An Alabama Dixie in Mrs Ravin's Court
Characters: Dominic and Meg Setting: Upstate New York, a couple of years back
Dominic's family homestead was a huge place. It was set up on a high hill, with gates around it that he needed to punch in a code and use a key to gain entry to. Driving up the long, winding drive, he glanced at Megan beside him, drawing in a deep breath and letting it out slowly. "This was your idea." he reminded her, smirking at her very faintly.
“Yeah but you didn’t have to agree to it did ya?” she countered with a slight smirk of her own, the bravado an attempt to waylay both her own nerves and some of the tension she could feel coming from him. Her hand on his leg told the truth of the matter though, that he had almost become a worry stone of sorts for her, seeking out physical contact with him whenever she felt unsure of herself or in need of reassurance and she hoped in that moment, it would do something similar for him.
He was right in saying it had been her idea to come up to New York and see his parents but that didn’t make the reality of it happening any less intimidating. Really with what Dominic had told her about his parents, she could have been happy never meeting them but practicality had forced her hand more than anything. They hadn’t really stopped moving since what had happened in Alabama, Meg still having dreams about that night that more often than left her waking up in tears or fear-induced sweat, living off Dom’s credit card and what money he had in his bank account but that well was rapidly running dry and over the last two weeks, he had started receiving calls from his parents on his cell. He never answered but she had managed to listen to one of the messages they had left, threatening to cut him off completely if he didn’t come home and at least speak to them.
It had done nothing to endear the Ravins to Meg but it had pushed her into action, pointing out they would need money soon and it wasn’t as if it could be any worse than when he had met her family. In the end, she figured it had been pointing out how much meeting her would piss of his parents that convinced him to go. To that end, she had dressed the part; ripped daisy dukes, a pink shirt over a lime green tank top and chunky jewellery, her hair pulled back into bunches and her cowboy boots on her feet - the outfit both a statement and armour for her to hide behind should she need it.
All the clothes in the world couldn’t insulate from the shock of seeing Dominic’s house for the first time and her mouth fell open in shock as she took in the sight of it ; she knew he came from money but it was something else entirely to see it on show so blatantly and she couldn’t stop herself from shaking her head in disbelief, letting out a low whistle as they pulled up outside the front door. “Ho-ly shit,” she said. “Fuck, I feel like I should be wearing a monocle or something.”
"Are you kidding? I had no choice in this. This was all you, MM." Dominic told her. "Can't deny you anything." he said, sighing. Because he couldn't. He was already bad at it. Even when he knew an idea was stupid, he was really awful with trying to curb her at all. And while there were occasions where he could talk her down from something, really, the girl ruled his world, in a very real way. It would probably be fantastically unhealthy, (or maybe still was) but he knew he had the same influence over her. They were more or less already severely codependent.
At any other time in his life, he wouldn't have gone for it. But there was something about her. He'd fallen and fallen hard, and that was the end of that. His world was a different place with her in it, and he hated the very idea of her not being right there by his side.
All that said, he didn't want to be there. He had been hounded by his parents, most certainly, and they probably needed to do this, but he was already so tense he could feel pain aching in his back. His knuckles were white from the grip he had on the steering wheel. Sure, he knew it would probably all be worth it, just to see their reaction to Meg, but still.
Parking the car, Dominic looked at her. "If you had a monocle, you couldn't wear the Lolita shades." he pointed out, leaning closer to place a tiny kiss on the end of her button nose. "And we wouldn't want that."
She smiled at the kiss and caught hold of his face between both hands. “I think you mean you wouldn’t want that,” she pointed out before kissing him properly; she hadn’t missed the way he was holding onto the steering wheel and hoped it would help him relax a little before they went inside. A completely selfless act that she got nothing out of whatsoever. Nothing at all.
It worked. He returned the kiss, and it made him untense. He exhaled softly, resting his forehead against hers. "No, no. You wouldn't want that either. You know what they do to me." he teased lightly. He grit his teeth a moment, then sat up straight again, taking off his seatbelt. "We doing this? You just going to barge in, and start peppering 'y'all' into every sentence?"
