The Boy With a Fairy on His Head

by DemonicPiano

In an alternate colored world, society is very closed, arts are condemned, and rampant apathy is a part of everyday life. A young boy, Oliver Kirkland, lives a sheltered life with his mother until she is branded for murder of his father, perhaps rightfully so. He will then have to take a step into the scary world, find his place, and strive to improve society as a whole.

29. Chapter 28

"Yoohoo! You have a visitor!"

Oliver scrunched up his face without opening his eyes. A light giggle drifted into the air while something soft tickled the tip of his nose. He tried to stretch, and curl up again, but a heavy weight pressed him into the bed, causing him to awaken in a much more warmer state than he had fallen asleep. He cracked open his eyes, sniffling from the dark red hair brushing his jaw. A small shape hovered above him, looking down from his forehead.

Oliver rasped, reaching up to rub the grit from his eyes, "What?"

"What'cha doing?" Lila chirped, too happy for the morning.

"Waking up," the boy grumbled, lifting the hand that was bent around Allen's back. He did a double take, leaning away to be positive it was Allen indeed who he was awakening beside. The other teen was certainly more quiet, since the ants that were crawling around in his pants and keeping him awake had left to plague some other kid.

"Woo, woo!" Lila snickered. "How often do you get a cute boy in your bed?"

"Stop it."

"What's wrong, grumpy gums? Didn't get any sleep last night?"

"I have gotten a fine night's sleep, thank you." Instead of lingering on the fairy's teasing, a shy smile reached Oliver's features as he brushed a hand through Allen's hair, not minding to be used as a pillow. Lila sat back with a disappointed huff. His fingers snuck between the strands, pressing against the other teen's scalp. Allen's breath hitched from a light snore. "Oh?" Oliver started, "Did you-"

Allen lunged off the bed, bellowing as he crashed onto the floor. "Fuck!" He roared, kicking the sheets that entangled his legs.

Oliver rose to a sitting position, gawking at the boy sprawled on his bedroom floor. "What is that about?"

Lila fluttered around his head, worrying for the both of them. Allen's eyes were unfocused, momentarily shocked from his sudden wake up call. "Uh, hey, babe?"

The other teen lifted his eyebrows. "Get off the floor, you dolt."

"Right, right," Allen hissed, and latched onto the edge of the bedframe to hoist himself back onto the mattress.

Oliver drifted toward him, and rubbed his back in moderate concern. "I did not mean to give you a fright."

"Huh?" Allen picked up his head when he rubbed his face with his palms. "Nah, you didn't."

"Nightmares?"

Allen hesitated, his gaze bouncing around the quiet bedroom. "I forget."

"You forgot."

"It happens!" After a moment of sitting still, Allen twisted to push Oliver back on the bed. Lila gasped, and shot from the baker's head.

"Hey! What are you doing?" Oliver spat at the other teen sprawling himself on top of him.

"Goin' back to bed."

"You are already awake!"

"Not for long," Allen mumbled against his nightshirt.

"Excuse me, but these are precious daylight hours I must use," Oliver made an effort to push Allen's shoulders, and sit up, but he was promptly overwhelmed by the other's body weight. Although he could not see her, Lila giggled. His eyebrows mashed together in an angry scowl, and he announced, "If you are not ready by the time Luciano stops by, he will not be happy."

"What's he gon' do? Get his meatballs steamed?" Allen lazily laughed at his joke. "He's probably still sleepin'."

Oliver turned his head to look around his bedroom. Lila hovered down to meet his gaze. "Do you need help?" Not knowing what a small being could do against a large lug like Allen, he stiffly nodded, for curiosity's sake.

Lila squealed in delight, and zipped after the dresser. Allen sighed with a small laugh at the sounds of Oliver' stomach grumbling against his cheek. The fairy plucked the bedroom key off of the drawers, and dropped it. The light metal clattered against the floorboards in a sharp but quiet collision. However, it was enough to get Allen to snap up, and throw his head side to side.

"What's that?!" The body beneath his shook with laughter, being the only one that could hear Lila blow a raspberry. He looked at Oliver with wide eyes. "Why you laughin'? What was that?"

"Who knows?" Oliver's eyes trailed away to pretend he was looking at something unseen. "Ghosts perhaps?"

"Ollie!" Allen gave the mattress on both of his sides a panicked thump. "Don't say that!"

With a heave, Lila shoved Oliver's wallet off the dresser. The leather slapped the floor, and she twirled in the air, elated by her doings. Allen flung himself away from his bedmate, and into the corner of the bed. Against the wall, he threw the covers over his body. Oliver rolled his eyes, "Like that would repel ghosts."

