There should be a Calum Hood appreciation day He is art
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"Hey, this is Calum. I can't come to the phone right now, but if it's like totally important just lay it on me after the beep."
I groan out of frustration because I haven't been able to reach Calum since last night. Emma looks over from the kitchen when I toss my phone onto the couch cushions. "Is he still not answering?"
"No," I sigh. "I don't know what's wrong."
"Maybe he lost his phone or something." I send her a look making it clear that her theory is far too naïve. "Or not. Do you want me to call Luke and check?"
"No," I shake my head standing up from the sofa. "I'm gonna just go over there and see if he's home."
"All right, good luck." I slip into a pair of Birkenstocks and shrug a lined denim jacket up my arms before slinging my bag over my shoulder.
"Bye." I wave in a cab and as it drives me to Calum's apartment building I keep my head leaned against the window. I take the stairs two steps at a time up all seven floors—which is an accomplishment for me seeing as I haven't really worked out since high school. Luke is the one who opens the door to let me inside. "Is he here? I can't get a hold of him."
"He's in his room," Luke tells me, scratching his neck uncomfortably. "He's kind of emotional right now, so just take it easy will you."
"Did something happen?"
"Just...go talk to him and he'll fill you in."
"OK." I walk along the hallway and slowly push Calum's bedroom door open poking my head in. He is lying in bed on top of the covers with his back facing me. I close the door behind me as I step inside, and I slip out of my jacket and step out of my shoes before joining him in bed. "Hey, Calum."
He turns around at my touch and his eyes are red and puffy but his cheeks are dry. "What are you doing here?"
"You wouldn't answer your phone," I tell him, letting a hand come up to cup his cheek. "What's wrong?"
"It's, um, it's their anniversary in two days," he says and I instantly understand what he's talking about.
"Oh, sweetie." I wrap my arms around him and I can feel how fresh tears stain my shirt and the vibrations of his cries. My heart breaks for the boy who lost both his parents in the same night, and I bury my hands in his hair as he wraps his arms around my waist and hugs me to him tightly. "I'm so sorry."
With the whole toxic masculinity façade which guys are supposed to uphold it is a rarity for me to witness a man crying. All I know to do is hold him and let him cry, because I reckon it's not something he gets to do a whole lot.
I can't help but tear up a bit myself, and it isn't until minutes later that Calum lifts his head up from the crook of my neck, but still holding me close to him. I use my hand to wipe his cheeks free of tears. "Do you want me to leave, or should I stay?"
"You can stay," he mutters. "I'm sorry for being such a mess."
"Don't apologize. You have every right to break down."
"Thanks you for just...crying with me, I guess."
"Of course." I send him a comforting smile and push his hair back.
"I didn't mean to unload all of that on you so suddenly."
"Calum, don't worry about it. You went through a great ordeal and I'll do anything to help you through the emotions you're going through right now."
"Food would help, I think," he mumbles and I nod. "Luke and I got takeout last night so there's a few boxes in the fridge."
"Just stay here and I'll go get it all. Maybe we could watch a movie or something."
"Yeah."
When I go in the kitchen Luke is sitting on the counter biting into a Pop-Tart. "How's he doing?"
"He's a wreck," I shrug. "But I'd be worried if he wasn't."
"I figured he'd come out for food soon so I heated up the Chinese from last night."
"Thanks. I'll just bring it to his room." I pick up the stacked boxes, but I turn to Luke before I leave. "You wanna join us? I think you'd be able to get his mind off of things."
"Yeah, sure." That's how the three of us end up leaned back in Calum's bed passing takeaway boxes between us and pointing out every detail about the movie we watch. Calum seems to get away from the torment of the demons of his past for the most part, though I see him slip into deep thought every now and then. Whenever that happens Luke finds a way to make him smile and I give Calum's hand a reassuring squeeze.
Once Luke has fallen asleep half through the second movie with his head on Calum's shoulder, Calum wraps an arm over my shoulders and pulls me closer to kiss my temple, mumbling. "Thank you."
