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Footman in Training	By : imdirty Category: 1 through F > Downton Abbey Views: 2654 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Downton Abbey and am not making money from this story. And I'm hoping I'm doing this disclaimer thing right :)

Chapter List
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Lady Edith was pleased but puzzled to see Eric standing in the library. He looked lost in the stately room and relieved to finally set eyes on her.

“Hello, Eric. What a surprise to see you here,” Lady Edith said, kissing Eric's cheek.

“Yes, I must apologize. I thought I’d drop in while I was here and share my trip with you, but now it seems like an imposition.”

“Not at all,” Lady Edith said, sitting on the sofa close to the fire.

Eric sat on the sofa opposite Lady Edith. “Are you sure? I can leave, I really don’t want to put you out.”

“Eric, you’re being silly. I’m glad to have you as a guest again. What are you doing out this way?”

Eric looked at the fire as he considered his response. “I so enjoyed the area when I was here before, I thought I’d spend time in the village before going back to the hustle and bustle of London.” He looked back to Lady Edith to see if his story stuck. He was staying in the village, at least that part wasn’t a lie.

“How many nights?”

“Two.”

“Well you should spend them here.”

Bollocks, Eric thought. “Now that would definitely be an imposition, I couldn’t possibly.”

Price and Mr. Molesley entered the room with trays for tea.

“But you must stay here, I insist,” Lady Edith said as Mr. Molesley poured tea. “I actually get quite a bit bored here and you’d do me a favor of being my guest.”

Price took his post by the door and stared at Eric over Lady Edith’s shoulder.

“How could I say no to that, then?” he said, accepting tea from Mr. Molesley after Lady Edith was given hers.

“Excellent! Do you have your luggage with you?”

“No, it’s already at the inn.”

Lady Edith called Price over. “David, can you please let Mr. Carson and Mrs. Hughes know that Mr. Weatherbee is staying tonight and tomorrow night, and retrieve Mr. Weatherbee’s bags for him?”

“Oh he doesn’t have to, I can go get them,” Eric offered.

Lady Edith laughed. “Absolutely not.”

Eric took his room key from his inner jacket pocket and handed it to Price. He gave him the details for the inn and his room, only able to make himself meet Price’s eyes briefly during the exchange.

“I don’t have anything appropriate to wear for dinner,” Eric admitted to Lady Edith, stirring his tea.

“That’s not a problem tonight, and we’ll find something for your second night. Just be thankful my grandmother isn’t coming to dinner this evening. She’d probably faint at the sight of you at the table in your suit.”

“Meanwhile I’ve spent the past couple weeks wearing just a shirt and pants and feeling over-dressed.”

“Yes, please tell me of your travels. I’m looking forward to hearing what is so exciting that you had to come and tell me straight away.”

Price relayed Lady Edith’s message, and then requested that the chauffeur bring him to the village to expedite his trip. Mr. Carson agreed that there wasn’t time in the afternoon to waste and gave permission.

“He shows up at the back door,” Mr. Carson said to Mrs. Hughes, “and now he’s staying two nights. I hope he’s not planning something improper.”

“Mr. Carson,” Mrs. Hughes replied, “if a man wants to plan something improper with Lady Edith, I don’t think any of us can begrudge her at this point.”

Price asked the chauffeur to drive as fast as he was willing. He felt out of breath, as if he were running to the village rather than going as the passenger in a car. With building frustration, he hoped the bags had somehow spontaneously combusted so that Eric would have to suffer through his stay without his worldly possessions. Instead, the two bags were on the bed as Eric said they would be. Price grabbed them both by the handles, unable to stop himself from picturing Eric and Thomas on the bed together. If he had seen Eric under better circumstances he was sure he wouldn’t be so jealous. It was Eric’s fault he was feeling like this, he thought, as he locked the door and stomped back to the car.

Once back at Downton, Price ran the bags upstairs and saw from the gallery that Eric was playing hide and seek with the the children in the main hall. Lady Edith and Lady Mary looked on.

“You’re too tall, I can see you anywhere you hide,” Nora taunted Eric.

“Well this game isn’t a challenge for a small person like you. Me, I have to be creative,” Eric replied.

Price put the two bags in Eric’s room and walked down the main stairs. Nora ran to him, forgetting that she was supposed to be hiding. Eric looked at him apologetically before looking for George under a chair.

“David, have you met Mr. Weatherbee?” Nora asked. “He just came back from one of my very favorite places.”

