Remedials week was probably Himuro's least favorite time of the school year, as he was always swamped with lecturing failing students after receiving less than satisfactory marks. This time was no different, as he was currently going through old concepts with a few sophomores in the late winter afternoon.
Himuro clutched his baton in one hand and pinched his forehead with the other in seething frustration as one of them got something wrong, again. He had just finished explaining it and suddenly felt very, very exhausted.
"Everyone," he said, deadly quiet.
The students looked at each other in fear, wincing as they got ready for the final blow.
"We'll finish this tomorrow. You are all dismissed."
Sighs of relief spread across the room, and even a whoop of joy erupted from Suzuka, the worst of the lot. They buzzed and chattered excitedly about going home as they kept their things, and Himuro simply sank into his chair and started organizing his papers. After all, there was always more work to be done.
Minutes passed, and Himuro was sure he saw everyone file out of his periphery, but when he looked up he realized that one student was still in her seat, in the back of the room. He blinked rapidly to make sure he wasn't seeing things, but it appeared to him that she was...sleeping.
Himuro stood up quietly and moved towards her, wondering how on earth she managed to stay asleep even after all the noise that boy Suzuka made. She had her head laid across her arms, her hair splayed out on the table. Her mouth was slightly ajar and even drooling a little bit on the practice exam crumpled underneath her hands. He could see the dark circles around her eyes and suddenly felt a pang of concern. She had probably worked too hard.
Just as Himuro was about to shake her awake, she started trembling. Looking to the window at the side, he noticed it was slightly open and a cold draft had settled in the room. Hurriedly, he closed it shut, and did so quietly, glancing back in case it woke her. Himuro caught himself then, almost flushing immediately with mild shame.
What was he doing? He should be waking her and telling her to go home. It was the right thing to do.
And yet... he couldn't bear to. He'll let her rest a bit longer.
Himuro saw her shiver again, and hesitated for a minute, before shrugging off his coat and draping it over her frame. He pointedly ignored how she appeared completely dwarfed by the size of his suit jacket, and briskly walked back to his desk. Rolling up his sleeves, he went back to work, grading the papers. He would not look at her again.
She woke up an hour later, her bleary eyes meeting the fading rays of sunlight. Numbly realizing it was almost dusk, she closed her eyes and let out a sigh. She would have to wake up and leave now, so she could finish her work at home. But she was so warm...
Her eyes open again, suddenly registering the unfamiliar warmth and scent surrounding her. Fingers slowly clasping the crisp sleeve of a suit jacket, splaying out and running over the cold metal buttons, she lifted her head and glanced at her shoulders, before feeling her cheeks redden almost immediately. It was his jacket, after all.
She shyly glanced to the front of the room, heart thudding in her chest, until her eyes reached a figure tilted back in a chair. His lavender hair hung uncharacteristically limp across his closed eyes, and his bare forearms lay crossed one in front of the other. She watched his chest rise and fall in his slumber, and felt an unconscious smile rise to her face.
Himuro-sensei's sleeping face was the cutest, after all.