The Mozart of Lunacy

“Make a wish!”

Dom looked at the small cupcake with an arched eyebrow and then blew off the candle on top.

Matt cheered loudly and Dom smiled at him, rolling his eyes. "This is a little ridiculous, you know?” He gestured around at Matt’s bedroom. “We could’ve just gone out… like normal day,” he commented.

Matt snorted. “Please. You only turn seventeen once. We had to do something out of routine to celebrate!” When Dom just stared, he added, “And just so you know, I fully expect you to get me a damn cupcake on my birthday.”

“Wow, thanks a lot, Matt” he teased, taking the candle off the cupcake and taking a bite. “Damn you, this is delicious”.

“Of course it is!” Matt exclaimed, feigning indignation. He fell backwards on his bed, placing his arms behind his head.  “Eat quickly. We’ll go out and have fun, or something.”

Or something, Dom thought, looking down at Matt, noticing his eyes were closed. He looked beautiful just like that and he resisted the urge of laying down next to him and start playing with his hair.

Really bad luck.

The thing is Dom has had a crush on Matt since the first time they met, four years ago. You could say it was love at first sight. Being the new kid, Dom didn’t have a single friend and everyone around him had seemed a little intimidating. Ironically, he found the perfect company in Matthew Bellamy, the most hyperactive and –according to some– irritating boy he’s ever known.

There hadn’t been any formal introductions. Matt simply had looked at him for a moment, looking for something. And apparently he’d found it, because he had sat right next to him and told him a joke.

It was such a ridiculous joke, even if he doesn't remember how it went, but at the time it had made him laugh, signaling the beginning of their friendship.

Dom found himself captivated by Matt’s free attitude and how he always –somehow- made Dom smile. And after a short crisis –“I can’t like boys, can I?” He had asked himself– Dom decided he was definitely in love with Matt, or something really close to that.

It may seem a little lame… and sad… to fancy your best friend and not have enough courage to confess, but there was nothing to do. Dom had decided this a long time ago and now he had to stick to his decision.

In moments like this it was difficult, though. When Matt acted so… like that. It took every ounce of Dom’s strength to stay still and act like everything was good.

But he was a coward, and instead of doing what he just imagined, he split his cupcake in two. "Hey, Matt”, once he gained the brunet’s attention, he offered half of the cupcake. “I can share some with you, if you’d like”.

Matt eyed the cupcake for a moment, looking from it to Dom’s face and back before smiling a bit.”Thank you”, he said, reaching out to take the cupcake.

Dom’s heart felt like Matt had actually accepted more than just a half of cupcake, but he shook his head, dismissing the thought as mere wishful thinking.

*

Dom had been careful about his privacy since the day he realized liking boys was not always accepted by society the freaked out look he received when he accidentally checked a guy out told him so. Preventing any further judging, he didn’t tell anyone he was gay. Not even his parents. Not even Matt. He tried to hide behind lots of dates with girls. He found himself capable of enjoying girls’ company. Many of them remained as good friends, but he never really connected with them.

As he was eating breakfast that morning, he remembered the date. Two weeks until Valentine’s Day. He had to get ready to see everyone excited and the school halls full of red hearts and badly drawn cupids. He had to get ready to watch Matt receiving longing looks and longer than necessary hugs from so many girls… He’d probably get a girl to go out with, and the next day he’d tell Matt just how amazing the girl was… just like last year. Pretending to keep himself safe.

Just then, his mother entered the kitchen and smiled at him. "Hello, Mum", he greeted with a spoonful of cereal in his mouth.

She laughed and shook her head. “Manners, Dominic. What are you doing today?” she asked as she moved in the kitchen

Dom swallowed and lowered his spoon. “Sorry. I don’t know… maybe see if Matt wants to hang out? We could play videogames or watch a movie…” he drifted off when he saw his mother smiling and arching an eyebrow. “What?”

“Oh, nothing. Ignore me.” She shrugged and turned around to take a bowl.

He frowned. “Mum…” he started.

“Really! I’m just happy that you found such a good friend in Matthew.” The way she spoke made him blush instantly.

“I have more friends, you know?” he mumbled, looking at the table.

“Of course, dear” She took her bowl of cereal to the table and sat next to him. “So, what are you two going to do on Valentine’s Day?”

Dom sighed. “I don’t know. I plan to stay in all day. Maybe Matt will go out on a date with someone… He must have his own plans.”

His mother frowned. “Oh… Well, I thought you…”

“What?” Dom cut her off.

“Come on, sweetie”, she said softly. “It’s alright. I know”.

“What do you know? I don’t know what you are talking about”, he stuttered.

