One Before Dinner Written: January 7, 2004 I blame Robert Plant and Billy's pointy teeth for the following porn. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The sound of the ebbing tide followed Elijah up the stairs, a rhythmic rush that fell back a little with each step up the hill. One hand brushed through clumps of sea oats that rustled beneath his fingers; his shoes dangled heavy and forgotten from the other. He climbed slowly, feeling the sand scratch beneath his feet, creaking on the gnarled wood. His eyes were fixed on the bright square of the kitchen window, the only light in the expanse of black around him, growing larger as he approached. Another step and he could see Dom moving framed in the glass, obliviously busy at the sink, mouth moving and head dipping to a beat Elijah couldn’t yet hear. Elijah smiled. He reached the top of the steps and walked across the huge unlit deck to the patio door, open to the night breeze. The sound of the stereo met him halfway, and by the time he stuck his head inside, Led Zeppelin was blaring into his ears loud enough to make the glass rattle in the frame. Elijah’s smile widened as he watched Dom shimmy and turn from the sink, laying a row of washed asparagus on the chopping block next to his glass of red wine as he sang. it’s been a long time been a long time been a long lonely lonely lonely lonely lonely time Dom drew in a deep breath for the high note, and Elijah dropped his shoes and shouted, “Hi honey, what’s for dinner?” Dom leapt backwards, nearly knocking over his wine, but his startled expression turned to a grin when he saw Elijah standing in the doorway. He picked up his glass and pointed with his other finger before he drank. “Don’t track that dirt in here. I just swept.” “Yes, ma’am.” Elijah left his shoes on the mat and bent to dust off his salt-crusted feet. He watched Dom resume singing to himself, bustling from sink to fridge to stove to chopping block while still wriggling along with the music. His bare feet padded on the tile, dishtowel tucked through a belt-loop on his jeans, shirtless and twirling a paring knife around one long finger, and Elijah watched him and smiled. He adored Domestic Dom, and they so rarely got to see him these days. He leaned in and inhaled as the smells from the kitchen hit him fully. “That’s fucking fabulous, Dom. What is it?” “You know damn well what it is, because you spent the whole ride home from the wharf making it talk to Billy and dance on his shoulder while he drove.” He nodded towards the huge steaming pot. “Lobster. What you smell is the quiche I’m making to go with it.” Elijah’s smile faltered for a second as he recalled his former friend. Poor Mr. Squiggy. Then his brow crinkled and he peered into the kitchen and around into the den. “Where is Billy?” Dom took another swallow of his wine. “He’s taking a bath.” “A bath? Now? Why?” Dom gestured absently with his head. “Ask him yourself.” Elijah turned away from the door as Dom went back to chopping garlic and humming to himself. “Rock and Roll” had since ended, and the slow beginning strains of “Since I Been Lovin You” followed Elijah onto the patio, fading a bit as he made his way to the tiki torch at the far corner. He reached up in the dark, found the small switch, and the deck lit up in the sudden soft glow of gaslight. The giant clawfoot tub stood on the opposite corner, white against the dark and hidden from the glare of the kitchen. It was filled to the brim with clear water, the steam rising in the night air despite the heat. Water stood in small pools beneath it, dripping off the leg hanging over the lip, plinking off the great toe into a puddle on the weathered wood below. Billy regarded Elijah casually, one hand balancing his bottle of scotch on the edge and the other trailing limp and heavy to the floor. His head swiveled back, hair wet and dark on his neck. “Do you mind?” he said. “I’m trying to bathe.” After a moment, Elijah closed his mouth. He shook his head. “I can’t believe you’re actually using that thing.” Billy brought his hand up to his mouth and took a leisurely bite of something wet and juicy. “It’s nice out here,” he said. Elijah’s eyes widened. “What’s that?” he asked, as Billy’s tongue flicked out to catch the juice that ran down his lips. “This,” Billy said, over another slow mouthful, “is my peach.” “Where did you get peaches?” Billy was unfazed. “I bought them while you and Martha Stewart were adopting Mr. Squiggy in there.” He closed his eyes and swallowed, and chased his morsel with a long pull at the half-empty bottle in his other hand. It thumped back on the porcelain, the movement making the water lap around Billy’s chest and thigh. His foot flexed where it hung, dripping with soft little pats onto the deck. His head rolled on his neck with the whine of the guitar, stretching to one side and slowly around to the other before leaning back as he let out a long drawn-out aaahhhh. Dom dropped a saucepan into the sink with a loud clatter, and Elijah jumped as if stung and felt his cheeks grow red. He cocked his head casually