Two Years Ago...
Amiens, France 1918
Canon fire... Guns ablaze... agonised screaming... explosion... dispair..
It all sounded as though it was in the distance, though the reality was that it was dangerously close. Thomas' eyes darted beneath the gentle sheath of his lightly shut eyelids; his body laying prone as he gradually felt consciousness descend onto his pained body whilst the sounds of battle in the distance and screams and moans of despair close by brought him out of his haze slumber.
Thomas groaned as he tried to blink his eyelids open, though there was a feeling of heaviness that seemed to fight his might. He felt like he'd be sick at the pungent smell of sulphur and gunpowder laced with he putrid odour of blood and death; fluttering his dark blond lashes open to reveal a dazed, hazy mess about him.
"Captain! This patient is waking up!" He heard a feminine voice sounding like a young Welsh woman, though in his muddled mind, he hardly realised that it was he whom the voice was referring to waking up."
"Thank you, Nurse Davies. I'll have a look. Do me a favour if you've got time, there are more casualties being brought in from the field, we need all hands on deck we can for triage." Thomas heard a second voice, a glorious angelic voice with the most beautiful gently tone and a calm, refined cadence, and a glass clear upper-class English accent. It was slightly muffled, as though coming through a mask, though Thomas couldn't help but find the voice hypnotising nonetheless.
And that was when Thomas saw him; his mystery guardian angel as he'd come to refer to him. He was slender, wearing his perfectly pressed and form fitted khaki British Army uniform with the insignia that gave him away as a Captain. He had a white arm band with the Red Cross symbol on it that allowed Thomas to infer he was an army medic.
Thomas felt as though his body were floating on air; as though he wasn't sure if this was reality or a figment of his wild imagination. He watched in awe, staring blankly with wide eyes as the young Captain approached him; he had a white cloth face mask on which wasn't uncommon given that the Spanish Influenza pandemic was in it's early days. Thomas wished he could see the boy's face, but all he could see was his beautiful strikingly sapphire blue eyes and the slightest bit of dark raven black hair peaking out from under the crown of his army cap.
"Hello..." Nodded the angelic young medic as Thomas felt his mind freeze up entirely; he tried and failed to prop himself up, only to feel a sharp stinging pain in his shoulder. "No no! Relax! You're only just recovering, you mustn't exert yourself." The blue eye'd angel stopped him with a gentle hand on his unaffected shoulder; there was a genuineness in his eyes that perplexed Thomas. These medics saw men in the thousands coming mangled and maimed from the trenches and the battlefields, but this medic looked like he actually cared. "How are you feeling...erm..." The man's voice trailed off as he glanced towards the insignia Thomas' now blood stained and scoffed up uniform. "Lieutenant...? And what division are you?"
"Lieutenant Wilson, Captain. F-first Canadian D-division." Thomas stammered, his deep brown eyes still staring blankly at the beautiful young boy; and though he could merely see his beautiful eyes and a lustrous peek of his raven brown fringe, the beauty he saw wasn't the beauty he saw. For through those deep blue eyes, dark like the English Channel, he saw a beauty that transcended physical beauty; he saw a beauty in his soul, in his ability to care, in his genuine concern. A beauty that captivated Thomas instantly
"Very well, I'll insure word is sent to your regiment of your whereabouts." Nodded the dark haired Captain, his eyes squinting ever so slightly clearly indicative of him smiling under his face mask. He leant over to pick up the chart from the foot of Thomas' cot. "You've suffered a bit of shrapnel injury; it appears as though you'd lost consciousness after an explosion. You're on morphine which should help ease the pain. We shall continue monitoring you for any internal damage though you've got yourself a rather nasty broken arm there. I should think the Army will send you home." Thomas cocked a brow at him, blinking in utter shock that all that had transpired and he barely remembered a thing; perhaps for the sake of his own psychological wellbeing it, not remembering his trauma was for the best. "I'm the head Medic in charge of this tent ward, so should you need anything, simply ask any of the nurses or privates and they can find me for you. Other than that, just rest up and we'll continue monitor your progress. They'll likely send you to London for the Royal Medical Army Corp to conduct a thorough physical and God willing you'll be back home in Canada and back to your old self before you know it. Now, have you any questions for me that you'd like answered?"
