Cailen was mildly concerned when he dropped Ezekiel off at school one day, watching as the boy walked away but was approached by a familiar little red headed girl.
Cailen didn't immediately freak out. He stayed calm and just watched from his car, ready to intervene if needed.
Cailen had spoken to Ezekiel's teacher like he had said he would and she agreed to keep an eye on the children.
She also said she would speak to Airene privately and hopefully explain to her about bullying and teasing.
Cailen had been given daily updates when he picked Ezekiel up from school and she's told him that she hasn't seen anything alarming, but that didn't mean it stopped for good so Cailen kept a close eye on the two children.
Ezekiel slowed his pace, obviously a little hesitant towards the little girl and Cailen couldn't help but feel a little angry at that.
He didn't like anyone making Ezekiel feel scared or bad in anyway.
Ezekiel glanced back over his shoulder at Cailen to see if he was still there, whether that was to make sure he didn't witness him getting picked on or if he was expecting Cailen to do something, Cailen didn't know, but he smiled either way and nodded his head, letting the boy know he was here if he wanted.
Ezekiel sent him a small smile before he turned back to Airene who was saying something with a smile on her face as she pointed somewhere behind her to where another group of kids were waiting patiently.
Ezekiel eyed the group a little warily, his attention being drawn away when Airene held out her hand to him.
After a moment's hesitation, Ezekiel took the little girl's hand and allowed himself to be led away towards the group of kids waiting a little ways away.
Ezekiel only stopped when he spotted Tripp by the door watching them curiously, if not a little sadly.
Airene stopped as well, noticing Ezekiel wasn't following from the tug of her hand, and looked back at Ezekiel.
Ezekiel looked between the two kids, seeming a little torn about who to go with.
Obviously, Tripp and Airene didn't run in the same 'circle', Cailen wasn't aware this kind of thing happened this young, but he was witnessing it firsthand.
Airene said something, pulling on Ezekiel's arm but glancing at Tripp as she did.
Ezekiel looked back to her and then back to Tripp where he gestured for Tripp to come, waving his hand in the air and waiting as Tripp grinned and made his way over.
Airene was obviously shocked, eyeing Tripp as he approached them.
Ezekiel let go of Airene's hand, opting to hold onto the strap of his backpack as he waited for Airene to decide whether this was okay or not.
Cailen could tell that if she was not okay with it, Ezekiel would have walked away but then, Airene shrugged and motioned for them to follow, going over to join her other friends.
Before following, Ezekiel shared a smile with Tripp and then looked over his shoulder back at Cailen as if looking for approval.
Cailen smiled again, giving him a thumbs up to let him know Cailen thought he did the right thing and then the boy was running off after the rest of the kids after sending him a bright smile.
*****
When Cailen came home that day to a flat that smelled of burning food and smoke creeping out of the kitchen, he can't help but rush to the entrance, dropping his stuff by the door.
It didn't even sink in to Cailen what the burning smelled like or that it was coming from the kitchen.
He just knew that something was burning and that the smoke detector was now blaring away.
He figured he was allowed to freak out considering his husband was off work due to a fire related injury. His freak out, however, was put on pause when he heard a giggling underneath the incessant beeping of the smoke alarm.
He knew Ezekiel would be home because William had agreed to pick him up that day because Cailen got held up at work. So he could imagine where the giggling was coming from.
When Cailen stepped into the kitchen, the foul smell burning his nose, he spotted Asher by the rubbish bin, frying pan in hand as he scraped whatever was in it into the bin.
Ezekiel was sitting at the kitchen table, his homework spread out infront of him but forgotten as he opted to laugh at Asher.
Asher must have heard Cailen's footsteps because he glanced over his shoulder at him, grinning innocently before hobbling his way over to the sink.
Cailen suppressed the urge to scold him for walking without his cane without supervision, well... without the supervision of someone who could actually pick him up if he fell, because he could see the cane through the smoke over by the fridge.
Asher was encouraged to not use his cane more and more ever since that day in Physio but he was only to do it with someone around in case something happened.
"Welcome home," Asher greeted over the smoke alarm, dumping the frying pan into the sink.
At this, Ezekiel turned in his chair in a hurry, spotting Cailen by the entrance and jumping off his seat.
“Papa!” Ezekiel exclaimed gleefully as he hurried over to Cailen and threw his arms around Cailen's waist, giggling into his stomach.
"Papa, Dad burned supper." Ezekiel informed him as if Cailen might have missed the smoke and the beeping overhead.
"I can see that," Cailen replied, running his hand over the boy's back before slipping away to open the kitchen window to let the smoke out and eventually shut the smoke alarm up.
