Posted: January 2004
Title: Obsessed
Author: Ginger
Type: RPS
Characters: Orlando Bloom/Craig Parker
Rating: PG
Warnings: Slash, no sex
Disclaimer: I have never met any of these people. This is a work of FICTION! Not true, never happened, never will happen, and even if it did, we'd never know, would we?
Author's notes: This is my little fic about the actors behind my two favorite elves.
Summary: Craig is obsessed.

~*~*~*~*~*~*

Craig was obsessed. He knew it. Every night for the past month he had driven to Orlando's house, parked a couple houses down the street, and watched. Watched Orlando get home after filming, watched him leave to go out with the hobbits, watched him come home in the dead of night. He'd followed him many times, too, just to see where he went. He didn't really know why he did it, he just couldn't stop himself. He felt closer to Orlando when he was watching or following him, and he wanted desperately to be close to Orlando.

Craig had only seen Orlando on the Lorien set for a few days, filming the scenes where the Fellowship arrived in and then departed from the Golden Wood. They'd never talked. Craig had never gotten up the nerve to approach Orlando. He knew there would be other scenes later, when they filmed the battle of Helm's Deep. But that wouldn't be for another six months, and he wanted, no, needed to be with Orlando in the mean time. So he watched.

This night was no different. Orlando had come home at the usual time, 7, but he apparently wasn't going out, as it was almost 9. Craig sat, drumming his fingers on the dashboard, thinking. Should he knock on the door? Should he call? What would he say? "Oh, Orlando, I was just in the neighborhood and thought I'd drop by?" or "Orlando, I just wanted to hear your voice." Both sounded rather stupid.

He was suddenly startled by the ringing of his cell phone. "Hello?"

"Craig? This is Karl."

"Karl, buddy, how the hell are you?"

"Fine. Uh, we need to talk." There was an odd note in Karl's voice.

"What about?"

"About you stalking Orlando."

Craig nearly dropped the phone. How did Karl know?

"Craig? Are you there?"

"Yeah, I'm here."

"I know you're at Orlando's right now."

"Karl, how..."

"How do I know? Because I'm here and I can see your car. Because I was here yesterday, and I saw your car. Need I go on?"

"No." Craig sighed. His stomach was in his throat now. "Karl?"

"Yeah?"

"Please tell me Orlando isn't where he can hear you." Craig was panicking now.

"No, he can't hear me. I doubt he knows. What do you think you're doing, though, Craig?"

"Karl, can we talk about this later, privately? Please?" Craig knew he sounded desperate. He was.

"Yeah. Go home, ok? I'll call you tomorrow."

"Ok. Bye."

"Bye."

Craig clicked the end button, and started the car. He was shaking so hard that he was sure the car was vibrating, too. He was still shaking when he got home. He dropped his keys several times before he finally made it into the house, and collapsed on the couch.

~*~*~*~*~*~*

Craig was awakened by the doorbell the next morning. He'd paced through the house for hours after getting home, and hadn't been able to fall asleep until sometime around 4. He looked up at the clock on the nightstand. 10:45 it said. Pulling on some sweats, he padded to the front door. It was Karl.

"Just roll out of bed, Sleeping Beauty?"

"Very funny. Coffee?"

"Sure."

Yawning, Craig went to the kitchen, followed by Karl.

"Ok, Craig, start talking." Karl never was one to beat around the bush.

Craig didn't say anything as he put the water and coffee in the pot and turned it on, Karl watching silently. He plopped into a chair and dropped his head onto his arms on the table.

"I'm obsessed. Don't ask me why, I don't know. I can't even bring myself to talk to Orlando. Whenever I saw him on the set, I'd always freeze up. I don't know what it is about him that has me making such a fool of myself. Shit, Karl! I feel like a love-crazed teen ager!"

"Do you want to go out with him, or what?"

Craig looked up, resting his chin on his arms. What did he want? "I don't really know, Karl. I want to be with him, but I'm such a blithering idiot around him, I can't even string a full sentence together."

Karl laughed. "Craig Parker, haughty Haldir, brought to his knees by a kid just out of his teens!"

