Theo stepped in closer and dragged Fletcher into a hungry, passionate kiss. "Then show me what I've been missing all this time," he whispered against his lips. "I've wanted this all day."

He drank him in but politely kept his distance. Theo knew Fletcher had said his strength was tenuous and here again it was brought to light. The man was trying to respect Theo's wishes. The question though was what was enough for Fletcher?

Theo smiled softly to see him signing and quickly signed back. "What is considered safe? What is the point you can stop at? I..." he blushed but kept going, "am interested in what we discussed last night. In touching and...being touched. But, I am not ready for full intercourse still. If that is too much for you, I understand. I can wish you good night here. Either way I am glad to know your wants and respect your wishes."

Theo tried to read in his room but his thoughts were constantly filled with Fletcher. He could not wait for evening to come when he could crawl back into the man's arms again and maybe finally sleep there until dawn. They still needed to rest of course that the candles would wake Fletcher up given that Theo had no chance whatsoever of being any help in that department. 

It was a great relief when dinner was finally over and he no longer had to posture and remain neutral in front of his parents. This season certainly always brought out the worst in his mother and he just wasn't up for dealing with her. The slow, torturous walk back to his room was years rather than minutes it felt like until at last he was peacefully and safely alone again. He cleaned up and changed, making sure he was squeaky clean before quietly calling out to the next room.

"May I please come over or would you rather have some peace tonight? It's okay if you'd rather be alone."

"Because the sea is pretty and not all of us are brave enough to ride her waves or swim her shores. We can only stare at her from open windows," Theo waxed poetically back. He stamped his feet at the entrance to the kitchen and wisely dodged Aneisha's attempt to pounce on him.

Fletcher's cough still seemed to linger and it was beginning to worry him. It was possible the cold air was just a shock to his system but Theo wondered if the man was hiding he had a cold for one reason or another. He made a mental note to add cough-easing tonic to his list of upcoming purchase requests. In his mind at least one of them could be comfortable.

He hardly noticed when Fletcher passed by and went into his own room. And when he did realize he thought little of it given the man's earlier struggle with keeping composure. Theo instead got himself changed and ready for dinner as was expected of him and took to sitting by the dwindling fire while he waited to be summoned.

Theo scowled at the mention of going in but dragged himself to his feet all the same. "I wish winters weren't so long. I miss riding in the field in spring."

"You'd have an easier time riding if you weren't fattening all the horses up with sugar cubes, Mr. Theodore," Dewey piped up without missing a beat.

The nobleman looked quite embarrassed as he relinquished what was left of the sugar into the other man's waiting hand. "For what it's worth Dewey, she also has choice taken from her when she is kept from knowing it existed in the first place. Just food for thought.

"Let's go Mr. Daw. You look about ready to turn into an icicle." 

"She is listened to. That is the difference." Dewey broke Fletcher's gaze now that the worst was over and moved to collect the feed bucket. 

"It sounds to me Aneisha is lucky to have you then, Mr. Jack. Was there anything you were needing in here, sirs?"

For all of his gentle, quiet nature Dewey surprisingly held his ground against Fletcher's more feral display. There was a reason this quiet young man was master of the stables despite his age and seeming lack of experience: he knew how to handle every matter of beast with utmost respect and caution. Fletcher was no different. He was not about to back down to the other man's threat display. 

"She is not my queen so your words are an ill-placed posturing. While it would be my honor to worship on bender knee for I am no king and could never cage her spirit, Aneisha clearly has no interest in me. If there is a lucky man, I assure you it is not me. I have not seen her today and am not the cause of her smiles. See though that you are not in turn the cause of her tears Mr. Jack."

Theo opened his eyes a moment later and was equally surprised to see Fletcher telling Dewey off. He ducked his head in amusement, knowing very well why poor Dewey was interested in Aneisha's love life while also feeling bad for being the one to bring it to his attention.

"...nothing," Dewey replied. "If she is happy and safe then it is none of my business. Her choices are her own and should be hers alone." He looked to Fletcher pointedly as if daring the older man to interfere. 

"There's a difference between a man I know and a man I don't. Besides," he said thickly, looking completely downtrodden, "that was said before I came to the stark reality of not knowing people like I thought I do."

He rested his head back against one of the stalls and closed his eyes. "Tease Aneisha about her new boyfriend or not, at the end of the day it's not any of my business I suppose. Best I don't make more of a mess of things."

"Aneisha has a boyfriend?" Dewey stood behind Fletcher looking pale and like he had been punched in the stomach. 

Theo shook his head. "I only know better because I've tried before. Elijah was the caretaker, not me. I don't know much of anything in that regard so don't beat yourself up too much. At least you can escape some of them and send the others. Maybe get yourself up to mischief finding out who Aneisha's new mystery man is."

He kept his mouth shut and had to dip his head to hide the surprised brow raise he gave the other man to see him almost fawning over Aya. All the months Theo had known Fletcher not once had he spoken in anything less than exasperation towards the dog he felt obligated but not attached to caring for.

