Erase the nightmares: Chapter V
Title: Erase the nightmares: Chapter V
Author: Me, mistake_arrest
Beta: The lovely and amazing shayunknown <3
Pairing: Belldom
Rating: PG-13 for now
Warnings: Language, dark themes I guess if you're easily offended?
Summary: AU series. Matthew works as a waiter, and he has recently got out of an abusive relationship. Could Dominic help him get over his fear of falling in love again?
Feedback: Is greatly appreciated! Tell me what you think about this :)
Disclaimer: I do not own Matt, Dom, Chris, or Tom, or any other recognizable characters in this story. This is pure fiction.
Notes: Sorry about the delay, things have kept me busy! I promise to update much sooner next time :)
Previous parts:
Prologue
Chapter I
Chapter II
Chapter III
Chapter IV
Matt’s POV
During the next weeks Dom and I spent a lot of time together. We had lunch together when our work shifts allowed, we took strolls in the park and had late night pints, and I sometimes visited him at work. It was all very lovely, and at least to me it was vital time for us, because I learned so much more about Dom every time we met.
I learned that he indeed was a drummer and even occasionally played in a band. He told me stories about his childhood and his family. I discovered that our musical tastes were quite similar - he liked Queen, Rage and Nirvana just like me, and he promised to show me his massive CD collection some day.
Every time we met, we did it somewhere public. I think it was intentional from Dom’s part, because he didn’t want me to feel uncomfortable or threatened around him. The truth was that I was already quite relaxed when I was with him, and I had been for a while already.
Our meetings were very innocent, us mostly just wanting to spend some quality time together and get to know each other, but sometimes I found myself wanting to be a little bit more intimate with him. Dom seemed to be fine with the situation, even though I could have sworn that he craved that intimacy as well, probably even more than me.
I wondered if Dom knew what he was getting himself into. I still hadn’t told him much about myself - only the most basic things, like where I grew up and some carefully chosen things about my family. Over the weeks I’d noticed that I wanted to tell him everything, I just couldn’t find the perfect moment for that.
I couldn’t help but think that he’d leave me as soon as he heard my pathetic little story. The more he told me about himself, the more I was convinced that he had a perfect life, and that I would just ruin everything with my fucked up self confidence.
However, I was enjoying his company too much to end it. I couldn’t remember ever meeting anyone like him, anyone who would have made me feel so at ease so soon. I could recall myself falling in love with Jason so soon that I didn’t even remember what it was that draw me in him in the first place.
My therapist liked to say that I’d fallen in love with the feeling, not with the person. And I think he was right. I had just wanted to feel accepted and wanted after my family had abandoned me. I hadn’t cared about all the bad signs, I had just relished in the feeling of someone taking care of me. With time there had been less caretaking and more violence and rejection, but Jason had already made me believe he was the best I could get, so I had been mentally trapped without even realising it.
I wanted to be more careful and observant this time. I certainly didn’t want to do the same mistake again, and even though there was a chance of becoming over paranoid and scaring Dom away, I couldn’t let my emotions take the most of me anymore. But no matter how I wanted to take it slow, I noticed myself being more and more attracted to the bubbly blond that had come into my life so suddenly, and it was getting hard to keep my feelings at bay.
Speaking of therapists, I was still seeing one - once every three weeks when things were normal, and more often if I felt I needed to. I had told him about Dom when he’d asked, and it had made me feel a little bit better, since I had been quiet about it to Chris and Tom. The therapist and those two were the only ones I had told about my new friend - yes, I think we had reached a point where I could maybe call him a friend - but I hadn’t felt comfortable enough to gush about him to my cousin and Tom. They roughly knew where we stood, but that was all.
Chris always insisted that I tell him when and where I was going with Dom. He was suspicious, and I wasn’t surprised at the slightest when he asked to come with me after I’d told him Dom had invited me to his place on our evening off.
Somehow I didnt think that had been part of the plan for Dom - he had specifically said that he would like to spend some time alone with me, make me dinner and maybe watch a movie - so I politely declined Chris’ offer. Sometimes he was a little bit too caring and made me feel like a child needing extra supervision. It was good to know there was someone who was willing to stand up for me when necessary, though.
