My weekly tally
This weeks count = 2198
Viggo and Orlando managed to sneak through LAX without raising too much, if any attention from their fellow travelers, which was probably a godsend. Viggo had packed for both of them but by the time Orlando had returned to his home, he had neither time to shower or change. His jeans were creased, the long sleeve black teeshirt he wore was creased beyond recognition. His hair stood on end at a million different angles, his skin pasty even under the light dusting of sparse stubble and his eyes blood shot and puffy. If it hadn’t been for Viggo’s prodding, Orlando would still have been standing watching the information screens as their plane had been leaving.
Pushing him into his seat on the plane Viggo stowed their bags in the overhead lockers and sat down beside him. Knocking Orlando’s fingers from the seat belt he was struggling to close, Viggo snapped the clasp closed and tightened the belt before he took one of Orlando’s hands in his own and brushed his thumb over the slight red marks on his knuckles. Looping his other hand under Orlando’s chin he turned his face up until he could look into Orlando’s eyes. Lifting one eyebrow in question Viggo questioned the younger man silently.
“What?” Orlando asked blankly, tilting his head defiantly.
“You didn’t have that this morning.” Viggo spoke softly, his thumb smoothing the skin gently.
“What do you want me to say? I cut myself shaving?” Orlando replied testily.
“If you’re shaving your knuckles I think there’s a bigger problem here than we both realized.” Viggo almost chuckled. “How is he?”
“split lip, contrite, asshole. He’ll live.” Orlando stumbled on the last word. Tears instantaneously springing to his eyes. “He’s lucky.”
“He’s not so lucky.” Viggo squeezed Orlando’s hand tightly with one hand as he offered him a stick of gum he’d extracted from his jeans pocket.
Orlando took the gum and pushed it into his mouth. “How do you figure that?”
“he hasn’t got you in his corner.” Viggo shrugged, letting his fingers trail over Orlando’s pulse point willing him to relax.
“You’re full of shit, King.” Orlando smiled weakly. “But thank you.”
“No thanks needed.” Viggo shrugged as he released his hold on Orlando’s hand and fastened his own seat belt. “You’re a good man to have on side, Orli, don’t you ever forget that.”
Orlando nodded and let his head fall back against the headrest as the plane began to taxi down the runway.
~*~*~*~*~*~
The closer they came to their final destination the more tense, nervy and withdrawn Orlando became. It appeared that Viggo had used the time Orlando had spent with Dom very creatively. At the airport it seemed almost as soon as they touched down he was whisking them both away and into a rental car. Slinging their bags into the trunk, their first stop was a small but comfortable motel where he had booked them two rooms. Unlocking the door of the first room, he pushed Orlando through the door and dropped both bags onto the bed. Grabbing his young friend by the shoulders he pushed him into the bathroom. Releasing him he turned the shower on, waiting until he had tested the water and steam began to fill the room.
“Shower, Orlando.” He spoke softly, his words startling Orlando enough that he visibly jumped.
“Can’t we just go to the set?” Orlando murmured, his fingers toying with the top button of his jeans.
“You reek man,” Viggo stated firmly, “A few more minutes won’t hurt.”
“I just want to get this over with, Vig.” Orlando sighed. “Can’t take much more. I need to make sure he gets home. So he can be at peace.”
“You will, Orlando. Trust me. Have I ever let you down before?” Viggo ran his fingers through Orlando’s hair in a fatherly gesture of support, his large hand pulling Orlando towards him and into a tight hug.
“No.” Orlando’s reply was muffled against Viggo’s shoulder as he slid his arms under Viggo’s and squeezed him tightly.
“Then humor me, shower, wash that manky hair of yours and freshen yourself up a bit. If what Sam told you is true, the next couple of days will probably be the hardest of your life, but if it’s not true you’ll thank me.” Viggo paused briefly tightening his hold on the slender man in his arms. “Now do I have to undress and bath you or can you handle that on your own.”
Orlando pulled out of his arms, the vague recollection of a smile on his sad face. “Thanks mom, I think I remember how.”
Viggo stepped from the bathroom and after a couple of minutes of rummaging through the bag he had packed for Orlando he laid jeans and a fresh shirt, scarf and sweater out on the bed, then slipped from the room his own bag over his shoulder.
He waited patiently outside the door, listening until the noises from within the room ceased before he knocked gently and stepped back inside to find Orlando fully clothed, his hair damp and finger combed, sitting on the end of one bed, his finger plucking idly at the scarf looped around his neck.
“Ready?” Viggo asked.
