CHRISTIAN LET TOMMY come back to the shop after three days of staying home in recovery. He was thankful for being out of his house for a change, though the time he was there wasn't too bad either. Mason continued to stay with him, he didn't show any signs of leaving anytime soon either. Tommy didn't lie when he told him that he slept easier knowing he was in the nearby, it confused him, but he'd rather not think of the weird compatibility the two of them had. After the dinner on Sunday night Tommy had a nightmare that he didn't remember whatsoever but after that Mason slept on the other couch which he had moved close to the window, creating an L shape with the one Tommy slept on.
Tommy noticed how light of a sleeper Mason was that night, and how the smallest of movements woke him violently. He didn't ask, but he didn't have too either, he didn't know what happened to Mason, but he did know that Jonathan was the cause - and Tommy knew him well enough to know that he was the root of Mason's issues as well. Tommy could tell that sleeping near him meant that he was getting a broken sleep since Tommy frequently flinched and jostled around in his own sleep, Mason had the bags under his eyes to prove it and the coffee intake that could kill a horse.
By Friday, the white of Tommy's eye started to clear of blood, and the swelling went down, his bruises were still bright and bold but were now surrounded in the yellow of aged bruising. Tommy didn't stay long to look at his reflection in the mornings, just enough to check the healing process of his eye. He had a bad relationship with his appearance, and it wasn't because he thought he was ugly, he knew that when he wasn't pale and skinny with malnutrition and sleep-deprivation, bruised or bloodied, he could be a quite attractive young man. It was the fact that staring back at him in the mirror, more often than not was his brother, they were almost a spitting image of each other. They were 7 years apart, and yet Jonathan heralded only a scar down the right side of his face to show their differences.
Tommy wished he looked more like Christian, he thought that he'd be able to stomach that even after Christian had left. As he looked at him now, grumbling to himself in annoyance as he tinkered with a car engine, grease stricken hands and grease smudged against cheek - he thought he'd be able to stomach it. They weren't anywhere close to being the way they used to be, Tommy didn't know if they could ever be like that again, but he was trying. As he watched Christian struggle to fix the engine, he smiled softly, biting back a laugh at the frustration that pinched his face.
"Get out of the way old man," Tommy sighed which earned him a sour look from his uncle and a loud cackle from Harry who somehow heard it over the rock music that blasted through the shop.
"I'm only 32 years old, who the hell are you calling old?" Christian bit back, there was no hostility in his voice though, but he still stood up straight and took a step away from the engine.
"I don't know, sounds pretty old to me," Tommy continued to tease as he took out the flashlight to get a better look.
"You are going to have a rude awakening when you hit 32, and I remind you of this moment."
"If I make it," Tommy was going to say, but he bit it back and glanced over his shoulder only briefly to see Christian's eyes still on the engine instead of him.
"Look, it's just the wiring in here," Tommy exclaimed and handed him the torch. Christian leaned over the engine to look down where the flashlight was pointed and let out a sigh, squinting as if his vision was failing him.
"I think it's time you get some glasses," Tommy suggested which only elicited a not so confident grunt from Christian as he leaned further into the engine, muddling around with the wiring that Tommy had just pointed out to him
"Alright I'm going on lunch," Tommy added, patting him on the shoulder and wiping his hands off on the cloth in his back pocket.
"Aye, remember to take Mason with you if you're heading out," Christian called back to him from the hood of the car as Tommy made his way to the open garage entrance. Tommy hung his head back and groaned in mock annoyance before turning back towards the office's where he knew Mason was currently working with Nicky on the new computer system that was sure to piss Christian right off, mainly because he just got used to the old one.
He pushed open the door which was already open ajar to see them both on the other side of the desk, Mason was standing behind the chair Nicky was seated in, leaning over him as he pointed at something on the screen that made Nicky chuckle at. Tommy shoved his hands in his pants pockets and rolled around on the balls of his feet awkwardly until he was noticed. That, of course, didn't take long because Mason seemed to always see him the moment he walks into a room, his hazel eyes honing in on him like a lion to prey.
"Hungry?" Mason asked bluntly, and it took Nicky a moment to realize he wasn't the one being talked to since he started saying "oh, not really actually I-" but he caught on quick enough when he too, noticed Tommy in the doorway.
"Mmm," Was all Tommy replied along with a short nod. Mason clapped Nicky on the shoulder and stood up straight, leaving him to finish the program himself. Tommy expected Nicky to complain or tease but instead, he did that little hidden smile that he sometimes did.
Mason and Tommy both headed out onto the street where they walked down towards the Diner where both Lucy and Sasha would be working today. The midday sun bore down on them, and Tommy shifted uncomfortably in the layers of clothes he wore. Even though it was Autumn, the sun still packed a little bit of warmth, and also though Tommy was used to wearing hoodies in Summer, it still was a nuisance when his scars rubbed against the fabric as he started to sweat.
