Jealousy
DM/BB/EW, PG-13


Sometimes, Dom gets a little jealous.

Elijah and Billy seek out each other when they're pissed off or frustrated, because they both deal with it by withdrawing from the situation and whispering emphatically to a neutral party. They both grew up without a father around, which leads to many heart to hearts and furrowed brows, blinked back tears and impossibly long embraces. Without fail, they argue daily about who is taller, standing back to back, flattened hands touching as they both measure across the tops of their heads. They catch each other's eyes, turning their heads slightly in the other's direction, laughing softly. Elijah usually wins, but sometimes he slouches. Elijah has been called "young'un" more times than he can count, and the fine laugh lines around Billy's mouth have been traced more times than he can count. They go for hours calling each other simply "older man" and "younger man" -- "How's your sandwich, older man?" "Where'd you leave the cordless phone this time, younger man?" Elijah is a horrible navigator and complains constantly about how slow Billy drives, but his hand traces slow circles on Billy's thigh, and Billy covers Elijah's hand with his own at stoplights. And when they crawl into bed at night, their sex is slow and anti-climactic, in the way that there really is no climax but you don't need one anyway, because it is stretched and sweet like taffy.

Sometimes, Elijah gets a little jealous.

Dom and Billy are a comedy troupe, a vaudeville act, two halves of a slightly cracked but sharply funny brain. They don't need to finish each other's sentences because they already know every word the other will say. Sometimes Dom laughs so hard his chair almost tips over, catching himself only when a flailed hand connects with the wall. "That's my Pippin," Dom says with a wide grin. "That's my Merry," Billy says back with a giggle. They sit across from each other and discuss football (not that American shit) and pub-hopping, tv shows that Elijah has never heard of, sharing the warmth of memories over beers. People have grown to understand that no one will ever comprehend what went on and was discussed on top of Treebeard -- sometimes Dom and Billy will stop short in conversation and just stare at each other, their eyes full to the brim of inside jokes and mementos etched inside their brains and hearts. When Dom stands behind Billy, Billy fits perfectly, Dom's arms around his stomach and chin resting gently on his shoulder, lips brushing against Billy's sandy hair. And Billy knows just the right words that, when whispered close to Dom's ear, can make him grip the arms of his chair and forget what he was saying, eyelids fluttering and face turning instinctively toward Billy. And Dom knows exactly where to touch Billy, where to trail his knuckles along or carefully grip, where to caress or push, pulling moans and whimpers out of Billy, his back arching and trembling.

Sometimes, Billy gets a little jealous.

Dom and Elijah own an impossible number of CDs between the two of them, and are constantly discussing the merits of Band X over Band Y, how the sound of this group has evolved over the past year and why the lead singer left to pursue his own career. They sing along loudly to their favorites, and litter the floor with jewel cases as they make mix CDs for each other. Elijah borrows Dom's long-sleeved shirts, and Dom often trades for one of Elijah's faded band t-shirts. They even share socks sometimes, the kind with grey heels and toes. They argue over whose older brother is ultimately cooler, and make up wildly elaborate stories about their travels around the world and amazing skill with guitar, drums, and computer games. Dom secretly thinks Elijah's brother is probably smarter than his, and Elijah secretly thinks that Dom's brother is better-looking than his. They love to compare their hand sizes, pressing their palms together as Dom curls his fingers over Elijah's. Elijah giggles every time. Dom loves to pull Elijah's head close and give him kisses on the forehead, and Elijah loves to rest his head against Dom's chest. Sex between them is fast and frenetic, with bite marks, bruises and screams, the crook of Elijah's elbow soaked from carelessly wiping the sweat out of his eyes over and over, Dom's lower back slick and radiating heat.

They all get jealous.

But when the three of them are sitting at a bar together, drinking the same brand of beer as their feet and legs touch under the counter -

When Elijah is laying across Dom and Billy's laps, one arm snaking around Dom's waist and the other hand gently rubbing Billy's stomach -

When Billy draws both of them close to him, laughing softly, tangling his hands in their hair -

When Dom grabs both of their hands, pulling them to his chest, stroking each palm with his thumb -

The competitive edge begins to fade.

And when they are all bundled under a blanket, turned in toward each other, sharing the warmth of their bodies -

When they all go for a kiss at the same time, foreheads and noses bumping, grinning as their lips ghost against each other's -

When they wake up to a pile of blue jeans at the foot of the bed and are not sure whose are whose, but it doesn't really matter because they share everything anyway -

When they all melt into each other, the fire and honey and cool water of their individual passions melding and mixing into an exquisite aching throb, when hands and tongues and thighs disappear and only touch and heat and shuddering rhythms remain -

They don't stay jealous for long.




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