So, there I was, standing behind Dom’s door on a Thursday evening, feeling very nervous and excited at the same time. We hadn’t had a proper date after that first one - I wouldn’t call the other meetings exactly dates - but this certainly had a datey feeling to it with him cooking for me and everything.
He had told me to come at six, and I was a little bit early. I hoped he wouldn’t mind.
Dom opened the door and flashed a wide smile when he saw me.
“Hi Matt! Sorry, I didn’t think you’d come this early, I would have gotten rid of this otherwise. Come in.”
He gestured down to his red apron which was folded in half from the front so that it covered him only from the waist down. He wiped his hands on the front and turned around gesturing for me to follow him, giving me the chance to take in the rest of his outfit for the evening - tight, black skinnies, dark blue belt and a blue leopard print shirt that hugged just the right places of his upper body. I’d never thought leopard print would look good on any man, but Dom certainly made an exception.
“You’re looking very good today. Handsome.” Dom turned towards me when he gave me the compliment. He looked at me from head to toe and I suddenly felt very self conscious, although a little part of me enjoyed his approving gaze. I was wearing a blue checkered button-down shirt and black skinnies that were not quite as tight as Dom’s. “I like your shirt, it accentuates your eyes. You can hang your jacket here, by the way.”
I blushed furiously and mumbled my thanks, muttering some unintelligible compliments about his outfit. I hung my jacket on a rack and followed him into the kitchen. The place looked so much like Dom that it made me smile - walls painted with bright colours, a huge window overlooking the backyard and a spacious cooking area separated from the dining area and its dark wooden table and matching chairs.
I stood in the middle of the room, turning my head around to see everything while Dom went back to the stove, a delicious smell coming from the oven.
“Oh wow, Dom, your kitchen is amazing!” I said and sat down in one of the chairs.
“Thanks! Wait until we get in the bedroom!”
We both blushed at Dom’s unintended implication and he stopped stirring whatever he had in a small bowl on the counter. “Shit, sorry, that came out wrong... but I’ll show you the bedroom and the living room anyway, if you want. Or you’re free to look around by yourself; this will still take a while.”
I smiled and nodded, taking the opportunity to wander around his small but lovely apartment. It was in the second floor of a two storey house with six apartments, and the view from his windows was stunning. He even had a balcony overlooking a lush garden and the sea, which glistened far away in the background.
The living room was only separated from the kitchen with a big, red, soft looking sofa. Speakers were situated all over the living room and next to the TV there was a music and DVD center which looked like it had probably cost a fortune. One wall was completely dedicated to movies and CD’s - the huge shelf must have contained hundreds of cases.
I proceeded where I assumed the bedroom was, and when I stepped in I knew why Dom had wanted to show it to me. The walls were painted with dark purple and the centerpiece was a huge king-size bed that looked so comfortable that if I had been alone I would have tested it by bouncing on it. Instead I just settled for putting my palms on it and giving it a few firm presses.
There was an acoustic guitar leaning on the wall in one corner, and next to it on the floor were four drumming sticks, two of them brand new and two used. On the walls there were framed posters of some beautiful photos. I remembered Dom mentioning something about photographing, and I wondered if those photos had been taken by him.
On one wall there was a shelf full of CD’s and vinyls, though one section was dedicated to family photos arranged in a neat order. I watched them for a while, trying to guess which one was his father, mother, little sister, uncle - all of those people he had mentioned earlier.
There was a lady with the same blond hair and grey eyes as Dom, and a gentleman with a dazzling smile and a large nose next to her - they must have been his...
“That’s mum and dad.”
I jumped a little because I hadn’t noticed him standing in the doorway until he spoke.
“Oh, I’m sorry, Dom, I shouldn’t have snooped like this.” I quickly pulled away my fingers which had been on their way to touch the beautiful frames.
Dom was leaning on the doorframe while he spoke. He’d removed the apron and was looking positively gorgeous with his arms crossed over his chest and an amused smile playing on his lips.
“It’s alright, I told you that you can look around if you want. Anyway, I just wanted to tell you that the food is finally ready, so you can come in the kitchen whenever you’re ready.”
“Okay, I’ll be there in a second. Can I just use the bathroom very quickly first?”
