Chains

TITLE: Chains
PAIRING: Billy/Elijah
RATING: R for subject matter.
SUMMARY: Chains are used to bind, but Billy wants to know what one particular chain is binding Elijah to.
WARNINGS: Bondage, discussion of torture/abuse.
DISCLAIMER: Obviously, the boys aren’t mine. And this is all made up – as far as I know, there’s no truth to any of it.


Chains


Billy’s known Elijah for a few years now – hell, they’ve been going out for most of them. And by now, they’ve told each other almost everything there is to know about themselves – how long they’ve been out, past experiences and future hopes. But there’s still one thing Billy longs to know about his boyfriend – he’s just never built up the courage to ask.

There’s a chain Elijah wears around his left wrist. He rarely takes it off, only when he has to film. Ae’s e’s always fiddling with it – he tries to be subtle about it, but Billy notices. The chain itself is quite plain, but Billy senses there’s a story behind it. He’s read the articles about what body language means, and he knows that fiddling with jewellery shows that the wearer is, at least subconsciously, thinking about the person that gave it to them.

Billy’s been on the verge of asking a couple of times, but he’s always stopped himself. Elijah’s twenty; he’s bound to have some dark secrets stashed away. And yet something doesn’t seem quite right about Billy not knowing – after all, aren’t they supposed to trust each other completely? There could be nothing in the chain, but still Billy wants to know.

And so he’s decided – tonight, he’s going to ask.


~EW~*~BB~


It was a week before Elijah’s twenty-first birthday. He and Billy were sharing some quality time together at his apartment, something they hadn’t had much of a ce tce to do lately.

Almost without thinking, he began to toy with the chain around his wrist. He only realised he’d been doing it when he felt Billy’s hand close around his own. He looked up with a start. “Sorry, Billy.”

Billy shook his head. “You don’t have to apologise, Lij. I’m just wondering…” He trailed off, part of him afraid of what the American’s reaction to his question would be.

Elijah met Billy’s gaze, his eyes showing no sign of suspicion towardstevetever it might be that the Scot wanted to ask. “You’re just wondering what?”

“What is that chain? I mean…does it mean anything to you?”

Elijah looked down, biting his lip. “I knew this question would come up sooner or later.”

“Don’t feel you have to answer if you don’t want to.” Billy had noticed the change that fell upon the younger man - almost as though a shadow had fallen over him.

Elijah shook his head. “I suppose it won’t hurt…”

Billy laced his fingertweetween Elijah’s. “Whatever it is, I’ll understand.”

Elijah looked up at this. “The chain does mean something. It’s from when I was with my last boyfriend…a reminder of the only time I got my way.”

He sighed, reaching to grab his cigarette packet. Billy just watched, keen to show his patience when it came to the one he loved.

Eventually, once he’d lit his cigarette, Elijah spoke again. “You know how we’ve always been kinda…tame?”

Billy noddgd. “Because I don’t want to force you into doing anything you’re not comfortable with.”

Elijah sighed. “There was a time when I’d have done anything you asked me to. That’s how I was with my ex, and he took full advantage of it.”

Billy used his free hand to gently squeeze Elijah’s shoulder. “How do you mean?”

Elijah looked down, seemingly transfixed by the smoke rising from his cigarette. “We used to…experiment. Handcuffs, mostly. I hated them, but I didn’t want to upset him.”

He swallowed, trying to stem the overwhelming urge to break down. “They hurt, Billy. They don’t give when you move, so they end up almost cutting you instead.”

Billy gently stroked Elijah’s face. “And you didn’t say anything to him at all?”

“I tried to, but he didn’t seem to think I was being serious.” The American felt faint tears trail down his face. “And it wasn’t the idea of being bound that was bothering me – not really. It was the fact that when he left me, I couldn’t get free.”

Billy felt a surge of anger at this. “When he left you?”

Elijah bit his lip. “There was no point in me asking him to let me go. He liked the power of being able to go out with his friends and then come back to find me waiting for him.”

Almost hesitantly, Billy asked, “And the chain?”

