NaNoWriMo - The Story So Far, Parts 25-28
25. Concertina
I know the truth lies in between the first and fortieth drink.
Viggo/Orlando, PG, 500 words
The first time they drank together was in a pub in Wellington. The rest of the cast was there as well; Billy and Dom gyrating on the dance floor while Elijah bugged the DJ to play more of whatever music interested him at the time. Orlando was sitting at the bar sipping his beer, feeling just a little too bleary to join the Hobbits on the dance floor and a little too wired to go home. Viggo sat down on the stool next to his and smiled at him as he ordered a boilermaker and dropped the entire shot into his beer. Orlando was surprised, not by the drink, but because Viggo was sitting next to him instead of huddled in a corner booth with Bean, discussing football or whatever they usually discussed.
The fifth time they drank together, Viggo actually ordered the drinks, a whiskey sour for Orlando and a vodka tonic for himself. Orlando was surprised when his own drink came with a cherry and wasn't sour at all. It was sweet, with just a little tart lemon aftertaste.
They drank their sixteenth drink together at Dom's house, standing on opposite sides of his kitchen. Viggo leaned against the refrigerator, careful not to disturb the magnetic whiteboard that listed the basic rules of Tig. Number 14 was "Elijah can never win." Viggo took small pulls off his beer and Orlando watched his neck, his Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed and cleared his throat.
The twenty-first drink was a tequila shot at the pub, and it was a monumentally bad idea. Orlando spent the next five minutes desperately trying not to gag. Viggo finally took mercy on him and ordered him a Coke to settle his stomach, after which he drove Orlando home and they talked about the evils of tequila and Orlando laughed at Viggo's retelling of the time that Bean got so drunk that he actually threw up in one of Billy's Hobbit feet.
Orlando bought Viggo the twenty-seventh drink at a Mexican restaurant, a margarita with too much salt and not enough tequila. Orli, having learned his lesson, ordered a daiquiri and endured Viggo's almost merciless teasing when the pink drink came with an umbrella and a skewer of pineapple.
The twenty-ninth and thirtieth drinks were consumed on Viggo's back porch, listening to the Stones and watching the last of the leaves fall off the trees while the sun dipped below the horizon.
Dom bought them both their thirty-fourth drink and had it sent to them from across the pub, where he shared a booth with Billy and Elijah. When Orlando looked over at them, Dom raised his glass and winked, while Elijah dissolved into giggles.
The thirty-ninth drink was Irish coffee at a tiny little tavern Orlando had never heard of and was relatively certain the Hobbits had never visited. Orlando wrapped his hands around the warm cup as he drank. He wasn't surprised to discover later that Viggo's hands were warm as well.
*****
26. Frog on my Toe
Slap them boys when they're naughty, make them crawl.
Karl/Dom, NC-17, 500 words
It's not that he's a bastard. He's really not. It's a misconception. He gives people what they want, and he gets labeled a bastard as a result. It's not Karl's fault that Dom wants to be hurt, and that all he wants is to give Dom everything and anything he wants.
Sure, Karl gets off on it, but that's not the point. That's never really the point. The point is always Dom and what Dom wants, and if what Dom wants is for Karl to make him crawl on all floors until the carpet burns his knees, just to beg to lick Karl's boot, then that's what Dom gets.
And that's what Dom wants. It's not always what Dom wants, of course. He can go for weeks without, can spend entire lengths of time pretending that he's perfectly content with what he's got, with Billy, who would never hurt him, not in a million years. Not that Dom could even ask Billy.
But he can ask Karl, and he does. When Dom gets tired of pretending, he shows up at Karl's front door, always frantic and pleading and aching, and Karl can't say no to that, no matter how much he might want to just slam the door in Dominic's face after telling him to get his rocks off somewhere else, because Karl's damn tired of being used.
Karl's always very careful not to leave any marks that can't be explained away with a story about a football game that got too rough or a bit of scuffle over a video game. They almost fucked up the one time that Dom went home to Billy with welts on his ass, but Dom convinced him it was nothing but allergies, weird, New Zealand allergies.