“Sure, the door is right next to the bedroom door.”
After a moment we were sitting in the dining table, our dinners disappearing from our plates in a rapid speed. It was delicious - Dom had remembered that Italian was my favourite, and he’d prepared cheese ravioli with chicken breast and pesto sauce.
“The dinner was absolutely amazing, how did you learn to cook like that?” I asked after we’d both emptied our plates.
“My mum and I used to cook together all the time when I still lived at home. We actually still do it sometimes when I go for a visit.” Dom wiped his mouth with a napkin. “Do you ever do stuff like that with your family? You’ve never told me much about them.”
I looked away and started playing with my own napkin that was lying next to my plate.
Hell, I might as well tell him.
“Um, I don’t really do stuff with them. The thing is, I haven’t been in contact with them for years. My mum left dad years ago and took my brother with her - I don’t hear about them very often nowadays - and dad kicked me out when I was seventeen.”
“Oh.” Dom looked like he didn’t know what to say, and I couldn’t blame him. I wouldn’t have either. “I’m so sorry. Why would your dad want to kick you out?”
“He didn’t take it too well when I told him I was gay. We’d never been close and that was just the last straw.”
I glanced at Dom to see his reaction and he looked genuinely dumb-struck. “Shit, I can’t believe someone would actually do something like that to his own son.” He folded his napkin in his hands. “I’m sorry if you disagree, but he sounds like a downright arse. You’re lovely; you don’t deserve to be treated like that.”
“Hah, believe me, I agree with you completely. And thanks.” I finally took my eyes away from my own napkin and looked him straight in his grey eyes. They were full of concern and I just wanted to show him it was okay, that I’d dealt with it, so I smiled in return. I stood up, starting to pile our dishes ready to be put in the dishwasher.
We worked silently in unison, clearing the table. There was silence, but it was comfortable, like we just didn’t need to talk all the time. When everything was done, I leaned my back on the kitchen counter and broke the silence.
“So, how did you tell your parents?”
“Hmm? About what? Me being gay, you mean?”
I nodded.
“I just broke the news at the breakfast table. I was fifteen. I think they’d suspected it for a while, though, I’ve always been a bit... well, flamboyant is the word, I guess. I was never quite like the other guys.”
“How did they take it?”
Dom smiled at the memory. “Mum was totally fine about it from the beginning, I guess she was just happy she had someone who understood her gushing about cute actors on the telly and such.” He walked to the DVD shelf while still talking. “It took a bit longer for my dad to warm up to the idea, but he grew to accept it eventually. My parents have been pretty amazing actually. Compared to yours, at least.”
It felt good, hearing someone other than an old friend or Chris say that what my family had done was wrong.
“Yeah... I’m alright, though, it all happened years ago. I don’t really think of them as my family anymore. Chris has been more of a family to me than they ever were.”
“You’re lucky to have Chris then.” Dom was crouched by the bottom shelf, browsing through his collection of movies. “What kinds of films do you like? I’ll admit I’m a sucker for animations and kids’ movies and romantic comedies and crap like that when I just want to wind down...”
“Oh my god, you love animations too? Do you have Wall-E? That’s my favourite of all time!”
“Of course I have it, I could watch it every day! Well, I guess we’ve decided on the movie now,” Dom chuckled and dug out the DVD, placing it in the player. I switched off the lights and pulled the curtains in front of the window, and we both plopped on the sofa side by side.
We made ourselves comfortable - Dom tucked his legs under himself and I noticed the sofa was big enough for me to sit cross-legged on it - and concentrated on the movie. Dom giggled and oohed and aahed and sighed in just the right places, and the room was dark enough so that I could observe him without getting caught. He was fascinating to watch with all his reactions, and I found myself being more interested in watching him than the movie, no matter how much I liked Wall-E.
Sometimes during the more emotional and romantic parts Dom’s leg would shift closer to mine and his hand brushed over mine. I wasn’t sure if that was intentional or not, but it felt nice and I noticed myself responding to the touch by moving my legs and hands to make the contact that much longer.
I hadn’t been able to sleep properly for many nights, and the darkness of the room combined with the relaxed atmosphere made me nod off every once in a while. Of course Dom noticed this and he straightened his legs and gave my side a gentle poke.
