Chapter Text
Tommy was fucking late.
It was the morning of his first day at his brand new job, and a higher deity had cursed him.
The train was overcrowded, forcing Tommy to take the next one which meant he didn’t have time to buy a very much-needed cup of coffee on the way. It also meant that he didn’t have any time to spare if he got lost on the way - which Tommy very much was, and was now the reason he was sprinting down the road. After what seemed like hours of endless struggles, he finally caught a glimpse of a familiar path.
His blond hair ruffled against the wind, as Tommy struggled not to choke on the piece of toast hanging from his mouth as a last-minute breakfast. On a typical morning, Tommy would prefer to sleep in for as long as possible. Today, however, was no typical morning for Tommy.
Today was the morning when things would get better!
Even if… he wasn’t off to such a great start. A poor night’s rest before his new job had him stumbling out of bed late.
When Tommy was younger, he always fell asleep easily. As the years went by and the constant worrying over trivial matters took its toll, his ability to sleep peacefully was ripped out from under him like a blanket.
Last night, Tommy was determined to get a good night of rest so he could be fully prepared for the day, but his attempts fell short. By the time Tommy’s eyes drifted shut and his chest began to slow, the birds outside of his window had already begun to sing. With little to no sleep, he had stumbled out of his bed and thrown the curtains dramatically to the side. With his hands on his hips, Tommy basked in the morning sunlight that stung at his crusty eyes, mustering as much gusto as he can.
Even though his sleepless night had left him exhausted, Tommy deemed it okay. After all, last night was the first time he had laid awake at night due to excitement! On shaky legs and with weary eyes, Tommy looked out his window and declared that today was going to be the start of a new life for himself.
Today was Tommy’s first day working at Mince Raft Zoo.
Today was going to go well. He didn’t have the option for it not to.
Overjoyed and filled to the brim with first day jitters, Tommy had spent the better half of the morning inspecting himself in the mirror and picking out his outfit for the day. He had eventually settled on a pair of denim shorts covered in a mixed print of patches (these shorts have lasted him since middle school, and he was never willing to give up on them) and a short-sleeved baseball shirt. He knew the day would be filled with unbearable heat, but it didn’t stop him from covering himself in an oversized blue cardigan and a crochet hat. It was his good luck cardigan - he couldn’t just leave it.
Tommy had lifted his arm out to check all of his bracelets were in their proper positions when his eyes finally registered the time on his watch.
Tommy was fucking late.
But at least he was late - in style.
Even if he missed having a proper breakfast - he was stuck with a piece of peanut butter toast, unlike the full meals he usually prepared - he at least was fashionable. If he were to survive his first day, he would have to make a good impression. And what other way is there to make a good impression other than dressing to impress?
A loud caw tore him out of his brief daydream, as his eyes darted to the side and landed on a seagull that swooped past him. Its huge wingspan shocked Tommy briefly as he stumbled on the concrete path, his piece of toast dangling dangerously at the tip of his mouth.
As far as birds go, Tommy hated seagulls.
Those pesky fuckers, he has had a grudge against those birds ever since one pooped on him on what was meant to be a fun adventure at the beach.
Fuck seagulls.
If Tommy ever got the chance to shapeshift, he would be a way better seagull and steal all the seagull women. The other birds would be done for.
On the other hand, unlike seagulls, Tommy was quite a big fan of crows. Something about their silky black wings and beady eyes was simultaneously endearing and quite intimidating. It reminded Tommy of mere days ago when he first tried out for the job vacancy at the zoo as a tour guide. It was also the first time he met Phil, the owner, who he has now grown to be quite fond of.
Although Tommy does have to admit, Phil’s recruitment process was interesting, to say the least.
Tommy’s palms were sweaty (knees weak, mum’s spaghetti), as the owner (Phil, Tommy thinks his name was), scanned his resumé with a blank expression.
“Aren’t you,” Phil questioned, “a little young to be working?”
Tommy coughed to clear his throat,
“Well.”
His voice cracked, and he grimaced, swallowing down his embarrassment.
“I'm very mature, I promise. And I’m tall! I’m so tall, taller than you, old man. I learn quickly on the job, and I am real fast on my feet. My age won’t be an issue, I swear,” Tommy rambled.
“Sir.” He rapidly tacked on to the end of his sentence, momentarily remembering that he was meant to make a good impression at a job interview. Phil let out a hum in response, his hand raised in a fist to hide the smile behind it.
