FIC: Time After Time (Chapter Seven) - Sean and Elijah
Many, many thanks to tarnishedhalo and her amazing talent. She aged our beloved boys 10 years for the photos used in 'Time After Time'.
Title: 'Time After Time' (Chapter Seven of Eight)
Author: Rakshi ( rakshi@sean-astin.net )
Rating: Overall: NC-17. This section: a HOT NC-17
Pairing: Sean Astin/Elijah Wood
Summary: Hollywood slaps their wrists at the Golden Globes but a ceremony and a reunion heal the wounds.
Author's Notes: Deepest love and thanks to lbilover who has been the most wonderful beta in the world. She made this a much better story and I'll always be grateful to her.
This is being posted a day earlier than usual... just because I didn't feel like waiting. Hope you enjoy it.
'Time After Time' is the third and last part of a three part series. In the first story, ' Time', Sean and Elijah were reunited after a ten year separation. In the second story of the series, ' Time To Be Us', they determined the course of their future together. And now in 'Time After Time', we see that future come to fruition.
Previous Chapters:
One - Two - Three - Four - Five - Six
Disclaimer: This story is a work of satirical fantasy about public figures. It is completely fictional. I make no assertions about the actual private life or the sexual orientation of any person mentioned in this work.
- Time After Time Chapter Seven -
Time after time
I tell myself that I’m
So lucky to be loving you
So lucky to be
The one you run to see
In the evening, when the day is through
I only know what I know
The passing years will show
You’ve kept my love so young, so new
And time after time
You’ll hear me say that I’m
So lucky to be loving you
The new year came and went without incident. Sean and Elijah stayed home on New Year's Eve, and spent a quiet evening alone in front of their fire, all problems temporarily forgotten.
They saw very little of the girls in the time leading up to the Golden Globes, though Sean talked to them nearly every day. Elizabeth had not mentioned the commitment ceremony again, and with a sinking heart, Sean steeled himself to accept her refusal to attend. He knew that his joy on this most important day in his life would be greatly diminished if she weren't there. But he was determined not to let his disappointment mar their day. Elijah deserved to see him happy.
They attended the Golden Globes together, and alone. Sean wanted his family there, but feared a press storm about their relationship, and wanted to avoid any PR spin that implied he was using his daughters as a shield for him and Elijah.
But his fears proved unfounded. To their immense relief, they received good treatment from the press on the red carpet. No one asked about their relationship. All of the questions put to them pertained to their movie and their hopes for its success during this awards season.
Several film critics associations across the country had already named 'Witness To History' the year's best picture. Sean and Elijah had also scored wins from these groups in their respective categories. But the awards given tonight at the Golden Globes and those offered at the Academy Awards were the crowning achievements for any film.
Thus, they were disappointed when ‘Witness to History’ won for ‘Best Score’ and ‘Best Song’, but in no other category. They did their best to hide it, and offered sincere congratulations to the winners. On the way out, Elijah was cornered by a reporter who asked him if he thought the relatively poor showing of ‘Witness to History’ was connected in any way to the revelation about the relationship between him and Sean.
Elijah stared hard at the reporter for a long moment, then spoke in a low, calm voice. “It's an honor even to be nominated. I think the films that prevailed tonight did so because the foreign press thought they were the best of the films presented. I may not agree with their decision, but I would never, ever question their motives.” He grabbed Sean’s arm and walked away before the reporter could ask another question.
“God DAMN it!” Elijah fumed as they waited for their car to be brought around. “Bad enough to lose, but to have to have our relationship offered up as the reason for it. It’s galling!”
Sean’s hands were jammed into his pants’ pockets and he gazed thoughtfully down at the pavement. “Why be upset by it?” he asked finally, shrugging his broad shoulders. “It's undoubtedly true. And frankly, I’m surprised it wasn’t worse.”
“But, Jesus, Sean…,” Elijah began, then stopped. He could see that Sean was tired and further, that he was beginning to show his sadness and disappointment that their film had not fared better tonight. “Hey,” Elijah said softly, laying a hand on his arm. “It’s OK, you know. We were nominated. And we’ve gotten rave reviews.” But he knew what was on Sean's mind because it also haunted his thoughts.
The ‘Fellowship’ reunion was on for the coming weekend. They had been so busy making arrangements to host their friends and preparing for their upcoming ceremony that they had nearly forgotten about the Oscar nominations that were being announced within days.
Now as they waited for their car, Elijah found himself warding off butterflies every time it crossed his mind. Not for himself. He truly didn’t care one way or the other if he was nominated or not. But he ached to see Sean receive the recognition that Elijah firmly believed was his due. Sean never spoke of it one way or the other, but Elijah knew that in his heart of hearts, Sean deeply desired this honor, the highest his profession could offer. Elijah would have felt more confident if they had walked away tonight with at least one of the top Golden Globe honors. But he refused to give up hope.
As their car pulled up, Sean wrapped an arm around Elijah’s shoulder and snuggled him to his side, totally indifferent to the cameras and fans surrounding them. “I’ll just be glad to get home,” he whispered.
Elijah returned his hug, his face pressed against Sean's shoulder. “Me too.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The next few days were spent helping Gabrielle and the caterers decorate the house for both the 'Fellowship' reunion and their commitment ceremony. It was now the night before the festivities were to begin. Dom was picking Billy up at the airport, then bringing him back to Topanga Canyon where they were staying for the weekend. Sean Bean had arrived the night before, and was happily ensconced at Viggo's home, only a mile or so away. Orlando would be joining them for the ceremony tomorrow.
Ian and John Rhys-Davies were staying at expensive hotels in Hollywood. They were having dinner together, and would be at the reunion for only one day, Friday.
