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fellowshippers2006-02-27 10:13 pm
shellies.livejournal.com) wrote in fellowshippers2006-02-27 10:13 pm
Full Circle (hobbit-pile fic, R)
Title: Full Circle
Rating: R
Pairing: Billy/Dom/Elijah/Sean A.
Summary: “Don’t tell me it’s never occurred to you.”
Notes: Originally published in Lotripping, the 2004 Lotrips zine, which was![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
angstslashhope's brainchild. Hope also whomped my ass on this beta, for which I am thankful. Feedback is always appreciated and you can still buy the zine, if you want.
California, present day
“Don’t tell me it’s never occurred to you.” Dom wound the cord of the telephone around his index finger. Curl, uncurl. “The guy’s been separated from Chris for what now? Five months? He’s probably dying for a shag.”
Elijah snorted, and Dom could feel him rolling his eyes from three thousand miles away. “From a girl, maybe, Dom. This is Sean Astin, remember?”
“Don’t tell me… you don’t think he’s just a little bent?” He mimicked Sean’s nasal, American accent to perfection. “‘I spent so many hours staring into Elijah’s eyes. If you look really close, it looks like an eclipse. The pupil has gone in front of the sun and from behind the dark pupil are like rays of gold light coming through the pools of blue water.’” He snickered. “Christ, Lighe, he sounds as queer as I do when I talk about Billy.”
Elijah laughed again, his signature high-pitched giggle. He didn’t know what was funnier – the prospect of Sean being at all interested in men, or the idea that he might be similar to Dom. “Dom, don’t get me wrong but I don’t see Sean piling on the eyeliner and leather anytime soon.”
Dom shifted in his chair and took another sip of his beer. He wished he were in New York, or that Elijah was back in Los Angeles. It would make convincing him all the easier. Dom’s charms never work quite as well without physical interaction.
“It’d be hot though, wouldn’t it?”
“Yeah, it would,” Elijah admitted. Dom knew he was blushing by this time, and was all the more sorry that he wasn’t there to see it. “But it’s irrelevant, Dom.”
Dom sighed. He was going to make this happen, dammit, and it was going to be good. He fucking knew it. “Look, when are you and Bill coming over here?”
“Week from Tuesday.”
“Let’s just talk to Billy and see what happens when we’re all together, yeah?”
Elijah started to do that clicking thing with his tongue, the same one he always did just before giving in. Dom’s lips spread in a triumphant grin. “Fine, you bastard.”
“Excellent,” Dom purred, drawing another giggle from Elijah.
“Ok, Mr. Burns,” he laughed.
Dom snickered again. “See, he’s gay, too. It’s fate, love.”
“You’re hopeless. Talk to you soon, ok?” Elijah hung up, giving a final warning – “Try not to think of anyone else for us to fuck before I get on the plane, okay?”
Dom held the phone, oblivious to the dial tone in his ear, and took another sip of his beer. Yeah, this was going to work out nicely.
New York, present day
Elijah hung up the phone and immediately reached in his back pocket for his pack of cigarettes. Stupid Dom and his stupid, over-sexed ideas. Stupid Elijah for letting it get to him now, again, after all this time.
He was hoping Dom didn’t remember.
It was so long ago, years really, but Elijah remembered every detail. Not only cause it was embarrassing – and god, had it been embarrassing back then, when he was still so young and only starting to fully grasp the whats and hows of Dominic Monaghan.
But because it had consumed him. For months, actually, even though it had only been brought to everyone’s attention that one day. Everyone being Dom and Billy, of course. Who was, at the time, everyone to Elijah.
Except for Sean. And that day, it had been entirely about Sean.
New Zealand, 2000
His pants were tight and uncomfortable and too fucking constrictive, and Elijah shoved them off in a rush, the thought of wrinkles only briefly flitting through his mind. He’s trying to find his way to Mordor, right? His pants should look a little worse for wear. It wasn’t like Frodo had an ironing board with him.
He sat on the cot in his trailer in nothing but a pair of striped boxer shorts and Frodo’s shirt and cloak. Yes, he looked ridiculous but, no, he didn’t care. The cape was too much trouble to take on and off and, right now, all he cared about was making this fucking erection go away before Pete called him again. He doesn’t even remember how long his break was. All he could think before Pete called for a timeout was now and cock and throb and fucking Sean.
Yeah, Sean, and his green eyes – not green like Billy’s, not like an emerald, but more like a greenish-brown, sometimes with little flecks of yellow in them. And they crinkled when he laughed. And his arms, his arms were fucking strong, and Elijah was privy to just how strong. Sam had to lift Frodo every ten minutes it seemed, but Elijah wasn’t about to complain.
The feeling of Sean’s arms (strong) wrapped around his waist, it wasn’t a feeling he wanted to forget any time soon. Unless he could replace that with the feeling of his arms around his neck, or his hips, pulling and pressing Elijah against him.
Yeah, that’s what he needed. Sean’s arms – no, his hands, rough and big, all over his body. Sean’s hands used to be soft, but he had been carrying and swinging swords, climbing fake rocks, and they were developing calluses that would probably feel fucking excellent against Elijah’s cock.
Elijah leaned back in the cot, his hand moving faster, but his own hands were too soft, like a girl’s, really, and he needed more friction. He wished he could be a bit more creative, but right now there wasn’t enough time.
In fact, Elijah could hear people approaching his trailer door and fuck—
The door opened and in tumbled Dom and Billy, full costumed and jaws on the floor. Of course he hadn’t locked the door.
“Elijah, are you wanking?” Dom started to laugh and Billy looked like he was trying desperately not to, but when Elijah scrambled to cover himself with his own cloak, Billy’s breath came out as a snort and, yeah, they were both pricks.
“Get the fuck out, Jesus!” One would think they’d have a little respect for a fellow male, but no, here they were, laughing their heads off. At least Elijah’s erection had gone.
“So, Elijah,” Dom said, still laughing and, to Elijah’s dismay, joining him on the cot. “What ya thinking about?”
“I’ll bet he’s thinking about us,” Billy snickered, “Or at least, me.” He paused as if in deep thought. “Or at least that thing I did last week that made him—”
“Okay, okay! Fuck, guys!” Elijah wanted to kill them. They would look lovely dead, possibly rotting. “Yes, Billy, you’ve got an excellent tongue. But no, not thinking about either of you assholes. I was thinking about someone else entirely, so don’t get so full of yourselves.”
Oops. He hadn’t meant to add that part. He’d only meant to put them in their place but, shit. Now they’re going to want to know who.
“Not us?” Dom looked wounded for a moment. “What, shagging us both isn’t enough for you?”
Billy laughed again from the doorway. “It’s the ring, Dom, it’s made him greedy. And he’s thinking of Sean, obviously.”
