Note/summary/series/webpage: Not really a story, more of a very short fix-it vignette for this week's ep. I was hoping this could stand alone, but I guess it'll make more sense in the Lost Horizons universe.
Comments are always welcome and responded to at jb7811@bellsouth.net
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Slumped comfortably on the couch, feet propped up on the table, Dominic watched television and unwound from his day. A knock at the door had him getting up, but he kept his eyes on the action on the screen. The game was tied, but someone was going to score soon, he was sure.
He opened the door thinking he knew who was on the other side, so he was quite surprised to see Suzanne Riley standing there asking if Gabriella was ready for her piano lesson. He apologized and explained that Gabriella was away for the weekend.
Feeling bad that Suzanne had come all the way over there because Gabriella had failed to call and cancel, Dominic apologized again and asked her to come in. "Can I offer you something to eat? I've got pizza. I've got scotch."
"No thanks, really, I've already eaten." After a pause that seemed loaded with something that Dominic recognized but thought it better not to pursue, she said, "Unless you'd like to take the lesson."
He tried to turn her down. "Oh no, I couldn't--"
She countered with a cunning, "It's already paid for..."
And before he knew it, he was agreeing just for the hell of it. Any thought of televised sports flying right out of his head.
Suzanne smiled. "Come on. I'll teach you a few things."
Dominic's first thought was a lascivious 'I'll bet you could' because old habits are never fully broken and she was a good-looking woman. She was also showing interest in him, which was always a nice booster shot to the old ego.
Taking off his glasses and laying them on top of the piano, Dominic sat down on the bench next to Suzanne, feeling the warmth of her body where her arm and thigh touched his. She said they'd stick to something simple, and he agreed that would be best--mostly because her light flowery scent was going to his head and he'd never be able to concentrate on anything complicated.
Her hand was soft and cool on his as she helped him with the scales, and he had to admit that this was a much more enjoyable way to pass the time than watching TV even though he still didn't feel very musical.
Another knock at the door had Dominic excusing himself to answer it. He pulled it open to see Bobby standing there looking down at the floor. Apparently hearing the door open, Bobby looked up and smiled. It was a small smile, but it lit up his whole face and Dominic found himself grinning back like a fool as he stepped aside for Bobby to enter. "Hey, Bobby."
"Hey. Sorry, I'm late. Had to take a last minute phone call and then traffic..." Bobby stepped into the apartment and kicked his shoes off by the door. He walked into the living room with Dominic saying, "I hope you didn't wait for me to eat."
"No, I knew you could be a while." Dominic felt a pang of guilt at the bottle of scotch still sitting on the coffee table, but being honest about it was better than hiding it, right? That's what he told himself anyway as a tinkle of music drifted over from the corner.
Bobby's eyes widened in surprise as he started to turn toward the sound. "I thought Gabriella was-- Oh. Hello." He blinked, turned back to Dominic, and blinked again.
"Hello." Suzanne slid gracefully off the bench and stood up. She smiled politely at Dominic and gently chided, "You should have mentioned you were expecting company."
Dominic shrugged. "Bobby's not company." Bobby nudged him with his foot. "Oh yeah sorry, manners, right. You see where Gabriella gets it from?" He cleared his throat and said, "Bobby, this is Suzanne Riley, Gabriella's music teacher. Suzanne, this is my friend Bob Marlow."
Bobby cut him a look that spoke volumes and then smiled and held out his hand to Suzanne. "It's a pleasure to meet you. I've noticed a big improvement in Gabi's technique lately. She's really got an ear for music, eh?"
"Yes, she does and she's willing to practice, which also makes a big difference." She released Bobby's hand, and looked at him with sudden interest. "Do you play?"
"Not for a while. I had lessons when I was a kid, but I never had the...uh, talent that occasionally shows up in my family." He glanced at Dominic as if daring him to comment, but Dominic just looked down at his feet to hide his smirk.
Suzanne opened her mouth as if she was going to comment, but apparently thought better of it. She smiled and picked up her shoulder bag. "I guess I might as well be going. It was nice to meet you, Mr. Marlow." She nodded to them both and Dominic escorted her to the door where she assured him, "We won't count this as a lesson, all right?"
