Fic: Our Place In The World -- Damaged story 3 Elijah/Orli N17 10/11

[arabia764.livejournal.com]

Some people have said that the last chapter (chap 9) didn’t appear on their friends list. If that’s the case it’s up on my lj. I would do a link but you all know how pathetic I am when it comes to things like that. One of these days I’ll tell you how long it took me to do the header for this fic. If you want chap 9… you all know how to find it far easier than I do!

Title: Our Place In The World – Damaged story 3
Chapter: Ten
Author: Arabia
Pairing: Elijah/Orli
Rating N17
Disclaimer: Total fiction
Notes: An AU set in modern day South London. This is NOT a WIP – it is all finished and will be posted over the next few days.

It carries on pretty much after the end of the Damaged 2 – New Rules and it won’t make much sense if you haven’t read that or the first one. The first story can be found here…
Damaged

The second story here…
New Rules

Thank yous and kisses go to my darling _grievousangel for the amazing beta and to annwyn55 for making the beautiful icon that goes with the fic.

Our Place In The World


Chapter Ten


Chapter Ten
+



Oh, that was good.

Elijah gripped the top of the sofa, closed his eyes, and let it wash over him. It was all warm and gentle and… wet. Orli really did give the nicest, wettest blow jobs ever. They were all slurpy and slippy and… Oh it was good.

Elijah hitched up a little so that the small of his back was resting on the top of the sofa, it gave him a bit of support, something to hold him up so he could let himself float and enjoy. He didn’t even want to move his hips. Nope, this time Orli could do it all and he could just sigh occasionally.

He liked it like this, gentle and calm, almost soothing. What a wuss! He couldn’t help but smile at himself, but he did. He liked the way Orli took him deep but… tender. Good word for it. Orli was tender and he felt peaceful, serene even. He sighed again, a gentle puff of contentment, and put his hand down to simply rest it on Orli’s head.

Orli took it to mean something else and upped the pace.

Oh, but…. that was all right as well. Orli’s hand on his hip, Orli’s tongue on his tip, Orli’s lips tight round the shaft, Orli’s throat… Orli’s throat, what an amazing thing that was. When his cock just rolled over the roof of Orli’s mouth and pushed towards the back.

Not deep throating exactly, that took timing and co-ordination and you had to be careful. But Orli could still do things that made Elijah’s insides turn to mush, when he swallowed or hummed or…. Oh, that was nice.

He trailed his fingers round the back of Orli’s ear; round and round in a never ending circle as his thumb pushed against the joint of the jaw. He sighed but he couldn’t help his toes curling into the pile of the carpet and the muscles in the back of his thighs from tensing.

Orli was just so damned good. And wet.

Elijah felt a drop of saliva land on his thigh and dribble down his leg. His toes curled tighter, the joints protesting and popping. Orli did a… thing with his tongue and Elijah smiled as he came. Letting it roll over him and wash him along in its warmth. He sagged back against the sofa.

That was good.

“All right?” Orli licked his way up Elijah’s body, kissing him softly.

“Eww, you taste of come,” Elijah wrinkled up his nose.

“Your come,” Orli pointed out, his hands snaking round to knead at Elijah’s arse as he rubbed himself against Elijah’s hip.

“Yours tastes better.”

“I’ll take your word for it.”

Elijah pushed his hip out, God, Orli really was hard. Really, really hard but… Elijah was feeling lazy. He just wanted to enjoy it, not do any of the work. He twisted round inside the circle of Orli’s arms and bent just a little over the sofa, offering himself.

“You want that, do you?” Orli asked.

“Uh ha,” Elijah agreed, settling himself. Oh yes, he wanted that. To just hang on here over the edge of the sofa as Orli did…. bloody hell. If he’d thought Orli’s mouth and tongue and throat were good they had nothing compared with his fingers. All long and greasy and… greasy was good, nearly as good as wet. Where’d he got the lube from?

Oh fuck, who cared as long as he kept doing that?

He hitched his feet slightly further apart as he felt himself relax and open up. Such nice fingers, so damned knowing and clever. They knew just when to press, just when to twist, just when to tease and just when to… Oh, oh, oh, OH! Oh yes, they sure as hell knew their way around.

“Ready?” Orli’s breath was warm and damp against the side of Elijah’s ear. Elijah squirmed in reply. Not a wriggle, this was a contented, leisurely squirm that got just the reaction Elijah wanted.

Orli slid into him on a long, unhurried, deliberate stroke.