"Too sick and they'll stay home and send for the healer. Not sick enough and I'm dragged along with a hovering mother. Besides somehow I don't think 'why yes I just destroyed my insides, let's have fun now,' sounds as inviting in reality. This of course paired with that kind of repeated illness can't be good for my actual health. It was worth a thought though I suppose," he added hurriedly realizing how it must have sounded shutting down the person actually trying to help him. 

Theo shrugged. His own experiences were so different that he couldn't really comment on how true or not Fletcher's words were. However, when he realized he had let Fletcher in on his own secret tradition, he blushed and looked away embarrassed.

"Well I mean they do their own celebrating of course and they all try to have gifts for each other. My parents give the majority of them Yule Eve off and Yule morning. Kenna and Olivier will likely still work extra but the rest of you can at least enjoy it. I always purchase a barrel of drink for their festive and some small useless gift for each of them. It's stupid and not much I know," he muttered with an embarrassed shrug. "They don't know any of it comes from me except Kenna who helps me with it. Sorry to spoil the magic for you I guess."

He kicked over an empty bucket and sat down on it in thought while Gin and Tonic swarmed at his feet for head pets. "It's a relentless mess of rapidly increasing parties until as it gets closer it's one or even two a night. The closer to Yule yours is, the higher standing in the community you have. If the forces that be are with me I can take ill with plague and avoid the majority of them from the comfort of my bed. Everyone just constantly drunk and loud and merry. It just all feels so...fake."

"You think?" He asked getting to his feet and moving further away from the bodyguard in order to spoil the horses. "I mean I know she's growing up but..." he shook his head and rubbed Maple's nose. "I was really hoping it's the time of year.

"Mm! That reminds me I need to send some letters tonight to place some orders for the staff or it's going to be a very sad for you all. I don't know what's worse: Mother or the endless holiday parties to attend."

"No one suspects the deaf fop," he replied with an impish wink. Fletcher's complaints were met with a deepening smirk and Theo signing 'later~' at him.

He scuttled into the barn quickly and was greeted by a much calmer Aya than months previous. "Hello beautiful," he cooed at her, rubbing his nose and face into her fur as he scratched her neck and cheeks.

"So what do you think is up with Aneisha?"

Aneisha gasped at hearing she was getting a present and moved in quickly to give Fletcher a hug. A cookie was dropped into his pocket as she did so with a wink as he filched the coffee cup. 

Theodore meanwhile was looking every bit like the cat that ate the canary as he was chased out after Fletcher. Only once they were further along did he reach into his pocket to reveal the sugar. "All according to plan.~ Too worried about the carrots to worry about the real prize," he beamed with pride. 

"He who?" Aneisha asked with a deeply questioning face. "And why is he trying anything? And why do you look so grumpy? Aren't you excited Yule's almost here?"

Oblivious to the conversation at hand, Theo managed to pluck up a couple of carrots that he stuffed into his clothes and a handful of sugar cubes. He was just going for a strip of dried meat when Kenna's all knowing spoon smacked him lightly on the knuckles.

"None of that. I won't have you spoiling that dog with the choice kitchen scraps. And the carrots come on. Hand them over."

Theo pouted but handed over both carrots but the moment her back was turned he grinned knowing he has managed to keep what he was truly after. 

"Hmm?" The young woman sounded as she brushed past him gracefully to grab a spoon. Aneisha continued to hum and spin through the kitchen, flitting from one spot to the next in a kind of giddy absent-mindedness that gave Theo pause.

Was this what he looked like since accepting not only his love for Fletcher but also being confessed to by the same man? Was he so obvious that anyone with eyes could see he was in love? And as Fletcher had asked...who WAS the boy that had the scullery maid who was a hair width away from bursting into song at any moment.

He felt exhausted already from the possibilities but was far from above using the current uncertainty and curiosity as an excuse to look for treats.

Kenna eyed Fletcher with deep suspicion and pointed her knife warningly at him. "I'll be havin' none of ye mischief today, Young Jack. I got baking' ta do and her Ladyship changed the Yule party menu again af'r I jus' placed me order wit' da butcher. I now have to figure out how to turn a suckling pig inta a goose—eh! None of those sad eyes Mister Theodore. I'll make it work. I always do."

Theo grimaced all the same giving Fletcher a displeased look over his mother's inconsiderate nature when Aneisha popped in from outside looking decidedly rosy-cheeked and bright eyed.

"Good afternoon, Teddy, Jack, Miss Kenna~" she chirped with an obvious bounce in her step. She flitted about the room, humming softly as she went about her chores and grinning such a cheerful grin that even Theodore watched her in surprise. 

His eyes lit up at the mention of Aya but Theo wisely kept from commenting too much and risking upsetting Fletcher over his late husband's dog. "Come along then. I'll nick some sugar cubes for the horses too. I'm sure they're going just as stir crazy as we are without all the trips to town. If you're sky maybe you can abscond with one of Kenna's mugs and some coffee too keep warm outside too?"

"We already know how good you are at getting me flat on my back, yes. I still have much in the way of balance and footwork to go. I can only imagine my horror and your amusement should I ever end up on a ship at sea. You can just peel me off the floor when we make port."

He got to his feet and made to brush imaginary dust and wrinkles out of his clothes. "Would you like to walk alone or is the company welcome? I don't wish to...irritate, you further."