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fellowshippers2004-03-04 01:00 pm
one900.livejournal.com) wrote in fellowshippers2004-03-04 01:00 pm
(no subject)
Square One
PG-13
OB/EW
I just went with an idea I had...AU warning.
*
//Act One, Scene 1//
*
"Going to get lunch!" Orlando stuck his head into the office and tapped his hands on the doorframe. "Want anything?"
Liv smiled and leaned back in her chair in a slump of exhaustion. "Coffee would be a lifesaver. Thanks, Orlando."
"No problem. Paperwork is killer, huh?" he asked sympathetically.
"Yeah," Liv groaned, cracking her knuckles and rubbing her oxford clad shoulders into the cushion-y back of her executive chair. Orlando secretly wished he could have the same comforts every time his own plastic chair dug into his spine. That was the problem with being an office assistant: shitty work environments, and shitty work in general.
"I'll be back in half an hour," Orlando promised. He flashed a quick smile before closing the door gently behind him and gathering up his jacket and keys. Sticking his hands in his pockets, he strode out the doors and into the crisp New York weather. A barrage of noise immediately filled his ears and he smiled, squinting up at the various flashing signs and billboards that littered the streets.
He fell into the rhythm of the crowd, merging with the movement of torsos and limbs. Faces passed by in a blur, and he was enjoying the mindless people-watching when a pair of blue eyes streaked through his vision. Orlando unconsciously craned his neck, trying to follow their path. His spine twitched and he shivered slightly.
"What the fuck," he muttered. "I'm going---"
//Act One, Scene 2//
*
"---crazy," Orlando finished. He knotted his hands through the crop of curly hair that sprung from his scalp in intersecting angles. He hadn't had time for a haircut in months.
Dom laughed. "Come on, man. It's organic chemistry, not fucking...whatever. Abstract mathematics. Something harder than O chem." He shook his head. "Scratch my earlier comment. I think I'm going crazy, too."
They chuckled harder than necessary. The table was littered with empty cans of Starbucks Double Shots, Coke bottles, and various bags of chips.
"When's your last final?" Orlando asked, tossing some Doritos into his mouth and crunching violently.
Dom rifled through a pile of papers and pulled out a crumbled sheet that was stained with various shades of brown and yellow. His eyes quickly scanned across the writing, a long finger sliding slowly down the page. "I have psych on the 24th," he confirmed slowly. "Yeah. The 24th. Dorms close on the 27th."
"Fuck," Orlando said, not thinking of anything in particular. He felt that sometimes, situations just called for a single curse. College had been wittling away slowly at his articulation skills and he was beginning to feel the effects.
The door creaked open and Dom looked over Orlando's head, his face breaking into a smile of recognition.
"Hey!" Dom greeted. Orlando turned around lazily and looked up to see a bright-eyed guy who looked about their age. "How's it going?"
The guy made a face, his nose scrunching up into crinkles. "Finals. That's all I gotta say." He made his way around the table and dumped his backpack onto a chair. "Mind if I join?"
"Go for it." Dom swept a clear spot in the midst of the garbage. "Oh, Orlando, this is Elijah. Elijah, Orlando."
Elijah smiled. "Nice to---"
//Act One, Scene 3//
*
"---meet you. My name is Elijah Wood." The answer was accompanied by a large grin.
Orlando cleared his throat and resisted the urge to smooth down his tie. This was his first time with interviews and he felt uncomfortable cross-examining applicants who were barely younger than he was.
"Ok, I guess we'll get started then." He offered an awkward smile. Elijah nodded.
"So what do you think you can bring to this company?" Orlando winced inwardly. Such a cliched question.
Wood smiled. "Well sir, I believe that my major in communications will help me better the company-to-consumer relations, and that my knowledge in economics will be sufficient enough for me to offer a significant amount of help for the company." The smile wavered a bit and Orlando had to look away to keep from laughing himself.
"It certainly seems as though you have your priorities straight," Orlando said in a slightly teasing manner.
What are you doing, man? This is a fucking interview. Not a night out at the pub.
