Warning:I near cried writing this chapter:)
////////////////////////
The air was cooling quickly as the sun descended below the horizon. There was a cheerful ambience, and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves at the stalls and rides. Despite still not having spoken to Thomas, Jimmy found that he was also enjoying himself a little, or at least more than he expected. Alfred had successfully managed to complain about the queue's but it didn't bother him in the end, he actually found it oddly comforting and familiar. He knew that under all this warm niceness he was feeling, he was really just delaying what would have to happen at one point or another that evening. Thomas was also enjoying himself. Although he wasn't really talking to anyone, just watching the happiness that seemed to be coursing through everyone at that moment was enough to make him feel content. He desperately tried to stop himself from sending side glances at Jimmy, but he couldn't help it. They'd been there for no more than 5 minutes, and Thomas could no longer count on two hands the amount of times he's attempted yet failed to strike up a conversation with the blonde.

Thomas settled for getting himself some snack from one of the stalls, whilst Jimmy approached the Ferris wheel, stomach lurching at the sight. Alfred rubbed his hands together with a glint in his eye.

"Please tell me you're coming on here," he said with excitement.

Obviously Jimmy would never let on to the fact that he was scared of heights, so instead he just muttered to himself something about not feeling like it. Alfred shook his shoulders as an annoying method of persuasion, but Jimmy wasn't going to give in.

"Nope, I'll stay down here thank you very much."

The sound of certainty in his voice was unwavering, and Alfred knew that he wouldn't change his mind, not now. So with a wilted shrug, Alfred turned and got into the line with some of the hall boys and the girls, whilst Jimmy settled himself on to the bench nearby and people watched for a while. He heard an excitable shout from Alfred taking his seat on the ride, and Jimmy just laughed to himself. He got up and stood a fair few meters or so away from the base of the wheel, to watch his friends enjoy the occasion. And maybe to see if he could capture in his mind the moment Alfred could let out a girlish scream. He smirked.

The wheel started to turn, and he took a step back and watched them start to move round and round. It was quite impressive, and although Alfred's expression certainly was something he wouldn't forget, after watching them go round a few times, Jimmy got bored and cast his eyes elsewhere. He look over the food stalls, where he could see a few of them starting to pack up. At the bin, chucking away some rubbish was a certain tall, dark haired man who he so desperately wanted to talk to, but instead was faced with his back, as he walked away.

It took a moment for Jimmy to realise that Thomas was in fact walking away, as in, leaving the fair, and he suddenly felt the need to prevent him from leaving, and before he could stop himself, Jimmy's legs had jogged him over in Thomas' direction. They were a little way away from the fair, down the end of the road where it was set up. Jimmy couldn't yet bring himself to say anything, but he couldn't let Thomas leave without them talking.

"Hey wait," Jimmy let out, causing Thomas to turn around in a slight startle. "Where are you going?"

"Um, home?" he replied, sounding very unsure of himself.

"But, you can't go yet, we haven't... We haven't talked yet."

They both stood awkwardly, not being able to stare at anything but the floor. Jimmy sighed, lifting his chin, feeling so unbelievably tired of this, and let out what he'd been wanting to say for a while.

"Thomas," he started, taking a step closer. "can we please end this? This stupid, not-talking phase where both of us become miserable as sin and can't even look each other in the eye anymore? I hate it, I really do." He paused, searching Thomas' blank face for some sort of reaction. "And, I want to apologize. You were right, this stupid argument was my fault, I should have told you about my now non-existent feeling for Ivy, and I'm sorry I made you feel foolish. I'm the fool." He could now see some slight cracks in Thomas' vacant look, some sort of sadness, and maybe some guilt.

"But you have to understand," he said, voice becoming clearer, "I only didn't tell you because I wanted to try and find a way of getting you to open up more. You're my best friend Thomas, and... I want to know more about you, and I can see now that my method of trying to do that was pretty stupid, but really what else did you expect from me? I was getting desperate, and I just don't understand why you always feel the need to shut people out. I know for a fact that aside from Anna, I'm the only person you've decided to let down your barriers down to, but they're not gone yet. And I don't understand that."

After a while of silence, in which Thomas seemed to begin to breathe again and allow some pained expression to settle on his face, he let out a near whisper.

"But why?" he asks, in such a small voice that Jimmy struggles to hear.

"Because," he takes a deep breath, "because I care about you, Thomas."

Finally, Thomas breaks a long exhale of air, and a tiny relieved smile spread on his lips. He didn't know how to feel really. He couldn't let down all his barriers, not yet, but for now those four words, I care about you, were all Thomas needed. He took a step closer to Jimmy, whose eyes were wide and desperate. He couldn't help but notice the flush on his cheeks, the fall of his hair that made him look so perfect, and he struggled to restrain his blush also. He wanted to kiss him. To hug him, hold him close and never let go. But he couldn't do that, and he knew Jimmy probably didn't want that, so he settled for extending his hand towards the blonde. Jimmy looked down in confusion.

"Yes, we can end this," said Thomas calmly, "thank God we can end this, I don't know how much longer I would've been able to cope with it. I'm sorry too. This wasn't all your fault, I was just being too stubborn to say anything. But I'm glad you did." Another pause, whilst they exchanged a meaningful look, and then Thomas shifted his hand closer to Jimmy. "Friends again?"

"Always friends," Jimmy replied, taking Thomas' hand in a firm shake, that lingered a little too long. Jimmy tried to memorise the feeling. Thomas' soft skin on his, the way it felt as little electric shocks went up through his arm. His blush deepened in colour, until eventually Thomas drew his hand back.

"I think I'll head back anyway," Thomas continued, as if nothing had ever happened between them. "But you should stay, have some fun. Relax." He smiled, the first genuine smile Jimmy had seen on him in what felt like forever. He returned it, equally as pleased, and nodded. Thomas turned and continued walking away, and Jimmy just stood for a while and stared at him. The warm feeling in his chest returned, as strong as ever, as he watched him turn round the corner.

Jimmy suddenly felt as if he'd been smacked in the face.

Do I... have feelings for him? A small voice whispered in his head.

No. Don't be silly, he's just your friend.

When was the last time I've felt this way about a friend?

You're just confused, you're happy for making up with him, but that's it. Don't let yourself fall down that route. You certainly don't have feelings for him.

But I can't deny it anymore, I can't deny how I feel. I think... do I love..?

Don't even think about finishing that thought. You know what kind of mess you could end up in if you admit that to anyone, even yourself.

Jimmy swallowed hard. Would it really be that much of a big deal if he liked Thomas, like that? He could just keep it to himself, no one has to know.