“Yes, we met when he arrived.”

“Can you play with us?”

“No, I have work to do,” Price said, looking at Eric. “Run along before he finds you and makes you ‘it’.”

Nora squealed and ran off to find a new hiding place, and Price went downstairs.

“What is it with her and men?” Lady Mary whispered to Lady Edith.

“Nora and men?”

Lady Mary played with her necklace. “Yes, she’s taken to every man in the house, even your trim and tanned visitor, yet every time I try to be kind to her she practically bites me.”

“You’re right, I get the same reaction, and mama has gotten even worse. It makes me worry about sending her off to school. If she’s difficult with us I don’t see how it will be easier for them.”

Mr. Branson joined the ladies and watched Sybbie run with the others.

“Tom, how is Nora with you?” Lady Mary asked.

“Much better than she is with you, from what I’ve witnessed.”

“If she does go to school,” Lady Edith said, “it would be nice to send her off on better terms.”

“Give her a carrot,” Mr. Branson suggested. “Something to make her like and trust you.”

“Like what?” Lady Mary asked, not sure there was anything Nora would ever like.

“I know,” Lady Edith said with a little grin. She called the children over, and the game stopped as the four children lined up in front of the three adults. Eric watched from a distance. “You, too,” Lady Edith said, waving him over. “I have a question for Nora.”

“Yes?” Nora asked, irritated that her game was stopped and that Lady Edith might ask a favor.

“I was wondering, since you haven’t had a chance to discuss much of Mr. Weatherbee’s travels with him, if you would like to join the adults in the drawing room while we have drinks before dinner.”

Nora rocked back and forth on her feet. “Do you mean it?”

“She does, we would love to have you,” Mr. Branson replied.

Nora jumped and clapped her hands together. “Oh, I would love that! I would love it so much! I know just what I will wear. I’m sorry, Mr. Weatherbee, but I can’t finish our game. I have to go make preparations for this evening.”

“I completely understand and expect you will be much better dressed than I will be,” Eric said, giving Lady Edith a smile.

Nora ran up the stairs and Lady Mary shook her head. “Now she’ll want to be with us every night before dinner. Thank you, Edith.”

“Then you better hope she takes a liking to France,” Mr. Branson teased.

“So,” Lady Mary said, her voice brighter, “does my sister have more entertaining plans for you besides playing with the children?”

“That’s all my fault, I volunteered,” Eric said, putting both hands over his heart.

“It’s warmed up a bit, we could walk the grounds,” Lady Edith offered.

Eric shrugged and smiled. “I’ve been so insanely busy and hurried, I’m very happy to stay in and relax.”

“Will the two of you be off relaxing somewhere together?” Lady Mary asked.

Lady Edith returned Lady Mary’s small, sarcastic smile. “As an employer and employee, no, we will not be off relaxing somewhere together.”

Mr. Branson gave Lady Mary a hard look.

Nanny Rebecca arrived to take the children back upstairs and Lady Mary followed, happy for the excuse to leave.

Mr. Branson shared a few friendly words of conversation with Eric, and Eric remembered him from Thomas’s letters. Though Thomas never spoke well of Mr. Branson’s position in the family, Eric thought it should give Thomas some hope that there could be better things for him, too.

Downstairs, Price kept his eyes peeled for Thomas, aware of every door opening and closing and every man taller than himself who passed through his peripheral vision. He joined the kitchen staff and offered to help peel parsnips so that he’d have a better view of the back door.

“You seem jumpy,” Daisy observed.

“At some point today, if you see Mr. Barrow before I do, can you send him my way please?”

“Isn’t he out for his half day? I shouldn’t expect he’d be back so soon.”

“I know. Just if you see him.”

“Why?” Daisy asked, her lip curled.

“I have a message for him, that’s all.”

Daisy took a towel from a large bowl and plopped a ball of dough onto the countertop. She kneaded it and made the same sour face. “David, if you don’t mind my saying, I don’t really understand why you’re friends with Mr. Barrow. You’re such a nice person, and he’s not very nice.”

“I do mind your saying,” Price replied. “I know you say it with good intentions, but I do mind.”

“What do you like about him?” Daisy asked.

“You liked him once,” Mrs. Patmore interrupted. “What was it you liked back then?”

Daisy looked up at the ceiling, thinking back many years. “Well he was quite handsome then,” she said, smiling.

“That’s probably not why David likes him,” Ellie interjected.

