reader is 20-21?? tom is 25-26?? don't hate 5 years isn't even that bad (y are age gaps kinda hot tho [not like 13 and 68 {because that's weird}] yk what i mean?????) 2.6k words+
def one of the longer ones
send in requestssss pleaseeeee
tw: mentions of sex, batman tom
you sat in a seat as your professor went off about something, trying not to fall asleep. he sounded so passionate about it. and the things is, if he were talking about actual academics, like you major (biotechnology) then of course you'd pay attention, as that was your interest.
but no.
he was off about his ex-girlfriend, trying to convince his class, and quite evidently himself, that it wasn't his fault samantha left him. you felt slightly bad for the man, because it really seemed like he was about to have a mental breakdown.
he'd been like this for the last couple of classes, and it was driving you beyond insane. he hadn't been making any progress with his love life, and you hadn't been making any progress with your life and to-be career.
so all in all, it was a lose-lose. but after watching him like this, you decided you were glad to not have a non-existent love life.
not that anyone knew you had a love life.
because as of now, you hadn't gone public with tom. it's not that you weren't serious with him or anything, it just never needed to happen. you never needed to go public, so it never happened.
the older man cleared his throat and blinked rapidly, checking the time on his watch. "well, just a couple minutes until this class ends. i must thank you all," he placed a hand on his heart, "for being here to listen."
not like we had a choice.
"anyways," he nodded as he picked up a stack of paper and handed it to the girl in the first row, "here, just take one and pass it down. as you all know, prom is soon, and the faculty just finalized the date, which is 3 weeks and 5 days from now. bring a date, and don't end up like me, all sad and lonely."
"don't be pathetic, basically," a boy in the 3rd row called out, causing some others around him to laugh.
as soon as you got the paper, you skimmed over the details, then flipped it over, sinking down in your seat.
"yeah," your professor sighed, "basically." and after a moment, "well, out you go. out, out!" he shooed everyone away and you felt relief take over, glad to be out of that hell-hole. since that was your last class of the day, you'd get to go home now. to tommy.
it had been only a couple months since you'd moved with him, and you had absolutely no regrets. the entire thing only had you feel closer to him, and as tom worked, you finished up college.
at first, you weren't sure. you felt bad getting to live off his money like that as he paid for everything, and you wanted to contribute. he'd assured you that it wasn't needed and that he had more than enough money to keep the two of you going. so you quit the job you had at the old cafe, moving out of your tiny, smelly dorm, and in with him.
and it was probably one of the best choices you'd ever made.
you unlocked the car and tossed your things in the passengers seat, starting your drive home.
you weren't planning on going to the prom, because everyone who was going had dates, and you couldn't take another boy because you were literally dating tom (not that it was a bad thing, because it most certainly was not), and you couldn't take him either. you knew he'd feel bad if you told him, and you didn't want to pressure him into going public.
you were totally cool with the "independent woman" thing, because woman slay, but it was different at college. or at your college.
date = cool.
no date = not cool.
so you just planned to stay home for that night at binge-watch disney movies with your boyfriend. it was a well thought out plan, you decided.
when you got home, you parked the car in the driveway (which was massive like the rest of the house, because marvel, duh) and swung the backpack over your shoulder. you went up to the bedroom first, dropping the backpack, stuffing the paper in the side table's drawer, and changing into something comfier. you were too lazy to take off the makeup, so you just let it be.
you finished up your homework so that when tommy came back, you'd be able to spend time with him. after that, you started dinner and turned on a tv show, merely to entertain yourself. soon enough, you heard keys jangling and the door unlocked.
"hey, love, i'm back! where are you?"
"i'm in the living room, babes," you called back, smiling as you saw him approach you, taking a seat on the couch beside you. "how was your day?"
"it was okay," tom responded, leaning into you. "yours?"
"okay, too. nothing much interesting happened. stupid biotech teacher won't do his job and teach me. kinda feel bad for him, though. poor guy."
"with how smart you are, y/n, you could get off teaching him."
"thanks, baby, but i'm really not as smart as you think i am," you laughed.
"nuh-uh. you are. biotech isn't easy. you have to be, like, smart and stuff."
"i'm glad you think i'm 'smart and stuff,' tom."
"no! i'm being for real!" he grinned, tickling your side and making you squirm and laugh. you swatted him, screaming for him to stop.
