#Surprise! You thought Michael was like Wendy but he was actually like Jane all along!

[misslavenderlady]

Lucy the Ex-Hippie - Ch. 5: 1987

Summary: Twenty years have gone by, and old friends have crossed paths once again. What will happen when David gets the chance to reconnect with the friend he thought he lost so long ago?

This is where the original plot of the movie takes place, so everything that happens during this is part of the canon! I also included the deleted scene where the boys are circling Lucy. It was actually one of the things that inspired this story!

WARNINGS: Sad ending, Max being a creep

Previous Chapter

Santa Carla, 1987

So much for a happy life together. Things had started off so well for Lucy and Lance at the beginning of their marriage. Their journey to Phoenix was exciting, and they worked together to create the home they both wanted. He worked hard at his job and she was a happy housewife. It worked so well for the two of them. 

About a year and a half after their wedding Lucy gave birth to their first son, and she couldn’t have been happier to be a mother. True to her wish, she named him Michael after her departed brother. He was absolutely perfect to her, and she put so much love and care into raising him.

She wished she could have said the same for Lance.

Despite how deep they had once been in the hippie scene, Lance completely changed once he found his calling in the office environment. He was so caught up in the work and the atmosphere and the money that he became more devoted to it than to his family. Sure, he put food in their fridge and kept their bills paid, but whenever Michael wanted his attention, Lance only seemed to push him away in favor of the work he did.

It only got worse when Sam came into the picture a few years later. Lucy fell in love all over again, so happy to give Michael a little brother. Seeing the two of them grow up together gave her happiness she never knew she needed. But while motherhood was getting better, marriage was getting worse.

Lance kept the promise he made all those years ago to control his temper and not lash out at Lucy in rather tense moments. However, that anger and frustration transformed from hot-headedness to cold shoulders. If they had fights, he’d shut down and throw himself into his work. He even spent a few nights sleeping on the couch of his office just so he wouldn’t have to deal with the needs of his sons. 

At some point, Lucy just stopped trying to make it work. She no longer felt warmth or joy being with him. He was a roommate, not a lover. She desperately tried to be the parent Michael and Sam needed while their father continued to choose his job over them. Whenever he got home all she felt was dread and exhaustion. Even cooking, the thing that she had a passion for, became bothersome. She would pour love and soul into meals, yet Lance barely acknowledged her presence. 

By the time Michael was eighteen and Sam was fourteen she just couldn’t fight any longer. She hated feeling unappreciated, but she hated seeing her boys be denied their father’s love even more. Lucy served Lance divorce papers, telling him she’d rather raise her boys alone than fight in a custody battle that he didn’t even care about. She hated Lance for not even pretending to put up a fight for the right to see his children. 

Then again, it only made it easier to move forward with her decision. 

Lucy didn’t have much to her name, but she managed to scrape enough money to help move Michael and Sam from Phoenix back to her hometown of Santa Carla. Her father was more than happy to have her back home and away from the man he never really liked in the first place. She figured he was also feeling a bit lonely since her mother died a few years prior. This could not only be an opportunity for a fresh start for the boys but also be a good bonding experience for her and her father. 

Everyone got settled into their new home fairly quickly. After a few long days of driving and quite a bit of unpacking, she was ready to relax for the night. One of the things that often cheered her up when she was struggling with Lance was reading a good book with a cup of tea. It helped her escape from her troubles and get lost in an exciting story. She had a few boxes of books packed that would go onto the bookshelf the next day, but she figured she could grab a random one and read it before turning in for the night.

She skimmed through a few titles in the box she had opened up. There were quite a bit of romance novels, something she made into a collection as the result of her marriage losing the spark it once had. However, she found a different genre tucked away towards the bottom of the box. A horror novel she hadn’t seen in almost twenty years.

Bram Stoker’s Dracula. 

Her eyes widened as she looked at the cover, remembering this as the book she had read during a good chunk of the drive she and Lance had taken when they moved to Phoenix after their wedding. She wasn’t really a fan of scary stuff, but for some reason, she couldn’t put it down. The dramatic words of the Count drew her in, and she found herself finishing it before they even arrived. 

Lucy quickly flipped through the pages, now yellowed from the two decades gone by. It was still in fairly good condition after all this time, but that wasn’t what intrigued her the most. When she got back to the first page after the cover, she found a note on the inside. One she had forgotten was even in there.

Lucy,

Have fun, enjoy life, and don’t be scared of vampires. They’re your friends.

- D

She remembered where she had gotten this book! It was a wedding gift just for her to enjoy as she started her new life with Lance. 

Unfortunately, that was all she remembered about it. While Lucy still kept in touch with a few friends from college, many friendships had faded with the passage of time, and everyone’s lives were occupied with weddings, careers, moves, and babies. Sometimes you just lost touch with someone you once called a dear friend.

For the life of her, she couldn’t recall who “D” was. She didn’t even remember what it stood for. As hard as she tried to rack her brain for the answer, nothing came up. She had a few fuzzy memories of being with friends before her wedding, but with all the different factors messing with her recollection, she just couldn’t place a name or a face.

She felt guilty for not remembering “D”, but at the very least she could give the book another read as a way to show her appreciation. Whoever they were, she hoped they were doing well.

David had seen quite an interesting chain of events in the past twenty years. He and the other Lost Boys watched the people around them struggle with Vietnam, oil shortages, serial killers, The Cold War, the Aids Crisis, and so much more. While they were no strangers to tragedy and hardship in humanity, it still definitely had an impact on their home in Santa Carla. 

The people got meaner, the streets dirtier and soon the town was nicknamed “The Murder Capital of the World”. While they certainly contributed to the high body count from their numerous hunts, there were plenty of kills committed by other hands.

The Lost Boys embraced this new world, fully leaning into how wild and violent it had gotten. They loved the 80s the most out of any decade they had lived through, finding pure joy in the loud music, punk clothing, and overall carefree feeling to it all. David and his boys loved the style they got into during this time. Their hair flowed in long mullets, their beautiful eyes were marked with dark makeup, and the leather they already loved was decorated with a variety of pins, patches, and trinkets.

It was truly an amazing time to be a vampire. 

However, while David had changed over the years, it wasn’t entirely a good thing. He had always been a bit of a jerk, but as the world grew more violent and cruel, so did he. It didn’t help that after letting his first possible Lost Girl go he put up a wall between himself and humanity. They were either toys to play with or food for him and the others to feast on. None of them would ever be his friend.

It took the span of two decades before he finally opened his heart to a new member of their family. He and the others met Star when she was homeless and sleeping on the beach in the early spring of 1987. While the hippie culture had died down in favor of punk and rock, Star still fully embraced the older style. She was free-spirited, kind, and fun to be around.

Paul, Marko, and Dwayne all begged David to keep her. To give her a taste of his blood so that she could join them. It was a difficult decision to make, but he ultimately agreed to turn her. This time, he wouldn’t let any lingering humanity or guilt hold him back. He was all too happy when she consumed the tainted wine. 

Things quickly soured when she realized what they had turned her into. It wasn’t easy getting Star to give in to her thirst. She fought so hard, threatening to leave because she didn’t want to take a life and finish her transformation. David didn’t take too kindly to that. He wouldn’t let the first person he let into the family after twenty years go and abandon his gang. 

It was messed up of him, but when he spotted Laddie wandering alone on the boardwalk, he took the opportunity to use him as an incentive for Star to stay. Even the others couldn’t believe David would use a child to keep her from leaving. Still, they were happy she agreed to stay and even more excited to have an adorable little brother to hang out with. As far as David was concerned, he did what was best for his family. 

Star would learn to love it in time. 

The Lost Boys only came by Max’s video store for two reasons; to flirt with Maria, the cute cashier, and to get on Max’s nerves. Their sire didn’t like being seen with them in public, as their edgy appearance clashed with his dapper, put-together persona. For a man who wanted them to be like sons to him, the man certainly didn’t treat them like family. 

While Star was with Laddie at a concert the boys decided to spend some time in the shop, just killing time before they picked the two up. They each filed inside, one by one with David leading them. Of course, Max was not happy to see them, and neither was his hellhound, Thorn. They didn’t care in the slightest, least of all David. It wasn’t like they were going to stay long anyway. At least, that was the plan.

David had just been browsing some shelves when a familiar voice caught his ear.

