FIC: The Fix (7/9) Part B

[niceandfluffy2]

Back to Part A



*

"Ow!"

"I never thought I'd say this to you, but you're being a wimp,"

"I'm not a sodding wimp, it fucking hurts! You try having your hairs ripped off your whatsits and then tell me to stop being a wimp!" Sean adjusted his sitting position for the fifth time that minute, and shifted uncomfortably enough on the padded chair that a casual observer would be forgiven in thinking he had a hedgehog strapped to his rear. Viggo grinned to himself and looked back at the list of music he had been considering.

"Well, it's done now, and you have nice, clean, shiny balls and rear to show for it," he smiled at him fondly. Sean scowled.

"Aye, like that makes a difference," he grumbled. "Still say you can't see the bloody things, and if you are shoving your nose up my backside then you've got more issues than a few sodding hairs to worry about,"

Viggo smiled a little more, and flicked to a new page. "Some people like shoving their noses up backsides," he said mildly.

"Aye. Some people are sodding idiots as well," Sean squirmed even more. "Ah, fuck! This is driving me up the bloody wall!"

He glanced at him over the top of the papers thoughtfully. "Is it actually hurting still? I have some cooling cream I could smear on if you feel it might help,"

"What, and ooze each time I walk?" Sean put his hand between his legs and rubbed himself slightly, growling at the feeling. "I feel bloody naked being hairless down there. I thought you told them not to take everything off?"

"You've got hair still," Viggo picked up his pen and began to mark out the possibles. "Granted, it no longer travels back as far as it once did, but you'll find it easier. And thank you for doing it. I .. and probably half of London .. knew you weren't too happy about it. I appreciate the sacrifice."

Sean growled softly and squirmed once more before turning his attention onto Viggo's little notebook which was dotted with thoughts. "So, have you worked out what type of song you want us to do?" he asked grudgingly. "And if it's something by Abba, you're going to die painfully and slowly and probably with something involving cockroaches."

Viggo chuckled. "You are safe from the torment of Abba," he replied solemnly. "Most people will be armed in some way, what with all those whips and canes and whatnots, so I'd prefer not to do something that might get people over excited. I have a few thoughts on music, but it'll depend on what Hugh thinks will work best with his little dance routine. And yes, I will mention the slow death with cockroaches to him." he added at Sean's immediate expression. "In fact, I'm just about to go meet him. You want to come?"

Sean grinned. Viggo sighed.

"Would you like to accompany me?" he amended, although with a small private smile. Regardless of what was happening in his own mind, he was more than happy with Sean's enthusiasm for all and any sex at any time of the day. Sean huffed at the spoilsport aspect, and rubbed between his legs again.

"Nah," he said. "I'm gonna take a shower or three and get out of these clothes for a bit. And no, it's not really hurting before you start worrying. It's just .. weird. Intimately weird. And quite frankly I don't want to get used to intimately weird with Foxy-Tail nearby, even if he is in tights and about to ponce about like some fairy on drugs."

Viggo rolled his eyes and chuckled as he lifted himself out of his chair. He paused to gently ruffle Sean's blond locks before heading to the door and toward their current dance co-ordinator. It had been an unspoken agreement between the four of them that they were all staying in the house for the next few days, Ian making the arrangements and simply raising an eyebrow at Viggo whenever there was a decision to be made. However, the connecting door between the two rooms still seemed a little too intimate, and therefore it was to the corridor that Viggo travelled, mind still mulling over the benefits of classical over soft jazz. That was, of course, until a breathless whimper pulled his mind from the musicals and back into his current world as he approached the others' room.

"..please...,"

The plea pulled him up short, Viggo slowing to a careful prowl as he edged closer to the door that had been left ajar. It was followed by another weak groan and the sound of someone moving, the soft panting apparently turning into common background noise. He moved forward even further, torn between giving the men their privacy and the lure of seeing them together, without chains and whips and restraints. The lust won. He moved into the shadow of the door, slowly shifting his weight in order to see further into the room. It didn't take long before Viggo found what he had been seeking; the pair lay on the bed, Ian propped up by one arm over the sprawled, sweaty, squirming figure of his lover. One hand was clearly occupied in stroking Hugh's aching erection, playing and giving him what he needed, and earning the soft little noises of approval in return.

"Good boy," Ian crooned over him, smiling at a helpless groan as his hand slid over the leaking head of the man's cock. Hugh groaned again and bucked his hips, trying to encourage his lover further without giving an outright order which would no doubt be ignored in true Ian style.

"Fuck!" Hugh whimpered, tossing his head back and forth as the gentle torment continued. His body bucked and squirmed and shifted again and again, and Viggo was struck by the difference between Hugh's quiet, obedient behaviour during the bondage sessions and his clearly enthusiastic, energetic buckings when he was freed from constraint. There was another soft noise of desperation as Ian's hand sped up, pausing to dip between his young lover's legs before returning to press every single button that Hugh possessed.

"Not yet," Ian replied, as though it was an honest request rather than simply the first curse that had popped into Hugh's mind at the time. "A little longer, I think. Still comfortable?"

