Short Stories :thumbs up:

what a reunion (recovered)

(Authors note: I think everyone in this story needs therapy. On another note it says recovered in the title cause I accidentally deleted the whole thing. That sucked ass. (Levi is not my character, he's a friends))

Maybe this whole search was a bust. Milo's been missing for two years then suddenly someone in Splatsville claims they saw him in the plaza? Bullshit. Levi's been searching since his flight landed two weeks ago, and frankly he's exhausted. It's late. He's had no luck. Levi turns and starts his walk back to the hotel, considering just cutting his losses and going home. Then, something catches his eye, something distinct. He turns to look.

Those stripes on his tentacles, like a clownfish. It was Milo, it had to be. His heart was racing and without really thinking, rushed over and grabbed his shoulder.

Before he could get a word out, Levi was swiftly and roughly shoved against a wall. Something sharp pressed against his neck while he was still trying to wrap his head around what was happening. Finally it clicked that Milo had a knife to his throat.
     Oh... but wow, it really was him. He was wearing his hair differently, and missing a tentacle or two. He also had a few new scars. However, despite the mask covering most of his face, he could still clearly see the faint freckles littered over his face and neck, and those piercing silver eyes. It couldn't be anyone else. The knife to his throat snapped him out of his awe and he yelped, his arms raised as much as they could.

     "Milo! Milo it's me, Levi!" Milo's scowl flickered to recognition. He loosened his grip on the knife just enough for it not to cut, but still leaving it to be one swift press away from slitting one's throat.
     "What the hell are you doing here?"
     "I was looking for you!"
     "And how did you know to find me here?"
     "Someone posted a picture of you and-"
     "How did you recognize me??"
     "...seriously?"
     Milo's ear twitched at the response, scowling once again.
     "What do you mean seriously?"
     "Either you really suck at hiding, or you didn't notice the pattern on your tentacles."
     "I didn't notice the pattern on my- FUCK!"
     Almost immediately his tentacles shifted to a pale pink, the stripes fading out in sync. Despite the circumstances Levi couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity.
     "Did you really not notice dude?"
     "Need I remind you of the situation you are in!?" He pushed the blade back closer to Levi's neck, earning a frantic apology. Milo held his glare.
     "Did you tell anyone you found me?"
     "No, no I forgot to report to Cruz when I-"
     Suddenly, he heard a clink. The knife was on the floor, and Milo had taken a few steps back. He was pale and looked shocked.
    "Milo?"
    "You're working with Cruz?"
    "He said he wanted to find you-"
    "SO HE CAN KILL ME LEVI! God, think for a second!"
    "But he said he was just worried about you and-"
    "And you believed him!? He bit off my fucking arm!" He wildly gestured to his left arm, which Levi just now noticed is made of steel, tubes running from the palm to the shoulder.

     Levi froze. He didn't know that.

     "Are- Are you serious?"

     The look on Milo's face was incredulous, nearing comical disbelief.

     "OBVIOUSLY, DUMBASS. WHO ELSE COULD'VE DONE THAT?"

     "I... god I'm fucking stupid."

     "Yeah no shit. Maybe if you looked at it more than a few seconds, or hell, maybe if you just let me fucking explain instead going on a rant about how much it would cost to fucking fix while I was BLEEDING OUT."

     The lack of a knife to Levi's throat pushed him back to his typical, cocky, attitude. "God, you never move on, always hung up on the past and just as immature as you were two years ago."

    "...Wow. Wow. Showing up just to what, pull this? Seriously? No, not happening. Not again. Bye." Milo starts to walk off, Levi tries to follow, reaching out to grip his shirt.

     "Oh no. You're not getting away now, you've been missing for tw-"

     Milo's robotic arm shifted, accompanied by whirring and clicking until it resembled more of a gun than a hand. And it was pointed directly at Levi. The octoling immediately stuttered over his words before falling dead quiet. Milo held a very intense glare.

     "Watch me. Watch me get away and fucking weep. Or alternatively, make false move and you'll die right here, right now instead."

      "You wouldn't." Levi choked out, still gripping his shirt. Milo cocked an eyebrow, amused.

      "Are you sure?"

      "You wouldn't. It'd haunt you too much to do it, you'd think about it everyday of your l-" Milo cut him off with a long, exaggerated, and incredibly fake yawn.

     "Man you never shut up do you?" Milo honestly looked like he was about to laugh, gun still lazily pointed directly at Levi's stomach. Levi's mouth felt dry, for once he couldn't respond. He let Milo's shirt drop out of his hand and Milo let out a noncommittal hum, tilting his head a little before letting the gun fall back to his side. It shifted back to the arm it was before, and he lifted it to flatten his shirt back into place.

     "I'd say it was nice seeing you again but, well, it's been less than pleasant." Milo rolled his shoulder slightly and turned on his heel to leave. Levi eventually found his voice again;

    "Milo I'm sorry."

     "Yeah, the hell you are." Milo kept his stride, moving almost out of sight. Levi voice wavered as he spoke.

     "No- no really I'm sorry. I'm sorry for not taking you seriously, I'm sorry for being a major asshole, I'm sorry for not listening. I'll do anything for you to forgive me." Milo stopped. He turned, barely, to stare Levi down. Levi had completely switched tones. The bastard was practically on his knees looking at him so expectantly. It was pathetic.

     "...Do you really mean that?"

     "Yes, with all my heart." Milo thought for a moment, the faint hum of nearby neon signs filled the silence that ate away at Levi.

     "Then do me a favor."

     "Anything. Please."

     "Fuck off. Take a plane, drive a car, swan dive into the sea and fucking swim for all I care. Just get as far away from me as you can because if I see you one more time I promise that I will not spare your sorry ass again." With that Milo turned the corner, leaving Levi defeated. Eventually he stood back up and walked over to a nearby chair before slumping down, sigh devolving into more of a depressing moan.

      "I really blew it didn't I. That couldn't have gone worse." He pinched the brim of his nose, "First time I see him in years and I pull the same fucking shit I always did. No wonder." He sat there, nearly chuckling at just how astronomical this fuckup is. He leaned back as far into the flimsy metal chair as he could, staring up at the sky.

      The light pollution was better here. Or worse. Whatever the term is. He could see the stars behind big sullen clouds. Tiny little pinpricks in the sky. He remembers Milo talking about them. Excitedly droning on about their size and power, their planets and the constellations they make up. He also remembers dismissing it, cracking a joke. He vividly remembers how his smile faltered. He missed that smile. He wished he could see it again. He wished he could be on one of those pinprick stars; burning, millions of lightyears away. He wished Milo saw him, and left him there to burn.

     His little pity party was cut short by his phone buzzing, his stomach turned reading the name.

     Cruz. Asking if he had found Milo.

     He can't believe he just so blindly trusted him, taking every word he said as absolute fact. Did he forget who this was? Cruz almost killed one of his clients, he's surprised Milo got away with a missing arm. Levi squeezed his eyes shut, taking a deep shaky sigh, then read Cruz' message again;

     "Any sign of him?" Levi stared the message for a minute or two, then responded.

     "No. If he was here before, he's not here now."