Lotrips: Newspaper Clippings Ch 8 (Orlijah eventually) PG-13
Title: Newspaper Clippings
Fandom: Lotrips
Pairing: Orlijah eventually, Viggo/Bean
Rating: PG-13
Complete: Only in my head.
Genre: Angst, hurt/comfort, romance.
Chapter Summary: Elijah goes to check out a certain bookstore, and ends up with more than he bargained for.
Author's Note: Thank you to my beta sparkly_shiny who edited this even though she had food poisoning and is oh so sweet to me.
Also the chapters might come a little slower now, due to my being ill recently, and being busy with school.
Previous chapters
Elijah pushed open the door to ‘The Undying Lands’ bookstore and cafe that Sean had recommended to him, or Bean, as both Viggo and Orlando called him on differing occasions, and felt an immediate serenity fall upon him.
It was calming, for some reason, and he wasn’t sure if that was due to the soft jazz playing lightly over the speakers in the ceiling or the fact that every piece of furniture, including the shelves the books were on, were made with freshly cut, unvarnished wood and it all seemed to beautiful.
Some of the books were used and made Elijah smile as he lightly touched their spines, not processing the fact that he was humming softly and happily along with the music playing.
They smelled good, and right away Elijah could hear Dom’s voice in his head, mocking him for thinking such things, but to him they did. They smelled of history, and whispered in his ear of different words, different races and visions seen by those in the past.
“Hi, welcome to my store,” a cheerful, warm voice greeted him and Elijah whirled around, almost losing his balance and would have if it were not for the firm grasp of his elbow. “I didn’t mean to startle you,” the slightly portly man told him.
Elijah blushed, wondering if everyone who Orlando knew, or his friends knew by extension was so nice and good looking.
“You must be Sean Astin,” he said softly, smiling briefly when Sean A looked a little startled but then smiled back at him. “I’m Elijah Wood, I was told about your store by Sean Bean.”
Sean made a noise of understanding. “Well, then, it’s nice to have a new customer,” he commented with a small smile, touching Elijah’s shoulder gently.
Elijah nodded his head, “This store is very nice,” he commented softly, taking a look around again. “And a cafe too? I think I’ll enjoy spending time here,” the words emerged in a shy tone, his cheeks still slightly red.
He didn’t know how long it would be before he would actually feel comfortable talking to new people, but hoped it was soon.
He was sick of being the guy who blushed whenever he was given the slightest sliver of attention from someone.
The idea of shaking someone’s hand, when he hadn’t known if they were washed regularly or not, was something which had nauseated him for quite some time and was something he desperately wanted to get over.
It didn’t make him feel guilty to not want to shake someone’s hand, but it made him feel awkward when he got a look of disappointment from whoever he refused.
“Would you like anything from the cafe? On the house,” Sean told him with a slight smile, urging him toward the small area set up with tables, plush chairs and a small counter area.
“Orange pekoe tea if you have some,” Elijah responded, trying to figure out how he was supposed to interact with this man, who was being so nice to him simply on the word of a friend.
He didn’t even know if Sean Bean thought too well of him yet, although the older man had been friendly enough, something which still amazed and astounded him.
“Yes we do,” Sean washed his hands, Elijah noticed with pleasure, before he began making Elijah’s tea. Pouring it into a cup, he put the lid on and slid it across the counter. “So, what is it you’re looking for today?” he questioned.
Elijah shrugged his shoulders, “I have a small list of books from the journalism and creative writing classes I’m taking in two weeks, and then I was...I was wondering if you have any books on Obsessive Compulsive Disorder,” he could feel the heat in his cheeks rising and wondered if he had reached tomato colour.
Sean looked sympathetic for a moment until he nodded his heads, taking the slip of paper from Elijah. “We can find these in no time,” he told him, a cheerful tone to his voice coming out from behind the counter.
Elijah sipped his tea, the warmth both from the drink and the potential for a new friend flooding him as he did so, following Sean deep into the store after being given a basket. He found himself marveling once again at the pure collection and diversity of all the books, both new and old.
He barely registered his basket becoming more full as he walked on, until he finally came back to the world, blushing when Sean laughed shortly.
“Sorry, I don’t want you to think that I was ignoring you. I was just...” he didn’t have time to finish his sentence as Sean cut him off.
“You were lost in the feel of the store?” Sean asked, smiling carefully as he gestured to the various books on Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, “I was like that, so lost in it when I first opened it. I would walk in and just stand in the entrance area for a half hour at least before remembering I needed to open the store.”
Elijah couldn’t help the grin that spread across his face at hearing that, his spirit not even feeling slightly dampened by the fact that they were standing in this particular section of the store.
