sunshine_173 (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
sunshine_173) wrote2010-12-06 08:50 pm
sunshine_173) wrote2010-12-06 08:50 pm
Entry tags:
Crimson & Clover: Chapter 2
Title: Crimson & Clover
Author:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
sunshine_173
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: BellDom/Original characters
Summary: When Dominic, a young college student from NYC, visits his sister in a small town in Southern Italy, he comes across Matthew, an Italian born, English raised wine maker and connoisseur. After their brief encounter, Dominic finds himself taken by this enigmatic and seductive man. During the two months of summer, he experiences more than he could've imagined.
Feedback: I'm a comment whore. Every time I read one, my heart goes *tingle*
Disclaimer: I don't own Muse, Matt or Dom. If I did, unspeakable acts would be committed.
Warning: Small amount of cursing, wine drinking.
Note: So I was tired of doing homework and studying. So instead of typing up a summary of shit I will NEVER need to know, I finished this chapter that I've had halfway done for two weeks. Thank you to everyone who's waited and commented. Thank you,lalalive23 for...for basically everything, actually. You know what "everything" includes. I love your face. Also, I've included translations of the Italian used.
“This could quite possibly be the best I’ve ever had.” Dominic practically groaned out, sucking the dark, creamy remains of his cioccolato fondente gelato off his spoon, Emma humming in agreement. He stretched his long legs out, leaning back against the steps he and his sister sat on, and smiled in relaxation. They had driven a short distance to the Piazza Roma, one of the busiest parts of central Benevento, in order to quell Emma’s wishes of getting some shopping done before they picked Michael up for dinner. They’d parked in the shade of a small tree not far from where they were now, Dominic standing frozen on the stone sidewalk, staring almost in reverence at the architecture and subdued beauty of the buildings around him. A Romanesque fountain sat elegantly in the middle of the piazza, and Dominic found his feet taking him towards it before his mind had processed what was happening, his sister trailing behind him with a smile on her face as two giggling children ran in front of them, their mother following and shouting in Italian. Silently she’d followed him, watching in quiet amusement as he dazedly looked around with wide eyes, only catching his attention when he was close to falling into the fountain itself. When she gently tugged on his hand, he’d turned towards her as if he was seeing her for the first time, smiling after a beat, and pulled her into a warm embrace while whispering how beautiful everything was.
After he’d gained his bearings, no longer stunned into silence, they walked arm-in-arm to a humble gelateria, Dominic ordering rich, dark chocolate gelato while his sister ordered strawberry. They now sat on the stairs leading up to a closed store, in the shade and away from the burning temperature of the sun’s path, blissfully finishing off their mid-afternoon treat. The breeze was cool and stopped the heat from becoming too overwhelming, Dominic smiling when his hair was ruffled in the slight wind. He closed his eyes and tipped his head back, his elbows propped on the step on either side of him. Relishing the feel of absolute calmness, he handed his sister his now-empty cup when she reached for it, walking the small distance to a trash bin sitting at the side of the gelateria’s open door. She returned, sitting next to him and scanned the piazza.
“This place really is charming. I always forget how much I love it, so it‘s like the first time whenever I come back.” Emma sighed out, reaching up and tying her hair back when the wind picked up. She glanced at her brother when he didn’t answer, grinning at the look of contentment on his peaceful face.
“I think I might be in love, Em.” He replied after a moment of silence, leaning up and opening his eyes, the soft smile on his face never leaving; if anything, it just kept growing. “I’ve only been here, what, a little over four hours? Maybe five? I can’t even begin to deny how much the landscape and the beauty of everything - and that amazing gelato - have captivated me.” He quirked his eyebrow when he heard his sister snort, and looked at her sideways.
“That was…very poetic, Dom.” She nodded her head seriously at him, the corner of her mouth twitching upwards.
“You always have been the sarcastic one.” He laughed, reaching out and patting the top of her head. She rolled her eyes, giggling along with him.
She rested her head against his shoulder. “I’ve missed this.”
“What?”
“Just relaxing in your company. You have to promise me that we’ll never go for that long of a time without seeing each other again.” Dominic sensed rather than saw her moving, and chuckled when he felt her sternly tap a finger against his nose.
The gentle sounds of acoustic guitar reached both their ears then, and Dominic looked around the piazza for the cause of it. Em soon nudged his shoulder and nodded towards the fountain. A trio of men sat on the farthest edge of it, laughing happily while one of them plucked out a soft melody on the strings of a dark beige guitar. Dominic sat, listening and watching, the aftertaste of chocolate still on his tongue. He pulled off his aviators and hung them in the V of his shirt and laid back again, a soft smile on his face. The sun had descended some, a portion of the stairs now bathed in light. As Dominic tilted his head back, enjoying the mixed feel of heat from the sun and the cool of the breeze against his skin, his sister stood up, patting down the back of her white summer dress.