Elijah looked up at this. “Once – just once – I got him to really listen to what I was saying. I think Clea was staying at the time…Anyway, I told him that I hated the cuffs, but that I was still willing to be bound if he found another way. So he came up with the idea of chaining me instead.”

Billy nodded. “Still metal.”

“But it hurts less, because it moves with you.” Elijah stubbed out the cigarette he wasn’t even really smoking. “But I was stupid enough to exploit its other benefit.”

“You can work your way free if you have to.” Billy could feel Elijah trembling at the memory. “Which he didn’t like, because it meant that he couldn’t control you as much.”

Elijah could only nod as tears spilt over. Billy pulled him close; a desire rising to hunt down the American’s ex and hurt him. He couldn’t believe how anyone could abuse such innocent trust as Elijah seemed to place in everything.

Elijah looked up, unable to hide the pain of memory in his eyes. “I’m sorry, Billy.”

“What for? It’s not your fault, Elijah.” Billy pressed a kiss to the top of his boyfriend’s head. “I’m glad you trust me enough to have told me.”

“Only because you asked me.” Elijah let out a slight sniffle. “I should have mentioned it sooner.”

“You mentioned it when you were ready, Lij. If you hadn’t been, you could have brushed my question aside.”

“And lie to you?” Elijah shook his head. “You’ve been so good to me, Billy. You…you’ve helped me learn to trust again. And it would be wrong of me not to be honest with you in return.”

Billy saw the sudden tiredness in Elijah’s eyes. Deciding it would be best to drop the matter for now, he pulled his boyfriend into more of a lying position. “It’s over now, Elijah. You’re safe with me. I’ll never let you get hurt like that again.”

Elijah allowed his head to rest against Billy, eyes fluttering closed as emotional exhaustion overcame him. As the Scot watched his lover sleep, an idea came to him. He had gathered enough from the conversation to know that, provided he went about it the right way, Elijah would learn to trust him as fully physically as he did anything else.


~EW~*~BB~


Over the week that followed, Billy had spent a lot of time preparing for his boyfriend’s birthday. He had taken advantage of his need to phone Clea and asked her about his plan. She seemed to see no problem with it, provided that Billy carried things out exactly as he said he would, and that he would listen to Elijah if he protested.

The celebrations on Elijah’s birthday had started at noon. Billy had invited Clea, Josh, Sean, Dom and Orlando to go for a meal with him and Elijah, before they met the others at a pub later on.

Elijah had seemed a little overwhelmed by Billy’s gesture, amazed at how the Scot had managed to get everyone together. Billy was content to sit back and let the American socialise a little, knowing that the others saw even less of Elijah than he did.

At the first pub of the evening, Elijah had turned to Billy disbelievingly as, not only had the Scot managed to get most of the Lord of the Rings co-stars together, but also the rest of his Faculty group. Billy smiled as Laura, Jordana and Shawn all fussed over Elijah, claiming how he’d changed so much from the shy sixteen-year-old he had been. Elijah was keen to point out Billy’s role in this change, something that both Clea and Josh were also keen to highlight.

As the night wore on and the group moved on from pubs to a club, Billy had a close eye on his boyfriend. He knew Elijah was bound to get drunk – after all, it was finally legal. He just didn’t want him getting too drunk – not if what he wanted to do was going to work.

It was Elijah who expressed a desire to leave early. Glad as he was to see everyone again, he was keen to spend at least some of the day alone with the one he loved most.

In the taxi back, Billy held Elijah close. He stroked the younger man’s hair, trying to ignore his anxiety over what he was going to suggest once they reachhe fhe flat.

Elijah giggled slightly as he stumbled into the flat after Billy, his arms tight around the Scot’s waist as he thanked him for what must have been the hundredth time.

Billy gently prised the arms away so that he could turn and face his boyfriend. “I have something else planned, Lij, but I’ll only go ahead if you’re okay with it.”

“Why wouldn’t I be okay with it?” Elijah’s eyes showed his complete trust of the other.

Billy took Elijah’s hand. “See how you feel when I show you. I’m not going to force you into anything.”

