Chaste (6a/?)
Title: Chaste
Author: ashamedbliss
Pairing: Belldom
Rating: 18
Fic summary: Based on the following prompt from mkmeme, which was: AU Belldom. Dom's in his early 20s, outrageously attractive (obviously) and a sex ed teacher. He's also a nervous virgin. Matt's a bold 17 year old student who discovers "Mr H's" secret shame. And he decides to take matters into his own hands.
Feedback: appreciated like the benny hill theme
Disclaimer: much as I and many other ladies would love to own Muse, I don't. This is totally fictional, I'm not making profit, and pretty please don't steal it *bats eyelashes*
Author's Note: Massive thanks to Angela for watching me write this, and for everyone on twitter helping to kick my arse into gear. You guys have no idea how much you all helped. Enjoy <3
Dominic scanned the canteen from the entrance, eyes alighting on a shock of black hair in the middle of a group of friends. He sighed; of course he wouldn’t be alone. Dominic smoothed the envelope in his hands once or twice. He just hoped Matthew would buy it.
With confident-looking strides, he approached the table full of students, Matthew only looking up from his sandwich last moment. He swallowed before he’d chewed it properly.
“Matthew,” Dominic said, trying not to think of the way he’d moaned that name. Of course he thought of it. He cleared his throat. “You asked for your GCSE French marks breakdown a couple of weeks ago, right?” he said, keeping eye contact with the student. Matthew nodded slowly. “Here they are, for you,” he said, handing over the envelope. Quickly, Dominic turned away, relying on Matthew being as intelligent as Dominic knew he was to not open that envelope in front of his friends.
Matthew stared at the envelope, one of the lads on the other side of the table egging him on to open it. Matthew glanced at Kelly and at Tom in turn. “Fuck no,” Matthew laughed, putting on an act, and the weird atmosphere that had come across the table dissipated. “I fucking bombed GCSE, I’m not opening this shit in front of you,” he continued, tucking the envelope safely away in his bag. They chatted about last week’s party (awesome, except for Matthew being sick a lot), their weekends (still good, even though a hungover Matthew had to buy Kelly a coffee while she was working her shift at a clothes shop), and how their Thursdays were currently going (slowly, very slowly).
As the bell rang, Matthew excused himself to the toilets, locking himself in a cubicle and rifling through his bag for the envelope. Anxiously, he tore it open to find nothing but a small handwritten note from Dominic, hoping that it was good news.
I’m ready to talk...
if you are.
meet me by the welfare office just after the final bell.
Dx
Matthew’s heart did a flip in his chest and he grinned, tucking the note back into the envelope and putting them at the bottom of his bag. It was the first bit of good news he’d had this week. He was a bit confused as to why it was the welfare office, but he had a music lesson to get to and he wasn’t going to miss that for the world.
Music passed in a blur, Matthew practicing the love song that he’d finished a few days ago with Tom helping to mix the vocals. He left with a smile on his face, simply because he was proud of the music he had made and had had fun in the process. Nerves worked their way into his gut as he walked through school, his acoustic guitar slung in its case over one shoulder and his bag on the other. He headed towards the welfare office, having never really been that way before, except when he’d been placed in exclusion a few times in Year 10 before he got his act together.
Dominic was waiting outside the welfare office, and Matthew took a shaking breath in. The small area they were in was completely empty of all students, and teachers for that matter, save for themselves.
“Hello,” Matthew said, and Dominic’s tense expression seemed to melt a little. Silently, he gestured Matthew inside one of the small interview rooms next to the welfare office, used for pastoral care. Matthew arched an eyebrow but said nothing, putting his guitar down in the corner and allowing Dominic to pull the door shut behind them.
“I didn’t want to talk in my office,” Dominic said, taking a seat opposite Matthew, “after all we did there. And, I guess I wanted us to both be on equal footing,” he said, looking down at the table and pressing the tips of his fingers together.
“Thanks,” Matthew said, looking up at Dominic’s face. He was painfully aware of the window in the door, and the fact that they might be overheard. “I’m ready to talk,” Matthew said, causing Dominic to look up and meet his eyes. “You made it sound like I didn’t want to?”
The accusation in Matthew’s words hurt. Dominic sighed, leaning back in his chair a little. “You... you gave me such a cold look on Monday, after sex-ed,” he began, and Matthew immediately looked down to his lap. “I just... got it into my head that you’d gotten over me, you’d had your fun and your fuck, and that you’d found someone else. And, if you have, I’m happy for you, Matt,” Dominic said, leaning forward again. “Matt?”