“Yeah I do,” she said, not even trying to hide the smugness creeping into her voice, the fact that Dominic found her attractive and wasn’t shy about telling or showing her still amazing to her. Unfortunately it wasn’t the time to dwell on that, as fun as it might be to see his parents reaction to her climbing into his lap and having her wicked way with their son. “And we can play this how you like Dom, don’t think I can’t dial the dixie up to eleven if thats what it takes but this is your show.”
No, it really isn't. And never really has been. Went through his mind, but he knew better than to share it right then. "Let's just...get in and get out." he said. Though he smirked at her, leaning in to nip at her neck, hard enough to leave at least a little bit of a hickey, for effect. "Just be you. Be very, very you."
As well as leaving the desired mark, the bite also brought a flush to Meg’s cheeks as a low whine bubbled out of her at the all too fleeting contact. “Well that I can certainly do,” she said, giving his bottom lip a sharp nip of her own before climbing out of the car and heading towards the front door.
He licked his lip before he smiled, watching her walk around the hood before he got out. He opened the door and then headed up behind her, letting her walk in first, figuring the girl may just want to make an entrance, even if it wasn't immediately clocked by anyone in the house. But then again, they would know he was there, they would have been alerted the gate was opened, using his code. Given their financial standing, that shit was important to know.
Despite not having the first clue where she was going, Meg still strode in like she owned the place, her boots making a loud clacking against the polished floor, turning into the first big room she came to and presenting it and any inhabitants with her biggest smile. “Howdy y’all,” she cried, her voice loud enough to bounce off the walls. “Gotta say, you gotcha some mighty fine digs here.”
Dominic followed her, hands shoved into his pockets, the pink healing scars of the cut beneath his eye probably far less prominent than he imagined it to be. But he felt it there, knowing that they hadn't seen him since he'd left for college. He'd changed a lot since then, right down to the way he carried himself. It wasn't just some scars he'd picked up. It was one hell of a lot more than that.
His mother was promptly horrified. Though she hadn't even looked at him, so it wasn't that. She was staring at Meg. Which was pretty much the reaction he'd expected. Saying nothing, he leaned in the doorframe just behind Meg, watching the proceedings with a small smile ghosted on his lips.
"And you are?" Bianca Ravin snapped.
It didn’t take a genius to figure out that the well dressed woman looking at Meg with a expression usually reserved for discovering you’ve stepped in dog mess was Dominic’s mother but she didn’t let that faze her, walking over to the woman with her hand outstretched. “Megan Louise Mills ma’am,” she said brightly, eyes sparkling with amusement as Bianca recoiled from her like she was a leper. “I’m your son’s girlfriend.” It had been tempting to say ‘I’m the girl your son’s currently fucking’ just to see what the reply would have been but had decided it against it, not wanting to present hers and Dom’s relationship as anything less than it was.
Dominic watched, seeing the tension shoot up even higher in his mother. Bianca eyed Meg like she wasn't sure if touching her would be safe, and she very much ignored the offered hand. Manners had been drilled into the woman, but this was too much for her. The stick up her ass was a little too tightly wedged to allow for contact with someone like Meg. "Dominic." she said coolly, looking past the blonde to her son. "A word in private." She stood. "Miss Mills can wait outside."
"No, she can't." Dominic told his mother, not moving.
Mouth tightening into a hard line, Bianca inhaled sharply. “I do not care to discuss family matters in front of someone you have clearly brought home for the sole purpose of getting a reaction from me,” she said, her voice clipped as she gave Meg the briefest glance of disdain before turning back to her son.
Unsurprised as Meg was by Dominic insisting she stay, it didn’t stop from turning and giving him a grin before crossing the room to claim a hideously uncomfortable chair as her seat. “Oh don’t mind me Mrs Ravin, you and Dom have your talk. You won’t even know I’m here, I promise.” Her face was the picture of innocence and anyone who didn’t know her would have quite happily believed it as she sat fiddling with one of her bracelets.
