Chapter Eleven





Elijah sighed.

It was almost Christmas and this was perfect. He relaxed a little more, letting his arms flop out, his hands just rest in a semi-curled position. His toes tried to curl as well, but that really was too much effort.

He sighed again, long and loud, the sound echoing down his nose as his mouth opened with the effort.

Just about perfect.

He wasn’t so sure about Christmas though. In four days time he’d have to spend the whole afternoon and evening, not just with Orli’s parents, but also a whole bunch of other assorted family members.

No, he’d much rather stay here, flopped on his back, with Orli’s cock slip sliding so perfectly in and out of his arse.

He really was turning into a lazy sod.

"You all right?" Orli broke into his thoughts. Just.

"Hmm, yeah," Elijah let it all wash over him. So good. So very, very good.

"You wouldn’t like to just lift your legs a little higher? This really is an awkward angle."

Elijah huffed. He really didn’t want to move.

Orli, very obligingly, hooked Elijah’s legs higher, his knees bending nicely over Orli’s shoulders. "Better?" Orli asked. "You don’t have to bother holding them up at all now. I mean," his voice wobbled on a particularly deep thrust. "I wouldn’t want to put you to any effort."

Elijah sighed. Again.

That was the great thing about Orli, he really was so thoughtful. All right so he was also sarcastic as hell but Elijah was going to ignore that. He was in too good a mood and everything felt too wonderful for there to be any worries. Life was pretty damned near perfect.

And then he realised it was. Life was just about perfect. Even Christmas was going to be okay. He’d have a decent dinner in a nice house and he knew Orli had bought him presents. Real proper presents, not just this glorious perfect fuck that Orli kept saying was his present. Elijah would have been more than happy with just this but he’d seen the packages hidden at the back of the wardrobe.

He’d been tempted to look but no, that would have spoiled things and he wanted everything to be right. Just like his presents to Orli had to be right. They both knew he didn’t have much money but that wasn’t what counted, it was the thought and care that went into choosing the mattered.

And everything was perfect right down to the fact that Orli had put ‘From Orli and Elijah’ on all his Christmas cards. Even the ones to people Elijah didn’t know. Then there was their tree. Elijah had always wanted a real Christmas tree, most of the time, when he was a kid, his mum hadn’t even bothered to get an artificial one. Now they had a real green tree next to the telly.

Elijah loved the smell and the fact that the needles fell off and got stuck in the carpet just as Orli had predicted they would.

He loved the tree and the stupid bits of decoration they’d put up and the crackers Orli had bought for their ‘Christmas breakfast.’ He loved this flat and this street and even university - now that he’d found a kind of truce there. Yep, he loved university; the smell of the books and the age of the old buildings and sitting down and getting lost in a time long gone. He loved studying and he loved Orli and…

Elijah loved his life. Loved it beyond anything he could ever have imagined.

He screwed his eyes tight shut, his nose wrinkling up with the effort.

"Are you all right?" Orli asked again softly, leaning forward so that Elijah was curled in a ball and their faces were close together.

Elijah nodded, unwilling to trust his voice.

"Hey, ‘Lijah," Orli brushed the hair back from Elijah’s forehead. "What’s the matter?"

"Nothing," Elijah opened his eyes, ignoring any dampness. "I’m just…"

"What?" Orli encouraged.

"I’m just happy."

"You daft sod," Orli smiled, kissed him quick and started to move again, a slow lazy rhythm that soon began to pick up speed. "I’m happy too."

"Good," Elijah scrubbed at his eyes then let his arm fall back over his head. It really was too much effort to hold it up. "Orlando?"

"Hmm?" Orli was almost past listening, his hips snapping fast and furious.

"I love you," Elijah whispered as Orli’s face contorted and he came with a groan of pleasure.

Orli pulled out and then collapsed down on top of Elijah, comfortable between his legs. He hitched up and down, gently rubbing his body over Elijah’s still hard cock, just the way Elijah liked it. A slow build up again after the first fireworks.

"Hand or mouth?" Orli asked when he caught his breath.

Elijah tangled his fingers in Orli’s hair, pulling at the strands, as he thought about it. Orli did give he most amazing blow jobs but if he asked for that Orli would have to move and he really did like the press of Orli’s body on his and the feel of his hair. No, he wasn’t about to lose this closeness, not yet, and anyway, Orli could always blow him later.

"Hand," he said and pulled himself over a little as Orli lifted off just enough to get his hand in between their bodies. Orli started the languid rhythm that Elijah loved, it had just the right amount of pressure in just the right places.

Elijah sighed as Orli kissed his throat. Everything really was perfect. He didn’t have to act or pretend and Orli knew him so well that he didn’t have to say anything most of the time; Orli just knew.

He closed his eyes and floated on a new feeling of contentment.

"And I love you too," Orli said.

Elijah squeezed his eyes tighter still and turned his head, burying it against Orli.


+


"It really has to be your turn to get up and make the tea soon," Orli said as he scrambled back into bed after putting two mugs, a handful of letters and the newspaper on the side. He pulled the duvet up to his nose and goosed Elijah with his cold hands. "The heating hasn’t come on again."

