On arrival he had been too tired to take in much of Buenos Aires, but after a couple of hours sleep, Sean felt refreshed and more than a bit hungry. If he were to believe the travel guide the hotel, situated in the trendy part of town called Palermo, would be crowded with bars and restaurants. Sean nodded at the doorman who held open the door and started walking, following a small stream of people strolling down the street.
The restaurants he passed all seemed either too crowded or too fashionable for his taste. On the corner of a small street he stopped, rifling his pockets for cigarettes and lighter, hesitating whether to turn back or walk a bit further. Nearby a man, leaning against the red brick wall, said something unintelligible. Although he spoke a little Spanish, Sean struggled with the accent and the soft voice, close to a murmur, didn't make it any easier. He turned to look at the man and then instinctively stepped back.
Blue eyes looked at him from a tanned, bearded face with very prominent cheekbones. Dark blond, unruly and untidy hair curled around the man's ears, almost touching his shoulders. A green shirt, frayed at the collar, hung around his slender frame like a kid wearing his father's clothes. The bloke was a derelict, a beggar probably, or maybe even dangerous and he should just walk on. Still, Sean found it hard to look away from that unusual face and instead of fleeing he searched for the right words.
"Lo siento," he started, "Yo.."
"You dropped your wallet," the man interrupted him and pointed at the street behind Sean. Turning to pick it up, Sean cursed himself for his stupidity.
"Thanks mate; that would have been a lot of trouble with my credit cards and all in it."
The man nodded and then determinedly looked the other way.
Sean opened his wallet, taking out a couple of bills. "Please accept this, for your trouble."
"No thanks, no need for that."
Sean stepped a little closer, intrigued. "You're American, right?"
The other man shrugged and pushed himself off the wall, as if he was about to walk away, but Sean wouldn't have it. "If you don't want to take my money, would you then at least let me buy you a drink?"
"No, thanks."
"How about a meal then? Come on, I am starving for food and company." Even though it was really strange, somehow Sean felt this meeting was significant and he stubbornly refused to let go.
The man grinned unexpectedly, showing sharp white teeth in a weirdly alluring smile. "A meal? You want to take me into one of those fancy restaurants? You must be joking, man."
"I am sure you know a place we could go. I'm hungry, not picky and I don't give a fuck about fancy."
Scanning Sean's face for some moments, the man nodded. "Okay then, if you're sure?"
Sean beamed at him. "I'm sure. The name is Sean."
"I am Viggo. This way." Viggo lifted a worn backpack from the floor and then turned to his left. Sean followed his companion through a maze of small streets and alleys, until they rounded the corner of a broader street. It was busy and noisy, a lot of people in and outside bars and there was music everywhere.
Viggo stopped in front of a small restaurant and looked at Sean. "This okay?"
A faded sign hanging beside the door said 'Cantina'. Sean tried to peer inside, but the dark interior made that almost impossible and he shrugged. "Sure, it's fine."
They were welcomed by a tall, slim woman, wearing a red apron. Her hair was pulled back in a bun so tight that it pulled at the corners of her almost black eyes. She looked them both over and suddenly her eyes lit up. Smiling at Viggo she pulled him close and hugged him. A cascade of Spanish poured over them and Sean could make out only a few words before he gave up. It was evident the woman and Viggo knew each other and she was very pleased to see him.
Viggo and she exchanged a few words and then Viggo turned to Sean and introduced him.
"I am Maria," the woman said in heavily accented English, smiling and offering Sean her hand.
Before too long they were ushered to a small table in the corner. A jug of wine and two glasses were set in front of them and Maria disappeared behind a curtain at the back of the room. There were no other customers and Sean looked at Viggo.
"Most people here eat rather late," Viggo said, apparently reading Sean's thoughts.
"Oh, I see. So, Viggo, how does an American end up here?" *And end up living on the street?*
"It's a long story and not very interesting," Viggo said, staring down at his folded hands.
"I've got all the time in the world."
"I need to wash my hands," Viggo murmured and he rose from his chair. Immediately, Sean rose too and stretched out a hand to stop the other man.
