Heaven in Your Eyes

Chap: 23

"Where's Chris?"

No brow lifted, no sly smirk appeared. The way he was leaned back, arms draped lazily over each side. Orlando would have thought him asleep save for that constant hungry sweep from half closed eyes of his near nude form and the low rumble of an irritated voice.
"I sent him to bed like a good little boy."
"He wouldn't just leave like that! Tell me where he is!"
"Told you. I convinced him it would put his life in peril to remain in the same room with me. Since I wasn't leaving..."

"You wouldn't! He'd never believe that!"
Well, I must be an even better actor than you gave me credit for once. Do you see him here!"

Fuck.. He took an unconscious step back, feeling like he'd plummeted into the fucking twilight zone.

"What is this man to you Orlando?"
'Not much fucking good at the moment!' The thought gave his mouth a sardonic twist.
" That would be, nun-ya... As in stay the hell out of my buisness! What do you want Viggo?"

"First; his eyes did one more sweep; I want you to put something on.. before I do something stupid. Such as seduce you."
Orli's eyes narrowed suspiciously, but he retreated back to the bathroom in a hurry.

No matter how much he missed his lover in his arms, he wasn't going to allow him to say he'd been seduced.. again.

He had a sick instinct tell him he was about to humiliate himself beyond belief. He should known better. He did know better. There was no excuse for carrying on as he had been, refusing to see what others told him was the writing on the wall. No excuse other than he'd been around long enough to distinguish between genuine emotion and a casual fuck.
And no matter *who* Orli came here with, a part of him still believed Elijah's words. Still believed in Orlando. Needed to believe. Because the thought of someone else's hands on his elf, his love, was seriously fraying the edges of his sanity. It was his own fault, yet knowing this did nothing to ease the bitter ache in his chest. There was only one person who could do that.
So he was here, prepared to throw himself body, heart, and soul before the one he pined for. If he only met with rejection.. then perhaps it was time to find a way to let go.

He cinched the robe tight and sat on the edge of the bed. The other chair not two feet from Viggo, and legs that were numb and shaking, would be unable to hold him upright for much longer, left him with little choice. He perched on the very edge, leaning forward, fingers twisting together in a nervous giveaway in front of him.

"Okay, satisfied? Now why are you here?"

"You and I need to talk." He said evenly, trying to ignore Orlando's glare.
"Talk? That's what this is about?" A tired, almost relieved sigh fluttered his lips. "Then we can talk tomorrow. I'm too beat to do this tonight." He rose like he was going to show an invited guest politely to the door.
"Your leaving tomorrow?"
"About noon."
"Then we will be doing this now."

"I said, I'm beat." He knew he sounded like a petulant child but he didn't much care, right now expelling Viggo from this room was foremost on his mind.
"Tell me your room number and I'll call ya when I wake, yeah?"
Viggo stood up and the force of it seemed to push Orlando back, his legs banged the bed and he racked hrainrain, grasping hopelessly for the right words, anything to stay Viggo's approach.
But his mind came up a complete blank and the man's slow and easy gait continued until he was no more than a foot away. For the first time since high school, he felt awkward in his own skin... like the gawky teenager he'd been. Too tall. Too thin. Inadequate under Viggo's gaze.

He leaned forward, feeling, more than seeing Orlando tense as he reached around him and whipped the covers back.
"Your welcome to go to sleep. But I'm going to be here when you wake up. I told you.. I'm *not* leaving this room until we talk."
He forced himself away from temptation, back to the chair. Hoping Orli would see that (for now at least) that was all he wanted.
"I can't sleep with you staring at me all night."
With Orli standing in front of the only lit light, Viggo's face was in shadows and he missed the smirk that graced his lips.
"Then talk with me." He said gently, soothingly. "We used to talk all night long."
"We used to.." He clamped on his lower lip, gaze finally falling and sunk down on one curled leg beneath him, the other left hanging off the side of the bed for good measure.

Facing Viggo, watching his slender fingers twist the rings on his hands, Viggo wondered to what part of their past his mind had drifted off to.
He searched the fathomless tawny depths that finally turned up to him.
The ones he used to, or thought he could, read with relative ease. He
found nothing beyond a hint of sadness in them now that matched his voice.

at dat do want from me Viggo?"

