LOTR RPS: Smack the Dog 27
Chapter 27: Ten Green Bottles
*
The afternoon, as they are wont to do, finally rolled round. And this, of course, meant action had to be taken. Reluctantly, possibly. With wide yawns and sleepy looking eyes, certainly. But taken it had to be.
Unfortunately action would have to involve actually moving from the flat, as the mischievous and downright naughty hobbits were currently filming. This, of course, meant that Sean had to grumble his way down to the set to pick up Dom’s playstation, although there was the added bonus of finding out exactly when Sean himself was needed back on the set. Not that he was expecting it to be soon. Orli was still nowhere near the state he should be for filming, and the way Viggo was going Aragorn was going to look like he had been subjected to the wrong end of a ringwraith blade for at least a week.
At least the discussions with the producers were easy enough. A couple more days off. There were a few amused comments about Sean using this time to actually sleep in bed, to which there were a few more cheerful comments back. Non-rude of course. If you didn’t want to find yourself in one of the most uncomfortable outfits going, it paid not to annoy a producer.
Now all Sean needed was to wander around the set and try and find the elusive Dominic and His Multi-Talented Playstation Of Destiny. Or whatever he titled it with. Sean hadn’t really been in a position to hear properly what with the loud music attempting to deafen him at the time, and the accompanying gestures looked more like they had been taken from the nearest porn movie rather than assisting with communication.
True to name, the elusive Dominic was indeed elusive. However, Billy was less so, mostly because his haunts were a little easier to pin down. Equally, the fact that the hobbit actor pretty much pinned him down as soon as he saw Sean helped a great deal, although Sean really could have done without the extra bruises.
“ About time you showed up!” Billy scolded. “ I dunno, these bloody people who get time off constantly,”
“ It’s not my fault!” protested Sean. Billy sniffed his opinion on this, and then promptly forgot his general irritation as he moved onto a different topic.
“ Hey, have you seen Viggo today? He wouldn’t talk to me, muttered something about having a schedule to run,” Obviously by the look on Billy’s face this was deemed either rude or worrying, or possibly he was already thinking about what was for lunch.
Sean felt his stomach tunnel to his boots again. Viggo wasn’t supposed to be around. At all. In fact, he had been counting on it. Why the hell hadn’t Dave warned him?!
“ Viggo’s here?” he croaked finally. If Billy had noticed the frog impression, he didn’t let on, although this was probably due to the fact that he was busy fishing a Chewit out of his pocket and unwrapping it. Lij had despaired of all these sweets, or candy as he seemed to refer to it, but apparently the lead hobbit still had no influence over the sweetie-nature of his fellows.
“ Yeah, he’s trying to get some motivation to one of the speeches I think,” Billy paused to consider. “ Or something along those lines. I didn’t ask too many questions. Partly because he’s not speaking to me, and partly because his answers are so incredibly long anyway,” he added sulkily.
“ I think he’s probably got his mind on other things rather than he’s not speaking to you,” replied Sean automatically. Billy snorted.
“ He’s had his mind on other things a hell of a lot recently,” he commented. “ Nothing bad’s happened at home has it?” There was concerned intermixed with sweet-chewing. Sean shook his head.
“ I don’t think so. He might be a little homesick. Missing Henry, that sort of thing,” he improvised.
Billy considered this. “ Yeah, that’s possible,” the hobbit seemed happier now there was a possible explanation in the background. “ Well, are you getting the playstation or are you just messing around talking to distracting people like me?”
Sean wasn’t sure anymore. To continue forward was to risk running straight into Viggo, and god knows he was so bad at keeping his guilt under wraps. He was probably a liability to Orlando. Hell, he was probably a liability to everyone. However, to admit to such things was bound to start causing even more problems. Soldier on. And pray for the best as well.
With Billy as a guide Dom suddenly wasn’t as elusive, although he was pretty damn difficult to spot until Sean was almost on top of him. Said actor had been lying pretty much on the floor, reading a magazine that would have been classified as ‘unsuitable’ by grannies everywhere and which formed the majority of the men’s magazines aimed at the 18-25 range. Sean caught a glimpse of naked flesh before the page was turned.
“ Ah! There you are,” Dom’s cheerful voice broke Sean’s concentration on glossy magazines.
“ You make it sound as though you’ve been searching for me,” replied Sean, with a pointed look towards the magazine. Dom shrugged and flicked a page idly.
” Well, the mind was willing but the flesh was weak I’m afraid. The playstation is in the trailer. Couldn’t carry it around everywhere. People were making comments about my relationships,” Dom grinned and flicked another page. “ Bloody hell, look at the tits on that one,”
Sean assumed he wasn’t talking about the small birds you got in your garden. However, discussions on woman’s breasts certainly gave food for thought on what actually happened between Billy and Dom whilst doors were shut. He would have to quiz Orli next time he managed to speak to him. If he managed to speak to him, that was. Heaven alone knew when he would be able to call round, what with Viggo, the world’s greatest guard dog, on duty.
Sean gave a little poke in Dom’s side with his shoe to move things along and get him out of such thoughts. Dom grumbled slightly and looked back up, squinting in the sun which was conveniently behind Sean.
“ Where in your trailer is it?” Sean queried. Dom shook his head.
“ Oh, it’s in yours. Just in the corner, where Orli puts his boots. Didn’t think you’d want to risk ours. Could catch something.” Dom grinned again and gave a side glance to Billy, who had worked out he had been insulted yet again and was sulking. It was just as well their attentions were diverted as Sean had frozen to the spot, colour draining from his face. His trailer. The one he shared with Orli. The one that Viggo was also known to frequent.
Fuck.
No, no, more than fuck, whatever that would be. Super Fuck, as it were. Only it wasn’t about to save anyone, or, presumably start leaping off tall buildings either.
“ Oh, okay. Thanks,” he managed a smile. It was quite realistic. He didn’t think anyone knew he was acting, but then again this was also aided by the fact that there was a mini hobbit wrestling match occurring at his feet. Such things were often quite distracting.
Sean’s mind was working nineteen to the dozen as he walked away. He could just leave it there. He could pretend he didn’t have time, that someone - ANYONE - had complained that it was undignified for a man of his age to start killing little computer graphics. After all, what had they ever done to him? However, all of this would require answers. And from answers come further questions. And more answers. And more questions.
All in all, he might as well get the damn thing over with. The likihood that Viggo was going to walk through the door was minimal. He would be out and about, getting up close and personal with Aragorn’s motivations. Or something similar, anyway. There was usually a longer explanation for it. Sean had given up trying to follow all of it and normally just nodded when it seemed appropriate.
Sean sighed to himself in resignation and the realisation that Life normally had it in for him. It was almost as though someone up there was desperate to make his life as difficult as possible for someone’s amusement. Bastards, whoever they were.
He all but crept through the door of the trailer, idly thinking that if security had spotted him they would have been well in their rights to assume he was some sort of burglar. Thankfully, the playstation was fairly obvious, although it was a lot bulkier than he had imagined. Dom had thoughtfully included what seemed like half a million games, two pads, thousands upon thousands of wires, a blue plastic revolver and what appeared to be some sort of remote control, all of which was finding amusement trying to jump out of the plastic bag he had put it in. Sean sighed to himself and tried to pick it up without dropping anything. He failed. A game clattered to the floor.
Right, this really wasn’t working. However, the most sensible thing - that was, to take the thing in two goes - was certainly not appealing. Twice the fun of getting caught. However, he really wasn’t getting anywhere at this stage. Growling to himself, he grabbed the first load and pretty much pelted to the car, only pausing to give the occasional nod to cast and crew who were unsurprisingly a little baffled why their Boromir appeared to be smuggling Playstations.
The first lot got to the car. The second lot to go and he was free to go and slob out at his apartment and find something else to keep him up at night other than ... yes, well. Stuff.
The games were scooped up. Sean paused to glance at the top game, which, like most of the others had a brightly coloured package and looked as though the designer had been eating far too many blue smarties late at night. He shook his head to himself and looked up.
The way was barred.
Viggo stared back at him like the T-Rex in Jurassic Park, waiting movement. The games slid to the floor again in a rain of electronic items. However, Viggo’s gaze didn’t even flicker at the noise. There was no offer to help pick them up, or any type of acknowledgement that he had made Sean jump yet again. Just the steady gaze that seemed to be waiting for something.
Sean cleared his throat which seemed ridiculously tight.
“ Vig,” he said carefully. There was the faintest incline of Viggo’s head that indicated that, indeed, that was his name. Blue-grey eyes watched him. Sean bent to start scooping up games again as though they were some type of protection, although he kept glancing up as though expecting Viggo to move when he wasn’t looking. A strange version of Grandmother’s Footsteps.
“ How are you?” Sean asked finally, standing up again with the games clutched to his chest. However, obviously Viggo wasn’t interested in these types of questions.
“ I hear you’re drinking,” he said. And bloody hell would that be a good idea. However…
“ I’ve given up for a bit,” Sean had the grace not to look Viggo in the eye. There was the faintest expression of surprise at this.
“ Given up?” Viggo echoed. “ Dave’s influence?”
“ Of course not.” Sean looked shifty for a moment, then sighed in the face of such obvious disbelief. “ Yeah. He seemed to think I was using it as a crutch, or something along those lines. He’s got me drinking orange juice,” The juice was mentioned as though it was on par with Cod Liver Oil.
“ Good. You always drank too much,” Viggo was obviously in the no-tact mood. Sean felt his temper begin to rise.
” Well, I found I had a lot to drink about,” he replied coolly, choosing not to query on how Viggo knew that Dave’s influence would suddenly be a lot more plausible than before. After all, that would imply that Sean was expecting an answer, and such things man was really not supposed to know. “ Did you want anything or are you just getting into the trailer? Because I was about to leave,”
Viggo didn’t shift himself from the doorway. Sean felt that familiar trickle of cold sweat work its way down his back, especially as Viggo’s gaze made its way down his body. It was like a dog sizing up its opponent.
“ I wanted to speak to you,” he said finally and quietly. Sean was horrified at how quickly the hope entered his own eyes. He could feel himself lighting up like a pinball machine and tried to stamp it down.
“ Yeah?” Act casual, act casual. But fucking hell it was hard with Viggo leaning there like some type of sex god. Viggo’s clothes were actually quite loose, but Sean’s imagination managed to find lots of details to focus on. The younger man felt himself tremble slightly, could feel the heat in his groin, and desperately tried to stamp down on everything. Sean wet his lips with his tongue and tried again, briefly diverting his eyes from such blatant temptation. “ What did you want to talk about?”
