Author: Simarillion
Archive: Daunting Byron
Pairing: Colin/Orli, Marton/Craig, Sean B/Viggo
Rating: PG
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 turns his worl upside down.
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.




CHAPTER SEVEN


Orlando laughed happily as he followed Viggo and Shaun to the fences of the riding court . After having taken care of the shaken Greenleaf trio, Viggo, Marton and Orlando had suggested doing something together. This had led to a heated discussion which ended once Colin asked if they could go horse back riding.

Orlando had been surprised about the request but having always been interested in horses and riding he took the chance of finally learning how to ride. Viggo had been the one least agreeable to the whole idea but after Shaun and Orlando had begged him to come with them, the lot of them had packed something to drink and some food and left for the nearest ranch.

During the drive to Edoras Craig had stayed very calm, snuggling to Marton, smiling content and blushing ever so lightly when the older Kiwi whispered into his ear. It was obvious that the two of them were very smitten with each other. Shaun and Colin watched the interaction between the two New Zealanders carefully but never interfered. They were trying hard to stay out of Craig's business but most of all on Shaun's part it was rather difficult. Old habits die hard and so he always felt the urge to protect his Kiwi friends and take care of him.

The other two who cautiously tried to explore their relationship they were having, were Viggo and Shaun, although it was not really agreed upon what kind of relationship they were having. While Viggo tried his best to establish the whole she-bang, Shaun was convinced that it was only a passing thing for the Santa Monican.

Colin had stayed very quiet during the drive to Edoras and Orlando sometimes worried that the other would start crying again but he had stayed calm and composed, only the deep shadows in his eyes betraying his hurt. Orlando tried to reassure himself that everything would turn out all right one he got the chance to spend more time with Colin and all the misunderstandings were out of their way.

Now they were waiting for their horses to be made ready. Colin had followed one of the stable hands to help with the horses, it seemed like he knew quiet a lot about them (the horses), and Marton and Craig were strolling around, chatting and holding hands.

Orlando smiled as he watched the two love birds and looked from them to Shaun and Viggo. What a difference. Were the two Kiwis all sweetness, so were his older brother and Shaun all tension and fire. It was interesting to see these so different aspects together. A loud argument made Orlando spin around to Shaun and Viggo. The latter was angrily glaring at the former.

"How many times do I have to tell you, for you to understand?! I am not interested in just sex, I am interested you as a person as well." A frustrated sigh fought its way out of Viggo's chest. "But then maybe you just don't want to listen. Maybe it's you who doesn't want more."

Shaun fought hard to keep his self-control. "Even if you were telling me the truth, what good would it do? I leave in two days anyway."

These words didn't only have a deep impact on Viggo who gaped at the blonde but also on Marton and Craig who were strolling around the corner to rejoin their friends. Craig paled and whimpered and Marton looked stricken, not believing what he had heard.

Viggo regained his composure and frowned at Shaun. "In two days? I thought you were staying till the end of the holidays?"

"Craig?" Marton put two fingers under the other's chin and raised it to be able to look into Craig's eyes. "Is that true? You are leaving that soon?"

Craig nodded weakly.

"But ... why didn't you tell me?"

The younger one wined at the accusatory tone in Marton's voice. “Sudden change of plan … ?”

Viggo glared at Shaun and growled. “Sudden? When did you decide to leave that soon?” His hot angry eyes bore into Shaun, who had blushed embarrassed.

“Yesterday.” The blonde turned away from the accusatory stare.

“What?!” Viggo’s voice rose even more in volume. “You decided to leave us because of what happened at the party?!” He grabbed the back of Shaun’s shirt and pulled him closer, forcing him to face Viggo again. Anger, but even more so, hurt shone in the stormy grey eyes.

Shaun sighed defeated but fought to look openly into Viggo’s eyes. He had hoped to discuss this whole matter later, and spend a nice day without worries with his friends and Viggo, but that was rather unlikely to happen now. “We originally came here to keep Colin company in the new town he had moved to, and it was planned that we’d leave once he didn’t need our companionship anymore.”

“So, you’re saying that, because Colin and Orlando get along now, you and Craig leave again?” Viggo’s voice had gotten a hard edge to it.

“No. What I am trying to say here is that, with Colin leaving in a couple of days, we have nowhere to stay. We have to go home too.” Shaun looked at the ground, waiting for another outburst, but none came. Cautiously he rose his head, his eyes wandering up to Viggo’s face, finding confusion and even more hurt displayed there.

“I don’t understand.” Orlando slowly neared the four people. “What do you mean with, Colin leaving in a couple of days? Where is he going to? How long will he be away? He just couldn’t understand. Should now, that he was finally making progress, everything be in vain?

Shaun shook his head and looked pleadingly at Viggo. “I can’t tell, Colin should do that himself.” He tentavely reached out to the tense figure opposite him. “Viggo?”

“I, um … “ He stepped back. “You always knew, and still you led me to believe we had a chance.”

“I always said, that my stay here is only a temporary one. I still would have left.” Shaun took a step closer to the retreating Santa Monican. “You always knew I would return to Greenleaf.”

“But not so soon.” Viggo felt his chest constricting his heart, a painful pressure making it impossible to breath. “That’s too soon.”

