Callum tried to not let his mind get the better of him. He tried so hard, but sitting at home all day while Jack was at work had his mind wandering all over the place and there was only so many times a day he could focus his attention back on that blow job from heaven Jack had given him on Monday.

He couldn’t even look forward to working over the weekend because he was useless as long as his arm was in a sling. But it was Saturday now, the glorious end to the boredom and terror that had become his life. The way Jack had been with him lately had helped. He’d really stepped up the daddying, even making sure that Callum was doing menial tasks like showering and changing clothes every day. And eating. Something he had little interest in anymore, but Jack was there to make sure he did it anyway.

The swelling on his face had gone down. He could see out of both eyes, and the cut over his lip was nearly healed. What he wanted to do, though, was fuck. He didn’t even care if he was on top or not. He was desperate for that familiar safety that came with being taken, but Jack wouldn’t do it. He’d blow him, and jerk him off, but wouldn’t go all the way. Whether it was out of misplaced courtesy or general concern, Callum didn’t know, but he was over it.

If Jack really wanted him to get back to normal, then he needed to start treating him normally. Completely. Callum had decided he would give Jack the push he needed and that was how he found himself sliding slowly under the sheets just shy of eight in the morning, rubbing his cheek against Jack’s erection.

“What time is it?” Jack groaned, hips pushing up reflexively toward Callum’s lips.

“Time to come,” Callum rasped, taking the head of Jack’s cock into his mouth and swallowing.

“Kitten,” Jack said, voice more awake. He pushed the sheets back and rested a hand on the top of his head to slow him. Callum swatted him away and sucked harder before pulling back, his shoulder creaking in discomfort.

“Daddy,” he mewled, licking his lips with the intent to seduce. “I want you, but I can’t do it. My shoulder.” He touched his fingertips lightly to his clavicle.

“You don’t need to, kitten,” Jack assured him.

“I want to,” Callum interrupted, fisting his own cock. “I need it, Daddy. I need you so bad.”

“Sit against the headboard,” Jack instructed with a worried look, moving out of the way and pushing his briefs to his knees. Callum traded him places and situated the pillows behind his back so he was sitting comfortably.

Jack stood on the mattress with one leg on either side of Callum, balancing himself with a hand curled around the headboard near Callum’s ear. He shuffled closer, tracing Callum’s lips with the slick head of his cock.

“I’m okay, Daddy,” Callum whispered.

He closed his eyes and opened his mouth, flattening his tongue against the bottom of Jack’s cock and lapping at the tender vee of skin. Jack shuddered and stepped closer, pushing another inch of cock into Callum’s mouth. He groaned and leaned into Jack, wincing and quickly returning to his original positioning.

“Settle, kitten,” Jack reminded him, moving his hand from the bed to Callum’s head, and bracing him still. Jack fucked Callum’s mouth with short and hungry thrusts, never sliding too far, never taking too much.

Jack had him mostly immobilized so all Callum could do was slide his tongue around his cock as it came and went. He fucked his way into Jack’s slit with the tip of his tongue, licking away the precum as it appeared. Jack’s hips jerked and he came with a restrained grunt, painting the inside of Callum’s mouth with his cum.

He lowered himself to his knees and kissed Callum, sliding their tongues together and cupping the back of his head securely.

“I love you,” Callum murmured into his mouth. “I love you; please don’t shut me out."

Jack pulled back to protest, but Callum kept talking.

“If something is too much, or it hurts, I’ll tell you, but I need this. I need you this way, so much.” Callum covered Jack’s heart with his hands. “You’re my husband.”

Jack smiled. “I am.”

“So do your husbandly duties,” he pleaded, pecking Jack’s lips.

“I got it, kitten.”

Callum grinned. “Will you spend the day with me?”

“Absolutely,” Jack confirmed. “We have plans, actually.”

Callum was more excited to hear those words out of Jack’s mouth than any person should be, but the idea of getting out of the house and being with Jack was the best news he’d had in what felt like forever.

After they showered and dressed, Jack directed Callum to the couch. He sat, confused, and waited for further direction.

The doorbell rang and Jack looked at him briefly before crossing through the living room and opening the door, revealing Verity and an extremely awkward looking Aaron on the porch.

“Hey,” Jack greeted, wrapping Verity into a bear hug and shuffling them inside. Aaron followed, looking around, his expression shuttering when he saw Callum on the couch. Verity separated themself from Jack and approached Callum, holding their arms outstretched.

Callum stood and accepted the hug, awkwardly at first, but then settling into it.

“I think this is the second time you’ve hugged me,” he muttered into Verity’s shoulder. His voice was muffled since he couldn’t wrap both arms around Verity’s shoulders, his mouth buried against their shirt.

“The first one doesn’t count,” Verity replied, patting him on the back.

Callum’s spine tightened and he straightened himself, pulling away from Verity uncomfortably. They looked at him with a sort of apologetic smile before reaching their arm behind them, fingers outstretched.

Aaron stepped inside finally and grasped Verity’s hand with his.

“Thanks for coming by,” Jack said, looking to Aaron. “Both of you.” He gestured to the couch, taking a seat on the coffee table. Callum sat on the couch beside Verity and eyed Jack speculatively.

“Callum and I haven’t talked about the attack,” Jack blurted, giving Callum a look that seemed to try and project calmness as he spoke. His eyes were soft and indicated that even though he hadn’t told Callum about the visit in advance, nothing was going to go wrong.

