WHO: Orpheus Travers and Laura Mulciber
WHERE: Orpheus' pad. London.
WHEN: Friday evening, after the attack on Diagon
WHAT: Orpheus returns from the attack and Laura is eagerly waiting for him, resulting in some...action, & reaction
RATED: R
STATUS: Complete
DATED: July 1978 | here


Orpheus could feel the adreneline still pumping through his veins as he approached his front door step. It had been perfect - in sync, seemingly spontanious and precisely orchestrated. He had to hand it to them, they did a fantastic job on Diagon.

His black hooded robe tucked under his arm as to disuade suspicion he entered and hung it by the door. "I'm home," he told the house, wanting to see if Laura was perhaps around.

Laura was, indeed, in the house. She has been since all day, since she’d woken up to find Orpheus and Klio gone. At first, she had no trouble entertaining herself, and gone through necessary things that needed to be done. But then it wasn’t that simple; Orpheus didn’t show up for lunch or dinner, which she didn’t think was right when he didn’t owl or let her know.

Worry was consuming her, knowing what kind of a job he holds, and she spent a good hour setting in one of the red armchairs in his living room, her leg bouncing and her teeth biting unkindly on her nails.

She jumped up when she’d heard the door open, and quickly made her way toward the entrance, relieved even though she was still frowning.

“Merlin, are you alright?”

Frowning slightly as well, Orpheus put his hands on her lower arms. "I'm fine," he said, drawing them both into the living room from the foyer. "Great in fact. Why wouldn't I be?"

“It’s just that I haven’t heard from you all day and I thought- Oh, I’m just happy you’re fine.” Laura blurted lamely, freeing her arms to throw him around his neck. Pathetic, that’s what she was being, but how could you blame her?

Orpheus pulled Laura closer, taking in a deep breath of her smell. "Thank you for worrying about me," he said kindly, stroking her hair gently. "But I promise," he said, kissing the top of her head softly, "I'm fine."

He stepped away from her and turned in a quick circle. "See, I'm all here. Every inch, every nook and crany of me is here and perfectly fine." That was probably as close to a real tease as Orpheus had come to in awhile and he silently prided himself on it.

Laura grinned, tilting her head to one side to watch him turn, and then let out a soft laugh, holding out her arm to hook a finger through his collar. “That’s good, because I wouldn’t know what to do if certain bits were missing.”

Raising an eyebrow, Orpheus put his arm around her waist and brought her close to him. "And what part would that be?" he asked, kissing her lightly.

“I’ll give you three guesses.” Laura answered with a coy grin, and kissed him again, wrapping her free arm around his waist while she kept the other playing with his colar.

"My lips?" Orpheus asked, kissing her.

“Hmm.” She mumbled against his lips, pushing her tongue out to tease his lower lip lightly. “Maybe.”

Orpheus suppressed a moan when her tongue came in contact with his lips and his fingertips curled into the skin on her waist. He opened his mouth eagerly, touching his own tongue to her lips in return. "My hands?" he mumbled, massaging her hips with his thumbs.

Laura let out a pleased sigh in approval and shivered slightly, opening her mouth further to deepen the kiss. The relief that had washed over her the minute she’d heard him walk through that door was playing its part her, and she was suddenly with the urgent need to kiss him and touch him fervently.

“Maybe.” She mumbled against his mouth again, resting her palm on the small of his back.

With one bit step Orpheus had Laua's back against the side of a nearby bookcase. His hips arched slightly when she put her palm on the small of his back. "There is only one more thing I can think of," he said, his voice cutting in and out between kisses. He let out a little groan from the back of his throat and pressed his body against hers. He was trying not to scare her but she was doing things to him again.

"Merlin, Laura," he said into the side of her neck, his two hands against the bookcase on either side of her head.

She could feel a funny tickling feeling settle in the pit of her stomach when she became pressed between the bookcase and his body, but it wasn’t a bad feeling, no, it was rather exciting.

