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[jettabug.livejournal.com]

Title: Heart Shaped Box (1/?)
Authors: Jenna [jettabug] & Kathy [anunhappytale]
Pairing: Monaboyd
Rating: PG
Feedback: It's my drug of choice!
Author's Notes: This flew from the genuis of Kathy, and it was me who suggested we write it together. I hope I've done her idea justice.
Summary: It's Billy's birthday and Dom wants to make it special.
Chapter One Author: jettabug



Heart Shaped Box: 1
by Jenna [jettabug]

Dom's POV:
“You have to make sure he has no idea what’s going on.”

Elijah rolled his eyes at me. “You’ve told me that many times, Dom. I think I can remember.”

I smacked Elijah on the arm. “This is important, you idiot.”

“I know! You keep reminding me!”

I gave up on getting Elijah to care. Instead, I focused on packing up Billy’s Birthday Surprise. I stuffed a big thick blanket into a huge cane basket, and layered all of his favourite treats on top. Fried chicken, mashed potatoes with herb and garlic, string beans, piping hot vegetable quiche (straight from my oven), and a yummy array of desserts.

I’d been planning for Billy’s birthday for nearly three months. I’d had taken me longer than that to decide what exactly I was gonna do for him, but I finally narrowed it down to two things: A huge party or an intimate picnic for the two of us.

I don’t know why the picnic won out in the end, because everyone knew that Billy enjoyed a good party. But for some reason, for this birthday, his 33rd, I wanted it to be just him and me. Maybe because my present this year was something a little unorthodox for me. And something I didn’t want to share with all Billy’s friends and family.

I double-checked I had the aforementioned present, and I tucked it into the picnic basket beside the cutlery and few extra decorations.

“Elijah, I need your keys.”

“What?!” Elijah demanded. “What the hell do you need my keys for?”

I rolled my eyes. I should’ve expected Elijah would forget all about our chat yesterday. He had the memory of a goldfish. It only took three seconds and then it was gone.

“We talked yesterday, Lij,” I reminded him. “I need your car because it’s cooler than mine.”

“So what? Billy’s been in your uncool car before.”

I frowned. “But this is important!” I resisted the urge to stamp my foot like a five-year-old. “It has to be special.”

Elijah muttered something under this breath and threw me his keys. I caught them easily, the shiny Mercedes key ring glinting under the kitchen lights.

“Now, you remember what you have to do, right?” I asked Elijah.

“Yes, Dom, I remember. When Billy shows up, I have to tell him nothing. But I can’t act suspicious. And I have to try to lie really well if he asks me anything. Oh, and I can’t let him leave.”

I raised an eyebrow. “And?”

A confused look flashed across Elijah’s face. “Uh…”

“When Orli shows up, you have to lock him in the bathroom. You know he can’t keep a secret.”

Elijah grinned. “Oh yeah. I can’t believe I forgot the best part.”

I rolled my eyes. “I’m gonna stash this stuff in the car,” I told him, gesturing to the stuff spread across the counter. “And then I’m gonna have a shower. Bill should be here in a half hour.”

Elijah nodded non-committally.

I hefted the picnic basket and struggled under its weight. I staggered outside of my apartment and stowed it in the trunk of Elijah’s car. I made four trips in total, lugging out all the stuff I needed to make Billy’s birthday a memorable one.

After the last trip, I headed straight for the bathroom, where I already had my clothes laid out, and a Coldplay CD in the player all ready to go. I flicked on the small stereo and the music started, so I turned the water on and stripped down.

I stepped under the hot spray and tried to get my nerves to dissipate. But it wasn’t working, I was still completely anxious.

I sang along with the music to try and quell my nerves. “Come out to meet you, tell you I’m sorry… dadadada da dadada…”

I washed my hair and finally shut off the water, wrapping a fluffy black towel around my waist. I shaved and got dressed, taking the time to scrutinize my reflection in the mirror.

I looked like I always did. Just Dom. But there was an underlying excitement just below the surface.

“DOM!”

I jumped as Elijah’s voice echoed through the apartment.

“BILLY AND ORLI ARE HERE!”

I looked at my reflection. “Ok Monaghan, get a grip.” I hung up my towel up and spiked my hair in different directions before opening the door.

A rush of steam spewed from the bathroom, right into Billy’s face.

“Dommie!”

I grinned as he moved forward and hugged me. “Happy birthday, old man.”

He jammed his finger hard into my back, our affectionate “kidney poke” and laughed.

“Ok, maybe not old!” I said with a laugh and let go of him. I took in his smiling face. “Ancient is more accurate.”

“You little bugger!” Billy crowed, and made another grab for my kidneys, but I dodged him and sprinted down the hall.

