Sunflower -- PG-13 -- OB/VM

[chevauchee.livejournal.com]

Title: Sunflower
Author: Chevauchée [renjenri]
Pairing: ... uh .... Sorta Orlando/Viggo
Summary: To be touched is to surrender control.
Rating: PG-13 for language
Disclaimer: I've never touched Orlando, nor been touched by him. Damn. And I don't know him. Double damn. Totally not true.
Feedback: We likes it, we do.
Notes: Thanks to Shaenie for hand holding.


Orlando doesn't let anyone get close to him. Ever.

Even as he grabs Viggo, it's not that Viggo is close to him. He is choosing to be close to Viggo.

It's all in the initiation for Orlando.

Billy'd gotten a hug after his first sentence to Orlando. Two strangers, hugging in the middle of Heathrow. It was a bit mad. Orlando had needed to touch someone that day and Billy was there. So he'd clung, and kept an arm about Billy after he'd gotten his money.

Orlando touches everyone and that's a fact. He needs to be touched, needs to feel someone warm against him. But everyone knows better than to initiate it without warning. Don't grab him from behind. Make sure he knows you're at his side if you're going to throw an arm around him. If you don't, he will go stiff as iron and pull away so fast that it's like a snake striking in reverse.

People puzzled over it, but they learned fast.

Before they learned, though, some of them figured he'd be one hell of a lay. After all, no one who likes touching that much can be celibate, right?

Orlando can. He usually is. For all that he is what Elijah calls a 'contact whore', he doesn't fuck around. He touches with all the appearance of intimacy, never the actuality. And no one touches Orlando without his consent, lest they be caught in the backlash.

He touches and is untouchable.

There were theories, carefully spoken, never when he was near. It's a mystery and everyone likes a good mystery. Some people say he is a tease. Others say he's just holding out for someone he can trust.

None of them are right.

Orlando knows, seemingly has always known, that if you let someone touch you, you give them power. If you become comfortable with their touch, you might begin to love them.

He still craves touch like sunflowers turn their faces towards the sun. Needs it desperately and hungrily. But he won't surrender control, not ever.

If you love someone, they'll leave you. Orlando knows this too.

The sun doesn't make sunflowers turn, they do so themselves.

So Orlando touches Viggo, and Viggo allows him the touch he craves, and hopes that someday Orlando will let himself be touched.

Comments

[untappedbeauty.livejournal.com]

Came over by a rec in shaenie, and I must agree with her. This is absolutely lovely; the style is consistent and simple, the narrator's voice lets us know just enough without revealing too much, and the take on Orlando's touchy-feely behavior is unique. I think you did a great job on this.

[chevauchee.livejournal.com]

Oh wow, thanks!

[anabelwumpkins.livejournal.com]

what an ingeneous characterization!! your interpretation of this personality trait is so unexpected and marvelous that it's hard not to read it and think, oh, of course.

like a snake striking in reverse

a 'contact whore', he doesn't fuck around. He touches with all the appearance of intimacy, never the actuality.

these destroyed me.

[chevauchee.livejournal.com]

Eek! Don't be destroyed, you give marvelous feedback.

*superglues you back together*

[ladymalen.livejournal.com]

You know why I love this, I already told you :)

But the use of the sunflower as a metaphor rocks! But then so do you!

*mwah!*

[chevauchee.livejournal.com]

Muah yourself, babe.

[shaenie.livejournal.com]

There is probably some kind of rule about not commenting on stuff if you've already raved about it via AIM and recced it on your own journal, but you know what?

I'm a rebel, baby.

Even as he grabs Viggo, it's not that Viggo is close to him. He is choosing to be close to Viggo.

It's all in the initiation for Orlando.

I love the way your mind works. I love this so much. And I love that you trusted me enough to do it when you wrote 4 sentences and asked me if I thought it was worth pursuing. I <3 you, renpippin.

[chevauchee.livejournal.com]

You rebel you. Got a leather jacket to go with that attitude?

I ♥ you too, shaeniesam.

Re:

[shaenie.livejournal.com]

Um ... leather thong? Does that count?

[chevauchee.livejournal.com]

Even better. *waggles eyebrows*

[elfianjoy.livejournal.com]

I'm new to the list, so you don't know me, but I just had to write feedback on this. It was absolutely lovely! I loved your different take on Orlando here.

He still craves touch like sunflowers turn their faces towards the sun. Needs it desperately and hungrily. But he won't surrender control, not ever.

Just, guh. Amazing.

well, so much for coherent feedback

[chevauchee.livejournal.com]

Oh, I will gladly surrender coherence for such lovely feedback. Thank you so much!

[msilverstar]

Beautiful, plausible, sad.

[chevauchee.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

[triestoohard.livejournal.com]

Oh, this was very nice. I like your hurt!Orlando, because he's not completely destroyed, he's just... wary... of being hurt again. But then you add Viggo who still has hope and it gives the story a little hope in what would otherwise be a kind of sad story. So in closing, I liked it a lot, its really interesting to read your Orlando because he is a little more interesting, a little different than he is usually characterized.
Thanks for sharing!

[chevauchee.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much!

[ex-dark-soul916.livejournal.com]

oh. oh babes!! why didn't you -tell- me about this?!!

*reels*

i love. i love how you are willing to see things in a different light. how you are willing to put such a unique and so very aching spin on the same'ol same'ol. you just. you rock my world.

[chevauchee.livejournal.com]

I figured you'd see it. I was right, wasn't I? :P

Thank you so much. I was all happy to see your comment.

[ex-dark-soul916.livejournal.com]

*dies upon your icon*

but i wouldn't have if shaenie hadn't rec'd it. ... wich is odd.

[chevauchee.livejournal.com]

*giggles*

Ooooh. Ooops. Me shall be better then.

[ethrosdemon.livejournal.com]

Oh! Lovely. Do you know that you and hackthis have very similar takes on Orli? You should read her Orli ficlet from the other day. You might see some resonance there.

Poor has serious issues. I am down with that completely.

[chevauchee.livejournal.com]

Really? I'll give that a look. Thanks.