The Teaching Assistant

I love the slow burns for Valentine's Day time! This is a Gay Male standalone story.

*

I had been gifted with the hottest teaching assistant the world has ever known. His name was written with white chalk on the dark green board: Viktor with a K.

I'd spent the majority of the first chemistry class of the semester gawking at him. He had jet black hair that wasn't too short or too long and hazel-green eyes. He was hmmm, probably at least 6'1". And had muscles on muscles. And not like weird steroid gym rats that only had muscular arms with skinny legs. This man was built. As a TA, he was probably older than my 18 by a few years.

Even middle and high schools used iPads and tech nowadays. Why didn't universities? I wasn't all that upset, though. The chalkboard afforded me the opportunity to watch Viktor's biceps as he wrote on it. Soooo hot! I wasn't going to be able to learn anything in this class! I didn't even understand where in the textbook we were starting from. I couldn't focus on his words. Just his sharp jaw line.

"Uh..." He looked at a printed class roster. "Wesley, read off the elements used in the first reaction."

My friend, Kenneth, next to me jabbed his bony elbow into my side. "Wesley."

"Oh! Okay!" Oh gosh, I was so zoned out and horny thinking of all the scenarios with Viktor that I couldn't shake my cloud of lust. I narrowed my eyes at the board. "Um, hi-ahh-drine. Omg, I mean hydrogen!" I felt my entire face turn red. I'm in college and couldn't read the word hydrogen! WTH! The TA probably thought I was an idiot!! I quickly finished rattling off the rest of the elements listed and slumped in my chair.

Viktor was going to be my TA three times a week for the entire semester!! How mortifying.

Kenneth covered his mouth - not very well I might add - at the absurdity of what just happened. "Duuude, the first week of college, and you're already going to flunk out! You should redo elementary school at this point."

"Shut up!" But I couldn't help laughing either.

At the end of class, Viktor announced office hours would be held weekly on Fridays at 10 am. He said if no one showed up 10 minutes after the hour, then office hours would be discontinued for that day.

Soooo office hours it would be! If I couldn't focus in class, I'd have to make up for it another way. Maybe the professor would see it as dedication and give me extra credit or something.

Except the thing I learned when I showed up is that office hours weren't run by the professor; they were run by the TA! The hot, distracting TA, Viktor!

I was about to backtrack my way out of there when he looked up from his desk. "Hello. Wesley, right? Come on in."

I sighed, put on a smile, and settled into the chair across from him, dumping my bag on the floor and pulling out my tablet. I was going to focus on the work!

"Could you help me with..." I opened the app I used to take notes.

"How to pronounce hydrogen?"

"Omg! You're so mean!" I felt my face flush.

The stoic man laughed for the first time, and I loved it. "Don't worry, I know why."

"You do?" Oh no.

"You were excited about starting college and talking with your friends. I was, as you put it, mean to call on you during the first class."

I breathed out. "Yeah!"

I ended up being the only one that showed for the first three weeks office hours.

I loved having Viktor to myself. He seemed stern on the outside and spoke with more of a monotone voice, but he was warm with his words and friendly as we talked more. Or I was reading into his completely professional behavior.

He was a chemistry PhD student, and being a TA came along with his education, though he did get paid a little for it.

I spit out the coffee I was drinking across his desk. "Ah! Sorry! You're 26??" He was 8 years older than me!? "But you look..." So in shape, handsome, all the yummy adjectives. "You don't look old at all!" I grabbed the paper towels out of his hand to clean up. Double dang. That was another embarrassing moment in front of him to add to my list to think about at night when I couldn't fall asleep.

"It's only old when compared to an 18-year-old." He looked at me meaningfully, almost like he was trying to communicate something to me... and remind himself? I don't know why I got that feeling.

"I'll be 19 soon..."

His favorite thing was astronomy. What a nerd! A hot nerd. He enjoyed looking at the stars. It was also a romantic hobby. I bet he got a lot of guys that way. I'd sure fall for it. I was only taking chemistry, because it was a required course. I hadn't decided on my major yet. I told him I liked swimming and those paint and sip nights, though I legally couldn't drink yet.

The fourth week, I was working on a practice equation he gave me, when someone tried entering the office.

I was hit with a heavy feeling of disappointment that my alone time with Viktor would be cut short this week.

The door rattled. The student knocked on the door asking if anyone was there.

When had Viktor locked the door?

