Hiddletales: Tom Hiddleston Imagines

Old Friends

Author's Note:
Hi there!
I know, I know. It's really been a while, hasn't it? I'd say it's been about two years since I last wrote something down. Well, in those two years, I've really grown a lot, and I've come to a level of maturity where I've looked back at what I wrote here and honestly, I'm shocked at some of the things I put down.😂 So, before the story begins, I would like to note that you may notice that some of these other stories will have become 'cleaned up,' or to put it in other words, some will be severely edited and some may be deleted. I'm really sorry, but I only want to put things out there that reflect the best I can be, and some of the immature details that ran through my head at the time two years ago do not meet those requirements. Once again, I'm sorry if your favorites are gone, but now that I'm back, new stories and hopefully new favorites will take their places. Lastly, I had NO idea that this series would skyrocket in votes as much as I thought it would!! I know it sounds cheesy of course, but thank you from the bottom of my heart and I hope you enjoy the story ahead.

(asgardianhedgehog)
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Old Friends

You watched from your front porch as the sun sank below the horizon, with pink clouds dotting the sky at random angles. Beyond you lay the English countryside. In the distance, sheep huddled close together in the rolling hills as night was falling. The years were fading by, and before you knew it, your life was like the sunset, setting after a beautiful day had come and gone. The thought suddenly came to mind of how fulfilling your life was, with all the many adventures and lessons learned, of all the relationships and hardships, and how you had always managed to overcome the tallest mountains. You had made it this far, and now you were towards the end of the marathon. You had fought the good fight.
Among all of these memories came the thought of your dear husband, who was your first and your last love. When you first saw him, he was beautiful in more ways than one- a true masterpiece, and you had the privilege to call him yours. You passed the years along by his side, that is, until the war.
He signed up within the first few years of conflict. He said that it was his duty, that he had to do what was right for his country, and that he had to do it for your sake. He loved you so much that he would sacrifice himself for your wellbeing, and the thought of him actually doing just that sent shivers down your spine. You knew that he was no Romeo and you were no Juliet, but the amount of dedication that he had for his country and his first love were infinitely unstoppable. Your mind flashed back to where you were walking with him to the train station, your arm in his, trembling with every step as the two of you got closer and closer to his departure. You remember that moment so well, as he finally noticed and grabbed your shaking hand and pressed it to his lips, encasing it afterwards within his own to make sure that you were alright. You weren't really alright to be honest, or altogether with your emotions, but his hands were so warm and reassuring on that chilly English morning.
Rain started to drizzle as you walked through the train station, swallowing nervously as you caught a glimpse of the nearby trains. This was it. Once your husband had gotten his tickets and gotten everything to the platform, it was time. You opened your mouth to say something, but for some reason, no words came out. He spoke for you.
"If there was only one thing I could ever say to you, this is it," he said before glancing at the time. He placed both of his hands on either sides of your shoulders. "If the worst happens, if I do not return, I want you to try to live the life of your dreams. Go out, experience life in a new perspective, do things for the good of the world. My sacrifice has enabled you to do so, and I only want you to be happy in a world where freedom is dominant."
"...Tom.." You stuttered. "My life isn't happy without you."
He fully concentrated his focus. "Trust me, darling. Just try. I'm not saying that something like that will happen, but if by chance it does, it will be better for the both of us, I promise."
The foreboding whistle of the train reverberated off of the walls.
He kissed you before he left. You stood there on the platform, watching as steam drifted up towards the windows. There he was, sitting down in a car before you. He was trying to get every glimpse of you as he could before he would be torn away from you in a foreign country, halfway across the world where he would be isolated, fighting until it was over. Suddenly, the train started moving, and before you knew it, he was gone.

The end of the war was approaching after a few years of conflict. It was written all in the news, and practically every citizen was discussing how the final moments of war were almost upon them. There had been multiple possible concepts for agreements of peace, and you were overjoyed. So far, so good. Your husband had survived the war.

2 AM. It was 2 am when the phone rang. You picked it up frantically, but it was only someone who was advertising. You sighed and rubbed your hand against your forehead as you placed the phone back, wondering about your husband and when he would be headed home. The previous morning, a peace manuscript was written and signed, which meant that the war was over. He had to be on the way.
The next day, you were headed out to the train station. The last time you were here, you were dreading the next few moments, but now, you were looking forward to them. He was finally coming home. All around you, soldiers were greeting their spouses, hugging and kissing and loving their children as well. And you? You looked around, but to no avail, the one you were searching for was not there. His train had arrived, but he was not on it. You were going to stay there all day waiting for him if you had to, but that was until you turned around and happened to notice the headlines of that morning's newspaper. In bold lettering, across the top, read the words: ARMY TRANSPORT AIRCRAFT CRASHES IN PACIFIC, 16 KIA. You immediately ran and bought the newspaper, sitting down at a bench and flipping through the pages, trying to find a source of information that told you that your Tom was only a late train arrival away, that somehow he had missed the train and that his plane had landed safely, just like the others. But sadly, upon finding his name printed next to the others under the article, your husband was now labeled as missing in action. He wouldn't be on the train coming home today.
The first thing you did when you got home was to sit out on your front porch and stare out into the distance, trying to comprehend what had exactly happened. The article read that the plane had malfunctioned and they had to make a crash landing, but someone had to have found them already... You got the official word of notice later that day, when a few officers paid their respects and handed you a letter.
Suddenly, you remembered what he had told you before he left. You knew you had to do it, because even though he may have gone missing in a plane crash and not on the battlefield, he still lived through the war and fought until he couldn't. He made that sacrifice so that you could live a peaceful life. You had to go out and live your life, instead of being depressed and living behind closed shutters. You had to.
Now, it's been a while since you made that contract with yourself. You promised him that you would do it, and he was right- it seemed to be the better option. You lived each moment with him in mind, and even though he may have died tragically, he was not remembered in vain.
The sun has almost set completely, almost to the point of darkness, when you decide to retire to bed. However, just as you rise up from your rocking chair, you see the silhouette of someone walking down the road. You try to look closer, but you can't really make out whoever it is. As time passes, you can tell the person is a man, and he seems to be walking towards your house...
Upon instinct, you quickly try to gather some sort of defensive device, as you have had robbers come in the past, but as the man got closer, you slowly came to realize who it was.
He was taller, definitely taller, now with fine lines and wrinkles that acted as words of his life story. He was older now, but he was home, and he was alive.
"Tom," You whispered, still in shock. All of a sudden, you found your feeble self running to him, as love does break all barriers, and the two of you shared a kiss so deeply it would have lasted a lifetime. He had found his way back...
"I have missed you so dearly all these years," he said, looking into your eyes and smiling. "I never thought I would see you again."
The two of you went back into the house and he proceeded to tell you all that had exactly happened, how the plane crashed and everyone else died, how he was the only survivor who had to swim to a nearby island and live along with the natives until he was rescued, how he finally found his way back. It may have taken a lifetime, but he was here, and he was with you.