“Excuse me! I wonder if you could help us”

It wasn’t directed at him, but he still perked up at the sound of it. There was no mistaking it.

Red hair. Fair skin. A soft smile.

Lucy.

Twenty years had gone by, and that sweet voice still rang clear in his memories. David was frozen in his tracks as he watched from behind the opposite side of the counter. His boys hadn’t noticed her yet, but he certainly did. She was older now, her physical age matching Max’s more than David’s. Her long, flowing hair was now chopped short but still framed her face well. Her tight-fitted, bright wardrobe had been replaced with loose, flowing layers in soft colors. 

David’s ears were buzzing loudly as he tried to comprehend what was happening. She was back. After all this time, she had come home to Santa Carla. It took all of his focus to pick up on what she was saying to his sire.

“This little boy is lost and we were wondering if his mother might be in here,” she explained to Max. It didn’t surprise him in the slightest that she was trying to help a stranger in need. Too bad she was going to the person that was least likely to do something out of kindness. Thankfully, a woman ran into the store, claiming the child.

The others still hadn’t noticed Lucy in the store. They were all fawning over Maria again, no doubt lovestruck by her pretty smile and cute laugh. On a normal night, David would let his boys have their fun. But he couldn’t have that right now. They needed to see this for themselves.

“Boys,” David said through their mental connection, his voice firm and serious. “Look who it is”

All three of his friends followed his gaze, their playful feelings fading away when they too realized who he was looking at. They all froze, stuck in disbelief that their honorary Lost Girl was back after all these years. Memories of smoking, dancing, and warm hugs were coming back to each of them as they tried to comprehend how much Lucy had “grown up”.

“Holy fucking shit, it’s Lucy!” Marko said first, biting back a smile.

“Little miss stranger herself! Twenty years and she’s still looking really cute,” Paul added.

“Yeah, and it looks like Max certainly likes her too,” Dwayne noted, a frown stuck on his face.

David hadn’t noticed it before, but sure enough, Max had taken quite an interest in her. As he and his boys walked closer, he looked at his creator with daggers in his eyes, daring the older man to try something with her. Max could put on his act of “friendly gentleman shop owner” all he wanted, but David knew who he truly was. He didn’t like how he stared at his old friend, offering her a treat to sweeten her up a bit more with false charms. 

All the defensiveness he had for the girl he met in the 60s was flooding back. He remembered how much he didn’t like her husband back then, and he certainly didn’t like what Max was doing now. 

“I told you not to come in here anymore,” Max said to David, his voice cold and sharp. That tone lingered as he spoke to the four boys in his head as well. “Can’t you see I’m trying to talk to this nice woman? You boys know better than to interrupt my work”

David glanced at Lucy and then back at his sire, realization hitting him. Max was smitten with her. The girl who almost became their pack member. What were the goddamn odds? He bit back a smirk, wanting nothing more than to laugh hysterically at this situation. Little did Max know that twenty years ago when David was complaining about how terrible he was, this woman had not only agreed with him but thought he deserved to be without a partner.

How ironic this whole predicament was turning out. 

The boys each had their own reaction too. Dwayne hadn’t stopped glaring at Max, sending silent threats of what would happen if Lucy was hurt in any way. Marko was smiling at Lucy, just so happy to see her again. Paul was incredibly amused, both from seeing their old friend and how quickly Max was trying to claim her. 

They all wanted to stay. To see if she remembered them in some way. However, their sire wouldn’t let that happen.

“All of you leave now. I will talk to you after I close up,” Max ordered.

All four of them knew better than to fight his orders. They each slipped out of the store exit one by one, silently looking back at Lucy one last time before getting to their bikes. David had left first, but he couldn’t help but overhear a piece of their conversation.

“Wild kids”

“Oh, they’re just young! We were that age too once!”

While they gunned their engines and sped off into the night, David couldn’t fight back the smug grin on his face.

You have no idea, Lucy.

“I can’t believe it! What the hell are the odds of us seeing her?” Dwayne exclaimed, balancing on top of the ledge by their bikes. 

After running into Lucy at Max’s store, the Lost Boys had huddled up by a corner of the boardwalk where people often went to take a smoke break. When they were far out of reach from the store, they all were bursting from the various emotions they were going through.

“Yeah, no kidding! I almost didn’t recognize her! She’s changed so much,” Marko added. He hadn’t stopped chewing on his nail since they had seen her.

“I miss that pretty, long hair she used to have!” Paul said, somewhat pouty. “But she does still look great! Twenty years has been pretty good to her, hasn’t it?”

David was focused on the cigarette in his hand. He had been chain-smoking for the past several minutes, still trying to wrap his head around what had happened. The first few years after she left he had kept an eye out for her during holidays and summer months just in case she had decided to pay a visit to her hometown for a vacation. After several unsuccessful tries, he had given up, coming to terms with the fact that he wouldn’t see her again.

“Not entirely good,” Dwayne spoke up. “Didn’t you guys notice? She didn’t have the ring she got during her wedding ceremony”

It took every ounce of self-control that David had to stop himself from choking on the smoke of his cigarette. He had been so focused on Lucy herself that he hadn’t thought to check if she still had a ring on her finger after all this time. 

“So that’s why she’s back. Things didn’t work out with that jerk after all,” he simply said. “All of the dedication she put into her relationship was for nothing. Can’t say I’m surprised. I tried to warn her and offer her an alternative”

The others looked at their leader with a bit of concern. David had grown so bitter over the past several years, guarding his heart so nobody could hurt him again. He would have sooner hurt the feelings of others before letting his pride be wounded. Even if they still remained loyal to their friend, they all had their concerns about David. 

Before they could continue their conversation, Star came down the path and up to their parking spot with Laddie by her side. They would talk it over later. Right now all David wanted to do was get the two of them home, go out for a much-needed hunt and quickly get through the talk with Max later before calling it a night. 

They all silenced themselves so neither Star nor Laddie would pick up on what they were talking about. David simply guided her onto the back of his bike while Dwayne helped Laddie onto his own. Paul and Marko got on their own rides, loudly gunning their engines in preparation to take off. 

David glanced at Star, waiting for her to say something about Laddie or the concert they went to earlier. To his surprise, she wasn’t focused on him at all. Her gaze lingered on the boardwalk, and David couldn’t help but follow it. 

A few feet away stood a boy around their age. A very handsome boy, at that. He was tall, had thick, brown curls for hair, and striking blue eyes. It was almost exactly like looking at the Jim Morrison mural the boys had back in their hideout. David didn’t blame her for staring. Something about that boy was drawing him in as well. A familiar feeling that made David curious about who he was. 

As the boy stared at him and Star on the bike, David felt a smile spreading across his face. Amused and flattered by the attention. It was so painfully familiar, enjoying that kind of look. Especially with those blue eyes. It was like he’d seen that very shade before, but he just couldn’t figure out where. 

It was the last thing going through David’s mind as he and the Lost Boys rode off down the boardwalk.

Fate wasn’t something David had believed in until tonight. Things like becoming a vampire and meeting his friends were just pure luck in his mind. He had a shitty life as a human, and things had just simply gone in his favor once he turned. That was all it was.

At least until now.

“You’re going to do what to her?”

“Just as I said, David. I’m going to make her my wife. She’ll be your mother!”

The boys were fighting for their lives not to burst out in laughter at the irony of this situation. Out of all the women in the world, it had to be their long-lost friend that Max finally chose to be his vampire bride. The ex-hippie who liked to smoke weed and party with strangers.

“We don’t need a mother. We’ve been fine on our own for decades without one,” David insisted. 

The idea of Lucy of all people being their “mother” made his stomach churn. Forget the fact that it was awkward enough given their history, it was worse that Max was going to turn her after David made the decision that she wasn’t built for that kind of life. That would mean that the pain he went through of letting her go and living as a human was for nothing. It felt like a cruel joke.

“Do you even know anything about her?” David snapped at his sire. Normally he wouldn’t push his luck like this, but the protective feelings he had over Lucy were starting to resurface. Marko, Dwayne, and Paul took notice, carefully watching their leader so he wouldn’t say the wrong thing.

“I know she’s friendly, she’s lovely, and she cares about children,” Max said, unphased by David’s sour mood. “In fact, she has children of her own!”

Max pulled out a small picture from his jacket pocket, smiling at it before turning his attention back to the boys. 