"Okay, if you're sure. I'll have Gabriella call you when she gets back." He said goodnight and closed the door behind her. He locked the door, and then turned to find Bobby in the doorway watching him with an unreadable expression.
"Gabriella forgot to tell Suzanne that she was going to Seattle this weekend."
"Suzanne is it? She's pretty." Bobby closed the distance between them. "And blonde."
"Really?" Dominic flicked a fingernail over the buttons on Bobby's forest green shirt and tilted his head as if trying to picture the woman who'd just left. "I didn't even notice."
"Yeah, right." Bobby snickered as he pressed a kiss to Dominic's cheek, but when he moved his lips an inch or two to the right, he was dead serious. He met Dominic's open mouth with his and practically devoured him for a solid minute before pulling back. He took a deep breath and said, "So what's with the scotch?"
Dominic shook his head and kissed Bobby hard and long, and when they had to break for a breath, Bobby ran his hands down Dominic's back and said, "You can't ignore the question."
Thinking it was worth a try, Dominic ran his tongue down the length of Bobby's throat, tasting the slight salty flavor of his skin and the tang of his aftershave, as his hands started undoing buttons. He placed a long, sucking kiss on Bobby's collarbone and pulled the shirttails out of his waistband. He raised his head to meet Bobby's mouth and started loosening Bobby's belt.
Bobby pulled back again, grabbed Dominic's hands, and shook his head. "Oh no, you don't. Talk to me while I eat, and then you can undress me."
"Yeah, okay. You want me to tell you about my day or about the game--" he motioned to the television "--or whatever, that's fine. But I don't want to talk about *that*." He tilted his head toward the bottle on the table. It was no big deal, and he didn't want Bobby to think it was a big deal, and talking about it would just make it a big deal. He could do that in therapy or AA. He didn't need Bobby for that, and in fact, would prefer to keep his relationship with Bobby as separate as possible from the other thing.
"All right. That's up to you." Bobby's mouth tightened as he looked away, and his smile seemed forced when he turned back. "So...did you remember to get mushrooms on the pizza?"
"Just for you." Dominic led Bobby into the kitchen and motioned at the box on the counter. He poured two glasses of soda while Bobby fixed himself a plate and stuck it in the microwave. He took the glasses over to the table and asked, "So how was your day?"
"It was the same as most others. I had to talk to Child Services today to get some kids removed from their grandparents' home. It was--" Bobby broke off with a sigh when the timer dinged. He took his plate out of the microwave and sat down next to Dominic at the table. "I don't suppose you could put in a good word for me with Kurtz to get me another shot with Homicide."
It wasn't really a question, but Dominic answered as if it was. "You probably don't want me on your side. Sergeant Kurtz and I...we don't always see eye to eye on things."
"But she's better than Regan, right? Even in Vice and Sex Crimes, we heard about some of your clashes with him." Bobby picked at his pizza for moment before taking a bite.
Sadness lingered in his eyes but Bobby seemed to be trying to get past it, so Dominic started telling him stories about his run-ins with the late Sergeant Regan, focusing of course, on the times that he had been right and Regan had been wrong.
When he finished eating, Bobby pushed his chair back and stood up. He put his dishes in the sink and said, "I'm going out for a smoke."
Dominic's eyebrows shot up. "I thought you quit."
Bobby nodded toward the bottle on the coffee table. "That's what I thought."
"Bobby...come on, don't..." Dominic sighed. He was starting to get angry, and wished Bobby would just let it go before the evening was ruined. "Look, we've got the whole weekend. Can't you let it go for just a little while?"
Bobby shifted his weight from one foot to the other, moving slightly toward the door, and Dominic was afraid he was going to leave. Before he could say anything, Bobby nodded slowly. "Okay, fine. But it's just..." He shrugged. "I worry."
"I know," said Dominic, and he did. That compassion was one of the things he loved about Bobby. "It's hardwired in, isn't it?"
"Probably genetic," Bobby agreed with a smile. "So are you gonna undress me or do I have to do it myself?"
"Where are my manners? I try to be a good host and look what happens..." Walking over to Bobby, Dominic kissed him deeply and finished unbuttoning his shirt.
Bobby freed his mouth just long enough to say, "Just so you don't take
care of all your guests this well." And then he dived back into the
kiss as Dominic tried to push him out of the kitchen and toward the bedroom.
The End.