Elijah knows. Elijah even tried to get Viggo to intercede once and boy, was that an awkward conversation. Elijah sees more than Karl had thought him capable of, and maybe it's those huge eyes, but Elijah sees what Karl does to Dom. Of course, he doesn't see what Dom does to Karl.
He's become an outsider to the cast, someone they shun, and Karl doesn't even think that most of them know why. Dom knows, but it's not like he would do anything about it if he could. It works better for Dom this way, with Karl hidden in dark corners, his dirty little secret, and Billy out in the light with Dom.
Sweet, flawless Billy, but for the fact that he can't do what Karl does. He doesn't touch Dom the way Karl can, doesn't get to see him trussed up and spread like a harlot, waiting for something only Karl gives him. Billy doesn't hear the filthy things that Dom says when Karl finally lets him come, his cock buried so far up Dom's ass that he knows Dom won't be able to walk in a few hours.
Billy doesn't get to break Dom. But he is the one who puts his pieces back together.
******
27. Garlands
The Festival, In Hell.
Dom/Elijah, PG-13, 500 words
It's Elijah's idea, the Halloween party, and somehow he manages to talk Viggo into hosting it at his house. Billy's not quite sure if Elwood actually had to do that much talking, because despite Viggo's sometimes aloof demeanor, he does seem like the type of guy who loves Halloween (and probably Arbor Day because, face it, Viggo is unpredictable). So Billy's not terribly surprised when he shows up at Viggo's house to find the place decked out. Two artfully carved pumpkins, one shaped like a devil, one like an angel, guard the front door (Viggo), while a large banner over the porch reads "Welcome to Our Halloween Sextacular!" (Orlando). There's a keg in the side yard (Dom), and some kind of horrible techno music blaring from inside (Elijah). Billy grits his teeth and rings the doorbell.
Dom answers, wearing horns, a red cape and, revealed when he turns around, a long, pointy tail. He's carrying a pitchfork and is sporting a devilish grin.
"Welcome to Hell!" he shouts, pouncing on Billy and dragging him inside. Hell, indeed.
Elijah bops up to Billy, wearing manacles and a shirt that just says "Property of Satan." "He's Satan, and I'm his minion!" Elijah announces semi-drunkenly, as if he and Dom haven't been loudly planning their costumes for the last week. Elijah wraps himself around Dom and clamps his lips onto Dom's neck, making smacking noises. Dom giggles and then swats Elijah on the behind.
"Get behind me, minion!" Dom shouts playfully. Elijah swats him back and then runs. Dom gives chase, and soon they're running around the room, slowing down only to exchange lewd gestures.
Billy feels his temples start to throb.
Two hours later, Billy finds himself hiding in Viggo's backyard, a plastic cup full of warm beer in one hand, his too-constricting bow tie in the other. When Viggo walks quietly up behind Billy and taps him on the shoulder, he gives a startled yelp.
"I thought James Bond was supposed to be stealthy," Viggo says, a small grin on his face. "Didn't mean to startle the master spy."
"I snuck out of the party, didn't I?" Billy throws back, sipping his beer and making a face.
Viggo raises his hands in surrender. "Sorry, chief." He turns to go, but Billy stops him.
"No, don't. Sorry. Just feeling a little snippy," he explains.
"Yeah. I get that," Viggo nods, attempting to look serious. The stem of his pumpkin hat jiggles a little, destroying the moment, and Billy snickers.
Off Viggo's look, Billy offers, "Hard to take you seriously when you're dressed like a pumpkin."
Viggo grins and takes a sip of his own beer. After a moment's pause, he nudges Billy gently with his elbow. "I'm sorry, Bill."
Billy should be surprised by that, but it's Viggo, and Viggo always sees what other people miss, even if he sometimes misses what other people see.
"Things change," Billy sighs.
"Yeah. But they're still your friends," Viggo says, and Billy knows it's true.
*****
28. General Joy
To dye, to perm, to change your hair.
Elijah, PG, 500 words
It's Orlando who convinces Elijah that a Mohawk would be a good idea, and it's Dom who decides that it should be blue. Elijah's not entirely certain why he listens to them, except that Orlando and Dom together are a force to be reckoned with. Viggo and Billy can certainly attest to that.
