To make amends

[light-the-sky76.livejournal.com]

Title: To make amends
Author: light_the_sky76
Pairing: bb/dm
Disclaimer: The only place it happened is in my head
Feedback: Will give hugs and cookies for it
Authors note: Another story in the Tell Me A Story-verse (look mum, I’ve got a verse!*g*)
Previous parts can be found here and here





The air was still thick with tension. It hadn’t cleared while Billy was out. Being outside in the fresh air had cooled his blood and he had thought, hoped, that in his absence the pounding thrum of anger filling the house would have ebbed away. But it was still there, thick and impenetrable, when he opened the door.

He couldn’t remember how the fight had started. He had been tired, Dom had been relentless, he had snapped, Dom had snapped back. Harsh words followed, then harsher words. Feeling reckless with anger Billy had been crueller than he intended, his sharp words cutting into the most tender parts of Dom, and Dom had bled.

Now he was home, and now that he was calm, regret was beginning to crawl through Billy, cold and uncomfortable, under his skin. Their fights were few and far between, Dom and him. When they happened they were usually explosive and Dom could give just as good as he got, but still, Billy had been cruel, too cruel really. Dom didn’t wound easily, but when he was hurt he felt it deeply.

There were amends to be made.

“Dom?” Billy was answered by a clattering from the living room.

The shelves by the stereo were empty, CD’s littered the floor and Dom was sat cross-legged the like an island in the centre of the sea of music.

“What are you doing?” Billy lingered in the doorway trying to gauge Dom’s mood, his back was to Billy, the muscles of his shoulders taunt under his shirt as he hunched over reading the back of one of the cases.

“Rearranging.” Dom didn’t turn, didn’t look up when he answered. “I decided I want them in a different order.”

“You’ve read High Fidelity too many times.” Billy attempted levity. It failed.

“I just fancied a change.” Dom moved some CDs from one pile to another, his attention focused totally on what he was doing. Normally he would grin at Billy when he arrived home, normally he would ask about his day, give him an enthusiastic hug, launch into a story about something he’d seen or heard that had amused him or insist that Billy joined him in the kitchen to sample his latest culinary triumph.

“Dom, look…I,” Billy floundered, he didn’t know this Dom very well, he rarely saw him. This Cold and Distant Dom was so different from his Dom that Billy could have been at home with a stranger. He moved into the room and perched on the sofa at the edge of the circle of CDs. “I’m sorry, you know, about the stuff I said. You know I didn’t mean it, right?”

Dom lifted a handful of music and filed it on the shelf, “Yeah, course I know.” He spoke directly to the CDs “I’m sorry too.”

There was silence for a moment, occasionally broken by the rasp of plastic covers being shuffled.

Dom still wouldn’t look at him and Billy didn’t know what to do to heal what had been wounded. He slipped down from the sofa and moved a pile of CD’s so he could sit close to Dom on the floor.

“Do you want to hear a story?”

Dom finally looked up, bemused.

“A story, do you want to hear one Dom?”

Dom cocked his head to the side and chewed his lip for a moment while he thought, “Okay.”

Billy shifted trying to get more comfortable on the hard floor and began.

“Fog swirled around the castle obscuring the forest and mountains beyond. The mist made the air thick, muting any sounds, making the courtyard and stone corridors of the palace unusually quiet. The fires in all the rooms had been built high to ward off the chill and had become gathering points for all the castles inhabitants – human and otherwise. People and dogs and cats and the occasional raven jostled for position in front of the flames singing and laughing and relaxing as they waited for the sun to return.”

Dom put another handful of CDs back on their shelf nonchalantly, but he was leaning towards Billy and despite appearances he was listening, encouraged, Billy continued.