He had to strain to hear the softly uttered concession and was surprised to feel a blush of relief coloring his cheeks. And no! This was no time for anxiety. The man's defenses seemed temporarily down for whatever reason, he had an opening, tiny, but there, if he blew it, he knew there was no way Orli would willinunbaunbar that door again.
This was so not a great time for his brain not to work. He tried to come up with something, anything that would get them back to that place they'd been once before. Why were words so inadequate when it was emotions that you needed to convey?
The eyes closed on a perceptible sigh and when they reopened Viggo felt it in his gut. It twisted like a coil of heat, tensing every muscle tight his belly. Never had he wanted someone like he wanted his Orlando. It was agony not to touch him, not to force some physical contact. Anything to show how he felt.
But he'd seen that flash of hope in those eyes once before. That night he'd screwed up, he knew it now, thinking they could make love all night and
talk in the morning. That things would magically fall into place.

"Well?"
The irritation laced accent pulled him from the hazy past and he swallowed the lump in his throat, plunging forward the only way he knew how.

"Was there ever a time, back in New Zealand.. when you truly loved me Orlando... or was I just so blindly in love with you.. I saw what I wanted.. what I needed to see?"

He was staring at him intently, the look indecipherable.
"No." He spoke softly, disbelieving, before his jaw set fiercely,cougcoughed out a sarcastic laugh.
"Get the fucking hell out of my room!" Without warning he was off the bed and Viggo barely caught him before he found sanctuary in the bathroom.

"What do you mean no?"

His eyes burned dark with rage. But through the anger, he thought he could see hurt too. A wetness glazing over their dark surface. He jerked away beforego cgo could be sure, stalking towards the door, allowino fuo further glimpse of what he might be thinking or feeling.

His hand was a blur as he caught Orli's wrist as he reached for the door.
He tried to wrench free but the grip was hard enough to bruise.
"What the hell do you want?”
"I want a fucking answer!" He demanded seriously. " And your *going* to give it to me, even if we have to do this all night!”
"Fuck you! You can't tell me what to do and when to do it!”
“I just did.” Viggo replied coolly.
"To be sure,” he retorted scathingly, Funny how I don't seem to be following orders."

His back met the wall with a dull thud and Viggo stood a scant breath away, bright eyes boring into him.

"Don't bloody touch me.” He seethed, wishing roo room would stop tilting.

He wasn't going to make this easy, wasn't giving Viggo even an inch of an opening any more. He could see him slamming the doors shut in his eyes and It was fucking frustrating as hell. He took a deep breath, trying to keep his own temper under control.

Stunned and shaken. Wondering if torment was written all over his flushed face -- if Viggo could possibly read the thoughts racing through his mind as
deep blue eyes seared into his with more than a hint of irritation.

"Answer me.. he asked more gently; No what? No, you don't believe me?
Or no.. you never did.. love me?"
He searched the other's face for the dim flicker of a clue, the tension, suffocating.

Fighting the impulse to unleash the raw emotion that lay just beneath the fragile surface, he smiled as coolly as was possible.
"Why? After all this time Viggo.. why now. Cause you think I've someone else and you not gonna get to *fuck* me anymore?"
His voice reflected a bold playfulness he didn't feel, yet he kept toying with the fire he could see he lit in Viggo's dark gaze. The finger that traced teasingly down Viggo's chest with a slight tremor was the only thing that gave his false confidence away.
"That's what this is really about.. isn't it.."

This small discovery set the intricate wheels in Viggo's head in motion, made his body buzz with excitement. Orlando's eyes revealed shock before it was quickly died wed when Viggo gripped his wrist, holding it in place against him, a slow grin, tugging at the corner of his mouth like a naughty lover.
He released the wrist he'd had pinned to the wall, raked his fingertips up the arms length.
"You'd like that.. wouldn't you baby.." His hand then slid beneath the fold, pushed the robe off his shoulder as he caressed the warm skin. Slid it up his nape, tangled fingers in damp curls with just enough pressure. Leaning ever closer to his mouth.
"You've always liked my hands on you.. haven't you?" He emphasized his point by gripping the robe clad hip and tugging gently.

Orli blinked nervously and wet his lips, slowly trailing his eyes down from Viggo's to watch his mouth come closer. Shifting uncomfortably when Viggo pulled at his hip, a dark blush crept up over his face -- a result of the anger and embarrassment mingling inside him.
There was no denying what Viggo said.
Even now, his body betrayed him. The lower part screaming yes of course, until he ached with a longing that threaded it's way through his heart.

He leaned in, gently bathing the hot, fragrant throat with his tongue. Letting his hip graze the younger mans groin.
Yeah...he liked it all right. A man's body rarely knew how to lie.
"Not this time love!"

