The sound of dishes clanking from downstairs stirs Tom awake. The space against his chest is cold and empty, the opposite it was when he'd fallen asleep. His arm had been wrapped snuggly around SJ, holding her as close to him as possible. Now, his arm is pulled against himself, holding the blanket close to his chest to keep warm against the cooled bedroom. He peaks an eye open, the room dim with the closed blinds. To an unfortunate but not surprising sight, SJ is gone.

Tom sighs and he thought that maybe he'd wake up to her this time. It's her house and they really talked last night. It wasn't just bullshit and beating around the bush, they talked. But, to his dismay, she's gone and he's waking up in a cold bed again. It's only the second time but there is something, like a gravitational pull, that makes him feel like she's left him a hundred times over.  SJ has a fucking crest burned into her own arm. She was branded and she went on. She picked herself up and kept moving. So, Tom's always wakes up alone but she makes me him never want to wake up alone ever again. So, his heart is aching in his chest but he gets up.

The burns on his back sting as he stretches but he ignores it the best he can. It's a part of him and after talking with SJ last night, he's not going to let the burns hold him back or stop him or even dare to make him quiet. He's just going to pretend like they're not even there and like they're not bothering him as he tosses his shirt over his head.

Tom hits the bathroom before grabbing his bag and heading down the stairs that lead into the kitchen. They creak beneath his feet but he doesn't pay the wood much attention. Laughter is heard as Tom gets closer to the kitchen. He knows one is Harrison but the other he can't quite identify fully. If he had to guess, it'd be Matty and that brings his chest full of hope. Matty makes him feel welcomed and if Tom were being honest, he doesn't really want to ask about SJ if Mikey is around. There's something about the way Mikey looks at him that rubs him the wrong way and makes him uncomfortable.

To Tom's delight, when he reaches the end of the stairs, Harrison and Matty are standing at the sink doing the dishes, Matty washing and Harrison drying. It's a sight that warms Tom's heart. Ever since moving to the states, Harrison and Tom haven't spent much time in trying to gain friendships. They've always been well off with the two of them but seeing Harrison getting along so well with Matty last night and this morning, it's nice and Tom couldn't be happier.

"Hey." Tom greets, voice still a little groggy with sleep.

Harrison and Matty both look over their shoulder to see Tom. "Hey." Harrison nods.

"Morning." Matty chimes before attending to the dishes once more.

Tom walks from the staircase to the side of the table. "Uh, where's SJ?" Tom asks, rubbing the back of his neck.

"If she wanted you to know, she wouldn't have left." Mikey says as he appears from the living room, leaning against the open door frame.

Tom turns to him and his heart sinks but annoyance fills his blood. Tom has done nothing to Mikey and Mikey is throwing him this type of attitude. Mikey very clearly dislikes Tom and Tom doesn't know why. It was Tom and Mikey who pulled Arthur away from SJ and it was Tom threatening Arthur afterward. Tom and Harrison picked up SJ when she needed someone, on the anniversary of her mother bailing, not Mikey. There's something SJ trusts in Tom and Harrison in a different way than her two best friends and Tom doesn't know why but Tom also doesn't grasp why that is such a huge problem with Mikey.

Tom goes to open his mouth to question what Mikey's problem is but Matty is first to say something. "Mikey, shut the hell up."

"She left about an hour ago." Harrison turns around, arms crossing as he leans against the counter. His eyes glance between Mikey and Tom. Harrison and Mikey got along just fine last night while Tom and SJ were on their own but Harrison isn't going to put up with another person going after Tom.

The room is silent, the three guys looking between themselves. Mikey's annoyed and he's not going to budge on where SJ is despite her not saying a word on if she wanted Mike to not say anything. Harrison doesn't have anything else to say seeing as he doesn't want any more issues and he doesn't know where she is. And Tom doesn't want to start an argument with someone that means a lot to SJ. So, it's Matty's turn to turn around and dry off his hands.

"Give me your phone. I'll give you the address." Matty sticks out his hand and Mikey just glares at him while Tom walks over. "You'll find her on the south side of the building." Matty explains while he types the address into the GPS.

