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Partying

Partying - 11:40 pm 

He'd slipped away when the music had changed to rock lobster; it seemed the perfect time for a smoke, in his opinion. While he'd been making his way back toward the wedding party's table, he thought about letting his eyes search for Luke, he hadn't seen him for nearly two hours and part of him wondered if that had anything to do with the much more sober kissing.

It was that line of thinking that had him decide he wasn't going to bother looking, he had to have a think about all this. Wondering whether it was just the loneliness that came from being single at a wedding or a genuine spark that had lit between them.

And if it was genuine how did you make a real go of it with a guy you made out with at your best friend's wedding? You didn't, well at least no one Calum knew did.

He was halfway through his second cigarette by the time he heard the door open and realised someone was either coming to join him or trying to wrangle him back inside.

"Surprised this is the first time I've seen you out here," Ashton's voice said behind him.

Calum raised his head and looked over his shoulder to watch the older man coming toward him, "these two groomzillas have had me running around all day, so this is actually my first smoke since this morning," he told him grinning.

"Thought you'd be walking around with a splitting headache and whining at us like when you last tried to quit," he said laughing as he joined him leaning against the railing.

He shook his head and patted his bicep, "Came prepared, nicotine patch," he nodded his head at this, "still really wanted to smoke all day but it feels less like I've been run through a steamroller," he admitted.

They were quiet for a moment, Calum smoking and Ashton looking out over the intricate gardens below, both enjoying the cool night air and the relative silence compared to the hall behind them that was filled with chatter, music and several times in the evening, the sound of smashing glass.

"You seem down today, is there something you need to tell me? Michael maybe?" Ashton asked finally, his tone wasn't accusing, soft and gentle, too kind for someone asking if you were upset because perhaps their husband was the love of your life too.

Calum let out a soft laugh, "you're too kind, much too level headed, there's this guy actually..." he said, pausing before admitting the name aloud, "Luke?" he said it as a question, hoping Ashton would know who.

"You mean, my ex Luke?"

"Your ex?"

"Yes, tall, blonde, very pushy when he wants to be," Calum couldn't hide his mortification at the information, clearly confirming that yes, this was the same man, "you have a little crush on my ex? That's okay, I have a crush on yours too", Ashton giggled. For the first time since he'd joined him in the garden, Calum took a good look at the older man; he might have been a little drunk.

"He didn't tell me he was your ex!" Calum declared uselessly, that much was apparent, "I made out with him in the bathroom," he admitted, practically deflating like a balloon at the words, god he was embarrassed.

"Calum, you player! Hooking up at a wedding," Ashton was shaking his head, but there was a grin on his lips.

"I-I kind of like him- what if this is all just because he's upset about the wedding,"

Ashton shook his head, much more serious this time, "doesn't sound like Luke," he said thoughtfully.

They were quiet again for a long moment, and Calum offered Ashton his cigarette but the older man shook his head. So they stayed silent, clearly both thinking about what exactly this was all supposed to mean in the grand scheme of things. Calum honestly couldn't move past the embarrassment, this was the second person today who had thought that his mood was because he was still in love with Michael. When he thought about it, he wasn't actually all that sure that he'd definitely been in love with Michael at all. He supposed it didn't really matter.

"So you decided what you're going to do about him then?" Ashton asked, turning his head to give Calum a thoughtful look.

The younger man mirrored the look, "No, not really," he admitted.

"He's a nice guy, we didn't break up over anything awful- I mean he wouldn't be invited if he had," he shrugged.

"Are you recommending your ex to me?"

"I mean I'm not, not recommending him," he laughed.

Then there was someone calling out for Ashton behind them, and they turned to see a person, Alex? Calling for Ashton to return through the door, he was half in half out of. So Ashton turned and gave him a closed-mouth smile in apology; their time was up. And he was gone, following the person back inside.