A sweet aroma tickled his nose as Thomas stirred awake the next morning, Richard lightly snoring by his side. The room lay in a peaceful twilight, the curtains intercepting the rays of sunlight just enough so Richard could carry on sleeping a little while longer without being disturbed by the light of a new day. Thomas sniffed the air with curiosity as he yawned, stretched and sat up in bed, Richard's arm slipping down from his chest to his legs as he rose. Cooking? It smelt like cooking, something tasty and warm, filling and sweet, sweetness he could swear he could taste as he breathed in. Chris sometimes made them breakfast, even though Thomas had told him that he didn't need to make the effort. He appreciated it though. Richard was the chef in their relationship and his own efforts at something simple like scrambled egg was not guaranteed to be a success.

Thomas didn't intend to go to Downton for another couple of hours yet, so he slipped out of bed as gently as he could, pulling the sheets back over so Richard didn't get cold, kissed him gently on his forehead and crept downstairs to investigate what Chris was cooking that smelt so inviting. He had just finished tying up his dressing gown when he pushed open the ajar door to the kitchen. "Morning Ch—Larry!" Thomas almost jumped out of his skin as he gawped at the unexpected visitor.

Larry, in his usual fashion, appeared unphased by the interruption. "Oh good morning Mr Barrow. I was hoping you'd come down here soon. I need your advice. Does Richard still like lemon and sugar on his pancakes or would he like a little more variety?"

"What?" Thomas asked stupidly not able to concentrate on Larry's words. He then noticed as he stared at Richard's eccentric and wealthy friend who had dressed himself in Richard's apron, that another man sat at their small kitchen table, feet up on one of the other chairs whilst propping a broadsheet newspaper up on the table edge. The top of the newspaper folded over as he smiled at Thomas from behind it. Thomas shook his head, his unbrushed hair flopping onto his forehead. "Larry, What are you—God I must be dreaming, this is insane—What are you doing here?"

"Cooking you two breakfast," Larry remarked all matter of fact as he carefully spooned the batter mixture from a large bowl into a frying pan. On the side next to the stove was another dish of freshly cooked and delicious smelling sweet pancakes. "Now, does he still like lemon and sugar?"

It had been a while since they had eaten pancakes, it was only ever cooked as a treat or on Shrove Tuesday in February, and never for breakfast. "Yeah he does, and chocolate too if we have it—wait, what do you mean still?"

Larry glanced at the man at the table before chuckling as he flipped the pancake in the frying can with perfect precision, leaving Thomas with the silent question of whether there was anything that Richard's old friend couldn't do. "Oh when we were lovers or whatever you might like to call it, I made him pancakes one morning...we were both rather hungry and in need of replacing lost energy if you know what I mean?"

Thomas didn't need any further explanation, and would rather not dwell on the fact that their good and helpful friend was once intimate with Richard. "Right. So you couldn't just announce your arrival like everyone else?" Although Thomas was aware that a lot of their visitors had been unexpected of late.

"Well we could have, but then it wouldn't have been a surprise and I wouldn't have got to see Richard's other half looking all ruffled and sleepy eyed now would I?" Larry's eye twinkled with playfulness and Thomas, suddenly feeling very aware he was still in his pajamas and dressing gown, felt a warm flush within him, whether it was embarrassment or the annoying fact that he enjoyed Larry's attentions, he did not know. It was likely a bit of both.

"Oh Larry, go easy on him won't you?" The man at the table remarked jovally, his American accent giving Thomas a good guess as to who he was.

"Your Sebastian?"

"I am." The man confirmed as he took his feet off the chair and folded the newspaper neatly in half. "I would have introduced myself sooner, but Larry insisted that I play along. We heard you upstairs and Larry wanted to surprise you."

"But Seb, you agree right? About how I described Mr Barrow?" Larry sliced the cooked pancake into the oven dish and placed neatly on top of the stack of the others.

