"Not at all, dear boy. Although I'm a bit curious as to why me." Ian tapped the portfolio with a long finger. "I'm by no means an expert." "Yes, but I value your opinion as a man of culture." "I'm not that cultured." Dom laughed and sat beside him at the table, pulling out the stack of black & white photographs. "I'm still working on colors, but this is what I have so far in this series. I'm calling them 'Balanced'." Ian looked through the first few photos, lips pursed, studying each one. "You have a very good eye," he said at last, perusing the small stack, going back and forth between several of them. "You've captured love and longing and completion with remarkable depth." "Yeah? You think so?" Dom leaned into Ian's arm, pointed at the photo in Ian's hand. "See, I like how, in this one, Vig's not quite looking at Sean, but his whole body is moving into him -- he just knows Sean is there." "Yes, the trust is very evident." "That's it exactly!" Dom beamed at him, and Ian returned the smile easily. The boy smiled with his entire soul. "I thought you were with Harry and Karl these days, though," Ian mused, looking through the next stack, taking careful note of the obvious love Dom had for his subjects, the obvious love Sean and Viggo felt for each other. It was imprinted on every picture -- a brush of a hand across puckered skin, a lock of hair falling to hide passion-filled eyes, the melding of two bodies into one, two souls into one. Remarkable that someone as young and innocent as Dom had managed to see all of that. "You --" Dom squeaked, paused, cleared his throat. "You know about them?" "You're at Harry's house quite a lot," Ian observed, with a small grin. "Surprised you haven't moved in." Dom blushed, turning a delightful shade of pink. "He and Karl've asked me to." "And?" If possible, Dom blushed harder. "And...I do, I want to more than anything," he blurted out, twisting his hands together on the table. "We've talked about me staying after filming to explore...whatever it is we have, so..." he shrugged "...we'll see, I guess." Interesting. Sweet, shy Dominic shacking up with the High Intensity Duo. Ian covered Dom's hand with his own, the gesture sympathetic. "It's alright. It's your life. Be happy." It was the best advice he could think to give. Dom nodded, and the tension eased from his shoulders. His smile could have lit up all of Wellington. "They do make me happy. You have no idea how much. But, we're talking about Vig and Bean. And whether you think I should pursue this photography thing." "If it brings you joy, I think you should," Ian replied, turning his attention back to the small stack. "You certainly have the patience for capturing the right moment. Pursue it, see where it takes you. I don't see how you could go wrong with such beautiful subjects." "Yeah, they are, aren't they?" Ian caught the slight hitch in Dom's voice, heartily agreed. Sean and Viggo were exceptional together. And their systematic seduction of most of the cast had been the talk of the shoot. The only ones immune from their considerable charms were Astin, Hugo, both completely straight, of course, Elijah, who was only a child, after all, not ready for them yet...and Ian himself. What the hell was wrong with him? * * * "It's lowering, really, Bern. They've never even looked twice at me." Ian paced the small length of his trailer, neatly dodging chairs, boxes and equipment. Bernard watched him, a small smile on his face. "You think that might be because of me?" Ian whirled, opened his arms dramatically. "They had both Karl and Harry, both Billy and Orlando, both David and Craig. I don't think couples are a problem with them." "Perhaps you just intimidate them." Intimidate? Surely Bernard was joking. Ian was the least intimidating person he knew. He was a pussycat, for Heaven's sake. "How could I possibly intimidate them? I'm bloody gay. I'm the most available man on this cast." "Yes, but, you're an icon," Bernard commented. "I mean, look at you. You're every gay man's wet dream of success." Ian flopped into the chair next to Bernard, crossing his arms. He was dangerously close to pouting...something he hadn't done in a good many years. "Somehow the thought isn't very comforting." "Ah, but your problem is that you're playing their game." Bernard smiled, eyes flashing. "You need to bring them into your game." Ian paused, looked into his lover's laughing eyes. Oh...oh. There was a thought. "Bernie, you are absolutely, wickedly brilliant." "Of course I am." "Arrogant, too," Ian replied with a small smile. Bernard lifted Ian's hand, kissed the back of it. "Part of the charm, love, part of the charm." * * * Ian could honestly say that he was going to miss Sean and Viggo's messy