FIC: Touching, Chapter 3 (SB/VM), PG-13
Title: Touching, Chapter 3
Pairing: SB/VM
Author: shrinetolust
Rated: PG-13
Story: More of the silliness. Viggo tries to hide his black eye. Dom and Billy tell funny stories and stir up trouble. Sean's attempts at denial become more futile.
Disclaimer: Don't know these lovely men, don't know what they get up to in their free time. This is all part of my overactive imagination, done with love and respect, and no harm or offense is intended. It's FICTION!!
Feedback: Yes, please. Group dialogue is not my forte...but I've given it a go. Let me know what you think! ~ Leave a note here or mail me at shrinetolust AT hotmail.com
Crossposted: Oh, everywhere. I am a feedback whore.
Archive: My own LJ. Others, please ask.
Notes: Much thanks to lovely vixalicious and quailquill for helping with mid-fic panic attacks. Lots of smooches to my sweetie eirien_rhovan for late-night final read-through and confidence building :P. All mistakes are my own--please point out any errors so I'm not embarrassed for too long! :P Thanks!!
WARNINGS: None.
**Touching: Chapter 1**
**Touching: Chapter 2**
Sean awoke the next morning with a groan. He was never going to get used to these early calls. Having to get up in the dark seemed inhuman. He rolled out of bed and headed for the bathroom.
When he was showered and dressed, he quickly checked to make sure he'd cleared all his things out of the room. His bags stood waiting by the door for whenever someone came to pick it all up. They were going back to location, back to the trailers. He smirked. Back to being crammed into a tiny space with Orlando, the crazy kid.
He left and took the elevator down to Viggo's floor. When he got to his friend's room, he knocked loudly, enough to wake Viggo if he'd slept through his alarm.
"I'm up, I'm up," came the muffled reply through the door, just before it was unlatched and opened.
"Christ almighty," Sean whistled when he saw Viggo, shirtless and in sweatpants, his face almost unrecognizable. "A right mess, that is. Maybe not Elephant Man, but you look like a boxer who got his face beat in good."
"And a pleasant morning to you, too," Viggo grumbled, turning back into the room.
Sean followed him inside and shut the door. "Did you call in? Let them know what's happened?"
"I called Vivienne and she's calling Davina. They're supposed to get there a bit early to see what they can do."
"Do? Viggo..." Sean grasped his shoulder and turned him around. "Let us have a look."
With his feet bare, Viggo stood a bit shorter than Sean. He tilted his head and peered up with his one good eye. The other was a mere slit, the lids nearly swollen closed. The damaged skin was bright red, and a dark and nasty bruise adorned the cheek just below.
Sean whistled softly. "Mate, I don't think the make-up's gonna cover. Plus it'll hurt like hell." Without thinking, he gently grasped Viggo's jaw and turned his head to the side to examine from a different angle. "It's really not so bad, a couple days'll probably do the trick, but today--"
Viggo smiled at him, reaching up a hand and curling it around Sean's to pull it away. "I want to try it first before I ruin two days' worth of shooting, okay?"
Sean slipped his hand free and looked at his watch with a sigh. "We'd best get to it, then." He watched Viggo move about the room, and noticed the hair at his nape was damp. "Did you shower?"
Viggo nodded. "Just from the neck down. The breeze from the window hurt my eye, so pressurized water didn't seem like a good idea." He then glanced around the room, frowning.
"What're you looking for?"
"I just realized I packed everything, including any shirts with buttons." He picked up the tee-shirt on the bed, one that he'd obviously laid out to wear before thinking it through. "I don't relish the idea of pulling this over my head."
Sean walked over and took it from his hand. "Ah, it'll be all right. C'mon now, get your arms in." He scrunched the fabric up so Viggo could slip his hands through. "Now put it over your head, but wait till I grab hold of the front before you pull it down, got it?"
"Got it." Viggo did as he was told, slipping the shirt down over while Sean carefully stretched the collar away from his bruised eye.
"See, there you go," Sean announced triumphantly.
"Why do I suddenly feel like I'm six again?" Viggo grinned, then winced as the expression crinkled up his eye.
"I dunno--so long as you don't start acting like you're six, we'll be all right." He watched as Viggo leaned over to pick up a pair of jeans from the bed. "You're on your own with those."
Viggo shot him a dark look, or what passed for a dark look in his current condition. "Well, I'm not wearing any underwear, so maybe you'd better turn around--so you don't accidentally see my ass or something."
Sean laughed, then busied himself with gathering together Viggo's luggage and placing it all by the door. "Not looking," he assured in a loud voice, teasing. About ten seconds later, he nearly fell over when Viggo's sweatpants hit him in the back of the head, the leg flipping around and covering his face. He yanked them down, sputtering curses as he turned his head to glare back at Viggo.
And there his friend was, naked from the waist down, grinning lopsided to spare the strain on his eye, and looking even more rakish and evil than usual.
Sean let out an exasperated huff and then faced the door again, quickly folding and then stuffing the pants into one of the bags. "Crazy bugger," he scolded lightly, wondering why he could feel that damn blush creeping up into his cheeks again. "Be serious for once. We've got to get you down to the girls, before PJ catches sight of you."
"I'm always serious," Viggo said, but his laughter bubbled up and spoiled any chance he had of getting away with the line.
"Seriously deranged, more like." Sean heard a zip going up and turned around again. "This all your stuff?"
"This, too, but I'll take it with me today," Viggo answered, picking up a camera case and slinging it over his shoulder. "And before you ask, yes, I put deodorant on and brushed my teeth."
"I wasn't gonna ask."
Viggo bumped into him playfully as he walked past. "Yeah, but you wanted to."
Sean didn't bother to protest. They both knew Viggo was right.
* *
The girls started cooing and twittering as soon as Viggo hit the chair. "Good Lord, what did you think you were doing?" Davina asked, turning up the mirror bulbs so she could see him better. "You know you're supposed to ride the board on your feet, not your face, right?"
Viggo growled a little at her, but there was no venom in it. "Just do what you can, please?"
Davina put her hands on her hips and looked over at Vivienne. "Honey, what do you think?"
Vivienne peered at him for several moments. "It's going to hurt, Viggo. I don't think I want to mess with it."
"It's fine. I take full responsibility," Viggo assured them. "I don't want to jeopardize the filming just because I'm clumsy. I'd really appreciate it if you could help me out...I'll make it up to you, I promise."
Both women sighed. "We're not concerned for us," Vivienne said, affectionately running a hand over his tousled hair. "We just don't know if it'll work and we don't want to hurt you for nothing."
"If it hurts, it'll be my own damn fault." He managed to look needy and adorable all at once, even with his bruised eye. "I have complete faith in you."
Davina and Vivienne exchanged looks, and shot wry glances at Sean. He grinned back at them, giving a helpless shrug. They knew they were being charmed, and they all knew they were going to give in.
Vivienne sighed again, more theatrically. "All right. Let's get started, then, shall we? I've got some stuff in the first-aid kit, that might help the sting a bit."
Viggo did his best to smile at them. "Thank you, ladies. You're too good to me."
Davina snorted. "We're only doing this because you let us see you naked that one time."
