cake oneshots || book one

You Are My Favorite Place (E)

Credit: senioritastyles/ao3

Because disconnected is one of my absolute favorites

"You are my getaway, you are my favorite place, we put the world away, yeah we're so disconnected..."

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Calum's lying on the grass outside the back of the venue right near where they park the buses. He's been out there since soundcheck ended, needing some air and some silence and he might've fallen asleep for like 10 minutes so he probably needed some sleep too. They're at that point in the tour, like halfway through, where everything is starting to catch up to them and Michael keeps getting hurt and Luke's getting sick and Ashton's starting to run out of usable drumsticks and Calum's just tired. He's tired and he needs an escape. Lying here, it's sort of like an escape. He can pretend that he's at home in Australia, lying in his backyard staring at the clear blue sky and smelling the dinner his mom would be cooking. It's a perfect daydream, flawless as he closes his eyes and breathes deep, thinking he might take another cat nap. Except then something is blocking the sun from warming his face and he's about ready to flip off the clouds when he opens his eyes and Luke is standing over him, looking down at him with furrowed brows.

"I'd ask if you're alright, but I already know you're not." Luke murmurs, softly like he's afraid to disturb the air.

"Then what did you come over here for?" Calum asks and he knows it probably sounds a little harsh but Luke will know not to take it personally.

Luke shrugs, moving to the side and sitting down next to Calum. "Looked peaceful." He explains, lying back and squinting his eyes up at the sky.

Calum nods because it is peaceful over here, even with the small interference from Luke. It's quiets back down quickly though, entirely silent for nearly 10 minutes while they just lie there on the grass, less than two inches from each other. Calum oddly feels the need to be closer, to be held, and he knows Luke's always easy for a cuddle so he shuffles over the tiny space between them and rolls onto his side, throwing an arm over Luke's middle and resting his cheek on Luke's chest. Luke immediately wraps his arms around Calum and squeezes him in, no questions asked. It feels nice and Calum's extra relaxed now with the added warmth and the drum of a calm heartbeat. He's actually sort of glad that Luke has a Calum-radar and that the younger boy always seems to be able to locate Calum in the most crowded places and the most empty places. It's endearing and adorable and Calum's just glad for Luke.

"So...what is wrong, exactly?" Luke asks, a whisper that Calum feels in his hair.

Calum sighs into Luke's t-shirt. "M'just homesick...and tired. I need to like.....getaway or something."

That seems to alarm Luke because this isn't the first time this tour that someone has genuinely considered going home for a while. "You can't leave." He's shaking his head, looking ready to lock Calum up in the bus and never let him out. "Please don't leave."

And that's another thing that happens when they all get a bit too run down, Luke gets extra clingy and emotional. Everything sets him off, especially stuff about the band. "No Luke, I'm not gonna leave bro, I promise." Calum's quick to reassure him, lifting his head so he can look Luke directly in the eye. "I just mean, like, I need to just....get out of my head, ya know?"

Luke visibly calms, nodding at Calum. "Oh....okay."

Calum nuzzles his face into Luke's ribs, sneaking in a barely-there kiss that he's pretty sure Luke wouldn't have been able to feel if he tried, but it makes his cheeks go a little pink anyway. He's also starting to think about the ways he usually lets himself go, how he goes about 'getting out of his head'. That makes his cheeks a little pinker, picturing all the stuff he has hidden away in his suitcase, buried deep under his clothes so that even if someone went in there to steal his stuff they'd never find it. It's hidden too well, rolled up in rarely worn shirts and stuffed inside hoodies and tucked up in the legs of jeans he doesn't wear. It's a well-kept secret and he's so extremely happy that they all get their own separate hotel rooms tonight so he have his privacy and do what he needs to do. All that's left is to get through the show in a few hours and then he's free. Speaking of the show, they should probably go back inside and get ready for that because the doors officially open in half an hour and then Hey Violet goes on and then they're on and it'll go quicker than he thinks it will because it always does. So he reluctantly sits up, much to Luke's despair as well, and he grabs Luke's hand, pulling them both up onto their feet. It also takes a great deal of willpower for him to let go of Luke's hand once they're up, but he manages to do it after giving it a tight squeeze. Luke smiles at him and follows him inside, meeting Michael and Ashton in the hallway as they prepare themselves to play.