The clock on the mantel chimed, the sound echoing through the darkness of the quiet house. He couldn’t sleep. No matter how hard he tried, all he could manage was to toss and turn. Reading hadn’t helped. Even painting -- his normal salvation -- hadn’t occupied him sufficiently to get his mind off of things.

The mantel clock struck again marking the passage of yet another hour. It was no use. No distraction would rid him of the sound of Orlando’s voice sobbing into the phone. He could hear it as clearly now as he had hours before when Elf Boy had phoned from the set.

“I had to cry on the set today and I can’t stop.”

“Oh baby, I’m sorry.” Sometimes this method acting was a bitch. “What did you settle on to help yourself get into it?”

“That was simple, honey. I just have to think of how much I miss you.”

Orlando had cried into the phone for at least forty minutes trying to calm himself enough to film the upcoming scene. He had been sequestered in his trailer tying to avoid the myriad of fans camped out hoping for a sighting or an autograph, not wanting to be a sobbing sod in front of all of those strangers.

It had been months since they’d seen each other. It was hard enough to reconcile filming schedules when only one of them was actually filming. When both of them were working, it was nearly impossible to fit in time together. Traditional couples had the luxury of spending time on each other’s movie sets. This was not the case here, however. Their time together was restricted for the most part to stolen moments and long distance phone calls.

Time apart weighed heavily on both of them. Viggo worried about not being readily available at those times when the stress of day-to-day activities wore on his Elf Boy. It was difficult to comfort and reassure adequately from hundreds of miles away. Conversely, long periods apart saw Orli worried that Viggo would realize that he was better off without a dumb kid tagging along. Orlando knew how much Viggo treasured his alone time and asked himself if a lot of that would result in Viggo coming to his senses.

Viggo lay in bed thinking of all of the times that they’d discussed these separations. They’d made a promise once: When you need to see the other person, you do. That promise echoed in his mind as well. He got out of bed and reached for the phone. He knew what he had to do.

~~~~~~~~~~

The morning sun shone through the windows in the pastry shop, glinting off the display cases that held row upon row of freshly baked sweets. The spicy and sweet smells of the bakery’s wares mingled with the stronger scents of the gourmet coffees brewing on the coffee bar off to one side.

As was typical in these early morning hours, business was brisk as townspeople waited patiently for their daily selections before hurrying off with their white sacks and lidded paper cups safely in hand.

One customer sat at a corner table leisurely sipping his coffee as he munched his croissant and read the local newspaper. Pausing only occasionally to check his wristwatch, the sandy haired man appeared unhurried and unaffected by the more hectic pace around him. With the morning rush winding down, he stood, made one final purchase “to go,” and with a nod to the shopkeeper made his way to his car, newspaper tucked under his arm.

Turning the engine over, Viggo pulled the rental car into the relatively light morning traffic and followed the directions that the leasing agent had given him to the hotel. He pulled into a parking space in the back and sat for a few minutes before reaching for his mobile phone.

The fluttery feeling in his stomach made him laugh at himself. His fingers pushed the familiar telephone number as he opened the car door and stepped out onto the sidewalk. After what seemed an eternity, the well-known voice at the other end of the line said those three little words that always brought a smile to Viggo’s lips: It’s about time!

~~~~~~~~~~

The wake up call had come while it was still dark outside and it had taken Orlando five rings to answer. Even though he’d left the cast dinner early, he’d gotten to bed far later than he’d anticipated and was now regretting that course of action. After thanking the front desk for the call, Orli lingered under the covers for at least half an hour before dragging himself up and into the shower. Then it had taken another half hour before he turned off the warm water and stepped out onto the tile floor. Everything seemed to take longer this morning. It took forever to get his hair tame enough to be presentable. Things that needed to be thrown into his luggage were strewn about. And the dog was still little more than a large furry black lump on the bed that refused to budge.

Finally, the bags were at the door, drawers and closet had been checked to assure that nothing would be left behind and room service had brought up coffee. Orlando removed a dog biscuit from the box in his script bag and made his way to the sleeping black pup.

“Wake up, Sidi! Come on! You want a biscuit? Huh? Come on!”

