Title: The Downward Spiral - Part Twenty-Six Disclaimer: Never happened. "You are someone else I am still right here..." -- NIN Orlando didn't bother going into his house after Viggo dropped him off. He just threw his overnight bag on the porch and walked right back down the sidewalk, towards Karl's. He wasn't going to last one more day without at least making an effort. He wasn't going to be some goddamn victim here. He was going to take control of this situation and force Dom to see the truth. No lights were on over the porch when he arrived. He looked at his watch. Midnight. Fuck. He was too late, they were already asleep. Orlando knocked on the door, rang the bell. No answer. And Dom was a notoriously light sleeper. Which meant they must not be home yet. Orlando tried to remember the shooting schedule for this month. Perhaps they were still filming pickup shots for Pelennor or Isengard. Either way, Dom and Karl had finished most of their scenes together. There was a chance Orlando could catch Dom before Karl came home. Orlando paced while he waited, trying out different things to say and rejecting them. Everything sounded so boring, so trite, so completely inadequate for what he wanted to express. He should just slap his hand over Dom's mouth and drag him away someplace quiet where they could talk like they used to, share like they used to, be like they used to... Orlando's gaze strayed to the sidewalk, saw Dom's familiar figure hurrying down it. Yes, thank God, alone. Orlando would have a chance. Dom stopped when he saw Orlando on the porch. "What do you want?" he asked, looking puzzled. "It's the middle of the night." "I just got back from the South Island." Inane babble when all he really wanted to do was to enfold Dom in his arms and get the hell away from this house. Away from Karl. "Can I come in?" he asked instead. Dom shrugged. "I guess so." He unlocked the door and went inside, not even bothering to wait. "This had better be fucking important. I'm knackered." Orlando looked around the place, noticed all of Dom's things were so neat, so seamless, so intertwined with Karl's. This wasn't right. "You shouldn't be here." I saw him first... Stop it. Just stop. No more. Dom looked at him like he'd lost his mind...and maybe he had. "You came all this way in the middle of the night to tell me that?" "Dommie, look, I know we parted badly last time. And I'm sorry." Orlando took a deep breath, tried to say the right words this time. "But, can't you see, Karl's poison. He's changing you. And not for the better." "You are still not fucking getting it, are you?" Dom stood there, blew out a deep sigh, shifted his feet slightly so he was more balanced. "I. Want. To. Be. Here. Period. Get it through your thick fucking skull and then get the hell out of my house." He turned to walk out of the room, and once again, Orlando raced after him, grabbed him, shook him with hands that trembled with fear. "Please. He's just using you, can't you see that? He won't stop, not until he's erased you." Dom looked back at him with cold gray eyes and it was just like his dream, just like his nightmare. No, no...it was real, he could change things, do something about it. Orlando captured Dom's lips with his own, desperate to convey what mere words weren't doing. He poured all his love, his friendship into the kiss, hoping that Dom would know all the things he couldn't say. And for a second, one glorious, too-brief second, Dom seemed to respond, to melt into the kiss. The next instant Dom wrenched himself out of Orlando's arms. "What the fuck do you think you're doing?" "I'm trying to save you." God, please don't let me be too late. "Save me from what? Dammit, Orlando, I choose to be here. Why is that so hard for you to understand?" "Because he wants you for himself." Both men turned at the sound of Karl's voice. He stood in the doorway of the living room, leaning against the frame. "Isn't that right, Orlando?" "Karl!" Dom sounded so happy, so different than just a moment ago. The shift in tone left Orlando reeling, stunned. "When did you get home?" Dom asked. "A minute ago," Karl replied, tone easy-going, still so relaxed. "Long enough to watch you and the pretty Elf together." He gave Dom a quick smile, went back to watching Orlando. "I'm thinking he's got to be desperate for you if he's kissing you in this house." Orlando had never known what it was like to feel total and complete hatred for another human being until now. But, God, seeing him standing there, so