“No, I won’t be.”

Daniel whimpers. “The first moment I saw you, I couldn’t believe you were going to be mine. Even if it was just a few days. I don’t want you to be sad; I want to make you happy.”

He turns his head, kissing Daniel’s palm. “You’re the sweetest boy I’ve ever met, Daniel. You have no idea how much I’ve missed you,” he says, and Daniel gasps, wiping away the tears he can feel against his hand.

“Daddy, no.”

Liam lets his teeth close on the rise of flesh below Daniel’s thumb. Daniel goes weak against him, his free hand sliding over the front of Liam’s jeans, trying to feel his erection.

“I’m suppressed, sweetheart.”

“Oh.” He doesn’t even try to hide how disappointed he is by the news. “How long?”

“Hours, honey. You are too.”

Daniel frowns. “That doesn’t mean I don’t want it. I guess it’s easier for me, I just have to take it.”

“You want to?” Liam asks, but he thinks he knows the answer.

“Of course I do. I still… well, I think I’ll always feel like I’m yours. But it’s been so long, maybe you don’t feel the same? Maybe that’s why you’re not⁠—”

“No,” he cuts in, voice firm. “I was ready to build a life around you, and suddenly you were gone from me. I was told you were dead, baby. Gone from me forever, and I—” He can hardly say the words. “I had just gotten you. Losing you broke me. I don’t know who I am now. I’ve forgotten. So much so that I took my suppressants today, even though I was going to see you, because I thought I should—I thought I should give you a chance to say no. Find someone else if that was what you wanted.” It’s a horrible confession of his willingness to let him go when that is the last thing Daniel would have wanted.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry I’ve done so badly when you deserve everything.”

Daniel puts a hand on his arm. “You know that it’s like I saw you yesterday, right? I left you and went straight to the facility where they put me under and I was just asleep. Except that apparently three years have passed, and my father is dead. I don’t know who I’d be if I had to live for three years without you, to wake up every morning and try to live. I don’t think I would have made it.”

“It hasn’t been easy. I know you can see it.”