The Next Level

Title: The Next Level

Author: deathskiss

Rating: R (NC-17 in later chapters); m/m, RPS

Summary: In a nutshell- Orlando and Elijah are best friends. Elijah's gay- Orlando's straight. Then Orlando gets curious. Told from Elijah's point of view.

Author note: Thanks so much for the positive feedback so far, and I hope I don't disappoint with the rest of it! This chapter does contain a fair amount of fluff, but I promise to make it up next chapter with lots of hot Orlando-on-Elijah sex. :)

Disclaimer: Orlando and Elijah, to my knowledge only do this sort of thing in fan fiction stories. Not in the real world.

Feedback: Please!

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Chapter 2


On the drive back to my place, we started talking. Well, that is Orlando did the talking while I half-listened and tried to concentrate on the road. What the hell happened tonight? I was totally confused and I felt as if I'd stepped into some gay Twilight Zone. Was this some kind of insane rebound stage that he was going through? The thought occurred to me again. Drugs?

"And the director said... Elijah!"

I glanced over at him and realized that I hadn’t heard a word he’d said. "W-what did you say?" He leaned across the seat and whispered, "Fuck me hard up the arse."

I had to grip the steering wheel to keep from driving off the road. "What?" I glanced at him again, and saw him grinning at me. "You haven't been listening to a word I've said."

I turned onto my street of my apartment building, with visions of said arse swirling in my mind. "Yes, I have. You were talking about how Ridley once made you do 30 takes of a fight scene.”

"I stand corrected. But something's on your mind. Want a penny?"

I smiled. "No, it's nothing."

He raised one of his eyebrows in disbelief. "I know you. And I know when it’s nothing. That's not it. C'mon, you know you can tell me anything."

That was true. Usually I could tell him anything but not this. How could I tell him that I wanted him to throw me down on the seat and screw me into the floorboards? This evening might have knocked me for a loop but I couldn't help enjoying the fact that he had been mine for the night. "It's just some script that I've been having problems with."

Again with the eyebrows. "I know you're lying Elijah, but I am having too good a time to argue. Tonight was a lot of fun."

I wonder which part he had liked; the part where he tongue-wrestled me into delirium? "It was fun," I answered as calmly as possible.

I pulled into my parking spot and shut off the engine. We got out and got onto the elevator. As I pushed the button for my floor, Orlando touched my shoulder. There was that almost-shy look on his face again. "We should do it more often.", he said softly.

I found my throat closing up and I could barely manage a reply. Another date? God, I am such a girl. Stupid me for falling for a straight guy. "Yeah, that would be nice", I managed to spit out.

There was that weird look on his face again. We remained silent for the rest of the ride up, and for the walk down the hall. As we reached my door, I stopped him. "Orlando..." He looked down and stared quietly at the hand I'd placed on his chest. If I had more courage, I might have run my hands lower and felt up more than just his incredibly soft t-shirt but I didn't. Instead, I slowly lowered my hand. "Orlando, I really did enjoy myself tonight." Trying to make light of the situation, I smiled at him and gave him a punch on his arm. "In fact, I think you're the best date I've had in months. And you haven't even felt me up yet!"

His somber expression was quickly transformed by a large grin. "Is that an invitation?"

"Take it anyway you want it.”, I laughed and gave him a friendly shove as I started searching for my keys.

But as I dug around my jacket for the apartment key, I felt him moving behind me. I barely caught my breath before I found myself spun around, shoved against the door, and and staring into a pair of intense brown eyes boring deep into mine.

"Shit, I can't stop myself. Prepare to be felt up." Those were the last words I heard before his lips came down on me again and my mind shut down. All I could focus on was his tongue gently pushing my lips open, and then using it to explore my mouth thoroughly. I didn't think I could enjoy this any more than I was, until his hands came into action and roamed over my back. I briefly registered that he tasted like wine and- weirdly -chocolate, before the reasoning part of my brain kicked in. ‘What the fuck are you doing! He’s straight, and your best friend! Don’t do something you're both going to regret!’ With all the willpower I could summon, I broke away from his lips. “Orlando, look, you're my best friend, but I don't think we...”

He stopped me by pressing his fingers against my lips. "Give me five minutes, Elijah, and just listen.

"Look, I know what you're worried about. This isn’t a one-time event for me. I’ve thought this through. This isn't just a drunk, hormonal impulse. You want to know why I broke it off with Kate? It wasn't me. It was her. She said that it was clear that I was meant to be with someone else. And you know who she was talking about? You. Elijah, I want you.”

Oh. Fuck.

I was sure I was hallucinating big-time, but faced with 165 pounds of Orlando pressing me against the apartment door I knew it couldn't be a dream. Shaking, I broke free of him and reached for my keys again. “Uhhh, maybe we s-should continue this inside.” Somehow I was able to make my brain work long enough to unlock the door. I went straight to the couch, and sat down. Well, more like collapsed into a puddle. Orlando shut the door and sat down beside me.

"Yeah, it knocked me for a loop at first, too, but you know what? She was right. The reason I haven't been able to make a relationship work is because i've been looking in the wrong place. And like a stupid git, I just didn't realize it. Even when I was going out with Kate, I would compare her… well, to you. Weird as it may sound. So when we broke it off, she told me to face up to myself. And here I am!"

This seriously couldn’t be happening. It’s just too good to be true, I thought. Maybe, instead of drugs, he’s having some sort of nervous breakdown. In which case, I’d be taking advantage of a delusional man. I suppressed my urge to freak out, and stayed calm. "You don't really want me, Orlando. You're been under a lot of stress lately, filming back to back for almost 4 years without much time off. Breaking up with Kate must have put you over the edge or something. Maybe you need a vacation? Go away alone for a few weeks. Give your mind some time to rest. You'll be back to yourself in no time."

My armchair diagnosis made him laugh out loud. "God, you are one stubborn bastard. I thought that telling you would solve everything. ‘Lij, for once in your life, stop analyzing every-fucking-thing, and just give in to your feelings! I want you. You want me. Just because it took me a bit longer to figure it out doesn’t make it any less real.” Then he started bouncing up and down, still laughing, which *really* made me question his sanity. "I. Want. You. You know something? I bet if I say it enough, you'll start believing me!"

I held up my hands. "You don't have to say it anymore. And stop with the bouncing! I want you too, you asshole, all right!? I've wanted you from the first time I saw your cute bouncing ass getting off that plane in New Zealand. You make me feel like a goddamn girl in a romance novel. Are you satisfied now?"

I don't think I've ever seen that smile on his face before. It was as if someone had told him he'd won the lottery. "I know. Once I got over being blind, deaf and stupid, I could see it everytime you looked at me."

I had to look away, or he'd see the smile that I was trying unsuccessfully to hide. "Jesus, I think I need a drink." As I made a move to get off the couch, he quickly caught my hand and pulled me back down and onto his lap.

"Now that I've got you, luv, I'm not letting you go that easily”, he whispered into my ear.

You know, I’m starting to not mind him calling me that…

tbc…