𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐫 {𝐧𝐞𝐰𝐭 𝐱 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫}

forty four: the pain of empty promises

tw: sexual harassment 

Newt's POV:

Most nights were the same now; I would struggle to sleep, notice Y/n leave the headquarters, I would follow in suit and we'd end up falling asleep basically on top of each other. Not that I'm complaining.

Something about having her head resting on my chest as we slept made it easier for me at night. I would sleep much better than normal, as her presence was strangely calming.

I don't know what it is, but I think just being around her made me feel better. I honestly have no idea why, and I don't know if she feels the same because she hasn't said anything.

I think the thing that scares me most is that it could all just vanish in the next two weeks, as her trip with Thomas and Vince keeps looming closer. I really didn't like the idea of her going, not because she couldn't handle it, which I knew she could, but because I don't think I can handle it.

I struggled enough with barely talking to her for a couple days, so I really don't think I'm going to deal very well with her leaving me for God knows how long, especially if there's always that lingering thought in the back of my head that she won't even come back.

But when she's with me, I manage to push those thoughts away and fall asleep very easily with her in my arms.

That is, until I wake up the next morning and realise, she's gone.

I scramble around, searching for her everywhere and calling out her name. But she's not there, and she doesn't answer my yells. Panic starts to take over, and I run down the hill manically to where Frypan and Thomas are.

They notice me coming, and Thomas calls out to me. "Hey! Newt, where were you? We tried finding you but you disappeared." He said, as I started to slow down to stop in front of them. My breathing was uneven and my throat felt like it hadn't touched water for days, as I was finally able to choke out, "Have you guys seen Y/n?" I asked desperately, putting my hands on my knees and bowing my head to steady my breathing.

Frypan laughed at my painful state, "Yeah, your girlfriend is over there. Although, I'm pretty sure that guy over there is trying to steal your job." He said, making my head shoot up.

And there she was, standing with two bowls in her hands - but just like Fry said, she wasn't alone. Fry's joke didn't even register in my head, as anger began to take over as I watched Emilio tower over her, standing way too close to Y/n for my liking.

It looked as if it made her uncomfortable also, while Frypan and Thomas turned to watch. "Damn, that guy's brave. If he gets any closer, she may kill him." Fry said casually, while Thomas rotates himself to look directly at me.

"Should we go over and help her? I mean normally I would, but if anything, I honestly think she's more intimidating then we are." He said as he shrugged and turned back to Frypan. But I had barely heard a thing he was saying while I kept my eyes locked on Emilio and Y/n.

I balled my fists as I watched him smirk and take the bowls from her hands to put them on the table, moving even closer towards her, thereby making her back up near a wall. I began to take steps forward towards them, getting ready to tear him off of her and kill him right then and there, but she seemed to do that for me.

In an instant, Emilio started to bring his hand up to stroke her face, causing her to lose her temper and grab his hand. She pulled it up behind his back as he yelled out in pain, before she kicked him to the floor. My eyes widened massively, and a large grin started to show itself on my lips.

She quickly removed herself from before him and noticed I was there. Instantly, her extremely angry expression softened when she noticed me there, as she moved forward and grabbed my hand, pulling me away from Emilio groaning in pain on the floor.

She pulled me into the sleeping quarters, away from all the others and their chattering as she finally turned to me fully. I didn't give her a chance to speak though, as I immediately pulled her into a bone crashing hug before asking her a million questions.

"Did he hurt you? Are you okay?" I asked frantically, while she just looked back at me blankly.

She nodded slowly, as if still in a bit of shock, and I wrapped my arms around her again. She hesitated slightly, which is honestly quite normal for her, before engulfing me in her arms. She didn't really say anything, and that was okay, because I know that she probably didn't want to.

But then after a few minutes she broke the silence and pulled away from the hug. "I was getting us breakfast. That's why I left." She said quietly, and my heart felt like it was about to break free from my body.

She was getting us breakfast. She didn't leave because she just didn't want to be there, she was getting us food. I could not contain my smile as I wrapped my hands around her waist and kissed her forehead delicately. "It's okay, I'm here."

And that was how we stayed, I don't know for how long, but even though it was a long time, I still wished it was longer.

--

Y/N's POV:

Thursday evening rolled around slowly as I sat in the council room with Vince and Thomas, talking through criteria and expectations of our trip that was only a little over a week away.

I wouldn't exactly say I was excited for the event; I also wouldn't say I was dreading it, either, I'm just not exactly looking – forward – to it.

And I mean, why would I? I have to engage with a bunch of strangers who apparently have a rap sheet as long as mine, and if I've learned anything about myself from before, I know that I was not an easy person to be around.

So, I was slightly concerned that this wouldn't go as well as Vince was hoping, as neither Thomas nor I were very good at keeping our mouths shut when needed.

But, even with all that going on, something else seemed to be going well in my life for once.

Since the incident with Emilio, Newt had stayed by my side constantly, and when I say constantly, I mean constantly.

It had happened yesterday morning, and since then, he had stayed with me through the night just like he normally did, at my side during all of our meals, and managed to stay glued to me even while we were working - which wasn't technically allowed.

But the boy didn't seem to care as he'd be gentle and kind, making sure I was okay and not afraid - which I wasn't, and at the same time struggled to contain his anger at even the thought of Emilio.

I was angry too, of course - even after I tried to tell Emilio to get the fuck away from me, he didn't listen and advanced forward. If I wasn't as trained as I am, I don't know what I would have done, as that situation could have gone very differently if it had turned out I was completely defenceless against a seventeen-year-old boy, who, and even though I was rather tall, still towered over me with his 6ft build.

But then again, I know I would have been okay, because Newt was there. And just knowing that in itself made me feel safer.

The meeting went on into the night, and it finally drew to a close about 10pm, leaving me exhausted and just wanting to drop into a long sleep.

When I had left Newt, he had dropped me off at council and told me he'd see me later on the cliff, just like we usually do. It had become our spot over the short time we had been here, and I think almost all of the nights we had spent in the safe haven were together up on the edge of the mountain, over-looking the sea as I drifted off in his arms.

So, naturally, I headed up there on instinct, expecting him to be up there like he said, but instead, all I was met with was cold air and empty promises.

He wasn't there.

A knot in my chest tightened as I tried to talk myself through a situation that probably meant nothing. 

He would arrive soon, I told myself - but as another hour wondered by, I realised he wasn't coming.

So, instead of waiting longer for someone who appeared to not want to show up, I fell asleep next to the large rock that we always slept upright against, wishing he were here with me.