The Silence of a Somber Day

El Nino

Jack was there. Sitting on the barstool behind the computer and front desk, eyes trained on the screen behind his glasses. Tommy stood by the door, hesitant to walk inside and face the man who suffered for Tommy's mistakes. Tommy was tempted to leave and never return. Tommy knew Jack wouldn't blame Tommy, but the blonde blamed himself enough to cover for both of them.

"Come on," Niki said behind Tommy, grabbing his hand. Tommy didn't even know when she showed up, but Niki didn't let Tommy walk away. She squeezed his hand as she led Tommy to the counter. Jack looked up from his computer, face neutral as he walked around. Jack stared at Niki and Tommy with stoic eyes, and Tommy could hardly hold the stare. It was strange. Tempest never shrunk away from the deadly glare of the Blood God, who has slaughtered people by the dozens with his battle axe. Tommy felt his breakfast slam against his ribcage when he stared at Jack, whose worst crime was a speeding ticket that he didn't pay back until one day after he was supposed to. Tommy could handle danger, thrived off of gory chaos, but the moment emotions were pulled into the mix, he acted like a child confronting their past kidnapper.

Tommy opened his mouth, a poorly stitched together apology fumbling out. Before he could get very far, he was pulled into Jack's arms along with Niki. Jack held them close as a few tears slipped from his eyes. "Thank you. Both of you."

"But I didn't-" Tommy tried to explain but Niki gave his hand a firm squeeze to shut him up. Tommy looked over Jack's head to see Niki wearing a concerned, almost motherly smile. With Jack crying and Niki barely holding it together, Tommy felt a few drops slip from his face. He would never admit it. Tommy was a big man, and he didn't cry. Emotions weren't his problem.

"Oh, am I interrupting something?" A person said as they walked into the hotel. It was a guy wearing a navy blue beanie and wearing a blue jacket over a white button shirt with brown suspenders holding up his pants. Tommy thought he looked familiar, but he couldn't place it.

"Oi, fuck off, we're having a moment here," Tommy said to the man with a glare. Still, with the moment ruined, the three separated from each other. They remained close to each other, a few steps away from crashing, but they weren't hugging anymore.

"Heh, you must be Tommy. Sam told me you could outclass a sailor," The guy said with a laugh as he came closer to them. He reached a hand out to Tommy with a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "I'm Alex but most people call me Quackity. I'm Sam's adopted son."

"More business," Jack cheered. Tommy sent him a glare while Niki gave an awkward chuckle. Since Tommy wouldn't accept the handshake, she gently gripped Quackity's hand with a reassuring smile.

"Well, no, actually," Quackity said to Jack. "I guess Sam hasn't told you, but he's planning on buying this hotel."

"The fuck?" Tommy snapped immediately, getting in Quackity's face to demand answers. The latter merely shuffled back, hands raising up in a sign of innocence. Niki reached to grab Tommy as Sam walked into the lobby. Assessing the situation, he immediately darted over to get in between Quackity and Tommy. "Sam! Why didn't you fucking tell us you were buying the hotel? I need this job, m'kay? Jack needs this fucking job! You can't just-"

"Tommy, no one is firing anyone," Sam said slowly and softly. He had learned how to calm Tommy down pretty early on in their relationship. Tommy needed a figure of stability to mimic, not an equally emotionally charged individual to bounce off of. "After Jack's release, an inspection was made on the hotel. They found Drunkard unfit to run this place, and I offered to buy the place to fix all the other inspection fails."

"Oh... that's pog," Tommy said. Like Sam predicted, Tommy had calmed down. Sam gave a kind smile, knowing that it made Tommy feel warm inside but uncomfortable. Tommy, in his uncomfortableness, shuffled back away from Quackity, like Sam had hoped he would do. It really did make Sam sad that Tommy was easily manipulated by those that gave an ounce of kindness. Sam was just happy that him, Niki, and Wilbur were filling whatever void was left in Tommy's heart. Phil had told them all how capable with a gun Tommy was and of his cynical outlook. This was proof, but Phil suspected Tommy had been trained or groomed as a child, this being the outcome. Sam, Niki, and Wilbur kept other people from manipulating Tommy.

"It is pog! I came by wondering if you guys wanted to come to lunch with me and Sam," Quackity said, pulling Sam out of his way so he could face the threesome without looking afraid.

"I'm sorry, I can't make it," Niki said with an apologetic frown. "I came in today to work on some recipes, and I really should do that. I hope you have fun, however."

"I'll also have to pass. I get off in like five minutes, and this job has tired me out," Jack said. With Drunkard gone, Jack didn't have to work such godawful hours. Instead, Jack split the shifts in half with the only other worker besides Jack, Niki, and Tommy named Nook.

"Unlike these pussies, I like free food. Where are we going, Big Q?"

——

"You can't be serious!" Quackity laughed far too loud for an inside voice. Luckily, Sam had the bright idea to get seating outside the restaurant in the small gated area with fancy umbrellas over the tables. The food hadn't been served, so the three were entertaining themselves with stories.

"It's all true, Big Man!" Tommy said as he took a sip of his coke. "Where was I?... Right! So, I'm covered in lemonade, half blind in my left eye, jumping over the treadmills to escape this guy when I trip over this woman's foot. Now, women are pog, so I apologize like a true Big Man. She gives me a smile when the guy runs up to us, ready to beat the living shit out of me. All of a sudden, the woman goes 'Carlos?!' and she starts yelling at him. This woman doesn't just yell at him in Spanish, but also French, Portuguese, and Mandarin. I mean, she is pissed. That's when I make a break for it and run."

"Only you, Tommy Innit, only you," Quackity says as he grips his stomach, wiping tears from his eyes from how hard he had been laughing. "Anyways, my turn. So, I'm a pequeño, hanging out with my amigos, when I ask what hentai is."

"Oh, Prime," Sam says as his head falls into his hands. Listening to the two tell stories of their lives, he notices two things. One, he is severely disappointed and amused by his two children. Second, unlike Quackity, Tommy doesn't give much details. Quackity will say his relative age, people's names, and locations, but Tommy remains ambiguous and obscure.

"He doesn't answer me, so I, with my brilliant brain, decide to look it up. Even better, I click on images!" Quackity says before him and Tommy start belting out their laughs. Sam is struggling to stay composed. Quackity breathes deeply as he continues, "I swear, I didn't know what it meant. I've been traumatized ever since."

"Big oof," Tommy laughed. After that one, their food was served, and the conversation took a backseat.

I mean El Nino as in the storm phenomenon, continuing my weather aesthetic for chapter titles