Fingerprints

Twenty-six

Thomas jogged through the park, the dark having engulfed any sign of the blond a while ago. He felt guilt and nerves stab at his stomach, making him regret all of what he had said half an hour prior. He knew he should have kept his cool. He knew shouldn't have called Newt what he did. He knew he shouldn't have diminished the blonds wants. He was about to give up and head back to his apartment to call the man when he heard a soft British murmuring coming from a tree. As he stepped forward, palm feeling his way to the tree, he realised Newt was crying.

"I..I need you..I need you here Son'. It's too..It's too hard without you..and...and it's hard knowing you're not going to call me at eleven in the morning..b..begging me for sushi because you're hungover from a party I told you..n...n..not to go too..and it's hard, knowing your not going to doodle on..on my arm whilst I eat...and...and it's hard knowing you're not going too..you're not gonna dance whilst I paint. But..b..but I will find you..and..and I'll tell you all about my petty issues..and you can tell me about how stupid I am." he finished quietly to himself, before working on trying to recompose himself. Thomas's heart broke, as the true loneliness of the blond really sunk in.

After a minute, Thomas stepped on a twig, pretending he'd just got there. Newt whipped around, eye contact making the hairs on the back of Thomas's neck stand up. Newt had very intense eyes. Eyes that had seen a lot, eyes that saw a lot, eyes that were analytical, eyes that took in every little detail, eyes that could judge, eyes that could seduce anyone they wanted if they tried, eyes that could become alive with fury, eyes that were so precise, they could shoot a nail of a grate from one hundred feet away, eyes that held a sort of childhood innocence to them, but also were tired. So tried. But now, as they stared at Thomas, there was something else behind them, that he couldn't quite distinguish.

"Hi Newt." he offered the blond a small smile, who just sighed, and sat at the base of the tree.

"What do you want Thomas?" The brunette almost winced at Newt's thin tone using his full name.

"I..I wanna apologise. For everything. I didn't mean to call you grumpy, I never meant to diminish you. What I said was wrong, and I'm a huge slinthead for it. I should have ben the bigger person. I shouldn't have said what I did, I should have kept my cool. That was the promise I made to you, and I fucked it up. I'm sorry. I really am." He sat down beside his friend, who let out a long sigh after turning over Thomas's words.

"I'm sorry too."

"What? Newt you have nothing to apologise for." Thomas frowned, but the blond continued.

"No, I shouldn't have over reacted. I sparked the whole thing off. I shouldn't have snapped at you for just talking about Teresa. I know if it were the other way round, you wouldn't have done that. I'm really sorry." He whispered to his lap.

"Well, if we're having an apology war," Thomas tried to lighten the mood, and too his satisfaction, made the blond pass him a small smile, "I'm sorry about what I said about your loneliness. I never meant to make it seem like your wants don't matter. And you're right, I don't know the first thing about loneliness, but..but if you'd let me, I'd like to help you with that." He chose his words carefully, watching as the large chocolate eyes met his, sending a shiver down his spine.

"That's sweet of you, but..I don't think you can help me. I just want a pair you know, like you have Teresa, and Minho has Brenda." he explained, picking at his nails. Thomas took his soft hand away from his other, sending a disapproving glance to the blond and his nervous tick.

"Well, how do you know that someone doesn't consider you their pair? And you just don't know it yet?" He swallowed nervously, making sure he didn't mess up his words and blow his cover. The blond eyes lit up, back to their childhood innocence.

"Does someone actually? Don't play with my emotions, I've had enough of that for one night." he looked a bit like a wounded animal, scared and angry, and it hurt Thomas to know that the brit was just trying to protect himself from people hurting him again. He decided to be honest, it was the least he could do after was he'd said earlier that night.

"I know someone does." he said softly, trying to stop himself from smiling as the blond's eyes widened and he bit his lip to stop himself from sounding to eager. 'God Thomas, you always have to fall for the cute ones.'

"Who is it?" Newt asked timidly, trying to keep his cool. Thomas could see right through it. His nerves suddenly rose to his throat again, but he kept them down, trying his best to word his next sentence right.

"Well, when I think of myself, I think Thomas..and Newt. Not Teresa. Maybe once, but not anymore." The man watched his partners face, which had come closer in eagerness. He could have sworn he saw a light pink residing on the blonds cheek bones as he continued, "I mean..I mean I don't know if you see us as Newt and Thomas but you know.." he trailed off.

"I don't see us as Newt and Thomas." the brit shook his head. The brunette felt his heart shatter and fall to his stomach. He swallowed down the rinsing lump in his throat, and nodded sullenly.

"I see us as Newt and Tommy." Newt had a playful smirk on his lips. Thomas blinked for a moment, before shaking his head and smirking back.

"You suck you know that?" he stood up, offering the blond a hand. Newt just chuckled and took his hand. But Thomas pulled him up and wrapped his arms around the brits thin waist, throwing him over his shoulder.

"Oh my god let go of me you bloody shuck!" Newt tried to sound angry, but struggled through his gasping laughs as he tried to wriggle from the muscular mans shoulder.

"Nah, might run off again see? Gotta keep your partner close. I almost didn't have anyone to crash buses with it." Thomas gasped in mock worry as he began to make his way back toward his apartment. Newt stopped struggling and huffed.

"You're mad Tommy. Bloody nuts."

"Thought you would have gotten used to it by now buttercup."

"Nah, you never seize to amaze me with your madness."