Epico - 13/?
Epico - A Sorta Fairytale: Chapter Thirteen
Authors: CJ [vylentcrymz], Emilie [emilierevan], Jen [savvy_elf] and Stacy [seemedsobright].
Rating: NC-17
Pairings: Dominic Monaghan/Emilie de Ravin, Ian Somerhalder/Maggie Grace, Orlando Bloom/Evangeline Lilly
Summary: Love. Friendship. Growth. Sex. Change. Drama. But mostly just sex. Sure, we have a plot… somewhere around here (now where did I put that thing?), but when broken down into its simplest form, Epico = SEX!
Disclaimer: We don't own these people. They're real, sure, but none of these events have or ever will transpire. No offense is meant and we're making no profit from this. Title taken from the song A Sorta Fairytale by Tori Amos.
Authors' Notes: We the writers would like to thank ALL the readers for…well, reading, of course. And commenting, and making icons and graphics and for epico_squee in general. We love writing this story and we love that you love reading it. *BIG hugs*
Please remember: Feedback is to us as sex is to Magsian, Domilie, and Orlilly. As in, very important, and something that needs to be done 24/7.
Prologue | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12
---
Ceilings were never particularly interesting things to look at, and the ceiling in Orlando’s hotel room was apparently the least interesting one of all. Or maybe that was just because he’d been staring at it for so long he was beginning to go cross-eyed. He shifted uncomfortably on the bed, trying to turn to his side so he could at least stare at the window for a little while. The throbbing pain in his ankle made him quickly decide against that.
I am a bloody idiot. Orlando looked at the end of the bed, where his swollen and bandaged ankle was propped up on a few fluffy pillows, and mentally cursed his own stupidity.
Trust him to find a way to mess up getting into a helicopter. Principal photography for Elizabethtown wasn’t even into its third week and he’d already thrown off the schedule just because he had missed a step and taken an ungraceful tumble to the cement, twisting his ankle along the way.
The doctor on set had assured him it wasn’t anything too serious, but he did warn Orlando to stay in bed for at least a day or two. Walking on it would just cause further damage and cause more schedule problems. So Orlando had returned to his Kentucky hotel, downed a few painkillers, and tried to imagine how he was supposed to occupy himself for over 24 hours while he was limited to his bed.
Orlando’s cell phone was on the bedside table. He looked at it for a few long moments, thoughtfully chewing his lower lip while he decided whether he should call Evangeline -and how much she needed to know about this little mishap.
His fingertips were barely able to brush the phone when he stretched his arm, and it took a few minutes of careful maneuvering before he had it in his grasp. Evi was his first number on speed dial, and a few seconds later the call had connected and started to ring.
“Orlando, hey!” She picked up on the second ring sounding just the slightest bit out of breath, like she’d rushed to find her phone as soon as she heard it ring.
Orlando smiled immediately, the pain in his ankle dulling as his concentrated shifted onto this far more pleasant distraction. “Hello, Evangeline. How are you?”
“I’m great. Almost done shooting for the day. You called at the perfect time, I’ve got some time to spare while they set up the next scene.” He could imagine her in his mind as clearly as if she’d been sitting in the room with him; her bright smile and her eyes with their unique talent of making him feel like they were the only people in the room whenever she looked at him. “What about you? How’s Elizabethtown going?”
Orlando laughed somewhat uncomfortably. "Funny you should ask, love," he muttered under his breath, staring at his ankle with disdain. "Nothing eventful's really happened. Just getting started and all."
"The American accent's certainly stuck on you," Evi commented, balancing her mobile phone between her shoulder and ear as she opened a bottle of water. "Not too shabby, Mr. Bloom. If I didn't know any better, you could almost pass off as an American."
"Why thank you," Orlando replied, finding that the pleasant banter took his mind off of his injury. The grin that had been plastered on his face since the conversation began was quickly wiped off when he tried to maneuver himself into a more comfortable position. The pain from his ankle shot up his leg, and the curse he muttered was more than just barely audible.
Immediately, Evi's brow arched in concern. "What was that for? Are you okay?"
"Yeah... I'm... fine," he managed to sputter out, only making her more concerned than relieved. "Just a minor glitch in my system, love."
As soon as Orlando said those words, Evi forgot (for the moment, at least), about her worry. "Orlando... did you just... you realize that you said glitch in my system, right?"
His forehead scrunched up, both from pain and curiosity. "... So?"
Evi broke out into a fit of giggles. "Your lingo is more technologically advanced than you are."
As soon as he realized it, Orlando had to laugh a little as well. "At least it isn't outdated. Who in the modern world still says lingo?"
"Loads of people," Evi replied defensively. "Like... my parents."
Orlando snorted. "Of course. That definitely means that your speak isn't outdated."
A few moments passed, allowing their laughter to die down, and only then did Evi remember to bring up what she tried to earlier. "You sure you're okay, though? Minor glitches aside and all? You don't swear like that without good reason."
"Don't worry 'bout me, love," Orlando said, managing a small smile. Evi's concern was more than he'd expected. He could just imagine her there in front of him and fussing over him, and he knew that she didn't... shouldn't have to worry. After a moment's thought, Orlando came to the simple conclusion that what Evangeline didn't know wouldn't hurt her. “I'm absolutely fine, Evangeline. Really.”
Evi didn’t sound entirely convinced, and he wasn’t surprised. “Are you sure?”
Trying to keep an amused spin on the situation, to keep her from figuring it out, Orlando patted himself up and down. “Well, it is my own body, love, so I think I’m-”
“Orlando,” she warned.
“I’m fine.”
Evi ignored someone calling her name for a moment, pressing the phone closer to her mouth and dropping her voice to a hushed whisper. “You know you can tell me if something’s wrong.”
Orlando sighed into the receiver, running his hand over his face and considering for a moment just telling her. But she had work to do and there was no way she’d be able to do it knowing he had a single scratch on his body that was worse than a paper-cut. What kind of jerk would he be to prevent her from doing her job right?
“I’m great, Evangeline, because I’m talking to you.”
“Well you must be alright if you can still say a cheesy line like that,” Evi smiled weakly. There was still a kernel of doubt in her mind and a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach that she couldn’t ignore.
“I must be.” He picked at the end of his shirt, smiling from ear to ear. He heard someone calling Evi’s name and tried not to let disappoint seep into his voice. Silence followed for a few minutes and he said it again. “I’m fine, Evangeline.”
Evi closed her eyes and leaned against her trailer. He just had to say it again, didn’t he? Now that kernel of doubt was the size of her head and she couldn’t fight the feeling that there was something he wasn’t telling her.
God damnit, Orlando Bloom, if there’s something wrong with you and you’re not telling me then…
“Listen, love, I’m sure you have to work and…” he sighed. “I don’t want to hold you up.”
He was avoiding the topic now. Evi shook her head. That’s it. “Alright, Orlando. We’ll talk later?”
“I’m looking forward to it, love,” his voice was quiet. Even if he was being as much of a gentleman as he could by letting her get back to work, what he really wanted was to talk to her for hours. “Stay well, Evangeline.”
“You too, Orlando.”
---
“Dom!” Evi practically yelled into the phone as she drove along the highway, trying to get to the airport as soon as possible. If she drove any slower she’d miss the plane; yeah, that was her excuse. “Dom, no-no, stop, Dom. I don’t-I don’t need to know about what happened after you took the spider out. DOM!”
He finally shut up.
“You need to tell Foxy to tell Damon that I’m going to be gone for a few days,” Evi shook her head at the sound of Dom protesting in her ear. “Dom, shut up, alright? Just do as I say or I’m telling Emilie that you don’t like her cheesecake.”
“Evi, you wouldn’t.” Dom sounded horrified, and rightly so. He’d been pretending to love Emilie’s cheesecake for months and he’d really rather not have his cover blown. Emilie would kill him without a second thought. “Okay, so I’m to call Foxy to have him call Lindelof to tell him that you’re playing hooky to go visit your boyfriend?”
“Basically, yeah.” Evi sighed. “They don’t really need me right now, it shouldn’t be a problem. And something just sounded off when I was talking to Orlando. Like there was something he wasn’t telling me. I just want to make sure he’s okay. And besides, I… I miss him.”
“Of course you do, luv,” Dom said understandingly, surprising Evi with his empathy. Of course he had to ruin it by adding: “Not to mention, you want to finally bed the elf.”
“Dominic!” Evi yelled. “First of all, god, who says that? And secondly, no! Just… I cannot believe you just said that. That’s so vulgar.”
“Sorry, sorry,” Dom laughed. “I just wanted to take advantage of the fact that you’re not going to be within smacking distance for a few days.”
“I have my ways, Dom,” Evi said warningly. “Is that a yes, then? You’ll pass the message along?”
“Yes, I’ll cover for you, don’t worry. Have a safe trip and tell Orlando I said hello.”
“Thank you, Dom.” Evi pulled into a parking space and got out of the car, grabbing her small suitcase out of the trunk and hurrying toward her gate. “I’d say I owe you one but I’m still mad at you for saying that. Goodbye!"
---
The flight went painstakingly slow and Evi was sure she annoyed the person she sat next to, tapping her nails on the armrest while grabbing the drink she’d ordered herself and the refills were the only interruptions.
She only packed enough for a day or two, her utmost priority just getting there, getting to Orlando as soon as possible to see if he was telling her the truth. Honestly, she hoped he was. She hoped there was nothing wrong and that she was worrying over nothing; that she’d get there and he’d be fine. Then maybe she could enjoy the next few days with him.
The hotel he was staying in, just on the outside of the town they were filming in, was amazingly beautiful, the décor comforting and warm as she walked through the lobby towards the front desk. In the short while it took for her to get there, Evi silently wondered what strategy she’d have to employ to gain access to Orlando’s room without him knowing. I don’t know the name he signs in with... the lady at the counter looks slightly bitchy…
She stopped for a moment, watching when the old, stony-faced woman left, calling in a much younger and slightly nervous-looking man to take her place. Within moments, a light bulb shone brightly over Evi’s head. Grinning, Evi decided to try and ask him outright. Feminine wiles could get her much further with this guy than with the woman before him.
“Good evening, ma’am. How can I help you?” The young man behind the desk had a friendly smile and a soft Southern twang. Evi smiled sweetly at him and leaned against the tall counter.
“Good evening to you, too…” Evi looked at his shiny nametag. “Chip. I just have a little request to make, I’m hoping you can help me with something.”
“I’ll do my best. Are you checking in or out today?” Chip asked.
“Neither, right now. I just need to know what room a friend of mine is staying in,” Evi replied. “His name is Orlando Bloom.”
Chip seemed to bite back a laugh, and Evi tried not to look so disheartened. “I’m sorry, miss, but I can hardly give out a celebrity’s room number to anyone who just walks in off the street.”
Damn. Evi should have guessed this wouldn’t be so easy. She wanted her visit to be a surprise, or else she would have just called Orlando, but if Chip didn’t cooperate, her only option might be to ruin her plan.
It was time to play dirty. He didn’t seem to recognize her, so she couldn’t pull the celebrity card. She would have to rely the aforementioned wiles to get what she wanted.
