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i took a walk with my fame down memory lane (i never did find my way back) - chapter five
[ao3]
cannot believe the malum is going somewhere now this is truly scenes...only 50k into the fic and all...would you believe that i donât read fics over 8k long because iâm too impatient iâm literally the worlds biggest hypocrite i HATE slow burn look at me. i literally write everything i hateÂ
@tirednotflirting my lovely basically-co-writer i love you thank you for dealing with this shit i changed like half of it i cannot believe you had to read it in the state it was in...truly vile...also this chapter actually owes its life to @kaleidoscopeminds i wasnât going to post today bc the laptop i have to use rn is doing my nut and bc i thought nobody cares but meg cares and so this is for her <3Â
Noel gets back the next afternoon.Â
Heâs dishevelled, heâs sleep-deprived, heâs stone-cold sober and in a right fucking mood, but heâs there. Calum sees him at breakfast, sat at a table chatting to Alan - heâs just got off his flight, still hasnât taken his suitcase back up to his room, looks like he hasnât got changed in the four days heâs been gone - and when Noel spots him, he just stares for a minute, wavering, like heâs not sure how Calumâs going to react. It makes Calum falter too, because Noelâs always so certain about these things, always scoffs and says câmon, then, donât be a dick, all business-like, so itâs an unexpected reaction. It feels almost like a shift, feels like maybe somethingâs irrevocably changed, now, and heâs not really sure what to make of it, not sure whether the way his stomach flips is because of that or Noel or the comedown heâs currently pushing through.Â
He heads to the table, though, because what the fuck else is he supposed to do - skip a free meal? No fucking chance - and Noelâs eyes follow him the whole way, a slight edge of trepidation leaking into the edges as Calum gets closer and closer until heâs hovering at the table. Heâs not going to speak first, Calum realises. Heâs going to let Calum take the lead, and thatâs unusual too, nothing like the Noel that had left all of four days ago. Jesus, what the fuck do they do to the water in San Diego? Whatever it is, he hopes Noelâs brought some back for Liam to drink.
Alanâs watching the two of them, that managerial instinct telling him that somethingâs not quite right here, like he can see the way Calumâs skin is crawling with this strange, unknown hesitancy around Noel, and Calum doesnât want to make a scene in front of him, so he just cocks his head and looks down at Noel.
âYouâre a prick,â he says. Noel blinks, and for a brief moment Calumâs stomach drops, like maybe even that has changed, now, like maybe thatâs not the right way to say I love you, you massive cunt anymore, and then Noel grins tiredly.Â
âAye,â he says simply, and Calum grins back, relief flooding his veins, and sits down opposite Noel.
It goes pretty much the same with Tony and Bonehead, although Bonehead does cuff Noel upside the head a little harder than strictly necessary. Liam doesnât come down for food, even though heâs always the first up, and when he realises that the waiters are clearing away the chafing dishes without an indignant Mancunian telling them oi, Iâve only had six hash browns, Calum exchanges a look with Bonehead. Liamâs going to make Noel go to him, isnât going to let them have a chance meeting. Heâs going to make Noel go to him, which for Noel is the same as crawling through broken glass on his hands and knees.Â
Noel does it, though, swallows his pride and heads up to Liamâs room when everybody else is chatting animatedly, relief powering the conversation. Calum doesnât even notice heâs gone until he turns to ask Noel to back him up on Help! being better than Rubber Soul, which is probably what Noel wanted. Heâd hate to make a big show of it, for everyone to know that the roles are reversed, that Noelâs going to Liam rather than Liam going to Noel. Still, though, Calum thinks, turning back to the rest of the group and launching into his impassioned defence of Help!, itâs not like Noel. Somethingâs changed, and Calumâs not entirely sure what, and he doesnât fucking like it.Â
The rest of them donât see Liam and Noel all day, but when Calum passes by Liamâs room he hears two low voices talking calmly, quietly, rationally, and catches what sounds like look, you love me, I love you, so letâs make this work, and ...for mamâs sake, if nowt else. They emerge again at dinner, and donât speak about it, and nobody dares to ask, not even Calum. Itâs not like anyone else would understand, anyway; the two of them live on another fucking planet where the normal rules of brotherhood and family and basic fucking decency donât apply.Â
Once Noel and Liam have made up, though - or, at least, started calling each other cunts a little less venomously - the rest of the American leg of the tour goes off without a hitch.Â
Theyâre there until late October, and despite an edge of tension in the band, a little uncertainty as they all try to find their feet in their new, post-Whiskey-a-Go-Go-disaster relationships, the tour goes well. Noel and Liam donât escalate past their usual arguments, only ignore each other for a few hours at a time, and all their dates are sold out. On top of all that, the albumâs hitting heights none of them had even dreamed of.Â
(Well, maybe Liam had dreamed of them. In fact, Liam had laid it out plainly for them on the first day of recording, pointing accusingly first at Noel, then Bonehead, then Calum, then back to Noel, skipping Tony completely: itâs going to be number fucking one, you hear me, and itâs going to go fucking platinum, and whatever the fuck comes after platinum. Itâs going to be fucking mega. )Â
Noel had written some songs while he was in San Diego, one candid acoustic ballad that makes Calum and Bonehead share a slightly alarmed glance when they hear it, and Alan insists that theyâre masterpieces, so they head to a studio in Texas to record them. Calum stands with Liam behind the thick glass that separates the live room from the control room, watches as Noel blinks down at his acoustic guitar and sings I wanna talk tonight âbout how you saved my life and then looks up at either Calum or Liam, Calum canât tell, and sings you and me see how we are. It sends a shiver down his spine, the sheer fucking openness of it, and for the first time makes him think shit, what was going through Noelâs head when he was gone? Heâs been so preoccupied with their side of it, with Boneheadâs drinking and Tony and Maggieâs conversations and Liam shutting himself in his room that he hadnât stopped to think about what Noel might have been feeling, about just how literally Noel means you saved my life.Â
When the rest of them get back into the studio to record the other songs, though, it feels like something slotting back into place. It reminds them all who they are, what they are, and smooths over the discordance, evens out the dissonance. The five of them come out of it grinning, laughing, shaking their heads at some ridiculous tale Liamâs spinning, and it feels good. For the first time in weeks, giddy with nothing but adrenaline and love, Calum feels good. The musicâs what makes them, and the musicâs what fixes them. Itâs an important lesson, that they can go through something like that and stitch up the wounds with a few guitar strings, and it makes them all feel a little more grounded, a little more confident that theyâre back on their feet.Â