And now Elijah’s jaw was on the floor. “And what makes you think that?” Oh yeah, good cover. Maybe next time his voice could squeak a few octaves higher and he could alert all the local dogs as well.
Dom and Billy both laughed again, and Dom rose from the cot, patting Elijah on the knee. “Don’t be embarrassed, mate. Samwise has a great arse.”
Los Angeles, present day
It wasn’t a big house. In fact, it was on the small side, and Sean had picked it deliberately for that reason. Big enough to fit all his stuff – and shit, where did all this stuff come from, anyway? – but small enough that he didn’t feel quite so alone. That had been the worst part about staying in the old house until it sold – after Chris and the girls had moved, it was so damn empty.
It didn’t quite feel like home yet, but this place would do nicely. Sean looked around and he didn’t quite know where to start. His first instinct had been the kitchen, but looking at all the boxes marked “Pots/pans” and “Plates” he just wanted to hide them in the garage and order take-out for the rest of his life.
Maybe he should start with the bigger items, yeah. Television, stereo equipment. He so should have hired someone to do this for him.
He wondered if this was how Billy had felt leaving Alison. Probably similar, though not the same. Both circumstances were voluntary – long overdue, really, both of them – but Billy hadn’t had a family to consider, children to worry about. And Sean did worry about the girls, as any father does.
He knew firsthand, though, what growing up in a family where your parents aren’t in love felt like. He knew it was better this way. The girls were young, they would get by.
He was close enough to Christine’s new house to be able to see the girls often, pick them up for weekends and summer vacations. Close enough to his mom to be there if she needed help. And he was far enough away to have his own space, though, and that mattered, too.
Yeah, this place would do nicely.
Instead of continuing to unpack, he decided to make his bed – a new, king-size bed that was likely to feel empty at first. He was optimistic enough to expect some company, a new warm body to fill the space, but he just wasn’t sure when that would be. Mack kept setting him up on dates, mostly industry women, but it hadn’t been anything to interest Sean so far.
After all those years of domesticity, he just wanted some cheap thrills. He hadn’t thought about it long enough to consider that this might be a selfish urge. The truth was, Sean couldn’t remember a time when he didn’t want to be married to Christine, straight from adolescence to about a year or so ago – it was all Christine, though he knows there were flings before her, girlfriends and one night stands.
It’s hard to remember, though.
He tucked the soft green sheets into the mattress, satisfied at the precision of the corners, and threw the warm, darker green duvet over the bed. Pleased at the way it looked, the way the sun shone through his sparkling clean windows, he lay down. Just a small rest, he told himself, then he’d get back to work.
He didn’t like to think of himself as a dreamer – a realist brings success, that’s what Patty had always told him. But it couldn’t hurt to imagine being pressed against another, heat and sweat and afterglow surrounding them, beneath the green and the shining sun.
New Zealand, 2001
It was one of those nights that would blur together with one thousand other nights for Sean. He was in Wellington with the rest of the Hobbits, and they were on their way to a bar. By now, it was all so familiar that Sean knew exactly how this night would play out before it even began. They always turned out the same, for Sean anyway.
Chris and Ali had been gone now for one month and it’d gotten no easier than it was the first day they left – not that having Chris on set had been easy. Sean’s always prided himself on being a family man. And, to a point, it was true. He was the only one of the principle cast under forty who was married, had a child. He was younger than Billy but, in many ways, years older. Billy had never sat in a waiting room while his wife delivered his firstborn child. Billy had never taken a colicky baby to the emergency room at three in the morning, frantic because she wouldn’t stop crying, no matter what he did. He hadn’t ever framed crayon drawings of stick figures like they were pieces of priceless art. No, Sean was the only Daddy of this bunch, and that had set him apart from the other Hobbits from day one.
Not in a bad way, of course, but he was just….different. When they went out, he was never looking to “pull,” as Dom would say (“a hook- up, Dom,” Elijah always corrected him). The only young girl he’d be anxious to receive a phone call from was his daughter, and when he got home each night alone, it wasn’t because he’d struck out.
It was because he had to.
You have to, he reminded himself again as the taxi turned the corner and approached their latest haunt. Chris hadn’t liked this particular bar – “If I wanted to see a bunch of people having sex, I’d rent a porno,” she’d said. Chris had always preferred a night in to a night out on the town, and Sean would like to say he’d never argued – but then, that would be a total lie.
Because, honestly, it seemed like all they had done in her time in New Zealand was argue. It wasn’t terrible, nothing overly vicious or intense. Just…bickering. Constant fucking bickering, more often than not ending in a bout of lovemaking that only left Sean feeling more aggravated.
He couldn’t exactly pinpoint when make-up sex had become unsatisfying, but he did know that it had been a long time since it hadn't depressed the shit out of him.
As the four of them made their way into the club, Sean attempted to push this all aside. Christine was home, thousands of miles away, and he didn’t even have to be designated driver tonight.
So, get drunk and pass out, that’s the plan. Yep, sounded good.
Three hours in, though, and he was no more drunk and no less depressed than when they’d arrived. Except now he was also horny. Suddenly Chris being across the fucking world wasn’t quite so relieving.
Elijah was on the dance floor, sandwiched between Dom and some girl (who kind of looked like Miranda, except shorter and with darker hair and, okay, she looked nothing like Miranda, maybe he was drunker than he thought) their bodies writhing and sweating, and if Sean were closer, he could probably see Dom’s tongue moving in and out of Elijah’s ear, the girl’s hand inching lower, down to the cheeks of his ass and dammit.
Soon Billy would be there as well, maybe returning from grabbing them some more beer, maybe with another girl. Maybe he would approach Dom from behind, making his own Dom-sandwich to match the Elijah-sandwich still in progress. Maybe the girl (or girls?) would disappear, leaving the three men to grind against one another, mouths and crotches pressed tightly against—
No.
Sean shook his head, feeling like a fool since there was no one here to shake it at, and gulped down more of his drink.
I. Will. Not. Think. About. Them.
It was a vow he had made to himself recently, after walking in on Dom and Elijah having a not-so-platonic moment in the back of Dom’s car one night. He’d thought they’d left the house, he was on his way home himself, but when he saw Dom’s car still in the driveway, he’d tapped the window to say goodnight.
Except Dom hadn’t been able to say it back, having Elijah’s dick in his mouth and all.
They hadn’t been embarrassed. And neither had Billy when Sean had told him about it – and yes, he was a gossip, what of it? On the contrary, though, Billy had only given a secret smile that said more than Sean was prepared for.
I’m different, he reminds himself.
But when Sean went home that night, the image of his three friends leaving in the taxi together—stumbling with laughter into Elijah’s house, arms and legs tangled together—burned behind his eyelids.
Glasgow, present day
“So you’re really serious about this?” Billy shifted, cradling his cell phone against his neck as he readjusted his carry-on luggage over his shoulder. He was early for his flight, as usual. Dom always made fun of him for showing up at the airport so early, sometimes even two hours ahead of time, but Billy usually just reminded him how much money and time he’s saved – compared to, say, Dominic – in flight changes.
