centre | newtmas au

13

Thomas
Thomas sits silently on the edge of his bed. He had just prepped Alby to be sent up into the maze and the whole experience was bewildering. He felt like he was out of his body, and his mind was another place entirely. He wanted to talk to Newt, but Newt had no idea they had their memories wiped or that Thomas created the entire maze. He felt sick thinking about looking at Newt and not getting a reaction, it scared him to death. He also worried how Newt would react knowing Thomas created the next phase of Newt's life that he had no control over. He couldn't talk to Newt. Not yet.

Thomas snapped out of his daze when the sound of a fist pounding on his door started.
"Tom, please open the door, please. I'm s—"
She barely had time to finish her sentence before Thomas yanked open the door. The Teresa in front of him was not calm or collected but she was panicked and kept rapidly apologising.
"What is it?" Thomas says, bitingly.
"I didn't know and he pressed me, Thomas I didn't mean—"
"Get to the point Teresa."
"I told Newt you created the maze. He was looking for you this morning, I-I think you should've told him."
Thomas feels his skin turn to ice and his blood run cold.
"That was my decision to make, in my own time. For once stay out of shit that isn't yours." Thomas whispers, clenching his teeth.
Teresa whispers an apology and leaves the room.
Thomas' first thought is to go to Newt. He wants to explain himself, although he doesn't know what he'll be saying. He's just scared, as stupid an excuse as that is.
He also feels like he should give Newt space to breathe, but he has to explain himself, he doesn't have long left with him, and he doesn't want to lose more and more time.
He stands up from his bed and exits his room. The hallway is pretty empty. He guesses everyone will be in a meeting and his friends will be somewhere happy. That's what he hopes for most.

He walks round towards the conference room, part of him wishing to see Newt, the other part hoping Newt is hiding from him.
He turns a corner so he's in the hallway where the conference room lies. He hears nothing and suspects there is no one there, but he scans the area with his eyes.
He see's a boy with dirty blonde hair and a pale blue t-shirt on kneeling, his head in his hands, slumped against the wall.
The boy looks up at him and Thomas see's the sheer anger and upset jump into his eyes.
"Newt."
"I'm not taking your bloody SHIT this time Tommy. You better have a good excuse, because I'm so tired of you."
"I'm sorry, and I know, I know, you're sick of apologies but I was scared. So scared of losing you. I want to change lives, I want to save people, Newt. I don't want to watch the people I care about most go into that maze for nothing, you have to understand I'm doing this because I know you will all make a huge impact, I know you'll find a cure. If the maze was for nothing, I would have no part of it."
Newt says nothing.
"I'm afraid of how much fear I have of not seeing you again, I'm so terrified of how much... how much.."
Newt looks up and him.
"How much I love you. As a best friend, as a brother, as someone I would lay down my life for, the one person I trust most. It's alien to me. But what I'm doing, what we're doing will be worth it. The cure will be worth it."
Newt stands and walks over to Thomas.
"Although what you're saying and doing hurts, I know you and I know you'll do what's right. I'm sorry for both of us that the world bloody sucks like this. We're kids."
Newt pauses, clearly remembering something.
"When you were taken from school, before you had a chance to tell me what was going to happen and I woke up and found you gone I walked and I yelled at our principal. The principal."
Thomas raises his eyebrows. "You didn't."
"Bloody believe me, I did. I obviously grew a pair." Newt laughs softly.
"Thanks for not beating my ass. If I were you I'd beat my ass."
Newt scrunches up his nose and smirks.
"That was never gonna happen mate, you knew that."
Thomas shrugs. "You never know with you."
Newt laughs freely again and Thomas feels the weight on his shoulders subside. He's happy again.

In the evening, around 9,Thomas sits outside the room where Alby's memory is being wiped. He stands biting his nails and raking his hands through his hair repeatedly. He's unbelievably anxious. He isn't even close to being ready for when it's Newt's turn. Teresa stands beside him, doing what she does best. Her clipboard rests in the crook of her arm and her pen is at the ready, resting on the paper which is filled with her neat and small print.
She looks up, her black waves falling over her eyes. "I'm proud of you, Tom."
Thomas almost pries his hands from his mouth and folds his arms ahead of him.
"Why's that?"
Teresa sighs. "I was practically born here, it's all I can remember but.. you were forced here and dragged into it and you have to watch your best friends go through hell, but you're so calm and yourself and I am so so proud of you."
Thomas steps forward and hugs Teresa warmly. Although she drives him mad sometimes, he is so grateful to have someone to share the weight with.
She smiles. "I think you should go sleep, you're not benefiting from this."
"Thank you. Goodnight Teresa."
"Goodnight Tom."

Thomas had collapsed into bed moments after walking into his room and pulling off his trainers. He hardly realised how physically and mentally drained he was. He sleeps for about 5 hours when he hears a timid knock on the door. He pulls off his cover and pads up to the door.
He squints into the bright lights of the hallway.
"Newt?" He whispers, looking at the boys eyes.
"I can't sleep, I was thinking about how Alby's gone up and I'm next and all.." Newt pauses and flushes. "and I don't wanna be a prick and get in the way but... is it okay if I came and sat with you? It feels more like home— I mean.. school." He adds quickly.
Thomas nods and Newt walks in clumsily. Thomas grabs his pillow and places it against the wall and sits against it. Newt sits beside him, their shoulders touching.
"Just like old times." Thomas says.
"Yeah."

They sit in silence for a while, just relaxing in each others company before Newt rests his head on Thomas' shoulder. Thomas doesn't move or speak, and eventually, in the dark, pressed beside each other, they sleep.

this is so bad but its 11:30pm and im half asleep i love u get ready for something CUTE but also a #fat mess. i have a plan! pls dont kill me xx night
edit : 700!!! doesn't seem like a lot but thank u babies im so grateful <33