"And that's how I ended up here... In Fir Creek..." Henry said softly, his sweat-matted pressed against Thomas' damp glowing skin as they lay in bed entangled in each other's arms; Henry circling Thomas' nipple with his finger as the taller blond ran his finger tips up and down the vertebrae of Henry's spine.
"Well, Henry Aldringham." Thomas smirked as Henry felt the handsome man's deep, masculine voice vibrate through his chest. "It's a pleasure to officially meet you." Henry rolled his eyes playfully, as he snuggled into the taller man's muscular pectorals.
"The pleasure is all mine." Henry smirked, biting his lower lip sultrily. "I am truly sorry for having deceived you, but I trust you understand my predicament."
"That I do..." Thomas playfully pulled ruffled Henry's soft dark hair. "And don't worry too much about getting into legal trouble whilst here, I hear the Constable here in Fir Creek is a big 'ol softie."
"I wouldn't say that..." Henry flirted cheekily, propping himself up and straddling Thomas' manly waist with his defined adonis belt and playfully walking his fingers up the man's defined abdominal muscles and strong, muscular pectorals with just the right amount of manly hair that exhumed masculinity while not being excessive. "I don't do this sort of thing often, Constable. So consider yourself very lucky." Henry teased, biting his lip sultrily and earning him a cheekily cocked brow from the handsome blond.
"I already do, Doctor." Smirked Thomas with a newfound confidence that Henry found terribly attractive as he blushed bright red and lowered his gaze bashfully. "I don't do this sort of thing often either... But this time was by-far more memorable than the rest." Thomas Henry by the wrists and in one swift motion flipped him over and pinned him playfully on his back against the bedding.
Henry cocked his brow with a smirk as he shook his head at the rather indecent compliment. Thomas smirked into another kiss, starting with a peck and growing with passion the longer their lips remained in contact.
"We really ought to get dressed, the boys will be awake soon." Henry broke off the kiss, prompting a grudging groan from the taller blond who flipped over to lay on his back next to the very flustered raven haired lad. Thomas ran his hand through his disheveled blond hair, glancing down with a smile creeping over his handsome face as he felt Henry's soft supple skin against his, curling up into his body.
"I wish we could stay like this forever..." Thomas snaked his arm around Henry's waist and pulled him closer. "But I daresay you're right."
"As would I..." Henry shot him a knowing glance, earning him a playful frown from the handsome young Constable. He curled back up into Thomas' warm embrace as thomas placed a loving kiss on atop his raven black hair. "Thomas?" He asked, feeling the vibrations through Thomas' torso as he hummed in acknowledgement. "What does this mean? For us, I mean."
"Two years ago I fell head-over-heels infatuated with a boy with deep blue eyes, hair dark like the a moon-less night, and skin as white as he Cliffs of Dover." Thomas lovingly caressed Henry's cheek with the back of his hand; his knuckles gently grazing his soft alabaster skin. "I knew nothing about him, only that his eyes were caring, genuine and true." He reached over towards the bedside table, picking up he exquisite gold smiling as he gazed down at his beautiful engraving, red enamel work and tastefully encrusted diamonds. "I tried to find some sort of lead through the RAMC or the War Office, but to no avail. There were thousands of medics with the Royal Army Medical Corps, and 'blue eyes and dark brown haired English captain' didn't exactly make headway. I even tried going to a jewellery appraiser to see if they'd be able to find anything on the watch to identify it; he said it was a Fabergé and suggested it might've belong to a Russian soldier from a prominent family, but that only added more confusion into the mix. I went on with my life when I got home, but I never forgot you even though I hadn't even seen your whole face..."
"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.
Dear Diary,
One can't help but feel a strange sense of discombobulation in the situation one finds oneself. Is this not what one had hoped for? To have the affections and attention of the handsome young Constable . Yet nonetheless one can't help but feel this deep seated uncertainty festering within one's entrails. As I lay in the arms of a man of whom I've desired very un-gentlemanly things in dreams I dare not speak of lest. But one can't help but wonder; he says he wishes to spend his life with me, but what does that mean? Though I'd love to hope that I'd spend the rest of my life with Thomas, I know it foolish to think it possible.
