Ease [Cashton/Muke]

Chapter one hundred and ten

Calum and Maggie started working the minute they got off the plane in London, there was a lot to hold together and control whilst on the hunt to find someone to fill the now empty position. The work was never ending. Ashton has endless study to do from home, groaning every time he opens a textbook. He couldn't wait to graduate and be completely done with high school in less than two weeks.

Going back to school was not something Ashton looked forward to. He kept his head down, stayed out of trouble. Cory and his close friend were the only people who sneered at him but fortunately they didn't do any more than that. The rumour was that they were afraid of Calum and his money. Some people in Ashton's year level made small talk before the exams and he didn't fight it, had no reason to.

Calum and Ashton both went well at first, texting a lot and making the time to call for at least an hour everyday despite their schedules. It was when Ashton was walking out of his exam on Wednesday afternoon, his second of the week and last until the following Monday, that his heart stopped beating in his chest.

Ashton was on Facebook when he saw the headline 'Hood Motors CEO Seen With Likely Submissive In London'. At first Ashton thought it would be a trashy tabloid somehow thinking Maggie was Calum's sub and it was just a misunderstanding they could laugh about. Then he saw the pictures and wanted to throw up.

There was a dark haired girl with her body nearly draped entirely over Calum's. They were leaning against a bar in what looked to be an exclusive club, lights low and photo grainy. Ashton knew what his dom looked like though, there was no mistaking that that was Calum, and that woman was definitely all over him in more than a business or even friendly manner. Sure it's possible that she just came onto him but it doesn't look like he's fighting it, looks like he's smiling even, and Ashton doesn't know why Calum wouldn't just call him immediately. Ashton doesn't feel like he can breathe.

Last time he jumped to conclusions about his dom, it was messy. Which leads to the only logical conclusion that Ashton should just straight out ask Calum what happened, that's fine except for the fact that Ashton doesn't want to. He knows he should. He knows that not talking to Calum has caused everyone many headaches in the past but he still can't bring himself to do it.

He calls the first person on his mind, the person who fixed it last time. Carla doesn't pick up. Ashton groans but figures she's probably teaching.

Ashton - Carla: Please call me when you can

Carla was the one and only person on Ashton's mind initially and the only other person he can think of who would be available right now is Luke. He's not sure how an underage not-even-offically-matched submissive would be helpful, but it's all he's got.

"Hey?" Luke starts, seeming very confused by the phone call. It's not as if Ashton and he ever talked unless they happened to be at the same event.
"Am I interrupting something?" Ashton asks nervously.
"No no, I'm just confused. Do you need something?"
"Sorta... I'm in a bit of crisis and I don't know what to do." Ashron confesses, walking into his empty house -his family were at work and school- and pacing the living room.

"Oh?" Luke frowns. "You didn't wanna call Calum?"
"It's about Calum." Ashton whispers.
"What?" Luke furrows his eyebrows and sits up a little straighter. He was sitting in the corner of Michael's office, as he sometimes did in the afternoons, and his dom looked increasingly confused by the phone call he knew next to nothing about.
"Tabloids in England think they've seen him with a sub, or more specifically, his sub. It's a girl." Ashton gulps, finding the words difficult.

"Ashton!" Luke cries out suddenly, Michael immediately looking up from his computer in interest.
"What?" Ashton whines.
"Are you implying what you think I'm implying?" Luke hisses, giving his own dom slightly awkward side eye.
"I don't want to be but I've seen the photos and they do not stand in my favour." Ashton snaps.
"Send them to me. I want to see the evidence." Luke counters sassily.
"Fine." Ashton mutters. He pulls the phone away from his ear and sends through the three photos from the article, none of them are any more forgiving than each other.

"Ashton." Luke sighs dramatically once he's finished inspecting the photos. "I'll admit that I don't know what happened but I know it's not what you think it is."
"You can't possibly-"
"Do you want me to ask Michael?" The younger offers smartly.
"For the record," Ashton rolls his eyes, "I didn't even want to ask you. Carla was the only person on my list and when that didn't work you crossed my mind as the only other person who would be available."
"I feel so honoured." Luke answers dryly. "But just for that... Michael-"
"No don't!" Ashton tries to protest but Luke pushes on regardless.

"Would Calum ever cheat?"
"On Ashton?" Michael snorts amusedly. "He would rather chop his own dick off- wait- Ashton's on the phone? He really thinks that?" Michael starts to panic.
"Go on the The Star Observer's website." Luke says flatly, changing his phone to speaker.
"They are the most trash newspaper ever." Michael scoffs.
"They have photos though." Luke adds.

"Which I never asked you to share." Ashton scowls through the phone.
"Ashton," Michael starts gently.
"Yes?" Ashton squeaks.
"Calum would never ever cheat on you. I can't stress that enough. That man has more integrity in one bone than I have in my whole body."
"You have integrity." Luke frowns at his dom.
"Which is exactly my point princess."

"Have you seen the photos?" Ashton protests weakly.
"I have." Michael purses his lips.
"And?"
"I think she's just come onto him. There's no way he initiated or was happy with that." Michael declares firmly.
"But he looks happy." Ashton mumbles.
"I think that's a grimace."

A/N: hi! Please stay safe with the coronavirus and wash your hands, if you're bored and in quarantine I've got sooo many fic refs just hmu anytime. Practice social distancing for the sake of the elderly and those with chronic illnesses, I'm sending lots of love :)

-Grace Williams xo