Disaster
"It has to be perfect." He said as he looked at his list. Everything looked easy enough. He'd seen his mother do it a million times over the years. He could so totally do this. Maybe. Probably not. But he was going to try, damnit! Zach shooed the raptors outside and started on dinner. He had exactly two hours before Owen got out of his meeting. And honestly, who schedules a board meeting the day of Christmas? Sometimes even aunt Claire out-Claire's herself.
But from the second he started, everything went wrong. He misplaced the ham or else one of the raptors had stolen it. He caught a pan on fire and melted out the bottom. He'd knocked the carton of eggs off the counter and cracked every single one. He spilled the green beans all over the floor. The potatoes came out black. The rolls were still frozen. And the entire tiny trailer was filled with smoke.
The door suddenly burst open and Owen ran inside. "Zach?" He called frantically, looking through the smoke.
Zach was standing by a window, using a cookie sheet to attempt to fan the smoke out. "I'm sorry, O." He said as he coughed.
Owen dashed over to him and wrenched the pan away. He dropped it on the floor and grabbed Zach. He picked the younger man up off his feet and ran out the door. The raptors were standing at the bottom of the stairs as he set Zach down. "All that smoke and you guys didn't stop him? I don't care if he told you to stay outside!"
Zach coughed and wavered on his feet for a moment before grabbing Owen's arm. He shook himself and breathed in deeply. "I'm fine." He said and shook his head. "Don't yell at them!"
Owen turned towards him. "What were you doing?"
"Trying to cook dinner for you." Zach said blankly.
"When you catch the kitchen on fire, Zach, you need to stop. Hell, you should have stopped long before then."
Zach sighed and wrenched his arm away. He crossed them and pouted. "I just wanted to surprise you and make it special."
Owen grabbed Zach and hugged him against him. "I just need you, babe. That's all I need for Christmas."
Zach smiled and melted against him. "Okay fine, you big sap."
There was a squeal behind them.
Owen pulled away from Zach and they both looked down at the girls. "Well duh, you need you guys. Now come on, let's go get something to eat. I'm starving and we aren't going back in there for a while."