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often_adamanta: First Snow
Dec. 31st, 2008 02:45 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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slashababyTitle: First Snow
Recipient:often_adamanta
Author:bonnysprite
Pairing: Elijah/Orlando
Rating:
Summary: Wish I may, wish I might, have this wish I wish tonight.
Disclaimer: This is a non-profit, non-commercial work of fiction using the names and likenesses of real individuals. This fictional story is not intended to imply that the events herein actually occurred, or that the attitudes or behaviors described are engaged in or condoned by the real persons whose names are used without permission.
He'd run all the way home in tears from the taunts that had been hurled at him. It wasn't his fault that the letters were jumbled, he just, they were just ...
Breaking down into sobs, he slammed the front door open and didn't stop until he was barricaded in his room.
"Orlando? Orlando, honey what's wrong?!" He could hear the almost frantic concern in his mother's voice, though she was working at keeping it hidden from him. He didn't want to worry her, he didn't like making her sound like that but ...
"Go away!"
It was her fault. Dad had said he could stay home, be home schooled until he was comfortable with his letters and numbers and reading without stumbling, but she had insisted.
"Orlando, please, tell me what's wrong? Are you hurt?" She was nearing tears, he knew. He wasn't very big, only skin and bones his Gran said, so it was pretty much a given that he'd be on the losing end of any fight. But he wasn't stupid, at the first sign of trouble he usually ran, it's not like he had any friends who'd think less of him for his cowardice and he'd long since given up on staying and taking the beatings for the sake of his pride. There was no pride in being a bloodied pulp.
"I'm fine, I just ..." sighing, "I just need to be alone."
"Lando ..."
"Please, Mum." He waited; he did not want her to see him like this. Dad would find out and ... he didn't want to disappoint either of them.
"All right, but I expect an explanation when you manage to make your way down. Understood young man?" That was her don't mess with me voice.
"I will." After a moment he offered, "Thank you."
He listened as she made her way back to the kitchen.
Sighing he lay huddled in the corner, in between his bed and his bookshelf on his beanbag that he'd received as a hose-warming gift from his parents. They'd moved into their new home at the start of the school year and it was only the middle of November but he could hardly wait to move out.
His dad was a university professor and he tended to go where his research took him, which meant they moved around more often than was normal for teachers, he imagined. It had been fun when he was small but now that he was expected to go to school it made things difficult, like adjusting to the fact that he wasn't as bright as he should be considering his gene pool. His mother was a brilliant author and his father was some kind of mad scientist. Well not mad, but a pretty eccentric chemist nonetheless, something was always being blown up in their home.
So people who knew them expected great things from him, but he could barely read out loud without stumbling. It was embarrassing and was what had caused him to run all the way home. Kids could be so cruel. They'd taunted him all through lunch and by the end of the school day had started pelting him with things along with the name calling. He would have preferred being beaten to a pulp.
Sighing he uncurled from his position and moved towards his window, he settled on the bench there and watched as cars drove by. Looking down he spotted his dad's car pulling into the driveway, saw his mother walk toward him, she probably wanted to fill him in on his behaviour. Shaking his head Orlando went to go downstairs before his dad decided to come up, but stilled when he saw that they hadn't moved. Dad had instead pulled mum into a hug, and there they stood for all to see, just holding each other. Though his heart warmed that he was in such a loving family, he felt strangely alone.
That night while his parents chatted he curled up in front of their Christmas tree in the sitting room and let his mind wander. He didn't want to think about school the next day.
"Make a wish, darling."
He felt her arms as they wrapped around him, turning to look up at her he questioned, "Mum?"
Tilting his head to look out the huge bay windows she whispered into his ear. "When I was a little girl my mother used to have us wish on the very first snowfall. It was something her mother had taught her when she was a child, and her mother before then. It's a bit of a tradition in the family."
"Mum, I'm not a child, and I'm most definitely not a girl!"
Giggling, "Well no, you are most definitely not a girl, but you are my child. My only child and it is tradition ..." She trailed off hopefully.
Sighing, the eight year old who felt he was too old to believe in Santa Claus but still wished to believe, gave in. "So umm, how does this work?"
Squeezing him for a moment, she loosened her arms, pecked him on the head and looked out. "I used to try and find the perfect snowflake, I'd sit outside for hours," looking down at him she grinned hugely, "I know, entirely too silly, right? But ..." She shrugged her shoulders unsure how to explain.
He nodded his head, as though he understood and maybe he did because he sat with her for quite some time before settling on one he could be pleased with, it was the only snowflake that settled on the window and blew away after a few seconds instead of instantly melting. He felt the sturdiness of the snowflake was a good sign.
"What did you wish for?" She asked quietly.
"Not telling, it won't come true if I do." In order to avoid her wheedling he turned to look at her again when he asked. "What was your first wish?"