Elijah agrees to let Dom cut his hair as long as Dom agrees not to shave anything off. Elijah's seen Orlando with that stupid haircut that made him look like he was about fifteen years old (and the fact that Viggo fell for him looking like that is yet another thing that Elijah chalks up to his amazing Elven skills of persuasion).
Instead, he goes for what Dom calls the "fauxhawk." He tells Elijah it's like a mullet in reverse, business on the sides, party on top. Elijah's skeptical (and he doesn't quite follow the Dom!logic), but whatever. It's just hair. It grows back. That's what he tells himself.
Dom breaks out the scissors and goes to work, snipping off bits and pieces so haphazardly that Elijah's sure he's going to look like he's got some kind of skin disease that made his hair fall out in patches. But Dom, probably wisely, won't let him have a mirror, and Orlando looks into Elijah's eyes with that weird calming effect he has (yet another of Orlando's mysteries, how someone so wired can be so comforting) and tells him, "It looks great, mate."
When the cutting is done and both Dom and Orlando have done a complete survey of the contours of Elijah's head, it's time to move to the dye. Or the bleach, because Orlando swears that you've got to strip the hair before you dye it, silly Hobbit. Dom nods his head in agreement.
And the shit stings, but Elijah's actually grateful for the pain, because it's the only thing that keeps him from letting Dom and Orli persuade him to dye his eyebrows to match. He doesn't actually want to look like a Smurf came on his forehead, thanks, and the stuff on his head makes him feel like his scalp is going to fall off, so he doesn't want Orlando coming anywhere near his eyes with it.
When the bleach has done its job, Orlando and Dom actually have a small argument over whether to bother with the blue, because apparently the white streak down the center of his head amuses them. But the memory of the bleach reminds Elijah that he doesn't particularly want to look like that skunk from the cartoons, either, and Dom finally dumps most of the bottle of blue on his head.
When they're done, Elijah is styled with hands that are a little too adept with hair (Orlando takes offense to that, citing his own Mohawk as proof that he's had practice and not actually gone to cosmetology school, thank you). Dom and Orlando nod their heads in approval, and Elijah smiles. That was all he really wanted, anyway.
14,000 / 50,000
(28.0%)
I know the truth lies in between the first and fortieth drink.
Viggo/Orlando, PG, 500 words
The first time they drank together was in a pub in Wellington. The rest of the cast was there as well; Billy and Dom gyrating on the dance floor while Elijah bugged the DJ to play more of whatever music interested him at the time. Orlando was sitting at the bar sipping his beer, feeling just a little too bleary to join the Hobbits on the dance floor and a little too wired to go home. Viggo sat down on the stool next to his and smiled at him as he ordered a boilermaker and dropped the entire shot into his beer. Orlando was surprised, not by the drink, but because Viggo was sitting next to him instead of huddled in a corner booth with Bean, discussing football or whatever they usually discussed.
The fifth time they drank together, Viggo actually ordered the drinks, a whiskey sour for Orlando and a vodka tonic for himself. Orlando was surprised when his own drink came with a cherry and wasn't sour at all. It was sweet, with just a little tart lemon aftertaste.
They drank their sixteenth drink together at Dom's house, standing on opposite sides of his kitchen. Viggo leaned against the refrigerator, careful not to disturb the magnetic whiteboard that listed the basic rules of Tig. Number 14 was "Elijah can never win." Viggo took small pulls off his beer and Orlando watched his neck, his Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed and cleared his throat.
The twenty-first drink was a tequila shot at the pub, and it was a monumentally bad idea. Orlando spent the next five minutes desperately trying not to gag. Viggo finally took mercy on him and ordered him a Coke to settle his stomach, after which he drove Orlando home and they talked about the evils of tequila and Orlando laughed at Viggo's retelling of the time that Bean got so drunk that he actually threw up in one of Billy's Hobbit feet.
Orlando bought Viggo the twenty-seventh drink at a Mexican restaurant, a margarita with too much salt and not enough tequila. Orli, having learned his lesson, ordered a daiquiri and endured Viggo's almost merciless teasing when the pink drink came with an umbrella and a skewer of pineapple.
The twenty-ninth and thirtieth drinks were consumed on Viggo's back porch, listening to the Stones and watching the last of the leaves fall off the trees while the sun dipped below the horizon.
