Forever His

TITLE: Forever His ~ Breaking Point (12/13)
RATING: R for some language


Breaking Point


By mid-morning the next day, everyone on set seemed to be at least mildly aware of what Josh had done for Elijah. Most of them had been told by Elijah himself, keen as he was to highlight how wonderful his boyfriend was.

Now, Elijah was hiding behind a trailer to smoke, joined only by Josh and Clea. He couldn’t help but smile. “This is just like old times.”

“I know.” Josh softly kissed Elijah before continuing, “I didn’t realise how much I’ve missed it until now.”

Clea nodded in agreement. “I mean, even on the occasions I’ve been out here it hasn’t been the same.”

“Then we should make the most of it,” Elijah replied. “To be honest, it’s nice not being the only one smoking.”

“Trust you to end up on a smoker-free production,” Josh teased. “No wonder you need the memory for company.”

“Well to be fair to them, Sean and Billy have been trying their best. It’s just not the same if you’re smoking and they’re not.”

As Elijah said this, Clea looked up to spot Orlando approaching. “Hate to do this, guys, but I have a feeling this is my cue to leave.”

The two men followed her gaze and instantly tensed. Josh wrapped his arm tightly around Elijah, both protective and possessive. Elijah sighed. “I guess you’re right, Clea. Though we have no problem with you staying.”

“He will,” Clea replied. “Plus, I’d be too tempted to interfere. I’ll be around if you need me afterwards.”

She walked off, purposefully ignoring Orlando as she walked past him. The Brit turned his head to watch her walk away before turning back and approaching the others. “Have I done something I should know about?”

“Not directly to her,” Josh replied, a slightly testy edge to his voice. “It’s just that she actually cares what happens to her friends.”

Orlando nodded, taking the veiled insult. He turned to Elijah. “I’ve heard the stories about last night. Would it have killed you to tell me?”

Elijah, reassured in the presence of his boyfriend, made the Brit meet his eye. “Give me one good reason why I should have told you.”

Orlando bristled a little at this. “Well, given my involvement with Josh, however brief…”

“Did you not think that was exactly why he didn’t tell you?” Josh demanded. “The last time he told you anything about me, you ended up trying to shag me.”

“I don’t remember you putting up much of a fight.” Orlando had reverted to his usual defence mode – attack.

“Would there have been much point?” Josh returned. “As far as I’m aware, there’s only been one person to tell you to fuck off before things went too far. And when he did, you set out to hurt him as much as possible.”

The older American hugged his boyfriend slightly closer to him, a silent signal that he was prepared to defend Elijah to the last. Elijah allowed his head to rest on Josh’s shoulder, glad that he didn’t have to stand up and fight alone.

Orlando shook his head. “You still want to pin this on me, don’t you? Must be so much easier than trying to work out whatever’s wrong between the two of you.”

“The only thing ‘wrong’ between us was the fact that we missed each other, and maybe we should have trusted each other more. I should have trusted Elijah more.” The mildest trace of regret crept into Josh’s voice.

“We know we had our parts to play in this,” Elijah joined in. “We’re not the ones trying to deny that we were involved.”

Orlando shrugged. “Who said I was doing that? I’m not denying that Josh and I had sex – I wouldn’t want to, not with his talent. I just don’t like the fact that you want this to be all my fault.”

“Because it is.” The anger in Josh’s voice had risen at Orlando’s words. “You were the one who went all out to win me over, and not only did you know I had a boyfriend, you actually knew who my boyfriend was. And still you set out to seduce me.”

“Key word: seduce. I didn’t force you.” Orlando couldn’t resist adding the next bit. “In fact I believe it ended up as you begging me.”

“Why are you doing this?” Elijah bit out. “Do you want me to keep on hating you? Because so far, that’s not becoming a problem.”

Orlando shrugged. “Hate me if you want; I’m just trying to be honest.”

“There’s such a thing as too honest,” Josh returned. “And you stepped over that line as soon as you brought our betrayal into the conversation.”

