The First Punch [t.h.]

Chapter 9 - Pivot

Tom wakes up in an empty bed to his surprise. He groans as he feels the side of the bed that SJ had slept in, finding the sheets cold. With a grunt, he rolled onto his side, eyes closed as he winces. His body aches, arms, back, neck. Everything hurts and he'd do anything to just be able to stay sleeping but he has to get up. Tom sits up slowly and places his feet on the cool carpeted floor. His hands fall to his knees as the burns on his back sting. Tom's stomach turns as he takes a few deep breaths, trying to ignore the pain.

Tom gets to his feet after a few minutes and grabs his shirt from the floor. He closes his eyes, head turning to the ceiling as his hand runs through his bedhead. He woke up on his stomach, blankets down to his waist. That means his back was exposed and he never wanted SJ to see those burns but now he thinks she has. Maybe that's why he woke up alone. Maybe it scared her off. He didn't think much about it, not in the heat of the moment. The second he did, he figured that as long as he could stay on his back, it'd be alright but that's just been proven to be false hope.

Tom tugs his shirt over his head, wincing and rolling his shoulders until it covers his torso fully. He ruffles his hair and heads for the door, opening it quietly as he can he hear the TV coming from the living room as well as brief talking. His heart lifts up with relief figuring that Harrison was talking to SJ. They don't really have friends so SJ is basically the only person Harrison could be talking to unless he suddenly picked up the habit of talking to himself.

"Aye." Harrison nods to Tom as Tom walks down the hallway and into view.

A gentle smile starts pulling at Tom's lips as he sees SJ sitting on the opposite end of the couch from Harrison. She's ditched the borrowed clothes Harrison loaned her and are back in the clothes from the night before. Her hair is tied in a braid falling to one side and Tom sees a few strands of blue encased in her dark hair.

"Hey." Tom says, voice still decorated with sleep and it's one of the hottest sounds SJ has ever heard.

SJ looks over and she smiles. Her heart flutters as she looks at Tom half-limping into the room. He looks like a disaster but a beautiful disaster. He kind of looks like the first clear day after a natural disaster. The first day that things aren't so horrible anymore, clean-up has started, and things just seem to be okay. That's what Tom looks like. Hope.

"Afternoon, Pretty Boy." SJ bellows.

Tom rolls his eyes but the smile remains. "Yeah, afternoon." Tom takes a seat in the chair, turning to partially face them. "Really the afternoon?"

SJ nods. "Yep," She pops the 'p'. "Just after one."

"Shit." Tom groans, a hand running over his face.

"You were up past three according to my time." Harrison quips.

A smirk comes to Tom's face. "Sorry." He mutters, catching a glimpse of SJ.

SJ shakes her head, shrugging her shoulders. "Oops."

"Mhm," Harrison hums before getting to his feet. "I'm gonna get ready and I'll run you home now that Tom's awake." Harrison nods to SJ and then to Tom.