“ Well, it wasn’t whether it was going to rain this evening,” the older man folded his arms and studied Sean a little harder. Sean fought the need to cringe. After all, what had he done to feel guilty about?
… oh yeah, Orli. Damn….
Wishing his mind wasn’t quite so on the ball, Sean finally managed to stare back at him. There was the faintest smile on Viggo’s lips, a wistful look in his eyes. Sean almost fell over in shock.
“ You were always so terrible about hiding the fact you had done something wrong,” he said finally. “ What is it this time? You borrowed the car? You’ve been bitching about me to David?”
Sean tried to find the words, but failed miserably. So he didn’t know then. Orlando must have gotten away with it, and thank the lord for that. Viggo, however, didn’t seem too bothered about pressing the issue about Sean’s current guilt. He put out his hand and took the first game from Sean’s unresisting hand, glancing at it idly.
“ You’re that bored you’re playing computer games?”
“ Well, I’m not allowed to drink anymore,” mumbled Sean. “ There’s not a huge amount left to do.”
“ You could possibly try doing something socially?” Viggo shrugged. Sean gave him a dark look and looked back at the games. Viggo took the hint and delved back into silence again. Sean risked another look towards him, and was more than a little wary that full attention was still fixed directly on him. This was normally a bad sign, although Viggo giving him any attention at the moment was better than none.
“ So what did you want to talk to me about?” Sean finally spoke when it was clearly obvious that certain other people were being particular bastards today. “ Because, if it’s all the same to you, I’d prefer not to talk about exactly what I’m doing late at night.”
Viggo rubbed his chin with a hand. “ Defensive, aren’t you?”
“ Have you given me a reason why I shouldn’t be?” Sean felt the slow burn of anger in him. “ Last time we spoke wasn’t a barrel of laughs for me, Vig,”
The older man squared his shoulders a little. “ It was the right decision at the time,” he said finally, but with a tone that suggested that certainly no negligence had been performed on his side. Sean stared at him a little harder, feeling a low burn of anger begin in the back of his mind. He’d been through hell for this. If this turned out to be completely unnecessary he was going to start smashing things up.
“ And now?” Sean said finally, cautiously. With Vig it could turn out to be anything. True to form, Viggo gazed towards the mirror before speaking, as though his mind had drifted off somewhere more pleasant than the trailer they stood in. Sean resisted the urge to throw a game at him, but not before a flicker of irritation had travelled across his expression.
“ And now I am considering whether it was a little too final,” he replied. “ And too quick.”
“ Sorry, you’ve lost me. Are you suggesting that there’s a less final way to end a relationship?” Sean snorted and shook his head. “ Either it’s over or it’s not, Vig. Make up your mind,”
Viggo watched him for a moment. Sean didn’t dare make any noise for fear of causing an even more difficult problem to emerge, this tending to be a common occurance whenever Sean opened his mouth. Finally Viggo nodded decisively.
“ Fine,”
Sean suddenly had a suspicion something had been decided that he had no idea about. Not that this was in any way unusual. The world could end and no-one would bother to tell him. Sean allowed a pause to develop. Still no explanations occurred.
“ Fine? Fine what?” Sean finally snapped.
“ Just fine. I’ll make up my mind.” Viggo shrugged and moved slightly out of the doorway. “ Sorry, am I holding you up?”
Sean stared at him, stared at the doorway then stared at the games. Finally he shook his head again, and focused a little more angrily on Viggo.
“ Oh no, you can’t do that. You can’t just give hints and then tell me to bugger off again, Vig! It’s not bloody fair and quite frankly-“ Sean broke off and growled to himself, knowing damn well that to press Viggo was like trying to get an answer out of a monk with a vow of silence.
“ Ok. You think it over or mediate or light a candle or consult with the relationship fairy. I’ll see you around,” the bitterness in his voice was plain to hear but at this point he had just lost caring. Whatever happened to the nice, normal relationship where you could just agree you liked each other and go to dinner/bed to do what came naturally? Was he really so far behind the times?
Viggo had refolded his arms, leaning against the doorframe. The neutral expression was back in force, but Sean still didn’t care. They weren’t together anymore. Translating the light eyebrow raise was now Orli’s job, and, let’s face it ladies and gentlemen, Orlando was a hell of a lot better at it as well. The youth of today had many skills.
He didn’t bother to retrieve the last game from Viggo, simply trying to push past. Suddenly Sean found himself pressed against the doorframe, Viggo’s body hard against him, cold blue eyes inches from his own face. Sean tried to forget the hard muscular body pressing against him, and simply stared back at him in shock.
“ Sean, do me a favour. Just confirm to yourself exactly what you missed from this relationship?” Viggo glanced at the little pile of games in Sean’s grip then looked back up. “ If you missed it, of course.”
“ For fuck’s sake-“ Sean felt flustered, as though he had been assessed and found to be wanting.
“ I didn’t say now, Sean. Just do it later on. And then possibly we'll talk, yes?”
Sean stared at him uncertainly, which was certainly easy enough with Viggo’s eyes that close. Viggo’s body was still pushed against him, the iron-hard thigh pressed against his own so tightly that it was as though Viggo wished to cut off his circulation to his leg. Sean could feel himself trembling, feel his body respond to his lover as it had done countless times before.
“ You can’t just torture me with this, Viggo. Please,” Sean’s confidence and anger had already disappeared, leaving only wishful hopes. And they were made worse for the fact that Sean knew damn well they might only be hopes, that Viggo could play with him for weeks on end with no intention of getting back together again.
Not if he ever knew about Orlando.
Viggo smiled slowly, dangerously. “ Torture you, Sean? I hope that I’d never have to come to that. Only bad boys are tortured,”
Sean looked back at him helplessly. His track record of being a good boy was so low it was in danger of being in the negative.
“ What happens if I said I would do whatever you wanted me to do?” Sean’s own voice was becoming breathless, quiet, a shared whisper between two supposed lovers. Viggo looked at him in faint interest.
” I would probably call you a liar, Sean. You don’t do what I want you to do. You have never done what I have wanted you to do, and you do this with calculation. Don’t start promising me things that we both know you will never keep,” Viggo’s voice was soft, but they could both hear the sharpness in it. “ Unless, of course, you simply mean that you wish to become my whore for the night, which, of course, you do very well indeed. However, sex alone does not make a relationship, Sean. Something that apparently you have difficulty working out.”
“ So what is it that you want from me?” Sean was running out of things he could do. Viggo smiled again.
“ If you have to ask, you will probably never know,”
Viggo’s voice was pleasant, but then again it was so low Sean was having a problem with hearing it. The blonde frowned at him, then almost collapsed as Viggo backed off from him and walked into the trailer without looking back. Sean stared desperately after him, then shook his head and stumbled out, games still clenched desperately in his hands as though they offered him some type of relief.
*
Ten green bottles sitting on the wall… ten green bottles sitting on the wall .. and if one green bottle should accidentally fall, they’ll be .. uh….
Sean screwed up his eyes to think.
.. .nine green bottles sitting on the wall.
In reward he took another long swig from the bottle he held in his hand. Okay, so it wasn’t green. He hadn’t been able to find a wall. And there weren’t ten of them either. However, there had been three good bottles, and they were all very nice. He’d only managed to get through three quarters of one of them, but the others were there.. well, almost as support. A wonderbra of the drinking world, that’s what they were.
Sean took another swig and tried to focus on the opposite wall. The opposite wall was being most uncooperative on this part, and also had a big square thing in the centre of it. It was a whassitcallit. Hole in the wall. No, that where you got money from your bank… window. That was it. Thing with glass and you saw through it and people jumped through them in movies, but not too much otherwise they’d be glass everywhere and no one would be happy.
Except possibly the people who fixed windows. No, wait. Not even them. Sean pondered this over in his mind. Cause they’d prefer you to jump through two windows, cause then it’s two jobs. Ele- Eloo - Ellemen - simple, that was.
The window was actually quite boring to look at if you had no-one jumping through it, Sean decided. For now, he wanted some nibbly things. Cheese. Cheese was good. Cheese could reach places other things couldn’t reach, although possibly some of the longer things might. Or the smeller things. Or even-
There was a noise to the side of him. Sean, who was slumped against one of the walls, turned his head to look in interest at this turn of events. Dave, who had slammed the door, took a few steps into the room, his eyes on the bottles, then slowly moving onto Sean himself. By the expression on his face, Sean had a suspicion he might be a little cross.
“ I do not believe it,” David dropped his bag in a chair and stood over him. The older man looked up at him, wondering whether to comment on how tall Dave was from down here and/or whether he knew where the cheese was, but decided against it. That was a bad tone that spoke to him of many memories. Mostly to do with leather, too.
“ I just had a drink. Just a small one. Honest,” Sean tried to lean his arm on his raised knee and missed. He stared at the offending knee with honest surprise. He looked back to see the look of exasperation cross Dave’s face.
“ Sean, what the hell is the matter with you? I told you not to drink,” Dave picked up the two still full bottles and marched them to the kitchen. He came back and was about to grab the third when Sean managed to grab hold of his wrist.
“ Dave, thanks very much, mate but it’s s’okay,” Sean tried not to slur as much, but certain letters were just asking for it. “ I want this,”
“ You might want it, but you certainly don’t need it. Drop the bottle, Sean,”
“ But-“
“ DROP THE BOTTLE,”
Sean took another look at the expression and dropped.
*
His head was pounding. Well, that was an understatement. His head was attempting to explode around him. Sean groaned weakly and attempted to roll over. His head screamed a little louder, thereby making this particular attempt to be abandoned forthwith. Sean slowly opened his eyes and attempted to focus. This proved more than a little difficult, and therefore practise had to be done before the room came into something even resembling an accurate picture.
Blinking, Sean slowly eased himself into a sitting position and looked in faint bewilderment around the room. What exactly had happened last night anyway? He remembered certain things, like getting himself home in the car. Then he was certain he decided to pop out to get something. After that there was nothing. He could have been dancing the hula for all he knew.
Sean pulled off the blankets and glanced down at himself. There was a mighty bruise on one of his legs, faint purple at the moment but which was promising to have all manner of colours after a while. Of course no scrap of clothing actually graced his body, although he was beginning to get used to this as being a standard factor. He rolled his eyes, groaned a little more at the resulting drum roll inside his skull, and swung his legs off the bed.
