My Home From Home (ManxMan)

Chapter 23

"When did you realise it was me.." Henry asked softly, his eyes distant and melancholic as he gazed at the pocket watch in hand at eye level. "When were you absolutely certain?"

"I recognised you first when you stepped off the train onto the platform." Thomas smiled down at the blue eyed boy in his arms. "I was certain in that moment, but then as I got to know you things didn't add up. A part of me wondered if perhaps it was merely my mind wanting it to be you and convincing me thus."

"Do you believe in fate, Henry?" Thomas asked, prompting Henry to glance up at him; propping himself up to sitting as he narrowed his gaze in contemplation.

"I do, I suppose, though I daresay haven't given much thought." Henry admitted with a perplexed expression across his face.

"I suppose what I'm getting at is that fate brought us together and the world pulled us apart." Thomas explained softly as Henry stared at him with a soft look in his lovestruck eyes. "Now once again, halfway across the world, in the middle of nowhere, Alberta, fate has crossed our paths one more time... I don't know what it all means. I don't know how it'll all work. But I'm absolutely mad about you Henry... And I want to spend the rest of my life with you..."

"You say that now, Thomas... Henry's voice cracked ever so slightly. "How do you suppose that'll work? In a world where people like us can only be true to our nature behind closed doors."

"Then let's be true to our natures behind closed doors." Thomas countered convincingly as he sat up to look Henry in the eyes. "The way I feel about you, I'm willing to give anything a try. We live under the same roof already, we clearly feel for one another. During the day and in front of anyone else we'll be the town Constable and Doctor, but at night after the world has gone to bed, behind closed doors and drawn curtains, we can be together..."

Henry smiled bashfully, his cheeks turning a rouge scarlet colour as he ran his hand sheepishly through his dark brown locks. He felt this strange feeling deep without his entrails, as though he wasn't absolutely certain if this was reality or merely a mad, vivid dream. They both dressed themselves silently as Henry stared with a blank look of contemplation in his eyes whilst he stared out at the snow blanketed street outside his window.

"See you in a bit for dinner?" Thomas beckoned softly, prompting Henry to tense up and cock his head towards him. He blinked his lashes up to see Thomas standing behind him, a dimpled smile on his face that made Henry weak in the knees as he buttoned his shirt back up.

"Yes! Right, erm.." Henry smiled wearily, feeling his cheeks heat up slightly. "I'll erm... see you then..." Henry eked out with a awkward smile that faltered as he watched Thomas awkwardly shuffle towards him, then shuffle back, before turning around to leave.

Henry blinked confusedly at the back of Thomas' messy blond hair as the handsome young Consatable took a few paces and for a second; Henry stared at him wide eyed as the man glanced at him with a look that Henry could only describe as a bit muddled and confused. He marched straight up to Henry with a brisk confidence in his gait, stopping just in front of Henry with a slight smile on his face; a knowing smile creeping across his handsome face. He leant down and placed a chaste kiss atop Henry's lips making him flutter ever so slightly at the sudden gesture that was brief yet somehow oddly intimate.

It differed significantly form the more passionate and heated kisses they'd shared only moments prior; those kisses were lustful and heavy whilst this was light and almost pure, yet somehow counterintuitively more intimate. Thomas nodded with a smile, his dimples on full display as he pulled out of the peck and went about his way leaving a very flustered and blushing young Henry alone with his thoughts as he felt his head spinning with conflicting emotions.