Title: Auld Lang Syne Author: Jen Lynn (ilovelegolas@n...) Pairing: Viggo Mortensen/Orlando Bloom Rating: NC-17 Summary: Should auld acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind? Disclaimer: I don't know Orlando or Viggo. This is fiction, comprende? Archive: Author's fic journal: http://www.livejournal.com/users/jenlynns_fics/ Author's Note: Written for the December Viggorously Challenge which I can't win :P Also, one little section of dialogue is sort of lifted from "when harry met sally..." Thanks to my dear Eruberueth for beta-ing this for me :) Feedback would be lovely Orlando smiled warmly as he moved through the crowd of his friends and family. He stopped to shake hands, to kiss cheeks. He was in a good mood tonight. It was his favorite night of the year, his annual New Year's Eve party. And everyone he knew and loved was here. Orlando frowned then. That wasn't quite true. Not everyone was here. There was one person that Orlando wished with all his heart was here. But he never came. Nine years of invitations extended through mutual friends, but no sign of Viggo. No hope that Viggo would cross the Atlantic and grace them with his presence. The person he had greeted said something that was supposed to be funny and Orlando used his Academy award winning acting chops to pull off a loud, believable laugh. He squeezed his friend's shoulder and pushed through the rest of the guests, until he was alone at last, in the foyer. He closed his eyes and fought the onslaught of melancholy. He wasn't going to let missing Viggo ruin his mood. He never did. He had become quite skilled at being happy while missing a piece of his heart. If he just didn't think about it too much, if he just didn't talk about it, then everything was fine. Orlando had been throwing these New Year's parties for almost a decade now. He loved having his friends and family all gather at his house. It made him feel like he was still the same kid that got that lucky break fresh out of drama school and not the biggest movie star on the planet. The only thing missing was Viggo. He missed Viggo more than he cared to admit. He thought about Viggo all the time, still mentioning him in more interviews than not. He thought about the last time he saw his former lover. In a hotel in Los Angeles, the morning after the Return of the King premiere. At the time Orlando didn't realize what an important moment it was. That their future hung in the balance. Would they continue their on again off again romance? Would they become more than occasional lovers? Become less? The answer was less. Much less. Orlando told Viggo he had to go back to filming. And he wanted Viggo to tell him not to. To ask him to come to the other premieres. But Viggo said nothing so Orli just left. It had hurt so much, the knowledge that Viggo didn't want more. And still... and still he loved Viggo as much as he ever had. And so every year he made sure Viggo knew he was invited, telling Bill or Dom to extend the invitation, to tell Viggo he was always welcome in Orli's home. But Viggo never came. Orlando brushed away a stray tear. A knock on the door was a welcome distraction. Orlando nodded his head, turned on his smile. He opened the door. "Bill!" he yelled, and suddenly the happiness was quite genuine as he found himself caught in his old friend's embrace. "I was afraid you wouldn't make it!" he said. "Ah, I'd never miss your New Year's Eve party Orlando. It's the social event of the year, and of the next too. Brilliant how you manage that," Billy said, letting go of his taller mate. Orlando smiled brightly. "I do try. Come inside already, here, give me your coat." Billy laughed a little. He wondered how Orlando had managed to do it, to stay the same all these years, when superstardom should have spoiled him ten times over. But Orli was the same giggly, bubbly, incredibly sweet man he had always been. Billy handed over his coat and watched Orlando place it in the closet. "So, the rest of the Fellowship make it?" Orlando smiled again. "Almost everyone. Ian, Liv, Bean... Lij just called from the airport, he and Sean will be here shortly. Traffic is a nightmare I guess. Only Dom is missing in action... but he promised he'd come in from Los Angeles." Billy frowned a bit. It wasn't only Dom that was missing. But they wouldn't talk about the other person that was missing. Mentioning Viggo would bring the mood down and Billy didn't want to do that to his friend. "Ah, Dom will make it Orli. I just spoke with him this morning, he was definitely getting on a plane to come here, said he wouldn't miss it for the world." "Good...good. Oh, fuck, aren't I being a terrible host? You must be hungry? And you could probably use a drink, yeah?" "Yes and yes," Billy said. Orlando smiled. "Follow me," he said. He led Billy through the crowd. They stopped only so Billy could greet their friends. They wound up in the kitchen. Orlando retrieved a bottle of Billy's favorite beer from the refrigerator. "Ahh, you're the best mate a bloke could ask for," Billy said. He sat at the table and was joined by Orlando who set a plate of stuffed mushrooms before them and then sat with his own beer. This was their ritual