My Ghost, Where'd You Go? → Cashton

three;

The bakery is warm when Ashton and Calum walk in. The intoxicating aroma of freshly-cooked bread sends tingles down Calum's spine. He loves bakery food, loves the pastries and the pink frosting that always manages to paint a moustache on his smooth brown skin.

He and Ashton used to come here all the time, back when Ashton could handle being in public for long periods of time. Nowadays he prefers to hide in the house, usually on the couch with the blinds drawn shut, a beer in one hand and a syringe in the other. But that was last week, it's in the past, they've moved on from that.

They'd actually come to this bakery on their first date, before Ashton encountered any sort of stimulant. He had been charming, Calum remembers, with an alluring smile and sparkling hazel eyes. He'd known how to flirt too, grazing his fingers against Calum's skin in a way that could've been accidental but was too perfect as he said things with the pure intent of making Calum blush.

"The usual?"Ashton murmurs in Calum's ear, one arm wrapped loosely around his waist. They used to come here often enough to know each other's usual but not often enough that the staff know them.

"Please," Calum says. He takes the time to observe Ashton while he's ordering their lunch. His arms are still muscular, but not as well-built as they used to be. Maybe re-joining the gym would help Ashton, give him something to focus on and a goal to move towards. His hair beneath his old beanie is oily and unkempt, but a shower with Calum's Dove conditioner would fix it.

It takes Calum a few more seconds to realise he's thinking of ways that he could fix Ashton. Ashton doesn't need to be fixed, Calum reminds himself. He needs support and love and help.

"They're running low on those chicken and spinach quiches you like so they'll bring it over in a few minutes," Ashton states. He looks so dejected, like he thinks he ruined all of Calum's dreams then and there.

"It's fine," Calum assures. "D'you want to get a table and wait?"

"How much time we got?"

"About thirty-seven minutes left," Calum says, checking his watch for the end of his lunch-time break.

"Plenty of time," Ashton grins, looking so much like the 17 year old Calum fell in love with two years ago.

They find a cute little table by the window, settling down into the black metal wire-frame chairs as if they were thrones. Maybe Calum's trying too hard to bring past-Ashton back, and he knows he should accept now-Ashton but it's hard when he finds himself thinking back on times long forgotten. Thinking back on when Ashton would text him good morning and good night. When he and Ash would go for drives every weekend, just driving, getting lost in the winding turns of the road.

"I don't know why I ever gave this up," Ashton murmurs quietly. He's playing with his and Calum's fingers, joining them, comparing them, fiddling with them. He's so quiet Calum almost doesn't hear him at first. "I've missed this," he says louder.

"I've missed this too." It's almost too perfect, the presence in Ashton's eyes, the familiarity between the two of them. "So how've you been feeling?"

"Good," Ashton smiles.

Calum looks down at the grain of the table. "That's good."

::

The rest of their lunch date passes without consequence and before either of them are ready to admit it, Ashton needs to drive Calum back to school.

"Are you picking me up or should I get a ride?" Calum's voice was soft in the confinement of Ashton's Ute. He knows he needs to go to the office and sign in, meet up with Michael and rush to his period six lesson, but he's not ready to
give Ashton up just yet.

Besides, it isn't often the two could just sit down and bask in the other's presence. Calum is usually at school or yelling at Ashton for something or rather or they're cuddling or fucking. They are an abnormal couple but they are happy with their relationship. Neither feels like sitting down and having a serious talk. They are bot the kind of couple who has serious talks. They fuck out their feelings.

They don't need to speak their thoughts aloud for the other to understand how they are feeling. They've been together too long and they are too close for long conversations about meaningless drama to be necessary. It just makes them more stressed.

"I don't mind being on pick-up duty. Need to make sure you aren't being too friendly with anyone else."

Calum rolls his eyes. Ashton's implications of Calum getting with other people used to result in fights-yelling matches and objects being thrown at heads. He is so used to Ashton's cruel remarks that he doesn't even care anymore.

"Okay. See you later, then." Calum makes a move to grab his bag from the backseat and pull the handle on the door but Ashton stops him in his tracks, pulling him into a long kiss. His hands reside on Calum's cheeks and Calum melts in his hands, all thoughts of school vanishing from his brain.

They kiss for a moment longer, their lips melding together in harmony, before Ashton pulls away. "You should go."

"I should, yeah, I should go."

Ashton kisses Calum in the carpark but is quick to tell him goodbye. Calum brushes it off. He grabs his bag and adjusted his school blazer, kisses Ashton on the cheek and goes on his search to find Michael before the bell rings.

::

hi i know the halsey lyrics are "kiss me in the corridor but quick to tell me goodbye" but theyre in a carpark so it's carpark. deal with it.