Chapter Text
A year later.
Callum sighed as he dropped his keys onto the kitchen counter, noticing that it was well gone seven and over two hours from when he was actually due home. He dropped his coat on the nearest chair and kicked off his shoes by the door, despite the threat that he had gotten from Ben the other that went something like if you leave your shoes there one more time, i will burn them but they were married, Callum often took those threats with a grain of salt.
He frowned as he finally stopped moving and noticed how quiet the house actually was. Sure, it was gone seven but it was a Friday which meant Lexi would be here and by now she would usually be forcing them to watch one of her favourite TV shows, or if she was really happy it was the weekend- some kind of game that she would ultimately beat both him and Ben at.
"Ben? Lex?" He called out as he undid the top button of his shirt, trying to hear a source of noise that would indicate where they were in the house.
As expected, he pushed the door open to the living room and found them both in there. However, Lexi was passed out on the sofa, tangled playing on the TV which was keeping the room light while Ben sat in the space she had left, his eyes completely focused on the film in front.
Callum couldn't help but smile as he cleared his throat, grabbing Ben's attention. "Having fun?" He asked, watching as Ben wiggled out from the space he was trapped in on the sofa to walk over to Callum.
"It's a good movie." Ben shrugged, fully accepting his fate as a tangled fan. Lexi had made them watch it enough, it was no surprise.
He leaned up to kiss Callum, a hand slipping around the back of his neck before they pulled apart. Ben titled his head to the side as if he was trying to work something out before he placed a hand against Callum's cheek, frowning slightly. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing is wrong." Callum tried to protest, realising he most likely answered a little too quickly.
Looking over his shoulder to check Lexi was still asleep, Ben grabbed his hand and pulled him out of the room and back into the kitchen, shutting door carefully behind them both. As soon as it was just them, Ben turned back towards him and gave him one of his knowing looks, waiting for Callum to speak.
Ultimately, he knew both of them wouldn't be leaving this kitchen until Ben knew what was wrong.
"Today at work...It was just a bad day." Callum sighed as he pulled out a kitchen chair and dropped down in it, watching as Ben followed suit. "A case i've been pretty focused on involving this little boy, i dunno."
Ben frowned and covered Callum's hand with his own in an attempt to bring some type of comfort to his husband that had clearly been affected by whatever he has seen at work today. It had taken Callum a long time to figure out what he wanted to do in life, Ben could remember listening to Callum's multiple passions growing up which stretched from wanting to be a vet, to a police officer to a social worker.
There were loads more options he had gone through, Ben supporting all of his choices either way.
So, it wasn't much of a surprise when Callum had decided only a couple of months into his return to London that he wanted a new career, one that wasn't office based and where he wasn't making spreadsheets for a living, but instead was doing something that involved people.
"It's just, it was my first time on a case where the court decided that the child should be removed from their parents care." Callum shrugged, squeezing Ben's hand back when he looked up to see his husband looking concerned. "It was just a shit day, y'know? A lot of paperwork, a lot reports...Which is easy enough, but when you remember this is an actual three year old's life-"
When Callum had trained to be a social worker, Ben hadn't been surprised. In fact, Callum had been a lot happier in the past year than he had been in a long time, and Ben knew that was partly to his new career.
Of course, there were those times, like today, where Callum would come home upset. "C'mere." Ben started as he leaned over and got a grip on Callum's chair, dragging it so they were much closer. "I'm sorry, babe...I'm really proud of you."
Callum's eyes softened at Ben's words, a small (but still there!) smile appeared on his face.
They were quiet for a few minutes, Callum had leant over in the hope that the chair he was leaning on was stable enough as he rested his head on Ben's shoulder, his husband running his hand through his hair in a calming motion. "Ben?" He spoke up, a little too quiet for Ben's liking.
"What's wrong?"
"Being on the case for that little boy...It's uh, got me thinking?" Callum sounded nervous, which Ben hated so he pressed a kiss against the side of his head in an attempt to reassure him before he continued. "We are good, right? Me and you?"
Ben pulled away so he could see Callum's face completely, feeling nervous himself now. "Of course, Cal." He said a little too quickly. "Don't you think so?"
Callum nodded, "No, we are good. Really good actually." He smiled, before adding. "We have Lexi, the house...We even have a dog now." Callum smiled, knowing their beloved dog Flynn was would be fast asleep upstairs on his usual spot on the landing by now. He and Ben had agreed to finally get a dog around six months ago, Callum had gone back to Manchester for the first time in order to see some of his old friends that he had made there and took Ben and Lexi with him.
He had gone to see one of his friends from his old job, who happened to have a dog that Lexi instantly fell in love with and had declared on the train ride home back to London that we need a dog so i can name it Flynn. Apparently Flynn was named after Flynn from Tangled, what a surprise.
So, naturally, the week after they had taken Lexi to the rescue shelter and she had met Flynn, their Flynn.
"I just...I was thinking." Callum continued, dragging Ben out of his daydream.
"Cal, hurry because you are kinda stressing me out now." Ben urged, making his husband laugh slightly.
"I work with so many children that need a family, a family like ours." He said. "Have you ever thought...Maybe we should adopt? You know i think Lexi would be a great big sister."
Ben tried to stop the tears that were so desperate to build in his eyes, but Callum noticed. "Are those bad tears?"
Ben laughed, "You really want to adopt with me?"
Callum looked back at him as if he was crazy for a second before nodding, "You're the best dad, Ben." He added, "We are young, are financially stable for the first time...ever, Lex is happy, our families are around us. I want to give a child somewhere they can grow up happy with a family which includes me, you, Lex and Flynn."
As if he heard his name, Flynn came skidding into the kitchen, ears perking up when he realised his other owner had returned home from work.
"Hey buddy." Callum laughed as Flynn jumped up so his paws were resting on his legs, letting Callum scratch him behind his ear. He looked back up at Ben and smiled, "I think that's a yes from Flynn...What about you?"
It barley took Ben two seconds to start nodding, before he was moving around Flynn to kiss Callum, laughing as the dog clearly protested to being ignored suddenly.
When they pulled apart, Callum placed his forehead against Ben's, stealing another quick kiss before asking, "Is that a yes?"
"Let's adopt." Ben confirmed, smiling as he placed his hand against the back of Callum's head. "I love you."
"I love you too." Callum breathed out, only pulling away when a tired Lexi appeared in the doorway, looking between them both as if she had no idea where she was or what time it was. Callum didn't blame her, everyone's had those kind of naps.
They pulled apart so Lexi could climb in between them, sitting on Ben's knee while her legs covered Callum's, content enough to just be hugged.
Ben looked over his daughter's shoulder and smiled at Callum, the both of them silently agreeing that they'd tell Lexi first. When they were ready, they'd sit Lexi down and tell her they were planning to adopt, that she was going to be a big sister. And then they would tell the rest of the family, but that was something that would come soon.
Right now however, they were content to just be a family.