Laura took in a shaky, hitched breath, and instead of tilting her head to reveal more of her neck to him, she pressed herself forward and against him, moving her lips to suck lightly on his own neck.

"And what's that?" She asked, drawing back only a second before moving in again, leaving a trail of kissed on his colar bone.

Feeling his senses swimming, Orpheus moaned softly. He was getting lost in Laura's presence so close - her smell, her touch, her taste - and pretty soon he wasn't going to be able to handle much more of it.

"I-I-I," he tried to find his voice. Orpheus stepped back from Laura, his face flushed, his heart racing and blood pumping everywhere. "You have to stop," he said, his breathing uneven.

Laura blinked in astonishment; stop? Had she done something wrong? She frowned at him, her back still leaning against the side of the bookcase.

“Why?” She asked out, her frown going deeper even before hearing his answer. “What’s wrong?”

Orpheus took a small step forward, putting his hand on her cheek. "I want you," he said in a strained voice, leaning forward and kissing her. Merlin how she drove him wild. But even if she was his, he couldn't have her. And it was driving him insane.

"If you keep doing that," he continued, his voice unsteady, "I couldn't I won't be able to, I don't think I could take no for an answer," he finally finished weakly.
[21:53] Paloma: She could feel her heart do a little twist at his first words, and his kiss was even better after he’d said it. Her eyes fluttered open when he pulled back, the astonishment back in her expression. That was why he wanted her to stop?

A flood of emotions swept through her as he managed to remind her once again of how good he was, and Laura smiled weakly, biting on her bottom lip.

“What makes you think I’ll give you no as an answer?”

Orpheus was so busy chiding himself for being so weak that he almost didn't catch Laura's question. Wait, what was she saying?

Orpheus stepped forward farther, his body now meeting hers and he felt like every nerve ending in his body sighed with happiness at being close to her again. He kissed her slowly and sweetly before pulling back just enough to look into her eyes. He had to be sure about this one. "What are you saying?"

“I’m saying,” Laura started, her voice a little husky from the intensity of the feelings his kiss has erupted in her, “that I want you.”

She pushed herself up on tip toes to give him another kiss, resting a hand on his hip.

Those were exactly the three words that Orpheus wanted to hear. He kissed her fiercely, letting go of most of his self imposed restraints.

Orpheus wanted to touch every part of her at once. His hands couldn't get enough. They were in her hair and on her face and her neck and her back and waist and leg. Laura was his and he was taking her and she wanted him to.

It was getting harder to breathe by the second, and Laura couldn’t hold it any longer, letting out a serious of soft moans into his mouth as a response to his hands, her back arching slightly against the bookcase.

This was a big step, a very big step, but right now, with her body shivering and tingling like it was, she could only see the positive side to her decision.

Slow down, slow down, Orpheus finally told himself as he regained some control over the desires he had just set loose on Laura. Laura was a virgin and she didn't know what she was getting herself into. The last thing he wanted to do was scare her. However her back arched against the bookcase was difficult to ignore and her soft moans in his mouth were enough to drive any man wild.

Orpheus kissed from her lips over the side of her chin and across her jaw line. He left a trail of soft little kisses down her neck, trying hard to keep himself from biting her, which he very very much wanted to do for one reason or another.

Laura felt the heat rising in her cheeks and her eyes snapped shot to help her focus further on the thrilling sensation that were traveling down her body. She moaned again, craning her neck to give him more access as her hands traveled up his back and ended up in his hair, then slowly, she moved one of her legs between his to get even closer to him.

When her leg pressed in between his, Orpheus' barrage of kisses paused. And then they suddenly changed direction, heading back up. He couldn't take this, he couldn't do it, he was going to loose control, he was going to hurt her and she would hate him.