"But why is Dad making supper?" Cailen asked, quirking an eyebrow at Asher.
They were slowly getting into the habit of calling each other 'Dad' and ‘Papa’ instead of Asher and Cailen, wanting to encourage this as much as possible.
"I think I can handle making a simple meal, Cai." Asher replied, bending over slowly to reach for a frying pan. "And Wil and Noah are coming over for supper, and I didn't want to make you cook for them as well." Asher added, placing the pan on the counter and hobbling over to the fridge.
Cailen knew Asher hated sitting around and doing nothing while he watched Cailen work himself into the ground but it needed to be done.
They had bills to pay and Asher's compensation wasn't enough to cover it, Asher needed someone to constantly be there for him because there were some things he just couldn't do by himself right now, and obviously, Ezekiel needed to be taken care of.
They really didn't have much of an option. This is how it had to be for the next little while but that didn't mean Asher liked it.
"They can cook for themselves, you know... It's not like they're other people and special guests. They're here nearly every day now." Cailen replied, leaning his hip against the kitchen counter.
It was true, Noah and William have been coming over nearly every day now, whether that be at the request of Cailen because he needed help or just because they had nothing else to do, they were always here.
“I mean of course, they’re special to us, but they’re not guests, Ash. They’re family.”
"I know, but- I just wanted to." Asher said, his shoulders slumping ever so slightly.
Cailen could tell he was trying to keep his mood happy for Ezekiel's sake, he always did because he didn't want Ezekiel seeing him upset like that, so Cailen bit his tongue.
He supposed he could allow Asher to make dinner if he kept a close eye on him and helped out.
"Okay." Cailen agreed, clapping his hands together. "What's on the menu?" Cailen asked, stepping closer to Asher so he could lean over and give him a quick hello kiss because he hadn't yet.
"Well, I was making these chicken tender things..." Asher started, looking down at the dirty pan in the sink.
"But he burned them!" Ezekiel piped in from the kitchen table.
Cailen couldn't help but grin at that, trying to hide it as best he could but it didn't work very well.
"Quiet, you." Asher said, glaring playfully over his shoulder at Ezekiel who giggled, apparently finding this to be the most amusing situation in the world.
"So now I was thinking spaghetti?" Asher suggested, raising an eyebrow at Cailen for approval.
"Sounds good to me." Cailen agreed. "Did you take your-"
"Yes," Asher interrupted before Cailen could ask if he had taken his medication.
Cailen shot him a look for being cheeky before reaching up in the cupboard for a can of tomato paste.
"Can I help?" Ezekiel asked, jumping down from his seat.
"Of course," Asher said immediately, turning around and scooping Ezekiel up.
Cailen tried not to grimace too much as he watched for any sign that Asher might hurt himself or drop Ezekiel.
He might be making his recovery, but that didn't mean he was back to normal yet.
Asher set Ezekiel up on the counter, smiling at the boy though Cailen didn't miss the way it was a little strained. He probably had hurt himself there but didn't want to show it.
Cailen thought if he could hide it, it must not be that bad.
"I need you to break the noodles in half, okay?" Asher asked, reaching into the cupboard above and pulling out a package of spaghetti noodles, opening it and handing a small fistful to Ezekiel.
Cailen quickly got the pot out, holding it out to the boy so the noodles didn't make a mess when he broke them.
"Just... break them?" Ezekiel asked unsure, looking between Cailen and Asher for help.
"Yeah, just like this." Asher said, demonstrating on his own fistful, holding it over the pot, snapping the noodles in half and dropping them into the pot.
Cailen gave an encouraging nod before Ezekiel started bending his noodles, but he couldn't seem to manage the strength needed to break them.
Asher reached out, placing his hands over Ezekiel's and bent the noodles a little more, the noodles snapping in half and falling into the pot when Ezekiel grinned and dropped them in.
"I did it!" Ezekiel said happily, grinning up at them.
"Yeah, buddy, you did." Asher smiled as Cailen retracted the pot and started filling it with water.
This is how they made dinner, them telling Ezekiel what to do, Ezekiel trying to do these things, and one of them helping him complete the task.
They had made plenty of spaghetti so they could have left overs tomorrow or Cailen could take some for his lunch, or both, though he wasn't really excited to have that much spaghetti so close together.
Ezekiel seemed happy being able to help, and if Cailen was honest, it made making dinner a fun thing to do- the three of them making it together.
When the doorbell rang, Ezekiel dropped what he was doing and ran off towards the front door, Loki meeting him in the hall and racing him to the door.