Work Text:
"Aw yeah, it's do-nut dayyyy!"
"Test review day," Mr. Min Yoongi corrects his baseball cap wearing student JK as he flips open the top of the donut box. "And no hats in class."
JK removes his cap, his expression cocky. "All right, what's my question, Mr. Min?"
"Definition of an aqueous solution."
JK doesn't even hesitate. "A solution where the solvent is water."
"Correct."
"Yeah!" JK high fives his boyfriend Tae, then reaches his hand toward the donut box.
Tae grabs JK's arm with a look of distaste. "Yah! Use the tongs."
"My hands are clean. I washed them this morning."
"You're so gross," Tae groans. JK reaches out again and Tae wrestles him out of the way, using the tongs to select a donut and hand it to him. "Take it."
Yoongi just waves his hand for them to walk away. "Okay, okay. Who's next?"
Bringing donuts for his students on test review day is something the school's health and nutrition staff would probably frown upon, but it's one of his favorite rituals as a chemistry teacher. Reviewing an entire unit's content in a day can be dry and monotonous, so the sugar helps stimulate some excitement.
The students continue answering questions to earn donuts on their way into class before settling in for the double period. "More donuts at the break. Let's get started." Yoongi adjusts his glasses and fires up the slide presentation on his laptop, which is mirrored on the screen behind him. "This unit is solutions, reactions, and -?"
"Equilibrium!" his students reply in unison. He loves making them do that. A rare smile creeps onto his face as he tugs at his tight collar. Yoongi hates wearing a shirt and tie to work, but he knows his students absolutely can not get a glimpse of the love marks on his neck from last night. He silently curses the man who gave them to him, already plotting his revenge for the weekend.
But that's a topic for outside the classroom. Right now, he's halfway through reviewing molarity when they hear it. A thumping, thumping, thumping sound coming from the classroom next door. Growing louder and faster as shouting voices rise to a cacophonous high. Then - the sounds stop on a dime. A few of his students giggle in the silence.
"Stay focused, please," Yoongi says. "So the molarity of a solution is expressed as -"
The hollering from next door returns, starting at a ridiculous high, then fading down into silence. It's captivating, really. Yoongi can feel himself leaning in as the sound finally dies out. He attempts to return to his lecture. "The molarity of a solution –"
Staccato shouts permeate through the wall. "Ha! Ha! Ha!"
Students giggle a little more now. Yoongi raises his voice slightly. "Guys -"
"You're not supposed to use gendered terms to address students," a girl in the front row points out.
"Sorry. People –"
"I'm not a person. I'm an alien," Tae says. More students giggle until Yoongi stands, making his presence known. The students all silence immediately.
"Everyone," he begins calmly. "I know Mr. Park's drama classroom is distracting, but tomorrow's test is 30% of your grade. So let's stay on task, okay?"
The students nod obediently. They know they need this review time.
"Okay," Yoongi says, adjusting his glasses again as he sits back down. "Now where were we?"
As if on cue, they hear barking from next door. Not just barking, but pig squeals, bird cries, elephant trumpets. Yoongi's students attempt to stifle their laughter, but it's just too funny.
To everyone but Yoongi, that is. He pushes his chair back and heads for the door. "Read quietly until I get back." He knows his students are not going to do that, but he's more focused on giving his classroom neighbor a piece of his mind.
Yoongi walks out of his door and strides to the next classroom, from which animal sounds continue to ring out. He knocks on the door firmly and loudly. "Keep going!" he hears a lilting voice say from inside.
Then the door opens and he is faced with Mr. Park Jimin, all-grades drama teacher. Hair thick and mussed, blouse-y white shirt unbuttoned way too low, a vibrant flush in his cheeks. "Ah - Mr. Min, how can I help you?
"You can keep it down. We're doing important test review in my class."
A few of the drama students stop making animal sounds to watch their conversation as Mr. Park casually leans his body against the door frame. "Sorry. We're just getting into our voices before we start rehearsal."
"Are you doing an animal play?" Yoongi snarks, hoping to convey his annoyance.
But Mr. Park finds the question charming, his eyes disappearing into smiling crescents. "No, we're rehearsing Our Town."
"I don't remember the rooster being played by an actor."
"Ah, so you know the play! How surprising, Mr. Min."
Now all of the students are definitely watching them. Yoongi just purses his lips together. "I think your performers have warmed up enough, so can you please keep your voices down?"
The edge in Yoongi's voice is undeniable and the students start to "ooo" at his directness. Mr. Park just waves them to shush. "Sorry, I forgot it was donut day."
"Test review day. It's important."
