Fool's Holiday ☾Malum

11

Michael wasn't convinced he would stay for Christmas dinner with the Hood family, in fact he was putting his boots on when Calum's grandmother began scolding him for trying to leave on an empty stomach. She spoke as if she was telling off one of her own, like Michael was her grandchild. Her tone of voice also suggested that there was absolutely no room for argument.

So there Michael sat, scrunched up next to Calum and one of his cousins at a table that ran from the dining room straight to the kitchen, it had a few disproportionate additions that made it clear the Hood family had to connect extra tables to seat the whole family. The chairs were a whole different story, there were maybe four that appeared to be from the same set, the rest were snatched from all over the house and some weren't even proper seats. Someone had dragged an end table over, Michael himself was sitting in an office chair that Michael vaguely remembered being in Calum's room.

The entire display was pretty impressive, it seemed like the entire family put effort into the large meal slowly rotating around the long table, Calum and Michael had been two of the five people working on mashed potatoes and people were shouting praise all around to whoever prepared what.

Dinner was coming to a stop, dessert had been brought forward despite protests of being too full, Michael could barely hold in his own meal when someone tried to offer him a second helping of lava cake.

Michael insisted on helping clear the table because that's probably one of the only things he knew he could do right, Calum's mum said he didn't have to, that he should play with Mallory. Calum was already collecting dishes from his aunts and uncles and cousins and Michael really didn't know what to do, he felt awkward sitting there and waiting for Calum and a few others to clear the table.

He started with plates, an array of different designs and patterns and food scattered across each one. You could tell that someone had brought extra plates from their place, Michael put the plates in the pile up next to the sink and headed out for more.

Calum and him nearly collided in a doorway that lead from the kitchen to the living room, it was the route Michael choice because it had far less people but it wasn't a hassle to get to his destination. Calum straightened him with a smile, "Mum's letting us off early, she says my cousins've got it."

Michael opened his mouth to reply until he heard a shout, the loudness of dinner had settled considerably and Michael couldn't quite pinpoint the noise until there was another shout. People were looking at them now, Michael almost felt embarrassed by the amount of eyes on him.

He was finally able to distinguish what was being shouted and then he really was embarrassed.

"Oh," Calum said, sounding as embarrassed as Michael felt. With his hands still on Michael's arms, Calum looked up and his eyes landed on a fake plant taped to the middle of the doorway.

Mistletoe.

And at that moment, maybe Michael wanted to die a little. Calum's family was chanting and waiting and maybe Calum was trying to reassure him that he didn't have to, Michael was having a hard time focusing with all the shouting.

Kiss kiss kiss kiss kiss kiss kiss kiss.

They seemed to be speeding up and surrounding Michael in a tight cloak of embarrassment.

Michael, you can just kiss me on the cheek if it makes you comfortable. Calum sounded far off, despite still filling most of Michael's vision.

Kiss kiss kiss.

Michael thought it over, maybe it wouldn't be so bad kissing Calum. He'd kissed loads of girls before, a total of eight different girls. Boys couldn't be that different, plus Calum wouldn't act homophobic, it was impossible. Michael was straight, it didn't matter if he kissed Calum once, things weren't going to change.

Kisskisskisskisskiss.

"One kiss," Michael said teasingly, making the topic of kissing his best friend seem like a stroll in the park. Kisses were simple after all, you could kiss without becoming emotionally attached, right? It didn't matter, Michael had already started leaning forward, arms wrapping around Calum's neck in order to force the other boy to meet him halfway. Their lips met, soft against one another and Michael realized the difference between kissing girls and kissing boys, he didn't mind that much for details.

When they parted after a few long moments Calum bit his lip and Michael gave him a bright smile, "See? That wasn't so bad, imagine if I kissed like a fish?"

Michael was straight, but that didn't mean he didn't like kissing the dark haired boy.

The difference between kissing girls and kissing Calum was something beyond skin against skin, lips touching. Despite what Michael thought, he couldn't deny the very thin string of rose gold connecting the two of them in his imagination, an emotional connection to be specific.

Maybe Michael definitely liked kissing Calum more than he liked kissing the eight girls he'd kissed but that was a matter of opinion, Michael could meet a girl that kissed better than the boy, doubtful though.

Being straight didn't mean he wasn't allowed to want to kiss Calum again.