HOLIDAY WITH THE HOLLANDS

Never Not Ever

Tom couldn't understand why he was freaking out, he'd been in a fight before, so why was this a big deal? Maybe it was because it concerned you? He wasn't sure. He kept his foot down on the gas pedal, your suitcase rolling around on the back seat as he turned each corner until he reached the road back to his house. It was there he slammed on the breaks, hands resting against the leather of the steering wheel as he tried to catch his breath.

His senses felt like they running a mile a second putting his heart on overdrive as he looked up to check the rearview mirror, making sure he hadn't been followed. The blood of his enemy coated his knuckles, bottom lip quivering as he tried to wipe it away. Taking a deep breath, he managed to collect himself and step outside the car into the night air. The atmosphere has shifted as if the world now knew Tom's conscious was no longer clear. What happened tonight wouldn't be forgotten in the worst of ways.

Opening the back door, Tom gripped your suitcase, yanking it from the leather of the backseat out onto the sidewalk before slamming the door and locking the car as he took his first few steps back towards the safety of his own home. He knew you would be lingering inside, asleep or awake he hoped you wouldn't see the fear in his eyes. He couldn't care less about what happened to Carl, it was what happened to you that concerned him.

Stepping inside the house he noticed the silence mixing with the lack of lighting. Stumbling through the doorway, he dropped your suitcase against the wall before turning and locking the door in a hurry. He made sure to shut every curtain, lock every window and make sure the house was completely safe before he could breathe again. Leaning against the kitchen counter, Tom took a deep breath, running a hand down his chilled face.

"What happened?"

"Fuck! Y/N-" Tom gasped, holding a hand over his racing heart, "you scared me"

"... Sorry," you swallowed, coming out from the shadow of the hallway and into the kitchen over to where he was standing. The moonlight flooded through the window beside his head, cascading down over one side of his face, "what happened to your face?" you quizzed, pressing a hand to the side of his cheek.

"N-Nothing," Tom stuttered, gently wrapping his fingers around your wrist and lowering it away from his cheek, "how long have you been awake?"

"Not long," you sighed, rubbing your bare arms, "I saw your note on the fridge, though" you gestured back towards the note, levitated onto the fridge being held by a Spider-Man magnet. Tom nodded softly, gaze floating over to where you were looking too.

Silence fell over you both for a second until you turned your gaze back around to look at him. He'd shifted a little, changing his weight floating his weight more into the beaming moonlight. "What happened to your face, Tom?" you asked again, taking an inch of a step towards him.

"Nothing, I promise"

"Is that blood?"

"No!" Tom snapped, eyes glaring down at you, only until he realised his demeaning tone and the way you flinched backwards. "Shit- I'm sorry"

"It's okay," you shook your head, "you went to my place, didn't you?"

"Y/N, let me explain-"

"You don't have to" you shook your head, dropping your head slightly. You weren't sure how you felt about Tom going back to your apartment. You were organised at heart and you knew he probably hadn't gotten everything that you needed. But you were more worried about how he may have encountered when he entered your home. "Was Carl there?"

"... Yeah," he admitted shamefully, "I-... I-"

"What did you do?" You asked, this time your tome stern and focused, looking back up to see his face which had softened to a more guilty gaze. "Did he hurt you?"