Life Is What You Make It (A Tom Hiddleston Fanfic)

Part 12: Interrogation or Humiliation

Another Elevator Ride

When the taxi pulls to a stop, I see we are in front of an unfamiliar building. During the ride across London, Tom and I had been able to extricate ourselves out of our somewhat salacious position, though at times it may have looked like we were playing an odd game of Taxi Twister.

Tom pays the driver after he helps me from the car. As I don't know this location, I just stand awkwardly waiting for some indication from Tom.

When he joins me on the sidewalk, he says, "So I wasn't really thinking when I gave the driver an address. This is actually my flat."

Tom looks somewhat uncomfortable at this admission, so I'm left wondering if he's embarrassed because he's a messy housekeeper, or maybe he has a sex room, or maybe he has an unusually large collection of unicorn memorabilia.  Oh please, let it be a sex room, I think to myself.

"It's just... Well, I don't want you to think I'm being forward by bringing you here. Truly, it was just the first address that popped into my head," he says, running his hand across the back of his neck as he often does when he's nervous or thinking.

I step toward him and place a hand on his chest gently. "Tom, if you are okay with me being here, then I'm okay as well," I say, meeting his now bashful gaze.

And with those few words from me, Tom's demeanor changes from nervous to excited. "Great! Come on up. I'd love to show you around."

Tom takes my hand and leads me to the main door of the building. As we enter, I see that the building appears to be an old factory of some kind that's been converted into apartments.  We pass a front desk, behind which a man named Dave sits (I know his name because Tom greets him as we pass), and then I see that Tom is ushering me to an elevator off to the side of the lobby.

"We could take the stairs as its only one flight up, but I think we've had enough exercise for one day," Tom says, smiling down at me.

As the elevator doors close, I feel Tom's demeanor changing back to Bashful Tom. I'm sure it's because he's about to show me his inner sanctum, his Fortress of Solitude, if you will. I move to stand next to him, and body-check him lightly with my hip to his thigh.

"Thanks for taking me out today. I had a really great time," I say, looking at Tom with a mock-coy stare to try to lighten the mood.

"A great time, huh? Which part? The part where you were knocked over by a prince, where you placed your feet in my lap, or where we were almost mauled by fangirls?" Tom asked with a chuckle.

"Though you do give a great calf massage, it was none of those," I say sweetly as I turn to face him. "I think the best part was when you told me you wanted to travel to all my dream places with me."

Tom takes my hand in his and raises it to his mouth to kiss it softly. Before he takes his lips away, I add quickly, "oh, and when you had your head in my cleavage. That was pretty great, too."

With that little admission, the elevator doors open. Tom takes one long step toward me where I've retreated into a corner, and picks me up and over his shoulder a la caveman style. As I squeal and squirm, he slaps my derrière decisively, and says, "You started it. Now I'm going to finish it!" Then he starts loping down the hall like some crazy Quasimodo and I'm his Esmeralda, bouncing against his shoulder.

Tom's Bachelor Pad

Tom sets me down just as we arrive at his flat's door. The door itself is unassuming and slightly industrial in nature.

He reaches past me to unlock it then he swings it wide to let me enter first. As I step through, Tom hurries past me so he can deactivate the alarm system. As he returns to my side, he says again, "Let me show you around," with a little bit of excitement bubbling under the surface.