The Runaways

So, this is the first story I'm posting with my precious, precious original couple, Andrew and Cal. The story is inspired by the BBC show The Runaway. Kit and Nick are from The Phoenix by Ruth Sims, a fantastic book. And Will and Jem, who you'll meet in the next chapter are from The Infernal devices series by Cassandra Clare.

Tread gently and kindly, this is ever so close to my heart.

The runaways

He paid no attention to the new boy when he first got in. He only glanced up to see a golden haired kid walk past him, head bowed, following Davidson to the uniform room. New kids came every day. Most of them left soon after to end up in worse places. Some, like himself, stayed, but only because the system didn't know where to put them otherwise. He wouldn't say he was happy here. But then he'd so seldom been happy that he wasn't really sure he knew it at all. They fed him, clothed him and as long as he kept himself out of trouble, he was fine. But trouble had a way of finding him. He was a magnet for trouble, his mom used to say before everything went to hell.

---

The first time he really sees the new boy, Callan- Callad- Cal-something, it's because he's sporting a spectacular black eye. And as far as Andrew knows there's no one here who'd picked a fight with the kid. Andrew would know. So he walks up to him and whistles softly as the kid looks up and Andrew can appreciate the bloom of purple around his left eye.

"Who did that?" he asks, sitting down in front of him. The kid looks at him through narrowed green eyes.

"Bumped in to a door" comes the answer, eyes darting away from him.

Andrew laughs.

"Yeah. Heard that one before"

The kid looks back at him.

"Why the fuck do you care?"

Andrew sighs and runs a hand through his hair.

"Hell kid! I'm just trying to be friendly here"

"Don't call me kid. I'm the same age as you"

Andrew grins.

"I'm speaking in relative terms here. Been here longer than you"

Andrew gets a small smile in response.

"What's your name, then? Can't keep calling you 'the kid', you'll bite my head off!"

"Cal"

"Andrew. Been here 7 months for something they can't even prove I did"

"Did you?"

"Did I what?"

"Do whatever it was they couldn't prove"

Andrew laughs.

"Of course"

---

Andrew finds out the reason for the black eye soon enough. He would have preferred the walking in to the door story.

It is something everyone in the institute knows. Every kid learns the story, second hand if you're lucky, firsthand if you're not, about the director who walks the halls at night. And if he stops at your door…

Andrew knows it's true. His roomie before, Nathan had been a frequent victim of the director's night wanderings. He remembers watching Nathan's tense shoulders, whole body drawn as tight as a drawstring, walking out the door, blond hair a messy halo around his head and the director just a figure waiting in the shadows outside the door. Andrew knows he'd only been spared because he didn't fit the criteria. And he knows exactly why Cal's got the bruise on his face. But what he doesn't understand is why he suddenly cares.

---

He corners Cal in the kitchen.

"Is he coming for you then?"

Cal tries to push past him and Andrew pushes him back.

"Is he?"

"How is this any of your business?"

Andrew growls and runs a frustrated hand through his hair.

"Just- bloody- Cal," he moves closer to the other boy, crowding him against the wall, "tell me"

They're so close to each other, Andrew can feel Cal's rapid breathing and when Cal finally looks at him, Andrew is more than a little surprised that he notices his eye lashes, long and sweeping.

"Not for me"

Not for...oh. Understanding dawns. Kit.

Cal sighs and leans back against the wall.

"I didn't understand at first. But then...the bruises on his body. Kit isn't...he can't," Cal takes a deep breath and meets his eyes, "I punched the bastard the last time he came. Told him he'd have to get through me"

Andrew laughs. He can't help it.

"That's brilliant"

Cal smiles and Andrew is suddenly aware how close they are. It's funny how he'd never thought of himself as being afraid of anything before. His old man had been the closest he'd come but that was a long time ago. He's afraid now. And he knows it with every beat of his heart. He leans closer and Cal is so still, waiting for him. He reaches up with one hand and touches Cal's hair, fingers combing through the soft strands and he hears Cal's breath hitch. He kisses him then. He forgets where they are and that he'd been afraid only a moment before, that this is a boy he's known for only a week. Because all that ceased to matter the moment his lips touched Cal's. When he draws back, it wasn't that long a kiss really, Cal's eyes are closed.

"Cal…"

Cal smiles, eyes still closed.

"Do it again"

"What?"

Cal opens his eyes, green eyes holding him in place. Andrew feels Cal's fingers tighten in his hair, pulling him closer.

"Again"

To be continued.