Matthew’s shoulders heaved with a single sob.
“Matthew?” Dominic asked, panic colouring his voice. Matthew looked up, then, and his eyes were red-rimmed, a tear slipping down his face.
“It’s my nan,” he sobbed, before rubbing at his eyes furiously with his wrists. “She’s been ill for so long, but...”
Dominic wished he was anything but Matthew’s teacher right then, so he could scoop him up and hug him and kiss him and tell him everything would be alright.
“I’m... I’m not sad about her being ill,” Matthew sniffed, Dominic passing the box of tissues that were on a shelf behind him. “Thanks,” Matthew said, blowing his nose. “I came to terms with that a long time ago. It’s just... she lives up in Scotland. We don’t have enough money to go see her, and Mum barely has enough money to fly up there, and that’s her own mother for fuck’s sake.”
“I wish I could help,” Dominic said sadly, and Matthew smiled.
“I found out that she was... deteriorating during lunch on Monday. That’s why I was so quiet and... just not myself. I’m sorry I gave you that lo--”
“Matt, no. I’m sorry I read into it, if only I’d known...” Dominic said, and they sat in a comfortable silence for a few seconds, Matthew wiping his eyes again.
“I never fucking cry,” Matthew laughed disbelievingly, Dominic smiling a small smile. “It’s just... she always looked after me when I was little, after Dad died.” Dominic’s face fell, but Matthew waved him off. “I was tiny, I barely remember him. But Nan helped raise me while Mum worked, but then she moved to Scotland, I haven’t seen her in so long, but... I... I know this might sound selfish, but I remember her as happy and healthy and... well, alive. I don’t really want to go visit her to see her... the way she is.”
Dominic nodded. “I know how that feels,” he said, his voice nearly breaking. Matthew tilted his head to the side ever so slightly. “Believe me, I know.”
Matthew let Dominic’s tone slide for a moment. “I just... so I’m mostly sad that she’ll be gone, and because Mum has been in bits all week, she can’t take time off work so she’s flying up Friday evening, will be back Sunday night. I’ve got the house to myself all weekend and I don’t know how I’m going to keep myself from worrying.”
“I could... come over, if you wanted?” Dominic said, and Matthew looked up from where he was destroying a tissue between his fingertips. “I mean, you know, just so you don’t go mad. It can just be as a friend, if you want.”
“I don’t want that,” Matthew replied quickly, before tipping the corners of his mouth up in what resembled a smile. “I want you as more than a friend, if you’ll have me,” Matthew said in a quiet voice, glancing down again before he looked up, watery blue eyes waiting for Dominic’s reaction.
“I’d be lucky to,” Dominic said with a lopsided smile, one spreading across Matthew’s face in return. Dominic looked towards the door. “I should get going, I have a tonne of coursework to mark before tomorrow,” he said, before standing up. “Are you sure you’re alright?” he asked Matthew, as the boy stood up and gathered his belongings.
“I’m fine,” Matthew said, smiling truly. “But if you tell anyone I cried, I’ll kill you while you sleep. Even if I do really l-like you,” he said with a smile on his face. Dominic laughed, opening the door and letting Matthew out of the room.
They walked together through the school, stopping briefly at Dominic’s office so he could pick up his briefcase. At the school gates, where they would part ways, Matthew pulled his homework diary out of his bag, tearing out the front page and handing it to Dominic.
“Matthew!” the teacher scorned, holding the scrunched piece of paper in his hands. “This is... don’t you need this?!”
Matthew snorted. “Please. I’m not a Year Nine, I don’t have homework diary inspections anymore,” Matthew said, rolling his eyes. “Tomorrow, about eightish. Bring comfort food.”
Turning away, Matthew began walking up the road, guitar slung on his shoulder. Dominic unscrunched the paper, seeing Matthew’s address printed in an elegant scrawl, his stomach full of butterflies.
~
Dominic stood in his local Tesco Express, judging how much he thought he knew Matthew as he stood in front of the Ben and Jerry’s section of the freezer. Would he want a fruity one, or was he a chocolate kind of guy? Was plain old Cookie Dough enough, or would he want something extravagant, like Karamel Sutra? Dominic smirked; he chose that one, knowing at least Matthew would appreciate the pun. Choosing a Dough-able Whammy for himself, he shut the freezer door and headed back through the shop, picking up an item he’d been deliberating on all day, before heading to the tills. The cashier gave him a knowing look as the three items were scanned, before Dominic was on his way to Matthew’s house.
