he's been in the spotlight long enough to know what that look means. it's predatory, plain and simple. daniel's seen it on the faces of casting directors, producers, and fellow actors for years. he's seen it on the faces of his fans. he's seen it on his schoolmates' faces. he's seen it in the mirror.
he's never seen it on elijah wood before tonight -- but he likes it. he hasn't thought about elijah like that until now. daniel licks his lips, tracking the flicker in elijah's eyes. the hunger does not leave elijah's face. yes, daniel thinks, he likes it.
daniel, already immersed in his own brand of cynicism, views industry functions as hunting grounds, and he never backs down from a challenge, especially not one from the likes of elijah wood. he eyes the older boy -- older but not much taller -- and is struck for a moment by how familiar the look is as elijah wears it. daniel chalks it up to the blueness of elijah's eyes, a shade not unlike his own, and walks confidently across the crowded room.
elijah welcomes him with a hand on his shoulder and a smattering of standard, shop-related small talk. daniel nods at the right moments, sprinkling in smiles and short answers. in one silent, unguarded moment, elijah gives him the look again, and daniel, in the middle of an industry party buzzing with insiders, hedges his bet.
he closes the already small distance between them, brushes elijah's cheek with a kiss just sweet enough to hook the older boy, just sweet enough to make him ache and then, instead of pulling away, he moves closer and closes his teeth gently over elijah's earlobe. when elijah's breath hitches, he moves his mouth again, licks behind elijah's ear once, and whispers through a slow, hot breath, "this could be more, so much more."
daniel steps back and studies elijah again, marvelling at the subtle
shift in those hot blue eyes: they've gone from predatory to glazed over
with guilty lust. elijah's lips are just barely -- reluctantly --
forming the word "no" when daniel puts his finger to them and says, quietly
but forcefully, "yes."