“Apparently,” Raya said slowly, looking around the messy kitchen, “I have missed quite a bit.” She had just been quickly informed of the Liberty situation while Orlando tended to the pasta which was boiling now and nearly done. Orlando, with a flick of his wrist that looked very Elf-like, jumbled the vegetables around in the sizzling pan before they burned. “And wow, you’re getting good at that.”

Orlando grinned, “Thank you, love.” He stirred the pasta and then set the tongs down. “How’d the audition go?”

“Dreadfully,” Raya said dramatically, plopping into Dom’s vacated chair. He and Liberty, by the sounds, had just found the tweezers. Elijah was laying on his couch in pain with Sean tutting over him while Billy and Viggo shared some drinking stories and Christine cringed at the sounds coming from the bathroom.

“AH!!! LIBERTY! NOT THERE!” Dom shouted, which was followed by a big kurplunking sound that made Christine laugh hysterically. “Bloody hell! There go the tweezers!”

Liberty could be heard sighing heavily and then she poked her head out the bathroom door, “Elijah! Do you have a second pair of tweezers!?”

“I have some,” Christine called back, “In my purse.” She rummaged through her overly large bag and then rushed them to the bathroom.

“I need to get these walls fixed. They are so paper thin,” Elijah mused, sitting up a little against the pillows Sean was fixing for him.

Sean pushed him back down and made a motherly face, “Lay still, you could have a head injury.”

Elijah rolled his eyes, “Sean, I didn’t even really hit my head too badly. Look, there’s no bruise or anything.”

“Nevertheless,” Sean replied, raising his eyebrows, “We must be safe. Better than sorry.”

“Better safe than sorry is the correct phrasing, Sean,” Billy laughed. “Shall I go and fish the tweezers out of the toilet?”

“Nah,” Elijah replied, laughing a little, “I’ll get them later. Wearing some gloves or something.”

“Or you could pay someone to do it,” Viggo suggested.

“Like me,” Billy said, “I could use some extra money. My salary isn‘t as big as yours.”

Christine left the bathroom and closed the door behind her. She crept quietly back into the living room and sat beside Viggo on the other couch. “They’re not doing too well in there.”
“She’ll have him in the end,” Sean said, “I’m sure of it.”

“Well, yeah,” Viggo agreed, “But she might stab him severely in the process.”

“His feet aren’t very important anyway,” Billy stated, “So it’ll be okay if she renders him helpless from that angle.”

“His feet are important,” Elijah argued, “I mean, he’s a hobbit. Hobbits need their feet.”

“People need their feet too,” Viggo said, “You know. To walk on.”

“Walking? What is that?” Billy asked, looking hilariously perplexed.

“I wish you lot would go and set the table,” Orlando sang in some sort of unidentified tune from the kitchen. Raya was currently leaning causally against the counter watching Orlando in admiration. The two of them had been dating for close to a year but hardly ever saw one another.

“I can’t,” Elijah moaned dramatically, “I’m injured.”

“Not two minutes ago you said you weren’t,” Sean said skeptically.

Elijah put a hand to his head, “Ah, but I am, Sean. Just look at me.”

“AH!!!!!!!!!” Dom shrieked so suddenly that Elijah bolted upright and then fell off of the couch groaning in pain. “OWWWWWWW!”

“Quit being a baby!” Billy shouted down the hallway.

“This splinter is the freaking size of an elephant!” Liberty hollered back, “I need reinforcements!”

“I’ll come!” Billy shouted happily, bouncing to his feet.

“NO!” Dom yelled in horror, “I don’t want Billy near my feet with a sharp, pointy object!”

“Set the table,” Orlando sang, his head poking out the kitchen door. He looked directly at Viggo, “Wash your hands.”

“I can’t,” Viggo replied sourly, “You won’t allow me in the kitchen and the bathroom is a medical ward.”

“YOW!” Dom shouted.

“Stop jerking your foot away from the tweezers!” Liberty yelled back in frustration.

“Good God,” Elijah muttered, laughing a little, “This is completely insane.”

“But wonderfully funny,” Billy chuckled.

“I think,” Raya said, rummaging through the drawers for some silverware, “That Liberty and Dom are a perfect match.”

“That came out of nowhere,” Orlando laughed, “Why the sudden revelation?”

Raya shrugged and shut the drawer with her hip, “I was just thinking how similar they sound…and act.” She put the forks, spoons and knives on the table. “Don’t you?”

“I suppose,” Orlando replied, not committing. “VIG!”

Viggo appeared almost instantly in the doorway. He sidled to the table, scooped up the silverware and then bolted out again, towards the dining room.

“BILLY!” Orlando yelled next, “Plates!” Billy flew into the kitchen, went straight to the plates and then flew out again.

Raya, her head spinning slightly, “I don’t know them very well, but I’d say you have them trained splendidly.”

“Thank you, I like to think so.” He raised his eyebrows suggestively, “I’m quite persuasive.”

“Oh, I know,” Raya laughed. “Especially when you threaten bodily harm.” She raised an eyebrow.

