"Kiss Me, I'm Irish" [2/3]
Title: “Kiss Me, I’m Irish”
Author: zetastation
Beta: easilyerased
Pairing: Belldom
Setting: AU - Ballybay, Ireland.
Rating: NC-17 (PG-13 for this one)
Warnings: diva!Dom, language (for this one... hehe)
Prompt: by the adorable thekeyholder - Dom plans to go somewhere fancy for Christmas, but shit happens and he ends up in a small remote town where he gets to know Matthew (who is annoying at first). Entry for snowpremacy 2013.
Feedback: as good as Matt wearing just socks and a phone.
Disclaimer: I don’t own Muse and this is a work of fiction, never happened. The places mentioned here in this story exist for real and I don’t own them. No offence intended.
Part 1 - Part 3
I woke up the next morning with my back and arms aching. When I opened my eyes, I found myself alone in the living room of Matthew’s house. I cursed, realising that the previous events from the last night were not a nightmare as I thought they were… Everything was real. I really was stuck somewhere where I didn’t know a thing.
Tossing the duvet aside, I sat up and rubbed my eyes. Everything was quiet. I got up and walked to the closest window, cleaning the blurry glass with my sleeve, and took a look outside. The whole street was white, full of snow, with only two dark paths along the way - obviously made to allow the cars to pass. I noticed Matthew’s car was not parked anymore; I wondered where he had gone.
I stretched, yawning, and searched for a bathrobe and clean clothes inside my bag. I quickly investigated around his house, looking for the bathroom, but I realised there were just the living room and the kitchen downstairs. I sighed, bored, and headed upstairs; there were two rooms, Matthew’s and another one, locked. Mumbling, I had to try his room; it was unlocked and I entered it.
Like the rest of his house, his room was simplistic; a double bed, a wardrobe, a desk with a phone and tons of papers dispersed over it and a small bookstand beside that.
I grabbed the phone and dialled Emma’s number. Fortunately, there was signal even after the blizzard last night.
She didn’t take long to pick up the call. “Hello?”
“I will chase you and I’ll hurt you.” I said through gritted teeth, in a low, threatening tone.
“W-who are you?!” Emma asked, nervous.
“Do you know Dominic James Howard? He’s dead to you!”
“Dom…? Is that you?”
“Of course it’s me!”
“For god’s sake, Dommy! You scared the hell out of me! That was not funny!” I heard her sighing loud.
“Don’t call me ‘Dommy’! I’m mad at you! You fucked up my holidays!”
“Me?! Why me?! Do you think I’m happy here in Dublin?! I was supposed to intervene a murder right now and I took the wrong flight!”
“Oh, please! They are just fishes, Emma!” I growled, rolling my eyes. How can she be so stupid?! Emma, the Animals’ Saviour. “You bought the wrong tickets! Now I’m stuck with those hicks and it’s your bloody fault!” I shouted.
“They’re not hicks, they’re good people! You are a tremendous city bastard, so disrespectful.”
“Shut up!”
“Why did you call me, after all? To threaten me?”
“I just want to get away from here, but the next flight will be only tomorrow. I’m bored like hell.”
“I hope you’ll take a lesson from what happened. Where are you now?”
“I’m in the house of some guy from a bar.” I shrugged, not even realizing how careless I have sounded.
“You what?!” She squeaked. “Did you sleep with a random guy you don’t even know?! Where’s your honour?!” Emma sounded disgusted.
“No, you idiot! I didn’t sleep with anyone! He’s just an annoying guy I met here. He owns a bar and took me to his place. I slept on his fucking couch.”
“Still. You must be more careful! He can be a maniac!”
“C’mon! It’s not like I’ll get pregnant from him!” I scoffed.
“Just be careful, okay? And use protection.”
“Don’t mother me. I’m a grown up, you know? And I’m not interested in him; he’s the most boring guy I’ve ever met.”
“If you say so…” She kept silence for a few seconds before talking again. “I don’t know when I’ll see you again, so… Merry Christmas to you.” And she hung up.
I stared at the phone in my hand and whispered, “Merry Christmas to you too.” before placing it again onto the desk.
I looked around, caught sight of a wooden door next to the wardrobe, and went there; that was the bathroom.
Simplistic, once again, but at least he had a bathtub, thank god. I turned on the hot tap and cupped my hands, letting the water fill them before splashing the water on my face. I waited a bit more and, when the tub filled enough to submerge my legs, I stepped into the hot water and sighed in relief, feeling my muscles relaxing under that warmth.
Resting my head on the rim of the tub, I looked at the ceiling and tried to clear my mind. I scanned the whole bathroom and spotted bath salts over the sink. I blinked a few times and decided to get up to take the container; drops of water running down my body to puddle on the floor.