I tried getting up to go open it, but he held me back by my arm and put a finger to his lips making the shush sign.

I felt my eyes widen. Omg! He wanted us to pretend we weren't there! I smiled wide, trying to hold my laughter.

I looked at the clock. 20 had minutes passed. Technically, if I hadn't come, Viktor really wouldn't be here this late. But still... I looked back at him.

He was quietly grading papers as if he wasn't purposefully hiding to send the student away!!

A piece of warm, happiness worked its way up my body. Maybe... he also looked forward to our weekly alone time.

The student finally gave up and left. We waited a few more minutes, then started making a normal human amount of noise again.

"Why... did you do that?" I asked.

"Why?" He asked back. Was he avoiding the question?

I nodded.

"Do what?" He played at forgetting.

I laughed. He winked at me. Oh, that was hot. It was undeniable. I so had the hots for my TA!

The following week, at 10 minutes after the hour, Viktor suggested we get fresh air. "Like, outside? What about if someone else..."

He looked at me blandly.

"Never mind. Yeah, I'd like that."

We found a spot on a grassy hill outside the building. I liked sitting closer to him, but...

"Hi Wesley!"

"Hi! How are you?"

That was about the third person to stop to say hi.

Viktor quietly said, "You're quite the popular guy."

"A lot of my friends take classes nearby."

The next week, we gathered our stuff at 10 past the hour to go outside again, but Viktor pushed the up button on the elevator. I looked at him questioningly, and he smiled back. He took us to the roof top! It was shaded with trees and had a pretty garden. There was a beautiful hidden little study nook under a canopy of ivy, a wooden table and benches.

"Wow! This is awesome! Why don't we study here all the time? I didn't even know this existed."

"It's badge access only, and professors and staff rarely come up here."

"Thanks for bringing me." I smiled at him under my eyelashes. I had the urge to kiss him. Where did that come from? Uhh, maybe from my weeks long crush on him... And now I was talking to myself. In my head. Sigh.

But, he looked at me like he wanted to kiss me, too! Unless that was my hormones interpreting a completely normal look! Ugh, I couldn't tell!

At the end of the hour, he asked for my number!!!! But only to directly meet up here for office hours from now on.

Once, on a random day, I ran in to him on the street. He was wearing more casual clothes than in class. He looked good in jeans. Though, he'd look good in anything. He also looked younger. I could've mistaken him for a senior. We were headed the same way and chatted. When I stopped in front of a brunch place to say good bye, he said he was hungry, too, and would join me. My heart did a flip.

It felt like a date!

We sat at a table on the terrace and made up silly stories about the people walking by. It felt very natural. There wasn't even a hint of awkwardness. We talked for an hour more even after we'd both finished our food. It was great.

Later, since I had his number, I texted him: Hi! How's your weekend going?

He never replied. I didn't get any notifications, but I checked and rechecked my messages over and over again. Nothing. He also acted completely normal during class. Was it so easy to ignore me?

I debated skipping office hours that week, but of course I went. I entered at 9 minutes past the hour. To make him wait, but not late enough that he'd leave and I'd miss him. He'd left the door to the rooftop slightly ajar, and it clicked closed behind me.

"You came," he said in his deep, intoxicating voice.

"I guess." Yes, I was sulking!

He pushed a small to-go box across the table. He'd brought me french toast, which I had ordered on our brunch together and told him was my favorite!

"Yum! Thank you!"

I couldn't solve equations as well while eating, so we spent most of that hour chatting. There was always next week to study.

"Soooo, um, do you not like texting or something?"

He paused and looked away. He crossed his arms, his muscular bulging arms. One finger tapped against his bicep. When he looked back at me, he said, "It would be inappropriate to text with students."

Oh, okay. He wasn't ignoring me. It's not that he didn't want to... I hoped. That made sense, I guess.

He nudged my foot under the table, and I returned his friendly gesture.

The next week, we did actually study. And man, was he helpful. He was so smart and explained everything in such an easy way to understand without making me feel dumb about it.

To be able to give me a better view as he drew out molecules and their interactions, he moved to my side of the table. We shared the long bench. As I relaxed with more understanding, my pent up muscles did as well, and my legs splayed out incrementally. My left leg happened to press into his right. He kept explaining and gave no indication that he noticed the difference, but I certainly did. The warmth of his thigh against mine sent electricity throughout my body. I pressed a little more firmly against him. Again, it was my breathing that was affected.

