Centerfold {ot4}

Chapter 5

lol I LOWKEY forgot how to write sorry, here's a mediocre update as an apology!

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The thing is, Luke's growing on Calum, all of his little twitches and overly-eager yelps of excitement that really are annoying as hell, are suddenly endearing - although there are times where Calum wouldn't mind suffocating Luke with a pillow. He drinks tea with Calum late at night when the house is dark and quiet, and he'll sit for hours on the veranda listening to Calum tell stories from before he became a Bunny. He's yet to be in the magazine, but there's been talk on the news of a blonde boy taking the industry by storm.

Calum remembers when he was the one talked about on the news channels. It's a bittersweet moment, really. He's still centerfold, still the treasured favorite - and Luke is his protege. Sweet, childish Luke with his body on display for the world to observe. He's the image of soft, coddled innocence that Ashton had brushed off at the beginning of his career, had searched for in Calum and put to rest before digging Luke up from the depths of Australia.

Martha pushes Calum's curtains to the side with a sigh. The sky is dark, weighed down with grey clouds that threaten rain and stormy weather. "Today's his first shoot." She says, moving to pour tea into a cup. Calum doesn't sit up.

He'd sat in on the conversation between Luke and Ashton. The older man had pushed for a bare shoot, something exposing and soft and unfiltered. Luke had been unsure as he wrung his hands out on his lap and flushed.

"You'll be fine," Calum had said. Luke had looked at him a moment before nodding. He seemed to trust Calum's words, his decisions.

It was booked for Thursday morning, eleven-thirty sharp with The Michael Clifford. Luke asked for Calum to accompany him, weary of dealing with the snappy man Calum had dealt with Monday.

"It's a basic shoot." Calum says.

Martha nods. "It's also his first." Her tone is clipped, reminding him of his first time. The nerves are inevitable, prickling under your skin until the camera flashes for the last time. Calum can almost imagine the frazzled state Luke's in right now. He hopes Martha kept his breakfast light. "He's still in his room."

Calum, with a sigh, sits up. The blankets fall to his lap, leaving his torso bare to the cool air. Martha smiles, for the first time this morning, and pats his hand. "I know," He says, although he wishes he didn't.

The older woman folds his blankets down, lips quirking as he groans, throwing his body back against the mattress. She pats his leg now, "Come on now."  Calum nods and sits up. His day is beginning much earlier than necessary, and a blonde boy four rooms down needs consoling.

~~~

Luke can't seem to keep his leg still during the ride to the shoot. His leg bounces, fingers twisting around each other anxiously as he stares out the window. Ashton ignores him, for the most part, both of them.

It's not usually like this, the distance, and Calum's unsure. He's never been to another playmates shoot, and now, with this being Luke's first time, there's more on Calum's plate.

"He's not that bad." Calum says.

Ashton looks up, silent. His fingers pause on his phone but he makes no move to join the conversation. Luke nods quickly. "Okay. Okay."