whynot: etc: oh deer (Default)
Las ([personal profile] whynot) wrote2004-08-02 11:10 pm

[...running full-tilt at a taxying airplane...]

This is for T, even though I thought I swore off this ship.


Departure Lounge
LOTRips. Billy/Dom, Billy/Ali. PG13
"He highlights 'Ali,' hits the Backspace key, and types 'Dom.'"



Billy has this fantasy of running full-tilt at a taxying airplane. In this fantasy, it's either dawn or twilight because the sky is a soft pink shade with wisps of clouds. Billy stares at the cockpit like he can stare down the pilot, beat him into submission with sheer force of will. The airplane and Billy race towards each other like lovers, but instead of Tchaikovsky's overture playing in the background, Billy hears the deafening roar of jet engines and the muted strains of goodbye.

Just as it seems like Billy's about to become a stain on the airfield, the plane lifts into the air. That's two hundred tons of machinery defying gravity. Billy is knocked back on his arse, his hair is mussed, there's dust in his eyes, and his ears are ringing.

In his fantasy, Dom is on that plane.

Lying flat on the ground, Billy sees Dom shrink into the sky. His heart feels heavy and his head is full of things he cannot quite articulate.


***


The entirety of the email from Hawai'i reads as follows: wtf. my nose is peeling. :( someone come get me.

Dom sent these three sentences to Elijah, Orli, Sean squared, and a handful of other people whose email addresses look familiar but mean little to him. Billy calls the direct line to Dom's room as soon as he finishes reading the e-mail, and Dom picks up not with a hello, but with a "Billy?"

Billy says, "I've come to get you."

"...How?"

"Don't know. Keep on talking, I'll think of something."

Billy doesn't throw away throwaway moments. He's going to keep Dom's "Billy?" deep within the secret fifth chamber of his heart for him to marvel at as he pleases. He will set this tiny everyday miracle apart. So even though Billy's countering Dom's (wrong) opinion that relish is infinitely superior to mustard, what he's really thinking is, I want to promise you every good thing in the world.

I want you to know that that is what you mean to me.



***


Ali comes home. This, Billy finds, changes everything.

In a good way, but. What you get after a week of lounging around in an empty flat in one of the bleakest places in the world is lonely and depressed. What you get is an I love you perched on the edge of your tongue every time Dom calls, but never when Ali calls. When Ali calls, Billy says it fearlessly, a relieved confirmation and triumphant epiphany every time.

I love you.

It's not fair to compare the two. He loves them both. (He thinks he does.)

Ali comes home from a week of business dealings in London and Billy wraps himself around her. They stand in the corridor, Ali hasn't even taken off her coat, her bags lie by their feet where she dropped them, and Billy embraces her and doesn't seem to want to let go until the next ice age rolls in.

"Come off it, what's wrong with you?" she teases.

"I love yooouuu," Billy croons.

"Help me with my bags, then," says Ali, and kisses his mouth. He doesn't let her pull away until seconds later.

Billy finds that when he's with Ali, he doesn't think much about Dom. Sometimes he'd watch the way some actress moves her head on television or hear a song on the radio and think, Oh, right. Dom. Most of the time, Billy just thinks Ali is smiling or Ali is sitting at the kitchen table eating a salad or Ali is coming to watch Eastenders, defend the remote, defend the remote.

Exhibit A: he loves Ali. Exhibit B: he loves Dom. This has him confused for a while until he figures out that the two feelings aren't mutually exclusive. Exhibit A and Exhibit B cordially take tea every afternoon while Exhibit C--a little voice in his head that likes to yell, "What the fuck, mate?"--remains locked in the basement, bound and gagged.


***


Billy looks up the lyrics on the internet, reads them over, and pronounces them apt. The finalized format of his email would read as follows: Dear Ali, [insert copy-pasted lyrics here] Love, Billy.

It's cheesy, yes, and doubly cheesy because Ali would only be gone for a few hours to do the shopping. Billy reckons that's one of love's perks: he can afford to be cheesy. He and Ali can snuggle while watching karaoke videos, dance to Lionel Richie, and email song lyrics to each other because they aren't counting the coolness points. But, before he clicks the Send button, Billy hesitates. He studies the lyrics. He scrolls up, he scrolls down.

He highlights 'Ali,' hits the Backspace key, and types 'Dom.'