“Oh yeah, man, I’m dead fucking serious.”
Billy snorted. “Somehow I see more of the dead part and less of the fucking when you try something on Astin, babe.”
Dom laughed so loudly that Billy’s phone crackled with static, or that might just be the shitty airport reception. The static faded in time for Dom to finish, “—honestly don’t think that Sean’s wanted it, too? I mean, to be a part of it, of us, hmm?”
Billy sighed, finally settling into an uncomfortable chair at Gate C4 and shook his head at Dom’s words. “Dunno, Dom. He’s Astin. Never seen him as the type.”
“Some might say the same for you, you know,” Dom replied. Damn, but Dominic could be persistent when he wanted something.
“You’re right, I suppose,” he conceded, deciding not to press any further until he could get Dom face to face. He was fairly certain to be right – no way Sean would go for it, as appealing as it did sound to Billy. Sure, he’d wanted it, too. They all had, on some level, he supposed. It was always just one of those things he never expected to actually happen, a preposterous concept, like Viggo going corporate or Orlando turning down a dare.
He let Dom ramble for a few more minutes, relieved when the conversation changed from The Great Plan To Seduce Sean Astin to more familiar things, like showing Billy the new sushi place he’d discovered and renting a house on the beach that summer.
Billy didn’t expect anything more from Sean than he was willing to give. Then again, he couldn’t quite recall a time when Dominic Monaghan didn’t get his man.
New Zealand, 2000
It was one of those parties where there wasn’t exactly a reason to have a party except that they could. And so they were. Orlando was outside, barbequing something that was decidedly not meat, and Elijah was giving him the same lecture he’d given him ten thousand times on the merits of the food chain. Billy stood to the side, leaning casually on a chair, sipping on a beer, and watching them in amusement.
“Quick, let’s make a run for it.” Dom’s voice came up behind him, and his bare arm wrapped around Billy’s waist as if to drag him away. “Before Elijah starts singing that goddamn song from The Lion King again.”
Billy laughed into his bottle and turned to face Dom, who promptly kissed him on the nose. “And where are we to escape to, my great rescuer?” he asked with a smirk. He knew what Dominic had in mind – it wasn’t even that he could read Dom’s mind, though he usually could, even when it wasn’t in the gutter. But that look in Dom’s eyes was most certainly gutter-related, and his bare chest was pressed against Billy’s side, shining in New Zealand’s December sun.
“I’ve built us a bunker in the bedroom. It’ll keep us nice and safe from the hazards of young Elijah’s voice.” He winked, and Billy had to laugh again.
“You’re completely incorrigible, you know.”
“That’s why you love me.”
Billy kissed Dom back, on the cheek, and smiled. “I think I’ll brave it, but thanks for looking out for me.” Dom only shrugged and walked away.
Billy watched him leave the patio and enter the house, only sort-of checking out his arse in the process. He wondered how long Dom was going to keep this up – this game of cat and mouse between them. It seemed like they had been playing since the moment they’d met, Dom’s eyes roving Billy’s frame in Peter’s office months ago.
Billy was yet to give in.
If he wanted to admit it to himself, which he didn’t, thank you very much, he would admit that Dom’s advances were growing on him. Or, rather, that Dom’s advances led to things growing on him. Or something.
But Billy was resistant – mainly because Dom was a mate, a co-star, and they were going to be together via hobbit contract for the next few years. Frankly, he didn’t want to muck all of that up for some shagging.
He’d bet it would be some lovely shagging, though.
Hours later, Billy sat on Orlando’s large sofa, attempting unsuccessfully to not fall asleep amongst the overstuffed cushions. The television set blinked in front of him, and if he sat up properly and adjusted his eyes, he was sure there’d be some sort of picture there, but he couldn’t be arsed concentrating. He was content to sit there in the silence, bleary-eyed and satisfied
Dom and Orlando had gone outside in attempt to teach Sean and Elijah ‘proper footy,’ which Billy could only imagine was halfway to disaster right about now. He heard the opening and shutting of the glass doors and called out, “Give up already?”
A body, which he recognized as Dom’s despite the fact that his eyes were closed, landed next to him. “Yanks can’t kick a ball.” Dom leaned in and laughed against Billy’s neck, and his breath was hot against his skin and, oh, it felt kinda nice.
“Told you it was worthless to try,” Billy told him. His eyes were still shut, and Dom’s head hadn’t moved from his shoulder.
“Well, you know I like to be optimistic in my efforts, Bill-lad.” His breath tickled Billy’s neck as he spoke.
“Yeah, I’d noticed that about you.”
“My mum always said,” and Dom's breath against Billy's neck became less steady as his lips moved over the skin there, softly, the air puffed out hot and damp, “to be persistent if I want something.”
Billy turned his head, ever so slightly, so he was able to see Dom’s face. “You’re a good boy, then. How’s it working out for you?”
Dom’s kisses moved from under Billy’s chin to his jaw, up and up and stopping at the corner of his mouth. “You tell me.”
As Billy met Dom’s mouth with his own, he tasted wine from dinner and Dom, he imagined, tasted triumph as he climbed onto Billy’s body and slid a hand between them.
Los Angeles, present day
Sean was nervous. Or maybe not nervous, but definitely apprehensive. Tonight would be the first time since he and Chris had split that he’d be reunited with the guys. The Hobbits. In one short hour, Sam, Frodo, Merry and Pippin would be together again, in Sean’s new house for the first time.
It was silly to be nervous. Apprehensive. Stupid, really. It wasn’t as if he hadn’t spoken to them each a number of times since he and Christine had broken up. He’d even seen them – Dom, of course, more than the others, but each as occasions had permitted. So what was the big deal?
Sean stopped his train of thought abruptly, looking around at the house, which he had been frenetically cleaning for the past two hours – despite the fact that it that had already been cleaned by the housekeeper that afternoon. What was so different about this visit than any of the others?
He took a washcloth out from under the sink and sprayed it with lemony-smelling stuff, the kind that made his leather furniture shine. Just breathing the scent of it was a reminder, really, of why tonight was different. And wasn’t it funny how lemon-scented upholstery cleanser could bring you back to the one place you didn’t want to go?
Sean had been cleaning the sofa in their first house, the one New Line had put them in until they each found their own place to live in New Zealand. Sean had always loved that house, despite the fact that his housemates had insisted upon destroying it on a daily basis. That particular morning, Sean was scrubbing the remains of an incident that had involved Dom, a bottle of whiskey, and one too many cheese puffs. It hadn’t been pretty.
He’d been rubbing the leather down with a rag, trying to inhale as much fresh lemon-scent as possible to cover up the other, much less pleasant smells in the room, when Dom had approached.
