Seilschaft

Chapter One: Seilschaft
Author: Foofy (niceandfluffy@hotmail.com)
Rating: NC17
Disclaimer: Not true in the slightest.
Summary: After a mountaineering trip goes wrong, Viggo suddenly finds himself accused by Sean of forcing his attentions on him. In angry retaliation, Viggo strikes back. However, in the mountains, advantages can easily change sides. WARNING: DARK THEMES **Based on a plot idea by Anne**

**Author’s Note:**

Story based on an original plot idea by Anne, dark fic fan and mountaineering teacher. Please note that all mountaineering terms and events, although researched and queried, have been written by someone who is not familiar with such things (ie me!) and therefore I apologise now for any inaccuracies and/or blatant weirdness to those of you who may dabble in the snowy pleasures.

This fiction does deal with the darker side of slash and therefore please do not continue reading if BDSM or punishment descriptions disturb or generally squick you out. There are also strong elements of non-consensual sex occurring in certain chapters. There is, horrifyingly enough, a vaguely happy ending. Go fig.

No mountains were harmed in the making of this story.


*

The fog was thick. No, this was an understatement. The fog was all but solid, a grey shield over the mountains that you couldn’t penetrate with vision for love, money nor fancy equipment. And then, of course, the snow had come as though annoyed about the lack of attention. It had fallen softly at first, almost prettily, as though decoration for a Christmas card. This lost its appeal about a minute into it starting.

Viggo cursed himself for not paying attention or due care to the hogback clouds that had turned up previously, and looked back at his partner. Sean stood behind him, eyes shielded by the goggles he had been wearing, but Viggo could already imagine the narrowed eyes, the expression of a cat suddenly dumped in an icy bucket of water. Sean’s posture was already defensive.

The older man sighed and walked back to him. At least the wind hadn’t yet increased on them. Sure, it was there, a strong breeze just to let them know that one of the other dangerous elements of nature hadn’t forgotten them. However, it was only that, a reminder. The wind was not yet powerful to try to cut through clothing to freeze their bones, although it would probably have a damn good try a bit later on. The wind was a reliable bastard like that.

“ We’re going to have to camp until it tides over,” he called back to him. Even through the protective clothing and the fog, Viggo could sense the concern that this little statement conjured up. He sighed again, and glanced around what little of the area he could still see. The fog was being particularly useless, as though being vindictive against him personally.

“ You are fucking joking me, right?” Sean had moved behind him, and the wind hadn’t quite managed to steal the fear and outrage from the blonde’s voice. “ You want us to stay up here?”

“ There’s crevasses all around this area,” replied Viggo, hoping his voice was portraying a little more of the patience than he actually felt. “ Unless you really want to prove your reasoning for a fear of heights, I wouldn’t suggest we try and move around in this fog. Besides which, it’s getting late,”

And god he wished that wasn’t true. But it was. They had been moving since pretty much that morning, with a couple of rest stops before they actually reached the summit. It had been a nice, scenic route, but boy had it taken a lot longer than Viggo had imagined. It hadn’t helped that they had had to go slow to allow Sean’s memory to work out exactly what he should be doing with his hands and feet. His natural rhythm had snapped in quite quickly, but his confidence would take a lot longer to come back. Climbs he could do easily needed a lot longer to think about. Viggo knew he could do it, had spent a lot of time and various different insults to get him to do it, but there was always that hesitation in Sean’s step before he committed himself to it.

Silberhorn. They should have done Silberhorn first, cursed Viggo quietly to himself. Now they were stuck on East Ridge, and Sean was almost definitely going to get grumpy on him. The actual summit itself was glorious. There was something primeval about getting to the top of the summit and staring down at the mountain that would have been more than happy to chew you up and spit you out if the fancy took it, and the wild look of exhilaration in Sean’s eyes as he yelled something and walloped Viggo hard on the back in his usual friendly fashion had certainly made the long climb worth it. However, then there was the case of getting back, and there they had the problem.

They would have to snow cave it. Viggo had already found a suitable spot in the schrund, which he calculated to be right under the south summit, and was digging carefully with the paddles he had included, his pack already getting a nice white cover to it in the gentle snow. Sean watched from his position close by, occasionally glancing up nervously as though expecting a pack of vicious snow-wolves to come bounding in to attack them. Viggo felt his heart sink a little further. Sean might have climbed before, but he was damn sure the Brit had never had to cope with the temperamental weather on the longer climbs. The grump was probably going to last for several weeks, with his luck.

Viggo glanced over his shoulder at Sean, who was also beginning to have a vague Frosty the Snowman appearance to him.

