http://vbmods.livejournal.com/ ([identity profile] vbmods.livejournal.com) wrote in [community profile] wordsontongue2010-07-04 04:17 am
Entry tags:

A Library Across His Chest

Title: A Library Across His Chest
Author: Kris ([livejournal.com profile] ribby)
Rating: G
Warnings: None
Prompt(s): #5: tchotchke and he wore a library across his chest
Disclaimer: Don't own them, not making any money
Summary: Viggo is bound within words; for Sean, the only boundaries are his heart.



Sean *hated* night shoots ... he was a morning person by nature, so being up all night, being *active* all night, threw his body off something fierce. He *hated* coming back to his rooms just as the sun was coming up, knowing he wouldn't be able to sleep yet go through the day in a fog.

He stomped up the steps, grumbling quietly--for all he knew, Viggo wasn't even still there. But he was too polite to take the chance of waking him. Slowly, he clicked the door open. Quietly, he slipped out of his shoes, hung his jacket up. Cat-footed, he slipped into the living room.

Yes, Viggo was still there--good thing he'd been quiet, as Viggo looked almost as exhausted as Sean felt. He was collapsed sideways in the armchair where sleep had dropped him, fingers still keeping his place in a book.

Sean had to smile--obviously, Viggo had been in one of his frequent bouts of "I know that fact/poem/picture is in here somewhere." There were books scattered across the tables on either side of the armchair, stacked to the sides of the chair, and tucked into the chair at his ribs. Most of them bristled with bookmarks, proper cardstock ones and thin slips of torn paper mingling equally. At least this time, Viggo had remembered to move all the little souvenirs and *things* he tended to collect. Viggo called them souvenirs--Sean called them tchotchkes, thanks to a good friend's grandmother. And somehow Sean was always the one who ended up dusting them. This time, for a change, they wouldn't need it.

Besides the book he himself was bookmarking, there lay three or four more across Viggo's chest. Poetry, nonfiction on plants, an illustrated Rodale book on herbs, a cookbook. Cross-referencing again, Sean bet himself.

He picked up the nearest book. Poetry, no real surprise. They'd gotten into the habit of reading bits and snatches to each other over breakfast, in the evenings after dinner, any time they had a little downtime. Poetry, nonfiction, the worst passages from current bestsellers, nothing was safe.

Sean *loved* those moments. He loved understanding a little of how Viggo's mind worked, and loved sharing his own favorites. He loved hearing Viggo read, hear the passion for his subject reflected in his voice. And whether it was egotistical or not, he loved knowing that Viggo had as much joy in Sean's reading voice as he did in Viggo's.

He opened the book randomly--they'd do this sometimes, a poetry oracle. Open the book, and read the two lines your finger lands on.

"he wore a library
across his chest; he had a church on his knees."

He stuttered a quiet laugh. A library across his chest, yes. Fiction, poetry, cookbooks, reference, all spread across Viggo's chest. But more than that--Sean always felt that a certain part of Viggo bound himself to earth with words, breathing and beating words that meant life and love and joy to him, but were often another language to those around him.

Viggo stirred under Sean's scrutiny, absent-mindedly catching the books on his chest as they fell.

"Morning, Sean. Have you slept? Oh, wow, look at that sunrise. Gorgeous, huh? Turns your hair into fire ... halos you like an angel." He stopped, blinking. "Sorry, I'm rambling."

Sean smiled. "I love your words, Viggo, whatever they are." He kissed Viggo gently, tasting sleep and future words unknown and unsaid. "I'm going to bed ... read me to sleep?"

Viggo picked up a book and followed him quietly into their bedroom, watching with a gentle smile as Sean slowly stripped and climbed under the covers. Viggo perched himself at the corner of the bed, close enough that Sean could hear him and feel him, but not so close that he couldn't get up without waking Sean once he was asleep.

Sean settled a little deeper under the covers, his eyes already beginning to close. Viggo's voice wrapped around him like honey, sequestering him in words and love, and the scent of books and *Viggo* sent him into sleep. He barely registered the light brush of lips against his, but the words "Love you, Sean," rang clear, and stayed with him as he drifted into the library of Viggo's words, the words of his heart.

[identity profile] govi20.livejournal.com 2010-07-04 11:04 am (UTC)(link)
Lovely ficlet and great use of the prompt; thank you for sharing!
ext_29523: JW Waterhouse's Miranda (Blue eyes and a grin)

[identity profile] ribby.livejournal.com 2010-07-10 06:19 pm (UTC)(link)
You're very welcome--thanks for reading, and I'm so glad you liked it!

~Kris
makamu: (Default)

[personal profile] makamu 2010-07-04 11:46 am (UTC)(link)
Okay, this particular bookworm thanks you for getting it so very right :)
ext_29523: JW Waterhouse's Miranda (Blue-eyed stranger)

[identity profile] ribby.livejournal.com 2010-07-10 06:19 pm (UTC)(link)
Well, you know, us bookworms think alike... *grin*

So glad you enjoyed this, Tessy, and thank you!

~Kris

[identity profile] j-flattermann.livejournal.com 2010-07-04 01:21 pm (UTC)(link)
This is pure poetry. Thanks.
ext_29523: JW Waterhouse's Miranda (Bean "ready")

[identity profile] ribby.livejournal.com 2010-07-10 06:20 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank *you*--that's lovely to hear! So glad you enjoyed it.