“Well that’s what I mean. Besides that, what is there to like?”

“You’ve known him so long and you can’t think of one other redeeming quality besides his appearance?” Price asked, looking from his parsnip to Daisy.

Daisy flushed. “He’s funny. And a good dancer.”

Price smiled. “Is he, now?”

“Quite good,” Daisy said.

“Daisy wanted to do all kinds of dancing with him back then,” Mrs. Patmore added.

“You stop it,” Daisy said, laughing.

Mr. Carson entered the kitchen and Price put down his peeler. “David, I need you to help set the dining room. There’s only one guest this evening, not that he has the appropriate attire.”

“You don’t approve of tall, dark, and handsome?” Mrs. Patmore asked.

“Not when he shows up without a tall, dark tuxedo,” Mr. Carson replied.

“I agree, Mr. Carson,” Price said as he hung up his apron. “It’s quite thoughtless behavior. Tall, dark, and daft.”

“I kind of enjoy it when he says something snarky,” Ellie said once Mr. Carson and Price had left.

Daisy smiled. “I enjoy when he says much of anything.”

“Don’t let Lee hear you say that,” Mrs. Patmore said.

“What? He knows I like him, but he knows David’s a lot more handsome.”

Ellie giggled. “No one’s gonna measure up to David in your eyes.”

Eric was taken from Lady Edith’s company so that Mr. Bates could fit him in a tuxedo for dinner for his second night.

“I’m causing so much commotion,” Eric said as Mr. Bates measured his arm.

“Sometimes this house could use some commotion. Lady Edith seems happy to have you, I wouldn’t worry.”

“I’m so ignorant of how things work in a place like this, plus I’m used to such a different Edith. It’s hard to reconcile the two.”

“What is the Lady Edith you know like?” Mr. Bates asked, measuring Eric’s chest circumference.

Eric laughed. “Well, I know just Edith, not Lady Edith. She’s authoritative but friendly, firm but courteous, focused but patient.”

“You sound like you quite admire her.”

Eric stood up straight so that Mr. Bates could measure his inseam. “Admire has a few connotations. I should say I respect her.”

Mr. Bates smiled. “I forgot momentarily that you work for her.”

“I’m not always the most professional person. It’s probably my surroundings that are keeping my commentary in check.”

Mr. Bates rose carefully from his bended knee. “Everyone walks a fine line here, why should you be any different? I’ll have your measurements to the tailor and we’ll have something for you tomorrow. When you visit in the future, we’ll be able to pull something together for you even more quickly.”

“Thank you so much, Mr. Bates. I appreciate your help.” Yet another person who doesn’t seem as bad as Thomas said, Eric thought.

There was a knock on the door shortly after Mr. Bates left, and Eric opened it expecting to find Lady Edith, but instead found Price.

“Are you behaving?”

Eric smiled. “My word, I sure got off on the wrong foot with you.”

“You look amused. Don’t be.”

“Thomas may be upset at first but he’ll get over it. Can’t we try and make the best out of this situation?”

“How on earth could we do that?”

“We’re all under one roof together, I’m sure we can think of something entertaining over the next day and a half.”

Price’s eyes narrowed. “Under one roof? I’m not even supposed to speak to you.”

The amusement on Eric’s face vanished. “What does that mean?”

“Thomas doesn’t want his worlds entangled. You represent his life outside of here, and I’m his life inside here. Never the twain shall meet.”

“Did he ask you not to talk to me?”

“More like he ordered me not to talk to you.”

“David, he can’t do that.”

Price frowned. “He can do that. You’re his friend, not mine, and he can decide what kind of interaction I have with you.”

“That’s not how friendship works.”

“Thomas isn’t exactly fluent in friendship.”

Eric held Price by the shoulders. “I adore Thomas, but don’t you ever let someone dictate who you can and cannot be friends with.”

Price stiffened but didn’t pull away. “I’m just trying to respect his boundaries.”

“And my hands on your shoulders in a closed room probably isn’t helping with that.”

Price nodded.

Eric let go. “My mission is to ensure we’re all friends before I leave.”

“Aye, I wish you good luck with that.”

“I will be successful.”

Price’s expression softened. “It would be quite nice if you were.”

“Help me, if you can find a way.”

“If I can, I'll try.”

Eric watched Price leave and pushed his wavy hair from his forehead, letting out a long sigh before heading downstairs to find Lady Edith.