“It is an amazing store,” he commented, picking up one of the books he looked at the cover. “Twelve steps for overcoming Obsessive Compulsive Disorder,” it said in the title and he made a face before putting it back.
“This one is good,” Sean picked one up off the shelf and handed it to him. “Not too much science in it, but it does offer certain strategies for calming any anxiety which comes with the compulsions or lack or routine.”
Elijah took the book without a word, putting it in the basket. He smiled somewhat, trying to remember the last time he had been without the feeling of being analyzed, or visually poked and prodded.
Dom did it, checking to make sure his best friend was feeling good, healthy and as sane as Elijah could get at any given time.
Orlando did it whether he knew it or not, but it wasn’t in the same way that Dom did. There was less worry there and more comprehension, to Elijah it was like he wasn’t trying to check on the disorder but rather Elijah as a human being.
His mom used to check on him too, analyze him and try to predict every little moment, something which only proved to him that she really didn’t know him. She was more worried about appearances, and how her son could “shame her”, as he had once heard her tell his stepfather. It was a shame too, because before Dom, she was really all he had.
Sometimes he wished he could be normal for her, more than anything. It was a small sliver of hope more than anything else. Would she love him if he were more normal? He doubted it.
“So do you work, Elijah?” Sean asked him, leading him to the cash register since he seemed to have finished his shopping.
Elijah shook his head, “I’ve never had a job, well not like a normal job anyway and no one would want to hire me anyway.”
Sean nodded slowly, almost as though he understood. “That must be pretty hard, but obviously you want to move on from this...ailment,” he said slowly, as though he didn’t want to offend Elijah.
Smiling Elijah nodded, “It’s why I’m going to school, I want to shape a future for myself beyond money left from relatives.”
He didn’t know why he was telling Sean this, but he was and it was a little weird, but altogether very comfortable for him, because unlike Orlando, all he wanted from Sean was hopefully friendship.
“You could have a job here,” Sean offered to him, smiling somewhat. “You could work when you wanted to, hopefully on Tuesday’s when the stock comes in so I don’t have to do it alone, but whatever day you want.”
Elijah didn’t know what he was thinking, his mind having gone blank the minute those words came out of Sean’s mouth.
A job.
Not only a job, but a job in a place that he actually loved and felt at peace in, with someone who seemed to understand that he did need a certain amount of routine and balance in his life to get by.
“Yes,” he blurted out, looking at Sean with a big smile on his lips. “I would love to work Tuesdays, and maybe other days when I don’t have classes.”
Sean smiled back at him, “We’ll start you out with just Tuesday’s for a little while and then when you want to work more you let me know. And as your bonus, these books are free.”
Elijah gaped at him then found himself smiling again, once he realized that he could hardly wait to get back home to tell Orlando about his new job.
“Do you need my information?” he asked, gnawing on his bottom lip and practically bouncing in place with pure happiness.
“Just bring your social security number and a direct deposit statement on Tuesday and you’ll be all set up. Is 8 a.m okay?” Sean asked him.
“8 is great,” Elijah responded, taking the bag his books were in. He practically clutched it to himself. “I’ll see you then,” he turned on his heel after waving and headed for the door humming softly.
When he got home he practically bolted up the apartment steps and in through the door after only minimal struggling with his keys.
“Orlando,” he called, hoping the other man was in his bedroom as he looked up at the half wall of the loft bedroom.
A moment later Orlando leaned over the wall, arching an eyebrow. “What’s going on?” he asked, arching an eyebrow. “Did you like the bookstore?”
Elijah nodded and smiled, “Can I come up?” he asked eagerly, having agreed with his room mate that since Orlando did not actually have a door, he would holler from the bottom of the steps.
It had worked so far though.
“Of course,” Orlando moved back from the half wall and was obviously surprised when Elijah bounded up the steps and hugged him tightly.
Elijah wrapped his arms around Orlando’s slim waist without even thinking, bouncing slightly with excitement.
“You’ll never believe it,” he told him, pulling back and smiling brightly.
“What is it?” Orlando asked, sounding just as excited as Elijah, even though he didn’t know what the news was.
“I got a job,” Elijah exclaimed, grinning brightly as he hugged Orlando again then realized what was doing.
He was hugging Orlando.
The other man’s body felt so good against his.
Amazingly good against his.
He was almost going to pull away when Orlando’s arms tightened around him and he allowed himself to sink into the warmth of the other body with a soft happy sigh.
Elijah was being hugged.
Elijah was being hugged by someone he’d never been hugged by before and he didn’t feel like running and hiding, even as his face turned bright red.
“I’m proud of you ‘Lij,” he murmured softly into Elijah’s ear and Elijah beamed, despite the uncertainty weighing him down a little bit.
His life was changing.
The angel was hugging him.
He didn’t want to run though.