"Most things in my life are straight, sir."
The blatant double entendre caused Orlando to cough spastically into his fist. He inhaled deeply and plastered a bright expression on his face. Acting like a professional didn't come very easily to him. "Well, then, we'll be in touch with you in about a week or so. You can call---"
//Act One, Scene 4//
*
"---her later," Elijah slurred. He tried grabbing for his beer but only succeeded in pushing it farther away. "Right now is boys night out."
"Every night is boys night out," Orlando mumbled, laying his cheek down on the gritty table. "Sometimes I wish I'd just gone to college instead of doing this whole independent thing."
Elijah groaned. "Dude. Not this again."
Orlando sniffled.
"We agreed, man! We agreed to take a couple years off before we drowned our brains with higher education. Don't back out on me now," Elijah threatened. "I mean, we...." He trailed off.
Orlando tried to look up without lifting his head. "You ok?"
"I think...I'm gonna puke." The statement was punctuated by Elijah scrambling out of the booth and stumbling towards the bathroom.
Orlando sighed and reluctantly sat up, preparing his legs for another episode of drunk walking. He hated getting pissed with Elijah; the kid could not hold his liquor for shit.
"Lij?" he called tiredly, pushing open the swinging door that was marked with a crude drawing of the male anatomy. He spotted a pair of beat up Converses sticking out from underneath the last stall to the left.
"Hey. Open up."
A cough sounded. "Crawl under. Can't get up."
Orlando sighed and tried not to imagine the germs that were hopping on board his vulnerable skin as he inched under the door on his hands and knees. Once inside, he came face to face with what was looked like an affair between Elijah and his porcelain savior. He was hugging the toilet tightly, apparently having disregarded concerns for his health, seeing how his cheek was pressed against the grimy seat. Orlando grimaced.
"Lift your face, man. Who knows how many asses have come in contact with that thing."
Elijah grunted and hugged the toilet harder.
"Hey, come on now." Orlando slipped his hand underneath the weight of Elijah's head and cradled his cheek slightly. He was about to comment on how peaceful it seemed when Elijah's eyes opened wide and he pulled his hand back out of reflex, wincing as what looked like three weeks worth of food splashed into the toilet. He leaned back against the stall and rubbed Elijah's back reassuringly.
"Jesus, are you alright? You look like you're gonna---"
//Act Two, Scene 1//
*
"---die." Orlando ducked his head and tried to interfere with Viggos's vacant gaze. "Viggo?"
"Huh?" Viggo grunted, finally seeming to recognize Orlando.
Orlando pointed to the sample sized cups that were displayed on the counter. "Large coffee. Roast beef sandwich...you ok?" he asked as the deli owner went to work.
"Fine." Viggo moved with surprising speed, shoving various ingredients into a loaf of bread and letting the coffee overflow onto the machine surface. He slapped the sandwich and coffee on top of the counter. "Five bucks."
Orlando raised his eyebrows as he opened his woefully thin wallet. "Moody?"
"You should be used to it by now. You've been coming here everyday for the past eight months."
"Aw, you've noticed!" Orlando clasped his hands to his heart in an exaggerated gesture. Viggo simply wiped his fingers on his apron, but a tiny acknowledging smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. Orlando grabbed the items off of the counter.
"It's Liv's choice, so don't get a big head. See you tomorrow," he called, pushing his back into the door. Viggo threw him a dismissive wave, flicking---
//Act Two, Scene 2//
*
---his fingers through the pages of the impossibly thick textbook. A glance at his wristwatch told him that it was T minus 4 hours until his impending doom.
"I'm not getting this," Orlando muttered as he furiously flipped through chapters. He heard Elijah stir in his chair.
"O chem?"
"Yeah. Unfortunately."
Elijah exhaled a breath of empathy. "I failed that last quarter, man. It was total bullshit."
"Tell me about it. I think this might put me on academic probation for sure." Orlando looked up and saw Elijah gazing at him from across the table. They stared at each other for a beat. Elijah bit his lip and Orlando thought he looked like one of those kids who went to college about a year after they hit puberty.
