Work Text:
Tom didn't know how it happened, but he was, one, attending a Christmas party at a local club with Maverick, and two, drinking liquor, which he usually avoided because he liked having full control over his mind and body. Besides, he didn't enjoy the taste of most alcohol enough to indulge in it more often than for New Year's Eve or other special occasions.
Soon he found this was a special occasion, albeit one he would rather have had a clear head for. “Isn't that the waitress from the diner you go there for every week?” Maverick pointed out, nudging Tom.
The blonde's head shot up and he scanned the room to find you standing alone near the wardrobe and frankly looking a little lost. His heart started beating faster and he swallowed, putting his glass on the counter behind him as he felt his palms getting sweaty. “Yeah.”
“Why don't you shoot your shot? What do you have to lose?”
“My dignity, a cheap place for cola floats,” he started listing, trying to sound as cool as everyone was used to from him, yet probably failing due to his tipsy state.
“Other than that?” Maverick raised a brow and hid his smirk behind the near-empty whiskey tumbler. “And your virginity.”
Tom huffed, too nervous about the possibility of chatting you up to get angry at him right now. “I'm not the one who depends on placing bets that he would get laid, Mav.”
“Then it should be easy enough for you, go ahead or I will. You did say I can be your wingman anytime.” The shorter man smoothed out his shirt and took a step forward before his friend pulled him back.
“No! Let me do that.” Tom drew in a breath and made his way over to you in large, confident steps. Unlike all the times he had thought about striking up a real conversation with you at the diner, he didn't feel the urge to withdraw the closer he got to you now.
As you had come alone and weren't talking to anyone yet, you noticed him approaching you and turned to face him with a smile. “Hi there.”
“Hey, I figured I finally speak to you,” he said, staying at a respectful distance, although he knew he would have to scoot closer if it got any louder around him. “I know you from the diner around the block.”
In fact, you didn't need him to jog your memory because he was somebody you couldn't forget. For one, his drink order was always the same, no matter if he came alone or with other people, whether he ate something as well or not. Also, you remembered his tall and strong stature, which hadn't surprised you when you had realized he was in the navy, and the hairstyle with bleached tips that you rarely saw on any other man, combined with the wide smile that only appeared once in a while, but when it did, you were taking his order or he was hanging out with friends.
“Right, cola float with a straw,” you grinned. “Even if you never use that one.”
Tom returned the grin and glanced down at his feet. Maverick wasn't exaggerating when he said Tom went to this diner a lot. He only hoped he didn't come across as a stalker…
“I see you already know more about me than I know about you. I'd like to change that,” he offered in a gentler voice than he normally used while flirting. That was because he was genuinely interested in you and didn't just feel like hooking up with someone where the tough guy number always worked.
“Good, I'd like that too. But let's maybe find a calmer spot than here so we can actually hear each other,” you suggested as you were still standing by the wardrobe.
The two of you shuffled your way through the crowd to a small booth where it was much quieter. After ordering drinks, Tom started asking you questions as if he had prepared them or he had simply been thinking about what he wanted to know about you for a while. Either way, it was nice to have some kind of lead without feeling like you were being asked to tell the manager about yourself at a job interview. And it was nice to talk to a man who seemed to be actually interested in you as a person.
You also found out much more about him than his go-to order and his habit of not using a straw but still asking for one—to pick up the ice cream, he explained to you. Tom revealed himself not to be as intimidating and tough as you had initially thought.
The two of you got along well and to your surprise, the chemistry was there too. You had hoped it would be, but you couldn't exactly judge by limited interactions at work like you could during an elaborate conversation.
When you had decided to go out, you hadn't expected a spontaneous first date, but you were happy it took that turn.
“You know, I never drink, but I'm glad my buddy made me tonight. Otherwise I may not have approached you at all,” he admitted later before hurriedly adding, “That doesn't mean I'm drunk or only into you when I'm drunk, though!”
You chuckled and reassured him, “Wouldn't have assumed that.”
“Thank you.” His face softened. “I don't mean to be forward, but would you like to go out another time?”
“Of course, I really liked talking to you tonight! I think I should go home now, though.”
Living by your friend's words that you had to be the one to end it on a high note, you searched for a pen in your bag and wrote your number on the back of a receipt someone else had left on the table.
Tom smiled and put the paper in the pocket of his shirt, praying he wouldn't lose it, although he knew where to find you if he did. “Can I walk you outside?”
You nodded and he offered you his arm, which you tucked your own arm into as you made your way to the exit. Walking past the bar, Tom noticed Maverick straightening up to watch you two leaving together. As the exit was also the entrance and more people were coming in, you had to retreat to the wardrobe area once again.
Suddenly, you heard a man calling, “Mistletoe!”
Tom turned around and saw Maverick winking at him while chewing gum. Then he followed your eyes and noticed a mistletoe actually hanging above you. “Guess we have no choice,” you shrugged teasingly.
He was looking into your eyes, trying to figure out if you were okay with him kissing you, but your smile and the way you glanced down at his lips told him you probably were. Hesitantly, he placed his hand on your cheek and kissed you softly. It wasn't long but long enough for him to feel dizzy and want more at the same time.
When he broke the kiss, he didn't stand up straight immediately, and your hands were still on his shoulders as you pulled him in for another one—without tongue but more enthusiastically to show that you were kissing him because you wanted to and not because it was a tradition.