I've been intimate with other men, though I can't help but feel I haven't understood true, emotional and sexual intimacy until today with Thomas. Every kiss, every touch, every moment our sweat laden bodies remained entangled in a mess of lust and connection sent me into a frenzy of desire and hunger for him. Yet there was something about the final peck he gave me before he left my room; it wasn't lustful nor passionate, but though brief ,there was something more powerful in it. More wholesome, even.
I never witnessed much family intimacy as a child; my parents didn't display open love, it was seen as terribly common to do so. What our lives will hold and what it'll all pan out to be remains a mystery; one can't help but feel as though one is one a ship, stood at the bow and gazing out at the dense fog that lay ahead in the horizon. But one can say one thing for absolutely certain; what lays beyond the fog might be beyond my knowledge, but with Thomas at the helm of the ship, I can't help but feel like I can weather whatever storm may come. Together.
Love, Henry
Henry slipped the blotting paper between the pages and shut his diary with a smile across his face. He glanced up towards the window as his mind seemed to lull into a trance of deep thought; his mind replaying every moment of his steamy tryst with the young Constable. But his little moment of semblance didn't last long as he was jolted from his thoughts by violent knocking at the door.
He gasped as his neck whipped towards the door in response to the continued pounding; it wasn't a normal civil knocking as he was accustomed to, but rather a desperate. almost panicked knocking that he'd reckon could blow the door quite off its hinges. Henry leapt up from his chair and hastily shuffled towards the door, unbolting it and cracking it open to reveal a very distraught looking Thomas on the other side; his blond hair disheveled and his amber eyes dripping with fear.
"Thomas, what ever's the matter?" Henry blinked confusedly at him.
"I-It's Danny." Thomas huffed with laboured breaths, fear practically written on his visage. "Something's wrong with Danny."
"Alright, let's have a look." Henry wrapped his dressing gown around tight and stepped out into the hallway making haste towards the nursery.
"He's in my bedroom. He said he felt sleepy when Emily dropped him off and before I knew it he was taking a nap in my bed. He was sleeping so soundly that I couldn't bear to disturb him so I let him be. I didn't realise he was ill until I got back from... your room and he was coughing and he said his throat hurt." Thomas explained, a franticness in his voice as Henry held him by the wrist just as they approached the bedroom where little Danny was. "I don't know what to do! God! This is all my fault, I should've known something was wrong! I shouldn't've left him! I'm his Dad!" Thomas whispered with a look of deep preoccupation in his deep brown eyes.
"Shh... It's alright. It'll all be alright, I'm here now." Henry reached his hand up to caress Thomas' cheek; his rough stubble providing friction against Henry's soft unworked hands. "You didn't know he was poorly at the time. You're a great father to them, I've been watching you for the past two months, nearly. You couldn't've known he was ill. You mustn't blame yourself. Stay calm and I'll have a look and see what I can d-"
Henry was cutoff mid-thought as he heard a guttural deep cough sounding from inside the room; it sounded almost uncharacteristic for a little child Danny's age. He'd heard that sound before and though it could've be many things, it often wasn't a good sign. Henry's gaze remained calm, his stiff upper lip ever unwavering as he turned around and calmly entered the room without so much as giving Thomas the slightest reason to worry.
"Danny, love?" Henry whispered calmly as he entered the room, grimacing with a look of unadulterated empathy as he heard the little toddler in the bed coughing a deep throaty cough. "Your Daddy says you're feeling poorly?"
The little blond boy nodded with a pained look in his eyes that made Henry's heart ache; there was something about seeing children ill that absolutely did him in. It was one reason he chose not to do his speciality training in paediatrics; such young innocent lives in pain wasn't easy for him to handle. Sure there were children who'd come into Kensington Infirmary during his shifts, but having only paediatric patients all the time was something he couldn't've handle.
