All in all, Sean decided, things could be much worse. He knew, even if he didn't like to admit it, that Viggo and his relationship wasn't perfect. But he wasn't going to be the one that added to the problems. He had been good lately. Viggo was pleased with him, the darkhaired man has said so himself. There had been one incident though, but Sean made sure not to think about it. A small smile touched his face as he reached out for the sword placed next to him. Even the practicing sessions with Bob were nothing but a pleasure. The sinewy, old man worked them all to exhaustion, but Sean had never learned just so much from any mentor before. And he enjoyed the physical aspects of it, especially the sparring.
But so far the day was sunny and bright, and he was early. Preferring to wait for the others outside, he had found a nice, sunfilled spot against the sturdy wall. Closing his eyes, Sean leaned back. The sound of footsteps made him open his eyes again after a few seconds. Unceremoniously a tall, lanky figure dropped down next to him.
"Hi!"
Only Orlando was this perky this early in the morning. "Hey," Sean replied. "What are you doing here?"
"Yeah, I'm happy to see you too. I'm just taking a walk. Weather's nice."
"It sure is," Sean agreed. "I wonder if Bob will let us work outside today." Reaching to push his sword out of the way, he didn't notice that the sleeve of his sweatshirt had fallen back. The touch of Orli's hand on his arm made him realise what the younger man had seen. He tried to pull the sweather back down, but Orli stopped him. His hand was gently moved away, letting the darkhaired man examine his wrist and arm.
"Hold on, Sean, let me see..." Orli pushed the sleeve further up.
A minute ago the air had been filled with a cacophony of birds sining. Now Sean could have sworn every single one of them were quiet. He didn't have to look to see what it was that had made Orli so silent. The bruises had started to fade, but they were still sharply standing out against his usually light skin. And as Orli tryingly covered one of them with his hand, measuring shapes into fingers, he knew the brunet knew what had caused them as well.
"Sean? What the hell is this?" Orli's voice was uncommonly serious. "How did you get these?"
Without saying anything Sean pulled his arm out of Orlando's hold, covering himself back up with the sweather.
"Nothing," he finally replied, looking away from Orli's questioning stare. "Doesn't matter, anyway." The attempt to get to his feet was stopped by the other dragging him back down.
"You're not leaving before you give me a decent answer, Sean!" The brunet's usually cheerful face had lost all its playfullness. "Who made those marks on your arm? They were fingermarks, you didn't get them by accident!"
Orli was too shocked and too angry to notice the change in the blond man in front of him. Sean refused to meet his eyes, his face becoming pale. The hands in Orli's hands were shaking. And then realisation dawned on Orlando, the answer so simple that he wondered how he could have missed it.
"Viggo." His voice was dead calm. "Viggo did this."
Green eyes whipped up to meet his, the look of naked fear in them made Orli flinch.
"It's true, isn't it?" Orli's voice had gone softer now, even when the anger was scorching its way through him. "You can't lie to me, Sean. Not to me." When Sean didn't say anything, Orli ventured further. "Why did he do this? I don't think this was the first time either...some of the bruises were older." Keeping Sean's gaze locked with his, he squeezed the cold hands. "Sean?"
"It's nothing..." Orlando had to strain to hear the murmured words. "Viggo... He sometimes... Sometimes I make him angry."
Anger was followed by blue-white ice inside of Orli. He wanted to reach out and hug the older man to him, but by the way Sean was trying to free his hands from his hold, that was probably not a good idea. He fell quiet, attempting the best he could to figure out how to handle it all. The sound of several new voices made him tense.
Both Orli and Sean looked up to find Billy, Dominick, Elijah and Viggo coming their way. Viggo immediately spotted the two of them, his handsome features drawing into a frown.
Rage was climbing to new, dangerous proportions in Orlando. He let go of Sean's hands, ignoring the desperate sound of his name. Glaring at Viggo he stalked closer to the older brunet. Billy, Dom and Lij had stopped as well, unsure of what was happening.
"You sick, fucking bastard!" Then Orli threw himself at Viggo, knocking them both to the ground.