“ You coming?” he called. There was another hesitation, as though Sean was expecting the little cave to collapse as Viggo was speaking. However, the cave was quite happy with the architecture and stayed as Viggo had created it. Finally the Brit managed to move forward, swinging himself into the hole. The wind suddenly lost its victims.

“ This wasn’t how I was imagining our evening together,” At least there was some amusement in Sean’s voice, although Viggo could hear the strain already. Evening was creeping in fast, and would soon take over from the fog as being the most annoying natural occurrence. However, there were quite a few things to choose from, not least the cold factor.

Viggo glanced at Sean thoughtfully, who was already pressed up against his body.

“ You’re shivering,” he commented.

“ I’m not,” Sean countered. “ And I’m not trembling either, before you start getting any ideas,” he added as an afterthought. He readjusted his position in the little cave and sighed, pulling off the goggles and dumping them in a spare bit of area. “ How long d’you think we’re going to have to wait here?”

Viggo shrugged. “ Probably safer to wait until morning now. It is eight o’clock. We’d never reach the bottom in time,”

Sean stared at him in shock. “ Eight? Really?” he glanced automatically at his wrist, which was covered by his thick jacket, and gave up. Messing around with clothing was really not going to be worth it. He sighed and settled back. “ I’m bloody knackered, mate. This Peter’s idea to keep me fit or something?”

“ No, but I could suggest it if you wanted,” Viggo grinned at him and pulled off his own head protection.

“ Fuck off!” growled Sean. However, grumpiness was still reasonably far off. Viggo had a half belief they might actually get through this night without a serious fight, which was just as well. There were many places he would prefer never to have a disagreement, and up a mountain was one of the top ones.

There was a long pause. The wind howled half-heartedly in the background. Sean yawned widely, like a big cat after a good meal of gazelle, and settled even further into the snow cave. Viggo waited for a few minutes before commenting again idly, as though not to draw Sean’s attention to the fact that he had been watching the blonde like a hawk.

” You’re still shivering,”

Sean eyed him thoughtfully and not a little lazily, before messing around with his goggles. Viggo frowned at him, sighed, and unzipped his jacket. This had a little more effect. Sean stared at him, slightly wide eyed.

” Viggo, what the hell d’you think you’re doing?”

Viggo continued, unabashed. “ You’re cold.”

“ I’m up a bloody mountain. It goes with the territory, surely,” snapped Sean. “ Look, this isn’t the fucking place for a striptease, okay?” A hand placed itself over Viggo’s own, stopping his movements. Green eyes flashed dangerously at him as though challenging him to argue. Viggo sighed.

” Sean, you’re cold. I’m not. Just let me help you, okay? I’m used to this more than you, remember,” it was the type of voice he normally used whenever he wanted to get Henry to finish his homework before watching one of those terrible cartoons that seemed to be constantly on as a bane to parents everywhere. However, the voice didn’t work on Sean. It didn’t work on Henry most of the time either, thinking about it.

“ You’ll get frostbite,” it was almost said as a promise.

“ I won’t.” Viggo rid himself of Sean’s hand and continued with his jacket removal. “ Look, I’ll be fine. However, I’m going to be extremely guilty if I get you down there tomorrow suffering from the cold. Please, Sean. Just do it. For me?” He gave him a friendly smile. Sean looked at him doubtfully, despite the fact that his shivering was beginning to get to the stage where Viggo could see it. It was like Sean had turned into a human version of a vibrator. Sean’s eyes narrowed again.

“ What are you grinning at?” he asked suspiciously. Viggo coughed and put vibrators out of his mind. In fact, sex full stop. It could only lead to trouble in a small enclosed space, and he was really sure Sean would get more than grumpy should that suggestion turn up.

“ Nothing,” He passed him the jacket. “ Here. Take it.”

Sean looked at him steadily for another moment, as though suspecting some sort of evil conspiratorial plot. Well, Viggo supposed they were up in James Bond territory, although no doubt James Bond would probably find himself a decent hut to sleep in rather than having to fend for himself. There would probably be champagne as well. At least it would be chilled.

Finally, reluctantly, Sean took the jacket. Viggo grinned in relief, and dug out the other jumper in his pack, passing it to him.

“ Take that as well.”

“ I’m not taking all your clothes, Vig!” Sean protested, almost sounding offended. Viggo sighed and forced it on him. Ah, and there was the grumbling, although minor. The older man sighed in relief. Obviously Sean had worked out that he was probably going to have an easier life just to accept it, and whilst they were arguing no-one was wearing the damn thing anyway. Viggo would have patted him on the head, if he thought he would still have a hand left afterwards. Sean was a proud man, even more so when he was scared.