“The only empty room was the long echoing gallery deep in the castle. Prince Dominic had never liked it in there, the staring eyes and silent suits of armour made him nervous. He felt like he was being watched and judged. The portraits on the walls were of relations of his, king and queens that had come before, but Prince Dominic only knew the names of a few of them, the rest had been forgotten, their stories lost from one generation to the next. The thought that one day his picture might hang in that room forgotten and unloved always made Prince Dominic shiver.

Prince Dominic didn’t like the gallery, with it’s chill and echoes, but he’d chosen to sit there away from the cheerful crowds. William had gone, gone on one of his wanderings, but this one was different from the others. There had been an argument, angry words, unkind words, venomous words, spoken in the burn of fury. They’d shouted, confronted and accused and William had left, the door slamming behind him.

Prince Dominic never worried when William was away, he would always come back, he’d promised Prince Dominic that. He knew William’s name and so William would always come back to him. But there was so much of the world that William hadn’t seen, so much he would like to see. How much was a promise worth compared to What Could Be?”

Dom looked up from a Beatles CD, “Prince Dominic’s having a rough day, bad weather and a fight with his boyfriend.”

“It never rains it pours. Here,” Billy handed Dom the Rubber Soul CD that was by his foot, “you’ll need this.”

“Thanks Bill.”
Billy watched Dom’s forehead furrow as he considered which CD should be topmost on the pile before he continued.

“The trumpet sounded for lunch and Prince Dominic made his way to the Great Hall. He didn’t want to go, but he was the prince and had a responsibility to be there at the high table as expected. After lunch as the court left the Great Hall, they found the fog had thickened. Worried murmurs rose from the crowd, spilling into the corridors and rippling through the palace. People whispered about bad luck and curses, crops withering and strange hungry animals lurking in the mist. One old woman began shrieking about devils and doom and had to be lead away.

Prince Dominic was worried. William still hadn’t returned. What if he was trying to get back to the castle? What if he was lost? What if he was hurt? He’d never be found in time. Prince Dominic couldn’t bear the thought that William might need him and he couldn’t reach him. When William had been ill it had been like cold steel cutting into him he was so worried, he was so afraid he couldn’t catch his breath.

Lily! The Witch! She’d helped then – she’d know what to do now. Prince Dominic ran to his horse grabbing a torch as he went and rode out into the fog.”

“Fog is it?” Dom had put half of the CDs away while he’d been listening. Billy doubted he’d ever be able to make sense of the order or find a particular CD again.

“A real pea souper.”

“Poor William, I wouldn’t like to be stuck outside in all that mist. Imagine how lonely it would be.” Dom looked at Billy hard. One of those looks that told Billy there were layers and layers to what he was saying.

“I think it might have been worse for Prince Dominic. Being stuck inside with no way of knowing what was happening and not knowing what to do for the best.”

Dom smiled a little, just a little. “Yeah,” he said, “yeah.”

“Prince Dominic had been to Lily’s many times,” Billy continued, “but the mist was so thick he could barely make out his surroundings and was worried about getting lost. Luckily his horse was clever and brave and knew the terrain well and was able trot forward sure footedly. The air was damp and soon Prince Dominic’s cloak was covered with droplets and the torch hissed and fizzed. Prince Dominic began to wonder about the rumours of monsters in the fog- he was sure he could hear murmurs and groans echoing around him and his skin prickled as if he was being watched.

Lily smiled when she opened her door and told him she’d been wondering when he would arrive. She shooed him into her cottage, into one of the chairs in front of her roaring fire and put the kettle on to boil. Bustling around making tea she stopped suddenly, three mugs in her hands, and asked where William was. She’d expected both of them, she told him, they were always together. Prince Dominic shrugged and he told Lily he didn’t know where William was, then, finding he could only speak to the fire, he told Lily about the fight and about the things that had been said, about how William had left and what if something had happened to him and he never came back? What if nothing had happened to him but he never came back?

Lily’s dark eyes went wide and shone brightly, then she jumped up and rushed into the kitchen. She called to Prince Dominic that she knows what do to about the mist over the bangs and clatters she was making. It was all tied up with him and William, she said as she flicked through her spell book and Prince Dominic was the one to solve it.