"Coffee!" The door burst open and Dom's obnoxious voice broke the silence in the study lounge. Orlando tore himself away from the curiously blue eyes.
"Thanks Dom." He caught the can easily, his hand looping---
//Act Two, Scene 3//
*
---around Orlando's a little too tightly.
"Thank you for your time," Elijah said brightly. He finally released his grip and Orlando had to suppress the urge to curl his fingers into his palm and savor the soft touch.
He cleared his throat. "No problem. Like I said, we'll contact you within a week or so if you get the job."
"Alright, thanks." With one last winning smile, Elijah turned smartly and made his way to the double doors of the conference room. "Oh, I forgot to ask," he called, turning back around. Orlando raised his eyebrows in question.
"What's the policy on office dating?"
Orlando balked. "Like between employees?" he asked lamely. Elijah nodded.
"Well, uh, it's highly recommended that you don't...fraternize within the office," he managed to stammer.
Elijah shrugged casually. "Alright then." The door clicked shut behind him. Orlando stared at the ghost of his departing figure.
Cocky bastard...I wonder if he---
//Act Two, Scene 4//
*
"---can walk?" Orlando asked worriedly. Elijah was still sprawled against the toilet, his arm hanging limply within Orlando's grip.
"Mmmrh," Elijah mumbled.
Orlando sighed and reached down to grab him around the waist, trying to ignore that when he bent down, the bathroom tiles seemed to swim around.
"Come on, you fucking cheap drunk." He roped his arms around Elijah's petite waist and hauled him up to standing position. Elijah chose to be as burdensome as possible and slumped into a dead weight in Orlando's grasp, curling his legs around Orlando's shin and looping his hands around his neck.
"Lij?" Orlando tried to move his leg. "I'm not gonna walk around with you hanging off my leg like some fucking baby." Elijah remained silent and simply rubbed his face against Orlando's ribcage.
"Come on Lij. Rent's due on our shit apartment tomorrow. Can't afford it to be late. You're the responsible one. Get up. Come on." Orlando's attempt at guilt trips seemed to have no effect. He sighed resignedly.
"Alright then. Sit?" He carefully slid down to sitting position, Elijah folding with him like a well-creased piece of paper. Leaning his head back against the stall, he held tightly onto Elijah as the smaller man drowsily curled himself further into the concave between Orlando's legs and chest.
"Someday Lij, I'll lose my patience. I'm getting kinda tired of spending nights in bar bathrooms."
The only reply was the sound of Elijah's even breathing. Orlando absently rubbed his hand across Elijah's unruly strands of hair.
//Closing Scene//
*
"One coffee for the incredible Liv," Orlando announced, ceremoniously placing the styrofoam cup on top of a thick pile of folders and settling himself onto one of the plush chairs in front of her desk. She practically pounced, wrapping her fingers protectively around the cup.
"I think I love you." Her eyelids fluttered as she ungracefully slurped up the drink.
Orlando grinned. "Do you think you love me enough to give me a raise?"
"Sure," Liv snorted. She took another sip and her eyes widened. "Oh! I forgot to tell you. I hired another assistant."
"Oh come on." Orlando rolled his eyes. "Couldn't you just give me more work and more money?"
"I wouldn't want to kill you, honey." Liv smiled. "He should be outside soon. Go check. His name's Elijah. And be nice!"
"Yes ma'am." He saluted mockingly, then jogged out of the office before she could throw something at him. Sure enough, there was a guy standing by his desk with his back to Orlando.
Orlando came to a slow stop. "Elijah?" he asked hesitantly. The guy turned, startled. As soon as they made eye contact, Orlando's heartbeat suddenly sped up. The fleeting blue eyes from this morning matched perfectly with those that were looking at him right now.
"Hi." Elijah smiled.
Silence hung in the air for a moment. Then,
"Hi," Orlando breathed.
*
A/N: And that is officially the longest thing I've ever written. Heh. Was it confusing at all? Thanks for reading!
PG-13
OB/EW
I just went with an idea I had...AU warning.