The day of their flight back to the UK, when theyâre all still nursing their incredible hangovers from the celebrations of finishing the North American leg of the tour the night before, Calum goes down for breakfast to find Noel and Liam already sat at the table, deep in what looks like a heated conversation. He hesitates for a moment - any conversation with the brothers whispering fiercely like that is likely a conversation he wants no part in - but itâs too late, because Noelâs seen him, and heâs beckoning him over, brows knitted together.Â
âWhat?â Calum says warily, about three feet from the table, far enough away that he can still make a break for it if it devolves into a shouting match.Â
âDâyou know where we were this morning?â Noel says. Calum shrugs. He doesnât even know where they are now, let alone where Noel and Liam might have disappeared to before he was awake.Â
âWe had a radio interview,â Liam says. Calumâs not sure why heâs supposed to care about that.Â
âWith Blur,â Noel adds, and Calumâs stomach drops.Â
What the fuck?Â
âWhat the fuck?â Calum says, trying his best to school his features into something neutral, feeling the two identical sets of blue eyes scrutinising him, watching for a reaction. âWhy- what? Why didnât you tell me?âÂ
âWe didnât know,â Liam says, a little coolly, and takes a sip of his tea, eyes still on Calum to see how he reacts.Â
âWhat happened?âÂ
âWhat the fuck was sâposed to happen?â Noel says, raising an eyebrow. âWe did the fucking interview.âÂ
âWithout calling them cunts?âÂ
ââCourse,â Liam says, pulling a cigarette out of the packet lying between himself and Noel on the table. âWeâre fucking professionals, we are.â Calum snorts. The most professional thing either of them have done is turn up to a bus call only twenty minutes late.Â
âYou did call Damon a prick,â Noel says mildly to Liam, who waves the hand that isnât flicking his lighter dismissively.Â
âCal asked about cunt, though, didnât he?â he mumbles around his cigarette, and Calum and Noel both roll their eyes, Calum huffing out a laugh and Noel tutting, both edged with fondness.Â
âThe Sunâs going to have a fucking field day,â Calum says, deciding itâs safe enough to sit down. The two of them donât seem in too bad of a mood; in fact, they seem a little too calm, both of them looking at Calum with almost blank expressions, heads tilted one way. âWhat?â Calum adds, a little defensively, and Liam leans forwards, taking the cigarette out of his mouth just so he can speak properly.Â
âMike was there,â he says, like heâs revealing a big secret that heâs been bursting to tell. Calumâs heart skips a beat, but he keeps his face straight, and just blinks at Liam. So thatâs what this is about. He shouldâve known, really; it would have been too much to ask for the Gallagher brothers to forget about that part of Calumâs sexual history for, like, two fucking minutes.Â
âWell, heâs part of Blur, isnât he?â Calum says.Â
âHe asked after you,â Noel says, far too nonchalantly, stirring his tea. Calum swallows, feeling the all-too-familiar guilt surge up in his lungs. He shouldnât be talking to Michael. He shouldnât have taken Michaelâs number, shouldnât have learnt it off by heart, shouldnât have sat in Noelâs empty hotel room and turned to Michael on one of the worst days of his life. And he definitely shouldnât have done all of that without telling Liam or Noel.Â
âOh,â Calum says. âWell.â Heâs not sure what else to say, what else the guilt will even let him say. âWhat did you say?â Liam throws him a slightly indignant look.Â
âTold him to fuck off, obviously,â he says, like heâs a little offended Calumâs even asked. âNot telling him fuck all about you, am I?â God. If it were anyone else they were talking about, Calum would feel a pure rush of love for Liam, at the fact heâs so unquestioningly and unnecessarily protective of Calum, but because itâs Michael, a huge surge of guilt washes over the love that rises in him, lapping at his veins before the love can get there.Â
âOh,â Calum says again, and Liam just turns back to his tea, clearly thinking the conversationâs over, that what needed to be said has been said and satisfied with Calumâs response. Noel, though, is still looking at Calum, something too perceptive in his cool blue eyes.Â
âWhy would he ask?â he says, and thereâs an edge to his voice, something cold and challenging.Â
âWhat dâyou mean?â Calum says, holding his gaze, trying to push all the panic rising in his chest back before it reaches his eyes. Shit, what the fuck had Michael said? Did he mention anything about the phone call? Does Noel know?
âSeems a bit friendly.â Noelâs eyes are carefully blank, expression guarded, not giving anything away, cards held close to his chest.Â
âHeâs a friendly guy,â Calum says, relieved at how even his voice comes out. âJust because you two are cunts.â At that, Liam looks up again, frowning.Â
âWhoâs a cunt?â he says, incensed. Calum almost lets out a sigh of relief - if Liamâs back in the conversation, Noel wonât say anything else. At least, not now, he wonât. Calumâs just buying himself time, really; Noelâs going to stew on it, mull it over on late-night bus calls and midday hangovers, and come back to Calum when he thinks heâs got something infallible to slash at Calumâs defences with.
âYou are,â Noel tells Liam.Â
âYou are too,â Calum reminds him, and Noel shrugs.Â
âCould be worse,â he says. âCould be Damon Albarn.â Liam snorts, and even Calum has to roll his eyes and shake his head, reaching over for Noelâs tea and pulling it towards him, wanting something to do with his jittery fingers. Noel lets him, even pushes a packet of sugar in his direction because he knows Calum canât stand drinking tea unless itâs immediately going to give him diabetes, and Calum smiles, watching as something a little disarmed crosses Noelâs face for a split second before he schools his features back into that half-irritated, half-challenging expression thatâs so Noel he might as well patent it.Â
Strange, Calum thinks, as he empties the entire packet of sugar into whatâs now his tea. Noel doesnât have chinks in his armour, not really. At least, not when it comes to anyone whose name doesnât start with an âLâ and end with an âiamâ, and last time Calum checked, he wasnât a loud-mouthed twat from Manchester that Noelâs been exasperatedly hauling out of trouble for the past two decades. He doesnât really have time to wonder what itâs about, though, because then Liamâs sighing loudly, raising his hand to catch the nearest waiterâs attention, and saying: âAlright, mate, donât happen to know where the best place to score coke around here is, do you?âÂ
âLiam,â Noel says warningly, the well-worn older-brother irritation already lacing his tone, and Liam just shoots him a what? sort of look, as the waiter stares back at them.Â
âCoke?â he asks, a little hesitantly, like heâs sure heâs misunderstanding what Liamâs asking.Â
âYeah, mate, yâknow, the old Colombian marching powder,â Liam says, nodding his head, like this is a perfectly normal conversation to have with a waiter at ten in the morning.Â
âI- uh, sir, Iâm not sure-â the waiter starts, a little nervously, and Liam leans forwards.Â
âCocaine, mate,â he says slowly, clearly thinking the waiterâs not caught on, like thatâs the only possible explanation for why heâs not immediately gone oh, yeah, âcourse, hang on, let me my local dealer on the line.
