Issue 1 Downtime

Simon was in the library, pouring over his textbooks. As he wanted to be an architect he was trying to skew all of his final assignments in that direction; a subject he was passionate about as well as being able to use research from one subject as a reference in another. He'd been working for awhile, still using a pad and paper for some parts but mostly typing things out on his laptop. He'd been there most of the day, leaving only to grab some food earlier.

Chloe crept up to the table where Simon was sitting, looking really nervous.

Simon kept on working, absorbed in his work. His tail however seemed to notice her, the tip "looking" at her as would a periscope.

"Simon?" Chloe said softly "Do you have a second? We need to talk."

"Hmm?" Simon said, turning around. He smiled widely when he saw Chloe, though it started to fade when he saw her expression. "Yeah, sure sweetheart. Come on, sit down." He pushed the chair to his left out for her.

Chloe sat down on the chair and unable to look Simon in the eyes, started at the floor. "Simon, I-I don't know how to say this, but yesterday, I, I was unfaithful to you. I'm sorry, and I swear that if you forgive me it'll never, ever happen again. But I cheated on you, and I just hope that you can forgive me and give me the chance to earn back your trust. Please."

"... Chloe." Simon said, reaching out and putting his strong hand on her slender shoulder.

"... this is a library. If you make me laugh here we'll get kicked out. Now come on, what's really wrong?"

Chloe looked up, her eyes welling with tears "I'm not being funny. I wish I were, but I'm not. I cheated, Simon. I, you trusted me, and I broke your trust."

Simon's smile faded to a rather dazed and confused expression, not so much hurt as he was unable to process the information.

"... who was it?"

"Derek" Chloe whispered, looking down again.

Simon pulled his hand away from Chloe, using it to wipe his face, slowly stretching and distorting the skin before it popped back into place. He had his mouth covered for a moment, just looking at her. Then he started closing his books and putting his papers away.

"I'm sorry." Chloe whispered "I don't even know why I kissed him. I just...it just happened. Please, can you forgive me?"

Simon stopped what he was doing and looked at Chloe.

"This really isn't a good place to talk about this. Let's go somewhere else." He sounded very calm, which was probably both reassuring and frightening.

"Ok." Chloe said, standing up.

Simon shoved his books and computer into his bag and walked away from the table. It was a pace slow enough that Chloe could keep up, but he wasn't making any great effort to make sure she was. When he reached the front door he didn't hold it for her, instead he waited around the corner in the grassy grounds area near a bench.

"I'm sorry." Chloe repeated, once they were outside.

"How far did you go?" Simon asked. He had his back to hear, staring off into the distance.

"We kissed." Chloe said quietly "On the mouth. There may have been tongue. I'm pretty sure there was tongue. That makes it worse, right? I stopped as soon as I really realized what was going on-I'm not making excuses, I'm just trying to say what happened. But we kissed."

"Jesus Christ Chloe." Simon sighed, rubbing his face with both hands. "You had me thinking you had sex with the guy."

He flopped down on the bench, looking up at her. "I mean, this still isn't great. But it's definitely not something I would, you know, dump you for."

"Does it even matter?" Chloe said "I mean, yeah, maybe it'd be worse if I had, but I was still unfaithful. I was still...I acted cheap and sluttish, even if I didn't go to bed with him."

"Don't call yourself that." Simon said sternly. "I hate that word."

"Its true." Chloe protested "What I did was wrong. I...I never thought I'd be like Jess, but I'm just the same."

"I think there's a big difference between you and Jess. Compared to her, a kiss isn't too bad. I mean, I've seen Willow naked and worn Will as pajamas when I was drunk." Simon said.

"I'd kind of like to hear what led to this though." He patted the seat beside him on the parking bench.

"We were sitting in the hot tub, just talking and stuff. The same as I'd do with Sara, or Jess or Lucy, or anyone. Well, not you, but you know what I mean. Anyway, we started horsing around, and he ducked me under the water, and I kinda ducked him and we were both coughing and sputtering and then I kissed him."

"So... have you always found him attractive? Have I not been spending enough time with you?" Simon asked. "I... I just want to know why Chloe. It's not the kiss I'm worried about, it's why."

"I don't know why." Chloe said "It was just...I suddenly felt like it, and I did it. Its nothing to do with you. We haven't been together as much as I'd like, but that isn't why. Derek is good looking, I suppose, but...I don't feel about him the way I feel about you."

Simon sighed, rubbing his face yet again.

"I don't know what to say Chloe. I mean, I guess I'm supposed to be really mad and scream and rant but I just... I don't feel that. And I kind of feel bad for not feeling like that, because it makes it seem like I don't think what we have is important when I really do. I don't want to be mad at you, or disappointed in you. I want to be understanding. Because I've seen my roommate's bush and slept inside of him, plus I work around naked women all the time. And if you can stick with me through all of that, then this is the least I can do, right?"

He turned to Chloe, a small, weak smile on his lips.

"It means a lot to me that you did come and tell me. You could have kept this a secret and I'd never have known."

"Thank you." Chloe said quietly "it means a lot that you can forgive me."

Simon opened his arms a bit, inviting Chloe in. "Well, I guess I'm pretty open-minded.

"Just, if there is a next time, make it a girl, okay? And tell me first so I can watch."

"Simon!" Chloe said, blushing as she held him close "You are so bad."

"I think we both are. You just won't admit it." Simon smirked, giving Chloe a squeeze.

"I can't help it!" Chloe protested "Its genetic!"

"Then I'll have to make sure that I'm around to steer your genetics in the right direction."

"Thanks." Chloe said "You really do help me be good."

"Really? I thought I made you do bad, nasty things." Simon said. "Oh what your mother would think."

"My mother thinks that we haven't gotten to the handholding stage." Chloe said, blushing.

"Ohhhhhh." Simon smiled wider. "Imagine what she'll say when she finds out her baby girl is the one putting the moves on a poor Yankee boy just trying to get an education."

"She'll say that I'm rushing into things, most likely." Chloe replied "I still haven't told her that you'll be living with Lucy and I."

"Speaking of that." Simon muttered softly. "How did the apartment hunt go? I haven't seen this place yet."

"Lucy's started moving my things in, its a nice flat."