This Is The True Essence Of Parallelism

Happy international women’s day!

Hold me closer

Author: @sabine-leo

Wordcount: 1529

Hurt/Comfort/Fluff

Tom x Reader

Summary: In a world where distancing is required, a safe hug from a friend can go a long way to keep one sane.

Note: I felt as if I should send out a virtual hug to everyone in need. Hope you are safe and well! This may turn into an ongoing friends to lovers story. Who knows what my twisted mind will come up with.

A blended hue of orange, red and violet tinted the darkening sky while leaves in similar shades danced to a silent melody before your window. It was -after all- still your favourite time of year. Inside your cosy home a fire was crackling and the scent of fresh brewed tea lingered in the air. You were about to put another log onto the fire when you heard an elusively familiar knock on your front door. Frowning, you looked to the door and walked over covering your face with a mask that lay ready on a shelf in the hallway. When you opened the door, a tall shadow blocked the view onto the side road. A dark ballcap and mask hid a face you hadn´t seen in person for a while now. Even though his face was mostly hidden, the smile that lit up his features shone through his hauntingly blue eyes but was somehow reluctant.

“Tom…” You smiled under your mask and opened the door fully.

“Oh my, it is so good to see you…” He started and you felt that he had to restrain himself from reaching out to pull you into one of his famous hugs.

He looked into your eyes and tilted his head a bit.

“…I needed to see a friendly and familiar face.”

Laughing softly, you answered. “You´d see more of that face when you would have video called me.”

“Not the same.” Was his quiet answer. Tom teetered on his feet for a moment before directly looking at you again. “Do you…” He started and stopped himself again. A sigh escaped him before he could start again. “Do you think I could come in?” Before you were able to answer he continued. “I haven´t had any close human contact in the last 3 weeks. You know I am fully vaccinated and I tested myself before walking over here.”

“Come in Tom, I just made tea and started a fire.”

His eyes shone a little brighter. He waited for you to clear the doorway before walking in himself and closing the door behind himself. “Tea sounds brilliant.” He began to take of his jacket, shoes and ballcap. Tom ruffled his longer curls and looked at you. His movement was a little bit off if you´d be honest to yourself. His voice quieter than usual. “You do look even better in person than on my bloody phone screen.” His mask went into his jacket before using the disinfectant you had positioned on the shelf next to the coatrack.

Laughing quietly, you walked further into your living room, flopping down on your sofa. “Probably because there is more to me than just a face. Maybe you forgot over time.” Tom grinned and got himself a cup out of your kitchen cabinet before joining you in your living room. Since you had been friends for over 8 years now, he knew his way around in your home, as you did in his.

Tom sat down on your comfy wingchair opposite of you and just looked at you for a moment. Silence had never been uncomfortable between the both of you. You did enjoy lengthy and good conversations but comfortable silence was a gift in itself. The possibility of just being together, enjoying each other’s company without words…it was invaluable.

But today it seemed that Tom was not comfortable with just silence. “This damn pandemic…” He started and ruffled his hair. “…do you think it´ll be over one day? I mean, almost two years in and we are still keeping distance from one another.”

You poured tea into both of your cups and took in a deep breath. “I really don´t know but I sure hope so.” Looking up into Toms eyes with a comforting smile made him sigh.

“Without wanting to sound shallow…and I know I am very privileged…but I do miss…” He stopped himself.

“What?” You asked.

Tom snorted and sounded exasperated at the same time.

“Doesn´t matter how I phrase it. It will be the most dispensable problem of all.” Toms’ words made you look at him with a pang of worry in your gut. “It is not dispensable when it hurts you and makes you feel bad.” Tom rubbed his legs before he blurted out “I miss human contact. Hugs. God knows I am a big hugger. I hate keeping distance. I hate not being able to reach out or always having to think about my movement and restrain my natural behaviour. And I hate only seeing my friends, YOU, over a damn screen.”

Your heart broke for your friend, who clearly showed signs of physical and mental malaise now.

“Tom…” you started before he interrupted you.

“You know what, forget it. I should go. I should´ve just called and pulled myself together.” He was about to stand up.

“Sit back down and drink your tea!” You said a bit on the stern side.

Tom looked at you and flopped back down.

“Firstly!” You started. “It is not shallow and it also isn´t dispensable. You are a physical human being. You have a good selected circle of close friends with whom you can be yourself and that got ripped away in what felt like a split second.”

Tom closed his eyes at your words and sighed but nodded.