“Lucy showed me this when we were chatting earlier, and I managed to get this from her wallet before she left,” he explained.

You’re such a creep, Max, David thought to himself. His sire didn’t seem to have any issues with taking her stuff, especially something that included her kids.

“Take a look! This is Sam and Michael”

David would have felt his heart stop if it was still beating.

Michael.

“I always thought that was such a nice name for a boy,” Lucy had told him years ago. 

She had gotten what she wanted. A family to love and cherish. Children that got to live and grow and enjoy the ups and downs of life. Suddenly things didn’t look so bad for the situation with her ex. Even if their relationship hadn’t worked out, the real reason he let her go had gone the way she wanted. 

And when he got a better look at Michael himself, he truly realized fate might have been something at play in this whole situation.

It was him. The boy on the boardwalk. The one whose eyes looked so familiar. It was because they were something he got from Lucy. 

It was all connecting together like one, giant puzzle. 

David must have had one hell of a poker face because while he was losing his ever-loving mind on the inside, he remained calm and collected on the outside. Max was none the wiser, as he just had that stupid grin on his face. 

“I need you to get these two to drink from the bottle. Once her boys are one of us, then Lucy will certainly join our family,” Max smiled, quite proud of his rather manipulative plan. He really had no shame or conscience after centuries of vampirism. It made David wonder if he’d be that way too if he lived that long.

Lucy would have been really disappointed in him. She had been so kind to him. To all of them. And now he was going to do Max’s dirty work in order to get her involved in their family of vampires. If she recognized them, she was going to be even more hurt. 

But on the other hand, this could be their second chance. The boys had been so happy having Lucy as a friend. She brought out the best in them when they were together. All smiles and joy, leaving behind the darker parts of their personalities. She had her heart in the right place, and maybe Max was onto something about her being with them. 

David agreed to Max’s orders, but with one condition that he withheld. If he truly was going to do this, he had to test something first.  

It was the next night, and David had his plan ready. Or rather, both his plans ready.

He still intended on following Max’s orders for drinking the wine, as there was no way he could possibly go back on such an order. But before that would happen, David wanted to see if there was a chance that Lucy still recognized her vampire friends after being gone for so long. 

There were two possible ways this could go. On the one hand, he could convince his old friend that something was wrong since he and the others hadn’t aged in twenty years, giving her a warning to stay away from Max and keep her humanity. On the other hand, she could have zero memories of the boys and just be mildly annoyed by their antics. 

Either way, this would hurt David’s feelings. He would never admit it, but he had missed their honorary Lost Girl, and the only thing worse than saying goodbye to her again was being forgotten by her the first time.

Even so, he needed to see for himself where this would all go before moving forward. 

Max had hired Lucy as an employee for his store, no doubt as a way to keep her under his eye while he put his plan into motion. Her shift was coming to an end for the night and David and his boys were keeping an eye out for her in the shadows. When he saw her step out into the parking lot, he quickly revved his bike, swooping in on her before Max inevitably showed up.

He and the others wrapped around her in a circle, trapping her in the center while they all spun their motorcycles around. Max had forbade them from speaking to her, but he never said anything about them just driving around her. It was the only thing David and the boys could do to really interact with her.

To his utter shock, she was smiling at them. That warm, sweet grin they had missed for so long. It brought back all the memories they had when they hung out with her. The bubbly, fun-loving hippie chick they adored so much.

They all smiled back, albeit a bit more deviously. All of them wanted her to recognize them. The four biker friends who were still the same age in appearance as the last time she saw them. The boys who drank to her happy future and gave her gifts at her wedding. But that wasn’t what she saw. All Lucy saw were four strangers trapping her in her spot. 

“Yeah, Mama!” Paul hollered, adding to the whooping and cheering that Marko and Dwayne had been calling to her.

“Real subtle, Paulie. Don’t call her that,” David shot back to him through their connection. 

The more they circled her, the more her smile faded away. Soon she had a panicked expression on her face when she realized they weren’t letting her out. It hurt David so much more than he anticipated, seeing his friend be so scared of them now. But he just couldn’t let her leave after losing her the first time.

Come on, Lucy. You rode on the back of my bike. You kissed my cheek before saying goodnight. You gotta remember us. Please!

A pair of bright lights hit David’s eyes, distracting him from his little moment with Lucy. It was Max’s car shining its high beams as a warning to the boys. The game was up and he had lost. She really had forgotten them, and now there was no way he’d be allowed to get her attention again. 

Worried about what Max would say, David sped off, breaking the circle and signaling for the others to follow him. Each of them looked back at Lucy for a moment, wanting one last glance before heading to the boardwalk. It wasn’t easy, but they had no other choice. 

“Well, that was a bust. Guess she really forgot about us,” Marko said, disappointed by what had happened.

“I don’t know what we expected. There’s no way she would have thought we were the same guys she met just a few times all those years ago. She doesn’t even know vampires are real yet,” Dwayne pointed out. 

“Still hurts though. I would have loved to have one more smoke with her,” Paul pouted.

David didn’t have anything to say. He simply kept his attention on the road ahead of him, fuming about the whole thing. Lucy was going to be Max’s bride and there was absolutely nothing he could do about it. He had let her down, even if she didn’t realize it yet. 

Maybe in time, he’d have the chance to explain himself to her. If she was even willing to hear him out, of course. But for now, it was all up to their sire. 

As David sped down the road, his mind wandered back to Michael. He wondered how close he and his little brother were to Lucy. She must have been a good mother to them if Max wanted her in their family so badly. Michael had that same pull on David that he once had long ago with her. The desire to make him one of them. Unlike his mother, David saw potential in Michael to be one of them. To be a killer. He couldn’t really explain how he knew. He just did.

Perhaps this was a second chance. A sign to open his heart again and have Michael become one of them. It had been so long and given he was related to Lucy wasn’t a coincidence in his mind. Perhaps fate was in fact real. Any sympathy or humanity he had the first time around was gone, and all that remained was greed to keep the blue-eyed boy for himself. Nobody would slip away like before.

You’ll be one of us soon, Michael, David thought to just himself. I made the mistake of letting Lucy go, but I won’t make that with you. Once I have you, I won’t ever let you go.

#Surprise! You thought Michael was like Wendy but he was actually like Jane all along! #I hope you guys enjoy my stupid reference to the direct to video Peter Pan sequel lol #sorry for any emotional damage #the lost boys #my fic #lucy emerson #david the lost boys #dwayne the lost boys #marko the lost boys #paul the lost boys #michael emerson #ao3 #star the lost boys #tlb 1987 #tlb

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Genre: WW2/drama/angst/fluff/

Pairings: Calum Hood/Michael Clifford

Prompt: “Kissing you is all I’ve thought about since the moment we met.”

Word Count: 9k

Trigger warnings: Strong language, physical abuse, physical violence, reference to war, reference to death, references to domestic abuse, period typical racism, period typical homophobia, internalised homophobia

A/N: I have wanted to write a ww2 fic for a very long time so when the generator threw out 40s for malum I jumped on it for this event. This is just a portion of the espically long final fic I have planned. The overall piece will be posted on my AO3 account when it’s complete. I hope you all enjoy this segment enough to check it out when it’s entirely complete.

September 1940

As the train pulled into the little station, Calum let out a sigh of relief. It’d been a long journey and the train had felt too hot and stuffy. He picked up his suitcase and joined the other passengers gathering at the doors.

Once he was able to step onto the platform, Calum took a moment to compose himself. He’d spent the entire train journey trying not to think of London and his family. He already missed them all. Now that he’d arrived in Yorkshire, it was hard not to immediately identify all the differences between this sleepy rural life and the hustle and bustle of the capital city. 

Before he could fully process his new surroundings, Calum noticed his Uncle Donald standing near the doorway of the waiting room. He looked so much like Calum’s dad that it almost brought tears to the 15-year-old’s eyes. 

“Hello, Calum lad!” His uncle smiled as he weaved through the people filling the platform. “Give me that suitcase, let’s get you home and settled in.”

Calum gave a half-hearted smile. He was a little surprised by the friendly welcome. He’d only ever met his dad’s side of the family once before when he was very little. It was highly possible that they would be disapproving of Calum’s ‘exotic’ appearance but it seemed that those worries were unnecessary at least. 