“I have eyes, you know” she started. “Before you started dating so many girls, you were quite shy. I remember you were always hiding in your room and making up silly excuses to not come out”. Upon seeing his red face, she smiled softly. “I think you still are shy. Maybe you found a reason to break your shell. And since you started bringing Matt around more often… I just wondered when you would introduce him to me properly.”

Oh. Dom closed his eyes and sighed. “Mum, Matt’s not my boyfriend. Am I that obvious?”

“Oh, no!” she answered quickly, taking his hand to calm him down. “Sometimes you look a little flushed when you’re around him, but I don’t think anybody notices it. But I’m your mother. I know these things. I’m sorry, I just assumed."

“It’s ok” Dom’s eyes filled –against his will– with tears as he rested his head against her shoulder. “So you’re not angry?”

“Why would I be angry?” his mum asked, surprised.

A few tears fell from his eyes and he shrugged. “Not everyone is accepting. I wanted to tell you but I was scared of how you could react.”

His mother got closer and hugged him tightly. “That kind of people doesn’t deserve being around you” she stated firmly. “I’ll always support you, no matter what, do you understand?”

Dom nodded and sniffed, hugging back.

*

School is always the same, Dom thought as he waited for Matt, sitting on the grass outside their school. After his kind-of-but-not-really coming out to his mother, Dom had felt lighter. Now he didn’t have to spend the time worrying about coming out, at least for the moment. However, this meant now he spent more time thinking about Matt. Somehow this was good and bad at once.

Without him noticing, Matt walked over and sat on the grass next to him. “Hi”.

Dom jumped when he heard his voice and turned his head to glare at him. "Jesus, Matt, you're like a spider!"

Matt made a face and opened his bag, apparently looking for something.

“You brought drugs again?” Dom joked.

His friend punched him in the arm. “You’re an idiot, you know?” He smirked.

Dom rolled his eyes. “That’s something, coming from you”.

He pulled out a bar of chocolate. He bit into it and moaned at the taste. The effect on Dom was immediate, making him blush furiously.

“Stop that.”

“Stop what?” Matt teased, chewing.

Dom laughed nervously. “All the moaning! I’m sure you’ll get plenty of that on the 14th” he said the last bit a little more seriously.

His friend snorted. “Yeah, right. That’s not gonna happen”.

Dom eyed his suspiciously. “What do you mean? You always get a date for Valentine’s Day”.

The brunet shrugged. “Yeah, but I don’t know” he grimaced. “Lately, girls are too clingy” he complained.

“Yes, I know” Dom agreed, not really meaning it. “Maybe we’ll spend a day without dates this year” he suggested.

“But I want a date” Matt whined. He took another bite off his chocolate and sighed. “Valentine dates are so fun, you know?”

No, I don’t. “Of course.”

“Anyway, who’ll be your Valentine? Anyone I know?” Matt asked. He loved gossiping.

“I don’t know” Dom answered quietly. "We'll see. Maybe I'll stay in too."

*

Ideas for the 14, he wrote.

-Flowers. Nah, too girly.

-A love letter. Too cheesy. Matt wouldn’t love that.

-Eat dinner. No, too much like a date.

-Sweets. Actually… that was a good idea. Matt loved candy, and he’s always looking for new ways to get free things.

-A movie?
-The skate rink Hmm, why not? Matt is a little clumsy but we could do it. Dom smiled and checked the idea.

Dom blushed as soon as he wrote that and he quickly crossed the idea. If he were brave, maybe. But he definitely couldn’t do that.

“What are you doing?” His mum entered his bedroom without knocking.

“Mum!” he quickly crossed his arms over his desk, covering what he’d started writing.

She laughed, sitting on his bed. “Well, you went right here when you got home. You didn’t even say hi to me. Did something happen?” she asked.

“Not really” he started, but stopped when she just kept staring. Feeling under pressure, he conceded. “Matt said he didn’t have a date for Valentine’s Day.”

“That’s amazing!” she exclaimed. “So you’re asking him out? On a date?”

“Mum” he whined, feeling heat pooling on his cheeks. To see his mother so excited and interested in his love life? Yes, definitely awkward.

“What?” She raised her hands, feigning innocence.

Dom sighed. It was useless to resist. “I want to do something… as a friend, I mean” he added when he saw his mother’s smirk. She just rolled her eyes. “He said he wanted a date, but girls were too clingy… maybe we can go out like any other day."

"And why don't you ask him out?" she suggest. "I'm sure he'd appreciate it".

"No, Mum, he..." Dom sighed. "I don't think he'd like me that way."

His mother shrugged. "Maybe you two can go walk around. Something like a date but not a date... I don't know." She smiled and stood up. "I'll be downstairs if you need me." And with that, she left as quietly as she arrived.

Dom glanced at his list and sighed. "And walk around, why not?" He turned the sheet of paper and walked to his bed to rest for a while.

