Work Text:
“Have I done something to annoy you?”
“What?” I asked through a mouthful of chocolate biscuit, and reached for the remote control. I grabbed the device from the coffee table and paused the film. I looked at Tom, who was sitting at the other end of the sofa, frowning at me. I studied him for a second, he always looked so at home when he came to mine, in those disgusting old joggers that likely hadn’t seen ever seen a washing machine, and that old grey t-shirt that was thin, and ill fitting, fraying slightly at the neck line. His feet were bare and his long legs were crossed on the sofa, taking up a vast area of his space.
“You’ve hardly spoken since I got here, save for grunting, I can’t help feeling you don’t want me here.”
“Well, we’re watching a film, you always have a go at me if I talk during a movie.” I told him, but Tom wasn’t stupid, and I should have known he’d be quick to pick up on my sour mood. He was attentive like that, he always made it his business to notice if I wasn’t feeling quite right, then go out of his way to make me feel better. That’s why I considered him one of my best friends. You couldn’t get more loyal than Tom.
“Why are you lying, Lu?”
“I’m not-”
“Do you want me to go?”
“No! God, Tom, if I didn’t want you here, I’d have bloody well said so. I’ve told you to fuck off before, I’d have no reservations about doing so again.” I snapped, and he shifted, untucking his legs and sitting forward. Suddenly he didn’t look so at home.
“Right, so you want me here, and I’ve not done anything to annoy you…so something else is bothering you?” He wasn’t about to let this go, and I knew he was going to grill it out of me. I told him everything, as he did me. Tom was that friend I called at two in the morning, when I was having one of my anxiety attacks and he would talk me down, or he would call me when he’d just got off a long flight and he was jet lagged, but couldn’t sleep because his body clock was fucked beyond belief, and we’d chat bollocks until he dozed off. I could tell him anything, but it felt weird talking to him about this.
“It’s nothing. I’m just in a bit of a mood. Probably PMT, I’m due on at the weekend.” It wasn’t a total lie. I was due on, and I did get horrid PMT. But that wasn’t why I was in a pissy mood.
“Want me to make you a hot water bottle?”
“Oh stop being so nice.” I stuck my foot out in jabbed my toes into his thigh. He grabbed my errant foot and pulled it into his lap, and started rubbing it, his thumbs kneading into the sole. Alright, it would probably look a bit strange to anyone on the outside. But it was Tom. He was a very tactile person.
“You look sad, Luna.” He said, as he reached for my other foot, “What’s wrong, I hate seeing you sad.”
I sighed, readying myself. If I didn’t tell him, then he wouldn’t drop it, and to be honest, I needed to talk about it, “I did something stupid.”
“Now that I find hard to believe.”
“I had a one night stand last week…” I paused for a minute, waiting for his judgemental glare, a disapproving lecture. But he didn’t say anything, but his hands of my feet did falter for a second.
“Were you careful?”
“Yes, of course.”
“Was it someone you shouldn’t have slept with, he wasn’t married or anything, was he?”
“No! Well at least I bloody hope not. I feel shitty enough as it is without the thought that I might be a homewrecker.”
“Then I fail to see the issue.”
“The issue is… you know me, Tom. That’s not something I do, I don’t make a habit of whoring myself about-”
“Don’t say that, don’t call yourself a whore. It was a one off, Luna.”
“But it wasn’t meant to be…I… I really liked him. I mean it was only the second date, it was that guy I told you about. Nick.”
“Oh yeah, you said you were having dinner.” He’s stopped massaging my soles now, but his large hands still held my feet in place, perhaps to stop me from running away from the conversation.
“Well…it went well and I thought he really liked me too, he kissed me outside the restaurant, and then…he asked if I wanted to go back to his and I should have said no…but… you know what I didn’t want to say no, he seemed like a nice guy, I liked him, and…well to tell you the truth I was horny as fuck, it had been a while and I decided to throw caution to the wind.”