"No, Captain... But thank you." Thomas shook his head mindlessly, his psyche clouded by a mix of morphine and potentially momentary infatuation. The sapphire-eyed young medic nodded with another smile that Thomas could only imagine to be breathtaking if it weren't for his mask; he watched the young dark haired man give him a polite nod to take his leave, feeling this inexplicable desire for him to stay, but he had no reason to... "Actually, Captain! Um..." Thomas called out, awkwardly scratching his neck as the radiant medic turned on his heels and cocked an eyebrow curiously at the handsome young Lieutenant in his his cot. "I was just wondering... Do you have the time, by any chance?"
"Oh, erm... yes." Blinked Henry off the confusion he had at the strangeness of that question; hastily fishing a plain silver pocket-watch out of watch out of his jacket pocket. "It's half eleven."
"Half past eleven." Thomas smiled, his handsome dimples on full display; feeling a flutter in his chest as he watched the boy bashfully blink his gaze down away from Thomas'. "Thank you, Captain."
"You're quite welcome, Lieutenant." The dark haired doctor replied, a smile showing through his gorgeous eyes. "Now rest up, Lieutenant. You'll be fighting fit before you know it." He offered a final word of encouragement before taking his leave and leaving Thomas on his own as he went about on his rounds to fulfil his duties.
Though the sapphire eyed doctor took care of dozens upon dozens of injured and maimed soldiers, some recovering whilst others succumbed to their injuries; Thomas only had one man on his mind... The deep-sea-blue eyed young medic who worked with efficiency and care; even through the brutality of war and the bleakness that came with the bombs bursting and cannons firing in the distance, there was this little bright light of care, love, hope that shone in that little hospital tent.
Thomas had no other questions, and he also wouldn't dream of keeping the young Captain from his medical duties; so instead whenever he saw him resting or a bit at ease, he'd call him over to ask one thing... the time... He did it once, twice, but the third time something changed.
"Captain!" Thomas raised his hand to get the man's attention; watching with satisfaction ever his handsome face as he watched the dark haired young man stop dead in his tracks, turning about face and approaching his cot. "Could I get the time again?"
"Erm... Yes-yes. It's half four." The young doctor replied eagerly with a glint of something Thomas couldn't read in his eyes; glancing down at his plain silver pocket watch without even a hint of irritation in his gaze. He glanced up to see the handsome blond Lieutenant smile up at him with a look of gratitude that it all worth it, a look that got him through all the blood and gore of being an Army Medic. It was the third time the Lieutenant had asked for the time, and for whatever reason it seemed to make him happy; it wasn't the first Henry had seen of something like this, the slightest pleasures seemed to get men through the most difficult of times.
The dark haired medic turned around to go about his work before stopping dead in his tracks and feeling for the second gold watch tucked safely in his trouser pocket; an precious family heirloom and good luck charm that he kept on him at all times but never used for day to day use. He smiled to himself as he fished it out of his pocket without a second thought, turning back around and walking up towards the Lieutenant with a smile counterintuitively visible through his eyes despite his lips being sheathed by a face mask. He didn't know why the time seemed so important to Lieutenant Wilson, but if knowing the time would make him happy, Henry could live with the satisfaction that he made someone smile.
"I'll tell you what. I've got a second pocket watch that I don't ever really use whilst on the ward." He glanced down at the watch before entrusting it into Thomas' palm. "How about you hang on to it for me whilst you're here, for whenever you wish to know the time."
