Chapter Text
"Are you sure you don't want me to come with you?" Callum glanced up from where he was closing his suitcase, finding Oliver leaning against the bedroom door, a nervous smile on his face. Callum didn't blame him, Oliver looked how he felt.
"Nah." Callum forced himself to smile. After all, facing everyone by himself, while it sounded daunting and he was absolutely terrified to do so, returning with Oliver would only make the situation way more uncomfortable. "Seriously, i'm doing you a favour by not subjecting you to it."
Oliver nodded slowly, although didn't look too convinced.
Part of Callum wanted to bring Oliver for back up since he was returning to a place that was once his home and had been for a long time. A place that he had abandoned without a second thought just over three years ago, with nothing but a backpack and a broken heart with him. He had left his family, friends, everything he had ever known and ended up in Manchester- because apparently that's what Callum did best, running.
It had taken him a couple of months to get in touch with his brother when he first came to Manchester. Which he had felt guilt over, after all, Callum had just suddenly jumped ship and left London while forcing himself to forget about what he was leaving behind, deciding ignoring it would make it hurt a lot less. But when he had finally gotten in touch with Stuart, sure, he had gotten an ear full on why he can't just disappear without telling anybody- but eventually he had managed to get Stuart to promise not to tell anybody else where he had gone, determined to hide from what he had left behind.
"And you think everything is going to go okay?" Oliver asked, dragging Callum out of his overthinking bubble. Callum wanted to laugh at that question, but had to remind himself that Oliver had never met anybody he knew back in Walford and was therefore oblivious apart from the small details Callum had discussed. But even those details were little, Callum preferred not to avoid talking about it at all costs, in particular the three letter name that he hardly ever said anymore. Which is ironic, considering that name had been the name that was so familiar to him. "Is he going to be mad?"
Callum did manage a laugh at that as he lifted his suitcase from the bed and placed it on the ground beside his jacket, ready for the train. "Don't worry about me." Callum assured, "I can handle Ben."
Well, Callum used to be able to handle Ben.
Now? He had no idea.
He was about to return to London and demand a divorce from the one person he thought he would spend the rest of his life with. He was going to have to go back and ask Ben to sign the papers, because Callum was finally ready to move on with his life- he had spent the first two years in Manchester mourning his relationship- the only relationship he has ever known since he met Ben near the end of their senior school years. And despite their love-hate relationship at the start, when they were just two dumb sixteen year olds, Callum had fallen head over heels for the boy that his brother had warned him to stay away from, because his family is all types of messed up little bro, maybe not hang out with the guy that spends most of his time in detention.
And at first, Callum had listened to his brothers advice and avoided Ben, despite the sixteen year old noticing the way Ben would smirk at him every time they shared a class- Callum began to resent year 11 history because Ben would always sit in his line of sight.
However, it was outside of school that Callum really got to know Ben. It had been when Callum was carting home a load of shopping that Stuart had texted him to bring home, (perks of working at a supermarket on the weekends) that Callum actually saw Ben Mitchell outside of school. And it was one of the places that he would never have expected to see the oldest Mitchell, a children's park pushing a one year old with pigtails on a swing.
Callum had met Lexi when she was one, Ben had sat with Callum on the park bench in a tiny children's park in East London and showed a side of himself that not many others experienced- and from that moment, Callum was a goner. Lexi was the daughter of Ben and his friend Lexi, a one night stand when they were fifteen- and now she was here sat on Callum's lap and their relationship has gone from there.
So, Callum was trying to come to terms with the fact that he was returning to Walford for the first time in three years, in order to legally end the only relationship he has ever known.
"It's fine." Callum added, realising he had been trapped in his head for a few moments, he didn't blame Oliver for his clear discomfort with the situation. Callum hadn't exactly told Oliver much about his past, not because he had anything to hide but Callum had mastered the art of hiding from his own feelings.
"And you are alright with doing this right?" Oliver asked, despite Callum already wanting to change the subject. "Getting him to sign the papers?"
The papers, Callum wanted to laugh to himself, because it sounded so simple, divorce. It always sounded like the best option until you were the person in the marriage, because they were not just the papers, they were legally binding papers that would end Callum's marriage, something that he had been running from for three years now.
