He sighed and sat up, reaching for Fletcher but stopping at the last minute. "May I touch?

"I don't think we're fighting. Or I definitely don't want to be. I just...I don't know what I keep doing wrong. I'm not trying to be problematic. And yes obviously we will have this conversation tomorrow or later. But I want simple too. I hope you know that."

"Yeah. M' sorry, I had a bit more when I got back," he winced. "I just...I want yesterday. I want this feeling to go away and I want what we had yesterday. I don't want to fight anymore. I'm so tired of fighting, love. I want simple. Can it just be simple?"

He collapsed into bed with him but leaned up on his elbow so to be on more equal lounging. "It's not like that at all to me, Jack. I don't consider it a chore or a way to keep you here or even as a means to apologize or manipulate you. I offered because I do want it. But I understand we're not in the best of moods currently either of us. Now's not the right time."

Theo slid one hand across the bed closer to Fletcher without touching. He craved the contact but felt like he was doing everything wrong. Everything was setting his anxiety on edge and none of it would be any semblance of better until they had a chance to talk. 

"I know you've been drinking—which is fine—but are you feeling able to talk about things right now? Or should we wait until you're less tipsy? Either is perfectly alright and I know this is not optimal timing especially when you wanted to talk earlier and I wasn't comfortable doing so at the time."

"Yeah, 'n I'm the bastard man who makes you cry, so..." Fletch followed without question, not the most graceful man he'd ever been by far as he stumbled forward and rolled onto the bed, pulling Theo down with him. He didn't wrap the man up in a tight embrace as he usually did, but remained far enough away from him to gaze at him. It was a mournful gaze. A troubled one. Theo's offer had seemed to do the opposite of what he'd intended it to.

"Love...I'm not in the business of comparing who I've been with. So don't take this that way, alright? But..."

Fletcher trailed off. He turned and shoved his face into the pillow and let out a heavy sigh and a few choice words before turning back so he could be read. "My husband went through it before I met him. Alright? The man before me was a son of a bitch. And Ven treated this sort of thing...a bit like you're doing now. Like a chore. An obligation. And that's never how it should be. That is never what I wanted from him, and it's never what I want from you. So whoever taught you that that's what you've got to do to keep a man...well. I've words for him, first of all. But second: he was wrong.

"What I want from you," he continued, a little softer and a little closer now, "Is for you to want it. And to want it for you. Not for me. You could offer me everything on a platter, love, and I'll not take it from you if it's coming from where this is."

Theo took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Come sit down and I'll hold you and we can talk some. How does that sound?"

He pressed his forehead against Fletcher's for a moment before offering a hand out to him to take as he took a step back towards the bed. "Thank you for being considerate of me. I just want...to take care of and nurture you back. You always seem to be the one stuck drying my tears. Sorry."

"'S not. 'S not too much. Really. Whatever it takes. Last thing I want to do is hurt you, love." He let his collar go, but it was clear now that he was in a barely-contained panic. "Sometimes I see it: you don't believe me. Or you say you do and I know you don't. So whatever it takes."

Fletch looked even more alarmed at the offer, but stumbled over what the right words were to say. "Not like this. Not when there's this thing hanging over us and you're hurting. I'll hold you and I'll love on you, but I'm not taking advantage. It's like you said with Neal: last thing you wanted was for me to do that, right? Well you don't need to do this to keep me around. Even tipsy I can tell you're not in it for the right reasons."

His hand fell limply to his side at what he first thought was rejection but then Fletcher was tearing his shirt aside and the man was left deeply confused. He furrowed his brow and shook his head quickly, his own hands coming up to rest on his lover's chest. 

"Jack, no. It's okay. I don't need you to prove your word. It's a bit much to need to smell a woman on you or rifle through your things don't you think? You said you haven't and I believe you. And again...it's alright if you do. I get it. But that being said...would you like some attention, my heart? Get your nobleman on his knees for you?"

Fletcher frowned. He drew back and pulled his hand from Theo's and then grasped him by the shoulders. "Theo. Theo, Theo, Theo. No. Hey. Look at me. Look at me, gorgeous. I wasn't with anyone." His expression sank even further as he pulled his shirt aside, exposing his neck and shoulder. "All I've done is splash my face. So you come here and tell me you smell a woman on me, love. Because there hasn't been one. I just went for a drink and Yule stuff. That's all. Go look in the second drawer if you don't believe me."

He attempted to slip his hand into Fletcher's and interlock their fingers. "I told you, I missed you." Theo swallowed thickly, his smile wobbling some with anxiety. "I can go if you want. I just noticed you come home and wanted to greet you. If you're tired or not in the mood, that's okay. Just glad you're safely back."

Fletcher did a clumsy and hasty job of drying off. He turned around in Theo's arms — a difficult maneuver even when sober — and leaned back on the wash stand as he considered the man. With so much booze in his system, though, he couldn't stay guarded for long, and the loving smile he reserved for Theo crept back across his features. The nobleman grew closer. Or maybe Fletch did. He wasn't sure. He only knew that the presence of him awoke that same fire all over again and shoved all hurt and frustration aside. "Fancy meeting you here," he said, and returned the embrace with a kiss that betrayed just how much he'd been wanting the man. He ignored the question. They'd get to that later. "So, Pretty Boy," he breathed. "What're you here for tonight?"