twenty three
Milton sits on Aldric's lap at the kitchen bench, a bowl of porridge dressed in sweet, stewed apples Callum made himself. He wriggles his toes happily as he's fed, feet covered in a pair of blue fuzzy socks decorated in yellow stars.
Aldric uses the spoon to catch the bits that slip from the little human's mouth, Milton having slightly more trouble than usual, but he doesn't feel so embarrassed.
Maybe it's because neither Aldric nor Callum draw any attention to it.
They just take his dribbling in stride, cleaning him up before he even really notices.
"Thanks for cleaning, my love." Callum smiles, moving to his mate's side to press a kiss to his cheek, placing a fresh cup of coffee beside him.
Aldric hums in thanks, feeding Milton another spoonful.
"I think I may have gone a bit overboard."
Cal only smiles.
By the time Aldric joined them in bed, the man had dusted and wiped all surfaces, including the tops of the kitchen cupboards.
The floor had been vacuumed and mopped, and the apartment now had a distinct 'clean' smell that stung both the wolves' noses.
Callum didn't mind so much, his mate was looking after their space. Their territory.
"Plans for today?" Callum asks, putting their plates from breakfast away in the dishwasher.
Al tilts his head, taking a sip from his coffee as Milton slowly munches on his current mouthful of warm, sweet porridge. "I was thinking of getting down to the sanctuary to check up on things. Unless you'd like me to stay here today?"
Callum smiles, shaking his head. "No, Milton and I should be fine. Matthew's coming over later for a check-up and then we might head outside for some fresh air."
As much as he wants to stay inside and lock himself away with his boy, knowing the council are still hanging around, there's no point being afraid of moving around his own pack.
"You sure?"
Callum's smile wavers, but he still nods. "I'll be okay. We'll only go out to the back grass."
Aldric nods, wiping Milton's chin from his last mouthful. "I'll text Dan."
Dan is one of their neighbours, and someone who has patrol today. While the pack is pretty well established, with no great need to have constant patrols on the go like other packs that share borders, there is still a need to check the fences and make repairs.
"You think that's necessary?"
Aldric hums. "Maybe. Wouldn't hurt having another set of eyes."
"Do you know what other business the council have in town?"
The larger wolf sighs, cleaning off Milton's face from the last of his breakfast. "No. I'm not even sure Henry knows."
Callum's phone rings through the house, startling Milton as he jumps in Aldric's lap, fingers gripping the man's arm as tight as he can at the shrill sound before relaxing as Aldric gently pats his head.
Reaching over the counter to grab it, Callum answers with a soft purr. "Matthew, how are you?"
The doctor clears his throat on the other end. "Morning. I- I'm calling to ask a favour."
Callum frowns, tuning to look at his husband who in turn tilts his head, listening to the conversation intently.
"Sure. Is something wrong?"
Matthew sighs, the doctor's exhaustion making its way through the phone. "Would you be able to come to my office for Milton's appointment today? I know we agreed I'd come to you but..."
"You don't want to accidently run into the council." Cal finishes the man's sentence.
Dr Perin doesn't reply immediately, the sound of a chair squeaking and paper shuffling filling the silence.
"I'd rather not run into them." The doctor's voice is hushed, as if just saying them aloud will bring about the councilmen to his door.
"That's fine." Cal tries to brighten his tone. "What time did you want us to come?"
"If it's alright, could you come in about an hour? I hope this doesn't disrupt your day too much –"
"No, no, don't worry. We'll see you in an hour."
Dr Perin thanks him, voice sounding so very timid as they hang up the phone.
Callum chews his lip, Aldric sighing softly. "You want me to come with you?"
His mate shakes his head. "No. I'll be fine."
Milton frowns, not having heard most of the conversation since he was focusing on swallowing his last mouthful of food, the creamy taste of sweetened milk lingering on his tongue.
Cal smiles at the boy. "We're going to go see Dr Perin today, instead of him coming to us. That okay with you?"
Milton nods. He likes spending time with the doctor, even though the man pokes and prods.
"Right, well," Cal rounds the counter, arms out to lift the boy from his husband's arms and into his own. "It's bathroom time for you."
Milton flushes, but nods as he's propped up on Callum's hip.
Sticking to the schedule had so far been a success in keeping his bed dry.
"Did you want a bath too?"