Tommy wasn’t above getting down on his knees and begging, and he was seriously debating it at this point as the silence dragged on uncomfortably.
He really needed that job. Ever since he was unceremoniously fired from his last job at Coldstone (imagine getting fired at Coldstone, of all places. He was never going to live that down.) and wracked up a debt that he personally thought was unnecessary and uncalled for, Tommy desperately needed a source of income. Just because he might’ve left the freezer door open and melted all the ice cream overnight - it doesn’t mean anything! He could still be -- is -- a good worker! Phil had seen that much in his absurd trial later on, which Tommy had absolutely slayed.
Tommy had honest to Prime thought Phil was going to sacrifice him at first to the demons when the older blond had pushed him into the aviary exhibition. There, he was met with a flock of crows that awaited in an ominous crowd. His mind raced, as he tried to recall whether he had insulted the man in one way or another.
Maybe the old jokes went too far? Phil had laughed at them though, and he didn’t look offended. He usually had a momentary expression of shock across his face, before the man quickly descended into lighthearted giggles.
In fact, Tommy was almost convinced Phil likes him, with the way Phil had his hands on Tommy’s shoulders when they walked around the zoo.
“Are you planning to do a human sacrifice ritual or something, Phil? I thought the job was for a tour guide,” Tommy asked with a nervous chuckle.
Keeping his tone deceptively light, Tommy cautiously watched Phil’s face morph from confusion into thinly veiled amusement.
“What are you talking about, mate?”
Well, if Tommy thought about it closely, it makes sense why Phil didn’t tell him. It’s not like Tommy would have willingly signed up for the job if he knew he was about to be sacrificed to the birds. A warning would have been nice, though!
Before Tommy could spiral further and voice his thoughts, Phil’s hand landed back on his shoulders, the warmth momentarily calming him down.
“This is the last part of the recruitment process. It may look a little… unorthodox , but trust me. Every employee I have hired has gone through the same process. Alright?”
Phil continued, his steady tone equipped with a gentle smile.
And with that, Phil lightly pushed Tommy forward and shut the door briskly, before the realization of betrayal could even begin to set in.
It was only him and the crows now.
Okay , Tommy thought to himself, this is fine .
It wasn’t really fine. Tommy has seen the hit ancient film ‘The Birds’ and knows how this story ends. He may die today, but on the bright side, he wouldn’t have to pay his debt to Coldstone anymore!
He cleared his throat and reached out a tentative hand to the flock of crows who had been silently watching him.
“How… how do?”
The crows blinked back.
“Alright,” he said nervously. This is fine.
A one-sided conversation, Tommy could do that. He was great at talking and rambling - exceptional even - if he says so himself. Simply the best.
He puffed out his chest in false bravado and walked towards the birds, sitting down before them so that they were just slightly out of hand-reach.
“If I’m honest fellas, I didn’t expect to be sacrificed to the bird god today, but I should have known better to trust old men who smile too much and kins a Bleach character...”
He shot a subtle glare in the direction of the entrance when he heard choked laughter from the other side of the door.
The crows cocked their heads.
“Anyways, I would have prepared a powerpoint if I knew I would have an audience. But alas, we are a bit technologically limited at the moment.”
A crow stepped forward and brushed gently against his knee. He stayed still, not wanting to scare off the curious bird. He knew from sharing his meals with the birds that circled his favorite bench that they weren’t fond of loud, sudden noises. He kept his voice in a calm way he saved solely for precious animals like these crows. He doesn’t gasp or make a sound, but his energized excitement at the bird’s close proximity caused his face to break out into a toothy grin.
“But this is my speech on why you should hire me. And if you do, I will sneak you guys extra snacks. Reason number one, I seem to be abnormally attractive to bugs like wasps…”
Needless to say, after five minutes of Tommy’s passionate speech to the silent crows (who ended up circling around him mysteriously. No, it didn’t freak out Tommy at all.), Phil guided the younger out of the area with a soft hair ruffle.
“You’re hired,” he declared.
Tommy glanced at him in shock.
“I didn’t think my speech was that good.”
And that was when Phil lost it. The older man keeled over, clutching Tommy, as he cackled loudly and brightly. The crows rustled in the room behind them, as Phil started tearing up and choking on the continuous onslaught of laughter.
Tommy briefly wondered if he was having a stroke.
Eventually, the giggles did taper off. Phil leaned back up, slightly out of breath, with red-rimmed eyes and a bright grin.
“No, mate. It’s just that my birds are very picky about the workers here. It’s a good indicator of character if you can stay in a room with them without getting attacked in the first five minutes.”