Elijah smacked him round the head and made sure his elbow dug right into Orli’s chest as he leant over to retrieve his tea. Half a dozen mouthfuls later and he was still as nice and warm as he had been. He really wasn’t stupid enough to get out of bed if he didn’t have to. "It did come on, we just haven’t changed the settings. It came on and went off again before we woke up. That’s the joy of the Christmas holidays."

"Oh you’re such a clever sod, why didn’t you change it then?" Orli asked as Elijah’s head disappeared under the cover.

"Because I don’t have to," came the muffled reply. "I always make you get up."

"Smart arse," Orli reached for the pile of letters, checking to see if there was anything interesting. A couple of bills, more Christmas cards addressed only to him – God, he hated that, especially from people who knew – a leaflet advertising coach trips – why? – and a card for Elijah.

Orli turned it over to see if there was a return address. There wasn’t. Elijah hadn’t got any Christmas card, not just for him. Rose, Orli’s parents and Eileen had sent them a joint card, but he hadn’t got an individual one.

He checked the postmark but it was smudged. The paper was cheap and the writing small and difficult to read. He thought about sniffing it but that seemed a bit over the top. "Would you quit licking me," he laughed suddenly as Elijah’s tongue swiped along the crease between Orli’s leg and body.

"Why?" Elijah licked again. "I like licking you."

"’Cos I’m really ticklish there," Orli squirmed and giggled.

"I know, why else would I do it?" Elijah’s head appeared from under the cover. "Besides I’ve got to give you some reward for making the tea."

Orli kissed him, stale morning breath and all. "Get on with it then," he pressed down on Elijah’s head.

Elijah was just about to go when he spied the letters. "Is there anything from the tax office for me? I’ve applied for a rebate."

"No, nothing from them but you have got a card."

"Who from?" Elijah slid off Orli, reaching for the letter.

"How should I know?" Orli laughed, handing it over.

Elijah peered at it quizzically then smiled, sitting back. He opened it and smiled again.

"Well?" Orli asked.

Elijah didn’t say anything as he handed the card over. The picture on the front was an awful snow scene and inside there were two words, eight letters to be precise.

Love Mum
X

Orli looked over. Elijah was smiling, his bottom lip caught between his teeth, a patch of pink high on each cheek, his eyes shining.

"That’s nice of her," Orli said carefully.

"Nice?" Elijah took the card back. "Nah, it’s more than nice. It means it’s all right now, we’re sorted, it’s settled."

"Is this the first time you’ve heard from her since she left here?"

"Yeah."

"And that’s it?" Orli’s voice rose. "One card can mean all that?"

"Yeah," Elijah said again. "That’s how we work, I’m forgiven and she still loves me."

"What the hell has she got to forgive you for? She’s the one that should be down on her knees begging you for forgiveness," Orli said, completely astounded.

"Oh don’t start all that again," Elijah dismissed him with a quick peck on the cheek. "She’s forgiven me for not going with her. This is a big deal, it means a lot."

"And you’re pleased about this?"

"Course I’m pleased," Elijah drank the last of his tea. "And you are going to be pleased for me," he turned a beady eye on Orli. "Aren’t you Orli? You are going to be pleased for me." That was definitely an instruction not a question.

"I suppose so," Orli faltered. "If that’s what you want."

"It is," Elijah stretched luxuriously, then reached for Orli’s tea. " I have everything now, everything I want."

Orli turned and looked at him. "Do you really mean that?"

Elijah nodded. "It’s daft but I feel…" he screwed up his face as he tried to find the right word. "It’s more than content, I feel fulfilled." He blushed a little as he looked up at Orli through his lashes.

"That’s not daft, that’s good," Orli said gently.

"I have my drawing, I get what I want from university, I’ve got a friend in Eileen, now I have mum and most of all I’ve got you," he smiled almost shyly. "And you can forget the rest as long as I have you."

Orli felt his face flush, he reached out a tentative hand and linked his fingers with Elijah’s. "Really? I still mean as much, even after what I did?"

Elijah nodded slowly, his eyes on Orli’s.

"And you feel content, we’ve made it back there?" Orli asked.

"Yeah, we’ve made it."

Orli had to look down for a moment. "I was so scared that no matter how hard we tried we wouldn’t get there again, but you’ve made it through the first term and you’re happy," he looked back, a lopsided smile on his face. "You’ve made it back to contentment again."

"We’ve made it?" Elijah asked. "Have you put it behind you? Are you content?"

It was Orli’s turn to nod, soft at first but then more enthusiastically. "I love you so much and…"

"That wasn’t the question. Are you content?"

Orli nodded again. "Yeah, I’ve got everything I want as well. More than everything."

"You can’t have more than everything," Elijah broke the spell with a laugh. They really weren’t very good at the high intensity moments. "That’s impossible."

"Well I would have everything if you hadn’t drunk my tea," Orli thanked his luck again. Elijah knew how to take care of everything.

"You can get some more while you’re making the toast," Elijah grinned as he tried to push Orli out of bed.

"It really does have to be your turn soon," Orli complained, but he still went.

"I’ll lick you when you get back," Elijah called after him. "Promise."



