Chapter 20

Marc glanced down at his phone as it went off. He finished helping Ariel out of the car before he answered the call from Alice. "Hey, what's up?" Marc wondered.

"Where are you?" Alice asked immediately.

"Uh, just got home from picking Ariel up from school. Why, what's up?" He could tell something wasn't exactly right by the tone of her voice.

"Is Brendan with you? Or do you know where he is?"

"Um... no. What's going on?" Marc insisted more firmly. "Is he okay?"

"Well I can't find him. But I just was getting Eric myself from school, and I overheard some of the office talking," she paused hesitating. "I think one of Brendan's students is reporting him for sexual harassment?"

"What?" Marc guffawed. "That's ridiculous."

"I know. I just overheard a little bit, they mentioned him and then said he might be suspended from the grounds until they can get it figured out, but he's not at school for them to talk to so I don't know if he knows," Alice explained. "The security was there talking and all."

Marc swore under his breath. "I'll call him. Thanks."

This was stupid. How did that even come about? Marc tried calling Brendan a few times but got no answer. He swore again, not caring that Ariel was giving him one of those glares that said she knew he shouldn't be saying it. He loaded her back into the car. "Are we going back?" she wanted to know. "Why?"

"Just a little problem at school," Marc said, buckling her in. "I need to talk to someone there."

Marc hated all of the traffic and how long it took for him to get back, calling Brendan all the way. He had a suspicion that Brendan was at the studio and had his hands too busy to answer or notice.

Marc took Ariel back into the school with him and sat her down in the front of the office. The security guards were talking with one of the secretaries, content to ignore that Marc was there one they had given him a glance. Marc huffed and went back into the offices as if he was supposed to be there.

He found the one with the closed door and peeked in the side window. He spotted the dean, another teacher and what looked like a parent and student. Marc let himself in then, aware that the conversation abruptly stopped.

"Can I help you?" the dean asked shortly. "We're in the middle of something here."

Marc spared a glance at the student—a girl that he didn't recognize. She didn't look distraught or traumatized, or even like she cared what was going on. The mom looked furious and was shooting daggers at Marc for being in there.

"This is about Mr. Snowden, isn't it?" Marc insisted. "Something about one of his students?"

"This doesn't concern you," the dean snapped. "Unless you have anything to bring forward."

"I do," Marc bit the inside of his cheek from trying not to smile too deviously as he said it. "Mr. Snowden is gay. She's not exactly his type." He jerked a thumb in the girl's direction.

The mom began to sputter angrily. "She spends too much time in his classroom after school, alone even! What else could they be doing?"

"I'd rather wait to hear from Mr. Snowden," the dean muttered, picking up her phone for what he figured was to try calling Brendan.

"Mr. Snowden is gay," Marc repeated again, this time to the mother. "I would know. We're dating."

"See mom I told you," the girl finally spoke up quietly. "Nothing is going on! I just like hanging out in his classroom. And it's not alone, there are other students there too."

"Let me go get Brendan," Marc offered. "He doesn't have a car and I think he's at his studio, which is why he isn't answering."

The dean didn't seem pleased to be waiting, but Marc promised he would be quick. He stalked out of the office and picked Ariel up from where she was sitting. "is Mr. Snowden in trouble?" she questioned curiously.

"Yes and no," Marc explained. "He could be in trouble for something he didn't do, so we have to try and help straighten it out. We're going to get him from the studio."

Ariel let out a squeal of excitement at getting to go back, not entirely grasping what all was going on. Marc navigated his way to the studio and parked along the curb like an asshole. He held Ariel's hand on the way in, having to pull her along as she kept trying to stop and look at things.

He found Brendan in the back with the presses listening to music. He saw Marc and pulled out a headphone with a smile. "Hey, what's up?"

"You have got to pay attention to your phone," Marc hissed, the harshness of his voice making Brendan's face fall.

"What's going on?" Brendan asked.

"One of your students' parents is claiming that you..." Marc glanced down to his side at Ariel. "Well, with a student."

Brendan frowned before his eyes widened. "Why?"

"The mom is just blowing air about her daughter being alone in rooms with you after school too much. They've been trying to call you and so have I," Marc bit his lip. "And I kind of put it out there about us, but the dean still wants to see you."