He must have just woken. His hair stuck out in about thirty different directions on one side, but was matted to his head on the other. Wrinkles from his pillowcase creased his right cheek, and he only had one sock on.
He also had an erection.
Being at eye-level to Dom’s morning wood wasn’t exactly something he was used to – so when he looked up and was face-to-crotch with it, Sean was more than surprised. And if he’d let out the slightest bit of a yelp, it wasn’t really his fault. It was just so… there.
Dom had laughed, either oblivious or completely unconcerned by his erection, and kissed Sean once on the forehead before taking a seat next to him on the floor.
There was a small hickey on Dom’s neck, just at the juncture where neck met shoulder, really, and it wasn’t that Sean was looking – it was just that, in addition to being rumpled and erect, Dom was also shirtless.
“We had some fun last night, Mikey,” he’d said. It was early enough in filming that Dom still got a kick out of calling Sean by his old characters’ names. “We missed you in there.” He took Sean’s hand then, and rubbed his fingers slowly over the band of gold.
Sean had blushed in spite of himself, and told Dom to shut it. “Didn’t feel like chatting anyway,” Dom had said. “Now give a mate a rag and let me help you. I can almost remember this being my fault.”
Snapping himself back to the present, Sean sighed and returned the cleanser to the cupboard. The sofa didn’t really need cleaning, anyway, did it? They’d be here soon. As he closed the cupboard door, though, he saw the band of pale skin that circled the ring finger of his left hand, and realized that tonight he just might be meeting them again for the first time.
Dom was, for once, not running late. No, in fact, he was early, which was an amazing feat, really. He felt like picking up his mobile and dialing Billy, just to let him know, but decided that he could rub it in later. There were more important things to think about right now.
Dom had never been known for his patience, and he’d been at the edge of his metaphoric seat for weeks – years, really – for this night to come. He tapped his fingers on the steering wheel as he drove to Sean’s new place, glancing once more at the hastily scrawled directions stuck in his visor. He was almost there.
As he passed through the gate and up the winding driveway, Dom saw that Elijah’s car was already parked. It figured. Oh well, at least he’d still beaten Billy.
Sean answered the door, accompanied by a small, yapping puppy. “New friend?” Dom laughed as the dog jumped up against his legs. He enveloped Sean in a big hug, lingering maybe one or two seconds too long, and kissed him chastely on the cheek.
“Got him for the girls, really,” Sean shrugged. “So they have a pet when they come to stay with me, too.”
Dom knelt on the floor, petting the puppy and scratching behind its ears. He rose and winked at Sean before letting himself in. “He’s cute,” he called over his shoulder.
Just a few hours later and it was just like old times. The four men sat around Sean’s spacious living room, teased him about the décor (“Really, Sean, why don’t you just hang up some fucking Norman Rockwells,” Elijah snorted, throwing a pillow with an embroidered American flag on it at Sean’s head) and drank more beer than their meal would make up for.
Sean was feeling happy, at home for possibly the first time since he’d been here, and he knew it was because they were with him. There was something about the bringing together of the four Hobbits that felt real to him. More real than anything he’d felt with Chris this last year, more real than any of Mack’s set-ups.
They knew him. They understood him. They loved him.
And it was quite possible that Sean was drinking too fast, because it was far too early in the evening to get this sentimental.
“What are you thinking?” Dom’s voice surprised Sean out of his nostalgic reverie and he smiled sleepily at his friend.
“Glad you’re here is all.”
Dom put his arm around Sean, who settled his head between Dom’s neck and shoulder and mmm’d happily. “Me too.”
Dom was weighing things in his mind. Three beers, two hamburgers, two more beers. Some crisps. Another beer. No, Sean was tipsy. Fuzzy, even. Maybe a little buzzed. But definitely not drunk.
This was important to Dominic who, while practically salivating at the thought of Sean – and he’d sure been thinking about Sean, in all sorts of positions, but mostly just naked and under him, writhing and panting and okay, down boy – he didn’t want it to be something Sean would regret. No one liked drunken hook-ups the morning after, and he certainly didn’t want it to be that way for Sean.
But he wanted it, wanted Sean, and Dom would do anything in his power to make him feel wanted again.
He looked across the room, at Sean and Elijah laughing hysterically at something Billy had just said, and smiled.
It was that sleepy part of the evening, the part where people really should get up and go home, or at least call it a night and grab a couch, but no one’s ready to go quite yet.
Sean always loved this, the quieter, more intimate part of a gathering, when he could stop being a host and just relax. The lights were dimmed and the music lowered, and Sean realized that, for once, he was completely and utterly relaxed.
He glanced over at Billy and Elijah, who were piled into his armchair, kissing each other. He watched them for a moment, their heads tilted, and he could just make out the pink flick of a tongue every few moments. It wasn’t lewd or pornographic (although yeah, Sean would have to admit it was arousing) but their kissing looked nice, tender. Sweet.
He knew he was staring, but the two seemed too wrapped up in each other to notice. He wondered where Dom had gone off to. He’d like it if Dom were here.
Dom emerged from Sean’s bathroom and was greeted with two equally interesting sights. On his left, his friends – his lovers – were kissing. Elijah’s small hand gripped the back of Billy’s neck, his fingers raking through the short hair there. Billy’s hands traveled lower, starting at the bottom button of Elijah’s shirt and moving upward, revealing shadowed pieces of smooth skin. Dom could just faintly make out what he knew firsthand was the noise Elijah made when one pinched his nipple.
To Dom’s right, Sean sat on the couch. His eyes were heavy-lidded, but set in a solid gaze on the armchair. He was mesmerized. It didn’t take any more than a fraction of a second for Dom to make a decision.
When Dom sat down next to him, Sean started, his cheeks turning pink at being caught watching. Dom smiled, slid a little closer.
“I’ve always wondered something, Sean.” His voice was not more than a whisper.
“Hmm?”
“Did this – does this – ever make you uncomfortable? This – us – what we have?”
Sean paused, as if considering it for the first time. “Not uncomfortable, no,” he replied, and it seemed he was choosing his words carefully. “It’s always just been there, something you’re all a part of.”
Dom’s arm snaked behind Sean’s back, not touching, but there, quietly making its presence known. “You’ve been a part of it, too, Sean, for me. I mean—” Dom chuckled at his own words. “I mean, I’ve always wanted you there.”
He could see out of the corner of his eye that Elijah and Billy had stopped kissing, and were trying to listen without being noticed, which made him glad. He wanted them to hear – after all, they were a part of this, too – but he didn’t want to scare Sean with an audience.
Sean blinked. “You…? But, I’m—”
Dom silenced him with a stern look. “You are, Sean. To me.” He laughed then, almost silently to himself. “I sound like such a poof.”
Sean grinned. “You are a poof.”
“Point taken. Can I still kiss you?”
“I thought you’d never ask.”