Then he looked down at her beautiful face, her eyes closed and her head tipped back. Her mouth was slightly open and she looked somewhere between peaceful and quite pleased. Orpheus kissed her lips again, lifting her body up softly against his. "I don't want to do this out here." He wasn't sure to ask if she could walk to follow him or not.

“Always the gentleman.” Laura pointed out playfully, feeling like she was floating on clouds. Her arms wrapped instantly around his neck as he lifted her, and she even let out a short, pleased laugh.

Was it possible to feel any better than this? No, she reckoned, it was impossible to top this feeling, ever.

Orpheus kissed her, pleased she thought he was the gentleman. "Would you ah, would you like me to carry you?" he asked a moment or two later when Laura didn't seem like she was going to let go of him.

Her cheeks heated up again, this time in a mixture of excitement and embarrassment, and she quickly let go of his neck, smiling shyly.
“Sorry.” Laura shrugged, and instead, slipped her hand through his, indicating he should lead the way.

"Don't be sorry," he said hotly into her ear before leading the way up the stairs. "Don't be sorry for anything," he said on the landing, kissing her lightly. "Not anything," he said, outside his door, again kissing her.

He was breaking some kind of record, Laura could feel it along with the rapid pounding of her heart against her chest, and she smiled again as she kissed him, her free hand reaching for the handle to open the door.

This felt nothing but right, and without any sort of hesitation, she walked inside his bedroom, tugging on his hand to follow. 

Orpheus smiled wickedly at Laura before following her into his room. He was quite pleased that Klio had convinced him to buy the silk sheets that now graced his bed.

He bumped her back against one of the poles at the foot of his bed. "Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked between kisses as he pressed her harder into the pole. Oh his feelings for her getting away with him. He needed to be careful.

"I'm very, very sure." Laura whispered against his mouth, snaking her arms to wrap around his neck as he pressed against her. It was glorious, feeling his weight on hers, and she arched her back against the pole to press further against him, surrendering to the shivers than ran continuously through her body.

Orpheus growled softly and shifted her over, gently lying her down on the bed before crawling up beside her. "Oh, Laura," he said heavily, just looking at her lying on his bed. Could he actually do this?

Laura lied down on her back against the bed, though her head was turned to the side so she could look at him. And she did, she gazed dreamily up at him for a few silent moments, before noticing the new scent and the softness of silk on her skin.

"New sheets?" She grinned wickedly at him, running her tongue on her bottom lip.

"Just in case," Orpheus said, smirking a little. God she was beautiful. He leaned in to kiss her, cupping her face softly with one hand, putting his other hand on her hip.

"Mister Travers!" Laura exclaimed in fake surprise, pulling back from the kiss rather quickly. "How could you assume that I would ever agree to anything as inappropriate as this!" She couldn't keep from grinning, though, and she quickly slid her hand between them to start unbuttoning his shirt.

"A man always has to be prepared," Orpheus managed before he had to kiss her again. Her hands on his skin was electrifying. He shrugged off his shirt quickly, pleased his lips didn't have to leave her mouth. He always knew he had liked button down shirts.

Slowly he unbuttoned the top button of her own shirt, kissing her collar bone lightly. After a moment or two he undid the bottom button, tickling her lightly.

When she'd thought about this moment before, Laura had always imagined that she'd feel kind of timid about it, because she'd only been in such an intimate situation just once, and the memory of that one was rather fuzzy and uncertain.

That was way she was surprised to find out that it felt quite natural to be touched and kissed like that, a pleasant sort of surprised. She laughed at the tickle, instinctively drawing in a breath to suck in her stomach, and as she did so, she pushed her shoulders up slightly to allow him to take her shirt off completely.

Orpheus unbuttoned the three next button on the bottom and once there was only the button resting above her breasts, he paused. Orpheus looked at Laura with an odd expression before kissing her softly and finishing the removal of her shirt.

