colorblind (cth)

michael

October 2016

"Code red everybody, we've got a code red!" Calum shouted as he ran into the dressing room, where essential crew and band members were waiting for the arrival of the last two stragglers. Luke was only a few steps behind him, looking a strange combination of irritated, shy, and smug all at the same time.

"The fuck is a code red?" Michael asked, looking up from his phone. Calum's smile was so wide, it took up most of his face.

"Luke got his colors. Code red motherfuckers!" Cal shouted and Luke blushed, despite the large grin on his face.

Calum's announcement successfully got the attention of everyone in the room as Ashton lept from his seat and John's eyes widened in alarm.

"Holy shit, no way."

"When? And who?"

"We have work to do." John spoke over Michael and Ashton as he stepped to Luke's side, slinging an arm around his shoulders. "We're running through the lights now. We don't need another Calum on our hands."

While Cal normally would've sassed John back swiftly and without mercy, he was too excited to focus as he bounced after John and Luke, who were heading towards the stage, the majority of the crew following. Ashton and Michael shared a glance, Ash letting out a long sigh while Michael's normally slumped shoulders were tense.

"Well," said Ash. Michael watched his friend's face change from an expression of shock to one of sadness.

"I know," Michael said, and honestly Ash was a little surprised that he wasn't making some kind of crude joke right now. Instead he was putting his arm around Ashton's shoulders and steering him towards the door. "Team Mashton for life."

Michael smiled as he saw a little grin cross Ashton's face, and he happily returned Ashton's fist bump as they exited the room and headed for the stage, where Luke was standing front and center, waiting to be assaulted by flashing, colored lights.

It turned out that John was kind of a genius and possibly the best tour manager ever, because after getting the light show out of the way (and Luke's subsequent "holy shit"s and "the fuck is that color"s as well), the show went off without a hitch. Luke was a bit more jumpy than usual, but nothing so extreme that the fans would notice anything different. The lads were over the moon when they left the stage for the last time that night.

"Only one more show to go!" Ashton shouted, pulling a beer out of the fridge. Everyone in the room cheered. The shows were fun, but after several months of nonstop travelling, late nights, and screaming crowds, the crew and the band were ready for a break before the next round. Michael snatched his own beer from the fridge and collapsed onto the sofa, at this point only mildly annoyed by his sweaty shirt. He finished his beer before sliding off the couch and putting the empty bottle and his phone on the table in front of him.

"You off to shower?" Luke spoke up, and Michael realized that Luke really hadn't said much at all today besides the occasional color-induced swear word.

"Yeah, I'm gonna have a shower now," Michael answered, heading over to the crates in the corner of the room where there were plenty of spare towels handy. He could hear Luke's footsteps behind him.

"Alright, I'm coming. Grab me one too." Michael rolled his eyes, but grabbed Luke a towel all the same, throwing it at his chest before heading out the door. The communal showers were only a short walk down the hall, and soon enough the two boys were throwing their clothes across the tile floor and waiting for the cold water to get hot.

"So," Michael said as he held his hand under the running water, "You never told us. Who's the lucky lady?"

If Michael had been looking at Luke he would've seen the blonde blushing as he shifted from one foot to the other. "Uh, her name's PJ."