Please don't say you love me (Tom Hiddleston Fanfic)

Bath tubs and realities

"What in the ever-loving fuck is wrong with you?" I growled as I knelt down next to where Joey was kneeling on the ground hands pressing against his bloodied and already swollen nose.
"What's wrong with me?" Tom started. "Me? He was..."
"No!" I barked, surging to my feet and coming to stand mere inches from him, "he was comforting me! He did absolutely nothing wrong. Which is more than I can say of you right now."
I hated that my body still responded to him, the scent of fresh linen overwhelming me as I stared up into those soul crushing blue eyes. I couldn't stand the way my stomach tightened as his tongue shot out to lick his bottom lip. Hated that my brain betrayed me with memories of us in his trailer, the way his hands knew every inch of my body like it was his own... and that tongue...

"Ava, can we..." he went to touch my arm but I moved too quickly, reeling backwards and returning to my spot beside Joey who was staggering to his feet with a groan.
"I swear to God Tom," I growled, linking my arm with Joey's and helping him to stand, "if you say can we talk I'm going to scream."
The pained look on his face told me more than enough about what he was intending on asking.
"Please Ava."
He wasn't usually one to beg.
I ducked my head to meet Joey's eyes and he offered me a small nod, the blood flowing from his nose thankfully slowing as I handed him a tissue from my pocket.
"The time for talking to me was weeks ago," I sighed, running my hand down Joey's arm briefly before turning to face Tom once more.
"Ava, you have to understand," he stepped forwards.
"No," I shook my head, "no, I don't have to understand anything right now."
The wounded look on his face almost made my stomach roll. Almost.
"You weren't there, Tom," I glanced across to Joey, tenderly inspecting the blood that had stained the tissue he held.
"I know..."
"No! You don't know! You weren't there, I needed you! I needed YOU! And you couldn't even be bothered to pick up the goddamn phone and call me. Fuck, you couldn't even be bothered to send me a message. Do you have any idea, any idea, what that was like?"
He had the good grace to at least look partially guilty. I glanced across to Joey who was walking across to one of the fences lining the pathway and tending to his wound.

"Ava."
"Just stop," I shook my head, wrapping my arms across my stomach as fresh tears welled, "you can't possibly have anything to say to me. You had every chance in the world to talk to me and instead you chose to ignore me and essentially go and find yourself a... a..."
I sucked in a breath and shook my head again, "a better person to spend your time with."
"No, Ava, no," he breathed, "she's not..."
"Don't Tom," I swiped a tear angrily, "just don't. It's time for you to go, go and enjoy your girlfriend and the magical wonderland that is your home town. Leave me be. Please, just leave me be."
I turned to walk away but Tom's hand pulled softly on my sleeve, stopping me.
"Please Ava," those damn eyes. "Please, please, just say we can talk, maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow but. Just... there's so much we still need to say."

I looked down at my sleeve, carefully moving my arm away from his grasp before giving him a final, exhausted look before moving away. Without so much as another word I walked over to Joey, resting my hand on his back as he turned to me with a bloodied smile.
"I'm so sorry Joey."
"Please," he grinned, wincing, "I've had much, much worse, back in those good old school days."
I tried to offer him a smile but instead it just came out as some sort of half pained wince I was certain. When I looked back to where Tom had been standing, there was nothing but empty space.
"Come on," I linked my arm with his, "let's go get you cleaned up."

Henry's house was warm and welcoming as we walked through the guest bathroom at the back. I set Joey up with some fresh towels and a wash cloth before heading into the kitchen to grab him some ice.
"I still can't apologise enough for what happened with Tom," I halted almost immediately in the doorway to the bathroom, my hands tightening on the ice wrapped in a tea towel I was holding. Joey was sitting perched on the edge of the bathtub, his jacket folded neatly beside him, white shirt open to reveal the most delicious set of abs as he carefully washed the blood stains from his shirt.
"Truly Ava," he stopped working the wash cloth against his top, "it's fine. He was obviously upset about something."
I silently offered him the ice I was holding. He took it from me with a smile and placed it gingerly against his nose. I was grateful for the brief moment of reprieve as the ice covered his eyeline, offering me a fleeting moment to appreciate that body once more.

Blue eyes met mine as he caught me flat out staring, and before I had a chance to try and cover up my gawking with some terrible line he spoke.
"So, tell me, what exactly was Tom so upset about?"
I glanced down at my hands, fingers twisting at the silver ring on my finger as I contemplated how much to divulge.
"We uh, we just haven't really had a chance to chat properly over the last few weeks."
Joey eyed me for a moment as he threw the wash cloth into the basin with a wet thud.
"What happened?"
I blew out a breath and huffed a laugh.
"You don't have to tell me," he stood, walking over to where I was leaning against the doorframe, "but sometimes talking about it with someone, entirely removed, can help."
I sucked in a breath as he leaned back against the wall, blue eyes like fire as he waited.
"I uh," I bit my bottom lip and nodded, "I think this story might need tea."
He smiled, "I get the impression it might need something a little stronger than that."
I laughed, "oh you have no idea."