At the bottom of the stairs, Mr. Carson raised the mallet to the dressing gong. “The family is about to be summoned to dress for dinner,” Mr. Carson told Eric.

“Oh, alright. Thank you. Mr. Bates fitted me, so at least I’ll have something appropriate to change into tomorrow night.”

Mr. Carson rang the gong. “Is there anything we can get for you while the family is dressing, Mr. Weatherbee?”

“No, thank you. Actually, is there somewhere I could make a telephone call?”

“There is a telephone up here, otherwise you could use the one in my office if you require privacy.”

“The telephone up here is fine, if you could point me in the right direction.”

Mr. Carson guided Eric to the telephone, then checked on the dining room before going down to the kitchen. “Now Nora is to be delivered to the drawing room before dinner,” Mr. Carson told Mrs. Hughes. “Lady Edith wants her to have some time to chat with our guest about his travels. Can you imagine, a child joining the adults during their drinks?”

“A child in the drawing room, a suit at the dining table; Mr. Carson, do you think you’ll be able to survive it all?”

“Just barely,” Mr. Carson replied, not sensing Mrs. Hughes’s sarcasm.

Price stopped Anna in the hall and asked her to be on the lookout for Thomas.

“Is anything the matter?” she asked.

“Nothing major, but I really do need to grab him soon as he’s back.”

“You look quite flustered.”

“I’ll be alright.”

“I keep forgetting to ask you. Why don’t you come down to the cottage tomorrow morning and see what we’ve done with the nursery?”

“I’d love to, I can’t wait to see how it’s coming along. I’ll come bright and early.”

Once the family was dressed for dinner, Mr. Molesley led Eric to the drawing room. Lady Edith introduced him to the Lord and Lady, informing them that he had stayed before when several of her journalists visited.

“He’s already apologized profusely for his attire, but I’m the one who asked him to stay when he wasn’t prepared,” Lady Edith advised.

“I heard about that from Mr. Bates,” Lord Grantham replied. “There are much more serious offenses at a dinner table than a suit.”

“We may seem old fashioned,” Lady Grantham told Eric, “but we are a modern family in many ways.”

“I can tell that from what I know of Edith. Lady Edith, beg your pardon.”

Nanny Rebecca brought Nora to the drawing room. Nora’s hair was neatly styled into two french braids care of Anna, and her dress nearly classified as a gown with all of its beading and embroidery. A small jeweled comb was set into the side of her hair, something her mother always let her wear for special evenings.

Lady Grantham greeted Nora at the door. “My goodness, you look absolutely darling.”

“Thank you,” Nora replied, looking at Nanny Rebecca, who nodded as though the two had rehearsed the words “thank you” all afternoon.

“Thank you, Nanny Rebecca,” Lady Grantham said, taking Nora by the hand. She brought Nora to Eric. “I heard you are really Nora’s guest while we have drinks, not Lady Edith’s.”

Eric nodded. “Well, Nora, you’re really putting me to shame in that ensemble.”

Price and Mr. Molesley carried trays with the first round of wine. Eric took his and waited for Lady Edith to take a sip before taking one himself.

“Juice for you,” Price said, offering Nora her own crystal goblet.

Lady Edith mouthed “thank you” to Price as Nora took her glass from his tray.

Nora took Eric’s hand and pulled him to a settee. She jumped up onto it and smoothed her dress, and as soon as Eric sat, she began unloading questions she had bulleted in her head throughout the afternoon.

Eric’s smile grew as they talked. Eventually he turned the conversation to France, filling Nora’s head with tales of his travels across the country.

When it was time for dinner, Nora said goodnight to Eric, and then stood in front of Lady Grantham. “I will give France a try.”

“I’m very glad to hear that,” Lady Grantham said.

“Thank you for inviting me,” Nora said to Lady Edith.

“You’re most welcome.”

“And thank you for allowing it,” Nora said to Lady Mary.

“Oh,” Lady Mary said, startled. “I don’t think I had a choice.”

“You did, and you let me come.”

“Then I suppose you’re welcome” Lady Mary said, forcing a smile.

The wine and unconventional drinking company relaxed Eric a bit, and he felt almost comfortable at the dinner table. The conversation flowed easily, especially with Mr. Branson, who seemed quite entertained by Eric.

Price was still anxious anticipating Thomas’s arrival, but he kept himself composed during dinner service.

“Still not back,” Daisy reported when Price came down collect trays for dessert.

As soon as dessert was served and Price was back on duty in the dining room, the back door opened.