“It doesn’t really count as a one night stand, when it’s someone you are dating, Lu.”
“It does when they say they’ll call you after, and they don’t. Then when you call them they tell you its been fun and all but they don’t want to see you again.” I huffed.
“Ah.”
“Yes…Ah.”
“I’m sorry, Luna. You don’t deserve to be treated line that. He doesn’t know what he’s missing.” Tom’s hands moved from my feet to my shins, pushing my old ratty pyjama bottoms out the way and rubbing up and down, not paying any mind to the weeks-worth of spikey growth there. Ugh, I was a mess.
“Maybe that’s the problem. He knows exactly what he’s missing. I always thought it was pretty good in bed.” Thomas choked down a laugh, “I can’t decide if I’m more upset by the fact that I’m maybe not as good as I thought, or I’m just awful company.”
“Or he’s the problem, and unfortunately you were just the victim of a man who was only out for one thing, and once he got what he wanted, he tossed you aside.”
“Men are horrible. I wish I was a lesbian.”
“I wish you were a lesbian. That would be hot.”
“Tom!” I kicked out again, only narrowly missing his crotch and he jumped back, giving me a withering look.
“Come on, Lu. Don’t go tarring all men with the same brush. We aren’t all bad.”
“At the moment, given my horrible dating history and chronic state of spinsterhood, I’m finding that pretty hard to believe.” I dragged my knitted throw off the back of my sofa and wrapped it around myself, concealing a full body shudder, as I forced myself not to get upset.
“You’re just picking the wrong men. I know loads of great guys who’d sell a kidney to get a date with a woman like you, let alone a girlfriend. I don’t think you see how brilliant you are, Lovely Luna.” He gave me one of his soft smiles, the type were his eyes creased in the corners, and the ring of blue around his pupils seemed brighter than normal, and his lips pressed together.
“Oh yeah? Care to introduce me to any of them? Because I’m losing the will to live, as far as my love life goes. I might have to get a couple of cats.”
He went quiet for a moment and looked away. I knew he was thinking, as his brows knitted a little, then an idea must have struck, because the tip of his tongue peaked out between his lips and he nodded to himself, “Actually, I think I know the perfect person.”
“Person? It’s not a woman is it? I was only joking about the lesbian thing. I’m open minded and all, Tom, but licking pussy is a step too far for even me.” I laughed at my own joke and Tom rolled his eyes in his familiar, over-exaggerated manner.
“Man… I know the perfect man. Want me to set up a blind date?”
“I dunno, Tom.”
“Oh come on, you trust me not to pick a complete knobhead, don’t you? And you’re my best friend, none of my mates are going to mess you around, not if they don’t want to have me to answer to.” Tom’s eyes were bright now, and he looked quite pleased with himself.
“Fine…alright, but…just promise me one thing.”
“What?”
“None of your weird Uni friends, one talking encyclopaedia as my best friend is enough for me.” Tom snorted out a laugh and nodded.
“Alright. I promise.”
*
“You won’t tell me his name, aren’t you even going to tell me what he looks like? How the hell will I know who I’m looking for?” I spoke down the phone to Tom, as I waited on the curb for my cab.
“Well that defeats the object of a blind date, doesn’t it darling.” He laughed down the line. Tom had set the whole thing up. I hadn’t doubted he would from the moment he’d suggested it, he liked to throw himself all into a cause, and currently that cause was my pathetic excuse for a love life. He’d called me in the middle of the week and confirmed a date and a time, then he confirmed the venue later than evening. A little Greek restaurant in Soho, I’d been before, with Tom actually, we used to frequent it last time he was in a play and we’d meet once a fortnight for dinner. It was nice because it had little secluded booths and darkened windows so he didn’t get pestered by fans. But also the food was divine and the staff were friendly, “Demetri knows everything, he’ll meet you at the door and take you through.” Demetri was the manager, Tom made it his business to befriend everyone, so it was no surprise he was on first name terms with almost every member of staff at all his favourite eateries.