Hugh made a noise that could have been anything at all, his head tossing once more as Ian gripped him harder. Breathless, he focused his willpower and growled helplessly against the onslaught. "..yeah..," he managed. ".. fine. Jesus, please...!"

"Shhhh," Ian ran his hand down Hugh's tense thigh in clear appreciation for his lover. "Steady, now. You've had a busy few days."

Another growl-groan met this, desperation and frustration taking over Hugh's voice as his body shuddered under the touches. Hugh attempted to roll over to his side but Ian gently pushed him onto his back once more, Jackman bucking again as Ian's hand stroked down his engorged member and gave a soft tut at the curse.

"Careful, sweetheart," his hand dipped again. "Unsuitable language is not welcome, as you know,"

Hugh twisted, his body shining in the light. "...sorry..," he panted, his eyes firmly shut as Ian stroked and played. As he moved slightly, Viggo could see the vivid red marks that seemed to crisscross over Hugh's rear and upper thighs which were no doubt the results of the 'punishment' delivered the day before. Not that he had much time to consider it; one further stroke and Hugh had gone, his entire body stiffening for a moment before he came with a muffled cry and another buck of his hips into Ian's patient hand. Groaning softly, Hugh flopped bonelessly back onto the bed and curled onto his side, a sleepy grin aimed at Ian.

"Okay," he said softly. "Perhaps you do have magic hands."

"What can I say. Experience speaks the language of love," Ian chuckled, leaning forward to capture the younger man's mouth in a deep kiss. Hugh purred, a hungry look entering his eyes as Ian broke it off, and obtained a light clip around the ear in exchange. "That is no reason to attempt to kill me through exhaustion."

"I'll go slow." Hugh breathed, pushing himself up and running his hand over Ian's chest. "Do whatever you want. I can't let you do that and then just leave you-,"

Ian captured the questing hand firmly. "You can and you will, young man. Not everyone has boundless energy, remember?"



Hugh gave him a sulky look and curled up, gently tracing a pattern on Ian's stomach with a finger. "Yeah, I guess." he sighed softly.

"I would tell you to go play with Viggo and Sean, but I suspect the three of you would probably end up in some type of scuffle," he sighed. Hugh's sulky look managed to increase, although he didn't attempt to disagree. Instead the little finger continued on its complicated pattern with rapt attention, Hugh shifting in bed to allow him a little more room. Ian eyed him.

"You will play nice, yes?" he probed.

"Hey, I always play nice," Hugh protested. "Sean just wants me to be ... I don't know what he wants me to be, but it's not happening. And yes, I know I'm not allowed to mess around with Viggo, you don't have to tell me that. I haven't messed around with him and Sean's still territorial, so I don't know what else I can do. And no, I'm not just giving in to him. Anyway, that'll probably mean Viggo'll try to hit me for fooling around with Sean,"

"He won't try to hit you," Ian sighed.

"So he'll stab me with a knife instead?" Hugh grinned. "Look, I just don't want him to have to cope with more weird situations when he's still trying to cope with the first weird situation. That's just painful on all accounts. And anyway, he's due here shortly to discuss the dance so you can have your long soak in the bath without fear of something nasty happening. I've even brought your rubber duck,"

"I've told you before, that is not my rubber duck, I have no idea where it came from,"

"Then consider it a rubber friend in the bath," Hugh shrugged and drew what appeared to be a duck shape on Ian's stomach. "And stop fretting so much."

"I do not fret," Ian gave him another gentle clip round the ear for cheekiness. "I merely become concerned every so often. Can I assume you will be discussing rather than jumping up and down this afternoon? I don't much fancy having a bath with enough ripples that I could be forgiven in thinking I was in Jurassic Park."

"Yes, dear," Hugh chuckled, slipping off the bed and stretching. Ian watched him idly.

"Are you planning to have a shower before Viggo and Sean turn up, or are you just going to remain filthy?" he queried after Hugh made no attempt to move to either his boxers or the bathroom. Hugh stretched a little more, unintentionally showing off his muscles and marks to Viggo as he faced the bed.

"I'm sure they won't mind a little filth. They've probably been screwing their brains out in the other room anyway," Hugh replied lazily. "So don't get yourself merely concerned, love. They won't mind,"

Ian shifted position, his eyes flickering over Hugh then towards the door. He smiled, a secret little smile, before he rose from the bed himself. "Perhaps you should ask him yourself. You can come in now, Viggo. The entertainment has finished,"

Hugh twisted, surprise etched on his face. Ian paused to press a little kiss against Hugh's stubbled cheek and headed towards the large bathroom with its whirlpool bath and indecently fluffy towels as Viggo bit back his embarrassment and walked into the room as though he had merely hesitated outside the door. Hugh grinned in slight embarrassment and moved towards a chair where his boxers were lurking.

"Didn't realise you were there." he commented, as though this might explain everything. "No Sean?"