Viggo and Ian were both officiating at the ceremony. Viggo was to oversee the giving of the rings, and Ian would be the celebrant during the exchange of vows. Elijah had spoken to Ian before he flew to the U.S. to ask if he would consent to this request, and he agreed at once.
"My dear boy," he told Elijah in his inimitable accent, "I am honored! I do hope you don't have a script for me. I'd prefer to speak from the heart."
"And that's just what we want you to do," Elijah said, delighted. "I can't wait to see you, Ian!"
Sean and Elijah were writing their own vows for the commitment ceremony, and both of them swore that it was the toughest assignment they'd ever had. Often in recent evenings they had gone to separate parts of the house to sit quietly alone and work on their vows. They had an outline that guided them, but the words would be uniquely theirs.
Sitting in the tiny office he had created for himself in the pool-house studio, Sean struggled to find the words with which he would bind himself to Elijah forever. ’My god,’ he thought, putting down his pen. ‘I’ll never find a way to say what my heart really feels for him.’ He thought back to New Zealand… to that time in his life that, to this day, he could not ponder without wrenching mixed emotions.
He’d never felt love like that before. Not that deep. Not that instantaneously intense and all consuming. He had barely realized it… he had barely taken a breath with it, before he had pledged himself to Elijah with his whole heart and soul. But the guilt was just as intense, as was the sense of shame that overwhelmed him at the thought that this love that was eating him alive, was directed at another man… and further, one who was ten years his junior.
Nothing in their experience had prepared either of them for this, and they had struggled to understand it. Though they burned for each other, they had tried their best to remember Sean’s children and the good lady who was his wife. Time and time again they pledged to repress their feelings for the good of all concerned, then unable to bear the separation, they had fallen into each other’s arms under the wild New Zealand stars.
After they left their Middle-earth, Sean had committed himself to making his marriage last for the sake of his young daughters. He knew his decision broke Elijah’s heart. He knew it was the reason that he fled to Paris. And Sean suffered through the ten years of his self imposed exile from Elijah without ever going a day without thinking of him and longing for him.
Now they stood on the brink of a new life together, and Sean struggled to frame the vows upon which this new life would be built. He sighed and stared at the paper wondering why at this time of all times he had to find himself at a loss for words. Then he picked the pen up and began to write.
Eventually both of them managed to compose something they considered ‘acceptable'. “This doesn’t say it,” Sean told him as he laid the paper containing his vows next to Elijah’s. “Not by a long shot. But it’s the best I could do.”
“I know how you feel,” Elijah said thoughtfully, staring at the two papers that lay side by side. “I had a hard time putting words around my feelings, too. But,” he turned to Sean and smiled. “I think we’ll both have a pretty good idea what the other one is trying to say.”
“We’d better get back to decorating before Gabby kicks our asses,” Sean said, wrapping his arms around Elijah’s waist and hoisting him off his feet. “This way bridegroom!” he said, hauling Elijah toward the kitchen. “There's furniture to move and our foreman awaits us.”
When Billy and Dom arrived Gabrielle released them from decorating duty, and they ran to greet their friends.
"Billeh!" Elijah yelled, grabbing him in an exuberant hug! "How are you? How's Jack? God, man! I'm so FUCKING glad you're here!"
"Jack's fine," Billy said, pushing Elijah back to look at him. "And here you are, man… all ready to be a father to THREE girls. In one day you'll have me beat by two!"
Elijah laughed and blushed. "Well, I don't know how much fathering I'll be doing. Probably just the same old indulgent Uncle that I've always been."
Sean hugged Billy, thinking as he always did when they were together, that Billy's accent was one of the sweetest sounds he had ever heard.
Dom hovered around Bill fetching him a drink, carrying his bag up to the guest room, and acting, Sean thought, more like a nervous bridegroom than he was himself.
When the four friends were finally seated in the great room with wine glasses in their hands, Billy lifted his and spoke softy. "To us," he said. "The four Hobbits, together again."
Deeply moved, Sean touched his glass to those of his friends. "Together again," he echoed, "Man, we can't let this much time pass before we see each other. We have got to get together more often!"
"Speaks the hermit who's become more and more reclusive with every passing year," Dom laughed. "I've seen Elijah. I've seen Bill. You're the one who nobody’s seen!"
Sean blushed and lowered his head. He could hear Elijah's soft laughter next to him. "You're right," Sean murmured.
"It won't be like that anymore," Elijah said. "He's out of the closet now."
"So to speak," Billy said dryly, to shouts of laughter from the others.
"The house is so beautiful," Billy added, looking around the great room. "It's perfect for you."
"Well," Elijah laughed. "Right now it looks like…"
"A funeral home," Sean moaned. "All these flowers! Gabrielle insisted and we didn't have the heart to say no!"
“I like them!” Dom said stoutly. “They give the place a… I mean a sort of… errm… rather a…”
“Morgue like effect?” Billy said, smiling innocently.
Laughing, Elijah stood up and took Billy off to see the grounds while Sean and Dom sat quietly talking.
“You ready for this?” Dom asked him.
Sean nodded. “It’s funny, Dom,” he said. “I don’t even feel nervous. It’s just so - oh, I dunno, just so ’right’ that this happens. I know we belong together. I’ve always known it. Tomorrow just validates what has been the truth of my heart for fifteen years.”
“I’m sorry it took so long, Seanie,” Dom said.
“Me too. But maybe it had to be that way so we’d appreciate what we have now and never let it go again. And I won’t,” he told Dom with absolute conviction. “I will never let him go again.”
