Newspaper Clippings 6/? (Orlijah eventually) PG-13

[awritinglilypea]

Fandom: Lotrips
Pairing: Orlijah eventually, Viggo/Bean
Rating: PG-13
Complete: Only in my head.
Genre: Angst, hurt/comfort, romance.
Chapter Summary:Elijah wakes up happy for the first time in a very long time, and can't believe it. He knows it's because of Orlando but is unsure of what to do.
Author's Note: I'm sorry this chapter was late, by at least a day, but the good news is I now have this story plotted out up until chapter 22 and then the beginnings of a sequel.

For sparkly_shiny who almost stayed up late last night holding my hand while I was writing this, and would have done so if I'd asked her.

Previous Chapters



Elijah couldn’t remember the last time he’d woken up happy. It was a thought that scared him to the core, because he knew right in that moment that the reason he was so happy was because of Orlando.

They had stayed up, watching The Princess Bride until eleven o’clock, at which point Orlando, noticing Elijah’s fidgeting, had told him that it was time to go to bed, or something similar. He had been very understanding about stopping the movie for then and continuing it later.

Smiling to himself, Elijah allowed himself a moment to laze around in his bed, glancing at the clock. It told him he had a half hour to do so if he liked.

Closing his eyes, he tilted his head back and listened to the noises of the apartment, vaguely registering the sound of Orlando moving around, and smiling to himself, he got out of bed. He pulled on his robe and shuffled out into the main part of the apartment, smiling wider when he saw the older man moving around the kitchen with the phone pressed to his ear.

Orlando turned and spotting him, waved before returning to the phone call, “I don’t know Vig,” his voice was warm, and slightly teasing. “I’m not sure when would be a good time to come and see where I’m living now.”

Elijah studied him intently, trying to figure out who this ‘Vig’ person was but Orlando wasn’t talking to him as he would a lover, or at least not as far as he knew.

He wondered if this ‘Vig’ was the same man who had saved Orlando.

“Friday,” he said after clearing his throat, smiling when Orlando turned to look at him in question. “Dinner on Friday, invite as many people as you would like,” he told Orlando.

Orlando studied him for a moment, as though trying to figure out if he was sure, and a sunny smile broke out on his face. “Hey Vig, how would Sean and yourself like to come to an intimate dinner party on Friday?” he asked, winking at Elijah.

Elijah flushed before he could stop himself and then looking at the clock, slid off his stool and made his way to the bathroom, getting into the shower.He didn’t care when the bandages on his hands got wet, or the fact that his wounds stung as he washed his hair and scrubbed himself clean.

Orlando had winked at him.

He smiled dumbly, managing to get himself as dry as possible and dressed before he returned to the main part of the apartment.

Orlando was sitting on the couch and glanced up at him when he came in, a questioning look on his face as though he was waiting to see what it was that Elijah was going to say and was scared to speak first.

Or maybe it was Elijah who was scared to speak first, the blue eyed young man wasn’t quite sure.

“Could you redo my hands?” Elijah asked, holding them out.

Orlando nodded wordlessly. “Do they need washing?” he questioned in reply, turning off the television. He stood up, putting the remote in the little corral in the center of the table.

Elijah shook his head, “Just the bandages removed, maybe a light soak.”

Orlando did that for him, finishing just in time for there to be a knock on the door. He glanced at Elijah as he secured the last bandage and arched an eyebrow, questioning.

“Oh shit,” Elijah swore softly, garnering a laugh from his room mate. “Dom, I invited him for brunch. I hope you don’t mind.”

“No, don’t mind at all,” Orlando told him with a smile. “I can get out of here if you’d like, give you two some privacy,” he murmured, cleaning everything up.

Elijah shook his head, “I was...I was hoping you’d stay.” His face felt warm and he damned himself mentally, knowing that he was steadily turning red.

Orlando smiled, “Good, I’ll be cooking it anyway, you can’t do so like that,” he gestured to Elijah’s hands. “I’d be happy to know your friend.” He got up and put the first aid kit back where he’d found it.

“You don’t have to,” Elijah told him, heading for the door. He opened it and accepted Dom’s hug, wrapping his arms tightly around his best friend.

“Good morning,” Dom greeted, glancing at Elijah’s bandaged hands, a worried look crossing his face as he did so. “Alright?” he asked him, not saying much else.

Elijah smiled, nodding his head, “Orlando wrapped me up. We watched the Princess Bride,” he hoped his reply was simple enough that Dom wouldn’t fuss and smiled when his best friend removed his shoes before heading further into the apartment.

“Well, angel face, how are you today?” He heard Dom ask Orlando and resisted the urge to bash his head off the door, wishing he’d never told Dom that he thought his room mate looked like an angel. It was something he would most likely never live down.

Orlando laughed, and Elijah had to smile because the Brit seemed so at ease in his own skin, with who he was that he couldn’t help but be a little bit envious.

“I’m making brunch, so you best be on your best behaviour,” Orlando threatened, “what would you like?”