Sean nearly choked with surprise as both women started giggling like teenagers. Even Viggo was chuckling as Davina playfully kissed the top of his head and then turned to her station to get her supplies together.
"Nice to know how things work round here." Sean sank into the nearest chair and spun it so he could watch them.
"Yes, do keep that in mind, Sean," Vivienne teased, waving a make-up brush at him. "Next time you need something."
"Same goes for you, then," Sean replied, giving her his best suggestive grin. His smile widened as she blushed and turned a little away from him. Vivienne was a beautiful woman. Married, but it didn't hurt to look now, did it? Unfortunately this idea sobered him, as he thought of his own marriage--or rather, the end of it.
"This is interesting," Viggo said, snapping Sean back to the present.
"What is?" he asked, at the same time as the two women.
"Well, I was just thinking," Viggo began, keeping his eyes focused on Vivienne as she carefully started to apply a cream to the area under his eye. "Sean's seen me naked. Does that mean I can get him to do things for me now?"
Davina let out a whoop and a startled Vivienne nearly poked Viggo in the eye. Sean could feel his entire face and neck getting red as the room filled with laughter again. Damn that man. He couldn't help the image that formed in his mind of Viggo from that morning, in a t-shirt and naught else. For fuck's sake.
"Well?" Davina demanded. "What do you say to that, Sean?"
"I say that I never thought I'd be friends with a man who whores his body out for favors," Sean grumbled, trying not to sound as flustered as he felt.
"Well, you're friends with Orlando, aren't you?" At everyone's shocked howls, Davina clapped a hand to her face. "Oh God, don't tell him I said that!! He's the sweetest little thing, I didn't mean to say that!!"
"Well, now we've got blackmail on you," Sean chortled, cheeks still burning, glad that attention had been diverted to the hapless Elf.
As if on cue, Orlando burst into the trailer right at that moment. "Oh, how's it going?" he asked, putting a cool hand on Sean's bare arm as he leaned over to look at Viggo.
"Fuck!" Sean nearly jumped out of his chair in surprise. "Orlando!"
The boy snapped his hand back instantly, looking frightened. "What? I--I'm sorry, man, I-"
This sent everyone else in the room into more fits of mirth, and Sean was left smiling ruefully at a very confused Orlando. "Don't worry about it, kid. Just startled me is all, and these lot are having a bit of a go at me."
"Have a seat, hon'," Davina urged in an overly chipper voice. "I'll get started on you."
"Okayyy..." Orlando sidled over to his chair, glancing at all of them suspiciously. He peered over at Viggo. "Did PJ catch wind of this yet?"
"No," Viggo answered, reaching out a hand to grasp Orlando's in greeting. "He's all the way on the other side."
"He'll find out soon enough," Sean added, sinking back into his chair. "And I expect none of us'll be laughing then."
That thought sobered them all, and the girls got back to work.
* *
PJ did find out, of course, when they inevitably made their way to the Moria set. He watched the two men and the Elf approach and his eyes narrowed as they got closer. "Okay, gentlemen," he said loudly. "I'd like someone to tell me right now why my Aragorn looks like he got in a pub brawl." His gaze fell on Sean.
"Oh, isn't that lovely," Sean griped. "Mention pub brawl and all eyes fall on me. I didn't have a thing to do with it."
"He didn't," Viggo said, his tone serious for once. "I went surfing and--"
"Surfing!!" Now PJ looked over at the Hobbits, who took turns pointing at one another, then the Elf, who pointed back at Viggo.
"He wanted to!! We didn't force him!" Orlando protested.
PJ sighed, but Sean could tell he'd almost laughed. "Viggo--"
Viggo quickly cut in with his apologies, explaining how the make-up girls had worked as hard as they could to cover it, and how he'd hoped they'd be successful because he didn't want to cause anyone any problems or hold up filming. His voice was low and calm and sincere, and he stressed repeatedly to Pete that he was willing to do anything necessary for them to try to get through the filming and that he was sure it would only be bad for a day or two at most.
PJ listened with a frown but he considered it. Then he turned and looked over his shoulder. "Nigel, Kristie--" He waved his arms, beckoning several of the crew over. "Is there any way to do this? It'll be dark in there, maybe if we just shoot from this side--can we get away with it?"
And that was that. Sean was surprised; he'd expected worse. PJ wasn't thrilled, and he'd probably pull Viggo aside later, but there was work to be done and everyone set about doing it. He had to grudgingly admit Viggo had been right--he'd managed to pull the make-up girls and the rest of the crew together, all contributing to making it fly, so they wouldn't waste a day. He'd never been on a set with so many stubborn, determined people, and he suddenly felt immensely proud of all of them.
Sean surrendered himself to the wardrobe girl's fussing over his clothes, all the while watching Viggo. When his friend caught sight of him they grinned at each other, and Sean felt proudest of all at that moment. Viggo could have been back at the hotel, whinging and carrying on with a bag of ice on his face, but here he was, working, determined not to hold them all back.
Sean thought it would do well to remember that, the next time he had to climb into a helicopter.
* *
Sean got to the restaurant a bit late that night, having spent an inordinate amount of time getting ready. He didn't understand what was wrong with him; he must be overworked, over-tired, something. He'd never changed shirts three times in his life, but for some reason, when he'd looked in the mirror, red didn't seem to suit him and the blue button-down made him feel fat. Fat. Disgusted with himself, he decided a very large drink was immediately in order...he was turning into a bloody woman, for God's sake.
He was greeted with a roar of appreciation at the small corner table, when he arrived with the waitress and a tray of refills. He was pleased to see a chair had been left empty next to Viggo, though he had to practically climb over Orlando's body to get to it.
"I can move--" Orlando offered, but his speech was cut off as Sean's hand clamped on his shoulder and pressed down hard. Orlando made an exaggerated show of being crushed by the weight put upon him, but when Sean tugged on the boy's ear and called him a fragile Elf, he practically beamed. Sean often wondered how the smallest token of affection could make Orlando glow like that.
"Hello, stranger," Viggo murmured as Sean settled in next to him.
Sean peered at him in the dim light. "I hate to say this, mate, but I think your eye looks worse."
"It's amazing I still have an eye." Viggo touched his own cheek gingerly and winced. "The makeup itched like you wouldn't believe, and then when they took it off--" He grimaced and hunched his shoulders up. "I almost clawed my eye out."
"Tomorrow won't be much better, I expect," Sean said, then grinned at Viggo's disparaging look. "It'll start to heal up after that. Might be a bit tender, like, but the swelling'll go down and it won't burn so much."
Viggo looked at him a moment and then nodded. "You had it much worse, I'm sure--when you got that scar."
Sean's grin widened. "I also might've had a few brawls here and there."
Viggo feigned surprise. "Really? Do you mean PJ was right in identifying you as bar fight material?"
Before Sean could come up with a reply, Orlando elbowed him. Sean grunted and turned to look at him. "What is it now, Elfling?"
"Over," Orlando said.
Sean's eyes flitted past the boy's shoulder and saw that Ian had just pulled up a chair, and they were all trying to make room. "All right, if I can." He smashed his chair up against Viggo's, and Orlando pushed against his. "Good thing I'm not fucking claustrophobic," Sean grumbled, trying to figure out where to put his arms.