Dom bought them both their thirty-fourth drink and had it sent to them from across the pub, where he shared a booth with Billy and Elijah. When Orlando looked over at them, Dom raised his glass and winked, while Elijah dissolved into giggles.
The thirty-ninth drink was Irish coffee at a tiny little tavern Orlando had never heard of and was relatively certain the Hobbits had never visited. Orlando wrapped his hands around the warm cup as he drank. He wasn't surprised to discover later that Viggo's hands were warm as well.
*****
26. Frog on my Toe
Slap them boys when they're naughty, make them crawl.
Karl/Dom, NC-17, 500 words
It's not that he's a bastard. He's really not. It's a misconception. He gives people what they want, and he gets labeled a bastard as a result. It's not Karl's fault that Dom wants to be hurt, and that all he wants is to give Dom everything and anything he wants.
Sure, Karl gets off on it, but that's not the point. That's never really the point. The point is always Dom and what Dom wants, and if what Dom wants is for Karl to make him crawl on all floors until the carpet burns his knees, just to beg to lick Karl's boot, then that's what Dom gets.
And that's what Dom wants. It's not always what Dom wants, of course. He can go for weeks without, can spend entire lengths of time pretending that he's perfectly content with what he's got, with Billy, who would never hurt him, not in a million years. Not that Dom could even ask Billy.
But he can ask Karl, and he does. When Dom gets tired of pretending, he shows up at Karl's front door, always frantic and pleading and aching, and Karl can't say no to that, no matter how much he might want to just slam the door in Dominic's face after telling him to get his rocks off somewhere else, because Karl's damn tired of being used.
Karl's always very careful not to leave any marks that can't be explained away with a story about a football game that got too rough or a bit of scuffle over a video game. They almost fucked up the one time that Dom went home to Billy with welts on his ass, but Dom convinced him it was nothing but allergies, weird, New Zealand allergies.
Elijah knows. Elijah even tried to get Viggo to intercede once and boy, was that an awkward conversation. Elijah sees more than Karl had thought him capable of, and maybe it's those huge eyes, but Elijah sees what Karl does to Dom. Of course, he doesn't see what Dom does to Karl.
He's become an outsider to the cast, someone they shun, and Karl doesn't even think that most of them know why. Dom knows, but it's not like he would do anything about it if he could. It works better for Dom this way, with Karl hidden in dark corners, his dirty little secret, and Billy out in the light with Dom.
Sweet, flawless Billy, but for the fact that he can't do what Karl does. He doesn't touch Dom the way Karl can, doesn't get to see him trussed up and spread like a harlot, waiting for something only Karl gives him. Billy doesn't hear the filthy things that Dom says when Karl finally lets him come, his cock buried so far up Dom's ass that he knows Dom won't be able to walk in a few hours.
Billy doesn't get to break Dom. But he is the one who puts his pieces back together.
******
27. Garlands
The Festival, In Hell.
Dom/Elijah, PG-13, 500 words
It's Elijah's idea, the Halloween party, and somehow he manages to talk Viggo into hosting it at his house. Billy's not quite sure if Elwood actually had to do that much talking, because despite Viggo's sometimes aloof demeanor, he does seem like the type of guy who loves Halloween (and probably Arbor Day because, face it, Viggo is unpredictable). So Billy's not terribly surprised when he shows up at Viggo's house to find the place decked out. Two artfully carved pumpkins, one shaped like a devil, one like an angel, guard the front door (Viggo), while a large banner over the porch reads "Welcome to Our Halloween Sextacular!" (Orlando). There's a keg in the side yard (Dom), and some kind of horrible techno music blaring from inside (Elijah). Billy grits his teeth and rings the doorbell.
Dom answers, wearing horns, a red cape and, revealed when he turns around, a long, pointy tail. He's carrying a pitchfork and is sporting a devilish grin.
"Welcome to Hell!" he shouts, pouncing on Billy and dragging him inside. Hell, indeed.