Viggo settled himself on his pack, and tried to forget the chill. He hadn’t been exactly lying to Sean when he said he wasn’t cold. However, it wasn’t exactly the truth either. Either way, this was the way it was going to be. He was going to freeze first before his partner got chilled to the bone, especially the partner he had had to persuade for two days before getting him to agree to this trip in the first place.

However, after a while, it was clear even to Sean that the night was going to be bloody torture should it continue in this fashion. Viggo, who had found an uncomfortable doze, almost jumped out of his sleeping bag at Sean’s touch on his neck. Worried green eyes looked at him in the light of the torch, which had had to turn up as the night crept ever closer.

“ Viggo, you are *freezing*.”

And yes, that was probably a good interpretation. Viggo wasn’t entirely sure whether he could feel his feet properly, and knew damn certain he really didn’t want to feel them once they warmed up a bit. Sean was pressed against him as much as he could, but the body heat, so vital, just wasn’t getting through. He was just a bit of insulation.

Viggo bit his lip, thinking of possible solutions. One sprung instantly to mind, and refused to be shifted.

No, he couldn’t. That would be .. well, it would be right, but heaven knows what Sean would react to the suggestion. Two bodies. One sleeping bag. Bare skin.

He’d freak. Viggo could almost see the reaction already. Sure, Sean was fine with the backslapping, the occasional hug, the rugby-tackles. He could probably even cope with sharing a bed, although most likely with the usual grumbles. However…

Sean was fumbling in his own sleeping bag. “ Look, take back your clothing. You need it.”

Viggo sighed. “ And so would you. Look, one of us is going to get cold, Sean. Unless…,”

Sean looked up, a look of surprise on his face. Obviously hadn’t been expecting an alternative, Viggo thought in amusement to himself. Ah, did he not know that a ranger always had another idea up his sleeve? However, he hadn’t been prepared for the look of hope on Sean’s face. Evidentially the prospect of losing some of the clothing hadn’t been that appealing to Sean either, which suggested that the man was also cold as well.

So then…

Viggo coughed uncomfortably, using any excuse not to have to talk. He was aware of Sean watching him trustingly, waiting. Okay. How bad could this be, anyway? Think Aragorn, think survival. Think orders and directions. He knew damn well this was the better suggestion to use. Okay, so it might be a little embarrassing for Sean, but hell, the man didn’t seem to have a problem with male bonding or whatever the British called it. And, an internal voice whispered to him, how often have you day-dreamed about a similar circumstance?

“ We have to share a sleeping bag,” he explained carefully, trying to keep his voice neutral, steady, scientific. Sean watched him. After a few moments of no reaction whatsoever, Viggo had to question to himself whether the man had heard anything at all. “ Together,” he added, just in case it wasn’t clear.

Sean nodded slowly, his eyes troubled. However, there was no dispute over this. Viggo wasn’t sure if Sean’s bones were aching as his were, but they were a damn good persuasive device. At this point Viggo was sure he would probably cuddle with a polar bear if it meant warmth.

“ However,” he said slowly. Sean’s eyes narrowed, as they normally did whenever a ‘however’ appeared in a conversation. Viggo pressed on, fighting the desperation and the growing fear that Sean would just disappear directly out of the snow cave. “ it’s best if we put as much bare skin together as possible. Get the body warmth. And just cover ourselves with the rest of the kit.”

He waited for the reaction. Stunned silence met this particular wait, which at least was better than screaming and shouting and the occasional punch, but not as good as, say, a friendly hug in support. There was a look of intense concentration across Sean’s face as though Viggo had just given him a complex calculation to consider. Finally, Sean leant forward a little more.

“ So you’re saying,” he replied, and his tone was full of misgivings. “ that we’d actually be warmer without any clothes at all?”

“ In a sleeping bag, with coverings,” amended Viggo hastily. “ Yes.”

There was still a look of disbelief on Sean’s face. Green eyes scanned his own, almost looking for the punch-line of a joke. Viggo looked back at him awkwardly. Finally Sean chuckled dryly to himself.

“ Oh, what an end to a perfect day,” he murmured almost to himself. “ Well, I suppose you wanted us to become closer mates. Although that’s a little too close, in my book.”

“ You won’t do it?”

” I didn’t say that,” Sean sighed and rolled over slightly. The faint noise of a zip being undone travelled to Viggo’s ears. Sean glanced back at him. “ Well? Aren’t you doing this?” Oh good lord, there was actually amusement in his voice. Viggo gave another silent sigh of relief and continued, his bones aching even harder as he moved them.

