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 Posted: Fri May 20, 2022 7:37 pm
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Asher had picked Oliver up from the school at five thirty and Chad and Elliot took care of the laundry in the dryer. While he was gone, they preemptively set the table and got as much ready for dinner as they could. Elliot showed him how to clean vegetables, and they pulled out a cutting board and all the pans.
Oliver said hello to the boys briefly, and even while he’d been warned about Chad’s bruises he’d still dropped his bags and immediately fussed over him. Asher had shooed him away after a moment so he didn’t overwhelm the boy, and by the time Oliver got out of the shower, they were plating dinner.
Asher had been an enthusiastic and patient teacher; he showed them how to cook the meat, how to slice the vegetables, how to prepare everything. He seemed to enjoy it, and was quick to offer praise and let them take the lead. He didn’t miss how Elliot seemed to praise Chad for everything, and how he was always encouraging him.
Dinner came out, unsurprisingly, wonderful. Elliot sat next to Chad and across from Asher; Oliver sat across from Chad. Elliot helped Chad make his–and made sure he didn’t skimp on anything, and Asher had made his and Oliver’s.
“This smells amazing. It looks amazing!” Oliver praised when he sat down, joining them just a minute late. Elliot had already started eating and was beaming, even with his mouth full. Oliver’s hair was messy and wet; it seemed to turn into a mess of curls but he managed to tie it up into a high ponytail. He was again in an oversized sweater that looked like it would have fit Asher comfortably. He had to roll up the sleeves so he wouldn’t make a mess of things, and looked as happy to see Asher’s homemade queso as he was to have his taco made. “I love it, thank you.”
He leaned forward so he could kiss his husband on the cheek, and Asher accepted this with a smile. He swallowed his mouthful and answered, “The boys did most of it, they deserve all the praise.”
“Oh, then they shall have it. This was really thoughtful of you two, thank you. I’m really happy to have you over, Chad.”
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Posted: Fri May 20, 2022 8:25 pm
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Chad was excited. Nervous, but excited to be able to help out. And Elliot kept saying such nice things to him, and his dad was being really nice as well. After a while, Chad didn’t feel as much of a compulsion to duck his head down and stay completely out of Asher’s way. He appreciated Elliot’s direction, and blushed and mumbled apologies when Oliver fussed over him.
Luckily, Asher was quick to shoo him on his way, and by the time he was done with his shower, Chad was so blissfully flustered from the praise he kept getting that he forgot to be self conscious. At least for a little while.
“Thank you for having me,” he smiled shily, but tried not to shrink too much in his seat. He was happy. Which was a weird, fluttery feeling, he discovered. It felt as though his heart was racing and he was on the verge of tears, but he felt so light.
And he tried not to make too much of a mess as he took a bite. He sat… maybe closer to Elliot than he should have. Sure, they were in their own chairs, but he might have purposefully scooted his chair a little closer. As if the proximity made everything better. Which it did!
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Posted: Fri May 20, 2022 8:50 pm
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Oliver took a careful bite of his taco, incredibly mindful not to make a mess. “Mm-hm,” he said, energetic and nodding. Asher tried not to laugh at him and had to turn away, but as soon as Oliver finished he was back to singing praises.
“Well, I love coming home to a happy family, and the first thing I noticed when I stepped in was all the smiles, so I hope you’ll come over more often. Oh, your poor face, though. I’ve got some creams that can help. We’ve got a heating pad, too. The heat helps. Are you coming to dinner tomorrow? There’s a lot of food out there that can help promote healing, we could whip some up. Oh I’m sorry, I don’t mean to fuss. I can’t imagine any of that is comfortable. I bruise easily. Always have. And I know–”
Asher put his hand on Oliver’s arm–a gentle, subtle gesture. Oliver’s head snapped to him and he paused, took a second to process, and then drew in a breath and nodded.
“I’m sorry, I was around kids all day. Very, very chatty kids. I had way too much coffee to get me through the day.”
Elliot just laughed and shook his head; he didn’t pay much attention to it, but casually nudged Chad’s foot with his own under the table.
“Can you come to dinner tomorrow?” Elliot asked, glad that Oliver had said something first so he had an excuse to ask, too.
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Posted: Fri May 20, 2022 9:01 pm
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Well, it was clear where Elliot got his talkative nature from. It wasn’t a bad thing at all! But he was used to listening to Elliot in his debates and knew what he was like when he got really passionate about something.
