ᵒⁿᵉ 𝐋𝐎𝐂𝐊𝐄𝐃 ⁿᵉʷᵗᵐᵃˢ ᵃᵘ (ᶜᵒᵐᵖˡᵉᵗᵉᵈ)

am i dying

Newt, Thomas and Minho sit on Thomas's bed. Thomas leans against the wall, his cheeks glistening with golden dust, breathing heavily. 

"Wait." Newt says. "I think I have an idea."

"What?" Minho asks.

"We let his power drain out but we collect the liquid and we inject back into him. Just like Janson plans to do with himself." Newt says.

"Will that work?" Minho asks.

"It might kill him. He might almost die. It's gonna hurt like hell. But it's his best chance." Newt says. "Tommy?"

Thomas nods without opening his eyes. "Okay. Do it. But I need you to promise me something."

"Of course, Tommy." Newt says, reaching for his hand.

"I need you to promise me that you won't forget me." Thomas says. "I don't want to die knowing my existence didn't matter."

"Tommy, you aren't dying." Newt says. "But I couldn't ever forget you. Not ever."

Thomas smiles softly. "Minho?"

"Yeah, shuck-face?" Minho says. 

"If I die, make sure he doesn't do anything stupid." He says.

Minho and Newt laugh. 

"No promises." Minho says. 

The trio sit in silence for a minute.

"What do we do now?" Minho asks.

"I guess we just wait." Newt says. "But we do need to find a way to collect the gold stuff before it all runs out."

Minho nods. "Thomas, open your eyes."

He does. 

"Hmm." Minho says. "They're greyer than before."

"It's okay." Newt says. "We just have to hurry."

Newt and Minho stand up and walk out of the room. 

"So...how do we collect it?" Minho asks.

"How should I know?" Newt says, shrugging. 

Minho rolls his eyes. "Okay, fine."

The pair walk to the courtyard and sit under a tree. 

"This is stupid." Newt proclaims.

"What is?" Minho asks.

"This." Newt says. "All of this. Thomas's....thing. Janson. Just everything."

"Well, saying it's stupid isn't going to get us anywhere." Minho points out.

Newt sighs. "I know." He lifts his knees and rests his arms on them, hands in his hair. "It's just so stupid." 

Minho puts a hand on his shoulder. "I know."

Thomas pushes himself up and looks around. Newt and Minho have been gone around an hour. He brushes golden dust away from his eyes. 

"Damn it." He mutters. 

He swings his legs over the edge of the bed and stands. His legs shake as he walks to the door, desperate to find Minho and Newt though he isn't sure why. He opens the door and steps out. He immediately runs into Janson. 

"Oh....shit." Thomas says. "Hi."

"Hi." Janson says. "I was just coming to find you."

"Why?" Thomas asks, trying to hide the golden liquid from Janson. 

"I need exactly what you're wiping away so I'd appreciate it if you'd stop that." Janson says, gripping Thomas's wrist. 

Thomas looks at him. 

"And I can assure you you're too weak to pause time." He says.

Then, footsteps tear down the hallway and Newt and Minho appear in front of Thomas and behind Janson.

"Janson, let go of him." Newt says, moving to stand next to Thomas. His eyes flash.

"Newt, don't." Thomas says. 

"I can't just let him-" Newt starts.

"Yes, you can." Thomas says. 

Newt glares at Janson but doesn't do anything. "What do you want to do to him?"

"I'm just going to take some of that golden liquid." Janson says. "It won't hurt him at all."

"You said that last time." Newt says.

"Actually, I didn't." He says. 

Newt balls his hands into fists. "Just stop. Just leave him alone. Go find another Gold to torture. Go take their power. But leave him alone."

"You know I can't do that, Newt." Janson says. "You're smarter than that."

Thomas slides his wrist out of Janson's grasp. Janson turns to Newt. 

"You can." Newt says. "You're just too stubborn." 

Janson moves towards him but Thomas puts a hand on his chest.

"Do whatever you want to me, but don't touch him." Thomas says. "Or I swear to god I will snap your neck." 

Janson studies him. "Hmm..." He pauses. "Alright, Thomas. You can go. For now."

Thomas looks at him but turns away, slips his hand into Newt's, and walks back to his room.

Thomas and Newt sit on Thomas's bed. 

"Why did he just leave you alone?" Newt asks anxiously.

"I don't know." Thomas says. He blinks slowly.

Newt puts his hand on Thomas's cheek. "Tommy, your eyes are really grey. We have to find some way to fix you soon."

"It's okay." Thomas whispers. "It doesn't really matter."

Newt shakes his head. "Don't be ridiculous."

"I can be powerless. It's okay." Thomas says.

"It's not okay." Newt says. "I'm not going to let him get away with this."

Thomas sighs and closes his eyes. Newt kisses him. 

"Tommy, I-" Newt starts.

Thomas wraps his arms around his neck. "I know."

A/N: :) I'm happy. I dyed my hair and one of my crushes talked to me. Yay. ANYWAY, thanks for reading.