On Contract • Lashton AU

Part Thirty One

It wasn't long before Ashton left Luke alone in the house, locking the door on the way out. Hemmings was left alone, in silence to ponder over Ashton's words earlier. He decided to try and forget about it and do as he had been told.
Dragging himself off of the couch, he stood up and wandered into the kitchen, to see what it was exactly Ashton wanted him to do. And there was nothing on the list of tasks Luke couldn't do, there was just a lot scrawled down on the A5 paper:
Everything from basic chores like laundry to completely cleaning the upstairs bathroom.
Hemmings doubted he would have enough time. Unbeknownst to him, that was the entire point.
Despite having no real obligation to do anything Ashton told him to, Luke really tried to fulfil his expectations. There was something in the back of his mind egging him on and telling him that he had to do this.
Several hours passed, and Luke was only halfway through the list. He knew he had very little time to get any further. But he didn't want to admit that there had never been a possibility of him getting through it.
In his own home, maybe, but not here. He had no knowledge of where anything was kept and he was unfamiliar with the layout of the house also.
When Ashton entered the front door, Luke was in the kitchen washing what seemed like a week's worth of dishes. It was almost emasculating to Luke, although he knew it really shouldn't be.
Ashton wandered into the kitchen, no doubt hearing Luke.
"So, did you do everything?"
Luke was drying his hands by now.
"I - uh - I tried..." Luke mumbled, for some reason afraid of Ashton being disappointed.
"You tried?" Ashton asked. "So that actually means no. So why not just say no?"
"I - Uh - I'm sorry," Hemmings faltered terribly.
"You aren't sorry - not yet."