Tattooed Hearts

Chapter One

On the first day of training, Thomas and Minho arrived back at the Glade, both exhausted and felt an urging need for food.

"Nice job there greenie, in fact you almost did better than me on my first training, almost,"

"Oh shut it, you narcisstic shank," Thomas said back, while slapping Minho on his shoulder. Minho "ow"ed, and slapped Thomas' bum. Thomas laughed. Minho was one of the few people whom he could really joked with, but would not threaten to throw him off the Cliff. Unlike Newt, sometimes he was really nice and lovable and made Thomas forget what a crazy world they were living in, but at other times he was just really mean to Thomas. This often left the younger boy all confused and frustrated.When did I ever cross over the line? Are we even friends or what? Although he secretly wanted Newt and him to be something more than just that...

They entered the map room and Minho lay out his notes on the wooden table. He sighed. "You go and enjoy your dinner greenie, don't wanna talk anymore with all the lecture I did today... I'll show you the mappings tomorrow,"

"K, see you later," Thomas opened the squeaky metal door, "And stop calling me Greenie, I've told ya,"

"Right," Minho was focusing on the notes, " Bye Tommy," The boy smirked. That felt a bit weird for Thomas, as no one called him that but Newt. Newt. Damn, it's like his mind evolved around the name. Thomas sighed.

He walked toward the benches outside the kitchen. Everyone would have finished dinner and probably be throwing a wrestling party outside the forest.

Guess I'll be eating alone, Thomas thought.

Despite his expectation, he was surpised to see Newt sitting on one of the benches. His heart skipped a beat when the blonde boy's eyes met with his.

"Hey Tommy," Newt said cheerily, "you look like you would collapse any second, C'mere, Frypan made some extra food for you,"

"Aw thanks for waiting for me," Thomas wrapped his arms around Newt's waist and snuzzled against his chest in a playful way. "Hmm you don't smell as bad as I thought you would be,"Newt smiled and ruffled his hair. His smiles... They were like a summer breeze, taking away Thomas' worries ever so easily. Man, isn't he attractive... Thomas stopped. Well, how did this thought come out of nowhere. Thomas let go of Newt and picked up the food.

"So how's your first training?" Newt asked, a smile still lingering on his lips.

"Nothin' special really, we just followed the same routes and marked down the regular shifts of the maze,"

"Bored by the maze already eh, Tommy?" Newt continued, "On my first training, I was scared shackless as Minho that piece of klunk hid somewhere else and I thought I was lost," Thomas meant to ask him why wasn't he a runner now, but decided not to ruin the boy's good mood.

"Speak of the devil, hey man," Newt said, while Minho sat down opposite the two, "hi" He replied and began munching the food.

"Well I should go now, byebye you two," Newt said, "By the way you got something by your mouth Tom," He reached out to help him wipe it away. When Newt's thumb lingered by his lips , Thomas felt something he didn't expect to feel from the touch of the boy, something that made his face heat up like crazy.

Suddenly Newt smirked. Before Thomas could react he felt a scalding burn. That boy had slapped him right on his cheek and immediately jumped up and ran.

"Catch me if you can, runner boy," Newt yelled, already several yards away.

"Oh you shank-head, are you like, 5?" Thomas got up and ran after him.

"Perhaps, Tommy, no one ever knows their age anyway," They ran before Thomas finally tackled the older boy on the ground.

The two both laughed while panting slightly.

"Next time I won't have any mercy, so watch out" Thomas patted the boy's cheek in return and helped him sit back on the grassland.

"I really have to go now, as much as you've enjoyed my company,"

Thomas raised his eyebrow.

"Oh are you-"

"Hush," Newt clasped his hand on Thomas' mouth, "No questions, greenie, remember our deal?" His tone suddenly went stern.

Oh no is he mad at me again? Thomas thought, his heart sank and he looked at Newt, who closed his eyes.

Then, out of the unexpected, he slowly leaned in and whispered by his ear,

"Goodnight, Thomas,"

His warms breaths sending chills to his skin. And with that, Newt got up and ran a little toward the homestead, and soon his blonde hair was out of sight, leaving Thomas sitting frozen there on the grass like an idiot.

Having finally got back to his senses, Thomas got up, brushed the grass off his feet, and made his way back to the benches to finish his dinner.

Minho was looking at Thomas in a funny way, with a smirk on his face.

"What??"

"Go get him Tom," Minho winked knowingly and he too, left the dining table.

Later at night, Thomas' heart was still beating fast, with his mind wandering back to the yellow-haired boy.

I need to tell him, were his last thoughts when he finally fell asleep.