Tom doesn't know

-Chapter 5-

Tuesday, March 3rd 20XX
11:00am

Tord rushed out of the house to see Tom waiting for him in the car. He opens the door and sits on the passenger seat. "this is going to be AWESOME." he smiles. Tom just grunts "what's so exciting about going to the store??" Tord laughed putting the seat belt on "well I'm going to buy a lot of stuff and you will pay for it" he smirks as Tom starts the car "I did not agree to that." "you want my apology?" Tom stays quiet "exactly." Tord says proudly as he turns the music on.

He danced to every song that was on the radio. He didn't know any of them but that didn't stop him. If this was present Tord, he would just sit there staring at nothing. Even if Tom hated to admit it he missed that. But he enjoyed the company of past Tord much more than he did with present Tord. But he knew that Tord won't stay with them forever, Commie will have to come back eventually and Tom will be ready. But he wondered what changed, why did Tord change so drastically.

"we're here" Tom says as he finds a parking spot. They were in front of a shopping center. They walk out and grab a cart "so first, we will buy things on Edds list! Then we have fun" Tom looked at him and rolled his eyes as they entered. They quickly got everything on the list and then Tord went crazy. He grabbed Tom's arm and they went to the kid's section "A BEAN BAG CAHIR" he jumped on it "Tom we are getting this" Tom sighed "I'm not buying that" he crossed his arms "oh yes you are!" he put the bean bag chair in the cart, Tom, for some reason wanted to please Tord. Guilt was a bitch, he hated feeling guilty.

Then they walked over to the pillow section and Tord like any legally-technically adult took the pillow and threw it straight in Tom's face. Tom stood there having a dead expression. But then he picked up the pillow "Tom it was a joke don't be so serious -" before Tord could finish that Tom threw a pillow in his face "doesn't feel so nice, does it kid?" he smirked, Tord took another pillow and before you know it they were hitting each other all over. Tom hit Tord at one point so hard he fell on the floor and started laughing and protecting himself with a pillow. Tom fell right after him and kept hitting him "you're losing kid" Tom smirked climbing on top of Tord "just because I'm under you doesn't mean I'm losing" he hits Tom, Tom takes his pillow and ends up pinning him against the floor "I win." he says proudly and gets up. Tord was surprised, the first time that he saw Tom enjoy his time with him. That kinda made him smile.

"Why are you smiling kid, you just lost to me!" Tom laughed "eh you're lucky your bones didn't break old man" he provoked him "ugh shut up," Tom said as they picked up the pillows on the floor "let's get liquor"

They walked over to the liquor section and Tord spoke up "so when did you start drinking?" he looks at tom who already picked up two vodkas "well" Tom says "when I was 20 I kinda started going out more... After a while, there wasn't a single night when I didn't come home drunk" he said looking lost in thought "I still have my moments but not as much as I used to" Tord looked at him "I smoke" he whispers "what?" "I smoke..." his voice is very low and he feels kinda ashamed telling him that

"oh well, you form future smokes too... Just don't tell Edd that you started smoking already" Tom puts the bottles in the cart "he's really anti-smoking these days" Tord fidgets his fingers "can... Can we buy  cigarettes?" Tom thinks for a second "you're an adult now, you shouldn't worry about what other people think. Plus I can't judge" he sighs "we'll buy them" Tord smiles "thanks Tom, you're a real friend"

"Nah a real friend would try to convince you to stop... not buy them for you" Tord shakes his head "a real friend would let his friends decide and learn from their mistakes" Tord boops Toms nose "but you'll always be there for us... So yes. You're a real friend"

And for the first time in a long time, Tom's smile was soft and genuine.