Priding himself on being a man who could appreciate beauty in all forms, Bernard watched Viggo and Sean. They were standing at the riverbed; the builders had gone from for the day, leaving Rivendell half finished around them. Oblivious to their silent spectator, Sean was leaning into Viggo, head on his shoulder and Viggo's arms tight around him. The very perfect picture of love and adoration as by the look on Sean's face. The look on Viggo's face was obscured by his dark hair, but Bernard could tell by the hold he had on the smaller man that Viggo felt deeply for him.
Steps over the gravel pathway made him look up. He smiled at the sight of Ian McKellen. Having met on numerous occasions, this was their first opportunity to get to know each other and a friendship quickly blossomed.
"Good evening, Ian," he greeted him.
"Good evening," Ian found a place for himself next to Bernard on the bench. He took a moment to study the build site.
"It's going to be beautiful when it's finished..."
"It certainly is. And it seems that we aren't the only two out for a night time stroll." He indicated the couple further down. "They do make for a pretty picture themselves, don't you think so, Ian?"
Bernard paused, noting that his friend had fallen quiet.
"Ian?"
"I see them."
All good humour gone from his voice and Bernard couldn't help but to wonder why. He didn't want to pry on any personal affairs, so he decided to leave it be.
"I have to say though," he said hesitantly. "That Viggo isn't very shy about showing his feelings for Sean."
"No, he enjoys flaunting them."
The venom in Ian's voice was unmistakable, making Bernard turn to him in surprise.
"What do you mean?"
Ian didn't answer at first. The way he looked at Viggo and Sean, or at Viggo as Bernard soon realised, was filled with hatred. An emotion that seemed out of place on the normally kind face.
"If you will excuse me, Bernard, I think I've taken as much of the view as I can stomach to." Ian got up. "I'm going to the bar. I'd be very happy if you'd want to join me for a glass?"
Still a bit shaken by Ian's obvious reaction to seeing Sean and Viggo, Bernard merely nodded.
"Sure. Of course I will."
Allowing himself a happy, little sigh, Sean snuggled deeper into Viggo's embrace. He had been stupid to let himself be so spooked the night before. Waking up safely ensconced in Viggo's arms, he knew it was there he belonged. Just like he knew it right now.
He trusted Viggo. Viggo would make sure Sean couldn't destroy this relationship like he had done all the others. Every relationship he had been in, had ended with someone walking away. Because of him. Because he couldn't be what they needed. Now Viggo; smart, talented, beautiful Viggo, had chosen him. And Viggo was going to see to that Sean didn't do what he usually did and mess things up. So Sean trusted him to show him what to do, to keep Viggo from walking out on him too. He wasn't stupid, although he figured a lot of people thought it so. Sean knew that what Viggo and he had wasn't always healthy. But it was what he needed.
"You're awfully quiet, pet," Viggo's voice broke through his line of thought. "I almost thought that you'd fallen asleep."
Sean smiled, shaking his head against Viggos shoulder.
"No, I'm not sleeping. I'm just very comfortable. I want to stay like this forever."
"I'd like that too." Viggo rested his cheek against Sean's soft hair. Raising one hand he folded it around Sean's neck, caressing the warm skin.
"I wouldn't want to be anywhere else."
Sensing the unspoken feelings in the simple statement, Viggo hugged him hard.
"I'm not letting you go, Sean."
He knew he had said the right thing as Sean all but melted into him, in complete trust and surrender
"Let's go home," Viggo whispered hotly into Sean's ear. "I want to do things to you."
Sean lifted his head so he could meet Viggo's eyes, a fine blush covering his cheeks.
"Dirty, depraved things," Viggo teased, smiling as Sean's blush deepened, as always. "You're so pretty all naked and flushed and ready for me...very pretty."
"I'm not."
Sean ducked his head.
"Hey." Viggo curled one finger under Sean's chin, making him raise his head again. "You really are. You're not saying that I'm a liar, are you, dearest?"
Green eyes widened.
"No! I'm not, I would never do that."
"Good." Viggo placed a sweet kiss on his forehead. "Then stop arguing with me, pet."
"I'm not..." Sean stopped himself, searching Viggo's face for signs that the other man was really annoyed or not. "I'm sorry."
"Let's go home." The air held a bit of a chill around them. "We can continue this discussion in bed if you want."
"I dont..." Sean shook his head again.
Viggo's hand slid down his back until he could slip his fingers underneath the waistband of Sean's jeans.
"There are better things for you to be thinking about."
"Really?" Blush still tickling his skin, Sean couldn't seem to shake his shyness at actually talking about what they did in the confines of their own house. "Like what?"
"Like whether or not I'll let you get to the bed before I take you. Maybe I'll just bend you over the kitchen counter, having you right there, my hand in your hair to keep you down while I fuck you." Viggo was quiet for a second, feeling Sean shiver in his arms. "Or on the veranda, in plain view of everyone so they all know that you're mine."
There was a pause as Viggo seemed to be thinking it over. Sean couldn't keep himself from brushing his lips very softly against the other man's throat. Leaning back he was half amused, half shocked over his own forwardness. This was something he didn't really dare to wherever someone could see them.
"No," Viggo mused, studying Sean with hooded eyes. "I'm going to have you on our bed after all. On your back, so I can see your face when I enter you. You know that your eyes are so incredibly green when I fuck you?"
Letting himself be kissed, willingly, Sean knew Viggo had more than felt the effect his words had had on him. He toyed with the collar of the taller mans coat and took a deep breath.
"Can we... I want to go home."
He felt more than heard Viggo's small chuckle.
"Of course, pet. Anything you want."