"tommy! babe! s-stop, that- that tickles!"
"not until you admit my girlfriend's smart!" he retorted.
"okay! okay, fine! sh-she's smart, now stop!" you squealed between fits of giggles.
"alright. i'll stop now," tommy smirked, pulling you into him. "i love you," he murmured.
"yeah? well, guess what? i think i might just love you, too. so you're in luck."
he rose an eyebrow, raising his arms to tickle you again, "you think, y/n? you think?"
"no. no! i do! no more tickling!"
"hmm, okay." he paused, "love?"
"huh?"
"i'm really glad you moved in with me."
you looked up to him and smiled, "i'm glad i moved in, too," pulling him in for a soft kiss.
soon enough, three weeks passed, and there were only a couple days until prom. you didn't tell tom, so he still didn't know. you'd just gotten back from an extra class for your major, it had been optional, but you went anyways. it was saturday and tom didn't have work.
you walked into the kitchen and saw him sitting on a chair, hands crossed folded on top of the table.
"well, well, well, l/n. you've arrived."
you raised your brows and stifled a laugh.
"...okay? what- what're you doing?"
"is there anything you'd like to tell me?" he asked, dropping his voice down an octave.
you tilted your head to the side, equal parts amused and uncertain. "no?"
"i see. well, i was cleaning up today, and i came across something you might find interesting."
"god, thomas, you sound like my mom when i was 15 and she found the condoms that i bought at the convenience store and hid."
"you were having sex at 15?" he asked, breaking character.
"no," you replied, pouring yourself a glass of water, "16, though that's not relevent at the moment. and before you ask, no, it was not good. now go on."
he cleared his throat again, sliding a paper across the table, and narrowed his eyes at you.
you sighed, "oh, jeez, is this-"
"yes."
"why?"
"why not? prom is the best!"
"that's not what you say when you have random girls dm-ing you to take them."
"well, you aren't a random girl. not really, given that we share a bedroom and have se-"
"okay, yes, i get it. and it's not a biggie," you paused to take a sip of water.
"of course it is! it's prom, babe! you went in high school, didn't you?"
you hesitated, "well, yes. but- but this is different."
"ooh! i can take you dress shopping! oh, wait-"
"tommy, love, we haven't gone public."
"right. wait, how's it different?"
you blushed. the concept of actually explaining the concept was much different. "um, well, you see- gosh, okay..." you pressed you lips, settling on, "you're too old to understand." (he wasn't old, just a bit older than you, hence the inside joke.)
"nope. won't work."
"ugh. don't laugh, 'kay?"
"i won't. promise."
"i don't have a date," you explained. "but, but that doesn't mean you have to go with me, because i'm not trying to guilt trip you or anything, because that's wrong. i'm just saying, well, okay, it's a little harder to explain. uh, not actually, now that i think about it, it's silly, but my friends have dates, and i just don't wanna third-wheel both of them. fifth-wheel, i guess. you know, since there's two. look what i'm trying to say-"
"you're rambling," he laughed.
"i kn-"
"and i get it, y/n, but if you want i'll go with you."
"but-"
"yes, i know we're not public. but what better way is there to announce us?"
"so-"
"yeah, i'm okay with it. it's not going to affect me as much as it will you, because you'll be the new one, you know? spider-man's girlfriend this, spider-man's girlfriend that."
"oka-"
"so, really, it's up to you. i'm okay with anything."
"christ, tom! i swear, if you interrupt me one more-"
"sorry, love," his eyes widened as soon as he said it, and he covered his mouth with his hand.
"oh. my. god. i'm okay with it, tom, i've always been. i just- i wasn't sure if that's what you wanted."
"of course i did, y/n. you really think i don't want to show the whole world that you're all mine?because you are. you're it for me."
you grinned, "really?"
"really."
"you're it for me, too."
"so it's final, then?" tom checked.
"yep. so... when can we go shopping?" you asked innocently.
he rolled his eyes playfully, "i suppose we can go now, if you want."
"yes!" you squealed, maybe a bit too quickly.
so that's what the two of you did. you hopped in the car and he took you to a nice (and expensive, but you didn't know that at the moment) dress shop. you were incredibly nervous about people seeing you together, considering that the decision was slightly impulsive.
but when you got there, you and tom were suprised to see that there wasn't really anyone there, except for one or two other people, but tom had pulled his hoodie over his head, which did in fact make him look odd, so no one recognized him, not really.
you picked out 9-10 dresses, and dropped them in the cart that tom was pushing around, analyzing every detail.
at first, you hadn't been excited. but now that spider-man was showing up witn you, you had to dress to impress.
