Promise » [cashton] √

0.4

[16th of June - Los Angeles]

"So," Calum began, shifting in his chair to look at Luke, "you're assistant to the manager?" Luke nodded, "so shouldn't you, like, be doing something?"

Michael and Luke laughed, "I'm more of a run and go fetch kind of assistant," he said with a shrug and took a long drink from his water bottle.

They were sitting in the seats that circled the floor of the arena; Michael had been nice enough to come and pull Calum out of the broom closet he was using to edit and say they were going to have lunch. Ashton and Sierra were at a radio interview, which was why Luke was eating with Michael and Calum instead. He had assumed everyone would be at home chilling before the show, but it seemed there were enough people who had to be here to set up that everyone was expected to come out of solidarity.

"And that means?" Calum asked as he took a bite out of his last taco.

Luke wiped the corner of his mouth with one of his thumbs, "Sierra likes to do things her way; I go get bottled water, coffee, lunch," he held up the container his tacos had come in, "And sometimes I like things and reply to comments on Ashton's Instagram," he shrugged.

"Is the illusion shattered?" Michael asked, grinning around his mouthful of taco.

"What that Luke earnt his job and isn't just here so his wife can have her slam piece on tour with her?" Calum asked, laughing.

Michael let out a deep, satisfied laugh as Luke nodded, "I actually meant about Ashton's Instagram not being run entirely by him,"

Calum shrugged, "I don't think I follow Ashton on Instagram, actually," he pulled his phone from his pocket and searched for the username, and the 'follow back' button was waiting in brilliant blue. He pressed it; it would look bad if he was taking photos for the man every night, and he didn't even follow him, especially when Ashton already followed him. When had that happened? He wondered.

Michael had been looking over Calum's shoulder, "you should follow me," he told him, "Michael Clifford, with an underscore at the end, some asshole got the plain version first," he explained, pointing to his profile as it appeared. He shook his head after that, "can't believe you weren't even following your boss back on Instagram,"

"I'm sure Ashton following me was Luke's doing; I don't think Ashton will have any hurt feelings over it," Calum rolled his eyes; Michael could be such a torment.

Luke was shaking his head, "Nah, I don't normally follow people for him," he shrugged, "what's your username?" he asked, pulling out his phone.

"Cal shoots, all one word," he said, seeing the notification appear that 'Luke.H' had followed him; he followed him back quickly. Then Michael followed him back, "probably good; I can post some backstage photos and tag you all in them," Calum suggested with a shrug.

Calum was back on Michael's Instagram now, "so is this your partner on your Instagram, Michael?" he asked as he scrolled, seeing plenty of photos of a tall femme with ashen brown hair and two little dogs.

"Yeah, that's Crystal, my wife," he explained happily, "she's everything," and he had this private little smile on his face as he said it.

"She's gorgeous," Calum said honestly, looking at the photo just a moment longer before locking his phone and putting it in his pocket, "what does she do while you're away?"

"She's a model, tries to book up a fair bit of stuff while I'm away and then a bit less when I'm back, so we get plenty of time together; she's getting back from a shoot in the desert late this afternoon, so depending on how she's feeling you might meet her tonight," he explained, and Calum could tell the man was excited to see his wife, it made him feel the tiniest bit bad about his divorce comment a few days earlier.

Luke chuckled to himself, "you're going to get to see how sickeningly in love Michael is in the next few days," the knowing tone in his voice left Calum curious; how bad could they really be?

"I don't trust your definition of sickly in love; I didn't even realise you and Sierra were married until Michael told me. Crystal and he probably just hold hands in public," Calum said, laughing to himself, Michael joined in, and he felt relieved that his joke had landed.

Luke smiled, "we're professionals," he said simply.

"Calum called you 'so fine'; that's why he noticed you two aren't all over each other," Michael laughed, a soft blush colouring his cheeks as he ratted Calum out.

But he just laughed, "You don't have a wedding ring; I was curious; a hot guy is a hot guy," he shrugged.

Luke reached under the colour of his well-fitted white tee and pulled a platinum chain with a matching band.

Calum shook his head, "goddamnit, I always forget about the ring on a chain. Wonder if I've ever slept with someone who was married and they had their ring on a chain... no I feel like you would notice it during, right?" He raised an eyebrow at the others.

Michael nodded, "surely, or maybe you could get to know people before you sleep with them?"

"Sierra complains that it hits her in the face during," Luke laughed.

"Michael, I think it's sweet you think getting to know people would help with that," Calum said, making a cooing face at him, then he turned to Luke, "that makes me feel marginally better,"

"Why? What was your move if I was single?" Luke asked, pulling his legs up underneath himself on the chair.

Calum smiled, "well, first step, find out if you liked men, then either convince you should try dick just once, or wait for a hotel night and invite you around,"

"You think I'm that easy?" Luke laughed.

"I'm pretty hot," Calum said with a shrug; he could feel Michael's eyes on him and could tell the other was blushing; there was something sweet about his apparent naivety in the realm of love and lust.

Luke was laughing heartily now, and Calum followed his eyes to Michael, who was looking wide-eyed and cheeks pink.

"Mike, don't pay any attention to him; he's just trying to make us blush," Luke reassured. 

Hey! I am a few chapters ahead now so should have consistent updates for a bit! I know this chapter wasn't much, I'm thinking of uploading the next one later today, it's a little more exciting, and I think you'd say we're finally getting the ball rolling. Thank you again to boomerluke who is having to beta every damn word at this point, and to those of you who are reading! <3