Us Against the World

Memories

Toby opens the door to the main open room and sees no signs of life around. Did they all go out as well? He turns his back to the door as he closes it and steps to Tommy's personal closet. The light above is busted so he takes out a torch to shine light wherever he looks. A pile of untucked clothing is laying on a stack of boxes. One item catches his eye as it's a black briefcase tucked between the box stack and the back wall of the closet.

One of his hands grips the handle of the case as the other steadies the stack and pulls the case from the crevice.

The case drags from the gap and is lifted from the closet to Tommy's bed. Toby's fingers graze the clips as he debates whether or not he should open it. He decides against his moral compass and clicks the clips which hold it closed. The lid lifts and he's shown a sight he hadn't known to prepare for.

A stack of small to big paper, a green bandana, dried flowers, a L'manburg flag and another stack but of polaroids. Almost everything in the case was a gift from Toby to Tommy.

Toby's fingertips graze each item stopping at the stack of papers he saw first. He picks up the stack and shuffles through. Each is a drawing, a note or a book page that holds a memory of a time from their friendship. He sets the stack down and picks up the polaroids, doing the same and stopping at one he hadn't seen before.

Toby and Tommy- It's a picture taken from behind capturing him and Tommy sat side by side at their bench. The sun was setting and you could see the jukebox to the side of them.

Toby's heart hitches as he looks over the picture and proceeds to tuck it into a pocket. He closes the briefcase and replaces it in the closet before laying across Tommy's bed awaiting his return.

---

The stone room echoes Tommy's steps back to him as he navigates through the dark to the crates. He stands still in a corner as he waits for his eyes to adjust to the darkness. Feeling around, he makes out a stack of crates next to stray dynamite strewn about. Tommy's teeth clench and he pulls his bag over his head then drops it to the floor beside the sticks. He scoops as many as he can up with both hands and carefully places them in the bag.

Silence settles over the cave aside from any subtle movements made by Tommy. He stands after weighing the bag with as much dynamite as it and he could carry. Closing his eyes, he finds his way back to the mouth of the mined out area and squints into the bright atmosphere.

A breeze drifts through the trees slightly tugging at Tommy's hair. He sucks in a breath before heading in the direction the breeze is blowing for.

Tommy switches the bag between shoulders as its weight gradually leaves soreness. Relief washes over as he finally reaches his desired location and drops the bag to the floor again. He's stood in a quiet area next to a pond, the trees shorter than the ones in the rest of the forest. His grip refastens on the bag as he moves it to a hollowed tree. It's fronted by a couple large boulders and rocks. They shield an opening into the trunk and Tommy slips the bag in through said gap.

---

Hours had passed since Toby last saw Tommy. Worry just barely bubbles in Toby's body as he stays laid on Tommy's bed. Worries cloud his thoughts and he tries to convince himself against the concern.

The room door's knob turns and shoos his thoughts as fast as they came. In walks Tommy and Toby sits up examining the younger boy. Tommy mutters a 'hello' and Toby quietly responds the same.

"How are you feeling?" Toby cautiously asks, hoping Tommy won't be angry.

"I'm doing fine, thanks. How're you?" Tommy's tone shows no venom, no sarcasm and no hesitation to calm. Toby is taken aback by his friend's mood and response, but continues.

"I'm... alr- are you sure? I mean I- erm. Sorry."

Tommy slowly turns from his closet to face Toby. He looks over him with half-lidded eyes and blinks slowly a few times. He silently turns back to his closet and opens it, digging through.

"Tommy."

Toby's voice is met with silence. He begins to grow annoyed, but reassures himself that Tommy has good reason to act such a way. He watches in subtle fear as Tommy pulls a familiar briefcase from the closet. Toby does his best to mask his concern as Tommy drops the case next to Toby and opens it, still silent. He walks to another side of his room and pulls an item from the drawer of his desk.

Toby's eyes follow Tommy's hands to watch as he places an arrow in the case then turning to Toby once more.

"I said I'm fine, Toby. I still don't know what I'll do, but I'm still your best friend."

"Is it still..?"

"Yeah- yeah it's us against the world, Toby. Also, did you open the case?"

Toby freezes at the question and sputters out a response.

"It's fine if you did," Tommy laughed. "It's just a bit embarrassing."

"I think it's cool," Toby responded without thought. 

The two go back to talking as they had before... the incident... and it all seems perfect. However, 'seems' has almost too much emphasis on it.