Smack the Dog

Smack the Dog 36: Thanks for Sharing
Author: Foofy
Rating: NC17
Summary: To the victors go the spoils of war, however damaged they might be.

*

His head ached. Okay, that was a little simple. *Everywhere* ached. He had bruises on his bruises, aches and pains where none should be. Sean shifted slightly, trying to remember what had happened before opening his eyes. Was this a hangover? Were the simple rays of sunlight going to burn his retinas like some vampire movie, causing him to hiss and bury himself back in the bed?

For a bed was where he was, certainly. He recognised the firmness of the mattress underneath him, the warmth of the blankets, what felt like two pillows supporting his head. Words suddenly came into focus to the point where they were actually communication rather than background noise.

“ – believe that you can’t see this,”

The act of opening his eyes was suddenly too much effort. Keep ‘em shut. There was a pause from the speakers. Sean wasn’t entirely sure whether he had dozed off again when words suddenly continued, as did a brief dip in the mattress which denoted someone’s weight shifting.

“ No,” it was a thoughtful voice and it was *Orli’s* voice as well. “ He’s asleep again. You sure he’ll be okay, Viggo?”

“ I’m sure,” came Viggo’s rumble from somewhere to Sean’s left. The way he was speaking suggested that the man had turned away from the bed, possibly to look out the window which was always a staple Viggo action whenever he was talking. Focus on something else and hope that the words take care of themselves. “ And I don’t agree with you, Orli,”

“ But why!” Orlando had to bite down on the volume, continuing in a much lower voice. “ He loves you, you know that. You’ve pretty much said it yourself,”

“ He’s confused,”

” He’s not!” protested Orli. “ Ask him!”

There was a snort from the window. “ After a blow to the head? Great time to confirm confusion. And this wasn’t a debate, Orli. Why are you arguing with me? In fact, I see a distinct correlation between Sean’s entrance into this relationship and your desire to protest.”

“ Suddenly there’s a lot of things to protest about, Viggo. I mean it. You leave him now out of some weird belief you’re doing damage to him – okay, so the blow to the head wasn’t great timing on my point – and you’re not the man I thought you were,” Orli’s voice was still heated.

There was a long pause.

” You threatening me, Orli?” Viggo’s voice was soft, dangerous. The mattress dipped again as Orli shifted his weight.

“ No,” there was a tremble in Orli’s voice. “ Just saying it as it is. You can’t give him love and then turn him loose, it’s not *fair*,”

“ Since when in this world have things ever been *fair*, Orli?” Viggo’s voice, when it came, seemed so very old, so tired. “ Despite what the songs and the films maintain, love doesn’t change a damn thing.”

“ So you admit you do?” Orli pounced on the sentence.

“ I’m not admitting anything. Just pointing out that your assumption that love will cure all is ridiculously optimistic. Love is not a dance, it is decoration,” Viggo sighed.

” Why haven’t you left me if this was your viewpoint?” Orli sounded sulky. There was a snort of amusement from Viggo.

” I won’t leave you, sweetheart. Believe me on this,”

“ Then why not Sean? He needs you too, regardless of what he thinks of the subject,” Orlando retorted bitterly. There was a pause and a shuffle from Viggo’s corner.

“ He shouldn’t have to be dragged down because of me. I can’t offer him-“

” Bollocks!” exploded Orli, the weight shifting on the bed. “ You can,”

“ You going to let me finish one of these days, Orlando?” Viggo’s voice was almost back to the dangerous level that Sean remembered from the first few days together, where Viggo had been ready for the possibility that an order by itself wasn’t going to cut it. Where punches were used as punctuations. Sean could almost see Orli’s awkward shuffle at this. Viggo growled softly to himself, but there was nothing else. Obviously the voice managed to get to places other threats couldn’t reach.

“ Sorry,” Orli’s voice, when it finally came, was little more than a squeak. There was a heavy sigh, followed by the sounds of footsteps; the mattress dipped again as Viggo’s weight was added to it. There was a longer period of silence, just broken by the faint sounds of breathing. Sean resisted the urge to move as he felt the weight shift again and the blanket gently lift from him. Finally the cover was replaced.

“ Please, Vig. Think about it,” Orlando’s voice was soft and still the normal distance away. Which meant that the person leaning over him was … Sean resisted the urge to move again, and kept still. The theory of staying perfectly still was also apparently shared by Viggo, who was utterly silent. Sean could only assume that he was looking down on him as Sean lay there, trying to pretend to the world and its neighbour that he was actually still asleep. Finally Orli shifted positions again.

“ You wanted his trust and his love. And now you have it, you want to break it off?” Orlando said softly. “ Please Vig. He’s not going to repeat your mistakes. You wouldn’t treat him the same way as Daniel did you-“

“ Orli, shut up,” Viggo’s voice was harsh and low. “ I don’t want to talk about this,”

“ But it needs to be spoken Vig, he destroyed your life before and now he’s trying his best to destroy it again!” Orlando moved closer. “ You know how Dan- *He* used to threaten to leave you to get his way. I know why you want to do this, but please Vig, see it from Sean’s point of view. He’s just been through another divorce, he’s almost come to terms with his feelings, then suddenly he’s abandoned again. Not because he’s a bad person. Not because he’s in any danger or cannot cope. Because his lover cannot get over his personal history,”

“ I’m warning you Orli-“ Viggo’s voice was ragged.

” Then warn me, Vig, but you have to see-“

“ No,” The bed shifted alarmingly as Viggo disappeared from it. Viggo’s words had been blunt, strong, and unwilling to discuss any more. It was the type of tones that mothers everywhere used when their children were pestering for more sweeties full of colourings and chocolate and everything else that made them bounce off the ceiling.

Orlando sighed, a little sigh that spoke of abject misery. Oliver Twist couldn’t have done it better, not that Sean was particularly focused on Dickens characters. His heart was in his throat, waiting for Viggo’s next response. He doubted whether he could have moved if he wanted to given the stiffness of his muscles, the realisation that bugger all he could do was likely to affect Viggo’s outlook. History. How the fuck could he compete with that?

“ Orlando, he could have been killed,” Viggo’s voice finally came back from the other side of the room. “ All it took was one of those men to have a knife instead of moral indignation,”

“ You can’t live your life based on what might have happened!” Orli was furious. “ Sure, he might have been stabbed. But he might well have been run over simply walking to the shops to get a paper. You know what Dave said about his use of alcohol to patch things over. What the hell do you think’s going to happen if you drop him?”

There was an amused snort from Viggo that didn’t have the humorous emotion behind it. “ He’d go to Dave. And they’d live happily ever after.” His voice was dry. Obviously this wasn’t what Orli had expected as the younger man hesitated.

“ Dave?” he echoed.

“ You know he wanted to stay with him to make sure he was okay tonight?” Viggo didn’t seem particularly angry about this, as though it was all expected and above board. Sean could hear Orlando struggling with a reply.

