Quarantined

THREE: Finite

Tord's back was completely covered, top to bottom in bruises and scratches. Not only that but what Tom could make out as faint hickeys were also littered up and down his spine.

Tord whimpered in pain as Tom traced each of the marks with his fingers, his touch still gentle. The Brit repeated his question. "What is this?" He asked his voice sterner this time.

And that's when the dam broke. Tord began sobbing uncontrollably, and he tried to muffle his cries with the pillow in front of him. Tom was taken aback by his sudden bawling, his eyes flashing pure white.

"I'm so sorry, Tom! I'm such a fucking liar!" He choked out through his tears, the pillow quickly becoming soaked. "I never wanted it, it all just happened so quickly-"

"So, this isn't from me?"

Tord's eyes widened and he tried to fully sit up and look at Tom from behind, shocked to see tears forming in the man's now white eyes. The Norse shook his head and looked away again, completely overtaken by pure shame.

"Y-You would never d-do something like th-this to me." Tord sputtered out, not even trying to cover his eyes. His bright red cheeks were stained with tears, and he hadn't even begun to explain to his husband just what had been going on.

But he knew it wouldn't be easy to get out.

Tord was so shaken up, he let out a short shout when Tom tried putting his arms around the man. The Brit held him close for a moment, letting his hand run through Tord's caramel blonde locks to soothe him. The smaller was unable to stop shaking and sniffing, nervous of what his lover would do now that he knew of his little 'secret.'

In Tom's head, hundreds of thoughts were running through his mind. Mostly confusion.

He could understand if Tord were to be nervous, scared even, now that his husband knew of what Tom assumed to be an affair. Yet, he was curled up against Tom's chest, violent sobs and apologies wracking through his body.

What was it that frightened Tord so much? Tom just couldn't understand the utter terror radiating off of the smaller man.

So the blue man decided to speak up and ask. "Tord, what happened?" Tom inquired softly, as not to startle his lover.

Tord pried himself out of Tom's arms to stand up. He shivered at the cold air still resting on his bare skin and quickly picked his sweater back up and slipped it over his torso. Tord tried wiping his teary eyes, but the fabric of his sleeve just smudged the salty tears around his cheeks. He sniffed and looked up at Tom, still a shaking, crying mess.

"I-It's h-hard to explain."

"Do you need a bit to calm down, love?" Tom asked Tord, keeping his distance to let the Norwegian chill-out. Tord gave him a shaky nod before backing up a bit. Tom sighed and walked over to grab his coat off the hanger. "Look, you go lie down for a while and think about what you want to tell me, m'kay? I'm gonna go to the store and just stop by Edd's while I'm out. I won't be back until late tonight, I would assume, so don't wait up."

Just like that, Tom was gone. He had spared Tord a single farewell glance before heading out, car keys in hand. The man looked down at his shaking hands and watched his tears fall onto the hardwood floor. Tord shook his head and blinked away the rest of his tears. He stumbled to his old room, the one he slept in before he and Tom had been together, and lied down on the dusty sheets.

He looked around his old, red-painted room. Tord didn't come into this room often, as it reminded him too much of his idiotic younger self. From the anime posters all over the walls to the secret stash of hentai his teen self had hidden under his bed. It all revolted him at this point. The boy was far too glad to be behind his old life.