"Alright, you should know," Cailen said as he walked- yes, walked- Asher up to the door of their flat.
Asher was walking now, with the help of a cane, and at about a quarter of the speed of a normal person, but he was walking so Cailen was thankful.
There was a while there where Cailen knew Asher figured he would never walk again and was ready to just give up, but he pushed through it and now he was able to come home with the promise of coming back to the hospital twice a week for Physio.
It was the first time Asher would be home since the accident. He had been discharged this morning but had to wait because Cailen still had to finish his shift before he could take him home.
"That the second you get in there, you will have a face full of slobber." Cailen warned him, referring to the dog waiting inside.
Loki has been miserable the past few weeks without Asher, not even Ezekiel could get the dog to cheer up and it was kind of sad to see.
"Oh, I expect to." Asher chuckled, stopping infront of the door.
Cailen smiled but it was restrained by his teeth because he was nervously chewing on his lip.
Loki would probably be excited to see Asher- over-excited- and the dog might jump on him or knock him over and he was still in a fragile state. His burns were still healing, his ribs were still a bit sore, and his leg was still healing from his operation.
"Maybe I should go in first... Hang on to his collar so he doesn't jump on you." Cailen suggested, pulling out his key.
Asher debated this then nodded, stepping to the side to hide out of sight from the dog.
Cailen slipped his key in and opened the door, stepping inside and setting the bags he had from the hospital filled with things Asher would need- medication and his work scrubs.
Loki came sauntering miserably around the corner, coming to greet Cailen like he always did but not with nearly as much excitement as he used to.
Cailen bent down, going to pet him like he usually did but this time, he slipped his fingers around his collar so he could hold him.
"Okay, I got him." Cailen said and waited for Asher to come around the corner.
Cailen knew exactly when Asher came around without having to turn because Loki barked happily, repeatedly, as he started to jump and wiggle in Cailen's hold.
His barks turned into happy whines as he fought harder against Cailen, Asher apparently taking too long to get to him.
"Hi, Loki." Asher said happily, coming up beside Cailen and slowly kneeling down beside him, using Cailen's shoulder and cane to balance himself. "Did you miss me, boy?" Asher asked reaching out with his good hand to let the dog lick him.
Loki barked again, whining some more and fighting against his collar so Cailen gave him a few inches so he could get closer to Asher until he was able to reach Asher's face and promptly started licking it vigorously.
"I missed you, too." Asher chuckled, squeezing his eyes shut and scrunching up his face as the dog continued to lick his face.
This went on for several minutes, Loki happily licking Asher’s face and pulling on his collar, his tail wagging away and smacking Cailen in the face.
Eventually, Loki calmed down some and began sniffing Asher, his bandages included, but then went back to licking his face.
When Cailen thought it was safe to let him go, Loki immediately went up to Asher, fast enough to make Cailen worry he was going to pounce but he didn't.
Instead, he gently sniffed at Asher's leg, moving onto his bandaged hand and then licking his face again as if to ask what happened.
Asher only smiled and pet the dog, scratching at his ears and under his chin.
"Wil is bringing Zeke home from school." Cailen told him, standing up and going for the bags he had set by the door.
He then went to the kitchen and started unpacking them, lining up all of Asher's medication along the back of the counter so Ezekiel couldn't reach them.
He set out the bandages he was to use to re-wrap Asher's burns when he had to put that cream on it.
"You should go to the couch, I'll be in to take off those bandages. We need to let it breathe for a while." Cailen explained, opening one of the pill bottles and taking out one before moving onto another and taking one of those.
By the time he was done, he had four little pills in his hand and was reaching for a glass to fill with water.
"Yes, nurse." Asher teased, hopefully making his way to the living room.
"Hey, me being a nurse is the only reason you're allowed to leave that damn place earlier than necessary." Cailen called over his shoulder as the glass filled with water.
