AMileHIgh

*Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. None of this ever happened.

A Mile High

Atti turned his head restlessly on the seat, pressing his ear into the cushion in an attempt to muffle the noise beside him.

"--bloody crazy! I'm not--"

He tried pulling the little square airplane pillow against his face. That succeeded in blocking out half of the noise. But he coudn't sleep holding it up like this. He tucked it against his seat. Now his other ear, the ear that wasn't against the chair, was funneling every sound straight to his tired brain.

"--come on. It'll be quick, Orli!"

"Fucking right it'll be quick. It won't happen at all if I--"

"Someone's trying to sleep," Atti said loudly.

Silence.

There, that seemed to work. Smiling to himself, Atti snuggled deeper into the pillow, letting the hum of the jet engines lull him deeper into--

"--I said no, Lij! You're out of your mind!"

The hissed whisper was no whisper at all. Cranky, Atti jerked the pillow from beneath his cheek and beat Orlando over the back of the head with it.

"Will you shut up and let me take a nap?" Atti snapped irritibly. He flopped back against his seat with a frustrated sigh. Great, now he was awake. "You three bicker like school children. It's ridiculous."

Orlando leaned back into his seat, deliberately turning his shoulder on Elijah and Dominic across the aisle. Orlando looked ticked off. His mouth had thinned and his lashes were lowered slightly in a show of disgust. Atti could always read the signs.

"Lij is acting the corrupted youth again," Orlando complained. For some reason he assumed that Atti cared. "Don't let him bother me, Atti, or I may end up committing a crime over international waters."

Atti sighed, staring up at the attendant button and fighting not to use it to call for help. "Elijah, don't bother Orlando."

Lij's dark head leaned past Orlando's shoulder. "He's being a dick, Atti. Talk some sense into him, will you?" He poked Orlando in the back, goading the other man to turn around. "Just 'cause you're not getting any lately, doesn't mean the rest of us have to suffer with you. Not all of us look good in blue."

Look good in blue? Atti rubbed a hand over his face. "What in the world are you talking about?

"Celibate," Lij enunciated. "As in blue balls."

*That* made Atti turn his head. "Celibate?" he repeated, finding perverse thrill in the red hue that stained Orlando's cheeks.

"Drop it."

"Don't tell me you've been living it up in Los Angeles with only your right hand as company, OB?"

Orlando colored further. "Oh, sod off," he grumbled, yanking the in-flight magazine from the pocket in front of him and pretending to be engrossed in it.

"It's true," Lij continued, gleefully. "Orli's doing some sort of penance."

Both of Atti's eyebrows shot up into his hairline. "Penance? What on earth for?"

"Just shut up, Lij!" Orlando sank further into his magazine. There had been genuine emotion behind his words. Atti sat back, studying his friend's profile.

"What's up, mate?" he asked quietly.

Orlando wouldn't look at him. "Forget it. Lij's being an arse as usual. Ignore him."

Atti was wide awake now. There was no chance of trying to get to sleep with *this* interesting little tidbit in his mind. Orlando celibate? With all the women throwing themselves at him? He'd been friends with Orlando long enough to know that Orlando loved sex with a capital "L". This made no sense.

"What's the point of being your best friend if there aren't any perks to it?" Atti said casually.

Orlando raised his head. "What do you mean?"

"You're not supposed to keep secrets from *me*, you know."

Atti could see, however, that this was one secret Orlando wasn't about to share with anyone, best mate or no. His brows had drawn together over his eyes and he'd buried his nose in the magazine again.

"It's nothing, Atti. Just forget it."

Atti rolled his eyes. Orlando was rarely stubborn with him, but when he was, he was as stiff as, well, probably as stiff as Orlando was most nights, apparently. Atti stifled a laugh. Orlando tensed beside him, guessing, correctly, that Atti was laughing at him.

Atti decided to lighten up on him by changing the subject. "So what did Lij want from you that disturbed my beauty sleep?"

Orlando dropped the magazine into his lap and let his head fall back. "Lij and Dommie want to join the Mile High Club."

Atti waited. "So?"