Matthew’s house was similar to his own, in a quiet little terraced road near the school. The streetlights were just coming on as Dominic knocked on the door, nervously shifting from foot to foot. Soon enough the door opened, and Matthew stood there, barefoot, in skinny jeans and a black t-shirt.
“Hi,” Dominic said, Matthew’s eyes widening at the small bouquet of flowers in his hands. “Oh, um, these are for you,” Dominic said, handing them over. The flowers were in shades of yellow and orange, and Matthew blushed a deep red.
“I’ve never had flowers before,” Matthew said, sniffing them gingerly as he looked up at Dominic, rosy cheeks and all. “Thank you.”
Dominic stepped into the house, cautious of being seen on Matthew’s doorstep. “I thought, maybe you could say you bought them for your mum. You’ve got a good deal out of this,” he laughed, shutting the door behind him. Matthew turned, walking through into a small kitchen at the back of the house and to the empty vase on the windowsill, filling it up with water.
“I sometimes do buy flowers for her, actually,” Matthew said, turning and arching an eyebrow at Dominic. “Try not to be too surprised,” he continued coolly, shutting off the tap and putting the flowers in the vase, before putting it back on the windowsill. “I like the colours.”
“I’m pleased,” Dominic said. His first venture of buying flowers for someone special had turned out pretty well. “I also bought the comfort food you requested,” he laughed, pulling out the two tubs of ice cream. Dominic pushed one towards Matthew. “I didn’t know which flavour you like best, but I liked the name...” Matthew laughed loudly as he saw his, and Dominic was happy to see joy on his face, after seeing the tears on his cheeks yesterday. Finally, Dominic slid the small rucksack he’d packed off his shoulder. “I, um, also packed a bag, just in case you wanted me to stay tonight or something. Plus, you’re smaller than me and I don’t think I’d fit in any of your clot--”
Dominic was cut off as Matthew crossed the room and hugged him tight, wrapping his arms around his waist and pressing his head against his chest. With a smile, Dominic dropped the bag and wrapped his arms around Matthew’s shoulders, dropping a kiss into the mess of Matthew’s hair. “I missed you so much,” Matthew whispered, so quietly that Dominic almost didn’t hear it. Dominic shut his eyes and pressed his face into Matthew’s hair, inhaling deeply. “I needed you so much this week, but I...”
“It’s okay, shh,” Dominic murmured into Matthew’s hair, rubbing Matthew’s back reassuringly. He knew. He entirely understood, not only Matthew’s pain but Matthew’s need for others. Tonight wasn’t the night for his own story, though. He ran a hand through Matthew’s hair softly, before maneuvering his head so they were looking at each other. Matthew’s eyes were red again. “Hey,” Dominic said, and Matthew giggled a bit, before hiccuping. “We’re going to watch some film or the other, and we’re going to eat ice cream, and we’re going to stop worrying, at least for a little while. Yeah?”
Matthew nodded, Dominic stroking his cheekbone with his thumb. “Sounds good,” Matthew said. He broke away, moving across the kitchen. He threw a tea towel towards Dominic, who caught it deftly with his left hand, before pulling two spoons out of a drawer. “The tubs are cold,” he said to Dominic’s bewildered expression. “What?! I always use a tea-towel with a tub of ice cream, because it makes you all wet and--”
“Condensation.”
“That too,” Matthew said with a smile, picking up his tub of ice cream from the table. “Come on,” he said, leading Dominic through to the lounge, facing out onto the street. Matthew drew the curtains on the darkening scene, flicking on a lamp in the corner. “Make yourself at home,” he said to Dominic, gesturing at the sofa with a wide arm. “What film do you want to watch?”
“I’m happy with whatever you choose, as long as you choose something good,” Dominic said as he settled back into the cushions, Matthew laughing from where he was browsing a stack of DVDs.
“God, my mum has some shit,” Matthew giggled, poking through the stack. “I mean, look at this one,” he said, pulling out a DVD and waving it in Dominic’s direction. “She looks like she’s going to molest you in your sleep,” Matthew joked, obviously feeling a bit better. Dominic scowled.
“How dare you!” he argued in a light tone. “Amélie one of the best contemporary French films, if not of all time. And it’s my favourite film ever. Have you ever seen it?”
Matthew wrinkled his nose at the word French, answering Dominic’s question for him. “It’s such a good film, come on,” Dominic said, beckoning Matthew over. “I’m surprised I didn’t show it to your class, actually, when I had you for GCSE.”