"Aww, well let's have a look and we'll see what we can do. Alright, love?." He smiled supportively, reaching up to touch Danny's forehead. "Crikey, you're burning up." Henry furrowed his brows noting the little lad had a rather high fever by the looks of it. "Danny, love, how do you feel? Can you tell me if you feel any pain "
"My head... hurts..." He mumbled pitifully, clearly having difficulty breathing and a slight tensing of his body as he swallowed which led Harry to assume he has difficulty swallowing as well.
"Awww, I'm sorry, mate. But not to worry, I'm here now. I'll make sure you feel better soon, alright?" Henry pouted as he gave Danny a supportively empathetic look, lovingly brushing the little boy's soft cheeks with the back of his hand; his mind racing as to what it could be. There were many things that it could've been, but he needed more to diagnose it with certainty. But just as he begged internally for a sign that'd help him triage the little toddler, he got exactly what he asked for. Danny's lips parted as he coughed and just as he did Henry caught glimpse of something that made his blood run cold in his veins.
"Danny, love. Can you open your mouth wide for me, please?" Henry felt his heart beating in his chest as his eyes widened and his heart pleaded that his eyes were playing ticks on him. But just as Danny opened his mouth wide like Henry had asked he saw just what he heard he'd seen earlier; a greyish-white deposit in the back of his throat and over his tonsils. Danny had diphtheria.
Henry rose silently without so much as a word, forced a supportive and loving smile to the poorly boy as he slipped out of the room and into the hallway via the washroom to wash his hands. He felt his heart clench in his chest as he watched Thomas leant against the wall staring down at the floor with a distraught anxiety clear over his handsome face and tensing jaw.
"Henry..." A slight glimmer of hope illuminated Thomas' face like a feeble candle flame in a pitch black room. "Is he alright?!" Thomas asked with shallow stressed breaths, but just as Henry took in a cleansing breath and switched on his professional side.
"We'll know more once I've thoroughly checked his symptoms, but as of right now all you can do is stay calm and know that I'll do everything I can for our Danny." Henry smiled warmly, his eyes calm and collected as he placed his hand supportively on Thomas' masculine shoulder. "Now if you'll excuse me I need to pop down to the surgery to fetch a few things, if you'll do me a huge favour and pop round the kitchen to get some hot water and a few flannels, he's running a fever."
Thomas nodded silently not even saying a word, though Henry could clearly tell he was absolutely besotted. He allowed the concern and weariness to creep across his face as he watched Thomas turn around and leave towards stairwell. And how could Henry blame Thomas for being beside himself; Danny and Alfie were his life. But what Henry found odd was that even though he'd known the boys mere months, they were special to him; he adored them like they were his own family.
"Thomas?" Henry called out towards him down the corridor; watching as the handsome blond craned his neck towards him with an empty preoccupied look in his eyes. "You mentioned Danny was with Emily whilst we'd been gone, do you know if he was in contact with any other children or elderly people?"
"Not that I know of, why do you ask?" Thomas narrowed his eyes in thought; his scrutinising gaze shifting towards Henry's stoic visage.
"Has Danny come in contact with Alfie since he'd got back?" He asked calmly, though the slightest crack in his voice gave away his deep, deep concern. "And if so did you come in contact with Alfie since you'd seen Danny?"
"No, I'd put Alfie down for a nap before and Danny fell asleep in my room when he got here. And I came to check on you as soon as Danny had passed out." Thomas' confused blue eyes darted across the dark wood flooring. "But, what's wrong, Henry? Why are you asking these things? What do you know?"
"We'll know more once I've had a proper look, but just, trust me, is all I ask." Henry tensed his jaw ever so slightly, hanging on to some form of semblance as he plotted his next move. "And don't go near Alfie for a bit, if you can have somebody who isn't Emily or anyone who might've come in contact with Danny take him for a bit. Somebody without children or elderly people in the home. Ring the Inn if you can to ask Emily if he'd come in contact with other children or older people that might be at risk."
