Fic: RunAway - XXX. Secret
Series info, summary, warnings, and disclaimer
Previous chapters
Chapter Title: Secret
Chapter Summary: Hans learns something about Dom
After not getting an answer three times when he called on the phone, Hans started to get worried. The first time Dom didn’t answer his phone, he figured maybe Dom was out. The second, possibly in the shower. The third…
Hans knocked loudly on the door of Dom’s new flat to no answer. After calling out loudly, he used his key to open the door.
As soon as Dom heard the lock turn, he jumped off the small couch (in an effort to hide), and fell flat on his face. He tried to scramble out of sight, but when he reached for the cushions to help himself up, he grasped air and fell once again.
“Oh God,” Hans murmured, quickly crossing the room to help Dom to his feet.
“G’way. M’busy righ’ now,” Dom slurred, leaning heavily on Hans.
“You’re drunk is what you are.”
“Too bloody righ’.”
“God, Nick, what prompted this? Please don’t tell me it’s just because I wasn’t watching you.”
“Nah. But it was all for naught. Naught, knot, not.” Dom giggled. “Why do I even care anymore, Hans? I’m done. I’m just… I’m done.” He made a lazily harsh gesture with his hand. “M’done.”
“Here, sit back down,” Hans said, pushing Dom back onto the couch. The floor was littered with empty beer bottles, a half-full bottle of vodka, and two magazines. Dom slumped on the couch, his eyes out of focus. Only a few minutes later, he fell asleep and snored softly.
Hans picked up the empty bottles and put the vodka in a high cabinet in the kitchen. When he returned to the sofa, he glanced at the open magazines. Looking closer at the pictures, Hans’ jaw clenched and his gaze hardened. He read the article, then picked up the other magazine, scanning it for a similar story. The second was only slightly varied from the first.
“C’mon Nicky, let’s get you into bed,” Hans said, lifting Dom up off the couch. “Can you walk with me? C’mon, wake up a bit, then I’ll let you sleep.”
Hans dragged Dom to the bed, then collapsed beside him, staring at the ceiling. “Why me? Why do I have to deal with this?” he muttered. Dom snored next to him.
***
Dom opened his eyes blearily. Hans was looking straight at him with a stern expression. He closed his eyes again.
“Drink some water, Nick.” Hans nudged Dom’s arm with a cool glass. “C’mon, sit up.”
Dom grudgingly sat upright, leaning against the wall behind him, and drank the water. Hans didn’t look happy.
“You’re a fucking bastard, Dominic.”
“…What?”
“Did you not know that you were on the news? Everyone thinks you’re dead!”
“What the hell happened last night?”
“Your friends think you’ve killed yourself.”
“Sorry, but, what are you talking about? Keep in mind I’m hung-over and can’t understand words longer than two syllables.”
“I knew you were familiar. I knew it! I’m such an idiot.”
“Hans, please tell me what you’re on about. Please. My head hurts already.” Dom pleaded, rubbing his forehead.
“Tell me everything, Dominic Monaghan, or I’m going to the police right now.”
Dom froze. He couldn’t very well deny his identity after that reaction, but he didn’t know how much Hans already knew anyway. “Please don’t tell anyone. Please, I’m begging you, as my friend, don’t tell anyone.”
“Then you’d better start talking.” Hans replied coldly. “Enough with the lying. I want the truth, and I’m sure your friends want the truth.”
Dom sighed and resigned himself to storytelling. “Nearly everything I told you is true. Except, y’know, my name. But even that’s technically true…”
“The part about being in love?”
“All true.”
“Obviously the part about being an actor…”
“Nearly everything. Bernard’s even my middle name. One of them, anyway.”
“But you’re not called ‘Nick’, are you? It’s ‘Dom’, right?”
“Yeah.”
They were silent for several long moments. Hans finally drew in a breath, preparing to speak.
“Then… why are you here?” Dom cocked his head, not really understanding the question. “I mean, you have money, you have friends, you have family. You’re famous. Why are you here?”
“I had money, I have a few friends, and alright, I’ll give you the family part. But I’m barely famous, and most people just don’t care. I wanted to kill myself, I really did. But this seemed like a less permanent solution.”
“What happened to your money and your friends? I know you had them both at some point.”
“Gave my money to an environmental organization. A lot of my friends weren’t really friends. S’just how it is in Hollywood.”
“But you had a life! You had a life that anyone would envy. How could you give that up?”
“I couldn’t enjoy it.”
“You don’t enjoy life now.”
“Well, no.”
“So things haven’t gotten any better.”
“Things were better yesterday. Before the fucking article. The bastard baited them, I’m sure of it, and he’s putting Billy through hell just to get money.”
Hans was quiet for a moment before answering. “You put Billy through hell, Dominic.”
“Don’t.”
“It’s the truth and you know it. He didn’t want you to disappear. Neither did Elijah and Orlando, from the looks of those pictures.”
“Stop.”
“You’re a selfish bastard, Dominic. Did you really think that they’d just pick up and move on?” Hans continued, ignoring Dom’s soft pleas.
“You don’t know.”
“I can see it better than you. They didn’t want you to leave.”
“Shut up!” Dom finally shouted, sending the empty water glass crashing to the floor, where it shattered loudly. The two men stared at each other for a minute, then Hans sighed and stood to clean up the glass.
Next: Temptation