Batting her eyelashes a few times, Evi leaned towards Chip and met his eyes. “Oh, of course not. Silly me. Is that tie real silk?” She reached out to touch the material and watched Chip lick his dry lips nervously. “It’s beautiful.”
“Thank you, ma’am,” he nodded.
“It matches your eyes.” Evi tried to manipulate her lips into a sensual pout. “I’m sure Orlando’s grateful that you’re so good at what you do. How long have you worked here?”
“About three weeks.”
“Wow, I would have guessed much longer, you’re just so good at it.” Evi laughed engagingly, even though nothing was really funny at the moment
“Ma’am,” he sucked in a breath when she touched his tie again. He looked ready to pass out. “Ma’am, I think I have some work to do over…over there.”
He didn’t point anywhere in particular and Evi’s smile grew a little more genuine. “I’m sorry for bothering you I just…it’s rare for me to find cute guys around here. I usually feel like such an outsider.”
“Where…where are you from?”
Evi cocked her eyebrows. “Where are you from?”
“I’m from here.” He swallowed. Hard. He gave a weak smile, all the color leaving his face when his eyes drifted down from her face to her…
“Hey.” She caught his attention before he did something to deserve her breaking his wrist off. “You have really pretty eyes, you know.”
They were, actually. Bright green, completely incongruent with his dark hair, but pretty nonetheless. They widened when she ran her finger over the top of his hand, tracing his knuckles as lovingly as she could to with a total stranger.
“You must do a lot of hard work behind that desk,” she looked over the surface like whatever was behind there interested her. “This place would fall apart without you, I know, I can tell by your hands…”
Her finger ran across his index finger. “Very strong hands. Very…manly.”
He looked down to his hand and then back up to her. “Y-you think?”
“Yeah, you must…use them a lot,” she snagged her bottom lip between her teeth and gave him a swift wink. “Do you? Use them a lot, I mean. Are you good with them?”
For a second, she was sure he was about to pass out, nearly losing his balance behind the counter. Inwardly, she sighed and tried not to let herself roll her eyes. He was a sweet guy, she was sure, but this was getting her nowhere. She pulled her wallet out and slipped out her ID, placing her second-to-the-last resort on the counter.
“This ID says my name, Nicole Evangeline Lilly. I go by Evangeline Lilly and I play Kate on the show Lost. It’s a top ten show, I believe, so I’m sure you must know who I am.”
If it was possible, his eyes widened even more as he realized she was telling the truth.
“I’m a very good friend of Orlando Bloom’s, and if you could use those amazing hands of yours to find me a key to his room so I can surprise him…” She let go of his hand gently, keeping her expression warm so he knew she wasn’t some bitch. “I’d be very thankful.”
Clearing his throat, Chip gave Evi a quick nod, a small, embarrassed smile, and fumbled with a few keys in the concierge's drawer before finally picking out the right one.
"It's the sole duplicate, ma'am," he said, placing it on the counter and pushing it towards her. "Room 815."
"Thank you." The happiness in Evi's voice was undeniable. She could have jumped over the counter and hugged the guy, but quickly decided against it before she got carried away. Instead, she opened her purse, fished out two crisp hundred dollar bills, and pushed them towards him. "I honestly mean it, Chip. Thank you. You don't know how much this means."
Her smile was genuine and grateful, and Chip nearly fell over for the nth time once he saw it. "Have... have a nice day, ma'am."
Don't worry. I'm sure I will.
---
As she stepped out of the elevator and made her way towards room 815, Evi took long, deep breaths, nearly shuddering in anticipation. He's fine, she thought to herself. And this is just me worrying over nothing just because I miss him so damn much.
After taking one last breath to calm herself, Evi pushed the key into its slot and turned, trying to be as quiet as possible as she did so. Slowly, she pushed the door open, taking slow steps on the carpeted floor so as not to alarm him of her presence. After closing it again behind her, Evi dropped her bag and rounded the corner, making her way to where she heard the faint sound of the television on. Within moments, she found Orlando in bed, swollen ankle wrapped up and everything.
It took Orlando a few moments to shift his gaze from the television to the bedroom doorway, and, once he did, he wasn't sure whether to be ecstatic or slightly afraid. Evi's eyes thinned into slits.
"You liar."
Biting his lip, Orlando managed an awkward grin as he shut the television off. "Er, hi Evangeline."
"You... You liar!" Evi's gaze drifted to his ankle, her face softening as she took in the bandages. "Orlando, you're not fine! What happened? Are you okay?"
Orlando very gently maneuvered himself so he was sitting up a little more and winced when a sharp pain ran from the tips of his toes and straight up his leg. Immediately all the anger that had resided in Evi's expression melted into concern and he gave her a small smile.
"Just a small accident. Honestly, it's nothing to worry about! I'll be all better in a few days."
She took several steps towards the bed and made as if she was going to sit down but hesitated. Despite his casualness at the situation, she was still worried about shifting the weight of the bed and hurting him even more. "Why didn't you tell me? I would've been here earlier."
"I didn't want you to worry." He sighed and motioned for her to sit. "I'm fine, really. It's all bed rest and soap operas for a little while and then back to business… or, I mean… work."
Evi eased onto the edge of the bed gently, careful not to jar his leg. She didn’t look convinced by all his brave talk. “Drop the bravado, Orlando. You should have told me you hurt yourself. How’d you do it?”
Orlando averted her gaze until she touched his face gently, pushing his hair off his brow. Meeting her eyes again, he laughed weakly and offered a crooked smile. “Fell out of a helicopter. It was still on the ground, luckily. I missed a step and just twisted my ankle. Really, Evangeline, it’s not-”
“Don’t.” She cut him off with a word and a look, and he shut his mouth. “Don’t make it less than it is just because you don’t want me to worry. It worries me more that you lied to me.”
“You’re right.” His voice was very quiet, his natural British accent finally winning out over the false American. His eyes were apologetic when he murmured, “I’m sorry. I should have told you.”
Evi’s hand trailed down the side of his face and she leaned down, touching her forehead to his. “Yeah, you should have. Lucky for me, I followed my instincts and came out to check on you. And lucky for you, now I get to dote on you for a few days until the producers track me down and drag me back to the island.”
Orlando put his arms around her waist just as she leaned in to press her lips against his lightly. He smiled against her mouth and pulled her closer, waiting until she pulled back before he commented, “Seems that I get the better part of this deal, don’t I?”
“We’ll see about that,” Evi laughed, brushing her thumb over his lips. Her expression became serious when she asked, “Is there anything I can do for you? Anything you want me to get?”
“I don’t need anything, love,” he assured her in a whisper. One of his hands was rubbing slow circles on her back. The other rose to tangle itself in the hair at the base of her neck, pulling her in until their lips just barely brushed. “Just…stay.”
She gave a small nod, faint, as she pressed a lingering kiss on his lips and ran her fingers along the back of his hand. When she spoke, she could hardly manage a strong enough voice, speaking in a whisper. “I’ll stay, don’t worry.”
“Good,” he breathed evenly, relaxing at her assurance. Neither of them pulled away as his eyes met hers and his smile stayed strong. “Couldn’t ask for better company.”
“Is there room…” his lips brushed across hers again and she smiled. “Is there room on the bed for me?”
He brought her closer to him so he could press a kiss to each of her eyelids. “I’ll make room.”
“No,” Evi chided as strongly as she could. “You’re hurt, Orlando, I’ll just sit here, it’s alright.”
“Don’t,” he stopped her from moving away, his voice catching in his throat. His eyes twinkled mischievously. “It hurts worse when you’re away.”
“Oh come on-”
“It does, I swear.” He nudged her away a little and then winced dramatically. “Ow… ow! See what you’re doing to me?”
Evi shook her head, trying not to smile but instantly failing. “You are so-”
“I know you, Evangeline.” The way her name rolled off his tongue when he spoke…thank goodness she wasn’t standing or else her legs would’ve given out underneath her. The sudden change in the tone of his voice made her swallow the lump that had abruptly formed in her throat. “I know you want to help me and being with you…you have no idea how much I want to show you how beautiful you are.”
“You can just tell me, which will require a less physical part for you,” she pointed out weakly. It was getting harder and harder to deny it and she still wasn’t moving away from him. He was like a magnet. “Tell me and I’ll believe you.”
“I want to show you, Evangeline,” his hand stroked hers as he spoke, sending chills up her spine. “I can say anything with words and not mean it as much as I do when I’m with you.”
Again, she tried to be the practical one, the sensible one. The…she couldn’t think of any more words. None of them had any meaning as she watched his lips move with rapt attention. “Orlando…”
“I waited so long to ask you out because I’m such a bloody idiot around you half the time,” he smiled, pulling her closer. “Let me not be an idiot for once.”
By the time she had the heart to speak, their noses were brushing and she was practically lying parallel to him on the bed. “How can I resist a cheesy line like that?”
His hand dropped to her waist. “You can’t.”
"Apparently," Evi murmured, brushing her lips against his as she spoke. Her eyelids fluttered shut when his hand came in contact with her skin.
Orlando watched as Evi's resolve slowly broke, letting his other hand cup her cheek to pull her in for a slow, gentle kiss. The pain from his ankle had long been forgotten at that point.
Before either of them realized it, both of Orlando's hands were well on their way to unbuttoning Evi's blouse. When her eyes met his with a questioning look, Orlando pulled her closer and pressed his lips to the spot between her eyes.
"Just let it happen," he whispered against her skin, smiling as his thumb traced the shape of her cheekbone. "We both know that it's meant to."
Evi nodded, slowly sitting up and helping Orlando follow suit before shedding her blouse. Gingerly, she pulled Orlando's shirt over his head and kissed his temple, moving ever so slightly to whisper in his ear. "I'm going to take care of you, Orlando."
“I don’t doubt it, love,” he murmured, holding her hips and kissing her slowly. “And I am going to absolutely fucking worship you.”
His arms tugged her closer until their bodies were flush against each other and kissed her hard, rubbing his hands up and down her smooth back. Evi breathed his name against his lips, burying one hand in his hair and tilting his head back. Orlando’s eyes shut when she started kissing his neck, slowly working her way to his collarbone before she stopped suddenly.
“Tell me if your ankle hurts,” she said, breath coasting over his chest.
Orlando let out a choked laugh, deftly unhooking her bra. “Evangeline, that is without a doubt the furthest thing from my mind.” He slid the straps down her arms and put his hands on her hips again, slowly bringing them up her sides. “I’m a little too busy thinking about how incredibly gorgeous you are.”
Evi drew her lower lip between her teeth when his thumbs brushed over her nipples. “Glad I can be a distraction for you.”
“You’re a lot more than that.” Orlando nibbled lightly on her lower lip and cupped her breasts, grinning at her soft intake of breath.
She tried to say his name but it came out as gibberish when he blew cool air across each of her breasts; she was going to have to invent a whole new word for what he was doing to her. But then her mind jumped to the fact that maybe it wasn’t what was being done to her but rather who was doing it. This was Orlando. She was lying with him on his bed, shirtless, nearly as naked as the day she was born.
