Smack the Dog

Smack the Dog 25: Further Developments
Author: Foofy
Rating: NC17
Summary: Sean follows his gut instinct. Viggo reacts badly.

*

The nurse had been persuaded that Viggo was no threat. Heaven knows how, thought Sean to himself, looking at the mess of the said man in front of him. Viggo looked like he had walked through several world wars and come out the other side. However, on the plus side that seemed to be an end to the whole abuse mutters that had been aimed in Viggo’s direction. In bleeding for his boyfriend, Viggo seemed to have managed to get himself a whole new alibi.

“ Can I kill him yet?” growled Sean as soon as the nurse had disappeared. Viggo looked at him tiredly from his examination of the young man on the bed, his uninjured hand still resting on Orli’s cheek. Orlando was as quiet as a mouse, his eyes huge on his lover.

“ Who?” Viggo asked. Sean was too furious to raise an eyebrow, which was just as well as the eyebrow would have hit the moon.

“ Who?! Karl! Unless you’ve got other enemies you’ve been keeping from me?” he exploded.

Viggo stroked Orlando’s cheek again and smiled back at him, almost entirely ignoring the fury that was Sean who was pacing behind them. Orli smiled back automatically but his eyes were …well, Sean wasn’t entirely sure what they were, but there was certainly something intermixed with the concern. Orlando almost seemed to be calculating something in the back of his mind.

“ I’ll settle it, Sean,” Viggo didn’t bother to look in his direction as he finally replied to Sean’s outburst. Sean almost exploded again, but managed to rein in his anger to a manageable degree.

“ Settle it?! Vig, you shouldn’t have to settle it on your own! For fuck’s sake-“ Sean broke off at the look that was aimed at him for swearing. Sean paused and restarted, a little more cautiously. “ For pity’s sake, I’m here for you. Use me!”

“ It wasn’t Karl,” Viggo straightened up.

“ And another thing – what?” Sean stopped completely mid-flow. Viggo didn’t look at him, and by the expression on Orlando’s face there was a distinct lack of eye contact going on there too. The blonde allowed a significant pause to develop before stepping forward, unable to keep himself quiet any longer.

“ Viggo, if it wasn’t Karl then who-“

Sean found his arm being seized painfully, blazing eyes finally turned to him. And Sean wasn’t entirely sure he wanted to see that expression. Dangerous aggression stared back at him where once a neutral expression dwelt.

“ Sean, for once in your life could you please shut the fuck up?” the words were growled at him. A hungry wolf could not do better. Sean automatically froze, his eyes searching Viggo’s uncertainly. The tone suggested no messing about whatsoever. However, the hand that was still squeezed over his arm – extremely bloody painfully, he might add – had a tremble in it that Sean wasn’t sure was his imagination or actually came from Viggo himself. Certainly Viggo’s eyes did not suggest any sort of weakness whatsoever. In fact, it was far too similar to the look that had been facing him after Sean had managed to insult Orlando, a look with no mercy in it and no humanity with whom to plead.

“ I want the pair of you to understand this,” Viggo’s voice had managed to gain a little more humanity but without losing any of the tension. “ I will sort this. I do not want ANY interference. Do you understand?”

“ Vig-“ Sean began helplessly when he had to hiss through his teeth as the older man’s grip tightened mercilessly. Cold blue eyes glared at him.

” Do. You. Understand?” he growled again. Sean met his look defiantly, a stubborn look of his own being transmitted. Finally Viggo’s hand on his arm was really not being forgotten. Shit, the man had good grip. And his fingers now had a distinct lack of blood going to them.

“ Fine,” Sean dropped his gaze and ended up giving the floor a damn good glare. Viggo eyed him then turned it onto the youngest member of their group who had been watching silently. Orli nodded slowly. Viggo sighed and dropped Sean’s arm, the blonde resisting the urge to start rubbing it frantically to stop the stinging pain.

“ Orli, how are you feeling?” Viggo pulled the chair closer to the bed and sat down, his voice returning to normal as though the last few minutes of conversation had just been a distant memory. Orlando shot Sean a quick look, then turned back to Viggo. Orli’s voice showed slight strain but other than that Sean thought it was quite well calculated in the whole Lets-Be-Normal scheme of things.

It was just as well Viggo’s back was turned to him. There was no chance that Sean could keep the look of anger and frustration off his face, his hand clenched into a fist, the other gripping Viggo’s notebook as though desperate to rip it to pieces. Orlando glanced at him again in concern, then continued with the conversation.

“ They say I can probably go by tomorrow evening,”

“ Well, that’s something anyway,” Viggo adjusted his position on the chair. Orlando opened his mouth to speak, then shut it again. Sean growled softly in his throat and glanced down at the notebook.

Karl’s number stared back up at him.

