You've Only Just Arrived (a Tom Hiddleston fan fiction)

Part 38

They had cake for you on set even though you made everyone swear not to do anything special. Matt and Andrew had lead an extremely long rendition of Happy Birthday, making up verses and having the entire crew in stitches by the end of it.

Why had you expected them to listen to you and not make a big deal of it? You'd much preferred Tom's early morning phone call and murmured birthday wishes – he hadn't quite called early enough to wake you up, but close.

Now Matt has you cornered in your dressing room as you were trying to escape after spending all day running around the set with him and Andrew. "Oh c'mon Matt – I just want to go home and relax..."

"And deprive this wonderful crew from being able to celebrate with you. Just a few drinks – suffer through one more rendition of Happy Birthday – and then you can have it your way." Matt still blocks the door.

You cast a pleading look over Matt's shoulder at Richard. Please say you have another something lined up so that you need to take me home now! Richard shrugs while waiting for your reply. Your telepathic powers need work, obviously. You sigh, "Alright."

"Excellent! Doubt we could have gotten our deposit back on the room at the bar anyway." He sidesteps to let Richard hand you a garment bag that he'd been holding out of sight.

"Maaaatt." You sigh. Of course they'd gone so far as to renting a room somewhere. You accept the bag, frowning slightly before looking between the two of them. "What's this?"

Matt makes a sweeping motion, referencing you head to toe. "You're not going to your birthday bash in your jeans."

You should have known the moment he appeared in your doorway dressed a little nicer than usual that he had no intention of letting you off easily. You should have skipped out immediately after the day concluded rather than delaying in the dressing room.

Matt talks to you through the door while you change. "Sent someone from wardrobe for it, what do you think?"

A fitted bodice and flowing skirt – the dress was in your favorite color, too. "I love it. Though now I'm thinking you won't let me slip away after a few drinks." You spin for the two men when you're through changing. They'd even brought, well wardrobe had gotten, accessories to match the dress.

Richard and Matt try to lead you through the crowd towards the private room as quickly as possible. You delay their actions by stopping at the bar to order a drink. When they give you irritated looks you laugh, "What? You get me all dressed up - insist on coming out to drink and then expect me to bypass the drinking part?"

"There are drinks – and friends – waiting... oh never mind." Richard gives Matt a look and then shakes his head, laughing because he knows you're going to do things your way regardless of what either of them say.

As a result of the change of clothes you're having to carry your phone, having left everything but your ID to get into the building in Richard's car. While you're waiting for your drink your phone buzzes. You'd sent Tom a text earlier to let him know you were done with your day – that was before you'd known about Matt's plans to take you out. You sigh when you answer, "Hey, sorry. I know you can hear it in the background... Matt talked me into going out after all."

"You don't have to sound so happy about it, darling. Happy birthday again, by the way."

You'd wanted to be at home so you could have a long video chat with Tom. You make a face at Matt while replying, "Oh I'll warm up to it eventually. Just ordered a birthday shot – what was it called...?" Richard mutters the name as you accept the shot from the bartender, "A chocolate cake shooter."

"Hang on don't drink it yet, let me see what that even looks like." You quickly accept the video chat, holding the shot up so he can view it. "Look delicious, ______. And you look delicious, too. New dress?"

You should have tried to go to visit him the weekend previous, or even scheduled something for this coming weekend. Hearing his utterance makes you want to down the shot and head right back out the doors so you can concentrate solely on him.

Neither Richard nor Matt would allow such a maneuver though. After swallowing the shot you smile at Tom and then look down at the dress, "Well, yes. Not sure if it's mine or if it belongs to the wardrobe department though..."

Matt starts to herd you again, through the crowd and back towards the awaiting festivities, "Yours. Now why is it that he can wish you a happy birthday and not get a death glare?"  When you look away from the screen of your phone he laughs, "Yes. That look. Exactly that look. Tom, help me out here."

"You're on your own, mate." You turn the sound up on the speakers so that you can hear Tom over the noise of the bar but even that doesn't help so much. You have to hold the phone closer to your head to hear his responses. 

Matt's muttering, "Hmm. Alright, I'll remember that next time Hiddleston. And now - here we are..." Everyone bursts into song when you walk into the room that they've decorated with balloons and streamers. Another rendition of Happy Birthday. Joy. Tom has even joined in as the group serenades you.

Happy birthday to yoooooou. Happy biiiiiirthdaaaay to youuuuuuuuu.

You wince at the few that have obviously been there drinking a little longer than the rest.

Happy biiiiiiiiiirthday dear _______.

You turn your hand over in a rolling motion before you to get them to speed up the singing. Final verse. And go!

As they start to sing the last few words to the song you realize that Tom's singing is coming in clearer. Is it because you'd turned the sound up so loud on your phone? Or that you've taken a step away from the overly loud chorus before you?

Nope. None of the above. Hands slide around your midsection as the finals words are sung and a gentle voice sings into your ear, "toooo yoooouuuuu."

Your heart has leapt up into your throat and you spin to face Tom. He shouldn't be standing there before you but - there he is. He's still supremely tanned from his days filming out in the sun. You'd looked past the fact that he was dressed nicely and had his hair gelled when you'd answered his video chat request earlier. 

He's clearly thrilled by your surprise over his presence. "Hello, darling. Happy Birthday!"