ᅠ . . . 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐝.

[ᅠ . . . 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐝. @ABRlLLIANTMIND]

⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀

ᅟᅟᅟ 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐨𝐝𝐨𝐫𝐞 "𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐝" 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐰 is a young prodigy,
working for a research firm in a top secret
project. A bit shy and socially awkward.

[ᅠ . . . 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐝. @ABRlLLIANTMIND]

Hi there baby finney!

[ᅠ𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐲.ᅠ @phonedeadtone]

@ABRlLLIANTMIND

[ᅠ . . . 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐝. @ABRlLLIANTMIND]

life, he thought to himself. It was so difficult. . .

he just wished he was born. . . normal.

[ᅠ . . . 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐝. @ABRlLLIANTMIND]

Finney's sweetness made Todd chuckle and smile as well, wondering - once again - how it was nice to be an innocent and pure as he was.

Was Todd even like that? Maybe when his mother was alive, but he didn't remembered it.

"Oh, no. It's from work."

And maybe from

+

[ᅠ𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐲.ᅠ @phonedeadtone]

“He seems nice !”

Finney smiled shyly at Todd, looking up to him as he'd try to adjust his own messy hair with a hand.

“Yeah ? Why ? Is school that bad ?”

[ᅠ . . . 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐝. @ABRlLLIANTMIND]

He hummed in agrément, his fingers picking at the fabric of his pants.

"I. . . I'm better, yes."

He softly replied, now rubbing his eyes like a sleepy baby.

"It's getting cold. . ."

[ᅠ . . . 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐝. @ABRlLLIANTMIND]

"You are."

Todd agreed, chuckling in a soft manner as nodded, keeping his head in the same resting place.

The man's confession resonated with him. People were also always mean to him because of how he was - quieter, different than them.

+

[‎ ‎ ⁄‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ᵀᴴᴱ ‎ ‎ ‎𝓖𝐑𝐀𝐁𝐁𝐄𝐑 ̧‎ ‎ ‎ @deadisjustaword]

“I am nice !”

He spoke in a high pitched tone, for when he was being extra friendly. It could be quite uncanny, but it was how he was.

“You'll see . . . I mean. Yeah . . . People don't like magic tricks.”

He mused, scratching the back of his head. —

[ᅠ . . . 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐝. @ABRlLLIANTMIND]

He was unable to not raise an eyebrow at his comment - who could be that guy? Even offering him ice cream. . .

"He is, this guy?"

The young man asked, humming while thinking.

"Me. . . I'm fine. Needing a vacation, though."

[ᅠ𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐲.ᅠ @phonedeadtone]

Chuckling loudly as Todd messed up his hair, Finney made a face, adjusting it again with both hands as he seemed to think about it.

“Uhmmm . . . Oh ! Met a nice guy who offered me ice cream ! I don't really know his name, but he's all right ! How about you ?!”

[ᅠ . . . 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐝. @ABRlLLIANTMIND]

"Missed you too, pal!"

Feeling happy upon seeing Finney's happiness, Todd messed gently with the kid's hair.

"What have you been up to, uh? Some adventures?"

[ᅠ𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐲.ᅠ @phonedeadtone]

Hugging Todd, Finney chuckled softly, hiding his face against Todd's jacket.

“I've missed you !”

[ᅠ . . . 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐝. @ABRlLLIANTMIND]

Chuckling out of happiness, Todd opened his arms to receibe Finney in an embrace.

"Hey there, bud!"

[ᅠ𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐲.ᅠ @phonedeadtone]

“TODD !”
He smiled, running towards the other.

[ᅠ . . . 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐝. @ABRlLLIANTMIND]

making a clicking noise with his tongue, showing how much he didn't agree with these people.

"There's no reason to be mean. With you, with anyone. Mean people are always awful."

Todd replied, closing his eyes for a bit. They felt strange because of the crying.

[ᅠ . . . 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐝. @ABRlLLIANTMIND]

"You are being nice."

Todd gave him a shy smile, resting his chin on his knees. If he spent any given time with him, the man would probably be sure of how weird he really was.

"They say that. . .? Why? You know how to make magic tricks, that's really cool."

He replied,

+

[‎ ‎ ⁄‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ᵀᴴᴱ ‎ ‎ ‎𝓖𝐑𝐀𝐁𝐁𝐄𝐑 ̧‎ ‎ ‎ @deadisjustaword]

“Yeah.”

He hummed, slowly shaking his head to push the thoughts and memories away.

“Mhm . . . I don't think you're a weirdo. I think you're cool. I mean, people call me weirdo at my work too, if it serves as anything.”