smug, so superior, so goddamn certain of his hold over Dom just snapped something inside him. "This is none of your business, Karl." The swiftness of Karl's movements managed once again to shock him. One second Karl was still in the doorway, the next, he was standing in front of Orlando, fingers curled around his chin, digging, bringing pain. Just like last time...just like the dream again. "That's where you're wrong," Karl said, turning Orlando's head until he had no choice but to look into those hypnotic hazel eyes. "Everything about Dominic is my business." "He loves me, Orlando." Orlando could hear Dom from somewhere behind him, but still didn't believe it. He couldn't lose here, he couldn't. But, I love you, too, he wanted to shout, but couldn't get a word past his choked throat. Dom continued speaking, voice so alien, so wrong, so not Dommie. "And I feel bad for you, I truly do, but this isn't a goddamn game anymore." No, no this wasn't a game to him either, couldn't Dom see that? "It's not for me, either. Not anymore. Dom, please." Karl's fingers continued to dig into his flesh, bringing tears. "Come here, Dominic." Karl's eyes never left Orlando's as he issued his gentle command. Dom walked to them, and Karl leaned down, tangled his free hand in Dom's spiky hair, brought his lips over Dom's in a kiss of such raw sensuality and loving ownership that Orlando squirmed, trying frantically to break free of Karl's iron hold. He would not see how Dom melted into Karl, into the kiss...wouldn't see how they both lost themselves in each other...wouldn't see that Dom was lost to him. Karl lifted his head, licked moist lips. "Mine," he told Orlando, still with one hand in Dom's hair and the other on Orlando. Intense eyes raked over him, through him. Karl let go of Dom, clamped down on Orlando's wrists...and just smiled. That smile terrified Orlando more than anything he'd ever seen in his life. "But maybe words aren't enough for you. Maybe you need something else." He dragged Orlando to the center of the room. Orlando struggled, tried to back away, tried to break free, but Karl simply pressed his weight into him, hands squeezing his waist, cutting off airflow. "Be still." Karl quickly stripped off Orlando's shirt...he was shaking with cold, with fear, tried to get away, but Karl kept an arm wrapped around his waist the whole time he took off Orlando's belt, used it to tie his wrists together and looped them to a hook above them. Why was there a hook on the ceiling? What the fuck was going on? Orlando gave a sharp tug on his bindings, but the hook held fast and the belt just dug into his wrists, making them numb. Karl smiled at Orlando's slight struggle. "It's alright," he murmured, and Orlando shivered anew when Karl brushed a light kiss along his jaw, then another one across his lips. "Please," Orlando whispered, even though he had no idea why. Karl stared at him, into him, into his soul, for a moment that stretched into eternity. Then, without another word, he turned to Dom. "I believe this was something you wanted." That beloved face, so foreign now, looked back at Karl with measuring eyes. "I wanted Elijah." "You didn't mean it." Karl's glance raked over Orlando's body, at once heated and invasive. He felt stripped to the bone, shaken to his foundations. Naked and vulnerable and scared... Jesus, he was so scared. Please... He tried again to get out of the belt, get away, but couldn't. His wrists were now starting to bruise, but he didn't even notice. "This is what you want," Karl said. "He is what you want. It's time." It's time? What the... Orlando took a long look at his friend, at that face he thought he knew so well, tried to find any trace of his mate, his partner in crime, the man he loved with every fiber of his being. And found only a stranger staring back at him through Dom's gray eyes. "Dommie, don't do this. Please." Whatever this was. "Please, let me go. Come with me. Please." Dom continued stared at Orlando, saying nothing, but eyes that were normally so open, so alive, mocked him with their stillness. There was nothing fucking there. No indication that Dom even remembered who Orlando was, what they'd shared, that they'd ever been close, been friends. "You're right, Karl. It is time," Dom finally said. Time for what? Dom, what are you thinking, please talk to me, tell me that this is another dream, another nightmare...please. Dom turned, walked to a cabinet on the wall, grabbed a bottle. Bottle... Orlando peered closer at the label. 