"I understand. We'll keep it down." Mr. Park gives him a flirty wink, then closes the door right in Yoongi's face. Unbelievable.
Yoongi returns to his classroom, frustration burning under his already too hot shirt collar. His students say nothing as he comes back in and resumes his test review with more than his usual fervor.
But despite the distraction, Yoongi is able to get through everything before the bell rings, and the students express their thanks on their way out - for the test review and for the donuts. His next period is free, so he locks his laptop into his desk, grabs his iPad, and walks out his door to enjoy some weak coffee in the teacher's lounge.
But that plan goes out the window when he sees Mr. Park's classroom door is open.
His steps slow as he approaches the door, looking in to find the classroom empty. He's about to move on when he spots Mr. Park sitting on the windowsill reading a book, reclined like a princess locked in a tower. Afternoon sunlight shines through the trees outside the window, dancing patterns of light across his skin.
At once, Yoongi is mesmerized. He can't take his eyes off Mr. Park's soft features – the fair skin, the hair wisping across his forehead, the full bottom lip he absentmindedly chews on while reading. He shouldn't be looking at a co-worker this way, but he is just too beautiful for words.
Yoongi feels himself drawn, like an electron drawn to a proton in the nucleus of an atom, and steps inside the classroom, strolling casually towards Mr. Park until he looks up from his book. "Mr. Min. Have you come to complain about my class again?"
"You were being very loud," Yoongi says, as he weaves through the desks toward his still-lounging classroom neighbor.
"It's a drama class. Using our voices is classwork."
Yoongi says nothing, just continues to walk toward Mr. Park, his steps deliberate and unhurried. Like a lion stalking his prey, he never averts his gaze. Mr. Park's eyes darken as well, taking in the slow pace with which Yoongi approaches.
"Nice tie," Mr. Park says, his voice getting breathier with each step Yoongi takes. "You don't usually wear ties, do you?"
"No. I hate them."
Mr. Park swings his legs off the windowsill, spreading them just enough to be inviting. "Then you should take it off."
"I can't," Yoongi grumbles, his voice low. "Not today." Yoongi takes his final steps to stand between Mr. Park's dangling legs. Just short of touching his body.
Mr. Park looks up at him, heat in his gaze. "Oh? Is it because you have marks on your neck you don't want your students to see?"
"Marks that weren't supposed to be there, but someone was careless."
Mr. Park glances at the open doorway - it's mid-period, so everyone is in class. He returns his eyes to Yoongi's. "Can I see?"
Yoongi doesn't move a muscle, doesn't actually give an answer. But that doesn't stop Mr. Park from reaching up and loosening Yoongi's tie, pulling the short end out partway so he can unbutton the top button of his shirt. He pulls the collar open to reveal two dark bruises near the base of Yoongi's neck. "Hot," he whispers, looking up at Yoongi.
"I find them rather inconvenient," Yoongi whispers back, looking at Jimin like he wants to eat him alive. Until his lips curl into a devoted smile, his eyes filling with the stars of a man in love. "Still... I think they're beautiful. Just like you."
Mr. Park blushes, smiling warmly in return. "People think science teachers are boring, but somehow I married a romantic." He leans toward his husband's lips.
Yoongi pulls his head back, dodging Jimin's kiss. "Jagiya, we're at school."
Jimin smirks and hops off the windowsill, talking loudly for the benefit of anyone listening. "Have I told you about this book I'm reading?" he says as he lifts the book up into the air. "The most interesting thing happens on page -" Jimin raises the book to shield their faces and leans in for a kiss.
It's not a long kiss, but it's enough for Yoongi to sigh into, melting all his love for this man into his lips. They pull apart, and Jimin looks quickly at the still open door. "I think we're good."
Yoongi gives him one more peck. "Do you wanna get some coffee with me?"
"I thought you would never ask," Jimin says, dropping the book and tucking it under his arm as Yoongi fixes his shirt and tie, once more hiding the love marks Jimin left last night.
Yoongi reaches out with his left hand and grasps Jimin's ring finger - his favorite sentimental gesture. "Let's go." Yoongi takes a few backward steps, running his thumb over the wedding band on Jimin's hand before they drop their hands and weave through the desks toward the door.
"Did you save me any donuts from test review day?" Jimin asks.
"Sorry," Yoongi says. "There's never leftovers on donut day. But I'll get you one later."
They walk into the hallway, standing apart but eyes linking them together. Their marriage is not a secret, nor is their love for each other, but on days like this, any worries they had about being married while working next door to each other melt away. They may be different, but their spirits are complementary - forming the perfect equilibrium.