Every Moment ── TOM HOLLAND²

15. "safe haven"

"Have I told you I love your apartment?"

Luna snickered, dropping her keys onto the table. "Only every time you step in here," She pointed out, making her way over to the boy who was looking over some of the new things she'd placed in her apartment. He held a picture of Luna and Elena that she just recently put up, Luna pressing a kiss to the baby's cheek, and luckily Andrew had captured it just as the baby was laughing.

"This is the cutest thing I have ever seen," Tom stated seriously, glancing back at the girl.

Luna stared at him for a moment, not daring to break the eye contact. After a few seconds, she decided, "You're the cutest thing I've ever seen."

A smile broke out on his face as the girl let out a laugh, walking back to the kitchen. Tom placed the photo of the two girls down, trailing after Luna. It seemed she was looking through her mail that they'd picked up, but she had stopped on one envelope.

Tom looked over her shoulder, furrowing his eyebrows at the name. Andres Giraldo. The room was completely silent as Luna stared at the envelope, an emotion swimming in her eyes that Tom couldn't quite place.

Like she felt Tom's confused gaze on her, she let out a sigh, pushing the envelope towards him. "Open it." He picked up the envelope, looking back to Luna, who only nodded, gesturing for him to open it.

With hesitation, Tom opened the envelope. He glanced back to Luna one last time, seeing the girl was staring at the envelope. He slowly pulled out the card, a birthday card. Confusion washed over him again, then he read the card. Wishing the happiest of birthdays to my daughter. "Luna," He said softly, unsure if he should read the next line.

Luna shook her head, "Read it." Tom waited a moment, in case she changed her mind, but this only made her huff. "Just read it out loud Tom."

With a sigh, he looked back at the birthday card, reading it slowly. "Wishing the happiest of birthdays to my daughter. My dear little Luna, today you turn 21." He glanced back at Luna, seeing she was staring down at her feet, before continuing. "Every year I send you these cards, unsure of wether they've been opened or not. Today is the day I stop." Luna inhaled a breathe at this, while Tom swallowed harshly. "If you do open this, know that this doesn't mean I love you any less, you'll always be my little girl. I may not be around, but I do keep track of everything you're doing. You've grown to be a beautiful, hardworking woman, and I'm proud to call you my daughter, even if you're not proud to say I'm your father. I hope today you had an amazing birthday, surrounded by your loved ones. Sincerely, your dad." His eyes dropped to the bottom, a small message written there. "P.S. If that Tom guy ever hurts you, here's my number and I'll handle it. No Daniel repeats."

"He left his number?" Luna's head snapped up, and Tom's heart fell seeing the tears that had gathered in her eyes.

He nodded slowly, showing her the card. "D-Do you wanna call?" He hesitantly asked, to which Luna quickly shook her head.

"No, but I want a hug," She mumbled, and Tom was quick to place the card aside and open his arms to the girl.

Luna never dared to open the cards from her father, and of the course the one she did decide to open was the last one she'd ever get. Every year she'd get the same thing, a card with a cheesy father-daughter joke inside a yellow envelope, and every year she'd stare at the front of the card before throwing it in the closest garbage.

She wasn't sure what to think. For years she's been avoiding all things having to do with her father; throwing away his cards, assuring she had plans every father's day, diverting many conversations away from him. But, somehow, it bothered her that she'd no longer be seeing that yellow envelope waiting for her every November 17th.

She released a shaky sigh, Tom's arms tightening around her slightly. Her face was mushed against his chest, and it took everything in her to not burst into tears. "I've never read any of them," She admitted quietly, her fingers fanning out on his chest as she pushed herself back. She was thankful he hadn't been looking at her with pity, because that was the last thing she wanted. She didn't want to be treated like a porcelain doll just because she was dealing with daddy issues, and Tom knew that.

At that moment, knowing the girl had pushed back her hatred for the man that left her, and listened to his final message to her with unshed tears, Tom decided something. Though she stood at an intimidating five foot two, and would squeeze his hand tighter while walking past a squirrel, Luna Giraldo was one of the strongest women he knew.

"Wanna go to bed?" He asked the girl, his hand raising to tuck her hair behind her ear. She didn't hesitate to nod, taking his hand and leading them to her bedroom.

It didn't take long for the couple to be tucked beneath the sheets, Luna deciding she wanted, or needed, to be little spoon tonight. With his arms wrapped the girl, her hands resting on top of his, Tom whispered, "I love you Moonie."

A ghost of a smile appeared on her lips, despite the darkness keeping it hidden from the boy. With all the issues she's been having with Liz and Mia, and now the message she'd received from Andres Giraldo, she needed something that would keep her at ease. And that was Tom.

All it took was a simple text telling her how his day had gone, or a facetime where he greeted her with a dramatic New York accent, or a moment like now, where he whispered something short and sweet. Any little thing the boy did, Luna felt as if she found her safe haven, and that everything would be okay. Everything could change, but the one thing that'd remain constant was the way Tom made her feel.

"I love you," She whispered into the darkness, her eyes fluttering shut.

||

hiya if anyone cares (i wouldn't) ab what I look like or lil facts about me, I did a chap in my meet the ocs book called meet the author !!

tom: i broke my nose again
luna: *pretends to be surprised*