It’s the Great Pumpkin, Professor Bloom (1/1)
It’s the Great Pumpkin, Professor Bloom (1/1)
Author: Amy
Paring: Orlando/Sean
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Never happened.
Warning: Contains Elements of Crackiness. Though not as much as I was anticipating.
Summary: Once a year on Halloween night Professor Bloom camps out in the local pumpkin patch.
Author’s Note/Dedication/Blame: I put the blame for this solely on the head of giselleslash. Blame her…not me. :-P
* * *
The wind was cold.
Not quite icy but close enough that Orlando shivered and pulled his light blue blanket closer around himself against the chill. He glanced down at his instruments lying next to him on the blanket he was sitting on. They were silent and still as the graves in the cemetery that bordered the pumpkin patch he was sitting in. The only sounds were those that came wafting over to him from the kids that were walking the streets in search of candy. He hid a smile at the thought of all those kids dressed up in their costumes a few years ago he’d have been comfortable and warm in his apartment, dressed up in some elaborate get up of his own handing out candy to the complex’s kids. Instead he was sitting freezing his butt off in the pumpkin patch hoping and praying that something would happen that he could capture for prosperity.
There was the crunch of footsteps behind him. He froze and glanced down at his equipment. They were still reading 0, he frowned and then sighed as the footsteps stopped beside his blanket and he saw out of the corner of his eye the dark royal blue fabric that made up an all too familiar trench coat. He glanced upwards and grinned cheekily at the man who was glowering down at him.
“What the hell are you doing out here?” the man snapped in irritation.
“Well hello to you to, Professor Bean,” Orlando said lazily scooting over on his blanket to give Sean enough space to settle down next to him. “And you know perfectly well why I’m here, the same reason I’ve been out here every Halloween for the last 5 years.”
“You’re going to get yourself fired, Orlando,” Sean said tightly.
“They can’t fire me, I’m tenure,” Orlando said with a shrug.
“Yeah well,” Sean said with a huff as he finally sat down next to Orlando. “Then they’ll find some other way to keep you away from the public.”
“Whatever,” Orlando said with a roll of his eyes.
“I’m serious,” Sean said firmly. “You’re like two steps away from being shipped down to some corner of the basement with an ‘I Want to Believe’ poster on your wall…”
“Why, Professor Bean,” Orlando teased with a grin. “Look at you all Pop Culture referencing.”
Sean shrugged his shoulders and then settled himself more comfortably on the blanket. “Lorna and Molly have been doing a marathon and they’ve been making me watch it with them.” Orlando snorted and shook his head at the image of Sean being forced to watch the X-Files the light mood dissolved quickly when Sean spoke again. “You need to be careful, Orlando. Tenure or not they could still make your life pretty miserable if they wanted to.”
“I’m not doing anything to hurt them,” Orlando said with a frown. “Everything I do is on my own time with my own equipment and money.”
“It’s still well known that you go in for all of this,” Sean said waving his hand around at the pumpkins that surrounded them. “That you spend your time doing this stuff. They think it’ll hurt the school’s reputation.”
“They need to get their heads out of their asses,” Orlando said with a huff. “A lot of schools do paranormal research. Penn State has their society, MIT did that crop circle thing and there are a lot of other examples out there. They’re just too stuffy and by the book…maybe I should just leave and find someplace that would be happy to have me.”
The words were out of his mouth before he even realized it and he meant them. Orlando glanced at Sean wondering if the other man would have any reaction to them. He tried not to linger on the fact that he hoped there would be because he didn’t allow himself to think that way about Sean. Sean was a colleague and a friend and he wasn’t about to ruin that with a foolish crush. Sean looked thoughtful and perhaps around the edges a little put out by Orlando’s threat.
“Why is this so important to you, Orlando?” he asked quietly.
“Because I know what I saw 5 years ago,” Orlando insisted. “It was right here in this spot I saw…whatever it was…I know I did.