Sebastian flicked his blue, with a hint of green, eyes over him. "Absolutely! Heaven sent I'd say!"

"You've been talking about me?" Thomas felt himself blush again. After a lifetime of being ignored as an inconvenient problem, the compliment of being admired felt good on him, though he'd never admit that to them.

"Well, you know me Thomas, if I think someone deserves to be complimented then I won't hold back!"

Sebastian was still looking at him with an approving smile. "Yep, I'd say it's the hair. Never known anyone with such perfectly black hair."

"Well of course. I am usually right about these things Seb," Larry said with a wink in Thomas's direction.

"Oh God, you two are as bad as each other!" Thomas exclaimed. He had intended to sound more irritated but he couldn't hide the smirk in his tone. "Yes, you are perfect for each other."

"Well thank you Mr Barrow," Larry said in a tone far too similar to the 'Mr Barrow' tone only Richard is allowed to say.

"One thing, before you two get too comfortable and decide to move in—"

"Now there's an idea—!" Sebastian mocked.

"Oh don't you start!" Thomas chided. "As I was saying..." he took a deep breath, "...how did you get in? I'm sure I locked up last night."

"Oh, your good friend Chris Webster let us in. I'll admit he was a bit reluctant to agree to our request at first, he did want to wake you first, but I managed to persuade him!" Larry grinned.

"Of course you did. Right well since you have both made yourself at home I'll go upstairs and change." Thomas turned to leave the two happily inconvenient visitors, but another waft of freshly cooked pancakes made him stop. "I like golden syrup on mine Larry. It's in the cupboard above the bread in a tin." He knew this was a request that confirmed his surrender to Larry's plans but his stomach was starting to complain that he had not eaten yet and he had to admit they did smell good. As he reached the top of the stairs and closed the door behind him he muttered, "How many more rich friends of Richard's am I going to have turn up in the early hours?"

…

Thomas returned to the safety of their bedroom, the comforting smell of home cooking still hanging in his nostrils, to see Richard turn over onto his side and yawn, a delightful sleepy smile gracing his features as the room brightened with the growing morning. Thomas pushed the door shut and practically collapsed back into it as he groaned into his hands.

"Everything alright? You look frazzled."

Thomas was hardly surprised by Richard's observation. He certainly felt that way, and his face felt warmer than usual under his hands. Am I blushing? No that cannot be allowed. "I will be." He pushed himself away from the door with a sudden rush prompted by the realisation that Larry would not take long to finish the rest of the pancakes and so he didn't have much time to dress and make himself more presentable. He threw open the wardrobe door and quickly decided that he would dress casually for the remainder of his morning here before he is due to go up to Downton. It would reduce his embarrassment at Larry admiring him in his uniform. His hand hung in the air between his smarter white shirt that he wore at Downton, and one of the more casual striped ones. Larry was annoying, he decided as he grinned to himself, his back to Richard as he took the casual shirt, his mind made up. He could barely admit it to himself but his ego drove him on. Larry's comments are appreciated, despite what I actually say!

"Have you been cooking?" I smelt something and it smells good. But if it's going to tire you out Thomas then don't worry. I don't need anything too fancy," Richard reassured him as he shrugged off his dressing gown and hung it on the back of the closed door.

"No! I don't think it would smell this good if I was! No Richard, your troublesome friend Larry is downstairs cooking you breakfast, pancakes specifically, while Sebastian reads your newspaper at our table, feet up as though he lives here!"

For a moment Richard looked at him wide eyed and speechless. The silence didn't last long though as Richard burst out laughing. "Oh I should have known! Pancakes too!"

"Yes, he told me he's made them before."

"Thomas, you're not jealous are you? I've never kept it a secret about me and him." Richard asked as his laughter subsided, the sheets that had covered his chest, pooled around his waist as he sat up.