I drowsily turned to look at him and he extended the arm that was closer to me in invitation.
“Come here.”
And I was too tired to object. Without saying a word I scooted closer to him until he was able to wrap his arm around me and pull me into his safe embrace. At that moment it felt like the most romantic thing possible and I melted against his side, inhaling his citrusy scent and feeling how his fingertips moved gently up and down my upper arm where he held me close to himself.
I woke up a little later. At first I didn’t remember where I was, but then it all came back to me when I felt Dom’s arm still wrapped tightly around me.
I can’t believe I fell asleep in his arms. It felt really good though...
“Hey there, you dozed off for a little while. The movie just finished, shame you didn’t see the ending...” His soft voice made butterflies in my stomach flutter their wings at extra speed.
“How late is it?” I rubbed my sleepy eyes, not wanting to disentangle myself from the blond just yet.
“About eleven. You can stay here if you want. I can sleep on the sofa and you can take the bed, if that’s okay? You don’t have to go to work tomorrow, right? I only work from one to seven so you wouldn’t even have to wake up early.”
The want to sleep overpowering the want to go home, I nodded and let Dom grab my hand to drag me in his bedroom. He gave me a big t-shirt and grey pajama pants to change into and moved his own night stuff and an extra blanket to the living room.
“Feel free to eat anything you find, if you wake up before me in the morning.”
I sat down on the edge of the bed and nodded.
“Thanks for letting me stay, Dom. And, thanks, you know, for letting me sleep in your amazing bed.” I vaguely gestured at the space between his bed and the sofa.
Dom chuckled at my sleepy statement. “No problem, honestly. It’s nice to have you here.”
He took a couple of steps closer, leaned down and pecked my cheek so quickly I didn’t even realise it until he pulled away.
“This evening was lovely. Good night, Matt.” He half whispered the words.
The peck woke me up for a moment, and the stupidest grin spread on my face while I rubbed my cheek at the same time. “Yeah it was great. Good night.”
Dom retreated into the living room, leaving me on the bed still rubbing my cheek. Once I’d recovered, I had the first full night’s sleep for almost two weeks.
Author: Me, mistake_arrest
Beta: The lovely and amazing shayunknown <3
Pairing: Belldom
Rating: PG-13 for now
Warnings: Language, dark themes I guess if you're easily offended?
Summary: AU series. Matthew works as a waiter, and he has recently got out of an abusive relationship. Could Dominic help him get over his fear of falling in love again?
Feedback: Is greatly appreciated! Tell me what you think about this :)
Disclaimer: I do not own Matt, Dom, Chris, or Tom, or any other recognizable characters in this story. This is pure fiction.
Notes: Sorry about the delay, things have kept me busy! I promise to update much sooner next time :)
Previous parts:
Prologue
Chapter I
Chapter II
Chapter III
Chapter IV
Matt’s POV
During the next weeks Dom and I spent a lot of time together. We had lunch together when our work shifts allowed, we took strolls in the park and had late night pints, and I sometimes visited him at work. It was all very lovely, and at least to me it was vital time for us, because I learned so much more about Dom every time we met.
I learned that he indeed was a drummer and even occasionally played in a band. He told me stories about his childhood and his family. I discovered that our musical tastes were quite similar - he liked Queen, Rage and Nirvana just like me, and he promised to show me his massive CD collection some day.
Every time we met, we did it somewhere public. I think it was intentional from Dom’s part, because he didn’t want me to feel uncomfortable or threatened around him. The truth was that I was already quite relaxed when I was with him, and I had been for a while already.
Our meetings were very innocent, us mostly just wanting to spend some quality time together and get to know each other, but sometimes I found myself wanting to be a little bit more intimate with him. Dom seemed to be fine with the situation, even though I could have sworn that he craved that intimacy as well, probably even more than me.
I wondered if Dom knew what he was getting himself into. I still hadn’t told him much about myself - only the most basic things, like where I grew up and some carefully chosen things about my family. Over the weeks I’d noticed that I wanted to tell him everything, I just couldn’t find the perfect moment for that.
I couldn’t help but think that he’d leave me as soon as he heard my pathetic little story. The more he told me about himself, the more I was convinced that he had a perfect life, and that I would just ruin everything with my fucked up self confidence.