Donald took the heavy case from Calum as though it weighed nothing. A moment of sympathy flashed in his eyes as he seemingly recognized his nephew’s uncertainty. “Don’t worry, lad.” He smiled gently. “You’re welcome here for as long as this war goes on.”

His words comforted Calum a bit but he still felt severely out of place. He could only hope that he’d feel more at ease as time passed. “Thank you, sir.” He managed, trying not to show just how scared he was by this sudden change. 

Donald let out a booming laugh as he clapped Calum on the shoulder. “There’ll be none of that here, boy.” He chuckled. “You can just call me Don or Uncle Don. I know we haven’t spent any real time together until now but we’re still family.”

Donald’s infectiously merry mood made Calum relax ever so slightly; he felt somewhat less nervous as he was driven through the countryside to the farm where he’d be living for the foreseeable future.

The rolling hills, quiet roads, and quaint little houses and shops were about as different to the London landscape as he could ever imagine. Despite the stark contrasts to everything Calum was familiar with, this little corner of Yorkshire seemed to have an undeniable charm of its own. 

The car ride was filled with pleasant conversation, further relaxing Calum’s nerves as he got to know his uncle a bit better. He listened to various stories about his aunt and three cousins as they drove. By the time they finally pulled up at the farm, Calum was quite excited to meet the rest of his family and acquaint himself with his new home. 

The farm and it’s surrounding green hills and fields looked like something from a postcard. Having seen nothing but London’s grey skyline and smoggy streets, the openness of his new home felt just as exciting as it did daunting.

“Calum!” His Aunt May grinned as she appeared in the doorway, her greying hair tied back in a neat bun so that it didn’t fall into her lightly lined face. “I hope your uncle didn’t bore you too much on the drive over here! He doesn’t know when to shut up, y’know.” She gave a tiny laugh, shooting Don a fond glance as she tottered down the path. 

“I wasn’t bored at all.” Calum smiled, “I liked hearing his stories. It took my mind off everything a bit.”

May gave Calum a sympathetic smile as she wrapped him in a warm hug. “It must be quite a big change, moving all the way out here. I know you’ll settle in just fine, though. Your cousins are excited to show you around once you’re all unpacked.”

Don pecked a kiss to his wife’s cheek before grabbing Calum’s suitcase and heading towards the house. 

“Come on, love,” May muttered hastily ushering Calum towards the house as well. “Let's get you settled in.”

***

After meeting his cousins; Elaine, Wendy and Matthew, Calum had joined the family for a delicious lunch before his uncle had insisted that he come out and meet some of the other people that work for them.

Elaine had accompanied them for the tour of the grounds and her father had made a passing joke about someone named Ashton, who Calum could only assume Elaine had taken a fancy to.

It was late in the afternoon when Calum finally met the elusive Ashton. He’d been out plowing a field for most of the day, according to one of the older farmhands, whose name Calum had already forgotten.

Calum’s suspicions about his eldest cousin’s attractions to this boy were confirmed by her suddenly shy demeanor as Ashton trudged towards them. It wasn’t surprising that a sixteen-year-old girl would be attracted to someone like this. He was tall with broad shoulders and a very handsome face. He turned out to be very friendly as well. Offering to show Calum around the local village now that he’d finished his work for the day.

Don approved of the suggestion, seemingly happy for Calum to become friends with one of his favourite workers. 

Whilst Ashton got cleaned up, Calum spent a little time with the farm dogs. He’d never been able to have a pet of his own back in London, so it was nice to know he’d get the experience here. Elaine stayed with him, opting to be some silent company as he tried to soak in his new surroundings.

Once Ashton was ready he led the way into the village using a shortcut across the field. “I’d like to introduce you to a couple of my best friends, if you’re up for it.” The older boy said cheerfully. “I think you’ll like them a lot. They’re a bit stupid sometimes, but you’ll get used to them!”

In the back of his mind, Calum thought that Ashton hadn’t known him for nearly long enough to know what or who he’d like, but the farmhand had a cheerful and sweet nature that it made it difficult not to trust his judgment. “Even stupid friends would be better than what I had back home.” He replied with a humourless laugh. “No one seemed to want to know me, let alone be my friend so…”

An annoyed expression crossed Ashton’s handsome face for a moment. “Well, people like that aren’t worth knowing, anyway!” He huffed. “I hope you’ll have better luck here.”

It didn’t take long to reach the village. Just like the farm, the village was picturesque. Calum was sort of bemused by how quiet and lazy it all seemed. Everywhere you turned in London, there were signs that a war was happening; posters on the walls, soldiers, wreckages left behind by bombs… Here, the only indications that World War 2 was in progress were the headlines of the newspapers on display in the shops and the ration coupons in people’s hands. 

“I bet this is all strange to you, huh?” Ashton asked as he took in the bemused expression on Calum’s face. “I’m sure it’ll feel a bit more like home later, when the spitfires take off from the airbase.”

Such a comment could easily be perceived as insensitive, but yet again Ashton’s natural charm made it impossible to think he could ever actually mean to sound that way.

As they made their way along the quiet streets, Calum noticed the odd person staring at him. It wasn’t an unfamiliar experience but it wasn’t what he needed right now. He slumped his shoulders, trying to make himself small enough that Ashton could hide him from unfriendly eyes.

Unfortunately, the older boy didn’t seem to notice that anything was happening, he was too busy droning on about the nearby airbase and the fighter planes that it was currently home to.

“Hi, Ash!” A cheerful voice echoed through the fog filling Calum’s mind. “Are you free to spend some time with me and Mike tonight or are you busy with Jane again?”

The voice belonged to a lanky blonde boy with pretty blue eyes. He wiggled his eyebrows cheekily at Ashton before turning his attention to Calum. “Oh hello! You must be Farmer Hood’s nephew. I’m Luke Hemmings, Ashton's best and most handsome friend.” 

Calum shook the newcomer’s hand, taking heart in his friendly tone and the lack of suspicion in his eyes. He introduced himself nervously, feeling the need to impress Ashton’s friends if he wants to have any chance of calling them his own friends one day.

“Come on, Michael will be finishing his shift in the shop in a minute, I suppose you should meet him really,” Luke smirked, wrapping a pale skinny arm around Calum’s shoulders. “We tried to get rid of him but he just keeps clinging on to us, doesn’t he, Ash?”

Ashton rolled his eyes. “Don’t be mean, Luke!” He reprimanded. “Michael’s a hell of a lot less annoying than you most of the time.”

Calum couldn’t help but laugh at their friendly banter. He’d never had this sort of friendship with anyone and he could only hope that these boys would finally give him that chance.

The little group of boys made their way past the village green on to the main street. Luke and Ashton continued to offer friendly and fun conversation which successfully distracted Calum from any lingering glances from passersby.

“Ah, he’s already finished for the day!” Luke grinned as they neared the little grocery store. 

Calum followed Luke’s gaze to a boy standing next to the entrance to the shop. He was a little bit taller than Calum with dark blonde hair and pale skin. When he glanced up from the ground to greet his friends, Calum felt his breath catch in his throat. This had to be the most beautiful person he’d ever seen in his life. 

Michael smiled, waving at his friends as he pushed away from the wall and made his way over to them. “Afternoon, idiots.” He giggled, nudging Luke in the shoulder and earning himself a hair ruffle from Ashton. When his gaze met Calum's, his cheeks turned a pale pink and his eyes seemed to sparkle with some emotion that Calum couldn’t quite place. He seemed suddenly shy which judging by the confused expressions on Luke and Ashton’s faces, was pretty out of character for their friend.

“I’m Michael.” The blonde smiled bashfully, awkwardly offering him a hand to shake.

Calum shook it, trying to hide his own nerves. This was absolutely the last thing he needed right now. He was already going to find it hard to fit in here, his skin colour made sure of that. What he absolutely didn’t want, was these forbidden feelings toward another boy. He’d had them once or twice before, a little spark of attraction for a boy or man he’d pass in the street, but never like this, never to the extent where he was suddenly so aware of how hard his heart was beating that he was sure it could burst right out of his chest.

He had to find a way to control this, he wanted to be normal and fit in. Calum just wanted to make friends, he absolutely didn’t want to end up like the milkman’s son back in London. He shivered at the memory of how his whole street had gossiped about how young Tommy had been caught kissing another boy. He’d been disowned by his family after that and Calum hadn’t heard anything of him since. There’s no way he wanted to end up like that; he had to get his act together.