for the last several years, sharing a few moments alone, catching up before rejoining the merriment. "So how have you been Bill?" Orli asked. "How's that movie of yours coming along? Directing..." He shook his head, "that is one thing I can't even imagine doing. Don't have the patience..." Billy smiled. "Well no, you wouldn't be good at it. You'd expect all your actors to be as brilliant as you are on the first take," he said with a wink. Orli laughed. "Sod off," he said. "But it's going well?" "It's great, I really love it." "Good for you, Bill." "What about you Orli? I saw your last film. Brilliant as usual," he said. Orli blushed. "This streak is going to end one day... I can't be lucky forever..." "If it was just luck it wouldn't have lasted this long. I heard there's talk of another Oscar?" Orli shook his head. "Won't happen. Three years in a row? No," Orlando said. Billy grinned. "We'll see." There was a long silence. "So, um... how's Viggo?" Orlando said softly. Billy saw the change in his friend's dark eyes, the way they seemed to be shimmering almost with unshed tears. It broke Billy's heart that Orlando and Viggo weren't part of each other's lives anymore, and hadn't been, hadn't even spoken since the L.A. Return of the King premiere nine years ago. It seemed so silly. They didn't fight, didn't exchange hateful words. They just stopped. Each expected the other to make some sort of move and neither did. "Viggo's good, you know Viggo. Always busy..." Orli nodded. "What's he busy with?" "Uh, his art mostly. He just had another gallery show in San Francisco. Fabulous stuff. He's got a new book coming out soon... he's even looking at scripts, might do a movie." Orli frowned. Viggo rarely did movies, had only done two since Return of the King, and one was Hidalgo. Hollywood demanded too much and Viggo could satisfy his creative impulses in a million other ways so mostly he stayed away from making movies. "He's short on money?" Orlando asked, it was the only reason he could imagine for Viggo to come back now. "Maybe a little, Perceval Press is making a bit of a profit and all but... He's all right Orli, really." "And if he wasn't would you tell me? Or rather, would he let you tell me? And what could I do about it? He wouldn't come to me for help..." Orlando said the words out loud but they were more for himself than Billy. "But he is all right Orlando, really." Orli nodded. "Is he... seeing anyone?" This was the painful question, the one he never wanted to ask but was always unable to hold back. He dreaded hearing the news that Viggo had found someone, had fallen in love, and was happy. If it made him a bad person, so be it. "No, not anymore. He broke up with that painter a couple of months ago," Billy said. "Painter?" Orli scoffed. "He wasn't a painter." "Sure he was," Billy said. "He painted *houses*. Viggo is a painter, an artist. This guy painted walls," Orli said. Billy held back his laughter. "So, what about you Orli? Seeing anyone special?" "No one special," Orli said. Never anyone special, he thought. Orlando sipped his beer, letting an uneasy silence fill the room. "Um, so, anyway Orli, about your next project..." Orli looked up. "I don't have another movie lined up right now, thought I'd take a little time off..." "Right, well that's good, you work too much... but, if you have say a week or so free... there's this small part in my movie I've been having the hardest time casting..." Orlando smiled and shook his head. "Sure Bill, anything for a mate," he said. "You don't want to know what it is first?" "No, I trust you. Anything to help a friend," he said. Billy got up from his chair and went over to Orli, kissing his cheek. "That's why I love you Orlando. Truly. If Viggo hadn't snapped you up..." Orlando laughed. "You and me, Bill?" "What's so funny about that? I'm dead sexy you know," he wagged his eyebrows at his friend. Orlando dropped his head against the table, succumbing to an unstoppable wave of giggles. **** "I can't believe I let you talk me into this," Viggo grumbled. "You two were great friends Vig, even when you weren't lovers. Orli misses you; he still doesn't shut up about you. One of you has to give an inch sooner or later," Dom said. "Why does it have to be me?" "Because. You're the King of Compromise," Dom said, with a grin. "Fuck compromise," Viggo said. Dom glanced at his watch, and then back out the window of the taxi, as it seemed to inch its way down the crowded streets of London. Viggo's leg bumped his again. "Viggo," Dom said, turning to look at his friend. "Yeah?" Viggo asked, fidgeting with the buttons on his coat, brushing away imaginary lint from his slacks. "Would you stop twitching your leg like that man? You keep bumping into me." "Sorry...." Viggo said, forcing himself to stop his leg from shaking. He was so nervous. Why was he so fucking nervous? It was just a party with his friends. And Orlando. Viggo's stomach twisted, his leg started shaking again. "This is a bad idea," he said. "An incredibly bad idea. I knew it was a bad idea when you showed up at my doorstep at three a.m. with two tickets to London. And now... look at this traffic! We won't even get there before midnight