For a second or two he just looked at her face, almost afraid to look at her body. Finally, he looked down at her, blushing slightly but trying not to let it show. She was beautiful. Her skin was creamy and soft and he suddenly wanted it all to himself. Orpheus slowly pulled her closer, his hands touching her skin gently, his eyes watching his hands on her body. Beside her perfect skin, his hands looked dry and calloused.

Laura could feel the small hairs on the back of her neck stand up when she felt his hands on her skin, and she let out a shaky breath, only to draw in another and hold it inside.

"Oh God." She breathed out, resting her hands on his forearms and closing her eyes for a second. The feeling building up in her stomach was reaching new peaks now, thrilling new peaks, and it was impossible to stop her hair from turning deep red.

Pulling back, Orpheus looked at her worriedly. "What's wrong?" he asked, his voice hoarse. "Is everything okay? We don't have to do this if you don't want to," he said, all in one rushed breath. It was getting harder to breath with her stomach touching his the way it was. Her skin was hot, soft and extremely arousing.

"No, no, nothing's wrong." Laura whispered urgently, moving one of her hands to wrap around his neck and pull him back down. "I want this, I want you." She breathed out, her other hand tracing the familiar lines of the mark on his arm, more gently and lovingly than the last time she'd done that.

He loved the way she touched him, Orpheus decided, sucking on the skin beside her shoulder. She was just perfect. Laura Mulciber was perfect and she wanted him and everything in life was perfect.

Carefully, so as not to kick her, Orpheus started taking off his shoes, putting his toes to the heel of the opposite foot and sliding off his shoe. Next came the socks. Orpheus moved to kiss the side of her neck. "Mmm, delicious," he murmured, smiling.

She let out a breathy laugh, reaching up to run her fingers gently through his soft curls. She felt his breath on her neck, but felt unable to breathe
herself. Unable to breathe, to move, to do anything.

In near slow motion, her hand slid down from his arm to rest on the buckle of his trousers, hesitantly, imploringly, and her fingers started working their way to free him out of the tailored fabric, but her eyes kept fixed on his.

Trying to keep his heart from leaping out of his chest and simultaneously tackling Laura to the floor, Orpheus looked up at her and nodded before kissing her sweetly and rubbing her shoulders.

Laura responded with desperate longing that had been bottled in her for some time now as she felt him hard through his trousers, and her hand worked faster while she pushed her shoulders up to cover his mouth with hers.

The buckle was open, a few seconds later and the zipper was pulled down, and with slight hesitation, her hand slipped inside.

Oh there was a god. And whoever he was he was certainly blessing Orpheus right then and there. Her fingers were incredibly soft and incredibly stimulating and incredibly wonderful.

His own hands moved down from her shoulders across her back and down to her own waistband. He would only move on her word. Laura was in control. She had to be, he kept telling himself. He had to make it so she'd want to be with him again. He couldn't hurt her or scare her away.

Orpheus continued to kiss Laura softly but it was becoming increasingly hard to do so and his kisses grew slightly more desperate.

The good manners of a gentleman that Orpheus was sticking to were slowly turning from being sweet to teasing; her body was burning with desire, her throat dry and hungry for his taste, and yet he was taking it slow. Too slow, it seemed.

Laura gave an encouraging moan as she traced her fingers on the length of him, and used her feet to slip her shoes off before rubbing one against his leg.

Orpheus in one quick motion had slipped his hands up the edge of her skirt. His fingers traced the line of her thighs up to the edge of her panties. Ever so slowly and carefully, he began to pull them down. When they were off he unbuttoned the back of her skirt as well. But he wouldn't take that off her. Somehow he felt like he was violating an innocent angel or something with the sexual thoughts he had about the girl in his arms.

He quickly kicked off his trousers and pants and laid there in all his glory, watching her with equal lust and softness in his eyes.

Laura's breath got caught in her lungs when her eyes fell on him, on body, on every inch of his bare skin. Her excitement just doubled from seeing him, and her hand went to touch his muscles, quickly gliding from his chest downward and making her shiver with pleasure.

