I had to write the chapter I thought I had to write, inserting a small scene about New Year's Eve (because it was New year's Eve when I wrote this in Italian, so it fitted) ... result? The 'little scene' has become a chapter in itself .. it won't make the plo goes ont, but ... enjoy reading ^^
Disclaimer: The title is taken from the lyrics of 'Feeling Good' ^^
New Year's 'Eve is coming and Dom and Matt are ready to celebrate pwoperly...
Chapter XXIX I: It's a new dawn, it's a new day
"Co-co-co-coffin?!" gasps Tom, looking in the same direction as Chris.
"Yes, it was Dom's gift for my first vampiversary and I turned it into my very original and exclusive lunchbox!" explains Matt, with a motto of pride.
"Oh, what a delightful gift from you, Dom!" comments Tom sarcastically, recovering.
"Look, it's a gift that was specifically asked of me by Matt!" Dominic points out.
"I wonder why this doesn't surprise me at all!" Chris rolls his eyes. "And tell me, Dom, did you happen to ask for the same gift for your birthday?" He wonders jokingly.
"Of course not!" Dominic shakes his head. "My coffin is golden, with a zebra-striped interior and is definitely more comfortable!" he adds with a pleased smile.
"You're not telling me you got into it!" chuckles Tom, but it's clearly a nervous laugh.
"Of course, with Matt ... and in both, so I can make the comparison!" the blond smiles, as if he were explaining to him the most natural thing in the world.
"If you really want to, we'll let you in too later..." Matthew suggests jovially.
"Uh no, no, thanks I'm fine here, upright and with nothing closing around me!" The photographer mutters, trying to keep his nerve.
Kelly hasn't said a word yet, intent as she is on staring at that gaudy silver coffin.
Her husband notices it.
"Honey, are you okay?"
"Oh yes, dear. I was just reflecting. Certainly not of that so ... flashy shape, but a lunchbox table of that color and in that arrangement would fit perfectly in our living room." She comments, ideally taking the measures.
"Kelly, think about it. Our table doesn't even have a corner. It is much less dangerous for you who have so many children at home." Dom recommends.
"You are right!" Kelly replies, ignited by an interest that greatly dismays her husband.
"Honey, if the problem is only the corners, it means that we will buy a round table!" He offers her as a valid compromise and it seems to work.
"Guys, I was thinking, to celebrate this return to normality, how about spending New Year's Eve all together, at our house?" Dominic proposes, with a sparkling smile.
"Well, Jac and I don't have anything planned yet, so…why not?" approves Tom.
"That's a great idea, Dommeh!" congratulates Matthew. "Let's call the rest of the gang too!"
"There's only one problem…" Kelly blurts out.
Everyone, including her husband who was already toying with that idea, turns to look at her.
"You won't mind the children if we bring them here, will they?" She winks and it's hard to decide who smiles more gratefully, between Dom and Matt.
"They certainly won't be bored. They will be able to play with Morgan's or Glen's children!" plan frontman.
"There is only one thing left to do." Chris clears his throat. "If you plan to have that many people in your house, that creepy thing has to go!" he clarifies, pointing to the silver coffin.
"From now!" suggests Tom, who shivers every time he looks at that thing.
"But..." Matt protests, reluctant to accept that prospect.
"Matteh, I'm afraid they are right. The world is not yet ready for certain furnishing accessories and your creative flair in furnishing interiors!" Dom approaches him, comforting him with a few pats on the back.
"Alright then!" the pianist gives up with a snort. "But since it's you who doesn't like it, at least help me carry it to the bedroom!" He exhorts them.
"And break our backs? No bloody way!" Scolds the bass player.
"If anything, ask your boyfriend who has super strength like you!" the photographer acidly comments.
"Surely you two don't have the super-niceness, though!" Dominic rolls his eyes, walking towards the blamed coffin. "Come on, Matt, I'll help you, you take it from one side, I'll take it from the other!" He instructs him, starting to lift it as if it was made of styrofoam.
Kelly enjoyed the entire scene between the four friends with a smile and together with the other two humans observes amazed how easily and quickly the two vampires carry the heavy coffin to the designated place.
"Well, considering that we'll see each other at the end of the month anyway, I'd say that now we can even go home!" proposes Chris and no one has anything to object to.
"Of course it's a real pity that the end-of-year party can't be held in my home in Como. It was spacious and every year they put on a spectacular fireworks show on the lake!" Matthew comments nostalgically, once alone with Dominic.
Very unlucky choice of topic.
"Ah, well, good to know! So you are shamelessly admitting that you would like to celebrate again with Gaia, at your house. Look, you just need to ask, it doesn't take me much to buy you a one-way ticket to Italy!" Dominic snaps.
"I've never even remotely said that!" Matt retorts, dismayed.
"Well, then it's your bloody subconscious that spoke for you!" The blond reproaches him, moving away from him.
He's already halfway up the stairs when, thanks to his super-speed, Matthew chases him, grabs him by the hips and pushes him against the railing, pressing his pelvis against his.