This time, Dom didn’t notice as Elijah and Billy watched, jaws open and eyes wide.
end.
Rating: R
Pairing: Billy/Dom/Elijah/Sean A.
Summary: “Don’t tell me it’s never occurred to you.”
Notes: Originally published in Lotripping, the 2004 Lotrips zine, which was
angstslashhope's brainchild. Hope also whomped my ass on this beta, for which I am thankful. Feedback is always appreciated and you can still buy the zine, if you want. Full Circle
California, present day
“Don’t tell me it’s never occurred to you.” Dom wound the cord of the telephone around his index finger. Curl, uncurl. “The guy’s been separated from Chris for what now? Five months? He’s probably dying for a shag.”
Elijah snorted, and Dom could feel him rolling his eyes from three thousand miles away. “From a girl, maybe, Dom. This is Sean Astin, remember?”
“Don’t tell me… you don’t think he’s just a little bent?” He mimicked Sean’s nasal, American accent to perfection. “‘I spent so many hours staring into Elijah’s eyes. If you look really close, it looks like an eclipse. The pupil has gone in front of the sun and from behind the dark pupil are like rays of gold light coming through the pools of blue water.’” He snickered. “Christ, Lighe, he sounds as queer as I do when I talk about Billy.”
Elijah laughed again, his signature high-pitched giggle. He didn’t know what was funnier – the prospect of Sean being at all interested in men, or the idea that he might be similar to Dom. “Dom, don’t get me wrong but I don’t see Sean piling on the eyeliner and leather anytime soon.”
Dom shifted in his chair and took another sip of his beer. He wished he were in New York, or that Elijah was back in Los Angeles. It would make convincing him all the easier. Dom’s charms never work quite as well without physical interaction.
“It’d be hot though, wouldn’t it?”
“Yeah, it would,” Elijah admitted. Dom knew he was blushing by this time, and was all the more sorry that he wasn’t there to see it. “But it’s irrelevant, Dom.”
Dom sighed. He was going to make this happen, dammit, and it was going to be good. He fucking knew it. “Look, when are you and Bill coming over here?”
“Week from Tuesday.”
“Let’s just talk to Billy and see what happens when we’re all together, yeah?”
Elijah started to do that clicking thing with his tongue, the same one he always did just before giving in. Dom’s lips spread in a triumphant grin. “Fine, you bastard.”
“Excellent,” Dom purred, drawing another giggle from Elijah.
“Ok, Mr. Burns,” he laughed.
Dom snickered again. “See, he’s gay, too. It’s fate, love.”
“You’re hopeless. Talk to you soon, ok?” Elijah hung up, giving a final warning – “Try not to think of anyone else for us to fuck before I get on the plane, okay?”
Dom held the phone, oblivious to the dial tone in his ear, and took another sip of his beer. Yeah, this was going to work out nicely.
New York, present day
Elijah hung up the phone and immediately reached in his back pocket for his pack of cigarettes. Stupid Dom and his stupid, over-sexed ideas. Stupid Elijah for letting it get to him now, again, after all this time.
He was hoping Dom didn’t remember.
It was so long ago, years really, but Elijah remembered every detail. Not only cause it was embarrassing – and god, had it been embarrassing back then, when he was still so young and only starting to fully grasp the whats and hows of Dominic Monaghan.
But because it had consumed him. For months, actually, even though it had only been brought to everyone’s attention that one day. Everyone being Dom and Billy, of course. Who was, at the time, everyone to Elijah.
Except for Sean. And that day, it had been entirely about Sean.
New Zealand, 2000
His pants were tight and uncomfortable and too fucking constrictive, and Elijah shoved them off in a rush, the thought of wrinkles only briefly flitting through his mind. He’s trying to find his way to Mordor, right? His pants should look a little worse for wear. It wasn’t like Frodo had an ironing board with him.
He sat on the cot in his trailer in nothing but a pair of striped boxer shorts and Frodo’s shirt and cloak. Yes, he looked ridiculous but, no, he didn’t care. The cape was too much trouble to take on and off and, right now, all he cared about was making this fucking erection go away before Pete called him again. He doesn’t even remember how long his break was. All he could think before Pete called for a timeout was now and cock and throb and fucking Sean.
Yeah, Sean, and his green eyes – not green like Billy’s, not like an emerald, but more like a greenish-brown, sometimes with little flecks of yellow in them. And they crinkled when he laughed. And his arms, his arms were fucking strong, and Elijah was privy to just how strong. Sam had to lift Frodo every ten minutes it seemed, but Elijah wasn’t about to complain.
The feeling of Sean’s arms (strong) wrapped around his waist, it wasn’t a feeling he wanted to forget any time soon. Unless he could replace that with the feeling of his arms around his neck, or his hips, pulling and pressing Elijah against him.
Yeah, that’s what he needed. Sean’s arms – no, his hands, rough and big, all over his body. Sean’s hands used to be soft, but he had been carrying and swinging swords, climbing fake rocks, and they were developing calluses that would probably feel fucking excellent against Elijah’s cock.
Elijah leaned back in the cot, his hand moving faster, but his own hands were too soft, like a girl’s, really, and he needed more friction. He wished he could be a bit more creative, but right now there wasn’t enough time.
In fact, Elijah could hear people approaching his trailer door and fuck—
The door opened and in tumbled Dom and Billy, full costumed and jaws on the floor. Of course he hadn’t locked the door.
“Elijah, are you wanking?” Dom started to laugh and Billy looked like he was trying desperately not to, but when Elijah scrambled to cover himself with his own cloak, Billy’s breath came out as a snort and, yeah, they were both pricks.
“Get the fuck out, Jesus!” One would think they’d have a little respect for a fellow male, but no, here they were, laughing their heads off. At least Elijah’s erection had gone.
“So, Elijah,” Dom said, still laughing and, to Elijah’s dismay, joining him on the cot. “What ya thinking about?”
“I’ll bet he’s thinking about us,” Billy snickered, “Or at least, me.” He paused as if in deep thought. “Or at least that thing I did last week that made him—”
“Okay, okay! Fuck, guys!” Elijah wanted to kill them. They would look lovely dead, possibly rotting. “Yes, Billy, you’ve got an excellent tongue. But no, not thinking about either of you assholes. I was thinking about someone else entirely, so don’t get so full of yourselves.”
Oops. He hadn’t meant to add that part. He’d only meant to put them in their place but, shit. Now they’re going to want to know who.
“Not us?” Dom looked wounded for a moment. “What, shagging us both isn’t enough for you?”
Billy laughed again from the doorway. “It’s the ring, Dom, it’s made him greedy. And he’s thinking of Sean, obviously.”
And now Elijah’s jaw was on the floor. “And what makes you think that?” Oh yeah, good cover. Maybe next time his voice could squeak a few octaves higher and he could alert all the local dogs as well.