So while Oliver was talking, Chad held onto his taco, not sure if he was going to be asked a question and need to respond or if he was just talking and--
Oh right, he was trying not to shrink away or crowd Elliot, which was exactly what he started to do after a little while. To the point where he had to sit back up when his shoulder brushed Elliot’s.
Being so close to Elliot meant that he didn’t jump when he felt his leg shift and his foot tap his.
“Oh, if-- if you don’t mind? I would like to, very much, please,” he sputtered awkwardly, because while he didn’t know what to expect when he got home, he very much liked to have something to look forward to. And he could think of something else to draw so he could add more to Elliot’s new collection.
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Posted: Fri May 20, 2022 9:14 pm
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“I think that sounds wonderful.” Oliver was speaking a little slower now, and slowed himself down by taking another bite. He only ever spoke between bites, never with his mouth full, and he had the strange habit of putting his food down between bites. “I won’t be staying after school tomorrow. Elliot mentioned you might like to try some different study techniques? Maybe I can help you with your homework tomorrow.”
“Maybe,” Elliot answered, just to make sure Chad didn’t have to feel overwhelmed about answering so many questions. “Maybe we’ll get lucky and the teachers won’t schedule any homework.”
“I could schedule you some,” Asher suggested, but Elliot just snorted and took another bite. “No, thank you. Maybe we just want to do art tomorrow. Chad did a really cute octopus picture earlier.”
Oliver’s attention was rekindled, but he just smiled instead of bursting into questions. “Oh, that’s wonderful. I wanted to be an artist when I was younger. But I have no talent,” he laughed. “Is it a hobby, Chad? Or something you might like to make a career out of?”
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Posted: Fri May 20, 2022 9:21 pm
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Chad had made an attempt to take another bite, but paused when Oliver spoke again and offered to help him with his homework. He opened his mouth to try and say something, but was grateful that Elliot spoke instead because he was pretty sure he wouldn’t have been able to get any words out.
As happy as he was, he was feeling rather overwhelmed. He wasn’t used to so much attention, much less positive attention. If he was being spoken to, he usually had to have his guard up at all times, and even then it wasn’t always enough.
“Oh, um…” he made an attempt as his cheeks burned, not really sure what to say. “Just a hobby,” he decided was the easiest answer. Getting into plans about the future might be a little too much.
He knew he wasn’t saying much, and his stomach was getting fussy, even though they’d had a snack earlier, but it wasn’t polite to be eating and talking, especially to adults, and even more so with teachers, so he made sure to take very small bites.
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Posted: Fri May 20, 2022 9:35 pm
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“Well, it’s important to have hobbies. They keep us sane. But I hope you can find a job you enjoy, too. There are a lot of options in the creative fields, I think.” Oliver smiled again–picked up his taco, took a bite, put it down. Maybe he saw how easy it was to fluster Chad, or noticed the small the bites he was taking. Oliver himself almost looked jittery, so Asher just hooked arms around him. They shared a brief look, and Oliver laughed and shook his head.
“I’m sorry. I hope I don’t scare you away. It’s been a day.”
“You’re home now,” Asher assured. “We can go for a bike ride later.”
“Oh, no. I have papers to grade, if we do that I’ll just fall asleep as soon as we get back.”
“I think you could use the sleep.”
“Is it that bad?”
“No,” Asher reassured, soft and tender and unable to resist a small smile. “But you didn’t sleep much and you’re running on coffee, aren’t you?”
Oliver sighed and leaned against Asher a little more. Another bite, down again. He drew in a long breath, held it, and nodded. “Okay. Bed does actually sound good, too. It’s so early, I don’t want you to think I’m old.”
Asher laughed. “You’re younger than me, and I’m not old yet. Just a long day.” He smiled at Chad and nodded, like he was encouraging him to eat as much as he wanted.
Elliot caught the look and deliberately took an oversized bite. His cheeks puffed out and it was difficult to chew, but he smiled and Chad–and then had to quickly raise a hand to cover his mouth in an effort to keep it all in his mouth.
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Posted: Sat May 21, 2022 9:53 am
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Now, Chad wasn’t just taking small bites because he was nervous, but because he felt… concerned? Was that the right word? Worried, maybe? Not for himself, but Oliver was trying so hard to make him feel comfortable and engage him in what was going on, but Chad couldn’t help but notice his… interesting mannerisms.
