#also should note that this argument is perfectly in keeping with ashton as a character

[nanierose]

The idea that the gods should have to justify why they should be allowed to be on Exandria, a place they see as their home, is kind of fucked up, and is also completely unworkable. Like, who gets to decide the standard the gods would have to meet in their argument? Is there going to be some universal decision where everyone is happy and the world doesn't tear itself apart in the process? Because clearly the fact they have already left Exandria to protect mortals, and only work through those who choose to interact with them, is not good enough for a lot of people. Except it is for many, many others on Exandria.

There are millions of people who worship the deities and get a lot from them. Their temples provide healing, resurrection, defences and armies amongst other things. Paladins and clerics have done many thing in service of their gods and the world, not all good of course but there are examples of them doing good in living memory. Imogen and Orym said it best, one person should not get to decide for the entirety of the world. In the same vein, Bell's Hells or anyone else for that matter can't decide that either.

There is no perfect answer or argument in something where opinions vary so much. I understand this was brought up in hypotheticals, but it's still a point that could never feasibly work. Hate the gods all you want, but if your idea is to make them essentially beg to be allowed to stay on their home, when they have already done a lot to ensure they don't hurt mortals anymore, I don't think your argument is in good faith. You just want to feel superior to people you blame for the bad things in your life.

[tydelwve]

Rumors {pt. 1}

Characters: Calum x reader

Word Count: 2446

Warnings: angst w happy ending

Summary: Calum’s statement out of context during an interview leads to a long overdue talk between the two of you.

Beta(s): @cashton-queen

Author’s Note: I guess this counts as the mark of my return. Ithink I’m going to be doing things differently for a little while until I can get fully back into it. I am working on a lot of fics for you guys right now, so I’l mainly just be finishing those for you guys and posting. Part two will be posted tomorrow!

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“Welcome to our live interviews with Calum Hood and Luke Hemmings from 5 Seconds of Summer! You guys are the interviewers here, so send in your questions to ask the boys and they’ll happily answer!”

Calum and Luke nodded and waved at the camera with smiles across their faces.

How is the next album coming along?

“I’d say it’s coming along very well. We had some,” Luke glanced at Calum, “‘minor inconveniences earlier this month.”

Calum nodded as his mind drifted to you and the argument you had two weeks prior. “Yeah, some things came up that threw me off my game, but it’s getting sorted out.”

He leaned back, crossing his arms as the next question comes in.

How was vacationing in the Bahamas with your girls after tour?

“It was really good. That was Y/N’s first time there and she really enjoyed herself. I got to show her all of the sights. We all went parasailing and windsurfing. It was a blast,” Calum softly smiled.

Luke grinned at Calum when he noticed the brief happiness in his eyes. A look that was foreign on Calum’s face since the two of you broke up.

“Sierra, Crystal, and Y/N really planned out this trip. There was never a dull moment. We even got Calum, here, to post on his accounts. That has to show how much fun we had,” Luke teased Calum, causing him to blush and look down.

“Yeah, yeah. Next question,” Calum said.

What’s the last text message that you sent?

They both pull out their phones to go to their recent messages.

Luke snorted as he pulled up a meme that he sent in the group. “I can’t explain it, but it’s funny as hell. They just don’t appreciate my humor,” Luke explained.

Calum clicked on the text threads for your conversation. He fought back the tears as he softly spoke, “Mine was to Y/N. I told her that I loved her this morning and wished her luck on her exam.”

Right above that message, he stared at the paragraph he sent a few days ago that you neither responded to or read.

What’s going on with Y/N? She’s been MIA for a while. Is she okay?

Calum clenched his jaw, sulking back into his seat. “Why don’t you fucking ask Ashton?” Calum muttered barely above a whisper.

Luke sharply elbowed him with his lips in a thin line. Calum coughed as he rolled his eyes.

“What did you say, Calum?” the interviewer asked.

Luke cut Calum off. “I think we should just go to the next question. He and Y/N are no longer together, and it’s still an open wound for both of them at the moment,” Luke urged.

The rest of the interview went by somewhat smoothly if you didn’t add Calum’s persistent sour attitude.

As Calum and Luke walked out to their cars, Luke questioned, “What the fuck was that in there, Cal?”

Calum shrugged, walking ahead and not paying much attention to Luke. “What the hell are you talking about?”

“I love how you acted as if Y/N did you wrong when we both know you fucked up everything you had with her. You are such a fucking child.”