*
//Act One, Scene 1//
*
"Going to get lunch!" Orlando stuck his head into the office and tapped his hands on the doorframe. "Want anything?"
Liv smiled and leaned back in her chair in a slump of exhaustion. "Coffee would be a lifesaver. Thanks, Orlando."
"No problem. Paperwork is killer, huh?" he asked sympathetically.
"Yeah," Liv groaned, cracking her knuckles and rubbing her oxford clad shoulders into the cushion-y back of her executive chair. Orlando secretly wished he could have the same comforts every time his own plastic chair dug into his spine. That was the problem with being an office assistant: shitty work environments, and shitty work in general.
"I'll be back in half an hour," Orlando promised. He flashed a quick smile before closing the door gently behind him and gathering up his jacket and keys. Sticking his hands in his pockets, he strode out the doors and into the crisp New York weather. A barrage of noise immediately filled his ears and he smiled, squinting up at the various flashing signs and billboards that littered the streets.
He fell into the rhythm of the crowd, merging with the movement of torsos and limbs. Faces passed by in a blur, and he was enjoying the mindless people-watching when a pair of blue eyes streaked through his vision. Orlando unconsciously craned his neck, trying to follow their path. His spine twitched and he shivered slightly.
"What the fuck," he muttered. "I'm going---"
//Act One, Scene 2//
*
"---crazy," Orlando finished. He knotted his hands through the crop of curly hair that sprung from his scalp in intersecting angles. He hadn't had time for a haircut in months.
Dom laughed. "Come on, man. It's organic chemistry, not fucking...whatever. Abstract mathematics. Something harder than O chem." He shook his head. "Scratch my earlier comment. I think I'm going crazy, too."
They chuckled harder than necessary. The table was littered with empty cans of Starbucks Double Shots, Coke bottles, and various bags of chips.
"When's your last final?" Orlando asked, tossing some Doritos into his mouth and crunching violently.
Dom rifled through a pile of papers and pulled out a crumbled sheet that was stained with various shades of brown and yellow. His eyes quickly scanned across the writing, a long finger sliding slowly down the page. "I have psych on the 24th," he confirmed slowly. "Yeah. The 24th. Dorms close on the 27th."
"Fuck," Orlando said, not thinking of anything in particular. He felt that sometimes, situations just called for a single curse. College had been wittling away slowly at his articulation skills and he was beginning to feel the effects.
The door creaked open and Dom looked over Orlando's head, his face breaking into a smile of recognition.
"Hey!" Dom greeted. Orlando turned around lazily and looked up to see a bright-eyed guy who looked about their age. "How's it going?"
The guy made a face, his nose scrunching up into crinkles. "Finals. That's all I gotta say." He made his way around the table and dumped his backpack onto a chair. "Mind if I join?"
"Go for it." Dom swept a clear spot in the midst of the garbage. "Oh, Orlando, this is Elijah. Elijah, Orlando."
Elijah smiled. "Nice to---"
//Act One, Scene 3//
*
"---meet you. My name is Elijah Wood." The answer was accompanied by a large grin.
Orlando cleared his throat and resisted the urge to smooth down his tie. This was his first time with interviews and he felt uncomfortable cross-examining applicants who were barely younger than he was.
"Ok, I guess we'll get started then." He offered an awkward smile. Elijah nodded.
"So what do you think you can bring to this company?" Orlando winced inwardly. Such a cliched question.
Wood smiled. "Well sir, I believe that my major in communications will help me better the company-to-consumer relations, and that my knowledge in economics will be sufficient enough for me to offer a significant amount of help for the company." The smile wavered a bit and Orlando had to look away to keep from laughing himself.
"It certainly seems as though you have your priorities straight," Orlando said in a slightly teasing manner.
What are you doing, man? This is a fucking interview. Not a night out at the pub.
"Most things in my life are straight, sir."
