#still not entirely happy persay but like it got to a point where i had to stop lol

[sketchyracoon]

My internal dialogue has simply been a chant of 'sea slug in a wheelchair'.

[harmony88]

Absolutely love your writing, I've been binging both series for the last week and I am obsessed. I was wondering, if you want to do it in your universe or not I'd love it - but you would be able to write something where the Doctor and Rose end up cuddling after a really hard day? If there is snogging I won't be mad. LOL . Thanks for your stories! They're great!

Hi there! Oh you made my WHOLE day! I'm so glad you like them! And I'd be happy to write something up! I just jotted this down, hope you enjoy! :)

It didn't proof it and I didn't write it as if it was part the verse you've been reading persay, but I suppose it could take place prior to the start of those series if you want, or just be a different AU entirely. I'll let you decide! Thank you!♥️

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They stumbled onto the TARDIS covered in mud and smelling a little bit like death. Normally, a hyperbolic thought of that nature would cause him to smile, then ramble, then run to the library and pull down all the texts he could find to prove his point disproving the hyperbole, but that wasn't going to happen today.

He was finding letting go of her hand rather difficult, if not impossible, and she stayed by his side as they approached the console table and returned to the Vortex, where time and space lingered in limbo, just as they liked it.

He glanced over at her, noticing the dirt that was caked onto her cheeks, and he resisted the urge to rub it off with his thumb. She didn't say anything, but she did lean against the controls and sigh, watching as he shifted his focus from her face to the bloody wires that always seemed to his constant companion when it came to deflecting, and she bit her lip.

"I'm going to go take a shower," she whispered. He nodded, still playing with the wires. A moment passed, and she inched her way a little closer to him. "Can I have my hand back?"

"Sure," he said, choosing not to banter. even though he desperately wanted to. "Sorry."

"No one got hurt," she told him.

He stiffened, but he smiled and shrugged the way the words settled in his stomach off, and gestured toward to hallway. "Off you go, Rose Tyler."

She hesitated, and she almost kissed his cheek, but the mud and sweat that was illuminated in the light of the console room convinced her not to, and instead she smiled at him, her tongue doing it's usual thing, and she wasn't entirely surprised when his eyes dropped to her lips for a moment before they returned to the wires. "I'll see you soon?"

"Not if I see you first," he replied, and they both felt the sheer awkwardness of this conversation reach a new point, making her dart down the hallway, desperate to wash away this entire day.

The moment she was gone he collapsed into the pilot's seat, and he buried his face in his hands.

He's had her back for two weeks, and he was trying so hard to make it feel like she never left. He was boisterous always, (except right now he supposed). He was constantly bringing up the past, making jokes and reminiscing, but on each adventure they had gone on so far, in the back of their heads it was there - the lingering dread, the utter fear that the universe wasn't going to let this last, and they were on edge. All the time.

They were falling through space and time. Clinging to the skin of this tiny little world, unable to fathom letting go. Not after everything. Not after losing each other once, and that intrinsic fear was more than he could handle at any given second.

But her smile made it worth it.

He'd burnt up a sun, and he would burn a thousand more if meant he got to keep her.

He was telling himself it would get better, but so far none of their trips in the last couple of weeks had been very quiet - from meeting a fiery red head in a wedding dress to today, where she was taken to a dungeon and nearly beheaded because they apparently didn't follow proper greeting customs in the 190th century (he had sworn handshakes were still culturally acceptable, but apparently he was wrong), and she spent three hours trying to escape while he spent three hours trying to break in, and well...

They did a lot of running, and a lot of fighting, and somehow they were covered in mud. And all he could think about the entire time was how bloody close he got to losing her again, and he wasn't okay.

He wasn't even a little bit okay.

But he stood and walked to his own ensuite, showering the evidence of his fear down the drain, and eventually he walked out into the library in a fresh suit, with a fresh fire and a fresh pot of tea, and he settled into his armchair with a book he didn't really pay attention to the title of, when he suddenly sensed her waiting in the archway.

He looked over his shoulder at her, his breath catching in his throat when he saw her golden locks tucked up in a rather damp messy bun. She wore a loose t-shirt, one that was a little tattered and clearly loved, but it was her rubber duck pajama pants that was making his hearts break, because he knew what they meant.

She wasn't okay either.

"Hello," he chimed, flashing her a smile.

"Hello," she whispered, and she began to rock on her feet a little awkwardly, playing the bottom of her shirt. "Can I come in?"

"You don't ever have to ask that," he told her, his voice more serious and more tender than he intended, and he swore she blushed. He clenched his jaw and turned his attention back to his book, but he set it down of the table next to his chair and watched her cross to the sofa, tucking her body into a fetal position on the cushions.

