summary: michael’s homophobic parents are coming to visit so he asks calum to pretend to date him as an extra ‘fuck you’
“Calum! My favourite person!” Michael plopped next to Calum on the couch. “Have I told you that you look super handsome today?” He smiled brightly.
“What do you want?” Calum asked without taking his gaze off his phone.
“Ahhh you know me too well” Michael chuckled. “You know that my super homophobic parents are visiting me tomorrow?” He asked to which Calum nodded. “I’ll come out to them and I need your help with that.” He said like it was nothing.
“I don’t like where this is going.” Calum looked at Michael.
“Oh c’mon! It’s not that big of a deal. I just need you to pretend to be my boyfriend! Please say yes!” He blinked rapidly, smiling pleadingly.
“Michaeeel” Calum groaned. “Why?”
“Because I need something as an extra ‘fuck you’,” Michael explained.
“Do I even have a choice? Can I actually say ‘no’ to this?” Calum sighed.
Michael made a face that clearly said ‘no, you don’t have a choice’ and Calum sighed again. He truly didn’t want to be in the centre of tomorrow’s drama but at the same time he needed- wanted to be there for Michael.
When he came out he was lucky enough his parents didn’t really care about his sexuality and nothing’s changed. But he knew that wouldn’t happen with Michael’s parents. For as long as he could remember they were always against even the possibility of the same-sex relationships. And while he was out-and-proud in high school Michael couldn’t even talk about his sexuality with the two people in the entire world who were supposed to love and support him no matter what because he was afraid of what could happen.
But luckily, as soon as they moved out and rent an apartment together, Michael was becoming more and more comfortable with himself and now as a twenty-two-year-old man, he was totally himself. And Calum couldn’t be more proud of him for that.
“Ugh… Okay. I’ll do it. But you owe me big time.” Calum said finally.
“Awesome! Let’s go!.” Michael clapped his hands and took Calum by the arm.
“What do you think you’re doing exactly?”
“We’re coming back home. We need to make sure it’s believable and in order to do that we need to practise being even closer than we’re now.” Michael started explaining while dragging Calum to their apartment.
“I’m telling you now, this won’t end well.”
“Less talking more walking!. Here.” Michael stopped for a second and offered Calum his hand.” Take my hand.”
Calum was about to argue why he should do it but eventually decided against it and just took Michael’s hand which was pleasantly warm. Michael intertwined their finger to what Calum just rolled his eyes but didn’t say anything. And about fifteen minutes later they were entering their place.
While Calum went to the kitchen to make them both hot chocolate, Michael sat on the couch in their tiny living room and started thinking about how they can prepare best for tomorrow.
“So… boyfriend how are gonna practice?” He was so lost in thoughts that Calum’s voice made him jump.
“I was thinking we can just have a normal movie night but with a lot more of cute pet names, cuddling and all of that.” Michael shrugged suddenly feeling a little anxious.
“Cool.” Calum simply said.
He took a blanket from the armchair and sat next to Michael, covering them both. He snuggled closer to his best friend / fake boyfriend and leaned his head on Michael’s shoulder.
“What you wanna watch, babe?” Michael asked adding a pet name.
“Oh, I don’t know, hot stuff.” Calum teased which made them both chuckled. “We could finally finish season four of brooklyn nine-nine?” He proposed.
“Sounds perfect.” Michael agreed and a few seconds later episode sixteenth of season four was playing.
The longer they were watching the more comfortable and natural they were feeling in their fake relationship. Both of them were unbelievably cuddly and full of super cheesy pet names for each other.
Three episodes in their marathon Calum decided he needed to change his position because his butt started hurting from all this sitting – cue to Michael’s terrible pun about Calum’s ass. Calum lay down on his side with his head on Michael’s lap. A moment later Michael’s hand almost automatically wandered to Calum’s hair and he started brushing it – he had no idea how soft and fluffy his hair was. His other hand was on Calum’s side and soon after Calum brought it closer and begun playing with his fingers.
“I’m gonna make more popcorn and maybe grab a beer,” Calum announced after another hour. “Want anything else?”
“Popcorn, beer and you, that’s everything I need,” Michael answered, smiling cheesily.
Calum chuckled, shaking his head and when he was getting up Michael slapped his butt.
“Control yourself, Harrison!” Calum yelled on his way to the kitchen.
This time Michael was the one to shake his head. He let out a breathy laugh and with a huge grin on his face leaned his head against the backrest of the couch. Then he decided to join Calum in the kitchen. He got up and headed where Calum was currently waiting for the popcorn to be done.
