They left the bedroom and went to find a clock that was actually broken, strolling side by side down the endless corridors, a silence between them as if the situation felt awkward, eventually reaching the library, Jimmy walked up to the clock,
"It just needs winding" he stated confidentially,
"Quite the expert now, aren't you?" Thomas replied in mock tones,
"Well I had a good teacher, didn't I" answered Jimmy, referring to Thomas' endless knowledge of clocks,
Thomas smiled, blushing slightly in response,
"You know I remember when I first came here, you taught me how to do the clocks, you were a bit over familiar, but…" said Jimmy,
"I'm sorry Jimmy, I was wrong" interrupted Thomas,
"No don't be sorry, perhaps you could teach me some other useful things in the future, you never know when I might need them" Jimmy suggested flirtatiously,
"I'd be delighted too" said Thomas,
"Good, I'm glad that we moved on from our fall out Thomas" said Jimmy kindly,
"Me too" Thomas smiled quizzically at the handsome first footman,
"I have to tell you this Thomas, that time…when I saw you and the Duke…well I want you to know that you never have to go to him again for "that" or anyone else for that matter" Jimmy said quietly,
"Why's that?" Thomas asked softly, even though he knew the answer already,
"Well because you can…have me. I'm not saying we're lovers or anything like that…I'm just finding my feet with this…with who I am…but in time"
"I understand Jimmy, you don't have to say anymore I understand" replied Thomas, happy that Jimmy had more or less said that one day they could be together in that way,
"Not yet mind Thomas, I need us to get to know each other a lot better than we already do, I need that trust to be there"
"Jimmy, I've just sucked you off. Do you think I do that with every bloke I thinks pretty?" Thomas questioned, feeling a little insulted that Jimmy didn't already trust him,
"Keep your voice down, do you want everyone to know what's just gone on?" said Jimmy, worried about passing ears out on the corridor, gleaning information from their conversation,
Mr Carson burst through the library doors,
"Ah there you are what has taken you so long? I wasn't aware that all of the clocks in the house had broken" he questioned with a cynical eyebrow raised
"There was a temperamental co...clock in one of the guest bedrooms, its fixed now" replied Thomas, his face its usual picture of confidence and ease, Jimmy smirked at the nearly fatal slip up in his sentence,
"James, is something funny?" asked Mr Carson,
"No Mr Carson, my stomach just rumbled and the noise made me laugh" he said, which was obviously made up and sounded ridiculous even to himself,
"Indeed" replied Carson, "Well perhaps you should have a heartier breakfast in future James" he said in his deep sarcastic tone,
Jimmy nodded, as Mr Carson left,
"I'm sorry Thomas, that isn't what I meant and you know it"
"Yeah I know" replied Thomas, ruffling Jimmy's soft wavy locks," Lets head downstairs shall we, best get some food for that grumbling stomach of yours" smirked Thomas.
"Thomas, you know what I said before…about the trust not being there yet, well I don't think that's what I meant, I only meant that this is a huge thing for me and for me to even have kissed you is a massive step forward"
"It's ok Jimmy, I've been there, I know what it's like. I'm not expecting you to do anything like that yet. I love you, I would wait forever"
"I'm not asking for forever, just enough time for me to figure out things, ok" Jimmy whispered softly, placing a soft kiss to Thomas' jaw line and sending love throughout the older man's body,
"Come on then aye before I can't resist you, it's not really the time or the place" joked Thomas,
Jimmy laughed pondering the thought of The Dowager Countess, marching through the door whilst they were all over each other, it was what Jimmy wanted inside, really wanted, he wanted to show Thomas how he felt, he wanted Thomas to feel how he had felt when Thomas was pleasuring him but for now that stuff would have to wait until he got his head clear even though he had let Thomas touch him, he still didn't feel 100% comfortable with having to do it to Thomas, he didn't like the fact he was one of those "disgusting men" that his uncle had always harped on about, even though he could see from knowing Thomas that there was no shame in being a man with those preferences however to be the man that Thomas deserved he would have to come to terms with who he was and accept himself a little better, he fully knew Thomas would understand and give him all the time he needed because the thing was that Thomas Barrow was madly in love with Jimmy and would give him all the time in the world if he had to.
That night he snuck across the corridor to Thomas' room and slipped under the duvet and curled up beside him, Thomas was elated at Jimmy coming to stay the night and wrapped his arms round Jimmy holding him tight, their bodies emitting heat and warming them both through, Thomas kissed the top of Jimmy's head,
"Night sleepyhead" he whispered lovingly, and that was when Jimmy knew he had the love of the most wonderful man in the world.