Ease [Cashton/Muke]

Chapter twenty two

Maggie left after she confirmed that she and Ashton had each other's number but before Calum and Ashton finished their waffles. She knew they needed space to talk about all the crying Ashton did.

Calum doesn't bring up the conversation of school, deciding that if Ashton doesn't wanna talk about it right now he doesn't have to -until tomorrow. Ashton does want to talk about it. He first brings it up when they're cleaning up their plates from the waffles.

"I'm never going back." Ashton says. His voice is quiet but unwavering.
"To school you mean?" Calum clarifies.
"Yeah." This time Ashton's voice does shake a little. "Today, Cory, he uh, at recess," Ashton stammers over his words.
"Take all the time you need." Calum says reassuringly.
"Cory came and sat next to me. He was way too close to me. Started saying that I'm weak and need protecting. He said I wasn't a good sub. That I'll never be enough for you."
"Sweetheart none of that is true. You're not weak, you're so so strong and you're such a good sub. I'm so proud of you and you will always be more than enough for me." Calum feels his heart break word by word but then he goes to wrap his arms around Ashton and notices the way his sub freezes.

"He-" Ashton chokes out.
"What did he do?" Calum says darkly, pulling back and resting his hands on Ashton's upper arms. Ashton hisses at the contact, his skin crawling at the feeling of Calum's touch ghosting over Cory's painful grip from this morning.
"He grabbed my arm when I tried to move away. Dug his fingers into my bicep." Ashton replies, looking down and being unable to meet his dom's eyes. Calum instantly drops his arms and steps back a little in shock.
"Is there a bruise?" Calum asks, intaking mass amounts of air to try and control his rage directed at this dickhead. Right now Calum wants to report him to the police for assault and in fact he probably should.
"I don't know. I haven't looked. It hurts."

Calum slowly reaches out to the end of jumper sleeve.
"May I?" He asks gently, to which Ashton just nods. Ashton gestures to his left side so Calum calmy takes Ashton's right arm from his sleeve, wanting to do this with as minimal impact as possible. He pulls the collar over Ashton's head then the whole jumper off his left arm. He can see a faint mark but tries not to completely loose it, pushing up the short sleeve of Ashton's polo. His breath hitches. He can see all the intents of Cory's fingertips slowly darkening and a few spots from the grip and heel of his palm.
"Is it bad?" Ashton asks, his head having been turned away the whole time. He didn't want to look.

"I'm never letting you go back to school, don't worry about that." Is what Calum finally manages to say. He pulled Ashton's chin lightly so he could say it into his sub's eyes before going for a gentle kiss. A kiss where he just wants Ashton to understand how much he cares for him. How much he would do for him. Anything and everything.

It's not even 5:30pm but today was exhausting for both of them, particularly Ashton, so they decide to get in their pyjamas and snuggle in bed. They lie together in peace, watching the sunset and tracing soft mindless patterns on each other's skin.

"Cal?" Ashton says, not moving from where his face is smushed against his dom's chest. Calum just hums in acknowledgment. "I wanna- I wanna move in with you."
"Wait? Seriously?" Calum says, turning slightly in shock.
"Yeah." Ashton breathes out.
"Ashto-"
"Is that not something you want?" Ashton asks nervously.
"No no no, I mean, yes. Yes it is something I want Ash. Are you sure you want this? I just don't want you to feel pressured into this." Calum says, trying to get his thoughts to come out in logical sentences.
"I want to. I won't be going to school anymore anyway and I feel like I'll keep seeing people from school if I stay near it. I feel so comfortable and at peace when I'm here. When I'm with you. I feel at ease."

Ashton's confession comes tumbling out and initially all Calum can do is smile. Smile so wide it feels like his face is about to be split in two.
"I feel the same when you're here Ashton. When I'm with you." Calum replies, leaning down to engulf Ashton in an Eskimo kiss that leaves them both giggling uncontrollably and looking at each other with sparkling eyes.

"How about," Calum says as they're catching their breath. "I take you home tomorrow, you talk to your mother-"
"But-"
"Ashton." Calum says firmly. "Have you even told her you're leaving school? Just explain it and she'll understand. All she wants is your happiness."
"Fine." Ashton pouts. "What's after that?"
"Then," Calum laughs, "you can pack up what you wanna bring here, though I'd be more than happy to buy you everything you need or want all over again, and then next week you can move in. I'll have to look at my calendar but hopefully Monday will work, it should."
"I like that plan." Ashton grins, leaning up to kiss his dom again.

"One final thing," Calum muses. "You know I expect you to still keep up with your studies, where do you want to do that?"
"Oh. Nowhere?" Ashton supplies hopefully.
"Ashton." Calum says sternly.
"I just, I don't wanna think about anything to do with school right now." Ashton confess, burrowing in Calum's chest and trying to avoid the conversation completely. He did still sorta like his classes, he just had bad associations with everything to do with school right now.
"I get that, that's okay. Tell you what, I'll let you have whatever day you move in -probably Monday- completely free of study and school work. How does that sound?" Calum offers.
"Good, I guess." Ashton mumbles.
"It's gonna be alright Sweets. You don't have to go back to school, you can move in with me, you can start fresh. We can do this together."
"Okay." Ashton smiles, kissing Calum for the umpteenth time.

A/N: cashton are moving in together :o sorry this is a day late, mostly just lost track of time and forgot what day it was yesterday. Love you all :)

-Grace Williams xo