Fatigue thrummed through Viggo's veins as he walked through the front door.  Once again, he wondered what had possessed him to fly back three days early, knowing he was coming home to an empty house.  To an empty bed.  Although Viggo reasoned that he didn't have much of a right to wallow in self-pity, seeing as after the divorce, he refused to open himself up to new relationships.  No, he was alone in a house that now seemed too big, wishing fervently that Henry wasn't on vacation with Exene.

Dropping his bags on the floor and kicking off his shoes, he contemplated just falling asleep on the couch, but realized he didn't to wake up with a crick in his neck.  He managed to get up the stairs and start down the hallway to his room, but halfway there, he stopped and frowned.  Low light was coming from his room, as was the soft sound of music.  Strange.  Viggo was sure that he hadn't left the lights on, and he always unplugged his alarm clock before leaving.  No one could be in the house; the door had been locked and the driveway empty.

Viggo pushed open the door all the way and blinked in confusion at the sight that lay before him.  Orli was sprawled on his back, asleep on Viggo's bed, one hand under his head and the other resting on his stomach over the blankets that rose and fell with each breath.  The alarm clock/CD player was on, the music from the Fellowship soundtrack filling the room.  The light shining from the small bedside lamp bathed Orli in a golden glow that made him look absolutely luminous.

Quickly pinching himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming, Viggo pulled back the covers, further surprised when he realized Orli was wearing one of the older man's raggedy tee shirts.  He sat down on the mattress, allowing himself a moment to simply look at his beautiful friend.  When the music changed, now streaming into the Rivendell theme, Viggo finally tapped Orli on the shoulder in an attempt to wake him.

If the situation hadn't been quite so strange, Orli's reaction would have struck Viggo as being hilarious.  His brown eyes slowly opened, and then widened to caricature-like proportions.  Immediately becoming fully conscious, he sat up and his mouth fell open as if the hinges of his jaws had fallen off.

"Viggo?"  His voice actually squeaked.  "What are you doing here?"
 "I live here," Viggo answered, surprised at how calm he felt.  "What are *you* doing here?"

"Well, um, it's a funny story.  Okay, really not funny like ha-ha, but funny like, whoa Orlando Bloom is completely crazy kind of funny.  But you already knew I was crazy, right Vig?  I mean, nothing new there –"

"Okay, Orli.  Start again."

"It's funny . . . wait, I already said that.  Maybe it's not so funny.  I can see why you're freaked out, Vig, and I'm really sorry for scaring you, and maybe –"

"Orlando."  Viggo said firmly.  "Go *slowly*.  My brain is a bit jet lagged."

"Slow.  Right.  Well, I really didn't think you'd be home, so I just thought, what's the harm in coming over here, right?"

"How'd you get in here?"

"Your spare key is easy to find.  I just hopped a cab from the airport."

"Aren't you supposed to be filming?"

"I had a little time off, so I thought I'd just go to L.A. and visit you."

"Even though you didn't think I'd be home?"

Orli paused.  "I did say that, didn't I?"

"Yes."  Viggo was more amused than anything at this point.

"Okay, so I knew you wouldn't be home."

"Then why come here?"

"Because I missed you."

"Explain that."

"I . . ."  Orli blushed all the way to his ears.  "Well, I just thought I'd go to your house and be surrounded by things that remind me of you.  Like your art, and stuff.  I mean, I have some of your art, but it's not the same.  And then your bed smelled like you, and so did your clothes, so I put on your clothes and got under the sheets.  I packed the Fellowship soundtrack because it reminds me of New Zealand and what we all created together, so I started playing it, and then I just fell asleep."
 "Clothes?  As in plural?"  Viggo pulled back the sheets some more.  "You're wearing my boxers?"

"Um, yeah.  Are you going to call the police?"

"No, I'm not going to call the police," Viggo laughed.  "Just do the laundry before you leave."

"Oh, I always do."  Orli paused, realizing what he had just said.

"Always?  As in you've done this more than once?"

"Yes."  His voice was barely audible.  "Now you *are* going to call the police, aren't you?"

"Orli, I hate to say this, but you're not exactly intimidating.  Insane, yes, but not intimidating."

"Do you want me to leave?"

"No.  I mean, you're already here, and I don't feel like driving you to a hotel."

"So should I stay in the guest room?"

"Just lie back down, Orli.  You've gone camping with me before and we had to smush our sleeping bags together for warmth.  This is really no different."

"Are you mad?"

"No, I'm tired.  Just go to sleep, Orlando."

"Can we leave the music on?"

"Whatever."  Viggo was really too exhausted to care at this point.

"Good night, Vig."

"Good night, elf boy."

Orli pouted at the nickname, but fell asleep again the moment Viggo turned off the light.  Quickly stripping down to his boxers, Viggo crawled inside the bed beside the young man and looked at him in the dark with a mixture of curiosity and affection.  He had always been absolutely entranced by Orli, but had never dared to say anything.  Orli's obsession with him, while disconcerting, also made him wonder if what he wanted had been right in front of him this entire time.