Thomas simply nodded once again, not so much as questioning anything Henry had asked and for that he couldn't be more thankful. The parted ways as Thomas called the Gauthier sisters who owned the dress shop in town to come in and take Alfie for a few days; they fit the build perfectly for what Henry explained. Diptheria was a ghastly matter to deal with at the time, often considered to be the most common cause of death for young children though it could effect anyone.
Henry rushed down to the surgery and collected his bag alongside some other essentials he figured he'd need. Approaching the cabinet stocked with any and every treatment and medication he needed he opened the large glass and wood doors and began scanning with his eyes for a certain box he could've sworn he'd seen prior. The glass bottles clanged lightly together as he pushed them around to get a better view of the back; and then he saw exactly what he wanted; a small beige box with 'Diphtheria Antitoxin'.
"Oh thank heavens." Henry let out a sigh of relief from deep within his lungs; the introduction of Diphteria antitoxin into the physicians arsenal truly revolutionised treatment of the disease that once killed over half of children who got it. It still had a large mortality rate in the 1920s but Henry hoped that with the antitoxin Danny would make a full recovery.
He diluted the serum to create the needed doses and took plenty of sterile syringes up to the room, only to find Thomas already sitting by Danny's bed as the boy lay in bed making little groaning noises; Henry's heart ached for him knowing how much discomfort he was likely in, but he knew that with swift diligent action he would soon be all better.
"He's got diphtheria." Henry whispered softly, as he watched Thomas' spine tense up; a glazed over look in those gorgeous brown eyes.
"Diphtheria..." Thomas repeated under his breath numbly; watching as Henry pulled a thermometer from his bag, violently shaking down the stubborn mercury in the glass thermometer before slipping it between Danny's chapped lips and under his tongue.
"I know it sounds terribly bleak, but I've got the anti-toxin here; it seems to be early in the disease's progression so there is hope. The anti-toxin has made so much progress in treatment and survival even." Henry explained as he rolled his sleeves up to go wash his hands in the bathroom.
"Henry." Thomas' voice cracked ever sos lightly as he held onto Henry's exposed wrist to stop him. "I can't lose him..." Thomas' shattered brown eyes raised to meet Henry's "Please... do everything you can..."
"I will do." Henry nodded with a tight lipped smile as he turned around and stepped into the corridor, taking a second whilst he was alone to allow everything out; growing up he was always told to keep his emotions inside him, to have the quintessential English 'stiff upper lip', but sometimes he felt it to be terribly difficult. And this was one such situation; Danny wasn't just a patient, he had this inexplicable connection and care for Danny to the point at which in Kenginston Infirmary he would've had another of the doctors take on his case.
But alas that wasn't an option; so instead Henry Aldringham did everything he could, just as he'd promised Thomas he would do. The first night after administering the treatment he stayed by Danny's bedside all night; applying a flannel dipped in warm water on his forehead to break his fever. He knew it'd take a few daily doses before the symptoms would hopefully alleviate.
He'd sent Thomas downstairs to fetch another bowl of hot water as he felt the exhaustion start to set in; he reached over for the thermometer on the bedside table and shook down the mercury with a forceful flicks of the wrist, looking down with a satisfied hum to see the mercury below the necessary level. He slid it sublingually once again to check Danny's temperature, holding it in place for a good minute before sliding it out and reading the thermometer.
"Thank god." He huffed under his breath, noting that the fever had subsided slightly; though he knew better than to think he was in the clear; he'd kept the fever at bay for a while, though he knew it'd be days before Danny would fully recover, but with the anti-toxin he knew it would likely be sooner, rather than the ghastly weeks that untreated Diphtheria could take.
Henry took a deep breath and leant back in the chair he'd pulled up next to Danny's head; he shut his eyes peacefully as he felt the exhaustion really set in over his body. He closed his eyes only with the intension of taking a minute to himself, but that minute turned into two, and three, and soon Henry had fallen asleep in the chair; that too in likely the most uncomfortable position.
