Chapter Seven - The mess we are in
Title: Play the game
Author: Greenleaf
Pairing: Orlando Bloom/Sean Bean
Rating: NC-17
Warnings: violence, later on mpreg
Beta: the awesome jackieville
Disclaimer: Never happened, not mine. I’m making no money with it and remain a poor girl who only wants to write. I don’t know Sheffield United, nor how their firm is called. The B.L.E is completely made up by me. "The Old Tiger’s head" is a pub in Greenwich and I only borrowed its name.
Summary: Orlando and Sean meet under the most unusual circumstances and their lives change dramatically. Sean has to make a choice.
Feedback: Makes my day that much sweeter
Previous Chapters
Chapter Seven - The mess we are in
It was quiet in the waiting room, the only sound the occasional creaking of the uncomfortable chairs when someone shifted. Sean had been staring at the floor for the past 20 minutes, seeing and yet not seeing anything at all. At some point a nurse had come in, her question never reaching his mind. He had brusquely sent her away, ignoring the worried glance she had given him. He knew that he was a mess, covered in bruises and blood. Probably his nose was broken. He didn't care.
Pete was seriously injured and had been rushed off as soon as they had entered the hospital. The drive to the hospital had been horrible, but slowly Sean started to think that the waiting was even more horrible. The minutes ticked by, feeling like hours. Chris had frantically tried to get them to the hospital as fast as possible, while Sean attempted to talk with Pete, calm him, and make sure he didn't fall asleep. There had been so much blood and Pete's gasps of pain still echoed in his ears. The blood on his hands had dried and made his skin itch.
Now they were sitting in the waiting area, the silence so loud that Sean covered his ears with his hands and pressed his eyes shut. He didn't want to see, he didn't want to hear.
When Sean felt someone watching him he slowly opened his eyes and looked up. Morgan stood a few metres away, a look of uncertainty on his face.
"What are ye doing here?!" Sean jumped to his feet, hands balled into fists. Chris and two other members of the firm who had come with them, Karl and Jack, stood up slowly, watching the two men cautiously. The tension in the air was tangible.
"Look...'m sorry. I never...never wanted something like tha' ta happen," Morgan finally broke
the silence, for the first time looking at the floor instead of straight at the person he was talking to.
"I don't want to hear yer fucking excuses!" Sean screamed in rage as he walked towards Morgan.
The others weren't surprised that the man was backing off, even though he was a lot bulkier than Sean. No one wanted to be on the receiving end of Sean's anger. Chris' gaze flickered over to the reception where the nurse looked at them suspiciously. He took a cautious step forward and laid his hand on Sean's shoulder.
"Bean, now's not the time-"
Sean batted Chris' hand away, his eyes alight with angry fire.
"Ye didn't mean what? I take it all this fuck is yer doing?" Sean hissed, his hands already balled into fists.
"I...I didn't know tha' they'd do somethin' like tha'. I just...ye were...I found out 'bout ye an' tha' boy o' yers and Pete told me ta leave it, but...the firm was sufferin' because o' yer
behaviour, so..."
"So ye thought ye'd run off an' become member of a different firm?" Sean growled.
"Ye're a pathetic bastard. All of this was never about football or even yer mates. For ye it was always just about beating the next best guy into a pulp, wasn't it?"
"No, ye get tha' all wrong," Morgan protested, anxiously searching for the right words. His eyes widened when Sean turned away from him, laughing. The next moment stars appeared in his vision when Sean whirled around and hit him square in the face with his fist.
"To think that I trusted ye," Sean muttered to himself.
"Get outa here."
Morgan held his nose, but upon facing an angry Sean the fact that it was most likely broken didn't matter much.
"I'm-"
"GET OUT!"
This time Chris and Jack jumped to their feet and grabbed Sean's arms to hold him back.
"Get the fuck out! I don't want ta see yer ugly face ever again! And don't ye dare coming near
Pete or me boy. If I see ye doing as much as looking at one of them, I'll make sure that ye'll never see anything again!"
