Just Like That

Part 22

As Vanessa secured you both into the elevator, she rattled on about the timeline for the next day. Tom had made it a point to keep the majority of the events earlier on in the morning and leave the late afternoons and evenings free. Everyone he shared a panel with had the same thought process. He had even heard mentions of a MCU party occurring over the weekend. He had chosen not to mention anything to you just yet about it, namely because there hadn't been time.

You left it to Tom to continue listening to Vanessa, as you took the moment to stare at your locked hands. Not realizing that Tom had been watching you the entirety of the elevator ride. He caught the small moment when your lips curled up into a smile at the mere sight of your hands together. Giving a gentle squeeze, he watched as your eyes snapped up to his, glassing over just slightly. It seemed rather ridiculous for you to ever say you were his, when one look at you had him speechless. He was most definitely yours.

Unable to stop himself, despite Vanessa still talking away, which he was unfortunately not as keen to pay attention to this time, Tom pressed a kiss to your forehead. His lips lingered there, noting how you breathed in deeply and even inched closer to him. The safety he seemingly provided by just his presence was incredible. Not safety as though he was going to protect you from some unwanted creature, but rather that he would save you from yourself—your darkest thoughts.

"I'll um, you know, see you tomorrow then. I'll come by the room to get you over to the other hotel, Tom," Vanessa concluded, feeling as though she was intruding on the intimacy of the exchange. Sensing the end of the conversation and the elevator ride itself, you both emerged from this bubble you had created around yourselves, whereas only you two existed. "Will you be here tomorrow morning, Y/N?" she asked out of necessity rather than gossip. There would not be a repeat of today, if she had anything to say for it.

Tom assumed he knew the answer, stepping out of the elevator with your hand still in his. Your response, however, took him by surprise.

"I'll probably just meet you at the panel. Don't worry about me. The Sheraton, right?" you questioned, not seeing how Tom's shoulders visibly stiffened at your response.

"That's right. Ballroom A," Vanessa nodded.

"Perfect. See you then! Thank you for everything, Vanessa," you called out, to which Tom seemed to be pulled back from his thoughts, giving his thanks to the woman as well.

As you two walked in silence, Tom couldn't seem to figure out where he had made his mistake. Had it not been established that you two would be spending all your time together imaginable? Did that not mean you would be staying with him for the entirety of the weekend? Did you not want to stay with him? The nauseating thought did occur to him that he had merely assumed you would want to stay with him rather than outright ask you.

But then, was he to ask a woman he had just met to stay the night with him? That was rather forward. Yet, you weren't just any woman. You were the woman he loved—but also just happened to be someone he met face to face earlier today.

The more he fell down the rabbit hole, the more unaware of his surroundings he became. You had managed to unlock the hotel room door, set your purse to the side, and ramble on about how different it was to see the "behind the scenes" side of things when it came to the photography sessions. You had only known the waiting in line bit and shelling out hundreds of dollars to get your picture taken with a stranger. You even threw in a couple of jokes, but when it was clear that Tom wasn't paying attention, curiosity overcame you—and perhaps a bit of your bratty tendencies.

"And that's ultimately why I think we should get naked right now," and to anyone who had been listening to the conversation, they would have instantly spotted the non sequitur.