When Prince Dominic started to protest, insisting that he couldn’t be causing the fog - that took a spell and a powerful witch or wizard. Lily fixed him with a look and told him that he certainly wasn’t helping. “You are a prince.” She said. “That means more than living in a castle and wearing a crown. There’s something inside you, a spark.”

Lily placed a lantern on the table in front of Prince Dominic, it was old and battered, nothing special, but the casing had shapes of people, trees and animals carved in for the light to shine through. It was dark outside and Lily told Prince Dominic that he should stay the night, it wouldn’t be safe to travel till morning, and went to start supper.”

“Can you pass me that CD, Bill.” Dom pointed to a case next to Billy’s knee. Billy picked it up and laughed. “Say You’ll Be There by The Spice Girls?”

Dom moaned. “My gran bought it for me, she was really proud of getting me a song by ‘one of those modern bands I like so much’. Didn’t have the heart to tell her the truth, and I’ve just kept it.”

“Ahh you’re a sweet boy, Dommie.” The CD’s separating them had been shelved and Billy moved closer towards Dom.

“The fog surrounded everything the next morning, churning like a rough sea, grey and angry.

Prince Dominic had been worried that he wouldn’t find his way home, but before he’d left her cottage Lily had whispered into his horse’s ear and they’d walked quickly straight home.

The castle was in a panic. Thick fog pounded at the windows and pushed at the doors. The fires were surrounded but there was no singing or laughing, just frightened glances and uneasy silence. The fear was palpable.

Prince Dominic climbed up, up, up the winding stairs of the castle, Up, up, up, far until he reach the top storey. He walked through a dusty corridor and then through a room full of strange looking contraptions and books with air that tingled in a way that made Prince Dominic think he should bring Lily up there when she next came to visit. He pushed through the old creaking door at the end of the long corridor and stepped out onto the roof.

‘Go to the highest tower’ Lily had told him, ‘climb to the top, light the lantern and let it burn.’ She’d quirked her eyebrows at him when he told her he had a problem with heights.”

“Heights.” Dom muttered and shuddered.

“To reach the top of the tower he’d have to walk across the old roof that was being lapped at by the dark mist. The roofs black slate looked uneven and damp and even though he couldn’t see, it through the mist Prince Dominic knew just how far down it was, the ground. The fall being hidden is more frightening somehow, as though if he lost his footing he would tumble down and down forever. Steadying his breath as best he could, Prince Dominic set off.

He was sure he could see shapes in the fog now, leering mouths full of teeth, prowling hunched beasts hungry and hunting. Something that felt like fingers closed around his ankle tripping him and sending him sprawling, grazing his cheek. But when he turned to confront his attacker there was nothing, just air.

Finally, finally, he reached the ladder on the side of the tower and climbed, trying to concentrate on the rungs in front of him, not on how high he was or what it was going to be like coming down. When he pulled himself onto the top of the tower and stood up he was sure he must be almost as high as the snowy peaks of the mountains that bordered his kingdom.

The mist lay out before him covering the trees, rivers and fields of his home in grey surging nothingness, drowning everything he knew. He unhooked the lantern from his belt and lit the white candle that Lily had placed inside.

The tiny flame sputtered twice, then took hold, shining brightly and lighting up the gloom. Prince Dominic found he could see around him and over the top of the mist, over to the mountains and beyond. He could see the blue of the sea twinkling and shining and on the horizon he could make out the sails of a ship gleaming white in the sun as they brought their sailors home. The world was still there, hidden, but there, as beautiful and ordinary as ever.
Prince Dominic found he was smiling as he climbed down the ladder. The fog no longer threatened his journey along the roof, it was subsiding, thin and unsubstantial, and Prince Dominic could make out the tops of the trees in the forest.”