cabin when this shoot was over. He'd miss the sunset through the trees on their back porch, the books and paints scattered on the floors, the sofas, in stacks in the library. Miss the cozy domesticity of his friends. But, at least he'd been here for it. Was able to say he'd been there at the beginning, when Sean and Viggo had met. He glanced at the two men, hands entwined on the dining room table -- casual, male, so together it made Ian's heart hurt. In a good way. Joy was a fleeting thing...it was lovely that Sean and Viggo had found a way to make it last. And to share it. Now the trick was for them to share it with him. "Thank you so much for the lovely dinner," he stated, setting down his napkin. "You're welcome," Sean replied. Bernard raised his glass of sherry. "You're much too kind to two old men who invited themselves over." "I wouldn't call either of you old," Viggo protested. Sean agreed. "Far from it." Ian and Bernard shared a small smile over their glasses...almost time. "What do you say we take these drinks into the library?" "Sounds like a good idea." Ian waited until they'd all gotten settled before glancing at Bernard. A discreet wink was all he needed. "We have a proposal for you." Sean and Viggo looked at each other, then at Ian and Bernard. "Go on," Sean said. Bernard inclined his head slightly, sipped his drink. "Well, it occurs to us that we've yet to be included in any of your little escapades. And we were thinking that perhaps you might need a bit of credentials before you made a final decision." "Escapades?" Viggo asked. Sean smiled, slipped his hand into Viggo's. "He means the Playground." "Oh." Blue eyes widened slightly as Viggo turned his attention back to Ian. "You're interested?" What, was the man completely daft? "Of course I'm --" "We're not sure yet," Bernard interrupted smoothly. "We'd also be interested in seeing what you would bring to the table for now." "You're...um...not interested yourself?" Sean asked. "Not really. You're both undeniably beautiful, but I'm a bit more old-fashioned than Ian here. I like to take my clothes off for only one man at a time," Bernard said, smiling. "But that doesn't mean I'm not adverse to certain activities or watching and judging." "How sporting of you," Sean murmured. Viggo continued to look at Ian with something that looked like lust mixed with a healthy dose of fear and awe. Hmmm...perhaps Bernard was a bit more spot on than Ian had originally thought. How splendid. "We'll go first -- show you a few things," Ian stated, and then he leaned into Bernard. "Open your mouth for me, love." Bernard obeyed with a twinkle in light eyes, and Ian snaked his tongue out, licked along the outer edge of Bernard's lips, darting inside for butterfly-quick forays, touching his lips to Bernard's before pulling back. "Your turn, I believe, gentlemen." Ian noted, with a great deal of satisfaction, that both Sean and Viggo's pupils were dilated, their breathing off. Sean cupped the back of Viggo's neck, drew him in for a leisurely, open-mouthed kiss, allowed Ian to see tongues touching each other, mouths skating against each other's. Fingers curled into long hair as Sean dipped down, licked Viggo's stubbled chin with a swift tongue. "Very nice," Bernard remarked. Ian could only nod. Of course, if the two of them hadn't been exceptional, then they wouldn't have the legendary reputation they did. "Perhaps you'd like a sample yourself," Sean asked, gesturing carelessly at Ian. "Not quite yet. We're still negotiating." Ian's reply was smooth, thought out. "But I believe we can move onto round two." "By all means." Ah, finally Viggo was getting into the swing of things. "Ian, turn to me." Ian twisted his body to face Bernard, sighed when nimble fingers divested Ian of his shirt, revealing Ian's smooth chest and flat abs, one inch at a time. Bernard swiped his tongue along Ian's collarbone, teased flat nipples with a careless swipe of his thumbs. "Most impressive." Sean's normally smooth, sexy-as-sin voice had a sandpaper roughness to it that made it even sexier, had Ian impossibly hard. "My turn, I believe." Viggo focused all of his attention on Sean, and seeing the intensity in light blue eyes had Ian biting his lower lip, hand on Bernard's tightening. Viggo kept his eyes on Sean the entire time he stripped Sean of his shirt, fingers lingering over every soft patch of skin. Ian's breath caught when Sean was bared to the waist -- he had an exceptional body -- lithe, graceful, each delineation of muscle a study in perfection. Ian was suddenly anxious to see how Viggo measured up, beckoned the other man to him with a wave of his hand. "I'd like a closer look," was all he said, as Viggo dropped to his knees. "Of