’m good, you know me. Trying to get back to walking after almost dying in that fire.” Sure, he was being dramatic but he wouldn’t be himself if he wasn’t.

Nathan back away a little bit to give the male diva his space even though it was him who ran into Nathan. He found himself internally rolling his eyes at the short man. He wasn’t exactly the most sympathetic person at times. He was trying to work on that, especially with what happened last year. 

“How has your recovery been? I see you are walking; that’s good.” Nathan commented. “You have to start somewhere. How was your holiday break?”

After completing his degree, Sebastian now found himself with a lot more time on his hands. Granted, going to grad school was just around the corner for him in August,  he still wanted to keep busy. Now that school was over, he had more time to focus on work, so he found himself at Groves a lot more than he used to be. He was headed out of the teacher’s lounge after he’d finished his lunch and was on his way back to the athletic office. “Mmm… A site for sore eyes…” Sebastian purred as he passed Nathan by. It was low enough for only the two of them to hear, he prided himself on being professional around the students. 

“Oh yeah, I’m fine.” Sebastian chuckled as he patted Nathan on the shoulder quickly before continuing to walk beside him. “How are you doing? Nice seeing you around in the afternoons, this is one of the highlights of school being over with for me.” 

Nathan couldn’t help but laugh at Sebastian’s quiet response to passing him. “You never cease to stroke my ego, Smythe.” If he was being honest, if he was even a little bit curious on how the other side worked he’d climb Sebastian like a tree. And he knew Seb wouldn’t be opposed. 

“I’m doing better than a few months ago that’s for sure. How was your break?” Nathan kept in pace with the other guy. Nathan rolled his eyes. “How’s prep for grad school going?”

It had been a while since Archie had last seen Nathan. He was mostly focused on his healing and catching up on his school work, but now that the students were back from holiday break, he figured now would be a good time to revisit basketball. The season was slowly approaching, and Archie was interested in potentially returning back to the roster, that was of course pending on if his coach would have him back. 

“Hey coach Scott!” Archie beamed at the older man. “I was just saying hi… How was your holiday break?” He asked curiously, hoping that they could make small talk first before asking for what he wanted. 

Nathan’s demeanor changed when he realized who ran into him. “Archie, hey! I can’t tell you how happy I am to see that fire head back in the mix.” It was true. Nathan saw a little bit of himself in the ginger and he wanted to make sure not only he knew of the teenager’s potential.

“It was good. Jamie got double the presents so he was happy. A happy kid means a happy parent. How about yours?”

He walked back to the school after his lunch and was bombarded by another person. “Hey! You good?” He asked the other.

After their snowball fight ended - in Nathan’s favor, he might add - he did what any good sportsman would do and offered his losing opponent a hand. He brought Sebastian some of his smaller workout garments and laid them out with a towel for him after he insisted on changing out of his damp clothes. 

After playing in the snow hot cocoa always made his son feel better, so he figured Seb wasn’t much more mature than Jamie so cocoa would probably help lessen his pout as well. He made the two mugs of hot chocolate and added some rainbow sprinkles in the other guy’s for good measure.

“I can’t think of anything better than a warm fire, hot cocoa, the radio, and you.” Nathan rolled his eyes at the quipped comment. “Well I don’t have the fire place, but the latter three, sure.” He handed the shorter man his cocoa. “And there’s a cuddle sesh in play if you’re a good boy.” He patted the younger’s head as he would his son’s. 

It was only three days after the fire and Archie was feeling miserable. He was in pain, he couldn’t see his friends and family like he wanted to, and he didn’t even have his phone or guitar. He felt like he was spiraling out of control. The last few nights, he dreamed of the flames and Jason’s face, and he couldn’t get any of it out of his mind. Maybe he shouldn’t have gone to that party after all, maybe he should have just went to the carnival and called it a night after that, he would have been better off that way. 

He thought he was dreaming when he heard the voice of his coach in the doorway. Naturally. Shape up, or else you’re gonna do laps. It was something he’d heard plenty of times and hated yet, it was one of the only things he wished he could have heard. 

