Debts To Be Settled

30

The sunlight is warm and dizzying as Tommy steps out from under the shaded awning. He blinks rapidly, lifting a hand up to cover the upper half of his face with some well-deserved shade. His eyes adjust slowly, allowing him to look out across the sidestreet and the dull red brick buildings on the other side of the road. A couple of people walk together in groups. Their voices swirl together into a mass of sound that falls heavily against Tommy's ears, pierced by particularly individualistic shouts or piercing laughter that are unable to seamlessly fall into the harmony. A few clouds dot across the azure sky in the space between each building's rising peaks, and Tommy can smell salt in the air like a storm from the oceanside is approaching the small, packed away alley in the main city.

"I'm just saying, I wouldn't have gone into that room if I were in her place," Wilbur's voice cuts through the murk of the sound like a silver fish darting beneath the surface of a swamp. Tommy turns on his heel, facing the rest of the Craft family as they all file out of the movie theater. Wilbur is pressing against Techno's shoulder, trying to look his brother in the eyes. Kristin and Philza are watching this argument from behind them, soft smiles on their faces as they hold each other's arm.

"Wilbur, you would have been the first one dead," Techno notes skeptically, barely glancing at his brother as he looks around the outside area. His expression remains neutral as the people's clothing reflect in his eyes, but there is a brief moment when Tommy sees his own blue eyes staring back at him. However tiny the second is, Tommy catches the barest hint of a smile on Techno's lips. It makes Tommy's face break out into a huge smile, and his happiness is infectious enough to catch Wilbur's attention.

"Tell him, Tommy. I would survive until the end of the movie," Wilbur asks Tommy, pushing away from Techno's shoulder to put both of his hands on Tommy's shoulders, footsteps light and airy like a dancing sylph.

"You want me to lie to Techno?" Tommy asks, raising an eyebrow. He leans in a little closer, staring up into Wilbur's eyes. There is a twitch of a smile on his face, but Tommy does his best to school his features into something neutral and open, similar to the expressions Techno effortlessly flaunts. Tommy has a feeling he isn't doing too well at the mimicry, but Wilbur takes no interest in that. He is caught on Tommy's words. He dramatically gasps, releasing Tommy's shoulders. He leans back so far that he nearly crashes into his mother. Kristin giggles, releasing Philza's arm to catch Wilbur. Her son looks up at her, and she gives him a bright expression. Wilbur's faux offense disappears like smoke in the wind, revealing the wild sparks that decorate the curves of his skin.

"Come on, love," Kristin tells him, pushing Wilbur into a standing position. She links their elbows together. She uses her other arm to reach out behind her, fingers outstretched for someone to take. Philza steps toward her, but Techno grabs her hand before Philza can get to him. Techno casts an expression over his shoulder, the most emotion Tommy has ever seen him wear. Philza affectionately calls Techno a 'little shit' as Kristin tugs both of her sons closer to her side. Tommy bursts into laughter at the display, and perhaps his breathlessness makes less oxygen go to his head because he grabs Philza's hand. He smiles at the man, dragging him along behind Tommy. Philza looks at Tommy, really looks at him, and Tommy's buzzing happiness stays with him as his laughter dials down to a huffing noise.

Philza catches up to Tommy, and the blonde releases Philza's hand. Tommy crosses his arms behind his back, staring up at Kristin, Techno, and Wilbur. They are whispering to each other. Tommy can see their smiles and twinkling eyes from their side profile. Even without knowing they were related, anyone could see they were family, in whatever sense of the word was most applicable. There was something beyond familiarity in the way they interacted with each other, and it was something Tommy still felt a panging longness for.

Philza opens his mouth, but his words are cut off by some strange rubbing noise. Tommy's balance slips away from him. He stumbles to the side. Philza grabs Tommy's elbow and his hand to steady the blonde. Tommy tries sending a grateful smile to Philza, but his attention is swiftly held by the throng of people running towards him. Tommy seizes, eyes widening in panic when he notices the terror in their eyes. Parents are dragging their children. Friends are clinging onto each other's clothes. The more selfish are pushing anyone down to get away as quickly as possible, and the kinder few rush to pick someone up with a roughness that can only be afforded in situations such as these ones. Tommy doesn't know what they're running from, but he knows instinctively that he should be running, too.