"okay," you declared, setting one more in, "i think that's good for now. to the dressing room!" beaming, you pumped a hand in the air.
"whatever you want, babe," he grinned, matching your energy.
his critic was not at all helpful, because he insisted that you looked breath-taking in everything you wore, and as much as it boosted yout confidence, it wasn't particularly useful.
"it looks really nice on you, love."
"it's neon orange," you snickered, raising an eyebrow. "i look like a highlighter."
"a super sexy highlighter."
"thanks."
you immediately put it back on the rack, grabbing another one instead.
this was a dark, navy blue, intricate flowers decorating the dress. you liked it, but it didn't seem right on you. so you tried again. this time it was a lush pink, with a heart-shaped neckline, the train was long, but it was too long. the next one's v-neck was something tom was not on board with.
"i don't want to seem controlling or anything like that, because you're allowed to wear whatever you want, but this seems, um-?"
it's giving stripper, which is a vibe, (sometimes??), but not the vibe i'm going for.
"yeah, i know."
back into the dressing room.
you'd tried a million dresses, and this was your last one. you stepped out of the room, ready to give up on finding the perfect one and just going with the blue dress.
the second he looked at you, though, his jaw dropped.
"it's good?" you asked, unsure.
"it's the one. for sure."
the gown was a deep, dark red, with a train that was the perfect size. the v-neck wasn't too deep, so it didn't expose you too much. the material hugged your curves just right, making you look like a princess.
hell, you felt like a princess.
"i like it, too. maybe we can get you a matching tux? if you'd like?"
"perfect idea. i can't wait," he moved closer to kiss you. "you look pretty in this dress. not that you don't look pretty when you're not wearing it, because you look pretty no matter what-"
you cut him off, giggling, "i know, tommy."
"good. shall we go check this out?"
"yep!" after that, you went and got tom's suit, some accesories, shoes, and a new clutch, also courtesy of tom, even though you told him you really didn't need it; "just let me do this, you know i love to!"
and then?
and then it was prom night. you'd just finished curling and setting your hair, and you were ready. you admired yourself in the mirror, for once feeling confident in your body. too bad you'd have to take it off at the end of the night and then you wouldn't feel pretty anymore.
"you ready?"
you snapped out of your thoughts, looking up, "uh, yeah. you?"
"yuppers," he smirked, making you laugh slightly.
"you're really beautiful. but i'm not just saying that because you're all dolled up tonight, but because you really, truly are on the inside. it's part of the reason i fell in love with you, and how pretty you are on the outside, which you really are, is just a bonus. i love you, y/n."
you swore you felt tears burning the backs of your eyes, because how did this man always know exactly what to say?
"you're very pretty, too. and i love you more."
"i love you most."
the rest of the night went fairly smootly. it was really what you expected.
some asked for photos and autographs.
some gaped.
some whispered and asked you questions: "you're dating y/n?" was a common one. along with how you met, why he was dating you, if he was getting paid (or laid)... like you expected.
your friends were shocked, to see the least.
elise almost died, "babe! you're dating my celebrity crush and you didn't tell me?!"
"meh, andrew's my favorite, but you're cool, too," grace, one of your friends shrugged, half joking. she was... less enthusiastic.
grace gave him a one-over, "you better not hurt her, because-"
he chuckled, "you'll kill me?"
"no," she paused, "i have a feeling she'll do that herself."
that caused another round of laughs. a couple hours later, a slow song came on, and you looked over to see tom talking to your friends' boyfriends, and you smiled, glad they got along. you waved him over.
"hey, darling. your friends are nice," he commented, swaying you softly.
"i'm glad you think so."
"how come i haven't met them before?"
you shrugged, "we weren't that close then, but we are now."
"ah, i see."
it was just the music in the background, as you'd tuned out everything else. you gazed into his soft brown eyes, feeling so greatful for him. yes, braving the public was something you'd have to do later on, but for now, it was just you and him.
just you and tom against the world.
so he kissed you like no one else mattered, and in that moment, no one else did.