âPiss off, Liam,â Noel says, a definite note of annoyance in his voice now, and Liamâs like a shark to blood, turns away from the waiter, all thoughts of getting whatever white powder he can procure up his nose forgotten as he spots a new drug of choice; arguing with Noel. Itâs something Calumâs seen a hundred times, the way Liam will find a gap in Noelâs defences and worm his way in, make a home under Noelâs skin just for a few minutes of his attention, and itâs not something he fancies sticking around to watch, knowing itâll end with fists flying with no regard for who might be caught in the crossfire.
âIâm going back up,â he says, even though he hasnât eaten yet, but neither Noel or Liam are listening anymore, already caught in a half-hissed, half-yelled conversation about whether itâs inappropriate or street-smart to ask a random local guy for coke plugs at his job, Liam, at his fucking job, and do you know how many fucking hotels weâve been kicked out of because of you so far this year? Liamâs raising his voice as Calum walks out of the room, shouting something about me? Itâs not just me, you prick, you were in fucking Sweden as well, right, and youâre the one who took off to fucking San Diego, what the fuck else was I going to do while we all waited for you to stop being such a pathetic little cunt? , and Calum knows heâs left just in time when he hears the sound of crockery shattering in the distance as he jogs back up the stairs to his room. He doesnât really mind, though, doesnât care if they get kicked out of this hotel too, because all he can think, heart pounding, is why the fuck did Michael ask after me, when the last thing he might have heard is me calling him âno oneâ?
He doesnât even get time to think about that, though, because Boneheadâs on his way down as Calumâs on his way up, and he blocks Calumâs path and insists Calum join him on a walk to the supermarket because the amount of beer heâs going to have to drink to deal with the brothers on an eight hour flight back home needs two people to carry it. Calum thinks shit, heâs right, so they fetch Tony to carry all the alcohol Calumâs going to need to drink too, and then spend the walk to the shop and the entire time traipsing around it arguing about whether or not Tony should get any of the alcohol theyâre loading into their arms. Calum weighs in for the first ten minutes, but it becomes clear Bonehead and Tony are just looking to fight about something, so Calum draws back and lets them have at each other, walks next to them and lets the sound of their rowing wash over him as his thoughts turn back to Michael.
Did Michael really want to know? Or was it a power play, him saying something to Liam and Noel knowing it would get back to Calum? No, surely not, Calum thinks, as Tony and Bonehead bicker about whether or not Tony deserves at least one of the six-packs Boneheadâs picked up. Michael wouldnât do that. Heâs not that kind of person.Â
Maybe Michael isnât, a little voice in his head says, but maybe Mike is. You donât know Mike, do you?Â
(Calum thrusts one of his six-packs at Tony, suddenly feeling a little too sick to drink.)
 -------
 They head back to Europe in November, first to the UK to record Whatever, and then straight off to France. Noel even manages to make a joke about the Amsterdam ferry incident as theyâre waiting to board in Dover, which is as close to saying I forgive you to Liam for the episode as heâs going to get.Â
Calum doesnât speak to Michael for almost two months. He doesnât want to call first, after the way the last call ended and still uncertain about the whole Michael-Liam-Noel situation, and Michael doesnât call him. Calum tries not to dwell on it, to think too hard about the sound of the dial tone and the way heâd called Michael no one, but Blur are fucking everywhere. It seems like theyâre playing all the same places as Oasis but a few weeks earlier, because every time Calum walks down a French street heâs accosted by blown up images of Michaelâs face, moody and pretty, staring down at him from billboards and bus stops and fucking lampposts.Â
Itâs one of those posters stuck haphazardly onto a lamppost in Berlin that Calum sees, a few hours before theyâre due to play a show, that reminds him, with a jolt, what the date is.Â
The twentieth of November.Â
Michaelâs birthday.Â
Calumâs almost taken aback that he remembers. Heâd forgotten for the past three or four years - the date had passed him by without so much as a second glance - and the thought makes him feel a little guilty, a little sick, like heâs broken a promise to himself that he never even knew he made.Â
Thereâs a little phone booth next to the lamppost that looks like it might not even be working, and Calum finds himself striding in that direction, fumbling in his pocket for the few German coins heâd been given. Itâs nothing, he tells himself, as he starts dialling Michaelâs number. Itâs just polite to wish someone a happy birthday. It doesnât mean anything.Â
It only takes two rings for someone to pick up, a soft click and a moment of silence at the other end of the line.
âHello?â Itâs not Michael; itâs a woman. Maybe Michael has a house-sitter? Calumâs pretty sure Michael must be loaded now, right, if heâs in Blur? Heâs probably not pissing all his royalties away on drink and drugs. They probably have a group accountant to manage everything for them, rather than Noel cuffing them all upside the head and going eeyar, yous need to start buying cheaper coke. Â
âOh,â Calum says. âUh. Iâm looking for Michael?âÂ
âHeâs in Japan at the moment,â the woman says. Her voice is sweet and warm, almost comforting, and oddly familiar. Itâs probably just the Australian accent, Calum thinks. Anyone with an Australian accent has sounded familiar to him since he left.
âOh,â Calum says again. He shouldâve guessed, really. Of course Michaelâs not at home. Heâs in a fucking band. In Blur, no less. Of course heâs on tour.Â
âMay I ask whoâs calling?â the woman says. Calum hesitates.Â
âJust a friend,â he says, a little evasively. âJust- uh. Wanted to wish him a happy birthday, is all.âÂ
âOh, thatâs lovely,â the woman says, and she sounds like sheâs smiling. âI can give you the number of his hotel room in Japan, if youâd like.âÂ
âI-â Calumâs not sure what to say to that. He might be sending a message heâs not entirely sure he wants to send if Michael finds out Calum had called his house first, and then got the number for his hotel in Japan.Â
âOr I can pass along a message?â the woman offers. âWhatâs the name?â Calum bites his lip. It canât hurt, he thinks. Itâs not like Michael will have spoken about Calum to anyone whoâs known him in the past few years, if he hadnât told his own bandmates.Â
âYeah,â Calum says. âYeah, thatâd be good, thanks. Itâs Calum.â The woman lets out a little gasp.Â
âCalum Hood?â she says, and Calumâs stomach drops. "I should have recognised your voice! You've lost your accent, haven't you?"