Orlando's eyes were huge. "So? Elijah's a recognizable star. He can't just pop into a stall with Dominic and think no one will notice. It'll be all over the newspapers as soon as we land."

"So provide a distraction," Atti said simply. He didn't see what the big deal was.

Orlando angrily stuffed the magazine back into the seat pocket. "I *knew* I shouldn't have agreed to fly back with you guys."

Atti caught his friend's arm. He was surprised when Orlando tensed beneath his hand. "Listen to what you're saying, OB. You do balls-out things all the time. Don't begrudge Lij a little fun just because you don't get to participate this time."

Orlando pulled his arm free, trying to be nonchalant about it. "I don't want to participate, even if I could," he muttered, almost petulantly.

"Sure, OB. Sure. Just help out your friend, would you? Poor Lij looks ready to bounce off the ceiling."

Atti lifted himself slightly, peering over the seat backs. They'd booked first-class on a red-eye to Heathrow. There were only three other passengers in the forward cabin: two businessmen bent in conversation over their laptops in the last row, and a man sleeping against the window in the row directly in front of Lij and Dominic. He dropped back down. "Here's the plan: escort Lij to one of the toilets. Let him sit in there a moment, then flag down the flight attendant. Tell her he's sick and needs Dominic's assistance."

"Why tell her?" Orlando asked, trying visibly not to scowl.

"So she'll know why Dom's in there and won't get suspicious. Once Dom's inside, you stand guard outside the door."

Orlando glared at him as Atti crossed his arms over his chest, satisfied with his plan. Atti closed his eyes, listening for the moment when Orlando gave in.

"I'll have you know I'm not doing this for *them*," Orlando groused.

Bingo. A second later, Atti heard his friend engaged in whispered conversation with Lij and Dominic. A hand briefly slapped Atti's arm.

"Thanks, man! You're the best."

Atti cracked an eye open, watching with a smile as a very reluctant Orlando followed Elijah to the restrooms. Poor OB. As much as he protested, Orlando had a very hard time saying no to anyone. Especially to Atti. It was part of what Atti loved about him, that loyalty. That, and Orlando's honest acceptance of Atti. Such open-mindedness was important to Atti. He didn't believe in denial or hypocrisy. What you saw is what you got and if you couldn't handle it, that was your problem.

Which made Orlando's secrecy somewhat bothersome. Orlando should have realized that Atti, of all people, wouldn't judge him. Atti was as open and free with himself as he could possibly be. To a lesser extent, he expected the same of his friends. Especially OB.

"Especially him," Atti whispered to himself, letting his eyes linger on Orlando's animated face as he explained Lij's "illness" to the flight attendant. She didn't stand a chance, of course. No one did when faced with beaming, charming Orlando. Atti was surprised he hadn't already pledged his soul to Orlando. Because he would--Atti realized--if Orlando asked.

Atti felt a little sadness sweep over him. He struggled to brush it off. Being Orlando's friend was both the best thing that had ever happened to Atti, and the worst. It meant he was able to share more time with Orlando than anyone else on the planet. The flip side was that Atti was also forced to deal with his attraction for his friend as if it didn't exist. Friendship would always come first. Never mind that a part of Atti believed Orlando would actually be receptive to his advances. He couldn't afford losing their friendship to try.

Dominic was up now, following the attendant to the door where Orlando stood. Atti tried not to smile as Dominic squeezed into the tiny room and shut the door, all with the attendant's blessing. Point one for actors, Atti thought, amused.

He let his head roll on the seat, watching Orlando.

"Du bist so schoen," he said beneath his breath. *You're so beautiful*

How could Atti be blamed for falling for those puppy dog eyes and wide, friendly smile? Orlando was adorable. Atti had always thought so. He'd said it more than once to whomever would listen. Pity it was never Orlando he could say it to. Or more accurately, too bad he could never say it and it not be taken as a joke. Big difference.

Atti began to smile as he watched the shifting emotions on his friend's face. Orlando was leaning with his back against the restroom door. By the look on his face, he could hear everything that was going on inside. A flush had crept over his cheeks. He was looking less and less irritated and more...aroused? Atti sat a little straighter, watching Orlando more closely.