Morgan hastily left the room while Chris and Jack tried to calm Sean. Just when he had regained his posture a doctor entered the waiting room, looking at them with raised eyebrows.
"Are you here because of," He looked down on his chart, "Pete Rossio?"
The four men nodded, silence filling the room once more.
"Are you family?"
"If you mean family as in parents, they are dead. If you mean non-blood related family, then we are his family," Sean mumbled.
A small smile crossed the doctor's face and he nodded.
"We had to do surgery, but he will most likely be alright."
"Most likely?" Sean echoed, glaring at the man in white. He disliked doctors.
"Yes, most likely. You see, we can never be completely sure, but a full recovery is most likely in the case of your friend. He hasn't woken up yet and needs a lot of rest, so I suggest you go home and visit him tomorrow."
~*~*~
A cool breeze welcomed them as they left the hospital. It felt good on Sean's hot skin, a caress of soft air. He wanted to lean into it and let it comfort him. A sigh came over his lips as he closed his eyes for a few seconds. He felt drained, exhausted beyond every limit. Yet he couldn't calm down, the angry monster inside him not roaring loudly anymore, but growling of revenge.
~*~*~
When Sean finally opened to door to Orlando's and his flat it was well past midnight. He had sat with the guys a while longer, counselling on what they should do. They had settled on meeting the Wednesday bastards the next day at 3 PM on the grounds of the empty industrial structures where no one would interrupt them. Since Sean had refused to talk with Morgan, Chris had called the other man. He was the one who had run off to Wednesday's firm, so he would be the one who had to deliver the message.
Sean sighed and closed the door behind him as quietly as possible. He would have to take a shower before he could finally crawl into bed. If Orlando saw all the blood he would -
"Sean!"
- freak. Sean blinked, the sudden light filling the room hurting his eyes and worsening his headache. The next moment he found himself with an armful of Orlando. He gently wrapped his arms around the trembling frame of his boyfriend, closing his eyes and inhaling Orlando's scent. It soothed his nerves. Orlando, however, didn't seem calm at all. He pulled back and looked at Sean critically before his eyes narrowed as he took in the dried blood, bruises, and cuts. Abruptly he pulled back completely and took a few steps back.
"Orlando, please," Sean sighed. Orlando was trembling, his lips pressed together into a thin
line.
"Let me explain."
"There is nothing to explain," Orlando spat, turning around and making his way to the bedroom.
"Orlando, Pete got hurt," Sean rasped, trying to keep his emotions at bay. It had been the day from hell and Orlando turning away from him wasn't something he could deal with now, or ever. He loved Orlando with all his heart and right now he needed him more than ever before.
Orlando had stopped, his hand on the door handle. He remained in that position for a few seconds before he finally turned around to face Sean again. Sean took a shaky breath and ran his hand through his messy hair.
"Morgan...Morgan knows about us. He ran off to Wednesday and told them where our local is.
They...they came in and...fuck, Pete's in hospital. One of the bastards stabbed him," Sean ended, pressing his eyes closed, stoically ignoring the burning of tears. For a few seconds silence filled the room, the only sound that of Sean's harsh breathing. Finally Orlando moved,
gently pulling Sean into his arms.
"How is he?"
"Doc said he'll survive it...most likely."
Orlando nodded. He really liked Pete, and hearing that the man was in hospital was a blow, but at the same time the only thought echoing through his head was that it could've been Sean. It could've been his lover, the father of his child.
"What am I supposed to do with you?" Orlando sighed, wrinkling his nose at the copper smell of blood mixed with sweat and alcohol coming from Sean.
"Do you have any idea how worried I've been?" Orlando whispered, holding Sean a little tighter.
"I'm sorry," Sean mumbled against Orlando's neck, his fingers frantically gripping Orlando's shirt as if to make sure that he wouldn't vanish. They stood like that for minutes until Orlando finally moved.
"Go and get a shower," He mumbled, wiping his hand quickly over suspiciously red eyes. Sean simply stood there for a few seconds before he finally moved and headed for the bathroom. Once the sound of the closing door echoed through the flat Orlando sank into the nearest chair, desperately fighting the tears in his eyes. For the first time he truly realised what mess he had gotten himself into.
