Marvel Imagines

Tom Hiddleston - you flinch

Teen reader | platonic
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TRIGGER WARNING: mentions of abuse
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You were currently suiting up to film a scene with Tom, where your character was going to be threateend by your father. You then ran over to where Tom was getting his hair and makeup on to annoy him before filming since yours was done already. "Hey doll, you ready for today's scene?" he asked and you nodded and smiled however Tom noticed that your smile didn't quite reach your eyes. "You sure?" he asked again and you said yes, and he dropped it for now.

Truth is, you were slightly nervous because this scene included you being half naked, only in your bra and some shorts, which meant people would be able to see your bruises, but you could say you did your own makeup and bruises, and they would believe you because you do your own set makeup alot, so that wouldn't worry you too much.

The part about the scene you were most worried about is that Tom, who plays your abusive father in the movie yells at you a lot and a few times where he threatens to hit you and brings his hands up to but never actually does, which hits quite close to home for you, and you silently hoped that the few months you've been away from your parents would make this scene less nerve wracking to film. The last thing you wanted was to have a break down on set. You haven't told anyone about your situation yet though, fearing your parents reaction if they found out.

"Y/N" you heard Tom say and snapped out of your train of thought. "Are you okay?" he asked, face now showing concern. "Yeah why?" you replied casually, not letting your emotions through. Being an actor was definitely handy at times. "That was the third time I've called you, I asked have you had breakfast" he said, seeming to see straight through your act. "Yeah, I'm just a bit sleepy, had cereal for breakfast", you said, throwing a fake yawn in there. You felt so had for lying to him but you couldn't have anyone finding out.

He was about to say something else but the director called and everyone was needed on set. You and Tom made your way over, you ignoring him staring at you trying to figure out what's wrong. You two had become very close and he has become somewhat of a father figure to you during filming despite him playing your abuser.

Everyone got into costume, you stood there covering yourself best you could, people believing that you did the bruises with eyeshadow, even Tom. Everything was going relatively smoothly. You and Tom took your places, you cowering in the corner and Tom standing a few feet away from you. Tom sent a small smile your way to comfort you but the second the director said action, his demeanor changed with a flip of a switch. His eyes held only pure anger as he advanced towards you and towered over you, then started to yell profanities.

If you weren't acting before, you definitely weren't acting now. The minute Tom's demeanor changed, you had already started shaking slightly. You knew the look he held in his eyes all too well and it did not work out well for you. The more he advanced towards you, the more you shook and tears started to fall down your cheeks as you caved inwards, an instinct to try to make yourself as small as possible. Since you didn't have any lines in the scene, everyone else thought this was just you acting and no one actually realized there was anything wrong since you were quite an amazing actor.

Your breathing became more laboured the louder Tom yelled and when he raised his hand to threaten to hit you, you flinched violently, causing Tom to falter a little because it looked so real, which it was. He then quickly took in your appearance and noticed you didn't have control over your breathing and hot tears were racing down your cheeks. Only then he realizes there was something really wrong. "CUT!" he yells out and crouched down to your level, not caring about anything else that was going on around you guys.

He reached a hand out to put on your shoulder but you flinched again, causing him to worry even more. "Hey, Y/N, it's Tom, you're safe, it's alright, can you look at me darling?" he asked in a soft voice, completely contrasting the harsh yelling moments ago. You slowly looked up through your tears to see him giving you a small sympathetic smile. "You're having a panic attack darling, can you breathe in and count to 5 for me please?" he coaxed, holding his arm out behind him to stop whoever was walking towards you.

You struggled but managed to do it, Tom guiding you through it, instructing you to do it a few more times, him sitting there doing it with you. Eventually, when you got ahold of your breathing and could intake air again, he moved quickly to get a robe and covered you with it, then helped you up, one arm around your shoulders to keep you steady. He shielded you from everyone's view, knowing how much you hate crying in front of people, having done this a few times before since this was quite an emotionally draining movie for you. You faintly heard the director telling everyone to wrap up for the day as Tom led you towards your trailer.

It worried him so much that you had had a pretty bad panic attack. Usually you cried a little after the scene but that was about it. Sure he recognized that this scene was a bit more intense than the other ones but not actually knowing what triggered the attack and you were still shaking and sobbing into him worried him more than ever.

Once you were inside your trailer, he held you in the tightest most comforting hug you've ever received and all you could do was stand there and cry into his chest, holding onto him like he was your lifeline. After a while, when your sobs and calmed down to hiccups, he led you over to the sofa and sat you down, then he went to the mini kitchen to make some cocoa.

Your thoughts were running at a million miles an hour. He would ask what triggered it. You could lie and say it was the scene, but Tom always was able to tell you were lying. But then everything would spill out and your throat tightened at the mere thought of your parents finding out you told someone.

You wee so zoned out you flinched when Tom wiped away the hot tears streaming down your cheeks as he set the hot chocolate down on the table and took his seat next to you. He pulled you into his side as you laid your head on his shoulder and took in a shaky breath. "I know you don't want to talk about it but that was the worst reaction to a scene I've seen you have, what's wrong darling?" he asked gently, rubbing your back and waited patiently for an answer.

After a few more minutes of debating you realized he would get the truth out of you eventually so you decided to spill it to save him the trouble. "That scene hit too close to home. The look in your eyes when the scene started, when my dad has it, it usually never ends well for me" you whispered, voice cracking towards the end. You felt Tom tense and tighten his arms around you as it clicked in his head.

He turned you so you faced him and wiped away the new tears that had replaced the old ones. "All the bruises on you today, that wasn't makeup was it?" he asked gently and you shook your head, more salty tears racing down your cheeks. "How often do they hit you?" he questioned further. "Almost everyday when I'm there", throat tightening at just the thought of it. "Does he do anything else other than hitting?" Tom asked, fearing the answer, heart breaking in two as you gave a timid nod.

He didn't question any further, he just pulled you into another tight hug and allowed you to cry onto his shoulder. You had felt a huge weight lifted off your shoulders and felt safe with Tom, which hurt you even more because your father was supposed to protect you, but here you are, looking to a man you met a couple years ago when you we're shooting some marvel movies to be your father figure, who had a will to protect you more than your own father does.

Why can't all dads be like you? you thought, feeling your tears soak through his shirt. "I don't know, but I'll be happy to be your father figure and foster you to get you out of there, you truly do not deserve this" he said, rubbing small circles on your back. Okay, so you hadn't thought it but actually said it out loud. Well done. Wait. "You what?" you asked him to make sure you heard him right.

"I'll be more than happy to foster or adopt you so you can get out of there, and I'll be happy to step in to play the father figure you are missing out on." he said and you searched his eyes for any uncertainty but there was nothing. You teared up for the hundreth time and just hugged him, letting your tears soak his shirt once more, happy you gained a father figure you could actually trust and feel safe around, who you knew would always protect you.