centre | newtmas au

31

Newt

He had been sitting in anxious silence for an hour. Nothing Alby could say could console him, because Thomas really was gone. Minho had got all of the other boys on a hunt for him, but nothing. Newt was worried, of course, but most of all, after the truth of Thomas' disappearance had settled in, all he could feel was anger.

Thomas had been so bloody patient, and respectful of the rules in the Glade, and the way they were exploring the maze at a slow pace. Newt knew his silence and lack of questions were too good to be true - he must have been planning this for days.

What made it worse, was that at no point, had he ever so much as brought it up to Newt. Newt would have needed some pushing, but he would've come around, and they could've explored the maze, with bigger numbers, and water and weapons. But Thomas' water bottle was left, empty on the floor by his sleeping bag which he had left from the night before. Newt thought they didn't hide things from each other. Maybe he had got it all wrong.

"You okay?" Minho said, smiling and putting a strong, comforting hand on his shoulder, sitting down next to Newt.

"I'm so angry" Newt replied, rubbing his temples with his hands, which had begun to throb. He hadn't eaten.

"You have every right to be" Minho said, "he's one dumb shank for not listening to you and running off like that"

"Why didn't he tell me?" Newt said quietly.

"He was afraid you would stop him, that's why. It would've hurt him more to go against what you wanted" Minho said, his eyebrows furrowing together, a gentle smile resting on his face, "but it was stupid, and he wasn't thinking. I'm sure he'll realise that if..." Minho stopped and inhaled sharply, "when he gets back"

"He'll wish he didn't come back when I'm done with him" Newt said, shaking his head.

"Ruthless" Minho said, with a laugh, "But hey, I'm going to go stand by the doors and keep a look out. Take a break Newt, please. I've got you"

Newt's emotional state was so fragile that this was enough to bring Newt to tears. He just thanked him quietly and got up, heading for the nearest hammock. On the plus side, he couldn't worry about Thomas if he was asleep. It'd pass the time.

He climbed into it, resting his head on his folded arms, taking big, conscious breaths, to try and ground himself, and guide his thoughts away from Thomas, and all the terrifying scenarios running through his head, without ruling them out completely. The maze was unknown territory, he had to be prepared for the worst. Eventually, after counting many, many sheep, he slept.

He wasn't sure how long it had been, but he woke up to strong arms pulling at him, and yelling his name, telling him to move, to get up. It was Alby.

Newt jolted to sit upright, swinging his legs over the side of the hammock, planting his feet firmly on the ground and looking at Alby, dead in the eyes, asking the question Newt didn't have words for.

"Just come, see for yourself" Alby replied, steading Newt as he got up shakily. Newt glanced towards the East doors of the Maze, where the boys stood, crowded around something Newt couldn't see, or someone, who was clearly lashing out. The boys kept taking steps back. Newt's stomach dropped.

Alby took the lead, pushing through the few boys that were blocking Newt's view, and looking apprehensively at Newt's face as he processed what he was looking at.

Thomas lay on the ground, writhing, being held down by Minho and Gally, who had nothing in their eyes but fear. Thomas was making loud, violent noises, trying to break free.

"Newt..." Minho said, trying to get him to stay back, to protect himself from Thomas, who clearly wasn't himself. Instead, Newt crouched down, and placed both hands on Thomas' face, and looked into his eyes, which were still his, just darker. They looked afraid, and they looked hurt.

"Tommy" Newt said, trying to keep his composure, and stop his voice from cracking; "what happened?"

Thomas stopped moving for a moment, his eyes unmoving from Newt's. He gestured weakly with his right hand, to point at his left arm. Gally looked up at Newt, who nodded. He lifted Thomas' sleeve gently, to expose some kind of bite, that had spread up his arm and turned his veins black. The other boys gasped.

"Thank you, Tommy" Newt said, so it was almost a whisper, "we're going to fix that right up for you"

Thomas nodded. He was still in there, Newt knew, but whatever that thing was, had a hold on him, and it was eating slowly away at the person Thomas was, and it was hurting.

He kept wincing, and inhaling through tightly clenched teeth as Jeff and Winston dragged him to the medical tent, as he protested and tried to claw his way away from them. They managed to lay him down on a stretcher, and make some makeshift ties, to keep him from lashing out and doing more damage to himself, and to them.

He lay there quietly, fighting the restraints, but getting nowhere. Newt made sure he was taken care of, and got up to leave, to think away from Thomas. He couldn't bear to look at him.

He had begun to push the door open when there was a piercing scream, and a strangled voice calling out his name.

Thomas

"NEWT" he screamed, grasping on to the final sliver of lucidness and sanity he could find. Newt came running from the door, kneeling by his side, grabbing Thomas' hands which couldn't move in the restraints. Newt had panic all over his face. He kissed Thomas on the forehead, soothing him as best he could.

"I'm sorry" Thomas said, his heart heavy and aching. His surroundings had become cloudy, and the noises around him were muffled, and unclear. He couldn't make out Newt's words, asking him questions, begging him for answers, but he couldn't hear him. He wanted to cry.

"I love you" he said, before everything faded to black.

omg i am a horrible person LMAO this is so.... morbid

but i told u to trust me didn't i?

it will be fine. a bit more shit to get through but it'll be ok in the end!!

thank u for 20k by the way, love u :)