"I didn't mean to pry, I am sorry."
Viggo looked at him a bit wearily. "I really do need to wash up a little, that's all."
"Do you promise to come back?"
A small nod and Sean sat down again. A delicious smell came from the back and he sniffed appreciatively. Only now did he notice the pictures on the wall that all featured Maria, dancing with various partners. In those pictures she seemed quite a bit younger, but the sharp profile and the almost black hair, tied up in a bun, hadn't changed at all.
Viggo stayed away quite a long time and Sean already feared he'd fled when he stepped back into the room. He had clearly washed his face and wetted his hair, which was now slicked back from his face and tucked away behind his ears. He looked stunning and a bit dangerous and Sean could only stare at him, lost for words.
He was saved by Maria appearing, carrying a basket of bread, still warm from the oven and two big bowls of soup.
"Buen provecho," Sean picked up his spoon.
"Si, buen provecho." Viggo grabbed a few pieces of bread and dipped one into his soup. He ate as if he was starved, which was likely the case and Sean kept silent, trying to not look at the other man, allowing him to enjoy his meal in peace. The soup tasted wonderful, spicy and full of flavour, the bread with its lovely crust a great companion.
Slowly, Viggo's pale face started to get a bit more colour and with that, he seemed to shake off his guard a little. He even smiled when Sean poured him another glass of wine.
"Carbonada Criolla," Maria announced as she served them both a steaming plate with something that looked like a beef stew. The bread basket was refilled, this time with cornbread and then Maria disappeared again. Viggo looked at his plate with barely concealed delight and then delved in again.
Again, the food was delicious and Sean savoured every bite of beef, the sticky rich sauce and the bits of sweet fruit mixed in. When he could eat no more, he put down his knife and fork, looking at Viggo who was, although more slowly, still eating. When his plate was empty, Viggo took the last piece of bread to wipe it clean and then he finally looked up, blushing slightly when he met Sean's eyes.
'I am sorry, I was...”
Sean smiled at him. "There's nothing to be sorry for. The food is absolutely amazing. I would never have found this place on my own and I am grateful. More wine?"
When Maria had cleared the table, Viggo leaned back in his chair, clutching the stem of his wine glass. 'Thank you so much, Sean. It is a long time ago since I had such a good meal."
Sean shook his head. "Like I said, it was a great meal and I really appreciate the company."
Maria returned with dessert, chocolate cake with a generous amount of a caramel like sauce dripping over it. Viggo groaned; "Dulce de Leche, you have to try this, Sean."
In the meantime more customers had arrived and all four tables were occupied now, but no one seemed particularly interested in either Sean or Viggo.
It was only when they were sipping strong coffee and coñac that Viggo seemed to relax completely. He looked up at Sean and brushed away his hair, which had now dried and fallen back into his face.
"You asked me how I ended up here. I was born in the States, but when I was about ten we had to move to Argentina, because of my father's work. We lived in a rural area and I loved it, learned to ride horses and all sorts of other ranch skills. After seven years we moved back to the US. It wasn't too bad, but I never really forgot about Argentina. Then my father died and my mother remarried only a year later and moved to Canada. It felt like there was nothing keeping me in the US, so I came back here.
I found a poorly paid, but very nice, job at a horse ranch not far from where we used to live; I really love horses. I picked up old friendships and made a lot of new ones and life was good. Then came the day I met someone I thought was the love of my life and I gave everything up in favour of it. After a few weeks we went to Buenos Aires together to seek our fortune. My friends all warned me that the city was no place for me because I was poor and my best friend even said the likes of me would get swept up in the morning with the trash. Well, I guess he was right."
Sean leaned forward over the table, barely restraining himself from grabbing Viggo's hand in sympathy.
"What happened?" he asked softly. "Did she cheat on you?"
Viggo hesitated, than he looked Sean straight in the eye. "There was no she; I fell in love with a man. Does that bother you? Because I have done with pretending, there is no use for pretence the way I live now."
Sean smiled at him and leaned in even more. "No, it doesn't bother me at all."