Archie poked his head up from the pillow and sighed to himself. “Do I look as shitty as I feel, coach?” He asked. It was supposed to be a joke, but his tone was dark, he felt like a part of him burned up with that fire as well. 

Nathan made his way into the room and shut the door most of the way. A frown etched its way onto his face after Archie asked him the question. His tone was so unlike the guy Nathan saw on and off the court.  “I vowed to always say it how it is with you and the rest of the team, Andrews. Whether you are playing like shit or... looking like it.” Nathan started. “You look like you’re in a lot of pain, Archie.” The basketball coach continued. “Both physical and and otherwise.” Nathan grabbed a chair from a corner of the room and brought it to the side of Archie’s bed. 

“You need to take it easy that’s for sure. But if there’s anything at all that I can do to make it easier or ease anything in the coming months, Andrews. Please feel free to let me know.” Nathan was being completely honest in his statement to the teen. He’d help him in anyway that he could. “If you need somebody to bring you your homework or do your homework. Let me know.” He smirked at the kid. He was halfway joking, but he would be willing to assist him with it. “Anything but math, I’m your guy.”

He turned serious. “So, if you’re okay with me asking, did they give you your prognosis? How long will you be laid up?”

Sebastian made his way through the halls of Groves High School, clad in his Savannah Lacrosse polo and his messenger bag. Tragedy had struck many people just a few short days ago, but Sebastian was practically a machine, he wanted to dive into work as best he could. Besides, even though he was a bit shaken up at the fact that his favorite bar went up in flames, others had it much worse. The students who knew Jason Blossom had it the worst, and the focus should be placed on them along with the other individuals who were injured, Magnus one of his close friends being one of them.

He continued strolling through the hallway and passed by Jason’s locker and sighed to himself before entering the athletic offices. He noticed that Nathan’s door was partially open and so he decided to lightly tap on the door to let his presence be known. The other man hadn’t been in school the day before, so Sebastian wanted to double check on him. 

“Hey sexy.” He said after looking around to see if there were any students nearby. “Your absence yesterday was almost as gaping as mine when I’m not here.” Sebastian said with a playful smirk. He leaned against the doorway and sighed to himself. “How are you holding up?” 

A smile grew on Nathan’s face when he saw that it was Sebastian who was there instead of a student. “Hey yourself, handsome.” Nathan sent a playful wink at Sebastian. Leave it to the other guy to make him feel better by just being himself.

“Almost?” Nathan asked with an raised eyebrow. “Gee, thanks.” He turned serious and let out a long deep breath. “I spent the gay with Jamie. We did anything and everything his little heart desired. And then we curled up on the couch with popcorn and ice cream, like men, and cuddled.” Nathan thanked God everyday for Jamie. 

Nathan motioned for Sebastian to shut his office door. He knew everybody knew about what happened at Seventh Heaven and, of course, were still thinking, talking, and reacting to it. But he didn’t feel that it was right for him to bring his emotions on any students. It was his job to be strong for them not the other way around.

“Honestly? I could be better. That’s a scary situation to be in for anybody let alone a student.” Nathan didn’t know if it was better to go on as normal and treat the athletes like any other day or be soft with them for the next couple of weeks. “How are you doing?”

First on his list was Archie. The poor guy seemed to have gotten it the worst. He wasn’t sure what happened and he wouldn’t push the teen to talk about it if he didn’t want to, but he wanted to go check up on him regardless.

He approached the front desk and asked the receptionist which room Archie was in. She asked the normal questions - relation and whatnot. She gave him a visitor’s sticker and he was on his way. He took a few breaths to calm his racing heart. He didn’t need his student seeing him all weirded out by the hospital. 

He tapped on the glass beside the door that was half open. “Hey, Andrews. How’re you doing?” He stayed in the doorway to not impose on the teen.

@thearchibaldandrews​

He called out of school on Monday, as a lot of people did, and he spent it all with Jamie. But the band aid needed to be ripped off at some point and today was the day. 