Sean stared at it for several moments, not doing anything. Finally he looked back up, the normality of the conversation washing over him once again. He allowed himself a few more moments, hoping it all sounded natural when he finally spoke.

“ I’m just off to the bathroom. I’ll be back in a minute,” he announced to the room in general in a suitable pause in the conversation, and turned to leave. Sean was sure he was going to hear Viggo’s accusation as soon as he put palm to handle, but the conversation continued, this time on hospital food. Sean took a deep breath and left, his palms already clammy.

The phone, after all, beckoned.

*

“ Yes?”

Karl was obviously rattled. Okay, so he had never been the politest man on the planet. He had his moments of sheer crudity, and he had his moments of plain unadulterated rudeness. However, Karl did have some control over what he showed to the general public. After all, that was what they paid him for.

Sean had to wet his lips before speaking.

” Karl?” Insert pause here. “ It’s Sean,”

Karl inserted his own pause into the conversation, although Sean had a feeling it was probably classified as stunned silence. After a while, Karl managed to get the ability to speak back into his side of the conversation.

“ Sean? Why are you phoning me?” Karl was cautious. Well, Sean guessed this didn’t automatically make him guilty. It was a fair question after all.

” What happened when you and Viggo left the hospital?” Sean asked finally. There was less of a pause after this question as the annoyance raced to get involved.

“ What? Can’t you ask him?” The irritation was clear in his voice.

“ No. What did you do?” Sean would have been quite proud of the way his voice managed to convey the steel inserted within it had he not been flushed with anger. There was a sigh from the other end of the phone.

“ Do? I didn’t ‘do’ anything, Sean. I came home, had a beer, watched television – it was an old western before you ask - ate something and then I had a tosser on the phone asking me what I did. What’s happened to give me the benefit of your delightful conversation, Sean?” Karl’s voice was becoming bitterer than the average lemon.

“ You didn’t attack Viggo?” pressed Sean. Karl gave a noise of exclamation.

” Of course I fucking well didn’t!” he protested. “ Why, is the fucker saying I tried to have a go?”

“ No.” Sean paused for several heartbeats. However, it was going to be all over the set in a day. Viggo wouldn’t be able to hide his healing scabs for a start. Makeup was going to have a fit. “ Someone attacked him, Karl. You just happen to fit the bill,”

There was a pause.

“ He’s unconscious?” When Karl finally spoke, it didn’t sound of gloating. In fact, it sounded more concerned than anything else, but then again Sean wasn’t sure he could trust anything nowadays.

“ No. He’s got bruising and cuts,”

“ And he’s saying I hit him?” Now that was definitely incredulousness. Sean hesitated.

” He won’t say who hit him at all,” he admitted. “ However-“

The finger on the cradle of the phone hung up the call. Sean’s fingers were all accounted for. So that meant…

Sean’s eyes drifted to the tanned finger still on the phone, then travelled up the arm slowly, the phone receiver still pressed to the side of his face. Viggo stared back at him, finally moving his hand away from the phone. Sean clung to the receiver as though some type of lifeline, unable to stop his throat drying.

Viggo waited for almost half a minute before speaking. The cold sweat had already formed on Sean’s back, his heart was beating so fast in his chest that it was as though it was trying to do a drum solo. And Viggo was deliberately making him feel terrified.

The received was taken gently from him and put back in the cradle. Sean simply stared at him, knowing that Viggo would have heard enough to hang, draw and quarter him.

” That was .. what, five minutes of obeying me?” Viggo’s voice was almost pleasant. “ Almost a record for you, Sean.”

“ Viggo, I-“

“ No, let me guess. You wanted to help. You didn’t think that I could possibly cope with this by myself and therefore you decide to completely ignore my wishes and investigate for yourself. You speak to Karl – yes, I heard that bit – and you warn him of what’s happened. Bravo.” At no point did Viggo raise his voice. At no point did it drift outside of being pleasant. However, Sean shivered at the look in his eyes.

“ I’m sorry-“

“ You’re sorry? Sean, you are *constantly* sorry. You seem to spend your life in one large apology to someone,” Viggo’s eyes narrowed. “ You knew I would be extremely angry with you if you ignored me, and yet you do it. Still, you do it. And all you can offer me is you’re sorry?”

Sean looked at him sorrowfully. He stared at the floor and then back up at him.

“ So what happens now?” he asked softly. Viggo shook his head.

“ I cannot do this anymore, Sean. I cannot have someone constantly disobeying me, or at least constantly disrespecting me enough to lie to my face then go off and do it anyway!” Viggo looked away from him. Sean felt the icy stab of fear in his stomach, the cold sweat seem to increase.

” What are you saying?” his voice seemed to come from a long way away. Viggo refused to look at him.