"Eduardo didn't cheat on me. He was an actor, though not a very successful one. He had a few minor parts in films and television and spent most of his time travelling from audition to audition. In the meantime I had to make a living and I although I did find a job every now and then, waiting in restaurants and such, every time it was only temporary. We found a reasonably sized apartment for which we could just afford the rent. Then I met Eva.
Eva was a very well know tango dancer in Buenos Aires, just like Maria once was. At that time she performed a few nights a week in a very popular milonga. That's what the tango salons are called here. Tango is so much more than just a dance; it's more a way of life and quite a complex one. I was very fascinated by it all and I went to see Eva and her partner, Jaime, as often as I could. We got to know each other very well and for fun she started teaching me how to dance. Once I had learned the basics I was hungry for more and to our mutual surprise I was rather good at it. Then her partner Jaime got involved in a car accident and broke his knee. Before I knew it I was up on the stage, replacing him."
"You became a dancer?" Sean glanced at the pictures on the wall. "That must have been quite a career change."
'Yes, it was. You must understand that the people in Argentina are proud and consider tango theirs, so it wasn't easy to get accepted. Still, a lot of them came to see that crazy American fail. After a few difficult weeks it somehow all worked out very well. There was this spark between Eva and me and we were quite successful. People started asking for autographs and that sort of thing.
Eduardo wasn't too keen on my sudden popularity, especially not when people in the street started recognize me and not him, but because I was only a temporary replacement, he coped with it. In the meanwhile, Jaime's knee didn't recover well and after endless doctor visits they decided he would need surgery, which meant he would be not able to dance for a considerable time.
So I kept working with Eva, while Eduardo was still looking for work. When I came home at night, he was often cranky and we fought a lot. To avoid that, I started staying at the milonga later and later, hoping he would be already asleep. In daytime, I practiced with Eva for hours, deliberately refusing to see that my relationship was slowly going down the drain.
It was about three months later that I came home to an empty apartment. That miserable fucker had left and taken everything with him; he literally stripped it. Everything I owned was gone, except the clothes I was wearing. Until today I have no idea where he went."
Viggo stopped to drink his coffee, while Maria poured them another glass of coñac.
"What a bastard," Sean said whole heartedly.
Viggo nodded. "Yeah, but things got even worse. Over the next few days, I discovered Eduardo never paid the rent for the last two months, even though I had given him the money. Apparently when I thought he was out to find a job, he had been drinking and gambling and had debts all over town. There was nothing I could do, not even go to the police who would have just laughed at me.
Eva and Jaime offered me to live with them for a while, but their place is tiny, so I couldn't stay there. In the meantime, Jaime's knee had finally healed enough to be able to dance again. So here I was, with no job, no money and no roof over my head. I told you I made a lot of friends and a few of them did offer me help of different sorts, but I couldn't accept that. This all happened about six weeks ago and now I am living on the street until I find myself a job."
"Christ, Viggo; that is terrible!" Sean shook his head in horror.
Suddenly, Viggo grinned. "Well, it could be worse. Just suppose I lived in Siberia."
"Seriously man, you can't go on like this. Haven't you got relatives in America you could turn to? Or go to your mother in Canada?
Viggo sighed, "No, I'd rather not. But don't worry, Sean. I am sure it will be only temporary. I will find a job and then I'll be fine. I'll find me a kind tourist like you every now and then to feed me."
Sean sat up in his chair when suddenly a brilliant idea struck him. "What if I offered you a job? Well paid and with extras?"
Viggo looked at him suspiciously. "I didn't tell you all this to throw myself up for charity, Sean."
"It's not charity. It's a proper job but it will be demanding, I am demanding."
"How can you offer me a job, when you don't even live here? You don't, do you?"
"I don't, let me explain. I run my own business and right now I own eleven small hotels all over the world, all of them with a theme. For instance, I have this one in Switzerland, which has its own ski area and school. I own one in Tuscany where people can take art and culinary classes. It's a success and I am always on the lookout to expand. Only two months ago a friend informed me of this lodge in Bariloche, Patagonia. Apparently it was run for many years by a couple and their only son. The son had suddenly died last year and they were unable to run it properly just the two of them. The last season they had bad reviews and the customers stayed away, so they wanted to sell. I sent one of my managers to go and have a look. According to his research there is quite some work to be done, but the location is stunning and the place has got huge potential.
