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[palaceharry.livejournal.com]

(This takes place after Sean has delivered Harry to Orlando's room, who has not arrived home yet.)

 

Harry is sitting in at the table in Orlando’s kitchen, lost in thought when Orlando walks in. Seeing that Harry hasn’t heard him come in, Orlando sneaks up behind Harry and covers his eyes with his hands. "Guess who!"

Harry grins a bit and pretends to think. "Anna."

Orlando pouts, not that Harry can see him. "That’s mean. I am not Anna."

"She is an awful lot like you." Harry muses, remembering their encounter.

"Then who am I?" Orlando says, petulance creeping into his voice

"You're my little one, silly." Harry smiles at the tone in Orlando’s voice.

Orlando grins and removes his hands. "I am too!"

Turning his head around to look at Orlando, Harry smiles a little. "So good to see you." Harry stands up and gives Orlando a huge hug, lifting his feet off the ground. "I missed you." He whispers.

Hugging him back, Orlando giggles. "Missed you more!"

Harry holds on tight to Orlando and doesn't let him go, the pressure of the day overpowering his happiness at seeing Orlando again.

"You're so crazy!" Orlando giggles some more and plants a kiss on Harry's nose. "Love you."

Harry's throat chokes up. He lets Orlando's feet touch the ground again and buries his face in Orlando's shoulder. In a muffled voice, he manages to get it out. "I love you."

Orli frowns and hugs Harry tightly. "I love you too. What's wrong?" He whispers.

Harry struggles to compose himself, not willing to lose it over something to do with Ian-fucking-McKellen. "I left McKellen's today. I'm not going back. He ... broke his promise so..." Harry cuts off. There is just so much to try and explain that he can't figure out in what order he should say it.

"Harry...you...you left McKellen's?" Orlando can't keep the surprise out of his voice.

Harry nods. "Pretty much. Pretty much exactly."

"Whoa...you're...wow. Wow." Is all Orlando can manage.

Harry snorts. "Yeah. One minute I'm running the business while he goes off on the big gay cruise, the next I'm unemployed and homeless standing on Palace's doorstep with Elijah." The bitterness and anger is very obvious in Harry’s voice.

"Homeless? And you brought Elijah?" Orli pushes his hair back with one hand and looks confused. "What...what's going on?"

Harry lets go of Orlando, walks to the couch in the living room and thumps himself down on it. "You know how I said he promised that when he retired I would inherit the business? Token buy out to make it all legal, but still... the word used was inherit?"

"Yeah?" Orli joins Harry on the couch, trying to clear his mind of the emotions he's picking up on.

"Well, unless inherit means getting first option on paying full fair market value..." Harry cuts off_ every time he thinks about how Ian lied to him he feels physically ill. "It got ugly. I couldn't stay. And I couldn't take off and leave Elijah there with him, so I made him sign Elijah's contract over to me, packed my stuff, made Elijah pack his, and left. Didn't even consider where I was going to go until Elijah asked. He's down in general intake right now until I figure out what's next." This is the most Harry has said on the subject so far and for once, getting the words out isn't making him feel much better. He just feels tired and very lost.

Orlando runs both his hands through his hair, and stares angrily at his knees. "Stay with me." he grits out.

Harry isn't really listening yet, he's still too stuck in his head. "I dropped Elijah off and got David to get me a room- all my stuff is down there. Sean wouldn't let me stay there though- came and found me after I posted wanting to talk to him, and dragged me up here. Hope that's okay. I don't want to impose on you." Harry's voice becomes very quiet and unsure towards the end.

"I'm...you're...please, stay with me?" Orlando asks, closing his eyes tightly. "Oh god..." he takes a deep breath.

Harry looks at Orlando, confused. "I'm here, aren't I? Not like I have any other place to go right now. It’s not like I have work or anything anymore." Harry says bitterly.

"No, no. Stay with me. I'm...damn..." Orlando sighs as a tear slips down his cheek. "Harry, move in with me. I'm not asking."

Harry looks at Orlando, sees the tear run down his face. He wipes it away with his thumb. "I_ I don't know... Orlando, why are you crying? What did I do?" His voice is soft.

"You didn't...god...never you. I'm just having....a day. I'm picking up on everything...the slightest thing'll set me off...god..." Orlando scrubbed angrily at his cheeks.

Harry doesn't understand what's going on. "Please don't be cry, please don't be mad. I'm sorry."

"No...no, I'm sorry." Orli manages a smile. "I haven't really had a chance to explain yet, have I?"

Harry shakes his head, his thoughts bouncing all over the place, uncertain of what is going on.

Orlando laughs at himself. "I'm telepathic, right? But I'm not that good. I can't read minds like Christian can, but cos we're related, I pick up on his thoughts easy." Orli sniffed. "I pick up on peoples strong emotions easily."

Harry checks his natural instinct to correct Orlando when he says he isn't good at telepathy, listening to the rest of what he has to say. "Are my emotions doing this to you?"

"Kinda, yeah. But...well someone was angry before, I don't know who. But I have a real problem controlling my emotions when I've got a lot on my mind and...yeah."

Harry feels terrible. It's bad enough he feels this lousy, now Orlando is getting stuck with spillover emotions from him? "I'm so sorry. I'll go- this isn't really fair to you. Like I said, David got me my own room." Harry stands up.

"No!" Orlando jumped up. "Don't. Don't go. Please? I mean...move in with me."

Harry looks at Orlando, suddenly realizing what Orlando has been trying to say. If he wasn't so tired, he might have gotten more upset, but he just can't manage it. "I_ I don't think I can." He whispers.

"W...why?" Orlando stammers, completely confused.