She suddenly looked so small it made him want to run to her, but he stayed where he was. Neither spoke for many minutes, but when he saw some tears fall onto her cheeks he was there, curling up behind her, and he pulled her onto his chest.

"It's okay," he whispered.

"It wasn't even that big of deal," she whimpered, her tears growing more uncontrolled. "I'm sorry. I'm going to go -"

She tried to pull away, but he caught her hand before she could and gave her a careful look, and she couldn't help but notice his freckles as they danced against the flames of the fire. For some reason it felt...powerful, or something, she didn't quite have the words, but it was impossible to look away from him and she began to trace her lips with her tongue, lost in thought.

"What?" he whispered. "What are you -"

"Nothing."

"Rose -"

"I'm okay," she insisted. "What about you?"

"Oh, I'm alright," he said, sniffing and leaning back against the sofa. "Think I'm just going to wipe handshakes from my memory, though."

She smiled, and he smiled back, eyes locked and hearts thudding madly in their chests. "What about hand holding?"

"What about it?" he asked.

"You still okay with it?" she said so quietly he barely heard her, and the smile he gave her sent her heart straight to her stomach and her head tripping over her heels.

"Well," he began, the word croaking in his throat, "I s'pose they are loads better than warp drives or wormhole refractors."

He was doing it again, calling back to the past in hopes it made her feel at home, and she bit her lip, slipping her hand in between his and settling back onto the cushion properly, but this time they stayed sitting up. He wrapped his other arm around her waist and pulled her as close as he allowed himself to let her be, and the impulse to kiss her hair was nearly all-consuming.

He didn't.

He just squeezed her hand.

"Thank you," she whispered. "For coming to get me."

Her words were soft, but they were loaded, and he knew she didn't mean today.

"You don't have to thank me for that," he replied. She smiled.

"I do."

"Please don't."

He looked down at her, tracing every curve of her face slowly, oh so slowly, so slowly it was rather unfair, because it was stirring a heat and a need and a desire in her that she knew she'd never be able to act on. And before she could stop herself, she brought her hand up to his cheek and gently rubbed the line of his jaw, her fingers ghosting over his skin, warm to the touch and soft as silk, and he shuddered.

She watched his Adam's apple bob once, then twice, and she knew it was just a matter of seconds before he pulled away and started telling her about their next big adventure.

Any second now.

Any second.

"Rose..." he whispered, his breath hitting her cheek.

Any second.

The room started to feel warm in a way a she knew had nothing to do with the fire. Her skin was prickly, wishing so much that it was closer to him, as close as she could be, tangled around him and lost in his arms. It was unbearable, the centimeters between their chests, and his gaze was intoxicating, burning into her, and she noticed his chest was starting to rise and fall in a way he hadn't been before.

His lips parted ever so slightly, and his eyes fell from her face back down to her lips, which she licked before she could stop herself. "Doctor -"

"Stop talking," he said breathlessly and urgently, and he next thing she knew he had his hands on her lower back, pulling her onto his lap, and he was kissing her. She moaned at the suddenness of it, and at the way they seemed to skip a few steps and go straight to grinding against each other with their clothes still on, and he deepened the kiss so his tongue found hers, then snaked his hands under her baggy t-shirt and stopped when he realized she wasn't a bra.

"It's okay," she nearly screamed, but he seemed to realize what was happening and just cleared his throat, and he slipped his hands away, leaving them at his side. "Doctor, please?"

"Not like this," he said, surprising himself. She was stunned and just stared at him, and he made a face of embarrassment. "I meant. Not that I've thought about it, or, just....Maybe not when we're both feeling. Well..."

She smiled, placing her lips back on his slowly, and he couldn't stop the moan from escaping his throat. "Stop talking."

He swallowed hard.

"I'm never going to leave you," she whispered, her hands finding their way into his hair. "Do you believe me?"

"I..." he stammered, closing his eyes. "Yes."

"Good," she hummed. "Then dance with me."

He opened his eyes, but to his surprise she was sliding her body off of his and walking over to the record player in the corner of the room, turning it on and letting a soft melody filter into the room. He stared at her, captivated entirely as she reached out her hand and wiggled her fingers. He took her hand, but rather than stand and sway with her amidst the sea of books and glow of the fireplace, he tugged her back down onto the couch, and he gently laid her down. He hovered above her, kissing her softly, and his hands stayed on her hips, rubbing small circles over her t-shirt. She wasn't going to push him, but she responded in kind, her arms wrapped around his neck, and he groaned her name, still not trying to escalate anything beyond the snog, and she was finding she was absolutely okay with that.

"I think we should move to the bedroom," he said in her ear, and she changed her mind instantly.

"Yeah," she said, but before they had a chance to move, the TARDIS jolted and knocked them off of the couch, their heads clanking and subsequently spinning. "OW."