”Negotiations started and last week the deal was settled. Coming Friday I'll be on a plane to see it for myself. I will employ some of the people still working there, but there are not many left, I gather. I will need to find a staff of my own. For starters, they have sold most of their horses, so I need new ones that also need to be trained. I ride quite well myself, but I can't do everything on my own. With your background, it would be a piece of cake."
Viggo stared at him in disbelief. "You want me in your hotel? Why the hell would you want to?"
Grinning, Sean lifted his glass in a salute. "Because I like you, plus you have the kind of experience I am looking for."
"But you don't know a thing about me; all that I told you could be lies."
"True, but I don't think so. So, what do you say? Are you ready to leave the big city?"
"I wouldn't mind leaving the city, but I do think we need to talk this over a bit more."
"Right." Sean put down his glass and thought for a moment. "How about this? I am here for three more days; then I am leaving for Bariloche. I don't know this city; it would be nice to have a guide to show me the ins and outs of Buenos Aires, not just the tourist stuff. I'll pay you a reasonable fee."
"You don't need to pay me."
"Ssh, let me finish. I will pay you for those days and believe me; I will make you work for it. In exchange you take a hotel for three nights, wash and clean up and buy some clothes. I can't have my guide sleeping on the street or looking like he does. During those days, you can ask anything you like and decide if you want to get on that plane with me this coming Friday. If you don't, well then I’ve had a few nice days and you've earned some money. Deal?"
Sean stretched out his hand and Viggo shook it. "Okay, deal! Thank you so very much, Sean."
"Don't thank me, Viggo. My staff says I am a bit of a slave driver, so maybe you'll come to regret our deal. Now, here's some money in advance so you can get a hotel and buy some clothes. I am staying at the Claridge Hotel in Palermo. Meet me in the lobby at ten tomorrow morning, okay? Now I'll just have to pay Maria and hope you’ll escort me to where we met, because I have no idea how to make it back from here."
***********
The lobby was quite crowded at this hour, people leaving and arriving, but when Sean stepped out of the lift he saw only Viggo, sitting on the edge of one of the couches. Dressed in black jeans and tee, clean shaven, his hair still quite long, but now properly cut, he seemed a different man, apart from the sharp angles of his face. For a moment Sean just watched him, then shook himself and walked towards the couch.
Viggo took his new job very seriously and they walked all morning, visiting noticeable landmarks; the ones well known and some not. They visited the Kavanagh Building, an Art Deco skyscraper, which Sean loved, then the Teatro Colón, the city's Opera House, the Buenos Aires Obelisk, the Cathedral, an almost hidden museum in a small backstreet with contemporary art, several samples of typical Argentinean buildings and a beautiful park. Not only did Viggo lead Sean to these places, but he was also very knowledgeable when it came to history, culture, politics and art.
At half past two, Sean almost had to drag Viggo into a restaurant for lunch, so they could rest their feet for a while. By now it felt as if they had known each other for years and they certainly had quite a lot in common. Viggo seemed to have lost all of last night’s weariness and he ate his food with an appetite, whilst unfolding his plans for the rest of the day and those following.
Sean smiled as he finished his beer. "It sounds great, especially going to the beach tomorrow morning, I love the beach. Would you mind staying on the job for tonight?"
"No, not at all, where would you like to go?" Viggo put down his fork and looked up at Sean.
"Well, we could have dinner at Maria’s again; the food was great. Then I hoped you might take me to a tango bar, I would like to see it for myself. If you don't mind, that is," he said quickly, realizing it could be painful for Viggo.
"Of course I don't mind, Sean. I am sure you'll love it, both music and dance."
"I'm sure I will." Sean laid a tentative hand on Viggo's. "I would love to see you dance."
Viggo looked down at their hands on the table and then looked up again. He moved his shoulders, as if he shrugged something off, but he didn't pull out his hand underneath Sean's. "Maybe one day," he said softly and Sean nodded.
