ᵒⁿᵉ 𝐋𝐎𝐂𝐊𝐄𝐃 ⁿᵉʷᵗᵐᵃˢ ᵃᵘ (ᶜᵒᵐᵖˡᵉᵗᵉᵈ)

unanswered questions and unsolved problems

Thomas sits on his bed that night, not able to sleep. He's worried Janson and Paige will take him in the middle of the night, though they probably won't. Newt is asleep, his head in Thomas's lap. He wanted to stay with Thomas, saying he could use someone else there, but he quickly fell asleep. Thomas puts a hand in his hair absent-mindedly. Newt stirs slightly, making Thomas smile. Thomas looks at him and suddenly feels an inexplicable urge to kiss him. 

"Newt?" He whispers softly. He hopes if Newt wakes up the urge will go away.  

Newt eyes flutter open. "Tommy? What is it? Oh, shit." He says. "I feel asleep."

Thomas laughs, the urge subsiding slightly, but only slightly. "It's okay. I'm fine. I didn't expect you to stay up all night."

Newt nods, pushing himself up. He sits next to Thomas. He puts a hand to his chest, sending shocks through Thomas's body. "Does it hurt at all anymore?"

"No." Thomas says, turning slightly red. 

"Then, I have an idea." he says. "Let's pause time. Let's pause time until we figure out how to make sure they don't touch you."

Thomas smiles. "Alright." He holds out his hand and Newt takes it. 

He concentrates. He squeezes his eyes shut, a noise rushing in his ears. His chest tightens and he pauses time. He opens his eyes and loosens his grip on Newt's hand but doesn't let go. He stands up and so does Newt. 

"Where should we go?" Newt asks.

"Let's just go to the courtyard." Thomas says. "There's not really a whole lot of places to go."

Thomas and Newt lay against a tree. 

"I guess we really need to figure out their plan first." Newt says. 

"Was this just an excuse to get me to pause time?" Thomas asks teasingly. 

"Oh yeah." Newt says, nodding. "Totally."

Thomas smiles and laughs. He sighs. Pain starts to spread across his chest.

"We should go back." Newt says. "Don't want your chest to hurt too bad." 

Thomas wants to argue but doesn't and the pair walk back to Thomas's room, hand in hand. 

"We have to figure out what their plan is though." Newt says, climbing back onto the bed. 

"Yeah." Thomas says. He pauses. "You need to do it." 

"Me?" Newt says.

"Yeah." Thomas says. "They are far more likely to talk about it with you in the room. Plus, you could use your powers on them. Make them tell you."

"Not Paige." Newt says. "She has the same power. You can't use your power on someone else with the same one."

"That's stupid." Thomas says. "What does Janson have?" He asks.

"Yellow." Newt says. "Plasma."

"Can you do it?" Thomas asks.

"I can." Newt says. "I will. For you." 

Thomas smiles. "Why me?"

"Because," Newt says. "You're different."

Thomas looks away. "Am I?"

Newt smiles softly, nodding. "Mhm." Newt rests his head on Thomas's shoulder. "Anyway we'll deal with it in the morning. I'm tired."

Thomas tilts his head so it's resting against Newt's. "Yeah. Me too."

The next morning, both boys are shaken awake by Minho. 

"Guys!" He hisses. "Get up!" 

Newt and Thomas sit up. Newt groans. Thomas blushes. He can't believe Minho found them like that. 

"Why?" Newt asks, clearly not embarrassed in the slightest. "It's bloody early."

"Because," Minho says. "I overheard Janson and Paige saying they were coming here to take Thomas somewhere."

"Where?" Newt asks hurriedly, quickly taking Thomas's hand out of view of Minho.

"I don't know." Minho says. "But they're coming. So either come with me or just be safe."

Newt and Thomas share a look. "You go." Newt says. "We'll be fine."

Minho gives them a look. "Okay." He leaves, glancing back at them once. 

"What was that?" Thomas asks. 

"We can hide in time." Newt says. "Until we figure out a way to make sure they won't take you."

"That long?" Thomas asks.

"It could only be a couple hours." Newt points out. "It's the safest option. They can't find us there."

Newt holds out his hand and Thomas takes it. "Fine."

Thomas closes his eyes and pauses time.

"It's so weird." Newt says. "It will never be not weird."

Thomas smiles. "I dunno about that."

"You think we'll do it enough so that's true?" Newt asks.

"I mean, I've never done it without you." Thomas says. 

Newt thinks. "That's true, isn't it?" 

Thomas nods. He realizes that Newt hasn't let go of his hand. He smiles slightly.

"Hey, Newt?" Thomas asks.

"Yeah, Tommy?" He says, turning to face him.

"I, er-" Thomas stutters. "Nevermind."

Newt looks at him quizzically. "What is it, Tommy?"

"Nothing, nothing." Thomas says, looking away from the other boy. 

Newt pulls on his arm until he faces him. "Tommy, tell me." He says, smiling.

The urge to kiss him comes back. "Nothing." Thomas says, going red in the face.

Newt rolls his eyes. "I'm not a bloody idiot, Tommy. I know it's something." 

Thomas shifts. He looks at the blonde. Why does he want to kiss him so badly?  "It's nothing."

Newt looks at him. "I don't like you." He says, giggling.

"Hey!" Thomas says, chuckling.

"You're so stubborn." Newt says, leaning closer, laughing.

"So are you." Thomas says. "You won't tell me anything."

Newt's expression changes. "We should just focus." 

"Wait, what did I say?" Thomas asks. "Why did you stop pushing?"

"Because," Newt says. "Sometimes people keep secrets for reasons."

A/N: Not me procrastinating again. Also, if I don't post in the morning, sorry, but I have in person school. Oh, for anyone wondering what time zone I'm in so they know when my morning is, it's EST. So...it's 7 here when it's 12 in London. PM for both. So yeah. :)