Sean wanted to blame Viggo for the fact that he was up at the ungodly hour of 7am, after spending the world's longest night sleeping on top of the world's pointiest rock. Blaming his good friend Viggo (right cheerful bastard though he was) would make the early hour almost bearable. But Sean had been the git who'd said yes to camping out. ("Come with," Viggo had said, slow drawl almost impossible to decipher with all the noise. "I found some great fishing with Karl the other week.") "Fishing," Sean said now, glaring at Viggo's profile. "Fishing does not mean the arse crack of dawn." "Fish don't bite in the afternoon," Viggo replied, handing Sean a cup of coffee so dark it looked like someone had converted a black hole into liquid form. Probably just that strong, too. Sean took the cup gratefully and tried not to think terribly hard about his cozy bed in his cozy apartment with his sleek little espresso machine for one. "You're a bastard," Sean grumbled, blowing hair from his face and shooing a fly from his drink. Mine, go get yer own. His arse managed to find every single bleedin' groove on the bleedin' log that was serving as a chair. "You love me," Viggo said, unperturbed by Sean's announcement. "I'm cooking tonight." "Throw in a cold one and a blowjob and I might forgive you." "Got anyone in mind? For the blowjob part, I mean." "If you could conjure up Mitzi from creature effects, I'd definitely forgive you." Viggo gave him a very long, measured look that had Sean about ready to squirm again. "I'll see what I can do." Sean laughed, as he was sure he was meant to, and took a sip from his cup. "Fuck me, shite's strong." "Grow hair on your chest." "Don't exactly think I need to be worrying about that," Sean said, scratching said chest. "Probably not." Viggo deftly flipped the eggs over in the tiny skillet. Sean scooted a little closer to the firepit. "How far to the lake?" "'Bout an hour's hike, I reckon." "An hour?" Sean narrowed his eyes. "Why didn't we camp closer?" "I like this spot," Viggo shrugged. "Pretty sunrises." "Of course." As if that explained everything. And maybe it did. To Viggo. "Sides, the walk'll do you good." "Tryin' to say I'm getting fat?" Viggo made a show of looking Sean up and down. "Look alright to me." "Yeah, yeah, bet you say that to all the lads." But Sean couldn't stop the flash of heat that swept through him. *** "Did you have to pick the most fucked up path imaginable?" Sean asked as he stumbled over another rock. "You have to whine the entire time?" "I'm not whining. I'm a bloke. We don't whine." Sean glared at Viggo's back, hoped Viggo could feel it through his faded t-shirt. "We bitch." Viggo turned and started walking backwards, deftly stepping over each rock and twig. "There's a difference?" he asked, pushing his tattered cowboy hat back on his head. "Yes." Sean should have brought his own hat. Sweat was starting to pool uncomfortably on the back of his neck. "The difference is that I'm a bloke and blokes don't whine." "Ah," Viggo said, nodding sagely. He jogged around Sean, backpack bouncing crazily, and smacked Sean once on the ass. "C'mon. Miles to go, slowpoke." "Fucker," Sean muttered at Viggo's retreating back. His next words were pitched a bit louder. "Next time, I'm picking the spot." "Yeah, yeah, c'mon." *** "What's that?" Sean asked, staring stupidly at the strip of black cloth in Viggo's outstretched palm. "It's a blindfold." "Yeah, I can see that. Mean, why're you giving it to me?" "Don't be stupid." Viggo continued to hold it out. "Put it on." "Fuck that for a game o' soldiers, m'not letting you tie me up." "Who said anything about tying you up?" Viggo grinned, laugh lines crinkling around mischievous eyes. "Didn't know you were into that." "I'm not." Sean shifted uncomfortably. "Just, um, why'd you want to?" "So you won't ruin the surprise. Now put it on." Grumbling, Sean did just that. He could feel Viggo behind him, tying the ends together in a loose knot. "Too tight?" Viggo asked. "It's fine. I take it you've done this before." Sean could practically feel Viggo's grin. "A gentleman never tells." "Since when're you a gentleman?" "Good point. C'mon." Sean gingerly stepped forward, stumbling on a rock. He was grateful for Viggo's steadying hand on his arm, and if he thought it was a bit strange when Viggo snaked that arm around his waist, it didn't have to mean anything. "You always this kinky on first dates?" he joked. "Is that what this is?" Viggo's voice was right against Sean's ear, and he shivered, goose bumps forming as warm breath ghosted over his skin. "Oddest one I've ever been on, if it is," Sean replied, as Viggo led him in tentative steps forward. The blindfold over his eyes heightened his other senses -- the sound of rushing water up ahead mingled with the sounds of Viggo's breathing, the smell of damp earth, the almost tangible taste of moist air. After a few minutes, the faint rushing became a roar of sound. He felt Viggo stop just behind him. "Alright," Viggo murmured, and Sean could have sworn he felt Viggo's lips on his nape. "You can take the blindfold off now." Sean blinked slowly, letting his eyes