fic: Nyonda (Viggo/Bean, adult)

[stormatdusk.livejournal.com]

title: Nyonda
author: stormatdusk
pairing: viggo/bean
rating: nc17
summary: viggo has given up on finding his soulmate.
disclaimer: this is only fiction.
a/n: written for mooms as part of the wordsontongue fic exchange.








1.

in a dream, viggo

feels a shift in the air of the room, feels it sway thicker and sweeter.

sits bolt upright in visceral reaction as the back of his neck prickles and his heart rate ratchets higher.

looks around wildly, expecting... what?

there.

at the foot of the bed, something... flutters, shimmers in the night until it burgeons into nearly-corporeal form.

it is a man. he wears only a glow of energy and power. he is golden.

he is looking directly at viggo, his gaze unwavering even as the fluid borders of his form still flicker with other-worldly aura.

viggo is not quite afraid - - this is a dream, after all - - but adrenaline surges as his body vacillates between the fight or flight instinct and a flood of warm arousal. the man is just… there. he's not moving toward viggo; he's just holding his gaze, looking at him with - - green, yes, viggo can see them clearly now - - radiant, green eyes. his scent is of rich earth, wild grasses maybe, with an undertone of musk that hardens viggo's cock, makes his fingers ache to reach out, wind themselves in and take, hold, keep.

something unknown deep in viggo's soul claims this moment.

'it's you?' viggo asks. he doesn't know what he means by it.

viggo feels, not hears but feels the answer:

yes

viggo's heart surges out of its normal rhythm, responding of its own accord.

'vee-goh,' the man purrs. the sound is a waterfall in the desert, cool splashes over warm sand. again, the voice comes.

'finally found you….'

the apparition slowly dissipates into smoke-smudges of golden skin and emerald eyes and black-blue night, and then, nothing.

in his dream, viggo sits unmoving, silent, for a long time.


- - -

Viggo walks the grounds for his daily visual sweep of the park, distractedly skimming the night report as he goes. He's not usually one to remember his dreams. This morning, though, the image of the golden man was still with him when he opened his eyes, and a lingering trace of warmth smoldered in his belly.

It's stayed with him, too; hasn't faded through shower, coffee, the drive to work. And it's… it's nice, damn it. Like having a secret, or maybe a sort of quiet company.

"Hey, Viggo. Save me some coffee? Late one last night." Dom waggles his eyebrows from where he's working in the giraffe habitat; Viggo can't miss it even from 20 feet away. He shakes his head and grins back at Dom as he passes.

He and Dom actually saw each other for a while, soon after Dom started working here at the park. The sex was fine, it was good, but they both knew it was never going to progress much beyond that, and they parted as friends.

It's been over a year since, and Viggo hasn't bothered to date again. He isn't going to find what he's looking for, anyway - - not that he can articulate for himself exactly what the hell that is - - so there isn't much point.

He's heard the accusations from lovers over the years: Viggo holds back, keeps a certain distance, won't commit emotionally. Well, hell… yeah, all true.

Thing is, you're not supposed to be making lists of pros and cons. You're not supposed to talk yourself into it. It should be about passion. You're supposed to fucking fall. And while Viggo's been with men who were interesting or likeable or desirable, he's never come close to falling. Not even a stumble. Because he's always known- - he's known - - none of them were the one. And he also knows somehow that 'the one,' whoever he is, isn't someone Viggo's going to find in a bar or a chat room. To be honest, at this point, Viggo doubts that he'll find him at all.

So the hell with it. He has his hand and a stash of DVDs. Life is just less complicated this way.

Having resigned himself to this, he pours everything he is into his work.

He knew from a young age, growing up on a horse farm, that he'd make animals his life. He's passionate for them, for their well-being and their preservation. Being with them is his only source of pure joy. Of course he has his favorites - - the big cats, especially the lions - - but he adores them all. They're loud or quiet, frenetic or mellow, ugly or beautiful, but in each of them, every damn one of them, there's a sense of wisdom, of elegance, that Viggo's soul recognizes and respects. On his more self-indulgent days, he thinks that maybe they respect him a little in return.

He hangs his clipboard on a hook and climbs into the hippo habitat to light a fire under the new kid; again, she's doing more grimacing at the smell than any actual cleaning. So far she's lining up to be one of the too-many who enter Viggo's employ fresh out of school, all bright-eyed and 'I want to work with animals,' get a dose of reality, and quickly decide to rethink their career options. He resists the urge to roll his eyes. Did they imagine it would smell like a posh perfume boutique on Rodeo Drive?

A gleam of sunlight breaking through the trees sends Viggo the sudden image of the golden man from his dream. Goose flesh breaks out on his arms as an unbidden wave of dark need roils in his gut. He realizes he'd stopped in mid-sentence only when he comes back to himself to find Kasey standing there staring dumbly at him.