For a moment, she forgot how to breathe, her lips finding his in a desperate move to steal some of his air, to steal away the feeling of his kiss that left her lightheaded. He breathed her name into her mouth and she grabbed his arms, nails digging in and threatening to break skin, trying to keep him as close to her for as long as possible.
“Evangeline.” He said her name again and he just had to know what it did to her when he said it; there was no way he couldn’t notice the way she arched her back so her body pressed against his even more fully, just at the sound of his voice.
He brushed her hair behind her ears and kissed the corner of her mouth, managing a moment so they could catch their breath. Leaning her forehead against his, Evi took in a deep breath and when she let it out, it shook noticeably.
Her fingers traced the muscles in his shoulders and arms until they were resting at the waistband of his sweats. She met his eyes for a moment before looking down, a fresh color rising to her cheeks.
Stroking up and down her forearms, caressing her wrist and the top of her hand, drawing delicate lines down her fingers, Orlando stayed quiet as he watched her watch him, observe him, and take in the sight of what was revealed and what would soon be revealed. Her index finger carefully slipped under the cotton fabric and he sucked in a breath, shivering.
Evi moved forward and pressed a kiss to his forehead, then to his nose, then to his chin and then a line of butterfly kisses down his body until she met the top of his pants. Both hands moved to work on pushing them down as she smiled just above his belly button, nose just barely tickling his skin. Her eyes sparkled at the sight of the tattoo just to the bottom-left of his belly button and if it was possible, her smile grew even wider.
His hands ran through her hair, massaging her scalp as his stomach and chest rose and fell with quick succession. When she looked up, he met her eyes with hooded ones of his own, brown completely replaced by a darker, deep-seated color that nearly startled her. His Adam’s apple moved up and then down when he swallowed, not daring to blink.
Arching her neck, she licked her lips just as she pressed a kiss to the tattoo, her tongue teasing his already-shaking body briefly. His grip tightened on her hair and she kissed him again, her tongue tracing an outline around the tattoo, savoring every inch.
His entire body shook when she continued and he had to pull her away after a second, cheeks burnt red and eyes glistening over as he licked his dry lips. “Evangeline, stop…”
“Why?” she asked softly.
“I’m…” he seemed embarrassed. “I’m a bit ticklish there, is all.”
Evi fought back a huge smile, shaking her head a little. “You shouldn’t have told me that.”
His eyes widened amusingly, letting his head fall back against the headboard, groaning. “I really shouldn’t have.”
Choosing to be merciful for the moment, Evi pressed a brief kiss to the tattoo before focusing her attention on his pants, which were caught around his hips and…
She pushed them down further, slowly, enjoying every inch of skin revealed to her. There’s a certain amount of preparing a woman can do before she gets to see a guy naked; an image she gets in her mind of what he looks like naked. There’s the most realistic possibility and then there’s a woman’s true fantasy.
Orlando Bloom was definitely in the latter category.
“Get a pair of bloody scissors and cut them off… just get them off, Evangeline!” his voice caught in his throat and he sounded about ready to cry.
Biting her lip, Evi fought back every urge to laugh right then and there, instead using up all her energy to let go of his waistband and slowly get up and off of the bed. Orlando's eyes widened with shock and worry, and Evi ignored his expression, crouching down to open the bag she'd dropped on the floor when she first arrived. After a few excruciatingly long moments, she finally crawled back onto the bed, in hand the tiniest pair of scissors from her travel sewing kit.
When Orlando caught sight of the scissors, he groaned, his head falling back onto his pillow. "You've got to be bloody kidding me."
Crawling closer, Evi gave him a long, slow kiss, grinning when she pulled back. "Patience is a virtue, Orlando."
With slow, gentle movements, Evi began cutting the fabric of Orlando's sweatpants, and could barely see his leg shaking with impatience.
"I'm going to get back at you for this," he muttered, though he could see that Evi wasn't the least bit threatened by his words. "This... this is just--"
"Just going to be worth every second of you waiting," she quietly said, finally pulling the now-ruined sweatpants off of him.
“I know it, Evangeline, but Jesus…” He sat up and pulled her to him, holding her tightly while he kissed her. “You certainly know how to build up the suspense.”
Orlando’s hands dropped to the waist of her jeans, popping the button and pushing them down her hips so she could work them off the rest of the way. His fingers danced up her inner thigh and he grinned to see her squirm, taking a moment to torture her in retaliation for what she’d put him through.
“Really, Orlando, is revenge necessary?” Evi put one hand on his shoulder and gripped tightly, her body shivering in response to his ministrations. “You’re making it worse for yourself, too.”
“Oh yeah?” Orlando traced the hem of her panties around the curve of her leg, smiling devilishly at her. “I’d argue that I’m enjoying myself quite a bit right now.”
Evi’s fingernail traced a few light circles around his bellybutton and his eyes widened. The nail traced a path further down until she wrapped her hand around him. Orlando shut his mouth and breathed carefully, his heart pounding doubly hard in his chest when her hand began to move, flipping the tables once more in her favor.
Without warning he hooked his finger in the waistband of her underwear and yanked, smiling when he heard a distinct tearing noise. Tossing the now-useless material off to the side, he gripped Evi’s wrist and met her eyes with an intense gaze.
“Fuck the teasing, Evangeline,” he said hoarsely, brushing her hair away from her face and pressing his forehead to hers. “I need you.”
Showing surprising strength, she wriggled her wrist out of his hold and pumped him a few more times. Delicate, torturing strokes that only served to make his eyes even darker and his intentions even more heated.
She licked her lips and asked in a ghost of a whisper, “Condom?”
His eyes rolled back with she brushed her thumb along his tip and he groaned, hips jumping into her hand. When she let go, he whimpered at the loss of contact and answered as if that’d get her to continue.
“Wallet…corner-corner desk, s’in the drawer, I think.”
Pressing a fleeting but scorching kiss to his lips, she slid off the bed and walked over to the desk, searching for his wallet. Orlando, watching her, fumbled over an explanation when he thought-or rather jumped to the conclusion-of what she might be thinking.
“Don’t think that I thought I’d be randomly sleeping with some-because, no, that’s not. It’s….well, it’s more of a good luck charm, really.”
“Good luck charm?” Evi found it and slipped it out of his wallet, turning back and quickly making her way to the bed to find him still fumbling over an explanation.
The smile on her face said it all, she was merely amused by his stuttering than anything, really, but Orlando was too caught up in explaining himself that the only way she could shut him up was to kiss him. And she had no argument against that. He immediately melted into the kiss, forgetting about everything except for the fact that he was with Evi. That was all that mattered.
Gently, taking her time-as much as she could, considering-she lifted her leg over onto the bed so that she was straddling his thighs, the warmth of his skin melting into the warmth of hers. She sighed, content, and watched as his eyes trailed down her body and back up to her face. Chills shot up her spine at the feeling of his eyes raking all over her; she felt like royalty.
“You’re so beautiful, Evangeline.” His thumbs pressed into her hips, massaging them. He shifted underneath her a little bit, trying and failing to suppress a wince when a sharp pain shot through his ankle. When Evi opened her mouth to say something, he shook his head; stopping her. “I’m fine. Perfect.”
“You’re perfect?” she breathed, one hand trailing up and down his arm as he continued to massage her hips. “That’s one big ego you’ve got there, Orlando.”
“No…you. You’re the one that’s perfect.” He brought his other hand to her breast, dragging his thumb across her nipple, enjoying the sound of her gasp.
Evi managed a weak smile. “You’re just saying that.”
“I’ve already got you naked and on top of me, love, I could’ve shut up minutes ago. But I haven’t because…” He adjusted himself again so he was leaning against the headboard more, their eyes a little closer to being level. “It’s true. You’re perfect.”
“Mmmhmm,” she nodded, eyes shut and head rolling back against her shoulders, arching into his hand.
Her other hand dropped to his stomach, nails dragging down until her shaking fingers wouldn’t allow anymore. Licking her lips, she opened her eyes just enough to see him. “Orlando?”
He took in a deep breath, preparing himself. “What is it?”
“You’re perfect too,” she whispered, ripping open the condom wrapper and gently sliding it over him. His stomach tightened beneath her other hand and she watched his face as she carefully positioned him, the tip just barely teasing her entrance.
Evi pulled Orlando in for a kiss, saying nothing as she slowly sunk onto him. Beneath her, Orlando shuddered, one hand on her hip and the other buried in her hair, deepening the kiss even more. When he was completely inside of her, Evi kept still, eyes locking with his at that single most perfect moment of their lives.
Orlando was nearly overwhelmed. "Evangeline... I... God, I..."
"Shhh," she whispered, pushing him down so his head rested against a pillow. "I know."
All words completely left him when Evi began moving. She was slow, taking her time with every movement. Orlando tried to keep his eyes open, but ultimately failed; the sensations they were both giving each other consumed them.
Their mouths soon found their way to each other, silencing every moan and gasp. Their kisses became heated clashes of tongues and teeth, and their slow, rhythmic movements soon became frantic and needy.
"I've... waited for this..." Orlando briefly gasped for air, choosing instead to breathe in more of Evi, who was quickly becoming his replacement for oxygen. "... for too long."
Evi's hands ran through his hair, her thumb brushing away the sweat that had formed on his brow. "Sorry... I kept you waiting."
Managing to shake his head, Orlando gave her a small smile. "S'worth the wait, Evangeline."
If his ankle hurt, Orlando wasn’t aware of it. He gripped her hips tightly, his own lifting off the bed to meet her every time. He couldn’t take his eyes off of her: her face, her mouth, her desire-darkened eyes. Her lips formed his name but he was kissing her before she could get it out, burying one hand in her hair to keep her there.
“You’re amazing, Evangeline,” he panted when they broke the kiss, pressing his forehead to hers and squeezing his eyes shut as their pace became desperate. “Feels so… incredible.”
She nodded, her nose brushing against his, completely incapable of speech at this point. Her body was trembling; he reached one arm around her and held her tightly. His other hand reached between their bodies, gently teasing her until she was gasping his name, her nails dragging lightly down his back.
“Come on, Evangeline,” he murmured, breath passing over her ear. “Don’t hold back.”
“Not holding… anything… back,” she panted. “Never.”
Her hips were picking up speed at this point, losing any sense of natural movement as her trembling body met each of his thrusts and rolled in motion just to feel him inside of her. Warmth spread from deep in her stomach to the inside of her thighs to the end of her toes, the tips of her fingers were numb as she ran them through his hair, frantic to find something to hold onto.
"So... so close... Orlando..."
Searching for a set rhythm at this point was hopeless. Both of them were moving so fast... reckless abandon didn't even come close to describing it. Forcing his eyes to stay open, Orlando, in a gesture that completely juxtaposed the pace they were moving at, tenderly kissed the corner of her mouth.
"Let it happen."