“Oh,” Elijah smiled, his lips refusing to come back down from their curl. “Yes.”

He rubbed at Orli’s hand, making sure he got just the pace he wanted. No point rushing things when it was this good. That slide in that make all his muscles ripple in delight; That pull backwards that made him ache for more: that brush against…. Oh.

And all he had to do was stand here and take it.

But even that was beginning to be too much of an effort. What he really needed to do was just let himself flop over the back of the sofa so he didn’t have to waste any energy holding himself up. He could just hang here and let it happen, all gentle glide and filling slither.

Oh yes.

All he had to do now was reach down to balance himself and hang on.

Orli’s hands slipped down from Elijah’s hips, pulling him further open so he could push a little harder, reach a little deeper. Elijah sighed and dropped his head. It rested against the seat back of the sofa as his hands clung onto…

Oh! Elijah found the half eaten bag of Maltesters Orli had hidden down the side of the cushion last night. He popped one in his mouth just as Orli lifted up on his toes and changed the angle. Another sigh, this time round a mouthful of chocolate.

To suck the chocolate off or just chew them? Sucking was too much effort when you could just dangle like this and enjoy. He bit another sweet in half, revelling in the crunch and the taste and the… oh sweet Jesus. That was another thing Orli was so damned good at.

Eating chocolate whilst getting slowly and thoroughly fucked. Did life get any better than that?

Elijah couldn’t help but arch his back up on a particularly slow, particularly sweet thrust. He caught the chocolate that threatened to fall out of his open mouth with his tongue and blew out a long slow breath.

Pretty Woman!

Pretty Woman was on the telly, oh he did like Julia Roberts. All right so her mouth was too big, but it was in such a nice way, made her more normal, more lovable. She needed a bit more fat on her though…

Suddenly all movement from behind stopped and Orli’s fingers held him a little firmer. “Elijah?”

Elijah blew out a long breath. Couldn’t Orli just keep going? For God’s sake don’t interrupt the rhythm. Elijah pushed back with his hips, trying to encourage.

“Are you watching the telly?”

“I’m fine,” a flake of chocolate covered honeycomb fell out of his mouth as Elijah looked round. “You just carry on and finish.”

Orli pulled out, all rough and ready, pushing at Elijah as he did so. Elijah was tipped right ways over the sofa again, but he was shoved so far in the other direction that he twisted round and stumbled. He ended up sitting on the floor, his legs awry. What the fuck? One minute it was all going so well the next…

The next Orli was screaming at him about something.

“What’s the matter with you?” Elijah asked with, what he thought was, a certain amount of reason.

“Don’t you ever fucking do that to me again,” Orli shouted, his face turning red as he ran a hand through his hair, pulling at it.

“What’d I do?”

“You only ever have sex with me because you want to, never just to keep me happy.”

Elijah had to stop and think about that.

You only ever have sex with me because you want to, never just to keep me happy.

Did Orli really think Elijah was doing it just for his sake? Was the man completely mad? Couldn’t he tell when someone was thoroughly enjoying himself? Was Elijah really with a complete idiot?

Elijah suddenly realised that Orli was still shouting. He looked up. “But Orlando,”

“No,” Orli stood hands on hips, feet apart. “Don’t you come out with any of your harebrained excuses, you don’t do that to me, you just fucking well say no or later or something. Don’t do it just for my sake.”

“I wasn’t.”

That stopped Orli in his tracks. “What?”

“I wasn’t doing it just for you,” Elijah sat up straighter. “I was having a really nice time till you went all ape shit and stopped.”

“You were watching the fucking telly!”

“So?” Elijah smiled. “I can do two things at once and it was a Julia Roberts film, you know I like her. I was eating Maltesers as well if you must know.”

“While I was fucking your arse?” Orli had gone white with incredulity.

“Sex and chocolate go really well together, didn’t you know?” Elijah laughed.

“Elijah!” Orli turned away.

“Hey,” Elijah got up and went after him, hanging onto Orli’s arm and pulling him round so they were face to face. “Don’t get in such a tizz,” he smiled. “It just goes to show how relaxed I am with you.”

“What the hell is that meant to mean?”

“With you I can take it slow and just have fun, I can relax,” he nudged Orli so that they were looking at each other. “I don’t have to put on a show with you, not like with everyone else. I can lie back, enjoy it and just be myself.”

Orli watched him, appraising.

“And if that means a bit of chocolate and the telly on, well, don’t take it away from me?”

