[the ocean's breeze] NEWTMAS SHORT STORY

[ 03 ]

minho

"what the shuck?" i watch as thomas' head hits jorge's porch roughly.

"the kid's malnourished, passed out from running after you," jorge simply says like my best friend didn't just fall unconscious while my other best friend will not calm down until he knows about the unconscious one's wellness. 

i'm shucked. 

"let's take him into mine, so newt knows he's okay and now we can keep track of thomas again," jorge suggests. what a great idea, let's bring the blondie his boyfriend (but apparently they aren't dating) who is malnourished and passed out on the porch. nothing can go wrong with that idea.

i nod, hopelessly trying to fight up courage to say anything else. but what's there to say? because of me, because i didn't tell thomas the damned truth, he's given up and now he's fainted. what's wrong with me? i need to shuck up because hell, newt and thomas aren't going to be their best selves.

i lift thomas up with jorge and soon feel the weight he's lost in the three weeks we've been in the safe haven. he's almost as light as scrawny newt, i note the problem in my head to check out later.

we carry him by shoulders and feet into the space next to newt's bed, which is on the shaggy rug. newt's red rimmed eyes widen when they see the boy in our arms.

"what- did you bloody kill him? because that doesn't look okay to me, bloody shuck." newt's voice still sounds like the untuned organ i found in the scorch long ago, but it sounds more like a pouting child's since it keeps raising and raising. it reminds me of the first time he arrived in the glade, his pre-puberty voice was risen three octaves.

jorge and i drop the brunet down gently, he immediately calls for someone to get thomas a rag and cold water. newt tries to push himself up on his bed and make his way to thomas, probably to help, but he falls back into his bed when his arms give out under him.

"newt, you need to rest. your body is still recovering from that much blood loss. thomas will be fine," i assure newt and he lets out a small huff. he rests on the headboard of his bed and crossed his thin arms over his chest.

"what happened to tommy?" he whispers.

"it's okay, he's just a little malnourished. but you need to chill-"

"malnourished? has he been eating?" newt's scratched up voice continues to make the same young sounds it did three years ago, but the urgency in it causes me to gulp down a breath.

"uhh... i'm not sure actually," i answer, and i know its the wrong one when newts eyebrows crease together and he raises his voice again.

"you're not sure? bloody hell, did he take the necklace?"

"yeah. he opened it and read whatever was in it." newt lets out a frustrated sigh and digs the heels of his palms into his eyes.

"clearly he bloody didn't if he's like that!" newt tries to scream but it comes out as a cracked cry. he stands up, wobbling in the act and i have to grips his arms so he won't fall. "he's so stupid! he didn't listen to what i said, minho. he never listens! he never... never..."

newt sniffles back a sob and rests his head on my shoulder. i bring him into a hug and feel the wet patch on my shoulder grow. he cries out again.

i hold the boy in my arms for as long as he needs it, and he really does need it. this boys been through hell and back, always putting other people first even when he's just come back from the dead. 

"newt?" a soft voice interrupts newt's sobs and he looks up from the spot on my shoulder. our eyes make our way to the source of the noise, who turns out to be our shaking friend on the floor. he asks again. "newt, is it really you?"

"tommy." it comes out in a whisper, newt is speechless. he probably just noticed the dullness in thomas' eyes and how the deepened bags under them are almost purple, theyre so sunken in. he also probably can finally notice the way thomas speaks, how it sounds like hes forcing out every word now instead of it coming naturally. i know newt's noticed the difference in thomas when newt's arms on my shoulders are pulled away sharply, and newt cries. "bloody hell, tommy. of course it's me, who else would it be?"

a glint of hope in thomas' eyes is almost missed by us, and he stands up quickly. his balance is lost as soon as he does though, and i have to reach out and catch him before he falls again. thomas grips onto me harshly and i grit my teeth to not let out a whine from the nails in my arms. he sighs again and looks up at me. i can see the desperation in them through the pools that have formed on the dark irises, threatening to flood and fall again.

"tell me you can see him. please don't tell me i'm the only one."

i understand what he means then, he's had small newt hallucinations in the past week and he thinks this newt isn't real. i try to force back a grin, the sight is almost comical. because this newt is the real one. "why don't you ask him yourself?"

thomas huffs quietly and lifts himself off me. he looks towards the blond slowly, almost carefully, as if newt would disappear if he's too fast. they stare at each other with such intensity, i feel like i'm third wheeling. but finally newt lets out a breathy laugh and opens his arms to thomas. "yes, it's me."

———

yeah i know, three chapters finished in one day. shocker compared to my other stories where i haven't updated in six months.

did you enjoy it? i love feedback, please let me know. :)

- bee