adjust to the light again. And just stared in wonder. Sunlight streamed in through an opening in the roof of the cave, sending shafts of gold and light over a pool of water so pure, so blue that it dazzled the eyes. A small waterfall streamed over smooth rocks, gurgling in the water below. "This is outstanding," Sean breathed. "How'd you find this place?" "Exploring with Karl. We just kinda bumped into it." Viggo raked a hand through shaggy hair and grinned. "Wanna know the best part?" "There's more?" "It's a hot spring." "Now you're just bragging." "Kid you not." "I think I love you," Sean replied, reverently. Viggo shrugged, but his grin was a little more mischievous than usual. "Hell, if I'd known you were that easy, I'd have brought you here a long time ago." "You didn't know about it a long time ago." Sean paused in the act of pulling off his shirt. "C'mon. We swimming or what?" Viggo shrugged again, and gave Sean a long, measuring look that made the hairs on his arms stand on end. "Guess we're swimming," Viggo said. Sean pretended not to watch Viggo undress. Impolite and all. Y'know, to watch your mates get...well, you know. Even if said mate did have a well-defined chest and lean thighs. And a rock-hard ass. What kind of man would perv over his best mate? His best blokeish mate. For that matter, what kind of man would also notice that said mate had a rather impressive package nestled against jet-black curls? Right. Sean quickly finished stripping and plunged into the warm water, careful not to swim too close to Viggo. Space and all. Sean was a very considerate man. Ask anyone...well, anyone that wasn't an ex-wife. The pool felt incredible, lovely wet heat massaging Sean's skin. He floated lazily on his back for a few minutes, relaxing his body, feeling better than he had in ages. Nothing like a little relaxation to clear up thoughts. Especially of the odd and inappropriate kind. A movement caught the corner of his eye, and his gaze rested on Viggo, who was cutting cleanly through the clear water with broad strokes to the falls. Good swimmer. Sean wondered if Viggo was on the swimming team when he was a kid. He watched, curious (and, if he admitted to himself, a little fascinated) as Viggo climbed out and stood on the ledge under the spray, stretching, arms raised above his head. Sean stopped floating and treaded water, staring, not that he'd admit that, either. Definitely impolite to stare at glistening tanned skin, taut muscles, and long dark hair slicked back from an angular face. Viggo threw his head back, caught drops of water in his upturned mouth. He was so...other-worldly. If a display so earthy and sensual could be called other-worldly. Wait. Earthy and sensual? The fuck was he on about? Viggo was, well. A bloke, first off. Sean's gaze skittered down to that rather impressive package, then darted back up. Definitely a bloke. No mistaking. Which meant...well...which meant that Sean shouldn't be looking is what it meant. And he definitely shouldn't be thinking about words like earthy and sensual in regards to a good friend. A very good blokeish friend. Viggo opened his eyes at that moment, and even with the length of the pool separating them, there was no mistaking the invitation in Viggo's eyes. Sean blinked, thinking it was the water clouding his vision or some other such nonsense, but, no. There Viggo was, still staring at him, and smiling at him with that damnable crooked grin, and really, where'd he get over grinning like that? "You look like you've been poleaxed," Viggo drawled, voice slicing through the noise of the falls like it was nothing. He started rubbing over his belly -- his very flat, naked belly -- with one hand. "No clue what you're on about," Sean called back, still treading water. Still staring, if it came right down to it. "Man, are you a bad liar." Viggo dove back in the water a moment later, and Sean spun around in circles, searching under the ripples for signs of movement. When Viggo popped to the surface right beside him, it took everything Sean had not to yelp. Or to swim backwards as fast as possible. "You were staring," Viggo said, pleasant and amiable. The hand that was currently tugging Sean closer, however, was anything but. "Staring at what?" "Don't play dumb." Viggo tugged Sean closer, until their chests and legs bumped against each other, wet and slick, under the water. "Stupidity's never been one of your faults." "Well, that's hardly a ringing -- mmph!" Sean's eyes were still wide as saucers when Viggo lifted his head and licked kiss-swollen lips. "Wanna try that again?" he asked, lifting an eyebrow. "Depends on what that is," Sean answered, a little breathless, still trying to wrap his brain around the pleasant after-effects of the kiss. The very stubbly, blokeish kiss. "Sean..." "Oh, that. Right." Sean's brows furrowed as he licked on his lower lip, and thought. Tried to think. Viggo, mate, bloke, really good kisser, stared back at him with impassive eyes that hinted at something deeper, if Sean were the type to decipher looks. It was easier to initiate the second kiss.
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