Was he nervous about something, too? Or just really tired with too much caffeine? He was nice! Chad liked him. He liked Asher too. Both of Elliot’s dads were great! He just didn’t know how to act around them, especially his first time there. And hopefully not the last.
But it seemed as though Oliver was being tempered for the moment, and after catching sight of Elliot and giggling a little at the huge bite he took, Chad took a few quick bites of his own.
“I would like help, if that’s okay,” he said after making sure he swallowed. “I’m not really good with school work. I don’t even know what job I would want to have. I haven’t really thought of things that far ahead.” There wasn’t really a point for him.
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Posted: Sat May 21, 2022 10:17 am
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“Well, you have time. I didn’t know what I wanted to do until Asher told me he was going to be a teacher. And then I said, ‘if we take the same classes we can share books’, and then I became a teacher.” He laughed, but he didn’t seem like he was entirely joking. “School work isn’t really tailored for everyone. If it does its job, it makes you think about the subject in ways that help you process it. But too much of the time it’s just busy work. Which, I don’t agree with, I don’t think it helps. But I’d be glad to go over your work with you and see if we can’t find a way to make it easier for you. I was a C student all through school. Sometimes D. Summer school didn’t sound so bad, but then I almost got held back for a year. But I didn’t want to be separated from Asher, so.”
Another bite, but it seemed like he’d gotten better at pacing himself. It might have had something to do with Asher’s arm in his, or just him reminding himself not to overwhelm Chad.
“I had a hard time with the teachers more so than the work. Which is saying a lot, I think. They thought I was lazy. Even when I was trying my hardest. I studied for a whole week, for one test. And I still almost failed it. I wanted to run away and hide forever. I got such a scolding. And I was already so disappointed in myself. So now that I’m a teacher too, I don’t ever want to be like that. I don’t want my students to be afraid of me. If something doesn’t make sense, or if you’re having a hard time, sometimes you have to speak up. Oh, but it’s so hard. I hate making waves.”
“Asking for help isn’t making waves,” Elliot said, quite confident in this declaration. “I think it’s really brave.”
Asher, of course, nodded, and it was obvious that Elliot’s parents absolutely adored him. Oliver nodded a few seconds later, but added, “That’s fair. It’s true, it is brave. It can be hard to ask for help. Chad, you’re already braver than I was. I’m proud of you for asking for help.”
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Posted: Sat May 21, 2022 10:24 am
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Until Elliot said he was brave before, Chad had never thought such a word could be associated with him. And yet, he was not only being called brave again, but his dads were agreeing with Elliot.
Chad’s face felt hot, not because he was upset or embarrassed. Well, maybe a little embarrassed, but mostly just flustered. They were so nice to him that he didn’t know what to do about it.
“Only because of Elliot,” Chad admitted, because he knew he wasn’t very brave. “I haven’t asked for help before now. It… it is very hard.”
He could understand what Oliver went through. He felt the same way. No matter what he did, he still felt like it wasn’t worth the time he wasted studying. He could have spent time trying to pick up change or find food.
People thought he was lazy or incapable of retaining information. Or that he wasn’t paying attention. It didn’t help that that was his father’s excuse whenever he was asked while Chad was around. Yes, there were times that he got so overwhelmed by what was being taught that he had to distract himself with drawing so he could keep his thoughts on what was being said and not the million other things wanting to take up that space, but he was paying attention! He just had to focus on something so he could pay attention.
“Elliot is the only one who believes in me, so… I want to do my best for him,” Chad said as his cheeks burned, and he cautioned a glance at the boy next to him, hoping that wasn’t too weird to say.
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Posted: Sat May 21, 2022 10:33 am
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Elliot smiled reassuringly, and again bumped his ankle against Chad’s. “I was just in the right place at the right time. But I believe in you plenty. You’ll believe in yourself soon, too. You’ll see. Maybe you just need a hype team. I think you’ve spent so much time with people telling you otherwise that you just don’t know what you’re capable of. But my parents know how to make learning fun.”
While both of his parents looked flattered, Asher seemed more reserved and Oliver was a bit more open about it all. Maybe because he was quick to smile and reassure, “Well, Asher and I believe in you, too. Elliot’s said such nice things about you. And you did such a good job helping with dinner. Did you like cooking?”