“ So you’re up,” came a comment. Sean focused a little harder.
“ Dave?”
“ Who else were you expecting? The Easter Bunny?” There was no amusement in Dave’s voice. The younger man stepped towards the bed, his eyes hard, his arms folded. “ When you’re in the mood for explanations, I’ll be in the kitchen. I’ve already cleared up the mess, incidentally,”
“ Explanations?” Sean was about to get up, then remembered his current state of nudity and drew the blankets around him. He glanced round the room which indeed did seem a little worse for wear, then back at Dave worriedly. “ What happened?”
David stared at him incredulously. “ What d’you mean, what happened?” he snapped. “ You, for whatever reason, decide to get smashed out of your skull, that’s what happened.”
“ Oh,” The voice probably couldn’t get any smaller. “ Sorry,”
“ Sorry? For fuck’s sake, Sean, you could have been seriously hurt. It was just as well I came back when I did.” There was absolutely no trace of the usual neutral expression that was often found on Dave’s face. Sheer upset aimed itself at Sean, who had no idea how to handle it. He swallowed, recognising the fact that his mouth felt like someone had used it as a rubbish dump, and tried to find some words that might get him out of feeling quite so much like an absolute bastard.
“ What did I do?” Not wanting to know but recognising the fact he really should find out at some point, if nothing more than to recognise a side comment when it was aimed at him. Dave sighed heavily.
“ You got through pretty much a whole bottle of vodka by yourself, and looked like you were about to start on the rum when I walked through the door. You’d smashed a couple of plates in the kitchen, although it looks like you just accidentally dropped them rather than deliberately breaking them. There’s a side table that will never be the same again thanks to you kicking it hard. The bathroom needed cleaning again and I really don’t want to focus on why either.” Dave growled. “ Thankfully you’re not an aggressive drunk, although you did almost punch me in the face as you were struggling to stand properly.”
“ Oh,” Hey, the voice could get smaller. How about that.
Dave sighed again. “ And then you got .. upset,” he said finally making his way back to the kitchen and remerging with a glass of water and a packet of painkillers. Sean stared at him, trying to translate ‘upset’. Viggo got ‘upset’ on a regular basis. The younger man worked out Sean’s fears and shook his head.
“ Not like that,” he said, his voice softer. “ Actually upset. You were crying against my chest for a good half hour,”
“ I was what?” Sean was stunned so much his head forgot to throb. He didn’t cry. Northern Bastards weren’t supposed to. You were supposed to pretend you had a cold or a sniffle or something went in your eye or hundreds of other obvious excuses. He felt a flush rise to his cheeks and had to look away. “ Well, I suppose it had been a long day..,”
“ Crap, Sean. You spoke to Viggo. He was the reason for it.” Dave took back the glass when Sean had swallowed the tablets and returned it to the kitchen, Sean staring after him.
“ You’re just making assumptions, Dave-“
“ You told me, you lying bastard,” the younger man re-entered the room, finding a clean pair of boxers from a drawer and throwing them in Sean’s direction. “ So stop making excuses.”
Damn. Sean slid into the boxers and suddenly he was free to get out of bed if he so wished . Not that he was thinking of doing such. The floor was still dubiously unfocused, and the walls weren’t much better. Dave gave him another hard look and sank onto the sofa.
“ Tell me when you want to talk about it. You weren’t particularly coherent last night,” there was a rustle of paper as Dave obtained the newspaper and started to read the front page. Sean managed to get his feet on the floor and took a few hesitant steps to the bathroom, like a young child who still wasn’t clear on how the feet were supposed to move.
“ Well, thanks for your concern but-“ Sean trailed off as the newspaper lowered and a hard glare was aimed at him. Okay, perhaps not. If you had made some poor bastard’s t-shirt soggy, he supposed that they had a little more right to demand to know what the hell was going on. “ Okay, fine. We’ll discuss it later,” he mumbled.
“ Good boy,” the papers re-rustled again. Sean managed to make it to the bathroom before his stomach decided to expel the remainder of the items in it. Half an hour later he felt faintly well enough to move his head from the toilet bowl. Sean eyed the shower thoughtfully, but had a horrible feeling he might suddenly capsize in the middle of one, causing more damage to everyone. Besides which, David really shouldn’t have to put up with large amounts of blood in the bathroom.
Sean focused on the bathtub rim with a look of confusion. His resulting scream caused Dave to rush to the door and look in.
“ What the hell is the matter with you?!” he exclaimed when it was clearly obvious that Sean was not in any danger or difficulties whatsoever. However, Sean was not looking at him. His eyes were fixed on a familiar rubber item which was sitting innocently near the shower gel, its eyes staring blankly at him, its military colourations bright in the bathroom.
“ Where,” Sean managed and his voice was faintly under control. “ did the duck come from?”
Dave raised an eyebrow and glanced towards Private Duck. He shrugged. “ Karl gave it to me to pass to you. Thought you might need it, for some bizarre reason. I take it you’re not too fond of it?”
Private duck stared at him mournfully. Sean shook his head slowly. “ It’s okay. It just seems to get to places other ducks cannot reach,”
Sean was aware of the younger man giving him an odd look. Finally Dave sighed and started to move back to his seat.
“ If you need anything further, just scream,” he sighed. “ Big strong man indeed,”
A shower was finally had. Dripping, Sean rid himself of vast amounts of excess moisture and tried to examine his memory for those missing links of yesterday. Nope. Nothing. It was probably going to be another one of those experiences that he only knew about through other people’s recollections. Speaking of other people…
“ Dave, Orli didn’t turn up as well did he?” Sean leaned round the bathroom door, towel around waist. Dave’s eyes flickered to him over the top of the newspaper.
“ I didn’t speak to him yesterday. Thought he was going to phone but something probably came up,” Dave returned to his article. Sean frowned slightly. Apparently David was completely psychic, or at least could see through newspapers, as he sighed in response.
“ Can I take that to mean you are concerned?” Dave asked.
“ Well, I wouldn’t say concerned as such-“
“ I would. You’re always concerned, Sean. One of these days you’re just going to be able to sit back and relax and we’ll all die of shock.” Dave folded the paper and put it carefully beside him on the seat. “ So ..,”
Sean shook his head, a few water droplets flying off his hair in response to this. “ It’s okay. I’m sure he’s got other things to do. Might have had to go back to hospital to have things checked out or something. I’ll just get dressed,”
“ Might help,” David stretched lazily and yawned. “ Then you can come out with me,”
“ Out?” Sean froze in selecting clothing. “ What d’you mean, out?”
“ As in the opposite of in, Sean. You know, it’s the bit where you step outside and get away from being cooped up in here constantly?” The younger man was a beacon of useful hints and tips today.
“ I have a playstation!” protested Sean as though this was the answer to all of life’s problems. Dave sighed and located his shoes.
“ Yeah, and it’s still not plugged into the television,” he commented. “ Besides which, it’ll ruin your eyesight,”
“ My mother said other things would ruin my eyesight and they proved to be somewhat false,” replied Sean dryly. David shrugged.
“ Perhaps you hadn’t been doing it hard enough,” he suggested. “ Just get dressed, Sean. And try to look a little less scruffy than you normally do, okay?”
“ Scruffy?!” Sean was indignant. David raised an eyebrow.
“ Scruffiness appears to have come to you late in life. Just do it. A clean t-shirt helps,” There was a pause as the younger man leant over and borrowed the flat phone, swiftly putting in a number. Sean eyed him thoughtfully as he pulled on his jeans. Sean had pondered whether to change in the bathroom, but thought it was probably pointless to do so when you were faced with a man who had seen you at your most vulnerable anyway.
No-one apparently answered the phone. There was a look of concentration over David’s face, then he paused and redialled a different number. Sean busied himself with his t-shirt and shoes, occasionally glancing over to work out exactly where the frown line was at the moment. Obviously the second number also failed to be answered at the minor growl that was released. Dave tapped his finger on the side of the phone and finally gave up.
“ Who were you trying?” Sean asked as he tied his shoelace. He was immediately suspicious at the neutral expression he found.
“ Have you got your shoes on yet?” was the response he received.
“ Answer the question, Dave,” growled Sean. The growl did so very little. Despite the fact that Dave's hands were full of phone, Sean got the impression the younger man would have been examining his nails had he the chance.
" Just because I happen to have slept in the same bed as you last night does not give you the right to start ordering me about," David replaced the phone down and stood up, stretching slightly in his usual fashion. " So, quite frankly, I'm not answering you. Have you got your shoes on yet?"
Sean finished the knot and gave him a hard look. The hard look failed to have any affect whatsoever again. Had the bloody sod managed to get Sean Defences installed? David picked up his light jacket and folded it over an arm, wandering towards the door and opening it.
" You want to walk or drive?"
" How can I say that when I don't know where we're going?" Sean was exasperated.
" Have a guess then. Live a little,"
Sean sighed heavily. " Drive."
" Unhealthy bastard." remarked Dave cheerfully.
" Damn right,"
*
Sean didn't start to get worried until they turned the corner that lead towards the set. Worried turned into anxious. Anxious turned into faint panic.
" I'm staying in the car," he insisted as Dave parked up and gave him a thoughtful look. Sean knew his face had turned an interesting shade of white, his body was so stiff he could probably be used as bridge supports and it would probably take a crowbar to prise his fingers off the seat. In fact, the usual panic factors that normally came into play when F L Y I N G was mentioned. But now was not the time to consider these factors. Now was the time to persuade the younger man that this really really wasn't a good idea. Viggo was bound to be prowling around here and, quite frankly, Sean was really not in the mood to see him. He could already feel the cold sweat building.
Apparently Dave's immunity to Sean was not as strong when it came to the puppy eye stage. Sean knew he probably looked like someone was putting a loaded gun to his head, but at this stage everything was being used. He was not getting out the car. Ever again. It seemed safer. Thankfully there was a distinct amount of hesitation in Dave's eye.
" Sean, I won't leave your side. I promise. You'll be fine,"
" Appreciated. But still no."