Tommy had always wanted to work at a zoo since he was a kid, no matter how unrealistic it was. There was something about the joy of seeing the animals up close, or just the warm atmosphere of walking hand in hand with his mum and dad that he had yearned for.
Now, though, Tommy was starting to have second thoughts.
“Oh really?” he hesitantly asked.
“Have they attacked anyone before?”
Phil glanced at him out of the corner of his eyes.
“Oh plenty, have you ever seen the Alfred Hitchcock film, The Birds?”
Hitchcock should have made the film on seagulls instead, they were infinitely worse than crows.
However, Tommy was so caught up in glaring angrily at the seagull who was flying further away by the second, that he failed to notice the pole in front of him.
Bang .
He cursed vigorously as he rubbed his forehead, now decorated with a bright red imprint after walking straight into the obstacle. His half-eaten toast was now laying sadly on the concrete below him.
At this point, all the unlucky events since the start of Tommy’s day came crashing down. He was late, his hair was a mess, he hadn’t even had a drop of coffee, he dropped his breakfast, and he walked into a fucking pole.
A wave of dread washed over him, the prickles of maybe today was going to be a bad day tickling at the back of his mind.
However, Tommy was nothing but stubbornly persistent at persevering.
It’ll be fine. He’ll be fine.
Today, things were going to get better. He was sure of it.
His high hopes for the day were rejuvenated by the strong gates ahead of him. A big sign was hung above the main entrance; it read: MEERKAT EXHIBIT - NOW OPEN! Tommy paused in front of the gate and basked in the signage, ignoring the crowded parking lot full of families, and allowed himself to be filled with unbridled excitement.
He couldn’t help himself from grinning so widely when the realization of this is real! sunk in.
His moment was ruined abruptly when his phone began to ring. He startled at the sound - not quite used to hearing it ring outside from the usual spam call. He was used to declining immediately, but he stopped in surprise when he recognized a contact.
OLD BIRD MAN (SO FUCKING OLD) CALLING…
His worries had been for nothing. Of course, everything was going to be fine. Even though the owner of the zoo was a little eccentric with his strange hiring methods and choice of clothing, he had liked Tommy. He liked Tommy enough to hire him, even, and nobody ever likes Tommy anymore. It was a sign that things were looking up for him, everyone at the zoo was going to love him!
With a deep breath as his phone continued ringing, he brought the device up to his ear.
“Hello?” Tommy greeted, accepting the call. He didn’t budge from his superhero stance in the middle of the walkway; his hands were clenched into tight fists glued to his hips. He could stand here forever if no one would interrupt his moment. Overjoyed with the simplicity of the mere sound of his phone ringing, he was unstoppable.
“You were supposed to be here half an hour ago!” Phil’s scratchy voice sent him reeling into a tumble. The phone almost flew out of his hands from the shock alone, but he recovered quickly. He grabbed the phone just before it could hit the tile. He sighed in relief at the last-minute save and raised it to his ear - only for the screeching to continue. “On your first day?”
Oh, right.
He almost forgot about that part.
“Well, you see--”
Rarely did Tommy’s mind fail to bring up any creative reply. His jaw tightened as he ransacked his mind for any reasonable excuse as to why he was thirty minutes late to the first day of his dream job.
Then, he hung up the phone.
Tommy’s shoulders sagged in relief as his mind seemingly refused to catch up to what the hell he just did. He lowered the cell in his hands and sucked in a greedy breath of air. Everything’s fine again; he got rid of the problem--
Two things happened at once.
Before he could even process what was happening, his phone rang again - almost seemingly louder to taunt him. On pure reflex, he threw the phone up into the air.
This time, he doesn’t stop it from hitting the ground. The ringing stopped instantly, and Tommy didn’t even want to look at the phone sitting face down on the bricks.
He braced himself for the unbearable sight of a cracked phone, one he couldn’t possibly afford to fix. He was already way behind on his rent for the month and the million other fees that have begun to pile up. He prayed to whatever gods that might’ve been listening before twisting the phone supine.
He ripped off the bandaid and finally managed to crack a brief glimpse at the travesty. The shattered screen, however, still sent a shock of sorrow down his spine.
He frowned and dropped his shoulders in defeat. He mourned his shitty phone for a brief moment before he decided he didn’t have time to waste. Today was a new day, a chance for change, and he refused to waste time over trivial matters when he had already pissed off Phil. Oh, and he was also late.