~Kris
afra_schatz: (Vigbean Hug)

[personal profile] afra_schatz 2010-07-04 02:19 pm (UTC)(link)
I love how it's so evident how both of them love language and what it can do. Thank you for sharing this!
ext_29523: JW Waterhouse's Miranda (Bean "ready")

[identity profile] ribby.livejournal.com 2010-07-10 06:21 pm (UTC)(link)
I think you have to, at least to some extent, to be an actor of their caliber... you spend so much time interpreting language, and in order to do it well, you really have to love the words.

*grin* Which is a long-winded way of saying, yes, they do, don't they? So glad you enjoyed this, and thanks!

~Kris

[identity profile] alex-quine.livejournal.com 2010-07-04 04:42 pm (UTC)(link)
There is an ease about these characters that only comes from a deep love and trust...a lovely scene. thanks for sharing.
ext_29523: JW Waterhouse's Miranda (Bean "ready")

[identity profile] ribby.livejournal.com 2010-07-10 06:22 pm (UTC)(link)
I seem to be stuck in a "contented together" phase, don't I? *grin* But I do love writing it.

Thanks, Alex--I always love hearing your thoughts on my fic, and I'm so glad you enjoyed this!

~Kris

[identity profile] helena-s-renn.livejournal.com 2010-07-04 05:35 pm (UTC)(link)
this piece felt so comfortable. the relationship sean describes through a recollection of viggo's (and his) reading materials and impromptu recitations brings us right into the midst of it without interrupting anything, and that's a gift. thanks.
ext_29523: JW Waterhouse's Miranda (Bean "smile")

[identity profile] ribby.livejournal.com 2010-07-10 06:23 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you for such a lovely comment! Relationships are always better when you can infer them (and that way I don't have to write details... *grin*), and I'm glad to hear it worked so well for you. And very glad you enjoyed this!

~Kris

[identity profile] caras-galadhon.livejournal.com 2010-07-04 10:00 pm (UTC)(link)
Stunningly, gorgeously, amazingly perfect. ♥ Absolutely lovely, all of it.
ext_29523: JW Waterhouse's Miranda (Viggo reads)

[identity profile] ribby.livejournal.com 2010-07-10 06:24 pm (UTC)(link)
*grin* Now stop that, you'll give me a swelled head.

*hugs* Thank you, my dear... I'm so glad you enjoyed it, and thank you for such lovely words!

~Kris

[identity profile] splix.livejournal.com 2010-07-05 06:43 am (UTC)(link)
That was so very beautiful. I adored the tenderness of it, the comfort and familiarity, and the mutual affection. Absolutely lovely, thank you.
ext_29523: JW Waterhouse's Miranda (Viggo reads)

[identity profile] ribby.livejournal.com 2010-07-10 06:25 pm (UTC)(link)
No, thank you, for such a lovely comment! It's always lovely to hear that what I saw in my head, other people see on the page... so glad you enjoyed this!

~Kris

[identity profile] peersrogue.livejournal.com 2010-07-05 12:21 pm (UTC)(link)
Fragile moments of love caught in a gentle web of words.
BTW thank you for the quotation which sent me searching for the poet and the poem - wow read it and now I have to catch up with all his work. Bliss.
ext_29523: JW Waterhouse's Miranda (Blue-eyed stranger)

[identity profile] ribby.livejournal.com 2010-07-10 06:26 pm (UTC)(link)
Oooh... that's a gorgeous image, really... thank you! And yes, definitely read the poet--he's wonderful!

So pleased you liked this!

~Kris

[identity profile] shegollum.livejournal.com 2010-07-05 05:26 pm (UTC)(link)
This is a wonderful, warm world you've created. A simple thing like saying "their bedroom" resonates just so and adds to that gentle sunrise you used to highlight. Beautiful.

"... future words unknown and unsaid."

Lovely.
ext_29523: JW Waterhouse's Miranda (Viggo "passion")

[identity profile] ribby.livejournal.com 2010-07-10 06:26 pm (UTC)(link)
Thanks so much--I'm so glad you liked it, and that it felt so real to you!

~Kris

[identity profile] mooms.livejournal.com 2010-07-05 10:25 pm (UTC)(link)
I do adore warm, cosy, domestic Vigbean, where their tenderness and love come through and this line :

Viggo perched himself at the corner of the bed, close enough that Sean could hear him and feel him, but not so close that he couldn't get up without waking Sean once he was asleep. sums it all up for me.

I also like the love of language that comes through.

ext_29523: JW Waterhouse's Miranda (Viggo "craving")

[identity profile] ribby.livejournal.com 2010-07-10 06:27 pm (UTC)(link)
They're so perfect for each other, even with all their flaws, aren't they? And as I said above, I'm certain that the language love is there because of who they are and what they do... but it makes wonderful fic fodder!

So glad you liked this, Mooms, and thank you!

~Kris

[identity profile] savageseraph.livejournal.com 2010-07-06 12:52 am (UTC)(link)
This worked with the prompts so well, and it's just a pleasure to read.
ext_29523: JW Waterhouse's Miranda (Viggo reads)

[identity profile] ribby.livejournal.com 2010-07-10 06:28 pm (UTC)(link)
Thanks--I'm so glad you enjoyed it, and also glad that it worked with the prompts for you!

~Kris