“David’s been on the lookout for you practically since you left,” Daisy told Thomas.

“Everything alright?” Thomas asked, rubbing his hands together to warm up from his walk back from the train.

“He didn’t say. Will you be joining the staff for supper.”

“I already ate. Can you let David know I’ll be in my room?”

Thomas took a cup of hot water and headed to the dorms, passing Anna on his way.

“David is looking for you,” she told him.

“Did he put everyone on alert?”

“I think maybe just about,” Anna said, smiling.

“And you don’t know what it’s for?”

“No, only that he’s looked preoccupied for hours.”

Thomas took off his hat, coat, and scarf. He held the cup in his hands to warm up, blowing on the water, watching little rings form and dance in the wake of his breath. Dinner with his sister’s family had gone well, but he was tired from the trip back and forth and the emotion spent while visiting. It was a relief to finally know he could visit the entire family without incident. Once feeling returned to his hands, he picked up a book Price had lent him and began reading.

Price finally arrived in Thomas’s doorway, closing the door behind him.

“It sounds like you arranged some kind of search party to find me,” Thomas said, rising to greet Price.

Price took Thomas’s hands in his and stood up straight. “Ready?”

“Probably not, but go ahead.”

Price took a deep breath. “Let me say everything I need to say. Then I will say, ‘I’m done’ and then you can speak.”

“Blimey, David, just spit it out.”

“Eric came to visit you as a surprise. He came to the back, and I tried to send him off, but Mr. Carson came to the door, and so I had to say that he was here to visit Lady Edith. Then I brought him to Lady Edith, and she asked him to stay. For two nights. And so now he’s here. They just finished dinner. Please stop squeezing my hands so hard. I’m done.”

Thomas hadn’t breathed while Price spoke.

“My face looked a lot like yours does right now,” Price added.

Thomas let go of Price’s hands and sat on his bed. He picked up the book and threw it at the wall.

Price sat next to Thomas and touched his arm.

Thomas flinched at his touch. “Two nights?” he asked, his voice cracking.

“I couldn’t send him away once Mr. Carson saw him. What if he recognized him, or someone else did?”

“Of course you bloody well couldn’t send him off after that. What is he, soft in the head? What kind of plan is it to show up here looking for me?”

“The good news is that no one knows he was looking for you. They all think he was coming to report his trip to Lady Edith. It’s actually going smoothly, believe it or not.”

“I don’t believe it,” Thomas said, wishing the book wasn’t already across the room so that he could throw it again. “Where is he now?”

“Everyone went upstairs. He’s probably in his room.”

“Well I can’t go now. I’ll go around one, everyone should be asleep then.”

“What will you say?”

“I have nothing to say. I’m just going to hold a pillow over his head until he passes out or passes away.”

Price laughed.

“I’m not joking.”

“I was angry for hours, but it’s not as bad as all that. It may even help your friendship, he’ll actually know a little of all the people here.”

“You know how I feel about that kind of thing.”

“I do,” Price said, rubbing Thomas’s back. “I promise it will be alright,” he added, kissing Thomas’s cheek.

“What makes you so sure?”

“He’s right here and you can find a way to see him. Probably spend more time than if he had stayed in the village.”

“You’re taking this pretty well.”

“I’ve had time to process it. Trust me, your puppy acted like a bit of a guard dog at first. I owe him an apology.”

“You owe nothing of the sort,” Thomas said, holding Price’s hand.

“How was your visit with your sister?”

“Better than I hoped. Her children are so grown up, I still can’t believe it.”

“Did they remember you?”

Thomas smiled. “Yes. In all the time I didn’t see them, my sister and her husband only ever told them kind things about me.”

“That’s wonderful. Stay in that happy mood when you head up to find Eric.”

By one in the morning, Thomas hadn’t calmed down as much as Price had, but he was ready to talk rather than throw things. Price played lookout in the gallery so that Thomas could knock. As soon as Thomas’s hand was up to the door, Price hurried back to his room.

Thomas had stayed in his suit, but Eric was in his undershirt and pajama bottoms.

“I would’ve stayed dressed, but half an hour ago I gave up on you coming.”

Thomas gave Eric a cold smile. “I couldn’t waltz up here while everyone was awake, now could I?”

“Whatever angry words you have, you should know that I’ve heard them all at least once from David.”

“Well he’s not stupid, he knows what a predicament you put me in by coming here.”

“And I am stupid, is that what you’re saying?”