The next day they finished last minute preparations then fought off butterflies as they dressed in their best tuxes. Now and then Dom would yell up to them and they’d dash downstairs with their shirttails hanging out to embrace arriving family or members of the ‘Fellowship’.
Anna stood with Michael Pierce and Mackenzie, while John Astin, looking frail but still dapper, lounged on the couch with his wife. Elijah’s mother chatted with Viggo while his brother and sister helped Gabrielle with last minute preparations for the buffet that was to follow.
Chris and the girls had not arrived yet, and Elijah felt more anxiety about their appearance than he did about anything else happening that day. As late as last night Chris did not know whether or not Elizabeth was coming with her. She knew that her middle daughter was struggling with her decision about coming to the ceremony though Chris told them she had not, as yet, ruled it out.
It was almost time for the ceremony to begin, and Elijah was beginning to wonder if any of Sean’s daughters were going to be present, when he heard Mackenzie laughingly cry out: “Well, it’s about time!”
Elijah saw Chris enter the room with her date. For a moment he stood, breathlessly watching, then felt his heart leap with sudden joy as Elizabeth entered behind her two sisters. Sean went to them at once and embraced all three girls. Then, after a moment of quiet conversation, he took Elizabeth’s hand and walked to where Elijah stood in the doorway.
As they approached, Elijah smiled. Sean had always looked good in a tux. But now there was something in his bearing, some quality that seemed to radiate both steadfast strength and an effervescent joy. He had never looked as handsome as he did today.
“Look who’s here,” he said softly as they reached Elijah. “Elizabeth wanted me to bring her over to say 'Hello' to you.”
Elijah held out his hand. “Hello, Elizabeth,” he said. “I can’t tell you how happy I am that you’re here. It means so much to your dad and me.”
“I’m glad to be here, Uncle Elijah,” she said quietly.
Elijah tried to respond, but was too moved to speak. He kissed Elizabeth’s cheek, then turned his eyes to Sean who was also overcome with emotion.
Suddenly Dom was at their side. “It’s time,” he said, taking Elizabeth’s arm. “You two need to go stand over in the archway.” He led Elizabeth back to where Chris, her date, and the girls stood waiting with Mackenzie.
“Who’s the guy?” Elijah asked Sean as they wandered to the archway.
Sean shrugged. “Friend of a friend, I guess. He seems nice.”
“Jealous a little?” Elijah asked, grinning.
Sean gaped at him, shaking his head in disbelief. “You can ask that today?” Giggling, Elijah punched playfully at his arm.
On the other side of the room, Viggo paced as the guests slowly gathered in the great room and as the time for the ceremony grew near, Ian approached him, fingering his sheaf of papers. “We ready?” he whispered.
Viggo glanced at Sean and Elijah who now stood in the archway surrounded by the rest of the Fellowship. He lifted his eyebrows questioningly, and Sean nodded. “Ready,” Viggo told Ian, who nodded and moved to stand before the fireplace.
“Dearest friends,” Ian said softly, lifting his hands to ask for quiet. The room stilled at once, and he continued, “We are here today to support the public commitment between these two men whom all of us love. We celebrate this joining. And we celebrate the reunion of our Fellowship who are gathered together once more, to witness the union of our beloved Hobbits who are an integral part of our loving band of companions.”
He lifted his hands toward Sean and Elijah who walked to the fireplace to stand before him. The Fellowship formed a semi-circle around them.
“Our Fellowship will stand with Sean and Elijah, as witnesses.” He smiled at Sean. “Sean, would you take Elijah’s hand?”
Sean was trembling as he took Elijah’s hand in his. He took a deep breath and lifted it to his lips, hoping he would be composed enough to say his vows. Elizabeth’s arrival had already brought him to the verge of tears.
Ian smiled at them and continued, his aristocratic voice echoing in the huge great room: “I watched them fall in love. We all did. We watched them during the filming of 'Lord of the Rings' and we knew that the bond we saw growing between them went far beyond friendship. We watched as the silver cord that bound them one to the other grew ever stronger as they offered to each other, in deepest trust, their innermost feelings. We saw them wrapped together in a cocoon of understanding and protection that no earthly force could ever shatter. We saw them laugh. We saw them cry. We saw them in joy, and in heartbreak. And through all these moments, we watched the bond they shared become stronger, until each became an integral part of the other. This closeness cannot be measured by time. It cannot be spoken in words. It cannot be broken by circumstance. It is a wholeness of the soul, a peace within the spirit, and the highest form of intimacy the heart has to offer.
“Today that same love gathers our Fellowship together once more. And as we were witnesses then to the joining of their hearts, we come together now to witness the joining of their lives. We are gathered to remember and to rejoice. To bless and to be blessed. And to realize, with Sean and Elijah, that it is love, always love, only love, that leads us to our true destination. And to celebrate that they, at last, have arrived.
“This is the ‘Partners in Life’ union of Sean and Elijah. We are here to listen, with love in our hearts, and to share with them their celebration. Sean? Would you say your vows to Elijah?"
Sean took another deep breath then looked into Elijah’s eyes as he began to read his vows, glancing now and then at the paper he held in a trembling hand.
“Elijah, I love you. And when I tell you I love you, this is what I mean:
I've waited for you since a day long ago when I walked into a hotel lobby, and captured a lightning bolt in my arms. You have brought me more peace and balance than I have ever known before, and the days since we've been together again have been the most joyous of my life. Your beautiful smile, your deep convictions, your passion and compassion, your beauty both internal and external, your laughter, your sense of adventure, your intelligence, your wisdom, your faith, your courage, your kindness and the lessons of your experience enrich me more with every beat of my heart
I offer you my past, with its pride, its pain, its joy, and its regrets.
