caluminthehood: yo 😎

[ ashtonofbricks is online ]

ashtonofbricks: someone's in a good mood

caluminthehood: indeed i am

ashtonofbricks: and why is that

caluminthehood: because
caluminthehood: i'm?
caluminthehood: allowed?
caluminthehood: to?
caluminthehood: be?
caluminthehood: do you want me to be sad

ashtonofbricks: noooo
ashtonofbricks: i want you to be very happy 
ashtonofbricks: spewing rainbows if possible

caluminthehood: ash
caluminthehood: your gay is showing

ashtonofbricks: yea
ashtonofbricks: what about it

caluminthehood: i don't know
caluminthehood: i love it?

ashtonofbricks: you're welcome

caluminthehood: i didn't say thank you

ashtonofbricks: you didn't have to

caluminthehood: alright
caluminthehood: whatever you say daddy

ashtonofbricks: stop it right now

caluminthehood: why

ashtonofbricks: because
ashtonofbricks: i cannot let you say things like that to me
ashtonofbricks: it's tempting

caluminthehood: what if
caluminthehood: you wake up tomorrow
caluminthehood: and you have to call me whatever my username is

ashtonofbricks: no

caluminthehood: why not

ashtonofbricks: because you're gonna change the username to babyboy
ashtonofbricks: and that's cheating
ashtonofbricks: you need to earn my admiration

caluminthehood: but
caluminthehood: but
caluminthehood: d a d d. Y

ashtonofbricks: no

caluminthehood: d
caluminthehood: a
caluminthehood: d
caluminthehood: d
caluminthehood: y

ashtonofbricks: ok
ashtonofbricks: i need to leave

caluminthehood: ahahaha
caluminthehood: i win

ashtonofbricks: no you don't
ashtonofbricks: this isn't over

caluminthehood: yes it is
caluminthehood: and i won
caluminthehood: whats my reward

ashtonofbricks: i don't know
ashtonofbricks: we'll see

[ ashtonofbricks is offline ]

-

caluminthehood: it's been like 20 minutes
caluminthehood: the fuck is taking so long
caluminthehood: A S H T O N
caluminthehood: i'll kill you

ashtonofbricks: can i call you

caluminthehood: yeah
caluminthehood: is everything okay?

ashtonofbricks: i um
ashtonofbricks: i don't know

[ ashtonofbricks is calling ]

-

"Hey." Calum cautiously mumbled. "What's wrong?"

"Um—I don't know." Ashton bit his lip. "I just—got a really strong urge to drink an unholy amount of alcohol and cry myself to sleep."

"Is there a holy amount of alcohol?" Calum asked curiously, and was met by only piercing silence from the other end. "Sorry. Why is that bad?"

"I'm not supposed to drink, Cal."

"May I ask why not?"

The older lad sighed softly, then simply muttered, "Nick."

Calum's eyes widened, his memory had failed him for a brief moment. "Oh."

"It hurts too much."

"I understand." Calum winced. He couldn't relate exactly, but he figured that it was comforting to Ashton if he said he could, and a lie such as that wouldn't hurt anyone. "Do you—"

"Can you just talk to me for a while?"

"Of course. 'Bout what?"

"Anything, Calum. I don't care."

"Okay. Um—I was thinking about dying my hair. Thoughts?"

"What colour?"

"Blonde. How does that sound?"

Ashton began to laugh. "You're gonna look so scary, Cal."

"Okay. How about a tattoo?"

"Of what?"

"I don't know. What's your favourite animal?"

Ashton grinned. "This is stupid."

"Doesn't matter. Is it helping?"

"A little."

"Awesome. I have plenty more idiotic things to say. You ready?"

"Sure."

"Okay. Where do you wanna travel to?"

Ashton didn't even need to think before saying, "Wherever you are."

"Oh."

Ashton mentally scolded himself for being so forward. "Shit. Sorry. Go on."

Calum giggled quietly and smiled to himself. "Okay. Um—what's your dream job?"

"I don't know. I like doing things with my hands—"

"I bet."

"I like hands-on jobs, Cal. That's what I mean."

"Mhm."

"I'm serious." Ashton grumbled.

"So am I." Calum smugly replied. "Are you feeling better, Ash?"

"Very much so. Thank you."

"You don't need to thank me. I like talking to you."

"As do I."

"Why are you talking so intelligently all of a sudden?" Calum giggled. "You sound weird."

"Do you want me to speak at your level?"

"Hey!" Calum defended, a frown taking over his expression. "I'm not an idiot."

"I know."

"Good. 'Cause if you were calling me one, I'd have to leave. And I don't think you want that."

"I really don't."

Silence hurts people in the weirdest ways. Some people can't stand it, because the roaring of voices in their head is too much to handle. Some people enjoy silence, because it's better to simply hear the noises than to fight with them.

Calum and Ashton had different reasons to fear a lack of noise, but knowing that the other would be right there if they needed it made them appreciate it as well.

"Do you still need me here?" Calum asked, trying to sit up but failing as Duke was on top of him.

"I want you to stay, but I probably won't die if you leave."

"I don't have anywhere else to be."

They proceeded to talk for another forty-five minutes, both of them losing track of time. They spoke of everything and nothing, learning more and more about each other. Calum was scared with how quickly his admiration for Ashton had grown, and Ashton just the same. Both found it easy to care about one another, and it was worrisome for them.

"I've gotta go." Ashton sadly mumbled, hating that their conversation had to end. "I'll talk to you tomorrow, okay?"

"Okay." Calum tried not to sound disheartened, but knew that he did. "Bye."

"Bye."

-

Half the chapter is actual speaking, I don't know how to feel about this.

-