Page 41 of A Thousand Cuts

Fix sighed and lifted his arm to throw it over Wren’s shoulders. He pulled him close and tucked his head against his neck. Wren wouldn’t stay long. He didn’t like being too close to people. But Fix needed him to know he was there.

“This family will always be a priority, Wren,” Fix said. “I hope you know that.”

Wren stayed silent for a moment, frozen in place and breathing deeply before he wiggled out of Fix’s arms and stood up.

“I don’t need to be a priority,” Wren said quietly, not turning back to look at Fix. “Just…not left behind.”

“Never,” Fix promised, trying to convey all of his heart and conviction.

Wren was silent for a long moment, the breeze teasing through his hair as if trying to coax or comfort. Eventually Wren nodded, just once, then disappeared into the woods.

Fix watched after him, feet wanting to follow but heart knowing Wren needed space. He smiled in relief when Blu fluttered from inside the house, rushing after Wren and perching on his shoulder before he disappeared between the tree trunks.

He pushed the swing a little and kept his eyes trained on the spot where he last saw Wren, mind not exactly present. Itseemed as if Liam was the only thing Fix could truly focus on since he’d found him.

Spending the night patrolling his neighborhood hadn’t helped settle the protective need inside him. If anything, the fact that he’d found nothing made him feel even worse. Because he’d decided to leave when nothing was settled, there were no clear answers and Liam was out there all alone.

Fix had no idea if he was okay, if more curses had popped up, if anyone had dropped off any more gifts for him. He pulled his phone out of his pocket, opening a new text and putting Liam’s contact there before closing it and pocketing his phone again.

Liam had to reach out first.

If he ever did.

He got up from the swing and went back inside, busying himself with laundry and vacuuming, hating slow days for creeping up when he least needed them. Usually he was up to his eyeballs in curses, but now, when his mind needed a distraction the most, the entirety of the casting population of Slatehollow had decided to behave.

“Oh my god, what are you doing?” Morgan’s voice rang through the house as Fix was making lunch.

It was followed by Ash’s unmistakable stomp down the stairs. He rounded the corner to the kitchen, the pile of clothes in his arms covering his face. The bruises from his latest fight were turning a lovely shade of green on his knuckles and arms.

“You said I needed to clean out my wardrobe,” Ash said, voice muffled by the fabric.

Morgan appeared in the kitchen behind him dressed in black overalls with moon designs, his elfin face incredulous.

“I didn’t say you had to set them on fire in your backyard!” Morgan said, looking at Fix as if begging him to talk some sense into Ash. “Fix, tell him.”

“Yes, Daddy, tell me,” Ash mocked.

Fix rolled his eyes. “Don’t call me that. And nobody is setting anything on fire in our backyard. You’ll scare the animals and then Wren will murder you.”

“What am I supposed to do with the clothes then?” Ash dropped the pile to the floor and crossed his arms over his skintight gray shirt that read ‘Sugar Rush.’

“Donate them,” Morgan said, poking him in the side. “Sell them. Pack them in a vacuum bag and put it in your basement. Throw them in the garbage. There are a million options other than setting them on fire.”

“You listed four,” Ash grumbled, pouting with his split lip. “And none of them sound fun.”

“Chores aren’t supposed to be fun, Ash.”

“But we could make them fun! I could make a little cozy fire, we can roast some marshmallows, cuddle up, I can kiss you…”

He sauntered up to Morgan, wrapped his arms around his waist, and began kissing his neck.

“You’re not talking me into sitting next to an open flame,” Morgan said, but there was a breathiness to his voice that told Fix he wasn’t as opposed to it as he wanted to seem.

“A tiny, baby one?” Ash asked, scraping his teeth over Morgan’s neck.

“Okay, enough of that,” Fix said before they hopped up onto the kitchen table and started going at it. He reached into his pocket and pulled a lollipop out. “Ash, take the clothes and put them away.”

“But—”