"Here you go." Tom says as he sits next to Matt on his bed in the infirmary and hands him a mug of hot chocolate. After their first initial breakdown the two of them have had some time to calm down and console one another. Tom guided Matt back to his room in the infirmary where they could properly talk without so many eyes present. Tom smiled thinking of the old times where they used to hang out together; it suddenly physically hurts him to think of how it must have pained Matt when his friend thought he was dead. He sits straighter, downing half of the content in his mug and shaking his head at the heat that pools in his chest. "How have you been? How is Edd? Are you guys okay? Why did you join the Red Army?"
"How are you alive?" Matt shot back, equally perplexed. "I don't understand. We got the news from the cops that you died. We had a funeral! Edd and I visited your grave."
Tom flinched. "I know. I am so sorry, Matt. I swear I didn't mean for things to turn out this way. But at the time… it was the only way I could make sure you guys were safe."
"Safe from what? What were you running away from?"
Tom sighed. "You deserve an explanation."
He sincerely thought he'd have more time to plan things over in his head before the time came for him to confess the truth to one of the people that means the most to him in this world. But now that the time has come, Tom was at a loss for words. Where does he even begin?
"Matt, I… I don't know how to tell you this."
Matt gently placed his hands over his. "How bad can it be?"
"Pretty bad." Tom mumbled, glancing away. "Fifteen years ago, I came into possession of something terrible. I didn't know it at the time, but it slowly started to consume me from the inside out until I had lost all hope." He paused, his tone softening. "It forced me to do many terrible things against my will. I started hearing voices inside my head. I was so scared, Matt. But I was afraid of confiding in either of you for fear of how you might've reacted, or worse; put you in danger."
"What did you do?" Matt asked.
Tom lowered his head in shame. Matt deserves to know the full story.
"I killed people." He confessed, refusing to look Matt in the eye. "I ate them, to be more precise. You remember the Beast case all those years ago?"
"That was you?" Matt gasped.
Tom nodded. "I wanted everything to stop so badly. The voice wouldn't stop taunting and torturing me. I would've given anything to make the pain go away." His words lodged in his throat, his mouth felt dry. Pulling back the sleeves of his shirt, Tom exposed his arms and the faint scars they bore. "I started inflicting pain on myself as punishment for my actions, and as a means to make me more grounded to reality."
Carefully, Matt traced the many scars on his arms with the tip of his fingers. His heart breaking for the ordeal his dear friend had to go through in secret.
"I stopped eating altogether, in hopes of weakening me. I would only drink Smirnoff to numb the pain." Tom went on, looking down at his feet. "I… I wanted to die, Matt. I had every intention of killing myself in order to spare you from all this because I thought it was the right thing to do at the time. That you guys would've been better off without me around causing so many problems."
Matt held his breath, stunned and at a loss for words.
"Actually, truth be told I didn't really want to go through with it. I just saw no other way around it. I thought I had to do it." Tom whispered. "I didn't think there was ever a chance of a happy ending for me."
"Is that why you reacted the way you did the last time we saw each other?" Matt prompted.
"You guys were sticking your noses in something I had gone through great lengths to keep from you. I got so frustrated with everything going on at the time." Tom confessed, ashamed. "I should have never lashed out at you guys. I regret my last words to you every single day since then."
Matt shuffled closer. "What happened to you that night?"
"Commie kidnapped me. The thing I had come into possession of? It's his invention. He gave it to me by accident, and he needed me to help him further his plans for world domination." Tom explained. "I… reluctantly agreed on the condition he maintained his distance from you and Edd. I was confident I was going to die long before he got any answers from me."
"Did he hurt you?" Matt pressed, his eyes huge with anxiety.
"At first, yes. We couldn't stand each other." Tom said. He decided then and there that he wasn't going to mention the way his relationship with Tord had developed since then, and it was more important expressing what he went through instead. One major revelation at a time. "But then I couldn't stand it anymore. When I was at my lowest point, Tord came back around and helped me overcome my many issues."