“ I’m sorry, Sean,” his voice was far too clear in the silence of the corridor. “ I don’t think this is working,”

There was a long silence. Sean’s ability to speak had completely vanished. His eyes were wide on him, his heart so loud that it was crashing in his ears. Sean could feel a far too familiar feeling of his insides being wrenched, clenched so tightly it was a surprise there was any blood flow at all. He forced himself to speak, knowing there was a shake in his voice but unable to do anything about it.

“ That’s it? Just go?” It was supposed to come out faintly accusory. It was supposed to come out with at least a fraction of Sean’s dignity intact. However, it failed miserably. All that came across was the fear.

Viggo was silent himself, still not looking at him as though Sean was some sort of curse that needed to be avoided. However, Sean could see enough of the familiar expression to know that this was not one of those things that Viggo backed down from. Stomach clenched again.

“ That’s it,” the older man sighed, managing to meet Sean’s gaze. “ You don’t get anything out of it, and I’m tired of trying.”

“ I’ll do whatever you want, Vig. Please,” Okay, sod the dignity. Sean’s plea was urgent, his eyes scanning the blue-grey eyes in front of him anxiously. However, Viggo closed his eyes briefly, shaking his head regretfully.

“ Don’t make this harder, Sean,” he warned.

“ *Me* make it harder?” Sean said incrediuously and found a laugh from somewhere. “ Bloody hell,”

He turned away, his hand running through his hair as he tried to get his mind around the new concept that he found himself in. He was aware of Viggo simply watching him, as though expecting him to do something else.

” Fine. I’ll move the stuff out of the house,” Sean said finally, in one of the quietest voices he possessed. There was silence from Viggo for a long time; finally the older man sighed. The last of Sean’s hope shattered to the floor in accompaniment.

“ I think that would be best,” The aggression had gone, but the sadness was even harder to bear. There was a longer pause of two people trying to find something else to say.

“ Does Orlando know?” Sean asked softly, not looking towards him.

“ I’ll speak to him,”

Sean managed to find a ghost of a smile from somewhere. “ He’ll probably be thankful his shampoo won’t be raided anymore,”

” I don’t think he minded,”

The fact that they had returned to mundane matters had not escaped Sean’s notice. He managed to ignore the part of him that was screaming at him to do something, to say anything to make Viggo change his mind, to offer anything, and gave Viggo another one of the sickly ghost smiles.

” I know I didn’t say this often, but it was good,” Sean said softly. “ And I’ll leave you two alone. Tell Orli I’ll be thinking of him,”

Hospital floors were terrible. When you walked alone, the tap-tap-tap of your own echoing footsteps was the only thing that you could hear.

*

Another day. Another bottle.

Sean had managed to fit his things in one bag and carted them back to the studio flat he had rented out ages ago and the contract was still running, mostly because he needed his own address to avoid ‘questions’ being asked. Well, now ‘questions’ could be asked and he didn’t need to think of some quick answer. In a way it was a relief.

In another, of course, it was sheer torture. Trained professionals couldn’t do better, or at least Sean hoped they couldn’t. However, this was also something not to think of.

The bottle bank was doing very well out of him as well. As, indeed, was half a dozen alcohol manufacturers. Vodka was a speciality of the house currently, but that was simply because it went with everything. On occasion he even remembered the food part of that equation.

Aragorn had not returned back to the set and therefore Boromir was equally allowed to wallow in his own filth back at his flat and watch appalling daytime television shows. Honestly. They were obviously put there to torture the unemployed to take a job in order to escape it. The hobbits had called round to offer to take him to the pub on a jaunt, but he had managed to get out of this quite easily. Dom was becoming a pain to look in the eyes, mostly because it was so obvious that Orlando had already briefed him. There was no mistaking the reasoning why so many invitations were coming through his door.

Sean was touched, in a strange way. However, he wasn’t touch in the way that had mattered the most, even if it did tend to leave bruises. So he left it.

He had been tempted not to answer the door when yet another person knocked on it. There was actually a programme on he had half a mind to watch, he was quite comfortable thrown in the chair, and he really couldn’t be bothered to hide the open bottle of Jack Daniels. However, the person banging on it was bloody persistent.

After ten more seconds, Sean finally and grudgingly got to his feet and opened the door. Dave opened his mouth to speak and paused as his eyes travelled down the dishevelled state of Sean’s clothes. Blue eyes returned to look at him.

“ You look like shit,” Dave commented.

” Thanks,” Sean made no attempt to step away from the door. After a few moments, Sean was aware that Mr Wenham was not in the mood to start taking hints. In fact, Dave’s attention was very clearly not on anything that Sean had to say. There had been a flicker of his eyes over Sean’s shoulder at the obviously messy room, and then it was back down to the somewhat stained t-shirt again.

” Can I help you with anything?” Sean asked patiently, although his voice was carefully controlled. Dave glanced at him without saying anything, obviously taking into account the situation.

