fifteen
Milton's cheeks are tinted pink yet again, but he can't say he doesn't... like his current situation.
His bath had lowered his temperature and left him a little sleepy and a little less congested.
Now he was dressed in a pair of pyjamas patterned in little light-blue stars, the soft cotton wonderful against his skin.
Callum sits with him tucked under his arm on the couch, legs resting sideways on the man's lap. His cheek rests against Callum's soft shirt, the man's sweet and slightly earthy scent making its way through his stuffy nose.
Milton definitely felt like he was being babied, especially since he had another bottle of warm formula in his mouth, but he was finding it hard to be too upset by it all.
He was warm, cozy, and dressed in soft clothes. He'd been washed with gentle hands and treated with dignity. He felt...good. Maybe that wasn't quite the right word to describe how he felt, but Milton didn't think he really had a point of reference to compare it to.
He should probably be miserable with his situation; unable to function like a normal person and unable to look after himself while his body fights of a rather harmless cold.
Instead, he felt safe, calm and... relieved.
He didn't have to think about anything because Callum and Aldric had already taken care of it. He honestly felt a bit spoilt.
As he relaxes further into the fluffy-haired man's arms, Al walks into the lounge with a basket of washing, taking a seat on the grey armchair beside them.
He reaches over to the coffee table to switch on the television, the volume low as a sports game plays.
He barely spares the two cuddled up on the couch a glance as he settles down into the cushioned seat and begins to fold the small mountain of clothes, stacking them on the armrest beside him.
Callum smiles at his husband who was slowly being surround by stacks of clothing, a barely audible rumble of content reaching his ears.
It was difficult to not return the soft sound of happiness, but he didn't want to startle Milton who had his face pressed against Callum's chest. Looking down at Milton, he runs a hand over his hair as one would a child.
Together the three half-heartedly watch the pod of dolphins playing on the screen, each simply enjoying the soft moment.
It doesn't take long for Milton to finish his nutritious drink, the repeated sound of sucking falling quiet as his eyes fall half in a doze. The steady heartbeat beneath his ear soothing him into the blissful state.
The shrill sound of a phone ringing jolts him awake, Callum's hands pulling him closer with the sudden movement as he takes the now emptied bottle from his charge's lips.
"Sorry, sorry." Aldric reaches into his pocket, quickly silencing the device as he answers and steps away from his seat with a frown.
Callum hums, shifting the boy on his lap with his ears tuned in to the half-mumbled conversation. He hears Aldric's tone turn sour, and the tell-tale rumble of an annoyed wolf before his husband steps back in the open room.
"What's wrong?"
Aldric huffs out a sigh, taking the folded washing resting on the armrest to place it on the seat of the chair instead.
"They need me to go down to the centre. There's an issue with on of the enclosures and the staff on site don't know how to fix it."
Cal frowns. "Isn't there someone else nearby that can come help?"
Al shakes his head. "No, Sasha is out of town for the week otherwise Billy would have called her instead. They've got the replacement part in, but they need someone to move and re-fit it."
Callum turns to the boy in his lap who has been watching him with wide eyes the entire time, the sleepiness fading as he listens in to their conversation, trying very hard to focus and follow their words – something he was still struggling with.
"No stress, my love. Milton and I have no plans today."
Aldric moves to stand behind the couch, leaning on the backrest to look down at his small mate and the even smaller human. "I know, but I wanted to spend the day with you both. It's been nice to just..."
Cal knew how he felt. This morning was one of the most peaceful they'd had. Sure, Milton was unwell, but they both knew he would be okay thanks to their new doctor. It had been nice to sit together if only for a moment, enjoying the simplicity of watching tv and folding washing.
"We'll be here when you get back." Cal smiles, lifting his chin in a silent request for a kiss.
His husband complies with a low grumble, pulling back with a crease still sitting between his brows. Cal's smile fades a little as the bitter scent of his husband's stress filters past his nose.
This need to stay close wasn't something new. In the past, before they even knew about Milton, Callum had welcomed the behaviour, probably even encouraged it. He had been so wrapped up in himself, in his own hurt, that he hadn't really processed what it would have been like for his love.
Guilt pools in his chest at the thought, his eyes turning down to look at the boy in his lap before he cranes his neck back to look up at his mate.
Aldric used to hang out with their packmates constantly, he was someone who needed the companionship to recharge and wind down.
