LOTR RPS: Smack the Dog 4
Chapter 4: Confrontations at Breakfast
*
The majority of the breakfast had been finished, and Sean was beginning to feel slightly more human again. He watched Orli potter around the kitchen, occasionally cleaning a few surfaces and humming a little tune to himself. The scene was screaming with normality. His mind, however, was screaming with something else entirely, and the damn thing would not shut up. This was probably the best moment to speak to Orlando without the "master" hanging around as well..
" Orli," said Sean, breaking the humming. Orlando glanced good naturedly at him.
" Want more toast?" he queried, scooping away Sean's finished plate and carefully loading the dishwasher. Sean shook his head.
" No. Well, okay," he amended, realising his stomach was extremely displeased with the whole anti-food thing he had been involved in recently. " But then, could we .. well.. talk?"
Orli frowned as he shoved the bread into the toaster. " Talk?" he said. " What about?"
Sean looked slightly bewildered. Only Orli could possibly ask what the subject was about with that sort of equipment lurking in a spare room.
" Well, the .. situation," continued Sean carefully, aware that he might be walking on eggshells in topic. Orlando looked interested, and perched himself on a nearby stool in order to give full attention. Sean suddenly wished the attention was going back on the work surfaces.
" Are you .. happy with the situation?" he asked. Orlando's brow furrowed slightly.
" What, feeding you toast?"
" No, being Viggo's slave," Whoops. That could have come out slightly better. However, Orli didn't seem to take too much offence at this and still seemed slightly perplexed, as though Sean had asked him why the sky was blue rather than green.
" Well, yes. Shouldn't I be?" Orli now sounded slightly worried, giving little nervous glances towards the door in case Viggo had managed to sneak back without them knowing. Sean waved a hand expressively.
" Doesn't it .. worry you at all?"
" ...no?" Orli was definitely looking more upset. This was, under any circumstance, a bad thing. " Are you saying you think it's wrong? After last night?"
Sean opened his mouth to speak and realised his vocabulary had disappeared off for a metaphorical cigarette. He waved a hand to compensate.
" Not necessarily," he said.
" Which means yes," Orli was back to frowning again, toast completely forgotten. " Just spit it out, Sean. You think we're perverts don't you." His voice was low, flat and completely without emotion. It was probably something he had picked up from Viggo as well.
" Well, you have to admit it's different." Sean ran a hand through his hair and leaned forward. " Look, Orli, I just don't want to see you .. used, that's all. People like that-"
"-like what?" Orli snapped back. " Go on, what is he like, Sean?"
Sean's temper started to flare up; the still painful headache not helping his self control.
" He's out of control is what he's like! He's using you, Orli, for his own pleasures! You're making him feel powerful, regardless of how much he hurts or mistreats you!" Sean matched Orli's glare with one of his own. Orlando stood from the stool, almost shaking in anger.
" He is not! He treats me with respect-"
" Oh, please! Yes sir, no sir, three bags full sir! How is *that* being treated with respect?" Sean's voice suddenly grew lighter, realising he was busy alienating his audience. " I don't like seeing you hurt, Orli. Has he .. was it him who suggested this arrangement to you?"
This only fuelled the increasing anger in the younger man. " And now you're suggesting I'm some young kid who can't possibly think of anything for himself without being persuaded by some older bloke!" he retorted. " Just fuck off, Sean! I like it! Viggo likes it! What’s the problem?"
He scooped up the toast which had been waiting patiently for a while now and slammed it in front of Sean. Glaring at him, Orli finally stalked out the door. One of the bedroom doors slammed a few seconds afterwards. Sean stared down at the manhandled toast, which was also looking a bit forlorn with itself, carefully moved it to one side, and rested his arms on the table. Well, that was brilliantly handled. Well done.
Bugger.
******
Ten minutes later and Orli had still not appeared. Sean had binned the toast and was pacing uncomfortably up and down the kitchen, considering options. He could disappear. However, Viggo's reaction would still find him eventually, and at least he could save himself the time fretting. Or he could go speak to Orli again, calm him down .. or engage the fury again. Or he could just make a sandwich. Not that he wanted anymore food, but a sandwich was at least something to do with his hands and stopped him thinking about the immediate future.
" You're going to cause a rut to form in my floor if you carry on like that," came a soft voice behind him. Sean spun round. Viggo, who was lounging at the kitchen door, gave him a smile.
" Could you *please* stop doing that?!"
