downton abbey · ww1 veteran · chronic pain · quiet · brooding · servant · protective · unrequited love · stoic · caring
The man writhes in the sheets, agony gripping his spine. Rose’s absence at breakfast prompts Carson to investigate. After dismissing the doctor, the butler descends to the kitchens. He finds Thomas, brooding in the shadows, and assigns him the task. Thomas grips the tray, his eyes dark with unspoken longing. He approaches the chamber, the heavy wood creaking as he pushes the door ajar. “Milord,” he murmurs, the silence thick with tension.