Dom and Billy both laughed again, and Dom rose from the cot, patting Elijah on the knee. “Don’t be embarrassed, mate. Samwise has a great arse.”
Los Angeles, present day
It wasn’t a big house. In fact, it was on the small side, and Sean had picked it deliberately for that reason. Big enough to fit all his stuff – and shit, where did all this stuff come from, anyway? – but small enough that he didn’t feel quite so alone. That had been the worst part about staying in the old house until it sold – after Chris and the girls had moved, it was so damn empty.
It didn’t quite feel like home yet, but this place would do nicely. Sean looked around and he didn’t quite know where to start. His first instinct had been the kitchen, but looking at all the boxes marked “Pots/pans” and “Plates” he just wanted to hide them in the garage and order take-out for the rest of his life.
Maybe he should start with the bigger items, yeah. Television, stereo equipment. He so should have hired someone to do this for him.
He wondered if this was how Billy had felt leaving Alison. Probably similar, though not the same. Both circumstances were voluntary – long overdue, really, both of them – but Billy hadn’t had a family to consider, children to worry about. And Sean did worry about the girls, as any father does.
He knew firsthand, though, what growing up in a family where your parents aren’t in love felt like. He knew it was better this way. The girls were young, they would get by.
He was close enough to Christine’s new house to be able to see the girls often, pick them up for weekends and summer vacations. Close enough to his mom to be there if she needed help. And he was far enough away to have his own space, though, and that mattered, too.
Yeah, this place would do nicely.
Instead of continuing to unpack, he decided to make his bed – a new, king-size bed that was likely to feel empty at first. He was optimistic enough to expect some company, a new warm body to fill the space, but he just wasn’t sure when that would be. Mack kept setting him up on dates, mostly industry women, but it hadn’t been anything to interest Sean so far.
After all those years of domesticity, he just wanted some cheap thrills. He hadn’t thought about it long enough to consider that this might be a selfish urge. The truth was, Sean couldn’t remember a time when he didn’t want to be married to Christine, straight from adolescence to about a year or so ago – it was all Christine, though he knows there were flings before her, girlfriends and one night stands.
It’s hard to remember, though.
He tucked the soft green sheets into the mattress, satisfied at the precision of the corners, and threw the warm, darker green duvet over the bed. Pleased at the way it looked, the way the sun shone through his sparkling clean windows, he lay down. Just a small rest, he told himself, then he’d get back to work.
He didn’t like to think of himself as a dreamer – a realist brings success, that’s what Patty had always told him. But it couldn’t hurt to imagine being pressed against another, heat and sweat and afterglow surrounding them, beneath the green and the shining sun.
New Zealand, 2001
It was one of those nights that would blur together with one thousand other nights for Sean. He was in Wellington with the rest of the Hobbits, and they were on their way to a bar. By now, it was all so familiar that Sean knew exactly how this night would play out before it even began. They always turned out the same, for Sean anyway.
Chris and Ali had been gone now for one month and it’d gotten no easier than it was the first day they left – not that having Chris on set had been easy. Sean’s always prided himself on being a family man. And, to a point, it was true. He was the only one of the principle cast under forty who was married, had a child. He was younger than Billy but, in many ways, years older. Billy had never sat in a waiting room while his wife delivered his firstborn child. Billy had never taken a colicky baby to the emergency room at three in the morning, frantic because she wouldn’t stop crying, no matter what he did. He hadn’t ever framed crayon drawings of stick figures like they were pieces of priceless art. No, Sean was the only Daddy of this bunch, and that had set him apart from the other Hobbits from day one.
Not in a bad way, of course, but he was just….different. When they went out, he was never looking to “pull,” as Dom would say (“a hook- up, Dom,” Elijah always corrected him). The only young girl he’d be anxious to receive a phone call from was his daughter, and when he got home each night alone, it wasn’t because he’d struck out.
It was because he had to.
You have to, he reminded himself again as the taxi turned the corner and approached their latest haunt. Chris hadn’t liked this particular bar – “If I wanted to see a bunch of people having sex, I’d rent a porno,” she’d said. Chris had always preferred a night in to a night out on the town, and Sean would like to say he’d never argued – but then, that would be a total lie.
Because, honestly, it seemed like all they had done in her time in New Zealand was argue. It wasn’t terrible, nothing overly vicious or intense. Just…bickering. Constant fucking bickering, more often than not ending in a bout of lovemaking that only left Sean feeling more aggravated.
He couldn’t exactly pinpoint when make-up sex had become unsatisfying, but he did know that it had been a long time since it hadn't depressed the shit out of him.
As the four of them made their way into the club, Sean attempted to push this all aside. Christine was home, thousands of miles away, and he didn’t even have to be designated driver tonight.
So, get drunk and pass out, that’s the plan. Yep, sounded good.
Three hours in, though, and he was no more drunk and no less depressed than when they’d arrived. Except now he was also horny. Suddenly Chris being across the fucking world wasn’t quite so relieving.
Elijah was on the dance floor, sandwiched between Dom and some girl (who kind of looked like Miranda, except shorter and with darker hair and, okay, she looked nothing like Miranda, maybe he was drunker than he thought) their bodies writhing and sweating, and if Sean were closer, he could probably see Dom’s tongue moving in and out of Elijah’s ear, the girl’s hand inching lower, down to the cheeks of his ass and dammit.
Soon Billy would be there as well, maybe returning from grabbing them some more beer, maybe with another girl. Maybe he would approach Dom from behind, making his own Dom-sandwich to match the Elijah-sandwich still in progress. Maybe the girl (or girls?) would disappear, leaving the three men to grind against one another, mouths and crotches pressed tightly against—
No.
Sean shook his head, feeling like a fool since there was no one here to shake it at, and gulped down more of his drink.
I. Will. Not. Think. About. Them.
It was a vow he had made to himself recently, after walking in on Dom and Elijah having a not-so-platonic moment in the back of Dom’s car one night. He’d thought they’d left the house, he was on his way home himself, but when he saw Dom’s car still in the driveway, he’d tapped the window to say goodnight.
Except Dom hadn’t been able to say it back, having Elijah’s dick in his mouth and all.
They hadn’t been embarrassed. And neither had Billy when Sean had told him about it – and yes, he was a gossip, what of it? On the contrary, though, Billy had only given a secret smile that said more than Sean was prepared for.
I’m different, he reminds himself.
But when Sean went home that night, the image of his three friends leaving in the taxi together—stumbling with laughter into Elijah’s house, arms and legs tangled together—burned behind his eyelids.
Glasgow, present day
“So you’re really serious about this?” Billy shifted, cradling his cell phone against his neck as he readjusted his carry-on luggage over his shoulder. He was early for his flight, as usual. Dom always made fun of him for showing up at the airport so early, sometimes even two hours ahead of time, but Billy usually just reminded him how much money and time he’s saved – compared to, say, Dominic – in flight changes.