“ Well, that’s natural isn’t it? It *was* his flat, and Dave had been looking after him-“

” Yes. He had been, hadn’t he? Out of the goodness of his heart,” it wasn’t bitter. However, it wasn’t quite casual either. Obviously this hadn’t been lost on Orli either; after a pause, the younger man continued again, his voice slow and cautious as though testing unsafe lands.

” You can’t suspect that Dave’s just doing it because… well…,”

” Because he wants to fuck him? No. It’s much deeper than that, and that’s what disturbs me. If he just wanted a roll in the hay, hell, if Sean was up for it I’d let him do it simply to get him off my back. But he doesn’t. He wants to *help*. I doubt very much whether he’d even accept if Sean just stripped and offered himself to him if his heart wasn’t behind it,” Viggo snorted. There was a pause from Orli.

“ Well, I think that was mostly to make sure he didn’t take advantage…,” the younger man said awkwardly. There was a long, long pause.

“ When did Sean do that?” Viggo now just sounded tired. There was a mumble from Orlando which even Sean couldn’t hear, and good god was he attempting to hear properly. God, he was a whore. Viggo had been right at the start. There was more movement as Orli snuggled closer to Sean, the blonde feeling a hand rest on his chest lightly before the weight was swiftly moved.

“ I’m not leaving him,” Orli said softly.

“ You used to hate him,” pointed out Viggo in a reasonable tone.

“ I was confused,”

“ I know. You still are confused, Orli,” Viggo sighed and moved away again, as though pacing. Sean could almost see it in his mind’s eye, the usual way that Viggo prowled like a large cat, deliberate, delicate footsteps as though trying to ensure that his path was silent. “ You were lucky tonight.”

Lucky? Someone was actually lucky this night? As far as Sean could remember, the majority of their little group had been knocked down in some form or other. Heaven alone knew what happened to Karl when he fell, and there had been far too many for Viggo to fight by himself. Perhaps Orlando was lucky just to have remained out of it…

Of course, that still didn’t explain how they managed to get back here. In fact, there was a really big and disturbing gap in the spot where ‘Reasonable Explanations’ existed. If the police had turned up, he would probably be in some hospital somewhere and Viggo would probably be cooling his heels in a cell. And where else could the cavalry have turned up from?

“ As was Sean,” added Viggo after a moment’s pause. “ When he finally opens his eyes,”

” He’ll probably wake up in a bit,” Orlando sounded defensive, as though Sean’s lack of response was somehow his fault. There was a snort of laughter from Viggo.

“ He’s awake now. He’s all but frowning,” there was a pointed tone to Viggo’s voice. Sean swore inwardly and wondered briefly how to react without betraying his cool exterior or to make him look like a complete and utter lying git. There weren’t a huge amount of options available.

When Sean finally opened his eyes, it was almost as bad as he was expecting. Bright light attempted to burn pretty patterns on his retinas, his head thumping loudly enough to be awarded a place in the Top Ten current pop hits. Orli’s anxious face came into focus in front of him, the younger man’s hand on his chest, large brown eyes anxiously searching his for something Sean didn’t even want to consider.

The silence seemed to go on for ages. Sean attempted to use his voice, and suddenly discovered that it was temporarily unavailable for service. It felt as though some small bird had been using it as a nesting box, and had been busily stripping Sherwood Forest for the wood. He coughed, groaned lightly which managed to give him a sore throat, and looked back at Orli guiltily.

The younger man beamed at him proudly, as though Sean had managed some great heroic feat rather than simply re-entering the world of the conscious.

“ How you feeling?” he asked softly. Sean had a sudden urge to lie through his teeth, jump up and down and do various back flips just to get that voice away from him. God, he felt so *guilty* and he had no idea what about.

“ Where’s the others?” he managed to croak, frogs having a better chance of being understood. “ Viggo. Karl?”

“ They’re fine. And Viggo’s by the window,” Orlando soothed some more. Sean shifted his gaze to the dark figure who was staring out the window impassively, leaving Sean to study a straight, firm back and dangerous posture. Sean swallowed past the bird nest, and looked back at Orlando. Orli mistook his concern for pain and soothed some more, gently running his hand over Sean’s forehead.

And of course there was another major thing to say before any serious discussions started. God, he hated to say it. It was one of those clichés, the ones that you always prayed you shouldn’t have to say as being completely unoriginal. However, it served a purpose and you might just get away with it if you didn’t say it in that weak, ridiculously high voice that you saw on television. Sean shifted himself slightly, feeling the pain in his shoulder, and said it reluctantly.

“ You’re at Dave’s,” Orlando answered.

“ Dave’s?” Sean frowned in complete incomprehension at this change of address. Okay, poor Dave had to put up with drunken rages, being bashed around the head and now some bastard stealing his bed. The poor sod must hate him by now. His eyes slid to Viggo who still hadn’t moved, almost looking like a cardboard cut out.

“ Vig?” He hadn’t meant for his voice to sound quite so timid as it had, but it was there and at least there was a little more of a movement as a result. Viggo sighed to himself and looked round at him, his eyes running over the parts of Sean’s body that he could actually see.

“ You finished being a hero yet?” there was a grudging humour behind his words which at least was something. Sean struggled into a seated position, realising as he did so that someone had removed his top whilst he was sleeping, which seemed to be a standard thing to do whenever Sean was ever unconscious. There was a dark bruise on his left shoulder which he had no idea how it got there. It didn’t even hurt much. Green eyes moved from his own skin to Viggo’s gaze, his hand seeking Orli’s to clasp as though he was five years old and scared of the dark.

“ What happened?” he asked finally, waiting for the worst. Viggo smiled grimly to himself and shook his head.

“ Nothing,”

“ Nothing?” Sean’s voice didn’t hide how doubtful he was on this subject.

“ Nothing,” confirmed Viggo, looking back out the window.

“ Bollocks,” snapped Orlando, and both men stared at him in surprise. Sean had a sneaky suspicion this little outburst was going to be blamed on him too, but hell, that hadn’t happened on a regular basis before had it? Orli was almost quivering with rage, his hand gripping Sean’s a little tighter, his eyes slightly out of focus in the way that people glaring at memories develop. “ We won,”

“ We did?” Sean was even more doubtful. Viggo folded his arms in a manner that suggested victory was a technicality.

“ We did! Viggo, you know we did!” Orlando appealed to him directly. “ When that man tried to attack you and that other guy punched his lights out and his leg almost hit me and-“

“ Almost hit you?” Sean sat up straighter and stared at him. “ What d’you mean, almost hit you? You were at my place, right?”

A shifty expression crossed Orlando’s face at this. Ah. No wonder Viggo was looking like someone had threatened to graffiti his photographs. Sean immediately started to scan Orli’s features for signs of bruising, cuts, *anything* that wasn’t supposed to be there, and received a slap on the arm for his troubles.