There was a hell of a lot of fumbling. He was sure Sean froze metaphorically as well as physically as he first touched Viggo’s body, but the temperature of the outside world managed to force him to continue. Viggo’s sleeping bag was just slightly bigger and therefore had been labelled the most suitable to be used, especially as Sean’s sleeping bag wasn’t geared to be zipped up together with Viggo’s, a factor that the older man had forgotten to check before they left. However, with Sean pressed up against him, forehead resting against his shoulder, arm wrapped around his body, Viggo wasn’t entirely sure his body was ready to sleep.

Damn the thing. Damn the situation. Damn the fact that the sleeping bags wouldn’t zip up together and therefore the space was even more limited. There was no way to avoid the fact that Sean, best mate and all round straight guy, was pressed up naked to his own bare back, no way to convince his body that in fact this was no more arousing than a game of poker or a drink out or reading a book. A *non* erotic book. Hell, even the telephone directory.

Viggo swallowed and tried to think of cold showers. Well, the cold was easy. Now to move onto the showers.

He would have shifted position would it not be plainly obvious to Sean that certain physical buttons had been pressed. Viggo could feel the heat of Sean’s body through his back, Sean’s legs pretty much wrapped around his own. Sean’s breathing was warm and soft in his ear. The soft little sleepy moan he made as he dozed slightly went straight to Viggo’s crotch where it throbbed more persistently than the cold which had been in his bones.

Viggo tried to shut his eyes and think about anything other than what his body was now demanding. Damn the thing again! Had he no sense of *timing*? Viggo sighed softly to himself and shifted slightly, stopping immediately after realising he was all but rubbing up against Sean’s groin. The sleeping bag had given very little room to play around with, and Sean automatically moved with him whenever he moved, subconsciously refusing to let his human hot water bottle disappear on him.

“ Vig,” Sean’s mouth was so close to his ear that all he really needed to do was murmur. God, that accent being all but breathed in his ear. Viggo, who all but jumped when Sean had spoken, refused now to tremble. He *refused*. Let’s have a bit of dignity here. Although dry throats had to be cleared before he could properly talk.

“ Yes?” he murmured back.

There was an amused chuckle. “ You’re not sleeping,”

” Neither are you,” shot back Viggo. “ You still cold?”

Sean nestled even closer to Viggo, his arm tightening across Viggo’s chest. Was that his own heart beating crazily or Sean’s? There was another sleepy yawn from Sean, a little kitten full of milk. Scratchy beard gently rested against Viggo’s skin.

“ Nah, mate. I’m good. Feel a bit like we’ve been buried alive, though,” there was another amused laugh. Viggo had to concede the point. What with the remainder of their clothes and Sean’s sleeping bag draped over them like weirdly shaped blankets, there was very little of the snow cave left for useful things like air.

Sean nuzzled him again, and did the man even know what that did to Viggo’s composure? If he did, Sean was one of the evilest bastards around.

“ You okay? You’re shivering,” Sean tried to press against him a little harder. Viggo felt a warm flush, and knew damn well it wasn’t anything to do with body heat.

” No, I’m fine. Honestly,” Viggo covered Sean’s arm with his own and tried to sound nonchalant. It failed. Sean raised his head slightly.

“ You’re lying to me aren’t you,” he said slowly. “ I can feel you shivering.”

Viggo tried to stop himself trembling and managed, by sheer force of will, to stamp it down. He could almost feel Sean’s eyes narrowing as the younger man tried to work out what this was all about. Finally, and with a sickening thud of realisation, Viggo felt Sean’s hand try to creep downwards in exploration. His own hand tightened dramatically. A little too dramatically. There was a little hiss of pain from behind him which suggested that hands had tightened a little too much. Viggo released him immediately and with a little stab of guilt.

A minute later and Sean’s hand slid lower. Viggo didn’t have the heart to stop him, could feel his own heart beat start to pound inside his chest so hard that it might break a few ribs. Sean’s palm gently brushed over sensitive areas, just gently over the hard and aching erection that had appeared ever since the idea of a naked Sean had entered Viggo’s mind.

Viggo numbly waited for the explosion behind him, for Sean to struggle out of the bag immediately, probably cursing as many words as he could in thick Yorkshire accent. However, the explosion never turned up.

Sean’s hand gently and almost apologetically curled around Viggo’s arousal as though expecting Viggo to gasp in pain from the contact. Viggo was certainly prepared to gasp from something, and couldn’t quite work out whether it should be through sensation or shock. Sean’s hand was on his cock. No, no, that wasn’t quite right. Sean’s *hand* was on his *cock*.

Viggo wasn’t entirely sure what had gone wrong with the universe, and didn’t want to query in case this erotic mirage popped out of existence. The older man resisted the urge to move his hips, although even he couldn’t resist the moan as Sean stroked him gently. And good god, was that….?