*

"I'm so tired" he whined.

Dom widened his eyes. "We only went staking for a little while! You can't be that tired."

His friend just hummed and hid his face on the mattress. "Can you get some water?" The way he actually asked for it made Dom realize maybe he was tired. Then Matt held out a hand. "And give my basket." Maybe not so much.

Dom laughed and walked to the door. "I'll bring the water. Get up and take the damn basket yourself."

He wasn't angry. Far from it, actually. The day had been way better than he expected. He could spend time with Matt and they had fun. A date but not a date, as his mother said. Plus, he managed to give him a gift and he hadn't been discovered. After Matt recovered from his 'tiredness' maybe they would watch the telly for a while before Matt left. With that in mind, Dom made his way back to his bedroom.

Almost everything was like it was before he left. The basket now was on the bed and next to Matt's hand. His other hand was forming a fist next to his head. Matt had his eyes closed. Somehow the position made him nervous. He left the water on the desk and walked over to the bed.

"Matt... what's wrong?" he asked. Matt opened his eyes and relaxed his hand, revealing what he had found. No. Dom's list of ideas was crumpled on his hand, and Dom felt how the blood left his hace. "Matt-"

"Shh" he interrupted him. Matt sat on the bed and blinked slowly at him. Dom felt like he was waiting for his sentence and he started moving his hands to distract himself. "Did you want to do all of that," he pointed at the paper, "with me?"

That wasn't a question he was expecting. "I, uh... I, yes, but. I know you don't like those things or clingy people and-" he sighed, defeated. "Just ignore that. Please."

"You wanted to end this 'date' with a kiss?" Matt wouldn't let the subject go.

"Matt, please..."

"Why didn't you do it?"

There was absolute silence for a few moments. Inside his head, Dom was freaking out. On the outside, he went still.  "What?" he asked incredulously. "Matt, you like girls. How could I do that?"

"Wecantryifyouwantto."

"What?" Dom didn't understand a word about it. Somehow, talking made him a little less nervous. That way, if Matt was upset, al least he still liked him enough to talk with him.

"I said we can try if you want to!" Matt repeated, a little louder.

"Why?"

It would seem like Dom didn't want it to happen, but he was scared. He didn't want Matt to kiss him just because he felt sorry for him. He would've said yes as soon as Matt suggested it, but his mind was cautioning him to be careful. He waited for a minute and then Matt answered.

"Because you made all this for me. I know you. I knew you when you were shy, remember?" He smiled a little. "I wasn't waiting for anything important to happen today and you managed to plan a great day out of nowhere. I really liked it and I want to try."

Dom's blood returned to his face, making him blush. "A-Are you sure? Really, you don't have to..."

Matt got tired of Dom excuses and got up. "Dom. Shh." With confident steps he walked to Dom and put his hands on Dom's arms. He raised his head slowly and pressed his lips to Dom's.

Dom's heartbeat went faster and faster and he felt like it could stop at any moment. That little kiss meant the world for him. He basked in that feeling and suddenly remembered he wasn't kissing back. He pulled his head away and let out a shuddering breath before initiating another kiss.

This one was even better. Their lips were moving and fitting like pieces of a puzzle. It was nothing compared to the girls he had to kiss sometimes, and he felt like no other kiss would be so great. Matt slid his hands from Dom's arms to his neck, pulling him closer. When their torsos were pressed together, Dom took his trembling hands to Matt's waist, feeling Matt' skin -even if it was over a layer of fabric-  like he'd always wanted to. Suddenly Matt kissed his bottom lip and bit it sofly, making Dom shudder. He placed a kiss on Dom's neck, his chin, his nose and ended with a kiss on his cheek.

Before Matt could step back, Dom hugged him with all his strenght, resting his head on Matt's shoulder. He was so excited, and nervous and vulnerable that he couldn't face him just yet. "Thank you" he whispered.

Matt tightened his arms too and turned his head to rest it against Dom's chest. He could hear his erratic heartbeat and that made him smile. "Anytime" he spoke in a sigh.

"Did you like it?"

"I loved it."

Dom licked his lips and giggled. "You taste like honey."

Matt quickly moved his head and pecked Dom's lips. "Now you do, too" Matt observed.

His heart had calmed now and he allowed himself to take a step backwards. "What do we do now?" Dom asked quietly.

"I don't know about you," Matt started slowly, "but I plan on eating that delicious cupcake."

Dom flushed and smiled. "Of course you'll eat it now."

Matt walked to the bed, took the cupcake and split it in half. "Sorry. It's all there is. Happy Valentine's Day, Dom."

"Happy Valentine's Day," he answered, accepting the cupcake and taking Matt's hand.

Yes, he thought with a smile, it's all there is. And it's more than enough.