course," Viggo murmured, gesturing at his shirt. "Sample me." Dear God, he was trying to kill him. Ian's eyes flashed at the invitation, and he reached out to unbutton Viggo's shirt, pulling it out of his waistband. Tanned, smooth skin beckoned -- dark nipples, the flat planes of a toned stomach, the soft trail of hair disappearing down Viggo's lower torso. "Very nice." "Perhaps a closer inspection..." Viggo's smooth voice tempted, and Ian was only too happy to succumb. He had a hand on all that skin as soon as the last word left Viggo's mouth. The heat kicked through him, journeyed from his hands through his arms and body like a flash fire. Traced over every bit of muscle and bone, lost himself in heat. "Nice, isn't he?" Ian turned, startled, at the soft whisper in his ear. Sean trailed delicate fingers up Ian's arm, pressed that graceful body against him, breath warm against his skin. How the hell had he gotten there? And where was Bernard? "I --" Ian stopped, breath stuttering when Sean brushed full lips across his neck. Viggo took the opportunity to tug Ian's slacks off, placing tiny kisses along each inch of thigh he encountered. Sean's lips moved from Ian's neck to his cheeks, whispering across his lips. Dear God... "Keep him occupied, would you, love?" Ian was dimly aware that Viggo had just spoken, but was too busy trying to concentrate on the hard trembling of his body, the restless shifting of his hips at each one of Viggo's caresses. And lifted them completely off the sofa when Viggo closed his mouth over the head of Ian's cock at the same moment Sean cupped his chin and dove his tongue inside the head of Ian's mouth. Ian had been around -- he'd been active in the Swinging '60s and '70s, was no stranger to threesomes, or being double-teamed. He was fairly certain he was worldly and sophisticated, thought he could handle himself. But nothing he'd ever experienced had been quite like this. Sean and Viggo moved as one person, tongues and mouths over him, thrusting in tandem, so in sync that Ian could've sworn this was one person with two mouths. Blistering wetness enveloping his cock, soft tongue interweaving in his mouth. Couldn't decide which to concentrate on, couldn't decide whom to touch. Fell back on the cushions, drowning in heat. No wonder everyone rhapsodized...no wonder that soft light had still shown in Dom's eyes. Viggo moved rapidly, dove down, swirled his tongue, hummed deep in his throat as he sucked and laved. Sean matched the hum, sucked Ian's tongue with a voracity that surprised him, enslaved him, teeth scraping, lips conforming. Ian didn't come so much as he splintered -- broke apart under expert mouths and loving tongues. Sean swallowed his choked moan while Viggo swallowed thick semen -- and they even did that in tandem. Sean gentled his kiss, and Viggo slid up Ian's body to join in, darting from one mouth to the other with his tongue, allowing them teasing samples of Ian-flavored Viggo, the flavor exceedingly erotic. "Do we meet with your approval?" Sean asked, the pads of his fingers rubbing up Ian's still heaving chest. He had to be kidding. Ian grinned weakly, unable to form a single word. Should have been lowering, really, but he was too sated to give a damn. "Well, you've got my vote," a voice chuckled, and Viggo turned to the other sofa. Ian saw Bernard lounging against the cushions, wide smile stretching his lips. "Ah, so happy my death meets with your approval," Ian answered, pleased he'd finally found his voice. Still too knackered to move just yet, but he supposed he'd be able to do it in time. He could feel his toes and fingers again, and that was a good start. Viggo sat on the sofa on the other side of Ian, placed a kiss on Ian's shoulder. "No dying just yet." "We're not quite done." "You're not?" Ian looked from Sean to Viggo, surprised. They really were going to kill him. "No." Sean flicked his tongue across the shell of Ian's ear, smiled at the soft sigh. "There's a certain tongue trick Sean knows," Viggo murmured, feathering kisses across Ian's jaw. "Tongue trick?" "Ah, I've heard about that," Bernard smiled, winking when Sean smiled back. "We'll be happy to demonstrate," Sean replied. "You can use it later." "You're both wicked, wicked men." Ian's statement ended on a groan when nimble fingers -- wasn't quite sure whose -- started trailing through the hairs of his abdomen, bringing his body back to life. "You asked for this," Viggo replied, leaning in for a light kiss. Yes, Ian guessed he had. Best to make the most of it, then. He cupped a hand around the back of Viggo's head, moved his other one to trace the planes of Sean's chest. "Then show me everything." Sean and Viggo were only too happy to comply. Onto Balanced
|