"Here," Viggo offered, leaning forward.
"Thanks, mate." Sean shifted and put his right arm along the back of Viggo's chair. He wrapped his left hand around his beer and kept it close to his chest, hoping Orlando wouldn't suddenly elbow him again and knock the glass to the floor.
Elijah had just finished nagging Dom about a story he'd apparently been in the middle of, so Dom started up again, projecting his voice over the din of the restaurant. "So it's prime, man, the most amazing gear. And it's like, what, Bill, a hundred dollars?"
Billy nodded. "Or more. And she's not quite all there, you see, so I ask her if we could maybe, you know--"
"Us being so cute and all," Dom interrupted.
"Exactly--being so cute and all, that we could maybe have it for a bit less."
Sean chuckled. Dom was grinning ear to ear, and Billy's eyes were sparkling, which caused Elijah to practically drool with anticipation.
"So this girl," Dom went on, "she's staring--" He narrowed his eyes into a squint, peering at Billy. "And she goes, 'You talk funny. Where are you from?'"
"And before I can say a thing, Dom tells her Canada!" Billy threw his hands up, making a show of mock indignation.
Dom was practically giggling now. "So she says, 'Oh really? I had a boyfriend who was from Canada. Which part are you from?' And Bills says--"
"Glasgow." Billy finished, deadpan.
The table lit up with laughter, and Sean got it in stereo, Orlando's light breathy sounds on his left, Viggo's raspy chuckles on his right. He shifted and felt his cheeks flush, this strange tingle going up his spine. It hadn't really sunk in how near he was to Viggo until he heard that distinctive voice so close to his ear, and he guessed it must have startled him.
Dom put his hands out to silence everyone's mirth. "So--so she says--" he stopped a moment, his face turning red-- "she says--" But it was obviously too much for him, and he clutched Billy's arm for support.
Billy grinned broadly, and then, mustering up his best wide-eyed Pippin-like gaze, said, "'Oh! Is that near Montréal?'"
Sean snorted, glancing sideways at Viggo. "This was LA, you realize."
Viggo smiled and shrugged. "It's something in the water, I think."
"I think it was the hair dye, actually," Billy informed them. "Her hair was so blonde it was white."
Dom leaned against the table. "There's more, yet. The point of it all, really."
"Well, first you have to tell them that you told her I was French."
"Dom!" Ian chastised. "You're not supposed to tease the weak-minded. Not very sporting, is it?"
"Well, he does it to Orlando all the time, and he still seems cheerful enough," Billy offered.
Everyone ooh-ed and backed up, except for Liv, who reached over and attempted to smack the offending Hobbit. Sean nudged Orlando's arm. "You're not gonna let that stand, are you?"
The kid shot Billy a severe look. "I know where you sleep, little one. Remember that."
"We know where your trailer is, too, mate," Dom warned.
"Yeah, it's the one I share with him." Orlando nodded to his right.
Dom looked at Sean and sank back into his chair. "Good point. Shut up, Bill."
"Just tell us the rest of the story," Elijah pleaded.
So Billy did, while Orlando grinned triumphantly at Sean. Sean just shook his head. "Kids," he grumbled, turning back to Viggo. He lowered his voice, so as not to interrupt the tales going on at the other side of the table. "You're not staying late tonight, are you?"
Viggo took a swig of his beer before answering. "Hadn't planned on it, but I came with the Elf and Hobbits so it's kind of up to them. How did you get here?"
"I ran into Vivi on the way out. She gave me a lift on her way home. She told me to keep an eye on you, by the way."
"I'd be happy to have your eye," Viggo chuckled, "since I'm short one right now."
Sean lifted his hand from the back of Viggo's chair and rubbed his friend's shoulders. "Day after tomorrow should be much better."
Viggo graced Sean with one of his little half-smiles and then slid down in his chair, so that his head came to rest against Sean's massaging fingers.
Sean felt a sudden bit of déjà vu and he turned back towards the table, taking a gulp of his drink and wondering how this had happened again. He once more found himself sitting there, his hand curved around the back of Viggo's neck, fingers tangled in the silky strands of brown hair. And he couldn't figure out exactly how to let go, because he didn't want to offend Viggo by suddenly yanking away from him. And part of him thought that he didn't actually want to let go. It wasn't like anyone at this table would notice, or even if they did, they wouldn't care.
He tipped his beer back again and looked at the others. Billy was gripping Dom's shoulder, leaning against him as he animatedly told his story about the idiot salesgirl in LA. Elijah had his feet propped up on Dom's chair, and was leaning against Liv, who was practically sprawled across David's lap. Ian had his arm behind David's chair and Orlando was resting his chin on Ian's shoulder. That left him with his arm around Viggo and the circle was complete. He realized it would have looked odd if he weren't touching somebody in the group, and that almost made him laugh.
"So I'm telling her," Billy was going on, "that pounds are worth SO much more than US dollars, you know?"
"And we tell her that all he's got is this ten pound note, yeah?" Dom added, "And since obviously she can't give him change in pounds that he'll just give her the whole amount."
"Oh, don't even--" Liv started to say, but Dom held up his hand for her to wait.
"You two are complete bastards," Dave chastised, but his eyes shone with amusement.
Elijah hushed them both. "Let them finish! I want to hear this."
Sean did his best to follow the banter of the group, but his mind kept drifting to Viggo, and the way his skin was heating up under Sean's hand. His muscles tensed all at once, then, when he felt a gentle scratching against the back of his thigh. He hastily downed the last of his drink, and when he determined the Elf boy wasn't looking, dragged his glass over and had some of his as well.
Billy's lilt floated to his ears, but Sean didn't quite hear what was being said. He rubbed at an imaginary wrinkle on his shirt, trying to nonchalantly look downward. When he did he found what he thought he might: Viggo's hand, resting on the border of where their chairs were pushed together. The hand was visible, but two of the fingers were not, shoved as they were underneath Sean's leg. Rubbing, as they were, against the slightly ticklish area just above the back of his knee. Seeing it and feeling it at the same time made all the little blonde hairs on Sean's legs prickle and stand at attention.
Of course that wasn't all that was suddenly standing at attention, but Sean refused to think on that. No sense acknowledging it and encouraging this sudden random lack of control he seemed to be facing these days. He started to wonder if it was something about the air in New Zealand. He stared down at Orli's half-empty mug in front of him. Or the beer.
He shifted a little in his seat, trying to get comfortable, and his hand on Viggo's neck shifted with him. And that was when his thumb met the soft curve of Viggo's ear and gently rubbed against it.
Viggo let out a soft whoosh of air, barely audible, but Sean was close enough to hear it. Some strange part of him responded to that little noise, and he repeated the motion, sliding up the curve again and then letting his nail drag down the back of the ear.
Viggo's breath hitched again and his hand slid back, the two errant fingers slipping just up under the hem of Sean's khaki shorts.
Sean swallowed, hard, managing to keep quiet but unable to silence the sudden bevy of alarm bells going off in his head. Something about the whole situation seemed a bit off, but he recognized a challenge when he saw one. Or felt one. He wasn't about to back down and let Viggo have the satisfaction of knowing he'd bested Sean on this little game.