David gave a growl at the back of his throat. " You can't become phobic of the whole bloody set, Sean! You're expected to go out there, be a hero and wave your sword in two days time. Be a hero before that, for God’s sake," The younger man got out the car and wandered towards the passenger side, opening the door and leaning on it as though knowing that he might be there for a while. " Get on with it,"
Sean considered sulking for a bit. However, that was going to be embarrassing. A couple of crew members had already glanced over in their direction already. Having a large argument with his on-screen brother in the parking area was likely to get all over the place before sundown. He growled himself but finally got out the car, his eyes scanning the surrounds like rabbits looking for a fox. Dave patted him on the shoulder.
" Good boy. Knew you could do it," There was actually pride in David's voice, as though Sean was a five year old who had worked out what 8 x 8 was. Sean gave him a look.
" Dave, I'm a hell of a lot older than you. Call me boy again and I will start being grumpy at you."
" Sure, sorry. Just came out," Dave shut the door and put an arm round Sean's shoulders. Sean knew damn well it was there to start steering him and began to grit his teeth again. David happily ignored his charge's stiff shoulders and guided them towards the main set, only releasing him when they started to approach a larger group. Dom glanced up at them as they approached.
" Hi. Thought you weren't in today, Dave,"
David shrugged. " You know me. Can't stay away,"
" Mug," grinned Dom, his eyes moving to Sean in assessment. Sean tried to look a little less like a rabbit in headlights. " How's the Playstation doing?"
" Great, thanks," Sean was impressed on how easily his mouth was working. Dave gave him another little pat on the arm before speaking again, this time slightly lower.
" D'you know if Vig or Orli are here?" he asked. Dom's expression grew warier. His eyes slid to Sean again, this time with an expression that Sean recognised as sympathy. Did everyone know? Ye Gods and little boarlets...
" I've seen Viggo today. He said Orlando was at home,"
" Did he," replied David grimly. Dom looked surprised, as well he might. Grim tones from David normally suggested something seriously bad was about to happen, like half the world blowing up. Sean eyed him suspiciously.
" Well, you could ask him if you wanted. I think he's at the trailer, looking through a new scene amendment they've passed us, but that was early in the morning. He might have moved." Dom looked from David to Sean and back again, obviously suggesting whatever came into his mind at the time. Sean felt his blood turn to ice, which was never a nice sensation at any time of day. He could have sworn Dave deliberately didn't look in his direction.
" That's great. Thanks, Dom," And, holy crap, Dave was turning to go to it. Sean's heart jumped in his throat. In fact, his whole body was trying to be awkward today. Bastards. His feet firmly stuck to the floor, Sean folded his arms. However, he had not counted on the fact that his stubborn refusal to go was going to be witnessed by hobbits. Dom was already watching him, and he could see Lij turn his head towards them, blue eyes wide and interested.
Shit.
Growling slightly, Sean finally turned to follow him, unable to cope with such interest being aimed at him. A man had to have some pride. Apparently.
Dave glanced back at him as he paused on the steps of the trailer.
" I assume you don't want to go in?"
Sean didn't bother to even reply to that one. David sighed through his teeth, and pushed open the door after a quick rap to announce his appearance. And then he disappeared, swallowed into the trailer like Jonah into the whale. Okay, that was a little dramatic. However, he was definitely gone and from out here Sean had no idea what was happening. It could be nothing. It could be everything.
And you wonder why you never know anything? whispered his mind. Coward.
The blonde eyed the trailer again. Yes, he was a coward. He could feel it in his bones. It would be much easier to just walk away and try and forget everything. So it was entirely a puzzle to why his feet were already slowly walking up the few steps to the trailer, although they dragged as though his boots were made of concrete. He laid his hand flat on the door of the trailer and paused, feeling the coldness of the metal seep into his hand. The door opened, apparently under Sean power. Incredible.
" Oh, there you are," Dave glanced up. " Well done," He went back down to looking at a few notes that had been left on the trailer table, and seemed to be ruining a perfectly good piece of paper with scribbles. Sean scanned the trailer nervously, but there was not a Viggo to be seen. Sean's heart decided to slow down a little, although his breath was still suspicious. Viggo was the type who could just appear as if by magic, although without the customary puff of blue smoke. People really should start to complain about that.
He moved closer to Dave, who was indeed finishing his scribblings.
" What the hell are you doing?"
" Can you do a sentence without a curse entering it?" asked David mildly, raising the piece of paper and staring at it carefully. " I am investigating, just to let you know,"
" Investigating? Investigating what?" Sean moved over to peer over David's shoulder. He was busy transferring two numbers and a rough address onto the piece of paper from a notebook that had obviously been stolen from the top drawer of Viggo’s side of the trailer. The blonde frowned again, faintly recognising the name of the building, although he couldn't for the life of him remember where. Mind you there was a list of things that he couldn't remember. Hardly anything new.
" I'm investigating Viggo's investigations, and don't give me that look, Sean. I'm not being deliberately annoying. You want to know who's after Viggo, yes? So do I. And so does he. And Viggo's got a hell of a bonus by actually having some first hand experience into who did what and where," Dave passed the pad of paper to Sean. " I'm willing to bet that's Viggo's handwriting. Hell, even if it isn't what have we lost? The worst thing it could be is that place is a good recommendation as a restaurant. Although I doubt it,"
" Why's that?" Sean broke off staring at the paper and looked at him. David shrugged idly.
" There's very few clubs out there which I would term 'rough'. That's one of them. I doubt whether their food is particularly special."
" And how do you know which clubs are rough, if I dare to ask?" Sean was feeling a little light headed.
" I went there with your bestest pal Karl, Sean. Orli's right, you are remarkably innocent for someone of your age." Dave grinned at him and retrieved the paper. Sean growled. What the hell did he have to do to stop people calling him innocent anyway?
" So it's a club Karl knows?" Sean decided to let the whole innocence matter drop. After all, it could be argued in a much safer spot. Viggo could walk through the door at any moment, and, to be honest, Sean would have preferred to have something a little more to aid his defences than Dave. The fact that they had rummaged through Viggo’s stuff was also weighing heavily on his mind. Sean was so dead. All this was just seeing how much of his body was going to be left to cremate.
" It's a club Karl knows," confirmed the Australian, obviously less bothered about the Viggo factor.
" And you still think he wasn't behind Viggo's attack?" growled Sean. David looked up at him, surprised.
" When did I say that?"
" You said .. well...," shit, back to the memory. Sean paused, and shook his head irritably. " I'm sure you said it!" There was another pause as the comment sunk in. " Wait, you think Karl is behind the attack?"
" Well, how many other people do you know with a huge problem with Viggo?" David folded the paper and put it into his back pocket. " Bit of a coincidence, wouldn't you say? I just don't think he actually physically undertook the attack. He'd have to be in two places at the same time, and he's not that good, trust me. Equally, I know he was stunned when you told him what had happened."
" Let me guess. You were there?"
" As it happened. I was picking up a few things." David shifted himself towards the door. " Anyway, move. I want to find out where Orli has managed to disappear to after we visit this place. Longer we leave it, more chance that he won’t be alone at the house, if you get my meaning.”
“ Whoa, you want to do what?!” Sean inserted himself between Dave and the door. “ Shouldn’t we .. well, discuss this matter further before you go off and do your James Bond impression?”
Dave gave him a look that spoke of patience being grabbed by the collar and shaken. “ Since when have you wanted to discuss anything, Sean?” Dave’s voice wasn’t snappy, by any means. However, there was a distinct possibility that it could develop it easily. Obviously Sean wasn’t yet forgiven for his .. ‘accident’.
“ I just don’t see how you could possibly know all of this,” Sean pressed on with a sinking feeling. Obviously knowing that he was digging his own grave obviously wasn’t helping him stop it. There was the faintest of frowns on David’s face, which normally meant that he was getting just a tad annoyed.
“ It’s called talking to people,” he replied crisply. “ You might like to try it sometime. Are you coming or not?”
“ Viggo said he didn’t want anyone else getting involved,” Sean was feeling edgier by the minute. He’d already been punished for this once. He wasn’t really in the mood to find out what happened when you did it a second time within a week. Dave sighed.
“ Yes, I know. Ironically it was to make sure neither you or Orli got hurt.”
Sean hesitated again. Viggo had hinted that he might be willing to reconsider their relationship. If he did… Sean shuddered to think of how quickly that idea would be dumped should Dave’s investigation come out in conversation. He shook his head, slowly. Dave watched him thoughtfully.
“ Look,” he sighed. “ I appreciate your position. Honestly, I do. However, you’re going to a bar with a mate, and that’s me before you decide to put any wisecracks in. That’s it. We’re not doing anything more.”
“ You want me off alcohol and you take me to a bar?” This sounded odd even to Sean. Dave hesitated.
“ You can get more than beer in a pub. Food, for example. This bar will obviously have very good… burgers. Or potatoes. Or, in fact, anything we want to claim, seeming we’re not actually eating there. Calm down,”
“ Calm down? You’re asking me to break a promise to Vig,” Sean stared at him. Dave folded his arms.
“ That particular promise has already been broken, Sean. You don’t get points on how well you break it. Besides which, where was this desire to keep promises when you picked up that bottle yesterday, hmmm? Or don’t I count?” Dave’s voice was beginning to dip into the artic temperatures. Sean resisted the urge to shuffle his feet in embarrassment.
“ Of course you count, I just .. well, I …,” Sean caught the look on Dave’s face and sighed miserably. “ Sorry,”
“ You are bloody hard to trust, Sean.” The younger man eyed him briefly.
“ Viggo says the same,” murmured Sean after a pause. Dave shrugged.
“ Yes, I know,”
Sean stared at him a little harder. “ How, exactly? How do you know all of this?” He caught hold of David’s shoulder as the younger man attempted to leave the trailer instead of answering. Obviously a man who knew when not to bother trying, Dave simply sighed again and stopped.
“ You just don’t listen, do you?” it was almost a sympathetic way of speaking. “ Talk to people, Sean. Don’t assume, don’t imagine, just get it straight from the horse’s mouth. For this one, I spoke to Orli who was extremely grateful he could talk to someone, what with you being exiled, Viggo speaking in grunts and Karl banned. I’ve even spoken to Viggo, who admittedly didn’t say a huge amount. However when they do speak, I bother to listen.”
“ I listen!” protested Sean.
“ Then perhaps you’re not asking the right questions,” replied David dryly. Sean looked at him hard, searching for the right questions. And then it came to him.
“ David,” he said, and there was a hint of tolerance being carefully controlled. “ What the fuck is going on?”
A faintest smile appeared on Dave’s face.
