All is said (Kat, Thomas and then Peter)

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Kat and Peter had an agreement. She acted as a personal trainer for him because she was still learning, but it gave her experience. And in return, she didn't tell a soul (well, Tasha knew) that she was helping him work out because he didn't want it getting around that he was turning into quite the Mr Hardbody. Peter had always been pretty in shape, if you took away the times when he was broken or ill. He was too thin, but he wouldn't have found jogging difficult. He just didn't like it. Now he had learned to do all sorts of incredible things, thanks to Kat's well-paced tutorials. Peter just didn't want anyone to think of him as a fighter. He wanted to have the skills if he needed them, but he didn't want them to define him.

As part of their sessions, Kat gave Peter massages because it kept the muscles healthy. When she went over to his house for their session on Sunday, however, Peter was busy. Thomas was not. He let her in and Kat leaned her pink, portable massage table against the wall. "Hey there. Big P's out?"

"He got called out to help Deirdre. She thinks she found a vampire, though whether it's the vampire we want or not, only time will tell. How are you, Kat?"

"Damn pleased to see you!" Kat grinned and she wrapped her arms around Thomas, burying her face against his chest. "How are you?"

"Okay. Sweaty, sorry. Stephie and I were chasing each other around the park..."

Kat laughed and she pulled away. "I think I can handle a sweaty Thomas. Hey, do you want a massage?! I have the table!"

"Uh..." Thomas glanced at the table and he nearly refused, but then he heard his husband and Aly laugh from the other room. Spectre was here. Nothing untoward was going to happen. "Actually, that sounds like a brilliant idea. My back is sore, but since it's not technically an injury, it doesn't heal." At the worried look on Kat's face, he continued. "It's not the Pull, Kat. Not yet."

"Right, okay. Good. Upstairs then, Mister. I have magic fingers."

"Oh...I know." Thomas shook his head and he mounted the stairs to his bedroom. He sat on his bed while Kat set up and then she winked and disappeared so he could undress and stretch out on the table. He was just a little too long for it, and his feet stuck out over the edge, but he was comfy and he had a towel over himself when Kat re-entered.

"I'm doing this aromatherapy thing? It supposed to help relax you and maybe it'll help with your nightmares? I dunno...might as well try, right?"

"I'm rather up for trying anything." Thomas mumbled through the hole in the table. As Kat moved near his head, he could see her feet. She had removed her boots, and she was barefoot. He smiled because her toenails were painted, and every other one matched her hair, while the remaining nails were a rather nice shade of purple.

"I bet you are." Kat smoothed the towel out over him and she ran her hands across his back. "Jesus Christ, Thomas. You've got a lot of tension in there. You never used to have so much tension in your back..."

Thomas sighed and he closed his eyes, even though the sight of Kat's toes made him smile. "That was before I was held captive and then killed myself to save my best friends."

Kat chewed on her lip. "Right." Oh how she understood. Not that her suicide attempts had had anything to do with saving anyone besides herself. Thank goodness she had been saved both times. "Well I'll try to ease it up. Er...is it okay if I massage your arse. It's tight as well..."

Thomas chuckled at that. "That's probably more to do with Spectre escapades than trauma. But sure. Just...don't expect me to turn over right away, then...unless you're prepared to see something indecent..." Kat was an arse-biter and she had done so several times when they had been together. It was bound to bring up memories, as well as other things...

Kat laughed loudly and she patted Thomas shoulder. "Deal. I'll massage your arse and then tell you disgusting stories so by the time you turn over we have no tenting issues."

"Ah, we understand each other."

"I've always thought so."

Thomas kept his eyes closed as Kat smoothed the oil across his skin and then started to rub his back. She started gently, and gradually got more firm. It felt fantastic, and slowly, he felt the tension drain out of him. Kat was playing music and the heady smell of incense calmed him, and then Kat hit an area on the side of his lower back that was carrying a lot of tension, and Thomas jerked slightly to the side, and immediately he started to sob.

Kat backed up in horror as Thomas lifted his face from the hole in the table and he buried it in his hands. "Thomas...?"

"I don't know!" Thomas cried, "I'm sorry!"

"No...no, it's okay." Kat approached him again and she laid her hand on his back. "Sometimes this happens. You carry tension in your body, and sometimes when that's released, it comes out like this..."

"She burned me there..." Thomas lowered his head and he continued to cry and Kat leaned down to kiss his hair.

"Oh, Thomas. I'll go get Spectre for you, okay?" That was a big thing for Kat to say. There was a part of her that wanted to stay there and comfort him herself. She knew she could. And maybe if she comforted him, the closeness they used to share would come back. But an admittedly smaller part of her knew nothing good would come of that. They were close friends. That was all they could ever be to each other now. And comforting Thomas was not her job when there were better people to do it available. The smaller part of her won, and she stepped into the hallway, intent on finding Spectre. And she nearly ran right in to Peter.

"Peter! Shit!"

"Uh...hi to you too." Peter glanced at his cousin and then at the door she had just come out of. Thomas' room. "Heh...what's going on?"

Kat took a deep breath. Well, Peter was as good as Spectre, right? They weren't married, but they might as well be. "I was giving Thomas a massage. No funny stuff, don't give me that look! Anyway, he started crying...he's talking about Amaris. I was going to get Spectre, but you're here..."

Peter gave the door another furtive glance and he nodded. "I'll take care of him, Kat."

"I know you will." Kat smiled at her cousin and she kissed his cheek. "I'll be downstairs." Kat slipped away, stopping in the bathroom to wash the oil from her hands. It never came off right away, and she had to stand there for a moment, lathering soap on them. She held her hands under the water and she sighed. If it hadn't been clear to her before, it was certainly clear now.

Things had been over between herself and Thomas for a while. But now she knew they were going to stay that way. She would never be as close to him as Peter. She would never have him again like Mary and Spectre did. He was just a friend. A good friend. But her heart hardened a little to think that that was all she could say now about the man who had taught her how to love.