Ease [Cashton/Muke]

Chapter thirty eight

"I think," Carla takes a deep breath, "that you should go talk to him and ask what his issue is, if you're so sure he has one."
"Absolutely not." Ashton scoffs. "He knows what he wrote and he knew I would read it. I'll just be a good submissive and over time he'll hate me less."
"He doesn't hate you!" Carla nearly screeches, raising her voice more than intended. Maggie texts her instantly.

Maggie - Carla: Do we need to come down?

Carla - Maggie: I think we're okay for now... give me a little longer please.

Maggie - Carla: Five minutes.

"I appreciate you trying to reassure me Carla, but for now I think it's best if I just keep trying to be the best submissive I can be for my dominant." Ashton says calmly after Carla has tuned back into the conversation.
"Maybe this is obvious but... why don't you just follow your contract?" Carla says thoughtfully.
"My contract- we don't have one of those."
"You what?" Carla's eyes nearly pop out of her head.
"Isn't that normal? Isn't it something you work on further down the line?" Ashton replies like it's not that big of a deal. Carla quickly texts Maggie again.

Carla - Maggie: DID YOU KNOW THERE IS NO CONTRACT??? THERE IS NO. CONTRACT.

Maggie - Carla: I found out just after you two went downstairs. We'll be down to see you both in a minute.

Carla - Maggie: Okay, I'm sorry for yelling.

Maggie - Carla: Thank you for apologising, I forgive you. ❤️

Carla - Maggie: ❤️

"Ashton, it's normal to make them in the first week. And definitely before you're living together." Carla informs him.
"Oh. More proof he doesn't like me then." Ashton whispers, slipping into a kneel on the floor as they hear foot steps coming down the stairs. Carla contemplates her own position for a second before kneeling beside Ashton.

"Hi sweets." Calum smiles, leaning down to kiss Ashton lovingly. Next to them, Carla and Maggie kiss and exchange a few inaudible and intimate words.
"Hello sir." Ashton smiles softly, feeling a little content that maybe he's done something right if Calum's smiling.
"Sit next to me sweetheart," Calum says as he sits on the couch perpendicular to where Maggie and Carla have positioned themselves.
"Okay sir." Ashton nods.

"Now, Ashton. I think I should start, and I'm only initiating it while they're here as they might be able to help us. I think we should discuss a potential relationship contract." Calum says calmly. Ashton would panic a little if he thought he had the right to, Calum calls the shots.
"O-"
"If I may," Carla cuts Ashton off. Both the doms seem surprised but she can't possibly let this go on if Ashton still thinks Calum doesn't value him. Ashton sends her a desperate and pleading look but she ignores it completely. "Calum-"
"Please no." Ashton squeaks quietly but Carla presses on before either dom can question it.
"Ashton is of the understanding you hate him. That you think he is a bad sub. That you don't value him. That you would use a lowercase a and i when writing his name." Carla just bares it all and Ashton wants the couch to swallow him.

"What?" Calum says, barely audible and suddenly feeling light headed. Ashton means so much to him and the thought of him even thinking that makes him sick. Hell, he would never start any submissive's name with lowercase letters. That was one of the most degrading things a dominant could do to a submissive. "Ashton... who told you this..." Ashton shakes his head, mouth tightly shut, willing himself not to cry. He feels so humiliated right now. Carla betrayed him and he can't believe Maggie is witnessing everything.
"He's of the impression you did." Carla clarifies.
"What?!"
"Fuck!"

Suddenly everyone is staring at Maggie. All three of them are confused as to why she just yelled the word 'fuck' so loudly.
"Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck. Fuckkkkkk." Maggie rambles, standing up and beginning to pace the room. "I can't believe I caused all this. I literally- no! I didn't write the notes! Technically Cory started this but I could have stopped this but I'm an idiot and I can't fucking believe I caused all this!" Maggie speaks so fast, her breathing erratic. The other three are silent, staring at her movements but focusing more on her words. Carla slowly stands up and approaches her dom.
"It's okay. You didn't mean to do this. Slow down and take deep breaths. We will all forgive you but we can't until you properly explain it. I love you. It was an accident and accidents happen." Carla's words are barely audible to Calum and Ashton, they can only hear the occasionally sound bite.

"Thank you. I love you too." Maggie replies, her forehead resting against her sub's after they've pulled back from a loving kiss.
"And maybe it's good because now they'll make a contract." Carla says quickly, making her dom have to swallow a laugh as they turn to face the other two.
"Perhaps it would be best if you explained." Calum says airily, tone a little sarcastic.
"Yes, sorry, so," Maggie begins as she and Carla sit back down.

"From the start. I went to pick up Ashton's maths textbook. I opened his locker and there on top of everything were the notes in question. I hid them before Riersack saw them because I did not want to open the can of worms with him. I read them in the car, felt sick to my stomach, and put them in the inside cover of the textbook. I had every intention of taking them out before I got back then either never telling you or telling you both in a sensible way. Ashton, Calum never even saw those notes and he would never even think anything close to what they said." Maggie explains, every detail is covered from start to finish. Ashton feels his stomach drop. He feels so indescribably awful.

"Do I... want to know what they said?" Calum asks reluctantly. Ashton shakes his head and bites his lip, not wanting to think about it. Maggie sighs, feeling Calum has the right to know.
"I don't remember exactly, there were several. But all, in one way or another, saying Ashton was a weak sub... a disappointment... would never be good enough..." Maggie's voice fades, you could hear a pindrop in the silence of the room.

A/N: big sad energy, see y'all in two days with another chapter. Thanks for the love :)

-Grace Williams xo