“ Better,” he replied.
*
The afternoon, as they are wont to do, finally rolled round. And this, of course, meant action had to be taken. Reluctantly, possibly. With wide yawns and sleepy looking eyes, certainly. But taken it had to be.
Unfortunately action would have to involve actually moving from the flat, as the mischievous and downright naughty hobbits were currently filming. This, of course, meant that Sean had to grumble his way down to the set to pick up Dom’s playstation, although there was the added bonus of finding out exactly when Sean himself was needed back on the set. Not that he was expecting it to be soon. Orli was still nowhere near the state he should be for filming, and the way Viggo was going Aragorn was going to look like he had been subjected to the wrong end of a ringwraith blade for at least a week.
At least the discussions with the producers were easy enough. A couple more days off. There were a few amused comments about Sean using this time to actually sleep in bed, to which there were a few more cheerful comments back. Non-rude of course. If you didn’t want to find yourself in one of the most uncomfortable outfits going, it paid not to annoy a producer.
Now all Sean needed was to wander around the set and try and find the elusive Dominic and His Multi-Talented Playstation Of Destiny. Or whatever he titled it with. Sean hadn’t really been in a position to hear properly what with the loud music attempting to deafen him at the time, and the accompanying gestures looked more like they had been taken from the nearest porn movie rather than assisting with communication.
True to name, the elusive Dominic was indeed elusive. However, Billy was less so, mostly because his haunts were a little easier to pin down. Equally, the fact that the hobbit actor pretty much pinned him down as soon as he saw Sean helped a great deal, although Sean really could have done without the extra bruises.
“ About time you showed up!” Billy scolded. “ I dunno, these bloody people who get time off constantly,”
“ It’s not my fault!” protested Sean. Billy sniffed his opinion on this, and then promptly forgot his general irritation as he moved onto a different topic.
“ Hey, have you seen Viggo today? He wouldn’t talk to me, muttered something about having a schedule to run,” Obviously by the look on Billy’s face this was deemed either rude or worrying, or possibly he was already thinking about what was for lunch.
Sean felt his stomach tunnel to his boots again. Viggo wasn’t supposed to be around. At all. In fact, he had been counting on it. Why the hell hadn’t Dave warned him?!
“ Viggo’s here?” he croaked finally. If Billy had noticed the frog impression, he didn’t let on, although this was probably due to the fact that he was busy fishing a Chewit out of his pocket and unwrapping it. Lij had despaired of all these sweets, or candy as he seemed to refer to it, but apparently the lead hobbit still had no influence over the sweetie-nature of his fellows.
“ Yeah, he’s trying to get some motivation to one of the speeches I think,” Billy paused to consider. “ Or something along those lines. I didn’t ask too many questions. Partly because he’s not speaking to me, and partly because his answers are so incredibly long anyway,” he added sulkily.
“ I think he’s probably got his mind on other things rather than he’s not speaking to you,” replied Sean automatically. Billy snorted.
“ He’s had his mind on other things a hell of a lot recently,” he commented. “ Nothing bad’s happened at home has it?” There was concerned intermixed with sweet-chewing. Sean shook his head.
“ I don’t think so. He might be a little homesick. Missing Henry, that sort of thing,” he improvised.
Billy considered this. “ Yeah, that’s possible,” the hobbit seemed happier now there was a possible explanation in the background. “ Well, are you getting the playstation or are you just messing around talking to distracting people like me?”
Sean wasn’t sure anymore. To continue forward was to risk running straight into Viggo, and god knows he was so bad at keeping his guilt under wraps. He was probably a liability to Orlando. Hell, he was probably a liability to everyone. However, to admit to such things was bound to start causing even more problems. Soldier on. And pray for the best as well.
With Billy as a guide Dom suddenly wasn’t as elusive, although he was pretty damn difficult to spot until Sean was almost on top of him. Said actor had been lying pretty much on the floor, reading a magazine that would have been classified as ‘unsuitable’ by grannies everywhere and which formed the majority of the men’s magazines aimed at the 18-25 range. Sean caught a glimpse of naked flesh before the page was turned.
“ Ah! There you are,” Dom’s cheerful voice broke Sean’s concentration on glossy magazines.
“ You make it sound as though you’ve been searching for me,” replied Sean, with a pointed look towards the magazine. Dom shrugged and flicked a page idly.
” Well, the mind was willing but the flesh was weak I’m afraid. The playstation is in the trailer. Couldn’t carry it around everywhere. People were making comments about my relationships,” Dom grinned and flicked another page. “ Bloody hell, look at the tits on that one,”
Sean assumed he wasn’t talking about the small birds you got in your garden. However, discussions on woman’s breasts certainly gave food for thought on what actually happened between Billy and Dom whilst doors were shut. He would have to quiz Orli next time he managed to speak to him. If he managed to speak to him, that was. Heaven alone knew when he would be able to call round, what with Viggo, the world’s greatest guard dog, on duty.
Sean gave a little poke in Dom’s side with his shoe to move things along and get him out of such thoughts. Dom grumbled slightly and looked back up, squinting in the sun which was conveniently behind Sean.
“ Where in your trailer is it?” Sean queried. Dom shook his head.
“ Oh, it’s in yours. Just in the corner, where Orli puts his boots. Didn’t think you’d want to risk ours. Could catch something.” Dom grinned again and gave a side glance to Billy, who had worked out he had been insulted yet again and was sulking. It was just as well their attentions were diverted as Sean had frozen to the spot, colour draining from his face. His trailer. The one he shared with Orli. The one that Viggo was also known to frequent.
Fuck.
No, no, more than fuck, whatever that would be. Super Fuck, as it were. Only it wasn’t about to save anyone, or, presumably start leaping off tall buildings either.
“ Oh, okay. Thanks,” he managed a smile. It was quite realistic. He didn’t think anyone knew he was acting, but then again this was also aided by the fact that there was a mini hobbit wrestling match occurring at his feet. Such things were often quite distracting.
Sean’s mind was working nineteen to the dozen as he walked away. He could just leave it there. He could pretend he didn’t have time, that someone - ANYONE - had complained that it was undignified for a man of his age to start killing little computer graphics. After all, what had they ever done to him? However, all of this would require answers. And from answers come further questions. And more answers. And more questions.
All in all, he might as well get the damn thing over with. The likihood that Viggo was going to walk through the door was minimal. He would be out and about, getting up close and personal with Aragorn’s motivations. Or something similar, anyway. There was usually a longer explanation for it. Sean had given up trying to follow all of it and normally just nodded when it seemed appropriate.
Sean sighed to himself in resignation and the realisation that Life normally had it in for him. It was almost as though someone up there was desperate to make his life as difficult as possible for someone’s amusement. Bastards, whoever they were.
He all but crept through the door of the trailer, idly thinking that if security had spotted him they would have been well in their rights to assume he was some sort of burglar. Thankfully, the playstation was fairly obvious, although it was a lot bulkier than he had imagined. Dom had thoughtfully included what seemed like half a million games, two pads, thousands upon thousands of wires, a blue plastic revolver and what appeared to be some sort of remote control, all of which was finding amusement trying to jump out of the plastic bag he had put it in. Sean sighed to himself and tried to pick it up without dropping anything. He failed. A game clattered to the floor.
Right, this really wasn’t working. However, the most sensible thing - that was, to take the thing in two goes - was certainly not appealing. Twice the fun of getting caught. However, he really wasn’t getting anywhere at this stage. Growling to himself, he grabbed the first load and pretty much pelted to the car, only pausing to give the occasional nod to cast and crew who were unsurprisingly a little baffled why their Boromir appeared to be smuggling Playstations.
The first lot got to the car. The second lot to go and he was free to go and slob out at his apartment and find something else to keep him up at night other than ... yes, well. Stuff.
The games were scooped up. Sean paused to glance at the top game, which, like most of the others had a brightly coloured package and looked as though the designer had been eating far too many blue smarties late at night. He shook his head to himself and looked up.
The way was barred.
Viggo stared back at him like the T-Rex in Jurassic Park, waiting movement. The games slid to the floor again in a rain of electronic items. However, Viggo’s gaze didn’t even flicker at the noise. There was no offer to help pick them up, or any type of acknowledgement that he had made Sean jump yet again. Just the steady gaze that seemed to be waiting for something.
Sean cleared his throat which seemed ridiculously tight.
“ Vig,” he said carefully. There was the faintest incline of Viggo’s head that indicated that, indeed, that was his name. Blue-grey eyes watched him. Sean bent to start scooping up games again as though they were some type of protection, although he kept glancing up as though expecting Viggo to move when he wasn’t looking. A strange version of Grandmother’s Footsteps.
“ How are you?” Sean asked finally, standing up again with the games clutched to his chest. However, obviously Viggo wasn’t interested in these types of questions.
“ I hear you’re drinking,” he said. And bloody hell would that be a good idea. However…
“ I’ve given up for a bit,” Sean had the grace not to look Viggo in the eye. There was the faintest expression of surprise at this.
“ Given up?” Viggo echoed. “ Dave’s influence?”
“ Of course not.” Sean looked shifty for a moment, then sighed in the face of such obvious disbelief. “ Yeah. He seemed to think I was using it as a crutch, or something along those lines. He’s got me drinking orange juice,” The juice was mentioned as though it was on par with Cod Liver Oil.
“ Good. You always drank too much,” Viggo was obviously in the no-tact mood. Sean felt his temper begin to rise.
” Well, I found I had a lot to drink about,” he replied coolly, choosing not to query on how Viggo knew that Dave’s influence would suddenly be a lot more plausible than before. After all, that would imply that Sean was expecting an answer, and such things man was really not supposed to know. “ Did you want anything or are you just getting into the trailer? Because I was about to leave,”
Viggo didn’t shift himself from the doorway. Sean felt that familiar trickle of cold sweat work its way down his back, especially as Viggo’s gaze made its way down his body. It was like a dog sizing up its opponent.
“ I wanted to speak to you,” he said finally and quietly. Sean was horrified at how quickly the hope entered his own eyes. He could feel himself lighting up like a pinball machine and tried to stamp it down.
“ Yeah?” Act casual, act casual. But fucking hell it was hard with Viggo leaning there like some type of sex god. Viggo’s clothes were actually quite loose, but Sean’s imagination managed to find lots of details to focus on. The younger man felt himself tremble slightly, could feel the heat in his groin, and desperately tried to stamp down on everything. Sean wet his lips with his tongue and tried again, briefly diverting his eyes from such blatant temptation. “ What did you want to talk about?”