“Okay,” Orli visibly relaxed. “If soft and gentle is what you want…” he wrapped his arms around Elijah’s waist, pulling him close and kissing him gently.

Elijah kissed him back, perfectly aware that Orli’s cock had gone limp during the shouting. “Sex isn’t the answer to everything,” he stopped, mouth open and then abruptly burst into peals of laughter. “I can’t believe I just said that, me, of all people.”

“And why shouldn’t you say it?” Orli protested.

“Because I’m the one that always though sex was the answer to everything.”

“But you’re right, it isn’t. It isn’t that important.”

“So what is then?”

“We are,” Orli tightened his arms. “We’re important, nothing else.”

“You’re just as big a softy as I am,” Elijah said in delight.

“So?”

Elijah kissed him again affectionately, his hands cupping Orli’s face. “Want one of my Maltesers?”



+


Orli twisted his neck round and rested his head back on the edge of the bath. It was so good, just relaxing, doing nothing. They must have been in here for hours, topping the water up every time it got cold, feeding each other chocolates, talking about their day.

That was until Elijah had said he’d had enough of the tap end of the bath and scooted round to lean back onto Orli, his head tucked just under Orli’s chin. They’d gone quiet then, listening to the sound of the radio playing to itself in the kitchen, watching as the candles burned away to nothing.

It had been a while since Elijah had spoken and Orli rather thought he was asleep. Asleep; naked here in the bath on top of Orli, with his body exposed and his face open to seeing eyes.

Orli sighed his relief. Elijah felt safe, safe enough to be here in the gloom and the steam, safe enough to trust himself to Orli, safe enough to just be.

Orli slipped his hand out from under Elijah’s back and ran his fingertips along Elijah’s arm. Safe enough to give his body over to Orli’s keeping. Orli drizzled some hot water over Elijah’s chest and shifted his legs so that Elijah was cradled more securely between then.

Safe: Elijah’s favourite word. Favourite feeling.

Elijah had felt safe enough not to try and please during sex.

Orli thought about that, thought about it long and hard. To be trusted so much, to be honoured in such a way. After what he’d done.

He turned his head away from Elijah so he wouldn’t wake him and blew out a long, slow breath. He pressed his lips together and wrapped his arms gently around Elijah as he turned his head back. “I’ll keep you safe,” he whispered into Elijah’s hair. “I promise.”



+



It just wasn’t the same, Orli thought. If you were sprawled out on the sofa, settled for an evening of crap tv watching, you needed real crisps. Low fat ones just would not do.

He pulled out another handful from the family bag, sniffed them suspiciously, and stuffed them in his mouth. They didn’t have the right greasy-as-hell feeling around your lips, they were just too light. All right, so maybe they were better for you, like Elijah kept saying but… he frowned at the bag as though it were personally responsible.

“Orli, I need to talk to you,” Elijah interrupted Orli’s musings. He pulled over the arm chair and sat facing Orli, holding his hand out for a crisp. Orli dumped a whole pile in his palm, well, it wasn’t like they were worth keeping.

“What’ve I done?” Orli mumbled around the last of his mouthful.

“Nothing, I don’t think,” Elijah sat forward, his hands on his knees all business like. “I want you to do something for me.”

“Oh not more exercise!” Orli sat up. “We go running twice a week, that’s enough. See,” he pulled up his t shirt and patted his belly. “No fat, I’m fit enough as it is. I can’t help it if you’re faster than me, even if I have got longer legs.”

“I’m not talking about running, this is something else.”

“What?” Orli eyed him apprehensively.

“It’s about university....” Now Elijah had started he didn’t seem sure how to carry on. He chewed at his lip, pulled a face and blew out a breath.

“What?” Orli asked again. “How’s it going?”

“That’s the thing, it’s still not good.”

“You’ve got to give it some more time. I know you’re enjoying the studying.”

“I am but… It’s no good, I find it really hard being there and I have tried.”

“I know you have but you can’t give up,” Orli said.

Elijah waved him quiet. “Just shut up and listen for a minute. I’ve done my damnedest to stay on the side lines but people are curious about me and they’re always trying to draw me in,” he looked at Orli. “I know how it works and I know what they want, I just don’t do that anymore. But I find it really hard going, constantly watching where I look, what I say, how I move. It feels like I haven’t taken my coat off or looked up in the entire time I’ve been there.”

“If you give up now it’ll be like they’ve won.”

