Viggo paused in the doorway, watching his lover create. The overwhelming love he felt for the young man rose until it almost choked him. How was it possible that, ten years after they had met, his emotions continued to grow stronger each day?

Orlando's hands dug deep into the clay on the wheel, coaxing it, forming it, pulling out of it a shape only he could see. While he worked, he hummed a meaningless and off-key tune. Suddenly, he paused.

Viggo tensed, thinking his presence had been detected, but Orlando's focus was still entirely on the piece in front of him. Turning his head one way and then the other, his fingers skimmed every surface. Finally with a sharp curse, he cut the clay from the wheel and slammed it down into the bag to his side.

"It wasn't right," he said to the room, answering Viggo's unspoken question.

"You knew I was here," Viggo stated, walking into the room and stroking Orlando's curls.

Orlando turned deep, cocoa eyes up to Viggo's face, no less beautiful for their lack of sight. "I can hear you where ever you are in the house. It wasn't so much your presence in the door as your lack of presence elsewhere that gave you away."

Viggo leaned down and pressed his lips to the incredibly soft ones already parted to receive him. "Do you know what day it is?" he asked, pulling Orlando from his stool and up into his arms.

"Tuesday?" Orlando answered puzzled.

"Yes, but today is the 4th of July."

"Okaaaayyy…" Orlando drawled. "Happy 4th of July?" The words and his expression asked Viggo why he should care.

"I know you're not completely up to speed on the purely American holidays." They had only moved back to the states from London, two years ago. "But part of the tradition of this day is fireworks."

Orlando continued to stare at Viggo with a bemused expression on his face. "In case it has escaped your notice, my love, I'm blind. Although I've heard fireworks are quite spectacular, the noise that accompanies them isn't something I would drag myself out of the house to hear."

Viggo laughed in delight, pulling Orlando even closer to his body. "As a boy, I loved fireworks. There is something about them… it is almost like you could take fire and gather it together to make a flower. I've been thinking of a way to share that with you."

"Okay," Orlando agreed. If it was that important to his lover, he'd go and sit in Viggo's arms while his lover described the fireworks in the sky. There was very little he wouldn't do to please the other half of his soul. "So when do we leave for the park?"

"We don't." Planting a firm kiss on his lover's sweet lips, he swatted him on the ass. "Go wash up and meet me in the bedroom."

Orlando grinned. "Oooo… I like your ideas."

By the time he removed all the clay from his hands and fingernails, the house was completely silent. Orlando assumed that Viggo was already in their room, probably lying on their bed. He felt his body stir with that thought. At the beginning of their relationship, Viggo had been very patient with him as Orlando had explored every inch of his face and body with his fingers, painting an image in his mind. An image he very easily recalled, Viggo's lithe, muscled body, lying naked on the soft patchwork quilt. Unable to help himself, he broke into a loping run up the stairs.

Orlando burst into the bedroom to the sound of Viggo's laughter. "Eager are we?"

The sound twisted something low in Orlando's groin and his hands fell to the buttons of his jeans. He'd left his shirt in the studio half-covered in clay and neither of them ever wore shoes in the house.

"Come to me, lover," Viggo requested throatily, his hands making immediate contact with Orlando's skin as he crawled naked onto the bed.

Orlando nuzzled against Viggo's neck, rubbing his cheek against the stubbled jaw until his nose was buried behind his ear. Nibbling on the sensitive earlobe, he whispered, "Well now that I'm here, what are you going to do with me?"

"Just what I promised." Viggo lowered his head for another kiss, this one deep and demanding. He grasped Orlando around the waist, his hands stroking around his narrow hips and down to cup the firm ass, pulling their groins together. The feeling of Orlando's erection pressing into his thigh made him want to wrap his lover's legs around his body and take him hard and fast. "Want to be inside of you …" Viggo growled rolling Orlando beneath him. Viggo gently pushed Orlando deeper into the soft mattress. "Do you want that?"

Orlando groaned. "Jesus, Vig. You don't have to ask me that." He relaxed back into the bed, pressing his hips up in encouragement.

