Kisses [Malum]

Chapter 7

"W-what?" Calum questions once he has recovered from choking. 

"There's something going on with you and Michael." His mom rephrases. 

"What do you mean?" 

"Calum you know what I mean. You two are acting as if you are a couple. I mean I know you guys have always been close but there's something different." Joy tells him.

"I second that. You both look at each other as if one is the sun and the other is the moon." Michael's mom adds in.

"Hypothetically speaking, if there was something going on how would you feel?" Michael looks over at his parents.

"Hypothetically?" His dad repeats and Michael nods, "well it wouldn't really matter. If you were happy then we would be happy. Honestly you two would be very cute together. You bring out the best in one another." And Michael has his jaw dropped at the end of that.

"I think Michael's reaction answered the question itself." Joy points out. 

"What? No it doesn't. Nothing's going on." Michael defends before looking at Calum for help. It was a tense moment for everyone. Should they just come out and be clean about it or continue to bat it off as if it was nothing. But is it nothing? There are surely feelings being developed between the two, and they are more attached at the hip than before. 

"Michael we might as well tell them." Calum sighs.

"WHAT?!" Michael exclaims. "There's nothing to tell. We aren't together." 

"But we kind of are." Calum states.

"Did either one of us ask each other to be boyfriends? No. Have we gone out on a date? No." 

"Fine. Michael, will you go out on a date with me this weekend?" Calum asks. Both mothers are squealing with delight.

"B-but no one was supposed to know about us." Michael whispers.

"Well clearly we are obvious to our parents. So what if they know? We can just ask them not to say anything, especially to Luke and Ashton. Now answer the question." 

Their parents looked at each other slightly confused about not telling Luke and Ashton, did their sons not want their friends to know? Why hide? They are cute together, and if their parents are happy and they are happy why would they want to hide their love? Well love might be a bit too soon right now, of course Calum and Michael have always loved each other but it was more friendly, now that love is turning into something more romantic. 

"Will you guys tell if something were to happen? We don't want to make it weird in the band, and right now we are just not comfortable telling Luke and Ashton or our fans." Michael looks to the adults in the room.

"If that's what you guys want then we won't say a word." Joy tells him sincerely.

And now Michael looks back at Calum, "yes I will go on a date with you." 

"I KNEW IT! I knew there was something going on. So what's happened?" Karen starts questioning which causes both boys to blush. 

"Karen, just leave them alone." Daryl tells his wife.

"Calum I didn't even know you liked boys." David asks his son. 

"Uhm, well I don't really know. Uhm. I just really like Michael?" Calum answers sounding like it is more of a question.

"Hey I'm proud of you. I'm not mad." David clarifies when he sees his sons face which causes Calum to smile. 

"Okay so who wants dessert? " And that was that, end of Calum and Michael talk at the dinner table, instead the families talked about the shows, life on the road, how Luke and Ashton were doing and everything was great. As much as they may have not wanted to come out to their parents both boys were feeling relieved with it. As if a weight was on their chests that they didn't know was there and everything seemed lighter. They still wanted to remain a secret but at least now they could talk to their parents. 

After dinner was done the boys were excused, but they told Michael's mom that they would do the dishes so that's where they were. They came up with a system, Michael would wash while Calum would dry and put the dishes away. They had been over to each other's houses so often before going on the road that they knew where everything went so Calum had no trouble. And if Michael splashed water at Calum and kissed his cheek well no one had to know. Well except for the two moms that hid behind the wall and watched, but hey, everyone was happy.

***

It was midnight and Michael couldn't sleep. He was by himself in his old childhood bedroom. He had gotten accustomed to Calum sleeping beside him and now Calum was gone to his own house with his parents. Michael kept tossing and turning. You would think he would be able to fall asleep instantly with the jet lag and travelling but nope. His thoughts were on Calum. Lately that's all his thoughts were. So he did what he had to do. He texted Calum.

Mikey: I can't sleep

Cal: It's after midnight, I'm trying to sleep here.

Mikey: But I can't. Where are you taking me on this date?

Cal: I repeat, I'm sleeping

Mikey: you're still answering my texts, so you're not sleeping

Cal: smartass 

Mikey: call me

Michael waited 5 minutes for Calum to finally call him and when he does Michael quickly picks up the phone and Calum is whining into it complaining about how he wants sleep. As much as Michael hates that Calum is complaining he can't help but think about how adorable it is because even though Calum wanted to sleep he still called him. It showed he cared. The two talked quietly for awhile before Michael was falling asleep and all you could hear on Calum's end was little snores. They weren't laying side by side and cuddling, but Michael still had Calum to sleep with and that is how he drifted off with a smile on his face. It had been an interesting day, but at the end of it, it was still the two of them and that was such a good feeling.