Just best friends (a Tom Hiddleston story)

Confronting him

*Tom*
"So you're Raven's date ?" Tom was measuring him with his eyes, she had seen Raven stand beside him before Sarah dragged her away.

He couldn't help but stand a little taller, even though he was already a good 4 inch taller than the guy who was holding his hand out towards them. "Yes, I'm Chris, and you are ?"

"I'm Ben, a friend of Ravens and this is Tom, Raven's best friend for ten years". Ben rushes in to say as he shook Chris's hand. Tom shook it too and ensured he was squeezing a little harder than needed.

Chris just smiled kindly at them. "Oh hi, nice to meet some of Raven's friends".

"So what are your plans with Raven ?" Tom knew he had no right to ask, but he did it anyway.

Ben rolled his eyes and Chris looked slightly confused. "Uhh well it's only the second date, but she's an amazing woman so I hope we are going out again".

"So no plans to try and lure her home tonight for a little extra dessert ?" He asked, and in the same moment he felt a small hand close around his arm.

He turned his head and looked at Raven.. she was pretty pissed it seemed. "I want to talk to you, now, alone".

* Raven*
She dragged Tom after her outside the bar and released him. "What the hell are you doing Tom ? You're not my father, you have no right to question my date".

"Someone needs to make sure he is not just looking for one thing". He said and crossed his arms on his chest.

She mirrored him, crossed her arms too, staring annoyed at him. "And that would come from you ? How much time did we spend together the last time you were home that was not about sex ?"

"It's something entirely different". He said stubbornly. She didn't know what to say, of course it's something different, she just didn't  like him to think that he could come here, bossing her around.

She chose to change the subject. "Why are you even here ? I thought you wouldn't be home before next week".

"I .. uh, we were finished early, so we went home and uh Ben and Sarah wanted to get out and socialize, so .. uh I went with them". He looked anywhere but her eyes.

She looked at him, it was so obvious that he was lying and it dawned on her that Sara told her the truth. "Tom ? Shouldn't we try again ? Why are you here ?"

"I .. I couldn't bear the idea that you were with another man, that you maybe would .. Okay I .. I'm sorry, but this, sex and no feelings, it doesn't work for me." He took a deep breath and finally looked into her eyes.

His eyes, the warmest, gentlest eyes in the world, eyes that had always brought her a sense of security and warmth, joy and laughs, why hadn't she realized earlier that her feelings were much more than friendship and always had been ?

"I agree, it doesn't work for me either". She looked at him, she could see uncertainty in his eyes.

She stepped up to him and gently put a hand on his chest. "But if it was sex with a lot of feelings, I think I could be persuaded".

"Uh what ?" He blinked confused and she could almost see how he was trying to connect the dots. She couldn't help but laugh at him, he was just so cute when he was confused.

She stretched up on her toes and let her lips brush his. "Tom with a chance of destroying our friendship.. I have been in love with you for 10 years".

"What ? I mean, why haven't you said anything ?" He just stared at her in confusion, but took her hands in his.

She shrugged. "Initially, I was too shy, you were so handsome and grown up and I was just a young girl who was afraid you would just laugh at me, and then we became friends and I was afraid to spoil it, I was sure you only saw me as a friend, and well I kind of pushed it aside, told myself the feelings didn't exist".

"Sweetest birdie, if only I'd known. I never thought that you would look to my side, that I was too nerdy and probably too boring, so I settled for being friends". He brought her hands to her mouth and kissed them both.

Then he gently put his arms around her and pulled her to him, she looked up at him. "So what now Tom ?"

"Hmm, we run away to some warm place and get married ?" He looked teasingly at her.

She hit him teasingly on the shoulder. "Now you better behave Hiddles, or I might not want to be your friend at all".

"Well I don't want you to be my friend, or I do, but not only my friend, so maybe we could start with .. Well dating ?" He looked at her with the sweetest smile, his eyes twinkling.

She kissed him warmly, her hands automatically finding their way into his hair, and she whispered in response. "I think that sound wonderful".