What Happened Last Night

Author's Note: Many thanks go out to Abbey Road who kindly beta'd this for me, and helped me through some absolute disasters in my train of thought. All other errors are soley my own.

-Tonight-

That was all the note said. Yet with that one word, Joserlin was nearly ready to jump up from his desk, jump out the window, and go dance on the main courtyard in the rain. Scaring his second period class to death, no doubt, in the process. How was he ever supposed to finish off teaching the last two classes of the day, and sit through supper like a regular human being?

-Tonight-

That was all the note said. Yet it was more than enough to push Sean past his normally caustic humour into something far more violent, almost sadistic, in fact. Tonight… how was he ever going to be able to cope with seeing his beloved and their fantasy toy together? Would he be able to restrain his emotions and actions, knowing as he did that the other two had already been with each other? More importantly, did he even want to try to keep himself under control?

-Tonight-

Mathew’s mind went to the notes he’d just sent. His thoughts wandered and visions of legs propped against his shoulders, eyes darkened in passion, and straight black hair pooling against the pillowcases filled his mind’s eye. At last, he was going to have the man he desired. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat and went back to marking the frosh’s essays.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Sean was beside himself with anxiety, an anxiety that had definitely bled over into his classes today. If he’d been less pre-occupied, he would probably have enjoyed it: five beakers had exploded, three students had had to leave for the on-campus clinic for a sedative, and for the cream on the cake, the latest blasted Thompson offspring to attend the university had managed to dye his desk green. He was almost tempted to skip dinner and go straight to bed instead; but like a mute reproach, a note on his personal desk taunted him with:

-9pm. My rooms. ~Jos-.

If he didn’t go, he knew Jos would most likely tease him for chickening out. That would never do. Best to hold back his emotions for the time being. Sometimes loving someone was far too much like being party to a murder plot.

“First things first,” Sean said to himself, “Dinner with the rest of the staff. With any luck, dean Anderson will have already figured it all out, decide it to be against his interests, and will forbid the encounter. Of course, the Thompson brat might become the next honorary chemistry professor just as easily.”

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

“More bread Sean? You really should eat up. You’ll want your strength later,” Joserlin stated, lightly setting his hand on his partner’s knee.

“Oh, is that why you’ve already consumed enough to feed an entire family, Jos? Some people know to say ‘enough’ when they are full.”

“Indeed. Well, I guess the new cafeteria is always open for late night meals. Please yourself.”

“Of course.”

Joserlin couldn’t understand it. This was an opportunity, the one that the two of them had been fantasizing about for what seemed to have been an eternity. Yet now Sean seemed upset. Perhaps it was the day he’d had? Joserlin had heard rumours of the string of catastrophes that had plagued his love’s classroom that afternoon. Or maybe Sean was feeling poorly, even though he didn’t really act sick.

Surely he wasn’t upset about what was to happen that evening? No, the Sean he knew wouldn’t hold back like that, his forthrightness was renowned. Either he wanted something, or he’d pointedly decline it. Frustrated and confused, Joserlin set about finishing his supper. Maybe after they ate he’d be able to corner Sean and get him to say what was wrong.

Further down the table, Mathew slowly eased his way through his second plateful of roast beef and potatoes. He was quite aware that something was bothering both Sean and Joserlin. The note he’d found in his rooms earlier seemed to indicate that their threesome was still on for tonight, but if he’d had to guess from their actions, he would have been sure that it was called off.

Mathew had been hard all night long. He’d actually had to put on an extra pair of underwear, just to try and keep his arousal from leaking through. He glanced up at the ceiling and the lowering dusk it portrayed. Only a couple more hours left. He could hardly wait. He hoped the others were just as excited.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

There it was. The door to Joserlin’s chambers stood slightly ajar, as if to further entice him inside. Why was he doing this? He knew it was going to hurt to see his lover and Mathew together, but it was like having a toothache; even though you knew it would hurt, you couldn’t keep from pressing against it. His hand rose, seemingly of its own volition, formed a fist, and knocked lightly against the door.

“Come in, Sean. We’ve been waiting for you.” Joserlin’s voice came from somewhere inside the room.

‘Somewhere inside’ turned out to be from the vicinity of the sofa, which commanded the best spot in front of the blazing fire. Mathew, who was sitting at the opposite end of the sofa, looked up as the door shut. He smiled a warm welcome and gestured with his half-filled wine glass to the bottle sitting on the sideboard.

“Help yourself, Sean. We were just discussing what we could get room service to bring up from the kitchens for us. Cheese and crackers to go with the wine sound ok by you?”

“Yes, that would be fine.” Sean replied as he filled a glass with the crimson liquid, and proceeded to the only open place to sit, the spot between the other two men on the sofa.

“Sean, I must apologise.” Sean looked up, momentarily confused, as Mathew began, “I never gave you the credit you deserved for all those years while I was a student. I never guessed how poor of a quality some of the essays and tests turned in could actually be! That on top of all the extra things you do… well, I honestly don’t know now how you managed to be as nice as you were!” Mathew smiled.

“Yes, well… at least there was only one Thompson in your year. Even if that Smith kid did tend to make up for the rest,” Sean said, clearly uncomfortable to be receiving a compliment.

"I don't see how it really matters all that much," Joserlin interjected, "how many other activities one pursues or troubled students one has. A teacher has to give his life over to his students."

