The Bass Player » [cashton] √

3.8

[1st of February- Travelling]

"I'm not trying to start a fight, I just think we should have a serious conversation about this," Ashton said sighing.

Calum rolled his eyes, "I already told you, I'm looking for a place in West Hollywood, or like near there, okay?"

"And I already told you that's not close enough,"

"I can't afford to live in the hills," Calum said, letting out an exasperated sigh, their conversation was going the same route it had at least a dozen times before.

"I know that I'm obviously suggesting you move in with me," Ashton's tone was matching Calum's at this point.

"And I'm saying, we've only known each other for three months, that's too soon to move in together," both their voices were growing louder and Calum through a glance over his shoulder, hoping the others weren't watching. He knew they must be able to hear them, but, there was a tiny bit of pride salvageable if they couldn't see them. The quick glance told him the curtain was closed, he didn't remember doing it himself but silently thanked whoever had."Can't you just be happy that I'm moving to the same city as you?" he asked quietly, trying to bring the argument back down to a conversational volume.

Ashton sighed, "I just don't see why you should pay rent to live further away from me? It's not like you're going to be there that often anyway, you'll be on tour again next year... most likely,"

Calum groaned and went to rebuff him again when the curtain slid open, and Luke appeared, "Sorry to overhear, it's just that, you know, it's just a curtain," he explained, holding part of the curtain up as evidence. Calum rolled his eyes fondly at him, and Luke continued, "You could just come and live with me," he offered, shrugging and dropping the curtain.

"I couldn't Lu," Calum tried to say, but Luke interrupted him.

"Just have a think about it, Ash and I only live like ten minutes away from each other, and you've lived with Si and me for a bit already, and it wasn't awful. Not to mention you'd save loads of money,"

He considered it for a moment, "And I wouldn't have to live with randoms," he added thoughtfully.

"Oh, come on? You're seriously considering his offer but not mine?" Ashton asked in disbelief.

Calum rolled his eyes for what felt like the hundredth time, and turned back to Ashton, "things are getting really serious, really quickly, I just- I don't know, want to get to know LA a little before just hopping in a bubble with you," he tried to explain.

"It's a fair point Ash," Luke said shrugging, "Calum would be the first person you've lived with that isn't Michael or me,"

Calum through Ashton a filthy look, "this is what I'm talking about, you've never even lived with anyone you've dated before, it changes things, a lot," he tried to explain.

"Oh yeah just throw it back in my face again that I'm so inexperienced, I'm just trying Cal," Ashton groaned, walking past Luke and out into the living/dining area of the bus.

Calum sighed heavily and took a seat on his bed; Luke joined him, "He's gonna go out there and complain to Michael, and Michael's going to agree with you and me, and then hopefully Ash will realise he needs to calm down," he told him quietly, rubbing Calum's back gently.

"Would you really let me live with you?" Calum asked meekly, letting himself lean over onto Luke's chest.

It was hard for Calum to remember that the Luke he was jealous of and this new, now very close friend of his were the same person. The older man patted his head, "of 'course, it was nice having you stay with us, and Si liked having someone to help tease me,"

Calum hummed, tilting his head up to look at Luke, "Maybe I come live with you guys then," he said thoughtfully.

"What if Ash doesn't get over it?" he laughed.

"Well he'll just have to look for another band," Calum told him matter-of-factly.

Luke laughed again, "would you really break up with him over this?"

Calum shook his head, "Not over this, but if he couldn't get over it then there'd be a bigger issue there, I'm sure he'll come around I think he's just feeling a little offended at the moment, but we've had this conversation so many times I'm sick of having to soften everything over and over again,"

Luke pulled him back into the bunk so they were laying down and neither of them spoke, they could hear hushed words coming from the other side of the curtain, but neither could make it out or if they could they didn't say anything.

Luke reached awkwardly around Calum, lying on his chest for his phone, which he pulled out and started calling someone.

"Hey, babe," pause, "Yeah everything's fine, just calling to let you know I brought up that thing with Cal," another break, "Yeah, yeah he did, yeah well that's Ashton isn't it?" more silence, "That's why I called, yeah okay, love you too, I'll let him know, bye, love you,"

"Si?" Calum asked after he hung up.

"Yeah, she's going to get your room ready, so you can move in when we get back,"

"Wow, you guys move fast,"

"Well we talked about it before we came back on tour, and we agreed it'd be nice to have you around. I was going to wait and ask you once we'd been back in LA for a week or two, give you and Ash some time together, thought you'd probably stay with him while you looked for places. But then you know I heard you both arguing, and I didn't want you to feel like you had nowhere to go or that you had to live with him because you had no-"

Calum cut him off chuckling, "It's okay Lu, I get it, I really appreciate it, and I think it'll be kind of fun!" he said excitedly, "And when you and Sierra go away I can trash the whole house," he rolled onto his side, so he was looking at Luke now.

Luke's eyes went wide, "Also if you want to fuck Ashton, you have to do it at his place," he pretended to shudder, "walking in on you once was enough,"

"Aw come on don't be like that," Calum jabbed him in the rib, "you obviously don't mind what Ashton looks like," he had to fight to keep a sour note out of his voice, "and I'm gorgeous," he added winking.

"it's not that, it's like- I don't know it's not you, it's Ashton, like seeing him after all these years like that is just bizarre, it feels like it's from another lifetime, I swear," he tried to explain.

"So, you don't ever think about going for one last ride?" Calum asked, unable to hold back his grin.

"You know what? Just for that, you can find somewhere else to live," Luke laughed.

They were both laughing when the curtain pulled open again, and Ashton appeared, to say it was with his tail between his legs was an understatement.

His eyes ghosted over them before making eye contact with Luke, "Lu... could I speak to Cal for a minute?"

"Ah, yeah, sure," he said, extracting himself from under Calum and leaving as quickly as he could, Calum sat up on the edge of the bunk again and raised an eyebrow at Ashton.

"So, I talked to Michael," he started, "and he helped me realise that maybe we're not- I'm not as ready for us moving in together as I thought I was. You're right; we've got time,"

Calum sighed, nodding with a smile on his face, "I know you're excited, but we'll get there, and I kind of want to live with Lu and Sierra, it'll be fun to get to sneak over to your place at 3 am," he grinned up at Ashton, whos face softened, and smiled back at him.

Ashton chuckled climbing on top of Calum's lap, "Be fun sneaking around mum and dad,"

"Luke already said, no fucking in the house," he laughed, wrapping his arms around Ashton's waist.

Ashton pretended to think, "Sounds like a challenge to me," 

Thank y'all sm for 17k+ reads and 1k+ votes and your 800+ beautiful comments (I swear to god at least 50% of them are Emma)  I genuinely appreciate the love y'all have given this story so much, so thank you again! x