Behind the Screen (a Tom Hiddleston Story)

14. Pegs

    The next day is all prep for Christmas as it is a mere day away and they still had so much to do, plan and cook before the big day. For once Kate was actually overly excited for the big event of the year as she had never had a reasonably attractive man sleeping in her bed when she awoke early to the sounds of chickens clucking louder than the usual chicken talk. Groaning as she rolled over a little too far to the left she tried to steady herself but failed as she landed on her back, making a sound that imitated her father slamming down a sack of potatoes when they made chips.

"Fuck me," she cursed under her breath as she blushed, turning her head to see that Tom was peering sleepy-eyed over the top of the extremely comfortable bed, from which she had unwillingly decided she no longer wanted to share with him.

"What a request for such an early hour, miss Kate." He huffed a laugh as he held out his hand to help her to her feet, kneeling up on the bed as he did so.

"Well now Mr. Hiddleston, If your rather large arse hadn't been hogging my bed forcing my exile of matress-heim then maybe I might have said yes. But no. You ruined it. And you've only yourself to blame." She winked as she walked off to the bathroom to freshen up. She might have kissed him if it were not for her crippling self-conscious feeling that filled her mind as she could only think of how bad her breath smells in the morning.

She and Tom were dressed and ready by nine as they had been informed via posit that they were needed down on the farm to muck out the stables as they had been forecast a heavy storm which would lead them well into the early hours of Christmas day. So with that in mind, they adorned matching Wellington boots and headed off for a morning of hard work and grafting.

"I've never worked on a farm before. But this doesn't seem too bad. I take it there's a lot of poo involved?" Tom laughed as he commented on the faeces. Such a child Kate thought as she could help but return his smile with a giggle.

"Yeah, hence the wellies and I have a secret weapon. So if you play your cards right then you might just be let into the family secret, Hiddles."

They walked off together holding two buckets and a pitchfork in each hand. Tom allowed Kate to walk a little in front as to show him the way as this was only his second day here and he didn't know the whereabouts of anything yet. "its this way, you know my mum used to take me and my brother down here and we walked across the lake so we best be quick because..."

Tom had switched off slightly as he gazed lovingly at the sight that fell before her eyes. She walked along talking as though she hadn't a single care in the whole world. She looks so at home here it obviously was hard when she had to move away for work. He could tell that she isn't happy anywhere but here, whether that be the location or the people here, it means so much too her. He had obviously been staring straight through her as she had sensed my prying eyes scorching holes through her raincoat and turned around to question my behavior like a misbehaving toddler.

"Hey, Tom? Earth to Loki?" her lips curled up into a teasing grin as she waved her hand in front of Tom's now extremely alter face. Blinking back into focus, Tom's vision cleared to greet him with Kate forcing her hand onto his bemused face. He stuck his tongue out and licked her hand, making Kate scream and wipe her hand down his coat sleeve.

"What were you thinking about, I could hear the cogs ticking away like a grandfather clock at mid-day," she commented in a mocking tone, remembering their conversation from the other night.

"Hmm, something beautiful." he mused to himself as they reached the bridge that led across the lake to the cow field and barn.

"My parents usually don't let us go over here when there's a storm brewing because of the open water and lightning, but we should be okay if we don't take ages." They walked across the worn wooden planks which were nailed together with old, orange nails. The walkway headed off through a freshly cut pathway made of mainly mud and grass which would be great when it rained...