Milton blinks, thinking, before very shyly nodding again, hands absently curling in Cal's cardigan.
A bath would be nice. It's always nice to lay in the warm water and have someone else gently wash his hair and skin.
Callum smiles sweetly at the boy's flushes cheeks, taking a moment to press a kiss to the top of his head before making his way to the bathroom, swallowing a soft purr to stop it from escaping.
It doesn't take long to get the bath running while Milton finishes his business, the sweet smell of strawberries slowly saturating the small room.
Steam wafts from the bathtub, bubbles beginning to tower as Milton is placed on the bathmat, Cal kneeling before him with a gently smile as they go through the process of removing his pyjamas and wrapping his leg in another plastic bag.
The cast is beginning to look a little worse for wear, the hard blue casing no where near as brightly coloured as it used to be. Milton's previous accident had left it slightly stained – something Cal needed to bring up with Dr Perin today.
Securing the last of the rubber bands and cling-wrap, Milton lifts his hands to his chest, small fists moving to sign 'bath' with a little smile on his face.
Callum laughs with joy, mimicking the sign he taught the human only yesterday. "Perfect! You're learning so quickly, Milly."
Milton blushes at the compliment as he lets himself be lifted and placed in the bath, warm water relaxing his muscles. Callum holds him gently, leaning against the bathtub's edge with a soft smile.
His little human is looking so much better. The sparkle in his eyes shining brighter every day. He can't wait to see Milton talking and walking and grinning from ear to ear every day.
"I was thinking..." Callum begins as he pours water down Milton's chest, "Maybe we could get lunch in town after your appointment?"
Milton tilts his head to look at the man, taking in his fluffy hair and bright blue eyes.
Go out for lunch? Could Milton even eat normal food?
Callum, noticing the hesitancy, smooths Milton's hair back with a wet hand. "There's a diner near Dr Perin's practice. They have milkshakes and fries and hot potato mash. I'm sure there's something there you'd be able to eat. A milkshake might be nice."
Milton nods, leaning back to relax further into the bath as the man continues to wash him, humming a lullaby under his breath as he often does.
Honestly, he doesn't mind if they go to a diner.
As long as people don't stare at him or ask questions.
He doesn't want to draw any attention to himself.
He also doesn't know what a milkshake is and what exactly makes it so appetising considering it's milk.
.. shaken milk? Milton doesn't know, but if Callum says it's good, then it probably is.
A knock sounds at the bathroom door, Aldric poking his head around the corner. "I'm heading out, my love. Call me if you need anything."
Callum smiles, blowing a kiss, "See you later."
The two spend a little longer with the bath until Callum decides the water is no longer warm enough and is soon wrapping Milton up in a white fluffy towel.
Despite how much it makes him blush, Milton really does love being swaddled up in the towel and carried to his bedroom. The towel is always so soft and warm against his skin, and the way Cal so easily carries him to his bed, giving him one lasting squeeze before letting go to sort out his outfit.
He dresses him in a cream coloured long-sleeve cotton shirt, the fabric soft against his skin and immediately warming him. Callum helps him pick out a pair of soft pants with matching fluffy socks.
"Which jumper would you like to wear?"
Cal takes out a few different options from the large chest of drawers, laying them beside Milton. "If you don't like any of these, we have more."
Milton blinks, reaching out to touch the fabric of each one as Cal gently rubs his wet hair with a towel. He hums in content, gently dragging the blue oversize sweater into his lap.
"Good choice." Cal kisses his head, helping his arms through the sleeves.
With one last once-over, Callum picks the boy up in his arms and carries him to his own bedroom where they have a full-length mirror. He spins a little, chuckling as Milton squawks.
"Don't we look handsome? Let me know if you get too cold. I'll pack a blanket in the snack bag just in case."
Milton nods, hands buried in Callum's cardigan.
Cal takes a seat in Dr Perin's office on one of the cushioned plastic chairs, Milton perched on his lap, small hands fiddling with the bottom of the jumper Callum helped him pick out before they left.
He's feeling a little nervous.
Before he can begin to stew in the rising feeling of panic that's crawling up his spine, Dr Perin enters the room, clipboard in hand.
His dress shirt is scrunched up at the sleeves and collar slightly askew. There's a slight pinch between his brows and even Milton notices the distressed state of the man's hair.