Matt listened diligently, taking everything in with a nod of his head. "What exactly did he turn you into?"
This was it. The moment of truth. The way Matt reacts to this next revelation will be essential as to whether there's any chance of them maintaining their friendship going forward after so many years apart.
"He's going to run away in terror. ~" The voice purred slyly in his ear. "You saw the way he reacted with Red. You really think he is going to accept you after all you did? You're messed up in every possible sense of the word. You lied to him. Hurt him. And you killed people. Look at him; he is disgusted with you and frozen with fear. ~"
That's not your judgment to make. Tom thought firmly.
"You deserve to know the truth, Matt. You deserve to see me for what I really am."
"You're you! What more is there to it?"
Tom held his hands in his and looked at him imploringly. "Please, whatever you do, don't freak out okay?" He urged. "Close your eyes and trust me. I am never going to hurt you. You know that, don't you?"
Matt looked at him, taken aback. "Okay?" He did as he was told and closed his eyes.
Taking a deep breath, Tom shut his own eyes and slowly channeled the flux of energy within him to manifest forward. The spark of power that runs through his veins was more prominent now than ever, and he reached out to it with his mind and urged his body to change.
Anxious and impatient, Matt opened his eyes before he was told to. He couldn't help it – he was never good with surprises in the first place! He watched in shocked awe as Tom's hands gained a purplish-black gradient along his arms, his fingers sharpening into sharp claws. A pair of pinkish-purple horns sprouted from the top of his head, and a slender tail manifested behind him; curling forward and over his knees. His feet had changed, turned more beast-like, and his ears elongated and flapped wildly about.
Tom whimpered, lowering his head. "Don't… be afraid." He said in a raspy gravelly voice. He reached out with his claws and carefully folded Matt's hands between his own. "Matt, please, tell me what you're thinking."
"I think…" Matt smiled. "You look very cute this way, Tom!"
Tom's heart felt light in his chest as his friend uttered those unexpected words along with the long sought after acceptance. He observed attentively as Matt leaned forward to gently scratch him behind the ears. Tom couldn't help the purr of delight rising in his throat at the gesture, his tail wagging.
"You mentioned a voice." Matt began. "What is it like? If you don't mind me asking."
"It's an entity that's been with me for as long as I can remember. Ever since I took the Commie's serum, it's been trying to wear me down. Make me lose hope and forfeit control of my body." Tom explained. "It ranges from hurtful taunts to physical sensations at times; particularly when it is at its strongest. It's neither male nor female. It will do whatever it takes to try and make me miserable just so it can one day fully control my body." He paused, staring directly into Matt's eyes. "But I promise you that it has no intentions of harming you. It is only interested in me."
"But why? What is this voice after?"
"I don't know." Tom admitted. Nearly two decades of living with this condition and he is nowhere near close to figuring it out. "But I thought I should let you know. This is what I have been dealing with for the past fifteen years."
Matt frowned. "This voice sounds really stupid. Living on the account of trying to make you feel miserable. Can you be more pathetic? Get a life!"
Tom chuckled, and for a split second he swore he could hear the voice grumble in distaste in the background.
Gradually he shifted back to normal, his monstrous features disappearing.
"Is there anything Edd and I could've done to make you confide in us all those years ago?" Matt asked.
Tom shook his head. "I was under the impression I had to do this. I couldn't bear to see how both of you would've reacted otherwise, and I just wanted to keep you safe at all costs."
Matt lowered his head, his smile faltering. "Is there anything I can do to help you now?"
"Telling you and having you hear me out and accept me is enough help already." Tom smiled warmly, and somehow his digital eyes seemed to glisten with emotion.
Matt ducked his head. "Does that mean you work for the Red Army, too?"
"I used to. Sort of. It's complicated." Tom replied. "I am an honorary member of sorts. Part of my deal with Commie was that I would serve him as his secret weapon. But things kept happening, our relationship improved, and he set me free to let me carve out my own path. I have been traveling all over the world ever since!"
