Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Church grumpily watched as the clock slowly ticked, ticking away to his sweet escape. He hoped that if he'd done his homework, it'd be a distraction.

Mr. Flowers' voice broke his distracted gaze as he slides a piece of orange paper onto Church's desk. Church groans as he reads 'Hall Pass' in bold letters on the top of the orange slip of 'death'. He picks it up, and hands Mr. Flowers his already finished homework, the faint sound of snickering ringing in Church's ears. He grabs his Cobalt Blue backpack and slings it over and onto his shoulder. "Thank you, Leonard." Mr. Flowers says as Church walks by, the snickering turns to laughing. His eyes are burning with hate as he leaves the classroom. 'Fuck them, FUCK ALL OF THEM' Church's inner demons shouted, and he scowled and made his way to the dreaded office.

The office lady scrunches her wrinkled face and pushes her glasses back to the bridge of her nose. "Leonard Church?" She says, sweetly. She was Church's absolute favorite office lady. "Yes ma'am" he responds, and his anger fizzles away. He hated his name, so his friends called him Church, his surname. "This is the new student. His name is Michael J. Caboose, and he's a bit on the-" Church knew exactly what she meant and sighs. "What side am I on? Can I pick the side? I love sides. Like french fries." Michael jumps in, chipper as can be. Church whirled around to face the other man. Church kind of gazed at him for a little. He skin looked sun-kissed and his freckles were something of absolutely adorable- What. Church had a small hint of a blush on his cheeks. "I'm Leonard Church, but just call me Church." Caboose's face lighting up like a galaxy of bright stars, which made Church smile. The height difference was one thing that Church had immediately noticed from the first time he'd seen Caboose. In an exaggerating way, Church would probably say that Caboose was a Lion, and Church was a Mouse.

Is Michael J. Caboose making Church gay? He couldn't be. But could he?

~cαвσσѕє thírd pσv~

Caboose loved the way Church walked, he walked like he didn't care, like he had no care in the world, his hips showed it, swaying side to side as he walked in front of Caboose. Church had a slim, strong, and slightly curvy body, and his chestnut hair contoured the rest of him, his skin was pale-ish, and he had a rarely any freckles on his face. Emerald green eyes, with the slightest hint of olive took his breath away. Church was smart too, because he helped take Caboose home, occasionally looking back to check on Caboose, giving Caboose that breathtaking glance at Church's beautiful eyes. "Caboose, we're here. I live right over there," Church points his finger at a slate colored house, with a black gray roof. Pretty. "Ok, best friend Church, do you want to meet my family?" 

Caboose stepped next to Church, and opened the mahogany door, a busy bee family buzzing around the house, all of them being taller than Church. "Caboose, exactly how many siblings do you have?" Church stifled a nervous chuckle, and his spirit was mixed with a anxious and happy confused vibe. 

"I have eighteen sisters!" He blurts, smiling from cheek to cheek, his dimples very visible. Caboose's freckles were like stars scattered on his face, Church wanted to gaze at them. "Wow" Church breaths out, and hangs his head. "Ma, Pa! I'm home!" Caboose announces, Church hearing shuffling in the kitchen and a "Welcome home!" reply come from the same place. Caboose had grabbed Church's hand and lead him through the house of tall people, eventually arriving at the kitchen. 

Church has a small hint of blush on his cheek, and Caboose noticed. Lion Boy Caboose stopped in front if his towering parents. They scared Mouse Boy Church, as they had at least 2 feet on him. "This is Church, my new best friend. He helped me get home, and I like home. He lives just down the street. I like streets." Caboose fountained, the words spilling out of his mouth as fast as his eyes mesmerized Church. Ocean blue, with a bit of midnight swirled around those bright, sparkly eyes. Caboose's father chuckle and waved his hand, the movement smooth and it immediately quiets Caboose, whom has a smile stamped upon his freckled face. He then held his hand out for Mouse Boy to shake, which he complied. "Nice to meet you Church, thank you for bringing him home, you're welcome here anytime." Church cracked a smile, and he nodded his head respectfully. "Thank you sir." He replied. Caboose's eyes sparkled, his face now even happier, catching Church's eye. "I have to do my homework now, I don't like homework. Will you help me Church?" He turned to face Mouse Boy, who smiled and nodded. Church had some time to grasp the full concept of Caboose's face, how his freckles were dotted like stars, and how his sun-kissed skin contrasted again the short curls of blonde that framed his face, his jawline bold and sexy. His height balanced his strength, which showed in Lion Boy's broad shoulders and chest. His arms were muscled and he could see it throughout the sleeves of Lion Boy Caboose's midnight hoodie, which matched his beautiful and memorizing eyes. "Something wrong?" Caboose's head was raised, to look at Church, who stood beside him and checked his work. "Oh, no it's nothing, just thinking about something." Church replied, an nervous chuckle escaping his tight throat.

Caboose knew something was wrong. He could see it on Church's face.

Chapter Text

Is Church gay? He didn't know, he always thought he liked girls but he had second-guessed that thought. Why was Caboose so freaking adorable? This time he was actually able to admit it. "Caboose?" He asked, laying on the soft, comfortable grass, Caboose by his side, his arm outstretched, with Church's head laying on his chest, snuggled up to him. Caboose's outstretched arm wrapped around Church's back, and his hand reached Church's stomach, rubbing calming circles with his hand.

Church sighed and Caboose's voice broke thought the silence. "Church?" Church's eyes snapped open, his dream still echoing in his mind, his face a shade of ruby red. Caboose's facial expression was confused. "Yes?" Church's voice cracked as he choked out that word. 

It was a dream.

