The moment Orlando�s perusal changed from amusement to something� affectionate, he leaned forward and gently shook a denim covered shoulder. �Lij.�
�Huh?� Elijah came awake with a start, jerking into a half-sitting position that had the book sliding off his chest. He fumbled for the book and slid, curse, tumble clatter thud, off the bench, face down onto the grass, his sunglasses mashed sideways against his nose.
Orlando dropped his bag and grabbed for Elijah�s arm, unable to control the sharp giggle of amusement. �Shit. Sorry, Lij. You ok?�
Elijah wind-milled his arm, knocking Orlando�s hands away. �M�fine, man.� He scrambled to his feet, reaching down and snatching the book from the ground. He was shaking the grass from the crushed pages when he looked up at Orlando.
Orlando�s face was twisted into a strange sideways grimace, mouth pinched crooked. He was trying not to laugh.
Elijah snorted, embarrassed. Then chuckled.
Orlando doubled forward with a sharp bark of laughter.
Elijah shoved at Orlando�s shoulder, smiling. �Shut up. You scared me.�
Orlando reached out and brushed off the arm of Elijah�s jacket, the last blades of grass tumbling back to the ground. He grinned at Elijah.
Elijah elbowed him in the arm. Gently. Then cleared his throat. �How�d you do?�
Orlando shrugged. �Ok, I guess. It seemed easy enough, but I�ll know more when I get online tonight and check my score.�
�Cool.� Elijah readjusted his sunglasses and started towards the parking lot at the far side of the quad. �We headed back now?�
Orlando nodded slowly and stepped in place beside Elijah. They were in front of Orlando�s truck when Orlando stopped.
Elijah stopped too, hands shoved in his pockets. �What, you forget something?�
Slowly, Orlando shook his head. He cleared his throat. Twice. �I thought maybe we could hang out here, today. In the city.�
Elijah blinked. �Hang out?�
Orlando shrugged, the tips of his ears red. �Yeah. Austin�s�there�s like fifty thousand kids who go to college here. Sixth Street is cool. And there�s Waterloo Records on Lamar Street and�and coffee bars and stuff. If you want.�
�You mean just�spend the day with you? Here?�
Orlando stared at the ground. �It�s ok if you have other stuff to do, I just thought��
�Yeah.�
Orlando looked up hopefully. �Yeah?�
Elijah grinned. �Yeah.�
+
Orlando jerked slightly when he felt a hand on his arm. He tugged the oversized headphones off his ears. �Yeah?�
�Hey, I found�what are you listening to?� Elijah frowned and reached for one earpiece of Orlando�s headset, holding it up to his own ear, unintentionally pulling Orlando closer.
Orlando held his breath, his eyes drifting shut as he felt the warmth of Elijah�s fingers against his neck, curled around the band of flexible plastic. He leaned closer, biting the inside of his lip as his shoulder and hip came to rest against Elijah�s.
Elijah didn�t move away.
Orlando opened his eyes.
�What is this crap you�re listening to?� Elijah released the headphone and stabbed at the eject button on the CD player.
�Hey! I was��
Elijah pulled the CD from the player with a snort. �Total trash. Here. Try this.� He put another CD into the player, skipped ahead seven tracks and hit play.
He was still leaning against Orlando�s side.
Orlando stared at him for a moment, then slowly lifted the headphones back into place over his ears. He breathed in quickly, but managed not to gasp when Elijah laid a hand on his shoulder and pressed an ear to one headphone, waiting for the opening bars then nodding in time with the music. He turned to smile at Orlando, his eyebrows raised in encouragement.
The hand on Orlando�s shoulder slid away.
Down his back.
Thumb dragging down his spine, palm skimming firmly down one curved plane of long muscle to his waist.
A gentle, possessive squeeze at his hip, and Elijah moved away, walking down an aisle looking for more CDs.
Orlando reached out and grabbed the rack in front of him, fingers tightening on the black metal as he grinned like an idiot and started nodding in time to the music.
Strange music, certainly.
But it had kind of a catchy�something to it.
+
�So if we win District, does that give us an automatic place at sta�hey. What has you so distracted?�
�Huh?� Orlando jerked his head back to center, curling his hand around his coffee cup and pulling it closer to his chest.
Elijah smiled confused and turned around in his chair. �What are you�oh�� Elijah�s voice trailed off thoughtfully.
Sitting in a booth towards the back of the coffee shop were two young men. They were slightly older than Elijah and Orlando, both wearing clean, well-pressed, stylish clothes, with short, meticulous haircuts and one had a small diamond in his ear.
But Elijah didn�t need gaydar to know they were a couple.
They were holding hands. On top of the table.
One of the men leaned close to the other, whispering something in his ear. They both laughed, then there was a quick kiss on a temple, followed by a slightly longer kiss on the mouth.