I offer you my future, promising to walk beside you wherever our journey takes us.
I offer you this moment, which holds more joy for me than mere words could ever express.
I offer you all of my joy and fear, my brokenness and my courage, my success and failure, my humor and despair, my loneliness and my connectedness.
I promise to laugh with you and to laugh at myself.
I promise to take you seriously when seriousness is called for.
I promise to hold you while you cry, and to cry in your arms without restraint when sadness finds me.
I promise to care for you as best I can, and to encourage you to stretch yourself and grow in strength and wisdom so that you can care for yourself.
I promise to love and nourish myself, cherishing the fact that I am the one whom you have chosen.
I promise to support you in sharing your gifts with others, to encourage your talent, your generosity and your chosen commitments.
I promise to listen to you respectfully, and to consider your thoughts and beliefs. And I promise to heed your challenges to my own beliefs, listening with an open heart and an open mind.
I promise to rest with you, and to always seek balance between work and play.
As he said these words he saw a small smile flicker across Elijah’s lips. Sean smiled back, then went on.
I promise you nothing less than the rest of my life. You are my closest friend, and I give myself to you without reservation. This is what I mean when I tell you that I love you.
From this moment on we shall be together, and I promise to be your loving and faithful partner for the rest of our lives.”
Sean’s voice was strong as he spoke his vows. And though nearly overcome with the emotion of the moment, it did not waver. He took another deep breath and glanced at Ian to signal that he had finished. In the background, he could hear soft weeping, though he was not sure who it was. He heard Dom, beside him, whisper one word: Beautiful…
Ian nodded to Elijah. “Elijah, please say your vows to Sean.”
Elijah drew in a shaky breath. Sean’s vows had nearly undone him. He was trembling all over, and he swallowed hard as he gripped Sean’s hand, praying that he could get through this. But the hazel eyes that were locked on his were filled with love, and Elijah felt the warmth of that love flow into him… strengthening his resolve.
“Sean,” he said softly, “I love you. And when I say I love you, what I mean is…
Everything within me, my most analytical thoughts, the goose bumps and butterflies I feel today, the love and trust I feel for you, and most especially the still small voice deep within me, speaks to me with absolute certainty about the rightness of committing my life to you, about the rightness of committing myself to OUR life… to OUR time.
He saw the hazel eyes slant as Sean grinned at the reference to ‘Goonies’, and all nervousness suddenly left him. This was Sean. His Seanie. His Sam. And today he would speak the words that affirmed the truth that Elijah had known for fifteen years: that they belonged together. When he spoke again, his voice was strong and vibrant.
“Sean, we are so much stronger when we're together than we are when we're apart. And I know that our ability to grow in mind, in heart, and in spirit is infinitely greater when we are side by side.
I promise to stand firm beside you as your partner in pursuing wisdom, adventure, creativity, peace, and joy.
I promise to love and honor whom you are rather than who I imagine you to be or need you to be, and to offer myself to you always in complete honesty and openness of heart.
I promise to support you when your strength is challenged and to ask for your help when I falter.
I promise to hold you in my heart completely during difficult times as well as in the joyous ones.
I promise to be open to challenges, change, and the unexpected as we both grow in new ways, safe in the security of our love for each other.”
He paused for a moment and glanced to his right where Sean’s three daughters stood together at the very forefront of the gathering. Then his eyes found Sean’s again, and he spoke:
“I promise to be an honest friend and steadfast support to your children, holding them close in my heart as a beloved part of you, the one I love.
And, finally, I promise to be open to all the laughter, wonder, and mystery that life can offer us as we take this journey together.
With you my joys are greater and my sorrows diminished. My spirit is cherished in your care, and it always has been. From this day forward, we are joined. We are One. We are Sam and Frodo now and forever. And I promise to be your loving and faithful partner for the rest of our lives.”
Sean’s eyes had filled when Elijah spoke of his children, and the entire ‘Fellowship’ had been deeply moved by the reference to Sam and Frodo. And now as they both struggled for composure, Viggo stepped forward and stood beside Ian.
“Sean and Elijah will now exchange rings,” Viggo said in his distinctive voice, “They are seamless circles of joy symbolizing the love you share. They are a sign of your willingness to share life's journey with each other. Like the ring that joined you so long ago in beautiful New Zealand, we hope that these rings will always symbolize everything that love means to both of you.”
He turned to Dom and held out his hand for the ring, which Dom surrendered. Viggo then turned to Sean and placed it in his hand.
“Sean, you will give this ring to Elijah, as a symbol of the love that lives deep within you, an unbroken promise that you are bound to him always, with all the love in your heart.”
Sean took the ring, his breath trembling in his chest, and as he slowly slipped it on Elijah’s finger, he spoke:
“Elijah, please accept this ring as a symbol of the promises we made to each other today. Accept it as a token of the love that I feel for you. Accept it as a humble gift from one who feels utterly blessed to have you by his side. As we begin our life’s journey together, I pledge to you the best part of who I am. I pledge to be your Sam, now as I was then… and forever as I am today.
With this ring I commit myself to you.”
Viggo turned to Billy and held out his hand for the ring, which Billy quickly placed in his palm.
“Elijah,” Viggo intoned, “you will give this ring to Sean, as a symbol of the love that lives deep within you, an unbroken promise that you are bound to him always, with all the love in your heart.”
Elijah’s hand was trembling as he took the ring from Viggo. He gripped Sean’s hand and slowly slipped the white gold band onto his finger.
“Seanie, I give you this ring as an expression of my love and commitment to our life together.