Orlando smirked as he stepped within touching distance of Josh. “Alright then. Tell me that you’re not thinking about what I could be doing to you right now.”

Josh swallowed, forcing his gaze away from the Brit. “Don’t do this.”

Elijah moved to step between his boyfriend and Orlando, taking over the defensive role. “Why don’t you just face up to it, Orli? Josh and I are staying together, and we’re going to work through this. You won’t get to him again.”

“Keep telling yourself that, Elijah. Keep telling yourself that you can give him everything I did.”

“Fuck you, Orlando,” Josh spat. “You’re the delusional one for thinking that you ever came anywhere near Elijah in any area.”

Orlando blinked at this, stunned at the direct attack. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I never really wanted you.” Josh moved so that he was facing off with Orlando. “You accused Elijah of using you as a stand-in; well what the fuck did you think I was doing? You know full well that you never meant anything to me.”

Orlando raised an eyebrow. “That’s brave of you, admitting to your boyfriend that, if necessary, you’ll sleep with the first available substitute.”

“That wasn’t what he meant,” Elijah retorted. “Maybe he just didn’t want to put up with the petulahildhild you become whenever you don’t get your own way.”

“You’re hardly one to talk about behaving like a child,” Orlando sneered. Putting on a mockingly helpless tone, he added, “Pity me for being pathetic.” He shook his head. “Face it, Elijah; you don’t exactly cope well with the harsher realities of life.”

Josh snapped at this. Pushing Orlando away, he snarled, “Why don’t you shut the fuck up, Orlando?”

Orlando raised an eyebrow. “Getting physical, are we, Josh?”

“I’d listen to him before he does more than shove you.” Clea had returned with Dom, Billy and Viggo. “I’ve seen Josh’s temper, and you don’t want to be on the receiving end of it.”

Elijah had his hand on Josh’s arm, trying to hold his boyfriend back. Josh turned to regard him, instantly spotting the tears in his lover’s eyes. “Sorry, Lij.”

Viggo shook his head. “I thought you’d learnt, Orlando. You said yourself that Elijah’s been lenient with you – why are you so keen to throw this opportunity away?”

Orlando bit his lip, refusing to answer. Clea glared at him as she went to Elijah’s other side. “Whatever your problem is, deal with it, okay? Stop taking it out on Lij. Unless you want me to carry out what I threatened?”

“Join the queue.” Josh still looked as though he wanted to kill Orlando. “No-one upsets my boyfriend and gets away with it.”

“Except for you, of course.” Orlando glared at the American. “You’re as guilty in this as I am, and you know it. And until the rest of you are prepared to accept this, I don’t want anything to do with you any more than is necessary for the film.”

Elijah bit his lip as he watched Orlando walk off. “Why does he hate me so much?”

“I don’t think it’s you he hates,” Viggo mused. “I’ll see you all later.”

As he left, Dom and Billy moved to the group. The Scot looked closely at Elijah. “Do you want us to tell Peter to give you the rest of the day off?”

Elijah shook his head. “I…I’ll be alright. I just…” He trailed off, glancing at Clea.

Clea smiled a little. “You didn’t think I’d leave you both to fend for yourselves, did you?”

“I’ll tell you one thing; you couldn’t have timed it much better. Any longer and he wouldn’t still be breathing.” Josh glanced down at Elijah. “Not after what he was saying to you.”

Elijah gazed up at his boyfriend. “I tried…”

“I know you did.” Josh gently stroked Elijah’s cheek. “Don’t let him get to you.”

Dom hesitantly spoke up. “If you’re going to keep filming today, Lij, we should get back.”

Elijah nodded. “You’re right.” He turned to kiss Josh. “I’ll see you later.”

Dom and Billy moved to flank the American as soon as he moved, each wrapping a supportive arm around him. Josh turned to Clea. “I’m glad those two are so protective of him. Even if I didn’t want to see it before…”

Clea nodded. “They are good for him. Anyway, come on. You need to calm down, for Elijah’s sake if not for your own.”

Josh allowed Clea to lead him away. “You’re right. Thanks, Clea.”

