Finding

(36) Friends and Home

"He's so handsome."

Those were Tord's first thoughts as he was finally able to see again the eyeless brunet.

Tucked against the corner of the room that was filled with hormonal teenagers, a sixteen-year-old Thomas Bloodfield was wearing a simple black shirt with a ghost print on its center and black jeans that was accompanied by black sneakers. Tom was wearing an all-black outfit and somehow it suited him as much he should naturally be wearing something blue.

Tord sighed as he continued watching Tom for a couple more minutes when both of their 'eyes' met. Tom's voids met his gem green orbs and Tord was expecting the Brit to ignore him. But to his surprise, the brunet left his leaning position on the wall and walked towards him.

Tom walked towards him and a grin suddenly broke free on those handsome features that it had wondering him, "What the fuck was going on?"

Blinking his eyes to gather his thoughts, he tilted his head in curiosity and was about to ask the other why he was grinning when he was engulfed in a warm embrace. Tom was hugging him and Tord found himself unconsciously melting at the warmth and familiarity of it that the green-eyed teen had to remind himself that this wasn't his Thomas.

"You actually dyed your hair black," Tom remarked as he eased his hold on him and left his arm slung on the Norwegian's shoulder.

"I just felt like it," Tord replied as he stared at the other teen and noticed how the Brit's ears had a couple of silver piercings.

"You do realize that the way you look just screams Emo or Edgelord," he admonished which had the currently raven-haired teen elbowing his friend on the stomach and retort jokingly, "Me? An Emo or Edgelord? Seriously, out of the two of us, you're that guy. I'm just a guy who decided to dye his silver hair to black and wear a long black trench coat over my usual red shirt."

Tom snorted at those words and a smile crept on the raven's lips as he allowed himself to lean on the eyeless teen's body. Tord basked in the Brit's welcome presence and savored the way how Tom smelled the same. He savored how the other teen smelled like his Thomas: pineapples, metal and vodka.

Wait, Vodka?

Turning his eyes towards the silent teen, gem like green eyes were surprised to find voids staring at him and made him forget about what he was about to ask. Tom was staring at him longer than was necessary and it had Tord wondering if he did something wrong when the brunet cleared his throat and said, "I'm glad that you're back with us, Tord."

Internally sighing in relief at the other's words that signified he didn't do anything wrong, Tord smiled brightly at Tom and answered, "Well, likewise. I'm glad that to here with you guys."

A sudden loud clearing of a throat now had both teens brought out of their personal bubble and Tom only tightened his hold on Tord. "Hi, Edd," the brunet greeted his cousin which had the Norski noticing that there was a certain edge with Tom's voice.

Gem like green orbs then turned to the person in question and could see how Edd was with his signature cola can and green hoodie while Matt had rectangular glasses and wore a lilac colored long-sleeved dress shirt that had its sleeves rolled up to his elbows. Tord smiled at the two and wasn't surprised when the brown eyed brunet pulled him out of Tom's hold to embrace him.

"You're back, Tord!" Edd boomed.

"Yeah, I am," the raven replied as he reached out a hand towards Matt and with his free arm and gestured to the ginger for a hug. Soon enough, Matt replaced the cola addict and he actually could feel tears run down the taller man's face.

"Please tell us that you won't go away again," Matt cried as he held Tord closer.

Tord felt guilty to make his friends end up like this. But he knew it was a necessary course of action. So, he swallowed down his guilt, "I'm sorry if I ended up leaving you guys. I mean, I didn't want to. But it was necessary that I head to America to study while my father was busy there doing some things."

"Oh...Okay," Matt breathed out as he finally let go of the raven and wiped his tears.

"You dyed your hair black," Edd commented to change the subject and no sooner the ginger added, "You look like an Edgelord or an Emo kid."

Laughing at the duo's words, Tord looked at Tom and noticed how the Brit seemed to be a little guarded.

It was odd.

"Why would Tom be guarded when it's just Edd and Matt with us? I mean, everybody else is basically ignoring us. So, why?" the raven internally questioned as a fake smile was on the other's lips and Tord wanted nothing more but to reach out to Tom and make that smile real. So, he walked over to the eyeless teen and wrapped his arm around the teen's left arm. Tord's hand intertwined with Tom's and he gave a slight squeeze.

The eyeless brunet's form relaxed at such action and Tom's smile was more genuine now as compared to before. Looking back to Edd and Matt, Tord shared what Tom told him earlier and ignored how the three was blatantly staring at him.

Tom's staring had some undecipherable warmth held within it while Matt and Edd was more of curiosity and something else which Tord couldn't possibly name. With those stares, the raven could feel some kind of tension was becoming thick in the air. And yet, he ignored it.

He ignored the tension that was in the air and only focused on the fact that he was with his friends again.

He focused on the fact that he was now home.