Chapter Text
This Story was inspired by Doctor Who episode 3x08 'Human Nature' and This Photomanip
August 1927
Zira sits outside the Assistant Dean's office. He'd just arrived back at his old alma mater St. Terrence. Classes are to start within the week and he is taking over the first year literature course. He's very exited to get to do what he loves in a place that he loves.
He is waiting for the Assistant Dean so he can get his keys and necessary paperwork.
At the moment Assistant Dean Etron is in his office with someone. The door is closed but whoever is inside with the Dean Etron is talking quite loudly, every once in awhile Zira can hear exclamations through the door.
It seems to Zira they are not pleased about something or someone.
He tries to waits patiently. He checks his watch again. It's still early.
Finally the door opens.
“I assure you everything will be fine this semester Michael. We have a quality staff, Sandalphon will be well looked after.”
“This isn't the last we'll talk Assistant Dean. You've not given me a satisfactory answer. I am not happy about that man being here.”
“Your concerns have been noted, I will let the Dean know. Have a good day, Michael.”
Zira watches from his seat as Assistant Dean Etron parts ways with who Zira recognizes as a former student a couple years ahead of him in school.
Michael must be a parent of a student now. He can't imagine what could have them so upset.
“Professor Phell” Zira hears his name and startles out of his musings.
“Dean!” He exclaims and then composes himself. He stands, clears his throat and brushes his hair out of his eyes . He can't help but feeling bashful. “I mean to say, good morning Dean Etron.”
Etron chuckles and holds out his hand to shake Zira's. “It's good to see you again Mr. Phell, we're glad you agreed to join us this school year.”
“Thank you Dean Etron.”
“Certainly, come into my office lets get you squared away.”
Zira picks up his suitcase and briefcase and follows.
“Is everything alright Dean? I couldn't help but notice Michael...”
“Oh yes, yes nothing to worry about. Parents can get worked up before the school years start, a bit reactionary if you ask me. It happens from time to time. Things get blown out of proportion. I'm sure everything will calm down once the semester starts.”
“Of course.” Zira still can't help but feel uneasy, he tries to chalk it up to starting his new job, his new life today.
Dean Etron pulls a set of keys out of a desk drawer. “These are to the apartment above the library, Professor Den did leave some of his books and things, said he didn't need them to retire to the country. I'm sure you'll be able to get the place sortied in no time.”
Zira takes the keys. He feels like he's been given the keys to the castle. Next he's handed papers.
“There's your classroom assignment and class rosters and this is the paperwork we have on file for you, check that over, make sure it's all correct and sign at the bottom.”
Zira takes his time to look over the paperwork, it is hard to concentrate. He's so eager to get started. He signs the papers and hands them back.
“Excellent, welcome back to St. Terrence Professor Phell.”
Zira grins from ear to ear. “Thank you, thank you Dean!”
“Ha, alright, you go and settle in, the staff will be meeting at noon in the conference hall in the administration building so everyone can meet our newest professors.”
“Professors? Who else is coming on?”
“Another young man, he also attended school here you might remember Anthony Crowley.”
Crowley? Zira didn't remember the name maybe when he saw him he would recognize his face.
“He'll be taking over Art history and one of Professor Luther's Astronomy classes.”
“That's an interesting combination pf specialities.”
“Yes, we were very lucky to find someone who could fill in where we needed.”
Zira nods. “Very fortuitous.”
“Yes well, go drop your bags and I'll see you at noon.”
“Noon sharp.” Zira says his thank yous and departs.
He is so excited he could have skipped across the campus. He settles for walking quickly across the grounds bags in hand to the library.
But before he can reach the building two men appear and start shouting in his direction.
“You there stop!” One says and then the other.
Zira turns confused and not a little upset about how they are speaking. “Who me?”
“Yes you, who else do you see here right now? Who are you?” One man, the shorter of the two who wore a green suit and a brown hat asks in his face.
“Yeah who?” The taller man following closely repeats
“I, I'm a new teacher here, Mr. Phell, I've just come from Assistant Dean Etron's office and I'm heading to the library. Who might you be?” Zira tries to defuse the situation with politeness.