Allen burrowed into the blankets more, as if he was trying to squeeze in the space between the bed frame and the wall. When Oliver crawled over to the bundle, and placed a hand against the cloth, it tensed with a frightened squeak. "Nuh-uh! You don't know what you're talkin' 'bout! There ain't no ghosts gettin' in wit' me in here!"

"Why is that?" Oliver amused himself by circling an expanse of the blanket stretching over what he believed to be Allen's back.

Lila flew over to the bed, and settled amongst Oliver's air, exchanging mischievous giggles with the boy. Beneath the cover, Allen proclaimed, "This is some heroic defense! No ghost is gon' get pass it."

"Of course, dear."

The lump shifted a bit, and wiggled. "Ollie?" The blanket's voice lowered, "That's my butt you're rubbin' there. I don't know if that's what you're after-"

"Oh, goodness," Oliver jerked away from the large lump. "I thought that was your back under there."

"Haw, haw, nah, that was my butt."

"You said that." He swung his legs off the bed, and padded off to hunt for clean clothes while the other boy was distracted with hiding himself from something that was not in the room.

"I don't mind that you touched my butt, in case you were wonderin'."

"I was not."

"I mean, if you wanted to touch it again, you don't gotta ask."

"I will keep that in mind." Oliver said tersely, but since he had his back to his bedmate, he could smile all he wanted. He would not even let Lila's outburst of laughter stop his shine. Once the last piece of his assemble was around his neck, he hurried to the bed, and began tugging on the wrapping curled in the corner. "I have to make my bed."

"You don't got to do it."

"Get off, you idiot."

A head of static induced hair popped out. "Did you get rid o' the ghosts?"

"There are no ghosts, Allen."

"But somethin' fell down..."

"That was some of my voodoo magic."

"Oh."

A rapid knock interrupted any further conversation. Oliver huffed, "What did I say? Luciano is going to be ticked. Get your trousers on!"

"Oliver, we're here for the weapons!"

Oliver flapped a hand at the jeans littered on the floor, and the other boy dove for them. "Just a moment," he told Luciano, and swiped a hand through his hair while the other fixed his bowtie.

"Watch it!" Lila spat, and settled in the auburn strands when their owner snatched his invading fingers back. He glanced behind himself to Allen plucking his shoes from the floor, who thankfully managed to get his pants on. Oliver averted his gaze to the door, and twisted the knob. As always, Kuro and Lutz were flanking Luciano, who was waiting before the frame with his arms crossed in a non-threatening manner.

"Err...Hello."

"Hi," Luciano relayed just as awkwardly. The other two exchanged a quick glance. He gave his head a small shake, and opened his mouth to say something.

"Heya, folks," Allen propped his arm on the doorframe. "We leavin' now? I don't know 'bout you, but I'm ready to go. Come on in!"

"That good?" Luciano asked Oliver as they bustled by. The baker handed him a confused look. "Here we go. Lutz, the bag."

"Got it."

Oliver fretted over his messed blankets as they deposited the meager collection of firearms in a duffle bag. Luciano swung the sack toward Allen. "Carry this."

"Why me?"

Luciano's arm slacked, and the bottom of the bag clunked on the hard floor. "Because you got big manly muscles. Now, carry the bag."

"An' you don't?"

Lutz sighed heavily, and snatched the duffle bag, easily swinging it over his own shoulder. "I got it."

Allen and Luciano glared at one another. The Italian let a smile out to play, ticking, "Ve, I would not expect less of you, Lutz. Now, Allen."

"I'm comin'. See you, Ollie," the other boy called over his shoulder. Oliver stared after their sudden departure in disappointment. He had expected, and even wanted an exaggerated, drawn out smooch from Allen, while Luciano made frightened noises in the background, and the other two would look on with fatal discomfort.

"Are we going to the bakery today?" Lila's usual question broke his plotting.

Oliver gave himself a little shake to straighten out. "Of course. Nikolai will be there today, and I must see how Anabella is doing. To be honest, I never returned her car."

"I think you should do that."

The boy whisked out into the hall with an expensive jacket in tow that he had saved for a couple of weeks to buy. Alas, he could show it off, even if it was to the cold air. As he passed the intersection, he collided into a body that was smaller than his. Oliver gasped, flinching, and stepped away as the other teen let out a high yelp.

"Oh no! I didn't mean to-" The girl put a hand over her heart, sighing in relief. "Oliver, I didn't think it was you! You scared me!"

"I can tell! Who has you in a tizzy like that?"

"Um, with all those psychopaths running around with freaking guns outside? Who isn't a little freaked out?"

Oliver agreed with a smile, "You have no reason to worry anymore. They were stripped of their weapons, and will keep being stripped if they carry on those antics."

"Ollie, hush," Lila warned.

The girl's mouth formed an O, opening for her feeding of gossip. "Who did that?!"