“You were at the faculty party all evening Orlando, you were having a rough time of it with Pete and you were drinking…”
“I didn’t imagine it in a drunken haze, Sean,” Orlando snapped in irritation. “And it wasn’t some college prank either, I saw those pumpkins being thrown around and there was no one physically around doing it. And I’m no the only one who has had these sort of experiences here especially on Halloween, you know it, you’ve seen the research, the accounts of how this place has been torn apart every year since the 50’s….”
“I have but that doesn’t mean I believe it,” Sean said simply. “I believe you saw something that night Orlando…but I don’t believe that it was something paranormal…”
“Even after what happened to me last year?” Orlando said with a frown. He understood that Sean didn’t want to buy into it without real evidence, the man was a scientist, but it still hurt a little.
“You didn’t see anything happen last year…you fell asleep,” Sean reminded him easily.
“But when I woke up there were all those broken pumpkins surrounding me,” Orlando pointed out quickly.
“You didn’t getting any readings on your equipment though,” Sean said. “It’s well known throughout town and the school that you come out here every year on Halloween and do this. Anyone could have come down and tried to mess with you.”
“No…I don’t buy that,” Orlando said with a shake of his head. “There was snow last year and the only footprints in and out were my own and the pumpkins had no snow on top of them. Something happened last year while I was asleep. I should have had a video camera with me, this year I do. This year I’m not going to miss anything.”
“Orlando…” Sean said with a sigh.
“Don’t,” Orlando said with a frown. “I’d like you to stay but if you’re just going to sit here doubting this…doubting me…then, please…just leave…”
Sean didn’t leave. He didn’t say anything more he just settled back against the blanket pulling his coat tighter around him and settled into silence. They sat that way for a long while, minutes passing into an hour passing into more hours as they sat and waited. Orlando used one of his packs as a pillow and gave the second one to Sean to do the same. He had to laugh. It was just like they were just idly camping out, gazing at the stars. It was such a coupely thing to do. He wanted to tell Sean his thought but he didn’t dare too. He didn’t want to ruin the moment or chase Sean away.
“What do you think it is, this Great Pumpkin of yours?”
Sean’s voice finally broke the silence after two hours of nothing being said between them. Orlando turned his head to glance at Sean. Sean was lying on his back his eyes still trained on the clear sky above them.
“Two pop culture references is one night,” he said with a grin. “I do believe this might be some kind of record for you Professor Bean.”
Sean chuckled and nodded his head. “Evie was watching it before I left this evening. I think having the girls around is rubbing off on me.”
“I like it,” Orlando said softly and then forced his head around to look back up at the sky. He could feel Sean’s eyes on him and wondered what the other man was thinking. “I’m surprised you’re not out with her trick or treating…”
“Apparently ten is too old to be going trick or treating with your dad,” Sean said his voice laced with amusement. “Lorna took her and her friends out this year and Molly had some studying to do so she said she’d stay and hand out the candy. I decided to come out and check that you were okay. Don’t want you get eaten by a monster or anything…”
“I don’t think its some sort of monster or anything,” Orlando said with a roll of his eyes. “I think it’s probably a ghost wandered over from the cemetery. Why it chooses to do it on this night only or what it has against pumpkin’s I don’t know. I don’t honestly know if I need to figure out exactly what it was I just need to know that it does exist…that I’m not going crazy.”
Silence once again descended over them more comfortable this time. Orlando felt himself drifting off to sleep. He’d been up late the night before getting everything ready and he’d had early classes that morning so he’d gotten only a couple of hours of sleep. Sean’s warmth radiated over towards him and before he knew he was doing it he’d scooted closer to it so that he was almost pressed up against Sean’s side. He wasn’t even aware that he was asleep until Sean’s voice woke him.
“Orlando…” Sean’s voice was quiet but insistent.
“Are you going now?” Orlando murmured sleepily.
