To say he had not expected this outburst would have been an understatement. Thomas’ temper was not new to him, exactly–he’d seen the man rant and flail and seethe before, as captivating in his anger as in all else–but James had never before felt as though that anger was directed at him. He found it an unpleasant experience, to say the least- but knowing himself to be undeserving of such an outburst, there was no trace of guilt or retreat. James’ hands tightened behind his back, jaw set as he lifted his chin a little, staring frostily back at his lover.
He would have to ask Miranda, when he saw her, what situations like this required: if there were ways to ease Thomas’ temper short of simply leaving the room to avoid it. James debated on dismissing himself there and then- a few months prior, he would not have dared, but he was no longer just a lieutenant in this house.
Thomas, however, relented. James tilted his head slightly at that, his expression carefully contained (though his eyes were still hard), and gave a curt, understanding nod. As much as he adored Thomas–so fiercely it scared him, at times–he could not deny that in his irritation, he wanted Miranda’s company far more at the moment, and he suspected she’d be glad for the company.
“Certainly, my lord,” James replied coolly. The title had most certainly not been one of the usual slip-ups: not with James looking like it cost him something to keep from saying something far more scathing, even in the wake of Thomas’ apology. He stepped back, starting to turn away–then paused, like he was considering something.
“So that you and I are clear,” he said, turning slowly back to him. “You are forgiven. But I want it known that as your partner, that is absolutely not something I’ll allow you to subject me to on a regular basis.”
It was in truth for the best that James did not relent or flinch in the wake of Thomas’ anger – there were many things he could tolerate when he reached this point, but to be feared or worse, managed at such times only served to fire him higher. In the case of the former, there was a vicious and cruel desire to give that fear a reason for being there – and in the case of the latter, the idea of silencing himself for the comfort of another in his own home when he was so fettered as it was outside of it only ensured he would become louder in sheer rebellion.
To face him, unaffected and coolly uninterested in the matter as a whole – that, at least, Thomas could respond to. It was familiar and something he knew how to be himself in front of no matter what he was feeling at any given moment. It was so much like home that it registered only as someone is in the room as opposed to a cause for offense or frustration.
What did catch his attention was the deliberate use of his title as punishment. He straightened, startled enough that he forgot his anger for a split second to be genuinely thrilled by that unexpected bit of training on James’ end. It was effective – not only did it catch his attention, it ensured that Thomas knew his lover was quite displeased with him, without devolving the scene into an argument.
If he weren’t wholly aware of what he would be taking care of the moment James left the house, he might have been completely tamed by that act alone, and the desire to swiftly ensure that things between himself and James were alright. As it was, the envelope in his hand and James’ reprimand were both insurance enough against the idea, and he inclined his head in an abashed manner.
“Of course,” He agreed, knowing full well the demand was reasonable and seeing no reason to debate it. Nor to excuse himself further, when forgiveness had already been offered. “I will send for you when I return.” In future, Thomas knew he would need to dismiss himself from wife and sweetheart both, and hope that would be enough to maintain them all when Hell came rising once again to his door.
Ocean Archive 