Ease [Cashton/Muke]

Chapter fifty two

"Hey." Ashton says softly, stepping into Calum's office on his way back from lunch the following day.
"Hi, how are you Sweets?" Calum asks softly, happily standing up from his desk and using his sub's presence as an excuse to walk around.
"I'm good but I," Ashton pauses nervously.
"What is it?" Calum asks, comfortingly resting his arms around the younger's waist.
"I was wondering if I could see Carla again." Ashton blushes. "I want to talk to her about some sub things."
"Of course Darling. Why don't you go ask Maggie?" Calum suggests, knowing Ashton would be anxious about initiating a conversation with a dom other than himself.
"I- what?"
"You'll be okay Sweetheart. Just go tell her you want to catch up with Carla and ask when they're free." Calum reassures, kissing his sub on the lips and sending him out of his office.

"Maggie..." Ashton starts unsurely.
"What's up buttercup?" Maggie looks up with a grin.
"I- I was hoping to catch up with Carla and I was wondering when you were free?" He stutters. "If you're okay with it." He tacks on the end in a rush.
"Of course, why don't you and Calum come over for dinner tonight?" She suggests.
"Oh, uh, I think so, should I go ask Calum?" Ashton says unsurely.
"I'll talk to him. Now don't worry, I'll make sure you can talk to Carla. It'll be a good chance for you to come over and see our place." Maggie reassures, sending Ashton back to his office for the afternoon.

"So Cal," Maggie starts lazily, speaking into her desk phone that she's put through to Calum's.
"What Maggie?" Calum rolls his eyes.
"You and Ashton coming over for dinner tonight, sound good?"
"Yeah, this is so Ashton and Carla can chat?" Calum confirms.
"You got it smarty pants." She retorts.
"6 o'clock too early?"
"Depends when my boss lets me get out of work." Maggie teases.  
"We both know you could walk out for a week and I wouldn't fire you." Calum deadpans.
"See you at 6 sweetcheeks." She grins.
"Sweet -what?" Calum tries to ask before the line cuts off, when he looks through the window to his assistant she's happily working away without a care in the world or regard for Calum's confusion.

"I'm heading, try and last without me." Maggie sticks her head into Calum's office around 4:30.
"I only ever scrape by when you're gone." Calum replies, voice dramatic like he's in a bad romance novel.
"We know. See you at six." She blows a kiss and heads for the lift, leaving Calum chuckling and shaking his head as she goes.

Calum - Ashton: Do you mind if we just stay here later? We don't have time to go home and back before dinner.

Ashton - Calum: No worries xo

Calum - Ashton: Xo

Ashton wanders into his dom's office just after 5, not wanting to be a nuisance but beyond bored after working all day. At first he doesn't say anything, just sits quietly in Calum's office. Calum doesn't say anything at first either.
"Are you okay Sweetheart?" Calum asks gently after a few minutes of silence between them.
"I can go." Ashton squeaks.
"That's not what I asked." The older chuckles lightly.
"I'm just bored." Ashton replies quietly.
"Finished with work for today?"
"Yeah." He mumbles.

"Well then I am too." Calum declares.
"I- I don't want to get in the way. Don't let me pressure you." Ashton rushes out, nearly fumbling over his words they're so fast.
"You're never in the way. You're never pressuring me. Now," Calum gestures for Ashton to come over and sit in his lap, the younger happily complies. "Your family are coming over for lunch on Saturday, what else do you want to do this weekend?"
"Well..." Ashton considers. "Do your normally see Michael every weekend? Should that be in the schedule?"
"We aim to catch up at least once a week. I appreciate you thinking of me and considering me, just don't forget about yourself. We need to prioritise you too." Calum wraps his arms tighter around his sub's mid section as he speaks. Ashton is glad to receive a deeper touch, happily settled in his dom's lap and arms.

"I'm good." Ashton says contently.
"Just good?" Calum raises his eyebrows skeptically.
"I'm very content." Ashton sighs, laying his head on Calum's shoulder. "I love you. I appreciate you. I just feel bad that you're always prioritising me. I want to prioritise you."
"I love you too, Sweets, more than you know. That's how a relationship is supposed to work. A dom prioritises their sub and the sub prioritises their dom. That's normal." Calum explains.
"But," Ashton has a slight whine to his voice as he speaks, "I don't know how to prioritise you. You shower me with gifts and everything I could ever want. I feel like there's nothing I can give to you."

"Your love. That's all I could ever want and more, I promise." Calum soothes.
"But do you not see how this makes me feel like I have nothing for you? Like I'm not worthy of your love and adoration?" Ashton says frustratedly, on the verge of tears.
"Is this really how you feel?" Calum whispers. Ashton just nods, eyes becoming increasingly glassy. "Is it what you're going to talk to Carla about?"
"One of the things." Ashton mumbles.

Calum cuddles Ashton closer and the sub is more than happy to take in all of his dom. The presence makes him happy; makes him feel safe and content. Ashton thanks his lucky stars that he got Calum as his dom. Calum is perfect -but he supposes that just means the universe knows what it's doing with this whole soulmate business.

"You said you wanted to prioritise me, and I want you to be happy and content, so shall we call Michael like you suggested?" Calum breaks the silence and lightly strokes Ashton hair across his forehead, trying to cut the slight tension in the room.
"Well, you said you like to see Michael every week at least. Arrange a time for later this week?" Ashton suggests.
"Okay." Calum complies, kissing Ashton's temple and scrolling to Michael in his contacts.

"Cliffaconda at your service." Michael cheers down the phone as soon as he spots the caller ID and answers the call.
"When did you wanna catch up this weekend?" Calum laughs, straight to the point.
"No foreplay, straight into your move." Michael says disappointingly, making Ashton blush a little the innuendo. Calum just hums. "Did you have anything in mind?"
"Not really but how does Friday night sound?" Calum suggests.
"Works for me, shall we hit up a bar? 5:30?" Michael adds to the suggestion.

"Are you okay with this Ashton?" Calum diverts the conversation towards his sub.
"Uh, yeah." Ashton replies unsurely. "I'm just nervous because I've never been to a bar or club or anything before."
"Never?" Calum asks, slightly surprised.
"You've known me since I turned 18, before that the only place I got into was the local pub who didn't ID anyone."
"That's fair." The brunette chuckles. "It'll be okay. Don't worry." He kisses his sub's temple before uttering a quick goodbye to his best friend and ending the phone call. After all, they had a dinner to get to.

A/N: hi all! I will now be updating this book four times a week (the original Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and now Sunday as well). 1 - as a thank you for getting this book #1 in the cashton tag on Wattpad, that means the world to me. I literally cried. 2 - because I have now finished writing the story! There are 122 chapters in total so things are nearly halfway for you lot. More will be explained as I get further in the updates but I just thought I'd let you know all of that.

I also now have a Ko-Fi if you want to support me there, I'll cry again. https://www.ko-fi.com/gracewilliams

You guys make me cry happy tears a lot :)

-Grace Williams xo