"Is she gonna be pissed you told me?" Tom asks, his tone collected and kind with Matty.

"Nah," Matty shakes his head. "She just said she was going and she left, didn't say a word about not telling you and I don't think she'll care." Matty hands Tom his phone back. Matty leans in closer to Tom and whispers. "I think she wants you to know."

It's a bit weird for Matty to say that but it's comforting in a weird way. SJ doesn't tell people things, clearly but she also doesn't show people very much yet Matty is sharing wherever she is and whatever she's doing with Tom, based solely on the assumption she wants Tom to know. If anyone would know that, it would be Matty. Matty seems to be the one SJ confides in and Mikey is the one she looks to for defense. They're equally important and she adores them the same, Mikey is just harder to know and understand, just like SJ.  

"Thanks." Tom says, a genuine and thankful smile coming to his face. "You staying here?" Tom turns his attention back to Harrison.

"Yeah," Harrison nods. "Text you if I head home before you get back."

"Right, yeah." Tom nods, a grin starting to take over. "Let you know if I head back."

Harrison nods in response and Tom thanks Matty again before making his way towards the back door in the kitchen. Mikey has the living room blocked with him still standing and Tom isn't gonna fight him to get to a door.

Once outside, Tom digs through his bag and tugs a hoodie over his head before checking the GPS. The address leads him to a building about twenty minutes away from SJ's home on foot. Despite the breeze, the hoodie does its job at keeping him warm as he starts walking. The sun shines bright above him, beating down and keeping him perfectly comfortable.

During the walk, Tom finds himself with his earbuds in and the band SJ had mentioned the night she had stayed with him. It's not really his type of music but he likes this band and maybe that's because SJ likes them so it's different or maybe it's the vocalists and the way they sing that makes him get it. Maybe it's the lyrics that help him understand what goes on inside of SJ's head. It doens't matter really because he likes them and it's because of SJ.

By the time the eighth song had started to play, Tom was standing in front of the large tan building. The doors are clear and it reads "Arctic Ice Arena." Tom furrows his brows as he starts to wonder why he's at an ice arena and more so why SJ would be at an ice arena. Why would she be on the south side of the building? But, he doesn't waste much time in thinking as he makes his way to the back of the building and that's when he sees her.

Tom's eyes widen but a smile of disbelief comes to his face. SJ is facing a wall, a white construction mask covering her mouth and a silver spray paint can is in hand. Her eyes are trained on the wall as she works, her concentration is in every movement of her arm. Tom looks up and sees the entire art piece. It's a red animated coyote, mouth open and baring its teeth. The words "South Side Coyotes" are scribbled in large lettering where the neck of the head ends. It's huge and probably illegal, but Tom would be damned if he didn't think it wasn't cool. And, he had no idea she could do anything like this.

"Hey!" Tom calls, walking a little closer.

SJ jerks back from the wall as she looks over, fear across her face until her vision settles on Tom. "Hey." She calls, getting to her feet.

Tom sticks out a finger, pointing to the wall. "What're you doin'?"

SJ pulls the mask down and starts walking away from the wall. "Spray painting." There's smirk across her lips with the words.

"Yeah," Tom chuckles. "See that." He walks up to her and the two face the wall from a distance to get a look at what it looks like head on. "Isn't this illegal?"

"It is if you're not getting paid by the owner." SJ's smirk widens into a smile and her eyes stay on the wall while Tom looks to her in amazement.

"You're...getting paid? To do this?" Surprise is laced in his words.

SJ glances to him and her sinks a little, thinking he doens't like what she's done, that maybe he thinks she isn't good enough to be paid. "Yeah, I know the owner." SJ says quietly.

"It's really cool." Tom says and his eyes are wide, astonishment coming over his face as SJ glances back to him and she's relieved. "How do you know the owner?"

"I used to play hockey here when I was younger." SJ explains and her stare goes back to the wall.

"Really?"

