Come On Over (20 page)

Dominic
groans, keeping his eyes closed and twisting his fingers into the fabric of
Killian's tank top. He can already feel it all getting a bit too distracting,
and he pulls away far enough to make Killian look up and meet his eye.

"I
mean it, Killian," he says. "We're talking about this later.
Yeah?"

Killian
looks like he would prefer not to, and for a moment Dominic is afraid he might
refuse. But then he nods, his expression momentarily sincere as he moves his
hand up to cup Dominic's face.

"Yeah."

The
one word of confirmation is enough, and Dominic dives back in headfirst.

They
don't even make it to the bed, for once. Even with the relatively small
distance between the kitchen isle and their goal, they barely make it halfway,
ending up on the floor with clothes coming off and lips and hands tracing every
inch of skin. Dominic trails down along Killian's chest with his mouth, pushing
him down to lie on his back, and relishes the stuttering groan that escapes him
when Dominic's tongue teases his nipples in a torturously precise way.
Killian's touch is soft and desperate all at once, and when their lips meet
again in a breathtaking kiss, Dominic lets out a deep, pleased moan.

He is
thoroughly convinced that, all things considered, it just doesn't get better
than this.

Chapter 13

Well

"Can
I ask you something?" Dominic says, as he lies on his back in Killian's
bed, Killian's warm body draped across his chest. After realizing that the
floor was more than a little uncomfortable in the long run, they left it in
favor of a nice mattress and soft sheets, settling in and just enjoying the
sated silence together. Dominic traces the outline of Killian's bare back with
his fingers, feels the shivers that prickle over his skin at the touch.

After
a moment, Killian hums in permission, making Dominic take a breath as he
prepares himself.

"Your
whole 'no-dating' thing," he says, a little hesitantly. "Does Rebecca
have anything to do with that?"

He
can feel Killian tense up against him, before shifting uncomfortably, and for a
moment he's scared that he just overstepped some kind of line. It's a line he
has been avoiding since he and Killian started hooking up after all, the one
declaring that personal questions are mostly off-limits. But he figures the two
of them are kind of past that point now, considering, and as though he agrees,
Killian doesn't leave, doesn't pull away. Dominic takes that as encouragement.

"I
mean," he continues, "you and me... You've been kind of weird about
it for a while, like back and forth. And I just― Is she the reason for
that? The whole, you know."

He's
not sure how to phrase it, doesn't want to use the word
engagement
, and he ends up just gesturing vaguely, but Killian
seems to understand. He doesn't answer for a long time, and Dominic waits
patiently, until he hears a sigh, Killian shifting in his arms. He props
himself up on his elbow, half-leaning against Dominic's chest, and now able to
look at him properly.

"You
need to understand," he says, his tone softer and less abrasive than
Dominic has ever heard it―it sounds good on him, albeit unfamiliar.
"Me and
Bec
... We've never seen each other that
way. We kissed once, when we were like thirteen, but that's it. It was like
kissing a sister, and surprisingly, neither of us were into that."

He
adds it with some sarcasm, coaxing a small smile out of Dominic. He doesn't
smile back, but the look in his eyes says that it's exactly the reaction he
wanted.

"Most
people have an ex," he continues. "Or a few. And most people get
that, and they have no issue with who I've been with, or how many. But this
thing, it's different. The whole
arranged
marriage
deal isn't something a lot of people understand, or have patience for.
They don't usually stick around for long, I guess it's just too much trouble,
too much baggage. Honestly, a lot of them just freak out and think I'm from
some weird cult, or something. Which I guess is half-true, if you think about
it."

Another
smile from Dominic, and this time, Killian returns it. He exhales softly,
watching Dominic's face, moving one hand up to slowly trace the outline of his
collarbone, his throat. It's a gesture that Dominic can't really describe as
anything but
tender
, and it soothes
him.

"I
don't exactly tell people about it, anymore," Killian says. "I used
to think it was kind of funny, just something to add to my list of weird, but
it got old pretty fast. Then, when I turned eighteen, my parents started
bringing it up more, and I didn't take it seriously. I had already started
deviating from their clean-cut ideals pretty heavily at that point, so they
weren't happy with me as it was. Then I came out, and it got worse. They said I
was 'tarnishing the family name', which I honestly found pretty
hilarious."

