Page 3 of A Thousand Cuts

“The drawers weren’t you?” Fix asked, frowning.

“Nah.” Black got up from his chair and headed for the door. “That is waaaaaay too much work for very little gain. I ain’t about that.”

“Well, who—”

His words were cut off by Black slamming the door to his office shut on his way out. End of conversation.

Fix shook his head.

Brothers.

They’d been a little more unruly as of late. With Hart working out of Cane’s office instead of his own and generally overhauling an underground fight ring into ‘a pleasant working environment,’ the firm, militant, perfectly polished hand of order was absent a lot more. Meaning there were fewer celebrated holidays and PowerPoint presentations, and more uncontained disasters.

Fix wasn’t about to complain though. Hart deserved his hard-won happiness. And the building hadn’t fallen down.

Yet.

A soft squeak caught his attention and he glanced around himself, looking under his desk and over it before another sound had his eyes focusing on the small nook between a large wooden chest of file drawers and the far wall of his office.

Fix stood up from his chair and crossed the short distance to the corner, peeking behind the wooden chest. The sight that greeted him pulled his lips into a gentle smile, and he crouched down next to the chest, steadying himself with his fingers on the floor between his spread knees.

“Watcha got there?” he asked softly.

Wren turned pale blue eyes to him, holding up his cupped palms to show him a handful of tiny, brown-furred creatures squirming around. He was sitting with his back to the wall, stuffed into the corner tightly. A small nest made of old rags was folded right next to his hips.

“Gerbils,” Wren said, thumbs moving soothingly over the tiny creatures. Fix counted four heads, but there could have been more in the little pile.

“Very cute,” Fix said. “How come you’re hiding here though?”

“They escaped their holding cage and tried to burrow into your drawers,” Wren whispered as they started to wiggle in his hands. “I found them and wanted to put everything back as it was, but you came in earlier than I thought, so I just…”

“Took cover and hoped I wouldn’t notice?” Fix finished for him.

Wren quirked a small grin his way. They were few and far between these days, but the sight of this one made Fix instantly forget about any mess.

“Do you have room for them anywhere?”

“Not yet.” Wren cradled the tiny things close to his chest.

“Right.” Fix stood up. “How about we make them nice and comfy in my bottom drawer here, since it’s already empty and they like it so much. You can move them once you find a permanent place for them.”

Wren looked up, the cursemark over his eye glowing even against the fluorescent light in Fix’s office. “Really? You don’t mind?”

“Why not,” he said, reaching down for the makeshift nest. “What’s one more weird thing in this place?”

He walked over to his desk and righted one of the upturned drawers, tucking the nest inside. He plucked a jacket he’d left there a few days ago off the back of his chair, using it to fill the empty space and make a warm and soft spot for the little guys.

“There we go,” he said to Wren, who got up from his corner and shuffled over to inspect Fix’s work.

“That’s nice,” Wren said with a pleased smile, placing the gerbils inside and fluffing the cotton of Fix’s jacket around them with expert hands. They squirmed a bit but settled quite quickly. “I’ll find them a suitable home today.”

Fix gave him a wink. “I don’t mind them paying rent for now.”

Wren giggled and carefully put the drawer back on its runner, closing the gerbils in but leaving a sliver of a gap. “I’ll grab them some food and water and check in on them. They don’t have a set sleeping pattern, so they’ll be up and down.”

Fix nodded. “I’ll yell if they get loose. I’m just doing paperwork today. No cases.”

“Slatehollow must have taken a day off,” Wren mumbled before plopping back onto the floor, legs folded beneath him and his torn jeans showing pale skin.