OTA

[willysilver]

Beltane was fast approaching. Beltane heralded the season of war. But of late Will's skin had begun to crawl. Magic he was familiar with, magic he had not felt for many years, magic strong and dark haunted him. It was not the strange magic of the Trooping fae that Fin possessed. No, this was familiar.

An old foe.

It wasn't simply a matter of the Unseelie whom Will and his brothers would battle and defeat, as was tradition. This was something he'd defeated with great cost long ago.

The Milesian.

He was keen and watchful as he knew they prowled the Earth. Somehow they had come back from banishment. And the strength of them had grown. Will knew the battle this year would be so much more weighty. There would be no need for a mortal on the field against the Milesian. They came from the Land of the Dead and would take as many lives as they could, fae and mortal alike. Today Will had heard tell of several people dead in the tube. Of course the authorities had their theories and suspicions, but Will knew. He just knew and so tonight with the initial investigation wrapped up he gathered his strength and descended into the tube stop. Magic crackled in the air. Dark magic. Dark as could be.

He reached for the neck of his guitar on his back and to those who could see such things his hand closed around the hilt of a broadsword. A few people waited for the train and Willy wasn't about to let them meet the same fate as the earlier travelers. Those hadn't been killed so much as claimed.

The Daoine Sidhe prince wasnt about to let his city fall to the enemy. Not even if he had to defend it all by himself.

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[willysilver]

He shed his jacket, letting it drop to the floor. Then he peeled off his shirt and practically fell into bed. The wound was deep but a clean cut. Blood stained his pale skin and all around the edges of the wound were tendrils as black as the blade which had sunk in.

"I would like that. Earl Grey with milk and honey," he said, closing his eyes.

[prince_of_nymphs]

"Healing first, then tea," Fin said softly, his hand unsure as it moved over the wound- Just barely touching. He'd done this before, for House, but he'd never dealt with an open wound like this. ...This was new.

"I don't know if this will hurt or not, Will. I'm sorry," he said, offering his free hand for the fae to hold as he began.

[willysilver]

It stung and it itched, but it didn't hurt. Not as much as receiving the wound had. He held Fin's hand and breathed slowly as the young fae worked his magic. The wound closed and all that was left was the blood on his skin and the black tendrils radiating from a line of now perfect flesh.

"You could not hurt me," Willy said, eyes still closed. "Not even if you tried, I think."

[prince_of_nymphs]

"No?" Fin asked, leaning over and pressing a kiss to Will's forehead once the wound was shut. "...No, I suppose not."

Sitting up, he stroked Will's hair and sighed. "Stay here, I'm going to get you that tea. Maybe some toast and a runny egg too?" he offered, voice low and gentle as he gave the fae's hand a soft squeeze.

[willysilver]

"Do not go to such trouble. Tea, I think, and you back here to be close. I am so weary..."

He could ot recall the last time doing battle had made him so tired. Likely, he thought, he was simply crashing after the thrill of it all.

[prince_of_nymphs]

"It's no trouble," Fin insisted, already set on feeding the fae. "I promise I'll be back before you have time to miss me."

True to his word, he wasn't gone long at all, returning with a hot cup of tea and a simple poached egg atop a thick slice of toast.

"Here we are," he said, getting out the little table he sometimes used when he was writing in bed. "Just sit up a little," he added, setting it all out for the fae before sitting down beside him.

[willysilver]

Wily had drifted off, but woke when Fin spoke. With some effort he managed to sit up. The egg smelled wonderful but first he took the tea.

"Thank you," he said softly. Something he hardly ever said.

[prince_of_nymphs]

The words didn't effect Fin the way they did Will, but he was still surprised to hear them.

"...No reason to. I'll always be at your side," he promised, leaning over and kissing Will's cheek. "I love you, Will. I'll always fight with you, and I'll always look out for you."

[willysilver]

"You are so kind to me. I love you, yes? I love you very much, Finlay."

He said it so calmly, but the weight of the sentiment was like a stone. In this moment Willy needed Fin to understand that he meant it. How he had been so blind before amazed him. How he could not see Fin as an equal then made him a bit ill. Every day he woke up with Fin close by was a day he treasured.

