Author: Simarillion
Archive: Daunting Byron
Pairing: Colin/Orli, Sean B/Viggo, Marton/Craig
Rating: R/Nc-17 (will turn out as the story progresses)
Warning: This story is RPS which means Real Person Slash. It has Homo-erotic content (m/m) and everybody not comfortable with this topic should not read any further.
Summary: The Farrell's, an Irish family living in the States move to Santa Monica. where the father has a new job. There Colin meets a beautiful stranger who becomes his only ray of light.
Disclaimer: None of these characters are mine. They are all their own persons and I don't claim to know anything of their sexual preferences or habits. Also I want to make clear that all of this is invented and not used to make profit.

Notes: This story is an AU and therefore the age and also the professions of the characters have been changed to accommodate the plot. The idea of this story came up when I thought about what to write with an Colin/Orli pairing. Rotschopf asked me on the Archives Tag board when there would be something to read from me. Well, here it is. Unfortunately I couldn't come up with anything in Real World but somehow I thought about this story. I hope that AUs are allowed in this group.




“Oh, come on Shaun, admit it!“

The blonde groaned and blinked against the bright sun. Ever since breakfast Craig had tried to make his older friend admit that he was attracted to Viggo. Being totally taken with the older Kiwi himself Craig was most delighted with his friend’s interest in the Santa Monican.

Colin grinned mischievously. “Yes, Shaunie, admit it. Shaun loves Viggo! Shaun loves Viggo!” The singing hollered through the house.

“You’re lucky Colin that nobody is at home or else I’d have to rip your head off for this stunt.” But even though he said this Shaun couldn’t help but grin happily. So it was true, he was very attracted to Viggo. The other had captured his interest and his heart with his easy going and friendly way.

Colin just laughed and climbed the stairs up to his room. Today they would meet Marton and Viggo at the beach. The two Santa Monicans had only reluctantly let them go last night and only the promise of meeting them the next day had made them part from Shaun and Craig. Colin was happy that his friends had found somebody as friendly as these two but secretly was a little bit jealous and also hurt that his friends had succeeded so easily where he had failed.

The beds or rather the bed and the mattresses were made and most things like towels and sun screen lotion, sun glasses and clothes were already prepared. Colin packed a bottle of water and some fruit into each bag and grabbed them. He was happy to be able to return to the beach again because he had missed lying in the sun ever since the ‘girlfriend incident’. It would be nice to be able to go to the beach again without having to fear the wrath of the surfer gang.

Still there was the problem of Orli who so loathed Colin. Colin just couldn't understand why the angular beauty wouldn't even give him the chance to explain what happened and redeem himself. And Colin so desperately wanted to redeem himself, he wanted to stand a chance with Orli.

"Colin! Let's get going, kitchen's cleaned up." Shaun stood in the entrance hall with Craig waiting for Colin to bring their bags down and lead the way to the beach, to their dates with Viggo and Marton. "Need some help?"

"Naw, everything's under control." Grabbing the stuff they needed Colin pounded downstairs and rejoined his two friends. "Nervous, the two of you?" This teasing comment earned him a playful smack on the head from Shaun and a blown raspberry from Craig. "Obviously." Before any more smacks or raspberry's could be handed out Colin shoved the two soon to be lovers to the door and followed them outside and to the beach.

-~o0*0o~-

Colin watched amused as Craig nervously rubbed the sun screen on Marton. The Kiwi's cheeks were redder than the crimson cooler and he licked his lips every ten seconds. Turning away from the two Kiwi's Colin's eyes met Orli's measuring glance. The angular beauty seemed to try to figure out if Colin represented a danger or not. Feeling a stabbing ache in his chest Colin looked away out over the sea. He didn't want to see all the distrust and dislike in the velvety brown depths, it hurt more than enough that the other was not interested in befriending him.


