(no subject)
Wishing Stars
Part Four
d/b AU
This is fiction.
The shadows were long on the grass when Dom came tramping home one evening carrying a spray of Nostalgia Weed in his hand. These flowers bloomed rampantly by every roadside in the autumn. They had a pink petal that blushed red near the center, like a sunset sky. They were aptly named, Billy thought. They bloomed despite the first frost and reminded one that summer was quickly passing and soon the warm days and nights would be sweet memories.
Billy stifled a sigh. They had had a grand summer. Things had been quiet on the war front and Dom had plenty of days off. Sometimes they would wake up early and drive through the mountain pass to the seaside and spend the day nestled in the sand. More often they would hike across the fields that surrounded the base and swim all day in a little woodland pool. After dark they would lie on a blanket in Dom’s backyard and watch the stars pop out one by one. They spent hours mapping their own constellations. They had: Lady Weeping, Molly Chasing her Tail, Billy Napping, Dom with Legs Spread. On the horizon, when the sky got very dark, The Daffodil constellation would come into view. It didn’t look much like a daffodil but at its center was the star that Billy and Dom loved best. It was the star that had nourished their early lives. It was the star that still shone brightly on the wreckage of Earth. Billy wouldn’t go inside until they had made a wish on it.
Molly had given birth to her litter in late spring. When the pups were weaned Dom’s friend came to take them away, to distribute them among the other survivors of Earth. Dom set one little pup aside for Billy and Billy named him Joseph. He had one black ear and one brown. Billy was almost frightened at how happy he was.
Now it was getting too cold to sit out after the sun set. If Dom was home Billy was content to stay inside. But Dom had been working longer and longer hours of late and Billy couldn’t make himself go in until he had seen his wishing star glittering in the cold blue-black. He’d shut his eyes and imagine he could feel the warmth of it.
Dom would find him huddled in the fallen leaves, shivering.
“I don’t mean to make you worry. I just lose track of time.”
“Your lips are blue. Let me run you a bath.”
“Just kiss me. You’re so warm.”
“I’ll kiss you in the bath. I could use one too.”
Dom had dark circles under his eyes that autumn. The war was taking a toll on him. The only bright spot in those dark days was coming home to Billy. It was essential to have something to love, something to care for, after sending men to their deaths all day. His greatest fear was that he would lose Billy somehow. As he walked up the garden path with his offering of Nostalgia Weed he trembled with knowledge that this might be the day that fear came to pass. He paused to find Billy’s wishing star and made a feverish wish of his own.
“What do you wish for every night, Bill?”
“I can’t tell you. It won’t come true.”
“I made a wish tonight.”
“Oh?”
“I wished that you’d be with me always.”
“I want that too. You know I want that, don’t you?”
Dom didn’t answer. He trickled warm water down Billy’s chest and squeezed his legs tighter around him.
“What is it, Dom?”
Dom didn’t want to say. Once he said the words he knew everything would change, that his little paradise would be ended.
“Oh Bill,” he buried his face in Billy’s wet hair and felt the hot tears stream down his face. “They’re moving us, Bill. They don’t want the base here anymore. It’s too dangerous to stay in one place too long. I have to leave.”
Billy grew very still for a moment. He eased himself out of Dom’s embrace, climbed out of the tub and padded softly out of the bathroom, dripping water as he went.
~*~
“Bill?”
Billy was sitting quietly on the bed. He was damp and shivering and Joey was whining softly at him.
“Bill, the dog has more sense than you,” Dom said wrapping a towel around Billy’s shoulders. “You’ll catch your death.”
“Where?” Billy said.
Dom sighed. “They wouldn’t tell me. I won’t know until I get there. Security and all.”
“I knew it wouldn’t come true. I wished every night, Dom, every damn night that things could just go on as they have been. I was so happy.”
“Bill, you’re breaking my heart.”
“Am I? Oh, I know it. I’m sorry. How long do we have?”