"Still haven't caught onto the concept that 'it's not all about you', then." Dominic observed. He looked at Meg, and smiled faintly, before he looked back at his mother. "You were saying?" he asked, making it perfectly clear that he not only had no intention of leaving the room, but he was going to make her do this in front of Meg, unless she took drastic measures. Which she might, but still. She probably wouldn't want to break a nail.
Unused to be spoken to like that, especially by her son, Bianca looked like she’d been slapped as she rose to her feet and went over the sideboard to pour herself a drink. “Why haven’t you been in school Dominic?” she asked, making every attempt to keep her voice level as her wedding ring chimed against the crystal decanter in her hand. “Your father pays good money to send you to Penn State and then we get a phone call saying you haven’t been to class in weeks.”
"I've had better things to do." Dominic told her. "So, I'm dropping out. I'll go back when I feel like it." he said. Which, he may actually do. Just not right now. There was a whole lot of life to be living, and he felt like he was doing that for the first time. Like he'd started to breathe...just a whole lot of too late in life for that. "Also? You might have known earlier, if you ever bothered to contact me. Which you don't, so...want to get to the part where you care?"
“You’re what?!” she replied, voice shrill as she brought the decanter down with a crash. “And how dare you speak to me in that fashion Dominic, I am your mother. What’s more I refuse to let you dishonor our family by...”
“Pardon me,” Meg interrupted, going so far as to raise her hand like she had back in grade school. She hadn’t really planned on saying anything but something in Bianca Ravin’s demeanour rubbed her up entirely the wrong way and she wasn’t about to sit idly by and listen to her talk to Dominic like that. “But from what Dom’s told me about you, it sounds you suck ten kinds of ass at being a mom. Mine might have fucked off when I was four years old but at least when she was there, she gave a shit. You on the other hand.” She pulled a face. “Far as I can tell Bianca, all you’ve got going for you is this very nice house you’re standing in and an uncanny knack for walking around with a colossal stick up your ass.”
Dominic had been going to say something. But he didn't have to. He had opened his mouth and everything, but then words were happening, and he looked over to watch Meg, and he decided then and there that he was going to marry that girl. He didn't know when, but it was happening.
Bianca paled, then her face heated up as she stared, shocked at Meg. It wasn't there for long, however, and she narrowed her eyes, her lips pursing into a thin line. "And you, are trash, plain and simple. It's clear, from just the sight of you, but the moment you open your ignorant mouth, it's all the more stunningly obvious. You will leave, now."
Meg just smirked in response then stood up but far from leaving the room, instead she marched up to Bianca, keeping her eyes on the older woman the whole time despite the difference in height between. “Little tip B,” she said in that same innocent, earnest voice she’d used before. “If you’re gonna insult someone, try to come up with something that might actually offend them and that they haven’t heard a million times before. For example, I could call you a pathetic aging gold digger who has less right to be a mother than a crack whore.” She smiled sweetly. “You see how that works? And I’m not leaving til Dom wants to cause lady, believe me when I say you are not scary enough to convince me to do anything I don’t want to.”
"I'm calling the authorities." Bianca threatened, glaring daggers at Meg. She ticked her gaze to her son, looking just as unhappy with him as she was his little tramp. "They'll eject her and then maybe we can talk."
"Let's go, Megan." Dominic said without skipping a beat. If his mother was going to throw threats like that around, he wasn't really going to play into it. And he definitely wasn't going to be cowed by it.
“The authorities don’t scare me either,” Meg said, the pleasant expression she’d been wearing up until that point disappearing as she saw the way Bianca looked at Dom; she really didn’t care how the woman looked at or spoke to her but as far as she was concerned, no-one had the right to treat him like that, least of all the woman who had brought him into the world. She probably would've grabbed hold of the woman if Dom hadn’t spoken and even then, it took all of her will to take a step backwards. “You don’t deserve him in your life,” she said, anger creeping into her voice, hands balling into fists at her sides.