Deciding that nobody would miss him if he went for a short stroll, Colin got up from the blanket and headed for the promenade. The sand was burning hot and the sun was beating down, not even a soft breeze wafting cool over the beach. He hurried his pace up to reach the sidewalk faster. Passing a group of about nine-year-olds Colin smiled and watched amused as two of the kids ran laughing down to the water, carrying a small surfboard. It was all the same, everybody surfed and hung out on the beach during the hot days and at night they went to clubs and discos. Colin missed Greenleaf more than ever, which was rather odd considering that Shaun and Craig were here with him. But being all busy with Viggo and Marton, Colin felt even more alone than before. He was happy for his friends but still he felt a little bit betrayed.

On the promenade Colin drank in the life and the power of all the huzzle and buzzle. Roller skaters shooting by , children shouting and laughing, convertibles driving by, music blaring from speakers, teenagers strolling around to be seen and tourists frantically taking photos or trying to memorise every detail. He went up to the direction of the pier and watched all the going ons all around him. Colin stopped at a small snack bar and counted the few coins he had grabbed in the haste when he had 'fled'. It was about $1,20. Not much, he wouldn't be able to buy much more than a bottle of water.

"Need some money?" A familiar voice drawled behind him.

Colin spun around surprised. There he was, standing right in front of Colin, money in hand and waiting for Colin's answer. Orli. "No, thank you but I have enough." Colin grabbed a bottle and walked to the cash register. He felt his heart beating faster and his cheeks blush lightly. Why was HE here? Had he been following Colin? Paying for his drink Colin made a hasty retreat from the snack bar and all the possible hurt waiting there in the person of a certain beautiful surfer.

"Hey!" Orli tried to maneuver around a group of blushing and giggling teenage girls and followed Colin out of the bar.

Hearing the other's voice call out for him, Colin panicked not wanting to stop and quarrel as they would obviously do. His body tensed, afraid Orli might catch up with him.

"Are you running from me or something?" As the angular beauty finally did catch up with Colin, he barricaded his way and glared at him.

"Or something." Colin kept looking at some point behind Orli. "What do you want? I don't want anything from your girl!" With these words he wanted to continue his flight but a hand on his arm stopped him. A hand that sent heat through his whole body.

Colin saw Orli's contempt in his eyes and felt a pang of sadness that the other refused to give him the slightest chance.

"Let go." Tearing his arm away from Orli's grip, Colin walked on, leaving the confusing and pain infusing person behind. The huzzle and buzzle of the crowd had lost all of it's energising qualities and had become annoying and trying. Making his way through the masses of people, Colin fought hard all the hurt and disappointment that threatened to rise in him. He should have known that any hopes in the case of Orli were lost. There was absolutely nothing the other would allow himself to feel, except contempt. The way back to the others seemed to take forever, the noises were suddenly ear-piercing, the sand felt even hotter and the sun threatened to make Colin pass out.

Finding Craig and Marton gone and Shaun being thoroughly courted by Viggo, Colin decided that he would return to the house till the worst heat was over. He packed his things together and waited for his chance to talk with Shaun.

Shaun had to admit that he dreaded returning to Greenleaf. It would mean that he'd have to leave Viggo and that was something he didn't want to do any time soon. The grey eyes were always on him, drinking the sight of Shaun in.

"Uh, Shaun, I'm gonna head back to the house. Are you and Craig going to be alright?" Colin's question called Shaun back to reality. He realised that so far all he and Craig had done for their friend was to leave him alone. Embarrassed he wanted to ask Colin to stay but seeing that he had packed everything already and the pleading look in his eyes, Shaun felt guilty and really bad. Only being able to nod he watched Colin head back home.

"Is he a loner?" Viggo wondered. He had been busy watching Shaun but even so he had noticed the tension and nervousness Colin radiated even when laughing happily. Why was the younger man so insecure?

"Normally, he isn't." Shaun felt like the worst friend ever.

Colin trudged through the sand back through the Palisade Park to the Promenade. Hurrying his pace up he almost ran to Santa Monica Boulevard.

He suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder. "Hey, where are you going?" Turning Colin once again faced Orli but this time Mr Frosty and one of the other surfer guys were with him. "What are you running from?" Orlando looked to be annoyed and Mr Frosty, Colin had forgotten his name, was once again at his favorite past time, glaring at Colin. What had the guy been doing before Colin moved to Santa Monica? The third guy was only a little taller than Mr Frosty and had short spiky blond hair. He looked interested from Mr Frosty to Colin to Orli.