“Secondly…” You proceeded when you saw that he was indeed listening and thinking about your words. “…there isn´t only physical health.” You paused for a moment. “Don´t be ashamed to talk about what you need to get through all of this unscathed. Yes, you are privileged and you do give back a lot through various aid organisations and just by being who you are…but it all starts with you being healthy…body and soul. So, tell me…what do you need?”

Tom gulped and needed to take in a deep breath. When he stood from his seat a second later you froze. Would he leave like he wanted to minutes ago?

His gaze met yours and he slowly held out his hand while his eyes pleaded you to close the distance. He had come that far. Had told you what ached him. But he needed you to willingly take the step towards him.

Slowly you stood and placed your hand in his. The shudder that went through him, the anticipation of physical human contact echoed through you too. Living on your own, without close family nearby could take a toll out of you in a worldwide pandemic. And there was no shame in admitting it.

Tom pulled you close. His strong arms came around you and held you against him while his head came to rest on top of yours. He actually trembled for a moment before he very slowly relaxed into the hug. Softly stroking his still rigid back with one hand and listening to his fast-beating heart with your ear against his solid chest made a tear escape your eyes. How much effort had it cost him to come to your door and ask for help? How often had he tried and talked himself out of it?

“Hold me closer…” The whispered ask nearly broke you into pieces. You wrapped yourself fully into his hug and pressed in.

You actually lost track of time. How long you just stood there and held each other was beyond you. But Toms heart had calmed down, his body not tense anymore. When you leaned backwards and tilted your head upwards you saw him smile down on you with wet streaks down his cheeks.

“Thank you…” he croaked and closed his eyes when you softly brushed another tear away that fell out of his blue eyes.

“Not for that! Never for such a thing as this! I needed this too.” You admitted and hugged him once more.

“You are an angel (Y/N)…” Tom started and kissed the top of your head in a heartfelt thank you.

Slowly you unwrapped yourself out of his arms and smiled. “How about I make us some new tea and you get the fire going again. We are having a slumber party tonight.”

Tom couldn´t stop himself from grinning even though his eyes still glistered. “Are we now?!”

You nodded and went into the kitchen. “Yes indeed! Since we just opened up our own hug-a-friend bubble we might as well stay in it a while longer. Tend to the fire and choose your poison: Movie, music, conversation.”

Tom smiled and felt a heavy load falling from his chest. “Yes, my lady!” He went outside to grab some more logs from your stack of dry wood. For the first time in a long while, he felt like himself again.

When you came back with a new pot of tea you saw Tom sitting on your sofa. The fire was well stoked and music was playing. His eyes followed your movement when you poured the tea. He smiled when you sat down next to him and spoke. “Music it is…”

“For now…” He smirked and lifted his arm. His voice was like dark chocolate when he added “Come closer, darling.” When you just grinned at him for a second, he grinned back lopsided and pulled you in.

~TBC~

General Tom Tags: (tags are open if you want to get added)

@lots-of-loki @traceyaudette @ellaenchanted91 @catsladen @dr-kayleigh-dh @mrsstyles033 @usedtobegoodfriend96 @hiddles-thomas @noplacelikehome77 @ladyblablabla @myoxiisbroken @lumoswinchesterkazy2y5 @viviandarkbloom06 @snoopy3000 @archy3001 @itscalledfandomsweetielookitup @faeriedelalune-blog @lil-mewlingquim07 @alexakeyloveloki @nonsensicalobsessions @gingerwritess @kingtwhiddleston @mylokabrennauniverse @wolfsmom1

@amazinggraces-world @tanishahka @coniumalces @emomemelordess @devilbat @cest-le-temps-de-lamour @adefectivedetective @karnita-mexicana @marvelc00kie35 @stressedoutsteph @maggiefollows @bi-spider-noir @klbates22

@my-fuckin-problem @deathofmissjackson @vesper-lou @bluefrenchfries604​ @maybell88 @moonstar86 @lokilvrr @thisismysecrethappyplace​ @wiczer @otakumultimuse-hiddlewhore

"love" is already cute as fuck, but "my love" will put the biggest smile on my face and will have me dreamily sighing when I think about you later

the nice in bejeweled 🤝 the ding in gorgeous

I am looking absolutely disrespectfully. I don't even have enough brain cells to make a generic witty comment. No thoughts. Void. Null.

I need boy advice help!

kill him

i, too, would like to be loved by a stephen strange in every universe.

I kindly urge you to pick up your phone, @consult-sherlockholmes.

It’s of the utmost importance.

whenever the sun hits your face thats apollo giving you lots of kisses

girls be like *he is my comfort character* and then bam its the most emotionally traumatised ficitonal man you’ve ever seen