He still seemed unaffected and kept teaching without any breaks in his flow, except for... his eyes seemed to flare and look deeper into mine. Maybe.

I really hoped that wasn't my horny brain making stuff up. Again.

He pressed back! I'm pretty sure his thigh just pressed a little towards me. I was going insane.

Suddenly, he pulled back and returned to his chair.

It felt like I could breath again.

"Well, see you next week," he said, gathering up his stuff quickly and leaving me in a daze.

The following week, he remembered it was my birthday week! That's cool he remembered. He even got me a gift.

"Happy birthday."

"You know, there's kind of one year less between us now," I leaned closer to him.

"Uuuh, here."

"You really didn't have to!" I grabbed the school store bag out of his hand.

"It's small. I just happened to see it and thought of you." He shrugged.

I pulled out a school themed swim cap! "This is super thoughtful!! You remember I like swimming."

"Yeah." He scratched his cheek. "I've seen you a few times swimming laps at the student center. You always wear a colorfully designed cap."

I got up to give him a hug. He froze in his chair and didn't return it, but that was okay! It ended up being a side hug, and I squeezed my appreciation.

That day, I felt like I had a lot of energy. I decided I'd swim laps later - with my new cap, of course!

During the study session, I kept bouncing my leg and accidentally hitting Viktor's under the table.

"Oops, sorry."

"That's okay."

A few minutes later, I did it again.

"Gosh, sorry."

"It's fine."

The third time, he looked up at me and hugged my ankle with both of his. "Problem solved."

I laughed. As we continued to work, I rested my free leg next to his. I peeked up at him. He didn't give a reaction. Typical. I brushed my leg against him. He brushed back!

"Viktor..." I just wanted to say his name.

He looked at me in a teasing way, "Are you playing footsie with me?"

I worked mine more generously up and down, feeling tingly. "I don't know what that is. Is that an old person term?" I joked.

His hold tightened on my other leg. I giggled.

That was a good day.

......

One of our quizzes came back. I had put the wrong answer on a question, but it was one of those questions where there were sort of two right answers. Kenneth had put the same answer and had been graded as a correct mark!

I went up to Viktor immediately and told him about the issue.

"Shit, I mean, shoot. We don't grade our own students. The others must have made a mistake. But per the professor, even if it's a mistake, all grades are final. At least a quiz won't affect your overall grade. I'm sorry, Wesley."

"Can't you talk to the other TA who graded my paper about this?" I might have batted my eyelashes.

"I can't... give you preferential treatment."

"Preferential? This is, like, the opposite of that!"

"Exactly."

I huffed in annoyance and left the classroom. Stupid other TA! Stupid Viktor! Preferential blah blah blah... Wait, preferential, because... because he... liked me?

I was both happy and upset now.

What was the point of a handsome TA liking me if I didn't get any action, and I didn't get higher grades? Ugh!

Besides, you know, him liking me. Hehe. Maybe.

......

The next office hours, he was drinking a protein smoothie. He got some on his lip and licked it with his tongue. Oh my... I mimicked him, wishing I could lap at his lips.

His eyes flicked down to my movement, so briefly that if I hadn't been looking at that exact moment, I would have missed it.

So, I did it again, pretending to lick my lips while lost in thought about the next question.

He pulled out dark sunglasses. Ugh! Now I couldn't see what he was looking at! Maybe that was the point, since we were already sitting in the shade.

If he was looking, I didn't want to have chapped lips! I quickly pulled out a chapstick I had in my backpack. I tried to discreetly slather it on. Oh! I didn't realize this was my cherry flavored chapstick! I licked my lips again.

"What are you doing?"

"Huh? Oh, I... my chapstick is cherry flavored. It tastes really good."

He crossed his arms and tipped his head back. "I bet it does," he seemed to complain.

I bit my lip to silence an embarassing sound I knew was about to come out.

When he looked back at me, he reached out, and just barely resting his fingers on my chin, his thumb pulled my bottom lip out of my teeth. "Don't hurt yourself."

He let go and then proceeded to bite his own lip. He looked hot! I zeroed in on his mouth. I reeeeeally wanted to kiss him.

"What about you? You're doing it, too."

"Mine is a reminder."

"About what?"

"That I can't taste cherry flavored chapstick right now."

My mouth parted. Did he mean...

He cleared his throat. "Okay, do the next set of questions."

......