Asher spoke up now to add, “It won’t hurt my feelings if you say no. It’s good to know how to cook, but it’s not always fun. I think I was still making cereal and sandwiches at your age.”
“Oh, but you made good sandwiches, give yourself a little credit.”
Asher clarified again, “I put potato chips in his ham and cheese sandwiches and he thought it was a culinary breakthrough.”
“I still think it was, they’re delicious. You have to try it, Chad. Elliot, I’m going to pack two bags of chips and two sandwiches tomorrow, show him how to do it.”
“Gladly,” Elliot answered, pleased to have an excuse to bring Chad more food.
“Is there anything you want to learn how to make, Chad? I hope we’ll get to learn what all your favorites are.” Oliver smiled again, and despite his strange eating habits he’d still cleared off more of his plate than Asher or Elliot.
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Posted: Sat May 21, 2022 11:16 am
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Oliver’s eyes practically sparkled when Chad said he liked his cupcakes, and he looked genuinely proud of himself. “Thank you, they’re a new hobby. They haven’t all been good. Cooking is very hard for me. But I told myself I was just going to keep practicing, and–well, then I got pretty decent at making cupcakes, so I thought I’d just keep making the same thing with different flavors. I’m going to move onto something else. But I just love when the house smells like fresh baked cupcakes, it’s my favorite smell in the world, I think. If you ever want to bake cupcakes with me, we’ll have to set some time aside. I really want to make some with caramel drizzle but I’m worried about ruining the pots.”
A concern Asher similarly had; he nodded but didn’t argue. If Oliver really wanted to try, he wouldn't have stopped him, no matter the cost of new pots.
Oliver finished his last bite of taco and seemed to swallow without even tasting it. “You can’t use the stove at all? I mean, I suppose it can be dangerous, depending on what you’re cooking. But once you get a little experience, it’s not so bad. Elliot can make grilled cheese, omelets, pasta. Maybe we should do that tomorrow, can we have spaghetti?”
“Spaghetti sounds good, we can do that.”
“And broccoli and cheese?”
“I don’t think spaghetti and meatballs go with broccoli and cheese.”
“No,” Oliver agreed, and leaned against Asher. “But it’s better than salad.”
Asher considered this for a moment and then nodded. “I suppose, if we’re just cooking for us, we don’t really have to worry about what food pairs well. Does that sound like something you’d be interested in, Chad?”
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Posted: Sat May 21, 2022 1:37 pm
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“Elliot is very talented,” Chad nodded in agreement when Oliver listed out all the things Elliot could make, listening eagerly for anything he could learn and maybe be useful. “I would like to try that. I’m not picky,” he promised. He couldn’t afford to be picky, anyway. And spaghetti and broccoli and cheese sounded amazing to him. Better than bagels out of a dumpster.
“I don’t remember the last time I had broccoli. Do you like broccoli, Elliot?” he wondered, asking him quietly, although he couldn’t lower his voice enough for his dads to not hear. He was worried about offending them, but he was interested in trying anything that Elliot liked. Even things Elliot didn’t like, but wanted to try, Chad wanted to try too!
“I would like to help, if that’s okay?” he asked, hoping he wasn’t being too much of a burden by being over for dinner again. He was looking forward to it. He just hoped everything worked out and his dad didn’t find out.
He would just have to be careful.
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Posted: Sat May 21, 2022 2:24 pm
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“I’d love your help,” Asher answered easily. “I think you’re a very good student. You and Elliot are quite a team.”
“Agreed, we’re a great team.” Elliot reached across the table so he could get a few chips and then he set one of the bowls of cheese between himself and Elliot. He dipped a nacho in and ate. “I like anything with cheese. Broccoli, I think, is only good with cheese. Steamed broccoli is only okay without it, and I don’t really like cold broccoli. Oh, unless it’s got a good dip. You’re very talented, too. Don’t forget that. When you finish your taco, try this. You and I can share this bowl.”
He pushed his plate of nachos a little closer to Chad, just so he knew that they were there to share.
Oliver must have thought this was sweet; he smiled, and got himself a few chips. “Perfect, that sounds wonderful. I’m as excited for tomorrow as I was for today. Oh, we should have had another kid, Asher. I want to adopt Chad, he’s so sweet.” While he spoke, he broke the chips in half before he started dipping and eating them one at a time.
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