Almost Broken

Part 9

My eyes are closed gently as my hand is wrapped around Tom's who is sleeping quietly in his hospital bed. I hum a quiet tune as I silently tap my foot to an imaginary beat. "You have a beautiful voice." My eyes shoot open to see Tom wide awake.

My cheeks grow red with embarrassment and I tuck a piece of hair behind my ear awkwardly. "I thought you were asleep." I say quietly as I look down at my lap.

He pulls his hand away before I feel his thumb on my chin, pleading for me to look into his eyes. When I obey, he looks at me with a soft smile playing on his lips.

"There is no need to be embarrassed. You have a real talent." His words take the form of a chivalrous knight in shining armor as if he is sitting tall on a valiant steed.

I track my thoughts back to the movie we had watched last night, The Knight Before Christmas. I let out a small chuckle before looking at him again.

"Thank you, but I'll stick to teaching." At that, he gives a smirk before moving his fingers to enlace themselves with mine yet again.

"When's that interview, by the way?" He asks with interest.

"Three days. Gosh, I hope I get the job." I say in self worry. Tom lets out a small chuckle before carefully waving his hand as to not entice any pain.

"You're totally going to get the job, y/n. It's a given! You're the most caring person I've ever met, which is a needed quality for a primary school teacher." He reassures me, his thumb grazing my cheek softly.

A warm feeling floods through my veins as we're so close, my stomach twisting and turning in a light and playful way.

My mind wanders back to Philip, though, and I pull away with a small laugh to try and not seem rude. "I hope you're right. But thank you, Tom. It means a lot." My voice is sincere as I begin to get up from my chair. His eyes follow me as I begin to head towards the door.

"I'm gonna head in for the night. I'm going out with Philip tomorrow so I'll see you tomorrow night, okay?" I say with a sudden hint of needing to distance myself, not because Tom was doing something wrong but because I was.

I'm not being fair to him, or to Philip for that matter. Despite this coldness, Tom still manages to have the widest, most charming smile imaginable.

"I'll see you tomorrow evening then, malady." He says as he mimics a knightly tone obviously noticing my observation earlier from the film we had watched.

I let out a soft laugh before giving a small curtsy, "until tomorrow evening, sir Thomas." And with that I close the door behind me and practically rush out to my car not wanting to see anyone at the moment, but still a smile is plastered on my face.

I sink in my drivers seat, my hands covering my face as I take a deep breath. What am I doing? I want to spend all of my time with Philip, but at the same time when I'm with him all of my thoughts lead back to wondering if Tom was alright.

It's probably just because I've taken the responsibility to be his care taker in my heart which makes me feel guilty that I'm not by his side.

I sit up again and start the engine, trying to calm my thoughts. I just need to make it to tomorrow, everything will make better sense then, or at least I hope so.
~ ~ ~
Here is for all of you y/n and Tom shippers! I honestly love their friendship so much :D

Please vote and comment who you ship y/n with! <3
~Aoife