“ I heard you and Vig had a fight,”

“ No, me and Vig had a discussion. There’s a difference,” Sean kept his expression as neutral as he could get it. Apparently this wasn’t washing with David, who merely shrugged.

“ And now you’re here,”

“ Now I’m here,” agreed Sean. “ So, now that you’ve finished making observations, can you please bugger off? I’ve got things to do.”

However, David was obviously not in the buggering off mood. He ignored Sean’s pointed look and stretched his shoulders slightly.

“ Thought you might like some company. Talk things over, you know,” Blue eyes focused on him. The concern that was so clear in them reduced Sean’s desire to snap back at him, but god it was tempting to do so anyway. Why did no-one ever realise that all he wanted to do was to go back and lick his wounds in peace?

“ Thanks, but no.” Sean was very definite about this. Dave shrugged. Suddenly Sean found himself propelled back inside the room, David’s hands on his shoulders, determined look on said man’s face. Shaking off the feelings of shock, Sean was quick to get back into anger mode.

” What the fucking hell d’you think you’re doing?!” he snapped loudly. However, Dave wasn’t looking at him anymore. He was looking at the unmade bed, the rubbish on the floor that managed to cover up most of the carpet, the empty bottles of alcohol by the overflowing dustbin, the half drunk bottle of whisky by the side table, no glass in sight. A little hiss of air escaped through David’s teeth.

“ Oh, Sean,” he said softly. “ Orlando was right. You are a mess,”

“ I don’t see how Orli fits into this conversation. In fact, I don’t see why we’re having a conversation at all. Kindly fuck off,” Sean’s eyes were blazing. Dave completely ignored him and cleared off some papers on the bed, sitting down. The blonde’s eyes narrowed.

“ Didn’t you hear me?” he said dangerously.

“ Oh, I heard you,” replied David in a casual voice. “ I’m just not going,” He ran his hand across the bedspread as though testing the material, his eyes flickering back up to Sean who, by this time, was a seething bag of nerves. Seething bag of *angry* nerves at that.

“ So I’m going to have to physically throw you out?” he growled. David shrugged.

“ Well, you can try I suppose but it does normally help if you can walk in a straight line first. Tell you what, you practise on that bit first and then if you feel ready we can try for the fight, okay?” Dave was definitely making himself at home. Sean ground his teeth.

“ If you’re suggesting that I’m drunk-“

“ *Suggesting*? Good god, no. I would never *suggest* that,” Dave looked appalled. Sean’s teeth were ground even further.

“ David, just to let you know, I am NOT, repeat, NOT drunk. Okay, so I’ve had a drink today. Big deal. Lots of people have one or two,”

“ Bottles?” the younger man raised his eyebrow. Sean grumbled to himself again. There were certain people in this room who were heading toward a hefty smack and, for once, it wasn’t him.

“ What the fuck do you want, anyway? To gloat?” Sean turned his back on him and walked back to the chair, slumping himself on it. David watched him thoughtfully.

“ I heard you were hurting. So I wanted to help,”

“ Out of the goodness of your heart,” snorted Sean, his eyes drifting back to the television. David sighed, stretched and got up, wandering around to the television and switching it off at the wall. He folded his arms.

” Something like that. And Orlando was worried.”

“ Was he,” Sean didn’t want to think of Orli at all. Orli was part of the past life. There would be no way to speak to him without Viggo, and he wanted to think of Viggo even less. The dreams were bad enough as it was. David ignored the shortness of Sean’s voice in the usual fashion, and simply returned to the bed.

“ He was. Orli’s back at the house and doing well, incidentally,” Dave threw across to him. Sean sighed.

“ Good. Poor sod. Didn’t have much luck with solid items,” he grudgingly replied. There was a pause from the bed.

“ Sean, what happened?” this was a different voice. This wasn’t causal. This wasn’t even neutral. This was sad and reluctant, as though the owner was in two minds whether to ask. Sean certainly wasn’t in two minds whether to answer.

“ Nothing.”

“ Nothing,” repeated Dave. “ Nothing breaks you up with your relationship. Nothing makes Viggo monosyllabic and Orlando desperately guilty that he was the cause of you leaving. Nothing causes you to stay inside constantly, only coming out when you run out of booze. Is that it?”

“ Pretty much,” Sean growled. “ Anyway, they’re better off without me. I was just an experiment.”

“ Please god don’t tell me you actually believe that, otherwise I might be forced to hit you myself,”

“ Ah, counselling has progressed so far since I was a lad,” replied Sean dryly, and his hand closed on the bottle again. He could almost feel the icy response to this from behind him, and growled internally. He was not drunk. And he really didn’t need this. Okay, so there was a warm fuzziness in his body, he confessed to that, but that was good, goddammit, it was comforting.