at this rate. I think maybe we need to turn around, just go back to the airport, head home to California." Dom sighed. Viggo had been entirely silent the whole flight over but since they got in the cab he hadn't shut up for one minute. He babbled about the weather, the traffic, the fog. The peanuts that weren't honey roasted. The geopolitical ramifications of... that was when Dom had tuned him out. "Viggo, we're only about ten minutes from Orli's house. We're not turning around now," Dom said. "Ten minutes?" Viggo said, his eyes getting a little wider. He felt sick. "Shit... I can't..." He opened the window, practically hanging his head out and sucking in the cold night air. Dom placed his hand on his friend's back. "It's all right Viggo. Trust me. You're going to thank me for this." Viggo turned back to his friend. "It's been nine years Dom... I don't see how... He walked away then Dom; his career has always been the most important thing to him. I should have seen that," Viggo shook his head and rolled the window back up. Dom wasn't going to argue with Viggo. Orli had walked away. But Viggo had let him. "He misses you Viggo," was all he said. "What's he... I mean, aside from being the biggest fucking movie star alive, what's he doing with himself?" Viggo had steadfastly avoided asking their mutual friends about Orli over the years. This was not to say he didn't keep tabs on the younger man. Viggo could tell you about all of Orlando's movies, the critically praised ones in which he sparkled as the brilliant actor Viggo had known he would be and the box office smashes that made him a millionaire a hundred times over. But as far as Orli's personal life, Viggo didn't want to know. "Oh, you know Orlando, always busy. He still works like a maniac, and his production company is really thriving. The Bloom name is gold. Other than that he's the same old Orli though. Hangs with his mates, his mum, Sam." Viggo smiled to himself a little. Same old Orli. His Orli. With those sweet, dark eyes that Viggo lost his heart to. Those warm, soft lips that he could have spent a lifetime kissing and being kissed by. Viggo grimaced at the tightness he felt in his chest. He couldn't do this. Could he? Could he just go and be near Orli and hold him and be his friend again? After all these years apart? When the love he felt for the younger Brit hadn't diminished, not even a little? "Is he seeing anyone?" Viggo asked. That was the one thing that would absolutely make Viggo have the driver stop the car right now and he'd walk back to Heathrow if he had to. He should have asked sooner, but he hadn't been able to muster the courage. Seeing Orlando on someone else's arm... imagining him in someone else's bed... that was too much. "No, I don't think he is. He'd been seeing this director for a little while but it didn't last. None of his relationships do." Viggo felt relief wash over him and felt ashamed about the accompanying feeling of pleasure he took from the knowledge that Orlando couldn't get a relationship to work. "Why the hell did I agree to this?" he asked to no one in particular. "Because one of you has to stop acting like an immature brat and fucking grow a pair," Dom said. "Now shut up Viggo, all right?" Viggo raised his eyebrows. Dom never spoke to him like that. But maybe Viggo needed it. He was fifty-four for the love of God. He did need to stop acting like a nervous virgin on prom night. Viggo was quiet for several more minutes until finally the cab turned down a residential street. "He's really the same Dom?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper. "Yeah Vig... he's the same... sweet and kind. Still our elf," Dom said. His elfboy. How could he be that ever again? Too many years had gone by. But Viggo understood now. He understood why when Dom had invited him along he had finally accepted after all these years. He just needed to see Orlando in person. Just one more time. Just to see him, and touch him, kiss his lips and tell him... tell him he still loved him. That he always would and that it didn't matter why Orli had walked away. That it didn't matter if Orli never loved Viggo as much as he loved him. If he could just see him again, then maybe Viggo could finally get that silly thing the shrinks called closure and maybe he could move on. "This is it," Dom said as the car slowed. "Nice house..." Viggo said, missing the smaller, cozier one he had helped Orli pick out a long long time ago. "He doesn't like it as much as the other one, but he needed something in a more private location. Damn paparazzi," Dom said, shaking his head. "Price of stardom," Viggo said. "Yeah," Dom said. He paid the cab driver. "Come on Viggo, time to go inside." Viggo sat motionless for a few seconds. He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up. "Dom..." "It's okay Viggo. Let's go," Dom said softly. Viggo nodded and exited the cab. He followed Dom up to the front door and watched his friend bang on it. Viggo shifted a little in nervous anticipation. His heart slammed in his chest. At last the door opened. And it wasn't Orlando. Viggo let out a breath. "Dominic, you made it, how lovely, Orlando will be so pleased," Sonia Bloom