He looked up and saw their waitress approaching, and was instantly grateful when he saw she was bringing another round of drinks over. He needed another drink, definitely, and thought he might ask for some ice water as well. The temperature had definitely gone up in the restaurant, though he supposed it didn't help that he was filled up with alcohol, and was pressed between a very warm Viggo and that wisp of a kid Orlando--who was surprisingly putting out heat like a mini-furnace.
He felt Viggo's hand move again, pushing just a bit farther up the back of his thigh, and reaching this strange little place that tickled and tingled all at once and he couldn't hold back an involuntary shiver. He tightened his fingers around a handful of Viggo's hair, tugging ever-so-gently and letting his thumb scrape against the shell of Viggo's ear again. He couldn't help another shudder as Viggo made the slightest "mmm" sound and tilted a bit into Sean's touch.
Yes, another beer right now would be good. His body was absolutely on fire, tense and over-sensitized, perspiration dampening the hair at his temples and making his shirt cling to his body with each tightly controlled breath. Yes, she was coming closer, almost there...
The waitress brought her tray to the table and leaned over between Orlando and Ian. The kid leaned way back to get out of her way, reaching out a hand to find something to brace his weight on. The closest surface he found was Sean's thigh, and without hesitation, his warm fingers curled tightly around the bare muscled flesh.
Sean hadn't realized how tightly wired his body was until that moment, and he shouted "NO!" a lot more loudly than he would have liked to, scaring Orlando half to death and nearly causing the waitress to dump their drinks all over the table. Luckily the lady was used to distractions and managed to get everything safely off of her tray. When she slipped away, Sean was left with all of the table staring at him, a mixture of confusion and amusement on their faces, except for Orlando, who was cringing like he'd just been branded with a hot iron.
"Sean, are you okay?" Liv ventured to ask.
Sean felt his cheeks heating up to a nice shade of crimson and he once again shrugged apologetically at Orlando. "Stunt men cracked me in the thigh this morning and it's still a bit tender, like. You just hit the exact spot."
Orlando's expression melted from fear into guilt. "I'm sorry, Sean, I didn't mean it."
And Sean laughed, which actually felt good and released some of the tension. "Of course you didn't mean it," he agreed. "It were an accident, no problem at all."
"Dom does that to me all the time," Elijah said. "Re-injuring me. Except with him it's on purpose."
"When do you ever get hurt?" Dom asked, incredulous. "Have you strained a face muscle, trying too hard to look anguished?"
Billy snorted and Elijah kicked at Dom's chair, nearly sending him and Billy both tumbling over.
David grabbed hold of Elijah and pulled him back. "No physical violence, please. We're gonna get thrown out of here with all the yelping and thrashing about over here. We're supposed to be civilized actors, remember?"
"Dear David, there's no one that thinks actors are civilized," Ian chuckled.
"I've never hurt anyone," Dom protested. "Not intentionally, anyway. I did fall on Bills yesterday but that was an accident. I was looking at one of the Hobbit women--"
"She was falling, too," Elijah grinned. "Out of her dress."
Dom smacked at him before going on. "I'm always very conscious of people's injuries. I mean, look at Viggo over here. I want to do everything I can to make him well again."
"Is that why you poked me in the eye when you were pointing out that lighting error on the Moria set?" Viggo asked, sitting back up in his chair.
"See??!!" Elijah exclaimed triumphantly.
"That was completely unintentional," Dom said, his tone all seriousness. "And just to show my good will towards men, I offer right now to kiss it and make it all better." He stood up, holding his arms out to Viggo. "In fact, I think he's such a great man that we should all kiss it and make it better, so that he will heal up and PJ won't be such a crabby bastard for the rest of the shoot."
"And we'll get to move the camera to my best side, instead of Viggo's," Billy added, standing up also.
Sean looked to Viggo and was stunned to find him getting to his feet as well. "Are you daft?" he asked. "I wouldn't let that little bugger near me."
"I want my eye to get better, don't you?" Viggo grinned at him. "I'm willing to try anything, even home remedies."
"Well, at your own peril, then." He folded his arms across his chest and watched, stupefied, as Viggo leaned over the table and let Dom and Billy both plant big wet kisses on his bruised cheek.
"Doesn't anyone else care about Viggo's well-being?" Dom asked, looking around the table.
Liv giggled and stood up. "C'mere, honey."
Sean felt warm again as Viggo leaned across him, straining to reach Liv who gave him a gentle kiss on his eyelid. David chuckled and made a big show of it, grasping Viggo's face in his hands and pressing his lips just above Viggo's eyebrow with a loud smacking sound.
"Lij?" Dom demanded.
Sean had to laugh as Elijah visibly struggled between his fear of Viggo and peer pressure from his Hobbit mates. He finally shrugged helplessly and climbed up onto the table, causing shocked murmurs from other patrons in the bar. He put a small hand on Viggo's face and planted a chaste, tight-lipped kiss on the outside curve of bruised cheekbone.
Ian stood up and reached out his hands then. "I'd be a fool to pass up this opportunity."
Viggo smiled at him and leaned over Sean once again, closing his eyes as Ian bestowed his own healing kiss where Liv had planted hers.
Orlando didn't even have to think about it, of course, and kissed Viggo on both cheeks, just for balance's sake, Sean supposed.
And that's when Sean realized they were all now staring at him, again, and Viggo was standing there expectantly. Oh god no. I don't do that sort of thing. "Haven't you had enough healing?"
"C'mon, Sean, we've all done it!" Orlando urged. "Don't be the only hold out!"
Sean started to panic. This was a room full of people. One thing to have an arm around your mate, but kissing him in front of everyone? No, no that wouldn't do. "It doesn't seem like a good idea, this," Sean protested. "I don't want your eye to get infected because of some silly game."
Viggo smirked at him. "It's not a sucking chest wound, Sean. It's a shiner. Get up and plant one on me, will you?"
Fuck. He couldn't think of anything to counter that, and everyone else had done, and something in Viggo's eyes was making him fight against his usual stubbornness. Fuck fuck. He stood up and everyone cheered.
Orlando suddenly threw money on the table. "Five says he uses tongue."
"Orlando!!" Liv exclaimed, but Dom and Billy were already reaching for their wallets.
"You all are disgusting, you know that," Sean groaned.
"It's a bit of a hobby," Dom agreed. "Now kiss him already so we can get back to drinking."
Sean looked at Viggo, at that one pale blue eye shining brightly at him, the other peeking from beneath the veiled lid, and the slightly sinister half-smile playing about his lips. "Are you sure about this?" Sean asked, inanely, suddenly acutely aware of Viggo's breath floating across his cheek, and the heat building between them from the close proximity of their bodies.
Viggo's only response was to lean forward, lashes fluttering closed.
Sean swallowed hard, aware of all the eyes upon him, and suddenly aware of how full Viggo's bottom lip was, and how he'd never seen Viggo from this close before. His fists clenching tightly, he leaned forward and brushed the lightest of kisses to Viggo's damaged skin, and then pulled back as quickly as possible, amidst catcalls and teasing from everyone at the table.
Viggo opened his eyes again and his smile was almost coy. "That wasn't so bad, now was it?"
And Sean for a moment forget everyone else. "No, it weren't so bad," he agreed. "Not so bad at all."