"Yeah," SJ sighs, wiping her forehead with her forearm. "Played for a long time, really. I met Mikey here even. Travis played here, my dad played. It's....it was a thing, ya know? But, uh, stuff with Travis happened and I had to quit so Coach let me paint the mural to make extra money to help. I come and redo it a few times a year. I guess I could have chosen actual paint, like for buildings, but I like to spray paint."

It's interesting hearing SJ talk about her childhood. It's the complete opposite of Tom's. And it's just downright sad. She had to give up something she seems to have liked to help her family. She met her best friend here. SJ was clearly close with the owner, or still is, and she had to give it up. Or maybe she just chose to, moral obligation and not anyone really making her do it. Nonetheless, it's just sad.  

"Did you like it?" Tom asks, a piece of him just wanting to know the look of joy isn't just front her artwork, it really is because she liked playing hockey.

SJ furrows her brows at the question. "Like playing hockey?" No one ever asked if she ever liked playing.

No one ever asked if she ever liked playing. She was good, amazing even, so why would anyone ever bother to ask if she were enjoying it? Leave it to Tom to be the one to ask the question that actually means a lot more to SJ than she'll ever admit.  

"Yeah, had it not been for Travis, would you still be playing?"

SJ scoffs. "I loved it." SJ says and Tom's chest constricts with the way SJ hangs her head. "It was like...everything, ya know? Lived, breathed, slept, hockey. Day and night. If it weren't for hockey, I would have been in so much trouble but if I ever got pissed off or something, I came here and I made sure those pucks went into that net. My slapshots were great because of it. So, yeah, I really, really liked it but I wouldn't still be playing. It wasn't, a dream, ya know? It was Travis's and he was good enough to be one of the greats. He could have the hockey spotlight, I'll take something else."

Tom licks his lips as he questions what the something else could be. "With boxing?" He figures that's what she's referring to. She's good at it and she seems to enjoy it once she's in the ring. She always stays after so maybe that's what she means. It's a logical thought.

"No." SJ scoffs. "Not boxing." SJ's brows furrow and her eyes go distant before she shakes her head. "You can draw." SJ drops the conversation and Tom doesn't protest figuring there's more to whatever the something else and SJ's not ready to talk about it yet.

"So can you apparently." Tom points back to the wall.

SJ give him a mischievous smile. "Yeah, wanna help?"

"I've never done this before. Don't wanna mess up your work." Tom rambles.

SJ rolls her eyes as she walks to her bag and pulls out a can. "You're not gonna mess anything up. You can't mess up art." Sj challenges. "C'mon." She tosses the can to him and pulls out a mask from her bag.

Tom twirls the can in his hand and a grin comes to his face. "Yeah, alright." He agrees and walks over to her, taking the mask from her and putting it over his face.

"Just follow my old lines, you have the white so focus on the letters." SJ explains as she walks towards the wall, pulling her mask over her mouth.

Tom watches her get back to work for a few seconds and everything she does just makes him fall harder. This is her. The person he's talking to now, this is SJ. She likes to spray paint a building and she likes marine biology. Her brother and her friends are her family. Her heart is bigger than she lets it show. SJ is beautiful in every aspect of the word and in this moment with the sun shining against the blue streaks in SJ's hair that's barely tied in a messy bun and her kneeling with spray paint covered jeans and no makeup that Tom realizes, maybe he doesn't just like her. Maybe it's more, so much more.

-----

The burger joint Tom picked is rowdy with the lunch hour but SJ and Tom aren't paying any of the other customers any bit of attention. SJ is plucking fries from Tom's plate and he's playfully swatting her hand away, the two of them laughing together with spray paint stayed fingers and clothes. A warmth of happiness fills the both of them and in this burger joint, it feels like nothing bad has ever happened to either of them. It feels like they've known each other for years rather than weeks and they never hit a single bump. It's always just been them. And for that, they're both thankful.

"So," SJ pushes her plate aside and leans forward. "How'd you know where I was?"

Tom chuckles as he leans back in the booth. "Matty gave me the address."

"Of course he did." She laughs. She was hoping Matty would tell Tom. "What'd he say?"

