He walked on bare feet to the front door, answered it. And stared for only the slightest second. "Young Orlando," he stated. "What brings you to Malibu?" The mortal flashed a brief smile and shoved his hands deep into his pockets. "I need to talk to you. May I come in?" "Of course." Viggo stepped aside, gestured him into the spacious, sparsely furnished living room. Orlando walked in slowly, looking around. He stood in the middle of the room, obviously unsure as to what to do next. Why was Orlando nervous? And, more importantly, why was he here? "Nice place." "Thank you. I like the view." Viggo gestured to the glass wall at the sun just setting over the Pacific. "Would you like a drink?" "Please. Rum." Orlando whistled, impressed, as he strolled towards the wall. "Wow. If Karl had a view like this, he'd never get me out of the house." "Yes, well, Karl prefers living closer to the action. And Harry." Viggo strolled to the open-air bar, pulled out a bottle of Bacardi, started to pour a glass. Orlando tensed, but didn't move. "Karl may prefer living closer to Harry, but I don't think Harry's real happy living close to Karl right now." Trouble in Denmark again. The child was going to have to get used to the way the two of them operated, or he was going to have a long, miserable life. "How's that?" Viggo's gaze narrowed as he added a splash of Coke, then pushed the glass across the bar. Orlando picked up the glass, swirling the liquid and studying it for a moment. He took a sip, so obviously not looking at Viggo that even a blind man would have noticed. "Harry is...less than pleased with Karl at the moment." He sighed and shook his head, his eyes finding Viggo's for the first time since he'd walked in the door. "Actually, Harry's pretty pissed at him and I, um, well, I seem to have gotten myself smack in the middle of things, thanks to taking your advice." "Looking for someone to blame, are we?" Viggo could have told him to hold his breath. It had been tried by people far older and wiser than the agitated mortal standing before him. He simply smiled and strolled to the sliding door, opening it, and settling himself on one of the chaise lounge chairs. "Not blaming you, but..." Orlando followed him, pausing for a moment. Finally, he perched on the edge of another chaise. "I talked to Harry the other night. After I got back." Viggo sipped his drink. "Good. How did that go?" he asked, even though he already knew. Orlando let his glass dangle from his fingers as he stared out over the ocean. "It went better than I thought it would. A lot better. Fantastically even. Up to a point." "And?" "And then Karl showed up, and it all went to hell." Orlando glanced at Viggo, looked back at the water. Ah, finally...the crux of the problem. And, unless Viggo was completely mistaken -- and he rarely was -- this had something to do with the showdown between Harry and Karl at Council on Friday. "Talk to me about that." Orlando continued to sit there, looking up at the darkening sky. "What's to tell? Harry and I were getting along great..." He paused at the amused look Viggo gave him. "Okay, so we were getting along better than great, but that's not the point. Then Karl showed up." Orlando lifted his head, tired eyes reflecting a thousand conflicting emotions. "He thought Harry was hurting me." "Dumb fuck." Viggo said the words softly as his gaze swept the horizon. "Harry's not likely to forgive him for that." Orlando let his head fall back, watching the slowly appearing stars, and quickly explained the rest of the events of that night. "And now I don't know what to do," he concluded. Then his voice softened. "Harry's blocking Karl completely." Viggo was stunned. Actually, stunned didn't come close. "I don't think I need to tell you that that has never happened. Not once. No matter how pissed they were with each other." Viggo shook his head, ran fingers through his hair. Lovely. "And Harry's out of the country now. Fuck." Orlando looked back out over the ocean. "I kinda got the impression that this was a first. Karl's going nuts, and it's only been a few days." Viggo could well imagine. Over 800 years of having something, only to lose it... He let out a short breath. "Are you asking me to fly out to Bangkok and talk to Harry? It'll take me a few days to wrap up some things, but I could leave by Wednesday." Orlando looked back, one eyebrow arched. "If you say so. But, I get the feeling that it wouldn't go over too well. And if he found out we'd talked about this..." "Fuck that." Viggo waved him off with an elegant hand. "I've known Harry since he was a child. I can handle him." He picked his glass back up, took a long sip. "So tell me why you're here, then." "That's partially why." He glanced at Viggo, then toyed with his own glass. "And because I think I've gotten myself in well over my head here, and since it's partially your fault, I thought you could help me get my feet back under me." "You keep saying that. How is it my fault that you couldn't see the plain truth?" Viggo's question was gentle. "You had to know you couldn't want one without the other. All I did was nudge you in the right direction." "Yes, but you never mentioned anything about them sharing me, did you? Did everyone but me know that I was going to be playing the pet to two vampires and not just one?" "No one knew." Viggo sat up, straddled