the things we fix | newtmas au

chapter nine

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Empty.
That's how Thomas felt : empty. He got back home half an hour ago and felt as if his heart had been ripped out of his chest.
He was sitting on the couch, wrapped in a blanket. Only one table lamp, beside the couch, was on. Thomas was barely aware of the noise coming from the kitchen, of the sound of the rain pouring against the windows. The rain. He had been watching at the rain absentmindedly for a long time now. Thinking of everything and nothing at the same time. Newt's words collapsing in his head as he tried to understand.

''You okay?"

"Tom?"
''Te-tessa."
''Tom? Are you okay?"

Rain kept falling as Thomas stopped walking, wet clothes, cold skin, hair falling on his forehead.

''I need you to come and get me."

Tears rolling on his lips, salty taste on his tongue. Mixed with drops of rain, rain that made the snow melt.

''Tom, where are you?"
''I don't..."
"I don't know."

"Tom?"
Thomas looked up at his sister, his eyelids heavy. He took the cup of hot chocolate his sister handed him, wrapping his fingers around the warm mug.
''Thank you Tess."
Teresa made an apologetic smile as she took a seat next to her brother.
''How are you feeling?"

Thomas shrugged, looking at his cup.
''Not okay." he said softly, his voice wavering. He looked up at his sister, his eyes tearing up once again.
''It's okay to cry, Tom."
Two tears escaped his eyes, and he quickly wipped them away with one hand.
''I know."

''You wanna talk about it?" Teresa asked after a while, when Thomas had stopped crying and drank a few sips of his chocolate.
He shrugged again and softly sniffed.

''We had an argument..after the movie." Thomas mumbled, as he put the mug down on the wood table beside the couch. ''We talked about his limp and how it might.. not go away and he got.. so mad and left."

Teresa smiled apologetically to her brother, sad to see him like this. He was so full of joy, usually, smiling and laughing all the time. She wasn't used to see him sad.
Not that he wasn't sad, though. She just didn't know. Thomas didn't tell her things like that. Serious stuff. Like how he still struggled with the death of their parents, or how he felt lonely all the time because he had no one to talk to, no one to spend time with, except for her.
And Newt. But that was before.

''I'm sure he's just upset, Tom. Give him some space and I'm sure he'll come back to you."

Thomas shook his head, looking at his lap.