#holific

(( The next one is for @theresneverenoughfandoms, I love their content and even though we have never spoken I wanted to let them know they are awesome!

Trope: Teachers dating with less than suspecting students.

Pairing: Lamp

Word count: 2,006

    “Mr. Prince? We were wondering, who did you get for the secret Santa today?” One of Roman’s students questioned at the end of class.  Roman let out a light laugh.

    “ Come now, it wouldn't be much of a secret Santa if I spilled the beans, don't you have another class to go to?”   He was putting on his sash for his next lesson, reading Macbeth's father, and being the narrator, a wrinkled sash, simply was not going to cut it.  Plus he had a lot of fun orchestrating his students, teaching the intentions of characters. It also helped he was the drama teacher, so many props, fun fact allow kids to learn and play with fake blood was working so far.   Even if other teachers were less than enthusiastic.

    “ Did you get nurse Hart? Almost everyone ships you guys.”  Roman's expression went immediately from shock, to amusement then to the guttural laughter.  They didn't know?  Tammy, a sophomore with not the biggest interest in drama, seemed taken aback.  

    “ So you guys are all shipping me with Mr. Hart, that is, adorable.” The adult mused lightly, as his student gave him a slightly confused look.  

    “ I said almost. There are a few others that have  been shipped with you.” Roman could die now, his laughter could be considered borderline.   

     “ Oh that's hilarious, Tara, you have to drop those details. The curiosity is killing me.”   Tara looked at him enjoying his laughter, it shouldn't have been that absurd to think people would ship teachers.  What else would they be doing during the more tedious of lessons. Tara shifted a dark curl behind her ear

    “ There are a couple unspoken ships you and Mr. Croft and you and Mr. Sanders.”

    “ Why are they unspoken?”

    “ Well Mr. Sanders is always arguing with you, and  Mr. Croft is…. Mr. Croft, all business, not very emotional, not very romantic  and you are.” Roman could only laugh at that, to him it was all absurd. This could not be happening.   He shook his head and gave a light pat to his students shoulder.

    “ That is… marvelous, anyway get to lunch, when the time comes you'll know who I got.”  With that he sent Tara to lunch and gathered up his empty coffee cup. He had to tell the others.  He dusted off his white shirt and black slacks before shoving his fingers through his hair.

     Ro sauntered to the teachers lounge not trying to rush through the crowd of students.  Reminding them that they had places to be, it was mostly friends too caught up in chit chat.  Others were just students who lingered at their lockers, some made a beeline for the library. He gave a nod to certain students who were walking to the drama room for lunch.  He didn't mind his teaching assistant was in there, and Valerie was fine with them hanging out.

    The young woman was a gift, it helped him be be two places at the same time.  Especially with practice for auditions for the spring play on the way, ‘Grease’.  Valerie and Roman had debated on it for days, only settling on Grease when Roman said it was uplifting for the last of the  winter months, and a good send off for the year.

    Roman let out a little smile As he pulled out a little ball of fabric as he entered the faculty room.   Logan sitting at the table grading papers, his tie loosened. His slicked back hair curling up slightly at the end in the back. The responsible man tapping his pen in his right hand as he read an answer.  His hand grasped desperately around a coffee cup. “ Have you finally realized you put too many open ended questions on that test, specs?”

    “ No, I stand by my choice, I need to know they have a solid comprehension of the material before we proceed with next semester. These are midterms after all..”  Logan said looking up to give Roman his focus. The tests too important to give only half of his attention.

    “ Right well, I don't see how they couldn't, you are the most thorough man I know, you make packets every semester with bluff notes. Then elaborate. Then review, they if they are struggling you still turn around and have correction sessions for half credit.  If they don't understand now they are hopeless.” Roman drawled as he walked to the coffee pot and pouring a cup. Logan sighed and gave a dismissive wave.

    “ As such their understanding of what I teach is my priority. Them knowing the truth, is vital to progress and I don't give a damn what you say I am doing it regardless, now please, I have work to do, Princey.”  Logan responded with a small smirk, he didn't like being disturbed, however Roman, Virgil,and Patton were exceptions. Their frequent distractions kept the stress migraines at bay for the history teacher.

    “ Careful, don't let Pat catch you, no swearing on school grounds Virgil was sitting with a student, each strumming on a ukulele, the purple one in Virgil's hands  his name in black paint on the face, the student's was green, a spare one Virgil kept. Roman shook his head lightly and took a seat on the arm of couch the gloomy music teacher was occupying.    

    “ Right, well we need to discuss secret Santa business.” The theater nerd mentioned as he sipped his coffee.  

    “ Roman I'm busy!” Logan insisted pinching the bridge of his nose.  

    “ Hi busy! I'm dadd-!” Patton cut himself off when he saw the student as he walked into the room with a cookie platter in hand. Logan groaned while Virgil gave a small smirk looking at his student.

    “Andre, practice your this piece over break, don't forget, hard work yields good results have a good one kid.”