The blatant double entendre caused Orlando to cough spastically into his fist. He inhaled deeply and plastered a bright expression on his face. Acting like a professional didn't come very easily to him. "Well, then, we'll be in touch with you in about a week or so. You can call---"
//Act One, Scene 4//
*
"---her later," Elijah slurred. He tried grabbing for his beer but only succeeded in pushing it farther away. "Right now is boys night out."
"Every night is boys night out," Orlando mumbled, laying his cheek down on the gritty table. "Sometimes I wish I'd just gone to college instead of doing this whole independent thing."
Elijah groaned. "Dude. Not this again."
Orlando sniffled.
"We agreed, man! We agreed to take a couple years off before we drowned our brains with higher education. Don't back out on me now," Elijah threatened. "I mean, we...." He trailed off.
Orlando tried to look up without lifting his head. "You ok?"
"I think...I'm gonna puke." The statement was punctuated by Elijah scrambling out of the booth and stumbling towards the bathroom.
Orlando sighed and reluctantly sat up, preparing his legs for another episode of drunk walking. He hated getting pissed with Elijah; the kid could not hold his liquor for shit.
"Lij?" he called tiredly, pushing open the swinging door that was marked with a crude drawing of the male anatomy. He spotted a pair of beat up Converses sticking out from underneath the last stall to the left.
"Hey. Open up."
A cough sounded. "Crawl under. Can't get up."
Orlando sighed and tried not to imagine the germs that were hopping on board his vulnerable skin as he inched under the door on his hands and knees. Once inside, he came face to face with what was looked like an affair between Elijah and his porcelain savior. He was hugging the toilet tightly, apparently having disregarded concerns for his health, seeing how his cheek was pressed against the grimy seat. Orlando grimaced.
"Lift your face, man. Who knows how many asses have come in contact with that thing."
Elijah grunted and hugged the toilet harder.
"Hey, come on now." Orlando slipped his hand underneath the weight of Elijah's head and cradled his cheek slightly. He was about to comment on how peaceful it seemed when Elijah's eyes opened wide and he pulled his hand back out of reflex, wincing as what looked like three weeks worth of food splashed into the toilet. He leaned back against the stall and rubbed Elijah's back reassuringly.
"Jesus, are you alright? You look like you're gonna---"
//Act Two, Scene 1//
*
"---die." Orlando ducked his head and tried to interfere with Viggos's vacant gaze. "Viggo?"
"Huh?" Viggo grunted, finally seeming to recognize Orlando.
Orlando pointed to the sample sized cups that were displayed on the counter. "Large coffee. Roast beef sandwich...you ok?" he asked as the deli owner went to work.
"Fine." Viggo moved with surprising speed, shoving various ingredients into a loaf of bread and letting the coffee overflow onto the machine surface. He slapped the sandwich and coffee on top of the counter. "Five bucks."
Orlando raised his eyebrows as he opened his woefully thin wallet. "Moody?"
"You should be used to it by now. You've been coming here everyday for the past eight months."
"Aw, you've noticed!" Orlando clasped his hands to his heart in an exaggerated gesture. Viggo simply wiped his fingers on his apron, but a tiny acknowledging smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. Orlando grabbed the items off of the counter.
"It's Liv's choice, so don't get a big head. See you tomorrow," he called, pushing his back into the door. Viggo threw him a dismissive wave, flicking---
//Act Two, Scene 2//
*
---his fingers through the pages of the impossibly thick textbook. A glance at his wristwatch told him that it was T minus 4 hours until his impending doom.
"I'm not getting this," Orlando muttered as he furiously flipped through chapters. He heard Elijah stir in his chair.
"O chem?"
"Yeah. Unfortunately."
Elijah exhaled a breath of empathy. "I failed that last quarter, man. It was total bullshit."
"Tell me about it. I think this might put me on academic probation for sure." Orlando looked up and saw Elijah gazing at him from across the table. They stared at each other for a beat. Elijah bit his lip and Orlando thought he looked like one of those kids who went to college about a year after they hit puberty.
"Coffee!" The door burst open and Dom's obnoxious voice broke the silence in the study lounge. Orlando tore himself away from the curiously blue eyes.
