Please Forgive Me

[charlottemay.livejournal.com]

Title: Please Forgive Me
Author: Charlotte May
Email:charlottemay43@hotmail.com
Rating: PG13
Pairing: Dominic/Billy
Summary: Billy won't talk to Dom. :-(
Disclaimer: Not mine, never will be. I intend no disrespect to Dominic Monaghan or Billy Boyd
Feedback: Always welcome!
Author's notes – Response to the current challenge on lotrpschallenge. Due to the restraints of the challenge, this story is a teensy bit sillier than my usual… ;-)

Cross-posted to monaboyd, fellow_shippers and my lj.




“Billy! Please wait! It was an accident. I didn’t mean it! I’ll pay for the replacements. Please, Billy!” Dom watched Billy’s retreating back. Dom had no idea how to fix this; he’d tried everything he could think of, and, three days later, Billy was still mad as hell and showed no signs of forgiving him… ever.

It was an accident, he hadn’t meant to… really he hadn’t. He hadn’t known the stuff was there. But Billy didn’t seem to want to believe that and now he wouldn’t even acknowledge his presence. Dom couldn’t apologise, because Billy wouldn’t speak to him.

He had to think of some way to get Billy to listen.

**

Dom had been trying to be funny and cute for Billy when he got back from a trip to Glasgow. He’d heard Billy come in, had run into the living room and vaulted over the sofa. He’d intended to land flat on his back on the soft cushions, with his arms spread wide, and yell, “Come and get me, lover!”

But it hadn’t quite worked out like that.

How was he supposed to know that Billy had dumped his guitar, his I-pod, his mobile phone, his laptop and his sunglasses in a heap on the sofa? It had bloody hurt when he landed on Billy’s stuff, but did he get any sympathy? No, and especially not when Billy realised that every single item was damaged, all beyond repair except for the mobile phone (which had just suffered a nasty scratch from the disintegrating guitar).

Dom had been called “an idiot”, “reckless”, “stupid” and pretty much every rude name he’d ever heard, and some he hadn’t (Scots could be very inventive with their swearing), then Billy had gathered up the wreckage and left, muttering something about insurance claims, lost files, martial arts, Mancunians and staying with Orlando.

And he hadn’t spoken to Dom since.

**

Dom was at a complete loss. He’d sent Billy three emails before he remembered about the laptop and realised Billy probably wouldn’t get them… or if he did, he’d be reminded of the dramatic demise of his laptop and press “delete” before you could say “That was tactless, Dominic.”

He’d tried talking to Billy – Billy just walked away without a word. He’d tried ringing him – Billy hung up. He’d tried asking Orlando and Elijah to intervene on his behalf – they’d both flatly refused, saying they weren’t going to take sides.

At the end of his tether, he wandered into the kitchen to make himself a sandwich. Opening the fridge door, he realised that unless he fancied stale bread, a very wrinkled tomato and cheese that looked like it had evolved into a new form of life, he was going to have to go shopping. With a big sigh, he picked up his keys and headed out.

The shopping centre was fairly quiet for once and Dom found himself aimlessly walking along, staring in the shop windows, not taking anything in, until he came to shop selling novelty T-shirts. “Don’t mess with Iowa either,” proclaimed a bright pink monstrosity. Dom briefly toyed with the idea of buying it for Elijah, and then decided against it – he was in enough trouble from his impetuosity without annoying anyone else. Then he spotted a couple of others and he got an idea.

If Billy wouldn’t talk to him, and he couldn’t talk to Billy, he’d have to communicate in a whole different way…. After all, he’d always been able to make Billy laugh, and if he could get him to laugh, perhaps he might be forgiven.

**

The next day, Dom arrived on set wearing one of his new acquisitions and immediately spotted Billy heading for the make-up trailer. Restraining his natural urge to shout out Billy’s name and attract his attention, Dom crept up behind him as stealthily as he could and tapped him on the shoulder. Billy swung round.

His eyes hardened at the sight of Dom, then Dom watched in satisfaction as they dropped to the front of Dom’s T-shirt, obviously reading the slogan emblazoned on it.

"Are you into casual sex, or should I dress up?"

Dom had hoped that he’d get a reaction out of Billy but the Scotsman turned on his heel and marched into the nearby trailer without a word. Damn, thought Dom, this isn’t going to be as easy as I thought it might be. It’s a good job I bought three T-shirts.

After they’d finished filming for the day, Dom got changed into another of his purchases, and caught up with Billy again. Again, Billy tried to walk away, but again Dom saw him read the T-shirt.

"Will work for food... Will beg for sex"

Billy’s eyes flicked up to meet his and Dom raised his eyebrows in what he hoped was a slightly suggestive, but suitably contrite, manner. Dom’s heart leapt when he thought he saw a tiny flicker of emotion around Billy’s eyes and a slight twitch of his lips. He dared to hope that he was starting to get through. But then, just like earlier, Billy turned and walked away without speaking.

Oh well, thought Dom, third time’s the charm. He decided to go for broke and, after going home and getting changed into yet another T-shirt, went round to Orlando’s. He parked in the next street and was relieved to notice Orlando’s car was missing. Good, Billy would be on his own. He walked as quietly as he could up to the front door. Then he knocked firmly and hid around the corner, so Billy wouldn’t see him through the spy hole and not answer.

Sure enough, a few seconds later, the door swung open, revealing a very puzzled-looking Billy. As soon as Dom saw him, he jumped out from his hiding place onto the porch, stopping a couple of feet away from Billy, who’d just jumped a mile in fright.

Dom saw Billy make to grab the door handle, and presumably slam the door in his face, when Billy noticed Dom’s T-shirt. This one was the loudest, most garish of the three he’d purchased. The lettering was red, yellow and blue on a purple background.

Then an amazing thing happened. For the first time in three days, Dom heard Billy speak to him. “Smile. It’s the second best thing you can do with your lips?" Billy’s mouth twitched. The corners of his eyes crinkled. A smile emerged. Then a grin. Then a full blown giggle rent the air. Dom had never felt so relieved in all his life. He allowed himself a small, hopeful smile. After a few minutes, Billy’s laughter came to a wheezing halt. “What the fuck, Dom? I don’t speak to you for three days and your dress sense is shot to hell.”

“I was trying to get you to talk to me, so I could say sorry for what I did to your stuff.” Dom grinned mischievously. “It seems to have worked.” Then he sobered, and looked Billy straight in the eye. He was pleased to notice the icy glare that had greeted him for the last few days had gone. He reached out and took Billy’s hand in his. “I’m sorry. I’m an idiot, and all the other things you called me, and I’ll pay for replacements for all your stuff.”

Billy smiled. “All right, you daft bugger. You’re forgiven. Just… please God… don’t do it again!”