the chaise. "They should have told you long before now, true, but that's a moot point. If you don't want them, simply say so. I'll break the bond with Karl and Harry's claim on you, no questions asked." Orlando sighed and turned to face Viggo. "You know about that, too, huh? Why am I not surprised?" "Let me ask you a question." Viggo waited for Orlando's slight nod before continuing. "Do you know the difference between what Harry did to you and what Karl did to you?" "Well..." Orlando paused, chewing his bottom lip as he thought. Charming habit, really. Good thing he didn't have fangs. "Karl actually bit me. Harry didn't." "Karl claimed you the second you left the club with him. Harry claimed you the second you walked willingly into his house. You understand?" Orlando's forehead wrinkled, then he looked directly at Viggo. "Isn't it the same, though? I went with both of them willingly." Viggo inwardly sighed. Back to square one. "Yes, but you didn't bond with Karl until later." "Well, no. That was at the ceremony." Orlando paused, and Viggo could practically see the thoughts going through his head. "So I'm bonded to Harry now? Is that what you're saying?" "No, actually, you're not." He wasn't...Viggo peered at Orlando a little more closely. Good Lord, the child was serious. "Has no one told you the difference between a bond and a claim?" Orlando shifted, his eyes skating away from Viggo's. "Not exactly. I know Karl did both. But I thought I could only be claimed by, and bonded to, one..." "And that's always the case...except for you...but we'll get to that in a minute." One thing at a time, or the child's brain would implode. "A claim is a declaration of intent to bond, and the bond is actually getting the vampire up here." An elegant finger tapped the side of Orlando's temple. "And it involves a few things." "Oh. Okay." Orlando looked a little confused as he thought that over. Then he looked at Viggo again. "So, there's blood, obviously. Right?" Viggo nodded. Not as dense as all that. "Why don't we refocus this for a minute? Tell me what you want first. From Harry, from Karl." "Honestly?" Orlando rubbed his eyes with one hand and looked down at his feet. "I want them both. The whole thing...but it doesn't look like I'm going to get it." Viggo considered his next words very carefully before speaking. "Orlando?" He waited until the mortal looked up. "You were always meant for the both of them." Orlando blinked, looking very stunned. "Always? Christ..." "Life is sometimes complicated." Viggo got up, looked at Orlando's glass. "You want another?" He had a feeling Orlando would be needing it. "Please." Viggo placed a reassuring hand on Orlando's shoulder, squeezed. He really did like the young mortal. At least he knew when to call for advice. Unlike others he could mention. "You'll adapt. I promise." He walked inside to the bar, poured them both new drinks. "To be honest, I'm not even sure why I came here," Orlando said, following him. "Well, I'm here, you're here. Viggo handed Orlando a fresh glass. "Think of questions, I'll answer them." Orlando took the drink, sipping it as he meandered around the room. "This whole thing...it's not exactly common, is it? There aren't any other pets out there like me, are there?" Viggo leaned back, alert eyes following Orlando's every movement as he continued to roam around the room, studying the sparse furnishings, stopping in front of a painting. Viggo started a mental countdown, wondering how long it would take Orlando to move again. "Not a one," Viggo replied. "I highly doubt there ever will be again, either. There are no other vampires bonded the way Harry and Karl are. The two of them always were the exception to every rule." "I'm unique. Lovely." He turned to face Viggo. "So what now? No matter what I want, they're not talking to each other, and Harry's in Bangkok. I...I think he wanted me to go with him." Viggo's smile was gentle. Orlando didn't have to add he'd wanted to go with Harry. That much was obvious. "I understand. Harry can be rather overwhelming. I remember when Karl was so obsessed with him he drove everyone insane with it." Orlando smiled faintly. "It's hard to imagine Karl that obsessed with anything." He turned to study the painting again. "I can't...I won't leave Karl, no matter what goes on with Harry." "And it's good that you realize that," Viggo acknowledged, "but you've a claim with Harry now. And that will affect things." God help them all. Orlando shrugged and looked down, shoving his hands in his pockets. "He made the vow before I realized what he was doing. What was I supposed to do, throw it back in his face?" "It was enough." Viggo took a slow sip of his cognac, then pushed himself off the wall. Alright, enough of this. Orlando hadn't stopped by for a social visit. So far he'd told Viggo everything but why he was really there. And Viggo was tired of dancing around the subject. "Why are you here? What do you want from me? Want me to wave a wand, make things the way they used to be? Lock Harry and Karl in a room together, break their bonds to you, what?" He stopped in front of Orlando, tilted Orlando's chin up to look into his eyes. "Well?" "Think locking them in a room would work?" Viggo smiled. Sometimes mortals were just too easy to predict. "No." Orlando snapped his fingers and heaved an exaggerated