It was. Heaven knows how or why, but that was definitely Sean’s own arousal pressed against his buttocks. Viggo circled his hips slightly, and was rewarded by a soft gasp in his ear. Viggo found himself grinning in the darkness. He didn’t ask what Sean thought he was doing. He didn’t dare. Sean seemed happy enough without words, and Viggo wasn’t about to start querying what his supposedly straight best mate actually found attractive.

Sean’s hand grew a little rougher over his length, a little more demanding. Viggo’s moan was more heartfelt, unable to stop the little thrust of his hips into Sean’s hands, urging him on. He could feel the scratch of Sean’s beard on the soft skin of his neck as Sean started to kiss him softly, his hand still keeping a steady rhythm throughout this time as though acting independently. Viggo felt the frustrations of essentially being kept a prisoner in his own sleeping bag; there wasn’t enough room for him to roll over, and certainly he couldn’t reach back and touch Sean himself. All he could do was just lie there, feeling Sean’s decisions on his body, and occasionally allowing himself the entertainment of grinding his body against Sean’s hips. Sean’s moans had turned into hungry growls after a while, the heat from his body seemingly enough to melt all the snow on the bloody mountain itself.

He paused as he felt a hand between his legs, pushing one upwards as much as possible, although the restrictions eventually came into play. The sleeping bag had no care of the passions between men and mountains, although Viggo supposed he would be quite worried if it had. After that, his thoughts were only on two things; the hand that still stroked him and Sean shifting positions behind him, little grunts showing the concentration that Sean had. Viggo felt the blunt hard erection shift against him, seeking entrance, and almost froze at the prospect. Here? Now? With no preparation?

However, either Sean hadn’t noticed or didn’t care about Viggo’s concerns about the matter. He groaned as his length slipped in the cleft of Viggo’s buttocks, his hand trying to spread Viggo’s legs wider to allow more comfortable access, apparently not caring whether sleeping bags were ripped. However, there apparently was a remarkable amount of give in this particular model. Viggo would have thought about that a little longer had Sean not already begun to breach him. A soft gasp fell from his lips at the onslaught.

Well, he said onslaught. Given their position and the angle, Sean’s onslaught had the speed of a tortoise. Viggo bit his lip and rolled a little more on his front to be able to give Sean more room. The younger man accepted this thankfully, and found a more comfortable position. Viggo felt Sean kiss his neck again, this time with an urgency that normally spoke of emergencies. The older man didn’t even attempt to stop his groans of approval, and bucked against Sean as teeth started to nibble at the sensitive nape of his neck. Sean gave a brief, almost out of breath chuckle, and thrust a little harder, as though trying to reach even higher parts of Viggo’s anatomy. His hand was still at work, playing, stroking, squeezing.

“ God, Sean-“ Viggo was panting harder than he had for the entire day. The splitting burning feeling had died down to what was possibly a pleasant ache, which was suddenly put entirely in the shade as Sean changed the angle and grazed the bundle of nerves. Viggo almost screamed, his back arching.

Apparently this was more than enough to scare Sean. He immediately stopped, his length buried deep inside Viggo, his hand still on his cock.

“ You okay?” he whispered in concern. Viggo almost swore at him.

“ For fuck’s sake, Sean, come on!” There was no mistaking the desperation in his voice. There was another amused chuckle, although this time with a little more of the wolf that had come for dinner, and Sean thrust in again. His aim was impressive. Viggo had to bite down on a mouthful of sleeping bag to avoid screaming so loudly that avalanches might be a significant hazard.

He could feel Sean panting heavily against him, his hand still working although it was beginning to lose its steady rhythm, the younger man obviously focusing a little harder on his own cock. And Viggo didn’t blame him in the slightest, not after another direct hit; the pleasure shooting through Viggo’s body like an electric shock, his muscles gripping down on Sean who moaned weakly, his hand automatically squeezing harder. And Viggo found his release suddenly, almost violently, his screams muffled again by the Good-For-All-Occasions sleeping bag (satisfaction guaranteed, claimed the manufactures, and fucking hell was that right). Sean immediately followed him, his own cry smothered by Viggo’s shoulder, his body shaking so hard that it felt like he was in the middle of a laughing fit.

And then there was nothing. Just soft panting filled the air, not even broken by the sound of the wind howling outside. Sean snuggled harder against Viggo’s back, his seed trickling slowly between Viggo’s legs. Viggo, still full of a happy satisfied glow, could feel his own seed on his stomach, but didn’t have the energy even to consider how to clean himself. That could be sorted out tomorrow.

As could their new level of friendship.