” Sean – sorry, was that a bruise? – I’m fine! You and Karl came off worst,” Orlando shook his head stubbornly. “ Don’t make an issue out of this,”

“ Don’t make an issue out of this?” echoed Sean weakly, then looked at Viggo who still had the impassive expression on his face. “ Please, just tell me what happened, and with as few ‘ random guy’ labels as possible. My mind’s not that great at the moment,”

However, it was Orli who embarked on the great story, curled up beside him like he was about to read him some fairytale before the Land of Nod walloped him over the head. Well, Sean supposed it was grim enough for classic fairytale status although it probably needed a few more magical talking animals and a little less of the graphic bondage sex. And chocolate never hurt either.

“ Well, me and Dave-“

“ Dave and *I*,” came Viggo’s voice automatically. Orli waved a hand to say that this was noted.

“ Okay, Dave and *I* decided that you three needed some help, so we followed you,” Orlando caught the expression that Sean was giving him, and obviously realised that a little more explanation was probably needed before things were thrown at him. “ Dave wasn’t sure how these men were going to react you see, and kept pacing back and forth at your place. I couldn’t calm him down so I thought it was going to be beneficial if we went to make sure you guys were okay. After all, it wasn’t as though you took weapons with you or anything. Luckily Dave knew where this pub was, although I insisted on driving considering he still looked like he was about to drop in a dead faint any moment. Not great for confidence, you know?”

Sean simply looked at him. Orlando’s hand squeezed Sean’s in a moment of comradeship, his voice dropping a little lower.

“ I thought you were dead when I got there. You were lying on the floor and there was this pool of blood on the pavement under your head,” Orlando paused, possibly for dramatic effect, and continued. “ You lot were all outside that pub, and there was about six of so men I didn’t recognise, many of which I still wouldn’t be able to recognise ‘cause their faces were turned away. A couple of them were trying to punch Viggo, but they couldn’t because he wouldn’t stay still and they looked a little bruised,”

Orlando paused to think about this. “ One of them had this really bloody hand, which he couldn’t use much, so he was trying to kick out. Which was a little silly really. I wonder what he did to it,”

“ He punched a wall,” supplied Sean tiredly. Orlando looked at him oddly.

” Really? Why?”

“ I think I was supposed to be between wall and fist,” explained Sean helpfully. There was a look of comprehension on Orlando’s face before he continued.

“ Anyway, he wasn’t doing much damage but he really had it in for you, probably cause you were easier to hit. Viggo had to stand pretty much over you, although it was Karl who finally managed to knock this guy down,” Orlando had a look of deep concentration on his face as he worked out his memories. Sean looked over at Viggo.

” Karl?” he echoed. “ I thought he got knocked out,”

Viggo shook his head. “ Just a glancing blow, although I think he’s got some mild concussion. Man was a fucking nightmare for a while anyway. Due to his double vision he almost knocked out my front teeth on a number of occasions,” There was almost a look of amusement on Viggo’s face at this little image. It was incredible what looked funny when you were no longer in the middle of it. Sean glanced back at Orli who was watching them with an impatient expression on his face, and waved a hand.

“ Sorry. Continue,”

“ ANYWAY, like I was saying, Karl knocked this guy down but there was another couple of guys to take his place. I tried to jump on one-“

” You did WHAT?!” Sean shifted further up in bed, ignoring the pain in his body and simply stared at Orli who had a mildly sulky expression on his face. Viggo looked away towards the window with the expression of a man who had already given his two cents worth in this particular department.

” Oh, stop it Sean. I didn’t get hurt,” Orli snorted, and waved a hand. “ Anyway, I kinda missed- stop giving me that look, Sean – and almost went straight into this big guy. *Huge* he was. I mean, we’re talking mountains and goats here, with Heidi yodelling in the background. And, to be honest, I thought I was so dead looking up at him. My head was only reaching his shoulders, and that’s on *tiptoe*,”

Sean’s eyes slid to Viggo, whose expression was darkening with every word. Finally the blonde looked back.

“ And what happened?”

Orlando beamed. “ He said something along the lines of ‘ So you’re the kid’ and then slammed a fist into the man I missed,” there was a chuckle. “ I’ve never seen anyone hit the deck that quickly in my life, not that I’ve *seen* huge amounts of people hit the deck mind you. But you expect it to be a little slower, don’t you? Nope! Whack, bam, dead to the world. He wasn’t dead, incidentally, cause I checked afterwards.” Orli paused to think or possibly to regain some well needed oxygen.

“ Kurt?” Sean’s eyes slid back to Viggo, who gave a slight nod in answer.

“ Yeah, that’s his name. He came from the bar, and seemed to know Dave well cause he kept looking at him as though he was trying to spot something different about him.” Orlando shrugged.

“ Dave was fighting too?” Sean felt sick. Orlando nodded so enthusiastically he was in danger of obtaining whiplash.

“ Of course Dave was fighting too. But more the point he managed to get this … well, it wasn’t an army as such, not with four people, but they were so big they probably counted double anyway. They were from the pub as well, and kept calling him Daisy,” Orlando frowned as he thought of this. “ Why Daisy?” he queried.

“ I find it easier not to speculate,” replied Sean idly.

“ Oh. Okay. Anyway, they helped out a lot which was just as well although Viggo was doing really great with his punches and kicks and general scrapping. But Karl wasn’t too good, and wasn’t really with it, and we had to get him out of there before he actually tripped over you. I think he did, actually. Do you have a painful shin?”

“ Orli, I have a painful *everything*,” sighed Sean. Orlando shrugged and continued.

“ Well, he wasn’t really paying attention and there was this *guy* who was really after him. I mean, seriously after him by the look of it. So I punched him.” Orli had the look of someone who had discovered the meaning of life. “ I actually punched him. I didn’t think I could, but it was so easy and it seemed to line up really well,” Orli laughed in embarrassment. “ I doubt whether I could do it again though,”

“ He punched Mackenzie,” came Viggo’s contribution. “ A bit of irony there,”

“ Good choice of bastard to punch,” nodded Sean. Orlando shrugged.

“ Well, the sod was aiming towards Karl and he really shouldn’t have been anywhere near the place. You know Karl can’t remember much about it, Vig? Dave says he thought it was 1994 for ages afterwards, and could only recognise a few people. Kept babbling about leaving the oven on,” Orlando shook his head. “ He’s fine though. Got ringing in his ears and his vision’s unblurred again, but that’s okay,”

“ So what’s happening now?” Sean’s eyes shifted back to Viggo cautiously. “ We going to have to go back there?”

Viggo smiled grimly. “ Mackenzie’s lost a lot of followers,” he said, not without a small amount of satisfaction. “ Having the kid you claimed was being abused suddenly turn up with fists flailing and screaming something rude about Mackenzie’s parentage does tend to ruin your argument. And yes, Orli, you were ruder than the graffiti in a public lavatory. I didn’t even know you knew half the words you spoke, and if I hear the C-word exit your mouth again you will find yourself over my lap,”

“ Unless you’re in a fight, presumably,” added Sean shifting down in the pillows.