sigh. Cute...but not cute enough by a long shot. "So much for that idea." "Don't make me repeat myself." Viggo had a great deal of patience, but nothing was infinite. His grip on Orlando's chin was still light, but it fooled neither one of them. "You drove all the way out here for a reason." Orlando looked at Viggo, standing very still. Then he blinked and shrugged, his shoulders barely moving. "Honestly, I don't know anymore. Dom said I should talk to you about all this and, well..." Still wasn't getting it...for fuck's sake, how hard was it for him to think? "Sit." Viggo gestured to the chairs behind them. Orlando obeyed instantly,. "You're not real thrilled with me, are you?" "Not at the moment, no." Viggo whirled around, stalked back to the bar. "You need to start thinking, and you need to do it now. Before you do serious harm to two men I love like sons." He crossed his arms, leaned back up against the wall, closed his eyes. "I'll wait until you're ready." He had all night. Orlando's voice was soft. "I don't want to hurt them. Either of them." Viggo opened up one eye, peered at him. It was a start. Not necessarily a good one, but... "Too late for that, wouldn't you say? Not that they didn't help, but you've certainly done your share." "It's not like I did any of this on purpose. If I'd had any idea that Karl would have reacted like that, I'd have never gone to Harry's." Viggo's lips twisted in a small mockery of a smile. And there was that hint of fire...if only he would focus it. "If I had known Karl was going to react like that, I would have never agreed to help you. But that's something the two of them need to come to terms with. You change things, and it's time they start finally dealing with that." Viggo closed his eyes again. "But we're not talking about them. We're talking about you." "Okay, so let's talk about me. Tell me how it's possible for a claimed pet to be claimed by another vampire. Tell me how it's possible for a claimed and bonded pet to desire someone other than his vampire. Because I've been led to believe that neither of those is at all possible." Viggo's smile this time was genuine. Well it was about damn time. "I knew there was a reason I had such faith in you. Eventually, you always get to the heart of the matter." He moved from the wall, pulled a bottle from the shelf, refilled his drink. "Now...you tell me why you think you want to fuck Harry through the mattress with the same voracity that you do Karl." Orlando made a face. "Not quite how I would have put it..." "Truth is truth, no matter how you phrase it." Orlando shrugged. "They're too damn much alike. Both of them can tie my brain in knots in less than 30 seconds and make me forget how to breathe, how to speak...hell, I can't remember my own damn name when they get started. And that's why...." He blinked, startled. "That's why, isn't it?" "Keep going." "Their bond to each other makes this whole thing possible," Orlando breathed, sounding as if he'd unlocked the secrets of the universe. "And my feelings for Karl just naturally transferred over to Harry, I guess." "Your feelings for Karl are your feelings for Harry." Best to state it outright. If he waited for Orlando to say it, they really would be here all night. "Slightly less at the moment, but I have no doubt they'll get there in time. Meant for both of them." "But I...love.... Christ." Orlando rubbed his eyes. "What the hell am I supposed to do with two of them?" Viggo's laughter was pure and clean. He was almost sympathetic. Orlando had no idea how interesting the rest of his life was going to be. "I have it on good authority that you don't need any help in that regard." "Oh, very funny." Orlando pouted a little, recrossed his arms over his chest. He frowned at the wall again, voice dropping to just above a mutter. "Maybe I'll tell 'em to pierce their own damn bellybuttons so they can leave mine alone." "Come again?" Orlando flushed, looked away quickly. "Um, nothing." Viggo smothered a chuckle. He'd heard perfectly well. "Yes, well, what you do with the two of them in bed is entirely up to you. Should you want to provide details, I am always happy to listen." "I'm sure." Orlando rolled his eyes, still blushing a delightful shade of pink. "You're an evil man...vampire...whatever. And I can't do what I want because they're not speaking anyway." Ah yes...good that he was concerned. But, unneeded. Karl and Harry fighting was something he'd have to get used to. Perhaps nothing quite as serious as this, but they would fight again. Viggo sat in the chair across from Orlando, touched his wrist with gentle fingers. "I'll talk to Harry, but you need to concentrate on what you want right now. This stalemate of theirs won't last forever, and you need to be prepared to accept what's going to happen when they start speaking to each other again." Orlando looked down at Viggo's fingers on his wrist. "I don't know...I mean, I know what I want to happen, but..." "And what do you want?" Orlando flushed again, kept his eyes on Viggo's hand. "Both of them. Together." He lifted his eyes to Viggo's. "But only if it's not going to jeopardize my relationship with Karl." Viggo was faintly amused. Did Orlando honestly think that anything short of outright betrayal would jeopardize what he had with Karl? "After all this talk about the two of them and how things work