said, accepting a kiss on the cheek from the young man. "I'd never miss this party, Orlando should know that by now," Dom said. "Oh, you know Orlando. Always insecure, one of the traits he hasn't quite been able to shake. Now, who is that in the shadows, did you bring a date?" Sonia peeked around to get a better look at the person off to the side. Viggo stepped a little closer to the door. "Hello Sonia," he said softly. "Oh my! Viggo... this is a surprise," she said, recovering quickly. "I..." Viggo stammered. "Orlando will be thrilled," she said with a smile. "Please, come inside, both of you. Let me have your coats," she said. Viggo handed her his. "Thank you... can you... tell me where..." he began. "The bathroom is?" "Oh, um, follow that hallway, top of the stairs, second door on your left," she said. "Thank you, excuse me," Viggo said and disappeared. "Oh dear... was this your idea Dom?" she asked. "Well, yes. Orli always tells us to invite him... this time I wasn't taking no from Viggo. It's been too long. They still love each other Sonia." "Oh, I know, I know... but I don't think Orlando is quite prepared for this..." "And did Viggo seem prepared to you?" Dom asked. She laughed. "Come along Dominic, let's get both of us a good stiff drink." "Lead the way," Dom said, with a smile. **** Viggo stood over the sink in Orlando's bathroom splashing cold water on his face. "Get a grip you old fool..." he muttered, picking up an impossibly soft towel and patting his face dry. Viggo pressed his face against it hard then and breathed in deeply. Under the clean smell of recent laundering he thought he detected it buried deep in the fibers, like it the memory was ingrained in Viggo's brain. Orlando's scent, slightly spicy, slightly earthy, immeasurably intoxicating. Viggo finally laid the towel back down and stepped back. "This is insane," he said to the mirror. "You're insane. It's been nine years and now you're in his bathroom, smelling his towels, imagining you can smell his scent on a towel that in all likelihood he never uses since this is the guest bathroom..." Viggo shook his head and stepped out of the bathroom. He started to turn towards the stairs, to join the party and finally see Orlando. But he couldn't. He couldn't just yet. He needed a few more minutes to gather himself. To decide what to say when he did see Orli. He had gone over this countless times on the plane but still couldn't quite come up with the right words. Viggo wandered in the other direction and noticed a door slightly ajar. He approached it and pushed against it gently, letting it swing fully open. He stepped inside and felt his chest tighten. This was Orlando's bedroom; there was no mistaking it. What was his first clue? Well, for starters, it was a mess. Completely cluttered with all the little things Orlando had collected over the years that he couldn't bear to part with. Viggo recognized most of them. There were very few things he didn't recognize, and he assumed these were things Orlando had acquired in the years since they were last a part of one another's lives. Viggo wandered over to a bookshelf in the corner. He ran his fingers gently against one of the stones set there. He smiled at the pictures of Orli and his friends. Older ones, from New Zealand and those three wonderful years afterwards when it seemed like their friendships would always last. Pictures of Orlando smiling with the Hobbits. With Ian. With Peter and Fran. And of course, pictures of Orlando and Viggo. Orlando was beaming in those, lit up from the inside. And Viggo was too, he had to concede. No one made him sparkle the way Orli did. No one ever would again. Viggo looked at the rest of the pictures as well, newer ones with Billy and Dom. Ones with friends and co-stars that Viggo vaguely recognized. And lastly, in the row of what seemed to be the most recent photos, was a small collage. Viggo's heart began to slam in his chest; his throat tightened and became incredibly dry. He stretched out his hand and ran a trembling finger against the glass. There was a recent picture of him, snapped at his fifty- fourth birthday party by Dom. There were a couple of clippings from newspapers, articles about Viggo's poetry, his art. There was a picture from a magazine, a picture of Viggo and Henry. It was startling to Viggo how similar this was to his own collages on his make-up mirrors. Even when they were together Orlando had never picked up on that habit. Viggo had always liked to tease him that he was too vain to ever cover up a mirror that way. And as Viggo looked more closely now, he saw that the back of this collage was indeed a mirror. Viggo wondered at that, as tears pricked at his eyes. He stared at the collage for a long time, losing himself in questions of what, if anything, this might mean. His musings were interrupted by the sound of the door banging shut. He turned to see Orlando leaning against the now closed door, fingers digging into his hair, eyes screwed shut. Orlando forced himself to take a few deep breaths. He couldn't let this happen, couldn't let sadness descend upon him. Not tonight, of all nights. Better that he save it for tomorrow, when he didn't have a house