Thomas glanceed up towards the dark haired boy, a smile on his face as he noted how warm and genuine those gorgeous blue eyes looked. Thomas nodded and held the beautiful gold watch with exquisite blue enamel work in his palm, watching as the young doctor once again took his leave. Thomas didn't ask for the time again, he didn't really care about the time; but something about holding the watch in his hand and tucking it away in his breast pocket right above his heart made him feel this strange warm sensation deep within.
Two days passed and Thomas kept that watch deep in his breast pocket; as the casualties of the Battle of Amiens went up on the British side, the young Medic's postings changed, and soon enough, in the heat of war and patient care he all but forgot about his gold Fabergé pocket watch that he'd given Thomas. It wasn't long later that the War Office organised transport to London for the troops from all corners of the Empire and Thomas set off across the Channel to England with his angel Medic's gold watch safely tucked in his pocket. He tried to ask the War Office for information to return it, but unfortunately he didn't have the young medic's name, regiment, or anything of consequence. He only knew those soft blue eyes that hypnotised him for years to come...
Present day - Fir Creek 1920
Henry let out a soft groan as he felt consciousness slowly descended onto his body; he could feel the soothing rays of the winter sun bathing over his face, imparting a warm reddish glow over his shut eyelids. He groggily turned over as he felt his soft cotton sheets against his naked skin and his warm quilt engulfing him.
His face contorted with confusion as he slowly and drowsily blinked his eyes open; squinting and wincing as he felt the unyielding winter sun blind him unforgivingly. He glanced around in a daze of pure and utter confusion noting that he was... in his room...
He hadn't the slightest inkling as to how he'd got home, nor what happened the night before; he remembered walking in the cold without a coat or a toque; his measly tweed suit jacket and trousers being no match for the harsh blizzard wind. But that was where his memories faded; what happened next wasn't entirely clear to him.
Running a hand through his messy dark hair, he glanced around confusedly about his room, trying and failing to make head or tails of how he'd got there and what had happened; everything seemed as it should, but there was something that didn't quite seem right.
He whipped his head to the other side of the room towards the armchair in the corner of his room, gasping in shock as he saw none other than Thomas sleeping soundly; his hands crossed over his chest and his head cocked off to the side. Henry furrowed his brows at the sight; feeling a dull pain in his head and a slight haze about his vision. He pushed aside the covers and swung his legs over the edge of the bed; the soles of his feet making contact with the cold wood floor as he steps mindlessly towards the soundly sleeping man.
"Ahem." He cleared his throat aggressively, lengthening his spine as he crossed his arms intimidatingly; standing over the sleeping blond who remained peacefully asleep despite his vain attempts to wake him. "Ahem?" He tried again, but to no avail. "Oh for god's sake, wake up!" Henry poked the man aggressively in the arm watching him jump visibly, blinking the daze and sleep off of his tired eyes.
"Oh! Hi.." Drawled Thomas with a smile, his morning voice groggy yet oddly attractive though every fibre of Henry's being was fighting it's charms. "You're awake, how're you feeling?"
"I'm feeling fine." Henry answered coldly. "When did we get back to Fir Creek?" He inquired perplexedly.
"Oh, right, that." Thomas rubbed his fists over his eyes as he sat up straight and cleared his throat. "Well, I knew I couldn't let you sleep until you were stable, so I kept you up all night." Henry blushed as his mind sent him brief flashes of the night prior; flashes of Thomas' warm body against his, his hot body heat permeating against Henry's icy cold skin.
"I knew you'd want to get home so I bundled you up in the sleeping bag and every blanket and article of clothing I had to spare, put you in the back of the cart and let you sleep through the journey." Thomas said softly.
"Well, thank you." Henry said softly, his eyes carrying a sparkle of genuineness as he felt this deep conflicting feeling within him; he wanted to be angry with Thomas for going through his things, "Even though I want to be cross with you, I still appreciate you for saving my life. And though I loathe to admit being wrong, I do understand why you were concerned."
