The small waiting room was quiet, the only other person in there was a young mother with a baby in her arms. She seemed to have enough dealing with her own problems to notice them, which Billy was grateful for. Someone recognizing them would cause too much trouble right now. At least when it came to Ian and himself. An unpleasant feeling entered the young Scot as he thought about Orlando. The younger man had been in with the physician for a long time now. Just how long Billy didn't know, but it felt very, very long.
By the time they had arrived at the small hospital Orli's eye had swollen almost completely shut. The rest of his face, including a split lip, was covered in vivid bruises and scrapes. For the rest of him, Billy wasn't sure. He didn't think it was a too good sign that it was taking so long though.
"How long has he been in there?" he whispered to Ian who was seated next to him. The baby made a soft sound, nearly making Billy jump right out of his chair.
Ian checked his watch. "About half an hour or so." Looking over at Billy, he placed his arm around the younger man. "Don't worry, Bill. Orli's tough. He's going to be fine." With a sigh Billy leaned his head to Ian's shoulder.
"I hope so, Ian. But... I can't help worrying for Sean as well," he added in a small voice.
The older man hugged him closer. "There's nothing we can do about that right now, Billy. Sean doesn't want our help. I'm afraid this will even bind him further to Viggo. I don't think this is going to end without one of them getting seriously hurt."
"Or ends up dead." Billy's word seemed caught in the air like a bad omen.
Before Ian could come up with an answer, the door to the examination room opened. Orlando gingerly made his way back out. His face was cleaned and bandaged, but the markings were still all too clear. At the sight of the shocked faces of Ian and Billy, Orli attempted a smile.
"I know, I know... I am not at my prettiest right now."
Ian had gotten to his feet. The sight of the younger man's injuries didn't scare him as much as the haunted look in the darkhaired man's eyes.
"You'll be back to your normal, gorgeous self in no time, Orli," he comforted the other. "What did the doctor say?"
"Nothing serious," Orli answered, leaning heavily to Ian's offered arm. "My face should heal just fine, and I have a couple of bruised ribs. That's all."
Billy had to smile. "Yeah. Nothing to it."
"Let's go home, children." Ian was mildly urging them towards the exit. "You're staying with me tonight, Orlando. I don't think you should be alone."
He got a grateful look in return. "Thanks," Orli whispered. He let Ian help him into the car, then the older man got in after him.
Seeing them well placed in the backseat, Billy slid in behind the wheel. Meeting Ian's eyes in the rearview mirror, he carefully asked: "What are we going to say to Dom and Lij?"
Orli had curled up in his seat and closed his eyes. He was still keeping close to Ian, the other man having placed a protective arm around him.
"I think you're going to have to tell Dominick the truth," Ian quietly replied. "I'm not sure what to do with Elijah though."
Turning the car out of the parking lot, Billy thought for a while. "I'll just tell him that Viggo and Orli had a fight, but it's over and done with now. He won't ask what it was about. Lij's ok like that. He is not going to push it. Dom on the other hand is going to be furious that I didn't tell him sooner."
"Most likely. But he'll get over it. You were just trying to protect him."
"Precisely. He hates that. Says I'm treating him like a little kid..." Billy sighed again. "I don't know, Ian. I thought I was over the whole age difference issue. Maybe I'm not, after all."
"Billy." Ian's voice was calm and determined. "Listen to the voice of experience here. It will only come between you if you let it. Dom loves you. You love him. Things are going to be alright." Ian was gently stroking Orlando's dark hair now. "Besides, I think your Dominick is a lot stronger than you give him credit for."
"Maybe he is, Ian. Maybe we all are."
They were still in the livingroom. Neither one of them had moved or spoken since Viggo's last words. Sean hardly felt the faint drip of blood from the cut in his palm anymore. His arms were hooked around the taller man's neck, and Viggo's arm were around him as well. They were standing so close together that they were almost one being, melting together to one mind, one soul. The eerie silence settling over the house, made it seem like the world had stopped outside.
Then they both lifted their heads to look into one another's eyes. Not a single word was spoken as their lips first met, in a final melting together.
