FIC: "Consummated" (Part Twenty) (Dave Wenham/Harry Sinclair/Karl Urban/Orlando Bloom)
Title: "Consummated" (Part Twenty)
Authors: Brenda (azewewish) & Jo (idiosyncratic)
Series: Claimed
Pairing(s): Dave Wenham/Harry Sinclair/Karl Urban/Orlando Bloom
Click here for full disclaimers.
Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four | Part Five | Part Six | Part Seven | Part Eight | Part Nine | Part Ten | Part Eleven | Part Twelve | Part Thirteen | Part Fourteen | Part Fifteen | Part Sixteen | Part Seventeen | Part Eighteen | Part Nineteen | Part Twenty | Part Twenty-One | Part Twenty-Two | Part Twenty-Three | Part Twenty-Four | Part Twenty-Five | Part Twenty-Six | Part Twenty-Seven | Part Twenty-Eight | Part Twenty-Nine | Epilogue, Part One | Epilogue, Part Two | Epilogue, Part Three
"You'll see
Your problems multiplied"
-- Depeche Mode
Orlando turned, backed up into Harry's chest.
Viggo took one look at Orlando, closed his eyes. "Tell me you did not do what I think you did."
"What did...?" Sean peered at Orlando. "Oh. Jesus Christ, Harry..."
"What?" Dom glanced back and forth between Sean and Viggo. "Sean?"
Elijah scooted his chair away from Viggo. "Orli? What's going on?"
"Fucking chill already, Vig, it was Dave's decision, and it's done. And he's starving." Harry tugged Orlando into his chair and sat down next to him.
Orlando reached for Harry's hand. "It's nothing, Lijah," he murmured, casting a quick glance at his friend.
"Orli --"
"I'll tell you later," Orlando said, voice still low. Elijah continued to frown at him.
"Will someone tell me what the hell is going on?" Dom asked, eyes narrowed as he looked around the table. "Sean? Orli? Damn it, somebody say something! And where are Karl and Dave?"
"They'll be here in soon," Harry replied.
Dom was silent for a minute, then his eyes widened as he turned from Sean to Orlando to Harry. "You're fucking kidding me?!"
Harry shook his head. "No, I imagine Sean wasn't joking."
"Can we just not talk about this?" Viggo looked pointedly at everyone. "Order something with lots of protein, child," he stated to Orlando, as he went back to sipping his wine.
"Well, I'd be happy to not talk about it if I knew what, exactly, I wasn't talking about," Elijah said, still frowning.
Orlando took the menu that Harry offered him, opened it, studied the items listed. He didn't really see them, just unfocused his eyes and sat there for a few minutes. Finally, he blinked and looked at the menu again. "I don't...I'll just have...chicken. Of some sort. And pasta."
"Damn, this is fucked up," Dom stated, looking at Orlando with sympathy. "Harry, he doesn't look good. Is he supposed to look like that?"
"He'll be fine. He's just weak." Harry turned to the waiter. "I'll have the ribeye rare with potatoes and my companion will have the gemelli chicken, a salad, and brushchetta, extra tomatoes, for an appetizer." He handed the menus over. "And another bottle of wine."
"That's...um...that's a lot of food," Elijah commented.
"He's hungry," Harry said, running his hands down Orlando's arm.
"Yeah, well, he's bound to be, isn't he...sorry." Sean rolled his eyes at Viggo's glare. "Look, I don't see what the huge deal is. Two bloody Senior members of the Council were there and your aide. And the two of us are here now. You know it would have passed."
"Not the fucking point." Viggo's soft words fooled no one. Orlando could practically feel Viggo's growl from where he was sitting.
"Can someone please tell me what the fuck you're all talking about?"
Orlando continued to look at the table, his hand moving restlessly on Harry's thigh. "Later," he mumbled. The urge to scoot his chair closer to Harry was almost overwhelming. "Promise we'll talk later."
"Fuck later," Elijah snapped.