“ Well, it wasn’t whether it was going to rain this evening,” the older man folded his arms and studied Sean a little harder. Sean fought the need to cringe. After all, what had he done to feel guilty about?
… oh yeah, Orli. Damn….
Wishing his mind wasn’t quite so on the ball, Sean finally managed to stare back at him. There was the faintest smile on Viggo’s lips, a wistful look in his eyes. Sean almost fell over in shock.
“ You were always so terrible about hiding the fact you had done something wrong,” he said finally. “ What is it this time? You borrowed the car? You’ve been bitching about me to David?”
Sean tried to find the words, but failed miserably. So he didn’t know then. Orlando must have gotten away with it, and thank the lord for that. Viggo, however, didn’t seem too bothered about pressing the issue about Sean’s current guilt. He put out his hand and took the first game from Sean’s unresisting hand, glancing at it idly.
“ You’re that bored you’re playing computer games?”
“ Well, I’m not allowed to drink anymore,” mumbled Sean. “ There’s not a huge amount left to do.”
“ You could possibly try doing something socially?” Viggo shrugged. Sean gave him a dark look and looked back at the games. Viggo took the hint and delved back into silence again. Sean risked another look towards him, and was more than a little wary that full attention was still fixed directly on him. This was normally a bad sign, although Viggo giving him any attention at the moment was better than none.
“ So what did you want to talk to me about?” Sean finally spoke when it was clearly obvious that certain other people were being particular bastards today. “ Because, if it’s all the same to you, I’d prefer not to talk about exactly what I’m doing late at night.”
Viggo rubbed his chin with a hand. “ Defensive, aren’t you?”
“ Have you given me a reason why I shouldn’t be?” Sean felt the slow burn of anger in him. “ Last time we spoke wasn’t a barrel of laughs for me, Vig,”
The older man squared his shoulders a little. “ It was the right decision at the time,” he said finally, but with a tone that suggested that certainly no negligence had been performed on his side. Sean stared at him a little harder, feeling a low burn of anger begin in the back of his mind. He’d been through hell for this. If this turned out to be completely unnecessary he was going to start smashing things up.
“ And now?” Sean said finally, cautiously. With Vig it could turn out to be anything. True to form, Viggo gazed towards the mirror before speaking, as though his mind had drifted off somewhere more pleasant than the trailer they stood in. Sean resisted the urge to throw a game at him, but not before a flicker of irritation had travelled across his expression.
“ And now I am considering whether it was a little too final,” he replied. “ And too quick.”
“ Sorry, you’ve lost me. Are you suggesting that there’s a less final way to end a relationship?” Sean snorted and shook his head. “ Either it’s over or it’s not, Vig. Make up your mind,”
Viggo watched him for a moment. Sean didn’t dare make any noise for fear of causing an even more difficult problem to emerge, this tending to be a common occurance whenever Sean opened his mouth. Finally Viggo nodded decisively.
“ Fine,”
Sean suddenly had a suspicion something had been decided that he had no idea about. Not that this was in any way unusual. The world could end and no-one would bother to tell him. Sean allowed a pause to develop. Still no explanations occurred.
“ Fine? Fine what?” Sean finally snapped.
“ Just fine. I’ll make up my mind.” Viggo shrugged and moved slightly out of the doorway. “ Sorry, am I holding you up?”
Sean stared at him, stared at the doorway then stared at the games. Finally he shook his head again, and focused a little more angrily on Viggo.
“ Oh no, you can’t do that. You can’t just give hints and then tell me to bugger off again, Vig! It’s not bloody fair and quite frankly-“ Sean broke off and growled to himself, knowing damn well that to press Viggo was like trying to get an answer out of a monk with a vow of silence.
“ Ok. You think it over or mediate or light a candle or consult with the relationship fairy. I’ll see you around,” the bitterness in his voice was plain to hear but at this point he had just lost caring. Whatever happened to the nice, normal relationship where you could just agree you liked each other and go to dinner/bed to do what came naturally? Was he really so far behind the times?
Viggo had refolded his arms, leaning against the doorframe. The neutral expression was back in force, but Sean still didn’t care. They weren’t together anymore. Translating the light eyebrow raise was now Orli’s job, and, let’s face it ladies and gentlemen, Orlando was a hell of a lot better at it as well. The youth of today had many skills.
He didn’t bother to retrieve the last game from Viggo, simply trying to push past. Suddenly Sean found himself pressed against the doorframe, Viggo’s body hard against him, cold blue eyes inches from his own face. Sean tried to forget the hard muscular body pressing against him, and simply stared back at him in shock.
“ Sean, do me a favour. Just confirm to yourself exactly what you missed from this relationship?” Viggo glanced at the little pile of games in Sean’s grip then looked back up. “ If you missed it, of course.”
“ For fuck’s sake-“ Sean felt flustered, as though he had been assessed and found to be wanting.
“ I didn’t say now, Sean. Just do it later on. And then possibly we'll talk, yes?”
Sean stared at him uncertainly, which was certainly easy enough with Viggo’s eyes that close. Viggo’s body was still pushed against him, the iron-hard thigh pressed against his own so tightly that it was as though Viggo wished to cut off his circulation to his leg. Sean could feel himself trembling, feel his body respond to his lover as it had done countless times before.
“ You can’t just torture me with this, Viggo. Please,” Sean’s confidence and anger had already disappeared, leaving only wishful hopes. And they were made worse for the fact that Sean knew damn well they might only be hopes, that Viggo could play with him for weeks on end with no intention of getting back together again.
Not if he ever knew about Orlando.
Viggo smiled slowly, dangerously. “ Torture you, Sean? I hope that I’d never have to come to that. Only bad boys are tortured,”
Sean looked back at him helplessly. His track record of being a good boy was so low it was in danger of being in the negative.
“ What happens if I said I would do whatever you wanted me to do?” Sean’s own voice was becoming breathless, quiet, a shared whisper between two supposed lovers. Viggo looked at him in faint interest.
” I would probably call you a liar, Sean. You don’t do what I want you to do. You have never done what I have wanted you to do, and you do this with calculation. Don’t start promising me things that we both know you will never keep,” Viggo’s voice was soft, but they could both hear the sharpness in it. “ Unless, of course, you simply mean that you wish to become my whore for the night, which, of course, you do very well indeed. However, sex alone does not make a relationship, Sean. Something that apparently you have difficulty working out.”
“ So what is it that you want from me?” Sean was running out of things he could do. Viggo smiled again.
“ If you have to ask, you will probably never know,”
Viggo’s voice was pleasant, but then again it was so low Sean was having a problem with hearing it. The blonde frowned at him, then almost collapsed as Viggo backed off from him and walked into the trailer without looking back. Sean stared desperately after him, then shook his head and stumbled out, games still clenched desperately in his hands as though they offered him some type of relief.
*
Ten green bottles sitting on the wall… ten green bottles sitting on the wall .. and if one green bottle should accidentally fall, they’ll be .. uh….
Sean screwed up his eyes to think.
.. .nine green bottles sitting on the wall.
In reward he took another long swig from the bottle he held in his hand. Okay, so it wasn’t green. He hadn’t been able to find a wall. And there weren’t ten of them either. However, there had been three good bottles, and they were all very nice. He’d only managed to get through three quarters of one of them, but the others were there.. well, almost as support. A wonderbra of the drinking world, that’s what they were.
Sean took another swig and tried to focus on the opposite wall. The opposite wall was being most uncooperative on this part, and also had a big square thing in the centre of it. It was a whassitcallit. Hole in the wall. No, that where you got money from your bank… window. That was it. Thing with glass and you saw through it and people jumped through them in movies, but not too much otherwise they’d be glass everywhere and no one would be happy.
Except possibly the people who fixed windows. No, wait. Not even them. Sean pondered this over in his mind. Cause they’d prefer you to jump through two windows, cause then it’s two jobs. Ele- Eloo - Ellemen - simple, that was.
The window was actually quite boring to look at if you had no-one jumping through it, Sean decided. For now, he wanted some nibbly things. Cheese. Cheese was good. Cheese could reach places other things couldn’t reach, although possibly some of the longer things might. Or the smeller things. Or even-
There was a noise to the side of him. Sean, who was slumped against one of the walls, turned his head to look in interest at this turn of events. Dave, who had slammed the door, took a few steps into the room, his eyes on the bottles, then slowly moving onto Sean himself. By the expression on his face, Sean had a suspicion he might be a little cross.
“ I do not believe it,” David dropped his bag in a chair and stood over him. The older man looked up at him, wondering whether to comment on how tall Dave was from down here and/or whether he knew where the cheese was, but decided against it. That was a bad tone that spoke to him of many memories. Mostly to do with leather, too.
“ I just had a drink. Just a small one. Honest,” Sean tried to lean his arm on his raised knee and missed. He stared at the offending knee with honest surprise. He looked back to see the look of exasperation cross Dave’s face.
“ Sean, what the hell is the matter with you? I told you not to drink,” Dave picked up the two still full bottles and marched them to the kitchen. He came back and was about to grab the third when Sean managed to grab hold of his wrist.
“ Dave, thanks very much, mate but it’s s’okay,” Sean tried not to slur as much, but certain letters were just asking for it. “ I want this,”
“ You might want it, but you certainly don’t need it. Drop the bottle, Sean,”
“ But-“
“ DROP THE BOTTLE,”
Sean took another look at the expression and dropped.
*
His head was pounding. Well, that was an understatement. His head was attempting to explode around him. Sean groaned weakly and attempted to roll over. His head screamed a little louder, thereby making this particular attempt to be abandoned forthwith. Sean slowly opened his eyes and attempted to focus. This proved more than a little difficult, and therefore practise had to be done before the room came into something even resembling an accurate picture.
Blinking, Sean slowly eased himself into a sitting position and looked in faint bewilderment around the room. What exactly had happened last night anyway? He remembered certain things, like getting himself home in the car. Then he was certain he decided to pop out to get something. After that there was nothing. He could have been dancing the hula for all he knew.
Sean pulled off the blankets and glanced down at himself. There was a mighty bruise on one of his legs, faint purple at the moment but which was promising to have all manner of colours after a while. Of course no scrap of clothing actually graced his body, although he was beginning to get used to this as being a standard factor. He rolled his eyes, groaned a little more at the resulting drum roll inside his skull, and swung his legs off the bed.