Heart pounding, he began to lead Elijah upstairs. The younger man followed willingly, almost excitedly, but still Billy was afraid of what his lover’s reaction would be.

As he was led into his bedroom, Elijah’s eyes fell on the metal sitting on the bed. “You want to bind me?”

“Only if you’re happy for me to do so.” Billy took both of Elijah’s hands in his own. “I’m guessing there was a time when bondage intrigued you, and I want you to realise how safe it can be. But if you’d rather not…”

Elijah shook his head, stepping closer to Billy. “You’re not him, Billy. And you’re right, it does intrigue me. It scares me too, but I know you can help me with that.”

Billy nodded. “Alright. But if at any point you want me to stop…”

Elijah smiled a little, touched by the obvious concern in the older man’s voice. “I’ll let you know.”

Billy moved in to gently kiss his boyfriend. Elijah instantly responded, wrapping his arms around the Scot in order to pull him closer. He barely even seemed to notice as Billy undid the buttons on his shirt, caught up as he was in the hazy glow that Billy’s presence seemed to provide.

Billy pulled back as he started to push the shirt off the American’s body. Elijah yielded willingly, throwing it to one side as he pulled his arms free. Hed hid his hands forward to Billy, wrists touching in the perfect position for them to be tied. “I’m yours.”

Billy took Elijah’s hands in his own, leading him towards the bed. “I’m going to look after you.”

“I know.” Elijah climbed onto the bed, eager to show his trust. Offering his hands in the same position as before, he almost begged, “Chain me.”

Billy picked up the length of chain lying on the bed. He could feel his hands shaking as he wrapped the metal around Elijah’s wrists. He was careful not to wrap it too tightly, leaving it in such a way that escape would be easy if the American panicked.

Once he was satisfied with the way in which Elijah’s hands were tied, the Scot moved to tie the remaining length to the bedpost. Elijah stretched his arms up so that his hands ended up over his head, leaving himself completely open.

Billy smiled at Elijah. “I love you. You know that, don’t you?”

Elijah nodded. “I love you too, Billy. Like I said, I’m yours.”


~EW~*~BB~


The ecstasy of relief is on them. Through the sheer bliss of orgasm, Billy can hear the slight rattle of chain as Elijah arches back, caught in the moment. Billy’s amazed that the American hasn’t panicked and, as he slowly starts to come down, a sensation of admiration for Elijah sweeps through him.

As soon as he’s pulled out of Elijah, Billy’s moving to unfasten the chains. He had promised the American that he would be safe, and he has no intention of not keeping that promise.

Elijah sits up as Billy reaches to untie him. Once his hands are free, he hugs the Scot tightly. “Thank you, Billy.”

Billy pulls back, looking closely at his boyfriend. “Are you okay?”

Elijah nods. “I…I almost wanted you to stop towards the start. But then I realised that really, I just wanted to test you, and I know that I don’t have to. I know I can trust you.”

Billy gently takes Elijah’s wrists in his hands, examining the skin for any sign of damage. Seeing only slight friction marks, he lifts them to his lips and kisses each wrist once.

Elijah smiles at this. “You didn’t hurt me, Billy.”

“Just making sure.” Billy strokes his lover’s face. “I told you I was going to look after you.”

“You always look after me.” Elijah shifts so that he’s now snuggled up against the Scot. whe when do we get to do this again?”

Billy raises an eyebrow. “So you enjoyed it?”

Elijah nods. “It definitely added something.”

Billy smiles. “You’ll have to demonstrate to me at some point.”

Elijah giggles at this. “I like that idea. Thank you again, Billy.”

“That’s alright.” Billy gently kisses his boyfriend. “I guess we should get some sleep.”

“You don’t want to clean up first, then?” Elijah is already standing up. “It might be an idea.”

Billy stands with Elijah, allowing the younger man to pull him up. “You might be right.”

As the two men head to the bathroom, there’s a shared sense of contentment about them. They’ve known all along that they could rely on each other, but that trust has been cemented tonight. Ghosts of the past have started to vanish and both men know that this is the start of something new, something more.

They’re connected, even more so than they ever were. And the connection between them is made of chain.