~~tbc
Pairing: SB/VM
Author: shrinetolust
Rated: PG-13
Story: More of the silliness. Viggo tries to hide his black eye. Dom and Billy tell funny stories and stir up trouble. Sean's attempts at denial become more futile.
Disclaimer: Don't know these lovely men, don't know what they get up to in their free time. This is all part of my overactive imagination, done with love and respect, and no harm or offense is intended. It's FICTION!!
Feedback: Yes, please. Group dialogue is not my forte...but I've given it a go. Let me know what you think! ~ Leave a note here or mail me at shrinetolust AT hotmail.com
Crossposted: Oh, everywhere. I am a feedback whore.
Archive: My own LJ. Others, please ask.
Notes: Much thanks to lovely vixalicious and quailquill for helping with mid-fic panic attacks. Lots of smooches to my sweetie eirien_rhovan for late-night final read-through and confidence building :P. All mistakes are my own--please point out any errors so I'm not embarrassed for too long! :P Thanks!!
WARNINGS: None.
**Touching: Chapter 1**
**Touching: Chapter 2**
Sean awoke the next morning with a groan. He was never going to get used to these early calls. Having to get up in the dark seemed inhuman. He rolled out of bed and headed for the bathroom.
When he was showered and dressed, he quickly checked to make sure he'd cleared all his things out of the room. His bags stood waiting by the door for whenever someone came to pick it all up. They were going back to location, back to the trailers. He smirked. Back to being crammed into a tiny space with Orlando, the crazy kid.
He left and took the elevator down to Viggo's floor. When he got to his friend's room, he knocked loudly, enough to wake Viggo if he'd slept through his alarm.
"I'm up, I'm up," came the muffled reply through the door, just before it was unlatched and opened.
"Christ almighty," Sean whistled when he saw Viggo, shirtless and in sweatpants, his face almost unrecognizable. "A right mess, that is. Maybe not Elephant Man, but you look like a boxer who got his face beat in good."
"And a pleasant morning to you, too," Viggo grumbled, turning back into the room.
Sean followed him inside and shut the door. "Did you call in? Let them know what's happened?"
"I called Vivienne and she's calling Davina. They're supposed to get there a bit early to see what they can do."
"Do? Viggo..." Sean grasped his shoulder and turned him around. "Let us have a look."
With his feet bare, Viggo stood a bit shorter than Sean. He tilted his head and peered up with his one good eye. The other was a mere slit, the lids nearly swollen closed. The damaged skin was bright red, and a dark and nasty bruise adorned the cheek just below.
Sean whistled softly. "Mate, I don't think the make-up's gonna cover. Plus it'll hurt like hell." Without thinking, he gently grasped Viggo's jaw and turned his head to the side to examine from a different angle. "It's really not so bad, a couple days'll probably do the trick, but today--"
Viggo smiled at him, reaching up a hand and curling it around Sean's to pull it away. "I want to try it first before I ruin two days' worth of shooting, okay?"
Sean slipped his hand free and looked at his watch with a sigh. "We'd best get to it, then." He watched Viggo move about the room, and noticed the hair at his nape was damp. "Did you shower?"
Viggo nodded. "Just from the neck down. The breeze from the window hurt my eye, so pressurized water didn't seem like a good idea." He then glanced around the room, frowning.
"What're you looking for?"
"I just realized I packed everything, including any shirts with buttons." He picked up the tee-shirt on the bed, one that he'd obviously laid out to wear before thinking it through. "I don't relish the idea of pulling this over my head."
Sean walked over and took it from his hand. "Ah, it'll be all right. C'mon now, get your arms in." He scrunched the fabric up so Viggo could slip his hands through. "Now put it over your head, but wait till I grab hold of the front before you pull it down, got it?"
"Got it." Viggo did as he was told, slipping the shirt down over while Sean carefully stretched the collar away from his bruised eye.
"See, there you go," Sean announced triumphantly.
"Why do I suddenly feel like I'm six again?" Viggo grinned, then winced as the expression crinkled up his eye.
"I dunno--so long as you don't start acting like you're six, we'll be all right." He watched as Viggo leaned over to pick up a pair of jeans from the bed. "You're on your own with those."
Viggo shot him a dark look, or what passed for a dark look in his current condition. "Well, I'm not wearing any underwear, so maybe you'd better turn around--so you don't accidentally see my ass or something."
Sean laughed, then busied himself with gathering together Viggo's luggage and placing it all by the door. "Not looking," he assured in a loud voice, teasing. About ten seconds later, he nearly fell over when Viggo's sweatpants hit him in the back of the head, the leg flipping around and covering his face. He yanked them down, sputtering curses as he turned his head to glare back at Viggo.
And there his friend was, naked from the waist down, grinning lopsided to spare the strain on his eye, and looking even more rakish and evil than usual.
Sean let out an exasperated huff and then faced the door again, quickly folding and then stuffing the pants into one of the bags. "Crazy bugger," he scolded lightly, wondering why he could feel that damn blush creeping up into his cheeks again. "Be serious for once. We've got to get you down to the girls, before PJ catches sight of you."
"I'm always serious," Viggo said, but his laughter bubbled up and spoiled any chance he had of getting away with the line.
"Seriously deranged, more like." Sean heard a zip going up and turned around again. "This all your stuff?"
"This, too, but I'll take it with me today," Viggo answered, picking up a camera case and slinging it over his shoulder. "And before you ask, yes, I put deodorant on and brushed my teeth."
"I wasn't gonna ask."
Viggo bumped into him playfully as he walked past. "Yeah, but you wanted to."
Sean didn't bother to protest. They both knew Viggo was right.
* *
The girls started cooing and twittering as soon as Viggo hit the chair. "Good Lord, what did you think you were doing?" Davina asked, turning up the mirror bulbs so she could see him better. "You know you're supposed to ride the board on your feet, not your face, right?"
Viggo growled a little at her, but there was no venom in it. "Just do what you can, please?"
Davina put her hands on her hips and looked over at Vivienne. "Honey, what do you think?"
Vivienne peered at him for several moments. "It's going to hurt, Viggo. I don't think I want to mess with it."
"It's fine. I take full responsibility," Viggo assured them. "I don't want to jeopardize the filming just because I'm clumsy. I'd really appreciate it if you could help me out...I'll make it up to you, I promise."
Both women sighed. "We're not concerned for us," Vivienne said, affectionately running a hand over his tousled hair. "We just don't know if it'll work and we don't want to hurt you for nothing."
"If it hurts, it'll be my own damn fault." He managed to look needy and adorable all at once, even with his bruised eye. "I have complete faith in you."
Davina and Vivienne exchanged looks, and shot wry glances at Sean. He grinned back at them, giving a helpless shrug. They knew they were being charmed, and they all knew they were going to give in.
Vivienne sighed again, more theatrically. "All right. Let's get started, then, shall we? I've got some stuff in the first-aid kit, that might help the sting a bit."
Viggo did his best to smile at them. "Thank you, ladies. You're too good to me."
Davina snorted. "We're only doing this because you let us see you naked that one time."
Sean nearly choked with surprise as both women started giggling like teenagers. Even Viggo was chuckling as Davina playfully kissed the top of his head and then turned to her station to get her supplies together.
