Life Is What You Make It (A Tom Hiddleston Fanfic)

Part 22: Photo Op

Two Can Play at That Game

Anna and I head downstairs to join our men. When we arrive and are shown to our table toward the back of the restaurant, Tom and Chris have already ordered beers and also ordered for us.

Both men stand, and let Anna and I slide into the booth.  "Everything okay?" Tom asks, kissing me on the cheek. "Yup, everything is fine," Anna responds. "Mia told me all your deepest, darkest secrets, and she even diagramed your favorite sexual positions," she finishes.

Tom takes a sip of his beer and chokes, while Chris rubs his eyes and whispers to Anna, "May I remind you once again that I have to work with Tom." I decide to save both Tom and Chris. "Anna, I did no such thing. First off, Tom has no deep, dark secrets to tell me." Except for Allison, a little voice says. "Second, you know I can't draw, and our sexual positions were much too complicated for stick figures" I finish. Once again, poor Tom chokes on his beer, but Chris has a huge grin on his face this time.

"Mia, Bia, Fo, Fa, Fia is back in the building!" Chris exclaims. At this, I reach across the table to fist-bump Chris. "Yeeaah, boyeeee!" I respond.

Tom looks at me quizzically. "Anna uses me as kind of a play date for Chris. You know, to tire him out metaphorically, mostly by using logic and big words. By the end of the day, he's all tuckered out." I say with a shrug.

"Hey, I'm, like, right here!" Chris responds with an indignant look on his face. Then, he breaks into a broad grin. "Shit, she's right, though. Mia keeps me on my toes. You better watch out, Bro," Chris says to Tom. "Duly noted," Tom replies, taking my hand in his under the table.

"And here's a few other things you should probably know," Chris continues, his grin turning devious. "She can cuss like a sailor. No, scratch that, I think a sailor would take notes from her creative use of curse words. Also, she and Anna have code names for certain people, so be careful." When I look at Chris with an open mouth, he says, "That's right, I know that you and Anna call me Johnny Utah when you don't want me to know you're talking about me." I start shooting eye daggers at Chris, mentally sticking pins in a voodoo doll of him in my head, while Anna just stares at him with a look like, 'Aw crap, I've been caught!'

Then he turns to Tom and says earnestly, "And, whatever you do, do NOT let her drink tequila."

Oh Hades, not the tequila story!

"I know, I know, " Chris continues holding up his hands in gesture. "It can seem harmless, and it is actually pretty fun in the beginning. Especially if there's a pole and a dance floor." With this, Chris waggles his eyebrows at me, and Tom just slowly turns to stare at me with a 'Well, well, well, what do we have here' look on his face.

"Yup, it's all fun and games, with the sexy dancing and body shots, until little Miss Mia here thinks she's been affronted in some way, then she turns into some WWE wrestler, throwing chairs and shit. I kid you not, Tom. Just keep her away from tequila, if not for yourself, then for the safety of the free world."

Okay, so most of what Chris said is true, but in my defense, I only drank tequila with him and Anna one time at this Mexican restaurant back in LA. It did get pretty rowdy, but only because of this bottle blond who thought she was all that.

When I look at Chris, I know now why he told this story. It was to get even for my play date comment. And, frankly, I deserve it. As Chris stares at me to see my reaction to his little coup, I reach across the table and clink the neck of my beer bottle against his as if to say, 'Touche'. He smiles, and I know now we're even.

Unfortunately for Tom, he's still trying to figure out what just happened. "So, let me get this straight. You pole dance when you drink tequila?" Tom asks, looking at me with a mischievous glint in his eyes. "So it would appear," I say a little sheepishly. "Then why the hell are we drinking beer. Tequila shots all around!" Tom says, and we all start laughing.