It was true. Asher was technically supposed to stay there for another week but they let him go with some convincing that Cailen could take care of him at home.
Cailen only went through the trouble because he was beginning to get sick of the place, basically spending all of his time there lately.
He had booked off two weeks so that he could be home with Asher and have a sort of week off, though he'd still have to take care of Asher and take Ezekiel to school.
"And thank God for that." Asher called back, obviously in the living room. "I don't know how you spend everyday there. It's depressing." Asher complained.
Cailen snorted, making his way into the living room.
"It's not so bad when you aren't cooped up in the same room for a month." Cailen explained, holding out his hand for Asher to take the pills from.
Asher swallowed the pills with a frown on his face. He hated taking the medication but knew if he didn't, he'd be in excruciating pain. He tried it once, it didn't end well.
"Yeah, well... I was, so I have a right to hate it." Asher grumbled, setting the glass of water on the table at the end of the couch.
Cailen smirked at this and pulled the coffee table close to the couch so he could sit on it sideways.
"Give me your leg." Cailen instructed, patting his knee and waiting for Asher to lift it and gently set it down so his calf was resting on his knee, his foot hanging over it.
"Let me know if it hurts." Cailen said before carefully pulling at the bandages.
Asher winced a couple of times, but never told Cailen to stop as he unwrapped his leg, letting the wound underneath breathe. His shin was burned and scarred, the skin wrinkly and white.
It went from the bottom of his foot, spreading to the top and up his leg until just below his knee.
Cailen knew he could poke the wrinkled skin and Asher would feel nothing, but if he poked the skin around it, Asher would probably chop his hand off.
"It looks so gross." Asher mumbled, scrunching up his nose.
"I've seen worse." Cailen shrugged, gently picking up his leg and setting it on the coffee table as he stood himself. "Your arm and hip were disgusting at first, if that helps." Cailen said, probably unhelpfully.
"It doesn't." Asher replied, his tone flat.
Cailen took a seat next to Asher on the couch, on the left side so he could remove those bandages as well.
"You're still as sexy as ever." Cailen assured, leaning in to peck Asher's lips.
Cailen didn't miss the roll of Asher’s eyes and couldn't help but grin at this.
"Honestly, the scar gives you a more... rugged look. You know, manly, err... Whatever." Cailen snorted, reaching for his arm to start removing the bandages there.
This one was a little more sensitive than his leg and Asher actually threw his head back, teeth gritted and a small groan leaving his mouth as Cailen peeled them off.
Underneath was irritated red skin with healing blisters. It used to have charred skin and puss oozing out of it so it looked a million times better than it did, but it wasn't exactly a pretty sight either.
"At least it didn't get my face" Asher asked after taking a few breaths to calm himself.
Cailen frowned at this, looking at Asher.
"You don't actually think I'd care if it did, do you?" Cailen asked, a little disbelieving.
Asher shrugged, looking into his lap like he didn't want to answer that.
Cailen scoffed.
"How shallow do you think I am? Ash, I love you. I thought you knew that after all this time. I wouldn't care if you had a scar on your face, or if you gained two hundred pounds. I love you, your ridiculously fit body is just a bonus." Cailen added teasingly.
Asher smiled at this though it looked a little sad, and nodded his head. “I know.”
He looked at Cailen after a moment and pursed his lips together dramatically, asking for a kiss that Cailen immediately gave him because he could tell his husband was feeling a little insecure about this whole thing.
"Now, come on. Get those pants off." Cailen instructed, pulling away from him.
"Jeez, I'm not even home an hour and you're already trying to get me into bed." Asher teased, grinning at Cailen.
Cailen threw his head back in a fake laugh that was only half fake, then turned back to Asher, his face completely straight.
"Don't forget, I could short you your pain killers." Cailen threatened, though he would never do such a thing.
Asher grinned innocently and pursed his lips again, and Cailen was kind of helpless to ignore it when his husband asks for a kiss.