The sound of his human’s voice woke the tail first. Before eyes even opened in recognition, Sidi’s tail began to wag against the covers causing a thumping sound to fill the room. The enthusiasm in Orli’s voice eventually reached the dog’s ears and he jerked his head up, awake in earnest. With the dog biscuit now clasped underneath one paw, Sidi crunched as Orlando busied himself with last minute details.

He had done a last check of the bathroom and had a mouth full of toothpaste when the mobile phone rang. Not wanting to give himself away, he answered the phone as though he’d been waiting for the caller for hours. The fact that the caller would know better mattered not at all. After weeks apart, the waiting was finally over and Viggo was here.

~~~~~~~~~~

Viggo made his way into the hotel through the back entrance, took the elevator up to the third floor and stood for a few moments in front of the door. The butterflies in his stomach had intensified to something more akin to birds.

Orlando was about to look out the window for the tenth time to see what was keeping his Filthy Human when Sidi warned him of somebody there. Orli opened the door just as Viggo had raised his hand to knock. Seeing him standing there, Orlando pulled at the Underdog shirt and dragged him inside.

Dodging the wagging mass that wove through two pairs of legs, the two of them stared for a brief moment. “You’re here,” Orlando whispered. “You’re really here.” He reached out and lightly touched Viggo’s face, his fingers lingering on the crow’s feet and laugh lines.

Viggo didn’t speak. He merely took his Elf Boy’s hand and pressed it to his lips before pulling him into a tight hug. He moved his face to the crook of Elf Boy’s neck, breathing in the familiar scent and treasuring the warmth of Orlando’s body pressed closely against his.

Long minutes passed where the two merely held each other and relished the moment. At long last, Orlando pulled away enough to look into adoring blue eyes. “Are you going to kiss me, old man? Or are you just going to stand there gaping?”

Viggo didn’t need to be prompted again. With the fingers of one hand tangled in Orli’s curls, he lightly pressed their lips together. The kiss began loving and tender before gradually intensifying to dueling tongues and scraping teeth. They parted breathless and flushed, but content.

Sidi nuzzled at Viggo’s hand and received a pat for his efforts. The pup whined at the bag that was still clutched in Viggo’s left hand and he relented.

“I brought breakfast,” he said almost shyly. “For Sidi. Thought it would keep him busy while we got things together for the road trip.” He reached into the bag and pulled out a bone shaped treat that Sidi immediately latched onto.

Orlando might have tried a sulk had he not noticed the twinkle in Viggo’s eyes and the fact that the bag wasn’t quite empty. As if reading his mind, Viggo withdrew the chocolate croissant and handed it over with a “How did that get in there?” look. Elf Boy kissed his lover’s cheek.

While the boy and his dog ate their pastries, Viggo took bags down to the car and loaded them into the trunk. He went back up to the room to help Orli tote the rest of his luggage out to the car. In a relatively few minutes, they’d turned in the room key, loaded the dog into the back seat and were off.

~~~~~~~~~~

The whole point of the drive back to Los Angeles was to allow Orlando to discover more of the Middle American culture that he’d recently seen during the location filming of Elizabethtown. Since Cameron had given the cast two weeks off, Viggo had proposed that Orlando forgo the flight back and drive instead. Orlando had jumped at the chance. Since having traveled back roads from small rural towns to Southern cities, Orli had found that there was more to the United States than what he’d seen in LA. He was determined to savor the experience, and Viggo had eagerly embraced the opportunity to share it with him.

Orlando started out behind the wheel since he was determined to show Viggo a few of the stops the film crew had made in the last day or so. His favorite was a bridge that stood next to a grove of trees. Orli giggled as he told Viggo about the embarrassing dance that his character performed in that spot. They parked the car and took a walk through the canopy.

Viggo smiled as Orlando animatedly described the filming, the fans and the dance. He loved how Elf Boy’s eyes danced when he described how amazing everybody felt when the take had gone just perfectly. His own eyes twinkled as he watched Orlando, hands moving to punctuate his words, as he shared the details of the filming with him. For Viggo, this was what life was about and this was why it was important to him to make certain that Orlando had the opportunity to go as far in his career as his talent would take him.