I'm honored to place it on your finger as a symbol of the promises I've made to you today, and a proclamation to the world of the love I feel for you. The love I have felt every day since we met. A love born in the beauty of New Zealand. A love that has remained steadfast every day since then. This is MY ‘one ring to rule them all’ and the one love to rule my heart… forever.
With this ring I commit myself to you.”
They stood for a moment, hands clasped, each with tears trembling on the edge of falling, while the room waited in utter silence.
Then Viggo spoke: “By the authority vested in me by the love of our ‘Fellowship’ and the faith we have in one another, I announce to the world that Sean Astin and Elijah Wood are partners in life.” He then leaned forward and winked at Sean, whispering: “You may now kiss the bride.”
Elijah opened his mouth to utter a sharp squawk of protest, but Sean quickly closed it with a kiss, pulling Elijah tight in his arms, laughing softly against the lips he adored.
They were only given a moment to embrace before they were surrounded by their guests, many of whom were weeping. Sean Bean lifted Elijah off his feet in a gigantic hug, while Sean was mauled by Dom, Billy, and Orlando.
“Beautiful, dude!” Orlando said, whapping Sean on the back. “Makes me want to turn gay!”
“Turn gay?” Dom twitted him? “TURN gay?”
“Kiss me,” Orlando said, holding out his arms. Dom immediately complied while Sean doubled over laughing.
Bean deposited Elijah on the floor, still hugging him, then faced him toward Sean’s daughters who stood together waiting for their turn. Alexandra was first. “What you said about us in your vows,” she said, her voice wavering on the edge of tears. “Thank you, Uncle Elijah. I’m just so happy for both of you.”
As Ally moved to embrace her father, Isabella fell into Elijah’s arms. She was crying and Elijah hugged her tight. “So beautiful,” she said, half-sobbing. “So beautiful!”
“Thank you, baby,” he said. “It WAS beautiful, wasn’t it.”
She kissed his cheek, then went to Sean who wrapped an arm around each of his daughters while Elijah faced Elizabeth.
She looked up at him. Tears sparkled in her eyes and on her cheeks. Elijah was suddenly struck to the heart by how young Elizabeth was. Of how innocent she looked as she gazed at him. He smiled and reached to embrace her. “Sweetie, I’m so glad you were here. It means more to me than I could ever tell you.”
“Thank you,” she whispered. “It was so beautiful… what you and daddy said to each other.”
“Honey, I meant every word of it.”
For a long time he and Sean had no word alone together. They each made it a point to speak to everyone present. Many friends other than their ‘Fellowship’ comrades had attended, and each of their families was well represented. They wandered about the room as their guests ate from the gorgeous buffet Gabrielle had arranged, thanking them for coming and accepting their congratulations. Finally the food and plates were taken away, and Dom, helped by Billy and Orlando, began pushing the furniture aside to create a dance floor.
In minutes Elijah’s very up-scale sound system was carted in, and the guests began to dance. Mackenzie gyrated in the center of the room with all three of Sean’s daughters as partners, and Sean watched in both surprise and delight as his two famous parents took to the floor, awing the cheering guests with a very respectable jitter-bug.
He was not quite as delighted when he saw Orlando tug Alexandra away from her uncle. They begin a rather intense fast dance, twisting gleefully in time with the music. Spotting him watching from the sidelines, Alexandra waved and Orlando grinned at him. Sean shook his fist playfully in their direction, hoping Orlando would get the point, but they both laughed and went back to their dance.
Sean sighed and looked for Elijah. He spotted him at once, dancing with his sister; Billy and Dom were capering close by. Elijah was laughing and moving with the beat of the music. His sparkling expression and the free and easy movement of his body conveyed an exuberant joy. And, watching him, Sean could not imagine any other scenario for his life that could possibly compete with this one. To see Elijah this happy, and to know that the reason for it was the ceremony they had shared today in front of their friends and families was all that Sean could ever hope for.
Spotting him, Elijah waved him over. “Hey, Astin! C’mere! Let’s dance!”
Sean quickly closed the distance between them, and they began to move sensuously to the music, laughing as their audience egged them on. Elijah’s arms wound around Sean’s neck, and for a moment they swayed together, then Elijah giggled and turned, backing against Sean, swaying lightly in a sensual movement that brought quick cheers and more than a few cat-calls from the gathered assembly.
“Whooo!” Dom hooted. “Take it off!”
“Get a room!” Mackenzie yelled.
Sean backed away, laughing, as Elijah turned and grinned at him. “What? Had enough already?” he gibed.
Sean blushed and waved dismissively at the guests who, seeing his discomfort, began to boo good-naturedly.
“Tease!” Billy laughed. He grabbed Dom’s hand and bounced him to a corner where they began to dance with unrestrained delight.
“Oh, daddy, you stick-in-the-mud!” Elizabeth said, brushing past her father to grab Elijah’s hand. “C’mon, Unk! Let’s dance!!”
Elijah complied at once, though his movements were much more sedate than the ones he’d used with Sean. He twirled Elizabeth until she shrieked with laughter while Sean watched them from the sidelines, thinking that he could not possibly survive any more happiness than that which bubbled within him at the moment.
And then suddenly the music changed to a slower, more haunting melody. Sean saw Viggo at the CD player, smiling across at him. He pointed first to Sean, then to Elijah… then down at the player, indicating clearly that he was playing this song for them. After a moment of silence, the soft, hypnotic voice of Tony Bennett filled the room.
Time after time
I tell myself that I’m
So lucky to be loving you….
Sean turned back to where Elijah stood with Elizabeth’s hand still held in his. He was watching Sean, and his face shone with a look of enraptured love so powerful that Sean was staggered. Slowly, he walked to them. “Excuse me, honey,” he said quietly to Elizabeth. “But I think this dance is mine.”
