Definition [ot4]

Twenty

The Talk has such a bad theme song, Michael visually cringes. Calum would laugh if he wasn't so nervous, himself. Several cameras move at once and twist around the stage, and then one of the hosts, Calum doesn't know any of their names, smiles and starts talking to one of them.

Michael shifts around in his chair, looking generally bored with whatever topics they're going to be discussing today, but then the hostess talking says, "Here today with us, we have Michael Clifford!"

Michael smiles and waves and looks genuinely excited to be on daytime television, while the rest of his band rolls their eyes. Calum calls shit like this a publicity stunt. Their manager had come to the decision that it was time to start speaking out about their sexualities and genders, now that the public has had time to digest it. They volunteered Michael as the spokesman, because he knew more than Luke about the topic, and he's more confident with himself than Calum and Ashton.

Calum would like to think Michael's appearing on a fucking talk show to better the American public about various sexualities and genders, when he's really doing it by force.

The same hostess that had introduced Michael smiles again and faces the camera, looking faker than Calum's ever seen anyone look. He narrows his eyes at the extravagantly colored stage, only to receive a nervous grin back from Michael.

"So, Michael is here today to tell us about the hot new trend in sexualities," the host says. Michael's grin drops off instantly when he turns to look at her, flipping into a grimace instead. "He says he's demiromantic pansexual, and we want to know just what that is! A little while later, we'll hear from his other band members, and learn more about them, as well! But, first of all, Michael. Hello, welcome!"

"Yeah, hi," Michael says dismissively. "Let me just start off by saying that, if we're going to do this, we're going to do this right." Calum turns from his seat in the first row of the audience and notices Luke is smirking. Ashton's watching closely from Luke's other side with an impartial, unimpressed expression.

"And how do you think it should be done?" Julie, Calum's pretty sure the main hostesses name is Julie, asks.

"Sexualities are not a trend," Michael responds sharply. "You don't just wake up like, wow. I'm going to be bisexual today. That's not how it works- your sexuality is a definition of who you like, both sexually and romantically."

The bigger, boisterous woman on the opposite side of the table scoffs and laughs, making everyone else in the audience follow suit. Calum frowns and notices Luke and Ashton doing the same thing, all watching Michael patiently for his reaction. He remains calm for once in his life and just turns with raised eyebrows to see what's so funny.

"No one had a damn sexuality when I was younger!" The woman laughs. Calum doesn't know what her name is either. "We didn't have to worry about petty things like that, kids now days just feel the need to branch out and be different! Honey, it's a trend."

"Your generation was also homophobic, racist, sexist, and condescending," Michael shrugs. Calum can't believe he's keeping his cool. "Besides, Angela, kids are learning to be themselves now, instead of conforming because they thought they were alone and weird."

Calum is completely sure her name isn't Angela. The way Michael says it implies that he can't be bothered to learn her real name, so he's giving her a new one. Calum raises his eyebrows in amusement.

"Anyway, Michael," Julie says in an attempt to lead the conversation back on track. "Let's start with your sexual orientation, what exactly is pansexual?"

"Right, yeah," Michael goes back into civilized talk show mode and smiles lazily at Calum in the crowd, before facing Julie. "Pansexual is basically when someone is sexually attracted to a person, regardless of their gender."