Except for the fact that it was two young men, they could have been any twenty-something couple in love.
Elijah understood why Orlando was riveted.
You didn�t see things like that in downtown Lockhart.
+
�Sweet! It�s a head shop.�
Orlando balked, stopping abruptly in the middle of the sidewalk. �A what?� His voice was only slightly lower than a squeak.
Elijah chuckled and turned back, grabbing Orlando�s arm and pulling him towards the door. �Not that kind of head, Orli. They sell pipes and tobacco stuff. Come on, they�re usually a great place to check on the local music scene.�
�Oh�� Orlando let himself be dragged through the door.
+
Orlando leaned against the wall in a corner of the strobe-lit, run down warehouse. The beat-up space had been transformed by a thumping sound system, and apparently genius lighting technicians, into an eighteen-and-up venue for local bands.
Elijah found the place by asking at the head shop.
Orlando looked around, trying not to be as wide-eyed about the whole thing as he felt. The closest he�d come to clubbing was country and western dancing at Billy Bob�s with the football team in Fort Worth last year.
Orlando searched the packed room carefully, tapping his fingers against the wall in time to the music.
Elijah left him there, saying he was going to �scab a table and find something decent to drink�. Orlando shifted and looked down at the huge black X�s on the backs of both hands and shook his head. Elijah would probably come back with lemonade.
�Here.� Orlando started when Elijah thrust a red plastic cup in his hand. �Come on.� Elijah gestured with a flick of his head and turned back through the crowd.
Orlando followed Elijah, resisting the urge to grab a hold of his shirttail.
Elijah led them wind dip swivel through the standing, moving, rubbing crowd of late teen-somethings, his head bobbing in time to the music of the band on stage. Orlando had never seen so many people with holes in their bodies or brightly colored, striped, spotted, spiky hair.
Actually, the blue would probably look pretty cool on�
Elijah leaned over a high bar-table towards the side of the room and set three drinks down, sliding two towards the couple already sitting at the table. Orlando watched as the guy and girl grinned, took the drinks and lifted their feet off two other stools at the table. Elijah gestured at Orli to park it on one of the stools.
Orlando crowded into the small space between pressed bodies and sat down. Elijah shoved his stool closer, out of the aisle and took a seat, hip, thigh, and arm pressed into Orlando�s.
Orlando cleared his throat and tensed, looking around. Elijah elbowed him gently in the side and crooked a finger. Orlando leaned in so Elijah could speak into his ear.
�Nobody�s looking, or cares.�
Orlando nodded jerkily and covered his awkward embarrassment by taking a huge swallow of his coke.
He choked.
Rum and coke.
He coughed hard, Elijah�s hand patting him on the back. Orlando could feel Elijah chuckle where they were pressed against one another.
Orlando cleared his throat and leaned closer to Elijah�s ear. �Jerk.�
Elijah�s smile softened. He turned and breathed into Orlando�s ear. �Handsome.�
Orlando shivered and tilted his head, laying his curls gently against Elijah�s forehead. Unconscious. Affectionate. Sweet, even.
Elijah slid his hand up Orlando�s back and gently wrapped his fingers and thumb around Orlando�s neck, kneading the smooth skin and dragging his thumb under Orlando�s ear. He felt Orlando sigh and relax into the touch.
Elijah held Orlando�s head gently still and pressed his lips against the dark curls. He let go with a silent sigh, hand sliding away, turning back to the band on stage.
Orlando slowly opened his eyes. He stared at Elijah�s profile, his hand tightening on his plastic cup.
Elijah managed to ignore the stare for a grand total of ten seconds. He turned, one eyebrow lifted in amusement. �What?�
Orlando kissed him.
Just lips, crooked, soft, bumping noses.
But he kissed him.
Orlando looked pleased with himself when he pulled back, winked at Elijah and turned to face the band.
Elijah stared at Orlando�s profile. �Jerk.� He was grinning so wide his face hurt.
Orlando grinned and fumbled for Elijah�s hand.
Under the table.
+
Orlando�s shoulder brushed against Elijah�s with more than the accidental intention of the last few blocks. �What time do you have to be at the bar?�
Elijah shrugged, leaning into the touch. It was dark, the crowds thickening as they made their way down Sixth Street, back to where Orlando�s truck was parked. �I told Uncle Vig I�d be there by ten or so. Help him with the late crowd and close down.�
Orlando glanced at his watch. It was a quarter �til nine. �We�d better cruise.�
Elijah nodded.
They walked in silence down the quiet, hotel-populated end of the street and rounded the corner of the last block, the night dark and padded with the sound of cars racing along the elevated freeway.
Elijah looked up at Orlando when he felt the warm flingers curl around his. Orlando slowed, raising their joined hands between them in question, loosening his grip.
It was dark.
