Loving the Fighter

107

Jax's POV

So it turns out, I can't wrap anything very well.

I had been trying to figure out how I was going to wrap Ryder's present all day but after my first three attempts I decided to just throw it in a gift bag and call it good enough.

Carter was still worried about whether or not Liam would like his present but at least he managed to wrap his up decently. He had offered to wrap mine as well but it was too late now, it was already in that stupid bag and that's where it was going to stay for a few more hours until Ryder decided to open it.

It was already Christmas Eve and while I remember opening presents on Christmas Eve, apparently that's not how you're supposed to do it so Ryder made a comprise with me. He said we could do it at midnight that way we still get to open them soon but it will technically be Christmas day.

"Are you excited," Ryder asked as he curled up against my side.

"About the fact that we are cuddling or that we get to open presents in a few hours?"

"Both."

"Then yes," I said as I placed a kiss on his forehead.

"You two are so cute," Callum said from the bathroom doorway. "You got room for one more in that bed," he asked even though he was already walking closer to the bed.

"I don't know the bed is pretty crowded." Callum only rolled his eyes as he laid down on Liam's side, who was currently at therapy.

Apparently his new prescription for anxiety isn't working like it used to and he needed to get it fixed soon before he had an anxiety attack. We had asked if he wanted us to come with him but he said no. He thinks the only reason it's this bad is because he misses his old boss.

"Do you think Liam will be back soon? It's starting to get late," I note as I looked over at the clock. It was already 11:30. I'm surprised Andrew actually stayed that late.

"I don't know," Callum says after a few minutes.

"Why is Andrew even still here? Doesn't he have places to be too?"

"Most therapists stay late on big holidays in case something triggers anyone too bad. Some of them might just sleep in their offices in case someone needs them."

That was a little weird to me but I only hummed as the door swung open. Liam's face was red and puffy but my eyes went to wrists, which looked like they were about to start bleeding with how hard he had scratching them.

"Hey what happened," Callum asked as he inched off the bed and over to Liam.

"Just a small panic attack. I'm okay," he said but didn't push Callum away when he wrapped his arms around Liam's waist.

"What can we do to make it better," I asked from the bed. I didn't want to move in case I freaked him out.

"I just want to open presents," he said with a frown as he pulled away from Callum before wiping his eyes one more time.

"Well on the bright side, we have plenty of presents to open," Ryder said as he jumped off the bed and over to his bed, where we had been storing everything.

Once presents were handed out to everyone we all found a spot on the big bed, looking between everyone to see who wanted to go first.

"Go ahead Liam," I say as I let Carter front so he could see Liam's reaction a bit better.

I watched from the couch as Liam tore open the paper with a small grin. When he saw what Carter had given him the grin grew to an all out smile.

It took Carter several hours and a favor from Patrick but after a while he managed to find a signed, collectors edition copy of The Fault in Our Stars, after Liam admitted it was one of his guilty pleasures.