“You said it, not me.”

Eric gave Thomas a conciliatory smile. “I only wanted to see you. I’ve missed you so much, and I’ve been so worried,” he said, stepping closer to Thomas. “I think about you all the time.”

“That’s no excuse for barging into my life like this,” Thomas said, his voice still hard. He was touched by Eric’s words, but refused to show it.

“I know I screwed up. I’m sorry. Very sorry. Let me handle it, I’ll make it up to you.”

“I’m not the only one you have to make it up to, you dragged David into this.”

“I think he and I are alright now, but yes, I plan to make it up to him, too.”

Thomas’s voice quavered. “So you and he are chums now, aye?”

“Since you mention it, he was very uncomfortable talking to me at first, and it turns out you told him he wasn't allowed. Thomas, you can’t say things like that to him.”

“Why yes, yes I can.”

“No, you can’t, because you have no right. I’m not your possession, nor is he.”

Thomas crossed his arms. “You come here uninvited and now you’re gonna lecture me?”

Eric nodded. “Yes, I guess I am. I seemed to make him nervous when I was really hoping we could all be friends.”

“I can see why you’d make him nervous. I’d be nervous if I were him.”

“That’s an odd thing to say.”

“It’s not.” Thomas’s face fell and he turned his shoulders away from Eric. “I care about you, and if we weren’t so far apart, well, maybe things would have been different between you and I.”

“Thomas, I have a theory about that.” Eric walked to the bed and sat on the edge facing the fireplace, patting the spot next to him. “Sit with me.”

Thomas walked slowly to the bed and sat down. Eric took Thomas’s hand and held it between both of his. “The night I met you, I was drawn to you, and it wasn’t for friendship. I could have spent days on end worshiping your body before either my knob fell off or I died of dehydration.”

Thomas laughed despite himself.

“Really! I turned you into a fantasy of the prim and proper under-butler letting me cater to his needs. That’s still what I wanted when I first wrote to you, but eventually I started seeing you differently through our letters. It was the distance that made me realize you are so much more than a fantasy object. If things were different, and I was here, I may have never seen who you really are and we’d have no lasting friendship. Just an affair that would probably die off because there would be nothing to sustain it.” Eric patted Thomas’s hand. “Compare that to David. It sounds like he figured out with lightening speed that you’re a very special person.”

“I think you’re both crazy for thinking I’m anything special.”

“If I’m crazy then at least I’m in good company.”

“Where did you and he leave things?”

Eric massaged Thomas’s hand. “I told him I’d do what I could to make sure we were all friends before I left. If I can’t do that, at least let’s not be enemies. What say you?”

“We’re not enemies.”

“And you won’t try and stop me from being his friend?”

Thomas spread his fingers so Eric could rub between them. “I don’t want this friendship between you two to turn into something more.”

“How silly. Thomas, you have nothing to fear, and at the end of the day you’re both here and I’m not.”

Thomas looked at the fire rather than Eric. “For now, at least. He wants me to take a job working at his brother’s watchmaking shop.”

“Where? Is it in London?”

“Yes, it’s in London.”

Eric shifted himself closer to Thomas. “Is this a serious offer?”

“There’s no offer, it’s an idea he dreamed up.”

“Then is it a serious idea?”

“You could call it that.”

“Are you considering it?”

“I swore to him that I would.”

Eric blinked. “How incredible would that be? Especially for me, having you so close by. I could run off and kiss him right now.”

“As if I need to think about you kissing him.”

Eric chuckled. “It would be a platonic kiss, but if we’re talking kisses, let’s call a spade a spade. He’s gorgeous. As the one who has access to him daily, I’m surprised you haven’t died from sex-related exhaustion.”

Thomas met Eric’s eyes. “You still don’t really get it about my life. David and I can’t even be intimate in our own beds without fear of noisy springs giving us away.”

Eric squeezed Thomas’s hand. “Not all intimate moments are easy for me, either, but I don’t have that kind of concern. I’m sorry that you do.”

“I still can't get over you. ‘Worshiping your body until my knob falls off’. Are you sure you’re a professional writer? What kind of prose is that?”

“The true kind. I still find you painfully arousing.”

Thomas raised his eyebrows. “Painfully?”

“Painfully, yes,” Eric smiled, letting his hand travel from Thomas’s hand to his wrist. “Maybe you should escape from my clutches before I can’t help myself from doing something about it.”

“You exaggerate.”

