Forget-Me-Not (A Tom Hiddleston Fanfiction)

(42) Fresh Start Fever

As they left the apartment Tom was still tense, gripping onto Nina's bag like it was his only lifeline. Every time somebody accidentally brushed against Nina, every time somebody stared at her for a little too long, hell, even every time somebody so much as looked at her, Tom edged a little closer as they walked, their hands bashing together awkwardly once or twice.

Eventually Nina just accepted the inevitable, interlocking her fingers loosely with Tom's, looking up at him for some kind of approval. His posture immediately relaxed a bit as he looked back at her, and a grin began to spread itself across his face.

"I don't know how you're even touching me, Nina, I need a shower." Tom laughed nervously, adjusting the bag on his shoulder.

"Do you sing in the shower?" Nina looked up at him, a small smile on her face, and Tom smiled back. He could get used to things being like this. More relaxed yet more interesting. More... more Nina.

"Why? Do you want to request something?"

"Just curious, because I have to warn you that I do." Nina swung their hands as they walked along. "You know what, Tom? I feel... I don't know. I just feel different."

"In a good way, I hope." Tom said sincerely, squeezing her hand.

"I'm not sure. I mean... I'm still mourning the loss of...you know..." Nina went silent for a moment and Tom's heart went out to her. She was putting on a brave face. "But...it's not really what I wanted. It wasn't the...the right time."

"You'll be fine, Nina, okay? You got me, and puddings. No more Kyle getting on at you. I've got your back." Tom squeezed her hand again, her forlorn expression triggering a reaction within him that made him want to hug her tightly and never let go.

*****

They got into the apartment and the first thing Tom did was let out a massive yawn, stretching out and almost dropping Nina's bag. "I'm going to have to leave you to shower now..." Tom put the bag down carefully on the floor. "But you know where you're sleeping, right?" Nina nodded and he pulled her in for a hug, kissing her forehead softly.

"Tom?"

"Mm?"

Nina pulled away gently, wrinkling her nose in reply. "Room at the end...right?"

"Right." He laughed softly. "What do you want to do about dinner?"

Nina shrugged. "What've you got?"

"Meat, veg, coffee and a crap ton of sugar." Tom shrugged. "And beans. A lot of beans."

"Chicken and chips?"

"Chicken and chips." Tom nodded, heading over to a door at the start of the short hallway off to the side of the main room. "I'll sort that after my shower. Go get settled in, okay?"

Nina picked up her bag, slinging it over her shoulder, trying to avoid knocking anything over as she headed towards her room and nudged open the door. It was a small-ish room, containing a single bed on the wall to the left, a wardrobe to the right and a little window on the wall opposite the door with a set of drawers and a small desk underneath it. The floors were shiny wood, and the walls were a neutral nude colour. It was clean, very clean, and organised, and Nina wondered who had last slept in here.

Probably Benedict.

As Nina began pulling things out of her bag and laying her clothes on the bed, he heard Tom singing loudly. From what she could gather, he was heartily singing 'Bare Necessities' over the running water, and Nina found herself quietly humming away as she gathered up coat hangers left in the wardrobe and hung her own things up.

The clothes that she'd managed to gather barely filled half of the wardrobe, her books and CD's managed to fill one of the drawers on the cabinet and a photo of her and Molly sat on top of the desk. Somehow the room felt a little more homely already.

Nina lay on her back on the bed, closed her eyes and slowly drifted off to sleep in her new surroundings. It was about two hours later when she was shaken awake, and she woke up to see Tom's face looming over her. She squeaked, and reached for the nearest pillow to bash over his head. He jumped back, grabbing the pillow out of her grasp and flinging it back at her.

"Pay me some respect, darling, I am your sort-of landlord, after all."

"Sort of?" Nina sat up, rubbing at her eyes, glad she didn't have any makeup on in that moment. Come to think of it, where was her makeup? Probably in her bag that she'd brought back from Devon, and that was possibly still somewhere in the living room.

"Yes, sort of. I'm your friend. And I'm not making you pay rent."

"But I'm going to anyway, because I'm your sort-of tenant and I need to at least contribute." Nina huffed, sliding off the bed.

"Dinner's ready." Tom swiftly changed the subject, his ears perking up at the sound of a timer in the kitchen going off. The smell of chicken hit her in the face like a punch to the gut and her stomach rumbled loudly. The argument could wait. She was ravenous.

Nina followed Tom around to the kitchen, where he juggled with cutlery and kitchen utensils until the food was served up onto the two plates on the dining table. He poured both of them a glass of water, and handed Nina hers.

"Here's to a new start. A fresh start." Tom held his glass up, smiling, and Nina smiled in return, clinking her glass against his gently. "I'll look after you, Nina. I can promise you that. I'll always have time for you." He sipped at his water for a moment and looked thoughtful for a few moments. "Have you ever been to Australia, Nina?"

"Never left the country. No, I tell a lie. I went to Scotland with high school when I was thirteen." She sat down at the table and Tom sat beside her. "Why? Are you planning on leaving me already?" Tom's face quickly turned to a look of confusion and Nina stuttered on her next words. "No...no... I didn't mean it like that, I...I..."

"No, it's a.. It's a perfectly reasonable question." He looked down at his food, picking up his fork. "It's just that I'll be away for a bit in April and I didn't know if you were up for a trip."

"April? That's a whole five months away." Nina started cutting up her chicken. "We haven't even had Christmas yet."

"Ah." Tom's eyes lit up again as he glanced back up at Nina. "Christmas."

[A/N] i feel like this is more of a filler chapter but read, vote and enjoy anyway? i have a few more things around the corner for nina and tom...
yours truly :) x