Sam took Leroy by the hand, walking upstairs with him and along the corridor.

Sam opened the door for Leroy, closing it quietly once they were both inside. He leant back against the door, smiling at Leroy shyly.

Leroy watched him; reaching out to Sam and pushing him slowly back onto the bed, crawling forwards onto the bed, leaning over him on all fours.

‘Are you sure you want to do this?’ Leroy asked him.

‘Yes’ Sam breathed. ‘I want to…love you…to feel you…’ he smiled. ‘I want this’ he whispered.

Sam reached up, brushing Leroy’s cheek tenderly, running his fingers through his hair, before letting his hand fall back down to the bed, laying there beneath Leroy, calmly, simply waiting.

Leroy leant forwards, caressing Sam’s cheeks with both hands as he moved forwards, his lips hovering over Sam’s. He paused only briefly before kissing him.

They lay on the bed together after that, holding each other close.

‘I love you Leroy’ Sam told him. ‘I love you...’

Leroy squeezed him tighter, closing his eyes content as he felt a strange emotion inside at hearing these words.

‘I know’ Leroy whispered quietly to Sam.

A lot has changed throughout my life, and I haven’t always been as happy as I am now.

I love Sam dearly, he is everything to me, and meeting him was one of the best things that has ever happened to me….

However…my story began not with him

but with another…