Viggo shrugged with his eyebrows and glanced around the kitchen, his eyes finally resting on Sean's in question. " So what's been happening since I left?" he asked idly. Sean attempted to stop the guilty look from entering his expression. He failed. Miserably.
Viggo's own expression grew harder.
" Where is he?" he asked shortly. Sean waved a hand in the direction Orli had taken. Viggo glared at him, and disappeared towards the bedroom.
It was another five minutes before Viggo returned, and Sean was watching the door like a hawk, nervously playing with a salt shaker as he did so. Finally he heard the door open and shut, and the light footsteps of Viggo coming back to the kitchen. Sean swallowed as he took in a familiarly blank expression, Viggo having stopped at the door frame and watching him silently.
" Look, Vig, I'm sorry, okay, I didn't mean to upset him." Sean began, almost to break up the unbearable silence. Viggo didn't do anything, simply watched him. Sean took a few footsteps backwards until he could feel the solid mass of kitchen units and worktop behind him.
" Let me get this straight," Viggo said softly. " You tell Orlando that what we do is wrong, that I'm abusing him and that we're both perverts. Exactly which statement wasn't supposed to upset him?"
Sean opened his mouth to speak, but his powers of speech deserted him once again. " I didn't mean how it sounded," he managed. Viggo cocked his head to one side.
" Really?" he said, moving forward slightly. Sean pressed himself back against the units, wishing for units in front of him as well. " Exactly what did you mean, Sean? And what, if I may ask, does that make you? You were more than willing to abuse my poor puppy last night, weren't you?"
" I was drunk," replied Sean defensively.
" AND THAT MAKES IT ALRIGHT DOES IT?" roared Viggo, stepping forward again, eyes blazing. Sean cringed, door knob jamming painfully into the back of one of his thighs. He watched as the taller man walked closer, his breathing coming faster. Viggo glared at him.
" I didn't want-"
" Oh yes you did." snarled Viggo, now extremely close. Sean could almost feel his breath on him.
" I ...," Sean trailed off, his train of thought completely lost. " I'm ...,"
" Sorry?" Viggo gave a snort of amusement. " Is that what you are, Sean? Apart from being an arrogant bastard?"
Sean was startled into anger. " You can't say this is normal, Viggo!" he snapped back. " You're filling that poor child's head with-"
The blow almost knocked him to the floor. Panting, Sean slowly looked back at Viggo who was watching him, unconcerned. The blond man resisted the urge to put a hand up to his stinging jaw. He scowled towards him.
" Is that the way you win your arguments?" asked Sean slowly. " Beat the other one until they say you're right?"
Viggo shrugged. " Works for me," his eyes narrowed.
" And you say you're *not* dangerous?" Sean knew he was on a rather destructive path himself, but couldn't stop his traitorous mouth from continuing to yap. Viggo raised an eyebrow, put on a thoughtful expression, before aiming a punch towards Sean's stomach. Sean saw it coming and managed to parry most of the strength away, although it struck his hip causing another mini firework of pain to explode in his already full head.
" I never said I wasn't," Viggo's soft voice was so very close to Sean's ear. Sean, trying to recover his breath, looked beseechingly towards the door where he was shocked to notice Orli standing, watching them with a solemn look on his face. Viggo followed Sean's gaze, and smiled at Orli.
" I'll be there in a minute, love," he said. Orlando nodded uncertainly and with one final look at Sean, disappeared from view. Viggo glanced back at Sean.
" You know," he said, again almost in Sean's ear. " This is all quite ironic. This little set-up, this destructive situation, this perverted living arrangement was all his idea. Entirely. Even down to the equipment,"
" Bollocks," panted Sean. Viggo smiled, mostly to himself.
" I thought you might say that. But I promise you it's true. *He* brought *me* into this. Not the other way around. So who's abusing who, Sean?" Viggo shrugged and moved away, brushing off a few crumbs from the table as he passed it. Sean watched him suspiciously.
" I don't believe you," he said flatly.
" I don't care," Viggo paused at the door and met Sean’s suspicious eyes steadily. Sean struggled to bring this new information into the world as he knew it. The world as he knew it was getting decidedly complicated.
“ I still don’t believe you,” he said finally, although he winced internally as he heard the hesitation in his own voice. Traitor!
“ Really?” drawled Viggo, leaning against the doorpost and inspecting him thoughtfully.
