room // malum au [in progress]

march 14th, 2021

"you ready to go?"

calum looked up from his hands to see mali standing at his bedroom door with tucker behind her. he sighed before standing up and walking towards them.

"yeah i guess so."

"why are you acting so reluctant about this?" mali asked. "we're only going to the beach."

calum shrugged, "i dunno."

"do you want me to see if michael wants to come?"

"no." calum mumbled. "he's gonna wanna bring luke and ashton cause he's trying to mend whatever happened and i really don't wanna see them right now."

"you and luke really should talk." mali suggested as calum picked up tucker.

"well i really don't want to talk to him mal."

"daddy why don't you want to talk to luke?" tucker asked softly resting his head on calum's shoulder.

"because we got into a fight bud. i just don't wanna see him right now."

"okay." tucker sighed. "where are we going?"

"the beach." calum replied walking down the stairs with mali following close behind. "me and mali are gonna show you the ocean."

"it's gonna be really fun tucker." mali exclaimed. "just a little cold so we gotta bundle up."

"do you like the beach daddy?"

"i love the beach tuck. it's a good place to go and think."

"think about what?" tucker chirped.

"anything you want." calum said softly. "let's get you all bundled up."

calum gently placed the five year old on the floor and helped him get his coat and boots on before putting on his own and lacing his hand with the little boy.

"you guys ready?" mali asked opening the front door.

calum nodded. "yeah, let's go."

***

the beach was deserted as expected. it was the middle of march in the northeast, no one wanted to be there. except calum. he was loving the cold, barren beach. and so was tucker.

"i wanna touch the water!" tucker squealed when he saw the calm, small waves lapping the shore.

"it's really cold bud." calum sighed rubbing his hands together to create warmth. "and i don't want you to get sick."

"but it's so pretty!"

"maybe when it get's warmer out i'll teach you how to swim okay?"

"okay i guess so." tucker mumbled.

"you know what we can do though?" calum said poking tucker's cheek playfully.

"what?"

"we can play a game." the twenty five year old suggested.

"what kind of game?" tucker asked softly looking up at calum.

"well what we do is get as close to the water as possible without touching it and then when the wave comes towards us we run away so we don't get wet." calum explained. "does that make sense?"

tucker nodded.

"let's do it then." calum said turning around and walking towards the water with tucker running after him.

the father and son spent almost an hour running around laughing and yelling in glee while mali watched from her spot perched on a blanket against the dunes, protecting herself from the wind.