FIC: Goblins and Kisses

[ranmaru.livejournal.com]

Completely forgot to post this earlier. Stayed a day longer in NH so I didn't get back until yesterday afternoon. Still haven't caught up on sleep and I think my butt is still asleep from driving for seven hours... But enough of that! This fic is another old old old one. It's a how-they-got-together fic in NZ during filming. Three more old fics left!

Title:  Goblins and Kisses
Author:  ranmaru
Rating:  PG
Summary:  Viggo really sucks at playing quarters. (If you don't know, you play quarters by trying to bounce a quarter into a glass, pitcher, whatever and if you miss you have to take a drink - a big drink. If you get it in, everyone else has to drink. At least that's the way we played it way back when...)
Disclaimer:  Don't know, don't own, just playing.

Viggo took a deep breath and let it out slowly, looking down at his hands as they dangled between his knees. The cushion he was seated on was old and flat and his ass had fallen asleep a few minutes earlier. His legs were going to follow soon. He had the fleeting thought that moving, any movement at all, would be good, but then the pounding behind his eyes would start again and that was definitely BAD. Yes, very bad, and very stupid, something like the idea he’d had the previous night when he’d joined Orlando and the Hobbits for “a few drinks” at The Farthest.

 

Nice pub, great atmosphere, he’d felt comfortable in a way he never had at the clubs he’d frequented with Exene in their wilder days. It was a place to smoke a pipe, drink a pint and talk about the life that could have been with strangers that were more like the friends your real friends should have been.

 

He’d found himself crammed into the corner of a scarred wooden booth that looked like it belonged in the Inn of the Prancing Pony, Orlando nearly in his lap, Billy across from him. Not a bad place to be really, if you liked soft cotton over hard flesh that smelled like vanilla incense and latex. Viggo did, and something about that just wasn’t right but who was the Dane to argue when Orlando was smiling like it was his birthday and Billy was rattling off some joke about a farmer’s wife and a sheep? Or was it a goat?

 

Viggo groaned and hoped it sounded less pathetic than it felt.

 

So the drinks had started. Six rounds each since everyone was buying. Viggo had wondered if he’d be stuck playing the adult, staying sober enough to watch out for the others, making sure everyone got home safely. Maybe it was the dad in him that had kept him from drinking so quickly, unlike the others who’d begun a game of quarters.

 

Why had he joined in again?

 

He was sure it had something to do with the really smooth beer and a blinding smile. Or maybe it was the coaxing hand on his arm. Whatever the reason, reason had disappeared - neatly and without a whimper. He’d taken a deep breath and let the quarter bounce.

 

Badly.

 

Numerous times.

 

You’d have thought he’d never played the game before. Hell, he’d been playing quarters before Elijah had been born for Christ’s sake and he’d lost so badly he couldn’t remember getting home.

 

Except he wasn’t home, was he? No, he was sitting on Orlando’s couch, nursing a weak stomach, a hell of a hangover and listening to the soft breathing of the boy curled up on the other end.

 

At least neither one of them was naked.

 

Maybe that was bad, maybe that was good. Viggo’s brain decided thinking was not the best way to go this morning and shut down.

 

His hands were numb.

 

Like his ass.

 

Like he was.

 

Fuck.

 

“Stop thinking.”

 

Viggo blinked at the roar in his ears, belatedly wondering when Orlando had purchased a bull horn. “Shh.”

 

The boy’s snicker was evil evil evil. “You suck at quarters, old man.”

 

“Obviously.” Viggo had the feeling the Brit wasn’t feeling the effects of the previous night. And wasn’t that fucking annoying?

 

“If you want to use the shower, I’ll make coffee.”

 

Viggo didn’t bother watching Orlando rise, he already knew it would be elegant and leisurely and sexy as hell. He was too busy holding down the fort as the couch shifted. Hell, if he got sick he was quitting the movie, becoming a Buddhist and hiding in some temple in the clouds. He’d never have to face Orlando again because he’d change his name to something unpronounceable and no one would ever be able to find him.

 

When he was reasonably sure he could move without tossing the proverbial cookies, he cautiously made his way to the bathroom. He avoided the mirror, knowing he’d be disgusted with what he saw and hoped the shower would make some kind of improvement.