“I’m not going to give up, they’re not going to beat me,” Elijah sounded sure of himself. “I’ve worked out a way to manage.”

“What are you going to do?”

“I’ll go to lectures and the art club but apart from that I want to be the quiet bloke that sits at the back, keeping out of everything. I don’t want to join in all the other stuff that goes on but I need them to understand.”

“Are you going to try and talk to them?” Orli sounded doubtful.

“No, that would just make them more interested. This is where you come in, I need you to do something for me,” he patted Orli’s knee. “There’s a big social on Saturday for the whole of the course. Everyone’ll be there, students and staff, and I want you to go with me.”

“Of course I’ll come, you idiot,” this was easy, Orli thought.

“But there’s a bit more to it than that,” Elijah grinned. “I want you to look hot, and I mean really hot. You can wear your old brown leather trousers – you know, the torn ones that sit low down on your hips and are incredibly tight across your cock – and your new shirt. But you can only do one button up.”

Orli’s mouth fell open. That kind of outfit was normally reserved for private.

“And sort your hair out, I want the just-got-out-of-bed-after-fucking-all-night look. And stubble, it has to be the right amount, sinful, not a beard.” Elijah’s eyes lit up with excitement.

“Bloody hell, are you sure about this?”

“Yep, I know just what I’m doing. Or rather what you’re going to be doing,” he grinned again. “Because you have to go in there and be all over me, right from the start. I want you to spend the entire evening with either your tongue down my throat or your hand down my trousers; preferably both.”

“That I can do,” it was Orli’s turn to grin. “But why?”

“Because I want everyone to know that I’m completely and utterly taken.” This time when Elijah looked at Orli he wasn’t smiling, he was totally serious. “I want you to growl every time anyone comes near, I want you to claim me.”

“Elijah,” Orli whispered the name, his eyes fixed on Elijah’s face.

“I got my chance to let my hair down in that club a couple of weeks ago, well now it’s your turn. You get to let the jealousy out, Orlando for one night you can let it run riot. I want to make just enough of a scene so everyone will talk about us for a couple of days. I want them to think I’m with a right possessive wanker, but be green eyed with envy at my luck.”

“Wow, you’ve really thought about this.”

“Yeah, I have. Can you do it? Will you be the bad guy for me?”

“Yes,” Orli nodded. “Oh yes, I’ll make them know you’re taken all right.”

“Good, ‘cos then when I refuse to join in, saying I want to go home to my boyfriend, they’ll understand why. I want you to be so hot the whole room is turned on, and everyone will know you’re in another league so they won’t bother with me. Then I can start looking up again because no one can compete with you when you really turn it on.”

“Let me check if I’ve got this right, you want me to go in and prove a point then claim your arse?” Orli’s grin said it all. “Is this really what you want?”

“Oh yes, I’ve come far enough to know what I can and can’t do and,” his eyes shone at Orli. “What I want.”


+


The venue was a big hall in the university grounds, part of the student union but used by the official side of the uni as well. Orli stopped at the door and turned back to face Elijah. They were fashionably late, everyone should already be there. “Ready?”

“Yep,” Elijah nodded.

“You’re not nervous?”

“I have faith in you,” Elijah smiled, wide and infectious. “In those trousers you’ll have everyone drooling after you in seconds.”

Orli stuck out his tongue. He did feel a bit self-conscious, the trousers were more suited to a gay club then a uni do when the faculty would be there. Oh sod it, if this was what Elijah wanted…. and Orli knew he looked hot. “Come on then,” he reached for Elijah’s hand.

“Hang on, one last thing,” Elijah spun Orli round and lifted up the hem of his jacket. “Hold on a minute.” He pulled at the rip in the leather just under Orli’s arse cheek and it grew another couple of inches.

“Elijah!” Orli protested.

“Oh shut up, you’re gorgeous and you know it. A bit more boxer and flesh showing just makes you even better.”

“You’re a pervert,” Orli grinned.

“Yeah, but I’m your pervert,” Elijah grinned back. “Go on, say it.”

Orli pushed his face right up close to Elijah’s. “I love you pervert.”

“Good,” Elijah kissed his nose. “Now come and show all the tossers in there that I’m taken.”

Orli caught Elijah’s hand, pushed open the door, and led the way in.

There was a dance floor down one end, a long bar wrapped around the wall at the other and loads of little tables in between. Orli surveyed the scene and decided to make a bit of an entrance. Might as well start as he meant to go on.

