Chapter 16: Apologies
"What's your brilliant idea that I will absolutely adore?" London retorted sarcastically, already hating were the conversation was going.
"You said that we can't remove the necklaces because the crazy witches will be able to track us, so technically neither your husbands can and they are not picking up the phone. Why don't we just visit any random witch and ask them to make a portal for us so we can go back home?" He suggested enthusiastically, his smile was spreading from ear to ear and his body could barely stay still as he shifted his weight on the bed; in overall, he looked like he just discovered the solution for world hunger.
"Are you naturally stupid or is it a personal effort you're putting there?" London's cold response came soon, crushing Milo's sweet victory and stealing the lights.
"First of all, witches and warlocks are not your fucking Uber. Not all of them are strong enough to create portals, especially ones that go that far... Even if, I doubt a powerful witch or warlo-..." London was cut mid rant when an idea popped into his head. "Actually, I take that back Milo, you're a fucking genius!!"
Milo looked at the older with knitted eyebrows and utter confusion, he had a very hard time keeping up with the fae's constant mood swings.
"You really should make up your mind..." Milo started to talk, ready to roast the indecisive man when he got interrupted.
"No no no, Milo, for once you weren't useless. I know someone in town powerful enough to help us." London beamed at his human companion who started to look skeptical of his own plan.
"Then... What are we waiting for?" Milo muttered reluctantly as he eyed London up and down.
London stopped pacing around the room at once and smirked while signaling to the door. "Let's go..."
-
After the two guys freshened up in the bathroom, they thanked their hosts for the night and Milo finally got a pair of shoes which he burrowed from Harold. London couldn't help the amused smile from playing on his plump lips as he watched the human swim in much bigger shoes, struggling to keep up by his side.
"Quit staring, freak." Milo huffed as they exited the restaurant with a fifty dollar bill burrowed from the old couple.
"You are just so small..." London carried on with his teasing as they walked down the packed streets.
It was past 5p.m, the streets that were once empty, had no space left on the sidewalk. People were rushing in every sense, others were walking slowly or in groups. The noise was coming from every side and the cars were honking every now and then.
Just as Milo looked up to give the annoying man a sassy reply, someone knocked his shoulder, almost sending him to the ground but London was quick to catch his waist, preventing the fall.
"Fucking watch out," London's playful mood dispersed as he hissed at the young man who walked into Milo.
The poor guy was almost shaking with his eyes bulging out and his mouth opening and closing like a fish in the water.
Milo's eyes squinted in confusion as he stared at the interaction. London however, didn't catch up on it. He kept his arm around the human's waist and dragged him away from the frightened passerby.
"What was that?" Milo whisper shouted, allowing the older to drag him along like a doll.
"He almost knocked you over... " London snapped, his grip on Milo's waist getting tighter.
"Ok, but ouch, let me go. I can walk alone." Milo complained, struggling to get away from the fairy's death grip.
"Apparently you can't," London's jaw tightened, putting his perfect jaw at display and making Milo feel a little bit more intimidated.
The cold look on his face told Milo that it was better if he didn't debate with him. Milo didn't doubt that he could win this argument but he decided to pick his battles, if he were to argue on every little thing, he knew he won't get anywhere. London was very stubborn but seeing the protective side of his was heartwarming.
Quit daydreaming, he is only being protective of you because you are carrying his magic.
Milo internally groaned at his inner thoughts but he knew it was correct. The overprotective attitude London was displaying didn't come from an affectionate cause. He simply wanted him alive and well so he can get his magic back, sooner than later.
Not to mention that either way, London or Toby would be killing him by the end of the week.
"Why are you frowning like that?" London sounded pissed, interrupting Milo's thoughts once again.
"Nothing..." The human mumbled softly while looking at the different buildings.
"Well it doesn't look like nothing..." The taller man insisted, seeing the human frown annoyed him, what reason could he have to be upset?
"I'm just thinking..." All Milo's vague response did was fuel London's curiosity.
"About what?" The later insisted.
"Do you think death is lonely?" Milo replied after a long silence of contemplating the sky as they walked.
"Why the weird question?"
"I don't know... I just... I have been alone since I can remember, I don't want to be alone in my death as well." He explained and felt his companion stop by his side.
"I never experienced death, so I can't know for sure..." London's tone changed greatly as he turned Milo's body to face his.
"I'm sorry..." Milo whispered vaguely but soon continued talking upon noticing the confusion on London's eyes. "I'm sorry for walking into your lives and destroying your relationship. I didn't really have a choice... My brothers, they're all I have, I couldn't lose them and I didn't mean for Toby to mark me." He ranted, not breaking eye contact for a second.
"I really wish I could turn back time and do things differently, I didn't mean to ruin your relationship and for that, I'm eternally s-" Milo's rambling was interrupted by a pair of very plump lips crushing on his.