He pocketed his broken phone into his bag. If the screen wasn’t black and shattered, the phone would most definitely be ringing off the hook from Phil frantically trying to get ahold of him after being late.
He quickened his pace towards the entrance of the zoo. One foot treads over the other, and he charged forward to find where Phil might be. He didn’t want to get killed - or worse, fired, on his first day.
He paused at a coffee shop, right upon the zoo’s opening. His leg was hoisted in the air mid-sprint, almost toppling over from the abrupt stop to his momentum.
Without much thought, Tommy creaked open the door slightly to glance inwards. A rush of cool air-conditioned air welcomed him, calming his reddening cheeks from the trek to the zoo. Reveling in the chill atmosphere of the cafe, Tommy failed to realize that he had let the door swing wide upon and he was now in full view of the two figures staring from the front of the cafe.
Sighing gently, forcing his heart to slow down, Tommy ducked awkwardly into the quaint little shop. He craned his head around, distracted by the decor. The place was decorated with rather plain, monochrome walls with the only splashes of color being dark, navy blue accents. He frowned at the sight of the wasted potential of an animal-themed cafe. He wondered absently, then, how quickly he could work his way up the corporate ladder and fix this whole mess.
Tommy didn’t get very far into the cafe when a voice rang out,
“We’re closed!”
Finally, Tommy noticed the other two people in the room who had been staring at him owlishly since he burst through the door. There was a barista breaking at least three health code violations - just from what Tommy could see from the guy’s awkward posing behind the counter. His green visor was sideways on his head, and his long, messy strands of platinum blond hair spilled out from the visor (defeating the whole purpose of wearing one, he might add).
On Tommy’s side of the counter was another man, not dressed in barista attire. Oversized red, wire-rimmed glasses were balanced on the end of his nose. The bright splash of color contrasted his sharp demeanor. His face was contorted in a grimace, and his body was twisted away from Tommy’s view almost as if he was trying to hide.
“If you were closed, why was your door open?” Tommy blurted lamely, pointing at the gaping door with an accusatory finger.
“No, it wasn’t,” the barista spat back. Tommy stomped up to the counter with a bounce in his step before leaning over. The man in the chair beside him scooted away upon reflex. “I need you to leave.”
“Do I need to call security?” a voice beside him grumbled, and Tommy wasted no time shooting a harsh glare at the grumpy guy slumped over in the chair.
“Hello,” Tommy said, never one to forget his manners. “No need for security - I’m not a wrong’un.”
The chair-guy eyed him skeptically before slurping the styrofoam coffee cup held between his palms.
“I’m not nearly awake to handle lost children trespassing,” he grumbled into the cup.
“I am not a child!” Tommy boomed.
“But you are trespassing,” the barista noted. He cocked his head to the side and stared down at Tommy with an amused, cracked grin. “Did you crawl in here?”
“I went through the door!” Tommy huffed. “Can I - can I order?”
“No, because we’re fucking closed!” he argued, pinching the bridge of his nose. He touched his face - ah, another health code violation. When Tommy becomes the owner of this zoo, this bastard is going to be the first to go.
“If you were closed, then why was the door open?” Tommy repeated.
The barista opened his mouth to spit back in his face before he hesitated suddenly. His jaw hung open, gaping like a fish out of water before he turned to the other.
“Wilbur,” he began incredulously, “did you not close the door behind you?”
The grumpy man, Wilbur - apparently, took another long, obnoxious slurp of his latte.
“Maybe,” he said at last.
“You’re really bad at your job, you know,” Tommy said before he could stop himself.
“We’re not -- I’m not even open yet!” the barista blurted.
“You’re being told off by a kid,” Wilbur stated plainly. “Who can’t even legally work.”
“I beg your fuckin’ pardon - I’ll have you know I can work and I’m the darn best at it. I’m very good - even the birds like me.” Wilbur and the barista exchanged confused glances. “And seeing how I’m very good and you’re very bad, you’re gonna want to make me a drink now. And - and maybe I will spare you when I’m making budget cuts at the end of the year.”
It was silent for a moment.
Then, “What. The. Fuck.”
“Kid, get out of here,” the barista sighed, waving him off. “Wilbur, call security. I bet someone’s mom dumped him here.”
“Hey!” Tommy bit. He puffed up his chest in defense. He doesn’t even have a mother, yet he still felt defensive on her imaginary behalf. Because if Tommy did have a mother and a father, they would be a very loving family. Despite what the grumpy cafe employee might suggest, his mother, if she had been around, would’ve been amazing. He bet she wouldn’t even toss him into the gorilla exhibit, which was what the look on the barista's face seemed like he was about to do.