~*~*~
Orlando hadn't slept at all, lying in the darkness, his head resting on Sean's chest, listening to the heartbeat of his lover. It assured him that his love was still there, that he was well despite the bruises and scratches. But it didn't help against the worries, nested deep in his mind. Pete was injured. It could've been Sean. Sean was going to do something stupid because he loved Pete. They were like brothers. Unintentionally Orlando pressed even closer to Sean's warm body. He was so scared. They'd have a baby, in a few months everything would change and it made Orlando nervous. There were so many things he had to do and plan. Buy things for the baby with the limited money they had. Make sure that he could continue his studies through a correspondence course without loosing his scholarship. Deal with all the responsibility he would have to take, deal with the whole situation! As if that wasn't enough, Sean was adding to his anxiety. Every time he went out, and if it was only to get something from the grocer at the corner, Orlando was afraid. A soft sigh came over Orlando's lips as he closed his eyes. He was tired of being afraid.
~*~*~
Sean suppressed the nervous twitching of his legs as he stared at the TV screen, his eyes darting to his watch every few seconds. Orlando had insisted to stay inside today and while watching a movie he had fallen asleep, his head in Sean's lap. Sean gently pushed a curl away from Orlando's forehead, taking in the perfect face of his sleeping beauty, memorising every detail. In the morning Sean had been able to tell from the dark circles under Orlando's eyes that his love hadn't slept at all. It hurt him because he knew that he was the reason for it, but the thought of Pete nearly dying made a sleepless night seem rather small a sacrifice.
Glancing down Sean made sure that Orlando was fast asleep before he carefully shifted. He managed to stand up without waking Orlando, sighing with relief. Sean leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on Orlando's forehead before he grabbed his jacket and left the flat, closing the door behind him without a sound.
"'m sorry, luv. Ye wouldn't have understood," Sean mumbled before he slowly descended the stairs, making his way to the industrial structures.
TBC
Author: Greenleaf
Pairing: Orlando Bloom/Sean Bean
Rating: NC-17
Warnings: violence, later on mpreg
Beta: the awesome jackieville
Disclaimer: Never happened, not mine. I’m making no money with it and remain a poor girl who only wants to write. I don’t know Sheffield United, nor how their firm is called. The B.L.E is completely made up by me. "The Old Tiger’s head" is a pub in Greenwich and I only borrowed its name.
Summary: Orlando and Sean meet under the most unusual circumstances and their lives change dramatically. Sean has to make a choice.
Feedback: Makes my day that much sweeter
Previous Chapters
Chapter Seven - The mess we are in
It was quiet in the waiting room, the only sound the occasional creaking of the uncomfortable chairs when someone shifted. Sean had been staring at the floor for the past 20 minutes, seeing and yet not seeing anything at all. At some point a nurse had come in, her question never reaching his mind. He had brusquely sent her away, ignoring the worried glance she had given him. He knew that he was a mess, covered in bruises and blood. Probably his nose was broken. He didn't care.
Pete was seriously injured and had been rushed off as soon as they had entered the hospital. The drive to the hospital had been horrible, but slowly Sean started to think that the waiting was even more horrible. The minutes ticked by, feeling like hours. Chris had frantically tried to get them to the hospital as fast as possible, while Sean attempted to talk with Pete, calm him, and make sure he didn't fall asleep. There had been so much blood and Pete's gasps of pain still echoed in his ears. The blood on his hands had dried and made his skin itch.
Now they were sitting in the waiting area, the silence so loud that Sean covered his ears with his hands and pressed his eyes shut. He didn't want to see, he didn't want to hear.
When Sean felt someone watching him he slowly opened his eyes and looked up. Morgan stood a few metres away, a look of uncertainty on his face.
"What are ye doing here?!" Sean jumped to his feet, hands balled into fists. Chris and two other members of the firm who had come with them, Karl and Jack, stood up slowly, watching the two men cautiously. The tension in the air was tangible.
