They decide not to eat at the restaurant. Place an order for take out and wait in the back of the place while the food's being prepared. Talk a little and catch up on the moments they've missed in between. They laugh and stand close, content for the second simply to be in the other's personal space. The server calls their number and they walk to the register. Both fumble with their wallets but Karl is quicker and puts down a credit card.

He moves to grab the plastic bag but Orlando's already reaching for it. Their hands brush. Orlando smiles at the flush in Karl's cheek before he picks up the bag. He's fairly certain that he's going to be making all the moves but it doesn't fret him in the least. There's something heady about being younger but being wiser that he just can't quite get over. He leads the way back to the car.

Before unlocking the doors, Orlando grabs him for a kiss. There's a slight moment of tension before Karl relaxes. Orlando tries not to be annoyed. They're just going to have to work on that. Orlando drives a bit quicker than he should and they get to his flat in short order. Once inside, they shrug out of their jackets, tossing them casually. Orlando moves into the kitchen, setting the takeout on the counter. He's at the fridge, on his haunches, calling out to see what Karl wants to drink. Orlando's preoccupied trying to figure out what's in the glass pitcher when Karl comes in. He leans over Orlando's head to see into the fridge. Looks over the bottles and just shrugs. "Water's fine for me."

They both stand. Orlando moves to get a glass and run the tap. When he turns, Karl's very much in front of him. He takes the glass from Orlando's hand, takes a sip, then deliberately sets it down on the counter. He leans close. Right hand snakes around the other's man back and lips descend slowly. It starts as a soft kiss but becomes something more. More hungry. More needy. Full of want and dispenses of all pretense of being romantic.

Orlando pulls away for a moment. He shouldn't tease but damn it he wants to say it. "So, you are capable of making a move... I was beginning to wonder." And for his taunt he gets slammed back into the counter and kissed again. Karl's left hand trails down to the small of his back. This kiss is different, rough, claiming, in an effort to show the younger man exactly the moves he's capable of making.

It takes about ten minutes for them to move from the kitchen to the living room couch because they're too busy to take more than three steps at a time. Eventually, it's Orlando who's on his back and he's perfectly fine with that. He's content to relax and let himself be ravaged. Hands are holding tight as the kiss that started in the kitchen just doesn't seem to end.

But there's more to do than simply kiss. Orlando groans as Karl's mouth attaches to his neck. Eager, encouraging hands pull him down closer. He grabs out words of encouragement even though they don't make coherent sense. His mouth feels empty and he reaches up to suckle an earlobe. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he realizes he probably should have put the take out in the fridge. But now's not the time to worry about that.

His tongue traces the line of Karl's neck before licking an ear lobe and dipping inside. This causes the other man to start. He pulls back and shakes his head and looks down at Orlando. Grinning and with mischievous eyes, Orlando summons the most innocent, "What?" that he can.

"Felt bloody strange. Let's not do that again."

"Oh, you mean this?"

And Orlando sits up slightly trying to make another go at it but Karl leans back against the arm of the sofa. Taking advantage of the moment, Orlando draws himself to his knees. His tongue slides along Karl's jaw before returning back to the other man's mouth. They fall back onto the couch, positions reversed.

Orlando runs his hands across broad shoulders trailing down to a still clothed chest. His insistent fingers play with buttons until the dark cloth falls open. It's good enough because in order to take it off, they'd have to move again. Pink tongue slides down a hairless chest. Traces along one nipple before sucking on it, tongue flickering out to tease and continuing. Faintly, Orlando hears, "Oh Christ."

He does the same to the other one until Karl's simply left panting, pupils dilated. By the time Orlando's hands play with his fly, he's completely forgotten they even stopped for food. Karl tenses slightly. He doesn't want to go this fast but he doesn't want to stop. Doesn't even think he could stop if he really wanted to. Which he doesn't.

His vocabulary suddenly boils down to four letter words. Want. He rises slightly to make Orlando's job easier. Need. Hands are searching gently and when Karl feels the first soft touch all he wants to do is... Fuck. Orlando shifts down and they both know what's going to happen. Need, want, fuck, suck. Orlando's tongue teases across the tip. He plants a soft kiss enjoying Karl's frustration at being teased. The older man tenses as Orlando takes him in but then relaxes. All Karl wants is More.

It's very difficult to resist the temptation to grasp the short brown hair and hold him closer. He settles for clutching at the sofa cushions instead. He wants to go deeper but he's not going to complain because what's happening now is good. Very, very good. Orlando doesn't stop, not for a moment. Not when his tongue flicks out at sensitive skin or his hand creeps down to stroke even as the other one goes to fondle behind that. It doesn't last long. Orlando can't be anything but direct.

Karl's just about on the edge. "Oh... God... wait... close." The words come out in pants not at all like the warning they'd been intended. It's no wonder Orlando didn't understand. He shudders as he comes with Orlando's hot mouth still around him. Or maybe Orlando did understand but just didn't care. Orlando waits a moment before he moves off. He stokes Karl a few times before he stands.

Karl's just lying there completely fucking stated when Orlando goes into the kitchen. He walks to the sink then comes back a minute later carrying the glass of water from earlier. He takes a sip enjoying the euphoric sight on the couch. He puts the glass down on the table, and crawls back on top. The other man holds him close. He's feeling a bit guilty that he doesn't have the energy to reciprocate but he doesn't think he can move. At least not now, with Orlando's weight atop him. Orlando attacks his mouth again, tongue slides past swollen lips and Karl's surprised at the bitter taste. He doesn't want to break away though, the tang is something he can live with. It's a while before they move from that comfortable position.

Forty minutes later, they're both looking good. Buttons are replaced and everything in the flat looks neat and tiny. They're still on the couch but sitting. Orlando's on the middle cushion sitting cross legged. Between his legs is the takeout from earlier. Karl's beside him, his food carefully balanced on the armrest. They're talking about general things and not talking about any long term relationship planning. Just quiet pillow talk, over dinner.

They've got the music playing in the background so they discuss that. They talk about the greatness of The Doors and Led Zepplin. The classics of the Beatles and the strange appeal of Iggy Pop. They debate about the Stones and Orlando scoffs when Karl says that John and Yoko weren't that bad. They find agreement in The Eagles and both think that Travis is a pretty good band even if their videos are strange.

Orlando finishes eating first and sprawls out on the couch, his head resting in Karl's lap. His eyes are drifting shut and he starts to murmur inarticulate agreements no longer listening to the conversation. Karl knows a lost cause when he sees one. He finishes his food in silence. Spends a long time listening to the Stones and just watching as Orlando sleeps. A while later he's feeling tired and catches himself nodding off. He might have fallen asleep as well but he can't be certain.

Later, he's awake, his legs are practically numb and he really has to go the bathroom. He shifts slightly in an attempt to rouse Orlando but it doesn't work. He says his name softly but Orlando just snuggles closer. Karl frowns. He grins then flicks an earlobe with his finger and Orlando almost bolts straight up. It takes a minute before the younger man realizes, "I fell asleep?"

"Yep," he responds while stretching.

"S'okay. I did too. I wasn't going to wake you but I needed to get up."

"What time is it?"

"Late."

And Karl stands and walks to the bathroom. Orlando looks at the clock, not quite morning but it's past night. It's that middle ground of darkness when everything just seems to stop. When Karl comes back in the room, Orlando's just standing there. His hand stuffed nervously in his back jean pockets. "You can stay over you know?" He tries to sound casual.

Karl gives a slight smile. "I'd actually kind of planned on it."

fin

~story index~