Surrounded by the friends he had, Orlando was the farthest thing from a homophobe. Orlando had never minded when Ian and Nick were affectionate with each other in front of him. He and Atti had been somewhat intimate with each other on film sets and not batted an eyelash. So this sudden wash of color wasn't from embarrassment at what Lij and Dom were doing. What then, was it from?

Like a speed-reader whipping through a book of memories, Atti mentally scanned through his every interaction with Orlando, looking for clues. He and Orlando did a lot of joking--a lot of it sexual--and a lot of touching--a lot of *it* sexual. Atti worried at his thumb. Whenever he touched Orlando, be it accidentally or not, he was consumed by how it affected *him*. Everything around him faded into the background, his awareness focused on that single point of contact. He realized belatedly that he'd never paused to see how Orlando had reacted to the innocent and not-so-innocent touches. Had he liked them? Orlando had never shied away before.

But he had just a moment ago. What had changed?

Atti intended to find out. The flight attendant was nowhere in sight, probably in the galley, preparing beverage service. Atti left his seat and walked to the restrooms. Orlando watched him approach with something like alarm.

"What are you doing? You'll draw attention."

Atti shrugged to show he didn't care. He leaned against the restroom door opposite Orlando and studied his friend. Dilated pupils, pinkened cheeks, the faintest sheen of moisture beneath that appealing mop of curls...Atti smiled.

"You look a bit flustered, mate."

Orlando's mouth tightened and his lashes lowered. "You try standing here and listening to them go at it. Thank God I haven't eaten anything yet."

"Why? What do you hear?"

This time the tips of Orlando's ears turned red. "What do you think I hear? Dominic moans louder than a street whore and someone keeps kicking the door as if they're--Never mind."

Atti's first bungee jump had been arm in arm with Orlando. Atti thought it fitting that his next potentially fatal dive would be with his best friend yet again. He stepped closer to Orlando until the fabric of their shirts brushed together.

"Does it turn you on?" he asked in a low voice.

Those magnetic brown eyes widened. "What?"

"Because you looked turned-on," Atti continued, hoping the pounding of his heart wasn't loud enough for Orlando to hear. "You look like you wish you were in there with them, moaning like Dominic."

A wild fluttering of dark lashes. Atti's heart soared at the sight, because now he *knew*. Orlando put his hands on Atti's chest, pushing slightly.

"If this is about--if this is about opening night," Orlando began distractedly, "it was a mistake. I apologize. I wasn't trying to make fun of you."

Atti's mental memory book flipped open to that night. The opening of Atti's play when Orlando had kissed him in front of everyone and laughingly declared that Atti was his man. Atti had been too stunned by the public display to react to it. Surrounded by fans and the media, he hadn't had the chance to, anyway. So he'd filed the incident away, to be pulled out and savored on lonely nights.

Atti had been so fascinated by the stunt, that he hadn't noticed its after-effects. Namely, Orlando's oh-so-subtle distancing of himself. No more teasing touches, no more innuendo-infused comments. Penance, Elijah had said. Was Orlando punishing himself for giving in to his urges? It was too much to hope for.

Or was it?

"What makes you think that kiss upset me?" Atti asked, leaning forward just a little bit more, pushing himself into Orlando's hands.

Orlando blinked, the eyes behind the lashes completely black now. "You never said anything about it. I assumed you were angry with me. Maybe you thought I was making fun of you in front of all those people. I wasn't, Atti."

"I never thought you were," Atti replied. "Is that, by any chance, the reason behind your unexplained celibacy?"

Orlando backed up, but didn't get far with the door behind him. "I told you to forget about that, Atti. It's none of your business."

Atti sighed. Stubborn Orlando. Twice in one day. He'd have to see about that. He cast a quick glance toward the first-class cabin. The three occupants were still oblivious to what Atti and Orlando were doing.

"Come on," he said, taking hold of Orlando's wrist. Atti half-turned and opened the other restroom door, propping it open with his foot. "In here. Quick."

Orlando's mouth fell open as Atti pushed him inside the narrow restroom. "Wait!" he cried out as Atti joined him in the cramped stall and locked the door behind them.