The lyrics aren't necessarily romantic anyway. It's usually interpreted as romantic, true, but Dom would only take that to be part of the joke. Dom would be quite fine and dandy with the idea of finding cheesy lyrics in his inbox, so, really, why shouldn't Billy send the song to him?

Billy thinks Ali is going to leave me for reasons he doesn't want to scrutinize. He considers sending the lyrics to the both of them, but that feels like cheating somehow.

He highlights 'Dom,' types 'Ali,' and clicks Send as the airplane roars past his head and disappears.

You have successfully sent one message, says the screen, which Billy supposes is better than nothing.



[end.]

[identity profile] screaming-mimie.livejournal.com 2004-08-02 03:31 pm (UTC)(link)
oh how i love your Billy fic...

which i find bizarre because i seriously hated LOTR (all 3), but no matter.

[identity profile] twoskeletons.livejournal.com 2004-08-03 02:18 am (UTC)(link)
Haha. If anything else, the movies are very good sources of pretty.

Thanks.

[identity profile] hmcgirl.livejournal.com 2004-08-02 03:37 pm (UTC)(link)
Defend the remote! Defend the remote!! I actually laughed out loud at that.

[identity profile] twoskeletons.livejournal.com 2004-08-03 02:19 am (UTC)(link)
Haha, that's awesome. Cool.

[identity profile] getlucky.livejournal.com 2004-08-02 03:49 pm (UTC)(link)
this is beautifully written, but it made me a bit sad in the end. Poor conflicted!Billy. It's never any fun to be in love with two people at once.

[identity profile] twoskeletons.livejournal.com 2004-08-03 02:21 am (UTC)(link)
Thank you. Yeah, poor Billy; he should go outside more and take his mind off things, really.
ext_3042: (billeh - sleepeh (bleedskint))

[identity profile] queenofalostart.livejournal.com 2004-08-02 03:53 pm (UTC)(link)
So even though Billy's countering Dom's (wrong) opinion that relish is infinitely superior to mustard, what he's really thinking is, I want to promise you every good thing in the world.

Oh, lovely. You seriously out-do yourself, each and every time.

A and Exhibit B cordially take tea every afternoon while Exhibit C--a little voice in his head that likes to yell, "What the fuck, mate?"--remains locked in the basement, bound and gagged.

Thank you for bringing this up. Hee!

Billy thinks Ali is going to leave me for reasons he doesn't want to scrutinize.

Och! BILLEH!

Thanks for sharing, darling. I really did enjoy it.

[identity profile] twoskeletons.livejournal.com 2004-08-03 02:22 am (UTC)(link)
Aww! Thank you so much!

[identity profile] canciona.livejournal.com 2004-08-02 04:02 pm (UTC)(link)
Wow, funny and sad all at once. Defend the remote and Exhibit C had me laughing out loud, but at the same time, it was so sad. Really lovely.

[identity profile] twoskeletons.livejournal.com 2004-08-03 02:24 am (UTC)(link)
Haha, that's awesome to hear. Thanks, man.

[identity profile] fitofpique.livejournal.com 2004-08-02 04:12 pm (UTC)(link)
This is lovely and insightful and bittersweet. I adore the way you write Billy. I think it's very difficult to write from his perspective for whatever reason, to capture his maturity and silliness at the same time, but you really have a gift for it.

*sighs happily*

Your Billy icon will never stop being awesomely pretty.

[identity profile] twoskeletons.livejournal.com 2004-08-03 02:23 am (UTC)(link)
Hehe, wow. Thank you so much, I'm really glad you enjoyed! :)

[identity profile] theboysgonehome.livejournal.com 2004-08-02 04:14 pm (UTC)(link)
Exhibit A and Exhibit B cordially take tea every afternoon while Exhibit C--a little voice in his head that likes to yell, "What the fuck, mate?"--remains locked in the basement, bound and gagged.

Mental image of Dom and Ali having tea with Billy watching, bound and gagged...

I love the feeling to this. Poor Bills! Wonderfully done.

[identity profile] twoskeletons.livejournal.com 2004-08-03 02:28 am (UTC)(link)
I reckon that with the way this Billy carries on sometimes, Dom and Ali wouldn't be so badly off together. "We've had enough of your emo ways!" they cry, throw him in the basement, and have cucumber sandwiches at the nearest cafe.

