The Boy, Callum - LGBT, boyXboy

20

"Thank God you’ve finally picked one," said Vin with a tired sigh. "I’ve never known anyone take so long to make such a simple decision.”

Callum stuck his tongue out and sipped his milkshake quietly.

Vin was overcome with the sudden urge to kiss the boy opposite him. He squirmed slightly, waiting for the urge to die down.

When it finally did, he avoided Callum's eyes for a moment, worried his desire would show on his face.

"So, where are we going first?" Callum asked after they finished their milkshakes and re-entered the busy shopping centre.

"I don't mind. I need to go to a cashpoint though."

They wandered down the halls until they found a cashpoint, where Vin withdrew some money. He counted half of it out and pushed it firmly into Callum's hand. "If you see something you like, buy it." He said sternly.

Callum murmured his thanks, awkward at taking someone else's money, but knowing Vin would argue with him if he tried to protest. "You need trainers, don’t you?" He said. "Let's get them first."

"Is there anything you need?"

Callum shrugged. "A new school bag, if I see one. And some pens."

"I don't think you've quite got the hang of clothes shopping," said Vin with a sigh. "Come on... A sports shop first."

Callum waited patiently while Vin tried on trainers and jogging bottoms until he finally bought two pairs of trousers and a pair of trainers.

"You pick where to go next."

"Erm..." Callum looked about for a while. "Here?"

"Alright." Vin led him inside one of the many male fashion shops. "When was the last time you came clothes shopping?" Vin asked him, after twenty minutes watching Callum wandering around not picking anything up.

Callum shrugged. "A while ago. Mostly I just wore whatever mum and dad got me. I don't have much money to buy clothes often."

"So buy something today." Vin urged him. "See, what about this?" He picked up a dark button-up shirt with small white stripes and held it against Callum's torso. "It suites you."

"When would I wear it?" Callum asked sceptically.

"For my aunt's Christmas party. The police station has one every year. They're good fun, usually."

"Well... I suppose it is nice." Said Callum slowly.

"What size are you?" Vin asked, rifling through the shirts.

"I don't know. I'm wearing a twelve."

Vin picked up a size twelve and a fourteen and shoved Callum towards the changing rooms. "You stay in there. I'll hand you more stuff to try on." Vin made another round of the shop and came back with two pairs of trousers and another shirt.

Callum tried them all on dutifully, and liked all of them. He tried to get out of buying them, but Vin forced him up to the counter and threatened to go back and find more clothes if Callum didn't pay for the ones he liked.

*

"I'm starving," Callum said finally, after almost three hours wandering around the shopping centre.

They were each carrying several bags; Vin had gotten Callum to loosen up about spending money and he had bought some nice clothes for himself. Callum particularly loved an expensive leather jacket that Vin had insisted on getting for him.

"Me too. Where do you want to go for lunch?"

Callum shrugged. "Anywhere. As long as I can sit down." He groaned tiredly.

Vin laughed and directed him towards one of the smaller eateries in the mall. "If you take forty minutes to decide what to eat here, I will kill you." Vin informed him sternly. He glanced at his menu and ordered a toasted ham and cheese baguette.

After much consideration, and a death glare from Vin, Callum ordered tomato soup and a chicken salad.

"So what're we doing next?" Callum asked after their food arrived.

Vin shrugged. "Is there anything else you want? You've found your school bag, and some pens, right?"

Callum nodded. "I don't think I need anything else."

"Me neither. Apart from one thing."

"What?"

"My aunt Leda's Christmas present."

"It's only the second of October."

"I know. But I'll nip and fetch it after we've eaten."

"What're you getting her?"

"A new stereo for the kitchen. She threw ours out the window a month or so ago when she got a call from work about one of her cases being dismissed because of a lack of evidence."

Callum laughed.

Vin waited patiently for Callum to finished, before he paid the bill and they left.

"So where're we going for the stereo?"

Vin dug into his pocket for his car keys and handed them to Callum. "Why don't you take the bags back to the car, then go and fetch a couple of milkshakes for the drive home. I'll have a chocolate one."

"Alright... Where did we park?"

"Bay seven, row H, something like that. You'll find it." Vin handed Callum as many bags as the boy could carry with his broken arm, and shot off without another word.