“Who told you that? They lied. I’d never---” He put his spatula down, “Billy! Don’t tell Raya how I threaten to shove arrows up your arse.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Billy replied innocently, though he was laughing silently in the dining room.

Liberty was kneeling on the cold bathroom floor with Dom’s ailing foot in her lap. He was sitting on the closed toilet seat trying hard not to look at where the stabbing pain originated from. “I am sorry I have to do this,” she stated, squinting at the splinter. “You’ll never want to see me again after I tear your skin apart.”

Dom cringed in reflex and then grinned, “Nonsense. You could actually amputate my foot and I’d still want to see you.”

She smiled up at him, “That’s sweet.”

“I am sweet,” Dom replied.

“Watch out. Elijah’s swelled head is catching,” Billy said from the doorway.

“How do you DO that?” Dom asked in admiration, “You just appear out of nowhere. You walk with such stealth. Can you teach me how to?”

Liberty poked the tweezers into his foot and actually got them clasped around the bit of the splinter that was sticking out of Dom’s foot.

“I can’t teach you how to be devilishly handsome, Dominic,” Billy replied airily, “It comes naturally. One day, maybe you, too, can be as hot as I am.”

Liberty snorted as she tugged at the splinter. Billy looked aggravated at her, but said nothing as he knew she was just responding to his semi-joking statement. She pulled the tweezers up to her eyes and was happy to see a bit of splinter (which could be no more than a centimeter long) sticking there. “Ah ha!” She cried in joy, “I’ve got it!”

“Then why does it still hurt?” Dom asked, pouting still. “I’d like a lollipop.”

Liberty glanced to Billy and made a movement with her chin. Billy galloped down the hall and they could hear him asking Elijah if he had any lollipops. “It’ll be sore, Dom,” Liberty said seriously, “But you’ll pull through in the end.”

“You’re sure?” Dom asked, glancing anxiously at his foot, which had a large, red sore spot on the heal.

“I’m sure,” she replied, smiling and patting his knee as Billy came back in with a tootsie pop. He unwrapped it and stuck it in Dom’s mouth.

“My work here is done. I must finish setting the table for Nazi Orlando.” He saluted Liberty and then left, stomping off down the hall.

“Elijah always has the best lollipops,” Dom stated, looking happy.

Liberty raised an eyebrow, “Ah…I honestly have no response to that. But, I must say, you look quite hot with that lollipop. In fact,” she stood up and leaned against the sink in front of him, “I’ve never seen a lollipop look so hot before.”

Dom’s eyes widened, but of course he was used to such treatment. He knew how good he looked with a lollipop in his mouth. “Well, er,” his eyes skirted over her entire body, “you look good with the tweezers in your hand?”

Liberty chuckled, “Yeah, thanks.” She pushed herself away from the sink, “We should go back out there before they think I’ve stabbed you.”

“Yeah,” Dom replied, clearing his throat as he stood up in front of her. He leaned closer to her, “Thanks. For saving my life.”

“Oh, my pleasure,” she laughed. Then, suddenly, her lips were on his and he was gasping into her mouth. What seemed like only one second later, she pulled away and licked her lips. “What was that, grape?” She grinned devilishly. “Tastes good.”

Dom held his lollipop out to her with a look of pure shock on his face. She shook her head, smiled, and then walked out of the room.

“So,” Raya said, accepting the plate of pasta Orlando slid in front of her, “Liberty. Where did you get such a patriotic name? Are your parents terrorists trying to disguise their true identity?”

Liberty had her fork halfway to her mouth, but dropped it when Raya spoke. Dom glanced nervously at her and set a hand on her knee, almost telling her to be good. He was sitting beside her, his lollipop poised at the side of his plate. Elijah was on her other side, fully recovered and Christine now had her tweezers back. (She’d washed them off after receiving them.) Elijah looked at Liberty out of the corner of his eye.

Orlando chuckled nervously, “Now, Raya---”

Raya shrugged and began digging into her dinner. It was some sort of pasta concoction that Orlando had made from his own recipe. It had numerous vegetables in it such as zucchini, green pepper, onion and mushrooms which had been sautéed in olive oil. It was quite delicious, at least to those who had had a chance to try it.

“For an elf,” Viggo said, trying to relieve some tension, “You cook pretty well. Didn’t drop any of your long, blond hair in here, did you?”

“No,” Orlando replied haughtily, “As I am not wearing my wig, that is impossible.”

“Oh right,” Viggo said, taking another bite.

Orlando gapped, “That was an awful retort, Vig.”

“Losing my touch due to the fact that this is delicious.”

Everyone laughed a little and the tension floated away.

*

After dinner, everyone was sitting around Elijah’s living room, when he suddenly realized that they were in his mom’s house and should probably move to the guest house, which was where he lived. He knew his mom and sister would be back soon and though his mom was cool with lots of people hanging out, he wasn’t ready to introduce the girls to his mom. (She tended to get overzealous.)

