"Two Weeks Lost" (LotR RPS VM/OB) (PG-13)
Title: Two Weeks Lost
Author: Leale
Rating: PG-13
Fandom: LOTR RPS, VM/OB
Summary: Orlando doesn't ask why or where or for how long.
Feedback: Would be lovely, if you have the time and inclination.
Archive: Sure, just let me know.
Author's Note: Thanks, of course, to valour for the beta. Not particularly in the "Stupid Bar Tricks" series, but not particularly out of it, either. All the places in this story are real.
Written for the contrelamontre "travelling" challenge" in 57 minutes. Crossposted at _insatiable_ and fellow_shippers Apologies to anyone who got this a gazillion times. :P
Disclaimer: I have never met the men mentioned in this story and I have no knowledge of their sexuality. Everything in this story has come completely from my imagination.
Two Weeks Lost
When Viggo shows up in a 1972 Ford Pinto, the trunk heavy with supplies, Orlando doesn't ask why or where or for how long. He just gets into the front passenger seat and, as they drive out into the desert, lets Viggo educate him on Warren Zevon, and Paul Revere and the Raiders, and Strawberry Alarm Clock, and a number of bands who passed through the sixties and seventies without notice by anyone but Viggo.
On the first night, Orlando doesn't ask where they'll stay. Instead he watches carefully as Viggo zips the sleeping bags together to make one. It's a skill he suspects he'll be expected to know later. He had S'mores in New Zealand, but the veggie dogs on a stick lacked any sort of appeal, even before they were charred. When Viggo presses him into the sand, Orlando's gaze goes to the stars, bright and blinding in the clear night. He's never seen so many at once and he loves them, but not in the same way he loves England.
On the second day, when Orlando notices that his cell phone is off, he doesn't turn it back on. He doesn't know if the battery died or if Viggo turned it off, but he's sure someone back in LA or in London is throwing a fit and he's not ready to be at the other end of it. The two days have been quiet and companionable and the night was cool and sweet with passion and fresh air. He'll have to go back eventually, but he's waiting Viggo out.
On the third day, when Viggo turns onto Route 101 and into Long Beach to introduce Orlando to the World's Largest Frying Pan, Orlando doesn't buy a camera or ask Viggo why he hasn't brought his own. Instead, they estimate how many eggs one could fit into such a pan and they drive to Winlock to see the World's Largest Egg--Viggo is pretty smug about his planning. They eat dinner in Tacoma, at a diner shaped like a coffee pot and talk about their favorite childhood books.
On the fifth day, when the air conditioning breaks down, Orlando doesn't ask Viggo to stop or even pull over for a bit. He just takes off his shirt and shoes and drinks bottled water until it makes more sense to pour it over his head, trusting that the cracked leather seats can deal with the overrun. Viggo pulls the car over anyway, but not to fix the AC.
On the sixth day, when Viggo pulls up to the peculiarly shaped house built into an outcropping of rock, Orlando doesn't even ask what state they're in. He just pulls a cap low on his forehead and lets Viggo pay the admission. Inside, the House on the Rock is filled--overflowing--with the best of American Kitsch. Orlando watches the lights of the horseless carousel--the largest in the world, because why would they be looking at it otherwise?--dance over Viggo's face and think he's seeing Viggo as he was twenty, thirty, even forty years ago. It makes him feel not so very young at all. They get lost in the circuitous Organ Room and scoff at the Armor and Weapons Room--the place has nothing on WETA's workshop. Orlando buys a handful of tokens to make the displays play music and dance but his favorite is the 200-foot whale locked in immortal battle with an octopus of nearly the same size. It neither sings nor dances, but Orlando feels the prickle of its fearsomeness on the back of his neck as he walks up the ramp to the next room. They can only go halfway into the Infinity Room, a glass walkway designed to look as if it goes on forever. Orlando wonders if maybe it does.
That night, when Viggo orders fried cheese curd as an appetizer, Orlando doesn't protest its fat content. They'll go home eventually and then he can work out to his heart's content and watch his food intake. The bar is called Hooty's and advertises Tuesday Night Wrestling and refers to all non-local beer as "imports". The cheese curd squeaks between his teeth, which delights him. He finally realizes they're in Wisconsin and wonders if Viggo intends to cross the entire country.
On the eighth day, when they roll into Burlington, Vermont, Orlando doesn't ask where they are. He's learned to watch the road signs when he wants to know and to turn up the radio when he doesn't. They tour the Ben & Jerry's factory and talk about all the flavors they can recall and what they associate with them as they lay facing the stars that evening. Viggo remembers more flavors than Orlando.
On the tenth day, when Viggo picks up the keys and drives out of Boston, Orlando still has the taste of baked beans on his tongue. He doesn't ask why they've left when there's still so much to see or why Viggo turns away from New York and back toward the Mid-West. But he wants to.
On the fourteenth day, at midnight, when Viggo finally pulls up in front of his rented flat, he asks. And Viggo smiles and runs artist's hands through his hair and says, "I wanted to show you things that no one else ever has or ever will." And Orlando doesn't answer that from the day they met, Viggo always has.
Additional Notes: The World's Largest Frying Pan is in Long Beach, WA. One of the two World's Largest Eggs is in Winlock, WA, the other is somewhere in Menton,IN. Bob's JavaJive is the diner shaped like a coffeepot and is in Tacoma, WA. All this information came from: Here
The House on the Rock is a real place. It was featured in Neil Gaiman's "American Gods" and can be found in Spring Green, WI. I've been there. Hooty's is also a real place, in Baraboo, WI.
The Ben & Jerry's factory is indeed in Burlington, VT. They do have B&Js in the United Kingdom.