“No.” was Orlando’s choked reply, however, even as he spoke he nodded his head yes and stood, nervous energy expending itself as his fingers twisted in the scarf, his feet tapping relentlessly at the floor.
“Orli!” Viggo’s voice commanded him to look up and into his face. “Calm down. You’re not alone. I promise you this won’t end as badly as you think.”
“You can’t promise me that. You know you can’t.” Orlando looked at him petulantly.
Viggo leaned back against the edge of the desk, opening his arms to Orlando. “Come here.”
It didn’t take any further urging. Orlando melted into Viggo’s embrace, pushing his face into Viggo’s firm shoulder and wrapping his arms around his waist. Viggo closed his arms around Orlando, pulling him firmly against his body, willing as much of his hope and strength and courage onto the younger man as he could.
“You forget Orli, I’m the King.” He whispered against the damp curls under his lips.
~*~*~*~*~
Driving towards the remote filming location, Viggo watched Orlando closely. The closer they got to their destination, the tighter Orlando’s grip on his seat belt, his knuckles white with the ferocity of his hold. Glancing surreptitiously at his passenger, Viggo watched Orlando’s teeth gnashing at his lip as he lived in the memories in his head, his eyes not seeing the lush vegetation, sparkling winter snow melt as it rushed along the edge of the roadway.
“You’re going to need that lip later.” Viggo’s calming voice broke the eerie silence in the vehicle.
Orlando’s face snapped to look at Viggo quickly, startled by the sound of Viggo’s voice.
“Calm down, Orlando. Christ, you’re going to work yourself into heart failure before we even get there.” He reached across the gap between them and clasped Orlando’s denim covered knee.
Orlando shrugged silently, his gaze sliding back to stare sightlessly out the window.
“Why don’t you lay your seat back and try to get a few minutes rest?” Viggo suggested.
Orlando shook his head, his only concession to Viggo’s suggestion was to tilt his head towards the chilled glass window beside him.
“Orlando.” Viggo’s gruff tone the only significant indicator to his concern for Orlando’s emotional turmoil as he spoke. “You need to fucking get it together. I’m serious. Just for a little bit longer hold it together, Sam will need you. Billy will need you.”
“Stop it Vig. Just stop it. He’s dead, stop trying to make me feel better. He’s gone, it’s all just fucked.” Orlando yelled at him from the passenger seat.
Viggo pulled to the side of the road and turned the car off before he turned in his seat to give Orlando his full attention.
“Listen to me, Orlando.” Viggo spoke calmly, trying to make eye contact with the younger man. “He’s not dead until you see his body. Then you can grieve, but now, now it’s time for you to hope. He needs you to have faith in him.”
“Sam said that the locals say there isn’t any hope.” Orlando replied, his voice calmer.
“remember the sound editor from the Rings Second Unit, tall guy with dark blonde hair. He’s working on set. I’ve been swapping messages with him since you told me. It’s not as hopeless as they first thought.
“They’ve spoken to them?” Orlando’s eyes searched Viggo’s face quickly.
Viggo almost winced at the desperate hope in Orlando’s face. “No, but they think they have a GPS fix on them, and as soon as the weather.” He gestured higher into the mountains they were traveling into and the curtain of heavy, foreboding black clouds that shrouded them. “clears up, they’ll go to them. Until then it’s sit tight and wait.”
“And if I let myself hope for him to be alive, and he’s not? What happens then?” Orlando asked.
“What does your heart tell you?” Viggo asked with a slight grin.
“Viggo you sneaky bastard.” Orlando couldn’t help it, the corners of his lips turned up in the tiny beginnings of a smile. “Don’t use your Kingly mojo on me.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it Elfboy.” Viggo replied. “Are we good to go?”
“Yeah.” Orlando nodded on a deep sigh. “Forgive me?”
“For what?” Viggo raised an eyebrow at Orlando as he indicated his intention and turned back onto the road.
“I should know shouldn’t I?” Orlando questioned slowly.
“Know what?” Viggo glanced at him quickly.
“If he really is gone.” Orlando answered, his eyes watching the rapidly flowing water they were passing by “It doesn’t feel like I’ll never see him again, but I’m so frightened that we’ll get there and they will have found him. There will be photographers there and I’ll fall to fucking pieces and out him. I don’t give a fuck about what they say about me but I’ll be damned if I’m going to do that to him. And I don’t even want to think about even the fact that he’ll be gone. Forever.”
Viggo watched Orlando’s long fingers plucking at the dark denim covering his thigh as he spoke. He reached out and covered Orlando’s nervous fingers with his own as his eyes watched the road carefully.
“Do you trust me, Orlando?” he asked quietly.
“You know I do.” Orlando answered almost instantly.