He slipped his jacket off and dumped it, along with Elijah’s coat, on an empty table. He knew the bulge of his keys and wallet in his back pocket added a certain something to the look of his arse. He laced his fingers through Elijah’s and then hooked his thumb in the curve of the pocket at the front of Elijah’s jeans.

With their hands like that Orli’s fingers were just brushing over Elijah’s cock. “You got a problem with that?” Orli’s eyes twinkled.

“Oh no,” Elijah laughed. “No problem at all.”

Orli turned and led Elijah towards the bar, taking the longest route he could manage.

Elijah suddenly leaned forward, rubbing his face into Orli’s neck. “Do the walk Orlando. You know that lope that makes your hips roll and my dick go hard.”

Orli licked at his lips and did as he was told.

By the time Orli had ordered the drinks most people in the place had registered their presence. Orli gave Elijah his bottle of beer – no hard drinking tonight – checked the room from the corner of his eye and leaned in. He licked over Elijah’s bottom lip, slow and very deliberate, and then slid his mouth in place to kiss him. All very wet and noisy with lots and lots of obvious tongue.

Elijah hooked the beer bottle hand high round Orli’s neck, careful not to spoil the view, opened his mouth wider, arched his back provocatively and rubbed his groin against Orli’s.

Orli pulled back grinning, difficult when he had Elijah’s bottom lip caught between his teeth. “What do you think, not a bad start?”

“Not bad at all,” Elijah pushed up for another kiss and Orli’s hand caught hold of his arse, squeezing over and over.

When they pulled apart this time Orli turned Elijah round and then pulled him back against his body so that they were glued together from knee to shoulder. Elijah leant back and rested his head.

“A bit more?” Orli asked as Elijah took a swig of beer.

“Why not?”

Orli snaked a hand round Elijah’s waist, pulled his t shirt up a fraction and rubbed at the soft skin. Then slowly, very slowly and knowingly, he pushed his fingers down under the waistband until only his thumb was hooked over the top.

Elijah smiled smugly in approval and pushed up towards Orli’s hand. He looked round the room. Oh yes, they had people’s attention now.

Half an hour later and Orli couldn’t quite believe how much he was enjoying himself. This over possessiveness was meant to be an act, right? It didn’t feel like that; it felt like exactly what he wanted to do. When he’d twisted Elijah’s head round to awkwardly kiss him again, Orli had looked up at the room. Hundreds of eyes had been staring at him and it had taken him every ounce of self-control not to stick a finger up at them all. Elijah was fucking his and… He pulled Elijah in tighter, his hand going up high under his t shirt to splay out over Elijah’s chest.

Now they were drinking again, Elijah standing in front, his arse pressed tight against Orli’s hip, Orli’s hand possessive on his belly, fingers just inching down again. “So who’s who then?” Orli asked.

“Those are teachers over there,” Elijah pointed with his bottle towards a couple of tables filled with scruffy older types. “The woman with the red hair and ethnic earrings is my tutor.”

“Which is the one that tried it on with you?”

“Why, what you gonna do?” Elijah laughed. “Beat him up for me in front of everyone.”

“I might.”

“Yeah? It’ll ruin your street cred when I have to come and rescue you.”

“Oh fuck off, I’m not that bad,” he bit at Elijah’s neck.

“Course you’re not,” Elijah rubbed his arse in little circles against Orli. “You’d save me if you had to.”

“So which one is he?”

“He’s not here, I think I’ve scared him away from the students for life.”

“Good,” Orli said stubbornly. Elijah patted the hand on his belly.

“So what about the students? What are their names?”

“No idea, told you I don’t talk to anyone.

“You must have heard some of them. What about the bloke who’s heading in our direction?”

Elijah looked at the man. “Bob? Rob? Something like that. He’s one of the in-crowd and all the little girlies dance around him. I reckon he thought I was competition, I guess he knows I’m not interested in the girlies now.”

That was one thing Orli wished he were completely sure about.

The man stopped near them, waving at the barman. He looked at Elijah. “All right?” Elijah nodded. The man looked again. “You want a drink?”

Elijah was just about to open his mouth when Orli cut in. “He doesn’t accept drinks from other people, only me,” he growled.

Elijah had to bite his lip to stop himself laughing as he shrugged at Bob/Rob and pressed himself even tighter against Orli.

“All right, keep your hair on,” the man said, moving up the bar and away from them.

“Oh you’re good,” Elijah turned around in the circle of Orli’s arm to kiss along his collarbone. “Too bloody good.”