“Don’t forget, I’m the type of man who had my trousers off within hours of meeting you, and was on my knees within minutes the second time. Surely you know I’m not exaggerating.”

“I don’t forget,” Thomas said, running his free hand through Eric’s hair.

Eric wet his lips and rubbed Thomas’s wrist with his thumb. “I accept the reality of our situation, but only when my head's clear.”

“Clear from what?”

“Wicked thoughts.”

“Ooh, ‘wicked thoughts’,” Thomas whispered. “Thoughts like what?”

“Like you bending me over the arm of that chair right there.”

“Naughty tease.”

Eric laughed, then groaned again. “Get out.”

“I can’t, you’re still holding my wrist.”

“I want to hold more than your wrist.”

Thomas looked down. “I see that, Mr. Pajama Bottoms. They don’t hide much.”

Eric crossed his legs. “Stop looking.”

“But I love looking at you,” Thomas said, his eyes still on Eric’s crotch.

Eric grabbed Thomas’s face and kissed his lips, then stood and walked to the door. “Out of here before I put my lips on every other part of you. See me tomorrow when my head is clear.”

Thomas joined Eric by the door. “That’s not a very convincing argument to make me leave.”

“Tell me before you go, are you through being mad at me?”

Thomas played with the two buttons at the top of Eric’s undershirt, then ran a finger down Eric’s neck, tracing the muscles where his throat met his chest. “I’m only a little mad. Now you tell me, how can such a small bit of skin be so alluring?”

Eric sighed. “This is incredibly mean, you realize that?”

“Well, I needed to get my revenge for your visit somehow, didn’t I?”

Eric batted Thomas’s hand away. “I have a gift for you and David as an apology for this whole ordeal. It was already in the works but it seems even more appropriate now.”

Thomas grinned. “Don’t keep me in suspense.”

“Oh, I’m keeping you in suspense. What I can tell you is that I will hand David this gift during dinner tomorrow night, and you have to go along with it.”

“This sounds dangerous.”

“No, no, no. It’s glorious, as long as you play along.”

“You can’t help causing trouble, can you?”

“If you don’t leave right now, we’ll both be in trouble.”

Thomas sighed. “You may be right. I’ll see you at breakfast.”

Thomas walked quickly back to the dorms, eager to get out of his trousers and under his covers. Price’s door opened before he reached his own.

“I’m fine,” Thomas whispered. “Go to sleep.”

“Come in here,” Price whispered back. “I still owe you for... your help with my game of solitaire the other night. It’s your turn.”

Thomas crept to Price’s door. “Just a quick hand, eh?”

“Quick as you like.”

Thomas slid into Price’s room but kept his voice to a whisper. “Why are you offering me a ‘card game’?”

Price smiled seductively. “I thought maybe you could use one. Could you?”

“Desperately.”

“Then that’s all the reason I need,” Price said, studying Thomas’s face. “It seems like things went well?”

Thomas swallowed. “Yes. Yes, it went well.”

“You look distracted.”

“You’re distracting me. I want that card game.”

Price switched off the light and skipped all attempts at romance, dropping to his knees and freeing Thomas from his trousers quickly. Thomas wondered if Price would question why he was so hard already.

Price grabbed Thomas and opened his mouth, but Thomas stopped him. “Sometimes I think I don’t deserve you.”

“I’m the lucky one. Now close your eyes and enjoy.”

“I can’t watch?”

Price took Thomas into his mouth, holding his gaze.

“You charmed him,” Thomas whispered. “I think he’d switch places with me right now if I let him.”

Price licked Thomas and pumped him with his hand. “You can send him in when we’re done.”

“I’m not sure what I wanted you to say, but that wasn’t it.”

“Maybe you shouldn’t bring up another man when you’re in my mouth, then,” Price teased.

“I’m talking about you and him, not me and him.”

“Or me and you and him?” Price asked, licking Thomas slowly.

“That’s the kind of thing that sounds like a great idea in the moment, but I’d never survive my jealousy.”

“And I’d never take you up on it if you offered. Right now though, when it’s just the two of us, I’ll let you imagine it.”

Thomas closed his eyes and gripped Price’s hair, savoring the fantasy Price put in his head. He pictured himself inside Price, bent over the arm of the chair as Eric had teased, with Price’s mouth on Eric. The jealousy he felt over the idea of sharing Price made the fantasy feel more forbidden, and therefore more titillating. He was even more aroused thinking if he really wanted it, Price would never, but Eric would be willing, and he was just a floor away. Price’s sucking grew wetter and harder, and Thomas was so deep into his fantasy that he didn’t notice how tightly he was holding Price’s hair, or how fast he was thrusting into his mouth.

