The man beside her wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close as he smiled at Asher who remained still, his eyes still locked on the little girl.
Cailen was a bit shocked to hear this. He kind of forgot about why this had all happened in the first place.
He looked to the little girl who had a small scratch on her left arm but was otherwise fine.
She stepped forward, away from her parents and up beside Asher, her eyes locked on him with a look of wonder in them.
Cailen could relate, he knew he often looked at Asher like that but it was different seeing it on her face.
It was different seeing it on the face of a little girl who Asher had saved because it made Cailen realize just how truly amazing Asher was.
He's never met anyone Asher has saved before. Sure, he's heard stories and of course believed them one hundred percent but it was something to hear about it, and something else entirely to actually witness it.
"You're my hero." The little girl said, her voice small and shy but her actions very bold as she reached up to touch Asher's hand, but her mother stopped her.
"Airene," Her mother warned, probably seeing the bandages there and knowing what was underneath them.
"I'm sorry," Her mother said, looking to Asher but Asher didn't say anything back.
He was just sitting there, staring at the little girl and not even Cailen could read the look on his face.
*****
Cailen sat and waited...
And waited some more for Asher to say something, anything, but he never did.
He just continued to stare at the little girl standing beside his bed- Airene, Cailen had heard her mother say.
Cailen couldn't read the expression on Asher's face right now and that confused him.
It's been years since Cailen hasn't been able to tell at least the mood Asher was in. They've known each other for so long, nearly fifteen years, Cailen thought and have spent so much time together that it was hard not to know, but sitting here now, watching Asher...
Cailen really had no clue.
Asher's jaw was slack, his mouth hanging open slightly and usually that was a good indicator that he was in a decent mood because he tended to get tight-jawed when upset but the way he was gripping Cailen's hand said otherwise.
There was also a look in his eyes that was hard, cold, and distant, yet Cailen could see the pooling of tears in the corner of his eyes and really didn't know what to make of it.
He figured it was the medication throwing Asher out of whack and thought that it was as good excuse as any for the family standing infront of them, waiting for a reply of some kind.
Cailen stood, pulling his eyes from Asher, as well as his hand, though he kind of had to wrestle it out of Asher's grip.
He pushed a smile to his face because this was nice of them, it was a kind gesture and someone should acknowledge that, even if it wasn't who they expected it from.
He made his way around the bed after freeing his hand, then turned to the family.
"Asher's still a little... Medicated." Cailen started a little awkwardly, trying to convey his apology through a smile because it felt weird actually apologizing about Asher being incapable of responding.
"He's really tired, it'd probably be best to come back in a couple weeks. He's only just woken up." Cailen explained.
The couple looked to each other, then the man nodded in understanding and the woman was turning to Cailen, her expression curious.
"Are you his Doctor?" She asked.
Cailen noticed her hand was entwined with her husband’s but she was fidgeting nervously and the man's grip tightened in either a warning or some kind of comfort.
"Uh, Well... I'm his nurse, but technically, I’m his husband." Cailen answered a bit nervously.
Even after all these years, it was still a bit intimidating telling people who didn't know this already because you never know how people were going to react.
This surprised the couple, it was obvious in the way their eyebrows shot up and they turned to each other.
It was always iffy with the older generation and what the surprised looks meant, but if they honestly had the nerve to say something about them being gay after what Asher did for their family, well…
Cailen supposed he could use an outlet to let out all the emotions he's been shoving down in order to appear calm.
Thankfully, it hadn't come to that since they both schooled their expressions and turned back to him.
"Well, your husband is an amazing man. I- I don't know what would have happened i- if he weren't there." The woman said, her voice getting thick and shaky, her eyes filling up with tears and how did Asher do this?
How did he constantly go through this process over and over without crying himself?
It wasn't even Cailen they were thanking and Cailen felt ready to cry himself.
The man covered her hand with his other one, now holding hers in both his hands.
"We can't thank you enough, you and your husband." The man said, his eyes roaming over to where his daughter stood beside the bed.
Cailen smiled, clearing his throat from the lump of emotions that had formed there.
"I'm sure if he could, Asher would tell you not to worry about it and he'd be super modest about it, but I will just tell you, we're happy that she's okay. We have a little boy about her age, so... I can understand the feeling." Cailen explained, lowering his head to hide the way he was getting choked up.
