(Art by me, sorry if it's blurry)
"But-" Tom stuttered, bewildered. Edd gave him a we'll talk later look and Tom went silent.
"I-I can?" Jon looked at Edd, who gave a curt nod. Matt smiled at Edd, giving him a silent thanks.
"Jon, don't you do this." Eduardo growled. Jon glared at him, and Ranger gave a small bark.
"It's my choice!" Jon said.
"Fine! But don't you dare come back to me. I don't want to see your face again. Fucking disappointment." Eduardo gave Mark a look, and they both turned around and headed home.
"And don't come back!" Matt shouted. He turned to Jon, who was holding Ranger close to him, gently stroking his head. Ranger gave a faint playful growl, leaning his head into Jon's touch. He seemed to be tearing up a little, so Matt put his arm around Jon's shoulders.
"Hey... it'll be okay. I won't let them hurt you, alright?" Matt said softly. Jon looked into his eyes, feeling secure.
"Okay." Jon murmured back, leaning into Matt's chest and giving a small sigh.
"Uh... gay?" Tom muttered, staring at Jon and Matt.
"Tom, stop." Edd sighed. Jon blushed, pulling away from Matt.
"Er- lets go inside, eh?" Matt offered, and the four of them walked inside. Matt closed the door, being the last one in, and turned to Jon. Jon had already found his way to the couch and curled up into a ball, watching Ranger prance around on the floor, giving off small yips here and there.
Ringo, who was sleeping on the arm of the recliner, gave a soft hiss as Ranger jumped up at her.
"I can tell that'll be an issue." Edd muttered under his breath. Matt walked over and sat beside Jon, smiling.
"Jon?"
"Hm...?" Jon didn't move, continuing to lean against the arm of the couch and watch Ringo and Ranger bicker.
"You okay?" Jon shifted to glance at Matt, giving him a small smile.
"I guess... its just... they've been my friends for so long, I feel bad just leaving them." He confessed. Matt nodded, giving him a smile.
"Well, personally I don't think that they're very nice friends if they treat you like that." Jon looked away, sighing. Matt took his hand, smiling reassuringly. Jon blushed, looking back over to him with wide eyes.
"Plus, you've got me now!" The brit chirped happily, causing Jon to give a small giggle. Matt blushed lightly, giving him a loving look. Jon sighed, leaning on Matt's side. Matt rubbed his thumb against Jon's hand, humming softly.
Tom and Edd had been watching from behind the couch, staying silent.
"Wh-?" Tom gave them a look, then looked to Edd. Edd made a gesture for them to walk into the kitchen to talk. Tom obeyed and walked to the fridge.
"Tom what are you-?" Edd looked at him, leaning against the table.
"You broke my other one. I didn't get to finish it." Tom grumbled, pulling out a Smirnoff and taking a long sip before closing the fridge and leaning against it.
"So? What are you going to do with them?" Tom prompted. Edd gave a small sigh.
"He's gonna stay." Tom, in the middle of taking a sip, choked and coughed. Once he regained his breathing, he looked at Edd.
"What?" He wiped his mouth on the sleeve of his hoodie.
"Tom, be quiet!" Edd hissed, glancing over at Matt and Jon.
"Why is he staying? We don't have any extra room. Unless you're gonna kick out the commie bastard." Tom's expression brightened.
"I'm not kicking Tord out." Edd said firmly, which set Tom's expression back to normal.
"Lame."
"Tom, focus. Look, he's got nowhere to go, and-"
"Why can't he go stay with his cousins or something? I swear, if I see one more hentai magazine I'm going to light his-"
"Tom, I'm talking about Jon."
"Oh." Edd gave a sigh at Tom's slow functioning.
"Anyways... look, I'll try and figure something else out, but in the meantime I want you to be nice to him, Tom."
"Yeah, okay." Tom took another sip.
"Are you even listening to me?" Edd snatched the bottle
"Edd I swear by the cola cans in the fridge, I will beat you to a pulp if you break that bottle." Tom threatened.
"They you'd better listen to me. You have to promise to be nice to him. No smartass remarks, no messing with him."
"Okay, I promise." He said nonchalantly. Edd narrowed his eyes.
"And no pushing him down the stairs."
"Fuck!"
"Tom!" Edd lifted the bottle high over the floor.
"Gh- sorry." He mumbled angrily.
"Promise?"
"Holy- yes, Edd, I promise. Now give me my Smirnoff back." Edd reluctantly handed it back, giving Tom a reproachful look as he took another long sip.
"Well, guess that's it then." Edd sighed, beginning to walk away.
"Can I still pester Tord?" Tom asked hopefully.
"Uh- sure...?" Edd raised a brow as Tom smiled - something that didn't happen often.
"'Kay, thanks." Tom continued to lean against the fridge, smiling to himself. Sighing with a shake of his head, Edd walked over to Matt. Matt was watching Jon, who had fallen asleep against his side. Edd smiled, sitting beside Ringo in the recliner. Ringo gave a small purr, batting Ranger - who was on his back feet and sniffing her - on the head once before curling into Edd's lap. Ranger gave a small squeak before running off somewhere.
"How's he doing?" Edd asked quietly.
"Good, I think. He's feeling like a traitor for leaving Eduardo and Mark, though. Says they were his only friends."
"Really?" Edd pet Ringo, who started purring.
"Yeah." Matt sighed, pulling his hand from Jon's grasp and toying with Jon's fluffy hair. Jon smiled in his sleep, sighing.
"I think he's gonna be okay." Matt muttered.
"And what makes you so sure?" Tom had walked over, standing beside Edd. Matt simply smiled, looking back down to Jon.
"He's a fighter. I can feel it."
(And that, kids, is what we call foreshadowing. Also, I just made a 950 word chapter, you're welcome)
