Wake up, Orli -- wake up. It's just a dream, a nightmare like all the others. It's the past. It can't hurt you anymore, except in dreams. Orlando forced his body, his mind to awareness, consciousness. Welcomed the start of the familiar pain coursing through him. Except...it wasn't quite there. Solid warmth where there used to be only hollowness. Strong arms holding the nightmares at bay. "Karl?" Orlando whispered, turning, twisting the sheets in his attempt to roll over. Traced hopeful, disbelieving fingers over the cheeks, eyebrows, jawline of a familiar face. "I'm here." Soft reply, voice tinged with some rough emotion. "Thought you weren't coming." "Had to do a few things, sorry." Arms tightening around him, muscular and safe. Here. As if he'd never left. "You..." Orlando licked his lips, searched for the right words in his befuddled brain. The wrong ones would finish destroying him. "You really came..." "You asked." Karl said it so simply. And it had been just that simple. Things between them used to be simple...before. Yeah. Before. And maybe they'd never be simple again, but maybe -- just maybe -- they could pick up the pieces together. "Go back to sleep." Fingers massaging the back of his neck, easing tension. And it would be so easy to do it. To let Karl lull him to sleep the way he always used to. But Orlando knew if he went to sleep now, Karl would be gone when he woke up. And he wouldn't have enough left to try again. "Not yet." Orlando cupped the back of Karl's head, pulled him down. "I have something to tell you," he whispered, just before his lips touched Karl's. Tasted love and mint and home. Karl returned it with delicate lips, the soft slide of his tongue. Held Orlando as if he was afraid Orlando would finish breaking, finish shattering, underneath him. And maybe he really was broken. Maybe there was nothing left in Orlando's life except this kiss, these arms, this man. No, they weren't the arms Orlando'd dreamt of every night -- but all of his dreams turned to nightmares in the end. Let yourself go, relax. Sink into the mouth on yours, breath mingling with yours, bare chest pressed against yours. Revel in the familiar flavor, dance over and tease lips with your tongue, catch his small moan between your lips, dig fingers into muscle and bone and skin. Pour everything into this kiss -- don't let up. Remind yourself how good it used to be. Rediscover the chemistry. If you kiss him long enough, perhaps you can find your soul. Onto Reality
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