The Boy, Callum - LGBT, boyXboy

16

Vinny took a staring Callum inside, hiding his amusement at the boy's amazement. He greeted his aunt Leda with a cheerful hug and a kiss.

“Hello, Mrs McKee,” Callum mumbled softly. He half-hid behind Vin when Leda looked at him approvingly.

"Less of the 'Mrs', if you don't mind. I'm Leda, alright." Leda smiled at Callum, who nodded bashfully.

"Come on, Callum. I want to show you something." Vin took Callum's hand and dragged him upstairs. He went into his own bedroom first, and put his rucksack down on the bed.

Callum peered inside curiously.

"It's huge."

"Not really. But it's enough for me. I have my desk next door; it'd seem smaller if I had the desk in here too."

Callum looked over Vin's rows of books and DVD's for a moment with interest, before he turned. "What did you want to show me?"

"It’s down the hall. Come on." Vin took Callum to the next bedroom down the hall.

A comfortable bed stood against one wall, with shelves screwed to the wall above the head of the bed. A large wardrobe stood by the opposite wall, and large windows hung with blue curtains allowed light to pour into the room. The ceiling slanted slightly because of the attic space above, making the room seem cosy and den-ish. The walls were painted a soft sunshine yellow colour.

"I thought just you and your aunt lived here." Callum said curiously.

"Someone else has just moved in." Vin replied.

"Who?"

"You," Said Vin firmly. "Well, only if you'd like to."

Callum stared at him for a moment, before he frowned. "I told you, I don't want to put your aunt out." He said stiffly.

"I know. But I asked her anyway, and the first thing we did when we left the hospital was to go and fetch your things from your house. Look." Vin opened the wardrobe to show Callum's few items of clothing neatly hung, the shoes sat in pairs at the bottom. "All we could really find were clothes. Apart from the photo album and sketchbook on the bed." Vin waited for a few moments, watching Callum look around the room. "Well?" He said finally. "Do you want to stay?"

"Well, I-" Callum broke off suddenly, his voice choked. He pulled Vin into a brief one-armed hug. "No-one's ever done anything this nice for me before."

Vin grinned and returned the hug. "So you'll stay?"

"If your aunt doesn't mind." Said Callum shyly.

"You won't be the last we bring here," Vin assured him. "She loves picking up waifs and strays. First me, now you. Next week we'll probably have a lost dog living here too."

Callum laughed; the first proper laugh Vinny had heard him give.

"Come on. I'll show you round quickly." He took Callum back out into the hallway. "We'll be sharing the bathroom, since my aunt has the en-suite, and we can share the office too. The police station is moving across town, and my aunt says they're chucking out loads of furniture, so she's managed to get us another desk, an old computer and a sofa for in there."

Callum peaked into the study and smiled. "It's tidy. I thought you'd be messier."

Vin grinned. "I like order. I arrange things a lot. You noticed my books and DVD's. All nicely sorted and organised."

"OCD." Callum coughed.

"Shut up. Come on, I think dinner's almost ready."

*

"So what do you want to do now?" Vin asked Callum as he tidied away the dirty dishes. He rinsed the plates in the sink as Callum dried the plates as best as he could with only one hand.

"Can I take a bath?" asked Callum eagerly. "I've never had a bath before. We've only ever had a shower."

Vin shot his aunt a look and grinned. "Sure. Come on." He took Callum upstairs and showed him how to turn on the water. He fetched a new shampoo bottle and a fresh sponge and flannel for Callum to use. "That's hot, and that's cold."

"I know how to work a bath, silly," Callum grinned. "I've just never had one before."

Vin shrugged and fetched him a towel. When he came back, Callum was struggling with his shirt. Biting back a laugh, Vin yanked the shirt over Callum's head and eased his plastered arm out of the sleeve. "Don't get your cast wet." He reminded Callum.

"Yes, dad," said Callum in bored voice. "Can I get in now?"

Vin turned on the taps and poured in bubble bath. "Oh, here. I found this in the towel cupboard too. It was mine when I was younger. I didn’t realise it came with me when I moved here."

Callum took the rubber duck with a grin. "Cool."

“Hardly.” Vin snorted. He rolled his eyes and left Callum alone.

He’d barely sat down with his aunt Leda again, when they heard a yelp.

"It's hot, it's hot!" Callum's squeal carried down the stairs.

"I told you to add cold water, idiot!" Vin shouted up the stairs. "I thought you knew how to work a bath!"

He heard Callum blow a loud raspberry in response and grinned.