“Are you sure the red dress isn’t too much? I don’t want to be too dressy?” I’d spent nearly all week trying on various outfits and sending him photos, I had no idea what this friend of his was into and I was trusting Tom’s judgement entirely.
“Darling, the red is just right. He won’t be able to take his eyes off you. Trust me.” Just then I heard something in the background on Tom's end of the line, people talking nearby, traffic.
“Where are you?”
“Walking Bobby.” He answered quickly.
“Oh right...well, I’ll let you go. My cabs here.” I told him as the black taxicab pulled up in front of me and I opened the door.
“Alright, Lu. I'll call you later tonight and you can tell me how it went.”
“Okay. Thanks, Tom.” I ended the call and tucked my phone away in my clutch bag, “Agora, Soho please.” I instructed the cabby.
*
“Ah beautiful Luna, bright as the moon!” Demetri greeted me expectantly as I pushed open the door to the small eatery, I let it close behind me blocking out the busy sound of the city, “Smoking hot too!”
“Hi Demetri.” I giggled at the old man’s attentions, “Is he here?”
“He is.” I glanced round expectantly seeing a few other couples dining, “No, no...I have arranged a more private setting, upstairs!” The manager informed me and beckoned me to follow him. I trailed up a narrow staircase, strangely I wasn’t even aware there was an upstairs, but I was surprised to find a small room with four tables all unoccupied except for one.
Tom stood from his seat and moved around the table smiling broadly at me as he pulled out the chair.
“What’s going on?” I asked dumbly as my friend, my best friend took my hand gently and ushered me into me seat before taking his own again.
“Give us a minute, Demetri.” He told the waiter, who nodded and retreated quickly.
“Fuck...he bailed didn’t he?” I asked, before Tom could say anything, “Of course he bailed, you didn’t have to do this Tom. You should have just called me. I’d have understood. I mean, I’ve never met the guy so I wasn't going to be heartbroken bless you-”
“Stop!” I jumped as Tom's sudden interruption and I realised then my hand was in his, I wasn’t sure when he'd taken hold of it, “Would you just shut up a minute, Luna and let me talk.” I pressed my lips together and nodded.
“He didn’t bail.”
“What? What do you mean? Where is he then?”
“He’s sitting right in front of you." I stared at him, my mouth opening and closing a few times, trying to find some words but unable to think of what I could actually say. All the time whilst I was grappling for a coherent sentence Tom waited patiently, his expression unreadable but his eyes kind.
“I...don’t understand.” I mustered finally.
“Which part?” I didn’t miss the flash of disappointment, before he hid it quickly away.
“Um...”
“It was me. I’m the blind date, Luna.”
“Yes...yeah I gathered that bit. I don’t understand why you’d do this? Do I really come across that pathetic?”
“What? No of course not.” Tom looked suitably appalled, “Why would you say that?”
“Well that’s what this is right? A pity date. I was moaning about all the horrible men, so you decide to set me up and show me how I should be treated. You’re doing that thing again, where you just want me to feel good...its sweet, Tom, really...but... I’d prefer it if you hadn’t.”
“This isn’t a pity date!” He looked a bit cross now, “Bloody hell, Luna. Do you think I’d do that? I mean...This was meant to be romantic...I thought... you might...” he trailed off and buried his face in his hands.
Fuck. Shit. Bollocks.
This was a real date.
This was Tom's way of telling me he...fuck, I don’t even know what he was trying to tell me. The idea that Tom and I could be more than friends had never even occurred to me. Why would it?
I reached out with both hands, curling them around his wrists and tugging his hands away from his eyes so I could see him. He thought I was disappointed to see him. That it wasn’t some random man I’d never met before sitting opposite me. Of course I was pleased to see Tom, I always enjoyed his company.
“Why didn’t you just ask me out?”
Tom opened and closed his mouth like a goldfish a couple of times, “Well...if I’m quite honest I had promised myself I wouldn’t entertain the idea of...an us...at all.”