    “ Later Virgil!” The teen laughed, standing and making an exit with the uke in hand. Virgil stretched lightly he was glad it was almost break.  

     Roman waited for the boy to leave, once the door shut Roman walked to the closest, “ I am so Excited!  And I have something hilarious to tell you guys.” He set the cup to the side, smiling at how Patton was still flushed in the face.  

     Virgil was the first to saunter over, “ Spill it Ro, I got ten minutes before my bell.”  Roman was stunned that Virgil didn't roll his eyes at him.

     “ People are shipping me with you three, mostly our pastry proficient padre.” Roman laughed as Virgil shook his head.

    “It makes sense the students voted who we did secret Santa for, and we all got each other. Speaking of which your wearing this one.” Virgil spoke while he pulled out a black suit bag, Roman pulled off another one and set it to the side.

      “ They aren't wrong,  Logan this is yours.” Roman smirked excited to see the different colors on his partner.  He laid the suit bag on Logan's work, careful to not hit his coffee. Virgil hooked Roman's bag on the back of his costume.  Roman's hands fly to the back of his collar, “ Virgil please unhook it I don't need my pristine princely attire ruined. “

     “ Ah ah ah, be nice kiddos, this may be a style swap but let's not  ruin things.” Patton interjected as he pulled out Virgil's outfit bag.   

    “ Ah, yes, my pastel poison. Let's get this over with.. “ The gloomy man said before going to change.  Roman burst into an out right guffaw as the surly man let out a cry of dejection after the deafening sound of the zipper.   “ Patton please not this, this ruins my entire aesthetic!”

    “ That is the point surly temple! “ Roman called out with a sigh as Patton removed the bag from his shirt.

    “ Get in another stall and change then! See how you like it! “ Virgil said his voice breaking,Logan tapped Patton gently on the shoulder and held out the last bag  to Patton his own bag in hand as he waltzed into a stall.

     Patton waited patiently for the other's to exit. He smiled hearing the actor cry out in dismay, “ Really Virgil,  you made me the bad guy!”

      “ Oh come on Princey the phantom's masquerade costume was awesome!”

       “ It is purple Virgil! You made me  the bad guy and couldn't keep my red.”

       “ Roman you put me in a white dress shirt with gold embroidery on the shoulders. And red pants, Live with it.”  Logan responded in a seemingly neutral tone, “ And do you want me to go into your bastardized version of a necktie?”  

     “ Now now guys, there was a reason we agreed to this.”. Patton reminded the others with a gentle smile. It grew wider when he saw Virgil step out in beige khakis and a lavender shirt with a light grey sweater around his shoulders.   Patton's squeal of delight startled the music teacher, Patton didn’t care. “ You are so cute!”

    “ No I am a creature of the night! And will be respected as such!”

    “ Surrre you are. “ The youngest of the group beamed before he walked into a stall, excited even as as he revealed the three piece  blue suit. “Lolo you are going to have to show me how to do this necktie thing.”

     “Very give me a moment to sort out my own attire.” Logan said in the same neutral tone.

   “Padre, do remind me why we agreed to this? Oh the cape! It is so soft!” Virgil shook his head in amusement,  only to laugh out right and see Logan leave the stall clothing bag in hand. “ We have proper gifts for each other at home, Ro. We decided to have fun with getting secret Santa gifts for each other.  We agreed on this simply because our students would get a laugh from it.” Logan stated dusting off the white dress shirt, the red tie with gold poinsettias on it and a small black embroidered message that read, 'Property of PH, VS,and RP. '   

   Small enough to go unnoticed by the student's but large enough to make Mr. Croft smile softly to himself. A little reminder he was not alone and he would never be alone again. Though he wished Roman had not put it on the front.  Logan also wished that he had not put him in red skinny jeans, the snug feeling around his legs was somewhat uncomfortable.

    Patton came out in the suit  immediately hugging Logan close, “ This is so much fun and you made me so stylish, I really must put  on a suit more often!” Logan smirked slightly and pulled back to do the youngest's tie.

     Roman came through the stall door with a smirk,  while he did not like the fact he was the villain, he did like the cape and the way the black mask made his lighter brown eyes look sharp. The cape trailed behind him.  “Okay I must admit, it is pretty cool! Ahem! Masquerade! Paper faces on parade! Masquerade! Hide your face so the world will never find you! Masquerade! Every face a different sh-”

   “ Princey, as much as I am glad you are not pissed, I want to watch Phantom  of the Opera tonight, would really like it if you didn't sing it all day.” Virgil muttered, his eyes rolled as the actor let out an indignant huff, but ultimately nodded at the prospect of watching the musical that was  how they met. College..

   “ So shall we go mess with the fans?”  The drama nerd cheered

   “ You mean our students.”  Logan mentioned as he walked back to his seat  to continue grading his papers. Roman shook his head lightly, smiling at the his brainiac of a partner.

   “ Well,  Clearly the theories about us dating and this will surely ignite  their interests now.” Roman boasted with a grin. Logan shook his head with a sigh.