Page 98 of Paint Our Song

“I’m so sorry.” Calvin’s voice cracks when he speaks. He opens his closet and starts grabbing clothes. Okay. He actually is leaving with Theo, then. “I had no idea he’d show up, but if I don’t go back to the record label with him, he’s going to camp out there and get in a fight with Chase. I don’t know. Tell me what to do.”

It’s strange listening to Calvin ramble like this. Usually, it’s Miles who does the rambling. “Do you want the band to stay together?”

“I… I don’t know. Yes? No? I didn’t want to break it up, but then it got so exhausting so I gave up on it—but he’s here now, and he’s saying all these things, and—I don’t know.” Calvin looks around, not actually focusing on anything.

“Okay. Wait, relax.” Miles steps close to him and puts a hand on his nape. Calvin stops fidgeting, sighs, and leans into his hand. “You love your band. There’s a reason you’re having such a hard time letting go. God, you asked me to make a painting of you guys despite the shit you’ve been through.”

Which reminds him—he should probably finish that painting.

Calvin blinks. “I… yeah. I do love the band. I guess. We’ve been together for years.”

Why does Calvin write songs, why does he play the guitar, and why does he get on stage? It’s not for the limelight, he’s made that abundantly clear. He plays music because he likes it, it gives him a thrill, and because… well, Cloverlily is his family. It’s been his family for years now, and Miles knows exactly how it feels to be on the verge of losing something so important. The inn had almost slipped away from beneath his fingers, and he did everything he could to keep it going.

That, Miles realizes, was the band for Calvin.

Or maybe he’s having a hard time letting it go because he’s still very much into Theo, but Miles would rather not think about that. He’s not going to tell Calvin that it’ll be a bad idea to keep the band together, because he doesn’t actually think that. The reason he wouldn’t want the band to fight harder is purely selfish. He’s not even going to go there.

Miles swallows. He rubs a thumb against Calvin’s chin and his eyes flutter closed for a second. “I don’t know. I can’t decide for you… though if it were me, if it was something I really did love, I wouldn’t give up on it.”

“Yeah, you’re pretty persistent.”

“Hell yeah.” Miles beams. “Wasn’t so persistent last night when everything was going to shit though, thank god you were here.”

Calvin swallows. “I think we need to fight harder, as a band.”

“Yeah. Better get moving.”

It hurts, though—him working with Theo again, being unable to leave that stage of his life behind. Miles can’t take it, so he looks away while Calvin packs the rest of his things. He places everything inside his duffel bag and puts his guitar in its case.

“Need anything else?” Miles asks, once everything’s packed.

This is it.

“Miles,” Calvin murmurs.

“Okay, so.” He looks around melodramatically, wanting this to be over with, because hecan’t take this. “Thank you for staying with us—no tips necessary!”

Calvin laughs. He puts the duffel bag and guitar case over his shoulders. If Miles could, he’d pull him in and kiss him—he’d press their lips together once more, hold him by the face, put a hand on his hip—but that moment’s probably long gone since Theo Reid decided to show up.

“Your ex is kind of an ass,” Miles says.

“He is.”

“You must have left a note on his windshield at least once, right?”

Calvin shoves him. “I don’t do that. Shut up.”

This is goodbye, then—but then Calvin steps closer, smiling tentatively, and reaches for Miles’s arm. Without meaning to, Miles takes a step back, and Calvin freezes. He puts his hand back down, and his jaw stiffens.

Love,Theo had called him. The nickname had all the familiarity in it. He must have called him that countless times. They have a song titled “Love.” Miles is never going to listen to it, ever again.

“You said we’d keep in touch,” Calvin mutters.

No, he’s right, they can’t part ways like this. What the hell is wrong with him?

“Sorry, I was startled,” Miles says, stepping closer again. He puts his hands on Calvin’s jaw and pulls him in for a kiss, and Calvin’s lips are stiff and unmoving. He’s called him persistent though, and he really is, so Miles continues to press his lips against his, coaxing, until he tilts his head and kisses back.

When they pull apart, Calvin looks at him in a way that makes his heart race and ache at the same time.