Elijah made his way over, hooking his thumbs in his belt loops, he rocked slightly on his heels. “You don’t have to Orlando,” he protested again, unsurprised when it seemed to fall on deaf ears as the older man pulled out a frying pan, and other cooking utensils, washing his hands twice.

“Bacon, eggs and toast it is,” Orlando shot them both a smile.

“Sounds good mate,” Dom replied, clambering up on one of the stools. “So what do you do for a living, Orlando?”

Orlando hummed softly, glancing at Dom, then Elijah. “I work at a psychologist’s office and go to school full time.”

Dom nodded his head. “That sounds fascinating,” he remarked. “Do you hope to be a psychologist someday?” he leaned forward, resting his chin on his hand as he did so.

“Yes, I do, for children actually. Those who have lost someone, or have developed behavioural disorders and things like that,” Orlando responded, his voice warming slightly as he seemed to think of all the good he could do.

Elijah found himself smiling again, not surprised that someone like Orlando would want to help children. It just seemed so obvious a choice for him.

“That must be how you knew how to deal with Lij’s mum,” Dom responded with a cheeky grin, maintaining an expression of innocence when his best friend shot him a glare.

Orlando looked between the two, his eyes widening slightly as he tried to figure out how Elijah would react.

Smiling, Elijah shrugged his shoulders, “She has been known to act like a child who doesn’t get her way.” He leaned forward, “I like my eggs over-easy by the way,” he winked at Orlando.

Dom laughed, grinning to himself. “Apparently you’re a god amongst men Orli, you’ve managed to do to Elijah’s mum what Elijah and myself have been trying to do for years.”

“And what’s that?” Orlando asked, arching an eyebrow.

“Slay the dragon,” Elijah responded bluntly before getting up. “I love her, I do, but she can be...”

“Bitchy? Annoying? Ridiculous?” Dom supplied, leaning over to say the words to Elijah, tilting to the side on the kitchen stool.

Elijah shook his head with a sigh, getting down a glass. He filled it with water. “Overbearing maybe,” he told them both.

Orlando smiled slightly as he watched Elijah, then turned back to the frying pan as the youngest of them all shuffled to his room and closed the door, the sound of the bathroom door opening and closing a moment later.

“So Orlando,” Dom said slowly, studying him. “What are your intentions toward Elijah?” he questioned.

Orlando’s head jerked up and he looked surprise, “Pardon?”

Dom smiled sweetly at him, “You look about as surprised as I felt when he told me that he would going to be living with someone. Elijah doesn’t play well with others, as I’m sure you’ve been able to figure out. Now for some reason he likes you, and I don’t blame him, you’re a likeable enough bloke.”

Orlando’s eyes widened somewhat and he almost forgot to mind the eggs, glancing down quickly he ensured they weren’t broken. “Thank you?” he said in a questioning voice, trying to figure out how he was supposed to be taking this.

“Don’t thank me, because if you ever hurt him I will make sure they don’t find the body,” Dom said in a deadly serious voice.

Nodding his head Orlando swallowed heavily, trying to remember the last time he’d heard such a threat and came up with nothing. Did Dominic really think he was the kind of person to hurt someone else?

“Orlando,” Dom’s voice was softer this time and he waited till the fellow Brit looked at him before smiling. “I hope you don’t get hurt either.”

Orlando grinned at him, “I understand.” He couldn’t say he wouldn’t do the same thing.

Elijah returned moments later and smiled when a plate was placed in front of him, carefully putting salt and pepper on his eggs after he broke the yolks and buttered his toast, dipping it in. He took a bite and swallowed.

“Perfect,” he told Orlando before smiling. “What were you two talking about?” he questioned, nibbling on his bottom lip lightly.

“Orlando just invited me to the dinner party you’re hosting,” Dom responded cheerfully, digging into his breakfast with vigor.

Elijah was surprised, glancing at Orlando he saw a small smile on his lips. He would feel more comfortable with Dom there, and the thought was nice.

“Thank you,” he said softly to Orlando who seemed to wave off the sentiment before eating some of his own breakfast. “Now Dom, you do realize you’ll have to behave yourself,” he chastised him. “No eating like that for example.”

Dom laughed, “What’s wrong with the way I eat?”

“Nothing if you are a caveman, or someone who wasn’t born in the United Kingdom,” Orlando’s voice was teasing.

“Hey!” Dom laughed again, deliberately switching the hands his knife and fork were in, cutting his food slowly, one pinky up. “Is this better?”

Elijah chuckled softly, looking around the kitchen.

It might not be normal, but it seemed this would be his life from now on.

Comments

[jovi-diva.livejournal.com]

This is awesome! I love Dom. He's just too awesome and so good for standing by Elijah's side and being all protective!

Each time I finish reading, I'm sad because I want more right away!

Thanks for posting it and I cannot wait to read the next chapter!

[awritinglilypea.livejournal.com]

Aww I'm sorry, I don't mean to leave you wanting more.