“I wouldn’t let that happen. So stop worrying about it. As for the other, we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. Just remember something for me?” Viggo spoke.
Orlando didn’t reply but nodded slowly.
“You’re not the only one losing him, Orli. We all love him. Not the same way you do but he was…is special, he touched all of us. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that because we’re not grieving we don’t love him. Even Dom in his own selfish way will grieve for him.”
“I know that. And I know I’m selfish, but I love him Vig, I’ve always loved him. I’ve lived with it for so long I don’t know how I’m going to live without him.”
“You’re stronger than you think. You’ll find a way.” Viggo nodded. “How was Samantha?” he changed the subject subtly.
“Upset.” Orlando shrugged.
“You’ll have to be strong for her, Orlando. She’ll be as worried for you as she is for him.” He advised sagely.
~*~*~*~*~*~
“Orli!” Samantha exclaimed as she flung herself against Orlando before he was even out of the car. The force of the impact pushed the slender siblings back against the side of the car and drew an unexpected smile from Orlando and he closed his long arms around his sister and hugged her tightly.
“How….” Orlando started to speak but Samantha’s fingers on his lips stopped him.
“How are you?” Eyes eerily like his own watched his face carefully before she stopped waiting for an answer and pulled him back against her tightly.
“I’m okay. You?” He pulled back to look into his sisters face.
“We’re good, trying to be hopeful.” She shrugged and then noticed Viggo leaning against the back of the car. “Viggo!” she cried and pulling herself from Orlando’s arms flung herself at him.
“Thanks for the heads up, Sammi.” Viggo hugged her tightly.
“Thought he should know, and I knew he’d call you. You’d look after him.” Sam nodded returning the hug.
“Could you two stop talking about me like I’m not here.” Orlando closed the car door and leaned on the car beside them.
“Someone else is here?” Sam asked Viggo.
“Dammit you two are a pain in my neck.” Orlando grinned digging his hands into his pockets.
“Guilty as charged.” Sam’s giggles were swallowed by Viggo’s chest as he opened his arms and pulled the siblings against him tightly.
“You planned this didn’t you?” Orlando opened his arms and wrapped them around Sam and Viggo.
“Planned what?” Viggo looked at him innocently.
“C’mon you two. I’ll introduce you to the family.” Sam pulled out of their embrace and extended a hand to each man.
Viggo and Orlando managed to sneak through LAX without raising too much, if any attention from their fellow travelers, which was probably a godsend. Viggo had packed for both of them but by the time Orlando had returned to his home, he had neither time to shower or change. His jeans were creased, the long sleeve black teeshirt he wore was creased beyond recognition. His hair stood on end at a million different angles, his skin pasty even under the light dusting of sparse stubble and his eyes blood shot and puffy. If it hadn’t been for Viggo’s prodding, Orlando would still have been standing watching the information screens as their plane had been leaving.
Pushing him into his seat on the plane Viggo stowed their bags in the overhead lockers and sat down beside him. Knocking Orlando’s fingers from the seat belt he was struggling to close, Viggo snapped the clasp closed and tightened the belt before he took one of Orlando’s hands in his own and brushed his thumb over the slight red marks on his knuckles. Looping his other hand under Orlando’s chin he turned his face up until he could look into Orlando’s eyes. Lifting one eyebrow in question Viggo questioned the younger man silently.
“What?” Orlando asked blankly, tilting his head defiantly.
“You didn’t have that this morning.” Viggo spoke softly, his thumb smoothing the skin gently.
“What do you want me to say? I cut myself shaving?” Orlando replied testily.
“If you’re shaving your knuckles I think there’s a bigger problem here than we both realized.” Viggo almost chuckled. “How is he?”
“split lip, contrite, asshole. He’ll live.” Orlando stumbled on the last word. Tears instantaneously springing to his eyes. “He’s lucky.”
“He’s not so lucky.” Viggo squeezed Orlando’s hand tightly with one hand as he offered him a stick of gum he’d extracted from his jeans pocket.
Orlando took the gum and pushed it into his mouth. “How do you figure that?”
“he hasn’t got you in his corner.” Viggo shrugged, letting his fingers trail over Orlando’s pulse point willing him to relax.
“You’re full of shit, King.” Orlando smiled weakly. “But thank you.”
“No thanks needed.” Viggo shrugged as he released his hold on Orlando’s hand and fastened his own seat belt. “You’re a good man to have on side, Orli, don’t you ever forget that.”
Orlando nodded and let his head fall back against the headrest as the plane began to taxi down the runway.
