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5| the shared bed
It took so long for Tom to get rid of the old woman. If she would've just listened to him the first time he told her he was staying she wouldn't have wasted so much time insisting he didn't. The only time he wasn't watching Seren was when he was stuck behind a curtain. The healer was giving her a bath with a towel and a bucket. Tom wouldn't even try and step out of the room for that. He had heard her attempt to speak when he was holding. If there was a chance she'd speak and he'd miss it he'd be irritated. She'd been acting strangely all week, and in vulnerable states like she was in, she was more like to start saying whatever was on her mind. That was the main reason he risked getting his clothes dirty and offered to take her. If it was just a regular cold then he'd be even more agitated with her behavior. The healer was dull, she couldn't figure out what could've possibly happened to her. Wasn't it her entire duty to find out what was wrong and try and heal her from it.
Seren hadn't fallen asleep like the healer said she would. It felt as if her mind wasn't attached to her body. Her eyes were staring deep in thought and he just wanted to know what she was thinking. He was tempted by entering her mind but she seemed so empty to him he doubted there was any thought. She was changed into a different night down, a longer one and she smelled like soap now. The healer had left to her room, she instructed Tom to call for her if she were to begin her fit again. Tom didn't mind the healer being gone, it became quiet when her yapping stopped.
The part that annoyed him the most was her complete disregard for Seren at the moment. Sure, she got her cleaned up but she didn't even bother covering her with a blanket. Seren's hair was wet and the healer didn't care about the coldness of the room. The hair was in her face and soaking through the gown. Letting out a small huff in annoyance, he reached his finger forward letting the hair catch onto it so he could push it back. He lifted her head gently so he could collect her wet hair and moved it to hang off the pillow instead of underneath her head soaking her neck and gown. He reached for the thin blanket sliding it over her body and tucking it in slightly. The chair he was sitting in was extremely uncomfortable. He was even tempted to push her to the side so he could lay next to her. The only thing that stopped him from doing that was the possibility she'd spit up on him. He didn't think much about laying with her most of the time but at this moment it didn't seem ideal.
To be honest, at least one night every two weeks she'd join him in his bed. There wasn't much to it, it wasn't in a sensual way or anything. Seren would become ill in the mind some nights. She'd not be up for anything and to even get her to leave the common room was always a challenge. She'd hate being in her room where Florence would always question her about these feelings. Tom hated how nosy they all were when it came to Seren. She'd ask for space but they wouldn't care. If only they'd just listen to her she wouldn't need to seek Tom for peace and quiet.
Of course he'd never press her with questions on how she was feeling. He didn't care much for her feelings thought so that could've been the reason why. She wasn't an overly emotional girl but she had these moments where all she would do is be sad. It angered Tom, he'd tell her over and over to at least pretend she didn't feel that way. But she was weak, and Tom was well aware of that. If only she was powerful, similar to him, she'd be able to suppress these emotions until they'd disappear.
He told himself that'd let her lay beside him until she learned how to control her emotions on those days. He was tired of listening to how she felt about her parents expectations that would result in her crying. The only thing that would get her to shut up was to offer to lay with her. It wasn't the worst thing in the word anyway. On some occasions she'd fail to stay on her side of the bed so he'd have no choice but wrap his arms around her to give himself more room but it was manageable. Her visits to their dorm had become so frequent it wasn't even questioned anymore.
The boys hadn't even questioned why their Tuesday meetings were moved to Wednesday's. They'd never admit to it but they knew the reason why. Every Tuesday, Seren would receive mail from her parents, and every Tuesday night she'd spend at their dorm. Abraxas was the first to catch onto it. The way Tom had so 'suddenly' switched the night of their meetings just because he felt like it. Abraxas knew it was because Tom had to turn Seren away one Tuesday for a meeting and instantly regretted it. He remembered Tom cutting the meeting much shorter than usual to go and drag Seren out of her bed and onto his.
Tom wasn't sure when it had happened. But out of nowhere a sudden weight had fallen on his eyes. He almost didn't catch the small glimpse of a sound that came from Seren.
"Du-D-Duh," Seren's eyes were fluttering shut. He sat upward trying to listen closely. He was tempted to wake her up fully and ask her what she was saying but she'd never tell him. Seren's head lolled to the side, her sleepy gaze catching Tom's attention.
"Mir..."
"Mir?" Tom whispered to himself lip pulled between his teeth as he leaned back. The girl in front of him was falling asleep too fast for him to stop her. Her hair fallen back against her eye, Tom reached forward once more pulling the hair behind her ear.
Seren wasn't even that attractive. She was ordinary, simple, yet Tom was always having to push boys away. He didn't understand what they all saw in her. She wasn't smart, she wasn't pretty, she wasn't charming. Well... he was lying on one part he supposed. Sure, she wasn't that pretty, but she was still much more beautiful than any of the other girls at Hogwarts. And she was averagely smart, she studied a lot which was what made a difference. And on top of that she carried herself elegantly.
But still.
Tom was tired of all these immature boys thinking she was some beautiful goddess. He was getting tired of stopping one after he'd been talking to her and telling him to take a step back. If they would all just understand that Seren wasn't interested he wouldn't have to be so pushy on it. He wouldn't have to remind them how much better Seren was than them. He wouldn't have to pretend to understand where Seren was coming from when she'd come to him about how a boy she had been talking to suddenly didn't want anything to do with her. Tom already had her future planned. It was going to be alongside him, he'd use her for her connections and wealth and power until she was dry of it all. Then, he'd use her as a trophy, a sign that he had won and that he was on top. A sign that it didn't matter where he had come from or who his idiotic father was... he was the one who came on top at the end. With a beautiful partner on his arm and with all the power he desired.
And Seren would soon realize his plan and she'd grow tired of leading these little boys on. It brought a smile to his face for a moment remembering how he saw her tonight. If only one of her little secret admirers had seen her at such a state, they would not think twice about leaving her alone after that.
::.
Honestly you cannot tell me simp Tom wouldn't be cute as hell.
But no
He's not going to be a simp in the entire books
I know we all here for his toxicity and I'll make sure y'all get it
