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"what happened, y/n?"
tom was concerned, he knew the second that you walked through the door of the apartment and threw your keys on the island counter, something was wrong. it was more than just your cheeks that were stained with black smudges from your mascara and the red puffiness of your eyes from crying. he could tell by the way you barely looked at him. how you instead rushed toward your bedroom without so much as a glance in his direction and that you didn't shut your bedroom door like you would if you wanted to be alone.
so he quickly followed you, watching as you sat on the edge of your bed. tom didn't want to push you though, and he never would.
you shake your head. "you can say 'i told you so' if you want."
"you know i wouldn't," your roommate started, sitting next to you close enough to wrap his arm around your shoulders. "hey... please talk to me."
you wanted to. you really did but you didn't know how or if you could even say it out loud.
the image of your boyfriend cheating on you with a complete stranger in the back of that nightclub was like an infinite slideshow in your mind and you just wanted to forget. but the ache in your chest was making it impossible as tears still threatened to fall from your eyes.
tom's thumb rubbed against your shoulder, trying to calm you down as he felt you start to tremble in his arms.
"tom, i— i don't really want to."
you knew you deserved better. you knew but it still hurt like hell when he ran after you, begging you not to go. he told you that it was a mistake and that he would never do it again, coming up with a million drunken excuses. you knew but your heart still broke when you turned to face him; when he was reaching his hand out toward you as if there were even a small chance that you would stay.
for awhile, you just sat like that. with tom's arm still wrapped around you until eventually you leaned your head to rest it on his shoulder, letting his warmth comfort you in the way that no one else could. not even your now ex-boyfriend, who only dragged you down and you didn't realize until it was too late. he had thrown it all away and left you broken and tom? tom had never made you feel heavy. he never canceled plans or broke his promises. he always just made you feel strong because whenever you were together, your heart was weightless and free.
"okay. well, whenever you're ready." you finally look up to see tom smile, the hint of a glow lighting up his soft brown eyes in a way that really only meant one thing. he knew exactly how to make you feel better, and while he was always willing to do anything, this was your thing.
he stood up and held his hand out to you, waiting for you to take it the way you always did.
"dance with me." his voice was so sweet and gentle, just barely above a whisper as he waited to feel your hand and your fingers slide between his.
with a short sigh that's cut off by your lips forming into his favorite smile, you reach out and let him pull you into his arms effortlessly. one hand is still locked in his but your other rests on his chest and you can feel the steady beats of his heart start to speed up. he winds his arm around your back, holding you close as he starts to sway slowly and you let him guide you into a perfect dance and now all you feel is him.
you've forgotten. that you're supposed to still be hurt, crying, maybe even yelling. you're supposed to be sad and confused but it's all gone. there's nothing; like after a huge storm and all you're left with is a calm, tranquil exhaustion. but it was one that you welcomed as you put your head on his chest, your cheek using the fabric of his shirt as the best form of comfort and you close your eyes, readying yourself to say the words that you had been dreading.
"he cheated on me, tom."
"what?!"
you felt him tense up and noticed his jaw clench as you gazed up when he suddenly stopped moving.
"no. no, please. it's okay. i'm okay now. as long as i'm with you i'll be okay. just please, don't stop."
he let out the breath of anger he had been holding in and you feel him relax as you start to sway again. his hands land on your hips so delicately, enough to help you move but also keep you close and you could still hear his heart which you used as if it was your favorite song.
for seemingly hours, all you did was dance in your dimly lit bedroom. the only glimmer of light was coming from the moon and stars just outside the window as they cascaded over his face; highlighting his perfectly imperfect nose and chocolate eyes, shining in his newly short brown hair that you loved.
"you deserve so much better, love." he whispered, leaning back to look in your eyes so you would hopefully believe it.
maybe you did. maybe better had been in front of you the entire time in him. in the way he was always there, always willing to do absolutely anything to make sure you felt safe and happy and now you couldn't believe how much time you had wasted when he had been there all along. because it had always been you and him against the world, through the best and darkest moments of your lives and you never wanted that to change.
"tom?"
"hmm?"
"thank you." he gazed down again, his lips so close to yours that you could feel his breath on your skin as he smiled with his brows raised slightly.
"for this and just— just being here," you said.
an easy and beautiful laugh surrounds you, as if he would ever want to be anywhere else. you close your eyes, feeling him kiss your forehead and letting it linger as you bring your hands up to wrap them around his neck.