Clea smiled reassuringly. “You’re welcome.”


~EW~*~JH~


As Viggo approached the trailer, he could hear various bangs and crashes. Hurrying to get inside, he saw Orlando throwing anything he could get his hands on across the room. As the Brit looked up, he spotted Viggo and couldn’t help but break down.

Viggo moved to catch the younger man as he collapsed. “Orli?”

Orlando tried to struggle free. “I don’t need your pity, Viggo. I don’t deserve your pity.”

“I knew it.” Viggo led Orlando to the only upright chair in the trailer. “You’re not doing this to hurt Elijah, are you?”

Orlando shook his head, refusing to meet the other man’s eye. “I’m a bastard, Viggo. I’m a stupid, selfish bastard. I don’t even know why you’re having anything to do with me. “Be “Because I don’t want you to destroy yourself. None of us do.” Viggo lifted Orlando’s head. “Elijah would have forgiven you in time.”

“That’s the whole problem,” Orlando bit out. “I don’t deserve to be forgiven. After all I’ve done, I should be made to suffer.”

The younger man dissolved into a fresh wave of tears. Viggo pulled Orlando closer to him, trying to console his friend. “You have to move on, Orli. You’re not helping anyone by doing all this.”

Orlando allowed Viggo to hold him, though part of him still wanted to pull away. “How can I move on? I’ve hurt Elijah, half of the cast aren’t speaking to me and now I’ve made things ten times worse.”

“Well for a start, you can stop throwing scenes like the one you just did. Dragging up what happened between you and Josh all the time doesn’t only hurt you, it hurts them.”

“At least then they keep on hating me,” Orlando returned.

Viggo sighed. “Okay, then. Let’s say you keep behaving as you have been – what happens next time? What happens when Clea isn’t here to intervene?”

Orlando looked up at this. “I’m not psychic, but presumably Josh gives me the beating I deserve.”

“And you think that’ll help Elijah?” Viggo forced the other man to meet his eye. “You know as well as I do how upset he would get if you and Josh ended up fighting.”

Orlando looked away. “What other choice do I have?”

“You can stop being so hard on yourself and stop forcing Elijah and Josh to confront what they’re already dealing with,” Viggo offered. “I can’t promise that anyone on the set will forget about this…but if you admit you’re wrong, they’ll respect you more. Elijah will respect you more.”

Orlando stood up, walking away a little. “I guess you’re right. You were last time…before I stuffed it up.”

“Then don’t make the same mistake again.” Viggo stood and moved to Orlando’s side. “Don’t pick at old wounds. I can’t promise you that Elijah will offer you a fresh start, especially not with Clea and Josh about…but if you show that you’re trying to make amends, it’ll be a start.”

Orlando was about to speak when Sean Bean walked into the trailer. Noting the confused looks from the others, he said, “Peter cut filming short. He told me to tell you two to get down to the set as soon as possible.”

“Why?” Orlando wasn’t sure he wanted to know, but he had asked the question before he could stop himself.

Sean glanced back at his two companions as he headed further into the trailer, taking off Boromir’s gauntlets as he did so. “As we were filming, Elijah just started crying and wouldn’t stop…or couldn’t stop, by the looks of it. Peter’s told him to go back to the hotel.”

Viggo raised an eyebrow. “It must be serious if Peter’s sent him back.”

Sean nodded. “Thed tod to send for Clea to come and get him – Peter wants to do some shots with Dom and Billy, and there was no way we could have sent him back to the trailers on his own.”

Orlando risked a glance at Viggo. “He’s never going to forgive me for this.”

“Then don’t make the situation worse. Remember what I said.” Viggo turned to Sean. “Does that mean you’re done for the day now?”

“Nearly,” Sean replied. “Come on, we should get to the set. Otherwise you know what Elijah will be like.”

Viggo nodded. “He doesn’t need to think he’s held up production any more than he already will.”

As Orlando followed Sean and Viggo out of the trailer, he made a silent vow to himseli>I i>I will never let Elijah get this upset again.