Foreplay was probably very important to women, but for a girl as inexperienced as Laura, with her body being raided with such intense emotions, patience was running very short. Her hands went to grab on her skirt and pull down quickly, then using her feet to pull it completely off.

She was self conscious, yes. Her cheeks were burning red, yes. But she was very, very excited, almost drowning in her lust. Her hand reached for his hip and she gave a breathy moan, urging him to hurry up.

Orpheus swore to himself that he wouldn't stare at her, but he couldn't help it. She was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen. Maybe some girls had better butts than her, or better legs, or firmer abs, or even nicer breasts, but Laura was perfect in his eyes.

He kissed her hot cheeks gently, his arms snaking across her body in a hug before he moved to unclasp her bra. After taking her arms out of it and leaving it beside her on the bed, Orpheus kissed her mouth once more before beginning the procession of his mouth down her body.

She was nervous about him seeing her naked upclose, about him having a chance to see her flaws that the clothes managed to cover most of the time, and she wished they would've turned off the lights before starting this. Her eyes squeezed shut in embarrassment, but then he kissed her, and and her insides exploded with joy.

Laura's eyes flew open when his kisses trailed all over her body, and her fingers dug deep into his hair as sigh after sigh escaped her lips, mingled with whimpers and moans of pleasure and delight.

"Orpheus..." She breathed out, arching her back against the mattress. 

Okay, she was ready. Was she ready? Oh god, he didn't know but after that moan of his name, Orpheus was sure ready. Kissing the skin below her belly button, Orpheus spoke. "Are you ready to do this?" he asked, his voice mildly distored by everything that was going on.

"Yes." Her voice was weak but eager, and her breaths came out faster and sharper now that they were on the verge of it. In a matter of seconds they were going to... and Laura could die from her excitement. "Merlin, yes."

Orpheus took a deep breath, mentally and physically willing himself not to immediately thrust into her as was his intuitive reaction to her consent. Instead he moved to her mouth and kissed her once or twice, positioning himself srategically above her. "This might be a little painful," he said, caressing the side of her face. She was beautiful. And she was his.

She didn't know why he said it, but she didn't ask anyway. Laura's eyes closed immediately and her legs opened to make his access easier, and for a second, she held her breath, waiting.

Orpheus descended on Laura slowly, carefully watching her face for any signs of pain. God he never wanted to hurt her, that was the last thing he wanted, but he wanted this that much more. He waited for the resistance from her body but it didn't come. He was completely inside her but there had been nothing to stop him.

Orpheus didn't move and continued to stare at Laura, however the sweetness was slowly draining out of his face.

Laura's breathing hitched as he entered her, and her arms wrapped around his neck with her eyes still closed, holding him tightly against her.

His sudden stop gave her the notion that he was giving her time to adjust, and her eyes fluttered open so that she could give him an encouraging nod as she bit on the side of her bottom lip.

It was as if time was slowing down. His whole world was closing in on this moment and Orpheus suddenly seemed detached from his body. He could see himself and Laura on his bed.

"Who?" he asked in a pained, strange voice that wasn't his own.

That wasn't exactly something she was expecting to her, and her smile faltered to allow a confused expression to take over her face.

"What?"

Orpheus wasn't sure if there were tears in his eyes or if he was just sweaty. He slowly pulled away from Laura and regarded her without expression on his face. "Who was it?" he asked again, sorrow in his tone. He took her face in his hands and brought it to his, sitting her up. His eyes searched her face, unable to retain their neutrality.

Realization soon downed on her, and it was obvious from her expression how horrifyingly shocked she was. Why did he need to know? She didn't demand a list of all his old girlfriends... She didn't want to say his name, not here, not now.

"Orpheus..." Laura started softly, frowning at him. He shouldn't be asking her that.