They were the only two people on this end of the block.
The truck was in the lot across the street.
Elijah tried not to think about why they hadn�t been holding hands for the last eleven blocks, laced his fingers through Orlando�s and smiled anyway.
+
Orlando pulled up behind the bar and put the truck in park.
Elijah sat up with a jerk, rubbing both hands through his hair. �Shit. I didn�t mean to fall asleep.�
Orlando chuckled. Elijah had climbed into the truck, waiting only until Orlando put it in gear before throwing himself down across the seat, head tucked into the curve of Orlando�s hip. Orlando drove with one hand, the other resting on Elijah�s chest. He had been reminiscing about their game on Friday when he looked down and saw that Elijah was sound asleep.
Orlando smiled at the memory. �No big deal. We�re here.�
Elijah yawned and tugged on the hem of his shirt. �Ok.�
Orlando stared down at the wheel, the truck engine still running. He cleared his throat. �Gonna be a busy night for you?�
Elijah shrugged, reaching for the door handle. �Typical Saturday, I guess.�
�Oh. Well�guess I�ll let you get going.�
Elijah�s brain finally woke up. �Come inside.�
Orlando tried not to look too hopeful.
Elijah released the door handle and tugged on Orlando�s arm. �Come on. You can sit at the bar. I can�t promise it�ll be exciting but at least you can keep me company between rounds.�
Orlando shrugged, pretending indifference, his fingers twitching towards the truck�s ignition.
Elijah scrambled across the seat and crawled sideways into Orli�s lap, fingers digging gently at the long ribs, breathing into Orlando�s ear. �Come on, baby. You know you want to.�
Orlando laughed and squirmed away from the tickling hands, hitching his shoulder up to protect his ear. Elijah slid his hands around Orlando�s waist against the warm seat, leaning back. �Seriously. Keep me company.� Elijah pulled his hands away, holding them up. �I�ll only molest you in private. Scout�s honor.�
Orlando grinned and reached for Elijah�s neck, pulling him close. �Ok.� He breathed the word across Elijah�s mouth before kissing him.
More than just lips, sideways, deep, hard and noses in the right place.
This time, Elijah kissed him back.
+
Orlando looked back over his shoulder as he clicked the door locks on the truck. He snorted with laughter.
Elijah came from around the other side. �What?�
Orlando grinned and pointed over his shoulder at the truck.
Elijah looked, snorted, then started laughing too.
The windows were completely fogged over.
+
Elijah put his hand on Orlando�s shoulder and leaned around him to set the beer on the bar. He knew they were grinning like idiots at one another.
Orlando didn�t seem to care. Elijah didn�t care either.
Orlando reached for the beer and lifted it in salute, swiveling on the bar stool until his hip knocked against Elijah�s. Elijah squeezed the broad shoulder and leaned forward, his mouth next to Orlando�s ear.
The bar door opened.
�Bloom! Man, what the hell are you doing here?�
Half the Lockhart football team walked through the door.
Orlando moved so fast Elijah�s hand hovered in empty air. Elijah watched as Orlando was surrounded by the team, hands clapping his back, squeezing his neck and dragging him towards the large booths at the back of the bar.
Orlando didn�t even look at Elijah.
Elijah cleared his throat and lowered his arm, reaching forward to wipe away the ring from Orlando�s beer.
+
�Elijah, dude! You work here?�
Elijah nodded. �My uncle owns the place.�
�Sweet!� Dom chucked him on the shoulder. �Pull up a chair, have a beer, man.� Dom gestured at a corner of the completely packed booth. There were noises of agreement from the other dozen or so players at the table. Orlando remained silent, flipping his coaster over and over between his fingers.
Elijah flashed a fake smile and shook his head. �Can�t, sorry. On the clock. Can I get you guys anything else? Orlando, you look like you could use another.� Elijah�s voice dripped with politeness as he gestured at Orlando�s nearly empty glass.
Orlando started, disturbed at being singled out. He shot a look at Elijah, then dropped his gaze, shaking his head. �No, thanks. �M fine.�
Billy snorted. �Come on, man, it�s Saturday of a three-day weekend. No school Monday. Time it right and you can keep a nice buzz right through Monday afternoon, leaving plenty of time to sleep it off before Tuesday morning practice.� There was a chorus of cheers from the table and anther round was ordered. Billy made sure Elijah added a beer for Orlando, then watched speculatively as the team manager did his best not to stalk back to the bar.
Billy exchanged a look with Dom.
Dom snorted and waved a hand in front of Orlando�s face. Orlando flinched. �Earth to quarterback, what�s your deal, man? You�re not with us. You and Buffy have a fight?�
Orlando lifted his head, distractedly. �Who?�
Billy clapped a hand over his mouth before the laugh could escape.