“ So you’re up,” came a comment. Sean focused a little harder.
“ Dave?”
“ Who else were you expecting? The Easter Bunny?” There was no amusement in Dave’s voice. The younger man stepped towards the bed, his eyes hard, his arms folded. “ When you’re in the mood for explanations, I’ll be in the kitchen. I’ve already cleared up the mess, incidentally,”
“ Explanations?” Sean was about to get up, then remembered his current state of nudity and drew the blankets around him. He glanced round the room which indeed did seem a little worse for wear, then back at Dave worriedly. “ What happened?”
David stared at him incredulously. “ What d’you mean, what happened?” he snapped. “ You, for whatever reason, decide to get smashed out of your skull, that’s what happened.”
“ Oh,” The voice probably couldn’t get any smaller. “ Sorry,”
“ Sorry? For fuck’s sake, Sean, you could have been seriously hurt. It was just as well I came back when I did.” There was absolutely no trace of the usual neutral expression that was often found on Dave’s face. Sheer upset aimed itself at Sean, who had no idea how to handle it. He swallowed, recognising the fact that his mouth felt like someone had used it as a rubbish dump, and tried to find some words that might get him out of feeling quite so much like an absolute bastard.
“ What did I do?” Not wanting to know but recognising the fact he really should find out at some point, if nothing more than to recognise a side comment when it was aimed at him. Dave sighed heavily.
“ You got through pretty much a whole bottle of vodka by yourself, and looked like you were about to start on the rum when I walked through the door. You’d smashed a couple of plates in the kitchen, although it looks like you just accidentally dropped them rather than deliberately breaking them. There’s a side table that will never be the same again thanks to you kicking it hard. The bathroom needed cleaning again and I really don’t want to focus on why either.” Dave growled. “ Thankfully you’re not an aggressive drunk, although you did almost punch me in the face as you were struggling to stand properly.”
“ Oh,” Hey, the voice could get smaller. How about that.
Dave sighed again. “ And then you got .. upset,” he said finally making his way back to the kitchen and remerging with a glass of water and a packet of painkillers. Sean stared at him, trying to translate ‘upset’. Viggo got ‘upset’ on a regular basis. The younger man worked out Sean’s fears and shook his head.
“ Not like that,” he said, his voice softer. “ Actually upset. You were crying against my chest for a good half hour,”
“ I was what?” Sean was stunned so much his head forgot to throb. He didn’t cry. Northern Bastards weren’t supposed to. You were supposed to pretend you had a cold or a sniffle or something went in your eye or hundreds of other obvious excuses. He felt a flush rise to his cheeks and had to look away. “ Well, I suppose it had been a long day..,”
“ Crap, Sean. You spoke to Viggo. He was the reason for it.” Dave took back the glass when Sean had swallowed the tablets and returned it to the kitchen, Sean staring after him.
“ You’re just making assumptions, Dave-“
“ You told me, you lying bastard,” the younger man re-entered the room, finding a clean pair of boxers from a drawer and throwing them in Sean’s direction. “ So stop making excuses.”
Damn. Sean slid into the boxers and suddenly he was free to get out of bed if he so wished . Not that he was thinking of doing such. The floor was still dubiously unfocused, and the walls weren’t much better. Dave gave him another hard look and sank onto the sofa.
“ Tell me when you want to talk about it. You weren’t particularly coherent last night,” there was a rustle of paper as Dave obtained the newspaper and started to read the front page. Sean managed to get his feet on the floor and took a few hesitant steps to the bathroom, like a young child who still wasn’t clear on how the feet were supposed to move.
“ Well, thanks for your concern but-“ Sean trailed off as the newspaper lowered and a hard glare was aimed at him. Okay, perhaps not. If you had made some poor bastard’s t-shirt soggy, he supposed that they had a little more right to demand to know what the hell was going on. “ Okay, fine. We’ll discuss it later,” he mumbled.
“ Good boy,” the papers re-rustled again. Sean managed to make it to the bathroom before his stomach decided to expel the remainder of the items in it. Half an hour later he felt faintly well enough to move his head from the toilet bowl. Sean eyed the shower thoughtfully, but had a horrible feeling he might suddenly capsize in the middle of one, causing more damage to everyone. Besides which, David really shouldn’t have to put up with large amounts of blood in the bathroom.
Sean focused on the bathtub rim with a look of confusion. His resulting scream caused Dave to rush to the door and look in.
“ What the hell is the matter with you?!” he exclaimed when it was clearly obvious that Sean was not in any danger or difficulties whatsoever. However, Sean was not looking at him. His eyes were fixed on a familiar rubber item which was sitting innocently near the shower gel, its eyes staring blankly at him, its military colourations bright in the bathroom.
“ Where,” Sean managed and his voice was faintly under control. “ did the duck come from?”
Dave raised an eyebrow and glanced towards Private Duck. He shrugged. “ Karl gave it to me to pass to you. Thought you might need it, for some bizarre reason. I take it you’re not too fond of it?”
Private duck stared at him mournfully. Sean shook his head slowly. “ It’s okay. It just seems to get to places other ducks cannot reach,”
Sean was aware of the younger man giving him an odd look. Finally Dave sighed and started to move back to his seat.
“ If you need anything further, just scream,” he sighed. “ Big strong man indeed,”
A shower was finally had. Dripping, Sean rid himself of vast amounts of excess moisture and tried to examine his memory for those missing links of yesterday. Nope. Nothing. It was probably going to be another one of those experiences that he only knew about through other people’s recollections. Speaking of other people…
“ Dave, Orli didn’t turn up as well did he?” Sean leaned round the bathroom door, towel around waist. Dave’s eyes flickered to him over the top of the newspaper.
“ I didn’t speak to him yesterday. Thought he was going to phone but something probably came up,” Dave returned to his article. Sean frowned slightly. Apparently David was completely psychic, or at least could see through newspapers, as he sighed in response.
“ Can I take that to mean you are concerned?” Dave asked.
“ Well, I wouldn’t say concerned as such-“
“ I would. You’re always concerned, Sean. One of these days you’re just going to be able to sit back and relax and we’ll all die of shock.” Dave folded the paper and put it carefully beside him on the seat. “ So ..,”
Sean shook his head, a few water droplets flying off his hair in response to this. “ It’s okay. I’m sure he’s got other things to do. Might have had to go back to hospital to have things checked out or something. I’ll just get dressed,”
“ Might help,” David stretched lazily and yawned. “ Then you can come out with me,”
“ Out?” Sean froze in selecting clothing. “ What d’you mean, out?”
“ As in the opposite of in, Sean. You know, it’s the bit where you step outside and get away from being cooped up in here constantly?” The younger man was a beacon of useful hints and tips today.
“ I have a playstation!” protested Sean as though this was the answer to all of life’s problems. Dave sighed and located his shoes.
“ Yeah, and it’s still not plugged into the television,” he commented. “ Besides which, it’ll ruin your eyesight,”
“ My mother said other things would ruin my eyesight and they proved to be somewhat false,” replied Sean dryly. David shrugged.
“ Perhaps you hadn’t been doing it hard enough,” he suggested. “ Just get dressed, Sean. And try to look a little less scruffy than you normally do, okay?”
“ Scruffy?!” Sean was indignant. David raised an eyebrow.
“ Scruffiness appears to have come to you late in life. Just do it. A clean t-shirt helps,” There was a pause as the younger man leant over and borrowed the flat phone, swiftly putting in a number. Sean eyed him thoughtfully as he pulled on his jeans. Sean had pondered whether to change in the bathroom, but thought it was probably pointless to do so when you were faced with a man who had seen you at your most vulnerable anyway.
No-one apparently answered the phone. There was a look of concentration over David’s face, then he paused and redialled a different number. Sean busied himself with his t-shirt and shoes, occasionally glancing over to work out exactly where the frown line was at the moment. Obviously the second number also failed to be answered at the minor growl that was released. Dave tapped his finger on the side of the phone and finally gave up.
“ Who were you trying?” Sean asked as he tied his shoelace. He was immediately suspicious at the neutral expression he found.
“ Have you got your shoes on yet?” was the response he received.
“ Answer the question, Dave,” growled Sean. The growl did so very little. Despite the fact that Dave's hands were full of phone, Sean got the impression the younger man would have been examining his nails had he the chance.
" Just because I happen to have slept in the same bed as you last night does not give you the right to start ordering me about," David replaced the phone down and stood up, stretching slightly in his usual fashion. " So, quite frankly, I'm not answering you. Have you got your shoes on yet?"
Sean finished the knot and gave him a hard look. The hard look failed to have any affect whatsoever again. Had the bloody sod managed to get Sean Defences installed? David picked up his light jacket and folded it over an arm, wandering towards the door and opening it.
" You want to walk or drive?"
" How can I say that when I don't know where we're going?" Sean was exasperated.
" Have a guess then. Live a little,"
Sean sighed heavily. " Drive."
" Unhealthy bastard." remarked Dave cheerfully.
" Damn right,"
*
Sean didn't start to get worried until they turned the corner that lead towards the set. Worried turned into anxious. Anxious turned into faint panic.
" I'm staying in the car," he insisted as Dave parked up and gave him a thoughtful look. Sean knew his face had turned an interesting shade of white, his body was so stiff he could probably be used as bridge supports and it would probably take a crowbar to prise his fingers off the seat. In fact, the usual panic factors that normally came into play when F L Y I N G was mentioned. But now was not the time to consider these factors. Now was the time to persuade the younger man that this really really wasn't a good idea. Viggo was bound to be prowling around here and, quite frankly, Sean was really not in the mood to see him. He could already feel the cold sweat building.
Apparently Dave's immunity to Sean was not as strong when it came to the puppy eye stage. Sean knew he probably looked like someone was putting a loaded gun to his head, but at this stage everything was being used. He was not getting out the car. Ever again. It seemed safer. Thankfully there was a distinct amount of hesitation in Dave's eye.
" Sean, I won't leave your side. I promise. You'll be fine,"
" Appreciated. But still no."