However, I was enjoying his company too much to end it. I couldn’t remember ever meeting anyone like him, anyone who would have made me feel so at ease so soon. I could recall myself falling in love with Jason so soon that I didn’t even remember what it was that draw me in him in the first place.
My therapist liked to say that I’d fallen in love with the feeling, not with the person. And I think he was right. I had just wanted to feel accepted and wanted after my family had abandoned me. I hadn’t cared about all the bad signs, I had just relished in the feeling of someone taking care of me. With time there had been less caretaking and more violence and rejection, but Jason had already made me believe he was the best I could get, so I had been mentally trapped without even realising it.
I wanted to be more careful and observant this time. I certainly didn’t want to do the same mistake again, and even though there was a chance of becoming over paranoid and scaring Dom away, I couldn’t let my emotions take the most of me anymore. But no matter how I wanted to take it slow, I noticed myself being more and more attracted to the bubbly blond that had come into my life so suddenly, and it was getting hard to keep my feelings at bay.
Speaking of therapists, I was still seeing one - once every three weeks when things were normal, and more often if I felt I needed to. I had told him about Dom when he’d asked, and it had made me feel a little bit better, since I had been quiet about it to Chris and Tom. The therapist and those two were the only ones I had told about my new friend - yes, I think we had reached a point where I could maybe call him a friend - but I hadn’t felt comfortable enough to gush about him to my cousin and Tom. They roughly knew where we stood, but that was all.
Chris always insisted that I tell him when and where I was going with Dom. He was suspicious, and I wasn’t surprised at the slightest when he asked to come with me after I’d told him Dom had invited me to his place on our evening off.
Somehow I didnt think that had been part of the plan for Dom - he had specifically said that he would like to spend some time alone with me, make me dinner and maybe watch a movie - so I politely declined Chris’ offer. Sometimes he was a little bit too caring and made me feel like a child needing extra supervision. It was good to know there was someone who was willing to stand up for me when necessary, though.
So, there I was, standing behind Dom’s door on a Thursday evening, feeling very nervous and excited at the same time. We hadn’t had a proper date after that first one - I wouldn’t call the other meetings exactly dates - but this certainly had a datey feeling to it with him cooking for me and everything.
He had told me to come at six, and I was a little bit early. I hoped he wouldn’t mind.
Dom opened the door and flashed a wide smile when he saw me.
“Hi Matt! Sorry, I didn’t think you’d come this early, I would have gotten rid of this otherwise. Come in.”
He gestured down to his red apron which was folded in half from the front so that it covered him only from the waist down. He wiped his hands on the front and turned around gesturing for me to follow him, giving me the chance to take in the rest of his outfit for the evening - tight, black skinnies, dark blue belt and a blue leopard print shirt that hugged just the right places of his upper body. I’d never thought leopard print would look good on any man, but Dom certainly made an exception.
“You’re looking very good today. Handsome.” Dom turned towards me when he gave me the compliment. He looked at me from head to toe and I suddenly felt very self conscious, although a little part of me enjoyed his approving gaze. I was wearing a blue checkered button-down shirt and black skinnies that were not quite as tight as Dom’s. “I like your shirt, it accentuates your eyes. You can hang your jacket here, by the way.”
I blushed furiously and mumbled my thanks, muttering some unintelligible compliments about his outfit. I hung my jacket on a rack and followed him into the kitchen. The place looked so much like Dom that it made me smile - walls painted with bright colours, a huge window overlooking the backyard and a spacious cooking area separated from the dining area and its dark wooden table and matching chairs.
I stood in the middle of the room, turning my head around to see everything while Dom went back to the stove, a delicious smell coming from the oven.
“Oh wow, Dom, your kitchen is amazing!” I said and sat down in one of the chairs.
“Thanks! Wait until we get in the bedroom!”
We both blushed at Dom’s unintended implication and he stopped stirring whatever he had in a small bowl on the counter. “Shit, sorry, that came out wrong... but I’ll show you the bedroom and the living room anyway, if you want. Or you’re free to look around by yourself; this will still take a while.”