“Quiet,” Sean said. “Listen…”
Orlando lay quietly for a moment listening to the sound of something crashing around them. He knew that sound because he’d experimented with it many times. It was the sound of breaking pumpkins. He had to force himself not to bolt upright; instead he just turned his head. Of in the distance he could see pumpkins being tossed around with no sign of who…or what was doing it. Cautiously he sat up and when that didn’t disturb the entity he motioned for Sean to sit up to as he was standing up grabbing for the camera and pointing it in that direction.
“What the hell…” Sean muttered in confusion. It was completely obvious that there was no human out there throwing the pumpkins around. Even to Sean’s skeptical eyes it was clear.
“See…I told you!” Orlando said smugly then he started slowly walking away from the blanket towards the commotion across the patch. “Come on.”
“You want to go closer?” Sean said in exasperation. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“I have to capture everything I can…you can stay here by yourself if you want to…” he teased.
He headed off. He wasn’t surprised when Sean joined him. They inched closer the entity showed no signs of seeing them or at the least caring that they were coming closer to it. At least that’s what Orlando assumed until he heard a roaring sound behind them. There was a blast of cold air that came out of nowhere knocking them off their feet Orlando gave a startled yelp as Sean wrapped himself around him and maneuvered them so that they wouldn’t land on Orlando’s back. There was a sickening cracking sound and for a moment Orlando thought it was Sean until he noticed the orange stuff oozing out of two broken pumpkins beneath them.
“Ouch,” Sean said as he gasped for air.
“Are you okay?” Orlando asked maneuvering to get himself off of Sean only to be stopped by Sean’s arms which were still wrapped around him.
“I’m fine,” Sean said gruffly. “You okay? Your back…?”
Orlando shivered slightly as Sean’s hands traveled down his back. He felt the rest of his body respond to the touch. “I’m okay…let me up…” he said sharply not wanting Sean to feel the way he was responding to him.
“Orlando…” Sean said softly.
“Let me up,” Orlando said tightly as it became clear that Sean could feel what his body was doing. “I’m sorry…just…let me up…”
“Orlando…” Sean said firmly, bringing his hands up to cup the side of Orlando’s face. “It’s okay…”
“No...It’s...I’m…” Orlando stuttered in embarrassment wishing that Sean would stop trying to make this okay and let him go.
“I should have done this years ago…” Sean muttered as his finger brushed against Orlando’s lips.
“Done…what…” Orlando said with a shudder trying desperately to not lean into Sean’s touch.
“This…” Sean breathed before he leaned forward to capture Orlando’s lips in a kiss.
Orlando hung there in shock for a few moments before joining in hungrily. He kept expecting Sean to break things off, to realize he’d made a mistake but Sean didn’t and the kiss kept going on and on for what felt like years. Finally they were forced to break apart to catch some air.
“Lord…” Sean gasped. “You know how to kiss…”
“You’re not so bad yourself,” Orlando said almost shyly at the compliment.
“Definitely should have done that sooner,” Sean muttered softly.
Orlando grinned widely at the comment. It meant that Sean had wanted him as much as he’d wanted Sean and that this could possibly turn into something serious. Not that it had started out seriously what with them lying in the middle of a pumpkin patch on top of a couple of crushed pumpkin while…something…tossed more pumpkins and them around. Sean winced and sat up with Orlando still on his lap. The patch was filled with silence. Whatever had been there was now gone.
“Is the camera okay?” Sean asked as he looked around.
Orlando frowned and looked to the side picking up the camera he was relieved to see it didn’t have a scratch on it. “Yeah,” he answered with a nod. “It looks fine.”
“We should go check your equipment…see what readings you got before heading home to look at the tape. If everything was working properly then you should have gotten something good somewhere…”
Orlando grinned. As always Sean in full research mode was an incredible turn on. Too much of a turn on to ignore it. “Sean…wait…” he said. “It can wait…”
“But…” Sean practically whined.
“It can wait,” he repeated with a smirk, gathering Sean’s full attention to him by squirming in his lap. His grin widened as Sean’s eyes darkened with each movement.
“Yeah…it probably can…” Sean agreed quickly as Orlando’s lips met his.
