For lack of a better partner by DaddyAshton
Found on Archiveofourown.org
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Luke giggled, slapping Calum’s chest gently. “Shut up you dick.” He muttered quietly, trying not to wake the rest of the boys. Ashton and Michael had gone to sleep hours ago in their respective bunks, both completely tuckered out from being on stage. Luke didn’t blame them, they’d both played their hearts out that evening, and of course so had Luke and Calum. The difference was Luke and Calum had also been chugging energy drinks before and after the show, and they were now hardwired and not sleepy in the slightest.
After their show, Luke had climbed into his bunk and turned on his laptop, deciding maybe he’d watch a movie or two before even attempting sleep. After only the first few minutes of watching Now you see me for the hundredth time, he was startled by his curtain being pulled back. Within seconds, Cal had climbed in next to him. “Sup Lukey?” He asked, moving under Luke’s covers – uninvited. Luke shrugged, gesturing to the movie and silently handing the older boy one of his earbuds before pressing play again.
They’d lain there, watching that movie and a couple more including Calum’s favourite, Skyfall for a few hours before realizing that it was way past two in the morning and they needed to get to bed. Luke quickly stashed his laptop and raised an eyebrow at the other boy. “You gonna stay or..?” He asked, trying to mask his hope with a smirk. It wasn’t that Luke didn’t want to sleep alone, because he was used to that. Crashing on couches and in hotel rooms whenever possible. But whenever he was this close to Calum he was always a little reluctant to give it up. To Cal it probably seemed normal, sure because he was clingy with michael and even more so with Ash, but the younger boy felt – and hid – much more than he let on for the dark haired boy.
“Sure,” Calum said simply a small smile barely visible on his face in the dim of Luke’s bunk. A little bit of light filtered in from the moon shining through a crack in the curtains covering Luke’s window and though it was hard, if you tried you could make out a few features on each of the boys. Luke tried to suppress his rush of happiness at Calum’s confirmation.
They lay there, neither of them really all that sleepy still, chatting and joking. Every so often they’d tease one another poke fun at each other like they always did. “Oh come on,” Calum whispered back at Luke. “You know it’s true, the girls want me more, face it.” Luke laughed and continued calling him a dick, even though it was a joke. In all honesty, Luke didn’t care who the girls fancied, even though Calum was probably right.
They calmed down for a while just listening to each other’s breathing. No one had much else to say for a long pause. The stretch of silence went on for so long that Luke would have guessed that Calum had fallen asleep if he hadn’t known better. Calum snored, loudly.
“You know…” Calum said quietly eventually. “It kinda sucks, being on tour like this, never pausing for long enough to do anything.”
Luke turned his head so he was gazing at the dark haired boy, who was staring straight up, suddenly fascinated with the ceiling. “What?”
“I mean, like…” Calum sighed. It was clear he didn’t know to express what he was thinking. “With the girl thing. We go so many places but we never meet anyone new. And if we do we don’t have time enough to actually you know, get close to them.”
The blonde tugged his lip between his teeth, thinking and letting Calum finish his thought. “And you know how much I hate hooking up with girls in clubs, that’s gross and no fun.” He said and for a moment it sounded like he was done, so Luke thought about how to respond to that.
“Um, yea.” He settled on. “I mean like it does suck not really getting any attention.” He tried to sound like he got what Calum meant, and on some level he did. Luke didn’t really care if they met girls along the way, it didn’t affect him. Once or twice he’d seen a guy who’d actually caught his eye but it didn’t compare to the levels that Calum was talking about. Cal wanted to meet a girl, he wanted to hook up, he wanted to get some. And sure Luke wanted that too, but sure as hell not with strangers. Sure as hell not with anyone, really accept for the boy laying next to him.
Luke could hear the cringe in Calum’s voice as he spoke his next words. “Fuck I sound like a weirdo don’t I?”
The blond quickly shook his head. “No, y-you don’t.” He said, trying to backtrack. He liked when the older boy opened up to him, even if it was about something like this. Luke felt the mattress under them shift as Calum turned onto his side so he was facing Luke.