Dominic saw Meg’s hands, saw that stance. He knew that stance, she wanted to throw a punch or twelve. He finally moved from his position, walking up behind her even as his mother stared, horrified. He put rested his hand on her hip lightly, just enough so she knew he was there. He just watched his mother, not saying a word on that score, watching her blood pressure rise.
“You don’t deserve to be in this house.” Bianca told Meg. “You don’t deserve my son, to breathe the same air as him. You, are a waste. And he’s only with you to get back at me, the selfish, ungrateful bastard. You’re nothing but a tool in his box, little girl. You should leave before you get all used up.”
She might not have felt threatened by Dominic’s mother but having him touch her, knowing he was stood with her, supporting her was a comfort. It certainly helped when Bianca turned her own words against her, words that she might’ve taken to heart if not for everything that had already happened between her and Dominic. Instead she laughed in Bianca’s face, her hand reaching back to tangle her fingers with Dom’s. “You haven’t got the first fucking clue about me and Dom,” she told the woman. “And an uptight bitch like you in your ivory tower couldn’t begin to understand it even if you did give a shit, which you clearly don’t.”
Practically vibrating with anger now, Bianca went to speak but Meg cut her off before she had a chance. “And if you talk about him or to him like that again, nothin’s gonna stop me from bringing a whole world of hurt crashing down around you and that shitty dye job you’ve got going there. Seriously all this money and that’s the best you can do? I’ve seen streetwalkers with more convincingly dyed hair.”
Dominic was getting a little sick enjoyment out of seeing his mother in this state. Nothing he'd ever done, in his entire life had gotten a reaction so...vibrant. He was a little shocked she even managed to get there. His eyes caught movement behind her, and he saw his father finally arrive on the scene, and Dominic merely nodded to the old man. "Meet Meg." he told him. "Before mom had an aneurism."
At the arrival of her husband, Bianca swiftly retreated behind him before propelling him forward. “Malcolm, do something before our son and his...whatever that girl is drive me to distraction.” Meg just laughed again, stepping back so she was flush against Dominic and tugging his arms around her waist. “I think that ship’s already sailed B,” she said with a smirk, turning her attention to Malcolm Ravin. “Might wanna see to your wife there Mr Ravin, looks like she could use a valium or something.”
Easily wrapping his arms around Meg, even if he did have to stoop just a little what with their height difference, he watched his father's eyes closely. "Mom was talking about calling the cops." he said. "What do you think? Should we do this the hard way? Or...?" he asked.
Malcolm eyed the pair, jaw set, but he looked far less flappable than Bianca. "I'm sure you recall the way to your room." he said to Dominic. "I'll assume your young lady will be staying with."
“Malcolm, you cannot be serious?!” Bianca hissed, the woman on the verge of stamping her foot like a child. “I will not have that trash under my roof after the way she spoke to me.”
Sighing, Malcolm turned around and looked at his wife. “Bianca, clearly Dominic wishes his young lady friend to be here so if we want to have this conversation with him, then she is going to be present.”
"And we'll have it after dinner." Dominic added. Not that he had even a little bit of a stomach for it, but they could at least get fed before they were kicked to the curb. He was sure it was going to happen, even if his father was feigning reasonability. "C'mon, baby. Let's go get settled." he told her, starting to tug her past his parents. He nodded to his father, and flashed a grin at his mother.
Letting herself be pulled along, Meg smiled at Malcolm. “Pleasure to meet you sir,” she said before looking past him to Bianca whose face was turning a fascinating colour. “B, wish I could say the same. Still, maybe we can a do-over at dinner, I promise I’ll use all the right cutlery and everything.”
Dominic had to laugh a little, tugging Meg along with him down a long corridor, then up a flight of steps and there was another lengthy hall before they got to his room. He paused outside of the door, drawing in a breath and letting it out slowly. Then he opened it up and let her in.