“An us? How long since you...promised yourself that, Tom.”
“A while...a few years...three.” he admitted, cheeks turning a bit pink.
“Three? Why didn’t you say anything? Jesus Tom. We’ve been on holiday...Christ you saw my tits?”
“Yeah. I know.” His cheeks were positively scarlet now, as I recalled our nothing more than friendly holiday to Mexico and I insisted on topless sunbathing on our private veranda. If he got to sunbathing topless then why shouldn’t I? It was Tom. I hadn’t cared if he saw my boobs, he wasn’t like other guys. And give him his due, he’d acted non-plussed when I’d tugged off my bikini top and slathered factor thirty over the girls whilst planning which onsite restaurant we'd grab dinner at that night, “I should of said something. But...I really value our friendship.”
“So do I.” I sighed.
“And when you were sad the other night, I just couldn’t stand it anymore because you don’t have to deal with that, Luna. I mean, I know I work a lot. But you’d never have to doubt how deeply I care about you, even if I’m not always there.” He was sincere now and threading his fingers through mine, “and if you don’t want this to be a date. If you don’t want us to look down that path, then that’s okay. We'll just have dinner as friends and leave it as that. Not another word from me. I promise. But if you want...this can be a date, we'll order the best wine, I’ll pay and then we'll go for a walk along the river and I’ll have you home by eleven.”
“Okay.” I nodded, and exhaled a shaky breath, suddenly nervous by what this could do to a perfectly good friendship, but also excited that I’d been able to make up my mind so quickly. “The Rioja it is then.”
A smile crept slowly back onto his face, “Really?”
“Really.” I nodded. Suddenly buzzing with excitement, because let’s face it, Tom had struck upon something. We already got along, there wasn’t much we didn’t know about each other. I knew he was a good man and I knew he adored me. On paper there was absolutely no reason why this wouldn’t work and if we tried a date and it didn’t feel right, then I knew Tom well enough to know he wouldn’t get funny about it. Like he said, we'd move on and put it behind us.
“Demetri,” he called and the wait who must have been waiting out of sight on the top step appeared straight away, “A bottle of your best Rioja and our appetizers, whenever you’re ready...” he looked back at me, “I took the liberty of designing a menu for this evening with Demetri, I hope that’s okay. I promise there’s nothing you won’t like.”
“You designed a menu?”
“Well...not so much designed. It’s sort of a mash up of all our favourites. Like a tasting menu.” And my heart was already racing. That was literally the most thoughtful thing a man had ever done for me on a date.
Demetri poured the wine and served us a mezze of stuffed vine leaves, courgette fritters and grilled halloumi to start. It was delicious as always and other than the fact that Tom still had a gentle hold on my left hand across the table, and we were picking from one platter between us, we were chatting away like any other meal we'd ever shared together.
For the main it was my favourite, vegetarian moussaka, served with rice and salad. As was usual between us, whilst we ate our mains, we were quiet, focused entirely on the food in front of us. For dessert it was ever traditional Baklava for me, but Tom didn’t like it, so he enjoyed chocolate ice cream. We decided against coffee, but finished off the bottle of wine and Thomas disappeared for a few moments and when he came back he asked if I was ready to leave? He must have settled the bill with Demetri in his absence.
I agreed I was ready to leave, and it was only when I stood and made my way to the stairs, that I realised that Tom wasn’t following me. I stopped, turned and noticed him watching me, his eyes lingering on my body.
“Tom…” I arched a brow teasingly, “Were you checking out my bum?”
He grinned, “Well it does look particularly ripe in that dress, Darling.”
“The dress you chose.” And suddenly it occurred to me, I’d been texting him different outfits all week, he was the one who insisted on the red, despite my own reservations. It was more form fitting than what I’d normally wear, and my Spanx were working overtime underneath keeping all my wobbly bits in check. It was a modest length, the hemline hitting just above the knee, and it had capped sleeved and a sweetheart neckline, giving me a pretty decent cleavage. I’d added a patent black belt to the ensemble to nip in my waist a little more.
