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Michael looked up from his phone screen, eyes blurry with tears. It was the second time this had happened in the last couple of weeks, and Michael was pretty sure the guys were getting fed up with it. Luke was busy playing Fifa with Ashton (how he persuaded him to do so was a mystery to Michael) and Calum was no where to be seen. "Good," Michael thought. "I can sneek back to the bunks without alerting anyone." As long as Calum was gone, he could get away unnoticed. Calum could always sense when something was wrong with Michael, and Calum would always try to help. He didn't want Calum to see him cry again. He didn't want Calum to leave him because he thought Michael was stupid and weak.
Michael quietly left the room, creeped down the hallway, and noiselessly pushed himself up and into his bunk. He had to stop himself from crying in the next couple of hours so that he was ready for the concert tonight. But it wasn't his fault. He always used to miss his mum and his home when he was younger and slept over at Calum's, or when he went on school trips he would always cry himself to sleep, missing his home too much to enjoy himself. However, he had managed to stop himself from feeling too sad when the boys went on tour for the first time, so it was extremely unusual when Michael started crying last week. Calum hadn't found out. Michael didn't let Luke and Ashton tell him. So when it happened for the second time, Michael hoped it would blow over quickly.
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When Calum returned from the shops with two bags full of food, he honestly did not expect to be greeted with an extremely worried Luke and Ashton. "WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?" Calum shouted trying to get the boys' attention, making his way to the kitchen and resting the bags on the table before looking over at the now crying Luke who was curled up in Ashton's arms. "Michael locked himself in the bunks and he won't come out. We can only hear him crying, and he told us to leave him alone." Ashton said, returning to soothing the trembling Luke in his arms. Calum immediately ran to the bunk room.
"Michael?" Calum said quietly, hoping to be allowed into the room. "Go away Calum." Michael whimpered in between sobs. Calum reached in his pocket for a coin and unlocked the door. He was so thankful for Michael teaching him the trick when they were younger. He pushed the door open slowly, and looked around the room for Michael. He soon spotted a head of bright blue hair poking out from Michael's bunk, and made his way over, relieved to see that Michael had not been doing anything dangerous. "Scoot over." Calum whispered in Michael's ear, climbing up onto the bunk. Michael reluctantly moved to make room for Calum, and soon felt the familiar feeling of Calum's toned arms wrapped around his waist. "What's wrong?" He heared Calum mumble against his neck where his head was resting. "I'm homesick again." Michael said, only now realising that Calum's presence had caused him to stop crying. "It's okay Mikey." Calum whispered, bringing a hand up to play with Michael's hair. "We all are." He said quietly, hoping to ease Michael's pain. "Yeah I know but... I just haven't been this bad since the last trip." Michael breathes out shakily. Calum immediately tenses slightly, memories flooding through his mind.
'The Last Trip' was the name the two had given the last school trip they went on together. It was away for a week in the Australian outback, and had resulted in Michael threatening to run away if the school did not allow him and Calum home. Eventually Calum had managed to calm him down, but the event had been bad enough to shake the two boys up and imprint itself permanently in their minds.
"Shhh it's okay." Calum whispered against Michael's cheek, planting a soft and delicate kiss to Michael's forehead. "I was there then, and I'm here now. And I'm here to stay." Michael smiled at that, because he realised that Calum had indeed never left Michael's side. "As long as we're together, we will have a home with each other. I mean they do say home is where the heart is right? So that means you will always have a home with me and I will always have a home with you. Okay?" Calum says, his grip around Michael's waist tightening ever so slightly. Michael grinned. Calum was right. Calum was always right. "Then make me a promise." Michael declared, turning his head slightly to catch a glimpse of Calum's chocolate brown eyes. It was enough to cause a few butterflies to flutter around in his stomach. Calum made a small questioning noise, signifying Michael to expand on his statement. "Promise me that you will never EVER leave my side, and that I will always have a home with you." Michael shrugged. Silence filled the room for a few moments, causing Michael to tense up. What happens if Calum doesn't want to spend the rest of his life with him? God what happens if Calum never actually liked him? But his train of thought and doubts were laid to rest when a small chuckle escaped from Calum's lips. "Why do I even have to promise you that? I will ALWAYS be with you Mikey. I always have been, and always will." Calum planted a soft kiss to Michael's shoulder before saying. "But if it makes you feel better, I promise to always be with you Mikey.". Michael smiled and said "Well in that case, I promise too.". Michael hummed a contented sigh, and snuggled down against Calum's back. "I love you Calum."
"I love you too Mikey."
And with that, Michael fell asleep, and when he woke up, he no longer missed his home anymore.