Dominic's room was what was expected. It was immaculately clean, and could have been a guest room, for all the personality it had. Bedrooms in television shows had more character. It was absolutely devoid of anything that might reflect him as a person, and he was painfully aware of that in that moment. Meg's life had been miserable, but at least her room was her room. It screamed 'Meg'. His space...it was like no one lived there, and it wasn't because he'd left for Penn State.
The implications of the room’s appearance weren’t lost on Meg and she couldn’t stop herself from frowning as she took what little there was to see in. “Oh Dom,” she said quietly, turning round and pulling him down for a kiss, unsure of anything she could say that wouldn’t ring utterly hollow so instead settling for something he would enjoy, creating a positive association for the blank slate of a room.
He wasn't expecting that reaction, though if pressed he wouldn't have been able to say in the slightest what he had thought she'd do. So when he was pulled down for a kiss, he almost resisted--but in the end he didn't, returning it and stepping closer to put his arms around her. He wasn't quite sure what he was going through then, how he felt about...anything.
He was pretty sure this was what repression was all about.
It didn’t feel like Dom’s heart was really in the kiss so she didn’t push it on too long, pulling back slightly when it was over to look up at him, her hand still resting against his cheek. “How you doin’?” she asked, worry etched into her face - as fun as it was tormenting his mother, he was always her first concern and he wanted to bail then they’d do just that.
Dominic absently kicked the door shut behind them, sure his parents were too busy arguing to eavesdrop, but still. "I don't know." he told her honestly. "I'm sure that doesn't make sense, but..." he trailed off, rubbing at the scar under his eye. "I don't know. I'm used to everything feeling like this, I just hate it." he admitted, walking towards the bed and he dropped down onto it. But he held a hand out towards her, to indicate he wanted her with him. "It's like everything's numb. And has been my whole life."
“It makes enough,” she assured him, catching his hand and tracing along the scar herself with the pad of her thumb, an all too clear reminder of that night in the trailer. Yeah, it was fair to say she understood the conflicting emotions that came with coming home; even if Dominic’s childhood had been significantly different to her own, they both carried the fallout of their parent’s negligence with them. Following him over to the bed, she straddled his legs and sat so they were eye to eye, taking one of his hands and placing it over her heart whilst doing the same to him. “Concentrate on this,” she told him. “You’re the reason it’s still beating Dom, remember that. You might feel numb here but I know you aren’t, I know you feel just like I do.”
His eyes ticked between hers, watching those bright blues intensely. He listened to her, not saying anything, merely complying with her command. He could feel the faint evidence of her heartbeat beneath his hand.
It did actually help. It didn't magically erase that numb feeling that had settled in, like his entire life was under the influence of novacane, but it helped. It did something. He leaned in closer, closer, til he rested his forehead in against her shoulder, turned in slightly towards her neck. "Your argument has holes." he murmured to her, a soft undercurrent of humor in his voice, even if it was quiet. Muted.
“Does it now?” she replied, matching his voice in tone and volume as a smile tickled her lips. “Care to me enlighten me on them Mr Smart Guy?”
"If you hadn't met me, then you could still be in Florida, partying all day every day." he told her, sliding his free hand to her hip. His thumb pushed beneath her top, to stroke her bare skin lightly. Nothing overt, just a little touch. "You'd start the day off still a little tipsy and end the night with a bass beat in your ears, the sound of the ocean not far off."
Meg let out a thoughtful hum as if considering his point. “You do make it sound fairly wonderful,” she said, tilting her head slightly so she could press a brief kiss to his forehead. “But constant partying for two years? Even I’d get bored of dancing after that long.” She smiled crookedly. “Plus you’re missing the most important thing.”