"That you'd be there." Tom shrugs, his chuckle not subsiding. "Harrison was the one that told me you'd left though."

"Oh, yeah." SJ nods. "Talked to him for a bit before I left, Matty and him were awake when I came down."

Tom quirks a brow. "What'd you talk about?" There's a look on Tom's face and SJ can't help but play into it.

"Why?" She tilts her head innocently before scrunching her nose. "Jealous?"

"Should I be?" Tom quips and he gains a smirk with SJ's jaw drop. Before, yeah he would have been jealous but after last night and everything else, Tom knows he doesn't have anything to be jealous about.

"Nah," SJ says, choosing not to play the game this time, to give him something. "You shouldn't be."

A blush creeps onto Tom's face and he was joking with her. He's not jealous, just curious but he's happy to know that there's no reason to be. He's happy that the girl he likes and is sleeping with gets along with his best friend and her best friend gets along with his. It's a weight lifted, truly.

"We didn't really talk about anything important. He talked more than I did." SJ explains. "Him and Matty stayed up watching Stranger Things and then they'd switched to a Mission Impossible movie. Harrison is a talkative person in the morning." SJ giggles.

Tom nods. "Yeah, you're tellin' me." There's a gentle smile that comes to Tom's face. "Him and Matty really getting along?"

"Seems like it. It's nice. Matty needs someone who's not fucked up." SJ states and it's an off-handed remark about herself, not Matty or Harrison. It's one that would usually slip by people but it doesn't slip by Tom.

"You're not fucked up." Tom says.

"Yeah?" SJ chortles. "C'mon, after what I told you, what I've done. I'm fucked up."

Tom shakes his head and he leans forward, his forearm brushing against hers. "Fucked up people don't know think they're fucked up. Shit you've been through doesn't make you fucked up." There's no smile etched across his face this time and his eyes are locked on hers, a seriousness in his tone and he means every word. No one's told her that before. In fact, everyone tells her she' fucked up.

That's the thing, really. Tom, he chooses to see the good in people. Sure, he can see bad in people and if people fuck him over, he can ditch them and it's whatever but, he tries to see good in people because he's someone who's fucked up a lot. He knows what it's like to be left out to dry, even if he deserved it. He gets it and he doesn't want people to feel that way, especially someone like SJ who just seems to do everything for the people she cares about. Everything she does is because she needs to protect those she loves. That doens't make her fucked up. Tom knows that and he'll scream it from the rooftops if he has to for SJ to know it's the truth.

"Thank you." SJ says and she bites the inside of her cheek.

"It's the truth, darlin'." Tom reassures and there's something with the pet name that brings the faintest smile to her face this time. "Hey," Tom whispers. "Why don't we get out of here? Grab Haz and go back to my place?"

"Are you asking me to stay or just come for the rest of the day?" SJ inquires and there's little confidence in her voice with the question. She wants him to ask her to stay but it is so fucking terrifying.

Normally, Tom wouldn't risk the idea of asking her to stay but it feels like a day that he wants to tempt fate. "Stay." SJ's eyes light up with a tiny bit of surprise but she's glad that's what he meant. She's not too fond of sleeping alone when she can sleep next to him. "But, only if you promise I get to wake up next to you this time." Tom knows she's scared, it's written across her face but she doesn't have anything to be afraid of when it comes to him. He wants to show her that.

SJ sighs and her heart clenches. "I-I don't...do that."

"Do it with me." Tom says. "What're you afraid of?"

SJ's eyes scan him and there's something about that damn question that makes her want to explode. She wants to explode and not because it's a button he pressed but because what isn't there to be afraid of? She is terrified of everything because everything she's ever loved or cared about just gets ripped away from her. If she wakes up first, if she gets to leave first, Tom won't get ripped away from her. There is nothing worse than giving someone their heart and waking up to a cold bed. But, that's exactly what SJ has been doing to Tom this entire time. He gives her this piece of him and she leaves him to a cold bed in the morning. Maybe it's time SJ tempt fate a little, too.

SJ sucks in a breath, pressing her forehead against Tom's and whispers."Okay. I wanna stay with you."