He wanted to kiss him.
That was a new one, for sure.
Fandom: Lotrips
Pairing: Orlijah eventually, Viggo/Bean
Rating: PG-13
Complete: Only in my head.
Genre: Angst, hurt/comfort, romance.
Chapter Summary: Elijah goes to check out a certain bookstore, and ends up with more than he bargained for.
Author's Note: Thank you to my beta sparkly_shiny who edited this even though she had food poisoning and is oh so sweet to me.
Also the chapters might come a little slower now, due to my being ill recently, and being busy with school.
Previous chapters
Elijah pushed open the door to ‘The Undying Lands’ bookstore and cafe that Sean had recommended to him, or Bean, as both Viggo and Orlando called him on differing occasions, and felt an immediate serenity fall upon him.
It was calming, for some reason, and he wasn’t sure if that was due to the soft jazz playing lightly over the speakers in the ceiling or the fact that every piece of furniture, including the shelves the books were on, were made with freshly cut, unvarnished wood and it all seemed to beautiful.
Some of the books were used and made Elijah smile as he lightly touched their spines, not processing the fact that he was humming softly and happily along with the music playing.
They smelled good, and right away Elijah could hear Dom’s voice in his head, mocking him for thinking such things, but to him they did. They smelled of history, and whispered in his ear of different words, different races and visions seen by those in the past.
“Hi, welcome to my store,” a cheerful, warm voice greeted him and Elijah whirled around, almost losing his balance and would have if it were not for the firm grasp of his elbow. “I didn’t mean to startle you,” the slightly portly man told him.
Elijah blushed, wondering if everyone who Orlando knew, or his friends knew by extension was so nice and good looking.
“You must be Sean Astin,” he said softly, smiling briefly when Sean A looked a little startled but then smiled back at him. “I’m Elijah Wood, I was told about your store by Sean Bean.”
Sean made a noise of understanding. “Well, then, it’s nice to have a new customer,” he commented with a small smile, touching Elijah’s shoulder gently.
Elijah nodded his head, “This store is very nice,” he commented softly, taking a look around again. “And a cafe too? I think I’ll enjoy spending time here,” the words emerged in a shy tone, his cheeks still slightly red.
He didn’t know how long it would be before he would actually feel comfortable talking to new people, but hoped it was soon.
He was sick of being the guy who blushed whenever he was given the slightest sliver of attention from someone.
The idea of shaking someone’s hand, when he hadn’t known if they were washed regularly or not, was something which had nauseated him for quite some time and was something he desperately wanted to get over.
It didn’t make him feel guilty to not want to shake someone’s hand, but it made him feel awkward when he got a look of disappointment from whoever he refused.
“Would you like anything from the cafe? On the house,” Sean told him with a slight smile, urging him toward the small area set up with tables, plush chairs and a small counter area.
“Orange pekoe tea if you have some,” Elijah responded, trying to figure out how he was supposed to interact with this man, who was being so nice to him simply on the word of a friend.
He didn’t even know if Sean Bean thought too well of him yet, although the older man had been friendly enough, something which still amazed and astounded him.
“Yes we do,” Sean washed his hands, Elijah noticed with pleasure, before he began making Elijah’s tea. Pouring it into a cup, he put the lid on and slid it across the counter. “So, what is it you’re looking for today?” he questioned.
Elijah shrugged his shoulders, “I have a small list of books from the journalism and creative writing classes I’m taking in two weeks, and then I was...I was wondering if you have any books on Obsessive Compulsive Disorder,” he could feel the heat in his cheeks rising and wondered if he had reached tomato colour.
Sean looked sympathetic for a moment until he nodded his heads, taking the slip of paper from Elijah. “We can find these in no time,” he told him, a cheerful tone to his voice coming out from behind the counter.
Elijah sipped his tea, the warmth both from the drink and the potential for a new friend flooding him as he did so, following Sean deep into the store after being given a basket. He found himself marveling once again at the pure collection and diversity of all the books, both new and old.
He barely registered his basket becoming more full as he walked on, until he finally came back to the world, blushing when Sean laughed shortly.
“Sorry, I don’t want you to think that I was ignoring you. I was just...” he didn’t have time to finish his sentence as Sean cut him off.
“You were lost in the feel of the store?” Sean asked, smiling carefully as he gestured to the various books on Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, “I was like that, so lost in it when I first opened it. I would walk in and just stand in the entrance area for a half hour at least before remembering I needed to open the store.”
Elijah couldn’t help the grin that spread across his face at hearing that, his spirit not even feeling slightly dampened by the fact that they were standing in this particular section of the store.
“It is an amazing store,” he commented, picking up one of the books he looked at the cover. “Twelve steps for overcoming Obsessive Compulsive Disorder,” it said in the title and he made a face before putting it back.