Viggo shook his head. "He's cooling off in the room, and he's not the most enthusiastic when it comes to dance." he watched as Hugh picked up the clothing. "You don't have to get dressed for me if you don't want to. You're more than welcome to remain filthy in your own room,"

The embarrassed grin widened a little. "Uh. Yeah. Sorry," He was about to pull up his boxers when Viggo held out his hand to stop him. Hugh paused, confused as Viggo stepped forward and ran his hand over the welts still visible on Hugh's rear. Now he wasn't looking through a limited space, he could see that the marks also showed on the man's inner thighs, the apparent 'hot spot' for Hugh's personal torment.

"Those look sore," he commented, when the silence had lasted a little too long. Hugh shrugged.

"Well, yeah. Kinda the point," another little sleepy grin turned up. "My marks of dishonour. Like 'em?" the last question was full of curiosity, with an answer that Viggo wasn't sure he knew. He ran his hand over Hugh's rear again, the lightest of touches that made the young man shiver from the ticklish feeling rather than a stab of pain.

"I'm not sure," Viggo said slowly. "They look painful. Part of me definitely winces. But there's another part that's ..,"

"Curious?"

"I suppose so," his finger tips ran over the marks again, the beauty of Hugh's physically form marred by the somewhat aggressive red. "It's a strange feeling." Viggo paused, then slid his hand a little lower to test the marks over Hugh's thighs. "D'you want to fuck Sean?"

The other man jerked as though the soft fingertip had suddenly been shoved deep within him. "What?"

"With your fighting. D'you want to fuck him?" Viggo queried idly. "Is that why you're fighting him so much?"

"Wha...," Hugh bit back his immediate response, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Wait, how long were you outside the door for?"

Viggo raised his head and met Hugh's gaze. "I assume that means you were talking about sleeping with my lover earlier," he said softly with a little Ian-like raise of the eyebrow. Hugh flushed at the direct hit, and looked away awkwardly.

"Not really. Just...,"

"Just?"

Hugh chuckled softly. "Well, I was hoping not to have to finish that," he confessed, then sighed. "Well... yeah. Kinda."

"So you kinda want to fuck him?" Viggo pressed, not even sure why it was important after everything they'd been through but knowing he really wanted to clear up any loose ends of information whilst he had the chance. Hugh looked even more uncomfortable, his hand running through his hair as he struggled to find an answer that was acceptable.

"If you mean, am I going to stop at nothing to mess around with him behind your back, then no. However, I'm not going to scream if things happen by themselves," he gave a wary look at Viggo. "I know you guys aren't used to all this. I'm not a threat," It was a little plea in the statement.

Viggo gave a nod, thoughtfully. "Then if you're not that bothered about getting him, why are you fighting? I thought you were a submissive bottom, or whatever the phrase is,"

Hugh relaxed a little more now that the threat of punching had been relieved, and chuckled. "I don't think anything in life is that black and white," he commented. "Sure, I'm a crap dom. I tried it once and dropped the whip as soon as my partner yelped for the first time and I couldn't stop apologising for hours afterwards. But that doesn't mean I like the idea of being everyone's doormat. I'm quite happy to watch, and I get turned on about the whole dom idea as long as I'm not the person actually armed with the weapon. If Sean wants to be dominant over me, then he's going to have to prove himself,"

"D'you think he ever will?"

There was a little shrug. "I'd imagine so. He's persistent and determined. I get the impression once he's got his heart set on something, he'll get it. It's just a matter of time. But that's no excuse to make it easy for him, eh?" Hugh patted Viggo on the shoulder and pulled up his boxers. "Right, let's get down to business. Are these the songs you were considering?" Hugh stole the notebook from under Viggo's arm and began to flick through the top pages. "D'you have copies of the actual music or are we going to have to buy it?"

"I have them already," Viggo allowed the change of topic as Hugh studied the pieces with a little frown that suggested the man was playing the tunes in his mind. "D'you think they could work?"

"Sure," Hugh grinned at him. "You can dance to most music, mate.. it's just some might be easier than others. Normally I prefer the faster tempos, but with what you're after I think you might be better off starting with a slow pace and gradually increasing it. You want it to be sensual rather than just a demonstration of dance, right? This'll give you the chance to be more touchy feely with your partner. Here," Hugh tossed the notebook back and moved to a clearer spot in the room, where he swiftly moved into a little fast dance routine, finishing with a tap of his foot. "You see? Looks impressive but you really have to get it right otherwise you might accidentally wallop your partner. Now, instead...,"

Hugh moved back and gently seized hold of Viggo's hand to slowly pull him into the center. "Stay there for a moment," he instructed, stepping back before entering into a smooth, slow, deliberate movement that he performed on the ball of his feet towards him. Viggo suddenly had the feeling he was being circled by a particular graceful tiger as Hugh swirled around him in what was half prowl, half walk. His hand trailed across Viggo's shoulders in what felt surprisingly possessive, despite the fact that Hugh had kept a significant distance between them to allow observers to fully appreciate the movements.

"..something like that," Hugh finished. "Obviously that's just a taster rather than the whole thing. After that, you can slowly add to it. You'd be two guys demonstrating their power at the start, and then you can claim Sean as the dance goes on. I'd recommend just getting a good idea of what you're going to do, then keep improvising to it depending on the mood. You could slow it down or speed it up if you get more passionate. Does that sound okay, or d'you want me to try something else?"