"Nice to know how things work round here." Sean sank into the nearest chair and spun it so he could watch them.
"Yes, do keep that in mind, Sean," Vivienne teased, waving a make-up brush at him. "Next time you need something."
"Same goes for you, then," Sean replied, giving her his best suggestive grin. His smile widened as she blushed and turned a little away from him. Vivienne was a beautiful woman. Married, but it didn't hurt to look now, did it? Unfortunately this idea sobered him, as he thought of his own marriage--or rather, the end of it.
"This is interesting," Viggo said, snapping Sean back to the present.
"What is?" he asked, at the same time as the two women.
"Well, I was just thinking," Viggo began, keeping his eyes focused on Vivienne as she carefully started to apply a cream to the area under his eye. "Sean's seen me naked. Does that mean I can get him to do things for me now?"
Davina let out a whoop and a startled Vivienne nearly poked Viggo in the eye. Sean could feel his entire face and neck getting red as the room filled with laughter again. Damn that man. He couldn't help the image that formed in his mind of Viggo from that morning, in a t-shirt and naught else. For fuck's sake.
"Well?" Davina demanded. "What do you say to that, Sean?"
"I say that I never thought I'd be friends with a man who whores his body out for favors," Sean grumbled, trying not to sound as flustered as he felt.
"Well, you're friends with Orlando, aren't you?" At everyone's shocked howls, Davina clapped a hand to her face. "Oh God, don't tell him I said that!! He's the sweetest little thing, I didn't mean to say that!!"
"Well, now we've got blackmail on you," Sean chortled, cheeks still burning, glad that attention had been diverted to the hapless Elf.
As if on cue, Orlando burst into the trailer right at that moment. "Oh, how's it going?" he asked, putting a cool hand on Sean's bare arm as he leaned over to look at Viggo.
"Fuck!" Sean nearly jumped out of his chair in surprise. "Orlando!"
The boy snapped his hand back instantly, looking frightened. "What? I--I'm sorry, man, I-"
This sent everyone else in the room into more fits of mirth, and Sean was left smiling ruefully at a very confused Orlando. "Don't worry about it, kid. Just startled me is all, and these lot are having a bit of a go at me."
"Have a seat, hon'," Davina urged in an overly chipper voice. "I'll get started on you."
"Okayyy..." Orlando sidled over to his chair, glancing at all of them suspiciously. He peered over at Viggo. "Did PJ catch wind of this yet?"
"No," Viggo answered, reaching out a hand to grasp Orlando's in greeting. "He's all the way on the other side."
"He'll find out soon enough," Sean added, sinking back into his chair. "And I expect none of us'll be laughing then."
That thought sobered them all, and the girls got back to work.
* *
PJ did find out, of course, when they inevitably made their way to the Moria set. He watched the two men and the Elf approach and his eyes narrowed as they got closer. "Okay, gentlemen," he said loudly. "I'd like someone to tell me right now why my Aragorn looks like he got in a pub brawl." His gaze fell on Sean.
"Oh, isn't that lovely," Sean griped. "Mention pub brawl and all eyes fall on me. I didn't have a thing to do with it."
"He didn't," Viggo said, his tone serious for once. "I went surfing and--"
"Surfing!!" Now PJ looked over at the Hobbits, who took turns pointing at one another, then the Elf, who pointed back at Viggo.
"He wanted to!! We didn't force him!" Orlando protested.
PJ sighed, but Sean could tell he'd almost laughed. "Viggo--"
Viggo quickly cut in with his apologies, explaining how the make-up girls had worked as hard as they could to cover it, and how he'd hoped they'd be successful because he didn't want to cause anyone any problems or hold up filming. His voice was low and calm and sincere, and he stressed repeatedly to Pete that he was willing to do anything necessary for them to try to get through the filming and that he was sure it would only be bad for a day or two at most.
PJ listened with a frown but he considered it. Then he turned and looked over his shoulder. "Nigel, Kristie--" He waved his arms, beckoning several of the crew over. "Is there any way to do this? It'll be dark in there, maybe if we just shoot from this side--can we get away with it?"
And that was that. Sean was surprised; he'd expected worse. PJ wasn't thrilled, and he'd probably pull Viggo aside later, but there was work to be done and everyone set about doing it. He had to grudgingly admit Viggo had been right--he'd managed to pull the make-up girls and the rest of the crew together, all contributing to making it fly, so they wouldn't waste a day. He'd never been on a set with so many stubborn, determined people, and he suddenly felt immensely proud of all of them.
Sean surrendered himself to the wardrobe girl's fussing over his clothes, all the while watching Viggo. When his friend caught sight of him they grinned at each other, and Sean felt proudest of all at that moment. Viggo could have been back at the hotel, whinging and carrying on with a bag of ice on his face, but here he was, working, determined not to hold them all back.
Sean thought it would do well to remember that, the next time he had to climb into a helicopter.
* *
Sean got to the restaurant a bit late that night, having spent an inordinate amount of time getting ready. He didn't understand what was wrong with him; he must be overworked, over-tired, something. He'd never changed shirts three times in his life, but for some reason, when he'd looked in the mirror, red didn't seem to suit him and the blue button-down made him feel fat. Fat. Disgusted with himself, he decided a very large drink was immediately in order...he was turning into a bloody woman, for God's sake.
He was greeted with a roar of appreciation at the small corner table, when he arrived with the waitress and a tray of refills. He was pleased to see a chair had been left empty next to Viggo, though he had to practically climb over Orlando's body to get to it.
"I can move--" Orlando offered, but his speech was cut off as Sean's hand clamped on his shoulder and pressed down hard. Orlando made an exaggerated show of being crushed by the weight put upon him, but when Sean tugged on the boy's ear and called him a fragile Elf, he practically beamed. Sean often wondered how the smallest token of affection could make Orlando glow like that.
"Hello, stranger," Viggo murmured as Sean settled in next to him.
Sean peered at him in the dim light. "I hate to say this, mate, but I think your eye looks worse."
"It's amazing I still have an eye." Viggo touched his own cheek gingerly and winced. "The makeup itched like you wouldn't believe, and then when they took it off--" He grimaced and hunched his shoulders up. "I almost clawed my eye out."
"Tomorrow won't be much better, I expect," Sean said, then grinned at Viggo's disparaging look. "It'll start to heal up after that. Might be a bit tender, like, but the swelling'll go down and it won't burn so much."
Viggo looked at him a moment and then nodded. "You had it much worse, I'm sure--when you got that scar."
Sean's grin widened. "I also might've had a few brawls here and there."
Viggo feigned surprise. "Really? Do you mean PJ was right in identifying you as bar fight material?"
Before Sean could come up with a reply, Orlando elbowed him. Sean grunted and turned to look at him. "What is it now, Elfling?"
"Over," Orlando said.
Sean's eyes flitted past the boy's shoulder and saw that Ian had just pulled up a chair, and they were all trying to make room. "All right, if I can." He smashed his chair up against Viggo's, and Orlando pushed against his. "Good thing I'm not fucking claustrophobic," Sean grumbled, trying to figure out where to put his arms.
"Here," Viggo offered, leaning forward.