"What are you doing?" Orlando protested, trying to move, but finding himself trapped between his friend's body and the metal sink. "Are you mad? The stewardess will figure out what's going on when she finds our seats empty. Let us out."

Atti tried to turn as Orlando attempted to wiggle past him. Atti got elbowed in the stomach for his efforts. "Ow! Dammnit, OB. Hold still, this isn't big enough for the two of us."

"No shit!" Orlando said. He started laughing. Atti took advantage of the moment to grab Orlando about the hips and lift him onto the edge of the sink. Orlando clutched at the metal as Atti moved between his open legs. "Atti," he said, his laughter fading. "What are you doing?"

Atti said nothing and ran his palms up the inside of Orlando's jean-covered thighs. Orlando jerked and tried to move away, but there was no room to maneuver. His hands caught Atti's. "Don't play with me," he said. "This isn't funny."

Atti pulled Orlando's hands from him and guided them to the sink's edge again. "The last thing I want you to do is laugh," he replied quietly. He leaned forward, following Orlando as the other man leaned backwards. "I'd rather hear you moan."

Orlando shut his eyes, a tremor visibly racing through him. Atti's groin surged at the sight. He'd wanted Orlando for so long and never imagined it coming to this. It was almost too much to take. He was painfully hard. His hands shook slightly where they rested against Orlando's thighs. Unable to resist the pale length of throat before him, Atti bent his head and licked across Orlando's adam's apple.

"Oh, my God," Orlando breathed. His head fell back against the mirror, unconsciously offering himself.

Atti sucked on the edge of a collarbone, his blood literally roaring through his veins. "Did you like listening to Elijah and Dom?" he asked in a passion-roughened voice. "Did you imagine what they were doing in there?"

"Yes," Orlando sighed. He swallowed convulsively as Atti licked his throat again.

"Did you wish you it was you being fucked against a sink, OB?" Atti had never talked dirty to his friend before, but damn, it felt good.

Orlando apparently thought so, too. He made a slight whimpering sound, his knees constricting around Atti's legs. "Don't say that!" he whispered.

Atti took a nipping bite, raising a small pink circle on the pale skin. "Why? Because it's true?" He felt positively wicked, but couldn't stop himself when Orlando was responding this way. "Afraid to admit you want a good shagging in an airplane?" He traced the shell of Orlando's ear with the point of his tongue. "Just tell me this, Orlando: Did it make you hard?"

Brown eyes dragged open with pained effort. "Why don't you find out for yourself?"

Atti laughed inwardly. Ah, the Orlando he loved. Hungrily accepting the challenge, he slid one hand up Orlando's leg to cup the bulge in the denim. Orlando moaned as Atti began to stroke him through the fabric, his breath coming out in soft pants against Atti's cheek.

"Does that feel good?" Atti asked, knowing the answer, but wanting to hear Orlando say it.

"Oh, God, yes," Orlando gasped. "You have no idea how long it's been since someone's touched me this way."

Atti kissed his ear. "Tell me what the penance is for."

Orlando's hands left the sink to settle on Atti's hips. "For the kiss," he answered raggedly. "After that night, all I could think of was you. How badly I wanted to do more than just kiss you." He laughed hoarsely. "It sort of ruined my other relationships, so I gave them up entirely. If I couldn't have you, I didn't want anyone."

"Poor Orlando," Atti teased. "You must be aching right about now. So hard and stiff with no one to touch you..." He punctuated his words by pressing a little harder with his palm.

Orlando arched and bit back a moan. His entire body was trembling against Atti's as though he were on the verge of explosion. Desperate hands clutched at Atti's buttocks, pulling him tighter into the V of Orlando's legs.

"I never knew you had such a dirty mouth," Orlando panted. "You're driving me mad."

Atti never knew it, either. "I think you bring it out in me, OB. I turn into a sex-crazed maniac where you're concerned."

The brown eyes cleared momentarily. "You should have told me."

Atti gave a rueful smile. "Some things aren't worth risking. If I lost you as a friend, I'd end up in some gutter in the slums of Berlin."

