Tom didn't come home that night. Again. "Where is he, Edd? I'm getting worried. I called him twice but he didn't pick up today! Where could he possibly be?" Edd shrugged half-heartedly, his frame rattling ever so slightly with the action. "I guess he's still busy." His voice trembled with every word, concern coming through. Matt figured he must've been worried about Tom, too. He wasn't completely correct. "Maybe, but he could at least answer the bloody phone today. I keep getting voicemail! He normally answers at least once!" Edd squeezed his eyes shut and took deep breaths, trying to calm himself down. He needed to stay strong for Matt's sake. "T-that's Tom for you, y'know? Why don't we watch a movie? I mean, Space Pirates, amirite?"
Matt sighed thoughtfully. "Yeah, you're right, I guess. He'll show up eventually." "Eventually..." Edd echoed, some discontent shining through. Matt hated seeing his best friend upset and extended his arms, offering a hug to his companion. "Cheer up, Edd. I'm sure you're right and Tim is fine, wherever he is right now. He's a smart guy." Edd just stared and forced his mouth into a smile, but his eyes were empty. Matt embraced him for a little longer than usual as Edd sucked back up the tears that threatened to spill over into his cheeks. He held on to Matt like he was dying, clutching onto his blazer like he was falling, yet somehow, Matt didn't notice. He never noticed. He finally let go and Matt shot him a blinding smile that he felt absolutely obligated to return. He closed his eyes so Matt couldn't see the emotion in those orbs and willed himself to grin...or was it a grimace? It felt like one. He really hoped it was a smile.
"That's the spirit, Edd!" Phew, it was a smile. "I'm sorry for upsetting you earlier. Why don't you sit down while I get you some cola, hmm?" Edd just nodded weakly. He felt like he was about to faint: he almost always did, nowadays, ever since the day Tom didn't come back...
"Here's one coke for my best buddy. We're gonna have fun tonight!" He placed the can into Edd's cold fingers and looked him dead in the eye, trying to calm him with his gaze. Edd's eyes glazed over again. "Hey, don't cry, now. I'm sorry." Tentatively, he pressed a kiss to Edd's forehead and started up the film, taking his place next to him on the couch. Edd opened the can and drank but he felt nothing but cold as the delicious beverage slid down his throat. "Woohoo, movie night!"
Matt talked through the whole movie and Edd listened closely to every word that bounced through the air as it escaped his lips. He said very little in reply and that was okay for Matt, who had put his arm around Edd's shoulders to reassure him that everything really was alright.
Nothing would ever be alright again.
"Its only been like, what, two weeks? He's probably off exploring. You know Tim."
Tom wasn't exploring much anymore.
As the credits rolled, the two slumbered on the sofa, practically cuddling. The only time Edd ever slept okay was when Matt was there. They were pushing the boundary of friendship by this point, but who cares about that? Not them. As long as Matt didn't leave, Edd could keep pushing foward a little. As long as Matt didn't leave...
No. No, no, no! Where were they taking Matt? Why were they looking at him like that? Not Matt, not his Matt... "I'm very sorry, sir. We're doing this for his own good." No! She was out of her mind! They didn't know Matt, they didn't know Edd! They didn't know how badly he needed him! They didn't know that he wouldn't even bother to breathe without him!
Matt awoke to the sound of whimpering: Edd was having that nightmare again. "It's okay, Edd. I'm here. You're okay. I'm not going anywhere," he coaxed. Edd gradually appeared to relax and Matt fell asleep again. It wasn't as peaceful this time around...
Why was there so much blood everywhere? All over the floor...all over Tim? Matt's eyes opened as wide as they could've without launching themselves from his skull. And this man in the red hoodie, covered in plasma and gaping wounds watched him with a look of absolute terror in his gray eyes. Matt knew this man. He had to have known this man. But from where? Who was he? What was his name? Terrence, Troy, Thor...Thor? That rung a bell, vaguely. Thor, Tor, Torn, Torm...
Tord.
Matt's suddenly awake but Edd's not in his arms and the scent of bacon wafts from the kitchen. He's covered in cold sweat. After having that dream who knows how many times, he finally remembered the guy's name.
"Do we know a Tord?"