“ There’s no way that he -“
“ And why not, exactly?” frowned Viggo. Sean opened his mouth to protest that the expressions he had seen did not particularly tally with Viggo’s line of defence, when he suddenly remembered what line of work Orli was in. This sort of acting was part of the day job, although presumably the equipment should remain for special occasions and obviously certain people were taking their homework a little too seriously. Viggo watched these thoughts cross Sean’s expression idly.
“ Good, isn’t he?” he commented softly. Sean glanced at him, then away again. There was a long pause.
“ So all of that was .. an act?” Sean voice was full of disbelief. Viggo shrugged.
“ Part of it was, certainly,” he replied. “ Although I can assure you on certain other sections no acting was required. He knows not to lie about such things,” There was a more wolfish grin on Viggo’s face.
Sean sighed, and rubbed his still aching jaw thoughtfully.
“ Still hurting?” he asked sympathetically.
“ Yes, as it happens,” growled Sean.
“ Good.” Viggo straightened against the door post and gave him such a steady look Sean thought he could probably use it as a metaphorical ruler. “ You upset him badly. I don’t hold with that,”
Sean could only take so much of the stare before having to look away. He frowned again, trying to understand another query that had decided to pop into his mind and demand an answer. His eyes flickered towards Viggo uncertainly.
“ So who…,” he began. “ Why …,” Hmmm. This wasn’t going well. Viggo waited patiently, his arms now folded.
“ Hmmmm?” he prompted. Sean managed a glance at him.
“ So why me?” he queried. Viggo looked thoughtful.
“ You mean, whose idea was it?” he replied. “ Oh, it was mostly Orlando’s. And I’m always up for a challenge,”
“ Oh,” said Sean in a small voice. Viggo cocked his head to one side to study the blonde who was still apparently stuck to the kitchen units.
“ So are you going to behave or do I have to kick you out?”
Sean shrugged. “ Depends on your definition of behaving,” he replied. “ If behaving is doing everything you say without question, then probably not.” He met Viggo’s gaze. Viggo gave a snort of amusement.
“ Well, at least you’re honest,” he replied, detaching himself from the doorpost and heading through it towards the sitting room. It was a few minutes before Sean could move himself, staring after Viggo as though expecting some sort of trick. Was that it? What, he asked himself, just happened? Himself settled for a brief shrug.
Wishing for an infusion of bravery, he gingerly followed. This might be a rough ride.
*
The majority of the breakfast had been finished, and Sean was beginning to feel slightly more human again. He watched Orli potter around the kitchen, occasionally cleaning a few surfaces and humming a little tune to himself. The scene was screaming with normality. His mind, however, was screaming with something else entirely, and the damn thing would not shut up. This was probably the best moment to speak to Orlando without the "master" hanging around as well..
" Orli," said Sean, breaking the humming. Orlando glanced good naturedly at him.
" Want more toast?" he queried, scooping away Sean's finished plate and carefully loading the dishwasher. Sean shook his head.
" No. Well, okay," he amended, realising his stomach was extremely displeased with the whole anti-food thing he had been involved in recently. " But then, could we .. well.. talk?"
Orli frowned as he shoved the bread into the toaster. " Talk?" he said. " What about?"
Sean looked slightly bewildered. Only Orli could possibly ask what the subject was about with that sort of equipment lurking in a spare room.
" Well, the .. situation," continued Sean carefully, aware that he might be walking on eggshells in topic. Orlando looked interested, and perched himself on a nearby stool in order to give full attention. Sean suddenly wished the attention was going back on the work surfaces.
" Are you .. happy with the situation?" he asked. Orlando's brow furrowed slightly.
" What, feeding you toast?"
" No, being Viggo's slave," Whoops. That could have come out slightly better. However, Orli didn't seem to take too much offence at this and still seemed slightly perplexed, as though Sean had asked him why the sky was blue rather than green.
" Well, yes. Shouldn't I be?" Orli now sounded slightly worried, giving little nervous glances towards the door in case Viggo had managed to sneak back without them knowing. Sean waved a hand expressively.
" Doesn't it .. worry you at all?"
" ...no?" Orli was definitely looking more upset. This was, under any circumstance, a bad thing. " Are you saying you think it's wrong? After last night?"
Sean opened his mouth to speak and realised his vocabulary had disappeared off for a metaphorical cigarette. He waved a hand to compensate.
" Not necessarily," he said.
" Which means yes," Orli was back to frowning again, toast completely forgotten. " Just spit it out, Sean. You think we're perverts don't you." His voice was low, flat and completely without emotion. It was probably something he had picked up from Viggo as well.