"No." Thomas cut him off, pursing his lips and letting out a disappointed sigh; disappointed in himself. "I was bang out of order, you'd every right to be angry, I had no business searching your things like that and for that I'm sorry..." Henry nodded, awkwardly scratching the back of his neck. "Sorry as a Constable. And as a friend."
"Friend..." Henry muttered under his breath, his mind rehashing a memory from the night before that he could've sworn he'd dreamt. How could I be discussed." He heard Thomas' voice in his head. "When I feel the same way about you..." "Is that all you wish us to be? Friends..." Henry asked curiously, a part of him besides himself for being so forward.
"Henry I erm... think we should talk..." Thomas furrowed his brows in deep thought, nodding to himself as he convinced himself it was time for that conversation.
Thomas stood up, taking Henry's hands in his own and leading the raven haired boy towards the bed and sitting him down. Henry felt his breath grow shallow, his lips parted as he stared wide eyed at the handsome young Constable. Silence ensued between them as Thomas took one of Henry's hands in his and gently caressed it; clearing his throat sheepishly as he struggled to find the words. The words he'd only said in his dreams.
"Once upon a time there was a young Canadian soldier who was far, far away from home. Fighting for his King, Country and Empire in a country he'd never been to.." Thomas started as he stared down at Henry's hand resting in his own; gently thumbing at the back of the boy's hand. "During the Battle of Amiens the young soldier suffered injuries in a grenade explosion and was rescued and treated in one of the British Hospital tents..."
Henry's eyes scanned Thomas' face as the man paused for a second, noting the look of distance and pain in those deep brown eyes; he gazed at him as he felt his heart shatter at the look of glazed over trauma that he didn't know entirely first hand. He saw misery, pain, death; but he saw a very different reality from the men on the field. Henry gave Thomas' manly hand a squeeze, prompting him to glance up towards him to see Henry giving him a supportive nod, his blue eyes locked on the handsome blond as he hung onto every word that'd pass through his lips.
"He woke up groggy, likely from the morphine mixed with trauma." Thomas huffed as he went on recounting his story. "But as he awoke and came to, he heard a voice; the voice of an angel, soft and smooth. Calm like a like whilst strong and confident. The voice belonged to a young British medic; a captain..." Henry's eyes widened as his gaze blinked down to the floor in thought; his brows furrowing as he began to connect the dots. "And though the young Leitenant couldn't see but the Captain's beautiful blue eyes, he felt something for the boy. Perhaps it was merely infatuation, but it was something... The Lieutenant didn't know anything about the boy barring his rank; not his name, his story, anything about him..." Thomas leant back to dig something out of his pocket, a smile creeping across his face as he pulled out the gold watch from his trouser pocket in his closed fist. "All he had was this..."
Thomas placed the golden pocket gently watch into Henry's hand as the boy blinked his deep blue eyes confusedly at him. He closed Henry's finger's around the watch, slowly letting go as he watched the boy glanced down and gasp quietly at the sight of the beautiful watch and it's diamond and red enamel double-headed Russian eagle. Henry's breath hitched in the back of his throat, his eyes shooting up to gaze up at the amber eyed man with confusion in his eyes.
"But this... this is... my..." Henry's eyes flicked between Thomas', his voice wavering ever so slightly as it all seemed to click in his head. "You... Were..."
"Yes." Thomas smiled down at him, his dimples on full display as he ran a hand through his dark blond hair.
"I'm so sorry, I hadn't recognised you." Henry stammered as he opened the watch and ran his fingers over the engraving on the inside that read, 'To my dear Nephew. From your loving Uncle Nicky.' A smile ladened with confused and muddled emotions crept across Henry's face, a deep nostalgia in his eyes which pooled with tears.
"Don't be." Thomas cupped Henry's face, gently coercing him to look into his eyes. "You must've treated thousands of men, I couldn't possibly expect you to remember me."