For a second Billy was frozen to the ground. Then he grabbed hold of Dom who was staring at the fighting two with a horrified look. "Go get Ian, Dominick," Billy steered the younger man away. "Take 'Lijah with you." Grey eyes met his.
"But Billy..."
"Now!" Billy pushed him away with more force. "Hurry, Dom. I'll try and get them to stop, but I am going to need Ian." Still looking unsure, Dom took hold of Elijah's hand, dragging the darkhaired actor with him. Billy watched them leave, then spun around to Viggo and Orlando.
Even with the added adrenaline rush to his strength it was becoming painfully clear that Orli was no match for the larger man. Viggo was straddling him, lifting the other man up by the front of his shirt. The longhaired man had a bruise just under his left eye, and a small trickle of blood coming from the corner of his mouth.
"What the fuck is your problem, Orlando? And where the hell do you get off touching my man like that?" Viggo tightened his hold on Orli's shirt with one hand, raising the other. "Don't you ever touch my property again!" He slammed his fist into the other's face, then pushed Orli to the ground. Wiping the blood of his chin, Viggo got up. Sneering at the crumpled heap at his feet, he delievered a vicious kick to Orli's stomach, causing the man on the ground to double up in pain. "Pathetic, little brat..."
"Stop it, Viggo. You leave him alone!"
Ian's voice made Viggo look up with a smile. "Stop? Or you're going to do what, Ian? Hurt my feelings?"
"I am going to do something a hell of a lot worse if you touch him again." Ian took a step closer. "Get away from him."
Holding his hands up, Viggo kept smiling. Then he stepped back. "Didn't know you were adding Orli to your list of little playfriends... But by all means, he's all yours." Viggo took another step back, letting Ian move in between Orlando and him.
Billy was sitting next to Orlando, scooping the younger man into his lap. "You ok?" he carefully asked.
Orli groaned, raising a weary hand to the black eye forming. "Oh yeah...just peachy..."
"Jesus," Billy muttered, taking in the bloody and bruised features of his friend. "We have to get you to a doctor, Orli."
"No!" Orli crawled out of Billy's hold, and pushed himself to his feet. Staggering, he managed to keep himself upright. "No doctors. I'm fine."
Billy moved closer just in case. Ian was still staring at Viggo who was staring right back. The Scot saw from Orli, to Ian, to Viggo and then back again.
"Would you guys knock it off?!" In an instant he had the attention of all three. "I can't believe you! Orli," Billy pointed at the closest. "Quit the idiotic macho act and admit you're hurt! Ian, help me with Macho Man over here instead of some stupid staring contest with Viggo, I swear you're both behaving like five year-olds! And Viggo..." Billy had to look up at the much taller man. "You get over yourself. And for God's sake, see a therapist. A psychiatrist. Anyone with access to medication, 'cause you sure as hell need it!"
Viggo gave a helpless chuckle. "Well, look at the Mighty Mouse!"
Ian was now looking around them, alarm slowly growing on his face. "Sean's not here anymore."
The words made Viggo stop, and turn his way.
"Oh I know where he is. He won't run away from me. My angel knows what's good for him." He paused. "By the way, Orli..." Blue eyes were lightening up in a pleased smile. "You better get someone to look at that face of yours...looks mighty painful to me." Giving them a wave, Viggo was leaving. "Later, girls."
The silence was broken by Orlando asking: "Is he gone?"
"Yes."
"Good. Then I can pass out." His eyes rolled back in his head as Orli started to fall, both Ian and Billy rushing to his side.
The bleeding had stopped by itself. Using his sleeve of his T-shirt, Viggo rubbed the last traces away, then raised his hand to gently feel the bruise on the side of his face. It didn't feel too bad. At least Orlando was going to feel three times as bad, the thought made Viggo smile. The skinny kid actually thought he could take him, which was funny just in itself. Whistling quietly, he ran up the stairs to his house, noting with satisfaction that the door was already open.
"Sweetheart?" he softly called. "Precious, come here."
"I am here."
Viggo smiled at the sight of Sean. "Good! That's good..." Running a hand through his hair, he waved the smaller man over to him. "There is something I need to ask you, Sean. Just a little thing..." Turning, he grabbed hold of Sean's shoulders, slamming the other man up against the wall. "Just what the hell do you think you were doing with Orlando?!"
