Ease [Cashton/Muke]

Chapter forty

Calum and Ashton didn't talk a great deal the previous night but Ashton ended the distance and they slept with each other as close as possible. They just needed to reassure themselves and each other that they still have each other -that they always will. 

Calum's alarm blares at 6:30 in the morning but he's quick to shut it off and reassure Ashton that he can sleep again -thankfully the teen doesn't need a lot of persuasion at that hour of the morning. Calum texts Maggie before rolling back into Ashton and holding him close again. The younger snuggles into his chest and they both feel incredibly happy and at peace.

Calum - Maggie: Talked a little last night, the distance is resolved but we haven't covered much going forward. Contracts didn't breach conversation at all.

Maggie - Calum: Noted. I'll inform security you're blacklisted from the building but take it easy and slow to today. Keep me updated.

Calum - Maggie: You can't get me blacklisted from my own building.

Maggie - Calum: You're cute.

Calum can't sleep much longer, his body used to being up and awake by 6:30 every morning. Still, he doesn't move, enjoying the reassurance he gets from Ashton's head on his chest and small even breaths escaping his slightly parted lips. When Ashton does start to stir it's just after 8am, he yawns and opens his eyes but leaves his head on Calum's chest. He likes it there. It fits right, feels like he's supposed to exist over Calum's heart.

"Don't you have work? What time is it?" Ashton asks, voice still thick with sleep as he slowly starts to stretch his muscles.
"Maggie won't let me go back to work until we have a contract, claims she'll have me security blacklisted from the office until it's done. It's 8:08am right now." Calum replies, his chest rumbling underneath Ashton's head.
"Oh." Is all Ashton can get out, his guilt about Calum's work coming through slightly.
"Don't worry. She said to relax, don't rush it. We're going to get this right Ashton. Now let's go have breakfast." The older says reassuringly, kissing Ashton on the temple as they both start to move to get up.

"Porridge?" Ashton asks disappointly when they reach the kitchen.
"Well we have no need to rush today so maybe you can convince me to make something else." Calum laughs. "What's on your mind?"
"Anything but porridge." Ashton deadpans.
"Pancakes? A surprisingly healthy food actually. It's about what you put on them." Calum talks as he already starts gathering the ingredients for pancakes.
"I'm gonna guess maple syrup isn't a topping option in this house." Ashton says, voice a little bitter but it's mostly joking and Calum can hear that.
"Ashton, you keep talking like I'm some health nut. You know I'm not that bad." Calum purses his lips.
"Yeah." Ashton says softly, a faint smile on his face. Calum chuckles at the sight and sets about making breakfast, both existing in a comfortable silence.

They eat their pancakes, Ashton being happy with Calum's assortment of fruit as toppings, still not saying a lot out loud. Calum thinks it feels weird because it doesn't feel weird and it should feel weird. They exist so harmoniously just in each other's presence. Not much needs to be said from a logistical capacity, their body language and some careful expressions fulfilling all the necessary communication needs as they move around the kitchen and dining room.

"What do we start with?" Ashton says airily, voice feeling louder than it actually is in the space around them as they pack the dishwasher post breakfast. Calum halts, though not that harshly, and has a confused look on his face as he bends up to look at Ashton. "I mean, like, with the contract and all that. What do we start with?" Ashton clarifies.
"Whatever you'd like." Calum hums. "We need to talk about what each other does and doesn't like, expectations we have for each other and the relationship as a whole and consequences for either of us failing to meet the defined expectations."
"What we like... sexually?" Ashton leans on the kitchen bench top, unable to continue moving about given how busy his brain is.
"In part." Calum shrugs.
"I don't... I don't wanna. I'm not ready and I don't know what I like, at all." Ashton's voice is quiet, honest but a little hesitant.

"Well then we can talk about that in the contract. It's perfectly okay that you're not ready." Calum reassures him, holding his sub's hand as they walk upstairs to his study.
"Have you... have you ever... like..." Ashton trails awkwardly, blushing bright red and opting to focus his eyes on the plush carpet.
"Are you asking if I've had sex?" Calum replies, careful of his tone so that Ashton feels as comfortable as possible. After all, it is a completely valid question to ask.
"Yeah." Ashton mumbles.

Calum slowly puts his laptop on the floor next to the armchair, a traditional Eames chair, before ghosting his fingers over Ashton's wrist and positioning them both on the black leather chair. Ashton sort of sits on Calum's lap but they're both comfortable.
"It's a perfectly normal thing to ask Ashton." Calum starts, the sub's body relaxing slightly. "I've had sex several times with Michael."
"What?!" Ashton gasps out, sitting up a little.
"It's quite common for doms, and subs in fact, to have no strings attached sexual relations with unmatched close friends of the same status. To prepare themselves if you will."
"Oh. I didn't... we didn't exactly get told to be abstinent prior to being matched, just didn't get told that." Ashton explains.
"So you didn't know there were options? That there were people you could have sex with?" Calum clarifies. Ashton nods.

"Let's start drafting a contract. To start simple, what are you most comfortable calling me?" Calum asks as he picks up his laptop and opens a new document.
"Well... I don't know... Sir? Maybe." Ashton says unsurely.
"What I want, above all else, is you happy and comfortable. Don't say things just because you think it's what I want." Calum's voice is firm but reassuring as he speaks.
"I think I like Sir... but only for sometimes. Yesterday I knew that I needed you and your guidance, even if I didn't know why. Using Sir helped that... made me feel more at ease. But other times it feels weird."
"So it depends on your headspace?" Calum furrows his brows.
"I think so... we didn't learn about them much..."
"Jesus Christ, remind me to invest in state education." Calum mumbles.

A/N: hiiiii I hope you all enjoyed that. I'm stressed because most of my country (Australia) is on fire and over a million hectares have already burned but as always, lots of love to you all. Love each other and the environment and nature :)

-Grace Williams xo