“Oh yeah, man, I’m dead fucking serious.”
Billy snorted. “Somehow I see more of the dead part and less of the fucking when you try something on Astin, babe.”
Dom laughed so loudly that Billy’s phone crackled with static, or that might just be the shitty airport reception. The static faded in time for Dom to finish, “—honestly don’t think that Sean’s wanted it, too? I mean, to be a part of it, of us, hmm?”
Billy sighed, finally settling into an uncomfortable chair at Gate C4 and shook his head at Dom’s words. “Dunno, Dom. He’s Astin. Never seen him as the type.”
“Some might say the same for you, you know,” Dom replied. Damn, but Dominic could be persistent when he wanted something.
“You’re right, I suppose,” he conceded, deciding not to press any further until he could get Dom face to face. He was fairly certain to be right – no way Sean would go for it, as appealing as it did sound to Billy. Sure, he’d wanted it, too. They all had, on some level, he supposed. It was always just one of those things he never expected to actually happen, a preposterous concept, like Viggo going corporate or Orlando turning down a dare.
He let Dom ramble for a few more minutes, relieved when the conversation changed from The Great Plan To Seduce Sean Astin to more familiar things, like showing Billy the new sushi place he’d discovered and renting a house on the beach that summer.
Billy didn’t expect anything more from Sean than he was willing to give. Then again, he couldn’t quite recall a time when Dominic Monaghan didn’t get his man.
New Zealand, 2000
It was one of those parties where there wasn’t exactly a reason to have a party except that they could. And so they were. Orlando was outside, barbequing something that was decidedly not meat, and Elijah was giving him the same lecture he’d given him ten thousand times on the merits of the food chain. Billy stood to the side, leaning casually on a chair, sipping on a beer, and watching them in amusement.
“Quick, let’s make a run for it.” Dom’s voice came up behind him, and his bare arm wrapped around Billy’s waist as if to drag him away. “Before Elijah starts singing that goddamn song from The Lion King again.”
Billy laughed into his bottle and turned to face Dom, who promptly kissed him on the nose. “And where are we to escape to, my great rescuer?” he asked with a smirk. He knew what Dominic had in mind – it wasn’t even that he could read Dom’s mind, though he usually could, even when it wasn’t in the gutter. But that look in Dom’s eyes was most certainly gutter-related, and his bare chest was pressed against Billy’s side, shining in New Zealand’s December sun.
“I’ve built us a bunker in the bedroom. It’ll keep us nice and safe from the hazards of young Elijah’s voice.” He winked, and Billy had to laugh again.
“You’re completely incorrigible, you know.”
“That’s why you love me.”
Billy kissed Dom back, on the cheek, and smiled. “I think I’ll brave it, but thanks for looking out for me.” Dom only shrugged and walked away.
Billy watched him leave the patio and enter the house, only sort-of checking out his arse in the process. He wondered how long Dom was going to keep this up – this game of cat and mouse between them. It seemed like they had been playing since the moment they’d met, Dom’s eyes roving Billy’s frame in Peter’s office months ago.
Billy was yet to give in.
If he wanted to admit it to himself, which he didn’t, thank you very much, he would admit that Dom’s advances were growing on him. Or, rather, that Dom’s advances led to things growing on him. Or something.
But Billy was resistant – mainly because Dom was a mate, a co-star, and they were going to be together via hobbit contract for the next few years. Frankly, he didn’t want to muck all of that up for some shagging.
He’d bet it would be some lovely shagging, though.
Hours later, Billy sat on Orlando’s large sofa, attempting unsuccessfully to not fall asleep amongst the overstuffed cushions. The television set blinked in front of him, and if he sat up properly and adjusted his eyes, he was sure there’d be some sort of picture there, but he couldn’t be arsed concentrating. He was content to sit there in the silence, bleary-eyed and satisfied
Dom and Orlando had gone outside in attempt to teach Sean and Elijah ‘proper footy,’ which Billy could only imagine was halfway to disaster right about now. He heard the opening and shutting of the glass doors and called out, “Give up already?”
A body, which he recognized as Dom’s despite the fact that his eyes were closed, landed next to him. “Yanks can’t kick a ball.” Dom leaned in and laughed against Billy’s neck, and his breath was hot against his skin and, oh, it felt kinda nice.
“Told you it was worthless to try,” Billy told him. His eyes were still shut, and Dom’s head hadn’t moved from his shoulder.
“Well, you know I like to be optimistic in my efforts, Bill-lad.” His breath tickled Billy’s neck as he spoke.
“Yeah, I’d noticed that about you.”
“My mum always said,” and Dom's breath against Billy's neck became less steady as his lips moved over the skin there, softly, the air puffed out hot and damp, “to be persistent if I want something.”
Billy turned his head, ever so slightly, so he was able to see Dom’s face. “You’re a good boy, then. How’s it working out for you?”
Dom’s kisses moved from under Billy’s chin to his jaw, up and up and stopping at the corner of his mouth. “You tell me.”
As Billy met Dom’s mouth with his own, he tasted wine from dinner and Dom, he imagined, tasted triumph as he climbed onto Billy’s body and slid a hand between them.
Los Angeles, present day
Sean was nervous. Or maybe not nervous, but definitely apprehensive. Tonight would be the first time since he and Chris had split that he’d be reunited with the guys. The Hobbits. In one short hour, Sam, Frodo, Merry and Pippin would be together again, in Sean’s new house for the first time.
It was silly to be nervous. Apprehensive. Stupid, really. It wasn’t as if he hadn’t spoken to them each a number of times since he and Christine had broken up. He’d even seen them – Dom, of course, more than the others, but each as occasions had permitted. So what was the big deal?
Sean stopped his train of thought abruptly, looking around at the house, which he had been frenetically cleaning for the past two hours – despite the fact that it that had already been cleaned by the housekeeper that afternoon. What was so different about this visit than any of the others?
He took a washcloth out from under the sink and sprayed it with lemony-smelling stuff, the kind that made his leather furniture shine. Just breathing the scent of it was a reminder, really, of why tonight was different. And wasn’t it funny how lemon-scented upholstery cleanser could bring you back to the one place you didn’t want to go?
Sean had been cleaning the sofa in their first house, the one New Line had put them in until they each found their own place to live in New Zealand. Sean had always loved that house, despite the fact that his housemates had insisted upon destroying it on a daily basis. That particular morning, Sean was scrubbing the remains of an incident that had involved Dom, a bottle of whiskey, and one too many cheese puffs. It hadn’t been pretty.
He’d been rubbing the leather down with a rag, trying to inhale as much fresh lemon-scent as possible to cover up the other, much less pleasant smells in the room, when Dom had approached.
He must have just woken. His hair stuck out in about thirty different directions on one side, but was matted to his head on the other. Wrinkles from his pillowcase creased his right cheek, and he only had one sock on.
