Eddsworld Future AU

Chapter 10

"He's...dead, Tom. Matt is dead..." Edd finally croaked out.

Tom felt his heart drop, smashing into smithereens. His clothes dropped from his hands as his "eyes" just narrowed towards who knows where. His eyes welled up with salty water as he froze, not comprehending what Edd had just stated.

Edd rushes to hug his distressed friend, although he wasn't alright himself. In fact, he was anything BUT okay. But he put Tom's needs first, as he was sure to be more unstable than he was. It wasn't every day you get told that one of your best friends was dead right after getting your memory back. Not only that, but the information was much rawer than it was to Edd.

Tom huffs out a breath, trying to hold back the waterworks, but ends up sobbing into his old best friend's shoulder. He doesn't understand how this all happened. How much exactly has he missed..? What did he influence Tord to do over that time period that he was brainwashed? How did so much happen.. in such little time..? Could he have stopped his death..? Was this.. His fault?

"Shhhh, it's okay... Everything's going to be okay.." Edd rubbed soothing circles into Tom's back, feeling his sobs shake his body. Tears slipped from his own eyes, but he knew better than to cry now. There would be later for that. It was clear Tom blamed himself for Matt's death. "This wasn't your fault.. None of it was."

The stricken male gritted his teeth as he rambled, frustration and anger coloring his tone. "Th-That fucking bastard...!" He growls out. "Out of all the fucking people in the universe!! He just had to. He HAD to take Matt away from us as some sort of trophy!! Why did I let him do it?! Why did I let him win the battle?!.. Why did I-.. Graah!..." Tom pushed Edd away, not wanting to hurt him. He knew this place of his all to well, so he walked towards what seemed like some sort of wall, and began punching it. Each time a blow landed, it was followed with a loud groan or a grunt, as well as responses from the surface which he hit, immediately followed by more waterworks.

"Tom, stop. You're going to hurt yourself! It wasn't your fault! He had you brainwashed! If anything, it was my fault. I should have never let him fight..." *Edd looks down briefly, letting depressing currents wash over him before snapping back to the task at hand: Stopping Tom from punching the wall... Or anything else for that matter

Tom groaned, panting, feeling his fists drip with blood, but hardly any drips of exhaustion. He felt his wrists being held, knowing subconsciously it was none other than Edd trying to stop him. "Edd.. let me go. Now. Whether I was brainwashed or not. I had some conscience at least.. and STILL. I didn't do anything! And that's not all... if I tell you what I would want to tell you, you'd call me.. Crazy." Tom pulled away from Edd, getting closer to the wall again and punching it harshly when speaking the last word.

"No, I wouldn't! And even though you had somewhat of a conscience, you thought you were doing it for the person you thought was your "Leader". You couldn't have known it would kill Matt! And what would you have said that I would call you crazy..?" Edd gently takes hold of Tom's arm and pulls him away from the wall again, gripping them tightly. "Tell me."

The taller male growled and "looked" over in his direction, and even if he couldn't see, he was still able to give him a cold stare. "I told you I didn't want to talk about it... Let. Me. Go."

Edd feels a chill slide down his back from Tom's tone, but he stood his ground. He wasn't stubborn for nothing. "No. Tell me."

Tom grumbles and turns away, pinching the bridge of his nose, frustrated and annoyed. He thought for a moment before releasing his hand from his nose, turning his head back to him, and speaking in a slightly softer tone. "Just.. go to bed, please. We could talk in the morning.." He crouched down and searched around with his hands, padding the floor, for two parts of an outfit. Once he found them, he picked them up and walked to the door and out, to the bathroom. Sure, he can't see, but he's got every part of his "secret home" memorized.

Edd sighs before going back to the bed. It was foul that Tom couldn't see, and it hurt to see him so disabled. Matt would have found a way to lighten the mood like he always had, but Matt wasn't here. It was up to him to make Tom smile, even a little. Edd yawned, stretching out on the surprisingly comfortable bed. Well, making Tom smile could wait. Right now, he's dEDD tired.

Tom walked into the bathroom and took off his complicated clothing, putting on the ones that are much more comfortable and simple. He turned around, touching the sides of a basin, turning the faucet on and rinsed his face. After doing that a couple of times, he sighed, gripping the edge of the sink with the sound of the rushing water drown his hearing of anything else. He let a couple of thoughts swing around in his head causing him to groan, holding his face in his hand as he thought. Shaking his head, he walked away from the sink after what seemed like a while, picking up the clothes he took off and putting them in the laundry basket. After making sure that he hadn't made a mess in the bathroom, he leaves the room.

The exhausted male drags himself to the "living room", dropping himself onto the couch. His body felt completely drained as if he'd done a fifty-kilometer run. He turned over onto his back, putting a pillow under his head. Groaning, Tom rubbed his face. He was tired, of course, and expected himself to knock out any minute now.

Sighing once more, Tom closed his eyes, quickly falling asleep. It was useless to sleep, however, because as soon he drifted off, he was plagued by nightmares beyond what he would ever imagine...

At the Red Leader base

Tord walks into the command center, determination gleaming on his face. The team was already assembled, just as he thought. A soldier, one of his elites, stands at attention while the rest of them are seated. Tord nods at him, seeing as the reason the soldier was standing was likely to ask him a question.

"Sir, why did you change the assignment? We were nearly done."

Tord's face alights with barely contained rage, focused directly onto that sole soldier. "Did I ask if you were nearly done? I said you have a new assignment, to find Thomas and the Green Leader."

The soldier sits, but as Tord turns around, he hears him mutter underneath his breath. "I still don't see why..."

In a movement too quick for most people to see, Tord pivots on his heel, drawing his gun and shooting the soldier who dared defy him. Smoke steamed from the barrel, and splatters of the soldier's blood covered one side of Tord's face. Looking at the other faces at the table, Tord drinks in their fearful and shocked expressions. This was power.