This is once the kids come home from school.
"Okay!" Adam yells. "So, you are all like ten million years old now!" Dominic, Casey, and Leila roll their eyes.
"Dad," Dominic starts, "I'm only eighteen."
"Gah! My baby boy is growing up!" Tommy shouts, running to Dominic and wrapping his arms around him protectively. Dominic squirms in his arms.
"Dad…" he mumbles.
"No! Shut up! Let me be sad and happy and whatever the fuck else I am feeling right now! Oh god stop growing!" Tommy squeezes Dominic harder, ice vs. ice. Adam smiles, playing with Leila's long blonde curls.
"Oh god…" Leila whispers.
"What?" Adam asks her quietly. She sighs deeply.
"It's that time of the month again… I'll be back…" Leila walks off in frustration while Casey and Adam laugh at Dominic's breathless expression.
"C'mon, Babe," Casey says, grabbing Dominic's wrist and pulling him away from Tommy.
"Wait, what?!" he spurts. Casey raises a brow. "Don't call me that. It's weird." Casey rolls his eyes.
"Let's just go," he whispers, pulling Dominic to his car.
They drive off to the mall in the sleek silver Porsche.
"So, what are you getting done?" Dominic asks, turning the radio on nonchalantly and scrunching his nose at the shitty music he hears. He turns the radio off and slumps into the seat. Casey laughs.
"Gauges, I think. I already have earring holes, so I should be able to get small gauges for now.
"That's really epic," Dominic says, smiling wildly. He makes a kissy-face to Casey and talks with a strange voice. "Do you want me to hold your haaaand?" Casey laughs and pushes him back playfully.
"Shut up, jackass. I can take it. You go buy yourself something shiny, mkay?" he says, touching a finger under Dominic's chin lovingly. Dominic acts as though he's madly in love with Casey with a look in his eyes. Casey rolls his eyes and taps Dominic on the cheek, like a playful slap. Dominic gasps and taps him back they do this for a few seconds before Casey pauses at a red light. "Nicky! I have to drive! Do you want to get there in one piece?"
"What would you do if I said no?" Dominic asks. Casey hesitates a moment before replying.
"I would wait until we get there safely, then I would kick your ass." Casey smiles facetiously, watching for the light to turn green.
"I'm much faster than you. I'll be able to run away."
"I'm hotter than you, so I could make you double over in pain of heat," Casey retaliates.
"Well, I could… set you on… ice…" Dominic says, piecing his comeback together pitifully.
"Oh, so like freezer burn?" Casey asks. Dominic laughs and nods.
"Yeah. Frozen fire."
"Frozen fire?"
"Yup."
"Alrighty then."
As the two arrive at the tattoo shop, Casey sees a particular drawing in a window display.
"Hey, Nicky, look. It's like yours," he says, pointing to the artwork. Dominic holds up his left arm to the glass, seeing the patterns of flowers match up. "It's a cherry blossom like yours." Dominic nods.
"But I have no clue where mine came from. I have no memory of getting it." Casey ponders this.
"Well, it's pretty cool anyway. Not exactly the choice of tattoo a dude should get, but a tattoo nonetheless. I'll be in the back. You can go do whatever," Casey says, opening the door and walking up to the main counter to talk to the woman behind it. The woman seems to be in her early twenties. Her arms and neck are covered in tattoos, her face in piercings. She looks like she just stepped out of a circus tent. She smiles at Casey warmly, her bright white teeth contradicting the rest of her appearance. They exchange a few words, and he heads to the back for his procedure.
Dominic walks around the shop aimlessly, looking through tattoos and piercings. He looks into a glass display of piercings and finds one that catches his eye. He looks around to make sure Casey is no where around, and he tells the tattooed lady at the counter what he wants. She smiles and writes on a sheet of rainbow-coloured notebook paper.
"Take this to the other back side and give it to the big guy in green," she says sweetly. Dominic smiles and takes the paper, walking to the back as she instructed. He hands the man the slip of paper. He nods and pulls on new gloves and takes the piercing from its glass shelter, sterilizing it thoroughly. He sits down in a small black leather chair.
"This is gonna hurt for a long while, so be extremely careful," he warns. Dominic nods, knowing his body heals incredibly faster than normal humans. It'll be perfectly fine in a couple of minutes.
The man applies the piercing swiftly. Dominic winces for only a moment facetiously, for dramatic effect.
'Epic,' Dominic thinks. The man cleans up the area lightly. His largely muscular frame contradicts his feather light touch.
"Congrats, boy," he says paternally. "You got yourself a tongue stud." The man pats Dominic on the back. Dominic smiles and plays with the stud through his teeth. He pays the man and walks back to the front of the shop. Casey walks out a short time later, newly gauged. He smiles wildly, immensely proud of his new adornment. His face glows.
"Excited much?" Dominic asks him. He rolls his eyes.