I poured the salts in the water and rested my back against the wall of the tub. “Even the hick can have his fancy things now and then.” I chuckled to myself, remembering how mad he got at me while whining about my fancy habits.
It’s not like I’m a city bastard, as Emma made sure to state; I just have better taste than people like her and Matthew do.
The hot water was doing wonders to my body and I started to feel the tension going away. I took a deep breath and lifted one hand to my neck, rubbing it and then my chest; observing the droplets slipping down my skin.
I lingered on the bath for a few minutes until my pleasant activity was interrupted by loud bangs on the bathroom door. I looked at it, jumpy, widening my eyes and holding to the edges of the tub.
“Oi!” I heard a male voice shouting from Matthew’s room. “What are you doing there?!”
“M-Matthew? Is that you?!” What if Emma was right?! I was not careful enough and now I just found out my host is a maniac!
“Obviously!” he growled and kept banging on the door.
“Stop it, man! I’m trying to take a bath, for fuck’s sake!” What was his problem?!
“Are you using my tub?!” Matthew squeaked.
“Yeah...?”
“Get the hell outta there, now!” I watched in shock when he opened the door, striding towards me with a frown in his face.
I didn’t dare to move myself; I just, open-mouthed, saw him grabbing the towel I had left on the hook next the door and throwing it onto my face. Matthew approached the tub and I tensed when I noticed him leaning forward, guiding one of his hands in the faucet direction, turning it off. I pulled my legs up in a defensive move, embracing them and feeling my face burning; I was not able to stare at him for a long time, so I just looked away.
“I didn’t give you permission to use the tub,” he said in a stern tone. “I don’t have enough money to pay for all the water you’re spending just to sustain your whims.” Without looking at him, I nodded. “Use the shower.” Matthew walked away, leaving the bathroom.
I exhaled loud when he shut the door.
***
After the bathroom incident, I felt uncomfortable whenever Matthew was around. I was ashamed and a bit scared; I didn’t imagine he would react that way. If he didn’t want me to use his tub, he could just warn me. I think he overreacted.
And, oh gosh, he saw me naked! Even if he had thrown me a towel, I still think he was able to see something! I couldn’t help blushing when he was around.
Maybe the most uncomfortable time was when we had breakfast. As soon as I finished getting dressed, I went downstairs and found Matthew in the kitchen, preparing some coffee. I froze at the doorway because I didn’t know whether to stay and have some food or leave once and for all and find another place to spend my nights before my flight.
However, I was not fast enough and Matthew noticed my presence. I held my breath when he glanced at me, two mugs in his hands. “I made breakfast,” he said and placed one of the mugs in the other end of the table before taking a seat. I just stood still in the doorway. “Aren’t you hungry?” He took a sip of his coffee.
I heard my stomach growling and saw Matthew quirking an eyebrow. I sighed and sat on the opposite side where he had placed the other mug. Over the table, there were a little basket with croissants and brioche, a plate with slices of toasts, another one with carrot and Guinness porter cake. Also, there was a jug of orange juice and two clean glasses beside it.
Musing about what I would like to eat, I found Matthew staring at me again. “What?” I asked.
“I know it’s not the richest breakfast you’ve ever had, but it’s all I could afford, okay? So you’d better not complain.”
“I was not going to complain.” I picked a croissant and munched on it. “It’s quite good, you know?”
We kept eating without saying a word, until Matthew break the silence. “What’s your name?”
“Hm?”
“I don’t know your name yet.” He said, pouring juice into his glass.
“Oh, I’m Dominic Howard.” Right, we had not introduced ourselves yet.
“I’m Matthew Bellamy, but you already know it.”
“Yeah, I read the label on your shirt yesterday.”
“How did you end up here in Ballybay? For all that I’ve noticed, you’re not pleased here, so why would you like to come to a place you obviously don’t like?”
“Well, this is a long, sad story…” I sighed.
“I have time enough.”
So I told him everything that have happened so far; about Emma buying wrong tickets and my original plans for Christmas. Matthew listened to me, visibly bored most of the time, but I just shrugged. He certainly still thought I was a ‘city child’, but what could I do? He can think whatever he wants to think, I couldn’t care less. I’m not trying to impress him after all.
“You’re British, huh?” he asked and I nodded. “I am, too.”
“Oh, I was about to ask you where you are from since I haven’t noticed any Irish accent.”
“Yes, I’m from Cambridge and moved out here seven years ago with my parents and siblings.”
“Do they live here too?”
“Not in my house, of course, but near here. They went to spend Christmas in Cambridge.”
“Why you didn’t go with them?” I asked, curious.
“Two reasons. First, I didn’t want to close the bar; we can always make more money during Christmas time.” He chuckled. “And second, I love Ballybay. It’s so quiet here; all that I need. I can’t stand the big cities pollution and noises, traffic… It’s terrifying!”