*

“ You tricked me,”

The night had done funny things to Sean’s memory. Viggo stared at him in honest surprise, trying to place the obviously angry man that stood in front of him with the willing if surprising participant of last night. Sean’s green eyes all but burned with anger, his voice as hard and cold as the mountains he stood on. Viggo pulled on his glove and turned to face him.

“ Tricked you?” he echoed. “ Exactly how did I trick you?”

There was a snort of amusement that sounded forced even to Viggo’s mind. Sean was trembling again, but it was clear it had nothing to do with the surroundings he found himself in. The mountains themselves were behaving themselves, or at least reasonably. It was a clear morning. No doubt birds would be singing if the songbirds had been silly enough to try and live up here. However, the temperatures of yesterday evening lived on in Sean.

“ You had this planned, didn’t you?” Sean growled. “ You wanted us to get trapped up here, so I’d turn to you. Admit it,”

Viggo stared at him, working this statement out. 2 & 2 calculated to be a quite alarming 4. “ You think,” he began slowly, and anger was beginning to creep into his own voice at this stage. “ that I would bother to drag you up here just to fuck you? I can’t control the weather, Sean!”

“ You knew it would be like this. The little huddle was your idea, as was your novel way of keeping warm,” Sean glared at him even harder, speaking with a hard, rough edge to his words as though fighting to keep from screaming. Viggo found a growl forming in his throat himself.

“ It’s a standard way of keeping warm, Sean. Try reading a few books instead of using them to prop up your table.” Viggo folded his arms and looked back at Sean steadily. “ And no, I didn’t know it was going to happen either. I thought you’d be faster than you were coming up the mountain. Seems I was mistaken about that, too,”

“ Oh, so it’s my fault?” snapped Sean. “ You’ve had this planned all the time, Viggo. You knew I’d never .. do… *that*… unless it was an emergency, and you bloody well created the emergency, didn’t you?”

“ Created an emergency?” echoed Viggo angrily. “ Hate to burst your bubble, Sean, but you’re really not worth it! And exactly whose cock was pushed into whose back last night? I can’t remember any persuasion taking place last night. Or has your overactive imagination created that, too?”

He grabbed hold of his backpack and angrily pulled it on, fastening it tightly onto his back. Viggo didn’t bother to look back at Sean as he looked towards the path they were planning to take.

“ Right, it’s not hard going until we hit that glacier, so I suggest we make the best of this weather,” he knew his voice was tight and clipped, but couldn’t do anything about it. The fucking nerve of the man! What was this, some desperate attempt to try and cling to his heterosexual nature? Viggo resisted the urge to shake him hard, and tried to concentrate on the path ahead.

“ Viggo,” Sean’s voice drifted to him. It had lost none of its aggression. Viggo paused, and looked stonily over his shoulder. Sean stared back at him, not having moved a step.

“ What?”

Sean paused a little, then spoke with such a hard voice that Viggo wouldn’t have even recognised it from his friend. “ You touch me again and I promise I’ll make you pay.”

Viggo stared back at him, incredulous. He could feel the anger burning in the back of his mind, clouding his carefully laid plans. His considerations of the path ahead were pushed to one side. Viggo stalked back towards him, noting the fact that Sean warily straightened his back as he approached. Obviously Sean had not forgotten how evenly matched they were. In fact, Viggo was damn certain that should it come to it, Sean was probably going to be on the losing team. The thought brought a brief grim smile to his face before that too was wiped.

“ You’ll do what?” he growled. Sean simply looked at him, unflinching. However, his eyes were narrowed, suspicious. Viggo leaned forward a little further, his eyes scanning the stubborn angry green ones. “ Just in case you’ve forgotten, *Sean*, we are currently in a position where you need me. You know damn well you can’t get down this mountain without my assistance and lead. You had enough problems with the traverse up to the main summit, and I don’t even want to consider what will happen if you had to rappel by yourself down the second drop. And don’t insult either of our intelligence by claiming you can.”

Sean stared back at him with a mutinous expression. However, no dispute was forthcoming. Viggo sighed, his muscles relaxing slightly from the tense, angry position they had found themselves.

“ Sean, I’m sorry you didn’t like it. I thought you were as keen as I was. But don’t kill yourself over this. Nothing else needs to happen.” Viggo had a vague hope that he might be able to reach the younger man, his voice soft and persuasive. However, it only took the first word from Sean’s mouth to realise that the blonde had managed to get himself into an anger that would take more than words to fix.

“ Yes, I bet you want me to forget all about it,” he spat. “ Until you fancy another go, eh? And then you’ll conveniently forget the fact that I happen to be straight and pester me again. Or will you just take what you want next time?” Insolent eyes glared at him. Viggo was honestly shocked.