Harry sinks back down onto the couch, head in his hands. "I have nothing to offer you. I don't have a job, I don't have a title. All I own is in a dozen boxes and bags in a room downstairs. And what if you're only asking because I don't have anywhere to live? The big dumb unemployed, homeless retriever_ no, make that ex_retriever- being taken in like some kind of stray." Harry lets the words spill out, not really thinking about them or sure where they're all coming from.

Orlando just stares blankly ahead, clenching his fists. "You're saying...you think I'm doing this out of pity? That...that you're worth nothing to me?" He whispers, trying to convince himself he's wrong.

Harry can no longer stop his tears from spilling over and down his cheeks. "NO! I just- I don't know anything any more. Everything I had is gone- my home, my job, my future. It's all gone, and I don' t know what's next. The only thing I have left that I had when I woke up this morning is you, and now I'm lost." Harry's voice breaks, as he hugs his chest with his arms, the tears falling faster.

Orlando closes his eyes, but the tears still escape. "Harry," he whispers, sitting on the couch next to him. "Please? I...I love you."

Harry looks at Orlando, the tears streaming down his face. "I want to say yes. I do. But I want it to be because I love you and we want to make a home together, not influenced by my being fucked over by Ian-cunting-McKellen. I'm not saying no... but I want it to be for the right reasons... Oh fuck, I'm saying this wrong, I'm so sorry. I love you-" Harry runs out of words and looks down, no longer able to meet Orlando’s eyes.

"Harry, please? Are you...would you like to move in with me?" he asks, and offers Harry a grin. "It's not like you don't already live here anyway."

Harry sees Orlando's grin, but keeps his eyes low. "Can I just stay here for now. Stay here and be here with you and leave all my crap downstairs. Can we start with that and see. I'm just so tired..." Harry fades out, his words trailing off. *Yes, I do, but I'm scared to death. Please don't force this.* Harry thinks to himself, lost for words.

"You can stay as long as you like." Orlando sniffs and rests his forehead on Harry's shoulder. He takes in a long, slow breath and attempts to clear his mind again.

"Thank you." Harry whispers, pulling Orlando in close. "You and Sean are the only things in my life that are constant. I don't know what I'd do without you. I love you so god damned much."

"I'm so scared, Harry." Orlando whispers. "I love you."

"I'm so sorry. I'm scared too. We're gonna be okay, right Orlando? Promise me that? I love you." Harry's voice can hardly be heard.

"We're gonna be perfect." Orli murmurs into his shoulder. "Love you so much."

"Love you."

Comments

Comment

[palace-david.livejournal.com]

Harry sinks back down onto the couch, head in his hands. "I have nothing to offer you. I don't have a job, I don't have a title. All I own is in a dozen boxes and bags in a room downstairs. And what if you're only asking because I don't have anywhere to live? The big dumb unemployed, homeless retriever_ no, make that ex_retriever- being taken in like some kind of stray." Harry lets the words spill out, not really thinking about them or sure where they're all coming from.

Harry and David have a bit too much pride for their own good sometimes don't they?

You two will get through this though. (YOU BETTER) ;)

COMMENT

[palace-miranda.livejournal.com]

Poor boys! Somehow I can understand Harry's reasons to decline though. But let me tell you, old pal: Give Orlando some credit, he loves Harry-Harry, not retriever-Harry. So you better make up your mind soon.

*hugs both*

Comment

[palace-dom.livejournal.com]

I think Harry's reaction is very truthful from a male perspective. Heard this a lot from guy friends on why they won't get serious with a girlfriend. Not enough money, job not big enough or out of work.

And it jabs right at the issue of living off royalty, don't it? I see rocky waters ahead until Harry sorts out his work. Snuggles both.

Comment

[palace-johnny.livejournal.com]

Oh, jeez, hon.... :( I'm sorry, Harry's just not Harry stripped of that in-your-face bravado, and it's breaking my heart. I'm convinced now -- I'm ready to to marching down to McKellan's and kick Ian's butt, although I'll wager I'd have to line up behind Orlando at this point. [snarl]

And much as I want Harry to just let his lover take care of him, at least for a bit, Dom's right; it wouldn't ring true, not for Harry. He has to do most of this himself, even if it makes things more difficult, just because he is who he is. I'm sure something will turn up for him soon. [glances at Sean and taps her foot]

"Kinda, yeah. But...well someone was angry before, I don't know who. But I have a real problem controlling my emotions when I've got a lot on my mind and...yeah."

THANK you!!! [squees and hugs!] That's so cool, I love when people play off my stuff! :D It make it feel like my character is part of the world, like we're all playing together instead of just being a bunch of people sharing a setting, you know? [beam] This is great, you just made my day! [happy hum]

Angie

Re: Comment

[palace-orlando.livejournal.com]

I'm ready to to marching down to McKellan's and kick Ian's butt, although I'll wager I'd have to line up behind Orlando at this point. [snarl]

Oh yeah, get in line. *starts to pack for a hunting trip* Wonder how fast he can run in heels? Stupid ol' drag queens...

That's so cool, I love when people play off my stuff!

That's cool, glad you noticed. I was planning on having something like that happen anyway, and it seemed appropriate here. :D *hugs back*

Adrian

[palace-craig.livejournal.com]

You guys are so wonderful!

I love how sweet Harry can be (much to Jay's horror!). I swear, I just wanna squeeze him till he pops! So true to character, and just like a man. But I can see his point though.

And Orlando. Poor baby! I love how he's so affected by Harry and Johnny. And so loving and sweet. I'm gonna come by and squeeze you too, cause you're both breaking my heart!

Damn, I just wanna just go around squeezing everybody and I've got a wedding to plan!