Exchange | Malum

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"Calum, you are wanted in the back room." The brunette sighed, because he wasn't getting anywhere with his progressions. Every single day, he'd put himself into a situation that could end his life, but he still did it, because he wanted Michael. He wanted him really really bad. And it made him contemplate about whether it was just from the sexual tension that they both definitely had -- or something more? Calum hardly ever caught feelings for people, he'd just fuck someone, and then leave them the next day. That's who he was. But doing all of this for an exchange? It didn't make any sense to him. Michael didn't make sense to him.

"Have I done something wrong?"

"That's for me not to tell and for you to find out." Calum's eyes peered downwards as he elevated his heels repeatedly. He was missing school for this -- for Michaels mother -- for the exchange. Calum had this constant fear that he wasn't going to survive, that he'd be able to distribute his final paycheck to Karen -- but there'd be nothing in it for him, because he'd be dead. It was a petrifying thought.

"Well alright."

Throughout the miscellaneous and mysterious talk between two males, and a female in emergency medical attire, Calum couldn't focus. All he could think about was how Michael was probably worrying about him for not showing up at school, how he didn't understand where they were last night because it involved coins, and was an oblivion to gambling, even though it wasn't. The Maori couldn't tell Michael anything, because he wanted to protect him. He was pure, angelic -- important, and Calum, himself, as an unannounced opinion, thinks that Karen's life matters more than his own. Which was sad. Because he didn't value his enough.

But maybe it'd be worth it in the end.

-

Michael wasn't in the mood to sell stale cookies or sour lemonade today, but he still put in the effort because he knew how important it was to save his mother's life. He had a couple of customers, and only two bought cookies because they felt bad for him. He was practically poor -- his neighbor had to supply everything for him. It was five thirty, the time where Michaels' chest was heaving and his hands grew cold, because oh, Calum had arrived with bandaged knuckles and that usual smile on his face that made the pale boys stomach churn. Why did he make him feel this way?

"Care to tell me why you weren't at school today?" Michael questioned, suddenly realizing that he was showing Calum how much he cares -- and it wasn't a good thing, because they were meant to be enemies with benefits. All Calum wants is to get into Michaels pants. It'd be unhealthy for Michael to catch feelings, but perhaps it's too late. It is.

"Okay, mom," Calum stated with an eye roll, "I was working." As if it wasn't obvious. He was wearing a heavy coat that wrapped around his tanned skin nicely, gloves with holes in them that were obviously burnt by fire, and he had a beanie on, that clearly came from the trunk of his car. "You can't prioritize a job over your education."

"I can if it means saving someone's life."

"But are you really valuing your own, Calum?" Michael questioned once again. It meant a lot that the brunette was going above and beyond to help -- but this, this was too much. It was just as painful to see Calum with burnt skin as it was to see his mother laying in a hospital bed. He couldn't lose two people at once.

"Of course I am," Calum grunted, "I'm fine, Michael, really. Just trying to do some community service 's all." That made Michael scoff. "By putting yourself in danger? You're all burnt and bruised and bandaged up! It hurts to see you like this. . ."

"Why?"

"Because I guess," Michael inhaled sharply, feeling his entire body shake, "I kind of, maybe, have resorted to having this huge infatuation with you. . ." It was too soon. It was too soon. Calum wasn't sure about how he felt -- he just wanted to fuck Michael. It's all he ever wanted.

"That infatuation needs to stop, immediately," Calum answered, not understanding what he was doing. Maybe he was scared -- maybe he didn't want to fall apart -- maybe he didn't know if he'd live after his final day at work. "I can't have people crushing on me."

"I - I don't understand." He was in so much pain. It was practically unbearable. "People like you don't risk their lives for somebody else to pay off a damn hospital bill, no, people risk their own lives because they care about others -- not about having sex. You have to feel something for me if you're doing all of this." Michael was nearly in tears now.

And he did. But he couldn't.

"I'm just in it for the exchange."

"Fine," Michael muttered bitterly as he clammed his hands together, "if that's the case, then after we fuck, I want you out of my life for good." He didn't mean it. But he couldn't take it back. "If that's what you want."

I want you. "Yeah, it is. . . consider this exchange a one time thing, because I don't plan on communicating with you ever again."

Calum was really hurt, but he brushed it off, because he wasn't meant to catch feelings for Michael. He was always supposed to be the fuckboy, he was supposed to only be in it for the exchange, but seeing Michael so vulnerable -- so lovely, so beautiful -- he couldn't help but feel something. But he had to hide it, because he couldn't do this again.

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A/N;

Two chapters left until what Calum's doing is announced...any ideas yet?

Thoughts on the little fight between malum?

Overall thoughts on this chapter?

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