Chapter Text
“Tom, I swear, if you won't keep that harpoon somewhere safe, I will personally throw that thing away.” Edd sighed.
“Excuse you!” Tom faked a gasp, covering his opened mouth, “This harpoon, as I said, is part of the family! How could you say such a thing!” Tom lazily placed a hand on his forehead as he dryly said.
Edd grumbled to himself and walked away, heading to the kitchen. “Just keep it away from Matt.”
“Keep what away from me?” Matt asked from the door. He closed it with his feet while he held the little fish bowl in his hands. He glanced between his two friends who paused with an innocent smile, waiting for an answer.
“It's nothing, Matt.” Edd replied as he continued to head towards the kitchen to get a can of coke.
“Oh, okay.” Matt nodded, carefully placing the empty fishbowl on the desk, next to the vase. “So, uh, what are we gonna do to that big fish we caught?” He asked. His eyes trailed to the window and saw the massive mammal's tail twitch.
“Leave it there, I'll take it to the market to sell it. Maybe to a sushi restaurant.” Tom said from the hallway. He walked to his room carrying a bundle of harpoon arrows.
“We’re not gonna keep it as a pet?” Matt asked, heading towards the living room to sit down on the couch, only to remember someone sold everything to some pirates. “We should really get some chairs.”
“I second that.” Edd said, strolling into the room, sipping on coke. “And no, we're not gonna keep that thing in here.”
“Yeah, yeah. I'll get some chairs when I sell the whale.” Tom’s reply was muffled from the distance. Throwing the harpoon arrows inside his room, he then kicked the door shut and walked towards his roommates while he reached for his flask from his hoodie’s pocket.
“Seriously, we need to get some today.” Edd said. “We don't want to freak out—“
The knock that came on the door was sudden, and everyone jumped. Tom raised an eyebrow to Edd and Matt, taking a swig from his flask. Matt followed Edd as he walked towards the door to open it.
“Are we expecting someone?” Tom mumbled lazily as he watched Edd go, “Oh, if it's some weird guy with an eye patch and a stupid looking hat, shut the door A.S.A.P.”
Edd halted his action, hand on the knob, giving Tom a questioning look. Tom only shrugged, taking another swig from his flask.
“I'm not even gonna ask.” Edd deadpanned, making Tom gave a small ‘heh’ after swallowing. When Edd swung the door open, Tom’s eyes widened at the familiar red hoodie. His flask almost fell from his hand from shock.
“Hello, old friends.” A man with the accent said.
Matt made a happy noise when he saw the guy, but then made a confused face, “Wait, who are you?”
“Tord! It's been so long!” Edd grinned as he greeted the visitor, hugging him with a laugh.
“Oh, Todd!” Matt said again, running to give the Norwegian a hug as well.
“It's actually Tord, but hey there, Matt.” Tord smiled, patting both of his friends’ backs. His eyes moved towards Tom, and his smile grew.
Tom glared, his fist curled up tightly inside his pocket. He watched Matt and Edd let go and the red fucker made his way towards him, his arms spread wide for a hug.
“Tom, buddy! It's been so long, fr—“
Tom heard a satisfying wham when his fist collided with the bastard’s cheek.
Tord heard Edd faintly calling out for him, and felt a little breeze on his face. He groaned and he tried sit up, touching his slightly bruised cheek. It wasn't such as painful as when Tom would usually do before, so it didn't do much damage. He grinned at the thought of him, Thomas, holding back. He winced at the pain.
His eyes cleared after a few seconds, and the first thing he saw was Edd frantically waving his hand in front of him, and Matt’s panicked fanning with a paper plate.
“Oh good. You're alive.” Matt sighed in relief and stopped his fanning.
“Well, I've had worse.” Tord nodded. “Help me stand?”
Edd was quick to pull him up, and he chuckled lightly, dusting dirt off his pants and again touched his cheek. “A common ‘welcome back’ greeting from Tom, am I right?” He grinned again, ignoring the slight pain.
“We got worried about you, y’know," Matt mumbled. "'Thought you had an instant death or something."
“I wasn't.”
Tord, Edd, and Matt’s eyes moved to Tom. His brows still furrowed angrily as he watched them. “Why are you here?”
Tord was about to answer when Edd beat him to it, “Actually, Tom, I told you guys Tord would be coming a week ago. At breakfast?”
“You were mumbling at that time. How the hell are we supposed to understand that?”
“Um,” Edd coughed awkwardly. “I was pretty sure that I told you…” he said, although it sounded more like a question.
Tom’s angry gaze moved towards Tord, “So, when are you leaving?”