Laughing, Matthew begrudgingly put the DVD in the player. “Probably because it involved reading,” he joked, before grabbing the remote and sitting next to Dominic on the sofa, reaching for his ice cream. “I could get used to this,” he said sincerely and almost reverently. Dominic looked at him, pressing a kiss into his hair as their sides were pressed together, warmth seeping through their thin t-shirts.
The film began, and almost as soon as Dominic had his ice cream open, Matthew was prodding him for a bite. “Watch the film,” Dominic hissed without any malice, as he fed a spoonful of ice cream to Matthew. The boy groaned, eyes meeting his teacher’s briefly before returning to the screen.
Ten minutes later, Matthew was sniffing at Dominic’s side. “Fucking films...” he whispered, Dominic wrapping an arm around him. “This is worse than Up! and that shit was fucking devastating,” Matthew tried to laugh. “The music is so good, bloody hell. I don’t even feel sad, I feel...”
Dominic squeezed Matthew a little as they continued to watch the girl on the screen stumble through her life and her relationships. The ice cream tubs, soon empty, were left on the coffee table as Matthew sprawled out over Dominic, legs entwined and chest pressed into the blond’s side. Having seen the film dozens of times before and also being able to understand the spoken dialogue, as opposed to having to read the subtitles, Dominic spent the film watching Matthew’s reactions, as he laughed and sniffled and cringed at the events passing on the screen.
Matthew was like a film in himself, Dominic found himself thinking. He was all of the characters, in all of the settings, with a plot so intricate that Dominic would want to watch it time and time again so he could understand him fully. He was his own narrator, his own soundtrack, his own audience. Dominic pressed a kiss into Matthew’s hair, then, inhaling deeply and surrounding himself with everything that was Matthew. Matthew himself didn’t notice, too engrossed in the film. Dominic smiled.
Matthew’s fingers played with the hem of Dominic’s grey t-shirt, the first casual thing Matthew had ever seen him in, as the film began to draw to a close.
“Why won’t she talk to him?” Matthew asked at one point, as the girl on screen continued to hide herself from the man who loved her, and the man she loved in return. “She’s been chasing him the whole film, he’s right there,” Matthew said, extending his hands towards the screen.
“She’s scared,” Dominic mumbled against Matthew’s cheek. “She’s so used to being lonely that she doesn’t quite know how to go about it.” Dominic said, the words ringing true for himself, too.
“She’s such a nice girl, too,” Matthew said, oblivious to the implication behind Dominic’s words.
The conversation filtered away as the final ten minutes began. “No. No, that’s not fair,” Matthew said. On screen, Amelie was sure she’d lost her lover, and was imagining domestic life with him. “That’s really sad,” Matthew said, sounding as if his throat was closing up as the girl began to cry. Dominic simply nodded. “You never said this had a sad ending,” Matthew said, turning to Dominic with tears in his eyes. “Prick,” he said, trying to laugh.
Dominic kissed the end of his nose. “It doesn’t, I’m not that mean. Keep watching,” he said, and Matthew did as he was told. The lover was at Amélie’s door, and she was overjoyed. “This is my favourite bit,” Dominic whispered into Matthew’s ear, as the two lovers finally embraced for the first time. Amelie kissed her lover’s face in three different places, before she invited him to do the same on her own face.
Matthew’s lips quirked up in a small smile as the rest of the scene began to play out, and the end of the film morphed into the credits. “Wow,” Matthew said, mouth hanging open in awe. “I think that film’s changed my life.”
Dominic beamed, biting his lip. “Yeah?” he said, trying to keep the excitement out of his voice. He couldn’t. Matthew turned to him.
“You’re such a dork,” Matthew said with a huge smile on his face, and Dominic blushed, still smiling. “No but... she’s so happy and... it was all about the little things. I guess... hmmm...”
“What is it,” Dominic asked. It was rare to see Matthew in such a pensive mood, Dominic wanted to exploit it all.
“Well, life can be beautiful, I guess,” Matthew said quietly, playing with Dominic’s fingers. “You have to make the most of every opportunity, and you have to make sure you make the people around you happy, as well as yourself,” he finished, looking up at Dominic for approval. Dominic nodded.
“You have to treasure those around you, because you never quite know when they’ll be gone,” Dominic said. Matthew’s smile faded a little.
“I should call my mum,” he said. Dominic smiled sadly and nodded. “She will have landed by now I think.”
