Page 99 of A Thousand Cuts

He wasn’t losing Liam. Not when he’d only just found him. Not when he made the world so much brighter and more beautiful just by being in it.

Fix would figure this out. He’d…well, he’d fix it. It was what he did.

He entered his room slowly, quietly, taking in the sight of Liam still cuddled up with his arms wrapped around King, who was snoring softly. He didn’t want to disturb this. He didn’t want to take away the peace Liam was finally wrapped in.

But he had no choice.

Steeling himself, he walked to the bed, sitting down on the edge and leaning closer to run his fingers over Liam’s slack cheek.

“Honey,” he called, voice barely above whisper.

Liam stirred and nuzzled Fix’s hand but didn’t wake. Fix leaned down to place a kiss on his forehead.

Liam scrunched up his eyebrows and the corners of his lips pulled up. He was awake.

“Cheeky boy,” he said with a smile, and Liam cracked his eyes open.

“’M not,” he said, voice rough.

“Playing games with Daddy,” Fix said.

Liam rolled closer, dislodging King, who growled and glared at Fix before going back to sleep. He threw his arm over Fix’s lap and hid his face in his thigh.

“You were gone?” he mumbled.

Fix ran a hand down his back, feeling each vertebra under his fingertips. He counted them to settle his mind.

“I had to talk to Black,” he said and felt Liam stiffen under his touch. Clearly Black was still on Liam’s shit list. “He helped me figure something out.”

“Oh?” Liam asked, still buried in Fix’s leg. Fix looked up at the ceiling, looking for strength before proceeding.

“Can you sit up, please?” Fix asked. “I have something to tell you.”

Liam sprang up like he’d been burned, trying to move away from Fix, his eyes wide and his walls already lifting around him.

“No, no.” Fix shook his head. “Come here.”

He hoisted himself up on the bed, back against the headboard, and pulled Liam into his arms, blanket and all. He wrapped himself around him protectively, kissing the top of his head.

“I need you to tell me which platform you’re using to stream and your username,” he said.

“Why?” Liam asked. “Changed your mind about watching?”

“No, no I didn’t. I have the real thing and it’s all I need.”

“Why then?”

Fix sighed, pulling his phone out. “Can you give that to me first?”

Liam nodded, rattling off the name of the website and his username. Fix sent the information to Morgan then dropped his phone on the bed.

“I want you to listen to Daddy, Liam,” he said. “And I want you to keep in mind that I won’t let anyone or anything hurt you again, okay?”

“Fix,” Liam said before pausing. “Daddy, you’re scaring me.”

“I know, honey. I’m doing my best not to, but apparently it’s not working.”

“Just say it.” Liam clenched his jaw. “I can handle it.”