Chapter 10 Friends?

As soon as their eyes met Jimmy jerked forwards trying to cover himself. Unfortunately his legs had become wrapped up in the bed sheets and upon pulling sharply on them. Jimmy managed to topple himself off the bed banging his heavily on the bedside table as he did so.

"Damn!" he reached up to nurse what was sure to be a large bump on his head when he felt a warm liquid trickling down his neck.

Thomas had been about to turn and leave but he paused as he saw the damage.

"Are you ok?" asked Thomas feeling his medical corps training kick in.

"I'm fine! Just go away!"

The blood from Jimmy's wound was continuing to flow covering the back of his undershirt.

Thomas closed the door behind him and took a step further into the room.

"At least let me look at it, you might need stitches."

Jimmy wanted to protest but he could feel his head swimming and knew he would need some kind of medical assistance.

"Alright" murmured Jimmy, "But stay there and turn around."

Thomas fought the urge to roll his eyes and turned around while Jimmy frantically tried to pull on his pyjama bottoms with his head spinning.

"No peaking" warned Jimmy.

Thomas couldn't help but smile at this. Really, what more could he see?

"Decent yet" asked Thomas turning around to see the footman dressed and sitting on the edge of his bed.

Thomas grew concerned at the dazed look his eyes and walked over to Jimmy's dresser quickly taking out several handkerchiefs, he then brought Jimmy's wash basin over to the bed placing it down and trying to ignore the stained bed sheets. He took off his jacket and rolled up the sleeves of his shirt. He then submerged one of the handkerchiefs in the basin and wrung it out before trying to clean the blood from Jimmy's hair to find the source of the wound. He knew he'd found it when Jimmy muttered a faint "ouch". He gently cleaned the area to reveal a small jagged cut.

"It's not too bad" said Thomas. "Head injuries always bleed a lot but it's only a small cut really." Keeping one hand firmly holding a clean handkerchief to Jimmy's head Thomas moved so that he could examine Jimmy's face. "How do you feel?" he asked worried by Jimmy's vacant expression.

"Dizzy."

"You might have a concussion; do you feel like you're going to get sick?"

Jimmy began to shake his head but Thomas placed his other hand firmly on his cheek.

"Don't move your head yet."

Jimmy could feel his face warm at the sudden contact.

"I'm just going to run downstairs and grab some gauze." Thomas was nervous about leaving Jimmy alone, but the sooner his head was properly bandaged the better. "Just stay here and don't move and whatever you do don't fall asleep. I'll be right back." He gave Jimmy one last look of assessment before turning and exiting the room.

Jimmy sat on the bed wishing more than anything the ground would swallow him up. The situation was a complete disaster. It wasn't as if Jimmy could deny what he had been doing, Thomas had had a front row seat to the finale. He closed his eyes and shook his head before remembering he wasn't supposed to move.

Moments later Thomas returned gauze in hand. He deftly bandaged Jimmy's head and satisfied with his work he began to clear away the soiled handkerchiefs and wash basin.

"Thanks" said Jimmy "I should be alright now" hinting that Thomas could leave.

Thomas only smiled "I'm afraid you won't get rid of me that easy. I'll stay with you for another little while just to make sure you don't pass out."

Thomas pulled Jimmy's desk chair over and sat down. "Besides, it will give us a chance to talk."

Jimmy stared down at his hands he had hoped they could just forget about what had just happened. The last thing he felt like doing was explaining to Thomas why he had been doing what he did.

Thomas cleared his throat nervously. "I wanted to talk about what you saw in the wine cellar."

Jimmy blinked in surprise. He had almost forgotten catching Thomas and Freddie together. Despite his embarrassment Jimmy felt a small sense of triumph that he hadn't been the only one caught with his trousers down.

"I guess this kind of makes us even" he said laughing nervously.

Despite himself Thomas smiled. But he schooled his face determined to apologise to Jimmy about what had happened.

"I just wanted to say I'm sorry for what you saw."

Jimmy could feel his heart clench as he once more experienced the same hurt causing him to unconsciously rub his chest. It was his own fault really. He'd known Thomas was in the wine cellar, he'd been there when Mr Carson had asked him to take inventory. He had just finished serving tea for the Ladies upstairs when he'd seen Freddie follow Thomas into the cellar. It had taken him several moments to extract himself from the kitchen where Ivy, who still wouldn't speak to him, had refused to take his tray and he had to wait for Daisy to finish her prep work for the dinner before she finally took it. As soon as he was free he had hurried to find Thomas already trying to formulate any kind of excuse to pull him away from Freddie but he stopped in his tracks upon witnessing the pair together. In that moment Jimmy felt his world turned upside down. The jealousy and hurt he'd felt had re-opened memories and feelings he had long since suppressed. He had been angry with Thomas for forcing him to realise this, forcing him to re-examine who he was. Because if he was like Thomas in that way what did it say about him? He'd tried to have the man fired even threatened to call the police. What was to stop someone doing the same to him if they ever found out that he…? That he what? Loved Thomas?

