monaboyd | Friendly Neighborhood Baker-Chapter Twelve

Title:Friendly Neighborhood Baker-Chapter Twelve
Pairing: Billy Boyd/Dominic Monaghan, Andy Serkis/Miranda Otto (lol..don't ask and it's not even really a pairing but it's funny to type)
Rating: R for language/ subject matter
Summary: AU, Christmas Dinner continued, Presents are exchanged
Disclaimer: See the 'AU' above? I made it up. So it's not true.
Feedback: OMG, I'll love you forever!!

This is part of the Inspiration 2 Challenge. Great stories there!

Am thinking of posting this on

fellow_shippers Is it worth it? Do you think people there will read it? Just curious. :-P

Previous chapters: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11

Thank you very so much to my beta

hikethekilt. I'm posting this without waiting to hear from her about some corrections. Feel like I should make up for "Pain". :-P

Chapter Twelve

“So, Billy, is it? Where do you work?” asked one of Dom’s many relatives whose name escaped Billy.

“I...I work at Avery’s Grocery. In the bakery.”

“Bill makes the best food there,” Dom said, fondly.

Billy felt Dom’s hand wrap around his under the table, and he smiled slightly at the familiar touch.

“You’ll have to make something for us next time,” Matt said as he wiped Freddy’s mouth. “Some cookies or something.”

“Sure.” Billy looked down at his plate and took a few small bites of his mashed potatoes.

Freddy, at that moment, decided he didn’t really like his and threw it on the floor. He giggled, as any two-year-old would.

Aureen cooed at her grandson, calling him ‘sweet’ and ‘charming’ before snapping at one of their butlers to get the boy something more pleasing to eat. No one seemed to mind the food being wasted as the butler picked it up and carried it out of the room.

“And how much do you make?” Matt’s wife, Caroline asked as she handed Freddy and his new plate of food to Paulette, the nanny. Paulette quickly left the room, baby and food in hand.

Matt shot his wife a glance and hissed something no one could hear.

“I want to know, Matt.” She shook her head. “Honestly, it’s just a question.”

“I make about $7.25 an hour, but after taxed, rent, bills, and helping my sister, it seems more like two.”

Aureen suddenly turned to face Billy. “Things must be easier now, William.”

Billy closed his eyes and cringed. William was his father’s name. Billy hated being called that as it reminded him of his dear father. “Excuse me?”

“Well, now that Dominic is living with you. Bet it must be nice to have someone else paying for all your bills.”

Billy smiled weakly and picked at his food.

Dom sighed and dropped his fork. “That’s not how it is, Mum. We split everything.”

Aureen pursed her lips. “Really now? You don’t honestly believe he isn’t with you for your money?”

Billy sighed and wiped his face with his napkin. “Excuse me,” he said as he stood up and quickly left the room. A few moments later, they heard the sound of the front door opening and closing.

“Damn it, Mum. Why’d you have to say that?” Dom stood up and started to follow Billy.

“Dominic, you know it’s true.”

“You don’t know anything, Mum.” Dom stormed out of the room and ran after Billy.

Billy was half a block away, when Dom finally caught up with him.

“Billy, Billy, wait.” Dom grabbed Billy’s arm and stopped him in mid-step. “I’m sorry, baby,” he said as he tried his best not to shiver. It was below freezing out and neither of them had a coat on.

“Do you believe it?” Billy whispered as he looked up to meet Dom’s eyes, looking for the answer in Dom’s eyes. If it weren’t for the fact his breathe was visible, Dom wouldn’t have known he had spoken.

“What, baby, believe what?”

Billy’s eyes held the faint sheen of tears, although none were falling. “Believe I’m with you only for your money. Because that’s not true. You have to know, I love you so much, Dom, it hurts.” A single tear ran down his cheek as he continued to read Dom’s face, searching for the truth in his expressions, his eyes. He needed to know how Dom felt more than ever.

“Oh, Billy.” Dom gathered Billy in his arms. “No, baby, I don’t believe that not for a second. I do believe that I love you just as much as you love me.” He pulled back and placed a kiss on Billy’s forehead. “Let’s go home, love.”

Billy shook his head. “No...no, you go back. Be with your family. I’ll...I’ll walk home.”

“Baby, it’s freezing out. You won’t be walking anywhere. I want to be with you. Those who care will understand. Let’s go home.”

Billy nodded as Dom took his hand and led him back to his truck.