“I told you it was perfect… which reminds me…” He walked up and slipped his arm around me waist, one large hand resting on my hip, a place it hadn’t been before. Don’t get me wrong, Tom and I hugged and snuggled all the time. But this touch was more intimate than I was used to, “I forgot to tell you how absolutely stunning you look tonight, Luna. Really, you’re gorgeous.”
“Oh…” I felt my cheeks heating up, “Thanks.”
We did have to walk down the narrow staircase single file, and before we left we bid Demetri a good night, and I was sure to thank him and send my compliments to the kitchen. As usual he gave me a warm hug, and kissed my hand. But the moment we were outside, Tom’s hand was back on my waist and he lead me down the familiar street.
“Is this okay?” He asked after a few moments of walking in silence. His fingers pressed into my flesh briefly as he spoke.
“Yes, it’s okay. It’s nice.” I admitted, realising just how much I was enjoying his attentions. I’d watched Tom with several girlfriends, and always admired what an attentive partner he was. He was tactile, and always quick to meet his ladies every need. His fans called him a true gentleman, and he was. But most of all, I’d always watched how protective he was over his past girlfriends. He would place a hand on their lower back, or keep them tucked under his arm. I’d never felt jealous of those women, not because they had Tom anyway, but I’d envied what he gave them. I wondered what it would be like to have a man like that.
We walked down The Strand and crossed Charing Cross Bridge then started up the Southbank. It was a route we’d walked together countless times, and it was easy to fall into our comfortable idle chat about all the usual things. When we reached County Hall, Tom slowed us to a stop, “I’m going to get us a cab, I’ll see you home.”
Tom and I actually didn’t live that far apart. It was walking distance. Except, he lived in the nice part, well the more expensive, elite part of the Camden Borough at the very least. I lived just around the corner, on Queen’s Crescent. Not that it wasn’t nice, but I lived in a small two bedroom flat on the third floor. I had no balcony, and no parking, but I didn’t have a car so that didn’t matter. I’d lived there a long time, around eight years. Longer than I’d known Tom, and he’d lived in his home, just a fifteen minute walk away, longer than he’d known me.
The cab pulled up outside the row of shops, where the entrance to my flat was slotted snuggly between a green grocers and an off license, Tom paid the cabby and we got out.
“You coming up?” I asked, and it was innocent enough. This was Tom, my friend. We’d just had a lovely date, but I’d not really thought what that meant about our relationship, further than the evening we’d just spent in each others company.
“I won’t.” Tom shook his head, “I promised I’d see you safe to you door.”
“You did.” I grinned at him, “Thank you for a lovely night, Tom. I really, really enjoyed myself.”
“So did I.” He agreed. I started hunting in my little bag for my keys. But one of Tom’s large hands covered mine, “I was wondering if I might see my way clear for a goodnight kiss?”
I stilled, looking up from my bag. In that moment, under the street lights, as he looked at me with a hesitant smile and an expectant gaze, it struck me just how handsome my friend was. Despite this whole evening being a date, I hadn’t actually asked myself the all important question – was I attracted to Tom? I was attracted to his personality, for sure, he was one of my closest friends for a reason. But physically, I’d just never really had a reason to look at him like that. But now I did, and I wondered how I’d managed to completely miss how incredibly hot my best friend was for all these years.
“Yes.” I nodded quickly, and I hurriedly fastened my clutch and relaxed my arms, waiting for Tom to make the move. He stepped up close, raising one hand to the back of my head. He looked into my eyes for a moment, whilst his fingers threaded through my lose brown waves, and then he dipped down and his lips brushed over mine.
It was chaste and only lasted a couple of seconds. But it was lovely, and just right. Not too much, but not dismissive either. It left me wanting, and the coy smile he gave me as he pulled back, told me he knew it too.