” Depends on the fight. And I notice that Orlando has watered down the full information about his part in this particular fight, too,” remarked Viggo dryly. Orli flushed.

” Well, it wasn’t that important-“

” You kicked Mackenzie in the balls,” replied Viggo patiently.

“ It was a tactical manoeuvre,” protested Orli weakly.

” Hard.” There was a gentle reminder.

“ Yes, well, you might as well do it right,” mumbled Orli.

“ When he was on the floor,” added Viggo.

“ I wasn’t about to wait for him to get up again, was I?” Orli looked defiant and guilty at the same time. Viggo laughed quietly to himself and looked out the window again. Orli watched him cautiously in case of any further comments on this theme, then looked back at Sean.

“ Dave said to bring you and Karl here when it was all over. He had a few beds free, and we didn’t think you needed hospital cause you were awake and talking for a bit, and besides which anywhere was better than your head on the concrete,” the excitement of the tale had left Orli’s eyes leaving behind honest anguish. “ I honestly thought you were dead. Your arm had fallen to the side and the palm was up, like one of those corpses you see on television where the finger twitches and then falls still. Dave got you out of there as soon as he could, just pulled you out and somewhere safe. There might be a few pavement scrapes on your back from that incidentally, but he couldn’t afford to be gentle, not with people all over the place who could have trampled you,”

The darkness had returned to Viggo’s features like bats to a cave. Orlando didn’t seem to notice, and had picked up Sean’s hand, smiling at him.

“ But we made it! Karl’s swearing revenge-“

” Karl’s just swearing,” Viggo said with an icy indifference. Orli eyed across the room at him then looked back at Sean with the trained innocent expression of a born actor, one who refuses to acknowledge the actual circumstances and seemed to be happily occupying a new universe.

“ And Dave-“ here Orli gave a nervous glance to Viggo, then looked back again cautiously. “ Dave says you can stay here as long as you want to if you don’t want to move. Cause of your head injury,”

“ How much did you hear whilst you were doing your little pretence, Sean?” Viggo asked suddenly, his head raising, blue eyes staring at him. Sean flushed and looked uncomfortable. Surely there were rules about doing the Spanish Inquisition when you were feeling like crap?

“ Not a great amount. Head was fuzzy,” he said finally and awkwardly.

“ People whose heads are fuzzy made little moaning noises and ask where they are a lot earlier than you did,” Viggo seemed to turn on his heel on his mood swing, and was right back to grumpy as hell. Sean shifted uncomfortably, not wishing to lie but certainly wishing to avoid the truth for however long he could do.

There was a pause. Orlando looked even more uncomfortable than Sean, and gave a badly disguised pleading look towards Viggo, whose expression was suddenly as glacial as the North Pole. Nothing moved on the man, nothing at all, not a blink, not a twitch of a muscle. The Brit finally worked out how to get his mouth moving again and shifted in bed.

” You want me to leave you,” he said quietly.

“ I think it might be best,”

“ No it isn’t! Viggo, please! You can’t do this!” Orlando sounded more distressed than Sean had ever heard him before, and that was including the time he realised that Sean had swiped the last of his shampoo just before Orli had a clubbing party to go to with the hobbits. Viggo seemed unaffected by Orlando’s plea, although Sean noticed he didn’t look at him at all.

Sean stared back at him, feeling a relaxing feel creep over his body. If it was over, it was over. No one could say he hadn’t fought for it. Hell, he still had the bruises, the concussion, the cuts.

“ I see. Just don’t say it’s for my safety, huh, Vig?” Sean said softly. “ I’m a big boy now. I’m here because I want to be here. A collar isn’t for life, just for Christmas, eh?”

A flicker of discomfort entered Viggo’s expression. “ It’s better for everyone,”

“ Bollocks!” Orlando certainly was going to have to make a huge contribution to the swear tin later on. “ It’s not better for everyone and you know-“

The younger man’s voice cut off at the solid glare that was aimed at him by Viggo. Great White sharks couldn’t do better. Hunting tigers would cringe in fear. Charging rhinos would suddenly find a new direction to take their anger management in the face of Viggo’s annoyance. Orli paused for a long, long time then looked desperately back at Sean. Sean felt the young man’s hand tighten on his own, Orlando snuggle closer to him.

“ I’m not moving,” he said in a small voice back at Viggo. “ I love him and I love you, and you’re going to tear us apart if you keep doing this. Daniel never loved you, Viggo! For fuck sake-“

The danger that suddenly crackled in the air suddenly showed Sean exactly how much Viggo was holding back. This was the look that ripped people to pieces, that disembowelled, the anger and pain mingling within the man’s glare to form one solid weapon, the pain dampening any reason behind the actions. Viggo had taken a few steps closer to the bed before he stopped himself, shaking his head angrily and stalking towards the door. Orli had stopped immediately but he hadn’t cringed away, hadn’t shrank back against his older if beaten protector on the bed. He had simply waited there for whatever Viggo would bring, loyal dedication burning fiercely.

Viggo’s hand rested on the doorknob but he didn’t attempt to open it, merely looking at it for some time as though uncertain on how to use it.

“ Viggo, you can’t do what Daniel did, you know that. You love him, you admitted it yourself. Please,”

“ Orli, what will it take for you to shut up?” Viggo’s voice was patiently controlled, as though every fibre in his being was being used to keep his willpower under control, his rage under check.

“ I know it hurts you to think of it-“

“ Then shut up before I make you shut up, Orli. You want to keep Sean? Fine! Keep him. And when he’s sending the police after us for kidnap and physical harm, I’ll remind you of this day,”

Sean stared at him. “ Viggo, I would never-“

“ THAT’S WHAT I THOUGHT,” the snap was almost a roar, Viggo glaring back at him like a caged wolf. “ And I did it. So what does that make me, huh?”

There was absolute silence. Not a car went past, nor a creak in the house, nor a gurgle in the pipes. Viggo stared back at them as though his glare was stuck on them, his hand still resting on the doorknob as though that too had been overly enthusiastic with the glue-pot some time earlier that evening. Sean could feel the fact that Orli’s breathing was fast and uneven, despite his lack of noise. He searched his mind for something to comment on, something to be able to say which wouldn’t make any sort of judgements. Unsurprisingly, this wasn’t particularly easy.

“ This is different,” Sean said finally. Viggo laughed then, a genuine laugh of amusement.

“ You won’t believe how often that’s said,” he commented. “ It’s different. I see. I assume you’re not going to go into technicalities, the fine detail? I was wrong to bring you into this, I admit it. So don’t feel obliged to hang around because of pride,”

“ You bastard,” Sean stared at him, his shock finally prompting him into action. Viggo blinked, that particular word obviously not expected.