"Some boys that were sick of them." Oliver swished a hand. "I simply heard it from the grapevine. Just to be safe, though, you still should not go outside by yourself."

"You, too." The girl punched his arm with surprising force behind her tiny fist. "You're dressed up nicely, and look at that coat!" She stepped forward to grope the material. "You got a date?"

Oliver grinned uneasily as Lila snickered. "No, I have work."

"That bad?"

"Not at all! I love working at the bakeshop!"

"It looks like Bella brainwashed you, then!" The girl exclaimed with a serious expression.

"Hey!" Lila sputtered, "She's a nice, old lady!"

Oliver's Housemate suddenly burst into muffled laughter behind her hand. "I'm totally kidding! She makes good food, based on what you bring back, and that's all that matters. The girls totally got to go there sometime."

Oliver imagined all those crazy young ladies flooding the blue plastic tables, clamoring and throwing cupcake crumbs all over the place. "Sometime," he agreed. A door closed behind her, and she stepped away to allow Matt and Siegmund to go out into the hall.

The blond stopped beside Oliver, oblivious to the fact Lila was angrily sniffing the air at him. "You didn't go with the others?"

"No, I have work," Oliver said again.

Matt tossed the girl a dark look. She lightly cleared her throat, eyes flickering between Oliver and a distant wall. "I'm going to go back to my room now. See you!"

"Thank you dear." The baker turned to the duo. "You do not have to frighten the ladies, if you mind."

"What?" Matt took a step back, almost into Siegmund, who lifted his arms to pat his back. "What are you talking about?"

Oliver only shook his head. "The others went to rid of the guns. If you hurry, then you should be able to catch up with them."

"We're not going with them. We're going to that bakery with you. Remember, that 'travel with others' thing is still going, and I don't see anyone else with you."

"Of course you don't!" Lila tittered.

"Of course," Oliver echoed.

"Besides, Mund...Siegmund is getting hungry."

Said teen cracked a malicious grin, and the deep rumble from his stomach confirmed Matt's words. Oliver gestured down the hall. "Come on, then, before this poor boy withers to nothing."

Siegmund nudged his partner, mouthing, 'Poor boy.' Matt rolled his eyes, and set his jaw crookedly, miserably failing to not smile.

"Oh, I nearly forgot, we need to take my boss' car to get there."

"Why do you have..." Matt sighed, "Never mind. Let's go."

"Look at this!" Anabella welcomed the newcomers with a light laugh and a fresh batch of pumpkin spice muffins, based on the smell wafting from them. It was that time of the year, after all. "You brought friends!"

"Bella," Oliver called out, hurrying to lift the lid from the counter display.

"And my car, too," the elder added, low enough for only him to hear.

The teen sucked in a sharp breath between his teeth. "That is something we need to talk about alone." Louder, he asked, "Are you well?"

"Well enough to work again, yes, dear," Anabella chuckled, depositing the muffins onto the clear shelves. Her gray eyes glanced up to the movement of Siegmund and Matt approaching the counter. "Ah, newcomers. Do you need a menu? The list is on that trifold."

"We've been here before," Matt said. The mute picked up the plastic tent, and turned it over experimentally. "I'm Allen's brother, Matt, and this is Siegmund. I heard my bro lurks here a bit too often."

Siegmund pointed to something on the menu, but then his finger trailed down when he caught something better. Another choice on the other side called to him, and he dropped the laminated list in excitement as he turned it over.

"We'll be a little bit," Matt announced. He knelt down at the same time his partner did, and Oliver flinched at the sound of their skulls knocking against one another. "Son of a..." the blond grabbed his head, mindful of Anabella still smiling at them expectantly. They both shakily rose, holding onto the counter. Siegmund was dazed from the occurrence, nursing his forming bruise on his forehead.

"How about some of those pumpkin muffins?" Oliver suggested. "They are nice and warm."

Matt slapped the menu back on the counter. "That'll be good," he rubbed his own forming mark, and avoided Siegmund's apologetic stare.

"I will get it Oliver," Anabella claimed. "Go and fetch some cherry syrup in the basement, will you?"

"Cherry syrup?" Oliver and Lila echoed at once. The elder lifted her eyebrows, and he exclaimed, "Oh, yes! For the delivery later. Right-o." He hurried into the kitchen, where he mumbled to the fairy on his head, "I suppose you will not be keen on coming with me."

Lila stretched her neck to peer over his head when he unlatched the basement's door, and shuddered from the darkness reaching out for them. She launched away from the creeping coal tars. "Eugh, no thanks! I'll be in the front room with the company."

The teen watched her go, until a black ball interrupted his line of sight, floating pass his face. Oliver coughed from the trail of dust falling from the coal tar. He slapped a hand over his nose and mouth, and swished the other at it. "Shoo, back into the basement with you. Unless you want to slowly wither away into nothing in the sunlight."

