Kill Me.

As it turned out, it didn’t happen like most people would have expected it. It wasn’t some big thing announced to the world in big, flashy letters or something shouted from the rooftops, but rather something that kind of just snuck up when he wasn’t looking, yet it didn’t quite come as a surprise when it happened.

“I love you.”

It was like a whisper in the night and Lee looked at Callum with wide, wide eyes full of wonder and genuine surprise and unrestrained joy. Callum looked scared and nervous but his eyes were sincere, and Lee threw his arms around his boyfriend and kissed him. Callum fidgeted and looked awkward and Lee just laughed and laughed and laughed.

He went to work the next day in high spirits, humming softly to himself as he went about his work. He worked steadily and chatted easily with whichever coworkers dropped by his cubicle to give him some folders to look through. One or two people asked him what he was so unusually cheerful about and he responded with a shrug and a smile but didn’t say anything because he kind of felt like this whole I love you thing was some special secret, something that would lose its enchanting quality if anyone else knew.

Unfortunately, Lee had a tendency to get distracted easier when he was in a good mood and thus it took him far longer than it should have to get the day’s work done. He stayed late and only finished after everyone else had left. Callum had left some time ago after Lee insisted that he go, because after all, Callum had promised to go see his sister, and a promise is a promise.

Lee glanced at the clock as he put the last file in his “finished” pile, deciding that as long as he was here, he might as well get a little work done on that much neglected article about the killer. He opened the file and reread over what he had already written and pressed his lips together, willing inspiration to strike. He tapped away at his keyboard for a while, making edits where appropriate, before he got too hungry and the rumbling of his stomach distracted him from his work.

Lee saved his work and shut off his computer, slipping on his jacket. He wove his way through the maze of cubicles to get to the exit. The entire office was dark, so he was surprised to hear a voice call out to him. He jumped, a little startled, and peered over in the direction the voice was coming from. It was his boss, Mr. Callaghan.

Lee tried to suppress a sigh. He didn’t want to talk to his boss right now because it was getting late and he was hungry and to be quite honest, Mr. Callaghan was downright creepy, but Lee walked over to Mr. Callaghan’s office anyways because, well, you can’t exactly say no to your boss when he wants to talk to you if you want to keep your job for very long. And anyways, it could be something important.

Lee poked his head into Mr. Callaghan’s office, keeping by the door in the way that people who have better places to be tend to do. He put on his best imitation of a smile and said politely, “Yes?”

Mr. Callaghan smiled at Lee and said, “I’ve been very impressed with how well you work, Lee.”

“Thank you, Mr. Callaghan,” he said, and he tried not to sound impatient, but he really just wanted to leave, okay?

Mr. Callaghan stood from his desk and strolled casually around his office. “Do you like working here, Lee?”

“Of course,” Lee said automatically. “I love working here.”

Mr. Callaghan smiled and waved Lee further into his office. Lee sighed but took another couple steps into the office.

“Mr. Callaghan,” he said, trying to keep the annoyed edge out of his voice. “I don’t mean to be rude, but it’s getting late, and I’d really like to be getting home.”

Mr. Callaghan smiled understandingly. “Of course,” he said. “This won’t take long, Lee; I just wanted to talk to you for a couple minutes, if that’s alright.”

Lee nodded once and forced himself not to frown. “What did you want to talk about?” Lee prompted, hoping to get this with quicker.

“You, Lee,” Mr. Callaghan said softly, taking a couple steps forward. Lee took a step back, feeling a bit uncomfortable as he often did around his boss. “I’m very impressed with you, coming out to a big city all on your own like this.”

Mr. Callaghan reached a hand up to brush Lee’s cheek and Lee ducked his head out of Mr. Callaghan’s reach.

“M-Mr. Callaghan,” Lee stammered, trying to get away. “I-I’m sorry but I have somewhere to be. I, um, I have to go.”

Lee turned to leave but he felt Mr. Callaghan catch his arm, and Lee let out a little yelp of surprise and fear. Mr. Callaghan pushed Lee against the wall and Lee struggled and fought back, his heart pounding in his ears, thinking oh fuck why didn’t he leave sooner, why on the one day he stayed back late and told Callum to go home did Mr. Callaghan stay late at work too, Mr. Callaghan was never at work this late, never, why, why, why. Lee could feel Mr. Callaghan’s hands on him, all over him, and he felt absolutely disgusting. Mr. Callaghan was too strong. Lee couldn’t get away. All his struggling was simply delaying the inevitable, and Lee kind of felt like he wanted to die.

Lee saw a movement out of the corner of his eye and immediately hoped that that was someone else in the office who could save him. The person seemed to see or hear the commotion going on in Mr. Callaghan’s office and walked closer. Lee drew in a sharp breath when he saw that it was Callum – lord knows why he was here but he was and that was all that mattered.

“Callum!” Lee cried.

Callum rushed over and threw Mr. Callaghan off of Lee, yanking Lee protectively back so that Callum was between Lee and Mr. Callaghan. Lee let out a shaky breath of relief, feeling very, very close to tears.

“What the fuck is going on?” Callum roared.

Lee had never seen him angrier.