“Hey, Dom,” she called out softly, not wanting to interrupt her brother’s relaxation. She continued after hearing a small grunt. “I’m going to go check out some of those shops across the way. Do you have your phone on you? ’Kay, I’ll call you whenever I’m done in case you’re not here.”
“Mmhm…” Was the only response she got, and she turned and walked towards a welcoming looking shop, grinning at the lazy V her brother sent her way.
Dominic hummed along with the music that still played, feeling a sense of belonging as he took in the laughter of a group of friends sitting outside a café, melodious words drifting through the air, the scent of freshly baked bread and various spices pervading his senses. He opened his eyes slightly, squinting in the glare of the sun, and rolled his head to the side, deciding to further observe the quaint piazza. The buildings were simple, but behind their simplicity hid a thousand and one tales of ancient history, memories of the country etched deep to the core of the brick walls. Dominic found it entrancing, studying the pale red tiles of the roofs, and briefly wondered why he’d never thought of majoring in architecture. He couldn’t recall ever using the word “beautiful” to describe a building more often than he had the last hour. He scanned the variety of stores that lined the streets, smiling when he saw the outline of his sister in the window of a touristy looking shop.
A sudden clamor caught Dominic’s attention, and he looked around for the cause. A small crowd was gathered outside what looked like a bar, shouting and laughter erupting after a man yelled out in Italian, his voice lilting musically. Through random openings in the crowd, Dominic saw glimpses of a large, dark wood bar stand raised above the ground, several bottles and wine glasses lined up along the surface. From his distance, he could barely see a shortish man in red with his back to him behind the stand before the gap was closed by a tall and laughing woman. He pursed his lips in curiosity, but decided to pay them no mind for the time being, and pushed himself up from his reclined position.
He strolled leisurely towards the middle of the piazza, a cloud passing over the sun causing the sky to darken. A passing woman smiled at him, her eyes kind, and he nodded back, completely at ease as he made his way. Glancing around, he breathed in deeply and shoved his hands in the pockets of his dark jeans, closing his eyes briefly as he slowed his pace. It’d been a long while since he’d felt this at peace, and he felt that by the time his vacation was over, he’d be more unwilling to leave than he’d thought possible. He found it funny that he was so taken with the town having not even been in it for a day, but he found himself shrugging away the thoughts. Italy had its charms, that was for sure, and he accepted that with open arms. It wasn’t just the beauty of the place that had ensnared his heart. No, it was the vibe, the atmosphere. There was just this feeling of shared and understood passion and happiness and general acceptance of all who were around him that made him feel like he’d been living here his whole life.
Having reached the fountain, he sat down at the edge of it, the spray from the water catching the breeze. He sighed in contentment at the feel of the cool mist hitting his skin. Reaching down to the water, he flattened his hand and touching the surface with his palm. Coins of various size and color lay at the bottom, ripples distorting the engraved faces on their sides. With his other hand, he reached into his pocket and searched for spare change, smiling to himself when he felt the outline of a coin that had escaped the confines of his wallet. He pulled it out, holding it for a moment before dropping it so that it landed in the middle of his reflection’s head. His watery shadow became deformed for a moment before it came back together, the coin slowly drifting to the bottom of the fountain.
A loud, high-pitched giggle suddenly sounded out, jolting Dominic and causing him to teeter slightly on the edge of the fountain. He looked up, shaking his wet hand dry, and looked around for the source. It was irrelevant though, the giggle then being followed by even more laughter. The crowd from before was still gathered around the bar, Dominic’s curiosity piqued when he realized that they were the origin of all the noise. He pushed himself up, crossing his arms tightly across his chest when the breeze picked up. The blonde slowly advanced on the crowd, tip-toeing his way closer.
“Forza, gente! Chi vuole il mio vino?” A deep and melodic voice shouted when Dominic reached the edge of the mass of people, and he saw above the heads of a few taller men a pale arm raise up, clutching tightly to the neck of a dark bottle of wine. “Chiunque? Vino, chiunque? lo prometto ti, bambole, è il migliore che abbia mai avuto.” The arm waved back and forth, tendons straining and casting smooth shadows down the forearm. A black, worn looking leather cuff hung daintily off a thin wrist, a silver buckle coming into view when the arm started to lower.
Dominic furrowed his eyebrows when the crowd began to back up. He looked confusedly at the grinning faces of the people around and shoved his hands in his pockets, bouncing up on his toes and looking forward when the voice started again.
“Davvero, la gente?” Dominic could hear the smirk he knew the faceless man was giving. “Nessuno?” A tallish man in front of Dominic stepped to the side for a moment, and he caught a glance of the wine man’s profile before a head of curly black hair was in his view again.
“Lo farò!” A few people yelled out simultaneously, the crowd laughing immediately after.
“Va bene, va bene…” He heard throaty laughter after the man said something in Italian that he didn’t hear completely. He was jostled forward when someone behind him pushed against him, a giggled word that sounded like an apology reaching his ears before he tripped over his feat and stumbled into the man in front of him.