Tord raised a brow, “Leaving? I’m moving back in!” He raised his hands, gesturing at the whole room. He gave a short laugh as his eyes scanned everything in his vision. He paused and silently raised a brow as he once again scanned the room.
Tom’s eyes widened again for a second, before curling up his fists in an attempt to hit him again, but Edd held his arm to stop him.
“The fuck?! Who said you could just move back in?! You were gone for what, seven years?!” Tom pulled his arm from Edd and took a step towards Tord.
“Actually, Tom, I kinda did. Matt did too.” Edd answered sheepishly, scratching his cheek.
“What?! When?!”
“Last week, at break—“
“Oh for fuck’s sake.” Tom ran a hand on his face and to his hair, walking towards the kitchen in attempt to cool down. Tord chose to not say anything as he watched Tom leave the room, for now at least.
Facing Edd and Matt, he walked towards the two, “What happened with all the chairs?”
Edd rolled his eyes playfully, “Tom sold them to a pirate.”
They all chose to ignore the shouts and roars of laughter as a group of pirates rolled down the street with a familiar red sofa.
“Ha! Classic, stupid Tom.” Tord chuckled. The three heard a growl from the kitchen. He gave the two a reassuring smile, “Not to worry! I have just the thing!”
He reached into his hoodie’s pocket and pulled out a small cube with an antenna.
“What's that?” he heard Matt ask. “Oh, just a little something I invented.”
Tossing it into the spacious living room, the three watched as the cube transform into a comfortable looking furniture.
Edd and Matt gave an excited squeal, “Sofa!"
The two wasted no time jumping into said furniture, sighing in relaxation.
“Well then, I should put my bags into my old room now.” Tord said. When he began to walk towards the door to get his bags, Tom walked back in.
“Woah, hold on. You're not moving in to my room.” Tom said, folding his arms.
“But don't you have you own room?” Tord asked.
“These two somehow turned it into a swimming pool.” Tom said, giving Matt and Edd a look. Said people grinned shamelessly from the sofa.
“A swimming pool! Ha! We should go swimming there sometime!” Tord grinned again, wincing at the pain. Of course, he forgot he was punched.
“I'd advise you not to, Todd.” Matt said, rubbing his chin as though he was posing for a photo.
“It's Tord.”
Tom huffed and glared back at Tord. “Back on the topic, you're not moving into my room.”
Tord’s brows furrowed slightly, he was beginning to get irritated. “Your room?"
“Yes, mine. And no, I’m not sharing. I only have one bed, anyway.”
“I have some things, stupid. Where am I gonna put them?”
“Don't know, don't care.”
"Hey, guys...?" Edd slowly called out, but no one heard him.
“Where am I supposed to sleep?!”
“You've got one of your fancy inventions, get a couch or something!”
“It was my room in the first place!”
“It became mine when my old one was turned into a pool, and when we were all convinced you weren't coming back, when we we're all convinced you were dead.”
The silence that followed after was long, thick, and awkward. Edd and Matt sat frozen on the sofa, observing. Tord’s eyes were wide, and his shoulders tensed. He stared at Tom’s eyes as he gave a death glare to him.
If looks could kill.
Tom huffed and headed to the door, shoving Tord with his shoulder on purpose. “I’ll be out late.”
Tord watched Tom slam the door, and it wasn't soon when he heard the car starting. From the window, he saw the gigantic whale (where'd that came from?) being dragged away.
“So….heh, does that mean Thomas cared? Aw, ain't that sweet.” Tord said, hoping to clear the awkwardness.
Edd stood up and walked towards him, “I’m sorry about Tom, it's probably just, uh, he's in shock.”
Tord shrugged casually, “Eh, you know how he is. Stubborn.”
Edd couldn't help but chuckle at that. “Tord, unless you're fine with sleeping on the couchー it's really nice, by the way, thanks for thatー you and Tom would be sharing that room.”
Matt suddenly appeared beside Edd, a smile on his face. “Yes! Although it does seem a bit, well, troublesome, I'm sure Tom would be fine with it, eventually. It just takes time to, y’know, readjust.”
“Yeah. I mean, you were gone for a long time, Tord.” Edd said.
Tord could only smile sheepishly, not exactly knowing how to respond to that.
Matt and Edd share a look, “Hey, how about we help you with your stuff? We could go for ice cream afterwards!” Matt suggested.
“And maybe go grocery shopping? We're running low on milk.” Edd added.
Tord chuckled, giving them a bright smile. “Thanks, guys.”
Time, huh? Hopefully he has has time for that.