Research could definitely wait just this once.
* * *
The End
Author: Amy
Paring: Orlando/Sean
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Never happened.
Warning: Contains Elements of Crackiness. Though not as much as I was anticipating.
Summary: Once a year on Halloween night Professor Bloom camps out in the local pumpkin patch.
Author’s Note/Dedication/Blame: I put the blame for this solely on the head of giselleslash. Blame her…not me. :-P
* * *
The wind was cold.
Not quite icy but close enough that Orlando shivered and pulled his light blue blanket closer around himself against the chill. He glanced down at his instruments lying next to him on the blanket he was sitting on. They were silent and still as the graves in the cemetery that bordered the pumpkin patch he was sitting in. The only sounds were those that came wafting over to him from the kids that were walking the streets in search of candy. He hid a smile at the thought of all those kids dressed up in their costumes a few years ago he’d have been comfortable and warm in his apartment, dressed up in some elaborate get up of his own handing out candy to the complex’s kids. Instead he was sitting freezing his butt off in the pumpkin patch hoping and praying that something would happen that he could capture for prosperity.
There was the crunch of footsteps behind him. He froze and glanced down at his equipment. They were still reading 0, he frowned and then sighed as the footsteps stopped beside his blanket and he saw out of the corner of his eye the dark royal blue fabric that made up an all too familiar trench coat. He glanced upwards and grinned cheekily at the man who was glowering down at him.
“What the hell are you doing out here?” the man snapped in irritation.
“Well hello to you to, Professor Bean,” Orlando said lazily scooting over on his blanket to give Sean enough space to settle down next to him. “And you know perfectly well why I’m here, the same reason I’ve been out here every Halloween for the last 5 years.”
“You’re going to get yourself fired, Orlando,” Sean said tightly.
“They can’t fire me, I’m tenure,” Orlando said with a shrug.
“Yeah well,” Sean said with a huff as he finally sat down next to Orlando. “Then they’ll find some other way to keep you away from the public.”
“Whatever,” Orlando said with a roll of his eyes.
“I’m serious,” Sean said firmly. “You’re like two steps away from being shipped down to some corner of the basement with an ‘I Want to Believe’ poster on your wall…”
“Why, Professor Bean,” Orlando teased with a grin. “Look at you all Pop Culture referencing.”
Sean shrugged his shoulders and then settled himself more comfortably on the blanket. “Lorna and Molly have been doing a marathon and they’ve been making me watch it with them.” Orlando snorted and shook his head at the image of Sean being forced to watch the X-Files the light mood dissolved quickly when Sean spoke again. “You need to be careful, Orlando. Tenure or not they could still make your life pretty miserable if they wanted to.”
“I’m not doing anything to hurt them,” Orlando said with a frown. “Everything I do is on my own time with my own equipment and money.”
“It’s still well known that you go in for all of this,” Sean said waving his hand around at the pumpkins that surrounded them. “That you spend your time doing this stuff. They think it’ll hurt the school’s reputation.”
“They need to get their heads out of their asses,” Orlando said with a huff. “A lot of schools do paranormal research. Penn State has their society, MIT did that crop circle thing and there are a lot of other examples out there. They’re just too stuffy and by the book…maybe I should just leave and find someplace that would be happy to have me.”
The words were out of his mouth before he even realized it and he meant them. Orlando glanced at Sean wondering if the other man would have any reaction to them. He tried not to linger on the fact that he hoped there would be because he didn’t allow himself to think that way about Sean. Sean was a colleague and a friend and he wasn’t about to ruin that with a foolish crush. Sean looked thoughtful and perhaps around the edges a little put out by Orlando’s threat.
“Why is this so important to you, Orlando?” he asked quietly.
“Because I know what I saw 5 years ago,” Orlando insisted. “It was right here in this spot I saw…whatever it was…I know I did.
