Which was the whole fucking problem. The voice. Every time Billy spoke to him, he just froze. Couldn't form a word. He couldn't breathe, couldn't blink. Just stood there, stupidly staring into those sexy green eyes and that open face. He was worse than a teenage girl with a rock star crush. "You're going to have to talk to him, y'know," Orlando said, as they paddled away from shore on their surfboards. Karl nodded. "I know, it's just..." he couldn't finish. Just thinking about the voice made him speechless. Jesus. "Wave's coming," he said, instead. They paddled a little more quickly, stood, balanced themselves on their boards. And Karl felt that rolling, eternal bliss he always got when he surfed. The sound of the waves roaring in his ears, the taste of salt and brine on his tongue, the feel of sand scratching under his wetsuit -- fucking sublime. There was absolutely nothing like it in the world. Orlando waited until they were swimming back to the beach to start the conversation again. He had a serious sunburn on either side of his Mohawk -- Karl didn't even want to think about how much the saltwater was hurting it, but Orlando didn't seem to notice. His big, brown eyes were just as lively as ever, and that slender body still radiated energy. Karl wondered if tired was a word Orlando even knew. "So, when are you going to?" "Going to what?" Karl asked. Orlando rolled his eyes, flipped on his board so he was floating on his back. "Talk to Billy," he said, shading his eyes from the sun with a hand. "Never, probably," Karl muttered, pushing his own board in front of him with lazy strokes. He tucked a stray bit of hair from his face and brooded. He liked Billy -- liked Billy a lot. Liked that lean body and wicked grin, liked that devious mind and crazy sense humor that was so like his own. But he couldn't get past the voice to say anything. And it was driving him crazy. "Do I need to lock the two of you in a room together?" "Orlando Bloom, if you so much as think about it, I'll tie you down and beat you." "Save the kinky stuff for Billy," Orlando grinned, showing off white teeth. "Dom says he's supposed to be a real deviant." "He shags blokes. He's already a deviant." "Fine, more so than normal then." Orlando pushed his board until it was next to Karl's. "Look, mate, I like you. You're a good lad. You know you like him, I'm pretty sure he likes you, so just talk to him. Can't have my mates being all moony over each other. Bad for the movie." "What the hell are you talking about? I have two scenes with Billy." "Yeah, but I've got to deal with both of you being all whingy and girlie about each other. So, you'll talk to him, yes?" Those damned eyes started at him until Karl found himself nodding. Jesus, did anybody ever say no to those eyes? "I'll try." Orlando slapped him on the shoulder, grinned. "That's my boy! Come on, food and beer await!" Karl just shook his head as he followed his friend back to shore. *** "For the last time, Lij, lay off!" Billy exclaimed and ducked his head under the shower spray. He loved the beach, hated sand -- it was a dichotomy he'd grown used to. Elijah stood next to the spray, waited for his turn to wash off the ocean grime from his body. "I won't," he said, gesturing wildly with nail-bitten, grubby fingers. "Jesus, Billy, he likes you. You like him. Say something!" Billy turned the knob with a sharp yank, pushed water out of thinning, blond hair. "I have," he stated, bending to grab a towel. "And every time I say something, he just stares at me like I'm a bloody idiot." He vigorously dried off his wet suit, stepped aside so Elijah could have the shower. "I'm too old for this shite. If he wants to talk to me, he should do it." Elijah shook his head, spraying water everywhere, and tilted his face up to the tepid stream. "You ever think that maybe he's shy?" "He doesn't seem shy around you lot." "That's because he doesn't like us," Elijah replied in an arch tone. Pure blue eyes regarded him with a mixture of love and annoyance. "And we're not available to him anyway, what with being straight and all." "Yeah, well, I'm done. Through. No more moping about for one Mr. Karl Urban." Billy nodded his head decisively to settle the matter. And promptly forgot all about it as his gaze swept over the horizon. Orlando and Karl were walking up to them, carrying their boards, and laughing as they slid on the soft sand of the beach. Jesus, but Karl was gorgeous when he laughed. Sure, he was a stunner when he was silent, no mistake, but laughing? His whole face just lit from the inside, turning those classically handsome features into something extraordinary. Not to mention the way it made those remarkable hazel eyes of his almost golden. Billy liked Karl. Had liked him from the first. Liked that toned, athletic body, liked that handsome face, liked his quicksilver humor and startling sense of poise. Karl was Zen like Vig, only not so bloody artistic, and manic like Orlando without being so obnoxious. And Billy liked all of that. But mostly Billy wanted to make Karl laugh. A tap on his shoulder had him turning into serious eyes. "Look," Elijah said, straightening his small-framed body as he toweled himself off, "I have it on good authority that he likes you just fine. So try again. Life's too bloody short not to." Christ. Words of wisdom from the wee Hobbit. What would be next? "I'll think on it," Billy promised. "Good enough. Now come on, let's get changed and head to the pub. I've a hankering for chips and butter." Billy just shuddered and followed his friend to the changing rooms. *** "Okay, time for Plan B," Elijah muttered, several hours later. He stared glumly at Billy and Karl, who were at the table sitting across from each other, and studiously pretending the other didn't exist. This was getting positively teeny-bopper. "Karl won't let me use Plan B," Orlando said, resting his chin on Elijah's bony shoulder. They'd gone up to the bar ostensibly to get another round, but it was clear they had some serious strategizing to do as well. "Okay, so locking them in a room is out." Elijah chewed a finger, tried to think. "What's next?" "Spin the bottle?" Orlando suggested. "That's so teenage girl." "Well, you are a teen," Orlando teased. "Yeah, but I'm not a girl," Elijah stated, sagely. "Besides, they'd find a way to back out of it." "Well, they're talking to each other today, dammit," Orlando sighed. "I've had