“Really?” He asked, and then didn’t let Luke answer. “Shit I just, I need something you know?” And Luke did know. “I haven’t been with anyone, done anything in so long and it sucks.” Luke nodded quickly, encouraging him to continue. Luke knew that none of the guys had gotten any action since before they left, so much for ‘groupies’ like the 1D boys had on their tour.
The blue eye’d boy wasn’t prepared for what he heard next, though he’d been hoping for it for as long as he’d known Calum.
“It, it kind of makes me wish I had like, a friend with benefits or somthing, you know?” Luke stared at him, mouth agape and wondering if maybe, just maybe, Calum would consider him. “Shit never mind it’s stupid.”
Finally, Luke realized that he needed to say something, before it was too late and the chance was gone. “It’s not, it’s.. I feel you man I haven’t got anyone either.”
The brunet’s eyes were steady as he studied Luke’s face. The blonde would have paid anything to know what was going on inside of his head in that moment. “Fucking punch me if I’m totally reading this wrong, okay?” Calum said steadily. Luke nodded silently. “I’ve, I’ve never done anything with a guy, but hey being with a guy is better than being on your own right? And, like we don’t have to do much, I just need something okay and if you’re not into it I get it …”
Better than nothing, Calum had said basically. Luke tried to convince himself he didn't care.
He forced a practiced nonchalant mask onto his face. On the inside, he didn’t know how to feel. Calum didn’t want him he simply wanted to get off. “Oh, you mean like, help each other out?” Luke said with feigned indifference. “Yeah, I mean we could do, sure.”
Calum’s face relaxed, and a small smile formed in the corner of his lips. “You’re sure you’re cool with it?” He asked, still looking unsure himself.
“Yeah man.” Luke said, an easy smirk on his face. “When do we…” He trailed off slightly, not knowing exactly how to put it.
Calum shrugged, and Luke felt the tension around them begin to feel more than slightly awkward. “Um, w-we could do something now if you wanted or…”
Luke nodded quickly, sooner was better than later, the sooner they started this, the less awkward it would be right? “Yeah just, uh..” Luke knew what he was doing, he knew what he’d do if were any other guy and it weren’t a situation like this one. He wasn’t inexperienced. But Calum didn’t know that, couldn’t know that yet, and he was not about to freak him out before anything even happened. Better to let the older boy stumble his way around uncharted territory with only a few hints of assistance. Until they got into the swing of things.
Calum moved his hand towards Luke tentatively, not sure exactly where to touch first. He settled with placing his hand on Luke’s hip, his fingers just brushing the inch of skin exposed by his tank top.
Luke moved a little closer, part of him wanting to simply take control and get on with it. But he knew he couldn’t. He let Calum run his hand along his side, slipping it gently under his tank top. He tried to suppress a shiver as he felt fingers move to trace along his abs. He found himself once again biting his lip.
He reached out a hand of his own, bringing it to the hem of Calum’s shirt and tugging gently, indicating he wanted it off. Calum wordlessly retracted his arms and slipped them out of the nirvana tee he was wearing. He shuffled, pulling the fabric over his head. Once the shirt was out of the way, Luke let his fingers trail over Calum’s stomach, feeling the tense of his muscles as he passed over them. He’d wanted to do that for what had felt like ages, really.
“Yours.” Calum said, so quiet Luke almost didn’t hear it. The younger boy nodded and removed his shirt. He felt Calum’s hands back on him, moving across his unexplored skin. Luke watched, almost fascinated, as Calum’s expressions varied as he tried to find his footing. Luke moved his hands towards the waistband of Calum’s sweats, hoping he wasn’t going too fast. They had to get to the point eventually. He watched Calum’s expression as he slipped his hand under the waistband and gently palmed him over his boxers. Calum bit his lip, and Luke could tell that he liked it, or at least wanted more. He moved his hand back and forth over the growing bulge in the burnet’s boxers, and Calum, despite himself, let out a breathy sigh.