"Seriously, it's fine. I'll get the divorce." Callum said, although he was unsure if it were to Oliver or himself. "Ben will sign the papers. I'm pretty sure we both know that our relationship has been over for a long time."
Oliver smiled, looking hopeful for the first time in this conversation. "And then maybe we can start planning our own future?"
Callum found himself nodding, despite the feeling in his stomach.
5 years ago
"Do either of you ever regret it?" Callum paused from where he had been running his fingers through Ben's hair, both of their attention transfixed on the afternoon news despite it being a slow news day. And neither one was willing to get up from the love seat they were currently curled up on and the remote was on the other side of the room, so the news it is!
"Regret what?" Ben asked with a slight grumpiness to his tone, Callum knew he had been about to fall asleep from where his head was resting on Callum's shoulder, so Jay breaking the peaceful silence didn't encourage his beauty sleep.
"Getting married young..." Jay continued, which Callum found ironic considering Jay was asking if they regretted marrying each other while they were basically joined at the hip, Ben couldn't get any closer to Callum even if he tried. "You got married as teenagers, do you ever wish you had waited?"
Ben scoffed, "Wait?" He sat up from where he had been pressed against Callum, "No, i had to tie him down before anybody else had the chance...Why are you asking Jay?"
Their friend shrugged, nervously biting at his lip- "I guess, i was thinking about asking Lola to marry me." Callum already felt joy at that idea- after all, he and Ben were already considered the old married couple of their friendship group- that's what you get for getting married in your teen years- it was only fair that now they were all grown up that Lola and Jay would join them in the old married couple club too- even if they were still only in their twenties.
"And you are worried that getting married will ruin your relationship?" Ben pushed his friend further, knowing something was upsetting him.
Jay nodded, "I guess." With a sigh, "We are in such a good place now, and i really love her. I'm just worried that she's either going to think it's too soon or that marriage will completely drain our relationship- i've seen enough reality TV, i know what marriage can do to a relationship."
"Hey! What are you saying?" Ben argued, but Callum knew he wasn't actually offended. "There's nothing wrong with married couples. Sure- the joint bank accounts, bills, arguing about leaving wet towels on the bedroom floor-" Ben paused to shoot a look at Callum, "But every couple argues- plus me and Cal are really good at make up sex-" Which was followed by both Jay and Callum sighing with a "Ben!"
"What i'm trying to say is...Lola is the person you want to spend the rest of your life with right? The person you go to sleep beside every night, wake up to every morning. Stop hiding around mine and Cal's and go ask her to marry you and stop third wheeling me and my boy-"
"Ignore him, Jay." Callum butted in, "What Ben is trying to say is...We are really happy for you both and think that you should do it, right?"
He turned to look down at Ben, who was back to laying against his chest, but he was smiling- and Callum was convinced he would never find a better sight than Ben smiling-
"Yeah, course." Ben said softly this time, "We are happy for you."
Present
Callum pulled his hood down the second he got off the tube, instantly regretting it as the cold London air met his face. He glanced around, seeing the same station that he had grown up walking through, that he had rushed through whenever he was late to school- or as he grew up, work.
For a moment he just stood there and contemplated what he was doing back here, a place that held both his happiest memories- but also where he had experienced his worst moments.
"Bro...I can't believe you've actually come." He span around at the sound of Stuart's voice, a smile instantly finding his face as he took in sight of his brother. After all, at least he knew Stuart would be happy to see him. "I swear you get taller every time i see you."
Callum chuckled as he was dragged into a hug, holding on a little tighter than usual but if Stuart noticed, he didn't mention it.
"You must be hungry after that journey right? You wanna get something from the cafe on the way-" But Callum was already shaking his head, because he really didn't feel like stopping by the cafe that his mother in law owned- as much as he loved Cathy, and she had loved him- he was afraid of seeing her again.
Stuart seemed to understand as he picked up one of Callum's bags, "C'mon, let's go back to the flat." He encouraged, and that is something Callum could do. "I'm happy you are back, bro."
Callum only wished he could feel the same way.