Reaction || Malum ||

13

"Check mate." Calum smirks at me and I groaned in defeat for the second time today. I was terrible at chess and Calum obviously wasn't.

We've been sitting cross legged on his hospital bed playing checkers for the better part of the afternoon, just enjoying one another. Calum is still hooked up to fluids to help his dehydration but his condition isn't as serious. He had a session with the doctor this morning which left him drained but I wasn't going to let him mope around and feel awful all day. So far beating me in chess a couple of times has done the trick in upping his mood.

"Are you feeling okay today?" I asked and Calum looked down to his tangling fingers. His brown eyes were tracing the pattern on his hospital gown, trying to avoid my gaze.

"Honestly?" He whispered with his perfect lips moving slowly.

"Honestly." I assured.

"I feel awful. I have a headache, my wrists hurt and the breakfast they made me eat has me wishing I could throw up." Calum rambled softly still avoiding my eyes. My chest was tighter with every word he spoke. I guess I liked to think that what I was doing would help Calum but a smile can hide what he truly feels, I should know that by now.

"Should I go?" I asked and Calum's eyes finally shot up.

"No, please don't go. Unless you want to go, I mean you have been here a while. I don't want you to go though." Calum's voice was panicked and I rested a hand on top of his to calm him.

"I'll stay." I said and Calum looked thankful. "You don't have to talk anymore today okay? Let's just sleep." I offered and Calum nodded.

I uncurled my legs from underneath me to clear the bed of our game and tucked Calum in. He got comfortable the best he could considering the circumstances and he shut his eyes tightly. I turned to sit in my chair but Calum's hand caught my wrist. His eyes were pleading and I felt myself melting under them.

"Lay with me?" He questioned and I nodded. I walked around the bed to climb in the other side. This time it was me who wrapped my arms around Calum's middle and pulled him into me. It didn't take long for Calum to fall asleep which I was thankful for but I didn't have such luck.

Sometimes I think comfort from another person is all we need. Whenever we are scraping the bottom of the barrel we just need someone to swoop in and grab you up. Not that you need them to say anything or provide you with advice, you just need them. Like a small child who falls off a bike but don't get a scrape or bruised, just startled and they need nothing more than a hug from their mother. Or in my case, my nanny.

I had no wise words for Calum, no roadmap for his recovery but I could lie here next to him in comfort. Beautiful pictures of happiness floated through my mind of all the things Calum and I could be. A tightness in my chest appeared when I thought of how fond I was of Calum so soon. I want to get to know him, help him and maybe even love him someday. Knowing Calum for me is like standing on the beginning of a long road. The kind of deserted road that you can see all the way to the end plus everything on the way down. There's no end, no real beginning just an incredible journey.

I reached my hand up to rub Calum's arm softly and thankfully he didn't stir. Since I met him there's been this magnetic affect between us that makes my hands gravitate to Calum's fragile body. Like I have to touch him to feel if he's a real person. Which he is but he's also something straight out of fiction.

I go back to a few books I've read and they are all similar in the sense of Calum and I were brought together at the perfect time with a great connection. We have the kind of friendship now that would make a perfect story and there's no where to go but up from here.

"Sweet dreams Cal-pal." I whispered and pressed a soft kiss to his hair.

I drifted off soon enough but there was no escaping the brown of Calum's eyes, even in sleep.

...

"M-Mikey, wake up please. Mikey." I heard a tiny voice whispering to me from beyond my sleep. My eyes snapped open to see a crying Calum.

Somehow in my sleep Calum had sat up in the bed and my head was rested in his lap with his hands tangled in my hair. I sat up quickly to turn Calum's shoulders towards me. Tears were trailing down his tan cheeks. Since the day I met Calum I figured out that he is that one person you just never want to see cry, ever.

"Cal what's wrong?" I whispered and rubbed his arm soothingly. His bottom lip quivered while he looked away from me. I sighed and lifted his chin up to look at me, staring into his eyes until he finally spoke.

"I want to go home Mikey." He whimpered and fell into my chest.

"Calum you can't, the doctor said you have to stay another day or two." I explained and rubbed the back of the shaking boy in my arms.

"No Mikey, I want to go to my home." He mumbled against my chest and I swear I felt my head spin.

He can't go home, there's no one there for him. I can't just take him there now, he's in the hospital.

"Okay Cal, I'll take you home."

>>>>
I'm sorry this is so bad :/

I might do a double today bc I feel like it lol

Until I update again :)