the hollands ; reader imagines

Against the world || T.H.

Pairing: Tom Holland x reader

Warnings: a grain of angst near the beginning, fluff near the end:)

~

One of the most complicated and intricate feelings in the whole world? that one feeling that makes you feel as if you're losing control, that there's a thousand bricks that's just weighing down on your shoulders, taunting you to just break?

stress.

and boy, was tom feeling it.

All he wanted to do was have some peace and quiet. he wanted to get rid of that dull throb in his head, rest his back, shut his red eyes and float off into a dreamless sleep. but all he could hear was the clicking of his keyboard, the impatient tapping of his foot, and the distant sound of the television being played in the living room, harry watching a film no doubt.

but then he hears the doorbell ring, and then your lovely voice greeting harry. he wants nothing more but to wrap his arms around you, to carry you to his bed and cuddle with his head on your chest and your hands tousling his hair, to fall asleep listening to your heartbeat. but he couldn't. not with so much piling on top of another.

You scan around the living room to see tom nowhere in sight, and glance at harry with a questioning look, him pointing at the closed bedroom door in response.

You enter the dark room and only see his back as he was facing his computer screen, but you knew him like the back of your hand. you could tell that tom was stressed and wearing himself thin from his hunched posture and his frazzled hair. you quietly shut the door, walking towards him before putting your hands on his tense shoulders. he didn't even turn around to look at you and greet you with the smile that never fails to sweep you off the floor, and you know that he's exhausted.

"hi love. harry has a sick movie playing, come down and watch it with us."

"I'll will later. I just need to finish this."

"you need a break tommy. just come rest a little."

"I'm not in the mood."

"tom..."

"y/n get out! I don't need you to tell me what to do!"

You tell yourself to just breathe and that it's okay. that he's stressed and didn't mean it, and it's best to let him cool down.

so, you do. you silently let go of his shoulders and walk out of the room without another word.

you come back to the living room again and sit down on the carpet, making yourself comfortable. you feel a hand on your shoulder and see harry, looking at you with pity in his eyes.

"want me to kick his ass?"

you chuckle and pat the hand that's on your shoulder. "nah it's okay. he'll be fine, he's just stressed."

"are you okay though?" harry moves to sit beside you on the floor.

"yeah. we'll sort it out sooner or later. let's watch this movie, it looks so fucking cool." harry lets out a laugh and you both settle, harry unpausing the film.

Meanwhile, tom felt like punching himself. he didn't mean it, of course he didn't want to hurt you like that. it pained him to lose your touch, the instant coldness seeping throughout his body once your hands left his shoulders. and he knew that he needed to talk to you, to sort it out. he needed you to know that you weren't the problem, that you were quite literally the light of his life and that he was deeply sorry.

you hear him walk in during harry explaining a particular scene to you, and harry notices how you become stiff, that you can't handle any silent awkwardness, so he continues on. the rest of the movie carried on the same way, with you and harry adding commentary towards the film, tom sitting on the couch and just staring at you with sorrow.

how could he ever yell at you like that?

the movie soon ends, and tom immediately looks at harry, who gets the message and starts to pack his things.

"see you y/n/n. we'll watch the sequel tomorrow." harry envelops you into a hug, not before whispering to text him if anything happens so he can punch his older brother, and you giggle at his remark.

you stand up to lock the door after harry when you feel tom grabbing your arm with both hands, a deathly grip with no intention of letting go.

"please don't leave."

you internally coo at the way he grasps your arm, tugging you back towards him, a look of desperation and regret in his eyes. you lean down to cup his face with your hands, pressing a tender kiss on his forehead, and he closes his eyes, nuzzling his cheek against your palm.

"I'm just going to lock the front door. I'll be back in a second." he nods his head and reluctantly lets you go, watching your every move as you lock the door before making your way back to him. tom reaches out for you, to which you gladly accept and he guides you to straddle him. he then wraps his arms tightly around you and lets out a shaky breath.

"I'm sorry baby."

"I know you are. it's okay." you gently put your arms around tom's shoulders, and pull him even closer to you.

"no, no it's not. I shouldn't have yelled at you like that, and I truly do wish I could take it back. I'm so sorry love." tom's eyes start to water and you softly kiss away the few tears that manage to trickle down.

"you're pushing yourself too hard tommy. you're burnt out. you need to take a break once in a while."

tom nods his head and rests his head on your shoulder and you bring a hand to run your fingers through his hair.

"I just feel I'm not good enough. like I'm letting everyone down."

"but you're not sweetheart. you can't just force yourself to carry the entire world on your shoulders by yourself. you need to let me in during times like these, so that i can remind you how amazing you are and how much we're all so very proud of you. yeah?" you slowly rub his back and he lets out a sigh and murmurs out a small "yeah".

"I'm supposed to help you with it all my love. because I'm here for you. I'm always going to be here for you. because it's me and you against the world tommy."

tom back up at you and gives you a soft kiss on the lips before pressing his forehead to yours and repeating your words.

"me and you against the world baby."