“Ah! Save me! Help!” I shouted in mock alarm, barrelling straight into Orlando.

“I got him, Bill!” Orli yelled, as Billy ran towards us.

He tackled me around the middle and sent us both crashing to the floor, where he proceeded to poke the hell out of my stomach and sides. It had me in fits of laughter, and Elijah had to pry him off me.

“You are so going down for that,” I panted once my laughter had subsided.

Billy only laughed. “It’s my birthday. You can’t hurt me.”

I rolled my eyes. “All I can say, is you better sleep with one eye open.”

Billy laughed. “Dom, your stealthiness resembles a very drunk Elijah.”

“Hey!” Elijah responded, and everyone laughed.

“I can be stealthy!” I argued.

Orlando pulled me into a headlock. “No you can’t.”

I rolled my eyes and struggled out of his hold, turning to Billy. “We should go. Don’t wanna miss the movie.”

“I can’t believe you’re taking me to a movie on my birthday,” he said, grabbing his sunglasses of the counter. “It’s so cheap and insulting.”

I swatted him on the arm. “Thank your lucky stars I’m even doing that!”

Billy rolled his eyes and I ushered him out of the house, with a wave and a thumbs up from Elijah and Orlando.

Billy went to my car.

“No, we’re taking the Merc,” I told him, pressing the button on Elijah’s keys. A tinkling sound filled the air as the doors unlocked.

“Ooh, driving in style today, Dommie.”

I rolled my eyes and slid into the driver’s seat, waiting for Billy.

“You’re not taking me to a movie, are you Dom.”

I frowned as I started the car. “What do you mean?”

Billy smiled. “Oh come on, Orlando was acting more skittish than usual, and Elijah kept giving me weird looks.”

I pulled out of the driveway. “Ok, Orlando can’t get anymore skittish than he is all the time, and Elijah gives everyone weird looks.”

“Not these kind of looks,” Billy responded as we cruised through traffic. “These were ‘I know something you don’t know’ looks.”

I mentally cursed both Elijah and Orlando as I turned the car. “Look, Billy. I know a movie isn’t an ideal way to spend your birthday, but I didn’t think you’d want the whole big thing this year.” I looked over at him. “I mean, last year, you go so drunk…”

“Yeah, we don’t have to go there,” he interjected.

I smiled. “I just didn’t think you’d want that this year. And I’m sorry that a movie is so crappy.”

Billy smiled. “As long as I get to spend my birthday with you, Dom, it’s gonna be the best birthday ever.”

I laughed. “You’re such a nancy girl!”

He poked me in the side. I giggled but tried to cover it up with a manly grunt.

Billy, however, was not fooled. “Now who’s a nancy girl?” He laughed loudly as we stopped at a traffic light. We were getting close to our destination.

“Shut up you,” I told him. “Or I won’t buy you any popcorn.”

His laughter dwindled as I turned another corner, and then into a small parking lot next to a bank of shops, beside the sprawling green park.

“Uh Dom. This isn’t the movies.”

“Very funny,” I responded sarcastically. “But I thought you might wanna get some caramel corn. Remember, this place has the best stuff?”

Billy’s face lit up. “How do you know I like caramel corn?”

I frowned. “You’re my best mate, Bills. I know everything about you.”

He smiled. “Well, thanks. You want anything while I’m inside?” He asked, unbuckling his seat belt.

“Uh…” I racked my brain for something that might take him time. “A slushie,” I told him.

“Those ice things you have to make yourself?”

I nodded.

“That takes forever! What if we miss the movie?”

I stalled. “Uh, we won’t. The movie isn’t for another half hour.”

“Ok,” he said, getting out of the car. “I’ll be back.”

I nodded and watched as he disappeared into the store. Then I launched into action. I jumped out of the car and popped the trunk, carting all my equipment across the park, and dumped it underneath a wide-spanned tree, its leafy branches creating a canopy of shade.

I got to work spreading out the blanket and the food, making sure the hot stuff was still hot, and the cold stuff was properly refrigerated.

I set out printed napkins and novelty plates and toothpicks that I knew Billy would get a kick out of. I filled two glasses with red wine and waited for him to return.

I watched as he exited the shop, eating some of his caramel corn, my slushie in one hand. He stopped at the car and did a double take, and then turned his head in my direction.

“Hey Billy.”

He smiled and began a slow walk towards me. “Uh Dom. You can’t just sit on other people’s picnic blankets.”

“Very funny,” I told him. “But this is for us.”

“We’re not gonna cram all this in before the movie…hey, there is no movie, is there?”

I smiled. “Nope.”

He sank down onto the blanket. “You planned all this?”

I nodded.

He looked around at the elaborate spread. “This is all for us?”

I smiled and put my hand over Billy’s. “No. This is all for you.”