Tom cowered before the drunken stature of his aunt.
He felt the rush of air as the belt hit his temple. He cried out and fell to the ground.
"Goddamn weakling," His aunt slurred, "No wonder your mother wanted nothing to do with you." She turned and shambled up the stairs to her room.
Tom sniffled and rubbed the welt forming on his face. Was he really that bad of a kid?
Poor, impressionable Tom thought yes, he should be punished. He didn't know what for exactly, but there had to be a reason, right? Right.
Tom got up and crept to his room, careful not to rouse his aunt.
He climbed into his lumpy, twin sized bed and got under the thin quilt.
He was going to have to do a lot of explaining at school tomorrow.
~*~
Tord looked up at the Decider.
Yes, the Decider. Imaginary Friends were capable of many things, except for coming up with names.
The Decider was a clunky machine holed up in a cavern in the Dreamscape. Its purpose was to pair certified Imaginary Friends with a child who's problems were within their power.
A child and its Imaginary Friend share a bond like no other.
Unless you're Tord.
Tord has a very, very hard time keeping his children. He almost always breaks one rule or another on the contract. But this time, he had a good feeling. He swore on his mother unit to not break any rule.
After all, this was his last chance.
He would be fired if he screwed this one up.
He chewed his lip hopefully. 'Maybe this time, I'll get a kid with some sort of brains.'
Finally, the Decider's whistling and whirring halted.
An Image of a child came on the screen. A boy wi th light brown, spiked hair and two gaping holes for eyes. He looked on edge.
Name: Tom
Age: 7
Parents: -----------
Guardian: Malinda Howe
Problem(s): Abusive guardian. Questionable living conditions. Starved.
Friend Count: 0
'Zero?!' Tord gasped.
All his other children at least had one friend.
Ooh, this was going to be Tord's hardest job to date.
But he always has enjoyed a challenge.
Tord smirked and prepared for the Reality Warp.
~*~
Tom sat on the far end of the playground. He was always alone. All the other children shunned him because of his eyes. Tom sometimes wondered if that's why his parents had left him in the cruel clutches of his aunt.
He teared up when his mind lingered on his mother. Trembling, he broke the stick he had been playing with before. Holding back a cry of anguish, he hid his face with his hands.
He remained like that for a while until he felt another presence next to him.
"Go away." He growled hoarsly, not bothering to look up. He felt the light touch of a hand on his shoulder.
He scowled and looked up. "Are you daft? I said, go-" He stopped short.
Before him stood a... teenager? Yeah. A teenager surrounded in a bright light.
Tom stared in awe, his mouth hanging adjacent. The teenage boy started changing shape. Horns grew out of his head in an elegant spiral. Raven's wings sprouted from his shoulders with a small pop. And lastly, a little tail protruded from his butt.
"Well." Said the strange apparition, "I believe this is the form you dreamt me in."
Tom could only reply with a gurgling noise.
The stranger laughed, it was a tinkling sound, which was strange considering his form.
"Don't be afraid, Thomas! I'm Tord!" The being plopped down on the grass beside Tom.
"W-wha-" Tom stuttered.
"What am I? I'm your new Imaginary Friend, of course! Specially made for you." He blew his auburn hair out of his silvery eyes.
"Imaginary.... Friend?" Tom managed to choke out. "So... No one else can see you?"
"Nope! Well, unless I choose to reveal myself. But why should I? I'm only here to please you."
Tom pondered over this. 'Imaginary Friend...'
The more he thought about it, the better it sounded.
And Tord didn't talk down to him like normal teenagers.
He felt the corners of his mouth twitch with the beginning of a smile.
"So, you're only here for me?"
"S'what I said."
"What's the catch?"
"Catch?"
"Yeah. What do you get out of this?"
Tord thought for a second. "A new friend of course, silly!" Tord wrapped an arm around Tom. "We'll be inseparable! Unstoppable! We can even deal with that aunt of yours."
Tom grinned.
He had a feeling this new friend of his was going to make his life a whole lot better.
//there! a chapter on the long side! are you pleased? I stayed up till midnight writing this out on paper. this makes up for the weak ass prologue.//
YOU ARE READING
Just For Safe Keeping (TomTord)
Fanfiction((This was my first ever fanfiction and a lot of the chapters and events were me trying to figure out my writing style. I do not consider this my best work at all. Viewer discretion is advised)) Tord has been Tom's best friend since Tom was a small...
