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Joong rolled over in bed and smacked his lips. He felt a little more rested than he did on the average morning. An image of a dream was fading, a damn good dream. A man in riding gear, boots on and riding crop in hand looking like sex on legs, Joong offering to be his horse…
His eyes shot wide. His door hadn’t been kicked open, scaring him awake for once. All was quiet. Too quiet. With a five-year-old in the house, that could only mean trouble.
BOOM! The door burst open then, scaring the daylights out of him all the same.
“There he is. Gonna put me in an early grave, kid,” he mumbled. His son Mike’s face popped up from the side of the bed, a huge grin making his round cheeks look even more chubby than usual. The adorable cheeks that Joong loved to cradle and pinch were currently smeared all over with something brown and gooey. Joong sat up, in a full panic now.
“Happy birthday, Dad!” Mike sang out. He presented Joong with a half-eaten jar of chocolate frosting, errant candles sticking up at odd angles in bursts of pinks and blues. His fingers were also covered in frosting.
Joong’s jaw dropped. He wasn’t sure whether to be relieved or still horrified. “Where did you find this?” Shit, it is my birthday. He’d forgotten all about it.
“In the pantry.”
“Where in the pantry?” Mike just pointed a tiny little finger straight up at the ceiling, as if that explained everything. Joong’s eyes scanned back and forth, taking mental inventory. There had been an old container of frosting in there, on the top shelf, all the way in the back. How did Mike even get up there, the little squirrel? How old was that thing? Joong decided it was better not to look at the expiration date. Mike had a cast-iron stomach anyway.
His alarm beeped. This was the alarm after the alarm after the main alarm, the alarm that told him they were already late. Joong cursed to himself as he flung his sheets out of the way.
“Where’s your backpack? Is your homework in it?” He hit turbo mode getting Mike ready for school. They were late, and they would have to face Teacher Dunk when they got there. Joong froze for a moment as he realized that the man in the fading dream had been him, the one and only Teacher Dunk. Joong slid a hand down his face as his body responded to the images coming back up. This stupid crush was getting out of control.
It wasn’t until they were standing outside the classroom that Joong realized he’d gotten every part of his son clean except for his face. He knocked gently, grimacing as Teacher Dunk slipped out into the hallway, his eyebrows rising when he saw the state of Mike’s face.
“I promise I’m not an unfit parent.”
Dunk just chuckled. “Of course not. Being a dad is hard.”
“It’s my dad’s birthday!” Mike yelled at the top of his lungs.
“Inside voice, remember?” Dunk said patiently.
“Yes, Teacher!” Mike yelled. Then he dropped his voice to a whisper. “Yes, Teacher.”
“Sorry we’re late. He surprised me for my birthday, and the surprise was a big mess. He shouldn’t have any potty problems today, he’s a garbage disposal and he could probably digest rocks, but he might be bouncing off the walls from all the sugar.”
Dunk crossed his arms and gave Mike a stern look. “Mike, do you want to do pushups today?”
He shook his head fast. “No, Teacher.”
“Then I expect you to behave.”
Mike nodded fast. “Yes, Teacher.” Joong tried not to think of the riding crop as Teacher Dunk laid down the law. Joong bit his lip and pulled his eyes away from Dunk and refocused on Mike.
“Pushups? That’s why he’s getting so strong.”
“Has to be like his dad, right?” Teacher Dunk winked at him.
Joong was struck dumb. “I, uh, well, uh…” Judging by the look on his face, Dunk knew exactly what he did, and enjoyed watching Joong’s processors jam.
Teacher Dunk dropped to one knee, handily pulling wet wipes out from one of his pockets. He cupped Mike’s chin and gently began to wipe away the frosting.
“Can’t stay mad at them when they’re this cute,” he said offhandedly. Joong was too busy staring to agree, watching Teacher’s Dunk’s perfect profile as he tended to the most precious person in Joong’s life. Suddenly Dunk’s warm eyes lifted up to his. His perfect full lips formed words, but Joong heard nothing.
“Hmm? What?” Joong asked.
“It’s your birthday today?”
Joong barked a laugh. “The big three-five. I almost forgot until Mike threw me that little party this morning.”
“Almost forgot your thirty-fifth? No way! How are you celebrating?”
Joong shrugged, gesturing toward his sweet and mischievous son. “I already did.”
Teacher Dunk tilted his head, giving Joong a half-smile. “I mean like a grownup celebration.”
“Grownup?” Joong’s face was heating up, and that wasn’t the only place on his body that felt hot. Don’t think about being his horse, don’t think about being his horse…
“Did you like your surprise?” Mike asked, snapping him out of it.
“It was…very nice, thank you.” Mike grinned and hummed to himself as Teacher Dunk scrubbed all the sticky sugar off his cheeks.
“Okay Mike, it’s quiet reading time. Can you be very quiet when you go inside the classroom? Pick a book and go to your chair?”
Mike held a finger up to his lips and made a very serious face. “Shhhhh.”
“That’s right, very good. Go ahead.” Dunk stood up and brushed his knees off as Mike went into the classroom, running for the bookshelf, everything in his backpack making a racket as he ran. “I love how he thinks he’s being quiet.”
“Sorry about the disruption.”
“Don’t be sorry. Parenting is hard. I love them, but I’m glad I get to give them back at the end of the day. Anyway, you didn’t tell me how you’re celebrating.”
“I wasn’t planning on it. Taking care of that little munchkin takes everything out of me, you know?”
“Well, you’re not just a dad, you kow. You’re still a man.” The way he said it made Joong’s stomach swoop. “I can help you think of something. I’m very creative.” He tapped the side of his head. Joong wanted to beg him for mercy, because what did he mean? Like, come with him and Mike to Chuck E. Cheese? A coffee date, just the two of them? Something else, something, well, adult? I gotta find someone to take Mike, maybe Mom will take him for a night…
“You don’t want to?” Dunk was asking, and Joong realized he’d gone far too long without responding.
“No!” Joong yelled, and Dunk blinked, his face falling. “No, I mean no, I want to. I do. Want us to do something. Together.” He stumbled over his words, but he got them out. “I just don’t know what to do.”
“We can figure it out. Together.” Joong held back a whimper. “I know you have my office number but here-” he reached in another handy pocket and pulled out a pen, clicking it. “This is my personal number.” He reached out like it was nothing and took Joong’s hand in his. Joong held perfectly still, all his focus on their one point of physical connection. Of course Teacher Dunk would have everything in his pockets but a piece of paper to write on.
Dunk finished writing and and looked up at him. “This weekend, yeah?”
“Hell, yeah.” Joong knew he sounded eager. He didn’t care.
The volume level rose in the classroom behind them.
“I have to get back in there before it becomes indoor recess. Call me, okay?” Dunk squeezed Joong’s palm before letting go.
“I will. I promise.”
Dunk winked at him before slipping into the door and turning toward the rabble of small children. “Hey, hey, hey, quiet reading time!” He called out as the door closed behind him.
Joong’s back hit the wall like someone had cut his strings. He clutched his hand to his chest, his heart hammering underneath his fingers as he tried to catch his breath.
Happy thirty-fifth birthday, Joong. They’d figure it out. Together.