You've Only Just Arrived (a Tom Hiddleston fan fiction)

Part 45

The first few days of work after coming back from a vacation are the worst. Heaven help you if you ever take an extended vacation again, you’ll never want to get back into your work routine. Your vacation lament doesn’t survive the week, however, the pace for filming for Touring Sundays 2 doesn’t allow it.

During a lunch break, Andrew is off canoodling with his on-again girlfriend and Matt is hovering nearby while you are talking on the phone with Tom. Try as you might you can’t keep Matt from eating bits of your food while you’re trying to multitask. Fending for your food while talking to Tom on speakerphone is quite a task. It is strange to be able to talk to Tom and know that he’s also experiencing the same time of day. There is no time-zone difference for the first time in what seems like ages.

You’ve given up on scrolling through the pages of the calendar app to stare, frowning at the screen of your phone. Your off days aren’t matching up with Tom’s.

Tom chuckles, “We managed a few days here and there while on different continents. You’d think we’d have an easier time of this while we’re in the same state…”

He’s seemingly entertained. You’re incredibly frustrated.

You sigh out, “And yet…”

“And yet.” He agrees. Ah, there’s the tone that indicates he’s just as frustrated by this as you are.

Matt snags another seasoned fry from your plate and uses it to motion to you, “There’s the 7th.” He leans further towards the phone, “Tom, what about the 7th and 8th?” He pops the fry into his mouth, “______, did I miss you asking him about that?”

You raise an eyebrow at Matt and hold the phone out towards him, “I think the 7th has a photo-shoot that Mark is trying to line but up but… Honestly I don’t even know anymore. Here – maybe if you talk to Tom it’ll prevent you from eating the last of my food. I love you, Tom. Here’s Matt.”

The two day span didn’t work for Tom either. Just like every other day that had been suggested, something stood in the way. Watching Matt’s grin falter as every date he suggests is met by Tom’s chuckled response in the negative is only entertaining for a few minutes. You pick up the stack of production memos and mail to flip through while picking at the rest of your meal.

A series of the pages are from Matt and Andrew. Both of them have been utilizing the memo system as an extended telegram – complete with full stops. Excellent use of their time while a particular scene hadn’t called for their participation. Monumental waste of paper but it keeps them busy and prevents your phone from being overwhelmed with messages from the pair of them.

Production notice – [costume related].

Production notice – [new schedule for next week].

Part of the telegram-message from Matt and Andrew. Evidently they were composing their own suspense story during their down time – [We’ve hidden it {STOP} Oh dear, darling Sunday {STOP} And refuse to give hints {STOP} Can’t wait for you to read this {STOP} Or discover it missing {STOP}]. You’re waiting until one or both of them cave to tell you what, exactly, is missing from your dressing room.

Production notice – wait that is a duplicate of the first.

Note from Mark. Note from Richard. Both of them could have left you messages on your phone but – well maybe they had – maybe they were just being thorough. You feel a flash of guilt. Instead of checking anything on your phone during your break you’d taken the opportunity to call Tom. You shake the guilt aside and concentrate on the papers in your hands.

Fan-mail. [Dear _____, I finally was fortunate enough to see the new hairstyle. Not saying that the red wasn’t stunning but glad to see the real you once again. Yours, -MC.] You lift your hand to your hair. You’d grown used to your shorn locks faster than you imagined you would.