Better Together • Tom Holland

49 [Real Life]

"Ron Howard called while you were at the studio today," Tom told Claire quietly. They were lying in bed, watching reruns of Doctor Who on BBC America.

"The director?" Claire looked over at Tom. She already knew the answer.

"Yes."

Claire stayed silent. She knew Tom was in Howard's movie In The Heart Of The Sea, and that it would be coming out at the end of the year. As much as she was looking forward to seeing it, she knew that the closer the release date came, the sooner Tom would have to leave for the press tour.

"When does the press tour start?" she asked, uncertainty in her voice.

"That's the thing. I wasn't supposed to be needed till next month. Apparently, plans changed. They want me in New York on Monday."

"It's Friday..." Claire trailed off, the sounds of the Doctor's sonic screwdriver in the background. Grabbing the remote, Tom paused the episode, and then sat up.

"Claire," Tom pleaded, "Claire look at me." Claire sat up as well, focusing her attention on her boyfriend's face, glancing at his eyes, to his mouth, his cheekbones, back to his eyes, as if she was trying to memorize it for when he wasn't there. "Listen, you're the best thing that has ever happened to me. We can do this. It's just for two months, and then I'll be back here, and I'll see you perform yeah?" Tom frantically explained.

Claire looked at him thoughtfully before cracking a small smile. "The best thing that's ever happened to you?" She mused. Tom's eyes got wide.

"Um–"

"Even better than getting cast as Spiderman?" Claire joked. Tom laughed.

"Yes, even better than being Spiderman."

They lied back down and unpaused the screen.

"We're just going to have to make tomorrow the best day yet, aren't we?" Claire whispered as they watched the Doctor save the astronauts on Mars.

"Yep."

"You leave on Sunday?"

"Sunday night."

The couple fell asleep, knowing that they wouldn't be able to do that together for quite a while.