"Thanks, mate." Sean shifted and put his right arm along the back of Viggo's chair. He wrapped his left hand around his beer and kept it close to his chest, hoping Orlando wouldn't suddenly elbow him again and knock the glass to the floor.
Elijah had just finished nagging Dom about a story he'd apparently been in the middle of, so Dom started up again, projecting his voice over the din of the restaurant. "So it's prime, man, the most amazing gear. And it's like, what, Bill, a hundred dollars?"
Billy nodded. "Or more. And she's not quite all there, you see, so I ask her if we could maybe, you know--"
"Us being so cute and all," Dom interrupted.
"Exactly--being so cute and all, that we could maybe have it for a bit less."
Sean chuckled. Dom was grinning ear to ear, and Billy's eyes were sparkling, which caused Elijah to practically drool with anticipation.
"So this girl," Dom went on, "she's staring--" He narrowed his eyes into a squint, peering at Billy. "And she goes, 'You talk funny. Where are you from?'"
"And before I can say a thing, Dom tells her Canada!" Billy threw his hands up, making a show of mock indignation.
Dom was practically giggling now. "So she says, 'Oh really? I had a boyfriend who was from Canada. Which part are you from?' And Bills says--"
"Glasgow." Billy finished, deadpan.
The table lit up with laughter, and Sean got it in stereo, Orlando's light breathy sounds on his left, Viggo's raspy chuckles on his right. He shifted and felt his cheeks flush, this strange tingle going up his spine. It hadn't really sunk in how near he was to Viggo until he heard that distinctive voice so close to his ear, and he guessed it must have startled him.
Dom put his hands out to silence everyone's mirth. "So--so she says--" he stopped a moment, his face turning red-- "she says--" But it was obviously too much for him, and he clutched Billy's arm for support.
Billy grinned broadly, and then, mustering up his best wide-eyed Pippin-like gaze, said, "'Oh! Is that near Montréal?'"
Sean snorted, glancing sideways at Viggo. "This was LA, you realize."
Viggo smiled and shrugged. "It's something in the water, I think."
"I think it was the hair dye, actually," Billy informed them. "Her hair was so blonde it was white."
Dom leaned against the table. "There's more, yet. The point of it all, really."
"Well, first you have to tell them that you told her I was French."
"Dom!" Ian chastised. "You're not supposed to tease the weak-minded. Not very sporting, is it?"
"Well, he does it to Orlando all the time, and he still seems cheerful enough," Billy offered.
Everyone ooh-ed and backed up, except for Liv, who reached over and attempted to smack the offending Hobbit. Sean nudged Orlando's arm. "You're not gonna let that stand, are you?"
The kid shot Billy a severe look. "I know where you sleep, little one. Remember that."
"We know where your trailer is, too, mate," Dom warned.
"Yeah, it's the one I share with him." Orlando nodded to his right.
Dom looked at Sean and sank back into his chair. "Good point. Shut up, Bill."
"Just tell us the rest of the story," Elijah pleaded.
So Billy did, while Orlando grinned triumphantly at Sean. Sean just shook his head. "Kids," he grumbled, turning back to Viggo. He lowered his voice, so as not to interrupt the tales going on at the other side of the table. "You're not staying late tonight, are you?"
Viggo took a swig of his beer before answering. "Hadn't planned on it, but I came with the Elf and Hobbits so it's kind of up to them. How did you get here?"
"I ran into Vivi on the way out. She gave me a lift on her way home. She told me to keep an eye on you, by the way."
"I'd be happy to have your eye," Viggo chuckled, "since I'm short one right now."
Sean lifted his hand from the back of Viggo's chair and rubbed his friend's shoulders. "Day after tomorrow should be much better."
Viggo graced Sean with one of his little half-smiles and then slid down in his chair, so that his head came to rest against Sean's massaging fingers.
Sean felt a sudden bit of déjà vu and he turned back towards the table, taking a gulp of his drink and wondering how this had happened again. He once more found himself sitting there, his hand curved around the back of Viggo's neck, fingers tangled in the silky strands of brown hair. And he couldn't figure out exactly how to let go, because he didn't want to offend Viggo by suddenly yanking away from him. And part of him thought that he didn't actually want to let go. It wasn't like anyone at this table would notice, or even if they did, they wouldn't care.
He tipped his beer back again and looked at the others. Billy was gripping Dom's shoulder, leaning against him as he animatedly told his story about the idiot salesgirl in LA. Elijah had his feet propped up on Dom's chair, and was leaning against Liv, who was practically sprawled across David's lap. Ian had his arm behind David's chair and Orlando was resting his chin on Ian's shoulder. That left him with his arm around Viggo and the circle was complete. He realized it would have looked odd if he weren't touching somebody in the group, and that almost made him laugh.
"So I'm telling her," Billy was going on, "that pounds are worth SO much more than US dollars, you know?"
"And we tell her that all he's got is this ten pound note, yeah?" Dom added, "And since obviously she can't give him change in pounds that he'll just give her the whole amount."
"Oh, don't even--" Liv started to say, but Dom held up his hand for her to wait.
"You two are complete bastards," Dave chastised, but his eyes shone with amusement.
Elijah hushed them both. "Let them finish! I want to hear this."
Sean did his best to follow the banter of the group, but his mind kept drifting to Viggo, and the way his skin was heating up under Sean's hand. His muscles tensed all at once, then, when he felt a gentle scratching against the back of his thigh. He hastily downed the last of his drink, and when he determined the Elf boy wasn't looking, dragged his glass over and had some of his as well.
Billy's lilt floated to his ears, but Sean didn't quite hear what was being said. He rubbed at an imaginary wrinkle on his shirt, trying to nonchalantly look downward. When he did he found what he thought he might: Viggo's hand, resting on the border of where their chairs were pushed together. The hand was visible, but two of the fingers were not, shoved as they were underneath Sean's leg. Rubbing, as they were, against the slightly ticklish area just above the back of his knee. Seeing it and feeling it at the same time made all the little blonde hairs on Sean's legs prickle and stand at attention.
Of course that wasn't all that was suddenly standing at attention, but Sean refused to think on that. No sense acknowledging it and encouraging this sudden random lack of control he seemed to be facing these days. He started to wonder if it was something about the air in New Zealand. He stared down at Orli's half-empty mug in front of him. Or the beer.
He shifted a little in his seat, trying to get comfortable, and his hand on Viggo's neck shifted with him. And that was when his thumb met the soft curve of Viggo's ear and gently rubbed against it.
Viggo let out a soft whoosh of air, barely audible, but Sean was close enough to hear it. Some strange part of him responded to that little noise, and he repeated the motion, sliding up the curve again and then letting his nail drag down the back of the ear.
Viggo's breath hitched again and his hand slid back, the two errant fingers slipping just up under the hem of Sean's khaki shorts.
Sean swallowed, hard, managing to keep quiet but unable to silence the sudden bevy of alarm bells going off in his head. Something about the whole situation seemed a bit off, but he recognized a challenge when he saw one. Or felt one. He wasn't about to back down and let Viggo have the satisfaction of knowing he'd bested Sean on this little game.