The end of the semester was nearing. We had a few weeks off for winter break. I missed Viktor a lot. I'd kind of gotten used to seeing him several times a week. And it wasn't like we talked on the phone or anything. I texted him a Merry Christmas text. No answer, of course.

Our first Friday back, we both showed up early to the rooftop. We didn't study at all and just chatted, catching up about what we did, who we saw, what family members had been being idiots.

"I missed..." he started. "Class a lot."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"I missed class a lot, too," I affirmed.

......

Over the weekend, I went to a 'New Year, Same Semester' frat party. I know, I know, typical drunk freshman at a party. And so were all my friends I went with.

When I was ready to call it a night, I thought about my only friend who would still be up and sober at this hour... I called her. She picked up a few rings in. "Blairrre, sweeeetieee, can ya, yooo, ugh, you come pick me... up? I'm on the.. south, nooo! Northeast corner of campus."

She hung up! I hope that means she's coming. The cold air felt nice. The street lamps made cool zaps of light drawings in my vision as my head moved. Haha...

Ooohh that guy walking this way looked built. I didn't know if I should be afraid or turned on. Probably turned on, he looked a lot like Viktor.

Wait, it was Viktor! Ughh, why did he always find me in embarrassing moments. Or, was I always embarrassing? That's worse, I think.

"I'm here to take you back to your dorm. Let's go."

"Oooohh, you seem grumpyyy. It's okay, you're still hot. Wait, I can't go. I'm waiting for my friend, Blaire."

"I don't know who that is, but you called me."

"Whaaaat." I tried to look at my phone, but Viktor grabbed it and slipped it in my pocket! He touched me so close... I wanted that again.

He moved us around, so he was on the part of the side walk closer to the street. What a gentleman. I leaned against him.

He knocked on my dorm door. No answer. We got here fast.

"My roommate isss still out partyinggg, I suppose." I leaned my head against his shoulder.

"Do you have a key?"

"Yeah, but you have to get it." I smiled up at him. I liked the way he looked at me when I did.

"Okay."

I looped my arms around his neck. I was wobbly and slightly leaning into his body. "It's in my other pocket," I whispered. By other, I meant the one without my phone in it.

"Come on, Wesley, give it to me."

"You said you would get it." I pouted. "I'm not getting it. You are."

He seemed exasperated. I, on the other hand, was having loads of fun.

He brought his hand to my hip. I pressed my body further into him. He slipped his hand slowly in my front pocket. I kept eye contact with him the whole time. I loved his hands on me! His hand dipped and found the edge of my keys. He was about to pull them out, but I wanted his hand deeper. I shook my hips, dislodging it from his grip.

"Wesley," he admonished.

"Oops."

"Don't." He looked serious.

"Oookay, geez."

He went for it again and brought it out smoothly. He let out a breath. What a poor sport.

I immediately flopped on my bed. When did he open the door? "Do you want to stay and hang out for a while?" I asked him.

"You're in no condition to be hosting someone."

I patted the bed next to me. "We can do fun things that feel good. No one will know."

He gulped. "You're in no condition for that, either."

"At least help me get my pjs on." I grabbed for them.

"No, certainly not." He turned around. "I'll make sure you're okay and leave promptly."

"Promptlyyy... Ugh!" The world felt slow motion as I tipped over and crashed!

"Are you okay?" He was at my side immediately. I had gotton stuck on the waistband of the pants I'd pulled down. He helped me up.

I noticed he couldn't help looking at me in my underwear.

"Heavens, help me," he mumbled.

I smiled. But I think I was already smiling? I smiled more.

His hands moved to my hips. His thumbs slipped under my shirt and caressed my skin.

My smile slipped. I inhaled deeply.

Suddenly, there was a blanket around me.

"Sleep like this."

"No, I'll get cold! PJssssss!!"

"Fine."

He grabbed my pj bottoms and knelt, holding them out. Oh. His face was so close to my... I used his shoulder for support and stepped into them. He briskly pulled them up, rewrapped me in my blanket and laid me down on the bed.

"Okay, now is that..." His voice trailed off as I fell into a deep sleep.

......

I woke up groggy the next day. It took me all of 5 seconds to remember last night. Nooooooo, why would I do that? I covered my head with my pillow. I'll never live this down. Why couldn't I have at least been graced with the gift of forgetting last night!! Note to self: Drink more next time. Wait, or less? Uughh!!