“Can I bend you over?” Thomas asked, barely realizing he made the request out loud.

Price let Thomas out of his mouth and started to unbutton his trousers, but Thomas was behind him in seconds, unbuttoning his trousers for him, yanking them to Price’s knees. Thomas pushed Price onto all fours and then pushed himself inside quickly. Price yelped, pressing his palms into the floor to avoid falling forward. He struggled to hold his position as Thomas grabbed him by the hips, his thrusting fast and deep.

Price looked over his shoulder, and Thomas looked down at him with the same expression he often had after sharing a juicy piece of gossip. “You’re the yummiest little thing I’ve ever seen,” Thomas panted, “and you’re all mine.”

“Who else’s would I be?” Price whispered, still trying to balance himself.

“Plenty want you.”

Price moaned, finally falling into sync with Thomas’s frenzied thrusting. “WelI, I only want you.”

“And a third imaginary friend?”

“You’re the one getting excited about that.”

“So I am, but that’s your fault.”

“What are you imagining?”

Thomas smiled. “Him shutting you up by filling that mouth of yours.”

Price smiled back at Thomas over his shoulder. “Let me lick your fingers.”

Thomas put two fingers between Price’s lips. He closed his eyes as Price sucked them into his mouth, giving them the same kind of attention he had paid to Thomas a few minutes before. Thomas reached around Price and pumped him with his hand. Price arched his back and sucked harder in response, moaning into Thomas’s fingers. Thomas took his fingers from Price’s mouth and switched hands, pumping him with wet fingers.

“I can’t last much longer,” Price admitted.

“Neither can I,” Thomas panted.

Price’s body shuddered as he came. Thomas was only moments behind him with his own climax, causing another little yelp from Price as he buried himself as deep as he could go. As the haze of his orgasm lifted, Thomas carefully slid himself out of Price and pulled up his pants as Price laid on the floor and rolled onto his side.

“Did I hurt you?” Thomas asked, sitting against the wall as he rested.

Price caught his breath before answering. “I’ll be walking funny tomorrow, but that’s probably mostly my knees.”

“Walking funny today, more like. We have to be up in a few hours.”

Price closed his eyes and let his head fall to the floor.

“Are you upset?”

“Why would I be?” Price replied..

“I think you can guess why I’m wondering.”

Price gave Thomas a sleepy grin, opening one eye briefly. “You can have whatever obscene thoughts you want, as long as you’re having them with me.”

“I don’t suppose that extends to obscene suggestions?”

“Don’t press your luck.”

Thomas chuckled. “One at a time is enough, thank you, though it is indeed a lovely thought. Thank you for letting me have it.”

“Oh, you’ve never had more than one at a time? I thought everyone’d done that.”

“You’re putting me on.”

“Am I?”

“Aren’t you?”

Price sat up and pulled up his pants. “I wouldn’t ever with someone I cared about, so don’t get any ideas.”

“You’re just getting me back for bringing it up. You’ve really never done that.”

“Why do you find it so hard to believe?”

“It’s hard enough to find one decent, willing bloke, how did you go about landing two at a time?”

Price shrugged. “I never said they were decent.”

“Quit it.”

“You’re the one who said plenty want me. Sometimes it’s more than one at once.”

Thomas stood and adjusted his clothes. “I still say you’re teasing me.”

“I guess you’ll never know, will you?”

“Was this your aim all along? Pull me in here to punish me for some reason?”

“That’s always my aim, I love punishing you,” Price said, wincing as he stood. “Now, listen, I don’t begrudge you your fantasy, and we can squabble about whether mine was a reality another time, but next time I’d like a little romance, and I’d like a go at you for a change. It’s only fair.”

“I’ve told you, I really haven’t done that in a long time.”

“Well you weren’t with me, and now you are. Now go to bed before the sun rises.”

“I’ll consider what you’re asking if you tell me the God’s honest truth.”

Price kissed Thomas and patted his shoulder. “It’s nice, like ice cream, but you wouldn’t want it for every meal.”

“How many times have you done it?” Thomas asked, his eyes wide.

“I said I’d answer that one question, not others. Goodnight, Thomas.”

“Goodnight, little pervert,” Thomas said, slipping out of Price’s room.
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Footman in Training