“Sorry, sorry.” He stuttered out, glancing up to see grinning brown eyes, the man shaking his head at him and looking back up after stepping to the side a little, allowing room for Dominic. Dominic stood upright, gaining his footing, and looked forward.
This new position was at the front of the crowd, and as Dominic took in the setup of a small bar, he caught sight of the man who was the cause for such a commotion.
He stood at the top of a small set of wooden stairs with his back to the crowd, holding a wine glass with his left hand and pouring a dark red wine into it with his other. The skin of his arms was milky and smooth, an olive tone to it. He was dressed in a blood red shirt that clung to him – a button-up from what it seemed. The sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, tight black jeans and black shoes completing his outfit. Dominic was confused as to why his eyes unconsciously lingered on the swell of his arse, and he looked away quickly. His longish hair was dark brown, somewhat wavy, and thick. He had a long neck and narrow shoulders, a slender but graceful build and long legs for his height. In fact, everything about him seemed long. Thin, seemingly fragile and elegant fingers were wrapped tightly around the neck of the bottle, but Dominic could sense a sort of strength behind them. He saw that around both wrists hung matching cuffs, and with his closer proximity was able to see dark red stitching along the edges.
The brunette sat the bottle down to his side, swirling the crimson liquid around twice before bringing it towards his face. His shoulders rose with his inhalation and he quirked his head to the side, granting Dominic the glimpse of a gently smiling mouth, the rest of his face still hidden. A small moan escaped and Dominic saw a pink tongue dart out to lick his upper lip.
"Quindi..." The lips said, the smile still there. "Chi lo vuole?" With the last emphasized syllable, he slowly turned on his heel, his right foot landing on the step below him, and stood still.
His eyes were shut, long, black, and thick eyelashes fanning out on high cheekbones that led down to hollowed cheeks and a hard, prominent jaw. Pale lips were parted, the bottom fuller than the top, and both glistening wet. Grey eyes trailed upwards, taking in the shape of a thin nose and the curve of dark eyebrows and deep-set eyes. His fringe was swept across his forehead and ruffled when a gentle breeze came.
To say Dominic was prepared for the effect the brunette opening his eyes would have on him was absurd, to say the least.
Eyelids raised and suddenly Dominic was entranced as if caught in the gaze of a snake. Incandescent blue stared directly at him, Dominic happening to be in the brunette's exact line of vision. His eyes were wide, the darkness of his eyelashes contrasting the brightness of the sapphire surrounding the pupil. Dominic felt, in the moment before blue broke contact with grey and trailed downwards, as if his entire body was simultaneously freezing and burning. He’d never felt such a powerfully hot gaze before, especially from eyes that were closer to ice than anything.
Dominic could feel the heat of his stare traversing down his body, and he as well glanced down away from his face, his mind in such confusion that he could barely grasp the idea that he was openly checking out another man. Faint stubble covered his pronounced chin, Dominic gulping as he stared at the prominence of his Adam's apple and the tendons of his neck. His eyes widened even further as he continued to trail them down, taking in the sight of collarbones and a thin, silver necklace with a black plectrum hanging off of it lying against his chest. The collar of his shirt was open, and the blonde's breath hitched when he found that the shirt was unbuttoned down to his mid-chest, the smooth, olive toned pale stretch of skin causing his trousers to become the slightest bit uncomfortable. Down his torso and to narrow hips where black clung to him like a second skin, emphasizing parts of him that Dominic found himself unusually drawn to. He swallowed heavily again, his throat constricting and his skin starting to become uncomfortably hot. He blamed the flush he knew was spread across his cheeks on the heat of the sun glaring behind him.
He heard a low chuckle and his eyes quickly snapped up, glancing around to see amused expressions on the faces of those surrounding him, noticing their eyes traveling back and forth between him and the brunette. Almost like a magnetic pull, he found himself looking up, uncharacteristically nervous to meet those stunning eyes again. Too soon, they were penetrating him, searching deeply for something that Dominic wasn’t sure he wanted to know of.
The man moved then, one graceful leg slowly stepping down after another until he was on level ground with everyone else. Dominic noticed he was barely a couple inches shorter than himself, and yet the aura he exuded made him seem larger than the tallest man in the crowd, despite how slender he was. He held Dominic's gaze as he began to walk carefully towards him, holding the wine glass close to his chest and the fingers of his other hand dancing against the stem. The smile gracing his lips was predatorial.
A few long strides and quickening breaths later, the man stood barely two feet from Dominic. His head tilted to the side, he smirked and hummed softly.
"Ciao bello." His voice was different than it had been when he was shouting out. It was deeper, richer. The melodious rhythm in his voice was stronger, his tongue caressing the syllables of the greeting. "Io vivo per il vino, mio tesoro. Per favore?" His blue eyes were wide, staring, unfathomable. They were an electric current, waves of magnetic shock traversing the short distance to Dominic's own grey twins, making his heart beat faster, pounding. He could feel a flush rising up his neck to his cheeks, his eyes tracing once more down the smaller man's features. With a small step forward, the man tilted his head in the opposite direction.