“He knows if he wants to talk to me about what happened, he can, but I’ll never push him to disclose anything. That said, Justin has told me that I owe you both some thanks.”

Verity shifted toward Aaron and patted his chest with their hand.

“You don’t,” Aaron countered gruffly.

“Jack doesn’t owe you anything,” Callum interrupted, his heart caught in his throat. “I do.”

“You don’t,” Aaron repeated, leaning across Verity to look at Callum directly.

Callum swallowed his fear and nodded. “I do. You saved my life.”

The words left his mouth like a hushed prayer and the tightness in his muscles abated immediately with the confession so he kept talking.

“I don’t know what would have happened if you hadn’t come outside to look for me.” He looked at Verity, who closed their eyes tightly and shook their head.

“And you,” he said to Aaron. “I didn’t…”

Callum sniffled and blinked back tears. Jack reached forward and grabbed his hand, concern and worry and pride laced through the touch.

“I didn’t see what happened,” Callum continued, “but I know what you did. I know you stopped those guys. I know you saved my life. Keith’s life.”

“I did what anyone would do,” Aaron whispered roughly.

Callum looked at Jack. “I woke up in Verity’s arms. They had me and Keith both. Sitting in the dirt and then the ambulance showed up and the cops.”

Callum could see on Jack’s face he’d been dying to know what had happened that morning at the club, and he was so appreciative Jack hadn’t pushed him on the details. He didn’t want to talk about it before and he didn’t even really want to talk about it now, but he needed to acknowledge what his two friends had done for him.

“I found them outside. Keith was…still being attacked. Aaron fought the men. Subdued them until the cops came.”

“You what?” Jack asked, his head snapping toward Aaron.

Aaron scratched the side of his arm and Verity reached for his hand, squeezing it and offering a reassuring smile.

“I did what anyone else would do,” Aaron repeated, noticeably uncomfortable with the attention.

“It doesn’t need to be relived,” Callum said quietly, his voice directed at Jack.

“No, it doesn’t,” Verity whispered, a tremor in their voice.

“Verity,” Callum coaxed their attention. “Look at me.”

Verity shifted their attention to Callum, obviously not wanting to look at his face. Callum repeated their name until they looked at him, eyes wet with unshed tears.

“I’m here. I’m fine. I’m both of those things because of you, okay?”

“Alright,” they breathed.

“This will go away.” Callum gestured to his face, the fading yellow bruise over his eye. “I’m here. I’m alive, okay? Keith is alive. Because the two of you. So, thank you, okay?”

“Okay,” Verity agreed, their voice a little surer than before.

“And we don’t need to talk about it anymore. Unless there’s a trial. And even then, just in court. I don’t want this to be who I am to you,” he pleaded. “I just want everyone to stop treating me different than they did before. I want you to keep snarking, and I want Aaron to keep being jealous of everyone you know, and I want Jack to fuck me again. I just want everything to go back to normal.”

He raised his voice and let out an exasperated cry of frustration, knotting his fingers in his hair and lowering his forehead to his knees. A soft hand landed on his back, stroking a smooth and reassuring line up and down his spine. He trembled and muffled a cry between his legs.

Jack fell to the floor, sliding off the coffee table and using his head to bump his way against Callum’s face. He pressed their cheeks together and laid a half-kiss against his mouth.

“I’m sorry,” Jack whispered against his face, kissing the trail of tears that had escaped his lashes. Jack’s lips caused the bruise below his eye to ache, but instead of wincing away, he leaned into it, hopeless against the fact that the pain grounded him in a way he’d come to need.

He turned his face and slanted his lips over Jack’s, trying to explain what he needed using only the muscles of his mouth. He cupped his hand around Jack’s neck and held him in place, devouring his mouth urgently, his tongue diving and exploring his depths. Callum didn’t care they weren’t alone. He needed his Daddy, and he needed his Daddy to need him—the way he used to.

“I’m sorry,” Jack said again, putting the smallest amount of space between them. “I’ll make it up to you.” He rolled their foreheads together while they caught their breath. It was then Callum recognized the gentle weight of Verity’s hand still on his back. It tingled in an unexpected way and he sat up, searching out Verity’s eyes, his bright red cheeks on display.

Verity smiled at him and swiped a finger across his cheek before standing and straightening the legs of their pants.

“Well, if you want to be treated normally, then you can come back to work on Friday, yeah?” they said.

Aaron stood up and wrapped his fingers around the curve of Verity’s shoulders. “He’s still in a brace,” he said with a chuckle.

“Normal people come to work,” Verity said firmly. “I’ll help him.”

Tears welled in the backs of Callum’s eyes again, immeasurably appreciative for this other gift Verity was now giving him—taking on more work for themself so Callum could return to normal. They all knew he couldn’t do his full duties, but there had to be some drinks he could serve with one hand. Things he could manage.

“Thank you,” Callum said again, not sure he’d ever be able to say it enough.

Jack grabbed his knees and squeezed, standing and following Verity and Aaron toward the door.

“Verity,” he muttered.

In lieu of a reply, Verity reached for Jack and wrapped him in their arms, clapping their hand against his back a few times, holding him close.

“Okay?” they asked.

Jack reached for Aaron, wrapping him in a hug much like the one he’d just received from Verity. Aaron reciprocated it, if not somewhat awkwardly, although finally relaxing into the affection just before Jack separated their bodies.

Callum stayed on the couch while Jack closed the door and locked it. He stared at the wood a moment before turning to Callum with a small smile.

“Now, kitten, we have plans.”