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

Part 65

Previously in YOJA: Living together for a few months meant discovering all sorts of things about each other that otherwise had gone undiscovered. Trial run at cohabitation survived, it was almost a blessing when work required Tom to return to London again. It gave the pair of you time to regroup, time to miss each other once again... and time for you to figure out how to adequately prepare Tom for Thanksgiving with your family. 

The month, notable for long days at work and Tom's absence, passes quickly. Your place that once seemed snug seems too large without Tom sharing the space with you. Of course that won't matter much longer. After this little stretch of time spent at your mother's house – assuming you survive it – you'll begin a several month long span of constant travel. There won't be time to miss him. You'll be back to living out of a suitcase, just like before.

For the first time since signing on to take part in Touring Sundays, you'll be flying home to spend a holiday with the maternal side of the family. Travel never used to give you pause, crowds aside. You were just another traveler. Still are just another traveler, but now you've a knot within your ribcage that's only partially attributed to introducing Tom to additional members of your family.

Your carryon suitcase already sits in the trunk of Richard's car, the man himself giving you the stink eye for pacing back and forth in the living room and giving him a play by play of Tom's flight status. Anything for distraction. Richard mostly makes small non-committal noises in response when it becomes clear you're not really looking for long-winded answers to follow your announcements. Tom is in the air. Still in the air. Shouldn't you be leaving soon and heading that way? You don't want Tom to have to sit around the airport by himself, not after the distance he's traveled so far.

Finally, Richard flags you down, shaking his head at you as he speaks. "Next time, less coffee."

Less coffee? What is less than none? This is just you and your bundle of nerves regarding the next few hours, and next few days. If Richard's irritated now he's not going to like the flight to Madrid. Not one bit. How many hours stuck in a seat beside you?

At least for the trip to Madrid the only thing fueling your nerves will be the workload looming once you land. One trip at a time, though. One trip at a time.

Somewhere within LAX Tom will be waiting for you. There will be a short flight to the regional airport near home, and from there the pair of you will take a rental car and drive the final hour-and-change of the trip to make it your mother's house. You'll be with Richard until the security checkpoint, briefly on your own, and then with Tom for the remainder of the trip. Tom will have spent most the day traveling, but try as you might you couldn't talk him out of the trip. Remembering how nerve wracking it was to meet his entire family, and knowing how exhausting all day travel can be, you've made your mother promise for this to be a small get together. Surely that's not so much to ask.

The airport is packed, much as you'd expect two days before Thanksgiving. A credit to knowing what you can and can't get away with, you don't even bother asking Richard to drop you off curbside. That would have been a no-go. Truthfully it's nice to have him there while you're confirming gate information... right up until he questions where you'll be meeting your security escort. Beyond the checkpoint? Before it?

Boom. He's stumbled onto the small test you've set yourself, half the reason your stomach is in knots. You attempt a bright smile, all the while trying to ignore the paparazzi pointing cameras at you. "Its fine, Richard. I'm fine." From the look on his face he doesn't believe the words coming out of your mouth. You take a steadying breath and continue with your assurances, spoken both for his benefit, and your own. "Unless, unless they buy a ticket they can't get beyond the checkpoint..."