Dom leaned on the table, dropping his head to get a good look at Orlando's face. "Orli, you okay, mate?"
"Vig...drop it. Now. Or so help me fucking God, I will resign, then kick your ass." Harry's soft command stilled everyone.
"You really think you're up to me?" Viggo eyed Harry over the rim of his glass.
Harry didn't even blink. "You know I am."
"Fine. We'll discuss it later. But we will discuss it," Viggo stated.
"I look forward to it."
Dom let out a shaky breath when Harry turned back to Orlando. "Christ..."
"Don't think I've seen them come that close to blows in a long time," Sean murmured, draining his glass of wine in one sip. He looked pale. Orlando didn't blame him.
Elijah leaned over, touched Orlando's arm. He waited until Orlando lifted his head a bit and looked at him. "You okay?"
"I'm fine," Orlando said softly, managing to summon up a smile. "Really."
"He's just weak and probably a little dizzy still," Harry stated, ignoring the fact that Viggo was still watching them closely.
"From what?"
"Lij..."
"You sure you want to know, child?" Harry asked as his eyes focused on Elijah.
"This is majorly fucked up," Dom muttered to Sean. "Can't wait 'til Karl and Dave get here."
"Yes." Elijah's nod was emphatic.
Harry looked at Orlando, who shrugged. "Dave gave Orlando the Gift," Harry stated, then noticed Elijah's blank look. "He's one of us now."
"He did what?!" Elijah's yelp caused heads to turn at nearby tables, and Orlando to wince. Harry just smiled, hands still rubbing Orlando's arm and back.
"Who did what?" Six heads turned to see Karl watching them with calm eyes.
"I think we've missed the festivities," Dave commented as he pulled out the chair on Harry's other side and sat down. Lounging back in it, he looked at Viggo. "So how much trouble am I in, boss?"
"You don't want to know." Viggo's statement was clipped.
Karl sighed heavily as he sat down next to Dave. "I don't suppose telling you to mind your own bloody business will work?"
"This is not about me."
"That much trouble, huh?" Dave murmured before giving his order to the waiter who appeared.
"Orli...what the fuck were you thinking?" Elijah asked, hand still over his mouth.
"You wouldn't understand," Orlando said, voice soft. "You never wanted it. It..." He paused, fumbling with his words. "I had to do it."
Karl leaned forward so that he could see Harry around Dave, ignoring Viggo in the process. "How is he? Viggo hasn't hassled him, has he?" His words were quiet, calm, but everyone at the table could hear the underlying menace in the last question.
"Not him, no."
"Good."
"You know, I don't think I want to be around for this particular meltdown," Dom announced, leaning into Sean's shoulder.
Sean kissed his forehead. "Neither do I."
"Hell, I don't want to be around, and I have to," Dave remarked.
"Coward," Harry teased, turning to press a swift kiss to Dave's lips.
"What do you mean, had to?" Eijah hissed, grabbing Orlando's wrist. "You didn't have to do anything."
"I had to do this," Orlando snapped, eyes blazing as he twisted his hand and caught Elijah's arm before either realized what had happened.
Karl half rose, eyes focused on Orlando. "Harry..."
Orlando let go of Elijah's arm, closed his eyes. He took a deep breath, felt Harry's hands on his shoulders. "This bonds me to Dave and makes me their...equal. It completes the circle. Or it will after Sunday."
"And you really wanted this?" Elijah didn't wince at the pain lingering in his arm, just continued to focus on Orlando.
"You shouldn't even have to ask that." Orlando smiled. "You know I've wanted this for years."
"Bet Harry thinks twice before throwing Orli up against another wall," Dom whispered in Sean's ear loud enough to be heard.
"Well that depends on why Harry's got him up against the wall, doesn't it?" Dave grinned at the looks he received. "What? It's the truth."
"Orlando is never going to best me in a contest of physical strength," Harry remarked, shaking his head. "I could still kill him without blinking. Not that I'm going to, or even thinking about it," he added, giving Orlando a tender kiss.
