❝ Take me out, and take me home You're my, my, my, my lover ❞
plot: Where you and Tom are part of the same theatre club, but little did you know that he, too, has been crushing on you for the longest time. Until...
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"Would you maybe like to go out together sometime? Get a cup of tea, walk around." Tom's sudden offer takes you by such surprise that you almost swear under your breath, desperately hoping that your cheeks have not gone too red, which, unfortunately, they probably have in spite of your attempts to remain in control of yourself. Although the two of you had always been on friendly terms — carefully hiding your mutual crush for one another —, you have only ever seen each other at the theatre club, both of you having shown yourselves too timid to ask the other out. Well, that is until today.
Your eyes meet Tom's familiar smile, the man looking at you expectantly as he awaits your response. If he is feeling any nervous, you cannot tell, being flustered yourself — you have had a soft spot for the light-haired man ever since you first joined the club, discovering his passion for acting in addition to his endearing personality. You would hear his usually soft-spoken voice grow vigorous as he delivered lines, the muscles of his body and face caught up in the emotion of the performance whose ancient roots found their source over five hundred years ago but still resonated today, and marvel at his commitment on stage. Acting opposite him is an experience you could never get tired of, every member of your group being very enthusiastic about theatre and its resources.
"Yes, of course, I'd love to," you end up uttering an answer, giving the man a joyous smile though you still can't believe that what you have wanted for quite a bit of time now has finally come true.
"When would you like to do that?" he asks brightly, the slackening of his body indicating that your acceptance of his proposition allowed him to slightly unwind in relief.
"Well, now that today's acting session is over, I'm not doing anything... Are you?" it is your turn to inquire.
"No, neither do I." Tom confirms. "So how about we go out now?" he offers; the cheerful expression that has come with your answer has not left his face.
"I would be happy to," you say cheerfully, hanging your tote bag over your shoulder as you and Tom make your way through the doors and the entrance of the beautiful London building your theatre club is set in, part of the place also being a museum.
The warm summer breeze greets you as you find yourself outside, plunged into the chattering of the sunny city. Glancing at Tom while you're heading down the street, your nervousness dies out little by little as the conversation flows between the two of you, reminding you of the way you have become friends almost right away, clicking instantly over the course of acting sessions. You have always been fond of Tom's articulate way of expressing himself and his interesting mind, never being scared of sharing your own thoughts with him — your creativeness and love for theatre had drawn you to one another.
"I know I good café," Tom tells you, a benevolent smile playing on his lips.
"Good, now we don't have to worry about the place to go to," you answer playfully, undeniably attracted to Tom's sweet charm. Now that the surprise of being asked on a date passed, you want to enjoy every minute of it to the fullest.
As the blonde-haired man leads you toward the café, you ask each other all the questions you never got to ask between theatre practices, finding out about each other's other hobbies or insignificant details that still mean a lot to atwitter hearts. You feel so comfortable with Tom, you almost forget about the nervousness of the date, merely enthusiastic to spend more time with him. At last, you reach the place he had told you about, a breezy café with light-wooden tables and chairs enclosed by a fence made of the same material, potted green plants also hanging from it.
"That's such a nice place!" you comment, discovering it for the first time. "Thank you for taking us here."
"It's my pleasure. I love coming here," the young man confesses, letting you pick a table. "It both seems calm because of all the plants and lively due to the buzzing of the city all around."
You take a seat on the terrasse, ordering a pot of tea you will be able to share, and can't help but keep on smiling at each other, indescribably glad that you took the plunge at last and went on a date.
"So, Tom, I don't think I even asked you this, but do you have a favourite play?" you inquire, coming back to your biggest mutual passion.
"Ah, the dreadful question," the young man chuckles, taking a few seconds to give it a thorough thought. "Call me old fashioned, but I would have to choose a shakespearean play. I mean, Shakespeare is still the ultimate reference, isn't he? No matter how many times I read him, I still find myself completely bewitched by his writing."
"Agreed," you nod wholeheartedly, raising your hands up in a way that suggests that you surrender to your friend's argument. "His pieces are so humanely accurate, I would say. That's why they're still so relevant today."
"That's exactly what I've been trying to say," Tom exclaims, beaming at you as a spark of admiration ignites in the blue of his eyes. You have never been aware of it, but your ideas and way of thinking impress the blonde man just as much as his fascinate you.
Your order arrives a few minutes later, brought by an amiable waiter, and you pick up the conversation once your cups are filled with the hot beverage. Although the weather is warm, you would never say no to tea-time, especially in Tom's company.
"Y/n," he calls suddenly, letting his cup rest on its plate after he took a first sip. "To be or not to be?" he asks humorously, a hint of mischief radiating off his face.
"That is the question," you fire back, making you laugh together.
"Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune..." Tom continues, not giving up on the joke yet.
"Or to take arms against a sea of troubles and by opposing end them." You add, finishing the line.
"I have a feeling we could keep on going like this until the end of the afternoon, but ay, there's the rub," he winked, making you shake your head as you grin at the reference. "We didn't really go out to only read lines together, did we?"
"No, that's true. Though I really like discussing theatre with you," you admit kindly. "You're such a good actor, it's amazing to watch you perform."
"Thank you, but so are you, Y/n," Tom answers generously, his fingers wrapped around his cup of tea as he leans forward a little. "Though everyone at the theatre club is so nice, you're my favourite acting partner."
"Likewise," you give him a touched smile, your stomach fluttering as you realise that you may be as important to Tom as he is to you.
You keep on chatting until you run out of tea, an hour and a half flying by unusually fast in the company of the one who occupies your heart, and the time to leave your seats ends up coming. Getting back to the sun-bathed streets of the British capital, its familiar red double-decker buses passing by alongside cars, you stroll about on the late-afternoon pavement, talking some more as the reluctance of putting an end to your date seizes both of you.
"So... Doth thou want to do this again sometime?" Tom smiles, joking, though his proposition is serious. "Go out together, talk plays and life and whatever crosses our mind. Would that be fun to repeat?" he inquires hopefully as you come across St James' Park, the green crowns of trees swinging peacefully in the distance.
"I would be more than happy to do this again," you reply earnestly, returning Tom's smile.
Neither of you know it yet, but there would be a lot of other dates like this. A lot, before one of you overcomes their shyness and actually confesses — but when it happens, it becomes one of the happiest days of both your lives.