"Excuuuuuse me for being a little HAPPY! I feel so mature…" Casey says giddily. I smile.
"Whatever," Dominic says, trying carefully not to open his mouth too much so that Casey won't see his piercing. "Let's go home."
Dominic drives home this time, letting Casey marvel at his gauges. Dominic silently fiddles with his stud, his mouth staying closed.
"So, what are we doing when we get home?" Casey asks. Dominic shrugs.
"My dads texted saying they would be late coming back home," Dominic replies.
"What for?"
"They went out of town to get dinner or some shit like that."
"Ah…" Casey mumbles. "I guess we can play a game or something…" Dominic laughs, shaking his head.
"Ya know, it's kind of funny how you got a piercing on my birthday," Dominic says, smirking. Casey rolls his eyes.
"C'monnnnn!" he drags, walking into the house. Dominic hesitates a second as he closes the door quietly. He begins to test Casey.
"So… I've been talking to this girl at school…" Dominic says. Casey's expression remains blank. Dominic continues. "Her name is… Mandy!" Casey's face burns bright red.
"Mandy…?" Casey asks. Both of the boys pause, standing quietly in the living room alone.
"Yes."
"But she's such a slut!" Casey yells.
"She's sweet."
"You can't date her! She'll deflower you, Nicky!" Dominic smiles lightly at Casey's discomfort, but he suddenly feels something strange. Without thinking, he blurts out incredibly stupid words.
"You think she'll like my tongue stud?" Dominic asks, sticking his tongue out of his mouth. Casey looks up in shock.
"You… when did you get that?" Casey mutters.
"While you got yours."
"Why?"
"I wanted to."
"What?!"
"You like?" Dominic questions mischievously. Casey pauses only a moment before marching over to Dominic and pressing his lips against Dominic's harshly. Dominic takes a step back in surprise but doesn't push Casey away. In fact, he welcomes the kiss. He unthinkingly wraps his arms around Casey's neck, and Casey holds onto Dominic's hips, pulling him closer. Casey moves back for a second to look at Dominic shyly.
"This makes you ten times fucking hotter than before."
"So, I was hot before?" Dominic asks. Casey nods.
"So… fucking… sexy…" Casey whispers, moving closer to Dominic with each word. Dominic shudders as Casey's breath touches his face and shoulders, heating him up immediately. Their contrasting temperatures push against one another, threatening to either defrost Dominic or freeze Casey.
Casey presses his lips against Dominic's again, but not as forcefully. Dominic feels a strange sensation building. Half a second later, he pushes Casey away. Casey looks at him innocently, confused.
"I…This is obviously wrong… You're like my brother! And you're a guy!" Dominic yells, wriggling out of Casey's hold.
"You have two dads! And I know you and Mandy aren't talking!" Casey argues. "And I bet you're feeling something strange below the belt, huh?!"
"But-"
"Shut the fuck up, Nicky!" Casey screams, pulling Dominic's shirt so hard that Dominic slams against him. Equally, they press their lips together again, and again, Dominic doesn't push Casey away. He holds Casey's face softly, an inky tear falling down his pale face.
Casey begins to move backward, making Dominic follow closely, their lips still pressed firmly together. Dominic feels the sharp pain in his lips, like needles and fire. He breaks off the kiss quickly, another tear falling from his cheek. Casey touches his face as they kiss, calming him.
"What's wrong, babe?" he asks. Dominic sighs.
"I don't know… When you kiss me, it hurts… Like… it burns… It stings like someone is poking me over and over with a needle… Thousands of needles… It's like being shocked from an outlet…" Dominic explains slowly.
"I'm so sorry…" Casey whispers.
"What the fuck ever, Casey. I'm doing what I want!" Dominic shouts. He pulls Casey's face to him.
At first, Dominic stays in place, still caught in the bliss of his first kiss. Casey slips his tongue into Dominic's mouth, warm and smooth. Dominic fidgets, and his lower half begins to stiffen. He feels the beautiful discomfort all over as his mind wanders. Casey senses it and smiles into the kiss. He expertly directs Dominic's tongue out of his mouth and into his own. Casey bites Dominic's tongue piercing carefully, not letting go even in the slightest. He pulls away slightly, making Dominic follow helplessly. Casey laughs, letting Dominic go and holding his face gently. Dominic watches him, his brown eyes piercing into Casey's.
"You're so fucking cute…" Casey whispers. Dominic blushes, touching his lips to Casey's ever so softly. Casey grabs Dominic roughly by his hair and shoves his tongue down Dominic's throat. Dominic feels the painful stinging and burning severely, but of course, he ignores it.
The two boys scramble to the back of the house and into Casey's room, unthinkingly leaving the door opens wide. They fall hopelessly against Casey's bed, their hearts beating like drums. Dominic crawls on top of Casey and unbuttons his shirt. Casey grabs Dominic's hands to stop him. Dominic watches him with confused and hopefully sparkling eyes.