Viggo smoothed his hands in a gentle caress across Orlando's chest, lingering over each nipple, teasing them with soft pinches. Orlando shivered, his back bowed with anticipation. Obliging, Viggo bent his head and licked both nipples, swirling his tongue around them until he had coaxed them into hard pebbles. As his hands stroked down Orlando's thighs, his teeth closed over one of the sensitive nubs, tugging and pulling until his lover cried out.

"Shit, Vig. You're a fuckin' tease… I need… I need… more than this!" Orlando moaned beneath him. Viggo brought his hand up and lightly grasped Orlando's cock. Pushing hard into Viggo's hand, the younger man whimpered and squirmed, bringing his own hands down to clutch at Viggo's ass. "Please … I want to feel you." He ran his hands up Viggo's arms, lingering on his hard biceps before bringing them forward to caress the lightly furred chest. "You feel so fuckin' good."

Viggo growled low in his throat as his cock throbbed against Orlando's side. He kissed him again, his lips leaving a wet trail along Orlando's jaw onto his neck where he sucked until he got another moan.

"I think I'd probably be pissed at your love of marking me if I could see the damn hickeys," Orlando complained, his tone belying any genuine annoyance.

Viggo continued to kiss lower. He dipped his tongue in Orlando's navel and followed the light trail of hair towards the hard length arced enticingly in the hollow of one hip. Skirting the very place Orlando wanted him to touch most, he buried his face in the younger man's groin, inhaling the musky scent of his lover. Taking several deep breaths to steady himself, he managed to calm the frantic desire to speed things up and bury himself inside his lover.

Pulling back slightly, Viggo stared down at the hard length leaking on the taut skin. He smiled as the brush of his breath caused it to jump. Wetting his lips, he ran his tongue up one side of Orlando's erection, swirling his tongue around the sensitive head. He loved the sounds Orlando made and the way his body writhed under his touch.

"Oh God, Viggo," Orlando moaned, fisting his hands in Viggo's hair, urging his head down. Viggo smiled at Orlando's eagerness and took his cock completely into his mouth. Orlando bucked and pushed deeper into the wet, warm heat that engulfed him. Viggo sucked and let Orlando fuck his mouth, shifting his hand to cup Orlando's balls. His other hand reached up to gently pinch first one nipple and then the other.

Orlando's breath was coming in quick pants as he thrust faster into Viggo's mouth. "So close…"

Viggo took over the rhythm. Moving his hand even lower into Orlando's cleft, he probed the clenching entrance. Humming deep in his throat, he felt Orlando's thrusts become erratic.

Orlando shuddered as he thrust one final time and came in long hot spurts down Viggo's throat. He trembled violently as Viggo sucked softly, milking his cock of every last drop. Finally, Viggo gave the head of Orlando's softening erection a final loving lick and moved up to kiss his lover.

Orlando tasted himself on Viggo's lips and groaned as Viggo rubbed his still untouched erection up against his leg. Tangling his fingers in Viggo's chest hair, he ran the other hand down to lightly stroke his lover's arousal. "We need to do something with this, yeah?"

Viggo groaned and moved his hand down to cover Orlando's, increasing the pressure and friction. "Fuck, Orlando… feels so fucking good… harder, baby…" Viggo panted.

Viggo fucked Orlando's hand in earnest, his hips shifting restlessly, seeking more contact. Rolling on top of Orlando, he fused their mouths together with deep, hungry kisses. Orlando's hand was still around him but trapped between their bodies. Viggo brought his hand up to his mouth. He wet a finger and shifted to let his hand flutter down between Orlando's legs. Curving his hand around a firm ass cheek, he squeezed, stroking his fingers down into the younger man's cleft. Finding the puckered opening, he circled around it, teasing. Orlando whimpered and pushed into Viggo's hand, his mouth still fused with Viggo's, his body trembling.

Viggo broke away just long enough to gasp, "Just a sec… lube." Rolling to the side, he reached toward the nightstand, knocking various things off the top as he searched. Still kissing Orlando, he opened the drawer, blindly seeking, and finally retrieved the tube he sought. Impatient, he rolled back on top of Orlando groaning as their cocks pressed together.

"Vig, want you inside me. Now!" Orlando demanded.

