Tom Holland Blurbs

puppy (t.h.)

I pulled into the garage of the house I was just getting used to calling home that my husband Tom and I had moved into only a month ago. Tom wasn't home at the moment, the two of us had split up to run errands today, me going to the furniture store for a few more throw pillows and blankets because I was always cold, and him heading to the grocery store because he had to buy food in line with his diet for his current workout regime.

Glancing around to double check that Tom's car was nowhere to be seen, I look down at the passenger seat at the sleeping puppy next to me. I was going to be in so much trouble with Tom, I just knew it. The two of us hadn't discussed getting a dog, I knew he had had one back in London years ago, named Tessa, who had passed away. What if he wasn't ready? I unconsciously started chewing on my thumbnail with anxiety as I stared down at the black puppy.

Suddenly, the puppy sneezed loudly and startled himself awake. He sat up and looked around as he let out the biggest yawn I had ever seen. The puppy noticed me next to him and launched himself into my lap, standing on his hind legs and licking my face excitedly, tail wagging wildly. I laughed softly, the sound making the puppy's excitement increase until he was wiggling crazily on my lap as he licked my face. I sighed, remembering that the lady at the animal shelter had said that the puppy would have to be put down at the end of the week if no one adopted him and how I just knew I had to take him home with me.

Breathing in deeply, I picked up the squirming dog and climbed out of the car with a newfound determination. I opened the door that connected the kitchen to the garage and set the small dog down on the tile floor. He immediately started sniffing around and I used his moment of distraction to hit the garage door button before walking to my car a few feet away and grabbing my bags from shopping. I walked back into the house and shut the door to the garage quickly.

"You really need a name, don't you, buddy?" I said to the puppy, who was now running around my feet, panting happily. "I think we'll wait and let your dad give you one, maybe that will soften him up since he'll want to kill me for this."

I began unpacking my bags, one being full of throws, another full of pillows and a third with puppy supplies. I stacked the pillows and throw blankets on the couches in the spacious living room, before pulling out the small dog bed and setting it on the floor under the television mounted on the wall. Filling two bowls with water and dog food, I suddenly realized I hadn't seen the puppy in a couple of minutes. I glanced around, knowing he was probably exploring around the house.

"Come here, puppy! Puppy! Come here, boy!" I called out. I stopped and listened for any noise that would indicate where the small dog was. I heard nothing and now I was starting to get worried. Tom was supposed to be home any minute and I had no idea where my surprise had gone. The puppy had probably gone to the bathroom somewhere in the house already. I dropped down on all fours and started crawling around calling for the puppy and cursing myself for not giving him a name.

"Puppy! Here boy!"

Suddenly I heard the garage door going up and the engine of Tom's car as it pulled in. I made a frustrated sound as tears sprang to my eyes because I was worried about the puppy and about Tom's reaction. The connecting door to the garage opened and I heard Tom struggling to get the groceries in, knowing he had brought all of the bags in one trip even though the car was not even twenty feet away from the kitchen island that he dropped the mountain of bags on.

"Darling? I'm home! I've got the groceries, I also picked up Chipotle because I got hungry at the store," Tom called out. I scrambled frantically around the living room, trying to crawl as fast as I could towards the hallway that led to the bedrooms.

"Darling?" Tom rounded the kitchen island and I could hear his footsteps coming closer. "Baby, are you here? Are you hiding from me? You know I hate when you scare the shit out of me, I don't care how funny you think my scream is."

Suddenly a bark rang out from the living room. I froze. Tom's footsteps halted.

"What the hell?"

"Um... surprise?" I said, laughing nervously.

"Y/N, are you on the floor?" Tom asked. "Was that a bark? What exactly did you do today, babe? What is going on?"

I stood up and wiped my hands on my jeans. Tom's brown eyes met mine across the living room and widened when he saw my tears.

"Hey, hey, hey," he said, moving around the couch toward me, worry evident on his face, "darling, what's wrong? Are you okay?"

"I lost Puppy!" I burst out. "I got a puppy because he had pretty eyes and he was going to be put down soon and I bought him food and a bed and toys and he slept the whole way home and then I brought him inside and I lost him!"

Suddenly the puppy barked again and almost tumbled off the couch from behind the pile of throws and pillows I had stacked there earlier. I darted around Tom and caught the puppy as he rolled towards the edge of the couch. Holding the dog to my chest, I turn towards my husband with a sheepish grin.

"Y/N... What did you do?" Tom looked like he was trying to hide his grin. I breathed out in relief, knowing that he wasn't mad at me.

"I bought a dog!"

"Yes, I can see that," Tom said, crossing his arms like he was trying to stop himself from reaching out to take the puppy from me. The puppy yipped loudly and flung his head around to lick my face. I smiled widely up at Tom, offering the puppy to him. He took the dog from me and cradled him to his chest. The puppy stilled in Tom's arms and the two just looked at each other for a moment. Slowly, Tom's mouth pulled up into a wide grin. The puppy barked once and then began licking all over Tom's face, drawing out a loud laugh from my husband.

I stood there for a long moment, just watching Tom standing there holding a puppy. Heat flooded my body as I took in his dark curls, traveling down to his crooked nose and his eyes that were pressed closed to avoid the assault his face was under courtesy of the puppy. My gaze drifted to his wide smile and down to the toned arms that held the small dog in them, muscles flexing as they tried to tame the wiggling body. I was so busy checking out my husband I didn't hear him until he had called my name for the third time.

"Y/N, what's this little guy's name?"

"I wanted to wait for you. I felt like his dad should have a say in naming him."

Tom grinned widely at me, bending down to set the puppy on the floor. The puppy ran towards his bed under the television and flopped onto it lazily. I grabbed a toy from one of the bags and tossed it towards the puppy. Tom sat down on the couch and patted his thigh, signalling he wanted me to sit with him. I walked over and dropped down onto Tom's lap, him wrapping his arms around my waist and pulling me close as I both watched the puppy chew on the toy.

Tom spoke up, "How about King?"

I scrunched my nose up and Tom leaned around me, looking at my displeased expression.

"Okay that's a no. What about Captain? We can call him Cap for short," Tom suggested.

"No, what is he gets confused?" I asked him, giggling.

"Very true, well what are your suggestions, oh wise one?" Tom tugged me closer as he teased me.

"Mmm, what about Marvel?" I say softly, tilting my head back to see Tom's side profile as he considered my suggestion.

"That's absolutely perfect, darling. I love it. I can't believe you bought a dog, Y/N," Tom tilted his head back and laughed. I tilted my head up, silently asking for a kiss and Tom obliged, pressing his lips softly against mine.

"I love you, Tom Holland, of course I bought you a dog. I know we've both been missing home since we moved to LA. I thought it might help." I leaned up and kissed him again, before pushing myself up to a standing position and reaching a hand down to my husband.

"Come on, I heard there was Chipotle in the kitchen," I told him.

"Oh really? Let's feed Marvel too, come on Marvel!" Tom called, his voice raising in volume, grabbing the puppy's attention. Marvel shot up and followed Tom closely, already responding to his name. I watched the two of them race each other into the kitchen, a soft smile on my face. I loved my little family and I couldn't believe how happy I was in that moment.

"Darling? Are you coming?" Tom's voice rang out and I followed him into the kitchen quickly, suddenly realizing how hungry I was.