” Are you suggesting I’d .. *attack* you?” His eyes searched Sean’s for signs that the younger man regretted his words. However, stubborn determination stared back at him. Viggo felt the stirrings of anger again. *He* had been taken, without any sort of preparation or lubrication, without even any query of whether he wanted it. Okay, so he *had*, but that was not through careful questioning. That was sheer luck. And now he, Viggo, was being labelled a rapist.

Viggo growled again. “ Perhaps I should just leave you here. See how quickly you get down to the bottom,” there was another flash of fury, an angry little smile forming on his face. “ I’m sure you’ll get down the glacier much faster than I can. What state you’d be at the bottom, however, would be up to God.”

Sean stared at him angrily, but Viggo could see the bitter realisation on his face. Going down, Sean couldn’t hide from the drops he would have to rappel down. Sean’s fear of heights was reduced by having people around him, able to assure him. Without anyone, Sean was likely to panic. And up here, that could be deadly.

“ So do what I say,” growled Viggo. The unspoken words drifted between them. * Or else.*

Without waiting to see whether Sean would follow, Viggo turned on his heel and began towards the first hurdle of the day, praying that the weather would hold long enough for them to get down. And not a small prayer was offered to allow Sean to see a little more sense before the day was out.

Fat chance.

*

Twelve hours later and they were still nowhere near the bottom. Viggo was becoming concerned. There had been features he had not noticed on the way up, a slab that had needed careful decent. And the path wasn’t getting any easier. He was sure they had passed several snow bridges, snow that had fallen over a crevasse, rendering it all but invisible to an unwary foot. And the wind was beginning to pick up again with a steady determination.

Viggo stopped, eying the terrain. He was certain they were headed in the right direction. He had checked the altimeter and compass so many times, at the start attempting to hide this from Sean to ensure that the younger man’s courage wasn’t hampered. After the next hour of muttering and sullen anger from him Viggo hadn’t bothered any more. Viggo had hoped that after a few hours Sean might have cooled off, reconsidered his accusations. He couldn’t blame the man for fucking another man when he was heterosexual a bit of a shock. He could, however, blame him for the constant snide remarks and bitterness. So much for the cooling off idea.

Sean was using Viggo’s pause to take the weight from his feet.

” Lost?” he asked bitterly. Viggo didn’t look round.

“ No.” Just misplaced the path, added his mind. However, he didn’t owe Sean any explanations. Let the bastard follow his lead and do as he was told. They were both only too aware how correct Viggo’s assessment had been. Sean had all but panicked on top of one of the ridges, and it had taken Viggo’s calming words to get him to the bottom. However, this had done nothing to aid Sean’s temper. The older man had realised he was now also being blamed for Sean being in the situation in the first place.

Viggo gritted his teeth at the memory and checked the altimeter again. He couldn’t understand it. There had been a fresh fall of snow, it was true, but that didn’t mean it should have completely ruined his sense of direction. He glanced towards the sky and sighed. Snow threatened. He really didn’t want to have to share a snow cave with Sean for another night on the run, and by the way Sean was going one of them was likely to leave it with a broken nose. Viggo didn’t know which one of them the bookies would prefer, but he was certainly not allowing the bastard the satisfaction of an easy fight, regardless of how wise it was.

His eyes settled on what appeared to be a dark brown mark behind one of the offshoots of rock. Viggo frowned. A thin beat of hope appeared. It wasn’t unknown for there to be one or two huts placed in these mountains, but he hadn’t considered that they would actually need them. Viggo’s mind tried to think through the maps he had studied. If the hut was there, that put them-

Sean had stepped behind him and was staring insolently towards the direction that Viggo was.

” Worked it out yet?” The words were bordering on the rude. Viggo growled and tried to refocus. However, the feel of snow on his face made up that decision for him. He could figure it out at the hut. At least they would be away from the relentless wind, which was whipping the snow up into a frenzy already.

“ Come on,” Viggo said shortly towards him in the same curt manner. Sean glanced at him coldly, then nodded and slowly followed him. The older man was relieved that at least Sean was following his instructions. All it took was for him to be idiotic about it and they were both in a hell of a lot of trouble. Viggo smiled grimly. Next time he was just going to the beach.

It took them an hour to get to the hut, and by that time the snow was falling fast. The exposed skin on Viggo’s face was already numb, his fingers beginning to get the tingling sensation that all wasn’t quite well. He shoved open the door and shook his head, knocking off the snow, before glancing back at Sean who had already entered and was removing his headgear at a rapid speed. Sean hated the headgear. In fact he hated anything that blocked his vision even partly, especially when he was already tense. Viggo was about to ask him whether he was okay, then remembered one of the later snide comments and bit back on it.