âUh,â he says intelligently, but sheâs already started talking again.Â
âItâs Karen,â she says.Â
Oh, fucking hell.Â
âOh,â Calum says. Fuck. Jesus Christ. Of course itâs Michaelâs mum. Of course Michael wouldnât get a fucking house-sitter, rich and in Blur or not. Itâs oddly steadying, though, that in this instance at least Michaelâs Michael and not Mike, makes something electric shoot through Calum as he thinks maybe I still know enough of him. âUh. Hi?âÂ
âI didnât know you and Michael were still in contact,â she says, and he can hear the grin in her voice, how happy she sounds about it. It makes his stomach twist in guilt, heavy and leaden.Â
âYeah,â Calum says weakly. âWell. Not really. But- yâknow. Itâs his birthday.â He cringes at his own words, stilted and uncomfortable, but Karen doesnât seem to notice.Â
âIâm sure heâll want to hear from you himself,â she says jovially. âIâll give you his number, hang on a minute.â
âActually, I-â
âYes, here it is. Have you got a pen and paper?â
âI donât-â Calum breaks off, looking wildly around him, and picks up the pen on the top of the telephone keypad, scratching it against the sign that tells him how much of his money heâs pissing away on this phone call. Heâs roped into this, now, isnât he? Karen will tell Michael Calum called, and if Calum doesnât call Michael after telling Karen he would, itâll look suspicious. Or itâll look like he doesnât care enough, which, with their fragile balance and Calum not knowing where Michaelâs headâs at, is the last thing he wants.Â
âOkay. Itâs oh-one-two,â Karen begins, and Calum nods along as she reels off the number for him, phone wedged between his ear and his shoulder as he forces the last of the ink from the pen onto his hand. âOh, and the country code is zero-zero-eight-one.â Great. Now he canât even use that as an excuse.Â
âThanks,â Calum says, hoping it comes out genuine and not sarcastic. âIâll, uh. Iâll call him, then.âÂ
âDo,â Karen says, and Calum can tell sheâs positively beaming. God, heâs a terrible person. âIâm so happy you called, Calum. I should have known you two would have stayed in contact and not let any of this Blur versus Oasis nonsense get in the way of your friendship.âÂ
âYeah,â Calum says feebly, feeling guilt tap insistently at his lungs, waiting to be let in. âWell. It was nice talking to you?â Heâs not sure how to end a phone call that isnât either a polite speak to you soon or an exasperated Liam, you cunt, donât you fucking hang up on m-Â
âOf course!â Karen says brightly. âIâm very proud of you, Calum. Yâknow, I remember you getting your first ever guitar, and look at you now. Iâm glad you kept your head screwed on straight.â Calum thinks of the three thin white lines Liam had cut for him earlier that are probably still in his bloodstream, and winces.Â
âYeah,â he says, trying for grateful. âI, uh, I try. Thank you.âÂ
âIâm sure Iâll speak to you soon,â Karen says. âI hope you manage to catch Michael!âÂ
âThanks,â Calum says again, and hopes he doesnât sound like he wants to gouge his own eyes out. Karen doesnât seem to notice, though, just chirps a happy goodbye! and leaves Calum to stare at the telephone keypad, holding the receiver loosely in his hand, like he canât really believe whatâs just happened.Â
Well, fuck. Now heâs got to call fucking Japan.Â
Calum sighs and starts dialling the number, sending out prayers that Noelâs got some really big fucking tunes up his sleeve for the next album to pay for this call. It rings three times, and then thereâs a click as someone picks up.Â
âHello?â Itâs not Michael. Jesus Christ. Why the fuck is wishing someone a happy birthday this much of an ordeal?
âIs Michael there?â he asks. Thereâs a short pause.Â
âWhoâs calling?â
âA friend,â Calum says. âWhoâs this?â
âGraham.â Which one was that? The one with glasses, right? The other guitarist?Â
âRight. Is Michael around?âÂ
âDepends on whoâs calling.â Calum sighs, and pinches the bridge of his nose. Wishing someone a happy birthday really shouldnât be this fucking hard.
âItâs Calum,â he mumbles. âFrom Oasis,â he adds, in case Michael happens to have met a few more Calums in the past couple of years.Â
âWhat the hell are you calling for?âÂ
âWhy the hell dâyou think?â Calum knows he sounds hostile, but he doesnât care, not when the nervousness that had been contained in his stomach is starting to seep out into his bloodstream.
Thereâs another pause.Â
âAlright,â Graham says, but he still sounds suspicious. Thereâs a rustling sound, and then Calum hears him yell Mike! Calumâs on the phone for you. Yes, Oasis Calum, dâyou know any other Calums? Well, okay, yeah, but you havenât spoken to him since last Chri-
Every second feels like an eternity - although thatâs probably at least slightly to do with the fact that heâs spending his entire monthâs pay on this call - but eventually thereâs more rustling, some fierce muttering that Calum canât understand beyond - in the bathroom, you dick, and then the sound of a phone being lifted to someoneâs ear.Â
âCalum?â Michael says, and there are footsteps, like heâs walking as far away from the handset as possible.Â
âHappy birthday,â Calum says lamely. All of this for those two words. It feels incredibly anticlimactic.Â
âOh,â Michael says, and he sounds surprised. âI mean. Thanks. I didnât think youâd remember.â Neither did Calum.Â
âWell,â Calum says, because he doesnât want to say that. âJust wanted to call and- uh, say happy birthday, I guess.âÂ
âHowâd you get this number?â Michael asks, sounding curious. Calum bites his lip.Â
âYour mum gave it to me,â he says.Â
âYou rang my house?âÂ
âWell, itâs the only number I have for you, isnât it?âÂ
âDid you tell her it was you?âÂ
âYeah.â Michael exhales heavily.Â
âI havenât told her,â he admits. âThat weâre talking again. Or- yâknow. I just havenât mentioned.âÂ
âI know,â Calum says. âShe was surprised that I called.â
âWhat did she say?â Michael asks. Calum swallows.Â
âJust, yâknow, nice to hear from me, sheâs glad I called, all that,â he says vaguely. Michael hums, like heâs mulling it over, and Calumâs stomach flips. Maybe he shouldnât have called at all. Maybe Michael wants Calum to be his dirty little secret just as much as Calum wants Michael to be his. After all, Calumâs own mum doesn't know either, does she? Itâd be hypocritical of Calum to hold it against Michael if he wanted to keep it under wraps too.Â
(It still kind of stings, though.)