"Forever," Viggo whispered, brushing warm lips over Sean's, licking at the corner of his mouth.
"Forever," Sean echoed the word, opening his lips to Viggo.
After a long, slow kiss Sean rested his head on Viggo's broad shoulder. "Were you really going to leave me?" As much as he feared the reply, he was more afraid of not knowing. He was prepared to do anything within his power to keep them together. Whatever it was going to take.
"What?" Viggo absentmindly replied. "Don't you think about that, sweetie, I'm not going anywhere."
"But you said..." Sean carefully pressed. His arms tightened around Viggo's chest, afraid to let go. He felt a gentle kiss on top of his blonde hair.
"I said I am not going anywhere, Sean. And if I am, you're coming with me." Leaning a little back, Viggo cupped Sean's face in his hands. "We're going to be together forever, you and me."
"Promise?"
"Yeah, I promise."
"I can't do this, Billy!" Orli was giving the shorter man his best puppy dog-look. "Please! I look like a freak, and everybody is going to be asking me what happened..."
Billy was not unsympathetic. "Come on, Orli," he coaxed. "You have to face them some time. I am going to be right here with you all the time. Dominick too. Isn't that right, Dom?"
"Absolutely!" Dom appeared on the other side of Orlando. He sent Billy a quick smile. The night before the two of them had sat down for a long talk. Then they had had a fight before, as Billy was now recalling with a cheeky smile; they had ended up in bed. Happy that there was nothing threatening Dom and his relationship any longer, he was ready to focus his attention one hundred percents on Sean and Viggo. And Orli.
The latter was now staring at him. "Oh no, I know that look. You're worse than Astin getting into super-mother hen-mode. I'm very happy that you and Dom kissed and made up, but I don't need your help!"
"Yes, you do."
"Just humour him," Dom whispered in Orli's ear. "And don't worry, I'll make sure he is too occupied to follow you around."
Seeing the conspiratory look Orlando had to laugh. "I'll hold you to that, Dommie."
"What?" Billy was curiosly watching them.
"Nothing." Orli smiled innocently at him. "Let's go."
The bar wasn't as crowded as usual at this time of the afternoon. Quickly looking around, Billy found Sean and Viggo at a table in the back. Sean saw him first, directing Viggo's attention towards them with a hand on the darker man's arm.
The blueeyed man looked up, a grin spreading across his face. Then he got up, Sean following close behind.
"Well, well... Look who's back."
Dom was moving in to shield Orli when Billy stopped him. "Don't," the Scot quietly explained. "Orli needs to do this. He has to face him."
"Viggo." Orlando's voice was calm and even, not giving away how nervous he really felt.
"I have to say, you're braver than I thought you'd be." Viggo was studying him, arms crossed over his chest. "Anyways, I do hope you have learnt your lesson now. I'd hate to have to tell you twice. You boys have a nice night." Brushing past them, he headed for the exit. Sean hesitated a little passing Orli. Meeting the darker man's eyes, he hurried to say: "I'm sorry, Orli. For everything." Then he was gone.
Dom and Billy exchanged looks. Orlando relaxed, letting out a shivering breath. "Sheesh, that was weird." He shook his head. "But I'm glad it's over. Come on, let's get a table. I need a beer."
"Sure." Dominick was leading them to the table that Sean and Viggo had left minutes earlier. "Ian promised to be here later. I think Lij and some of the others are coming as well."
"Great," Orli groaned. "I think I'll just go hibernate in my house until I look normal again, or the world does."
Dominick leaned over the table to pat Orli's hand. "Poor Orli. Just remember, you'll look normal, but..." He gave a delighted chuckle as Orlando stuck his tongue out at him.
"Watch it, hobbit. Or I'll cut those pretty curls right of your head when you're not looking. Or off your feet."
The Brit scooted closer to Billy. "Did you hear that, Billy? Orli's being mean to me." Pouting prettily he climbed in behind Billy. Hugging the smaller man closer, he rested his chin on Billy's shoulder. "Mean, mean, mean!"