The three words he spoke were enough to let the most explosive feeling in the world wash over Evi's mind and body. As she clung to him like her life depended on it, the last thing Orlando remembered was Evi crying his name out in the clearest, most beautiful voice he'd ever heard in his life. His eyes then shut tightly as his hips lifted clear off of the bed, thrusting into her one last time before following her over the edge.
For a few moments, the only thing they both heard were the sounds of their breathing. Evi had long since collapsed onto Orlando, fitting like the one single puzzle piece that had been missing for so long. Once he gathered enough strength, Orlando kissed her sweat-slicked brow, saying nothing and everything at the same time.
Evi gingerly lifted off of him after a few more moments, sighing at the sudden emptiness she felt. She pushed him back down when he attempted to sit up and follow her, only allowing him to see her pick up her blouse and quickly pad into the bathroom. For a moment, he suddenly thought that...
But she reappeared before his mind finished the sentence, erasing any doubts that had formed in his head when she held up a washcloth.
Once he realized what she was going to do, his sudden movement caused pain to shoot up his leg, making him wince and jerk backwards. I forgot about that, he thought, staring at his injury.
Evi looked at him and frowned a little, biting her lip as she looked at his ankle. Looking back at her, he realized that though unbuttoned, she had her blouse on. He, on the other hand, was stark naked. The sudden embarrassment he felt at being so exposed was overwhelming. "Ev... Evangeline... you don't have to... seriously, love... I can do..."
Laying a gentle hand on his leg, Evi shushed him with a shake of her head and a look into his eyes. Trust me, Orlando.
And he did.
Wordlessly, she cleaned him off, going back to the bathroom to throw away the condom before finally returning to the bedroom. The slightly tangled sheets were now up to his waist (after much maneuvering), and Evi had to laugh a little at the bashful expression on his face. Dropping the blouse to the floor, Evi crawled back onto the bed, getting under the sheets and curling up against him, finding comfort in the silence between them.
"Thank you," he murmured, closing his eyes and reveling in the warmth of their shared body heat.
Smiling against the skin of his neck, Evi pressed a tender kiss to it. "Get some rest, Orlando... I'll still be here in the morning... I promise."
---
The first thing Evi saw when she opened heavy-lidded eyes--a blanket of warm sunlight seeping in through the thin, gauzy curtains being what woke her up from what seemed like a thousand-year sleep--were her fingers threaded with Orlando's. His hand was warm over hers, pinky slipped comfortably between her index finger and thumb, and she took comfort in how perfect the image their entangled hands created.
His face was buried in her hair; soft, even breathing down the back of her neck, the fall and rise of his chest against her back. She could feel his heart beating in time with hers and an easy smile graced her lips when she noticed--it felt so right--his leg tucked between hers. If she listened carefully, she could swear he was whispering 'Evangeline' in his sleep.
Slowly, carefully, with the kind of sneakiness to be expected from a highly trained Canadian Mobster, Evi tried to turn onto her back so she could see him. Unfortunately she forgot about the sheets he'd pulled up over them when she did, the fabric catching under her waist as she moved and pulling on Orlando in turn.
"Mmm." His nose wrinkled against her cheek and his arm tightened around her waist, obviously forgiving her for waking him when her stomach was pressed flush against his. "Evangeline?"
"Who else would it be?" she snuck her hand along his side, tickling his ribs before she rested her fingers on his shoulder.
He made a noise, "Too tired for...lame joke."
Evi kissed his nose. "It's never too early for lame jokes, if you ask me."
"Sure," he agreed halfheartedly, eyes still closed as he blindly kissed the corner of her mouth, finding it like a habit.
"You're gone to the world, aren't you?"
A ghost of a smile and a nod was all she got in response.
"Pathetic," she teased, but the laughter in her voice betrayed the comment. She let her hand drift from his shoulder to his neck, fingers running through his hair and massaging his scalp. "Am I not entertaining enough to keep you awake?"
"You're entertaining, love..." he opened his right eye enough to look at her. "Your...entertainment is why I'm so tired."
Evi's cheeks burned red, trying--and failing miserably--not to smile at his euphemism. "Sorry."
"Sorry?" his other eye opened and he lifted his head a little. "You're not going to gloat?"
"Oh no," she shook her head. "I'm saving that for later."
"I don't mind if you gloat." His fingers tickled the small of her back as he brushed her nose with his. "As long as we keep having nights that are gloat-worthy, I'm set."
Evi grinned, burrowing further into Orlando's embrace. The idea of having more gloat-worthy nights with Orlando was something she was most definitely looking forward to. "Remind me why we didn't do this when you were still in Hawaii?" she murmured against his skin.
"Because I planned falling from the helicopter. I planned calling you and worrying you just to see if you'd take the bait and come here," he wryly replied. "So it'd be explosive and amazing... and now I can tell everyone that my first night with you was in the grand state of Kentucky."
She laughed - a sound that Orlando found he could listen to tirelessly - and shook her head, looking up into his eyes, amused to find the mirthful gleam in them back already. "Seriously though..."
He traced the outline of her jaw with his fingers, keeping eye contact with her as he spoke. "Seriously?" he echoed her question. "Because we're taking this slow. Because we knew it'd happen when it was supposed to."
He paused, giving her a small smile.
"Because it'd have never been this perfect and amazing any other way."
Evi laughed again, biting her lip as she tried to control herself from blushing or replying with a witty comeback... especially when she looked into his eyes again and realized how absolutely serious he was. "I... I thought you’d make a long joke 'bout it."
He shook his head, brushing his lips against hers in a soft kiss. "I don't think I'd ever be able to kid about this, princess."
Her eyebrow quirked at the new nickname. "Princess?"
"Think of anything that'd fit better?" he asked before kissing her again.
"Good point." Evi rested her head on his shoulder, playing idly with a loose string on the sheets. Eyes closed, she murmured, “How’s your ankle?”
“Bit sore,” he admitted. “But the rest of me is very, very happy, and that makes up for it.”
Evi sat up, laughing when he whined and tried to pull her down beside him again. “Where are your drugs?”
“Bathroom counter,” he replied, sighing when she scooted to the edge of the bed, out of his reach. “Hurry back. The further away you go, the more agonizing the pain.”
Pulling on the t-shirt Orlando had been wearing the night before, Evi grinned at him over her shoulder and made her way to the bathroom. “I’m going as fast as I possibly can.”
She found the prescription painkillers on the counter and read the label, taking out one pill and getting a glass of tap water. Orlando reached for her as soon as she neared the bed again, almost making her spill water all over both of them when he pulled her onto the bed.
“Open up.” She tapped his chin and his mouth fell open obediently, allowing her to place the pill on his tongue. He took a long drink of water while Evi ran her hand through his hair, sinking onto the mattress beside him. “Nurse Evi, at your service.”
“How did I get so lucky?” He pulled her in for a slow kiss, looping one arm around her waist. “Thank you, Evangeline.”
“You’re welcome.” Evi tucked her hair behind her ears and let him tug her closer until their bodies were pressed against each other, the sheets draped dangerously low on his hips. Without thinking he tugged the t-shirt up a little bit, gentle fingers stroking the skin of her stomach and tracing circles around her belly button. His cheek rested on top of her head, free hand twisting a lock of her hair.
They were quiet for a few moments, absolutely content to just be in each other’s arms. Finally, though, Evi broke the silence with a soft whisper, her voice small and almost hesitant.
“So… where do we go from here?”
He kissed her hair and smiled faintly. “I don’t think I’m going anywhere for now, not with my ankle like this.”
“Funny man.” She pinched his side lightly. “You know what I meant.”
“Yeah, I do,” he breathed. “When do you have to go back to Hawaii?”
“Couple of days.” She lifted herself up on one elbow so she was looking down at him, her hair falling in her face like a curtain. He pushed it back so he could see her face, smiling gently at her. “I’m not going to want to leave.”
“And I won’t want to let you go,” he assured her, stroking her jaw with his knuckles. “It’s going to be hell for awhile, with you in Hawaii and me here. But I won’t let that stop us. It’ll work out, princess, it has to.”
"You're going to make that a habit, aren't you?" she kissed the heel of his hand when it lingered over her cheek. "Calling me princess, I mean."
"Definitely," he nodded, touching his finger to her bottom lip. "Because every time I do you blush and look like you're about to bite your lip... and the nose crinkles ever so slightly. It's the most beautiful thing, love."
"Cheese," she breathed, eyes cast down as silence followed for a while. She almost didn't want to look up. "You're right, though, it's going to...it's going to suck. It's going to suck real bad."
He tilted his head to meet her eyes and offered her a comforting smile, "Who knew going back to bloody Hawaii would be such a bad thing?"
Evi smiled despite the gnawing feeling she had in the pit of her stomach, the trepidation of what would come in just a few days time. Maybe this was why she hadn't had a boyfriend in so long; it hurt just as much as it made her feel fantastically happy. "I'm going to call you everyday, you know."
He slid down a little, sinking into the bed and pressing a kiss to her shoulder, eyes never tearing away from hers as he said, unintentionally vehement, "Not if I beat you to it."
A soft 'C'mere' was breathed across his lips as his hands held onto her waist, turning over so that her stomach was against his and she was comfortably seated on top of him, her legs entangling with his. She wrapped her arms around his neck, never wanting to let go.
Kissing the top of her head, he tightened his hold on her waist. "My phone bill's going to be insane."
“Yeah, well, at least your boss won't hate you for taking an impromptu vacation in the middle of filming an episode." She pressed her lips to the dip of his neck, tongue darting out and savoring the salty-sweet taste of his warm skin. "Wait, actually...."
"Yeah," Orlando smiled into her hair. "Already beat you to that too, Evangeline. Director gave me the dirtiest look when I showed up on set a week late."
She laughed, "What did you say to him?"
"I said that I was caught up on my way to work, got pulled into an alley and beaten up by a Canadian Mobster," Orlando explained, like it was the most natural thing in the world. "He gave me a blank look when I said it so I made a lame joke, forgetting that only you find them funny, and cemented my position on set as The Odd English Bloke… or dude. Whatever lingo these Yanks use nowadays." He made sure to place the emphasis on lingo.
She smiled into his chest. "Sucks that I wasn't there to pretend your joke was funny."
"Touché," he chuckled.
Her fingers toyed with the hair at the nape of his neck while she pressed her lips to his for a brief second. Pulling back only slightly, she whispered, “Does it make me a horrendously selfish person if I say I’m glad you hurt your ankle, because otherwise I wouldn’t have flown out here, and last night wouldn’t have happened?”
“Yeah,” he breathed. “But I guess I’m a masochist, since I’m pretty happy about it, myself.”
“Good.” She grinned against his mouth before kissing him again, feeling his thumbs press into her hips. “We can just stay locked up in this hotel room and be horrible people together.”
“Excellent idea, love,” he agreed. “I have to warn you, though. Those painkillers are pretty strong, they might make me act a bit loopy.”
“Oh yeah?” Evi quirked an eyebrow. “How so?”
He rubbed her lower back for a second before he tugged on the hem of the t-shirt. Once she raised her arms he whipped it up and over her head with ease, tossing it to the floor before he pulled her against him, chest-to-chest. “Like I might just toss these clothes right back to the floor and have my wicked way with you.”