Viggo realised he hadn't moved which was apparently unnerving the younger man, and gave him a little smile of reassurance. "No, no, that sounds good. You think you can work out the faster part at the end?"

"Sure, mate," Hugh grinned at him. "Easier than a horny drunk. Is there anything in particular you want me to include? Anything you guys do when you're being possessive? Teeth, clawing, crawling, that sort of thing,"

"I'm afraid our mating ritual is a little dull," Viggo said apologetically. Hugh chuckled.

"Yeah, I doubt it but I'll nod and pretend to believe you," Hugh shrugged, and took hold of Viggo's hand again. His hand traced down from wrist, along the powerful muscle of the arm and then up to the shoulder as Hugh approached him, the young man 'prowling' to stand directly behind him and gently encouraging Viggo's hips to sway with him by use of the other hand that had sneakily ended up on Viggo's waist. He could feel the nudge of Hugh's groin against his backside, grinding against him as their hips moved together gracefully. "That's it." Hugh purred encouragingly in his ear. "Around the world, around the world, keep circling and then you can caress your lover's arm and chest with your other hand,"

Hugh's palm slid over Viggo's chest as he spoke, possessive and calm. "If you prefer, you could give a little dramatic bite at this point," he added, giving Viggo's neck a lick rather than the aforementioned nip. "but I'd say it's probably better waiting for that at the end. And then you could also twist a nipple," his fingers brushed over the peak of Viggo's chest, although again the fingers failed to do what was mentioned. "if you wanted to prove your dominance and-,"

"-and what the fuck is going on here?" came a loud demand from the doorway. Hugh's head jerked up guiltily, his hand immediately moving away from Viggo's chest as he stepped back. Viggo was suddenly aware of a cold blast of air as Hugh's comforting heat vanished, and focused on the frowning figure in the doorway.

"Hi, Sean." he replied lazily, not wanting to fuel Sean's irritation by reacting in a guilty way. After all, they hadn't been doing anything. "I thought you were going to have a shower?"

"I realised I preferred to roll around in my own dirt for a bit," Sean stepped further into the room and shot a hard look at the retreating Hugh. "However, if I'd known how physical," the word was drawled out. "your meeting was, I might have changed my mind."

"Hugh was demonstrating his ideas for the dance. It's easier to show than to describe it,"

"I've been using the excuse that it's easier to show than talk for ages and you don't let me get away with it," Sean replied, still watching Hugh despite the continuing conversation. "And I was expecting a little more of a jiggle when it came to dancing, rather than an excuse to grope your chest,"

Viggo rolled his eyes and gave a little sigh, although he was already beginning to calm down. Sean was right when he said he preferred to use actions to demonstrate what the issue was rather than words, and if there was a true problem involved then he would have had to break up the fight.

"Then you practise the dancing," he replied. "Hugh's a good teacher."

"What?" Sean's eyes looked a little panicked. "Well, as long as he keeps his hands to himself you two can continue..,"

"No, no. It's better for me to watch from afar to see the full picture," Viggo was enjoying this. "You'd be doing me a favour if you took the position so Hugh could properly show me what he wants us to do. And then you can make sure that he's not up to anything suspicious, hmm?"

"He'd be dancing. That's pretty damned suspicious by itself," Sean muttered, giving Hugh another look. "And last time I looked, dancing didn't involve licking people's necks,"

"I was hungry," Hugh offered. "And I could have been licking much worse areas, to be fair. C'mon, then. Move your arse over here and let's have a look at you."

"You know what I look like," Sean protested, although he grudgingly moved to the area that Hugh was indicating. The younger man chuckled as he moved to run his hand over Sean's body in assessment, giving him a little cheeky pat on the bum before he moved away.

"True, but not when you're dancing. I need to see how fluid you are, how gracefully you can turn." Hugh explained. "Then I can adjust the dance to make it more comfortable for you. There's no point in breaking your leg trying to do something if all you need to do is this," Hugh moved into a swift five step routine that focused the attention on his upper body rather than his legs. "to make it better,"

"If all I need to do is that..?" Sean looked appalled and slightly embarrassed. "Look, I'm not a dancer. If I'm expected to do what twinkle toes here is doing..,"

"No, no," Hugh assured him swiftly, hands held up. "I was just making a point. What I'm hoping you guys can do is something slower, more sensual, less 'ta-DAH!'. Intimate and in control and making everyone that's watching want to be a part of your connection with each other." He prowled back to Sean and carefully rested his hand on Sean's shoulder with the caution taken with fine art. "You don't need to be an acrobat to be in complete control of your movements, or to make relatively simple things looked glossy. Confidence in what you're doing does wonders,"

Sean gave him a suspicious look over his shoulder, but didn't object to the touch. "So you're gonna give me some confidence?" he growled softly.

"Sure. By the time I finish with the pair of you, you're going to be impressive," Hugh grinned at him. "Remember, you can have all the moves you could possibly want, but if you're not enjoying it, it'll always fall flat. Enjoy yourself and the world will laugh with you,"

"Fall over and the world will laugh at you?" Sean replied grumpily. Hugh chuckled and risked a ruffle of Sean's hair.