The floor was clear now, CDs carefully stowed in their (new) rightful homes. Dom shifted, then turned until he was facing Billy. “The fogs gone, is that the end?”

Billy ignored the urge to reach over and touch Dom, “No, it’s not the end yet.

A long soak in a hot bath later Prince Dominic walked into his room to find William waiting by the fire.”

“The Wanderer returns.”

“Surprise, relief, anger all burst inside Prince Dominic, overwhelming and confusing and he couldn’t find his voice.

William shifted uncomfortably, pulling at the cloak he hadn’t yet taken off. He’d been trying to get back to the castle, he said, but the fog was too thick. He’d been worried, he knew Prince Dominic would want to do something to help and William had been scared that he’d be hurt or lost. So he’d tried to get home, tried and tried.

Prince Dominic still didn’t trust his voice, but he found that his legs at least worked so he walked over to their bed and sat down. William hesitated then sat beside him. They’d told him what Prince Dominic had done as soon as he’d arrived back at the castle, he said, told him his Prince had driven back the fog and he was proud, so very proud. William lifted his hand and let his fingers hover over the scratches on Prince Dominic’s cheek that were still red and raw.

There was a long slow moment full of things unsaid before William took a deep breath and told Prince Dominic he was sorry; and that it was hard sometimes. Sometimes it was hard when he saw himself with nothing but his guitar and old walking boots next to Prince Dominic and his sparkling things and sparkling blue eyes, shining so bright it hurt to look at them. What could a travel worn Wanderer offer? What did a bold heart see in another that was weathered from the road?”

“Everything,” Dom interrupted, “everything, Bill. But just think though, William has seen so much more than Prince Dominic, he’s learnt so many things that Prince Dominic doesn’t even realise that he doesn’t know yet. What happens when shining eyes lose their novelty?”

Billy sighed, thinking hard and not wanting to spoil the moment of openness. “Prince Dominic didn’t know what to say in reply so he leant forward and pressed his lips to William’s. Prince Dominic knew about kisses, he was a prince. He knew that the right kiss can be magical – lift curses and break spells. Kisses can heal.

William was tentative at first but soon leaned into Prince Dominic, tracing his tongue across his bottom lip. Prince Dominic smiled and wrapped himself around William, hands and arms and tongues intertwining.

Outside the bell sounded for Midday. The sun had reached it’s peak and shone through the bedroom windows lighting up the room. From behind his closed eyes Prince Dominic could see it glow.

The End.”

Dom smiled. “I like how it got porny towards the end there.”

“Well, the best part of arguing is the make up sex.”

“Hmmm,” Dom gave Billy another of his piercing looks, “kisses making things better Bill?”

“It’s not unheard of, for princes.”

Dom hmmmed again and Billy started to speak but was silenced by Dom leaning forwards and catching Billy’s lips with his own.

Billy was so surprised that he didn’t respond to the soft touch at first but when Dom shifted, moved closer, changed the feathery touch to a bolder one Billy met him with boldness of his own.

Breaking to catch his breath Billy asked, “Better?”

“Perfect” Dom’s voice was low and came in a low rumble from his rapidly rising and falling chest.

Dom moved in again but Billy took control of the kiss when their lips touched.

One hand moved to cup the back of Dom’s neck, it’s fingers burying in Dom’s hair. Billy moved his weight against Dom and eased them both back with his other hand on the floor as a support. He lowered them down till Dom’s back was on the floor and Billy was laid on top. They pressed and tangled, both searching for the position that would bring them that little bit closer. All the tension and reticence in Dom’s body was gone and he greedily kissed and stroked Billy as he nipped at Dom’s lips, his jaw, his neck.

Dom gave a gasped laugh and arched against Billy. The coldness Billy had come home to was burnt away by the heat building between the sensitised skin of their two aching bodies.

Billy closed his eyes, the better to just feel, and in the darkness he saw the sun shine.