killing time 𖥻 TOMMYINNIT

XXIV. retirement home

iris didn't think it was possible to cut yourself on the side of a cardboard box, but there she was. sitting on the floor of tommy's new office downtown while tommy searched for a bandaid. eventually, he ducked back into the room with a box of bandaids that, iris realised, he'd gotten from her bag. "i found some!"

she let out a laugh, holding up her hand where the box had left a rather large scratch. it had only bled a little bit, but tommy still placed the bandaid down delicately, punctuating it with a kiss. "that's magic, you know. it'll heal faster than you can say 'thanks, tom.'"

"thanks, tom." she giggled.

the two of them had been working nearly all day setting up tommy's new office with the help of his parents and her older brother. ranboo and tubbo had an irl stream already planned (which they assured them all was not an excuse to get out of helping tommy move, regardless of whether or not anyone believed them), and tommy's parents had been sent home, giving lachy a lift and leaving iris with his car. they were able to do the decorating part themselves, plus it gave them a moment to breathe. it was a nice place, in need of some sprucing, but tommy had some stuff to go on the wall behind him, as well as some things he liked to keep at his new desk. 

tommy sat beside her, their backs against the wall facing the door. "you ready for school?" he asked quietly.

"yes, dad." iris replied. "that's all you know to say to me? wow, you drop out of college and the next day you're forty."

tommy pushed her. "shut up!" he laughed. "i just meant like... with everything? are you alright with it?"

"i'll be okay," iris nodded. her first class for upper 6th form, her last year of school, started in about three weeks. "is it bad if i say that you dropping out of school makes me feel way less anxious about the fact that i have to go there?"

"i see," tommy said, faux hurt flashing across his face. "it was me. i was the problem the whole time? after everything i've done for you."

"sorry you had to find out this way, she leaned over, resting her head on his shoulder. "i tried to keep it from you. no, it's not that, really. it's more like, i can go to class without worrying that someone will see you and me and put two and two together."

"i get that," tommy nodded. "and, for what it's worth, i really am sorry for all the stress my youtube stuff has caused you. i appreciate you still being here."

now, tommy would never admit this to iris, but he'd been out in the hallway texting phil and tubbo, asking for advice. he'd never really been worried about how to act around iris, but since they'd made up he wanted to make sure he was really taking into account the things she needed from him.

unbeknownst to tommy, iris had also been texting both ranboo and her new group chat with the other people in her poetry class. they had all been giving her seperate but similar advice on making sure that everything she was doing wasn't out of obligation or pressure, but actually everything she was doing was something that she actually really wanted to do. neither of them had made any actual moves towards each other, but their friendship was definitely a lot more comfortable between the two of them than it had been in a long time, even if it was a little more effort on each of their parts. 

over the last three weeks iris had really gotten to know clara, elijah and eloise, and having three whole friends that had absolutely no youtube or twitch ambitions was something that iris had no idea would be so strangely liberating. 

"i appreciate you having me," she said quietly, fidgeting with the rings on her hands. "it means a lot."

"don't do that," he put his hand on the knee closest to him, both of them drawn towards her chest. "i love you, don't thank me for having you around."

"yeah, okay," iris took a breath. "i should be making you apologise."

"i just did!" tommy pointed out. "i apologised for everything not five minutes ago. geez, iris, seventeen years old and already losing it. i'm sorry to have to break this to you, but this actually isn't my office, this is your new retirement home."

"nice," iris laughed, looking up at the ceiling and placing a hand on top of the one tom had on her knee. "does this mean i'm only allowed to see you like twice a week?"

"it could be more, if you wanted. i'm sure it would be okay."

"no, twice is fine. now get out, i need to go nap on my ikea office chair."