"Thanks Dom." He caught the can easily, his hand looping---
//Act Two, Scene 3//
*
---around Orlando's a little too tightly.
"Thank you for your time," Elijah said brightly. He finally released his grip and Orlando had to suppress the urge to curl his fingers into his palm and savor the soft touch.
He cleared his throat. "No problem. Like I said, we'll contact you within a week or so if you get the job."
"Alright, thanks." With one last winning smile, Elijah turned smartly and made his way to the double doors of the conference room. "Oh, I forgot to ask," he called, turning back around. Orlando raised his eyebrows in question.
"What's the policy on office dating?"
Orlando balked. "Like between employees?" he asked lamely. Elijah nodded.
"Well, uh, it's highly recommended that you don't...fraternize within the office," he managed to stammer.
Elijah shrugged casually. "Alright then." The door clicked shut behind him. Orlando stared at the ghost of his departing figure.
Cocky bastard...I wonder if he---
//Act Two, Scene 4//
*
"---can walk?" Orlando asked worriedly. Elijah was still sprawled against the toilet, his arm hanging limply within Orlando's grip.
"Mmmrh," Elijah mumbled.
Orlando sighed and reached down to grab him around the waist, trying to ignore that when he bent down, the bathroom tiles seemed to swim around.
"Come on, you fucking cheap drunk." He roped his arms around Elijah's petite waist and hauled him up to standing position. Elijah chose to be as burdensome as possible and slumped into a dead weight in Orlando's grasp, curling his legs around Orlando's shin and looping his hands around his neck.
"Lij?" Orlando tried to move his leg. "I'm not gonna walk around with you hanging off my leg like some fucking baby." Elijah remained silent and simply rubbed his face against Orlando's ribcage.
"Come on Lij. Rent's due on our shit apartment tomorrow. Can't afford it to be late. You're the responsible one. Get up. Come on." Orlando's attempt at guilt trips seemed to have no effect. He sighed resignedly.
"Alright then. Sit?" He carefully slid down to sitting position, Elijah folding with him like a well-creased piece of paper. Leaning his head back against the stall, he held tightly onto Elijah as the smaller man drowsily curled himself further into the concave between Orlando's legs and chest.
"Someday Lij, I'll lose my patience. I'm getting kinda tired of spending nights in bar bathrooms."
The only reply was the sound of Elijah's even breathing. Orlando absently rubbed his hand across Elijah's unruly strands of hair.
//Closing Scene//
*
"One coffee for the incredible Liv," Orlando announced, ceremoniously placing the styrofoam cup on top of a thick pile of folders and settling himself onto one of the plush chairs in front of her desk. She practically pounced, wrapping her fingers protectively around the cup.
"I think I love you." Her eyelids fluttered as she ungracefully slurped up the drink.
Orlando grinned. "Do you think you love me enough to give me a raise?"
"Sure," Liv snorted. She took another sip and her eyes widened. "Oh! I forgot to tell you. I hired another assistant."
"Oh come on." Orlando rolled his eyes. "Couldn't you just give me more work and more money?"
"I wouldn't want to kill you, honey." Liv smiled. "He should be outside soon. Go check. His name's Elijah. And be nice!"
"Yes ma'am." He saluted mockingly, then jogged out of the office before she could throw something at him. Sure enough, there was a guy standing by his desk with his back to Orlando.
Orlando came to a slow stop. "Elijah?" he asked hesitantly. The guy turned, startled. As soon as they made eye contact, Orlando's heartbeat suddenly sped up. The fleeting blue eyes from this morning matched perfectly with those that were looking at him right now.
"Hi." Elijah smiled.
Silence hung in the air for a moment. Then,
"Hi," Orlando breathed.
*
A/N: And that is officially the longest thing I've ever written. Heh. Was it confusing at all? Thanks for reading!
no subject
Loved this. The way you brought the scenes together was brilliant.
Did I mention that this is brilliant? Cuz it it. *loves on you*
no subject
Thanks for writing it! *hugs fic*
no subject
no subject
i'm sure it appreciates hugs. heh.
no subject