Callum quit smoking a month before shooting started, or so he says. Technically. Except he’s always bumming looseys from Anto or David, and packs so many pouches into his mouth during breaks that it wouldn’t be a surprise if he passed out from nicotine poisoning at some point. Also, he keeps taking Austin’s vape whenever Austin hands it over. And worming it out from Austin’s pocket. And making gimme motions while they eat.
When Austin skitters it across the table, Callum accuses, “Temptress,” before taking an enormous hit.
“I just want you to be happy,” Austin says. Which is the truth, whether or not Callum believes him.
Callum shakes his head, frowning, cheeks bulged. “Temptress liar,” he says with effort, releasing a cloud of watermelon sour. “Ugh. It tastes like bubble gum.”
“Alright, so give it back,” Austin says, holding out his hand, but instead Callum snatches it away.
“I want you to know that I was a saint when I took this job. Now I’ve got two things I need to quit.”
Austin scoffs. “Ha. Are you calling me a vice? That’s rude.”
“No,” Callum says, chewing on a forkful of carne asada fries. “Stop fishing for compliments.”
“Gimme the vape back, then.”
Teasingly, Callum holds it out of reach. Austin grapples for it without success. Pretends to give up and crosses over him to get some food, then grapples for it again once Callum’s guard is down. Their arms tangle, vape and utensils and bits of meat dropping everywhere. Austin doesn’t know what happens next, but Callum is wincing all of a sudden, and they both freeze.
“What?” Austin asks, studying him. “Did I hurt you? Did you bite your tongue?”
Maybe it’s instinct, or just the fact that Austin is the only one who has a hand free; either way he finds himself tucking it up against Callum’s chin like he’s a kid. What’s crazier still is how Callum obediently spits into it without hesitating.
After a pause, Austin says. “Cal. Is this your tooth?”
It’s a dumb question, because it’s very clearly his tooth. A molar, cradled on Austin’s palm, spit-shined and porcelain white. They both stare at it.
“Implant got fucked. I’m supposed to get it fixed next month,” Callum explains. “I guess the bridge got loose.”
Austin tucks the tooth into his fist. “Show me,” he orders, and Callum obeys again, pulling back on the corner of his mouth with a hooked finger. Austin ducks in closer. He doesn’t even know what he’s looking for but it seems like the right thing to do.
“Well,” he says. “It’s not bleeding or swollen or anything like that.”
“Thanks, doc.”
“I think you’ll survive.”
When Callum clutches his chest in faux relief, Austin experimentally sticks his finger into the empty space. Callum twitches back, but only just, with no hint of embarrassment or surprise.
“Babes,” he manages. “You gotta ask consent for that.” He pokes the tip of his tongue into the gap, crowding Austin out from the other side until a flash of pink winks through. It should be gross, except everything in the world seems to work when paired with that stupid grin. “Can’t just go around sticking fingers into every hole you see.”
“I can if you let me,” Austin counters, “which you just did.”
“And I’ll let you again later, if you pass me the vape one more time.”
“You have a problem,” Austin tells him, but he hands it over anyway. The tooth is still squeezed in his grip for some reason. “You’re addicted.”
Callum takes a hit. Molds his lips so that most of the vapor exits through the hole in his gums. “Sure am,” he agrees readily.
My new implant is in! My suffering is over! #toothgate (at Las Cruces, New Mexico) https://www.instagram.com/p/BuaG_MugGXv/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1d4be4zsguyoj
Well, anyways, two of my lower right teeth have been filled. He didn’t want to do the molar waaay in the back because it might mess with the other teeth. Ugh, great, one more tooth that isn’t fixed. I gotta get that one done on this coming Thursday.
On the plus side, he did say that in February we’ll hopefully be ready to put in the actual implant, so yay!
Yesterday, the dentist and his assistant began to work on the fillings. They fixed the old ones and worked on new ones. He's really pleased with how the implant is going and he told me that I could start chewing on both sides of my mouth again. Hooray!
But then yours truly goofed up today and popped off the falsie cap that I've been wearing. Oops.
Thankfully I could go to the dentist and get it put back on--though I think I freaked Tanya the assistant out because she thought the fillings were messed up. 😅
So now we'll be doing some more pretty soon. I just can't bite with the front teeth, and only use the back molars on my right.
But now I can eat on both sides of my mouth again! Hooray (again)!
