Chapter Text
It was just another dingy, dark night in Walford. The cold, harsh air biting down on the crooks & crevices of Callum's toned, yet not, defined body as he embarked on a brisk walk through the ghostly streets of what was once a lively market town. All sorts of thoughts whirling and swirling inside his feeble mind. All he seemed to think about was Ben. How can one man, one being, play on one's mind constantly? Daily thoughts consumed, running through his mind at a million miles per hour. Pressure. A wedding. Whitney was fast asleep back at the flat in their shared but distantly cold bed, laying there with such innocence, a sweetness about her. He loved her, he really did. But where his heart truly belongs is a different story. Callum had to escape from his choke hold of a life that he craved but knew in his heart of hearts that it was well against his wishes. He had to find his other half. The king of his captured heart, Ben...
Callum grinded to an abrupt halt. Sign of a light. Gleaming and luminescent. The car lot... He squinted his eyes to get a clearer view, both Ben and Whitney always commenting on this specific quirk. He loved it when Ben drew attention to this, remaining bashful as his eyes sweeped & scanned the floor in timidity. Taking a few shy steps closer, he extended his hand, hesitant, but not quite resistant. His shaky, sweaty fist was met with the coolness of the steely door, akin to a solid ice cube on a warm summer's day. He pelted the door ever so slightly with barely-there knocks and in a instant, Callum was greeted with the hoarse, irritated voice of his secret lover...
"Can't you see I've shut up shop, go away!" exclaimed Ben angrily, a fire and a furore behind his voice.
"It's me, Ben. Please, I need to see ya!" retorted Callum sweetly, whimpering with tears forming in the corner of his deep blue eyes. Ben adored this about him, he would often stare into them, falling deeper & deeper in an almost hypnotic-like state.
Callum could hear footsteps edging ever closer as he wiped his face with the back of his frayed sleeve. There he stood, leaning ever so slightly on the threshold. A sight to behold, to relish in. Soak up like a sponge...
"Ah, look who it is, the resident closet case!" Ben sniped through gritted teeth but nonetheless, he reluctantly stepped aside to allow Callum entry. He could never deny Callum, even in the midst of his clouded judgement.
As Callum took in his surroundings, Ben locked the bolted door with a heavy anger weighing on his ever so fragile heart. He was seething with bitter rage & a bubbling jealousy. The risk of getting caught always playing in the back of his mind. Callum took the initiative to strike up a conversation, deciding to pose a question to Ben.
"Do you hate me?" he said, ever so quietly almost as if he didn't want Ben to hear these four words.
Ben huffed and took a deep breath as an immediate response to his pressing inquiry. He stood there in silence for a minute, pacing up and down. This was unlike Ben, Callum thought to himself.
Ben hastily replied with a frosty front, his ice king persona returning with a passion. Callum saw the flick switch in his glossy eyes, signalling a change.
"Well, the man I love is getting married soon so make of that what you will, Cal!".
"Ben... I- you know-" Callum struggled to find the words to express his inner turmoil. A conflicted & strangled soul. Callum stalked ever closer towards Ben, offering his hand as a sign of peace.
Ben, calculated and clinical, coldly & spitefully turned his head away in sheer disgust. He couldn't even bear to even look his gorgeous man in the eyes.
Salty tears began to cascade down Callum's wearied & troubled visage. He quite simply couldn't register and comprehend Ben's cruelty. Finding the courage to speak up, he shouted...
"Why can't you stand to look at me!? It's the least you can do. Just hear me out" Callum whined.
Ben craned his neck in a flash upon hearing Callum's desperate plea. Callum could've swore it almost gave him whiplash. Angrily confronting Callum, he sarcastically screeched at the top of his lungs...
"Why should I? You're a mess! Left me in the lurch and you expect me to come running back, so of course not, Callum, I don't hate you!"
Ben, now with tears in his eyes, violently shoves Callum to the side, discarding & disposing of him like a piece of trash.
"I'm so sorry, Ben, it was never meant to be like this...", Callum mumbled incoherently, his face expressionless, outwardly uneasy and fidgety.
"Oh, don't give me that!... spare me the pity party!" Ben ranted flippantly, raising his hands behind his head as Callum looked on forlorn.
"You don't get to play the wronged hero with me!" He snapped back, pointing his finger directly in Callum's emotionally distressed face.
"Love... earlier you mentioned that- word. You made it out to be just a fling, meaningless sex! 'No feelings attached', you said" Callum fired back with air quotes, coming face to face with Ben, then proceeding to stab his chest with his sturdy finger.
Ben took several steps back, scuffing his feet along the way, then fell gracefully onto the fixed sofa that stood fixed behind him. Head in his hands. Deep in thought... Looking up at Callum endearingly, puppy dog eyes in tow, he gently whispered...
"You broke my heart... you seriously believe that I can just brush that aside like it's nothing!" Ben breathed out loudly, resigning himself.
"I never knew that your heart was mine to break..." Callum responded, voice breaking, sniffing as he leaned back against the hardened desk.
Ben got up out of his seat and faced Callum head on, staring intently, a glint in his eye.
"Of course it was. You knew the score. We made a pact, came to some sort of deal, if you like..." Ben whispered delicately into Callum's ear, dramatically inhaling in the process.
Callum placed his big hand onto Ben's cheek, rubbing under his bloodshot eye with his thick thumb, such care and undivided attention going into this affectionate action. He never touched Whitney like this...
Ben fell into this heavenly embrace, lulled and beguiled by Callum's soft touch. Ben could try to do all he could to resist Callum's charms but he just couldn't find it within himself to do so. He closed his eyes softly before muttering...
"You don't have to do this, please Cal, I miss you... so much. It almost hurts..."
Callum shushed him with a kiss, a soft and meaningful one... their tongues danced, intertwined & interspersed. Writhing hands, feeling, exploring all avenues. Ben was taken aback and Callum grew ever passionate, almost too intense.
"This is what we do. We kiss & make up..." Callum said, breaking the kiss breathlessly as he mischievously smiled.
Ben placed his flailing arms around Callum's elongated neck while Callum gripped Ben's waist in sexual frustration, pulling him closer to his stone cold, hard chest.
"Mmmm... I like it when you're all possessive. It's hot! You're like a dog on heat.." Ben let out a small laugh, waggling his eyebrows slightly, back to his usual snarky self.
"Yeah?... What can I say? I have that effect on you" Callum said rather flirtatiously, muttering between breaths.
"Oh, is that so?" Ben uttered seductively, eyes wide as he & Callum crashed to the hard, cold ground in fits of laughter...