Credit; flame_retardant
*fluff*
~Based off of when they all played that 'totes emoji' game on YouTube for an interview. It's exactly what Lucas was thinking.~
Enjoy ;)
Luke never thinks about how much he looks at Calum. It doesn't matter where they are. Radio interviews. Shooting music videos. Press conferences. Or even at concerts themselves, where they're supposed to be focused on the audiences. Somehow his eyes always find Calum.
They're at another interview now. Luke thinks it's going on youtube or something. He never minds answering fan-questions. That's part and parcel of being in a band. But at this interview, they'll be playing a game. He especially enjoys these things. Likes being able to show off the band's natural, goofy chemistry in this type of relaxed setting.
When he's asked to pick an emoji, Luke chooses what he thinks will be the easiest one for him to act out and Calum to guess. He knows Michael and Ashton will go for something ridiculous anyway. Luke decides he's doing a kindness for his bandmate.
He's surprised at the odd anticipation coiling in his stomach as Calum is brought to stand in front of him. He can see the other boy through the slits in his fingers. Luke realizes a little belatedly that Calum somehow manages to look adorable standing in front of him in that oversized sweatshirt. He knows it's a weird thought, and he's half-distracted as he contemplates where it came from. He certainly doesn't anticipate the jolt of electricity to pass through him as Calum's unsure fingers brushes against his face.
They're 18 year old boys in a band. They've played around, rough-housed, and even cuddled together to please fan-girls in the past. But now Calum's fingers are in his hair one moment, grazing his lips a second later, and then are planted against his chest. Luke never thought his choice of the monkey-emoji would be so shockingly intimate.
In this moment, Luke is intensely aware that he's grown taller than Calum over the years. It's not a big difference, but enough that he knows Calum has to tilt his face up to meet his eyes. This thought pleases him immensely and somehow makes him feel more like a man.
Inadvertently, he wonders how this scene might play if they were not standing in a crowded studio with Calum's face covered by that absurd purple underwear. If it was just the two of them tucked away in a dimly lit holding room somewhere, staring into each others' eyes as Calum's fingers brushes against his lips and runs through his hair.
Luke knows his hands would not be covering his eyes. They would be wrapped low around Calum's hips instead, pulling the older boy close against him. He's now broader than Calum. And he's built up some muscle definition in his arms and chest. Would Calum feel those new muscles and understand Luke's new absurd desire to keep him protected and sheltered?
Maybe not. Luke decides Calum's hands would probably flutter down from his face at that point to push at his chest instead. Not like it's doing now, feeling gingerly to try to decipher the emoji. No, Calum would probably be pushing a little more surely, shying away and trying to put a little space in between them as he would be unsure of what was happening. Luke pictures the dark blush painting Calum's tanned skin, imagines the way his eyes would widen and then fall away behind a curtain of dark lashes as he feels the proof of Luke's desire for him as he's drawn closer. And maybe Calum wouldn't be able to help himself then, a tiny gasp escaping him and his hands drifting further down Luke's torso to check...
"Stop feeling up his lower torso," Ashton's voice is a little grating, and Luke cannot decide if he's annoyed or grateful to his drummer for interrupting Calum's fingers and his own little fantasy.
Calum's hands are now back up to rest against his own hands. Luke can tell they're smaller than his. (This pleases him too). He wonders how it would feel to have those hands wrapped in his own fingers. He feels the blood begin to pool at his groin as Calum presses more firmly against his lips again, and has to fight the desire to catch the tips of those fingers with his teeth.
Things are getting dangerous. Luke hasn't just grown in height and musculature. He knows dark, tight denim can only hide so much.
"It's you Calum, it's actually you," he says, hoping the older boy understands and guesses quickly. It's part disappointment and part relief for him, mixed with a little bit of pride, when Calum is able to figure it out right away with his hint. "Monkey?!"
The game moves on quickly and Luke watches a little distracted as Calum tries to figure out Ashton's shrimp. He could be jealous, but he's not. Because now he's starting to realize that while he might stare at Calum a lot, the brunette certainly manages to snuggle up against him often enough. In radio interviews. Music videos. Press conferences. Luke's arm almost always manages to be wrapped around Calum's shoulder and the older boy never complains, only presses up against him, sometimes letting his head fall onto Luke's shoulder.
Luke smiles and waits for Calum to guess "poodle".
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Awe! Excuse my lack of works as I am still working on requests