He looked up at her again, smiling. "Oh?" he asked. "What's that?" He was aware that he was getting pulled back to the surface a little. Him, the Dominic she knew. The one living one, not the stifled, suffocated one that didn't live here, didn't live anywhere. Megan's Dominic. He liked that person so much better. Hell, sometimes it felt like he hadn't been a real person til he'd met her. And as fucked up as that was, he couldn't help feeling like that.
Heartened by the smile, Meg grinned back, relieved to see him sounding more like himself. "I thought you were the smart one in this relationship," she said with a smirk. "The point is..." She stopped to clear her throat before singing, mostly in tune. "...my life would suck without yoooou." She wasn't much of a singer but the song was appropriate for the occasion and she was itching to make him feel something good, even if it was just laughing at her being silly.
He did laugh a little, reaching up to cup her cheeks with both hands. "You're a terrible singer." he told her, though it was a teasing tone. He didn't give her much of a chance to say anything, however, as he kissed her. This one was much more a kiss he was putting effort into. He wanted to try and convey that he appreciated her there, he wanted her there, that her presence was making this dealable. He shared the sentiment of 'my life would suck without you'.
Any protest she may have had in defence of her singing ability quickly died with that kiss, her hands that had been gently resting against him moving to fist in the material of his shirt. Ever since they’d met, Dominic had made her feel like she was wanted, that she mattered, and the way he was kissing her in that moment was no exception and she returned it with equal fire; so much so that they toppled backwards onto the sheets.
Dominic rolled them over so he had her pinned down to the mattress, kissing her until he had to break it to breathe. Then he looked down at her for a long moment, watching her eyes, liking the flush of her cheeks. "I'm going to pick you, you know." he told her quietly. "I'm going to get an ultimatum. Cut off, until you're gone." Or some approximation thereof. "Still going to want me when I'm broke?" Though 'broke' was relative. He had drained the money he had access to, in anticipation of that.
Meg couldn’t begin to verbalise how it felt knowing for certain that he would choose her over everything, not for a second doubting his word. To be so wanted, it made her heart ache and for a moment, all she could do was look up at him, her eyes shining with everything she wasn’t able to say. “What do you think dumbass?” she said quietly, reaching up to stroke his face. “There isn’t a single thing you could do that’d stop me wanting you.”
He smiled at her, watching her eyes. Then he leaned closer and kissed her again, a soft, light one that he drew out. "No?" he asked, playful. He took her hand, and kissed her fingertips lightly, before placing them against the healing scar under his eye. "And what about if this scars up really bad?" he asked. "I'll be a weird-eyed freak." he told her, a little grin on his lips.
"Nope," she replied, voice firm as it was quiet and laced with affection. At his question, she found herself smiling back, even if it was accompanied by a surge of guilt on feeling her father's handiwork beneath her fingers. "Then I'll develop a kink for weird eyed freaks," she told him matter-of-factly. "You’re still be the most amazing guy I've ever met and I'll always want to be with you."
"Hey." Dominic said, mock-stern. "None of that shit. I veto kinks for weird eyed freaks. You just need a very, very specific kink that only I can possibly fullfill." he told her. "You need a Dominic Ravin kink." He nuzzled her nose, staying in close. He distantly recognized that he needed it. Her there, being soft, affectionate with him. At her last bit, he leaned closer, and gave her another soft kiss. "Promise?" he asked quietly.
Meg grinned. "In case you hadn't been paying attention, I already have a Dominic Ravin kink," she replied, nuzzling him right back. "A hardcore one at that." After the kiss, she forced him back a little so their eyes could meet. "I promise," she said, pouring all of the conviction she possessed into the statement, needing him to believe it as much as she did.
That was all he needed to hear. And he did feel better when he heard it, even if by now, really, he probably shouldn't require a promise. Still, it eased his tension all the more, and he decided now was the part where he shut the fuck up, and kissed her like he needed it to survive.
And she was happy with that, she really was, instinctively lifting her legs and wrapping them around his waist as her hands tangled themselves in his hair. The height difference between them could have made things difficult but from the first time they kissed, they seemed to just fit with each other - like it was meant to be.