Edicius {5SOS;CASHTON&CAKE&MALUM}✔️

Seven: "It's Hard to Fly with Tears in Your Eyes."

Calum's wings had been more than clipped in the week of being locked away again. They were burned from his back, his arms held down and his back split open, chains made of pure fire cutting through the bone and marrow that connected him to his beautiful wings.

He was defenseless against Ashton now, no way out or nothing to hide himself with as he slowly deteriorated in the dark room, his mind rotting away as he tried to think past the darkness Ashton had pushed him into through pain. He couldn't remember why he got in trouble or how long he had been in the room, his mind going blurry from after Ashton stormed through the door.

His mind stayed cloudy and dark, only the occasional sharp burst of pain that made him remember the way he felt in the midst of Ashton's rage. He curled up more, his wings would've wrapped around him but they were gone and replaced with the carvings on his back. Blood stuck and stained his skin, leaving him in pain every time he dared to move or breath.

The words would be there forever, the marks on his skin that everyone would see and label him as, just as Ashton had done. Harry would think it, Michael would think it, and Luke would think. Luke would see the marks and he'd agree with Ashton, then he wouldn't tell Calum he would be strong one day, he'd echo the words Calum had never heard before he met Ashton and repeat the words that were carved into his soft skin and left trails of his red life.

Calum knew he wasn't defined by the words in his skin but it was really hard to think straight when all the thoughts that clouded his logical thinking were so dark and horrifying. He leaned against the wall, head pressed to the hard cement as he sighed, choking back his tears as he thought of Luke.

Luke would hate him and that's what really scared Calum. He could deal with Ashton spewing the words at him, his skin had already been marked in the way Ashton viewed him. He didn't care about what Michael thought of him because the man had lost any type of say or control he had in Calum's life the moment Calum figured out what he had let the man do.

Luke? Luke was Calum's last peace of hope, his strength, and the last sliver of sanity that he had in his wretched life. If he lost Luke, he might as well just let Ashton murder him. Luke was Calum's everything and he wasn't scared to say that in his mind because it was true. Luke meant a lot to Calum, everything to Calum, and if Ashton had got Luke to turn on him as well, Calum wouldn't function or survive.

He wouldn't have anyone to call, not that he did call like but he knew the offer was there. He wouldn't have someone to make sure he was still alive after his days of isolation. He wouldn't be able to see if Luke ever got his wings and if his halo moved from off his finger and floated over his blond curls.

Maybe that would be so bad? Luke wouldn't have to worry about him anymore. He'd get his wings and be able to fly away from disgusting life that surrounded him. Calum lost his wings, the way of his escape marked with a cruel truth, and he'd only hold Luke down like he always had done. Luke could finally fly freely without the weight of Calum around his neck.

He buried his head into his knees more when the door opened, hoping Ashton would just leave a note and leave him alone for the rest of the day without a problem. His hopes were fulfilled because that's exactly what Ashton did. He heard the man scoff at him see the light spilling in from the spot he was staring at on the floor.

Ashton's phone went off, sending Calum into a tense state as he heard the man's steps recede down the hall then the stairs. He only dared move when the front door slammed shut with unnecessary power, shakily moving out of the room and pass the bathroom to get on his knees beside the bed. He grabbed the phone, typing in Luke's number that he knew by heart, pressing the phone to his ear as he waited for the man to pick up.

He caught sight of himself in the mirror, staring at his repulsive reflection as it glowered at him. He tightened his grip on the phone, watching his reaction as it seemed to turn into its own person but he knew it was just his mind because of his lack of food and sleep mixing with the deliriousness.

"Yeah, who's this?" Luke's voice was raspy, the way he sounded after he drank a little too much and his eyes became red rimmed.

He always looked younger when he drank, features softer and Calum liked when Ashton had them over and they ended up drinking. Luke was somehow softer around him with his wide eyes and pouty lips.

"Hello, who the hell is this?"

Luke's voice shook him from his day dream, Calum focusing back onto himself as he sighed into the phone and hung up. He shouldn't bother Luke when the man was enjoying himself. He turned the phone back off, putting it away and going into the bathroom. His reflection watched him with judgement filled eyes, probably disgusted by the person it had to become.

He ignored it, stepping under the hot water and falling to the floor. He had his back to the water, letting the scorching water find home into his cuts as he held his knees to his chest. This night was one for the bathroom floor, where Calum would stay four hours, even after the water turned freezing and his blood had been filtered from the never ending water flow.

He didn't tell himself he was strong or happy. He just let the carvings on his back remind him of who he would soon become because he never will stand up for himself, especially not now without his wings to help him stand tall.

{~~~~}

Wow, that was a flipping roller coaster to write and read over to edit. Brought a few flipping tears to my eyes.

Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed it. Any thoughts of what could be carved into his back or the way he feels for Luke?

And, that's all. Au revoir....