"Be still, will you?" The tall stranger growled and Milo nodded silently and folded his hands in his lap while the man put the seat belt on him. The little boy was scared and lost and he didn't know what to do. The tall man had punched Kendall and grabbed Milo's arm and told him that he'd regret it if he didn't come along.
He had been to scared to refuse and now his hands were itching to clap and his fingers wanted something to drum on. He settled with tapping them softly against his thighs. It didn't make much noise so the mean man wouldn't be angry.
Milo had been dragged along – nearly paralyzed with fear – and almost willingly jumped into the car where he had been fastened and locked inside. The man in the front seat's name was George. He had told Milo that he didn't need to be afraid for as long as he was being good and behaved, so Milo promised nicely.
"Where are we going?" He asked from the backseat and peered out through the window where the world seemed to be flying past them. "Are we going home?"
The man rolled his eyes. "Yeah, sure." He mumbled and Milo pouted his lips and went silent again. He wasn't so sure of what to do or say but he knew that the man was bad and he knew that he was in trouble but he couldn't quite make up a plan of what to do. The boy wasn't even seven years old.
When the car came to a stop he stayed put until the man yanked him out of the car and dragged him up a flight of stairs and took the elevator up to a large apartment. "Get inside." The man barked and Milo scurried into the room he was ushered into. The little boy remained silent when he was locked inside and once he was left alone he reached up and flickered the lights. Ten times, just to be sure. From the window he could see all the way to the office where his parents worked but this apartment was higher up than even James' office.
Milo paced back and forth in the room, needing something to do. Flickering he lights and clapping his hands was suddenly not quite enough for him and his stomach rumbled. He was hungry. He wanted to go back to the mall and eat, like Kendall had promised. He wondered if his dad was going to come and get him.
After a very long time – Milo saw the big arm om the clock spin a whole lap – the man came back and eyed him. "What's your name?" He asked.
"Milo." The boy replied silently while he tapped his fingers on the side of the small bed he sat on.
"Your full name." George sighed. "Your last name."
"Diamond-Knight." Milo added and shifted where he sat. "Where's my dad?" he asked and the man sighed.
"How would I know?" He snorted and Milo frowned. "In any case, stay put and don't make any noise." George said and turned to leave.
Milo pouted and furrowed his eyebrows. "I'm hungry." He said and held his stomach. "Kendall promised that we'd have lunch." He said and George gave another long sigh and disappeared before reappearing with a bag of chips. "I'm not allowed to eat chips on weekdays."
The stranger groaned loudly. "Yeah? Well, it's what you're getting. Now shut up and stay silent."
The boy silenced down and took the bag of chips he was thrown. The tall man left again and locked the door when he left and Milo was alone once more. Milo liked being alone, it was easier to be alone but this he did not like. He wanted to go home to his parents, eat real food and be in his own room. This room was smaller and boring, there wasn't any toys and there was only one lamp.
Milo hoped the room wouldn't be too dark at night. He hoped his parents would come and get him soon.
It did get dark fairly quickly and the salty chips made Milo's stomach hurt. He was cold, he only wore a t-shirt because he had left his sweatshirt in Kendall's car. There was a blue blanket on the bed and he took it and swept it around himself. It was itchy.
George didn't come to see him more that day and if he did, Milo wasn't awake to notice.
-page break-
James tried to gently coax his husband into at least lying down for a bit but Kendall was persistent and sat like frozen by the kitchen table, glaring at the phone on the table. "Honey, please." James begged. "At least sit somewhere comfortable, or eat something." he pleaded but Kendall ignored him. "Kendall, please."
"What if they call after I've fallen asleep?" Kendall asked and frowned. "Or what if we need to go quickly and I'm busy?"
"You have to eat." James said.
"I don't want to eat. I want my son back." Kendall said and James wanted the exact same thing. They were both heartbroken but James had never seen the blond so empty, not ever. Not even when they fought for the first time or when he had tried to run away. Not ever. "It's his birthday." Kendall mumbled silently after glancing at his watch. It was just a few minutes after midnight. "Milo's seven years old today."
"Kendall..." James whined, not wanting to hear it. They had both been so excited to celebrate their son's birthday but it was more mourning than celebration.
Kendall gulped. "W-What if he isn't, James..." Kendall whimpered. "W-What if he isn't seven? W-What if he's-..."
James slammed his fist into the table so hard the glass of water he had put out for Kendall was knocked over. "DON'T SAY THAT!" He shouted and Kendall's frown grew and the tears in his eyes started to race down his cheeks. "Don't. Say that..." James growled and the blond turned away from him. "Milo is just fine. He's a strong boy." James said to try and convince both himself and Kendall that it was the truth. "We'll get him back."
The younger male let out a shaky breath before getting up and leaving the kitchen. Leaving James by the table. He was ashamed and weighed down by guilt. It was his fault Milo had been taken and Kendall knew that. It made his whole body ache just thinking about it and when he saw how heartbroken James was... it was almost too much.
Kendall curled up in bed, covering himself with the thick comforter but he didn't sleep anything that night.
-page break-
It was sunny outside when Milo woke up. The streets many floors down were already busy and Milo watched the crowded street from the window. He was still hungry and tired but he didn't want to eat more of the icky chips.
The stranger peeked into the room when Milo had watched a man with a red hat scurry across the street and nearly got hit by a yellow car. George brought a bottle of water and a bag of burgers.
"Where's my parents?" Milo asked. "Today's Wednesday. What's this?" he asked and looked at the burgers.
"It's food." George told him and turned to leave. "No be silent, I have calls to make."