***

The news that Jane had broken up with Ashton and started seeing a fighter pilot from the nearby airbase, had spread quickly through the village. It made an already difficult situation even more horrid for Ashton. He couldn’t leave his house without people whispering behind their hands to each other or offering him sympathetic glances that he didn’t want.

Calum had been the one to suggest getting out of the village, riding their bikes out into the countryside and taking a little picnic. He’d asked his aunt and uncle for some spare food from the farm and a little day trip was quickly arranged.

On the chosen day, Michael, Luke and Ashton headed up to the farm to collect Calum en-route to the spot they always used to go as kids. 

When they arrived, Mrs Hood met them at the door, informing them that Calum had to help her husband mend a fence that morning, so he was running a little bit late.

She offered them some bread and cheese for their little trip and helped Ashton and Luke pack it into their bags. 

They sat at the table for a little while before Mrs. Hood suggested that one of the boys go and see if Calum’s almost ready. 

Michael volunteered, trying not to sound too eager. He’d gotten a lot of practice at that lately, although the slightly perplexed look on Calum’s aunt’s face told him that he probably needed a little more. 

He was already halfway up the stairs before he realized that he had no idea which bedroom was Calum’s. In fact, he’d never been to this floor of the farmhouse before. Most of his visits here were to meet Ashton, therefore he’d had very few reasons to enter the house at all. 

There were several doors leading off the landing, all but one of them were closed. The open door led to the bathroom; Michael could tell by the garish green wall tiles visible through the gap.

It was entirely possible that one of the Hood girls or Matthew were in their own rooms so Michael didn’t want to be a pest and knock on all of the doors. Instead, he called out Calum’s name, not too loudly but clear enough that someone in any of the rooms would hear him. 

It only took a second for the closest door to open, revealing a smiling and half-naked Calum. “Michael!” He greeted, opening his bedroom door a little wider. “Sorry I’m running a bit late, I had to help Uncle Don fix a fence out in one of the fields. Come in for a minute, I just need to grab a clean shirt.”

It took Michael a moment or two to work up the courage to follow Calum into his bedroom. It felt sort of naughty and forbidden to be alone with someone he had these feelings for. He’d never dream of acting on them of course, but it still felt like he shouldn’t be there, especially when Calum was topless, unwittingly showing Michael his muscly chest and arms. 

As strange as it felt to be alone with Calum in his room, Michael supposed that standing out on the landing would be fairly suspicious and so he finally forced his legs to move and follow Calum into the bedroom.

Even though the slightly younger boy had only inhabited this room for a few weeks, he’d already made it very much his own. Sure, the walls were still a neutral cream colour but Calum had filled them with postcards, pictures and photographs. Most of them were black and white, of course, but they still added a distinct character to the room.

To try and distract himself from looking at Calum’s body, Michael drifted over to examine a little cluster of postcards pinned up near the younger boy’s bed. They each depicted a different London landmark and Michael found himself staring at them dreamily.

“They remind me of home.” Calum said, breaking the silence as he joined Michael in looking at the postcards. “I know it’s probably quite childish to get homesick but I sort of miss London, even now when it’s so dangerous.”

“I don’t think it’s childish.” Michael reassured his friend. “I think it’s perfectly natural to miss home and your family. Especially when your home is somewhere as exciting as London!” He kept his gaze on the postcards, still not daring to look at Calum.

“When the war’s over and I move back there, you should come to visit!” Calum offered excitedly. “I’ll show you all the sights and take you to the best places to eat!”

Michael smiled as he finally forced himself to meet Calum’s gaze. “Would you take me see Buckingham Palace?” He asked, unsurprised at how shy he sounded all of a sudden. “I bet it’s so beautiful!”

Calum nodded. “Of course, what kind of tour guide would I be if I didn’t take you there?” 

Shrugging, Michael moved his gaze to a little framed photograph on Calum’s dresser. “Is that your family?” He asked, berating himself for asking such a stupid question.

Calum followed his gaze. “Yeah, it was taken a few years back. I’m the podgy kid right there.” He giggled pointing at the little boy in the picture. “That’s my older sister, Mali. She joined the WAAF last year, even though women don’t have to sign up, she wanted to do her bit.” His voice sounded a bit sad and Michael wondered what it must be like to have a sibling that you’re so close to. He’d thought about it before when Luke talked about his brothers, but Ben and Jack had always teased their younger sibling, and Michael had never quite understood their bond with Luke. Calum’s and Mali’s relationship seemed very different from the Hemmings siblings. In the few stories Calum had mentioned his sister in, he’d said her name so fondly, like he was describing his best friend.

***

As the little group of friends rode out of the village, Michael was pleased to see some of the tension slip from his eldest friend’s face. He could only hope that he’d see a smile there by the end of the day.

The further they got from the village the more relaxed Ashton became, although the weight of his troubles was clear by the dark circles under his eyes and his slightly more prominent cheekbones from where he’d lost weight from his face.

They rode their bikes for over an hour until they reached a pretty little spot near to a brook. Michael, Luke, and Ashton had come to this spot many times growing up, racing sticks under the nearby rickety bridge, and paddling in the clear water. 

It was clear by the look of wonder on Calum’s face, though, that the city boy had never really had anywhere like this to play. 

Michael couldn’t quite bring himself to look away from his new friend as they parked up their bikes next to the bridge and started to unpack the food. He had grown to like Calum very quickly. Their friendship had seemed to blossom more and more with every day they spent together.

Calum was extremely interesting; his stories about London and general city life captivated Michael for hours on end, but he knew deep down that it wasn’t just his curiosity about places he’d never visited before that made Calum appealing to him. The way that the slightly younger boy’s face would creep into his mind when he was alone in bed was enough to let Michael know that he was attracted to Calum in ways that he shouldn’t be. 

Even though he knew he’d have to find a way to get past his feelings, Michael found it incredibly difficult, especially on days like today when Calum looked so beautiful.

As Ashton and Luke laid out the picnic, Michael kicked off his shoes and gestured for Calum to do the same. “Come on, the water’s always so nice and cool!” He giggled as he stepped into the shallow brook. 

Calum smiled wistfully as he took off his own shoes and followed his friend into the water. He gasped slightly at the change in temperature and Michael giggled to hide the spark of interest that ignited in the pit of his stomach. 

“So you all come out here a lot then?” Calum asked, aiming his question primarily at Michael seeing as he was the closest. “I would have practically lived out here when I was a kid if I’d grown up here.”

Michael nodded. “We used to come out here at least once a week during the summer. Our parents used to bring us here when we were little so we’ve always known the way. It’s a popular picnic spot.”

Calum listened intently to various stories that Michael recounted of visiting this spot as a kid and he had to try not to melt every time Calum laughed or even grinned at something he said. 

Once Ashton and Luke had the picnic all set up, they shouted for the two boys to join them. 

As they all settled down together, Michael tried to concentrate on what Luke was saying about the letters his parents had received from his brothers. Having been friends with Luke for almost as long as he can remember, Michael was obviously invested in the older Hemmings’ brothers safety. Ben and Jack meant a whole lot to Luke and by extension, Michael, too. He couldn’t quite get Calum out of his brain, though. He pretended to be extremely interested in a shiny stone he’d scooped up from the brook, turning it over and over in his hands whilst he focused on the bare skin of Calum’s crossed legs, poking out from beneath his shorts. He was only a couple of months younger than Michael, which meant he wasn’t far off turning 16. Puberty was obviously being much kinder to Calum than it was to Michaael. The slightly older boy had gotten nothing but acne and a messy smattering of blonde hair over his legs, chest and under his arms, whereas Calum had experienced none of that. He was starting to get broader and stronger. Sure, the farm work he’d been doing would have helped with that but his face was getting less soft and his features were becoming more defined. It was easy for Michael to see flashes of the man Calum was destined to become and he couldn’t shake the image from his mind, no matter how hard he tried. 

“... And Jack’s still seeing that girl so mum is convinced they’ll get engaged soon.” Luke mumbled around a mouthful of bread and cheese. 

Ashton dropped his gaze miserably and Calum swatted the youngest friend across his arm for being so mindless.

It took a moment for Luke to realise what he’d done to earn such a punishment. When it hit, though, he looked truly shaken by his own stupidity. “Oh, I’m sorry, Ash… I-”

“It’s okay.” Ashton shrugged, although his deflated posture and miserable expression said otherwise. “I’m pleased for Jack, I really am.”

