Chapter Text
“Campbell, come see what’s on the TV.” Campbell comes in from the bedroom to sit next to Bill, resting his head on his shoulder. “It’s just the news.” Campbell sighs, trying to reach for the remote. “Just listen.” He looks back to the TV and listens to the news reader. “We are in a national emergency. Coronavirus has forced us into a quarantine; stay in your homes and only leave for essential reasons.” Campbell looks at Bill a little scared. “Am I going to die?” Bill turns the TV off, pulling Campbell into a hug. “We are going to be okay. I’ll call the hospital and tell them that I can’t work during this. It’ll be gone in a month or so.” Campbell nods, nuzzling into Bill’s shoulder. “As long as we follow the rules we will be okay.” Campbell leans back against the sofa. “So we stay inside?” Bill brushes a hand through the boy’s hair. “We stay inside, I have some money saved up. We will be all good.” Campbell nods, looking a little off into the distance. “I’ll make up some cocoa.” Bill gets up, rubbing Campbell’s back gently. “You can watch something else if you want.” Bill encourages when he sees that Campbell was still in a bit of a daze.
Campbell is talking to Joe on the phone when Bill comes out from his office. “Hey Bill can Joe come round?” He asks, resting the phone on his shoulder. “Campbell we all have to stay inside.” Campbell sighs. “So that means he can’t?” Bill squeezed the boy’s shoulder. “I’m sorry Campbell.” He takes the phone from the boy. “Sorry Joe, we can’t have you over…” Bill sighs, bringing a hand to his forehead. “So you have nowhere to… no I understand, you don’t want to be out on the… get some things together and come round.” Bill looks up at Campbell who smiles gently as he hangs up the phone. “You didn’t tell me he’d been kicked out of his house.” Bill moves his hand under Campbell’s chin, stoking a thumb over the boy’s cheek. “He told me not to.” Campbell sniffles, pressing his lips against Bill’s hand. “We can set the sofa up from him to sleep on. He’ll be safe here with us.” Bill reassures, watching through the window for Joe before the phone rings again. “If Joe comes just let him in.” Bill tells Campbell before picking up the phone again. “Hello Virginia. Yes I’ve told him… not very happy about it but Joe is going to stay with us… he was kicked out the house… I think it’s fine as long as we don’t leave the house.” Bill hears the door go and Campbell scrambles to open it, greeting Joe with a hug. “Are you going to be okay? Oh that’s nice that you get the kids.”
“So all the times you came over to see Campbell and asked if you could stay over night was because you were kicked out?” Bill asks Joe who did seem a little tired. “I knew that it would be a safe place, Somewhere that you wouldn’t judge me.” Campbell wraps his arms around one of Joe’s. “The only reason I got kicked out was because I was gay.” Bill shakes his head, not understanding how this was still happening to people. “I thought that if I told you what was happening…” Joe clears his throat. “That you’d try and do something but there is no changing my parent’s minds.” Campbell shuffles in his seat. “That’s not good.” He says, hugging the other boy. “It isn’t. But at least you are safer inside with us than imprisoned with those two.” Bill’s voice has a hint of anger to it. “So what do we do now?” Campbell asks, fidgeting with the end of his hoodie. “We have some dinner and see if we can find a good movie to watch on the TV.” Bill gets up, deciding that someone had to get the ball rolling. “Joe feel free to take a shower, there are towels in the airing cupboard.” He says, gesturing for Campbell to follow him into the kitchen. “This is a good opportunity to learn some life skills. Now can you get these things?” He shows Campbell the recipe, moving to grab a few things himself.