The Gross Outdoors ✖ A TomTord Story ✖

"The fun times are to be had!"

   Tom didn't expect this.
   When Edd had said outdoors, he hadn't thought he meant outdoors.
   As in, outdoors.
   Tom sighed and rubbed his face, the dull ache in his leg fading away. He didn't need this. Not with all the stress his memories gave him. Really. Why would he  want to go to canoeing when he really wanted to talk to Seth?
   Ah, Seth. Tom knew there had been something wrong with him. The nervous way he had looked at Tord, Tom now realized why. He recognized him. Seth somehow knew Tord.
   That creepy doctor man. He knew Seth too. Go figure.
   Why was it when Tom tried to look for him, that Seth suddenly disappeared? He couldn't bring it up during breakfast, and after, Seth had said he had work to do. What type of work, Tom didn't know. Probably listening to teddy bears whine about their days, he grumbled inwardly. He knew he was being unfair, but come on.
   "Tom!" Edd's voice cut through his grumpy mood. "We're leaving!"
   "Alright, alright!" At the last second, Tom decided to leave his hoodie. He didn't want it to get wet if he fell in. Oh, god. If he fell in, he'd kill Edd, Matt and whoever else thought this would be a good idea, he vowed.
   "Tom!"
   "Shut up and calm your tits. I'm coming." He finally opened the door to their room and raced down the stairs, almost tripping at the last step but catching himself just in time. He looked around quickly and straightened himself, glancing around. "Where are you?"
   "Outside!" Edd's faint voice came from behind the front door. How he'd managed to project it past the door loud enough for him to hear upstairs, Tom would never know."Slowpoke! The fun times are to be had!"
   Tom didn't answer, opening the door. There stood Edd, a giant grin on his face and a sparkle in his eye, and Matt, who was pulling a leaf from his hair.
   "Where's Tord?"
   "He's getting ready." Edd shrugged like it was nothing.
   Getting ready, my ass. Tom knew better. And why did Edd call him down as if they were ready to go if Tord wasn't even here? The unfairness of it all made Tom grumble under his breath.
   Soon, a red clad Norwegian tapped down the stairs. "C'mon then!"
   "No one else is coming?" Tom asked, trying to ignore Tord. He acted like he didn't notice his grey gaze land on him heavily, trying to guess if the memory wiping serum worked.
   News flash: it didn't. Or it would have, Tom thought smugly.
   "Kat's working in the stables." Edd said. Stables? As in horses?  "Seth's working, and we're all a bit too afraid of Julie to ask her."
   "Julie's terrifying." Matt said. "She served pancakes and glared at me when I reached for the syrup. "Syrup isn't healthy, and it takes away all the wholesomeness of the pancake!"" He imitated in a high pitched gravely voice that made Tom smile slightly.
   "She's something," Tord agreed, raising his brow in amusement.
   "Come on! Why are we just standing here?" Edd's voice was borderline whining.
   "Because Thomas decided to ask stupid questions." Tord reached out to ruffle Tom's hair, and he smacked him away with a scowl. For a moment, they met eyes. Tom made sure to make his meaning clear: I know what you did.
   Tord's face didn't change at all like he had hoped. In fact, his smile seemed to grow, which infuriated Tom.
    Soon, they were off. They weren't driving, Edd explained as they walked. They could easily hitch up. Hiking wasn't one of Tom's favorite activities. He imagined every plant tripping him up, every stone resulting in a twisted ankle. He sighed.
   "Here we are." Edd gestured to the lake behind him. "The canoes are already here. We just have to pick a partner and untie one once we get in."
    "Oh god." Tom muttered. Please no. He didn't want to get in the water. If his predictions were right, then---
   "I pick Edd!" Matt said, wrapping his arms around the shorter male and lifting him up like Simba from the lion king.
   Edd laughed. "Put me down, you big lump."
   "Guess that leaves you with me." Tord said. Tom felt a pool of dread in the pit of his stomach, so he didn't respond. He simply walked over to the canoes and started to untie one.
   "You're supposed to get in first." Tord said, sounding amused again. Tom felt his irritation grow like hot sparks.
   "No, I'm pretty sure I know what I'm doing." He said, his voice sounding defensive. He facepalmed in his head. He was too nervous around Tord. He kept expecting him to bring it up, but he wouldn't. Tom reassured himself that that was the only reason he felt butterflies in his stomach as he gazed at the water.
   He let the ropes go, and watched the canoe float away.
   "What did I tell you?" Tord chided lightly, making Tom's face burn. He shook his head, trying to cool his hot cheeks with the cold palms of his hands. "Now it's floated away. I hope it mails us post cards of it's tropical trip."
   "It wouldn't be tropical, would it?" Tom pointed out, trying to distract Tord from what had just happened. "More camp-ish than island-ish."
   "Someone's gonna have to get it." Tord said, shooting Tom a raised eyebrow look he didn't understand. "I'd hate to have Edd and Matt get our canoe."
   "What are you implying?"
   "Get in the water, Jehovah. We're going for a little swim." Tord was already taking off his hoodie. Tom turned away, gazing out into the lake.
   The canoe had floated to the dead center. Oh, god. Tord really was committed, wasn't he?
   Then, he felt someone push him roughly into the water.
   He felt so cold.
   Water seeped under his shirt, weighing his pants down. He gasped for air once he hit the surface, feeling slimy. Yuck. This lake probably had leeches in it too.
   Then, he watched as Tord dived in. "We gotta get it. Come on." Tord pushed him forward slightly, a determined look on the Norwegian's face.
   Tom paddled slowly, staring at the canoe as if it was the last thing on Earth. He wasn't even close. This would take forever. He was wet and miserable and cold and with someone he'd rather not be with---
   Then, he felt a rough hand shove him under the water.
   He writhered, his eyes tightly shut. He kicked, hoping it was just Edd or Matt being stupid again. Maybe they thought this was funny. But when his lungs started to scream for air and when his eyes flew open in panic, he knew this wasn't true. He was drowning.
   Through the murky surface of the water, he saw Tord's face, smiling.