spotlight :: malum

: fifty eight :

They're way over halfway through the North American leg of the tour, only three shows remain and all of them take place across California, Calum's been granted a day off for his own health and wellbeing since he is trying to save his voice after playing close to sixty shows so far in America. But that doesn't stop him from hanging out with friends and bringing Michael to Los Angeles for the day.

There's only a couple weeks remaining of Calum's tour and tired is an understatement, he's been working and giving his all so much to the point he just does a show and falls into his bunk for some highly appreciated cuddles from his boyfriend.

It feels more than relieving to think about how close they are to being home in Australia, because finally, after begging and pining for two straight months- Calum had gotten a year off from work, sure he has meetings now and then along with a few interviews scattered about but he gets twelve months of just him and his mind to relax and focus on his next album being pieced together perfectly.

Michael can't wait to see Ashton, too. They try to talk every week and sometimes they're lucky to hold a video call or to just hear each other talk about what happened in their life since they last spoke and it's kind of excruciatingly hard to wait twenty or so days for them to finally meet up again.

Los Angeles, and California in general, is well worth it, though.

The excitement on the maori's face is all that shows when he drives the redhead down the very traffic-filled streets, his thumbs tap and tap repeatedly on the wheel and he can't stop checking if Michael's enjoying this as much as he is. He loves Los Angeles, it's practically his favorite place where he lives.

There's texts on his phone that are from his friends who are already asking if he's down to go out tonight and honestly, he kind of wants to stay home. Not that partying is a bore to him, but he needs rest with his jet lag and tight schedule- a hangover will not help towards his show tomorrow or the interview he has to do before it.

"I wanna meet your friends." The pale boy is observing all of the buildings they're around, numerous stores and restaurants. His feet are on the dashboard of the car as he lounges back in the fine leather seats, if it wasn't Michael doing that Calum would've yelled however his boyfriend is allowed to. Even after he said it, the maori cringed, "I don't know if you should."

In the most sincere way possible- Calum's friends are the last people on Earth he wants Michael to meet let alone hang out with. They know more than they should about the maori's past tendencies and they aren't exactly subtle with things like his hookups. They always want to get drunk and more than half of them smoke cigs like crazy and he's not saying they're horrible people but they're bad influences. They are the same people who turned him into the rogue asshole from last year.

"Why not?" The radio is a hum of today's hits under the sound of Michael's rising inflection, he's pining for this but not exaggeratedly. He just wants to meet the people he's heard so much about. His eyes skim past a few cars out the window before he gets a curt reply, "They'll tell you more than you want to know about me, and I'd rather you not know."

Well, now he's only more driven to meet them, "If it's anything bad I promise I won't hate you." There's sympathy in his tone and the last thing the maori wants is sympathy, it just makes him feel weak and needy. He doesn't need it.

They turn down a random street towards a huge hill leading to an estate, his lips purse, "I've hooked up with more than half of them, I don't want you to get jealous or anything." He knows it's something to worry about, especially with how self conscious the redhead gets every time he sees someone Calum's had a past with. It's natural to get protective or nervous, he does it too.