Since You've Been Gone. (boyxboy)

Chapter 9: Risky proposal

"Tom, you're not going to do anything silly are you?"

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"No."

"But Tom..."

"I said no! I hate that place." Thomas gets up from the sofa and is ready to walk out. He had listened to her ridiculous idea. To turn around the long since abandoned house of his grandfather's, their family home and bring it back from its derelict past.

"Tom, you cannot stay with us all your life. This is a chance you can't overlook. I have a free house. You could start your photography again." Her voice sounds almost pleading. She wants to get up and shake him to see the opportunity laid out before him.

"That house Mol, it holds too many bad memories and I couldn't fix it all by myself." Thomas points out.

"Then make some new ones there. Knock walls down, tear out kitchens, redecorate." Molly replies." And as for help, can't you call on your circle of friends?"

"What circle of friends Mol? They don't live in the village anymore and Rob may be a college professor, but his common sense is non-existent. He doesn't even know how to hold a paintbrush." Thomas points out. The sentence alone only seemed to highlight how alone he actually was. How bad a friend he had been over the years. His desires to forget and run, leaving everything behind he now realised had greater consequences that he had realised.

The moment leaves the room silent until it is broken by three words. "What about Jasper?" Thomas and Molly both look at Jim with surprise.

Molly glances at Thomas' face. It looked like he had the fear of God about him at the sheer mention of Jasper's name. She could tell he had been given no time to filter his true feelings and saw that her brother may just have not totally ridden his own feelings for the man. She looks back at Jim, shaking her head a little. "Jimmy, Jasper is a little too busy with the wedding right now. He doesn't have time to fix up a house."

"And what input has he given huh? He hasn't had a chance with Rosie, Beth and you. Plus her own mother. He might be glad of it." Jim points out. "I mean, what's the problem? You're still friends with him right? I imagine it will be a welcome distraction. You must both have a lot to catch up on."

"Yes, I get that Jimmy, but..."

"Jim's right. We are still friends." Thomas mumbles in thought. His mind once again overthinking about how they had left things. Jasper had made his choice and Thomas needed to get over it. Perhaps time together could heal the rift. Thomas could salvage something from this. He could try to do things right this time. Be there for Jasper as a good friend... if he agreed to it.

"Tom, you're not going to do anything silly are you?" Molly looks at him with suspicion.

"What do you take me for Mol?" Thomas says rather offended. "We have both moved on. People move on y'know."

"But have you really?" She asks again. Still not entirely convinced.

"Molly relax. We have drawn a line under it. He has literally told me twice that whatever we had is over."

"Ok ok." Molly raises her hand up in defence.

"See, nothing to worry about." Jim deduces, always choosing face value over hidden truths. "Molly can send you his number. You can text him yourself." Jim looks at Molly, who reluctantly takes her phone from her back pocket and soon the notification reaches Thomas' phone.

"Thanks." Thomas leaves the room without a word, leaving Molly and Jim alone. "I'd say that went well." Jim grins but when he looks at Molly, she is scowling at him.

"You are so clueless. Do you realise what you have just done?"

"What? What have I done?" Jim says, his voice a little raised. "We've given him focus. You said he needs to focus on something." Jim points out.

"Yes but..." she lowers her voice a little, glancing at the door Thomas had just stepped out of. "I fear he may be focusing on the wrong thing."

"What do you mean?" Jim quietens his voice to match her tone, adopting the same glances at the door.

Molly sighs. "I fear he still has feelings for Jasper."

"But you heard him just now. They talked, whatever they had is over." Jim's quiet voice is gone in an instant, only to be replaced with his usual hearty boom. "Jasper is with Beth, they're getting married."

"I know!" Molly pushes him back in the centre of his forehead with a finger. "You finally get what you did? He's going to get hurt if he isn't careful."

"Shit!" Jim utters under a breath.

"Mmmhmmm" Molly says with a raised eyebrow. "I love my brother, but I don't trust him when it comes to his desires."

"If he dares try anything, Jasper will kill him....or... " Jim rubs his temple at the feel of a head ache coming on. "They're not kids anymore. We will just have to hope they finally act their age."