“Three days.”
“They don’t dawdle do they? Can we take the dogs?”
Dom didn’t trust his own ears. He had hoped Billy would come with him but… “I didn’t think you’d want to leave here, Bill. You said before that you’d rather die.”
Billy wiped at his face with hem of the towel. “It will hurt me terribly, Dom, but it won’t kill me. Losing you, losing you would kill me.”
Dom started to cry. He cried the way Billy did in the dead of night after one of his dreams, when all Dom could do was hold him and soothe him until the tears gave way to sleep again. He felt Billy’s arms go around him. He didn’t try to control himself, didn’t try to be brave. There would be time enough for bravery later. Just then he needed to be coddled and comforted and led to bed.
~*~
“Will we ever return?”
“I hope so.”
“Do you think the flowers will still be here?”
“They’re hardy little fellows. If they can flourish on an alien world surely they will survive Elijah’s caretaking.”
“I’m glad we can take the dogs.”
“I’m glad I can take you.”
It was the coldest night yet and Billy and Dom sat wrapped in blanket on the frosted grass.
“I hope we’ll be able to see her from where ever we’re going,” Billy said, looking at the wishing star.
“I hope so too.”
“Perhaps we’ll be able to see Nola. Maybe we won’t have to go so far.”
“You’re my star,” Dom said. “I don’t care where I go as long as I can look at you.”
~*~
The planet Molcahey was quiet as stone. A brotherhood of monks had settled the planet sometime in the distant past and had built a great labyrinth of monasteries and cathedrals over nearly every inch of the planet’s inhabitable surface. These structures were made primarily of the black, volcanic stone that was so plentiful. Footsteps rang hollowly in the passages. Billy felt as if he were entombed.
The monks had taken a vow of silence. They spoke only through hand gestures and their language was very spare. They had no gesture for the word love. They had to invent a new one for dog.
The monks all wore long, hooded robes and Dom scowled when he learned that he would be expected to wear one whenever he was in public. Then he found out that this garment was all the monks wore and he decided that following the local customs might not be such a bad idea after all.
“I don’t know how, but you manage to make that robe look sexy, Bill.”
Dom himself was sprawled out in front of the fireplace eating some messy, red fruit and trying to look medieval.
“You’re just thinking about the things underneath it.”
“Damn straight. Why don’t you show me?”
Billy hiked up his robe to show a little leg.
“More,” Dom said. Rain splattered against the windows and the wind howled around the turret that Dom had picked for their living quarters. He said it would make him feel like a knight but Billy found it rather cold.
“It’s freezing in here,” Billy said and dropped the hem of his robe to the floor again.
“Billy, if you’re not going to get out of that robe I will be forced to get into with you.”
“What?”
Dom got on his hands and knees and crawled across the carpet. “Get away. You’re off your nut.” Billy made shooing motions with his hands but Dom did not shoo. Dom lifted Billy’s robe and stuck his head under it.
“It’s dark in here. What a pity. I’ll have to navigate by touch alone.”
Billy felt Dom’s hands petting his thighs, felt the warmth of Dom’s lips sucking on his hip.
“Get up, you fool,” Billy said and Dom stood, peeking his head through Billy’s own collar. Their faces were very close. “And this is the man I chose to follow halfway around the galaxy.”
“I’m the one you love best,” Dom said.
“You’ve fruit on your nose.”
“Does it make me look handsome?”
“It makes you look edible.”
Dom tickled Billy’s belly. Billy was very ticklish. He tried to back away and got caught up in folds of his robes.
“We’re going to fall now,” he had time to say and then they did.
“It’s about time you fell for me, Boyd.”
“Are you hurt?”
“You’re the doctor, Bill. Why don’t you check me out?”
“You’re shameless,” Billy said.
“I am,” Dom agreed. “I am without shame. I must have left it back on Nola.”
“Maybe I can help you find it.”
“You can certainly try,” Dom said.