“I'm asking the questions.” The shorter man says sternly. “How do we know you're a new teacher? We don't know ya.”
“No, well the Assistant Dean said I'd meet the rest of the staff today at noon. I suppose we were to meet than.”
“We'll have to take this up with the Assistant Dean, come with us.” The shorter man says and the taller man moves as if he's going to grab Zira's arm.
Zira shrinks back uncertain about these men. “But I've just come from there and I'm headed to the library to put my things away. See I've got the key...” Zira holds up the keys Dean Etron gave him.
“I don't know... Hastur does that look like your key to the library, it doesn't look like mine?”
“No Ligur I don't think it does.” The man eyes get wide and seem a little off to Zira.
“Well it... it, it's to the apartment.” Zira sputters and shift his weigh from foot to foot nervously.
“Give him a break gentlemen.” A voice comes from Zira's left turning he sees a young man sauntering up in a dark suit and dark glasses.
“Butt out, Crawly.” The shorter man spits out.
“It's Crowley and no, leave him be, you've had your fun.” Crowley comes to stand next two Zira, “This would be Hastur and Ligur heads of grounds and security respectively. They gave me the same song and dance when I got here yesterday.”
The two men, Hastur and Ligur glare at Crowley. Ligur speaks in a tone that concerns Zira. “Watch yourself. You'll miss step one of these days.”
“Yeah, thinks he's so flash, Watch yourself Professor.” Haster says darkly as he follows Ligur's lead and walks away.
Zira stands with Crowley and watches while the other two men walk down the side walk and around the corner.”
Zira lets out a breath he didn't know he was holding “Should we be concerned about them?”
“Ngk... I think they like to mess with the newbies.”
“Crowley, you're the other new teacher.” Zira is a little surprised by his appearance besides the dark glasses that hide his eyes, he's quiet young with longish hair in quite a distinct color of auburn. He has a lithe frame, frankly he's skinny as a rail. He's standing with his hands in his pockets sort of and hips... he's all hips. Very much not what Zira remembers his professors looking like.
“Anthony J. Crowley and you're... Phell, was it.”
“Oh yes Zira Phell, literature.”
“It's nice to meet you, Zira Phell literature. I'll see you at the meeting and then quite a bit after that I'm sure.” Crowley smirks and continues walking in the direction he was heading before he stopped for Zira.
“Yes, hum thank you, thank you for your help.”
“Don't mention it.” Crowley waves over his shoulder without looking back and strolls off in the direction of the admin building.
Zira composes himself for the second time today and continues on to the library and his new apartment.
He'd been to the library many many times as a student. It was one of his favorite places on campus, it and the kitchen. He'd never, in all his years here been above the library.
Now he opens the door to the apartment around the back of the building and finds a wide dark staircase, there are twelve steps up and then a landing and five more steps up to another door.
Zira opens the second door and finds what could be heaven as far as he's concerned.
Soft morning light filters in through old windows. The room he's standing in is cozy with a chair and couch and a pleasant looking little fireplace. All around the room are shelves and shelves of books.
Zira has a hard time pulling himself away from his new apartment but he does and he makes it to the meeting just as things are starting.
“Ah, there he is...” Dean Etron stands at the head of the conference hall table. “Lets all take our seats.”
Zira looks around the long table and sees that Crowley is already seated next to the head of the table and he has an empty chair next to him. Zira quickens his pace to get there before any of the other staff can. “Is this seat taken?”
“Nope, all yours.” Crowley pops his 'p' as he all but lounges back in his chair.
Zira takes the seat with thanks and Dean Etron starts the meeting.
“Welcome everyone, Welcome back for the new semester. Let me first apologize on behalf of the Dean, she regrets she won't be able to make our meeting but I know I speak for her when I say It's shaping up to be an exciting and rewarding year! Now we'll get introductions out of the way and then get to lunch.”