Chapter Text

Church waited impatiently, pacing back and forth in the gym locker room, he hated getting changed in front of guys. Especially since the other guys sometimes smacked his ass as they passed by. He put down his bag roughly, unzipping it quickly. He dug his gym clothes out and dropped them next to him, dropping his jeans and reaching down to get the gym shorts, seeing long, thick, and tanned, legs next to him. Church gripped him gym shorts and shoved them on. 

"Church?" He heard the very, very, familiar voice break the half-silence of the gym room. Church froze, his shirt off.

Caboose?!

Caboose stood, towering over him, his shirt draped over his broad shoulder. His pecs were revealed, and man was his chest alive alive alive. Church slowly looked him up and down, taking in Caboose's looks and features. He blushed and rushed out to the gym.

-one gay timeskip- 

Church swiped the beads of sweat off of his forehead, running his fingers throughout his sweat soaked hair. He opened his locker  his bag waiting there for him, and he reached for it, feeling another hand hit his ass, a different, larger hand, unfamiliar. "What the fuck-?" He whirled around, and there Caboose stood, very close behind him, looking innocent. He noticed Church looked angry, and surprised. Church was also blushing again. "Oh, uh- Sorry, I saw other guys doing it so I thought it was fine. Was that uncomfortable?" His smiling face faded to a genuine worry.

Church burst out laughing, and crying. Caboose was so confused, and so worried. The crying took over Church's body, the laughing fading, he was shaking immensely. Church slid down the wall, fresh tears hitting the ground, and Church's sweat soaked shirt. Caboose hesitated but sat next to him, sliding his hand onto Church's back and started rubbing circles onto it, he was boney, like he had starved himself. Caboose pulled him closer, letting Church's head slide onto his chest and he leaned Mouse Boy's shaking figure on to Lion Boy's own body. "Church, you're ok, shhhhh, you're ok, I'm here" Caboose whispered sweetly and calming into Church's ear. He pulled out his phone, remembering his password for the first time, and calling his parents, explaining everything that happened with a whisper. 

About half an hour later, Caboose's parents arrived with a stranger, Church froze, and started shaking again, and Caboose felt his figure go into a tense, defensive position, instinctually. That must be Church's dad, he looked mean, and he also looked like a drunk. Caboose felt his demeanor change, happy, to cautious. "Stop being a pussy, Leonard. You're being ridiculous, come on, we're going home." Church shook more, it was visibly upsetting, and Caboose's parents looked at him, offended. 

"If you treat your son like that, we'll take him home for a few days, since you're obviously not in the right mind to raise a teenager." Caboose's mom practically growled, Church's dad stepping back and tried not to look intimidated by this gesture. "Fine, keep him, if that means he doesn't have to be my problem anymore." Church sighed, his breath shaky, watched his dad drive off and Caboose's parents came over to hug him, Lion Boy's arms wrapped around Church's fragile, shaking frame. 

They led him out and let Caboose hold him, as they drove off, to their home. 

Chapter Text

Caboose stayed by Church's side all the time, except for bathroom breaks, since he was genuinely worried for Church's mental state right now. Church was very depressed and Caboose knew that. It was obvious to see. Church was abused by his father, who was an alcoholic, and had been for the longest time. Church had revealed that when they got back to Caboose's house later that day, after going out to eat. They said he was a part of the family, which was abnormal for Church to hear.

Church was asleep, he had been taking a nap, he shook and shot up, now awake, breathing heavily and shaking immensely, it was already nighttime. Caboose rushed to his side, Church clinging tightly to Caboose's close body. Caboose rubbed circles into his back, and Church breathed heavily, trying to  calm himself. One of his sisters, Europa (thank you so much Laso), cracked the door, a tray of food in her hands, gently pushing the door open with her foot, and half smiled, as a sympathetic smile. Church loosened his tight grip, and still snuggled into Caboose, Caboose smiled and wrapped his arm around the smaller male, Mouse Boy, his Mouse Boy. Europa handed the tray to Church, who smiled and rasped out a 'Thank you'. "Are you ok? Are you ready to go to school tomorrow? You don't have to, I- I could get your homework from the teachers for you." Caboose stuttered, trying to find the right words as Church gave a chuckle, a rasped chuckle, that is. "Yes Caboose, are you sure you are able to do that?" Church rasps, and puts a hand on Caboose's shoulder. 

"Im sure"

Chapter Text

Caboose came home to the lovely noise of bonding. He snuck to the source, only to be surprised by,

Church and Caboose's mother baking and laughing together, with music on. 

Caboose snuck in to the kitchen, watching eagerly as Church danced and pretended to sing into a frosting spatula, a blue apron draped about his waist and chest, and he sung amazingly. Caboose felt his feet moving without him wanting them to and he made his way behind Church, who still hadn't noticed the gigantic man standing behind him, yet his mother noticed

and winked at Caboose. A silent yet powerful 'go for it' echoed through the wink.

Caboose came dangerously close behind Church as Church spun around, screaming and laughing at the same time. Caboose wrapped his thick arms around Church and uses one hand to move Church's chin up, of which the other man has become pin droppingly silent, and Caboose leans down slowly to kiss the man, only to get his lips smashed alarmingly fast into Church's. Who of which has dropped the spatula onto the ground in shock.

Turns out his mother was impatient to see her little boy have a lover. So she pushed them together.

Chapter Text

Church and Caboose had kissed, kind of. Caboose's mom pushed them together, but still, they kissed. It was great, it felt like fireworks to them both.

Caboose lifted Church up, and hugged him. Caboose's mom cheered for them both, practically fangirling.

That was it, Church was happy, and so was Caboose.