When they stepped from the trees to the bridge, Orlando’s mood changed as if reflecting what his character had gone through at this place. Brown eyes were wide and almost haunted and hands grew still as Elf Boy once again shared the filming experience at this locale. Again, Viggo listened with fascination and appreciation before steering boy and dog back to the car.

On the journey once again, they shunned the highway for the smaller roads that meandered through countryside and wandered through townships of varying sizes. They avoided chains of eateries in favor of small family-run establishments and when the urge struck to stop and examine something more closely, they gave into it.

Thanks to the dog, stops were frequent and the pace more leisurely. Viggo once again thanked the Fates that had brought Sidi into Orlando’s life. While it had always been difficult to get Orli to slow down and take the time to pamper his back, Viggo found it was easy to get Orlando to attend to Sidi’s needs. As such, Viggo was able to baby Orlando as he babied the pup.

As they rounded the curve in the road that lead to a resort town, Orli squealed in delight. “Mini-golf and Go Carts!” He pulled the car into the facility parking lot and dragged Viggo out of the car. He retrieved the dog from the back seat and virtually bounced to the fence to watch the Go Carts. “Race you, old man!” he challenged before heading inside to make the arrangements.

Viggo settled Sidi and his water dish safely under a tree, leash wrapped securely around the fence and plainly in sight before finding Orli. He met Elf Boy at the doorway with a helmet in each hand.

“Which color car do you want to have your arse kicked in, honey?” Orli asked him sweetly before folding himself into a bright yellow vehicle. Viggo settled for his usual favorite -- blue -- and they were off, grinning like fools.

Orlando proved to be the Go Cart king, but Viggo made up ground in Mini Golf and teased that he’d have done better if the dog hadn’t kept stealing his ball. He almost doubled over laughing when Orlando looked solemnly at the dog and gravely explained that Viggo didn’t share his balls with anybody but him. They played, they laughed and thoroughly enjoyed themselves before piling into the car one more time.

~~~~~~~~~~

One raceway, two arcades, two snowball stands and a cozy restaurant later, it was time to find lodging for the night. Viggo was beginning to realize that he probably should have tried to find a list of accommodations that would welcome pets. Fortunately, the same Fates that brought Sidi continued to look out for him even now. At the first stop -- a lovely bed and breakfast in a refurbished farmhouse -- they found exactly what they sought. Not only were pets welcome, the owner brought up one of the largest dog pillows that they’d ever seen. Sidi immediately curled up onto its surface and fell asleep.

“Well, he looks comfortable,” Viggo observed with a grin. It was a rare thing to tire out the lab but this time they’d manage to exhaust that boundless energy.

“He’s likely only sulking because you only share your balls with me,” Orli reminded him with a predatory grin.

Viggo returned the grin and moved over to where Orli stood, pulling him into a tight embrace and placing kisses on his eyelids, his nose and finally his lips. “Are we still in Nebraska?” Viggo asked. He received a nod in reply. “Oh, good. I’ve never tasted you in Nebraska.”

He moved Orlando to the bed. It was a high pencil post covered in a handmade patchwork. He removed the cover and turned down the bed before lowering the lithe body onto the soft sheets. Viggo kissed Orlando’s cheek and worked his way south to the collarbone as he lifted the tee shirt up and over Elf Boy’s head. He kissed and licked a path to the newly exposed skin and worked his way to the waistband of the jeans. Making quick work of the fly, he removed the garment along with the boxers and continued his kissing and nuzzling. His tongue swiped a long path along the turgid shaft.

“You taste fabulous in Nebraska,” he mumbled before taking Orlando into his mouth and down his throat. He suckled and teased while Orli writhed beneath him and fisted the bedclothes. He hummed and tickled while Orlando moaned, and when Orli found his release he took everything that he gave him and then licked him clean. He kissed a return path up the sated body until he could purr into an ear buried beneath dark curls. “You taste beyond fabulous in Nebraska, angel,” he cooed. Stripping off his own clothes, he climbed into bed and cuddled Orli until the even sounds of his breathing indicated that Elf Boy was asleep.