~*~*~*~*~*~
The closer they came to their final destination the more tense, nervy and withdrawn Orlando became. It appeared that Viggo had used the time Orlando had spent with Dom very creatively. At the airport it seemed almost as soon as they touched down he was whisking them both away and into a rental car. Slinging their bags into the trunk, their first stop was a small but comfortable motel where he had booked them two rooms. Unlocking the door of the first room, he pushed Orlando through the door and dropped both bags onto the bed. Grabbing his young friend by the shoulders he pushed him into the bathroom. Releasing him he turned the shower on, waiting until he had tested the water and steam began to fill the room.
“Shower, Orlando.” He spoke softly, his words startling Orlando enough that he visibly jumped.
“Can’t we just go to the set?” Orlando murmured, his fingers toying with the top button of his jeans.
“You reek man,” Viggo stated firmly, “A few more minutes won’t hurt.”
“I just want to get this over with, Vig.” Orlando sighed. “Can’t take much more. I need to make sure he gets home. So he can be at peace.”
“You will, Orlando. Trust me. Have I ever let you down before?” Viggo ran his fingers through Orlando’s hair in a fatherly gesture of support, his large hand pulling Orlando towards him and into a tight hug.
“No.” Orlando’s reply was muffled against Viggo’s shoulder as he slid his arms under Viggo’s and squeezed him tightly.
“Then humor me, shower, wash that manky hair of yours and freshen yourself up a bit. If what Sam told you is true, the next couple of days will probably be the hardest of your life, but if it’s not true you’ll thank me.” Viggo paused briefly tightening his hold on the slender man in his arms. “Now do I have to undress and bath you or can you handle that on your own.”
Orlando pulled out of his arms, the vague recollection of a smile on his sad face. “Thanks mom, I think I remember how.”
Viggo stepped from the bathroom and after a couple of minutes of rummaging through the bag he had packed for Orlando he laid jeans and a fresh shirt, scarf and sweater out on the bed, then slipped from the room his own bag over his shoulder.
He waited patiently outside the door, listening until the noises from within the room ceased before he knocked gently and stepped back inside to find Orlando fully clothed, his hair damp and finger combed, sitting on the end of one bed, his finger plucking idly at the scarf looped around his neck.
“Ready?” Viggo asked.
“No.” was Orlando’s choked reply, however, even as he spoke he nodded his head yes and stood, nervous energy expending itself as his fingers twisted in the scarf, his feet tapping relentlessly at the floor.
“Orli!” Viggo’s voice commanded him to look up and into his face. “Calm down. You’re not alone. I promise you this won’t end as badly as you think.”
“You can’t promise me that. You know you can’t.” Orlando looked at him petulantly.
Viggo leaned back against the edge of the desk, opening his arms to Orlando. “Come here.”
It didn’t take any further urging. Orlando melted into Viggo’s embrace, pushing his face into Viggo’s firm shoulder and wrapping his arms around his waist. Viggo closed his arms around Orlando, pulling him firmly against his body, willing as much of his hope and strength and courage onto the younger man as he could.
“You forget Orli, I’m the King.” He whispered against the damp curls under his lips.
~*~*~*~*~
Driving towards the remote filming location, Viggo watched Orlando closely. The closer they got to their destination, the tighter Orlando’s grip on his seat belt, his knuckles white with the ferocity of his hold. Glancing surreptitiously at his passenger, Viggo watched Orlando’s teeth gnashing at his lip as he lived in the memories in his head, his eyes not seeing the lush vegetation, sparkling winter snow melt as it rushed along the edge of the roadway.
“You’re going to need that lip later.” Viggo’s calming voice broke the eerie silence in the vehicle.
Orlando’s face snapped to look at Viggo quickly, startled by the sound of Viggo’s voice.
“Calm down, Orlando. Christ, you’re going to work yourself into heart failure before we even get there.” He reached across the gap between them and clasped Orlando’s denim covered knee.
Orlando shrugged silently, his gaze sliding back to stare sightlessly out the window.
“Why don’t you lay your seat back and try to get a few minutes rest?” Viggo suggested.
Orlando shook his head, his only concession to Viggo’s suggestion was to tilt his head towards the chilled glass window beside him.
“Orlando.” Viggo’s gruff tone the only significant indicator to his concern for Orlando’s emotional turmoil as he spoke. “You need to fucking get it together. I’m serious. Just for a little bit longer hold it together, Sam will need you. Billy will need you.”
“Stop it Vig. Just stop it. He’s dead, stop trying to make me feel better. He’s gone, it’s all just fucked.” Orlando yelled at him from the passenger seat.
Viggo pulled to the side of the road and turned the car off before he turned in his seat to give Orlando his full attention.