“You were at the faculty party all evening Orlando, you were having a rough time of it with Pete and you were drinking…”
“I didn’t imagine it in a drunken haze, Sean,” Orlando snapped in irritation. “And it wasn’t some college prank either, I saw those pumpkins being thrown around and there was no one physically around doing it. And I’m no the only one who has had these sort of experiences here especially on Halloween, you know it, you’ve seen the research, the accounts of how this place has been torn apart every year since the 50’s….”
“I have but that doesn’t mean I believe it,” Sean said simply. “I believe you saw something that night Orlando…but I don’t believe that it was something paranormal…”
“Even after what happened to me last year?” Orlando said with a frown. He understood that Sean didn’t want to buy into it without real evidence, the man was a scientist, but it still hurt a little.
“You didn’t see anything happen last year…you fell asleep,” Sean reminded him easily.
“But when I woke up there were all those broken pumpkins surrounding me,” Orlando pointed out quickly.
“You didn’t getting any readings on your equipment though,” Sean said. “It’s well known throughout town and the school that you come out here every year on Halloween and do this. Anyone could have come down and tried to mess with you.”
“No…I don’t buy that,” Orlando said with a shake of his head. “There was snow last year and the only footprints in and out were my own and the pumpkins had no snow on top of them. Something happened last year while I was asleep. I should have had a video camera with me, this year I do. This year I’m not going to miss anything.”
“Orlando…” Sean said with a sigh.
“Don’t,” Orlando said with a frown. “I’d like you to stay but if you’re just going to sit here doubting this…doubting me…then, please…just leave…”
Sean didn’t leave. He didn’t say anything more he just settled back against the blanket pulling his coat tighter around him and settled into silence. They sat that way for a long while, minutes passing into an hour passing into more hours as they sat and waited. Orlando used one of his packs as a pillow and gave the second one to Sean to do the same. He had to laugh. It was just like they were just idly camping out, gazing at the stars. It was such a coupely thing to do. He wanted to tell Sean his thought but he didn’t dare too. He didn’t want to ruin the moment or chase Sean away.
“What do you think it is, this Great Pumpkin of yours?”
Sean’s voice finally broke the silence after two hours of nothing being said between them. Orlando turned his head to glance at Sean. Sean was lying on his back his eyes still trained on the clear sky above them.
“Two pop culture references is one night,” he said with a grin. “I do believe this might be some kind of record for you Professor Bean.”
Sean chuckled and nodded his head. “Evie was watching it before I left this evening. I think having the girls around is rubbing off on me.”
“I like it,” Orlando said softly and then forced his head around to look back up at the sky. He could feel Sean’s eyes on him and wondered what the other man was thinking. “I’m surprised you’re not out with her trick or treating…”
“Apparently ten is too old to be going trick or treating with your dad,” Sean said his voice laced with amusement. “Lorna took her and her friends out this year and Molly had some studying to do so she said she’d stay and hand out the candy. I decided to come out and check that you were okay. Don’t want you get eaten by a monster or anything…”
“I don’t think its some sort of monster or anything,” Orlando said with a roll of his eyes. “I think it’s probably a ghost wandered over from the cemetery. Why it chooses to do it on this night only or what it has against pumpkin’s I don’t know. I don’t honestly know if I need to figure out exactly what it was I just need to know that it does exist…that I’m not going crazy.”
Silence once again descended over them more comfortable this time. Orlando felt himself drifting off to sleep. He’d been up late the night before getting everything ready and he’d had early classes that morning so he’d gotten only a couple of hours of sleep. Sean’s warmth radiated over towards him and before he knew he was doing it he’d scooted closer to it so that he was almost pressed up against Sean’s side. He wasn’t even aware that he was asleep until Sean’s voice woke him.
“Orlando…” Sean’s voice was quiet but insistent.
“Are you going now?” Orlando murmured sleepily.
