L A P D O G / !

IT’S NOT COMMON FOR CAROL to like regret something she’s done, even more so when she feels so clearly in the right, that she had done right by steve, by tommy. it’s all very right until it isn’t and it’s eating her alive, something she would never admit to steve, something she can barely even admit to tommy, she leans into the touch, comforting, like a blanket. things were taken too far because they had already blown out of proportion. 

and the vulnerability, something no one else got to see really. she bites her bottom lip. a part of her agrees with him, knows that if steve was to ever come back there be hell to pay. “-i just, miss it? you know? like i miss how it was before, before it like blew up in our faces or whatever, i just hate it, hate feeling like i did something wrong, tommy.” i miss steve. 

He nodded, kept quiet as she spoke. Just listened. It was Carol, no matter what, he listened. Pressed another kiss to her skin. He missed it too. Miss them. Missed Steve. He was trying to act like he didn’t care, which was a harder task for Tommy than he had anticipated really. Hid it behind the pissed off kinda attitude he had going. Carol probably knew, she wasn’t stupid. He felt like she could read him like a book, a real simple, made for kids kinda book. 

“ You gotta be more careful in this heat, Heaths. ” Tommy spoke, tilting his head from his relaxed position on the sun lounger. Pulled his sunglasses down his nose just a little to look at her with squinted eyes, not daring to try and fight the sun for some vision right now. At least he wasn’t hungover, he’d rather die than have the mixed in with this. This was just a chilled day at the pool - he could chat with Billy and Heather, enjoy himself and the sun.

Still, he meets her with a smirk before returning back to the way he was. “ They’ve made stuff that stops that, you know... Called sun block or whatever. You should really invest in some, babe. ”

A hiss fell from his lips, meeting the other with a glare as she patched him up. He was appreciative of it, he’d admit that much but their relationship was still kind of sour. Still as it was. This was just a mini slip of peaceful interaction before they went back to normal. Words slipped from his lips, low and “ Jesus... Could ya be more careful, it fuckin’ hurts. ”

It was just a little accident, being a bit too boisterous and not looking where he was going... and inevitably tripping and smacking his head off something, he doesn’t remember right now but he cut his forehead just a little bit and, well, Nancy was nice enough to patch him up again.

O P E N .

“ have you consider not having the personality of like, a loaf of bread? ”

“ You’ve got nothin’ to feel guilty about, Carol. ” Tommy spoke, resting his head on her shoulder after pressing a light kiss to the spot. Arms found their way around her waist, settling there. Holding her close. 

He didn’t like thinking about it, just pushed it to the back of his mind most of the time but he knew Carol. He wanted to make it better. Rather than letting her sit there and feel guilty for something she shouldn’t to his knowledge. They hadn’t done anything out of the ordinary - the usual teasing and jokes, helping Steve feel better after the bullshit and having it blow up in their faces. “ He chose her... Good for him. We won’t be there when he comes runnin’ back with his tail between his legs when she fuckin’ cheats on his ass again or whatever. ”

IT’S   THE   SMELL   THAT   GETS   TO   HIM ,   acidic   tones   from   the   pickles   mixing   with   the   thick   sweetness   of   the   peanut   butter .   separately   they   were   fine ,   but   steve’s   stomach   insists   that   the   two   just   don’t   mix ,   rolling   with   nausea   just   a   bit   as   he   watches   tommy   chew .   ❝  hell   no ,   no   fucking   way ,   bro . ❞   &   steve   gags   dramatically   for   extra   emphasis ,   his   shoulders   heaving   &   tongue   falling   out   of   his   mouth   for   a   moment   to   wag   at   his   best   friend   before   it   gets   tucked   back   behind   smiling   teeth .   

❝  seriously ,   that’s   so   nasty .   how   can   you   eat   that  ?  ❞    but   despite   his   words ,   steve’s   tone   is   anything   but   serious .   teasing   each   other   was   just   what   he   &   tommy   did   –   just   how   they   showed   they   were   there   for   each   other .

Tommy took the pickle held between his fingers, pre-dipped in the peanut butter, and pointed it towards the other, almost judgemental as he met him with a matching look. Although a little smirk tugged at his lips, a quiet chuckle leaving them as he wiggled the pickle in Steve’s direction. “ Stop be fuckin’ dramatic, dude. You can’t knock this stuff before you try it! ” He commented before taking a bit and leaning back in his seat.

“ You’re nasty! ” Tommy spoke back, tone pointed but his lips were pulled into a smile to match his friend’s. Nothing but a playful feeling to the room, between them as he looked at the other. He wiped his hand on the little towel on the table before patting the spot next to him. “ Don’t you trust me? Me and my impeccable taste? ”