Better Man [Cashton AU]

ii

it was only a week later when ashton spotted calum at a party again.

he'd been voted as the designated river within his new found friend group and all he could do was stroll around the crowded house, taking slow sips of his sprite.

he finds his way outside with a gentle sigh at the thought of finally escaping the house. he looks around and spots calum on a chair, a dainty looking boy in his lap and a cigarette between his lips. he's surrounded by people but ashton can't help himself.

he approaches the taller boy timidly, and upon realizing who it is, calum shrugs off his friends and moves the boy onto his own chair before he walks off with ashton.

there's dead silence for a few seconds before ashton finally huffs out a quiet greeting and asks how calum is. he ignores the questions that pop up in his mind about what happened to them but he pushes them to the back of his head in favor of asking calum for his new number.

they exchange numbers and calum hurriedly leaves with a peck on his cheek and promises of calling or texting him soon.