Stifling his urge to whimper with frustration at the emptiness he felt with Viggo's sudden disappearance. His eyes opened, his mouth a bit wider, as Viggo flopped on his back on the bed. Arms folded beneath his head, he squirmed trying to get comfortable.
"If you want me to *fuck* you this time; he drew the word out as sarcastically as Orlando had; Your going to have to answer me."

'Bloody hell!' He stared in shocked disbelief. The man had seriously lost his mind.
"Since the day I met you." Viggo smiled, before snuggling deeper, and Orlando rubbed at his forehead, unbelieving he'd claimed that aloud.

Okay, I've lost *my* mind!' Eyes flicked up to make sure he that one hadn't spilled out, to see Viggo wriggling on the bed.
"These beds are comfortable."
"I wouldn't know." He deadpanned.
He patted beside him. "Come try it."
His sneer was lost on Viggo's closed eyes. "Get. Up."

"Already up baby." He smiled without bothering to look. Knowing Orli wasn't going to be able to resist checking, he waited, until the time was just about right. So he could catch the hungry stare sliding up lean legs and narrow hips, then settling over where his cock nestled ben hin his thighs.

When he realized what he'd been doing, Orli blushed and glanced guiltily
up at Viggo. When he found himself caught he crimsoned and groaned with exasperation.
"Get the fuck off my bed and go to your own."
"You won't let me."
"What?"
"You haven't given me an answer yet. Can't leave."
"Yeah, well I didn't get one to mine either."
"I asked first."
"Christ Vig what are you ... thirteen?"
He smiled at Orli's slip. He'd not called him Vig since this horrible mess started. He raised to his elbows, still smiling, enjoying the familiar banter.
"No.. are you."
"I.. blow me!"
"Come closer."
He glared with eyes that weren't nearly as angry. "Get off the bloody bed!"
"Nah, you come here.. more comfortable."
He was absolutely scowling now. "I thought you.. you said.."
"Hey, you did ask. I'll be happy to put my tongue to use if you'll just come here."
Orlando shuddered before muttering, "Fucking hell!", and stepping back.

He shrugged and laid back down. "If you've changed your mind then..."

"Come on man, just get off! Oh, will you fucking stop this!" He growled at Viggo's suggestive leer. "I don't mean off, off. I mean.. Fuck this!"
He was muttering under his breath as he slumped into the nearest chair. 'Fine! I'll wait til he falls asleep, then I'll leave'. He closed his eyes and waited, straining to hear Viggo's muted breathing.

"Did you ever love me?" The soft words were next to his ear and his body clenched, startled.
"Jeeeze Vig! Didn't you ever get out of bloody ranger mode?" Knowing full well he hadn't heard because he fell asleep.
The soft puff of laughter fanned his cheek and he settled back, trying to ignore it.
"Did you?" Whispered across his ear, making him shiver.
"Why is this so important to you? Now?"
"Answer me and I'll tell you."

He could feel all the justified denials he used daily resurfacing, 'reasons I no longer love Viggo'. His sigh was heavy, tinged with frustration and sadness.
"Yes Viggo, I loved you." He hadn't after all, asked if he still did.
"But not anymore?"
Fuck! "Uh-uh, you said you'd tell me. I've answered.. spill." He kept his eyes closed, sudden apprehension making him unsure he wanted to know.
"Well, I've actually told you already."
He could feel him shift, but refused to open his eyes.
"I wanted to know if what I saw was true.. or if I'd been blinded by the love I feel for you."

Feel? He breathed in, a tiny startled noise. Scrunching his eyes in an attempt to prevent the tears, stinging his eyes, from spilling down over his cheeks. He would not cry. Not over the far past. Not over present faux-paus. Not today. He just couldn't be that pathetic.
"Stop it; it came out a raw whisper over the lump lodged in his throat; You can't.. say that."

'Finally!' He would have breathed a sigh of relief if he knew it wouldn't be misconstrued. He leaned closer, the light fell over his shoulder, allowing him to see the tightly shut eyes, the slight quiver of lips.

God, he ached. The man made his heart actually hurt. He swallowed past the lump of emotion in his throat, unable to resist reaching out any longer.
He brushed a lock of dark hair from Orli's eyes, carefully tucking it behind his ear, fingers lingering on the ends, not wanting to break the contact.
Reluctantly, he let his hand fall, renewing contact with brushed lips, petal-soft across his cheek to reach an ear.
"I can say it.. if it's true." He shifted again, nudging legs apart so he could scoot in, cupping the tormented face in both hands.
"I love you Orlando.. and right now.. I want you to open those beautiful eyes and hear you tell me you still love me.. more than I want my next breath."


TBC