Matt ran out of the house, a brightly wrapped package in his hands. “Dom, wait. Here.” He shoved the gift into Dom’s hand. “From the kids.”

Dom nodded. “Thanks, Matt.” He hugged his brother. “For everything.”

Matt smiled as he turned to Billy. “Good-bye, Billy. I’m sorry about...everything.”

Billy shrugged. “S’okay,” he said as he got into the truck.

“I’ll call,” Dom said over his shoulder as he got into the truck. He quickly turned it on and cranked up the heat.

Billy leaned his head against the window as Dom started the car towards home. He was quiet most of the ride home.

Dom was used to this. Billy often withdrew into himself when he was upset about something. Dom had to admit he was deeply upset about it as well. He loved his mother but she could be such a bitch. He looked out of the corner of his eye and saw that Billy had pulled his legs up to his chest. Billy’s therapist had told them it was his defense mechanism, his way of shutting out the world. It was a sub-conscious thing Billy rarely realized he was doing. “Bill,” Dom said as he reached out for Billy’s hand. “Baby, what’s wrong?”

Billy shrugged, not taking Dom’s hand. “Sorry,” he said into his knees.

“What about, love?” Dom ran the back of his hand over Billy’s leg, all while still keeping an eye on the road.

Billy muttered something but Dom only managed to catch one word, “Bitch.”

“Baby,” Dom said as he stopped at a red light and turned to face Billy. “What are you talking about?”

Billy turned his head and looked at Dom. “You said ‘bitch’ and...” He turned his head away again, not finishing his sentence.

Dom let out a soft sob as he realized exactly what Billy was saying. “Baby, I wasn’t talking about you.” He reached out and ran his hand down Billy’s cheek. “I was talking about my mother.”

Billy grunted but put his legs back down. “Let’s just go home, Dommie.”

“Ok, baby, we’ll go home.” Dom found Billy’s hand just as the light changed and gave it a gentle squeeze.

Billy went right to their bedroom when they got home.

Dom sighed as he quietly snuck next door. “Hey, Andy,” he said when the door was opened. “I can take ‘em now, thanks.”

“Not a problem, Dom. You’re lucky Miranda didn’t want to keep them around.” Andy handed Dom a box with several holes poked in it.

Dom took the box, thanked Andy again, and returned to the apartment.

“Billy,” he called as he walked over to the tree. “Come on, baby. I’ve got your presents. He put the box down and gathered up three packages from under the tree. He picked up the box, balanced the gifts on top, and headed for the bedroom.

Billy was lying on his side, facing the wall.

“Hey, Dom said softly as he sat on the bed. “Come on, baby. You’ll be happier when you open these.” He leaned over and kissed Billy on the cheek.

Billy sighed, but rolled over. He smiled up at Dom. “I love you.”

“Love you, too. Now come on!” Dom was giddy with excitement. If there was one thing he loved, it was making Billy happy. He grinned as he handed Billy the first present.

Billy opened I and revealed a small cell phone, along with a sticky note telling the number. “Dom, you...really you---”

Dom put a finger to Billy’s lips. “Don’t. Please just take it, Billy. Now, your sister can call you wherever you are.”

Billy sighed. “You really shouldn’t have.”

“I’m not done yet.” He handed Billy the second box. “I noticed you didn’t have these either.”

Billy opened the box and pulled out a large, puffy green coat. He ran his hand over the smooth surface. His name was embroidered on the left-hand side.

“I can’t have you freezing, now can I?” Dom leaned in and kissed Billy. “You missed the other part.” He pulled out a small leather wallet. “I noticed you keep all your money waded up in your pocket. That’s not safe, baby.”

Billy looked up from the coat and wallet. “Dom, I...I wish you wouldn’t do this. If I wanted a wallet...”

“Billy, please. Just take them. They aren’t charity or whatever you’re thinking. They’re gifts. I want you to have them. Please. I hate watching you go out everyday without a coat. I hate watching you stick money in your pocket, knowing that someone could just take it from you. Take them, Billy, please.

Billy closed his eyes and nodded. He ran his hand down Dom’s cheek. “You care so much, Dommie.”

“I love you, Billy. Here. Open this one.” He handed Billy a thin box.

Billy opened it and revealed two tickets. “What?”

Dom looked down at the bed. “They’re open date tickets to fly to Scotland. I know you miss you sister and I figure we could, you know, go there and maybe drive down to Manchester, visit my friends and...and it’s not charity because I’ve wanted to go to Manchester. Don’t fit this one, Billy. Please, let me give...” He was stopped in mid-sentence by Billy’s mouth on his.