+


Christmas day.

Elijah sat in the big arm chair in the corner and surveyed the scene. There were way too many people here for his liking, and more arriving. But he could handle it, he could handle anything as long as Orli stayed where he was, sat on the floor right between Elijah’s legs.

Orli’s sister was nice, he thought. All right so she was completely mad and had too many kids to count but she looked like Orli and when she smiled her whole face lit up. She was sat on the sofa opposite, fighting hard against the journey down from Scotland and almost three quarters of a bottle of wine to stay awake. She smiled down at the sleeping baby in her lap and then over at Elijah.

"She approves," Orli said, wrapping his arm over Elijah’s thigh. "She likes you."

"She doesn’t know me," Elijah replied. "Wait till your mum tells her all the gory details."

"She already has. Mum rang Alison about a hundred times when we first got together, she needed to moan about you."

"And Alison still approves?"

"She’s always made her own mind up, she’s a good ‘un," Orli smiled up at Elijah. "You’re a hit."

Elijah wasn’t sure how he felt about that, he wasn’t sure how he felt about a lot of things. It was hard being here, being part of this family when at least one person still hated him. Luckily Frank was in the kitchen at that moment, making eggnog for everyone. Elijah didn’t know how he felt about eggnog either.

He didn’t know what to say to anyone or how to behave and he felt awkward. But he also felt something else, something that had nothing to do with Yvonne’s fantastic dinner, he felt part of something and the thought warmed him.

He fidgeted as the door opened to admit more people.

"Don’t worry, that’s only Auntie Beatie and her son Kevin. Let them see how happy we are and how much I love you then they’ll ignore us."

Elijah tried a smile at the ancient woman in the wheel chair who was being parked near the television. She put on her glasses and stared outright at him and he had to look away. Everyone kept staring at him and they didn’t even bother to try and hide it.

Take a deep breath and hang onto Orli’s shoulder. He could do this. He pulled his hands back up the sleeves of the jumper Eileen had given him, as Orli rubbed against his leg.

"Auntie Beatie likes you as well," Orli said. "See, she’s got out her bi-focals for a better look." Elijah couldn’t help but smile as Orli went on. "She’ll want a kiss when we leave, just hold your nose when you do it. She smells of rheumatism ointment."

What a day.

Today had been one long trip of amazingness. The morning fuck Elijah had expected but the presents in bed were different; all such incredibly thoughtful presents. Then there had been Orli’s elaborate Christmas Breakfast with exotic fruit and hot rolls and real butter – no margarine, Orli had bought real butter especially – and champagne.

Champagne to celebrate their first Christmas together.

Elijah had taken the present Eileen had given him to Orli’s parents to put under the tree. He hadn’t wanted it to be uncomfortable when there was nothing for him. But he needn’t have worried. Yvonne had given him a new book bag for university and he was ridiculously pleased with it. He deliberately wouldn’t let himself think about why. Instead he had put Eileen’s home made cake in the bag, slipped on the jumper she’d knitted for him, rolled up the sleeves, and smiled at the world.

Orli accepted two glasses of eggnog from cousin Kevin, fended off a couple of racing children, and handed one to Elijah. "All right?"

Elijah nodded.

"Told you it’d be all right," Orli looked back at the room. "We get to play party games later. Don’t worry I won’t make you join in the charades but I think you’d be a dab hand at Pictionary. You might actually draw something we can recognise, it’d be a first," he felt Elijah laugh. "And then, of course, there’s mum’s Christmas supper."

The door opened to let in another older couple, Orli ignored them. "If you thought dinner was good wait till you see supper, she makes these marvellous little prawn things that just melt in the mouth and… Elijah?"

Orli had felt him tense, now he looked up into a tight, white face. Elijah was staring at the woman who was talking to Yvonne by the door.

"That’s my dad’s older sister and her husband. She a really pushy cow, she thinks she’s something special just because she has a great big house and their own business."

"I know who she is," Elijah said, low and harsh.

Orli looked from one to the other and his face fell. "You didn’t?"

"I did."

"But she’s so old."

"Tell me about it," Elijah said, and it was a little too heartfelt. "I have met some of your family before remember," he looked at the woman, she still hadn’t noticed him. "I fucked her in her hotel room after some party your Uncle Robin took mum and I to. He hadn’t wanted me to go but mum insisted, I didn’t know why till I got there. Mum wanted to be invited to a big charity event your aunt was organising and I was meant to make sure she got it."

Orli felt his insides freeze.

"Mum got her invite and your aunt gave me a hundred pounds when she kicked me out. I didn’t take it but I sure as hell thought I’d earned it," Elijah’s voice dropped to a whisper. "Never felt like such a whore."

Orli closed his eyes for a moment then opened them, letting out the breath he didn’t know he’d been holding. He turned and leaned up on his knees, pulling Elijah’s head down so he could rest their foreheads together. "Doesn’t matter."

"It’s never going to be easy, is it?" Elijah asked.

"You’re wrong there," Orli looked into his eyes. "It is easy because we’re easy and that’s all that matters. We’ve found our place in the world."

Elijah smiled and held on for dear life.

The End

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