| Title: Cherished Authors: Jo & Brenda Series: Claimed Pairings: Karl Urban/Orlando Bloom/Harry Sinclair Rating: NC17 Summary: Vampires and pets and sex, oh my. Yeah, it's an AU. Disclaimer: As far as we know, vampires don't exist. Cha. Author's Notes: *Brenda points to Jo* It was all her fault. I just went along with it. *Jo points back at Brenda* Her Karl had designs on my Orli. She liked the idea so we let them play. This is what happened. *mwah* *Brenda & Jo look around, then whisper* But it's really *all* Harry's fault and if he says otherwise, it's a lie! For the other 1/2 of the Quartet. *mwah*
//I love you, Karl.// Karl's reply was immediate, warm and bright in Orlando's mind. //Love you, little one. Take care, and I'll see you in a few days.// Orlando sighed, closed his eyes. He missed Karl already, and the plane wasn't even in the air. Fuck, but it was going to be a long trip. "You okay?" "Yeah, just a little tired." Orlando glanced over his shoulder and tried to smile. "And a little nervous." "I bet. You're not used to boardrooms and big business," Elijah said, with a reassuring smile. "You sure you're up for this?" Orlando shrugged, leaned back in his seat as the plane started to pick up speed. "No, but Karl's depending on me. I have to do this. I can't afford to screw up." Elijah studied him for several minutes, blue eyes pensive. Then he nodded. "Alright, then...maybe you should tell me a little about the situation so I can give you some advice." "You don't have to do that," Orlando protested. "Yeah, I do," Elijah said, voice quiet but determined. "Karl's going to be paying my tuition and signing my paychecks from now on. I think it's time I did something to start earning that money." "Maybe you're right." Orlando gave Elijah a fond smile. His best friend. No matter how bad things got, Elijah would always be there. It had been that way for over six years, and Orlando had no doubts that it would be that way until the day Elijah died. The thought of Elijah dying sobered him. "What's wrong?" Orlando met Elijah's eyes with a sad look. "You're mortal." "Well, yeah," Elijah replied after a brief startled look. "So're you." "Yeah, but I'm bonded to Karl now. I'm not going to die for a very long time." Orlando paused, took a deep breath. "You'll die long before I will. One day I'll wake up, and you won't be there." "That's not going to happen for a long time. And who knows," Elijah shrugged, flashed Orlando an impish grin. "Maybe some hot vampire chick will take a fancy to me and keep me around." "Maybe." Orlando still looked sad, unconvinced. "Okay, enough of this maudlin crap. What can we expect in Tokyo?" Orlando smiled, grateful and relieved that Elijah was with him. Maybe this trip wouldn't be so bad. If anyone could make him smile, it was Elijah. Well, Elijah and Karl. Just thinking of Karl caused Orlando's smile to soften. Regardless of what else happened, he was going to make Karl proud. "It's a labor dispute." Elijah nodded and pulled out his briefcase. "Is it a bad one?" "Hard to say." Orlando shrugged. The seatbelt sign blinked off, and he stood, moving to the small bar for a drink. "There are new people in key management positions, and in the transition, some communications broke down, and now there's a big mess on both sides." "How long's this been going on?" Elijah made several notes on a legal pad as Orlando watched. "About six weeks. Karl's already postponed this meeting twice, and he doesn't want to do that again. That's why I'm here." "Makes sense." Elijah nodded, tapped his pen against his lower lip. "And you have to fix it?" "Yep." Orlando sighed, fingers raking through unruly curls. "And it's delicate. The wrong move, and I'll lose half the work force or all the management." "Yeesh." Elijah's grimace made Orlando laugh. "Maybe you better give me the details." Orlando proceeded to do just that. For the next three hours, he told Elijah everything he knew about the situation. Elijah, with his limited background in corporate law, was more helpful than either of them had anticipated. Suggestions, advice, and good-natured insults flew back and forth across the interior of the jet until they were both too tired to think clearly. Deciding they'd discussed it as much as they possibly could, they settled into their seats, eyes drawn to the vast expanse of sparkling blue water far below. First Elijah, then Orlando drifted off and, somewhere over the Pacific, sleep claimed them both. + + + Karl waited until the plane was out of sight before he walked to his car and drove away from the airport. His own house wasn't an option. The bed would be too big without the warmth of Orlando wrapped around him. Ah, well, Harry needed the company anyway. They could give each other comfort. He pulled up in the darkened drive of Harry's castle, looked at it with a small smile. Talking to Orlando had brought back a lot of memories...God. He remembered when he'd won this place in that jousting tournament. Remembered that christening it had taken the better part of two weeks. Remembered giving it to Harry, and him moving the place over here brick by brick, furnishing by furnishing. So many memories, lifetimes of them, all crammed into one relationship. No wonder Orlando was so skittish. It was a helluva thing to go up against. Sometimes Karl thought his life would have been much simpler if he could have just spent one fucking day as a mortal...just so he would know how they thought. They would always be a bit of a mystery to him. Karl got out of the car, let himself in. Didn't see Harry in the library, or the den...or the game room. Hmm. //Harry, where the hell are you?// //The kitchen.