Orlando winced, hearing all the pain in his older brother’s voice. He was not used to him being weak. Confused and hurt himself, he passed Marton, who was holding a craying Craig, and wandered off. He walked through the stables, lost in thoughts, wondering why he was so affected by this surprising revelation. It was true, he hurt because of his brother’s pain and sorrow but even so there was something more to it. Searching his feelings he realised, that he felt betrayed for not having been told. For not knowing about Colin leaving, this was ridiculous, considering their short friendship. Still, Orlando couldn’t help feeling thus and he wondered why Colin was leaving and where he was going to. May be he just went on a short holiday before the school started. He’d just have to ask him.

Orlando left the stables behind and reached a large meadow. Sitting down on the grass, he inhaled the fresh air and settled to watch the horses on the meadows.

That was how Colin found him, sitting on the meadow, staring off into the distance. Colin stopped in his tracks and took the sight of Orlando in. He was heart achingly beautiful. The chocolate coloured curls shining in the sun, his golden skin, glowing warmly. The embodiment of perfection. As much as Colin longed for Orlando, he was realistic enough to know that this was something he could not have. This was way out of his league. To complicate things further, the beauty was straight and had a girlfriend. A bitch of a girlfriend.

Deep in thoughts, Colin slowly approached the sitting figure of Orlando. The nearer he got to his destination, the more he wondered what could have been, if the two of them had had a better start. Maybe they’d have become friends, good friends, but then, maybe not. Standing now behind the other, Colin crouched down and cleared his throat. This got Orlando’s attention.

Orlando was roused from his thoughts by a noise behind him. Spinning around he looked right into Colin’s dark eyes. He flinched back because of the unsuspected closeness but broke into a grin shortly after that. “Hi! Finished with the horses?”

Colin nodded and smiled. “Yep, the others told me you had left into this direction.” He sat down on the grass next to the beauty and turned to look at the horses too. “So, what happened while I was gone. Everybody is so gloomy and I thought Viggo and Marton are going to kill me when they saw me.”

“Where are you going, Colin?”

This question caught him unawares and he shifted uncomfortably. “To Ireland. I am going to attend school in Dublin.” He felt his heart ache and a nervous feeling settle in his belly. “I am going to stay with my grand parents there.

Now it was Orlando’s turn to stare at him.” You are going to got to school in Ireland? But I …” The sudden pain spreading his chest cut Orlando’s words and he was left speechless. It just couldn’t be true. Not now, not like that.

Cold shivers ran down Colin’s spine and he wrapped his arms around his legs, pressing them against his chest. Somehow he wanted to stop talking about his departure to Ireland. This decision had been made, when there had been only animosity between them, or rather from Orlando’s side, and although there was the promising tendency towards friendship, Colin had decided to stick to his former decision. He just couldn’t stay and go to school here, unsure of how things might develop. What if Orli decided that Colin was not worth the trouble and his precious time? It was better to go to Ireland and start anew there. After all it was not like he would miss Santa Monica, his memories being not the best he had.

Orlando realised, that he wanted to beg Colin no to leave, to stay here with him. With him? Well, yes, with him as a friend. A good friend. Orlando had hoped that he would be able to find out more about Colin during school. It would have been the perfect opportunity to befriend the dark eyed boy. Suddenly he stopped the trail his thoughts were taking and recalled what he had been thinking. Dark eyed? Beg him to stay? The hurt? Something was going on here. Something important.

“How long?”

“Sorry?” Colin was slightly confused, what exactly the other was referring to.

“How long will you be gone?”

“The whole year.” His voice was so soft, it was barely audible. “I leave in four days.” Colin was scared of looking at Orlando. He was scared of the pain he heard in the voice and he might see in the face.

“Is it my fault?” Orlando had to ask. He simply had to know. “Are you leaving because of me? Because of what I did?” He dreaded Colin’s answer to the question.

Well, he could lie and say that this decision had been made a long time ago but then there had already been too many lies between them. Orlando had asked for it and he would get nothing less than the truth. “Yes, it is. I wanted to get away from Santa Monica. I felt rather unwelcome.”

Orlando flinched at the frank admission. “But, I … I am trying to make up for it. We can still be friends, can’t we?” his voice getting a desperate note.

Sadly Colin shook his head in negation. “I am afraid, we can’t. Orlando, it would be wrong of me, if I pretended to be ‘just’ your friend.” Colin gathered all of his courage before he continued, “I would lie, if I pretended and said I only care for you as a friend. The truth is I feel rather attracted to you. Always have, since the first time I saw you.”

Now, this was something Orlando had not expected. “Colin … “

“It’s okay Orlando, I never expected you to return those feelings but I can’t help, how I feel about you. I hope you’ll forgive me.” Colin got up and straightened his clothes, brushing away the grass sticking to his trousers.

Orlando watched the other, like in a trance. “Forgive you?” This was just so unreal.

“Yes, forgive me.” Colin stared at the paralysed figure of Orlando, patiently waiting for the answer to his request.

“Um … “ Orlando fought to regain his composure. After sorting his thoughts, Orlando looked up, straight into the dark chocolate depths of Colin’s eye. Calming warmth spread through his whole body, reaching his toes and finger tips, tingling there lightly. “Yes.”


Colin smiled relieved, holding out a hand to help the other up. “Thank you.”

Slowly Orlando reached up for the helping hand and got to his feet. Staring into deeply into the warm and caring eyes, he felt his heart ache bitter sweetly. How was he supposed to deal with the shocking news? Both of them, Colin leaving and his feelings for Orlando. Never mentioning, Orli’s confusing feelings he felt for the other. “No, thank you, for telling me the truth.”

Another radiant smile for Orlando and Colin led them back to the stables and their waiting friends.



(tbc)