"Mother—" Brendan stopped short as he pulled off his pair of long nitrile gloves and started to undo his apron. "And here I thought I had time for the studio. No." He ran around to quickly put some saran wrap over his ink and scribbled a quick note about there being an emergency and that he would be back for his mess.

He fidgeted the whole way in the car, biting the side of his thumb and glaring intently out the window.

"I'm sorry if I outed you," Marc realized a little too late. "I just didn't know what else to say. They didn't want me in there."

"it's fine. I mean, I'm sort of out. Most of the other teachers know. I don't know if the dean did, but oh well," Brendan muttered. "Do you think they're taking in seriously though?"

"I don't know. I think the dean is catching on it's just hogwash, but they were still pretty on edge in the office," Marc warned him. "It was Alice that overheard it all and was trying to find out where you were."

"Well, fuck," Brendan sighed.

"Dollar," Ariel piped from the back seat, sticking her hand out between them.

"Not right now, Ariel," Marc replied gently. "That one was okay. Besides, we don't do cuss bucks."

"Eric's parents do," Ariel pouted. "I want a dollar."

"I'll give you a dollar later, sweetie, just not right now," Marc said as they were pulling up to the school. "I need you to stay with the receptionist again, okay? Brendan needs to go get himself out of trouble."

Marc gave Ariel his phone inside and set her up to play some games before chasing after Brendan who was already half way gone into the offices. Marc caught up right as Brendan let himself into the dean's office. "What's going on?" Brendan demanded defensively.

"I just want to hear it from you," the dean sighed tiredly. "Mrs. Lowery is saying you have an inappropriate relationship with her daughter..."

"I'm gay," Brendan stated firmly, waving a hand over to Marc. "And we're dating. Talk to our friend Alice about it, or my student Terri. They all know too. And yes, students hang out in my room after school, but as a safe place or to keep working on art. I keep the door open. Sometimes there's only one student and sometimes there's a whole group."

"Thank you," the dean muttered, despite the obviously still unhappy Mrs. Lowery. "I need to talk some more here with Mrs. Lowery. I'll keep in contact Brendan, but for now, just go home. I'll see you in school tomorrow."

Brendan nodded stiffly, shooting a sympathetic look towards his student and a glare at the mother before stalking out. Marc followed after and they retrieved Ariel on their way to the car. "Over protective mom?" Marc questioned, having a feeling Brendan knew a little more about what was going on.

Brendan glanced guiltily back towards the school. "That was Brie," he said. "She's just started dating someone. Overprotective mother yes, also homophobic mother causes for lots of sneaking around acting suspicious I guess. They both hang out in my classroom after school since they can't spend time together outside of school, really."

"Oh." Marc patted the top of Ariel's head, who was trying to listen intently to figure out what was going on.

"But it's not like I was going to say any of that in front of her mom," Brendan let out a deflated sigh. "But yeah." He ran his hands over his face and back into his hair with a frustrated groan. "And here I thought it was being gay would be causing me problems."

Marc let out a dry chuckle. "Do you need to get back to the studio?"

"Yeah, but I think I'm just going to clean up. That kind of killed my mood for right now. Shit, I'm still on pins and needles about it. I could lose my job if they were taking it to heart and not listening to us." He held out his hands, showing the slight unsteadiness of them.

Marc cupped a hand over Ariel's mouth to keep her from demanding another dollar in payment for a moment. Marc pulled Brendan into a side hug and kissed the side of his head. "Obviously it'll get straightened out, it might just be weird for a few days."

"Straightened out, interesting phrasing there, considering the not straightness of it will hopefully save me," Brendan couldn't help but laugh.

Marc rolled his eyes but was at least glad to see Brendan easing back up a bit. "Let's get back to the studio. I think Ariel is volunteering to help clean up."

***

Brendan threw himself dramatically into Marc's bed, making sure that his arms and legs were stretched out enough to take up as much space as possible. At the end of it all he let out a huge sigh and buried his face into the comforter. "Can I sleep now?"

"Only if you promise to share the bed," Marc grumbled, trying to roll Brendan to one side or the other, but Brendan refused to cooperate.

Brendan only let out a loud groan of complaint. "I should get the whole bed to myself, me thinks."

Marc gave up and sat on a free corner as he took off his socks. "And I think I should get some part of my own bed."

Brendan half turned and looked at him. "So you told them all, huh?"