Jimmy glanced briefly up at Thomas who was staring at him with a worried expression anxious to hear whatever Jimmy had to say. As he gazed at the under butler Jimmy felt a multitude of feelings happiness, friendship, desire, lust. But love? No. He did not love the under butler but recalling his conversation with Freddie he realised that it would be all too easy to fall in love with Mr Barrow if he gave himself the opportunity.

"There's nothing to apologise for."

Thomas let out the breath he'd been holding. Relief flooded his body and he felt himself grinning stupidly.

"So… friends?"

"Ye" smiled Jimmy "Friends."

The two chatted amiably for another half an hour punctuated occasionally by a stifled yawn from Thomas.

"Just go to bed" said Jimmy. "I'm feeling much better now I don't even think I need the bandage anymore" Jimmy reached up to untie the gauze when Thomas firmly grasped his wrist.

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves. At least keep it on for the rest of the night and I'll check it in the morning."

Thomas realised he was still holding Jimmy's wrist. To cover up any awkwardness he released his grip on the footman's arm and stood up to check the bandage was still secure.

"Your undershirt's ruined" he muttered staring down at the back of Jimmy's top which was covered with dried blood. "You should probably just dump it they'll never be able to clean it properly".

Jimmy made to take off his shirt.

"Careful!" said Thomas in exasperation. "What do I keep telling you, mind your head!"

"Well help me then!" Jimmy sighed somewhat angrily, annoyed by Thomas's over cautiousness.

Thomas hesitated briefly before gripping the bottom of Jimmy's undershirt. He slowly lifted it as far as the footman's elbows.

"Take your arms out first"

Jimmy removed his arms from the sleeves feeling his heart rate increase as he did so. They were standing just inches apart and the proximity was having an effect on both of them.

"That's it" whispered Thomas once Jimmy's arms were free. Thomas stretched the fabric along the collar of the shirt so as not to brush off the bandages as he slipped the shirt over Jimmy's head.

"Do you have another?" asked Thomas still whispering.

"Second drawer."

Thomas moved over to Jimmy's dresser and extracted a new shirt.

He turned around struck for a moment by the sheer beauty of a shirtless Jimmy. Walking back over to the bed he instructed Jimmy to raise his arms. Jimmy complied as Thomas gently pulled the undershirt over his arms and head, gasping quietly as Thomas's hands skimmed over his ribcage.

Jimmy stared at Thomas's lips which were now only centimetres away from his own. He willed Thomas to kiss him but he saw uncertainty staring back at him. This was it. He would have to make the first move. Jimmy felt his heart pound as he moved his face marginally closer to Thomas's. Just as Jimmy leaned in Thomas sprang back drawing himself up to full height. Jimmy blinked at the under butler's sudden movement.

"I should let you sleep" said Thomas his words coming out in a raspy voice.

"I'll come back in the morning to check on you."

"Oh ok. Good night then."

Thomas gave Jimmy one last searching look before he too bid Jimmy a good night and went to his room.

…..

Back in his own room Thomas began to undress his mind replaying the last hour. He glanced at his pocket watch and saw that it was almost two. He closed his eyes tiredly trying to ignore the fact that he would be woken in just a few short hours. He finished undressing not at all surprised to find himself completely hard. But rather than give himself some relief Thomas chose to endure the uncomfortableness and climbed into bed. He would look at it as a punishment for almost allowing himself to lose control. He closed his eyes remembering how close he had been to kissing Jimmy. Just for a moment, he had thought Jimmy had wanted him to. That he'd even tried to initiate it. Thomas rubbed his eyes tiredly. "Oh Jimmy" he sighed "you'll be the end of me." Suddenly Thomas sat bolt upright all wariness vanished. He placed a hand on his chest in an effort to ease his rapid breathing. Oh Thomas. That's what Jimmy had said. That's what made Thomas go in to Jimmy's room and catch him…

Thomas took a deep shuddering breath trying to calm himself. Why would Jimmy say that? He wouldn't, unless he'd been imagining Thomas while he was masturbating. The thought sent a jolt to his naval. For the first time he allowed himself to believe what Freddie had been telling him. Maybe Jimmy did like him. Maybe he had a chance.

….

Jimmy watched Thomas leave wishing more than anything that he would stay. He stood up walking over to the mirror where he could examine Thomas's handiwork. He groaned as he saw the state of his hair, half of which was sticking up in all directions with the other half plastered to his skull with sweat and dried blood. No wonder Thomas ran away thought Jimmy gloomily. He turned around spotting Thomas's jacket which he had left resting on the back of Jimmy's desk chair. Jimmy picked it up and slipped it on. It was a little long in the arms and a little roomy in the middle but Jimmy pulled it tight around him inhaling deeply. He climbed back into bed closing his eyes and, still wearing Thomas's jacket, fell asleep to the smell of cigarettes, cologne and pomade.

A/N Thanks everyone for reading and for your reviews. Every time I get a new review it helps motivate me to write more so please keep reviewing! I hope you like the direction the story is going in.