Heaven in Your Eyes

Chap: 22

"Stop fidgeting!" Chris's hand slid beneath the flap in the back of the coat to rubb at the small of his back. "Under the circumstances, your doin great."

Orlando tensed a little under the touch, all the heavy camera fire around them making him cautious. But this was Chris. First lover, always a friend. A never-ending source of support and complete insanity when you needed it, but always loyal to those he called friends. He was glad their friendship had survived, especially at this very moment, when he sha shaking hard enough inside to come apart at the seams -- if he had any. The hand slid inconspicuously back to the mans side before nudging Orlando with his shoulder.

"Looks like someone is trying to make you a bit jealous, eh."

He followed his eyes direction in time to see Karl grin like a maniac for the cameras, before letting his hand slide down over Viggo's ass and rest there while flashes went off all around.

His smile inside matched that on the outside. He felt Viggo tense under his touch, but it would be worth any minor repercussions that might come. The look of controlled fury combined with utter shock on that pretty boy's face, was well worth it.
Viggo had hardly said word one to him so far. Constantly watching Orlando with whom he *supposed* was his new boyfriend. But that look had told Karl all he needed to know.
Orlando was far from being over *his* man. But maybe now that there was a new face in the picture, Viggo would finally relent, see that *they* were meant for each other. He supposed he should thank the kid for having the audacity to show up here with another man.
He wanted to laugh, because Viggo looked truly angry, and angry at Orlando could only mean good for him. He gave the princess a smug -'yes we're still together smile' -- before they split in different directions for the last photo op before the movie started.

"Want me to take care of him?"
"Chris!" Orlando warned with a jaw clenched smile, trying to look like he wasn't speaking at all.
"Yeah, yeah. I gotcha. Invisible to all save Viggo."
Orlando started to go off for the next round.
"Does that mean you do or don't want me to kiss you in front of him later?"
Orlando glared at him with a smile. "I'll see you at the party. Oh!" He turned and bumped into Elijah.

"We need to talk." He ground out the sentence, all the while his eyes darting from Orli to Chris.

"Can't right now Lij. There calling me over for a shot. Later kay!"

He watched him bounce off to where Liv, Vig, Bernie and John stood waiting until someone cleared their throat behind him.

"You must be Elijah; Chris extended his hand; Orlando's talked a lot about you."
Elijah's pause was minute, but long enough for Chris to notice. The younger man took his hand with a grip that surprised him, pulling him slightly into the handshake, the smile never leaving his faceAnd And *you* must be mistaken; he thwarted Chris's introduction; If yoink ink your staying. Orlando is *not* available!"

~~*~*~*~*~

"You've been dodging your little mate all evening Orlando. What's up with.."
"Nothings up; he snapped under his breath, turning to make sure Elijah wasn't near; I jdon\don't feel like being hounded about.. anything right now."
He sighed inside, cringing at the remembered look on his mate's face when he'd cornered Orli in the bathroom.

(Flashback)
"What are you doin here with that guy; he hissed; Your fuckin everything up!"
"I can come to a premier with whom I like.. and Lij.. things were already fucked up. Remember?"
"But I.. I mean you.. your not.."
"Liiiij! Did you do something?"
His head shook an almost furious 'No!'

He didn't believe him. But he'd told him not to, so whatever he had planned he could sit on. Going along with the younger man's obvious bullshit he replied, "Good! Then we can.."
"But Viggo.."
Orlando whirled round from his attempted leave. "No!... No." He said again, more softly when the man at the washbasin started staring at them from the mirror. "No. Viggo. Stop this, okay. I told you, *mate* not guardian. If I fuck something else up... then I do. But I doubt there's anything left for me to destroy at this point." He shrugged and left Elijah biting at his nail, looking frustrated and.. worried?
(end flashback)

"Hey mate, lighten up. This is *supposed* to be a party."
"I hate these things. How can you relax and have fun with a bloody camera shoved up your bum half the night."
"They'll be gone soon, it's winding down I think."
Orlando heaved a sigh before raising his drink to finish it off.
"Who're you nodding at?" His brow creased with suspicion, half afraid to turn and look.
"Your um.. Viggo nodded at me, mate. Just being polite."

He didn't tell Orli that he and Viggo had been having an eye war throughout this entire, wretched, after party. Nor did he speak of the exchange between him and Elijah before the show.
On the outside Orlando flipped the charm switch on and off as needed. But he could see exhaustion seeping into glassy eyes and the constant fidgeting hands and darting eyes bespoke a warning of nerves on the very edge.
He lay a comforting hand on Orlando's forearm, the one holding the *thankfully* empty glass. Nothing but a friendly gesture, yet he nearly
tossed the glass into the air.
"How soon can we get you out of here." He glanced over Orlando's shoulder and saw most of his cast mates gathering like wolves in the pre-empt of an attack.
"Not soon enough. Big-wigs get pissed if you jet too early." He looked around and saw the same thing Chris had just witnessed. "I need another drink."