The Assistant Dean directs the most senior staff to to start, so Professor Luther stands and introduces himself and says he's a teacher of the sciences. Then introductions continue around the table, everyone in turn standing and greeting the rest. Some of the older teachers Zira remembers from when he was a student.
When it's Zira's turn he practically jumps up.
His chair makes a loud scraping noise on the floor as he does. “Oh, oh my sorry about that. Ah, I'm Zira Phell, for those who didn't have me as a student. I went here a long time ago, when I was a youth, or rather hum, younger, I dare say I'm still young, comparatively, oh not compared to any of you!” Zira stops rambling and clears his throat. “I will be teaching first year literature this semester. Come see me if you want to debate the subject of Shakespeare's sonnets.”
There are a few chuckles and Zira accepts them graciously and takes his seat.
“Thank you Professor Phell. And lastly...” He turns to Crowley.
Zira expects Crowley to stand. Instead he just leans forward up to the table properly.
Zira is also surprised to see he's not removed his glasses.
“I'm Crowley, Anthony J. Crowley. I'll be teaching art history and some astronomy this semester.” He doesn't elaborate, doesn't mention that he was once a student, just leaves it at that and sits back.
Zira can see some of the other teachers and staff looking quizzically in Crowley and the Assistant Dean's directions. Hastur and Ligur on the other end of the table look particularly put off.
Dean Etron does not seem phased. “Thank you everyone. Go ahead and enjoy.” He gestures to the sideboard and they are dismissed to get food.
Everyone starts to move towards the table along the wall that was been set up with, from what Zira can see, sandwiches and cheeses and fruit and cakes.
He starts to move too to get in line but he notices that next to him Crowley isn't. “Are you eating?” Zira asks.
“Yeah, I just figure I'll let the line die down first.” Zira can see it has gotten fairly long.
“That's not a bad idea.” He settles in his seat again, but faces Crowley. “So the Assistant Dean said that you went to school here too... we must be close in age, did we have any classes together?”
“No, I don't think so.” Crowley drapes his arm over the back of his own chair back. Somehow lounging more than before, it's particularly startling because he's dressed in a suit and tie just like Zira's teachers when he was a student, but he couldn't imagine any teacher of his sitting in such a manner.
Zira furrows his brow trying hard to place the man in front of him. He feels like he would remember.
“What year did you graduate?”
“I didn't, not from here that is.”
“Oh you transferred.”
“Hum...” He makes a sound in agreement but doesn't go so far as to confirm it out loud before changing the subject. “Looks like the line's shifted.”
“Oh so it has.” Zira jumps up, not wanting to waste another moment where he might miss out on a tasty cucumber sandwich or petit four. “I'm positively famished!”
Crowley still hasn't moved from his chair. “Go on, I'll get mine in just a moment.” Crowley waves him on.
Zira goes but he feels guilty. He doesn't want to be rude.
He's not sure exactly what would be rude in this situation. He doesn't feel quite right about leaving the other newbie. But if the other newbie told him to go it wasn't like he was abandoning him to the wolves or anything.
Zira looks back at the table and sees the Assistant Dean speaking with Crowley. So he was fine. Zira had hoped they would hit it off and could have been the social support for one another. Zira always felt awkward at these things particularly when he really didn't know most of the people.
Soon he is distracted by the buffet. He moves his way down the table and takes a bit of everything he sees.
“Anything good?” Crowley slides up beside him.
“Oh, I think it all looks good.”
Crowley nods and takes an apple and a half a sandwich for himself. Zira is about to suggest he take a raspberry tart as they look particularly good but Zira is tapped on his shoulder and he finds Professor Nelson eager to talk with him. She goes so fas as to take his arm as they walk back to the table. She tells him she'd teaching Medieval history just as she did when Zira had her.
'The poor students' he thinks to himself.
By the time he's finished chatting and eating his lunch Professor Crowley is gone.
Zira had wanted to say something to him, just to be polite and friendly of course. Maybe he would catch up with him tomorrow.
Right now Zira figures it's about time to get back to his apartment and all the new books he has to look through.