PRELUDE: Two Men Walk Into a Bar

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"I thought I'd find you here."

Tom quickly perked up at those words. On a warm summer night, exactly at three in the morning, he found himself moping at a bar on the cornerstone of a sweet talkative street. It was easy enough to blend into the crowd of rowdy people when you deny any possible conversation thrown at you, but it was incredibly difficult having to deal with someone that's known you for years on end.

He sighed.

"I'm not drunk yet so don't get your panties in a twist, commie." Tom said, murmuring his words and tearing away from Tord's gaze. "Did Edd send you?"

Much to his fears, Tord pulled out a stool next to him and plopped down. "No. I sent myself."

"Oh."

It was silence for a bit, granted with the washed-out lounge music and the many people talking amongst themselves. Only when Tom ordered an old-fashioned did Tord speak up. "Huh. I never took you for a dark liquor type of guy."

Tom scoffed, thanking the bartender as he lightly sipped on the drink with detest. "I'm not. I'm gonna be nursing this baby all night."

"Then why order it?"

"I'm celebrating."

Tord blinked, immediately trying to figure out what day it was that Tom could possibly be celebrating. He'd already cross out any birthdays since he knew those by heart, and any major holidays as Tom never celebrated those. Either way he was alone, so it couldn't have been a friend or whatnot. He was lost, and perhaps a little too afraid to ask but... he was too curious.

"May I ask what it is you're celebrating?" The words that slipped out of his mouth acted as poison, quickly leaving Tom more tense than he was when Tord walked in.

He was hesitant. "Well. It's my dad's birthday," he added in the next sentence as if it was a fond memory, "and he really liked bourbon."

Ah.

Tord nodded at that, saying no more than what was necessary. He decided to get himself a drink too since he was here, asking for a summer shandy. Tom couldn't help but laugh at that.

"What?" The Norsk chuckled, unsure of how to react.

"I forget that you're a lightweight sometimes. I hardly see you drink and... for someone so macho? It's hilarious."

"Macho? You act like I'm dripping with testosterone! I embrace my feminine side thank you very much," he spoke proudly, before the two fell into bursts of laughter. What the fuck were they doing so early in the morning?

"Fine, pfft, I exaggerated. But still. You have one can of beer and you're out, it's cute." Tom said, slurring a bit. Tord wasn't actually sure of how much Tom drank before he came. Now he's saying things that would have never slipped out when sober...

"Still exaggerating." Though, few shots of vodka would knock him out cold. Sorry, Norwegian ancestors. "I don't drink because the hangovers simply are not worth it. I'd rather get high."

"Fair."

The rest of the night was fairly nice, especially how easily they get at each other's throats. Tord especially hates talking to drunk Tom in any capacity but at the very least he was holding back the drinking more than usual, only appearing as tipsy more than anything. A nice change. The ordinary would be constant bickering or insults thrown left and right when it came to the two. The only word that could describe their relationship at this point was odd.

Soon enough Edd sent Tord a concerned text and he figured it was time to go home.

"C'mon," Tord grunted, sliding out of the chair. "Time to go."

Tom nodded, taking out his wallet before Tord slammed a few pounds onto the table. "Consider that old-fashioned on me. For your dad," Tord smiled, "keep the change!" He yelled out to the bartender, walking out the door to wait like he didn't just do something nice for Tom.

Yeah. Odd.

-

Well guys, this is the start of something new. Since this is the prelude it's pretty short, but I'll make any future chapters longer.

I kinda wrote this on a whim (embarrassingly enough based on a sims 4 world I did...) But I'm still writing that wtfuture book. I just have a writers block with it atm.

Comments are encouraged! (Please. I'm desperate)

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