A single bullet // M.C ✔️

53

"Hey stranger." I pulled the warm body into my arms, sighing softly as he placed his over my shoulders.

"Hey, you," he joked, pushing me away a bit and smiling. "I like what you've done with the place."

"Yeah, Michael did well, didn't he?"

"It's been so long, Calum," I muttered, letting him walk in and secure the door behind him. I leaned my back against the wood and glass panel.

"Weren't exactly in Michael's good books, Nicky, so he kept me busy." He placed a small pink box on my counter and opened it, revealing my favourite snacks from the café, making my heart flutter slightly as I walked over.

"Also been a while since I've had these," I said gently. I reached out and tightened my fingers around the cookie, bringing it up to my lips. The crunchy outer shell but warm, gooey mess inside, the perfect cookie.

"Gran misses you." I glanced up at Calum, seeing all physical marks were gone from him, and he looked like the person I first met, unharmed and innocent.

"Cal?" With a small swoop, the cookie was back in the box as I brushed my hands together to remove any mini crumbs. "Does she know about the gang?"

"She does." He nodded once, shutting the box, stopping me from having and picking up more. "It's why she was the way she was after the killing of Dave."

"Oh, Nicky, dear," she pulled me into a hug, making me wrap my arms around her, half in shock, half in need. "Calum said you were near the office before Dave was killed. I thought they got you to." There was a small teeny bit of anger buried deep within her words, confusing me slightly but not bothering me.

It all made sense as to why there was a small bit of anger aimed at what happened, why she seemed to calm down when I said Calum told me to leave. There was worry the boys had done something to me.

"She thought you guys got me to." I cleared up, seeing and causing him to nod once again. "I could have taken you." I pushed at his shoulder, nudging his whole body, clearly bullshitting him.

"Sure, you could, Nicky." He scoffed, pulling out my black marble bar stool and sliding his body onto it, spinning the top slightly as he shifted.

"I can defend myself. I jumped in front of a bullet for you, asshole." I joked, rolling my eyes and spinning around to grab a glass of water.

"It knocked you, though. Anyone else would have gotten back up."

"No normal person would get back up, Calum. You guys are constantly shot; you use to it." I pointed out. "Mr go into the firing line constantly."

"It's how I am, Nicky. Don't forget, Michael does the same."

"Worries me constantly when he does that." I muttered, shaking my head, re-picking up the cookie, and taking a bite.

"He's fine." He spoke quickly, grabbing his own cookie, leaving us in silence; comfortable silence. It felt like I had a million things in my mind, racing around to tell the Kiwi, but I didn't know where to start.

'I'm dating Michael' to forward.
'So what's this about a secret identity?' he might not even know.
'Ashtons got his own gang,' state the obvious there, Nicky.

"Have you heard from your mom?" Thank you, Calum, for choosing something. I sighed sadly, shaking my head.

"We had a bad falling out a few weeks ago. I- I don't know if really it's fixable, and with the fact that she hasn't tried to reach out, I don't think she thinks it is either. I'm just tired of always being the one to call her, Calum."

"You shouldn't have to call her all the time, Nicky. Don't feel bad about that." He spoke clearly after finishing off his cooking, resting his hand on mine.

"Calum- do you hate Michael?" I felt like I was on glass around him too, terrified to even mention the man in case he flips out over something stupid. I don't think I could cope with my best male friend hating my... boyfriend. Still felt so odd to think about him as my boyfriend as not just a friend.

"I could never hate him." He spoke truthfully. "Get pissed off and annoyed at him sure, but never fully hate him. He's my brother, Nic. Always will be even when he pisses me off." I nodded at his words, smiling softly as my heart and mind calmed down.

"You know, Calum, we're kinda-"

"Oh, good you're here!" Michael swung the door open out of breath, panting hard, and kept holding onto the doorknob.

"Mike, I know, I finished the job and Nicky-,"

"No. No time for that, Calum."

"Michael, you okay?" Slowly, I pushed away from the counter and walked over to the distressed man. His forehead was scrunched up, and his eyes seemed red-rimmed and freshly damp. His usual smooth lips were bitten raw, and the cracks had little dots of blood in them. Usually pale cheeks were flushed bright red and sore as if he was just rubbing harshly at them.

"No," he shook his head, as more tears filled his eyes, making him harshly rub and wipe them away. "Calum." He looked past me towards the kiwi who was now behind me, looking equally confused, taking in his frantic state and position. "We need to go to Margaret's cafe now."

"Mike, you're scaring me." Calum took a step forward so he was right next to me. "I was just there," he pointed his thumb over his shoulder to the box still sitting in its home on the counter, waiting for us to go back once we've cleaned the crazed man down.

"No, Calum, you don't understand. Luke's there, Ashtons on his way-,"

"Your hands." It was then I noticed the familiar colour on his fingertips, making me freeze. "Oh shit." There was only one reason why something with the cafe would make Michael freak out this much. There was only one main reason all the boys would meet up there in such a panic. Luke was already there, Ashton on his way. Michael was there but had left to come get Calum. "Michael, don't tell me what I think happened, happened."

My hand scrambled to pull out my phone, revealing messages from Kensie asking 'if Calum's with me and to come to the café urgently' with another one saying 'Michael's tracked him to yours. He's coming to get you both." Kensie was there. She had been called.

"Michael-," Calum finally spoke, looking at him with sad-looking eyes and a sense of vulnerability I had never seen present on his face. "Is she?"

"Yes." That was the thing that set tears streaming down my face, and my feet kicked into gear, grabbing my trusty Vans and running past Michael down the corridor, letting the cool breeze fly into my face, hair flying back.

I didn't care that I was running all the way to the building that was like a second home to me; all I cared about was getting there before Morgan and Alex did. Just so I can say goodbye.

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