“What’s the fucker doing trying to buy you a drink when you’re so obviously with me?”

“Being friendly? And you’re enjoying this just a little bit too much,” Elijah laughed, grabbing Orli’s hand. “Come on, dance with me.”

Orli huffed, caught Elijah round the shoulder, and directed him towards the dance floor. As he walked Orli gave off his best rough and ready caveman vibes and Elijah loved every second of it.

They found a space towards the edge of the dance floor where they were scarcely blocked from the watching crowd. Just enough to give tantalising glimpses of the show. And what a show it was. Elijah started off by wrapping himself around Orli, his thumbs caught in the back of Orli’s leather trousers, as he rubbed himself up and over Orli’s cock blatantly.

Orli leant in and kissed him, slow at first but with growing intensity till he almost forgot where he was. Hs hands caught at Elijah pulling him up onto his toes so that he could drag him against his body.

Elijah pulled back, his face pink, his lips swollen, his eyes alight, and he began to dance to the music. A gentle sway at first, which turned sensual almost immediately. Orli watched, mesmerised, and then began to join in, echoing Elijah’s movements. They travelled round each other always touching, a hand brushing here, a leg touching there, eyes locked.

Eyes always locked. Orli couldn’t see anything else as Elijah twisted and turned just for him.

Just for him.

And then Orli realised it wasn’t. Other eyes were watching, other people wanting.

He grabbed at Elijah, pulling him in close, and tightened his arms around him. “Mine,” he growled.

“Wondered how much you could take,” Elijah laughed softly in his ear.

“Not that much,” Orli got himself under control and remembered where he was. “I need another drink.” He started to lead Elijah off the dance floor, noticing how the crowd opened up easily for them.

“And I think our work is almost done here for tonight,” Elijah slipped his hand into Orli’s back pocket.

They bought more beer and Orli stood, arm draped over Elijah’s shoulder again, staring at the crowd. He felt odd, like everyone out there was hostile and he had to protect Elijah. Christ, if he felt like that what on earth must it be like for Elijah? He shook his head and scowled at the thought.

Not a great welcome for the girl that was fast approaching them. “Another A-lister at eight o’clock,” Elijah whispered in Orli’s ear. Orli scowled a bit more. “And keep going with the glare, it makes you look more rugged and manly.”

She was definitely in-crowd material, Orli thought. Desperately trying to look hip with her goth clothes and hair, trouble was she had a girl-next-door face and a cheerleader’s spring to her step. “Hiya,” she said brightly. “Remember me? I’m Barbie.”

Barbie? For fuck’s sake, no one was actually called Barbie. Orli tried a frown instead.

“Elijah, who’s your gorgeous friend?” She surveyed Orli, her eyes travelling slowly up and down. She licked her lips.

“Boyfriend,” Orli actually pushed Elijah behind him. “I’m his boyfriend, not his friend, and he’s mine.” Elijah buried his face in Orli’s shoulder.

“Oh, well,” she was flustered for a minute. “Maybe the boyfriend bit was obvious but I didn’t know it was like that, you’re so…” she searched round for the right word. Idiot, Orli glowered, and she was meant to be university material? “Possessive.”

“Yeah, I am,” and Orli enjoyed admitting it out loud. “I don’t share what’s mine.”

“Oh…oh okay, I’ll leave you two to each other then,” she said, backing away.

Elijah looked up and waved, his grin reaching from ear to ear. “It wasn’t me she was interested in, you wanker,” he whispered against Orli’s neck. Orli grunted.

It was then that the small mousey girl who had been trailing after Barbie stopped. She stared at Elijah, her head cocked to one side. “You look different from normal,” she said, and stared a bit more. “You look, I don’t know… happy.”

“I am,” Elijah said simply.

“Good for you,” mousey girl said and she trotted after the fast disappearing Barbie.

“Are you happy?” Orli asked.

“Yeah, I am,” Elijah nodded. “Haven’t had so much fun since the time I tried to fuck you in the bath. I laughed so hard that time I nearly burst a lung.”

“Idiot,” Orli smiled.

“And you are a jealous tosser that’s enjoyed acting it out way too much,” Elijah laughed. “But by God, I do love you.”

“And I love you too,” Orli caught him in a bear hug, squeezing him tight before kissing him hard.

“We have to do this again,” Elijah said, his hands flat against Orli’s chest.

“Well, you’re sure as hell not coming to anything here without me,” Orli said and then kissed him again. And he sure as hell meant it.


+