The mold possessing creature chittered, and wiggled mid-flight to escape the invading rays of light. Oliver made a satisfied sound, and closed the door behind himself. He slowly edged down the steps he would not fall before reaching the light. The bare metal table waited for its next cradle, causing a rush of excited goose bumps to tackle his arms. He stared at them in wonder.

A soft tone permeated the heavy door, and Oliver paused on the other side, hovering an ear to the metal. The voice was quiet, as all songs are, but was a different language he did not know. His eyebrows mashed together when it cut off to a lingering note. The tunnel was filled with silence once more, and he pressed closer to the door, encouraging the sounds.

"You can open the door now."

Oliver jerked away from Nikolai's voice. He set a pale hand on the handle while his ears burned red, and pulled it open. The man sat on one of the wall benches, tapping his palms against his lap. Both of them smiled uneasily at one another. "That was a lovely tune you were singing. I cannot say that I know the language, though."

"Of course," Nikolai curtly shrugged. "Not many know Russian around here when they hear it."

The boy looked to his feet.

"How is Anabella?"

"Fine, fine," Oliver glanced to the dirt wall. "She is up and moving around again. Just now, she pulled a batch of pumpkin muffins from the oven."

"Hm," Nikolai put a gloved hand to his stomach. "I would not dislike having one of those."

The baker turned to him, blurting, "I could bring something next time you have a delivery."

The operator's posture perked. "Would you?"

"I offered," Oliver pointed out, and dropped his eyes again.

"Hu-hu! I say you did!"

Oliver wondered at times how he tangled himself with odd people like him. His lips uplifted in a smile without his will. Then, the usual pair of boys emerged from the hall, lugging an enormous body. "Oh, wow," he murmured.

Nikolai clapped excitedly. "That is what I need!"

One of the boys sported a shallow gash on the side of his head, only nodding in reply. Sometimes, the targets fight back, but that was to be expected. "I suppose you will be having a blast on that one," Oliver commented. "It will take longer, too, I presume."

"It will be like unwrapping a present! Or should I say it is closer to slicing it open, and excavating the contents?" Another spooky laugh from Nikolai urged Oliver to dig for his wallet, and pay him to be over with his presence quicker. "Ooh, money!"

"I will be going upstairs now."

"Yes, yes," Nikolai bustled by the teen, not bothering to count the cash, but he never made a habit to do so. The other boys backed away from the metal table to avoid being shoved over by the surgeon's large figure. Their eyes followed Oliver more apprehensively.

"There you are," Anabella sighed contently once Oliver drew up to her position behind the front counter. Lila rejoiced with a shout of his name, and took her perch on top of his head. The teen giggled lightly as his boss continued, "You look a bit pale. Did Nikolai try to get you to lay on the table?"

Oliver's eyes widened, and his laughter cut off to a small choke. "His operating table?" He sputtered under his breath, aware of his Housemates situated at the table closest to the windows. "Goodness, no. Rather, he was pleased by today's delivery. It was a big fat one. I did not linger for details."

Anabella put a fist in front of her mouth, and cleared her throat. She eyed the two boys fiddling with their muffins, and observing the pedestrians rushing about. "How are things at the House? Did someone cause trouble?"

"They are always causing trouble, Bella. There was an emergency, and I had to get to the House right away, so I took your car. I hope you do not mind. It is the same condition as the time I got into it-"

"That is not what I am concerned about. What happened, Oliver?"

Oliver's eyes drifted to Siegmund nudging Matt. The mute used the distraction to take one of his muffins. "These boys have been threatening the other inhabitants, and made it very dangerous to step outside the House! It is taken care of as this moment."

The blond went to grab at Siegmund's thieving hand, but was too slow. Siegmund shook with laughter, almost dropping his half eaten muffin as Matt turned away. Oliver murmured, "At least, I hope it is over."

Anabella quirked her brows, but opted to keep quiet. Dismayed that Matt was giving him a frosty shoulder, Siegmund shook him, holding out the rest of his stolen muffin in a desperate attempt to reconcile. The other boy glanced in his direction at the prospect of food, and plucked it from his hand.

"Sharing is caring," the elder mused. "That is an old smiler's phrase."

Oliver almost tipped his head, but remembered the fairy relaxing on top of it. "I think somebody said that to me before." He distracted himself from watching Siegmund resting his head against Matt's shoulder by tugging the creases from his dress shirt. "Do I correctly assume there are many more?"

"Definitely," Anabella proudly announced. "We have many things figured out. There are a lot of things to say."

Oliver gazed at her aged profile, but her eyes were distant on the cars dangerously flying by the bakery. "I am all ears."