I smiled and nodded, taking the opportunity to wander around his small but lovely apartment. It was in the second floor of a two storey house with six apartments, and the view from his windows was stunning. He even had a balcony overlooking a lush garden and the sea, which glistened far away in the background.
The living room was only separated from the kitchen with a big, red, soft looking sofa. Speakers were situated all over the living room and next to the TV there was a music and DVD center which looked like it had probably cost a fortune. One wall was completely dedicated to movies and CD’s - the huge shelf must have contained hundreds of cases.
I proceeded where I assumed the bedroom was, and when I stepped in I knew why Dom had wanted to show it to me. The walls were painted with dark purple and the centerpiece was a huge king-size bed that looked so comfortable that if I had been alone I would have tested it by bouncing on it. Instead I just settled for putting my palms on it and giving it a few firm presses.
There was an acoustic guitar leaning on the wall in one corner, and next to it on the floor were four drumming sticks, two of them brand new and two used. On the walls there were framed posters of some beautiful photos. I remembered Dom mentioning something about photographing, and I wondered if those photos had been taken by him.
On one wall there was a shelf full of CD’s and vinyls, though one section was dedicated to family photos arranged in a neat order. I watched them for a while, trying to guess which one was his father, mother, little sister, uncle - all of those people he had mentioned earlier.
There was a lady with the same blond hair and grey eyes as Dom, and a gentleman with a dazzling smile and a large nose next to her - they must have been his...
“That’s mum and dad.”
I jumped a little because I hadn’t noticed him standing in the doorway until he spoke.
“Oh, I’m sorry, Dom, I shouldn’t have snooped like this.” I quickly pulled away my fingers which had been on their way to touch the beautiful frames.
Dom was leaning on the doorframe while he spoke. He’d removed the apron and was looking positively gorgeous with his arms crossed over his chest and an amused smile playing on his lips.
“It’s alright, I told you that you can look around if you want. Anyway, I just wanted to tell you that the food is finally ready, so you can come in the kitchen whenever you’re ready.”
“Okay, I’ll be there in a second. Can I just use the bathroom very quickly first?”
“Sure, the door is right next to the bedroom door.”
After a moment we were sitting in the dining table, our dinners disappearing from our plates in a rapid speed. It was delicious - Dom had remembered that Italian was my favourite, and he’d prepared cheese ravioli with chicken breast and pesto sauce.
“The dinner was absolutely amazing, how did you learn to cook like that?” I asked after we’d both emptied our plates.
“My mum and I used to cook together all the time when I still lived at home. We actually still do it sometimes when I go for a visit.” Dom wiped his mouth with a napkin. “Do you ever do stuff like that with your family? You’ve never told me much about them.”
I looked away and started playing with my own napkin that was lying next to my plate.
Hell, I might as well tell him.
“Um, I don’t really do stuff with them. The thing is, I haven’t been in contact with them for years. My mum left dad years ago and took my brother with her - I don’t hear about them very often nowadays - and dad kicked me out when I was seventeen.”
“Oh.” Dom looked like he didn’t know what to say, and I couldn’t blame him. I wouldn’t have either. “I’m so sorry. Why would your dad want to kick you out?”
“He didn’t take it too well when I told him I was gay. We’d never been close and that was just the last straw.”
I glanced at Dom to see his reaction and he looked genuinely dumb-struck. “Shit, I can’t believe someone would actually do something like that to his own son.” He folded his napkin in his hands. “I’m sorry if you disagree, but he sounds like a downright arse. You’re lovely; you don’t deserve to be treated like that.”
“Hah, believe me, I agree with you completely. And thanks.” I finally took my eyes away from my own napkin and looked him straight in his grey eyes. They were full of concern and I just wanted to show him it was okay, that I’d dealt with it, so I smiled in return. I stood up, starting to pile our dishes ready to be put in the dishwasher.
We worked silently in unison, clearing the table. There was silence, but it was comfortable, like we just didn’t need to talk all the time. When everything was done, I leaned my back on the kitchen counter and broke the silence.
“So, how did you tell your parents?”
“Hmm? About what? Me being gay, you mean?”
I nodded.
“I just broke the news at the breakfast table. I was fifteen. I think they’d suspected it for a while, though, I’ve always been a bit... well, flamboyant is the word, I guess. I was never quite like the other guys.”
