AUTHOR'S NOTE: In this chapter, we get a flashback and some crying. Oh well, I'm feeling angsty (must be why I wrote it so fast), so why not share it with other? I'm just being generous (besides the following bit of angst is important for the back story). I don't know, if I'll be doing further flashbacks. You guys tell me, if you want some more.
CHAPTER 6 -A CUP OF TEA-
(Dover, England 1749)
Mabon walked around the harbour of Dover, watching as the usual mass of unlucky people milled around, most of them busy trying to find shelter for the night. Mabon was fortunate among these people, he knew he had a place to go to once the night was done.
As he passed a crossroads, he heard a female voice cry out. Mabon took off in a mad dash. The harbour was not a safe place, in any time of the day and Mabon did not want any of his friends to become pray for the depraved members of society who would attack someone who had no way of defending themselves.
Mabon reached an alleyway to find a tall, blond woman leaning against the wall. She was holding a handkerchief over her cheek and taking deep breaths.
"Mary, what happened?"
Mary turned around to see Mabon looking at her. "Nothing much, dear. The customer just made an inappropriate suggestion. I told him where he could find girls more willing, but he didn't feel like walking a few blocks."
"Let me see your face."
Mary lowered her hand, revealing a discoloured cheek.
Mabon frowned. "You should get something cold for that."
"Something other than the weather, I guess?" Mary joked. "At least he didn't knock out any teeth."
"I'll walk you back to the house."
"You're an angel, dear." Mary followed Mabon out of the alley.
"Not really an angel."
"So, you don't have wings." Mary shrugged. "You're still the closest thing we have to an angel."
"You girls took me in, a fellow's got to earn his keep."
Mary laughed and glanced up at the large brick house before them. "Home at last. Lady Howard won't be happy that my night got cut short."
"She knows you can't work with a swollen face. I'll be back by sunrise."
"Take care, dear." Mary leaned down and kissed Mabon's forehead before entering the house.
Mabon smiled lopsidedly and turned back to enter the harbour. There were still many girls out there that he needed to watch over. Mabon was almost sorry that he had not caught the guy who had dared to strike Mary.
While walking southward down the small roads Mabon became aware of someone following him. He rolled his eyes, this was not the first time someone had made the mistake of assuming he was a colleague of the girls because he lived with them.
Mabon turned around to face the very tall man behind him. "Can I help you, sir?"
A deep voice beneath a large hat chuckled. "You can indeed."
"Look, sir, I'm not the kind of boy who gives favours for anyone. I can direct you to the right fellows, if you want."
The man chuckled more and advanced on Mabon. "I do not want you for that reason, little one."
Mabon backed away, there was something weird about this man. And whatever it was, Mabon did not like it.
- - - - - - -
(Present day LA)
Wesley rubbed his eyes. He had been hitting the books for several hours now and was in dire need of tea. He set up his teapot and measured a suitable amount of tealeaves into the bottom of the pot. The water heater was plugged ready, all he needed to do was to fill it and he would be minutes away from tea-heaven.
Just as he was about to move the heater under the tap when he heard someone enter the kitchen. Wesley turned around to see Mabon standing in the door.
"Oh, it's you. I thought it would have been Angel."
"I just saw him head out."
Wesley shook his head. Angel was doing that lone wolf thing again, most likely he was just frustrated that they did not have anything to do.
"Do you want me to leave?" Mabon asked.
Wesley waved his hand dismissively. "It's a free country. You don't have to stay or go."
"Right. Um sorry but, should that thing be smoking like that?" Mabon pointed at the heater.
Wesley turned around and quickly pulled the heater's plug out of the wall. "Damn it!"
"What happened?"
"I turned it on without putting any water in it. Damn." Wesley picked up the teapot and filled it with water. "I'll just have to do it the old-fashioned way."
"You know, I could do that for you." Mabon held out his hands.
Wesley hesitated, but finally handed the pot to Mabon. Mabon breathed out and a softly glowing flame appeared in his hands. Wesley stared, unable to take his eyes off the fire. He was more than a little disappointed once the flame was gone and Mabon set the pot down.
Mabon sniffed the smoke rising from the pot. "I think that can pass itself off as tea. I'd give it a while to cool down though."
"Thank you," Wesley said stiffly.
"I know why you're worried."
Wesley looked at Mabon in puzzlement.
Mabon smiled and gave Wesley a sideways glance. "You think I would harm her, somehow put her in danger. And I don't blame you, I wouldn't trust someone like me either."
"Put who in danger?" Wesley asked, already aware of the answer.
"Fred. I can see how much you care about her."
"I believe that Fred's completely capable of taking care of herself."
"I never questioned that. But you still worry, it's natural. I want you to know that you don't have to, I would never cause Fred any harm."
"What about those demons?"
"Bernard's not a threat to anyone. And Bruce is my problem, no one else's."
"After how you reacted earlier, I don't think you can handle him."
Mabon headed out of the kitchen. "Like I said, he's my problem."
"I did some checking up on you earlier."
Mabon stopped and laughed sardonically. "Don't believe everything you read."
"Like what?"
Mabon turned around. "For one thing, I've never claimed to be a sun god, or any other god for that matter. Plenty of higher beings call themselves gods, but I've never done that."
"And your mother, was she really Modron?"
Mabon looked down. "Never talk about her. She might be the divine mother to humans, but she was never a mother to me."
"Does this have something to do with you being kidnapped as a baby?"
"I was never kidnapped," Mabon's voice cracked. "She did it, she left me alone. Didn't want anything to do with an imperfection like me."
Wesley moved closer to Mabon. "It's okay. At least she didn't attempt to kill you."
Mabon lifted his tearful, huge eyes up at Wesley. "She knew that I couldn't die! What else was she going to do? She never wanted the world to know she'd given birth to me."
Not knowing how to respond Wesley stepped up to Mabon and held the crying elemental in his arms.
Mabon buried his face in Wesley's shirt. "A freak. A defect. That's what they all called me."
Wesley held onto Mabon, all of his suspicions gone. The tea was cooling down, but Wesley could always reheat it, he did not feel that tired anyway. Slowly he coaxed the sobbing Mabon up to his room and laid him down in the bed.
"It's alright, Mabon. Just... try to think of pleasant memories. You must have some."
Mabon sniffed and attempted to smile. "Plenty. It's just that it's the bad ones that tend to stick."
"Yeah, I know. Get some rest, okay?"
"I will. Sorry to bother you."
"You don't have to keep apologising so much. I'll see later."
"As you wish."