David gave a growl at the back of his throat. " You can't become phobic of the whole bloody set, Sean! You're expected to go out there, be a hero and wave your sword in two days time. Be a hero before that, for God’s sake," The younger man got out the car and wandered towards the passenger side, opening the door and leaning on it as though knowing that he might be there for a while. " Get on with it,"
Sean considered sulking for a bit. However, that was going to be embarrassing. A couple of crew members had already glanced over in their direction already. Having a large argument with his on-screen brother in the parking area was likely to get all over the place before sundown. He growled himself but finally got out the car, his eyes scanning the surrounds like rabbits looking for a fox. Dave patted him on the shoulder.
" Good boy. Knew you could do it," There was actually pride in David's voice, as though Sean was a five year old who had worked out what 8 x 8 was. Sean gave him a look.
" Dave, I'm a hell of a lot older than you. Call me boy again and I will start being grumpy at you."
" Sure, sorry. Just came out," Dave shut the door and put an arm round Sean's shoulders. Sean knew damn well it was there to start steering him and began to grit his teeth again. David happily ignored his charge's stiff shoulders and guided them towards the main set, only releasing him when they started to approach a larger group. Dom glanced up at them as they approached.
" Hi. Thought you weren't in today, Dave,"
David shrugged. " You know me. Can't stay away,"
" Mug," grinned Dom, his eyes moving to Sean in assessment. Sean tried to look a little less like a rabbit in headlights. " How's the Playstation doing?"
" Great, thanks," Sean was impressed on how easily his mouth was working. Dave gave him another little pat on the arm before speaking again, this time slightly lower.
" D'you know if Vig or Orli are here?" he asked. Dom's expression grew warier. His eyes slid to Sean again, this time with an expression that Sean recognised as sympathy. Did everyone know? Ye Gods and little boarlets...
" I've seen Viggo today. He said Orlando was at home,"
" Did he," replied David grimly. Dom looked surprised, as well he might. Grim tones from David normally suggested something seriously bad was about to happen, like half the world blowing up. Sean eyed him suspiciously.
" Well, you could ask him if you wanted. I think he's at the trailer, looking through a new scene amendment they've passed us, but that was early in the morning. He might have moved." Dom looked from David to Sean and back again, obviously suggesting whatever came into his mind at the time. Sean felt his blood turn to ice, which was never a nice sensation at any time of day. He could have sworn Dave deliberately didn't look in his direction.
" That's great. Thanks, Dom," And, holy crap, Dave was turning to go to it. Sean's heart jumped in his throat. In fact, his whole body was trying to be awkward today. Bastards. His feet firmly stuck to the floor, Sean folded his arms. However, he had not counted on the fact that his stubborn refusal to go was going to be witnessed by hobbits. Dom was already watching him, and he could see Lij turn his head towards them, blue eyes wide and interested.
Shit.
Growling slightly, Sean finally turned to follow him, unable to cope with such interest being aimed at him. A man had to have some pride. Apparently.
Dave glanced back at him as he paused on the steps of the trailer.
" I assume you don't want to go in?"
Sean didn't bother to even reply to that one. David sighed through his teeth, and pushed open the door after a quick rap to announce his appearance. And then he disappeared, swallowed into the trailer like Jonah into the whale. Okay, that was a little dramatic. However, he was definitely gone and from out here Sean had no idea what was happening. It could be nothing. It could be everything.
And you wonder why you never know anything? whispered his mind. Coward.
The blonde eyed the trailer again. Yes, he was a coward. He could feel it in his bones. It would be much easier to just walk away and try and forget everything. So it was entirely a puzzle to why his feet were already slowly walking up the few steps to the trailer, although they dragged as though his boots were made of concrete. He laid his hand flat on the door of the trailer and paused, feeling the coldness of the metal seep into his hand. The door opened, apparently under Sean power. Incredible.
" Oh, there you are," Dave glanced up. " Well done," He went back down to looking at a few notes that had been left on the trailer table, and seemed to be ruining a perfectly good piece of paper with scribbles. Sean scanned the trailer nervously, but there was not a Viggo to be seen. Sean's heart decided to slow down a little, although his breath was still suspicious. Viggo was the type who could just appear as if by magic, although without the customary puff of blue smoke. People really should start to complain about that.
He moved closer to Dave, who was indeed finishing his scribblings.
" What the hell are you doing?"
" Can you do a sentence without a curse entering it?" asked David mildly, raising the piece of paper and staring at it carefully. " I am investigating, just to let you know,"
" Investigating? Investigating what?" Sean moved over to peer over David's shoulder. He was busy transferring two numbers and a rough address onto the piece of paper from a notebook that had obviously been stolen from the top drawer of Viggo’s side of the trailer. The blonde frowned again, faintly recognising the name of the building, although he couldn't for the life of him remember where. Mind you there was a list of things that he couldn't remember. Hardly anything new.
" I'm investigating Viggo's investigations, and don't give me that look, Sean. I'm not being deliberately annoying. You want to know who's after Viggo, yes? So do I. And so does he. And Viggo's got a hell of a bonus by actually having some first hand experience into who did what and where," Dave passed the pad of paper to Sean. " I'm willing to bet that's Viggo's handwriting. Hell, even if it isn't what have we lost? The worst thing it could be is that place is a good recommendation as a restaurant. Although I doubt it,"
" Why's that?" Sean broke off staring at the paper and looked at him. David shrugged idly.
" There's very few clubs out there which I would term 'rough'. That's one of them. I doubt whether their food is particularly special."
" And how do you know which clubs are rough, if I dare to ask?" Sean was feeling a little light headed.
" I went there with your bestest pal Karl, Sean. Orli's right, you are remarkably innocent for someone of your age." Dave grinned at him and retrieved the paper. Sean growled. What the hell did he have to do to stop people calling him innocent anyway?
" So it's a club Karl knows?" Sean decided to let the whole innocence matter drop. After all, it could be argued in a much safer spot. Viggo could walk through the door at any moment, and, to be honest, Sean would have preferred to have something a little more to aid his defences than Dave. The fact that they had rummaged through Viggo’s stuff was also weighing heavily on his mind. Sean was so dead. All this was just seeing how much of his body was going to be left to cremate.
" It's a club Karl knows," confirmed the Australian, obviously less bothered about the Viggo factor.
" And you still think he wasn't behind Viggo's attack?" growled Sean. David looked up at him, surprised.
" When did I say that?"
" You said .. well...," shit, back to the memory. Sean paused, and shook his head irritably. " I'm sure you said it!" There was another pause as the comment sunk in. " Wait, you think Karl is behind the attack?"
" Well, how many other people do you know with a huge problem with Viggo?" David folded the paper and put it into his back pocket. " Bit of a coincidence, wouldn't you say? I just don't think he actually physically undertook the attack. He'd have to be in two places at the same time, and he's not that good, trust me. Equally, I know he was stunned when you told him what had happened."
" Let me guess. You were there?"
" As it happened. I was picking up a few things." David shifted himself towards the door. " Anyway, move. I want to find out where Orli has managed to disappear to after we visit this place. Longer we leave it, more chance that he won’t be alone at the house, if you get my meaning.”
“ Whoa, you want to do what?!” Sean inserted himself between Dave and the door. “ Shouldn’t we .. well, discuss this matter further before you go off and do your James Bond impression?”
Dave gave him a look that spoke of patience being grabbed by the collar and shaken. “ Since when have you wanted to discuss anything, Sean?” Dave’s voice wasn’t snappy, by any means. However, there was a distinct possibility that it could develop it easily. Obviously Sean wasn’t yet forgiven for his .. ‘accident’.
“ I just don’t see how you could possibly know all of this,” Sean pressed on with a sinking feeling. Obviously knowing that he was digging his own grave obviously wasn’t helping him stop it. There was the faintest of frowns on David’s face, which normally meant that he was getting just a tad annoyed.
“ It’s called talking to people,” he replied crisply. “ You might like to try it sometime. Are you coming or not?”
“ Viggo said he didn’t want anyone else getting involved,” Sean was feeling edgier by the minute. He’d already been punished for this once. He wasn’t really in the mood to find out what happened when you did it a second time within a week. Dave sighed.
“ Yes, I know. Ironically it was to make sure neither you or Orli got hurt.”
Sean hesitated again. Viggo had hinted that he might be willing to reconsider their relationship. If he did… Sean shuddered to think of how quickly that idea would be dumped should Dave’s investigation come out in conversation. He shook his head, slowly. Dave watched him thoughtfully.
“ Look,” he sighed. “ I appreciate your position. Honestly, I do. However, you’re going to a bar with a mate, and that’s me before you decide to put any wisecracks in. That’s it. We’re not doing anything more.”
“ You want me off alcohol and you take me to a bar?” This sounded odd even to Sean. Dave hesitated.
“ You can get more than beer in a pub. Food, for example. This bar will obviously have very good… burgers. Or potatoes. Or, in fact, anything we want to claim, seeming we’re not actually eating there. Calm down,”
“ Calm down? You’re asking me to break a promise to Vig,” Sean stared at him. Dave folded his arms.
“ That particular promise has already been broken, Sean. You don’t get points on how well you break it. Besides which, where was this desire to keep promises when you picked up that bottle yesterday, hmmm? Or don’t I count?” Dave’s voice was beginning to dip into the artic temperatures. Sean resisted the urge to shuffle his feet in embarrassment.
“ Of course you count, I just .. well, I …,” Sean caught the look on Dave’s face and sighed miserably. “ Sorry,”
“ You are bloody hard to trust, Sean.” The younger man eyed him briefly.
“ Viggo says the same,” murmured Sean after a pause. Dave shrugged.
“ Yes, I know,”
Sean stared at him a little harder. “ How, exactly? How do you know all of this?” He caught hold of David’s shoulder as the younger man attempted to leave the trailer instead of answering. Obviously a man who knew when not to bother trying, Dave simply sighed again and stopped.
“ You just don’t listen, do you?” it was almost a sympathetic way of speaking. “ Talk to people, Sean. Don’t assume, don’t imagine, just get it straight from the horse’s mouth. For this one, I spoke to Orli who was extremely grateful he could talk to someone, what with you being exiled, Viggo speaking in grunts and Karl banned. I’ve even spoken to Viggo, who admittedly didn’t say a huge amount. However when they do speak, I bother to listen.”
“ I listen!” protested Sean.
“ Then perhaps you’re not asking the right questions,” replied David dryly. Sean looked at him hard, searching for the right questions. And then it came to him.
“ David,” he said, and there was a hint of tolerance being carefully controlled. “ What the fuck is going on?”
A faintest smile appeared on Dave’s face.
“ Better,” he replied.