Water On Fire [MileApo | mxm]

15

Apo is going to France as a special guest at the Dior Womenswear show during Paris Fashion Week, without Mile.

"First you, now me," Apo sulks.

Mile grits his teeth. In his own experience, Paris wasn't fun without Apo. Apo's the one who really wanted to go to Paris, see the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower. Apo's the fun one.

"I know. I'm gonna snap pretty fucking soon. This is the last time we do Dior individually, or I start drafting the nasty kind of paperwork."

"Don't make promises you can't-"

"Oh, I can do whatever I want. You should know that by now."

Apo's knuckles brush against Mile's. He's still wearing the vintage Maltese cross ring Mile bought him to ward off flirty women. Of course, it means nothing when they've never even discussed exclusivity in their relationship.

"After this," Mile implores, "wherever you go, you will go with me."

"I'm really gonna miss you," Apo laments. Mile wishes he'd been more expressive, kissed Apo goodnight rather than just staying up all night with his sheet music and coming to bed around three in the morning. He wishes he could break down the dam in his throat, say I love you more.

"Pond is gonna take good care of you for me, okay?"

"What about the time difference? I know you always stay up waiting for my calls."

"I might actually get some sleep," Mile says, tongue-in-cheek.

"Mile..." Apo swipes half-heartedly at his bicep.

"I'll stay up," Mile promises. "I'll be five hours ahead, but I'd rather lose five hours of sleep than all of it, tossing and turning and wondering how you are."

"Maybe I shouldn't go..." Apo frets.

"Are you kidding? You can't back out now. You have to go. You need to do this for yourself. This will be good, trust me. And next time, we do it together. I promise."

"I love you."

"I love you, too."

Mile presses their foreheads together briefly. He shouldn't. This thing between them is the only private thing they have left for themselves. Everything else is public knowledge. Neither is ready for it to make headlines today.

"Uh... Do I even exist?" Suddenly, Mile remembers that Pond and the others are still standing there.

"Take care of him." He turns to Apo's new charge, lowering his voice. "He's like the fucking...penguin from Happy Feet, okay? It's a problem."

Pond nods sagely.

"On the topic of Apo. Anything you wanna tell me, or..?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Mile mutters stoically.