"Just improvise and think 'sod 'em'. That's what I do. The reason you're doing this dance is stood over there," Hugh gave a little nod towards Viggo, his head dipping to Sean's ear and his voice dropping to a seductive purr. "and he'll adore you for doing it even if all you do is stand there and sway. You can't lose."

Sean growled softly, but he didn't try to contradict what Hugh had been saying. Finally he shifted position and looked over his shoulder sulkily.

"Okay. Show me what to do, lad. And keep your tongue to yourself, okay? I'm not a sodding lollypop, here for your amusement," his voice was milder than his words, and Viggo recognised that Sean's body posture was gradually becoming more relaxed, able to follow Hugh's instructions. Hugh took the complaint in good humour, and gently placed his hands on Sean's hips in guidance as he stood behind him.

"Just follow what I do," he murmured softly in Sean's ear. "You'll be fine,"

And scarily, they were. Although Viggo was never sure whether the bruised toes were accidental or deliberate.

*

"And one and two and three and four and turn and glare and one and two and .. Sean, lift your chin up a bit, mate.. and one and two and back and two and stop and wait and wait and wait and go-,"

The lessons were working. Slowly but surely, Viggo could feel and see them improve. They seemed to be a little better and more confident with each twist and turn, and Viggo could feel the whole thing slowly coming together. Hugh had spent hours going through the same routine, often bouncing from his little perch to join in when he wanted to demonstrate a particular aspect he wanted to add, and still seemed to have the same bursting enthusiasm for the dance as he had at the start. He had even started to encourage them to explore the dance by themselves, to improvise more and more whenever they felt the mood, and Viggo was shocked to find this seemed to be working. Suddenly the fear of putting a foot wrong began to dissolve as there was no point where their feet were wrong; sure, it might not be expected but slowly they were beginning to adapt and enjoy the simple pleasures of moving together.

"Excellent!" Hugh sounded as pleased as a teacher whose pupil had just written a masterpiece. "Now glide, back, two, three, four and turn and one and two and.. Sean, you okay?"

"Aye," Sean paused and stretched. "But I'm gonna need a break soon. My feet feel like they're about to drop off,"

"Can't have that," Hugh nodded. "I haven't got any glue. Okay, let's call it a night for today? You guys have been working for," a watch was consulted. "two hours straight, or at least mildly bent. I don't want you falling asleep at dinner. It's takeaway pizza, and needs your full attention,"

Sean rolled his eyes at the younger man's enthusiasm for food, but his stomach betrayed his cavalier attitude as it rumbled gently. Viggo chuckled to himself and mopped his brow with his arm, looking across at Hugh who was already putting on his shoes and socks. Apparently Jackman preferred to dance with bare feet, and this wasn't going to be something that Ian wanted to stop.

"I was thinking about doing some work on your art tonight," he said. "We've only got a few days left, and I can sketch it out in pen before painting. You free?"

"Sure," Hugh finished his shoes and stood up. "Give me time for shoes and a shower and I'm yours in a few hours,"

"A few hours? What are you planning to do in that shower?" Sean asked suspiciously. Hugh grinned wider.

"Well, you've gotta make sure everything's done. And get a bit wet as well," he gave a little salute. "See you guys downstairs in a bit. Dinner'll be here soon so don't get all tied up in the meantime. And yeah, I do mean that literally,"

Sean waited until Hugh had left before slinking to a chair and flopping heavily in it with a loud groan. He snorted softly and looked across at Viggo, who was taking the opportunity to practise a few footsteps without distraction.

"Boy gets cheekier every day," he commented. "And you look good doing that, even if you should be resting. D'you fancy a bath? I'm pretty sure the one they have in there can cope with two."

Viggo waved off the suggestion of the bath, frowning slightly as he did the movement a few more times to ensure it was wedged firmly in his mind. Nodding to himself, he glanced up at Sean who was still watching him in amusement. Sean yawned lazily and stretched, sinking lower into his chair in a manner that made it look like the chair was slowly digesting him.

"So," he drawled. "What's the plan for tonight, or are you just fixated on drawing on the lad's arse all night?"

"There's only a few more nights to go. Probably best to relax and watch a movie," Viggo said idly. "If Ian has a bench I can use to paint Hugh on, we could all stay in the lounge,"

Sean snorted. " I seriously doubt that he doesn't have a bench available considering the state of his past inventory," he commented, following his comment with another wide yawn. "The choice of DVD'll probably be an education as well. It's just as well Ian's been busy working for the past few days considering how much his kid's been borrowed."

"He says he doesn't mind. Apparently it's nice to have a way of discharging Hugh's extra energy without risking getting a bad back," Viggo said distractedly. "And I'm expecting a perfectly innocent DVD, considering we'll need to get both you and Hugh nicely responsive in a few days. Exhausting you isn't going to help,"

Sean raised both head and eyebrow at that. "Nicely responsive?" he repeated dubiously. "What, fetching sticks?"

