TOM KNEW SHE WAS UNHAPPY. How could she not be? They were headed to her childhood hometown so she could go on trial against someone who sexually assaulted her - who also happened to be her former math teacher. He hated the man with a passion, and he swore that he would somehow pass a law to make it okay to kick rapist's asses.
The flight from Atlanta to Massachusetts was only around two and a half hours, but because it was already around midnight when they arrived the chose to stay in a hotel instead of going to the Evans' home. She had been silent almost the whole time, only speaking to ask Tom shyly if she could sleep on his shoulder. Of course he said that she could, and she did just that throughout the flight and he carried her to their taxi.
By the time the couple arrived in their room he was about to just pick her up and hold her for the rest of the trip; the look on her face upsetting him so much that he didn't even know what he could do to soothe her. Tom hated Garrett Thompson for what he did and what he was still doing to Carlson and those girls.
He didn't know how to comfort her, how to make her feel and know she was safe. Distractedly, Tom told her he'd be back in a minute and snuck downstairs to the front desk. He hated to use his fame for favors, but he figured that it would do no one harm if he asked permission to go in the pool since it was closed.
After a little bit of sweet talking to the manager and an autograph, he happily granted Tom access to the hotel pool. Tom thanked him and headed back upstairs to his room. Carlson was sitting against the headboard staring at the TV blankly when he entered.
"Hey sweetheart, want to go for a swim?" He asked. "Tom the pool closed at nine," She answered. Tom grinned, "Not for Spider-Man and Gwen Stacy." Carlson looked over at her grinning boyfriend and managed a genuine giggle, "Thomas Stanley Holland you didn't," She mocked. "Oh I did, and we're going."
Carlson didn't protest, only stood from her spot on the bed and grabbing his hand. "Grab towels. Also, I didn't bring a bathing suit, so underwear it is," She said. "Hey, no complaints here." "Pervert." "You love me."
She looked at him and smiled, "Yeah, I do," She confirmed. Tom kissed her forhead and gently led her out into the hall and into the elevator. He felt the need to be sneaky entering the pool even though they had permission, and they did just that while Carlson giggled as he unlocked the entrance to the pool.
Tom was the first to begin taking off his clothes, sliding off his sweats and his white t-shirt until he was left in plaid boxers and glancing at his girlfriend expectantly. She grinned and pulled off her pants and shirt, carefully walking towards the water and testunt the temperature with her toe.
"It's nice," Carlson said. "Then get in, doofus," Tom muttered. She scoffed and jumped in the pool with him following suit and letting the water wash away their worries for now, the only things they noticed were each other and the overwhelming scent of chlorine.
Tom laughed and pulled Carlson into him, kissing her a few times on the mouth as she wrapped hersef around him. "I love you. Thank you," She whispered against his lips. "I love you, too. Now, let's race!" He exclaimed and released her, gently turning her around as she laughed and swam to the end of the pool.
It was the only thing that mattered to him, seeing her laugh like that, and as she counted the seconds down until they would race he found himself staring again. Her beatiful cheekbones, the rosy blush on the apples of her cheeks, her grin as she counted, her long blonde hair, normally straight now wavy against the water.
"1....2.....3!"
And they were off, and Tom was remembering every single reason the were together at once, as if he didn't think about it every morning when they headed to work together. He loved her more than anything, and he knew he always would.
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the whole time I was writing this I was listening to is there somewhere and it just provided so much inspiration. the song doesn't perfectly describe their situation- it's very off, but the first line gave me an idea and i went with it. how are you guys? how's life? school? work? thanks for reading!!