"I-I'm sorry...I don't speak Italian." He said it in a rush, his voice rough. He inhaled quickly when the brunette smiled a wicked grin, an enigmatic emotion flashing in his eyes. His teeth were white, all straight except for a wonky one in the front.
Nibbling on his bottom lip, he answered. "Hello, love. American, yes?" The seemingly easy switch to English caught Dominic off guard, and he caught a slight British accent mixing with the Italian one.
"Uh, yeah." He replied, unable to figure out for the life of him why he was so nervous in this man's presence.
"Fantastic. New here, I'm guessing?"
"...Vacationing."
The man snorted, his eyes dancing. "The bloody hell are you vacationing in Benevento for?" He giggled a little, seeming genuinely curious and confused.
"Family."
"Ah. Well, do you like wine..." He trailed off, raising an elegant eyebrow and staring pointedly at him.
"Dominic."
"Do you like wine, Dominic?" Dominic repressed a shiver at the way the man's mouth formed his named.
"I guess so."
He tsched him, shaking his head with a smile. "Darling, when you're in Italy, you don't guess that you like wine, you know it. And you should love it." He tilted the wine glass he still held towards Dominic. “I’m a wine maker. This is my newest product, and I’m attempting a free tasting, but some people,” he turned in a full circle while gesturing to the people around, “are too worried it’s shit. I promise, mi amore, if you try it, it will definitely not disappoint you.” He took a half-step towards the blonde. He tipped his head down, looking up at Dominic through his eyelashes. “It’s the best that’s ever come from me. It runs right down your throat, so smooth.” He whispered with a half smirk.
Dominic’s eye widened further, and he struggled to remember how to nod.
The brunette’s smile grew along with the intensity of his stare. He took another small step, standing barely a foot away from Dominic, and raised the glass to his lips.
Dominic’s vision was blinded by all-encompassing blue; he was unable to escape from his gaze, to look away. He was barely startled when he felt the shock of cold glass press gently against his bottom lip, yet at the feel of warm fingers softly touching the underside of his chin, urging him to tip his head back some, he emitted a strangled yelp of surprise. The fingers slowly tiptoed up the right side of Dominic’s jaw, cupping his face as he tilted the glass up minutely. The warmth of his hand made Dominic’s skin tingle and made him unconsciously lean into the touch
“Aperta, mio tesoro.” Whispering, he pressed the glass harder to his lip, tipping it till the dark liquid met Dominic’s mouth, which dropped open immediately.
Dominic’s tongue was greeted by a sweet flavor, and his taste buds were soon overwhelmed by the strong taste of the wine he took a quick sip of. His nose flared at the scent, the taste so mind-numbingly rich that his eyes fluttered closed and a deep groan of approval reverberated in his throat, his Adam’s apple bobbing when he swallowed.
He felt the glass leave his mouth, but the brunette’s hand remain, his thumb stroking softly along Dominic’s cheekbone. His thumb trailed downwards, his hand sliding down Dominic’s face. Dominic opened his eyes, breathing evenly through parted lips, and stared down at the man but not finding blue. Instead, those stunning eyes were trained on Dominic’s mouth. His thumb had reached the corner of Dominic’s lips, and made a slow swipe across his bottom lip, catching up a drop of runaway wine. Repressing a startled gasp, Dominic felt a warmth burning in him. Bringing his thumb near his own face, the brunette’s eyes flickered up and caught Dominic off guard with their mischievous glint.
He opened his mouth, slowly slipping his thumb through his own parted lips. Dominic caught a glimpse of a wet, pink tongue wrapping around the digit before his mouth closed. He sucked on his thumb for a second before releasing it with a little pop.
“Bene, si?” He questioned, smiling wickedly, his tongue darting out to lick his lips.
Dominic didn’t reply, his eyes still wide and staring blankly at the man’s shining mouth. The man giggled, turning on his heel and walking back up the steps to stand behind the bar.
Dominic jumped when someone clapped him on the back, and he swung his head around to see several people eying him while laughing at some enigmatic joke. He looked back towards the bar, his mouth open and eyebrows furrowed in confusion. The man was busy pouring wine into several glasses with the one he’d offered Dominic, a smirk on his face. He pushed each filled glass to the edge of the bar, beckoning people up.
“What the fuck…” Dominic said quietly to himself, starting to backup, keeping his eye on the brunette while he reached the edge of the crowd. He saw the man look up, a smile still on his face as he rested his head in his upturned palm, his elbow leaning on the bar. Dominic froze when those blue eyes flickered in his direction, and he swallowed when he winked.
He could still feel the burn of his hand and taste the sweetness of his wine.
---
Translations in order of appearance:
Come on, people! Who wants my wine?
Anyone? Wine, anyone? I promise you, dolls, it is the best I've ever had.
Really, people? No one?
I will!
Okay, okay...
