"It's ready sir," He looked up from the papers across his desk. He narrowed his eyes before standing up.
"Splendid. Tell the doctor we will initiate phase 2. While that is in progress go through the file once more with your team before commencing further with your side of the plan," He directed, a stern expression crossing his face. The man in front of him nodded before leaving the room, allowing him to fall into his own thoughts.
Finally, I can do what I have always aspired to complete. I can finally finish our goals, all while taking out the one thing that always held us back.
All day he'd felt like something was wrong. Specifically with the commie. Although everyone was acting as normal as they could, something just felt off. It'd been bugging the hell out of him since the moment he woke up. The feeling was bad enough he couldn't even sit still, having to constantly walk around his apartment and tell himself things were fine.
The commie had stopped by earlier to deliver some pastries, apparently now having taken up a hobby of helping Matt with it. They'd had a brief chat, about as long as Tom could handle before he would have succumbed to the urge to slam the door in Tord's face. As soon as he'd laid eyes on him, though, the overwhelming sense of alarm spread through his body like a wildfire, danger present. The entire conversation he'd been trying to figure out what sprung it, but it didn't seem to have been Tord himself. He came to this conclusion after Tord left, checking the halls once more. Although it'd sprung when he'd seen Tord he only felt the danger when he opened his door and actually checked the hallway.
Did the commie set something up? Am I just losing my mind? Is there actually something wrong? He'd been contemplating it ever since, stress washing over him in tidal waves. He shuffled his position in the couch before getting up, grumbling as he approached his door for the 7th time today. He swung it open to do yet another check, poking his head out to examine the hall. The hall was rather empty to the right of his room, but turning left he noticed Matt at the near end of the hall at Tord's flat, having a discussion with the commie. He narrowed his eyes with a frown of which only deepend when Matt turned his head, seemingly doing something with his arms before noticing Tom.
"Hey! Tom! C'mere!!" He called, waving him over vigorously. Tord's head peeked out from his room with a similar sense of confusion Tom felt. He scoffed, contemplating walking back into his apartment and ignoring Matt, but decided to suck up it and approach the two.
"What do you want," He deadpanned, giving the taller one a mild glare.
"Me and Edd are going out but I have a list of things I wanted to get, I was hoping the two of you could grab them so I don't gotta go out later..? I can lend my wallet to you guys," He rocked on the balls of his feet as he spoke, giving Tom a pleading look. He looked between Matt and Tord, who shrugged at him in confusion.
"We're literally the worst pair, why would you want both of us to go?" Tom grumbled. Matt scratched the back of his head with a nervous look.
"Well, uhh… today just feels like a duo-day y'know? Have someone to talk to!" Tom heard the unease in his voice.
Maybe he has the feeling of danger ringing in his brain too.. He turned to Tord again, noticing that he too could hear Matt's tone, clearly pondering on it.
"Well… as much as we suck being paired I guess it wouldn't hurt to have the extra hands.. on both sides.." Tord replied hesitantly, tapping his foot on the ground. Tom let out a begrudging sigh.
"Fine."
"You guys are the best, thanks!!" Matt smiled, Tom eye rolling in response. He suddenly had a sheet of paper and a wallet shoved into his hands as Matt took off down the hall.
"Ok bye have fun we'll text you if we get back before youuuu!" He called before disappearing in the elevator. The two of them stood in complete silence as they looked at the elevator before each other. Tord then awkwardly cleared his throat before slowly approaching.
"Sooo.. uh.. what's on there?" He questioned, making Tom unwrinkle it so they could see what Matt had scribbled on it. Tord shuffled next to Tom so he could see, and both of them had to read it three times over before Tom scoffed.
"Will you even be able to carry half of this shit?" He grumbled, getting a huff from Tord.
"I- I should be able, I'm not useless right now," He retorted, crossing his arms. Tom rolled his eyes before stuffing the paper in his pocket.
"I'm grabbing my keys," He mumbled as he turned back to his apartment.
"Hva faen? Why does he need this? Doesn't he have his bathroom dedicated to being a shrine of mirrors??" He heard the Norsk complain behind him as he threw a bag over his shoulder, freeing both hands to check the list again.
"If you'd been around you'd have watched him delve into a narcissistic trend of needing every mirror in existance to look at himself with," He retorted, rolling his eyes before turning to Tord. The shorter was doing a similar thing to him, slinging the bag over his shoulder. The only difference was how much Tord's clacked together from the cases and mirrors within, versus the much more silent bag of cooking utensils Tom carried. He saw Tord's eyes darken as he looked at the ground, guilt washing over him briefly before stomping up to Tom, pulling his arm gently so he could see the list.
"Klær, overraskende," He muttered, narrowing his eyes before pointing in front of them.
"John Lewis, that's the one he likes the most if I remember correctly," He stated. Tom looked ahead with a sigh.
"Unfortunately. At least he only listed a new jacket for the colder temperature.. I'd be throwing the list out if he had tried to get us to clothing shop for him in terms of his actual fashion taste," Tord snorted at that.
"I'm confused why he even needed us to do this. Part of me thinks it was an excuse to get us out by ourselves considering the stuff on this list. It's a full shopping list, not just an errand task list of 'get the mail' types of stuff," Tom contemplated that for a minute, groaning.