He also had an erection.
Being at eye-level to Dom’s morning wood wasn’t exactly something he was used to – so when he looked up and was face-to-crotch with it, Sean was more than surprised. And if he’d let out the slightest bit of a yelp, it wasn’t really his fault. It was just so… there.
Dom had laughed, either oblivious or completely unconcerned by his erection, and kissed Sean once on the forehead before taking a seat next to him on the floor.
There was a small hickey on Dom’s neck, just at the juncture where neck met shoulder, really, and it wasn’t that Sean was looking – it was just that, in addition to being rumpled and erect, Dom was also shirtless.
“We had some fun last night, Mikey,” he’d said. It was early enough in filming that Dom still got a kick out of calling Sean by his old characters’ names. “We missed you in there.” He took Sean’s hand then, and rubbed his fingers slowly over the band of gold.
Sean had blushed in spite of himself, and told Dom to shut it. “Didn’t feel like chatting anyway,” Dom had said. “Now give a mate a rag and let me help you. I can almost remember this being my fault.”
Snapping himself back to the present, Sean sighed and returned the cleanser to the cupboard. The sofa didn’t really need cleaning, anyway, did it? They’d be here soon. As he closed the cupboard door, though, he saw the band of pale skin that circled the ring finger of his left hand, and realized that tonight he just might be meeting them again for the first time.
Dom was, for once, not running late. No, in fact, he was early, which was an amazing feat, really. He felt like picking up his mobile and dialing Billy, just to let him know, but decided that he could rub it in later. There were more important things to think about right now.
Dom had never been known for his patience, and he’d been at the edge of his metaphoric seat for weeks – years, really – for this night to come. He tapped his fingers on the steering wheel as he drove to Sean’s new place, glancing once more at the hastily scrawled directions stuck in his visor. He was almost there.
As he passed through the gate and up the winding driveway, Dom saw that Elijah’s car was already parked. It figured. Oh well, at least he’d still beaten Billy.
Sean answered the door, accompanied by a small, yapping puppy. “New friend?” Dom laughed as the dog jumped up against his legs. He enveloped Sean in a big hug, lingering maybe one or two seconds too long, and kissed him chastely on the cheek.
“Got him for the girls, really,” Sean shrugged. “So they have a pet when they come to stay with me, too.”
Dom knelt on the floor, petting the puppy and scratching behind its ears. He rose and winked at Sean before letting himself in. “He’s cute,” he called over his shoulder.
Just a few hours later and it was just like old times. The four men sat around Sean’s spacious living room, teased him about the décor (“Really, Sean, why don’t you just hang up some fucking Norman Rockwells,” Elijah snorted, throwing a pillow with an embroidered American flag on it at Sean’s head) and drank more beer than their meal would make up for.
Sean was feeling happy, at home for possibly the first time since he’d been here, and he knew it was because they were with him. There was something about the bringing together of the four Hobbits that felt real to him. More real than anything he’d felt with Chris this last year, more real than any of Mack’s set-ups.
They knew him. They understood him. They loved him.
And it was quite possible that Sean was drinking too fast, because it was far too early in the evening to get this sentimental.
“What are you thinking?” Dom’s voice surprised Sean out of his nostalgic reverie and he smiled sleepily at his friend.
“Glad you’re here is all.”
Dom put his arm around Sean, who settled his head between Dom’s neck and shoulder and mmm’d happily. “Me too.”
Dom was weighing things in his mind. Three beers, two hamburgers, two more beers. Some crisps. Another beer. No, Sean was tipsy. Fuzzy, even. Maybe a little buzzed. But definitely not drunk.
This was important to Dominic who, while practically salivating at the thought of Sean – and he’d sure been thinking about Sean, in all sorts of positions, but mostly just naked and under him, writhing and panting and okay, down boy – he didn’t want it to be something Sean would regret. No one liked drunken hook-ups the morning after, and he certainly didn’t want it to be that way for Sean.
But he wanted it, wanted Sean, and Dom would do anything in his power to make him feel wanted again.
He looked across the room, at Sean and Elijah laughing hysterically at something Billy had just said, and smiled.
It was that sleepy part of the evening, the part where people really should get up and go home, or at least call it a night and grab a couch, but no one’s ready to go quite yet.
Sean always loved this, the quieter, more intimate part of a gathering, when he could stop being a host and just relax. The lights were dimmed and the music lowered, and Sean realized that, for once, he was completely and utterly relaxed.
He glanced over at Billy and Elijah, who were piled into his armchair, kissing each other. He watched them for a moment, their heads tilted, and he could just make out the pink flick of a tongue every few moments. It wasn’t lewd or pornographic (although yeah, Sean would have to admit it was arousing) but their kissing looked nice, tender. Sweet.
He knew he was staring, but the two seemed too wrapped up in each other to notice. He wondered where Dom had gone off to. He’d like it if Dom were here.
Dom emerged from Sean’s bathroom and was greeted with two equally interesting sights. On his left, his friends – his lovers – were kissing. Elijah’s small hand gripped the back of Billy’s neck, his fingers raking through the short hair there. Billy’s hands traveled lower, starting at the bottom button of Elijah’s shirt and moving upward, revealing shadowed pieces of smooth skin. Dom could just faintly make out what he knew firsthand was the noise Elijah made when one pinched his nipple.
To Dom’s right, Sean sat on the couch. His eyes were heavy-lidded, but set in a solid gaze on the armchair. He was mesmerized. It didn’t take any more than a fraction of a second for Dom to make a decision.
When Dom sat down next to him, Sean started, his cheeks turning pink at being caught watching. Dom smiled, slid a little closer.
“I’ve always wondered something, Sean.” His voice was not more than a whisper.
“Hmm?”
“Did this – does this – ever make you uncomfortable? This – us – what we have?”
Sean paused, as if considering it for the first time. “Not uncomfortable, no,” he replied, and it seemed he was choosing his words carefully. “It’s always just been there, something you’re all a part of.”
Dom’s arm snaked behind Sean’s back, not touching, but there, quietly making its presence known. “You’ve been a part of it, too, Sean, for me. I mean—” Dom chuckled at his own words. “I mean, I’ve always wanted you there.”
He could see out of the corner of his eye that Elijah and Billy had stopped kissing, and were trying to listen without being noticed, which made him glad. He wanted them to hear – after all, they were a part of this, too – but he didn’t want to scare Sean with an audience.
Sean blinked. “You…? But, I’m—”
Dom silenced him with a stern look. “You are, Sean. To me.” He laughed then, almost silently to himself. “I sound like such a poof.”
Sean grinned. “You are a poof.”
“Point taken. Can I still kiss you?”
“I thought you’d never ask.”
This time, Dom didn’t notice as Elijah and Billy watched, jaws open and eyes wide.
end.
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haha that part made me laugh out loud!
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thanks so much!