"He didn't throw me up against the wall, anyway." Orlando leaned his head on Harry's shoulder, smiling. "I sort of backed into it on my own."
"Oh, and I'm sure Harry wasn't stalking you in that way he does," Dave teased.
"Ah good, food's here." Orlando felt like he could eat everything being set on the table.
"Tomorrow night. My house," Viggo stated, looking at Karl.
Dave nodded at Viggo. "I'll make sure they come."
"You don't have to make sure," Harry told him. "I'm looking forward to it."
Orlando paused with his fork halfway to his mouth. "I'm included in that 'they'...aren't I?"
"And here you were worried about vampires being pets," Elijah said to Dom, gesturing with his knife. "Now you're gonna have two of 'em to deal with."
"Oh, just lovely," Dom groaned, shaking his head when Sean laughed. "Just what I need in my life. I am so glad I'm not you three." The last was directed at the trio of vampires seated between him and Orlando.
"Yes, you're required to come," Viggo told Orlando, ignoring Dom.
"Oh, joy."
"You'll be fine. It's four against one." Karl leaned back in his chair. "I'm liking those odds."
"I'm still not taking any bets," Sean said. "Perhaps Dom and I will just arrange to be out of town tomorrow."
"You're taking me on a trip?" Dom batted his eyelashes at Sean playfully. "Where are we going?"
"Hell, if you don't change your ways," Harry replied, smiling as he popped a piece of steak in his mouth.
"You'll beat them there, love," Dave commented and just smiled when Harry mock-growled at him.
"Christ, Orlando, slow down." Dom grimaced as he watched Orlando. "No one's going to take your food from you. Especially not tonight."
"I'm starving," Orlando said, as if that explained everything.
"It's to be expected. Leave him alone." Sean nudged Dom. "Think about where you'd like to go tomorrow night."
"Nice to know I'm not the only coward at the table," Dave pointed out, flashing Sean a cheeky grin.
"You're even more insane if you think I'm going to stick around for this," Sean replied.
"I liked the San Juan Islands. We'll go there." Dom kissed Sean on the cheek. "Don't let Dave fool you, love. He's only wishing he could come with us."
"Much as I love the two of you, I've got enough to handle these days." Dave pointed at Karl, Harry and Orlando with a sigh. "I'm a bit tapped out."
"And we plan to keep you very busy." Karl said the words along the nape of Dave's neck.
"I'd fucking shoot myself if I thought it would do any good," Viggo stated, squeezing the bridge of his nose.
"I know where you can get a gun," Orlando said between bites, not taking his eyes off his plate, his mouth curving into a smile around the tines of his fork.
Dom curled around Sean, shoulders shaking. Harry and Karl looked at Orlando in surprise, then burst out laughing. Elijah bit his lip with the effort of keeping his giggles inside, but a few escaped anyway. Dave was the only one who maintained somewhat of a straight face. "Look at it this way, Vig," he said, waving his fork. "You've got another person to rant about now. So save the barbs for tomorrow and let's just enjoy the rest of the meal, alright?"
"As long as the child keeps his mouth shut. Lest he forget that I can unmake him as easily as you made him." Viggo's eyes were like ice as they looked over Orlando. "Karl and Harry aren't protection enough from me."
"Vig..."
"Save it, Harry, I'm done." Viggo stood and placed his napkin on the table. "I'll see you tomorrow. Elijah, Sean, Dom..." He nodded curtly, then strode out of the restaurant.
"Okay, now I'm worried." Dave made a move to get up, was pulled back down by Harry.
"Don't. You'll only make it worse right now."
Orlando watched Viggo leave, then carefully set his fork on the table by his plate. "I fucked up, didn't I?" He looked at Karl. "He meant it."
"Yes." Karl leaned forward. "But that doesn't mean we're going to let him do it."
"He's upset," Harry added, pulling Orlando to him. "He'll get over it. I promise."