and scratched his nose. “How-- how is it?” Billy slid a fraction deeper into the water and wet his lips. “It’s heavenly.” He lolled in the water, leaning back on his elbows, the torchlight glowing on his upturned face. Elijah wiped his palms on his jeans and cleared his throat. Billy’s eyes opened, heavy-lidded, cheeks flushed pink with humidity and alcohol. He grinned and lifted his peach to his mouth. “You gonna get in or you just gonna stare at my magnificent nakedness a bit more?” Elijah heard Dom’s snorted chuckle from the open kitchen window, and he scowled through his rising blush. But his fingers scrambled immediately for the zip of his jeans. “What if— I mean, isn’t this a bit... exposed?” Billy raised an eyebrow. “To what? There isn’t a soul on this beach for miles. Unless you’re afraid of a fishing captain with really good eyesight.” “Damn you’ve got good eyes, Barrett,” said Dom. “Shut up, Dom,” said Elijah. Billy watched him shimmy his jeans down over his hips and toss them over the nearest chair. The sea air was warm, but Elijah shivered as the breeze hit his skin. He moved forward quickly with a final glance around, but Billy pointed his peach at him and shook his head. “No sand in my bathtub.” He gestured toward the showerhead and then closed his eyes and took another swig from his bottle. Elijah scowled and stepped to the end of the tub, reaching for the brass showerhead and twisting it around to face him. He pulled the cord and stepped beneath the instant rain of water, grateful for its heat on his bare skin. He could feel both Billy’s and Dom’s eyes on him, amused, and he closed his eyes beneath the spray and tipped his head back. Yank his chain, would they? He let his mouth fall open and ran both hands through his hair, arching his back slightly, twisting his neck so that the water ran down between his shoulder blades and pattered on the planes of his face. He heard the water ripple as Billy moved, and the kitchen faucet turned off abruptly. Elijah didn’t let himself smile, but straightened a bit and drew his hands down, carefully, around his face and down his neck, over the slope of his chest, palms flat on his belly, moving down slowly and changing the patterns of water sluicing over his flushing skin. The guitar from the stereo whined and moaned, lingering in the steam, rolling down Elijah’s skin as he drew in a long slow breath. “SIIIIIIII---IIIIIIINCE I BEEN LOVIN YOU...” Something shattered in the kitchen, and water sloshed onto the deck as Billy swore. Elijah laughed, his shrill high-note fading into the night, and flicked water at Billy’s startled face. “You gonna finish your peach, or you gonna stare at my magnificent nakedness some more?” They could hear Dom’s muffled laughter as Billy’s face relaxed into a sarcastic grin. His leg slid up an inch higher. “Get over here.” Elijah clicked off the shower, cheeky grin still in place, and put one foot into tub. The water was quite hot, and when Elijah slipped in all at once and stretched up between Billy’s thighs the tub overflowed in a huge gush onto the deck. Elijah leaned in over Billy’s chest as the waves stilled, bracing his arms on either side of Billy’s head. “Look at this mess,” said Billy. “Must you always be so violent?” “Around you, it’s a safe bet,” replied Elijah. Billy chuckled and his breath hit Elijah’s nose, acrid and stinging. “Jesus, Bill, how can you drink that shit?” “I’m sorry, love, they were all out of Candy-Arse Lite.” Billy took another swig, turning his head to avoid braining Elijah as he did so. “Well if you expect me to kiss you you’d better give me something that tastes better.” Billy eyed him, mid-swallow, and then closed his eyes and sucked the rest of the bottle dry, his bobbing throat not stopping until he drained the last drop and let his arm fall heavily to the porcelain. The empty bottle slipped out of his fingers and hit the floor with a glassy thud. Billy looked at Elijah smugly, one long breath rushing from his nostrils, and then lifted the peach to his lips. He took a final bite and held the remains out to Elijah, and raised one eyebrow in offer. The juice rolled down his fingers and dripped into the water between their bodies. Elijah’s knees squeaked on the bottom as he shoved forward and crushed his full weight onto Billy. He smothered the startled mmph! by driving his tongue into Billy’s mouth, his hands gripping the sides of the tub, shoulders flexing as he pushed. There was a small sucking sound and Elijah drew back, smiling broadly around the chunk of fruit still marked by small pointy teeth. Billy’s empty mouth gaped, gasping for breath. Elijah swallowed his prize and licked his lips. “Thanks.” The mangled peach hit the floor and Billy smeared a sticky handprint up Elijah’s back, pulling him off balance to fall bluntly down onto Billy’s chest. His breath made Elijah’s head reel, burning in his nostrils and stinging on his tongue, and he closed his eyes and let it mingle with the thick sweetness of peach and the ever-present taste of Billy. Elijah licked at the growls that slipped out of Billy’s