” What?” And now Viggo didn’t sound angry, simply taken aback. The hand slid from the doorknob to allow Viggo to properly turn around, the man staring at Sean as though he was some strange alien who had taken over Sean’s body. However, Sean was on a roll and considering how few times that actually occurred to him he was quite happy to take advantage.

“ You heard me,” he continued, warming to his theme. “ First you drag me into this, then you open up parts of my psyche that I didn’t even realise were lurking in there, then you call me a whore for doing what you want and now you’re saying that I’m only here out of pride and presumably because I’ve got nothing better to do! Fucking well get off my case, you wanker!”

Viggo was simply staring at him, although the surprised look in his eyes had been replaced by the typical neutrality. Orlando was looking at him with his mouth slightly open, obviously more stunned than if Sean had obtained a baseball bat and bonked him over the head with it. Occasionally dark eyes slid to Viggo to see how he was taking it.

Finally the older man took a few steps towards the bed, abandoning the door entirely, his eyes fixed on Sean.

“ What did you say?” the voice was a dark and dangerous purr, a warning that the ice was thin under unwary feet. Sean maintained his ground. Hell, it was the only thing he had left.

“ Dump me, Vig. Just don’t make this out to be my decision or for my best interests. I’m a whore, remember? Who knows, the next man I spread my legs for might treat me worse,” Sean glared at him. Viggo’s whole body seemed to be bristling.

“ I doubt it,” he said softly.

“ This is all about Dave, isn’t it? For god’s sake, Vig, he’s a mate! You really don’t trust me do you?” Now that was a thought and a half. Sean stared back at him, mental cogs turning slowly.

“ That’s what all this was about, wasn’t it?” Sean said slowly. “ All the time you’re criticizing me for not trusting you, and in the end it’s you who doesn’t trust me! You don’t trust me not to cheat on you, you don’t trust me when I say I want to be here, and you don’t trust me when I say I love you!”

There was a long pause as everyone’s mind had to readjust to the last statement. At least he had managed to cut Viggo’s angry retort before it had even started. Black thunderclouds had appeared on his features, his mouth ready to spring into action and tear Sean to pieces, but all of this froze in place as Sean finished speaking. The blonde reviewed things and blanched at exactly what had come out of his mouth.

” Er,” he said, which wasn’t the greatest sequel in the world but at least it proved his mouth was still working.

“ To be fair on Viggo,” said Orlando slowly. “ I don’t think you ever *have* said that you-“

“ It doesn’t matter,” Sean broke in to this little pile of heart-warming conversation that was obviously a little too small a little too late, and looked away angrily. “ He’s made his decision,”

“ Now who’s being the wanker?” said Orli crossly. Viggo still hadn’t moved during this. Sean was beginning to believe he had broken him in some way, but that didn’t mean that he had to cave in on this. Once Viggo’s mind was made up, you needed something extra special to be able to shift it again, like the mind equivalent of dynamite except without the mess. Orlando snuggled closer to Sean and turned his attention to Viggo doubtfully but with his usual quiet loyal dedication.

“ And Dave?” Viggo said finally, his voice sounding as though his throat had been recently attacked with a cheese-grater. Sean stared out the window harder.

” For fuck’s sake, Dave’s not important!” he snapped.

He wasn’t entirely sure when he realised that things had gone a little worse. Perhaps it was the stillness in the room. Perhaps it was the fact that Orli was suddenly tense beside him. Perhaps it was just the sixth sense jumping on him from a great height. Either way, Sean felt nervous enough to glance towards Viggo, realising in an instant that in fact Viggo wasn’t the person to be worried about.

No, that person was Dave Wenham, who in a twisted turn of fate or possibly masochistic behaviour had chosen that moment to appear in the doorway. Apparently it wasn’t only Viggo who liked to have his doors well oiled, although by the anger Sean had previously he probably would have been deaf to it even if the hinges had squealed as though they were being murdered. Viggo also apparently wasn’t the only one to have that neutral expression, the type that suggested that fierce emotions were being hidden under a mask but you would only know about it when the thinker allowed said mask to slip.

“ Glad to see you’re up,” Dave also had brilliant control over his vocal chords as well it seemed, his voice light and pleasant and suggestive that he lived in a world where white fluffy bunnies frolicked and the sun was always out and there was always enough to eat and drink. “ Can I get you anything?”

“ Dave…,” Sean felt wretched. A man who had only really tried to help him – other than a little bodge up at the start with imaginative suggestions, and everyone was allowed one slip up – and Sean had to go shove a metaphorical boot in his ribs.

” Water? Tea, coffee? I think I have some juice somewhere, but I wouldn’t like to say how old it is,” Dave continued as though he was pre-programmed. “ Anyone?”

“ I’ll have a diet coke if you have one,” Orli was giving the warm smile that Sean recognised as the one used when the younger man was trying to win people over. Dave looked pleased, as though Orli had actually declared world peace rather than claim a beverage. The blue gaze moved towards Sean but couldn’t quite meet his eyes, as though it was mostly for show.

” Sean? Viggo?”

“ Dave, I’m sorry. You didn’t hear it in context,” Sean knew he probably would sound like he was on an entirely different conversation than everyone else, but didn’t know what else to do. Dave paused for a moment, then continued on his own little thread.

” Well, if you need anything give me a yell,” he said briskly. “ Ice, Orli?”

“ Yeah, cheers,” Orlando smiled weakly. Dave gave a little nod and then vanished through the door. Sean let out the groan he had been keeping in and almost flopped back down on the bed. The pain in his body, however, gave him a sharp poke to remind him what a bad idea this would be.

“ Is there *anyone* in this world I can’t screw over?” Sean muttered to himself. “ Shit,”

His eyes moved to Viggo who was watching him with a hooded expression, dark, foreboding, and waiting for something. Something in Sean’s mind clicked. Viggo was waiting for him to go after Dave, to provide support, comfort, and confirmation that in fact a relationship with Dave would be a better solution. It was clearly obvious that the man was agitated, simply by the fact that his mask had slipped to reveal the demons that lurked beneath the surface, whispering their thoughts.

Orlando looked from one man to the other, and finally slipped off the bed to pad after Dave. Viggo stopped him with a hand on his shoulder and a frown. The younger man glanced at him; finally the hand slid off again as though someone had greased Orli’s shoulder and the young man disappeared from the room.

“ Would you have let *me* go after Dave without a fight?” said Sean in a low voice. Viggo glanced up at him but still said nothing. It was as though someone had placed an invisible gag over him, although something dark still burned fiercely in those eyes. Sean shook his head. “ God, this is all fucked up isn’t it? And are you going to say anything at any point or are you just going to glare at me for the rest of my life?”

“ Just be quiet, Sean,” Viggo finally spoke, his voice rough.