"In a manner of speaking," Viggo's eyes twinkled at him, and even more at the little sigh that Sean gave. "Don't worry. I'm sure the pair of you will be nice and perky when it comes to it,"

"I assume you'll be the same, yes?"

"Of course. Mind you, I would be in trousers, which is more than you guys are going to be," Viggo grinned. There were definite perks to the ownership angle, and protective material was one of them. Sean growled softly and slid even further down in his chair.

"Remind me why I agreed to this?" he muttered. Viggo took a detour in order to press a loving kiss to the top of Sean's head.

"Because you're fantastic,"

"Oh yeah," Sean offered that a small smile, then sighed softly and grudgingly. "I guess it won't be so bad. Everyone's in the same boat, right?"

"I hope not, otherwise that boat'll sink under the weight," Viggo grinned and ruffled Sean's hair affectionately. "Don't worry. You'll look incredible. Everyone'll want to 'breed' with you, even if you are castrated,"

Sean winced slightly. "Still not happy about the whole castration thing," he grumbled. "Even if it is just tape. Can't you just say I'm ...,"

"..reserved?" Viggo listened, fascinated.

"Aye, why not. They have to approach you, right?" Sean folded his arms. "I'm not the type of guy who's going to get castrated. My bollocks are sacred, and there's going to be a good excuse out there to avoid it without .. y'know."

Viggo wasn't entirely sure which part of the situation the y'know actually covered, but he guessed that it didn't entirely matter. There was probably enough 'y'know' to last them for several years. He shrugged and ruffled Sean's hair again, mostly because he could.

"I'm sure we can find a suitable excuse if you really don't want to suggest that you've been neutered. That symbol, for example." Viggo smiled at him and strolled a little further away, practising his movements as he did so. "Were you planning on getting a shower before dinner, or just go in stinky?"

However, Sean was too deeply fixed in his issue to really pay attention to the concepts of soap and anti-stink. He drummed his fingers on his stomach idly, a frown plastered on his face that normally suggested deep thought along lines which weren't entirely pleasing to him. Viggo allowed him a good minute of thought before gently poking for an answer.

"Just wondering," Sean grunted softly. "if you're 'fully booked up', d'you think that'll be enough to stop them?"

"Our you could simply be exclusive," Viggo sighed, guessing where this is going. "Look, if you really need some genuine excuse rather than simply saying that you're not interested, then you could always get Hugh to be your booking."

A snort greeted this. "No chance,"

"Why not?" Viggo studied him, his curiosity poked. "You seem happy enough to conquer him before. What's so different about him being your breeding partner at the event? It's not as though I'm expecting you to fuck him in front of an audience,"

"Because," Sean scowled.

"Because is not a reason," Viggo pointed out mildly.

"Yeah, it is. It's just not a particularly good one to stop annoying people asking follow up questions,"

"So I'm an annoying person now, am I?" Viggo raised his eyebrow. "Should I be hurt?"

"Aye. With a baseball bat if you don't stop asking questions," Sean grumbled. "Look, we're just not gonna do it, okay? You want my whatsit being all bright and perky then you're not going to force it to consider 'breeding partners' in a Jackman shape,"

Viggo reviewed that statement incredulously. "You feel threatened by Hugh? Inadequate?" he stopped at Sean's dark glare aimed at him. "Okay, not inadequate... uncomfortable, perhaps. Because of his experience or something else?"

"Vig, you can stop talking any moment now," Sean growled in a steady voice. "It ain't happening. Full stop, end of story. Any beer in the fridge?"

"We're about to have dinner and you can stop with the macho 'we're not talking about this' thing," Viggo prowled back. "You're going to be dominant over him. You know that. He knows that. So stop getting your knickers in a twist over it, okay?"

Sean opened his mouth to angrily protest, before pausing with a suspicious look in his eyes.

"He does?" he asked grudgingly.

"Yeah. He does. He told me,"

Emerald eyes surveyed him carefully. "Don't believe you."

"I'm deeply touched by your trust," Viggo replied dryly. "It doesn't make it any the less true, but I guess you can scowl a little more. And before you give me that expression, I asked him. He's under the impression that your stubbornness wins over his."

That managed to spark an interest. Sean finally began to push himself upright, his expression still suspicious but willing to listen. "You asked him whether he was planning to let me win?" he asked slowly, tasting the words as he spoke them.

"Not exactly. I asked him whether he wanted to fuck you," Viggo shrugged, and was rewarded by the unusual situation of Sean's mouth dropping open. He chuckled to himself and picked up his t-shirt which had been draped over the end of the bed. "The conversation continued from there in the usual way that conversations do. So now you can relax a bit and stop looking like someone's just rammed an iron bar up your arse, right?"

Sean looked dubious. "And does he?"

"Does he what?"

"Want to fuck me?"

Viggo laughed softly. "I'd say most people would like to fuck you, if you happen to be the right gender for them. So yes, he did. But he wouldn't go out of his way to do so, and seemed to be more worried I was going to punch him," he gave a little shrug. "So you don't have to worry too much about it.. or at least worry, knowing that worrying about it wouldn't do a thing. And we still have dinner to go to, remember,"

However, Sean was still watching him with a curious expression, a sheep confronted by a red plastic bag and not entirely sure what to make of it. Viggo gave him a gentle smile and crossed the space to give his hair yet another ruffle. It was just as well the man didn't wear hair-gel, otherwise Sean was destined for some peculiar hair designs and Viggo would forever be subject to a hand covered in goop.

