"Who was that?" Dom asked, in lieu of a greeting, as he walked up and peered towards the door. "Was that Karl's new pet?" "Wait, hold on, Karl has another pet?" Elijah's eyes, still bluer than blue, even though they had a few more crinkles around them these days, threatened to bug out of his head. "Good fucking Christ, aren't the three of you enough for him?" "It was," Orlando said, slanting a look at Dom. He wondered just how much Sean had told him, because there was no doubt that Harry had told Sean everything. "And, um, there's only two of us, Lij." "I can count. Harry, you, and Dave. That's three." "Harry's not a pet," Orlando reminded him, then made a small gesture towards the open door. "I need to talk to you. Both of you." "Library?" Dom asked as he stepped past Orlando, but he didn't wait for an answer. "Orli –" "I'll explain everything. Promise." "You better," Elijah muttered as he stomped into the library and headed straight for the bar. The years hadn't changed his energy and drive at all. He took the glass Dom held out to him and perched on the edge of one of the chairs. "So, why isn't Josh joining us?" Dom asked, as he gave Orlando his glass. "He's, um, he's gonna cook for us." He could practically feel the weight of Elijah's stare. Made it hard to concentrate on anything else. "Figured I could do the introductions after we've talked." "Fair enough." Dom kicked at Elijah's foot as he walked past to his own chair. "Dude, chill out, you're acting like a jealous boyfriend." "Fuck off," Elijah shot back. "How do you know so much about whatever this is?" "Sean, duh. And I don't. Not really. Just about Josh." "Josh. Alright, so explain that." "Karl met him about six weeks ago. And, well, you know how it is." "No, I don't. And six weeks? And you're just now mentioning it?" "I've been..." Orlando let out a slow breath. "We've been in traveling. London, then Istanbul, then Karl and I were away." "And you couldn't think to –" "Elijah, enough!" The retort was whip-fast, cut through Elijah's tirade in one stroke. Orlando took another deep breath. Centered himself. "In a way, I guess, we all need to thank Josh for setting everything in motion," he started, and over the next twenty minutes, proceeded to tell Dom and Elijah everything that had happened, from the fight over Jake that had started it to the situation with Josh to going to London to settle things with Dave to him and Karl heading out of town to reaffirm their bonds to each other. He told them about Dave and Lawrence and Liv, about the decision to allow himself to be unmade so Harry could give him the Gift. Through it all, Dom and Elijah stayed silent, let him speak. "Orli, mate...that's some heavy shite," Dom said, drink forgotten at his side. "Unmaking...you could –" "I know. Trust me, I know. It's all been explained, and I've had a few weeks to really think it over. Harry and Karl...and Viggo, too...have promised me things will be fine." "Fine?" Blue eyes darted from Orlando to Dom and back. "Unmaking will change him," Dom said, when Orlando didn't speak. "He'll be weaker than a newborn kitten for weeks. If he survives it." Elijah's eyes bugged again, and Orlando was hit with the almost overwhelming urge to laugh. "You could die? Are you fucking insane?" "No more than usual, no," Orlando replied, unable to help the grin that formed. This was serious, but really. Elijah just looked so ridiculous sitting there like that. "Besides, you know Harry. He's promised he won't let me die." "Oh, well, if the almighty and great Harry has promised..." Dom let out a laugh. "It's almost like you know him." "Dude, I'm trying to be serious here." Orlando reached out to pat Elijah's hand. "I am being serious. There's no one I trust with my life more than Harry." "Yeah, but it's not exactly up to him, is it?" Elijah asked. "Are you really sure you want to do this?" "I think we could all use another drink." Elijah just handed Dom his empty glass. "Are you sure?" he repeated. "This is a helluva lot of change going on with you guys." "I've only been more sure of one thing," Orlando said, and smiled just enough to show the tip of his fangs. "I want to do this. And, I want your support. Both of you." "You know you've got mine," Dom said, and Orlando knew there'd been little doubt in Dom's mind. He understood. Orlando looked at Elijah. Elijah just looked back at him, jaw set in that stubborn way he had. Orlando remained silent, and finally Elijah sighed. "Alright. Not that I think it'll do much good, but you've got mine." "Thank you," Orlando said, simply, and swept them both into a tight hug. Dom thumped him on the back, and gave a quick smile. "Now introduce us to Josh." Elijah nodded when he stepped back. "Yeah, I gotta say, man, I'm dying to meet anyone willing to take your crazy circus on." "You'd be surprised. He knew a helluva lot more than I did at the start," Orlando grinned, and snagged a bottle of rum on his way out of the room. Definitely time to lighten the evening. "Orli, I hate to tell you this," Elijah said, hot on heels with Dom right behind, "but I knew more than you did." "He's got a point." "Shut it, both of you," Orlando mock-growled, leading them to the kitchen. Josh looked up when they practically tumbled into the kitchen. Whatever he was cooking smelled amazing. "Time for dinner yet?" Orlando ignored the hisses and nudges coming from Dom and Elijah, then finally rolled his eyes. "Oh, alright. Pushy wankers. Josh, this is Dom, Sean's pet and worse behaved half, and this is Elijah, my best friend, when he's not being a prat." Josh wiped his hand on a towel and held it out for Dom, then Elijah, to shake. "Josh Hartnett. Good to meet you." He went back to tossing pieces of broccoli into the wok. "And no, dinner's not ready. Genius takes time." "Well, whatever