Thank you. :)

[identity profile] cool-like-dom.livejournal.com 2004-08-02 04:17 pm (UTC)(link)
He highlights 'Dom,' types 'Ali,' and clicks Send as the airplane roars past his head and disappears.

You have successfully sent one message, says the screen, which Billy supposes is better than nothing.


ow. my heart.

lovely and sad.

[identity profile] twoskeletons.livejournal.com 2004-08-03 02:28 am (UTC)(link)
Aww. Thank you. :)

[identity profile] zahz87.livejournal.com 2004-08-02 04:47 pm (UTC)(link)
Awww that last part hurt my heart big time!! *sighs* Great fic though.

[identity profile] twoskeletons.livejournal.com 2004-08-03 02:29 am (UTC)(link)
Haha, thanks. Cool.

[identity profile] eleanor-lavish.livejournal.com 2004-08-02 04:48 pm (UTC)(link)
Am full-out, no holds barred, completely in love with this fic.

Billy finds that when he's with Ali, he doesn't think much about Dom. Sometimes he'd watch the way some actress moves her head on television or hear a song on the radio and think, Oh, right. Dom. Most of the time, Billy just thinks Ali is smiling or Ali is sitting at the kitchen table eating a salad or Ali is coming to watch Eastenders, defend the remote, defend the remote.

I can feel this, down to my toes.

*sighs contentedly, if hot happily*

[identity profile] twoskeletons.livejournal.com 2004-08-03 02:30 am (UTC)(link)
Wow. Hahaha, thank you so much! I'm glad you liked it. :)

defend the remote

[identity profile] cincodemaygirl.livejournal.com 2004-08-02 04:58 pm (UTC)(link)
This is completely excellent. *applauds*

[identity profile] twoskeletons.livejournal.com 2004-08-03 02:31 am (UTC)(link)
Why, thank you. *bows*

[identity profile] travesty-.livejournal.com 2004-08-02 05:16 pm (UTC)(link)

You have successfully ended my search for awesome Fight Club fic, and now this. I feel right at home here.

Hope you don't mind if I friend you?

Thanks!

[identity profile] twoskeletons.livejournal.com 2004-08-03 02:33 am (UTC)(link)
Nope, I don't mind at all, go right ahead.

And dude, awesome, let it be known that I am thrilled that you like my Fight Club fic. Haha. Thank you so much! :)

[identity profile] hackthis.livejournal.com 2004-08-02 05:23 pm (UTC)(link)
Exhibit A and Exhibit B cordially take tea every afternoon while Exhibit C--a little voice in his head that likes to yell, "What the fuck, mate?"--remains locked in the basement, bound and gagged.

This section made me laugh like a hyena. Not a very pleasant sound mind, but very fucking accurate all the same.

[identity profile] twoskeletons.livejournal.com 2004-08-03 02:35 am (UTC)(link)
Awesome. Me, I laugh like an asthmatic and a madwoman, alternately, so I'm not one to point fingers here.
ext_16562: <lj user="black_balloonxx"> (Default)

[identity profile] kashmir1.livejournal.com 2004-08-02 06:10 pm (UTC)(link)
I'm laughing and sniffling at the same time.

A good kind of hurt, I suppose. Poor Billy.

The e-mail from Dom made me crack up...

Wonderful fic. =)

[identity profile] twoskeletons.livejournal.com 2004-08-03 02:36 am (UTC)(link)
I love good kinds of hurt.

Thanks, man.

[identity profile] krystalshay.livejournal.com 2004-08-02 06:38 pm (UTC)(link)
Ali is coming to watch Eastenders, defend the remote, defend the remote.

A fair reaction, methinks!!!

A brilliant fic, but the last line was a stunner. Thank you for sharing.

[identity profile] twoskeletons.livejournal.com 2004-08-03 02:38 am (UTC)(link)
He does his bit for upholding good taste, Billy does. He's a good lad.

Haha, dude, thank you.

[identity profile] nakeno.livejournal.com 2004-08-02 06:57 pm (UTC)(link)
Hi.

I love you.

Kthanx.

kthanx2

[identity profile] twoskeletons.livejournal.com 2004-08-03 02:39 am (UTC)(link)
All chocolates and flowers are to be sent to my agent.

;) Totally glad you enjoyed it, dude. Um... kwelkum.