Elizabeth smiled and stepped back as Sean took Elijah in his arms. He was trembling all over. This kind of public demonstration normally left him feeling embarrassed and uncomfortable. But at this singular moment in his life, he knew what he had to do. He had to take Elijah in his arms and dance with him as this song played.
Elijah took a deep breath and kissed Sean’s cheek. And then, feeling a bit overcome, he pressed his face against Sean’s neck, his arms tightening as they swayed to the music.
So lucky to be
The one you run to see
In the evening, when the day is through
Elijah could feel Sean’s body shaking in his arms. With a sharp inhale they suddenly clasped each other close. Elijah could feel his control slipping away. The moment was just too intensely emotional. They had waited so long. The feelings that burned within them now were simply too compelling for either of them to push aside. He heard Sean draw in a long breath. “Damn Viggo anyway,” he growled against Elijah’s ear.
They both leaned back as one and gazed into each other’s eyes. Then, again as one, they burst into laughter.
I only know what I know
The passing years will show
You’ve kept my love so young, so new
Still, they swayed to the music. Joy shone naked and unashamed from their faces, which glowed with an almost unearthly beauty as they looked at each other. The moment was almost too intimate to be borne and many of the guests dropped their eyes.
But not Mack. His arm slid around Elizabeth’s waist and he watched intently as his brother and Elijah danced. “Still have doubts?” he asked his niece.
She glanced up at him, and Mackenzie saw that her eyes were shining. “No, Uncle Mack. Not anymore. They're beautiful together.”
And time after time
You’ll hear me say that I’m
So lucky to be loving you
As the song drew to a close Sean held his lover closer and kissed him with uninhibited passion. All the rules and restrictions that had heretofore regulated how he lived his life had suddenly vanished, burned away like mist in a hot sun. His embarrassment and self-conscious fear had dissolved. All that was left was this one moment in time, and the man he held so tightly in his arms. He wanted them all to see what he knew with every fiber of his being. That this was where the passion of his life would be spent. With this man. With this love.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Later Sean and Elijah slowly walked through their home surveying the rubble left in the wake of their party. They were tired and a touch of champagne ‘high’ made them weave as they wandered through the empty rooms. They idly picked up odds and ends that had been left behind and sampled some of the desserts and hors d'oeuvres that still sat here and there on trays.
They had instructed Gabrielle to leave all cleaning up until tomorrow and sent her off to her small house to get some rest. It had been a glorious day. And everyone had agreed that it was one of the best parties they’d ever attended.
They had asked several of their friends to spend the night, most notably Dom and Billy, but everyone had refused, insisting that they share their first night as ‘Life Partners’ alone.
Elijah munched a piece of chocolate cake and looked around the dining room. “What a mess!” he laughed.
“Yeah, well, there’s always tomorrow,” Sean said, licking frosting from his finger.
“Too bad Billy and Dom wouldn’t stay,” Elijah mumbled around a mouthful of cake.
“Yeah. Funny. Why do you suppose they insisted on leaving?”
Elijah glanced at Sean and saw that his face was alight with repressed mirth. “Gee, I dunno,” he responded dryly. “But I think… I THINK..… that maybe they thought…” he hesitated and glanced around distrustfully. “They thought we were going to have…” he lowered his voice to a hushed whisper, then spoke: “…. sex!”
“SEX!” Sean spouted. “They thought we were going to have SEX ?!”
Elijah nodded sagely. “Yeah, how silly are THEY? Weird, huh?”
Sean nodded, then walked slowly toward him. “I don’t have sex with you,” he said, taking Elijah into his arms and kissing him hungrily. “I make love to you,” he murmured against Elijah’s ear, his voice hushed.
“That you do,” Elijah agreed.
They walked to their bedroom, hand in hand. When they entered, Elijah moved toward the closet, thinking to remove his tux, but Sean stopped him and tugged him to the side of the bed. He sat down, standing Elijah before him, looking up at him with shining eyes.
Elijah’s tie hung loosely around his neck. He had opened the first few buttons of his shirt as he exerted himself dancing and he wore the loosened tux with a casual grace that Sean couldn’t help but envy. Even half-unbuttoned and a bit unkempt, Elijah was stunning. His rumpled clothes merely served to enhance the sensual fire that always seemed to burn just below the surface. The skin under his eyes was dark with exhaustion, giving his face a look of barely restrained passion.
Sean slowly lifted his hands and guided Elijah’s jacket from his shoulders. It slid, unnoticed, from his body to lie on the floor at his feet. Sean's fingers then fumbled at the buttons that remaining closed on Elijah’s shirt, opening them one at a time, then letting the white shirt and black tie slip down to join the jacket.
He pressed his face against Elijah’s t-shirt, his breath hot against the soft surface of the cloth, the last barrier between him and the nakedness he craved. He felt the heat generated by Elijah’s nearness fill his chest with an urgent longing that instantly surged lower, sending hot sparks of desire to his groin, hardening him in an instant. “God,” he breathed against the cloth. “So beautiful. So beautiful.”
Elijah’s fingers were in his hair, tangled in his curls, pressing Sean’s face harder against his body. “Seanie,” he murmured. “My Seanie.”
Sean’s hands slid underneath Elijah’s t-shirt, caressing his back, then slowly moving to caress his chest and sides. He heard Elijah moan softly as his fingers teasingly slid over velvet soft nipples, and felt the fingers carding through his curls suddenly clench. He raised his hands to remove the t-shirt, his lips forming soft kisses as he revealed the smooth skin beneath. His tongue moved slowly over the soft, pale skin, as hot pangs of pleasure flamed through his body.