He arrived early and made a beeline for his office. There were already flowers piling up for Jason Blossom outside of the boy’s locker room. He sighed. The red headed football player had everything going for him. He was a great player and an even better guy, from what Nathan could gather. 

He unlocked his office door and closed the door without latching it and plopped down in his desk chair. School hadn’t started yet, but he could tell this was going to be a long ass day.

A moment later and there was a knock at his door. He pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a long breath before sitting up straight. “Come in.” He answered the final knock.

Mona scoffed at the coach’s comment and shrugged back at him. “Batman is all fine and well. I’m just saying, superheroes in general are overrated, Coach Scott.” She nodded along with him as she took in Nathan’s costume and then looked behind her to see his son, it was adorable that Jamie matched his father, but of course you would never hear that sort of acknowledgement from Mona. “Oh yeah, the kids are running all over the place here, so it’s good that you’re able to be here keeping an eye on him.” She mused. “Of course I’m working, I always have several articles to write for the Star and the Spooktacular is the perfect place to do this.” 

“I always watch him. I couldn’t imagine losing him... again.” Nathan thought back to the time where he, Haley, and Jamie were shopping at the mall. Jamie somehow got out of his stroller and hid in the circular racks of clothes. It wasn’t until they screamed for him for ten minutes straight that he came out giggling. The nerve of that kid. But he was a Scott after all. He was bound to get some of the Scott asshole gene. 

“That’s a fair point.” Nathan conceded. “So, what’s the one about that’s based off of the Spooktacular?” Nathan saw that the water pistol game was over and Jamie was headed back his way looking a little discourage at only getting a small plushie. He must not have won. 

“Hey, Buddy. What do you have there?” Jamie showed him the yellow duck plushie, a small pout on his face. He had yet to notice Mona and Nathan having a conversation. Clearly still too upset at his loss. That’s the Dan part of him. Nathan thought bitterly. He’d have to make a not to teach him proper losing etiquette later. 

“Hey. Daddy and Mona,” Nathan motioned to the girl. “Were having a conversation, Jim Jam. Walking in between two people isn’t very nice.” Jamie’spout deepened at his father’s discipline. “Sorry, daddy.” He said and turned to Mona. “Sorry, Miss... wow.!” Jamie’s face instantly turn back into a smile. “Hello, Miss. Mona. My name is James Lucas Scott and I’m almost seven. How old are you?”

“Jamie you never ask a girl how old she is!” Nathan corrected his son. “I”m sorry, Mona.”

Even though Charlie was a huge fan of Nathan, or well, as he knew him Coach Scott, he sure didn’t want a teacher or coach finding him at a gay bar and a little bit tipsy. He could easily call his father or well, blow his cover that he wasn’t a newly 21 year old who was celebrating his birthday, apparently that was a way to the men’s hearts here. “It’s not, at least not really. I got the invitation and thought I’d come and check it out but I just…don’t know how I feel about being here. WHat about you, Coach? Never thought I’d see you at a gay bar.”

Nathan chuckled at Charlie’s inquiry about him being at a gay bar. He noticed the guy drinking a most likely not virgin drink, but paid that no mind. “You’re not the only one.” Nathan commented.

“I got an invitation too. You know what this is about?” Nathan asked the teen. He figured with the crowd of people, a lot underage, asking somebody in that group would be his best bet to get a straight answer. Hah. He internally laughed. 

“So, you got any plans for tonight? How’s the football situation going?”

As soon as he entered the club he was bombarded with noise, smells and sights like no other. Looking around he was pretty sure not everybody here was of age, but who was he to judge? He’d drank many times underage. So, he’d just go on with his evening. He passed so many different sights that his straight self had only heard of. And glitter. Oh the glitter! He tried his best to avoid anything that even looked like it had that shiny shit on it.

When he finally made it to the bar he planted his ass down to ensure he had a seat and ordered two beers. To start. His eyes all of a sudden landed upon somebody he recognized. “Hey!” He shouted over the music to get their attention. “What are you doing here? I thought you weren’t in to this.. kind of shit.” He motioned to the chaos around him.