There was a moment where nothing was said but that was only because everyone was just too emotional at the moment.
That moment was interrupted by a tugging on Cailen's scrubs.
Cailen turned to see Airene looking up at him with amazingly green eyes that could rival William's in brightness, but that effect was dulled by the tears filling them.
"I'm sorry," The little girl pleaded, her eyes wide and very apologetic.
Cailen glanced up at her parents, seeing her mother covering her mouth with the back of her hand.
"I'm sorry, I hit his hat. I- I hit it and it fell off. It was an accident!" She cried.
It took a moment for Cailen to piece together what she was trying to tell him, but eventually, he got it.
She must have knocked Asher's helmet off when he picked her up or something and now she must think this was all her fault.
"Airene," Her mother said slowly, obviously trying to pull herself together in order to comfort their daughter, but it didn't appear to be working very well.
Cailen didn't even think about it, maybe it was instinct now that he had a child of his own, or maybe it was just the fact that he was a human being and couldn't stand to see a child crying, but he knelt down infront of her, reaching out to wipe her tears with a small smile on his face.
"Airene, right?" Cailen asked.
The girl nodded, sniffling her nose.
"Well, Airene, I don't want you worrying about this, okay? Accidents happen, love, and-"
"But he looks mad!" She cried and when Cailen looked over at Asher, he could see why she would think that, but Cailen shook his head.
"No, he's not mad. He's really tired, love. That's all." Cailen assured.
"Tired?" She asked in a small voice.
Cailen nodded, feeling his heart swell for this little girl who was blaming herself for Asher getting hurt. And maybe it was partially her fault, but that didn't matter.
In the end, it was debris falling on top of him that knocked him out and if it hadn't been for Airene braving the fire and running outside, they may not have gotten to Asher in time.
"Yeah, tired. You know when you wake up in the morning and you're so tired that you don't even want to move?" Cailen asked.
Airene nodded, sniffling again and wiping at her eyes.
"Like that, love, only a lot worse."
"But it's my fault." She pouted, tears springing to her eyes again.
"No, love, it's not. If anything, I'd say you were the one who saved Asher." Cailen said, trying to take a different approach this time.
Airene was obviously confused about this statement so Cailen explained himself.
"If you hadn't been so brave and ran out all on your own, the other firemen wouldn't have known Asher was in trouble." Cailen said softly.
There was something about this little girl that made Cailen need to make her feel better, but then again, he's always had a soft spot for kids.
"Really?" She asked, a shred of hope filling her voice.
"Really. So I should be thanking you." Cailen said, pointing between the two of them.
Cailen was unprepared for the girl to jump into his arms and wrap her little arms around his neck, so he kind of stumbled a bit but reached back and steadied himself with the bed before wrapping Airene up in a hug.
It was clear the little girl would not be letting go anytime soon so he shifted a bit so he could get his knees on the ground to be a little more comfortable.
When Cailen glanced up at her parents, he smiled softly, if not a little awkwardly and nodded when her mother mouthed the words 'Thank you'.
The family left shortly after that with a promise from Cailen that they could come back to talk with Asher when he was feeling better.
Before they left, he learned that their names were Ivan and Lucia and that they were staying at a relative's house for the time being that wasn't too far from the hospital.
They also left their number so Cailen could call them when Asher was feeling better, being very adamant about speaking with him and thanking Cailen repeatedly for having such an amazing husband.
Cailen wasn't sure how to tell them that there was no need to thank him, he hadn't done anything, so he just let it go and ushered them from the room, Airene stopping to hug his waist on the way out.
Cailen breathed a sigh of relief when the door was shut.
It wasn't that he was annoyed or anything, more overwhelmed, but it was a bit awkward having to cover for Asher like that and being thanked so many times for doing nothing, so he was relieved when they were gone.
Cailen turned around, ready to ask Asher what that was about but when he turned, Asher was asleep.
It was unpredictable when Asher would fall sleep like that and sometimes inconvenient, but he knew there was nothing Asher could do about it.
His body was exhausted and it'd be a while before it would recuperate.
Cailen stepped over towards the bed, pulling up the covers closer to his chin and pressed a soft kiss to his forehead.