Smiling softly down at him she answered after a peck to the nose, he rubbed at it disagreeably. She was going overboard with the kissing.
Laughing a little she answered. "I wished for this." She used a hand to indicate their surroundings, while using the other one that was still wrapped around him to squeeze him again. "I wished for you and your dad and a home we could be happy in."
"But I'm not happy." He mumbled and regretted it immediately when he saw her smile disappear.
"Is it really that bad?" He hadn't been specific about what had happened, he knew it would have brought his parents wrath upon the children and the school for negligence of some sort and he really did not need that kind of attention, unless they were moving out tomorrow. Then by all means ...
Leaning his head against her chest he looked out into the dark night and lied. "No, I suppose not."
Her chest lifted and dropped as she let out a deep sigh. "Well in that case you might be disappointed to hear that your dad was made an offer from a university in Toronto and we were going to accept it but if you'd rather --"
"No, no!" He popped up and gave her his brightest smiles. "Toronto, really?" he had jumped into her lap and hugged her tight before jumping off in search of his dad, but ended up running into him in the entry way to the sitting room. Apparently he'd been listening in on them.
Orlando wrapped his arms around his dad's waist and squeezed, he had to work hard at not crying from relief. He really didn't like his school.
His father lifted him up, and though he really was too big for such things he let him do so without complaint, and just snuggled in when he was settled in between both his parents. As he began to drift off to sleep to the scene of gently falling snow he thought, it hadn't been the wish he'd made but maybe, just maybe it was the beginning of it all.
And every year from then on Orlando wished alongside his mum and when he grew too old for such things, as young boys often do, his heart wished on for him.
But none of them came true. All through highschool he remained an outcast, apparently a change in location did not change the fact he was a loser, he never did quite live up to his parents reputations and he never got the girl ... or guy. That was when even his heart stopped wishing for better.
Then one year he found his way back to his heart.
"Mum?"
"Orlando, darling, what are you doing up?"
"I couldn't sleep," making his way over to her, he wrapped an arm around her waist. "I'm not used to the quiet after dorm life." Chuckling, "I think I've become accustomed to falling asleep to the sound of someone retching or ..." He blushed, as open and understanding as his parents were some things he'd really rather not get into.
She shot him a knowing smirk; he avoided her eyes and looked out the bay windows instead asking. "What are you doing up?"
"Haven't really gotten to bed yet, have a deadline for my latest manuscript. I've got almost all of it done and thought I'd come back to finish the rest tomorrow when I spotted the snow."
Orlando remembered, "The first snowfall."
Looking down at her, he saw the hopeful look that had him give in when he was eight, letting out a put-upon sigh, "All right then, go ahead, I'll wish with you."
Giggling like he hadn't heard her do in years, he watched as she closed her eyes and made a wish. He did the same and was not surprised when his vision was filled with pale skin dark eyes and the most beautiful blue eyes. Elijah. He almost said the name out loud, almost, but opening his eyes he looked down to see his mum's were still closed and knew he'd managed to stay his tongue, just as he'd been managing the entire year.
Elijah Wood was the most unexpected joys of his life. He was five feet, six inches of perfection, at least he thought so, and apparently a great deal of their classmates did so as well, considering that the young man was always surrounded by people. Elijah was the type of child his parents should have produced; he was majoring in biochemistry and microbiology and minoring in literature and was wholly comfortable in his own skin. He had never seen anyone more settled with who they were and at such a young age too. He should have hated him, but Elijah was such a pleasant guy who had a smile for everyone and he'd come to Orlando's rescue during his first week at school .... Orlando had friends now, and he's not sure that would have been possible if he'd been humiliated to the extent the jocks had intended during frosh week. So Elijah was his hero and he had no idea Orlando existed. In all seriousness, Elijah made him believe in good people and kindness and love, and happily ever after for people like him that was the reason why he was so enamored.
Sighing he blinked and realized he'd gone off into an Elijah daze with his mum in his arms. Embarrassed he nudged her away and headed to the kitchen.
Eventually they settled down on the sofa with a mug of hot cocoa each and watched the snow fall. His mum's head rested on his shoulder as she dozed off, but he sat up the whole night watching each snowflake fall and wondered if it would be cheating if he wished upon each and every one of them. As the sun rose, Orlando greeted it with a hopeful smile. He'd made a wish when he was eight, remembering the way his parents held each other and how alone he'd felt, not understanding what he'd wanted, but now he knew. His wish had a face and a name, and with that knowledge his heart beat strongly again.
A few more years would go by and though it was sorely tested his heart's resolve did not falter, it did not lose faith.
They'd graduated, and despite his resolve he had never approached Elijah in all their years attending the same university. Instead leaving things to chance and fate, strangely enough, he believed they'd meet again.
