Dreams // Newtmas

10. Through the Dark

Even with Newt knowing how to get out of the maze, it still took them forever to actually find the exit. Both Newt and Thomas were still half asleep and the light provided by the moon and Newt's flashlight on his phone was not sufficient enough to keep them from tripping over almost every little stick or piece of debris in their path. It made Thomas wonder how often the maze was cleaned because it certainly seemed as if it could do with some serious maintenance. It felt as if every branch or root was out to get them.

Eventually, a large gap in the maze signified the end of the maze. Thomas breathed a sigh of relief as he stepped out onto Teresa's lawn and into open space. Just because he wasn't particularly afraid of the maze, so long as Newt was there, it didn't mean he liked it all that much either.

Newt was close behind him, looking up at the house as he reached Thomas's side. It was in almost complete darkness, save for a few upstairs lights within the house. There was plastic cups strewn all around the yard with a few wasted teens among them. The music had been turned off, leaving a dull atmosphere in its wake as Thomas and Newt walked back up to the house, carefully trying not to step on anyone. The night must have been really crazy for there to be this many kids out here.

"You think any of the others are still awake?" Newt asked as they reached the patio.

"Unlikely," Thomas replied, taking a spare key out from under a potted plant. "None of them have ever made it past 2 am at these parties and I doubt this was an exception." 

He unlocked the glass sliding doors at the back of the house and pulled them back, then stood back to allow Newt in. Newt looked between him and the door, then back at him, then back at the door, before shaking his head and walking in. Thomas followed him in and locked the door behind.

"You do this often then?" Newt gestured towards the key in his hand.

Thomas shrugged. "At parties? Not really, I'm normally the one you have to physically drag inside since I can't stand up straight by the end of it." Newt laughed at that, a small chuckle escaping his lips. Thomas continued on. "I do use it a lot though when we're hanging out at the house. It's mostly my own fault, but I end up wandering off and get locked out almost every time. Because of course those shanks are either all deaf or asleep by the time I try to get in. So yeah, I've gotten used to it."

Newt was satisfied with that extremely long explanation, Thomas realised. Why didn't he just say yes? That would have been so much simpler. He had done enough embarrassing things tonight, he didn't need to add to that list.

Before Thomas could overthink every aspect of his life, Newt brought him back to reality by walking into the kitchen counter. A string of curses left his mouth accompanied by many "bloody hells". It took all of Thomas to not laugh as he watched Newt shake his fist at the countertop.

"Why would you put a counter there?" Newt exclaimed. "Like seriously, it's in the middle of the room! How are you supposed to get a midnight snack without breaking your hip against it?!"

Thomas couldn't hold it in any longer and he laughed s he made his way to the counter. "I'm pretty sure it's called an island." He said, pouring himself a glass of water. He knew the house so well he could navigate his way around it blindfolded. Which was very helpful since there was no lights on in the kitchen, Newt had turned his flashlight off and Thomas was too lazy to turn on the light.

"Also, it's there for a reason," He added, taking a sip of the water. It was cold and refreshing.

"Oh yeah, like what?" Newt asked sarcastically. "Apart from causing injuries I mean."

"Well, I think it's supposed to make cooking easier. You know, since that is what the kitchen is for." Thomas replied with just as much sarcasm.

"Oh good," Newt said in mock relief. "Now I can be thankful for the thing that broke my hip because it helps you cook."

"Well, I mean I've heard it's pretty good for making out on too."

The expression on Newt's face was priceless. Even if it was half obscured in the darkness. Thomas put his glass in the sink and patted Newt on the shoulder as he went over to the stairs without saying a word. 

"You coming?" He asked, nodding up at the stairs. It was an old spiral staircase that Teresa's parents had bought to use as a backway to go upstairs, because why not? It was mainly used by Teresa and the boys though, when they were quietly trying to sneak out of the house to go to a party or avoid some overly intimidating guests.

Newt just stood there.

"Well, suit yourself." Thomas said, quietly enjoying Newt's discomfort. He turned and began to walk up the stairs, only getting as far as the third step when he head Newt's hurried steps behind him.

Newt caught up to him in a matter of seconds and the boys climbed the stairs in silence. When they reached the landing however, Newt grabbed Thomas's arm. "You haven't like... Y'know..." He asked uncomfortably.

Thomas had gotten enough satisfaction and was quick to put Newt at ease. "Done that? Nah. It is Teresa's house after all and we only dated for like six months when we were like fifteen while I was still scared of he parents. It was safe to say that nothing like that was going to happen."

"Wait. You dated Teresa?" Newt asked incredulous. "What happened?"

"Nothing much, we were just different." Thomas didn't really want to go into the details of his and Teresa's relationship. For some reason, Newt was making him feel way too nervous about it. "We ended it on good terms obviously. Considering how she is one of my closest friends and all."

"I see," Newt said, dropping the subject. Then he added in a joking tone "You haven't had any other surprise relationships with any of your other friends have you?"

"Not yet anyway."

Newt gave him another one of his confused stares before moving onto a new topic. Thomas had probably gone too far with that one. He made a mental note to never ever have a repeat of this night again. At least not the countless embarrassing and awkward experiences anyway.

"So where exactly will we find the rest of these oh so charming friends of yours?" Newt asked.

"First off, their our friends," Thomas corrected him. "And they should all be fast asleep in Teresa's room right about now."

Seeing as Newt obviously had no idea where that was, Thomas took the lead and headed down the corridor and into the second room on the right. As suspected, the Gladers lay sprawled over the three large mattresses that covered the floor. Of course, Teresa had an entire mattress to herself while the six boys shared the other two. This resulted in Minho drooling on Frypan who had practically shoved Gally off the bed and Chuck holding onto Winston who was lying half atop Alby. It was honestly quite funny until Thomas realised something.

 One person, namely his sister, wasn't there.