broken souls (tomtord)

17. (end)

"it's okay." matt suddenly smiled, a light chuckle leaving him. "you should've seen the look on his face when the police got there. he knew he was screwed."

tom couldn't help but smile as well. "good." he hummed. "so, then, he's in rehab now?"

"yeah. that fucker got what he deserved."

the two sat for a couple minutes in a comfortable silence.

"hey," tom said, looking up. "you've done a lot for me, and... thank you. but i have one last request."

matt looked at him. "what's that?"

"take me to tord's rehab center. let me see him, one last time."

* * * *

due to his injured feet and knee, tom had to be sat in a wheelchair, much to his annoyance. "i feel old." he mumbled as matt helped him out of the car into the wheelchair. matt rolled his eyes playfully.

tom looked up. the rehab center was a two-story building that looked almost like a hospital. matt wheeled him in. the floor was carpet, a few couches lining a wall with a tv hung on the wall. on the left was a long hallway, and next to that was a check-in counter. the whole place had a homey feel to it, but at the same time, it was... eerie.

the woman at the counter looked up and smiled. "hello. can i help you?"

matt took tom over there, nodding and beginning to ask if they could see tord. a few minutes later, matt was wheeling tom into a different room filled with chairs and a table stacked with different varieties of magazines.

"he should be here in a couple of minutes." the woman told them before leaving and shutting the door.

tom sighed as matt left him near the table, standing next to him.

"what are you gonna tell him?" matt asked, raising an eyebrow.

another sigh left tom. "i don't fully know. i guess i just want him to know what he's done." before matt could respond, the door opened. both males turned to look.

tord stood there, dressed in a loose grey t-shirt and baggy black sweats. his hair was all ruffled and he looked no different from when tom had seen him last, except for paler skin a red paper wristband around his wrist. tension hung heavy in the air.

matt slowly stood up, his eyes trained on tord. "i'm gonna get some water." the ginger muttered, getting up. he stopped in front of tord and growled something inaudible before leaving a sharp slap on tord's cheek. silently, matt left.

tom stared up at his ex-boyfriend, a cold look in his dark eyes. tord gently touched his cheek and flinched, avoiding meeting tom's challenging gaze.

"you're really just gonna stand there?" tom scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest.

tord finally dragged his gaze to lock with tom's. he cleared his throat, opened his mouth, and shut it again. he gave a small, nervous shrug. "i- i'm sorry, tom." his voice was raspy as if he hadn't spoken in years.

"i trusted you," tom gave a small shake of his head. "i loved and trusted you, and you treated me like garbage. you fucked amy and beat up my best friend twice. if i could stand up right now i'd kick your ass. i'm fucking disappointed." he suddenly laughed breathily. "i'm disappointed in myself, too. i should've listened to matt. i should've stayed away from you."

the norwegian only stood their guiltily. "i... if it changes anything, i did actually love you." he mumbled.

"you think that's gonna change how i feel? i hate you, tord. more than anything else. and you know what-" tom stopped himself mid-sentence, feeling hot tears start to run down his cheeks.

tord flinched, his own green eyes starting to brim with tears. "tom, i didn't-"

"a tiny part of me still loves you." tom looked at him, lip trembling. "actually, let me rephrase that; a tiny part of me still loves the sober you. the caring tord who would stand up for me, cuddle me, joke and laugh genuinely." he clenched his fists. "i hate the drunk you with every fiber of my being."

"i'm s- sorry." tord sobbed out, covering his mouth with a hand and looking down at his feet as his shoulders shook.

"'sorry' is just a word." tom spat. "when you get out of rehab, it better be for good." he wheeled himself out of the room despite the great pain it caused his stitched up arm. "burn in hell, commie."

tord stood in the doorway, helplessly watching tom leave. "...i miss you."

the end