Alternative titles: Exhausted teacher rests on your lap | Helping the sweet professor relax | Staying late after class with the teacher | Letting the tired professor nap (on you)

TW/CW: I tried to keep the grooming-bs as far away from this as possible, but some people may still get triggered, especially since that kind of behaviour starts very slowly and builds up over time. This is NOT intended to be predatory, just a cute, platonic interaction between two adults.

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Introduction (for listeners): You’ve been staying late after class because you want to spend more time around your favourite teacher and also avoid going back home, for personal reasons. One Friday afternoon, they(/he/she) come(s) up to you directly, to make sure you’re doing okay.

Summary (for speakers): As a teacher, it’s normal to be tired constantly, but having chronic insomnia doesn’t really help either. When staying up all night and grading papers, eventually your brain begins to fry, and not being able to sleep afterwards doesn’t really improve mood or brain capacity. One Friday afternoon you’re having a little chat with a student after class. Suddenly, your head begins to spin and you’re just desperate for a nap…

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~1.500 words/ 12-18 mins Audio

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Usage: Everything goes, as long as you give credit! Adjust wording, change stuff, improvise, add or remove scenes, make it nsfw if you want. For any questions, feel free to ask! Have fun! :D

Monetization/paywall is ok, but I’d appreciate being sent a free copy! 

Sfx optional but it enhances the experience, if you have access.

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Setting: magical tavern/ inn, first: main eating area, then: rooms to stay for the night

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sometimes I use … for very short pauses (easier to read)

[these are for sfx, vocal cues, actions or other remarks] 

italics are for emphasising a word

— — —

[sfx: school bell rings, chairs scraping, zippers, people pack their bags and leave, chattering. Listener stays behind as the room empties, a little time passes before the character speaks]

[slightly slow speech, calm voice, tired/exhausted, monotone?, a bit ironic/joking]

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You’re still here.

I can’t help but notice you’re staying late after class a lot, lately.

What’s up with that?

Are you having trouble at home? Or do you just use the classroom to do your homework?

…

Is that not it?

Well, I’m out of ideas.

Tell me.

What kind of secret after-school meetings are you having in here?

…

You’re not doing anything illegal, are you? Because if you were to admit that to a teacher, I’d have to call your parents…

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[short pause]

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Im not sure how to interpret that silence, but you’re smart to keep to yourself.

As much as I want to motivate my students to speak, sometimes it’s best to stay quiet.

Too many people don’t know to appreciate silence and use it as a tool to get ahead in life.

But you’ve always been a bit more unassuming.

I can imagine some of the teachers don’t even realise you’re there, most of the time.

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[short pause]

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Of course I notice you.

And yes, I see you drawing, even though you try to hide it.

But your scores are always pretty decent and your essays are a lot more intricate, than those of your peers.

I’d be lying if I said you were a bad student, but I would like to hear your voice in class more often.

To be honest, seeing how silent you are and how you were always staying behind after class, I was worried you were living in a bad situation.

But I’m legally not allowed to check your files or do anything, even if there was something going on…

I really wish I could do more for my students than just talking to them, and helping them with their work. But my hands are tied…

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[short pause]

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How are you handling the assignment, by the way? Are you having any troubles with it so far?

…

Let me guess… you haven’t even started yet, have you?

[small chuckle] Trust me, that’s not uncommon. Not too long ago, I was a student, too.

And I never even touched the research until the night before at about 9pm.

But that just makes your work even more impressive.

Such complex thoughts being curated within a few hours and under that much pressure is quite an achievement.

Most of the other students wouldn’t be able to replicate your thoughts, if given a whole year to write.

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[short pause]

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I’m not ‘playing favourites’, you’re just a good student. But maybe don’t tell the other faculty members I said any of this-

I don’t know how strict they are on the whole ‘separation between teachers and students’-thing.

But uhm… How about I treat you to some hot chocolate from the teacher’s lounge and you don’t tell anybody about this? Just in case?

I mean, you obviously don’t have to. And I don’t want to get fired in my first year as a teacher here because it looked like I was ‘chatting up students’-

See it more as a friendly offer, in case you want to avoid going home just yet.

…

At this time on a Friday, the teacher’s lounge should be empty already.

Most teachers leave with the bell and don’t look back.

One of the language professors actually forgot her bag a few weeks ago and didn’t even bother going back to get it.

You might have heard that story already. The students were quite upset when she didn’t have their papers graded that next Monday, like she promised.

[small chuckle]

I think she just used that weekend to catch up on sleep for once.

I wish I could just do that sometime, but since I’m still the ‘new guy [/girl]’, I’m worried they’d just kick me out.

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[soft yawn]

…Some sleep would be really nice…

But I’m getting off track again-

How about it? Some free hot cocoa?

