Priorities | Malum

〰 18 〰

"Calum, you've got one slippery slope you're running here," Michael could hear in the background of the phone call, noticing how sad his boyfriend looked through the screen. He's never heard the boss's voice, but it certainly didn't make anything better.

"What do you mean, sir?" Calum shakily asked, and the colorful haired boy seemed worried for the brunette as his lip trembled. His beautiful brown eyes going dark with fear, the normally sunset forests that reflected within his were now desperate for safety. Michael wanted to crawl through the screen like people did in movies - to be able to love the boy he used to hold when he was younger. He didn't want to waste his youth knowing he watched his boyfriend cry on camera - which thankfully, has only happened twice, but may happen a third.

"You're taking too many personal calls and you know that's against my rules."

Calum's head fell to the floor, his neck aching the slightest bit from staying up late this morning to work, but that wasn't the point. He's always following the rules and doing as his boss says, considering the fact that the military is important. Sure, Calum has priorities, and Michael will always be first, even if he is serving his duty for the world.

"I - I only do it on intervals and breaks. The other times are often emergencies," the brunette defended, and it was obvious Calum's boss wasn't going to take it.

"This is your last warning, Hood."

Calum watched as his boss walked away, then he returned to chatting with his one and only. Of course the new smile he had on his face was fake, but it was better than seeing a frown. He knew how Michael felt about seeing him sad, so he figured that playing the act of being happy would do something or help somehow.

"Are you alright?" Michael asked quietly as Calum plugged his white earbuds into his iPod, his screen slightly becoming staticky as he shuffled around to become comfortable. He was meant to end his lunch break twenty minutes ago, but he wanted to talk to his boyfriend. It wasn't like he couldn't make up for what he missed later on - even though he didn't want to.

"I'm fine, could be better," Calum answered truthfully as he stared into Michael's green eyes - the excitement filling his veins as he thought about their next encounter. Will he still feel the same was always the question that ran through the brunettes mind, as well as what if he hates me in person?

Michael could never hate Calum, no matter what.

"I wish you were happy," Michael commented, twirling his fingers around a marker that he found lying on the dorm floor. It probably belonged to Ashton, since the boy was an artist and carried a black marker everywhere he went.

"Being happy isn't everything it seems to be."

Michael knew Calum was right and he hated that his boyfriend thought that way. Why couldn't happiness come as easy as anger or depression? It didn't make any sense, but life never did.

"I'm looking forward to seeing you," Michael changed the subject immediately, not once tearing his eyes away from the screen. Eye contact was important in a relationship, right?

"I hope that we go on a date when I arrive," Calum announced, wanting to remember the moments where they went on cute little picnics, or long walks until they ended up at an aquarium or the zoo. They never paid attention to directions or maps, it was always a "wing it" kind of moment.

"I was planning on taking you somewhere," Michael giggled as he continued to hold the marker, his fingers consistently moving it to the rhythm of his foot tapping. It definitely was Ashton's.