it is, it smells fantastic." Dom peered around Josh's arm. "Is that fresh tarragon?" "A man who knows his herbs," Josh grinned. "You can definitely stay." He jerked a thumb at Orlando and Elijah. "See what you can do about getting rid of the freeloaders." "Unfortunately, he lives here," Dom said, pointing at Orlando while trying to crowd him out of the way. "And the other's a lawyer." "Ah, so you're that Elijah." "That...how many Elijahs do you know?" He whipped around to glare at Orlando, who just leaned against the counter and grinned. "Just one. And you're enough trouble for three, so one is plenty." Josh nodded at the bottle in Orlando's hand. "You brought alcohol?" "What kind of party would it be without it?" Orlando replied, with a waggle of his eyebrows. "Alright, you can stay, too." Orlando just laughed as Josh fixed Elijah with another stare. "Seriously, dude, you gotta man up if you want to play with the big dogs." "Big dogs?" Elijah sputtered. "Fuck you, dude, I earn my keep." "So I hear. Karl speaks very highly of you," Josh replied, tossing in what looked like, well, some mushrooms or another, Orlando couldn't tell. They looked pretty, though. He hoped they tasted as good. "I'll have you – wait, he does?" "Yep. Said he might give you the Gift just so he can keep your skills around." "He did not!" "He did," Dom said, and Orlando couldn't help wondering how he managed to keep a straight face. "I heard him tell Sean once." Elijah just looked at them. And Orlando was biting the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing when Elijah finally snorted and said, "Bullshit." Josh just smiled. "Alright, if you don't believe us..." "You..." One finger wagged between the three of them. "You can all kiss my ass." Orlando couldn't resist. He puckered up and started blowing kisses at Elijah as Dom collapsed onto a nearby stool, howling with laughter. "I clearly need more alcohol or weed or something," Josh stated. Dom perked up, laughter forgotten. "Dude, you have weed?" "Uh, hello, sax player in a jazz band, what do you think?" "I think Sean's been holding out on me is what I think." Dom held out a hand. "Give it over." "After dinner," Josh replied, and turned off the stovetop. "Besides, he said you were just in Rio with a bevy of nubile women to do your bidding. I'm pretty sure that aces any weed I might have." "There was no bevy," Dom said. He waved a hand in what Orlando was pretty sure was supposed to be a haughty manner, but just looked spastic. "There were two." "Two, he says," Elijah said, and rolled his eyes. "Were they blind?" "No, just desperate," Orlando said, before Dom could say anything. He blew a kiss at Dom as he passed around the glasses. "Guys, um..." "Uh oh," Dom said, in a stage whisper that had Elijah rolling his eyes again, "Orli's all fidgety." Making a face, Orlando downed the contents of his glass and poured another before looking at them. "I need to ask you a favor. All of you." "Your favors make me nervous," Elijah muttered, then flashed his best innocent look when Orlando frowned at him. "Ignore him and ask," Dom said as he aimed a kick at Elijah's ankle. "I, um, well...I'm going to need blood. Mortal blood. For the unmaking. Like, transfusions or something, and um, I was wondering, y'know..." "Done," Josh said, so quickly that Orlando's head whipped around. "Wait, just like that?" "Yeah, just like that," Josh shrugged. "Beyond the fact that it's in my own best interest if you make it through this in one piece, I like the idea of you owing me one." Orlando couldn't help the chuckle. "Yeah, okay. Good point." "If it means you owing me, I am so in," Dom declared, as he opened the cabinets to grab plates. "Long as it's not Viggo biting me or anything freaky, I'm in," Elijah said, and promptly downed half the contents of his glass. "But you totally fucking owe me one." "I'll buy you all something really nice for Christmas," Orlando said, and spun to collect the silverware. He'd expected more discussion, argument, something, and the speed with which they'd all agreed overwhelmed him. For a moment, the forks in his hand blurred. Blinking rapidly, he tried to center himself before facing them again. "Hey," Josh said, softly, one hand light on Orlando's shoulder. He waited until Orlando tilted his head. "We gotta start somewhere, right?" "Right," Orlando mumbled, and turned his head a little more to give Josh a slightly watery smile. "Thanks, mate." "It's all good." Josh swept him into a one-armed hug, and Orlando curled into it for a handful of moments, grateful beyond measure, before he straightened. "Suppose we need to feed those two," he said, wiping a hand across his cheeks. "Good call," Josh smiled, and grabbed the wok. "Gentlemen, I give you my famous lemon chicken vegetable mix." "Smells great," Elijah said, holding up his plate for his serving. "It tastes better." "Hope you made plenty, because I'm starving," Dom said, offering Orlando a small smile as he passed out the silverware and took a seat. No comments were made on the evidence of Orlando's tears, for which he was grateful. "There's enough," Josh laughed. He dished it out, then set the wok back on the stove before joining them. "So what're we watching tonight?" Elijah asked, then took a bite. "Oh my god, this is amazing!" "Something that isn't picked by you," Dom said, waving his fork at Elijah, ignoring Elijah's indignant sputters as he tucked into his own food. "Fuck, mate, this is brilliant." "It's the fresh asparagus and lemon marinade," Josh replied, entire body animated as he explained all of the steps he'd taken. Most of it went right over Orlando's head, but that was fine with him. He couldn't think of any place he'd rather be. Onto Part Thirty-Seven
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