They had to look for several hours before they found it.
Part Four
d/b AU
This is fiction.
The shadows were long on the grass when Dom came tramping home one evening carrying a spray of Nostalgia Weed in his hand. These flowers bloomed rampantly by every roadside in the autumn. They had a pink petal that blushed red near the center, like a sunset sky. They were aptly named, Billy thought. They bloomed despite the first frost and reminded one that summer was quickly passing and soon the warm days and nights would be sweet memories.
Billy stifled a sigh. They had had a grand summer. Things had been quiet on the war front and Dom had plenty of days off. Sometimes they would wake up early and drive through the mountain pass to the seaside and spend the day nestled in the sand. More often they would hike across the fields that surrounded the base and swim all day in a little woodland pool. After dark they would lie on a blanket in Dom’s backyard and watch the stars pop out one by one. They spent hours mapping their own constellations. They had: Lady Weeping, Molly Chasing her Tail, Billy Napping, Dom with Legs Spread. On the horizon, when the sky got very dark, The Daffodil constellation would come into view. It didn’t look much like a daffodil but at its center was the star that Billy and Dom loved best. It was the star that had nourished their early lives. It was the star that still shone brightly on the wreckage of Earth. Billy wouldn’t go inside until they had made a wish on it.
Molly had given birth to her litter in late spring. When the pups were weaned Dom’s friend came to take them away, to distribute them among the other survivors of Earth. Dom set one little pup aside for Billy and Billy named him Joseph. He had one black ear and one brown. Billy was almost frightened at how happy he was.
Now it was getting too cold to sit out after the sun set. If Dom was home Billy was content to stay inside. But Dom had been working longer and longer hours of late and Billy couldn’t make himself go in until he had seen his wishing star glittering in the cold blue-black. He’d shut his eyes and imagine he could feel the warmth of it.
Dom would find him huddled in the fallen leaves, shivering.
“I don’t mean to make you worry. I just lose track of time.”
“Your lips are blue. Let me run you a bath.”
“Just kiss me. You’re so warm.”
“I’ll kiss you in the bath. I could use one too.”
Dom had dark circles under his eyes that autumn. The war was taking a toll on him. The only bright spot in those dark days was coming home to Billy. It was essential to have something to love, something to care for, after sending men to their deaths all day. His greatest fear was that he would lose Billy somehow. As he walked up the garden path with his offering of Nostalgia Weed he trembled with knowledge that this might be the day that fear came to pass. He paused to find Billy’s wishing star and made a feverish wish of his own.
“What do you wish for every night, Bill?”
“I can’t tell you. It won’t come true.”
“I made a wish tonight.”
“Oh?”
“I wished that you’d be with me always.”
“I want that too. You know I want that, don’t you?”
Dom didn’t answer. He trickled warm water down Billy’s chest and squeezed his legs tighter around him.
“What is it, Dom?”
Dom didn’t want to say. Once he said the words he knew everything would change, that his little paradise would be ended.
“Oh Bill,” he buried his face in Billy’s wet hair and felt the hot tears stream down his face. “They’re moving us, Bill. They don’t want the base here anymore. It’s too dangerous to stay in one place too long. I have to leave.”
Billy grew very still for a moment. He eased himself out of Dom’s embrace, climbed out of the tub and padded softly out of the bathroom, dripping water as he went.
~*~
“Bill?”
Billy was sitting quietly on the bed. He was damp and shivering and Joey was whining softly at him.
“Bill, the dog has more sense than you,” Dom said wrapping a towel around Billy’s shoulders. “You’ll catch your death.”
“Where?” Billy said.
Dom sighed. “They wouldn’t tell me. I won’t know until I get there. Security and all.”
“I knew it wouldn’t come true. I wished every night, Dom, every damn night that things could just go on as they have been. I was so happy.”
“Bill, you’re breaking my heart.”
“Am I? Oh, I know it. I’m sorry. How long do we have?”
“Three days.”