“ No. I’ve been quiet for far too long, and look where it’s got me! Vig, you don’t trust me one inch, do you? How the hell am I supposed to be anything less than a whore if that’s the only way you’ll treat me?” Sean was beginning to feel the burn of anger on his conscience, wiping out any rational thought. “ For fuck’s sake Viggo-“

Well, it was only a matter of time before Viggo snapped. Sean could almost hear it in his mind, that point where Viggo was no longer the mild-mannered listener but a fully enraged warrior, Viggo’s eyes blazing with more than just anger. Sean forced himself to stay put as Viggo stalked the short distance between them, his eyes so fixed it was like someone had painted them on.

“ Sean,” The distance between them was seemingly only a few inches, the voice so low it was almost a whisper, although this whisper was one that originated from wolves. “ Stop it,”

Sean looked back at him. “ I stop now I’m unlikely to be able to start again, am I?” he replied finally. “ You want me gone,”

“ You make this sound like it’s a casual decision for me.”

“ You make it sound like I’m a bloody liability. Which is worse?” Green eyes stared back at him defiantly. “ Viggo, currently you’re a wanker and a bastard, but I trust you. Start repaying the favour and we might, we just might, get out of this with our sanity intact and our ability to laugh,” Sean felt the misery finally enter his eyes, his very posture, searching those familiar grey-blue eyes that were so cold and yet could burn with so many things Sean had lost count. “ Please, Vig. I can hardly go back to the way I was, can I?”

Viggo stared back at him stonily, not speaking again as though he had a limit on words. Which was how Orli found them as he walked though the door, clutching a glass of coke.

“ Well, Dave’s with Karl and he seems to be okay but I couldn’t really say much on the subject…,”

Orlando’s wary brown eyes slid from Viggo to Sean, taking in the posture, the positions, the fact that his two lovers were all but snarling at each others throats, and finished his previous sentence with a weary sigh.

“ You are kidding me, right? Have either of you heard of a break?” Orli tried to smile but this was frozen as Viggo’s glare moved onto him. Suddenly Orlando looked very young, frightened brown eyes looking back at him with the same expression that Bambi probably would face a wolf with. Orli opened his mouth to speak and then shut it again uncertainly. “ Vig?”

Viggo made a noise of disgust and moved away from Sean’s bedside, followed by two sets of eyes. Planting his hands on the windowsill, the older man stared outside silently. Orli glanced to Sean in query, and received a shrug in response, Sean moving himself to be able to watch Viggo closer. This was ridiculous. They could circle each other for the rest of their lifetime if this went on.

The Fellowship balances on a knife’s edge. Stray but a little and it will fail…

Amazing how it always ended up being him responsible.

Sean ignored the startled look on Orli’s face as he moved, ignoring the bursts of pain within him, the aches, the complaints, the strange feeling of muscles attempting to lock up. His legs slid out from the bed, Sean testing his weight cautiously before finally pushing himself up. His head felt light, his perception shot to pieces. And yet he was still moving, although this was probably down to sheer bloody-mindedness rather than any miracle in healing.

Orlando, having been halted by a hand, watched him cautiously as Sean crossed the room. Okay, so the crossing wasn’t particularly spectacular, wobbly on occasion, and he had a horrible feeling he was going to faint. But at least he was moving, and he was *there*. Viggo had already turned his head to observe him, an unreadable expression in those eyes.

Sean stopped and looked at him briefly, before remembering himself. Now was not the time to start doing deep and meaningful looks. Now was the time for action.

He hadn’t been entirely sure what would happen when he finally did move forward, closing the gap and pressing his lips to Viggo. Sean had a sneaking suspicion pain would be there immediately as though it wasn’t happy to be left out for long, either by already obtained injuries or a Viggo Reaction Special (fists a speciality). However, pain didn’t really have much of a look in. Okay, so it was hardly pain free, and there was a bruise on his shin that seemed to be throbbing badly, but at least it wasn’t as a direct result of the embrace.

And an embrace was what the kiss had developed into very quickly. It was startling. It was quick. And it was there, Viggo’s kiss more and more intensive as though the man was desperately trying to get a two hour passionate session into two minutes. Sean felt hands roam over his body, pulling him closer, and managed to bite down on the hiss of discomfort as bruises were pressed and old agonies were remembered. Viggo’s tongue was already re-exploring his mouth, claiming these pastures for the good of Viggo-kind. Sean felt rough stubble against his own, felt strong hands over him, and was lost in a sea of exploration.

Okay, enough with the foreplay. Rough, hard sex beckoned.

There was no mistaking the startled expression in Viggo’s eyes as Sean’s hands began to fumble with the man’s clothing. To be fair on him, this probably didn’t happen that often. People didn’t rip clothes off from the dominant male after all, and Viggo had been alpha for so long that such sensations probably were a little new to him. However, Sean didn’t have too long to think about that as Viggo’s Self Defence System kicked in for another moment. Sean’s questing hands were captured a strong, firm grip.

” Come on, Vig. I’ve surrendered. Try it yourself,” murmured Sean, his eyes scanning grey-blue.

There was a long pause that seemed infinite. Finally Viggo’s hand released him.

“ Orli, strip and on the bed. Now,” Viggo’s voice was sharp and quick in the air. Sean breathed a sigh of relief, and started to yank off his own trousers as though the world’s very survival depended on it. Viggo was not far behind him either, which was a shock and a half. No longer the deliberate power struggle, the maintenance of power. Now it was just a competition to see who could get naked the quickest, and seeming Sean started off with 50% of his clothing at the start he felt remarkably confident on this score.

His head and his body were simultaneously the most and the least important thing to Sean at this moment in time. Least important with regards to the aches and pains, which seemingly had been magically shoved to the back of his mind where no doubt they would fester until he really wouldn’t be able to walk or think tonight. Most important in that he really had to press his skin against Viggo’s skin as soon as possible, feel the man’s tongue on his already overheated flesh. Sean glanced around to check where Orlando was, feeling his head throb in protest but also feeling this be shouted down by the throbbing in his groin. He needn’t have bothered; Orlando’s hands were suddenly there on his back, although more cautiously as though at least one member of the group had remembered that perhaps bodies were a little more fragile than their previous state.

“ Thought you were supposed to be on the bed?” gasped Sean towards him. There was a chuckle.

” Thought you were supposed to be recovering?” Orli’s mouth suddenly attached itself to Sean’s neck, sucking, licking, treating Sean like he was Orlando’s favourite ice-cream with added sprinkles. The blonde recovered his equilibrium and looked back at Viggo who seemed completely at ease with the fact that his orders were not being obeyed. Okay, so rules were currently on holiday it seemed. Sod it. He had Viggo in front of him and Orlando directly behind, and this was certainly not a time to start looking for problems.