"You okay?" he asked, and she nodded, standing up with him as they ran to console to see what the hell was wrong. He sighed.

"Fancy a trip aboard an intergalatic war machine?" he asked her with a gleam in his eye.

"Do we have a choice?" she teased. "I'LL GRAB THE PSYCHIC PAPER!"

She was running to her bedroom to change clothes, and he watched her go, sighing and rubbing a hand over his face.

Oh, he was in trouble.

[macquillian]

is that LIZ GILLIES? no, that’s just CRYSTAL 'CHRIS' MACQUILLIAN. SHE is TWENTY-FOUR years old and is a PHOTOGRAPHER & WAITRESS AT SUNSHINE DINER. rumor has it they’ve been in town for TWO MONTHS. on a good day, they’re LAIDBACK & ADAPTABLE. but watch out! they can also be FLIGHTY & SCATTERBRAINED. ON THE WAY BY MARC SCIBILIA plays in my head whenever i think of them. can’t wait to see them around springhill! @shstarters​

THE STORY

crystal macquillian unlike the prestigious tone of her name was born quite literally on the open road – and maybe that’s exactly where the tone for her entire life was set.

she grew up in vancouver, bc, skating by on charm and minimal effort. you’d be more likely seeing her having a good time on the trails, on the streets, out at night, than doing schoolwork. being confined wasn’t something she took kindly to.

after high school, she took a gap year to backpack through new zealand and visit sweden and norway and all those cliches to “find herself” and well… she never was quite the same after that. she fell in love with ceaseless movement, not knowing what was coming next, and having the freedom to chose what came next. much to her parents’ disappointment but begrudging support at the same time, she took her college allowance, refurbished the inside of a van with the help of some friends, and picked up a nomadic lifestyle.

she criss-crossed north america for almost another two years in her van, taking photos, blogging, crashing on couches in friends’ houses and cashing in favors when she needed. she lived on a minimal budget, but eventually the money in her account got low and at age twenty-one, she realized maybe she should start figuring out what the hell she was going to do with her life. or at least, what she was going to do next.

it was more luck and the weird turn of the earth that pointed her in a direction. she ended up in prince albert on a friend’s couch. it was a couple nights watching their friend’s younger brother playing for the raiders, a few good shots on her canon, and she had a new path to follow.

she spent time learning the game, learning to anticipate what was next, the next shot, the next greatest THING. it was breathtaking, in some ways — just the energy of it all : not knowing quite what was coming NEXT.

life is ALL about connections, and while chris hadn’t gone to school, didn’t have academic connections persay ; what she did have was a network of friends spread around the entire globe. and so, somehow, with talent pushed forward with a few nudges from friends and choice conversations. she lucked her way into photography passes at NHL games, and finally, finally landed a position with the new york rangers photography team at the beginning of the 17-18 season.

she only ended up with the rangers one season, however. she enjoyed the work but decided to move on. ( actually i wouldn’t be surprised if she slept with a player, and the org found out and fired her... )

however, she stayed in touch with a lot of WAGs she befriended in her time as a ranger photog and they provided some lucrative connections. she got a gig shooting for some magazine in new york and got the opportunity to shoot some a-list celebs. it’s the kind of opportunity you probably don’t turn down, and she was making pretty good money ( saving enough since she shared an apartment with five other girls ), but she ended up quitting after a year and a half. she wasn’t happy doing it, and chris values her happiness over everything.

so she moved again, out of new york to springhill because obviously THAT wasn’t working. honestly she probably picked springhill bc she visited once and liked that vibe and that was good enough. she still doesn’t make all that much between waitressing and freelance, but she never needed a lot and she’s far more content now. 

moving from her van to her OWN small apartment was a shock to say the least, but she’s finally getting accustomed to it. having a more permanent place is WEIRD but she’s finding she doesn’t hate it. she still has her van, of course ; she’s been saving to fix replace the brakes on it.

MISC

in pretty much all facets of her life, she goes by chris mac. she thinks that crystal macquillian sounds like the posh daughter of a millionaire and honestly,,, that’s so not her. she’s also relatively entertained when she’s hired for freelance work and they expect a guy to show up.

laissez-faire honestly describes chris to a t. if it’s not broke, don’t fix it. she is the epitome of chill, laidback, and adaptable ; doesn’t let much phase her at all. a true neutral, she also goes wherever and does whatever she feels like in the moment and has a very ‘hands-off’ attitude. because of how laidback she is, she can come across as if she doesn’t care or isn’t trying and it’s gotten her fired from a few jobs.

candids are her favorite photos to take --- she thinks people get too stiff and fake when they know a photo is coming.