"Course not!" Thomas answered, a bit too quickly. "He asked me what you liked on them. I went downstairs earlier cause I thought it was Chris cooking. Got a right shock to see them both down there instead. I had no idea they were coming so Larry caught me in my dressing gown and loved it."

"Hmm, I'm sure he did! What's Sebastian like?"

"Well, you'll meet him yourself soon enough, but he is just like Larry. Just as bad, they are perfectly suited!"

"Is he handsome?"

Thomas willed away the blush in his face once more, but with little success. "I suppose."

"You're blushing Mr Barrow! You can pretend as much as you like, but I know you, and you like Larry's flirting, Sebastian's also then?" Richard wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

Thomas narrowed his eyes. "Fine! Yes I like it."

"Knew it!" Richard's hearty laugh filled the room once again. "Ahh!" Richard winced as his chest jerked painfully, his laughter ceasing as abruptly as it had begun.

"You okay?" Thomas rushed over.

"Mmm. Just need a moment...It's the problem with healing Thomas, as I do I forget sometimes that I'm not better."

"On the plus side it means you're improving." Thomas arranged the two pillows behind Richard so he could sit upright, grabbing one from his own side of the bed for extra support. "Rest back okay? I'm going to wash quickly, do you need me to help you dress?"

"No, you go. I'll change later like usual. It's nothing Larry hasn't seen before."

"No course not." Thomas turned his face away from Richard as he spoke, feeling silly as there was nothing to be jealous of really. A brush of Richard's tender touch caressed his chin and throat, a reminder that he has nothing to fear. Thomas kissed the top of Richard's hand before he gathered up his clothes. "I won't be long."

...

"Breakfast gentlemen!" Larry announced as he opened the bedroom door with his usual flare and held it for Sebastian who Thomas had assumed had taken on the role of waiter. Thomas had just about managed to freshen up in the bathroom and make it back to the bedroom before Larry arrived with the pancakes. "I couldn't find a breakfast tray so I hope this one will do for you Richard, and we can serve the rest onto plates."

Richard caught Thomas's eye, "We don't tend to eat breakfast in bed Larry, hence the lack of a breakfast tray. Traditionally that is reserved for married women."

"Traditionally yes, but I've never followed with that." Larry took the tray from Sebastian, and searched over the room for somewhere to put it. Thomas automatically jumped up, feeling strange with someone serving him for a change. Larry waved him down. "No, no Thomas, I can't have you serving out your own surprise now can I?"

"We have breakfast in bed sometimes. It's lucky Larry's butler is so, how shall I put it, easy going?" Sebastian said, sharing a knowing look with Larry. "Can't see it working otherwise." Thomas felt as though he could read between the lines easily enough, and thought how amazing it would be to lie in bed with Richard and have someone bring them breakfast just as though they were a perfectly normal married couple. But then again, isn't that what is happening exactly now?

"But anyway, I need to say one thing. Well I need to say a few things actually." Larry sat down in the armchair by the window, but after an apparent second thought got up straight away and sat on the bed, right next to Richard. "Firstly, I should, before we go any further, introduce Sebastian to you Richard. Thomas has already had the pleasure."

"Yeah, you can say that again," Thomas replied, trying very hard to not respond to the 'Larry style' grin that Sebastian was giving him right now.

Sebastian who was half sitting, half standing against the window sill, arms folded, leaned forward and shook Richard's hand warmly. "I'm the American that Larry told you about. I hear that it is down to you that Larry and I are back together again."

"All I did was suggest that giving up so soon was a mistake, but I'm glad that Larry has found someone to put up with him!" Richard joked, completely at Larry's expense. Sebastian abandoned his perch next to the window and sat next to Larry on the edge of the bed. Thomas thought squeezing himself in between Richard and Larry but considering how he couldn't stop blushing at every little comment Larry or his partner made towards him, he decided to spare himself the embarrassment even though it was tempting, and sit in the empty armchair instead. "Thomas says that you two are perfect for each other."