"Not putting it past him despite him knowing I hate you," He saw Tord flinch to that, but he straightened up with a huff.
"Same to be said to you Jehovah," He retorted, walking towards the clothing store as he spoke. Tom stared at him before following, biting back his own comment before they broke out in a fight in public. When they entered the store he could feel Tord's hesitance, his unbandaged eye wide as he looked around.
".. Fuck, I didn't think it'd be a problem but this place is huge.." He muttered, getting an eye roll.
"Scared of some fabric commie?" He mocked, getting a glare from Tord.
"Hell fucking no! I just suck at fashion when it comes to… anything but my own interests," He retorted, folding his arms.
"Then don't bother with it, I'll pick out the jacket," Tom grumbled, walking off before Tord could argue. He heard the other mutter in Norwegian behind him but he paid no mind as he started to scan the isles. He ignored everything until he came up on the section for jackets, peering at them. As he examined each pair, he felt a chill, feeling as if someone was staring daggers at him. He whipped around, looking around with narrowed eyes. He didn't see anyone out of the ordinary, let alone looking at him… in fact he didn't even see anyone. He grumbled at this.
"Fucking commie.." He rolled his eyes at the lack of the shorter before going back to the jackets.
Once he finished up in the store he grabbed his phone, walking out of the doors while glowering. He hadn't been able to find Tord in the building at all and it avitated him.
I swear with him.. He was just about to check his messages before remembering that he didn't have Tord's number. He'd never asked because he didn't care, but now he was slightly wishing he'd done so to keep tabs on him.
Of all the-
"Å, Jehova, why the long face?" Tom almost jumped out of his skin, whipping around to see Tord leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. He gave Tom a questioning glance, Tom shooting a glare in his direction before huffing.
"I'm fine," He grumbled. Tord muttered to himself before shrugging, walking over to Tom while shoving his hands in his pockets.
"Do we need anything else..?" He tilted his head. Tom grabbed the piece of paper, reading it over before shaking his head.
"We have everything," He stated.
"Good, I don't wanna be out here any longer," Tord replied, staring at a group of rowdy teenagers nearby with a scowl. Tom felt he could agree with Tord on that, although he'd never vocalize such.
"Hater disse tingene nå.." Tord hissed, shuffling hastily out of the elevator. Tom gave him a confused stare, but didn't press as he followed.
"Give me a sec, gotta drop something off in my apartment," Tord stated before hurrying into his flat, leaving Tom to go to Matt's by himself. He didn't care honestly, it let him get some space, if even a moment. He let himself into Matt's flat, dropping the two bags he had on the kitchen table before sighing, stretching his arms to get the ache out of them. He still wasn't able to shake the feeling of being watched since the clothing store. He'd been checking with Tord every so often but the other seemed oblivious. Either that or he felt the same way Tom did, only was much better at not showing it.
"Ok, jeg har det bra," Tord stated as he walked in, immediately shimmying the bag he carried off his shoulder to join the ones Tom had brought in. He rolled his shoulder around before grunting.
"Forgot how irritating the public was," He grumbled, wincing as he strained his neck to crack it. Tom just hummed at him with a stare. He contemplated to himself, eyes narrowing before giving in.
"Something is up," Tord gave him a look of confusion, stopping mid-way through rubbing his neck.
"Clarify?"
"Matt seemed to notice it, don't tell me you haven't. The feeling something bad is amiss, like we're being watched, that stuff?" He was met with a look of surprise, Tord blinking before looking to the side, grumbling.
"Ah, I see. I figured it was my own paranoia from… past experiences.. I guess I'm not going insane at least…" Tom tapped a finger against his folded arms, looking at the ground in thought.
"It's probably nothing though, it could just be some weird news reporters trying to watch civilians for a day trying to get something for their scoops, either that or just some creepy teenagers," Tord said, waving a hand dismissively before walking out of the flat. Tom gave him a look of muted confusion before following, making sure to lock the door before walking to his own flat entrance.
"Well, uh… talk to you later I guess..?" Tord muttered, not turning around as he walked to his flat. He narrowed his eyes at Tord.
"Uhm… probably..?" He was confused by Tord asking such, considering Matt or Edd would force them to talk regardless. He shook his head as he started to unlock the door to his flat, muttering to himself.
He was occupied enough with his own thoughts that he didn't notice the sound of shuffling behind him. He suddenly felt like he was in terrible danger, but before he could do anything he felt something hit the back of his head, and hit him hard. He let out a yell of shock as he collided into the floor, dazed. His vision was blurry and he felt dizzy and delirious, but he tried to push himself up, trying to ignore the pounding of his head. He heard muffled shouting around him, but he couldn't tell what it was about. When he finally managed to look up though, he felt his blood boil.
Although he could tell there were multiple people, the only one he could discern. In the few moments he had available, he locked gazes with the only person he recognized. The figure in front of him, of which seemed unscathed looking down at him, gray eye wide in the haze of the situation as Tom felt another blow to his head, knocking him out cold.
~Translations from Google Translate~
Norwegian:
Hva faen? - What the fuck?
Klær, overraskende - Clothes, surprisingly
Å, Jehova - Oi, Jehovah
Hater disse tingene nå.. - Hate these things now..
Ok, jeg har det bra - Ok, I'm all good