Orlando wrapped his arms around Harry and hid his face. "Would it help if I apologized?" His words were muffled, but still audible.
"Karl." Elijah's eyes were troubled as he looked at the vampire. "By unmaking, did he mean...was he talking about killing..."
"No. He was talking about making Orlando mortal again," Harry said, then turned his attention to Orlando. "We're going over there tomorrow. We'll get this sorted out." He stroked a hand from Orlando's neck to his back. "It'll be alright."
"You didn't fuck up," Dave said, softly. "If anyone did, it was me. But you're my responsibility, and I won't let anything happen to you."
"I really am sorry." Orlando looked across the table at Sean and Dom. "Didn't mean to ruin everyone's meal."
"Nothing can ruin Harry's appetite," Sean pointed out. "And you," he continued, fixing Orlando with a stern look, "need to eat."
Orlando nodded, picked his fork back up. "Thanks."
"Hey, Sean, I don't suppose you and Dom would like some company tomorrow, would you?"
Sean let out a short chuckle at Elijah's question. "I think I could arrange a room for you, yeah."
"Good. Because being in California right now isn't sounding like such a great idea."
"Surrounded by wimps." Karl shook his head sadly. "Where did we go wrong, Harry?"
"We'll do better with Orli and Dave."
"You're deserting me?" Orlando looked at Elijah in dismay.
"Hey, don't try the guilt trip on me," Elijah said, shaking a finger at Orlando. "You got into this mess all by yourself."
Orlando grumbled under his breath, but resumed eating. Several minutes later, he looked over at Harry, Dave, and Karl. "You won't let Vig do that, right?"
Harry kissed the top of Orlando's head. "No, we won't."
"Stuck with us now, I'm afraid," Dave teased.
"Good. Because it would really fucking suck if I went through all that pain and then Viggo takes it away before my fangs even fucking grow in."
"I so do not want to be there when you tell your family," Elijah stated, diving back into his plate of pasta.
"I think I'll make sure you're there," Orlando retorted with a smirk. "Just for abandoning me tomorrow."
Elijah grumbled, but didn't say anything else.
Onto Part Twenty-One
Authors: Brenda (azewewish) & Jo (idiosyncratic)
Series: Claimed
Pairing(s): Dave Wenham/Harry Sinclair/Karl Urban/Orlando Bloom
Click here for full disclaimers.
Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four | Part Five | Part Six | Part Seven | Part Eight | Part Nine | Part Ten | Part Eleven | Part Twelve | Part Thirteen | Part Fourteen | Part Fifteen | Part Sixteen | Part Seventeen | Part Eighteen | Part Nineteen | Part Twenty | Part Twenty-One | Part Twenty-Two | Part Twenty-Three | Part Twenty-Four | Part Twenty-Five | Part Twenty-Six | Part Twenty-Seven | Part Twenty-Eight | Part Twenty-Nine | Epilogue, Part One | Epilogue, Part Two | Epilogue, Part Three
"You'll see
Your problems multiplied"
-- Depeche Mode
Orlando turned, backed up into Harry's chest.
Viggo took one look at Orlando, closed his eyes. "Tell me you did not do what I think you did."
"What did...?" Sean peered at Orlando. "Oh. Jesus Christ, Harry..."
"What?" Dom glanced back and forth between Sean and Viggo. "Sean?"
Elijah scooted his chair away from Viggo. "Orli? What's going on?"
"Fucking chill already, Vig, it was Dave's decision, and it's done. And he's starving." Harry tugged Orlando into his chair and sat down next to him.
Orlando reached for Harry's hand. "It's nothing, Lijah," he murmured, casting a quick glance at his friend.
"Orli --"
"I'll tell you later," Orlando said, voice still low. Elijah continued to frown at him.
"Will someone tell me what the hell is going on?" Dom asked, eyes narrowed as he looked around the table. "Sean? Orli? Damn it, somebody say something! And where are Karl and Dave?"
"They'll be here in soon," Harry replied.