The bed, of course, was where they ended up. There hadn’t really been much of a surprise about this; Sean’s head still felt like it was about to detach and float to the ceiling, and his muscles were slowly beginning to give their warning shakes that system failure was imminent. Viggo had already started to push his little harem towards the bed without halting in his touching, kissing or fondling, which did ruin the assumption that men really couldn’t multi-task.

Sean almost fell on top of Orli, who chuckled again and gave him a friendly push. Muscles complained even further, although not a peep could be heard from Sean on the subject. Oh no. Let’s not ask for trouble here. The blonde wriggled back and kissed Orlando in retaliation, hands wandering over smooth young muscles, feeling Orli squirm against him with a breathy groan that was part giggle.

Viggo meanwhile had moved ends. Orli glanced around in faint confusion as Viggo shifted behind him, beginning to kiss his way down the young man’s back, pulling the young man into a Viggo approved position. Not that the confusion lasted for long. Sean could see in Orli’s eyes that the question on what Viggo was doing had died entirely on the basis that he *was* doing something, and a nice something at that. Sean could feel Orli trembling like a played guitar string, before Sean reclaimed Orli’s mouth in a passionate kiss that seemed to last for centuries.

It didn’t take long for the kissing to progress to something else entirely different. Orlando gave Sean one last kiss and then moved down his body, his tongue playing on Sean’s bruised and battered skin before fastening on his aching erection. The blonde felt his whole body tense with anticipation, felt the feel of Orlando’s teeth playfully graze sensitive areas before moving to the soft warm and persistent feel of the young man suckling on him. Sean groaned aloud as tongue flickered across the head of his cock, then had to gesture that he was fine when Viggo immediately looked up to check whether the groan was good or bad. Orli hadn’t even paused in his work.

Sean’s willpower had another attack played on it as Viggo started his attentions to Orli on the other end. The vibrations suddenly stepped up the pace by at least a hundred percent, possibly more, as the younger man jerked and groaned against him as Viggo continued with his deep mining tongue explorations. Sean knew from experience how talented Viggo’s tongue was, how often it felt like he was tracing patterns against sensitive skin, just idly doodling. Orli shivered again, the warm breath over Sean’s arousal causing tremors to work up Sean’s spine as well, the Brit gasping his opinion on this. Through glazed eyes Sean watched Viggo pause in his work to allow a finger to breach Orli’s body, his tongue back in action immediately afterwards, licking, sucking around his finger. The younger man was actively pushing back on him, demanding more action, a challenge growling from his throat.

By Viggo’s movements, it was clear that the challenge was accepted. It took only a few moments before Viggo had repositioned himself, his eyes meeting Sean’s briefly before turning back to focus on smoothly pushing into Orli’s body. Even a boy of Orli’s flexible talents couldn’t ignore the fact that a man of Viggo’s size was pushing into him without much in the way of foreplay or lubrication; there was a gasp that was more a whimper, the young man closing his eyes and pausing to allow himself time to adjust, sweat beading on his forehead. Sean watched Viggo’s nails gently rake down Orlando’s back as the older man waited patiently, as though he was simply awaiting the use of the sink rather than the fact that his length was currently buried into the warm tightness that was Orli.

And as suddenly as he had stopped, Orlando started again. It was as though someone had flicked a switch inside him. Sean gasped as the young man’s tongue began in earnest, proving that all the previous activity had merely been playing, the blonde’s hands resting in Orli’s hair. Viggo began to slowly thrust within him, but even his willpower didn’t last for that long. Sean hadn’t been concentrating hard enough to work out when Viggo had progressed from walk to gallop but he was there seemingly within a matter of moments, pounding hard against Orlando’s body, the sound of skin on skin loud in the room.

Sean almost jumped out of skin when Orlando cried out the first time, the blonde honestly believing that Viggo had managed to rupture something, had kebabed areas that really shouldn’t be kababed. But no; there was a far away look in Orli’s eyes that suggested that this type of kebabing was perfectly fine with him, which was also echoed by the fact that the young man promptly shoved his body back hard on Viggo’s waiting length.

The blonde’s body felt like the whole of its attention was focused solely on what the younger man was doing. Orlando was obviously another subscriber to ‘Multi-task Weekly’ by the incredible amount of attention he was paying to both Viggo behind him and Sean in front of him. Sean would have commented that obviously the younger man had a finger in every pie, but that was just going to turn into a bad pun, he could feel it in his waters.

Speaking of waters, he himself was so very close to the edge; Sean’s headache had managed to make an unwelcome return, but Sean really couldn’t concentrate on that, just Orli’s tongue lapping at his cock, the ache in his balls and the frantic desperation that demanded that Sean seize hold of the younger man’s head and pick up the pace a little. This was only just resisted. Sean groaned weakly as Orlando continued, his hands subconsciously gripping the younger man’s hair tighter until it must hurt although Orli didn’t make a noise with regards to this, simply continuing with reckless abandonment until Sean came hard down his throat.

The cry wasn’t a cry as such, more a scream. Orgasm and bruising managed to all but overwhelm him; there were little white spots dancing in front of his eyes, Sean desperately hanging onto control, fighting the very real danger of collapsing completely off the bed and all the fun that would bring. Viggo wasn’t long after Sean, as though the older man had been waiting for the blonde before finally shooting into Orlando with a grunt, Viggo’s nails raking down Orlando’s back for the last time before the older man slid out of him, panting heavily, body slick with sweat.

There was a pause whilst every tried to regain control over their breathing and bodies. White spots lessened in front of Sean’s eyes to allow him to focus a little more, noting immediately how smug Orli was looking, especially for one who still had the pearly sheen of Sean’s come on his lips whilst Orli’s own body pleaded with him for release.

Sean met Viggo’s gaze over Orlando’s still trembling body, before Viggo smiled slightly and moved to be able to touch the younger man. The effect was electric and incredibly fast; Sean wondered briefly to find something to gag him with before Karl had a flashback to their previous fight. Orli made fighting cats sound quiet, the young man’s final cry threatening to shatter windows if it hadn’t been for Viggo’s other hand suddenly clamped over his mouth after the first second of noise.

And then, as suddenly as it had come, their shared moment was over to leave them with whatever consequences remained.

There was enough panting to ruin any sort of proper silence however, which almost ruined the dramatic moment of the scene. Finally Viggo heaved himself into a sitting position against the head of the bed and looked across at them; Orlando was still lying on his back, a far away look in his eyes, stickiness on his stomach. Sean was trying desperately to fight the headache, which seemed determined to make his life a misery.

Green eyes flickered onto Viggo in question. There was the smallest smile at the corner of Viggo’s mouth.

“ Was that supposed to be your persuasive argument?” he asked softly.

” Worked for me,” came Orli’s sleepy contribution. “ Can we keep him? Please? I’ll walk him every day and remember to feed him, honest,”

The two older men looked at him long enough for Orlando to chuckle to himself and roll over into a little ball, closing his eyes. Viggo’s gaze slid back to Sean in appraisal.

“ If you do love me, then you’re an idiot,” he said slowly.