âIâm going to get a fucking Spanish Inquisition when I get home,â Michael says eventually, and Calum huffs out a laugh, stomach untangling itself a little from the tight knot itâs been in for the past five minutes.Â
âYeah, probably,â he says, the ghost of a smile flitting across his face as he thinks back to being grilled and reprimanded by Karen any time she got so much as a whiff of a secret from either of them. âDâyou remember that time she thought we-â
âRemember when she thought weâd been out smoking weed?â Michael blurts at the same time, and Calum canât help but smile properly this time, heart somersaulting at the fact that Michael remembers too.Â
âShe was so angry,â Calum says, through a grin. âKept saying she could smell it on you.â
âFucking crazy woman,â Michael says, but Calum can hear that heâs grinning too. âWe couldnât afford weed, what was she on about? We hadnât even been drinking, just been-â he cuts himself off abruptly, and the smile drops off Calumâs face.Â
Theyâd been fucking, is what theyâd been doing.
âGood thing she didnât smell that on us,â Calum tries, and Michael huffs out a small laugh, but itâs tight and uncomfortable. Neither of them speak again for a moment, the silence awkward and palpable, until Michael sighs.Â
âWhat are we doing?â he mumbles, sounding a little pained.Â
âIâm wishing you a happy birthday,â Calum says, because he doesnât want to follow the road that Michaelâs words are beckoning him down.
âYou know what I mean,â Michael says. âWe need to talk.â Calumâs stomach twists. Those words are never followed by any good conversations.Â
âDo we?â he says, hoping it doesnât sound as apprehensive to Michael as it does to him. He doesnât want to talk. He doesnât want to have that conversation, to hear Michael say you fucked up, and this is it, doesnât want to have to go all the way to see him just to hear him say I donât want you anymore. Â
âWhen are you back in the UK?âÂ
âDecember,â Calum says. âLate December. Near Christmas, I think. Iâll have to ask Maggie.âÂ
âMaggie?â
âOur tour manager.âÂ
âOh.â Thereâs a moment of silence. âWell. Call me when youâre back?âÂ
âLook,â Calum says, a little desperately, clutching the receiver to his ear. âI- if you want to, like, end whatever this is, not talk to me anymore, Iâd rather you just do it now. I donât want to travel all the way to London for you to tell me you never want to speak to me again.â Michael inhales, and doesnât exhale.Â
âI didnât say that,â he says carefully, after a minute. âBut we need to talk.â Calum blinks at the telephone keypad. Heâs not sure what to make of that.Â
âOkay,â he says. âI- uh, yeah. Okay. Iâll call you when Iâm back home?âÂ
âYeah,â Michael says. He pauses, and then adds: âI should go. I locked Graham in the bathroom to take this call.â Calum canât help the snort that escapes him.Â
âI should try that on Liam,â he says.Â
âI think itâd take more than a bathroom door to contain Liam Gallagher,â Michael says. Heâs got a point.Â
âYouâve got a point,â Calum concedes, and he hears Michael huff out a small laugh at the other end of the line, crackled and tinny but genuine and soft. âI should probably go too. Iâve got a show in a few hours.âÂ
âWhere?âÂ
âBerlin.â Michael hums.Â
âWe played there a few weeks ago,â he says.Â
âI know,â Calum says, without thinking. âUh. I mean. The posters are all still up.âÂ
âSurprised Liam and Noel havenât gone around tearing them all down,â Michael says, and Calum can hear the smile in his voice.Â
âI think theyâre planning on pasting posters of us over you.âÂ
âHope they have a lot of them.â Calum grins, eyeing the three Blur posters he can see in his line of vision.Â
âThatâll be my entire share of the royalties gone,â he says, and Michael snorts.Â
âI really should go,â he says, sounding a little regretful. âIâve got to spend at least half an hour convincing Graham not to tell Damon I locked him in a bathroom to talk to you.âÂ
âWhy?â Calumâs not sure why he asks, because heâs fairly certain he doesnât want to hear the answer. Because I donât want anyone to know weâre talking. Because I want to keep you a secret. Because Iâm ashamed of you. Itâs even worse because he canât blame Michael for it.
âIf I do anything to Graham, Damon takes it as a personal attack.â Oh. Well. That probably shouldnât make something warm blossom in Calumâs stomach, the fact that itâs not because of him, but it does.Â
âDamon doesnât seem particularly intimidating,â Calum says.Â
âYou fucking wait,â Michael says, and thereâs a fondness to his tone that makes Calumâs heart ache, because Michael used to talk about him like that. âCall me when youâre back in the UK, yeah?â
âYeah,â Calum says. âBye, Michael.â Heâs expecting a click, the thin sound of the dial tone, but it doesnât come.Â
âIâm glad you called,â Michael says after a moment, all in a rush, like heâs had to build up the nerve to say it.Â
âIâm glad I did, too,â Calum says, and he canât help the small smile playing at his lips. Michaelâs glad he called.Â
âIâll see you soon,â Michael says.Â
âYeah,â Calum says, smile slipping off his face as his stomach flips unpleasantly thinking of the inevitable conversation. âSoon.âÂ
The dial tone rings loud and harsh, and Calum listens to it for a good few moments before putting the phone down and stepping out of the booth. Three Michaels stare at him from different angles as he heads back for the hotel, declaring something in German that he canât read, eyes seeming to follow Calum as he turns the corner. They seem almost disapproving, like they know Calum doesnât want to talk. Or maybe thatâs Calumâs guilt-ridden imagination.Â
Well, Calum thinks, stomach flipping as his eyes find another picture of Michael plastered to a lamppost. At least they arenât posters of Noel and Liam, in that case.Â
 -------
 December comes far too soon.Â
The album goes platinum while theyâre in Southampton, or maybe Sheffield, and Calum joins the rest of the band at some grimy nightclub, drunk and high and full of adrenaline because shit, thatâs their fucking album. Number one and platinum, fucking hell. It doesnât feel fucking real.
They film a video for Whatever somewhere in London, and Noel turns up late to the filming, still dressed in his clothes from the night before, so drunk that he can barely play his guitar. Liamâs fucking furious, probably because this is the first time Noelâs ever been drunker than him, and Calum has to spend the rest of the day making sure Liam doesnât go into the same room as Noel, because they still have a few weeks worth of dates in the UK and they could do with having both the lead guitarist and singer alive for them.Â
The UK dates pass so fast in blurs of games of Frustration on the tour bus as green and grey whip past the window that Calum barely notices that itâs their week off until he sees a river that looks suspiciously like the Mersey and asks Noel where they are.Â
(âLiverpool,â Noel says, throwing him a strange look.Â
âWeâre going home tomorrow,â Liam adds.
