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Title: Daysleeper
Author: kiltsandlollies
Pairing: BB/DM
Rating: PG, omg
Author’s Note: for slightlytricky. Sweetest of dreams to you.


The first time Dominic wakes Billy up in the middle of a nap, he’s willing to forgive and forget. After only a month and a half together as hobbits, Dominic can’t be expected to know that Billy needs his sleep, and will take it when and how he can get it.

Dominic doesn’t sleep in the middle of the day, Billy notices. When Peter calls for an hour’s break so they can re–hang lights and re–harangue Orlando, Astin runs off to make phone calls, Elijah falls asleep face down in a book, and Billy dozes, curled up tight in the nearest chair.

Dominic paces, chews on his fingernails and untucks his pristine shirt from under Merry’s vest. He reaches for other people’s water bottles and pressgangs crew members into almost–violent games of FIFA Soccer on Elijah’s Playstation. He even bothers the catering staff, loudly extolling the virtues of this spice and that and offering bribes into the three digits to anyone brave enough to spike Billy’s porridge with high–grade ground cinnamon.

But he does not sleep.

This confounds Billy, to the extent that Billy allows himself to be confounded by anything. It becomes a personal mission to settle Dominic and lull him into midday rest, and once decided on a mission, Billy is not easily distracted from its end. He watches Dominic over the next week with heavy–lidded eyes, and finds that while it won’t be a mission impossible, it will be … a challenge.

~~

The first time Billy sidles up next to him behind the makeup trailer, Dominic jumps a foot in the air and stares at Billy as if he were the world’s most adorable ghost. It’s true that neither of them looks particularly adult in their costumes, but while Dominic cannot stand the prosthetic belly or his vest, it’s Billy who suffers most, caught as he is in the wee scarf and little boy’s blue jacket.

“Thought you were off for a nap,” Dominic says, shoving his hands in his too–high pockets. This awkward position makes Dominic look more lovely than usual to Billy’s sleepy eyes, and he smiles, mirroring Dominic’s stance.

“I was,” Billy nods. “Thought you’d want company, though.”

“But you’re tired—“

“Of course,” Billy shrugs. “Who isn’t? I also need a bath and a pint and I wouldn’t say no to some pipeweed.”

Dominic’s formidable, freckled nose wrinkles at the word. “That’s disgusting.”

“You say that now. I’ll lay odds that in five years you’ll be smoking something, however loosely we define it.”

Dominic is silent, bobbing and down in his hobbit feet. Billy can tell he wants to run or play or kick a football—anything to keep from standing still.

“We’ve got a day off next Wednesday,” Billy says, and Dominic turns to him with that yes, and? look he’s perfected over countless conversations with Elijah. “Thought I’d run away.”

Dominic continues to stare, until Billy smiles again.

“Thought I’d take you with me.”

~~

The first time Billy climbs up the side of a mountain hours away from the current set, he understands why these enormous rocks are called the Remarkables. They are beautiful, if somewhat frightening, and Billy takes the time to run his fingers into the smoother cracks in the rock as he follows Dominic up the mountain.

It’s a compromise, after all. Billy wanted to escape, and Dominic wanted to get rid of a week’s pent–up energy. Now Billy watches Dominic racing ahead, and he wonders what he was thinking.

“You alright?” Dominic calls from 25 feet above. Billy nods, reaching for the next hold and lifting himself on deceptively strong arms. And he is alright. Will be even more so once they clear the next rise, where Dominic has promised they’ll stop and rest and, Billy hopes, talk.

Billy clambers over the last absurdly shaped rock in his path and only just stops himself from collapsing next to Dominic.

“Hey,” Dominic says softly, looking up into the sun.

“Hey,” Billy nods again. “You were right; it’s beautiful up here.”

“I didn’t really know,” Dominic laughs, kicking at the pebbles at his feet. “First time I’ve been, myself.”

“What?”

“It was worth it, though, right?”

Billy’s eyes are wide. “You’re insane.”

“But the good kind.” Dominic yawns, stretching his arms over his head. “Tired.”

Billy’s mouth is open to read Dominic riot acts in several languages, but at Dominic’s words, he softens happily.

“Come and have a rest, then.”

~~

The first time Dominic leans against Billy’s shoulder and closes his eyes, Billy’s filled with a strange protective warmth. He and Dominic have made a joke of how much they are the opposite of their characters, but it’s never felt more true to Billy than now.

Five minutes later, Billy’s arm has grown numb. “Dom,” he murmurs, half–asleep himself. “Dom, lay down, hmm?”

Dominic allows Billy to shift him gently until his head is pillowed in Billy’s lap. Billy’s eyes stay closed, but his hand moves into Dominic’s hair, stroking until Dominic’s almost purring in his sleep.

“There,” Billy whispers. “Not so bad, is it. You should rest during the day more often, Dom, for the sake of the crew if not for yourself. I know you think you can’t. But it feels good, yeah?”

“’s alright,” Dominic murmurs, and Billy blinks.

“You’re not asleep—“

“I was waiting for you,” Dominic smiles, his eyes still shut.

“Rubbish. I sleep all the time—“

“Not with me.”

And this suddenly confounds Billy, to the extent that Billy allows himself to be confounded by anything. Dominic turns so his head is tucked against Billy’s stomach, and Billy surrenders to his confusion, putting it away for another day. He slides two fingers down Dominic’s cheekbone, and Dominic sighs, content in his beginning dream, and falls into sleep, dragging Billy along.

The first time Billy wakes up with Dominic, it’s to a feeling of better rest than he’s had in years.


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