“You’re one to talk about someone acting like a child when you had to fucking move in with Ashton,” Calum sneered, instantly regretting the words once they came out of his mouth.

They both fell silent as Luke began to back away. “I don’t know what the hell has gotten into you, but you are not the Calum I grew up with. You better find him soon... Don’t talk to me until you do.”

Luke turned around, got in his car, and drove off as Calum stood there rethinking everything he just said.

A few hours after the interview, yours and Ashton’s phones began to blow up with comments about how disgusting the two of you were and how you both should be ashamed.

“Ashton? What the hell did we do?” You questioned as you noticed him reading the comments as well.

He glanced at you, motioning you to come by him. “It has to do with Calum and Luke’s interview. Cal must have said something.”

You notice the article pull up on his phone and you both began to read it.

Breaking News: Y/N and Ashton in Affair Behind Calum’s Back?!

It was brought to our attention that Calum Hood and Y/N Y/L/N broke up. Yes, you read that correctly.

In a live stream interview of Calum Hood and Luke Hemmings, a question came up about his eight month girlfriend (or fling. They never came out as dating in the first place), causing Calum to mumble something under his breath.

What did he mumble? Good question. It was extremely hard to catch the muttered phrase that Luke obviously did not enjoy; but, after some fans rewinded it and turned the volume up, the mic caught what he said perfectly.

“Why don’t you fucking ask Ashton?”

Once publicized, the fans were in disbelief.

Ashton and Y/N were seeing each other behind Calum’s back.

We know, it’s hard to imagine either of them doing this to Calum, but there’s no arguing that Calum is in a bad mood because of the break up.

We hope to hear from Y/N or Ashton about this soon.

Make sure you’re subscribed to stay up to date with all celebrity news!

Ashton looked at you as you huffed in annoyance. “Y/N? What are you thinking?” he questioned.

“I’m going to kick his ass. He has the audacity to call me a cheater?!” your voice began to raise.

Ashton cautiously placed his hand in your shoulder. “Let me talk to him first. Maybe he’s still hurting and he let his emotions get the best of him.”

Ashton’s attempt to give Calum the benefit of the doubt had no affect on you.

“You and I both know he did that on purpose. Stop trying to fucking cover for him.” You grab your jacket and keys, wanting a drink to calm you down. “I’m going to the bar. Don’t wait up.”

Ashton looks at you concerned, “Y/N, it’s 5 PM.”

You give him a dead stare. “I’m going to the bar.”

You turned around and walked out the door.

Ashton grabbed his own keys and headed to Calum’s house to see what was going on with him.

As soon as Calum opened the door, Ashton spoke, “Y/N saw the interview and heard what you said. She also read the article. I hope you’re proud of being the reason she’s heading to the bar right now.”

Calum tilted his head with a grimace spread across his face. “You let her go alone?”

Calum started to grab his keys, but Ashton gripped his arm and said, “I’m going there later, but right now, we need to talk.”

“If you’re just here to tell me how much I screwed up today, then Luke already did that,” Calum informed him.

“There’s no need to tell you that you screwed up because you already knew that before Luke told you that. You didn't just screw up today, Calum. You screwed up two weeks ago when you let her walk out of your door feeling like you didn’t care about her.” Ashton’s voice began to raise. “She’s like a sister to me, and I trusted you to take care of her. I trusted you, Calum. She’s in pain because I let my guard down because I didn’t want to believe that my brother would pass up on an opportunity to be with someone who changed his life.”

“Ashton, I’m sorry. There’s not a moment that I don’t regret about our fight. I could’ve said anything to make her stay, but I was too afraid of being hurt.” Calum looked down in shame.

“You can’t keep letting the past determine your future,” Ashton urged. “Why did you let her walk out?”

“Ash, I don’t want to talk about that night.”

“Why did you let her walk out?” Ashton repeated, getting a step closer to Calum.

“Can you not do this?” Calum back away.

“We both know the real reason. Why won’t you admit it?” Ashton questioned.

“There’s nothing to admit! I was hurting, too, okay? She wasn’t the only one suffering in that fight!” Calum yelled.

“Were you suffering because you love her?” Ashton asked in softer tone than before.

Calum nodded as a stray tear ran down his face. “I let her walk out that door because she wanted to end things. She wanted to leave. Who was I to stop her? I wasn’t making her happy.”

