A Wicked Twist (A Tom Hiddleston Fanfic)

After Show

"Nailed it" Jeremy says as we make it off stage at the end of the show.

"Yeah it felt like it went really well tonight" I half shout over the orchestra playing the final bit of music. We hug quickly and then separate, Jeremy going stage right ready for his bows and I go to stage left.

The clapping begins as the chorus goes on, and then one by one so do the rest of the principle cast . Jeremy gets a lot of screams, as per usual, then it's mine and Savannah's turn. We do the walkdown together, entering from opposite sides of the stage. It's really hard not to smile when you hear all the clapping and cheering. We meet in the middle and walk to the front holding hands. Savannah steps to the side and does a curtsey in her massive frock and then I take my bow. As I do I hear a patch of loud cheering from the stalls to my left and I look over smiling and I wonder if that's where Ben is sat. A full company bow, I motion to the band, then a final bow and we're done.

As soon as I'm off stage I head straight into my dressing room. Jess is already there waiting to de-wig me. She unzips my dress first to allow me to begin getting changed before she begins removing the multiple hair grips. I sit down to allow her better access to my head, and she has it off just as the orchestra finish their play off. We can hear applause from the auditorium filtering through the backstage feed. It always makes me smile when people wait to do that because the orchestra are such a massive part of the show. They have to be ready to speed up, slow down or just vamp when needed to; luckily tonight no hiccups happened so the score was pretty much performed as it was supposed to be. Unlike two nights ago when Savannah's costume had got caught backstage so the MD had made them vamp until she'd appeared on stage. Yes, I had the utmost respect for them, plus they were all lovely people.

Cast members begin filing past my room, returning their mic packs to the crew room, some call in to say 'good show' others just wave so I can see them in the mirror as I'm baby wiping off my green. Normally I would just baby wipe and then head off home often with a slightly jaundice look and green lingering in my ears and hair line. However if I was going to have guests tonight, and as there was no show tomorrow, I am going to get a shower and get as much off me as I can. Leaving my costume and body suit on my chair I grab my clothes and head into the small shower room en-suite thing I have in my dressing room.

Hot water flows over my body and it feels so good after a double show day that I just stand in the flow for a while. Eventually I scrub the green off my hands, dig into my ears, though I'll probably still miss some, and wash my hair. A good fifteen minutes pass in bliss, I'm in my own little world under a tropical waterfall. A noise from the other side of the shower room door snaps me back to reality and I shut off the water. I can now hear voices on the other side of the door. Getting out of the shower and wrapping my towel around me I put my ear up against the door. I think I can hear Ben. Correction I can definitely hear Ben and a lot of other people. I chuckle to myself before throwing my hair up in a twisted towel on top of my head and drying off. Once dry I put on my jeans and a grey fitted t-shirt, I've left my socks and Converse in the dressing room.

Opening the door I am greeted by a hoard, yes definitely a hoard, of people in my dressing room, all apparently eager to chat to Ben about the performance and get selfies with him. I manage to slide out past a couple of the chorus and over to my chair. I put my costumes on the side before sitting down; I'll hang them up when I can get to the rail, and reach for my socks and begin putting on my shoes.

"You know you lot are making it very difficult for me to get out of here for a drink" I have to raise my voice over the chatter. It is evident by the sudden silence that they all hadn't realised I was even in the room. There was a chorus of 'sorry' and the cast and crew began to file out of my dressing room, I did assure one or two of them that I would be over in the pub for a drink in a bit.

I finished tying my last lace as the last person exited the room; I looked in my wall-long mirror and I could now only see Ben stood over my right shoulder, grin on his face.

"This is interesting" he starts patting my towelled wrapped head.

"Thought I'd try and make a statement, you know me" I shrug whilst quickly applying some foundation.

"I have no idea what that statement would be" he laughs. "You've missed a bit" and he proceeds to stick his finger in my ear.

"Oi, pack it in" I laugh and squirm away from him. He continues to laugh. He watches me throw some eyeliner and mascara on then just as my mascara hits the side he spins my chair round so I'm facing him.

"You. Were. Amazing" he's now bent down to look me in the eye and punctuates each word.

"Shut up" I mumble and push him away.

"No seriously, you had us all in tears. Granted sometimes it was with laughter but at the end, wow. Hands down best thing I've seen you do" He has his genuine smile on now, he is being serious.

"Thanks Ben that means a lot, I take it you enjoyed it then?" I question.

"Yeah we all did. Loved it, it's such a good show" he's enthusiastic now. I'd better stop him before he goes off on a critique.

"Err Ben? You keep saying us and we but I see only you. Did you lose some people?" I laugh.

He chuckles too, "No they've managed to get the stage manager, I think, to give them a tour of the set. You know how Sophie, mum and dad can get around theatres." I did know, and I was just as bad.

"Right well let me just sort my hair out and then we can go. Are you coming for a drink or heading off? You're more than welcome to join us, we just tend to take over a side room in the pub across the road." I ask, more out of politeness than anything. I'm fully convinced he'll say no.

"I'm sure we'll all come for one," I was wrong, "Can you keep your fellow cast members under control?" He's not being serious.

"Oh sure, I'm the boss" I know sarcasm is the lowest form of wit but I am witless.

I take the towel off my head and shake out my hair. Grabbing my brush I begin to attack the knots that my hair inevitably ties itself into when I wash it. Movement behind me in the mirror draws my attention as Sophie, Tim and Wanda come through the door. Forgetting my hair for a minute I spin round and get up and go over to them. I congratulate Sophie as I give her a big hug, then I give Tim and Wanda a massive hug each, I'd not seen them in nearly a year. They congratulate me and tell me how fantastic I was, which is really nice and a little humbling coming from two major players in the acting profession.

I return to my chair and bend forward flipping my hair over my head so I can continue getting the knots out. As I am bent over I hear a male voice greet Ben. Strange I assumed it was just the four of them.

"Sam, let me introduce my friend Elliot Leafe" Ben began, and I decided sitting up was probably better for introductions as I didn't recognise the name. Sitting back up and flicking my hair back over my head I am shocked to see not one more person but two staring back at me in the mirror. I immediately know which one Elliot was because the other one was "and this is Tom.."

I finished Ben's sentence as more of a gasp "Hiddleston."