Disconnected

Two

"Tilly!" She spins around as James calls her name, "Kathy wants you at the main house. She just radioed down."

"Thanks." She nods, finishing what she is up to quickly before hopping back on her ATV, taking off up the path towards the house. Based on the time she's hoping she knows what this is about.

"Kat!?" She hollars, jumping off the vehicle when she reaches the house.

"Oh, good. Two things, first, your mom called again. You probably should think about calling her back." The older lady gives her a pointed look.

"Like hell I'll call her back, and she knows I won't. This is why I don't stay anywhere this long, so she can't know where to get a hold of me." She sighs, "What else? You wouldn't call me out here just for that."

"Your assistant is back, like you requested." Kathy rolls her eyes, motioning over her shoulder.

"Great." Tilly grins, hurrying through the house to the front room where Dani is going over the safety rules with today's volunteers.

"Hey, Tilly, what can I do for you?" Dani smiles as she notices the blonde in the doorway.

"Kathy told me I could steal my recruite." Tilly shrugs.

"Go for it. Where are you today?"

"Aviary. Come on, band boy." Tilly smirks as she makes eye contact with Calum. He smiles brightly as he spins on his heels, following her through the house.

"So you did request me to come back then, animal girl?" He chuckles.

"Is that a problem? I was thinking about requesting you all week."

"Not a problem. I'm a fan of this place."

"Good. Hold on. We have a bit of a drive out to the bird house." Calum does, holding her waist as gently as he thinks is still safe as she accelerates through the trees, bouncing over tree roots and rocks. Taking a path they hadn't yesterday, moving further away from the main house, and no where near the Koala hut.

"You good?" She calls over her shoulder as she slows down after five minutes or so.

"Ya. Why?"

"Your hold on me just seems really nervous or something?"

"Trying to be respectful. I've known you twenty-four hours, no need to feel like I'm invading your space."

Tilly takes that in for a moment, surprised slightly by the gesture, but also appreciating it. It's different. She isn't used to someone thinking before they hold on for dear life.

"Oh, well I see what kind of guy you are then." She smirks, parking outside a hut that can barely be considered such.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Calum frowns at her as he follows her through the two foot by four foot room, it's barely a doorway.

"Gentle guy, gentle..." She cocks an eyebrow, glancing towards his crotch with a shrug.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa." He stops her, spinning her by the arm to face him, an amused look playing across her face.

"Yes?"

"Do not confuse respect for lack luster. You have no idea what I can do, animal girl."

"Is that a challenge, band boy?"

"No. That is a fact, and I need to make sure you aren't out there telling the world Calum Hood is a pussy in bed. You have no proof of such and it is in fact a lie."

"You think quite highly of yourself. Good to know." She smirks, "We have work to do."

Calum is sure that comment was pointed too, but he doesn't fight it. Partly due to slight embarrassment from her quick judgments, but mostly because he is fascinated and confused by the way she so casually discusses his intimacy performances, as if she has any reference to go off of.