Ease [Cashton/Muke]

Chapter eight

Ashton thought he was about to throw up. Word had spread fast over the weekend and Monday morning about exactly who Ashton's dom was and needless to say, people weren't happy about it. Now, by lunchtime on Monday, everyone at school definitely knew about it.

Ashton, before the school holidays and before he tested, wouldn't have been considered unpopular by anyone's standards. He wasn't popular per se but he just floated between friendship groups and sort of kept the peace. The downfall of that was now he had no one he was super close with to defend him or even just be there for him.

He had no one but Calum and that thought made him sick. It's not healthy to only have your partner in your life, everyone knows that, and with no certainty about what the hell he's gonna do with his life that's exactly what he's panicking about. He's need to push that aside right now though because he promised his dom.

On both Friday and Saturday he agreed that he would tell Calum if anymore shit happened this week at school. Considering it's lunchtime on day one of the week and already he's been sneered that, mocked, laughed at and even spat on -it's fair to say that shit has happened.

Ashton - Calum: I don't wanna burden you

Ashton hates his initial text message but he had no idea what to say. The three minute wait for a reply is painful from his place propped against the wall of a toilet cubicle.

Calum - Ashton: You're not burdening me. Tell me if there's any issues darling

The younger runs his hands frustratedly through his hair and groans because of course, Calum just had to come through as his knight in shining armour to yet again demonstrate why Ashton isn't worthy of being his sub. God, he thinks to himself, Calum would throw a fit if he could read my mind right now.

Ashton - Calum: I don't really know what to say... just that people at school keep saying you're too good for me. That I'm not worthy. That I'll always be a terrible sub. That you're perfect and well, that's a world away from what I am.

Calum reads the message and has to refrain from throwing something out the window of his high rise office in anger. He's sitting in his seething emotions for what he feels is a moment too long when he realises that Ashton needs reassurance right now and the last thing he needs is slow replies from his dominant.

Calum - Ashton: You are so so good for me. You are absolutely worthy. You never have been and never will be a terrible submissive. Nobody is perfect Sweetheart, but you're the closest to it I've ever known.

"Maggie!" Calum shouts as he sends the texts, admittedly at a higher volume than is necessary.
"Okay, I'm here, that was your panic voice. Your 'this is kind of unexpected and not a slow build up' panic voice. What's going on? Hit me with it." Maggie rambles as she comes into Calum's office in a hurried fluster.
"Kids at Ashton's school are picking on him. Christ teeenagers are menaces. They're saying he's not a good sub, that he's not worthy of me. They've never even met me! And have they seriously learnt nothing in school about respect, thinking they have a right to comment on whether he's a good sub or not." Calum is close to pulling his hair out as his assistant stands there and takes it all in. "Maggie," Calum looks up at her with sheer desperation, like this is the person he needs to be proving his relationship to. "He's so fucking good for me. Maybe he needs more time adjusting to his role but he's still so so good I can't explain it."

"Calum," Maggie starts softly. "None of what Ashton's going through is fair but also it's not your fault. It's not his fault. It's their fault for being bullies. The last thing we need right now is you trying to blame yourself for this when that'll just make you less ready to deal with the situation."
"Than-" Calum starts with a smile but Maggie cuts him off, treating the whole situation as time sensitive.
"You're the CEO of a Fortune 500 company and you're 22. You can deal with some high school bullies. Now. What do you want me to do?"

This pep talk is exactly why Maggie had been around so long. The tension in Calum's shoulders settles just a little.
"Teenagers hate things that are different. They don't like me because my life is a world away from theirs. We can't interrupt things in the middle of the school day or it'll make everything worse. I want a meeting with the principal ASAP. Ashton can't know it's happening. We need to be incognito-"
"A phone Interview." She deadpans as if it's obvious. To her credit, it is pretty obvious. Calum's just more inhibited by emotions than he'd like to admit right now.
"I'll need to see Ashton tonight, though-" Calum cuts himself off but Maggie continues the thought anyway.
"That's more for your own piece of mind. Yeah, I've been resolving conflict in this company long enough to be able to transfer the skills. I'll let you know when the prin is available."

Calum nods a thank you as she walks out of the room. Ashton finally texts back.

Ashton - Calum: Sorry for the slow reply I just didn't know what to say. Thank you ❤️

Calum - Ashton: Just saying the truth sweetheart. What are you doing tonight? I wanna come see you.

Ashton - Calum: Dinner at home with my family, same as every night. I'll have to ask mum but how about you join us... get to know my mum more and meet my little brother and sister.

Calum - Ashton: That sounds perfect. I'll be around after school, let me know if I should bring anything to dinner

A/N: in my humble opinion this is leaps and bounds above the last chapter, enjoy fam and thank you for the love :)

-Grace Williams xo