“I’ll call you.” He told me, with a smirk.
“You better.” I warned, finally gathering myself and turning to unlock my front door.
“Bye, Luna.”
“Bye, Tom…and thanks again.” He stood and waited until my door was closed, and I heard his footsteps retreat as he began the short walk home.
*
I was still in a bit of a daze, as I hung my dress back up in my wardrobe, and tugged on my comfy pyjamas. I couldn’t get around what had just happened. I’d just been on, what was undoubtedly the best date I’d ever been on in my entire thirty-three years and it was with the last person I’d have ever have expected to have a romantic attachment to.
To many it might sound strange that a man and woman could be best friends and never consider their relationship to be anything other than platonic but with Tom, it was just what it was. There wasn’t any way it could have been anything else.
We’d met just over seven years ago. We were introduced because my boyfriend of the time, believed we’d get along well as we worked in similar industries. Tom was my boyfriends, sisters, boyfriend. He and Suzie had been together for over two years. Suzie was an actress, but she was mostly in television. Tom was just breaking Hollywood, and that’s where the similarities between our careers stopped.
I worked on the financial side of making movies. I worked freelance for big studios ensuring that movies stayed within budget. It was my job to work out exactly how much money could be used for each aspect and if it was running tight, which areas could be cut to make up for it. It sounds terribly boring but I actually love my job, as for how I got into it, that’s another story entirely. But needless to say, Tom and I didn’t bond so much over our Hollywood careers, but more our strikingly similar sense of humour and a love of movies in general. We’d all started spending a lot of time together, and when Tom learnt that I only lived a stone’s throw from him we became instant cinema buddies. We went as often as our busy schedules allowed and sometimes we'd get dinner or lunch, or just drinks. When he and Suzie ended, I somehow ended up being a shoulder to cry on. Things between myself and Suzie’s brother ended around a year later. Tom and I remained tight, but due to the nature of our introduction, it was never anything more than platonic. Not to me anyway.
I was just sitting on the edge of my bed using a wet wipe to remove my make up when my phone lit up on my bedside table signalling an incoming call. I reached for it and was surprised to see Tom's name flashing up on the screen. If it was another other man I’d just been on a date with I’d be thinking – bloody hell they’re keen.
“Hi.” I answered brightly.
“Hey Lu, you alright?” he asked as if he hadn’t just seen me not twenty minutes ago.
“Erm...yeah. I’m fine.”
“So...how did it go?”
“What?” Now he'd completely lost me.
“The date? I said I’d call you later to see how you got on...” there was a hint of laughter in his voice. Oh I see what he’s trying to do.
“Oh yeah. It went really well. Thank you.”
“Yeah? I’m glad to hear it. So you like him then?”
“Yeah. I like him.” I giggled as I yanked back my duvet and tucked myself into bed.
“I knew you would. Did you kiss him”
“Tom!” I started laughing, “You know I don't kiss and tell.”
“So that’s a yes.” He chuckled, “I’d ask if he was a good kisser. But I’m not sure I want to know the answer.”
“Well it didn’t last long enough for me to make an informed judgement on that.” I told him, and he snickered down the line, “Maybe next time. I’ll keep you posted.”
“Ohhh so you’ll be seeing him again?”
“I...I hope so.” I trailed off, suddenly doubting myself, maybe it had just been a sweet gesture. A one time thing, “Tom?”
“Yes, Luna.”
“Do you want to see me again? I mean as more than friends...a second date. Do you want to go on another date?”
“You know I do, Lovely Luna.” He said gently.
“Okay. Good.”
“But right now. I’m going to let you sleep and then tomorrow I’ll text you and we’ve still got the cinema on Tuesday right?”
“Oh yeah. Course.” I remembered.
“Night, Luna.”
“Night, Tom.” I ended the call and plugged my phone charger in and set my alarm. Then settled back down in my bed, and fell asleep with the biggest grin on my face.