"i think he's waking up- don't smack him!"
"sorry. tom?"
tom's eyelids opened halfway before dropping back down groggily. he was barely able to make out the two figures towering above him like giants. his whole body felt numb and empty.
"tom, are you awake?" a familiar voice asked.
"ngh..." tom groaned, his voice scratchy in his throat. he tried opening his eyes again and succeeded this time.
matt and edd stood over him with wide, concerned eyes. "uh.. you alright?" edd asked.
"of course he's not!" matt exclaimed, glaring at his lover. tom squinted to get a better look at matt. dark bags hung heavy under his eyes. his ginger locks stuck up all over the place. in short, he looked completely worn out and exhausted.
"i... what happened?" tom frowned. he looked down at his body, wearing only a loose white t-shirt and boxers. with closer inspection he realized his feet and right knee were all bandaged up. stitches trailed halfway up his arm and he also had a pounding migraine. "e- everything feels numb, but hurts at the same time." just saying that sentence made tom lightheaded.
"tord happened," matt spat, venom dripping off his words. flames seemed to rage in his eyes. "he's a worthless piece of human garbage and once i see him again, my hands will be around his throat so fast-"
"matthew." edd stopped him, furrowing his eyebrows. "could you please go make tom some tea? i'll explain to him what happened."
matt seethed, gaze flitting between tom, edd, and tom again. he clenched his fists before nodding. "fine." he stormed off.
edd sighed and sat on the edge of the couch where tom's legs were splayed out. he seemed to think for a moment. "so... matt went to tord's house to break up with him for you. tord ended up knocking matt out, then started to fuck amy. you caught them and freaked out, stepping in glass and cutting open your arm." edd winced. "matt instantly called me. i went to see, and... it wasn't pretty."
tom began recalling some of the memories, slowly nodding. "i remember."
"obviously the police was called. tord tried to bail and drove off into the desert, but they caught him and now he's in rehab," edd continued. "we brought you to the hospital. they stitched you up and bandaged you. we could only afford for you to stay three days there. you had only woke up a few times but didn't talk. you're fine now, thank god."
"oh.." tom murmured, looking down shamefully. "i don't remember that."
"yeah. i'm glad you're okay now." the brunette chuckled. "anyway, you owe an apology to matt. i've never seen him this tired or worried."
tom nodded. "i know. i feel horrible, i- i never meant for him to-" he shut his mouth as matt entered the room holding a mug of steaming liquid.
edd stood up, pecking matt's cheek. "i'm gonna rest, will you be okay?" he asked gently.
matt exhaled softly, shutting his eyes for a few seconds. "yeah. i'll join you in a bit."
"okay." edd glanced at tom and disappeared down a hallway.
"i made chamomile tea."
tom smiled weakly at him and adjusted himself to sit up, a sting of pain shooting up his injured arm. he flinched and took the mug from matt's hands. "uh... i'm sorry for making you worry."
matt shrugged. "it's not your fault. it's tord's." he sat down on the recliner across from tom, sighing heavily. "you really scared me, tom."
"i didn't mean to. i acted out randomly. i dunno." tom took a sip of the tea. the warmth blossomed throughout his chest, the taste of the herb lingering on his tongue.
"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