Chapter Text
“Argh!” Ben screamed. He snatched his hand away from the gas and ran it under the cold water wincing at how much it stung and how much it killed. Closing the tap and getting a plaster out of the first aid kit Ben continued to look at the recipe book.
The book may as well have been in french for all the good it did him. He didn’t understand half of the instructions. A huge part of him wanted to just give up and get a takeaway instead but he promised Callum that when he came home there would be a home made dinner waiting for him.
Callum was stressed out. He had been stressed out ever since he decided to work with end of life. The decision came up Callum had gone to a care home to support a woman who couldn’t go to her own sons funeral as she was extremely ill and was nearing towards the end.
Callum had sat with her holding her hand and praying with her. He listened to her stories from when the 2 wars. He sat with her when she took her last breath and drifted away. Callum gently closed her eyes and alerted the care home.
Ever since then Callum wanted to work with end of life. He still worked at the funeral parlour, the end of life was just in his spare time. Callum loved doing this but it was physically and mentally draining, when you got close to someone and they left.
There were days when he would message Ben saying “tired.” And Ben would make him a cup of tea, get the duvet out and just sit with him while he collected his thoughts.
Callum was so good for this world. Ben always thought. He’d give his time for random people but also his family.
That was why Ben had decided to make Callum dinner. When he phoned Callum earlier Callum had told him that the man he was with was in the army himself, he had trained Callum’s captain up and even Callum himself.
Ben knew that today would be one of those days where this death would hit Callum really hard and he hated it. He just wanted to take Callum’s pain away.
Ben was making Callum’s favourite dinner: Chicken steak and chips with mash and vegetables. Well trying to.
He manages the vegetables fine but the mash was doing his head in. It was either to lumpy or to hard. Ben looked at the clock 17:30. Callum would be home soon.
Ben took the steak out of the oven as he was carefully putting the tray on the kitchen counter his phone rang.
In a state of shock Ben jumped the oven tray dropped to the floor landing on Ben’s foot, chicken all over the floor. While getting up Ben knocked the frying pan and hot oil landed on his arm. He screamed in pain.
Switching the fryer off Ben ran his hand under cold water he checked to see who had messaged him. Lola “Dinner gone well or have you messed it up??🤣“
Ben threw his phone sending it flying across the room landing on the floor with a crash. Probably broken.
He blinked furiously to try and stop the tears from falling. He wouldn’t normally be bothered by something like this but he was doing it for Callum. Callum had needed him and he let him down.
Abandoning the kitchen and everything in it Ben got his jacked and walked out slamming the door shut. He didn’t know where he was going but he had to just go.
Callum came home half an hour later. He didn’t mean to be late. But the man he was helping had meant a lot to Callum. Once he had passed the care home staff sat with Callum and tried to console him. It didn’t work.
He was even more upset when he found out that the man had left everything to Callum. Callum knew that the mans wife and son died ages ago and Callum was the first person to see him in ages.
It wasn’t much. In fact it was hardly anything. £400 and some medals but Callum felt he didn’t deserve them he was only doing what anyone did.
He kept the medals safe but donated the money to the care home.
“Ben?” Callum yelled out. Stepping into his flat and taking his coat off Callum looked at the sight before him.
The kitchen was a mess. There was food on the floor, dishes in the sink, the fryer was still on and the fridge was left open.
“Ben!” Callum shouted again. Something awful most have happened in order for the kitchen to be like this.
Callum tried phoning Ben but no answer. He could hear Ben’s ring tone. He found Ben’s phone on the floor. It was definitely smashed.
Callum saw the text from Lola and suddenly everything made sense. Ben had tried to cook him dinner but clearly it didn’t go right.
He couldn’t even think of the state Ben would be in. When things didn’t go right for Ben he would always get angry. He would take his anger out on some poor soul or have a drinking session.
Looking at the mess Callum began to clean it up. He would have left it and gone to find Ben but judging by the state of the kitchen and Ben’s phone even if he did find Ben he wouldn’t be in the mood for a talk.
“What the hell do you think your doing Callum?!” Ben had finally calmed down. He had got straight into his car and just drove around for a while. He went out of the country to a place Paul showed him. You could scream and shout and no one would here and that’s what he did.
He decided to go home and try and salvage the ruined dinner if he could. What he didn’t expect to see was Callum on his hands and knees picking up Ben’s mess literally. He could see how exhausted Callum was and yet he was still cleaning.
“I’m cleaning up Ben. What does it look like?” Callum said. Ben could tell how tired he was his voice didn’t carry “that no nonsense tone” and was really soft.
“Why though? This ain’t your mess! Why the hell are you cleaning it up for Callum?” Ben couldn’t stop the Way he voice sounded. He was mad at himself for ruing the dinner but seeing Callum doing something he shouldn’t do made Ben even more angry at himself.
“Because Ben there’s mess everywhere and I just want it clean so I can go to bed ok?” Callum said.
Ben had enough he knelt down next to Callum and moved his hands. He didn’t mean to be so rough.
“What the hell did you do that for Ben? That bloody hurt! For gods sake! I’m trying to clean up! I’ve had a hard day today. All I want is to clean up and go to bed!”
There was no way Ben was gonna let Callum speak to him like that.
“It’s not your job Callum! I made this mess so I’m gonna clean it up! I tried to do something nice for you and it went to pot! You just need to sit down and relax. No body’s gonna die if the mess is left till tomorrow! God Callum! Why do you have to be so nice all the time? I’m sick of it!” Ben shouted back at him instantly regretting what he said.
He looked at Callum who’s face had all the colour drained from it “Cal? I’m sorry I didn’t mean it....” Ben didn’t even get to finish, Callum ran to their bedroom and locked the door.
Ben picked all the mess up and washed all the dishes. He slammed his hand down on the counter wincing at the pain he felt.
This is why he didn’t do good things. People got hurt but this was Callum. His Callum who loved him more than anything. The Callum that put up with all his rubbish.
After taking a moment of self pity Ben went to go and find Callum.
Ben saw that Callum had fallen asleep. Ben placed the glass of water and sandwich on the bedside table before getting his pillow.
He sat down on the bed next to his lover and ran his fingers through Callum’s dark black locks. “I’m so sorry cal. I didn’t mean it at all. You know me mouth engages before brain. Sweet dreams. I love you.”
Ben placed a kiss to Callum’s forehead before getting his things and shutting the door ready for a night on the sofa.
What Ben didn’t know was that Callum woke up when he came in and had heard what he said...