"I can wait."
***************
The place Viggo took him to was more a big cellar, rather than the tearoom-like surroundings Sean had expected. The first thing Sean noticed, even before following Viggo inside, was the music and he closed his eyes as the mournful sound of a bandoneón hit him.
“That music…” he said and stopped in his tracks.
“I know,“ Viggo said, “isn’t it wonderful? Come.”
Immediately they stepped inside, people came to Viggo to hug and embrace him. Sean shook hands and shared in the popularity, until Viggo took him by the arm and pulled him forward to the middle of the room.
There was no stage, just an open space with people surrounding it. The live music stopped for a moment then started again, playing Libertango, one of Ástor Piazolla’s masterpieces. A man dressed in a white silk shirt and straight black trousers stepped into the space, followed by a woman in a fiery red dress, with a big split that revealed a long leg in black tights.
Slowly they started dancing and Sean, who knew nothing about dancing, was drawn in almost immediately. Now he started to understand what Viggo had meant by saying tango was a way of life. The woman was clearly much older than the man, perhaps even thirty years or more, but it made no difference at all. Their performance showed a fierce sensuality that seemed to make the air crackle with electricity.
The couple took up the floor for about fifteen minutes or so and then they left, after receiving a thundering applause from the bystanders. Soon, their place was taken by two couples from the audience who wanted to try for themselves. One of the girls, who had greeted them when they first arrived, stepped up to Viggo and asked him to dance with her. At first, Viggo refused politely, but she pouted persistently and after giving Sean an apologetic glance, Viggo followed her to the dance floor.
Within minutes the other dancers made way for them, as it was obvious Viggo and the girl were more than amateurs. Leaning against a pillar, Sean watched. Surprisingly, he felt a sharp pang of jealousy and possessiveness as Viggo and the girl aligned their bodies and the girl wrapped a naked leg around Viggo's jeans clad thigh. Even though Viggo had made no secret of his preference, Sean still didn't like the way the girl smiled at Viggo and for a short moment buried her face in his neck. He gulped down his wine, trying to keep his face straight while he watched their supple bodies dance effortlessly to the music.
It was nearing midnight when they left. They didn't speak much, each too occupied with their own thoughts, until Viggo broke the silence.
"Well, what do you think? Did you like it?"
Sean looked at him without smiling. "I absolutely loved it. It was so different to what I expected. It's just still kind of playing inside my head somehow."
Viggo nodded. "Yes, I know what you mean."
"Do you... would you mind teaching me to do it? The basics, I mean?"
Viggo smiled at him. "Sure, I would love to. When?"
"How about now? My hotel room is big enough and I have my laptop with me, so we can play music."
"Okay, let's go."
In Sean's suite, they first moved the couch of the way and then Sean poured them both a glass of red wine from the complimentary bottle on the small cabinet. His laptop ready for use, Sean turned to look at Viggo expectantly, who folded his arms and took in Sean's appearance as if it was the first time he saw him.
"We'll practice without music first, okay? Take off your jacket, you'll move easier without it. Right, come here and look in the mirror over there." Viggo stepped behind Sean, his right hand pulling up Sean's arm, the left hand on his hip. "Now just follow me. We start with the 8-count basic."
Slowly and patiently, Viggo led Sean through the basic steps, pausing every now and then to have a drink. At first Sean felt awkward and a bit shy, afraid he would show what Viggo's proximity did to his body, but after a while he started to relax. Picking up the steps wasn't easy, particularly not as he was distracted by Viggo's smell. Every time the moved Sean picked up a mixture of spices from Maria's kitchen, tobacco, wine and a tiny bit of sweat, which made a heady cocktail.
"Alright," Viggo said finally. "Let's try with music and face to face now." After a quick internet search, music filled the room.
Sean blushed as Viggo pulled him close, fully aware of his hard cock pressing against the other man's body, but Viggo grinned at him.
"Don't worry about it, Sean. It will only make you dance better. Tango is about emotions, no need to hide them." With that he pressed himself even closer for a moment, his own arousal evident against Sean's.