"You're handling this very well," Sean said, the words almost an accusation. Viggo looked a little confused. Clearly he was at fault regardless of what he did or how he acted; handle it badly and you got accused of over-reacting and possessiveness. Handle it well and you were accused of .. well, he wasn't even sure what he was being accused of. Not caring, perhaps? Casualness? An affair in the background?

"Am I not supposed to?" Viggo replied after a pause. "Sean, I'm having to adapt to a lot of new things pretty damned quickly. After a while it seems easier to just get on with things.. accept it without fuss, because if you do fuss then you normally find whatever point you were intending to make has been accidentally blown out the water. And in comparison to some of the things that have happened, the idea that Hugh might want to take it further with you isn't the most shocking in the world. I mean, you two have fooled around together already. Kissed. Been involved in little bondage situations. I think I would probably be more concerned if he said he didn't want to take it further, because that suggests he's either just putting up with the situation or lying through his teeth because it's more serious. Sure, you two bicker every few moments but that's kinda your defensive mechanism anyway for uncontrolled feelings,"

"Uncontrolled feelings?" Sean echoed slowly. "I'm not some bloody Jane Austin book!"

"Good, because otherwise I'd have to find somewhere to insert the bookmark," Viggo replied dryly. "And you know exactly what I mean. As soon as you start feeling vulnerable or emotionally engage, you often want to punch something,"

"I fucking don't!"

Viggo rolled his eyes. "Of course not, dear. Shall we go to dinner now?"

But Sean really wasn't concerned about dinner. The blond moved position, his eyes alive with anger or passion or possibly even confusion as he stared back at Viggo defiantly. "If you're saying I want to cheat on you with Hugh then-,"

Viggo raised his head, frowning. "I never said you wanted to cheat on me. I did think that you'd probably wind up messing around with Hugh for your dominance thing, but I wouldn't exactly call that cheating. Or at least it's the type of cheating that would be directly under my nose. If I told you not to do it, would you still continue?"

"Of course not! What'd you think is the most sodding important thing to me!" Sean was definitely in full vulnerability, sitting up straighter and god near broadcasting his fear, anger and upset over the conversation. Viggo was slightly taken aback by the force of the statement, and felt a peculiar burning feeling of happiness set up residence in his chest and refuse to go. Sean wanted him that badly that he was upset over the suggestion he might 'cheat' in what was pretty much a multiple partner situation. He was afraid of losing him over a misunderstanding. It felt uncomfortable but there was a dark piece of him that was delighted over Sean's need for him, not just the situation but him as a person and a lover.

"Good," Viggo said softly. "Then that's all I needed to know,"

"Viggo, I swear to you I would never-,"

"I know,"

Sean blinked. "You do?" he said doubtfully. Viggo smiled at him and leaned down, giving him a long and passionate kiss. He did. His uncertainty had been blown away by the sheer power of Sean's belief and desire, and suddenly it didn't matter where they were or what games they wanted to play. The games were only that - games - a playtime which they controlled rather than being controlled by the need to do particular actions. Sean was taken aback by the tenderness of the kiss but his hesitation vanished within a heartbeat as he pressed forward and began to return Viggo's kiss with such passion and need that it was all that Viggo could do not to lose his balance and fall into the man's lap. Sean's taste filled him and he clamoured for more as he leaned forward to capture his lover in a hard embrace, deepening the kiss as they melted into each other.

"I'm not going to risk you," Sean's rough growl was soft between them as they broke off, panting, for extra oxygen. "If it's a choice between this lifestyle and you, I'm going with you. Bondage isn't exactly going to be getting my slippers when I'm old and grey,"

"And I am?" Viggo chuckled before the full implications of what Sean had said struck him. "Wait. You want us to grow old together? As a couple?"

Sean might not be saying much more but his eyes did most of the speaking for him. Bright and trying to hide the anxiety and vulnerability within him, Sean scanned Viggo's face with more confidence than he clearly felt. Viggo could feel the tension within the man's body as he struggled to speak, and he could almost hear the debates raging in Sean's mind. If he said yes, then he was open to being refused and his vulnerability stamped on. If he said no, then he risked pushing Viggo away emotionally. The war battled fiercely within the blazing green eyes of his lover, before the softest of sighs indicated that one side had won.

"Aye," the word was a mere breath, a confession between a sinner and his priest. "Aye, I do."

Viggo's heart suddenly felt like something had plunged deep within it by the level of delight that filled him. He leaned forward to press a shaky kiss to Sean's mouth, but that clearly wasn't enough for Sean's confidence as the man gently pushed him back after returning the kiss for a few moments and scanning his eyes again. Viggo licked his lips which had turned drier than the average cream cracker, and smiled at him.