Southern Comforting in fact.

Bloody hell, he really needed to stop with the puns. They were getting so bad they might kill someone.

“ David, much as I appreciate your meddling, please just piss off. I’m begging you now. Just go. Take your disapproval and fuck off out the door,” Sean paused to take a hefty swig out of the bottle, more for effect than anything. He glanced round. Distinct lack of fucking off again. Bloody hell, did he need to start handing out manuals on how to do it? Sean almost giggled at the image of having to do a makeshift version of the aeroplane recital. Exits are here, here, here and here.

Giggling. Hmmmmph. Okay, perhaps he was a little drunk.. but only a little. A smidgeon, in fact. If that was a word at all. It always sounded like some type of duck to him.

Dave was giving him a very steady look back. The disapproval wasn’t as obvious as Sean had assumed it would have been, although that was probably down to Dave being much better at hiding his emotions than any person had a right to be.

“ Oh, come on, what do I have to do to get you out of here?” protested Sean, waving the bottle at him in what he thought was a thoughtful gesture. Dave’s frown deepened slightly, obviously not sharing this image. Sean sighed heavily and thought about it himself. A grin slowly formed on his face.

David looked up at him suspiciously as the bottle was placed back on the table, remaining upright only through the grace of god, and Sean all but sauntered towards him. That was mostly because sauntering also relied on a vaguely straight line being walked. Straight lines were so overrated. The world was obviously being overtaken by architects.

“ I know what this is about,” drawled Sean, who didn’t notice his voice was slightly slurred. “ you just want to continue where you left off at Karl’s, isn’t it,”

There was a look of honest astonishment over David’s face, and the most uncomfortable look that Sean had ever seen on him cross his face. Ye gods, he was embarrassed. Awwww, wasn’t that sweet? Stick a bow round his neck and he could advertise kitten soft toilet paper. Sean grinned lazily again.

” It’s okay. Hey, why not. It’s not as if I’m not free and single is it?” Sean dropped to his knees in front of Dave in a manner that would definitely leave bruises for tomorrow. However, now was not the time to start noticing bruises. It was a time of action.

“ Sean, stop it and sit down,” Despite his embarrassment, David could still talk, and could talk in a strict way that immediately reminded Sean of Viggo. Viggo of the fiercesome orders and the well used riding crop. Think of something else, think of something else…

Sean laid his hand on Dave’s leg and was delighted to feel the younger man trembling underneath it. Or was that him?

Shrugging inwardly, Sean squeezed Dave’s thigh, the younger man looked more flustered as time went on. Sean stroked along the leg until he was almost brushing against Dave’s groin, at which point Dave grabbed hold of his hand with the speed of a cheetah. Sean looked up into furious eyes.

” Don’t you fucking well mess with me, Sean,” And hello, where had this creature come from? The mild manner reporter hadn’t turned into Superman, he’d turned into Lex Luther. The younger man’s grip on his hand was almost painful. Sean gave an experimental tug of the hand to see how much give Dave was allowing. The answer was bugger all. Typical.

“ I thought you wanted me to mess with you?” Sean focused slowly on Dave again. “ Give myself to you. Well, here I am. Take what you want,”

“ For god’s sake, Sean…,” Dave broke off, having to look away briefly whilst he obviously recovered his composure. Sean watched him in interest as the younger man looked back. A faint red flush was still evident in his cheeks, and Sean was sure the outline in his trousers suggested that certain people were definitely tempted.

Choosing to go down guns blazing, Sean’s voice dropped to a seductive purr. “ Come on, David. If you want to fuck me, do it. I’ll do whatever you want. I’ll bend over the arm of that chair so you can take me hard and fast. I’ll spread my legs as wide as you want. I’ll take you into my mouth so deeply you’d think you’d struck gold, and let you come over my face or body. Whatever takes your fancy.”

“ You’re pissed out of your skull,” replied David, although there was a definite shake in his voice. Sean chuckled.

“ Hey, I’m not throwing up. I’m not passing out. I can even talk properly. Sure, I might not have full control over my limbs, but hey, who’s perfect in this world, eh? It’s not as if I’m going to have to walk anywhere,” Sean tested Dave’s hold on his hand again. It was definitely looser, although as soon as Sean tried it the younger man gripped it harder again.

“ No,”

Sean allowed a dark frown to cross his face. “ You’re .. rejecting me?” he said in one of the more believable pitiful voices. Not that there wasn’t honest hurt behind it. Bloody hell, did no-one want him anymore? Did he miss the memo to the cast and crew that he really shouldn’t be touched with a barge pole when relationships were concerned?

“ I’m not .. doing that with you in this state. In fact,” amended David, who had obviously re-run the statement in his head. “ at all. You still belong to Viggo and Orlando, Sean, whether you know it or not.”