"Look...'m sorry. I never...never wanted something like tha' ta happen," Morgan finally broke
the silence, for the first time looking at the floor instead of straight at the person he was talking to.
"I don't want to hear yer fucking excuses!" Sean screamed in rage as he walked towards Morgan.
The others weren't surprised that the man was backing off, even though he was a lot bulkier than Sean. No one wanted to be on the receiving end of Sean's anger. Chris' gaze flickered over to the reception where the nurse looked at them suspiciously. He took a cautious step forward and laid his hand on Sean's shoulder.
"Bean, now's not the time-"
Sean batted Chris' hand away, his eyes alight with angry fire.
"Ye didn't mean what? I take it all this fuck is yer doing?" Sean hissed, his hands already balled into fists.
"I...I didn't know tha' they'd do somethin' like tha'. I just...ye were...I found out 'bout ye an' tha' boy o' yers and Pete told me ta leave it, but...the firm was sufferin' because o' yer
behaviour, so..."
"So ye thought ye'd run off an' become member of a different firm?" Sean growled.
"Ye're a pathetic bastard. All of this was never about football or even yer mates. For ye it was always just about beating the next best guy into a pulp, wasn't it?"
"No, ye get tha' all wrong," Morgan protested, anxiously searching for the right words. His eyes widened when Sean turned away from him, laughing. The next moment stars appeared in his vision when Sean whirled around and hit him square in the face with his fist.
"To think that I trusted ye," Sean muttered to himself.
"Get outa here."
Morgan held his nose, but upon facing an angry Sean the fact that it was most likely broken didn't matter much.
"I'm-"
"GET OUT!"
This time Chris and Jack jumped to their feet and grabbed Sean's arms to hold him back.
"Get the fuck out! I don't want ta see yer ugly face ever again! And don't ye dare coming near
Pete or me boy. If I see ye doing as much as looking at one of them, I'll make sure that ye'll never see anything again!"
Morgan hastily left the room while Chris and Jack tried to calm Sean. Just when he had regained his posture a doctor entered the waiting room, looking at them with raised eyebrows.
"Are you here because of," He looked down on his chart, "Pete Rossio?"
The four men nodded, silence filling the room once more.
"Are you family?"
"If you mean family as in parents, they are dead. If you mean non-blood related family, then we are his family," Sean mumbled.
A small smile crossed the doctor's face and he nodded.
"We had to do surgery, but he will most likely be alright."
"Most likely?" Sean echoed, glaring at the man in white. He disliked doctors.
"Yes, most likely. You see, we can never be completely sure, but a full recovery is most likely in the case of your friend. He hasn't woken up yet and needs a lot of rest, so I suggest you go home and visit him tomorrow."
~*~*~
A cool breeze welcomed them as they left the hospital. It felt good on Sean's hot skin, a caress of soft air. He wanted to lean into it and let it comfort him. A sigh came over his lips as he closed his eyes for a few seconds. He felt drained, exhausted beyond every limit. Yet he couldn't calm down, the angry monster inside him not roaring loudly anymore, but growling of revenge.
~*~*~
When Sean finally opened to door to Orlando's and his flat it was well past midnight. He had sat with the guys a while longer, counselling on what they should do. They had settled on meeting the Wednesday bastards the next day at 3 PM on the grounds of the empty industrial structures where no one would interrupt them. Since Sean had refused to talk with Morgan, Chris had called the other man. He was the one who had run off to Wednesday's firm, so he would be the one who had to deliver the message.
Sean sighed and closed the door behind him as quietly as possible. He would have to take a shower before he could finally crawl into bed. If Orlando saw all the blood he would -
"Sean!"
- freak. Sean blinked, the sudden light filling the room hurting his eyes and worsening his headache. The next moment he found himself with an armful of Orlando. He gently wrapped his arms around the trembling frame of his boyfriend, closing his eyes and inhaling Orlando's scent. It soothed his nerves. Orlando, however, didn't seem calm at all. He pulled back and looked at Sean critically before his eyes narrowed as he took in the dried blood, bruises, and cuts. Abruptly he pulled back completely and took a few steps back.