“I’m completely the opposite of you.” I smiled, gently, and Matthew mirrored me.
Once again, I noticed his wonky tooth garnishing his smile. He looked quite cute…
What the hell was I thinking?
***
The rest of the day was boring like hell. I had nothing to do but watch some telly, but there wasn’t anything good on air; I just surfed through the channels, watched a documentary about leopards’ reproduction and then switched to a culinary channel where they were showing how to use brie in a mushroom soup.
Matthew told me he was going to keep the bar open until late; it was Christmas Eve. I was surprised he left me alone in his house during the whole day, but I couldn’t resist the boredom and, when I looked through the window and saw that night had fallen, I decided to go out for a walk.
It was cold, of course, chilling me to the bones, and my shoes were quickly soiled. I cursed, annoyed, and decided to go to Matthew’s bar, observing the decorated houses along the way with lighted candles in the windows.
When I got there and entered the place, I watched, startled, as Matthew danced on the counter, holding a half-filled pint glass in each hand. Yes, he was dancing on the counter! Matthew Bellamy, the Grumpy Hick Dancer. He was laughing loudly, almost hysterically, hopping on one leg and then on the other, beer spilling from his glasses.
Loud, happy music was playing in the bar, many people dancing some traditional dance and holding their beers. The music was being played by a few men next the fireplace; they had fiddles, flutes, pipes, accordions and concertinas. Giggles, happy laughs and conversations filled the place; women and men, all having great fun, linking their arms together and moving in circles, bumping into other pairs, but none of them worrying about that. They just laughed even louder.
I suddenly found myself being pushed into the crowd by unknown people. A woman tried to link her arm with mine, but I was already too frightened by the overwhelming reception, so I stepped away, approaching the bar counter. I felt liquid dripping onto my hair and headed a hand to wipe it away, bringing it close to my nose and realizing it was beer. I wrinkled my nose and looked up; Matthew was still standing on the counter, holding one of his glasses above my head and smirking at me with a red face. He was visibly drunk.
“Well, well! Look if it’s not Dominic, King of the City!” He burst out laughing and took long gulps from his drink, a thin line of beer tracing down his chin. Matthew sat down on the counter, swigging his legs as a child does. “I thought you were going to stay home. I was not expecting you to show up here.” He emptied one of his glasses and filled it again; there was a small beer barrel beside him. “Take it.” He offered me the glass.
“No, thanks.” I shook my head.
“Oh, please! Take it! It’s the best Irish beer!” He guided the glass to my lips and forced me to take a sip. I frowned and tried to move away, but he was insisting so much that I gave up. “Like it?” he asked.
“Uh…” I took the glass from his hand and sipped more of the beverage. I’m accustomed to the taste of fine wine and champagne, but that beer was not bad! “Yes, maybe. A bit.”
“Everyone likes it.” He smiled slyly, placing one hand on my shoulder.
“What the hell is that?” I asked when I noticed the ‘Colin Morgan’s Evil Twin’ shirt he was wearing under his jacket.
“Ah, I lost a bet and some chick made me wear it. This guy is apparently an actor or something, I don’t know.” Matthew giggled, tugging on the end of the shirt to look better at a male face printed on the fabric. I am usually curious, but I preferred not to ask him what the bet was.
“I thought you were going to keep the bar, not to join the costumers,” I mocked before taking another sip of the beer.
“Yeah, yeah. But my friend Christopher told me to have some fun. He doesn’t drink so he’ll stay here in my place.” He shrugged.
“You sound like you don’t have fun very often,” I remarked, looking curiously at him and waiting for his answer.
“Right. It’s true, I don’t.”
“I can imagine that.” I leaned against the counter. It was not hard to understand him, I mean, of course I thought ‘what the hell? How can someone rather stay home than go out with friends, go shopping or to a cinema?’; but judging by what I’ve known of him so far, yeah, I got him.
“But…” In one gulp, he finished the other beer, wiping his mouth with his sleeve. “It’s Christmas! I can have fun tonight!” He got off the counter and brush off his trousers.
“Well, it’s not Christmas yet, but-” I heard him growling before taking my hand and guiding me through the crowd to the middle of the bar. Remember, that place was not big enough for everyone inside it. “O-oi!” I tried to protest, withdrawing my hand.
“C’mon, Dom! Shake those hips to me!” Matthew then… Smacked my right cheek and kept dragging me to the middle.
“W-WHAT?!” I jolted, scared about his new behaviour. “D-don’t call me ‘Dom’!” I warned him.
“Dom, Dommeh, Dommy, Dominic! Let’s dance!” It was the last comprehensible thing he said before linking his arm with mine and dancing to the contagious rhythm of the Irish music.
***