The other three boys exchanged a desperate look, hoping that someone could save the situation. Before any of them could come up with anything, Ashton let out a tiny laugh. “You boys are stupid as hell, all three of you.” Despite his harsh words, there was a fondness in his tone that was absolutely undeniable. He confirmed his love for friends by adding “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

November 1940

Michael’s 16th birthday had been pretty uneventful so far. 

His dad had been his usual, miserable, hungover self at breakfast, barely acknowledging his son, let alone wishing him a happy birthday. His mum had knitted him a new jumper, green to bring out the colour in his eyes. 

Mr Robertson had been particularly nice to him, offering him a longer lunch break, which he’d spent with Calum since he’d timed his delivery perfectly. That had been the highlight of his day so far, huddled in the back room of the shop eating a slice of cake that Calum’s aunt had baked. They’d made fun of Ashton still being oblivious to Elaine’s affections for him and confirmed their plan for a little celebration at Ashton’s house in the evening.

The afternoon had passed pretty quickly after that and before he knew it, Michael was heading home. He needed to pack an overnight bag since he was staying over at Ashton’s later. His mum worked as a barmaid at the village pub so the boys would have the house to themselves and they wanted to enjoy that rare freedom as fully as possible. Therefore they’d all planned to stay there for the night. 

Michael packed some of his warmest clothes and headed out, only sparing a moment to kiss his mother goodbye and scratch Sammy behind the ear before disappearing out into the chilly evening.

Ashton and Calum had convinced Farmer Hood to let them leave work a little early for the occasion, promising to make up the hour by working over for the rest of the week. Michael was incredibly grateful to them and Luke, feeling an almost overwhelming fondness for them as he jogged towards their meeting place.

Sure enough, all three boys were huddled together at the far end of the village green, waiting for him. They smiled as he approached, each of them ruffling his hair or punching his shoulder playfully as soon as he reached them. 

“Are you ready for your little birthday party?” Ashton asked cheerfully as he led the way to his house. 

Michael nodded enthusiastically drawing a chuckle from each of his friends.

“We clubbed together to get you a little something.” Luke announced, earning himself a nudge from Calum.

“It was meant to be a surprise, Luke!” He huffed irritably. “He was meant to think we hadn’t brought him anything!” In the dying light, Michael managed to hide his fond gaze from Calum beneath the wooly hat Mr Robertson had gifted to him earlier. His feelings for the slightly younger boy seemed to grow more by the day and he wasn’t sure how much longer he could conceal them successfully.

When they reached Ashton’s house, Michael kicked off his shoes and followed his friends into the little kitchen. “Mum had been cooking before she left for work so it’s quite warm in here.” Ashton said, taking a seat at the table that had already been filled with some special treats. 

“I hope you like apple pie.” Calum laughed. “My aunt insisted on making one of you.”

“Well whatever he doesn’t eat, I’ll make sure it doesn’t get wasted!” Luke giggled loudly as he slipped into the seat next to Ashton.

***

After they’d eaten, Luke, Calum and Ashton presented Michael with a little bundle of gifts which included a small bar of chocolate, socks and a shiny new bell for his bike. He couldn’t find the right words to thank them, knowing that none of them had much money and the fact that they’d spent any of it on him made his heart feel so full.

They spent a little while talking in Ashton’s kitchen until Luke suggested playing some parlour games. The youngest friend had always been terrible at charades and ‘who am I?’, so unsurprisingly the brief games descended into fits of giggles in a matter of a few minutes.

After a few failed attempts at completing a game, Calum finally declared it hopeless and curled up next to the fire instead. His lips were still curved in a pretty smile as he patted the spot next to him. Michael knew that his friend could be indicating to any of the other boys to sit next to him but the birthday boy chose to believe that the gesture was for him. 

Luke and Ashton probably didn’t even notice the way Calum’s eyes sparkled in the firelight, or the way that a muscle twitches in his jaw when he’s nervous or tense. They were all things that Michael shouldn’t be noticing either but little ‘Calum’ things like that occupied his brain more than he cared to mention.

“Okay, so I’m just gonna say it…” Luke announced as he dropped to the ground next to Michael.

The blonde’s stomach lurched as he realised he was staring at Calum. Luke had obviously noticed and now his birthday was destined to be the worst day of his life because the three most important people in the world to him were going to hate him...

“I know I’m not the only one that’s noticed, but you two are hopeless so I’m going to be the one to get it out in the open.” Luke continued, pointing an accusing finger at Michael and then Calum.

Michael’s brain wouldn’t work fast enough. He needed to shut Luke down, if he put into words, what Michael knew in his heart, it’d all be over. His brain wouldn’t work though, his mouth felt dry and no words would force themselves from his throat. 

“Elaine has been all over Ashton since forever, and it’s been long enough since Jane now.” The youngest friend shrugged, turning his attention to Ashton who seemed to have been silently bracing himself for this conversation. 

Michael felt his body relax as he let out a steady breath. He’d never felt so relieved to have the subject of Ashton’s love life brought up before. 

The eldest friend sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of his nose and furrowing his eyebrows as though he was trying to block out Luke’s words. “She’s not interested in me, Luke.” He said. “Elaine could have pretty much whoever she wants, why would she even look twice at me?”

“Because she’s been in love with you since she was a little kid.” Calum chuckled. “I’ve only been here for a few months and even I’ve picked up on that.” 

Michael was momentarily distracted by the beautiful sound of Calum’s laugh but he managed to bring his focus back to the conversation to add a simple comment. “Calum’s right, Elaine has always had eyes for you, Ash. You’re the only one that’s never noticed.”

The brunette boy slumped back, propping himself up in his panic elbows. “You’re just saying that because you think I need a girlfriend…” Ashton huffed, although his eyes had started to glaze over a little like he was daydreaming. 

Smirking knowingly, Luke nudged his friend’s shoulder. “We wouldn’t lie to you, Ashy boy.” He insisted. “You’re just wasting time by convincing yourself that she doesn’t want you. You could be using that time to woo her.” 

Michael could tell that Ashton was thinking about it carefully. He obviously thought Elaine was pretty and they’d always had a lot in common, it seemed crazy that they weren’t already an item. 

“I don’t know…” Ashton sighed, scratching the back of his neck nervously. “After Jane, I just-”

“Forget her!” Calum scoffed, reaching over to nuge Ashton’s leg. “She was never right for you and you shouldn’t let her ruin your chances with Elaine. You have a chance to be happy with someone who really likes you, Ash.” He explained, his expression and tone serious enough to pull everyone’s full attention.

 Ashton dropped his gaze, curling in on himself a bit. He seemed to get lost in his own thoughts for a long moment, during which everyone else stayed silent, giving him the time he needed to process his feelings.

Michael watched his eldest friend for a moment, but he could feel Calum’s gaze burning a hole into the side of his face. His heart seemed to beat out a hard rhythm in his chest as he summoned the courage to meet Calum’s eyes. The slightly younger boy’s expression had softened a little bit, but there was something burning deep in his eyes that Michael couldn’t ignore. It would have been impossible to explain to anyone else, but Michael just knew that the ‘something’ was a hidden meaning in the speech he’d just given to Ashton. In that moment, Michael realised that his friend’s words were not only meant to give their older friend the courage to finally ask out Elaine, but also to let Michael know that he also had the chance to be with someone who really liked him.

***

A couple of hours later, Ashton and Luke claimed the eldest friend’s bed for themselves, falling asleep almost immediately after snuggling into the warm blankets. 

Even though their evening had been filled with a lot more fun after they’d convinced Ashton to go for it with Elaine, Michael’s mind had been constantly working over Calum’s ‘hidden message’ to him. He was convinced that’s what it'd been and his head was spinning from it. 

His mind was racing too much to sleep and so he’d started a whispered rambling conversation with Calum about how he wanted to learn to make things for his loved ones for Christmas. “... I'm not really good at anything, though.” He sighed. “I guess I’ll just have to buy everyone something.”

Calum let out a quiet giggle as he snuggled further into his blankets. “I’ll settle for a promise that you’ll carry on being my friend.”

The room was pretty dark but Calum was lying close enough that Michael could make out the younger boy’s sad eyes, despite the faint smile that was still curving the corners of his lips. “Why would I ever stop being your friend?” He asked in a hushed voice, shuffling a bit closer to Calum.