His hazel eyes doubled in size when a warm hand landed on his cheek, cupping it gently to deepen the kiss. A very strong arm secured his waist, pulling him chest to chest with the taller man. Milo's smaller hands trembled as he held into London's shirt.
"You talk too much." London's breath caressed the human's face softly as he spoke into his mouth.
For an instance, Milo thought he was hallucinating, but the gentle bite on his lips brought him back to reality. He didn't get time to react to the kiss before London pulled back, a victorious smile adorning his lips.
"Who do you think you are?" Milo laughed humourlessly, tears welling in his eyes after London broke the kiss and started dragging him along. "Who the fuck do you think you are?" He repeated with a scream and launched at the man who took him for granted.
His relatively smaller hands were balled into fists as he started hitting the taller's chest with all his might but failed to make him budge.
"What the he-" London's confusion was written all over his features, he couldn't understand what was going on until Milo spoke again, this time with much more anger and hatred laced to his tone.
"How fucking dare you treat me like you care and kissing me in the middle of the street when you are meant to kill me by the end of the week. How fucking dare you take me for granted and dismiss all my efforts to keep your ass alive..." By that point, Milo had broken into full angry sobs but refused to stop his fruitless hit. "Why do you this? When I just told you how I felt and how scared I am of being lonely..."
Passerbys had stopped to look at the commotion, Milo's voice was loud enough for every mundane and supernatural in the area to hear them. London didn't budge, he stood there like a stone, taking every hit like a simple breeze.
Until that point, he thought of the human as someone weak whose feelings shouldn't be taken into consideration. Yet, seeing and feeling the tiny man's rage made him question his actions. He was right indeed, his actions were cruel, he was smart enough to admit it but he didn't know how to act differently.
"I don't intend to let you die..." London gently whispered when Milo's sobs got stronger, making his words lose all sense. "I'm working on breaking the bond, I don't want to kill you anymore Milo, you are my friend." He continued delicately, taking the smaller's wrists in his much bigger hands and pulling him into his arms.
"Shhhh, it's okay, I'm sorry... I didn't mean to... " Regret was clawing at his stomach walls when the desperate cries overflowed his senses. He never saw the human break down like that.
Milo kept tossing and resisting the older's embrace, hating to admit how comforting it felt but eventually, he gave it. Allowing the reassuring feeling to sink in.
"I won't let anyone hurt you.'' London promised into Milo's ear as he started to calm down.
London was very bad at opening up to strangers, especially a human who threatened to take away his husband but the last twenty four hours they spent together, showed him another side to Milo. He respected him and for his kind, respect was the only currency.
The pair stayed in that position for a while, London holding Milo against his chest, letting him cry his heart out as he whispered reassuring words and apologies into his ear. Eventually, Milo calmed down but was still pissed, pushing the fae away and sniffling his tears away.
"Am I forgiven?" London inquired as he waited anxiously for Milo to dry his tears with the back of his sleeves.
"On one condition..." Milo bargained.
"I'm not sure you are qualified to make deals with me." London smirked and Milo simply rolled his eyes.
"Promise not to kiss me, ever again. Nor act protective over me." He spoke with a serious tone, his hands on his waist as he maintained a straight posture, making the dark fairy wonder how much cuter the little one gets with his red eyes and runny nose.
"Dark fairies tend to break their promises, don't say I didn't warn you." He teased, circling the younger's pinky with his own bigger one.
"Kissing people without their consent is not ok." Milo protested with a frown.
"Not if you own them." London argued with the shorter male, his own understanding of the matter was very different from his folk's.
"Yeah, well luckily, you don't own me." Milo shrugged and started walking again.
"Who says I don't?" London laughed amusingly, making Milo stop dead in his tracks.
"What do you mean?"
"In our community, when you mate someone, you own them, along with everything they own. I own Toby, who for the moment owns you. You belong to us." He explained as he kept walking, not minding the younger's stop.
"Your community sucks." He mumbled under his breathe and started walking again with his hands in his pockets, until he felt an arm drop on his shoulders, bringing him closer to the tall male.
"It doesn't, our community functions like this from the dawn of time. This hierarchy exists in every household but I don't expect you to understand."
"Did you just call me dumb?" Milo's eyebrows were knotting again and London knew he had to correct himself.
"Look, that's the buss station." The fairy perked up at the sight of the station, glad he could evade any further false accusations.
-
After half an hour waiting for the bus and another hour on the road, they finally reached their destination. Milo insisted on playing silly human games to pass the time, which London hated to participate on but eventually complied.
"I can't believe you made me play I spy..." London groaned as they stepped out of the bus.
"Stop acting all butt hurt, you almost ripped my head when you kept messing up."
"That's because you were cheating, I got all of them correct but you refused to admit it." London argued, huffing his chest with annoyance as he took longer strides to calm his adrenaline rush.
"That's so not true, I had your ass back there!" The two of them kept bickering back and forth, debating on who did better, letting their guard down around each other...
Ultimately, not noticing the danger approaching both of them.
-
Another day, another update.
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