Chapter Text
“YOU’RE ONLY MAD CUZ YOU MISS THIS SWEET BOD!”
“JESUS, FOR ONCE IN YOUR LIFE REDD, CAN YOU BE SERIOUS!”
Isabelle and the Island Representative, Efi, stared at the screaming match in complete awe. Efi never thought Tom Nook could scream. She never thought he could get angry, period.
“I AM SERIOUS. I HAVE A TOTALLY LEGITIMATE REASON TO BE HERE!”
“HaHA. Like your totally legitimate paintings?”
“Hey! Do NOT disrespect the drip man. This watch? Gucci.”
Tom goes silent and slowly shakes his head as he faces the other direction. Then, he quickly turns around.
“YOU ARE NOT MY PROBLEM ANYMORE.”
Efi almost saw a blood vessel pop in Tom’s head as he threw a stapler at the red haired man. Ignoring his screams of pain, she decided to go to Isabelle for answers.
“What’s going ON between them?”
“I don’t know but I know I should be scared.”
Tom couldn’t take this anymore. Just a few hours ago he was having a totally normal evening in resident services. His life was perfect.
4 HOURS AGO
“It really is quite windy out there huh, Isabelle?” Tom was looking out the window while Isabelle remained at her desk. Upon realizing that Tom was talking to her, she awoke from her light slumber and replied-
“Don’t worry Nook. I made sure to notify the residents of the dangerous weather for today. However, I’m not sure if Timmy and Tommy heard. Maybe we should make sure they stay safe?”. Tom laughed.
“Please, Isabelle, they’re my boys. I’ve taught them well. They can handle themselves responsibly.”
“Then why are they heading towards the building right now sir?” Tom whipped his head around and yanked the door open.
“TIMMY, TOMMY, GET THE FUCK OVER HERE.” All of Tom was tense until he realized that Efi was trailing behind them, leg lagging even further behind. He held the door open for the trio as they made their way over to the desk. Efi leaned.
“Don’t worry Nook, they weren’t being irresponsible. They came out to help me.”
“What were you doing out there. Didn’t you hear the warning?” Isabelle asked.
“I did but I thought I saw a wreckage so I went to check it out.” Efi looked out of breath so Timmy and Tommy piped in.
“There was a boat! (...boat.) Everything was smashed to smithereens! (...eens)” Efi explained that she thought she saw someone washed up beneath the rubble and tried to help. However, she was lacking fruit for the day and only managed to injure her left leg.
Tom didn't need to hear anymore. Quickly, he told Timmy and Tommy to go wait back at the shop. They of course insisted to come along but their uncle wasn’t willing to take the risk. With his nephews safe, Tom sprinted to the beach. On one hand, he truly did believe he was a generous man and could act kindly without something in return. But on the other, he knew that if word got out that someone died on his island, business would be ruined.
Isabelle warned Efi to stay home but she insisted she was fine and grabbed some fruit on her way.
“Look! There it is!” Isabelle pointed.
Two legs were sticking out from a large pile of iron and wood. It was a rather small boat, but still big enough to crush someone. Even though it was clear the amount of rubble on top of their head wouldn’t be enough to kill them, Tom knew whoever was under there was definitely unconscious.
“Isabelle, can you help me?” With a determined nod, Isabelle came to her boss’ side. Efi would’ve done the same but she was too busy scarfing down apples to notice (she thought she’d be useless without them).
On the count of three, the pair managed to get the large piece of scrap metal off the washed up victim.
Tom laid eyes on his face and went deadpan.
“Let him die.”
Isabelle was in shock as she saw her boss turn around and begin walking away. Efi dropped her apples in confusion.
“MR. NOOK!”
Isabelle cleared her desk to make space for Redd as Tom carried him in. They tried basically everything to wake him up. Hitting, squeezing, punching, most of which was done rather aggressively by Tom. After they tried chest CPR, Efi had an idea.
“What if we tried mouth to mouth?” Tom had the thought “what do you think this is? A bad rom com?” but he’d never say that outloud to Efi.
Isabelle remarked “Actually, mouth to mouth doesn’t really work. It’s a very outdated technique and -” Efi lightly jabbed her in the side.
“What else do we have? I VOTE NOOK DOES IT! Nose goes.” Tom cursed Isabelle’s strong reflexes as he felt his finger hit his nose a second too late. He’d been tricked by the nose goes once again.
Well. No arguing with that.
Tom leaned his face over the red haired man and hovered there. He thought about how he could be doing anything other than this for his evening. He thought about how he could just let this devil die and have him out of his life forever. Out of his family’s life forever.
Timmy and Tommy.
They wouldn’t want that.
He felt the urge to lower his face bubble within him until he heard the words accompanied with a sly grin.
“Hey baby.”
Tom paused with a blank expression and then dragged his hands along his face-
“uuuuuuuuuUUUUUGGGGGGGGGH-
PRESENT DAY
“UUUUUUUUUUUUGGGGGH just get to the point please!” Nook was done. He wanted this rascal out of his life as quickly as possible.
“Alright well I wa-” Nook placed his hand over the other’s mouth.
“Wait . . . You two need to leave.” Tom pointed in Efi and Isabelle’s direction. They both raised their eyebrows and pointed to their own chests in confusion.
“Yes, you. Please go check on Timmy and Tommy.”
With them gone, Tom finally relaxed and removed his hand from Redd’s mouth.
“Well, well, well, Mr. Nook. Didn’t know you still had it in you. Just like old times. Of course, if we wanna make it EXACTLY like old times then we should-
“Explain . . . what . . .you’re doing here”
“Hey c’mon. I haven’t seen you in how long? Don’t you wanna catch up? Hey! I never got to thank you for that almost mouth to mouth earlier. So many dreams almost fufil-”
“WHY. You have 2 seconds.” Redd’s eyebrows raised as he realized that he wasn’t gonna be able to sweet talk his way through this one. Especially not with him. Not now.
He took in a deep breath.
“WellyouseeIhadbeendoingjustfineonmyownjustfineItellyabutthenthefedsfoundmeasecondtijmenotthefirsttimetheyfoundmewhenIwaswithyouwellanywaystheyfoundmeytheartandeverythingsoIwenttocourtand-”
“JESUS CHRIST MAN. IT WAS HYPERBOLE.” Tom breathed in and out. “Clearly and concisely.”
A worried expression crossed Redd’s face before he took a deep breath as well.
“I’m back on probation.” Redd explained.
“And I kind of told them I was living here with my fiancé and his two nephews.”