âToo right youâre fucking going home,â Noel says. âNot fucking kipping at mine again.â Liam scowls, opens his mouth with an indignant expression, and Calum decides nowâs a great time to find Alan and ask him about the re-stringing of Calumâs bass heâd said heâd sort out before the gig.)Â
Heâs so exhausted after their last show, having his first proper comedown in weeks, that he canât do anything but crash through the front door and stumble to his bed at six in the morning. He sleeps like the fucking dead, and by the time he gets up and showers, feeling a bit more alive than he has done the past few days, itâs nearly dark outside.Â
âGood morning,â his mum says pointedly, when he wanders into the kitchen, yawning, and pulls open the fridge.Â
âMorning,â Calum says, pulling out a beer and some leftover pasta. âWhereâs Dad?âÂ
âGone fishing,â his mum says. Calum grunts to let her know heâs acknowledged it, and heads to the microwave.Â
âLiam called earlier,â his mum says, as he presses some random buttons - he really should figure out how this microwave works - and then sets it off.Â
âOh?â Calum says.Â
âHe was asking if you wanted to come round tonight,â his mum says. Calum hums, frowning a little. Liamâs not very good at being on his own, no one to take his endless energy out on now that both Paul and Noel have moved out, but he can usually take at least a day or two.Â
âMight do,â he says, because there might be something more to it if Liamâs already itching to see him again after less than twenty-four hours, and then sees the disappointed look on his mumâs face. âAfter dinner?â Her face clears, and she nods.Â
âWeâll be eating around seven,â she says. âOh, and another bit of wallâs fallen in. Could you take a look?â Calum groans, and tips his head back against the wall, closing his eyes.Â
âFucking hell,â he mutters under his breath, drawing out the first syllable. His mum tuts, and the microwave dings. âYeah, alright.â He opens his eyes and reaches for the microwave.Â
âMichael called, too,â his mum says, and Calum swears again as the plate drops out of his hand and crashes to the floor, smashing to pieces and dropping hot, steaming pasta everywhere. His mum jumps out of the way, swears loudly, and says: âBloody hell, Calum.â
âSorry,â Calum says, scrambling to his knees to try and pick up as many pieces of plate as he can. âIt was hot.â His cheeks are burning, partially from embarrassment and partially from whateverâs making his heart race like it is, and he stares steadfastly at the floor as he shuffles around.Â
âWhat did he want?â Calum asks, as casually as he can, speaking to the floor.Â
âHe didnât say,â his mum says. She hesitates, and then adds: âWhatâs going on with you two?â Fuck if Calum knows.Â
âI donât know,â Calum says, still not looking at her. He doesnât want to see the inevitable disapproving look on her face, the motherly instinct to stop him doing something thatâs probably just going to get him hurt etched on her features. Â
âWhen did you start speaking again?â Calum hesitates, hand hovering over a shard of ceramic. Heâs not really sure himself. Would it be the awards show? Or Glastonbury? Or that first phone call a few weeks later? Itâd be Glastonbury, he supposes, because Michael hadnât even acknowledged his existence at the awards show, couldnât even look Calum in the eye. Glastonbury had been the first time Michael had admitted to the both of them that he still remembered Calum.Â
âGlastonbury,â he says, and his mum inhales sharply.Â
âWhy didnât you say?â she asks. Calum sits back on his heels, looking up at her, and shrugs.Â
âI didnât know how,â he says, which is sort of the truth. He leaves out the fact that he hadnât really wanted to tell her, had wanted to squirrel it away, the last little piece of Michael that he could have to himself.Â
Her expression softens, and she purses her lips, a little sadly.Â
âBe careful with him,â she says, and Calumâs not sure whether she means Calum should protect himself or protect Michael. After all, sheâd seen all the unopened letters Michael had sent.
âYeah,â he says, looking back down at the pasta still spread across the floor. It feels sort of fitting, somehow. âIâll try.â His mum sighs, and pushes herself off the kitchen counter sheâs been leaning against.Â
âGo,â she says. âIâll clean this up.âÂ
âNo, itâs alright, I-â
âGo,â she says, a little more sternly, and Calum gets to his knees, wiping his hands and dusting his knees off.Â
âAlright,â he says. âIâll just-âÂ
âCall him,â she says. He hates that she knows him so well.Â
Calum heads out for the phone in the hallway, not wanting to take the call in the living room or kitchen where his mum might eavesdrop, and dials Michaelâs number. He twirls the cord around his finger while it rings three times, until thereâs a click and someone picks up.
âHello?âÂ
âHi.â
âOh,â Michael says. âHi. Your mum said you were asleep.âÂ
âYeah,â Calum says, a little apologetically. âI didnât get up until, like, half an hour ago. We played our last show for a while yesterday.âÂ
âOh,â Michael says again, a note of recognition in his voice. Of course, Calum thinks; Michaelâll know what last shows - particularly home shows - are like. âWell. I just wanted to see if you were home, really.â He doesnât say why, but they both know.Â
âI am âtil the twenty-seventh,â Calum says. Michael hums.Â
âWhen can you come down?â Calum exhales heavily. He could go down any day, really. Tomorrow, if Michael wanted. Heâs not sure whether he should just get it over with, or whether he should make the most of the last few days that he might have with the secret feeling of maybe thereâs still hope. Itâs been six months; he can probably stand a few more days of anticipation. But then again, itâll be better to get it out of the way now, to have as long before Christmas as he can to gather himself after whatever Michael will throw his way so that itâs not overshadowing the few days his parents will get with him before heâs off again.Â
âTomorrow?â he offers, a little tentatively. Heâs not sure whether it seems a bit too keen.Â
âYeah, tomorrowâs good,â Michael says.Â
âI can be in London for twelve?â He winces, thinking about how early heâs going to have to get up for that.Â
âTwelve works. Where dâyou come in?âÂ
âEuston.âÂ
âCan you get to Camden?â Michael asks. âOr dâyou want me to pick you up?âÂ
âNo, I can get there,â Calum says, even though heâs not entirely sure he can.Â
âAlright. Iâll give you my address, hang on-â thereâs scrambling at the other end of the line.Â
âDâyou not know your own address?âÂ
âI- well, sort of, but-â Calum canât help but laugh. âFuck you,â Michael says, but Calum can hear heâs smiling too. âYou got a pen and paper?âÂ
âYeah,â Calum says. Michael reels off an address, postcode and all, and Calum dutifully jots it down, only stopping him once to ask whether heâd said D or E.Â
âAlright,â Calum says, re-capping the pen and tearing the sheet of paper off the pad next to the phone. âIâll see you tomorrow, then.âÂ
âSee you tomorrow,â Michael echoes, and Calum only hesitates for a moment before hanging up. It feels strange, he thinks, not to hear the dial tone ringing in his ear, one last reminder of Michael even after heâs gone.