Calum shrugged his shoulders. “I’ve just never really had friends like you, Luke and Ashton before.” He replied. “You're the first people who’ve ever really given me the time of day, besides my family.”

A frown creased Michael’s face as he automatically reached out to his friend under the blankets, curling his fingers gently around Calum’s lower arm. “Why on earth wouldn’t people give you their time?” He asked, genuinely confused as to how anyone couldn’t be instantly in love with Calum when they met him. “You’re one of the funniest, kindest, most caring people I’ve ever met. I feel like you’ve been my friend for as long as Ash and Luke have.”

A little of the worry that had been etched into Calum’s handsome features disappeared at Michael’s words and his smile looked a little more natural now. “Really?” He asked, his voice barely a while as he covered Michael’s hand with his own. “Most people just see the colour of my skin and automatically assume I’m nothing like them before running in the opposite direction.”

Two opposing but equally powerful feelings erupted inside Michael at once. Nervous but excited butterflies burst into life in his tummy at the feeling of Calum’s fingers curling around his hand, yet a searing anger burned in his chest at the thought of anyone disrespecting Calum because of the colour of his skin. “Well that’s their loss.” Michael whispered, shuffling closer to Calum so that he could pull him into a hug. “I wouldn’t change one bit of you.”

Calum let out a relieved chuckle as he nestled into the hug. Michael tried to enjoy the close physical connection without worrying too much about how he should not be feeling those butterflies in his tummy.

“You’re a good friend, Mike.” Calum whispered. His breath ghosted over Michael’s cheek as he spoke but the slightly older boy managed to control the shiver it caused. “It’s been a difficult few weeks with the bombings in London, it’s like I’m constantly worried I’ll get letter saying that my mum’s been injured or worse…”

Michael stroked Calum’s back in what he hoped was a soothing gesture. He couldn’t imagine how scared his friend must be at the moment. The blitz was rumbling on, wreaking havoc in most of Britain’s major cities but London was by far bearing the worst of it. “I really hope the air strikes stop soon.” Michael uttered, not really knowing what else he could say. “You know I’m always here if you need to talk or anything.”

Tightening his hold around Michael, Calum places a kiss on the pale boy’s cheek before pulling back a little. “I know, and I appreciate it a lot.” He replied. “I’m always here for you too, Mike.”

The younger boy closed his eyes and Michael could just make out a faint smile on his lips as he whispered goodnight. Michael couldn’t help but notice that Calum didn’t remove his arm that was draped over him, it made the blonde boy melt a little, he loved being this close to Calum. He knew that he shouldn’t live it, he shouldn’t feel this excitement bubbling inside of him and his skin shouldn’t tingle whenever his newest friend made physical contact with him. Michael was sure he was getting quite good at hiding all of that but right here and now, I’m the darkness of Ashton’s bedroom, he allowed those feelings to flow freely through him. 

January 1941

The papers were saying it was the worst snowfall since 1888. Life in the village had all but ground to halt because of it. 

Calum shouldn’t have been surprised, of course. He’d been looking forward to a little birthday get together with his friends since Christmas had been sort of a write-off. Michael had been forced to stay home to play happy families with his alcoholic father whilst Luke had been carted off to visit his grandparents for the festive season. Luckily, Ashton had still been around, in fact he’d spent a fair bit of his spare time at the farm since Luke had called him out about his feelings for Elaine. Calum wasn’t complaining, he liked spending time with Ashton, even when he wasn’t the main reason for the older boy’s presence. 

Despite his increased interest in Elaine, Ashton still hadn’t actually asked her out yet and it was starting to get tedious. As much Calum enjoyed his friend staying behind after work and visiting on Sundays, he wasn’t sure how much longer he could stand the blatant flirting and almost confessions. If something didn’t give soon, Calum was going to have to take matters into his own hands.

Not today, though. January 25th was Calum’s day. His first birthday since moving to Yorkshire and he was determined to enjoy every second of it, even if the weather had decided to betray him.

He’d enjoyed a nice day so far, his aunt and uncle had treated him just as they did their own children on their birthdays. They’d given him a nice breakfast and some little gifts before assuring him that Don and Elaine could manage feeding all the animals on their own for one day. 

Having been given the day off, Calum spent his time preparing for the little gathering he’d planned with his friends. Wendy helped him clean the parlour whilst Mrs Hood made what party food she could from the farm’s leftovers. 

All in all, Calum couldn’t really be happier given the circumstances of his 16th birthday. He’d already received letters and gifts from both of his parents and his sister so he was in generally high spirits. 

As the time that his friends should have arrived came and went, Calum’s good mood faltered. He knew the bad weather meant that it might take them longer to get to the farm but he never once thought that it would deter them altogether.

Around an hour after his friends were due to arrive, Wendy and Elaine came into the parlour with sympathetic looks on their faces as they invited him to join them in the main sitting room. “We can play board games!” The youngest girl chimed, gripping Calum’s hand and gesturing towards the door. 

Calum tried to smile but his heart felt heavy. He’d been looking forward to tonight all week. As much as he loved the company of his family, there was nothing he enjoyed more than spending time with his friends. “That sounds nice.” He replied, forcing himself to stand up. “We should probably eat all of this food your mum made too…”

Wendy nodded excitedly grabbing a plate of the little cakes she’d helped to make earlier in the day. A tiny giggle escaped Calum as he picked up a couple more of the plates. Elaine gave his arm a sympathetic squeeze before she followed his lead and gathered up the rest of the food laying on the coffee table. 

The little group hadn’t quite made it out of the room before the doorbell rang. Calum almost dropped the plates he was holding in his newly ignited excitement.

Elaine laughed as she placed the food she’d been holding back on the table before heading off to answer the door. Calum did the same, following his cousin like an excited puppy. 

When he reached the hallway, his heart felt suddenly ten times happier as his eyes landed in a very windswept and cold looking Michael.

“You made it!” Calum exclaimed. “I was worried you’d all forgotten or something.”

Michael gave his friend an apologetic smile as he shuffled out of his coat and pulled off his gloves, scarf and hat before hanging them up on the hooks near the front door. “We’d never forget your birthday!” He assured Calum. “I’m sorry it’s only me that was able to make it here, though.” His green eyes looked suddenly very sad and Calum had an overwhelming urge to do whatever it might take to make them shine happily again. “Ashton’s grandparents arrived for impromptu visit and Luke’s come down with a really bad cold so…”

“That’s okay!” Calum cut in. Even though he was disappointed by Ashton’s and Luke’s absence, having Michael there on his birthday meant the most to him. He’d developed a deep bond with the blonde boy in the few short months since he’d moved to the farm. They shared a lot of the same interests and since their little heart-to-heart on Michael’s birthday, their friendship had only blossomed further. “We have food in the parlour and aunt May lit the fire in there for us too!”

Michael’s smile became softer and more genuine as he followed Calum to the parlour. “Ash and Luke are really sorry they couldn’t make it, they’ve sent presents and told me to wish you a happy birthday from them.”

“Ah they didn’t have to do any of that!” Calum insisted, closing the parlour door before gesturing for Michael to take a seat. 

The blonde dropped into one of the cushioned chairs before holding out a little paper bag that Calum hadn’t even noticed his friend had been carrying. 

“I’ll look at them later.” Calum said, setting the bag down near the coffee table, “let’s eat first! I’m starving!”

Michael giggled, his emerald eyes sparkling prettily as he nodded. “Me too! It took me so much longer to walk here through all of that snow!”

Calum patted his friend’s arm affectionately before handing him a sandwich. “Here eat this!”

Accepting the sandwich gratefully, Michael took a bite. “Your aunt makes the best sandwiches.” He mumbled as soon as he swallowed.

Calum couldn’t really disagree with that. Then again, he didn’t often disagree with anything Michael said or did.

***

After a couple of hours of fun conversation with Michael, Calum’s disappointment at only having one friend turn up to his birthday party had long since fizzled away. 

Michael was like a ball of sunshine. He just radiated love and happiness, two things that Calum was quickly becoming addicted to. He found himself staring at the blonde boy dreamily as Michael rattled on about gossip he’d heard in the shop. “...And apparently Mr Greenwell won’t even talk to her now, so that must make things very difficult seeing as they live right next door to each other!”