“Thank you,” Billy said as he put his forehead to Dom’s. “Thank you so much. I don’t know what I did to deserve you, but...”

“You’re you.” Dom ran his hand down Billy’s cheek. “One, well, two last things.” He put the box on the bed. “They’re actually for both of us.”

Billy open the box and two, small, furry heads popped out. “Kittens?” He lifted the first one out. It was gray with small black stripes down its body. The first thing it did was lick Billy’s chin.

“I figured we needed something that was both ours, ya know?” Dom reached in and pulled out the second kitten. This one was orange with a variety of stripes all over. “They’re both males, and neutered.” Dom’s kitten was a bit more rambunctious. He squirmed until Dom let him go. He shook his head and began to walk up and down the bed, sniffing anything he could. “And you can’t say no to those faces, baby.”

Billy’s kitten was curled up in his arms, purring loudly. “They’re wonderful, Dommie. But...it’s all too much. I...I didn’t get anything remotely as good as these.”

“Hey, don’t worry about that. I got the cats for both of us. And you can expect to pay your share of the vet bills.”

Billy smiled as he leaned in and kissed Dom, crushing the kitten between them. “Do they have names?” he asked when he pulled away.

“No, you can name them.”

“We can do that later.” Billy put his kitten down and watched as the orange one pounced on his brother.

“So, what did you get me?” Dom asked, wriggling his eyebrows.

Billy’s face fell. What he had wasn’t nearly as wonderful as what Dom had gotten. “OH, well, let me...let me go get it.” He wandered out into the living room and dug into his duffle bag. He pulled out a c.d. case. He knelt on the floor and stared at the case.

Before he’d gone off with his son, Viggo had arranged for Billy to go into a recording studio his friend owned. Billy had recorded a mix c.d. of him singing and playing the guitar. He only hoped Dom liked it. He knew Dom wouldn’t be upset by the obvious differences in their gifts. That was just Dom. If there something he wanted, he could go and get it. It was probably the one thing that got to Billy. He hated that Dom could give him so much, yet get so little in return. He hated how Dom didn’t seem to care. Billy wanted to be the one that could go out on a whim and buy something for Dom just to show him how much he cared. He hated feeling dependent on Dom.

“Hey, Bill, you coming back, baby?” Dom called.

“Yeah, I’m...I’m coming.” Billy exhaled sharply before getting to his feet. He went back into the bedroom and found Dom dangling a sock in front of the orange kitten who would jump in the air and try to grab it. “Here. It’s not much, but...”

Dom eagerly took the gift and ripped off the paper. “A c.d.?” he asked, curiously.

“Yeah, Viggo, I work with him, knows a guy who owns a recording studio. He let me go in and record some songs for you. I know it’s nothing compared to---”

This time it was Billy who was interrupted by a pair of lips on his mouth.

“I love it, Billy,” Dom said as he pulled away and looked adoringly into Billy’s eyes. “Because you made it. That’s worth more than anything you could ever, ever buy me. You know I love to hear you sing. I’ll probably wear it out.”

Billy chuckled. “I’m glad you like it. I was worried---”

“Don’t be. Don’t ever feel like that. Anything that comes from your heart means more to me that what it cost.”” Dom kissed him again. “I love you, Billy.” He kissed Billy quickly. “I have to use the loo. I’ll be back out and we can...we can celebrate in other ways.”

Billy chuckled as Dom went into the bathroom. He went over to his bookcase and pulled one off the shelf. “Now, let’s name you two.” He sat on the bed and leafed through the book while he watched the orange kitten attack the discarded wrapping paper. The gray kitten got into his lap and quickly fell asleep on his leg.

“Name them yet?” Dom asked as he returned to the bedroom.

Billy nodded as he looked up from the book. “That one,” he said pointing to the energetic orange kitten. “Is Boromir. And this one,” he said as began to pet his living leg warmer. “Is Faramir.”

Dom raised an eyebrow. “Excuse me?”

Billy blushed and held up his book.

“Lord of the Rings?”

“Yeah. My dad read part of it to me before he died. I only just finished it.”

Dom sat beside Billy and kissed his forehead. “Well, they’re wonderful names.” He lifted Faramir off Billy’s leg and set him on the floor. He did the same with Boromir. “You two explore the place.” He turned back to Billy. “While we...explore something else.”

Billy chuckled as Dom crawled up and began kissing him.

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Date: 2004-07-04 07:52 pm (UTC)

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