"If that's the case," Matt hesitated. "How come you never came back to visit us? Or at least give us a sign that you were alive all this time! Do you have any idea how much Edd and I missed you?"
"I know I should have. But… I wasn't ready to have this conversation with you then. I figured you guys moved on from me to better things, and it would just be super awkward to come back after everything just to leave you guys again. Also how do I explain I faked my death without Edd sucker punching me in the jaw? There's no excuse for the amount of hurt I put both of you through."
"Yes there is! You just told me so." Matt urged, shifting closer to Tom. "You don't have to be afraid of us; we're your friends, Tom! We will accept you regardless of your actions. And your monster part is adorable! Is just more of you to love."
Tom kept on smiling, trying everything in his power not to cry. "Thank you, Matt. That's all I ever wanted." He murmured, feeling bashful all of the sudden. He cleared his throat and tried to compose himself. "So… how were things on your end?"
Matt perked up. "Oh! You won't believe this – Eduardo and Mark moved in next door to us! Literally next door. Eduardo even got your apartment."
"Our old neighbors?"
"Yeah! Things were like super awkward between us at first, but I started hanging out with them and we opened up to each other and became good friends!" Matt said enthusiastically. "Edd took a little longer to warm up to them, what with the whole rivalry thing him and Edu got going on."
Edu? Tom wondered, but tried not to dwell too much on the subject. "That's interesting. I never thought I would see the day you guys would become close friends." Tom never had any problem with their neighbors in the past. Eduardo was annoying and arrogant for sure, and Mark was snobby but interesting. Jon, his "counterpart", was sweet and kind and pretty much harmless and so they never had any need to butt heads before his unfortunate demise. Their group rivalry consisted mostly of Edd and Eduardo bickering.
"They aren't as bad as we made them out to be." Matt continued, lowering his voice. "Edd changed drastically when you were gone, Tom. He wasn't quite himself after that. He became cold and distant, and very… unlike his usual self."
Tom felt a pang of hurt in his heart at the thought of his beloved friend suffering on his account. Will he ever forgive me for what I've done?
"He even started hanging out with this shady charlatan who almost convinced him to leave us." Matt went on nonchalantly. "Oh! Maybe you've heard of him since you're also in the Red Army? His name is Reagan, uh… shoot, I don't remember the rest of his name…"
"Yeah, I heard of him." Tom grumbled. "We met, in fact. He tried to kill me and Commie."
"Oh no!"
"It's okay, I took care of that rat." Tom affirmed, though his voice held a tinge of regret. "He's not going to hurt anyone else ever again, I promise."
"Did you-?" Matt couldn't finish his sentence, eyes huge with horror.
"He left me no choice." Tom hissed, frustrated by the outcome of that battle. "He wouldn't listen to reason, and I couldn't let him get away with hurting so many people; you and Edd included."
"It's okay, I understand." Matt reassured him. "I'm sure you did everything you could to avoid that outcome. But what happened to your eyes?"
Usually this was a heavy handed question Tom got a lot of times. Along his travels most people would gawk at the weird device on his face and ponder how he got such state of the art equipment to see again. Tom didn't like disclosing the real reason being he got in a monster fight with a deranged Irishman and got acid breath spilled onto his eyes, blinding him permanently, only for his Norwegian boyfriend; who is an inventor that plans to take over the world, created this visor to heal him. Too convoluted of an answer that would only raise more questions, so Tom usually makes up a different and more straightforward response.
"Reagan."
"Oh?"
Tom's legs trembled with anxiety. "Why are you here, Matt? How did you end up in the Red Army? Where's Edd?"
Matt stared at him for several heartbeats with his penetrating mismatched gaze. His face twisted in a grimace of confusion, and he scratched the back of his head. "I, uh… I can't remember?"