during her time travelling she kept a pretty extensive blog. she still has it but it’s definitely not as well updated now that she’s “settled down.”

she’s the kinda person that’s flightly ; the type where you’re friends but you might not hear from her in three months and then get a postcard in the mail because she has all her friends’ addresses memorized.

she’s been in a few relationships but nothing’s that’s ever lasted because they’ve all yearned for some sort of long term commitment or grew tired of her nomadic ways ; definitely more the one night stand kinda gal. while she was still on the move she would sent her ex’s postcards too ( probably ended them all ‘wish you were here xoxoxo’ ).

she can sing ( duh ). on the move she would probably pick up gigs in cafes and bars that would have her to make a little extra cash on the spot.

dual american-canadian citizenship

CONNECTIONS

she has literally been everywhere so i’d love her to have some ppl she’s run into before, esp around north american in general… you know like those weird, oh i remember you were that weird girl back in x doing that thing.

she’s pretty friendly ; people she chats to at the diner, regulars, co-workers, and such

someone who like… really wants her to pursue singing for some reason??

maybe an unlikely friendship with someone who challenges her to have more structure in her life — because honestly gal has so little structure it’s a miracle she shows up to work

idk guys i’m so bad at wc

[leiasfanaccount648]

Earth Angel

(Greaser!Tom x Soc!Fem!Reader)

This is for @fratboievans’s and @wayfaring’s writing challenge. I hope you all enjoy!

Prompt: Movie/Tv Show Quote 7- “You keep saying shit like that and you’re gonna get punched.” and I’ve also added a Greaser! AU.

Pairing: Greaser!Tom Holland x Fem!Soc!Reader

Word Count: 4793

Summary: When the school dance comes around, infamous greaser Tom Holland is dared by his friends to go after the new girl in town that no other guy has asked to go with. Only problem is that one of the popular soc’s is going after her as well. Of course, that doesn’t stop Tom, not wanting to back down from the dare, but it does make things more difficult.

Warnings: Angst(?), fighting, smoking, cursing, sexual references/harassment, kinda a slow burn, fluff in the end.

Tags: @naturallytom @hr-hxlland @loverholland

Monday

“‘Ey, Tom, what’re we gonna do this weekend?”

“Stay as far away from here as possible.”

Tom and his gang had just finished their day at school, heading to the car. It hadn’t been a long day persay, but definitely a boring one. But it was only Monday, and god knows what’ll happen this particular week.

To kickstart the day, almost everyone was freaking out about the school dance this weekend, whether it was getting their clothes, finding dates, you name it. Teens of every age and social class were getting ready for the fateful day. And that only meant that every other place in town would not be packed to the brim with people Tom didn’t like.

Tom Holland was one of the many greaser’s in town, his group being one of the most well known in the town. They hadn’t gotten into any major trouble, most stuff being caused from soc’s wanting to pick fights and the police just not being fond of them. But everyone knew they all weren’t afraid to fight and do what they wanted, so most people just stayed away. There was Dylan, Harrison, Johnny, Zach, and lastly, the leader, Tom. They all had been friends for the longest time, and were basically brothers at this point.

As the group was heading to Tom’s car, a 1952 Ford convertible, when Zach had spoke up. “Hey, who’s the new chick?”

The rest of them turned to look in the direction he was looking in, surprised to see a girl that none of them knew at all. She was clearly lost, not sure where to go after leaving the school doors. Johnny was the first to comment, being the biggest flirt of the group.

“I don’t know, but I would love to get under that skirt of hers.” Dylan chuckled, hitting Johnny’s shoulder in agreement as the two of them looked the girl up and down. “She’d neva’ go for you, Dylan.”

“How do you know that?”

“Cause I’m the one in the group who’s gotten with the most girls, and I know she’d go for someone like me.” Johnny gestured to himself, smirking proudly. “I can only imagine what she’s gotta offer.”

Harrison laughed along with Dylan. “Even if she would be willing to go out with someone like us, it would not be you.”

“Then who would it be if not one of us?”

“I didn’t say it wouldn’t be one of us, but she would most likely go after Tom.”

If there was one thing that everyone in the group would agree on, it would be that quite a few girls would almost fling themselves at Tom. Of course Tom didn’t mind flirting with them, but he didn’t wanna bother with going out with the girls. He had enough to worry about as far as his friends and his family. Not to mention that he knew he couldn’t offer much for a girl if he had one to begin with. So for now, he just acted like he didn’t care for them.

He scoffed at Harrison’s statement, glancing at him before looking back at the girl to get a good look at her. “I wouldn’t waste my time. She seems to be a soc. I doubt she would even go for me much less Johnny.” He smiled to himself, pulling a cigarette from his jean pocket as well as a lighter.

