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Ben was stood at the sink draining out the starchy water from the boiled spaghetti while some sauce was left to simmer on low heat when Callum walked in from work. He could tell it had been a long shift and he knew it would be because he’d been on call since this morning. The streets of London were getting meaner and they honestly needed all the paramedics they could get.
He heard the blinds clatter as the door was pushed shut and turned to face his clearly exhausted boyfriend. Callum dropped his bag off by the door and practically collapsed into Ben’s arms the second he opened them.
They stood in their embrace for a few minutes, arms brushing up and down bringing comfort and warmth to the other, before Ben pulled away ever so slightly that he could look at Callum. “Why don’t you go take a shower and by the time you’re done, dinner will be ready yeah?”
A tired smile crossed Callum’s face as he pecked a kiss to Ben’s cheek before grabbing his bag and heading upstairs.
-
By the time he came back down, Ben was just plating up their food at the kitchen worktop. Callum saw him standing and couldn’t resist giving him a hug. He came up close behind him, wrapped his long arms around Ben’s stomach and pulled him back into his chest.
Ben yelped out in shock, clearly not having heard Callum come down or even walk into the kitchen behind him, “oi! Christ you scared the life out of me, what you doing?”
Callum didn’t respond, just hummed as he tucked his head into the crook of Ben’s neck, perfectly content to spend the rest of his evening here with his boyfriend in his arms. “Missed you all day y’know?” he mumbled into Ben’s neck.
Ben smiled softly, secretly loving the needy mood Callum was in. He covered Callum’s hands on his stomach with his own, brushing his thumbs softly over the slightly damp skin and burrowed himself backwards into Callum’s chest. "Missed you more babe."
Callum’s arms tighten slightly as he begins pressing soft kisses into Ben’s neck. Ben relaxes his neck, letting it loll back onto Callum’s shoulder giving him more room and skin to cover as his eyes slip shut. Callum cranes his neck to press kisses further up Ben’s neck and across his jaw.
Ben groans before tipping his head back up, “as much as I am enjoying this, and believe me I am, we’ve got to eat before all this gets cold.”
The pair pulled apart reluctantly and sat down to have their dinner.
-
By the time it had hit 8pm, they were both sprawled over the sofa watching a crappy reality tv show with Callum’s head in Ben’s lap. Brushing fingers gently through his hair, Ben could tell Callum was getting sleepy, his eyes slipping shut and then jolting awake every so often and he couldn’t help but smile softly.
He loved seeing Callum like this, all pliant and soft and sleepy. It brought Ben more comfort than he’d care to admit to most people but with Callum he didn’t mind. He knew he was safe and not being judged no matter what he said. It made him more vulnerable but in the best way possible. He is more openly generous with his love, choosing to show it rather than bury it; it made him bare every single piece of his soul to Callum, a man who had chosen to love every single piece of him. Callum had seen the good, bad and the ugly and chosen to love all of it. Ben would never be able to thank him enough for that, despite Callum insisting it wasn’t needed.
Being vulnerable had made Ben a better man, a more expressive man and that was because of Callum’s love and acceptance. This was why he didn’t hesitate to return the favour. It was why he could never keep the loving grin off his face around Callum.
“Hey,” Ben waiting for Callum to sleepily turn his head up, facing Ben’s awaiting gaze.
“Mm?”
“C’mere,” Ben leaned down to press a peck to Callum’s lips before mumbling into them, “really proud of you y’know? So so proud of you.” The hand in Callum’s hair never once faltered, the kisses never went further than pecks. Neither was trying to make advances, this was just pure love and adoration poured into kisses.
“Love you so much,” a heavy hand came up to rest on Ben’s neck, pulling him back down for another kiss.
“Love you too,” Ben smiled down at Callum.
Callum turned his head back to face the tv as Ben’s hand kept running through his hair lulling him into a gentle slumber in the arms of his man.