full of guests. New Year's day was the day he sat alone with his regrets. The first day of the New Year was the perfect day to brood over the things he spent an entire year pretending he didn't miss. Tomorrow he would pull out all the old home movies, all the photo albums, and sit alone in his room, on his bed, and weep until he had no more tears to shed. And then it would be done. He would put everything away, and act as if there wasn't a hole in his heart that could only be filled by Viggo. Viggo watched Orlando suffering and it hurt as much as it ever had. He couldn't stand to see this sweet young man in pain. "Angel, what's wrong?" Viggo found himself saying. Orlando's eyes shot open. "This can't be..." he said, in shock. He took a couple of steps forward. He looked into the other man's pale eyes. He reached his hand out, let his fingers trail over Viggo's cheek and then jerked them away. "Viggo... what are you doing here?" "Oh... um... I'm sorry... the door," he swallowed hard, "it was open... I shouldn't have come in here, I just..." Orlando shook his head. "I didn't... I mean what are you doing here? In London? At my party... you never come..." "I know... I just... Dom... you know how he is... well, he said... he just showed up at my house with two tickets and so... I can leave if... if you want," Viggo said. "Leave? No... no... I just don't understand..." "Neither do I really," Viggo said, a little nervous laughter escaping his lips. "Why now Viggo? After all these years..." Orlando was fighting every urge he had to just wrap himself around Viggo and never let go again. "I don't know. But when Dom asked... insisted... I just... I didn't want to say no. I didn't... I was tired Orli, tired of missing you and not speaking to you and I didn't want to let another year go by, another opportunity go by..." "Then... there's nothing wrong? I mean... you're not... you're okay?" Orlando's eyes had filled with tears. He blinked hard, letting them fall and then brushed them away with a careless motion. "Yes, I'm okay... oh... you thought..." "I thought maybe you were sick... maybe that was why... all of a sudden..." Orlando shook his head. "No, no, I'm fine. How are you? I mean... you were so upset when you came in here..." "Oh, I'm... yeah, that... I was just... it's... I can't believe you're here Viggo... did you say you missed me?" he said, babbling, knowing that most people couldn't make sense of his half finished thoughts. Most people weren't Viggo though and he knew Viggo would understand him. "Yes... every day Orli... every day since the L.A. premiere nine years ago..." "Then why the fuck did you just let me leave?" Orlando asked, anger flaring, his brown eyes flashing. "Let you leave? As if it was my decision? You were the one who said you had to get back to the Caymans to finish that little fucking movie that to this *day* I do not understand why you took," Viggo said, the anger that had festered inside him bubbling to the surface as well. "Because it was an opportunity to be more than the pretty boy sidekick, that's why I did it. And I said I was *supposed* to go back to the Caymans to do some production related things. And all you said, was 'okay Orli, see you around then.' I mean, really Viggo, what was I supposed to think? We had spent this amazing time together in Wellington and then that carried on to L.A. and I say I have to go and you don't seem to give a shit? It was obvious to me that whatever I was feeling, you weren't." "Well who the hell told you to make that assumption? All I knew was that we seemed to be... that things were solidifying between us after years of being on and off and not defining what we meant to each other. And I thought... I thought finally, he's ready for more than just an occasional lover. And then you tell me you're going back to the Caymans. Skipping the rest of the premieres. And it was clear you didn't care enough about them... or me..." "I cared! It bloody broke my heart to miss those premieres! I had wanted to be there more than anything. But... I knew you didn't love me so... I couldn't just... it was like lying to myself Viggo. Allowing myself more time with you, living in a fantasy world where we would be together... really together. And then it would be over as soon as the last premiere was. And I couldn't do that... better to make a clean break." "Who the fuck said I didn't love you?" Viggo said, shocked that Orlando could ever think that. Hadn't he seen it in his eyes? Hadn't he felt it when he touched him? "You never said it Viggo... you never did..." "I... of course I did..." Viggo stammered. "No, you didn't... I would say it... and you would say, 'me too'," Orli said. "I thought... I thought you knew... I thought I showed you in a million different ways... Besides Orli, I never thought you were serious when you said it." "What?! You think I flippantly toss the words 'I love you' around? I thought you knew me better than that Viggo." "I knew you meant it... just... I've heard you say it to Ian, and the hobbits..." "Yeah... I never said it when I was in a private, intimate moment with them or when I made love to Ian or the hobbits... not to say I have made love with Ian