“Hold on, Phil’s calling me,” Wilbur said, one finger held up. The barista cried out, exasperated, and clutched the top of his head so hard his visor fell off.
“You know, that’s another health code violation,” Tommy offered, and the man snapped.
“Oh, get out!” he yelled. “Shoo, scram, you little pest!”
“Hey, I’m on the phone,” Wilbur hissed, clutching the phone by his ear. “Sorry, Phil. What?”
“What’s your name?” Tommy asked, rolling on his tippy toes to lean over the counter. He just barely caught sight of the name tag that read “Dream.”
“‘Dream’?” he parroted. “Are your parents Californian, or did you pick that yourself?”
“Excuse me?” Dream huffed, covering his name tag with his hands, but the damage had already been done. His ego was bruised, that was Tommy and Dream 1:0.
“Wait, Phil, can you say that again?” Wilbur waved his hands dramatically enough that Dream finally stopped his banter. They both froze and stared at Wilbur as he raised his voice loud enough so both of them could hear. “You… lost a new guy?” Tommy watched confusion grow on the older man’s face, eyes widened dramatically while one hand gripped at his messy brown hair.
“I’m not really lost - I know exactly where I am, but - hey, let me talk to him!” Tommy made grabby hands for the phone, and Wilbur’s eyes almost popped out of his head. Tommy stomped over towards Wilbur’s chair, hovering over his shoulder. Wilbur squeaked in indignance at the sudden close distance, before his phone was abruptly snatched out of his hands.
“Phiiiil, I broke my phone, and I’m getting terrible service!” Tommy cried out obnoxiously. Wilbur jolted in his chair to put some distance between them.
A loud sigh echoed from the phone, and before Phil could get another word in, Tommy continued on, “Hey Phil! Anyways, I’m at the cafe right now, but there are these two guys and they wouldn’t serve me coffee because they said the cafe was closed, even though the door was fucking opened and I could walk straight in, so technically-”
Tommy paused. Mumbles came from the phone, as a wince flashed across his face.
Wilbur, who had awkwardly watched the entire exchange after his phone got stolen, slid his gaze across to meet Dream’s wide-eyed look. A silent conversation passed between the two, as Tommy and Phil continued to debate over the phone.
“He’s like five,” Dream mouthed to Wilbur.
“Is it legal to serve minors caffeine?” Wilbur echoed back.
“It’s very legal,” Tommy interjected before shoving Wilbur’s phone back towards his chest. “Phil-wants-to-talk-to-you.” He said the sentence rapid fire without ever once stopping to take a breath, before his attention reverted back to Dream. “Also, Phil says make me a coffee or you’re fired.”
“We’re not even fucking opened!” Dream seethed between gritted teeth. “Fine. Fine, order your coffee, dipshit. But I swear, if you order a frappuccino like every other five-year-old who wanders in here with their Mommy--”
Tommy, who had not been listening, stared listlessly at the menu hanging over Dream’s head.
“Can I have a Cotton Candy Frappuccino?” Tommy blurted out.
“So--” Dream blanked, clasping his hands together in what looked like a prayer hold. He looked to be on the verge of flipping his lid. “So that’s not even on the goddamn menu.”
“Are you saying you’re not skilled enough to make it?” Tommy challenged, an eyebrow lifted in a taunting manner. Dream’s expression darkened at that, as Tommy smugly smiled back.
“No! Order-- you know what? I’ll make you something special.” Dream spun on his heels to get to work, and Tommy grinned in victory. Hook, line, and sinker, bitch. In Dream’s absence, his attention returned to Wilbur, who was pinching the bridge of his nose with a pained expression.
“Dad, do not -- I’m sure the child could find his way on his own.”
“If he got lost at the entrance, how was he supposed to find me?! I don’t want him getting more lost and possibly stranded without a phone,” Phil’s voice replied back, exasperated.
Tommy grinned sheepishly at that, rubbing the back of his neck.
I wonder if Phil knew he was shouting, Tommy thought to himself.
“Guiding around newbies isn’t my job! I’m busy--” He let go of his face and looked up at Tommy, who was all toothy grin and bubbly laughter. “God- fine. Fine.”
The call ended shortly, and Wilbur wasted no time jumping up out of his seat.
“Come, child,” he demanded. His shoulders shrugged as he trudged his feet to the entrance.
