Work Text:
It was an average night in Monticello, much like any other night when James stayed over. Thomas and James had had supper, they had bathed and gotten cleaned up, and then the doors to Thomas’s bedroom and study had been closed and locked tight with the lovers inside.
Now the men were snuggled together in Thomas’s alcove bed, a candle lit on the shelf above the foot of the bed. The curtains on either side of the bed were drawn lower than usual as the two men did their nightly reading together.
Thomas looked up from his book, and his gaze landed on James. His eyes traced the lines of the other man’s face. James looked beautiful like this, his expression focused and relaxed all at the same time, the candlelight casting gentle shadows across his face.
James sensed Thomas’s gaze on him, his eyes flickering up from the pages of his own book to his lover beside him. “What?” he questioned.
Thomas grinned gently. “Nothing, nothing…. You’re just beautiful in the candlelight, Jemmy…. as you always are…” he said sincerely.
A small smile formed on James’s own face. “So are you, Tommy…” he replied softly. He removed his reading glasses and pressed his forehead against Thomas’s, letting one hand rest against Thomas’s cheek. He sighed with obvious contentment. “I love you….”
Thomas’s expression softened further, and he let out a soft, satisfied sigh of his own as his eyes drifted shut. “I love you too…” He gently gripped James’s waist and pulled him closer, tilting his head a little and kissing James in a soft-yet-passionate sort of way. James melted into it immediately and pressed himself against Thomas’s side even more firmly.
When the kiss eventually ended, they both felt incredibly content.
James yawned softly, resting his head on Thomas’s shoulder. “Do you think we could go to sleep now?” he asked. Thomas nodded, rubbing one of his eyes and grinning sleepily. “Yeah… I think I’m ready to go to bed.”
He moved away from James for a moment to blow out the candle, but he settled back into bed and hugged James again just as quickly.
“Goodnight, Jemmy….”
“Goodnight, Tommy…”
And then they fell asleep, the faint smell of candle smoke drifting through the air. The wick cooled again, and just like that, Thomas and James were out like a candle, though the warmth they felt was far from gone.