Final chapter! Thanks to everyone who has read, reviewed and followed this story. I have plans for another very soon!
...
Thomas woke to a faint ticking sound coming from nearby. His golden pocket watch stood on the table next to the bed, ticking almost silently and glinting in the sun that had risen several hours ago. Richard was lying behind him, his naked body pressed against Thomas, one of his arms casually draped over Thomas' hip underneath the bed sheets, and his gentle breath regularly brushing on the back of Thomas' neck in a very pleasant way. Although his watch was only next to him, Thomas didn't want to move to check what the time was, just in case he woke Richard up. He was enjoying this too much and was savouring every moment, every feeling and sensation before this came to an end. He would have to be getting up soon though, he thought, to have time to get to Paddington station. He sighed at the thought, and then felt Richard shuffle behind him. Richard withdrew his arm from around Thomas, and Thomas turned over to face him. "Were you sleeping? Did I wake you?" Richard asked, after kissing Thomas lightly on the lips.
"No, I've been awake for a few minutes. I'm not used to waking to the sun on my face," Thomas said.
"Makes two of us," Richard said smiling. "Oh, it looks like breakfast is waiting for us," Richard said looking over to the table near the wall where a tray had been left for the two of them by Izzie.
Thomas looked towards it too, "I never heard her come in," Thomas said, trying to stifle a yawn.
"What time is it?"
Thomas stretched lazily over to the bedside table for his pocket watch, "10am. Wait what!"
"Hmm, seems we overslept a bit," Richard chuckled.
"Oh wonderful," Thomas said, his peaceful moment of morning bliss disrupted.
"It's fine. We still have plenty of time, as long as we get a move on."
Thomas moaned, part of him saying to himself that he could just accidentally forget the time the train left and get a later one, then the more rational part of his mind telling him that's a bad idea. "Alright. Fine. Pass me my trousers."
"Aren't they over your side?" Richard said.
"No. Richard, why is it that whenever I sleep with you, I lose items of clothing?"
...
A few hours later, Richard, Thomas and Thomas' trousers, made it to Paddington Station on time. This was always going to be the hardest part, Thomas thought. Not just the saying goodbye, but not being able to say it properly. Crowds of people meant any real goodbye between them would be impossible. He really hated the thought of just parting like friends. They were so much more than that. He wanted to kiss Richard goodbye like he had seen a young woman kiss her sweetheart as he boarded another train earlier. He wanted to hold his hand, and tell him that he loves him and that he will miss him, until the meet again. But he can't. It made his heart feel heavy, and he was frustrated at how unfair life is for them both.
"What is it?" Richard asked, as they walked towards the platform.
"Nothing, just wishing this situation at the moment could be done differently."
Richard, understood what Thomas was trying to say. He wanted the same, so badly. He wanted everything to be different. Better. But things may change over many years, he was optimistic that they would. But it didn't help them now, at this moment. He had thought of that last night, and hoped to remedy the situation as best he could.
The train was waiting at the platform, with passengers already boarding. A whistle blew, hurrying up what the two of them had been trying to put off until now. "I don't know what to say," Thomas said. "Nothing seems right."
"You don't have to say anything, I know what you would say if you could."
"Three words," Thomas said.
Richard smiled, "Three words," he said in return.
Another whistle blew and Thomas picked up his case and shook Richard's hand, holding it a little longer than necessary for an ordinary hand shake. Just as Thomas turned to board the train, Richard took his hand again, and pressed an envelope into Thomas' hand. "Read this on the train," he said.
...
Thomas looked out the window of the train, as it started to pull away from Paddington station. He looked at the envelope in his hand. He tore it open, and saw a letter inside. He looked around him quickly before turning it over to read it, though luckily no one was sitting close enough to him to see the contents of this letter:
Dearest Thomas,
I knew our parting at the station would be too ordinary or formal to really reflect how each of us wanted that moment to go. I didn't want us to part as friends or general acquaintances as most people around us would want us too. So I decided to write this, a description of how I wanted our parting to go, if things were different for us. I am no author or poet, but I want you to read this and imagine it all (After last night, where you demonstrated how broad your imagination can be, I'm sure this will be easy for you to see in your mind's eye). Remember, it is real because we both want it to be.
We walk hand in hand down the station platform, towards the waiting train. We stop in a patch of sunlight, beaming down through the glass roof of Paddington station, illuminating us like a spotlight, but yet no one pays us any unwanted attention. We are just two more people, one other couple. You put your case down at your feet, and then wrap your arms around my waist and I respond by wrapping mine around the top of your shoulders and neck, as we kiss. I whisper something in your ear, and you laugh. I love the sound of your laugh. The train guard blows his whistle, and I have to let you go. But not before I say "I love you" and you promise to see me again very soon.
This is how it should have been, but I will promise to see you again. I can't say when, but I will.
Forever yours,
Richard
Thomas was glad no one was sitting opposite him as he tried to stop the tears from falling. He was perfect, that's all Thomas could think right now. Richard was perfect. He silently promised back, that he will see him again too.