Orlando after much deliberation had settled on writing sci-fi novels, an amalgamation of a sort of both his parents. He may not be enriching lives with Nobel Prize winning literature or life saving discoveries, but ... he was comfortable with his achievements and for the first time since he could remember, finally happy in his own skin. His confidence showed. Having grown not only into his identity but into his limbs as well, he was no longer the geeky kid people ignored but looked quite the part of a dashing heartthrob. Women and even men flocked to him now, his thick brown curls that fell around his chiseled face and his sun touched skin were apparently irresistible, according to those who interviewed him, but ... it didn't matter. His heart had already been given, his wish made, it was only a matter of time until it was fulfilled. Not an explanation his friends were willing to take.
"Come on Orli, man! You can not possibly wait your entire life for this bloke who, according to your own words, had no clue of your existence."
Orlando ignored Dom, he was instead waiting for their third companion who had insisted on the venue tonight; Blueberry a club/restaurant that had live performances. Spotting Billy as he waved someone off, he watched as the Scotsman made his way over to them.
"Ordered yet?"
"No, we were waiting for you."
He eyed Billy suspiciously, something was up. The shortest musketeer was entirely too excited about introducing them to a new restaurant, and who was he waving off so spiritedly? Billy spotting his gaze offered him a smile that smacked of self-satisfaction. Alarms were going off in his head. Not knowing what to expect he ended up being jumpy all night until Dom lost what little patience he'd had.
"Fuck, Orli! Do you have ants in your pants? Stop moving about will ya'!"
Grumbling, he slouched in his chair while directing his glare at Billy who had sat with a too pleased smile throughout their meal.
"Ladies and gentlemen we've got a treat for you tonight; a buddy of mine has agreed to play one of his new singles that has been picked up by Sony. Keep an ear out for him folks; he's going to be BIG! Give it up for Elijah Wood!"
Orlando's heart stopped as his eyes zeroed in on the stage. It began beating again as the spotlight fell on familiar dark hair, surrounding pale cheeks and when the head titled up ... those eyes. Blue that haunted his dreams.
Then Elijah opened his mouth and ...
Before he knew what was happening Elijah was finished with his third encore presentation and was making his way off stage. Orlando was going into a panic. What if this was it? What if this was his chance, this was fate lending a hand and he was going to cock it up.
"Bloody hell, is he going to just sit there?!" He vaguely heard Dom over his rapidly pounding heart.
He felt arms on either side of him drag him out of his seat and down the stairs. Before he knew it they were back stage and as they turned a corner Orlando collided into someone, still unsteady on his feet he ended up crashing to the floor taking all those around with him. It was a disarray of arms and legs.
"Dude, all you had to say was that you didn't like the music. No need to resort to violence."
That voice. Oh no! Orlando jumped to his feet, pulling Billy and Dom off the small body that had ended up beneath them.
Offering a hand to Elijah, he smiled apologetically. "So sorry, my friends thought they were helping."
The man was light, with a small tug he was off the floor and nearly stumbling into Orlando's arms. They nearly went toppling to the floor again, would have if not for Billy quickly steadying them.
Elijah shook his head smiling at them. Grabbing his guitar he went to pass them after a quick thank you for the hand up but Orlando stopped him with a hand on his arm.
Blue met brown.
"Yes?"
"You're a musician?"
"I suppose. More like trying to become one."
"What about Sony?"
"One single does not make a career. I love music, but ..." He shrugged his shoulders. It was adorable. How could a grown man look adorable but still be sexy? And really, Orlando should not be having such thoughts while the object of his affections was standing right before him. He needed all his brain cells focused on this conversation. The next words out of his mouth were evidence enough of that.
"You're not perfect." Deep internal sigh, don't panic.
"Well, umm, no." Elijah looked at him strangely.
Blushing, god when was the last time he did that? He let his eyes wander to the perfect nose that scrunched up when Elijah was confused and remembered. It was at their graduation ceremony, when he'd last seen Elijah, Orlando had accidentally bumped into Elijah and the young man in return had randomly hugged him congratulating him on their successful run. Heaving another huge internal sigh, he once again met dazzling blue eyes and offered up an embarrassed smile and told him the truth.
"I'm not sure if you remember but we attended university together-"
"Orlando Bloom, yeah I remember."
He paused in wonder.
"You know who I am?" Stupid question, he just said he did.
"Frosh week was an almost traumatizing event. You wrote for the school paper and I believe I gave you a hug after the graduation ceremonies."
He ... Elijah ... knew him. The knowledge was nearly too much. He was not behaving like the adult he had become.
"Yo! Elijah, you coming?"
The shout from behind them broke the deafening silence he had brought upon them.
"Yup, there in a few secs."
Elijah looked up at him, 'It was nice seeing you again Orlando, I'm glad to know things are going well for you. I wasn't too sure when I first read your stuff but the last one was pretty good. I'll see you around."
