Milo tilted his head.
“Because I love you.”
WARNING: Internal temperature—
Shut up!Milo screamed at his own sometimes useless insides and programmed responses. At least it ceased further warnings, adapting to his wishes now, because he needed to focus. He wasn’t human. He would never be fully human. Yet in that moment, if he did need to breathe, he wouldn’t have been able to.
The urge to say the words back was so strong, stronger even than the other night after the pie, with twinkling fairy lightsabove them like stars. But as tears filled his eyes and spilled down his cheeks again, Milo had something else to say first. “Then promise me, Rowan, whatever I discover, whatever I decide to do afterward, you will support me.”
Rowan’s handsome face with ginger beard and fine freckles, looked so soft as he answered, “I promise. Even if we end up on the run like fugitives for the rest of our lives… I promise.”
Milo launched himself at Rowan with a tearful kiss, holding him tightly, maybe too tightly, until Rowan had to pull away with a gasp. “Sorry!” Milo held Rowan’s cheeks, fingers digging into his scruff, and said, “I love you, Rowan. For now, let me work.”
When Milo plugged himself in, it was still technically morning. He didn’t enter SLEEP mode for charging, which would double the time needed to reach full power, but that didn’t matter. He remained with his eyes closed, exploiting his continued connection to Ray to access his data Cloud, and with it, Jay’s and everything the current bodyguard bot had access to of Andrew’s.
Constantly having to cover his tracks took a long while, and Milo was unsure where exactly to search. Much of what he sifted through was benign work emails and high society charity invites, which seemed to almost always end up in Andrew’s Trash folder. The deeper things, the private, hidden things, took longer to discover.
It was late, closing in on when Rowan would be getting ready for bed, when Milo sprang his eyes open, having finally found something worth unplugging for.
“Rowan!”
Notes:
THEY SAID IT! And naturally, Andrew is going to prove to be even MORE of a dick than first advertised. Stay tuned!
29
Notes:
More superhero talk in the end notes. Coz I CAN! XD
ROWAN
Having taken a sick day, not wanting to focus another minute on the surge protector—which really, there wasn’t more to do anymore, and Andrew already had access to everything—made Rowan’s day feel like one of the longest on record. While Milo dug for who knew what in Andrew and his bots’ files and personal records, all Rowan could do was listlessly attempt household chores.
Laundry, some light tidying, emptying Spot’s receptacle, and finally catching up on missed messages were about all he could do to be productive.
Ruben: I’m back, bitches! When we going out to belatedly celebrate baby RoRo turning 30?
Ruben: It is criminal you all had fun without me! And I am NOT paying for anyone other than Rowan! Especially not Platinum Twink! (if he’s still in the picture). ^_-
Riley: Oh, he is in the picture—like literally in the group photo from Rowan’s actual birthday party that you missed.
Ruben: I had a concert! I sent a card!
Rowan: You did, and I loved it. Thank you. And I don’t expect you to pay for anyone, least of all Milo.
Raina: Yeah, his dietary restrictions are a little… specific.
Raina then literally sent a gif of a woman winking at the camera with the words IYKYK.
Ruben: In-jokes with Platinum Twink already? How serious is this?
Rowan: Can you stop calling him Platinum Twink? You know his name.
Raina: Oh, it’s serious. They have a real… spark.
Another gif followed of a lightning strike.