"Oh no, you won't run away from me. Dommeh, when will you figure it out? It's you I've always wanted, it's you I want, and it's you I'll always want." he whispers in his ear, biting his earlobe until he draws blood and this only with his normal teeth. A little to punish him and a little to please him.
"You are not convincing enough!" Dominic moans in response.
Time to say it and he is lying, with his back against the stairs and Matt astride him, with every intention of substantiating his arguments.
"Dominic, I hope one of your New Year's resolutions is to be less jealous!" Matthew mutters, taking off the belt of his trousers.
"Only if your resolution is to be less... gullible!" Dom replies, with an impertinent smile.
Matthew instantly stops his activity.
"So... you just pretended to be jealous!" He deduces, a little bewildered.
"Logical that yes! It's too much fun to tease you!" The blond sticks his tongue out at him.
"You! You are the most evil being that ever lived and your demon has nothing to do with it!" The brunet reproaches him, relieved, but above all offended, walking away.
"But... didn't you have to convince me?" Dom yells at him from the stairs.
"Convince yourself!" Matt growls at him, before closing himself in the bathroom.
"Okay, it wasn't that big of a joke after all." the handsome drummer admits out loud as he rolls his eyes, half-dressed, seduced and abandoned.
However, it is known that those are only skirmishes that leave the time they find and on December 31st the two best friends find themselves more in love than ever, ready to enjoy the celebrations.
Also because by now it's a matter of an hour or so before dinner begins.
"Did you set the table in the living room? Did you do the change of air before doing it? Did you close our bedroom door? Are you dressed?" shouts from the kitchen Dom.
"Yes, yes, yes… and definitely yes!" Matthew joins him, showing himself all strutting in his red suit that he dusted off for the occasion.
"Matteh... look, even if there's the whole group... there's no concert tonight!" The drummer patiently replies.
"I know. So what? Red brings good luck, you know!" The pianist justifies himself.
"That is an Italian tradition, look, I know it!" Replies the blond, accusingly.
"Well, I made it mine. Do you have something against it?" Matt runs a hand through his hair, with a cocky attitude.
Indeed, while observing him in the outfit that he has chosen and that fits him in a way that is not humanly possible, vampire or not, Dominic has absolutely nothing against it.
"Dommeh, for your information, there is not even a remote village in the world where the leopard print on New Year's Eve is believed to bring good luck!" the frontman retorts, pointing to his silver leopard printed shirt, perfectly matched with an elegant black suit and suitably protected by an equally leopard printed apron.
"It won't be some stupid superstition or custom that will stop me from looking fabulous!" the blond shrugs, with an attitude that rivals any Prima Donna.
"I certainly didn't tell you to go and change," Matt assures him. "Tell me, can I help you with the mousse?" He offers, wearing his apron, hard to believe, but much less showy than Dom's.
"No way. I've worked on it for an hour and a half and the credit must be entirely mine!" counters Dom, pushing him away with one hand, while with the other he continues to sprinkle the whole outline of the muffler with black olives, as if it were the fence of an imaginary flowerbed.
The fact that in the center Dom has arranged slices of salmon folded to look like roses also contributes to reinforcing that impression.
"Well, well… nobody would say you spend most of your time hitting things!" Matthew says, observing the success of that meticulous work.
"Shut up! It's already a miracle you haven't thrown the canapés you made like you do with your guitars!" Dom strikes back, as they bring the fruit of their finished work to the table.
Dividing the things to bring among the various guests, they got the appetizers and they mutually rejected the option of turning to a catering service, too impersonal in their opinion.
"And I still can't believe you made me clean the house this morning. Again. This made it twice in just one month. You're gonna pay hard for that, Howard!" Matt threatens him, as they go back to the kitchen, taking off their aprons and relaxing a bit, before their guests arrive.
"Oh, I can't wait for that, Bellamy!" Dominic challenges him, in a sexy way.
Around half past seven, the time scheduled for the reception, the two hear a ringing at the door and go to open it.
"Uncles, uncles! Uncleeees, we missed you so much!"
That's all they hear, in a sort of unanimous chorus, before they are assaulted by a mini herd of children who rush to embrace them.
"Ever since we put them in the car they keep repeating how happy they are to see their uncles!" Kelly chuckles, carrying in its glass casserole a chestnut-stuffed turkey big enough to feed an army and so appetizing your mouth is watering just to look at it.
Managing to free herself from that mini invasion, Dom arranges to help her carry the turkey to the kitchen and put it in the oven.
Chris would have helped her, but he's too busy holding Buster in his arms, the only one still too young to crawl in the direction of his uncles.
When he returns from the kitchen, Dom cuddles all the little ones, taking over from Matt who is free to fill bowls with chips of various flavors, popcorn, pretzels and other similar foodstuffs.
"And Santa brought me so many legos, I've already built a castle and a boat!" Frankie tells everything excitedly, while, once they have taken off their coats and made them sit down, they are all gathered around the fireplace.
