third times the charm

What can I say, it came to me. Literally wrote it in five mins.
Disclaimer: as usual all events are 100% fictitious and if Billy Boyd or Dom Monaghan ever found these Fics they’d probably get REALLY freaked out man. Still not gonna stop my imagination runnin away with itself though. _______________________________________________________________________


Billy can remember with crystal clarity all the three times that Dom has told him he loved him.
He’s sure Dom remembers only one.
The first time Dom had said it was at seven in the morning mumbled through a mouthful of bacon butty. Dom had been moaning near constantly to Billy about how above all the things he missed from home was a traditional English butty, fried bacon and tomato dripping with butter and ketchup in between thick white bread. It took two weeks of Dom complaining before Billy cracked. He bought all the food in a small import shop in the nearest town and drove to Dom’s house using his spare key. Dom woke up to the smell of fried bacon and the sight of a full plate of sandwiches on KitcKitchen table with Billy by the frying pan cooking more for him. Billy smiled at Dom wolfing down the sandwiches with a childish passion.

“So will ya shut up about your sorely missed sandwiches now?”

Dom was nearly too distracted to answer Billy with a mouthful of food. But Billy smiled as Dom mumbled appreciatively through a full mouth.


“Best fuckin…..friend…. in the world…. Ever… thank you, thank you, thank you…. Fuckin love you”

Billy decided it was safest to assume Dom was talking to the sandwich at that point, and he successfully willed away the tingle that attempted to run up and down his spine when he heard Dom utter those two words.

The second time, the second time! Billy couldn’t help but laugh to himself. That memory was one of the funniest he had of Dom. Yet another weekend off, yet another night out getting pissed out of their minds. Dom had been the worst for it that night, his drunken acts nearly caused two fights within half an hour and at least three girls slapped him in the face. Elijah, Orlando and Billy thought it was the funniest thing they had ever seen when Dom had got up to sing at the bar’s karaoke. Of course Billy soon regretted daring Dom to do it when he got to the mike.

“Thish ish a song for my ffrriend Bills cos e dared meh to get up ere and umm… Orli dared me to shing him a luve song and I’m very, very drunk so dis is for you BILLY”

As if the introduction hadn’t been harrowing enough, Dom then launched into some unknown country song which he didn’t know a word of. He lasted thirty seconds before laughing himself of the stage. Billy could see the step that Dom couldn’t and caught him in his arms as he tri. Do. Dom barely managed to squeak out in a high falsetto voice “my hero!” before he fainted in a drunken stupor.
Billy had decided then that enough was enough. He half walked, half carried Dom to the taxi rank after saying a rushed goodbye to the rest of the guys. Elijah and Orlando had been disappointed but understood when they saw Dom still mostly unconscious in Billy’s arms.
When they made it back to Billy’s house Dom was awake again, slightly more sober but no less louder. He sang pub songs all the way to Billy’s bedroom letting himself be guided into a sitting position on the bed. As if by magic Dom yawned and decided he was knackered.

“Make yourself comfortable Dom, I’m gonna go kip on the couch seeya in the morning”

Dom seemed instantly more awake after Billy spoke. Billy could see the guilt in his eyes for taking Billy’s bed.

“Bill just sleep here it’s a double bed and your couch is shit”

“No it’s all right I don’t mind--

“Remember what happened last time you slept on that thing?”

Billy rolled his neck in painful remembrance; it had taken hours to get all the knots in his back out.

“I need no further convincing, not goin through that a Bloody gain”

“Hey you saying I ain’t a good masseuse!”

“Shut up Dom, I’m gonna get changed be back in a minute”