He rubs a hand over his eyes and tells himself to snap out of it. The park will open to the public in an hour; Viggo doesn't have time to dwell on nonsense.


That night, though, as he sets his alarm and clicks off the nightstand lamp, he's annoyed to realize that he can't as easily extinguish the hope that the dream might come again.


2.

in his dream, viggo

climbs out of bed, anticipation trembling through him.

watches awestruck as the apparition flickers into existence, like the whisper-soft of a hummingbird's wingtips beating in the dark.

gives silent thanks as the already treasured body effloresces into being.

stands enrapt as the man straightens, breathes. he looks directly into viggo's eyes, confident, regal, smoldering.

'you're beautiful,' viggo breathes, and nearly cringes. but a slow, wide smile spreads across the man's face, glows in the night air, and viggo forgets to feel stupid, forgets everything except want.

'i'm glad you think so.' the voice washes over viggo, melts into him, warm honey and moonlight. appreciative green eyes sweep slowly down viggo's nakedness, back up. 'you're everything i knew you'd be.'

the man is closer. viggo watches as he licks his lower lip, smiles again. viggo thinks

yes, touch me.

aloud he asks, 'what's your name?'

the man is very close now, so close that viggo's skin tingles with the almost-caress of him. he moves to viggo's side, tilts his head, whispers,

'sean,'

and viggo shivers.

the man - - sean - - looms at viggo's back. warm breath dances on his shoulder, his nape; he hears sean inhale deeply. sean growls, a satisfied sound, and viggo's blood thrills to it. sean completes his slow circlesweep and stands before him, a golden mirror of viggo's own form, invitation in his eyes.

viggo cedes to instinct, leans forward, breathes in at the tender join of sean's neck and shoulder. his eyes close as he is overwhelmed with warmth, musk, mine. his mouth waters.

this. this is the one.

sean growls again, turns his head, nuzzles - - there, yes, touch - - into viggo's throat. viggo closes his fingers over sean's shoulders, fails to stifle a moan as sean slides his mouth upward. he takes viggo's mouth in a kiss like none viggo has ever experienced, all teeth and lips and tongue, consuming and remaking him in a single moment of passion.

viggo wonders if his knees will hold him, if one can lose consciousness in a dream.


- - -

Paperwork sits ignored next to his equally uninteresting microwaved dinner. Viggo's mind would rather recall his dreams of the past week (only that long? Surely these dreams have always been coming to him): How Sean clutches at him, and he at Sean, fighting to feel enough of all that warm, golden skin, fighting to get closer. How they fall to the bed, teeth clashing, muscles flexing, grunts and moans filling the space. How they bring each other off, finally, with licks and strokes and sucks of hot mouths, eager hands.

It's so good that Viggo would swear that he can still taste Sean on his tongue, still feel him on his skin. It shocks him, how the passion in the dream feels more real than anything he's experienced with a real lover. Hell, if it wasn't so embarrassing, Viggo'd have a good laugh with Dom about how he's been waking to semen-soaked sheets for the first time since he was a kid.

At least he's mostly able to set it aside and focus when he's with the animals. They welcomed a new addition today: an adult male East African lion called Nyonda. Viggo received all the proper records weeks ago, and there are no behavioral or health issues in the animal's history. Oddly, though, there is no one for Viggo to thank for the gift to the park; the donor had insisted on remaining anonymous.

Nyonda had come out of the transport container a bit disoriented, understandably, but generally calm. He'd looked at Viggo, at the others there, then quietly investigated the smaller, temporary space he'd be in for at least a few days before being integrated into the rest of the pride in the general habitat. Once satisfied, he'd taken a long drink of water, flopped onto his side, and settled in.

Viggo is staying late tonight to observe him for signs of distress. Nyonda has been relaxed, getting up to luxuriously stretch now and then, but mostly lazily eyeing Viggo where he sits on a stool a respectful distance from the bars. It's soothing to just be, quietly, with this 430-pound creature, to appreciate the beauty that nature is capable of. Viggo finds himself truly relaxed for the first time in days.


3.

in his dream, viggo

sucks sean. he's on his knees, sucking this beautiful man, hungry hands pawing at sean's ass, encouraging his thrusts, welcoming him into his throat. sean's harsh breathing fills viggo's ears like his cock fills viggo's mouth, and it's more than viggo's ever dared hope for.

sean pulls out of viggo's mouth, shoves viggo onto his back, onto the floor, follows him down with a hoarse snarl. viggo's coming too, even as he reaches for his own cock. he trembles as sean claims him, marks him with hot spurts of thick fluid.

sean drops to all fours, sweating, and lowers his head. he scents viggo, drags up his torso with a long inhalation. he laps at their mingled come on viggo's belly, his chest, with broad, flat strokes of his tongue. viggo winces, oversensitive, but doesn't pull away. he watches, astounded.

finally sated, sean rolls to his back, pulls viggo to him. they're quiet. they listen to the night, the breeze slinking through the leaves outside the windows, the slowing of breathing, of heartbeats.

it's everything.

viggo forgets himself, forgets he's dreaming, and asks, 'what is this, sean?'

sean sighs. 'i only know that we are… for each other.' his lips caress the crown of viggo's head; his voice lulls, comforts. 'i call to you. you answer. then we can be together.'

viggo lifts his head. 'i don't - - you just… come.'

