out of the woods | Damon

Chapter Four

"We have to discuss what we did last week," David said finally, coming into Simon's office. The two men had started the school year without having discussed the snogging when Simon had been drunk or how they would let it affect their friendship.

So far it hadn't affected it and the two men had exchanged phone numbers so they would be able to text but neither man brought up the subject through text. It needed to be a conversation that they had in person, not through text. David wasn't sure how Simon wanted to proceed but it seemed like Simon was interested in a friendship. Alesha was trying to get David to ask Simon on a date after David had told Alesha what they had done. Simon had come out to him as bisexual through one of their late night texts.

"We do," Simon responded. "I'm sorry that I was so drunk that it led to us kissing. That was wrong of me to do to a colleague and a friend. I shouldn't have put you into that position as a friend or colleague."

"Simon, you really don't need to apologize," David reassured. "I liked it and I know you were into it that night too, even if you were drunk. It was great. You wanted to go further but I wouldn't let you because of how drunk you were. You weren't in a position to be able to consent. You really don't need to apologize for it."

Simon smiled half-heartedly. "You're sure that you're alright with the fact that we snogged?" He asked to confirm, although it sounded like David had rather enjoyed it from how he had spoken about it to Simon. David touched Simon's hand to reassure him.

"Yes, I am. Are we going to let it affect our friendship though?" David responded. He was curious to know how Simon thought it might affect their new friendship. He hoped it wouldn't affect it.

"We can do our best to not let it affect our friendship but I can't say for certain," Simon responded honestly. "I would like it if we were able to leave it in the past if we can and try to move on from it." David nodded in agreement.

"Would you like to come to my classroom?" David offered, trying to change the subject for Simon. "I've got some work that I need to do but I would like to be able to hang out with you. We can be by ourselves. I've got a prep period next. What have you got?"

David hadn't yet made many dirty jokes around Simon, although David did sometimes make them frequently. He felt comfortable around the older man, enough that he felt he could slip in a dirty joke if he wanted to.

"And kiss?" Simon joked. David couldn't help but laugh. He was already joking about the week previously. Simon continued on, "I have a prep too. I have double prep on Tuesdays. Yeah, that sounds good. Where's your classroom?" He got his laptop. He needed to upload music onto the classroom website program that the school used. He could do that while David worked on whatever he needed to do.

"It's on the second floor. Do you know where the elevator is?" David questioned. Simon made a face. He hadn't made it a priority to explore the school to see where everything was. He hadn't been counting on the fact that he would need to know where the elevator was so soon. Simon shook his head.

"I'll bring you to it if that's alright," David spoke. "Could I maybe push you?" Simon thought it over for a quick moment. He typically didn't let people push his wheelchair for him. He preferred to wheel himself around himself but it didn't seem like David wanted to do it out of sympathy for Simon. He genuinely wanted to help him.

"Sure," Simon answered. "Let's go."

David pushed Simon to the elevator, stopping by the gym to wave hello to Alesha. "Simon, watch out!" Alesha cried out. She had her students playing dodge ball and one of the balls was flying out of the gym and about to enter the hallway. Simon batted away the ball with a hand, preventing it from hitting himself too hard. He picked up the ball, tossing it in his hands.

"Not too shabby," Alesha said, coming to the doorway. "But you would've been out. Can I have the ball back?"

"Sure," Simon responded. He tossed the ball to Alesha. "Let's keep going, David."

"Got a hot date?" Alesha asked, grinning. She had seen how close the two men were becoming. David blushed and shook his head.

"No, we're heading to my classroom to do some work," David explained. "Simon didn't know where the elevators were so I'm bringing him to them."

"I'll see you later then," Alesha said, heading back to the gym. David and Simon continued on their way. Simon couldn't help but notice that David's cheeks were still flushed from Alesha's joke. David brought Simon to the elevator and they went in it. He brought Simon to the classroom he taught in. Simon looked around. David moved a chair from one of the desks that were by his desk so Simon would be able to work there.

"Thank you," Simon said. He put his laptop down on the desk.

"It's no problem," David responded. He sat down at his desk chair. He had brought in his own cushy desk chair due to back problems from having been a competitive swimmer for years. He had enjoyed it and found himself frequently at the local pool on the weekends. He would swim after a stressful day at work sometimes.

He opened up the tabs that he needed for lesson planning and the two men began to work.

They had been working for around twenty minutes when Simon's phone began to ring. "Sorry," Simon apologized. "I have to take it. It's Eric's school." Simon accepted the call and he listened to the secretary speak. Eric had gotten sick in class and he needed to go home. Simon responded he would be at the school soon to pick up his son. He hung up the call.

"I've got to go. Eric's sick," Simon explained. "It was nice hanging out with you today, David. Hopefully we can do this again the next time that we have a prep period that overlaps."

"It's alright. You don't need to apologize. I understand," David responded. He had a child of his own, Alfred, although he didn't see his son very often. He saw Alfred once a month at the end of the month and it was only for a weekend at a time. He would tell Simon about Alfred soon. Simon smiled gratefully and put his laptop in his lap. He left David's classroom.

He would have to let the front office know that Eric had been sick at school so Simon needed to pick him up and bring him home. He would have the band, orchestra, and technology in music classes have study halls in the classroom if they were able to find a substitute for him on such short notice. He ran a hand through his hair. He needed to get to Eric's school to pick up his son and bring him home. He wouldn't be teaching for at least another day depending on what was wrong with Eric. Simon hoped that Eric hadn't already picked up the flu.