Billy grabbed his night clothes and headed to the bathroom, trying to think of anything other than Dom. Dom who was drunk and in his bed. When he got back to the bedroom after silently admonishing his overfriendly thoughts for his best friend, Billy couldn’t help but smile at Dom, now the picture of cuteness. He had managed to shrug off his jacket and half unbutton his shirt but was falling asleep and trying to take off his shoes at the same time. *not cute, he looks like an idiot* he wasn’t convincing himself at all.
Billy gently pushed Dom’s hands away and took off his shoes unbuttoned the rest of his shirt needlessly touching Dom more than was needed. He ruffled Dom’s hair, laughing and tucked his very drunken friend into bed. Billy got in and made sure to keep as far away from physical contact with Dom as possible.
But Billy woke up half way through the night and there was definite contact, Lots of contact. Dom was wrapped around Billy, both his arms circled Billy’s waist and Billy had unknowingly wrapped his own arms around Dom hugging him to him. Dom was currently using Billy’s shoulder as a pillow, which meant his face and his lips, were way too close to Billy’s. He knew he could just reach down… only a few centimetres… but he couldn’t do that to his friend not when Dom was in the state he was in. He could tell Dom was still asleep as he studied his face he looked relaxed, happy and more gorgeous than Billy had ever seen him. Billy let his lips brush lightly across Dom’s forehead and nearly jumped out of his skin when he felt Dom shift in his sleep. Dom was muttering in his sleep and Billy strained his ears to hear him.

“Love youly” ly”

He couldn’t deny the thrill that spread through every part of his body this time. *It’s just a pity he won’t remember sayin it in the morning* still, he’d heard it even if Dom never meant him to and even though he knew Dom was well too unconscious to hear him (or maybe that’s exactly why) he whispered the words right back to him.

That’s the first time and the second time. Both innocent, no real intentions behind them, they were based on friendship. But the third time was different there was no way to hide from the words when they were said the third time and they werebasebased just on friendship, they were based on love and the fear of losing a soul mate you didn’t know you’d found.

It had seemed like such a great day starting out. a Friday off was a rare thing when filming but both Billy and Dom had miraculously gotten the day off and decided it couldn’t be spent indoors when the sun was shining and the waves were perfect for a good day of surfing. They headed to the beach early. Dom had laughed at Billy coated thickly in sun-cream so as not to burn his very fair skin and Billy had laughed just as loud when Dom tripped over his surf board. Any other day, just a great day of surfing until the storm came. They were both out on the water when it happened quickly, they were riding the same wave, metres apart, when the currents changed and they felt the winds shift. It was almost instant, the change from summer to storm.
They fell at the same time, Billy grabbed onto his board and searched the water for Dom he had landed nearby and seemed shaken but other wise fine. He paddled toward him.

“Dom lets get back, don’t know where this fucking storm camem bum but it doesn’t look like it’s gonna be pretty. Lets get back before it really kicks off”

They had made it half way to shore when the winds picked up strongly and the dark grey clouds that hung in the sky opened up and poured rain down on them. The waves were rough now and Billy fell from his board again. This time he couldn’t stop his board when it rammed hard into the side of his head and the darkness spilled into his mind, the last solid thing he felt was a strong hand gripping his arm he flitted in and out of consciousness trying not to swallow too much water. He felt himself slipping and when he finally blacked out his last thoughts screamed in his head. DOM!

The rain woke him, and then he heard Dom crying softly beside him, whispering in his ear.

“Billy wake up! Please god wake up, breathe Billy, Billy!?”

“Dom where are, what happen, and what fuck happened my head”

Billy barely managed a rasp before coughing up more salt water. Dom’s eyes were clouded with tears he looked at Billy. He didn’t speak straight away.

“You nearly died Billy”

He sounded like he only realised it there and then

“Sorry Dommie, you’ll never get rid of me that easily”

“You were nearly gone, you nearly died”

He repeated it over and over as more tears fell from his eyes. Billy wrapped his arms around him he was shaking like a leaf, they both were. He whispered in Dom’s ear anything to calm him down.

“It’s okay I’m not going anywhere. I’m not leaving you anytime soon Dom, Its okay”

Dom pulled back from Billy’s arms and looked him straight in the eyes.

“I love you Billy Boyd, now promise me you’ll never do that to me again”

Billy couldn’t speak his mouth was stuck, so he did the only thing he’d wanted to do for months he pulled Dom to him embraced him again and kissed his face repeating one little word over and over as he kissed away the rain and Dom’s tears.

“Promise, promise, promise”

He pulled back, looking straight into Dom’s eyes.

“I love you too Dominic Monaghan”

And Billy felt his world explode around him when Dom’s lips were on his. This wasn’t like any kiss he had ever shared before. It was everything he’d felt for anyone or anything multiplied by infinity. It was passion, fear, lust, love. It was making love in a kiss. And with his forehead resting against Dom’s his breath coming in short sighs. He thought to himself.

*Third times always the charm*