Authors: CJ [vylentcrymz], Emilie [emilierevan], Jen [savvy_elf] and Stacy [seemedsobright].
Rating: NC-17
Pairings: Dominic Monaghan/Emilie de Ravin, Ian Somerhalder/Maggie Grace, Orlando Bloom/Evangeline Lilly
Summary: Love. Friendship. Growth. Sex. Change. Drama. But mostly just sex. Sure, we have a plot… somewhere around here (now where did I put that thing?), but when broken down into its simplest form, Epico = SEX!
Disclaimer: We don't own these people. They're real, sure, but none of these events have or ever will transpire. No offense is meant and we're making no profit from this. Title taken from the song A Sorta Fairytale by Tori Amos.
Authors' Notes: We the writers would like to thank ALL the readers for…well, reading, of course. And commenting, and making icons and graphics and for epico_squee in general. We love writing this story and we love that you love reading it. *BIG hugs*
Please remember: Feedback is to us as sex is to Magsian, Domilie, and Orlilly. As in, very important, and something that needs to be done 24/7.
Prologue | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12
---
Ceilings were never particularly interesting things to look at, and the ceiling in Orlando’s hotel room was apparently the least interesting one of all. Or maybe that was just because he’d been staring at it for so long he was beginning to go cross-eyed. He shifted uncomfortably on the bed, trying to turn to his side so he could at least stare at the window for a little while. The throbbing pain in his ankle made him quickly decide against that.
I am a bloody idiot. Orlando looked at the end of the bed, where his swollen and bandaged ankle was propped up on a few fluffy pillows, and mentally cursed his own stupidity.
Trust him to find a way to mess up getting into a helicopter. Principal photography for Elizabethtown wasn’t even into its third week and he’d already thrown off the schedule just because he had missed a step and taken an ungraceful tumble to the cement, twisting his ankle along the way.
The doctor on set had assured him it wasn’t anything too serious, but he did warn Orlando to stay in bed for at least a day or two. Walking on it would just cause further damage and cause more schedule problems. So Orlando had returned to his Kentucky hotel, downed a few painkillers, and tried to imagine how he was supposed to occupy himself for over 24 hours while he was limited to his bed.
Orlando’s cell phone was on the bedside table. He looked at it for a few long moments, thoughtfully chewing his lower lip while he decided whether he should call Evangeline -and how much she needed to know about this little mishap.
His fingertips were barely able to brush the phone when he stretched his arm, and it took a few minutes of careful maneuvering before he had it in his grasp. Evi was his first number on speed dial, and a few seconds later the call had connected and started to ring.
“Orlando, hey!” She picked up on the second ring sounding just the slightest bit out of breath, like she’d rushed to find her phone as soon as she heard it ring.
Orlando smiled immediately, the pain in his ankle dulling as his concentrated shifted onto this far more pleasant distraction. “Hello, Evangeline. How are you?”
“I’m great. Almost done shooting for the day. You called at the perfect time, I’ve got some time to spare while they set up the next scene.” He could imagine her in his mind as clearly as if she’d been sitting in the room with him; her bright smile and her eyes with their unique talent of making him feel like they were the only people in the room whenever she looked at him. “What about you? How’s Elizabethtown going?”
Orlando laughed somewhat uncomfortably. "Funny you should ask, love," he muttered under his breath, staring at his ankle with disdain. "Nothing eventful's really happened. Just getting started and all."
"The American accent's certainly stuck on you," Evi commented, balancing her mobile phone between her shoulder and ear as she opened a bottle of water. "Not too shabby, Mr. Bloom. If I didn't know any better, you could almost pass off as an American."
"Why thank you," Orlando replied, finding that the pleasant banter took his mind off of his injury. The grin that had been plastered on his face since the conversation began was quickly wiped off when he tried to maneuver himself into a more comfortable position. The pain from his ankle shot up his leg, and the curse he muttered was more than just barely audible.
Immediately, Evi's brow arched in concern. "What was that for? Are you okay?"
"Yeah... I'm... fine," he managed to sputter out, only making her more concerned than relieved. "Just a minor glitch in my system, love."
As soon as Orlando said those words, Evi forgot (for the moment, at least), about her worry. "Orlando... did you just... you realize that you said glitch in my system, right?"
His forehead scrunched up, both from pain and curiosity. "... So?"
Evi broke out into a fit of giggles. "Your lingo is more technologically advanced than you are."
As soon as he realized it, Orlando had to laugh a little as well. "At least it isn't outdated. Who in the modern world still says lingo?"
"Loads of people," Evi replied defensively. "Like... my parents."
Orlando snorted. "Of course. That definitely means that your speak isn't outdated."
A few moments passed, allowing their laughter to die down, and only then did Evi remember to bring up what she tried to earlier. "You sure you're okay, though? Minor glitches aside and all? You don't swear like that without good reason."
"Don't worry 'bout me, love," Orlando said, managing a small smile. Evi's concern was more than he'd expected. He could just imagine her there in front of him and fussing over him, and he knew that she didn't... shouldn't have to worry. After a moment's thought, Orlando came to the simple conclusion that what Evangeline didn't know wouldn't hurt her. “I'm absolutely fine, Evangeline. Really.”
Evi didn’t sound entirely convinced, and he wasn’t surprised. “Are you sure?”
Trying to keep an amused spin on the situation, to keep her from figuring it out, Orlando patted himself up and down. “Well, it is my own body, love, so I think I’m-”
“Orlando,” she warned.
“I’m fine.”
Evi ignored someone calling her name for a moment, pressing the phone closer to her mouth and dropping her voice to a hushed whisper. “You know you can tell me if something’s wrong.”
Orlando sighed into the receiver, running his hand over his face and considering for a moment just telling her. But she had work to do and there was no way she’d be able to do it knowing he had a single scratch on his body that was worse than a paper-cut. What kind of jerk would he be to prevent her from doing her job right?
“I’m great, Evangeline, because I’m talking to you.”
“Well you must be alright if you can still say a cheesy line like that,” Evi smiled weakly. There was still a kernel of doubt in her mind and a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach that she couldn’t ignore.
“I must be.” He picked at the end of his shirt, smiling from ear to ear. He heard someone calling Evi’s name and tried not to let disappoint seep into his voice. Silence followed for a few minutes and he said it again. “I’m fine, Evangeline.”
Evi closed her eyes and leaned against her trailer. He just had to say it again, didn’t he? Now that kernel of doubt was the size of her head and she couldn’t fight the feeling that there was something he wasn’t telling her.
God damnit, Orlando Bloom, if there’s something wrong with you and you’re not telling me then…
“Listen, love, I’m sure you have to work and…” he sighed. “I don’t want to hold you up.”
He was avoiding the topic now. Evi shook her head. That’s it. “Alright, Orlando. We’ll talk later?”
“I’m looking forward to it, love,” his voice was quiet. Even if he was being as much of a gentleman as he could by letting her get back to work, what he really wanted was to talk to her for hours. “Stay well, Evangeline.”
“You too, Orlando.”
---
“Dom!” Evi practically yelled into the phone as she drove along the highway, trying to get to the airport as soon as possible. If she drove any slower she’d miss the plane; yeah, that was her excuse. “Dom, no-no, stop, Dom. I don’t-I don’t need to know about what happened after you took the spider out. DOM!”
He finally shut up.
“You need to tell Foxy to tell Damon that I’m going to be gone for a few days,” Evi shook her head at the sound of Dom protesting in her ear. “Dom, shut up, alright? Just do as I say or I’m telling Emilie that you don’t like her cheesecake.”
“Evi, you wouldn’t.” Dom sounded horrified, and rightly so. He’d been pretending to love Emilie’s cheesecake for months and he’d really rather not have his cover blown. Emilie would kill him without a second thought. “Okay, so I’m to call Foxy to have him call Lindelof to tell him that you’re playing hooky to go visit your boyfriend?”
“Basically, yeah.” Evi sighed. “They don’t really need me right now, it shouldn’t be a problem. And something just sounded off when I was talking to Orlando. Like there was something he wasn’t telling me. I just want to make sure he’s okay. And besides, I… I miss him.”
“Of course you do, luv,” Dom said understandingly, surprising Evi with his empathy. Of course he had to ruin it by adding: “Not to mention, you want to finally bed the elf.”
“Dominic!” Evi yelled. “First of all, god, who says that? And secondly, no! Just… I cannot believe you just said that. That’s so vulgar.”
“Sorry, sorry,” Dom laughed. “I just wanted to take advantage of the fact that you’re not going to be within smacking distance for a few days.”
“I have my ways, Dom,” Evi said warningly. “Is that a yes, then? You’ll pass the message along?”
“Yes, I’ll cover for you, don’t worry. Have a safe trip and tell Orlando I said hello.”
“Thank you, Dom.” Evi pulled into a parking space and got out of the car, grabbing her small suitcase out of the trunk and hurrying toward her gate. “I’d say I owe you one but I’m still mad at you for saying that. Goodbye!"
---
The flight went painstakingly slow and Evi was sure she annoyed the person she sat next to, tapping her nails on the armrest while grabbing the drink she’d ordered herself and the refills were the only interruptions.
She only packed enough for a day or two, her utmost priority just getting there, getting to Orlando as soon as possible to see if he was telling her the truth. Honestly, she hoped he was. She hoped there was nothing wrong and that she was worrying over nothing; that she’d get there and he’d be fine. Then maybe she could enjoy the next few days with him.
The hotel he was staying in, just on the outside of the town they were filming in, was amazingly beautiful, the décor comforting and warm as she walked through the lobby towards the front desk. In the short while it took for her to get there, Evi silently wondered what strategy she’d have to employ to gain access to Orlando’s room without him knowing. I don’t know the name he signs in with... the lady at the counter looks slightly bitchy…
She stopped for a moment, watching when the old, stony-faced woman left, calling in a much younger and slightly nervous-looking man to take her place. Within moments, a light bulb shone brightly over Evi’s head. Grinning, Evi decided to try and ask him outright. Feminine wiles could get her much further with this guy than with the woman before him.
“Good evening, ma’am. How can I help you?” The young man behind the desk had a friendly smile and a soft Southern twang. Evi smiled sweetly at him and leaned against the tall counter.
“Good evening to you, too…” Evi looked at his shiny nametag. “Chip. I just have a little request to make, I’m hoping you can help me with something.”
“I’ll do my best. Are you checking in or out today?” Chip asked.
“Neither, right now. I just need to know what room a friend of mine is staying in,” Evi replied. “His name is Orlando Bloom.”
Chip seemed to bite back a laugh, and Evi tried not to look so disheartened. “I’m sorry, miss, but I can hardly give out a celebrity’s room number to anyone who just walks in off the street.”
Damn. Evi should have guessed this wouldn’t be so easy. She wanted her visit to be a surprise, or else she would have just called Orlando, but if Chip didn’t cooperate, her only option might be to ruin her plan.
It was time to play dirty. He didn’t seem to recognize her, so she couldn’t pull the celebrity card. She would have to rely the aforementioned wiles to get what she wanted.