He turned around and watched as the smaller man made his way to the back exit.
"What are you waiting for, you git, ask him out!"
He'd never say this out loud but he was real grateful for Dom's bigmouth.
"Elijah!"
He didn't turn around completely, just tilted his head back indicating he'd heard.
"You've read my books?"
"All of them."
When he didn't say anything else and Elijah was just about half way through the door, Orlando called out to him again.
Elijah did not turn this time but his laughter made its way over to him. It was easier asking him like this.
"Go out with me."
Elijah turned abruptly. His shrewd eyes locked on his and they dared him to be more specific.
Swallowing he said, "Have dinner with me. Dance under the night sky if you're willing; spend the night with me when you are ready, and when you've realized what I've always known say yes when I ask you the question."
Then he waited.
*
"Orlando?"
Sleep laden eyes blinked to gaze into familiar blue. Rising just enough to steal a kiss, a short one, he fell back down, making sure to grab to the body before him on the way.
"As pleased as I am with your enthusiasm," pale fingers ran through his hair, allowing his brown curls to wrap around the small digits, as they automatically attempted to smooth out his bed (in this case sofa) hair, "why were you waiting up for me? You've got a book signing early tomorrow, you should be in bed."
"There was a forecast for snow."
An elegant raise of a dark eyebrow was sufficient enough to prompt further explaining.
"When I was little, after a particularly bad incident at my very first school, Mum passed on a tradition. Since I'm not certain we'll ever have kids."
Lush lips that brought him such pleasure opened to protest, "Shh, I'm not ... I'm not pushing for it either way. If it's meant to be it will be. In any event we're not ready for that discussion now."
Consenting for the time being the body above Orlando's settled more comfortably, knowing instinctively where limbs should go for the perfect fit. Like a puzzle, the right pieces clicked together with no effort at all. It just was.
"So, the tradition was passed on to my mum by her mum and her mum before her."
Chuckling, "I was quite indigent when she first conveyed the tradition being passed onto girls but well ... its difficult saying no to my mother sometimes."
"Believe me, I know."
Cupping a pale cheek he whispered, "I think in the absence of children, I'd like to share the tradition with you."
"What was the tradition?" Elijah, whose voice always remained steady and calm off stage, was straining to maintain the countless emotions wishing to break through.
"Making wishes, on snowflakes. In particular, wishing on snowflakes during the very first snowfall of the year."
"Well then, you're in luck. As unbelievable as it is to consider, looks like the forecaster was right."
Slender fingers titled his chin up to see the snow falling behind them. The picture window afforded an amazingly perfect view: just right for a first timer.
"Make a wish, Lijah."
"What about you?"
"I've already had mine come true."
And it was completely absurd that Elijah even had to ask, but Elijah Wood confident in all things was surprisingly never overly so in this, in them. "What was it?"
"I wished for you, Elijah. Every wish was about you."
Really what could Elijah or anyone say to something like that? So instead of answering Elijah turned to look outside their home and down to the city below and with the seriousness such sharing warranted considered ...possibilities. Elijah opened his heart fully to the love this man offered and made a wish of his own. And believed of all the things that Orlando brought into his life, wishes coming true were possible too.
So two hearts beat as one and though the first heart was bruised from the long wait and the second had never even hoped, together they believed and stood strong for now they shared the same wish.
Nearly sixty years from when Orlando's mum made her first wish, the namesake of both her grandmothers, Lillian Helen Bloom would make her first wish gazing out from her new home wrapped in the arms of both her dads.
"What did you wish for, Papa?" Elijah looked into blue eyes much like his own but tilted his head up to stare into warm chocolate ones when answering, "I wished for this. I wished for your Dad," looking at her again he pecked her on the nose, "and you."
***
Recipient:
often_adamanta Author:
bonnyspritePairing: Elijah/Orlando
Rating:
Summary: Wish I may, wish I might, have this wish I wish tonight.
Disclaimer: This is a non-profit, non-commercial work of fiction using the names and likenesses of real individuals. This fictional story is not intended to imply that the events herein actually occurred, or that the attitudes or behaviors described are engaged in or condoned by the real persons whose names are used without permission.
He'd run all the way home in tears from the taunts that had been hurled at him. It wasn't his fault that the letters were jumbled, he just, they were just ...
Breaking down into sobs, he slammed the front door open and didn't stop until he was barricaded in his room.
"Orlando? Orlando, honey what's wrong?!" He could hear the almost frantic concern in his mother's voice, though she was working at keeping it hidden from him. He didn't want to worry her, he didn't like making her sound like that but ...
"Go away!"
It was her fault. Dad had said he could stay home, be home schooled until he was comfortable with his letters and numbers and reading without stumbling, but she had insisted.