“Miss me already?” Calum asked teasingly as Michel wrapped his arms around his waist from behind.
“Nah, just can’t wait for the beer.”
“Sure you can’t.”
For a moment they were standing in silence the only sound coming from the microwave. Then suddenly Calum turned around and they both were taken aback by how close their faces were. But Calum quickly started fooling around again, running his hands all over Michael’s face in a very not sexy way and not much longer they were laughing again.
And Michael had no idea what possessed him but a second later his lips were on Calum’s and just like that they were kissing. It wasn’t full-on make-out session. It was slow, every kiss was gentle and soft like they were getting to know each other on a totally different level that none of them ever thought about.
Then all of a sudden Michael practically jumped away from Calum as if his best friend’s lips shocked him. But that wasn’t the case. Michael was flooded with an avalanche of feelings he had never felt before towards Calum. It felt so right, kissing Calum – like he was meant to do just that. And he liked it – he liked it so much he wanted to do that again and again and again…
“I- I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to- I-” Michael tried to say something but couldn’t think of what to say. “I forgot I have a work to do. I’m sorry.” He mumbled quickly and practically run towards his room.
“Michael-”
“I’ll see you tomorrow!” He didn’t let Calum finish and loudly closed his door.
For another few seconds, Calum stood in the same place dumbfounded, not sure what he should do right now. His eyes wide and mouth open, completely shocked. And when the microwave beeped he almost had a heart attack. Finally, he figured out there’s no use in standing in the kitchen all night. He put the beers in the fridge and went to his own room.
Nor Michael or Calum slept that night. Calum was still super confused and at this point not exactly sure what happened. Michael, on the other hand, was painfully aware of what he’s done. And he couldn’t stop himself from thinking he just ruined one truly good thing in his life which was his friendship with Calum.
When they woke up – or more precisely just got out if beds the sun had barely risen. While Calum decided tp took a shower Michael practically run off of the house. He left a note for Calum, saying he decided for a quick run to clear his mind before his parents come. And his ‘quick run’ lasted almost three hours which was suspicious since normally Michael had a hard time to pass an hour. But when he finally came back Calum didn’t say anything about it.
And there was this unbearable tension and the awkward silence between then that happened only one time before when Calum showed up unannounced at Michael’s house and went to his room and saw completely naked Michael who just came out of the shower.
But there was nothing Calum could do because until Michael’s parents showed up he was evidently avoiding Calum. And to be honest Calum wasn’t even sure if Michael still wants him to be his ‘extra fuck you’ but just in case he dressed up nicer than usual.
Ever since Calum came out and the word that he likes boys too was spread he immediately lost the ‘my best friend’s parents favourite friend’ privilege. He now was ‘the bad influence’.
When Michael’s parents were taking off their coats Calum discretely leaned and asked Michael if he still wants to be fake boyfriends just to be sure. And after Michael nodded Calum went for it and took Michael’s hand. He could see how Michael tensed when their hands touched. He clenched his jaw and closed his eyes for a quick second.
“Michael. What are you doing? Please stop holding hands with him. You know how this looks.” Michael’s mother said contemptuously.
“I won’t,” Michael answered and stood even closer to Calum.
“You won’t?”
“I will not because Calum and I are dating.” He said with his head high. “He’s my boyfriend.” He added and looked at Calum with something so different in his eyes that it took away Calum’s breath for a moment.
“If you think this is funny Michael-” Michael’s father started but was quickly interrupted by his son.
“I’m not. Mom, dad I’m bisexual.” He stated. “And since I’m a grown man I can date whoever I want and there’s nothing you can do about it. Now, who wants some tea?” He smiled way too nicely.
“Don’t bother. We won’t be staying.” Mr Harrison said and handed her wife her coat.
When a few minutes later the door slammed after them, Calum gave Michael’s hand a reassuring squeeze which made him look at Calum. He knew this was very hard for his best friend so without another word he pulled Michael into a bone-crushing hug. They were standing there, not saying anything for quite a moment.
“I think I’m in love with you, Calum,” Michael whispered burying his head in the hollow of Calum’s neck.
“Is that why you’ve been avoiding me almost all day,” Calum asked.
“I just didn’t know what to do or say. I still don’t.” He confessed and looked Calum in the eyes.
“You can start by kissing me again.” Calum proposed, smiling fondly at his definitely-more-than-best-friend.
First, there was a shock on Michael’s face which was quickly replaced with a huge smile and the next thing Calum new Michael was lifting him up and their lips met in a long slow and sweet kiss.