Batting her eyelashes a few times, Evi leaned towards Chip and met his eyes. “Oh, of course not. Silly me. Is that tie real silk?” She reached out to touch the material and watched Chip lick his dry lips nervously. “It’s beautiful.”
“Thank you, ma’am,” he nodded.
“It matches your eyes.” Evi tried to manipulate her lips into a sensual pout. “I’m sure Orlando’s grateful that you’re so good at what you do. How long have you worked here?”
“About three weeks.”
“Wow, I would have guessed much longer, you’re just so good at it.” Evi laughed engagingly, even though nothing was really funny at the moment
“Ma’am,” he sucked in a breath when she touched his tie again. He looked ready to pass out. “Ma’am, I think I have some work to do over…over there.”
He didn’t point anywhere in particular and Evi’s smile grew a little more genuine. “I’m sorry for bothering you I just…it’s rare for me to find cute guys around here. I usually feel like such an outsider.”
“Where…where are you from?”
Evi cocked her eyebrows. “Where are you from?”
“I’m from here.” He swallowed. Hard. He gave a weak smile, all the color leaving his face when his eyes drifted down from her face to her…
“Hey.” She caught his attention before he did something to deserve her breaking his wrist off. “You have really pretty eyes, you know.”
They were, actually. Bright green, completely incongruent with his dark hair, but pretty nonetheless. They widened when she ran her finger over the top of his hand, tracing his knuckles as lovingly as she could to with a total stranger.
“You must do a lot of hard work behind that desk,” she looked over the surface like whatever was behind there interested her. “This place would fall apart without you, I know, I can tell by your hands…”
Her finger ran across his index finger. “Very strong hands. Very…manly.”
He looked down to his hand and then back up to her. “Y-you think?”
“Yeah, you must…use them a lot,” she snagged her bottom lip between her teeth and gave him a swift wink. “Do you? Use them a lot, I mean. Are you good with them?”
For a second, she was sure he was about to pass out, nearly losing his balance behind the counter. Inwardly, she sighed and tried not to let herself roll her eyes. He was a sweet guy, she was sure, but this was getting her nowhere. She pulled her wallet out and slipped out her ID, placing her second-to-the-last resort on the counter.
“This ID says my name, Nicole Evangeline Lilly. I go by Evangeline Lilly and I play Kate on the show Lost. It’s a top ten show, I believe, so I’m sure you must know who I am.”
If it was possible, his eyes widened even more as he realized she was telling the truth.
“I’m a very good friend of Orlando Bloom’s, and if you could use those amazing hands of yours to find me a key to his room so I can surprise him…” She let go of his hand gently, keeping her expression warm so he knew she wasn’t some bitch. “I’d be very thankful.”
Clearing his throat, Chip gave Evi a quick nod, a small, embarrassed smile, and fumbled with a few keys in the concierge's drawer before finally picking out the right one.
"It's the sole duplicate, ma'am," he said, placing it on the counter and pushing it towards her. "Room 815."
"Thank you." The happiness in Evi's voice was undeniable. She could have jumped over the counter and hugged the guy, but quickly decided against it before she got carried away. Instead, she opened her purse, fished out two crisp hundred dollar bills, and pushed them towards him. "I honestly mean it, Chip. Thank you. You don't know how much this means."
Her smile was genuine and grateful, and Chip nearly fell over for the nth time once he saw it. "Have... have a nice day, ma'am."
Don't worry. I'm sure I will.
---
As she stepped out of the elevator and made her way towards room 815, Evi took long, deep breaths, nearly shuddering in anticipation. He's fine, she thought to herself. And this is just me worrying over nothing just because I miss him so damn much.
After taking one last breath to calm herself, Evi pushed the key into its slot and turned, trying to be as quiet as possible as she did so. Slowly, she pushed the door open, taking slow steps on the carpeted floor so as not to alarm him of her presence. After closing it again behind her, Evi dropped her bag and rounded the corner, making her way to where she heard the faint sound of the television on. Within moments, she found Orlando in bed, swollen ankle wrapped up and everything.
It took Orlando a few moments to shift his gaze from the television to the bedroom doorway, and, once he did, he wasn't sure whether to be ecstatic or slightly afraid. Evi's eyes thinned into slits.
"You liar."
Biting his lip, Orlando managed an awkward grin as he shut the television off. "Er, hi Evangeline."
"You... You liar!" Evi's gaze drifted to his ankle, her face softening as she took in the bandages. "Orlando, you're not fine! What happened? Are you okay?"
Orlando very gently maneuvered himself so he was sitting up a little more and winced when a sharp pain ran from the tips of his toes and straight up his leg. Immediately all the anger that had resided in Evi's expression melted into concern and he gave her a small smile.
"Just a small accident. Honestly, it's nothing to worry about! I'll be all better in a few days."
She took several steps towards the bed and made as if she was going to sit down but hesitated. Despite his casualness at the situation, she was still worried about shifting the weight of the bed and hurting him even more. "Why didn't you tell me? I would've been here earlier."
"I didn't want you to worry." He sighed and motioned for her to sit. "I'm fine, really. It's all bed rest and soap operas for a little while and then back to business… or, I mean… work."
Evi eased onto the edge of the bed gently, careful not to jar his leg. She didn’t look convinced by all his brave talk. “Drop the bravado, Orlando. You should have told me you hurt yourself. How’d you do it?”
Orlando averted her gaze until she touched his face gently, pushing his hair off his brow. Meeting her eyes again, he laughed weakly and offered a crooked smile. “Fell out of a helicopter. It was still on the ground, luckily. I missed a step and just twisted my ankle. Really, Evangeline, it’s not-”
“Don’t.” She cut him off with a word and a look, and he shut his mouth. “Don’t make it less than it is just because you don’t want me to worry. It worries me more that you lied to me.”
“You’re right.” His voice was very quiet, his natural British accent finally winning out over the false American. His eyes were apologetic when he murmured, “I’m sorry. I should have told you.”
Evi’s hand trailed down the side of his face and she leaned down, touching her forehead to his. “Yeah, you should have. Lucky for me, I followed my instincts and came out to check on you. And lucky for you, now I get to dote on you for a few days until the producers track me down and drag me back to the island.”
Orlando put his arms around her waist just as she leaned in to press her lips against his lightly. He smiled against her mouth and pulled her closer, waiting until she pulled back before he commented, “Seems that I get the better part of this deal, don’t I?”
“We’ll see about that,” Evi laughed, brushing her thumb over his lips. Her expression became serious when she asked, “Is there anything I can do for you? Anything you want me to get?”
“I don’t need anything, love,” he assured her in a whisper. One of his hands was rubbing slow circles on her back. The other rose to tangle itself in the hair at the base of her neck, pulling her in until their lips just barely brushed. “Just…stay.”
She gave a small nod, faint, as she pressed a lingering kiss on his lips and ran her fingers along the back of his hand. When she spoke, she could hardly manage a strong enough voice, speaking in a whisper. “I’ll stay, don’t worry.”
“Good,” he breathed evenly, relaxing at her assurance. Neither of them pulled away as his eyes met hers and his smile stayed strong. “Couldn’t ask for better company.”
“Is there room…” his lips brushed across hers again and she smiled. “Is there room on the bed for me?”
He brought her closer to him so he could press a kiss to each of her eyelids. “I’ll make room.”
“No,” Evi chided as strongly as she could. “You’re hurt, Orlando, I’ll just sit here, it’s alright.”
“Don’t,” he stopped her from moving away, his voice catching in his throat. His eyes twinkled mischievously. “It hurts worse when you’re away.”
“Oh come on-”
“It does, I swear.” He nudged her away a little and then winced dramatically. “Ow… ow! See what you’re doing to me?”
Evi shook her head, trying not to smile but instantly failing. “You are so-”
“I know you, Evangeline.” The way her name rolled off his tongue when he spoke…thank goodness she wasn’t standing or else her legs would’ve given out underneath her. The sudden change in the tone of his voice made her swallow the lump that had abruptly formed in her throat. “I know you want to help me and being with you…you have no idea how much I want to show you how beautiful you are.”
“You can just tell me, which will require a less physical part for you,” she pointed out weakly. It was getting harder and harder to deny it and she still wasn’t moving away from him. He was like a magnet. “Tell me and I’ll believe you.”
“I want to show you, Evangeline,” his hand stroked hers as he spoke, sending chills up her spine. “I can say anything with words and not mean it as much as I do when I’m with you.”
Again, she tried to be the practical one, the sensible one. The…she couldn’t think of any more words. None of them had any meaning as she watched his lips move with rapt attention. “Orlando…”
“I waited so long to ask you out because I’m such a bloody idiot around you half the time,” he smiled, pulling her closer. “Let me not be an idiot for once.”
By the time she had the heart to speak, their noses were brushing and she was practically lying parallel to him on the bed. “How can I resist a cheesy line like that?”
His hand dropped to her waist. “You can’t.”
"Apparently," Evi murmured, brushing her lips against his as she spoke. Her eyelids fluttered shut when his hand came in contact with her skin.
Orlando watched as Evi's resolve slowly broke, letting his other hand cup her cheek to pull her in for a slow, gentle kiss. The pain from his ankle had long been forgotten at that point.
Before either of them realized it, both of Orlando's hands were well on their way to unbuttoning Evi's blouse. When her eyes met his with a questioning look, Orlando pulled her closer and pressed his lips to the spot between her eyes.
"Just let it happen," he whispered against her skin, smiling as his thumb traced the shape of her cheekbone. "We both know that it's meant to."
Evi nodded, slowly sitting up and helping Orlando follow suit before shedding her blouse. Gingerly, she pulled Orlando's shirt over his head and kissed his temple, moving ever so slightly to whisper in his ear. "I'm going to take care of you, Orlando."
“I don’t doubt it, love,” he murmured, holding her hips and kissing her slowly. “And I am going to absolutely fucking worship you.”
His arms tugged her closer until their bodies were flush against each other and kissed her hard, rubbing his hands up and down her smooth back. Evi breathed his name against his lips, burying one hand in his hair and tilting his head back. Orlando’s eyes shut when she started kissing his neck, slowly working her way to his collarbone before she stopped suddenly.
“Tell me if your ankle hurts,” she said, breath coasting over his chest.
Orlando let out a choked laugh, deftly unhooking her bra. “Evangeline, that is without a doubt the furthest thing from my mind.” He slid the straps down her arms and put his hands on her hips again, slowly bringing them up her sides. “I’m a little too busy thinking about how incredibly gorgeous you are.”
Evi drew her lower lip between her teeth when his thumbs brushed over her nipples. “Glad I can be a distraction for you.”
“You’re a lot more than that.” Orlando nibbled lightly on her lower lip and cupped her breasts, grinning at her soft intake of breath.
She tried to say his name but it came out as gibberish when he blew cool air across each of her breasts; she was going to have to invent a whole new word for what he was doing to her. But then her mind jumped to the fact that maybe it wasn’t what was being done to her but rather who was doing it. This was Orlando. She was lying with him on his bed, shirtless, nearly as naked as the day she was born.