"The heat." Colin just wanted to go back to the house but Orli had apparently other plans.

Orlando noticed Colin's discomfort and smirked. "Then let me help you." With these words he grabbed Colin's straw mat and smiling evilly, waited for Colin to lead the way.

Colin couldn't understand why the other tortured him like that. Sure, Orlando thought that Colin had tried to make a pass on his girlfriend but Colin was getting tired of this. He was about to refuse Orli's offer when the third, unknown, surfer nodded and shoved Mr Frosty into the direction Colin had been coming from.

"Come on, Lij, Billy and Sean are waiting for us." The stranger smiled friendly at an even more uncomfortable Colin and waved his goodbye. "See ya!" Mr Frosty, who turned out to go under the name of Lij, unwillingly got dragged away and left Orlando and Colin alone amidst the hectic crowd on the promenade.

"You don't have to come with me. You can go with your friends, you know." Colin got more and more nervous with every second. His fingers itched to grab the straw mat.

Studying his opposite closely, Orli decided that it was actually quite easy to make Colin nervous. Entertaining to say the least. "That's where you are wrong. I do have to." Giving him his most charming smile, Orlando waited amused for Colin's reply.

Colin felt like dying. Orli's dazzling smile made him tingling inside and his throat go dry, making it impossible to speak and refuse the offer.

When no answer came Orli walked off without waiting for Colin to give him directions.

A little bit too surprised to actually fight the 'attack' Colin trotted behind the surfer, wondering what was happening here. Walking up Santa Monica Boulevard he tried to figure the other out. Today he had watched Colin's every move scrutinisingly and now he was helping Colin?

They turned left into 2nd Street and headed for Colin's house. The crowd and the noise had been left behind at the promenade and the heat kept all the people staying either down at the beach or inside the house doing nothing. The quiet ambience and the slighter heat from the shadows under the trees made Colin relax and he fascinated watched the muscles of the angular beauty's back and the beautifully tanned skin covering them.

Orlando thought about what to say to taunt his silent shadow. He knew that until now he had had the other constantly on the edge. He had to admit he didn't like Colin's looks, they were in some way disturbing. Not that he was ugly but the other made him slightly uneasy. Orlando thought about the look on Colin's face when he talked with or looked at his two friends from Greenleaf. He wanted this innocent look to disappear, to reveal him for the asshole he was. But how to achieve that was what Orlando had to work out.

Colin suddenly stopped in his tracks and a cold numbness grabbed his whole body and made him wince. Of course, why hadn't he seen it earlier? That was why Orli had been around him the whole day. Forcing himself to walk on, Colin stumbled after the other to the door.

Orlando climbed up the stairs to the wooden porch. He smiled at the sight of the potted flowers, scenting the air and attracting flocks of butterflies. He turned to sneer at Colin when he saw the hurt in his eyes. Orlando stopped surprised.

Colin wearily climbed the stairs up to where Orli stood on the porch. Shivering slightly he walked up to him and passed him by. "Thank you for your help but you don't have to feel obligated to keep me company. Tell your brother that he doesn't have to force you to keep me entertained so that he and Marton can spend their time with Shaun and Craig. I'll stay out of their way." Grabbing the straw met he unlocked the door and made to retreat but was once more stopped by Orli's hand grabbing his arm.

"I don't trust you to keep your word and besides, staying close to you I can make sure you stay away from my girl." Orlando glared at Colin.

Colin turned to look at the other. "I told you before and I am telling you again, I don't want anything from your girl! I am gay, okay? Your girl lacks certain assets!" Angrily Colin tore away from Orli and threw the door closed.

Orlando stared baffled at the closed door. Was it true? No it couldn't be. Orlando had seen him talking to Kate and smiling at her. But then again, regarding his two best friends it could as well be possible. Confused Orli wandered back down to the beach.



(tbc)