Mathew looked over at Joserlin in a bit of shock. How could Joserlin say something like that, and honestly think it applied? "Joserlin, that isn't fair. Sean routinely offered his very sanity for his students, me especially!"

Sean's embarrassment grew. Far too many compliments in too short of a time were keeping him too far off balance to form a suitable reply to diffuse the situation. He could see that Joserlin was becoming upset with the way Mathew had brought up Sean's ability to always be where he'd been needed in the past, whereas Joserlin and his former lover, Liam, had been essentially kept out of the loop by the dean.

Mathew had turned to sit sideways on the couch to easier speak with the other two men. His elbow rested on the back of the sofa, and he now dropped his hand to Sean’s shoulder, resting it there a minute in wordless understanding and apology for the tenseness of the circumstances.

Sean forced himself to relax under the gesture. "A lot of teachers gave their all to keep all of their students safe," he said. "A lot of people took countless risks."

Both of the dark haired men missed the sudden flare of jealousy in Joserlin's steel blue eyes. Joserlin knew that over the course of the evening, all three of them would touch and comfort each other in some way, but it was to have been at his direction. He was supposed to be the one in control. He slid closer to Sean, to have them sitting so their sides would touch, only to feel his lover tense again, and ease nearer the younger man. Sighing, he got up and went to fetch himself another glass of wine.

"... and there was John, sitting on the floor, still drunk as anything, with his study notes soaked in vomit. I couldn't help but think of Ron in second year," Mathew said with a laugh.

Obviously, Joserlin had returned in the middle of 'story time for professors'. He just didn't know how things could have gone so wrong. Weren't they supposed to be naked and having fun by now? Wasn't Joserlin supposed to be buried balls deep inside of Mathew, watching him take Sean in his mouth? He stared into the slowly dying fire and gulped down his wine.

"I had felt like I was having a flashback from when you were in school myself the next day. Watching him titrate to buffer with that leaky old apparatus. If I'd known he'd been immersed in alcohol, I doubt if I'd even have dared let him do the practical that day." Sean rolled his eyes expressively, and Mathew laughed and stood up to get them all some more wine to drink.

"I don't doubt that at all. And there isn't even a Sarah in that year to tell you things like that either!"

"No. I don't know whether to be annoyed at that turn of events, or to be happy not to have to put up with the know-it-all attitude that girl always brought with her," Snape bitched, taking the offered wine with an elegant hand.

"You know Professor, I never did understand why you had such a hard time dealing with her. Was it just that she was a friend of yours truly?" Mathew questioned.

"No. Well, not entirely," Sean amended, "she was a brilliant and naïve student, and I hated the thoughts of so much blind intelligence being led like a lamb to slaughter. You saw how Anderson..."

Joserlin, bored by the chatted going on beside him, drifted into his own thoughts and began picturing the look on Sean's face as Mathew took the potion's master down his throat. Thought of how wanton Sean would look, his hair damp with sweat, eyes glazed, as Mathew would prepare himself with two slicked fingers. Joserlin reached out a hand to stroke his lover to an even higher arousal, massaging his precum into the lubricant covering Sean's prick. The sight of the dignified chemistry professor being urged to mount the younger professor, and himself guiding Sean to the sweet goal between Mathew's legs, was almost too much to bear. Joserlin felt his own erection firming within his trousers at the thoughts in his head...

"Joserlin! Stop it! Now is not the time for that at all!" Sean hissed at the badly distracted man.

Joserlin snapped back to the present to realize that his one hand was rubbing his member through his clothes, while his other was fumbling with the closure on Sean’s pants. Mathew was trying to not be obvious while watching the two other men, and Sean looked quite embarrassed and upset.

Mathew could see how awkward this scene was going to become. He knew he'd never have another chance with the man he desired if he didn't somehow help him save face now. Joserlin was also looking rather shame-faced at what had happened. Perhaps it was time to end this evening now, before and wine-soaked reactions took matters beyond mend.

“Oh my God!” Mathew exclaimed, looking over at the clock on the mantle some time later. “It can’t be that time already? I promised to help tutor some students after breakfast tomorrow… um… today. Sorry guys. Maybe we can continue this some other night?”

Joserlin looked near mutinous, and petulantly folded his arms over his chest. He had wanted for things to go further tonight than a mere fireside chat. He had been planning all day how he would take Mathew, and how he wanted to see Sean be taken. Sean simple nodded, looking politely surprised at the passage of time, and reminded them that tomorrow was Saturday, if they wanted to get together again then.

Mathew was a bit disappointed himself at their having wasted the entire evening just talking. He had, however, spent all that time talking with Sean, which was certainly more than he’d had before. And he’d actually treated Mathew as if he’d thought some of his ideas had merit, like he was another adult; there had to be hope for the future.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

That night, the university’s students would probably have died in horror if they’d happened to be spying on Sean’s rooms. Uncharacteristically, a small smile was spread across his face, even managing to touch his eyes and warm the charcoal muddied brown to something approaching rich coffee. He was happy, and at peace for the first time since Joserlin had told him of his illicit encounter. His conversation with Mathew had opened him to the boy’s life, and he was touched by how the younger man had managed to steer away Joserlin’s rudeness and more brusque nuances and touches, allowing a friendship to be kindled between them. Perhaps their next get-together might go further than it had tonight. At least now, he was content if it did happen.