Ease [Cashton/Muke]

Chapter twenty nine

"This is Ashton Irwin. Submissive. 18. This is Calum Hood. Dominant. 22. This is Maggie Sears. Dominant. 25. Then there are my parents. Then there is the lovely Jeanette. Then there is me. Seven people in total. No one on this list ever needs to provide ID or a security pass to get into my office, regardless of the security level in operation at the time. Become familiar with their names, which they will say to you, bar Jeanette and I, and faces. Everyone will move on from today, we don't need to talk about it, just make sure it never happens again. Am I clear?" Michael lectures his security team, gesturing to everyone's faces on the projector, which he's doing in part to give Calum and Ashton the moment alone he could tell they needed. He receives some nods and hums of agreements and takes a deep breath.

"Even if you think you are familiar with the faces, Ashton is new to the list. Study it again. Finally, thank you for the job you do each and everyday to protect Scorpion Technology." Michael says finally, before spinning on his heels and going back to his own office.

The elevator dings open and Michael looks across the floor to see Calum and Ashton both sitting comfortably, with their chairs much closer together than when he left the office, holding each other's hand and just softly tracing lines with their fingertips on skin. It's bittersweet. Michael is so happy that Calum has his soulmate and that they're what soulmates should be but his lonely heart aches a little.

"Security should know what they're doing now. Neither of you two, and Maggie still of course Calum, should ever need to show any form of ID to get in. Just say your name and security will let you waltz right on in to my office." Michael claps his hands together as he walks back into the room.
"Thanks Mike." Calum grin.
"Of course, what happened today shouldn't have. Wasted everyone's time." The oldest brushes it off.
"Yeah, thanks." Ashton's smile is softer than Calum's as he speaks.

"Now we can head to the store room, but, the best is right here." Michael smirks, approaching a small storage unit in the corner of the room that he unlocks with his fingerprint. "Ashton, do you want an UsPhone 12?"
"12? What?" Ashton furrows his brows.
"The next model. It's unannounced and so there's a few things you need to agree to but it's nothing serious. Currently only eight people have one, Calum of course being one of those people, but I have some spares." Michael explains as he walks back to the desk with a small white box that has a scorpion on the side.
"Are you sure?" Ashton asks, nervous about having an unreleased phone.
"Yeah." Michael shrugs, already starting to unwrap the plastic. "Basically you just need a case on, you can pick one from the store room on your way out. That's just for less damage and also to make it less obvious to people you have a different phone. Obviously no telling anyone you have a 12, an unreleased phone. Just say you have the latest model Scorpion  UsPhone. Finally, I'll collect usage data off it every month and if you have any issues with software or hardware tell me immediately. I don't give out free phones for the sake of it, you're a guinea pig." Michael laughs at the end.
"Sounds easy enough, deal I guess?" Ashton says unsurely.
"Perfect answer." Michael grins, handing Ashton the new and shiny phone.

"I'll let you set that up in your own time at home, you'll need to back up your other things and such. Follow me to the store room." Michael announces, standing from his seat and approaching the lift. "Now you said you already have a laptop, tell me now. Shoot me in the chest. What brand is it?"
"Uh... it's a Sanovi..." Ashton winces, fully aware he has one of the worst laptops on the market.
"Dear God, not a Sanovi!" Michael cries dramatically as the lift takes them down to the store room.
"And it's four years old." Ashton giggles.

"Though part of me does want to tear it and everyone single one of its truly shitty components to pieces for the fun of it," Michael says as they exit the lift and he leads the way to the store room. "Do you mind if I have it?"
"I mean... I guess?" Ashton replies, confused as to why Michael could possibly want his old and terrible laptop.
"I don't like to buy the competitions products, for obvious reasons, though Sanovi aren't really a competitor let's be honest, but I like to try them every so often to understand what else is on the market. It's research." Michael shrugs.
"Oh, that makes sense, yeah sure." Ashton says, a little mindlessly, staring at all the products in awe. There's everything you could ever want.

"Do you have anything in mind?" Michael asks as they stroll down the first aisle full of laptops.
"Not a clue." Ashton shakes his head.
"Do you want more power and features or lighter and convenient? What size screen? Or maybe you want a tablet and no laptop at all."
"I... really have no idea." Michael laughs and starts the task of deciding what exactly Ashton needs based on a game of deduction.

"I'm going to grab a few odds and ends, you're in capable hands with Michael. I'm not leaving the store room but I'll see you in a bit." Calum says, pecking Ashton on the lips before turning to walk off.
"I didn't say you could have anything." Michael calls out.
"I'll remember that next time you visit the garage." Calum grins, only earning a middle finger back from his best friend.

"Now we just scan each item so the inventory knows where it is and you go on your merry way. I'll add it to Calum's account now but I can make you your own if you'd like, then you can drop by whenever and take whatever you'd like." Michael explains casually to Ashton as they stop at the inventory table near the exit, Calum having rejoined them.
"Oh... so no one pays for this..." Ashton says slowly.
"By the time it gets to the store room everyone and everything that has contributed to making it has already been paid, so right now you're only taking from me. But I'm family and Calum repays me quite satisfactorily when I visit his store room." Michael reassures him.
"Seems like you're getting the better deal." Ashton hums. "Cars are worth more."
"There's ways we work it out but family is family."

A/N: I have drunk a lot of wine I hope you enjoyed this, lotsa love :)

-Grace Williams xo