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Title: Flutter
Author: kiltsandlollies
Pairing: Dominic Monaghan/Norman Reedus
Note: For slightlytricky, because she is more than slightly speshul.


It’s a tickling sensation at first, like a spider walking up one’s back, slowly. It’s definitely not the kind of thing that would wake Norman from a good—or hell, bad—night’s sleep. But it’s not night, not anymore, and the chance that whatever the hell’s crawling up his back probably is a spider is enough to make him open at least one eye.

“What’re you doin—“

“Stay still. Don’t surprise her.”

“Her?” Both eyes open now, and if he strains to look up, Norman can see Dom’s shadow on the very white wall above him. Dom’s straddling him, that much is obvious, and now his hands (with those fingers, fuck, those fingers with the rings and the torn thumbnail) are on Norman’s back, warm and settling.

“Her,” Dom murmurs, and the shadow nods. Norman allows himself a smile, waits for it. “She’s new. Another mantis. I’ve called her Absinthia, and for whatever reason, she likes you.”

“Can’t blame her for that.” Norman’s words are cut off by a yawn, and he shifts, just enough that his shoulders rise, and the tickle turns into a prickle and then to a prod. “Dom, get that fucking thing off me—“

“Shh.” Dom’s hand moves, in a quick little circle. “You startled her,
‘s’all.”

“She fucking bit me—"

“No, she didn’t. She pinched you. Very different. This—" Dom’s finger slides against a spot just below Norman right shoulder blade, and Norman inhales, nothing more, because fuck if he’s going to react the same way he did last night. “This is a bite.”

“Yeah, I figured that one out myself.”

“Did you?” Dom’s voice is very amused, a slight gurgle to it, the sound of smoke and brown sugar and espresso. “Figure this, then. Figure that.”

The next pinch Norman feels is lower, and harder, and has nothing to do with Dominic’s pets—unless, of course, Norman was willing to accept himself as one of them, too.

Not the worst life, Norman thinks as Absinthia crawls on to the pillow next to him, her spikyfeathery touch replaced by the warm weight of Dominic. Not the worst life at all.


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