[prince_of_nymphs]

"Shh, I know. I know, Will. Come on, eat up. You look so worn down, Will. Let me just take care of you today," he murmured.

[willysilver]

He sipped his tea once more, then put it down to take up a fork to mash the egg into the bread. Steam rose and he watched it for a long moment.

"When I was small my brothers and I used to raid birds' nests and eat the eggs raw," he said. "I always think of that when I have a runny egg."

[prince_of_nymphs]

"Yeah?" Fin asked, stroking Will's hair while he listened. "Do you miss your brothers?"

[willysilver]

"Sometimes I miss being young, and with them. But not now. Not grown," he said before taking a bite.

[prince_of_nymphs]

"Because you're different now?" Fin asked curiously, settling against Will while he ate.

[willysilver]

"I have always been different," Willy replied. He took another bite and thought about that for a moment before he swallowed. "When I was old enough to leave, I did. And I have never regretted it."

[prince_of_nymphs]

"You're still caught up in their wars and battles though," Fin said softly.

[willysilver]

"Perhaps that is why I choose to remain here and not with my kind," he said with a bitter huff of a laugh. He took the last bite and savoured it slowly.

"I fear the war in June will not be so straightforward as it has been in years past. Against the Milesian there need not be a mortal on the field. There need not even be a field."

[prince_of_nymphs]

Slipping an arm around Will, Fin rested his head on the other Fae's shoulder.

"Whatever comes, you've got me. I'll be right here, Will."

[willysilver]

Willy leaned against him in return, resting his chin on top of Fin's head. The fae took a breath and exhaled before pressing a kiss to Fin's hair.

"I cannot express to you how dangerous this may become," he warned.

[prince_of_nymphs]

"Our whole world is dangerous," Fin said gently. "I'm ready, Will. I can handle it- And I wont let you do this alone," he added, reaching over and taking the other fae's hand in his.

[willysilver]

He held Fin's hand and something inside him swelled. It was almost overwhelming and for a long moment it choked off his throat and he felt as if he couldn't get a breath.

Willy moved so that he could look at Fin for a moment, then kissed him tenderly.

"I cannot possibly deserve this loyalty, but I appreciate it, my love," he said softly.

[prince_of_nymphs]

"You don't have to deserve it to get it, Will," Fin shrugged.

[willysilver]

"I should think that many of your friends disagree," he said, leaning even heavier against Fin. He was so weary. So weary. And Fin was so solid and warm and in this moment so very strong.

[prince_of_nymphs]

"They do," Fin said honestly. "Staying with you- I know it's turned a lot of people away from me. Sunny wont discuss matters of the heart with me at all, which... It stings. It makes me wonder if she respects me at all, and that in turn makes it hard to be around her. Other people look at me with pity, or like I'm a fool. ...For so many people it's black and white, you did wrong and I should leave- That's how they see it."

The young fae was silent for a long moment, then sighed softly. "I know what you did was unforgivable to most, but I also understand you in ways I don't think they can. I know, on some level, you genuinely didn't know it was wrong. ...And that doesn't make it excusable, but you- I see you trying. I see you learning and growing. I hear you struggling with what you thought you knew and what you now understand. The point of punishment isn't to damn someone forever though, it's to teach them right and wrong, to push them to grow. I left, and that was the only way I could punish you, and you learned from that. You grew. You changed. ...That doesn't deserve reward, but it does deserve recognition, and in my eyes, it earns you another try. You suffered, maybe not enough in the eyes of some, but enough that it provoked change in you. ...That's important, Will. Don't let anyone take that from you."

[willysilver]

Will listened to every word. Fin's gentle explanation filled him with hope and regret in equal measure. He ruminated, not for the first time, on what a mess he had made. All because he'd been too self involved, all because he'd thought of Fin as...as less than.

He sighed, eyes closed. Then he moved away from Fin to lie down again.

"I hardly think I am worthy of you, Finlay. You are a better man than any I've met. A better fae than I have ever known as well."

He moved to stretch out and regretted it. The black tendrils around the site of his wound had begun to throb.