Viggo moved away briefly, just long enough to open the tube and coat his fingers. His cock was throbbing, but he resolved to stick to his original plan. He wouldn't rush this. He desperately wanted to make this a memorable experience. Retracing his previous path, he circled Orlando's tight opening, pushing slowly in with two long fingers.

Orlando gasped, leaning back, his eyes tightly closed. Viggo dipped his mouth to suckle a hardened nipple and stroked Orlando's cock as he curled his finger inside the younger man. He knew from Orlando's jump and the sudden shift of his hips that he'd found his goal.

"Fuck, yes… right there," Orlando cried, his body bowed off the bed.

Viggo continued to stretch his lover, sweeping his fingers over Orlando's sweet spot and pumping his cock. Orlando writhed, and pushed down into Viggo's hand, his eyes closed, his head flung back. Incoherent sounds poured from his lips, and Viggo caught snatches of profanity, declarations of love and occasionally his name. He loved seeing the younger man come undone under his touch.

"I can't take any more," Orlando pronounced, grabbing the lube from Viggo's fingers and squeezing it over Viggo's erection. Repeatedly, he ran his slick fist up and down the hot shaft.

Viggo grabbed his wrists, stilling his hands. "You're going to make me come before I can get inside you," he growled.

Orlando settled back on the pillows, spreading his legs wide, giving Viggo a blatant invitation. "So come fuck me, lover."

Viggo was suddenly desperate to be inside his lover. He lifted one of Orlando's legs over his shoulder, bracing himself on his forearms. Bringing his cock right up to Orlando's opening, he pushed inside, feeling the tight ring of muscle resist him and then yield, enveloping him in exquisitely tight heat.

Orlando gasped as his body tensed around the intrusion. Viggo's eyes stayed fixed on Orlando's face, as he fought to maintain control. Orlando was so tight, so hot and the pressure on his cock felt sinfully good. Viggo wanted to pound into his lover until he found his release, but he forced himself to slow down and enjoy the tantalizing pull of every inch.

"Your body was made for me. So fucking perfect," Viggo rasped, as he leaned in to kiss Orlando, his hand finding the renewed erection lying between them.

Orlando closed his eyes, basking in the feeling of being joined with the holder of his heart. "You complete me," he panted.

Slowly, Viggo rocked forward, his hips barely moving. Orlando began grinding his hips up to meet him. Viggo groaned and thrust deeper, burying himself completely. Bringing his hands to Orlando's hips, he pulled him up, adjusting his angle just slightly.

On his next thrust, Orlando bucked. "Fucking hell!" he cried, his hands fisting in the sheets.

Viggo set a steady rhythm, thrusting so that his cock brushed that spot on each stroke, his hand pumping in synchronized movements. Orlando moaned beneath him, his fingers sinking deep into the muscle of his shoulders. Abandoning the slow pace he had set, Viggo drove into Orlando over and over. "Come for me, lover. I want to see you come," he demanded.

Orlando's lips opened slightly and suddenly his face took on an expression of pure bliss. "Fuck, Vig! I'm coming!"

Viggo felt Orlando's climax ripple around him, hot come spurting over his hand and chest, his internal muscles clamping down around him. "What do you see, lover?" he asked, his teeth clenched as he tried to hold back.

"What?" Orlando asked, confused.

"Behind your eyelids, what do you see?" Viggo drove deeply into his still trembling lover once more before finding his own release. Drawing a shaky breath, he collapsed on top of Orlando feeling boneless and sated. Rolling to the side, he pulled Orlando into his arms.

The younger man laid his head on Viggo's chest with a sigh. "Stars of light, fading in and out against the dark," he answered.

Viggo kissed the top of Orlando's head. "Fireworks," he explained, "that's the closest I can come to showing you fireworks." He looked down at the beautiful man and tightened his arms.

"How did you know that I'd see anything?" Orlando asked.

Viggo brushed his fingers across Orlando's cheek. "I didn't. But you've told me you can sense when a room is bright or dark and the 'fireworks' you saw are caused by pressure changes in the eye, not actual optical images, so I thought there might be a chance. I researched it online," he admitted.

Orlando brought his hand to Viggo's face, tracing his lips. "You did that for me?"

Viggo caught Orlando's hand, kissing the wandering fingertips. "I'd do anything for you. Don't you know that by now?"

~the end~