Is It Too Soon To Say "Perfect"? Chapter 7. Cash/Marshall.
Title: Is It Too Soon To Say “Perfect”?
Pairing: Cash Colligan and Alex Marshall. (plus other surprise minor pairings.)
Rating: NC-17
Summary: Prince Cash + Stable boy Marshall. Need I say more?
Author's Notes: This is for my friend Sophie who asked me for 'Prince Cash and Stable boy Marshall'. And thanks to her and Ayesha for reading it over in lessons XD. I will try and update this as quickly as possible, but I have GCSE Exams soon. Hope you like it (:
Disclaimer: Title by Mayday Parade. I don't own any of the characters...just the storyline.
Previous Chapters.
Cash woke up to a soft voice calling his name. It was Cassadee. He glanced up at Marshall, but he was still asleep.
“Cass, what are you doing in here?”
“I came to get you up. Your parents will be awake soon, so I was just making sure you were up in case they came looking for you.”
“Oh, yeah, thanks.”
“I’ve run you two a bath, I just need to run down and get Marshall some clean clothes.”
Cash smiled, “oh, thank you!”
“It’s alright, I’ll be back in a bit.”
Once Cassadee had left, Cash sat up and stretched. He turned to Marshall and smiled. Marshall looked so peaceful, Cash almost felt guilty for waking him up.
“Cassadee’s run us a bath,” Cash smiled when Marshall blinked awake.
“Awesome, I really need one.”
Cash climbed out of the bed and groaned loudly when a sharp pain shot up his spine.
“I’m sorry!” Marshall apologised.
“Fuck,” Cash breathed. “What did you do to my ass?!”
Marshall smirked as he got out of bed, “you know exactly what I did to your ass…and you loved it.”
Cash pulled him in for a kiss, “ah, you’re right there,” he mumbled against Marshall’s lips.
Cash groaned in pain again when he raised his leg to try and climb into the bathtub. Marshall suddenly picked him up and helped him in. cash laughed and thanked him with another kiss.
“This bath’s huge!” Marshall said as he got in the large, round tub.
“Great for sharing.”
“Your share many baths?” Marshall smirked.
Cash shook his head with a smile, “no, you’re the first.”
“That’s good then,” Marshall smiled, leaning in to kiss him.”
Cash straddled Marshall’s thighs to deepen the kiss.
“Boys?” Cassadee called.
“Yeah, you can come in!” Cash replied, smiling down at Marshall.
“Whoa,” Cassadee froze by the door. “Are you two…are you having sex right now?”
Cash laughed from where he was still sitting in Marshall’s lap, “no, don’t worry.”
Cassadee smiled and laughed shortly, “ah, ok, well I’ve gotten you both some clothes and towels, I’ll leave them here,” she put them on the counter, “and I’ll give you two some privacy.”
They stayed in the bath for around half an hour; laughing as they washed each other’s hair.
Once they had got out, they got dressed and then began to walk to the stables.
“Cash!”
Both boys jumped around and saw Gabe standing at the end of the corridor.
“Cash, come here, we need you.”
“What for?”
“You’ll see.”
Cash glanced between his father and Marshall before nervously going over to Gabe. He was dragged through the door behind them that led to the balcony. Vicky was there, along with Alex and his parents. Cash’s eyes went wide when he saw the hundreds of people gathered below them.
“Ladies and gentlemen!” Gabe grinned, arms thrown wide as he shouted to the awaiting crowd. “We are extremely happy to announce that our son, Prince Cash, has finally chosen someone to marry. So let’s hear it for Prince Cash and Prince Alex!”
The crowd erupted with cheers, whistling and clapping. Cash and Alex were pushed forwards for everyone to see better. Alex waved happily, while Cash just stared down at them. He glanced back through the open door and saw Marshall standing there with tears in his eyes. They held eye contact for a short moment, but then Marshall ran down the corridor and out of the palace.
“They will be getting married two weeks on Saturday,” Gabe announced.
“Two weeks?!” Cash gasped.
Gabe glared at his outburst, “yes,” he hissed.
As soon as they went back inside, Cash started to go and find Marshall.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Gabe frowned.
“To the stables…”
“It’s too early for riding, you’re going to have breakfast with us and get to know Alex. You haven’t spoken to him properly since he got here.”
Cash was quite throughout breakfast. He just couldn’t bring himself to say anything.
“Cash, why don’t you take Alex down to the stables?” Gabe suggested once they had eaten. “You can show him your horse.”
“Uh, no, it’s alright, he won’t want to see him.”
“Oh, no, I do!” Alex nodded with a big smile.
“That wasn’t the ‘he’ I was talking about,” Cash muttered, but luckily no one heard him.
Alex tried to start up a conversation a number, but Cash didn’t feel like talking.
