Sleep is Only Scary at Night

A Trip to the Shops

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Tord complained aloud to himself as, once again, the sun streams in through his window, telling him he had once again not slept.

He groans as he gets up, goes to the TV, and not long after, Edd was awake, said his usual good morning, and went to the kitchen.

"Oh dammit!" Edd sighs, "we're out of milk,"

"So?" Tord mumbles.

"I can't cook, like, anything, Tord," Edd sighs, making his way to down the hall to the other two's rooms.

"Woah, why can't you just go by yourself?" Tord asks.

"it's been long enough since out last shopping trip, they might wanna grab something," Edd says, Tord sighs, too tired to argue.

Tord hears a brief conversation between Edd and Matt, who was already up and working on his hair.

Then he heard Tom complaining loudly to Edd as he's forced out of bed, Tord can imagine his blue flannel-patterned sheets messy and bunched up, the sun glowing lightly through the translucent black curtains onto the wooden floor.

It's so much more cozy than Tord's own room. He never used to know what Tom's room looked like, imagining something annoying and overly checkered, but ever since that night, he keeps imagining himself sitting his bed while Tom plays some stupid ska song on his stupid bass or even worse, on the most suffocatingly dark nights, finding himself gripping one of his body pillows, wishing he was cuddling Tom. Which is a fucking stupid thought, considering Tom hates being touched. Especially by Tord.

Tord shakes himself back out of his thoughts, realizing that his roommates are waiting for him out in the car. So Tord (slowly) drags himself off the couch and into the back seat of the car.

"Ok, so we're going to the grocers and the  stopping at the music store for Tom to get a replacement cord thingy," Edd reviews, mostly to himself.

"Yep," Tom sighs, not even bothering to correct Edd on what he was actually picking up. Except wait. That came from next to Tord, right?

Tord glances over, "Why's Tom in the back? I thought we agreed Matt didn't get to be in the front anymore," which they did, when he broke the whole front window.

"Tom wanted the back," Edd shrugs, "You can ask him,"

Tord glances suspiciously at Tom, who's got his hood up over his hair and his black eyes staring down at his phone. He looks bored out of his mind, but when does he not?

"Don't talk to me," Tom says strictly. Tord wants to talk to him, but just for the point of annoying him, not because of any other possible reason.

Tord just lets himself lean back against the seat as Edd starts the car. He barely hears Matt and Edd's conversation, finding himself staring at Tom, who was too distracted by his phone to notice. At least he thought.

"What are you looking at, norski?" Tom deadpans.

Tord can't find the energy to form words, so he shrugs.

Tom pauses, then whispers, "When was the last time you slept?"

"Last night?" Tord tries.

"Bullshit," Tom chuckles under his breathe, staring out the window, assumedly ending the conversation.

Except his hand was slowly poking one end of his headphones across the back seat.

Tord glances between Tom and the earbud, it feels like everything in slow motion.

"God, just take the fucking earbud, you idiot," Tom mumbles.

"What was that, Tom?" Edd suddenly asked.

"I said I think you missed a turn, idiot," Tom lied.

"Did I? Oh fuck, I think I did, shit!" Edd laughed at himself.

Tom glances hurriedly at Tord, who quickly grabs the earbud and puts it in his ear. The sound of loud drums and electric guitar filling one ear.

It's almost peaceful for the next 3 minutes, just music, Tom's music. Neither of them look at eachother, but Tord can feel the brit's heat next to him. He's so aware of it all.

And then the car was stopping. Right. This was a trip to the shops. Not just...what even was he doing now? Listening to Tom's music, Yes. But... Was this hanging out with Tom? Was this being friends with Tom? Tord didn't know, really.

"Alright, we're here!" Matt practically shouts. Tord feels the headphone be dragged away from him as the guitar fades and Tom gets out of the car. Stupid bullshit.

"We're gonna start with Dairy, Tom and Tord, can you go get cereals while we do that?" Edd smiles.

Tom nods vaugely, Tord shrugs. He doesn't want to hang out with Tom, but if he said no he'd have to explain why. And that's too embarrassing for any man.

The walk to the aisle is silent, Tom mumbles along to the song he's listening to, and Tord recognizes it as the song Tom played the last time Tord got sleep. Which is an annoying thought, that he "cared" enough to recognize it, and that the last time he got a good nights rest was in Tom's room.

Tom apparently decides to get the cereals himself and ignore Tord, which is fine with Tord, obviously. He just leans against the shelves.

But after 20 or so seconds Tord can't stand it, "Soo...Tom,"

No response.

"Tom," He blinks slowly.

Still no response.

"To~om," He blinks again.

Again, nothing.

"Thomas!" Blinks.

Tom glances towards him, but doesn't say anything.

And suddenly, Tord was leaning forward, "Mmh...Tom," He mutters and then he's asleep. The last thing he sees is Tom rushing towards him with his hands out.

====================

Tord wakes up on the couch, the sun is either just rising or just lowering, he can't tell.

"You've got to be more careful with this falling asleep around me bullshit, commie. You almost cracked your skull open in the middle of the cereal isle. Hope you sleep well!

xoxo Tom"

Tord scoffs, "Be more careful"? Maybe Tom should be less...Whatever makes Tord keep falling asleep around him!

Whatever it was, it better pass soon. Tord doesn't want to have to sleep with Tom.