"I know he did! Well Thomas is very observant, and since he is a butler then I would expect nothing less." Larry shone a grin in his direction and Thomas, despite his decision he felt himself redden again. Richard bit his lip, his eyes smiled, and Thomas knew that Richard was enjoying this. "But anyway I need to say something else." Larry's full attention settled on Richard, and there was something different about the way he looked at him. Larry wore a smile so often, Thomas considered it his normal expression. But Larry's smile faded, his eyes kept looking at Richard's but then away again, as though they wanted to see him but they didn't want to be seen in return. Larry's hands shifted from his thighs to his knees and then back again, and he nibbled the bottom of his lip, but unlike Richard just now, this was not accompanied by a smile. Thomas, along with Richard and Sebastian, waited as Larry took a deep breath in, letting it out slowly as he gathered himself. "I just want to say this plain and simple Richard, because sometimes for everything that I am, all that I come across as, people don't think that I care." Richard opened his mouth slightly as though he wanted to speak but stopped himself, as he sat up in bed, slightly more rigidly than he should be in the presence of friends. "I just want to say that I'm very glad to see you here, looking so well. After Chris called me and told me about what had happened to you...I kept thinking about...how it could have been and I—" Larry cleared his throat. "Sorry, I'm not the best at this. I hope you know what I'm trying to say?"

Richard reached out and touched the top of Larry's hand. "I know, and thank you."

Larry nodded and, with no warning, jumped up, clapped his hands together and returned to the version of Larry that Thomas was most familiar with, all smiles and gleaming alive eyes. "Right! Pancakes! They'll get cold and that would not do at all. Richard I got you your favuorite but I brought up some chocolate too so you can have that on the next one. I think there will be enough for all of us to have three." Thomas saw Sebastian frown up at Larry as though he was asking if he was okay. Larry's answer could have easily been missed, the nod was so slight it could have been easily mistaken for just an innocent movement of the head. "I got you your golden syrup Thomas although..." Larry looked at the tray, with his hands on his hips. "...Curses! I knew there was something I forgot! Cutlery, I don't usually have to fetch my own." Thomas smirked as Richard sniggered, he reckoned that they were thinking the same thing. "Now we could just use our fingers and lick them clean—?"

"Or I could lick yours." Sebastian leered suggestively at Larry, who grinned in response.

Oh God! "I'll fetch some forks," Thomas offered before Larry said anything about Richard or him.

"No, I'll fetch them Thomas. This is your treat." Larry left the room for the kitchen immediately.

Sebastian fiddled with his shirt collar as he chuckled to himself. "He's certainly one of a kind isn't he?" Thomas reckoned that was a rhetorical question as, judging by the dreamy look in Sebastian's eyes, he was reliving some private memory in his head. "But you know what he said just now. He meant it, Mr Ellis. I am not sure how much Mr Webster told you about his call with Larry some weeks back, but I heard Larry shout. You know, he hardly ever does that, even when some people deserve to be shouted at. But he was angry with himself, frustrated. He wanted to do something to help you both but he felt so far away from being useful. He's usually calm under pressure, the calmest man I know I reckon, but he was not himself for days after, not until—well I can't say, because I think he wants to tell you—not until he settled some things. He talks about you both a lot, he regards you both highly. Not just because of how you both make a handsome pair, although you do absolutely, but because of how he thinks of you as friends. I guess it shows that the British class system can blur between the lines?"

Thomas sat quietly as Sebastian spoke. He felt as though he could see more to Larry than he did before. He knew that he cared, and how he was a good person, a man who's wealth did not give him the airs and graces that a lot of the upper classes simply have installed in their blood from birth. He supposed that was because Larry did not have his wealth from birth. He reckoned that this was the reason for Larry never asking for anything in return, never seeking to get in the way of his and Richard's relationship, despite how he obviously cares for Richard a great deal more than he will ever let on. When he first met Larry, back when he had interrupted himself and Richard in a private moment in his office at Downton, Thomas felt reminded of Phillp. The handsome but spoilt and self centered duke who assumed he could demand his attention just because of his wealth and title. Larry, as he came to know him, was nothing like this or the stereotype he had unfairly pinned on him in that first encounter at all.