Orpheus took her into his arms, hugging her tightly. "I'll kill him. Laura if he hurt you I'll kill him." He let go of her and looked at her face again. "I won't let anybody hurt you."

She was more taken aback by his hug and subsequent words than his original question. Laura's brow arched in confusion, and she frowned. "Orpheus, what- Orph- nobody hurt me."

Maybe those words stung more than the fact that she had had someone before him. No one had forced himself on her. Laura had loved someone enough to give them herself. Enough to give them something no one else was ever going to get. Orpheus pulled away from her, moving off the bed.

"I'm glad," he said faintly, trying to find his pants and trousers and clothes and everything. She was used goods.

"Orpheus," Laura called after him, her voice weak and desperate. She suddenly felt very naked, and a hand moved out immediately to pull the silk sheets over her as she slid across the bed after him, her frown deeper now. "Where are you going? Orpheus?"

"I'm going out," he said, sliding on his pants and trousers in one motion. He needed a drink. A drink and a way to relieve this problem he was now faced with.

She was damaged goods. She was used like a toothbrush. She was all the names boys called girls who would spread their legs for anything. He searched blindly for his shirt. She was cheap.

Out? Out? Laura scrambled to her feet, wrapping the silky material around her and moving to stand in front of him, to force him to look at her.

"Orpheus, am I your first?" She knew she wasn't, she didn't need to hear his answer. But he needed to remember that, to realize that what he was doing wasn't fair.

"What would Tony think?" Orpheus asked, his voice cold as he buttoned his shirt. How many had there been before him? How many men had she loved? How many?

He couldn't take it anymore. "Don't touch me," he said, not sure if she was going to but afraid what might happen if she did.

Her angry feelings were quickly turning into fearful ones, especially at his last statement. This wasn't fair.. She didn't want him to be mad at her, she didn't want their first time to be like this...

"Orpheus..." Her voice was pleading again, her eyes even more so. "You can't- It was only one time- I don't- Please don't go."

"His little sister, impure, sullied by some dirty hands," Orpheus spat, trying to put on his shoes. He was completely lost in his anger. He didn't know who to hate most: himself, Laura or that fucking bastard whoever he was.

"I don't care what Tony thinks!" Laura burst out, feeling her eyes well up with tears from his words. It felt more like her was stabbing her heart rather than just saying this, looking like he was. What were they about to do, anyway? Tony wouldn't have liked it, even if they were officially dating, it was still sex before marriage.

"Orpheus, please, I love you- you know I do." She reached to place her hands on his cheeks, biting on her lip to stop herself from sobbing pathetically. Where was that other Orpheus who always understood?

There, she had said it, the words he wanted to hear. But it didn't matter anymore. She had told someone else those words. "Bet you told him that too," he said bitterly, but he wouldn't allow himself to cry.

He stepped away from her touch. It burned his skin and reminded him of how much he wanted her.

Laura shook her head violently, her eyes burning with tears now. "I didn't, I haven't said that to anyone- Orpheus, please." Her hands were back on his cheeks again, holding him more firmly now. "I swear, if I had gotten your Valentine's Ball invite first... everything would have been different, you have to believe me."

"Valentine's day?" Orpheus spat. "You spent it with him. You spent it with...Black." Orpheus stated rather than asked. "Get away from me," he said, stepping away from her again. He wouldn't push her because it was wrong to use physical force on a woman but he was sorely tempted.

"Things might have been different," he began, leaving the room. "But you've made your bed." He looked around the room. "My bed perhaps," he shrugged, "and now you've got to lie in it." His voice was hard and cold. "Goodnight, Miss Mulciber."

"No, no Orpheus, please," Laura stumbled after him, keeping the sheet around her as best as she could while reaching to grasp at his shirt with her other hand.

"It was only once, you've done it more than once, right? Please Orpheus, I love you, don't leave... You're all that matters to me now." Her fingers clutched his shirt firmly in a feeble attempt to stop him from leaving. She could let him, if he left then that would be it, and she didn't want it to end.

