The Boy, Callum - LGBT, boyXboy

18

Vin was woken late that night by a sharp prod to his ribs.

He sat up, blinking sleep away, and saw Callum stood beside his bed.

The smaller boy was shivering; he slept bare-chested while his arm healed, since none of his pyjama shirts fitted over his heavy cast. "I had a nightmare." He whispered. "Can I sleep with you?"

Vin nodded sleepily.

He felt Callum's cold body slide in beside him, and pulled the duvet over them both.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Callum shrugged. "It was just my dad." He murmured.

Vin looked over at him for a moment, before he wrapped his arm around Callum's stomach and drew him closer.

"What're you doing?" Callum asked curiously.

"You're making me cold, lying there shivering. I'm warming you up."

"Oh."

Vin smiled to himself when he felt Callum's small body huddle up closer to him. "Are you happy here?" He murmured.

"Yes." Callum answered. "Except..."

"Except what?"

"I feel like... something's missing. I feel like part of me is missing."

"What part?" Vin asked.

"I don't know... I don't feel like myself, I suppose. I've been controlled by my dad for so long, I've forgotten what's it’s like to just be me. And I don't know how to find that part of myself again."

"You will." Vin murmured. "Perhaps it's just being here. A few weeks without your dad might help you find yourself again."

"I don't think that's it." Callum mumbled sleepily.

"What else can it be?"

"I don't know." Callum sighed softly. "You're warm." He yawned deeply.

"So are you, now."

Vin felt Callum snuggle closer as they drifted off to sleep.

*

Vin awoke first the next morning, feeling Callum's warm body cuddled neatly against his own.

Callum shifted and rolled over as Vin stretched and sat up, carefully untangling his arms from Callum's body.

Vin dressed silently and went downstairs, leaving Callum asleep. He was buttering toast when his aunt came into the kitchen, yawning.