i love cats and the horrors

tl;dr: ragebaiter x ragebaited (how original ik)

Tord is Super Mentally Ill™️ but masks it very well, Tom has anger issues but is typically okay at controlling them (unless drunk lmfao). They bring out the worst in each other because Tord, as aforementioned, is a ragebaiter; this doesn't usually amount to anything because it's, like, in a Loveable Asshole way, but he gets on Tom's nerves like No Other.

At first they don't care about each other, Tord just likes the undivided attention Tom gives him, and Tom finds Tord too irritating to ignore. But, eventually, Tord begins associating the attention with Tom and Tom gets a bit obsessed trying to find away under Tord's skin. (Tord starts verbal fights, Tom starts physical fights; even then Tord doesn't often strike back loll.)

The problem is that Tord is a chronic idgafer. There is very little he cares about enough to be affected by having it thrown back in his face, and Tom doesn't want to bring their other friends in on their petty fights. It isn't until he gets capital D Drunk one night that he says something like, "I bet you don't even care about Matt and Edd," that he gets under Tord's skin. Tord, for the first time, loses his fuckass smile and punches Tom first.

It does not feel good to get under Tord's skin, Tom finds. In fact, it is so profoundly unsatisfying it kind of makes him sick. (Imo revenge is a good fantasy but a terrible reality, just kinda leaves you bereft.) In other news, Tord does care for Matt and Edd!!! Like, he would Die for them.

This is ironically where their relationship starts to better. Tom doesn't care as much about getting retribution -- Tord still pisses him off -- so now it's just Tord's attraction to unhealthy attention they must recon with.

Ignoring Tord wouldn't work if you know anything about people who seek attention religiously, they only get worse lmfao. I think Tom would one day just plop next to Tord -- who's working on an invention or something idk -- and Tord, naturally, would say some shit. Instead of rising to the bait Tom would ask what he's working on, taking bro COMPLETELY off guard. (Redirecting attention instead of cutting it off.)