They fell under a comfortable silence as they sipped the rest of their hot chocolate side by side. So many things have been said in such a short span of time, and now, what was there left to say? Tom's alive. They are reunited once again, and now Matt knows the whole truth about him like he always wanted. Tom was immensely grateful for Matt's unconditional support, not to mention his friendship after being separated for so long; but something in Tom's gut senses that the same can't be expected from Edd.
How will I ever tell him the truth? Tom might as well brace himself for a well-deserved punch to the face the first time they meet at least, because no amount of explaining will ever excuse what he put him through all these years.
Matt perked up beside him, as if sensing his thoughts. "Hey, I got an idea!" He said. "When I am discharged from the infirmary, how about you come with me back to England? We can tell Edd everything together!"
Tom forced a smile. "I would be… thrilled to."
He really doesn't want to face the music just yet, but Tom can't keep running away from his friends forever. It was by pure coincidence that he returned to Norway at the same time Matt was present within the Red Army. If it were up to Tom he would have waited a lot longer for the big awaited reunion.
However, Tom will have to confront the people he values most sooner or later.
All of them.
And if they can't accept the changes he'd gone through, then Tom will simply have to cope his own way; though he really hopes it doesn't ever come to that.
His fears and anxieties for the future dissipated the moment arms wrapped around him, encasing him in warmth. Tom blinked and found Matt hugging him close.
"I missed you so much, Tom." Matt whispered, glancing at him fondly. "I'm so glad you're alive."
Tom returned the hug, nuzzling into him. "I missed you too."
"How very touching."
The sound of the new familiar voice startled Tom and Matt away from each other. They found Tord standing by the door as the Norwegian man shut it behind him. As he approached, Matt yelped and scrambled away from him, hiding behind Tom wide eyed.
Tord faltered and sighed. "Are you going to scream and run away from me every time we meet?"
"Matt, it's okay." Tom said steadily. "Tord is not going to hurt you, I give you my word." The glare he shot Tord, unseen by Matt, said, He'd better not!
Matt's mismatched eyes flickered toward Tord over Tom's shoulder and away again. "Well, if you say so."
Tord rolled his eye. "I came by to check on how the two of you were doing." He said. "It's almost lunch time, and Matt needs to eat and rest so he may properly recover."
"Oh! Of course!" Tom nodded and turned to Matt. "Listen, I have to go now but I will come back to see you again tomorrow, okay?"
Matt took Tom's hands in his. "You promise?"
"I promise."
Satisfied by his vow, Matt lurched forward and hugged Tom tightly one last time. He could hardly believe he was now back to hugging his long lost friend after all these years apart! He really missed this.
On his part, Tord watched them interact with an incredibly uncomfortable feeling tugging at his chest the longer he observed them. They were so friendly toward one another. A powerful wave of jealousy threatened to take over Tord's rational thought, tempting him to do something he might regret.
But he endured it. For the most part, anyway.
When Tom and Matt leaned away from each other, Tom got to his feet and approached Tord. This sparked a mischievous idea in him.
Wordlessly, Tord yanked Tom closer to him by the wrist, wrapped his arms around his waist and locked their lips together in a kiss before Tom could get a word in protest. Tom resisted him for a split second but melted into his embrace soon enough, and responded to him in kind with the kiss.
Blinking his one eye open, Tord glared at Matt during the kiss. His supposedly old friend was staring at them in perplexed awe, taken aback and his eyes huge with astonishment. Tord felt a glimmer of satisfaction at his reaction.
Pulling away from the kiss, Tom stared back and forth between the two of them; face red and completely flustered.
"Wait a second." Matt said, the hamster wheel slowly turning in his head. "You two-! Are you guys a… couple?" He gasped.
Tom lowered his head, at a loss for words. He didn't mean for Matt to find out about them this way!
"Indeed we are, old friend." Tord answered him instead, seeing Tom was incapable of doing so. He grinned and wrapped his robotic arm over and around Tom's shoulders, bringing him even closer to him.