"Orlando, please, tell me what's wrong? Are you hurt?" She was nearing tears, he knew. He wasn't very big, only skin and bones his Gran said, so it was pretty much a given that he'd be on the losing end of any fight. But he wasn't stupid, at the first sign of trouble he usually ran, it's not like he had any friends who'd think less of him for his cowardice and he'd long since given up on staying and taking the beatings for the sake of his pride. There was no pride in being a bloodied pulp.
"I'm fine, I just ..." sighing, "I just need to be alone."
"Lando ..."
"Please, Mum." He waited; he did not want her to see him like this. Dad would find out and ... he didn't want to disappoint either of them.
"All right, but I expect an explanation when you manage to make your way down. Understood young man?" That was her don't mess with me voice.
"I will." After a moment he offered, "Thank you."
He listened as she made her way back to the kitchen.
Sighing he lay huddled in the corner, in between his bed and his bookshelf on his beanbag that he'd received as a hose-warming gift from his parents. They'd moved into their new home at the start of the school year and it was only the middle of November but he could hardly wait to move out.
His dad was a university professor and he tended to go where his research took him, which meant they moved around more often than was normal for teachers, he imagined. It had been fun when he was small but now that he was expected to go to school it made things difficult, like adjusting to the fact that he wasn't as bright as he should be considering his gene pool. His mother was a brilliant author and his father was some kind of mad scientist. Well not mad, but a pretty eccentric chemist nonetheless, something was always being blown up in their home.
So people who knew them expected great things from him, but he could barely read out loud without stumbling. It was embarrassing and was what had caused him to run all the way home. Kids could be so cruel. They'd taunted him all through lunch and by the end of the school day had started pelting him with things along with the name calling. He would have preferred being beaten to a pulp.
Sighing he uncurled from his position and moved towards his window, he settled on the bench there and watched as cars drove by. Looking down he spotted his dad's car pulling into the driveway, saw his mother walk toward him, she probably wanted to fill him in on his behaviour. Shaking his head Orlando went to go downstairs before his dad decided to come up, but stilled when he saw that they hadn't moved. Dad had instead pulled mum into a hug, and there they stood for all to see, just holding each other. Though his heart warmed that he was in such a loving family, he felt strangely alone.
That night while his parents chatted he curled up in front of their Christmas tree in the sitting room and let his mind wander. He didn't want to think about school the next day.
"Make a wish, darling."
He felt her arms as they wrapped around him, turning to look up at her he questioned, "Mum?"
Tilting his head to look out the huge bay windows she whispered into his ear. "When I was a little girl my mother used to have us wish on the very first snowfall. It was something her mother had taught her when she was a child, and her mother before then. It's a bit of a tradition in the family."
"Mum, I'm not a child, and I'm most definitely not a girl!"
Giggling, "Well no, you are most definitely not a girl, but you are my child. My only child and it is tradition ..." She trailed off hopefully.
Sighing, the eight year old who felt he was too old to believe in Santa Claus but still wished to believe, gave in. "So umm, how does this work?"
Squeezing him for a moment, she loosened her arms, pecked him on the head and looked out. "I used to try and find the perfect snowflake, I'd sit outside for hours," looking down at him she grinned hugely, "I know, entirely too silly, right? But ..." She shrugged her shoulders unsure how to explain.
He nodded his head, as though he understood and maybe he did because he sat with her for quite some time before settling on one he could be pleased with, it was the only snowflake that settled on the window and blew away after a few seconds instead of instantly melting. He felt the sturdiness of the snowflake was a good sign.
"What did you wish for?" She asked quietly.
"Not telling, it won't come true if I do." In order to avoid her wheedling he turned to look at her again when he asked. "What was your first wish?"
Smiling softly down at him she answered after a peck to the nose, he rubbed at it disagreeably. She was going overboard with the kissing.
Laughing a little she answered. "I wished for this." She used a hand to indicate their surroundings, while using the other one that was still wrapped around him to squeeze him again. "I wished for you and your dad and a home we could be happy in."
"But I'm not happy." He mumbled and regretted it immediately when he saw her smile disappear.
"Is it really that bad?" He hadn't been specific about what had happened, he knew it would have brought his parents wrath upon the children and the school for negligence of some sort and he really did not need that kind of attention, unless they were moving out tomorrow. Then by all means ...
Leaning his head against her chest he looked out into the dark night and lied. "No, I suppose not."
Her chest lifted and dropped as she let out a deep sigh. "Well in that case you might be disappointed to hear that your dad was made an offer from a university in Toronto and we were going to accept it but if you'd rather --"
"No, no!" He popped up and gave her his brightest smiles. "Toronto, really?" he had jumped into her lap and hugged her tight before jumping off in search of his dad, but ended up running into him in the entry way to the sitting room. Apparently he'd been listening in on them.
Orlando wrapped his arms around his dad's waist and squeezed, he had to work hard at not crying from relief. He really didn't like his school.
