Cadences [cake au] ✔

// fifteen //

Chapter 15

Luke's POV

"Please will you fuck me?"

My eyes widened till it actually hurt to go any wider. Where had this come from? He'd hardly ever actually said the word 'fuck' in front of me, and now he was asking me to actually do it to him.

His expression countered his words though. His eyes were glazed and sunken, his lips were red and chapped, his stance was weak and frail and he was out of breath. That was never how anything good began and I wasn't about to change history.

"Calum, sit down for a sec, yeah?"

"No, I told you, fuck me! Have sex with me! Put yourself in me, get in my pants, thrust into me! There, I've made it very clear, so please, just do it, please..."

He broke down into sobs, collapsing into my lanky arms heavily. "Cal, Cal calm down and take a seat." We hobbled over to my bed and I put him down, passing him a tissue whilst simultaneously pulling my boxer briefs on. I left the jeans, deciding they weren't as important as cheering Calum up. "Now tell me, what's wrong?"

With a sniff, he replied, "M-my mum. She... she wants me to drop out of university because I came second in the c-competition. I slapped her and then she got real mad..."

I couldn't help but frown when I heard this. "Second? But that's amazing, Cal, what's she on about?"

"I don't care what place I came, but I can't leave because..."

"Because?" I repeated when he didn't continue.

And what he said really threw me off, so much that it was all I could do not to burst into tears and smile like an idiot. I never thought I'd hear him say it.

"Because you're here," he replied almost silently. I pulled him close for a cuddle, burying my chin in his soft lightly scented hair and wrapping my arms around his torso. For some reason though, he winced when I tightened my grip.

"What, too tight?"

He nodded. "Y-yeah, just a bit."

"But tight hugs are the best ones, don't you know?"

"H-haha, I guess I don't..."

That was strange. I wasn't squeezing him, I couldn't feel his ribs; I couldn't even feel his heartbeat. Without thinking, I lifted his creased shirt and from the first glance, I knew that his tears weren't only because of the competition. Something was wrong, very wrong.

"Luke... please don't say anything," he whispered, tugging his shirt back down – but this only made me lift it higher, revealing bruises all over his precious tanned skin; bruises that couldn't have been self-inflicted. Seeing them made me unusually angry and I gritted my teeth, boring a hole into his stomach with my stony glare.

"Did your mum do this?" I asked as calmly as I could, but even a child could hear the fury in my tone.

"Please... please don't..."

"You have to tell me, Cal. This shouldn't be happening, not at your age."

"I deserved it, okay? Just drop it, I'll leave, forget I ever came-"

He attempted to stand up, but I wasn't gonna let him leave that easily. I grabbed his forearm and brought him back down to eye level, cupping his cheeks and connecting our lips softly. We kissed slowly for a few minutes, tasting salt when his tears flowed into our mouths.

Gently, I laid him down on my bed, thankful for once that Michael was out partying despite our truce to not go out and get drunk all the time. I wasn't gonna fuck him, not when he was in such a state; not to mention the fact that he'd scared my boner right back to flaccid. I mean... he could easily turn me back on, but now wasn't the time.

"You don't deserve to be hurt this way, always remember that. If your mum comes searching, I'll protect you – okay?"

He nuzzled in to me as I pulled the cover over us both and put him back in my embrace.

"Luke... can you promise me something?"

"Yeah, go on?"

"Will you stay by my side tonight? Just tonight?"

I pressed my lips together and chuckled. "I'll stay by your side forever, Cal. You have my word."

As I rhythmically patted his back, I watched him fall into a deep slumber, and only then did I realise he was wearing the flannel I'd lent him last night.

~

"Now really isn't the time," I whispered into the phone. It was 3am, and my eyes had been fixated on Calum's amazing expression for the past couple of hours as I gradually smoked through a packet of cigs – that is, until ex-boyfriend Jack called.

"Please, I need you to come over. It's an emergency." He didn't sound convincing at all, the little bugger... something in his voice still attracted me though. I couldn't quite put my finger around it, but it was definitely something to do with the huskiness.

I glanced at Cal who was still sleeping soundly, his chest gently rising and falling to his own beat like the musician he was. My lips formed a smile naturally and I decided he would be okay if I left for a bit. An hour wouldn't hurt, right?

Stubbing my last cigarette in the ashtray, I sighed and answered him.

"Fine. I'll be over in ten – but I can't stay long, okay?"

Calum's POV

When I woke, he was gone.

It was daylight already – the curtains hadn't been closed so the bright sunlight spilled in like a bucket of paint that had been toppled down, and it took me a moment to realise what was going on.

Lifting Luke's heavy blanket off me, I sat up and coughed at the strong scent of smoke. Just how many had he smoked last night? I was growing accustomed to the smell but nonetheless, it wasn't incredibly pleasant to wake up to, especially when he wasn't there.

His roommate wasn't, either.

I was alone, just like I used to be.

Before he came into my life.

Before everything changed.

Before I realised that I had a right to be who I wanted to be.

I rubbed my eyes with the tips of my palms, dragging the skin down to my jaw and continuing to the back of my neck where I found yet another bruise. I sighed, knowing I should've been used to it but hating myself for having to get used to it.

Deciding it was time to leave, I stood and made for the door, opening it with weary eyes. I wasn't ready for what was to come however – to be honest, nothing could've prepared me.

A group of five large, muscular and fierce looking men circled me, making me feel insignificantly small as they picked me up, covered my mouth with their grubby hands and carried me through the corridor as if no one was watching – but they were, and that was the most humiliating part of it.

Suddenly I caught sight of Luke, whose eyes were widening so much they filled up half his face. "Calum!! What's happening?"

No matter how much I struggled, I was no match for them. So I fell loose and let them take me where they had been ordered to take me...

"You said you'd stay by my side forever."

...Home.

***

No smut for you today, sorry not sorry 👅

So Calums been taken away huh? Let's see what else I'm gonna throw at ya :)))

By the way, just a heads up - unless family is mentioned, all Jacks in this story are Jack Barakat (Luke's ex)

Vote + Comment for virtual 5sos hug

Kimmy xx