(He wonders whether Michael lingered like he always does.)Â
 -------
 Liam ends up coming round for dinner, sounding relieved and grateful when Calum calls him and offers, making Calum frown and file the information away to quiz him on later. Calumâs mum rolls her eyes and makes exasperated noises when Calum tells her heâs coming, because now I have to make dinner for four people, Calum, couldnât you have told me a bit earlier? but Calum knows she doesnât really mind. Brash and corrosive though Liam can be, heâs got a childlike charm to him that captivates anybody who meets him, Calumâs parents included. They spend dinner laughing at stories Liam tells about tour, exaggerated and carefully skipping over all the drug use, and Calumâs mum even waves them away when they go to help wash up, tells them with a smile to head to the pub, go on, enjoy yourselves, you deserve it.Â
âI fucking love your mam,â Liam says, practically skipping as they walk down the dark street to the pub. Heâs not even wearing a coat, the fucking madman. Calum huddles further into his own, nosing into the collar of it as the cold wind whips at him.Â
âYouâre just saying that because she made your favourite pasta,â Calum says, and Liam turns back to him and grins.Â
âDidnât hurt,â he says. âCâmon, itâs cold.âÂ
âWhy the fuck didnât you bring a coat?â Liam shrugs, hopping from foot to foot. Calumâs not sure whether itâs because heâs cold, or because heâs Liam.Â
âNearly there, anyway,â Liam says, as they round the corner to the street the pubâs on. âMam gave me a tenner for drinks.â Calum snorts.Â
âWhyâs your mum giving you money for drinks?â he says. âYouâve got a fucking number one album.â Liam grins.Â
âStill the youngest kid, though, arenât I?â he says, eyes twinkling. Heâs got a point. Peggy would never give Noel a tenner for the pub.Â
âYâknow, I can see why Noel hates you,â Calum comments, and Liamâs grin widens as he pushes open the door of the pub.Â
Itâs warm inside, and Calum says heâll get them a table if Liam gets the drinks, which Liam doesnât want to do until he sees a pretty girl tending the bar, and then heâs off like a shot. Calum squeezes between a bunch of tipsy men laughing far too loudly into a table in the back corner, wrinkling his nose as he steadies himself on the table and comes into contact with something sticky. Gross.Â
Liam, inevitably, takes a good twenty minutes to come back with the drinks and a phone number tucked into his shirt pocket, grinning and eyes twinkling as he sets Calumâs pint down opposite him.Â
âTook your fucking time,â Calum says, raising an eyebrow, and lifts the pint to his lips.Â
âDid you fucking see her?â Liam says. ââCourse I took my bloody time.â He takes a sip from his own pint, and then nods at Calumâs. âYou owe me for that.âÂ
âNo I donât,â Calum says. Liam scowls at him.
âThatâs your fucking Christmas present then,â he says, and Calum rolls his eyes, but heâs smiling into his beer.
They drink in comfortable silence for a moment, both lost in their own thoughts. Calumâs enjoying the warmth of the pub, the familiarity, the way it feels a little like home. He wonders whether Sydney would feel foreign to him now, whether heâd still love the feeling of the warm sand under his feet at Christmas.Â
âWe used to go to the beach at Christmas,â he says, without thinking. Liam shoots him a strange look, before his face clears.Â
âOh, âs all the wrong way round down there, innit?â he says, like heâs just remembered. âMust be weird for you, Christmas being cold.â Calum shrugs.Â
âIt was at first,â he says. âIâm used to it now.âÂ
âOh aye?â Liam sounds genuinely interested, so Calum carries on.Â
âYeah,â he says, with another shrug. âI never saw snow until I moved here.âÂ
âDid it freak you out?â Liam asks. âSeeing things all white, and that.â Calum blinks at him.Â
âWhat?âÂ
âWell, if youâd never seen snow, whatâd you think all the white stuff was?â
âI knew what snow was, you fucking idiot,â Calum says incredulously. âFucking hell.âÂ
âWell, how the fuck am I meant to know that?â Liam says defensively.Â
âYou ever seen a camel? You think camels donât exist?âÂ
â Yeah, but-â
âYou thought I didnât know what snow was?âÂ
âHow the fuck am I meant to know what they do and donât teach you in Australia?â Liam demands, and Calum snorts and shakes his head.Â
âYouâre fucking unbelievable,â Calum says, even though Liam thinking Calum didnât know what snow was until he moved to the UK is entirely believable. Liam scowls, but itâs good-natured.Â
âFuck you,â he says. âYou wait, Iâm going to fucking leave you in Australia when we tour there.âÂ
âYou wouldnât last a minute without me,â Calum says confidently. âWhoâll save you from the bities?âÂ
âThe fucking what? Bikeys?âÂ
âOr the freshies and salties?âÂ
âWhat? Those arenât words. Youâre fucking making this up, you are.â Calum laughs, and Liam folds his arms, resting his elbows on the table.
âWatch it,â Calum says, nodding at his elbows. âTableâs sticky.â Liam looks down, and grimaces, unsticking himself from the table.Â
âCouldnâtâve told me that before, could you, you prick?â he grumbles, dusting off his elbows, like itâs going to get rid of the stale beer.Â
âDidnât know you were going to put your fucking elbows down, did I?â Calum says, and Liam just sticks two fingers up at him as he reaches for his drink again, making Calum grin in response and wink at him over the rim of his own glass.Â
They drink in silence for a while, listening to the chatter in the pub as they let the cosy atmosphere and the drinks warm them from the inside out. Itâs nice, Calum thinks, downing the last of his pint. He hasnât been alone with Liam in God knows how long, been stuck on tour buses and in planes with him and at least five other people for far too long, and he realises just how much heâs really missed his one-on-one time with Liam, the easy comfort of a friendship that both of them fall into without even thinking about it, the security of knowing their lives are irrevocably intertwined now. Itâs nice that they donât have to speak, that they can just sit here and drink each other in, just exist alongside each other in quiet peace.