" Well, you have to admit it's different." Sean ran a hand through his hair and leaned forward. " Look, Orli, I just don't want to see you .. used, that's all. People like that-"
"-like what?" Orli snapped back. " Go on, what is he like, Sean?"
Sean's temper started to flare up; the still painful headache not helping his self control.
" He's out of control is what he's like! He's using you, Orli, for his own pleasures! You're making him feel powerful, regardless of how much he hurts or mistreats you!" Sean matched Orli's glare with one of his own. Orlando stood from the stool, almost shaking in anger.
" He is not! He treats me with respect-"
" Oh, please! Yes sir, no sir, three bags full sir! How is *that* being treated with respect?" Sean's voice suddenly grew lighter, realising he was busy alienating his audience. " I don't like seeing you hurt, Orli. Has he .. was it him who suggested this arrangement to you?"
This only fuelled the increasing anger in the younger man. " And now you're suggesting I'm some young kid who can't possibly think of anything for himself without being persuaded by some older bloke!" he retorted. " Just fuck off, Sean! I like it! Viggo likes it! What’s the problem?"
He scooped up the toast which had been waiting patiently for a while now and slammed it in front of Sean. Glaring at him, Orli finally stalked out the door. One of the bedroom doors slammed a few seconds afterwards. Sean stared down at the manhandled toast, which was also looking a bit forlorn with itself, carefully moved it to one side, and rested his arms on the table. Well, that was brilliantly handled. Well done.
Bugger.
******
Ten minutes later and Orli had still not appeared. Sean had binned the toast and was pacing uncomfortably up and down the kitchen, considering options. He could disappear. However, Viggo's reaction would still find him eventually, and at least he could save himself the time fretting. Or he could go speak to Orli again, calm him down .. or engage the fury again. Or he could just make a sandwich. Not that he wanted anymore food, but a sandwich was at least something to do with his hands and stopped him thinking about the immediate future.
" You're going to cause a rut to form in my floor if you carry on like that," came a soft voice behind him. Sean spun round. Viggo, who was lounging at the kitchen door, gave him a smile.
" Could you *please* stop doing that?!"
Viggo shrugged with his eyebrows and glanced around the kitchen, his eyes finally resting on Sean's in question. " So what's been happening since I left?" he asked idly. Sean attempted to stop the guilty look from entering his expression. He failed. Miserably.
Viggo's own expression grew harder.
" Where is he?" he asked shortly. Sean waved a hand in the direction Orli had taken. Viggo glared at him, and disappeared towards the bedroom.
It was another five minutes before Viggo returned, and Sean was watching the door like a hawk, nervously playing with a salt shaker as he did so. Finally he heard the door open and shut, and the light footsteps of Viggo coming back to the kitchen. Sean swallowed as he took in a familiarly blank expression, Viggo having stopped at the door frame and watching him silently.
" Look, Vig, I'm sorry, okay, I didn't mean to upset him." Sean began, almost to break up the unbearable silence. Viggo didn't do anything, simply watched him. Sean took a few footsteps backwards until he could feel the solid mass of kitchen units and worktop behind him.
" Let me get this straight," Viggo said softly. " You tell Orlando that what we do is wrong, that I'm abusing him and that we're both perverts. Exactly which statement wasn't supposed to upset him?"
Sean opened his mouth to speak, but his powers of speech deserted him once again. " I didn't mean how it sounded," he managed. Viggo cocked his head to one side.
" Really?" he said, moving forward slightly. Sean pressed himself back against the units, wishing for units in front of him as well. " Exactly what did you mean, Sean? And what, if I may ask, does that make you? You were more than willing to abuse my poor puppy last night, weren't you?"
" I was drunk," replied Sean defensively.
" AND THAT MAKES IT ALRIGHT DOES IT?" roared Viggo, stepping forward again, eyes blazing. Sean cringed, door knob jamming painfully into the back of one of his thighs. He watched as the taller man walked closer, his breathing coming faster. Viggo glared at him.
" I didn't want-"
" Oh yes you did." snarled Viggo, now extremely close. Sean could almost feel his breath on him.
" I ...," Sean trailed off, his train of thought completely lost. " I'm ...,"
" Sorry?" Viggo gave a snort of amusement. " Is that what you are, Sean? Apart from being an arrogant bastard?"
