Healing Milton

eleven

Milton wakes with a gasp, blood rushing in his ears and heart pounding in his chest. A thin layer of sweat coats his skin, drenching his pyjamas and the sheets beneath him. He can't remember the dream, no, nightmare, as his mind spins. He tries to make sense of the dark room around him, tears filling his eyes and spilling down his cheeks as he tries to remember where he is.

"Sweetheart?" His eyes snap to the bedroom door where Cal stands in his own pair of pyjamas. He quickly makes his way to the boy's side, flicking on the bedside lamp as he takes in the hyperventilating boy.

"Shh, it's okay. You're okay now. I'm here." Cal reaches out to him, gently patting down his sweaty hair.

Milton whimpers, gulping in large mouthfuls of air as he focuses on Callum's soft touch, muscles tense and shaky.

They stay like this for a moment longer, Callum softly murmuring to him while running his hands through his hair over and over until Milton can finally look up at the man.

"Did you have a bad dream?"

Milton nods, chewing on his lip as he looks down to his lap. The sweat begins to cool on his skin, making him feel that much worse as his clothes stick to his body.

Suddenly, Milton's breath stutters in his throat, his eyes filling with more tears as he clutches at the blankets covering the shame he only now feels beneath him, coating his legs and bum as he sits in the cold wet sheets.

Callum frowns before his expression falls to one of understanding and empathy.

"Let's get you cleaned up, okay?"

Milton nods, lips wobbling as he lifts his arms to Callum who carefully scoops him up from the soiled bed and takes him to the bathroom, gently placing a kiss to the boy's head. Milton barely notices as he tucks his face beneath the man's chin in absolute humiliation, the shame clawing its way up his throat as more tears fall.

Callum only holds him a bit tighter until they make it to the bathroom where he sets the boy down on the white tiled floor.

Milton sniffles, wiping at his face as he tries to reel in all the emotions attempting to pour out, but Callum is quick to hold his face in his hands, guiding Milton to look up at him.

"Hey, it's okay. You're okay." He smiles, gentle as he wipes the tears from Milton's face. "We'll get you cleaned up and tucked back into your blankets, hm?"

Milton nods, letting Callum press another kiss to his head before his hands leave his face in favour of unbuckling his arm brace and gently maneuvering his sticky shirt up and over his head.

Milton watches with blurry eyes as Callum focuses on the task at hand, eyes never staring at the bruises or scars, and always being soft and gentle with every touch, whispering his every movement to make sure Milton understands what he's doing.

The bath is turned on, steam wafting up into the tiled room as Callum adds a dash of bubbles and returns to the boy sitting on the floor, carefully removing his fluffy socks and pants. He's so gentle as he pulls Milton forward to lean on his own chest for a moment, running a hand over Milton's head as his face squishes to the man's shirt. Quickly and precisely, Callum shimmies the wet pyjama pants and underwear from the boy's skin, quickly removing them from sight.

Milton can't help the guilt and shame and swims in his gut as the smell briefly reaches his nose before Callum tosses the clothes to the other side of the room in a pile, quickly stealing his attention as he wraps his cast in a plastic bag and seals it off with tape before gently lifting him up and placing him in the warm water.

The tub is only filled to reach just above his hips. The bubbles obscuring his legs from view as Callum kisses his head again with murmured reassurances and gets to work washing Milton with a soft washcloth. It's easy for the boy to get lost in the warm water and the gentle caresses to his skin as the man washes him slowly, making sure to wipe down every inch of him, including the back of his neck and behind his ears.