His father lifted him up, and though he really was too big for such things he let him do so without complaint, and just snuggled in when he was settled in between both his parents. As he began to drift off to sleep to the scene of gently falling snow he thought, it hadn't been the wish he'd made but maybe, just maybe it was the beginning of it all.
And every year from then on Orlando wished alongside his mum and when he grew too old for such things, as young boys often do, his heart wished on for him.
But none of them came true. All through highschool he remained an outcast, apparently a change in location did not change the fact he was a loser, he never did quite live up to his parents reputations and he never got the girl ... or guy. That was when even his heart stopped wishing for better.
Then one year he found his way back to his heart.
"Mum?"
"Orlando, darling, what are you doing up?"
"I couldn't sleep," making his way over to her, he wrapped an arm around her waist. "I'm not used to the quiet after dorm life." Chuckling, "I think I've become accustomed to falling asleep to the sound of someone retching or ..." He blushed, as open and understanding as his parents were some things he'd really rather not get into.
She shot him a knowing smirk; he avoided her eyes and looked out the bay windows instead asking. "What are you doing up?"
"Haven't really gotten to bed yet, have a deadline for my latest manuscript. I've got almost all of it done and thought I'd come back to finish the rest tomorrow when I spotted the snow."
Orlando remembered, "The first snowfall."
Looking down at her, he saw the hopeful look that had him give in when he was eight, letting out a put-upon sigh, "All right then, go ahead, I'll wish with you."
Giggling like he hadn't heard her do in years, he watched as she closed her eyes and made a wish. He did the same and was not surprised when his vision was filled with pale skin dark eyes and the most beautiful blue eyes. Elijah. He almost said the name out loud, almost, but opening his eyes he looked down to see his mum's were still closed and knew he'd managed to stay his tongue, just as he'd been managing the entire year.
Elijah Wood was the most unexpected joys of his life. He was five feet, six inches of perfection, at least he thought so, and apparently a great deal of their classmates did so as well, considering that the young man was always surrounded by people. Elijah was the type of child his parents should have produced; he was majoring in biochemistry and microbiology and minoring in literature and was wholly comfortable in his own skin. He had never seen anyone more settled with who they were and at such a young age too. He should have hated him, but Elijah was such a pleasant guy who had a smile for everyone and he'd come to Orlando's rescue during his first week at school .... Orlando had friends now, and he's not sure that would have been possible if he'd been humiliated to the extent the jocks had intended during frosh week. So Elijah was his hero and he had no idea Orlando existed. In all seriousness, Elijah made him believe in good people and kindness and love, and happily ever after for people like him that was the reason why he was so enamored.
Sighing he blinked and realized he'd gone off into an Elijah daze with his mum in his arms. Embarrassed he nudged her away and headed to the kitchen.
Eventually they settled down on the sofa with a mug of hot cocoa each and watched the snow fall. His mum's head rested on his shoulder as she dozed off, but he sat up the whole night watching each snowflake fall and wondered if it would be cheating if he wished upon each and every one of them. As the sun rose, Orlando greeted it with a hopeful smile. He'd made a wish when he was eight, remembering the way his parents held each other and how alone he'd felt, not understanding what he'd wanted, but now he knew. His wish had a face and a name, and with that knowledge his heart beat strongly again.
A few more years would go by and though it was sorely tested his heart's resolve did not falter, it did not lose faith.
They'd graduated, and despite his resolve he had never approached Elijah in all their years attending the same university. Instead leaving things to chance and fate, strangely enough, he believed they'd meet again.
Orlando after much deliberation had settled on writing sci-fi novels, an amalgamation of a sort of both his parents. He may not be enriching lives with Nobel Prize winning literature or life saving discoveries, but ... he was comfortable with his achievements and for the first time since he could remember, finally happy in his own skin. His confidence showed. Having grown not only into his identity but into his limbs as well, he was no longer the geeky kid people ignored but looked quite the part of a dashing heartthrob. Women and even men flocked to him now, his thick brown curls that fell around his chiseled face and his sun touched skin were apparently irresistible, according to those who interviewed him, but ... it didn't matter. His heart had already been given, his wish made, it was only a matter of time until it was fulfilled. Not an explanation his friends were willing to take.
"Come on Orli, man! You can not possibly wait your entire life for this bloke who, according to your own words, had no clue of your existence."
Orlando ignored Dom, he was instead waiting for their third companion who had insisted on the venue tonight; Blueberry a club/restaurant that had live performances. Spotting Billy as he waved someone off, he watched as the Scotsman made his way over to them.
"Ordered yet?"
"No, we were waiting for you."
