it's always been you (tomdaya oneshots)

13|the gift of acceptance

"I'm gonna watch that video of you singing with Marley on repeat for the next month," Tom told Zendaya.

"Knowing you, it'll be the next couple months," Zendaya said with a laugh.

The couple was on their way home from Zendaya's dad's house. Zendaya's entire family had gathered there for her niece, Isys' birthday.

Her family genuinely loved Tom, so he spent most of the day talking to her siblings, parents, and cousins and running around with her nieces. He couldn't catch a break. But Tom wouldn't change it for the world. He lived for big gatherings and time spent with loved ones, and he loved Zendaya's family just as much as they loved him.

"Marley couldn't get enough of you today," Zendaya remarked. "She had you wrapped around her finger all day."
"It's nothing new," Tom said. "And besides, I don't mind."

Tom put a hand on Zendaya's thigh as she drove.
"I love Marley...and I love your family," he said.

She grabbed his hand and held it in hers. She turned to face him.
"I'm glad," she said, smiling. Her eyes shifted back to the road.

They drove in silence for a few minutes before Tom spoke up.

"I can't wait until we can host parties and have birthdays at the house for our kids."
"For our kids, huh?" Zendaya questioned.
"Yeah," Tom replied "we're gonna have your family and mine all gathered up in one house. Every birthday, every holiday."

"That's a lot of people," she commented.
"It'll be worth it looking back. I want our kid to be surrounded by family," he said.

"I think it'll be worth it too," Zendaya said, pleasantly.

—

A year later...

—

"You ready?" Tom asked Zendaya as he opened the passenger side door of the car. He offered her a hand.

Zendaya grabbed his hand and allowed him to help her out of the car.

"No," she said, bluntly. Tom pulled her into him and stroked her arms.

"Love, it'll be fine," Tom reassured.
"You say that, but my parents always told me to have a plan, and this was not apart of the plan," she said.

"A plan?" he questioned.
"Have a roof over my head, be secure in my career, married, and happy" she listed.

"I know for sure that you have two out of the four things on that list," he said. "We're not married yet, but we're in a loving relationship, so I think that'll be okay too. And as for happiness, well, you're happy aren't you?"
"Yeah," she said "I am."

"Then, I think you're all set," he stated.
"I don't know, babe..."
"Regardless of the plan, they love you and they love us. So, it's not gonna matter to them. As long as they know we're happy."

"Yeah, but, Tom-" she started to say.
"Z, have I ever lied to you?" he asked her. She shook her head. "So trust me when I tell you that we'll be fine."

Zendaya opened her mouth to say something else, but just then her mom, Claire, opened the door to her house.

"What're you two doing standing out here? C'mon, get in the house!" Claire called from the doorway.