"Wouldn't let Harry hear you disparaging him like that." Orlando looked up, glaring as he met Karl's amused smirk in the mirrored reflection. As always, Karl looked the perfect picture of insouciant elegance in his navy pinstriped suit and grey tie that made his eyes seem even darker, more mysterious. "It's his fault I got roped into this," he griped, peevishly. Karl stepped beside him, and bent to fish a discarded tie – the royal purple one – out of the pile. "This one's fine," he said, and held it out. "Goes with the suit, makes your skin look amazing. I wasn't aware spending an evening in my company was so arduous." "It's not," Orlando protested, with a chagrined look. He'd been so busy feeling sorry for himself for having his evening interrupted that he hadn't thought about how his actions might look to Karl. "It's just..." "It's alright." One of Karl's hands came up to smooth Orlando's jacket. "I don't mind going stag." "That's not it." Great, he really was every inch the brat Harry'd once accused him of, and now he'd gone off and made Karl think... He half-turned, tugged Karl to him, and nipped at Karl's lower lip, fangs barely grazing soft flesh. "I'd just hoped it was going to be all three of us, that's all." "Ah." To Orlando's relief, Karl wrapped his arms around Orlando's waist, drew him closer. "Well, then, why don't we do the requisite round at the party, then surprise Harry with a visit? I feel certain he'll need the distraction after dealing with Bulgarian politicians the past three days." Orlando's eyes lit up. "Yeah?" "Christ, I forget how easy you are to please," Karl smiled. "You know, if you wanted more time with the two of us, all you had to do was say something." "I know, I know." And he did, he really did. But it was still so hard to remember some days that this was all real – that they were real – and it was an equal relationship. "I'll do better." "Good. I'd hate to put Dave on the case again." Orlando's lips quirked. "He'd just insist on fucking me into realizing the error of my ways." "No wonder you don't learn," Karl laughed, and leaned back far enough to finish knotting Orlando's tie. "Now, are you ready?" Another quick look in the mirror to finger-comb his curls into shape, and Orlando nodded. "Yeah, I'm ready." The sooner they got this over and done with, the sooner they could go see Harry. Onto Mechanics
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