“But Dream’s still making my coffee.” Tommy crossed his arms over his chest and dug his heels into the ground, as if prepared for Wilbur to drag him out of the cafe.
“Nope, all done.” Dream practically slapped the styrofoam cup down on the counter. “Here, child, now go on.”
“Yes!” He snatched it up off the counter and barreled forwards where Wilbur was waiting for him. “And I didn’t even pay for it either! Get stolen from, bitch!”
“Employees get a free treat,” Wilbur huffed dryly.
“Don’t you tell him that, or he’ll come back, ” Dream seethed, shivering dramatically. 5
Tommy furrowed his eyebrows together.
“I don’t want your free, fuckin’ pity drinks--”
“It’s not pity; it’s company policy--” Dream tried to calmly continue.
“Don’t patronize me, bitch!” He pointed an accusatory finger towards Dream. “I’m stealing this. Goodbye.”
Another curse was shouted out, but Tommy barrelled out the doors anyway with Wilbur behind him.
“I don’t know why you wanted a coffee so badly,” Wilbur groaned. He threw his own cup into a trash bin before directing his attention to the boy trailing beside him who was -- no longer beside him.
Wilbur tripped over his own feet as he was forced to do a double take.
“Come on, bitch boy! You’re too slow!” Tommy called, caffeine and power flowing through his veins. He was a new man, the biggest man of all. He was invincible now, and he is not about to let a grumpy lanky man slow him down.
“Hey, kid!” Wilbur yelled, huffing as he tried to catch up with the sugar-high teenage boy.
“Slow the fuck down!”
The blond abruptly twisted his head around, an affronted scowl across his face. His eyes were a piercing glare, as he yelled back,
“Not a fucking kid, dickhead. My name’s Tommy.”
Beside the pair, a family of three stood silently as they scrutinized a pamphlet of the zoo map. The mother, who had a blonde bob cut, looked up harshly at Tommy and shot him a disdainful glare. Tommy resisted the urge to flip off the lady. He can easily spot a Karen in the wild - his plentiful experience at Coldstone had equipped him for this.
Choose your battles wisely, his old manager had said in a grim tone, as they observed a rough haggle with a mother who was insistent on buying peanut butter chocolate ice cream after telling them that her kid was allergic to nuts. Coldstone was a tough world, Tommy shivered at the memory.
He hadn’t realized his footsteps had slowed down, too busy reminiscing, before hearing the breathless puffs of the older brunet who had finally arrived beside him.
‘My name’s Wilbur,’ the guy said back, whilst shooting him an unimpressed look. Tommy took another purposefully loud slurp of his coffee, grinning back at him.
“I know,” Tommy replied with mirth in his voice.
“The bitchy guy in the cafe said your name when he realized you didn’t close the door,” Tommy continued. Wilbur frowned, still slightly panting, but the glare lessened across his face.
“I could have sworn…” Wilbur started, looking deep in thought as his eyebrow furrowed. Tommy could feel his mouth twitch, threatening to break into loud laughter. He stared intently at the man’s face, patiently waiting for the moment of realization to settle in.
“I swear,” he started again. Ah, Tommy thinks, here it comes. “That I closed the door.”
“Oh yeah, you did,” Tommy said with a completely straight face, clearing his throat to stop cackles from escaping. He kept his gaze forward.
“I opened the door myself and walked in.”
A deep sigh echoed from Wilbur, and Tommy let out a snort. It was like a dam opened, as he started cackling uncontrollably, struggling to catch a full gulp of air. He felt Wilbur give him a rough shove on the side, before pulling him upright when they both panicked and realized Tommy was about to faceplant straight into the path. His cackles tapered into giggles, as he leaned heavily onto Wilbur’s side. The older man could do nothing but drag a limp hand across his face, and sigh again.
Tommy watched Wilbur take out his phone to glance at the time, before visibly watching the older man’s body deflate like all the energy was sucked out of him. With a final burst of laughter, Tommy hopped in front of the man, halting them both in their steps. The morning sun warmed his back, as the light illuminated around him like a welcoming embrace.
“Nice to meet you, big man.”
Tommy smiled, as he watched a scowl appear on Wilbur’s face. Yet, Tommy could see how the sides of Wilbur’s mouth were just slightly upturned, like a subtle grin.
The hopeless optimism that had bloomed like flowers inside of his chest only seemed to grow even more at Wilbur’s small grin. He had been right this morning about being here. Things were going to get better.