Together they danced and although Sean felt clumsy and inelegant to begin with, it got easier and easier until he could finally follow Viggo's lead. After a while Viggo added a few variations and it got even better. What didn't get better, was the state his body was in, as his cock was now painfully hard and aching to be released. Sean wasn't too worried, though, because it was now clear Viggo felt the same. It was even affecting his dancing and the way he led Sean in a very arousing way. His hips canting, he managed to touch Sean in very inappropriate ways more than once and when he finally splayed a hand on Sean's face to turn it into the other direction, Sean's careful control slipped.
Instead of following the lead, he kept his head where it was and pressed his lips against the palm of Viggo's hand in a kiss. Viggo gasped, a soft sound escaping his lips. He didn't pull his hand away and that was all the confirmation Sean needed. Opening his mouth he blew a soft breath against the warm hand and then licked it. The next moment Viggo did pull away his hand and they were kissing frantically.
As if they were still dancing, Viggo led Sean backwards through the room until the back of his knees hit the couch and he tumbled down, dragging Viggo with him. Burying his face in amazingly soft hair, Sean struggled to pull up Viggo's shirt, to get his hands on naked skin. A tearing sound and he growled in victory as the fabric gave way to his exploring fingers. On top of him, Viggo was already working on undressing him and Sean lifted his hips so Viggo could pull down his jeans and shorts in one go. Viggo managed to struggle out of Sean's grasp and lowered himself until he could bend over, grabbing Sean's cock and then closing his mouth over it.
They were both too far gone for finesse and Viggo went for an erotic assault that had Sean crying out loud enough to override the music still playing. Viggo sucked his cock like he ate his meal; needy and hungrily, while Sean writhed helplessly under the onslaught. His feet, still in trainers, stomped against the couch in a syncope rhythm until one of his feet got caught into his bunched up trousers. His cock slid out of Viggo's mouth and Sean begged shamelessly and then cried out again, when he felt a tongue on his balls, licking and sucking. Almost immediately he exploded, his body trembling and shaking while he gave Viggo all he’d got.
For long moments, he stayed where he was, allowing his heart rate to slow down, his eyes closed to keep himself in this perfect haze. He finally opened his eyes to Viggo's flushed face, wild eyes and now unruly hair.
"Let's go to bed," he breathed, "I want you to fuck me."
******************
Sean woke up in the middle of the night, thirsty and sweaty. For a moment his brain felt disconnected, but then he felt Viggo's warm body against his and he smiled. He turned to his side and winced, feeling more than a bit sore, but then he smiled again, remembering how good it had been. Next to him Viggo stirred and scraped his throat.
"You okay, Sean?"
"Fuck yeah, I am fine. How about you?"
"Me too. That was quite a tango lesson."
"It was. I do need more practice, though."
"Sean," Viggo sat up and switched on his bedside lamp, "do you still want me to come with you to Bariloche? Please be honest, I don't want you to feel obliged."
Sean pushed himself up too and grinned. "No, now that I've had my wicked way with you, I don't want you there any more. Don't be fucking stupid Viggo, of course I do. In fact, make no mistake, I'll keep you by my side until we are on that plane, you won't be able to disappear on me. Now put out that light, I need to rest, so I can fuck you tomorrow morning."
In the dark, Viggo's voice was barely more than a whisper. "I have to tell you this, though. When you dropped your wallet, for a moment I was really tempted to say nothing. I am so glad I didn't."
Sean yawned. "I think I would have, had I been in your position. I am very glad you resisted temptation, or we would never have met and I still wouldn’t be able to do a tango, even though I am not really competition."
"You know what they say Sean; it takes two to tango."
It Takes Two by Govi
Summary: Totally AU. Sean, for business in Argentina meets Viggo, a homeless man.
Rated: R
Categories: Actor RPS Pairing: Sean/Viggo
Warnings: AUChallenges:
Series: NoneChapters: 1 Completed: Yes
Word count: 5300 Read: 1357
Published: 10 Nov 2012 Updated: 10 Nov 2012