Ficlet ~ Viggo/Sean

[archet]

A little angst, a little sap, just because.


Title: The Way We Were
Author: Archet
Fandom: RPS
Rating: R
Pairing: Viggo/Sean
Summary: When Viggo kisses Sean it’s barely there, a fleeting blush of warmth and then they’re off, each to his own corner of the morning, each to his own errands on a sunny Monday.
Disclaimer: this is fiction, for entertainment purposes only and in no way implies anything as to the real lives to the lovely men who are inspirations for these characters.
Warnings: none
Feedback: welcomed and appreciated
Archive: Rugbytackle, my LJ



~*~

When Viggo kisses Sean it’s barely there, a fleeting blush of warmth and then they’re off, each to his own corner of the morning, each to his own errands on a sunny Monday.

When Sean calls Viggo is distracted, barely listens as Sean asks after dinner. Later, when Sean shows up with a sack full of Thai, Viggo’s annoyed, but doesn’t say as much. After all, Sean should remember he doesn’t like Thai.

When Viggo forgets to call Sean just goes ahead and eats dinner, cleans up after. He’s settled on the couch with a book when the front door swings open and Viggo breezes in, complaining about the gallery’s new manager and . . . Sean stops listening, just nods, eyes on the page as Viggo kicks off his shoes, heads into the shower alone.

When Sean rolls over and sees the open window he sighs. Viggo does this. It’s a Viggo thing, but tonight it’s raining, there are droplets collecting on the sill and a cool breeze shifting the curtains that is unwelcome against Sean’s skin. He moves to drag himself up but pauses, notices suddenly that the west side of the bed is empty. It’s not a shock, but somehow, now more than any other time in the last couple weeks, he feels as if it should be. Lying still in the cool bed, Sean leaves the window open, listens to the rain.

When Viggo drops the glasses on the stone tiled floor the shattering sound echoes through the kitchen like a gunshot. Cursing, he wonders why he’d had the sudden urge to reorganize the pantry in the first place. Carefully he edges his way across the floor, pausing when Sean appears, practically skids to a stop just inside the doorway. Sean takes in the glass and Viggo’s bare feet, asks if he’s all right. Viggo shakes his head, stares into Sean’s eyes from across the field of splintered glass, and can’t answer.

When Sean pays attention, he can see all the changes, and it’s rather like looking at one of Viggo’s paintings, patterns in layers, the sense of it found only when he grabs hold to something familiar, and that’s usually hidden in plain sight. What’s happening between them now is familiar, and it makes Sean afraid now that he’s awake to the changes, because he knows what they portend. He’s afraid as he lights the candles and sets the table, and when Viggo walks in with surprise plain on his face to find a candlelit dinner on an unremarkable, misty Saturday evening, Sean doesn’t even try to hide his fear.

Dinner’s long over when Viggo kisses Sean, and it’s a lingering heat against Sean’s mouth. It’s a slow exploration and when Sean sighs under him, Viggo draws away, but only so far as to look into dilated green eyes. “Whatever happened to the way we were?” he wonders softly, gently stroking Sean’s hair with hesitant fingers.

Surer fingers take his, and Viggo watches with bated breath as Sean guides his fingers to Sean’s lips, pressing a kiss to each one. “Dunno. But want to find out.”

Smiling, Viggo nods, draws down and once again takes Sean’s mouth, whispering, “me too” and “we will” whenever he spares the time to take a breath.

Comments

[govi20.livejournal.com]

So sad, but I am glad they came to their senses and it ends hopefully. Written beautifully.

[archet.livejournal.com]

Thank you so very much. I'm glad you liked the hopeful ending. Thanks for reading and letting me know what you thought! ;)

[stormatdusk.livejournal.com]

when Viggo walks in with surprise plain on his face to find a candlelit dinner on an unremarkable, misty Saturday evening, Sean doesn’t even try to hide his fear

lovely. lots of wonderful story in so few words.

[archet.livejournal.com]

Thank you, I'm so pleased you enjoyed this ficlet, despite it's shortness! Thanks for reading, ;)

[alex-quine.livejournal.com]

This built tension and a sense of the sad inevitable so well, that it was a real pleasure to see the lovers re-affirm their basic love for one another and begin to try to rebuild.
thanks for posting.

[archet.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much! I really wanted a, if not totally happy ending, a hopeful ending. So glad you enjoyed, thanks for letting me know, ;)

[mooms.livejournal.com]

Phew, you really had me worried there! :)

This is so skilful at documenting the way a relationship changes when people begin to take one another for granted and stop paying attentiuon. I am glad they both became aware and have the motivation to explore what is wrong and put it right.

[archet.livejournal.com]

Thanks for your comments! I'm happy to hear you felt this was realistic portrayal of the way people sometimes drift apart, and that you enjoyed the ending. Thanks for reading! ;)

[archet.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I'm so glad you enjoyed this little ficlet, ;)

[rifleman-s.livejournal.com]

That was lovely - drifting apart and coming back together again; a little wiser and more in love.

[archet.livejournal.com]

Many thanks! I'm happy you enjoyed this, and I tend to agree with you, they are wiser and even more in love. ;)

[foxrafer.livejournal.com]

Every part of this sings. So much tension, that horrible pit in the stomach when Sean realizes what he's seeing, the fear and the anxiety, and the end filled with hope that they'll figure it out and start again. I love it.

[archet.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I really appreciate your lovely comments. I'm happy this conveyed clearly those most vivid feelings Sean was experiencing. Thanks for reading, ;)

[caras-galadhon.livejournal.com]

So much of this is so sad, in that unconscious, letting-it-slide way that you just want to whack them on their heads and ask them what they're thinking. But I do love how you bring them around at the end so that they're not only aware they're letting things fade, but that they're willing to take the steps to change that. A really lovely ending, tentative and worrisome, but shot through with hope. ♥

[archet.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much for your lovely comments! I'm really pleased that the slow fading of their relationship followed by the kind of gut-check they needed to do, came across so distinctly. Halfway through I knew I wanted a hopeful ending, I'm so glad this was apparent, that in spite of the uncertain outcome there definitely is hope for them. Thanks for reading! ;)

[kittylass.livejournal.com]

Oh, that was beautiful.

What’s happening between them now is familiar, and it makes Sean afraid now that he’s awake to the changes, because he knows what they portend.

That sentence really hit me. Like, it could have gone either way from there. I'm glad this realisation brought on Sean starting to try to get back what they had, and you left it at such a hopeful place, with them both really wanting to do that.

Thank you!

[archet.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much! I'm really happy to hear you enjoyed this, ;)

[noalinnea.livejournal.com]

Breathtakingly beautiful, thanks a lot!