Chapter Text
Cold…darkness…pain…and…wetness?
Tom woke up to these four, prominent feelings. He was alone, couldn't move his arms, and seemed to be chained to a wall. As he fully awoke he started to look around, realizing he didn't know how the hell he got here. His eyes finally adjusted to the dark and everything hit him at once. He was covered in blood, halfway transformed into his monster form and… in a prison cell? Chained to a wall? His pain started to come back and he finally remembered how he got here.
It was a cold, rainy night. He was running from a now corrupt green army. Edds old army had been taken over by capitalist sponsors who were paying to keep him going, his only motivation to keep fighting Tord’s communist army. But here he was, running from an army he helped create after his sponsors usurped it and tried to experiment on him. He ran unarmed towards a large, bustling Red Army camp. He was going to ask Tord for help…He had given up his dignity and was going to put himself at Tords mercy. He ran, and was recognized instantly. He was met with gunfire as he turned into his monster form. He lost control while attempting to defend himself and ended up trashing that camp until…
He saw…Tord?… he had a…weapon?
Something hit Tom around the area of his neck and… he was out.
And now here he is. Locked up, bloody and beaten; and he just trashed a camp belonging to the man he was going to ask for help. He felt awful. Edd disappeared during the takeover of the Green army, Matt went with him, and now he probably just got himself a death sentence from Tord. He must have been the most pathetic man alive with what he had just done. He felt worthless…and oh he could only give up the last remaining parts of his dignity to beg Tord for mercy.
Tom had no idea how long it had been of him being awake when a small rectangular slit opened in the door to his cell, someone looked through it, a few muffled words could be heard, and then tom heard the beep of a walkie talkie going off followed by more words and another beep to signal the end of the communication. He started to feel anxious as he realized that he would most likely have to face Tord soon, he would have to beg the only remaining man from his former life for mercy and plead for Tord to let him help even after all the work he did against the Red Army. He couldn’t even recall the last time he voluntarily did something for the Green Army. He started to feel like he belonged with Tord and this whole communism thing seemed more appealing the more he saw the horrors that these capitalist corporations sponsoring the Green Army wanted. The last time he saw Edd, he looked sick with worry and Matt was beating himself up for letting that poor man push himself so much. Thomas could feel himself starting to cry as the pain of his injuries combined with his thoughts and emotions was too much for him. Oh if only poor Thomas knew what he had coming…
It felt like it took forever, and yet also like it was only seconds later when Tom heard a rustling at the door. He looked scared and desperate as he looked up, alert. When Tord walked through the doorway he felt…terrified…He quickly rose to his knees, his arms still chained to the wall, and tried his best to stand at attention on his knees in a hope to show Tord he respected the horned norwegian standing over him. He felt so much emotion seeing this man and as it all hit him the words spilled out of his mouth like water coming out of a fountain.
“I- I promise I have an explanation for everything- I’m so sorry, Tord. I-”
He was cut off by Tords almost…sympathetic expression? Tord got down on one knee, still looking down on Tom a little due to their size difference. He cupped Tom's bruised, blood stained cheek. As he looked into Tom's eyes a small smile could be seen on the Norwegian.
“Thomas…I knew you would come back to me, gode gutten min. You look pathetic, you know. We ought to clean you up right away.”
His tone was warm and almost loving as the two old rivals stared at eachother like long lost lovers. His tone became a bit more stern as he hugged Tom lightly, careful not to get blood on his uniform before getting up.
“But, as you know…You destroyed a very important camp of mine. I was only even able to stop you because I was just arriving as you started. I was there to meet with my generals who were luckily unharmed. You said you have an explanation, now, explain.”
Tom looked shocked at Tords actions, his…kindness? Tom couldn't even tell what this was… he was oddly loving for a man who blew up his old shared home and almost killed his old friends. He stuttered a little before starting to give his explanation.
“The Green Army… Edd lost it to our sponsors- He- Him and Matt disappeared… I ran unarmed to your camp with my hands up, I was going to ask to help you because of how disgusting the Green Army has become. Your men shot at me and I lost control… I’m so sorry- I- I can’t believe I let myself do such a thing…”
Tom started to cry much harder now as he attempted to bury his head in his hands, but was caught by the restraints on his wrist that kept him against the wall of his cell. He shifted all the way back to his human form, revealing his injuries. He cried out in pain lightly, trying not to be so weak in front of Tord had clearly failed. Tord seemed almost impressed by Tom's response as he grabbed Tom's chin with two robotic fingers, forcing him to look up at Tord.
“Thomas, I have a duty to my men to punish you for your actions. So let's make this simple. You will be my new… assistant, after you tell me every weakness you know the Green army has. You were very high in their ranks after all. I will provide you lodging here and you will be with me for most of your days, helping me directly. I will have my medics tend to your wounds and we will find a way to help you control your monster form which we may potentially have you use as a weapon against our enemies. If you do not accept my terms… I will have to let my board of directors decide what to do with you. They will not be as kind as me.”
“I…I’ll do it. I accept your offer.” Tom almost sounded defeated to accept such a submissive position as an… “assistant.” He would probably be some glorified secretary for Tord to load work onto and laugh at when Tom couldn't finish it all. Tom felt undignified in every possible way, as if he was stripped of his manhood, But he didn’t care at this moment. Right now, all he cared about was making it out alive and not alone. As he awaited Tords response, the shackles keeping his wrists against the wall were undone and Tom's wrists were freed. Tord held his hand out to Tom, beckoning the defeated man to stand up.
“Come, Thomas. Let’s get your wounds treated, monster gutten min.”
Tom did as instructed and tried to get up, using Tords hand to pull himself up. Right as he got himself standing for what felt like the first time in days, his right leg gave out in a surge of pain. He must have been shot there. He fell forward into Tord who caught him and calmly picked him up with the ease of a man carrying a small dog. Blame it on Tords strong, robotic prosthetic; but Tom felt almost light in Tords arms. He couldn't help but blush at the closeness as his weakened body started to pass out in Tords arms. The sheer pain Tom felt was enough to knock him out during Tords walk with Tom to the medics office. Tom slept almost peacefully in Tords arms. It couldn't help but make Tord smile as he saw how comfortable the passed out man looked in his arms. Tord almost pitied Tom in that moment, enjoying his newfound power over the man. But the glorious Red Leader would never do such a thing, would he?