“ News flash, Dave. They dumped me. Well, Viggo dumped me. Orlando kinda goes along with what he says, although he’s never particularly liked me anyway. I was just a reasonable fuck on occasion, when I wasn’t trying to knock him unconscious with tables.”

“ What?” Dave frowned.

“ Nothing,” Sean shrugged, allowing his eyes to drift down to the younger man’s crotch again. “ Anyway, don’t get guilty on my behalf. Unless you want to consider me used goods, of course. They didn’t keep the packaging and I’m sure my guarantee is faulty.”

“ Sean, please. You’re making this difficult,” However, Dave didn’t move his hand. Sean noted with interest the red flush getting redder.

“ Oh, I’m sorry. Okay, we’ll just make it a quick one and then you can go on your merry way and report I’m absolutely fine. Call it payment,”

“ You’re absolutely fine? You want to whore yourself out to me, and you’re absolutely fine?” Dave snorted and clenched Sean’s hand again. “ Stop it, Sean.”

“ Or what?” Sean’s eyes danced on his. “ What you planning to do? That bloody stupid suggestion you made to Viggo?”

“ If need be,” replied David levelly. Sean snorted.

” You haven’t got the strength to do it, anyway,” he replied. “ And how bloody perverted are you anyway to start suggesting to your mates to bend their partners over their knee and spank them should they get out of line?” Sean grinned. “ Sounds like lyrics from country dancing doesn’t it? Take your partner by the hand..,” the blonde hummed a few broken lines to himself, his green eyes falling back on Dave in thoughtfulness. Or sheer luck.

“ And you’d do whatever I’d say if I agreed to your proposal?” David’s voice was definitely ragged. Sean nodded then paused.

“ Well, I’d try. I’m apparently really bad at the whole obedience thing,” he confessed. “ Spent more time being threatened than actually being fucked,”

“ And if I asked you to lie on your stomach on the bed, you would do it?” the younger man said slowly. Sean shrugged.

“ Depends whether you’re going to let go of my hand voluntarily,” he offered.

David looked at him hard, before finally releasing the hand in his possession. Sean grinned at him and stood up, almost keeling over as his body readjusted to the whole height change. His hands immediately went to his t-shirt, yanking it over his head. Dave watched him wide-eyed as Sean’s jeans were also hastily unbuckled and shoved to his ankles. Getting out of these almost caused Sean to tumble to the floor again, and there was a brief moment of hopping as jeans remained steadfastly stuck to one foot. Dave had to grab him before Sean tripped over a pile of magazines which were on the floor.

“ Thanks,” Sean grinned lazily at him again, and rid himself of the boxers before moving onto the bed and lying flat on his stomach. Dave turned to watch him thoughtfully.

” Make that lie on your back,” he instructed. Sean shrugged carelessly.

“ You’re the boss, boss,” he obeyed as swiftly as he could. Dave sighed and carefully removed the socks from Sean’s feet with exaggerated patience. Sean rolled his eyes but remained silent, although a few comments came to mind as David got up and started to root through the chest of drawers.

“ Uh. You after anything in particular or are you just a rather rubbish burglar?” he asked finally.

“ You got any ties?” David continued to rummage. An old pair of bright red boxers flew to land on the floor.

“ Ties? Uh. I think there might be a couple in the top drawer, right at the bottom,” Sean frowned as he tried to remember. Ties were not normally part of his day to day wardrobe. David rummaged a little harder and gave a sound of achievement, pulling two nondescript ties from the dark corner in which they had been lurking. Sean watched in interest as the younger man advanced back on the bed, and made no murmur as one of his wrists was seized and tied firmly to the headboard.

Been here, done that. Next.

Dave leant across him to fasten the other wrist tightly to the headboard and looked satisfied at them. He glanced towards Sean who hadn’t bothered to fight in the slightest.

“ Can you get out of those?” he queried. Sean gave a few experimental tugs.

“ Don’t think so,”

“ Good. So we might now get a conversation where you’re not trying to put your hands all over me,” David obtained a blanket and draped it over Sean’s lower half as causally as he could. Sean stared at him.

” Please god tell me you’re joking,” he groaned.

“ This is important, Sean.” There was a weary quality in Dave’s tone that hadn’t been there before.

“ And getting a shag *isn’t* important?” protested Sean, who was giving the ties another hard tug, seeing exactly how secure they were. Unfortunately, the knots were as good as Sean had thought they were. Blast, damn and buggeryfuck.

“ You only broke up with them a few days ago,” reminded Dave gently. Sean laughed softly.

“ With Orlando about, five minutes is a long time. He always had the energy to go. Like a dog wanted to go on a walk, except Orli was a little more subtle when it came to his collar and lead,” Sean was suddenly silent. He could almost feel the smooth leather against his own skin from the collar that Viggo had placed around his neck, the little cold metal tag lying against his chest ... Sean sighed to himself and stared back at Dave who was busy trying to clean the flat. “ Hey! Stop that!”

