Stardust and revelations [Tom Hiddleston]

Chapter 1

It was dark outside. It was so dark that I was barely seeing where I was stepping. The street lamps were not working and today, of all days, I had to run out of everything. After 8 hours of work and a 1 hour ride home I just wanted to eat something and enjoy a glass of wine in front of my TV, but no. Today wasn't my day. Today was one of those days in which everything went horribly wrong.

First there was my broken alarm clock that gave up on me after 2 years of being tossed across the room every time it rang. I can't actually blame that clock from committing "suicide". Then I realized that I have been so busy in the past days that I have completely forgotten to do my laundry, thus, leaving me with no choice but to wear an old Marvel T-shirt, ripped out jeans and a pair of sneakers. It wasn't like I needed to wear fancy clothes at work, but people seem to like you better if you are not dressed like you just rolled out of a tent at Coachella.

I practically had to run to the tube in order to get to work, because of everything that happened that morning, but once at work I realized that the elevator was broken and so was my spirit. I couldn't get myself together for some reason and I was not looking forward to going up 3 floors by foot, but I had no choice. I internally screamed while dragging my feet up the stairs and thought that maybe I should call it quits and just go back home and hide under my blanket for all eternity.

I knew I couldn't do that, but it was something that I really, really wanted to do.

Reaching my office my assistant made her way to me in a very cheery mood.

"Today is such a great day! I just closed you a deal with the Marvel Studios and you are going on their World Press Tour for Captain America: Civil War. It's going to be awesome! They were so impressed with your portfolio, that when Wayne proposed Charlie, they said no and that they want you, otherwise they will look somewhere else".

I just looked at her, gave her a half smile and opened the door. I made my way to my desk and that's when I heard someone clearing their throat.

As I turned around I mentally slapped myself for not asking Alicia if there was someone in my office waiting for me and dreaded the fact that TODAY, of all days, I was wearing my Marvel T-shirt. God effiing damn it!

"You must be Clarrisa, the photographer", a man said. The thing is that I was so sleepy, my ears and eyes couldn't focus on the sound, nor image at that point. I just shook the hand in front of me and smiled.

"Yes. That would be me." I said as I turned around and made my way back to my desk to sit down. As everything unfolded and I looked at the man in front of me I almost had a heart attack. My breath hitched and my pulse was racing.

I've said that if I ever become a well-known photographer I would love taking photos of him, but I never thought that it would actually happen, and on a World Press tour nonetheless.

"By the looks of it, you already know who I am and you wardrobe knows as well so, I'll just say that it's an honor to meet you and that your photos are absolutely breath taking."

"Tha...Tha...Thank you. It's an honor to meet you too Mister Downey. I'm glad you chose me to take the photos of the cast while touring for the new movie. And please call me Clarri." I said while literally suffering a stroke right there and then.

"And you can call me Robert, Clarri."

We talked about the fact that I will be present at every press conference and how there will be some photo shoots here and there. We even talked about my hotel accommodation and how my closet will probably explode because of all the Marvel clothing I will get by the end of the tour.

My mind was elsewhere to be really honest.

When I moved in England I bought myself a dog. A black Labrador that I named Loki for obvious reasons, and two days ago, Loki was ran down by a car that was speeding on the streets while being chased by the Police.

I had him with me every day for the past 6 years and now he was gone. I was furious and sad. I wanted to punch the walls around me until I felt just as much pain as Loki did when the car hit him. He was my best friend. He was the one that knew all my secrets and never judged me. He was my rock whenever I had a shitty day at work and now he was gone.

As I remembered it, a tear made its way onto my cheek and that's when I snapped out of it. Robert was looking at me with wide eyes not understanding if it was something he said or if I was just some nutcase.

"Is everything okay Clarri? I'm sorry if I said anything to offend you. I just..."

"It's not what you said. I just thought of something and I kind of remembered that I have no one to go home to anymore." He looked at me confused. He wanted to say something but stopped in the very next second.

"When I moved to London I bought myself a dog. I was never allowed to have dogs in my parents' house so when I moved here I saw the opportunity and took it. I had a black Labrador, which I named Loki and he has been around me for 6 years daily, until 2 days ago, when a speeding car ran him over and killed him on the spot. I just....I'm sorry for telling you this I just never wanted to make you feel guilty for the way in which I presented myself today."

"Ohh God I am terribly sorry for your loss. It must be really hard for you. On the bright side you have all of us now, at least for a few weeks, so you'll have no time to get all sad. And I mean it when I say you won't have any time. The schedule is crazy." He smiled hopping that perhaps he lifted my spirits up a bit.

Robert left shortly after and my day went on. I mopped around the rest of the day which brings me to this moment.

The only light on the street was coming from the Tesco that was just down the street. I quickened my pace to get there faster and as soon as I entered the store, the warmth of the place relaxed me a bit. I looked through the aisles and picked the food I needed and some other things and made my way to the cashier to pay and finally have the food that I was longing for.

As I made my way home I received a message from a number I didn't have in my phone.

"If you want to meet the cast, we're at Nando's and I'm pretty sure they will kick us out if we keep up with the goofy things we are doing. I want you to meet someone. It will lift your spirits up for sure. See you in 15 minutes!"

I knew who was messaging me, and I started cursing Alicia for giving him my number. My "me" night quickly transformed into a "the whole God damn cast of Captain America and me" night. I sighed and went home, changed my clothes and made my way to Nando's