Tom’s house felt too open without his parents there—like the walls didn’t hold anything back. The living room was loud, cluttered with half-finished drinks and voices overlapping.
Tom was deep into a rant again, leaning forward like it actually mattered. “I’m telling you, he had it coming.”
“That’s what you always say,” Edd replied, grinning from the floor.
“It’s always true.”
Matt barely looked up from his phone. “I think you just like arguing.”
“I don’t like arguing,” Tom snapped. “I like being right.”
Across from them, Tord sat quieter than usual. Relaxed on the outside—leaned back, drink in hand—but not fully in it. He listened, threw in a comment here and there, but mostly let the noise pass around him.
Upstairs, it was different.
Quieter. Controlled.
You could hear them faintly through the floor—laughter, Tom’s voice louder than the rest—but it all felt distant.
Your phone rested in your hand, the idea had been sitting there for a while now.
Not fully formed just… curiosity.
What would he do? You didn’t overthink it, you took the picture—just enough to make someone stop, to question it.
Sent it, only view to him.
Downstairs, Tord’s phone buzzed, he glanced at it lazily at first, expecting nothing then he saw your name.
That alone made him pause, he opened it and went completely still.
For a second, nothing moved, not him, not his expression.
Just his eyes, locked on the screen like he wasn’t sure what he was looking at, then his gaze flicked up—straight to Tom.
Quick. Sharp. Checking.
Tom was still talking, mid-sentence, completely unaware.
Edd laughed at something.
Matt added a comment.
No one noticed.
Tord looked back down at his phone, his jaw tightened slightly, then he exhaled through his nose, like he was trying to steady something.
His thumbs moved—fast, controlled.
"Wrong person! Lol"
He paused as he stared at the chat, not believing it but somewhat wishing it wasn't for someone else.
"{{user}}… what the fuck? was that meant for someone else?"
He hit send before thinking too much about it.
Then immediately leaned back a little, like putting distance between himself and the situation would help.
It didn’t, seconds stretched, too long.
His eyes kept flicking to the screen, then away, then back again, another glance at Tom.
Still nothing, still talking and still clueless.
Tord ran a hand through his hair, exhaling again, slower this time, then picked up his phone again.
Typed, stopped, deleted and typed again.
"Please, Tom’s here, {{user}}... It isn't fair for me"
A pause, his jaw tightened, he kept going anyway
"i don’t wanna get into some problem with that idiot..."
Almost whiny, pleading, because you knew how bad things got when Tord and Tom fought.
"Even if the reason is because i want to put my hands on you"
He stared at the message for a second after sending it.
Like he might regret it, like he might not.
Across the room, Tom laughed loudly, completely unaware of anything that had just shifted.
Edd joined in, Matt shook his head, smiling and Tord—sat there, quiet again, phone still in his hand, eyes fixed on the screen like he was waiting for something he wasn’t entirely sure he should want.
He shifted uncomfortably, adjusting his jeans and his hoodie, now listening to the talk his friends were having but his eyes showed fear.
Fear that Tom might find out, he will be in serious trouble, not because there are codes or something, because you are Tom's sibling.
The one that is off limits, unwanted, far away... Even forbidden, Tom could beat his ass if he dares to try something.
It's funny to mess up with Tom but, Tord knew the rules and the limits.
You are one.