Status: i update when i feel like it

Even If You Don't

The Sun Goes Down and It Comes Back Up

Calum’s POV

“Mawi?” we heard a small voice come from the hallway, “Who hewe?” I could feel Mari tense up slightly as she moved away from me before her brother saw us kissing, but I don’t think anything could have prepared me for his reaction to seeing me there. Asher took one look at me before narrowing his eyes and crossing his arms over his chest. “Mawi,” he stated, looking up at his sister, “Calum go home.” Mari snorted softly while I just sighed in defeat.

“I don’t think that’s gonna happen just yet, bud,” she told him, both of us curious as to what his reaction to hearing that would be.

“No,” he frowned, stomping his little foot in protest, “Calum go home.”

“Asher,” she warned gently, “You know we don’t talk to people like that.” His frown grew even more, causing her to sigh. “Go sit, Ashy,” she pointed to the couch, “I think you and Cal need to talk.” He crossed his arms even tighter, shaking his head. “You can either be a big boy and go yourself or I can carry you over there,” she said sternly so he knew she was being serious, “But you’re going to sit on that couch.” Asher, apparently realizing he wasn’t going to win, treaded over to the couch. He climbed up and laid down while I just watched nervously.

My heart felt like it was going to come up through my throat. I didn’t know why I was so scared to talk to him – especially after how scared I’d been to talk to Mari – but all I knew was that I was.

When Asher wasn’t looking, Mari pressed a quick kiss to my cheek before putting her hands on my back and nudging me into the room. As my feet managed to carry me to the couch, Mari slipped into the kitchen to give her brother and I a moment alone – though, I knew she’d still be listening.

I kneeled down beside the couch where Asher was, but before I could even open my mouth to say anything, he huffed lightly, turning so his back was facing me. I sighed softly – there was no way to ease into this, so I just had to do it.

“C’mon, Asher,” I pleaded, “You can’t ignore me forever.”

“You made Mawi cwy,” he stated. I began chewing on my inner cheek, finally sitting cross-legged on the floor beside him.

“I know, bud,” I said softly, “And I’m sure I’ll spend the rest of my life trying to make up for all those tears. But, you know, Mari forgave me for everything… And now, I just wanted to tell you that I’m sorry too.” It was silent for a moment before I watched Asher turn back so he was facing me again.

“Why you say sowwy to me?” he mumbled curiously.

“Because I know how much you love her and how you had to listen to her cry since she got home,” I told him, “And I know how hard that must have been on you because I have a big sister too.”

“You do?”

“I do,” I smiled slightly before letting it fade, “And I know how mad I get at people when they make her cry and it makes me even more mad when they don’t tell her they’re sorry for doing it. But I told your sister I was sorry, so I’m hoping her little brother forgives me like she did.”

“Mawi fowgive you?” he asked. I simply hummed in response.

Asher then pushed himself up and crawled off the side of the couch, climbing onto the floor beside my knee. He stepped into the open space in my lap and hugged me.

“I fowgive you too,” he assured me. I let out a small sigh of relief and hugged him back.

It didn’t take long for me to feel Asher’s grip on me loosen, and I thought he was going to let go, but he didn’t. Instead, I just heard soft snoring in my ear. I chuckled softly, carefully lifting him up before I stood up myself, only to lie down on the couch with him on my chest. He stirred a bit, but only until he made himself comfortable and went back to sleep.

When Mari hadn’t heard anything, she finally came out from around the corner, smiling at her brother and I. She plopped down on the adjacent couch, grabbing the remote and turning on the TV. I was starting to doze off myself when I suddenly heard what sounded an awful lot like a camera shutter going off.

“Mar,” I murmured, unable to keep myself from grinning, “What are you doing?”

“Nothin’” she replied innocently. I instantly took my phone out of my pocket to find a notification that Mari had tweeted a photo.

“‘Nothing’, huh?” I smiled, turning my phone after opening it so she could watch what she’d just posted pop up on the screen.

It was the photo of Asher and I with the caption ‘Hard to believe that my brother was refusing to speak to him right before this’, already receiving hundreds of interactions – gaining even more after I’d retweeted it myself.

“Nothing... Something... Who cares?” she shrugged, putting her phone back in her pocket as I did the same with mine. It was silent again for a moment. “He really loves you, you know,” Mari told me. I looked up at her to find she was already smiling fondly at Asher as he slept on top of me. “After we left for Australia – before everything that happened – and I would talk to him on the phone before he went to bed, he would always ask if you were coming with me when I came back to visit.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle softly, “Could’ve fooled me.”

“Well, he loves me more,” she snickered, “You’re just gonna have to get used to it.” I let out another laugh as I exhaled, smiling slightly. We both looked back at the TV, neither of us speaking for a moment, before I found myself looking back over at her.

“Hey, princess,” I said, causing her to return her gaze to me, “I love you.” Mari didn’t say anything – she just looked down at her lap and smiled, probably hoping I wouldn’t notice her cheeks turn red.
♠ ♠ ♠
Title: "Just Hold On" by Steve Aoki & Louis Tomlinson

IM SO SORRY THIS TOOK LIKE 67 YEARS
happy new year fraaaaaands!!!!!!!