"It's not funny, Karl!" he snarled as he got up to pour the coffee. "And just what were you doing there last night, anyway?"

"Running lines, ok? Nothing to get upset about. We're filming some of the Rohan scenes next week."

"Oh." Craig sighed. "I didn't even see you, you know? Either night. I hope I haven't been so unobservant that Orlando's seen me, too." Craig put the cups on the table and sat down opposite Karl again. "Karl, I think I'm going nuts."

The silence was deafening for the next few minutes.

"Craig, if it's any consolation, I truly doubt that Orlando has seen you. He would have either walked up to you and started a conversation, or he would have said something to someone. But I'll make you a deal. If you promise that you won't go over there again, I'll try to set the two of you up. OK?"

Craig just stared at his coffee. "Ok."

"Ok. So get dressed and lets go get some lunch."

~*~*~*~*~*~*

Three days had passed since Karl's visit. Three long days. Three even longer nights. Craig had kept his promise, sort of. He hadn't parked at Orlando's, but he hadn't been able to resist driving by the previous afternoon. Karl had called him every night. Craig knew he was keeping tabs on him, making sure he wasn't parked in front of Orlando's house.

Craig was just about to give in to temptation and drive over to Orlando's, when the phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Craig, Karl. Meet me at that Italian restaurant on 10th and Vine in half an hour."

"Uh...ok."

Click. Dial tone. Craig almost laughed. "Perfect timing, Karl."

About twenty minutes later, Craig walked into the restaurant. Looking around, he spotted Karl in a corner booth by the window. Craig stopped dead in his tracks. Orlando was there, too. "Damn, Karl! Why didn't he at least warn me?", he thought as he took a deep breath and forced his feet to move.

"Glad you could join us, mate. Get any speeding tickets on the way over?" Karl grinned.

"Not tonight," he answered, feeling his mouth go dry.

"Nice to see you again, Craig." Orlando smiled. Craig felt his knees ready to give out. That smile was deadly.

"Uh...nice to see you, too, Orlando," he said as he managed to sit without falling.

Craig never remembered how he made it through dinner. He chatted with Karl and stared at Orlando. Everytime Orlando looked up, Craig looked down at the table. Even so, Craig was sure that Orlando knew he was staring at him. Craig's hands shook so bad that everytime he picked up his water glass, he slopped some on the table. Deep breathing didn't even help. After dessert, Karl excused himself, sliding out on Orlando's side of the U-shaped booth. Craig was so nervous, he didn't even hear Orlando speaking.

"Craig? Are you ok?"

Blushing like a teenage girl, Craig muttered, "I'm sorry. I'm fine. What did you say?"

Orlando reached across the table, laying his hand on Craig's. Smiling, he repeated himself, "Why are you so nervous? I promise I don't bite. At least, not on the first date."

Craig looked up into those deep chocolate pools that were Orlando's eyes. "I really don't know."

Orlando squeezed his hand. "I know you've been parking by my house."

Craig's blush turned into the pale white of a ghost. "How did you know?"

Still smiling, Orlando answered, "I saw you."

Craig closed his eyes and felt the earth open up, threatening to swallow him slowly.

"Why didn't you ever talk to me? You know, ring the bell, hi, let's visit?"

Craig was silent. Embarrassed did not even come close to what he was feeling. He was mortified.

"Craig? Look at me."

Opening his eyes, but still staring at the table, he kept silent. Orlando reached across the table, tilting Craig's chin until their eyes met.

"Craig, you sweet idiot. Didn't it ever occur to you that I might be just as interested in you as you are in me?"

Craig couldn't believe he was hearing this. Orlando was actually interested in him? Holy schnikies, Batman!

Orlando slid around to sit next to Craig. Taking Craig's face in both of his hands, Orlando gently kissed him. Long, slow, deliberate, and gentle. Craig was certain that he had died and gone to heaven. When he opened his eyes, Orlando was smiling again.

"Karl seems to have ditched me. Would you mind giving me a lift home?" Orlando's eyes were twinkling.

"My chariot is at your disposal, my dear elf."

*****

THE END

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