Work Text:
Tom crossed his arms and spoke with disdain. “You come up with a lot of stupid ideas Tord, but this is definetely in your top seven worst of all time.”
Tord, barely paying attention to Tom, was currently attempting to climb into ASDF LAND. While the low budget amusement park still didn’t have a security system or guard, they had implemented a gate and a taller fence. He was perched on top, trying to unhook his hoodie from where it had gotten caught in the uneven wooden planks. He responded to Tom while working on freeing himself. “Relax, there’s no security here at night. We’ll be in and out without a trace.” He finally got his hoodie out of the fence, and jumped off into the park, squatting slightly as he landed on his feet.
“Besides, I didn’t make you come with me,” Tord continued as he walked over to unlock the gate and let Tom in. “You said, and I quote! ‘If I stay here and you die doing something stupid, Edd will probably kill me too.’” Tord badly imitated Tom as he spoke, and Tom sighed in exasperation. Truth be told, he had been feeling worse and worse as his night of staying awake for no good reason dragged on, but catching Tord as he left the house had actually made him feel better. Tord even fumbled a little bit when he was caught. Tom doesn’t know why he’d thought everybody was asleep. Tom wasn’t the only one who was often awake at night. Edd would stay up late sometimes to - even Matt would, on rare occasions. Nonetheless, it was satisfying to watch the well-articulated Norwegian stumble over his words, even if only for a few seconds.
In the present, Tord was walking away, not bothering to wait for Tom after unlocking the gate. Tom caught up quickly though, adamant on not being left alone in a theme park at 3 am. “I don’t even see the point. It’s not like we can do anything here when it’s closed.”
Tord took a moment before replying, “Have you ever seen Zombieland?”
Tom’s face paled. “You can’t be serious.” Tord walked faster, grinning when he thought Tom couldn’t see. “Tord, they turned on the theme park after the apocalypse happened and the owners were dead. And they still got caught. Hey, hey, listen - ” Tom grabbed Tord by the shoulder to stop him and get him to listen.
“I know, I know. I don’t plan to do anything like that. I just think it’s funny when you get all worked up.”
That comment, in any other context, would’ve pissed Tom off beyond belief. But here, at 3 in the fucking morning, in this shitty theme park that smells like fried food and pure sugar, the moonlight illuminated Tord’s face as he grinned in his irritatingly endearing way. For just a second, Tom felt like Tord just… well, he couldn’t place it really. But it made his chest feel tight and uncomfortable, and he didn’t like it much, and then he realized he had waited way too long to reply. Tord didn’t notice, or didn’t care. He walked off, Tom’s hand falling from his shoulder and hanging at his side. He snapped out of it once Tord was a few feet away, and he trotted to catch up. They walked in silence, but only for a couple minutes before Tom spoke again.
“You still didn’t tell me why you’re here.”
“Why we’re here, Tom!”
“I’m here because you’re an idiot.” Tom sighed, “seriously, why are we here?”
Tord didn’t respond.
+++
“You have got to be fucking kidding me. ”
Tord climbed into the currently abandoned carnival game while Tom stood outside, ranting about how stupid this is. “You broke into a theme park in the middle of the night because you’re mad you lost at a carnival game?” Tord turned around to say, “Yes, Tom! It’s not that hard to grasp!” before he turned back to grab the bb gun that goes with the game and start investigating it. Tom pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing deeply before climbing into the game himself and walking over to Tord.
“All these games are rigged.” Tom took the gun. “This is the game where you shoot the little stars right?” Tord looked unimpressed, but he still elaborated. “Yeah. You stand over there outside the booth and try to shoot the paper stars out of the circle. The gun is hard to control, but I know how to fucking shoot!” Tord got more worked up as he spoke.
Tom dares to laugh a little. “You never had a chance. People explain these games on the internet. There’s not enough tension in the paper to shoot out the stars or something. Could you seriously not figure that out on your own?” Tom paused. “You’re pretty stupid for a genius.”
“I’m not stupid.” Tord snapped, and he almost looked like he was hurt, or angry. It was weird; Tord didn’t really show a lot of genuine emotion, especially not something as vulnerable as hurt. Tom didn’t know what to say, so he settled on an unceremonious “Uh, yeah.” Tord stared for a few more seconds before changing the subject.
“Whatever, that’s really not why I’m here.” He turns away from the actual game to instead focus himself on the stuffed animals given out as prizes. He picks up the huge stuffed grey cat, holding it by hugging it to his chest. Tom stares at him with a deadpan expression. “Since when do you like stuffed animals?”
“Since forever.” Tord answers, unfazed, “you just don’t know because I never let you in my room. And I earned this one, basically. It’s not like you can judge, you still have that bear.” Tom shrugs. Tord grabs a medium sized stuffed wolf and tosses it to him. “Here, you take a prize to. Not that you helped me at all.” Tom scoffed as they made their way out of the carnival stand and started to leave the park. “I explained the game to you, you prick!” Tom exclaimed.
“I would’ve figured it out on my own anyway.”
“You definitely wouldn’t have.”
“Lets agree to disagree.”
“No! We’re going to agree that I’m right!”
They argued the entire way home.