All Roses Must Wilt (a Tom Hiddleston fanfic)

Chapter 9- Future Writer

"I think it's incredible," he finally speaks up, putting down his tea.

I sit there for a moment, wondering if I heard him right. "Huh?"

"The outline, I think it's wonderful," Tom replies, smiling.

"You..do?"

"Of course! Did you think I wouldn't like it or something?"

"Well, I just totally suck at writing about that stuff. So the outline was pretty easy, I'd say. The story itself is going to be a lot harder.." I murmur.

Tom carefully wraps his arm around my shoulder (being careful not to spill my tea), and pulls me into a half-hug. "I never knew you were this good of a writer, Rose! Why didn't you ever let me read your stuff before?"

I'm a little shocked by his words. He liked it. He liked the outline. "I-I don't know. I'm almost embarrassed to let people read my fictional stories. It's much easier to write articles about food and things to do in London. It's simply facts," I explain.

He loosens his hug, putting his arm back by his side. "So if you don't like writing romance, may I ask why you're writing it? Besides the fact that Kate asked for it?"

I shrug lightly. "I was sort of desperate for something to write, so I was taking requests."

Tom smirks lightly, and I can't help but smile as he looks at me. "Well do you think you could take a request from me and put it on your waiting list?"

I let out a laugh. "I don't exactly have a waiting list, but sure."

"Alright.." Tom reaches for a pen and blank notepad I left on the coffee table. "May I?" He asks, wanting to write on the paper. I nod. He smiles lightly and begins to write. I set down my tea and scoot a bit closer to him so I can see what he's writing. He doesn't seem to mind, and even uses my knee and his knee together as a table, just so I can get an even better view. I can't help but smile at his handwriting. It's neat, but not feminine. It's perfect for the perfect gentleman he is. "There." He hands me the notepad, and I realize I wasn't actually reading any words, but more just watching the small details, like the certain way he dotted his I's or crossed his T's.

I begin to actually read his writing this time. It's basically a summery of a boy who is slightly mistreated by both his parents and by people around him at school (since he's in high school), until finally he meets a girl who accepts him as a friend and his life changes. I never thought Tom would be one to think of things like this. But it didn't take me long to notice the similarities between this boy and someone else...

Tom glances from the paper to me after I don't say anything for quite a while. "Rose? Is it that bad?" He nervously runs a hand through his hair. "I don't know, it just seemed like it was more your style than a romance story.. You don't have to use it."

"No, I love it," I say, smiling and looking at him. He looks relieved.

"God, you scared me, darling. I thought you hated it."

"No, it just... It reminds me of Loki. The boy, anyways."

Tom smiles. "Yes, that's sort of how I thought of the idea."

I look back down at the story idea on the paper. "So I can use this?"

"Well I gave you the idea for a reason, didn't I?" He asks, grinning.

I smile back, immediately getting sucked into those blue eyes of his. We sit there for a few seconds, just staring. When I realize what I'm doing, I quickly look away, casually putting some distance between us so our legs are no longer touching. "So, New York. What is it that you have to do there?"