darker_london | Just a normal talk, yep! (Thomas and Peter) [Backdated to Dec 1st!]

Peter had been busy confirming reservations for his anniversary the next day when Thomas pranced in his front door. Peter held his finger up to his best friend who mimed locking his lips and throwing away the key. "Seven thirty? Okay, thank you very much. Yes, we'll see you then." Peter hung up the phone and then he smiled. "They had to rearrange our dinner booking, but it's all worked out. How are you, Thomas?"

Not satisfied with simply talking to Peter, Thomas crossed the room and wrapped his arms around his best friend. Peter chuckled, patting Thomas back. "Feeling affectionate?"

Thomas groaned as he pulled away. "I have to get it from somewhere. So you know how I haven't been talking about my marriage? I want to talk about it."

Immediately Peter dropped his joking demeanour and he nodded quickly. "Of course, Thomas. Do you want to sit?"

Thomas shook his head and then he started to pace. Peter followed the man with his eyes until he started to feel a little dizzy. Then he sat down, even if Thomas wasn't going to. "What's happening, Thomas?"

With a sigh, Thomas said, "Spectre and I finally talked. And it was a good talk too. A really good talk where we figured out that the basis of our relationship had changed but we hadn't. Things are getting better. I'm actually- It's good. It's going really good."

Peter blinked, glad to hear it. "Then...why are we pacing a hole in my dead mother's carpets?"

Thomas gave him a strange look, but at least he ceased his pacing and crossed his arms. "I don't- Argh."

"This is me, Thomas. You can tell me anything."

Thomas chewed on the inside of his cheek for a moment and then he said, "I just don't know what to do about...intimacy. We're finally sleeping in the same bed again and that's so incredibly nice. But neither of us seem to want to breech the topic first and- Honestly? It's probably stupid but I feel like if I suggest sex first, that makes me some kind of terrible person, considering what Spectre's been through."

"Erm. And what about what you've been through?"

Thomas waved his hand around, as if you could discount sexual assault that easily. "But I'm not worried about me."

Peter wondered if everyone was this blind when it came to their own relationships, even if they were perfectly logical and able to help others when it came to theirs. "Thomas, I meant that if you're worried about Spectre in that way, it's likely he's worried about you in the same way."

Thomas dropped his arms and then he closed his eyes and shook his head. "My god am I a lummox sometimes."

Chuckling, Peter stood up only to grab Thomas' hand and pull him back to the sofa. Thomas sat beside him, his elbows resting on his legs, his hands hanging between his knees. "I never thought he might be worried about me. But...you're right, he probably is. I feel like suggesting sex to him is like demanding it and he probably feels if he suggests it it'll be like he's demanding it. It's so frustrating! You know, I honestly feel like my balls might burst."

Not being used to such talk that wasn't from Deirdre, and admittedly she spoke about balls with irregularity, Peter blinked and then stammered, "I- I- I- Han- Hand shandy?"

The sound of Thomas' bark of a laugh caused Peter to jump slightly and then he smiled nervously as Thomas continued to guffaw, bending over in the midst of it. "Hand shandy?! Oh, Peter. Sometimes you are so posh."

"Well I'm not going to help you with that!" Peter protested, his voice slightly squeaky. And by golly he was glad his children were already with their grandparents so they weren't around to hear this.

"I don't want you to help me!" Thomas said, still chuckling. "And if you think there hasn't been plenty of hand-action, you would be wrong. I just- Lying next to him every night and then waking up and seeing his hair all...in his adorable little mouth. I miss him."

"So tell him that!" Peter said, barely able to hold himself back from yelling it. Thomas was usually so very wise How was it possible he was being this stupid? "You know Aly and myself...we've had our own issues and every single one of them revolved around communication. So now we just tell each other everything. Absolutely everything. So do it. Tell him you miss him. Tell him exactly that. Don't demand anything...as if you ever would. And Adrian won't see it that way. Chances are, he misses you too. You're a hard man not to miss, believe me."

Thomas grinned then, his nose wrinkling up as he playfully pushed Peter on the shoulder. "Really?!"

Peter just sighed and his answer came flatly, "really. And beyond this, things are going okay?"

"We're working on it. It's an adjustment and we both have to change the way we approach things, but it's going to be fine. I trust him again. Hence the balls."

"Will you stop mentioning your balls!" Peter hissed, his cheeks turning fire-engine red.

"That one was just to see your reaction," Thomas said, standing up and grinning down at Peter. "Can we go play on the trampoline? I have some energy to work out."

Peter snorted. "As long as this play involves your clothes staying on, it's a deal."