“Oh, wow, he’s lovely horse,” Alex smiled as he saw Dollar.
“Thanks,” Cash mumbled.
He looked around the stables and saw Marshall grooming Gabe’s horse. He could tell Marshall was trying his hardest not to look over at them. But Cash caught his eye when he glanced up. He made his way over to him and Marshall tried to concentrate on brushing the horse’s mane.
“Hey, Marsh,” Cash smiled nervously.
“Is there anything I can help you with, your majesty?” the stable boy asked, not looking at him.
Cash frowned at him, “please, don’t be like this?”
“Be like what? I’m not doing anything.”
“You’re acting funny with me.”
Suddenly Alex appeared by Cash’s side, smiling widely. Marshall glared at him.
“Cash, can we go riding?”
“Oh, you can go.”
“No, come with me, it’ll be fun.”
“I heard the announcement, congratulations.”
Alex smiled at Marshall, “thank you.”
“Two weeks, that’s not long,” Marshall glanced at Cash.
“Yeah, sooner than we expected, isn’t it, Cash?”
Cash nodded, “yeah, too soon.”
Alex frowned at him, “come on, let’s go for a ride…will you prepare the horses?” he asked Marshall.
Marshall nodded and walked away. Cash sighed as he watched him walk away.
“Marshall, help me up?” Cash asked hopefully.
“Your stepladder’s right there,” Marshall replied coldly, pointing behind Cash. “Have a nice ride,” he said before leaving the stables.
Cash sighed again and Alex gave him a curious look as they trotted out to the fields.
“Did something happen between you and Marshall?” Alex asked after they had rode in silence for a while.
“What? What do you mean?”
Alex shrugged, “everything’s very awkward between you two…did you have an argument or something?”
“You could say that,” Cash mumbled.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
They rode around the grounds, actually getting to know each other. Cash had given in and was finally talking to him properly. He found that Alex was actually a nice guy and they had quite a lot in common.
Marshall helped tie up their horse when they got back. Alex stayed and brushed his horse’s mane while Cash hurried after Marshall to the other side of the stable.
“Do you want to go for a walk after lunch?” he asked quietly.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Why not?”
“You need to spend time with your fiancé, not with the help. Is there anything else I can help you with?” Marshall asked, face now completely expressionless.
“Will you stop talking to me like I’m in charge and talk to me like your boyfriend?!”
“Cash!” Marshall hissed, glancing over at Alex, who was still preoccupied. “Keep your voice down, I don’t want to lose my job over something that used to happen between us.”
Cash’s face fell,” Marshall, please, what’s wrong with you? What do you mean ‘used to happen’?…are you…are you breaking up with me?”
Marshall quickly wiped his eyes to stop himself from crying, “I’m sorry, Cash.” He turned to walk away.
“Marshall! No!” Cash exclaimed, grabbing his arm, just for it to be yanked out of his grasp.
“Cash, just don’t.”
“But, I love you,” Cash told him, tears sliding down his cheeks.
Alex heard him and looked over in shock. Marshall looked scared.
“Cash! Shut up!”
“No! I love you, Marshall, and you said that you loved me, so why are you doing this?!”
“Because I have to.”
“Is this because of me?” Alex asked suddenly.
Neither boy said anything, so Alex sighed.
“That’s why you hate me so much.”
“I don’t hate you.”
Both Alex and Marshall raised their eyebrows at him.
“Okay, maybe I don’t like the reason why you’re here…but I don’t hate you.”
“I’m sorry, Cash, I really am.”
Cash smiled sadly and then turned to Marshall, “please don’t leave me.”
Marshall shook his head, “Cash, I--I can’t do this.”
Marshall fled out of the stables and Cash broke down crying.
“Shit, Cash, I’m sorry,” Alex hovered beside him, biting his lip nervously.
Alex felt bad, Cash was just standing there crying, so he cautiously wrapped his arms around him. Cash sobbed into Alex’ shoulder.
“Why don’t we take you back inside?”
Cash pulled away, wiping his eyes, and he nodded. So Alex led him back up to the palace and into Cash’s bedroom.
Cash collapsed onto his bed and buried his face in the pillow. Alex sat beside him and stroked his back.
“This is all my fault, I’m so sorry…Look, I don’t care if you’re still with Marshall when we’re married.”
“Well, I don’t think that matters since he just fucking dumped me!”
Alex sighed, “is there anything I can do?”
“Can you just leave me alone, please?”
“Alright,” Alex nodded. “But I’ll come back and see you later.”
About an hour later, Cash had calmed down but he was still lying with his face buried in the pillow. He heard his door open.
“Fucking know first!” he grumbled.
“Sorry dude, didn’t know.”
Cash looked over his shoulder and gasped happily when he saw his cousin standing by the door.
“Hunter!” he exclaimed, getting up and running over to hug him. “What are you doing here?”