or any of the hobbits just... You didn't think I really loved you." "Not how I loved you," Viggo said. "You're an idiot Viggo," Orli said. "What?" "You're a bloody idiot! And so am I..." Orlando started to pace. "All this time... all this time we were apart and it was because we never just told each other what we really felt. We haven't been a part of each other's lives for nine years because of a sodding misunderstanding?" "Orli..." Viggo said softly. "I never wanted you to leave... I wanted you to stay... to stay with me... to be with me..." Orlando approached Viggo. "Oh Vig..." he said, his voice catching. "That's all I wanted to hear that morning... the morning I left... all I wanted was you to ask me to stay with you..." He wiped more tears away. "I love you so very much Viggo. I loved you so much then... and I haven't stopped. A day hasn't gone by that I don't think of you... that I don't wonder what you're doing, what you're thinking... if you're lonely... as lonely as me... I wish I had known... known you felt the same... I wish I could have been secure enough to trust that someone like you could want to be with someone like me... to be more than an occasional bedfellow. But I was so bloody stupid... and because of that I've been alone all these years, missing the one person I love more than anything, thinking he never loved me when he really did and how do you get back all that lost time? I just want to turn back the clock, and I want to stay and I want to-" "Orlando?" Viggo said, interrupting. Over the younger man's babbling Viggo had heard the crowd downstairs start counting down to midnight. 60-59-58-57. "Let me finish Viggo, please. Where was I? Oh... um, right... I wish I had stayed and then we could have been together this entire time and-" "Orlando," Viggo said again. 30-29-28-27-26-25-24-23 "For Christ's sake Viggo! I'm trying to say something here! Something important! When I am done you can speak but I need to say these things. I need to tell you so many things and you keep interrupting!" "I know Orli, but there's something-" 15-14-13-12-11-10 "Oh for fuck sake Viggo! What could be so bloody important?" 5-4-3-2-1. "This," he said, pulling Orlando against him and joining their mouths. Orlando was utterly still for a few seconds. He could feel Viggo's warm mouth pressing against his, moving slowly. Viggo's arms surrounded him, pressing their bodies close. It was a familiar feeling, to be in Viggo's arms, to be against that strong frame. The kiss was familiar too; the lips soft yet firm against him. The shock subsided and Orlando returned the kiss, tentatively at first. He pressed back lightly, shyly. Carefully he slid his arms around Viggo, rested his hands against his back, running them slowly down, feeling the muscles beneath the fabric. Viggo was emboldened by Orli's touches. He intensified the kiss, sucking a little on the Brit's lower lip as he licked gently along the seam of Orlando's mouth. A hand slid up his back, closed around his neck from behind and urged him onward. Viggo pushed against Orli's lips with his tongue and the other man opened for him. He slid his tongue inside the warm, wet cavern and began a thorough exploration, reacquainting himself. Orlando whimpered into Viggo's mouth, as the American's tongue tasted him. It twined around and caressed his own wet muscle, sending shivers down his spine. Orli clutched more tightly to Viggo, who in turn held him even closer. This felt so right. This was where he belonged, the one place in the world he had always felt like he fit. The kiss was undoing him, making his knees weak. He stumbled a bit but didn't fall. Viggo would never let him fall. Unfortunately though, the movement forced the kiss to end. "Easy there angel," Viggo said, steadying the wobbling younger man. Orlando smiled at him and it sent warmth pulsing through his being. He caressed Orlando's cheek. "Happy New Year," Viggo rasped. "Happy New Year," Orli repeated. "Was that... all that was then? Just a New Year's kiss?" Orlando pulled out of Viggo's arms. "Shit Viggo... you can't just kiss me and make everything okay... that's now how it works," he said. "Then how does it work?" "I don't know but not this way," Orlando said. "Then how about this way? How about I love you. And you love me. And that is all that matters, all that ever mattered. And we can't let years of stupidity keep us from each other." Orli shook his head. "Just like that? It can't be that easy Viggo..." "Why not?" Viggo said, coming close to Orli again, taking him into his arms. Orlando didn't protest. "I don't know... shouldn't it be harder?" "Only in fiction baby. This is remarkably simple. If you still love me, that is." "Yes! I told you I still love you!" "I love you too Orlando. I always have," Viggo said. "Oh Vig..." Orli said and this time, he kissed him. This kiss was urgent and passionate, with no hesitant preamble. Orlando sunk his fingers into Viggo's longish hair and held on to his skull, as if for dear life. Viggo kissed his lover back with equal passion. He wanted more than this though. Much more. He wanted to feel every inch of Orlando's skin against his. He pushed the younger man back towards the