 

It would be even better if he had clean clothes to change into.

 

Viggo left his clothes lying on the floor and turned on the taps. He didn’t bother his usual finicky water temp adjustment, wanting only the warm steam and hot water to wash away his headache. He stepped under the spray and let the water hit him directly in the face for a few seconds before turning around and hanging his head, the muscles in his neck screaming at him but Christ it felt good. He rubbed his hands over his face and opened his eyes.

 

Orlando used flower-scented shampoo.

 

What the hell did he need shampoo for anyways? He had a Mohawk. Viggo thought back to his role in GI Jane. He hadn’t had enough hair to make shampoo necessary, just a quick scrub with regular soap had done the job and Orlando had less hair than he had back then.

 

Maybe it wasn’t Orlando’s.

 

The thought gave Viggo pause and he stared down at the pink gel in his hand. It landed with a soft splat on the floor. Soap worked just as well.

 

“Hey Vig?”

 

Viggo grimaced as he dropped the cake of soap on the floor, the sound resounding like a shot in his head. Did Orlando have a habit of walking into the bathroom when someone was taking a shower or was Viggo special?

 

“I found some sweats you can wear.”

 

“Thanks.” Viggo waited until the door clicked shut before picking up the soap.

 

The sweatpants were a little small but not uncomfortable. The t-shirt was actually too big and simply said “Guinness” in black lettering across the front. He padded out of the steam-filled bathroom in bare feet, his wet hair dripping down his collar, despite the towel dry he’d given the shoulder-length mess. Maybe he should consider shaving his head like Orlando. It would make the wig a hell of a lot easier to wear.

 

Orlando was sitting at the kitchen table, one leg drawn up in the chair, a glass of milk in one hand, a script in the other. He looked up and smiled when Viggo came into the room. The older man wished he had his paints.

 

“Coffee’s not done yet. Had a hell of a time finding the filters. I think Liv used the machine last.”

 

Liv Tyler. Viggo found it easy to grin around his headache. It must have been Liv’s shampoo in the shower. Liv with a fiancée. Liv who thought of Orlando like a little brother. Viggo wanted to kiss Liv.

 

“Feeling better?”

 

“The orcs in my head have calmed considerably.”

 

“Is there such a thing as a calm orc?” Viggo liked the way the boy tilted his head like that.

 

“Bad analogy. Maybe, the goblins have gone into hiding?”

 

The Brit nodded. “I promise not to drop any armor and bring them back.”

 

“I’d appreciate that.” Viggo sat across from his friend who put down his script. “So…my memory of last night is pretty fuzzy.”

 

Orlando laughed. “I should think so.”

 

“That bad?”

 

“That much. Even Billy was impressed and he’s seen a lot of drinking.”

 

Viggo sighed. “I didn’t do anything…somewhat illegal, did I?” Flashes of his teenage years made him wince. Was streaking illegal in New Zealand?

 

“No, why?”

 

“Stop grinning and tell me what happened.”

 

Orlando snorted. “Nothing. You drank a lot, we all drank a lot, we stumbled into a cab and we slept it off on my couch.”

 

“Good.”

 

“Oh, and you kissed me.”

 

Viggo froze.

 

“Kind of unexpected, but I liked it.”

 

And what was there to say to that? “Okay.”

 

“Coffee’s done.”

 

“Right.”

 

“Viggo, it’s cool.”

 

Oh, well, that makes it all better then. Viggo licked his lips and stared very hard at the plain white tabletop. “Orlando-“

 

“For the record, it’s Orli, and stop freaking, man. It was a kiss. A really great kiss, and maybe we can do it again sometime, but you need to just breathe, first, okay?”

 

Maybe breathing was easy for someone like Orlando, Orli, but for Viggo, it seemed impossible. So he just sat there, not breathing, and waited for the punchline. He took a breath when his lungs overrode his brain. The kitchen was silent except for his uneven breaths. No punchline.

 

Viggo wished the tabletop wasn’t white. He liked natural wood.

