Title: Truth Be Told
Prompt: #1, Cell
Characters: Tom, Doug
Rating: G
Warnings: can be taken as slash
Disclaimer: I own nothing
Summary: Tom hugged back, tears stinging his eyes. It wasn't right, he shouldn't be in there... he hadn't shot Buddy; there was no way he could have.
A/N: title actually, i'm not sure. from Rise Against's Life Less Frightening, it goes truth be told I'd settle for a life less frightening... written for 10_prompts on lj
Tom was stuck in there, now, all because he'd been trying to do his job. Maybe not the right way, but he'd been doing it, and that's what should have mattered. He'd also shot another cop, though. Tom understood. He'd killed a cop. Perps did it all the time, sure, but none of them were carrying a badge. They hadn't killed the guy with a bullet from the gun that had been issued to you once you got out of the academy.
Tom didn't remember shooting, him. Remembered firing a shot, but he didn't think it had hit Buddy. Apparently it had, though, because Buddy was dead, and Tom had been firing at him. It made sense that Tom had killed him, then.
Doug showed up a week after Tom had been incarcerated. He'd been happy, really happy, but Tom didn't think that his features showed it. He'd hardly been sleeping or eating, and his eyes felt heavy. His stomach felt oddly full.
"You couldn't have done it," Doug stated first, staring adamantly at Tom as he spoke "No way you'd ever shoot anybody."
"I had to of." Tom was still having trouble believing that he had done it.
"Had to? You shot what, once? Did you see Buddy fall after?"
"Yeah..." Or at least Tom thought he had. He'd been trying to forget all of it, trying to erase the memories a mistaken mark on a drawing.
"You didn't do it," Doug muttered. "I'm gonna find out what really happened and get you outta here, alright?"
"Yeah." Tom smiled, forced but he thought it seemed real. He wasn't that far gone yet; he could still be happy, still smile. Doug seemed to help a little.
Doug grinned. "Alright, yeah. How's it going? I mean besides the... jail thing."
"S'okay," Tom replied, and it had been pretty okay. All he'd gotten so far were shouts and insults directed at him. He knew it could be worse.
"That's good. Really good. You haven't gotten hurt have you?"
"Nope." Tom almost didn't stop himself from saying not yet out loud.
"Good..." Doug trailed off, stuffed his hands into his jean's pockets. Then he laughed. "You look kinda stupid in that get-up, ya know?"
"Not really my colour." Tom grinned. He actually loved the colour blue, ever since he'd been a kid and had first seen his dad in uniform. Doug didn't know that. His father hadn't even known.
"Looks big on you. You been eating okay?"
"I didn't exactly get fitted for it," Tom lied. He hadn't, not exactly. But the clothes had fit better when he'd first put them on.
"Guess not."
"Time's up!" A guard called out into the room filled with prisoners and visitors. "Visiting hours are over!"
Tom shrugged. "Guess you gotta go, huh?"
"Yup. Although I could rob a bank or something..."
"Don't," Tom muttered. "I mean, don't get arrested for me." He smiled. "Not really worth it."
"You're worth anything," Doug replied. "You know I'd do anything for you Tommy."
"Yeah... well. Bye."
"Bye." And Doug pulled Tom into a hug because they hadn't pulled out the chairs at their table and sat down. Tom hugged back, tears stinging his eyes. It wasn't right, he shouldn't be in there... he hadn't shot Buddy; there was no way he could have.