"Orlando, please," Sean sighed. Orlando was trembling, his lips pressed together into a thin
line.
"Let me explain."
"There is nothing to explain," Orlando spat, turning around and making his way to the bedroom.
"Orlando, Pete got hurt," Sean rasped, trying to keep his emotions at bay. It had been the day from hell and Orlando turning away from him wasn't something he could deal with now, or ever. He loved Orlando with all his heart and right now he needed him more than ever before.
Orlando had stopped, his hand on the door handle. He remained in that position for a few seconds before he finally turned around to face Sean again. Sean took a shaky breath and ran his hand through his messy hair.
"Morgan...Morgan knows about us. He ran off to Wednesday and told them where our local is.
They...they came in and...fuck, Pete's in hospital. One of the bastards stabbed him," Sean ended, pressing his eyes closed, stoically ignoring the burning of tears. For a few seconds silence filled the room, the only sound that of Sean's harsh breathing. Finally Orlando moved,
gently pulling Sean into his arms.
"How is he?"
"Doc said he'll survive it...most likely."
Orlando nodded. He really liked Pete, and hearing that the man was in hospital was a blow, but at the same time the only thought echoing through his head was that it could've been Sean. It could've been his lover, the father of his child.
"What am I supposed to do with you?" Orlando sighed, wrinkling his nose at the copper smell of blood mixed with sweat and alcohol coming from Sean.
"Do you have any idea how worried I've been?" Orlando whispered, holding Sean a little tighter.
"I'm sorry," Sean mumbled against Orlando's neck, his fingers frantically gripping Orlando's shirt as if to make sure that he wouldn't vanish. They stood like that for minutes until Orlando finally moved.
"Go and get a shower," He mumbled, wiping his hand quickly over suspiciously red eyes. Sean simply stood there for a few seconds before he finally moved and headed for the bathroom. Once the sound of the closing door echoed through the flat Orlando sank into the nearest chair, desperately fighting the tears in his eyes. For the first time he truly realised what mess he had gotten himself into.
~*~*~
Orlando hadn't slept at all, lying in the darkness, his head resting on Sean's chest, listening to the heartbeat of his lover. It assured him that his love was still there, that he was well despite the bruises and scratches. But it didn't help against the worries, nested deep in his mind. Pete was injured. It could've been Sean. Sean was going to do something stupid because he loved Pete. They were like brothers. Unintentionally Orlando pressed even closer to Sean's warm body. He was so scared. They'd have a baby, in a few months everything would change and it made Orlando nervous. There were so many things he had to do and plan. Buy things for the baby with the limited money they had. Make sure that he could continue his studies through a correspondence course without loosing his scholarship. Deal with all the responsibility he would have to take, deal with the whole situation! As if that wasn't enough, Sean was adding to his anxiety. Every time he went out, and if it was only to get something from the grocer at the corner, Orlando was afraid. A soft sigh came over Orlando's lips as he closed his eyes. He was tired of being afraid.
~*~*~
Sean suppressed the nervous twitching of his legs as he stared at the TV screen, his eyes darting to his watch every few seconds. Orlando had insisted to stay inside today and while watching a movie he had fallen asleep, his head in Sean's lap. Sean gently pushed a curl away from Orlando's forehead, taking in the perfect face of his sleeping beauty, memorising every detail. In the morning Sean had been able to tell from the dark circles under Orlando's eyes that his love hadn't slept at all. It hurt him because he knew that he was the reason for it, but the thought of Pete nearly dying made a sleepless night seem rather small a sacrifice.
Glancing down Sean made sure that Orlando was fast asleep before he carefully shifted. He managed to stand up without waking Orlando, sighing with relief. Sean leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on Orlando's forehead before he grabbed his jacket and left the flat, closing the door behind him without a sound.
"'m sorry, luv. Ye wouldn't have understood," Sean mumbled before he slowly descended the stairs, making his way to the industrial structures.
TBC