'no. it's… difficult, to come to you.' sean's arms tighten around him. 'it takes both of us.'

viggo rests back into sean's hold, needing the contact. 'i don't understand.'

frustration rumbles from sean's chest. he untangles himself from their embrace and slips down, lies face to face with viggo. he grasps viggo's head, brings their brows together, closes his eyes.

images, concepts flood viggo's mind. old souls. ageless emotions. connections reaching beyond time or place, beyond physical reality. images of sean: fierce, loyal, protective. completely honest. fearless, but for one thing. sean is afraid…

he's afraid to lose viggo.

it's too much, it's too much. viggo pulls away.

he doesn't want to think any more. not here. here he only wants to feel. he wants the blaze of passion to eclipse everything else.

it's just a dream. sean is just a dream. and he wants sean to fuck him.

viggo understands now: he has to go to sean. sean will not take him, will not even come to him in his dreams, if viggo doesn't permit it. something in viggo has held back so far; somewhere inside, he's been afraid that fucking sean will cross some barrier, that it will… mean something. but there's no sense to that. this is a dream. it's just a dream.

and viggo wants sean to fuck him.

'yes,' viggo says.

sean's eyes glitter. 'i won't be gentle.'

viggo goes anyway.


- - -

Arriving at work, Viggo sits for a moment in his car, folds his arms on the steering wheel, rests his head down.

He slept like shit last night. No; he slept, but the dreams… well, they were incredible. He must have been doing some fucking kick-boxing or something in his sleep, thrashing around in his dreams. He aches everywhere.

This is… it's crazy. It's getting out of hand. He'll stop at the pharmacy tonight, pick up something to help him rest.

He goes first to the new lion to check on him. Dom's already there, struggling with an armload of old fire hose he'll use to make a new ball toy for the lions to bat around. Nyonda lazes in a patch of early morning sunlight; he offers Viggo a jaw-popping yawn in greeting. Viggo smiles. Seems the night was uneventful, then.

"Morning, Dom," Viggo says, hustling to help with the load.

"Hey, Vig - - "

Dom trips backward over a coil of the hose, knocking Viggo to the ground; most of the heavy hose thuds to the floor.

Nyonda is instantly across the cage, snarling and spitting, startling both men with his onslaught. Dom instinctively yanks on Viggo's arm, to get them away, and Nyonda throws himself furiously against the bars, roaring terribly, green eyes wild with anger.

"Back away," Viggo shouts to Dom. "Let go, back away."

Dom does, slowly. As he moves away from Viggo, Nyonda matches him step for step from the other side of the bars, still raging, the noise ringing off the walls. Dom's white as a sheet; Viggo must be, too.

"Get the tranq gun," Viggo tells Dom, forcing his voice to calm. "Just in case."

Dom slips out. The lion follows him as far as the bars will allow, his roars dropping to back to snarling only after Dom is gone.

Fuck. Seems Nyonda thought Dom was harming Viggo, and he had something to say about it. Viggo sits up carefully.

"Nyonda," he calls, keeping his voice low and soft. "Hey, it's alright. I'm okay. See? Just a little accident. Let's calm down now, okay? It's alright."

The animal looks back to Viggo. His whiskers still twitch angrily; a low growl reverberates in his throat. Viggo continues his gentle tone. A minute passes, and the lion lies down, quiet. Viggo continues a low, humming sound deep in his chest, he thinks to calm himself as much as the animal.

After several more minutes, Viggo gets to his feet. Nyonda watches him but doesn't protest. Viggo quietly walks out to join Dom where he's been watching, wisely, from out of the animal's sight.

"And good morning to you, too!" Dom whispers, wide-eyed. "What the hell was that, d'you think?"

"We won't need the tranqs." Viggo blinks as the room tilts suddenly.

"Here; sit." Dom grabs the nearest chair and propels it toward Viggo. Viggo slumps into it.

"Viggo, your back! You're bleeding!" Four long slashes stain thin red through the back of Viggo's shirt.

In a flash, he sees it, feels it again: last night in his dream, Sean clawing down his back as Viggo rode him from above.

Viggo has to get out.

He mumbles to Dom that he isn't feeling well, he's going home. He pushes aside the worried questions, says he'll talk to Dom later. Just wants to get home, get some sleep. Leaves Dom standing there, leaves the lion. Doesn't look back.