"So who is he?" Liv slid in between Karl and Viggo, draping an elegant arm over each shoulder.
"His names Christopher Duncan an.."
"We all know *that* Lij. We"ve all.. well most of us have met him. Now who is he real.."
"If you'll stop interrupting your highness; their eyes rolled at each other as if cued by an invisible director, I was saying. He went to guildhall with Orli. He's from Kent, still lives in London. He's doing theater there I guess" His eyes flicked guiltily at Viggo when Ian asked,
"So are they.." Ian stopped, seeming to suddenly remember who was standing next to him.
"I think.. they have.. oh hell, I don't know what's .." He trailed off, too miserable to continue. The entire length of his small summary Viggo had remained as still and silent as a breezeless graveyard, dark and desolate, eyes locked on Orlando's back.

'He was going to kill himself a pirate.'
Of course that was considering Viggo didn't slice off *hisad fad first.
The man looked beyond heartbreak, beyond caring.
His eyes hardened even more, sliding across the room and Elijah knew without looking, Orli was moving. He prayed he didn't walk out that door on Chris's arm right now. It t pot possibly send Viggo over the edge.

Then Liv shot out one way and Viggo the other after a silent nod passed between them.
His turn felt of a slow motion train wreck as he turned to watch whatever nightmare he felt was about to come to life and play out before those who knew to watch.

By the time his eyes focused oe sce scene Liv's arm was already draped around Chris's shoulders leading him the other way, and Viggo was stepping up next to Orlando at a table near the bar, where he'd set his drink down to fish something from his pocket.

"Enjoying yourself?"
The contents slipped from his hand when that smooth drawl over-accentuated each word and sent a flush to his cheeks. He turned to find Viggo standing *very* close, he sed bed back, eyes flashing a hurried survey of the room.
'Where the fuck was Chris? Oh great!' he wanted to moan when he saw Liv chatting him up.
"Well, it's.. been interesting. I'm just kinda.. you know.. flight and all."
Fuck! Why can't I stop blubbering like an idiot?'
"I'm pretty knackered. I was.. um, just lookin for my keycard. Thinkin of turnin in early."
He blushed, feeling more of an idiot since it was already one in the morning.

"Here, let me."
Viggo knelt to retrieve his dropped items and Orli shot Chris a look across the room that should have dropped the other where he stood. This time a tiny groan slipped out when Karl sidled up to them as Viggo stood.. glaring, palms up to show Orlando.
"No card here."

Karl snickered and Orli saw right away what had Vig in a huff. He nicked the offending item from Viggo's hand, waving it in front of Orlando's dark gaze.
"Has this become a standard accessory for premier night I wasn't told about, or something you just habitually shove in your pocket before going out.

In truth he didn't know how long it had been in his pocket and it was none of their fucking business. He knew what Karl was calling him. And why in the hell did Viggo think he had the right to look mad with his lover standing right there with them. 'The balls! God these two deserved each other!'

He snatched the condom from Karl's fingers and flipped it like a coin to his palm. He let it lay there, eyeing it, before turning on his megawatt grin.
"Well, you know what they say; he shoved it back in his coat and turned what he hoped was an amused gaze on Viggo. "It's like loosin your car keys.. you don't have them.. you don't ride!"
Karl may have laughed, but Viggo looked decidedly worse. He ignore him,
seeing Chris and Liv making their way over, he almost breathed out a sigh of relief. He was gonna play this to the end if it killed him.
He clapped Viggo's upper arm and winked.
"Ain't that right mate."
He didn't wait for any reaction as he turned his grin on Chris and thankfully Viggo turned to look.

He almost matched Orlando in height. Hair coloring a rich cocoa that blended with his natural tan. Shoulders, hips, everything slightly broader than his elf's. The eyes were lighter, a mix of gold and coffee that gave him a predatory gaze. They moved easily over Orlando, naturally, a lovers gaze. Catching his eye, a wink, communing without words. Ma han handsome couple actually, he thought as his rival slid up next to Orli.
'What? Fuck this!'
He shook the depressing thought clear. This wasn't happening! This was his elf! Nobody else's.. mine!

He almost feared having to meet Viggo's gaze as Chris came up beside him and they started talking. Feared the man would see straight through his little charade. Straight through him as he usually did, but Viggo's eyes never left his mate. Studied him like a predator searching for the weak spot of his prey, or in this case, enemy. The thought made him shudder.

Chris as his usual, took it in stride. It *was* a charade after all, nothing invested, nothing to worry about on his part. His tone remained that of a self-assured, laid back man who hadn't a care in the world.
Answered every question -- he felt like -- with a calm grace. The ones he didn't, with an ornery smirk.