"That's good, I bet they are beautiful! When I come to visit you at your house you have to show them to me! And then we make the boat into a warship that can invade the castle!" Dominic smiles at him with the child approving the idea by jumping.
"And instead he gave me two dolls, a boy and a girl and I feed them, dress them, take care of them, let them play, so I'll become a good mother like my mom!" giggles Ava-Jo, who has brought along the two dolls she is talking about just in case.
"They are very lucky dolls, they could not have had a better mother!" Matt smiles at her, making the little girl proud. "And you, Alfie, what did you get?"
"Santa brought me a soccer ball, the kind of the grown-up ones, so I train and become as good and strong as my dad!" says the eldest and this time it's his dad who smiles proudly. "And then he also brought me drumsticks, but I don't know why..." the boy frowns.
"Maybe because he wants someone to teach you how to play the drums!" winks at him Dominic, who has already decided in advance that eventuality with Chris and Kelly.
"Really, Uncle Dom?" gasps the little boy, excited. "And can we start now?" He incites him.
"I'm sorry, Alfie, but tonight I don't think we will have the time, soon you will be busy too, with all the other children to play with.. but I promise you it will be soon!" The drummer assures him.
Ernie doesn't have much to tell, but he enjoys piggybacking on Matthew's legs, while Dominic holds little Buster, asleep, in his arms.
Chris and especially Kelly enjoy that little break from being a full-time parent.
"Hey, guys, who assures us that this is not just a trap and that then we will be your feast?" Jokingly teases them Chris, sitting down on the sofa next to his friends.
"If you don't stop, I'll bake you with the turkey!" Matt replies equally jokingly, giving him a playful shove.
"Tell me, guys, will you make it through an entire evening to act… not as a couple?" Kelly asks them, taking advantage of the fact that the children are busy playing with each other to hear them.
The two nod, even if this gives them a lot to think about.
The bell rings again and this time it's Tom and Jaclyn, who, as agreed, bring a delicious Christmas Pudding decorated with wild strawberries and whipped cream, another course that reaches the kitchen, this time to rest in the fridge.
Within an hour Glen, Morgan and Dom Anderson also arrive with their families and companions in tow and the house is soon filled with people.
"Dom, I wanted to tell you something about the salmon mousse." Matt calls him, when the party is now in full swing and all the guests are hoarding appetizers.
"What's wrong with my mousse?" the blond is alarmed, locking himself in the kitchen with his beloved.
"It's perfect!"
"No, it's not true, if anything, it's intact... because nobody's touching it. Yet I followed the recipe faithfully, I even tasted it at every stage. I've worked hard on it for an hour..." Dom despairs.
"And a half, Dom, you already told me, yes. But look, I don't…"
"Instead, your tuna canapés are selling like hot cakes!" the blond almost accuses him.
"What do you want me to tell you? It must mean I'm better than you!" the brunet chuckles arrogantly.
"Don't even say that as a joke! You didn't even bother too much, you cut the bread as best as you could and it was done! You didn't even use a stencil to give it a more elaborate shape." Dominic scolds him.
"Processed or not, they are eating them!" Matt replies snotty, but then notices the disappointment in Dom's eyes. "Probably no one touches your mousse because it's so perfect they don't feel like ruining it!" He adds, with a softer tone.
"You are sweeter than honey when you want!" Dom smiles at him.
"And, by the way, that wasn't the point, I just wanted to lure you here with an excuse!" reveals Matt, approaching.
"And why?" the other frowns.
"First, to do this..." He kisses him intensely, but for a short time. "I missed it."
"Me too." smiles Dom, running a thumb over his lips.
"And then I wanted to ask you.. what are we supposed to do at midnight?"
"In what sense?"
"Dom, in case you haven't noticed, our house is overrun with people, over half unaware that you and I are a couple, and over three-quarters unaware that you and I have become vampires. And I really wanted to give you both a kiss and a bite at midnight!" the handsome pianist sulks.
"Well, Matt, it's not the end of the world, there will be other occasions and…"
"No, you don't understand, there will never be an opportunity like this again. It's true, we'll spend many more New Year's Eves, but there's only one for each year and that's what makes them so unique. And I would like to greet this new year that is about to arrive with you, in the most pwopah way possible..." Matt launches into a frantic monologue, gesticulating like crazy.
"You are right. I want to greet the new year properly, too! Do you think they will notice if we go away for a while at midnight?" Dom naively asks.
"Just because we are the hosts and at the stroke of the new year we should be the first to exchange greetings, kisses and hugs with everyone? No, who do you think would notice our absence?" sarcastically replies his Mate.
"We'll come up with something." reflects Dom.
"Yes. And in the meantime, we'd better go back there, it's a bit unusual to discuss a mousse for over a quarter of an hour!" Matthew decides wisely, going out with him.
(End I)
Notes:
Hope you'll like it... if someone is still reading this...