Ring…ring…ring…click

"Hello."

"They don't want you to come to the premiere."

"Robin or the studio?"

"What's the fucking difference?"

"She works for you. You work for them."

"Ahhh…Robin."

"So do you want me to stay at home? We can still see each other while you're in LA. You can come round the house. I miss seeing you."

"This sucks! I didn't go to Spain while you were filming even though it would have been a lot of fun because she was worried about all the press surrounding the shoot. I listened to her when she said that the island was too small for you to come visit me without causing a major ruckus. I want you to be there."

"So I'll come," Viggo stated matter-of-factly.

"Really?"

"It's your people, not mine that have a problem with us being seen together."

Orlando laughed. "You don't have people. You have friends who think like you do and happen to be on your payroll."

"Did she have a reason?"

"Nothing new. The press and internet always light up like a Christmas tree with rumors that we're lovers after every time we are seen together. I just don't get it. Why can't they understand that we're just close friends?"

"The touching, the hugging and kissing, the fact that you steal my clothes…"

"I'm just a touchy person. I hug and kiss everybody, and I've stolen clothes from Dom, Elijah, Johnny and Brad too, but no one makes a big deal about them."

"Maybe they see something we don't. Have you asked Robin?"

"I'm sick and tired of asking Robin. I listened to her after the RotK premieres. We haven't been seen together anywhere, even when we were both in fucking Toronto at the same time. When it leaked that we were going to be in Hawaii for Thanksgiving, she flew me to the other side of the world for Kate's premiere. Did it stop the gossip? Fuck no! You're my friend, and I want you there. Let's give them something to talk about."

"You sure? You're a bigger star now. The press splash will be a lot bigger than it was for the LotR premieres."

"I don't fucking care! I want you there, and we're going to hug and kiss on the red carpet if we fucking feel like it." Orlando knew he sounded like a petulant child and felt the irrational need to stomp his foot when he finished his pronouncement.

Viggo chuckled, "It's your premiere, Elfboy. If you want me there, I'll be there. Even the threat of you mauling me on the red carpet won't keep me away."

Orlando laughed, and it made him feel much better. Talking things out with Viggo always did. "I've got interviews, photo calls and all that nonsense, so we can't go together."

"That's okay. I'm not flying in until late that morning anyway. I'll get ready at the house and meet you there."

"Okay. Bye, Vig, and thanks for always going along with my crazy life."

"Always, Orli. You're important to me. I'll see you in a few days and we'll make some headlines."

~~~~~~~~~~

Orlando was high as kite through all the interviews and practically glowed in the publicity pictures. He was going to see Viggo in just a few minutes. Memories of the LotR premiers kept flooding back. He wished everyone could be here, but at least, Viggo, Elijah, Dom, Karl, and Liz were going to make it. Orlando wasn't sure why but his brain always put an emphasis on Viggo.

Faces and words began to blur in the PR whirlwind, and before he knew it, he was stepping out of his limo onto the red carpet to a barrage of flashes popping and fans screaming. He walked straight for the ropes. Pretty much the only part of this whole circus that wasn't an act was his love for his fans. If only they'd teach teenage girls not to squeal quite so loudly.

A persistent hand pulled him away from the crowd towards the interviewers. He'd answered several basic questions when he spotted Viggo and Dom standing off to the side. He couldn't help it, he bounded towards them immediately. He took a flying leap at Dom before grabbing him around the neck and mussing his hair. Spinning, he pulled Viggo into a tight embrace and kissed him. Viggo caught him with a hand in his hair and kissed him back.

…

…

Time stood still.

…

…

All the sounds of the crowd disappeared.

…

…

The flashes of hundreds of cameras dimmed compared to the flashes of light exploding behind his closed eyelids as Viggo kissed him. This was nothing like any kiss he and Viggo had ever shared. This was nothing like any kiss he had every received. The ground tilted, and his knees grew weak.

When he was in danger of passing out from lack of oxygen, Orlando reluctantly pulled back. The volume of the crowd grew back to its normal roar. Orlando searched Viggo's eyes finding a subtle glint he'd never seen before. Shifting his eyes to Dom, he found blue eyes dancing with knowing laughter.

Orlando allowed himself to be pulled away and interviewed again and again, losing track his friends in the crowd. Everyone's first question was about Viggo and that kiss, but he didn't want to talk about it yet. He needed time to think about it, time to savor it and play it over and over in his mind, so he pasted on his best smile and played it off as a greeting between friends who hadn't seen each other in a long time.

Orlando was trapped between Kirsten and some studio bigwig during the movie, but his mind was on Viggo, reliving every second of that kiss.

The movie ended, and Orlando graciously accepted everyone's congratulations and compliments while trying not to appear in a hurry to leave.

As soon as was physically possible, Orlando sought out his friends. He hugged Dom, Elijah and Karl promising to meet them for drinks in the next day or two, kissed Liv and accepted an invitation to dinner, and grabbed Viggo's hand to pull him towards the door.

Orlando had sent for his car which was waiting at the back door behind the security fences, no fans, no press. By the time they hit the streets, the heavily tinted windows protected the occupants' privacy.

Orlando sat silently, chewing on his bottom lip.

Viggo raised his hand cupping his young friend's jaw and using his thumb to ease the abused lip out from between the sharp teeth. "You okay?"

Orlando turned towards Viggo, bending his knee and pulling his leg up onto the seat between them. "You kissed me!"

Viggo looked at him, a smirk pulling at the corners of his mouth. "Yeah, I did."

"I wasn't expecting…that!"

"I thought we agreed to give them something new to talk about."

"Well…yes, but…but you really kissed me," Orlando repeated again.

"I know, Orli. I was there."

Viggo was so calm it was making Orlando even more jittery. He hadn't felt himself bouncing like this since the RotK premieres, the last time he'd been seen being publicly affectionate with Viggo. Something snapped in place inside Orlando mind.

"Did you mean that kiss, Vig?" he asked needing to confirm his suspicions before he acted on them.

"Of course, Orli. Don't you know that about me yet? I never do anything I don't mean."

"Then why…why didn't you ever kiss me that way before?" Orlando was still struggling with wrapping his mind around the new way he was seeing his friend.

"Because you were 23."

"I'm not 23 any more."

"I've noticed."

Orlando leaned towards Viggo, stopping just short of pressing his body against the older man. "So how do you feel about 28 year olds?"

"Well there is one in particular I'm rather fond of…"

"You want to kiss him again without the world watching?" Orlando tilted his head to the side enticingly.

"No," Viggo answered softly.

Doubt and panic flitted through Orlando's eyes. "You don't?"

Viggo shook his head. "I want you to kiss me. I need to know you want this as badly as I do."

THE END