A Collection of Odds & Ends

Aftermath (Tom Hardy)

This is a sort of follow up to Charity Case

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You knock on the door, taking a step back as you wait for it to open. On the other side you hear a shuffling before the numbered door swings open to reveal the man occupying the temporary space. His beard is gone, his hair is shorter, and his expression a little more worn than you remember, but his eyes. Oh his eyes are still the same blue that melts you the second you see him.

"I didn't think you would show up, sweetheart." He scratches the cowlick in the back of his hair.

"Yes, well, life is just full of surprises, Tom." You shrug and walked into the room.

"You weren't at the event." He states the obvious and looks at you with curious eyes.

"No." You shake your head and drape your jacket on the back of a chair.

"And why not?" He prompts you, standing behind you.

You fight a groan. He knows damn well why!

"I got let go." You reply narrowing your eyes and turning to face him.

"Shame." He mutters with a slight shake of his head. "I only said I'd do this, because I thought maybe you'd be there too."

"You see, Tom." Your voice is sharp. "When they find out that an employee is sneaking around, entertaining charity guest after hours, companies tend to get a little upset."

"I swear, I don't know how they ever found out." Tom's eyes soften. "I'm terribly sorry that they fired you, love. Had I thought they'd do that then..."

"Then what?" You challenge him. "Don't be sorry, I'm not. Maybe it was time I moved on? Found something new to do. A new lease on a boring life."

"I see you didn't want things to be new on all ends." Tom's lips curl into a smile.

"No." You answer with a smirk. "Some things are worth staying the same."

When Tom had phoned you and explained that he was in town for another event, one night and one night only, you couldn't resist. He'd be on the first flight out come morning. Leaving the name of his usual hotel and the room number, what you did with that information was entirely up to you.

Since moving to your new job, you hadn't had a night off in months. Tom being in town had worked perfectly, as if some sort of fate he landed on your evening off.

You'd come to love these little rendezvous. Tom would call, leave the minor but important details, then it was your move. You always, always accepted!

Something about them were thrilling and exciting. A man blowing into town with the wind, spending a night together, and then come morning you both went back to life as you knew it. There were no rules to this little game, aside from the unspoken rule where the both of you were in agreement that these meetings meant nothing.

Nothing outside of casual sex. It's why neither of you bothered to ever invite the other into their home. This was to be kept in a mutual place, away from familiarity. No feelings meant nobody gets hurt.

"Don't think I didn't miss you, tonight." Tom speaks, undoing the tie around his neck. "The lady they've replaced you with is nice, but she is a bit stiff."

"Can't smile, if you paid her." You frown and take over the duty of undoing the buttons on his crisp white shirt.

"Real shame, she might look nicer." Tom teases, his arms stretch out when you slide the shirt off of his body.