Ease [Cashton/Muke]

Chapter ninety three

"Michael, you have two walk ins. Not a good kinda." Jeanette rushes, bursting into Michael's office around 2pm. Calum, Ashton and Luke had all long since left and now Michael was trying to ignore the media to get some work done.
"God no, please make them leave. Not today." Michael groans.
"Yeah I can't do that-"
"Wh-"
"It's your parents."

"Oh fuck." Michael hisses.
"They have security clearance so I only know because reception called to warn me. They're on their way up now."
"Do you think the fire escape stairs or jumping out the window would be a better escape route?" Michael queries hopefully.
"You are not leaving me alone with your parents." Jeanette answers coldly.
"But-"
"They don't like me at the best of times but me, a submissive, unsupervised in the workforce? They'll have an aneurism." She says flatly.
"I'll stay. Just for you." Michael mumbles. "Only if you remind me to take away their security clearance."

"Didn't you tell them about Luke over the weekend? I don't get what their major issue is? They hate coming into the city. What could possibly warrant this?" She questions unsurely.
"Well-"

"Michael Gordon Clifford!" Michael's father yells as soon as he steps out of the lift. His mother is right behind, silent of course, but an angry and disappointed look on her face.
"I'm busy working." Michael gripes while Jeanette slips back into her office to avoid being chastised for not conforming to a value no more than three people have held this century.
"Cut the act." Steven spits. Jeanette, and even Michael, don't think they've ever seen the man this angry before.

"What do you want me to say?" Michael shoots back.
"You and Luke are the cover story of Today's Mail." He narrows his eyes.
"Really? I didn't notice. My publicists didn't tell me that before I even got to the office and then put me through a meeting for it and more media training. None of that happened." Michael rolls his eyes sarcastically.
"I do not appreciate your tone." Steven replies gruffly.
"And I don't appreciate yours." Michael sasses.

Rosemary puts a hand lightly on her dom and husbands shoulder and they both take a deep breath, Michael's harsh stare unwavering.
"Your mother and I would like an explanation as to why the media are consistently reporting that Luke is only seventeen."
"Does it not seem obvious that Luke's seventeen?" Michael raises an eyebrow.
"That's not possible." Steven blubbers.
"Why not exactly?" Michael scoffs.

"You told us that Luke is both your soulmate and pregnant, unless you lied about that. You have lied about something and we do not appreciate it. Your mother and I deserve honesty and the truth from you." Steven says firmly.
"I have not lied to you at all and I do not appreciate you accusing me of it." Michael snaps. "Luke is my soulmate, he is pregnant and he happens to be 17. I never told you contrary to that, whatever else you have in your head you have inferred yourself."

"Do you mean to tell us that you went and had sex with a seventeen year old, managed to get him pregnant, and thus found out you were soulmates?" Steven rolls his eyes in disbelief.
"That's exactly what happened. Pleased to see you're finally connecting the dots." Michael hums

Rosemary looks like she's about to pass out then and there and Steven is having to work very consciously on keeping his breathing level. He's using every ounce of strength he has to not completely explode but nothing good ever lasts.

"Michael Gordon Clifford!!!" Steven eventually booms, nearly shaking the entire floor. "You cannot bring shame and disgrace of that caliber upon this family and the brand that has been created!"
"Shame and disgrace are subjective terms." Michael sneers. "Neither of which I am bringing upon this family or it's name. And if you feel so strongly about the shame brought to Scorpion brand, then why don't you get out of the Scorpion building?" Michael challenges.
"Mich-" Steven starts to roar again, only for Rosemary to subtly ask if she may interject through the way she presses a little more firmly on her dominants arm and looks at him in question. Steven looks down and decides to nod slightly, Michael isn't sure whether to be captivated or revolted.

"Your father and I are gravely disappointed. The Scorpion brand is long standing and spans many decades of hard work on the part of many people, most critically your father. Your relationship with a boy to whom you are nearly six years older than, and is a child no less, feels irresponsible. For the good of the company and everyone involved, the relationship should come to an end at once."
"You think Luke and I should break up?!" Michael's mouth falls open and the only response his parents can manage is to snootily hum in agreeance.

"Luke is my soulmate!" Michael's yells, speaking with more venom and passion than he thinks he's used in his entire life.
"Then you wait until he is an adult, like everyone else. There is a reason children are not matched with their soulmates." Rosemary argues.
"Stop calling him a child!" Michael protests. "He's going to be giving birth to an actual child, for whom I am the dominant parent, in seven to eight months. By which time, he will still not be 18. If you think in your right mind that I'm going to abandon him during his pregnancy and birth then the start of my first child's life then you are out of your mind and stupider than I thought."

"Do not call your mother stupid!" Steven cuts in.
"Anyone who thinks I'm going to abandon Luke is stupid." Michael protests with a roll of his eyes.
"You need to see a good relationship, demonstrated by people you will actually listen to." Steven purses his lips. "And the media was right, Luke does need discipline."
"I am the only person who gets to have an opinion on Luke's discipline. That is none of your business." Michael mutters angrily.
"Except for when the submissive is front page of the tabloids and tarnishing the reputation of an entire company. Then it becomes a public matter."
"It never becomes a public matter."

A/N: writing Steven and Rosemary is sort of interesting and exciting even though they drive me mad and I also think they're insane. Sorry this is a date late, fell asleep in the middle of editing last night. Love you all

-Grace Williams xo