with them, you still think that they were looking for anything less than someone who would want them both absolutely?" Orlando shook his head. "No. But, I just...I don't know. Happened, I guess." He raked his hands through his hair, not bothering to try to fix the mess his fingers made of the curls. "And I do want both of them. Which shocks the hell out of me, but.... Me wanting both of them isn't quite enough, is it?" Viggo shook his head. "No." Orlando sighed. "Didn't think so. And obviously both of them wanting me isn't quite enough either. So what is enough?" Orlando pinched the bridge of his nose. "Or is this where you do like Harry and tell me to figure it out for myself again?" Viggo laughed. Harry was definitely going to be good for him. "Yes, sorry." Orlando held up his hand and ticked points off on his fingers. "Okay, so...me wanting them both isn't enough. Them both wanting me isn't enough. Harry's vow to me isn't enough." He stopped with his thumb and forefinger still held up. "I have more fingers than 'enoughs' here." "You need more?" Viggo laughed, moving his hand off of Orlando's wrist. Orlando grinned, then considered his hand, thumb and finger still extended. "Alright, so...three down and...what? I have to make a vow of some sort to Harry?" Good. Viggo's head inclined slightly. Orlando smiled, triumphantly, started to curl his forefinger down to join the others. He stopped midway. "A vow...what sort of vow?" "Now, that would be telling," Viggo answered. "Didn't think so." Orlando continued to study his hand for several minutes. Then he blinked and looked up. "You said my feelings for Karl are my feelings for Harry. There's no separating them." "Yes, I did." "It's not really a vow, is it?" Orlando continued to watch Viggo closely. "It's more...an admission. Confession. Whatever you want to call it." Viggo smiled. Clever lad...and he didn't even need prompting. "Well, you're not a vampire, child. It wouldn't be a vow." "I know I'm not." Orlando's voice was just above a whisper, and he looked back at his hand. "So if I...do this...what I need to do...that's all it takes?" "Not precisely, no. But it's a start." Orlando looked puzzled, his brow wrinkled. "What else? I mean, there's the blood thing, right?" "Yes, but that's not all." "Ooookay. Uh, what else do I need to do, then?" "Accept." Orlando looked very confused then. "Accept? What? Them? Or myself?" "Now I think you know better than that. You'll figure it out when the time is right." Orlando wrinkled his nose. "Why do I talk to you? You're worse than Harry and Karl combined." //Where do you think they got it from?// Orlando pointed an accusing finger at Viggo. "Stop that." Viggo only leaned back in his chair, the perfect picture of relaxation. "Spirit. I love it. You remind me so much of Dave." "Would this would be the infamous bane of Harry's existence?" Orlando grinned and sprawled in his chair. "He sounds fascinating." "Oh, he is. And he loves nothing better in life than making Harry snap." "I can't imagine how anyone but Karl could get under Harry's skin." Viggo smiled. He could name someone else who seemed to be doing a decent job of getting under Harry's skin from the sounds of things, but it would be much more entertaining for Orlando to figure that one out for himself. "I imagine you'll get your chance to see him in action at Sean and Dom's anniversary party," Viggo answered. "Anniversary party?" "Three weeks from today," Viggo stated, smiling as he allowed himself to remember that bonding ceremony. "82 years together." "Harry should be back from Bangkok, then." Orlando closed his eyes, covered his face with his hands. "Somehow I doubt he'll be talking to Karl yet." "Should be an interesting party, then." Orlando gave Viggo another accusing look. "You are definitely evil. I'm not looking forward to having to play nice with both of them while they're at each other's throats." Alright, that needed to stop. Orlando had enough to deal with without trying to make himself the center of this. "Their problem isn't with you," Viggo stated. Orlando raked his fingers through his hair again. "But I can't help but feel like the whole mess wouldn't have even happened if it wasn't for me." "Perhaps not in quite the same way no," Viggo said, with a small nod. "But, as I said, they've been heading for this for decades." Orlando peered at Viggo, laughed. "Boy, you sure know how to make a guy feel insignificant and put him in his place, don't you?" At least he had a sense of humor about it. "I've been told I'm exceptionally good at it," Viggo grinned back. "When you're as old as I am, everything is insignificant." Orlando smirked. "I think I'm going to resist commenting on that one. Pushed my luck enough for one night." And smart enough to know when to stop, as well. Yes...definite potential. "So...I guess I'll head out." He stood and started towards the door, stopped, looked at Viggo. "Thanks." Polite, charming, intelligent, spirited...Viggo had the feeling that Orlando was going to make life very interesting for the eternal idiots. And that thought amused him to no end. He walked Orlando to the door, gaze almost tender. //My door is always open to you.// Orlando's answering smile was thrown over his shoulder as he slowly walked through the door. Onto Part Thirteen
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