mouth, and tilted his head back to feel them vibrate rough and harsh down the curve of his throat. One hand began to clutch at the dripping almost-curls of Billy’s neck; the other went white-knuckled on the porcelain at the first scratch of Billy’s teeth on his skin. He let himself be drawn forward, body light and buoyed by the water. His knees settled around Billy’s hips with the smack of flesh on flesh, and Billy hissed and drove up hard into the weight of Elijah’s straddling thighs. Elijah gasped at the sudden brutal press of Billy’s cock against his own, tight and slick in the water between their bellies. Billy’s lip curled and he shoved a hand in Elijah’s hair to yank his head down into another wet and snarling kiss. Eventually, some back corner of Elijah's mind realized the song had finally ended. For a moment there was silence except for the faint rush of the ocean behind them and the slow drag of Billy’s nails down Elijah’s back. And then the same rolling melody began again, and Elijah’s eyes opened. He let Billy’s earlobe slip from between his lips and turned his head towards the open patio door. Dom leaned against the frame, dishtowel dangling from one hand and the stereo remote clutched in the other. He said nothing when Elijah met his eyes but stood motionless in the shadow, his face and chest thrown pale in the glow of the torch, and Elijah could see the pulse leaping in his throat. Dom’s face was calm, eyes hooded and mouth open, but his chest rose and fell with the tiny shivers of too much control and Elijah felt a grin creep across his face. “Dom,” he whispered and Billy turned his head, taking in a breath at the sight of the gooseflesh prickling along the planes of Dom’s stomach and disappearing into the waistband of his already-straining jeans. Billy’s cock throbbed and Elijah rolled back and ground against it in a long merciless stroke, pelvis smooth and steady, eyes locked on Dom’s as Billy swore and gasped. “Dom,” he whispered again and Dom’s hands twitched on his thighs. Elijah smiled sweetly and tilted his head against Billy’s, silently waiting. Dom’s face broke into a grin then, and he shook his head no. He stretched where he stood, squirming a little against the seams of his jeans. Elijah felt Billy’s lips return to his neck, and when his eyelids fluttered Dom sighed and let his head rest against the doorframe. Elijah returned his smile and held his eyes for a moment longer, and then turned to Billy and raised an eyebrow. “Don’t be so impatient,” he said. “I was trying to be polite.” “You’re too nice to the kitchen help,” Billy slurred. Elijah giggled and ran his hands up Billy’s chest, leaning in to lick at the fading bite-marks on his lips. “Wait till you see how I thank the chauffeur.” Billy grinned against Elijah’s mouth and started to reply, but his words were lost in a groan as Elijah ground down once more with feeling. Billy’s hips tried to buck where they were trapped beneath Elijah’s weight, and his heels squeaked and skidded on the floor of the tub. Water splashed out onto the deck and Elijah sat up, shaking his head in dismay. “Look at this mess,” he said. “Must you always be so violent?” Billy’s eyes narrowed. “Fucking cocktease.” “Ooh, such things you say,” Elijah purred. “You Scots are such charmers.” Billy opened his mouth, but Elijah’s mischievous grin had changed and disappeared. He drew his fingertips lightly across Billy’s shoulders and down along the center of his chest until they slipped into the water between their bodies. His voice dropped to a whisper. “Lean back.” Billy stretched his arms out along the edge of the tub, sliding down as much as Elijah’s weight would allow. He leaned his head back and let out a long slow breath, relaxing into the water until he suddenly jerked and his eyes snapped open wide. Elijah smiled at him, moving his hands beneath the water, and Billy’s eyes rolled back as he spit out a string of incoherent obscenities. Elijah leaned forward, rising up onto his knees, and dropped a quick kiss on Billy’s open mouth. “Stay with me,” he whispered, and then braced his hands on either side of Billy’s head and sank back down into the water in one smooth descent. Billy’s head fell back and a strangled unnngghh rolled from between his lips. Elijah watched him, a smile flittering across his face, and then drawing in a long breath, he began to rock. The water moved with him, slowly, warm and smooth and sliding everywhere they touched. Elijah’s knees pressed into the sides of the tub, finding the right leverage, letting him rise and fall as slowly as his thigh muscles could stand. His mouth dropped open and he bit his lip to keep it closed, snorting through his nostrils to keep his tenuous control. Billy’s stomach muscles bunched and flexed beneath him, trying desperately to quicken the pace, but Elijah had balance in his favor, and he gripped the tub until his hands went numb and the tendons stood out on his forearms. “Billy, look at me,” he said. Billy’s eyes opened, dull green in the flickering light, lids heavy and blinking through ginger lashes. Elijah