Ease [Cashton/Muke]

Chapter thirty five

"What do I do?" Calum asks for the third time, nearly pulling his hair out as he paces Michael's oversized office.
"There's nothing you can do." The older rolls his eyes.
"What do you mean there's nothing I can do?" Calum stresses, nearly popping a vein in his neck.
"What do I mean- what do you mean- Calum just sit down." Michael snaps, causing the brunette to stop and stare narrowly at his best friend. Michael looks back even more stubbornly until Calum sighs in defeat and plops in the chair in front of Michael's desk.

"I need to do something." Calum says, voice bordering on a whine.
"When it gets to five o'clock," Michael starts, "and I let you out of here, you're going to go home and one of two things will happen. Either Ashton will still be distant for whatever reason and you won't be able to force any conversation of use or merit out of him, or he will be willing and ready to talk and the issue will resolve itself. That's happened in the past, has it not?" He explains, accentuating his words with big and loose hand gestures.
"It has." Calum mutters dryly.
"Wonderful." Michael grins. "Now you either work on your laptop or I have to get out the colouring books we give to occupy children."

Calum narrows his eyes before opening his laptop to start working slowly, analysing data and replying to a few emails. He doesn't get a lot done, his mind focussed on Ashton. He wants to know how his sub is feeling, what he's doing at home. Above all he wants to know why Ashton is suddenly acting like this.

"Hey Mikeeeeeee." Calum drawls obnoxiously.
"What?" Michael mumbles, not looking up from his computer.
"What if he doesn't wanna talk tonight?"
"I think," Michael sighs, finally meeting his best friends gaze. "You give it till morning. Then stay with him and try to keep things relaxed, I don't think it'll be an issue."
"Yeah, Maggie won't let me go to work tomorrow unless it's resolved." Calum mutters.
"And that's one of the many reasons we love her." Michael beams.

Calum sinks into his chair a little more and types slowly on his laptop. Using every slight inconvenience as an excuse to blame Michael for his products and say how everything is his fault. Michael ignores every comment.
"This-" Calum starts.
"Go away!" Michael cries out and Calum has the audacity to look attacked and even surprised by his outburst. "I am not letting you go home while you're this pissy because you'll just make everything worse. You're going to go down stairs and come back in ten minutes in a better mood. Think of the fact Ashton needs you in the right headspace now more than ever then maybe I'll let you go home early." Michael lectures him. Calum just pouts and walks out of the room without another word.

Michael - Maggie: Calum's being pissy as fuck

Maggie - Michael: Oh dear god let me know if there's anything I can do

Michael - Maggie: Will do, thanks

"I promise I'm feeling better." Calum says as he walks back into Michael's office, having taken a twelve minute breather.
"What did you do?" Michael queries skeptically.
"I had a fresh juice from downstairs and walked around the store room." Calum says triumphantly.
"Drank your juice quick." Michael snorts.
"I- I- well- yeah- um-" Calum flounders at a loss for words.
"Now sit down and tell me what you've learnt." Michael clasps his hands together and looks at Calum expectantly.
"Is there any reason you are so insistent to treat me like a ten-year-old?" Calum retorts.
"Is there any reason you think talking to Ashton while there's a stick up your ass would be effective?" Michael says flatly.

"Well," Calum huffs. "I-" Calum goes to speak but his previously hard resolve crumbles at the thought of what Ashton needs right now. "Ashton needs me. Ashton, for whatever reason, is feeling disconnected. I think... he's afraid of how fast things have gone. But... I don't really know. Because I haven't talked to him yet and hopefully he's ready to talk because... I need him too."
"Wonderful. It's ten to five, maybe take the long way home to give you and him more time -if you can bear it. Bye Cal." Michael smiles softly.
"Wait- what?"
"Text me how it goes, but not till it's all done. See you later."
"Okay." Calum smiles. "Yeah, thanks Mike. You're a good friend."
"I try." Michael winks, making Calum laugh as he walks out of the office.

Calum drives through peak hour traffic Sydney, taking the sort of long way home -the medium way home if you will. He arrives back to his harbourside mansion just before 5:30, giving himself a little pep talk before he takes a deep breath and walks inside from the garage.

The house is eerily silent. Sure, he didn't expect Ashton to be having a party but something still doesn't feel right. It's as if he's stepped into an air comprised of more tension than oxygen. After a moment he notices the smell of cooking so starts to head down to the kitchen, calling out as he does so.
"Ashton?"
"In here Sir."

Calum freezes, feeling his blood run cold. The tone was nothing like Ashton. The use of 'Sir' was nothing like Ashton. The problem was that he heard the voice, it was definitely Ashton. Taking a few breaths he decides to keep on his path to the kitchen, where Ashton's voice came from, before he jumps to conclusions. Though, to be fair, his mind is too confused and shocked to be able to conclude anything right now.

"Are you alright Ashton?" Calum asks as he turns the corner into the glossy white kitchen.
"Yes Sir." Ashton replies curtly and everything in front of his eyes makes Calum's heart feel like it's being ripped from his chest. He has no idea how to deal with this situation.

A/N: hellooooooooo. Goodbyeeeeeee. I don't have much to say, this was a bit of a filler chapter. Still hoped you enjoyed it though. Love you all :)

-Grace Williams xo