Damsel In Distress (A Tom Hiddleston Story)

Chapter 9: Inner Turmoil

A/N: Hey guys! So I know it's been a long while! But I've been kinda busy and all. I hope you understand and that you won't hate me. I swear more is to come. I'm just having problems with uploading the chapters. So yeah. Hope you like it!

TOM

“Because… I-i’m your friend. T-that’s why I care for you.” I recklessly reply.

Her question made sense. Why? 

She held my gaze for a moment. It was terribly tormenting. It made me feel uncomfortable having to say that I was her friend, but the fact was, I was just her friend. Her eyes made me melt that I couldn’t stand them any longer. I couldn’t bear them. It makes me wonder why. It bit my heart. It stung. Her gaze was like an electric current surging through me. 

“Oh.” She uttered after a beat. She looked down then. Did I say something wrong?

“C’mon. Let’s get you home. The temperature’s dropping, we can both catch a cold.” I say to get off topic.

“Yeah, that explains the numbness.” I heard her say softly.

“I’m sorry? You lost me there.” I said confused.

“It’s nothing.” She said in a haste. “Can I be put down now? I’d like to try to walk on my own.” She pleaded.

It took me a moment to react. I slowly put her down, every second felt like an hour as I put her down. It pained me for some unknown reason. I didn’t want to let her go. Not just yet. Her feet ever so lightly touched the ground, softly at first with her arms still wrapped around my neck. As her stance steadied she wobbled and swayed and I knew what was coming next.

I knew it all happened so fast but it felt like we were in slow motion. I saw her eyes gradually widen and speak of fear. A frightened shriek escaped her lips. I felt my arms snake much more tightly around her waist. Her arms suddenly had an iron grasp around my neck pulling me down with her as she sank to the ground. All I could think of was not squashing her as I felt the breath get knocked out of me as I went down with her. I saw my arms fly forward, successfully steadying me as we hit the ground, enabling me to lighten myself as I stumbled on top of her. 

I feared that her head would hit the ground hard, but it didn’t. The air tightened around me as I realised she was clinging so hard on my neck. My arms shook and I knew we were falling completely, in love… I mean on the ground. Good thing I acted and thought fast that instinctively, my hands flew to her head to catch it refraining her to have solid impact with the cold, hard cement of the parking.

I heard her release a breath that I knew for sure she was holding all the while. Then it was followed by an uncomfortable gasp. “Tom!” She exclaimed, breathless.

“Are you alright?” I uttered, shakily.

“Yeah. I-i t-think so.” She answered, her voice uneven.

We were silent for a moment. The air was still tight, and I can feel it closing around us.