enough of this blousing." "Blousing?" "Blousing. Now," Orlando straightened, drummed his fingers on the bar. "Getting them to kiss would be a solution." "Hell, we can't even get them to talk to each other." "But maybe embracing..." Orlando continued, ignoring Elijah, staring at the two men at the table with a thoughtful look. "Yeah, yeah, we could do that." "Do what?" Elijah peered up at Orlando with trepidation. Normally, when Orlando got that look in his eyes, Elijah ended up the one in trouble. "We're going to get them together. Come on." Orlando grabbed Elijah's hand and started walking to the table, leaving their beers sitting on the bar. "What are we doing?" Elijah asked, not even bothering to try and break the hold. He knew all too well that Orlando had a grip like steel. Orlando peered back and winked. "We, my Hobbit friend, are going to dance." Elijah decided he didn't want to know. *** "Orlando, this is stupid," Karl hissed, trying to place his hands anywhere that weren't on Orlando's hips. Granted, there were only about four other people in the pub, but Karl was sure they weren't used to seeing two male couples dancing around on the stamp-sized dance floor. Slow dancing at that. To a Patsy Cline song. How in God's name did he ever get in these situations? Oh yeah. Orlando. "Jesus, Karl, just relax," Orlando replied, wrapping slender fingers around Karl's waist. "It's just dancing." "Why can't you find a girl to dance with?" Brown eyes flashed impishly at him. "Because there aren't any here in the bar, mate." Okay, that much was true. Still... "Why are we doing this again?" Orlando shrugged, turned them in a slow circle. "Felt like dancing." Right. Well, that explained that. Karl moved with Orlando in slow steps to the almost bluesy rhythm of the music, looked at Elijah and Billy, who were both busy trying to lead. Karl winced more than once as they stepped on each other's toes time and again. "Orlando, switch partners with me!" Elijah cried, glaring at Billy. "Save my feet." "Right, I'll be your knight," Orlando answered, swinging Karl to the other couple and, in a move so smooth it was like poetry, deposited Karl in Billy's arms, sweeping Elijah off in his own. Uh...Christ. Karl looked at Billy, into wide, green eyes, and his mind went totally blank. Great, now Billy didn't even need to say anything to reduce him to stupid. They stood, hands loosely on each other's hips, and stared at each other for what Karl was sure was an eternity. "Right, then, you leading, or am I?" Billy asked, breaking the silence. Karl opened his mouth to speak...couldn't get a sound out. God, that voice. Just the contours and shapes Billy's mouth made when speaking got him hard. All he could do was shrug. "Guess that means I'm doing it then," Billy answered, tightened his hold on Karl's hips. Karl tried not to think of those hands moving elsewhere on his body. He just stepped in closer, brushed his chest against Billy's, allowed the other man to lead him around in small circles to the music. Billy's unique peppermint scent filled his nostrils and he just wanted to sink into it, sink into Billy's arms, Billy's voice, Billy himself. He needed to get a grip. He needed to say something. Christ. It was remarkable how good Karl felt in his arms, Billy thought. He'd have thought the five-inch height difference between them would have made things difficult, but it was surprisingly easy to turn Karl with him as they danced. Of course, it helped that Karl was just letting him lead, unlike Elijah and his push/pull/whatever that was. He'd never been with a more uncoordinated dance partner in his life. Billy flexed his hands over Karl's hips, smoothed his fingers over the waistband of shorts. His hands itched to worm their way under the fabric to find the skin beneath, but this was nice as well. Karl's muscled chest and thighs were pressed against his, cocooning him in heat and Karl's unique, indefinable scent teased his senses, soothed him. It didn't matter that Karl still wasn't talking to him. They were almost embracing, and it was better than talking. The song ended all too soon, and Billy stopped, unwilling to let go of Karl just yet but unsure of how to proceed. Elijah had said Karl was interested. And Karl hadn't exactly pulled away in disgust when they'd been dancing. He tried looking into Karl's eyes to get a clue here, but Karl had his head tucked into his chin. Interesting. Billy used a finger to tip Karl's chin up. And wow. That was hot. God. Billy didn't think it was possible to get hard over just a look, but the intense need he saw in those hazel eyes just knocked him. Okay, so maybe Elijah did know what he was talking about. "I...uh...oh just fuck it," Karl said and lowered his head. His lips were warm, firm, slid across Billy's like melted butter. And Billy responded to the kiss, opened his mouth a little to better capture the texture of Karl's lips. It was oh so very...just...very. Very Karl. Billy slid his hands up along Karl's back, brought his body into closer contact with Karl's, and that was very, as well. Karl kissed like a wet dream come true, all moist heat and sliding tongue. Karl took his time ending the kiss, dipping back in with his tongue, his teeth. He smiled, a little apologetically, and Billy wanted to ask why he should even be sorry for anything, because that had clearly been the nicest kiss he'd ever gotten. But all he could say was "Wow." Karl nodded his agreement. "Wow," he repeated. "Yeah." And then his mouth was back on Billy's, and words, even words like 'wow', became lost in the feel of Karl and his kiss. Talking was overrated anyway. Elijah and Orlando looked at the embracing couple with smiles of such smug satisfaction that it was a good thing Billy and Karl were otherwise occupied. "I feel like a proud parent," Elijah commented, leaning his head against Orlando's shoulder. Orlando slung his arm around Elijah. "Yeah, we did good, mate. So, who's next on our list, then?" "Oh Christ, you're not seriously thinking we could get Vig and Dave together?" Elijah asked, turning his head up to Orlando in shock. Orlando smiled, kissed Elijah's forehead. "Well, we did alright with these two. Why not?" Elijah just groaned. And went back to his friends, who were still busy proving to each other that mouths were better suited for a lot more important things than talking.
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