The Assistant Headmaster (Mystrade Fanfic)

Thirty One

Mike

(I REPEAT, THIS IS MIKE'S POINT OF VIEW)

My mind was going out of control with thoughts and fantasies and complications. I'd never been sure of myself - sexually, that is - and Mr. Holmes and his drop dead gorgeousness did nothing to help that. There was something about him that drew me to him, something about his cool green eyes and his hair that was always immaculately slicked back. He held himself with such a calm, certain composure that it stilled even the most manic of minds.

He came to every rugby game we held and some days I could see him watching us practise from his office window with a relaxed look on his face. I was convinced he was the epitome of beauty, and I was convinced he liked me too.

On the night that Anderson and I left the ice cream shop, we fell into a deep conversation about him.

"Do ya reckon something weird's going on between Greg and Mr. Holmes?" Anderson asked as he looked out the window, no doubt avoiding eye contact.

"What do you mean?" I asked, trying not to sound too defensive.

"I mean, it's just weird that they were both there, innit? And weird that that bird Greg's been going about with wasn't there. It just doesn't add up."

"You think... Greg and Mr. Holmes?" I snorted. "I very highly doubt it. I mean, Mr. Holmes is hardly the type of man to go for students... Male ones no less."

"If ya think so," Anderson shrugged, but I knew he didn't agree with me.

It got me thinking. Would either of them go there? Was it an actual possibility? It was, admittedly, pretty weird that we were all there at the same time and that Greg hadn't bumped into Mr. Holmes before going to the bathroom. And not to mention the fact that something flashed in Greg's eyes when he saw us. I'd never understood what that meant, and authors always used that saying, - 'something flashed in their eyes,' - until I saw Greg in that moment. His brown eyes flashed with an obvious panic when he saw us, but he quickly schooled it into his usual calm composure. But why didn't Mr. Holmes tell us all off together? Why did he insist that Anderson and I leave before dealing with Greg?

My palms began sweating at the thought of it. Greg would never do that. Ever. He was dating an older woman, he'd admitted to it himself. It made sense... more or less.

Breakfast the next morning was uneventful, but in a bad way. Greg watched me as he wolfed down his cereal but didn't speak.

"Hungry?" Sally asked from beside him, raising an eyebrow. For some reason Anderson and Sally had rekindled their relationship so we were back to being tortured with her presence.

"Ravenous," Greg stated with a drowsy grin, milk dribbling down his chin.

Sally screwed up her face. "Charming, Greg. Really. Charming."

Greg rolled his eyes at her. "You know you can just leave if you don't like it. Anyway, Mike," he said, turning his attention back to me. "What's up with you? You're looking decidedly down."

"Nothing's wrong, honestly," I insisted. I knew Greg well enough to know he wouldn't let up. I also knew him well enough to know how to make him change the subject. "What's got you so sappy and sentimental over me anyhow?"

Greg rolled his eyes and snorted playfully. "You wish that was the case. See how sappy I am when I laugh in the faces of next week's victim. I hear we're playing a public school."

"Let's just be supportive shall we, Greggy?" I laughed, continuing his joke. "We have to be kind through their times of trouble."

"Yeah, yeah. We can do that once we absolutely pummel them and then laugh at them."

"That's hardly any way to be talking about your opposition," came a voice from behind me.

I groaned and turned to see Mr. Wilson, the Maths teacher, looking at us both with a smirk on his face.

"It'll be you if you're not lucky," I muttered under my breath.

"What did you just say, Mr. Lestrade?!" Wilson said with a shout that rang across the eating hall.

Greg sputtered, trying not to laugh. "Excuse me?"

"I asked you what you just said."

"I didn't say anything, Sir," Greg said, his expression and tone condescending. "I think you'll find you're mistaken."

"I think you'll find yourself in the headmaster's office if you don't watch your tone, boy."

"Go on then," Greg said, standing up, holding his arms out. "Send me over there and see who comes off better."

"Greg," I murmured under my breath, trying to pull him down again. He shrugged me off. "Perhaps you should sit down."

"What was that, Mr. Stamford?! Maybe you want to go over there too, huh?!"

"You're a bloody nutcase, you are!" I shouted as I stood up and gathered my stuff. Greg followed suit.

"I'll see that you're punished for a month, both of you!"

"You're really causing a scene here, Sir. It's rather unnecessary," Greg said.

"You two are the most troublesome boys I have ever met! Get out of my sight!"

"Bloody moron you are," Greg muttered under his breath as we walked off.

"WHAT DID YOU JUST CALL ME?!" Mr. Wilson exploded

"Nothing!" Greg shouted back at the psychotic teacher.

We walked to the senior leaderships offices and the headmaster met us out front. "Mr. Stamford, you can come with me. Mr. Lestrade, go see Mr. Holmes. He's the overseer of the Baskerville rugby team and needless to say he's not very impressed with his captain right now."

Greg nodded solemnly and went to Mr. Holmes' office as I followed the headmaster into his office. His words rang through my mind, 'He's not very impressed with his captain right now,' and I felt like rubbish. What if Greg had the position of captain taken off of him? I couldn't handle that. I couldn't live with myself if that were to be the case. Being captain meant everything to Greg and I wouldn't let him lose that over something that I had stupidly said.

"Mr. Wilson has already informed me that you and Gregory Lestrade were giving him attitude in the eating hall. Care to explain what happened in there?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "Nothing happened, Sir. I was talking to Greg about rugby, Wilson overheard and blew up about it. You know he's neurotic."

The headmaster chuckled and shook his head slightly. "I can neither confirm or deny that, but the matter still stands. You disrespected a teacher in front of hundreds of other students. You both undermined his authority. Surely you must see why he's upset about it."

I nodded. "Yes Sir, it won't happen again."

"I know you're a genuine lad, Mike. I'll let you off this time. I just hope Mr. Holmes is as lenient with Gregory."

"Thank you, Sir."

I sighed a breath of relief as I walked out of the headmaster's office and walked down the hall to Anthea and Mr. Holmes' offices. Anthea wasn't about, and the door to Mr. Holmes' office was closed. I could hear both Greg and Mr. Holmes on the other side, and I felt that guilt once again. I couldn't let Greg lose the position of rugby captain.

Not giving myself a chance to talk myself out of it, I opened the door to Mr. Holmes' office. "Mr. Holmes I need to-" I stopped dead in my tracks as I saw my best friend in the arms of the man who I not only called my assistant headmaster, but also the man I had a crush on. "Oh..."