He looked up and saw their waitress approaching, and was instantly grateful when he saw she was bringing another round of drinks over. He needed another drink, definitely, and thought he might ask for some ice water as well. The temperature had definitely gone up in the restaurant, though he supposed it didn't help that he was filled up with alcohol, and was pressed between a very warm Viggo and that wisp of a kid Orlando--who was surprisingly putting out heat like a mini-furnace.
He felt Viggo's hand move again, pushing just a bit farther up the back of his thigh, and reaching this strange little place that tickled and tingled all at once and he couldn't hold back an involuntary shiver. He tightened his fingers around a handful of Viggo's hair, tugging ever-so-gently and letting his thumb scrape against the shell of Viggo's ear again. He couldn't help another shudder as Viggo made the slightest "mmm" sound and tilted a bit into Sean's touch.
Yes, another beer right now would be good. His body was absolutely on fire, tense and over-sensitized, perspiration dampening the hair at his temples and making his shirt cling to his body with each tightly controlled breath. Yes, she was coming closer, almost there...
The waitress brought her tray to the table and leaned over between Orlando and Ian. The kid leaned way back to get out of her way, reaching out a hand to find something to brace his weight on. The closest surface he found was Sean's thigh, and without hesitation, his warm fingers curled tightly around the bare muscled flesh.
Sean hadn't realized how tightly wired his body was until that moment, and he shouted "NO!" a lot more loudly than he would have liked to, scaring Orlando half to death and nearly causing the waitress to dump their drinks all over the table. Luckily the lady was used to distractions and managed to get everything safely off of her tray. When she slipped away, Sean was left with all of the table staring at him, a mixture of confusion and amusement on their faces, except for Orlando, who was cringing like he'd just been branded with a hot iron.
"Sean, are you okay?" Liv ventured to ask.
Sean felt his cheeks heating up to a nice shade of crimson and he once again shrugged apologetically at Orlando. "Stunt men cracked me in the thigh this morning and it's still a bit tender, like. You just hit the exact spot."
Orlando's expression melted from fear into guilt. "I'm sorry, Sean, I didn't mean it."
And Sean laughed, which actually felt good and released some of the tension. "Of course you didn't mean it," he agreed. "It were an accident, no problem at all."
"Dom does that to me all the time," Elijah said. "Re-injuring me. Except with him it's on purpose."
"When do you ever get hurt?" Dom asked, incredulous. "Have you strained a face muscle, trying too hard to look anguished?"
Billy snorted and Elijah kicked at Dom's chair, nearly sending him and Billy both tumbling over.
David grabbed hold of Elijah and pulled him back. "No physical violence, please. We're gonna get thrown out of here with all the yelping and thrashing about over here. We're supposed to be civilized actors, remember?"
"Dear David, there's no one that thinks actors are civilized," Ian chuckled.
"I've never hurt anyone," Dom protested. "Not intentionally, anyway. I did fall on Bills yesterday but that was an accident. I was looking at one of the Hobbit women--"
"She was falling, too," Elijah grinned. "Out of her dress."
Dom smacked at him before going on. "I'm always very conscious of people's injuries. I mean, look at Viggo over here. I want to do everything I can to make him well again."
"Is that why you poked me in the eye when you were pointing out that lighting error on the Moria set?" Viggo asked, sitting back up in his chair.
"See??!!" Elijah exclaimed triumphantly.
"That was completely unintentional," Dom said, his tone all seriousness. "And just to show my good will towards men, I offer right now to kiss it and make it all better." He stood up, holding his arms out to Viggo. "In fact, I think he's such a great man that we should all kiss it and make it better, so that he will heal up and PJ won't be such a crabby bastard for the rest of the shoot."
"And we'll get to move the camera to my best side, instead of Viggo's," Billy added, standing up also.
Sean looked to Viggo and was stunned to find him getting to his feet as well. "Are you daft?" he asked. "I wouldn't let that little bugger near me."
"I want my eye to get better, don't you?" Viggo grinned at him. "I'm willing to try anything, even home remedies."
"Well, at your own peril, then." He folded his arms across his chest and watched, stupefied, as Viggo leaned over the table and let Dom and Billy both plant big wet kisses on his bruised cheek.
"Doesn't anyone else care about Viggo's well-being?" Dom asked, looking around the table.
Liv giggled and stood up. "C'mere, honey."
Sean felt warm again as Viggo leaned across him, straining to reach Liv who gave him a gentle kiss on his eyelid. David chuckled and made a big show of it, grasping Viggo's face in his hands and pressing his lips just above Viggo's eyebrow with a loud smacking sound.
"Lij?" Dom demanded.
Sean had to laugh as Elijah visibly struggled between his fear of Viggo and peer pressure from his Hobbit mates. He finally shrugged helplessly and climbed up onto the table, causing shocked murmurs from other patrons in the bar. He put a small hand on Viggo's face and planted a chaste, tight-lipped kiss on the outside curve of bruised cheekbone.
Ian stood up and reached out his hands then. "I'd be a fool to pass up this opportunity."
Viggo smiled at him and leaned over Sean once again, closing his eyes as Ian bestowed his own healing kiss where Liv had planted hers.
Orlando didn't even have to think about it, of course, and kissed Viggo on both cheeks, just for balance's sake, Sean supposed.
And that's when Sean realized they were all now staring at him, again, and Viggo was standing there expectantly. Oh god no. I don't do that sort of thing. "Haven't you had enough healing?"
"C'mon, Sean, we've all done it!" Orlando urged. "Don't be the only hold out!"
Sean started to panic. This was a room full of people. One thing to have an arm around your mate, but kissing him in front of everyone? No, no that wouldn't do. "It doesn't seem like a good idea, this," Sean protested. "I don't want your eye to get infected because of some silly game."
Viggo smirked at him. "It's not a sucking chest wound, Sean. It's a shiner. Get up and plant one on me, will you?"
Fuck. He couldn't think of anything to counter that, and everyone else had done, and something in Viggo's eyes was making him fight against his usual stubbornness. Fuck fuck. He stood up and everyone cheered.
Orlando suddenly threw money on the table. "Five says he uses tongue."
"Orlando!!" Liv exclaimed, but Dom and Billy were already reaching for their wallets.
"You all are disgusting, you know that," Sean groaned.
"It's a bit of a hobby," Dom agreed. "Now kiss him already so we can get back to drinking."
Sean looked at Viggo, at that one pale blue eye shining brightly at him, the other peeking from beneath the veiled lid, and the slightly sinister half-smile playing about his lips. "Are you sure about this?" Sean asked, inanely, suddenly acutely aware of Viggo's breath floating across his cheek, and the heat building between them from the close proximity of their bodies.
Viggo's only response was to lean forward, lashes fluttering closed.
Sean swallowed hard, aware of all the eyes upon him, and suddenly aware of how full Viggo's bottom lip was, and how he'd never seen Viggo from this close before. His fists clenching tightly, he leaned forward and brushed the lightest of kisses to Viggo's damaged skin, and then pulled back as quickly as possible, amidst catcalls and teasing from everyone at the table.
Viggo opened his eyes again and his smile was almost coy. "That wasn't so bad, now was it?"
And Sean for a moment forget everyone else. "No, it weren't so bad," he agreed. "Not so bad at all."
~~tbc