"But I thought you two couldn't stand each other?" Matt pointed out, tipping his head.
"Yes, well, that was the past and this is now. Times have changed, and people change along with them." Tord argued smoothly, nudging Tom playfully by his side.
He observed Matt's facial expression carefully, searching for a sign of judgment or disapproval to cross his features. But much to Tord's delight, Matt's eyes were bright and he beamed at them warmly.
"Oh! You guys… I, well, I never imagined you two would ever get together like this." Matt began shyly, barely curbing his excitement over the situation. "You guys make such a cute couple! I am so happy for you! Congrats."
Tom shifted awkwardly, blushing furiously as he forced himself to look Matt in the eyes. "T-thank you. I appreciate that."
"Well, we have to get going. Business to attend to and whatnot." Tord began leading Tom out of the room, casually waving back at Matt over his shoulder. "Eat and try to get some rest, old friend. See you around!"
"Bye!"
The moment they were out in the infirmary hallways, Tom shoved Tord away from him. "What was that for?" He bristled, still flustered.
Tord blinked. "What?"
"Don't play dumb with me, Commie. Why did you kiss me in front of Matt out of nowhere?"
"I don't see what the big deal is." Tord began, turning away to lead the way out of the infirmary with Tom at his heels. "I mean, he would've found out about us sooner or later anyways. Might as well rip the bandage off in one go."
His words were met with a suspiciously long pause. Tord glanced back at Tom. He couldn't understand the source of his boyfriend's distress and embarrassment, and that made Tord's blood run cold.
"You're not… embarrassed about us, are you?"
"No! No, of course not." Tom replied a little too quickly for Tord's liking, startled by the accusation. "I just… would've liked to have handled this particular topic a little differently, that's all."
Tord stared at him. "I hear what you're saying. I get it." He murmured. "But this announcement is going to be a shock no matter how much preparation we go through, so it's best to get it over and done with. Straight to the point."
"But there were better ways to handle it than this, is what I am trying to get at!" Tom snapped. "Right after I tell him all about my messed up issues, you go ahead and make out with me right in front of Matt! He's going to need therapy after this."
"Keep your voice down." Tord interrupted with a low hiss, his gaze scanning the corridors worried about his soldiers overhearing their conversation.
Tom scoffed. "Now who is embarrassed by us?"
"It's not like that." Tord sighed. "Please don't be difficult."
He watched in dismay as Tom walked ahead of him importantly, making a point of not looking back at him as he did.
"I am just trying to keep you safe!" Tord hurried after him, desperate to make things right. "You know how dangerous my position as Red Leader is. There is no telling what an ambitious and greedy soldier might do if they catch wind of my personal affairs; especially now that there are suspicions of a traitor in our midsts. You remember what happened to Reagan, don't you?"
"Of course." Tom gave an exasperated snort. "But it's annoying how I have to come out in the open to everyone, while you keep all your secrets just because you're too afraid of the consequences."
"No one is forcing you to confess all your deepest darkest secrets, Thomas. That was entirely your choice. And I choose to keep my secrets for your sake."
For the longest time, Tom and Tord glared at each other in the middle of the hallway. Neither of them backing out. For a brief moment it felt like the old days when the two used to be rivals and couldn't stand the mere idea of getting along.
The memory sparked guilt within Tord and his face softened. Never again. "Look, I'm sorry if what I did upset you. I just wanted to give you a helping hand is all."
Tom was not impressed. "Yeah, I get it." He mumbled, looking away with a disdainful sniff. "I'm sure you have duties to attend to now. I better head over to the Mess Hall on my own. Wouldn't want to be seen around you and expose our precious relationship now, do we?"
"Tom-"
"I will see you back at our quarters, Commie."
Tom walked away without another word.
Tord took a pace after him, and then halted, his head hanging with disappointment and frustration. How come he can never get it right with Tom? Things were so much simpler before Tom left him. They had their issues, sure, but who doesn't? They got along! But now… Tord was growing more and more certain that the Tom that came back to him after all this time apart is a completely different Tom to the one who left him to begin with.