The way that Michael’s eyes gleamed excitedly at the idle gossip, made Calum’s heart melt. If Michael was a girl, he’s sure he’d have kissed her by now. The fleeting notion brought butterflies to Calum’s tummy as his gaze drifted to Michael’s lips. If he was entirely honest with himself, he wanted to kiss Michael right now. He didn’t care if they were both boys. Why should such a silly detail like that stop Calum from following his heart.

“I’m sorry.” Michael giggled, blushing a little as he realised he’d been talking for over ten minutes, barely pausing for a breath. “You probably don’t care about stupid village gossip…”

“Of course I do!” Calum lied. He’d never been good at lying but if a tiny fib would save Michael any embarrassment, Calum would definitely do it. “Living out here in the farm, I don’t get to hear much about what’s going on in the village. I rely on you to keep me up to date!”

Michael smiled at the compliment before shuffling a little closer to Calum. The two of them were sitting cross legged by the fire, forgoing the comfort of the armchairs in order to be as warm as possible. At least that’s the reason Calum would admit to himself. Secretly, he thought that the tiny contact of Michael’s knee brushing against his own was well worth the pins and needles in his feet and lower legs.

“Well now that your village news bulletin is over, can I give you your birthday present from me?” Michael asked, his tone suddenly adopting a shyness that only Calum alone seemed to be privy to.

The slightly younger boy nodded trying not to let the forbidden thoughts about what he’d really like his present from Michael to be. 

The blonde reached past Calum to grab the paper bag that was still sitting next to the armchair where he’d left it earlier. As Michael rummaged around to find the present that was for him, Calum automatically placed a hand on his friend’s back and immediately regretted it when he had to try and ignore the tiny tremor that ran through Michael before he looked back, meeting Calum’s gaze with slightly startled eyes.

Not being able to bring himself to apologise, Calum simply removed his hand and asked “did you find it?” 

Michael hummed his confirmation but the blush in his cheeks told Calum that he was still thinking about that fleeting touch. If he was being entirely honest with himself, Calum couldn’t shake off the fuzzy feeling it had given him either.

“So…” Michael said, finally sitting back next to Calum, a little closer than he was before, but still not quite as close as the younger boy would have liked. “I wish I could have made something for you but I’m terrible at everything so I got you these instead.” He pulled out a tiny paper bag, that bashful, slightly scared look back on his pretty face. 

Calum knew as soon as he took the bag from Michael what was inside it and the thought almost brought a tear to his eye. “Cola cubes?” He asked in a shocked whisper. 

Nodding sort of proudly, Michael gestured for his friend to open the bag. “I know they’re your favourites.” He clarified, fiddling sort of nervously with a strand of his hair. 

Calum opened the bag and licked his lips as the familiar but increasingly rare, sugary smell hit him. Despite his almost overwhelming urge to take one of the sweets, he immediately closed the bag and held it out to Michael. “I can’t accept these…” He said quietly, “you must have used your sweets rations for the week on them.” 

Michael’s face took on a hurt expression as he shrugged. “Yeah but they were worth it…” he admitted in a reserved tone. “I’d rather have spent the rations on cola cubes for you than anything for myself.” 

The sincerity in Michael’s voice turned Calum’s insides into jelly. He really wasn't sure how much longer he could resist doing something he knew he should never do. “You’re the kindest person I’ve ever met you know.” He said, a tiny giggle punctuating his sentence. 

The light blush in Michael’s cheeks deepened and he rapidly buried his face in Calum’s shoulder like a shy child. “I just like doing nice things for my friends.” He mumbled, although Calum was too busy fighting the urge to kiss the top of the blonde’s head to take too much notice of what he was saying. “Especially you.” Michael added, chancing a glance at Calum through his lashes. 

Calum was fighting his urges with every ounce of strength he had as he forced a smile and gently backed away so that he could stand up. “At least let me share them with you.” He insisted, offering Michael a hand to help him to his feet. “Let’s eat them in my room because I actually have a gift for you as well.”

Michael looked shocked but followed Calum out into the hallway and up the stairs. They remained silent but their smiles never faltered until Calum’s bedroom door was closed and his little room was filled with soft lamplight. Only then did a tension settle over the two of them, it felt suddenly romantic as Michael perched on the edge of Calum’s bed, glancing up at him expectantly but with a slight fear lurking the depths of his emerald eyes. Perhaps Calum was the only other person in the world who could understand that mixture of emotions in that moment because he couldn’t think of any other way to describe his own feelings. 

There was definitely a nervous anticipation surrounding them as Calum tried to decide whether his gift to Michael was a little too on the romantic side. He couldn’t really back out of it now though, not when Michael was eagerly awaiting a gift. 

Trying to shake off his nerves, Calum crosses the room to where he’d hidden the gift behind his lamp. “I wanted to give you this on your birthday, but I never really got a chance and then we didn’t see each other much over Christmas so…”

“It’s okay Calum.” Michael smiled softly. “I know I’ll love it, whatever it is!” He looked so soft in the dim light that Calum almost forgot what he was doing. “Besides, it’s always nice to get gifts when it’s not even a special occasion!”

Calum couldn’t really argue with that and so he picked up the little postcard that he had stashed behind his lamp a couple of months ago and took a deep breath. “I know that this caught your eye the first time you saw my postcards and so I wanted you to have it.” 

All of the fear and nerves vanished from Michael’s face as he took the post card and stared down delightedly at the picture of Buckingham Palace. “Calum!” He gasped, as the younger boy sat down beside him.. “You don't have to give me this…”

“I want to.” Calum replied with a slight giggle. “You seemed to really like it and I wrote you a little message on the back.” He gently slid the postcard from Michael’s grip, trying not to pay attention to the way his fingers tingled when they brushed against Michael’s. He turned the card over to display his neat handwriting. 

It’s a date. C x

Michael read the incredibly short message out loud before tilting his head to meet Calum’s gaze. “Cal… this is…”

Calum couldn’t quite read Michael’s tone. He could be choked up because he thought it was a thoughtful gift but he could just as easily be trying to Calum that this was perhaps a step beyond friendship that he didn’t want to take. “It’s too sappy isn’t it?” He asked, trying not to sound too hurt or disappointed. “I shouldn’t have wrote that message, especially not with a kiss on the end it’s too…”

“It’s perfect.” Michael interjected, his tone quiet but incredibly certain as he leaned a touch closer to Calum. “I'm really excited for our London date after the war is over.” He smiled, although it faded from his face as his gaze dropped to land on Calum’s lips. “And the kiss is a cute touch…”

Michael’s face seemed to drift impossibly closer to Calum’s and their lips were almost touching before either of them registered what was happening. When reality hit, Michael paused, seemingly frozen in fear, or perhaps giving Calum the time to back up if he wanted to. 

After a short moment, the feeling of Michael’s breath ghosting over his lips spurred Calum into action. It was clear that Michael wanted the same thing he did but he was too scared to go through with it. Calum would have to make the move. He placed his trembling hand on Michael’s cheek and stroked over his pale skin with the pad of his thumb. “Michael.” He whispered. “Kissing you is I’ve thought about since the moment we met.”

The blonde nodded before melting into Calum’s touch as his eyes drifted closed and Calum finally closed the gap between his own lips and Michael’s. 

The kiss was absolutely everything Calum had ever imagined it to be. Michael felt soft and pliant against him and their lips moved in perfect synchronisation. There was no way of telling how long it lasted but Calum was panting for air by the time they broke apart. 

Michael’s cheeks were so flushed as he pulled away, his eyes sparkling with some emotion that Calum couldn’t quite identify. It was definitely a positive one though. “I’ve wanted that since you first moved here, too.” Michael admitted. “I know it’s wrong but…”

Calum shook his head. His heart was still racing from one of the best moments of his whole life and he didn’t want to ruin it by talking about the very reason he hadn’t made it happen sooner. “I don’t care about that.” He said quietly. “I don’t know how anything that can feel this amazing could be wrong.” 

Michael giggled and shuffled closer to curl into Calum’s side. “You’re right.” He agreed, resting his head on Calum’s shoulder. “Do you fancy doing it again?”

Calum chuckled before placing a kiss into Michael’s hair. “Definitely, but i need to catch my breath first.” He replied, stroking Micheal's arm gently over the sleeve of his thick jumper. “Besides, I love holding you like this.”

In way of a silent agreement, Michael nestled further into Calum’s hold. “Good because I could happily stay like this forever.”

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