Johnny glared at Tom, pushing his shoulder and stopping him from lighting the cigarette. “Like you would care. If I knew any better I’d say you were scared of going over and talking to her.” He was half joking, half serious with his words. He was sick of Tom not wanting to get with the ladies like he was, and almost challenged him. Tom lit his cigarette as he thought over Johnny’s statement.

“You sayin’ I don’t want to get with that?”

“I’m sayin’ you’re too chicken to ask her to the dance on Saturday.”

Harrison, Dylan, and Zach looked between Tom and Johnny, laughing in shock and waiting for one of the two to speak up (mainly Tom). If there was one thing they knew about Tom, it’s that he does like to back down from a challenge. It’s what got him to where he was today. If it wasn’t for soc’s picking fights with him as a kid he maybe would have a broader future, but Tom is glad to be where and who he is today. His position brings him protection and power to not only himself and his friends, but his family as well. As long as they’re okay, so is he.

Tom took a puff from his cigarette before speaking, clearly annoyed slightly yet also thinking over Johnny’s words once again. “What’s in it for me if I go with her?”

“I’ll buy a month’s worth of cigarettes for you.”

“And if I don’t get her to say yes?”

“You’re gonna have to find someone else to help you with your math homework for the next month.”

Math wasn’t Tom’s best subject, but it definitely wasn’t his worst either. If worse came to worse, then he’d cheat/copy off of other people in his class. But he would love not to have to worry about his next supply of cigarettes. Not to mention getting to fool around for the first time in awhile didn’t sound too bad either.

Tom chuckled softly, eyeing the girl one more time before looking to his friends, specifically Johnny. “Alright, man, I accept those terms.” He held his cigarette in his mouth as well as his hand out in front of Johnny to fully make the deal. Johnny grinned, laughing softly as he shook Tom’s hand.

“I wish you the best of luck man. She may be new around town but she probably has an idea on who we are. It’ll be tough to even get near her.”

Tom let go of his hand, taking another swig from his cigarette and turning around to see if the girl was still there. She was, clearly trying to get somewhere, and Tom saw his chance to introduce himself. He quickly finished his cigarette before adjusting his leather jacket. “Watch and learn guys.” He walked in your direction, planning out what to say.

Zach laughed. “Whatever you say!” He and the others chilled by the car, secretly watching and trying not to seem too obvious about it. Eventually, Tom made his over to the girl.

“Excuse me darling, you need help getting somewhere?”

The girl looked up at him, at first shocked that someone like him walked up to her, but then happy at the offer. She moved some hair out of her face, smiling shyly. “Actually, yeah. I’m trying to find the bus stop so I can get home. I’m new around here and I accidentally missed the school bus.” She laughed softly, kinda embarrassed.

Tom put on a fake yet convincing smile. This was gonna be easier than he thought. “You’re in luck, it’s right around the corner.” He pointed to the left side of the school, watching the girl look in the direction. “But if you really need a ride home,” she looked back up at Tom as he spoke. “I don’t mind taking you.” He gestured behind him to his car where his friends where leaning against the side of it. He laughed awkwardly, trying to see the deal. “Without my friends of course.”

The girl giggled, taking a step towards him and biting her lip. Tom couldn’t help the smirk on his face, this was way too easy. She spoke up again.

“However, there is one problem.”

“And what would that be, love?”

“I’m not saying any of this just to get with you.”

She immediately turned around and walked away towards the bus stop that was in fact around the corner as Tom stared at her in complete and utter shock. He didn’t even move from where he stood as he watched her leave. Eventually Harrison walked over to him.

“Did she surprise you? Say somethin’ dirty and made everything happen faster?” He laughed softly, waiting for Tom’s response; however he was still in the process of getting over the fact that a girl read through his act that would usually work with any other girl. What made this time so different? Harrison shaking his shoulder brought him back.

“Tom what the hell happened.”

“I don’t know,” he looked to his friend. “But I’m not losing this bet. Especially because of this girl.”

Tuesday

The next day, Tom had gotten to school just a few minutes early just to see where her locker was as well as her first class. He hadn’t gotten her name yet so he didn’t have much to go off of when trying to find her. As it turns out, her locker was right next to her first class. As for lunch, she sat at one of the picnic tables outside with a couple girls she seemed to had befriended. He didn’t have any classes with her, but he soon knew her entire schedule, but never her name. So when school ended, he stood by his car waiting for his friends to meet him before heading to the diner that day; however, he was also looking for the girl, hoping to catch her and talk to her again. He liked a challenge and she was definitely one for him to take on.