Dom was silent for a minute, then his eyes widened as he turned from Sean to Orlando to Harry. "You're fucking kidding me?!"
Harry shook his head. "No, I imagine Sean wasn't joking."
"Can we just not talk about this?" Viggo looked pointedly at everyone. "Order something with lots of protein, child," he stated to Orlando, as he went back to sipping his wine.
"Well, I'd be happy to not talk about it if I knew what, exactly, I wasn't talking about," Elijah said, still frowning.
Orlando took the menu that Harry offered him, opened it, studied the items listed. He didn't really see them, just unfocused his eyes and sat there for a few minutes. Finally, he blinked and looked at the menu again. "I don't...I'll just have...chicken. Of some sort. And pasta."
"Damn, this is fucked up," Dom stated, looking at Orlando with sympathy. "Harry, he doesn't look good. Is he supposed to look like that?"
"He'll be fine. He's just weak." Harry turned to the waiter. "I'll have the ribeye rare with potatoes and my companion will have the gemelli chicken, a salad, and brushchetta, extra tomatoes, for an appetizer." He handed the menus over. "And another bottle of wine."
"That's...um...that's a lot of food," Elijah commented.
"He's hungry," Harry said, running his hands down Orlando's arm.
"Yeah, well, he's bound to be, isn't he...sorry." Sean rolled his eyes at Viggo's glare. "Look, I don't see what the huge deal is. Two bloody Senior members of the Council were there and your aide. And the two of us are here now. You know it would have passed."
"Not the fucking point." Viggo's soft words fooled no one. Orlando could practically feel Viggo's growl from where he was sitting.
"Can someone please tell me what the fuck you're all talking about?"
Orlando continued to look at the table, his hand moving restlessly on Harry's thigh. "Later," he mumbled. The urge to scoot his chair closer to Harry was almost overwhelming. "Promise we'll talk later."
"Fuck later," Elijah snapped.
Dom leaned on the table, dropping his head to get a good look at Orlando's face. "Orli, you okay, mate?"
"Vig...drop it. Now. Or so help me fucking God, I will resign, then kick your ass." Harry's soft command stilled everyone.
"You really think you're up to me?" Viggo eyed Harry over the rim of his glass.
Harry didn't even blink. "You know I am."
"Fine. We'll discuss it later. But we will discuss it," Viggo stated.
"I look forward to it."
Dom let out a shaky breath when Harry turned back to Orlando. "Christ..."
"Don't think I've seen them come that close to blows in a long time," Sean murmured, draining his glass of wine in one sip. He looked pale. Orlando didn't blame him.
Elijah leaned over, touched Orlando's arm. He waited until Orlando lifted his head a bit and looked at him. "You okay?"
"I'm fine," Orlando said softly, managing to summon up a smile. "Really."
"He's just weak and probably a little dizzy still," Harry stated, ignoring the fact that Viggo was still watching them closely.
"From what?"
"Lij..."
"You sure you want to know, child?" Harry asked as his eyes focused on Elijah.
"This is majorly fucked up," Dom muttered to Sean. "Can't wait 'til Karl and Dave get here."
"Yes." Elijah's nod was emphatic.
Harry looked at Orlando, who shrugged. "Dave gave Orlando the Gift," Harry stated, then noticed Elijah's blank look. "He's one of us now."
"He did what?!" Elijah's yelp caused heads to turn at nearby tables, and Orlando to wince. Harry just smiled, hands still rubbing Orlando's arm and back.
"Who did what?" Six heads turned to see Karl watching them with calm eyes.
"I think we've missed the festivities," Dave commented as he pulled out the chair on Harry's other side and sat down. Lounging back in it, he looked at Viggo. "So how much trouble am I in, boss?"
"You don't want to know." Viggo's statement was clipped.
Karl sighed heavily as he sat down next to Dave. "I don't suppose telling you to mind your own bloody business will work?"
"This is not about me."
"That much trouble, huh?" Dave murmured before giving his order to the waiter who appeared.