He eyed Billy suspiciously, something was up. The shortest musketeer was entirely too excited about introducing them to a new restaurant, and who was he waving off so spiritedly? Billy spotting his gaze offered him a smile that smacked of self-satisfaction. Alarms were going off in his head. Not knowing what to expect he ended up being jumpy all night until Dom lost what little patience he'd had.
"Fuck, Orli! Do you have ants in your pants? Stop moving about will ya'!"
Grumbling, he slouched in his chair while directing his glare at Billy who had sat with a too pleased smile throughout their meal.
"Ladies and gentlemen we've got a treat for you tonight; a buddy of mine has agreed to play one of his new singles that has been picked up by Sony. Keep an ear out for him folks; he's going to be BIG! Give it up for Elijah Wood!"
Orlando's heart stopped as his eyes zeroed in on the stage. It began beating again as the spotlight fell on familiar dark hair, surrounding pale cheeks and when the head titled up ... those eyes. Blue that haunted his dreams.
Then Elijah opened his mouth and ...
Before he knew what was happening Elijah was finished with his third encore presentation and was making his way off stage. Orlando was going into a panic. What if this was it? What if this was his chance, this was fate lending a hand and he was going to cock it up.
"Bloody hell, is he going to just sit there?!" He vaguely heard Dom over his rapidly pounding heart.
He felt arms on either side of him drag him out of his seat and down the stairs. Before he knew it they were back stage and as they turned a corner Orlando collided into someone, still unsteady on his feet he ended up crashing to the floor taking all those around with him. It was a disarray of arms and legs.
"Dude, all you had to say was that you didn't like the music. No need to resort to violence."
That voice. Oh no! Orlando jumped to his feet, pulling Billy and Dom off the small body that had ended up beneath them.
Offering a hand to Elijah, he smiled apologetically. "So sorry, my friends thought they were helping."
The man was light, with a small tug he was off the floor and nearly stumbling into Orlando's arms. They nearly went toppling to the floor again, would have if not for Billy quickly steadying them.
Elijah shook his head smiling at them. Grabbing his guitar he went to pass them after a quick thank you for the hand up but Orlando stopped him with a hand on his arm.
Blue met brown.
"Yes?"
"You're a musician?"
"I suppose. More like trying to become one."
"What about Sony?"
"One single does not make a career. I love music, but ..." He shrugged his shoulders. It was adorable. How could a grown man look adorable but still be sexy? And really, Orlando should not be having such thoughts while the object of his affections was standing right before him. He needed all his brain cells focused on this conversation. The next words out of his mouth were evidence enough of that.
"You're not perfect." Deep internal sigh, don't panic.
"Well, umm, no." Elijah looked at him strangely.
Blushing, god when was the last time he did that? He let his eyes wander to the perfect nose that scrunched up when Elijah was confused and remembered. It was at their graduation ceremony, when he'd last seen Elijah, Orlando had accidentally bumped into Elijah and the young man in return had randomly hugged him congratulating him on their successful run. Heaving another huge internal sigh, he once again met dazzling blue eyes and offered up an embarrassed smile and told him the truth.
"I'm not sure if you remember but we attended university together-"
"Orlando Bloom, yeah I remember."
He paused in wonder.
"You know who I am?" Stupid question, he just said he did.
"Frosh week was an almost traumatizing event. You wrote for the school paper and I believe I gave you a hug after the graduation ceremonies."
He ... Elijah ... knew him. The knowledge was nearly too much. He was not behaving like the adult he had become.
"Yo! Elijah, you coming?"
The shout from behind them broke the deafening silence he had brought upon them.
"Yup, there in a few secs."
Elijah looked up at him, 'It was nice seeing you again Orlando, I'm glad to know things are going well for you. I wasn't too sure when I first read your stuff but the last one was pretty good. I'll see you around."
He turned around and watched as the smaller man made his way to the back exit.
"What are you waiting for, you git, ask him out!"
He'd never say this out loud but he was real grateful for Dom's bigmouth.
"Elijah!"
He didn't turn around completely, just tilted his head back indicating he'd heard.
"You've read my books?"
"All of them."
When he didn't say anything else and Elijah was just about half way through the door, Orlando called out to him again.
Elijah did not turn this time but his laughter made its way over to him. It was easier asking him like this.
"Go out with me."
Elijah turned abruptly. His shrewd eyes locked on his and they dared him to be more specific.
Swallowing he said, "Have dinner with me. Dance under the night sky if you're willing; spend the night with me when you are ready, and when you've realized what I've always known say yes when I ask you the question."
Then he waited.
*
"Orlando?"
Sleep laden eyes blinked to gaze into familiar blue. Rising just enough to steal a kiss, a short one, he fell back down, making sure to grab to the body before him on the way.
"As pleased as I am with your enthusiasm," pale fingers ran through his hair, allowing his brown curls to wrap around the small digits, as they automatically attempted to smooth out his bed (in this case sofa) hair, "why were you waiting up for me? You've got a book signing early tomorrow, you should be in bed."