Elijah’s fingers moved to his shoulders, pushing at his dinner jacket, trying to slide it off. Sean leaned back for an instant to remove it, then groped blindly for the snap of Elijah’s slacks.
“Wait,” Elijah breathed. “Sean, wait.” As Sean looked up questioningly, Elijah’s nimble fingers flew to the front of his shirt, quickly unbuttoning his shirt buttons and removing his tie. His hand moved over Sean’s shoulders and down his back, then clutched at the hem of his t-shirt and drew it roughly over Sean’s head. “Now!” he said, and taking Sean’s hands, he pressed them firmly against the erection pulsing beneath his zippered slacks. “Do it now!” he whispered urgently.
Sean looked up at him, his hazel eyes slowly darkening to emerald as he gently stroked the hardness of Elijah’s arousal. He felt it throb beneath the cloth and heard him begin to make soft whimpering sounds in his throat. Sean moaned and pressed his face against Elijah’s skin, his own erection rock hard. He lowered Elijah’s zipper slowly as he kissed and licked the sleek, slender body beneath his lips, then he hooked his thumbs under the waistband of both slacks and briefs, lowering them in one long pull.
Elijah stepped back, kicking his shoes off. There was no sound in the room except the harsh rush of their breath and the rustle of cloth as they parted zippers and removed what was left of their clothing. That done, they lay on top of the comforter together and for a long time they held each other close, not saying a word.
“Do you feel…” Elijah whispered, then hesitated.
“Feel what, baby?” Sean prompted.
“Feel married?” Elijah said.
Sean laughed and pressed his lips against the curve of Elijah’s neck, licking the smooth skin, kissing it tenderly. Then he shrugged. “Always did,” he said. “I didn’t want the ceremony in order to feel married. I’ve always felt that way with you. I wanted to publicly commit my life to you while the ‘Fellowship’ was together. God knows if it’ll ever happen again. I wanted them to see us proclaim our relationship to the world.”
“So now you don’t care if the world knows?”
Again, Sean shrugged. “I never did care really. Not for my sake. I cared for YOUR sake. Still do. But no, I’m done hiding. Tonight was it. You’re my life partner and the world can take it or leave it.”
“Good! Because that’s what I want, too.”
“Elijah, you still have a career to consider. I’m willing to be extremely discreet as long as that’s a factor.”
“Fuck it,” Elijah told him, stretching out on his back. “It’s too much aggravation to have to worry about it. I’d rather just be honest and let the chips fall where they will.”
Sean leaned over him, his lips moved slowly down Elijah’s chest. The skin under his tongue was honeyed cream. Still beautiful. Still silken smooth. He slid lower in their bed, wetting Elijah’s nipples, then nibbling them until he felt his lover’s back arch and heard him groan in anguished pleasure.
He could hear his own breathing becoming labored as his tongue slowly moved lower. He wove a zig-zag path across Elijah’s taut belly, then stopped to lick the dark skin of his tattoo. He was dimly aware of Elijah’s whimpers above him. “Love you,” he whispered against the quivering flesh beneath his lips. “God, I love you.”
He felt Elijah’s fingers clawing at his hair. The hardness of his erection pulsed against Sean’s cheek. He licked across Elijah’s navel, feeling desire thunder through him, setting his body on fire. His own cock was rigid. Painfully so. He pressed himself against the bed as he lay between Elijah’s legs, praying he would be able to control the longing that ripped through him long enough to satisfy them both. He turned his face to lick slowly up the length of Elijah’s cock… wanting with all his soul to give this man that he loved more pleasure than he’d ever experienced before.
Elijah gasped and arched in a frenzy of yearning. “Oh god,” he moaned. “Sean…. Seanie… please….”
Sean captured Elijah’s erection between both hands as he leaned over him. His tongue lapped sensuously. After a moment, both hands moved to gasp Elijah’s hips. He felt Elijah lift his hips, and as he did Sean allowed his throbbing hardness to glide into his mouth. Elijah’s hips twitched and he cried out, but Sean’s hands gripped him gently holding him still. He sucked gently, almost lazily, stopping now and then to swirl his tongue around the head, then flicking rapidly, paying special attention to the split on the underside of his penis.
He heard Elijah above him whimpering in pleasure. His body moved wantonly as he lifted his hips upward again and again. He was gasping for breath, nearly panting, each exhale a whimpering moan. Sean thought he had never heard anything as erotic as Elijah’s cries of pleasure. Each one slammed him like a physical touch, taking his breath, heightening his already feverish desire.
He hunched against the bed, rubbing himself against it as his tongue and lips caressed Elijah’s hard male heat. He gripped Elijah’s cock, pumping it gently as his tongue beat a pattern against the sensitive head. His other hand moved to caress his thighs, grazing his testicles.
“God, Sean!” Elijah cried. “I’m going to come! I can’t stop!”
“Oh yes, you can,” Sean groaned, releasing him gently. “Wait,” he breathed. “Baby, wait.”
He licked and kissed his way up Elijah’s belly and chest, extending his hand to the nightstand to grab the small tube he had laid there earlier. Now he pressed his body against the more slender frame beneath him and kissed him with passionate hunger. “Want you,” he whispered shakily. “Jesus, Elijah… want you so much I could scream.”
“And I want YOU,” Elijah replied. “Want you NOW. Enough foreplay, Astin. Enough with the teasing.” His fingers dug into Sean’s broad shoulders. “Fuck me!” he ground out between clenched teeth. “Fuck me now!”