So... Who wants it?
Hello beautiful. I live for wine, my darling. Please?
Open, my darling
Good, yes?
Author:
sunshine_173 Rating: PG-13
Pairing: BellDom/Original characters
Summary: When Dominic, a young college student from NYC, visits his sister in a small town in Southern Italy, he comes across Matthew, an Italian born, English raised wine maker and connoisseur. After their brief encounter, Dominic finds himself taken by this enigmatic and seductive man. During the two months of summer, he experiences more than he could've imagined.
Feedback: I'm a comment whore. Every time I read one, my heart goes *tingle*
Disclaimer: I don't own Muse, Matt or Dom. If I did, unspeakable acts would be committed.
Warning: Small amount of cursing, wine drinking.
Note: So I was tired of doing homework and studying. So instead of typing up a summary of shit I will NEVER need to know, I finished this chapter that I've had halfway done for two weeks. Thank you to everyone who's waited and commented. Thank you,
lalalive23 for...for basically everything, actually. You know what "everything" includes. I love your face. Also, I've included translations of the Italian used. “This could quite possibly be the best I’ve ever had.” Dominic practically groaned out, sucking the dark, creamy remains of his cioccolato fondente gelato off his spoon, Emma humming in agreement. He stretched his long legs out, leaning back against the steps he and his sister sat on, and smiled in relaxation. They had driven a short distance to the Piazza Roma, one of the busiest parts of central Benevento, in order to quell Emma’s wishes of getting some shopping done before they picked Michael up for dinner. They’d parked in the shade of a small tree not far from where they were now, Dominic standing frozen on the stone sidewalk, staring almost in reverence at the architecture and subdued beauty of the buildings around him. A Romanesque fountain sat elegantly in the middle of the piazza, and Dominic found his feet taking him towards it before his mind had processed what was happening, his sister trailing behind him with a smile on her face as two giggling children ran in front of them, their mother following and shouting in Italian. Silently she’d followed him, watching in quiet amusement as he dazedly looked around with wide eyes, only catching his attention when he was close to falling into the fountain itself. When she gently tugged on his hand, he’d turned towards her as if he was seeing her for the first time, smiling after a beat, and pulled her into a warm embrace while whispering how beautiful everything was.
After he’d gained his bearings, no longer stunned into silence, they walked arm-in-arm to a humble gelateria, Dominic ordering rich, dark chocolate gelato while his sister ordered strawberry. They now sat on the stairs leading up to a closed store, in the shade and away from the burning temperature of the sun’s path, blissfully finishing off their mid-afternoon treat. The breeze was cool and stopped the heat from becoming too overwhelming, Dominic smiling when his hair was ruffled in the slight wind. He closed his eyes and tipped his head back, his elbows propped on the step on either side of him. Relishing the feel of absolute calmness, he handed his sister his now-empty cup when she reached for it, walking the small distance to a trash bin sitting at the side of the gelateria’s open door. She returned, sitting next to him and scanned the piazza.
“This place really is charming. I always forget how much I love it, so it‘s like the first time whenever I come back.” Emma sighed out, reaching up and tying her hair back when the wind picked up. She glanced at her brother when he didn’t answer, grinning at the look of contentment on his peaceful face.
“I think I might be in love, Em.” He replied after a moment of silence, leaning up and opening his eyes, the soft smile on his face never leaving; if anything, it just kept growing. “I’ve only been here, what, a little over four hours? Maybe five? I can’t even begin to deny how much the landscape and the beauty of everything - and that amazing gelato - have captivated me.” He quirked his eyebrow when he heard his sister snort, and looked at her sideways.
“That was…very poetic, Dom.” She nodded her head seriously at him, the corner of her mouth twitching upwards.
“You always have been the sarcastic one.” He laughed, reaching out and patting the top of her head. She rolled her eyes, giggling along with him.
She rested her head against his shoulder. “I’ve missed this.”
“What?”
“Just relaxing in your company. You have to promise me that we’ll never go for that long of a time without seeing each other again.” Dominic sensed rather than saw her moving, and chuckled when he felt her sternly tap a finger against his nose.
The gentle sounds of acoustic guitar reached both their ears then, and Dominic looked around the piazza for the cause of it. Em soon nudged his shoulder and nodded towards the fountain. A trio of men sat on the farthest edge of it, laughing happily while one of them plucked out a soft melody on the strings of a dark beige guitar. Dominic sat, listening and watching, the aftertaste of chocolate still on his tongue. He pulled off his aviators and hung them in the V of his shirt and laid back again, a soft smile on his face. The sun had descended some, a portion of the stairs now bathed in light. As Dominic tilted his head back, enjoying the mixed feel of heat from the sun and the cool of the breeze against his skin, his sister stood up, patting down the back of her white summer dress.
“Hey, Dom,” she called out softly, not wanting to interrupt her brother’s relaxation. She continued after hearing a small grunt. “I’m going to go check out some of those shops across the way. Do you have your phone on you? ’Kay, I’ll call you whenever I’m done in case you’re not here.”