bed until they both fell onto it. Orlando giggled. "Eager, are we?" "I've ached for you for nine years, you think I'm going to wait any longer to have you?" Viggo rasped. Viggo began undressing Orlando. He started with his shoes, socks, and then began work on the buttons of his black dress shirt. Orli laid a hand on Viggo's chest. "Vig... wait... wait a second..." Viggo stopped and looked deeply into Orli's dark eyes. "What is it Orli? Are... do you not want this?" "I do... I want this... so much it hurts... but I can't... I can't before I know..." "What do you need to know?" Viggo asked. "That this is real... you and me... that this is for keeps," he said. Viggo stroked Orli's cheek. He unfastened the chain around the young man's neck, removed the ring that dangled from it. He took Orli's right hand and slid the ring onto his ring finger. "That is where this belongs. And this," he said, kissing his lover's mouth, "is forever." Orlando kissed Viggo long and hard then before settling back against the bed. "Make love to me Vig," he said. "That's what I'm going to do. For the rest of our lives," he said. Viggo finished undressing his lover. He smiled softly. Orlando's body was still beautiful. It was more solid now, less fragile. He ran his fingers against Orli's belly. "Still so soft..." Viggo murmured. He bent over the Brit and began kissing him all over. He trailed kisses along his clavicle, against the hollow of his throat. "Oh god Vig..." Orli moaned. Viggo's touches reminded him how empty it had felt to be touched by other people. Viggo smirked. It was good to know he could still turn Orlando on. He moved to the side and removed his clothes as well. He then laid his body against Orlando's, letting their cocks press against each other. "Ohhh..." he moaned. It was an incredible thing, to once again feel Orlando's warm skin against his. "God I've missed this..." "Mmm..." Orli said, pushing his hips up, causing a delicious friction between their organs. "Me too... so much Vig... no one has ever made me feel the way you do..." Viggo grinded his hips, felt himself thicken. He let out a moan when Orlando arched against him. "I want you... I want to be inside you... I can't wait..." Viggo panted. "Neither can I..." Orlando said. "You're going to have to move Vig so I can get what we need..." Viggo blushed. "Sorry..." he moved aside. He watched as Orli got out of bed. Orlando rushed across the room, and started digging through the drawers as he muttered curses as the minutes stretched by. Viggo could only laugh. Finally, Orli found what he was looking for. Orlando smiled sweetly as he returned to bed. "Sorry... don't have too many people darken my bedroom door so I never remember where I put these damn things," he said. Viggo took hold of his face and kissed him. "You don't have to apologize for that... I wish we didn't need these..." "I know... soon we won't," Orli said, smiling brightly as he lay back. "That's right. You're all mine now," Viggo said, pressing a soft kiss to Orli's lips. "I was always all yours. You just never thought to ask," Orli said. Viggo grinned. "I love you," he said, moving to position himself between Orlando's thighs. "I know, I love you too..." Orli said. Viggo opened the tube and spread some of the gel onto his fingers. He fought hard to keep his fingers from trembling as he brought one against Orlando's entrance. He heard Orli gasp softly. "I won't hurt you," he said, the gasp reminding him of how scared Orlando had been their first time, *his* first time. "You never did," Orli said, with a smile. "I'm not afraid, I just want you so much... it's overwhelming." Viggo stroked Orlando's face with his other hand. "For me too." He continued the gently caresses as he pushed his finger inside Orli's body. There was a little resistance but soon his finger was fully inside. He moved it slowly in and out. It didn't take long until Orlando was ready for a second finger. He moved both inside of his lover, scissoring them carefully. He curled them a bit and was rewarded with a deep moan. "Oh Viggo... oh..." Orli moaned. Viggo added another finger, stretching his lover, brushing his prostate every so often to elicit more dulcet moans. When Orlando was prepared Viggo withdrew his fingers. Orlando grabbed the condom and tore it open. He slid the latex onto Viggo's arousal with shaky hands and then slicked him with lube. 'Shit... I'm so nervous... feel like a fucking virgin..." he said, giggling. "Fucking virgin? Isn't that a contradiction in terms?" Viggo teased. "Wanker," Orli laughed. Viggo threaded each of Orli's legs behind his back. "If it helps, I'm nervous too..." Orli smiled. "It does..." Viggo guided himself against Orlando's entrance. He pushed the tip inside, past the ring of muscle. He groaned as the velvet heat surrounded him. Orlando whimpered as Viggo slid into him. He arched his back, wanting more. Viggo complied, filling him more deeply. Orlando brought his hands against Viggo's hips, ran them slowly up and down. He had been barren--physically, emotionally barren for so long. Only now did he fully realize what he had missed. Viggo's touch, Viggo's body. Viggo's love. How had he lived without it for so long? He didn't know. All he knew was he was never going to live without it, without Viggo, again. Viggo struggled to remain still, to let them both adjust. He looked down at Orlando's beautiful face. His cheeks were flushed, his kiss-swollen lips were parted, his pupils dilated. He only felt complete with Orlando. Orlando was the other half of Viggo's heart, of his soul. "I'm never leaving you again," he rasped and began to thrust in and out of Orli's heat. "Good..." Orli gasped, moving in time with Viggo's body. "Because I'm never letting you....go-oooooooooo!" Viggo brushed his prostate and Orlando felt lighting strike. He moaned and whimpered with each rock of Viggo's hips. His own cock throbbed and wept for Viggo's touch. 