"First Canadian Division." Henry muttered, his hand rising shakily towards the handsome man's cheek as the tips of his fingers grazed his cheek. "Light surface level burns with cuts and bruises, shallow respirations. From the fall they said you took it was a miracle you came out so relatively unscathed. I remember you'd ask me for the time every time I'd see you. If anyone else had done it it would've done my head in, but I suppose there was something about you. The way your face would light up whenever I'd tell you the time... I thought since it gave you so much joy... I'd loan you the watch so you'd always know what time it was..." He smiled to himself as he examined the watch fondly in his hand.
"You want to know the truth?" Thomas asked, earning him a nod from the raven haired boy. "I could've been bothered about the time... I just wanted an excuse to speak to you. Something small and brief that wouldn't keep you from your duties."
"You want to know the truth?" Henry gazed warmly up at the handsome young Constable. "Whenever you'd ask for the time, i felt for a second, a warmth inside. All around me day and night i toiled and toiled surrounded by death, misery, blood, pain, gunfire, grenade explosions, cannon fire. But those few times you asked me about something as miniscule as the time gave me a ray of hope."
"Can I kiss you..." Whispered Thomas as he raised his hand to cup Henry's alabaster fair cheek. He smiled as he watched the dark hair boy's cheeks turned a tinge of rouge. Henry blinked his lashes up to meet gazes with Thomas; a smile perking up the corners of his lips as he felt a flutter in his chest. His eyes glanced over Thomas' handsome face; he felt foolish that he hadn't recognised him before, but at the same time it had been two years and he did look significantly more mature than that young twenty six year old Canadian Lieutenant.
Henry nodded, his heart beating practically through his chest as the taller blond leant; their faces mere inches apart as Thomas' deep brown eyes scanned over Henry's pretty face; from his lightly parted pink lips to his sapphire blue eyes that carried a look of anticipation mixed with a slight tinge of nerves. Thomas gently placed his lips on Henry's as the raven haired boy felt his body unclench; his eyes closing softly as a single tear travelled down his long dark lashes and cascaded down his porcelain cheek.
The kiss began slow, soft, chaste and gentle; their lips working against each other as the plethora of pent up feelings and tension began to take cold. Thomas kissed deeper and deeper as Henry sunk down onto the covers, pulling Thomas by the collar to lay on top of him as the heat began to burn between them; Thomas' hands roamed Henry's slender torso as Henry's hands ran through Thomas' tousled blond locks.
"Should we be doing this..." Henry moaned. breathily as Thomas kissed a line down Henry's jaw to suck on the nape of his neck. "What about the boys, where are they?"
"Put them both down for their nap, and the door is locked." Thomas asked with a cheeky smirk, pushing the dark hair out of Henry's face as he gazed down at him fondly. "Only question is, do you want to do this?"
Henry bit his lower lip naughtily, locking eyes with Thomas and nodding in the affirmative as Thomas smirked into yet another kiss. Henry hastily unbuttoned Thomas' shirt, and pushed it off his shoulders; Thomas sitting up to rip his shirt off as Henry fiddled with the belt and zipper on his dark brown trousers. Kicking off his trousers and pants he pulled down Henry's underpants as Henry blushed at the sight of Thomas' gorgeous, manly naked body; his muscles rippling with the slight sweaty sheen.
"You're beautiful..." Thomas growled huskily as he ran his hand over Henry's toned, slender torso before climbing on top of the raven haired lad, burying his face in the nape of his neck.
"God I've wanted this for so long..." Moaned Henry between laboured breaths as Thomas interlaced his fingers with Henry's, gazing into his eyes with a darkened look of lust in those mysterious brown eyes.
"I've wanted this since the moment I laid eyes on you..." Thomas said softly, his eyes filled with a genuineness that could drive Henry absolutely mad. Henry giggled cheekily as he playfully pulled Thomas down to crash his lips on him once again. They lived in a world that was set against their favour, but in that room they were the only two people in the world...