Dom looked at Orlando incredulously. �Buffy? You know, your girlfriend?�
Orlando blushed red to his ears. �Uh, no. No. Buffy and I didn�t have a fight. I�m just�� He scrubbed at his face with one hand. �Sorry guys. I�m just tired, I guess. Long day.�
Billy frowned at Dom over Orlando�s head. He chucked Orlando on the shoulder and called for another round. �It�s fine, Orlando. Really, it�s fine.� Billy looked across the room in time to see Elijah turn slowly away, rubbing the back of his neck as if he too, was having more than his share of a long day.
+
Orlando let the team drag him half-way across the parking lot before he suddenly balked, stopping mid-stride. �I�� He shook his head. �I forgot something�inside. I�ll catch you guys later.� He spun back towards the bar before he could change his mind.
Dom�s voice halted him again. �You�re comin� to the guys only cookout tomorrow night, right?�
Orlando nodded. �Yeah.�
Dom snagged Billy around the neck and started dragging him towards his truck. �Cool. Oh, and remind Elijah about it while you�re in there, ok?�
�That�s what�� Orlando cleared his throat. ��I will. Thanks.� Orlando didn�t wait for them to leave before hurrying back into the bar.
+
Orlando stood just inside the door, looking around the near-closing quiet bar. He frowned when he didn�t see Elijah immediately. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and approached Viggo who was washing glasses behind the bar.
�Hey.�
�Hi there. Your name�s Orlando, right?�
Orlando nodded. �Yes, sir.�
Viggo smiled. �No need to sir me, Orlando. You�re a regular. Viggo�s just fine.� He nodded towards the back of the bar. �Elijah�s out back on trash detail.�
Orlando opened his mouth, then closed it. �Thanks.�
+
Elijah was sitting on the back steps, head dropped into one hand, staring at the cement between his feet. He sighed when he heard the door open. �I�ll be right there, Uncle Vig. I just�need a minute.�
Orlando felt about two inches tall.
Slowly, he walked down the steps until he was standing in front of Elijah.
Elijah froze when he saw the boots pass him on the stairs.
He waited for Orlando to speak.
�I�m an asshole.�
Elijah snorted and continued to stare at the ground.
�I�m sorry, Lij.� Orlando squatted on the ground in front of Elijah. �They just�surprised me. I haven�t quite figured out how to�what to�fuck. I don�t know��
Elijah held up a hand. �Just�stop it.� He sighed and stood up, his gaze still focused on the ground. �I understand. It�s ok.�
Orlando stood, reached out and missed. He took a breath and tried again with more conviction. This time he managed to lay a hand on Elijah�s shoulder. �No, it�s not ok.�
Elijah didn�t respond.
�Lij. Look at me. Please.� Orlando touched Elijah under the chin.
After a few seconds, Elijah sighed and looked up, rolling his eyes, his hands on his hips. He still refused to meet Orlando�s gaze.
Orlando�s face fell. �Ohfuck. Don�t cry, you asshole.� Orlando grabbed Elijah and yanked him against his chest, wrapping his arms tight around the young man. Elijah grabbed him back. Hard. His face buried against the curve of Orlando�s shoulder and chest.
Orlando shook him and kissed him firmly on the top of his head. �Quit it, you jerk. I feel like shit already, ok? Crap, I suck at this. This is ten times worse than having a girlfriend.� He tightened his arms around Elijah, unconsciously rocking him back and forth.
Elijah snorted against his sweater. Then sniffed. �Fuckin� idiot, I�m not your girlfriend.� His voice was clogged.
Orlando smiled against Elijah�s hair, hearing the teary smile in Elijah�s words. �No shit.� Orlando lowered his voice, dropping his head to speak into Elijah�s ear. �I just thought having a boyfriend would be�easier somehow.�
Elijah went suddenly still.
Orlando waited, not breathing.
Elijah leaned back, his eyes still bright, but the tears gone. �Did�did you just call me�what I think you called me?�
Orlando used the sleeve of his sweater to wipe one of Elijah�s cheeks. �Yeah. You got a problem with that?�
Elijah�s eyes narrowed. He didn�t respond for a long time.
Orlando was holding his breath again. He had just passed into an extreme state of panic when he saw the edge of Elijah�s lip twitch. He growled and grabbed Elijah again, lifting him against his chest. �Fucker, don�t tease me like that.�
Elijah snorted a laugh into Orlando�s neck, holding him close. �You�re the one who made me cry.�
�Come on, I said I was sorry about behaving like an��
�Shut up. I cried because you cared enough to come back, you jerk. Not because you didn�t know how to handle tonight. Hell, I didn�t know how to handle tonight.�
�Oh.�
�Oh. That�s all you have to say? You do suck at this, don�t you?�
�Uh��
�This is the part where we should be kissing, you idiot, in case you hadnmmmfff��
