A/N: This is painfully awkward and I hope you love it as much as I do.

Part Two

When Riku had been in high school, he'd heard others talking about the 'hot' teachers, and, if he were to be honest, he'd been more than happy to contribute to the conversation, back when he used to hide his awkwardness behind an over-confident mask. Back then, it had never occurred to to him that said teachers might overhear, or what they might think. He'd been more worried about lauding some teacher's breasts, pretending that he wasn't more interested in the social studies teacher with the neat goatee.

Now he stood on the other side of it. After two years of teaching, he'd started to recognize the signs: flushed cheeks, bright eyes. Students staying longer after class, asking questions that Riku knew they had answers to—the quiz last week had that question, and every one of them had gotten it correct. On top of that, the overheard lunch and hallway conversations.

It was—amusing, he supposed.

Another name had joined Riku's in the overheard conversations—one he heard more than his own, since the students weren't talking about him—Mr. Niwa, the PE teacher. Riku found himself torn between wanting to join them and wanting to tell them off, and of course, did neither.

Nor did he tell Sora, himself, his observations, because whatever false confidence he'd had in his younger years had disappeared, and in fact, he did his best to avoid talking to Sora. After all, stuttering and fumbling just didn't make for scintillating conversation.

Two weeks into the new school year, and Riku had managed to skirt any further interactions with Sora, sometimes just barely, after trying to sneak glances in the lunch room, or after school, in the parking lot. He knew he wouldn't be able to get away with it forever, but in the meantime, tried to think of topics of conversation. Something that wouldn't end with his foot in his mouth, preferably, though that narrowed it down a lot. Like, maybe he could explain the Pythagorean Theorem to Sora.

Sure, that would be useful.

He thought about it again as he graded the latest batch of homework. Really, he wasn't sure he even wanted to be friends with Sora, when he was already smitten with him. It would only lead to disappointment if the real Sora didn't match up with his first impression, or, worse, if he did, and Riku fell well and truly in love. That anything would ever come of it, in the latter case, was out of the question, and he realized he should just put it from his mind. Pretend that Sora didn't exist and wasn't a walking dream.

Of course, that was impossible.

There was a knock on the ajar classroom door, and Riku said "Come in," without looking up.

"So this is where you hole up."

Riku started, looking up to see Sora. He stood, a shoulder leaned against the door frame, his hair the same delightful mess that Riku had first seen. Whatever response Riku might've had got stuck in his throat.

"Aqua said you hide in the classroom a lot."

Riku shrugged, looking back down at his stack of assignments. "It's quiet. Students can find me."

Sora nodded. "Hey, so I was wondering, could I get you that coffee I owe you?" He gestured at Riku's desk. "When you're done, that is."

Riku turned the green pen over and over in his hand, avoiding Sora's eyes. "Uh." Was his face pink? It felt warm. "Uhm." It was just an invitation between colleagues. Breathe.

Sora was giving him a considering look. "If you want to hold off on it, that's okay. The offer stands until you take it." He smiled, and Riku swore his heart stopped.

Riku found himself shaking his head. "No." Realizing Sora might think he was turning the offer down altogether, he amended, "I mean. Today is fine." His pen slipped through his fingers and clattered on his desk.

Sora's smile widened. "Great! The place across the street, that's where you got your coffee before, right?"

Riku blinked. "Yes." He glanced down at his pile again. "I. I can finish this later. I'll just—I'll just grab my bag." He busied himself with the task, stealing small glances at Sora.

"Okay. Oh!" Sora stepped into the room. "Is it alright if I borrow a pen? I forgot something and just remembered, and if I don't write it down, I'm going to forget again." He brushed a tuft of hair behind an ear. "And a piece of paper? I don't usually carry any with me."

Riku couldn't help a lifted eyebrow. "PE teachers don't take notes?" He instantly regretted the comment. "I didn't mean—I didn't mean it like that."

Sora's grin turned lopsided as he stopped in front of the desk. "I'm not very organized." He glanced down at the neat arrangement of Riku's desk. "I think that's why I was never very good at math."

"It's not—it's not a requirement, but it does make things easier." Wow, he'd strung together a full sentence. He tried not to let it get to his head, and instead gestured at a cup of pens and pencils, and, next to it, a stack of post-it notes. "Help yourself."

"Thanks!" Sora reached for a pen—and knocked the whole thing over, sending pens and pencils across Riku's desk. "Ah, no! Stop! Oh man, I am so sorry, I just have really bad luck with cups, don't I?"

"It's fine." Riku started gathering the pens, dropping them back into their cup. His hand brushed Sora's, busy with the same task, and he jerked his hand back. And stopped. And tried to cover the gaffe by brushing a stray lock of hair behind his ear. He was pretty sure he failed.

The look that flickered across Sora's face confirmed his fear, though Sora didn't say anything. Instead, there was an uncomfortable silence as they finished gathering the fallen pens, and then Sora jotted down a note on a post-it, before dropping it into a pocket.

Riku stood awkwardly, his bag resting on his chair.

Sora flashed him another disarming smile. "Ready?"

"Yeah." He hoped Sora didn't notice the white-knuckled grip he had on his bag.

The short walk to the cafe was filled with Sora talking, about what he thought of his position, his student-teaching, RGU—Riku was surprised by how much he managed to cover, and even more, that he seemed content with Riku's short, monosyllabic responses. Riku had quickly decided he could listen to Sora for as long as the other was happy to talk.

Riku wondered how long Sora would allow him to shadow him like this, if they hung out more. He wondered if he'd be able to do it, without making an idiot of himself.

He was still listening to Sora, trying to ignore the dark voice in his head telling him he'd mess it up, when they took a seat in the little cafe, each with a coffee in front of them.

"So," and now Sora was frowning, his brow furrowed. "Is it just me, or have you been avoiding me?" He looked at his coffee. "Like, I feel like…maybe you don't like me." Blue eyes back on Riku. "I mean, if you don't, that's okay, but I just kind of thought, because…and you jerked away when I accidentally touched your hand."