Orpheus turned around to look at her, his eyes dark and blank. He was receding into the shell he had practiced so hard to obtain as a Death Eater. "Let me go," he said firmly, taking her fingers and slowly opening each one to set his shirt free. "Maybe that would have worked before but I'm through."

Once he was free from her grasp he looked at her sheet clad form, there in his hallway. She was crying, she was pitiful and she had been his. But not now. Now she was Black's girl. That filthy blood-traitor. "Don't make me hurt you," he said, his voice a little less hard. No matter what, he still loved her deep down somewhere and the thought of shoving her across the room or hexing her made his stomach churn. He turned to continue leaving.

But he was already hurting her, his words and cold glances were burning a hole through her heart and she felt her throat clench when he turned to leave again. He was being a hypocrite, he was being unfair and mean, but somehow, Laura knew that if he left now it would be the end. She wouldn't bare staying there, he wouldn't follow her to her parents' house, it would just be over, and the thought was worse that her begging not to leave.

"He had my past, but that's it!" She yelled out after him, her voice firm even though she was still crying. "It's over, it doesn't mean anything. You have my present, and I want you to have my future... Please don't end this, not like this, not right now."

"But it still happened," Orpheus said harshly, standing at the foot of the stairs but not turning to look up at her. However, he could tell by her tone that she was still upset and over emotional.

"You're acting like a child," he said, walking to the door. "Go wash your face and clean up." Some part of him wanted to tell her he'd be home by morning, that he couldn't stand being away from her for that long, but his anger wouldn't let him. Why should he tell her when he'd be back? He didn't need to ask her if he could go out! It was his house, they were his rules.

A nasty chill shook the every bone of her body; that was it, he wasn't going to understand, he was going to really end it. Laura's shoulders slumped down in defeat, and although she'd stopped crying, her face was even paler than before. She felt tired, drained, and upset wasn't even a good enough word to describe how she felt.

It was over.

"I'll... start packing." She said weakly, feeling the word choking her up, and turned around, heading for the guest room.

It was over. What was she supposed to do now?

Orpheus sighed heavily and closed the open door. "Just clean up and go to sleep. It's late. I'll be home in the morning."

Laura didn't turn around when he spoke, as if she was afraid he'll change his mind if he saw her face. She continued toward her room, fully intending on taking a shower, though well aware that she probably won't get any sleep tonight.

Orpheus slammed the front door shut behind him. She was ungrateful. And he should make her go home. He should but he wouldn't. Orpheus couldn't bring himself to make her leave.

He quickly made his way to his favorite bar. Orpheus drank away his sorrows for hours. When he finally was shut off by the bar tender it was quite late. He left the bar and sought out the closest whore house.

When he entered the establishment he was greeted warmly. The smell of cheap perfume invaded all of his senses as Orpheus was lead to his preferred room. However, he sat looking at the woman in front of him for a long time. Finally, he stood and thanked her, put his payment on the table and left.

Orpheus got home around three thirty in the morning. He let himself in quietly and went to Laura's room. When he didn't find her there he thought frantically that maybe she had left. Her things were still there but he couldn't find her!

Orpheus was a bit too tipsy to search for her right then but as he walked down the hall to his room he made up his mind to go after her in the morning. However, as he was taking off his clothes to get into bed, he spotted a dark shape lying on the bed.

Upon closer inspection, he realized it was Laura. His shirt unbuttoned, his shoes and socks off, he walked to the bed and looked down at her. She looked so beautiful asleep. Like she was an angel - but she wasn't his. He leaned down and kissed her cheek, leaving two tears behind on her soft skin.

Orpheus pulled the chair from across the room and set it down beside his bed. He sat down, intending to watch her only for a few minutes, but soon he was fast asleep. In the morning, the only sign that he had been there were his shoes neatly placed beside his bed, his socks folded inside them.