"I didn't mean for him to see the marks, Viggo, it was an accident." Sean's voice was low, guarded. "I really didn't mean for him to see." He didn't care if he was begging. "I didn't tell him, he guessed it was you..." The powerful slap of Viggo's hand over his face made him quiet.
"Shut up. Don't you think I know what's going on here?" Viggo's voice was cold. Turning his back to Sean, he continued. "I don't know why I bother anymore... You disappoint me, Shawn. I really thought you'd be different. But you're just another worthless, little slut."
"I'm not." The small answer, following a moment of stunned silence, had Viggo smiling in secrecy.
"Oh you're not, are you? Well, it's too late... I'm getting tired of this..." He made a dramatic pause, before finishing. "Tired of you."
"You're leaving me?" The underlining of desperacy almost made Viggo laugh. Oh yes, he had his pretty, blond angel right where he wanted him. Waiting just a little longer, Viggo then turned again.
"Yeah. Unless..."
Sean hadn't moved, but his eyes never left Viggo's face. "Unless...?"
"Unless you make it up to me. Show me why I shouldn't leave you."
"I will. I'll do anything. Anything you want me to..."
"Hush, pretty..." Viggo was close enough to place a finger over Sean's lips. "I know you will. You'll do absolutely anything to keep me here with you, won't you? To make sure I won't leave you..." Replacing his finger with a brief kiss, he whispered: "Kneel for me, precious."
Without a word, Sean did as he was told, keeping his head bowed.
"That's a good boy. Look at me." He didn't miss Sean's hands, curled into fists where they were resting on his thighs. "You are going to do something for me."
Slowly Sean lifted his head. It surprised him a little that he wasn't afraid anymore. There was just a certainty in him that he would do whatever needed to keep Viggo with him. The thought of being without him scared him more than anything else. But still, the sight of the slender, shiny dagger in the taller man's hand sent a shiver slithering through his body.
Viggo was admiring the small weapon. "Beautiful, isn't it? I had it made specially for us. I wanted it to remind me of you... Frail and beautiful, strong yet easy to break." A thoughtful fingertip ran down the blade.
"Take it."
Sean's hand was shaking so bad he nearly dropped the knife. Clutching it in his hand, he kept watching Viggo, waiting for the next order. Confused, he saw Viggo reaching out his hand, palm up.
"Cut me."
Drawing back, as if struck, Sean shook his head. "I can't... I can't do that, Viggo... I can't hurt you..."
"Don't disobey me, dearest. You know what happens when you disobey me."
Meeting Viggo's blue eyes for a long second, Sean hesitantly took Viggo's hand in his. Biting his teeth together, tears sharpening the shine in the emerald green eyes, he lifted the dagger and cut. The blade ate into Viggo's palm, dividing the skin in a neat, straight line. Deep red blood welled up, making Sean drop the knife.
Viggo didn't say anything nor show any sign of pain. Studying the blood pooling in his hand, he flexed his fingers, causing some of it to spill. "Taste it."
Reality seemed somewhat distant inside this twisted scenario. So Sean took hold of Viggo's outstretched hand with both his, leaning over it like if it was some kind of pagan offering. Touching his lips to Viggo's warm, wet skin, he licked the blood away. The tangent, metallic taste was cold even if the blood was as warm as himself. Running his tongue along the clean edges of the cut he heard Viggo give a faint moan. Shyly Sean lifted his head again. Tasting the other's blood felt forbidden, yet intimate, and strangely arousing.
The darker man guided him to his feet. Bending to pick up the knife, he quickly cut a similar mark inside Sean's hand. Keeping eyecontact he licked the blood from Sean's hand. The overwhelming, and unexpected, erotic feel almost made the blond sway on his feet, being gathered into Viggo's strong embrace.
Curling up to him, Sean let Viggo take his hand and place it against his larger hand, palm against palm, blood against blood.
"Nothing can seperate us now, Sean. I'll always be inside of you, and you will always be inside of me. We're bound together, you and me." He sealed his promise with a deep, demanding kiss.
"Forever."