“ Your place is a mess,” commented Dave, retrieving the red boxers and looking at them in disgust.

“ Yeah, but it’s MY mess, so stop it!”

Dave glanced in his direction once, before scooping up a pile of washing and proceeding to the laundry basket and dumping it in. A black sack was discovered in the kitchen and the Great Rubbish Clear Out began with more enthusiasm than the Wombles of Wimbledon Common could do. There was more than a little protest when the half drunk bottle of whisky was proceeded to be poured down the sink.

“ Dave, for fucks sake!”

“ Sean, belt up there’s a love,” the younger man replied mildly, whilst exploring for clean sheets. Sean scowled at him.

“ You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”

“ Chucking away your alcoholic crutch? Oh, definitely, although I’m more than aware you’ll just replace it. In fact, I wouldn’t put it past you to have several bottles hidden around,” Dave discovered some sheets and plonked at the foot of the bed before returning to the some lethal job of removing the rubbish. There was a crunch as he stepped on some broken glass hidden near the corner of the room.

Sean had the presence of mind to look sheepish as a hard look was aimed at him.

“ It’s just a glass that fell over. Been meaning to clear that up, but .. well, I haven’t really had the opportunity,” Sean was unable to shrug properly with his hands bound, but made a good attempt. “ I stopped using glasses after that point. It was easier,”

“ It’s fucking dangerous,” Dave carefully started to clean it up.

“ Yes, mum,” sighed Sean.

“ And don’t give me that sort of crap otherwise I *will* have you over my lap,”

“ Uh-huh,” However, Dave’s voice was obviously reaching the annoyed stage and therefore Sean decided to drop the additional taunts. Sean sighed and shut his eyes, trying to ignore the tidying of the person around him.

“ So, what was the plan anyway?” asked Sean idly, his eyes closed, wrists relaxed against the restraints. There was the faint footsteps into the kitchen and the noise of the bin being opened and shut.

“ Plan? In what way?” Dave had obviously returned to the room and started on some further tidying. “ Incidentally, do I want to look at the state of your bathroom or is it something I can do without at the moment?”

“ Uh,” Sean suddenly remembered the fact that there was an empty can of lager sitting where rubber ducks normally made their home.

“ I’ll take that as a no,” David continued messing around in the room. “ And there wasn’t a plan. Just a vague hope you might let us help you,”

“ I don’t need help,” replied Sean stubbornly.

“ Uh-huh.”

Sean gritted his teeth and gave the restraints another tug. Bloody stupid solid beds and bloody stupid solid knots. Dave seemed to be completely at ease with the growling from the bed and simply trotted back out to the kitchen with another full bin bag.

“ I can’t believe you’re not going to do anything,” Sean said finally as Dave walked back into the room. There was a faintly surprised look aimed at him.

” Do anything?” echoed Dave, then stopped. Rolling his eyes, he moved towards the edge of the bed and stared down at him, arms folded, expression strict. “ Okay Sean. Please believe me when I say I am not going to be taking advantage, opportunity or whatever else you want to call it just because you happen to be tied to a bed.”

“ Tied naked to a bed,” supplied Sean helpfully. Dave sighed.

” Yes, it hadn’t really escaped my attention. But still, we’re going to have a nice friendly chat without any sexual encounter whatsoever. Clear?”

Sean had other ideas, although nodded obediently. Apparently something in his eye had given him away as the frown deepened on Dave’s face and the younger man hurried to find further employment.

“ If you’re being helpful, I could do with a cup of tea,” Sean called out to him. Dave was about to confirm this automatically when he paused and glanced at the restraints suspiciously.

“ Exactly how were you expecting to drink it? Extra long straws?”

“ You could let me out, you know. Especially if we’re just talking. I feel a pillock lying here when you’re fully dressed, to be honest,” Sean had the most honest expression he possessed carefully posed on his face. Dave frowned at him again, considering. The older man was pleased to see the indecision.

“ You promise to behave yourself?” clearly there was still doubt by Dave’s voice. Sean nodded.

“ If I misbehaved I’d spill my tea, wouldn’t I?”

Dave’s eyes narrowed again, but he didn’t say anything further. A few minutes later Sean was sitting with his jeans on, sipping a hot and overly milky cup of tea. Dave had also gone a little over board with the sugar as well. The younger man was sitting in a nearby chair, watching him in the suspicious manner of a cat-hater with a feline sauntering in. In fact, that was probably more obvious emotion than Sean had ever seen him do. He was faintly impressed.

“ Why aren’t you talking to Karl any more?” he queried between sips.

“ Who said that I wasn’t?”

