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Title: Cold
Author: kiltsandlollies
Pairing: BB/DM
Rating: PG
Notes: Alert the media, I've written Billy/Dom fluff. And loved it. :-) This one's for the very rocking anesthezea, whose birthday was Saturday, and because I suck as a human being, it's late.

 
“Do you suppose it’s hard working like that?” Billy says softly in the darkness.

Dominic stirs, tries hard not to be irritated simply because he needs his sleep and Billy cannot shut up. It’s been like this for a week. They fall into bed silently, exhausted and tense from hours sitting at absurd angles in a tree, of all things, and the moment Dominic feels the last of his limbs go numb in sleep, Billy’s mind wakes up.

“Working like what?” Dominic yawns.

“Helm’s Deep ...” Billy sighs. “All night ... in rain and mud and such. And fighting, too.” Billy rolls over and faces Dominic, eyes wide and a little wet. “They must be so tired.”

Dominic pulls him closer, tucks him in tight. There is something in Billy’s voice that worries him, but he’s careful not to show it too soon. “Bill, d’you remember Bree? We were wet and cold and in the mud and tired, too. And then the Midgewaters—”

Billy shivers, and Dominic’s hand moves immediately to brush Billy’s hair from his forehead, just as he did the night after they shot the Marshes—the first night Billy had fallen asleep in Dominic’s arms.

“Then Caradhras,” Billy giggles, recovering.

“That was different,” Dominic laughs in return. “Walking in real snow—”

“And then watching everyone else in sandpaper snow.”

“And then getting hauled up a mountain for five and half seconds’ close up work ...” Dominic touches his nose to Billy’s. “You were blue with cold, Bill, and I thought your teeth would break from the chattering.”

“You were cold, too,” Billy mutters petulantly. Dominic sticks out his tongue and Billy catches it in his own mouth, pulling it between his teeth and biting gently, making Dominic hold him even tighter. Dominic backs up to breathe, and Billy purrs happily, ducking his head closer into Dominic’s neck.

“It was fun, though ... We had fun afterwards, didn’t we?” Dominic peers out over Billy head at the window. Two clouds pass over the moon while Dominic waits, and he thinks Billy may have at last fallen asleep. When he looks down to be sure, Billy meets his gaze, and Dominic swallows hard against what he sees in Billy’s eyes: trust, but also fear; love, but also distance. Dominic cannot explain it to himself, but it makes him pull Billy harder to him, ignoring the little huff Billy makes when their chins bump.

“What is it?” Dominic asks, his lips trailing across Billy’s. “What are you thinking now?”

“I just ... the gates of Moria,” Billy whispers. Dominic stiffens at the memory of Billy, curled tightly into a ball on the rocks, trying to get warm, waiting for the end of the shoot—and nearly sobbing with relief when it came. Dominic throws the duvet over them now, shoving it neatly around Billy’s slight body. Billy’s eyes droop just a bit, and Dominic smiles.

“I don’t think we have anything left to shoot in the cold.”

Billy nods, and lets his palms settle on Dominic’s chest. Dominic doesn’t even flinch anymore at Billy’s cold hands. He’s accustomed to the touch now, and it gives him something softer and gentler than pleasure to be a source of warmth for his best friend, his lover, his Pip.

“I don’t like the cold, Dom ...” Billy murmurs. “And I don’t like mud.”

“I know.”

“Not much a fan of the rain anymore, either ...”

“I know.” Dominic runs one hand up and down Billy’s back slowly, willing Billy to warm up, to relax, to sleep. To stop thinking. It’s quiet for a moment, and Dominic wants very much to close his eyes, but he knows there’s something more to be said. Something Billy needs to say.

“Dom ...” Billy whispers, so close to Dominic’s face that they could—should, Dominic thinks quickly but doesn’t act on it because that really wouldn’t speed up the process of sleep—be kissing again.

“Yes?”

“I don’t even like the fighting.”

“I know, Bill ...”

“But Dom ...”

“Billy?”

“I’m so glad we’re not out there.”

“I know.”

Billy opens his mouth to speak once more, then his face twists, collapses and flattens back out again in a yawn. Dominic smiles, bringing Billy’s sleepy eyes and pouty lips to his own. Billy relaxes into the kiss, and when they break away once more he’s so very close to sleep it almost breaks Dominic’s heart.

“We’re not meant for it, you know ...” Dominic whispers. Billy’s eyes open but stay at half–mast. Dominic traces his thumb across Billy’s eyebrow and leans in again for another kiss. “We’re not supposed to be out in the cold and the rain and the snow—”

“And the fight,” Billy nods, swallowing around another yawn.

“We’re meant to be here.”

It comes out louder and firmer than Dominic had planned it, and Billy trembles a bit in his arms. Dominic regroups, lands one more kiss and smiles into Billy’s concerned eyes.

“We’re meant to be right here, in this bed, right now’s what I mean, Billy. You’re meant to do the thinking and I’m meant to keep you warm, and you’re meant to kiss me until I can’t breathe, and I’m meant to wrap myself around you until morning and—”

“Dom ...”

“Billy?”

“It must be very cold out there tonight, because I can’t seem to get warm.” And indeed, Billy is trembling again. Dominic reaches for another blanket and drapes it over them both until Billy sighs.

“Better?”

Billy nods and drops his head back into the crook of Dominic’s neck.

“Dom?”

“Yes, Billy ...”

“How long are you going to do this for me?”

Dominic takes a deep breath and exhales into the top of Billy’s hair. He can feel Billy’s shallow breathing on his chest, and he doubts Billy is awake enough to hear his answer. It’s alright though, because Dominic’s already answered this same question many times in his own head.

“As long as it takes, Bill.”

Underneath the covers and tucked deep into and against Dominic’s blast–furnace skin, Billy smiles.

And sleeps.


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