Four Lights

[million_star]

Title: Four Lights
Author: millionstar
Pairing: Belldom
Rating: PG
Warnings: Fluff
Summary: An unusual anniversary is observed.
Feedback: Is appreciated if you're inclined, but more importantly, please, just enjoy.
Disclaimer: I don't own Matt or Dom, no profit is being made & this is fiction.
Beta/Support: myz_bee, frisky_biscuit and easilyglorious. Thank you. <3

Author's Note: This is a birthday gift for tha boo, dolce_piccante. I hope you like it girl, and I hope that you have an absolutely fantastic day. Love you loads! <3

"Thank you, sir," the delivery man said with a nod of his head.

"No, thank you for coming out so late," the blond replied, "I really appreciate it, mate."

Dominic smiled, parcel in his hand, and kicked the front door closed with the heel of his foot. His smile increased as did the speed of his heartbeat as he placed the familiar box carefully, reverently, on the table. The bakery on the corner down the street from their flat sent their cakes out in dark blue boxes with gold paisley print embossed on them. Dominic had commented that they looked like something that belonged in the 1970's but Matthew had insisted that it was a distinctive and classy design. Hands shaking, he opened the small envelope taped to the outside and read the small enclosure card.

I'm sorry I can't be there, it began, but think of me when you light the candles, yeah?
Ring me when you're done.
Yours,
Matt

Another smile graced the blond's lips; he brought the card to his mouth and gave it a small peck. He carefully opened the box and removed the pastry, placing it on a plate in the center of the table.

The cake itself was small; barely enough for two people to enjoy. The icing was a light vanilla flavor, with white chocolate curls resting atop it. Also adorning the confection were five fresh raspberries, which mimicked the flavor of the filling just waiting to be cut into. Most importantly, there were four candles in the cake box that were just waiting to take their place between the raspberries on this admittedly miniscule, yet elegant masterpiece.

Dominic shook his head, his throat tightening a little until he steeled himself and nodded. He could do this alone; well, he hoped he could. Normally this was the one day of the year that he and Matthew were always together, no matter what. It just wasn't to be this year, sadly, and Matthew found himself stuck in an airport half way around the world in blizzard conditions. A holiday or a birthday spent apart, while not their idea of a good time, was bearable. Being apart today, however, was hurting them both.

Today was different. As far as days of rememberance went, it was quite unique.

The drummer decided to get down to it and not waste any more time. He spent a long time placing each candle in the precisely correct spot - this was a detail that Matthew was insistent upon - between each raspberry. A small part of him smirked internally when he allowed the fourth candle to drag a little too long through the smooth icing, marring it. If Matthew could see him, he'd most likely have a minor freak-out and insist that Dominic let him do it instead.

It was a bittersweet thought. It made him miss Matthew that much more.

He'd placed a lighter on the table earlier in the day in anticipation of his task and it was now that he reached for it, watching as the first flame flickered to life in front of him.

"One flame for our first kiss," he whispered.

March 10, 1998

"So, what are we gonna do?"

"What do you want do to?"

"I just-"

"I think about you all the time, Dom. All the time."

Dominic moved closer to his best friend and bandmate, noting that Matthew was still gorgeous even when the blush on his face was so violent that it nearly matched the shade of the scarlet curtains in the room. "I'm scared shitless here," he admitted in a whisper, "but I want this so badly. I feel like if I don't kiss you right now I'll regret it forever."

"So do it," Matthew said nervously, "cos regrets suck. Yeah. Regrets are for pussi-"

Impulsively, Dominic cut him off with a soft pressing of his lips to Matthew's own. It shut the rambling singer up and it also made the air between them explode with electricity. Neither of them had been certain of how they would feel if they took this step, and yet now, as their kiss deepened in the awkward way only a first kiss can, they both knew that they wouldn't trade this feeling for anything in the world.

Somehow Matthew ended up in Dominic's lap, his thin hands framing the drummer's face as they continued to explore each other's mouths. The brunet didn't mind when one of Dominic's hands reached for his own, squeezing it tightly, and the blond didn't mind when Matthew whispered "More" into his parted lips.

It amazed Dominic just how far the two of them had come over the years since that night in a cramped dressing room after a gig. They joked now and then about their nervousness that night and neither of them had quite been able to forget that moment between them. Dominic popped one of the raspberries into his mouth and continued.

