As you finishing bagging and tagging the bread that had finally cooled from the morning you noticed it was time for lunch, you happily slid your way to Tommy and with the best fake English accent you could muster

"My dearest Thomas-"

That name got you a playful eye roll

"is the sir ready for lunch?"

He looked down as a guilty child would and shook his head no and pointed to what looked like only the start of packing steaks, you groaned loudly and draped yourself dramatically on his arm, you knew the store was getting a larger than usual load from the slaughterhouse so you're not that surprised but it's still fun to poke at Tommy

"But that means I can't read on my lunch break! Last time I read ahead without you, you sulked for like two hours- felt like I got caught cheating on a test"

Tommy looked down and raised his eyebrow at you and gently pushed you off the arm you were still dramatically thrown against and raised his bloody hands at you while wiggling his fingers

"Don't you dare touch me bloody hands I will tell your mother"

were the last words yelled as he made a playful lunged at you

"This means I have to stay late and read to you, ungrateful!"

You yelled as you left your work area.

You chuckled to yourself as you sat at your unassigned but still yours and Tommy's lunch spot, you've grown so used to reading out loud to Tommy it feels weird to do it without him so you just put in your earphones and let yourself reflect on the last three weeks which have just been a blur. You're moving out of your shared space with James in two days to an even smaller house but it was closer to work and amazingly cheap, you and James had barely talked since the incident while he tried giving you flowers and chocolates but you always left them where you found them, he understood why you were leaving but the air was still tense. Some days you were mad at yourself for moving here but then you remember this is probably the happiest you've been in a long time thanks to Momma and Tommy, it's weird you just felt like you fit in and calling Luda Momma just felt right (it also helps that she smacks your hand if you call her anything else). One of the most unexpected things was Tommy the giant mute becoming your best friend and the object of your completely hopeless crush, you sighed and blushed into your hands as you thought about it, it felt wrong because you know he probably views you as an annoying little sister who bakes good bread. Remembering the instant your confusion about how you felt about Tommy became very clear was one week ago when you woke up from a very vivid dream that was more than pg-13 involving very large hands and a lack of clothes that ripped you awake with the sex drive of a 13-year-old boy. You screamed into your pillow as you realized your emotions and quickly racked with guilt, it took 4 hours of work to be able to look Tommy in the eyes, those big beautiful eyes - your daydreaming about Tommy was cut short when Luda took a seat next to you and you practically screamed

"Jesus Mary and Joseph! Momma, you scared me"

Luda just chuckled

"You always frighten so easy when my boy isn't with you"

She gently nudged your elbow as she spoke, you rolled your eyes and threw the last bite of your sandwich in your mouth

"Speaking of my boy I want him to help you move, can't have you breaking your back trying to do it by yourself, I have a feeling that no good ex of yours is not gonna want to help out"

You scratch the back of your neck

"Yeah momma it would probably be a huge help, I already have my clothes packed but it would make moving that furniture around a lot easier, I mean as long as Tommy's okay with it, I would hate to ruin his rare day off"

Luda blinked blankly and suddenly started laughing harder than you've ever seen her laugh

"Yeah as if his dream day off isn't spending the whole day with you"

She said through gasping breaths and shaking her head, you tried not to let your head overthink as you told yourself it's just because he's eager to have a friend

"Did you think to consider that my dream day off Momma?"

You tried your hardest to laugh it off but Luda just rolled her eyes and patted your knee as she caught her breath

"Oh honey the whole damn town knows that, let's get back to work"

You both stood from the table as your mind raced, oh god you that obvious?

45 minutes later you were chopping pecans for a new dessert recipe but your mind was still somewhere else well one place, in particular, your conversation with Luda but suddenly a sharp pain sliced through your middle finger, you dropped the knife on the floor and swore, you wrapped the nearest towel around your hand and squeezed hard, suddenly your felt very large hands grip your hips and aggressively turn you so you're facing Tommy who had lowered himself to his knee, it's weird to be looking down at Tommy for once but you didn't have time to dwell on that as he released his from the grip on your hips to grab at your wrist and check on you finger

"it's okay it just surprised me"

Tommy gave you a doubtful look as he stood up

"Well, doctor Thomas do I pass your check-up?"

Tommy shook his head no

"What do you mean no? I just need to rinse i-"

Suddenly you were dragged into his arms like a baby as he took large steps to the staff bathroom, you passed Luda in the staff area

"Momma help me Tommy's gone, full nurse"

She hardly raised her head from her tea as she shook her head and chuckled.

Tommy entered the tiny bathroom, closed the door with his foot and plopped you on the counter right next to the sink while setting it on blast spraying the side of your pants

"Jesus it's not that bad doctor" Tommy grasped your hand after he took a paper towel from the dispenser, wet it and with nurse like caution very slowly blotted over your realistically small cut

"You must be used to bigger cuts than these working as a butcher I guess"

Tommy just slightly shrugged and you realized you wouldn't leave this uncomfortable (possibly breaking) bathroom counter till you stopped bleeding

"Just throw a bandaid on me and kiss it better I'll be okay jeez "

You scoffed but Tommy's eyes met your looks and suddenly his eyes seemed to darken as he slowly brought your damaged finger to his rarely used hole in his leather mask and you felt the soft push of his lips puckered to give a gentle kiss on your wound, as your jaw went slack and slowly followed down his face to try to get a peek at his lips behind his Leatherface, you found yourself leaning in before you heard Karen shrike

"Are you kidding me?!"

Immediately you snapped out of whatever that was and gave your best-unamused face to Tommy

"Didn't think to lock the door, doctor?"

You grabbed the wet paper towel of his hands quickly while he was caught off guard and fast-walked out of the bathroom, probably shoving Karen harder than necessary to the first aid kit in the staff kitchen, you see Luda there still sipping on her tea

"My finger is feeling a lot better! I just need a bandaid and a glove and good as new"

She chuckled

"Oh I bet"