“ Orlando,”

“ Really? That surprises me,” Dave shrugged. “ Karl’s normally busy with something. I’m normally busy with something else. I wouldn’t say we’re not talking, however. And, by the way, changing the topic won’t help,”

Damn. Sean tried to look surprised.

“ Changing the topic?” he said innocently, and dropped the whole pretence at the look that was being aimed at him. “ Okay, fine. If you want to stick with the original subject, that’s okay with me. We can just sit here in silence until you work out it’s pretty damn pointless to be here,”

“ Have you spoken to Viggo?”

“ I don’t want to discuss this. No one else ever discusses their problems with me. I don’t see why I should feel obligated,” Sean focused a little more on his tea. Dave watched him thoughtfully.

“ You do know he’s going around in a furious temper since you left?”

“ He always goes round in a furious temper. It’s not my fault,” protested Sean. Dave sighed.

” I’m not blaming you for Viggo’s bad mood. I’m just pointing out that he hasn’t got over anything. He’s currently as miserable as you are, although at least he’s not trying to destroy his liver in the meantime.” The younger man’s voice had become gentler. Sean focused harder on his tea. He didn’t want to hear any of this. Better to stay indoors and pretend everything was fine.

“ Orli wants you back, incidentally. He’s working on Viggo at the moment,” Blue eyes watched him steadily. Sean snorted amusement.

“ I doubt it. He’s never been that fond of me,” Sean drained the rest of the tea.

“ Yeah, you said that before. I have no idea where you got it from,” he said mildly. Sean snorted again.

“ Orlando,”

“ He told you he didn’t like you?” David had the tone of one who was trying to get things clear in his own mind. Sean nodded.

“ Yes.” Firm, strong answer.

“ Whilst still sleeping with you,” continued Dave slowly.

“ Yes,” Less firm answer, but at least it had some strength.

“ And constantly harassing Viggo to admit he’d made a mistake in letting you go,”

“ Yes…,” Sean trailed off and stared into the mug, wishing for more tea.

“ Perplexing, don’t you think?”

“ Look, I don’t even pretend to know what’s happening in Orli’s mind. I didn’t even know his favourite colour, remember?” snapped Sean. Dave shrugged.

“ It’s yellow,” he offered helpfully.

“ I know!!” Sean snapped and then paused. “ How did you know that?”

“ It came up in conversation,” Dave looked towards the window idly. “ Along with other things.”

There was a pointed silence. Sean refused to fill it. Dave seemed perfectly happy simply staring towards the window. Finally Sean gave in to his destiny, or at least the destiny of this particular conversation.

“ Okay. What other things?” the reluctance in his voice was clearer than glass.

“ Hmmmm? Oh, you said we weren’t talking about those.” Dave gave him a helpful smile. “ So I’m not.”

Sean stared at the bottom of his mug again. The rejected dark wash of tea stared mournfully back at him. His head was beginning to ache slightly, and his stomach was already trying to recover from the drowning it had already suffered. He sighed.

“ Orli really told you that he wanted the three way thing back?” he asked reluctantly. Dave nodded, still looking out the window.

“ Not in so many words, but certainly along those lines. Mostly with an over 18 rating as well.”

“ I don’t believe you,”

“ Didn’t think you would. But it’s true anyway.” Dave was milder than fairy liquid. “ However, we haven’t been able to get Viggo’s approval yet. He seems to think you’d be better off without them. He also seems to think you’re confused and just along for the ride.”

“ What d’you mean, we?” Sean stared at him, bottom of mug forgotten.

“ It’s a plural term. Means more than one.”

“ For fuck’s sake, Dave! You know what I mean,”

“ If you mean to ask whether I have been speaking to Viggo, yes, I have. Well, for my part anyway. His mood was poor whenever I spoke to him. Something you two seem to have in common, I notice,” he added dryly. Sean groaned and finally put the mug down on a side table whose top had only recently been cleared.

“ Sorry,”

“ For throwing yourself at me? It was certainly a novel experience. Ordinarily, I wouldn’t have any objections,” Dave glanced towards Sean’s bare chest in obvious appreciation, then moved his gaze towards the window again. “ It’s certainly better than Viggo’s evil glare. He still won’t say who attacked him, by the way,”

“ Funny that,” growled Sean. The younger man stretched lightly, and gazed back at him.

“ Orlando will be here in about ten minutes as well,” he added. Sean’s head snapped up. He stared at him.

“ What?” his voice sounded wobbly even to him. Heaven alone knew what his eyes were doing. Dave smiled at him gently.

“ I think you heard. He wanted me to make sure he wasn’t going to cause more damage by turning up, but I think you might be okay. Or do you want me to call him and tell him to go away?”

The shake of the head had already been done without Sean even having to focus on it. There was a satisfied smile on Dave’s face, before he turned to face the window again.

“ Good,”

TBC