Feeling a loss of appetite after his argument with Tom, Tord pulled up his robotic arm and contacted his most faithful General. "Pat, are you busy right now? I really need to talk."
Skipping lunch, Tord went straight to Patrick's study to meet up with his General for another one of their much needed pep talks. Ever since the war began, Tord had come to rely on Pat more than just a friend or a fellow comrade. Tord made a habit of coming to him for advice whenever he needed to vent his frustrations. He knew the clever and kind hearted Polish man would be able to make sense of the confused emotions that seethed in his heart.
Tord quickened his pace and arrived in the study without any interruptions. He found Patrick sitting on his designated chair, reading glasses on the bridge of his nose, already waiting for him.
"Please take a seat, sir." Patrick beckoned him. "Tell me what troubles you."
"It's Tom." Tord admitted, too restless to sit down and opting to pace around the room instead. "He's not the same."
"What makes you say that?" Patrick queried, taking notes on his tablet.
"Haven't you noticed he is not treating me right? Not like the way he used to before he left." Tord flicked his hair back in frustration. "First he is keeping things from me; then he acts all cuddly with Matt; and then gets mad at me for the littlest of things. It's like he lost interest in me." His gray eye was huge and troubled as he ranted.
"Be patient with him, sir. While you may not have seen Tom in five years and missed him dearly, Matt hasn't seen him in seven years and thought of Tom as dead. You must understand he takes priority over you in this particular case, sir." Patrick reminded him robustly. "Give them a little time. Once things settle down Tom will come around."
"That's not the only thing. Matt doesn't seem to remember me at all. Not one bit. He can't even get my name right half the time! And seeing him and Tom get along so nicely irks me, because…" Tord hung his head even lower, unable to finish his sentence.
"Because you feel like he ought to miss you too?" Pat finished for him tentatively.
"It's been seven years since we last saw each other, too! There's no excuse for him to disregard me completely in favor of Tom." Tord argued, bitter jealousy festering in his gut. "We grew up together. I thought we were best friends, but he treats me like a total stranger. You saw the way he reacted this morning. He was afraid of me!"
Patrick stared at him in deadpanned disbelief, as though he were an idiot. Tord didn't understand that look.
"And what exactly happened seven years ago when you last met?" Pat reminded rhetorically.
Tord flinched. Painful memories of his power-hungry, reckless past came back to haunt him, and with a pang in his heart he had to acknowledge the hurt he put Matt through in the process.
"No offense, sir, but if you want to reconnect with Matt and recover the lost bond you had with him in the past you are going to have to give him some time to adjust." Pat advised, typing down on his tablet. "Let him grow used to your presence. Be gentle with him. Once Matt starts feeling comfortable around you, only then you may try and reach out to him and show that you're not the same guy who made that terrible mistake seven years ago."
Tord sighed. "But how can I get him to be at ease around me if he only pays attention to Tom?"
Patrick considered the idea for a few heartbeats. "Well, if Matt sees the two of you get along this might get him to trust you faster. After all, Matt seems quite fond of Tom and he will be willing to trust anyone Tom relates to. But don't get any ideas. This trust exercise will still take a long time before you can get your sought after redemption."
"Easier said than done!" Tord fretted. "Ever since Tom arrived I get the feeling he no longer trusts me. And I can't help but wonder what I did to lose it in the first place."
His friend stared at him with kind, sympathetic eyes. "Ask him, sir. What's the worst that can happen?" He advised. "You guys are a couple now. Being in a relationship isn't just about dates, affection, and sex; it's about solving problems together and compromising when in doubt. If there is something troubling Tom, or you have concerns about the way he is treating you, it is in your right to point it out to him and get an answer in order to work through this rough patch. It's what couples do!"
Listening to his General's words of wisdom, Tord felt more enlightened than ever. "Yeah… you're right. Maybe I should confront Tom instead of sulking in the dark. Thanks, Pat."
