Times Change, Friends Leave and Life Doesn't Wait for Anybody

“Oh my God we’re finally done.” Vic slumped to the floor next to a pile of crumpled boxes with a satisfied smile. Kellin chuckled in response and sat next to the other boy, resting his head on his shoulder.
“Does unpacking generally take this long?” Kellin asked, smiling lightly to himself when Vic squeezed his hand.
“We kept getting distracted.” Vic pointed out. It had taken the couple almost two weeks to completely unpack, and they hadn’t even brought all of their things, both of their mothers insisting they visited for the whole of their holidays.
To be honest, their parents had been quite against the idea of them moving in with each other at first. And although now they denied it, Kellin was sure it was because they thought the relationship wasn’t going to last. Nowadays it seemed that a lot of high school relationships didn’t really make it into adulthood, the couple drifting away, or getting sick of each other, or simply finding someone new. But, as ridiculously unrealistic and childish it seemed, Kellin was positive that he and Vic would manage to stay together, no matter what.
“You’re distracting.” Kellin smirked when Vic swatted and his arm and pushed himself off the wall, tugging Kellin up with him.
“I start in a couple of weeks.” He said as Kellin tiredly followed him to the bedroom.
“Mmm.” Kellin replied and nodded, slouching against the doorframe and watching Vic as he wandered to the bed, sitting on the edge and looking up at the darker haired boy.
“And you need to find a job.” He continued.
“Yeah… I’ll get onto that.” Kellin shrugged and moved to join Vic. He lay on his back and pulled Vic down with him, circling his arms around Vic’s thin waist.
“You’re gonna need to. We can’t rely on our parents paying our rent for three years.” Vic said.
“I know…” Kellin sighed. It was going to be weird, having nobody but himself to rely on for the things he wanted, when he was so used to just asking for things and then receiving them. Having to work for his money was going to be a struggle, but it was just something that he was going to have to overcome if he wanted to make this work. Which he wanted to do. So much.
“Kellin? You okay?” Vic prodded Kellin’s shoulder and leant up, propped on one elbow so he hovered over Kellin with a concerned look on his face.
“Yeah, I’m fine, Vic.” Kellin assured the other boy, leaning up to kiss him quickly as proof. “It’s just that this is really weird, you know. Like, not being able to drive for five minutes and go and see my friends or something. Not that it’s a problem.” He quickly added when Vic began to frown again. It wasn’t that he wasn’t going to miss his friends, because he was. A lot. But he knew that he would miss Vic so much more. The boy literally had Kellin’s heart in the palms of his hands.
“Sure?”
“Mmm.” Kellin hummed and once again pulled Vic down, sighing in content when the shorter boy rested his head on Kellin’s chest.
“I love you.” Vic murmured.
“I love you too.” Kellin replied softly, running a hand through Vic hair. And it was in that moment that he was sure that, regardless of what happened to them, they would be alright.
____
“So this would be your first job?” Matty clarified, scribbling something down on the sheet in front of him when Kellin nodded. After another week of frantically applying for jobs, he’d given up on sending emails that were never going to be replied to and walked into a random diner, asking if there were any vacancies. And after only a couple of tries, someone had said yes.
“I think that’s all I need to know…” Matty, the manager of the diner muttered to himself more than Kellin, running his eyes across the sheet once more before nodding and then folding the paper in two, slipping it into a notebook and pulling off his glasses to wipe them quickly the on corner of his shirt. “You’re hired.” He said passively.
“I… Don’t you need to- okay. Thanks.” Kellin said in confusion, not quite believing that he’d already received the job.
“Yeah. Everything that I just wrote down on that piece of paper wasn’t even necessary. I don’t give a shit how you did in school. If you can do the job, you can do the job. You’ll be trained for a couple of weeks and then start working as one of the cashiers, alright?” Matty asked with a smile.
“Um, sure. Thanks, Mr. Mullins.” Kellin said.
“Never call me that again. It doesn’t matter if I’m your boss: everyone calls everyone by their first name.” Matty insisted, standing up and gesturing for Kellin to do the same, when he did so, shaking his hand firmly. “Be here on Monday, at nine exactly.” Kellin nodded and waved goodbye to the ginger man who reminded him of his best friend and happily making his way home.
____
“Are you serious? Holy shit Frank that’s amazing! I can’t believe you wouldn’t let mum and dad tell us though, you’re such an asshole!... Yeah, of course. Will you be there at Christmas? Yeah, so will I. I still can’t believe that though… And it won’t come back? Yeah, I- hey Kellin,” Vic waved to Kellin as he entered their apartment, mouthing ‘two minutes’ when Kellin looked at him curiously. “Alright, Frankie. Bye, I’ll speak to you soon, okay? Yeah, bye.” Vic hung up and tossed his phone onto his bedside drawer, pulling Kellin into a short hug with a happy grin on his face.
“What’s got you so happy?” Kellin raised an eyebrow at his boyfriend.
“Frank.” He said simply.
“You’re older brother?” Kellin elucidated. He’d never met the oldest Fuentes brother, seeing as he’d started in university before Vic had even moved to San Diego, but he’d heard both Vic and Mike sing his praises regularly.
“Yeah. So he just called to tell me that he’d been fucking battling cancer for the best part of two years.” Vic continued.
“Wait, are you serious? Shit, I’m sorry, Vic.” Kellin said, shocked. If his brother was battling cancer, what was Vic smiling about?
“Well apparently he just won.” Vic finished with another grin.
“Oh! That’s amazing.” Kellin smiled back at Vic, pecking him on the cheek as he smiled contentedly.
“I never even knew he had it! He told mum and dad not to tell Mikey and me. That kind of pissed me off, but it’s just… You know, obviously I’m just happy he’s better.” Vic said. “What did you do today, anyway?” He looked up at Kellin, who smiled back.
“Some more good news. I got a job!’ He exclaimed.
“Oh my God Kellin, well done!” Vic cried, throwing his arms around Kellin’s neck and kissing him softly.
“I’m just working as a cashier at some diner, but it’s a job.” Kellin shrugged, returning Vic’s hug and feeling happy that he’d managed to make Vic smile again.