“They don’t dawdle do they? Can we take the dogs?”
Dom didn’t trust his own ears. He had hoped Billy would come with him but… “I didn’t think you’d want to leave here, Bill. You said before that you’d rather die.”
Billy wiped at his face with hem of the towel. “It will hurt me terribly, Dom, but it won’t kill me. Losing you, losing you would kill me.”
Dom started to cry. He cried the way Billy did in the dead of night after one of his dreams, when all Dom could do was hold him and soothe him until the tears gave way to sleep again. He felt Billy’s arms go around him. He didn’t try to control himself, didn’t try to be brave. There would be time enough for bravery later. Just then he needed to be coddled and comforted and led to bed.
~*~
“Will we ever return?”
“I hope so.”
“Do you think the flowers will still be here?”
“They’re hardy little fellows. If they can flourish on an alien world surely they will survive Elijah’s caretaking.”
“I’m glad we can take the dogs.”
“I’m glad I can take you.”
It was the coldest night yet and Billy and Dom sat wrapped in blanket on the frosted grass.
“I hope we’ll be able to see her from where ever we’re going,” Billy said, looking at the wishing star.
“I hope so too.”
“Perhaps we’ll be able to see Nola. Maybe we won’t have to go so far.”
“You’re my star,” Dom said. “I don’t care where I go as long as I can look at you.”
~*~
The planet Molcahey was quiet as stone. A brotherhood of monks had settled the planet sometime in the distant past and had built a great labyrinth of monasteries and cathedrals over nearly every inch of the planet’s inhabitable surface. These structures were made primarily of the black, volcanic stone that was so plentiful. Footsteps rang hollowly in the passages. Billy felt as if he were entombed.
The monks had taken a vow of silence. They spoke only through hand gestures and their language was very spare. They had no gesture for the word love. They had to invent a new one for dog.
The monks all wore long, hooded robes and Dom scowled when he learned that he would be expected to wear one whenever he was in public. Then he found out that this garment was all the monks wore and he decided that following the local customs might not be such a bad idea after all.
“I don’t know how, but you manage to make that robe look sexy, Bill.”
Dom himself was sprawled out in front of the fireplace eating some messy, red fruit and trying to look medieval.
“You’re just thinking about the things underneath it.”
“Damn straight. Why don’t you show me?”
Billy hiked up his robe to show a little leg.
“More,” Dom said. Rain splattered against the windows and the wind howled around the turret that Dom had picked for their living quarters. He said it would make him feel like a knight but Billy found it rather cold.
“It’s freezing in here,” Billy said and dropped the hem of his robe to the floor again.
“Billy, if you’re not going to get out of that robe I will be forced to get into with you.”
“What?”
Dom got on his hands and knees and crawled across the carpet. “Get away. You’re off your nut.” Billy made shooing motions with his hands but Dom did not shoo. Dom lifted Billy’s robe and stuck his head under it.
“It’s dark in here. What a pity. I’ll have to navigate by touch alone.”
Billy felt Dom’s hands petting his thighs, felt the warmth of Dom’s lips sucking on his hip.
“Get up, you fool,” Billy said and Dom stood, peeking his head through Billy’s own collar. Their faces were very close. “And this is the man I chose to follow halfway around the galaxy.”
“I’m the one you love best,” Dom said.
“You’ve fruit on your nose.”
“Does it make me look handsome?”
“It makes you look edible.”
Dom tickled Billy’s belly. Billy was very ticklish. He tried to back away and got caught up in folds of his robes.
“We’re going to fall now,” he had time to say and then they did.
“It’s about time you fell for me, Boyd.”
“Are you hurt?”
“You’re the doctor, Bill. Why don’t you check me out?”
“You’re shameless,” Billy said.
“I am,” Dom agreed. “I am without shame. I must have left it back on Nola.”
“Maybe I can help you find it.”
“You can certainly try,” Dom said.
They had to look for several hours before they found it.