Viggo's cold gaze *never* left him.

When he reached casually (with the ease of someone who was used to doing it) into Orlando's coat pocket for his lighter. Viggo's gaze grew so intense he thought Chris's hand might burst into flames.
The voices seemed to become somewhat muted as conversations carried on around him. He knew it wasn't the room swaying, but it sure seemed it. He must have started looking bad, or worse, at some point. John, or maybe it was Ian who had come over, it was accented. Asked him if he was going to be ill. He looked up.
Big mistake!
Hard blue, endless eyes, fell on him, capturing him.
His stomach clenched.

"Jet-lagged." God, why did his voice seem so far away?

"Well, for christ's sake Orli, get the hell out of here. Poor thing you must be exhausted." It was Liv's voice, but Viggo's face he still stared at.

"Yes. You should leave." That icy agreement came from Viggo. That *tone* rang clear as a chime next to his ear. 'Get out!'
If the man hadn't before, he was sure Viggo hated him now. Mission accomplished, ebbed through his mind with the force of a crashing wave.
He finally nodded, forcing his gaze away to hug somebody, then somebody else. Then his elbow was in Chris's hand as he guided them for what seemed entirely too long a journey, to the blessed fresh air.
It made his head spin even worse when he gulped it down like a man who'd been being suffocated moments before.

"Take it easy there mate." Chris rubbed his back as soft as his voice, motioning a waiting cab forward with the other hand.
"That wasn't so bad now was it. Come on, lets get you in here." He opened the door and practically poured Orlando onto the seat. For all the world he looked a little tipsy, maybe even ill. "Just keep breathing gorgeous. We'll be at the hotel in a heartbeat." He gave the driver a meaningful look, along with the name of the hotel.
The driver gave Orlando a once over. Probably trying to decide if he was going to be cleaning his cab later.
When Orli merely melted against the seat, eyes closing on deep breath, the driver agreed.
"Yep, that one's just up the street here."

~~*~*~*~*~

"You failed to tell me he was quite so... intense? Is there a stronger word than intense?"

A mumbled reply came from beneath the arms that were crossed over his face.
"What?"
Arms dropped in an exaggerated huff as Orlando picked his head up off the bed enough to eye Chris. "I said... *Viggo*!"
"I.. oh." He couldn't help the snicker, or the fact that it got worse when Orlando glared at him.
"Sorry mate. That was funny." He shrugged. "But you told me everything else, I mean, it wouldn't have hurt tve mve me a little heads up on superman eyes."
He caught the slight smile that curved the grim line of Orli's mouth before arms folded back over.
"Felt like he was meltin off one layer of skin at a time."
What could have been a knowing chuckle was muffled once more before he raised up to rest on the arms, eyeing his mate with a rueful gleam.
"Would it have helped? Really?" He threw in when Chris was about to object.
"I might not have been so floored at first."
"Well, you didn't look it."

He flopped next to Orlando on the bed.
"Man, no wonder you wanted help. Does he always look like that? He could give a fuckin rattler competition!"

"No." He sat up. Not wanting Chris to witness the pain that question caused. The first memory to hit him being the sadness in Viggo's eyes the day he left him at the airport.
He'd already been witness to an outpouring of emotion, tears he tried and failed to hold in while relaying why he needed his mates support this night. His mate probably already thought of him as the 'princess' Karl had so cruelly dubbed him. He wouldn't show it again, he'd definitely put Chris through enough.
"He's usually very gentle, it's just.. Viggo." He shrugged, helpless for any other explanation.
"He watched you *all* night you know?"
"I know."

All he could really think of was Viggo telling him to leave.

"Orlando... are you sure you.."

He sprung off ted led like it bit him. "You know mate, I *really am exhausted*. Could we skip this part? Least til I've had awer wer and some decent rest?"
He nodded, "Go ahead mate. I'll see what's on the tube, wait til your done before I go. Case you change your mind, maybe feel like talkin before you crash."

He wouldn't. He just wanted this night over. Needed to wash the lies from his skin and crawl into that cozy looking bed, sleeping until this nightmare came to an end. But com compassion in Chris's eyes made him give a guilty nod before he closed the bathroom door.

He re-emerged some twenty minutes later. Skin still moist and fairly gleaming in the soft light. One towel tucked around his hips, the other rubbing viggorously over his bent head in a hurry to have dry enough hair so he could crawl into bed.

It took more strength than he thought he had left to not cross the room and yank that towel from those slender, swaying hips. Slam him into the nearest non-movable object and..
"Feeling better?"

"I.." His head shot up, towel pooling around his neck. Fingers clenched the edges while eyes made a nervous scan of the room. The long legs stretched out, one ankle over the other in relaxed repose, led to a body seated in a chair that had been strategically placed in the only path that led to the door.

"Where's Chris?"


TBC