Zach and Dylan had already gotten to the car, talking about god knows what as Tom continued to watch for the girl. Once most people had left he finally caught sight of her, but not the way he hoped. She was clearly in a hurry and kept looking behind and over her shoulder as if someone was following her. Tom watched her, confused and intrigued by what was going on. A moment later he saw a soc he knew all too well come out of the building, Carl Dietz

Carl was the one that started picking fights with Tom when they were younger. His father was the coach of the football team at the school and his uncle the chief of police. His family was the definition of privileged and rich and the most of it in the town. The only thing Carl didn’t have was a girlfriend. He was a player for sure, getting with any girl he possible could, but never got or even wanted more than that.

Carl was eyeing the girl, walking about 10 feet behind her before stopping at the top of the steps that lead to the school. He was watching her intensely as she walked away and smirking at her before heading back into the school. Tom looked back at the girl, seeing how upset she was. He glanced over at his friends before quickly walking over to her. Yes, he needed to win the bet, but the very last thing he wanted was for Carl Dietz to ruin someone else’s life.

The moment she saw him and their eyes met, she glared, sighing to herself before walking away from him. Of course, Tom was relentless and continued to follow her. She stopped walking and turned to face him, making Tom stop dead in his tracks. “Look, I don’t want to deal with anymore of you so please just leave me alone.”

She stared at him for a moment before leaving once again, quickly getting away before anything else happened. Of course, Tom didn’t know what had gone down before Carl and her walked out of the school, but he didn’t want it to happen again. If there was one thing his mother taught him, it was to respect and treat women right, and never as an object.

Wednesday

Tom had once again gotten to school a little bit earlier that day in hopes of seeing the girl and talking to her properly (and finally get her name). He did see her at her locker, but she seemed to be too much in a hurry again to even try and talk to her.

So Tom tried again during lunch, seeing that she was alone for a brief moment while she waited for her friends to sit with her; however, someone beat him to talking to her.

Carl Dietz had sat down beside her, smirking and looking her up and down as he put an arm around her. Tom didn’t hear what he said but Carl clearly whispered something in her ear that she did not like and tried to get away, only to be brought back into her seat by Carl. Tom couldn’t help but be angered. No one, especially a young lady, should have to deal with people like Carl. Tom began to hear Carl say things like ‘You know you want it’ and ‘Why don’t we meet up Saturday night after the dance’ and that’s when he had had enough.

Tom began to walk over to the two of them, ready to start a fight when she freed a hand from Carl’s grip and slapped him in the face. “Stop it, Carl. I’m not that kind of girl.” Tom stopped walking when he saw her slap him, shocked that she would do that. But when he saw Carl glare at her harshly and grab at you again, Tom saw the fear return to her eyes and quickly continued his way over to the table.

“Get your hands off me!” She said, trying to sound confident when Tom had grabbed Carl by his shirt and pulled him up to his feet to let go of her and face Tom instead.

“You heard her, Carl, and if you keep saying shit like that you’re gonna get punched.” He paused for a moment, thinking over the outcome of this. Either they would fight, resulting in one/both getting detention, or somehow being stopped before the fight started. Tom cleared his throat, remember what was happening and what he was doing. The least he could do was try to be civil. “She said to leave her alone.” He glanced at the girl, seeing her shocked yet touched expression. She didn’t even know him, neither him to her, and he was willing to fight this guy.

Carl death glared Tom, clenching his fists before grabbing tom by the collar of his leather jacket and getting ready to punch him. A bunch of students starting calling out, some betting who would win, others just yelling to start the fight, but before anything could happen, the principal, Mr. Downey, had showed up. He crossed his arms, eyeing Carl to see if he would officially start the fight or not. Yes, the kid was the star of the football team, but he was always getting into trouble constantly, whether it was getting into fights or not doing school work.

Silence rang through the cafeteria as everyone waited to see what would happen next. A moment later, Carl looked down and laughed dryly to hide his anger. He looked back at Tom.

“You know what, for old times sake, I’ll cut you a break. Today.”

They both glared at one another, sharing the same annoyed and a fake smile they had to keep for the time being. Carl finally let go of Tom and Tom did the same.

“So, Holland, why don’t you make like a tree and get out of here.”

Tom didn’t bother correcting Carl and just nodded, glancing once more at the girl and leaving the cafeteria. Harrison and the others followed Tom as well.

Dylan was the first person to reach him. “Hey, Tom, what the hell was that about back there?” He grabbed Tom’s shoulder, making him stop walking. Tom sighed, looking around the hallways before speaking quietly. “Johnny bet that I couldn’t get with that girl and I’m trying to. I’m not gonna pass up a month’s worth of cigs either.”

Harrison chimed into the conversation. “Yeah but that didn’t include you almost getting into a fight with Carl. That’s the last thing we need to worry about right now.”

Johnny smirked. “Plus, if you get in trouble with Downey, you may not even be allowed to go to the dance. And that’ll make the bet finish faster.”