'Wet'. Oh God, oh no... Orlando felt a fresh surge of panic swamp through him. He clawed, trying desperately now to get out of his binds. Oh no...no...no. He wouldn't...couldn't...not Dom...no...not like this...no... "Dom...please...don't...please, you don't want to do this...please...Karl...please, tell him he doesn't..." No, there would be no help from Karl. "Dom, please, please, I'm begging..." He didn't care. He just wanted Dom to tell him this was a joke -- a sick joke, but a joke. He wouldn't, he couldn't. Dom was his friend. Still had to be some trace of him inside this stranger. Orlando watched, helpless, as Karl sat down on the easy chair across the room, in front of him. Karl was so relaxed and poised, eyes impossible to read as Dom walked to his lover and bent down to give him another lingering kiss that had Orlando aching, shivering, had him hating Karl all over again. "Thank you," Dom told Karl, then he turned back to Orlando, walked to him. Dom stood behind Orlando. Orlando could hear him breathing, and felt the soft slide of denim over his legs as Dom unzipped his jeans with a practiced hand. Panic...no, don't panic...he's not going to do it, he's not, he's not. Orlando heard another zipper...and then Dom's body was pressed against his and his cock was starting to slide inside, slick and slippery from the lube. No, no...he'd stop, he would, he wouldn't do this...not like this... "I'll try not to hurt you," Dom said, voice low and rumbly against his back. And then he was stretching, moving, sliding completely inside. No...no...no...God...Dommie, no not Dommie, this was not Dommie...around him, inside him, invading, moving, tearing flesh, running hands on him...Orlando struggled, bucked, tried to move, tried to escape, only succeeded in pushing Dom further inside. Orlando's eyes stung from tears... No...no...wasn't happening...wasn't happening...not like this...please...this isn't how I... "You want this." Dom's voice behind him, dragging his head back to scrape teeth along Orlando's neck. "No." He didn't want this...he didn't...tried to will his body not to respond to the feel of soft lips across his nape, delicate fingers on his back, his sides. Orlando tried to think of something else, someplace to go...but couldn't. Dom was everywhere...hard cock sliding in and out of him, beloved hands stroking him, soft butterfly kisses on his back, his neck. Orlando couldn't move, tried to shift forward, tried to get away from this invasion, those hands, those lips...had to get away. Had to...no, would not respond, would not...no...please, Dom, don't do this. Don't. "You want this." Another kiss, hands on his chest, teasing, playing with nipples that hardened despite his best efforts. "Please Dom, please let me go." He didn't care that he was begging. Orlando started weeping, still trying to break free, still pleading silently, but unable to form a sound. Dom continued his movements, his gentle ministrations...and, to Orlando's horror and shame, his cock swelled, his back arched in time of its own volition to Dom's perfect strokes. He bit his lip, tasted blood, tried to concentrate on that and not the slickhard feel of Dom inside him. Please...don't...this isn't how I... But the words wouldn't come. "You have no control here." Dom's voice again, insidious and mesmerizing. Tears streamed down Orlando's face, onto the carpet...he never noticed. How could his body find pleasure in this act, in this violation? This wasn't what he wanted, this wasn't how he wanted Dom...no, don't...leave me with something...please, no...please...don't do this... Dom closed nimble, gentle fingers around Orlando's cock, started stroking... God, no...just leave me with...no...would not respond...please don't move like that, please...would not...no... "You want this." Dom sounded so certain, so sure. He moved with perfect strokes, sliding in and out inch by tortuous inch, dragging out every movement. Orlando choked back a whimper -- pleasure, pain, it all warred together -- he didn't know which one he felt more. No, he would not want this...would not... "You want this." Dom growled the words, stroked Orlando's ear with a raspy tongue. Another choked whimper. Good God, was that needy sound coming from him? He was invaded, surrounded, overwhelmed. Orlando was intensely aware of Dom -- the hand on his hip, the lean chest pressed against his back, the hard cock pulsing deep inside him, pushing him past the point of pain. "Tell me," Dom demanded, digging