Viggo with Orlando was another person. The sort of person who recited Baudelaire wearing a sarong at an oyster bar. The kind of guy who sang Blondie songs at karaoke and did three encores. The man who didn’t care if anyone saw his paint-stained fingers twisted in another man’s curly hair as they shared a silent joke.
Orlando was more of a daredevil than Hayden. Impressive. He had no fear. Not of parasailing, base jumping, sky-diving, tattoos, piercings, motorcycles or telling people exactly what he thought. Viggo loved practical jokes, but Orlando just loved the silliness of life.
“If you worry about the end, mate, you don’t get a middle or a beginning.” Orlando’s delivery was saucy, with a flick of a tongue and a wink, but the sentiment was pure Viggo. Hayden once again reassessed their relationship. Orlando always left him guessing. Like he did when the three of them wandered over to The Crab Shack for Tequila Sunrises and sand dabs. Viggo and Orlando abandoned Hayden inside for a tour of the patio.
“Fancy meeting you here.” Ewan really said that, but he had the grace to start laughing on the ‘m’ in meeting. He whipped a chair out from under the table Hayden sat at; Hayden was watching Viggo and Orlando through the huge, plate glass window to the patio. They were buying drinks for Japanese tourists. Ewan straddled the back of his chair. “Sorry about Jude.”
“You don’t have…look…” Hayden turned and looked at Ewan. Light blue t-shirt, more of a tan Hayden could ever remember seeing, the natural red in his hair back along with the messy tangle of thick hair with no real style at all. Ewan tried on a smile. It slithered away when Hayden just stared.
Hayden with Ewan was another person. The sort of person who broke dishes and thought about hurting himself. The kind of guy who didn’t think he could share because he wanted so so very much. The man who brushed a thumb over the mole on another man’s face and ate Ewan's unfounded apologies right there in front of God and Japanese tourists.
the color of wheat series, ethrosdemon & hackthis (i can’t believe it’s been an entire decade, ugh, i still think about this fic--this segment--on a regular basis)