HufflepuffHolland's Writing Collection

The Pretend Date // Tom Holland

By Hufflepuffholland on Tumblr

Pairing: Tom x Reader (Gender Neutral, I hope)

Summary: Tom needs you to pretend to be his date to a family gathering, only to finally accept the fact that he doesn't want to pretend.

Notes: This is one of many of the "date-inspired" fics I'm putting up! This isn't a series (so I will probably be writing for different people + characters) these will all be stand-alone fics :) These fics will in include: first dates, blind dates, accidental dates

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"Why do I have to do this again?"

"Because, my family loves you and you know me already," Tom explained, frowning slightly as he noticed this might not work in his favor the way he planned it would. "Come on, it's one barbecue! You're in more family pictures than I am, it won't be weird!"

"But, you told them you were bringing your partner. We're just friends, that's not going to be weird?" You thought, your brows frowning at the thought of having to pretend to be Tom's partner for a whole day – not that it was a bad thought, you just didn't want to lie to his family, especially his mom. You loved his family, and they loved you, like Tom said, you'd never lied to them before.

"We just gotta hold hands and fib a little – maybe I kiss your cheek and maybe you cuddle into me. It's not like we've never done those things!"

"But... I'd have to call you my... my boyfriend."

"Fine, we don't have to say we're together, together. We'll say that we're... dating! We're dating. No together, just going on dates." He smiled, thinking he'd solved the problem. You still had a worried expression on your face. "We can... we can go on a date, before the barbecue? That way, you're not lying to my parents about going on a date with me." He bit his lip lightly, looking at you with hope.

You sighed, thinking about it while looking over his face. You knew what it was like to have your family poke and prod over your love life – especially when everyone around you was in a successful relationship. Tom and you were still very young, the necessity of being in a committed relationship not a priority to either of you, but you both had to admit that it would be nice.

You thought about what a date with Tom would mean – would he take you out, or would you two just go see a movie like you two usually did, and call it a date? Did friend-dates count?

"Fine," you said, not giving yourself to register anything. "We have to go on a date before – just so I'm not completely lying to your parents." You agreed, smiling when Tom lunged forward to give you a hug, murmuring a chorus of thank you's and you're the best's. "So," you began, when he peeled himself away from you, "what about this date, Holland?

Tom sighed, tapping his fingers nervously on the table. He'd spent so much alone time with you, why did he feel like this was his first date – ever? He kept glancing at the door and checking his phone. He had gotten there twenty minutes early, questions drowning his head. What would you talk about? Probably the family function, right? You're an idiot, he thought to himself. You've known each other for three years, you moron.

"Tom?"

Tom looked up, standing up from his seat quickly as soon as he saw you. "Hey! Hi, you made it!" He moved to greet you, wrapping his arms around your waist. He smiled when he pulled away, seeing a smile on your face, too. He moved to your seat, pulling it out for you.

"Are those... for me?" You asked, smiling at him shyly as he pushed your seat in for you.

"Uh, yeah. I wanted this to feel like a real date – because, it is! This is, uh, a date. We're on a date." He said sheepishly, picking up the few flowers he'd picked for you and moving them closer to you.