Twelve Red Roses (a Tom Hiddleston fanfic)

Chapter 33- Yet Another Rose

A smile spreads across my face as I pull out a fully bloomed red rose. I'm still not good at thanking him for things. And I'm still not used to the idea of getting flowers so often.

"Thank you... Really. It's gorgeous."

"Darling, that's not even all. Look further into the bag."

I pull away, slightly confused, and grab the bag again. Tom just has a goofy grin on his face, but it almost makes him more handsome.

"Do it for me," I say softly, handing him the bag.

"What? Cass, come on. Just open it." He's still smiling at me and my childish behavior.

And so I open it. Slowly and carefully. And, according to Tom, painfully.

"You're going painfully slow, darling," he sighs.

"Alright, alright!" I take the item out of the bag, unwrapping the white paper around it. A velvety blue box.

Okay, now I'm concerned.

I flip open the box, and I feel as though I'll pass out. I clasp a hand over my mouth, silencing my gasp.

And meanwhile, Tom is just looking at me expectantly. But I don't know how he expects me to react to this.

"Do you like it?"

"I... I don't understand." I stare at the necklace in front of me. How much did this cost him?

"You said you didn't have many, so I thought it'd be nice to get you one. Here, let me help you."

Within a second, Tom is fixing the clasp at my neck, and my hand automatically touches the pendent hanging from the chain. A red rose. It's the symbol of our entire relationship.

"I'm speechless, to be honest," I say, my voice soft. "You really didn't have to do this."

"But I wanted to."

And now I just feel extremely guilty. Here I was, sitting alone in this room thinking something was going on between the two of them, when he returns with gifts for me. Why aren't I that good to him?

I launch forward, hugging him tightly around his shoulders. "Thank you... Thank you so very much."

He grins, seeming relieved that I do indeed like the necklace.

I unclasp it, though, taking it off for now. There's no way I was going to wear this to bed.

Dragging all of the pillows down on the floor, too, I collapse on the soft surface.

"So I take it we're sleeping down here tonight?" Tom asks, smiling lightly as he looks down at me.

I grin. "Yes."

He lies next to me, slipping off his shoes and belt. "So," he breaths. "Sophie."

"What about her?"

"What do you think Randy has done to her?" He asks.

"I don't know... Abuse, maybe. Physical or verbal," I guess.

"Possibly." He shakes his head lightly. "She always gets involved in the wrong guys."

"Except for you," I point out. "You're the best she's ever gotten, I bet."

"Possibly," he says once again. Then he smiles lightly, realizing his repeated word. "But tomorrow will be better, I promise you."

"Why, does she have an interest in dark literary poets?" I ask.

"Well, no." He smiles. "She'll just behave herself."