"Milton, Callum, thanks for coming in to see me today."
Callum offers a warm smile, giving Milton a little squeeze. "It's not a problem."
Dr Perin takes a seat on his wheely chair, dropping the clipboard on his desk before turning to the two, a small, slightly stressed smile on his face.
"So, how have things been since our last appointment?"
Cal presses a kiss to the top of Milton's head. "They've been good. We've been eating lots of food and following the toileting schedule. I think – I think we're getting the hang of things."
"And how about you Milton, you feeling good?"
Milton nods, blessing the doctor with a very shy, wobbly smile as he continues to fiddle with his jumper, the soft fabric calming to the touch.
"Any pain or concerns?"
Cal hums as he thinks, looking down at the boy in his lap who wriggles his socked toes.
"Oh!" Callum perks up. "We're hoping we could look at getting Milton's cast off sooner rather than later. Even if- if we replace it with a fresh one."
The doctor frowns in confusion, wheeling over to lift Milton's pant leg, looking over the cast. "Did something happen? Is there a crack or something?"
Milton's face burns red in embarrassment, but he'd much rather get a new cast than continue to be reminded of his accident every time he looks at it. He's just thankful it doesn't smell.
"We had a little... accident and his cast unfortunately got caught up... in- in it."
Matthew nods in understanding. "Was this a recent accident?"
Milton shakes his head no.
"Well, we could take an x-ray and see where things are at, but I'm not sure if we can remove it today. It can be a bit of an overwhelming experience. I'm not sure how comfortable you'll be, Milton."
Cal tilts his head. "I never thought of that."
Milton, confused, pulls at Cal's arms, tilting his head back to look at the man with fear in his eyes.
Dr Perin gently pats the boy on the knee to comfort him.
"It doesn't hurt, but we do use a special kind of saw that's quite loud."
Saw?
Cal hums in his throat, gently rubbing Milton's tummy with the hand around the little human's waist. "It's a big knife that cuts through the plaster without touching your skin. It- I think it vibrates? Which is a little bit of a weird feeling."
"Have you broken a few bones?" Dr Perin asks, raising a brow at the wolf who dares to blush.
"I- I was a little careless in my younger years."
As are most wolves.
Milton blinks up at the man. He'd broken bones before? So he'd know what it would be like to have his cast removed. He wouldn't lie – not that Dr Perin would either, but Callum has always been honest with him.
He bites his lip in thought, looking down at his foot dressed in a fuzzy sock, the material stretched over his cast, making it look like he had a rather large stumpy leg.
"Well," Dr Perin clasps his hands together. "First things first, let's organise an x-ray before we decide anything."
He swivels to reach his office phone, picking it up and pressing a button. In a quiet voice, he asks a nurse if there's an availability to use the x-ray machine, and from the way his shoulders relax, her answer must be yes.
Thanking her, he hangs up and turns back to the pair.
"We can sneak you in for an x-ray, there's not a big line since most patients go to the hospital for x-rays. Ours is more for checkups or emergencies."
"That's good!"
Milton, feeling a little brave, lifts a hand to his chin and signs 'thank you' to his favourite doctor, cheeks-tinged pink as he leans back into Cal's arms.
Matthew smiles. "You're welcome."
The wolf grins. "You know sign language?"
Matthew offers half a shrug, standing from his seat. "I've been trying to learn when I have a spare moment. Thought it would be handy if I can communicate with my favourite patient."
Milton's face turns a darker shade of pink.
All three leave the room, Callum lifting Milton to his hip once again as they make their way down a hall and through a set of double swinging blue doors.
It opens into a small room with an elongated chair that looks more like a bed than an actual chair, along with a blue-topped bench. Each cupboard is labelled with a sticker, along with the shelving across the top.
There's a window in the room too, but it doesn't open the room to the outside, instead there's another room on the other side. Why would they have a window looking into another room? Milton doesn't understand.
"Okay." Dr Perin shakes the computer perched on the bench awake by wriggling the mouse before quickly logging in. "The x-ray machine is in the next room, but we'll be able to see you from the window."
"Oh, I can't sit with him?" Callum asks, subconsciously beginning to sway back and forth with the boy on his hip. More of a comfort to himself than to the human.
The doctor sighs as he shakes his head, pushing his glasses back up his nose. "No, but I promise it won't take long, and it won't hurt. We're just taking a picture of the bones in your leg."
