Actions

Work Header

Every Word is For You AKA The Book Affair

Summary:

Wille and Simon are both authors at Oski Publishing. After a one time hook up things are awkward but attending a work event, BookFest will lead to more awkwardness and the need to talk about their past and see it they could have any future.

Notes:

Wille sat beside Simon on the train. He had his headphones in and was sleeping, or maybe pretending to, Wille thought. Simon was beautiful, Wille could not deny that but he was annoying as fuck.

Everyone loved him at the publishing house. All Wille heard about everyday was about how amazing a writer Simon was, how great his book sales were, how good he was with children, how kind he was to strangers, how stunningly attractive he was and even whispered comments about he was probably an amazing kisser.

(See the end of the work for more notes.)

Chapter 1: Boys on a Train

Chapter Text

Wille sat beside Simon on the train.  He had his headphones in and was sleeping, or maybe pretending to, Wille thought.  Simon was beautiful, Wille could not deny that but he was annoying as fuck.

Everyone loved him at the publishing house.  All Wille heard about everyday was about how amazing a writer Simon was, how great his book sales were, how good he was with children, how kind he was to strangers, how stunningly attractive he was and even whispered comments about he was probably an amazing kisser.

Wille knew he was an amazing kisser, and a mind-blowing lover in fact.  At a drunken work event two years ago Wille had just been introduced to Simon Erikson, the newest up and coming novelist, with Oski Publishing, just like he had been a few years previously.  Initially Wille thought all those things everyone thinks about Simon.  He seemed intelligent, sweet and sexy and he even seemed like he was genuinely interested in Wille.

Wille quickly realised he was not that interested in him, well as nothing more than a hook-up.

And Wille could not help but think back to that long weekend they had spent together, as they both travelled to the same event they had hooked up at two years ago. 

Wille would not undo that weekend.  He had never felt as loved as he did by Simon that weekend.  They laughed, kissed and had amazing sex, as well as deep and meaningful conversations about life and career goals.  Wille had opened up to Simon, which was something he did not actually do very often and it was like he was under a spell. 

But as soon as they were back in Stockholm Simon gave him the cold shoulder, and Wille could not understand why and immediately his wounded ego took a massive disliking to the golden boy at Oski House.

Well if Wille was honest, Simon had not really given him the cold shoulder.  Simon just went to suddenly acting like they were ordinary colleagues, fellow authors from the same publishing house.  It seem to Wille as if to Simon it was almost as if they had not spent the weekend together.

Simon was polite and friendly to Wille, but nothing like he had been that weekend.  Wille was surprised by how much that hurt him.  Felice, his best friend tried to get him to look at it from Simon’s perspective, and also to remember it was only a weekend.  Wille tried to explain how much it meant to him to Felice, how connected he had felt to Simon, but she reminded him it was only 48 hours, you cannot fall in love with someone that quickly.

Wille had avoided Simon as much as he could for over a year, even refusing to attend last year’s BookFest, even though it was a massive event for all authors in Sweden.  He had said he was over the Simon incident but he did not want to be back at the same event and act like nothing had happened, so he made sure he was travelling at the time of BookFest last year and was unable to attend.

Wille had agree to go this year’s event as he was asked to give a keynote speech, which was an honour and so he did not have much choice and it was also always an event he enjoyed and was important for networking and promotion connections.

Now sitting on the train beside Simon, Wille had, for the most part, well at least he thought he had, put that weekend with Simon behind him and was cordial and even friendly with Simon.  He  could not help his petty hurt heart at times, flitting from either making snide remarks in his head about Simon to wishing things would have went differently and imaging them as a powerhouse couple of the writing industry. 

Felice was the only one who got to hear his inner thoughts about Simon out loud and always laughingly remarked that he was too dramatic to be in love in real life anyway and his creative insults, (Simon’s curls making him look like an evil possessed sheep) to his sonnets of yearning (how Simon’s curls were like magical healing silk that only angels possessed), should be kept for his novels.

Wille was now moving on from Simon being annoying to wondering if he had thought about their tryst at the last time they attended this event together.  Wille also wondered if he ever had any other secret hook-up’s, as Simon had been single since he met him and wondered why at this as well.

Suddenly Wille’s breathe caught in his chest as Simon turned around and his head fell against Wille’s arm and Simons arm wrapped around Wille’s waist.

Fuck, should I wake him or will he maybe just turn back in a minute.  This could be so awkward Wille thought, but could not deny it felt cosy.  He gently moved his arm in the hopes of waking or moving Simon, but the only result was Simon cuddling in to him even more, and squeezing his side making Wille silently giggle at how tickly it was.

Wille decided to close his eyes and try and sleep too.  Simons warmth against him calmed his mind and he knew there was no point in trying to wake Simon again.