"Okay." Milo said. He was more than used to being silent when James made important calls but James always asked him nicely if he could keep his voice down. James was a lot nicer than George. Milo ate silently but didn't drink any water. He didn't eat all the burgers either, because he got full after only one.
He heard the man talk loudly on the phone. He yelled a bit and waved his arms around before he came back and smiled wickedly down at Mile, face nearly splitting in two. "Tell your dad that you miss him, kid." he said and handed the phone to him.
Milo took it. "Hello?" he asked into the thin phone and a gasp was heard on the other side of the line.
"Milo? Thank God! Are you alright? Are you hurt?" James asked him sounding panic struck.
"I'm okay." Milo said and wiggled his legs over the edge of the bed. "When are you coming to get me?" He asked and he could hear Kendall burst out crying. "James?"
"We're gonna come and get you real soon, Milo. Don't worry we-"
The phone was snatched out of Milo's hand and George left the room, muttering things about money and businesses. Milo frowned but stayed put and clenched his hands into fists before relaxing them and then repeating the action.
George left the door open and Milo wanted to go out. He needed to use the bathroom. The little boy trotted out of the room and looked around in the apartment. The apartment was big and bright and he spotted the bathroom on the other side of the open room and went there. When he was done he walked back out and found George sitting on the couch, still on the phone. Milo went to the kitchen and had a look around, flickering the lights and then stalked out to where the strange man sat.
When he was ignored he scurried over to the window and looked out. He wasn't so sure where he was. George hung up the phone and looked at the kid by the window. George's smile was wide and smug. "That's how you make a deal."
"When can I go home?" Milo asked.
"On Friday."
"Today's Wednesday."
"It sure is." The man said and Milo gave a long sigh and sank down into the couch.
"I'm bored." He said. The stranger rolled his eyes and further ignored the kid while he fiddled with his phone. Milo frowned and folded his hands and looked at the window. He really hoped that his parents would come and get him because he missed them.
-page break-
James glared at the police officer while he tried to explain what they should and shouldn't do. The kidnapper had called and asked for a ransom.
Kendall sat in the corner and watched his husband discuss with the detectives and officers. He didn't want to be a part of it. He didn't want to be in the way or mess things up further. James was upset and angry, Kendall had never seen James this angry before and it made him scared. The brunet was yelling and shouting and Kendall was worried.
"Sir, this is a very delicate situation we're dealing with," One of the detectives said. "We should approach it with caution."
"To hell with caution! He's just a kid!" James shouted.
"J-James, please..." Kendall whimpered. "Please, stop." He begged and James turned to him. "I-I don't... I can't take it..." Kendall whimpered and shook his head.
James jumped up from his seat and strode across the room and crouched in front of the blond. "Kendall, no. Please." He said softly. "Please, we're gonna get him back." He promised and wrapped his arms around the blond. "Be strong. Be strong for his sake."
"I can't." Kendall cried.
"Yes, you can!" James hugged him tighter and Kendall slung his arms around James' neck. "You can, Kendall. You can, of course you can." He said and let the blond cling to him like he was the only thing that kept him alive. "You're not alone. I'm here with you."
The younger male nodded and James kissed his temple. "Get him back, please." James nodded and Kendall wiped his eyes. James promised that their son was alright.
The two worried parents were told to go home and contact the detective if the kidnapper called again. Kendall remained silent on the ride home and James drive slowly. "Are you alright?" James asked when they sat on the parking lot outside their apartment. "Kendall?"
The blond slowly shook his head. "No, I am not." He said, his voice hoarse and weak.
James frowned and sat still for a second before he got out of the car and went around it, helping Kendall out of the car and wrapping a protective arm around him. James kissed Kendall's temple before leading him inside and up to their apartment. He told Kendall to sit down before making them both something to eat and drink.
"Here." He offered the blond the food but Kendall refused. "Don't give me that." James said. "Eat it, you need the strength." He said and Kendall reluctantly grabbed the sandwich and took a bite. It felt like trying to eat sand. It made Kendall sick and nauseous.
He didn't finish it but he drank some coffee since James was watching. James ate silently but didn't move when Kendall leaned against his shoulder and wrapped his slender arms around his middle. He didn't move when Kendall hid his face in the crook of his neck and he didn't move when Kendall cried.
"Honey..." he said softly. "Please."
Kendall sniffled. "It hurts." He cried.
"I know." James said. "I hurt too, Kendall. I hurt so much I barely know who I am." He whimpered. "I'm broken, Kendall. I don't know what to do. It's all my fault this is happening." He said. "If it wasn't for me... He wouldn't be in danger at all!"
The blond gulped. "No." He said. "It's not your fault."
"Yes it is!" James yelled. "I am one of the top five most successful business men in the country, Kendall. I have a target painted on my chest and so does my family. What if it had been you? I-... I would have died if it was you."
"Don't say that..."
"It's the truth, Kendall. You are the only thing I have. You and Milo." James said. "I don't need anything. I just need you, Kendall." He said and hugged his husband. "I would trade everything I've got just to have you."
The blond felt like he was breaking. "D-Don't say that." He repeated but James looked him in the eyes, his look grave and serious.
"You are the best thing I've got, Kendall. You and Milo." He said and ran his fingers over Kendall's cheek. "Without you I don't know how to be happy." He said and his husband frowned before crushing their lips together.
"I love you." Kendall cried and hugged him again. "I love you more than anything in the world." He said and James nodded. "Hold me, James. Or I might break." Kendall begged and the brunet hugged him closer and held him so that he wouldn't break.
Hey guys. I'm sorry, it's been so long since I've updated. I really want to update more but I don't have to to actually sit and write which makes me so sad. But anyway, I'm gonna leave this here and hope that you enjoy it. Thank you for reading.
oxox Hannah