"And you're crazy." Orli toasted him with a bottle of beer. "But so is Billy too. You two make a grand pair."
Dom smiled. "That's right. We do."
"Bound together by love and mental illness," Billy commented. "Yes, that's romantic."
"We're all crazy," Orli decided. "Some more than others, but in the end we're all mental cases. And some are better at hiding it than others too." Taking a long swallow of his beer, he dryly added: "Take Viggo for instance... I'll bet you anything that Sean isn't his first obsession. Oh no, he is far too good at it for it to be the first time."
The serious tone had made both Billy and Dom sober up as well. "I know all that, Orli," Billy replied. He folded his hands over Dom's. "But I don't know what more to do. Except tell Peter, and I don't think that's going to do any good either. Sean will deny everything. And if we do get Viggo kicked off this film, we'll lose our Boromir as well. I for one would like them here where I can keep an eye on them."
"Keep an eye on them?" Now there was a certain sarcasm to the younger man's voice. "What good is that when we can't do anything? I saw the bruises on Sean's arm, hell I even got firsthand experience myself. Viggo's not playing around."
"Gee." Billy's tone more than matched the sarcasm. "That's what I thought he was doing. Don't forget, Orli, up until yesterday you couldn't be more happy that Sean and Viggo were together. Ian and me have known for a long time."
"And you've managed to do so much about it too."
"Don't fight." Dom's voice broke in, making them look away from each other.
"Sorry," Orlando muttered.
"I'm sorry too, babe," Billy replied, taking Dominick's hands in his. "We'll talk about something else, ok?"
"Might be a good idea," a fourth voice broke in, making then all jump. "Unless you want the whole bar to hear what you're talking about." Ian took a seat next to Orlando. "How are you holding up, Orli?"
"I'm fine."
Ian immediately turned to Orlando. "Are you ok, Orli? Did he do anything?"
Orlando was looking at his hands on the table. "No."
"Orli?"
The simple mention of his name proved to be enough for the young actor. Turning to them with blazing eyes, he snapped: "Why can't you all just leave me alone? I saw I was fine! I don't need all of you mothering me like this!"
The table was lounged into a heavy silence after Orli's outburst. Ian didn't say anything, just kept watching the darkhaired man. Then he looked up at Billy and Dominick.
"Would you two please excuse us for a moment? I need to talk to Orlando."
"Of course, Ian." Dom was untangling himself from Billy. Getting to his feet, he extended his hand to Billy who took it. "We're going to be at the bar."
Ian smiled at him. "Thanks." After they had left, he sat back in his chair. "You want to tell me what that was all about, Orlando?"
The man next to him drove both hands through his short hair. "I don't need this, Ian! I don't need Billy worrying for me, and I don't need you playing therapist. I just got in a fight, goddamn it!"
Ian didn't answer. Feeling some of the anger leave him, Orli sighed. "I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me. I just feel so damn frustrated, Ian. And I feel scared, and I hate that."
"That's natural. The rest of us, who has been exposed to Viggo's less sunny side, have all been there. He can be quite intimidating." He watched Orli raise a hand to wipe at his eyes, but didn't say anything. "It's probably not going to happen again, but it wouldn't hurt to be careful, Orli."
"Yeah..." A humourless smile quirked the end of Orli's mouth up. Rubbing his palms over his face, he drew a deep breath. "What I just can't understand, Ian... Is how Sean can do this? How can he stay with Viggo when he knows better than anyone of us what the man's like?"
"Because he loves him."
The answer nearly made Orli laugh. "You have to be kidding, Ian. You can't seriously be talking about love when it comes to the two of them?"
The older man nodded. "I even think Viggo loves Sean as well, in his own twisted, little way. It's perfectly possible to love someone that keeps hurting you, Orlando. In the end you start to believe that you deserve it, that it is your own fault."
Orlando was drawing circles on the table with a fingertip. "You think that's where Sean is now?"
"Yes."
Wiping the circles away with the flat of his hand, Orli studied the clean plate. "This is all going to hell, isn't it?"
Ian leaned back and took a sip of his drink. "Probably."