Love Lost and Found

"What did they want?" Viggo asked as soon as Orlando entered the kitchen.
“They wanted me to talk to some ‘nice female officer’ from the DCU.” Orlando replied, still seething with anger. “The DCU?” repeated Viggo “Why should they want you to talk to an officer from the Domestic Crime Unit?”
Orlando observed Viggo’s reaction carefully as he finally replied. “It seems they think that you are my long-term boyfriend or something and drove me to it….”
“They what!?!” roared Viggo “I’m going to kill that MacLachlan-guy! First he accuses me straight out of trying to murder you and only calling an ambulance when I was sure you would die and now this!! I’m going to have his guts for breakfast! Where is my sword?”
“They accused you of what?” Orlando asked in a disbelieving tone . “Of trying to murder me?”
“Well, yes…” Viggo forced himself to calm down as he saw the unsure and slightly terrified look in Orlando’s eyes. “Don’t worry, Orli” he tried to reassure his friend “I didn’t do anything. MacLachlan’s just an asshole. No need to take him seriously.”
SloOrlaOrlando nodded. “Did Peter say when I could get back to work?”
“No, but now that you mention it, the Hobbits called why you were talking to the police. They’re coming over after work tomorrow.”
“No!” Orlando shook his head, panicking. “I don’t want to see them! PJ must have told them! They know! I cannot meet them…”
“Orli,” Viggo tried to soothe the younger man by putting a comforting hand on his arm “They don’t know anything.” “But… how? I was in o hospital and…”
“Peter, Ian and I decided to tell them that you had a car-accident. They don’t have to know, if you don’t want to tell them. We won’t say anything. It’s all up to you. You don’t have to talk to us if you don’t want to, but if you want to then we will be there…”
“Thanks.. I… appreciate that…” Orlando said slowly “It’s just that I… I’ve never talked before and…” he trailed off again, biting his lower lip and staring at the floor.
“You don’t have to.” Viggo reassured him. “Just promise me one thing, please?”
Orlando nodded, knowing that his voice would most probably quaverhe the tried to speak.
“Please promise me to… promise me you’ll at least try no… to… to do this…” Viggo stammered, while he drew his fingers softly over the scars on Orlando’s arm.
At once the young actor jumped bardsards. “I… I don’t know, if I can…” he whispered barely audible. Viggo nodded. “Just promise me to try, Orlando. Please….”
Orlando looked up but to his surprise there was not even the slightest hint of disgust in Viggo’s face. “Okay…” he whispered finally “I will try… I promise to…”
“Thank you.” Viggo smiled “That’s all I had to hear for now.”
“I’m tired.” Orlando said suddenly “I’m going to bed.” Viggo’s constant closeness began to make him feel caged. Not waiting for the older man’s answer he turned and almost ran out of the room and into his own, slamming the door shut behind him.

Sobbing he collapsed onto the bed and curled up into a foetal position, wrapping his arms around his knees and resting his head on them. He shook, as silent tears slid down his cheeks. //Viggo…// he thought //How can he be so damn understanding?// That was the worst part of it all. Viggo reallyed ted to understand. He did not judge him as others might, he just accepted that he could not talk about the reasons for his behaviour. //Not yet…// he shivered. Viggo was doing everything right, behaving exactly the way he had hoped for when he had allowed himself some happy fantasies and yet this fact only made things worse. He would have been able to deal with a disgusted Viggo. He was used to people judging him. Viggo’s seemingly sincere attempt to understand him unsettled him. He did not know how to react, even though he had played the scenario over in his mind a few times. And he had to live with Viggo now.
Orlando tensed, as he felt pain soar through his left arm and looked down. He had pulled at the stitches without even noticing it. Frowning he sighed and willed the tears to stop. He had to bandage the wound somehow. //Fuck!// he groaned as realisation hit him //I didn’t bring those things with me… just a few clothes… I’d have to ask Viggo…. I can’t do that!//
Grimacing he looked at the cut again. It didn’t look as though it would stop bleeding just like that. //Which leaves you with only one option…// he told himself grimly, already heading for the door.

He had just been about to go to bed, too, when he heard a soft knock on the door. “Come in!” he called and watched worriedly as Orlando slowly stepped inside, his eyes still red and dark-rimmed. Obviously he had been crying. But somehow that wasn’t the only thing off about him, Viggo noticed, he also walked strangely, keeping his left arm hidden behind his back.
“Um… Viggo?” Orlando finally managed.
“Yes?” “I… I seem to… to…” Orlando inhaled deeply and then stuttered on “it seems I put to much pressure on the stitches and…well they’re open again… I did not want that to happen! Truly! I kept my promise… but…. I need something to bandage the wound with and… please! Don’t be angry with me… I… I didn’t mean to…” he babbled and then went silent as he saw the unreadable look on Viggo’s face. //Great.// he thought and winced slightly. //That couldn’t have gone worse…//
Viggo stared at Orlando and then with a sigh disappeared into the bathroom. “Wait here.” He said simply, making the Brit cringe at his cold tone.
It seemed like an eternity to Orli till Viggo was back with a bandage and a salve to disinfect the wound again. “Sit down.” He commanded, waiting for Orlando to obey.
As soon as Orlando was settled Viggo took his arm and examined the wound closely, a grim frown on his face. “Tell me if I hurt you.” The Dane said gruffly and then proceeded to carefully clean the re-opened cut, not even once looking at Orlando.
“There, that should be enough.” He said finally as he fixed the bandage by making a knot into the loose end. “Just don’t open it again.”
“Viggo?” Orlando whispered tentatively. “I really didn’t mean to…” Once again he knew that he was close to crying. Viggo reached out to the younger man, but stopped as he saw Orlando flinch. “It’s alright, I won’t hurt you.” He said, the expression in the younger man’s eyes telling him that he had indeed hit a sore spot. “Whatever may have happened to you Orlando, I’m not going to do it, too. Okay? Do you trust me?”
Orlando nodded after a while and then threw himself into Viggo’s arms, letting go of all the tears he hadn’t cried during the last years. //Ever since it happened…// he thought, relishing in the feel and warmth of Viggo’s arms around him. //Whoever hurt him,// Viggo thought as he stroked Orlando’s back in soothing circles //I’m going to find that bastard and then… then what?// he admonished himself. //You’re going to what? Kill him? You know you can’t do that. And whatever the bastard did, death would probably be too merciful…//
He was pulled out of his thoughts as Orlando drew back a little bit and looked at him questioningly. “Viggo?” he mumbled, his voice hoarse from crying. “May I stay here tonight? Will you hold me? I don’t want to be alone…”
Instead of answering Viggo lay down and held the covers up, waiting for Orlando to join him. He smiled softly as the Brit curled up next to him, yet again resting his head upon his chest.
Orlando rubbed the last tears from his eyes, wondering that he could actually share a bed with the older man without panicking. He felt safe with Viggo he suddenly realized.
Only minutes later he fell asleep, still listening to the steady beat of Viggo’s heart.

Tbc…