“This one is good,” Sean picked one up off the shelf and handed it to him. “Not too much science in it, but it does offer certain strategies for calming any anxiety which comes with the compulsions or lack or routine.”
Elijah took the book without a word, putting it in the basket. He smiled somewhat, trying to remember the last time he had been without the feeling of being analyzed, or visually poked and prodded.
Dom did it, checking to make sure his best friend was feeling good, healthy and as sane as Elijah could get at any given time.
Orlando did it whether he knew it or not, but it wasn’t in the same way that Dom did. There was less worry there and more comprehension, to Elijah it was like he wasn’t trying to check on the disorder but rather Elijah as a human being.
His mom used to check on him too, analyze him and try to predict every little moment, something which only proved to him that she really didn’t know him. She was more worried about appearances, and how her son could “shame her”, as he had once heard her tell his stepfather. It was a shame too, because before Dom, she was really all he had.
Sometimes he wished he could be normal for her, more than anything. It was a small sliver of hope more than anything else. Would she love him if he were more normal? He doubted it.
“So do you work, Elijah?” Sean asked him, leading him to the cash register since he seemed to have finished his shopping.
Elijah shook his head, “I’ve never had a job, well not like a normal job anyway and no one would want to hire me anyway.”
Sean nodded slowly, almost as though he understood. “That must be pretty hard, but obviously you want to move on from this...ailment,” he said slowly, as though he didn’t want to offend Elijah.
Smiling Elijah nodded, “It’s why I’m going to school, I want to shape a future for myself beyond money left from relatives.”
He didn’t know why he was telling Sean this, but he was and it was a little weird, but altogether very comfortable for him, because unlike Orlando, all he wanted from Sean was hopefully friendship.
“You could have a job here,” Sean offered to him, smiling somewhat. “You could work when you wanted to, hopefully on Tuesday’s when the stock comes in so I don’t have to do it alone, but whatever day you want.”
Elijah didn’t know what he was thinking, his mind having gone blank the minute those words came out of Sean’s mouth.
A job.
Not only a job, but a job in a place that he actually loved and felt at peace in, with someone who seemed to understand that he did need a certain amount of routine and balance in his life to get by.
“Yes,” he blurted out, looking at Sean with a big smile on his lips. “I would love to work Tuesdays, and maybe other days when I don’t have classes.”
Sean smiled back at him, “We’ll start you out with just Tuesday’s for a little while and then when you want to work more you let me know. And as your bonus, these books are free.”
Elijah gaped at him then found himself smiling again, once he realized that he could hardly wait to get back home to tell Orlando about his new job.
“Do you need my information?” he asked, gnawing on his bottom lip and practically bouncing in place with pure happiness.
“Just bring your social security number and a direct deposit statement on Tuesday and you’ll be all set up. Is 8 a.m okay?” Sean asked him.
“8 is great,” Elijah responded, taking the bag his books were in. He practically clutched it to himself. “I’ll see you then,” he turned on his heel after waving and headed for the door humming softly.
When he got home he practically bolted up the apartment steps and in through the door after only minimal struggling with his keys.
“Orlando,” he called, hoping the other man was in his bedroom as he looked up at the half wall of the loft bedroom.
A moment later Orlando leaned over the wall, arching an eyebrow. “What’s going on?” he asked, arching an eyebrow. “Did you like the bookstore?”
Elijah nodded and smiled, “Can I come up?” he asked eagerly, having agreed with his room mate that since Orlando did not actually have a door, he would holler from the bottom of the steps.
It had worked so far though.
“Of course,” Orlando moved back from the half wall and was obviously surprised when Elijah bounded up the steps and hugged him tightly.
Elijah wrapped his arms around Orlando’s slim waist without even thinking, bouncing slightly with excitement.
“You’ll never believe it,” he told him, pulling back and smiling brightly.
“What is it?” Orlando asked, sounding just as excited as Elijah, even though he didn’t know what the news was.
“I got a job,” Elijah exclaimed, grinning brightly as he hugged Orlando again then realized what was doing.
He was hugging Orlando.
The other man’s body felt so good against his.
Amazingly good against his.
He was almost going to pull away when Orlando’s arms tightened around him and he allowed himself to sink into the warmth of the other body with a soft happy sigh.
Elijah was being hugged.
Elijah was being hugged by someone he’d never been hugged by before and he didn’t feel like running and hiding, even as his face turned bright red.
“I’m proud of you ‘Lij,” he murmured softly into Elijah’s ear and Elijah beamed, despite the uncertainty weighing him down a little bit.
His life was changing.
The angel was hugging him.
He didn’t want to run though.
He wanted to kiss him.
That was a new one, for sure.