Ease [Cashton/Muke]

Chapter one hundred and thirteen

Calum - Ashton: Can you and Carla please go back into Michael's office? I've spoken to Michael and I want to talk to all of you at once.

Ashton - Calum: Okay Sir

Ashton shows Carla the text messages and sighs, stretching out his arms that had been stuck tight and curled up for a while.
"It's gonna be okay, I promise." Carla reassures him as they stand up.
"You can't promise that. Sounds like they're gonna give some verdict and the way I spoke to Michael wasn't nice by any stretch." Ashton mutters.
"Are you forgetting I'm one of the witnesses on your contract? Meaning I've read you contract several times. Even though it wasn't nice, yelling at them isn't against your contract." Carla points out smartly, one hand reaching for the door.
"Wait what?" Ashton furrows his eyebrows.
"It's right to not be there. It's a relationship contract. It's not a general behaviour contract." Carla gesticulates, throwing open the door and pushing Ashton out first.

"I still won't protest a punishment if I get one. Can you promise not to fight for me?" Ashton whispers desperately when they're scurrying towards Michael's office.
"Maybe." Carla shrugs. "But if Mags is listening then there's nothing I can do to stop her."
"Nothing?" Ashton whines, only making Carla grin.
"Nope."

Ashton and Carla walk into Michael's office and Ashton doesn't feel like he can even look at Luke. The room stays silent, everyone expecting Calum to talk because he clearly would have been able to hear the two newcomers entrance.
"Cal?" Michael calls out confusedly, wondering why his best friend won't talk. He assumed he would. Calum stays silent.

Calum - Ashton: Apologise to Luke and Michael and then I'll start

Ashton - Calum: Yes Sir

Ashton blushes as everyone stares at him after his phone buzzes and he then replies. He looks up shyly and gulps nervously.
"Michael, Luke, I'm very sorry for what I said. It was completely out of line and very inconsiderate of your feelings and your struggles. I hope you know that I will always be here to support you if you need anything and I never want to hurt you or make things harder for you." Ashton speaks sincerely, hating the fact he has to apologise only because he hates how careless and insulting he was.
"Thank you." Michael nods before redirecting his attention to his sub.
"Thanks. I forgive you. I know you didn't mean to." Luke mumbles, picking at his fingernails.

"I'm glad that's cleared up." Calum sighs happily through the phone. "Now Ashton, I won't be punishing you because technically you didn't break the contract, though of course I condemn what you did. But I had an idea pertaining you and Carla."
"Oh?" Ashton says unsurely, he and Carla staring at each other confusedly. He ignored the fact Calum just openly said that he condemned something he did, with five people listening -that felt like punishment enough.
"You don't need to go back to school again this week?" Calum seeks to clarify.
"No..." Ashton answers, still lost about what's going on.

"Only if Carla says yes of course, but how would you feel about staying the rest of the week with her?" Calum suggests airily, Carla instantly grinning.
"Well-" Ashton starts nervously.
"I accept!" Carla shouts excitedly.
"I just don't want to impose." He finishes.
"Noooooo, you won't I promise." Carla insists.
"I don't want to impose on you either." Calum adds. "I spoke with Maggie and she said it's up to you but she's fine with it."
"Well then I really don't mind at all. It'll be fun." Carla promises.

"I was planning to spend time with my family... but at least a few days with Carla sounds good." Ashton deliberates.
"If you choose your family then I totally understand." Carla rushes. "I don't want to break up any of your time with them."
"I- I don't know." Ashton's voice cracks and Calum knows his sub is too overwhelmed right now.
"You're in the city now, with nothing you would need to be able to stay overnight?" Calum cuts in.
"Yeah." Ashton says shakily.
"How about you and Carla drive back out to your mothers, talk to her, then you can either go home with her or stay."
"That sounds like a great plan." Carla says softly, also picking up that Ashton was uncomfortable. Even if she didn't exactly know why.

Ashton and Carla say goodbye to Michael and Luke, heading out of Michael's office after Calum hangs up the phone. They walk back to Maggie and Carla's house, Carla going on a tangent about how beautiful it is to live within walking distance to the city. It's less than a twenty minute walk. Ashton comments about how close it is, closer than he realised, and Carla says that when you're driving through peak hour traffic in Sydney, everything feels far away.

Maggie and Carla have one car between them, which is plenty really, and Ashton is more surprised than he should be that it's a shiny Hood car. It's a small to medium sized SUV sort of thing in a shade of white so stark it's blinding. Carla follows the car's navigation for most of the trips but Ashton has moments where he insists he knows a better route, which it always turns out that he does.

Ashton texted his mother about his and Carla's impending arrival and Anne-Marie was so excited she insisted they both stay for dinner; irrespective of what Ashton decides. They arrive for dinner a little before 7pm and Lauren is waiting with her head nearly stuck entirely out the window.

"Whatcha doing?" Ashton laughs at his little sister when he jumps out of the car.
"Nothing." She sing songs before racing to open the front door.
"H-"
"I'm Lauren." The small blonde grins, cutting off her brother and sticking out a hand to Carla to shake.
"Carla. Nice to meet you." Carla smiles, naturally comfortable but that's not surprising given her profession.
"Can I tell you a secret?" Lauren purses her lips as the three walk inside, Ashton worried about what his little sister might get up to.
"Lauren!" Anne-Marie scolds. "Stop scaring her. Pleasure to meet you Carla, I'm Anne-Marie." She lets out a breath as she offers a warm smile and continues attending to the dinner on the kitchen stove.

"Lovely to meet you. Is there anything I can do to help?" Carla asks as soon she sets her handbag down.
"Of course not! You're a guest here."
"Carla," Lauren cuts in. "You'll be my friend right?"
"Of course I'll be your friend." She replies seriously.
"Does that mean I can tell you a secret?" Lauren tests, not lowering her voice at all.
"Of course, if you'd like." Carla shrugs.
"I wished Ashton's partner would be a girl. I wanted a girl to spend time with." Lauren confesses, both Ashton and his mother's eyes nearly falling out of their head.
"Well you've always got me. Anytime."

A/N: lauren is out here being the most iconic we have to stan. As for me and the status of my fic rec list, realistically I'll deliver it Monday but I PROMISE it will be worth the wait. See y'all tomorrow with another update also leave character ask questions before I delete the whole thing in embarrassment and just DM the one and only person who's left some.

-Grace Williams xo