Page 136 of A Thousand Cuts

“There are entirely too many shirts for this to be enjoyable. We need more skin,” Morgan said, walking by with a whisk in his hand. It was dripping icing and he was licking it. “Yum.”

“Is that my icing?” Fix asked, trying to poke his head around the arm. “For my boy, made by me to celebrate him?”

Morgan looked up with his tongue wrapped around one of the wires of the whisk. “Maybe.”

“You people are like locusts. I can’t leave you alone for a moment.” Fix dropped the sofa with a thud.

Cane told him to absolutely go fuck himself before dropping the other end and stalking away, Hart hot on his heels, telling him how proud he was of him for putting himself out there and befriending people.

Fix had no idea what befriending Hart was talking about, but sure.

“Did someone mention icing?” A voice came from the open front door, and just like that all of Fix’s irritation evaporated. His lips stretched into a smile at the sight of Liam, backlit by dim daylight and looking so beautiful it hurt.

“Hi, Daddy,” Liam said coyly.

Fix strode toward him, grabbing him around the waist, lifting him up, and spinning him in a circle. Liam’s legs went around his waist instinctively and Fix held him tight, protective and careful around him as always, but it was different now.

Liam was visibly stronger now.

Only once his magic was under control had Fix realized just how much it was taking out of Liam. He looked healthier and more alive now. More alert. His cheeks didn’t look as sunken as before, and the shadows under his eyes were gone. The smile he’d give to Fix, while just as breathtaking as before, now looked brighter. He walked with King and did his job and made his costumes with a joy that hadn’t been there before. Liam was free, both emotionally and from the magic that had been rioting inside him, and Fix found himself falling for him even deeper when he hadn’t thought that was possible.

“Welcome home, honey,” Fix said, leaning in to capture his lips in a kiss, still holding him up.

Liam snuck his fingers into Fix’s beard and returned the kiss, soft mewls leaving his lips as Fix chased his tongue with his own.

“Been home since I met you,” Liam said against his lips, and Fix melted. Liam smiled, hopping out of Fix’s arms and reaching into his bag. “Got you something, Daddy.”

He pulled out a wad of fabric and spread it over his torso, showing it to Fix. It was an apron with the words “Cooking is like sex. Everyone can do it, but only some make it delicious” on it.

“High praise.” Fix took the apron, knowing it would easily become his favorite one.

“Like it?” Liam asked, and Fix leaned down to kiss his lips again.

“I love everything you give me.”

“Gross,” Black said.

Liam snapped his head toward him, glaring.

He liked to pretend he still didn’t like Black but, horrifying as it was, their areas of interest overlapped quite a bit. Fix feared the day they’d announce their BFF status to the world.

“Your face is gross,” Liam bit back. He trailed after Black, who came to stand next to Morgan, eyeing him for a second before snatching the whisk out of his hand and eating the rest of the icing.

“Oh ew, Black,” Ash said as he came back downstairs, sans box but absolutely covered with glitter. “He just licked that.”

“And I licked his balls this morning,” Morgan said just as Wren walked around the side of the porch followed by a gaggle of ducks.

He pulled a face at Morgan before turning to Liam. “King’s with the bunnies. They’ve decided the big scary dog is now a bed.”

“Nice,” Liam said, smile wide as he talked to Wren about his beloved dog.

King had come a long way too. He now liked three people: Liam, Wren, and for whatever reason, Midas. Midas pretended not to care, but the gold collar King had started wearing recently hadn’t appeared out of nowhere.

As for Fix, King still fought him for attention, but there was a respect between them now that had built and couldn’t be broken.

They protected Liam together. Their pack.

“Oh, Liam! Did you get your tattoo done?” Ash asked.