"I thought…you were…freaked out…by gays," Casey ponders, kissing Dominic between every few words.
"Oh please!" Dominic shouts. "Like you didn't know all this time that I want you to fuck me!" Casey laughs.
"Is that why you got mad last year when I told you I slept with Ethan?" Casey asks. Dominic presses his lips softly against Casey's.
"Yes," he whispers softly. Each time he kisses Casey, the stinging sensation presents itself again. The pain is unbearable, but Dominic puts himself through it for Casey and for one reason only.
"Why?" Casey asks, his eyes twinkling in the careful light of the window. "I didn't really do it…"
"I-" Dominic starts, but he hesitates. He slowly presses his lips on Casey's, savouring the moment. The kiss is simple, and it lasts a short while. They hear glass break in the doorway. They break the kiss and look up to see Leila paused in the doorway, a vase shattered at her feet. She blinks once before her face reddens and she runs to the kitchen. Casey and Dominic exchange a two-second glance before scrambling after her.
"Leila!" Casey screams. He and Dominic run into the kitchen hastily, Dominic sliding across the tiled floor and falling onto his back. Casey gasps crouching by Dominic's side and touching his face gingerly. All three teens hear the front door open and close.
"Guys? Anyone home?" Adam asks. Leila, Casey, and Dominic hold their breaths. The all exchange a quick frightened glance, and then Leila runs into the living room. Casey's eyes widen.
"Oh, hey, baby," Tommy says to Leila.
"DOMINIC FELL!" Leila screams flatly. Dominic and Casey relax. Adam and Tommy rush into the kitchen, Leila following close on their heels.
"My baby!" Adam yells, falling by Dominic's side. Adam frets gently, touching Dominic's face, cheeks, and neck. Dominic looks up at him, dazed and confused.
"Dad…?" he mumbles. Adam whimpers and holds him close. "Dad… I'm okay… I just slipped… I'll be fine…"
"You could have seriously hurt yourself…" Adam whispers. Dominic laughs quietly, confusing his father.
"I'm fine, promise," Dominic says, grunting as he pushes himself off of the floor. Casey and Adam help him stand, but as soon as they let him go, he stumbles against them. They resteady him.
"Whoa there, Nicky…" Adam says gently. "Maybe you should just go lie down." Dominic nods silently.
"I'll keep you company," Casey says. "If you want…" Dominic hesitates a second before nodding.
"Yeah… sure… thanks…" he mumbles. Casey nods.
"Geez, Nicky…" Tommy says, shaking his head. "You get hurt more than anyone I've ever known!" Dominic laughs weakly.
"Yeah, I know. Sorry, Dad."
"It's fine," Tommy replies, smiling.
"I'm glad your baby is okay," Leila mumbles, rolling her eyes and walking off to the living room.
"Leila, wait!" Adam says, walking after her hastily. Tommy follows, shaking his head. Dominic and Casey hobble along, Dominic leaning precariously against Casey's shoulder. Casey laughs gently, opening Dominic's bedroom door and stepping inside. He helps Dominic climb into bed, climbing in himself, beside him. Dominic snuggles up to Casey, their contrasting temperatures evening one another out. Dominic sighs.
"What is it, Baby?" Casey asks. Dominic shrugs.
"This is unreal… you and me… It's amazing, and it just can't be true…"
"Are you saying you don't want me?"
"No! That's not what I'm saying at all!"
"Then, what, Nicky?!" Casey whispers loudly, trying to keep Dominic quiet.
"I want you…" Dominic whispers. Casey's breath stops momentarily, quickening his heartbeat. Dominic weakly climbs on top of Casey, their pelvises touching gently. Dominic touches Casey's chest lightly, making him shudder. Casey looks over to the door, making sure it's locked, and smiles. He looks back to Dominic, whose brow is raised.
Casey slowly lifts Dominic's shirt over his head, tossing it lightly on the floor. Dominic shudders softly. Casey holds onto Dominic's waist, leading him closer. Dominic rocks back and forth on Casey, intensening the air around them. He pulls down Dominic's face, touching their lips together gingerly. Dominic feels the same burning sensation as before, maybe even stronger. He winces and pulls away, tears falling from his perfect cheeks. Casey pulls him back. He breaks away again.
"Dude," Casey says flatly.
"Casey, I can't do this!" Dominic whispers loudly. "It just hurts too much!"
"Fine…" Casey mumbles, shoving Dominic off of him.
"I'm sorry, Case-"
"I'm not mad. It's just that I've been waiting for a moment like this for so fucking long… I love you, Nicky…"
"Well… Just hold me. I'm cold…"
"Nicky, you're always cold…" Casey says, raising a brow. Dominic smiles, cuddling up to Casey. They fall asleep quietly, content in their little empty worlds.