The old man named Stuart who worked in the old antique furniture shop waved enthusiastically as the two of them walked past, his round, metal-framed glasses sliding down his nose slightly. Both Tommy and Mason waved politely back as they had for the last couple days since he'd asked what happened to Tommy's face. Tommy told him that he fell from a ladder when clearing the roof guttering of leaves. It was a believable story since it was Autumn, and all the bruising was mostly on the left side of his face. Stuart had replied saying that 'Howard' aka - Christian, should've let him stay at home longer to recover.
They made it to the Diner named "Lucy's" - obviously makes after the owner. Her name was in neon linked lettering above the door as they walked through the bell jingled. A lot of the town workers were sitting in their usual booths on their lunch breaks, inhaling either the breakfast or lunch menu. Tommy had always loved retro diners, he'd spent enough time in them on the run, yet even without bias Lucy's Diner was his favourite. Fairy lights hung from the ceiling and one wall was covered in old records. His mom used to have an old record player and every time he stepped foot inside, Lucy would have something playing on the old machine in the corner.
Mason and Tommy sat in their now usually place by the window as they waited. Sasha, of course, spotted them instantly and held up two fingers signalling that she would be just a moment. Tommy gazed out to the Main Street of Winchester. The trees that lined the roads were a mixture of soft pinks, browns, and oranges. It was relaxing to watch the leaves drop from their branches and sway slowly through the air to the ground. He liked it here, he'd be sad when he'd have to leave. He made the decision Sunday night after seeing the Hartford's and Christian over the dinner table laughing over their usual playful banter. He made the decision that he wouldn't let Jonathan get them, that he'd be gone at the first sign that he'd caught up.
He wondered if it'd hurt. Leaving them. He'd stopped caring about the people he used for cover two years ago, but in just two short weeks, he'd let these people in. He'd thought that maybe he could blame it on the influence Christian still had over him. In reality, he thought that it really was the fact that he was just tired of running, tired of feeling nothing... of being nothing. He felt a pang of guilt strike him hard in the chest, and he was even more surprised when he flinched, the thoughts of leaving them was already making him hurt and dread it. Something sharp jabbed his hand, and when he glanced down, he saw that Mason was prodding his knuckles with a fork.
"Tommy, what do you want?" Mason said, a sceptical look on his face. Tommy glanced around, still feeling slightly dazed by his jumbled thoughts and found Sasha standing there with a wary smile and a notepad in her hands.
"Oh, sorry," Tommy muttered and didn't miss the look that she flicked Mason. Tommy pretended to not see it by gazing over the menu, not really reading any of it.
"Just the pancakes and coffee please," he added and set the menu down. She nodded, and Mason must've already ordered his food because she walked back towards the kitchen without another word.
"Don't even think about it," Mason exclaimed, his voice bored and apathetic as he raised his glass of water to his lips. Tommy flicked his eyes bad at him in question, waiting for elaboration.
"What has you so spooked? You have been looking around at all of the exits as if you are going to make a break for it," Mason said, his finger tapping against the silver stem of his fork as he rested his cheek in his other hand. Tommy didn't want to tell him that it was what Christian said back at the shop that had him on edge or the fact that he was still dead-set on running the moment things got tough so he opted for silence.
Mason didn't push it; instead, he just lifted his glass of water to his lips and took a sip, his eyes on something outside the window. Tommy thought that Mason was used to his zoning out now since he had been staying at his place for the past week. Tommy got lost in thought often, though it was very rare that it made him physically react as he had just before. He thought it must've been because it was very rarely that he felt guilty, it was new to him. He didn't like it, so he swallowed it back and chewed the inside of his lip.
"I'm just going to the bathroom, wait here," Mason said, tapping his hand on the table in front of Tommy's face to grab his attention.
"I'm not going to run off, I'm fine," Tommy bit back, resting his cheek into his hand, mirroring how Mason had just moments ago had been sitting. Tommy flicked him a mischievous smile that didn't quite reach his eyes and Mason just hummed in response, obviously not believing him before disappearing behind the wall and into the hallway that led to the bathrooms.
Tommy looked for any sign of Lucy or Sasha, but they were both out of sight. Sasha had been begging Lucy to teach her how to cook recently, so Tommy just assumed that Lucy had given in to her daughter and was letting her help for once. Maybe Lucy though that just because it was Mason and Tommy's food she could get away with it being a little burnt at the edges. He smiled at the thought and hadn't realized he had let his eyes close until he felt the weight of someone sit down on the booth next to him, boxing him in with the window at his back.
Tommy was about to curse out Mason for getting so close, but his eyes landed on someone else entirely, and his blood ran cold. Samuel Morgan sat in the booth next to him, his skin where he had curved his own initial is burnt wildly, and Tommy had to fight every bit of his fear to not kick away from him and run. Sam had his arm resting on the table, closing the space between them, he was still wearing his overalls, but they hug around his waist with only a white t-shirt on the top to fight the winter chill.
Tommy clenched his hands into fists on his laps, feeling his nails dig deep into the palms of his hands, undoubtedly breaking the skin and lining it with half crescent moon shaped cuts. Tommy's teeth sunk into the inside of his cheek and he tasted blood, it was oddly comforting, wrenching his from a whirlwind of fear and emotions and bringing him back to the man who sat in front of him.
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