4. Nightmares

General POV

The boys were having a discussion on the terrace when Mason came running. 

"Boss. Callum ". He ran back to Callum 's room followed by all. Stephen had told him to stay with Callum  after he put him in his bed. 

Stephen rushed into the room only to find a whimpering Callum . He was tossing in the bed. Trying to get himself free of the unseen hands. 

He quickly shifted on the bed holding him but guessed it was a bad move. 

Callum  panicked even more. He was sweating. 

"No no. Don’t ... Don’t touch me. I don’t want to go with you". He was pushing to get himself free from Stephen, still in his head space. He thought it was Adam holding him. Touching him.

"Stephen. Please save me. Please  ". He was crying messily. His hair all stuck on his sweat covered forehead. 

"Callum, wake up. It’s me, Stephen". Stephen shook him but no response. He was still hitting Stephen to get himself free. He helplessly looked at his friends.

"Mason, bring me juice. Now". Enzo asked Mason and he was quick to get a glass of juice. 

Enzo took the glass and sat on the other side of the bed. He stared in the glass for a moment chanting something before taking the glass to Callum's lips, still in  Stephen's arms. 

"Callum, drink it buddy". He softly pushed the glass to his lips who parted them for a while. Enough for Enzo to tilt the glass for him to drink. 

He took a few sips before getting calm. Stephen could visibly feel him getting calmer than before. 

He thanked Enzo silently and they all nodded before leaving the room. 

"Stephen". Callum  opened his puffy eyes. His voice was thick with all the crying. Stephen softly held the warm wet towel Mason had placed at the night stand. He gently wiped his face. Cleaning all tear stains. His heart was aching to see the left cheek bruised. 

He took the ointment on his fingers and warmed it a bit before spreading on his cheeks. 

"I am sorry Callum. You had to bear so much pain. But it’s okay now. You are safe. And no one can ever put a finger on you". Stephen was racking his fingers in his locks. Rubbing soothing circles on his back. He felt Callum, snuggled more into his stone cold chest. Seeking for comfort. He smiled a bit before pulling him even close...

"Please stay with me. I can’t sleep. He will take me away". Callum was sobbing again. Stephen hummed and laid down in the bed comfortably holding Callum tight in his arms..

"Sleep my Callum. I am here. Sleep". His whispers were a lullaby to Callum . He mumbled something and fell asleep again. 

Thanks to Enzo.

********

Callum woke up to an empty bed. He frowned for a moment before sitting up properly. There were portions of the night in his mind. He was kind of lost. He wanted to ask Stephen if he missed anything. Good thing it was off today. 

He went to the washroom and when he came back drying his hair with a towel, wearing his casual tee and jeans, he spotted the black cloak at his bed. 

"Doesn’t it belong to Stephen? Was he here last night"? He thought to himself. He took the cloak that he was intending to return it to him when downstairs. But as he held it, it was so soft. Almost slipped in his hand. He took it close and sniffed. That scent was heavenly. He felt all his food getting relaxed and intoxicated. Like a drug. 

He sniffed once more and again and again and again. He was surely getting high on it. He held the cloak close to him, putting one arm on his shoulder as if holding Stephen for a dance, without music. He was twirling and twirling around. 

Stephen was about to knock on the door to his room but it was open a bit. He peeked and his lips stretched in a big grin.

Callum was dancing around in the room holding his cloak. He sneaked inside silently as Callum had yet not sensed his presence. His eyes were glowing blue as he saw Callum  sniffing it and kissing the fabric. There was something in his chest. Thumping. Maybe his dead heart was beating for Callum . 

Things that love does.

Love???? Does he????

Callum  was so immersed in the moment that he didn’t know Stephen was standing and looking at him with intense gaze. 

He was surprised once he heard the chuckle in the room. He turned to find Stephen clapping softly that made me realise that he would be watching him for long. 

He was blushing and embarrassed.. 

He was standing there with a red face earning a chuckle. He pulled the cloak on Callum , and he loved to see him in his robe. 

"Can I have this dance with you"? Just like a royale, Stephen held his hand out for Callum  asking for a dance.

"But  .. I ... I can … Can’t dance  ". He stuttered. Being enCallum ed in the familiar fragrance of Stephen was making him feel things. 

"I will teach you. So please". He asked again and this time Callum  held his hand nervously. 

Stephen took his hand and slipped on his shoulder while looping his arm around his slender waist. With the other hand he grabbed Callum  and pulled him closer. 

Just on cue the music started. Stephen gently twirled him around taking baby steps and Callum  gracefully took his feet. The fact. He could really dance well.

They were moving side by side, holding hands, looking into each other's eyes. Callum  just realised its soft yet sensuous music. The low notes were knotting his stomach. It was a light tingling sensation whenever Stephen rolled him in his arms. 

Chasing and turning like swords play, Stephen pushed him out and then in. Callum was a perfect fit in his embrace. Back facing his broad chest, Callum was totally hidden in his strong arms. Their hands intervened at his stomach, just a bit above his V line. Their hips swaying in pure synchronization. 

Callum  could feel heavy breaths in his ear and he wasn’t in a different state. It was getting too hard for him to resist and suppress his urge to react at the fine touches of the man who had whipped his heart from the very first time he saw. 

The song was ending when Stephen rolled him again and it stopped right exactly on the moment when Callum was again close to him, mere inches apart. 

They were breathing hard. Taking in the body warmth to inhale as deep as they can. Callum saw Stephen moving close to him. And bending on his neck. He felt Stephen sniff kiss his neck taking in his natural odour deeply into his system before facing him again. 

Stephen saw in his eyes. A little longing , a little excitement, an anticipation. A desire. And well there was a fire in  Stephen's eyes too that was burning his soul, if he had any. This time. He didn't want to prolong the moment, not to waste the chance again. 