The
glint in his eye gives Dominic no reason to doubt just how hilarious he found
it, but there's something bitter and annoyed about Killian's expression, too.

"They
let me have it, though," he says. "They gave up on trying to make me
respectable for the time being, they let me pursue my artsy dreams and shit,
even let me date whoever I wanted. Not that they ever took any of it seriously,
or ever wanted to meet anyone I was with, but still. It was worth getting away
from what they wanted for me, what they thought was important. They even pay
for this apartment, for the tuition for my pointless art education over the
past year, so I'm not complaining. Then they started bitching again, started
calling. They're basically trying to back me into a corner, since there's a lot
riding on it for them, even if it is mostly just about pride."

Killian
sighs heavily, dropping his head to lean with his chin against Dominic's chest,
and Dominic automatically starts smoothing over his buzzed hair with his
fingers, moving up to card through the longer strands at the top of his head.

"It's
kind of a sticky situation," Killian says, his eyes now directed at
somewhere around Dominic's shoulder. "And
Beca
is just as stuck as I am. I mean, you heard her. She has a boyfriend she'd
rather be with, and I―"

He
cuts himself off, stays silent for a few moments, and Dominic looks down at
him.

"You
what?" he asks neutrally, and Killian meets his gaze.

"I
get it," he eventually says, with soft determination, as if that answers
everything. He certainly looks at Dominic as though it does, and it takes
several seconds of silence before Dominic blinks, as it falls into place. He
swears his heart skips a beat, as it does.

"Oh,"
he says weakly, the one word a huge understatement, and Killian raises his
eyebrows a little.

"Oh?"
he repeats. "That's it?"

"Well,
you're kind of catching me off-guard, here," Dominic says, honestly a
little flustered. "I mean, you've been pretty adamant about the opposite,
so―"

"Oh
my god," Killian mutters, tilting his head down and pressing his face into
Dominic's chest. "You're an idiot."

HIs
words are muffled, and now Dominic's eyebrows go up.

"
I'm
the idiot?" he says. "You
can't just spring that on a guy after weeks of this
not-dating
shit."

Killian
groans loudly.

"Never
mind," he says. "Forget it."

He
gets up from where he lies, shuffling away across the bed, and Dominic just
gapes at him, frowning in slightly confused disbelief. Spontaneously, he feels
pretty pissed about Killian's response to his reaction, but then he glimpses
his face, and it hits him; Killian is embarrassed.

"Hey,"
Dominic says, softening, grabbing his arm. "I'm sorry, okay? I just... You
caught me by surprise."

Killian
sighs heavily, like the drama queen he sometimes tends to be, before seemingly
gathering up the resolve to look Dominic in the eye again. He looks almost
angry when he does, but there's mostly just annoyance there. Dominic loosens
his grip on his arm, sliding his hand up along his skin in a soothing gesture.
Killian has sat up in the bed, but he falters a little at the touch, Dominic's
fingers brushing against the arm that's holding him up.

"Try
again," Dominic says. "I'll react properly this time, I
promise."

"What
do mean, 'try again'?" Killian says in annoyance. "Fuck you, I said
it, I'm not saying it again."

Dominic
tries not to smile; a grumpy, flustered Killian is honestly adorable.

"Fine,"
he says. "Then I'll say it."

Killian
looks at him suspiciously, but Dominic doesn't falter, keeping his hand on
Killian's arm, smoothing over his skin.

"I
really like you," he says, his tone almost pragmatic, certain, and his
gaze unfaltering. "And although these past few weeks have been awesome, I
would like for this to be something more, and I feel like it kind of is, at
this point. Also,
batshit
family aside, you're not so
bad. So, I guess my question is, will you be my boyfriend?"

He
can't help slipping in a slightly joking hint at the end, mostly because the
phrasing makes him sound like a fourth-grader, but Killian gets the message.
Impressively, he keeps his eyes on him for a long time, before he groans and
glances away, like this whole thing is a giant pain in the ass.

"I'm
not calling you my boyfriend," he says flatly, shaking his head. "In
practice, fine. But I'm not saying it."

