Neutrality Order (TomBoo)

R.C. - Chapter 5

Tommy really really REALLY didn't want to talk right now, but it had been almost a month now. Between visits with Michael, mending a few bridges with his friends, and upping the ante with his training with Aizawa, he knew that time was definitely running out on the acceptable amount of space he and Crow Father had outside of classes.

He didn't take it much to heart; Crow Father was just as in the dark as he was when it came to how to really talk about this, but as Recovery Girl was saying, 'he's a damn adult and he needed to act like it'. Finally, it was Aizawa who put the meeting together for the Saturday of a long weekend, having already gotten Tommy out of festival participation at least in order to cross his time between underground hero studies and doing some setup for his class's rock band dance party. The long weekend was for classes that had work-study to hurry up and get some preparation in before the actual festival.

In addition to Crow Father being there, Tommy seemed to surprise Aizawa when he requested not only his presence but that of Connor's as well. The look of absolute trepidation on his face definitely put Aizawa in Papa Bear Mode™ and cemented his role in there. Later, after informing Tommy that Connor would be there, he brought up that Crow Father had Sir Nighteye accompanying him for his own side of support; Aizawa looked like he was having trouble controlling the urge to roll his eyes at that, but Tommy just nodded and accepted it.

Saturday morning came, and Tommy was not keen on dragging himself out of bed. He dreaded the talk he was going to be having, airing out his laundry to the people he trusted the most -minus Nighteye, but truthfully Tommy was over that mess by now- without knowing how they would react.

Connor knew the most, having heard everything Tommy confessed in interrogation firsthand. During the weeks of having lunchtimes with him, they had plenty of time to talk over what occurred. Connor swore up and down that he hadn't said a word, and Tommy was quick to believe him. He learned that his mother called Aizawa worried that he was hiding something, and Aizawa in turn asked Connor a favor of using his Permeation to look for anything of a suspicious nature in Tommy's room.

True to his word, since Aizawa hadn't asked him anything, Connor chose to pray to find nothing in his search rather than break his promise to Tommy. Unfortunately, he found Tommy's burner phone stash, which had been confiscated by the police, who uprooted the rest of his room to find his Blackout outfit and notebooks as well.

Tommy didn't place any blame on Connor. His upperclassman was caught between a rock and a hard place and chose the lesser evil, which turned out somewhat alright in the end anyway.

So yes, Tommy felt that he could trust at least Connor with his secrets.

The adults...not so much.

Aizawa had his elbow crumbled by Ranboo. Crow Father knew who Ranboo was. And Nighteye was at this point antagonistic to anyone Crow Father would be. So...less confident there.

He still felt he had to tell them if anything to hear it straight from him instead of any rumors down the grapevine.

He got out of bed, got his ablutions out of the way, tugged on his clothes, and headed out early to the teacher lounge Aizawa put aside for the day. The rest of the school was working on their festival projects and the building itself minus the support hall would be empty. He met up with Connor on the way to the main building, sharing a nod with his upperclassman.

"Hey, Tommy," Connor said, giving him a supportive smile. "You okay?"

"Heh...god no," Tommy replied with no amount of mirth, staring up at the grey sky. "But I'll get over it. I hope."

Connor nodded, hands shoved in his hoodie pockets. "...I...understand if you want one less person there for this," he said earnestly. "The fewer the better, maybe?"