“We heard you’re getting married, so we came to stay until the wedding.”
“We?”
“Me and Drew.”
“Drew’s here?! Where?!” Cash peered behind Hunter.
“He got distracted by your music room,” Hunter laughed.
Cash laughed too and then hugged his cousin again, “I’m so glad you’re here.”
“What’s wrong?”
“I don’t want to get married.”
“Why not? Cold feet?”
Cash shook his head, “I don’t know him, my parents are forcing me into it.”
“Oh, shit, that’s not great…but you could learn to love him.”
Cash sighed, “let’s go see Drew.”
They walked down the hallway to the music room where Drew was watching Travis play the guitar. Cash spotted Alex sitting next to Drew and gave him a small smile.
“Hunter, that’s Alex.”
Alex gave him a smile and a small wave.
“Cash, he’s hot, why are you against marrying someone like that?”
“Because I love someone else.”
Hunter suddenly looked very excited, “really?! Who? Why aren’t you marrying them?”
“Because he’s my fucking stable boy.”
“Ah, shit, that sucks…wait, your stable boys are both really hairy and always look stoned,” Hunter raised an eyebrow.
Cash let out a short laugh, “we have three now, it’s not Joe or Andy.”
“You’ll have to introduce me to him.”
“He broke up with me,” Cash sighed, “because of the wedding.”
Hunter bit his bottom lip. He knew there was nothing he could say to make him feel better, so he just decided to hug him tightly. Alex watched them, knowing what they were talking about. He just started feeling guilty all over again.
“Hey, guys, do you want to hear the new song I’ve written?” Travis asked.
Everyone nodded and sat down to listen. They were all silent as Travis sang and played the acoustic guitar.
“Wow, you’re amazing!” Drew gasped. “At playing--and singing,” he added quickly, blushing and then hiding under his hair.
Travis beamed, “thanks!”
They spent most of the day messing around in the music room. Travis taught Hunter how to play his song and then he worked out some harmonies with Alex. Cash was shocked at how great Alex was at singing.
The next morning, Hunter grabbed Cash from where he was moping in his bedroom and dragged him outside. Drew, Alex and Travis were all outside kicking a soccer ball around. Cash smiled, he hadn’t played soccer in ages.
“But the teams are uneven, “Drew pointed out.
Everyone looked around to see if they could find someone to join them.
“What about Marshall?” Travis asked, pointing to where he’d just entered the stables.
Cash shook his head quickly, “no! oh, hey look, it’s Suarez!”
Cash ran over to the messenger and was able to convince him to play.
It was Hunter, Cash and Alex versus Suarez, Drew and Travis. They’d formed goal posts with their jackets.
“Shirts and skins!” Travis announced.
Hunter laughed and pulled off his shirt, automatically labelling his team as ‘skins’. he wiggled his eyebrows at Alex and then at Cash. They soon removed their own shirts, after rolling their eyes.
It wasn’t too surprising that Hunter and Travis played dirty. They were both extremely competitive. Cash and Suarez had been made goal keepers. Cash stood pouting in the goal, moaning about how he was “too short to be in goal”.
Cash’s team were loosing 1-0. Hunter wasn’t happy, especially since it was Travis who scored. He got the ball and charged down the field, knocking it to Alex at the last minute, who tapped it past Suarez. Hunter cheered loudly, running over and hugging Alex; picking him up and spinning him around. Travis glared at them and then turned to Drew - whispering tactics into his ear.
“Next goal wins!” Suarez called.
Everyone agreed and then they started again.
Hunter got the ball and dribbled it in the direction of the goal. Travis was on his heels, then Drew appeared at his left side. Hunter attempted to pass the ball quickly to Alex, but Drew intercepted it and headed down the other end of their pitch. But Cash wasn’t paying attention. Marshall was standing outside the stables, watching their game. Cash was watching Marshall as the ball went flying past him.
“No!” Hunter cried.
Travis, Drew and Suarez all cheered. Travis ran over to Drew and hugged him tightly. Drew blushed when he kissed the top of his head.
“Cash, what’s wrong with you?! You didn’t even try!” Hunter complained.
“I’m sorry, I got distracted,” he bit his bottom lip awkwardly.
“By what?” Hunter glanced over to where Cash had previously been gazing. “Is that Marshall?”
“Uh…yeah,” Cash sighed.
Hunter was running over to him as soon as that was said.
“Hunter! Don’t!” Cash shouted, chasing after him.
Marshall quickly went back inside the stables when he saw them running towards him. He groaned and cursed himself for being seen.
A/N - I hope I didn't leave updating this too long. Exams and shizz have been getting in the way, sorry. But I finish them on Thursday, then 3 months off. Plenty of writing time (:
I hope you're all still enjoying this.
Thanks to everyone who's commented so far!
xxx