Elijah bops up to Billy, wearing manacles and a shirt that just says "Property of Satan." "He's Satan, and I'm his minion!" Elijah announces semi-drunkenly, as if he and Dom haven't been loudly planning their costumes for the last week. Elijah wraps himself around Dom and clamps his lips onto Dom's neck, making smacking noises. Dom giggles and then swats Elijah on the behind.
"Get behind me, minion!" Dom shouts playfully. Elijah swats him back and then runs. Dom gives chase, and soon they're running around the room, slowing down only to exchange lewd gestures.
Billy feels his temples start to throb.
Two hours later, Billy finds himself hiding in Viggo's backyard, a plastic cup full of warm beer in one hand, his too-constricting bow tie in the other. When Viggo walks quietly up behind Billy and taps him on the shoulder, he gives a startled yelp.
"I thought James Bond was supposed to be stealthy," Viggo says, a small grin on his face. "Didn't mean to startle the master spy."
"I snuck out of the party, didn't I?" Billy throws back, sipping his beer and making a face.
Viggo raises his hands in surrender. "Sorry, chief." He turns to go, but Billy stops him.
"No, don't. Sorry. Just feeling a little snippy," he explains.
"Yeah. I get that," Viggo nods, attempting to look serious. The stem of his pumpkin hat jiggles a little, destroying the moment, and Billy snickers.
Off Viggo's look, Billy offers, "Hard to take you seriously when you're dressed like a pumpkin."
Viggo grins and takes a sip of his own beer. After a moment's pause, he nudges Billy gently with his elbow. "I'm sorry, Bill."
Billy should be surprised by that, but it's Viggo, and Viggo always sees what other people miss, even if he sometimes misses what other people see.
"Things change," Billy sighs.
"Yeah. But they're still your friends," Viggo says, and Billy knows it's true.
*****
28. General Joy
To dye, to perm, to change your hair.
Elijah, PG, 500 words
It's Orlando who convinces Elijah that a Mohawk would be a good idea, and it's Dom who decides that it should be blue. Elijah's not entirely certain why he listens to them, except that Orlando and Dom together are a force to be reckoned with. Viggo and Billy can certainly attest to that.
Elijah agrees to let Dom cut his hair as long as Dom agrees not to shave anything off. Elijah's seen Orlando with that stupid haircut that made him look like he was about fifteen years old (and the fact that Viggo fell for him looking like that is yet another thing that Elijah chalks up to his amazing Elven skills of persuasion).
Instead, he goes for what Dom calls the "fauxhawk." He tells Elijah it's like a mullet in reverse, business on the sides, party on top. Elijah's skeptical (and he doesn't quite follow the Dom!logic), but whatever. It's just hair. It grows back. That's what he tells himself.
Dom breaks out the scissors and goes to work, snipping off bits and pieces so haphazardly that Elijah's sure he's going to look like he's got some kind of skin disease that made his hair fall out in patches. But Dom, probably wisely, won't let him have a mirror, and Orlando looks into Elijah's eyes with that weird calming effect he has (yet another of Orlando's mysteries, how someone so wired can be so comforting) and tells him, "It looks great, mate."
When the cutting is done and both Dom and Orlando have done a complete survey of the contours of Elijah's head, it's time to move to the dye. Or the bleach, because Orlando swears that you've got to strip the hair before you dye it, silly Hobbit. Dom nods his head in agreement.
And the shit stings, but Elijah's actually grateful for the pain, because it's the only thing that keeps him from letting Dom and Orli persuade him to dye his eyebrows to match. He doesn't actually want to look like a Smurf came on his forehead, thanks, and the stuff on his head makes him feel like his scalp is going to fall off, so he doesn't want Orlando coming anywhere near his eyes with it.
When the bleach has done its job, Orlando and Dom actually have a small argument over whether to bother with the blue, because apparently the white streak down the center of his head amuses them. But the memory of the bleach reminds Elijah that he doesn't particularly want to look like that skunk from the cartoons, either, and Dom finally dumps most of the bottle of blue on his head.
When they're done, Elijah is styled with hands that are a little too adept with hair (Orlando takes offense to that, citing his own Mohawk as proof that he's had practice and not actually gone to cosmetology school, thank you). Dom and Orlando nod their heads in approval, and Elijah smiles. That was all he really wanted, anyway.
14,000 / 50,000
(28.0%)