For a moment, she forgot how to breathe, her lips finding his in a desperate move to steal some of his air, to steal away the feeling of his kiss that left her lightheaded. He breathed her name into her mouth and she grabbed his arms, nails digging in and threatening to break skin, trying to keep him as close to her for as long as possible.
“Evangeline.” He said her name again and he just had to know what it did to her when he said it; there was no way he couldn’t notice the way she arched her back so her body pressed against his even more fully, just at the sound of his voice.
He brushed her hair behind her ears and kissed the corner of her mouth, managing a moment so they could catch their breath. Leaning her forehead against his, Evi took in a deep breath and when she let it out, it shook noticeably.
Her fingers traced the muscles in his shoulders and arms until they were resting at the waistband of his sweats. She met his eyes for a moment before looking down, a fresh color rising to her cheeks.
Stroking up and down her forearms, caressing her wrist and the top of her hand, drawing delicate lines down her fingers, Orlando stayed quiet as he watched her watch him, observe him, and take in the sight of what was revealed and what would soon be revealed. Her index finger carefully slipped under the cotton fabric and he sucked in a breath, shivering.
Evi moved forward and pressed a kiss to his forehead, then to his nose, then to his chin and then a line of butterfly kisses down his body until she met the top of his pants. Both hands moved to work on pushing them down as she smiled just above his belly button, nose just barely tickling his skin. Her eyes sparkled at the sight of the tattoo just to the bottom-left of his belly button and if it was possible, her smile grew even wider.
His hands ran through her hair, massaging her scalp as his stomach and chest rose and fell with quick succession. When she looked up, he met her eyes with hooded ones of his own, brown completely replaced by a darker, deep-seated color that nearly startled her. His Adam’s apple moved up and then down when he swallowed, not daring to blink.
Arching her neck, she licked her lips just as she pressed a kiss to the tattoo, her tongue teasing his already-shaking body briefly. His grip tightened on her hair and she kissed him again, her tongue tracing an outline around the tattoo, savoring every inch.
His entire body shook when she continued and he had to pull her away after a second, cheeks burnt red and eyes glistening over as he licked his dry lips. “Evangeline, stop…”
“Why?” she asked softly.
“I’m…” he seemed embarrassed. “I’m a bit ticklish there, is all.”
Evi fought back a huge smile, shaking her head a little. “You shouldn’t have told me that.”
His eyes widened amusingly, letting his head fall back against the headboard, groaning. “I really shouldn’t have.”
Choosing to be merciful for the moment, Evi pressed a brief kiss to the tattoo before focusing her attention on his pants, which were caught around his hips and…
She pushed them down further, slowly, enjoying every inch of skin revealed to her. There’s a certain amount of preparing a woman can do before she gets to see a guy naked; an image she gets in her mind of what he looks like naked. There’s the most realistic possibility and then there’s a woman’s true fantasy.
Orlando Bloom was definitely in the latter category.
“Get a pair of bloody scissors and cut them off… just get them off, Evangeline!” his voice caught in his throat and he sounded about ready to cry.
Biting her lip, Evi fought back every urge to laugh right then and there, instead using up all her energy to let go of his waistband and slowly get up and off of the bed. Orlando's eyes widened with shock and worry, and Evi ignored his expression, crouching down to open the bag she'd dropped on the floor when she first arrived. After a few excruciatingly long moments, she finally crawled back onto the bed, in hand the tiniest pair of scissors from her travel sewing kit.
When Orlando caught sight of the scissors, he groaned, his head falling back onto his pillow. "You've got to be bloody kidding me."
Crawling closer, Evi gave him a long, slow kiss, grinning when she pulled back. "Patience is a virtue, Orlando."
With slow, gentle movements, Evi began cutting the fabric of Orlando's sweatpants, and could barely see his leg shaking with impatience.
"I'm going to get back at you for this," he muttered, though he could see that Evi wasn't the least bit threatened by his words. "This... this is just--"
"Just going to be worth every second of you waiting," she quietly said, finally pulling the now-ruined sweatpants off of him.
“I know it, Evangeline, but Jesus…” He sat up and pulled her to him, holding her tightly while he kissed her. “You certainly know how to build up the suspense.”
Orlando’s hands dropped to the waist of her jeans, popping the button and pushing them down her hips so she could work them off the rest of the way. His fingers danced up her inner thigh and he grinned to see her squirm, taking a moment to torture her in retaliation for what she’d put him through.
“Really, Orlando, is revenge necessary?” Evi put one hand on his shoulder and gripped tightly, her body shivering in response to his ministrations. “You’re making it worse for yourself, too.”
“Oh yeah?” Orlando traced the hem of her panties around the curve of her leg, smiling devilishly at her. “I’d argue that I’m enjoying myself quite a bit right now.”
Evi’s fingernail traced a few light circles around his bellybutton and his eyes widened. The nail traced a path further down until she wrapped her hand around him. Orlando shut his mouth and breathed carefully, his heart pounding doubly hard in his chest when her hand began to move, flipping the tables once more in her favor.
Without warning he hooked his finger in the waistband of her underwear and yanked, smiling when he heard a distinct tearing noise. Tossing the now-useless material off to the side, he gripped Evi’s wrist and met her eyes with an intense gaze.
“Fuck the teasing, Evangeline,” he said hoarsely, brushing her hair away from her face and pressing his forehead to hers. “I need you.”
Showing surprising strength, she wriggled her wrist out of his hold and pumped him a few more times. Delicate, torturing strokes that only served to make his eyes even darker and his intentions even more heated.
She licked her lips and asked in a ghost of a whisper, “Condom?”
His eyes rolled back with she brushed her thumb along his tip and he groaned, hips jumping into her hand. When she let go, he whimpered at the loss of contact and answered as if that’d get her to continue.
“Wallet…corner-corner desk, s’in the drawer, I think.”
Pressing a fleeting but scorching kiss to his lips, she slid off the bed and walked over to the desk, searching for his wallet. Orlando, watching her, fumbled over an explanation when he thought-or rather jumped to the conclusion-of what she might be thinking.
“Don’t think that I thought I’d be randomly sleeping with some-because, no, that’s not. It’s….well, it’s more of a good luck charm, really.”
“Good luck charm?” Evi found it and slipped it out of his wallet, turning back and quickly making her way to the bed to find him still fumbling over an explanation.
The smile on her face said it all, she was merely amused by his stuttering than anything, really, but Orlando was too caught up in explaining himself that the only way she could shut him up was to kiss him. And she had no argument against that. He immediately melted into the kiss, forgetting about everything except for the fact that he was with Evi. That was all that mattered.
Gently, taking her time-as much as she could, considering-she lifted her leg over onto the bed so that she was straddling his thighs, the warmth of his skin melting into the warmth of hers. She sighed, content, and watched as his eyes trailed down her body and back up to her face. Chills shot up her spine at the feeling of his eyes raking all over her; she felt like royalty.
“You’re so beautiful, Evangeline.” His thumbs pressed into her hips, massaging them. He shifted underneath her a little bit, trying and failing to suppress a wince when a sharp pain shot through his ankle. When Evi opened her mouth to say something, he shook his head; stopping her. “I’m fine. Perfect.”
“You’re perfect?” she breathed, one hand trailing up and down his arm as he continued to massage her hips. “That’s one big ego you’ve got there, Orlando.”
“No…you. You’re the one that’s perfect.” He brought his other hand to her breast, dragging his thumb across her nipple, enjoying the sound of her gasp.
Evi managed a weak smile. “You’re just saying that.”
“I’ve already got you naked and on top of me, love, I could’ve shut up minutes ago. But I haven’t because…” He adjusted himself again so he was leaning against the headboard more, their eyes a little closer to being level. “It’s true. You’re perfect.”
“Mmmhmm,” she nodded, eyes shut and head rolling back against her shoulders, arching into his hand.
Her other hand dropped to his stomach, nails dragging down until her shaking fingers wouldn’t allow anymore. Licking her lips, she opened her eyes just enough to see him. “Orlando?”
He took in a deep breath, preparing himself. “What is it?”
“You’re perfect too,” she whispered, ripping open the condom wrapper and gently sliding it over him. His stomach tightened beneath her other hand and she watched his face as she carefully positioned him, the tip just barely teasing her entrance.
Evi pulled Orlando in for a kiss, saying nothing as she slowly sunk onto him. Beneath her, Orlando shuddered, one hand on her hip and the other buried in her hair, deepening the kiss even more. When he was completely inside of her, Evi kept still, eyes locking with his at that single most perfect moment of their lives.
Orlando was nearly overwhelmed. "Evangeline... I... God, I..."
"Shhh," she whispered, pushing him down so his head rested against a pillow. "I know."
All words completely left him when Evi began moving. She was slow, taking her time with every movement. Orlando tried to keep his eyes open, but ultimately failed; the sensations they were both giving each other consumed them.
Their mouths soon found their way to each other, silencing every moan and gasp. Their kisses became heated clashes of tongues and teeth, and their slow, rhythmic movements soon became frantic and needy.
"I've... waited for this..." Orlando briefly gasped for air, choosing instead to breathe in more of Evi, who was quickly becoming his replacement for oxygen. "... for too long."
Evi's hands ran through his hair, her thumb brushing away the sweat that had formed on his brow. "Sorry... I kept you waiting."
Managing to shake his head, Orlando gave her a small smile. "S'worth the wait, Evangeline."
If his ankle hurt, Orlando wasn’t aware of it. He gripped her hips tightly, his own lifting off the bed to meet her every time. He couldn’t take his eyes off of her: her face, her mouth, her desire-darkened eyes. Her lips formed his name but he was kissing her before she could get it out, burying one hand in her hair to keep her there.
“You’re amazing, Evangeline,” he panted when they broke the kiss, pressing his forehead to hers and squeezing his eyes shut as their pace became desperate. “Feels so… incredible.”
She nodded, her nose brushing against his, completely incapable of speech at this point. Her body was trembling; he reached one arm around her and held her tightly. His other hand reached between their bodies, gently teasing her until she was gasping his name, her nails dragging lightly down his back.
“Come on, Evangeline,” he murmured, breath passing over her ear. “Don’t hold back.”
“Not holding… anything… back,” she panted. “Never.”
Her hips were picking up speed at this point, losing any sense of natural movement as her trembling body met each of his thrusts and rolled in motion just to feel him inside of her. Warmth spread from deep in her stomach to the inside of her thighs to the end of her toes, the tips of her fingers were numb as she ran them through his hair, frantic to find something to hold onto.
"So... so close... Orlando..."
Searching for a set rhythm at this point was hopeless. Both of them were moving so fast... reckless abandon didn't even come close to describing it. Forcing his eyes to stay open, Orlando, in a gesture that completely juxtaposed the pace they were moving at, tenderly kissed the corner of her mouth.
"Let it happen."
The three words he spoke were enough to let the most explosive feeling in the world wash over Evi's mind and body. As she clung to him like her life depended on it, the last thing Orlando remembered was Evi crying his name out in the clearest, most beautiful voice he'd ever heard in his life. His eyes then shut tightly as his hips lifted clear off of the bed, thrusting into her one last time before following her over the edge.