Sean was startled into anger. " You can't say this is normal, Viggo!" he snapped back. " You're filling that poor child's head with-"
The blow almost knocked him to the floor. Panting, Sean slowly looked back at Viggo who was watching him, unconcerned. The blond man resisted the urge to put a hand up to his stinging jaw. He scowled towards him.
" Is that the way you win your arguments?" asked Sean slowly. " Beat the other one until they say you're right?"
Viggo shrugged. " Works for me," his eyes narrowed.
" And you say you're *not* dangerous?" Sean knew he was on a rather destructive path himself, but couldn't stop his traitorous mouth from continuing to yap. Viggo raised an eyebrow, put on a thoughtful expression, before aiming a punch towards Sean's stomach. Sean saw it coming and managed to parry most of the strength away, although it struck his hip causing another mini firework of pain to explode in his already full head.
" I never said I wasn't," Viggo's soft voice was so very close to Sean's ear. Sean, trying to recover his breath, looked beseechingly towards the door where he was shocked to notice Orli standing, watching them with a solemn look on his face. Viggo followed Sean's gaze, and smiled at Orli.
" I'll be there in a minute, love," he said. Orlando nodded uncertainly and with one final look at Sean, disappeared from view. Viggo glanced back at Sean.
" You know," he said, again almost in Sean's ear. " This is all quite ironic. This little set-up, this destructive situation, this perverted living arrangement was all his idea. Entirely. Even down to the equipment,"
" Bollocks," panted Sean. Viggo smiled, mostly to himself.
" I thought you might say that. But I promise you it's true. *He* brought *me* into this. Not the other way around. So who's abusing who, Sean?" Viggo shrugged and moved away, brushing off a few crumbs from the table as he passed it. Sean watched him suspiciously.
" I don't believe you," he said flatly.
" I don't care," Viggo paused at the door and met Sean’s suspicious eyes steadily. Sean struggled to bring this new information into the world as he knew it. The world as he knew it was getting decidedly complicated.
“ I still don’t believe you,” he said finally, although he winced internally as he heard the hesitation in his own voice. Traitor!
“ Really?” drawled Viggo, leaning against the doorpost and inspecting him thoughtfully.
“ There’s no way that he -“
“ And why not, exactly?” frowned Viggo. Sean opened his mouth to protest that the expressions he had seen did not particularly tally with Viggo’s line of defence, when he suddenly remembered what line of work Orli was in. This sort of acting was part of the day job, although presumably the equipment should remain for special occasions and obviously certain people were taking their homework a little too seriously. Viggo watched these thoughts cross Sean’s expression idly.
“ Good, isn’t he?” he commented softly. Sean glanced at him, then away again. There was a long pause.
“ So all of that was .. an act?” Sean voice was full of disbelief. Viggo shrugged.
“ Part of it was, certainly,” he replied. “ Although I can assure you on certain other sections no acting was required. He knows not to lie about such things,” There was a more wolfish grin on Viggo’s face.
Sean sighed, and rubbed his still aching jaw thoughtfully.
“ Still hurting?” he asked sympathetically.
“ Yes, as it happens,” growled Sean.
“ Good.” Viggo straightened against the door post and gave him such a steady look Sean thought he could probably use it as a metaphorical ruler. “ You upset him badly. I don’t hold with that,”
Sean could only take so much of the stare before having to look away. He frowned again, trying to understand another query that had decided to pop into his mind and demand an answer. His eyes flickered towards Viggo uncertainly.
“ So who…,” he began. “ Why …,” Hmmm. This wasn’t going well. Viggo waited patiently, his arms now folded.
“ Hmmmm?” he prompted. Sean managed a glance at him.
“ So why me?” he queried. Viggo looked thoughtful.
“ You mean, whose idea was it?” he replied. “ Oh, it was mostly Orlando’s. And I’m always up for a challenge,”
“ Oh,” said Sean in a small voice. Viggo cocked his head to one side to study the blonde who was still apparently stuck to the kitchen units.
“ So are you going to behave or do I have to kick you out?”
Sean shrugged. “ Depends on your definition of behaving,” he replied. “ If behaving is doing everything you say without question, then probably not.” He met Viggo’s gaze. Viggo gave a snort of amusement.
“ Well, at least you’re honest,” he replied, detaching himself from the doorpost and heading through it towards the sitting room. It was a few minutes before Sean could move himself, staring after Viggo as though expecting some sort of trick. Was that it? What, he asked himself, just happened? Himself settled for a brief shrug.
Wishing for an infusion of bravery, he gingerly followed. This might be a rough ride.