'Vig... oh please Vig... touch me... I need you to touch me..." "Anything... anything you want angel," Viggo said. He brought one hand between their bodies and took hold of Orli's pulsing flesh. He stroked it slowly at first, his thumb moving over the tip, fingers sliding against the vein underneath. Orlando writhed with these tender touches and the movements made Viggo lose the steady rhythm he had set. He began to thrust faster, harder, into the silken vise of Orli's body. Orlando moaned, bucking beneath Viggo as Viggo was pumping in and out of him furiously and stroking his cock with equal intensity. He came fast, spilling in Viggo's hand. Orlando's keening moans sent Viggo over the edge as well. He thrust a few more times into his lover's body and shouted Orli's name as he found his release. Sated, Viggo gently pulled out, discarding the condom. He curled up beside Orlando, pulling his lover against him. He could feel the rise and fall of Orli's chest, felt soft lips against the side of his neck. "I'm sorry..." he rasped. Orli nudged Viggo's shoulder until he lifted his head. "Sorry?" he said, eyes darting back and forth, afraid Viggo had decided this was all a terrible mistake. Viggo saw the fear in Orli's eyes. "Not sorry we made love... sorry it was so... quick... I wanted to go slow... to savor this... but..." "It was too much, I know. But please don't be sorry. It was... you were wonderful... I haven't felt this good... in nine years," Orli said. "And we've got forever now... next time can be slow and sweet." Viggo grinned. "Next time..." "Yeah... I'm not as young as I used to be though so... maybe give me about an hour to recover?" Viggo laughed. "You're not as young, huh? Well, you're just as beautiful... more beautiful even..." he ran his fingers through Orlando's short, dark curls. Orli smiled. "You too... Jesus, it should be illegal to get more handsome with each year..." Orli ran his hand against Viggo's cheek, thumb dragging over the cleft in his chin. He threaded his fingers through Viggo's soft hair. "I'm glad your hair is longer than it was then... I like it this way..." "It's all gray though..." Viggo said. "I like it that way too..." Orli said, pressing a kiss to Viggo's mouth. He suddenly stopped, looking deeply into Viggo's pale eyes. "I was serious before. About never letting you go. I don't want this to be long distance." "Neither do I... I don't want to miss any more time with you." "Good," Orli said, smiling. "Then we'll... just work it out, yeah? Time here, time at your home in L.A.?" "We'll work it out, most definitely," Viggo said. "What will Henry think?" "Henry... will probably want to slug you... and then he'll probably think it's about time we got our acts together," Viggo said. "Hmmm... fair enough," Orli said, settling back down against Viggo. Viggo ran his hand against Orli's back. He felt the younger man shiver and drew the blanket up against them so that it fell just below their chests. "Better?" Orli snuggled close. "Much..." Viggo went back to absentmindedly stroking his lover's back. He thought he heard someone talking outside the door. "Orli did you lock the door?" "Um, no, why?" Just then the door opened. "Maybe he is in here..." Dom said. "Orli are you--- oh!" "Is he--? Oh!" Billy said, coming in right behind Dom. "For fuck's sake, don't you two wankers knock?" Orli asked, not bothering to move from where he was, but smirking and raising his eyebrows at his intrusive friends. "Well... usually but you disappeared and missed the countdown and... hi Viggo," Dom said, grinning smugly. "Dom... at least have the common decency to not look so smug," Viggo chided. "I'm just really happy for you two, that's all. Come on Bill, let's leave the happy couple to it," he said, grabbing Billy by the shoulder. He then stopped and turned around. "You are a happy *couple* again, right?" "Yes we are cupid," Orli said. "Now get out!" "Right, Bill?" Dom said. "So then there really is no hope for you and me, is there Orli?" Bill asked, with a wink. "There never was much hope. Only a fool's hope," Ian deadpanned, from just outside the door. He then pulled both hobbits out of the room, smiled warmly at Viggo and Orlando and shut the door. Viggo and Orli giggled at their friends and then settled into a comfortable silence. Finally, Orli spoke. "We really are back together, huh Vig?" "We really are. For keeps." "Happy New Year Viggo," Orlando said. "Happy New Year angel."