"So do I," he confirmed softly. "I can't imagine a future without you. Well, other than always knowing where my television remote is,"

That sentence took a few moments to sink into Sean's mind, but when it did the man seemed to vibrate with pleasure. Sean grabbed hold of Viggo's shirt and pulled him into another rough kiss, demanding and passionate as he sought to rubber-stamp the agreement with an ingenious use of tongues, and this was not something that Viggo wanted to fight. He had no idea when they started to move towards the bed but they did so with a remarkable amount of dexterity, Sean slipping off the chair as he gently guided him backwards. Sean's hands were indecently everywhere, which was perfectly fine by him as some situations needed to be indecent and private and intimate and all those other things normally listed under dubious adverts found at the back of magazines. And as Viggo found himself flopped back onto the mattress with Sean's eager if still somewhat inexperienced tongue seeking out his cock, he realised that dinner was going to be seriously late.

*

The last few days before the Show flew by. Although they were on a strict, no-shag diet, they found themselves often sloping off for quiet embraces under some pitifully poor excuses that caused Ian's eyes to roll and Hugh to look after them wistfully. Incredibly Sean was becoming more and more affectionate, his hand often resting lightly on Viggo's thigh or arm even when the rest of him was currently involved in some minor argument about who had eaten the last of the cake, and this wasn't a habit that Viggo was inclined to break. Their dancing had also become near habit to them, Sean finally ignoring his embarrassment to enter into the spirit of the dance with almost as much enthusiasm as the musical Hugh and adding his own little pieces here and there just to keep Viggo on his toes.

And then, finally, it was time to leave. A big black canvas bag was dumped unceremoniously on the floor as Ian gathered them together for what he called a 'pep talk' but Sean privately called a war speech when Ian wasn't around to overhear.

"Right," Ian started, and his voice was that of Shakespearean Princes and Kings, proud, defiant and immensely powerful even without volume. "I trust everyone is well?"

There was a little murmur of agreement to this, although Viggo could see the sheer nervousness in all of them which was an utter contrast to Ian's cool, composed profile. Sean had been pacing for the last few hours, often muttering to himself and unable to focus on anything for more than a few minutes. Viggo had found his own attention wandering like a lost sheep, and had been engaged in over the top grooming simply to give himself something to do. Hugh had been singing for most of the day, mostly from musicals, which Ian had confided that he did when he was suffering from nerves. Even so, it was unusual to hear 'Oh What a Beautiful Morning' echoing up the stairwell every few minutes.

Ian had done a few other checks that were entirely sensible considering the rest of the party's brains had pretty much dribbled out their ears and were no doubt engaged in poker somewhere in the household, before he then launched into the pep.

"Remember that this is a social party of individuals," Ian's voice hadn't lost any of its power but it had grown kindly, sympathetic to his inexperienced followers. "Although we are entering some competitions, you're not being judged on your choices and you're not being marked on your lifestyle, simply your performance. Everyone's tolerance is slightly different, and everyone prefers particular things. Don't worry if you see people who are doing things you wouldn't dare do, and equally don't feel guilty that you're too harsh just because you might have watched a performance that was lighter than your own. As long as you and your partner are having fun and you're not putting each other at risk, then you have a right to do as you wish. It's not unusual to compare your own position to everyone else's, but this is likely to only make yourself fret further. You are not them, you are you. If you see something you might not have thought of but find enjoyable, then by all means investigate. However, I would advise that for most of the practises you should simply make a note in your own mind and then experiment in the privacy of your own rooms. Sometimes, certain things look easy or relatively pain-free and yet can be much more intense for your unsuspecting body. There will be people there who have done this for years, and it will show in their expertise. You wouldn't copy a stunt man, so don't try to copy everyone you see. Pets," he glanced between Hugh and Sean. "should always make sure their owners know where they are. If you're uncomfortable about anything, tell us."

"We're not kids," Sean grumbled, folding his arms and tapping his foot in nervous energy.

"No, and I'm extremely thankful you're not," Ian replied softly. "But that doesn't mean that I don't need to look out for you. And don't sulk like that Sean, it might be adorable but can be a little trying. I have our outfits in the bag and I have taken the liberty of booking one of their rooms for the evening. There is enough space for all of us, or if you would prefer to travel home then you can do so too. We can change there," his soft grey-blue eyes surveyed the younger members of his group carefully. "Any immediate questions?"

The silence suggested that questions were currently AWOL. Sean was still fidgeting and Viggo was fighting with himself not to follow suit. Ian gave a nod, and glanced at Hugh.

"Would you mind taking the bag?"

Pleased at something to do, Hugh did as he was requested. Ian smiled gently at him and gently touched the damp dark hair that was looking a little untamed.

"We'll need to properly groom you when we're there," Ian murmured. "I take it your art has been done?"

"It's taken very nicely," Viggo answered that one. "Doesn't seem to smudge but if you need me to add anything, just give me a shout and I'll touch him up. In an artistic sense," he added with a sigh as the three glanced at him in varying stages of amusement. Ian chuckled and gently ruffled Hugh's hair affectionately before turning.

"Let's go. I assume no one is going to whine for the toilet after five minutes?" he added. "Good. Let's go and show them what we're made of,"

And so they did.

*

TBC

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