"There was a forecast for snow."
An elegant raise of a dark eyebrow was sufficient enough to prompt further explaining.
"When I was little, after a particularly bad incident at my very first school, Mum passed on a tradition. Since I'm not certain we'll ever have kids."
Lush lips that brought him such pleasure opened to protest, "Shh, I'm not ... I'm not pushing for it either way. If it's meant to be it will be. In any event we're not ready for that discussion now."
Consenting for the time being the body above Orlando's settled more comfortably, knowing instinctively where limbs should go for the perfect fit. Like a puzzle, the right pieces clicked together with no effort at all. It just was.
"So, the tradition was passed on to my mum by her mum and her mum before her."
Chuckling, "I was quite indigent when she first conveyed the tradition being passed onto girls but well ... its difficult saying no to my mother sometimes."
"Believe me, I know."
Cupping a pale cheek he whispered, "I think in the absence of children, I'd like to share the tradition with you."
"What was the tradition?" Elijah, whose voice always remained steady and calm off stage, was straining to maintain the countless emotions wishing to break through.
"Making wishes, on snowflakes. In particular, wishing on snowflakes during the very first snowfall of the year."
"Well then, you're in luck. As unbelievable as it is to consider, looks like the forecaster was right."
Slender fingers titled his chin up to see the snow falling behind them. The picture window afforded an amazingly perfect view: just right for a first timer.
"Make a wish, Lijah."
"What about you?"
"I've already had mine come true."
And it was completely absurd that Elijah even had to ask, but Elijah Wood confident in all things was surprisingly never overly so in this, in them. "What was it?"
"I wished for you, Elijah. Every wish was about you."
Really what could Elijah or anyone say to something like that? So instead of answering Elijah turned to look outside their home and down to the city below and with the seriousness such sharing warranted considered ...possibilities. Elijah opened his heart fully to the love this man offered and made a wish of his own. And believed of all the things that Orlando brought into his life, wishes coming true were possible too.
So two hearts beat as one and though the first heart was bruised from the long wait and the second had never even hoped, together they believed and stood strong for now they shared the same wish.
Nearly sixty years from when Orlando's mum made her first wish, the namesake of both her grandmothers, Lillian Helen Bloom would make her first wish gazing out from her new home wrapped in the arms of both her dads.
"What did you wish for, Papa?" Elijah looked into blue eyes much like his own but tilted his head up to stare into warm chocolate ones when answering, "I wished for this. I wished for your Dad," looking at her again he pecked her on the nose, "and you."
***
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no subject
Date: 2009-01-01 08:49 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-01-08 02:13 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-02-16 03:11 am (UTC)So this is my huge round-about-way of asking if you wished to still receive the story that I initially intended to present you with? I still have to fill up some parts, since I gave up on it when I realized I wasn't going to hear back from my beta, though I did hold out until the last possible minute, but I should be able to get that done in a few days tops. I'd like to think its the fic more worthy of you, but once again ... I leave the decision in your hands. Its yours if you want it.
Once again, thank you for your kind words.
kik
no subject
Date: 2009-01-02 02:17 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-02-16 03:16 am (UTC)Completely undeserving praise, but I'm oh so pleased that you enjoyed it.
Of all the Orlijah running rampant in my head only two are written in this verse, most of it is completely AU stuff. Pirates and Princes' and doctors and Trekkers ... I kinda think its safer for me to think out of the box, less likely to get things wrong that way, I hope. :)
Once again, thank you so much for your lovely words. They've put a huge arse smile on my face.
Hugs,
kik
no subject
Date: 2009-01-03 12:53 am (UTC)*looks over at 14yo and 10yo* *sniffles*
Elijah made him believe in good people and kindness and love
how holiday-wonderful is this? i feel like putting up a fire in the fireplace and smiling all night. thank you!
no subject
Date: 2009-02-16 03:22 am (UTC)No, no, no, thank YOU!
I'm so glad it gave off the feeling I wanted it to. I thought maybe it wouldn't be well received b/c there wasn't any smut and not a whole lot of them being together, but once I ran out of time and a beta to help deliver what I'd initially intended to produce, a more family centered, fluff piece is what I was more driven towards.
I have a younger brother who is in his second year of uni and though he's growing up, come Christmas, he's that ridiculous little ten year old again who'd cause such havoc. He kinda inspired this, him and snow and old traditions, I guess in that sense it was only fitting that he edited it. :)
Thank you so much for reading this fic exactly as I intended it to come across. I was worried that I'd failed in the delivery. I am so very glad that you enjoyed it.
I wish for many more happy holidays for you and your boys, and regardless of how old they get, I imagine they'll always be mum's little boys. So no sniffles, kay? {HUG}
no subject
Date: 2009-09-04 03:09 pm (UTC)