“Mmhm…” Was the only response she got, and she turned and walked towards a welcoming looking shop, grinning at the lazy V her brother sent her way.
Dominic hummed along with the music that still played, feeling a sense of belonging as he took in the laughter of a group of friends sitting outside a café, melodious words drifting through the air, the scent of freshly baked bread and various spices pervading his senses. He opened his eyes slightly, squinting in the glare of the sun, and rolled his head to the side, deciding to further observe the quaint piazza. The buildings were simple, but behind their simplicity hid a thousand and one tales of ancient history, memories of the country etched deep to the core of the brick walls. Dominic found it entrancing, studying the pale red tiles of the roofs, and briefly wondered why he’d never thought of majoring in architecture. He couldn’t recall ever using the word “beautiful” to describe a building more often than he had the last hour. He scanned the variety of stores that lined the streets, smiling when he saw the outline of his sister in the window of a touristy looking shop.
A sudden clamor caught Dominic’s attention, and he looked around for the cause. A small crowd was gathered outside what looked like a bar, shouting and laughter erupting after a man yelled out in Italian, his voice lilting musically. Through random openings in the crowd, Dominic saw glimpses of a large, dark wood bar stand raised above the ground, several bottles and wine glasses lined up along the surface. From his distance, he could barely see a shortish man in red with his back to him behind the stand before the gap was closed by a tall and laughing woman. He pursed his lips in curiosity, but decided to pay them no mind for the time being, and pushed himself up from his reclined position.
He strolled leisurely towards the middle of the piazza, a cloud passing over the sun causing the sky to darken. A passing woman smiled at him, her eyes kind, and he nodded back, completely at ease as he made his way. Glancing around, he breathed in deeply and shoved his hands in the pockets of his dark jeans, closing his eyes briefly as he slowed his pace. It’d been a long while since he’d felt this at peace, and he felt that by the time his vacation was over, he’d be more unwilling to leave than he’d thought possible. He found it funny that he was so taken with the town having not even been in it for a day, but he found himself shrugging away the thoughts. Italy had its charms, that was for sure, and he accepted that with open arms. It wasn’t just the beauty of the place that had ensnared his heart. No, it was the vibe, the atmosphere. There was just this feeling of shared and understood passion and happiness and general acceptance of all who were around him that made him feel like he’d been living here his whole life.
Having reached the fountain, he sat down at the edge of it, the spray from the water catching the breeze. He sighed in contentment at the feel of the cool mist hitting his skin. Reaching down to the water, he flattened his hand and touching the surface with his palm. Coins of various size and color lay at the bottom, ripples distorting the engraved faces on their sides. With his other hand, he reached into his pocket and searched for spare change, smiling to himself when he felt the outline of a coin that had escaped the confines of his wallet. He pulled it out, holding it for a moment before dropping it so that it landed in the middle of his reflection’s head. His watery shadow became deformed for a moment before it came back together, the coin slowly drifting to the bottom of the fountain.
A loud, high-pitched giggle suddenly sounded out, jolting Dominic and causing him to teeter slightly on the edge of the fountain. He looked up, shaking his wet hand dry, and looked around for the source. It was irrelevant though, the giggle then being followed by even more laughter. The crowd from before was still gathered around the bar, Dominic’s curiosity piqued when he realized that they were the origin of all the noise. He pushed himself up, crossing his arms tightly across his chest when the breeze picked up. The blonde slowly advanced on the crowd, tip-toeing his way closer.
“Forza, gente! Chi vuole il mio vino?” A deep and melodic voice shouted when Dominic reached the edge of the mass of people, and he saw above the heads of a few taller men a pale arm raise up, clutching tightly to the neck of a dark bottle of wine. “Chiunque? Vino, chiunque? lo prometto ti, bambole, è il migliore che abbia mai avuto.” The arm waved back and forth, tendons straining and casting smooth shadows down the forearm. A black, worn looking leather cuff hung daintily off a thin wrist, a silver buckle coming into view when the arm started to lower.
Dominic furrowed his eyebrows when the crowd began to back up. He looked confusedly at the grinning faces of the people around and shoved his hands in his pockets, bouncing up on his toes and looking forward when the voice started again.
“Davvero, la gente?” Dominic could hear the smirk he knew the faceless man was giving. “Nessuno?” A tallish man in front of Dominic stepped to the side for a moment, and he caught a glance of the wine man’s profile before a head of curly black hair was in his view again.
“Lo farò!” A few people yelled out simultaneously, the crowd laughing immediately after.
“Va bene, va bene…” He heard throaty laughter after the man said something in Italian that he didn’t hear completely. He was jostled forward when someone behind him pushed against him, a giggled word that sounded like an apology reaching his ears before he tripped over his feat and stumbled into the man in front of him.
“Sorry, sorry.” He stuttered out, glancing up to see grinning brown eyes, the man shaking his head at him and looking back up after stepping to the side a little, allowing room for Dominic. Dominic stood upright, gaining his footing, and looked forward.