Re: kthanx2

[identity profile] nakeno.livejournal.com - 2004-08-03 09:15 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[identity profile] nakeno.livejournal.com - 2004-08-06 05:35 (UTC) - Expand

[identity profile] http://users.livejournal.com/_sissyneck_/ 2004-08-02 08:08 pm (UTC)(link)
He highlights 'Dom,' types 'Ali,' and clicks Send as the airplane roars past his head and disappears.


You're fantastic.

[identity profile] twoskeletons.livejournal.com 2004-08-03 02:41 am (UTC)(link)
Haha, sweet of you to say. Thank you. :)

[identity profile] loadedsixstring.livejournal.com 2004-08-02 08:21 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh.

....

I loved it for it's highly amusing parts. Exhibit A: he loves Ali. Exhibit B: he loves Dom. This has him confused for a while until he figures out that the two feelings aren't mutually exclusive. Exhibit A and Exhibit B cordially take tea every afternoon while Exhibit C--a little voice in his head that likes to yell, "What the fuck, mate?"--remains locked in the basement, bound and gagged.

I loved it for it's sweet moments. He's going to keep Dom's "Billy?" deep within the secret fifth chamber of his heart for him to marvel at as he pleases.

And I loved it for breaking my heart. He highlights 'Dom,' types 'Ali,' and clicks Send as the airplane roars past his head and disappears.

[identity profile] twoskeletons.livejournal.com 2004-08-03 02:42 am (UTC)(link)
Wow. Thanks very much for that! Totally glad you enjoyed! :)

[identity profile] darkerbreed.livejournal.com 2004-08-02 08:43 pm (UTC)(link)
I adore your writing style! Poor Bills...so conflicted.

[identity profile] twoskeletons.livejournal.com 2004-08-03 02:44 am (UTC)(link)
Heh. Thank you, from me and Billy.
ext_12353: (Dom ass)

[identity profile] trulybloom.livejournal.com 2004-08-03 06:05 am (UTC)(link)
Oh, I loved this! The writing was amazing. The imagry, devine! Poor Dom with his peeling nose in sunny Hawaii. Poor Billy in the gray highlands, pining for he knows not what, yet happy with what he has when he has it. And, well, yes, Poor Ali, for she knows not how she so effortlessly confuses the issues.

Billeh!

O_O

[identity profile] twoskeletons.livejournal.com 2004-08-03 08:50 am (UTC)(link)
Your icon is, like. Um. Riveting.

Thank you. For the feedback. And the icon.

[identity profile] darkmike.livejournal.com 2004-08-03 06:48 am (UTC)(link)
I was all "yeah, this rocks" until the end line, and then I was all "YEAH THIS FUCKING ROCKS, DUDE!"

Every time. Amazing. I think I'm going to have to envy your skills at writing REAL people and REAL situations that leave me going "guh" and abusing the shift key.

[identity profile] twoskeletons.livejournal.com 2004-08-03 09:47 am (UTC)(link)
Heh. Damn. Dude, thank you very much.

As for the envy, I rather we all dance naked under the moonlight instead.

[identity profile] swear-jar.livejournal.com 2004-08-03 08:25 am (UTC)(link)
The last line is brilliant.

OMG.

[identity profile] twoskeletons.livejournal.com 2004-08-03 09:48 am (UTC)(link)
Thank you, m'dear. :)

[identity profile] glorfinniel.livejournal.com 2004-08-03 12:35 pm (UTC)(link)
That was very lovely! :)

Amusing but sad at the same time - great!

[identity profile] twoskeletons.livejournal.com 2004-08-04 02:47 am (UTC)(link)
Thank you! :)

[identity profile] chimerablack.livejournal.com 2004-08-04 02:54 am (UTC)(link)
*pets Billy* Poor dear. Should we help clear his mind?

I love this like I love oxygen. *inhales deeply*

[identity profile] twoskeletons.livejournal.com 2004-08-05 10:11 am (UTC)(link)
Nah, he enjoys the pain. ;)

Thanks, man.
msilverstar: (billy green)

[personal profile] msilverstar 2004-08-05 09:46 am (UTC)(link)
some lovely lines in there, especially the last one.

[identity profile] twoskeletons.livejournal.com 2004-08-05 10:11 am (UTC)(link)
Thanks very much :).

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