About an hour later Wille woke up to find, Simons head no longer on his chest but with his own arm wrapped across Simon’s, and his fingers laced over his.  He smiled to himself as he took in the scene and as he woke a little more and turned his head to Simon, he was greeted with a smile, and “Sleep well”

“mmm..oh fuck…sorry..sorry Simon” Wille panickily blurted out, pulling his arm away.

Simon only laughed, “Don’t worry Wille, I am only teasing… I woke up on top of you first anyway”

Wille just nodded and mumbled “Sorry again” as he thought about how to calm his racing mind.

Simon as if sensing his anxiety, or maybe just to break the tension, let Wille know they would be arriving at the station in 10 minutes.

Things only started to seem even odder to Wille then.

Wille and Simon sat next to each other on the shuttle.  There were other authors they knew, but Simon walked on the shuttle bus and suddenly stopped and stood back and smiled at Wille, as he offered him a seat,

“Here ok for us?”

“Yeah, great, thanks Simon”

Wille tried not to let his imagination run away with him, damn this place he thought he has to shake this feeling that Simon wants him or likes him as anything more than a colleague and fellow writer.  Simon is kind and nice and sweet to everyone….remember that Wille he repeated to himself, as they travelled to the hotel.

“So Felice is going to this weekend isn’t she?” Simon asked cheerily to Wille

“Yeah, she hasn’t been in a few years but said she could not refuse to go when it was a four day event with excursions and spa treatments and new activities”  Wille explained

“I know, it is great isn’t it.  I am looking forward to this so much...anything in particular you are hoping to try or take part in?  I am hoping to try as much I can and I cannot wait to hear you speak as well Wille.” Simon said gently.

“Mm I hope it lives up to your expectations, it’ll just be me rambling on about my career, so nothing to exciting”

“Now Wille, you are so modest. You will be amazing….all your accomplishments and so young I can only aspire to be like you” Simon replied as he snudged him with his shoulder, and continued but Wille could interrupt “What else are you hoping to do this trip?”

Wille thought for a moment…in his mind the first thought he had was to answer this question with a casual… ‘You Simon’ which he soundly scolded himself for, but smiling at the thought of his imagined reactions of Simon if he said that.

One of two scenarios played out in Wille’s imagination -Simon gasping, shocked, and standing up and walking away from him on the bus and never speaking to him again or Simon gasping, shocked, and grabbing him and kissing him deeply and saying ‘Let get a room together’

He needed to definitely get out of his own head this weekend and politely replied

“I like the look of the wilderness hike and definitely the hot tub at some point too”

“I was thinking the exact same, bit of nature and then a lot of relaxation” Simon laughed.  And his laugh was beautiful.  His entire face lit up and he radiated warmth, and Wille could not help but smile back at and nod in agreement.

Simon and Wille soon arrived at the hotel, gathered their bags and headed in to the foyer, where a screaming Felice came bouncing over to them.

“Isn’t this beautiful.  I cannot wait I have signed up to everything that involves me lying down, getting pampered or drinking” Felice raved as she first hugged Simon and then turned to Wille and hugged him even more.

“So how was your journey, you two travel together?”

“I’ll let you to catch up, Wille I will get up checked in and sign you for a few things…that ok?”

“yeah, great, thanks…nothing ridiculous but definitely the hike”

“And the cocktail class….and the karaoke” Felice chimed in

Wille nodded in agreement, at Simon, as he smiled and headed towards the Foyer.

“SOOOOOO, What is going on here, you two seem very couplie…reliving days gone by are we??” Felice teased

“Hardly Felice (I wish – he secretly thought)  We are Oski’s reps so we were booked to travel together, and you know Simon, always helpful, kind and thinking of others, hence the checking us in – it is the same details on the our rooms as well, so just convenient”

“Mmm hmm…we will see, and I bet you thought you wish when I asked you that” she said laughing as she dragged Wille to a quiet area with chairs and a beautiful view.

“Oh fuck off Felice, and maybe…. I am over that….over him….mostly.  He is still hot and so lovely but it is what it is and it is done.” He smiled sadly

Wille and Felice were chatting away about everything and nothing when Simon approached them, looking a little worried,

“What’s up?”

“There is a problem with the booking Lars made for our rooms”

“What sort of problem Simon?” Wille wearily asked

“They only booked one room, a queen bed room, so the bed is big and we can share…and because of the event they have no other rooms so I guess we are sharing a room this weekend”

Felice started howling with laughter, as she put her hand  on Wille’s arm to steady herself from falling off her chair, as Simon finished

“but, on the plus side I got us booked in for lots of activities, including the hiking, cocktail making and karaoke night”.