Orlando was sitting on the floor, leaning against the sofa by Liberty (her legs were curled under her) while Raya sat comfortably in-between his legs.

“Man, we should probably go over to my place,” Elijah said, standing from his spot beside Liberty. Dom and Billy watched him go to the front door to check for arrivals. The two of them were joking about a game they made up called ‘tig-tag’ which Liberty found utterly hilarious. Elijah, who thought for a year that it was a real game, didn’t find it so hilarious. Though he was a good sport about it, he vowed to get them back at some point. Dom and Billy found this to be a very empty threat.

“I’d like to go,” Raya said, yawning, “I’m awfully jet-lagged.”

Orlando smiled and stood up, then helped her to her feet. “Alright. We’ll go.” Orlando and Raya opted to go back to Orlando’s hotel room. Dom and Billy both winked suggestively at Orlando as they departed. He only managed a small, manly salute back.

At that point, Christine was sleeping on Sean’s shoulder and he gently shook her awake and then said they’d take their leave as well.

So, that left Elijah, Dom, Billy, Viggo and Liberty to make the short trek to the guest house behind the main house. The second Liberty went inside, she immediately began calling it a bachelor pad for that was exactly what it was. There were magazines (mostly of the music variety) littering the coffee table in the living room while numerous CDs were scattered about haphazardly. The walls were decorated with band posters, much like the bedroom which also had many Cds laying around. Then there was the tiny kitchen where the refrigerator sat holding mostly just sodas.

Elijah explained, “I just go to mom’s kitchen for food.” He blushed sheepishly, “If I cooked, I‘d burn it.”

While Dom, Billy and Viggo channel surfed, Elijah showed Liberty around. The guesthouse was two floors but the second floor was just a large bedroom which was fully furnished with a queen sized bed and other things boys need in their rooms.

The downstairs was a large bathroom, the small kitchen and the living room. Liberty noted the PlayStation2 in the corner hooked up to a wall-sized flat screen television. Next to that stood a bookcase solid full of DVDs and then a huge stereo system. There was a wall height CD holder that was completely full, which accounted for all the CDs laying around. There was simply no room for them.

It was no wonder the boys loved it here; it was a boy’s dream house. Dom and Billy were playing Vice City and every time Dom killed someone, Billy hollered, “WOOOO!” His throat was getting very parched. Viggo was playing with Elijah’s camera (taking pictures of Billy hollering, “WOOO!”) and Elijah and Liberty were watching the game from the couch.

Dom was at Liberty’s feet and kept elbowing her shin whenever he wanted to get her attention. By the fifth time he did this, she started yawning and snuggled back against the comfy sofa.

As her eyes drifted closed, the voices around her became hazy.

“I think Liberty’s tired,” Billy laughed, then hollered, “WOOOOO!”

“You’re happy she’s tired?” Viggo asked, snapping a picture (without using a flash) of Liberty sleeping.

Billy shook his head and made a face, “No, Dom killed that old lady driving the Volvo.”

“There are no Volvos in Vice City,” Elijah said, sliding down to the floor beside Billy.

“There are when I make them up and pretend. Use your imagination!”

“If you sing the Barney song,” Viggo muttered, “I will kill you with this camera. It could be considered a blunt object.”

“Use a knife,” Elijah replied, off-handedly, “That camera was expensive.”

“Good equipment is costly,” Viggo replied airily, shrugging.

“Not if you’re born with it,” Billy joked, then got hit in the shoulder by Dom. “Ow. Oh, sorry. WOOO. You killed that old man in a wheelchair.”

“There are no wheelchairs,” Dom stated, passing the controller to Elijah who took it eagerly. Dom leaned back against the couch and could hear Liberty’s rhythmic breathing.

“Imagination,” Billy sang, quite off key from any key there ever was.

“I gotta go back to Sean’s,” Viggo said, shaking his head and yawning. “I have to go to the gym and train tomorrow.” He stood up, setting the camera on the coffee table.

Elijah gave the controller to Billy, “See you tomorrow.”

“Should I take Liberty with me?” Viggo asked, “Since we are staying at the same place?”

“Nah, leave her here,” Elijah replied, “She’ll be fine. She can sleep on the couch.”

“Oh, Sean’ll be sooooo happy,” Viggo remarked, rolling his eyes, “But it is your funeral.”

“He won’t kill me, as I’m not going to DO anything.”

“He won’t,” Dom assured Viggo, “I’ll stay too.”

“Oh great. That makes me feel---” He paused, “Billy.”

“It makes you feel Billy? EW.” Billy scrambled from the floor, “Don’t touch me, hairy man!”

“No,” Viggo laughed, “You stay here and watch Dom and Lij. Make sure they don’t get Liberty drunk and have their way with her.”

“Can’t get her drunk,” Billy said, sitting beside Liberty on the couch, “She’s knocked out for the night.”

Viggo raised an eyebrow, but left swiftly. He could hear the shouts and hollers of Billy as Dom (or Elijah) killed numerous ‘folk in wheelchairs.’ all the way to his car.