 *****

Viggo was running through the mines of Moria.  He wasn't Aragorn, and he wasn't on the set.  It was actually Viggo Mortensen, running through part of Middle Earth.  The orcs were coming straight at him, and he was absolutely terrified.  Suddenly, he came awake with a start, and squinted into the sunny bedroom.  Next to the bed, the music of the Moria sequences were playing, and Viggo could feel a weight on his chest.

Still a bit confused, he turned his head to the right and, the strange events from last night came flooding back.  Orli was lying smushed up against Viggo's side, his head in the crook of the other man's neck, and an arm flung across his chest in an almost possessive manner.

"Orli?"  Viggo's voice was soft.

"Mmffhhh."

"Orli?"

"Who is it?"

"Um, it's Viggo."

Orli opened his eyes, realized the position he was in, and jerked back as if Viggo's body was an open flame.  "Sorry," he stammered.  "Must have shifted in my sleep."  His cheeks were bright red.

"It's okay."  It really *was* okay.  More than okay.  After all, there are worse things in life than waking up with Orlando Bloom curled up against you.

"Listen, I'm sorry about last night, Vig.  And all the other times I've come to your house when you weren't here."

"You don't have to apologize, Orli; I'm not angry with you."

"You're not?  Really?"

"A little freaked out for sure, but not angry.  I mean, I wasn't quite expecting to find you wearing my underwear and in my bed in the middle of the night."

"No, I can understand that.  Um, you're not gonna tell the others, are you?  They'll never let me live it down."  Orli looked absolutely terrified.  "I mean, Bean will take the piss for years!"

"I won't tell anyone else, I promise.  But do you mind if I ask you a question?"  Orli shakes his head no.  "How many times have you done this?"
 "Please don't ask me that."

Viggo smiled.  "Orli, I won't be upset.  Just tell me."

"Maybe ten or twelve times."

"Why do you do this?  I mean, you can always call me if you really miss spending time with me.  Why do you come to an empty house?"

Orli ran a hand through his hair as he looked away from Viggo.  "Because I'm afraid to spend time with you."

"What?"  Viggo was now thoroughly confused.

"Because . . . well, because it's safe here.  I mean, you're all around me, but you're not actually here, so I can't screw up."

"What do you mean 'screw up'?  What are you afraid of?"  When Orli didn't answer, Viggo reached out and turned Orli's face towards him.  "Why do I scare you?"

"You don't scare me, Vig.  I'm just afraid of screwing up what we have now.  The friendship."

"And why would you screw that up?"  Viggo knew why, but he had to make Orli say it.  If Orli said it, then he'd believe it.  And if he believed it, he'd tell Orli the truth, as well.

"Because I want more than friendship.  I want to be with you, and I have for a long time."

For a moment, Viggo closed his eyes, sending a silent 'thank you' to whatever deity might be paying attention.  "Orli –"

"I should leave."  Orli pushed back the sheets and got out of bed.

"Orli, wait," Viggo pleaded, going to stop the other man from leaving.

"Why?  Listen, Viggo, all I want is for us to stay friends.  Can we just forget this whole thing?"  Orli tried to walk to the bedroom door, but Viggo stepped in front of him and closed the door.

"I can't do that."

"I promise, I'll never sneak into your house again, okay?  I've completely humiliated myself; what else do you want from me?"

 "What I want from you is to just be quiet and let me talk."  Viggo mentally chided himself for slipping into his I-should-be-king voice, inadvertently making Orli look somewhat frightened.  "Orli, we will always be friends, nothing will change that."

"You swear?"

"I swear.  But I need you to be completely honest – how do you feel about me?"

"I love you.  I'm *in* love with you."

A moment of unbearable silence passed before Viggo slid his arms around Orli's waist and gave a small chuckle.  "Silly elf."  Completely confused, Orli was unprepared for Viggo leaning in and kissing him gently on the lips.  His eyes briefly widened before closing tightly while one hand lifted up to cradle the back of Viggo's head.  When the kiss ended (far too soon in Orli's opinion), Viggo just chuckled again.

"Viggo?"  Orli's voice was laced with disbelief.

"I love you, too."

"Really?"  A huge grin spread across his face.  "So I guess we've both been pretty stupid, huh?"

"Yeah."  Viggo was grinning as well.  "Do you mind if I kiss you again?"

"Of course not.  I'm irresistible."

Viggo laughed.  "Completely."  They kissed again, slowly and sweetly with no need to rush anything.  "Orli?" he asked when they broke apart.

"Hmm?"  Orli was a bit preoccupied with kissing Viggo's neck.

"I was thinking . . . maybe I should just get you your own key."

"Yeah?"  He couldn't keep the glee out of his voice.

"Yeah.  But enough talking for now."

"Right.  Enough talking."

Viggo tightened his arms around Orli and kissed him once more.  Orli would never have to sneak in to Viggo's empty house.  And Viggo would never have come home to an empty bed.  There was no emptiness anymore.
 

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