fingers into Orlando's hip. Dom started to move faster, hips pistoning, hands stroking on Orlando's cock in perfect harmony. No, no, please...please stop, Dommie, please stop...I don't... Would not moan...would not respond...no. "Tell me." Dom's thighs flexed against his, his stubble scraped Orlando's back. He was trapped, he was helpless. He felt violated and debased -- and completely out of control. And, God help him, he wanted...he wanted... "I..." Orlando's voice broke, but he didn't notice. All he saw was release. "I want this." And then the final betrayal as Orlando came in jerking spurts all over Dom's hand and Dom withdrew, unhooked Orlando's wrists, left Orlando to sag down into the carpet. "Very nice." Orlando jerked his head up... Karl. Watching from the chair...had seen the whole thing...watched. Let it happen, knew it would, knew what Dom would do, knew that Orlando would respond. I hate you... But the words wouldn't form. Just a choked whimper as pitying hazel eyes stared down at him for a long moment. Then Karl got up and went to Dominic. Orlando watched in hopeless, helpless despair as Karl bent his head to Dom's, smoothed a hand over Dom's still hard cock, made him come with a few swift motions, kissing him with warmth and love. Continued to kiss him while Dom shuddered from the aftershocks, his touch soothing, calming. Orlando watched out of eyes that seemed to come from a periscope, so far removed from where he was. No, no, wasn't happening... He was denied even Dom's release...worse than any nightmare...worse than any torture... "I'll be right back," Karl told Dom, stroking his chin softly. He walked over to Orlando and crouched down. "It's over," he murmured, and Orlando wanted to call him a liar, wanted to scratch and maim and hurt, but every ounce of life and energy seemed to be drained from him. It would never be over. "It's alright." Karl's lips parted Orlando's, tongue sliding over Orlando's in perfect possession, and Orlando could taste them, taste them all three of them together, perfect and tainted, in Karl's kiss. He surged forward, helpless to control his actions, hating himself even more, and closed his eyes in shame when Karl finally, gently, pulled away. "It's alright," Karl repeated, but Orlando couldn't bear to open his eyes, not even when Karl loosened the belt that still tied his wrists together. Didn't matter. None of it did. "I believe you know your way out," Karl said and Orlando's eyes fluttered open long enough to watch as Karl stood and left the room, taking Dom with him. Lost. He had fucking lost. Orlando rolled over on his side, wrapped his hands around his shaking stomach and let the tears flow freely. It was a long time before he moved. When he finally did, it was only to lift his head to stare at the doorway. And his soft, sad smile was tinged with resignation as he spoke to the empty room. "Congratulations, Karl." * * * * (coda) "You and me We're in this together now" -- NIN "All th'male members of th'cast?" Dom managed to sound drunk, intrigued, amazed and scared all at the same time. Quite a feat, Orlando thought, considering how much tequila they'd been drinking. "Yeah, it'd be a bet...a way t'pass the time," Orlando replied, his own voice slurred. His eyes twinkled with mischief as he slumped over the table in the kitchen, grabbed Dom's hand in his own. "I mean, let's face it, we've got jus' about the best...best...best-lookin' cast of any movie anywhere." Dom drunkenly pondered the last bit. Yeah, they did. Right beautiful, the whole lot. "Well, wha' about...um...each other?" "Each other?" "Are we, y'know, part of th'bet? You're a beautiful bloke, Orlando. I'm a love god," Dom continued, ignoring Orlando's snort. "We gonna do each other?" Orlando thought about it for a second, shook his head. "Nah, 'course not, we're mates. Friends. Better this way, if we don't...otherwise you'll, um, be so taken, y'know, with my prowess in bed, stop laughing, that we'll never, um, we'll never leave th'house an' the film...won't get made," he teased, flashing the smile that would one day cause hearts to swoon. Dom just rolled his eyes, squeezed Orlando's hand. "You're so gonna lose this bet." "You're so not gonna be th'one t'beat me." They let go of each other and Dom poured another shot, spilling half contents on the table. "Fun and games, nothin' serious right, mate?" Dom lifted his glass, clinked it with Orlando's. "Fun and games." end. 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