~~~~~~~~~~

The breakfast at the B&B was as wonderful as the accommodations had been. After filling up on an elaborate offering of foods and tending to Sidi, they’d loaded the car and were off yet again. Viggo drove while Orlando navigated.

In relatively no time they had crossed the border into Wyoming. With a dangerous twinkle in his blue eyes, Viggo pulled off into the Wyoming Welcome Center and parked the car. On the pretext of walking the dog, he pulled Orlando off the designated path into the woods and pushed him up against a tree. Pressing his body up against Orli’s, he sucked his earlobe. “I’ve never tasted you in Wyoming.”

After a quick stop to the vending machines, they returned to the car with satisfied smirks on their faces. Orli watered the dog before loading him once again into the backseat. He picked up the map as Viggo started the car and pulled onto the road once again.

At Cheyenne, Viggo insisted on taking in the Frontier Days rodeo. They spent the better part of the afternoon watching bull riding, roping and other feats. At the calf roping, Orli drew restless.

“Come on, Hopkins,” he implored with a grin. “Time to get back in the saddle, yeah?”

After throwing a tennis ball around for Sidi, they were once again mobile. Orli began to fidget when Viggo took a wrong turn. Despite numerous opportunities to change directions, he drove purposefully on and seemed to be looking for something. After several more miles, the car turned into Sky Watch Farm Bed and Breakfast.

“We have reservations,” Viggo explained sheepishly. “We’re in Wellington. Colorado. I thought a place called Wellington had to be wonderful.”

Orlando smiled as they grabbed overnight bags from the trunk and took care of the dog. As they went up to their room, Viggo purred once again in Orlando’s ear. “Besides, I’ve never tasted you in Colorado.”

~~~~~~~~~~

The next day, Wyoming continued to charm Orlando from the car window. In Laramie, they went ice skating. They picnicked in Medicine Bow National Forrest and walked through a real ghost town in Point of Rocks.

When they crossed the border into Utah, Viggo once again had a surprise for Orli. As they passed Moab, Viggo stopped for directions to Red Cliffs Lodge. He’d found the luxury resort on the internet and thought that Elf Boy could use a bit of pampering. With a suite overlooking the Colorado River, Viggo had booked three days there to enjoy the desert and his partner out where no one was likely to find them. As they dropped their bags on the king size bed, Orlando wrapped his arms around Viggo’s neck and kissed him passionately.

“This place is amazing!” he beamed. “The desk clerk was telling me all that there is to do here. Pity we won’t get to do it all.”

“We won’t?” Viggo teased.

“Nope. You’ve never tasted me in Utah.”

~~~~~~~~~~

They took in as many sights as they could along the way. They splashed in Great Salt Lake trying to sink each other. They walked the historic places of Salt Lake City and took in some of the better dining in the area. And they found time to hike mountain trails and take in the vistas that Mother Nature provided along the way.

At one particularly breathtaking overlook, Orlando had Viggo park the car. It was secluded and there was nobody else about. Giving his lover a particularly seductive smile he licked the cleft in Viggo’s chin. “We’ve entered a new state,” he teased. Laughing at the puzzled look he received in reply, he merely whispered “I’m in a state of bliss.”

~~~~~~~~~~

Orlando quickly embraced the Taste of Middle America theme. When they’re path took them through Arizona for a brief 25 mile interlude, he reminded Viggo that they’d just crossed the border. Shortly thereafter they were in Nevada and Orlando giggled at the “Welcome to” sign.

Viggo complied at each available opportunity. A missed road sign lead them to a “State of Confusion.” Orlando’s rumbling tummy saw them feasting a “State of Hunger.” And the lights of Las Vegas brought on a “State of Awe” for Orli with a “State of Disgust” for Viggo.

Days later, the California border loomed a dozen or so yards ahead. Orlando looked a bit forlorn. “Not happy to be back, baby?” Viggo asked him with a grin. Orli shook his head.

“You’ve tasted me in California,” he replied quietly.

“Yeah,” Viggo agreed. “But now I can celebrate having you home.”

THE END