Matthew slid off the sofa and padded into the kitchen, Dominic staying put where he was. He allowed the title music to play over and over, the soundtrack being one of the many things that made him fall in love with this film. He could hear Matthew talking lowly in the other room, but tried his hardest not to listen.
part b
Author: ashamedbliss
Pairing: Belldom
Rating: 18
Fic summary: Based on the following prompt from mkmeme, which was: AU Belldom. Dom's in his early 20s, outrageously attractive (obviously) and a sex ed teacher. He's also a nervous virgin. Matt's a bold 17 year old student who discovers "Mr H's" secret shame. And he decides to take matters into his own hands.
Feedback: appreciated like the benny hill theme
Disclaimer: much as I and many other ladies would love to own Muse, I don't. This is totally fictional, I'm not making profit, and pretty please don't steal it *bats eyelashes*
Author's Note: Massive thanks to Angela for watching me write this, and for everyone on twitter helping to kick my arse into gear. You guys have no idea how much you all helped. Enjoy <3
Dominic scanned the canteen from the entrance, eyes alighting on a shock of black hair in the middle of a group of friends. He sighed; of course he wouldn’t be alone. Dominic smoothed the envelope in his hands once or twice. He just hoped Matthew would buy it.
With confident-looking strides, he approached the table full of students, Matthew only looking up from his sandwich last moment. He swallowed before he’d chewed it properly.
“Matthew,” Dominic said, trying not to think of the way he’d moaned that name. Of course he thought of it. He cleared his throat. “You asked for your GCSE French marks breakdown a couple of weeks ago, right?” he said, keeping eye contact with the student. Matthew nodded slowly. “Here they are, for you,” he said, handing over the envelope. Quickly, Dominic turned away, relying on Matthew being as intelligent as Dominic knew he was to not open that envelope in front of his friends.
Matthew stared at the envelope, one of the lads on the other side of the table egging him on to open it. Matthew glanced at Kelly and at Tom in turn. “Fuck no,” Matthew laughed, putting on an act, and the weird atmosphere that had come across the table dissipated. “I fucking bombed GCSE, I’m not opening this shit in front of you,” he continued, tucking the envelope safely away in his bag. They chatted about last week’s party (awesome, except for Matthew being sick a lot), their weekends (still good, even though a hungover Matthew had to buy Kelly a coffee while she was working her shift at a clothes shop), and how their Thursdays were currently going (slowly, very slowly).
As the bell rang, Matthew excused himself to the toilets, locking himself in a cubicle and rifling through his bag for the envelope. Anxiously, he tore it open to find nothing but a small handwritten note from Dominic, hoping that it was good news.
I’m ready to talk...
if you are.
meet me by the welfare office just after the final bell.
Dx
Matthew’s heart did a flip in his chest and he grinned, tucking the note back into the envelope and putting them at the bottom of his bag. It was the first bit of good news he’d had this week. He was a bit confused as to why it was the welfare office, but he had a music lesson to get to and he wasn’t going to miss that for the world.
Music passed in a blur, Matthew practicing the love song that he’d finished a few days ago with Tom helping to mix the vocals. He left with a smile on his face, simply because he was proud of the music he had made and had had fun in the process. Nerves worked their way into his gut as he walked through school, his acoustic guitar slung in its case over one shoulder and his bag on the other. He headed towards the welfare office, having never really been that way before, except when he’d been placed in exclusion a few times in Year 10 before he got his act together.
Dominic was waiting outside the welfare office, and Matthew took a shaking breath in. The small area they were in was completely empty of all students, and teachers for that matter, save for themselves.
“Hello,” Matthew said, and Dominic’s tense expression seemed to melt a little. Silently, he gestured Matthew inside one of the small interview rooms next to the welfare office, used for pastoral care. Matthew arched an eyebrow but said nothing, putting his guitar down in the corner and allowing Dominic to pull the door shut behind them.
“I didn’t want to talk in my office,” Dominic said, taking a seat opposite Matthew, “after all we did there. And, I guess I wanted us to both be on equal footing,” he said, looking down at the table and pressing the tips of his fingers together.
“Thanks,” Matthew said, looking up at Dominic’s face. He was painfully aware of the window in the door, and the fact that they might be overheard. “I’m ready to talk,” Matthew said, causing Dominic to look up and meet his eyes. “You made it sound like I didn’t want to?”
The accusation in Matthew’s words hurt. Dominic sighed, leaning back in his chair a little. “You... you gave me such a cold look on Monday, after sex-ed,” he began, and Matthew immediately looked down to his lap. “I just... got it into my head that you’d gotten over me, you’d had your fun and your fuck, and that you’d found someone else. And, if you have, I’m happy for you, Matt,” Dominic said, leaning forward again. “Matt?”