"Orli...what the fuck were you thinking?" Elijah asked, hand still over his mouth.
"You wouldn't understand," Orlando said, voice soft. "You never wanted it. It..." He paused, fumbling with his words. "I had to do it."
Karl leaned forward so that he could see Harry around Dave, ignoring Viggo in the process. "How is he? Viggo hasn't hassled him, has he?" His words were quiet, calm, but everyone at the table could hear the underlying menace in the last question.
"Not him, no."
"Good."
"You know, I don't think I want to be around for this particular meltdown," Dom announced, leaning into Sean's shoulder.
Sean kissed his forehead. "Neither do I."
"Hell, I don't want to be around, and I have to," Dave remarked.
"Coward," Harry teased, turning to press a swift kiss to Dave's lips.
"What do you mean, had to?" Eijah hissed, grabbing Orlando's wrist. "You didn't have to do anything."
"I had to do this," Orlando snapped, eyes blazing as he twisted his hand and caught Elijah's arm before either realized what had happened.
Karl half rose, eyes focused on Orlando. "Harry..."
Orlando let go of Elijah's arm, closed his eyes. He took a deep breath, felt Harry's hands on his shoulders. "This bonds me to Dave and makes me their...equal. It completes the circle. Or it will after Sunday."
"And you really wanted this?" Elijah didn't wince at the pain lingering in his arm, just continued to focus on Orlando.
"You shouldn't even have to ask that." Orlando smiled. "You know I've wanted this for years."
"Bet Harry thinks twice before throwing Orli up against another wall," Dom whispered in Sean's ear loud enough to be heard.
"Well that depends on why Harry's got him up against the wall, doesn't it?" Dave grinned at the looks he received. "What? It's the truth."
"Orlando is never going to best me in a contest of physical strength," Harry remarked, shaking his head. "I could still kill him without blinking. Not that I'm going to, or even thinking about it," he added, giving Orlando a tender kiss.
"He didn't throw me up against the wall, anyway." Orlando leaned his head on Harry's shoulder, smiling. "I sort of backed into it on my own."
"Oh, and I'm sure Harry wasn't stalking you in that way he does," Dave teased.
"Ah good, food's here." Orlando felt like he could eat everything being set on the table.
"Tomorrow night. My house," Viggo stated, looking at Karl.
Dave nodded at Viggo. "I'll make sure they come."
"You don't have to make sure," Harry told him. "I'm looking forward to it."
Orlando paused with his fork halfway to his mouth. "I'm included in that 'they'...aren't I?"
"And here you were worried about vampires being pets," Elijah said to Dom, gesturing with his knife. "Now you're gonna have two of 'em to deal with."
"Oh, just lovely," Dom groaned, shaking his head when Sean laughed. "Just what I need in my life. I am so glad I'm not you three." The last was directed at the trio of vampires seated between him and Orlando.
"Yes, you're required to come," Viggo told Orlando, ignoring Dom.
"Oh, joy."
"You'll be fine. It's four against one." Karl leaned back in his chair. "I'm liking those odds."
"I'm still not taking any bets," Sean said. "Perhaps Dom and I will just arrange to be out of town tomorrow."
"You're taking me on a trip?" Dom batted his eyelashes at Sean playfully. "Where are we going?"
"Hell, if you don't change your ways," Harry replied, smiling as he popped a piece of steak in his mouth.
"You'll beat them there, love," Dave commented and just smiled when Harry mock-growled at him.
"Christ, Orlando, slow down." Dom grimaced as he watched Orlando. "No one's going to take your food from you. Especially not tonight."
"I'm starving," Orlando said, as if that explained everything.
"It's to be expected. Leave him alone." Sean nudged Dom. "Think about where you'd like to go tomorrow night."
"Nice to know I'm not the only coward at the table," Dave pointed out, flashing Sean a cheeky grin.
"You're even more insane if you think I'm going to stick around for this," Sean replied.
