10/14: treat - A magical travel agency, which sends their customers to other dimensions and paraller worlds.
Knitwits and Tiny Desk Companion Anders
Iolaus had not been back to “that crazy magic place” since the day Luke had helped him leave. He still wasn’t sure that he wanted to be there, but Luke said it was important to check in occasionally.
He felt a buzzing as they passed a large open space and saw the same two people that had greeted him when he arrived. He turned to Luke with a terrified look in his eyes and grabbed a rapidly furring wrist.
For Luke’s part, he roared at Jace and Clary in indignation. Twin looks of terror tracked the growl and the expanding swirl of glittering purple smoke. This couldn’t be happening again!
Before either of them could do anything, the smoke sucked up into a pop and disappeared, with Luke and Iolaus. The last thing Luke heard was, “Oh, shit! Call Magnus! We’re toast!” They were so grounded. He closed his eyes, wrapped his arms around his blond and surrendered to the magic.
When he opened his eyes, Iolaus was standing over him, staring like he had two heads. But his hair was short and he had a beard. What was really strange was he still held him in his arms as they lay on the ground.
Standing Iolaus shouted, “Mitchell! What the fuck is going on?”
A younger, longer haired version of himself walked around the corner and stared.
Luke fainted. He’d be ashamed later.
The next time his eyes opened, Iolaus was sitting next to him, patting his hand absently. Bearded Iolaus and his doppelgänger stared at them from a few feet away.
“Hi,” his twin said, “Are you okay?”
“Define ok?” Luke asked.
“Touché,” replied beardy.
Iolaus, of all people, came to his senses first. “Why don’t we start with introductions? I’m Iolaus and this is my boyfriend, Luke.”
“Interesting,” younger brunet replied, “I’m Mitchell and this is my boyfriend, Anders.”
Both couples continued to stare at each other uneasily. In each case, the brunet held the blond protectively. Both blonds looked exasperated by the defensive position.
“Look,” Iolaus tried again, “we don’t know how long we’ll be here. It could be just a few minutes.”
Luke snorted.
Iolaus glared at him, then continued, “We really don’t mean you any harm and we want to get home as much as you want to get rid of us.”
Anders and Mitchell nodded.
Luke picked up the thread of the conversation, “It was magic that brought us to your dimension or parallel world or whatever. So if you see ANY suspicious smoke, get away from it immediately. That’s how the idiots sent us here.”
“Idiots?” Anders snickered, “As in it wasn’t on purpose?”
“Oh, hell, no! It wasn’t on purpose when they ripped me out of my home in Greece and dumped me in New York City several centuries later either,” Iolaus complained. Then he looked daggers at Luke, “And you can forget me ever going back to that crazy magic place for any reason, ever again!” He pulled away and sat on a naked Barbie leg for emphasis.
Anders slipped loose of Mitchell’s hold and sat down next to the younger man. “Well, how about a tour then. A bit of hospitality is the least we can do,” he said.
The exited the house to a scene that had Iolaus back in Luke’s arms.
Anders’ and Mitchell’s house was part of a miniature village. Mitchell and Anders lived in a doll house. Next to them were Anders’ brother, Ty, and his wife, Dawn. Mitchell’s friends Annie, George and Nina were next to Ty and Dawn. All of them were the size of dolls. Luke felt like he was trapped in an episode of Land of the Giants.
Just as it was getting to be a bit too much, Mitchell noticed a pouf of glittery purple smoke developing behind Iolaus. Luke urged them to run inside and Iolaus shouted that it had been good to meet them. Then they held each other tight and prayed it would work.
There was a buzzing and a pop, but it was much less disorienting this time. The opened their eyes standing in the same room they left. Magnus Bane looked very smug.
“That’s it! I’m out of here! And I am never coming back!” Iolaus shouted, stalking toward the nearest exit.
Luke took a moment to thank Magnus before dashing after his boyfriend. He completely ignored Clary and Jace.
Magnus laughed, “You two are in so much trouble when he settles that boy down. Grounded will seem like nothing.”