Gets to his car. Feels like he's falling, falling. Feels green eyes gazing hotly at him.

Makes it home, downs a shot of whisky. Downs another. Heads for the shower. That'll help, wake him up. Help all this make sense.

There. Better already.

Sean's a fucking dream. He's not real. And damn it, it's finished.

No more. No more letting it take over his work, his thoughts, his whole being. He'll stay awake if he has to. Maybe drink himself into a stupor, get too drunk to dream. Or set his alarm for every hour, not let himself into REM sleep, or non-REM, or whatever the hell it is where you dream.

And it's not real, anyway. He doesn't know what the hell he did to his back. Maybe he picked someone up, had a wild night, and blacked it all out. Maybe he's going crazy. But the dreams… that's not real. It's not.

Viggo ducks his head under the shower spray again, hisses as it sluices over the scratches on his back. Then, barely conscious, he falls into bed and sleeps.


4.

in his dream, viggo

senses sean coming to him.

sees the sparkle of the air as it starts to undulate in front of him.

shouts, 'no! no, sean! stay away!'

aches as sean's face twists in anguish, feels his choked cry: 'don't leave me, vee-goh….'

watches, a grinding, crunching sensation in his chest, as sean evaporates in a smear of golden dust.


But Viggo is wide awake, and it's broad daylight, and this was no dream.


- - -

He paces for hours, wondering if he's insane, feeling as if half of his soul has been torn away.


- - -

Walking across the grounds, he can hear Nyonda long before he gets to the habitat.

Dom's obviously shocked to see him. He hurries over, shouts over the pained howling. "You alright? I was just about to call you. He's been like this for hours: agitated, pacing, won't drink, won't rest." Dom's babbling, upset right along with the animal. "You shouldn't be here; you look like hell."

Viggo focuses on the lion, meets the lion's gaze, mumbles at Dom. "I'm alright."

Nyonda goes suddenly quiet but for heavy panting. He's trembling; his sides heave with exertion and stress. Viggo moves closer to the bars.

"Should I call Doc McKellan?" Dom asks anxiously.

"I don't think so," Viggo says, his voice a monotone. He steps around to the side of the cage. Something metal glints in Viggo's hand.

Keys.

"Viggo?" Dom starts, incredulous. "You can't go in right now. He's much too - - "

Viggo unlocks the door, steps in, clicks it shut behind him. He leans heavily against the bars, slides down slowly, sits on the floor. The lion is still, watching.

"It's you?" Viggo asks. He knows exactly what he means by it.

Nyonda moves silently to Viggo. He leans down, presses his massive head to Viggo's, closes his eyes.

Viggo's breath shakes out of him. His hand comes up, buries itself in the silk-scratch of the thick mane.

The animal lowers himself to the floor. He nudges his nose between Viggo's legs, drags his huge tongue once, twice over the crotch of Viggo's jeans. He rolls to his side, belly to Viggo, purring.

"Jesus," Dom breathes. "Jesus." He disappears. Viggo doesn't even notice him go.

Viggo curls forward, half atop the creature, wraps his arms as far as they will go, presses his face to the golden pelt. He listens to the familiar heartbeat, feels it mixing with his own.

All along, Sean's been brutally honest with him about who he is, about who Viggo is. It's only now that Viggo will hear him. Viggo lifts his head, looks into the lion's face, into his soul.

"Yes," Viggo says.

Sean's eyes glitter.



When Dom returns with help, the enclosure is empty.


- - -

News of the lion and the animal park director who've gone missing makes headlines around the country.




Across the ocean, across the ages, two golden lions roam the Maasai plains in freedom.



-end-


Nyonda = Swahili for beloved

Comments

[govi20.livejournal.com]

Such an enticing story, and Sean as a lion... *drools* There's something about him that suits that so well. I saw a card for your birthday, Happy Birthday to you !

[stormatdusk.livejournal.com]

thank you, govi. and thank you for all you do to keep the vigbean love alive! :)

[eglvm.livejournal.com]

Hmm, interesting. I liked it. I also liked the mention Doc McKellan. LOL Nice.

[stormatdusk.livejournal.com]

next time, i'll need to find a way to work doc mckellan into a relationship with dom or something. ;)

[eglvm.livejournal.com]

OMG that would be awesome. LOL I've never read any Ian/Dom. Looking forward to it.

[rotpunkt.livejournal.com]

Beautiful! And it 'feels' like you have experience with and knowledge of animals?

[stormatdusk.livejournal.com]

no, just a couple of housecats. but your comment makes me happy! thank you. :)

[moondreamer1.livejournal.com]

hmmmm, lovely.

[stormatdusk.livejournal.com]

thanks so much.

[sveta-111.livejournal.com]

I love your story!
Thank you.

[stormatdusk.livejournal.com]

awfully nice of you to read and comment; thank you. :)