Matthew’s shoulders heaved with a single sob.
“Matthew?” Dominic asked, panic colouring his voice. Matthew looked up, then, and his eyes were red-rimmed, a tear slipping down his face.
“It’s my nan,” he sobbed, before rubbing at his eyes furiously with his wrists. “She’s been ill for so long, but...”
Dominic wished he was anything but Matthew’s teacher right then, so he could scoop him up and hug him and kiss him and tell him everything would be alright.
“I’m... I’m not sad about her being ill,” Matthew sniffed, Dominic passing the box of tissues that were on a shelf behind him. “Thanks,” Matthew said, blowing his nose. “I came to terms with that a long time ago. It’s just... she lives up in Scotland. We don’t have enough money to go see her, and Mum barely has enough money to fly up there, and that’s her own mother for fuck’s sake.”
“I wish I could help,” Dominic said sadly, and Matthew smiled.
“I found out that she was... deteriorating during lunch on Monday. That’s why I was so quiet and... just not myself. I’m sorry I gave you that lo--”
“Matt, no. I’m sorry I read into it, if only I’d known...” Dominic said, and they sat in a comfortable silence for a few seconds, Matthew wiping his eyes again.
“I never fucking cry,” Matthew laughed disbelievingly, Dominic smiling a small smile. “It’s just... she always looked after me when I was little, after Dad died.” Dominic’s face fell, but Matthew waved him off. “I was tiny, I barely remember him. But Nan helped raise me while Mum worked, but then she moved to Scotland, I haven’t seen her in so long, but... I... I know this might sound selfish, but I remember her as happy and healthy and... well, alive. I don’t really want to go visit her to see her... the way she is.”
Dominic nodded. “I know how that feels,” he said, his voice nearly breaking. Matthew tilted his head to the side ever so slightly. “Believe me, I know.”
Matthew let Dominic’s tone slide for a moment. “I just... so I’m mostly sad that she’ll be gone, and because Mum has been in bits all week, she can’t take time off work so she’s flying up Friday evening, will be back Sunday night. I’ve got the house to myself all weekend and I don’t know how I’m going to keep myself from worrying.”
“I could... come over, if you wanted?” Dominic said, and Matthew looked up from where he was destroying a tissue between his fingertips. “I mean, you know, just so you don’t go mad. It can just be as a friend, if you want.”
“I don’t want that,” Matthew replied quickly, before tipping the corners of his mouth up in what resembled a smile. “I want you as more than a friend, if you’ll have me,” Matthew said in a quiet voice, glancing down again before he looked up, watery blue eyes waiting for Dominic’s reaction.
“I’d be lucky to,” Dominic said with a lopsided smile, one spreading across Matthew’s face in return. Dominic looked towards the door. “I should get going, I have a tonne of coursework to mark before tomorrow,” he said, before standing up. “Are you sure you’re alright?” he asked Matthew, as the boy stood up and gathered his belongings.
“I’m fine,” Matthew said, smiling truly. “But if you tell anyone I cried, I’ll kill you while you sleep. Even if I do really l-like you,” he said with a smile on his face. Dominic laughed, opening the door and letting Matthew out of the room.
They walked together through the school, stopping briefly at Dominic’s office so he could pick up his briefcase. At the school gates, where they would part ways, Matthew pulled his homework diary out of his bag, tearing out the front page and handing it to Dominic.
“Matthew!” the teacher scorned, holding the scrunched piece of paper in his hands. “This is... don’t you need this?!”
Matthew snorted. “Please. I’m not a Year Nine, I don’t have homework diary inspections anymore,” Matthew said, rolling his eyes. “Tomorrow, about eightish. Bring comfort food.”
Turning away, Matthew began walking up the road, guitar slung on his shoulder. Dominic unscrunched the paper, seeing Matthew’s address printed in an elegant scrawl, his stomach full of butterflies.
~
Dominic stood in his local Tesco Express, judging how much he thought he knew Matthew as he stood in front of the Ben and Jerry’s section of the freezer. Would he want a fruity one, or was he a chocolate kind of guy? Was plain old Cookie Dough enough, or would he want something extravagant, like Karamel Sutra? Dominic smirked; he chose that one, knowing at least Matthew would appreciate the pun. Choosing a Dough-able Whammy for himself, he shut the freezer door and headed back through the shop, picking up an item he’d been deliberating on all day, before heading to the tills. The cashier gave him a knowing look as the three items were scanned, before Dominic was on his way to Matthew’s house.
