Always You ( Calum Hood AU)

Part 2- Safety Pin

They look so in their element on the stage. The joy lighting up their faces right now rivals almost anything else I've seen. They love their fans as much or more as their fans love them, and I couldn't be more proud of them.
By looking into the audience I can tell the fans are as into it as they are. There's an electric feeling in the air and it's all but tangible.
I hear the audience sing along with Luke and can't help but sing along also. Even if they had no stage and no microphones, they'd command the attention of a crowd.

Michael plucks out the last few cords of 'Red Desert' and Luke pants. You can see the sweat glistening off of all the boys, it's actually disgusting.

"For our last song we're going to bring back an old favorite, Safety Pin." Luke says.
The crowd goes wild.
"Michael's sister actually helped write it." Luke continues
"And compose it." Calum adds
What are they doing?
Luke nods, "And she's here tonight."
The crowd continues to cheer.
"What do you guys say? Want to bring Olivia Rose out for the last song?" Luke exclaims
The cheering grows and Luke smiles off stage at me.

Oh h*** no. This is not one of those fan fictions Luke and I used to laugh at.
I shake my head and hold my middle finger up at him.
"Looks like she needs some convincing guys." Luke says.
They begin chanting my name and someone backstage pushes me out. The chanting bursts into screams as Luke strides over to me with a microphone.
"I hate you." I whisper
Luke smiles, "you'll live."
Well now he's made it embarrassing not to sing.

Michael starts to strum out the first few notes and I can practically feel the familiar song coursing through my veins. Right on queue the words begin to escape my lips in harmony with Luke's just like when we wrote it, "Runaways, we're the long-lost children
Runnin' to the edge of the world
Everyone wants to throw us away
Broken boy meets broken girl."

And before I know it the songs over and Michael is ushering me offstage with him while thousands of people scream, and I can't help but smile.
Ashton smiles back, "See, we knew you'd have fun."
He goes to hug me but I take a step back, "You're all gross and sweaty Ash."
Calum pulls me backward into a sweaty hug.
"you could've just said you'd rather hug me." He kids
I gag, "Ew Cal."
I try to wriggle out of his sticky arms, but it's no use. I just relax into his arms until he lets go.
Someone rushes over to them with fresh, cold bottles of water.

"Where are you guys off to next?" I ask.
"Last show of the tour." Michael says.
"Does that mean you don't have to leave yet?"
Michael smiles, "Yeah."
My smile widens, "We can hang out at my flat and you guys can meet my mates."
"You have mates?" Luke kids
I raise my eyebrows at him, "You are on thin fricking ice Hemmings."
He just laughs.

"Anyway I want to go buy a tour hoodie before I leave." I say grabbing my wallet out of my purse.
Calum whines, "that'll take forever."
I raise an eyebrow, "you still have to sing your encore."
"And you want it miss that?"
"It's the last day of the 2011 tour though." I argue
Calum leaves the area and comes back with a tour hoodie, "you can have mine."
I smile and snatch it from him, "have fun."
"You're such a leech." Luke kids.
"What did I ever do to you?"
"Alphabetical or chronological?"

~~~

"Can we go back to your place now? It's hot here." Calum complains
I raise an eyebrow, "You are not coming to my flat in your sweaty a** clothes."
"After we throw on some fresh clothes." Calum corrects himself.
I grimace at the back door. "As long Chris isn't at the door."
Michael laughs.
"What's wrong with Chris?" Luke asks.
Ashton looks at me confused, "Who is Chris?"
"Like the scariest horror movie villain you can imagine, but worse, and a security guard."
Michael sneaks over to the door and peeks out. "He's gone." He whispers.

~~~

I kick my shoes off as we enter my flat and I stare at them very seriously, "Take your shoes off when you come in or my flatmate will murder you."
They all carefully slip their shoes off and line them up next to the door.
"Tris! You home?" I call out
"Hey babes! How was the concert?" He responds coming around the corner.
"Guys, this is my flatmate Tristin. Tristin, this is Luke, Calum, and Ashton."

"I love your makeup." Luke compliments him.
He smiles, "I love yours too! You must be Luke."
Luke smiles, "that's me."
Tristin looks back at me, "Doesn't seem nearly as annoying you said."
"Just wait." I say
Luke scoffs and Ashton giggles.
Tristin turns his attention to Ashton, "Ashton I take it?"
"The one and only." Ashton says proudly
Tristin nods approvingly and his eyes fall on Michael, "Michael, good to see you again."
Michael waves, "Hey Tristin."
Finally Tristin turns to Calum, "And that makes you Calum."
Calum nods and smiles.
"Pictures did not do you guys justice."
"Nice to finally see the face that goes with the voice I hear in the background of Sunflower's calls." Calum says politely.

"Well" Tristin clasps his hands together, "I'm going to go make margaritas, want to help Livia?"
I wrinkle my brow, "Why?"
"Come to the kitchen with me." Tristin says passive aggressively.

I follow him into the kitchen.
His hands rest on his hips, "You didn't mention your friends were hot."
I roll my eyes, "Yes, that's usually the first word that comes to mind when I think of my brother and best friends."
He shakes his head, "It should be, because d*mn."
He begins shaking the tequila, lime juice, and triple sec together, "Especially that Calum. no wonder you had a fat crush on him."
I lean back against the counter, "I did not have a crush on him."
"Right, because that's why you would get all red and smiley when you talked about him when I first moved in." He says sarcastically
"I didn't!"
"And the way he called you Sunflower," He clutches his hand to his chest, "how f***ing cute. Where do I find someone like that?""
"Cal and I are just friends."
"Friends to lovers." He hums, "It's like I'm gonna get to watch a Hallmark movie in real life."
I pick up glasses to take out to the living room, "you're unbelievable Tris."

Michael lies sprawled out on one couch while Luke, Ashton, and Calum sit on the one across the way. I offer them all a drink.
"None for me thanks." Luke says
"Believe me, take one." Michael assures him.
"Alright?" Luke grabs the final one.
"Tristin will take it as a personal offense if you don't." Michael elaborates.

"Move so I can sit down." I tell Michael
He gives me a light kick, "sit on the floor or something."
"You're a jerk Mikey" I complain before sitting on the arm of the couch next to Calum.
Tristin reappears in the room and smacks my shoulder, "get off the arm of the sofa. Were you raised in a barn?"
"Since when do you care?"
Calum moves over towards Luke for me to squeeze in, but I have to rest a leg on him to fit.

"May I sit?" Tristin asks Michael
Michael nods and sits up so Tristin can join him.
"I hate you so much Michael." I say bitterly.
As we continue our conversation Calum rests his hand on my knee and Tristin smiles at me. I glare back. He probably made me get off the arm so something like this would happen. I need to cancel his subscription to the Hallmark channel.

I lean into Calum's arm and Tristin tosses me another look. Honestly, it's just because it's comfortable. I'd do it with anyone.