This new position was at the front of the crowd, and as Dominic took in the setup of a small bar, he caught sight of the man who was the cause for such a commotion.
He stood at the top of a small set of wooden stairs with his back to the crowd, holding a wine glass with his left hand and pouring a dark red wine into it with his other. The skin of his arms was milky and smooth, an olive tone to it. He was dressed in a blood red shirt that clung to him – a button-up from what it seemed. The sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, tight black jeans and black shoes completing his outfit. Dominic was confused as to why his eyes unconsciously lingered on the swell of his arse, and he looked away quickly. His longish hair was dark brown, somewhat wavy, and thick. He had a long neck and narrow shoulders, a slender but graceful build and long legs for his height. In fact, everything about him seemed long. Thin, seemingly fragile and elegant fingers were wrapped tightly around the neck of the bottle, but Dominic could sense a sort of strength behind them. He saw that around both wrists hung matching cuffs, and with his closer proximity was able to see dark red stitching along the edges.
The brunette sat the bottle down to his side, swirling the crimson liquid around twice before bringing it towards his face. His shoulders rose with his inhalation and he quirked his head to the side, granting Dominic the glimpse of a gently smiling mouth, the rest of his face still hidden. A small moan escaped and Dominic saw a pink tongue dart out to lick his upper lip.
"Quindi..." The lips said, the smile still there. "Chi lo vuole?" With the last emphasized syllable, he slowly turned on his heel, his right foot landing on the step below him, and stood still.
His eyes were shut, long, black, and thick eyelashes fanning out on high cheekbones that led down to hollowed cheeks and a hard, prominent jaw. Pale lips were parted, the bottom fuller than the top, and both glistening wet. Grey eyes trailed upwards, taking in the shape of a thin nose and the curve of dark eyebrows and deep-set eyes. His fringe was swept across his forehead and ruffled when a gentle breeze came.
To say Dominic was prepared for the effect the brunette opening his eyes would have on him was absurd, to say the least.
Eyelids raised and suddenly Dominic was entranced as if caught in the gaze of a snake. Incandescent blue stared directly at him, Dominic happening to be in the brunette's exact line of vision. His eyes were wide, the darkness of his eyelashes contrasting the brightness of the sapphire surrounding the pupil. Dominic felt, in the moment before blue broke contact with grey and trailed downwards, as if his entire body was simultaneously freezing and burning. He’d never felt such a powerfully hot gaze before, especially from eyes that were closer to ice than anything.
Dominic could feel the heat of his stare traversing down his body, and he as well glanced down away from his face, his mind in such confusion that he could barely grasp the idea that he was openly checking out another man. Faint stubble covered his pronounced chin, Dominic gulping as he stared at the prominence of his Adam's apple and the tendons of his neck. His eyes widened even further as he continued to trail them down, taking in the sight of collarbones and a thin, silver necklace with a black plectrum hanging off of it lying against his chest. The collar of his shirt was open, and the blonde's breath hitched when he found that the shirt was unbuttoned down to his mid-chest, the smooth, olive toned pale stretch of skin causing his trousers to become the slightest bit uncomfortable. Down his torso and to narrow hips where black clung to him like a second skin, emphasizing parts of him that Dominic found himself unusually drawn to. He swallowed heavily again, his throat constricting and his skin starting to become uncomfortably hot. He blamed the flush he knew was spread across his cheeks on the heat of the sun glaring behind him.
He heard a low chuckle and his eyes quickly snapped up, glancing around to see amused expressions on the faces of those surrounding him, noticing their eyes traveling back and forth between him and the brunette. Almost like a magnetic pull, he found himself looking up, uncharacteristically nervous to meet those stunning eyes again. Too soon, they were penetrating him, searching deeply for something that Dominic wasn’t sure he wanted to know of.
The man moved then, one graceful leg slowly stepping down after another until he was on level ground with everyone else. Dominic noticed he was barely a couple inches shorter than himself, and yet the aura he exuded made him seem larger than the tallest man in the crowd, despite how slender he was. He held Dominic's gaze as he began to walk carefully towards him, holding the wine glass close to his chest and the fingers of his other hand dancing against the stem. The smile gracing his lips was predatorial.
A few long strides and quickening breaths later, the man stood barely two feet from Dominic. His head tilted to the side, he smirked and hummed softly.
"Ciao bello." His voice was different than it had been when he was shouting out. It was deeper, richer. The melodious rhythm in his voice was stronger, his tongue caressing the syllables of the greeting. "Io vivo per il vino, mio tesoro. Per favore?" His blue eyes were wide, staring, unfathomable. They were an electric current, waves of magnetic shock traversing the short distance to Dominic's own grey twins, making his heart beat faster, pounding. He could feel a flush rising up his neck to his cheeks, his eyes tracing once more down the smaller man's features. With a small step forward, the man tilted his head in the opposite direction.