"Forks!" Larry announced triumphantly as he returned. "Got knives as well. Not dessert forks but I suppose you don't have those?"

"No Larry since this is not Downton Abbey but our home, I merely work there."

"Hmm, and there was me thinking a butler's home would have all the accomplishments of a wonderful table setting," Larry joked as he handed Richard a fork and the tray. Thomas thought Larry did genuinely seem confused.

"Mmm Larry that is good!" Richard exclaimed as he bit into the sweet pancake, rolled up and tucked in at one end so the filling did not all drop out when cut open. The lemon juice dripped out of the corners a little, pooling on the plate, the dots of sugar granules dotting it like hundreds of tiny islands.

"You've said that to me before, but you weren't complimenting me on my pancakes from what I recall!" Larry teased with a very suggestive wiggle of his eyebrows making Sebastian laugh and Thomas cough as he swallowed his piece of syrup covered pancake the wrong way. Larry quickly poured him a glass of water as he, feeling his face burn red from coughing, tried to settle his throat. "Sorry Thomas, can't help but wonder what you think I was talking about!"

"You can continue to wonder Larry. I'm not saying anything else. You are a surprisingly good cook though. My employers can't even boil an egg on their own I reckon!"

"Fair enough Thomas, fair enough."

"You are different though. You can fix a car, cook, anything else?"

"Oh, most things I think!" Larry winked.

"He can't play the piano, if that makes you feel any better Mr Barrow," Sebastian added, licking the chocolate from his fingers.

Thomas rolled his eyes. "Oh that is reassuring, thank you."

"Well neither can we," Richard remarked. "Can I have another?"

"Oh absolutely Richard!" Larry placed the tray of pancakes made up with filling, Richard choosing the chocolate one next. "Just in case you are thinking it though Thomas, we will tidy all this away before we leave, and I have left a note to cover the cost of any ingredients that I have used from your kitchen."

"You didn't need to do that." Thomas finished off his second pancake as quickly as his first, silently thinking he might see if Chris knew how to make these so they could have them again. He wouldn't bother trying himself, he's a lousy cook and he's okay with admitting the fact.

"It wouldn't be fair to leave you with all the washing up and empty cupboards from something you didn't ask for Thomas. I don't mind at all."

"Speaking of money though," Thomas began with a glance in Richard's direction. "There's something we'd like to ask you."

"Ah! Yes I know what this is about! Have you guessed then?"

"We think so," Richard answered. "It was you who paid for my private room wasn't it?"

"Guilty as charged!" Larry held up his hands in mock surrender. "Yeah it was me. Well, I felt so stupidly useless after I learned about what had happened to you Richard. I had to do something. I was surrounded by wealth, everything I had built up over the years and despite all that I couldn't save you. But I had an idea of making things easier for you both. I called the hospital as soon as I could, they were a bit hesitant at first, but as soon as I mentioned the amount I would give them on top of your fees for their trouble of allowing this, they were very obliging indeed!" Larry sat back down on the bed, crossing his feet and grinning like a cat that got the cream.

"So the donation was a bribe?" Thomas asked, suspecting as much.

"Well, it was a donation, they are free to do with it what they will but it did make them easier to deal with, yes! But did it help you both?" Larry asked sincerely, his fork clattering on his plate.

Thomas looked at Richard, as he recalled their reunion, a feat that felt impossible was made possible due to the actions of friends Thomas never thought he'd deserve. His heart warmed as Richard met his eyes. "It did thank you. I got to the hospital, defied the rules and I saw him."

Larry put his plate down on the floor and rested back on his elbows. "Well then, I'd say that was a win and a job well done, Mr Barrow."