// Kitchen? God, someone had thrown Karl into an alternative universe. Harry couldn't cook to save his life. Karl was frankly surprised Harry even knew where the kitchen was. Which is why it took Karl a minute to get there...he didn't know either. Harry was standing in front of his refrigerator, door open, studying it like one would study a fascinating new life form. Karl chuckled as he walked to the refrigerator to stand next to Harry, poked his head in the door. "Is there another show at 11 in there, because I'm afraid I've missed the matinee." Harry pursed his lips, continued his perusal of the contents of the icebox. "Amazing that you never got a job as a stand-up comedian. Your wit simply shatters. I'm thirsty." "So grab something to drink already." "I don't know what I want." Karl counted to three before he grabbed a can of Coke from the inside rack and closed the door. "Here." Harry looked down at the can, back up at Karl. "I don't want Coke." "You sound like a three year-old." Harry snorted, tossed the can back to Karl. "Like you would have any idea." Karl caught it, decided to drink the damn thing himself. "I remember when Lauren was three." And instantly regretted the words. "Christ, Harry, I'm sorry..." "No, don't." Harry sighed heavily, sank to the floor, leaned up against the cabinets, all energy leaving his body in a rush. It was like someone had turned off a light switch. "Not your fault." Fuck. Karl cursed himself in four languages as he set the can on the counter, slid to the floor beside Harry. His arms were around the other man as soon as he sat down, and Harry just curled into him. This time there were no tears. This time Harry just held on. It was almost worse. "I'm here for you. I'm not going anywhere." Karl held Harry, just held him, saying nonsense, talked to him about nothing, just talked. Harry was still curled around him, breath hot on his neck, head on his shoulder, arms locked around his waist. Gradually, Harry stopped shaking, and Karl risked looking down at him. "Better?" "Déjà vu," Harry mumbled, kissing Karl's neck. "Haven't we just had this conversation?" "We'll have it as many times as you need to," Karl said, "only, could we maybe have it somewhere more comfortable, because this handle is really starting to dig into my back." Harry chuckled and sat up. "Sure, old man. Wherever you want." Karl stood, helped Harry up. "Bed, then." Harry shook his head. "You've got a one track mind." "Hello pot, here's your kettle." Karl stepped in, started tracing the whorls of Harry's ear with his tongue, smiled at the shudder that reverberated through Harry's body. "I meant that the bed would be more conducive to cuddling and making you feel better," he said, moving down to Harry's neck, "but if you want to use it for other things..." With a slight growl, Harry captured Karl's lips in a bruising kiss. "I know your game. You're trying to distract me." His hands were already working at the buttons of Karl's shirt. Karl slid his hands up Harry's t-shirt, flung it off of him. "Is it working?" he asked, leaning in for another kiss that left them both breathless and hard. "Yes." Another kiss. Harry's hands moved to Karl's belt. "Good." Karl threw his head back, purred low in his throat as Harry's hand closed over him. He thrust into the hand, groaning. "Don't think we'll be making it to the bed." "Well, we've never had sex in the kitchen," Harry replied, dragging him back to the floor. + + + Eventually, they made it to Harry's king-sized bed, with its fresh cotton sheets and large pillows. Karl loved this bed...or maybe it was just the person who slept in it. Didn't really know. It was enough that Harry was here and Karl was wrapped beside him, legs twined together. Karl placed the softest of kisses on Harry's neck, moved to his collarbone. Harry shifted, tightened his embrace a bit, arched into the kiss. So responsive, so open, just like... "Why the hell did you tell him that we were going to share him?" Karl asked, tilting his head back to get a good look at Harry's face. "Well, fuck. We are going to share him, if that's what he wants," Harry replied, furrowing his brow. "Or have you forgotten that part of things?" "Not as long as he's so terrified of you." Harry sighed, big body shuddering. "I'll work on it. My fuck up, I'll rectify it." The resignation in Harry's voice sent guilt coursing through Karl. Things were just as much his fault as they were Harry's. If he'd simply paid attention to what Harry'd said, they might have avoided all of this. "We'll get together when he gets back from Tokyo, ease him into things, let him see you in more social settings. You and I both know you weren't...yourself that night." "You can go ahead and say I was out of bounds, I already know it." "I won't have him hurt, puppy," Karl said, hazel eyes serious. "He means the world to me." "I know." Harry kissed Karl's forehead, let his lips linger for a long moment. "Believe me, I want this settled between us. I don't want him all jumpy around me for the rest of eternity, it would be pretty goddamn awkward." Karl laughed. Yeah, it certainly would. He snuggled back in the crook of Harry's arm, content for the moment. "Alright, so we'll work on him when he gets back. I have no doubts you can charm him. After all, he loves me already, shouldn't be too difficult for you." "You're risking a lot by not telling him, you know." "He's mortal, as you keep reminding me. He's not ready to hear it." Karl stated this with absolute certainty. There was no way Orlando was ready to hear everything. "Fuck, hearing about the money about fucking killed him. What we have is so rare as to be almost impossible. This isn't something he would have any warning of. Easing him into the idea is the best way." Karl could feel Harry's eyes on him, knew they would be skeptical, but all Harry did was run his hands up Karl's back in a soothing motion. "Fine," Harry said. "We'll ease." |