reached a hand up and traced it along the beads of sweat pearling on Billy’s forehead, before resting it over the curve of his cheek. Billy turned his face and placed a single kiss in the center of Elijah’s palm, lips hovering over the thin skin for the space of a breath. And then his eyes locked on Elijah’s, flashing sharp, and he drew Elijah’s thumb into his mouth to the base of the knuckle and began to suck fiercely. Elijah jerked and let out a moan, his torturous rhythm stuttering and accelerating before he could stop himself. Billy braced himself against the tub and sucked harder, his arms going rigid on the edge, his eyes fluttering and rolling closed as he growled around Elijah’s finger. Elijah’s fingers scrabbled on the porcelain, all pretenses gone, his thighs burning as he drove faster and harder and heard the water begin to splash and drip onto the floor below them. His breath was coming in harsh gasps, his body shaking and his blood pounding in his ears, and the only thing that could tear his gaze from the sight of Billy’s glittering eyes and working throat was the sudden muffled gasp from the doorway. Dom sat in the shadows against the wall, legs spread and sprawling. His left hand curled on his chest, scraping red claw-marks into the skin between his nipples. His right hand pumped furiously between his thighs, the fly of his jeans gaping and long fingers wrapped brutally tight around his cock. He met Elijah’s gaze and held it, eyes heavy with lust, and Elijah felt his balls begin to tighten. Billy groaned beneath him and Dom’s body went rigid, mouth falling open as he stared at Elijah. Elijah moved his mouth without voice, Dom, Dom, and then Dom was coming in long wracking waves onto his fingers and belly, gasping for air and choking out his breath in the shape of both their names. Elijah wanted to smile, started to open his mouth to say something but then Billy’s hand was on his cock, fast and hard beneath the water. Elijah’s vision went white as he cried out, his spine arching and his head bent back as his orgasm hit him without warning and ripped Billy’s name from his throat before he could even draw in a proper breath to scream. He felt Billy convulse beneath him, pounding up hard before Elijah could gather his wits to yelp in protest, and he opened his eyes in time to see Billy flush dark red and let out a long breath from between bared teeth, the cords standing out in his neck as he dug his fingers into Elijah’s back in thick spasms before he finally slumped back against the tub and went limp with a long rasping sigh. Elijah’s legs gave out and he fell forward, stretching out along Billy’s panting chest and turning his face to fit into the plane of his shoulder. He looked at Dom, who sat heavy and breathing slowly, regarding them from half-lidded eyes. His hand was still buried in his jeans, and he managed a small, pleased smile. Elijah started to speak, but then he heard Billy’s voice low and rumbling beneath his ear. “He,” Billy said, “was afraid of being exposed.” Dom nodded gravely. “He’s obviously a fragile flower of modesty.” Elijah smiled, snuggling a bit into the feel of Billy’s hands on his back. “It’s not my fault. I didn’t know you were going to gang up on me with fresh produce and Led Zeppelin.” Billy chuckled. “If I’d have known that beforehand, I’d’ve kept my CD in the car for when we’re stuck in traffic. I’m sure the Santa Monica freeway would enjoy the display you just gave us.” Elijah poked a finger into his ribs, and Billy yelped and shoved at his chest. They began to wrestle, splashing more water onto the floor, until Elijah stopped suddenly and took in a deep breath. “What’s that smell?” Dom’s sleepy eyes shot open. “Shit!” He leapt to his feet, or tried to, his legs refusing to hold him on the first two attempts. He scrambled to his feet and raced into the kitchen as the first faint tendrils of smoke began to creep out of the open window. Billy and Elijah shook with laughter as they heard him flail and swear, the clattering sound of pots and running water covering their giggles. “Oi, be careful, Dom!” Billy called. “And don’t use your right hand!” added Elijah. Billy snorted and looked at Elijah. He brushed a drop of water off Elijah’s face and said, “Come on, then, let’s go give him a hand. It’s our fault anyway, for distracting him so.” Elijah smiled and started to rise, testing his weakened legs as the smell of burnt quiche spread across the patio. “Ah well, at least the lobster will be alright.” His stomach growled in response, and he felt only the smallest twinge of guilt. Poor Mr. Squiggy. Billy chuckled, and they both turned toward the window as Dom yelled, “Stop laughing and get your arses in here, you wankers!” “Pot and kettle, my dear,” replied Billy. “You love taking the piss out of him, don’t you?” grinned Elijah as they rose from the water. Billy put his arm around Elijah, and they looked up at the shadow of Domestic Dom bustling in the kitchen. Billy smiled. “We’ll make it up to him after dinner.” ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ home