Chapter 6
cgfan0820
Let's try this again. I'm Y/N. I'm a thirty-one year old teacher from Georgia with a rather extensive collection of witty t-shirts. And you are?
twhiddleston
I'm Tom. I'm a forty year old actor who calls London home. I've recently taken up admiring said witty t-shirts.
"Oh fuck. Oh, fuck," chanting to yourself as you had haphazardly dropped your work items off in the livingroom and were currently laying in the middle of the floor. You had perfectly good chairs. You had a plush loveseat that an ex-boyfriend had given you (best thing to come out of that relationship). You ignored all forms of comfort and chose to have your panic moment on the overly Febreezed carpet.
This wasn't a joke. This wasn't a prank. You had been chatting with a man who you literally spent money to watch on the big screen in the first Avengers movie (that was a date with another boyfriend). A man who won awards, attended premieres, dated—well, your list may not have been as noteworthy, but you'd venture that he had dated just as many people as you had in recent years...
cgfan0820
What in the world have we gotten ourselves into?
A better person would have had a far more witty reply. Or perhaps maybe gush a bit more in the man's presence. That's really what you should have done. Your colleagues had done a spectacular job being excited for you once they had a chance to see the Loki video. The questions were endless. How long had you two been speaking? How did you know each other? What do you mean you sent him a picture of your boobs? There were a lot of ins and a lot of outs to the conversation—and one of the reasons you no longer had the brain power to come up with something clever.
The lack of gushing? You wished it was because you were a calm, cool, and collected individual. The numerous 'fucks' you shouted on the commute home definitely demonstrated that there was nothing calm about this experience. So, what kept you from throwing yourself at the man?
Wasn't it obvious?
He was out of your league. A moviestar. A gorgeous moviestar. An accomplished, gorgeous moviestar. In what realm would you ever be more than a funny story to him? Your life was about helping people see the best in themselves (even if they were nine), yet you were so blinded by your own insecurities—there was no way you'd be able to think of these conversations as a glimpse into what could be...
twhiddleston
I have to commend you. How you aren't absolutely drained by the end of the day is beyond me. You were spectacular.
It was comical that he spoke of not being drained as you mentally noted your positioning. Adjusting until you were laying on your stomach, legs kicking back and forth in a stereotypical pose of a teenage girl, messaging a crush—you had to keep your cool. However, that certainly didn't stop you from beaming from ear to ear. Hell, your neighbors were lucky that you weren't yelling out shocked obscenities.
cgfan0820
Says the man who literally became a God to impress one of my kids. How am I supposed to beat that?
The typing sign popped up, but then stopped abruptly. You wondered what Tom had originally wanted to say—did he always second guess himself? Or did he simply master the art of thinking before speaking? My, what it must be like to have your life together...
twhiddleston
Your kids.
The smile faded, but the warmth in your chest never did leave. It was such a force of habit referring to your students as 'my kids', you barely noticed it anymore. For whatever reason, perhaps his pause...the simple two word answer...you did not feel as though your word choice was being attacked, but rather complimented. How could the man portray such compassion from a simple message? Were you reading too much into it all?
cgfan0820
I love them. Some spend more time with me than they do their parents. They will always be mine.
There was a long pause before any sign of typing transpired. It wasn't until the icon appeared that you realized you had been holding your breath. Forehead pressed to the carpet, you willed yourself to not get too caught up in this surreal experience. It could all end at any moment...
twhiddleston
I don't believe I ever had a teacher quite like you.
The compliment left you uncomfortable–not because he was out of line or inappropriate, but he was making it exceedingly difficult to not be enamored by his charm. Again, you didn't have high hopes that this would lead to anything serious. This would be a funny story to tell others in the future... Nothing more.
twhiddleston
To be honest, I also felt as though every teacher was nearing 100 years old. You are most definitely not 100.
By this point, Tom had moved to his living room as well. In an odd turn of actions, he found himself sitting on the floor, long legs stretched out beneath the coffee table. He didn't know what made him choose this position or ignore the leather couch that his back pressed against. Likely the reason was that he would pass out if he sat down on any of his furniture and he wouldn't forgive himself for missing any time he could spend speaking with you.
cgfan0820
You never know, I could be the oldest looking thirty-one year old you've ever seen.
Temptation struck as he contemplated bringing up the fact that he hadn't seen you yet. He wouldn't pretend that he hadn't wondered what you looked like from your first conversation with one another. Tom was in a unique position though. As much as he wanted to see you, he knew the control that was lost once a picture was taken and sent out into the internet. A third of his life had been documented through film and photo. It could be daunting to put one's self out there like that with a strange no less.
Curiosity got the best of him though as his fingers betrayed his mind...
twhiddleston
Is that an option? Seeing you, that is...
cgfan0820
Are you asking for a picture of a stranger over the internet? Why, Mr. Hiddleston—I am shocked!
Deflection was your specialty, especially when you had no clue how to answer the question. On one hand, you wanted Tom to see what you looked like–your silly shirts, your smile when you were doing activities you loved. You craved validation from a stranger. Despite that need to be accepted, your fears and insecurities were stronger. In this moment, you were two people who had thrown occasional flirtations back and forth. It could all be ruined as soon as he saw you... Luckily, your reply had come across as comical.
twhiddleston
Ha! When you phrase it like that, you make me sound less than desirable.
Mr. Hiddleston? Please, call me Tom.
Please, call me Tom. You squealed into the carpet, kicking your feet back and forth. Fuck yes, I will call you Tom. However, once you regained your composure, a smirk danced across your lips. You were just enough of a brat to challenge his offer and you wondered how the actor would handle your defiance.
cgfan0820
Nope. I've spent the day referring to you as Mr. Hiddleston in front of the kids. I'm going to have to keep up the trend. Besides, you called me Ms. L/N.
A free hand pushed through his hair, a shudder as he imagined you–your voice–referring to him as Mr. Hiddleston. Every impure thought he ever had about a teacher, 100 years old or not, was flying to the forefront of his mind. Sleep deprivation was getting the best of Tom, as he contemplated what it must be like to hear you moan his name against the shell of his ear...
"Get a hold of yourself, Hiddleston," he grunted, pushing himself off the ground and making his way to the kitchen for a glass of water.
twhiddleston
I believe Loki called you Ms. L/N. I didn't have your first name yet.
cgfan0820
With the team of people you have (I'm assuming you do, otherwise you whipped that video up pretty quickly on your own!), it's a wonder you didn't have one of them find out my first name.
twhiddleston
It's your information to give, darling. I have no right finding out personal details before you're ready to share them.
Darling...
cgfan0820
Darling...
twhiddleston
Is that term an issue? Would you rather I not use it?
He had no evidence to support his current thoughts. He couldn't see you. Hear you. None of the above. However, he could imagine you. Did you really dislike the term? Or was it just enough to force your teeth to bite down on your lower lip and stifle a moan? Could Hemsworth do that to you? Scratch that. Tom didn't want to know.
cgfan0820
Oh, it's an issue alright.
twhiddleston
Would you rather I not use it? I don't wish to make you uncomfortable.
Like hell he didn't want to make you uncomfortable. At the first use of the term darling, you had sat upright, bringing your knees to your chest in an effort to control the butterflies that did somersaults in your stomach. A more pressing concern was the warmth that had awakened beneath your legs. "Pull it together, L/N." Deflect, deflect, deflect.
cgfan0820
Why do people in the South refuse to put a 'g' on the end of the word? "Darlin" does not have the same ring as "darling".
twhiddleston
That's the second question you've avoided this evening. Shall I chalk it up to exhaustion or should I prepare for a future full of conversational dodgeball?
A future... You both stared at your respective phones, seeing the word 'future' printed so clearly for both to see. Neither of you would admit just how inviting such an idea sounded. A future getting to know one another—in whatever capacity that could mean. Flirting or otherwise—this connection felt like so much more than just what went on between your legs. However, neither of you were complaining...
twhiddleston
By the way, avoid all the questions you would like.. At any time you feel even the slightest bit of discomfort, please let me know. I would never want to make you uncomfortable.
cgfan0820
It seems like I have the advantage here though. A quick Google search and I can find out so much about you.
twhiddleston
I wouldn't believe everything you read...
cgfan0820
So your birthday isn't February 9th, 1981?
twhiddleston
That is true.
cgfan0820
You don't have two sisters? One older and one younger?
twhiddleston
Guilty as well.
cgfan0820
I suspect the internet is also lying about where you went to school?
twhiddleston
Perhaps some aspects can be trusted.
What I meant, however, some information about..past relationships could be unreliable.
He hated bringing up anything to do with his past relationships. He hated that all was publicized for the world to know. It was his least favorite aspect of the job. Never could he have a meaningful relationship without paparazzi or the press getting their noses involved. He wouldn't have faulted you for immediately searching up all the information you could about his past. Why allow yourself to get involved (in any form) with a man who could hardly hold down a relationship? As with everything involving you, your response put him at ease.
cgfan0820
Tom, let me promise you now–I'm not going to read anything regarding your relationships of the past, present, or future. In fact, all snooping is finished now. You share what you're willing to share.
twhiddleston
You don't have to do that on my account. I've given the interviews...I've answered the questions...
cgfan0820
But I didn't ask you the questions. If you share something with me, then it should be because you want ME to know it.
I want to share it all with you.
twhiddleston
In the same turn, if you aren't comfortable showing a picture of yourself with me—then I'll be perfectly content to wait until you're ready, Ms. L/N.
What if I'm never ready?
cgfan0820
Mr. Hiddleston, I'm going to let you go to sleep now. I've kept you up too long as it is. You've made today magical for all of my kids. Scott is never going to forget today.
I will never forget today.
twhiddleston
I'm glad I could be of service. Good night, Y/N.
I will do whatever I can for you.
cgfan0820
Oh, and never stop calling me darling. Even if I put up a fight.
Even though it scares me.
twhiddleston
Darling, I wouldn't be able to stop if I tried with you.
Even though it scares me.