“Listen to me, Orlando.” Viggo spoke calmly, trying to make eye contact with the younger man. “He’s not dead until you see his body. Then you can grieve, but now, now it’s time for you to hope. He needs you to have faith in him.”
“Sam said that the locals say there isn’t any hope.” Orlando replied, his voice calmer.
“remember the sound editor from the Rings Second Unit, tall guy with dark blonde hair. He’s working on set. I’ve been swapping messages with him since you told me. It’s not as hopeless as they first thought.
“They’ve spoken to them?” Orlando’s eyes searched Viggo’s face quickly.
Viggo almost winced at the desperate hope in Orlando’s face. “No, but they think they have a GPS fix on them, and as soon as the weather.” He gestured higher into the mountains they were traveling into and the curtain of heavy, foreboding black clouds that shrouded them. “clears up, they’ll go to them. Until then it’s sit tight and wait.”
“And if I let myself hope for him to be alive, and he’s not? What happens then?” Orlando asked.
“What does your heart tell you?” Viggo asked with a slight grin.
“Viggo you sneaky bastard.” Orlando couldn’t help it, the corners of his lips turned up in the tiny beginnings of a smile. “Don’t use your Kingly mojo on me.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it Elfboy.” Viggo replied. “Are we good to go?”
“Yeah.” Orlando nodded on a deep sigh. “Forgive me?”
“For what?” Viggo raised an eyebrow at Orlando as he indicated his intention and turned back onto the road.
“I should know shouldn’t I?” Orlando questioned slowly.
“Know what?” Viggo glanced at him quickly.
“If he really is gone.” Orlando answered, his eyes watching the rapidly flowing water they were passing by “It doesn’t feel like I’ll never see him again, but I’m so frightened that we’ll get there and they will have found him. There will be photographers there and I’ll fall to fucking pieces and out him. I don’t give a fuck about what they say about me but I’ll be damned if I’m going to do that to him. And I don’t even want to think about even the fact that he’ll be gone. Forever.”
Viggo watched Orlando’s long fingers plucking at the dark denim covering his thigh as he spoke. He reached out and covered Orlando’s nervous fingers with his own as his eyes watched the road carefully.
“Do you trust me, Orlando?” he asked quietly.
“You know I do.” Orlando answered almost instantly.
“I wouldn’t let that happen. So stop worrying about it. As for the other, we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. Just remember something for me?” Viggo spoke.
Orlando didn’t reply but nodded slowly.
“You’re not the only one losing him, Orli. We all love him. Not the same way you do but he was…is special, he touched all of us. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that because we’re not grieving we don’t love him. Even Dom in his own selfish way will grieve for him.”
“I know that. And I know I’m selfish, but I love him Vig, I’ve always loved him. I’ve lived with it for so long I don’t know how I’m going to live without him.”
“You’re stronger than you think. You’ll find a way.” Viggo nodded. “How was Samantha?” he changed the subject subtly.
“Upset.” Orlando shrugged.
“You’ll have to be strong for her, Orlando. She’ll be as worried for you as she is for him.” He advised sagely.
~*~*~*~*~*~
“Orli!” Samantha exclaimed as she flung herself against Orlando before he was even out of the car. The force of the impact pushed the slender siblings back against the side of the car and drew an unexpected smile from Orlando and he closed his long arms around his sister and hugged her tightly.
“How….” Orlando started to speak but Samantha’s fingers on his lips stopped him.
“How are you?” Eyes eerily like his own watched his face carefully before she stopped waiting for an answer and pulled him back against her tightly.
“I’m okay. You?” He pulled back to look into his sisters face.
“We’re good, trying to be hopeful.” She shrugged and then noticed Viggo leaning against the back of the car. “Viggo!” she cried and pulling herself from Orlando’s arms flung herself at him.
“Thanks for the heads up, Sammi.” Viggo hugged her tightly.
“Thought he should know, and I knew he’d call you. You’d look after him.” Sam nodded returning the hug.
“Could you two stop talking about me like I’m not here.” Orlando closed the car door and leaned on the car beside them.
“Someone else is here?” Sam asked Viggo.
“Dammit you two are a pain in my neck.” Orlando grinned digging his hands into his pockets.
“Guilty as charged.” Sam’s giggles were swallowed by Viggo’s chest as he opened his arms and pulled the siblings against him tightly.
“You planned this didn’t you?” Orlando opened his arms and wrapped them around Sam and Viggo.
“Planned what?” Viggo looked at him innocently.
“C’mon you two. I’ll introduce you to the family.” Sam pulled out of their embrace and extended a hand to each man.