For a few moments, the only thing they both heard were the sounds of their breathing. Evi had long since collapsed onto Orlando, fitting like the one single puzzle piece that had been missing for so long. Once he gathered enough strength, Orlando kissed her sweat-slicked brow, saying nothing and everything at the same time.
Evi gingerly lifted off of him after a few more moments, sighing at the sudden emptiness she felt. She pushed him back down when he attempted to sit up and follow her, only allowing him to see her pick up her blouse and quickly pad into the bathroom. For a moment, he suddenly thought that...
But she reappeared before his mind finished the sentence, erasing any doubts that had formed in his head when she held up a washcloth.
Once he realized what she was going to do, his sudden movement caused pain to shoot up his leg, making him wince and jerk backwards. I forgot about that, he thought, staring at his injury.
Evi looked at him and frowned a little, biting her lip as she looked at his ankle. Looking back at her, he realized that though unbuttoned, she had her blouse on. He, on the other hand, was stark naked. The sudden embarrassment he felt at being so exposed was overwhelming. "Ev... Evangeline... you don't have to... seriously, love... I can do..."
Laying a gentle hand on his leg, Evi shushed him with a shake of her head and a look into his eyes. Trust me, Orlando.
And he did.
Wordlessly, she cleaned him off, going back to the bathroom to throw away the condom before finally returning to the bedroom. The slightly tangled sheets were now up to his waist (after much maneuvering), and Evi had to laugh a little at the bashful expression on his face. Dropping the blouse to the floor, Evi crawled back onto the bed, getting under the sheets and curling up against him, finding comfort in the silence between them.
"Thank you," he murmured, closing his eyes and reveling in the warmth of their shared body heat.
Smiling against the skin of his neck, Evi pressed a tender kiss to it. "Get some rest, Orlando... I'll still be here in the morning... I promise."
---
The first thing Evi saw when she opened heavy-lidded eyes--a blanket of warm sunlight seeping in through the thin, gauzy curtains being what woke her up from what seemed like a thousand-year sleep--were her fingers threaded with Orlando's. His hand was warm over hers, pinky slipped comfortably between her index finger and thumb, and she took comfort in how perfect the image their entangled hands created.
His face was buried in her hair; soft, even breathing down the back of her neck, the fall and rise of his chest against her back. She could feel his heart beating in time with hers and an easy smile graced her lips when she noticed--it felt so right--his leg tucked between hers. If she listened carefully, she could swear he was whispering 'Evangeline' in his sleep.
Slowly, carefully, with the kind of sneakiness to be expected from a highly trained Canadian Mobster, Evi tried to turn onto her back so she could see him. Unfortunately she forgot about the sheets he'd pulled up over them when she did, the fabric catching under her waist as she moved and pulling on Orlando in turn.
"Mmm." His nose wrinkled against her cheek and his arm tightened around her waist, obviously forgiving her for waking him when her stomach was pressed flush against his. "Evangeline?"
"Who else would it be?" she snuck her hand along his side, tickling his ribs before she rested her fingers on his shoulder.
He made a noise, "Too tired for...lame joke."
Evi kissed his nose. "It's never too early for lame jokes, if you ask me."
"Sure," he agreed halfheartedly, eyes still closed as he blindly kissed the corner of her mouth, finding it like a habit.
"You're gone to the world, aren't you?"
A ghost of a smile and a nod was all she got in response.
"Pathetic," she teased, but the laughter in her voice betrayed the comment. She let her hand drift from his shoulder to his neck, fingers running through his hair and massaging his scalp. "Am I not entertaining enough to keep you awake?"
"You're entertaining, love..." he opened his right eye enough to look at her. "Your...entertainment is why I'm so tired."
Evi's cheeks burned red, trying--and failing miserably--not to smile at his euphemism. "Sorry."
"Sorry?" his other eye opened and he lifted his head a little. "You're not going to gloat?"
"Oh no," she shook her head. "I'm saving that for later."
"I don't mind if you gloat." His fingers tickled the small of her back as he brushed her nose with his. "As long as we keep having nights that are gloat-worthy, I'm set."
Evi grinned, burrowing further into Orlando's embrace. The idea of having more gloat-worthy nights with Orlando was something she was most definitely looking forward to. "Remind me why we didn't do this when you were still in Hawaii?" she murmured against his skin.
"Because I planned falling from the helicopter. I planned calling you and worrying you just to see if you'd take the bait and come here," he wryly replied. "So it'd be explosive and amazing... and now I can tell everyone that my first night with you was in the grand state of Kentucky."
She laughed - a sound that Orlando found he could listen to tirelessly - and shook her head, looking up into his eyes, amused to find the mirthful gleam in them back already. "Seriously though..."
He traced the outline of her jaw with his fingers, keeping eye contact with her as he spoke. "Seriously?" he echoed her question. "Because we're taking this slow. Because we knew it'd happen when it was supposed to."
He paused, giving her a small smile.
"Because it'd have never been this perfect and amazing any other way."
Evi laughed again, biting her lip as she tried to control herself from blushing or replying with a witty comeback... especially when she looked into his eyes again and realized how absolutely serious he was. "I... I thought you’d make a long joke 'bout it."
He shook his head, brushing his lips against hers in a soft kiss. "I don't think I'd ever be able to kid about this, princess."
Her eyebrow quirked at the new nickname. "Princess?"
"Think of anything that'd fit better?" he asked before kissing her again.
"Good point." Evi rested her head on his shoulder, playing idly with a loose string on the sheets. Eyes closed, she murmured, “How’s your ankle?”
“Bit sore,” he admitted. “But the rest of me is very, very happy, and that makes up for it.”
Evi sat up, laughing when he whined and tried to pull her down beside him again. “Where are your drugs?”
“Bathroom counter,” he replied, sighing when she scooted to the edge of the bed, out of his reach. “Hurry back. The further away you go, the more agonizing the pain.”
Pulling on the t-shirt Orlando had been wearing the night before, Evi grinned at him over her shoulder and made her way to the bathroom. “I’m going as fast as I possibly can.”
She found the prescription painkillers on the counter and read the label, taking out one pill and getting a glass of tap water. Orlando reached for her as soon as she neared the bed again, almost making her spill water all over both of them when he pulled her onto the bed.
“Open up.” She tapped his chin and his mouth fell open obediently, allowing her to place the pill on his tongue. He took a long drink of water while Evi ran her hand through his hair, sinking onto the mattress beside him. “Nurse Evi, at your service.”
“How did I get so lucky?” He pulled her in for a slow kiss, looping one arm around her waist. “Thank you, Evangeline.”
“You’re welcome.” Evi tucked her hair behind her ears and let him tug her closer until their bodies were pressed against each other, the sheets draped dangerously low on his hips. Without thinking he tugged the t-shirt up a little bit, gentle fingers stroking the skin of her stomach and tracing circles around her belly button. His cheek rested on top of her head, free hand twisting a lock of her hair.
They were quiet for a few moments, absolutely content to just be in each other’s arms. Finally, though, Evi broke the silence with a soft whisper, her voice small and almost hesitant.
“So… where do we go from here?”
He kissed her hair and smiled faintly. “I don’t think I’m going anywhere for now, not with my ankle like this.”
“Funny man.” She pinched his side lightly. “You know what I meant.”
“Yeah, I do,” he breathed. “When do you have to go back to Hawaii?”
“Couple of days.” She lifted herself up on one elbow so she was looking down at him, her hair falling in her face like a curtain. He pushed it back so he could see her face, smiling gently at her. “I’m not going to want to leave.”
“And I won’t want to let you go,” he assured her, stroking her jaw with his knuckles. “It’s going to be hell for awhile, with you in Hawaii and me here. But I won’t let that stop us. It’ll work out, princess, it has to.”
"You're going to make that a habit, aren't you?" she kissed the heel of his hand when it lingered over her cheek. "Calling me princess, I mean."
"Definitely," he nodded, touching his finger to her bottom lip. "Because every time I do you blush and look like you're about to bite your lip... and the nose crinkles ever so slightly. It's the most beautiful thing, love."
"Cheese," she breathed, eyes cast down as silence followed for a while. She almost didn't want to look up. "You're right, though, it's going to...it's going to suck. It's going to suck real bad."
He tilted his head to meet her eyes and offered her a comforting smile, "Who knew going back to bloody Hawaii would be such a bad thing?"
Evi smiled despite the gnawing feeling she had in the pit of her stomach, the trepidation of what would come in just a few days time. Maybe this was why she hadn't had a boyfriend in so long; it hurt just as much as it made her feel fantastically happy. "I'm going to call you everyday, you know."
He slid down a little, sinking into the bed and pressing a kiss to her shoulder, eyes never tearing away from hers as he said, unintentionally vehement, "Not if I beat you to it."
A soft 'C'mere' was breathed across his lips as his hands held onto her waist, turning over so that her stomach was against his and she was comfortably seated on top of him, her legs entangling with his. She wrapped her arms around his neck, never wanting to let go.
Kissing the top of her head, he tightened his hold on her waist. "My phone bill's going to be insane."
“Yeah, well, at least your boss won't hate you for taking an impromptu vacation in the middle of filming an episode." She pressed her lips to the dip of his neck, tongue darting out and savoring the salty-sweet taste of his warm skin. "Wait, actually...."
"Yeah," Orlando smiled into her hair. "Already beat you to that too, Evangeline. Director gave me the dirtiest look when I showed up on set a week late."
She laughed, "What did you say to him?"
"I said that I was caught up on my way to work, got pulled into an alley and beaten up by a Canadian Mobster," Orlando explained, like it was the most natural thing in the world. "He gave me a blank look when I said it so I made a lame joke, forgetting that only you find them funny, and cemented my position on set as The Odd English Bloke… or dude. Whatever lingo these Yanks use nowadays." He made sure to place the emphasis on lingo.
She smiled into his chest. "Sucks that I wasn't there to pretend your joke was funny."
"Touché," he chuckled.
Her fingers toyed with the hair at the nape of his neck while she pressed her lips to his for a brief second. Pulling back only slightly, she whispered, “Does it make me a horrendously selfish person if I say I’m glad you hurt your ankle, because otherwise I wouldn’t have flown out here, and last night wouldn’t have happened?”
“Yeah,” he breathed. “But I guess I’m a masochist, since I’m pretty happy about it, myself.”
“Good.” She grinned against his mouth before kissing him again, feeling his thumbs press into her hips. “We can just stay locked up in this hotel room and be horrible people together.”
“Excellent idea, love,” he agreed. “I have to warn you, though. Those painkillers are pretty strong, they might make me act a bit loopy.”
“Oh yeah?” Evi quirked an eyebrow. “How so?”
He rubbed her lower back for a second before he tugged on the hem of the t-shirt. Once she raised her arms he whipped it up and over her head with ease, tossing it to the floor before he pulled her against him, chest-to-chest. “Like I might just toss these clothes right back to the floor and have my wicked way with you.”