Matthew’s house was similar to his own, in a quiet little terraced road near the school. The streetlights were just coming on as Dominic knocked on the door, nervously shifting from foot to foot. Soon enough the door opened, and Matthew stood there, barefoot, in skinny jeans and a black t-shirt.
“Hi,” Dominic said, Matthew’s eyes widening at the small bouquet of flowers in his hands. “Oh, um, these are for you,” Dominic said, handing them over. The flowers were in shades of yellow and orange, and Matthew blushed a deep red.
“I’ve never had flowers before,” Matthew said, sniffing them gingerly as he looked up at Dominic, rosy cheeks and all. “Thank you.”
Dominic stepped into the house, cautious of being seen on Matthew’s doorstep. “I thought, maybe you could say you bought them for your mum. You’ve got a good deal out of this,” he laughed, shutting the door behind him. Matthew turned, walking through into a small kitchen at the back of the house and to the empty vase on the windowsill, filling it up with water.
“I sometimes do buy flowers for her, actually,” Matthew said, turning and arching an eyebrow at Dominic. “Try not to be too surprised,” he continued coolly, shutting off the tap and putting the flowers in the vase, before putting it back on the windowsill. “I like the colours.”
“I’m pleased,” Dominic said. His first venture of buying flowers for someone special had turned out pretty well. “I also bought the comfort food you requested,” he laughed, pulling out the two tubs of ice cream. Dominic pushed one towards Matthew. “I didn’t know which flavour you like best, but I liked the name...” Matthew laughed loudly as he saw his, and Dominic was happy to see joy on his face, after seeing the tears on his cheeks yesterday. Finally, Dominic slid the small rucksack he’d packed off his shoulder. “I, um, also packed a bag, just in case you wanted me to stay tonight or something. Plus, you’re smaller than me and I don’t think I’d fit in any of your clot--”
Dominic was cut off as Matthew crossed the room and hugged him tight, wrapping his arms around his waist and pressing his head against his chest. With a smile, Dominic dropped the bag and wrapped his arms around Matthew’s shoulders, dropping a kiss into the mess of Matthew’s hair. “I missed you so much,” Matthew whispered, so quietly that Dominic almost didn’t hear it. Dominic shut his eyes and pressed his face into Matthew’s hair, inhaling deeply. “I needed you so much this week, but I...”
“It’s okay, shh,” Dominic murmured into Matthew’s hair, rubbing Matthew’s back reassuringly. He knew. He entirely understood, not only Matthew’s pain but Matthew’s need for others. Tonight wasn’t the night for his own story, though. He ran a hand through Matthew’s hair softly, before maneuvering his head so they were looking at each other. Matthew’s eyes were red again. “Hey,” Dominic said, and Matthew giggled a bit, before hiccuping. “We’re going to watch some film or the other, and we’re going to eat ice cream, and we’re going to stop worrying, at least for a little while. Yeah?”
Matthew nodded, Dominic stroking his cheekbone with his thumb. “Sounds good,” Matthew said. He broke away, moving across the kitchen. He threw a tea towel towards Dominic, who caught it deftly with his left hand, before pulling two spoons out of a drawer. “The tubs are cold,” he said to Dominic’s bewildered expression. “What?! I always use a tea-towel with a tub of ice cream, because it makes you all wet and--”
“Condensation.”
“That too,” Matthew said with a smile, picking up his tub of ice cream from the table. “Come on,” he said, leading Dominic through to the lounge, facing out onto the street. Matthew drew the curtains on the darkening scene, flicking on a lamp in the corner. “Make yourself at home,” he said to Dominic, gesturing at the sofa with a wide arm. “What film do you want to watch?”
“I’m happy with whatever you choose, as long as you choose something good,” Dominic said as he settled back into the cushions, Matthew laughing from where he was browsing a stack of DVDs.
“God, my mum has some shit,” Matthew giggled, poking through the stack. “I mean, look at this one,” he said, pulling out a DVD and waving it in Dominic’s direction. “She looks like she’s going to molest you in your sleep,” Matthew joked, obviously feeling a bit better. Dominic scowled.
“How dare you!” he argued in a light tone. “Amélie one of the best contemporary French films, if not of all time. And it’s my favourite film ever. Have you ever seen it?”
Matthew wrinkled his nose at the word French, answering Dominic’s question for him. “It’s such a good film, come on,” Dominic said, beckoning Matthew over. “I’m surprised I didn’t show it to your class, actually, when I had you for GCSE.”
