It Couldn't Be... Love? | Tom Nook x Redd | Fanfiction |

Chapter 19 - Redd Returns

As Tom cried on the grass, the villagers dispersed silently, murmuring with pity as they went.

"Darn... they were in love this whole time?" Tom barely even heard Lobo's whisper. The word love hurt too much.

"I can't believe it..." Rosie's normal happy tone was striped from her voice.

"That's why he never kicked him out."

"All this time...?"

"Wow."

Isabelle even eventually tugged Timmy and Tommy away until there was only one person left.

Tom heard the soft squelch of grass and the gentle click of an umbrella unfolding. The warm drops of rain pelting his back ceased, and now he could only hear the rumble of thunder. Still, he remained as motionless as a corpse, cheek pressed against the wet earth.

"I'm sorry," Vivi mumbled, eyes downcast on Tom.

"I should be sorry." Tom's voice cracked, he could barely muster the energy to speak.

"Why?"

"I betrayed the island."

"Tom, they're hardly mad at you... more concerned. You did a lot for this place, remember? Did a lot for me and the others." Now Vivi's voice broke.

"Still."

"You shouldn't be sorry. I acted like a crappy person."

"You didn't. You... you helped me." Tom sniffled.

"Cut the bullshit."

"Vivi, the twins are eleven. You really should cut your bullshit and stop saying bad words around them."

"Cut the bullcrap."

"Alright, alright, let's hear it."

"I kind of pressured you, you know? To give him up. We all have our struggles - I've had mine in the matters of love. I shouldn't have been so hard on you."

"Wait... what? You've been in love?"

"You make me sound like some loveless gremlin," Vivi grumbled.

"No..."

"God, Tom, I'm not, like, three! I've had plenty of crushes!"

"I never said-"

"You thought it."

"Okay, got it. You've been in love, so what happened?"

"I... I liked someone who could never like me back. A straight girl."

"That sounds like some bad fanfic... hey, a straight girl?!"

Vivi shuffled uncomfortably on the wet grass.

"...yeah."

"Damn."

"Who's swearing now?" Tom could hear the smile in Vivi's voice.

"I'm swearing... by the fact that I want to go to bed."

"Tom..."

"Vivi."

Tom rolled over to face her. Vivi's face was a mix of concern and sadness. Her eyebrows were curved upwards together. Her grip on the umbrella was white-knuckled.

"You sure you don't want to talk about it more?"

"No."

"Okay. Whatever you want."

Vivi hoisted an arm under Tom's shoulder and helped him up.

-

The next day was spent alone in bed, crying quietly.