“ Sounds fair,” agreed Sean.

“ Do you love me as well?” came Orlando’s muffled contribution from the pillows. Sean grinned to himself and slapped Orlando’s thigh playfully.

“ I think you come in a pair, love,”

” Ooooh. Messy,” there was a sleepy quality to Orli’s voice that suggested that the younger man was only a hair breath away from falling asleep in the middle of the bed. Sean’s hand stroked the thigh that it found itself on, its owner still looking back at Viggo who was watching him cautiously. No instructions for Sean to depart their lives made an appearance. Sean breathed a little sigh of relief.

The war was obviously not yet over. But at least this battle seemed to be won.

*

The next morning and things had not improved on the bruise front. Well, it had in a multi-coloured manner; Sean’s body seemed to be covered in organic graffiti, including a quite spectacular one on the shin where Karl had apparently kicked him. His arms hurt. His legs hurt. Every muscle seemed to have been pulled at least once, possibly twice if it was feeling particularly greedy. His head pounded like an over enthusiastic drummer.

And they had filming today.

“ You can’t go in to work today,” Viggo shook his head, voice of authority. Sean tested his feet on the floor and was pleased to note that they were planning to behave themselves. Gravity would not make a fool of him two days in a row at least. Green eyes glanced back up at him.

“ I have to. We’ve already had far too much time off between us,” Sean paced up and down the room, trying not to wince. He failed miserably. Viggo watched him impassively.

“ I don’t want you killing yourself on the set today,” he said.

” Snap. So don’t worry about it,” Sean took another two painkillers and prayed they would kick in sooner rather than later. His eyes drifted to the door. Since Dave’s visit last night, he hadn’t seen either Dave or Karl at all, only Orli venturing out there to be able to have a chat and a check up. After all, it was night and they were both bruised and battered. Night visits were probably not what they would want.

However, it was now day. It was either face the music or find a new excuse.

” I hope last night doesn’t mean another stint of disobedience,” Viggo said slowly, his eyes resting on Sean thoughtfully. “ I’m not planning to let you get away with anything you want, you know,”

“ Yes, master,” Sean kept the smile to himself. Viggo sighed wearily and turned to face the door.

“ Don’t make me regret keeping you,” he threw over his shoulder.

“ No, master,”

” You ‘master’ me once more in that tone of voice and you’re going to find a whip across your ass,” Viggo glared back at him. Sean kept quiet, his little moment of humour short lived as Viggo reached the door. Dave was out there, and Sean still had no idea what he was going to say to him. Orlando hadn’t really elaborated when he said that he was ‘fine’, and he had said it in such a manner that suggested that ‘fine’ wasn’t the most accurate description in the world. Dave could look fine so very easily.

Shit. Why were there always complications?

Pausing only to tell himself sternly that there was no point in apologising if Dave was only going to be seen as a ‘complication’, Sean slowly followed Viggo through the door and out into the main living room where Karl was already sitting on the sofa, an ice-pack pressed to the side of his face, his top off to show some spectacular bruises of his own. One hazel eye glared at him, then slid to where Dave was sitting on a table chair, reading a local newspaper.

” Ah, you’re up. Coffee?” David looked up at them. “ Or tea?”

” You don’t have to run around after us, you know. We’re old enough to work out where everything is,” Viggo spoke mildly. David shrugged.

” It’s no bother,” the Australian was already out the door before they could stop him, noticeably not looking towards either of them longer than he had to. The blonde stared after him helplessly, then realised that Karl was still glaring at him with a look that suggested that certainly one other man had heard of what had been said last night. Sean shifted uncomfortably, thanking the lord when Orlando moved forward and peeled away the ice-pack from Karl’s face with a look of awe.

“ What on earth are you going to tell makeup?” he queried.

“ I walked into a door,” said Karl grimly, replacing the pack.

” What, repeatedly?” Orlando gazed at him and shook his head. “ They’ll never buy it,”

Karl’s one eyed glare went back onto Sean. “ How the hell did you manage to get away without a bruise marking your face? You went down like a sack of shit,” the voice was full of accusation, as though Sean had deliberately done this to spite him.

“ I don’t know. Luck, I guess,”

“ Yeah. You’ve always been lucky, haven’t you Sean?” Karl was definitely in a bad mood. Sean could see Viggo straighten his back and look towards him in that particularly focused manner that suggested that the older man was running a few thoughts through his head in relation to disciplining the locals. Karl either didn’t notice or didn’t seem to care as he continued. “ You going to be able to film today, Sean?”

“ I don’t see why he shouldn’t,” came Dave’s contribution as he came back into the room bearing hot drinks. “ He had relatively minor injuries.”

“ Minor? He got whacked on the head!” Orli looked a little stunned. David shrugged.

” Yeah, but when has he ever used that?” He handed the black coffee to Viggo and moved back towards the table and his paper, Sean watching him nervously, not certain what to say but knowing something had to be said before it started festering so badly it would start attracting metaphorical flies. However, he need not have worried. Obviously other people had been thinking along these lines too.

“ David,” Viggo put the cup of coffee down near by and looked at him. Blue eyes flickered to Viggo cautiously, noting the serious tones of the words but obviously not entirely understanding where this was leading to. The older man paused, possibly for effect, before speaking again. “ I think we owe you,”

” Owe me?” echoed Dave. There was a smile and a quick shake of the head. “ That’s not necessary, Viggo-“

“ I beg to disagree,” Viggo’s voice was firm and uncompromising. David frowned as though Viggo had put forward some complicated business plans with added graphs, and looked towards Karl for assistance. The one eyed sofa pirate declined to be any particular help, the ice-pack still plastered to his other eye and cheek, wary caution showing in the one good hazel eye.

“ Then what,” said Dave, and his voice was full of curiosity. “ would you suggest in order to pay me back?”

The room waited. Viggo smiled.

“ Oh, I think we can come to some arrangement tonight.” There was a pause, as though Viggo had suddenly remembered that David wasn’t someone he was supposed to be ordering around. “ If you’re free,” he added.

Dave looked at him for a while, obvious calculation occurring behind those blue eyes, one finger tapping a beat on the table top. Finally he sighed and shifted position idly.

“ I think it would be better if we all got a little more rest,” he said slowly. “ However-“

However? There was a however? Sean straightened, watching the conversation unfurl with more than a little suspicion attached, realising that he hadn’t been expecting Dave to take up any offer that Viggo made. After all, Dave was one of those people who seemed determined to be taken advantage of. Obviously times had changed.

One thing really hadn’t changed, however. Dave’s innocent smile, which was currently being aimed at Viggo.

” What about on Saturday?” he suggested. Sean’s eyes slid to Viggo, who was smiling back at the Australian in a very similar manner.

“ It’s a date,” he confirmed.

And by those three words suddenly Sean’s social calendar got a hell of a lot more complicated.

TBC