Tom ran a hand through his hair, thinking over his options and how he could still win the bet. He couldn’t risk failing his math class either. He didn’t want his mother to worry about him even more. But one thing the group didn’t know was that Tom was worrying for this girl. She was new and hardly knew anyone. He didn’t know what it was like to not know anyone in your town, but he knew what it was like to be taken advantage of.

Zach took a step towards Tom. “You can do whatever you want to try and win the bet. Just..” He looked between the rest of the guys. “Just don’t get yourself in more trouble than usual.”

Tom nodded, looking at his friends and seeing how genuinely worried they seemed to be. The bell rang, signalling the end of lunch, and other students began filling the hallways to get to their next class. The group of greasers did the same, acting like the (almost) fight today didn’t happen.

Thursday

After school, Tom once again waited by his car to see the girl again. He was running out of time and he needed to do something. This time, however, it was the girl that walked up to him. “Excuse me?”

Tom looked to her, almost shocked that she had even walked over to him. She looked nervous, rarely ever meeting his eye.

“I just..” She took a deep breath, gaining the confidence to look up at him. “I wanted to say thank you, for yesterday, and,” she smiled shyly, almost embarrassed. “I’m sorry for telling you off Tuesday afternoon. I shouldn’t have done that.”

Tom was touched by her words at first, surprised that she would apologize to him for her actions. At first he really was playing with her, but maybe, just maybe, she was something special. Tom smiled at her, deciding to be honest.

“You’re alright. You’d be surprised how many times I get told off by all kinds of people.” He leaned against the side of his car, still looking at her. “And I’m just glad that you’re okay. Carl Dietz isn’t the,” he paused, trying to find the right word. “Nicest guy at this school. You need to be careful when you meet new people.”

“Maybe that’s why I didn’t want to bother with you on Monday.” She laughed awkwardly, feeling bad about the situation. “I’m sorry that I misjudged you. I bet you’re a really nice guy.” She glanced at the ground, smiling shyly and blushing a little.

Tom grinned, chuckling softly. She may had been sweet, but she was oblivious about reading into who he really was. He was nice to his friends and family, but everyone else he was cautious around. For all he knew this girl was someone else entirely. He looked behind her, seeing his friends walk towards the car while making rude gestures towards/about the girl and how (they believed) Tom was going to get with her over the weekend. He had to finish the conversation before she saw them and changed her mind about him. He could practically smell all the cigs he was going to get next month.

Tom quickly stood up straight, already having a plan in mind.

“Listen, uh,” he froze, remembering how he still didn’t know her name. She giggled, smiling as she answered. “(Y/N). (Y/N) (L/N). And may I ask who you are?”

“Tom. Tom Holland.”

They smiled at one another for a moment, causing (Y/N) to blush.

“So, (Y/N),” he chuckled softly. “Would you be interested in hanging out some time?”

He saw her eyes light up in shock and excitement. “Y-You mean like a date?”

Tom almost laughed at her statement. Tom Holland may flirt and fool around every now and, but he never did dates. But this was for the bet. For the bet.

He nodded. “Yeah. When are you free?”

“I’m actually free tomorrow night. I heard they have a few new movies out at the drive in if you’re up for that.”

“That sounds great. I’ll pick you up tomorrow?”

“Sure. See you then, Tom.”

(Y/N) grinned and walked away, waving goodbye to Tom and passing his friends as she walked away. All of them but Johnny smiled and cheered for Tom finally getting a date for the dance.

“Did you seriously ask her to the dance?” Johnny looked to Tom, shocked and not thinking he’d actually be able to do it. Tom shook his head. “Not exactly. I didn’t want ‘er to think I was some creep like Carl by suggesting the dance for a,” he made air quotes, “‘first date’, so she suggested the drive in tomorrow night.”

Johnny laughed, pushing his hair back, making Tom groan in annoyance. He honestly didn’t want to more work than he had to just to win the bet. “Can this count as takin’ her out? It’s basically the same thing.”

Johnny shook his head. “Nope! I would’ve counted it if it was you that asked her on the date, but she did that part for you.” He laughed more, leaning over and resting on his knees. “I seriously can’t believe this is happening.”

Tom sighed, grumbling under his breath. “Me neither.”

Friday

After school, (Y/N) met Tom by his car again, asking what time he would pick her up (7pm) before heading on her way. Tom was starting to regret his decision about accepting the date rather than suggesting the dance himself, but it was too late to back out now.

Before he left his house to get her, his friends stopped by; they teased him about what to do and not to do, how he should dress, and many other things just to annoy him and make him dread the date even more. But in the words of Johnny, “Do it for the cigs, Tom.”