The hut was as basic as he had expected, a shed with a fireplace, stove and wood and very little else in the way of comforts. A basic map was pinned to one of the walls, which at least was something. A few benches sat on the wooden floor, although their design made the floor itself look more comfortable.

He moved towards one of the corners of the hut and sat down stiffly, dislodging more snow from his clothing. Viggo stared sullenly towards Sean who was already struggling out of the heavy jacket; green eyes glanced at him once in suspicion, then he was kneeling at his pack, presumably to get some food.

Viggo’s frown deepened. After all they had been through, apparently one sexual encounter and the friendship was finished. Gone. Vanished. It was .. well, it was unbelievable, that’s what it was. Viggo hadn’t put Sean down as someone who would take and then blame it entirely on the other man. Sure, Viggo wasn’t entirely innocent of the whole encounter, but he certainly hadn’t been putting a knife to Sean’s neck at that time. Viggo growled to himself and looked away.

Sean by this time was chewing and watching him steadily from the other side of the cabin.

“ So,” he said finally, a dark half smile on his lips but not in his eyes. These still burnt with a quiet anger. “ am I safe in the hut tonight or am I going to have to tie you up for a bit of peace?”

And Viggo knew that the last part had been said without actual thought or sincerity behind it. But god, he was past caring. So he was a nasty man. He would be a nasty man regardless of what he did next. Perhaps it was time to actually allow Sean a taste of what he accused him of.

Viggo had to give it to him, Sean was very quick in working out something was not quite right. His now usually suspicious expression had quickly changed to something resembling alarm as Viggo stood up, carefully placing his gloves on his pack and giving the younger man a focused, determined look. Sean swallowed the mouthful he had been eating and watched him warily as Viggo crossed the hut and stood in front of him.

“ So, as far as you’re concerned, I’m a monster am I?” he asked pleasantly. Sean was silent for a moment, obviously working things out in his mind. Finally he shrugged, his eyes fixed on Viggo.

” However you want to put it,” Sean replied quietly but with no less intensity. “ You took advantage of our friendship, Viggo,”

Viggo smiled a smile with no humour in it whatsoever. “ So you won’t mind if I take advantage of it a little more, will you,” It wasn’t a question.

There was the satisfaction of seeing Sean silent, his eyes slightly widening in vague understanding. Viggo saw the flicker of Sean’s eyes over him, assessing his power, his build. The older man shook his head, and made a disappointed noise.

“ You can’t fight me, Sean. You need me. I, on the other hand, do not need you.” Viggo raised an eyebrow and watched as the anger intermixed with the concern on Sean’s face. “ However, just in case you want to try anything stupid, allow me to remind you. To get down, you will need to tackle that glacier you were so worried about before. That is the safest route. Every other route requires at least two people to have a vague chance of getting to the bottom in one piece. Am I clear so far?”

Numbly, Sean nodded, his eyes fixed on Viggo. Viggo smiled at him.

“ I understand I essentially took you by force, Sean, although I have still to work out the complexities that this would involve considering our positions on that night.” Viggo watched the wary face in front of him. “ And therefore I think it might be a nice idea if I were a little more in the driving seat, don’t you?”

Silence. By the look on his face, the younger man’s appetite had completely vanished. Sean had never had the darkest skin tone in the world, but now he was positively white, a ghostly pallor against the startling colours of his clothing. His eyes looked all the greener for it.

Finally Sean found his voice. “ What do you plan to do?” the disgust was fighting side by side with the fear. Viggo smiled sweetly.

“ Me? I guess what I’ve always done. Given you orders. Or would you like to change your mind?” his eyes were fixed on the younger man. If it had been a shock as Sean seemed to claim, then perhaps his viewpoint could change. A friendship need not die in these mountains. Faint confusion showed on Sean’s face, although there was an element of comprehension.

“ Change my mind?” he echoed softly, his eyes fixed on Viggo. Viggo nodded.

“ Did I force you?” Viggo looked at him, and his heart sank at the stubborn expression he found. However he pressed on in the blindness of hope. “ Was it entirely my fault, my desires?”

There was the faintest flicker of indecision, before Sean’s cold expression returned. Amazingly, a smile curled in the corner of his mouth. “ I hated every moment, Viggo.” Sean’s gaze was unwavering on his own, his words clear, steady and sincere. Viggo stared at him incredulously, before shaking his head in anger.

“ Fine,” he said shortly. “ If you want it like that.” His anger met Sean’s head on. “ Care to play a little game, Sean?”

Sean stared back at him. “ And what choice do I get in this?”

Viggo smiled grimly.

“ None at all,” he replied.

TBC