Laughing, Matthew begrudgingly put the DVD in the player. “Probably because it involved reading,” he joked, before grabbing the remote and sitting next to Dominic on the sofa, reaching for his ice cream. “I could get used to this,” he said sincerely and almost reverently. Dominic looked at him, pressing a kiss into his hair as their sides were pressed together, warmth seeping through their thin t-shirts.
The film began, and almost as soon as Dominic had his ice cream open, Matthew was prodding him for a bite. “Watch the film,” Dominic hissed without any malice, as he fed a spoonful of ice cream to Matthew. The boy groaned, eyes meeting his teacher’s briefly before returning to the screen.
Ten minutes later, Matthew was sniffing at Dominic’s side. “Fucking films...” he whispered, Dominic wrapping an arm around him. “This is worse than Up! and that shit was fucking devastating,” Matthew tried to laugh. “The music is so good, bloody hell. I don’t even feel sad, I feel...”
Dominic squeezed Matthew a little as they continued to watch the girl on the screen stumble through her life and her relationships. The ice cream tubs, soon empty, were left on the coffee table as Matthew sprawled out over Dominic, legs entwined and chest pressed into the blond’s side. Having seen the film dozens of times before and also being able to understand the spoken dialogue, as opposed to having to read the subtitles, Dominic spent the film watching Matthew’s reactions, as he laughed and sniffled and cringed at the events passing on the screen.
Matthew was like a film in himself, Dominic found himself thinking. He was all of the characters, in all of the settings, with a plot so intricate that Dominic would want to watch it time and time again so he could understand him fully. He was his own narrator, his own soundtrack, his own audience. Dominic pressed a kiss into Matthew’s hair, then, inhaling deeply and surrounding himself with everything that was Matthew. Matthew himself didn’t notice, too engrossed in the film. Dominic smiled.
Matthew’s fingers played with the hem of Dominic’s grey t-shirt, the first casual thing Matthew had ever seen him in, as the film began to draw to a close.
“Why won’t she talk to him?” Matthew asked at one point, as the girl on screen continued to hide herself from the man who loved her, and the man she loved in return. “She’s been chasing him the whole film, he’s right there,” Matthew said, extending his hands towards the screen.
“She’s scared,” Dominic mumbled against Matthew’s cheek. “She’s so used to being lonely that she doesn’t quite know how to go about it.” Dominic said, the words ringing true for himself, too.
“She’s such a nice girl, too,” Matthew said, oblivious to the implication behind Dominic’s words.
The conversation filtered away as the final ten minutes began. “No. No, that’s not fair,” Matthew said. On screen, Amelie was sure she’d lost her lover, and was imagining domestic life with him. “That’s really sad,” Matthew said, sounding as if his throat was closing up as the girl began to cry. Dominic simply nodded. “You never said this had a sad ending,” Matthew said, turning to Dominic with tears in his eyes. “Prick,” he said, trying to laugh.
Dominic kissed the end of his nose. “It doesn’t, I’m not that mean. Keep watching,” he said, and Matthew did as he was told. The lover was at Amélie’s door, and she was overjoyed. “This is my favourite bit,” Dominic whispered into Matthew’s ear, as the two lovers finally embraced for the first time. Amelie kissed her lover’s face in three different places, before she invited him to do the same on her own face.
Matthew’s lips quirked up in a small smile as the rest of the scene began to play out, and the end of the film morphed into the credits. “Wow,” Matthew said, mouth hanging open in awe. “I think that film’s changed my life.”
Dominic beamed, biting his lip. “Yeah?” he said, trying to keep the excitement out of his voice. He couldn’t. Matthew turned to him.
“You’re such a dork,” Matthew said with a huge smile on his face, and Dominic blushed, still smiling. “No but... she’s so happy and... it was all about the little things. I guess... hmmm...”
“What is it,” Dominic asked. It was rare to see Matthew in such a pensive mood, Dominic wanted to exploit it all.
“Well, life can be beautiful, I guess,” Matthew said quietly, playing with Dominic’s fingers. “You have to make the most of every opportunity, and you have to make sure you make the people around you happy, as well as yourself,” he finished, looking up at Dominic for approval. Dominic nodded.
“You have to treasure those around you, because you never quite know when they’ll be gone,” Dominic said. Matthew’s smile faded a little.
“I should call my mum,” he said. Dominic smiled sadly and nodded. “She will have landed by now I think.”
Matthew slid off the sofa and padded into the kitchen, Dominic staying put where he was. He allowed the title music to play over and over, the soundtrack being one of the many things that made him fall in love with this film. He could hear Matthew talking lowly in the other room, but tried his hardest not to listen.
part b