Worship in the Bedroom [Cake]

2

The first time Luke and Ashton meet, Calum's pretty sure Luke's going to kill him.

Which he'd completely expected, if he's honest, Ashton's religious views are wild and creative, completely out of his own head, while Luke's are commercialized and taught world wide.

Luke was fine with Michael, they'd met on the university campus, a fee days after Calum had attached himself to Luke. Michael had decided he was done sulking and came to sit with them with a disgruntled, "Listen, church mouse, your religion is a load of bullshit and your entire life is a lie. But you're cute, I'll give you that." Which, of course, caused Luke to flush a dark pink and tangle his fingers in the chain hanging around his neck.

Luke says he doesn't mind that Michael's an avid atheist. He says a lot of people are, he's used to it, and he's praying for Michael.

Calum kind of swoons at that and he doesn't even know why. Even Michael blushes and stutters a little.

But Ashton is a whole different thing. Up until Luke, he was the most religious person Calum had known. So it's weird that Luke disagrees with him, and it's weird that he argues about it.

It's seven at night and Calum doesn't know how they got onto the topic of religion. Just that Ashton's barely regarding anything Luke says, Luke has his jaw tensed, and Michael's watching them in amusement. He loves to crush dreams and watch people shatter, arguments are his muse.

"Listen, Luke, man, I'm not saying you're wrong," Ashton pauses and Calum sighs, because he's heard this a million and ten times, and Luke really doesn't look like he's in the mood. Ashton makes sure everyone is patiently waiting his response before continuing. "I'm just saying you're delusional."

Michael smirks and looks over at Luke, who's perched on the very end of the couch, with Calum as a barrier between he and Ashton. Michael's on the floor in front of them, watching the argument and prompting Ashton by ghosting his fingers over the poor boy's thighs and calves.

"You don't even have a religion!" Luke protests, raising his voice just enough to show that he's upset. His tone is laced with more venom than Calum's ever heard from the quiet, religious boy. Its weird.

"I don't need a religion," Ashton shrugs simply. He's got an easy smile on his face and a dopey look in his eyes. Calum's wondering what Ashton and Michael had really gotten up to in the bathroom (and it definitely wasn't Michael's immediate response of "sloppy blowjobs," when Calum had asked).

Ashton keeps talking, voice languid and comforting, despite the fact that he's in the middle of an argument. "I actually sat down and thought about what I want to exist, what I believed was true, instead of having lies pounded into my brain from the day I was born. I learned from experience and morals, not endless studying and harassment."

"Wait," Calum interrupts before Luke can even open his mouth. "You're saying religion is a learned thing?"

"If they told you two and two was three at school everyday, you'd think two and two was three," Ashton responds. Which makes sense, in a way.

Except Calum knows, from common sense, that two plus two isn't three. Common sense also tells him that an all powerful, mysterious being didn't magically create the earth for something to do. He knows about evolution and the big bang, and he knows that if little Jimmy has two apples in one hand and two apples in another, he has four apples total.

Luke's shaking. His hands are clutched into trembling fists in his lap, while his entire body is rigid. Calum reaches over and slips his fingers around Luke's left fist, shaking it gently until Luke tears his metallic eyes away from Ashton's smile. He smiles softly and watches as Luke's glare lessons.