Calum discovers he has feelings for Luke in a very strange way.
credit : flame_retardant
from : archiveofourown.org
The day starts out like any other. It's a quarter past ten when Calum stumbles into the kitchen in search of his morning coffee, rubbing the sleep from his eyes, the after-taste of tooth-paste still minty-fresh in his mouth. Ashton and Michael are both already seated at the dining table, engrossed in their own breakfasts and whatever music streams through their respective ear-buds. Calum makes himself a bowl of cereal and takes one of the empty chairs. He's just about dig into his delicious coco-puffs when it happens.
A freshly-showered, bare-chested Luke Hemmings walks into the kitchen. In slow motion.
Calum blinks and rubs his eyes again, harder this time. He must not be awake just yet.
When he looks back at Luke, his eyes fixate on how a single bead of water drips from the wet dark blond hair curling at the base of his neck, down the pale column of his throat, and over the broad expanse of his chest. The blond boy is still in slow motion, and now his movements are accompanied by the Righteous Brother's 40s hit, Unchained Melody.
Calum whips his head around and stares at the other two. Ashton is tapping his fingers on the table. Not in slow motion. Michael is chewing through his plate of eggs and toast, head bobbing to his music. Not in slow motion either.
He swings back to watch Luke again. Now the younger boy is practically glowing in the morning sunlight, still in slow motion, while a choir of angelic voices sing Oh my love, my darling... I've hungered for your touch...
He looks back towards Ashton and Michael.
Still normal.
Back to Luke.
Still slow motion. The song continues A long.... lonely time...
It wasn't a fluke.
"Yo Cal, you're going to give yourself whiplash if you keep doing that," Luke is the first to notice his strange behavior as he casually moves to take the last seat at the table, as if he's totally unaware that Calum is two seconds away from quite justifiably hyperventilating because he is seeing his best-friend in SLOW MOTION. With musical accompaniment!
Realizing that Luke is about to sit down next to him, Calum lets out an unattractively loud squeak and falls out of his chair as he does his best to try to get away from the younger boy. He hits the floor with a loud crash, startling both Michael and Ashton who look down from their breakfasts, mouths gaping as watch him clumsily get to his feet again.
"You okay, Cal?" Luke sounds concerned, as he pushes out of his chair, and Calum can see each muscle in his toned body stretch under his smooth, pale skin. Are you still mine? I need your love, I-I need your love... god speed your love, to me... The angels sing.
"S-stay away from me!" Calum gasps as he somehow manages to back away, eyes glued on Luke like he expects the blond to attack him any second now. He's all the way out of the kitchen with Luke totally out of his vision before he turns around and hightails it back to his bed, diving under the covers and wondering whether he is about to go insane. A half hour later, he's still debating whether to call mom and ask about history of mental illness in either side of his family when the knock comes at his door.
"Cal?" Ashton's using that tone he employs around frightened children when he opens the door a crack and pokes his head in.
Damn it! Should've locked the door! Stubborn as always, Calum refuses to even poke his head out of the covers to acknowledge the other boy's presence. "Go 'way, Ash," he mumbles, hoping Ashton will see his state and take some pity on him.