"One for the kiss at the end of the world."

December 31, 1999

"I'm telling you, this Y2K shit could be the real deal."

"Matt. Come outside with me, yeah? It's snowing, mate!" He turned back to their hotel room from his position on the balcony in search of Matthew but while he could definitely hear the nervous little madman, he couldn't see him. Dominic rolled his eyes and sighed. "Are you hiding? It's not cute. This isn't like when we're playing Hide The Sausage, you know. Come on!"

"Are you crazy? What if planes start falling out of the sky? What if nuclear warheads suddenly launch all by themselves? We can't go out there!"

Dominic wandered in search of his slightly buzzed boyfriend, kicking a couple empty beer cans out of the way. He had no luck until he peeked into the bathroom. Sure enough, there was Matthew, sitting in the bathtub, a blanket over his head. The blond smirked.

"You are an absolute idiot."

"Am not."

"A blanket isn't going to protect you from nuclear fallout, Matt, and you know it. There's just like a couple minutes to go, hurry up! We can watch from the balcony."

"I'm a little drunk, Dom."

"That's okay," Dominic answered, "I'm a little horny."

Matthew tossed the blanket to the side and stood up. "If I come out and the world ends will you still love me?"

The blond melted, nodding his head as the crowd city streets below began to get louder and louder.

"Of course. And if you come out and the world doesn't end, I'm still gonna be horny. So, either way, you win, really."

They didn't even wait for the crowd to count down to one; their lips had greedily met somewhere around the number five. The new milennium had been ushered in; and a few minutes later Matthew, despite his slightly hammered state, did indeed get lucky.

"He's such an entertaining drunk," Dominic commented with a wry laugh, his voice echoing in the kitchen. He lit the third candle and sat back, but not before sticking one of his fingers into the icing and bringing it to his lips. It tasted perfect, as it did every year. He cleared his throat and intoned:

"One for the kiss that went on forever."

June 17, 2004

"What is that?"

"Hmm?"

"What have you been eating?"

"Butterscotch, why?"

Dominic sucked Matthew's tongue into his mouth, the singer giggling at the tickling sensation he was feeling. "It's fucking delicious," the blond commented. "Give me one."

"No."

"Matt!"

"They're mine."

Dominic pouted, Matthew groaning at the sight of his plump lower lip sticking out and just begging to be bitten. "I'll make it worth your while."

The brunet considered this. "Go on."

"I'll give you one kiss for every piece of butterscotch you give me."

Matthew shot off the couch, darting into the small kitchen on the empty tour bus. Laughing, Dominic could hear him rummaging for something in the cabinets, the singer emitting a cute little "Woo!" when he found what he was looking for. He was back just as quickly and poured the bag of candies out onto Dominic's lap.

"Holy shit," Dominic commented, his eyes wide.

Matthew, meanwhile, was counting furiously to himself, his tongue sticking out of the corner of his mouth. It didn't take him long and after some frantic mumbling to himself he proudly announced "Fifty seven!" He turned to the blond, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. "Think you can handle that?"

Dominic pulled him into his lap, framing the brunet's face with his hands as their eyes scanned each others rapidly. "Let's find out," he groaned as he pressed his lips to Matthew's.

From that day on, every time Dominic encountered anything butterscotch flavored it reminded him of that night. The two of them stayed there for nearly an hour, until their lips were sore and sticky sweet. Dominic found himself licking his lips at the mere thought, but only for a moment, as now his mind turned to focus on the much more serious circumstances surrounding the fouth kiss.

"One for our second first kiss."

November 3, 2007

It had been the most miserable month of their lives.

But now, after an emotional intervention organized by Chris, the two of them were face to face again, walking on the seaside back in Teignmouth. The breeze was frigid and the sky was grey on that November morning but neither of them minded so much; they were just happy to be in such close proximity to each other again. Dominic opened his mouth to say something, but each time he just closed his mouth again in frustration.

Matthew was feeling much the same way. What had seemed like such a petty argument at the time had somehow morphed into something so malignent that it had led to them being apart for the longest period of time since they'd become lovers all those years ago. The helplessness of it all was consuming him; as was the fact that, try as he might, he just couldn't seem to get a decent night's sleep without Dominic in his bed.

