"Drinks and the game at my place later." Dom looked up from his magazine. "Who else is coming?" "Just us, mate." Orlando started stretching, marshalling his Zen. Most days Dom thought that he had it pretty easy as a Hobbit. He wasn't a very centered person. "Lij and Astin are dragging the adults to do..." Vague waving motion, very at odds with the costume "...something." "So I get the comfy chair, then?" Dom grinned. "As long as you bring plenty of beer, you can have whatever you want." The wink shouldn't have made him breathless. *** Eighth...no, ninth...beer. Dom couldn't remember. Wasn't important. Just lifted the new bottle to his lips; tried very hard not to stare at the flat planes of Orlando's stomach when he reached under his t-shirt to scratch a bit of tanned skin. Game. Focus on the game. "More crisps?" Orlando held out the bag with a wide grin. "Sure." Dom's fingers lingered on Orlando's as he reached out, took the bag. His tongue felt swollen, mouth dry, limbs heavy. Wondered if the crackle was from the touch or simply an echo inside his head, urging him to take, to ignore consequence. *** "Well, I'd best be off, then." Orlando nodded, stood. Kept his gaze on the floor as he and Dom shuffled to the front door. "I'll --" Dom sighed, slender fingers twitching at his side. "Sleep well." "Yeah." The word was drawn out. "Sleep. Right." Orlando looked up. Dom was staring back at him, a thin line of sweat trickling behind his jawline, curving -- untouched -- into the collar of his shirt. Orlando wondered when the oxygen had been sucked out of the room. Then Dom was muttering something unintelligible, and firm lips were on Orlando's, blocking thought. Regret could wait. *** Harsh sunlight shimmered through the curtains. Dom cracked one eye open, wondered why his body felt crushed, leaden. Turned his head slightly, encountered a patch of dark skin. Memory flooded, each sense inundated with flashes of skin -- of need and desperation in a kiss. Fuck. Slowly, carefully, Dom drew back the sheets, winced a bit at the unfamiliar pain in little used muscles. He dressed quickly, kept darting glances at Orlando's sprawled body, felt another tug somewhere near his chest. He needed to escape. He never saw Orlando's wince when he sat up, rubbing a tired hand over his face. *** "Can I ask you something?" Dom shrugged, already uncomfortable. Didn't know why. "Yeah, sure." "Do you ever think about that night?" Dom stared in puzzlement into Orlando's serious eyes, drink halfway to his lips. "What ni...oh." That night. "Um. No. Not really. You?" Orlando looked down, shook his head quickly, cupping the back of his neck. "Nah. Had my fun." "Yeah. Me too. Just a bit of sport." The words tasted like bitter ash in Dom's mouth. Orlando's eyes shuttered, smile too wide, too bright. "And we're still mates, right?" "Yeah. Of course." Wondered when he'd start believing the lie.
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