“Quiet,” Sean said. “Listen…”
Orlando lay quietly for a moment listening to the sound of something crashing around them. He knew that sound because he’d experimented with it many times. It was the sound of breaking pumpkins. He had to force himself not to bolt upright; instead he just turned his head. Of in the distance he could see pumpkins being tossed around with no sign of who…or what was doing it. Cautiously he sat up and when that didn’t disturb the entity he motioned for Sean to sit up to as he was standing up grabbing for the camera and pointing it in that direction.
“What the hell…” Sean muttered in confusion. It was completely obvious that there was no human out there throwing the pumpkins around. Even to Sean’s skeptical eyes it was clear.
“See…I told you!” Orlando said smugly then he started slowly walking away from the blanket towards the commotion across the patch. “Come on.”
“You want to go closer?” Sean said in exasperation. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“I have to capture everything I can…you can stay here by yourself if you want to…” he teased.
He headed off. He wasn’t surprised when Sean joined him. They inched closer the entity showed no signs of seeing them or at the least caring that they were coming closer to it. At least that’s what Orlando assumed until he heard a roaring sound behind them. There was a blast of cold air that came out of nowhere knocking them off their feet Orlando gave a startled yelp as Sean wrapped himself around him and maneuvered them so that they wouldn’t land on Orlando’s back. There was a sickening cracking sound and for a moment Orlando thought it was Sean until he noticed the orange stuff oozing out of two broken pumpkins beneath them.
“Ouch,” Sean said as he gasped for air.
“Are you okay?” Orlando asked maneuvering to get himself off of Sean only to be stopped by Sean’s arms which were still wrapped around him.
“I’m fine,” Sean said gruffly. “You okay? Your back…?”
Orlando shivered slightly as Sean’s hands traveled down his back. He felt the rest of his body respond to the touch. “I’m okay…let me up…” he said sharply not wanting Sean to feel the way he was responding to him.
“Orlando…” Sean said softly.
“Let me up,” Orlando said tightly as it became clear that Sean could feel what his body was doing. “I’m sorry…just…let me up…”
“Orlando…” Sean said firmly, bringing his hands up to cup the side of Orlando’s face. “It’s okay…”
“No...It’s...I’m…” Orlando stuttered in embarrassment wishing that Sean would stop trying to make this okay and let him go.
“I should have done this years ago…” Sean muttered as his finger brushed against Orlando’s lips.
“Done…what…” Orlando said with a shudder trying desperately to not lean into Sean’s touch.
“This…” Sean breathed before he leaned forward to capture Orlando’s lips in a kiss.
Orlando hung there in shock for a few moments before joining in hungrily. He kept expecting Sean to break things off, to realize he’d made a mistake but Sean didn’t and the kiss kept going on and on for what felt like years. Finally they were forced to break apart to catch some air.
“Lord…” Sean gasped. “You know how to kiss…”
“You’re not so bad yourself,” Orlando said almost shyly at the compliment.
“Definitely should have done that sooner,” Sean muttered softly.
Orlando grinned widely at the comment. It meant that Sean had wanted him as much as he’d wanted Sean and that this could possibly turn into something serious. Not that it had started out seriously what with them lying in the middle of a pumpkin patch on top of a couple of crushed pumpkin while…something…tossed more pumpkins and them around. Sean winced and sat up with Orlando still on his lap. The patch was filled with silence. Whatever had been there was now gone.
“Is the camera okay?” Sean asked as he looked around.
Orlando frowned and looked to the side picking up the camera he was relieved to see it didn’t have a scratch on it. “Yeah,” he answered with a nod. “It looks fine.”
“We should go check your equipment…see what readings you got before heading home to look at the tape. If everything was working properly then you should have gotten something good somewhere…”
Orlando grinned. As always Sean in full research mode was an incredible turn on. Too much of a turn on to ignore it. “Sean…wait…” he said. “It can wait…”
“But…” Sean practically whined.
“It can wait,” he repeated with a smirk, gathering Sean’s full attention to him by squirming in his lap. His grin widened as Sean’s eyes darkened with each movement.
“Yeah…it probably can…” Sean agreed quickly as Orlando’s lips met his.
Research could definitely wait just this once.
* * *
The End