"We're both stubborn, aren't we?" he said, shaking his head as a few stray raindrops began to fall.

"I reckon we are." Dominic turned to him, his eyes filling with tears. "How did we get here, Matt? What are we doing this for?"

"Please don't cry, or I'll start, too," the brunet whispered, pulling a black handkerchief from his pocket and dabbing at the drummer's eyes. " I love you more than I love anything else in this life, Dom. Please just come home. Please. I can't-" he choked on his words, one hand darting up to cover his mouth as his shoulders shook.

"Shh, I'm here, Matthew, I'm here," Dominic soothed him, reaching out for one of his hands as a gentle but steady rain began to fall. "..if you'll have me, I mean."

Matthew looked up, his eyes still red. "If I'll have you? I need you!" He moved closer to the blond, reaching out to smooth the wet hair from his face, his fingers lingering against Dominic's cheek. "More than that, you're all I want."

"Then I'm yours," the drummer nodded, his throat tightening, "and you're mine. Let's not put each other through this ever again, yeah?" Matthew nodded as well, pulling Dominic close by the collar of his leather jacket. He wound his arms around the drummer's neck.

"Dom?"

"Yeah?"

"I feel like if I don't kiss you right now I'll regret it forever."

Dominic smiled, a stray happy tear mingling with the raindrops coursing down his cheek. "Well, we can't have that. You know what they say about regrets."

When their lips met at this particular time in the history of Matthew and Dominic, it was an act of sanctification, of benediction. It was also the sealing kind of kiss that was what inevitably bound them for the remainder of their days. More than once Dominic had referred to it as their 'wedding ring'.

The soft smile was still on Dominic's face as he watched the four flames flicker softly in front of him. On the surface, Matthew Bellamy didn't seem like a very romantic type of man. But it was true that this little ceremony was his idea and his entirely. When he'd first suggested it to Dominic a few years back, the blond had been floored at the sentimentality of it all. Yet as each year passed they found themselves looking forward to reminiscing, to reliving four particular kisses, four out of hundreds if not thousands, that remained vivid in their memories. Satisfied with the way the ceremony had played out, Dominic blew out the candles, removing them. He sliced himself a large quarter of the cake and savored it, along with a tall glass of milk.

It was as he was making his way into their bedroom later that Dominic dialed Matthew's number and waited for his partner to pick up.

"Hello, Hell's Crematorium. You kill 'em, we grill 'em."

"Charming, Matthew."

"Oh, hi, Dom. Some kids and I were just comparing notes on the best ways to prank people on the phone."

"Sounds like fun."

"You know what," Matthew replied, the blond able to hear the smile in his voice, "it kinda was! So, all done?"

"All done."

"Did you save me some cake?"

Dominic laughed. "Hmm, I dunno, you'll just have to roll the dice and see if there's anything left for you when you get here. I can't believe you did all this. We could have waited until you got home."

"Like fuck we could. Nope, no way," Matthew replied, "it had to be today. Had to. I'm just glad the bakery could accommodate my order on such short notice."

"How'd you manage that? I bet Mr. Olivenson wasn't happy."

"Eh, I may have promised to name one of the songs on the next album after his wife. Or something." Matthew waved his hand dismissively. "The details are... sketchy."

"Matthew."

"Dom?"

"I am not playing drums on a track called Lucille."

"Hmm. Well, never say never, Dom."

They both burst out in laughter, while exchanging small talk for about a half hour or so until Dominic was finding it hard to stay awake. Even at that point, though, they didn't want to part. He held the phone to his ear as he brushed his teeth, endeavored to do so while getting undressed for bed, and it was still clinging to his ear as he turned out the lamp next to their bed.

"I better go. So tired. But, thank you," the blond said, pulling back the covers and getting into their king sized bed alone, "so much. Hurry home to me, yeah?"

"They're telling us that flights should resume in the morning. Be there as soon as I can."

"Goodnight, Matt. Happy Kissiversary."

Thousands of miles away, Matthew Bellamy smiled and brushed away a happy tear.

"Happy Kissiversary, Dom."

Comments

[millionstar.livejournal.com]

Thank you, I'm so happy you liked it! :)

Haha, as do I. ;) There is a certain cake that inspired this particular one, I may go get one tonight!