Tom picked (Y/N) up around 7:15, claiming to have trouble his car and making her a little nervous. The last thing she wanted was to get into a wreck and not be allowed on dates anymore unless she walked there. The drive there was mostly silent, both not really knowing what to say to one another. They only just properly met yesterday. Eventually (Y/N) broke the silence when they were about to reach the drive in.

“By the way, if you wouldn’t mind not smoking during the movie, I’d greatly appreciate it.”

Tom, shocked yet amused by her words, chuckled softly. “I’m sorry, what did you just say?” He was used to being stereotyped, but this was different. For one, they were on a date. Shouldn’t she be cuddling up to him and wanting to get to second base? Then again, she was clearly not like any other Soc, or girl for that matter, in town.

“I said, could you not smoke during the movie? I don’t want to be lectured when I get home from my father for suspecting that I’ve been doing things in not supposed to.”

Tom was about to reply, with a snarky remark no less, but he had pulled up to pay for the entry to the drive in. (Y/N) reached into her purse. “I brought enough money for the both of us.” She mumbled to herself. “In case you had assumed that I would pay for everything tonight.”

Tom bit his tongue to keep from lashing out at her. Yes, he knew he didn’t have that much money, and sometimes he and his mom weren’t able to pay every bill on time, but he wasn’t the type of guy to go out with a rich girl so that she would pay for everything. He pulled out some money from his jacket pocket, enough for both of them, as he looked her in the eye harshly. “Actually I do have enough for both of us, thank you very much.” He didn’t look back at her after he paid and drove forward to find a place to park. “Isn’t that what the guy is supposed to do on a date?”

Not only was he annoyed with her intentions and words, but he knew the bet would be harder to win now. At the moment, however, he cared less about the bet. He wouldn’t admit it, but a small part of him was looking forward to tonight. (Y/N) was a different girl compared to the other ones in town, and he thought he might have an actual shot. Of course, he should have known better than to hope that someone like her would trust or even like someone like him.

Once they were parked, he still didn’t look at her and focuses on the blank wall of a screen up ahead. The movie hadn’t started yet so they were stuck to bearing in the silence between them as other couples and groups of friends surrounding them enjoyed their time.

(Y/N), once again about 5 minutes after they parked, broke the silence first. “Look, I-”

Tom cut her off, not wanting to hear any excuse or stereotype she had to say next.

“Forget it. I know how the world views people like me. I should have known better than to think you were someone different.”

(Y/N) fell silent again, starting to feel guilty. She had grown up being taught looks can be deceiving, yet almost truthful depending on how people acted. She always tried her best to listen to her family’s rules, yet also be herself, but where was the line? When could she be what she wanted and when was she supposed to listen to the rules she was taught? Could she do/be both? She took a deep breath.

“Tom, I,” she struggled with her words, feeling his glare on her now. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking clearly.”

Tom scoffed. “Obviously-”

“Let me finish.”

They stared each other down for a minute until Tom sighed, gesturing for (Y/N) to continue.

“I was wrong to act like that. I just.. I don’t want to be taken advantage of, or be sent to jail for doing illegal things and be under house arrest until my father marries me off.” She looked down, holding her arms close to herself. “I didn’t..” Her voice dropped down to a whisper. “I didn’t want to get my hopes up with you and have you turn out to be someone like Carl.”

Tom processed her words slowly before replying. “(Y/N), I know that you’ve just met me, but please know one thing.” He reached out and held her hand, making her look him in the eye.

“I will never be someone as awful as him. When I saw him trying to get with you, I.. I had to do something. I was taught to respect women, to never take advantage of them, and you,” he chuckled softly, smiling at her. “You’re something special, (Y/N). You really are.”

(Y/N) smiled, feeling her heart beat fast. She felt happiness on a whole new level. More than her vinyl records, more than Christmas day with her family. She felt.. Surreal.

She moved over to him so that their shoulders were touching. “Do you mind if I sit here?” She bit her lip shyly, looking up at Tom. He nodded, trying to get over the shock that she was this close. “Sure.”

(Y/N) grinned and resting her head on his shoulder and he let go of her hand to put his arm around her. They continued to watch the movie, enjoying it as well as making conversation about it as well as their lives. They still had lots to learn about one another.

After the movie ended, Tom started up the car and drove (Y/N) home as she rested still snuggled up to him as the radio played softly.

‘Earth angel, earth angel, please be mine.’

Tom smiled to himself, glancing down at her.

‘My darling dear, love you all the time.’

At this moment, he cared less about everything else around him. The bet he and Johnny made, the teasing he would get from his friends as well as his mom and brothers, the way Soc’s would push him around, the danger he could possibly be in from being with a Soc. Once again, he didn’t care. For once, he felt happy for something he chose to do in the end.

‘I’m just a fool. A fool in love with you.’