spotlight :: malum

: twenty eight :

Falling asleep was one of the easiest things possible the second Michael got comfy, the couch was soft and Calum's arm was warm and secure on his shoulder so after his meal and nearly three quarters into the movie he managed to rest his head on one of the throw pillows, his cheek resting against the plush red pillow while he lies on his stomach snoring softly and peacefully.

Calum's given up on watching the movie, at this point it was hard to due to how enticed he was with admiring Michael in his clothes, his tee shirt, his sweatpants, to some he may look disheveled and not at all attractive in such oversized and baggy clothes but to him it was all he could ask for. The sight made his stomach flip and his heart tug.

The bleach blonde had his legs resting across Calum's lap and he couldn't care less, he kept them there, smoothing over his thigh nonchalantly to soothe him in his slumber, the blonde's eyes still fluttered shut when Calum's phone starting buzzing on the coffee table, a huff of exasperation leaving his lips when he saw the contact as his management and prepared to subtly argue, if he yells he'll wake up the angel beside him.

Placing the phone up to his ear he sighed, "What now?"

The whole point of taking a break was to get his management off his back but it appears they only breathed down his neck even more.

His manager, Stephen, gave a fake laugh. "Oh, where do I start? The crisis of you abandoning fans to help your new lover or the fact you were seen kissing him at that damn park? Or if we really wanna talk lets discuss how you let him yell at those fans, yeah?" The anger was palpable and of course he's gotten yelled at by them numerous times but it was different now. They were actually, furiously mad.

Calum's throat ran dry, stopping his soft circles against Michael's sweatpants covered thigh and only let his breathing hitch in his lungs. He didn't know it was that bad. In his honest opinion, his real fans shouldn't care about all of that. They should just be enjoying his songs and promoting his new one, they should at least be happy for him as well.

"Michael was hurt, I had to stop and help him." He explained in a harsh whisper that stung with every syllable spoken. Continuing his explanation he scoffed, "That kiss wasn't even mouth on mouth so you can shut your damn mouth about that one. Also, those fans weren't typically ecstatic to see me either-"

"That doesn't give you the right to let that friend of yours scold them." Stephen noted matter-of-factly, irking Calum to the point of talking instead of whispering softly. His anger was beginning to rise. That's never good.

"They thought I would rather fuck someone than perform-"

"They're not wrong, Calum. Look in the mirror for fucks sake and realize that they're not wrong." That felt like a bullet to the heart, hitting him deep and painfully. Because he thought it wasn't true, he knew it wasn't. But yet, he wanted to believe him.

He could feel Michael turning in his sleep, pouting and furrowing his eyebrows as he heard them yell on the phone, but Calum only started rubbing the blonde's back to keep him asleep. Refusing to speak as he let what his manager said sink in and really eat at him. He's not actually like that, right? Someone would tell him if he was acting like a stuck up rockstar. But someone did, those fans did.

But they don't know him. Not like his close friends do. Not like Michael does.

He felt like he might pass out, he felt so hopeless because deep down he knew those fans were right. He's not a good role model and he's not changing for the better, he's abandoning so many fans and starting to get worse.

"Michael doesn't think I'm like that." He whispered the words he was scared to admit, he knew this part wouldn't do him any favors in this argument but it needed to be said. To convince himself that no matter what, Michael sees the real him, he listens to him and helps him unlike everybody else he knows.