"I-I'm sorry...I don't speak Italian." He said it in a rush, his voice rough. He inhaled quickly when the brunette smiled a wicked grin, an enigmatic emotion flashing in his eyes. His teeth were white, all straight except for a wonky one in the front.
Nibbling on his bottom lip, he answered. "Hello, love. American, yes?" The seemingly easy switch to English caught Dominic off guard, and he caught a slight British accent mixing with the Italian one.
"Uh, yeah." He replied, unable to figure out for the life of him why he was so nervous in this man's presence.
"Fantastic. New here, I'm guessing?"
"...Vacationing."
The man snorted, his eyes dancing. "The bloody hell are you vacationing in Benevento for?" He giggled a little, seeming genuinely curious and confused.
"Family."
"Ah. Well, do you like wine..." He trailed off, raising an elegant eyebrow and staring pointedly at him.
"Dominic."
"Do you like wine, Dominic?" Dominic repressed a shiver at the way the man's mouth formed his named.
"I guess so."
He tsched him, shaking his head with a smile. "Darling, when you're in Italy, you don't guess that you like wine, you know it. And you should love it." He tilted the wine glass he still held towards Dominic. “I’m a wine maker. This is my newest product, and I’m attempting a free tasting, but some people,” he turned in a full circle while gesturing to the people around, “are too worried it’s shit. I promise, mi amore, if you try it, it will definitely not disappoint you.” He took a half-step towards the blonde. He tipped his head down, looking up at Dominic through his eyelashes. “It’s the best that’s ever come from me. It runs right down your throat, so smooth.” He whispered with a half smirk.
Dominic’s eye widened further, and he struggled to remember how to nod.
The brunette’s smile grew along with the intensity of his stare. He took another small step, standing barely a foot away from Dominic, and raised the glass to his lips.
Dominic’s vision was blinded by all-encompassing blue; he was unable to escape from his gaze, to look away. He was barely startled when he felt the shock of cold glass press gently against his bottom lip, yet at the feel of warm fingers softly touching the underside of his chin, urging him to tip his head back some, he emitted a strangled yelp of surprise. The fingers slowly tiptoed up the right side of Dominic’s jaw, cupping his face as he tilted the glass up minutely. The warmth of his hand made Dominic’s skin tingle and made him unconsciously lean into the touch
“Aperta, mio tesoro.” Whispering, he pressed the glass harder to his lip, tipping it till the dark liquid met Dominic’s mouth, which dropped open immediately.
Dominic’s tongue was greeted by a sweet flavor, and his taste buds were soon overwhelmed by the strong taste of the wine he took a quick sip of. His nose flared at the scent, the taste so mind-numbingly rich that his eyes fluttered closed and a deep groan of approval reverberated in his throat, his Adam’s apple bobbing when he swallowed.
He felt the glass leave his mouth, but the brunette’s hand remain, his thumb stroking softly along Dominic’s cheekbone. His thumb trailed downwards, his hand sliding down Dominic’s face. Dominic opened his eyes, breathing evenly through parted lips, and stared down at the man but not finding blue. Instead, those stunning eyes were trained on Dominic’s mouth. His thumb had reached the corner of Dominic’s lips, and made a slow swipe across his bottom lip, catching up a drop of runaway wine. Repressing a startled gasp, Dominic felt a warmth burning in him. Bringing his thumb near his own face, the brunette’s eyes flickered up and caught Dominic off guard with their mischievous glint.
He opened his mouth, slowly slipping his thumb through his own parted lips. Dominic caught a glimpse of a wet, pink tongue wrapping around the digit before his mouth closed. He sucked on his thumb for a second before releasing it with a little pop.
“Bene, si?” He questioned, smiling wickedly, his tongue darting out to lick his lips.
Dominic didn’t reply, his eyes still wide and staring blankly at the man’s shining mouth. The man giggled, turning on his heel and walking back up the steps to stand behind the bar.
Dominic jumped when someone clapped him on the back, and he swung his head around to see several people eying him while laughing at some enigmatic joke. He looked back towards the bar, his mouth open and eyebrows furrowed in confusion. The man was busy pouring wine into several glasses with the one he’d offered Dominic, a smirk on his face. He pushed each filled glass to the edge of the bar, beckoning people up.
“What the fuck…” Dominic said quietly to himself, starting to backup, keeping his eye on the brunette while he reached the edge of the crowd. He saw the man look up, a smile still on his face as he rested his head in his upturned palm, his elbow leaning on the bar. Dominic froze when those blue eyes flickered in his direction, and he swallowed when he winked.
He could still feel the burn of his hand and taste the sweetness of his wine.
---
Translations in order of appearance:
Come on, people! Who wants my wine?
Anyone? Wine, anyone? I promise you, dolls, it is the best I've ever had.
Really, people? No one?
I will!
Okay, okay...
So... Who wants it?
Hello beautiful. I live for wine, my darling. Please?
Open, my darling
Good, yes?