He cupped his cheek with his right hand while holding Callum within his other arm.

"May I"? He whispered on his lips.

"Yes". Callum allowed him to take his first proper kiss away before closing his eyes. 

And he sighed... As two pairs of hot lips met together. 

*************

They were slowly cherishing each other. Moving their lips slowly gently. Callum looped his arms around  Stephen's neck holding a bit of hair at his nape as Stephen held him impossibly close around his waist. He was melting inside  Stephen's embrace. Not that he minds it. 

The kiss they had in the restaurant was a haste. A claiming one. But this. This was the kiss Callum would have waited for, longed for. He opened his lips a bit as Stephen tugged his head to a side to deepen the kiss. His warm tongue invaded Callum's sweet mouth and he lost it. 

He was greedy to taste him more. Sucking his tongue he almost ignored the soft pats on his chest. He opened his eyes to find a hard breathing Callum. 

"Oh, I'm sorry. I am sorry Callum . Did I hurt you"? He was freaking out but Callum laughed. 

"No, you didn’t hurt me. It was just that I was lacking oxygen". He added sheepishly and Stephen grinned big. 

He softly pecked Callum's slightly glistering and more plump lips once more.  

"Now that is what I would say as my First Official Kiss". Callum  said, chasing  Stephen's lips when he parted.

"And the dinner night"? Stephen raised his eyebrows.

"Who calls that a first kiss ". Callum  scoffed.

"Oh really"? Stephen smirked and Callum was blushing hard under his gaze. 

"Thank you for this special moment". Callum  wrapped his arms around his shoulders snuggling into him. 

"Anything for you Callum . And I was here to tell you that breakfast is served. Seems like I had my breakfast already". Stephen teased and Callum smacked his chest.

"Bad Stephen. But I am still starving. One kiss isn’t enough for me". Callum stuck his tongue out, winking at him and dashed out the door before he could chase him.

**********

They were enjoying their free time. Stephen had taken Callum  to the Mansion Tour. And now they were sitting by the pool. Legs swinging in the water as they sat on the pebbled floor. 

"Stephen". Callum asked, taking a sip of his cocktail juice and he must admit Mason made a delicious one. 

"Hmmm". Stephen hummed, encouraging him to speak. 

"What happened last night"? He asked in a serious tone and Stephen was wondering what happened to him. Why is he asking like he doesn’t remember? 

Oh well. He surely wouldn't have remembered it. Thanks to Enzo. He cast a spell. 

"Well nothing. We were having some talk on the terrace with our friends. You were tired so you excused yourself to sleep. That’s it". Stephen replied calmly. 

"But why your cloak?" He asked another question.

"Because while sitting you were feeling cold. So I gave you mine like you are wearing now". He replied again. 

Callum  nodded in understanding. It does make sense. 

"So what do you want to do now"? Stephen asked Callum  wiping the fringes off his forehead.

An idea clicked in Callum 's mind. 

"Let’s see if you can chase me  ". He gulped his whole drink in one go and before Stephen could process, he had already leaped in the water. 

"Okay. Let’s play. But what if I won"? Stephen asked, smirking. Pulling off his tee and sweats. Leaving in boxers only. 

Callum licked his dry lips taking in the fucking Hot Boss in front of him. His heart beating frantically looking at the specimen standing in all his glory. 

"If you win, you can have me". He replied and he swore he saw his eyes flashing red. 

**********

As promised Stephen chased him and caught him. Not once but everytime. And now Callum  was sulking sitting on the desk chair. And Stephen was trying not to laugh hard but at the end he burst out laughing. 

"What do we have here"? Zee said approaching them. Weekends were friends day..

"Nothing much. Someone lost a challenge and is now sulking". Stephen laughed wearing his robe. 

"I am not sulking ". Callum replied, puffing his cheeks even more. They all laughed at him being cute. 

"Okay okay you are not. Why don’t you get a bath and change. Then we will go out to have ice cream. Okay"? Stephen ruffled his hair and his eyes twinkled. He ran inside trying not to slip due to wet feet. 

"Did he say anything about the night"? Enzo asked but Stephen shook a no.

"No he didn't remember a thing except we were talking and then I told him that he was asleep being exhausted". Stephen said.

"That means the magic still works". Enzo laughed in satisfaction. 

"It does". Stephen agreed. 

************

"I am ready Steph". 

They were discussing how to take Adam down when Callum  came back. Stephen saw him and his breath hitched. He was the true definition of cuteness overload. 

He was wearing all white. An angel. His angel. Stephen thought in his heart. He wanted to hold him and hide him forever.

"Let’s go let’s go. You scream. I scream. We all scream for ice cream. Yayyyyyyy". They all chanted in unison and burst into laughter. Callum  was surely a baby. A side of his personality that he had hidden from everyone. But it was his boss Steph right. 

*************

The ice cream date turned into a full blown dinner. And now Callum  was sitting in the car holding his tummy that seemed to be popped out. 

"I ate too much". He was rubbing his stomach and it was totally amusing for Steph. 

"I will ask Mason to get you some tea to digest it". He patted his cheeks.

"But I don’t want  ". 

"Why not"? 

"Because it will digest the food and then it will be hungry again". Callum  reasoned and Stephen looked at him before bursting out laughing for a good two minutes. 

"Why are you so cute Callum?” He pinched his little nose. 

"Owh. I am not cute. I am hot". He puffed his chest. 

"Oh no. You are a cute little kitten. In fact my cute little pup. Would you be"? Stephen asked him in a voice full of fondness. And even if there was no light. He could see Callum  blushing. 

"Stephhh". He only muttered in silence. 

"Thank you." Stephen intertwined their fingers together at Callum 's thigh. 

The night couldn't be more beautiful.

Tabby.