"Sorry," Marc apologized again.

"No, it's not that." Brendan sat up and wrapped his arms around Marc's shoulders from behind. "I'm just surprised you were so open about it I guess. I didn't think you would tell anyone."

"Well you were going to get in trouble," Marc said defensively. "And I mean... if it affected your job then I would be more upset about having said it. But I didn't mind."

Brendan gave him a kiss on the side of his temple. "Well I think that was a big thing."

Marc turned and caught Brendan's lips with his own, sinking back against Brendan. Brendan used his hands to work off Marc's shirt as Marc twisted himself around to face Brendan. He kissed down Brendan's neck and chest, letting his lips linger and his hands feel over his skin and tattoos. Marc trailed his fingers over Brendan's ribs and felt him squirm. He'd have to ask if he was ticklish later.

Marc got lower and pulled Brendan's pants off, throwing them onto the floor. Marc paused briefly as he ran to the bedroom door to make sure it was locked. "Just in case we get a visitor," he grumbled, shedding his own pants and tumbling into the bed on top of Brendan.

Brendan happily welcomed him back with a long kiss and grinding his erection up against Marc's. Marc was torn between being unsure of what he was doing and being too excited to even really care that he didn't know what was going on.

He could feel Brendan running his hands all over, and Marc was content to do the same; savoring the warm feel of Brendan's body and the comfort in it that he suddenly craved. Marc trailed kisses down Brendan's body, starting from the neck and making his way down to Brendan's weeping shaft.

Marc gave it some much needed attention with his mouth and hands as he swiped his tongue up the underside and fondled Brendan's sac. Brendan moaned and wiggled his hips up towards the touches. "What do I do?" Marc asked quickly and quietly.

Brendan took a moment to respond as he processed the question. "Um, lube and fingers."

Marc swore under his breath, breaking away momentarily to run into the bathroom. In the back underneath his sink he had a hidden bottle of lube—mostly for himself in the past. He grabbed that and found a box of condoms nestled back with it that he grabbed.

He met Brendan back on the bed and popped the cap of lube and put a glob over his fingers. Brendan smirked at him, his eyebrows tweaked playfully. "Up the butt," he informed rather childishly, giggling as he said it.

Marc rolled his eyes as he couldn't help but smile back. Brendan laid back again, and Marc gently worked his lubed fingers inside Brendan's body one by one. Each time pushed in deeper he could feel Brendan shift on the bed and his breathing picked up.

Marc pulled his fingers back, wiping them on the corner of the bed. He would just do laundry a little more frequently at this rate. He fumbled only briefly with a condom as he put it on over himself and climbed over Brendan on the bed.

He nibbled at Brendan's lips then, some small part of him stalling out of nerves. Brendan eagerly went with the kiss as his legs hooked Marc in and urged him closer. Brendan used his hand to line Marc up and met his eyes with a smile. "Good?" Brendan asked.

"Yeah," Marc panted, letting Brendan help him with the first penetration.

Marc felt the heat wrap around him, tighter than he imagined but soft and letting him sink all of the way in. Marc let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding, feeling his body shaking slightly with the sensation of it all.

Brendan stroked his arms then, giving Marc a minute to gather himself before rocking his hips upwards. Marc leveraged himself against the bed then, slowly thrusting himself inside. Brendan let his head fall back against the bed with a soft moan of pleasure, closing his eyes as he faded off into it.

Marc ducked his head down and let his lips rest against the side of Brendan's face, just between his neck and ear. It didn't last nearly as long as Marc would have liked. He felt the orgasm creeping up his legs and down his spine, swearing under his breath as the release washed over him.

Brendan stroked himself off at the end so that he could finish as well and giving Marc a long and sloppy kiss in the process.

"Sorry," Marc grumbled meekly, feeling embarrassed.

"Hey, we've got all the time in the world to make up for it," he said, chuckling. "It's been a long time."

"It has," Marc agreed, falling off to the side of Brendan. "Staying the night, right?"

"Blueberry will one day soon kill me," he sighed dramatically.

"She'll learn to live without you around as much," Marc decided.

***

A/N: Finally coming to an end here :) maybe two more chapters ( a conclusive one after this, and then an epilogue because I like epilogues) and then I might be able to say I finally finished it. Nanowrimo... psh. I did so terribly haha