Hesitantly, Milton nods.
The doctor types something into the computer before guiding them back through the door and into the adjacent room where Milton is laid down on a cold bench. Once he's been all set up, body covered with special blankets to protect the rest of his body from the machine's radiation.
"I'll be right in the other room, okay?"
Milton nods, letting his eyes follow the two men as they leave the room, the large light above the door switched on in bright red letters that Milton can't read.
He tries to wait patiently, breathing in his nose and out his mouth, lip wobbling a little at having been left along by himself, but he's almost an adult. He should be able to cope with being left alone for only a few seconds.
Cal knocks gently on the window, Milton lifting his head a tiny bit to see the man waving at him with a bright smile. A smile that immediately calms his nerves. Trying his best not to move, Milton lifts his hand in a little wave.
The whole situation only lasts a few minutes, and soon Milton is back in the arms of Callum, sniffling a little as he looks down at his foot, now dressed in a brand-new leg brace. The skin of his leg looked pale and sickly, and the smell that was released when his cast came off was foul.
Dr Perin said it wasn't that bad, but by Cal's wrinkled nose, Milton thought otherwise.
"I'm a little surprised your leg has healed so quickly, but we knew that may have been the case with how quick your shoulder healed."
He goes on to explain the importance of keeping the healing skin clean and dry and how Milton needs to keep up with his exercises.
"I don't want you to increase the exercises yet. Since you'll have a little less support, your leg is still fragile, even if it no longer needs a cast, okay?"
Callum nods, Milton mimicking the motion.
"I think that went pretty well!" Callum smiles, bouncing Milton teasingly on his legs.
Milton blushes. He did cry, quietly, but he still cried while they took the cast off. The machine was loud, and the blade spun too fast. It felt like his teeth were going to rattle out of his head with how much it vibrated his little body.
"Now," Dr Perin rubs his hands down his pants. "I know you're not a little kid, Milton, but every good patient gets a reward. Would you like one?"
Milton looks at Cal, who is still smiling, nodding ever so slightly in encouragement. So, Milton nods as well, once again lifting his hand to his chin to sign 'thank you'.
Dr Perin smiles softly, spinning to his desk to pull out a sheet of stickers. "They're scented stickers. You scratch the surface, and it releases a scent."
"That's a bit fancy."
Dr Perin's smile brightens for a moment. "They're pretty cool."
He takes one off the sheet, pink, and decorated with a little cartoon drawing of an ice-cream sundae.
"Give it a go." He sticks the little sticker on Milton's covered knee.
The boy looks at it, blinking, and then reaches out hesitantly to scratch at the surface.
Immediately Cal hums in delight. "Strawberries! Just like our bath soap."
Milton sniffs the air, not really smelling it yet, so he bravely scratches a little harder until the gentle whiff of sweetened strawberries reaches his nose. He smiles, continuing to scratch at the sticker a little more until it's all he can smell.
"You did really well, Milton." The doctor speaks softly, sincerity in every word. "For someone who's been thrown into all of this, you've been so brave."
Milton snuggles back into Cal's arms to hide a little from the attention, but the praise does warm his heart.
"I think that's everything. I'll see you in a week for your next checkup." Dr Perin goes to rise from his seat to see them out, but Callum stops him.
"H-have you eaten today?"
"Uh," Matthew splutters, sitting back down. "I, uh, I- no, no I haven't."
Cal smiles. "Would you like to have lunch with us? We're going to the diner just down the road."
Matthew sighs, lifting his wrist to check the time, but Callum doesn't leave room for him to argue.
"A bit of fresh air might help you feel better."
The man grimaces. "Is it that obvious?"
Cal nods.
The doctor is easy enough to read, the man's tensed shoulders and sullen tone.
Even his scent smells bitter with sadness and something else Callum can't quite place.
Besides, the man's phone has been buzzing in his pocket constantly, each and every time is does, Matthew's scent grows that much stronger.
Honestly, Cal was happy for the scented sticker, it helped stave the need to sneeze.
"You- you don't have to talk about whatever it si that's bothering you, but it might be nice to just... relax for a moment."
"I suppose it can't hurt. I haven't really had much to eat today."
Callum smiles, carefully standing with Milton on his hip. "Then, let's go."