Edd cursed loudly as hot oil spat up from the frying pan where he'd dropped the next piece of bacon. Matt rushed over. "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to startle you! Are you okay? I forgot to say good morning, too!" Edd had paled and wiped his sweaty palms on his jeans. "T-t-tord?" "Uh, yeah. I dreamt about him. It was weird and...very red? Also the bacon's burning." Edd hastily tended to it, trying to calm his quaking. "We knew a Tord for years," he began unsteadily, "He left to pursue his dreams, then visited once but left again." "Oh. Oh! I remember Tord! Man, he was a riot! Bummer he left. Maybe I should ask him to come over some time." Finish breakfast; freak out later, Edd told himself. "He can't come over." Matt frowned in confusion. "How come? Work or something?" "Y-yeah, something like that. Can't get the time off." Oh, Tord probably wouldn't be getting time off again. Ever. Consider him preoccupied.
"Oh well. I'm gonna call Tom."
Matt quickly dialed the number and waited. After it beeped, Tom's voice started talking. "Hi, you've reached Tom—" "Hey, Tom!" He said to the voice on the other line. "Oh, uh, hi Matt. You got my name right that time." Matt laughed and told Tom to hang on so he could put the call on speaker. "We've been worried sick about you! Answer the phone when I call!" He scolded in a slightly joking manner. "Sorry. My phone died." "Well, whatever. Edd's here, too! He's been even more concerned than me! Say hi, Edd!" Edd tried to stop himself from hyperventilating long enough to say a greeting. "Geez, guys. I'm fine. Quit worrying, I'll be back whenever I'm back. I'll check in next week if I'm scaring you that much. I've been finding new sights to see — it gets boring at home sometimes. See ya soon." "Bye Tom! Call me, right?" Edd managed out a goodbye and the phone beeped for a few seconds before the call went totally dead. "Well, everything's fine I guess. I'm sure he'll swing by sometime." Edd spoke without turning around as he laid food on two plates. "No, Matt; I don't think he will."
Edd was crying this time and he couldn't stop himself. His voice wobbled with every syllable he uttered. "What? Didn't you hear him? He said he'll come over next week, maybe!" No, Edd hadn't heard because there was nothing to hear anyway. "He's probably lying. He's weird, Matt. He's somewhere better than here, obviously, or else he would've come back." Edd wanted to dip his hand into that boiling oil yet he knew better than to do something as foolish as that. "It's been two weeks," Matt reasoned, but Edd nodded furiously. "It's been two months, Matt." It couldn't have been! What was Edd talking about? "What? No way! You re just missing Tom really badly, is all. You need to try relaxing sometime, Edd. Let's eat, yeah?"
Edd came over with reddened eyes and tears streaming down his face and Matt knew that Edd needed a hug more then than ever and he was willing to deliver. "I know it's getting empty around here, Eddie, but you have me! It's just you and me, huh? Is that okay?" Edd cried even harder and Matt knew he'd just have to wait this one out and rub circles into his back. Edd never wanted to move, because if he did, he'd be facing a cruel reality. A reality where Matt needed serious help.
Two months before, Tom was stabbed in his room.
A week later, they were at his funeral. Matt hadn't spoken a word since the day he walked into Tom's room and found Tord shell-shocked and a no-eyed corpse. Matt didn't cry at the service, but he screamed at the top of his lungs when they put him in the ground. No one could forget that sound.
One and a half months before, Edd went to the trial alone because Matt was deemed unfit. Tom's killer never stopped crying and yelling to the heavens hoping his victim could hear his apologies. But none of it mattered; Tord was sentenced to life.
One month before, Edd was fully aware that Matt was talking to a voicemail machine from time to time, thinking it answered him. He knew when he told him Tom said he'd be back soon that Matt had lost his marbles. But Edd had no one left...he stayed because he wanted to end himself and Matt gave him someone to hold on for. He loved Matt so much. No one, no doctor or psychiatrist, was allowed to take Matt away from him. He wanted so desperately to prevent Matt from breaking into a million pieces that he played along with everything just to keep him by his side.
It was really just him and Matt, stuck in delusions where the world wasn't crumbling under their feet. In this little universe, Tord was still just the friend that moved away and Tom was only in a bar somewhere.
Edd never wanted to go back to reality.
A/N: That was some really heavy stuff, I know. It takes place in an AU I came up with where Tord returns to the household and accidentally kills Tom in a fight. When Matt saw what happened, it just broke him. Tord goes to prison and Edd stays with Matt, who lost his mind and thinks none of it ever happened, because he wants to escape everything. Also, Matt doesn't always remember Tom's name right on account of, you know, so it has Tim sometimes on purpose. Hope that clears up anything you didn't understand and also that you enjoyed this edgy story!