Amsterdam.

“Orlando, I’ve gotta hand it to you, I’m impressed! How did you know about this place?” Dom asked. “Maria, Maria; I’ve just met a girl named Maria!” Orlando sung jokingly. The boys laughed. “But seriously, she is such a nice lady; she suggested to hire bikes instead of a car, explained me what beaches to avoid and about Woodstock… Maria rules!” They all no smi smiling.

The day was filled with sunshine, talking, beer, music, ice cream, napping, observing other people, wading along the shoreline… As time went by, the place got busier, but never too busy.

Elijah was amusing himself by staring with disbelief at the big, olive-skinned lady that took care of the toilets; she was sitting on a beanbag close to the toilets, wearing bikini-bottoms and a fishnet-like, black sweater with holes the size of Ping-Pong-balls. “Lij! Behave!” Dom giggled. “Yeah, but…” Elijah could hardly tear his eyes away from her. Orlando and Billy were laughing their asses off.

“Wanna seek some shells?” Dom asked Billy. “Aye. Let’s go. Anyone else?” But Lij and Orli were too lazy to get up and waved at them to go. They cautiously descended the steep stairs to the beach beneath them and began walking towards the shoreline. “Too bad the sea is calm; otherwise we’ve could have caught some waves today.” Dom mused. “That would have been nice, but this is cool too.” They found a beautiful dark-blue shell that was extraordinary shaped. Billy held it up to the sun. “It’s so pretty…” he sighed. “Just perfect.” “Just like you.” Dom winked. Billy froze. Thoughts were flashing through his head. About what that comment meant, how to respond, whether or not turning around and jump his bones… Instead, he did nothing.

“Don’t I even get a thank-you for that compliment?” Dom teased with a big grin. Billy finally spoke. “Don’t play games with me, Dominic Monaghan! I’m too bloody old for putting up with crap like that” and he started to walk away from Dom. “Billy! Billy, wait up! Don’t you fuckin’ walk away from me, William Boyd! What is the matter with you?” “I could ask you exact the same thing, Dom!” “What do you mean?” Dom exclaimed. He ran after Billy. “You still gotta ask that? I think you perfectly know what I’m talking about!” Billy came to a sudden, full stop, causing Dom to bump into him. He turned around bluntly and shouted into Dom’s face, tempted to shove the bastard into the sea. “Stop the flirting if you don’t mean it! It’s driving me nuts, I’m feeling as trapped like Billy Bibbit cause I know I can’t have you anyway and I want to, God, more then anything in the world, you lying next to me last night felt so good, I wish it always could be that way, but it won’t so stop climbing into my bed unless you wanna make love to me and stay with me the rest of our lives and…”

He stopped to breathe and that’s when Dom graciously placed his index finger on Billy’s lips and whispered: “I, Dominic Monaghan, promise to climb into your bed the rest of my life.” His eyes were more serious then Billy ever had seen. In turn, Billy’s eyes were more sparkling then ever, like emerald stars. He slowly leaned in and Dom did the same, taking Billy’s head into his hands. “Really, Dom?” More whispering… “I promise.” Their lips touched and they smelled tequila-flavored beer on each others breaths while they closed their eyes. Slowly, Billy’s lips parted and touched Dom’s lips with the tip of his tongue. Dom sighed and slid his tongue out to return the favor. Tender, their tongues touched for the very first time. Billy put his hands on Dom’s back and glided down to his ass, firmly holding it. Dom was ruffling his hair and let out a moan when Billy pinched his bum a bit. They pulled their mouths back and did a mini-headbut whilst staring into each others eyes. After a while, the upcoming high tide was flooding around their ankles, but they didn’t even notice…