I ran out of time for the Boston one, so no cute facts. Sorry. :)
Author: Leale
Rating: PG-13
Fandom: LOTR RPS, VM/OB
Summary: Orlando doesn't ask why or where or for how long.
Feedback: Would be lovely, if you have the time and inclination.
Archive: Sure, just let me know.
Author's Note: Thanks, of course, to valour for the beta. Not particularly in the "Stupid Bar Tricks" series, but not particularly out of it, either. All the places in this story are real.
Written for the contrelamontre "travelling" challenge" in 57 minutes. Crossposted at _insatiable_ and fellow_shippers Apologies to anyone who got this a gazillion times. :P
Disclaimer: I have never met the men mentioned in this story and I have no knowledge of their sexuality. Everything in this story has come completely from my imagination.
Two Weeks Lost
When Viggo shows up in a 1972 Ford Pinto, the trunk heavy with supplies, Orlando doesn't ask why or where or for how long. He just gets into the front passenger seat and, as they drive out into the desert, lets Viggo educate him on Warren Zevon, and Paul Revere and the Raiders, and Strawberry Alarm Clock, and a number of bands who passed through the sixties and seventies without notice by anyone but Viggo.
On the first night, Orlando doesn't ask where they'll stay. Instead he watches carefully as Viggo zips the sleeping bags together to make one. It's a skill he suspects he'll be expected to know later. He had S'mores in New Zealand, but the veggie dogs on a stick lacked any sort of appeal, even before they were charred. When Viggo presses him into the sand, Orlando's gaze goes to the stars, bright and blinding in the clear night. He's never seen so many at once and he loves them, but not in the same way he loves England.
On the second day, when Orlando notices that his cell phone is off, he doesn't turn it back on. He doesn't know if the battery died or if Viggo turned it off, but he's sure someone back in LA or in London is throwing a fit and he's not ready to be at the other end of it. The two days have been quiet and companionable and the night was cool and sweet with passion and fresh air. He'll have to go back eventually, but he's waiting Viggo out.
On the third day, when Viggo turns onto Route 101 and into Long Beach to introduce Orlando to the World's Largest Frying Pan, Orlando doesn't buy a camera or ask Viggo why he hasn't brought his own. Instead, they estimate how many eggs one could fit into such a pan and they drive to Winlock to see the World's Largest Egg--Viggo is pretty smug about his planning. They eat dinner in Tacoma, at a diner shaped like a coffee pot and talk about their favorite childhood books.
On the fifth day, when the air conditioning breaks down, Orlando doesn't ask Viggo to stop or even pull over for a bit. He just takes off his shirt and shoes and drinks bottled water until it makes more sense to pour it over his head, trusting that the cracked leather seats can deal with the overrun. Viggo pulls the car over anyway, but not to fix the AC.
On the sixth day, when Viggo pulls up to the peculiarly shaped house built into an outcropping of rock, Orlando doesn't even ask what state they're in. He just pulls a cap low on his forehead and lets Viggo pay the admission. Inside, the House on the Rock is filled--overflowing--with the best of American Kitsch. Orlando watches the lights of the horseless carousel--the largest in the world, because why would they be looking at it otherwise?--dance over Viggo's face and think he's seeing Viggo as he was twenty, thirty, even forty years ago. It makes him feel not so very young at all. They get lost in the circuitous Organ Room and scoff at the Armor and Weapons Room--the place has nothing on WETA's workshop. Orlando buys a handful of tokens to make the displays play music and dance but his favorite is the 200-foot whale locked in immortal battle with an octopus of nearly the same size. It neither sings nor dances, but Orlando feels the prickle of its fearsomeness on the back of his neck as he walks up the ramp to the next room. They can only go halfway into the Infinity Room, a glass walkway designed to look as if it goes on forever. Orlando wonders if maybe it does.
That night, when Viggo orders fried cheese curd as an appetizer, Orlando doesn't protest its fat content. They'll go home eventually and then he can work out to his heart's content and watch his food intake. The bar is called Hooty's and advertises Tuesday Night Wrestling and refers to all non-local beer as "imports". The cheese curd squeaks between his teeth, which delights him. He finally realizes they're in Wisconsin and wonders if Viggo intends to cross the entire country.
On the eighth day, when they roll into Burlington, Vermont, Orlando doesn't ask where they are. He's learned to watch the road signs when he wants to know and to turn up the radio when he doesn't. They tour the Ben & Jerry's factory and talk about all the flavors they can recall and what they associate with them as they lay facing the stars that evening. Viggo remembers more flavors than Orlando.
On the tenth day, when Viggo picks up the keys and drives out of Boston, Orlando still has the taste of baked beans on his tongue. He doesn't ask why they've left when there's still so much to see or why Viggo turns away from New York and back toward the Mid-West. But he wants to.
On the fourteenth day, at midnight, when Viggo finally pulls up in front of his rented flat, he asks. And Viggo smiles and runs artist's hands through his hair and says, "I wanted to show you things that no one else ever has or ever will." And Orlando doesn't answer that from the day they met, Viggo always has.
Additional Notes: The World's Largest Frying Pan is in Long Beach, WA. One of the two World's Largest Eggs is in Winlock, WA, the other is somewhere in Menton,IN. Bob's JavaJive is the diner shaped like a coffeepot and is in Tacoma, WA. All this information came from: Here
The House on the Rock is a real place. It was featured in Neil Gaiman's "American Gods" and can be found in Spring Green, WI. I've been there. Hooty's is also a real place, in Baraboo, WI.
The Ben & Jerry's factory is indeed in Burlington, VT. They do have B&Js in the United Kingdom.
I ran out of time for the Boston one, so no cute facts. Sorry. :)