He giggled, adjusting the blanket over Todd's shoulder. —

[ᅠ . . . 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐝. @ABRlLLIANTMIND]

Meow!

[ᅠ𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐲.ᅠ @phonedeadtone]

ᅠᅠ
Meow !
ᅠᅠ

[ᅠ . . . 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐝. @ABRlLLIANTMIND]

a sarcastic manner, trying to dismiss his own feelings about it.

"I think that's why he doesn't like me. And the fact my mom died and let all of her assets to me."

He explained, moving his feet a bit under the blanket.

[ᅠ . . . 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐝. @ABRlLLIANTMIND]

"That's awful."

Todd replied, his voice showing the sadness on his demeanor. It was. . . Unfair. No one should be assaulted like that, much less by his own father.

Upon realizing the man noticed he was different - as he put -, Todd seemed to wither a bit. It was obvious;

+

[‎ ‎ ⁄‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ᵀᴴᴱ ‎ ‎ ‎𝓖𝐑𝐀𝐁𝐁𝐄𝐑 ̧‎ ‎ ‎ @deadisjustaword]

“Yeah. Beat me with the belt to make a man out of me.”

He answered nonchalantly, scoffing a smile under his mask.

“Oh no, he doesn't, he died a few years ago.”

The man waved a hand in the air, think for a moment. —

[ᅠ . . . 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐝. @ABRlLLIANTMIND]

even if he tried to mask it, his autism would always show up. He sighed, a bit sad, a bit tired.

"I'm autistic. Means that my brain doesn't really work as it should, I guess. . . In the social and communication areas. Basically, I'm a weirdo."

Todd chuckled in

+

[ᅠ . . . 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐝. @ABRlLLIANTMIND]

Even more when he spoke of such personal matters.

"I hope he doesn't keep doing it."

[ᅠ . . . 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐝. @ABRlLLIANTMIND]

The man's words made Todd raise his head and look at his body movements - just by the corner of his eyes.

"He didn't?"

He asked, moving his head a little more to try to look at him better - it was a nice gesture to look at your partner in conversation, he was once told.

+

[‎ ‎ ⁄‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ᵀᴴᴱ ‎ ‎ ‎𝓖𝐑𝐀𝐁𝐁𝐄𝐑 ̧‎ ‎ ‎ @deadisjustaword]

"You're not a bother.”

He answered promptly, saving the deck of cards inside his pocket once again as he looked at Todd.

“My dad used to treat me bad too, y'know.”

He started quietly, shrugging softly, trying to make a conversation . . . He wasn't very good at that.

[ᅠ . . . 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐝. @ABRlLLIANTMIND]

The young man sheepishly replied, looking at his own feet once more.

[ᅠ . . . 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐝. @ABRlLLIANTMIND]

"Okay."

Todd said quietly, considering all the possibilities. Probably he would feel unsafe after, but, now, he felt. . . Alright. Better than he felt when he was with his dad.

"I just. . . I just don't want to bother you."

+

[‎ ‎ ⁄‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ᵀᴴᴱ ‎ ‎ ‎𝓖𝐑𝐀𝐁𝐁𝐄𝐑 ̧‎ ‎ ‎ @deadisjustaword]

"No one will find you here. Unless you want to, then I'll let you go."

He nodded once, mindlessly playing with his deck of cards. The way Todd looked at him was different. He wasn't scared . . . He seemed to see something no one else ever did. He didn't know what, tho. +

[ᅠ . . . 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐝. @ABRlLLIANTMIND]

But, somehow, Todd didn't get scared of it. The man's eyes were full of some sadness; he noticed that, even if unable to look at them for long.

"What if you get in trouble because of me?"

[ᅠ . . . 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐝. @ABRlLLIANTMIND]

Todd's smile kept on his face for a bit. He shook his head in an affirmative manner, saying he understood.

"But what if people start searching for me?"

He asked, finally raising his glance for a bit and meeting his eyes under the mask. The object was, for sure, strange. . .

+

[‎ ‎ ⁄‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ᵀᴴᴱ ‎ ‎ ‎𝓖𝐑𝐀𝐁𝐁𝐄𝐑 ̧‎ ‎ ‎ @deadisjustaword]

The man chuckled softly, admiring him with the blanket.

“Well, I can't either, to be honest . . .”

He chuckled once again, tilting his head as he watched Todd.

“I know I may look scary to you, but I'm a nice guy, you'll see. I just . . . Wanna keep you safe, is all.”