Chapter Text
Dean lets out a long breath as he looks around the empty classroom. Pretty soon it would be filled with 18 children all looking to him to lead them through the journey that is known as 3rd grade. All his years of hard work, late nights spent pouring over text books, and generally sacrificing all forms of a social life, were for this moment. His dreams were finally coming to fruition.
He was absolutely fucking terrified.
If someone had told him 15 years ago that he would one day decide to be an elementary school teacher he would have laughed directly in their face. As a kid Dean had been the very definition of the quintessential bad boy. That included the shitty grades to go with his shitty attitude and his shitty home life.
Dean can remember a time when he had been the "good kid" in class but than his mom had died when he was 13 and suddenly Dean was playing the role of both father and mother to his little brother Sam while their Dad spent most of his time with his old friends Jack, Johnnie, and Jose.
Instead of goofing off or having fun Dean was busy making sure they had food to eat, clean clothes to wear, and forging his dad's signature on permission slips. Dean's main priority had been to take care of Sam so they didn't get separated by CPS, he didn't have time to worry about homework or making friends. He put in enough effort into his schoolwork to keep the teachers from calling his Dad and that was it.
And for a while it had worked. He had skirted by with his bad boy rep, pretty face, and cocky smile until the day he walked into Mr. Singer's classroom and for the first time since his mother had passed away, had an adult look at him and see a little deeper then his leather jacket and bruised knuckles.
Bobby Singer had saved Dean from a life of pain and disappointment. He has no doubt he would have ended up on the streets in an attempt to escape his father but Bobby gave him something to work towards and a dream to fight for.
Dean wishes more than anything that the crotchety English teacher was here to see him now. To see how Dean is a real teacher getting ready to greet his first class of students.
Before he can get too lost in his thoughts Dean hears the sound of children's voices all clamoring together in the halls and Dean plasters on a smile and waits for his first student to arrive.
Most students had met their teachers last week during the school open house but Dean had been added to the roster very last minute after the previous 3rd grade teacher had gone into preterm labor.
He feels a bit like he's been thrown to the wolves but as the kids slowly start to trickle in, giving him shy glances and nervous smiles he feels his trepidation tip more towards excitement.
The class room is almost full when the sound of a throat clearing brings his attention to the doorway. Standing there is a man with dark messy hair, even darker sunglasses, loose sweats and a truly hideous bright yellow hoodie, with a giant cartoon bee on it. The dude is the male version of a mom showing up in a housecoat and curlers and Dean winces as he catches a few boys snickering out of the corner of his eye. He's going to have to keep his ear out for teasing.
The man has 2 boys beside him both with the same messy hair and both sporting fierce blue eyes that make Dean feel like a bug under a microscope. They have identical scowls on their faces and it's more than obvious they're twins and Dean groans internally because of course he would get identical twins in his first real class.
He brings his eyes back to the man, presumably the father, and prepares for his very first parent encounter.
"Can I help you sir?"
"Where's Mrs. Simpson?"
The tone is borderline accusatory and Dean instantly has his guard up but he plasters on a fake smile and responds in his friendliest voice.
"Unfortunately Mrs. Simpson had a family emergency that required her to take an early leave of absence. I'm Mr. Winchester, feel free to call me Dean, and I'll be taking over Mrs. Simpson's class for the rest of the year."
He stretches out his hand in greeting but the man in front of him frowns deeply before taking his hand limply.
"Castiel Novak and this Is Jamie and Teddy Novak. Why wasn't I informed of this change?"
Dean takes a deep breath, his jaw is starting to ache as he works to keep the smile on his face.
"I'm sorry you weren't aware Mr. Novak, it was a very last minute change. They did email a newsletter to parents last Friday but I understand those can get lost in the shuffle sometimes."
"What about Miss Bradbury? Is she teaching this year? Would it be possible to place the boys in her room?"
Jesus Christ this dude was like a dog with a bone.
Dean's downright offended by now and he couldn't curve the curt tone of his voice if he tried.
"Yes, Miss Bradbury is teaching this year but due to a large number of kids we both have full classrooms. You are more than welcome to take your concerns up with the main office but for today I'm afraid your choice is my classroom or to take your children home with you."
There's a beat of silence before Novak reaches up to push his sunglasses up on his head. Dean is immediately pinned by the same fierce blue eyes Novak's sons are sporting. The only difference is this guy looks like he hasn't slept in days. Dark and deep bags stand out under each slightly bloodshot eye but that doesn't take away from their beauty and Dean has to fight hard not to gap at the difference it makes looking Novak in the eye.
"Looks like I don't have much of a choice Mr. Winchester."
Dean fully expects him to walk out in a huff with his scowling children behind him but instead he squats down so he's eye level with the boys and Dean blinks as he gets the first glimpse of the tiny girl that has been hiding behind Novak's legs this whole time.
