Hi guys! Here's a new chapter today! I know I said I would update on certain days, but I found myself with some extra time, so here you go! :3
After about 15 minutes later, Tom and Tord had made it to the apartment complex in which Tom, Edd and Matt lived in. Tom glanced at the other and saw that he looked really nervous. "You alright?" He asked.
Tord nodded quickly. "Yeah." He replied simply, looking at the ground. Tom was puzzled, but shook the feeling off. He led the norski over to Edd's apartment and stopped at the front door, looking at Tord.
Tom waited for Tord catch up a bit, then noticed him back up a bit, away from the door. "What're you doing?" Tom asked, glancing over his shoulder at him, genuinely confused.
"What do you mean..?" Tord replied, shoving his hands into his hoodie pockets. "Just kind of nervous, that's all.." He added, looking away.
"It's okay, Edd and Matt'll forgive you. They always believe in second chances.. Or third chances in your case." He sighed, trying his best to comfort the norwegian.
Tord just nodded in response and Tom raised an arm to knock on the door. He flashed Tord a comforting smile, then knocked.
Meanwhile, Edd was sitting on his bed in his pajamas, drawing on his tablet and occasionally sipping from a can of cola. He heard a knock at the door and sat up, putting his drawing tablet aside and walking towards the door. "Coming!" He bumped into a few things in the cluttered room, but eventually made his way to the door. He opened it, saw Tom, and waved, smiling. "Hi, Tom!" He greeted the eyeless alcoholic happily. "It's really nice to see you out of your apartment!" He added.
"Hey, Edd." Tom answered, looking at Edd with a small smile. "I brought someone who wants to see you.." He said, looking over at Tord, motioning to Edd.
Edd looked confused. That is, until he saw Tord. He let out a small gasp and ran forward to pull Tord into a quick hug. He then released him and noticed the scars on Tord's face. "That crash sure did a number on you..." Edd mumbled to himself more than to Tord. He looked over at Tom, tears in his eyes, then back up at the norwegian.
"I'm so glad you're back, Tord!" He said, pulling him into yet another hug. To make it even better, he grabbed Tom's arm and pulled him into the hug as well. "Welp, I'm going this way-" Tom said, joining the hug.
"Um... Edd.. I just came to apologize.. about.." Tord said quietly, not wanting to say it. He finally just sighed and added, "The incident with the giant robot." Tears formed in his eyes at the memory, and he looked away, pulling away from the hug. Tom did the same, then looked over at Tord.
Edd put a hand on both of Tord's shoulders and looked into his eyes. "Tord. I forgive you.. And besides, everyone deserves another chance. Take Tom for instance; He's done countless stupid things when he's drunk. And we still let him get drunk." He added with a chuckle, looking at Tom.
"Ok, if we're bringing up stupid things we've done, then remember that time you STOLE a TANK from an army base?!" Tom asked, looking irritated. Tord burst out laughing, and Edd crossed his arms, rolling his eyes.
"Alright, alright, we've all done stupid things! Geez, Tom... and you had to bring that one up.." He just shook his head, sighing.
All of a sudden, Matt came out of his apartment looking shaken. He looked around, saw Tom, Tord, and Edd, and waved. "Oh, hi guys!" He grinned. "Why's everyone being loud?" He asked, obviously not noticing Tord yet.
"Well, Tord's back!" Edd answered, making a kawaii cat face. "Who?" Matt asked, tilting his head slightly. He then saw Tord and waved. "Oh! Hi Todd!"
Tom facepalmed while holding back a laugh. "Holy crap, Matt! You really don't remember him?" He asked, snickering.
"No? Also, language!" Matt replied, sticking his tongue out at Tom. This only made Tom laugh harder. Matt gave up and sighed, looking at Edd. "Why are you in your pajamas?" He asked.
"Well, I was in bed all day drawing, and I guess I was just too lazy to change." Edd replied lazily. "I guess I'll do it later." He then had an idea and looked at Tord. "Wait! Do you want to stay with us again?"
Tord's eyes widened, and he started stuttering his reply. "I-I think I've caused enough trouble before.. I appreciate the offer, but, um..." He looked away.
Tom thought for a moment, then looked at Tord. "Where are you going to go then?" He asked. Tord didn't make eye contact, which only heightened his suspicions. Tom then looked at Edd. "He doesn't have anywhere else to go." He muttered.
Tord just gave a small nod, looking at the floor. "I can't argue with that.." He said quietly.
"Well, he might have to share an apartment with one of us.. But the thing is, it might have to be you or Matt, because my apartment's cluttered as heck.." He said mostly to Tom, motioning to the open door of his apartment for proof.
"Well, Matt's apartment is full of pictures and statues of himself and God knows what else-" Tom started, only to be interruped by Matt.
"And mirrors, don't forget mirrors!" Matt chimed in.
Slowly, Tom realized the only choice they had. He squinted at Edd, hoping what he thought wasn't true. "He's going to have to share an apartment with me, isn't he...?" He said slowly.
Edd nodded, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. "Yeahhh..." He answered. "But if you don't want him to, then-"
"It's fine." Tom said, which surprised everyone, including Matt.
"Y-You sure?" Tord asked, obviously a bit worried about sharing an apartment with Tom. "Yup." Tom answered, heading towards his own apartment to clean it up a bit.
Edd went back into his own apartment to get changed, leaving Matt and Tord together. "I'll just, er..." Tord started following Tom, trying to keep at a safe distance, knowing that Tom was annoyed with having Tord sharing an apartment with him.
Tom saw Tord in his peripheral vision and mentally sighed. Matt, meanwhile, went back into his own apartment, probably to go admire himself. Tom took out his key for the apartment, only to find that he left the door unlocked. Grumbling quietly, he went into the apartment, stumbling around to find a light switch.
Once he found it, he looked around the living room at the mess, which mainly consisted of empty bottles and junk food wrappers. He retrieved a garbage bag ftom the kitchen and proceeded to stuff the bottles and wrappers into the bag.
Tord noticed the mess, and realized that the bottles were more than Tom would normally drink. He looked at Tom, then shrugged it off and began to help him clean.
After a few minutes, the living room was looking much better. Tom put the garbage bag in the corner to deal with later and flopped down on the couch, grabbing the flask he had left there earlier. When he saw that Tord was standing near the couch, unsure of what to do, he motioned for him to sit down. Tord nodded and sat down on the other side of the couch, a fair distance away from Tom.
Tom noticed this, but didn't think much of it. He dug between the couch cushions and found the remote. He tossed it to Tord, who jumped as it fell into his lap. He looked over at Tom, who was sipping from his flask. He just nodded at Tord, before standing up and heading to the kitchen to refill his flask.
Tord hesitated, then took the remote and turned it on to a random channel, waiting for Tom to come back. A few minutes later, Tom did, and handed Tord a can of soda. "Here." He said, plopping back down on the couch, unscrewing the cap of his flask.
"T-Thanks.." Tord said, clumsily opening it and taking a sip. "Why do you sound so nervous?" Tom asked, looking over at him. "What? I-I'm not nervous." Tord answered, putting the soda on a small table near the couch. "Yeah, whatever you say.." Tom sighed, looking towards the tv.
Tord just looked around the apartment absentmindedly, lost in his thoughts. Why do I feel so weird around him? It's not like I like him... right...?