"I liked the San Juan Islands. We'll go there." Dom kissed Sean on the cheek. "Don't let Dave fool you, love. He's only wishing he could come with us."
"Much as I love the two of you, I've got enough to handle these days." Dave pointed at Karl, Harry and Orlando with a sigh. "I'm a bit tapped out."
"And we plan to keep you very busy." Karl said the words along the nape of Dave's neck.
"I'd fucking shoot myself if I thought it would do any good," Viggo stated, squeezing the bridge of his nose.
"I know where you can get a gun," Orlando said between bites, not taking his eyes off his plate, his mouth curving into a smile around the tines of his fork.
Dom curled around Sean, shoulders shaking. Harry and Karl looked at Orlando in surprise, then burst out laughing. Elijah bit his lip with the effort of keeping his giggles inside, but a few escaped anyway. Dave was the only one who maintained somewhat of a straight face. "Look at it this way, Vig," he said, waving his fork. "You've got another person to rant about now. So save the barbs for tomorrow and let's just enjoy the rest of the meal, alright?"
"As long as the child keeps his mouth shut. Lest he forget that I can unmake him as easily as you made him." Viggo's eyes were like ice as they looked over Orlando. "Karl and Harry aren't protection enough from me."
"Vig..."
"Save it, Harry, I'm done." Viggo stood and placed his napkin on the table. "I'll see you tomorrow. Elijah, Sean, Dom..." He nodded curtly, then strode out of the restaurant.
"Okay, now I'm worried." Dave made a move to get up, was pulled back down by Harry.
"Don't. You'll only make it worse right now."
Orlando watched Viggo leave, then carefully set his fork on the table by his plate. "I fucked up, didn't I?" He looked at Karl. "He meant it."
"Yes." Karl leaned forward. "But that doesn't mean we're going to let him do it."
"He's upset," Harry added, pulling Orlando to him. "He'll get over it. I promise."
Orlando wrapped his arms around Harry and hid his face. "Would it help if I apologized?" His words were muffled, but still audible.
"Karl." Elijah's eyes were troubled as he looked at the vampire. "By unmaking, did he mean...was he talking about killing..."
"No. He was talking about making Orlando mortal again," Harry said, then turned his attention to Orlando. "We're going over there tomorrow. We'll get this sorted out." He stroked a hand from Orlando's neck to his back. "It'll be alright."
"You didn't fuck up," Dave said, softly. "If anyone did, it was me. But you're my responsibility, and I won't let anything happen to you."
"I really am sorry." Orlando looked across the table at Sean and Dom. "Didn't mean to ruin everyone's meal."
"Nothing can ruin Harry's appetite," Sean pointed out. "And you," he continued, fixing Orlando with a stern look, "need to eat."
Orlando nodded, picked his fork back up. "Thanks."
"Hey, Sean, I don't suppose you and Dom would like some company tomorrow, would you?"
Sean let out a short chuckle at Elijah's question. "I think I could arrange a room for you, yeah."
"Good. Because being in California right now isn't sounding like such a great idea."
"Surrounded by wimps." Karl shook his head sadly. "Where did we go wrong, Harry?"
"We'll do better with Orli and Dave."
"You're deserting me?" Orlando looked at Elijah in dismay.
"Hey, don't try the guilt trip on me," Elijah said, shaking a finger at Orlando. "You got into this mess all by yourself."
Orlando grumbled under his breath, but resumed eating. Several minutes later, he looked over at Harry, Dave, and Karl. "You won't let Vig do that, right?"
Harry kissed the top of Orlando's head. "No, we won't."
"Stuck with us now, I'm afraid," Dave teased.
"Good. Because it would really fucking suck if I went through all that pain and then Viggo takes it away before my fangs even fucking grow in."
"I so do not want to be there when you tell your family," Elijah stated, diving back into his plate of pasta.
"I think I'll make sure you're there," Orlando retorted with a smirk. "Just for abandoning me tomorrow."
Elijah grumbled, but didn't say anything else.
Onto Part Twenty-One