I think I could really use the company while I look through some tests before I leave.

Might help me stay awake…

Only if you don’t have anything planned already, of course.

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[short pause]

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Awesome, it’s a deal then.

Do you have all your things?

…

Good. I’ll lock up the classroom.

It doesn’t look like anyone left anything this time.

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[sfx: quiet footsteps on linoleum/school floor, door gets closed, keys jingle as the right one is searched and inserted, lock clicks]

[optional sfx: quiet footsteps while they talk, slight echo since they’re in the hallway]

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The teacher’s room is right this way.

I don’t think they usually allow students in there, but that’s another one of those ‘old teachers and their disrespect for students’-things in my opinion.

…

That’s actually one of the reasons I wanted to become a professor in the first place.

Not so I could bully students, obviously. But because I was tired of the older generation of teachers.

The more alternatives the school has, the less assholes they have to employ.

I’m not dropping any names, but I have a feeling you might know what I’m talking about.

…

I always used to like the younger teachers when I was still a student.

They always seemed so fascinated with their subject and were willing to explain it to you when you’d ask.

I feel like a lot of the older professors forget that their students are also just people, you know?

But most of the newer teachers luckily don’t have that mindset anymore.

Most of them genuinely have a passion and want to teach, which I find to be quite inspiring.

And even though my sleep problems and headaches haven’t been getting better, constantly having to read through student’s papers, it’s still worth it in my opinion.

If there’s even a single student that smiles at me each day, one student that genuinely looks as though they’re interested and listening to what I’m saying, it’s worth it to me.

Seeing that spark in their eyes when it finally clicks and they understand what’s going on, or that look of victory when they give a good answer and I praise them.

That’s what gives me the energy to keep going.

And even though I see you drawing quite often, I hope you still care about my class and what I’m saying.

…

[small sigh]

I try not to judge any of my students on their performance or attitude, since I don’t know what’s going on in their personal lives.

Knowing I can still somehow help them get ahead in life, that’s enough for me.

It’s a bit difficult to let go of that idea that everybody is constantly judging you, and that they’re only distracted because you bore them.

Most of the time, that’s not the reason at all.

If everyone were to stop paying attention, however, I might have to start self-reflecting a bit more.

[small chuckle]

Well, this right here is the magic door.

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[optional footsteps and echo end now]

[sfx: keys jingle as they’re being pulled out and searched for the right one, lock clicks, door opens]

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After you…

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[sfx: characters step inside, door gets shut gently]

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It’s kinda nice, isn’t it?

The couch is one of my favourite features. Even though it’s probably older than the school itself…

Well, having a trashy one is better than having none at all I suppose. And it serves the purpose.

…

Feel free to look around a little or just sit down on the couch.

This probably feels a bit strange. Usually, this place is off-limits, after all.

But I promise you, it’s fine. They don’t have any security cameras or student-detection-devices here.

[small chuckle]

Just make yourself at home, while I get you some hot chocolate.

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[sfx: coffee vending machine being used to pour a cup of hot cocoa]

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There we go. Nice and fresh.

This stuff is actually surprisingly good.

It’s a miracle I haven’t spilled it on any papers yet, considering how often I drink it.

I started out with coffee, but at some point in the afternoon, a coffee isn’t really the best choice anymore.

That’s why I eventually tried the other things the machine has to offer, and got stuck on the hot chocolate.

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[sfx: older couch is being compressed as character sits down]

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Here. Careful, it’s a bit warm.

…

[deep sigh]

I probably shouldn’t have sat down on the couch-

I’ve been so tired all day, last night I didn’t sleep at all…

I told myself I wouldn’t leave until I read through everyone’s assignment, so I wouldn't have to stress myself about it anymore.

But now… [soft yawn]

Oh man-

I’m so sorry. But at least you got some hot chocolate out of it, right?

[small chuckle] I’m such an old man [/lady], aren’t I?

Getting excited over hot chocolate and almost falling asleep the second I sit down on a soft surface-

That’s the price you ought to pay for becoming a teacher. Ageing twice as fast as the rest of the population…

But it is what it is.

…

I know this is probably completely inappropriate, but… would it be okay if I rested my head on your lap for a moment?

My head is kind of spinning right now and I wouldn’t want to make you get up, just so I can lay down…

…

You’re sure?

Thank you-

I don’t want to ask you to keep it a secret. If this makes you uncomfortable at all, please, tell me or feel free to report me to the other staff here.

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[sfx: speaker lays down, cloth shuffles, voice gets slightly closer]

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I’d never want to… [soft yawn]

[mumbled:] …abuse your trust…

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[pause, soft breathing]

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Can I just stay like this for a little…? You’re so warm and comfortable…

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[small sigh, more slow, soft breathing for a little while]

[fade out]