"Don't mention it. Anything else you need don't hesitate to seek me, alright?"
After their conversation ended, they had to part ways to fulfill their respective duties around the base. The rest of the day passed in a haze of doubt, and when Tord finally returned to his office after supper came to a close he wanted nothing more than to collapse on his bed.
When Tord slipped inside his quarters he felt the familiar instant delight in his heart soar as he spotted Tom sitting at his desk, typing diligently at his laptop, his digital eyes never once leaving the screen from how immersed in his work he was.
Tord approached him from behind, wrapping his arms around Tom's neck as he rested his head on top of Tom's hair; nuzzling into him.
Pausing his work, Tom squeezed his hand and leaned back into him.
"Let's go to bed, love." Tord purred sleepily, pressing light kisses to the top of Tom's head. "It's late."
Tom chuckled. "Who are you and what have you done with the real Tord? The one I know tinkers days on end without sleep."
Rather than dignifying him with an answer, Tord merely hummed and nuzzled into his hair, breathing in his scent.
He wanted to ask Tom what the matter was. The words were right there on the tip of his tongue, just waiting for him to open his mouth. But Tom looks so serene here and Tord is so very tired from all the meetings and paperwork…
Maybe some other time…
Tom frowned. "Commie?"
"I want to cuddle." Tord mumbled, his words muffled by his hair.
Rolling his digital eyes, Tom shut his laptop and got up. Clearly he wasn't going to get any more writing done tonight. At least it had been a productive section. His reunion with Matt had really inspired him to work on his newest chapter.
Tord tugged at his hand and led him to the bed, where he promptly shoved Tom on his back without warning and quickly scooted over to rest his head on the Brit's chest with a content sigh.
"Is everything okay?" Tom asked, wrapping his arms around Tord's middle.
Recalling his conversation with Patrick, Tord once again debated whether this was the right time to discuss his concerns with Tom. Truthfully he just wanted to feel Tom's warmth, be close to him, and drift off into sleep and hope that tomorrow things will be less complicated.
He sighed. He has to start off somewhere. "It's Matt." Tord replied. "I am worried he is never going to see me as his friend ever again."
Tom peered down at him. "Is that it?"
No, but if I told you how I really feel about you I am afraid you'll leave me.
Tord nodded, snuggling closer to Tom's chest until their bodies were pressed flush against each other.
"Matt will come around. He always does. Even if he still resents you for your betrayal it won't last for long; you know Matt can't hold a grudge to save his life." Tom murmured.
"But it seems like he has forgotten me altogether." Tord said. The mere idea was upsetting to him.
"Meh, Matt was never good with memories." Tom reassured.
"He seems to remember you just fine." Tord whispered bitterly under his breath so Tom wouldn't hear him, forgetting Tom had enhanced senses.
Tom sighed. "Well, our circumstances are vastly different and… complicated, to say the least." He pointed out. "But if his friendship really means that much to you I think I know a way to help you."
"Really?" Tord glanced up at him.
"How about we all have breakfast tomorrow? We can invite Matt to eat with us. He will need to get used to his new jaw around others anyway, and I am sure Matt will be pleased to be anywhere other than confined in his bed in the infirmary."
Tord blinked. "I don't get it. How is that going to help?"
"Right now Matt is clearly wary of you. He sees you as the menacing dictator who punched him in the face, blew up his house, and is ruling an army with the intent to rule the world." Tom explained. "If he sees you in a more casual setting – one where you are not "in-character" as the Red Leader, Matt might come around and get to know you a little better."
But I don't want him to get to know me; I want him to remember me! Tord knew he was being stubborn for no reason, but he couldn't help it. You grow up with a guy and you think you know each other, but he can't even remember your sodding name!
For now, however, Tord was desperate and willing to follow through with Tom's suggestion. "Alright. We can do that."
"You'll see. You and Matt will be getting along in no time."