"You won't lose me," Orlando told him firmly. He was being the loyal friend Atti cherished. "No matter what happens, you won't lose me."

Atti pressed himself against Orlando. "Good, because I don't think I could stop myself right now if I tried." Which wasn't entirely true. Where Orlando was concerned, Atti would throw himself in front of a bus if it would make his friend happy. Fortunately, Orlando needed something far more pleasant to satisfy him.

Fingers scrabbled at the buttons of Atti's fly. "Hurry," Orlando urged, thrusting himself against the hand at his groin. "We don't have much time."

Atti was normally a very patient lover. He could pleasure a partner for hours. Now, however, was not the time. He told himself he'd make it up to Orlando once they got off the plane. Later...

"Scheisse," he muttered. The promise of future encounters made Atti tear hastily at his jeans. He jerked the last button free and shoved his boxers down. Orlando's eyes turned impossibly darker.

"Hurry!" he urged again.

Orlando's desperation fueled Atti's. Impatiently, he unzipped Orlando. As Orlando held himself above the sink, Atti yanked his friend's jeans to mid-thigh. They didn't have the time or room for anything more.

Atti slicked his fingers with soap from the dispenser, his eyes traveling greedily over Orlando's bared body. He wanted to lick every inch of skin he saw. He wanted to squeeze and knead that luscious bare flesh, wanted to bite it and kiss the tiny hurts--Why did they have to be on an airplane, of all places? Atti was about to burst with frustrated desire.

He stroked himself, watching as his fingers slid into the rosy puckered entrance to Orlando's body. Orlando shuddered and twisted around Atti's fingers, knuckles turning white where they gripped the sink for support. Orlando wasn't nearly loose enough, but Atti didn't have time for all the foreplay he wanted to give his friend. He moved forward and carefully pressed himself to the quivering opening.

"I'll make this better next time," he promised. He covered Orlando's lips with his own and with a snap of his hips, pushed his aching flesh inside. Orlando made a soft noise, muffled against Atti's mouth. Atti slid his erection in as slow as possible, angling himself to strike his friend's prostate. When he hit it, Orlando cried out. Atti used the moment to slip his tongue between the parted lips. Orlando sucked desperately at the tongue in his mouth as Atti began to piston into him.

The jeans still wrapped around Orlando's thighs prevented him from gripping Atti and he made a sound of frustration. Atti drank it in, loving Orlando's responses. He moved his hips faster, loving the tight clenching heat of Orlando, feeling it in every nerve of his body. He pushed a hand between their bodies and grasped Orlando's straining erection. He began to stroke it in time with his thrusts, until Orlando was so loud that Atti had no choice but to keep kissing him or else the entire plane would hear him.

Faster and faster he thrust, Orlando's back vibrating the mirror with each push. Atti felt the flesh in his hand stiffen suddenly. He tightened his fingers and stroked swiftly. Orlando cried out, Atti trying to muffle the sound as best he could. A pulse, then warmth over the back of his hand. The sensation of Orlando's release, caused by *him*, was the last straw for Atti. He pushed forward one final time, driving himself as deeply into Orlando as he could and spilled himself into the willing body. This time it was Orlando's turn to swallow the sounds of release. When Atti finally pulled away, his friend's lips were swollen and bruised-looking.

"We need to land *right now*," Atti complained grimly, his eyes glued to Orlando's highly suggestive mouth.

Orlando laughed, brushing Atti's bangs from his eyes. "A few more hours, that's all."

They both jumped guiltily as the door rattled. "Hey, Orli!" Dominic called through the door, "you still sick in there? Need any Dramamine or anything?"

Orlando looked like he was trying not to laugh. "Do you think the flight attendant will buy it this time?"

Atti shook his head, grinning. "Not a chance."

They dressed quickly, bumping and bruising each other in the confined space. Before Atti opened the door, Orlando pulled him back for a searing kiss. Atti was breathless.

"Lover," Orlando whispered.

Atti's throat closed. He held Orlando's hand as he opened the door. Elijah and Dominic stood outside with matching grins on their faces.

"Welcome to the club, guys."

The End.

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