Sean smeared them both with the slippery lubricant, and eased himself just barely inside Elijah’s body. He felt his lover tense, so he stopped, though the aching need within him was nearly unbearable.
“OK?” he gasped. “Lij? OK?”
After a moment Elijah nodded. “Now,” he whispered. “Now, Seanie.”
Moving slowly, Sean joined his body to Elijah’s until he had embedded himself deeply within him. Now his hips began to thrust in a sensuous rhythm. Buried within him, Sean moaned and rocked, drowning in sensation. Elijah’s body was a hot, tight furnace that clasped him in an iron grip. He thrust deeply again and again as Elijah arched to meet him in a frenzy of yearning.
Sean bent and their lips met in a long, drugging kiss. He reached between them and grasped Elijah’s hardness. There was no need for him to move his hand, the frenzied movement of their bodies was all that was needed. He merely gripped hard, whimpering as he felt himself on the raw edge of coming… desperate with need.
Elijah’s fingers suddenly gripped his shoulders. He cried out… almost a scream as Sean pounded their bodies together, and came with ecstatic bursts of pleasure.
Sean continued moving, thrusting once, twice, then a third time. He pressed himself as deeply into Elijah as he could and came with an intensity that shattered him. Nearly sobbing, Sean felt his head spin. His whole body felt the rapture of his orgasm, as though every pore had burst with it.
“Oh my god,” he gasped. “Oh my god, Elijah. Elijah.” As he murmured Elijah’s name, he felt his lover’s hands moving over his back, stroking him gently. Sean’s arms encircled him, crushing them together. “Oh baby. Jesus, that was incredible.”
Elijah gave a shaky laugh. “I know. God, Seanie, I know.”
Sean kissed his cheek, then his shoulder. “Mmmmm… god, so sweet… so good.”
“Is this what being married is like?” Elijah said with a grin.
“You were married once. What do you think?”
“It’s not always this good between us, Sean. I mean it’s always good! But this… this was… god, this was… amazing.”
“So you think it was the ceremony?” Sean said, snuggling against him, feeling his body finally relax, totally sated.
“Well it was something!” Elijah said. “Why not that?”
Sean moaned low in his throat, then slowly slid to his side, feeling a touch of sadness as he slowly withdrew from Elijah’s body. “Jesus, baby, I don’t know. And I’m not sure I care. I just know that tonight… you took me to heaven.” He leaned on his elbow and gazed beyond his lover to the night outside their patio door. Then he shrugged. “I don’t want it to be the ceremony. Because I’d like to think we can feel this way again, and the ceremony was a once in a lifetime thing. You know?” He looked down at Elijah and grinned.
“You look eleven years old,” Elijah said, his voice warm with love. “Let’s take a shower and get some sleep. It’s four A. M. and we have a ‘Fellowship’ party happening here in the morning. They’re all coming for breakfast, right?”
Sean crawled out of bed, steadying himself on the mattress as he tried to stand. “Jeez, I feel dizzy. You pack quite the wallop. And yeah,” he added, taking Elijah’s arm as he, too, rose. “They’ll be here in about six hours expecting breakfast. Except for Ian and John. They’re flying home today.”
“Ian said he might show for breakfast if he got up early enough,” Elijah said, walking past Sean. “C’mon, babe. Been a big day, and there’s another big one coming tomorrow.”
“That seems to be SOP around here lately,” Sean murmured, following him into the bathroom.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The ‘Fellowship’ reunion had been an unqualified success. Sean and Elijah’s ceremony had been the highest point in a weekend of high points.
They watched all three of the ‘Lord of the Rings’ movies, adding their own rather ungentlemanly commentaries until they all screamed with laughter.
There were raucous debates concerning who-did-what-to-whom when they shot their famous trilogy fifteen years ago. Viggo insisted that Orlando had been frantic to be his lover back in those days. “He couldn’t keep his hands off me,” Viggo stated with absolute certainty.
Orlando lifted an eyebrow and smiled his engaging smile. “I don’t deny you had a certain lecherous appeal,” he said, ruffling Viggo’s hair. “But I was actually more interested in Sean, here.” He draped himself casually across Bean’s lap and kissed his cheek. The entire ‘Fellowship’ roared as Bean, their staunchest heterosexual, tossed Orlando to the floor, his expression horror-stricken.
There were also quiet talks before the fire that lasted into the small hours of the morning. Remembering their extraordinary experiences and the forming of their extraordinary friendships, friendships that had stood the test of time. Catching up with intimate details of each other’s lives, solidifying their ‘Fellowship’, as their renewed bonds of friendship grew ever stronger.
And finally promising that they would not let another fifteen years go by before they did this again. Each of them privately hoped that they would all be able to attend the next reunion, and dreaded the inevitable time when their numbers would begin to decrease.
“Ian seemed fine,” Sean said, when the subject of his illness came up. “He seems fully recovered.”
“He does,” Orlando replied. “But I also know that he tires easily and doesn’t like to get too far from home. I’m glad he came. It was heaven to see him again. To see all of you really.” He sighed. “I hate for this to end.”
But finally, with many promises to see each other again soon, the ‘Fellowship’ reunion was over. Billy was staying on in the States for a while, staying with Dom to work on a project together, so Sean and Elijah would be seeing him. And, of course, Viggo and Orlando were Los Angeles residents, so they’d be in touch. Bean, however, along with Ian and John, was headed back to England and their farewell from him and these other beloved companions was much sadder.
Yet, these friendships would always be a part of them. They had all been transformed by the making of the 'Lord of the Rings' trilogy. They had all been formed and reformed in that one blessed crucible in their far away Middle-earth. And it would be part of them all… forever.
- TBC -