That's
good enough for Dominic, who smiles as his heart actually stutters.

"I'll
just call you my boyfriend, then," he says flippantly, and Killian looks
at him.

"Alright,
simmer down, big guy," he says, but Dominic just shakes his head.

"Nope,"
he says over-nonchalantly. "I'm telling
everyone.
I'm telling all our friends that Killian Hayden is my
boyfriend, and there's nothing you can do about it."

Killian
leans down over him, grabbing him roughly as he climbs on top of him.

"Do
that, and I'll kick your ass," he says, but it's rather ineffective.

"
Everyone
," Dominic enunciates, as
Killian presses his wrists into the mattress and leans closer to his face.
"It's gonna be great."

"Shut
up," Killian says, but his annoyed facade is slipping, much to Dominic's
satisfaction. "Don't make me punch you."

"Your
threats mean nothing," Dominic says dramatically. "I'll gladly pay
the price for lo―"

Killian
places his hand over his mouth, effectively silencing him.

"Alright,
let's not go there just yet," he says, but there's a hint of a laugh in
his voice now, and Dominic can tell that he's actually
giddy
about this, and more so than he wants to let on. He blinks at
him innocently, but it's only after another few seconds that Killian pulls away
his hand. "You gonna behave?"

Dominic
nods, but he's still smiling teasingly, and Killian groans―his default
response to most things―as he glances away, a small smile hinting at his
mouth. When he looks back at Dominic, he's met with a kiss, one that leaves
them both breathless and soft and warm, and Dominic savors the way Killian
moves his hands up along his arms to lace their fingers together. When they
pull apart, Dominic just
lets
himself get lost in
those dark eyes for a moment, lets the amazing feeling of it all wash over him.

"It'll
be okay," he says easily, and although Killian looks like he doesn't quite
believe him, he smiles.

"Sure."

♦

"So,
 
it's legit now?" Isaac says, eyes on the
TV and tilting his entire body as he steers his video game character with the
controller in his hands.

"Yeah,"
Dominic says, much less mobile in his gaming state, sitting firmly planted on
the couch as he shoots some aliens on-screen. "Looks like it."

Isaac
is the only one he has told so far about his and Killian's new definition of
their relationship. He hasn't even told Annie yet, or Alina, but he has the
distinct feeling that they'll both get it out of him next time he sees them,
anyway. He's a little embarrassed to admit that he even declined hanging out
with Annie yesterday for that reason alone, even though he wanted to see
her―he just wants to keep this mostly to himself for a little while, like
a special thing only he and Killian share.

He
has no idea when he got so soft.

"Good
job, man," Isaac says. "How's that working out so far?"

Dominic
shrugs.

"Well,"
he says. "There is the whole crazy semi-arranged-marriage thing, but other
than that, it's all good."

Isaac
groans sympathetically. Dominic has told him about Rebecca too, and while Isaac
wasn't exactly chill about it, he took it in stride.

"That
shit's insane, man," he mutters, shaking his head. "Freaks me
out."

"You're
not the only one," Dominic says with a sigh, vaguely wondering how he even
got involved in something like that, in the first place.

Isaac's
phone makes a little noise, and he stops playing in favor of picking the phone
up from the coffee table, while Dominic keeps his eyes on the TV.

"I
mean, it's not gonna happen," Dominic continues. "But still. Kind of
brings the whole disapproving-family thing to a whole new level."

Isaac
doesn't really respond, just hums to himself, and Dominic glances at him. His
friend is now focusing all of his attention on his phone in his hands, reading
a text with a smile before starting to tap out a reply, and Dominic frowns. He
leans over to get a closer look.

"Shanti?"
he asks, but there's really no point; what he hasn't heard about their
courtship from Shanti herself, he has heard from Isaac and Annie, and he knows
that Shanti is the only thing that manages to bring forth that dopey grin in
his childhood friend nowadays. Isaac hums a little distractedly in
confirmation. "How's
that
going?"

Isaac's
smile just widens, an honest-to-god blush creeping up his cheeks, which really
is answer enough.

"It's…
going," he says, before putting the phone back down. "I mean, it's
nothing serious, but yeah. It's going good."