Callum couldn't remember the last time his mate left him alone to go spend time with their pack.
Should he make his love leave alone? Even with the tang of stress seeping out of his skin?
"We... we could go with you? It might be nice for Milton to get some fresh air."
Milton blinks, lifting his head from where it rests in Callum's chest, ignoring the small patch of drool that had begun to dampen his carer's shirt.
Aldric sighs through his nose. "I'm sorry – "
"No apologies needed." Callum lifts a hand, gently bopping the large man on his crooked nose.
"We can make an afternoon of it. Pack some snacks, go for a walk around the centre... it'll be good."
His husband smiles, leaning down again to kiss his gorgeous mate before stepping away to begin packing a bag for them to take with them. Cal's stomach untwisting at the quick change in his husband's demeanour.
For now, his mate needed him. There was no way he could let the man go by himself when the thought was stressful enough to change his scent. It would be a conversation for another day.
Callum looks down at Milton, eyeing the cooling wet patch on his top but quickly dismissing it. "You okay if we go with Aldric for a bit? You might even get to see more wolves."
Milton nods eagerly, fingers curling in his pyjama pants in his excitement.
"Oh right." Callum easily lifts him up in his arms as he stands, looking down at the star patterned pyjamas before pressing his lips together in thought. "Did you want to get changed before we head out?"
Milton makes a noise in his throat.
He loved the soft fabric on his skin, and he was already nice and warm. Changing always made him feel self-conscious, even though the two men didn't seem to bat an eye. He didn't really want to ruin the nice fuzzy feelings warming his chest with uncomfortable thoughts of his current... predicament.
Slowly, he shakes his head, a small thread of fear sneaking in at the thought of being told 'no', but Callum only smiles. "Pyjama day it is."
He carries the boy from the lounge into the spare room where Aldric is already setting out a pair of thick socks and a couple of blankets on Milton's bed beside an empty bag.
"We really need to look at getting you some proper shoes." Callum hums, shifting Milton on his hip.
Milton only sniffs, looking down at his one good foot. Shoes were a normal, right? He couldn't remember the last time he wore shoes. He'd never really needed them. Well, not that he could remember.
"I think all we need now is to pack those snacks and we should be good to go."
It doesn't take long for them to pack into the car, Milton once again sitting on Callum's lap as they drive, Aldric having made a reminder in his phone to ask their packmates for a spare booster seat later.
The drive to the centre passes quickly, Milton watching the trees pass by as they go from the apartment block's dirt track out onto the main road and back onto another dirt track that takes them past several large open fields before the surroundings begin to fill with shrubbery and trees once again.
The pack lands were quite big and stretched out to encompass two human towns as well as part of the big city further North.
While the main pack house did back onto part of the rehabilitation area, the centre's main building sat further away and was only accessible via the main road that connected the pack to the towns and other residential areas.
It was a layout designed to provide the most privacy to their pack and to those who needed time to recover from whatever trauma they suffered.
The car rumbles as the tires begin to roll over gravel, Aldric pulling up in front of the large building.
It was quite long with windows evenly spaced out on either side of the large double glass front doors.
The roof curves over to create the building eaves, the green corrugated iron adding a pop of colour to the otherwise plain building.
Milton looks out the front windshield, taking in the tall chain-link fences that poke out from both sides of the centre, disappearing into the brush and out of sight.
He barely notices Callum getting the both of them out of the car, situating Milton on his hip as Aldric grabs their snack bag and the three make their way inside.
He was thankful the two men had pulled the thick warm socks on his feet before they left, the cooling breeze ruffling his hair and tinting his nose pink.
Aldric opens the door, holding it for the two as they step into the open reception area, soft music playing in the background.
Milton rests his head on Cal's shoulder as he looks around, noting the plants in every corner, some even hanging from the roof in long green tendrils.
It was obvious the room was themed to reflect the outdoors with the large wooden bench top at reception and the beige coloured floor.
Cream, beige and green couches line the walls on the left and right, large knolled wood stumps acting as coffee tables at either sides of the seating.
It felt...calming. Perhaps that was the point, Milton already relaxing in the new environment, body sinking into Cal as his muscles tire from holding himself up.
"S-should we just walk in through to the back?" Callum asks.
His husband nods, leading them behind the reception bench and through a swinging door. They walk through a short hallway, taking a left into another room with a dining table set up along with a couple of snack machines before Aldric takes them through yet another door.
Milton knew he would never be able to make his way out of this place by himself. Already he had no idea which direction would take them back into the main reception room.
"Was this place always so maze-like?"
Aldric chuckles, a hand resting on his love's lower back to guide him. "No, we added more rooms last year to accommodate the increase in... ah, staff." He winces at his words, disliking the lie, but he didn't know how else to say it in front of the human in their care.
Callum blinks up at his husband in confusion before it dawns on him.
Shifters. They did have a lot more shifters come through their pack in the last year or so.
There had been some territory disputes and land reallocation that led to many of the wilder were-shifters needing to find new places to settle down.
A brutal task when dealing with stubborn creatures more in tune with their instinct than polite society.
"They've done a nice job. Everything looks lovely."
Aldric smiles, proud of his workplace.
As he places the snack bag down on a nearby table, one of the side doors opens to reveal two people, Billy and George's conversation coming to a halt as they see the small group of three.
"Oh, thank the heavens." Billy sighs in relief, taking quick steps to reach Al and clasp his shoulder. "I thought we'd be stuck here all day trying to move the damn thing."
Billy was a rather lean werewolf, his stature on the shorter side with long limbs and a long face.
His tan coloured hair often stuck up in odd directions, and he never seemed to be able to find a shirt that fit his long yet thin frame properly.
Callum thought it had something to do with his heritage, the man having a decent amount of coyote blood that had impacted his overall physical features.
Generally, it meant the man often struggled with the more.
.. strength-based tasks around the pack.
"W- what exactly is it that you need to move?" Callum asks as he moves Milton to rest on the front of him, legs now tucked on either side of his carer's body.
Milton blushes, but it goes unnoticed as he tucks himself against the man's chest, ignoring the new strangers in the room. He didn't really feel frightened, but he was a little wary of how quickly the two men had bounced into the room.
Maybe that was why Callum repositioned him in his arms, one hand holding him up while the other rubs soft circles onto his back.
George let's out a loud sigh, broad shoulders sinking as he rubs at his forehead. "It's a new water pump for the East enclosure. Sasha ordered one of the bigger models and it's a fu- uh, freaking beast of a unit."
Al's lips twitch in amusement at the censored language, arms crossed over his chest as he easily slides into work mode. "How far do we need to move it? Is it worth getting the truck in?"
George shakes his head. "We've got it waiting at the gate, but there's no way we can get a car in there. The track's pretty overgrown."
Aldric frowns. The East enclosure was one of their larger areas designated to the occasional bear or big cat that passed through.
It was empty at the moment, thank goodness, but moving the new pump into the right spot was beginning to sound like a much bigger job than Billy first described on the phone.
Billy's smile turns sheepish when Al's frown turns in his direction, the younger man's eyes flicking to his mate before focusing back on the intimidating man.
"To be fair, George was the one who told me it wouldn't take that long. I didn't mean to drag you away from your family."
It's in this moment that all eyes turn to Milton and Callum, George and Billy's gaze turning curious as they glance over the small boy in his arms, noses carefully scenting the air for any kind of information.
He smelt human, that much was obvious, but he also had a sickly scent seeping from his skin.
Callum hums in his throat, swallowing down a louder warning growl as the gazes linger.
"This is Milton," Aldric says, interrupting the brief moment of silence. "He'll been staying with us while he heals from a couple of injuries."
The two men nod, bowing their heads in respect toward Aldric's mate before they turn away and begin to further discuss the plan for the new water pump.
Cal tenses at his husband's words, heart squeezing in his chest as he moves away and takes a seat in one of the green armchairs, carefully adjusting Milton's broken leg to sit more comfortably.
He shouldn't be upset. He knew eventually Milton would leave them, but it still hurt to think about. Milton was his. He knew that. He could feel it with every fibre of his being.
But that wasn't fair to the boy.
Truthfully, no one knew what Milton thought about the whole situation.
He couldn't speak, couldn't communicate his thoughts or feelings.
He didn't ask to be taken into their care.
He'd simply been thrown into the situation after being tortured or abused or neglected.
They didn't even know the full extent of what happened to him.
It made Callum feel... foolish.
He wraps his arms tighter around the little human, looking down to find the boy passed out already, mouth half open with his cheek squished against Callum's chest.
Breathing out a softsigh, Cal pushes the sadness away, content to watch his boy sleep peacefully forthe time being. He didn't need to think about the future just yet.