Thomas walked up the stairs with the ceramic bowl of warm water in his hands; carefully treading so as to not let a drop spill onto the floor below. Though he was absolutely besides himself about Danny being poorly, he took solace at the fact that Henry was right there every step of the way; he trusted Henry with what he loved most in this world, his kid.
"The water's here." Thomas whispered sing-songily as he stepped through the threshold of his bedroom, glancing up to see Henry sleeping soundly in the chair, his neck craned in an uncomfortable angle; a few strands of his dark black hair having fallen over his tranquilly shut eyelids.
Thomas smiled to himself as he set down the bowl of water onto the dresser in his room, walking over towards the beautiful raven haired boy as he felt this sensation of inexplicable warmth grow from his chest and spread to his extremities. He was tempted to wake Henry, though he had a sneaking suspicion if he woke him he'd only continue to apply warm soaked flannels on little Danny's forehead.
So instead he leant down, scooped the dark haired young land into his arms and carried him bridal style out of the room and into the corridor. He tiptoed quietly towards Henry's bedroom to put tuck him in for the night, intending to go back to his own bedroom and sleep in the armchair so he'd be with Danny through the night. He'd only got half way to Henry's room when he felt the dark haired lad stir in his arms, dazedly blinking the sleep off his tired blue eyes.
"I want to stay with him..." Henry said softly, his voice husky from just having awoken.
"You've been at it for hours." Replied Thomas, glancing down to see Henry's big blue eyes looking so innocent and true. "I'll stay with him for the night, you rest up."
"The first few nights are the most important, I want to be able to monitor him through the night.. Can't we both stay with him?" Bargained Henry with a pout as Thomas chuckled to himself and shook his head.
"There's a folding bed in one of the guest bedrooms, I can bring it into my bedroom and make that up for you and I'll take the armchair, that way we both can be in the room with him." Thomas pursed his lips in thought.
"That's not very fair, is it. I get to sleep on an actual bed whilst you're on an uncomfortable mattress." Henry huffed at the thought, glancing up and locking eyes with Thomas; a glint in his eyes indicating that he had an idea. "Perhaps we can make this work..."
Henry and Thomas popped into the guest bedroom and dusted off an old bog-standard folding bed, bringing it into Thomas' bedroom as quietly as they could without disturbing Danny's rest. They put on fresh sheets and warm blankets to shield them from the chilly late November draught before slipping off their dressing gowns leaving only they pyjamas on as they slipped under the covers.
"Right, here's the plan." Whispered Henry as they settled in next to each other, laying on their sides and gazing into each others' eyes with the moonlight through the window their only source of light. "Until God willing, Danny has recovered we'll stay in this bed. After he's asleep we can slip in together, and early in the morning whoever wakes first will sneak over to the armchair and sleep there until morning."
"Sounds good..." Nodded Thomas with a whisper, his eyes scanning over Henry's face; admiring the way the moonbeam from outside the window gently bathed his flawless alabaster skin. "Good night, Henry."
"Good night, Thomas." Henry parted his lips, his tongue instinctively glazing over them as he leant in and gently kissed Thomas goodnight on the lips. Thomas felt a warmth permeate over his body at the tender gesture, watching as Henry pulled back and lowered his gaze so his long black lashes ticked his moon-kissed porcelain skin.
Henry rolled over onto his side so his back was against Thomas' chest and his eyes fixated on Danny. That night neither man slept, as they watched the little blond toddler from across the room; vigilant through any cough, any noise he made, ready to act should Danny need anything through the night.
Thus passed the next four days as they vigilantly cared for Danny whilst the anti-toxin took effect and they themselves quarantined at home to prevent a potential diphtheria outbreak in town. Day by day he grew stronger and soon his symptoms faded; night by night Henry and Thomas shared that little folding bed as they watched over him. But as they watched over the precious toddler they both cared for so deeply, in a way it only made the feelings for one another stronger. For not only were Henry and Thomas bound by their romantic attraction and fondness for one another; they were also bound by their mutual paternal love for Danny and Alfie that only seemed to bind their souls closer together...