 

“How do you like your coffee?” The scrape of Orlando’s chair as he got up was deafening. It seemed the goblins had been re-awakened. Or maybe that was just his heart. It hurt as it pumped blood, he could hear it in his ears. Feel it in the tips of his fingers.

 

“Black.”

 

“Gross. Give me a little coffee with my cream and sugar any day.”

 

A blue mug was set in front of him and Viggo studied the ugly hand-painted daisy thinking that he should take up ceramic painting, if only to improve the character of Orlan- Orli’s mug collection. Did he even have a collection? Who didn’t have some kind of mug collection? Mugs were the new get well/sympathy/congratulations/good luck gift. Flowers were a thing of the past. Unless they came in a mug-vase.

 

“You’ve officially begun to freak me out. Aren’t you too old for shit like this?”

 

“Too old for you,” Viggo muttered, glaring at that atrocious daisy.

 

“Jesus, break out the walking canes, the aged have arrived.”

 

Viggo didn’t bother to look around. He could feel Orli standing close behind him. “I was drunk, it shouldn’t have happened.”

 

“Uh huh. And those looks you give me? Even when the camera’s running? Have you seen the dailies lately? Have you been drinking on the set?”

 

“Orli-“

 

“I like you Viggo. I hadn’t much considered anything beyond that since we’re both guys and all, but that kiss…it was good. It was really fucking good, and I plan on doing it again. Soon. Like within the hour. So deal with your age issues, drink your coffee, and get over it.”

 

Viggo blinked a few times, swallowed once, and sniggered. He would have almost called it a giggle, except guys weren’t supposed to giggle. Especially guys his age. Then again, guys his age shouldn’t be kissing boys Orlando’s age. Okay, so he giggled. Maybe he was hysterical. The situation was anyway.

 

“Within the hour?”

 

“Starting fifty-nine minutes ago.”

 

Viggo leaned his head back and looked at Orlando upside down. His stomach didn’t approve but he told it to shut up. This was important. “We’d better hurry up then.”

 

Orli smiled as he bent down, hands gently resting on Viggo’s cheeks. The kiss was awkward and over too soon but that was okay. Viggo was pretty sure it was early morning and that left the rest of the day, and Sunday to get it right.

 

The goblins retreated.

 

 

The End

Comments

[ranmaru.livejournal.com]

There are new ones, but I think I'll post the LoTR ones first. Not to mention the WIPs that I've been trying to finish. No need to be sad!!

[eenoogje.livejournal.com]

*happy sigh*

me too, I love it when Orlando is taking control and is not pictured girly even if he has flower-scented shampoo ;-)

[ranmaru.livejournal.com]

I don't like a girly-OB. Not toally girly anyways! Ha ha!

[nad-no-ennas.livejournal.com]

I have enjoyed these so much and will be really sorry when you run out of Viggorlis, especially getting-together ones. Keep writing!

[ranmaru.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I don't have any more finished getting-together fics for them. Never fear, there are more VigOrli fics...just not so many of the old ones. Of course, all it takes is me watching one of LoTR movies and I start thinking of NZ fics instead of focusing on The Now. ^_^

[invisible-dream.livejournal.com]

*le sigh*

[ranmaru.livejournal.com]

*giggle*

[ireth06.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah....I love these little fics! Old, new, wips, I think they're all good!

Thanks for sharing, hugs and kisses!!!

[ranmaru.livejournal.com]

You're sweet! Thank you! There are more coming, some of the new ones are phone conversations between the two. Oh, and some angst. Some major angst before the happy returns...

[ireth06.livejournal.com]

hhhmmm, I love me some angst with my morning coffee!
Thanks!

[sitaray.livejournal.com]

aww...I love it when Orli is the confident one! It's so sexy!

[ranmaru.livejournal.com]

Mmmmmhhmmmmmmm! ^_^

[willowwing.livejournal.com]

“Within the hour?”

“Starting fifty-nine minutes ago.”

*claps* Love the banter.

[ranmaru.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[tularia.livejournal.com]

I love Orlando when he's the enlightened one. I love these little snippets! They're the perfect length for speed and enjoyability!

[ranmaru.livejournal.com]

I think most of these were written at work and that's why they're a bit short. Ha ha! But if it works, I'm happy!