“You have got to stop shutting people out. She’s good for you and vice versa. I know you’re scared of taking that leap of faith, but she’s trying to take it, too. Don’t let her fall to pieces because you’re afraid of the end results. This could be your happy ending.”

•••

Ashton walks into the bar, looking around for you as he made his way through the crowd. His head quickly turned when he hears your voice and sees you in at the end of the bar, talking to the bartender.

Right after the tender hands you a drink, Ashton states, “You can cut her off after this one.”

You scoff and glare at him as you slur, “Don’t listen to him. I’m perfectly fine!” Your crossed your arms as your lips pouted in defiance.

Ashton rolled his eyes as he sat down in the stool next to you. He couldn’t believe how drunk you’d gotten in just an hour of being here. “Y/N, you know drinking isn’t going to fix your problems. It didn’t help when we were on tour, and it definitely isn’t going to help while we’re here.”

You look down at the glass as your heart became heavy from Ashton’s words. “I know that. It just hurts less with whiskey in the system.”

Ashton sighs with a nod, handing his card to the bartender to take care of your tab. “Let’s go home. We can get you sobered up and talk if you want.”

“I don’t want to go home. I just want to drown in my sorrows while I accept the fact that Calum hates me. Why did I fall for him? Out of all your friends, I fell for the one with commitment issues. Maybe I’m not meant to be in love,” you sniffled.

Ashton’s heart broke for you once those words left your mouth. You’d always been like a sister to him and he hated to see you in such a state that he had no way of helping.

Ashton placed a gentle hand on your arm, urging you to get up. “We can talk more at the house. I don’t think you should be here, especially when it’s only six.”

You shrugged his arm off of you. “I don’t want to go home, Ash, because everytime I think of home, I think of Calum. Then, I get to thinking of our argument and if I was just being bitchy because he didn’t want what I wanted out of the relationship. Then I realized that I love him and how I never got to tell him because I was too busy trying not to get played again; yet, somehow, I still end up being the one that’s hurting. I should have never agreed to be with him without a label.”

Ashton ran a hand through his hair, contemplating on how he should respond.

He always knew that you truly liked Calum, but it never crossed his mind that after a few short months of being with Calum, you would be in love with him.

“Look, I get that you’re hurting. I know that you feel as if he never truly cared for you, and it was just a game. I can’t give you the answers you need but neither can this bar, so please, let’s get you sober at my house,” he begged.

You agreed as he lead you out of the bar. He helped you into his car and buckled you in as you asked, “What about my car?”

“Do you want to leave it here overnight? Or do you want someone to come get it?” he questioned.

“Can you get someone to get it?”

“Of course, I can. I’ll just have to stop by their house to give them the keys before we head home,” he softly smiled at you, closing the passenger door.

The drive consisted of you singing along to almost every song that came on.

You became quiet when you noticed Ashton pull into Calum’s driveway. “Why are we here?” you quietly spoke.

“He’s the only person free to get your car. We’ll be gone in five minutes. You don’t even have to get out of the car,” he reassured you as he got out and jogged to Calum’s door.

You softly hummed the songs to yourself as you fiddled with your fingers, waiting for Ashton to come back.

After a few minutes, Ashton got back into the car and the drive to his house was quiet.

He helped you inside, letting you crash in his bed as he decided to take the couch for the night.

Ashton plopped into the couch with a sigh, turning on the T.V. as he waited for Calum to show up with your keys.

He let his mind drift into your predicament with Calum. He never should have let you get close to Calum. He knew how Calum could get when things were actually getting serious for a change.

Ashton couldn’t help the gut feeling that your pain was his fault because he didn’t warn you of the walls Calum had built. Maybe if he would have talked to you, you wouldn’t be a drunk mess way too early in the evening.

There was a faint knock on the door, breaking Ashton from his thoughts. He opened it and grabbed the keys from Calum with a soft thanks before closing the door.

Calum placed his hand on it and poked his head back in and asked, “Is she okay?”

Ashton looked at him with tired eyes. “She’s all over the place, Calum. If you talk to her-- without yelling-- tomorrow, please don’t say anything you’ll regret. Just tell her the truth.”

“I don’t know what the truth is, Ashton,” Calum confessed.

“Tell her what you told me and mean it. I’ll talk to you later.”

Ashton sat your keys on the kitchen counter before laying on the couch and falling asleep.

{two}

~~~

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