“How did they take it?”
Dom smiled at the memory. “Mum was totally fine about it from the beginning, I guess she was just happy she had someone who understood her gushing about cute actors on the telly and such.” He walked to the DVD shelf while still talking. “It took a bit longer for my dad to warm up to the idea, but he grew to accept it eventually. My parents have been pretty amazing actually. Compared to yours, at least.”
It felt good, hearing someone other than an old friend or Chris say that what my family had done was wrong.
“Yeah... I’m alright, though, it all happened years ago. I don’t really think of them as my family anymore. Chris has been more of a family to me than they ever were.”
“You’re lucky to have Chris then.” Dom was crouched by the bottom shelf, browsing through his collection of movies. “What kinds of films do you like? I’ll admit I’m a sucker for animations and kids’ movies and romantic comedies and crap like that when I just want to wind down...”
“Oh my god, you love animations too? Do you have Wall-E? That’s my favourite of all time!”
“Of course I have it, I could watch it every day! Well, I guess we’ve decided on the movie now,” Dom chuckled and dug out the DVD, placing it in the player. I switched off the lights and pulled the curtains in front of the window, and we both plopped on the sofa side by side.
We made ourselves comfortable - Dom tucked his legs under himself and I noticed the sofa was big enough for me to sit cross-legged on it - and concentrated on the movie. Dom giggled and oohed and aahed and sighed in just the right places, and the room was dark enough so that I could observe him without getting caught. He was fascinating to watch with all his reactions, and I found myself being more interested in watching him than the movie, no matter how much I liked Wall-E.
Sometimes during the more emotional and romantic parts Dom’s leg would shift closer to mine and his hand brushed over mine. I wasn’t sure if that was intentional or not, but it felt nice and I noticed myself responding to the touch by moving my legs and hands to make the contact that much longer.
I hadn’t been able to sleep properly for many nights, and the darkness of the room combined with the relaxed atmosphere made me nod off every once in a while. Of course Dom noticed this and he straightened his legs and gave my side a gentle poke.
I drowsily turned to look at him and he extended the arm that was closer to me in invitation.
“Come here.”
And I was too tired to object. Without saying a word I scooted closer to him until he was able to wrap his arm around me and pull me into his safe embrace. At that moment it felt like the most romantic thing possible and I melted against his side, inhaling his citrusy scent and feeling how his fingertips moved gently up and down my upper arm where he held me close to himself.
I woke up a little later. At first I didn’t remember where I was, but then it all came back to me when I felt Dom’s arm still wrapped tightly around me.
I can’t believe I fell asleep in his arms. It felt really good though...
“Hey there, you dozed off for a little while. The movie just finished, shame you didn’t see the ending...” His soft voice made butterflies in my stomach flutter their wings at extra speed.
“How late is it?” I rubbed my sleepy eyes, not wanting to disentangle myself from the blond just yet.
“About eleven. You can stay here if you want. I can sleep on the sofa and you can take the bed, if that’s okay? You don’t have to go to work tomorrow, right? I only work from one to seven so you wouldn’t even have to wake up early.”
The want to sleep overpowering the want to go home, I nodded and let Dom grab my hand to drag me in his bedroom. He gave me a big t-shirt and grey pajama pants to change into and moved his own night stuff and an extra blanket to the living room.
“Feel free to eat anything you find, if you wake up before me in the morning.”
I sat down on the edge of the bed and nodded.
“Thanks for letting me stay, Dom. And, thanks, you know, for letting me sleep in your amazing bed.” I vaguely gestured at the space between his bed and the sofa.
Dom chuckled at my sleepy statement. “No problem, honestly. It’s nice to have you here.”
He took a couple of steps closer, leaned down and pecked my cheek so quickly I didn’t even realise it until he pulled away.
“This evening was lovely. Good night, Matt.” He half whispered the words.
The peck woke me up for a moment, and the stupidest grin spread on my face while I rubbed my cheek at the same time. “Yeah it was great. Good night.”
Dom retreated into the living room, leaving me on the bed still rubbing my cheek. Once I’d recovered, I had the first full night’s sleep for almost two weeks.