Luke didn’t waste time, quickly pushing down Calum’s sweats until they were around his ankles and easily kicked off. The blond went back for a moment, applying a little friction to where he knew Calum needed it, and tried not to show how happy he was by the reaction. Calum rutted his hips up a little, trying to get more of what Luke was giving.
Luke watched for the other boy’s reaction as he slipped his hand under the waistband of the tight boxers, no barrier left between him and Calum’s need. He made quick work of getting rid of Calum’s boxers sliding his hand back over Calum’s length. “Fuck.” The older boy muttered lightly as he felt Luke’s hand surround him. Using the precome gathering as a lube of sorts, Luke started moving his hand again, pulling him off lightly. Luke moved closer to Calum, keeping his hand going.
On impulse, he place a few quick kisses on Calum’s collarbone, something he’d done before but in a far more innocent way. Calum turned his attention, or at least as much of it as he could manage, to Luke’s face. The older boy looked incredibly hot, Luke thought. He had his lip between his teeth and he panted breathily. But there was also something more in his eyes. He needed something more. “Is that good?” Luke whispered, going back to his neck, ghosting kisses over the skin.
“Shit, Luke yeah.” Calum moaned, doing his best to keep quiet. “Fuck, it’s, yeah.” Luke tightened his grip a little, feeling pleased with himself as Calum’s hips bucked up into his hand. “More, though.” He muttered. “C-could you, oh god.” Calum’s eyes dropped to Luke’s mouth, and suddenly he realized what Calum really wanted.
“You want my mouth Cal?” Luke said, almost to the point of teasing as he slowed his strokes. Calum nodded quickly, his eyes pleading. Luke licked his lips before dipping down and pressing one last kiss to the other boy’s collar bones. He moved lower after that, quickly becoming level with the cock in his hand.
Luke teasingly ran the flat of his tongue over the underside, reveling in the sudder it brought to the boy beneath him. Slowly after that, he took the leaking tip into his mouth, sucking lightly. As he took a little more, he realized how much of a high this actually was for him. He hadn’t sucked anyone off in ages, and he’d always dreamed of doing this for Calum. He bobbed his head a few times, going only half deep. After a few more sucks, the blond brought his head down further, taking in more than he had so far. With his free hand, he took Calum’s, which had been gripping the sheets. Gently he moved it to the back of his neck, letting the older boy know he had the option to take control if he wanted to.
He felt Calum’s hips buck up as his fingers locked in Luke’s hair. Luke felt himself being pushed down further as Cal’s hips started moving, borderline fucking his face. Luke was fine with this, it’s what he liked, pleasing whoever he was going down on. He tried to bob his head, but Cal’s hips were still moving up against him.
“Fuck, Luke I’m gonna…” Luke pulled back when he heard the warning. He was fine with Calum finishing in his mouth, or even on his face if he wanted, but he wasn’t ok with choking on it. The blond took Calum’s cock back in his hand, stroking him quicker than he had before, done with the teasing. “Cum for me Cal.” He said, the brunet’s hips bucking up again. “Finish on my face yeah?” He whispered with a lick of Calum’s cock. In seconds, Calum was reaching his high, spurting rope after rope of white hot cum onto Luke’s face until he was covered in it. When there was only a little left, Luke took the tip back into his mouth, sucking off the rest, Calum’s hips still bucking as the last spurts filled Luke’s mouth.
As Calum slowly came down from his incredible high, Luke went to work cleaning off his face, scooping the cum that Calum had given him off of his lips and high cheekbones and lapping it up.
Calum watched in semi-disbelief, amazed that his best friend had this in him. “So,” Calum started after a moment. “I’m guessing this isn’tyour first time with a guy then?” Luke shook his head lightly, crawling back up to lay next to the spent boy.
“Me, nah. I’ve been with a few guys. So, uh yea if you need anything like that, you know who to come to…” Luke admitted, and coming out was that simple. Obviously there would be no denying that Luke wasn’t straight, what with what just happened anyway.
“O-okay..” Calum said after a moment. After a beat of silence, he moved his hand towards Luke’s stomach, down towards where his sweats still sat on his waist. “But now what about you, I thought this was a two way deal?”