Liamâs not usually this quiet for long, though, usually canât contain his incessant energy for more than three minute bursts at a time, but Calum knows better than to push. Thereâs something there, but Liam will say it when heâs ready to say it, and not a moment sooner. Calumâs been burnt one too many times by his own good intentions in that area, so he just sits back, pushes his glass away from himself and waits. It only takes another few minutes of Liam staring down at the bottom of his glass, brows furrowed and deep in thought, until he suddenly says:
âNoelâs moving to London.â The penny drops.Â
Ah.Â
âIs he?â Calum says, although really, heâs not that surprised. Theyâre getting somewhere, and Manchesterâs not exactly the place for an up-and-coming musician to be based. Itâs been at the back of his own mind, but heâs been pushing it aside, preoccupied with too many other more pressing issues to worry about the logistics of moving that far out.Â
âYeah,â Liam says, still staring at the bottom of his glass.Â
âYou knew he would,â Calum says, trying to make it as gentle as possible.Â
âI know,â Liam says. He doesnât sound as upset about it as Calum had expected, actually. âHeâs going to look at houses tomorrow.â Shit. Londonâs big, though, isnât it? What are the odds that heâll bump into Noel?Â
âDid he say where?â Calum asks, hoping it comes out casual. He wishes he had another pint in front of him, wanting something to do with his hands and feeling just how sober he is all of a sudden, so used to either being on a high or a comedown.Â
âYeah, but fuck if I remember,â Liam says, with a shrug. âIâm going with him. Cuntâs making me get up at eight to catch the train.â Oh, fucking brilliant. Two Gallaghers to avoid in London, not just one. Is it too late to call Michael and reschedule? Probably; his mumâll be listening if he makes a phone call when he gets back from the pub, and he doesnât want to deal with all those questions. It does explain, though, why Liam doesnât seem all too torn up about Noel moving so far away; Noel allowing Liam to come and look around with him is a silent acknowledgement that he knows Liamâll be spending more time there than he will at home, most likely, so itâs got to be a place he likes too.Â
âYouâre a fucking scrounger,â Calum tells him, knowing Liam will know what heâs talking aout, and the ghost of a smile crosses Liamâs lips, but doesnât quite reach his eyes as he plays with the rim of his glass. Calum frowns. Heâs missing something.
âWhat?â he asks, and Liam shrugs, a little uncomfortably. Heâs feeling something heâs not sure how to articulate, then, something he canât channel into punches or barbed words. Itâs something to do with Noel, because thatâs the only topic he never knows how to approach while knowing exactly how to navigate it with his eyes shut and his hands tied behind his back, but itâs not something that Noelâs done, or Calum would be fucking hearing about it, and itâs not something that Liamâs done, or Calum would also be fucking hearing about it, but from Noel. Itâs got to be something else, something that Noel doesnât know about yet, something internal for Liam. Something about him moving to London, maybe, since heâs managed to bring that part up. Something that Liam feels about Noel moving to London, something thatâs making him hesitant about accepting that heâs going to be spending a lot of time at Noelâs new place-
Oh.Â
âHeâs not doing it to get away from you, Liam,â Calum says, and Liam swallows, finger stilling on the rim of his glass for a split second, and Calum watches a little apprehensively as two conflicting emotions flash across Liamâs face; anger, irritated and embarrassed at the fact that Calumâs just called him out on it, and vulnerability, afraid and wanting Calumâs reassurance. Calum knows Liam better than almost anyone, and even he canât ever tell which way itâs going to go. Luckily for him, though, Liam seems to struggle with himself for a moment before he exhales heavily, and slumps back in his chair.
âYou donât know that,â he says.
âI do,â Calum says. âHeâs your brother, Liam.â Liam looks pained at that.Â
âYeah, I know,â he says. âBut- yâknow. After LA.â He doesnât say anything else - probably doesnât know how or what to say - but Calum gets it. Everything had changed after Whiskey-a-Go-Go, shifted a few centimetres to the left, and even though everythingâs okay again, itâs a different kind of okay to before.Â
âThat wasnât your fault,â Calum says, because it wasnât.Â
âWasnât it? I was a right cunt.âÂ
âYouâre always a right cunt,â Calum says, but he doesnât mean it unkindly, or even teasingly. He means thatâs just how you are, and weâre all still here, arenât we? âAnd anyway, so was Noel.â Liam has to concede there, tilts his head to indicate yeah, I sâpose. Â
âI dunno,â he says, still staring steadfastly at his empty glass. âMaybe he just needs a break from me.âÂ
âHe always needs a break from you,â Calum says. âBut he never takes one.âÂ
âTook one in LA.âÂ
âYeah, and then he came back,â Calum says. Liam seems to mull the words over, let them roll around in his mind, see how they feel, but Calum can see from the look on his face that they arenât quite enough.Â
âMaybe you should get your own place in London,â Calum suggests. Liam looks up for the first time, brow furrowed. âThen you could be close, but not too close.â Liamâs brow stays furrowed, but he hums thoughtfully.Â
âYou think?â he says, sounding a little uncertain. Liam moving out of Manchester is quite a big step, the city etched into his veins like none of the rest of them, but it makes sense. And, Calum thinks, theyâll probably all have to move to London, eventually. It might be better to get it done at the same time as Noel, to have someone who knows how to navigate Liamâs inevitable misplaced temper tantrums at the fucking movers or traffic or furniture shops when heâs really just stressed about the change.
âYeah,â Calum says. âItâd do you good, anyway, being on your own. Probably do you and Noel a world of good too, not living on top of each other all the time.â Liam scrunches his face up, looking ten years younger than he is, like the annoying little kid that Noel must see him as, and then sighs heavily and nods.Â
âYeah,â he says. âYeah, youâre right. Yeah. Might have a look myself tomorrow, then.â Calum swallows. Not in Camden, he thinks as loudly as possible, in case Liamâs psychic.Â
âYeah, do that,â he says out loud. Liam nods again, a little more decisively this time, clearly not listening to Calumâs thoughts, and then grins at Calum, bright and easy, like the past five minutes hadnât happened at all.Â
âYouâre getting the next round,â he says, and Calum sighs, all long-suffering, but heaves himself out of his seat, forgetting that the tableâs sticky and squawking when he puts his hands down on it to support himself. Liam laughs delightedly, like thereâs nothing in the fucking world that brings him more joy than Calumâs misfortune, and Calum scowls good-naturedly and flips him off as he heads in the direction of the bar.Â
Well, he thinks, as he jogs down the steps leading up to their seating area and weaves through tables of increasingly tipsy old men laughing far too loudly. At least Liamâs sorted. And London really is big, right? Must be twice the size of Manchester, at least. And heâll be in Michaelâs house, anyway, wonât he? Thereâs no way heâll see Noel and Liam there.Â
Yeah, he thinks, flagging down the bartender. Itâll be fucking fine.Â
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chapter six
#malum#5sos fic#5sos fanfic#5sos slash#5sos fanfiction#ill be responding ot messages tomorrow i need some time to gather brain cells#this heat is SERIOUSLY doing me in#nadya...i have Some Thoughts but i need to collect the fics#god im literally sat in front of my fan on full blast and its just blwoing hot air at me SUFFERING#imagine not having yorkshire blood must be so nice
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