She has much lighter hair then her brothers but again the same too blue eyes. She's dressed in a black sweater with a sparkly skull decal and crazy bright rainbow leggings, her hair is in a meticulous braid and she sports a backpack that looks twice her size on her back. She must be a kindergartener and she's staring at him with a shy smile while she clings to her father.
Dean can hear him talking softly to the boys asking them if they'll be ok to stay for the day. Teddy never looks up from his feet but Jamie nods along as his father talks.
"It's ok Dad we'll be fine just take Honey Bea to her class. We got this."
Honey Bea?
Novak nods firmly and scoops both boys into his arms before standing and trapping Dean with his eyes again stealing his breath for a moment.
"I will be taking my concerns to the office. Good day Mr. Winchester."
With that Novak and the little girl sweep out of the class room and Dean is left wondering what just happened. Over the years he's heard plenty of horror stories when it comes to parents so Dean isn't really surprised just mostly disappointed.
Castiel Novak might be hot as hell but Dean can already tell he's going to be trouble. Hopefully his kids will prove to have better attitudes.
He goes down his attendance sheet several times before he realizes Teddy must be Theadore and Jamie must be James. He'll have to print out a new sheet so he doesn't get mixed up.
As the day goes on Dean's fears appear to be unfounded and the twins turn out to be some of his best behaved kids. Both boys are quiet and keep to themselves. Jamie appears to be a little more outgoing than his brother and he raises his hand several times when Dean tries to engage the kids in a discussion on what they did over the summer. From what Jamie tells the class it appears the Novak family just moved to town last year but this is actually their first day at a public school.
Dean is surprised and feels a small pang of guilt. It must be pretty nerve racking to not only start over in a new town but to also drop your kids for their first day of school only to find out they don't have the teacher you already introduced them to. He probably could have handled the whole situation better this morning though Novak still could have just said something instead of being a dick. Dean figures it would only be fair to give the guy another chance at a first impression.
He checks the boys going home plan and sees they're down for parent pick up so Dean decides he'll try to patch things up at the end of the school day. After all they'll have to at least be able to get along if he's going to be Jamie and Teddy's teacher for the year.
The rest of the day is pretty smooth considering he's in charge of so many small children. One kid, Ben, ends up in the nurse's office after he eats an entire eraser on a dare and one girl, Emma, spends 10 mins crying because her "best friend" said she didn't like her anymore but otherwise it was a good first day.
The room erupts into thinly controlled chaos as Dean instructs his class to clean up and gather their backpacks and going home papers. He lines up the kids that ride the bus first and than the kids being picked up behind them.
Clapping his hands together twice to get everyone's attention Dean calls out, "Class. Class."
"Yes. Yes." All 18 little voices say at once. It brings a huge smile to Dean's face how quickly they all picked up on that little prompt. The other 3rd grade teacher, Miss. Bradbury had taught it to him and already it was his best tool for getting everyone's attention.
"We are going to walk, not run, single file, to the bus line first. Once the riders are on the bus the rest of you will follow me to the pick up line where you will stay in line until you are dismissed. Even if you see your parent do not leave the line until I tell you. Does everyone understand?"
Once again 18 little voices speak in unison, "Yes Mr. Winchester!"
"Ok kiddos lets move it out."
It only takes a few minutes to get his bus kids loaded up and then he's leading the handful of 3rd graders he's got left like ducklings to the front of the school. He gets the kids lined up with the rest of the classes waiting for pick up. It doesn't take long before he's down to just 2 kids. The Novak twins and honestly that is just too convenient to be a good sign.
He's got his eyes peeled for dark hair and an ugly bee sweater so it takes him by surprise when a petite woman with fiery red hair walks up with the same little girl that had been with Novak this morning in tow. She flashes a friendly smile and gives a little wave.
"Hello. I'm Anna Novak. I'm here to pick up Teddy and Jamie."
Dean's eyebrows shoot up but he shakes off his surprise quickly. Anna Novak? This must be the kid's mom and Novak's wife. Dean's not sure why that surprises him so much. He runs over the list in his hand and sees the woman's name on the twins pick up list along with Novak's.
"Ah ok yes I see your name here. Do you have a photo id on you? Sorry we only have to check it the first time."
She waves him off and pulls her wallet out of a small purse hanging off her slight shoulder. Dean gives it a quick glance and checks her off his list.
"You're all set. They had a great day today and I look forward to seeing them in class tomorrow."
Anna thanks him before leading all 3 kids to a dark SUV that's idling at the curb. He can hear her asking them about their first day and see the bright open smile on Teddy's face as he talks about the class book they started today. They look like a perfect little family although all 3 kids definitely take after their dad more in the looks department.
Dean turns away with a deep sigh feeling oddly disappointed. He stops by the office to find out if Novak had actually managed to get the twins transferred to another classroom only to find out he'd never even stopped into the office. Figures the guy was all bark and no bite.
With his first day officially over Dean heads back to his classroom to clean up and gather his things and if a tired face with piercing blue eyes happens to cross his mind more than once, well no one else has to know but him.