eunoia ; malum

15

MICHAEL WAS REALLY EMBARRASSED. He couldn't help but think about how stupid he was for burning Calum. He was used to being brought up not to care, but Michael was always more of an emotional human being than the rest of his family. He had just learnt to hide it.

"I'm sorry I burn you all the time." Michael said, rubbing Calum's wrist.

"It's okay. I'm used to being hurt."

Michael bit down on his lip, grabbing Calum's cheeks to stop him from walking any more. He leant down and kissed him, smiling into it as he realised that he wasn't burning him. Calum giggled, holding Michael's hips.

"You had such fiery passion in that kiss." The Maori started once they were walking again. "I definitely felt the spark. I mean, did something ignite inside of you?"

"You're a cock." Michael laughed, blushing a little. "This is the first time I haven't burnt you, and you make me want to."

The Maori rolled his eyes, kissing his cheek. "I'm sorry." He laughed, not meaning it at all.

Calum turned in to the park, sitting down on one of the kid swings. He swung his feet back and forth, smiling a little as he slipped his hand in with Michael's. It was warm, but it wasn't burning him.

I wonder if love-bites last on his skin.

Calum looked at Michael, raising an eyebrow. "You're so horny all the time."

"What?"

"Your thoughts are so fucking loud."

Michael raised his eyebrows, a shocked expression on his face. "You can read my mind?"

"Just as fast as you can tear me apart." Calum returned, almost daringly, laughing although freaking out a little on the inside.

"What's it like?"

Calum licked is lips, thinking it over. "It's like everybody yelling over the top of each other all the time. It's like . . . I can never get silence, and I can never hear my own thoughts. In my head, there are your thoughts, the dog-walker down the street's thoughts, everybody's thoughts."

Michael frowned. That's kinda sad. "Oh."

"I guess it's sad." Calum shrugged. "I don't know." He said, because he didn't know what else to say, and wasn't particularly comfortable with an awkward silence.

Then suddenly, there was a scream. An ear-piercingly high-pitched frequency which made Michael cover his ears and cringe. "What the fuck is that?"

Calum almost laughed at how sensitive he was, but was too worried to think about that. "Ashton."

Adrenalin ran through him as he began to run. Ashton had never screamed before. But this – this sounded like pure agony.

They were there in a flash.

How'd we get here so quickly? Michael wondered, but Calum didn't answer him.

He ran up the stairs of the institution, already seeing the crowd of diploids at the doorway. Ashton was crying, screaming by Luke's side. Ashton looked over to the diploids, still screaming.

"Somebody fucking help!"

Stacey stepped out first. "I'll run him to hospital."

She picked him up, and was gone in a matter of seconds.