“You realize that's not how you do it. I've seen the ones where you attempted it in that bookstore in Australia too...” I smiled, teasing him.

“What do you mean that's not how... it looks like a heart, doesn't it? And it gets the general idea across.” Tom said, blushing and picking up his mug. He looked beyond exhausted, but he refused to sleep yet. I giggled and shook my head, scrolling through my dash again until I found the one comparing Tom's pitiful library heart to Benedict's butt-heart from the Toronto Film Festival.

“Neither of those look like hearts, Tom.” I said, smirking as I reached for my mug. Tom's eyebrows furrowed as he looked at the pictures then back to me. “I'm just teasing you, at least the one you did in South Korea kind of looks like a heart. We might have to call Ben so I can give him some uh... hand-heart lessons.”

“Perhaps you could just show me, since you're apparently brilliant at them.” He smiled and stole my laptop. Closing it, he sat it on the coffee table and leaned towards me to press his lips to mine.

“I'm an expert at them,” I smiled when he pulled away. “been doing them since I was a teenager. See?” Holding up my hands, I showed him. Fingers curved, nails touching, thumbs held together in a little point.

“What's wrong with the upside-down one I had going in that one picture-”

“Babe, it looks like a triangle.” I smiled, resting my hand on his knee. “I mean I know people get it, and trust me you look positively adorable doing it, but I'd rest easier knowing I taught you the proper way to... erm, hand-heart.”

He raised an eyebrow and smirked. “Darling, if you're losing sleep over my hand gestures, I know quite a few that could wear you out significantly-”

“Okay Casanova, keep it in your pants for right now-”

“But I've missed you,” He whined, pushing me back against the arm of the couch and pressing his lips to mine in a heated kiss. My eyes closed and my fingers found their way to his ginger hair... oh I had missed him, too. “my sweet Lily.” I sighed when his lips left mine to kiss along my jaw.

“Tom,” I pushed against his chest lightly, giggling when his stubble tickled my neck. “I missed you too, love, but your sad attempts at this heart thing need to be addressed, oh-” Tom knew how to perfectly cut off any train of thought with the tiniest nibble on my earlobe. It sent shivers down my spine and caused me to arch against him despite my awkward position against the arm of the couch. He continued kissing and nipping his way down my neck to my shoulder as his fingers worked their way under the hem of my shirt, dancing so slowly across my skin.

When he suddenly pulled away and sat up, a stupid grin on his face, I groaned and put my hands on my face, rubbing my fingers over my eyes. “So, my darling-”

“Don't you take that innocent tone with me, mister Hiddleston. You damn tease.” Sitting up, I huffed and stared at him, scowling at his stupid smirk. Instead of obliging him, I turned and grabbed my mug, setting my feet on the floor and ignoring him.

“Lily,” Tom chuckled as I sipped my tea and stared at the weatherman on the TV screen. After a moment he swept my hair over my shoulder and ran his fingers down my spine. I did my best to ignore the tremble that followed his touch, but by the soft ehehe I heard from beside me, I knew Tom had felt it. “come now, love. Show me how a heart is done properly.”

“Only if you finish what you started.” I said, eyes focused on the TV. Tom grabbed the remote as I brought my mug to my lips, turning the telly off and moving so that he was sitting on the coffee table, his legs on either side of mine. My eyes met his tired bluish-green gaze and I sighed. He was giving me that look... that kicked-puppy, 'brother please' Loki face.

“I'm sorry, Lily, I didn't mean to upset you-”

“Tom,” I set my mug down and put my hand on his leg. “I'm not upset, it's just not nice to tease me like that after you've been away.”

He smiled and carefully leaned towards me, pressing a chaste kiss to my lips. “I know, darling, I'm-”

“Ah. Stop it. You're always apologizing, you know that?” I said, smiling a bit. He just nodded, and I decided to just get this silly heart lesson over with. “Okay, hold your hands up- no no, not the triangle-heart. Like this.” I demonstrated once again, watching him stare at my hands intently.

“I think...” Tom brought his hands up, and they instantly formed that square-shape again.

“Thumbs down, like this...” I laughed a bit, fixing his thumbs so that they formed a bit of a point, then curving the rest of his long fingers in. “there! See, that is a heart. Oh, hold it so I can take a picture and put it on twitter later.” Grinning, I grabbed my phone and snapped a photo of him smiling almost triumphantly with his hands still in a heart shape.

“Here, let me see-” Tom snatched my phone from my hand, earning a scowl from me as I stood and looked over his shoulder. I watched as he put it up on his WhoSay with the cutesy caption 'Had a heart-to-heart with my lovely Lily', which made me smile and roll my eyes slightly.

“You're so sweet I'm afraid I might get a toothache.” I teased, taking my phone back. Tom stood, a glint in his eye as he towered over me, his hands coming to rest on my hips.

“I believe you asked me to finish what I start-” His sentence was cut off by a rather adorable yawn, and I couldn't stop my giggle.

“Maybe I should just make you go to sleep.” I smiled, resting my hand on his cheek. “I know you're exhausted-”

He silenced me with a long, deep kiss, his tongue running gently over my top lip. My mouth parted with a sigh and I took his bottom lip between my teeth, giving it a light nibble. “Lily,” Tom's voice was a low growl as my fingers found his hair again and lightly tugged. “oh fuck it.”

I yelped when he picked me up and all but threw me over his shoulder. “Tom! Jesus, put me down, I can walk and you're not a cave man!” I whined, planting a good smack on his bum.

“Oh, would you prefer I do this?” He asked, and swung me into his arms, one arm cradling my torso while the other held my legs. I found it hard to stay frustrated when I saw the glint in his eyes. “Come on, love. I've been away for too long, I've forgotten how many freckles are on your shoulders.”